cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Effects of Differential Item Functioning on Proficiency Classification

This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of differential item functioning (DIF) on proficiency classification. Using Monte Carlo simulation, item- and test-level DIF magnitudes were varied systematically to investigate their impact on proficiency classification at multiple decision points. Findings from this study clearly show that the presence of DIF affects proficiency classification not by lowering the overall correct classification rates but by affecting classification error rates differently for reference and focal group members. The study also reveals that multiple items with low levels of DIF can be particularly problematic. They can do similar damage to proficiency classification as high-level DIF items with the same cumulative magnitudes but are much harder to detect with current DIF and differential bundle functioning (DBF) techniques. Finally, how DIF affects proficiency classification errors at multiple cut scores is fully described and discussed.
Identifying Variability in Patient Characteristics and Prevalence of Emergency Department Utilization for Mental Health Diagnoses in Rural and Urban Communities.

Purpose In order to redirect at-risk patients to more appropriate, cost-effective behavioral health care, research must identify the prevalence, and common characteristics, of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) for mental disorders. Question Are large, small, and/or isolated rural patients presenting to the ED for mental disorders in greater proportion than urban ED patients? Methods Analyses included data from the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project State Emergency Department Databases (2013) provided by 7 states, covering all Census regions. Variables included patient demographics, ZIP code, and primary and secondary ED diagnoses. ZIP codes were linked to the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas, aggregating into 4 categories. Prevalence rates were compared within and between groups (P Findings Nearly 1 in 20 ED visits carried a primary/secondary diagnosis of mental disorder. Large, small, and isolated rural patients were not more likely than urban patients to present to the ED for mental disorders. Large, small, and isolated rural residents diagnosed with a primary/secondary mental disorder in the ED were more likely than urban to be female, 65 years of age or older, covered by Medicaid or Medicare, and dual eligible. The top 3 diagnoses for mental disorders in the ED were anxiety-state, unspecified; depressive disorder; and suicidal ideation. Conclusions EDs treating large, small, or isolated rural patients with mental disorders are more likely to treat populations identified in the literature at greater risk of preventable visits, readmitting, and more costly care. Recommendations are made for policy, community interventions, workforce, and training.
Comparison Study of Percutaneous Osseointegrated Bone Conduction Device Complications When Using the 9 mm Abutment Versus 6 mm Abutment at Initial Implantation.

Objectives To assess differences in the incidence, type, and management of complications encountered with implantation of percutaneous osseointegrated bone conduction devices when using a 9 mm abutment versus 6 mm abutment at initial implantation. Study design Retrospective cohort study. Methods One hundred thirty consecutive patients between January 2010 and December 2011 underwent single-stage percutaneous osseointegrated bone conduction device implantation using a 9 or 6 mm abutment. Clinical outcomes assessed for the two groups included the incidence, type, and management of postoperative complications. Abutment size, age, sex, indication for surgery, implant device type, duration of follow-up, and patient comorbidities were evaluated as potential factors affecting outcomes. Results Average duration of follow-up was 16 months (range 6-29 mo). Postoperative complications occurred in 38 (29.2%) patients. Twenty-four (18.4%) patients experienced minor complications requiring simple, local care; eight (6.1%) patients required in-office procedural intervention; and six (4.6%) patients required revision surgery in the operating room. Implant extrusion occurred in three (2.3%) patients. Eleven (8.5%) patients required placement of a longer abutment. Patients receiving the 6 mm abutment at initial surgery were significantly more likely to encounter a complication requiring in-office procedural intervention or revision surgery (p = 0.001). Conclusion Minor complications after implantation of percutaneous osseointegrated bone conduction devices are common. The vast majority of these complications are due to localized skin reactions, most of which are readily addressed through local care. Patients receiving the 9 mm abutment during initial implantation are significantly less likely to require in-office procedural intervention or revision surgery postoperatively as compared with those receiving the shorter, 6 mm abutment.
Novel Approach and Correlation for Bubble Size Distribution in a Slurry Bubble Column Reactor Operating in the Churn–Turbulent Flow Regime

A novel approach to obtain bubble size distributions and Sauter mean bubble diameters (d32) in three-phase slurry bubble column reactors (SBCRs) is presented. This approach is based on 720 experimental runs using the dynamic gas disengagement (DGD) technique for various gas–liquid–solid systems inside a pilot-scale-SBCR (0.3 m i.d./3 m height), in a wide range of pressures (1–30 bar), temperatures (298–530 K) and solid concentrations (0–17 vol %). The bubble size distributions were obtained using an iterative energy balance algorithm based on transient experimental pressure drops and forces exerted on bubbles in the disengagement cell. Bubble size distributions were described using log-normal distribution functions and the mean and variance were determined for the DGD runs. The mean and variance were correlated as functions of the system’s physical properties and operating conditions, and were used to predict d32 values with an absolute average relative error (AARE) of 11.72%. The approach was also applie...
Amplitude and Phase Shaping of Ultra-broad-bandwidth Femtosecond Laser Pulses

We report amplitude and phase shaping of an ultra-broad-bandwidth (400 nm) femtosecond laser using a grating-based pulse shaper without precompression. We demonstrate phase compensation with deviation within 0.1 rad and accurate binary phase shaping.
The androgen receptor: an overview.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the androgen receptor (AR). AR is a ligand-activated transcriptional regulatory protein that mediates androgen-induced male sexual development and function. The chapter presents a schematic diagram that highlights the major functional domains of human AR. The centrally located DNA-binding domain contains nine highly conserved Cys residues common to the family of steroid receptors. This arrangement of Cys residues led to the confirmation of the requirement for zinc in the tertiary structure of this region of steroid receptors. It was recently noted that the AR protein is significantly stabilized by androgen binding. Pulse-chase experiments using 35S-labeled AR in transiently transfected monkey kidney COS cells showed rapid degradation of receptor in the absence of androgen (t1/2 = 1 hour at 37°C) or in the presence of nonandrogenic hormones. Androgen addition increased the AR protein half-life to 6 hours at 37°C. The sixfold androgen-induced stabilization of AR protein contrasts androgen-induced down-regulation of AR mRNA in tissues of the male reproductive tract.
Association of Clinicopathologic and Molecular Markers on Stage-specific Survival of Right Versus Left Colon Cancer.

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown that variability in molecular markers correlates with poorer survival outcomes in patients with right-sided colon cancer (RCC) compared with left-sided colon cancer (LCC). However, several studies have shown conflicting results when examined stage for stage. We examined RCC and LCC to assess for differences in histopathologic features and overall survival (OS). Materials and Methods The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with RCC and LCC from 2004 to 2013. A propensity-adjusted analysis evaluating the association between the primary site and OS was performed. Results Of the 422,443 patients identified, 54.7% had RCC and 45.3% had LCC. For all stages, the patients with RCC were older, had more poorly differentiated tumors, and had a greater degree of microsatellite instability compared with those with LCC. Patients with RCC also had more KRAS mutations than did those with LCC. RCC patients had poorer 3- and 5-year OS at all stages, especially stage 3 (62% vs. 73% and 50% vs. 62%, respectively; P Conclusion The present study is one of the largest studies demonstrating that RCC and LCC are different biologic entities. Patients with RCC had significantly greater rates of microsatellite instability for all stages, which has been previously shown to be prognostically advantageous. However, the results of the present study showed poorer OS at every disease stage for RCC compared with LCC. These factors have important implications for the further use of targeted therapies in the treatment of advanced colon cancer.
Asymmetric response of domestic production to exchange rate changes: evidence from Africa

In this paper we consider the asymmetric effects of real effective exchange rate changes on domestic production of 13 African nations, the first comprehensive study on the topic in Africa. We find that exchange rate changes have short-run and long-run asymmetric effects on output in most countries in Africa. However, the results are country specific. In some countries a depreciation is expansionary but appreciation has no effect on output. In some countries, an appreciation hurts domestic output but a depreciation has no effects. Such findings are possible only if we separate appreciations from depreciations and adhere to nonlinear modeling.
Knowledge of work-related injury reporting and perceived barriers among janitors

Abstract Introduction : The goal of this study was to evaluate and improve janitors' knowledge of workers' rights and responsibilities for assessing and reporting work-related injuries, and to determine the barriers for reporting occupational injuries. Methods : Questionnaires, designed to collect data retrospectively for two, sequential six-month periods, were disseminated to 1200 full-time unionized janitors in the Twin Cities. Immediately following the baseline questionnaire administration, a randomly selected sub-group of janitors (~ 600) received information on workers' rights and responsibilities for reporting injuries; six-months later a questionnaire comparable to the baseline questionnaire was disseminated to the 1200 janitors. Analyses included basic descriptive analyses and identification of potential differences in proportions of job-specific reporting barriers pre-post-intervention. Results : Among the participating janitors (n = 390), approximately half (53%) were initially unsure of what an OSHA 300 Log was; 56% reported not knowing what workers' compensation was. At baseline, in both intervention and non-intervention groups, approximately 25% reported having a perceived barrier to reporting an injury to their employer. Reported barriers included “fear,” “reporting takes too long,” “being unsure of the reporting process,” and an “understanding that injuries are a part of the job.” At follow-up, among the intervention group, there was an important reduction (24%–12%) in having a perceived barrier for reporting a work-related injury. Conclusions : A majority of janitors lacked knowledge and awareness of OSHA injury reporting and Workers' Compensation. In order to improve reporting, it is essential to educate employees on OSHA and Workers' Compensation and inform janitors of the injury reporting process through training. Practical applications : Future intervention efforts must focus on the specific barriers for reporting occupational injuries and be tailored specifically to the janitor population. To reduce underreporting of injuries, they must be encouraged to report their occupational injuries. Barriers to reporting these injuries must be eliminated.
Automating Finance: Infrastructures, Engineers, and the Making of Electronic Markets

Trading floors are a thing of the past. Thanks to a combination of computers, high-speed networks and algorithms, millions of financial transactions now happen in fractions of a second. This book studies the automation of stock markets in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, identifying the invisible actors, devices, and politics that were central to the creation of electronic trading. In addition to offering a detailed account of how stock exchanges wrestled with technology, the book also invites readers to rethink the nature of markets in modern societies. Markets, it argues, are sites for the creation of relations, and in studying how these relations changed through technology, the book highlights the sources, dynamics, and consequences of automation. In this respect, the book is both a history of automation in finance and a sociological analysis of the way in which automation gradually changed the lives and work of key financial actors.
Bills as Band-Aids: Hopes and Challenges of Expanding Pharmacists' Prescriptive Authority to Include Contraceptives.

This paper critically examines the implications of state efforts to expand prescriptive authority of pharmacists, which will allow them to prescribe various types of hormonal contraceptives. With this expansion, women no longer need to see a physician before being prescribed such contraceptives, but instead, they must answer self-assessment questionnaires at the pharmacy to ensure that their chosen method is safe and appropriate. This paper argues that while these measures to expand pharmacists’ prescriptive authority will surely meet the stated goal to increase access to hormonal contraceptives, the measures may have detrimental consequences that have largely been downplayed. Studies consistently show that the OB-GYN is a significant primary care provider identified by young female patients, and some of the main reasons provided by these young women for going to the OB-GYN is to discuss, or obtain a prescription for, contraceptives. Through the expansion of pharmacists’ prescriptive authority, a likely consequence is that some women will relinquish going to the OB-GYN. However, the OB-GYN provides important services beyond contraceptives, such as preventive screenings for hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, alcohol abuse, mental health, etc., and there is evidence supporting both the effectiveness and cost–benefits of these interventions. By increasing access to contraceptives, the likely result is that many women will have less interaction with a physician and will receive fewer preventive screenings. I do not wish to suggest that these bills should not pass, nor that OB-GYNs should hold contraceptives hostage, only that there are consequences to expanded prescriptive authority that must be anticipated. Further, expanding prescriptive authority obscures the real problem: some individuals have trouble accessing the health care system, not merely trouble accessing hormonal contraceptives. The expansion of prescriptive authority to include contraceptives applies a Band-Aid to treat one aspect of this problem. What is needed is not merely expanded access to hormonal contraceptives, but better access to health care in general.
Combined X-ray and Neutron Powder Refinement and NMR Study of Hydrochlorofluorocarbon HCFC-124a (CF2HCF2Cl) Binding on NaX

The structure of hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) 124a (CF2HCF2Cl) adsorbed on NaX has been determined at 100 K, by performing simultaneous Rietveld analyses of both X-ray and neutron data. The HCFC molecule is localized above the four rings, and is bound via fluorine atoms on both the CF2H and CF2Cl groups to sodium cations in the SII and SIII‘ positions. Both this model and the 1H MAS NMR are consistent with hydrogen bonding between the proton of the HCFC and the framework oxygen. Cations were found at the SI‘, SII, and SIII‘ positions, after gas sorption. The positions and occupancies do not differ significantly from those previously reported in the low-temperature structures of NaX. 23Na MAS NMR demonstrates that the SIII cations in the supercages are mobile at room temperature in the bare zeolite, but that lowering the temperature or gas sorption locks these cations in place. Variable offset 19F to 23Na cross polarization (CP) MAS NMR spectroscopy was used to probe fluorocarbon−cation proximity. More e...
Automatically Analyzing Brainstorming Language Behavior with Meeter

Language both influences and indicates group behavior, and we need tools that let us study the content of what is communicated. While one could annotate these spoken dialogue acts by hand, this is a tedious, not scalable process. We present Meeter, a tool for automatically detecting information sharing, shared understanding, word counts, and group activation in spoken interactions. The contribution of our work is two-fold: (1) We validated the tool by showing that the measures computed by Meeter align with human-generated labels, and (2) we demonstrated the value of Meeter as a research tool by quantifying aspects of group behavior using those measures and deriving novel findings from that. Our tool is valuable for researchers conducting group science, as well as those designing groupware systems.
HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES IN CARDIO ONCOLOGY: PATIENTS RECEIVE SAME LEVEL OF SURVEILLANCE REGARDLESS OF RACE AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AT A SAFETY NET HOSPITAL

Cardiotoxicity remains a dreaded complication for patients undergoing herceptin and doxorubicin treatment. Though many studies looked at racial disparities in heart failure patients, minimal data are present for the cardio-oncology population. We queried the echocardiogram database at a safety net
Wnt signaling activates MFSD2A to suppress vascular endothelial transcytosis and maintain blood-retinal barrier

Breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) causes retinal edema and vision loss. We investigated the role of Wnt signaling in maintaining the BRB by limiting transcytosis. Mice lacking either the Wnt co-receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (Lrp5-/- ) or the Wnt ligand Norrin (Ndpy/- ) exhibit increased retinal vascular leakage and enhanced endothelial transcytosis. Wnt signaling directly controls the transcription of an endothelium-specific transcytosis inhibitor, major facilitator superfamily domain-containing protein 2a (MFSD2A), in a β-catenin-dependent manner. MFSD2A overexpression reverses Wnt deficiency-induced transcytosis in endothelial cells and in retinas. Moreover, Wnt signaling mediates MFSD2A-dependent vascular endothelium transcytosis through a caveolin-1 (CAV-1)-positive caveolae pathway. In addition, levels of omega-3 fatty acids are also decreased in Wnt signaling-deficient retinas, reflecting the basic function of MFSD2A as a lipid transporter. Our findings uncovered the Wnt/β-catenin/MFSD2A/CAV-1 axis as a key pathway governing endothelium transcytosis and inner BRB integrity.
A unique approach to Fontan revision in a cyanotic patient

Abstract Unilateral pulmonary arteriovenous malformations can develop in heterotaxy patients with single ventricle physiology after Kawashima procedure due to preferential flow streaming to one lung. We present the case of a 25 year old patient with this physiology who presented with resting cyanosis to 75% in room air. Our patient underwent a unique revision to reverse the development of arteriovenous malformations with partial resection of her hepatic vein-right pulmonary artery conduit and placement of new conduit connecting hepatic veins to innominate vein which then drained into left-sided superior vena cava, resulting in favorable outcome.
Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Pore Size Distribution on Nano-particle Capture Efficiency Within Ceramic Particulate Filters

The effect of the pore size distribution on size-resolved filtration efficiency was investigated for two ceramic particulate filters using particulate matter (PM) generated by a spark-ignition direct-injection engine fueled with gasoline. The cordierite filter tested had a porosity of 43%, a median pore diameter of 12 μm, and a wide pore size distribution with a lognormal standard deviation (σ′) of 0.4. The aluminum titanate filter had very similar porosity, median pore diameter, and thickness, but significantly narrower pore size distribution (σ′ = 0.1). The testing of two filters under identical experimental conditions enabled the impact of the pore size distribution on filtration performance to be evaluated. Filtration experiments were performed focusing on just the filter wall, starting from a clean filter until the transition to cake filtration (filtration efficiency > 99%). Time-resolved particle size distribution measurements were used to evaluate the progression of filtration performance and estimate trapped mass within the filter. The aluminum titanate filter, with a narrow pore size distribution, exhibited significantly better diffusion capture efficiency. The negative impact of higher flow velocity on diffusion capture efficiency was more pronounced for a narrower pore size distribution. Flow distributions measured using capillary flow porometry were used to develop a cylindrical pore flow model to understand the impact of the differences in pore size distribution on observed trends in diffusion capture efficiency within a clean filter. The model predicted a larger impact of superficial velocity on capture efficiency for filters with narrower pore size distributions as seen from the experiments. The experimental results and data demonstrate that the bubble point diameter and width of the pore size distribution significantly influence diffusion capture efficiencies for filters with very similar median pore diameter, porosity, and thickness.
Using the Timmer Scale to Standardize Pediatric Dentistry Residents' Scientific Appraisal Skills.

Introduction There is no consensus on the best methodology to apply evidence-based practice principles to develop a systematic approach to improve critical appraisal or research design evaluation s...
BRCA1/BARD1 site-specific ubiquitylation of nucleosomal H2A is directed by BARD1

Mutations in the E3 ubiquitin ligase RING domains of BRCA1/BARD1 predispose carriers to breast and ovarian cancers. We present the structure of the BRCA1/BARD1 RING heterodimer with the E2 enzyme UbcH5c bound to its cellular target, the nucleosome, along with biochemical data that explain how the complex selectively ubiquitylates lysines 125, 127 and 129 in the flexible C-terminal tail of H2A in a fully human system. The structure reveals that a novel BARD1-histone interface couples to a repositioning of UbcH5c compared to the structurally similar PRC1 E3 ligase Ring1b/Bmi1 that ubiquitylates H2A Lys119 in nucleosomes. This interface is sensitive to both H3 Lys79 methylation status and mutations found in individuals with cancer. Furthermore, NMR reveals an unexpected mode of E3-mediated substrate regulation through modulation of dynamics in the C-terminal tail of H2A. Our findings provide insight into how E3 ligases preferentially target nearby lysine residues in nucleosomes by a steric occlusion and distancing mechanism.
Person-to-Person Peacebuilding through Intercultural Communication: Discourse Analysis of an Online Intercultural Service-Learning Project with Afghanistan

In this chapter, we use critical discourse analysis in order to trace the beginnings of how social actors build peace, person to person, through intercultural communication. More specifically, we show how elements of peacebuilding are discursively instantiated through linguistic means with primary emphasis on understanding the implications for social actors of discursive change in the use of metonymy. Data for this study comes from the transcript of an interview with a Chinese graduate student of TESOL who tutored an adult Afghan English learner through videoconferencing. Our analysis traced evidence of “positive,” “preferred” change in the tutor’s discourse as it relates to the personal, relational, and structural levels of peacebuilding: change which points toward what Lederach calls “the horizon of the preferred future.”
Introduction to 3-D spatial visualization

Introduction to Spatial Visualization Ability. Importance of Spatial Visualization Ability. Developing Spatial Visualization Ability. Testing Spatial Visualization Ability. Developing 3-D Spatial Sense. Construction and Isometric Drawings of Buildings. Orthographic Drawings. Inclined Surfaces. Single-Curved Surfaces. Oblique Surfaces. Applications. Flat Pattern Development Solids. 2-D Patterns Folded into 3-D Objects. Applications. Coordinate Drawings. Coordinate Drawings of 2-D Figures. 3-D Coordinate Systems. Coordinate Drawings of 3-D Objects. Applications. Transformation of 3-D Objects. Translation of Objects. Dilation (or Scaling) of Objects. Rotation of Objects About a Single Axis. Rotation of Objects About Two or More Axes. Reflection of Objects. Applications. Cross Sections of 3-D Objects. Graphing of Planes in 3-D Space. Cutting Planes and Cross Sections. Applications. Surfaces and Solids. Surfaces of Revolution. Intersection of Solids. Applications. Answers to Selected Exercises.
Ludwik Hirszfeld Memorial Lecture: HIV-1 reservoirs: major molecular obstacles to viral eradication.

Over the last 18 years of study in one of our laboratories, we have observed the development of residual disease and latent reservoirs as major problems in the long-term therapy of HIV-1-infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). It was shown in the early 1990's that HAART, as it is presently configured, is unlikely to lead to viral eradication due to several mechanisms of viral persistence. The two general mechanisms involved with persistence during HAART include low-level residual, cryptic replication and proviral latently-infected cells. As such, these are key areas of potential study for depletion and, hopefully in the future, eradication of residual disease in patients on suppressive HAART. To deplete these residual disease mechanisms will require multipronged approaches. These will include induction of HIV-1 latent proviruses, suppression of residual viral replication and destruction of long-lived cellular sanctuaries, such as tissue-bound macrophages.
Therapeutic Efficacy of Cytosine Arabinoside Trapped in Liposomes

A number of cancer chemotherapeutic agents have been encapsulated in liposomes and tested for their therapeutic effects (Kimelberg and Mayhew, 1978; Gregoriadis, 1979). However there have been few reports where direct comparisons of the therapeutic index of the liposome-entrapped drug and the free drug, administered under optimal conditions, have been made. There have been reports which indicate no increase in therapeutic effect for methotrexate (Kimelberg and Atchison, 1978; Kaye et al., 1980) or Actinomycin D (Kaye et al., 1979; Kaye and Ryman, 1980; Kedar et al., 1981) whereas increases in therapeutic index have been reported for adriamycin (Forssen and Tokes, 1979, 1981; Rahman et al., 1980, Olson et al., in press) after entrapment of these clinically useful drugs in liposomes.
Personalized Hypermedia Information Provision Through Adaptive and Adaptable System Features: User Modelling, Privacy and Security Issues

Users of publicly accessible information systems are generally heterogeneous and have different needs. The aim of the AVANTI project is to cater to these individual needs by adapting the user interface and the content and presentation of WWW pages to each individual user. The special needs of elderly and handicapped users are also partly considered. A model of the characteristics of user groups and individual users, a model of the usage characteristics of the system, and a domain model are exploited in the adaptation process. This paper describes the detected differing needs of AVANTI users, the kind of adaptations that are currently implemented to cater to these needs, and the system architecture that enables AVANTI to generate user-adapted web pages from distributed multimedia databases. Special attention is given to privacy and security issues which are crucial when personal information about users is at stake.
STORAGE AREA NETWORKS

This paper is a tutorial on Storage Area Networks (SANs). On the face of it storage network technology might appear to be just another incremental improvement relative to current technology; i.e., faster and cheaper but otherwise nothing new. On the other hand, as with technologies such as the World Wide Web and XML, SAN can also be viewed as an exciting new window into the future applications of technology. The World Wide Web provided a global, if relatively disorganized, file structure that almost immediately transcended organization and national boundaries. XML provides a still finer level of multi-organization data structure, this time at the level of the logical data element. Storage Network technologies provide an even finer level of resolution for global storage; providing powerful tools for organizing vast repositories of data and information within a building, organization, within municipalities, across distributed organizations, and throughout the world. This paper compares SAN technology with previous storage management solutions with particular attention to promised benefits of scalability, interoperability, and high-speed LAN-free backups. The paper provides an overview of what SANs are, why invest in them, and how SANs can be managed. The paper also discusses a primary management concern, the interoperability of vendor-specific SAN solutions. Bluefin, a storage management interface and interoperability solution is also explained. The paper concludes with discussion of SAN-related trends and implications for practice and research.
The Effect of Housing System and Physical Environment on Post-weaning Pig Performance

Many small independent pork producers have shown interest in low-cost alternative production systems for raising market pigs. One low-cost alternative production housing type that is gaining popularity is the bedded hoop structure. Hoop structures are primarily used as finishing facilities, but may also be used for gestation housing, breeding and isolation facilities, gilt development and bedding storage. Recently, a new concept called wean-to-finish has been adopted by the swine industry. This unique approach is the adaptation of technologies used in the nursery and grow/finish phase into a single-stage production system. Bedded hoop structures may work as a wean-to-finish housing system, if nursery pigs can efficiently grow throughout the various seasonal temperature extremes. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the growth performance of nursery pigs in hoop structures compared with those raised in confinement nurseries.
Neuropsychological effects of deep brain stimulation in subjects with early stage Parkinson's disease in a randomized clinical trial.

Background Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) and motor symptom complications. Recently, attention has been focused on whether offering DBS earlier in the course of PD is beneficial. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of DBS on neuropsychological functioning in subjects with early stage PD. Methods Thirty subjects with early PD (Hoehn & Yahr Stage II off medication) were randomized to optimal drug therapy (ODT) (n = 15) or bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS+ODT (n = 15) after completing an expanded informed consent process specially designed for the study and administered by a medical ethicist and the study team. Comprehensive neuropsychological testing was completed in the treatment-withdrawn state at baseline and at 12 month and 24 month follow-ups. Results Two serious adverse events occurred in the DBS+ODT group. One subject experienced a stroke and another developed infected hardware that contributed to specific declines in cognitive functioning. However, compared to the ODT group, the remaining subjects in the DBS+ODT group exhibited modest reductions on a few measures of attention, executive function, and word fluency at 12 months. These differences were largely diminished at 24 months, especially when those with the adverse events were excluded. Conclusions The results of this trial provide novel data regarding the effects of DBS on cognitive function in early PD. We believe that the findings and insights from this trial can help guide the safety analysis and risk-benefit evaluations in future discussions of DBS in early stage PD.
Politics of Women's Rights in Family Law: Religion, the State, and the Barriers to Reform

Sex discrimination in property rights, marriage and divorce, inheritance, and parenting thwarts women’s quest for equal rights, violates international conventions, and contradicts many national constitutions. While many countries have reformed family and personal status laws to promote equality, dozens continue to enforce discriminatory provisions. What explains variation in the degree of sex equality in family law? Analyzing an original dataset of family law in 70 countries between 1975 and 2005, we show that the degree of sex equality reflects the degree to which political institutions uphold religious authority. The mutual reinforcement of political and ecclesiastical power renders state law and religious doctrine more resistant to challenge and change, obstructing the struggle for reforms demanded by feminist movements and implied by international conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). These dynamics are particularly acute in nations with high levels of societal religiosity (though on its own, religiosity does not provide much explanatory leverage). The prospects for future reform are not dismal, however. Evidence is emerging that women’s movements, international feminist networks and conventions, and women in government can overcome the barriers to change, especially when they work to reform religion from within.
Role of Cr3+/Cr6+ redox in chromium-substituted Li2MnO3·LiNi1/2Mn1/2O2 layered composite cathodes: electrochemistry and voltage fade

The effect of redox-active Cr substitution on the electrochemistry and voltage fade of a lithium-rich “layered–layered” composite cathode material has been investigated. A series of Cr-substituted 0.5Li2MnO3·0.5LiNi1/2Mn1/2O2 powder samples (i.e., Li1.2Ni0.2−2/xMn0.6−2/xCrxO2, where x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2) was synthesized via the sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction data confirmed the incorporation of Cr ions into the lattice structure. While similar initial charge capacities (∼300 mA h g−1) were obtained for all of the cathode samples, the capacity contribution from the Li2MnO3 activation plateau (at 4.5 V vs. Li) decreased with increasing Cr content. This finding suggests suppressed oxygen loss that triggers cation migration and voltage fade in subsequent cycles. Continued investigation revealed that the Cr substitution mitigates the voltage fade on charge but not discharge. The resulting insignificant effect of Cr substitution on mitigating voltage fade, in spite of decreased Li2MnO3 activation, is attributed to the additional instability caused by Cr6+ migration to a tetrahedral site, as evidenced by ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our results provide the framework for a future redox active cation substitution strategy by highlighting the importance of the structural stability of the substituent itself.
MR imaging of the pulmonary vasculature—an update

Although the advent of multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) angiography has been at the heart of improving the diagnostic management of pulmonary vascular disease, MR technology has also moved forward. This review outlines the current state of affairs of MR techniques for the assessment of pulmonary vascular diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary arteritis and arteriovenous malformations. It highlights the main areas of MR angiography and MR perfusion imaging and discusses novel methods, such as non-contrast enhanced direct thrombus imaging, and will discuss its merits in the context of other diagnostic modalities.
Pneumacel: Basic technology and applications

Pneumacel, a new kind of resilient closed-cell foam, has characteristics especially useful for firm cushioning materials. A fluorocarbon inflatant in addition to air present in the closed cells provides a mechanism for recovery from long-term loading for nonelastomeric polymer foams such as poly(ethylene terephthalate). The basic structural features characterizing pneumacel contribute to its performance as a resilient foam. Important principles in selecting the optimum combination of polymer and inflatant are described, as well as the process for making pneumatic cellular products. Development work on applications of pneumacel fibers has led to its utilization in cushions for under carpets, padding for use over springs in mattresses, automobile seats, and furniture. Properties of the assemblies of fibers for such uses are described.
Reconstructing skin cancers using animal models

The American Cancer Society estimates that skin cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers with over 2 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer each year and 75,000 melanoma cases in 2012. Representative animal cancer models are important for understanding the underlying molecular pathogenesis of these cancers and the development of novel targeted anticancer therapeutics. In this review, we will discuss some of the important animal models that have been useful to identify important pathways involved in basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
Observations of ribbing instabilities in elastic fluid flows with gravity stabilization

We have investigated the role of elasticity in the stability of air{fluid interfaces during fluid displacement flows. Our investigations of the stability of coating flows with an eccentric cylinder geometry for both a viscous Newtonian fluid and ideal elastic Boger fluids are discussed in terms of three classes of phenomena. To begin, we have documented several new features in traditional ngering instabilities in elastic displacement flows. These include a very strong elastic destabilization of forward roll coating: a destabilization which can be correlated directly with the elasticity of the coating fluid and which appears to be present even in the absence of diverging channel walls. Moreover, elastic eects are shown to create a novel saw-toothed cusped pattern in the eccentric cylinder roll-and-plate geometry. Secondly, we have found that purely elastic bulk flow instabilities in the neighbourhood of air{fluid interfaces can cause surface deformations if the secondary flow is of sucient strength. Finally, flows created by the displacement of less viscous air by a more viscous elastic fluid are found to display a new class of purely elastic instabilities which appear to be independent of traditional viscous ngering instabilities and elastic bulk flow instabilities. Thus interfaces which are stable for Newtonian fluids are unstable via purely elastic mechanisms. We have found that indeed elasticity has a dramatic eect on the stability of interfaces, not only changing the critical conditions, but also changing the manifestation of traditional ngering instabilities, and causing new purely elastic interfacial instabilities.
Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism Organizational, Individual, and Job-Related Correlates

This research estimates the extent to which job satisfaction and several of its correlates influence levels of reported absenteeism in a sample of American workers. The regression of absences on ov...
CHEM2D-OPP: A new linearized gas-phase ozone photochemistry parameterization for high-altitude NWP and climate models

The new CHEM2D-Ozone Photochemistry Parameterization (CHEM2D-OPP) for high-altitude numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems and climate models specifies the net ozone photochemical tendency and its sensitivity to changes in ozone mixing ratio, temperature and overhead ozone column based on calculations from the CHEM2D interactive middle atmospheric photochemical transport model. We evaluate CHEM2D-OPP performance using both short-term (6-day) and long-term (1-year) stratospheric ozone simulations with the prototype high-altitude NOGAPS-ALPHA forecast model. An inter-comparison of NOGAPS-ALPHA 6-day ozone hindcasts for 7 February 2005 with ozone photochemistry parameterizations currently used in operational NWP systems shows that CHEM2D-OPP yields the best overall agreement with both individual Aura Microwave Limb Sounder ozone profile measurements and independent hemispheric (10°–90° N) ozone analysis fields. A 1-year free-running NOGAPS-ALPHA simulation using CHEM2D-OPP produces a realistic seasonal cycle in zonal mean ozone throughout the stratosphere. We find that the combination of a model cold temperature bias at high latitudes in winter and a warm bias in the CHEM2D-OPP temperature climatology can degrade the performance of the linearized ozone photochemistry parameterization over seasonal time scales despite the fact that the parameterized temperature dependence is weak in these regions.
Formation of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate by isomerization from phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate.

Abstract We have synthesized phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate from phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate by using diisopropylcarbodiimide to promote migration of the 4-phosphate via a cyclic phosphodiester intermediate. The product was isolated by a thin-layer chromatographic method that depends on the ability of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, but not phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, to form complexes with boric acid. The final yield of the procedure was 8% phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, which was approximately 80% pure. The product was shown to be phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate by the following criteria: (i) cochromatography with an authentic standard on borate thin-layer chromatography, (ii) cochromatography of the deacylated product with glycerophosphoinositol 3-phosphate on high-performance liquid chromatography, (iii) conversion of the product to phosphatidylinositol by homogeneous phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate 3-phosphatase, and (iv) deacylation and deglyceration of the product to a compound that comigrates with inositol 1,3-bisphosphate on high-performance liquid chromatography. The availability of mass amounts of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate will allow further elaboration of reactions in this recently discovered pathway of phosphatidylinositol metabolism.
Serum reaction complicated by acute carditis

Summary A case in which there was a simultaneous onset of serum reaction and acute carditis is described. Two explanations of this are given. Whatever interpretation of the cause of the carditis is made, the striking fact is that this boy developed acute carditis following the administration of only 5 c.c. of horse serum.
Government Intervention through an Implicit Federal Backstop: Is There a Link to Market Power?

We estimate the impact of exogenous capital shocks, namely the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), on prices in various property-casualty business lines. We hypothesise that these capital shocks may distort insurer incentives. Specifically, insurers may exploit the implicit governmental guaranty by taking additional pricing risks in order to gain market share. Our results do not support this hypothesis. We find no evidence of a company-specific, or industry-wide, moral hazard problem associated with the implicit (explicit, in some cases) federal backstop created by TARP funds.
Isotopic evolution and climate paleorecords: Modeling boundary effects in groundwater-dominated lakes

We used an isotopic mass-balance model to examine how the hydrogeologic setting of lakes influences isotopic response of evaporating lake water to idealized hydroclimatic changes. The model uses a monthly water and isotope balance approach with simplified water-column structure and groundwater exchanges. The framework for comparative simulations is provided by lakes in a region of the Northern Rocky Mountains that display high interlake geochemical variability, thought to be controlled by groundwater hydraulics. Our analysis highlights several isotopic effects of flow between aquifers and lakes, leading to possible divergence of isotopic paleorecords formed under a common climate. Amplitude of isotopic variation resulting from simulated climate forcing was greatly damped when high groundwater fluxes and/or low lake volume resulted in low lake fluid residence time. Differing precipitation and evaporation scenarios that are equivalent in annual fluid balance (P−E) resulted in different isotopic signatures, interpreted as a result of evaporation kinetics. Concentrating low-δ groundwater inflow during spring months raised springtime lake δ values, a counterintuitive result of coincidence between times of high groundwater inflow and the evaporation season. Transient effects of reduced fluid balance caused excursions opposite in sign from eventual steady-state isotopic shifts resulting from enhanced groundwater inflow dominance. Lags in response between climate forcing and isotopic signals were shortened by high groundwater fluxes and resulting short lake residence times. Groundwater-lake exchange exerts control over patterns of lake isotopic response to evaporation through effects on lake residence time, inflow composition, and seasonal timing of inflow and outflow. Sediments from groundwater-linked lakes, often used for paleoenvironmental analysis, should be expected to reflect isotopic complexities of the type shown here.
Incidental cardiac findings on cardiovascular MRI obtained prior to atrial fibrillation ablation can affect patient management

Background Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation is an effective treatment for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Cardiovascular MR (CMR) may be obtained preprocedurally to assess pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy and be incorporated into electroanatomical mapping. Previous studies have reported the prevalence of incidental non-cardiac findings on CMR. Few, however, have documented the prevalence of incidental cardiac findings (ICFs) on clinical CMR. These findings represent clinically significant entities that can often alter ablation strategy and change patient management.
Absolute total cross sections for the photodissociation of Ar 2 + , Kr 2 + , Xe 2 + , Kr N 2 + , and Kr N + from 565 to 695 nm

Absolute measurements have been made of total cross sections for the photodissociation of $\mathrm{Ar}_{2}^{}{}_{}{}^{+}$, $\mathrm{Kr}_{2}^{}{}_{}{}^{+}$, and $\mathrm{Xe}_{2}^{}{}_{}{}^{+}$ over the photon wavelength range 565-695 nm. A drift-tube mass-spectrometer apparatus was used with a tunable dye laser for these measurements. Calculations have been made of the bound-free Franck-Condon factors between the relevant ground and dissociating states of $\mathrm{Ar}_{2}^{}{}_{}{}^{+}$ and a comparison is made to the photodissociation results. It is shown that the photodissociation measurements provide a sensitive test of ionatom potential curves and that the absolute value of the transition dipole matrix element can be obtained from a match to the experimental data. In addition, we have obtained photodissociation cross sections for Ar$\mathrm{N}_{2}^{}{}_{}{}^{+}$, Kr$\mathrm{N}_{2}^{}{}_{}{}^{+}$, and Kr${\mathrm{N}}^{+}$.