cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Language Learning of Children With Typical Development Using a Deductive Metalinguistic Procedure

Purpose In the current study, the author aimed to determine whether 4- to 6-year-old typically developing children possess requisite problem-solving and language abilities to produce, generalize, and retain a novel verb inflection when taught using an explicit, deductive teaching procedure. Method Study participants included a cross-sectional sample of 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old children with typical cognitive and language development. The 66 participants were randomly assigned to either a deductive or inductive teaching condition in which they were taught a novel gender morphological inflection across 4 sessions. Learning was assessed on the basis of performance on learning, generalization, and maintenance probes. Results Across all age groups, children were more likely to successfully use the novel gender form when taught using the deductive procedure than if taught using the inductive procedure (Φ range: .33–.73). Analyses within each age group revealed a robust effect for the 5-year-old children, with les...
Computer simulation of calcium transport mechanisms: Application to the intestinal absorption of calcium

Computer simulations of transcellular transport across the intestinal epithelium were carried out using the simulation program SPICE. This program was originally designed to analyze electrical networks, but it is easily applied to many biological problems. The biological transport mechanisms which were successfully modeled by SPICE included: (1) the negative-feedback entry of calcium at the brush-border membrane; (2) a saturable exit of calcium at the baso-lateral membrane; (3) the binding of calcium to calbindin within the cell cytosol; and (4) the diffusion of both free calcium and calcium bound to calbindin through the cytosol from the apical aspect to the basal aspect of the enterocytes. A description of the SPICE network for each of these mechanisms is given, together with the simulated results of the transport mechanisms studied in isolation. This procedure allowed the validation of the individual transport mechanisms for situations in which closed-form solutions to the network were possible. The individual transport mechanisms were then assembled into a network which simulated transport across the epithelial layer. The simulations were conducted with or without calbindin. The results show that the diffusable calcium-binding protein, calbindin, increases the overall net calcium transport by increasing the net flux across the brush-border, cytosol, and baso-lateral membrane. Calbindin reduced the free calcium immediately adjacent to the brush-border membrane, thereby enhancing entry of calcium into the cell by relieving the negative feedback inhibition of calcium entry. Calbindin enhanced the diffusion of calcium through the cytosol by physically carrying the calcium through this compartment. Calbindin increased the free calcium adjacent to the baso-lateral Ca-ATPase extrusion mechanism, thereby providing substrate-level activation of calcium efflux into the blood side of the epithelium. The main advantage of the SPICE simulation program is its relative simplicity. The structure of the SPICE network maps readily onto the structure of the biological system, which clarifies the SPICE network as an analogue of the biological system.
Testicular regulation in nonmammalian vertebrates.

The successful dispersion of the recent vertebrates has depended ultimately upon the adaptation of their reproductive cycles to the environments in which they evolved. Since almost all habitable environments show some degree of fluctuation, adaptation to these environments has necessitated some control of the reproductive cycle to produce offspring at the time of the year most advantageous to their survival. Such control of the vertebrate reproductive cycle requires that the organism be able to sense changes in the environment and modify its physiology accordingly. This has been accomplished through modulation of the neuroendocrine system, which is basically the same from fish to mammals with only minor variations. It is likely that the ancestral group from which the vertebrates arose already possessed a pituitary gland (Barrington, 1968), but there is no way of knowing whether or not this ancestral pituitary had any control over the reproductive processes, as there are no protochordates with a recognizable pituitary. While there is some evidence of a relationship between the neural complex and the gonads of ascidians (Georges, 1976), attempts to trace the antecedents of the vertebrate pituitary to this specialized structure in tunicates (Berrill, 1955) or the wheel organ and Hatschek’s pit of Amphioxus (Barrington, 1964) have been singularly unsuccessful (reviews by Dodd, 1955; Charniaux-Cotton and Kleinholz, 1964; Bern and Nandi, 1964; Barrington, 1968; Olssen,
Techniques for Plan Recognition

Knowing a user's plans and goals can significantly improve the effectiveness of an interactive system. However, recognizing such goals and the user's intended plan for achieving them is not an easy task. Although much research has dealt with representing the knowledge necessary for plan inference and developing strategies that hypothesize the user's evolving plans, a number of serious problems still impede the use of plan recognition in large-scale, real-world applications. This paper describes the various approaches that have been taken to plan inference, along with techniques for dealing with ambiguity, robustness, and representation of requisite domain knowledge, and discusses areas for further research.
Appointment Scheduling Under Patient Preference and No-Show Behavior

Motivated by the rising popularity of electronic appointment booking systems, we develop appointment scheduling models that take into account the patient preferences regarding when they would like to be seen. The service provider dynamically decides which appointment days to make available for the patients. Patients arriving with appointment requests may choose one of the days offered to them or leave without an appointment. Patients with scheduled appointments may cancel or not show up for the service. The service provider collects a “revenue” from each patient who shows up and incurs a “service cost” that depends on the number of scheduled appointments. The objective is to maximize the expected net “profit” per day. We begin by developing a static model that does not consider the current state of the scheduled appointments. We give a characterization of the optimal policy under the static model and bound its optimality gap. Building on the static model, we develop a dynamic model that considers the current state of the scheduled appointments, and we propose a heuristic solution procedure. In our computational experiments, we test the performance of our models under the patient preferences estimated through a discrete choice experiment that we conduct in a large community health center. Our computational experiments reveal that the policies we propose perform well under a variety of conditions.
Empirical likelihood ratio confidence intervals for a single functional

SUMMARY The empirical distribution function based on a sample is well known to be the maximum likelihood estimate of the distribution from which the sample was taken. In this paper the likelihood function for distributions is used to define a likelihood ratio function for distributions. It is shown that this empirical likelihood ratio function can be used to construct confidence intervals for the sample mean, for a class of M-estimates that includes quantiles, and for differentiable statistical functionals. The results are nonparametric extensions of Wilks's (1938) theorem for parametric likelihood ratios. The intervals are illustrated on some real data and compared in a simulation to some bootstrap confidence intervals and to intervals based on Student's t statistic. A hybrid method that uses the bootstrap to determine critical values of the likelihood ratio is introduced.
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure use in children with obstructive sleep apnea younger than 2 years of age.

Study objectives: To assess the efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients who are < 2 years of age. Design: A retrospective chart review of 18 patients from 1992 to 1999 who had OSA confirmed by polysomnography. All patients in this study also completed a separate night of CPAP polysomnography to determine the effectiveness of CPAP in the correction of OSA. Nasal CPAP compliance data were gathered via clinical follow-up examination, telephone interview, or mailed questionnaire. Setting: All patients were studied in the Sleep Disorders Center at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital in Loma Linda, CA. Patients: All patients were < 2 years old. Intervention: After OSA was confirmed by the results of technician-attended nocturnal polysomnography, separate technician-attended nocturnal CPAP polysomnography was completed. On CPAP nights, CPAP pressure was titrated to ameliorate OSA and snoring. CPAP pressure was increased by 2-cm H2O or 1-cm H2O increments. Results: Data were analyzed by dependent groups t test at p < 0.05 level of significance. CPAP statistically improved respiratory parameters significantly when compared to baseline polysomnography. The following four patient subgroups emerged from the analysis: group 1 consisted of six patients who had tracheostomies prior to the CPAP trial, with two patients using CPAP as an alternative to tracheostomy; group 2 consisted of two patients who had previous unsuccessful adenostonsillectomies and who used CPAP successfully, with both having OSA resolution over time; group 3 consisted of four patients who did not tolerate CPAP on the study night; and group 4 consisted of six patients who used CPAP nightly, had OSA resolution over time, and therefore, no longer needed CPAP therapy. Thus, 10 of 18 patients used CPAP either on an interim basis for corrective therapy or as a primary treatment modality for OSA. Conclusions: These data show that children < 2 years of age can tolerate and use CPAP effectively. In several cases, CPAP treatment could be discontinued as OSA resolved over time. The reasons for this are discussed in the text. (CHEST 2000; 117:1608‐1612)
Is imaging relevant for treatment choice in early stage cervical uterine cancer

Abstract Background Improvement in the selection of patients with early cervical cancer eligible for different therapeutic options is expected from imaging. Objective We examined key tumoral features such as tumor diameter cut-off values of 2 cm or 4 cm in largest dimension, distance between tumor and internal os, outer third stromal cervical invasion, parametrial invasion and lymph node invasion. Search strategy We conducted a literature search to identify all relevant studies based on imaging that evaluated these parameters. Selection criteria Articles were only considered when data of imaging modalities were compared with histopathological findings of the surgical specimens, considered as the gold standard. Data collection and analysis We examined series that included more than 30 patients with primary untreated biopsy-confirmed cervical cancer. When numerous articles were obtained for one investigational modality, only series that included more than fifty patients were taken into account. Main results Data is lacking for the diagnostic value of imaging for assessing tumor diameter cut-off values of 2 cm or 4 cm, and distance between tumor and internal os. There is a high negative predictive value of MRI for complete stromal invasion. Accurate assessment of lymph node status in patients with early cervical cancer is still lacking. PET-CT role is promising, but the diagnostic value of normal-sized hypermetabolic lymph nodes needs further investigation. Conclusion Based on imaging, accurate selection of patients for treatment choice is still lacking in patients with early cervical cancer.
The Phonocardiographic Picture of Aortic Insufficiency

In the past, evidence of aortic incompetence was poorly documented by phonocardiography because the older instruments were unable to reproduce well high frequency murmurs. However, newer and more sophisticated instrumentation allows us to document these murmurs graphically and evaluate some of their characteristics that escape auscultation. Graphic tracings allow for a better evaluation of the second heart sound and may give some indication of the severity of the insufficiency through the amplitude, duration, and pattern of the murmur. Both systolic and diastolic murmurs are discussed and several types of the latter are described. The characteristics of the Austin Flint murmur are also discussed.
Medical students' international blogging community: a coping mechanism to survive the difficult years of medical school

This paper is a content analysis of a purposeful sample of 30 blogs, both posts and visitors' comments, selected from one international weblog community of medical students and representing 15 countries around the world. It offers a glimpse into both personal and professional aspects of medical students' lives and identifies various ways medical students may be using blogs as one of the coping mechanisms to survive the difficult years of medical school and residency training. Findings suggest that at least some medical students are benefiting from the blogging technology due to the ability to communicate with other members of medical students' virtual community of practice. These individuals are blogging mostly anonymously, thus expressing ideas and sharing experiences without a fear of mixing professional and personal lives. Blogging allows them to share ideas, ask questions, offer and obtain solutions, share cases and experiences, or simply socialise with other medical students, thus providing informal support to each other. In addition, it appears that many medical students use blogs to document their years of medical school and residency training as a way to reflect on their daily lives and offer valuable insights and advice to future students.
Whither Fema? Hurricane Katrina and FEMA's Response to the Gulf Coast:

The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 placed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) directly in the public spotlight. The agency came under tremendous criticism for its response, and its director resigned shortly after the hurricane. This article identifies and develops four themes (organizational location, organizational leadership, organizational emphasis, and federalism) drawn from the general literature in public administration and emergency management to provide a framework with which to analyze FEMA's post-Katrina responses and to place criticisms of the agency into a broader context.
Mechanical Behavior and Applications of Plasma Arc Welded Ceramics

Zirconium diboride and zirconium carbide-based ceramics were joined by plasma arc welding to demonstrate the versatility of this technique. A parent material composition consisting of ZrB2 with 20 vol% ZrC was hot pressed to near full density, sectioned to produce specimens for welding, and welded together to produce billets for mechanical property studies. The four-point flexure strength of the parent material was ~660 MPa, while the strength of the welded specimens ranged from ~140 to ~250 MPa. Microstructural analysis revealed that decreased strength in the welded specimens was caused by volume flaws, microcracking of large ZrB2 grains (up to 1 mm in length), and residual tensile stresses that developed at the surface of weld pools during cooling. The versatility of plasma arc welding was demonstrated by joining of ZrC-based ceramics and fabricating three ZrB2–ZrC components for potential applications, including a high-temperature electrical contact, an ultra-high-temperature thermocouple, and a wedge that was a notional wing leading edge. These three applications demonstrated the ability to join ceramics to a refractory metal, fabricate a chemically inert high-temperature thermocouple, and produce complex shapes for aerospace applications.
A review of the stable-isotope geochemistry of sulfate minerals in selected igneous environments and related hydrothermal systems

The stable-isotope geochemistry of sulfate minerals that form principally in I-type igneous rocks and in the various related hydrothermal systems that develop from their magmas and evolved fluids is reviewed with respect to the degree of approach to isotope equilibrium between minerals and their parental aqueous species. Examples illustrate classical stable-isotope systematics and principles of interpretation in terms of fundamental processes that occur in these systems to produce (1) sulfate in igneous apatite, (2) igneous anhydrite, (3) anhydrite in porphyry-type deposits, (4) magmatic-hydrothermal alunite and closely related barites in high-sulfidation mineral deposits, (5) coarse-banded alunite in magmatic-steam systems, (6) alunite and jarosite in steam-heated systems, (7) barite in low-sulfidation systems, (8) all of the above minerals, as well as soluble Al and Fe hydroxysulfates, in the shallow levels and surface of active stratovolcanoes. Although exceptions are easily recognized, frequently, the sulfur in these systems is derived from magmas that evolve fluids with high H2S/SO2. In such cases, the y 34 S values of the igneous and hydrothermal sulfides vary much less than those of sulfate minerals that precipitate from magmas and from their evolved fluids as they interact with igneous host rocks, meteoric water, oxygen in the atmosphere, and bacteria in surface waters. Hydrogen isotopic equilibrium between alunite and water and jarosite and water is always initially attained, thus permitting reconstruction of fluid history and paleoclimates. However, complications may arise in interpretation of yD values of magmatichydrothermal alunite in high-sulfidation gold deposits because later fluids may effect a postdepositional retrograde hydrogen– isotope exchange in the OH site of the alunite. This retrograde exchange also affects the reliability of the SO4–OH oxygen– isotope fractionations in alunite for use as a geothermometer in this environment. In contrast, retrograde exchange with later fluids is not significant in the lower temperature steam-heated environment, for which SO4–OH oxygen–isotope fractionations in alunite and jarosite can be an excellent geothermometer. Sulfur isotopic disequilibrium between coexisting (but noncontemporaneous) igneous anhydrite and sulfide may occur because of loss of fluid, assimilation of country-rock sulfur during crystallization of these minerals from a magma, disequilibrium effects related to reactions between sulfur species during fluid exsolution from magma, or because of retrograde isotope exchange in the sulfides. Anhydrite and coexisting sulfide from porphyry deposits commonly closely approach sulfur–isotope equilibrium, as is indicated by the general agreement of sulfur– isotope and filling temperatures (315 to 730 8C) in quartz. The data from anhydrite and coexisting sulfides also record a
The fundamental processes in conventional avalanche forecasting

Conventional avalanche forecasting is practiced as a mix of deterministic treat ment for snow and weather parameters and inductive logic to reach actual forecast decisions. Inductive logic of the scientific method dominates, making frequent use of iteration and redundancy to minimize decision uncertainties. The mental processes involved are holistic rather than analytical. Elementary information theory can be used rati onally to sort data categories for minimum entropy and optimize ind uctive reasoning. Recognizing these princ iples affords a chance to improve the pract ice and teaching of conventional forecas ting tech niques. REsuME. Les processus fondamentaux de la privision conventionnelle des avalanches. La pr<!vision conventionnelle des avalan ches est pratiquee corn me un melange d'un traite ment det erministe des param etres reJatifs a la neige et a la meteorologie et d'une logique induct ive pour aboutir aux decisions reelles du previsionnis te. La logique inductive de la methode scien tifique domine, faisant un usage frequent
Distributed Bragg deflector: a multifunctional integrated optical device.

The properties of wide-angle integrated optical Bragg deflectors which utilize slab-coupled optical waveguides, are analyzed. Specifically considered is the interaction that occurs, via the intermediary of a periodic waveguide perturbation, between an incident wave guide within the core region of the structure and a Bragg deflected beam guided within the slab region of the structure. The deflection efficiencies and far-field deflected-beam intensity patterns characteristic of this device configuration, which we term a distributed Bragg deflector or DBD, are derived for both T.E.-polarized and T.M.-polarized incident waves and for deflection angles between π/4 and 3π/4 rad. Following these derivations, discussion is made of the potential device applications of the basic DBD structure, including its use as an integrated optical modulator, polarizer/analyzer, beam divider, beam deflector, and intrawaveguide beam expander.
Individual differences in the activation and control of affective race bias as assessed by startle eyeblink response and self-report.

The activation and control of affective race bias were measured using startle eyeblink responses (Study 1) and self-reports (Study 2) as White American participants viewed White and Black faces. Individual differences in levels of bias were predicted using E. A. Plant and P. G. Devine’s (1998) Internal and External Motivation to Respond Without Prejudice scales (IMS/EMS). Among high-IMS participants, those low in EMS exhibited less affective race bias in their blink responses than other participants. In contrast, both groups of high-IMS participants exhibited less affective race bias in self-reported responses compared with low-IMS participants. Results demonstrate individual differences in implicit affective race bias and suggest that controlled, belief-based processes are more effectively implemented in deliberative responses (e.g., self-reports).
DILEMMAS OF ORGANIZING WOMEN OFFICE WORKERS

This article analyzes the conditions that facilitate or hinder office-worker activism. Participant observations in Baltimore Working Women, a local affiliate of 9 to 5, and interviews with 72 members and nonmembers revealed the dilemmas of organizing women office workers. Early joiners recruited themselves and then brought in friends for whom the costs of activism were greater. Job security, supportive bosses, and experience in protesting inequities eased the difficulties associated with activism, and commitment to working women's issues sustained activism. Those who feared reprisals from unsupportive bosses and coworkers but joined for friendship tended not to be active. Nonmembers' loyalty to employer and family demands limited their potential as recruits.
Mitigation of Acidic Conditions in Lakes and Streams

The use of calcitic limestone to decrease water acidity and increase divalent cations for maintenance of conditions conducive to desirable aquatic organisms is practiced on a wide scale. Experience gained from operational and research programs has shown no significant deleterious effects of treatment with fine powders of calcitic limestone. This material has many advantages; for example, appropriate particle size of limestone can be selected to design site-specific cost-effective treatment of streams and lakes. Two major uncertainties still exist: the effect of episodic acidification on fish and invertebrates and the levels of fish production attainable with long-term liming.
Reforming Confession Law British Style: A Decade of Experience With Adverse Inferences from Silence

In response to problems encountered in the administration of justice in Northern Ireland, the British government issued the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 changing the character of how the right to silence and privilege against self-incrimination would apply in criminal justice proceedings occurring within Northern Ireland. In general terms, the Order provided that suspects under interrogation and criminal defendants at trial would be subject to adverse inferences if they failed to answer police questions or refused to testify in court. The Order included some qualifications on when and how adverse inferences would be used, and provided that such use would not be permitted unless an appropriate warning was administered in advance. In 1994 the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act extended this system to England and Wales. In the years following issuance of the Order and passage of the subsequent legislation, British courts and the European Court of Human Rights have upheld the legitimacy of the revised right to silence system while clarifying some of its specific provisions. In addition, research efforts have been undertaken to assess the impact of the Order and legislation on the circumstances and frequency of assertions of the right to silence. This article reviews how court decisions have dealt with the Order and legislation as well as how the new approach to the right to silence has affected the administration of criminal justice over the course of the first decade of the new system. Reprinted with the permission of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review.
Relaxin and mammary growth in the mouse.

SummaryLittle or no increase in the percentage of positive mammary alveolar responses was obtained in ovariectomized mice treated with estrogen plus progesterone plus relaxin as compared to those treated with estrogen plus progesterone only. Progesterone inhibited the pelvic relaxing effect of estrogen or of estrogen plus relaxin. Neither progesterone nor relaxin exerted any significant modifying effect on the increased bone density resulting from estrogen administration.
Development and mapping of microsatellite markers derived from chicken chromosome-specific libraries

Abstract Chromosome-specific painting probes and libraries were developed for chicken Macrochromosomes 1, 2, 3, and 4 by chromosome microisolation and microcloning. Fluorescent in situ hybridization results using the painting probes on normal chicken metaphase chromosomes indicated the purity and specificity of each probe. Chromosome-specific libraries for chicken Macrochromosomes 1, 2, 3, and 4 were prepared in a phage vector. Fifty-two additional unique microsatellite markers of the (AC)n type were developed from these chromosome-specific libraries. These markers were mapped on the East Lansing reference population to increase the marker density on the four macrochromosomes. Results of the current study suggest that development of markers from chromosome-specific libraries is very useful for constructing high-density linkage maps for chicken macrochromosomes.
Combined Effect of Cobalt and Testosterone on Erythropoiesis

SummaryIt has been demonstrated that a combination of cobalt and testosterone serves to potentiate erythropoiesis in the polycythemic mouse, and acts synergistically to increase erythropoietin levels in the plasma of the normal mouse. When these 2 substances are used together, the erythropoietic response in plethoric animals and the amount of erythropoietin elaborated in normal animals are substantially greater than the sum of the responses produced by each agent separately.
Celebrating Our Differences—Fastering Ethnicity in Homogenous Settings

(1994). Celebrating Our Differences—Fastering Ethnicity in Homogenous Settings. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 65, Buyer's Guide Issue, pp. 62-68.
Critical Transport and Magnetization of La0.67Ca0.3MnO3

The critical magnetic properties of bulk La0.67Ca0.3MnO3 and magnetoresistance of a thin film with the sameTc were measured and critical exponents determined. The magnetization data can be scaled with β = 0.3 and γ = 0.9, except aboveTc which appears to be affected by a region whereX3 (M =XH +X3H3) is positive. AnM2 dependence of the magnetoconducitvity is observed aboveTc. BelowTc, however, such a correspondence between the critical magnetic and transport behavior is not found.
HRTEM Study of Structure and Evolution of Highly Mismatched Heteroepitaxial Interface, GaSe/GaAs(100)

The microstructural evolution of the GaSe/GaAs(100) thin film system was characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The relationship of crystallographic orientation between the GaSe thin film and the GaAs substrate is [011]GaAs ‖ [1100]GaSe/(100)GaAs ‖ (0001)GaSe, with the dominant polytype for the GaSe thin film being a γ-type which has a 3R-rhombohedral structure with R3m space group. An intermediate layer was observed between the GaAs substrate and the GaSe thin film, with a structure distinct from that of either GaAs or GaSe. The result of a fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the lattice image corresponding to the intermediate layer indicated that its crystal structure was associated with that of α-Ga2Se3. A new vacancy ordered structural model of β-Ga2Se3 was suggested.
Mild Cognitive Impairment in Late Middle Age in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention Study: Prevalence and Characteristics Using Robust and Standard Neuropsychological Normative Data

Objective Detecting cognitive decline in presymptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD) and early mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is challenging, but important for treatments targeting AD-related neurodegeneration. The current study aimed to investigate the utility and performance of internally developed robust norms and standard norms in identifying cognitive impairment in late middle-age (baseline age range = 36-68; M = 54). Method Robust norms were developed for neuropsychological measures based on longitudinally confirmed cognitively normal (CN) participants (n= 476). Seven hundred and seventy-nine participants enriched for AD risk were classified as psychometric MCI (pMCI) or CN based on standard and robust norms and "single-test" versus "multi-test" criteria. Results Prevalence of pMCI ranged from 3% to 49% depending on the classification scheme used. Those classified as pMCI using robust norms exhibited greater subjective cognitive complaints, diagnostic stability, and mild clinical symptoms at follow-up. Conclusions Results suggest that identifying early clinically relevant cognitive decline in late middle-age is feasible using robust norms and multi-test criteria.
Breeding and Cultivation Technique of‘Changbai 20’, a New Rice Variety of Early Maturity, High Yield and Good Quality

‘Changbai 20’was released by the Jilin Crops Variety Approval Committee in 2008.The new variety need about 2600℃ of active accumulated temperature.It has the characteristics of early ma-turity,high yield,good quality,lodging resistance,salt tolerance,strong resistance.
Use of Antibiotics Among Patients With Cirrhosis and Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding is Associated With Reduced Mortality.

Background & Aims Prophylactic antibiotics are recommended for all patients with cirrhosis hospitalized for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). We evaluated the association between use of antibiotics, outcomes of re-admissions, and mortality in these patients. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 6451 patients with cirrhosis (mean age, 60.6 y) in the Veterans Affairs health care system hospitalized for UGIB from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2013 (8655 hospitalizations). We collected information on patients' baseline features, hospitalizations, etiology of UGIB, antibiotics given, hospital re-admission within 30 days of discharge, and mortality. We defined timely administration of antibiotics as receipt from 8 hours before admission through 48 hours afterward. Results Timely administration of antibiotics occurred during 48.6% of admissions (n = 4210), increasing from 30.6% in 2005 to 58.1% in 2013. Independent predictors of antibiotic receipt included ascites, high model for end-stage liver disease score, esophageal variceal hemorrhage, and administration of octreotide or intravenous proton pump inhibitors. Variables associated with decreased odds of antibiotic provision included black race and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In multivariate analysis, timely administration of antibiotics was associated with a reduced 30-day mortality rate (adjusted odds ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.52–0.93; P = .012). Conclusions In a study of patients with cirrhosis and UGIB in the VA health care system, timely administration of antibiotics was associated with a 30% reduction in 30-day mortality. The proportion of patients with cirrhosis and UGIB receiving timely antibiotics nearly doubled from 2005 to 2013, but many patients—particularly those with less-advanced cirrhosis—did not receive this intervention. Targeted efforts are needed to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics among patients with cirrhosis and UGIB
Nutrition Management: A Physiological Basis for Yield Improvement

As resources become more limiting, greater emphasis will be placed on nursery and forest nutritional management to achieve reliable reforestation, shorten rotations and improve marginal site productivity. Nursery fertilization with few adverse effects can increase production efficiency. Properly applied fertilizers increase seedling growth after outplanting and enhance seedling drought and cold-hardiness.
In vitro expression and biosynthesis of prion protein.

Prion protein (PrP) is an endogenous protein of central nervous system and a variety of other mammalian tissues (Chesebro et al. 1985; Oesch et al. 1985; Hope et al. 1986; Meyer et al. 1986; Rubenstein et al. 1986; Cho 1986; Hope et al. 1988; Caughey et al. 1988a). Although its function is not clear, it has been reported recently that PrP may participate in lymphocyte activation (Cashman et al. 1990). In addition, a partially homologous protein of chickens has been reported to be involved in the regulation of the expression of a neurotransmitter receptor at the neuromuscular junction (Harris et al. 1989). A common feature of scrapie, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, kuru, Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome and related transmissible neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of a protease-resistant form of prion protein (PrP-res1) in tissues harboring substantial amounts of the transmissible agent (Bolton et al. 1982; Diringer et al. 1983; McKinley et al. 1983; Brown et al. 1986). Unlike the normal, protease-sensitive PrP (PrP-sen1), PrP-res has the tendency to aggregate into amyloid-like fibrils (Prusiner et al. 1983; Diringer et al. 1983; DeArmond et al. 1985; Cho 1986; Wiley et al. 1987; Merz et al. 1987) and plaques (Bendheim et al. 1984; DeArmond et al. 1985; Roberts et al. 1986; Wiley et al. 1987) and has been identified as a major component of brain fractions enriched for the scrapie agent (Bolton et al. 1982; Diringer et al. 1983).
Monitoring Usage of Workstations with a Relational Database

The ability to monitor usage of groups of workstations is quite useful for planning growth, facility hours, staffing and other issues; but in our case, both the format of the data (/var/adm/wtmp) and the fact that the data was spread over hundreds of different workstations made any analysis difficult at best. In this paper, we explore the use of a relational database to collect all the raw data, convert it to a standard form, and then provide selection tools to extract data sets. We also examine some ways to process session data to provide more meaningful reports and charts for administrators.
Economic benefits of plug-in electric vehicles using V2G for grid performance-based regulation service

With advancement of the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are able to connect to the electric grid and participate in the grid regulation markets. Thus the large-scale PEV penetration into transportation systems will play an essential role for the grid support in the future. In this paper, a comprehensive daily economic benefit model for the PEV is formulated to analyze its costs and revenues of adopting unidirectional and bidirectional V2G technologies to provide grid performance-based regulation (PBR) services. Case studies considering three different types of PEVs with different charging rates and V2G capabilities are discussed. The simulation results quantitatively demonstrate the economic profit of PEVs to participate in the grid regulation service market. The sensitivities of the profit to battery sizes and charging rates are also analyzed.
Health Literacy and Awareness of Atrial Fibrillation.

BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinically significant arrhythmia in adults and a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. Nonetheless, previous research suggests that many indi...
Butyrylcholinesterase regulates central ghrelin signaling and has an impact on food intake and glucose homeostasis

Ghrelin is the only orexigenic hormone known to stimulate food intake and promote obesity and insulin resistance. We recently showed that plasma ghrelin is controlled by butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), which has a strong impact on feeding and weight gain. BChE knockout (KO) mice are prone to obesity on high-fat diet, but hepatic BChE gene transfer rescues normal food intake and obesity resistance. However, these mice lack brain BChE and still develop hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, suggesting essential interactions between BChE and ghrelin within the brain. To test the hypothesis we used four experimental groups: (1) untreated wild-type mice, (2) BChE KO mice with LUC delivered by adeno-associated virus (AAV) in combined intravenous (i.v.) and intracerebral (i.c.) injections, (3) KO mice given AAV for mouse BChE (i.v. only) and (4) KO mice given the same vector both i.v. and i.c. All mice ate a 45% calorie high-fat diet from the age of 1 month. Body weight, body composition, daily caloric intake and serum parameters were monitored throughout, and glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance tests were performed at intervals. Circulating ghrelin levels dropped substantially in the KO mice after i.v. AAV–BChE delivery, which led to normal food intake and healthy body weight. BChE KO mice that received AAV–BChE through i.v. and i.c. combined treatments not only resisted weight gain on high-fat diet but also retained normal glucose and insulin tolerance. These data indicate a central role for BChE in regulating both insulin and glucose homeostasis. BChE gene transfer could be a useful therapy for complications linked to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance.
The Internet of People (IoP): A new wave in pervasive mobile computing

Abstract Cyber–Physical convergence, the fast expansion of the Internet at its edge, and tighter interactions between human users and their personal mobile devices push towardan Internet where the human user becomes more central than ever, and where their personal devices become their proxies in the cyber world, in addition to acting as a fundamental tool to sense the physical world. The current Internet paradigm, which is infrastructure-centric, is not the right one to cope with such emerging scenario with a wider range of applications. This calls for a radically new Internet paradigm, that we name the Internet of People (IoP), where the humans and their personal devices are not seen merely as end users of applications, but become active elements of the Internet. Note that IoP is not a replacement of the current Internet infrastructure, but it exploits legacy Internet services as (reliable) primitives to achieve end-to-end connectivity on a global-scale. In this visionary paper, we first discuss the key features of the IoP paradigm along with the underlying research issues and challenges. Then we present emerging networking and computing paradigms that are anticipating IoP.
Pathologic anatomy of the soft palate, part 2: The soft tissue lever arm, pathology, and surgical correction

Pathologic anatomy of the soft palate, part 2: The soft tissue lever arm, pathology, and reconstruction. In part two, we consider the soft tissue components of the soft palate: Epithelium, fascia, muscles, arterial supply, and innervation. These velar tissues constitute a functional “lever arm” for control of speech and swallowing. Fascia and peripheral nerves arise neural crest originating from rhombomeres 2–7. Muscles arise from paraxial mesoderm (PAM) of somitomeres 4, 6, and 7. Lateral plate mesoderm lying outside of PAM provides the building blocks of the circulatory system. Neurovascular analysis discloses the soft palate to have three developmental zones with distinct sources of neurovascular supply. Emphasis is placed on the anterior third of the palatine aponeurosis; this critical structure determines where the levator complex will insert. The basic field defect of soft palate clefts arises from insufficiency of the lesser palatine neurovascular pedicle affecting the posterior palatine shelf and anterior 1/3 of the palatine aponeurosis. This leads to forward displacement of the levator complex and pathologic insertion onto the bony margin of the cleft site. Soft-tissue disruption will then be presented in terms of the simple genetic loop between bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) and Sonic hedgehog. The migration of soluble factors such as BMP-4 from their origin with developing bone to the free border of the epithelium permitting fusion of adjacent structures.
Advocates for Community Health and Social Justice: A Case Example of a Multisystemic Promotores Organization in South Carolina

This article explores the promise of infusing the community health worker—Promotores—model within social work. In support of community health and social justice, we encourage a return to the historical legacy of this model and our profession by emphasizing not only access and quality of health and social services, but also indigenous leadership development and community advocacy to engender multisystemic change. In so doing, we highlight a richly successful Promotores organization—PASOs—serving Latino communities throughout South Carolina and conclude by discussing the possibilities of this model as we strive to (re)imagine culturally responsive approaches to social work research and practice.
Survival following resection for second and third primary lung cancers.

The performance of sequential resections and the consideration of new lesions as second or third primary lung cancers remain controversial issues. Criteria to define these as new primary lesions depend upon a difference in histologic types, a prolonged interval between initial and second or third resections, and location in the contralateral lung or a different ipsilateral lobe. Ninety patients have undergone multiple resections for bronchogenic carcinoma from 1960 to December, 1983. There were 10 examples of synchronous lesions and the remaining 80 were metachronous with the longest interval between resections being 17 years, 4 months. The initial surgical procedure was pneumonectomy in 11, lobectomy in 43, sleeve lobectomy in eight, segmentectomy in 27, and carinal resection in one. At the second operation, the procedures were segmentectomy in 55, lobectomy in 11, completion lobectomy in six, and completion pneumonectomy in 15. Two patients had sternotomy with bilateral resections and one patient had a tracheal resection. At the third operation, the procedures were segmentectomy in seven, completion lobectomy in two, and completion pneumonectomy in two. In 20 patients undergoing the second procedure and three undergoing a third resection, a different cell type was identified. The perioperative mortality following the second operation was seven of 90 patients (8 %) and there were no deaths in those patients undergoing three resections. The cumulative survival rate following second resection in 80 patients with metachronous tumors was 33 % at 5 years and 20 % at 10 years. These data support continued aggressive surgical approach to second and third primary lung cancers.
Evidence for Association of Epstein-Barr Virus with Malignant Lymphoepithelial Lesion of Salivary Gland

Cancer incidence reports from Alaska, Greenland, and Canada document an increased risk for developing malignant salivary gland tumors among Eskimos.(1) The majority of these tumors are anaplastic, with a definite epithelial component and heavy lymphocytic infiltrate. Some pathologists have classified them as malignant lymphoepithelial lesions (MLEL). The same groups of people have been shown to have an increased risk of developing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a tumor well-recognized to be associated with Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). Since 1976 all new NPC patients diagnosed at the Alaska Native Medical Center have been evaluated for EBV, using serology, touch preparations and DNA hybridization, the results of which are published elsewhere. During the same period of time other head and neck malignancies have been evaluated for EBV by the same methods.
Language Identification, Automatic

Language identification is a type of text categorization problem in which samples are sorted according to their language. A variety of methods have been used to solve this problem, based on low-level statistics such as word, n-gram, or letter frequencies in a variety of contexts. The accuracy of the solutions is generally very good, but higher-level questions about the ability of these solutions to generalize, for example, to images, to non-Latin alphabets, and to handwriting have not been fully explored.
Electrochemical Azidooxygenation of Alkenes Mediated by a TEMPO-N3 Charge-Transfer Complex.

We report a mild and efficient electrochemical protocol to access a variety of vicinally C–O and C–N difunctionalized compounds from simple alkenes. Detailed mechanistic studies revealed a distinct reaction pathway from those previously reported for TEMPO-mediated reactions. In this mechanism, electrochemically generated oxoammonium ion facilitates the formation of azidyl radical via a charge-transfer complex with azide, TEMPO–N3. DFT calculations together with spectroscopic characterization provided a tentative structural assignment of this charge-transfer complex. Kinetic and kinetic isotopic effect studies revealed that reversible dissociation of TEMPO–N3 into TEMPO• and azidyl precedes the addition of these radicals across the alkene in the rate-determining step. The resulting azidooxygenated product could then be easily manipulated for further synthetic elaborations. The discovery of this new reaction pathway mediated by the TEMPO+/TEMPO• redox couple may expand the scope of aminoxyl radical chemistr...
But What About the Forest? Mature Forests and Highland Maya Medicinal Plants

Economic arguments have been made to justify conservation of tropical mature forests. These forests are assumed to be rich in potential pharmaceuticals and medicinal plants. Conservationists and ethnobotanists have made this point in a number of fora. A related assumption is that mature tropical forests are a significant habitat for indigenous peoples to find medicinal plants. Systematic studies of actual plant use and procurement have been rare in ethnobotany. However, there are several studies that suggest mature tropical forest is not significant habitat for indigenous peoples to obtain medicinal plants. In Highland Chiapas, we found no use of mature forest as a source of medicinal plants. Young secondary forest is rarely utilized to obtain medicinal plants. The same pattern is observed in communities that are adjacent to mature forests and could have easy access to them.
Poor Sleep Associates With Recent Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Engagement in Adolescents.

Objective/Background: Poor sleep has been shown to have multiple negative outcomes during adolescence, in both academic and mental health domains. Several studies have identified the association be...