cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soil moisture response to experimentally‐altered snowmelt timing is mediated by soil, vegetation, and regional climate patterns

Soil moisture in seasonally snow-covered environments fluctuates seasonally between wet and dry states. Climate warming is advancing the onset of spring snowmelt and may lengthen the summer dry state and ultimately cause drier soil conditions. The magnitude of either response may vary across elevation and vegetation types. We situated our study at the lower boundary of persistent snow cover and the upper boundary of subalpine forest with paired treatment blocks in aspen forest and open meadow. In treatments plots, we advanced snowmelt timing by an average of 14 days by adding dust to the snow surface during spring melt. We specifically wanted to know whether early snowmelt would increase the duration of the summer dry period and cause soils to be drier in the early-snowmelt treatments compared to control plots. We found no difference in the onset of the summer dry state and no significant differences in soil moisture between treatments. To better understand the reasons soil moisture did not respond to early snowmelt as expected we examined the mediating influences of soil organic matter, texture, temperature, and the presence or absence of forest. In our study, late-spring precipitation may have moderated the effects of early snowmelt on soil moisture. We conclude that landscape characteristics, including soil, vegetation, and regional weather patterns, may supersede the effects of snowmelt timing in determining growing season soil moisture and efforts to anticipate the impacts of climate change on seasonally snow-covered ecosystems should take into account these mediating factors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Adaptive equalization techniques for acoustic telemetry channels

A tutorial review of adaptive equalization techniques for combating intersymbol interference in high-speed digital communications over time-dispersive channels is given. Various equalizer structures and the associated adaptive algorithms, including both fractionally spaced and symbol-spaced equalizers, are presented. Also considered is the application of adaptive equalization techniques to underwater acoustic telemetry channels. >
Automatic Inference of the Temporal Location of Situations in Chinese Text

Chinese is a language that does not have morphological tense markers that provide explicit grammaticalization of the temporal location of situations (events or states). However, in many NLP applications such as Machine Translation, Information Extraction and Question Answering, it is desirable to make the temporal location of the situations explicit. We describe a machine learning framework where different sources of information can be combined to predict the temporal location of situations in Chinese text. Our experiments show that this approach significantly outperforms the most frequent tense baseline. More importantly, the high training accuracy shows promise that this challenging problem is solvable to a level where it can be used in practical NLP applications with more training data, better modeling techniques and more informative and generalizable features.
A reliable assessment of 8-oxo-2-deoxyguanosine levels in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA using the sodium iodide method to isolate DNA.

A major controversy in the area of DNA biochemistry concerns the actual in vivo levels of oxidative damage in DNA. We show here that 8-oxo-2-deoxyguanosine (oxo8dG) generation during DNA isolation is eliminated using the sodium iodide (NaI) isolation method and that the level of oxo8dG in nuclear DNA (nDNA) is almost one-hundredth of the level obtained using the classical phenol method. We found using NaI that the ratio of oxo8dG/10(5 )deoxyguanosine (dG) in nDNA isolated from mouse tissues ranged from 0.032 +/- 0.002 for liver to 0.015 +/- 0.003 for brain. We observed a significant increase (10-fold) in oxo8dG in nDNA isolated from liver tissue after 2 Gy of gamma-irradiation when NaI was used to isolate DNA. The turnover of oxo8dG in nDNA was rapid, e.g. disappearance of oxo8dG in the mouse liver in vivo after gamma-irradiation had a half-life of 11 min. The levels of oxo8dG in mitochondrial DNA isolated from liver, heart and brain were 6-, 16- and 23-fold higher than nDNA from these tissues. Thus, our results showed that the steady-state levels of oxo8dG in mouse tissues range from 180 to 360 lesions in the nuclear genome and from one to two lesions in 100 mitochondrial genomes.
What's Wrong with This Picture: Reflections on Reading National Geographic. A Review Article

Robert Kincaid, the hero of Robert James Waller's mammoth best seller, The Bridges of Madison County, makes his living as a free-lance photographer for National Geographic magazine. When not taking pictures of the covered bridges of Iowa and falling into a steamy romance with a bored Italian-born farm wife, Kincaid treks across the globe photographing exotic landscapes and cultures, developing in the course of his travels an utterly Byronic persona-solitary, intrepid, larger than life, deeply and mystically passionate about his craft and about the eternal verities of human and sub-human exis-
Richard von Kralik's Search for a Fatherland

“A great idea,” observed Robert Musil in his The Man without Qualities, is typically found in “a kind of molten state, as a result of which the ego enters into infinite expanses and the expanse of the universe enters into the ego, whereby it ceases to be possible to recognize what belongs to oneself and what to the infinite.” No wonder that “at every attempt to get hold of it in cold words it evaporates into nothingness.”
Primary aortoduodenal fistula caused by Salmonella aortitis

Abstract We report the management and follow-up of two cases of primary aortoduodenal fistulas caused by Salmonella aortitis. The origin, presentation, diagnosis, and results of operative therapy for patients with primary aortoduodenal fistulas, especially patients with positive aortic wall cultures, are reviewed. Successful therapeutic principles included early intervention, primary duodenal repair, aneurysm resection, aortic reconstruction with an in situ Dacron graft, and prolonged courses of bactericidal antibiotics. (J VASC SURG 1987;6:415-8.)
CHARMM: A program for macromolecular energy, minimization, and dynamics calculations

CHARMM (Chemistry at HARvard Macromolecular Mechanics) is a highly flexible computer program which uses empirical energy functions to model macromolecular systems. The program can read or model build structures, energy minimize them by first- or second-derivative techniques, perform a normal mode or molecular dynamics simulation, and analyze the structural, equilibrium, and dynamic properties determined in these calculations. The operations that CHARMM can perform are described, and some implementation details are given. A set of parameters for the empirical energy function and a sample run are included.
Monitoring Expert System Performance Using Continuous User Feedback

Objective : To evaluate the applicability of metrics collected during routine use to monitor the performance of a deployed expert system. Methods : Two extensive formal evaluations of the GermWatcher (Washington University School of Medicine) expert system were performed approximately six months apart. Deficiencies noted during the first evaluation were corrected via a series of interim changes to the expert system rules, even though the expert system was in routine use. As part of their daily work routine, infection control nurses reviewed expert system output and changed the output results with which they disagreed. The rate of nurse disagreement with expert system output was used as an indirect or surrogate metric of expert system performance between formal evaluations. The results of the second evaluation were used to validate the disagreement rate as an indirect performance measure. Based on continued monitoring of user feedback, expert system changes incorporated after the second formal evaluation have resulted in additional improvements in performance. Results : The rate of nurse disagreement with GermWatcher output decreased consistently after each change to the program. The second formal evaluation confirmed a marked improvement in the program's performance, justifying the use of the nurses' disagreement rate as an indirect performance metric. Conclusions : Metrics collected during the routine use of the GermWatcher expert system can be used to monitor the performance of the expert system. The impact of improvements to the program can be followed using continuous user feedback without requiring extensive formal evaluations after each modification. When possible, the design of an expert system should incorporate measures of system performance that can be collected and monitored during the routine use of the system.
Revisiting the role of the insula in addiction

Brain lesions that damage the insular cortex (IC) interrupt addictive behaviors, suggesting that drug addiction sensitizes the insula. However, neuroimaging studies seem to lead to an opposite picture: structural neuroimaging studies show reduced gray matter volume of the IC of drug users, and functional neuroimaging studies show reduced IC activity when drug users perform decision-making tasks. These results have been interpreted as indicating that addictive behaviors are associated with reduced interoceptive signaling within the IC. Here, we use this apparent contradiction to examine the possible roles of the insula in addiction, identify open questions, and explore ways to address them.
CASh: a novel "clock as shield" design methodology for noise immune precharge-evaluate logic

In gigascale integrated circuits (GSI), interconnects are expected to play a more dominant role in circuit performance than transistor cells. The circuit performance is affected by signal integrity as cross-talk becomes more significant with the scaling of feature sizes. Many attempts have been made to improve noise immunity, but all require the sacrifice of speed as a trade-off, especially in dynamic circuits. Avoiding noise problems while maintaining the desired speed would involve increased wire spacing or extensive shielding, both of which are unfavorable due to demands for high density and a relatively higher cost of wires in current process technologies. We propose a novel methodology in which clock lines are used as shielding wires to reduce cross-talk effects in domino circuits, thereby minimizing the possibility of functional failures. In addition, this method provides another benefit: a small buffer size is required for driving a long interconnect for iso-noise immunity. Since clock lines, which are always required in domino circuits, are used to shield signal lines, speed penalty and area overhead which are drawbacks of previous work can be avoided. This design methodology CASh (Clock As Shielding) demonstrates the superiority over conventional methods. HSPICE simulations on a 2-input domino AND gate and 4 and 8-bit full adders designed in CASh show higher noise immunity over conventional design.
Demystifying the IRB: Human Subjects Research in Academic Libraries

Many academic librarians are interested in pursuing research studies that involve students, faculty, and other library patrons; these projects must be approved by an institutional review board (IRB). This article reviews federal requirements and regulations for human subjects research and explains the IRB application process. The author discusses common types of research projects undertaken by academic librarians that require IRB approval and offers suggestions for successful navigation through the IRB process. Academic librarians should embrace research involving human subjects because the results contribute to the corpus of scholarly knowledge in library and information science as well as in higher education.
Multiple Objectives in Reservoir Operation

Multi-Objective Dynamic Programming has been developed for analyzing water resource problems involving multiple noncommensurable objectives. A mathematical model was used to determine release policies that maximized dump energy and minimized evaporation from the Shasta Reservoir and power plant on the Sacramento River in California. Input data included a reservoir storage-surface area relation, an energy production rate-storage relation, an annual firm energy committment, monthly firm energy distribution coefficients; historical monthly inflow volumes; monthly evaporation rates, and monthly mandatory release volumes. Output from a single execution of the model includes the nonconvex noninferior solution set for the two-objective reservoir operation problem. Several operational policies corresponding to different points from this set are plotted as reservoir storage versus time. Finally, trade-off ratios between dump energy and evaporated water are readily calculable from the set of noninferior solutions.
Lactic Dehydrogenase of Human Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemic Leukocytes

Lactic dehydrogenase was quantitated and its isozyme pattern studied in the leukocytes of 10 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. There was a wide range of LDH activity, although all isozyme patterns by starch-gel electrophoresis showed greatest activity in the No. III isozyme band. Comparison of the rate of migration of the leukemic leukocyte LDH with LDH from normal leukocytes and erythrocytes showed no difference in migration rate, suggesting that the LDH of chronic lymphocytic leukemic leukocytes does not differ in electrical charge from LDH of normal leukocytes.
Goal Navigation, Approach-Oriented Coping, and Adjustment in Young Men with Testicular Cancer.

Cancer can challenge important life goals for young adult survivors. Poor goal navigation skills might disrupt self-regulation and interfere with coping efforts, particularly approach-oriented attempts. Two studies are presented that investigated relationships among goal navigation processes, approach-oriented coping, and adjustment (i.e., social, emotional, and functional well-being) in separate samples of young adults with testicular cancer. In study 1, in-depth interviews (N = 21) were analyzed using thematic analysis to understand experiences of goal pursuit following cancer. In study 2, 171 men completed measures of goal navigation, coping, and adjustment to cancer. In study 1, three prominent themes emerged: goal clarification, goal engagement and disengagement, and responses to disrupted goals. Regression analyses in study 2 revealed that goal navigation skills were positively associated with emotional (B = .35, p < .001), social (B = .24, p < .01), and functional (B = .28, p < .001) well-being, as was approach-oriented coping (B = .22, p < .01; B = .32, p < .001; B = .26, p < .001, respectively). Goal navigation moderated associations between approach-oriented coping and well-being, such that those with low goal navigation ability and low approach-oriented coping reported lower well-being. Goal navigation skills and approach-oriented coping have unique and interactive relationships with adjustment to testicular cancer. They likely represent important independent targets for intervention, and goal navigation skills might also buffer the negative consequences of low use of approach-oriented coping.
Regional Analysis of Rainfall-Induced Landslides - The Test Case of Nocera Inferiore (March, 2005)

This report contains the results of some regional numerical analyses aimed to simulate the rainfall-induced landslide event, which occurred on March 4th, 2005, involving the shallow pyroclastic deposits of the northern slope of the Monte Sant'Angelo di Cava mountain, located in the Nocera Inferiore town. The analyses have been performed using the deterministic approach adopted by the Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Regional Slope-stability (TRIGRS) program (Baum et al., 2002), a GIS-based code which allows to assess, over broad areas, the timing and the location of shallow landslides caused by rainfall events.
Assessment and comparison of student engagement in a variety of physiology courses

Calls for reform in science education have promoted active learning as a means to improve student engagement (SENG). SENG is generally acknowledged to have a positive effect on student learning, satisfaction, and retention. A validated 14-question survey was used to assess SENG in a variety of upper- and lower-level physiology courses, including 100-level Anatomy and Physiology 1, 300-level Animal Physiology, 400-level Advanced Physiology, and 500-level Medical Physiology courses. The results indicated that SENG did not vary consistently by course level, format, or curriculum. The highest levels of SENG were found in the Advanced Physiology course, which included SENG as a primary objective of the course. Physiology student SENG scores were compared with National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) scores. The results demonstrated that physiology students enrolled in the Anatomy and Physiology 1 course reported lower levels of SENG than first-year students that completed the NSSE. Students enrolled in the Advanced Physiology course reported higher levels of SENG than fourth-year students that completed the NSSE. Assessment of SENG offers insights as to how engaged students are, identifies where efforts may best be applied to enhance SENG, and provides a baseline measure for future comparisons after targeted course modifications.
Flightless mutants in the melon fly and oriental fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) and their possible role in the sterile insect release method.

Two new mutants that affect adult wing morphology and render the flies incapable of flight-bubble wing( bw ) in the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), and small wing ( sw ) in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)-are described. Both mutants have variable expression and are caused by autosomal, recessive genes. We discuss the possible role of these alleles in constructing genetic sex sorting systems to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the sterile insect release method.
Research on Information Security Risk Assessment Method for SG-ERP

With the full application of SG-ERP in electric power enterprises,how to guarantee the security of the system has become a key problem that need be solved urgently,and it is also the main content to be solved by security risk assessment.Based on the analysis of existing information security risk assessment theory and risk assessment models,this paper discusses a security risk assessment method applied to SG-ERP.The assessment process is connected closely with the background information of organizational characteristics and organizational business of SG-ERP applications.The risk calculation considers the overall system threats,vulnerabilities and existing security measures,and classifies the levels of system importance.It objectively reflects the risk level of the SG-ERP system and lays solid foundation for the implementation of security measures.
Nitrosamine Formation in Bladder Infections and its Role in the Etiology of Bladder Cancer

Dimethylnitrosamine, a powerful carcinogen, is produced in the urine of patients with urinary tract infections of Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli when nitrite is present. Treatment with tetracycline antibiotics does not enhance the concentration of this carcinogen but, rather, sharply reduces it. The results emphasize the importance of proper antibiotic therapy for the infections to reduce the possibility of the subsequent development of bladder cancer.
Colorectal Cancer Screening: a North American Point of View

Worldwide, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and second in females, with an estimated 1.4 million cases and 693,900 deaths in 2012. The current screening modalities utilized in the USA are examined in this review, along with current colonoscopy quality indicators. The contribution of CRC screening to the rising cost of health care in the USA has warranted recent public interest and has overall been demonstrated to be cost-effective. In addition, numerous barriers to screening are analyzed along with models for risk stratifying CRC risk at both an individual and population level. Recently, recognized risk stratification models from the Netherlands and Asia are compared with those developed in the USA, and the applicability of each to the US population is evaluated. Ultimately, this review presents the challenges and potential solutions in moving forward in the realm of CRC screening.
Procedure Use in Encephalitis, Epilepsy, and Meningitis: A Kids' Inpatient Database Study

For a given patient presentation, diagnostic procedure use can vary among clinicians, because certain procedures might pose risks or be viewed as more or less efficacious. We sought to determine which procedures were used most frequently in certain diagnoses (encephalitis, epilepsy, and meningitis) and whether or not those procedures were more successful in diagnosis than less commonly used procedures. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that procedure use would be affected by patient age and/or number of diagnoses. We used the kids' inpatient database to assess both the use and efficacy of selected procedures in the diagnosis of the aforementioned neurological conditions and variation in the number of procedures used based on age and number of diagnoses. Lumbar puncture and neuroimaging were the dominant procedures for encephalitis, and significantly, fewer procedures were used when lumbar puncture rather than neuroimaging was the principal procedure. Electroencephalography and neuroimaging were the dominant procedures for epilepsy/convulsions, but other procedures were equally efficacious. Lumbar puncture was the dominant procedure for meningitis, and significantly, fewer procedures were used when it was the principal procedure. Both age and number of diagnoses influenced the number of procedures used for encephalitis, whereas only number of diagnoses influenced number of procedures for epilepsy/convulsions. For meningitis, there was an interaction between age and number of diagnoses. While based on a sample of American patients, these results help us to better understand current diagnostic procedure use in general and can inform future use in all populations.
Population screening in Greece for prevention of genetic diseases

Population screening for prevention of genetic diseases in Greece is focused mainly on the identification of carriers of haemoglobinopathies, since thalassemia is the major public health problem of the country.
Has the lack of use of the qualified audit opinion turned it into the “Rotten Kid” threat?

Abstract Although the PCAOB describes the auditor’s report as utilizing a “pass/fail model,” auditing standards provide auditors with a reporting option that is not strictly “pass” or “fail” – a qualified audit opinion. Qualified opinions provide assurance that the financial statements are fairly presented in conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), except for a particular matter (e.g., a non-pervasive material misstatement). Despite having the option to issue qualified opinions, auditors rarely use this option. This is not surprising when one considers that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) considers financial statements filed with anything other than an unqualified opinion to be in violation of securities laws, resulting in possible suspension or delisting of the registrant’s securities. A proponent of strong penalties would argue that the SEC’s stance toward qualified opinions improves financial reporting quality by encouraging GAAP compliance. In this paper, we argue that the opposite may be true. Relying on the auditor-client negotiation literature and economic game theory, we argue that the severe consequences associated with qualified opinions in the US have caused them to become a non-credible threat in the eyes of audit clients, similar to the outcome of the Rotten Kid Game. As a result, auditors are less able to negotiate GAAP compliance by threatening to qualify the audit opinion, resulting in reduced financial reporting quality. We discuss the implications of such an outcome and provide suggestions regarding alternative methods used in foreign securities markets for responding to financial statements filed with a qualified opinion.
Model-based prediction of defective DNA mismatch repair using clinicopathological variables in stage II and III colon cancers

11093 Background: Defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR) results in microsatellite instability (MSI) and is detected in approximately 15% of sporadic colon cancers. MMR status has been shown to provide prognostic and predictive information in primary colon cancers. We sought to develop a model to predict MMR deficiency using clinically available data, and thereby facilitate patient selection for MMR or MSI testing. Methods: TNM stage II and III colon carcinomas (n= 982) were studied from six 5- fluorouracil-based adjuvant therapy trials conducted by the North Central Cancer Treatment Group. MMR status in tumors had been analyzed by MSI (using mono- and dinucleotide markers) or by immunohistochemistry for MMR proteins (hMLH1 and hMSH2). Logistic regression and a recursive partitioning and amalgamation (RPA) analysis was used to identify important predictive factors of MMR status. Factors explored included age, gender, histologic grade, tumor site, stage, lymph node metastases, and T-stage. Results: Defective ...
The effect of recycling on the oxygen distribution in Ti-6Al-4V powder for additive manufacturing

AbstractTi-6Al-4V powder has been recycled 30 times in an electron beam melting system. A combination of electron microscopy techniques has been used to show that the recycled powder has a 35% higher oxygen content, and that the particles have a more irregular morphology, a narrower particle size distribution, and a much more variable microstructure than the virgin powder. The microstructures in the recycled powder particles vary from a martensitic α′ structure, which is identical to that in the virgin powder, to a two-phase α + β structure. This variability is related to the complex thermal history of the unmelted metal powder in the system. Despite these differences, all of the particles exhibit essentially the same surface oxide thickness; the excess oxygen in the recycled powders is instead located in the β phase. The possible consequences for the structure and properties of the resultant additively manufactured parts are discussed.
Fatigability and endurance performance in cancer survivors: Analyses from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

BACKGROUND Fatigue is prevalent and distressing among cancer survivors, but its subjective nature makes it difficult to identify. Fatigability, defined as task-specific fatigue, and endurance performance may be useful supplemental measures of functional status in cancer survivors. METHODS Fatigability, endurance performance, and cancer history were assessed every 2 years in Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging participants between 2007 and 2015. Fatigability was defined according to the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale after a 5-minute, slow treadmill walk; and endurance performance was calculated according to the ability and time to complete a fast-paced, 400-meter walk. The association between cancer history, fatigability, and endurance performance was evaluated using longitudinal analyses adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and comorbidities. RESULTS Of 1665 participants, 334 (20%) reported a history of cancer. A combination of older age (>65 years) and a history of cancer was associated with 3.8 and 8.6 greater odds of high perceived fatigability and poor endurance, respectively (P < .01). Older adults with and without a history of cancer walked 42 and 23 seconds slower than younger adults without a history of cancer, respectively (P < .01). The median times to the development of high fatigability and poor endurance were shorter among those who had a history of cancer compared with those who had no history of cancer (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS The current findings suggest that a history of cancer is associated with fatigability and poor endurance and that this effect is significantly greater in older adults. Evaluating the effects of cancer and age on fatigability may illuminate potential pathways and targets for future interventions. Cancer 2018;124:1279-87. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
Lifting the Veil: A Report on Graduate Music History Pedagogy Training in the United States (2015)

Over the past decade, there has been a steady drumbeat of action in music history pedagogy, from the founding of the AMS pedagogy study group in 2006 to the establishment of the Journal of Music History Pedagogy to the annual Teaching Music History Conference. Because of this action, pedagogues have become interested in the training afforded to graduate students in music history pedagogy, steadily establishing coursework in American universities. Yet there is precious little data about these courses, from where they are offered, to what is covered in those classes, to faculty’s impressions of their effectiveness. In the fall of 2015, Andrew Granade led a class in conducting a nationwide survey of graduate programs identified by the American Musicological Society as offering degrees in music history and musicology. The purposes of this survey were to establish quantitative data on the frequency of courses in music history pedagogy and the commonality of that coursework across institutions, as well as qualitative data about faculty thoughts on the utility of pedagogical training. This article presents the results of that survey, placing music history pedagogy courses within the larger academic discussion of post-graduate pedagogical training and offering a gallery of best practices in the field today.
Neuroendocrine Physiology: Fundamentals and Common Syndromes

Hormonal signaling systems are critical to basic homeostatic functions. They support the control of volume status, blood pressure, cellular metabolism, and intracellular signaling. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, in particular, comprises systems to regulate sodium and water balance, steroid hormone production, glucose metabolism, and thyroid function. Each hormonal system is controlled via negative and positive feedback loops. In addition, activity levels are affected by intersystem modulation. These feedback mechanisms, with the goal of immediate homeostatsis, often cloud hormonal measurement and diagnosis in the critically ill patient. Any kind of intracranial pathology and, in particular, traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, or cerebral hemorrhage disequilibrate the HPA axis. This frequently results in deleterious clinical sequelae. In addition, endocrine disorders unrelated to neuropathology have significant impact on neurophysiology. Thus, dysfunction of the HPA axis must be recognized and carefully managed during the perioperative period.
The Functional Basis of Physiologic Jaundice of the Newborn

Jaundice in the newborn infant is a clinical sign which may lead both the clinician and investigator into vast areas of physiology and disease. Included within these areas of concern may be such widely disparate problems as infantile Gaucher’s Disease, ABO hemolytic disease, neonatal hepatitis, prematurity, biliary atresia and kernicterus (1). The list is legion, but what these situations have in common is the retention of bile pigment in the tissues of the body and in the circulating plasma. In the neonate, as in the older child and adult, hyperbilirubinemia may be classified into those disorders in which conjugated bilirubin (direct-reacting) accumulates (i.e. neonatal hepatitis, biliary atresia and certain metabolic disorders) and those in which unconjugated bilirubin (indirect-reacting) accumulates. Physiologic hyperbilirubinemia of the newborn is of the unconjugated type.
Investigation into the Effect of Heteroatom Content on Kerogen Structure Using Advanced 13C Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

To elucidate how different extreme heteroatom concentrations in oil shale kerogen may present and contribute to various structural features, three shale samples, containing kerogen with high oxygen content, low heteroatom content, and high sulfur content, were analyzed using advanced 13C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, including multiple cross-polarization/magic angle spinning (multiCP/MAS), dipolar dephasing (multiCP/DD), and 2D 1H–13C heteronuclear correlation (2D HETCOR). We found that oxygen in Estonian kukersite was present mostly in aromatic C–O structures and that nonprotonated aromatic carbons bonded to oxygen and alkyl chains led to more diverse aromatic signal distributions and structures in the kukersite organic matter than were observed in the other shales. The low-heteroatom kerogen present in Australian Glen Davis torbanite had the simplest structural pattern and the lowest aromaticity, despite having a lower atomic H/C ratio than the kerogens present in the other sh...
Positive attributes and life satisfaction in homeless youth

Abstract The purpose of this secondary analysis of data from an ongoing, longitudinal intervention study for homeless youths (ages 18–24 years) was threefold: (1) to differentiate by age, sex, and sexual orientation, the positive attributes of hope, optimism, resilience, future time perspective, and gratitude, (2) to determine how these positive attributes might be related to life satisfaction, and (3) to determine which set of variables might best explain life satisfaction. We found a statistically significant difference in resilience scores by sex, H(2) = 6.591, p = .037, with males scoring higher than females. None of the other positive attributes differed significantly by sex. Future time perspective (FTP) differed significantly by sexual orientation with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth scoring higher than others on FTP (p = .046). All theoretical variables (hope, optimism, FTP, resilience, and gratitude) were significantly related to life satisfaction (p
On the Shape of Plane Curves

THE intuitive but somewhat vague idea of the shape of a curve can be formu lated precisely in an elementary way that would seem to have a natural place in plane analytic geometry. The formulation of such a definition and the systematic in vestigation of the resulting mathematical structure should constitute a valuable and interesting exercise for students in analytic geometry courses or combined calculus-analytic geometry courses. How ever, the topic does not seem to have been included in any of the standard texts. The first idea is to replace the question "What is meant by the shape of a curve?" by the easier question "What does it mean to say that two curves have the same shape ?" It is important to notice that a satisfactory answer to this second question will actually yield a satisfactory answer to the first question. This is analogous to the structure of ideas in the historical de velopment of the positive integers. In stead of asking "What is meant by the number of objects in a collection?" man kind first asked "What does it mean to say that two collections contain the same number of objects?" The answer to this second question is, of course, that the two collections can be put into one-to-one correspondence with each other. The ab stract concept of the number of objects in a collection G then develops as "the thing" that G has in common with all other col lections that can be put into one-to-one correspondence with G. In modern math ematical language, one would say that the statement "the number of objects in a collection G is four" means that G belongs to a certain equivalence class of collections (i.e., all those collections that can be put into one-to-one correspondence with G), and the common property shared by all these collections is actually that they all belong to this particular equivalence class. If one denotes this equivalence class by "4," then the statement "the number of objects in G is four" means that G is an element of 4. Hence, finally, one can iden tify the number 4 as a certain equivalence class of collections. Similarly, once we have said what it means for two curves to have the same shape, then we can define the shape of a curve as an equivalence class of curves to which the given curve belongs (viz., the class of all curves having the same shape as the given curve). Of course, it is necessary that the relation of having the same shape turn out to be an equiva lence relation (as, indeed, we intuitively feel that it should be). Our intuition tells us that all straight lines should have the same shape and that all circles (of whatever size) should have the same shape. With these examples to guide us, we reason that our intuitive no tion of the shape of a curve requires that shape be a quality that does not depend on the position, orientation, or size of the curve. Also, two curves that are symmetric about a straight line (i.e., each is the mirror-image of the other) could intui
Perceptions of asthma and exercise, and associations with weight status and asthma morbidity in urban children

Abstract Background Given the high prevalence of asthma and obesity in minority children, there is a need to identify targets for intervention to decrease the impact of these conditions on children's functioning in this high-risk group. Objective To examine in urban children with persistent asthma, 1) differences in asthma indicators (eg, FEV1% predicted) by weight status, and by ethnic group/weight status, 2) caregivers’ fears about their child's asthma by weight status, and by ethnic group/weight status, and 3) the proportion of children who qualified for exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) via exercise challenge test among those whose caregivers endorse exercise as a trigger for asthma. Methods In this sample of urban children (aged 7–9; N = 147), subjective measures included child/caregiver daily report of asthma symptoms and caregiver fears about their child's asthma. Objective lung function was measured twice daily via handheld spirometer and EIB was confirmed via exercise challenge test. Results In the overall sample, a greater proportion of normal-weight children reported asthma symptoms compared to overweight/obese children. Caregiver fears about asthma were more prevalent among Latino caregivers. Non-Latino White children whose caregivers were afraid their child may die when having asthma reported more days with asthma symptoms. Very few children had confirmed EIB compared to the proportion of caregivers who endorsed exercise as a dangerous trigger for asthma. Conclusions Caregiver fear about asthma and misperceptions of exercise as a dangerous trigger for asthma should be addressed during health care visits with families of children with asthma and interventions including urban children with asthma.
Representation, legitimacy, and innovation

Increasing interdependence both within and among nations will create in the foreseeable future increasing numbers of collective action, or free-rider, problems. Dealing with those problems will req...
An Approach to Obesity Management for Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists.

Obesity is associated with multiple gastrointestinal and liver diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal adenocarcinoma, cholelithiasis, colon polyps, and fatty liver disease. To effectively manage obesity, it is imperative to understand current and emerging therapies and procedures. Obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent and is associated with a growing monetary health care burden. Cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes are among the leading causes of preventable and premature death of Americans related to obesity. In addition to behavioral modification (diet and exercise) and bariatric surgery, multiple pharmacotherapies and endoscopic procedures are newly approved and available for the management of obesity. This paper reviews the current literature on the treatments available for the management of obesity including behavior modification, pharmacotherapy, endoscopic weight loss procedures (endobariatrics), and bariatric surgery.
Simulation-based evaluation of patient appointment policies for a primary care clinic with unscheduled visits: a case study

Appointment scheduling represents an effective strategy to improve the health delivery process. The main objective of this study was to develop a framework to evaluate the impact of appointment scheduling policies on a primary care clinic with unscheduled, walk-in patient visits. A teaching hospital primary care clinic employing faculty and resident physicians was modelled and evaluated. The investigated clinic system included various types of patients, patient paths, and multiple clinic staff that served them under conditions of patient no-shows and unscheduled patient arrivals. A simulation model was developed to evaluate trade-offs in appointment scheduling policies in a primary care clinic that utilises a multi-server queueing process with stochastic arrivals and multiple processes. Recommendations for implementing walk-in policies with modifications to the appointment scheduling system were also provided.
Parallel High Throughput Single Molecule Kinetic Assay for Site-Specific DNA Cleavage

Site-specific DNA cleavage (SSDC) is a key step in many cellular processes, and it is crucial to gene editing. This work describes a kinetic assay capable of measuring SSDC in many single DNA molecules simultaneously. Bead-tethered substrate DNAs, each containing a single copy of the target sequence, are prepared in a microfluidic flow channel. An external magnet applies a weak force to the paramagnetic beads. The integrity of up to 1,000 individual DNAs can be monitored by visualizing the microbeads under darkfield imaging using a wide-field, low magnification objective. Injecting of a restriction endonuclease, NdeI, initiates the cleavage reaction. Video microscopy is used to record the exact moment of each DNA cleavage by observing the frame in which the associated bead moves up and out of the focal plane of the objective. Frame-by-frame bead counting quantifies the reaction, and an exponential fit determines the reaction rate. This method allows collection of quantitative and statistically significant data on single molecule SSDC reactions in a single experiment.
Evaluation of the blood pressure effects of diltiazem versus metoprolol in the acute treatment of atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate.

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the difference in blood pressure effects of diltiazem intravenous push (IVP) and metoprolol IVP in the acute management of atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate (AF with RVR). Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study evaluating patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) between January 2012 and September 2018 in AF with RVR and received either diltiazem IVP or metoprolol IVP as the first agent for rate control. The primary objective was the change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) within one hour of initial medication administration. Secondary outcomes included repeat doses within one hour, rate control to 40% within three hours. Subgroup analysis of patients with a baseline SBP
An initial accuracy focus reduces the effect of prior exposure on perceived accuracy of news headlines.

The illusory truth effect occurs when the repetition of a claim increases its perceived truth. Previous studies have demonstrated the illusory truth effect with true and false news headlines. The present study examined the effects that different ratings made during initial exposure have on the illusory truth effect with news headlines. In two experiments, participants (total N = 575) rated a set of news headlines in one of two conditions. Some participants rated how interesting they were, and others rated how truthful they were. Participants later rated the perceived accuracy of a larger set of headlines that included previously rated and new headlines. In both experiments, prior exposure increased perceived accuracy for participants who made initial interest ratings, but not for participants who made initial truthfulness ratings. The increase in perceived accuracy that accompanies repeated exposure was attenuated when participants considered the accuracy of the headlines at initial exposure. Experiment 2 also found evidence for a political bias: participants rated politically concordant headlines as more accurate than politically discordant headlines. The magnitude of this bias was related to performance on a cognitive reflection test; more analytic participants demonstrated greater political bias. These results highlight challenges that fake news presents and suggest that initially encoding headlines’ perceived truth can serve to combat the illusion that a familiar headline is a truthful one.
Assessing the geographical distribution of comorbidity among commercially insured individuals in South Africa

Comorbidities are strong predictors of current and future healthcare needs and costs; however, comorbidities are not evenly distributed geographically. A growing need has emerged for comorbidity surveillance that can inform decision-making. Comorbidity-derived risk scores are increasingly being used as valuable measures of individual health to describe and explain disease burden in populations. This study assessed the geographical distribution of comorbidity and its associated financial implications among commercially insured individuals in South Africa (SA). A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis was performed comparing the geographical distribution of comorbidities for 2.6 million commercially insured individuals over 2016–2017, stratified by geographical districts in SA. We applied the Johns Hopkins ACG® System across the insurance claims data of a large health plan administrator in SA to measure comorbidity as a risk score for each individual. We aggregated individual risk scores to determine the average risk score per district, also known as the comorbidity index (CMI), to describe the overall disease burden of each district. We observed consistently high CMI scores in districts of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal provinces for all population groups before and after age adjustment. Some areas exhibited almost 30% higher healthcare utilization after age adjustment. Districts in the Northern Cape and Limpopo provinces had the lowest CMI scores with 40% lower than expected healthcare utilization in some areas after age adjustment. Our results show underlying disparities in CMI at national, provincial, and district levels. Use of geo-level CMI scores, along with other social data affecting health outcomes, can enable public health departments to improve the management of disease burdens locally and nationally. Our results could also improve the identification of underserved individuals, hence bridging the gap between public health and population health management efforts.
Effects of Shape and Bond Strength on Adhesive Failure of Joint Sealants

Currently, joint sealant is designed without consideration of the bond strength between the concrete and the sealant and the effect of shape on stress concentration. This often leads to adhesive fa...