cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Race and gender in coronary heart disease

Source Citation Keil JE, Sutherland SE, Knapp RG, et al. Mortality rates and risk factors for coronary disease in black as compared with white men and women. N Engl J Med. 1993 Jul 8;329:73-8.
Introduction: Sociology Through Relation and Relational Sociology

Chapter 1 introduces the argument about the relation, saying that it offers in sociology a perspective in order to analyse the activities that contribute to establishing a reciprocity as a special relationship between actors and institutions in society. It is first posited that there is a crucial difference between this argument and those of relational sociologists, who use “the relation” as a general term referring to concrete or manifest social relationships. Second, we lower the optimistic view of relational sociologists regarding the supposed pervasive presence of a relational scheme in the history of sociology. We take the observations of key French sociologists as examples illustrating both arguments.
Metastatic MSSA infection of the spine and extremities

Here, we present a rare case of metastatic methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infection arising from an unknown focus and spreading throughout the lumbar spine with associated pyomyositis of the paraspinal musculature, and septic arthritis of the knee, ankle and sternoclavicular joint. This case highlights the potential for missed aspects and delay in diagnosis in the care of metastatic S. aureus and the need for multispecialty intervention. Treatment of S. aureus infections requires a high index of suspicion and careful examination of multiple organ systems to identify the full extent of the disease. A discussion on metastatic S. aureus infection follows the report.
Positioning in classroom discourse studies: a state-of-the-art review

This article reviews the growing number of studies that have drawn on positioning theory in exploring the interactional dynamics of classroom discourse. It discusses key concepts of the theory, pro...
Change in Natural Resource Management: An Experiment with “Participatory GIS”

Natural resource management is a dynamic and adaptive science that responds to changes in the social, economic, and ecological factors pertaining to the managed resource(s). It requires and involves interactions and mediations at different spatial scales and of different knowledge pools and stakes. Participatory approaches can facilitate these interactions and mediations if structured so that collaboration can exist, conflicts are resolved, and knowledge exchange is enhanced. In this chapter, I discuss the application of a spatially explicit participatory GIS (PGIS) to bring together communities of managers, ecologists, and government and NGO representatives in two high-conflict areas of Scotland to discuss conflicts and develop a common knowledge and understanding of red deer and their management. I will first discuss the approach taken during a project that consisted of map-based interviews, secondary data collection, analysis, modeling, and two workshops that engaged stakeholders. Next I will discuss the results of the analysis and illustrate how comanagement and adaptation are currently taking place in deer management in Scotland. This discussion will contain an overview of the reaction of the participants to the PGIS approach. In the end, I will outline some critical consideration for discussion of the role participation can and should have in informing and addressing natural resource management.
Resident-Sensitive Processes of Care: Impact of Surgical Residents on Inpatient Testing.

Abstract Introduction Healthcare value is a national priority, and there are substantial efforts to reduce overuse of low-value testing. Residency training programs and teaching hospitals have been implicated in excessive testing. We evaluated the impact of surgery residents on the frequency of inpatient testing and investigated potential inter-resident variation. Methods Inpatient laboratory and imaging orders placed on general surgery services were extracted from an academic institution from 2014-2016 and linked to National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data. Using negative binomial mixed effects regression with unstructured covariance, we evaluated the frequency of testing orders compared to median utilization, accounting for case, patient, and attending-level variables. Results 111,055 laboratory and 7,360 imaging orders were linked with 2,357 patients. Multivariable analysis demonstrated multiple significant predictors of increased testing including: postoperative complications, medical comorbidities, length of stay, relative value units, attending surgeon, and resident surgeon (95% confidence intervals >1, p 1, p Conclusions Individual surgical residents had a significant association with the frequency of inpatient testing after adjusting for attending, case, and patient-level variables. There was greater resident variation in laboratory testing compared to imaging, yet surgical residents had small contributions to the total variation in both laboratory and imaging testing. Our models provide a means of identifying high utilizers and could be used to educate residents on their ordering patterns.
Students’ Reasons for Why They Were Targeted for In-School Victimization and Bullying

The efficacy of youth violence prevention policies, programs, and practices partly depends on understanding the reasons for why students are targeted for victimization. However, what is known about why some students are targeted for victimization over others is limited to researcher-generated reasons and therefore may risk ecological validity. This study used a qualitative open-coding content analyses to make sense of 8531 students’ open-ended responses about the reasons why they were targeted for victimization at school. Results identified 35 commonly reported reasons, many of which are underrepresented in previous literature. Students primarily reported reasons related to relational dynamics, physical characteristics, non-physical personal characteristics, and characteristics external to themselves. These results portray reasons for being targeted as a social phenomenon with both individual and contextual components. Implications for theory, research, and practitioners are discussed.
Glycyrrhizin Protects the Diabetic Retina against Permeability, Neuronal, and Vascular Damage through Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms

Damage associated molecular pattern (DAMPs), such as high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), may be involved in retinal inflammation in response to high glucose. To test whether HMGB1 inhibition could protect the diabetic retina, C57BL/6J mice were made diabetic and treated with glycyrrhizin, a HMGB1 inhibitor, for up to six months. Measurements of permeability, neuronal, and vascular changes were done, as well as assessments of HMGB1, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and interleukin-1-beta (IL1β) levels. Retinal endothelial cells (REC) treated with glycyrrhizin had reduced IL1β and cleaved caspase 3 levels. Data also demonstrate that glycyrrhizin effectively reduced HMGB1 levels throughout the retina, as well as maintained normal retinal permeability and retinal capillary coverage. Glycyrrhizin maintained normal cell numbers in the ganglion cell layer and prevented thinning of the retina at two months. These histological changes were associated with reduced reactive oxygen species, as well as reduced HMGB1, TNFα, and IL1β levels. The data strongly imply that HMGB1 inhibition prevented diabetic retinal changes through anti-inflammatory pathways.
Prolonged Release and Functionality of Interleukin-10 Encapsulated within PLA-PEG Nanoparticles

Inflammation, as induced by the presence of cytokines and chemokines, is an integral part of chlamydial infections. The anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-10, has been reported to efficiently suppress the secretion of inflammatory cytokines triggered by Chlamydia in mouse macrophages. Though IL-10 is employed in clinical applications, its therapeutic usage is limited due to its short half-life. Here, we document the successful encapsulation of IL-10 within the biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles of PLA-PEG (Poly (lactic acid)-Poly (ethylene glycol), to prolong its half-life. Our results show the encapsulated-IL-10 size (~238 nm), zeta potential (-14.2 mV), polydispersity index (0.256), encapsulation efficiency (~77%), and a prolonged slow release pattern up to 60 days. Temperature stability of encapsulated-IL-10 was favorable, demonstrating a heat capacity of up to 89 °C as shown by differential scanning calorimetry analysis. Encapsulated-IL-10 modulated the release of IL-6 and IL-12p40 in stimulated macrophages in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion, and differentially induced SOCS1 and SOCS3 as induced by chlamydial stimulants in macrophages. Our finding offers the tremendous potential for encapsulated-IL-10 not only for chlamydial inflammatory diseases but also biomedical therapeutic applications.
Preoperative breast MR imaging in newly diagnosed breast cancer: Comparison of outcomes based on mammographic modality, breast density and breast parenchymal enhancement.

Abstract Purpose To compare the role of MR for assessment of extent of disease in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer imaged with digital mammography (DM) alone versus digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). Methods Retrospective review was conducted of 401 consecutive breast MR exams (10/1/2013–7/31/2015) from women who underwent preoperative MR for newly diagnosed breast cancer by either DM or DBT, leaving 388 exams (201 DM and 187 DBT). MR detection of additional, otherwise occult, disease was stratified by modality, breast density, and background parenchymal enhancement. A true-positive finding was defined as malignancy in the ipsilateral-breast >2 cm away from the index-lesion or in the contralateral breast. Results 50 additional malignancies were detected in 388 exams (12.9%), 37 ipsilateral and 13 contralateral. There was no difference in the MR detection of additional disease in women imaged by either DM versus DBT (p = 0.53). In patients with DM, there was no significant difference in the rate of MR additional cancer detection in dense versus non-dense breasts (p = 0.790). However, in patients with DBT, MR detected significantly more additional sites of malignancy in dense compared to non-dense breasts (p = 0.017). There was no difference in false-positive MR exams (p = 0.470) for DM versus DBT. For both DM and DBT cohorts, higher MR background parenchymal enhancement was associated with higher false-positive (p = 0.040) but no significant difference in true-positive exams. Conclusions Among patients with DBT imaging at cancer diagnosis, women with dense breasts appear to benefit more from preoperative MR than non-dense women. In women imaged only with DM, MR finds additional malignancy across all breast densities.
Using targeted betweenness centrality to identify bridges to neglected users in the Twitter conversation on veteran suicide

There are many real-world contexts in which it would be invaluable to identify intermediaries who serve as bridges for specified dyads. For instance, with respect to suicide prevention among military veterans, mental health organizations play an important role in providing information, social support, and other resources to veterans, particularly on social media, where anonymous and pseudonymous interactions may help to counteract the stigma associated with suicide and mental health. However, many at-risk individuals are overlooked in the large-scale conversations on social media and are thus less likely to benefit from those interactions. Intermediaries who can integrate those peripheral actors into the conversation, or at least deliver essential information to them, could help to resolve this issue. The critical question, then, is how to identify those potentially useful intermediaries who are well positioned to act as bridges to reach peripheral actors. To address this challenge, we propose a new network measure, targeted betweenness centrality, to identify vertices that represent potentially useful intermediaries between specified dyads, then use that measure to identify social media users who can act as opinion leaders on behalf of the US Department of Veterans Affairs to reach vertices on the periphery of the Twitter conversation about veteran suicide. The results of this study provide useful insights related to opinion leadership, the military veteran community, and suicide prevention, and more broadly, they demonstrate the practical utility of targeted betweenness centrality for real-world research across a variety of contexts.
Help wanted: low provider density is associated with advanced-stage at presentation for cervical cancer

Objectives: Prior studies suggest that geographic disparities exist for patients with cervical cancer, with a higher incidence and a higher rate of advanced stage disease observed in patients living in rural areas. The objective of the current study is to determine the association between provider:patient ratios and incidence and stage at diagnosis in patients with cervical cancer. Methods: The United States Area Health Resource File was utilized to determine the number of primary obstetric-gynecologists (OBGYN) as well as family practice (FP), and internal medicine (IM) providers in each county. Population estimates by county were obtained from census.gov and provider to resident ratios were calculated. Cervical cancer cases by county were retrieved from the 2015 SEER database. Spearman rank correlations were used to compare the number of providers per 100,000 residents to the overall incidence of cervical cancer as well as the percentage of patients diagnosed at an advanced stage (IIA-IVB). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess factors independently associated with advanced stage cervical cancer and county of residence was accounted for through robust sandwich standard error estimation. Results: The analysis included 3,505 cases of cervical cancer in 405 counties, with 1422 early stage cancers, 1728 advanced stage cancers, and 355 of unknown stage. The median number of office-based OBGYN providers per county was 5 per 100,000 residents and the median number of OBGYN, FP, and IM providers per county was 40 per 100,000 residents. Spearman correlation demonstrated a significant inverse association between the number of OBGYN providers per 100,000 residents and the incidence of cervical cancer (p 12 providers per 100,000 residents (reference group: Conclusions: This study demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between the number of OBGYN providers per 100,000 residents and incidence of cervical cancer. Most notably, the proportion of advanced stage disease was significantly lower in counties with >12 OBGYN providers per 100,000 residents. Increasing provider density in these underserved, high-risk areas may improve timely cancer detection. Efforts should be made to examine barriers and incentives to increasing provider density in these areas.
Selecting an Abortion Clinic: The Role of Social Myths and Risk Perception in Seeking Abortion Care:

Recent shifts in the abortion provision landscape have generated increased concern about how people find abortion care as regulations make abortion less accessible and clinics close. Few studies ex...
Cognition from a Semiotic Point of View

“Cognition,” knowing in the widest sense of the term, as including all processes of awareness by which experience is built up, is the term used traditionally to designate those aspects or elements of experience which are distinguished from the dimension of appetition, the observable tendencies of entities to locate, move, or interact in whatever ways, both independently of cognition (natural appetite) and dependently upon it (elicited appetite: feeling, desire, will). As such, cognition not only can be considered from a semiotic point of view, but must be so considered if we are to arrive at an adequate understanding of what is proper to it, inasmuch as it is equivalent to a process of communication by signs, or semiosis.
Factor-Analysis of the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory in a Juvenile Offender Population: Implications for Treatment.

ABSTRACT The Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI; Millon, 1993) is frequently utilized in child and adolescent forensic settings to inform decisions regarding the management and treatment of troubled adolescents. However, there is little research on the psychometric properties of the MACI with juvenile offenders, and no published studies have addressed the factor structure of the Clinical, Personality, and Expressed Concerns scales with this population. The present study investigated the factorial validity of the MACI in a sample of 250 adolescent offenders. Results revealed a two-factor structure for the seven clinical scales that accounted for 66.2% of the variance. Factor I, Depressed Mood, and Factor II, Psychopathic Precursors, each consisted of three unique and substantial scale loadings. A two-factor solution was also obtained for the twelve personality scales. Factor I (Introversive, Inhibited and Doleful; 6 scales) and Factor II (Forceful, Unruly, and Dominant; 3 scales) accounted for a to...
Mechanical derivation and systematic analysis of correct linear algebra algorithms

We consider the problem of developing formally correct dense linear algebra libraries. The problem would be solved convincingly if, starting from the mathematical specification of a target operation, it were possible to generate, implement and analyze a family of correct algorithms that compute the operation. This thesis presents evidence that for a class of dense linear operations, systematic and mechanical development of algorithms is within reach. It describes and demonstrates an approach for deriving and implementing, systematically and even mechanically, proven correct algorithms. It also introduces a systematic procedure to analyze, in a modular fashion, numerical properties of the generated algorithms.
In vitro immunoglobulin allotype synthesis by spleen cells of heterozygous rabbits. Specific suppression by anti-allotype antibody.

Abstract The production of immunoglobulin (Ig) bearing the b4 and b5 allotypic markers by b4b5 heterozygous spleen cells cultured in vitro was assessed by means of a sensitive and reproducible radioimmunoassay. Ig synthesis was demonstrated by the increasing amounts of the b4 and b5 allotypes appearing with time in the supernatant fluids. To determine the effect of anti-b4 or anti-b5 antibody on the synthesis of the b4 and b5 allotypes, spleen cells from b4b5 heterozygous rabbits were incubated for 24 hr in the presence of anti-b4 or anti-b5 and then washed and cultured for an additional 4 days. Anti-b4 suppressed the production of the b4 allotype with no effect on b5 production, whereas anti-b5 suppressed the production of b5 allotype with no effect on b4 production. This suppression of allotype synthesis in vitro presumably results from an antigen-antibody reaction occurring on the surface of lymphoid cells by a mechanism which may be similar to that which brings about allotype suppression in vivo for fetal and newborn rabbits.
Temperature and doping dependence of the radiative properties of silicon: Drude model revisited

Understanding the radiative properties of silicon is crucial to accurate measurement of the temperature of silicon wafer during rapid thermal processing (RTP). Prediction of the radiative properties requires precise knowledge of the dielectric function of silicon in RTP environments. In general, the dielectric function or equivalently optical constants of silicon are complicated functions of the wavelength, temperature, and dopant concentration. To model the free-carrier absorption of doped silicon, the Drude model has been used in many literatures. However, some of the existing Drude model parameters do not agree with other published data. Hence, the present study carefully revisits the Drude model parameters such as carrier concentrations and carrier scattering times. Based on updated Drude model parameters, the absorption coefficients of doped silicon at various dopant concentrations and temperatures are calculated and compared with the available measured data. Reasonably good agreements between the prediction and experimental data are found, suggesting that present Drude model is an efficient way to model the dielectric function of doped silicon
Citric Acid Cycle: Gene-Enzyme Relationships in Bacillus subtilis

The genetic location of mutations affecting the citric acid cycle and the properties of mutants of Bacillus subtilis possessing these mutations have been examined. Genes coding for the component enzymes of the cycle were found to be unlinked to each other and thus do not form an operon. The mutational defect in a mutant lacking fumarase mapped between thr-5 and cysB3. Mutations causing inability to produce isocitrate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase were found to map between argA11 and leu-1. The alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase mutations were mapped at the terminal end of the B. subtilis chromosome through a weak linkage in phage PBS-1 transduction of one class of these mutations of ilvA2 and metB4. A second class of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase mutations mapped closer to ilvA2 and metB4 but still terminal with respect to these markers. Aconitaseless mutants possessed mutations that could not be linked to any of the known transducing segments of the chromosome. An effect of mutation conferring loss of one enzyme of the cycle on the specific activity of the other enzymes in the cycle was observed.
Kinetics of Ca2+ release and contraction induced by photolysis of caged D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in smooth muscle. The effects of heparin, procaine, and adenine nucleotides.

The kinetics of Ca2+ release and contraction induced by photolytic release of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) were determined in permeabilized smooth muscle. The rate of Ca2+ release was half-maximal at 1 microM InsP3. The concentration-dependent delay of Ca2+ release at saturating InsP3 concentration was approximately 10 ms and within the uncertainty of the measurements. The relationship between the delay and InsP3 concentration showed no evidence of a high level (n = 4 or higher) of cooperativity but could not distinguish between no cooperativity (n = 1) or a low level (n = 2) of cooperativity. Submaximal [InsP3] caused only partial Ca2+ release from the InsP3-sensitive stores. InsP3-induced Ca2+ release was markedly potentiated by ATP or by adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-methylene-triphosphate), but neither the rate nor the amplitude of release was significantly affected by procaine (2-5 mM). Heparin increased the delay between photolysis and Ca2+ release, indicating that the off rate of inert ligand(s) bound to InsP3 receptors may contribute to the physiological delay in Ca2+ release. There was a much longer (370 ms +/- 45 S.E.) delay between the rise of Ca2+ and force development, presumably reflecting events preceding and associated with myosin light chain phosphorylation.
META-ANALYSIS OF ACUTE EXERCISE EFFECTS ON STATE ANXIETY: AN UPDATE OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS.

BACKGROUND: One prominent and well-cited meta-analysis published nearly 25 years ago reported that an acute or single bout of exercise reduced state anxiety by approximately ¼ standard deviation. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published after that meta-analysis for updating our understanding of the acute effects of exercise on state anxiety. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EBSCOHost, Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, and ScienceDirect for RCTs of acute exercise and state anxiety as an outcome. There were 36 RCTs that met inclusion criteria and yielded data for effect size (ES) generation (Cohen's d). An overall ES was calculated using a random effects model and expressed as Hedge's g. RESULTS: The weighted mean ES was small (Hedge's g = 0.16, standard error (SE) = 0.06), but statistically significant (P CONCLUSION: The cumulative evidence from high quality studies indicates that acute bouts of exercise can yield a small reduction in state anxiety. The research is still plagued by floor effects associated with recruiting persons with normal or lower levels of state anxiety, and this should be overcome in subsequent trials. Language: en
Molecular cloning and expression of a rat hepatic multiple inositol polyphosphate phosphatase.

but in contrast, MIPP only removed the b-phosphate from the 5-diphosphate group of diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate. These data, which are consistent with the substrate specificities of native (but not homogeneous) MIPP isolated from rat liver, provide the first demonstration that a single enzyme is responsible for this diverse range of specific catalytic activities. A 2.5 kb transcript of MIPP mRNA was present in all rat tissues that were examined, but was most highly expressed in kidney and liver. The predicted C-terminus of MIPP is comprised of the tetrapeptide SDEL, which is considered a signal for retaining soluble proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum; the presence of this sequence provides a molecular explanation for our earlier biochemical demonstration that the endoplasmic reticulum contains substantial MIPP activity [Ali, Craxton and Shears (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 6161‐6167].
Protein kinase C translocation and PKC-dependent protein phosphorylation during myocardial ischemia.

The present study demonstrates that the α, e, and ι isozymes of protein kinase C (PKC) are translocated to particulate fractions from the cytosol during brief intervals of global ischemia as well a...
Neural network learning of spectral features of nonverbal speech

A neural-network approach to the learning of invariant spectral features in cerebral-palsied speech is introduced. The technique is a hybrid conventional digital signal processing/neural network strategy. The objective at this stage is to learn features of nonverbal speech, and to do so in a manner which is robust to the abnormalities of such speech and which is minimally dependent on a priori modeling or parameterization. Thus, it is hoped that these features will be useful as input to a higher-level word recognizer. >
Measuring Inputs in Agriculture: A Critical Survey

1.1 In this preliminary report, the measurement of inputs in agriculture is discussed solely from the point of view of aggregate productivity analysis. Statistical series that are criticized here may be perfectly adequate for their original purposes and no reflection is intended on their "producers." The comments are necessarily brief and selective. Some of the conclusions may appear extreme, because they are stated without the detailed explanation and qualification that will be possible in the full report of the study. 1.2 The discussion is limited mainly to conceptual problems, and ignores the important statistical problems of sources of data, randomness, size of sample, and so on. Most of the attention is paid to two problems: the changing quality of agricultural inputs and the measurement of the services and value of capital equipment on farms.
Points of View: Where Do We Look When We Watch TV?:

How is our gaze dispersed across the screen when watching television? An exploratory eyetracker study with a custom-designed show indicated a very strong center-of-screen bias with gaze points following a roughly normal distribution peaked near screen center. Examining the show across time revealed that people were rarely all looking at the same location, and the amount of gaze dispersion within frames was highly variable. Different forms of programming yielded different levels of dispersion: static network ‘bumpers’ created the tightest visual groupings, and gaze dispersion for frames with show content was less than the dispersion for commercials. Advertising frames with brand logos generated higher dispersion than the non-branded advertisement portions, and repeated advertisements generated higher dispersion than their first-run counterparts.
The ultrastructure of the conus medullaris and filum terminale.

Electron microscopy of the conus medullaris and intradural filum terminale in the adult cat and monkey show a preponderance of ependymal cells, many of which are oriented around either a central canal or narrow clefts. Some rest directly on connective tissue. Randomly dispersed degenerating neural processes and fibrous astrocytic gliosis are prominent. Some ependymal cytoplasmic abnormalities also are present. The pathogenesis of these changes is unknown.
Analysis of inflammation-related nigral degeneration and locomotor function in DJ-1(-/-) mice.

Background Complex interactions involving genetic susceptibility and environmental factors are thought to underlie the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although the role of inflammatory processes in modulating risk for development of PD has yet to be fully understood, prospective studies suggest that chronic use of NSAIDs reduce the incidence of PD. Loss-of-function mutations in the DJ-1 gene cause a rare form of familial PD with an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance; however, DJ-1−/− mice do not display nigrostriatal pathway degeneration, suggesting that additional factors such as inflammation may be needed to induce neurodegeneration on the background of DJ-1 gene mutations. Neuroinflammation causes oxidative stress and, based on evidence that DJ-1 plays a protective role against oxidative stress, we investigated whether DJ-1−/− mice display increased vulnerability to inflammation-induced nigral degeneration.
Percutaneous Transhepatic Duodenal Diversion for the Management of Duodenal Fistulae

The aim of this study was to determine the success of the nonoperative management of persistent duodenal fistulae (DF) with percutaneous transhepatic duodenal diversion (PTDD). Retrospective chart review identified six patients with DF managed by PTDD from 2006 to 2007. Patient outcomes and complications were assessed. The etiology of DF included pancreatic surgery (three patients), gastrectomy (two patients), and Crohn’s disease (one patient). PTDD was performed by interventional radiology at a median time of 37 days after fistula recognition. After PTDD, fistula drainage decreased from 775 cc/day (range 200 to 2,525 cc/day) to <50 cc/day at a median of 8 days. Patients were discharged 32 days (median) after PTDD. One patient with Crohn’s disease required definitive surgical treatment. Of the remaining five patients, the PTDD tube was capped at 27 days (median) after placement and was removed on an outpatient basis at 79 days (median) after placement. There was no mortality, no fistula recurrence, or complications associated with PTDD placement. We present an algorithm for the nonoperative management of persistent postoperative DF. In this limited series, PTDD was highly effective at definitively treating DF, especially in the acute setting. PTDD should be considered by surgeons facing the management of postoperative DF.
A More Fine-Grained Measure of Students' Acceptance of Evolution: Development of the Inventory of Student Evolution Acceptance—I-SEA

The potential influences of affective perceptions on cognitive engagement in learning, particularly with emotionally charged topics such as evolution, provide justification for acknowledging and assessing learners' attitudes toward content. One approach to determining students' attitudes toward a construct is to explicitly ask them to what degree they accept the related content. This was the approach we took as we developed the Inventory of Student Evolution Acceptance. Our goal was to make a finer-grained instrument that would assess acceptance on three evolution subscales: microevolution, macroevolution, and human evolution. Further, we sought to not conflate understanding with acceptance of the constructs. We began our instrument development with a series of interviews and open-ended questionnaires to determine students' perceptions of evolution acceptance. Based on the responses we developed and field tested a 49-item Likert scale instrument with stems distributed across our three targeted subscales. ...
Chemical properties of bimetallic surfaces: repulsive interactions between Zn and S on Ru(001)

Abstract Results of XPS and XAES indicate that, in spite of the large thermochemical stability of Zn-S compounds, there is no lateral bonding between Zn and S atoms coadsorbed on top of Ru(001). Surfaces with submonolayer coverages of Zn and S, θ s + θ Zn ⩽ 1 ML, show desorption of Zn at temperatures between 600 and 700 K, with S remaining on top of the Ru substrate up to temperatures above 1000 K. The presence of S significantly decreases the desorption temperature of Zn from Ru(001). At θ s = 0.5 ML, the activation energy for desorption of Zn is reduced by ∼ 6 kcal mol . The Zn a ↔ S a interaction is repulsive due to the electron-acceptor nature of both adsorbates.
Professional uncertainty and treatment choices by physical therapists

Abstract Objective: To determine patient, clinician, and practice setting characteristics associated with physical therapists' treatment choices in patients with knee, lumbar, and cervical impairments. Design: Secondary analysis of data from the Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes (FOTO) database. Setting: Data from 132 physical therapy practices owned by five United States outpatient rehabilitation companies. Patients: The database contained information on 5,061 patients with knee, lumbar, or cervical impairments seen in these practices in 1993 and 1994 and agreeing to participate in data collection. Our sample consisted of 2,491 patients, treated by 462 physical therapists, who had complete data on the variables of interest. Results: Physical therapists' treatment choices relied on factors other than the patient's clinical status when the impairment was likely to result in professional uncertainty as to diagnosis and consequences of treatments. For patients with spinal impairments, the clinical status of the patient was associated only with the choice of endurance exercises and modalities. Patient's clinical status was associated with every treatment type in patients with knee impairments. Educational level of the physical therapist, patient load, and payer were associated with a variety of treatment choices across the impairment types. Conclusion: In conditions of professional uncertainty, physical therapy practice may be influenced by many idiosyncratic factors.
A suggested method for laparoscopic herniorrhaphy resident training

The learning curve for laparoscopic herniorrhaphy (LH) is relatively long. Resident training is ideal for the acquisition of operative skills and yet intensive feedback is necessary for more complex procedures. A method whereby faculty provide objective and specific feedback for the technical details of operative LH is described. First a pretest focusing on important aspects of LH and relevant anatomy is given to the resident the day prior to the procedure. Immediately following the operation, the faculty and resident complete an evaluation form together to stimulate discussion and provide constructive feedback. This method of teaching is especially applicable at the resident training level but can be utilized by postgraduate surgeons willing to undergo the criticisms associated with objective operative feedback. Instant operative feedback is beneficial for all including the faculty member who by necessity is forced to communicate in specific terms the operative steps leading to the safe and effective conduct of LH.
Heterostructured magnetic nanotubes.

Heterostructured magnetic tubes with submicrometer dimensions were assembled by the layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolytes and nanoparticles in the pores of track-etched polycarbonate membra...
Predicting solvated peptide conformations via global minimization of energetic atom-to-atom interactions

Abstract A global optimization method is described for identifying the global minimum energy conformation, as well as lower and upper bounds on the global minimum conformer of solvated peptides. Potential energy contributions are calculated using the ECEPP/3 force field model. In considering the effects of hydration, two implicit free energy models are compared. One method is based on the calculation of solvent-accessible surface areas, while the other uses information on the solvent-accessible volume of hydration shells. Detailed information on the potential and solvation energy contributions is presented for the terminally blocked single residue peptides. In addition, based on a procedure that allows the exclusion of domains of the (φ, ψ) space, a number of oligopeptide structure prediction problems are considered, and the role of the solvation model in defining global minimum conformations is addressed.
Age-dependent Degradation of the Protein Adsorption Capacity of Titanium

Reported bone-implant contact percentages are far below the ideal 100%. We tested a hypothesis that the protein adsorption capability of titanium, which is critical to the process of osseointegration, changes over time before its use. Machined, acid-etched, and sandblasted surfaces were prepared and stored under dark ambient conditions for 3 days, 1 week, or 4 weeks. For all surfaces, protein adsorption decreased as the storage time increased, and their decreasing rates were dependent on titanium topography. After 4 weeks, the amounts of albumin and fibronectin adsorbed by the acid-etched surface were only 20% and 35%, respectively, of that adsorbed by the fresh surface after 2 hours of incubation, and remained substantially low even after 24 hours. This time-dependent degradation in protein adsorption of titanium correlated with its naturally decreasing hydrophilicity, which was not observed for the nickel and chromium surfaces, indicating a titanium-specific biological aging.
Oocyte Sensitivity to Serotonergic Regulation during the Follicular Cycle of the Teleost Fundulus heteroclitus

In the teleost Fundulus heteroclitus, serotonin (5-HT) reversibly inhibits oocyte maturation induced in vitro by the maturation-inducing steroid (MIS) 17,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20betaP). The 5-HT inhibition of 17,20betaP-induced meiotic maturation was examined in ovarian follicles at different developmental stages or isolated at different times during the follicular cycle. Steroid treatment of late vitellogenic and early maturing follicles (1.2- to 1.7-mm diameter) promoted oocyte maturation in a size-dependent manner, and this maturation was inhibited by 5-HT in follicles of < 1.6- to 1.7-mm diameter. Thus, the 5-HT inhibition progressively decreased as follicles developed the ability to mature in the absence of 17,20betaP. The effectiveness of 5-HT to increase follicular cAMP remained similar within the same developmental stages, indicating that the reduction of 5-HT inhibitory action was not related to the competence of 5-HT to activate inhibitory signals in the oocyte. During the follicular cycle, fully grown follicles (1.3- to 1.4-mm diameter) showed a decreased maturational competence in response to gonadotropin or MIS stimulation after the follicular recruitment into maturation and spawning occurred, which coincided with an increase of the effectiveness of 5-HT at inhibiting 17,20betaP-induced maturation. In further experiments, preincubation of follicles with hCG was found to reduce 5-HT inhibitory action, but when follicles were incubated with either hCG in the presence of a steroidogenesis inhibitor or estradiol-17beta (E2), the 5-HT inhibition was unaffected. These findings suggest that 5-HT inhibition of the MIS-induced meiotic maturation is not under direct gonadotropin or E2 regulation but that it might be regulated in vivo by changes in the competence of the oocytes to undergo oocyte maturation after MIS stimulation.
Childhood adversities and adult health.

Child abuse and neglect have lifelong ramifications for adult mental health and health in general. In this brief overview, a range of childhood adversities (including prenatal substance exposure and prenatal malnutrition) is reviewed, and the evidence for their later negative implications is considered. The role of a chronically stressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis likely has significant influence in this process. Strategies for nurses include developing awareness of the presence of early adversity in the lives of many Americans, as well as helping parents improve their functional status by treating mental illness and addictive disorders. Language: en
FIXED-MIX RULES IN AN EVOLUTIONARY MARKET USING A FACTOR MODEL FOR DIVIDENDS

In this paper we explore the impact of various constant-proportions investment strategies (or Fixed-Mix Rules) in an economic evolutionary market. Dividends are generated according to a new Dividend Factor Model. Furthermore, dividends are estimated and calibrated from data using Principal Component Analysis. Moreover, we perform simulations to study the long-run outcome of an evolutionary competition with several well diversified constant-proportions strategies, among them some innovative strategies. We present and compare a variety of simulations with dividends being artificially generated according to our Dividend Model. Our simulation results are important for both theoretical and practical reasons. In theoretical terms we extend the existing numerical studies with the estimation and application of a more realistic model for the dividend process. In practical terms we suggest new constant-proportions strategies that could be superior for investors at least in the short run.
COMPARING RESPIRATORY (ETS) ACTIVITY OF BACTERIA ATTACHED TO PHYTOPLANKTON AND FREELY SUSPENDED IN SURROUNDING SEAWATER

We conducted investigated respiratory (ETS) activity of bacteria attached to phytoplankton and living free in surrounding seawater collected from coastal waters at Charleston, Oregon, USA. We hypothesized that the surface of a phytoplankton cell provides a habitat that permits enhanced metabolic activity in attached bacteria. In order to test this hypothesis, the number of bacteria that reduce 5-Cyano-2,3-di-tolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) were compared to the total number of bacteria, assessed by the nucleic acid stain, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Two-hour incubations with the CTC dye and subsequent staining allowed for direct viewing of the position and the number of ETS active versus inactive bacteria in each sample. We found that the percentage of active bacteria attached to the phytoplankton cells' surface (42%) was 10 times that of bacteria freely suspended in the surrounding seawater (4%). Previous investigations of ETS activity of freely suspended bacteria found that 1% to 8% are actively respiring while non-living particle associated bacteria showed that 20 to 35% of bacteria are actively respiring. Our results suggest that bacteria in coastal waters are substrate limited, and the extracellular products of photosynthesis may be more important than is generally realized. The surfaces of phytoplankton cell surfaces may provide habitat and substrates for a disproportionate share of bacterial production in coastal waters.
Continuum theory of partially fluidized granular flows

A continuum theory of partially fluidized granular flows is developed. The theory is based on a combination of the equations for the flow velocity and shear stresses coupled with the order-parameter equation which describes the transition between the flowing and static components of the granular system. We apply this theory to several important granular problems: avalanche flow in deep and shallow inclined layers, rotating drums, and shear granular flows between two plates. We carry out quantitative comparisons between the theory and experiment.
The Small Intestinal Lesion Induced by Hawaii Agent Acute Infectious Nonbacterial Gastroenteritis

Six volunteers with normal baseline intestinal biopsies orally ingested stool filtrate containing Hawaii agent. Two volunteers developed clinical gastroenteritis and an intestinal mucosal lesion with altered mucosal architecture, mucosal inflammation, and abnormal-appearing absorptive cells. This lesion was indistinguishable from the intestinal lesion demonstrated previously in volunteers who had ingested Norwalk agent. In addition, two of four asymptomatic volunteers developed the typical mucosal lesion. The third asymptomatic volunteer developed late, mild, nonspecific histologic changes. Biopsies from the fourth asymptomatic volunteer remained normal. These findings indicate that Hawaii agent, although apparently immunologically distinct from Norwalk agent, produces an identical lesion of the proximal small intestine. This suggests that this lesion is characteristic of viral gastroenteritis and not restricted to disease produced by one specific infectious inoculum.
Analytical and experimental evaluation of energies during shock wave loading

Analytical expressions were developed using gas dynamic equations to evaluate the energy associated with the incident shock wave (incident energy) and the reflected shock wave (remaining energy) for a shock tube experiment. The real time deformation profile of the specimen being loaded by a shock tube was also used to calculate the deformation energy. A shock wave loading on a homogeneous aluminum panel in a simple shock tube experiment was used to illustrate the implementation of these methods.
Fitting CRISPR-associated Cas3 into the Helicase Family Tree

Helicases utilize NTPs to modulate their binding to nucleic acids and many of these enzymes also unwind DNA or RNA duplexes in an NTP-dependent fashion. These proteins are phylogenetically related but functionally diverse, with essential roles in virtually all aspects of nucleic acid metabolism. A new class of helicases associated with RNA-guided adaptive immune systems in bacteria and archaea has recently been identified. Prokaryotes acquire resistance to invading genetic parasites by integrating short fragments of foreign nucleic acids into repetitive loci in the host chromosome known as CRISPRs (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). CRISPR-associated gene 3 (cas3) encodes a conserved helicase protein that is essential for phage defense. Here we review recent advances in Cas3 biology, and provide a new phylogenetic framework that positions Cas3 in the helicase family tree. We anticipate that this Cas3 phylogeny will guide future biochemical and structural studies.
The “azotopure” process for treating nitrogen‐deficient aqueous wastes

Many chemical and food processing wastes are deficient in nitrogen, and must therefore be supplemented with domestic sewage or ammonia to dispose of them by conventional biological treatment. A more economical treatment, especially of strong wastes, is possible by maintaining a semipure culture of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in a stirred aerated tank. When operated as a chemostat with 4 to 6 hr detention time, removal of 85% of the COD is possible in a single step without the need for clarifiers or digesters. A clarified effluent could also be produced by flotation or sedimentation of the flocculated bacteria. In that case there would be 99% removal of COD and a reduction in the amount of sludge by two-thirds over the conventional activated sludge process.