cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The association between impulsivity and alcohol/drug use among prison inmates

Abstract Background Few studies have examined the relation between impulsivity and drug involvement with prison inmates, in spite of their heavy drug use. Among this small body of work, most studies look at clinically relevant drug dependence, rather than drug use specifically. Method N = 242 adult inmates (34.8% female, 52% White) with an average age of 35.58 ( SD = 9.19) completed a modified version of the 15-item Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and measures assessing lifetime alcohol, opiate, benzodiazepine, cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogen, and polysubstance use. Lifetime users also reported the frequency of use for the 30 days prior to incarceration. Results Impulsivity was higher among lifetime users (versus never users) of all substances other than cannabis. Thirty day drug use frequency was only related to impulsivity for opiates and alcohol. Discussion This study extends prior work, by showing that a lifetime history of non-clinical substance use is positively associated with impulsivity among prison inmates. Implications for drug interventions are considered for this population, which is characterized by high rates of substance use and elevated impulsivity.
The proper sequence for correcting correlation coefficients for range restriction and unreliability

Corrections of correlations for range restriction (i.e., selection) and unreliability are common in psychometric work. The current rule of thumb for determining the order in which to apply these corrections looks to the nature of the reliability estimate (i.e., restricted or unrestricted). While intuitive, this rule of thumb is untenable when the correction includes the variable upon which selection is made, as is generally the case. Using classical test theory, we show that it is the nature of the range restriction, not the nature of the available reliability coefficient, that determines the sequence for applying corrections for range restriction and unreliability.
How Important is Entropy in Determining the Position-Dependent Free Energy of a Solute in a Nanoconfined Solvent?

In this paper, the role of entropy and internal energy in determining the free energy surfaces of a model dye molecule dissolved in nanoconfined solvent is investigated by Monte Carlo simulations. Three solvents (CH3I, CH3CN, and CH3OH) confined in smooth-walled, spherical nanocavities with radii of 10 and 15 A are considered. The results provide insight into the driving forces that determine the differences in position in the nanocavity between the ground and the excited states of the solute, differences that have previously been shown to be important in time-dependent fluorescence in these systems [J. Chem. Phys. 2004, 120, 8125]. The results indicate that entropic contributions are central in controlling the shape of the free energy surfaces of the ground and excited-state solute. The effects of solvent molecule shape and charge are explored, and the possible molecular-level origins of the entropic effects are discussed.
A faculty development course in obstetrics and gynecology

Sponsored by the nonprofit Berlex Foundation, this 6-day Faculty Development Course introduces small groups of new faculty to research design, critical appraisal of the literature, scientific writing, and evidence-based medicine. The course includes didactic presentations, small group discussions, and individual protocol development. Its influence on academic careers is impossible to determine, because defining an appropriate comparison group is not feasible. However, the cumulative effect should be to increase the research expertise of some young faculty in academic departments nationwide. In addition, many participants have introduced the principles of evidence-based medicine in their own teaching programs.
798 DECREASED MORTALITY IN EARLY ONSET GROUP B STREPTOCOCCAL (GBS) SEPSIS: FACTORS THAT RELATE TO SURVIVAL

We have observed a low mortality (12.5%) in a total of 16 infants in our nursery with early onset GBS sepsis (positive blood culture during the first days of life). The following factors did not correlate to survival: maturity, birth weight, Apgar score, manner of delivery and duration of rupture of membranes (ROM). The single factor that related to the infant's survival was the onset of treatment with antibiotics. None of the infants treated early ( 12 hours of age) died. Early treatment was initiated because of one or a combination of the following conditions: 1) respiratory distress soon after birth, 2) PROM (>12 hours) and/or 3) gastric aspirate positive for gram-positive cocci. The 2 infants who died were premature and had respiratory distress at birth, initially diagnosed as HMD. Antibiotics were not started until 16-24 hours later. Of the 4 infants who received late treatment but survived, 2 were fullterm and 2 were premature. The latter had no respiratory distress but problems of apnea or jaundice on the 3rd or 4th day which prompted a sepsis work-up. CONCLUSION: Although no significant statistical analysis can be drawn from this small sample, we feel that the following generalizations can be offered: 1) GBS sepsis can occur without PROM. The shortest duration of ROM in our series = 10 minutes, 2) the early treatment of GBS sepsis has been the single most important factor in our increased survival rate. A high index of suspicion is therefore necessary. In general, any infant with respiratory distress soon after birth should have a gastric aspirate smear, and if positive for gram positive cocci, should be treated with antibiotics until culture results become known. Factors such as gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score, PROM and white cell count, should not influence the decision to withhold therapy.
Probenecid inhibition of methotrexate excretion from cerebrospinal fluid in dogs

Probenecid is known to inhibit the renal excretion of methotrexate (MTX) and the transport of organic anions by the choroid plexus of the brain. The effect of probenecid on the CSF clearance of MTX given by the intrathecal route was examined in anesthetized dogs. Plasma and CSF MTX levels were measured following intrathecal injection of 0.4 mg/kg MTX, with and without pretreatment with probenecid. In the absence of probenecid, the peak plasma MTX concentration of 3.18×10−7±1.09×10−7 M (mean±SD) was reached 5 hr after intrathecal injection. With probenecid pretreatment, the mean peak plasma MTX concentration was lower (2.09×10−7+-0.98×10−7 M) and plasma disappearance was prolonged. A biexponential decay of CSF MTX levels was observed over the duration of sampling. The half-life of the second exponential phase was 21 hr without probenecid pretreatment and was longer after probenecid pretreatment. These results provide strong evidence that probenecid inhibits transfer of MTX from CSF to plasma following intrathecal injection.
Preparation of ring-tritiated and of aldehyde-14C-labelled 1-pyrenecarboxaldehyde

A short, direct, and efficient synthesis of very high specific-activity ring-tritiated 1-pyrenecarboxaldehyde is described. A novel aspect of this synthesis involves direct bromination of an aromatic pyrene system carrying an electronwithdrawing aldehyde group. Synthesis of 14C-labelled 1-pyrene-carboxaldehyde is also described. Each of these compounds was converted in one step into the correspondingly radiolabelled trans-1-(2′-methoxyvinyl) pyrene.
A multibody atomic statistical potential for the prediction of enzyme-inhibitor binding energy

Accurate prediction of enzyme-inhibitor binding energy has the capacity to speed drug design and chemical genomics efforts by helping to narrow the focus of experiments. Here a non-redundant set of three hundred high-resolution crystallographic enzyme-inhibitor structures was compiled for analysis, complexes with known binding energies (ΔG) based on the availability of experimentally determined inhibition constants (ki). Additionally, a separate set of over 1400 diverse high-resolution macromolecular crystal structures was collected for the purpose of creating an all-atom knowledge-based statistical potential, via application of the Delaunay tessellation computational geometry technique. Next, two hundred of the enzyme-inhibitor complexes were randomly selected to develop a model for predicting binding energy, first by tessellating structures of the complexes as well as the enzymes without their bound inhibitors, then by using the statistical potential to calculate a topological score for each structure tessellation. We derived as a predictor of binding energy an empirical linear function of the difference between topological scores for a complex and its isolated enzyme. A correlation coefficient (r) of 0.79 was obtained for the experimental and calculated ΔG values, with a standard error of 2.34 kcal/mol. Lastly, the model was evaluated with the held-out set of one hundred complexes, for which structure tessellations were performed in order to calculate topological score differences, and binding energy predictions were generated from the derived linear function. Calculated binding energies for the test data also compared well with their experimental counterparts, displaying a correlation coefficient of r= 0.77 with a standard error of 2.50 kcal/mol.
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for neuroblastoma in children: a report of 6 cases

Neuroblastoma, a neoplasm of the sympathetic nervous system, is the most common solid extracranial tumor of childhood. Complete tumor resection has been shown to improve outcomes in both low- and high-risk neuroblastoma. The efficacy of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) for metastatic lesions, benign tumors, and small neuroblastomas (<20 mm in diameter) is well established. However, the role of LA for large neuroblastomas is unclear. The authors describe the technical aspects of LA in 6 children with adrenal neuroblastomas greater than 2 cm and summarize their outcomes. All 6 patients underwent successful LA with removal of their tumors and surrounding lymph nodes. The specimens were placed in a laparoscopic specimen retrieval bag and morsulated in situ. The pathologic specimens were adequate for biologic factor analysis and histology. Mean operative time for all cases was 146 minutes. The average size of the adrenal tumors resected was 3.3 x 3.7 x 3.3 cm, and there were no intraoperative or perioperative deaths. All children, except the fifth patient who stayed for chemotherapy, were discharged home within 48 hours after surgery and are well. Our preliminary data suggest LA is a safe treatment option for neuroblastoma tumors greater than 2 cm in the select children.
An elastic sublayer model for drag reduction by dilute solutions of linear macromolecules

Further evidence of a universal maximum drag reduction asymptote is presented. In the elastic sublayer model, inferred therefrom, the mean velocity profile during drag reduction is approximated by three zones: the usual viscous sublayer, an elastic sublayer where the mixing-length constant is derived from the maximum drag reduction asymptote, and an outermost region with Newtonian mixinglength constant. Upon integration the model yields a friction factor relation, parametric in elastic sublayer thickness, which properly reproduces the known features of turbulent dilute polymer solution flow. The dependence of elastic sublayer thickness upon flow and polymeric parameters is inferred from experimental data revealing two hitherto unknown relationships: namely that on Prandtl co-ordinates, 1/f½ vs. log Re f½ the difference in slope between a polymer solution and solvent is proportional to the square root of molar concentration and to the three-halves power of backbone chain links in the macromolecule. The proportionality constant in the preceding relationship is approximately the same for several different polymer species of carbon-carbon or similar skeletal structure in various thin solvents; there is an indication that this constant further depends upon the product of solvent viscosity times the cube of the effective bond length per chain link of the polymer species. Some recent results regarding the onset of drag reduction are also summarized.
Regulation of cellular growth: Control of pyrimidine biosynthesis

Dividing cells require adequate amounts of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides for nucleic acid synthesis. The de novo pathway of pyrimidine biosynthesis is regulated to meet these growth requirements. In mammalian tissues the first enzyme in the patheway, carbamoyl phosphate synthesis (CPS), is inhibited by the pyrimidine nucleotide UTP. This inhibition may effectively limit de novo pyrimidine synthesis since cps activity is the limiting enzyme for the pathway. A detailed study of the kinetics of UTP inhibition provides support for the hypothesis that regulation of CPS is the physiological mechanism for control of the de novo pathway. CPS gives a sigmodial velocity curve when the substrate ATP is varied in the absence of UTP. The curve fits a 2/1 function which suggests that ATP stimualtes activity by acting both as a homotropic substract and as an allosteric effector. UTP inhibits by competition with ATP and increases the sigmoidality of the curve. The K1 for UTP is 35 μM. The kintetic constants (Km for ATP = 3 mM) are such that CPS should be extremely sensitive to deviations from the normal cellular concentrations of ATP and UTP. The purine nucleotide ATP stimulates CPS while the pyrimidine nucleotide UTP inhibits so that precursors of nucleic acid interact on the enzyme. Thus CPS may play a pivotal role in the regulation of cellular proliferation. These findings might explain the observation that uridine greatly reduces urinary excretion of orotic acid in children with hereditary orotic aciduria. This action further supports the concept that regulation of CPS is a physiologically important control mechanism.
The Protective Role of Pregnane X Receptor in Lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine-induced Acute Liver Injury

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a nuclear receptor transcription factor regulating drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters that facilitate xenobiotic and endobiotic detoxification. Recent studies show that PXR is important in abrogating intestinal tissue damage. This study examines the role of PXR in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (GalN)-induced acute liver injury using wild-type and PXR-null mice. LPS/GalN-treated PXR-null mice had greater increases of alanine transaminase (ALT), hepatocyte apoptosis, necrosis, and hemorrhagic liver injury than wild-type mice. LPS/GalN-mediated phosphorylation of JNK1/2 and ERK1/2 was differentially regulated in wild-type and PXR-null mice. Importantly, LPS/GalN-induced hepatic Stat3 survival signaling was impaired and early activation of Jak2 was delayed in PXR-null mice. Expression levels of pro-survival proteins Bcl-xL and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which are downstream of Stat3, were substantially lower in PXR-null than wild-type mouse livers after LPS/GalN treatment. Autophagy is also involved in LPS/GalN-induced liver injury. Lack of PXR resulted in a significant reduction of LC3B-I, -II as well as Beclin-1 protein levels after LPS/GalN treatment. In addition, PXR is implicated in hepatocytes homeostasis. Taken together, PXR is a critical hepatoprotective factor. Increases of LPS/GalN-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver injury in PXR-null mice are due to deregulated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation as well as delayed Jak2/Stat3 activation, which lead to a compromise in defense mechanisms that involve Bcl-xL-, HO-1, and autophagy-mediated pathways.
Evaluating and treating the prodromal stage of schizophrenia.

Identification of a person in the prodromal stage of schizophrenia, before the onset of the first episode of psychosis, provides an opportunity for early, potentially preventative, interventions. Recent attempts to develop at risk or prodromal syndrome diagnostic criteria have proved to be successful at identifying individuals at high risk for psychosis. Preliminary investigations find that pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions may reduce the risk of psychosis in at risk individuals, but until more is known, current treatment guidelines recommend close monitoring, therapeutic interventions that address identified problems, including supportive or cognitive therapies to reduce the functional consequences of the presenting symptoms, family interventions to reduce family distress and improve coping, and intervention with schools to decrease likelihood of school failure. Pharmacologic intervention targeting the prodromal symptoms is not recommended, given the uncertain risk to benefit ratio.
Optimized lesion detection in digital breast tomosynthesis

While diagnostic improvement via breast tomosynthesis has been notable, the full potential of tomosynthesis has not yet been realized. This is because of the complex task of optimizing multiple parameters that constitute image acquisition and thus affect tomosynthesis performance. Those parameters include dose, number of angular projections, and the total angular span of those projections. In this study, we investigated the effects of acquisition parameters, independent of each other, on the overall diagnostic image quality of tomosynthesis. Five mastectomy specimens were imaged using a prototype tomosynthesis system. 25 angular projections of each specimen were acquired at 6.2 times typical single-view mammographic dose level. Images at lower dose levels were then simulated using a noise modification routine. Each projection image was supplemented with 84 simulated 3 mm 3D lesions embedded at the center of 84 non-overlapping ROIs. The projection images were then reconstructed using a filtered-back projection (FBP) algorithm at 224 different combinations of acquisition parameters to investigate which one of the many possible combinations maximized performance. Performance was evaluated in terms of a Laguerre-Gauss channelized Hotelling observer model-based measure of lesion detectability. Results showed that performance improved with an increase in the total acquisition dose level and the angular span. At a constant dose level and angular span, the performance rolled-off beyond a certain number of projections, indicating that simply increasing the number of projections in tomosynthesis may not necessarily improve its performance. The best performance was obtained with 15-17 projections spanning an angular arc of ~45° - the maximum tested in our study, and for an acquisition dose equal to single-view mammography. The optimization framework developed in this framework is applicable to other reconstruction techniques and other multi-projection systems.
Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula with hematomyelia caused by intraparenchymal varix of draining vein.

Abstract Background Context Hemorrhage that results from spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (Type I arteriovenous malformation [AVM]) is uncommon. There are some reports of subarachnoid hemorrhage and subdural hematoma caused by Type I spinal AVM, but there are few reported cases of hematomyelia caused by spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. Purpose To describe an interesting patient who had hematomyelia caused by a dural arteriovenous fistula (Type I spinal AVM). Study design A case report. Methods We present a case of a 51-year-old man who presented acute onset epigastric pain, paraplegia, and sensory loss below his nipples. Magnetic resonance imaging and selective spinal angiogram demonstrated hematomyelia, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and spinal arteriovenous fistula fed by the right Th7 intercostal artery. By laminotomy of Th6–8, the varix-like draining vein and intramedurally hematoma were partially removed and the arterial supply was interrupted by coagulation of the right Th7 segmental artery. Results One month after surgery, he regained movement against gravity at the left ankle and toe but no functionally significant improvement. Conclusions It must be kept in mind that spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (Type I spinal AVM) has possibility of hematomyelia origin, despite the fact that it is extremely rare.
Life cycle impact assessment research developments and needs

Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) developments are explained along with key publications which record discussions which comprised ISO 14042 and SETAC document development, UNEP SETAC Life Cycle Initiative research, and research from public and private research institutions. It is recognized that the short list of impact categories has remained fairly constant, even after extensive discussions. The termination point of impact assessment modeling (e.g., inventory, midpoint, endpoint, damage, single score) has been discussed extensively, and the advantages and disadvantages of these different levels are well published. Early LCIAs were conducted independent of system location, but now site-specificity has been a research topic for many of the local and regional categories (e.g., acidification, eutrophication, and smog formation). In reality, even though many advances have been made in site-specific analysis, the life cycle assessment (LCA) case studies are often limited to their inventory data, and as a result, most LCAs are still site-generic even though the LCIA methodologies exist to allow for site-specific analysis. Pollutant-based impacts have received the most research effort and support in the past, but resource depletion categories (e.g., land use and water use) are now recognized as being highly complex, site-specific, data intensive, and important for contributing toward the sustainability of the planet. Efforts in these categories are still in the neophyte stages and are expected to have the greatest advances in the upcoming years.
CATHRINE CURTIS AND CONSERVATIVE ISOLATIONIST WOMEN, 1939-1941

(1996). Cathrine Curtis and Conservative Isolationist Women, 1939‐1941. The Historian: Vol. 58, No. 4, pp. 825-839.
Galactic mergers, starburst galaxies, quasar activity and massive binary black holes

Many quasar-like objects show evidence for massive binary black holes1. The recent discovery2 of a massive (5 × 106 M⊙) object in the centre of the local group dwarf elliptical M 32 greatly raises the probability of forming such binaries through galactic mergers. Here I argue that the enhancement of all kinds of activity (quasar-like activity and star formation) in galaxies with companions is not so much a consequence of tidal interaction between the massive galaxies as the result of collisions with their dwarf satellites.
MORPHOLOGICAL TYPE, SPATIAL REFERENCE, AND LANGUAGE TRANSFER

This study clarifies issues related to the transferability of bound morphology and reports on an empirical investigation of morphological transfer in the spatial expressions of Finnish-speaking (n= 140) and Swedish-speaking (n= 70) adolescent learners of English. The results indicate that both the bound, agglutinative morphology of the L1 Finnish spatial system and the free, prepositional morphology of the L1 Swedish spatial system constrain the types of options that learners pursue in their L2 English spatial reference. Additionally, however, the structural and semantic differences between the two L1 systems result in different patterns of spatial reference in the L2. We characterize these differences in terms of semantic transfer and simplification, and go on to show how transfer and simplification interact in our data.
The Violent Consequences of the Nation Nationalism and the Initiation of Interstate War

Many scholars assume that nationalism is inherently aggressive without systematically exploring the relationship between nationalism and interstate war initiation. Thus, many questions are unanswer...
Key Debates in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing

John R. Cutcliffe is the David G. Braithwaite Professor of Nursing at the University of Texas (Tyler), an adjunct professor of Psychiatric Nursing at the Stenberg International School of Nursing, a...
The electrocardiogram of the Beagle dog: reference values and effect of sex, genetic strain, body position and heart rate

The aim of the study was to establish a database for electrocardiographic parameters of Beagle dogs used for toxicological studies and to evaluate the influence of supplier, sex, heart rate (HR) and body position for electrocardiogram (ECG) recording on ECG parameters. Peripheral ECG leads were recorded from 934 female and 946 male dogs from Marshall Farms and 27 females and 30 males from Harlan, either standing on a table or restrained in a hammock. HR, RR, PQ and QT intervals, P and QRS duration and P-wave amplitude were measured. There were no major differences between sexes for ECG parameters. The axis of the heart was shifted to the left when the animals were restrained in a hammock compared to when they were standing on a table. The PQ interval was higher (about 9%) in Harlan than in Marshall dogs. HR was negatively correlated with QT (coefficient of linear correlation: r=-0.61 to -0.74), which emphasizes the need for a formula correcting QT interval for HR when interpreting changes in QT interval. HR was also negatively correlated with PQ intervals (r=-0.26 to -0.11), whereas a positive correlation was found between HR and the amplitude of the P wave (r=0.21-0.34). The level of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (SA) was quantified by calculating the ratio of maximum to minimum RR interval measured over a 10 s period. This ratio was negatively correlated with HR (r =-0.49 to -0.33). Therefore, at high HRs, SA was less marked than at low HRs, but it did not completely disappear. Analysis of beat-to-beat variation indicated that QT and PQ intervals and the amplitude of P wave fluctuated over time and the degree of this variability was positively correlated with the level of SA. In conclusion, we have established reference values for the duration and/or amplitude of some ECG parameters both in terms of means and variability over the recording period, and we have evaluated the influence of body position, genetic strain and HR on the ECG parameters. These data can be used as baseline for the interpretation of the ECG of Beagle dogs.
Docetaxel treatment in the elderly patient with hormone refractory prostate cancer

Docetaxel is an anti-microtubular agent in the family of the taxanes, now FDA approved as first line chemotherapy for the treatment of hormone refractory metastatic prostate cancer. Recent data from two large randomized Phase III trials showed a survival advantage in hormone refractory prostate cancer patients treated with docetaxel. This discovery changed the perceptions about utilization of chemotherapy for this devastating disease and introduced a new paradigm/standard of care treatment for this patient population. The management of elderly patients with metastatic prostate cancer is an important issue because according to data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, the American Cancer Society, and the United Nations, the incidence of prostate cancer in elderly men is expected to increase since people are living longer. In this paper we will review the results of trials evaluating docetaxel in hormone refractory prostate cancer and the implications of these trials as they relate to diagnosis and management of this disease in the elderly man.
Use of employer illness reports for occupational disease surveillance among public employees in New Jersey

The New Jersey Department of Health Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Program reviewed public employers' "Annual Occupational Injuries and Illness Summary" and "First Report of Accidental Illness or Injury" to determine their usefulness for occupational disease surveillance. More than 1200, 1800, and 1700 cases of illnesses were reported on the annual summaries for 1988, 1989, and 1990, respectively. Skin diseases and respiratory conditions due to toxic agents were the two most reported categories of illness. The most commonly reported illnesses on the First Reports for June 1990 and for January 1991 were insect bites, poison ivy/oak/sumac, skin rash/dermatitis/infection, smoke inhalation, communicable disease, stress reaction, and toxic substance inhalation. Analyses of the age, sex, and occupation of the employees and on the causes of the illnesses are also presented. From the analysis of First Reports for June 1990 and January 1991, the First Reports were determined to be very useful for occupational disease surveillance because of their timeliness and detail on the employer, employee, and illness. Accordingly, First Reports for July 1991 through June 1992 were reviewed to assist in the development of the PEOSH Program's workplan for July 1992 through June 1993. Language: en
Age and alarm symptoms do not predict endoscopic findings among patients with dyspepsia: a multicentre database study

INTRODUCTION Symptoms of dyspepsia are common but most patients do not have major upper gastrointestinal pathology. Endoscopy is recommended for dyspeptic patients over the age of 45, or those with certain “alarm” symptoms. We have evaluated the effectiveness of age and “alarm” symptoms for predicting major endoscopic findings in six practising endoscopy centres. METHODS Clinical variables of consecutive patients with dyspepsia symptoms undergoing upper endoscopy examinations were recorded using a common endoscopy database. Patients who had no previous upper endoscopy or barium radiography were included. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of endoscopic findings. The accuracy of these for predicting endoscopic findings was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of age thresholds from 30 to 70 years were evaluated. RESULTS Major pathology (tumour, ulcer, or stricture) was found at endoscopy in 787/3815 (21%) patients with dyspepsia. Age, male sex, bleeding, and anaemia were found to be significant but weak independent predictors of endoscopic findings. A multivariate prediction rule based on these factors had poor predictive accuracy (c statistic=0.62). Using a simplified prediction rule of age ⩾45 years or the presence of any “alarm” symptom, sensitivity was 87% and specificity was 26%. Increasing or decreasing the age cut off did not significantly improve the predictive accuracy. CONCLUSIONS Age and the presence of “alarm” symptoms are not effective predictors of endoscopic findings among patients with dyspepsia. Better clinical prediction strategies are needed to identify patients with significant upper gastrointestinal pathology.
Work in Progress: An Interactive Cognitively-Informed On-Line Statics Course

Progress in developing an highly-interactive on-line Statics course is reported This course is part of Carnegie Mellon's Open Learning Initiative (OLI), which is supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and seeks to create and sustain cognitively-informed on-line courses, to be available in various forms for individuals and institutions. To provide an effective learning environment this course both incorporates knowledge about typical difficulties faced by students in Statics and segments the subject into modules with clearly defined learning objectives that enable concurrent fine-grained assessment. Such assessment allows individual students to track their learning; instructors are empowered to administer targeted remedial instruction to individuals and to discern larger patterns of challenges faced by the class. The power of computer medium is harnessed in providing, for example, discovery-learning that integrates questions with simulations, demonstrations of procedures, and opportunities for learners to practice skills while receiving hints and feedback.
Role of health in predicting moves to poor neighborhoods among Hurricane Katrina survivors

In contrast to a large literature investigating neighborhood effects on health, few studies have examined health as a determinant of neighborhood attainment. However, the sorting of individuals into neighborhoods by health status is a substantively important process for multiple policy sectors. We use prospectively collected data on 569 poor, predominantly African American Hurricane Katrina survivors to examine the extent to which health problems predicted subsequent neighborhood poverty. Our outcome of interest was participants’ 2009–2010 census tract poverty rate. Participants were coded as having a health problem at baseline (2003–2004) if they self-reported a diagnosis of asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart problems, or any other physical health problems not listed, or complained of back pain, migraines, or digestive problems at baseline. Although health problems were not associated with neighborhood poverty at baseline, those with baseline health problems ended up living in higher poverty areas by 2009–2010. Differences persisted after adjustment for personal characteristics, baseline neighborhood poverty, hurricane exposure, and residence in the New Orleans metropolitan area, with baseline health problems predicting a 3.4 percentage point higher neighborhood poverty rate (95% confidence interval: 1.41, 5.47). Results suggest that better health was protective against later neighborhood deprivation in a highly mobile, socially vulnerable population. Researchers should consider reciprocal associations between health and neighborhoods when estimating and interpreting neighborhood effects on health. Understanding whether and how poor health impedes poverty deconcentration efforts may help inform programs and policies designed to help low-income families move to—and stay in—higher opportunity neighborhoods.
Use of activated graphitized carbon chips for liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric and tandem mass spectrometric analysis of tryptic glycopeptides

Protein glycosylation has a significant medical importance as changes in glycosylation patterns have been associated with a number of diseases. Therefore, monitoring potential changes in glycan profiles, and the microheterogeneities associated with glycosylation sites are becoming increasingly important in the search for disease biomarkers. Highly efficient separations and sensitive methods must be developed to effectively monitor changes in the glycoproteome. These methods must not discriminate against hydrophobic or hydrophilic analytes. The use of activated graphitized carbon as a desalting media and a stationary phase for the purification and the separation of glycans, and as a stationary phase for the separation of small glycopeptides has previously been reported. Here, we describe the use of activated graphitized carbon as a stationary phase for the separation of hydrophilic tryptic glycopeptides, employing a chip-based liquid chromatographic system. The capabilities of both activated graphitized carbon and C18 LC chips for the characterization of the glycopeptides appeared to be comparable. Adequate retention time reproducibility was achieved for both packing types in the chip format. However, hydrophilic glycopeptides were preferentially retained on the activated graphitized carbon chip, thus allowing the identification of hydrophilic glycopeptides which were not effectively retained on C18 chips. On the other hand, hydrophobic glycopeptides were better retained on C18 chips. Characterization of the glycosylation sites of glycoproteins possessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic glycopeptides is comprehensively achieved using both media. This is feasible considering the limited amount of sample required per analysis (< 1 pmol). The performance of both media was also appeared comparable when analyzing a 4-protein mixture. Similar sequence coverage and MASCOT ion scores were observed for all proteins when using either stationary phase.
Epidemiology of Ski Injuries: Effect of Method of Skill Acquisition and Release Binding Accident Rates

An epidemiological study of a closed population of 2071 skiers investigated the effects of method of skill acquisition and type of release binding on accident rates.The population was observed for an entire skiing season. Accidents numbering 221 were generated by the population. Distributions within the population of age, sex, skill level, years of experience, marital status, and type of binding used were obtained prior to the start of the season. Exposure to risk was obtained at the end of the season.Injury data included measures of severity, location of injury (upper vs. lower extremity), ski patrol involvement, binding release or not, and overall and lower-extremity injury rates.Conclusions drawn are: (1) lessons as presently structured are not contributing to ski safety and, in fact, are associated with high accident rates; (2) bindings that have more than two release modes (up at the heel laterally at the toe, roll about longitudinal axis, etc.) have lower accident rates than those with only two rele...
Vesicular Trafficking of Tyrosine Kinase Receptors and Associated Proteins in the Regulation of Signaling and Vascular Function

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) play a pivotal role in the development and function of the cardiovascular system. Ligand-activated RTKs promote numerous downstream signal transduction pathways that lead to vascular permeability, as well as proliferation, migration, and differentiation of vascular endothelia and smooth muscle cells. Ligand binding also promotes internalization of the activated receptors either to downregulate the signaling via degradation of the ligand/receptor complex or to signal from endosomes. However, the outcomes of receptor internalization via clathrin-dependent or caveolar pathways and trafficking mechanisms are incompletely clarified in vascular systems. Activity modulation through endocytosis and vesicular trafficking significantly impacts downstream targets of RTKs such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and VE-cadherin. RTKs and their associated targets are also transported to the nucleus, where they may directly impact nuclear signaling. Although the nuclear transport pathways are just beginning to be unraveled, it appears that endocytosis and vesicular trafficking are involved. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms by which activated RTKs and the downstream targets eNOS and VE-cadherin may be internalized and transported to various intracellular compartments. How localization and interacting proteins impact protein function and influence signaling is an important theme, as is the potential for modulating signaling through therapeutic targeting of activated receptors and components of the endocytic machinery.
The determination of oxygen concentration and mass transfer coefficients in sodium using uranium

Abstract Uranium in sodium at 500 to 650 °C has been found to react with oxygen at a rate proportional to the oxygen concentration in the sodium. The rate of this reaction is controlled by the mass transfer of oxygen in the sodium and not by that in the uranium oxide formed as an adherent reaction product. Methods are discussed whereby uranium can be used to determine oxygen concentrations and mass transfer coefficients in sodium.
Validation of a laser-assisted wound measurement device for measuring wound volume.

Background: Accurate and precise wound measurement is an essential part of the medical record when monitoring a patient with a chronic wound. This study was designed to determine if a new device, a laser-assisted wound measurement (LAWM) device, provides valid measurements for wound area, depth, and volume. Methods: We compared four methods to evaluate the area and volume of 12 wounds of differing size and depth that were created on the dorsum of a sacrificed pig. We evaluated the LAWM device, digital photograph assessment with National Institutes of Health ImageJ software, measurements of depth with a ruler, and weight-to-volume assessment with dental paste. We then sought to cross validate this data with further analyses obtained from these measurements using a Play-Doh ® -based wound as a model for constant area with different depths.
Cellulase recovery via membrane filtration.

A combined sedimentation and membrane filtration process was investigated for recycling cellulase enzymes in the biomass-to-ethanol process. In the first stage, lignocellulose particles longer than approx 50µm were removed by means of sedimentation in an inclined settler. Microfiltration was then utilized to remove the remaining suspended solids. Finally, the soluble cellulase enzymes were recovered by ultrafiltration. The permeate fluxes obtained in microfiltration and ultrafiltration were approx 400 and 80 L/(m2 h), respectively. A preliminary economic analysis shows that the cost benefit of enzyme recycling may be as much as 18 cents/gal of ethanol produced, provided that 75% of the enzyme is recycled in active form.
Unipolar Logic Gates Based on Spatial Wave-Function Switched FETs

The spatial wave-function switched field-effect transistor (SWSFET) has two or three low bandgap quantum well channels that can conduct carrier flow from source to drain of the SWSFET. Because of this property, SWSFETs are useful to implement different multivalued logic with reduced device count. In this paper, we introduce the circuit model of a SWSFET and the design of a unipolar inverter where only one kind of charge carrier contributes to the current flow. We also simulate two input unipolar logic gates such as NAND and NOR and demonstrate their universal property to implement other unipolar logic gates. We also simulate NOR gate and full adder circuits based on unipolar logic gates.
Who Are the Europeans Now

Who Are the Europeans Now? Edited by Edward Moxon-Browne (Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2004), 210 pp. $99.95/£55.00 cloth. Who Are the Europeans Now? intends to challenge the notion that European integr...
Estimating equations for biomarker based exposure estimation under non-steady-state conditions

Unrealistic steady-state assumptions are often used to estimate toxicant exposure rates from biomarkers. A biomarker may instead be modeled as a weighted sum of historical time-varying exposures. Estimating equations are derived for a zero-inflated gamma distribution for daily exposures with a known exposure frequency. Simulation studies suggest that the estimating equations can provide accurate estimates of exposure magnitude at any reasonable sample size, and reasonable estimates of the exposure variance at larger sample sizes.
Morphology-mechanical property relations in trabecular bone of the osteoarthritic proximal tibia.

Alteration of morphologic and mechanical properties of trabecular bone in the osteoarthritic proximal tibia may be a contributing factor in tibial component loosening. To explore this issue, the authors performed tissue property measurements, morphologic analysis, and mechanical testing of subchondral, epiphyseal, and metaphyseal trabecular bone specimens retrieved from six human proximal tibias exhibiting a range of medial unicondylar osteoarthritic degeneration. Apparent density in the proximal tibia was altered according to varus misalignment and medial subluxation associated with medial osteoarthritis of the knee. In subchondral bone, a decrease in tissue mineralization contributed to a significant reduction in axial mechanical properties with degenerative disease (P < .0005). In epiphyseal and metaphyseal bone, trabecular thickness and the number of trabeculae increased linearly with volume fraction, providing a power law relationship between axial elastic modulus and apparent density (R2 = .84). Average elastic properties of the tibial epiphysis and metaphysis were not reduced by degenerative disease (P < .05). The results suggest that absolute minimization of tibial resection might not be an optimal strategy for tibial component fixation and that mechanical properties of the tibial resection surface are more homogeneous in planes parallel to the joint surface than in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the tibia.
Efficient Uncertainty Quantification in Structural Dynamic Analysis Using Two-Level Gaussian Processes

Uncertainty quantification is an important aspect in structural dynamic analysis. Since practical structures are complex and oftentimes need to be characterized by large-scale finite element models, component mode synthesis (CMS) method is widely adopted for order-reduced modeling. Even with the model order-reduction, the computational cost for uncertainty quantification can still be prohibitive. In this research, we utilize a two-level Gaussian process emulation to achieve rapid sampling and response prediction under uncertainty, in which the low- and high-fidelity data extracted from CMS and full-scale finite element model are incorporated in an integral manner. The possible bias of low-fidelity data is then corrected through high-fidelity data. For the purpose of reducing the emulation runs, we further employ Bayesian inference approach to calibrate the order-reduced model in a probabilistic manner conditioned on multiple predicted response distributions of concern. Case studies are carried out to validate the effectiveness of proposed methodology.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Vasopressin contributes to maintenance of arterial blood pressure in dehydrated baboons

This study primarily sought to determine whether the role of vasopressin (VP) in maintenance of arterial blood pressure is enhanced in awake, chronically instrumented baboons after 68-72 h of dehydration. This question was approached by pharmacologically blocking vasopressin V1-receptors in euhydrated and dehydrated baboons with or without a normally functioning renin-angiotensin system (RAS). VP blockade during dehydration produced a rapidly occurring (within 5 min), statistically significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 5 +/- 1 mmHg in the RAS-intact condition and an identical decline in MAP (5 +/- 1 mmHg) during blockade of the RAS by captopril, an angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor. At 15 min after induction of VP blockade, heart rate was elevated by 9 +/- 2 beats/min in the RAS-intact condition and by 20 +/- 5 beats/min in the RAS-blocked condition. In addition, VP blockade in the dehydrated state produced small and equal increases in hindlimb vascular conductance in RAS-intact and RAS-blocked conditions. None of these cardiovascular changes were produced by VP blockade in the euhydrated state. RAS blockade produced modest declines in MAP in both hydration states, but the fall was larger by 7 +/- 4 mmHg in the dehydrated state. Thus both VP and the RAS contribute to the maintenance of arterial blood pressure during dehydration in the conscious baboon.
Comparison of Multibody Dynamics Solver Performance: Synthetic Versus Realistic Data

In the area of robotics simulation, multibody dynamics plays an important role in designing and controlling robots, especially when the robot contacts the environment. Contacts give rise to non-penetration and friction constraints, which are nonsmooth and nonlinear. One way to simulate such systems is through the use of a discrete-time multibody dynamics model in the form of a nonlinear complementarity problem (NCP), for which, finding a solution is known to be NP-hard [1]. In situations where analytical solutions don’t exist, a suite of numerical solutions accessible through a benchmarking framework is useful to fairly evaluate performance of different computer algorithms. However, many algorithm designers don’t have easy access to test data from physical simulators. Under such circumstances, randomized data are used to test the performance of solution algorithms.In this paper, we present our Benchmark Problems of Multibody Dynamics (BPMD) framework and database, with the data sets from different physics engines, as a benchmarking platform. Then we compare the performance of several solvers on synthetic data and simulation data, to show the superiority of testing solution algorithms with simulation data over testing with synthetic data. We will show that algorithm tested only on synthetic data often fail to solve problem obtained from physics simulations, to demonstrate the benefit of BPMD database.Copyright © 2015 by ASME