cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signild Vallgarda and Allan Krasnick (editors). Health services and health policy.

Signild Vallgarda, and Allan Krasnick. (editors). Health services and health policy. Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 2008. ISBN 978-8762808768, 214 pp. Health care systems are complex, opaque behemoths. Constructed from a variety of institutional, professional and political components, financed from multiple funding streams, providing a broad range of clinical, preventive, public health and support services, health systems are hard to describe and even harder to assess. Appropriate description requires a mix of disciplinary tools—epidemiological, clinical, managerial, financial, social and political. Adequate assessment requires an understanding of policy options and alternatives, of political tradeoffs, of …
An Evidential Reasoning Approach to Land Degradation Evaluation: Dempster‐Shafer Theory of Evidence

This study explores the combination of expert and local knowledge for an integrated evaluation of land degradation in southern Mauritania. The expert knowledge uses two imprecise information and uncertainty management tools, Fuzzy measure theory and Dempster-Shafer theory, mediated by expert knowledge, to integrate data collected using local knowledge. Fuzzy measures were found to be an efficient way of handling uncertainty of data compiled from local environmental knowledge and uniformly scaling all land degradation indicator variables to the same numerical range of values. The two techniques allowed scaling and integration of 13 evidential themes characterizing southern Mauritania. The cartographic outputs of this study show the potential of Fuzzy measure theory and Demspter-Shafer theory as powerful complementary environmental resource management tools. On a scale of 0.0 to 1.0, the maps indicate the degree of degradation. The seriousness of land degradation decreases from settlements, roads, and watering points outward. As such, they constitute an excellent guide for resource allocation and rehablitation plans.
Output Properties of the Cortical Hindlimb Motor Area in Spinal Cord-Injured Rats

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine neuronal activity levels in the hindlimb area of motor cortex following spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats and compare the results with measurements in normal rats. Fifteen male Fischer-344 rats received a 200 Kdyn contusion injury in the thoracic cord at level T9–T10. After a minimum of 4 weeks following SCI, intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) and single-unit recording techniques were used in both the forelimb and hindlimb motor areas (FLA, HLA) under ketamine anesthesia. Although movements could be evoked using ICMS in the forelimb area with relatively low current levels, no movements or electromyographical responses could be evoked from ICMS in the HLA in any of the injured rats. During the same procedure, electrophysiological recordings were obtained with a single-shank, 16-channel Michigan probe (Neuronexus) to monitor activity. Neural spikes were discriminated using principle component analysis. Neural activity (action potentials) was collected and ...
Cramér–Rao lower bounds on the performance of charge-coupled-device optical position estimators

The problem of optically estimating an object’s position by using a charge-coupled device (CCD) array composed of square pixels Δx on a side is analyzed. The object’s image spot at the CCD is assumed to have a Gaussian intensity profile with a 1/e point at a radial distance of 2σs from the peak, and the CCD noise is modeled as Poisson-distributed, dark-current shot noise. A two-dimensional Cramer–Rao bound is developed and used to determine a lower limit for the mean-squared error of any unbiased position estimator, and the maximum-likelihood estimator is also derived. For the one-dimensional position-estimation problem the lower bound is shown to be minimum for a pixel-to-image size ratio Δx/σs of between 1 and 2 over a wide range of signal-to-noise ratios. Similarly for the two-dimensional problem, the optimum ratio is shown to lie between 1.5 and 2.5. As is customary in direct detection systems, it is also observed that the lower bound is a function of both the signal power and noise power separately and not just of their ratio. Finally, the maximum-likelihood estimator is shown to be independent of the signal and noise powers at high signal-to-noise ratios.
Dads' Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCOLO-D)

Intervention programs aiming to support fathers’ parenting skills with young children need a practical, but psychometrically sound, observational measure of fathers’ parenting interactions. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Parenting Interactions with Children—Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCOLO) measure for use with fathers, and to explore whether additional observational father-behavior items derived from father research and theory would strengthen those psychometric properties. The 29 original PICCOLO items and 44 additional observable behavioral items of early positive father–infant interaction were tested for variability, reliability, and validity, using extant video observations of over 400 ethnically diverse, low-income fathers. The final measure included 21 items, representing the four domains of positive parenting on the original PICCOLO measure: affection, responsiveness, encouragement, and teaching. Items tested for a playfulness domain did not reach adequate psychometric standards. The final version of the PICCOLO for Dads (PICCOLO-D) measure demonstrated good reliability and validity, including predictive associations with children's language, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes into prekindergarten. Findings indicate that the PICCOLO-D is a psychometricall strong observational measure of early father–child interaction.
Effects of Reproductive Hormones on Experimental Vaginal Candidiasis

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an opportunistic mucosal infection caused by Candida albicans that affects large numbers of otherwise healthy women of childbearing age. Acute episodes of VVC often occur during pregnancy and during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, when levels of progesterone and estrogen are elevated. Although estrogen-dependent experimental rodent models of C. albicans vaginal infection are used for many applications, the role of reproductive hormones and/or their limits in the acquisition of vaginal candidiasis remain unclear. This study examined the effects of estrogen and progesterone on several aspects of an experimental infection together with relative cell-mediated immune responses. Results showed that while decreasing estrogen concentrations eventually influenced infection-induced vaginal titers of C. albicans and rates of infection in inoculated animals, the experimental infection could not be achieved in mice treated with various concentrations of progesterone alone. Furthermore, progesterone had no effect on (i) the induction and persistence of the infection in the presence of estrogen, (ii) delayed-type hypersensitivity in primary-infected mice, or (iii) the partial protection from a secondary vaginal infection under pseudoestrus conditions. Other results with estrogen showed that a persistent infection could be established with a wide range of C. albicans inocula under supraphysiologic and near-physiologic (at estrus) concentrations of estrogen and that vaginal fungus titers or rates of infection were similar if pseudoestrus was initiated several days before or after inoculation. However, the pseudoestrus state had to be maintained for the infection to persist. Finally, estrogen was found to reduce the ability of vaginal epithelial cells to inhibit the growth of C. albicans. These results suggest that estrogen, but not progesterone, is an important factor in hormone-associated susceptibility to C. albicans vaginitis.
Trophic cascades in agricultural landscapes: indirect effects of landscape composition on crop yield.

The strength and prevalence of trophic cascades, defined as positive, indirect effects of natural enemies (predatory and parasitic arthropods) on plants, is highly variable in agroecosystems. This variation may in part be due to the spatial or landscape context in which these trophic cascades occur. In 2011 and 2012, we conducted a natural enemy exclusion experiment in soybean fields along a gradient of landscape composition across southern Wisconsin and Michigan, USA. We used structural equation modeling to ask (1) whether natural enemies influence biocontrol of soybean aphids (SBA) and soybean yield and (2) whether landscape effects on natural enemies influence the strength of the trophic cascades. We found that natural enemies (NE) suppressed aphid populations in both years of our study, and, in 2011, the yield of soybean plants exposed to natural enemies was 37% higher than the yield of plants with aphid populations protected from natural enemies. The strength of the trophic cascade was also influenced by landscape context. We found that landscapes with a higher proportion of soybean and higher diversity habitats resulted in more NE, fewer aphids, and, in some cases, a trend toward greater soybean yield. These results indicate that landscape context is important for understanding spatial variability in biocontrol and yield, but other factors, such as environmental variability and compensatory growth, might overwhelm the beneficial effects of biocontrol on crop yield.
Transcriptional regulator early growth response gene 2 (Egr2) is required for T cell anergy in vitro and in vivo

T cell receptor engagement in the absence of costimulation results in a hyporesponsive state termed anergy. Understanding the transcriptional regulation of other T cell differentiation states has provided critical information regarding the biology of T cell regulation in vivo. However, the transcriptional regulation of T cell anergy has been poorly understood. Using the key anergy target gene diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) α as a focal point, we identified early growth response gene 2 (Egr2) as a central transcription factor that regulates the anergic state. Conditional Egr2 deletion in peripheral T cells abolishes induced expression of DGK-α and other anergy genes and restores Ras/MAPK signaling, IL-2 production, and proliferation upon attempted anergy induction. Using superantigen- and tumor-induced anergy models, we found that Egr2 is necessary for anergy induction in vivo. Collectively, our results implicate Egr2 as an essential transcriptional regulator of the T cell anergy program.
Investigation of Seed Treatments and Fertilizer on Growth of Penstemon tubaeflorus

ABSTRACT Penstemon tubaeflorus is a North American prairie forb of conservation concern. Protocols for seed germination and transplant production involving fertilization are needed for conservation purposes. Our objectives were to compare techniques for breaking seed dormancy and increasing germination, and to investigate fertilizer on growth of Penstemon tubaeflorus. Seed treatments were hickory smoke seasoning solution (1:10, 1:100, 1:500, and 1:1,000), light vs. dark, prairie plant ash solution (2, 4, 8, and 16 g/L), and cold moist stratification (1 or 2 mo at 4°C). Seeds were germinated in Petri dishes in germination chambers and counted for 21 d. For hickory solutions, 1:100 had the highest germination (51%), and seeds germinated in light, but not in the dark. For ash solutions, 8 g/L (6%) and control (4%) germinations were higher than 2 g/L with 4 g/L and 16 g/L being intermediate. Germination increased for both stratification durations (37%) compared to control (2%). For fertilizer studies, seeds w...
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRAINS

Recent study in neuroscience has observed evidence that the anatomic structures in human brains might have certain connection with the functioning. This triggers the interest in morphological study of cortical surfaces and in comparison of different ethnic groups. This article compares the MRI brain datasets of 10 Chinese and 10 Caucasians. A statistical analysis was applied to the white matter volumes in these datasets and evaluate the dissimilarities between the two groups using various intuitive measures. This analysis has revealed systematic morphological differences between the two ethnic groups.
PREDESTINATION AND POLITICAL CONFLICT IN LAUD'S LONDON

This article examines the policy pursued by William Laud during his tenure as bishop of London, focusing specifically on the way in which he enforced the various royal edicts against discussion of predestination. It is argued that Laud enforced Charles I's decrees in an unbalanced manner, attacking Calvinists while apparently leaving their anti-Calvinist opponents untouched. It is likewise argued, however, that this strategy was accomplished not through a policy of overt judicial persecution, but through a more subtle regime of quiet threat and harassment. Such a policy was necessary because, at least in London, the question of predestination had by 1629 become a serious and explosive issue, one that was inextricably linked in the minds of many observers to more explicitly ‘secular’ matters of government and policy. In the process of examining Laud's strategy, the article seeks to untangle the question of why both the Caroline authorities and their enemies saw the seemingly scholastic question of predestination as a matter of such crucial political significance. Ultimately, the article helps to revise our understanding of the political atmosphere that prevailed in England at the outset of the personal rule, while likewise contributing to a deeper understanding of the political breakdown that led to civil war and revolution in the 1640s.
Mining multiple private databases using a kNN classifier

Modern electronic communication has collapsed geographical boundaries for global information sharing but often at the expense of data security and privacy boundaries. Distributed privacy preserving data mining tools are increasingly becoming critical for mining multiple databases with a minimum information disclosure. We present a framework including a general model as well as multi-round algorithms for mining horizontally partitioned databases using a privacy preserving k Nearest Neighbor (kNN) classifier. A salient feature of our approach is that it offers a trade-off between accuracy, efficiency and privacy through multi-round protocols.
Dependence of the Direction of the Casimir Force on the Shape of the Boundary

The Casimir force due to a massless scalar field satisfying Dirichlet boundary conditions may draw a piston into the neck or toward the bulb of a flasklike container. In the worldline formalism this is due to competing contributions to the interaction energy from two types of Brownian bridges. Geometrical subtractions define a finite interaction energy. The procedure does not require regularization and appears well suited for numerical studies. The worldline analysis is robust with respect to variations in the shape of both piston and flask.
The Endogenous Eyeblink

The endogenous eyeblink is identified as a cortically controlled response event, distinguishable from both reflexive and voluntary lid movements. It has a characteristic rate, form, and temporal distribution. These aspects of endogenous blinks are related to cognitive state variables. Allocation of attentional resources, transition points in information processing flow, and possibly processing mode, are indexed by blink parameters.
Thermodynamic models for swelling of heterogeneous networks

The equilibrium swelling behavior of heterogeneous systems consisting of a consisting of a continuous network phase and a dispersed lamellar, spherical, or cylindrical phase is described using a thermodynamic model. The case of swelling of both phases but to different extents is described. The equilibrium volume fractions of each phase as well as the stresses at equilibrium are predicted as functions of the polymer interaction parameter, X, the modulus, G, and the geometric character of the networks.
Invariant curves and time-dependent potentials

In this paper we prove the existence of invariant curves and thus stability for all time for a class of Hamiltonian systems with time-dependent potentials, namely, for systems of the formwhereis a superquadratic polynomial potential with periodic coefficients. As a limiting case, a proof of the stability of Ulam's problem of a particle bouncing between two periodicially moving walls is given.
Effects of Internal Irradation of the Mammary Gland with 144Cerium-144Praseodymium

Abstract Left udder halves of two Jersey cows were given intramammary infusions at six-week intervals with 144 Ce- 144 Pr to give approximately 975, 650, and 1,300rad per treatment. Two other cows were given left-half treatments of 650 and 1,300rad 64 days apart. Milk yield of the treated halves remained comparable to that of the control halves until the last treatments, when it declined. Reduced hay consumption accompanied the decline in milk yields. Milk composition of treated and control halves did not differ significantly. One cow in a succeeding lactation showed a marked reduction of yield in the irradiated half. Nearly 15% of the radioactivity was retained in the body. High concentrations of 144 Ce- 144 Pr accumulated in the liver, spleen, skeleton, and treated half mammary lymph glands. Histological evidence of damage to the mammary secretory epithelium was noted. Chronic hematopoietic damage occurred which resulted in death of three of the cows about four months after the last treatment. The fourth cow died two years later with extensive edema involving the left half of the udder. It was concluded that the mammary gland secretory epithelium is relatively resistant to irradiation damage, but is measurably affected at doses of 1,300rad. Effects on the mammary glands could not be completely separated from possible systemic effects of absorbed 144 Ce. 144 pr
High throughput routing in hybrid cellular and ad-hoc networks

We present DST, a dynamic spanning tree based algorithm, as a routing protocol for hybrid networks. It is scalable with the network size and achieves high throughput by taking advantage of multiple channels. DST maintains a close to optimal spanning tree of the network by using distributed topology trees. DST is fully dynamic and generates only O(log n) messages per update operation. We show experimentally that DST scales well with network size, making it ideal for metropolitan environment hybrid networks.
Detection and description of buildings from multiple aerial images

A method for detection and description of rectangular buildings from two or more registered aerial intensity images is proposed. The output is a 3D description of the buildings, with an associated confidence measure for each building. Hierarchical perceptual grouping and matching across views is employed to increase the robustness of the system. Verification of selected building hypotheses is done using shadow and wall evidence of the buildings. The system is largely feature-based. Grouping and matching are performed in a hierarchical manner utilizing primitives of increasing complexity, starting with line segments and junctions, and proceeding to higher level features. Binocular and trinocular epipolar constraints are used to reduce the search space for matching features.
Large magnetooptical Kerr rotation with high reflectivity from photonic bandgap structures with defects

We perform a theoretical study of enhancement of magnetooptical rotation on reflection of light from a periodic system with a defect. Using calculations based on a coupled mode approach and the transfer matrix method we demonstrate that an asymmetric placing of a single defect allows arbitrary Kerr rotations with better than 99% reflectivity from very short devices.
Relative bioavailability of RRR- and all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate in humans: studies using deuterated compounds.

Vitamin E in nutritional supplements in its most common form is a-tocopheryl acetate. Available stereoiso- menic forms are RRR- ( I stereoisomer) and all-rac- (8 stereoiso- mers). We evaluated the relative bioavailability of RRR- and all- rac-a-tocopheryl acetate using the deuterium-labeled isotopes (5- CD1) 2R, 4'R and 8'R-a-tocopheryl acetate (d3), and (5,7-(CD3)2)-all-rac-a-tocopheryl acetate (d6). Six adults (three males, three females), aged 25-59 y, received 150 mg each of d3 and d6 for 11 consecutive days. Blood samples were collected on days - I , 0, 1 - I I , I 3, 14, 20, 25, 30, 60, 74, 88, 102, 122, and 137. Plasma and red blood cell tocopherol were evaluated by using HPLC and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to distinguish between d3 and d6 tocopherols. Cholesterol, tniglyc- erides, and LDL and HDL cholesterol were measured. Relative bioavailability of d3 when compared with d6 was 2.0 ± 0.06 when area under the plasma time concentration curve (AUC d3/ d6) by trapezoidal rule (P < 0.05) was used. Correcting for lipid yielded the same finding. Unlabeled tocopherol (dO) decreased (P < 0.05) with vitamin E administration. It was concluded that the ratio of bioavailability of RRR-/all-rac-a-tocopheryl acetate is significantly greater than the currently accepted ratio of I.36. Am J Clin Nutr 1994:60:397-402.
E-Government, Government Documents, and School Libraries

This chapter discusses the use of electronic government sources and documents for school media specialists, teachers, and children in K-12 education. Ninety-seven percent of all government information is online, resulting in rich and free source of authoritative material that can enrich the electronic sources of the school media center (GPO, 2002). The ability to easily add sources for curriculum support as well as to expand general source material is something no library should overlook. Annotated e-government sources are included in this chapter along with lists of children’s and teachers’ government web sites.
Navigating disability and related services: stories of immigrant families

ABSTRACTCultural beliefs, values, language differences, and unfamiliar educational infrastructures and practices can impact immigrant parents’ capacity to support their children with disabilities in their new country. This study presents perspectives of disability and experiences with special education services based on interviews with eight immigrant parents of children with disabilities from four countries. Results indicate that the process for accepting, or not accepting, that their child has a disability differed across cultural contexts. Additionally, immigrant parents encounter diverse labelling practices and have varying levels of participation in special education services. Moreover, immigrant families who are refugees have differential access to services and a more limited cultural perspective of their heritage country than families who came to the USA directly from their heritage country. These results can assist professionals in rethinking policies and practices to more effectively establish pa...
Building a Foundation for Africana Sociology: Black Sociology, Afrocentricity, and Transdisciplinary Applied Social Justice

African American women are continually engaged in challenging invisibility, marginalization, and exclusion. Africana Sociology has the potential to support these efforts by incorporating key concep...
The Applications of Information Technology to the Human Services: Challenges and Opportunities

As an individual who has had the opportunity to be engaged in the human services for the past 50 years in positions ranging from entry level caseworker to state commissioner of human services, from...
Simultaneous recovery of tissue physiological and acoustic properties and uniqueness in multi-spectral photoacoustic tomography

We present an algorithm to directly reconstruct chromophore concentrations and acoustic velocity by multi-spectral photoaocoustic tomography (PAT). We also derive conditions for the unique and simultaneous recovery of chromophore concentrations and acoustic velocity using multi-spectral photoaocoustic (PA) data. We demonstrate this new method using simulation tests.
Etiology of different lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized children

Objective To investigate the etiology features in hospitalized children with different acute lower respiratory tract infections in Suzhou.Methods Etiology features of 7794 hospitaIized chiIdren with bronchiolitis,bronchopneumonia,lobar or segmental pneumonia and interstitial pneumonia respectively from January 2006 to December 2011,were retrospectively analysed.Results(1)Bronchiolitis pathogen was respiratory syncytial virus(RSV)(34.12%),followed by Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP)(15.42%),human metapneumovirus(hMPV)(10.87%),Boka virus(HBoV)(8.92%),and Parainfluenza virus-3(4.56%).(2)Bronchopneumonia pathogen was MP(27.34%),followed by Streptococcus pneumonia(Sp)(16.30%),RSV(8.56%), Haemophilus influenza(Hi)(5.68%), and hMPV(5.48%).(3)Lobar or segmental pneumonia pathogen was MP(54.32%),Sp(18.60%),HBoV(8.65%),hMPV(4.46%),and Staphylococcus aureus(SA)(1.43%).(4)Interstitial pneumonia pathogen was MP(38.35%),followed by RSV(24.34%),HBoV(7.43%),Adenovirus(Adv)(6.62%),and Sp(3.25%).Conclusions RSV is still the most common pathogen of bronchiolitis;MP is the important cause of lower respiratory tract infections in chiIdren,which is most common in lobar or segmental pneumonia, interstitial pneumonia,bronchopneumonia,respectively,and is the second cause in bronchiolitis. Sp and Hi are most common bacteria pathogen of lower respiratory tract infections.The role of newly discovered virus,such as hMPV and HBoV in Iower respiratory tract infections,especially in bronchiolitis,can not be ignored.
Bax-induced apoptosis shortens the life span of DNA repair defect Ku70-knockout mice by inducing emphysema

Cells with DNA damage undergo apoptosis or cellular senescence if the damage cannot be repaired. Recent studies highlight that cellular senescence plays a major role in aging. However, age-associated diseases, including emphysema and neurodegenerative disorders, are caused by apoptosis of lung alveolar epithelial cells and neurons, respectively. Therefore, enhanced apoptosis also promotes aging and shortens the life span depending on the cell type. Recently, we reported that ku70(-) (/) (-)bax(-) (/) (-) and ku70(-) (/) (-)bax(+/) (-) mice showed significantly extended life span in comparison with ku70(-) (/) (-)bax(+/+) mice. Ku70 is essential for non-homologous end joining pathway for DNA double strand break repair, and Bax plays an important role in apoptosis. Our study suggests that Bax-induced apoptosis has a significant impact on shortening the life span of ku70(-) (/) (-) mice, which are defective in one of DNA repair pathways. The lung alveolar space gradually enlarges during aging, both in mouse and human, and this age-dependent change results in the decrease of respiration capacity during aging that can lead to emphysema in more severe cases. We found that emphysema occurred in ku70(-) (/) (-) mice at the age of three-months old, and that Bax deficiency was able to suppress it. These results suggest that Bax-mediated apoptosis induces emphysema in ku70(-) (/) (-) mice. We also found that the number of cells, including bronchiolar epithelial cells and type 2 alveolar epithelial cells, shows a higher DNA double strand break damage response in ku70 KO mouse lung than in wild type. Recent studies suggest that non-homologous end joining activity decreases with increased age in mouse and rat model. Together, we hypothesize that the decline of Ku70-dependent DNA repair activity in lung alveolar epithelial cells is one of the causes of age-dependent decline of lung function resulting from excess Bax-mediated apoptosis of lung alveolar epithelial cells (and their progenitor cells).
Diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas in intra-abdominal desmoid tumors: A case report and literature review

Introduction Intra-abdominal desmoid tumors (DTs) are a rare and anatomically diverse group of locally-aggressive, benign neoplasms. They are often difficult to diagnose, even in patients who possess risk factors for the disease. Even after a diagnosis has been reached, the optimal therapy is often not well-defined.
Sex Differences in the Contribution of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia and Trauma to Children’s Psychopathology

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a marker of parasympathetic activity, has been shown to moderate the relation between adversity and child behavioral outcomes; however, this work has been conducted in primarily Caucasian samples and limited in focus to family-level adversity. The current analysis extends the previous literature to examine the co-contribution of exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), baseline RSA, and RSA withdrawal to internalizing and externalizing behavior in a sample of primarily African American youth (n = 92) recruited using neighborhood mapping techniques from communities high in epidemiological indicators of adversity. Exposure to PTEs was associated with lower baseline RSA. Complex interactions were observed between sex of the child, baseline RSA and RSA withdrawal, and PTE exposure predicting to internalizing behaviors. Among girls with high (4+) levels of PTEs, high baseline RSA and RSA withdrawal predicted higher internalizing; for RSA withdrawal only, the inverse was observed for girls with low PTE exposure, for whom high RSA withdrawal predicted lower internalizing. No associations were observed from RSA to externalizing, or among boys to internalizing. Findings are consistent with distinct patterns among primarily African American samples and suggest the need for sex-specific conceptualizations of the link between environmental adversity, physiological reactivity, and internalizing behaviors.
National Trends in Emergency Department Visits by Adults With Mental Health Disorders

Abstract Background Although mental health disorders (MHDs) affect as many as 1 in 4 adults in the U.S., the national trends in emergency department (ED) use for adults who have MHD comorbidities are unknown. Objective To evaluate the role of mental health disorder co-morbidities for adults who use the ED and how this utilization differs by insurance type. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of the National Emergency Department Survey (NEDS) dataset of adults 18 to 64 years of age that was conducted from 2006 to 2011. We defined individuals with MHD comorbidities by applying the MHD Clinical Classification Software groupings to any of the 1 to 15 diagnostic fields available in the NEDS. We further evaluated ED visits made for a primary diagnosis of MHD by applying the same aforementioned codes to the primary diagnosis. We constructed ED visit rates using the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. We used descriptive statistics and tested for differences in trends in visits and visit rates by payer using an ordinary least squares regression. Results The number of ED visits increased by 8.6% from 2006 to 2011. The number of ED visits made by adults primarily for MHDs and with MHD comorbidities increased by 20.5% and 53.3%, respectively ( p p = 0.72) for the same time period. When accounting for the population growth rate, ED visit rates made by adults with MHD comorbidities increased for all insurance types, but decreased for those without MHD comorbidities. Conclusion MHD comorbidities play a significant role in the increasing number of ED visits, regardless of insurance coverage. Additional studies are needed to understand the role of patients with MHDs and ED use.
Gradient Elution Moving Boundary Electrophoresis Enables Rapid Analysis of Acids in Complex Biomass-Derived Streams

Biomass conversion processes such as pretreatment, liquefaction, and pyrolysis often produce complex mixtures of intermediates that are a substantial challenge to analyze rapidly and reliably. To characterize these streams more comprehensively and efficiently, new techniques are needed to track species through biomass deconstruction and conversion processes. Here, we present the application of an emerging analytical method, gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis (GEMBE), to quantify a suite of acids in a complex, biomass-derived streams from alkaline pretreatment of corn stover. GEMBE offers distinct advantages over common chromatography-spectrometry analytical approaches in terms of analysis time, sample preparation requirements, and cost of equipment. As demonstrated here, GEMBE is able to track 17 distinct compounds (oxalate, formate, succinate, malate, acetate, glycolate, protocatechuate, 3-hydroxypropanoate, lactate, glycerate, 2-hydroxybutanoate, 4-hydroxybenzoate, vanillate, p-coumarate, ...
Trends in parastomal hernia repair in the United States: a 14-y review

Abstract Background Parastomal hernia is the most common complication after stoma creation. Parastomal hernias can create significant morbidity, including patient discomfort, small bowel obstruction, and need for emergency surgery. We examined national trends in parastomal hernia repair (PHR) including annual frequency of procedure, patient characteristics, and same-admission complications. Materials and methods The 1998-2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify patients who underwent a PHR (International Classification of Disease, Ninth Edition, Procedure Code [ICD-9 PR] 46.42). PHRs were classified as PHR with concurrent resiting (ICD-9 PR 46.43), PHR with concurrent ostomy reversal (ICD-9 PR 46.52 or 46.51), or primary PHR. Patient characteristics were collected. Complications, length of stay, cost and inpatient mortality were identified. Results The estimated number of annual PHRs increased from 4150 to 7623 ( P ≤ 0.01) for a total of 73,393 repairs. Thirty percent underwent a concurrent stoma reversal and 10% underwent a resiting. There was an upward trend in number of patients with ≥3 Elixhauser comorbidities (17%-44%, P Conclusions The incidence of PHR nationwide is increasing and more than half of patients undergo primary repair. Although the surgical focus has moved toward prevention, parastomal hernia is a persistent complication of stoma creation. Further exploration is warranted to determine contributing factors to the observed increase in PHR and changes in surgical technique.
Finding Health Information via the World Wide Web: An Essential Resource for the Community Health Practitioner

(1997). Finding Health Information via the World Wide Web: An Essential Resource for the Community Health Practitioner. Journal of Health Education: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 117-120.
Diabetes mellitus in a patient with glycogen storage disease type Ia: a case report

Glycogen storage disease type Ia is a genetic disorder that is associated with persistent fasting hypoglycemia and the inability to produce endogenous glucose. The development of diabetes with glycogen storage disease is exceedingly rare. The underlying pathogenesis for developing diabetes in these patients is unclear, and there are no guidelines for treatment. We describe a case of a 34-year-old woman of South Asian descent with glycogen storage disease type Ia, who developed uncontrolled diabetes mellitus as a young adult. Hyperglycemia was noted after childbirth, and worsened years later. Treatment for diabetes was difficult due to risks of hypoglycemia from her underlying glycogen storage disease. With minimal hypoglycemic events, the patient’s blood glucose improved with exercise in combination with a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor and an alpha glucosidase inhibitor. We report a rare case of diabetes in the setting of glycogen storage disease-Ia. Based on the literature, there appears to be a relationship between glycogen storage disease and metabolic syndrome, which likely plays a role in the pathogenesis. The management of glycemic control remains a clinical challenge, requiring management of both fasting hypoglycemia from glycogen storage disease, as well as post-prandial hyperglycemia from diabetes mellitus.
Estimation of critical end-test torque using neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the quadriceps in humans.

Characterization of critical power/torque (CP/CT) during voluntary exercise requires maximal effort, making difficult for those with neuromuscular impairments. To address this issue we sought to determine if electrically stimulated intermittent isometric exercise resulted in a critical end-test torque (ETT) that behaved similar to voluntary CT. In the first experiment participants (n = 9) completed four bouts of stimulated exercise at a 3:2 duty cycle, at frequencies of 100, 50, 25 Hz, and a low frequency below ETT (Sub-ETT; ≤ 15 Hz). The second experiment (n = 20) consisted of four bouts at a 2:2 duty cycle—two bouts at 100 Hz, one at an intermediate frequency (15–30 Hz), and one at Sub-ETT. The third experiment (n = 12) consisted of two bouts at 50 Hz at a 3:2 duty* cycle with proximal blood flow occlusion during one of the bouts. ETT torque was similar (p ≥ 0.43) within and among stimulation frequencies in experiment 1. No fatigue was observed during the Sub-ETT bouts (p > 0.05). For experiment 2, ETT was similar at 100 Hz and at the intermediate frequency (p ≥ 0.29). Again, Sub-ETT stimulation did not result in fatigue (p > 0.05). Altering oxygen delivery by altering the duty cycle (3:2 vs. 2:2; p = 0.02) and by occlusion (p < 0.001) resulted in lower ETT values. Stimulated exercise resulted in an ETT that was consistent from day-to-day and similar regardless of initial torque, as long as that torque exceeded ETT, and was sensitive to oxygen delivery. As such we propose it represents a parameter similar to voluntary CT.
Postoperative gastroparesis and tachygastria—response to electric stimulation and erythromycin

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to correlate clinical course, gastric emptying, and gastric myoelectric activity in a patient after gastric operation and to determine the effect of electric stimulation and the administration of erythromycin on the patient's gastric rhythm. METHODS Daily myoelectric recordings were obtained through implanted gastric electrodes after truncal vagotomy and gastroenterostomy for an obstructing duodenal ulcer. RESULTS The patient had acute postoperative delayed gastric emptying, accompanied initially by stomal edema but subsequently associated with persistent tachygastria. The gastric rhythm was only transiently slowed by multiple attempts at electroversion but appeared to respond dramatically to intravenous erythromycin therapy. Although delayed gastric emptying persisted on radionuclide gastric emptying studies, the patient slowly improved clinically with continued erythromycin therapy. CONCLUSIONS Disturbances in gastric rhythm may accompany postoperative gastroparesis, although in our patient the dysrhythmias appeared to occur secondary to gastric outlet obstruction. Although his stomach could be paced, pacing was not effective in restoring a normal gastric rhythm. In contrast, intravenous erythromycin therapy was associated with rapid restoration of a normal gastric rhythm and slow improvement in gastric function.
Wanted: Experts on Strategy

Ninety years of service to the world’s leading corporations have shown that work as a consultant offers an ideal environment for strategic thinkers, those with an ability to solve problems, show flexibility and have a desire for continued professional training. The range of activities is challenging. It requires of each individual that he or she is aware of these demands. The “Booz Allen Way” offers attractive and demanding work, an international corporate culture, a supportive environment — and inspires every individual.
The Privatization of Prisons

Drawing on the author's experience as a lawyer who has worked both in the public sector and in the private practice negotiating numerous contracts between the public and private sectors, this article examines the major arguments in favor of and against privatization by contract in general, focusing on the pros and cons as they relate to privatizing prisons. It draws on the author's experience representing the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in its contracting for the design, development, and operation of three separate prison complexes, and the author's experience in representing lending institutions considering investments in private prison projects. We examine the unusual growth in the private corrections industry, the principal risks and issues involved in privatizing prisons (including proprietary concerns, liability and accountability issues, and comparative cost), the use of private prisons as economic development projects, and their use as a solution to a public corrections program in deplorable shape. The issues are a mix of political philosophy, law, and economics. Finally, the author will suggest contractual solutions to some of the major problems raised in prison management agreements. Engendering competition is one of the goals for privatizations of all types. Competition can be maximized at the local level, and results improved by contracting with more than one private company within the same jurisdiction. The private operators will then compete with each other in the operation of their respective facilities, as well as with government operated prisons. Competition may be further enhanced by allowing the governmental corrections agency, or an organized subgroup thereof, to bid, along with private companies, for new prison contracts. As public servants they may not have had any incentive or flexibility to implement changes because they operated as part of a monopoly and because there was no personal reward. But when operating under a contract, instead of civil service employment rules, they should be capable of greater innovation and efficiency, using insights gained from years of experience on the job. One of the most important factors, as to whether it makes sense in the first place to privatize or not, is the quality and quantity of firms in the private sector interested in competing for the contract. Puerto Rico was fortunate in having several good companies compete. Without good companies making good proposals it could be folly to privatize. The demand for the privatization of prisons (as is true with other fields), the growth of new companies and the winnowing out of weak ones, and increasing government experience in procurement and contracting should, in theory, produce better results over time. But concentration in a few firms can be a dark cloud that requires close watching.
Constitutional chromosome rearrangements that mimic the 2017 world health organization "acute myeloid leukemia with recurrent genetic abnormalities": A study of three cases and review of the literature.

Abstract Objectives To identify and characterize constitutional chromosomal rearrangements that mimic recurrent genetic abnormalities in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods Bone marrow and blood chromosome studies were reviewed to identify constitutional rearrangements that resemble those designated by the 2017 revised World Health Organization (WHO) “AML with recurrent genetic abnormalities”. Mate-pair sequencing (MPseq) was performed on cases with constitutional chromosome mimics of recurrent AML abnormalities to further define the rearrangement breakpoints. Results Three cases with constitutional rearrangements were identified, including t(6;9)(p23;q34), inv(16)(p13.1q22), and t(9;22)(q34.1;q12.2). Two cases were bone marrow specimens being evaluated for hematologic neoplasms, while one case was a blood specimen being evaluated for primary ovarian insufficiency. MPseq provided high-resolution and precise rearrangement breakpoints, and resolved the atypical FISH results generated with each rearrangement. Conclusions Our findings illustrate that constitutional rearrangements can mimic recurrent genetic abnormalities observed in AML, and we emphasize the importance of correlating genetic data with clinical and hematopathologic information.
Compartmental process-based model for estimating ammonia emissions from stored liquid dairy manure

This study developed a compartmental process-based model (PBM) as an alternative approach to estimate ammonia emission from liquid dairy manure during storage to improve the accuracy of quantification tools for nitrogen cycling at the farm level compared to the currently used non-compartmental PBM. The compartmental PBM developed partitions stored manure into several layers in the vertical domain to facilitate the spatial temperature and substrate concentration calculations. In contrast, the non-compartmental PBMs currently used consider the bulk stored manure as a material with homogenous properties. The models used similar equations and processes from the well-established principles of heat and mass transfer and pertinent known biogeochemical processes for the production and emission of ammonia. The models were calibrated, and their performance assessed using literature-based experimentally derived ammonia emission rates. Additionally, a scenario analysis was conducted to compare ammonia emission rate estimates by the models from stored liquid manure at a dairy farm during two (cold and warm) storage periods. Model outputs were sensitive to ambient air temperature, manure pH, wind speed, manure total ammoniacal nitrogen concentration, and the two-way interactions of ambient air temperature, pH, and wind speed. Ammonia emission rates by the models and literature-based experimentally derived ammonia emission rates were similar (p > 0.05). In general, the compartmental PBM predicted lower ammonia emission rates compared to the non-compartmental PBM. Also, the compartmental PBM had a relatively better performance compared to the non-compartmental PBM. Compared to the non-compartmental PBM, the compartmental model estimated lower ammonia emission rates, i.e., 28% and 34%, for the cold and warm periods, respectively.
Metabasalts and metagabbros from the Llano Uplift, Texas: Petrologic and geochemical characterization with emphasis on tectonic setting

The 1.0-1.2 b.y. old rocks of the southeastern Llano Uplift, Texas include a 7 km thick sequence of amphibolite-grade, stratified, mafic metasedimentary rock (Packsaddle Schist) which is intruded by a varied suite of syntectonic and late-kinematic intrusions. The metasediments contain large blocks of serpentinized peridotite (Coal Creek serpentinite) and coarse hornblendite and metagabbro. Prior to the end of maximum deformation, the sequence was intruded by low to medium-K2O tholeiitic basalts (0.40-0.72% K2O). Late-kinematic low-K2O tholeiitic basalts (0.38-0.40% K2O) were intruded as dikes into the folded rocks. The Coal Creek serpentinite contains both syntectonic and late-kinematic low-K2O tholeiitic metabasalts (0.13–0.36% K2O). The Llano metabasalts and metagabbros are characterized by low Cr (67–378 ppm) and Ni (36–170 ppm), variable Rb (1.5–14.7 ppm), Sr (140–1229 ppm), TiO2 (0.40–2.20%), P (568–2707 ppm), and Zr (18–230 ppm), and Y (16–45 ppm), Co (40–57 ppm), and Sc (36–49 ppm) similar to modern MORB. The metabasalts have La abundances from 7 to 39 times chondritic and exhibit light REE enrichment with ¦La/Sm¦N from 1.13 to 1.45 and ¦La/Yb¦N from 1.12 to 2.99. The metabasalts show a strong correlation of increasing Zr, Ti, and Y and decreasing Eu/Eu* (1.56–1.00), CaO/TiO2, Al2O3/TiO2, and MgO/ MgO+FeO* with increasing REE enrichment (LaN). The Llano metabasalts and metagabbros have initial 87Sr/86Sr=0.7029±0.0001. A likely petrogenetic model for these metabasalts is an island arc in which events from early arc development to final late-kinematic intrusion were dominated by tholeiitic volcanism and intrusion. The chemical systematics of the Llano mafic metaigneous rocks suggest they are products of fractionation of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase from more primitive basaltic magmas generated beneath the island arc complex.