cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Long-Term Postconcussive Symptoms between University Students with and without a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury or Orthopedic Injury

Mild traumatic brain injury (mild TBI) is often associated with postconcussive symptoms such as headache, memory problems, and irritability. However, high rates of similar symptoms in groups without a history of TBI raise questions about the clinical validity of the postconcussive syndrome. This study was conducted to address these issues through systematic examination of symptoms reported by those with and without a history of mild TBI or orthopedic injury. Responses to the Postconcussion Syndrome Checklist (PCSC), demographic information, and medical history were collected via online questionnaire from 3027 non-referred university students (2280 without a history of mild TBI or orthopedic injury, 491 with a history of orthopedic injury, and 256 with post-acute mild TBI). Although the mild TBI group reported higher mean levels of symptoms, confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that symptoms clustered into parallel cognitive, somatic, affective, and sensory factors in all three groups. Despite modestly higher mean symptoms among those with a history of mild TBI, symptom clusters did not differ from non-TBI groups. These findings cast doubts about the clinical validity of the "postconcussive syndrome" and raise questions about pathways by which mild TBI and other factors may influence the expression of chronic symptoms.
Pole shifting for families of linear systems depending on at most three parameters

Abstract We prove that for any family of n -dimensional controllable linear systems, continuously parametrized by up to three parameters, and for any continuous selection of n eigenvalues (in complex conjugate pairs), there is some dynamic controller of dimension 3 n which is itself continuously parametrized and for which the closed-loop eigenvalues are these same eigenvalues, each counted four times. An analogous result holds also for smooth parametrizations.
The Metabolism and Binding Properties of 3H-Aldosterone in Plasma and Its Sex Dependence in Adrenalectomizec Rats

The rates of clearance of plasma 3H-radioactivity following intravenous injection of 3H-aldosterone was demonstrated to be sexdependent in adrenalectomized rats. The percentage plasma radioactivity which is CH2CI2- extractable is greater in female than in male rats from 5 min to 90 min postinjection; however, the quantities of CH2CI2-extiactable label are not significantly different until 60 min postinjection. The quantities of nonextractable, water-soluble metabolites of aldosterone (NEPD), which are markedly greater in the plasma of males, reach peak levels 30 min after injection of aldosterone, during the latent period of the hormone. In females, these polar metabolites (NEPD) are rapidly cleared from the blood. The quantities of 3H-radioactivity associated with the plasma binding proteins are similar in both males and females. The unbound levels of aldosterone and its metabolites are significantly greater in the plasma of males. These findings indicate that the sex hormones may influence not only the ...
Allocation of buffers to serial production lines with bottlenecks

The optimal placement of a predetermined amount of buffer capacity in balanced serial production lines is a well-understood problem: in lines with moderate variability, the optimal allocation involves equal numbers of buffers at each site; in lines with severe variability, the equal allocation is modified slightly to place more buffers toward the center of the line. Buffering unbalanced lines is a much less well-understood problem. We study the problem of buffering serial lines with moderate variability and a single bottleneck; i.e., a single station with a larger mean processing time than all other stations. Our analysis shows that a bottleneck station draws buffers toward it, but the optimal allocation depends on the location and severity of the bottleneck, as well as the number of buffers available. Furthermore, relatively large imbalances in mean processing times are required to shift the optimal buffer allocation away from an equal allocation. Finally, line length appears to have a relatively small e...
Nucleosome loss activates yeast downstream promoters in vivo

Nucleosome depletion can be made to occur in yeast by addition of glucose to strains containing the histone H4 gene under GAL promoter control. This leads to the activation of downstream promoter elements (TATA box and initiation, I, region) of three different regulated yeast promoters fused to the E. coli lacZ gene. Nucleosome loss activates the PHO5 downstream element in the presence or absence of the upstream activator sequences (UAS) through which PHO5 induction is normally mediated. The cytochrome C (CYC1) and galactokinase (GAL1) promoters are normally repressed by glucose through their UAS elements. However, when these UAS are deleted, the remaining downstream promoters are also activated by glucose-mediated nucleosome loss. These data suggest that nucleosome loss increases transcription initiation and subsequent elongation in vivo. They also indicate that the proteins which recognize the downstream promoter are activated and functional, at least in part, even in the absence of the UAS complex.
Student Impressions of an Art Therapy Class

Art therapy facilitates the expression of thoughts and feelings and thus may serve as a self-care strategy. This paper describes the implementation of an expressive art therapy class to teach self-care during a required sophomore level nursing wellness course and the outcomes of the class through the eyes of six students. While students were initially reluctant to engage in the activity, the shared stories revealed feelings of relaxation, empowerment, value clarification, and increased self-awareness. The implication for nursing education is that the integration of art therapy into curricula may serve as an effective strategy to teaching self-care and core professional values.
Digital culture, and the viewing/participating pre-service teacher: (re)envisioning theatre teacher training for a social media culture

This paper explores how our ‘digital world’ shapes the ways that young people want to be engaged and how those desires subsequently shape academic theatre spaces. The paper uses artefacts developed in a university classroom to demonstrate that pre-service theatre educators can create educational materials that interrogate and deploy multiple media forms to explore, play with, re-combine and re-produce those multimedia images for and with their students. It also explores the notion of consumption as a means of production and argues that educators should aid young people to acquire new agency and power through theatre education processes that provide opportunities to reinterpret and appropriate popular digital culture as a means of understanding. To demonstrate the possibilities of this argument, I document and explore examples of pre-service theatre teachers who are practicing these ‘processes of utilization’ with the young people they teach in educational theatre settings. Specifically I attempt to re-env...
Percolation as the zero-temperature limit of the dilute Ising model

It is shown that, by taking the zero-temperature limit of the annealed dilute bond Ising model, approximate expressions for quantities of interest in the percolation problem can be obtained. These are compared with computer simulations for a square lattice and shown to be reasonable over the entire concentration range whilst giving incorrect critical exponents.
Organizational Models and Roles

Access services departments in academic libraries have experienced some profound changes in the past several years. Some services have shown sharp declines, while demand for others has increased. In general, many of the time-consuming clerical routines have been replaced by a more sophisticated suite of services and technological advancements. This shift has required a more fluid and flexible organizational structure that is collaborative and adaptive. It has also demanded that staff have a higher set of both technical and public service skills. Looking ahead, there are many emerging issues that could fundamentally change the role and function of access services departments in academic libraries, possibly even eliminating the need for such a structure. This paper looks at the changes that have occurred over nearly two decades, describes some of the disruptive developments that are on the horizon, and suggests new roles that access services staff may assume in the future.
Optimal site in the subthalamic nucleus for deep brain stimulation.

The advent of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for individuals with the cardinal symptoms of medically intractable Parkinson disease (PD) was a major advance in the treatment of these desperate patients. Now, approximately a decade into the more routine use of this technology, reassessments of the methods and therapeutic efficacy of DBS are in order. Although considerable worldwide experience has been gained in the application of this therapy, by contemporary standards we still lack a firm evidence base on which to definitively support the procedure. This deficit will be remedied, at least in part, by the findings of the Veterans Affairs‐ National Institutes of Health (VA/NIH) cooperative trial of DBS in treating PD. Early results of the VA/NIH trial clearly indicate that in previously levodopa-responsive patients, medically intractable motor symptoms can be more effectively treated with a combination of DBS and medical management than with the best medical management alone. The second endpoint of this large study should further clarify which site is the optimal stereotactic target for such patients with PD: the subthalamic nucleus (STN) or the globus pallidus internus (GPI). The results of this aspect of the study will not emerge for another year or so.
Estimation of a regional land surface albedo using narrow band satellite radiance data

The primary objective of the study is to derive an algorithm for regional albedo estimation using narrow band and moderate spatial resolution satellite data. A "uniform spectral region reflectance" model for converting satellite derived reflectance (emphasis on NOAA AVHRR) to broader spectral regions in the visible (0.38-0.72 /spl mu/m), near-IR (0.72-1.30 /spl mu/m) and shortwave mid-IR (1.30-4.0 /spl mu/m) was further developed. Analysis of spectra from surface grasses indicated the usage of a satellite waveband reflectance to directly estimate a wideband visible and wide-band near-IR may produce errors to over 30%, when not incorporating a linear correction. For sensors such as NOAA AVHRR without a shortwave mid-IR band, visible and near-IR reflectivities may be used to estimate a mid-IR reflectance to reduce albedo errors to 20%. Examination of atmospheric data indicates that for many different scattering atmospheres there is a compensating effect between diffuse and direct radiation providing a small variation between spectral regions for global radiation, improving the algorithm capability to provide regional albedo estimation. >
Silica anchored fluorescent organosilicon polymers for explosives separation and detection

The luminescent organosilicon copolymers poly(silafluorenyldiethynylspirobifluorene) and poly(tetrasilolediethynylspirobifluorene) have been covalently linked to a silica gel thin layer chromatography (TLC) support through the use of a trimethoxysilyl end group. Surface functionalization of silica with the fluorescent sensing polymer allows for more efficient quenching by the analyte, due to the small amount of fluorophore present, thus yielding enhanced detection sensitivity. The attachment of the sensing polymers onto a chromatographic support also allows for simultaneous separation of an explosive mixture, and component identification through the use of multiple sensing polymers. In a 1.0 mm2 area solution spotted onto the fluorescent silica plate, detection limits obtained for the explosives TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene), DNT (2,6-dinitrotoluene), PA (picric acid), Tetryl (N-methyl-N,2,4,6-tetranitroaniline), HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine), RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane), and Cl-20 (2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane) ranged from 4 to 750 pg mm−2. Since less than 350 pg of highly fluorescent polymer is required to coat each TLC plate, the relatively small amounts of explosive being detected still represent an excess of quencher over sensing fluorophore.
Troponin T, B-type natriuretic peptide, C-reactive protein, and cause-specific mortality

Abstract Purpose We sought to evaluate the associations of high-sensitivity troponin T (Hs-TnT), N -terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) with mortality from any cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort. Methods We included 11,193 participants aged 54 to 74 years, initially free of the conditions being studied, and who had biomarkers measured. Participants were followed for a mean of 9.9 years. Results Hazard ratios (HR), adjusted for multiple risk factors, for mortality in participants in the highest Hs-TnT category compared with those with undetectable levels were: Total 3.42 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.75–4.26); CVD, 7.34 (95% CI, 4.64–11.6); CHD, 6.06 (95% CI, 2.91–12.6); stroke, 3.31 (95% CI, 1.26–8.66); cancer, 1.60 (95% CI, 1.08–2.38); and respiratory, 3.85 (95% CI, 1.39–10.7). Comparing the highest NT-proBNP quintile with those in the lowest quintile, the adjusted HRs for mortality were: Total, 3.05 (95% CI, 2.46–3.77); CVD, 7.48 (95% CI, 4.67–12.0); CHD, 4.07 (95% CI, 2.07–7.98); and stroke, 10.4 (95% CI, 2.26–47.7). Comparing extreme Hs-CRP quintiles, the adjusted HRs for mortality were: Total, 1.61 (95% CI, 1.32–1.97); CVD, 1.76 (95% CI, 1.19–2.62); and respiratory, 3.36 (95% CI, 1.34–8.45). Having multiple markers elevated simultaneously greatly increased cause-specific mortality risks. Conclusions Greater levels of Hs-TnT, NT-proBNP and Hs-CRP are associated with increased risk of death, not just from CVD, but also from some noncardiovascular causes.
Ethnicity as a Variable: An Assessment of Measures and Data Sets of Ethnicity and Related Identities*

Objective With the proliferation of new data sets and measures of identity-based diversity, especially regarding ethnicity, it is essential that scholars who use these data sets on “ethnicity” understand their theoretical underpinnings, as well as their points of convergence and divergence. Methods We conduct a review of existing cross-national measures of ethnic diversity. Results Different data sets involve inclusion boundaries for groups that vary drastically, and operationalize the relationship between the enumerated groups and outcomes of interest in ways that have often unacknowledged theoretical implications. Conclusions We describe the advantages and disadvantages of different data sets, and build on this description to point toward future directions in assessing the relationship between diversity and social phenomena, specifically focusing on the mechanisms that link groups to these outcomes. We also provide appendices listing the data sets discussed in the article, enabling scholars to conveniently access them.
Motor-motor adaptation: preliminary findings

This study investigated the relationship between speech perception and speech production. An experimental technique called motor-motor adaptation was devised. Subjects produced a speech token repeatedly (20 to 40 repetitions), then produced a second token one time. These tokens all contained stop consonants and were subsequently analyzed for voice onset time. The results paralleled previous findings using the experimental procedure, perceptuomotor adaptation. The present study supports the notion of a perception-production link.
Bcl-2 overexpression results in enhanced capacitative calcium entry and resistance to SKF-96365-induced apoptosis.

Although there is evidence that changes in cellular ionic concentrations are important early events in apoptosis, the regulation of ion fluxes across the plasma membrane during this process is poorly understood. We report here that Bcl-2 overexpression results in up-regulation of capacitative Ca 2+ entry (CCE) and that SKF-96365, an inhibitor of CCE, is a potent inducer of apoptosis. Cells that overexpress Bcl-2 are resistant to SKF-96365-mediated apoptosis and to its inhibition of CCE. Enhanced CCE can be reversed with ouabain, suggesting that Bcl-2-associated plasma membrane hyperpolarization plays a role in up-regulating CCE and may partially explain the antiapoptotic effect of Bcl-2.
Analysis of Electrochemical Performance of SOFCs Using Polarization Modeling and Impedance Measurements

Anode-supported planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) were fabricated by a single-step cofiring process. It comprised of a porous Ni + yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode support, a porous and fine-grained Ni + YSZ anode active layer, a dense YSZ electrolyte, a fine-grained porous Ca-doped LaMnO 3 (LCM) + YSZ composite cathode active layer, and a porous LCM cathode current collector layer. The cell was tested between 700 and 800°C with humidified hydrogen (97% H 2 + 3% H 2 O) as the fuel and air as the oxidant. The measured maximum power densities were 1.42 W/cm 2 at 800°C, 1.20 W/cm 2 at 750°C, and 0.87 W/cm 2 at 700°C. The cell was also tested at 800°C with various compositions of fuel and oxidant, and the cell parameters, which included the area specific ohmic resistance, exchange current densities, and anodic and cathodic limiting current densities, were obtained through polarization modeling. The polarization resistances of the cell were calculated using the cell parameters obtained from modeling, and compared with the corresponding values measured using impedance spectroscopy. The effect of cell operating conditions on various polarization losses and performance was analyzed in detail using the polarization modeling results.
Abilities underlying decoding differences in children with intellectual disability

Researchers in recent years have made much progress towards understanding why some children struggle to learn to read. However, little of this research has involved children with intellectual disability associated with an IQ < 70 (ID, also called mental retardation). In the present analysis, the authors examined cognitive similarities and differences between stronger and weaker decoders, all of whom have ID. The 65 children with ID in the present analysis were initially referred by their teachers for a study that involved training basic phonological reading skills. The present analysis compares 21 children who were excluded from the training study because their decoding skills were already too high with 44 children whose decoding skills were low enough for the training study. The groups were compared on general intelligence, language ability, phonemic awareness and phonological memory. Initial analyses showed that the stronger decoders were significantly better than weaker decoders in language ability, phonemic awareness and rehearsal in phonological memory, but not in intelligence. They were also significantly older than weaker decoders. When age was covaried out, the groups differed significantly only in rehearsal in phonological memory, although the difference for phonemic awareness was marginally significant when the poorest performers were excluded. When intelligence is substantially limited, the ability to rehearse or refresh phonological codes in working memory plays a major role in determining children's success in learning to read. This ability appears to be more important than intelligence, language ability and phonemic awareness. It is possible that the reason the phonemic awareness measure was not as good at distinguishing the groups as the phonological rehearsal measure was because the former did not involve assembling phonological output. It is suggested that it is the combination of poor phonological representation and poor phonological output assembly that makes decoding difficult for some children with ID.
Discovering Space in the Elementary Classroom

Recent studies have shown that strengths in spatial skills are a key to success in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers. However, these skills are undervalued in our educational system and thus seldom incorporated in classroom teaching. As a first step towards changing the current practices, we worked with a group of elementary school teachers who participated in an in-service workshop on spatial thinking and problem solving. The workshop emphasized the meaning, importance, and malleable nature of spatial skills and introduced a simple spatial activity, QuickDraw, that could be implemented during group instruction time. Those teachers who implemented this activity over the course of the school year reported various benefits of practicing spatial skills. Implications for preparing students for STEM careers are discussed. (Contains 2 figures)
Stridulation by Jadera haematoloma (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae): Production Mechanism and Associated Behaviors

The Hemiptera displays a notable diversity of vibratory communication signals across its various families. Here we describe the substrate and airborne vibrations (sounds), the mechanism of production, and associated behaviors of Jadera haematoloma Herrich-Schaeffer, a member of the family Rhopalidae. Adult males and females both produce short, stereotyped sound bursts by anterior-posterior movement of abdominal tergites I and II against a stridulitrum located on the ventral surface of the metathoracic wing. Sound bursts are produced by a single adult male or female when physically touched by another adult, and are strongly associated with being crawled on by the approaching individual, but are not produced in response to contact with other arthropods or when pinched with forceps. The propensity to produce sounds when crawled upon decreases during the mating season. These sound bursts by J. haematoloma likely are communication signals. Rhopalidae has been significantly absent from the vibratory communication literature until now. Although the sounds are produced using a mechanism common to vibratory communication systems in closely related Heteropteran Hemiptera, the sounds in these other species function primarily in courtship or in mother-daughter interactions, which suggests that the functions of stridulation and the behavioral contexts have diversified in the Heteroptera.
Accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with large primary breast tumors.

BACKGROUND Patients with large breast tumors are increasingly undergoing neoadjuvant treatment to downstage local disease; however, accurate staging of the axilla before the initiation of chemotherapy remains problematic. In the current study, the authors report on the accuracy of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in such patients to determine the feasibility of applying this technique before induction chemotherapy. METHODS One hundred three patients with 104 tumors classified as American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) T2 (tumor ≥ 2 cm but ≤ 5 cm) or larger were recruited at the University of Pennsylvania and the Mayo Clinic. In the majority of cases, combined blue dye and radiotracer was used for SLN identification. After SLN identification, a completion axillary lymph node dissection was performed in 87 cases. The SLN was evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The SLN was identified in 99% of cases. The overall rate of lymph node metastasis was 59% (95% exact confidence interval [95% CI], 49–68%) (61 of 104 cases). The SLN false-negative rate was 2% (95% exact CI, 2 mm) to the SLN (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS SLN biopsy for patients with large breast tumors is technically feasible and highly accurate. SLN biopsy should be considered for the staging of clinically negative axilla in patients scheduled to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer 2000;88:2540–5. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
Hemodynamic signals not predicted? Not so: a comment on Sirotin and Das (2009).

In their 2009 Nature article: “Anticipatory haemodynamic signals in sensory cortex not predicted by local neuronal activity,” Yevginiy Sirotin and Aniruddha Das suggest that hemodynamic signals, the basis of functional MRI (fMRI), can arise without any measurable neuronal activity. They report that hemodynamic signals in visual cortex were associated with and time-locked to the anticipation of a visual stimulus, and importantly, without any associated neuronal activity as measured with direct electrophysiological recordings. In this commentary, we demonstrate, using an assessment of their own data, that their claims are not strongly supported. In fact, we found that specific LFP frequency ranges predicted with a high degree of accuracy, the “dark” or “anticipatory” hemodynamic response. For other frequency ranges, we found differences in phase but not magnitude of the measured and predicted hemodynamic response. Importantly, when comparing simply the magnitude as well as the time series standard deviation of the electrophysiological recordings with those of the measured hemodynamic responses, we found a direct correspondence of the dark/stimulated magnitude and standard deviation between the electrophysiological recordings and the hemodynamic responses. All of these analyses strongly imply that anticipatory hemodynamic responses are, in fact, accurately predicted in phase and magnitude by several LFP frequency bands, and are predicted in standard deviation and magnitude by the standard deviation and magnitude of even a wider range of LFP frequencies. We argue that rather than casting doubt on fMRI signal changes, these studies open up an interesting window into exploring more subtle neurovascular relationships.
Automated assembly in the JPL telerobot testbed

This chapter describes automated assembly operations in a telerobot test-bed developed at JPL for performing task experiments involving assembly and repair of spacecraft mockups in an unstructured environment. The fully operational multi-arm system can operate over a range of modes, from purely hand-controller operated teleoperation to highly automated operations. The autonomous modes range from human-operator supervised execution of autonomous sequences, to shared (mixed) modes in which command execution is provided simultaneously by the operator and the automated portions of the system. While this range of capability enables flexible operations in totally to partially unstructured environments, the emphasis in this chapter will be on the more automated modes of operation.
Amino Acid Composition of Normal Wools, Wool Fractions, Mohair, Feather, and Feather Fractions:

Amino acid analyses of normal wools of several breeds and geographical origins are presented as evidence of the normal variation of composition. Some samples were from lots used for detailed comparative studies of fiber properties and processing behavior. A mohair sample was found to be similar to wool in composition.White Leghorn chicken feather keratin differed from wool in yielding larger amounts of serine and proline. Feather had characteristically smaller amounts of cystine and glutamic acid.Heterogeneity of wool and feather keratins was shown by differences in amino acid composition of fractions prepared by treatment with acid, by mechanical separation, or by partial solubilization in aqueous alcohol. Feather differs from wool in having readily separable fractions differing greatly in content of histidine, lysine, and methionine. These fractions also differ appreciably in their content of several other amino acids.
Drug diffusion in hydrophobically modified N,N-dimethylacrylamide hydrogels

The use of hydrophobically modified hydrogels for drug release was investigated. Copolymers of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido) ethyl acrylate (FOSA) were prepared by free-radical polymerization. The drug release rates, dynamic swelling behavior, and pH sensitivities of copolymers ranging in composition from 0 to 30 mol% FOSA were studied. Pheniramine maleate, an ocular antihistamine, was used as the model drug substance. Hydrogels of DMA produced with increasing amounts of FOSA had a decreased equilibrium media content and exhibited a slower drug release rate. Early-time, late-time and Etters approximation drug diffusion coefficients ranged from 0.4!10 K3 to 12.3!10 K3 mm 2 /min. The diffusion of the drug model was less sensitive to pH of the buffered media over the range of pH 4‐8, but increasing the media pH slowed the permeability slightly by decreasing the swellability of the hydrogel. The power law exponent (nz0.5) and the swelling interface number (Sw[1) suggested that the drug release mechanism from these hydrogels was Fickian and not swelling controlled. These novel thermoprocessible hydrogels have potential to be used as controlled ocular drug delivery devices (e.g. contact lenses or ocular inserts).
The pain distress inventory: Development and initial psychometric properties

A new 26-item self-report measure, the Pain Distress Inventory (PDI), was designed to assess affective distress symptoms related to physical pain. Phases 1 to 3 were designed to construct the PDI using contemporary test development strategies. Studies 1 and 2 were conducted to define and confirm the four-factor oblique structure of the PDI: PDI-Depression, PDI-Anger, PDI-Pain Sensitivity, and PDI-Somatic Anxiety. The internal consistency reliability estimates were high for both the PDI total and scale scores. Study 3 examined relationships of the PDI with demographic variables and pain- and psychological-related responses. Scores on the PDI were useful in predicting scores on a pain-interference index and a pain-symptom index. Study 4 was designed to replicate previous findings of reliability and validity. The PDI total and scale scores were useful in differentiating between the responses of the clinic and nonclinic study participants. Limitations and potential uses of the PDI are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.
Undisclosed Flexibility in Computing and Reporting Structural Equation Models in Communication Science

The use of structural equation modeling (SEM) in communication research has become increasingly popular in recent years, with SEM being commonly used as the primary method of data analysis in studies published within the field’s journals. However, despite its widespread use, there are persistent misapplications of SEM in published empirical studies in the communication sciences. Of these types of misuse, the most troubling are those related to the exploitation of flexibilities in data collection and analysis. Given the number of decisions that must be made when analyzing and reporting structural equation models, decisions which often remain undisclosed, the potential for researchers to exploit flexibilities in SEM research is high. To assess the extent of this problem, as well as the more longstanding types of misuse (i.e., omission of information and disclosed “bad practice”) identified by prior studies, we undertake a methodical review of studies employing structural equation modeling within major journ...
Aortic Translocation for Repair of Transposition of the Great Arteries (S,D,L) With Ventricular Septal Defect and Pulmonic Stenosis

Biventricular repair for (S,D,L) transposition with ventricular septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, and superior-inferior ventricular malposition has not been described, to our knowledge. Herein we report biventricular repair of this complex lesion by aortic translocation.
Life Together: How Housing Laws Define America's Families

Housing restrictions, in the form of restrictive covenants, housing and building codes, and zoning regulations, have subtly helped to define our conception of what constitutes a family. Local ordinances have controlled and curtailed the type of dwellings that qualify as family homes, substituting relationship requirements for requirements of purpose or function. This article argues that moral judgments are the driving force behind some housing restrictions, and that such restrictions actually undermine the notion of family in our neighborhoods.
Multiplying Diversity: Family Unification and the Regional Origins of Late-Age US Immigrants

We use administrative data about new legal permanent residents to show how family unification chain migration changed both the age and regional origin of US immigrants. Between 1981 and 1995, every 100 initiating immigrants from Asia sponsored between 220 and 255 relatives, but from 1996 through 2000, each 100 initiating immigrants from Asia sponsored nearly 400 relatives, with one-in-four ages 50 and above. The family migration multiplier for Latin Americans was boosted by the legalization program: from 1996 to 2000, each of the 100 initiating migrants from Latin America sponsored between 420 and 531 family members, of which 18-21 percent were ages 50 and over. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Appendicitis Survey, USAREUR 1959 to 1961

Experience with appendicitis in United States Army hospitals in Europe compares very favorably with that in civilian medical centers in the United States, even when the preponderance of young adult males in the military hospital population is taken into consideration. Among 2,902 patients who were treated for appendicitis in 23 hospitals during a 27 month period, the incidence of perforating appendicitis was 12.5 per cent. In 11.8 per cent of the cases a normal appendix was removed. The echeloning of medical care does not appear to be a significant factor in the occurrence of appendiceal perforation.
Superiority of visual (verbal) vs. auditory test presentation modality in a P300-based CIT: The Complex Trial Protocol for concealed autobiographical memory detection

This paper continues our efforts to determine which modality is best for presentation of stimuli in the P300-based concealed information test (CIT) called the Complex Trial Protocol (CTP). The first part of the CTP trial involves presentation of the key probe or irrelevant stimuli, and is followed by presentation of target (T) or non-target (NT). In Rosenfeld et al. (2015), probes and irrelevants regularly alternated modality over trials, but Ts and NTs were always visual. In the present study, (in both its experiments, EXP 1 and EXP 2), probes and irrelevants alternated modalities on successive trials, as before. In present EXP 1, Ts and NTs were always auditory, but in EXP 2, they were simultaneously auditory and visual. Probe P300 data were different in each study: In Rosenfeld et al. (2015) and EXP 2 here, the bootstrap-based detection rates based on probe-minus-irrelevant differences, significantly differed favoring visual probe and irrelevant presentation modality. In EXP 1 here, detection rates were the same for the two modalities. In Rosenfeld et al. (2015) there was no main effect of probe modality, visual vs. auditory on probe-minus-irrelevant P300 difference. There were such effects here in EXP 1 (p<0.08, effect size=0.19) and EXP 2 (p<0.02, effect size=0.31), favoring the visual modality. Probe P300 latencies were shorter for visual than for auditory stimuli in Rosenfeld et al. (2015), a trend specifically reversed in the present pair of studies. RT was faster for visual stimuli in the present studies. The T and NT modality appears to interact with probe/irrelevant modality, and the best protocol for detecting concealed information is with the 2015 study protocol or that of EXP 2, using visual stimulus presentation.
Approach to the Immunocompromised Host with Pulmonary Symptoms

Respiratory disease is common in patients who are immunocompromised, which may be because of opportunistic infection, non-infectious processes related to the underlying disease, or therapy instituted for treatment. Approaching pulmonary symptoms in an immunocompromised host is a complex challenge because the symptoms represent a diverse spectrum of disease. In addition to the routine clinical evaluation, this article reviews four diagnostic procedures to characterize pulmonary disease. Current concepts regarding the prevention of infection are also addressed.
Expanding the IMF’s Regulatory Authority—Incrementally

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the IMF. During the period of 2010–11, a discussion took place within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that I think John Jackson would have found interesting. Following the financial crisis of 2008, the IMF came under considerable criticism for the perceived weakness of its ‘surveillance’ function, namely, the role it plays in overseeing members’ compliance with their obligation to promote their own economic stability and the stability of the overall exchange rate system. This involved a discussion not only of whether the scope of members’ obligations was adequate, but also whether the existing framework for enforcement was sufficiently robust. Among the questions that were raised was whether the IMF should adopt the type of countermeasures utilized in the trade area under the WTO framework.
From Aesthetics To Art Criticism and Back

De l'esthetique a la critique d'art, l'A. retrace un parcours de philosophie de l'art en suivant la pensee de Kant en la matiere. Il s'agit de savoir ce que l'on peut appeler beau en tant qu'objet de satisfaction. Il s'agit aussi de preciser en quoi l'esthetique determine la critique artistique. L'A. recourt aussi a la doctrine de Hegel sur ce point. Il evoque a ce propose l'exemple du critique Green Berg
Renal Tubular Disorders

All small molecules not tightly bound to protein are filtered by the glomerulus. The renal tubules are the primary mechanism by which the body can reabsorb these compounds. The proximal tubules (and, for bicarbonate and water, the distal tubules and collecting ducts) are responsible for reabsorbing 80–98% of the solutes filtered by the glomerulus. Although a few substances are actively secreted by the kidney, most disorders of tubular function lead to decreased reabsorption and thus increased loss in the urine.
Biophysical Basis of Glomerular Filtration

Marcello Malpighi (1628–1694) discovered the renal corpuscle and proposed that each glomerular body embraces the ampullar extremity of a tubule to form a “glandular follicle”. Thereafter, progress toward understanding the structure and function of the nephron stalled for two centuries, until William Bowman finally established the proper anatomic relationship between the glomerular arterioles, capillary tuft, and uriniferous tubule in 1842. In that same year, Carl Ludwig, in his Habilitations thesis, addressed the driving force that separates the watery and crystalloid constituents of the plasma from its “proteid” constituents. He dismissed both the “nonexistent” vital force and chemical theories for converting blood to urine, and deduced from geometric considerations that local hydraulic forces drive filtration of blood plasma through porous glomerular capillary walls. Ludwig’s theory was not universally accepted at the time and other influential figures, such as Heidenhain, continued to advocate the secretory formation of urine. Ludwig also had the foresight to envision that the hyperproteinemia resulting from glomerular filtration causes concentration of the urine by endosmosis into the peritubular capillaries. Several decades later, vant Hoff and others began to describe osmosis in terms of pressure using thermodynamic principles, which inspired Ernest Henry Starling to contemplate a role for the osmotic pressure of the plasma colloids in glomerular filtration. Starling wondered whether the minimum blood pressure below which formation of urine ceases might equal the osmotic pressure of the plasma colloids that oppose filtration. In 1897, he tested this hypothesis using a colloid osmometer of his own design with which he estimated the osmotic pressure of the blood plasma protein to be 25–30 mmHg or about 0.4 mmHg-gram −1 /liter −1 . Then he observed that raising the ureteral pressure to within 30–45 mmHg of the arterial blood pressure would stop the flow of urine in a dog undergoing diuresis. Thus, the hydraulic pressure across the glomerular epithelium must exceed the plasma colloid osmotic pressure by some small amount in order for urine to form. On this basis, Ludwig’s filtration hypothesis was deemed credible. Further evidence for glomerular filtration was published in 1924 by Wearn and Richards, who directly visualized the passage of indigo carmine into Bowman’s space from the blood in the course of performing the first-ever micropuncture experiments. Wearn and Richards interpreted their own findings as “indirect evidence that the process in the glomerulus is physical”.
Do improved patient recall and the provision of memory support enhance treatment adherence

Abstract Background and objectives Patient adherence to psychosocial treatment is an important but understudied topic. The aim of this study was to examine whether better patient recall of treatment contents and therapist use of memory support (MS) were associated with better treatment adherence. Methods Data were drawn from a pilot randomized controlled trial. Participants were 48 individuals (mean age = 44.27 years, 29 females) with Major Depressive Disorder randomized to receive either Cognitive Therapy (CT) with an adjunctive Memory Support Intervention (CT + Memory Support) or CT-as-usual. Therapist and patient ratings of treatment adherence were collected during each treatment session. Patient recall was assessed at mid-treatment. Therapist use of MS was manually coded for a random selection of sessions. Results Patient recall was significantly associated with better therapist and patient ratings of adherence. Therapist use of Application, a specific MS strategy, predicted higher therapist ratings of adherence. Attention Recruitment, another specific MS strategy, appeared to attenuate the positive impact of session number on patient ratings of adherence. Treatment groups, MS summary scores and other specific MS strategies were not significantly associated with adherence. Limitations The measure for treatment adherence is in the process of being formally validated. Results were based on small sample. Conclusions These results support the importance of patient recall in treatment adherence. Although collectively the effects of MS on treatment adherence were not significant, the results support the use of certain specific MS strategy (i.e., application) as a potential pathway to improve treatment adherence. Larger-scale studies are needed to further examine these constructs.
Institutional Constructions of Medical Stigma and Its Perception by Multiply Body-Modified Individuals Seeking Treatment

ABSTRACTIn a recent research project on the lived experience of body modifiers—identified as those with piercings, tattoos, scarification/branding, and/or suspension/hook pull experiences—the researcher documents synergistic resistance on the part of participants, and the institutional review board. This dynamic reflects a long history of problematic academic publications. The real world impact of this is felt by those bearing modification that desire health care. Discussion focuses on post-colonial methods, snowball sampling, findings of institutionally constructed medical bias, and the first known reports of stigma impacting medical care delivery for those who have body modifications.
Leptin in Cancer: Epidemiology and Mechanisms

Obesity is now considered a risk factor for many cancers. In particular, the risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer is elevated in overweight/obese women. Leptin, an adipokine made in adipose tissue, may be a physiological link between cancer and obesity. Epidemiological studies in some cases report elevated leptin levels in women with breast cancer and expression of the leptin receptor (Ob-R) in breast tumors. In obese transgenic mice predisposed to breast cancer that were leptin or Ob-R deficient, no mammary tumors developed, while in similar transgenic mice with diet-induced obesity, mammary tumor latency was shortened, and leptin levels were correlated with body weight. In vitro studies consistently report leptin enhances in cell proliferation and cell signaling pathways such as STAT3/AKT/PI3K. Leptin has also been recently reported to enhance angiogenesis through VEGF and its receptor, VEGFR. Other recent studies show that leptin may promote inflammation in tumor cells as well as nearby stromal components and adipocytes. Further leptin may have effects on cancer stem cell populations promoting early stages of tumorigenesis. Leptin has also been shown to play roles in the development of hepatic, colorectal, ovarian, and endometrial cancers and in the development of aggressive prostate cancer. The development of Ob-R agonists and leptin analogues may help treat and/or prevent some cancers.
Heterogeneous Reactors and Wigner–Seitz Cells

When deterministic neutron transport methods are applied to lattice or whole-core problems, the multigroup approximation is usually applied to the cross-sectional treatment for the energy domain. Due to the complicated energy behavior of resonance cross sections, the weighting spectrum for collapsing multigroup cross sections is very dependent on energy and space, which becomes a crucial challenge when analyzing a lattice or full-core configuration.
Maternal outcomes associated with early preterm cesarean delivery.

Background Data on complications associated with classic cesarean delivery are conflicting. In extremely preterm cesarean delivery (22 0/7-27 6/7 weeks' gestation), the lower uterine segment is thicker. It is plausible that the rates of maternal complications may not differ between classic and low transverse cesarean. Objective We sought to compare maternal outcomes associated with classic versus low transverse cesarean after stratifying by gestation (23 0/7-27 6/7 and 28 0/7-31 6/7 weeks' gestation). Study Design We conducted a multihospital retrospective cohort study of women undergoing cesarean delivery at 23 0/7 to 31 6/7 weeks' gestation from 2005 through 2014. Composite maternal outcome (postpartum hemorrhage, transfusion, endometritis, sepsis, wound infection, deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, hysterectomy, respiratory complications, and intensive care unit admission) was compared between classic and low transverse cesarean. Outcomes were calculated using multivariable logistic regression models yielding adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and adjusted P values controlling for maternal characteristics, emergency cesarean delivery, and comorbidities. Analyses were stratified by gestational age categories (23 0/7-27 6/7 and 28 0/7-31 6/7 weeks' gestation). Results Of 902 women, 221 (64%) and 91 (16%) underwent classic cesarean between 23 0/7 and 27 6/7 and between 28 0/7 and 31 6/7 weeks' gestation, respectively. There was no increase in maternal complications for classic cesarean versus low transverse cesarean between 23 0/7 and 27 6/7 weeks' gestation. However, between 28 0/7 and 31 6/7 weeks' gestation, classic cesarean was associated with increased risks of the composite maternal outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 1.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.10–3.45), transfusion (adjusted odds ratio, 2.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–5.52), endometritis (adjusted odds ratio, 3.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–10.21), and intensive care unit admission (adjusted odds ratio, 5.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.37–18.52) compared to low transverse cesarean. Conclusion Classic cesarean delivery compared with low transverse was associated with higher maternal complication rates between 28 0/7 and 31 6/7 weeks, but not between 23 0/7 and 27 6/7 weeks' gestation.
Non-QT Conduction Abnormalities

Atrioventricular (AV) block is an interruption in the normal conduction of impulses from atria to the ventricles. Bundle branch block is a disruption in the conduction of impulses in one of the two bundles in the ventricles.