cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comorbid Conditions and Driving Status Among Older Low-Income African Americans.

While driving is an important instrumental activity of daily living (ADL), older adults belonging to low-income racial minorities make up a large proportion of never-drivers who utilize alternative modes of transportation (Babulal et al., Geriatrics 3, 2018; Choi and Mezuk, J Appl Gerontol 32:902–912, 2013). Our study is a comparative analysis of comorbid health conditions among older drivers and nondrivers receiving care at a safety net hospital in Atlanta in order to assess utilization of healthcare resources and chronic disease burden among the two groups. This is a retrospective cohort study of 690 patients age 65 or older who received care at the Emma Darnell Geriatric Center at Grady Hospital during 2/1/2016–2/1/2017. Self-reported driving status was analyzed and compared for all variables including demographics, insurance information, ADL scores, use of assistive device, sensory impairment, number of Geriatric Clinic visits in a year, and associated visit diagnoses. Twenty-three percent of total 690 patients reported being drivers. Over 94% patients were African Americans and over 67% were women in both groups. Drivers were more functionally independent and were less likely to have cognitive impairment compared with nondrivers. Mean number of visits to Geriatric Primary Care Clinic in a year was low in both groups, and enrollment in a Medicare advantage plan did not affect the association. Approximately 77% of older adults getting care at a safety net hospital in Atlanta reported not driving a motor vehicle. Utilization of primary healthcare resources was low in both groups and was not affected by enrollment in a Medicare advantage plan.
Obstetric outcomes among women with a liver transplant.

Women with liver transplants may be at increased risk for adverse outcomes.The objectives of this study were to evaluate trends and provide recent data on outcomes for women with a liver transplant...
No place like home: initiation of non-invasive ventilation for stable severe COPD

For nearly 60 years, clinicians and investigators have explored the possibility that non-invasive ventilatory assistance might improve the function of patients with stable severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).1 Early studies used negative pressure ventilators with the idea that the rest of the respiratory muscles would make them stronger, but these were poorly tolerated.2 For the past 30 years, studies using non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV) have been performed to see if gas exchange and sleep quantity and quality would improve but results have been conflicting. As recently as 2013, a Cochrane analysis concluded that NIV for stable severe hypercapnic COPD ‘had no clinically or statistically significant effect on gas exchange, exercise tolerance, quality of life, lung function, respiratory muscle strength or sleep efficiency’ and should only be used in the context of a clinical trial’.3 Over the past 5 years, though, several important studies have been published that have altered thinking about the role of NIV for stable severe COPD. Kohnlein et al 4 randomised almost 200 severe stable patients (PaCO2 >6.67 kPa) to receive ‘high-intensity’ NIV (inspiratory pressure to lower PaCO2 by at least 20% and backup rate 2 breaths/min below spontaneous), or standard home oxygen. Twelve-month mortality (12% vs 33%) and St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire score were significantly better in the NIV group. More recently, Murphy et al 5 using ‘high-pressure NIV’ (with a lower set respiratory rate to allow spontaneous triggering) showed significant prolongation of the time to rehospitalisation or death in the NIV group compared with the standard oxygen group (4.3 vs 1.4 months) in patients with hypercapnic COPD recovering from acute exacerbations. However, another randomised controlled trial examining the role of …
Color by number: understanding racism through facts and stats on children: by Art Munnin, Virginia, Stylus Publishing LLC, 2012, 132 pp., $24.95 (paperback); $19.99 (e-book), ISBN 9781579226367

Colour by number: Understanding racism through facts and stats on children argues for a critical examination of social disparities that stifle children’s spirits and their healthy development and t...
Distress tolerance among emergency department patients in acute pain: Associations with substance use treatment.

Managing acute pain in individuals with a history of substance use disorders (SUD) is complex. Distress tolerance (DT) (e.g., the ability to handle uncomfortable sensations) may serve as an ideal non-pharmacological intervention target in this population. Among 293 emergency department (ED) patients seeking treatment for pain (Mage = 41; 42% Female; 43% Black), we examined rates of SUD treatment and DT, whether an objective DT task is feasible to conduct in the ED, and relationships between DT and SUD. Patients completed a self-report DT survey, an objective DT task, and brief surveys of pain, drug use, current or past SUD treatment, and depression/anxiety. Average DT was 18.50 (SD = 9.4) out of 50; patients with past or current SUD treatment (n = 43; 14.7%) reported lower DT than patients with no SUD treatment history (n = 250; 85.3%). Controlling for demographics, depression/anxiety, and pain severity, lower subjective DT (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.05) and objective DT (aOR = 1.02) was associated a current or past history or SUD treatment. Assessing subjective and objective DT in ED patients with acute pain is feasible; interventions aimed at boosting DT may improve outcomes among patients with acute pain and SUD.
Multiple maternal risk-management adaptations in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) mitigate clutch failure caused by catastrophic storms and predators.

Maternal risk-management, an extension of r/K selection, is an indispensable tool for understanding the natural selection pressures that shape the evolution of reproduction. Central to the construct of maternal risk-management is its definition of reproductive success as replacement fitness (w = 2), the survival of one breeding daughter to replace the female and one outbreeding son to replace her mate. Here, I apply maternal risk-management as a theoretical framework to explain multiple reproductive adaptations by loggerhead sea turtles nesting on a barrier island off the southern coast of Florida, US, from 1988 to 2004. Extrapolated over a 30-year reproductive span, nesting females averaged 4000–4500 eggs. I show that, rather than “putting all their eggs in one basket,” females divided eggs into 40 clutches of variable size (50–165 eggs). To deposit clutches, females migrated to the barrier island 10–12 times at unpredictable intervals of 2–8 years. Each nesting season, females deposited 1–7 clutches over diversified time intervals at diversified locations on the beach. Despite devastating clutch losses caused by ten catastrophic hurricanes, hundreds of erratic thunderstorms and dozens of predation events during this study, 72% of clutches produced by nesting females on this barrier island were undisturbed—median hatching success for these clutches was an astonishing 92%. I conclude that diversified maternal investments over time and space by nesting females are reproductive adaptations that have successfully offset clutch losses, thus enabling populations of loggerhead females to meet or exceed their reproductive goal of replacement fitness.
Nuclear Imaging in the Management of Infective Endocarditis

Infection of the heart with or without cardiac devices or prosthetic valves remains a serious disease that requires accurate diagnosis and early and adequate treatment to improve patient outcome. The modified Duke criteria are considered the standard of reference for diagnosing infective endocarditis and are based on clinical, microbiological, pathological, and echocardiographic findings. However, the Duke classification scheme can be inconclusive in detecting the presence and extent of infection. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography have been the cornerstone imaging modality for evaluation of the heart. However, echocardiography is relatively insensitive in detecting early or subtle infection-related morphological changes and in distinguishing infected valve vegetations from structural changes in successfully treated valves. Single-photon radiolabeled leukocytes or positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) have been the most commonly used nuclear imaging techniques in the assessment of infective endocarditis. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses support the utility of nuclear imaging in cardiac infection. FDG PET may have a competitive advantage over radiolabeled leukocyte scintigraphy since it does not require blood draw for leukocyte labeling, and in conjunction with computed tomography (CT) provides anatomic correlation for accurate localization of infectious foci both within and outside of the heart.
Graduate social work program leaders’ perceived support and barriers to integrating spirituality in the curriculum

This paper describes the qualitative responses of a national survey of 56 Master Social Work (MSW) program leaders concerning their perceptions of factors that support or hinder the integration of ...
Examining Adult E-cigarette Use in Kentucky and Its Appalachian Region Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2016-2017.

ObjectivesElectronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has increased steadily in the United States, but little research has examined its prevalence in states comprising Appalachia, a rural region known f...
Earth Observation Simulator (EO-Sim): An Open-Source Software for Observation Systems Design

This paper presents the Earth Observation Simulator (EO-Sim), a software framework which facilitates the design of novel observation systems. EO-Sim allows exploration of observing strategies by facilitating users to configure and simulate heterogenous satellite constellations. A set of potential observation opportunities and the associated observation metrics during mission-operations can be generated by the simulations. EO-Sim also incorporates an observation simulator to mock the operation of instruments taking into consideration the instrument specifications and observation geometry. A beta version has been made available to the public.
B lymphocytes regulate a pro-inflammatory T cell balance in human Type 2 diabetes (P3101)

Lymphocytes play key roles in the chronic inflammation critical for T2D pathogenesis. We have shown T2D patients have an elevated ratio of pro- to anti-inflammatory T cells, and B cells that produce a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile. Thus lymphocytes promote T2D-associated inflammation. Numerous studies implicate the pro-inflammatory CD4+ T cell balance in T2D pathogenesis, but mechanisms that underlie elevated CD4+ T cell inflammation are poorly understood. We explored the possibility that the T2D-associated changes we identified in B cell function regulate T cell inflammation. We show that B cells control the T2D-associated increase in Th17-mediated inflammation in T2D patients and in obese/insulin resistant mice. Surprisingly, the disease-associated ability of B cells to regulate T cell function is contact-dependent, despite evidence that B cell cytokines hyper-secreted in T2D patients activate T cells. In contrast, elevated activation of Th1 cytokines is B cell-independent. We conclude that both T cell-intrinsic and T cell-extrinsic (B cell-dependent) changes regulate T cell inflammation in T2D. These data indicate that B cell depletion may partially curb T2D-associated T cell inflammation, and thus disease pathogenesis; however, combinatorial treatments aimed at multiple inflammatory axes may be required for favorable clinical outcomes.
Usage based topology for DCNs

Many data center network topologies are designed to provide full bisection bandwidth for tens of thousands of servers in order to achieve high network throughput and server agility. However, the utilization rate of DCNs on average is below 10%, which results in a significant waste of network resources and energy. Many researchers propose consolidating network traffic flows to maximize the set of idle network equipment and switching them to low power mode to save energy. In this paper, we propose using skinnier network topologies to meet performance requirements of realistic loads thus saving not only energy but capital cost as well. We undertake a comprehensive study of the sub-graphs of fat-trees for different traffic characteristics and present an analytical model for the number of switches required in each layer of the topology. Furthermore, we examine the potential energy savings of utilizing higher-port-count switches at the edge layer and evaluate the reduced energy consumption using the power data of Cisco modular switches.
The Microstructure of Currency Markets: an Empirical Model of Intra-day Return and Bid-Ask Spread Behavior

This paper analyzes the intra-day relationship between bid-ask spreads and “market” return volatility for U.S. Dollar/Deutschemark quotes. We are able to identify a statistically and economically significant “Reverse U-shaped” pattern in the bid-offer spread in 1996. Tests of the stability and ordering of “market” volatility, performed across several different fractions of the day, reveal that variances of intra-day returns are heterogeneous and ordered, declining around the Asian lunch break, increasing steadily during the London morning trading hours, peaking at the opening of New York to subsequently fall with the closing of the European markets. Results also indicate that “market” volatility is significantly higher during intra-day versus overnight periods. Then, we introduce a structural model that attempts to explain those empirical regularities by capturing some currency-specific features of the data: possibly asymmetric and stochastic trading cost structure, discrete directional updates and parameters’ temporal heterogeneity, and by relating the bid-ask spread to different sources of random noise. We evaluate these parameters via GMM using a set of convenient unconditional intra-day moments implied by the basic configuration of the model. Analysis of the resulting estimated patterns reveals that trading costs play a significant role in explaining the intra-day variability of bid and offer currency returns. Inventory considerations appear to be more relevant in the trading morning, while the perceived risk of arrival of informed trades seems more likely to affect the dealers’ cost structure in the afternoon. The contribution of the “true” currency risk to the total variability of posted bid and ask quotes’ returns is not surprisingly highest with the opening of the European markets.
Breast-feeding incidence and duration in black and white women

The influence of sociodemographic factors on the incidence and duration of breast-feeding was evaluated in 668 black and 511 white women delivering their first child in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. Breast-feeding rates were 84% among white and 49% among black women. Maternal educational level was strongly associated with breast-feeding, whereas the effect of ethnicity was moderate. Women with some college or some graduate school education had adjusted odds of breast-feeding that were 2.6 (95% confidence limit 1.9 to 3.7) and 5.2 (95% confidence limit 2.7 to 10.2) times higher than women with a high school education or less. In contrast, the adjusted odds of breast-feeding were 2.0 (95% confidence limit 1.4 to 3.1) times higher for white women compared with black women. The odds of breast-feeding increased among black women if they attended childbirth classes, were married, or were older. Among black women, the frequency of breast-feeding decreased sharply by 1 month postpartum. Breast-feeding duration for black v white women was 74% v 90% at 1 month, 44% v 72% at 4 months, and 26% v 50% at 7 months postpartum. The majority of black women (53%) used formula supplements in the hospital, which was the only factor significantly related to a shortened duration in this group (P less than .01). The high rate of formula supplementation among black women and its strong association with shortened duration of breast-feeding point to a need for more advice and support and less reliance on formula during the hospital stay.
Characterization of the inhibitory effects of erythromycin and clarithromycin on the HERG potassium channel.

Both erythromycin and clarithromycin have been reported to cause QT prolongation and the cardiac arrhythmia torsade de pointes in humans, however direct evidence documenting that these drugs produce this effect by blocking human cardiac ion channels is lacking. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that these macrolide antibiotics significantly block the delayed rectifier current (IKr) encoded by HERG (the human ether-a-go-go-related gene) at drug concentrations, temperature and ionic conditions mimicking those occurring in human subjects. Potassium currents in HEK 293 cells stably transfected with HERG were recorded using a whole cell voltage clamp method. Exposure of cells to erythromycin reduced the HERG encoded potassium current in a concentration dependent manner with an IC50 of 38.9 ± 1.2 μM and Hill Slope factor of 0.4 ± 0.1. Clarithromycin produced a similar concentration-dependent block with an IC50 of 45.7 ± 1.1 μM and Hill Slope factor of 1.0 ± 0.1. Erythromycin (25–250 μM) and clarithromycin (5 or 25 μM) also produced a significant decrease in the integral of the current evoked by an action potential shaped voltage clamp protocol. The results of this study document that both erythromycin and clarithromycin significantly inhibit the HERG potassium current at clinically relevant concentrations.
Combining Trust Region and Affine Scaling Linearly Constrained Nonconvex Minimization

An interior point method is proposed for a general nonlinear (nonconvex) minimization with linear inequality constraints. This method is a combination of the trust region idea for nonlinearity and affine scaling technique for constraints. Using this method, the original objective function is monotonically decreased. In the proposed approach, a Newton step is derived directly from the complementarity conditions. A trust region subproblem is formed which yields an approximate Newton step as its solution asymptotically. The objective function of the trust region subproblem is the quadratic approximation to the original objective function plus an augmented quadratic convex term. Similar to an augmented Lagrangian function, this augmentation adds positive curvature in the range space of the constraint normals. The global convergence is achieved by possibly using trust regions with different shapes. A reflection technique, which accelerates convergence, is described. Explicit sufficient decrease conditions are proposed. Computational results of a two-dimensional trust region implementation are reported for large-scale problems. Preliminary experiments suggest that this method can be effective; a relatively small number of function evaluations are required for some medium and large test problems.
Long Range Bridge Girder Evaluation Using Lamb Waves

The detection of fatigue cracks in steel bridge girders has become a major problem for bridge engineers in the USA. Currently, most bridge inspection is carried out using visual methods. Visual methods are time consuming and often miss fatigue cracks hidden under paint or by other bridge members. Snooper trucks or platforms are often required so that the inspector can gain access to all parts of the bridge. This requirement adds to the expense and complexity of the inspection process and often requires that one or more traffic lanes be closed to accommodate the required equipment. In view of the above mentioned problems and that bridge inspection budgets are limited, there exists a critical need for global and semiglobal Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) methods which can evaluate critical parts of the bridge structure rapidly and inexpensively.
The Chin Pinch: A Case Study in Skill Learning on a Legged Robot

When developing skills on a physical robot, it is appealing to turn to modern machine learning methods in order to automate the process. However, when no accurate simulator exists for the type of motion in question, all learning must occur on the physical robot itself. In such a case, there is a high premium on quick, efficient learning (specifically, learning with low sample complexity). Recent results in learning locomotion have demonstrated the feasibility of learning fast walks directly on quadrupedal robots. This paper demonstrates that it is also possible to learn a higher-level skill requiring more fine motor coordination, again with all learning occurring directly on the robot. In particular, the paper presents a learned ball-grasping skill on a commercially available Sony Aibo robot, with no human intervention other than battery changes. The learned skill significantly outperforms our best hand-tuned solution. As the learned grasping skill relies on a learned walk, we characterize our learning implementation within the layered learning formalism. To our knowledge, the two learned layers represent the first use of layered learning on a physical robot.
"Studio of Realism": On the Need for Art in Exhibitions on Migration History

This essay takes "Projekt Migration" as point of departure and as a model—an exhibition on the history of labor migration to Germany and on European border politics, which contained both everyday life objects and art works. It concentrates on the materiality of the objects on display and challenges contemporary history scholars' and public historians' approaches, which rely primarily on artifacts, such as documents and objects of daily use, when they represent migration processes and immigrants' lives. The stories associated with these objects often allude to immigrants' everyday practices during their first years abroad. Transforming them into "eternal migrants," exhibits thus tend to create fictionalizations of immigrants, which are then read as realistic and neutral representations. Artists, unlike museum curators, sign their work and thus assume responsibility for the narratives and allusions, which evoke emotions in the viewers. They insert a critical distance between the viewers and the objects, and thus make the "cultural spaces" (LIPPARD, 2003) between object, author, and viewer perceptible. The generalized "othering" of the immigrants and the voyeuristic stance of the viewers towards these others' migratory fates can thus be avoided. Works of art in exhibitions on migration history enable and force the visitors, with or without migration backgrounds, to take position themselves as well. This article therefore argues for the need of artists' interventions in exhibitions on migration history. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1002345
Adverse effects of motor-related symptoms on the ipsilateral upper limb according to long-term cane usage.

Objective: Although the cane is prescribed to aid in daily living and social participation in stroke patients, this study aimed to identify whether long-term cane usage affected sensorimotor functions in the distal part of the non-affected upper limb in relation to a tracking task, a nine-hole pegboard test, and proprioceptive joint sense. Patient and method: Forty stroke patients who were divided into a cane using group (CUG) or a non-cane using group (NCUG) participated in this study. Subjects were evaluated in a tracking task for visuomotor coordination, a nine-hole pegboard test for dexterous hand motion, and a joint reposition test for proprioceptive sense integrity. Result: Comparison of the CUG and NCUG revealed significant differences in performance of the tracking task, the nine-hole pegboard test, and the joint reposition test ( p< 0.05). The CUG had more difficulty performing visuomotor coordination and dexterous hand motion tasks compared with the NCUG. Proprioceptive joint sense was also deteriorated in the CUG. Conclusion: These results suggest that stroke patients who use a cane for a long period, could experience decreased sensorimotor function in the ipsilateral upper limb of a damaged hemisphere. Therefore, it will be necessary to provide careful evaluation and appropriate therapeutic intervention for stroke patients who require the use of a cane over a long period.
Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements‐Gauss Markov model: Improved specifications with multiple data types

The Earth's ionosphere is a highly dynamic region that is almost constantly in a state of flux. Solar radiation, geomagnetic activity, chemical reactions, and natural dynamics all act to perturb the state of the ionosphere. The ionosphere changes on time scales of hours to days, with the fine-scale ionospheric structures that are frequently observed lacking in global physics-based models due to time step and spatial resolution constraints. To properly specify the ionosphere, data are needed, thus data assimilation. The Utah State University Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements-Gauss Markov (GAIM-GM) model uses a data assimilation method to correct a physics-based model of the ionosphere using five different data types, divided into nine different data sources. Multiple data types are necessary because the data from any individual data source will not be sufficient for global reconstructions. The GAIM-GM specification (in real time) can then be used to correct for ionospheric propagation delays, thereby improving geolocation and communications. The focus here is to show the quantitative effects that multiple data types have on GAIM-GM ionospheric specifications for a relatively quiet day (19 April) in 2012.
Utilizing state hazardous materials transportation data in hazardous analysis

Local communities in the United States are required by federal law to assess and plan for risks posed by the transportation of hazardous chemicals in the community. Two sources of data relating to the transportation of hazardous chemicals by motor carrier were examined to determine their value in the hazardous analysis process. Local road side transportation surveys were examined and compared with state truck inventory data drawn on a national basis by the United States Department of Transportation. Statistical analyses of the two data sets suggests that state data collected on a national basis by the US Department of Transportation's truck inventory use survey was not representative of the hazardous chemical data transportation profiles collected at the local road side surveys. The state truck inventory use survey data provides a statewide perspective of motor carrier hazardous materials shipments. The authors determined that additional commodity flow studies should be completed to provide a more precise view of local chemical hazards presented by motor carrier shipments of hazardous chemicals.
Consultation with the Specialist: Hypospadias

1. Warren T. Snodgrass, MD* 1. *Department of Urology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the incidence and cause of hypospadias. 2. Determine when evaluation for intersexuality should be considered in a child who has hypospadias. 3. Delineate when boys who have hypospadias should undergo surgical correction. A term baby is found on initial newborn examination to have penoscrotal hypospadias. The family is distressed and asks several questions: 1. Does he have any other problems, and is this an intersex condition? 2. Does he need other tests? 3. Can he urinate the way he is? 4. Why did this happen, and since we never heard of it before, how common is it? 5. Can it be fixed, and if so, when? Who should do the surgery? 6. We planned to have you circumcise him; can you still do that? Hypospadias refers to incomplete urethral development that results in a meatus located anywhere from the proximal glans to the perineum. The condition occurs in approximately 1 in 150 to 1 in 300 males, making hypospadias the second most common birth defect in boys after cryptorchidism. Recent surveys suggest that the incidence of hypospadias is increasing in industrialized countries, possibly due to environmental estrogens or antiandrogens. The external genitalia are initially indifferent and, in the absence of androgen, inherently develop the female phenotype. The critical timeframe for phallic development is from 8 to 12 weeks’ gestation, when the genital tubercle elongates and the urethral plate on its ventral surface tubularizes from proximally to the tip of the glans. During this phase, the penis is curved ventrally because the corpora cavernosa, as well as shaft skin and prepuce, develop faster on the dorsal than the ventral aspect. After 12 weeks’ gestation, androgen stimulation increases the size of the phallus. Hypospadias results from an arrest in these normal processes. The incompletely tubularized urethra opens on the undersurface, …
Percutaneous Removal of a Surgically Inserted Intra-Aortic Balloon Catheter

A simple and safe technique of open sheathless insertion and percutaneous removal of an intra-aortic balloon catheter is described. The insertion can be performed through the common femoral artery or, when necessary, through the external iliac artery. The latter is particularly useful in patients with small-caliber vessels and/or peripheral vascular disease. Percutaneous removal has been performed at the bedside without hematoma formation or late vascular complications allowing patients to resume immediate mobility.
Theoretical Analysis of Film Thickness Transition Dynamics and Coalescence of Charged Miniemulsion Droplets

The kinetics of thickness transitions of the film, separating two electrostatically stabilized emulsion droplets, is studied. The film evolution is considered as a random process in the two-dimensional space of the film radius and thickness. The analysis is based on the Smoluchowski equation for the time dependent probality for realization of a given configuration (film radius and thickness). The combination of attractive and repulsive (van der Waals and electrostatic) energies determines the potential energy term in the Smoluchowski equation, while the hydrodynamic resistance of film thining determines the diffusion tensor. The components of the latter are calculated. This approach allows one to obtain the average escape time from the secondary (common film) to the primary (Newton black film) energy minimum. This is equivalent to the common film lifetime. If there are not any short-ranged repulsions, to stabilize the thin (Newton black) film, the droplets fuse and the average escape time becomes that for...
Agreement between self-report questionnaires and medical record data was substantial for diabetes, hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke but not for heart failure

Abstract Objectives Questionnaires are used to estimate disease burden. Agreement between questionnaire responses and a criterion standard is important for optimal disease prevalence estimates. We measured the agreement between self-reported disease and medical record diagnosis of disease. Study design and setting A total of 2,037 Olmsted County, Minnesota residents ≥45 years of age were randomly selected. Questionnaires asked if subjects had ever had heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke. Medical records were abstracted. Results Self-report of disease showed >90% specificity for all these diseases, but sensitivity was low for heart failure (69%) and diabetes (66%). Agreement between self-report and medical record was substantial (kappa 0.71–0.80) for diabetes, hypertension, MI, and stroke but not for heart failure (kappa 0.46). Factors associated with high total agreement by multivariate analysis were age 12 years, and zero Charlson Index score ( P Conclusion Questionnaire data are of greatest value in life-threatening, acute-onset diseases (e.g., MI and stroke) and chronic disorders requiring ongoing management (e.g.,diabetes and hypertension). They are more accurate in young women and better-educated subjects.
Is the biological species concept showing its age

Abstract A recent paper by Chung-I Wu in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology questions the value of the popular biological species concept (BSC) and offers an alternative ‘genic' concept based on possessing ‘loci of differential adaptation.' Wu suggests that recent empirical results from genetic studies of speciation necessitate this revision. Several prominent evolutionary biologists responded in the same issue, many noting excitement over the recent empirical results, few agreeing with an abandonment of the BSC, and none wholeheartedly embracing the new genic concept.
Response of established bahiagrass to broadcast lime and phosphorus

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) is an important forage in the southeastern USA. Lime and P are believed to be major inputs needed for bahiagrass production. This field study was conducted on a Pomona fine sand (sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Ultic Haplaquod) to dertermine the response of established bahiagrass to lime and P and to determine if P and lime application levels can be reduced below the current agronomic recommendations for Florida growers. Treatments consisted of four rates of dolomitic lime (0, 1, 2, and 3 tons/acre) and four rates of P (0, 11, 22, and 44 lb P/acre) and all combinations in a factorial design with four replications. Dolomitic lime addition increased bahiagrass yields quadratically in all 4 yr of the study. Addition of dolomitic lime increased soil pH, soil Ca, and soil Mg linearly in the Ap and E soil horizons but had no effect on the Bh horizon. Soil pH ranged from 4.2 to 5.5 and exchangeable Al ranged from 23.5 to 12.6 ppm for the Ap horizon for the 0 and 3 ton lime/acre treatments, respectively. Bahiagrass roots penetrated the spodic horizon regardless of P or lime rates. There was a linear increase in Mehlich I extractable P with increasing P rates ranging from 3.6 to 16.3 ppm for the 0 and 44 lb P/acre treatments, respectively. Average Mehlich I P levels in the E and Bh horizons were 0.3 and 20.8 ppm, respectively. There were no bahiagrass yield or quality responses to P application, even though the surface soil tested low in extractable Paccording to current Florida calibration. This study demonstrates the importance of dolomitic lime for bahiagrass production in low pH soils and that the recommended rate of lime and P application may be able to be reduced without affecting forage production
Impact of mandatory inpatient infectious disease consultation on outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy.

ABSTRACT: Background Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) has had an important impact on infections historically requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotic treatment. Within the past decade, new antibiotics with oral/intravenous bioequivalence, plus recent data on infection management, have increased the potential role of the Infectious Disease (ID) consultant for OPAT. Methods We studied the impact of mandatory ID consultation on the use and outcomes of OPAT in patients initially hospitalized. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff of Baystate Medical Center. Patients older than 18 years of age being considered for discharge to home on OPAT were identified, primarily through discharge planning. Formal ID consultation was performed to determine both need for OPAT and a variety of issues regarding antibiotic choice. Thirty-day telephone follow-up determined outcomes. Data regarding demographics, outcomes, and costs were analyzed. Results Forty-four patients received mandatory ID consultation, 39 (88.6%) of whom had some change in antibiotic recommendations. Seventeen (38.6%) were discharged on oral antibiotics, 1 (2.3%) had antibiotics discontinued, 13 (29.6%) had a change in parenteral antibiotic, 5 (11.4%) had a change in antibiotic dose, and 3 (6.8%) had a change in antibiotic duration. Follow-up demonstrated a single rehospitalization for unrelated issues. The total cost savings were $33,667.00, approximately $760.00 per patient. Charges of consults were approximately $11,970.00, still resulting in savings of close to $21,700.00, or almost $500.00 per patient. Conclusions Mandatory ID consultation resulted in substantial cost savings and excellent outcomes.
Dichloro(6-aminoethylaminopurine)platinum(II) and its hydroxy analogues: Synthesis and preliminary evaluation

Abstract The synthesis, chemical characterization and functional evaluation are reported for dichloro(6-aminoethylaminopurine)platinum(II) and dichloro(6-hydroxyethylaminopurine)platinum(II) and dichloro(6-hydroxyethylamethylaminopurine)platinum(II) ( i.e. Pt(6-AEAP), Pt(6-HEAP) and Pt(6-MHEAP) new complexes of platinum(II). Certain reaction conditions favored the formation of the tripurine platinum complex, but the monopurine complex could be obtained either by hydrolysis of the tripurine or by reacting at reduced temperature and concentration. Although neither compound was as effective as cis -diamminedichloroplatinum(II) ( i.e. DDP) at reducing tumor cell viability or proliferation, both were associated with much less renal toxicity than DDP in the mouse kidney ( i.e. Pt(6-AEAP):∼20 × less; Pt(6-MHEAP): ∼100 × less).
The automatic inversion of attribute grammars

Attribute grammars constitute a formal mechanism for specifying translations between languages; from a formal description of the translation, a translator can be automatically constructed. This process is taken one step further; given an attribute grammar specifying the translation from language L1 to language L2, the question of whether the inverse attribute grammar specifying the inverse translation from L2 to L1 can be automatically generated is addressed. It is shown how to solve this problem for a restricted subset of attribute grammars. This inversion process allows compatible two-way translators to be generated from a single description. To show the practical feasibility of attribute grammar inversion, experience in inverting an attribute grammar used as an interface for a formal database accessing language, SQL, is related. The attributed grammar is used to paraphrase SQL database queries in English.
LACK OF AN URBAN EDGE EFFECT ON REPRODUCTION IN A FRAGMENTATION‐SENSITIVE SPARROW

Many studies have documented degradation of nesting habitat quality for songbirds breeding in fragmented forests. Few studies, however, have focused on the effects of urban fragmentation on arid region avifauna, even though a unique suite of ecological changes may occur along the urban–arid wildland interface. The Rufous-crowned Sparrow (RCSP; Aimophila ruficeps) is a ground-nesting passerine that resides in coastal sage scrub habitat of southern California, USA. Its spatial pattern of abundance in urban-fragmented habitat in San Diego suggests that it is sensitive to changes in habitat configuration or quality that occur with fragmentation. We investigated whether RCSP were subject to adverse edge effects on reproduction by testing hypotheses that nest success and total reproductive output were lower in habitat adjacent to urban edges. We monitored annual fecundity of breeding pairs occupying territories near edges of residential development and in habitat interior areas from 1997 to 1999. Daily nest predation rates were high but did not differ between edge and interior areas. Even within edge plots there was no relationship between edge proximity and predation rate; nests within 75 m of the edge were depredated at the same rate as nests farther from the edge. Using video surveillance, we documented 10 nest predation events; nine identified predators were snakes. The lack of an edge effect on nest predation rate appeared to be due to a lack of edge sensitivity of snakes; snake encounter rates did not differ between edge and interior areas. Cowbird brood parasitism did not affect RCSP reproduction; no brood parasitism was observed in 266 nests. Reproductive output displayed substantial annual variation, apparently due to high interannual variation in rainfall. Total reproductive output did not differ between edge and interior in any year of the study, in part because more frequent renesting by RCSP in edges compensated for slightly lower brood sizes in some years. The lack of a difference in reproductive output between edge and interior habitat suggests that processes other than those affecting reproductive success in edges generate the fragmentation-sensitive pattern in this species. These results caution against generalizing across habitat types and species when predicting fragmentation effects.
On the application of immunological techniques in geographic group studies of Atlantic sea herring, Clupea harengus. I. Neutralization of immune precipitins as an aid to herring serum analysis by immunoelectrophoresis.

The sera of Atlantic sea herring, collected from 13 contiguous oceanic locations, were analyzed by immunoelectrophoresis for precipitinogen differences. An immune serum (rabbit) against the sera from each location was required. Electro-phoretic characteristics suitable for identifying the geographic origins of herring sera were not detected. Immune serum aliquots were therefore individually neutralized with undiluted or one of a series of dilutions of herring serum from each geographic location prior to analysis. The use of undiluted serum resulted in complete precipitin neutralization regardless of its origin. Equivalent dilutions of each serum resulted in varying degrees of precipitin neutralization. This capacity of origin-separate precipitinogens appears to be related to the geographical distance separating the origins of immunizing and neutralizing sera, i.e., the greater the distance the higher the concentration necessary for equivalent neutralization. Sera of unknown origins can be related to sera from specific origins by comparison at equivalent dilutions for equivalent precipitin neutralization, providing they originate from the overall area sampled. Immunoelectrophoretic results are consistent regardless of sex, number of individuals contributing to the sample or the collection date. Herring precipitinogens are identified by comparison with the well-established mobilities of human precipitinogens and are discussed based on the frequency with which they are associated with geographic group differences.
Nonlinear Conductivity and Noise due to Charge-Density-Wave Depinning in NbSe3

A simple model for the depinning and dynamics of a sliding charge-density wave is presented. The model consists of viscously damped motion in a periodic potential and accounts for the main features of the nonlinear conductivity, noise, and ac-dc coupling in the charge-density-wave state of Nb${\mathrm{Se}}_{3}$ at low temperature. Comparison with experimental data suggests that the depinning process is associated with the displacement of the charge-density wave by approximately one period $\ensuremath{\lambda}$.
A Tutorial on Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Its Calibration

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has had rapid usage growth since its first application in the 1960s in the grain industry. Since then, material science, food, environment, medicine, pharmaceutics, agriculture, archeology, and others have reported successful applications of near infrared technologies. Evolution and improvement of instrumentation is expected to continue with increasing users and applications. This review provides a guide for NIR beginners. Theory of NIR measurements, instrumentation, and stages of calibration development are covered in a non-mathematical approach, focusing on critical operating processes to provide new users a starting point for application and study.
Genetic deficiency in the chemokine receptor CCR1 protects against acute Clostridium difficile toxin A enteritis in mice.

Abstract Background & Aims: The role of the CC chemokine receptor (CCR) 1 in acute enteritis was investigated by subjecting CCR1 knockout mice to Clostridium difficile toxin A treatment. Methods: Toxin A or vehicle was injected into ileal loops in anesthetized wild-type, CCR1-/- and macrophage inhibitory protein (MIP)-1α −/− mice. After 1–4 hours, fluid accumulation was calculated, and the loops were processed for histology, myeloperoxidase activity, regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) production, and messenger RNA measurements. Results: Toxin A induced in all mice a significant ( P P −/− and MIP-1α −/− mice. Ileal messenger RNA expression of the CCR1 ligands MIP-1α and RANTES and RANTES synthesis were increased in toxin A–treated wild-type mice. The RANTES antagonist Met-RANTES significantly ( P Conclusions: C. difficile toxin A–induced murine enteritis involves CCR1 and its ligands MIP-1α and RANTES, which may be important mediators of the neutrophil recruitment characterizing acute, enterotoxin-mediated enteritis. GASTROENTEROLOGY 2002;122:725-733
Regulation of Joint Destruction and Inflammation by p53 in Collagen-Induced Arthritis

The role of the tumor suppressor p53 as a key regulator of inflammation was examined in murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a model of rheumatoid arthritis. Wild-type DBA/1 mice develop progressive arthritis in this model, in which p53 expression and apoptosis are evident in the synovial cells. In contrast, the joints of p53 −/− DBA/1 animals with CIA showed increased severity of arthritis using clinical and histological scoring methods with almost no apoptosis. Consistent with this, collagenase-3 expression and cytokine production (interleukin-1 and interleukin-6) in the joints of p53 −/− mice with CIA were significantly greater than in wild-type mice. Anti-collagen antibody titers, however, were not different. Therefore, p53 expression occurs during inflammation and acts to suppress local inflammatory responses. Because mutations in p53 have been described in the synovial membrane of rheumatoid arthritis patients, the loss of p53 function in synoviocytes or other cells in the joint because of dominant-negative mutations might contribute to invasion and destruction of the joint in this disease.
Flow and transport modeling in the sea-breeze part II: Flow model application and pollutant transport

A modifiedE-∈ non-hydrostatic model with non-equilibrium level 2.5 closure was applied to the flow and pollutant dynamics in the sea-breeze. The model predicts key observed characteristics of the sea-breeze, such as midday slowing of inland penetration, fast and deep inland penetration in late afternoon, and detachment of the sea-breeze from the feeding flow in early evening. In late evening when the turbulent mixing over the land subsides due to the surface cooling, a frontal density current is formed and the predicted structure is in good agreement with observations and laboratory experiments of density currents. Turbulent mixing over the land is a key parameter that controls midday slowing and late afternoon frontal development.
Stability of control systems with multiple nonlinearities

Abstract This paper generalizes the Popov criterion for the stability of a system containing a simple memoryless nonlinearity to the case of a system containing an arbitrary number of memoryless nonlinearities. In stating the problem formally, we point out two apparently distinct occurrences of nonlinearities which are really not different, so that both are in the ambit of the problem considered. The main result is established, with an application to deriving a subsidiary result, already discovered by other techniques, on the stability of second-order nonlinear systems.
Drugs and Judgment: Effects of Amphetamine and Secobarbital on Self-Evaluation

(1964). Drugs and Judgment: Effects of Amphetamine and Secobarbital on Self-Evaluation. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 58, No. 2, pp. 397-405.
Additional results of Zalcman's Pompeiu problem

In this article we continue our study of the following problem posed by Lawrence Zalcman in 1972. LetS be the closed unit square. For eachz in the interior,S0, ofS letS(z) be the largest closed square inS with centroidz, and for each α in the interval (0, 1] letSα(z) be the square homothetic toS(z) with linear ratio α. Iff is a continuous function such that its integral overSα(z) vanishes for allz in S0, is f =0? We show that the answer is “yes” if 3/4 ⩽ α < 1.