cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian Estimation and Testing in Random Effects Meta-Analysis of Rare Binary Adverse Events

Meta-analysis has been widely applied to rare adverse event data because it is very difficult to reliably detect the effect of a treatment on such events in an individual clinical study. However, it is known that standard meta-analysis methods are often biased, especially when the background incidence rate is very low. A recent work by Bhaumik et al. (2012) proposed new moment-based approaches under a natural random effects model, to improve estimation and testing of the treatment effect and the between-study heterogeneity parameter. It has been demonstrated that for rare binary events, their methods have superior performance to commonly-used meta-analysis methods. However, their comparison does not include any Bayesian methods, although Bayesian approaches are a natural and attractive choice under the random-effects model. In this paper, we study a Bayesian hierarchical approach to estimation and testing in meta-analysis of rare binary events using the random effects model in Bhaumik et al. (2012). We develop Bayesian estimators of the treatment effect and the heterogeneity parameter, as well as hypothesis testing methods based on Bayesian model selection procedures. We compare them with the existing methods through simulation. A data example is provided to illustrate the Bayesian approach as well.
Resistance to organophosphates and carbamates in Anopheles albimanus Based on reduced sensitivity of acetylcholinesterase.

A high degree of insensitivity of acetylcholinesterase to inhibition by paraoxon and propoxur was demonstrated in 2 strains of Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann highly resistant to parathion and propoxur. The strains remained susceptible to fenthion and their acetylcholinesterase was of nearly normal sensitivity to fenoxon.
Physical health and cancer-free survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer.

CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2008 Abstracts Abstract #1114 Background: A protective effect of physical activity (PA) after breast cancer diagnosis is not a consistent finding across studies. It is possible that a beneficial effect from higher PA levels may be limited to a sub-group defined by level of physical health (PH). We investigated the role of PA and PH in predicting breast cancer free survival. Methods: The Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study enrolled 3088 women within 4 years of early stage breast cancer diagnosis from 1995 to 2000. At study entry, participants completed the RAND-36 Health Survey that includes a physical health summary score comprised of physical functioning, general health, pain, and role limitations due to PH subscales. PA was assessed with a questionnaire developed for the Women's Health Initiative and validated for the WHEL Study. Additional breast cancer events (recurrence or new breast primary; n = 518) were queried semi-annually through June 2006 and confirmed by oncologist review of medical records. Multivariate Cox modeling was used to associate PA and PH with additional breast cancer events, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, tumor, and treatment-related covariates. Results: In the unadjusted analysis, quartiles of PA were not related to additional breast cancer events, whereas the PH summary score was [Hazard ratios (HR) for quintiles (Q), Q1 (reference): Q2= 0.90, Q3 =0.69, Q4=0.55, and Q5=0.74; p-values = 0.45, 0.01, <0.0001, and 0.03 respectively]. For further analysis, we grouped the bottom two quintiles (“poor” PH) and the upper three quintiles (“adequate” PH). In the adjusted Cox model, poor PH was associated with a 42% higher risk of additional breast cancer events (HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.74). We compared participants in poor versus adequate PH group. Those in the poor PH group were much more likely to report role limitations (91% vs. 17%) and bodily pain (44% vs. 4%). They were much more likely to be minimally physically active ( 0.0001) and obese (37% vs. 19%; p <0.0001). We included an interaction term into the Cox model using the binary PH measure and a binary PA measure (540 ≥ vs. < 540 MET-minutes/week, equivalent to 30 minutes moderate walking 6 days/week). Compared to those with adequate PH and higher PA, only those with poor PH and lower PA were at increased risk (HR 1.46, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.74). Among those in this higher risk subgroup (poor PH, lower PA), the majority indicated that they would not be limited a lot in walking a mile (79%) or climbing several flights of stairs (73%) and a substantial proportion indicated that they could undertake vigorous activity (37%). Discussion: Breast cancer survivors categorized as in poor PH had a 42% worse prognosis than those in adequate PH. This was particularly the case for those in poor PH who did less PA. This suggests that a motivational intervention to increase physical activity in this subgroup may improve their prognosis following breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 1114.
Company Characteristics, Investor Expectations, and Valuation Measures: A Synthesis

This article discusses and proposes a consistent, fundamental approach to help investors summarize the salient characteristics of a company and relate them to stock market valuation.
Archaeology in the South Texas Sand Sheet: A Study of Chevron Properties in Brooks County

In the summer of 1982, archaeologists from the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas a t San Antonio, conducted an intensive survey of 4000 acres leased t o the Chevron Resources Company in southwestern Brooks County, Texas. Twenty-seven archaeological s i t e s were identified. Four prehistoric s i t e s and two his tor ic s i t e s are recommended for further work in order to determine the i r potential for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i L I S T O F F I G U R E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii L I S T O F T A B L E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i v INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND H ISTORICAL BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 RESEARCHDESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 S I T E DESCRIPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 CULTURAL MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 SUMMARY AND INTERPRETATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RECOMMENDATIONS 3 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REFERENCES C I T E D 41 LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . Regional Map Showing Location of Study Area 2 . . . . . 2 . Si t e Locations Within the Study Area of Brooks County. Texas 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Surface Geology of Brooks County 6 . . . . . . . 4 . Cross Section of Geologic Structures Within Survey Area 7 . . . . . . . . . 5 . Mapa de e l ( s i c ) Precinto No . 5. S t a r r County. Texas 13 . . . . . . . . . . 6 . Collected Art i facts from the Brooks County Survey 35 7 . Absolute Frequencies of Li t h i c Material Collections from Brooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and Duval Counties Archaeological Si tes 38 LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . Provenience of Collected Materials 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . Attributes of Collected Bifaces and Unifaces 34 . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . Summary of Recommendations. Brooks County Survey 40
Conceptual Confusion: the case of Epigenetics

The observations of phenotypic plasticity have stimulated the revival of 'epigenetics'. Over the past 70 years the term has come in many colors and flavors, depending on the biological discipline and time period. The meanings span from Waddington's "epigenotype" and "epigenetic landscape" to the molecular biologists' "epigenetic marks" embodied by DNA methylation and histone modifications. Here we seek to quell the ambiguity of the name. First we place "epigenetic" in the various historical contexts. Then, by presenting the formal concepts of dynamical systems theory we show that the "epigenetic landscape" is more than a metaphor: it has specific mathematical foundations. The latter explains how gene regulatory networks produce multiple attractor states, the self-stabilizing patterns of gene activation across the genome that account for "epigenetic memory". This network dynamics approach replaces the reductionist correspondence of molecular epigenetic modifications with concept of the epigenetic landscape, by providing a concrete and crisp correspondence.
A Study of the Optical Properties of Ice Crystals with Black Carbon Inclusions

The report focu ses on the modification of the optical properties of ice crystals due to atmospheric black car bon (BC) contamination : the objective is to advance the predictive capabilities of climate models through an improved understanding of the radiative properties of compound particles . The shape of the ice crystal (as commonly found in cirrus clouds and cont rails) , the volume fraction of the BC inclusion , and its location inside the crystal are the three factors examined in this study. In the multiscale description of this problem, where a small absorbing inclusion modifies the optical properties of a much la rger non - absorbing particle, state - of - the - art discretization techniques are combined to provide the best compromise of flexibility and accuracy over a broad range of sizes .
Gestational Weight Gain: Association with Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Background It is unclear how adherence to the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) guidelines for weight gain affects pregnancy outcomes. Objective We investigated how weight gain outside the IOM's recommendations affects the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Study Design We performed a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study including singleton, nonanomalous fetuses. The risks of small for gestational age (SGA), macrosomia, preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes, or preterm birth were calculated for patients who gained weight below or above the IOM's recommendations based on body mass index category. A time-to-event analysis was performed to account for gestational age at delivery. A Cox proportional model was fit to estimate hazard ratios accounting for possible confounders. Results Women who gained weight below recommendations were 2.5 times more likely to deliver SGA and twice as likely to deliver preterm. Normal-weight patients who gained below recommendations were 2.5 times more likely to deliver SGA and twice as likely to deliver preterm. Obese patients who gained inadequate weight were 2.5 times more likely to deliver SGA. Conclusion Among normal-weight patients, adhering to IOM recommendations may prevent growth abnormalities and preterm delivery. Among obese patients, a minimum weight gain requirement may prevent SGA infants.
The Gunning of America as Magical Mystery Tour: Talking to the Dead

Pamela Haag’s The Gunning of America: Business and the Making of American Gun Culture (Basic Books, 2015) does something that no other serious book has done: it causes me to question the rationality of the author based on her apparent belief in the ability of mediums to communicate with the dead. Almost as disturbing is her belief that her religious beliefs are a legitimate basis for public policy.
Comparison of different hypotensive anaesthesia techniques in orthognathic surgery with regard to intraoperative blood loss, quality of the surgical field, and postoperative nausea and vomiting

Sixty-three consecutive patients undergoing bimaxillary surgery between June and August 2015 were included in this study. Twenty-one patients were included in each of three study groups. In group 1, sevoflurane was the sole maintenance anaesthesia agent used; in group 2, propofol was the predominant agent, in addition to a reduced amount of sevoflurane; in group 3, patients received sevoflurane until fixation was completed, at which point it was switched to propofol. The mean intraoperative blood loss (ml) was 707.14±290.74 in group 1, 917.62±380.30 in group 2, and 750.00±331.84 in group 3; the difference between groups 1 and 2 was significant (P=0.047). The mean score for the quality of surgical field assessment was 1.32±0.44 in group 1, 2.04±0.49 in group 2, and 1.45±0.53 in group 3 (P=0.003). The postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) rate was 28.6% in group 1, 9.5% in group 2, and 14.3% in group 3 (P=0.343). The quality of the surgical field was significantly better in groups 1 and 3 than in group 2. The average blood loss in group 1 was also significantly less than in group 2. The PONV rates were lower than those reported in other studies.
Role of Petroleum Refining in the Economy of Elk, Forest, Mckean, & Warren Counties

The petroleum refining industry is an important part of the history and economy of Elk, Forest, McKean, and Warren counties in Pennsylvania. The industry creates jobs and compensation for workers throughout these counties and influences tax revenues in the counties.
When Gesture Becomes Analogy

Analogy researchers do not often examine gesture, and gesture researchers do not often borrow ideas from the study of analogy. One borrowable idea from the world of analogy is the importance of distinguishing between attributes and relations. Gentner (, ) observed that some metaphors highlight attributes and others highlight relations, and called the latter analogies. Mirroring this logic, we observe that some metaphoric gestures represent attributes and others represent relations, and propose to call the latter analogical gestures. We provide examples of such analogical gestures and show how they relate to the categories of iconic and metaphoric gestures described previously. Analogical gestures represent different types of relations and different degrees of relational complexity, and sometimes cohere into larger analogical models. Treating analogical gestures as a distinct phenomenon prompts new questions and predictions, and illustrates one way that the study of gesture and the study of analogy can be mutually informative.
Inducible expression of kallikrein in kidney tubular cells protected mice from spontaneous lupus nephritis (107.8)

Inducible gene modification using the Cre/loxP system provides a valuable tool for analysis of gene function in specific tissues of live animals. To investigate the therapeutic role of kallikreins (klk) against spontaneous lupus nephritis, we created a transgenic mouse model, KSP-CreERT2/CAG-LacZ(flox)-mKlk1-GFP/Sle1Sle3. This model is based on the expression of a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase under the control of kidney specific promoter (KSP), and its activation will cause the deletion of loxP-flanked LacZ gene and turned on the mKlk1 expression under the control of CAG promoter. In the transgenic mice, the expression of CreERT2 was restricted to KSP+ kidney tubular cells. The transgenic mice were injected with either tamoxifen or vehicle (controls) at 3-mo age and followed up for 6 months for the klk expression and nephritis phenotype. The elevated expression of mKlk1 in the kidney and urine was detected in tamoxifen induced mice but not in controls. At 9-mo age, more than 80% of vehicle injected mice developed severe lupus nephritis as evidenced with increased level of serum BUN (72 ±23mg/dL), proteinuria (21±7mg/24hr) and renal pathology. However, the tamoxifen injected mice showed significantly reduced level of serum BUN(17±8mg/dL), proteinuria (7±3mg/24hr) and mild or no renal pathology change (p
Parental Health and Children’s Functioning in Immigrant Families: Family Roles and Perceived Treatment at School

Although parents’ health condition is generally thought to be related to their involvement in their children’s functioning, the possible dynamics behind the scenes in school contexts with immigrant children has received little attention. This study examined the association between parents’ health condition and their children’s academic and behavioral functioning, as well as the mediation effects of parents’ school engagement and children’s perceived treatment at school among 607 immigrant families with 10- to 12-year-old children. Using structural equation modeling, the results indicated that parents’ poor health condition was associated with children’s increased behavioral problems. Parents’ school engagement fully mediated the association between parental health condition and children’s academic achievement and partially mediated the association between parental health condition and children’s behavior problems. Notably, higher levels of parents’ school engagement were associated with increased behavior problems, demonstrating a unique feature in these immigrant children’s developmental functioning. Higher levels of perceived harsh treatment by peers at school due to children’s immigrant identity were associated with these children’s greater risks of behavior problems. The results suggested what may lie behind the scenes in these children’s behavioral problems is that many of these children who act out and are brought to the school office for disciplinary issues may suffer from perceived discrimination and bad treatment by their peers. The findings provide important implications for researchers, healthcare practitioners, and educators seeking to understand this subpopulation and to design and implement family support and prevention programs for young adolescents from immigrant backgrounds.
“Suburban Warriors”: The Blue-Collar and Blue-Sky Communities of Southern California’s Aerospace Industry:

Los Angeles’s aerospace suburbs no longer have many aerospace companies or workers in them, but their legacy—a geographical division of labor, class, and race reflected in and reinforced by corpora...
Revisiting "The Rise and Decline" in a Population of Peer Production Projects

Do patterns of growth and stabilization found in large peer production systems such as Wikipedia occur in other communities? This study assesses the generalizability of Halfaker et al.'s influential 2013 paper on "The Rise and Decline of an Open Collaboration System." We replicate its tests of several theories related to newcomer retention and norm entrenchment using a dataset of hundreds of active peer production wikis from Wikia. We reproduce the subset of the findings from Halfaker and colleagues that we are able to test, comparing both the estimated signs and magnitudes of our models. Our results support the external validity of Halfaker et al.'s claims that quality control systems may limit the growth of peer production communities by deterring new contributors and that norms tend to become entrenched over time.
Comparison of light propagation in dental tissues and nano-filled resin-based composite.

This study used three LASERs (red, green, and blue) with a spectrophotometer to compare the light propagation for the following: absorption (A), transmittance (T), attenuation (K), and scattering anisotropy coefficient (g) in dental tissues and nano-filled resin-based composites. This study used three distinct incremental build-up techniques, which included one shade (body), two shades (enamel and dentin), and three shades (enamel, transparent, and dentin). Twenty human, un-erupted, recently extracted third molars (shade B1) were used to obtain 40 tooth slabs. The samples were randomized and equally distributed into four experimental groups. The Positive Control Group included dental tissues with enamel, dento-enamel junction DEJ, and dentin; the Technique 1 group (T1) included one shade tissues, B1B; the Technique 2 group (T2) included two-shades tissues, A2Dentin and B1Enamel; and the Technique 3 group (T3) included three shade tissues, A2Dentin, Transparent, and B1Enamel. Cavity preparation was standardized, and, using the spectrophotometer, each specimen was irradiated by three LASERs. A voltmeter recorded the light-output signal, and from this raw data, the following optical constants (A, T, K, g) were calculated. ANOVA, followed by a post hoc Tukey’s test (p < 0.05), revealed that absorption and transmittance in dental tissues were significantly different when comparing the three build-up technique groups. However, when examining attenuation coefficient, there was no significant difference in dental tissues for T2 and T3 as analyzed by blue and red lasers. There was also no significant difference among the three lasers for T2 and T3. There was also no significant effect of the types of experiments on the value of scattering anisotropy factor g for blue laser among the four experimental groups. Within the limitations of this study, none of the build-up techniques were able to reproduce the dental tissues optical properties, and T2 and T3 resulted in a similar pattern of light propagation. The clinical success of restorative procedures depends on selecting materials and techniques that emulate the natural tooth and provide long-term stability in color and optical properties.
Method Performance of Bicarbonate and Electrolytes by Use of Duodenal Fluid for Assessment of Exocrine Pancreatic Function.

Background: Evaluation of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is challenging for both clinicians and laboratories. Indirect pancreatic function tests such as serum trypsinogen, fecal elastase, and fecal fat measurements are moderately sensitive for diagnosis of advanced chronic pancreatitis but show reduced sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of early disease. An alternative is the endoscopic pancreatic function test, which uses duodenal secretions after administration of IV secretin. Samples are collected at various times via the endoscopic tube and then analyzed for bicarbonate, sodium, potassium, and chloride. Methods: Precision, linearity, method comparison, and stability studies were performed on the Beckman Coulter AU5822 chemistry analyzer with duodenal fluid. Comparison with the Vitros 4600 dry slide chemistry instrument was used to interrogate differences between methods. Results: All assays produced a CV Conclusions: The AU5800 series demonstrated adequate performance for the analysis of bicarbonate in duodenal fluid and therefore can be used for assessment of exocrine pancreatic function. However, notable discrepancies were observed for sodium, potassium, and chloride between the AU5800 series and the Vitros 4600.
Proper motions of Milky Way Ultra-Faint satellites with ${\it Gaia}$ DR2 $\times$ DES DR1

We present a new, probabilistic method for determining the systemic proper motions of Milky Way (MW) ultra-faint satellites in the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We utilize the superb photometry from the first public data release (DR1) of DES to select candidate members, and cross-match them with the proper motions from $Gaia$ DR2. We model the candidate members with a mixture model (satellite and MW) in spatial and proper motion space. This method does not require prior knowledge of satellite membership, and can successfully determine the tangential motion of thirteen DES satellites. With our method we present measurements of the following satellites: Columba~I, Eridanus~III, Grus~II, Phoenix~II, Pictor~I, Reticulum~III, and Tucana~IV; this is the first systemic proper motion measurement for several and the majority lack extensive spectroscopic follow-up studies. We compare these to the predictions of Large Magellanic Cloud satellites and to the vast polar structure. With the high precision DES photometry we conclude that most of the newly identified member stars are very metal-poor ([Fe/H] $\lesssim -2$) similar to other ultra-faint dwarf galaxies, while Reticulum III is likely more metal-rich. We also find potential members in the following satellites that might indicate their overall proper motion: Cetus~II, Kim~2, and Horologium~II; however, due to the small number of members in each satellite, spectroscopic follow-up observations are necessary to determine the systemic proper motion in these satellites.
SSAT Presidential Address: Whereof What’s Past Is Prologue

In preparation for an upcoming SSAT strategic planning process, the rich history, current demographics, and financial outlook of the Society are reviewed. Building on a strong tradition of innovative leadership, the SSAT remains a vibrant and financially sound organization that continues to attract new members from across the spectrum of GI surgery. However, several trends—subspecialization, an increasing focus on clinical research, the size of DDW, among others—challenge the society to better to define its identity as we plan for and prioritize for the future.
Security and Privacy Enhancement for Outsourced Biometric Identification

A lot of research has been focused on secure outsourcing of biometric identification in the context of cloud computing. In such schemes, both the encrypted biometric database and the identification process are outsourced to the cloud. The ultimate goal is to protect the security and privacy of the biometric database and the query templates. Security analysis shows that previous schemes suffer from the enrolment attack and unnecessarily expose more information than needed. In this paper, we propose a new secure outsourcing scheme aims at enhancing the security from these two aspects. First, besides all the attacks discussed in previous schemes, our proposed scheme is also secure against the enrolment attack. Second, we model the identification process as a fixed radius similarity query problem instead of the kNN search problem. Such a modelling is able to reduce the exposed information thus enhancing the privacy of the biometric database. Our comprehensive security and complexity analysis show that our scheme is able to enhance the security and privacy of the biometric database and query templates while maintaining the same computational savings from outsourcing.
STAT2 Signaling Regulates Macrophage Phenotype During Influenza and Bacterial Super-Infection.

Influenza is a common respiratory virus that infects between 5-20% of the US population and results in 30,000 deaths annually. A primary cause of influenza-associated death is secondary bacterial pneumonia. We have previously shown that influenza induces type I interferon (IFN)-mediated inhibition of Type 17 immune responses, resulting in exacerbation of bacterial burden during influenza and Staphylococcus aureus super-infection. In this study, we investigated the role of STAT2 signaling during influenza and influenza-bacterial super-infection in mice. Influenza-infected STAT2-/- mice had increased morbidity, viral burden, and inflammation when compared to wild-type mice. Despite an exaggerated inflammatory response to influenza infection, we found increased bacterial control and survival in STAT2 deficient mice during influenza-MRSA super-infection compared to controls. Further, we found that increased bacterial clearance during influenza-MRSA super-infection is not due to rescue of Type 17 immunity. Absence of STAT2 was associated with increased accumulation of M1, M2 and M1/M2 co-expressing macrophages during influenza-bacterial super-infection. Neutralization of IFNγ (M1) and/or Arginase 1 (M2) impaired bacterial clearance in Stat2-/- mice during super-infection, demonstrating that pulmonary macrophages expressing a mixed M1/M2 phenotype promote bacterial control during influenza-bacterial super-infection. Together, these results suggest that the STAT2 signaling is involved in suppressing macrophage activation and bacterial control during influenza-bacterial super-infection. Further, these studies reveal novel mechanistic insight into the roles of macrophage subpopulations in pulmonary host defense.
Scenario Based Stochastic Optimization of Probabilistic EV Charging Scheduling

High penetration and intermittency of solar resources drive the development of distributed energy storage in microgrid. The adoption of electric vehicles (EV) encourages solar self consumption and carries a significant potential owning to cost and environmental considerations. Previous deterministic valley filling algorithms for EV charging scheduling are extended to consider the stochastic nature of EV schedules. The uncertainties in EV availabilities are studied through sampling coupled with ${k}$- means clustering methods formulated specifically for a real- world EV database. Then a scenario-based approach is proposed for modeling probabilistic EV charge events. The stochastic objective function is realized by considering uncertain EV charging in form of scenarios as true, which is known as deterministic equivalent problem. The resulting net load profiles are transformed into quantile distribution considering their probabilities of occurrence. The final output mustrates probabilistic EV charging strategies and associated grid net load profiles to assist operators in proactively managing grid load.
Complex formation and fluorescence : Part II The use of 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid as an indicator

Abstract The use of fluorescent 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid complexes in titrations was examined. The disappearance of the fluorescence of these metal complexes, upon titration with a stronger, nonfluorescing complexing agent can be used to indicate endpoints in both complexometric titrations and acid-base titrations.
Evaluation of a small molecule compound 3-indolylacetonitrile for control of bacterial spot on tomato

Abstract Bacterial spot, caused by Xanthomonas perforans, is one of the major diseases in fresh market tomato production in Florida. It is reported that X. perforans has developed resistance to copper, an element of major bactericides used for management of this disease in Florida and worldwide. Continuous efforts are necessary for providing the tomato industry with new effective approaches to managing this important disease. A small molecule 3-indolylacetonitrile (IAN) that can inhibit biofilm formation has been reported to be effective against many medical bacterial pathogens. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of IAN in planta for the control of bacterial leaf spot on tomato, the effectiveness of IAN when applied at different times from pathogen inoculation, how IAN efficacy compared to a copper bactericide (Kocide 3000), and if IAN could be applied as a tank mixture with copper bactericide. In vitro testing in liquid media was also completed to further investigate observations made in planta. Our results showed that IAN was effective in reducing disease severity of bacterial leaf spot on tomato between 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ml. However, phytotoxicity to tomato plants occurred when the concentration was higher than 1.0 mg/ml. IAN significantly (P
Light Chain of Botulinum A Neurotoxin Expressed as an Inclusion Body from a Synthetic Gene Is Catalytically and Functionally Active

Botulinum neurotoxins, the most potent of all toxins, induce lethal neuromuscular paralysis by inhibiting exocytosis at the neuromuscular junction. The light chains (LC) of these dichain neurotoxins are a new class of zinc-endopeptidases that specifically cleave the synaptosomal proteins, SNAP-25, VAMP, or syntaxin at discrete sites. To facilitate the structural and functional characterization of these unique endopeptidases, we constructed a synthetic gene for the LC of the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A), overexpressed it in Escherichia coli, and purified the gene product from inclusion bodies. Our procedure can provide 1.1 g of the LC from 1 L of culture. The LC product was stable in solution at 4°C for at least 6 months. This rBoNT/A LC was proteolytically active, specifically cleaving the Glu-Arg bond in a 17-residue synthetic peptide of SNAP-25, the reported cleavage site of BoNT/A. Its calculated catalytic efficiency k cat/K m was higher than that reported for the native BoNT/A dichain. Treating the rBoNT/A LC with mercuric compounds completely abolished its activity, most probably by modifying the cysteine-164 residue located in the vicinity of the active site. About 70% activity of the LC was restored by adding Zn2+ to a Zn2+-free, apo-LC preparation. The LC was nontoxic to mice and failed to elicit neutralizing epitope(s) when the animals were vaccinated with this protein. In addition, injecting rBoNT/A LC into sea urchin eggs inhibited exocytosis-dependent plasma membrane resealing. For the first time, results of our study make available a large amount of the biologically active toxin fragment in a soluble and stable form.
TCTAP A-095 Practical Issues in Using Fitbits with a Web-based Physical Activity Promotion Program

With 24 hours per day, 7-days week access, Web-based programs are reportedly efficient in health behavior changes. Also, marginalized people including racial/ethnic minorities are found to prefer Web-based programs because of their non-face-to-face interactions. Thus, in recent years, Web-based
Generalized Linear Models

In Chap. 10 we examined nonlinear models with normally-distributed errors. Given these conditions, minimizing the residual sum of squares maximizes the likelihood function. Not all variables of interest to scientists are normally distributed, however. Instead of being continuous and unbounded, many variables are discrete (e.g., number of aphids on a leaf), categorical (e.g., number of men and women who buy or do not buy life insurance in a given year), binary (e.g., employed or unemployed), or restricted to having only non-negative values (e.g., rainfall). Because these variables are not normally-distributed, minimizing the residual sum of squares does not produce maximum likelihood estimates.
The Future of Health Equity in America: Addressing the Multiple, Intersecting Determinants of Health

Even though health equity is a key component of the transforming journey of health that our nation is embarking on, little has been done to trans-disciplinarily coordinate health policy research and collaboratively address issues driving health inequities. This article examines the past and present health policy issues affecting health equity in the United States and discusses the need to address the multiple, intersecting determinants of health in order to fully realize health equity and eliminate health disparities in the future.
Using Phenomenological Hermeneutics to Understand the Experiences of Managers Working with Quality Improvement Strategies in an Assisted Living Facility

This qualitative research project aimed to gain an understanding of the experiences of managers who participated in the implementation of quality improvement projects in an assisted living facility. This study employed hermeneutic phenomenology as a research methodology, whereby managers working in an assisted living facility were invited to participate in a 60–75 min semi-structured interview. Six managers participated in the interviews. Five themes were developed from data analysis: (1) Quality improvement (QI) and resident-centered care go hand-in-hand; (2) Constant on-going commitment to continuous improvement is needed to implement QI; (3) Learning to communicate with team-members and residents/caregivers is important to implement QI; (4) Feedback is essential for the implementation of QI initiatives; and (5) Implementing new QI initiatives can be challenging. The managers emphasized the need for leadership commitment, the usage of standardized communication methods, and feedback strategies to ensure the success of QI initiatives. Additionally, the managers indicated that QI is directly related to resident-centered care and that efforts should be made to collect feedback from residents to further improve processes. Additionally, challenges surrounding the implementation of QI have been described. Since there is a scarcity of research on the implementation of QI methods in assisted living facilities, this study can provide practical tips to leaders and administrators.
Update on Sports Participation for Athletes with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Abstract Prior statements have recommended restriction from competitive sports participation for all athletes with ICDs. Recent data, however, suggests that many athletes can participate in sports without adverse events. In the ICD Sports Registry, 440 athletes, aged 8-60 years, 77 of which were high-level interscholastic athletes, who had continued to practice sports, were prospectively followed for 4 years, with no deaths or failures to defibrillate during practice, and no injuries related to arrhythmia or shock during sports. Shocks did occur, [...]
An Essay on Illusion and Reality in the Conflict of Laws

As people, goods, and information move across state and national lines with greater and greater frequency and speed, a court’s need for a sound method of choosing the applicable law in cases with one or more out of state parties or events can’t help but be increasing as well. If that seems too obvious to warrant saying, think again. Or better yet, read the Georgia Supreme Court’s unanimous opinion in 2017 in Coon v. The Medical Center, Inc. – a case involving a young Alabama woman’s heart-wrenching claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress against a Georgia hospital for its staff’s mishandling of her stillborn baby’s remains. That opinion, which denied the woman’s claim based on a determination that Georgia, rather than Alabama, law applied, is as resounding a rejection as one could ever hope (or fear) to find of the developments of the past fifty plus years in the area of conflict of laws known as choice of law. Traditionally, courts throughout the United States adhered to a choice-of-law approach featuring a variety of territorial rules, such as in tort cases apply the law of the place of wrong. Spurred by scholarly criticisms of the traditional rules and the publication of proposed alternatives, many state supreme courts since the early 1960s have expressly refused to stay within the confines of the traditional approach. The Georgia high court is one of about ten still wedded to the old approach. Coon features the application of a rule that for many years was part of various state high courts’ set of traditional rules, but that has long since been abandoned everywhere but Georgia. According to that rule, when a court’s traditional rules call for application of another state’s law and that law is common law, the court should look to forum law, rather than the other state’s law, for the applicable principle of common law. Detailed analysis of the Georgia high court’s opinion in Coon reveals not only the illogic of that idiosyncratic rule but, much more basically, the indefensible mindset on which judicial adherence to the traditional rules ultimately rests. That opinion unwittingly, but effectively, demonstrates the illusory nature of the benefits supposedly offered by the traditional rules and the very real invitation to judicial manipulation that lies at the heart of the rules. In short, it’s a truly awful opinion, but as a vehicle to drive home the importance of courts’ abandoning the traditional rules, it can’t be beat. Finally, a note to those who claim little or no expertise in conflict of laws. Although this essay plainly deals with conflict of laws, it doesn’t presuppose any particular knowledge of the field. The intended audience is anyone concerned about judges writing opinions that explain the results they reach in a persuasive and transparent way.
Effect of Bile Duct Ligation-induced Liver Dysfunction on Methamphetamine Pharmacokinetics and Locomotor Activity in Rats

Purpose: Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is associated with hepatic dysfunction related comorbidities such as HIV, hepatitis C, and polysubstance abuse with acetaminophen-containing opioid formulations. We aimed to develop a bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced hepatic dysfunction model for studying both METH and experimental treatments for METH abuse in this comorbidity. Methods: Sham or BDL surgery was performed in male Wistar rats on day 0. Liver function was measured throughout the study. On days 7 and 19, serum pharmacokinetics studies were performed with 1 mg/kg subcutaneous (sc) METH. On day 21, this dose was repeated to determine 2 h post-METH brain concentrations. METH-induced open field behaviors were measured every other day (days 12 - 16) with ascending sc doses (0.3 – 3 mg/kg). Results: BDL transiently increased alanine aminotransferase levels and altered liver structure, which resulted in significantly greater METH serum and brain exposure. In the BDL compared to sham group, there was a longer duration of METH-induced locomotor activity (after 1 and 3 mg/kg) and stereotypy (after 3 mg/kg). Conclusions: In rats, liver dysfunction reduced METH clearance, increased brain METH concentrations, and enhanced METH effects on locomotor activity in a dose dependent manner. In addition, this model could be further developed to simulate the associated hepatic dysfunction of key METH abuse comorbidities for preclinical testing of novel pharmacotherapies for effectiveness and/or toxicity in vulnerable populations.
Well siblings of children with chronic illness: A synthesis research study

Well siblings of chronically ill children experience family disruptions that profoundly affect them. Previous research focusing on well siblings' experiences has often produced inconsistent findings, likely the result of varying study designs and samples. The purposes of this synthesis research study were twofold: (a) to assess the applicability of existing grounded theory of sibling response to a child's cancer to a wider range of childhood conditions; and (b) to refine the existing theory to reflect the experiences of the broader sample. Data for the synthesis came from a National Institute of Nursing Research-funded mixed-methods synthesis examining the intersection of childhood chronic illness and family life. The current analysis was based on well sibling results extracted from 78 research reports published between 2000 and 2014. An existing grounded theory, Creating a Tenuous Balance (CTB), was discovered at the outset of analysis and used as the primary framework for coding and synthesizing results. The focus of most studies was siblings' responses to 14 chronic conditions, with cancer being the most often studied. Results reflected siblings' perspectives of their experiences as well as perspectives of parents and the ill child. The analysis substantiated all four patterns of sibling behavior included in CTB, with the patterns of adapting to changes in personal and family life, and handling strong emotions being especially challenging aspects of the sibling experience. Moreover, the results expanded several aspects of CTB. The analysis provided evidence of the applicability of the theory to a varied group of chronic conditions and enabled us to identify important areas for developing interventions to support siblings.
Literature compilation of volatile N-nitrosamines in processed meat and poultry products - an update

A compilation of volatile N-nitrosamine levels in processed (e.g., cured, canned, smoked) meat and poultry products is presented. Over 1800 samples of processed meat products including bacon, ham, salami, sausage, and various other processed meat and poultry products have been examined for the presence of eight volatile N-nitrosamines. The database compiled from the literature is based on 25 references published for the period of 1985 to 2018 from 14 countries. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), are the most frequently identified volatile N-nitrosamines occurring in processed meat and poultry products. N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), and N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA) are also frequently observed to a lesser extent. The processed meat and poultry products with the highest levels of volatile N-nitrosamines were pork (fried, fat only eaten), poultry (fried), poultry (spiced, grilled), and bacon (fried).
10-minute consultation: Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

A 62 year old woman has returned to you for the results of blood tests. She had attended for a well woman check up two weeks earlier and had mentioned that she was experiencing persistent fatigue. A random plasma glucose test that day showed a glucose concentration of 11.4 mmol/l, so you had arranged for her to have a fasting blood glucose test. Her fasting blood glucose was 8.5 mmol/l. She has no history of vascular disease or other serious medical conditions. Her aunt had diet controlled diabetes and died of a cerebrovascular event at the age of 68.​68. Figure 1 Initial management of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes
Three-Dimensional Printed Stamps for the Fabrication of Patterned Microwells and High-Throughput Production of Homogeneous Cell Spheroids.

Aggregation of cells into spheroids and organoids is a promising tool for regenerative medicine, cancer and cell biology, and drug discovery due to their recapitulation of the cell–cell and cell–ma...
Insurance instability and use of emergency and office-based care after gaining coverage: An observational cohort study.

Background The Affordable Care Act led to improvements in reporting a usual source of care, but it is unclear whether patients are changing their usual source of care in response to coverage gains. We assess whether prior insurance instability is associated with changes in use of emergency and office-based care after the Marketplace and Medicaid expansion were introduced. Methods Our study draws from the 2013–14 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, identifying a cohort of non-elderly adults with full-year health insurance coverage in 2014. We use linear and multinomial logistic regression to assess the relationship between insurance instability prior to 2014 (uninsured for 1–11 months, ≥12 months) and person-level changes in use of health care after gaining coverage (change in ED and office visits from 2013 to 2014) with continuously insured individuals serving as a comparison group. Results Being uninsured for at least one year prior to gaining full-year coverage in 2014 was associated with a 33% increase in ED visits (0.06 visits, p<0.01) and a 47% increase in office visits (1.10 visits, p<0.01), driven by those gaining public coverage. We found no evidence of substitution across settings in the short term, often a stated goal of expansion. Conclusion The long-term uninsured may have substantial health needs and pent-up demand for health care, seeing more physicians across multiple settings in the year after gaining coverage as they seek to get unmanaged conditions under control. Closing the gap in primary care use between the previously uninsured and those with health insurance coverage may help improve long-term health outcomes.
Game Theory Models of Intermale Combat in Fiddler Crabs (Genus Uca)

Male fiddler crabs fight over real estate. The combatants play two roles, Resident or Wanderer, depending upon which one possesses a burrow. The burrow is postulated to be a resource which endows the owner with reproductive fitness. Conflicts observed in the wild consist of alternating acts by Resident and Wanderer, where each animal chooses from a repertoire of 12 ritualized motions. Analysis of over 400 conflicts shows that combat strategies vary intraspecificially according to status and relative animal size. We suggest that a conflict can be regarded as a two-person, alternating, multi-stage game. We hypothesize that the strategy types contributing to successful burrow defense or takeover are optimal strategies, and that they probably maximize individual reproductive fitness.
Moving from association to mediation: A sociocultural approach to assessment:

A Vygotskian approach to assessment is proposed by invoking the distinction between the development of lower and higher psychological functions. Higher psychological functions are specifically huma...