cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data on burden of comorbidities in the united states and medicaid expansion status

The high prevalence of comorbidities among US adults is a major public health problem. However, there is limited data on the geographic distribution of comorbidities. In addition, recent changes to health insurance programs in the US through the Affordable Care Act, and the Medicaid expansion program specifically, has the potential to significantly improve the prevention and management of comorbid conditions in the US. In a recent analysis, we examined disparities in the burden of comorbidities among US adults by state Medicaid expansion status, (Akinyemiju et al., 2016) [1]. Here, we provide additional data showing the state level mean number of comorbidities in all 50 US states for African–Americans and whites, stratified by Medicaid expansion status. In addition, we provide a map of the US states showing the geographic distribution of comorbidities and stratified by race/ethnicity and gender.
Indications for cardiac surgery.

Determination of the operability of cardiac lesions requires the teamwork of the cardiologist, physiologist and surgeon, and the final decision depends on a balance between the prognosis without surgery and the risk of the operative procedure. The risk of surgery also must be considered in the light of the completeness of normal function which may be expected if the procedure is successful. All these factors except prognosis without surgery are changing rapidly. Indications for specific lesions of both congenital and acquired origins are discussed, and some predictions are made for the future.
Prediction, Filtering, and Identification

In navigation systems, orbit determination and satellite tracking, among other areas, it is required to estimate the position, velocity and other parameters of moving objects by processing data in ground or satellite terminals. Often it is required to obtain an estimate in real time, without storing the data for long periods of time. Particularly in space-borne systems, the power and weight of the processing equipment is hmited. The current estimate is updated using the previous estimate and the current measurement data in some fashion without using the entire set of measurement data each time. This estimation procedure is known as recursive estimation and Kaiman filtering is one of the popular techniques. This chapter will be devoted to estimation, identification, and prediction of signals given by dynamical system. The signal is identified as the state of the dynamical system. The signal or the state may not be measured directly. We will describe the state space for the dynamical system. The state space method converts the signal to a Markov process. We will be concerned with estimation and identification of Markov processes and system modeUing. We will touch upon controllabihty, observability, and stabihty of the dynamical system. Section 5.1 deals with the state space method. The estimation procedure for Kaiman filtering will be derived using the innovation theorem and the projection theorem. This derivation is simple, short, and consistent with the point of view of signal processing.
“Outing” the French Gay Media (The 1990s and 2000s)

Since the 1980s, strategies of assimilation stemming from the universalist discourse of French republicanism have shaped the character of political demands as well as the nature of the resulting legal reforms. In this final chapter, the focus is on the influence of republican universalist rhetoric on gay media from the 1990s through the 2000s, a period that has been marked more by media messages than any other since the Second World War. More specifically, this final chapter turns to three contemporary media sources, the magazine Tetu, the magazine Preferences, and the French television station PinkTV, for its analysis of the ways in which interiorized forms of self-control continue to influence contemporary French gays’ selfrepresentations and prevent them from asserting difference even in their own media.
Parenting School-Age Children and Adolescents Through Military Deployments

This chapter explores the parenting of school-age children and adolescents in military families, with particular attention to the dynamics of parent-child relationships before, during, and after military deployment; the role of the deployed and at-home parent; and the potential supports offered from parent or family-focused interventions. The chapter provides insights from a longitudinal study on the impact of deployments on families, calling out key data on parent–child relationships during this developmental period. The chapter also identifies questions that are unanswered about parenting this age group in military families, with specific discussion of opportunities for both research and practice.
Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Balloon Dilation for Benign Biliary Strictures

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for percutaneous transhepatic biliary balloon dilation for benign strictures procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
Fate of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment and in Water Treatment Systems

Occurrence and Analysis of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Environmental Presence and Persistence of Pharmaceuticals: An Overview, S.T. Glassmeyer, D.W. Kolpin, E.T. Furlong, and M.J. Focazio Advances in the Analysis of Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment, S. Perez and D. Barcelo Sample Preparation and Analysis of Solid-Bound Pharmaceuticals, C. Klein, S. O'Connor, J. Locke, and D. Aga Gadolinium Containing Contrast Agents for MRI : Investigations on the Environmental Fate and Effects, C. Neubert, R. Lange, and T. Steger-Hartmann Environmental Fate and Transformations of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals Fate and Transport of Veterinary Medicines in the Soil Environment, A.B.A. Boxall Sorption and Degradation of Selected Pharmaceuticals in Soil and Manure, N. Carmosini and L.S. Lee Mobility of Tylosin and Enteric Bacteria in Soil Columns, K.L. Henderson, T.B. Moorman, and J.R. Coats Plant Uptake of Pharmaceuticals from Soil Determined by ELISA, R.J. Schneider Antibiotic Transformation in Plants via Glutathione Conjugation, M.H. Farkas, J.O. Berry, and D.S. Aga Treatment of Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water and Wastewater Drugs in Drinking Water : Treatment Options, H.S. Weinberg, V.J. Pereira, and Z. Ye Removal of Endocrine Disruptors and Pharmaceuticals during Water Treatment, S.A. Snyder, H. Lei, and E.C. Wert Reaction and Transformation of Antibacterial Agents with Aqueous Chlorine under Relevant Water Treatment Conditions, C.-H. Huang, M.C. Dodd, and A.D. Shah Hormones in Waste from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, Z. Zhao, K.F. Knowlton, and N.G. Love Treatment of Antibiotics in Swine Wastewater, C.D. Adams Removal of Pharmaceuticals in Biological Wastewater Treatment Plants, S. Kim, A.S. Weber, A. Batt, and D.S. Aga Chemical Processes During Biological Wastewater Treatment,W.F. Harper, Jr., T. Floyd-Smith, and T. Yi
Reference service: Past, present, and future

Historique du service de reference et de sa teneur. Breve synthese des questions soulevees a leur propos par la litterature scientifique. Nouvelle conception du service de reference, qui serait a la fois informatise et redistribue
Random-intercept misspecification in generalized linear mixed models for binary responses

We study properties of maximum likelihood estimators of parameters in generalized linear mixed models for a binary response in the presence of random-intercept model misspecification. Further exploiting the test proposed in an existing work initially designed for detecting general random-effects misspecification, we are able to reveal how the true random-intercept distribution deviates from the assumed. Besides this advance compared to the existing methods, we also provide theoretical insights on when and why the proposed test has low power to identify certain forms of misspecification. Large-sample numerical study and finite-sample simulation experiments are carried out to illustrate the theoretical findings.
Primary Angiitis of the Center Nervous System: A Clinical Challenge Diagnosed Postmortem

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare vasculitis involving medium and small blood vessels of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges, without systemic involvement. The diffuse and patchy nature of its pathology is reflected by a wide spectrum of nonspecific clinical symptoms. Diagnosis is challenging due to lack of defined clinical criteria or specific imaging findings. Specific workup should be done only after exclusion of other etiologies, including infectious, neoplastic, toxic, and other vascular etiologies including systemic vasculitis. Given the fact that it is a patchy disease with 25% of the biopsies being falsely negative, treating physician should have a high index of suspicion despite negative initial neurovascular imaging and biopsy results. Once diagnosed, early treatment with immunosuppressive therapy is essential to avoid permanent neurologic damage. Herein, we are reporting a case of 66-year-old female patient who presented with insidious onset right-sided frontal headache. Her hospital course progressively worsened and family decision based on her wishes was to refer her to hospice and comfort care. Despite an extensive workup with advanced imaging techniques, no diagnosis was established until postmortem autopsy and histopathology confirmed primary angiitis of the central nervous system.
Baroreflex and neurovascular responses to skeletal muscle mechanoreflex activation in humans: an exercise in integrative physiology

Cardiovascular adjustments to exercise resulting in increased blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) occur in response to activation of several neural mechanisms: the exercise pressor reflex, central command, and the arterial baroreflex. Neural inputs from these feedback and feedforward mechanisms integrate in the cardiovascular control centers in the brain stem and modulate sympathetic and parasympathetic neural outflow, resulting in the increased BP and HR observed during exercise. Another specific consequence of the central neural integration of these inputs during exercise is increased sympathetic neural outflow directed to the kidneys, causing renal vasoconstriction, a key reflex mechanism involved in blood flow redistribution during increased skeletal muscle work. Studies in humans have shown that muscle mechanoreflex activation inhibits cardiac vagal outflow, decreasing the sensitivity of baroreflex control of HR. Metabolite sensitization of muscle mechanoreceptors can lead to reduced sensitivity of baroreflex control of HR, with thromboxane being one of the metabolites involved, via greater inhibition of cardiac vagal outflow without affecting baroreflex control of BP or baroreflex resetting. Muscle mechanoreflex activation appears to play a predominant role in causing renal vasoconstriction, both in isolation and in the presence of local metabolites. Limited investigations in older adults and patients with cardiovascular-related disease have provided some insight into how the influence of muscle mechanoreflex activation on baroreflex function and renal vasoconstriction is altered in these populations. However, future research is warranted to better elucidate the specific effect of muscle mechanoreflex activation on baroreflex and neurovascular responses with aging and cardiovascular-related disease.
The Impact of Roaming Radicals on the Combustion Properties of Transportation Fuels

Abstract A systematic investigation on the effects of roaming radical reactions on global combustion properties for transportation fuels is presented. New software was developed that can automatically predict all the possible roaming pathways within a given chemical kinetic mechanism. This novel approach was applied to two mechanisms taken from the literature, one for heptane and one for butanol. Ignition delay times and laminar flame speeds were computed over a broad range of conditions, while testing varying degrees of roaming. As the degree of roaming is increased, the ignition delays increased, consistent with the hypothesis that roaming decreases the reactivity of the system. The percent increase in the ignition delay is strongly temperature dependent, with the largest effect seen in the negative temperature coefficient regime. Outside of this temperature range, the effect of roaming on global combustion properties is small, on the order of a few percent for ignition delays and less than a percent for flame speeds. The software that was used to create the new mechanisms and test the effects of roaming on combustion properties are freely available, with detailed tutorials that will enable it to be applied to fuels other than heptane and butanol.
Another Look at Anchoring and Stock Return Predictability

Abstract The superior performance of a momentum strategy long in stocks trading near their 52-week high prices and short in stocks trading far from their 52-week high prices is well-documented. In contrast, recent research finds that a similar strategy based on historical high prices exhibits subsequent reversals instead. This paper shows that after excluding low-priced stocks and/or January returns from the sample, the stocks trading near their historical high prices, in fact, exhibit significant outperformance. In particular, in a sample without low-priced stocks, a strategy long in 10% of the stocks with prices nearest to their historical high prices and short in 10% of the stocks with prices furthest from their historical high prices earns an average monthly return of 0.93% in non-January months. The performance of 52-week high momentum strategy also improves significantly upon exclusion of low-priced stocks and/or January returns. These findings have important implications for the anchoring-based behavioral explanations of these return patterns.
Confirming the Prevalence, Characteristics, and Utility of Ecological Theory in Explaining Prescription Stimulant Misuse

To examine the prevalence, characteristics, and utility of ecological theory in explaining prescription stimulant misuse, a probability sample of 499 students from one southern California university (response rate = 94.71%) completed a 100-item paper-based survey. The illicit use of prescription stimulants (IUPS) during college was reported by approximately 21% of students, with approximately 13% of users reporting 10 or more occurrences per academic term. Characteristics of use that were examined suggest a growing trend toward recreational use. We used structural equation modeling to replicate a previously tested ecological model. The number of significant paths in this replication study (i.e., 22) was similar to the number of significant paths in the original study (i.e., 25), and 21 of the significant paths from the original study retained their significance in the replication. Results confirm prescription stimulant misuse remains prevalent, characteristics of the behavior are cause for concern, and ec...
Jürgen Habermas on Society and Politics: A Reader. Edited by Steven Seidman

(1991). Jurgen Habermas on Society and Politics: A Reader. Edited by Steven Seidman. Argumentation and Advocacy: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 42-44.
A priori pulse shaper design for constant-strain-rate tests of elastic-brittle materials

Pulse shaping techniques have been used for many years now in Kolsky bar testing of brittle materials. The use of pulse shapers allow the experimentalist to conduct high-strain-rate tests on brittle materials while ensuring that the sample will achieve a state of dynamic stress equilibrium before it fails, as well as to achieve a constant-strain-rate loading state for a large portion of the test. The process of choosing the appropriate pulse shaper system has typically been one of trail-and-error, sometimes requiring many experimental trails to achieve optimal results. Advances in analytic modeling of Kolsky bar tests now make it possible, in an a priori fashion, to design a pulse shaper system to produce a known constant-strain-rate experiment. This paper describes the approach of coupling these analytic models to an optimization technique to quickly find a pulse shaper system that will produce an experiment at a known constant-strain-rate. Experiments were conducted and the model predictions compared to resulting strain-rate histories for a G-10 material.
The Effects of Cultural Differences on Accountability and Information Search and Analysis by Industrial Buyers

Firms targeting business-to-business markets must possess an in-depth knowledge of the organizational buying process and the countless factors which influence it. Recently, the role accountability plays in organizational decision making has received attention in the literature. Accountability, defined as the pressure to justify one’s decisions to others (Tetlock 1983), is a fact of organizational life and should be incorporated into the research on organizational decision making. However, while these studies shed light on the real-world context in which organizational decision makers decide, they generally ignore the influence of culture on accountability and its outcomes. This presents a serious limitation since the specific norms, values, and ideologies to which people are held accountable differ dramatically from one culture to the next. Therefore, what is considered a socially acceptable justification for behavior likely depends on social contextual factors such as “cultural system” ideologies (Tetlock 1985, p. 308). In other words, the steps decision makers take to cope with demands for accountability may depend upon cultural factors.
An Emerging Picture of the Biological Roles of Selenoprotein K

Recent insight has been made regarding the biological role(s) for selenoprotein K (SelK) in humans and other organisms. Suggested functions for mammalian SelK include protection against oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes, regulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in HepG2 cells, and facilitation of calcium flux in immune cells during receptor-mediated activation. The data supporting these functions as well as other aspects of SelK are summarized in this chapter.
Immunoengineering: Prospects for Correction of Age-Related Immunodeficiency States

The term immunoengineering in the context used here refers to procedures that may serve to ameliorate the immunologic abnormalities associated with aging. Such amelioration would be important for both theoretical and practical reasons. From the standpoint of theory, it has been repeatedly emphasized that the only valid test of an aging hypothesis requires significant extension of the life span of long-lived strains of animals, including extension of the longest-lived or tenth decile survivorship (Walford, 1969, 1974). Considered in these terms, life span cannot be extended merely by eliminating specific diseases (Strehler, 1975). A major extension of longest-lived survivorship by measures that can only be interpreted immunologically would constitute formal proof of the immunologic theory of aging, at least in terms of pathogenesis (Walford, 1974).
Targeted Therapy in Advanced Thyroid Cancer to Resensitize Tumors to Radioactive Iodine

Context Many differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) dedifferentiate and become radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory (RAIR) with worse outcomes. Targeted therapy (TTx) may downregulate MAPK signaling and sensitize tumors to RAI. Objective We describe patients with RAIR DTC receiving TTx with demonstrated RAI uptake allowing for iodine-131 (I131) administration. Design Charts of patients with metastatic, progressive, RAIR DTC in whom TTx increased RAI uptake on a diagnostic whole-body scan (WBS), were reviewed. Results of WBS, I131 administration, thyroglobulin (TG) panels, and cross-sectional studies were recorded. Setting Thirteen patients [median age (range), 56 (45 to 75) years; seven men] were included; 11 (85%) had DTC, two (15%) had poorly DTC. Nine (69%) had BRAF mutations, three (23%) had RAS mutations, and one (8%) was wild type. Selective BRAF or an MEK inhibitor TTx was continued for a median (range) of 14.3 (1 to 76.4) months before diagnostic WBS. Results Nine (69%) patients were treated with I131 [median (range) activity, 204.4 (150 to 253) mCi], after which TTx was discontinued. Median (range) follow-up was 8.3 (0 to 17.4) months after I131 therapy. All nine patients had durable disease control (three had partial response, six had stable disease). TG and TG antibody levels increased in patients who demonstrated uptake before TTx, and declined in eight of the nine patients after I131 treatment. Adverse events included pneumonitis and sialadenitis. Conclusion TTx in BRAF-/RAS-mutated RAIR DTC resensitizes tumors to iodine. Subsequent I131 administration results in meaningful responses. Patient selection, adverse events, response duration, and survival impact require additional study.
Building on “Misconceptions” and Students’ Intuitions in Advanced Mathematics

The goal of this chapter is to challenge deficit perspectives about students and their knowledge. I argue that predominant reliance on formal procedural knowledge in most undergraduate mathematics curricula and the oftentimes focus on students’ misconceptions contribute to the racialized and gendered inequities in mathematics education. I discuss my design of an instructional tool to learn the formal limit definition in calculus called the Pancake Story. The story builds on a misconception and student’s everyday intuitions. A successful sensemaking episode by a Chicana student illustrates the utility of everyday intuitions leveraged in the story and the inaccuracy and harm of the notion of “misconceptions.” Recognizing misconceptions as students’ attempts to make sense of mathematics, solidifying such knowledge by finding an appropriate context for it, and leveraging other knowledge resources are explicit ways to challenge dominant power structures in our practice.
Flying into the Sun

After 60 years of technological and materials development, in August this year the Parker Solar Probe set off on its journey to skim the atmosphere of the Sun. Mission Scientist Adam Szabo summarizes this ambitious adventure.
Middle-range theories as models: New criteria for analysis and evaluation

This essay argues for a new perspective on the analysis and evaluation of middle-range theory. The commonly used criteria for theory evaluation in nursing are not as useful as they should be, and the root of the problem is an inappropriate understanding of middle-range theory. In spite of their name, middle-range theories should not be analysed and evaluated as concrete or limited versions of more general theories. Rather, they are best understood as models. The latter sections of this essay present a new method for analysing middle-range theories and new criteria for their evaluation. Analysing and evaluating theories relevant to nursing as models has the capacity to increase their scholarly and clinical usefulness.
Asymptomatic megacolon persisting six years after toxic dilatation of the colon. Report of a case.

A case of asymptomatic chronic megacolon persisting 6 years after an acute toxic dilatation due to ulcerative colitis is reported. Persistence of colonic dilatation in the absence of symptoms of ulcerative colitis is compatible with normal bowel function and does not, of itself, constitute an indication for surgery nor does it necessarily predispose to recurrence of the disease.
Estimating Rotor Suspension Parameters from Runout Data

Determining the dynamic characteristics of rotor suspensions is needed to make accurate predictions of rotor behavior. If direct measurements are unavailable, a method for estimating them is needed. This paper describes a method for estimating suspension characteristics from rotor runout data measured by proximity probes in a rotor test stand. Comparison of measured critical speeds with values predicted using the estimated rotor suspension parameters for a test rotor show good agreement, indicating that the method is valid.
Partial Discharge Testing of Form-Wound Air-Core Armature Windings for a High-Frequency PMSM for Electric Aircraft Applications

Electric aircraft makes aviation more efficient and sustainable. Experimentally demonstrated hybrid and fully electric aircrafts require high voltage electric systems and high-power density machines for their commercial usage. Insulation life time of these electrical systems should be substantial to make these designs feasible for commercial aircraft applications. While insulation degradation due to the aeronautical environment on high voltage cables are heavily researched, impact on winding insulation is not investigated. Life time of motors significantly depend on the winding insulation quality. This paper presents the insulation qualification analysis and its impact on life time for a form-wound air-core armature winding using partial discharge (PD) test. The windings that were tested and presented in this paper are designed using Litz-wire for a high-speed 1MW permanent magnet synchronous motor(PMSM). In this paper, special attention is given to the high altitude operating condition of the machine and the PD tests are performed under those conditions. These results are used to investigate the impact of voltage induced stress on the life time of the machine. Temperature and pressure variation and its impact on PD activity on the implemented windings insulation scheme are experimentally tested.
Key to Genera of Fourth Instar Mosquito Larvae of Texas

Abstract Identification keys are provided for the genera of fourth instar larval mosquitoes of Texas. Illustrations and photographs of selected diagnostic morphological characters are used in the keys. Twelve genera are presented in this chapter, including Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Culiseta, Deinocerites, Haemagogus, Mansonia, Orthopodomyia, Psorophora, Toxorhynchites, and Uranotaenia.
Filamentous organisms degrade oxygen transfer efficiency by increasing mixed liquor apparent viscosity: Mechanistic understanding and experimental verification.

Abstract Recent findings have demonstrated that activated sludge morphology significantly impacts oxygen transfer efficiency (OTE) in the activated sludge process. In this study, we developed a mechanistic understanding of this impact. Mixed liquor samples collected from a domestic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were blended with a bulking activated sludge from a bench scale reactor (BSR) cultured on synthetic wastewater to manipulate various morphological parameters such as the settled sludge volume (SV), the sludge volume index (SVI), and the specific filament length (SFL). The filaments that were present in the blended sludges consisted largely of Type 0041 and Type 021N, which are commonly found in WWTPs that treat domestic wastewater. Variations in sludge morphology, as quantified by settled sludge volume after 30 min (SV30), SVI, and SFL, systematically affected the mixed liquor apparent viscosity (μapp), which consequently impacted OTE. An increase in the SFL from 9.61 × 106 μm g−1 to 6.88 × 107 μm g−1 resulted in a 41.4% increase in apparent viscosity and a 24.6% decrease in volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KLa). A new parameter, named the ultimate settleability (SVULT), was developed by curve fitting the SV versus time data and found to relate with μapp through an expanded form of the Einstein Equation for the viscosity. Therefore, SVULT is a corollary for the particle volume fraction that incorporates effects of both the sludge morphology and mass concentration on μapp. Theoretical derivation revealed that an increase in SVULT resulted in an increase in μapp, which reduced oxygen transfer by increasing the air bubble size and reducing refreshment of the liquid at the gas-liquid interface. The KLa was found to be inversely proportional to μapp0.75 through fitting the experimental data with the theoretical model. Using a variance-based global sensitivity analysis, three operating parameters that have the most impact on oxygen transfer were identified: the power input per unit volume, the superficial gas flowrate, and the μapp.
Ambulatory BP Phenotypes and Their Association with Target Organ Damage and Clinical Outcomes in CKD.

Hypertension among people with CKD is common, remains often inadequately controlled, and represents an established risk factor for adverse cardiovascular and kidney outcomes ([1][1]). Routine office BP measurements, the current cornerstone of hypertension management, provide imprecise reflection of
Micro-distribution of oxygen isotopes in unequilibrated enstatite chondrites

Abstract We report petrology and high precision, in situ oxygen isotope analyses of silicates in chondrules, fragments, metal-rich nodules and refractory inclusions from the ALH 81189 (EH3), ALH 85159 (paired with ALH 81189) and from the MAC 88136 (EL3) chondrite. This is the first report of oxygen isotope ratios for individual objects in an EL3 and for the silicates associated with the metal-rich nodules that are characteristic of unequilibrated enstatite (E3) chondrites. The oxygen isotopic data from the chondrules and other objects form a trend, on a 3-isotope plot, that coincides with the slope ∼1 primitive chondrule mineral (PCM) line (initially defined by chondrules from the Acfer 094 primitive carbonaceous chondrite), with most objects clustering at the intersection of the PCM line with the terrestrial fractionation (TF) line, near whole rock E3. The data from EH3 and EL3 overlap and show a similar distribution, suggesting they formed from a similar pool of precursors or in similar gaseous environments, but their mineral compositions suggest differences in their nebular environments and/or parent bodies. Silicates in the metal-rich nodules we analyzed (in both EH3 and EL3) have oxygen isotope ratios (as well as mineral compositions) similar to the silicate (metal-free) chondrules. This is consistent with formation of the metal-rich nodules prior to chondrite accretion, in an environment and from a process similar to that which formed the coexisting chondrules, but from more metal-rich mixtures of precursors. Olivine in an AOA from ALH 81189 is 16O-rich with δ18O = −46.5‰, δ17O = −48.0‰, similar to the AOAs and refractory inclusions previously reported in E3 and in all other chondrite groups. There is a clear distinction in oxygen isotopic compositions between the chondrules in the E3 chondrites and those in the LL and R as well as those in CV and CM chondrite groups. Chondrules from CR and E chondrites plot closer to the PCM line than all other chondrite groups with E3 chondrules having a different distribution toward more 16O-poor compositions. Chondrules in other chondrite groups form trends above and below the PCM. From the distribution of EC chondrules along the PCM line, we propose that similar pools of chondrule precursors were present in the different (carbonaceous, CR and Acfer 094 and non-carbonaceous, E) chondrule forming regions in the protoplanetary disk but with different amounts of 16O-rich refractory materials, prior to development of the postulated Jupiter divide that potentially separated inner (non-carbonaceous) from outer (carbonaceous chondrite) Solar System materials or Jupiter was inefficient in completely separating these materials.
Lumbar spine intervertebral disc desiccation is associated with medical comorbidities linked to systemic inflammation.

Introduction Symptomatic disc degeneration is a common cause of low back pain. Recently, the prevalence of low back pain has swiftly risen leading to increased patient disability and loss of work. The increase in back pain also coincides with a rapid rise in patient medical comorbidities. However, a comprehensive study evaluating a link between patient's medical comorbidities and their influence on lumbar intervertebral disc morphology is lacking in the literature. Methods Electronic medical records (EMR) were retrospectively reviewed to determine patient-specific medical characteristics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was evaluated for lumbar spine intervertebral disc desiccation and height loss according to the Griffith-modified Pfirrmann grading system. Bivariate and multivariable linear regression analyses assessed strength of associations between patient characteristics and lumbar spine Pfirrmann grade severity (Pfirrmann grade of the most affected lumbar spine intervertebral disc) and cumulative grades (summed Pfirrmann grades for all lumbar spine intervertebral discs). Results In total, 605 patients (304 diabetics and 301 non-diabetics) met inclusion criteria. Bivariate analysis identified older age, diabetes, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), peripheral vascular disease, and hypothyroidism as being strongly associated with an increasing cumulative Pfirrmann grades. Multivariable models similarly found an association linking increased cumulative Pfirrmann grades with diabetes, hypothyroidism, and hypertension, while additionally identifying non-white race, heart disease, and previous lumbar surgery. Chronic pain, depression, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were associated with increased Pfirrmann grades at the most affected level without an increase in cumulative Pfirrmann scores. Glucose control was not associated with increasing severity or cumulative Pfirrmann scores. Conclusion These findings provide specific targets for future studies to elucidate key mechanisms by which patient-specific medical characteristics contribute to the development and progression of lumbar spine disc desiccation and height loss. Level of evidence III (retrospective cohort).
Genomic and Transcriptomic Differences at the Pyruvate Kinase M (PKM) Locus in Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Cell Lines

Purpose/Objective(s) Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a particularly devastating primary CNS tumor, alters the expression and activity of multiple metabolic genes to enhance its ability to grow and divide, buffer against oxidative stress, and resist apoptosis. The shift from oxidative metabolism in the mitochondria to aerobic glycolysis is known as the Warburg effect, a phenomenon mediated by gene expression changes like the isoform switch at the pyruvate kinase muscle-type (PKM) locus from PKM1 to PKM2. Novel pharmaceuticals targeting this tumor-specific isoform have entered clinical trials, but the effect of genetic or transcriptomic background on the effectiveness of these drugs is unknown. The purpose of this work is to characterize the PKM locus at the level of DNA and mRNA. Materials/Methods Our lab has previously collected and curated patient-derived GBM cell lines and characterized them with high-throughput transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). Herein, RNA-seq reads were mapped to the genome. Limiting analysis to the PKM locus, variant calling including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) calling is performed, and absolute expression and relative isoform abundance is measured and compared across lines. Results In this analysis of 16 GBM cell lines, multiple SNPs are identified that are predicted to be deleterious to the function of the protein. Additionally, concordant with previous findings in astrocytomas, the PKM2 isoform is the dominant pyruvate kinase transcript in all cell lines profiled. One cell line, in particular, had substantially higher PKM expression compared to the other cell lines. Conclusion Previous studies have queried the mutational burden of PKM in other cancer types, but no mutational analysis has been performed on GBM. This work suggests genetic variation at this important locus. Targeting tumor-specific metabolism can increase the effectiveness of current standard-of-care therapies while leaving normal tissue intact. This characterization of the PKM locus at the level of DNA variants and gene expression will inform planned future work using a novel pharmaceutical targeting PKM2. Author Disclosure K.J. Lee: None. C. Willey: None.
The Impact of Colonial Heritage on Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

The study explores the hypothesis of a relationshipbetween colonial heritage and development insub-Saharan Africa. Seventeen countries thatexperienced indirect colonial rule and an equal numberwith a history of direct rule in the region areexamined. Development is defined first, in terms ofhuman development [as per UNDP’s Human DevelopmentIndex (HDI)], and then, as the ability of a country totranslate economic gains into improved livingconditions (defined as the difference between acountry’s real GDP per capita ranking minus its HDIranking). A relationship is found between colonialheritage and human development but not betweencolonial heritage and the ability to translateeconomic gains into improved conditions. It isconcluded that the difference in human conditions ismore a function of inter-country variabilities inindividual and local autonomy than by state actionsspecifically aimed at improving these conditions.
Understanding Group Life

From the wide-ranging body of material included in the introductory course in Sociology a list of 10 major understanding is nominated which contributed to the comprehension of group-individual relationships Drawn from over 40 years of teaching Sociology courses at all levels in several university settings, the suggested list is advanced as a challenge to others for additions and deletions in an attempt to filter out the significant from the peripheral, the sinews from the adornments statistical manipulation of data and attempts at esoteric theorizing, valid as they may be may obscure the “liberal arts” contributions (philosophy, history and the arts) which for the vast majority of Basic Sociology students, are the important residue
The efficacy of apocynin in mitigating LPS-induced acute lung injury when given prior to, but not after LPS insult (660.3)

Apocynin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyacetophenone; APO) is an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase (NOX2) activation and a possible scavenger of reactive O2 species (ROS). Regulating NOX2 may play a crucial role in LPS (lipopolysacharide)-induced ROS production and the pathogenesis of ALI. To evaluate the effect of APO on lung injury in mice following intra-tracheal infusion of LPS (0111:B4 from E. coli) at 1 mg/kg, mice received iv APO at 2.5 mg/kg at 0.5h prior to LPS or 2h post LPS. Measurements were performed 24h post LPS. LPS significantly increased lung infiltration with inflammatory cells, lung alveolar-capillary permeability (lung wet to dry ratio, leakage of protein and FITC-dextran into the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid), expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) and a chemokine (MIP-2). APO dramatically reduced all of these parameters when administered at 0.5h prior to LPS but had no significant effect when administered at 2h post LPS. Thus, APO when administered prophylactically prevented lung infla...
Damage thresholds of fused silica, plastics and KDP crystals measured with 0. 6-ns 355-nm pulses

We used 355-nm, 0.6-ns pulses focused to a beam diameter of approximately 1 mm to measure the laser damage thresholds for surfaces of bare polished samples of several types of fused silica, for the bulk of crystals of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP), and for a few plastics. Surface damage thresholds for fused silica ranged from 1 to 14 J/cm/sup 2/, and were least for surfaces with residual subsurface polishing fractures. Thresholds for inclusion damage in KDP crystals were 2 to 4 J/cm/sup 2/. Test volumes in these same crystals had thresholds from 2.5 to 7.0 J/cm/sup 2/ when they were laser hardened by repeated subthreshold irradiation. FEP teflon films had thresholds of 3 J/cm/sup 2/, which were the greatest threshold observed for a plastic.
A point mutation converts Escherichia coli FtsZ septation GTPase to an ATPase.

The cell division protein FtsZ, essential to initiate septum formation in Escherichia coli, is a GTPase. The thermosensitive ftsZ84 mutation, which impairs the ability of FtsZ to bind and hydrolyze GTP in vitro, maps to a short glycine-rich FtsZ segment. This region is conserved in eubacterial FtsZ homologs and is strikingly similar to the proposed GTP binding motif in the eukaryotic cytoskeletal protein tubulin. Here we show that in contrast to FtsZ, FtsZ84 protein has a Mg(2+)-dependent ATPase activity in vitro. This activity, unlike the wild-type GTPase, is specifically inhibited by sodium azide, a known antagonist of F-type ATPases and the bacterial SecA protein translocation ATPase (Oliver, D., Cabelli, R. J., Dolan, K. M., and Jarosik, G. P. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 8227-8231). Conversely, aluminum fluoride abolishes FtsZ GTPase activity but only partially affects FtsZ84 ATPase. Affinity-purified anti-FtsZ antibody blocks FtsZ84 ATPase activity, indicating that this enzymatic function is intrinsic to the mutant protein. This is, to our knowledge, the first example of a missense mutation that converts a GTPase to an ATPase.
CHEMICAL PROTECTION AND CHEMORESUSCITATION OF ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATED SHIGELLA SONNEI.

The radiation protective qualities of adenylic acid, guanylic acid, uridylic acid, uridine, uracil, adenine dinucleotide, and adenine triphosphate on Shigella sonnei were studied. Bacterial cells were treated with a chemical compound and given an ultraviolet dose of approximately 969 ergs/mm/sup 2/. Chemoresuscitation was studied by irradiating cell suspensions and incubating the cells for 24 hr in phosphate buffer containing the test compound. It was found that adenylic acid, uridylic acid, uridine, uracil, and adenosine triphosphate restored the vitality of the cells. Chemoresuscitation was not so pronounced as chemical protection. Chemoresuscitation mechanisms are discussed. (H.M.G.)
Growth of Uniform Nickel Wire Arrays

Nickel nanowire arrays with high aspect ratio and large packing densities have been grown in thin nanochannel glass templates by an electrochemical deposition method. The templates were polished and etched for enough time to obtain parallel, uniform, hollow channels. One of surfaces of templates was then deposited with copper to provide an electrode. ThepH value of NiSO4 aqueous solution was 1 to 2 and the deposition potential was chosen to be –1.2 V versus the saturated Calomel electrode. Obtained nickel wires were circular, each approximately 80 – 160 nm in diameter and 150 μm long, depending on the diameter of nanochannel. Finally, scanning electron microscopy has been used to characterize the nanostructures. Magnetic properties of the nickel wire arrays have been also investigated by using a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer (SQUID).
Family planning provider referral, facilitation behavior, and patient follow-up for abnormal Pap smears.

OBJECTIVES: Family planning (FP) clinics are important access points for cervical cancer screening and referrals for follow-up care for abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears for a substantial number of U.S. women. Because little is known about referral and facilitation practices in these clinics or client action based on referrals we sought to determine FP provider referral and facilitation practices when seeing FP clients with abnormal Pap smear results and FP client follow-up for abnormal Pap smears due to FP provider referrals. METHODS: We conducted a mail survey of Medicaid-enrolled FP providers in Arkansas and Alabama and conducted a telephone survey with a sample of FP clients of those providers responding to the provider survey. RESULTS: Major provider factors associated with referral included rural location health department and clinic institutional setting large Title X practice/clinic size and high FP clinic focus. Major factors associated with facilitation included rural location non-physician specialty health department and clinic institutional setting and small Title X clinic size. Of women reporting abnormal results 62.4% reported follow-up care. Of those who received follow-up care 40.0% received some care and a referral from their FP provider. A major factor associated with clients seeking follow-up care was being told by their FP provider where to go for follow-up care. Age was a major factor associated with clients actually obtaining follow-up care. CONCLUSIONS: Where follow-up care is not available at the FP site referrals are critical and are a major factor associated with whether women seek care for the condition. Interventions to increase follow-up rates should focus on provider and system features rather than clients.
Changes in Efficacy Beliefs in Mathematics Across the Transition to Middle School: Examining the Effects of Perceived Teacher and Parent Goal Emphases

Summary and Hypotheses Prior research regarding the relation between parents goal-oriented practices and students motivation and achievement hastypically been studied apart from the experiences children have inthe classroom context. To bridge this gap, we examined the effectof changes in group-level perceptions of the goals math teachersemphasize on changes in students self-efficacy beliefs across thetransition from sixth to seventh grade, taking into account stu-dents perceptions of the goals parents emphasized for them inmathematics as well as the personal goals children adopted beforeand after the transition.Patterns of individual-level change in each of the variablesassessed across the transition from sixth to seventh grade wereexamined first. On the basis of findings reported by E. M. Ander-man and Midgley (1997) and Midgley et al. (1995), we expectedefficacy beliefs to decline across the transition as children (pre-sumably) experienced increasingly difficult mathematics. In addi-tion, personal mastery orientations and perceptions of teacher andparent emphasis on mastery goals were expected to decline be-tween sixth and seventh grades, and personal and perceived em-phases on performance goals were expected to increase betweensixth and seventh grades.We further examined change over time in self-efficacy beliefs,anticipating that such beliefs would vary as a function of group-level perceptions of teacher goal emphases. On the basis of priorresearch (Urdan & Midgley, 2003) and in accord with the modelproposed by Maehr and colleagues (E. M. Anderman & Maehr,1994; Kaplan & Maehr, 2002), we expected an increase in group-level perceptions of teacher mastery goal emphasis to result in anincrease in self-efficacy beliefs, after taking into account studentspersonal goal orientations and the goals they perceived parents toemphasize.Onthebasisoftheproposedmodel,weanticipatedthatperceived parent mastery goal emphasis would predict changes inself-efficacy across the transition from sixth to seventh grade butthat both parent and teacher effects on change in efficacy beliefswould be small relative to the effects of students personal goalorientations.
The Global Nuclear Futures Model: A Dynamic Simulation Tool for Energy Strategies

The Global Nuclear Futures Model (GNFM) is a dynamic simulation tool that provides an integrated framework to model key aspects of nuclear energy, nuclear materials storage and disposition, global nuclear materials management, and nuclear proliferation risk. It links nuclear energy and other energy shares dynamically to greenhouse gas emissions and twelve other measures of environmental impact. It presents historical data from 1990 to 2000 and extrapolates energy demand through the year 2050. More specifically, it contains separate modules for energy, the nuclear fuel cycle front end, the nuclear fuel cycle back end, defense nuclear materials, environmental impacts, and measures of the potential for nuclear proliferation. It is globally integrated but also breaks out five regions of the world so that environmental impacts and nuclear proliferation concerns can be evaluated on a regional basis. The five regions are the United States of America (USA), The Peoples Republic of China (China), the former Soviet Union (FSU), the OECD nations excluding the USA, and the rest of the world (ROW).Copyright © 2002 by ASME