cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Polyethylene Glycol Electrolyte Solution Expedites Return of Bowel Function and Facilitates Early Discharge after Kidney Transplantation

Background Delay in the return of bowel function often prolongs hospitalization after kidney transplantation, leading to increased patient morbidity and health care costs. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution has been observed to aid the return of bowel function in postoperative patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Study Design Using a 2-arm, single-surgeon, nonrandomized study, we compared the addition of PEG along with early resumption of diet with a control group using only early resumption of diet in kidney transplantation patients. Results There were 51 subjects in the control group and 47 subjects in the PEG intervention group. The primary outcomes measure, time to bowel movement, was significantly shorter than the control group by an entire day (2.9 ± 1.1 days vs 4.0 ± 1.3 days; p Conclusions Polyethylene glycol significantly reduced time to return of bowel function and postoperative length of stay. By adding PEG to the postoperative protocol, we can help to reduce costs of hospitalization and improve overall outcomes in renal transplantation patients.
Gendered Employment Trends and the Female College Boom

We ask whether shifting male and female employment patterns can help to explain why the US college boom between 1981 and 2005 was dominated by women. We make three contributions. First, we show that while a massive feminization of high-wage, high-skill occupations plausibly contributed to the female college boom, general, structural movements of labor (undifferentiated by gender) from industrial work into education-intensive services should have encouraged male rather than female college attendance. Previous work has suggested that both types of employment shifts would have contributed to the female college boom. Second, we show that women’s occupational upgrading was too large and ubiquitous to be explained by their growing educational advantage. This is consistent with a causal connection running from gendered employment trends to a female college boom. Third, we show that gender specializations in many occupations deepened, with college educated women gravitating towards jobs offering institutionally protected wages.
HR Transformation: Building Human Resources from the Outside In (Book Review)

HR Transformation: Building Human Resources from the Outside In. Dave Ulrich, Justin Allen, Wayne Brockbank, Jon Younger, and Mark Nyman. (2009). McGraw Hill. 256 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0071638708. Price: $29.95; hardback.
Laboratory Mating Studies of the Corn Earworm, Heliothis zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

In laboratory mating studies of the corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), conducted through 5 generations, stocking the cage with plant material and special cage linings significantly improved the percentage of mating. The plant effect probably resulted from either its physical presence or a “triggering effect” related to infrared radiation and/or scent molecules. The effect of lining the cages with low emissivity aluminum foil probably resulted from the amplification of organic scent molecules by stimulated emission of radiation (maser action). No increase in the percentage of mating resulted when pairs of moths were associated more than 2 days; mating after 2 days was confined to second and third matings by females which had already mated.
Association of Antenatal Corticosteroids With Mortality, Morbidity, and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Multiple Gestation Infants.

Importance Little is known about the effects of antenatal corticosteroids (ANS) on extremely preterm multiples. Objective To examine if use of ANS is associated with improvement in major outcomes in extremely preterm multiples. Design, Setting, and Participants Infants with a gestational age between 22 and 28 weeks born at a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network center were studied between January 1998 and December 2013. Generalized estimating equation models were used to generate adjusted relative risks (aRR) controlling for important maternal and neonatal variables. Exposure Antenatal corticosteroids. Main Outcomes and Measures In-hospital mortality and the composite outcome of neurodevelopmental impairment at 18 to 22 months’ corrected age or death before assessment. Results A total of 6925 multiple-birth infants were studied; 5775 of 6925 (83.4%) were twins, and 4276 (61.7%) were white. Of the total study population, 6094 (88%) were born to women who received ANS. In-hospital mortality was lower among infants with exposure to ANS vs no exposure (aRR = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78-0.96). Neurodevelopmental impairment or death was not significantly lower among those exposed to ANS vs no exposure (aRR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.84-1.03). Other adverse outcomes that occurred less frequently among infants of women receiving ANS included severe intraventricular hemorrhage (aRR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.58-0.78) and the combined outcomes of necrotizing enterocolitis or death and severe intraventricular hemorrhage or death. Subgroup analyses indicated that exposure to ANS was associated with a lower risk of mortality and a lower composite of neurodevelopmental impairment or mortality among nonsmall for gestational age multiples (aRR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.74-0.92; and aRR = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80-0.98, respectively) and a higher risk among small for gestational age multiples (aRR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.02-1.93; and aRR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.22-2.16, respectively). Antenatal corticosteroids were associated with higher neurodevelopmental impairment or mortality among multiple-birth infants of mothers with diabetes (aRR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.00-2.38) but not among infants of mothers without diabetes (aRR = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.83-1.01). Conclusions and Relevance Compared with no exposure, exposure to ANS was associated with a lower risk of mortality in extremely preterm multiples, with no significant differences in the composite of neurodevelopmental impairment or death. Future research should investigate the increased risks of mortality and the composite of neurodevelopmental impairment or death associated with exposure to corticosteroids among small for gestational age multiples.
Advanced on the study of serodiagnosis methods for brucellosis

This article reviewed the 16 kinds of serodiagnosis methods for brucellosis,and analyzed its advantages and disadvantages.
Fundamental Theorem of q-Calculus and Integration by Parts

In ordinary calculus, a derivative is defined as the limit of a ratio, and a definite integral is defined as the limit of an infinite sum. Their subtle and surprising relation is given by the Newton-Leibniz formula, also called the fundamental theorem of calculus. In contrast, since the introduction of the definite q-integral has been motivated by an antiderivative, the relation between the q-derivative and definite q-integral is more obvious. Analogous to the ordinary case, we have the following fundamental theorem, or Newton-Leibniz formula, for q-calculus.
In Vivo Formation of Vacuolated Multi-phase Compartments Lacking Membranes

Summary Eukaryotic cells contain membrane-less organelles, including nucleoli and stress granules, that behave like liquid droplets. Such endogenous condensates often have internal substructure, but how this is established in the absence of membrane encapsulation remains unclear. We find that the N- and C-terminal domains of TDP43, a heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, are capable of driving the formation of sub-structured liquid droplets in vivo. These droplets contain dynamic internal "bubbles" of nucleoplasm, reminiscent of membrane-based multi-vesicular endosomes. A conserved sequence embedded within the intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of TDP43 promotes the formation of these multi-phase assemblies. Disease-causing point mutations in the IDR can change the propensity to form bubbles, protein dynamics within the phase, or phase-environment exchange rates. Our results show that a single IDR-containing protein can nucleate the assembly of compartmentalized liquid droplets approximating the morphological complexity of membrane-bound organelles.
A diversified portfolio model of adaptability

A new model of adaptability, the diversified portfolio model (DPM) of adaptability, is introduced. In the 1950s, Markowitz developed the financial portfolio model by demonstrating that investors could optimize the ratio of risk and return on their portfolios through risk diversification. The DPM integrates attractive features of a variety of models of adaptability, including Linville's self-complexity model, the risk and resilience model, and Bandura's social cognitive theory. The DPM draws on the concept of portfolio diversification, positing that diversified investment in multiple life experiences, life roles, and relationships promotes positive adaptation to life's challenges. The DPM provides a new integrative model of adaptability across the biopsychosocial levels of functioning. More importantly, the DPM addresses a gap in the literature by illuminating the antecedents of adaptive processes studied in a broad array of psychological models. The DPM is described in relation to the biopsychosocial model and propositions are offered regarding its utility in increasing adaptiveness. Recommendations for future research are also offered. (PsycINFO Database Record
Patient engagement at the margins: Health care providers' assessments of engagement and the structural determinants of health in the safety-net

Increasing "patient engagement" has become a priority for health care organizations and policy-makers seeking to reduce cost and improve the quality of care. While concepts of patient engagement have proliferated rapidly across health care settings, little is known about how health care providers make use of these concepts in clinical practice. This paper uses 20 months of ethnographic and interview research carried out from 2015 to 2016 to explore how health care providers working at two public, urban, safety-net hospitals in the United States define, discuss, and assess patient engagement. We investigate how health care providers describe engagement for high cost patients-the "super-utilizers" of the health care system-who often face complex challenges related to socioeconomic marginalization including poverty, housing insecurity, exposure to violence and trauma, cognitive and mental health issues, and substance use. The health care providers in our study faced institutional pressure to assess patient engagement and to direct care towards engaged patients. However, providers considered such assessments to be highly challenging and oftentimes inaccurate, particularly because they understood low patient engagement to be the result of difficult socioeconomic conditions. Providers tried to navigate the demand to assess patient engagement in care by looking for explicit positive and negative indicators of engagement, while also being sensitive to more subtle and intuitive signs of engagement for marginalized patients.
Polytomous Rasch Models in Counseling Assessment

This article provides a brief introduction to the Rasch model. Motivation for using Rasch analyses is provided. Important Rasch model concepts and key aspects of result interpretation are introduce...
Laws of evolution parallel the laws of thermodynamics

Abstract We hypothesize that concepts from thermodynamics and statistical mechanics can be used to define summary statistics, similar to thermodynamic entropy, to summarize the convergence of processes driven by random inputs subject to deterministic constraints. The primary example used here is biological evolution. We propose that evolution of biological structures and behaviors is driven by the ability of living organisms to acquire, store, and act on information and that summary statistics can be developed to provide a stochastically deterministic information theory for biological evolution. The statistical concepts that are the basis of thermodynamic entropy are also true for information, and we show that adaptation and evolution have a specific deterministic direction arising from many random events. Therefore, an information theory formulated on the same foundation as the immensely powerful concepts used in statistical mechanics will provide statistics, similar to thermodynamic entropy, that summarize distribution functions for environmental properties and organism performance. This work thus establishes foundational principles for a quantitative theory that encompasses both behavioral and biological evolution and may be extended to other fields such as economics, market dynamics and health systems.
High power microwave generation by Cherenkov-cyclotron instability in a metamaterial structure with negative group velocity

We present the experimental results of a high power microwave source with a metamaterial structure designed at 2.4 GHz. The structure is a waveguide loaded with two metamaterial plates consisting of complementary split ring resonators placed in the waveguide with reverse symmetry. Two backward wave modes can propagate in the waveguide and interact with an electron beam of up to 490 kV, 84 A. Full microsecond long output microwave pulses up to 2.9 MW were measured with an efficiency of 9% from the Cherenkov-cyclotron instability.
Attention and Metabolism

Most neurotransmitter receptors are relatively simple on/off switch mechanisms, turned on by the binding of their neurotransmitter hormone and turned off in its absence. Receptor channels, for example, are open when turned on and closed when turned off, a straightforward and tidy arrangement. The cyclic process of D4 receptor-mediated PLM is, however, definitely different, with features designed to make it responsive to and contingent upon prevailing metabolic conditions. For as much as D4R-mediated PLM is involved in attention and attention-related learning, this implies that these mental capacities will be affected by changes in our metabolism, an example of the “Mind/Body Connection” in action. In this Chapter we’ll examine the molecular basis for this connection, with special attention to changes that occur over the human lifespan.
Introduction for Donald Metcalf

It is a personal pleasure to introduce my friend and former colleague, Donald Metcalf. He is best recognized as one of the founding fathers of modern experimental hematology, but we should not forget his pioneering work on the thymus. From 1956 and the decade thereafter, Don undertook a series of elegant studies on thymic cell kinetics and was one of the first to analyze the impact of thymectomy and thymic grafting on lymphopoiesis. Indeed, he should be considered the first to demonstrate the effects of thymectomy on lymphoid tissue and the autonomous control of lymphocyte proliferation within the thymus. In addition, his analysis of leukemogenesis in AKR mice is still considered definitive, revealing his ability to compare and contrast the cellular biology of the normal and neoplastic to gain insight into the etiology and pathogenesis of leukemia.
Coitus-Free Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus in a Mouse Model

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arboviral infection that may be sexually transmitted. The present study aims to determine if accessory sex glands are a potential source of infectious virus and important in sexual transmission. Male interferon type I receptor knockout (Ifnar−/−) mice were challenged subcutaneously with a Puerto Rican ZIKV isolate. Reproductive tissues were harvested seven days after viral challenge and artificial insemination fluid derived from epididymis or homogenized accessory sex glands (seminal plasma) was obtained. Naive interferon type I and II receptor knockout (AG129) females were pre-treated with progesterone, and inoculated intravaginally with either epididymal flush or seminal plasma from ZIKV-infected males. ZIKV RNA was demonstrated in the artificial insemination fluid and ZIKV antigen was detected in epididymal epithelial cells but not within seminiferous tubules at the time of artificial insemination fluid collection. Peripheral viremia, demonstrated by ZIKV RNA in whole blood samples of females from each challenge group was observed. Infectious virus was present in both epididymal fluid and seminal plasma. These studies provide evidence of passage of virus from epididymal flush and seminal plasma to naive females via artificial insemination and provides a model for the study of sexual transmission of ZIKV.
Germanium Fluoride Nanocages as Optically Transparent n-Type Materials and Their Endohedral Metallofullerene Derivatives

Carbon- and silicon-based n-type materials tend to suffer from instability of the corresponding radical anions. With DFT calculations, we explore a promising route to overcome such challenges with molecular nanocages which utilize the heavier element Ge. The addition of fluorine substituents creates large electron affinities in the range 2.5-5.5 eV and HOMO-LUMO gaps between 1.6 and 3.2 eV. The LUMOs envelop the surfaces of these structures, suggesting extensive delocalization of injected electrons, analogous to fullerene acceptors. Moreover, these Ge nF n inorganic cages are found to be transparent in the UV-visible region as probed with their excited states. Their capacitance, linear polarizabilities, and dielectric constants are computed and found to be on the same order of magnitude as saturated oligomers and some extended π-organics (azobenzenes). Furthermore, we explore fullerene-type endohedral isomers, i.e., cages with internal substituents or guest atoms, and find them to be more stable than the parent exohedral isomers by up to -206.45 kcal mol-1. We also consider the addition of Li, He, Cs, and Bi, to probe the utility of the exo/ endo cages as host-guest systems. The endohedral He/Li@F8@Ge60F52 cages are significantly more stable than their parent exohedral isomers He/Li@Ge60F52 by -182.46 and -49.22 kcal mol-1, respectively. The energy of formation of endohedral He@F8@Ge60F52 is exothermic by -10.4 kcal mol-1, while Cs and Bi guests are too large to be accommodated but are stable in the exohedral parent cages. Conceivable applications of these materials include n-type semiconductors and transparent electrodes, with potential for novel energy storage modalities.
Multisensory Processing Differences in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by a constellation of symptoms, including impairments in social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Although sensory issues have long been reported in clinical descriptions of ASD, only the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) has included differences in sensory processing as part of the diagnostic profile for ASD. Indeed, sensory processing differences are among the most prevalent findings in ASD, and these differences are increasingly recognized as a core component of ASD. Furthermore, characterizing ASD phenotypes on the basis of sensory processing differences has been suggested as a constructive means of creating phenotypic subgroups of ASD, which may be useful to better tailor individualized treatment strategies. Although sensory processing differences are frequently approached from the perspective of deficits in the context of ASD, there are a number of instances in which individuals with ASD outperform their neurotypical counterparts on tests of sensory function. Here, the current state of knowledge regarding sensory processing in ASD is reviewed, with a particular emphasis on auditory and multisensory (i.e., audiovisual) performance. In addition to characterizing the nature of these differences in sensory performance, the chapter focuses on the neurological correlates of these sensory processing differences and how differences in sensory function relate to the other core clinical features of ASD, with an emphasis on speech and language.
Elucidation of the Reaction Mechanism of C2 + N1 Aziridination from Tetracarbene Iron Catalysts.

A combined computational and experimental study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of catalytic C2 + N1 aziridination supported by tetracarbene iron complexes. Three specific aspects of the ...
Critical Role for the Unique N-Terminus of Chlamydial MreB in Directing Its Membrane Association and Interaction with Elements of the Divisome

Chlamydiae lack the conserved central coordinator protein of cell division FtsZ, a tubulin-like homolog. Current evidence indicates Chlamydia uses the actin-like homolog, MreB, to substitute for the role of FtsZ. Interestingly, we observed MreB as a ring at the septum in dividing cells of Chlamydia. We hypothesize that MreB, to substitute for FtsZ in Chlamydia, must possess unique properties compared to canonical MreB orthologs. Sequence differences between chlamydial MreB and orthologs in other bacteria revealed that chlamydial MreB possesses an extended N-terminal region and the conserved amphipathic helix found in other bacterial MreBs. The extended N-terminal region was sufficient to restore the localization of a truncated E. coli MreB mutant lacking its amphipathic helix to the membrane and was crucial for interactions with cell division components RodZ and FtsK, though the region was not required for homotypic interactions. Importantly, the N-terminal region was sufficient to direct GFP to the membrane when expressed in Chlamydia. A mutant N-terminal region with reduced amphipathicity was unable to perform these functions. From these data, the extended N-terminal region of chlamydial MreB is critical for localization and interactions of this protein. Our data provide mechanistic support for chlamydial MreB to serve as a substitute for FtsZ.
Abstract 086: Pvn-Specific Microgliosis Drives Inflammation in G-Alpha-i2 Protein Dependent Salt Sensitive Hypertension and Gnai2 Snps Correlate With Essential Hypertension

Aim: Failure to upregulate hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) Gαi2 proteins promotes salt sensitive hypertension (ssHTN) and central inflammation plays a role in HTN. We hypothesize that 1)...
Adverse Events of Antibiotics Used to Treat Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Systematic Meta-Analysis.

Objective To characterize the incidence of adverse events (AEs) associated with antibiotics used to treat acute otitis media in children. Study design We searched MEDLINE for studies conducted between January 1, 1966, and August 25, 2018. Two authors independently assessed potential studies and extracted the data. We included published randomized controlled trials, cross-sectional studies, and cohort studies that evaluated the incidence of diarrhea, generalized rash, diaper rash, and candidal diaper dermatitis associated with the use of amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, azithromycin, cefdinir, and placebo in children with acute otitis media. Results We included 82 studies in the meta-analysis. The incidence of diarrhea, listed from lowest to highest, was azithromycin (2.2%), placebo (6.9%), low-dose amoxicillin (8.7%), cefdinir (13.0%), high-dose amoxicillin (13.8%), and high-dose amoxicillin/clavulanate (18.9%). The incidence of generalized rash, listed from lowest to highest, was azithromycin (1.4%), placebo (2.3%), low-dose amoxicillin (2.9%), high-dose amoxicillin/clavulanate (4.9%), and high-dose amoxicillin (6.5%). In studies of low-dose amoxicillin, we found a higher incidence of diarrhea in studies that used daily diaries to collect information about diarrhea and a lower incidence of generalized rash in studies that reported only rashes judged to be secondary to antibiotic use. Conclusions The incidence of AEs varies widely depending on which antibiotic is used and how the information on AEs was collected or reported. The AEs rates reported here may be helpful to clinicians when choosing an antibiotic to treat acute otitis media.
HOW TO ASSESS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN THROUGH DIFFERENT DECISION MAKING METHODS

Social and emotional development is an important area for children, which includes social-emotional learning skills. It is necessary to know that the development and clarification processes of social-emotional learning require an efficacious assessment process. This study aims to reveal how social emotional learning methods of preschool children are assessed through different decision-making methods. For this purpose, the assessment methods of social-emotional learning skills explained as intervention decisions, progress-monitoring decisions, and intervention outcome decisions were reviewed. In the context of intervention decisions; functional behavior assessment, archival records behavioral rating scales/checklists, and direct observations were used to assess social emotional learning skills of children. In the context of progress-monitoring decisions, systematic direct observations, direct behavior ratings, brief behavior ratings, and office discipline referrals were used for the assessment of social emotional learning skills of children. Additionally, it was possible to use intervention outcome decisions so as to assess social-emotional learning skills of children. The results of the review showed that assessment process of social-emotional learning requires specific practices and strategies to evaluate social-emotional learning skills of children effectively. Based on the results, it is recommended that researchers and practitioners should have the necessary knowledge regarding the assessment process, and incorporate the assessment instruments that serve for the purpose into the process. It should be noted that these tools must be valid and reliable assessment tools. Article visualizations:
I-LEARN and the Assessment of Learning with Information

Assessment is a staple of formal learning environments and a useful concept for monitoring learning in informal information-rich environments as well. This chapter surveys the recent history of the assessment movement and positions the I-LEARN model as a framework that is especially well suited to a contemporary assessment of learning with information. The model is consistent with both traditional and current approaches to assessment, its structure lends itself to the design of assessment instruments, and it addresses current and emerging thinking about using information as a tool for learning. Above all, it provides a mechanism for linking learning and assessment in a holistic, authentic, and satisfying experience. Different in tone and structure from the preceding chapters, this final chapter draws together and expands ideas introduced throughout the book. It closes the loop about learning in information-rich environments with a discussion of how I-LEARN can promote and assess such learning not only in today’s information-rich environments but in those of the future as well.
Three Popular Force Fields Predict Consensus Mechanism of Amyloid β Peptide Binding to the Dimyristoylgylcerophosphocholine Bilayer.

Using all-atom explicit water replica-exchange molecular dynamics simulations, we examined the impact of three popular force fields (FF) on the equilibrium binding of Aβ10–40 peptide to the dimyris...
Effect of Nitric Oxide Delivery Device on Tidal Volume Accuracy During Mechanical Ventilation at Small Tidal Volumes

BACKGROUND: Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is used in infants as a therapy for elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. When iNO is delivered at low tidal volumes, displayed inspiratory and expiratory volumes vary widely. We hypothesize that volume is removed by the sampling line during the ventilation cycle, and this results in a net volume loss at low tidal volumes. This study aimed to measure the volumes delivered and to assess the accuracy of displayed ventilator values using a test lung. METHODS: A test lung was connected to a ventilator and an iNO delivery system. All tests were performed with stable mode settings across volumes of 18, 30, 42, and 60 mL. Flow measured with a pneumotachometer attached between the test lung and the circuit assessed the percent error between inspiratory and expiratory volumes measured by the pneumotachometer measured and displayed on the ventilator under various iNO/sample line conditions to determine where and how much volume was being displaced. RESULTS: Displayed and measured inspiratory volumes had small variations between the iNO/sample line conditions and baseline. However, expiratory volumes, with the sample line connected, exhibited large percent error values that increased (−14, −20, −27, and −34) as tidal volume decreased (60, 42, 30, and 18 mL) and error was significantly larger compared to baseline in all tidal volumes (P CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that inspiratory volumes were not affected by iNO delivery, but additional removal of volume in the expiratory phase of the breath cycle by the sampling line results in a large error in the displayed expiratory volume.
Racial bias confrontation in the United States: What (if anything) has changed in the COVID-19 era, and where do we go from here?

Contemporary racial inequities rooted in historically biased systems (e.g., policing) have largely been confronted by those directly affected. We argue, however, that the US response to the COVID-1...
Painful and provocative events: Determining which events are associated with increased odds of attempting suicide

Objective The present study sought to determine which painful and provocative events differentiated those with suicidal ideation from those who attempted suicide. Additionally, it presents a novel way of utilizing the Painful and Provocative Scale (PPES) by looking at items dichotomously as experienced or not experienced, instead of the frequency at which they are experienced. Method Participants (N = 666) were recruited as part of a large online study seeking to understand suicide risk across multiple high-risk groups (i.e., veterinarians, military service members, transgender individuals, and gun owners) for suicide. Participants in the present study were predominately white, female, and heterosexual. Results First, the PPES was examined as a dichotomous measure and results indicate that experiencing physical or sexual abuse, tying a noose, using intravenous drugs, or having injuries that required medical attention were associated with greater odds of attempting suicide; shooting a gun was associated with decreased odds. Next, the PPES was examined as a scale measure and findings indicate that increased exposure to rock climbing, experiencing physical or sexual abuse, or using intravenous drug were associated with increased odds of attempting suicide; while increased exposure to shooting a gun was associated with decreased odds. Conclusions The present study adds to the literature on the ideation-to-action framework and provides evidence considering the frequency of experiences using the Painful and Provocative Event Scale may not provide substantial information beyond dichotomous scoring.
Personality or pathology? Predictors of early substance use in first-year college students.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the current study was to examine the dual role of personality and psychopathology in predicting substance use among first-year students. PARTICIPANTS 103 first-semester undergraduate students were recruited via the university subject pool. METHODS Participants completed personality questionnaires, structured clinical interviews, followed by the completion of diary entries each week reporting on substance use throughout their first semester. RESULTS Results indicated that a past diagnosis of an affective (mood/anxiety/stress) disorder was the most significant predictor of substance use. Personality and current psychopathology had no association to substance use. CONCLUSION This finding is consistent with developmental models of substance use relating to emotion-related disease and suggests that greater nuance is needed in understanding substance use risk in college students.
Nonreductive Physics

This paper documents a wide range of nonreductive scientific treatments of phenomena in the domain of physics. These treatments strongly resist characterization as explanations of macrobehavior exclusively in terms of behavior of microconstituents. For they are treatments in which macroquantities are cast in the role of genuine and irreducible degrees of freedom. One is driven into reductionism when one is not cultivated to possess an array of distinctions rich enough to let things be what they are. In contrast, making the decisive distinction has an illuminating and liberating effect because it lets the concrete occurrence stand forth for what it is. We understand it not in terms of a decipherment, but on its own terms. –Robert Sokolowski (“Making Distinctions”, 1992)
Understanding the Economics of Orbital Pollution Through the Lens of Terrestrial Climate Change

Orbital space is an economically and socially valuable resource that provides a vast array of satellite communication services for consumers, businesses, scientists, and governments. Among the socially valuable services provided, orbital satellites collect various types of environmental data relating to the earth’s surface and atmosphere. These data help scientists monitor and better understand the evolving terrestrial environment. When satellites are launched and undertake missions in orbital space, they create pollution in the form of orbital debris. Orbital debris can, and does, damage or destroy other satellites. National entities that utilize orbital space pledge to follow voluntary guidelines for minimizing orbital debris, but many do not comply. This non-compliant behavior, along with a substantial increase in the number of satellites in orbit, causes the density of the debris fields in orbit to increase, making it more likely that an increasing number of other satellites will be damaged or destroyed. The limiting case of this process is a “collisional cascade” which renders an orbit unusable. This scenario is broadly analogous to the effects of human-produced CO2, both in terms of the increasing economic and social costs of environmental damage over time and the difficulty in binding nations to international agreements. Because satellites are vital to monitoring terrestrial conditions and provide unique data on the current state of the global environment, we suggest there is a natural linkage for including orbital space in climate change negotiations. While this might complicate climate change negotiations, it could also usefully expand the overall bargaining space, providing new opportunities for agreement.
Neuroimaging correlates of gait abnormalities in progressive supranuclear palsy

Progressive supranuclear palsy is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized primarily by tau inclusions and neurodegeneration in the midbrain, basal ganglia, thalamus, premotor and frontal cortex. Neurodegenerative change in progressive supranuclear palsy has been assessed using MRI. Degeneration of white matter tracts is evident with diffusion tensor imaging and PET methods have been used to assess brain metabolism or presence of tau protein deposits. Patients with progressive supranuclear palsy present with a variety of clinical syndromes; however early onset of gait impairments and postural instability are common features. In this study we assessed the relationship between multimodal imaging biomarkers (i.e., MRI atrophy, white matter tracts degeneration, flortaucipir-PET uptake) and laboratory-based measures of gait and balance abnormalities in a cohort of nineteen patients with progressive supranuclear palsy, using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. The PSP rating scale and its gait midline sub-score were strongly correlated to gait abnormalities but not to postural imbalance. Principal component analysis on gait variables identified velocity, stride length, gait stability ratio, length of gait phases and dynamic stability as the main contributors to the first component, which was associated with diffusion tensor imaging measures in the posterior thalamic radiation, external capsule, superior cerebellar peduncle, superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, body and splenium of the corpus callosum and sagittal stratum, with MRI volumes in frontal and precentral regions and with flortaucipir-PET uptake in the precentral gyrus. The main contributor to the second principal component was cadence, which was higher in patients presenting more abnormalities on mean diffusivity: this unexpected finding might be related to compensatory gait strategies adopted in progressive supranuclear palsy. Postural imbalance was the main contributor to the third principal component, which was related to flortaucipir-PET uptake in the left paracentral lobule and supplementary motor area and white matter disruption in the superior cerebellar peduncle, putamen, pontine crossing tract and corticospinal tract. A partial least square model identified flortaucipir-PET uptake in midbrain, basal ganglia and thalamus as the main correlate of speed and dynamic component of gait in progressive supranuclear palsy. Although causality cannot be established in this analysis, our study sheds light on neurodegeneration of brain regions and white matter tracts that underlies gait and balance impairment in progressive supranuclear palsy.
A Clinical Trial on Weight Loss among Truck Drivers

Background: The high prevalence of obesity among commercial truck drivers may be related to sedentary nature of the job, lack of healthy eating choices, and lack of exercise. There may be a link between obesity and crash risk, therefore an intervention to reduce obesity in this population is needed. Objective: To assess feasibility of a 12-week weight loss intervention for truck drivers with a weight loss goal of 10% of initial body weight. Methods: Drivers were selected based on age (≥21 years) and body mass index (≥30 kg/m 2 ). The drivers participated in a before-after clinical trial. The intervention included a 12-week program that provided information on healthy diet and increasing exercise, and telephone-based coaching using SMART goals. Outcomes included change from baseline in reported energy intake, measured weight, waist, hip, and neck circumference, blood pressure, and point of care capillary blood lipids and hemoglobin A 1c . Exit interviews were conducted to gain insight into driver opinions on the program features and usefulness. This study was registered with the NIH Clinical Trials Registry, number NCT02348983. Results: 12 of 13 drivers completed the study. Weight loss was statistically significant (p=0.03). Reported energy (p=0.005), total fat consumption (p=0.04), and saturated fat consumption (p=0.02) intake were also lower after the 12-week intervention. Drivers attributed their weight loss to health coaching and suggested a longer intervention so that they could reach their goal and become accustomed to the changes. Conclusion: This weight loss intervention is feasible for this difficult population. Additional research is needed to compare this intervention with a control group.
Alexithymia Slows Performance but Preserves Spontaneous Semantic Decoding of Negative Expressions in the Emostroop Task

Alexithymia is a multifaceted personality construct related to deficits in the recognition and verbalization of emotions. It is uncertain what causes alexithymia or which stage of emotion processing is first affected. The current study was designed to determine if trait alexithymia was associated with impaired early semantic decoding of facial emotion. Participants performed the Emostroop task, which varied the presentation time of faces depicting neutral, angry, or sad expressions before the classification of angry or sad adjectives. The Emostroop effect was replicated, represented by slowed responses when the classified word was incongruent with the background facial emotion. Individuals with high alexithymia were slower overall across all trials, particularly when classifying sad adjectives; however, they did not differ on the basic Emostroop effect. Our results suggest that alexithymia does not stem from lower-level problems detecting and categorizing others’ facial emotions. Moreover, their impairment does not appear to extend uniformly across negative emotions and is not specific to angry or threatening stimuli as previously reported, at least during early processing. Almost in contrast to the expected impairment, individuals with high alexithymia and lower verbal IQ scores had even more pronounced Emostroop effects, especially when the face was displayed longer.To better understand the nature of alexithymia, future research needs to further disentangle the precise phase of emotion processing and forms of affect most affected in this relatively common condition
Chemotactic activity in periodontal disease. I. The role of complement in monocyte chemotaxis.

Extracts of gingival tissue from periodontal patients can generate chemotactic factors from guinea pig serum for mononuclear leukocytes. Both the classical and alternative pathways of complement activation are triggered. The data do not preclude the fact that other components of the gingival extract (bacterial and/or tissue enzymes, immune complexes and endotoxin) may also play a role in the generation of chemotactic factors from complement.
Diagnostic Radiology Resident and Fellow Workloads: A 12-Year Longitudinal Trend Analysis Using National Medicare Aggregate Claims Data

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in diagnostic radiology resident and fellow workloads in recent years. Methods Berenson-Eggers Type of Service categorization was applied to Medicare Part B Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master Files to identify total and resident-specific claims for radiologist imaging services between 1998 and 2010. Data were extracted and subgroup analytics performed by modality. Volumes were annually normalized for active diagnostic radiology trainees. Results From 1998 to 2010, Medicare claims for imaging services rendered by radiologists increased from 78,901,255 to 105,252,599 (+33.4%). Service volumes increased across all modalities: for radiography from 55,661,683 to 59,654,659 (+7.2%), for mammography from 5,780,624 to 6,570,673 (+13.7%), for ultrasound from 5,851,864 to 9,853,459 (+68.4%), for CT from 9,351,780 to 22,527,488 (+140.9%), and for MR from 2,255,304 to 6,646,320 (+194.7%). Total trainee services nationally increased 3 times as rapidly. On an average per trainee basis, however, the average number of diagnostic services rendered annually to Medicare Part B beneficiaries increased from 499 to 629 (+26.1%). By modality, this represents an average change from 333 to 306 examinations (−8.1%) for radiography, from 20 to 18 (−7.4%) for mammography, from 37 to 56 (+49.7%) for ultrasound, from 88 to 202 (+129.1%) for CT, and from 20 to 47 (+132.0%) for MRI. Conclusions Between 1998 and 2010, the number of imaging examinations interpreted by diagnostic radiology residents and fellows on Medicare beneficiaries increased on average by 26% per trainee, with growth largely accounted for by disproportionate increases in more complex services (CT and MRI).
Universally Quantified Queries in Language with Order-Sorted Logics

In many applications of Knowledge-Based Systems or deductive databases the user wants to be able to check whether a certain property P(x) holds globally, i.e. whether it can be derived for all the individuals in the data base. Normally knowledge representation systems or logic programming systems cannot answer such requests. In this paper we show that the taxonomy of classes available in standard knowledge representation languages allows to solve this kind of query by dividing the proof into several cases according to the subsort structure present in the knowledge base.
Planting Date and Hybrid Maturity Effects on Corn Yield in Iowa

Research evaluating the effects of planting date and hybrid maturity on corn yield is of vital importance to Iowa corn producers. The objectives of the study were: To identify an optimum date of planting, and To determine the most beneficial hybrid maturity at different planting dates. This study was initiated in 1998 and repeated in 1999 and 2000. In addition to this site, this study has been conducted at two other university research farms.
Does infringing patents pay

To overcome a competitor's monopoly on a product, companies are challenging patents and designing around them. This has resulted in a more than 50% increase in the number of patent-related lawsuits between 1980 and 1990, even though the increase in the number of patent issues was only 46% during the same period. Various strategies of responding to competitors' technological innovations are described. Besides discussing recent examples of patent infringements by companies, reasons are presented for the increase in such infringements. The costs and benefits to the company that infringes on patents, and some of the policies that discourage patent infringements are discussed. >
Immunological cross-reactions between two low-molecular-weight polypeptides from a murine type C virus

Two low-molecular-weight type-specific virion polypeptides from the Kirsten strain of Murine leukemia virus, polypeptides p10 and p12, are immunologically related by radioimmunoassay competition techniques.
Creole Transformation from Slavery to Freedom: Historical Archaeology of the East End Community, St. John, Virgin Islands

Creole Transformation from Slavery to Freedom: Historical Archaeology of the East End Community, St. John, Virgin Islands. Douglas V. Armstrong. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2003. 448 pp.
Mechanisms and Energetics of Protein/Peptide Interactions in Biological Membranes

Understanding the delicate balance of forces governing helix/β-hairpin interactions in transmembrane proteins is central to understanding membrane structure and function. These membrane constituent interactions play an essential role in determining the structure and function of membrane proteins, and protein interactions in membranes, and thus form the basis for many vital processes, including transmembrane signaling, transport of ions and small molecules, energy transduction, and cell-cell recognition. “Why does a single transmembrane helix or β-hairpin have specific orientations in membranes?” “What are the roles of hydrogen bonds, close packing, and helix-lipid or β-hairpin-lipid interactions in helix or β-hairpin associations in membranes?” “How do these interactions change the membrane structures?” “How do transmembrane domains transmit signals across membranes?” These are fundamentally important biophysical questions that can be addressed by understanding the delicate balance of forces governing helix/β-hairpin interactions in membranes. Recently, we has published novel methods and their applications that begin to address the complicated energetics and molecular mechanisms of these interactions at the atomic level by calculating the potentials of mean force (PMFs) along reaction coordinates relevant to helix/β-hairpin motions in membranes, and dissecting the total PMF into the contributions arising from physically important microscopic forces [1-5]. In this work, I will summarize our research accomplishment so far, and present recent research activities to elucidate the influence of helix tilting on ion channel gating and the molecular basis of transmembrane signaling.1. Lee, J. and W. Im, J. Comput. Chem., 28: 669-680 (2007).2. Lee, J. and W. Im, Chem. Phys. Lett., 441:132-135 (2007).3. Lee, J. and W. Im, Phys. Rev. Lett., 100:018103 (2008).4. Lee, J. and W. Im, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 130:6456-6462 (2008).5. Lee, J., S. Ham, and W. Im, J. Comput. Chem., in press (2008).