cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis: A Rare Presentation of Autoimmune Hepatitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Overlap Syndrome

Lymphoplasmacytic cholecystitis (LPC) is a unique form of chronic cholecystitis, and it has been reported in patients with medical conditions such as primary sclerosing cholangitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and autoimmune pancreatitis. We report a case of LPC in a 23-year-old male with a history of autoimmune hepatitis who presented to the hospital with 3-day duration of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. A clinical diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and sclerosing cholangitis was made, and the patient was treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Histopathological examination of the gallbladder revealed marked diffuse mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate that was rich in IgG4-positive plasma cells and focal neutrophilic inflammation with erosion. These findings were consistent with active LPC. The patient’s post-operative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography performed 1 month after cholecystectomy revealed typical features of primary sclerosing cholangitis. This is the first report of acute acalculous cholecystitis as an initial presentation of autoimmune hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis overlap syndrome. J Med Cases. 2018;9(10):332-337 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3137w
A Network Coding Based Information Spreading Approach for Permissioned Blockchain in IoT Settings

Permissioned Blockchain (PBC) has become a prevalent data structure to ensure that the records are immutable and secure. However, PBC still has significant challenges before it can be realized in different applications. One of such challenges is the overhead of the communication which is required to execute the Byzantine Agreement (BA) protocol that is needed for consensus building. As such, it may not be feasible to implement PBC for resource constrained environments such as Internet-of-Things (IoT). In this paper, we assess the communication overhead of running BA in an IoT environment that consists of wireless nodes (e.g., Raspberry PIs) with meshing capabilities. As the the packet loss ratio is significant and makes BA unfeasible to scale, we propose a network coding based approach that will reduce the packet overhead and minimize the consensus completion time of the BA. Specifically, various network coding approaches are designed as a replacement to TCP protocol which relies on unicasting and acknowledgements. The evaluation on a network of Raspberry PIs demonstrates that our approach can significantly improve scalability making BA feasible for medium size IoT networks.
The association of selected student characteristics with student ratings of teachers

The piimaiy purpose of this study was to deteimine if there were significant associations between selected student demographic characteristics and the mean student ratings of teachers in the Lincoln County Wyoming School District. A major goal was to assist teachers in understanding the relationship, if any, between mean student ratings of teachers and the student demographic profiles of teacher classrooms. The selected student demographic characteristics studied included; student gender, special education designation, honor roll status, low socioeconomic status and average class attendance. The student demographic characteristics and the student rating of teacher data were collected in the spring of 1996. Teacher and student data were coded to protect individual information in accordance with the Iowa State University Human Subjects Release agreement. The achievement data were converted to standardized scores to allow comparisons across grades, classrooms and course examinations. Statistical tests were used to analyze the student demographic data and the student ratings of teachers to ensure that variability existed between classrooms and teachers. Statistical tests were then run on each selected student demographic characteristic to determine if there were significant associations with student ratings of teachers. Finally a statistical regression was performed to determine if any associations existed between groups of demographic characteristics and the student ratings of teachers. This study foimd no significant associations between student ratings of teachers and selected student demographic characteristics in the Lincoln County Wyoming School District.
Introduction to a New Clinical Applications Section: Positive Response Sets in Personality Assessment.

The Society for Personality Assessment offers a large tent within which basic scientists, educators, and applied practitioners should all feel welcome. This diversity is also an essential feature o...
Are the days of missed or delayed diagnosis of gout over

Gout diagnostic criteria help focus attention on the accurate and early diagnosis of gout. New recommendations reinforce that joint aspiration and demonstration of monosodium urate crystals remains the gold standard for a diagnosis of gout and should be attempted in every patient with suspected gout.
Partner Incarceration and Financial Support from Kin

Incarceration can exacerbate economic hardships for families. Although families may need financial support from kin during this financially destabilizing time, some research indicates that partner ...
Development and Evaluation of an Evolutionary Programming-Based Tropical Cyclone Intensity Model

AbstractA statistical–dynamical tropical cyclone (TC) intensity model is developed from a large ensemble of algorithms through evolutionary programming (EP). EP mimics the evolutionary principles o...
Emergency medical care of incarcerated patients: Opportunities for improvement and cost savings

In the United States (US), the lifetime incidence of incarceration is 6.6%, exceeding that of any other nation. Compared to the general US population, incarcerated individuals are disproportionally affected by chronic health conditions, mental illness, and substance use disorders. Barriers to accessing medical care are common in correctional facilities. We sought to characterize the local incarcerated patient population and explore barriers to medical care in these patients. We conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study by reviewing the medical records of incarcerated patients presenting to the adult emergency department (ED) of a single academic, tertiary care facility with medical or psychiatric (med/psych) and trauma-related emergencies between January 2012 and December 2014. Data on demographics, medical complexity, trauma intentionality, and barriers to medical care were analyzed using descriptive statistics, unpaired student’s t-test or one-way analysis of variance for continuous variables, and chi-square analysis or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate. Trauma patients were younger with fewer medical comorbidities and were less likely to be admitted to the hospital than med/psych patients. 47.8% of injuries resulted from violence or were self-inflicted. Most trauma-related complaints were managed by the emergency medicine physician in the ED. While barriers to medical care were not correlated with hospital admission, 5.4% of med/psych and 2.9% of trauma patients reported barriers as a contributing factor to the ED encounter. Med/psych patients commonly reported a lack of access to medications, while trauma patients reported a delay in medical care. Trauma-related presentations were less medically complex than med/psych-related complaints. Medical management of most injuries required no hospital resources outside of the ED, indicating a potential role for outpatient management of trauma-related complaints. Additional opportunities for health care improvement and cost savings include the implementation of programs that target violence, prevent injuries, and promote the continuity of medical care while incarcerated.
Performing the Museum

This article characterizes the relationship between the museum and its visitors as a dialogic process that enables a play between the public narratives of the museum and the private narratives of the viewers. The museum is presented as a performative site where its dominant socially and historically constructed pedagogy engages in a critical dialogue with the viewer's memories and cultural histories. Five pedagogical strategies are provided to comprise a critical performative pedagogy in museums: performing perception, autobiography, museum culture, interdisciplinarity, and performing the institution. These strategies represent a comprehensive museum pedagogy that enables visitors to experience and understand the museum's collections and exhibitions from their respective cultural perspectives.
Complete Versus Culprit-Only Revascularization in Patients Presenting With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trials.

Abstract Background In patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the culprit vessel is the preferred treatment option. For patients with multivessel disease, the benefit of revascularization of the non-culprit artery is not well known. This meta-analysis aims to assess the efficacy and safety of complete versus culprit vessel only revascularization. Methods Randomized control trials (RCT) that compared head-to-head complete versus culprit-vessel only revascularization in STEMI patients and reported main outcomes of interest such as mortality, myocardial infarction, and revascularization, were included in this meta-analysis. Results We found ten RCTs satisfying our inclusion criteria. Data was extracted and used to estimate the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for dichotomous variables. Our study included 7030 patients (3426 complete revascularization, and 3604 culprit-only revascularization). Complete revascularization (CR) (both immediate and staged) significantly reduced the risk of MACE compared with culprit only (CO) revascularization (10.7% vs 20.1%, RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.64; P Conclusion In conclusion, complete revascularization was associated with a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events, revascularization and reinfarction.
A culturally informed scoping review of Native Hawaiian mental health and emotional well-being literature

The need for culturally grounded research on Native Hawaiian (NH) mental health and psychological well-being has been discussed by practitioners and researchers for more than four decades. This stu...
Nurse adherence to post-hypoglycemic event monitoring for hospitalized patients with diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate adherence to a posthypoglycemic event–monitoring policy for inpatients with diabetes mellitus receiving insulin therapy. Methods We analyzed point-of-care blood glucose data from noncritically ill inpatients receiving insulin therapy who had a hypoglycemic event ( Results We analyzed 896 episodes of hypoglycemia in 426 patients: 698 events had only 1 hypoglycemic measurement; 165 had 2 sequential hypoglycemic measurements; and 33 had 3 sequential hypoglycemic measurements. Median (IQR) times between measurements ranged from 18 (15–23) minutes to 28 (21–38) minutes. For patients with 1 hypoglycemic measurement, less than 50% of follow-up measurements were compliant. Similarly, for those with 2 sequential hypoglycemic values, less than 50% of measurements were compliant; for those with 3 sequential hypoglycemic values, less than 58%. Conclusion Many instances of hypoglycemia had intervals between sequential glucose measurements that were longer than required by policy. These longer-than-expected intervals could place patients at undue risk for a prolonged hypoglycemic event. A better understanding of barriers to post–hypoglycemic event management in inpatients is required. Inpatient nurses, who are at the forefront of assessing and treating patients with hypoglycemia, should be key partners in assessing the algorithms for hypoglycemia care.
Arrhythmias in Children and Patients with Congenital Heart Disease

Most cardiac arrhythmias occur in the fetus, infant, child, and adolescent as a result of congenital arrhythmia substrates or in response to hemodynamic perturbations related to structural defects or subsequent surgical treatments. Unrelated to surgery, arrhythmias are especially prevalent in persons having Ebstein anomaly of the tricuspid valve, congenitally corrected transposition, or heterotaxy. Atrial arrhythmias are important following surgery for many congenital heart defects involving the atria and in patients with ventricular dysfunction. Catheter ablation of these substrates is now possible using electroanatomic mapping systems and high-output radiofrequency generators. Ventricular tachycardia and sudden death are of concern in older patients following congenital heart surgery, especially when there is coincident ventricular dysfunction. Among children having structurally normal hearts, atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia comprise the majority of tachyarrhythmias in infants and teenagers, respectively. Catheter ablation has largely supplanted pharmacologic therapy for supraventricular tachycardias in children older than about 5 years, with results comparable to those in adults. Risk of collateral damage to structures in the growing heart makes catheter ablation less attractive as primary therapy in smaller children. Indications for device implantation are being established for the young and may be applied down to newborns (pacemakers) and older infants (implantable cardioverter-defibrillators). Planning such implantations in children and in patients having congenital heart disease requires careful consideration of somatic growth, cardiac anatomy, and venous caliber.
ROTHSTEIN CODE TRANSFORMATIONS AS A DIGITAL OPTICAL SCALING METHOD

The Rothstein code data transformation method is a largely forgotten and underutilized method originally theorized from optics and retinal recruitment. The code is a binary representation of the slope of a line or scaling factor and can transform data and images similar to matrix multiplications except with built-in interpolations. The theoretical validation of the method presented in the original publications is complex. The purpose of this paper is to borrow from quantum theory and dual nature of light, particle and wave, to simplify the theoretical understanding. With this understanding, the method becomes more intuitive in the example applications that follow. These application examples include digital resampling of data for signal processing applications, examples for matrix scaling such as for the management of discordant data sets, and for image processing.
A Discrete Simulation-Based Optimization Algorithm for the Design of Highly Responsive Last-Mile Distribution Networks

Online and omnichannel retailers are proposing increasingly tight delivery deadlines, moving toward instant on-demand delivery. To operate last-mile distribution systems with such tight delivery de...
COVID-19 and rheumatoid arthritis.

Purpose of review The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) face unique challenges during the pandemic, including concerns regarding infection risk, drug shortages, limited access to care, social isolation, and mental health. This review will examine the multifaceted impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients living with RA. Recent findings In patients with RA, risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes include older age and comorbidities, similar to those in the general population. Glucocorticoids, but not other classes of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), appear to be associated with a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. RA patients have been affected by changes in access to care, telemedicine, drug shortages, anxiety, and social isolation, which may contribute to disease flares. Summary Glucocorticoids, but not other DMARDs, are associated with a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes in RA patients. Further studies are needed to explore the impact of specific DMARDs on COVID-19 outcomes, understand the broader implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on RA disease activity, and optimize the use of telemedicine in RA management.
Substance Use Disorders

Substance use disorders are common and associated with increased perioperative risk. The perioperative period offers a unique opportunity to engage patients in addiction treatment. Whenever possible, clinicians should assess for substance use preoperatively, create a plan to manage withdrawal symptoms during the perioperative period and initiate or refer for treatment when patients are amenable.
Evolution of Sexual Harassment Law: How Do I Know a “Hostile Environment” When I See it ?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Laws of the United States, 1964) defines two types of sexual harassment – quid pro quo (requesting sexual favors for a business advantage) and a “hostile ...
CRISPR-Editing of Sweet Basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) Homoserine Kinase Gene for Improved Downy Mildew Disease Resistance.

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) downy mildew disease (DM) caused by Peronospora belbahrii is a worldwide threat to the basil industry due to the lack of natural genetic resistance in sweet basil germplasm collections. In this study, we used CRISPR-gene editing to modify the sweet basil DM susceptibility gene homoserine kinase (ObHSK). Gene-edited plants challenged with P. belbahrii displayed a significantly reduced susceptibility to DM, based on phenotypic disease indices and on in planta pathogen load. These results suggest that ObHSK plays a role in conditioning DM susceptibility, similar to that observed for the AtHSK gene in Arabidopsis. These results demonstrate the utility of CRISPR-gene editing in enhancing DM resistance and contributing to sweet basil breeding programs.
Facile microwave assisted flame retardant treatment for cotton fabric using a biobased industrial byproduct: phytic acid

A single-step, solvent-free microwave-assisted technique for flame retardant (FR) cotton fabric using a bio-based FR agent, phytic acid is presented. The effects of microwave power and irradiation time on FR characteristics of cotton are investigated. Self-extinguishing cotton fabric with char length of 79 mm and no afterflame is achieved within 4 min of 600 W microwave irradiation whereas a treatment time of as long as 45 min is needed in conventional heating method to achieve the same level of weight add-on or FR performance. The cotton fabric treated with phytic acid in the microwave also exhibits 90% retention of tear strength. Comprehensive characterization of the phytic acid treated cotton fabric using scanning electron microscope (SEM), elemental analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) correlated with reaction condition allowed the formulation of generalized guidelines applicable for microwave assisted cellulose phosphorylation. The FR mechanism study shows that phytic acid is covalently attached to cellulose and as an acid source, contributes to intumescent char formation during combustion.
The discrepancy of unsatisfiable matrices and a lower bound for the Komlós conjecture constant.

We construct simple, explicit matrices with columns having unit $\ell^2$ norm and discrepancy approaching $1 + \sqrt{2} \approx 2.414$. This number gives a lower bound, the strongest known as far as we are aware, on the constant appearing in the Koml\'{o}s conjecture. The "unsatisfiable matrices" giving this bound are built by scaling the entries of clause-variable matrices of certain unsatisfiable Boolean formulas. We show that, for a given formula, such a scaling maximizing a lower bound on the discrepancy may be computed with a convex second-order cone program. Using a dual certificate for this program, we show that our lower bound is optimal among those using unsatisfiable matrices built from formulas admitting read-once resolution proofs of unsatisfiability. We also conjecture that a generalization of this certificate shows that our bound is optimal among all bounds using unsatisfiable matrices.
A quantitative methodology for identifying attributes which contribute to performance for officers at the Transportation Security Administration.

Performance at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport checkpoints must be consistently high to skillfully mitigate national security threats and incidents. To accomplish this, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) must exceptionally perform in threat detection, interaction with passengers, and efficiency. It is difficult to measure the human attributes that contribute to high performing TSOs because cognitive ability such as memory, personality, and competence are inherently latent variables. Cognitive scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a methodology that links TSOs’ cognitive ability to their performance. This paper discusses how the methodology was developed using a strict quantitative process, the strengths and weaknesses, as well as how this could be generalized to other non-TSA contexts. The scope of this project is to identify attributes that distinguished high and low TSO performance for the duties at the checkpoint that involved direct interaction with people going through the checkpoint.
The Evaluation of the Therapeutic Efficacy and Side Effects of a Macromolecular Dexamethasone Prodrug in the Collagen-Induced Arthritis Mouse Model

Purpose To investigate the efficacy and safety of N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-dexamethasone conjugate (P-Dex) in the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model.
Justices and Journalists: The U.S. Supreme Court and the Media

Justices and Journalists examines whether justices are becoming more publicity-conscious and why that might be happening. The book discusses the motives of justices 'going public' and details their recent increased number of television and print interviews and amount of press coverage of their speeches. The book describes the interactions justices have with the journalists who cover them. These interactions typically are not discussed publicly by justices or journalists. The book explains why justices care about press and public relations, how they employ external strategies to affect press portrayals of themselves and their institution, and how and why journalists participate in that interaction. Drawing on the papers of Supreme Court justices in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the book examines these interactions over the history of the Court. It includes a content analysis of print and broadcast media coverage of Supreme Court justices covering a 40-year period from 1968 to 2007.
Scanning Probe Alloying Nanolithography

The probe-based nanolithography method is attracting increasing attentions due to its unique and simple process characteristics. This chapter, first, provides a brief review of nanolithography in order to see where the probe-based nanolithography current stands. Subsequently, it discusses the roles of probe-based nanolithography in the nanoscience and technology. Followed are some examples of the nanofabrication processes using the probe-based lithography method. At the later part of the chapter, new applications in nanofabrication and nanoalloying are discussed.
CDM simulation study of a system-in-package

This work presents a CDM circuit-level model for stacked die in a BGA package. Circuit simulation is used to investigate the voltage stress on the die-to-die interface circuits. The power net connections are found to impact the CDM reliability. An ESD protection scheme for the die-to-die interface circuits is proposed.
The growing movement for enterprise risk management in government: the United States begins to catch up

After lagging the United Kingdom and Canada in managing risk of government agencies and programmes, the United States is beginning to catch up with action by a small and growing group of government officials seeking to apply a management approach known as “enterprise risk management” (ERM). Too often, information is bottled up in the middle or lower ranks of an organisation. In response, ERM seeks to open channels of communication so managers have access to information needed to make good decisions. Rather than limiting the focus to specific identified risks, ERM asks the larger question: What are the risks that could prevent my agency from achieving its goals and objectives? Recognising the value of ERM in improving government management, US central organisations – the Office of Management and Budget and the Government Accountability Office – are now working to institutionalise the new movement, which in the US government began from a confederation of officials across multiple government agencies rather ...
Building a Multilingual Research Platform through Usability Testing

This paper describes usability testing performed on a Web-based multilingual platform for human evaluation of machine translation (HeMT). We developed a workflow and a usability testing model in order to evaluate HeMT’s functionalities, especially its interaction with users. Usability measures including easy to learn, effective to use, efficient to use, and subjectively pleasing were applied to understand the user-friendliness of HeMT. Usability tests were conducted in laboratory settings with international students. We demonstrate that multiple-session usability tests are necessary and effective for successful implementation of a research platform like HeMT. Our experience suggests that usability testing should be well planned and flexibly conducted to achieve its purposes.
Examining Drivers of Course Performance: An Exploratory Examination of an Introductory CIS Applications Course

The accelerating diffusion of broadband Internet access provides many opportunities for the development of pedagogically robust Web-based instruction (WBI). While the supporting technology infrastructure of broadband disseminates, the attention of academic researchers focuses upon issues such as the drivers of student usage of WBI. Specifically, the research presented herein examined the impact of WBI on a student's aggregate course performance. We hypothesized that learning independence (LI) is a determinate factor in a student's use of WBI. In this study, we employed structural equation modeling techniques to examine the data and assess the direct and indirect effects of LI on WBI usage. The subjects, students in an introductory Computer Information Systems applications course, used a Web-based tutorial program for skills instruction. The findings of this study suggest that WBI usage has a significant impact on a student's course performance. Despite its plausibility, the effect of LI on WBI usage was not significant. However, we did conclude that two of the second order factors of the LI construct have a direct effect on a student's performance in the course.
Deliberations and evaluations of the approaches, endpoints and paradigms for iron dietary recommendations.

Iron deficiency severe enough to cause anemia is associated with significant morbidity while uncontrolled iron absorption which occurs in disorders such as hereditary hemochromatosis causes multiorgan failure and early death. Preliminary data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey demonstrate that the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in the United States is now very low. This implies that the current iron consumption is adequate for most individuals. An important unresolved question relates to the necessity for further reducing the prevalence of iron deficiency without anemia. More information is required to determine whether this lesser degree of iron deficiency is harmful. Recent survey data indicate that concomitantly with the reduced prevalence of iron deficiency there has been a rise in serum ferritin concentrations in American men and postmenopausal women. These findings have led to concern about the effectiveness of the physiological mechanisms for limiting storage accumulation in normal individuals and carriers of the hemochromatosis gene when dietary iron content is high. Furthermore, recent epidemiological observations suggest that a modest increase in iron stores (in a range previously considered safe) is a possible risk factor for ischemic heart disease and cancer ; however, a causal relationship remains to be proven. Nonetheless, because there is no known benefit of high iron storage status, it seems prudent to avoid further increases in and possibly to reduce the dietary iron intake of men and postmenopausal women. Mean intake in these groups exceeds the current RDA by a significant margin. Therefore, the sources of dietary iron as well as other factors contributing to high serum ferritin values have to be defined. Also, efforts should be made to increase the awareness of professionals and the public about the possible risks of excessive dietary iron. The complexity of the Western diet and an incomplete understanding of all of the factors affecting serum ferritin concentrations make it very difficult to specify a safe upper range for daily iron intake at the present time.
Deep blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes with very high brightness and efficiency

N-Heterocyclic carbene Ir(III) complexes, used as deep blue phosphorescent emitters and as electron-blocking dopants in organic LEDs, allow the realization of devices with very high brightness and reduced efficiency roll-off.
Characteristics of Bacteriophage N1 and Its Attachment to Cells of Micrococcus lysodeikticus

Bacteriophage N1 was purified by differential and equilibrium gradient centrifugation and characterized with respect to bouyant density in CsCl, one-step growth properties, host range, and morphology by electron microscopy. In a tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane-magnesium buffer (pH 7.15), the irreversible adsorption of N1 to cells of Micrococcus lysodeikticus strain 1 (ML-1) followed first-order reaction kinetics with an adsorption-velocity constant of 1.6 x 10(-9)/min at 32 C. The rate of phage attachment was not significantly altered when adsorption mixtures contained 0.01 m KCN or 1% casein hydrolysate, 0.01 m CaCl(2), and 0.001 m tryptophan. The activation energy for the irreversible adsorption reaction was 8.6 kcal. Treatment of ML-1 cells by any of the following procedures reduced the irreversible phage receptor activity over 90%: (i) mechanical disruption, (ii) lysozyme digestion, (iii) incubation in 1% cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, or (iv) incubation of heated cells (100 C, 15 min) with trypsin, Pronase, or lysozyme. The sensitivity of the phage receptor activity of ML-1 cells to lysozyme suggests that the bacterial cell wall is involved in the receptor site for the virus. Destruction of receptor activity by the other treatments cited above implies that, in addition to the cell wall, other cellular components may participate in the irreversible attachment of N1 phage to cells.
Sexual violence, weight perception, and eating disorder indicators in college females

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the relationships between sexual violence experiences, inaccurate body weight perceptions, and the presence of eating disorder (ED) indicators in a sample of female US college students. Participants: Participants were 6,090 college females 25 years of age and younger. Methods: A secondary analysis of National College Health Assessment data gathered annually at one institution from 2004 to 2013 was utilized. A model predicting ED indicators was tested using logistic regression analyses with multiple categorical variables representing severity of sexual violence, accuracy of body weight perception, and an interaction between the two. Results: Sexual violence and inaccurate body weight perception significantly predicted ED indicators; sexual violence was the strongest predictor of purging behavior, whereas inaccurate body weight perception was best predicted by underweight status. Conclusions: Findings provide support to the relationship between purging behavior and severity of...
Monotone matrices and monotone Markov processes

Abstract A stochastic matrix is “monotone” [4] if its row-vectors are stochastically increasing. Closure properties, characterizations and the availability of a second maximal eigenvalue are developed. Such monotonicity is present in a variety of processes in discrete and continous time. In particular, birth-death processes are monotone. Conditions for the sequential monotonicity of a process are given and related inequalities presented.
Assessment and monitoring of uremic malnutrition.

Abstract Assessment and monitoring of protein and energy nutritional status are essential to prevent, diagnose, and treat uremic malnutrition, a condition highly prevalent and associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with advanced kidney failure. Comprehensive assessments of protein and energy nutritional status can be achieved by several measurements to quantitatively and qualitatively estimate protein content in visceral and somatic body compartments, in addition to measurements of energy balance. However, uremic malnutrition is a complex metabolic disorder in which not only net nutrient intake is lower than nutrient requirements, leading to decreased tissue function and loss of body mass, but it is also associated with many comorbid conditions. Therefore, a clinically meaningful assessment of uremic malnutrition should include methods that are able to assess clinical outcome, identify the underlying diseases, and determine whether there is potential of benefit from nutritional interventions. Such assessment usually requires using multiple measurements concomitantly, with no definitive single method that can be considered as a "gold standard." In this review, we describe the various types of methods to assess uremic malnutrition, expanding and updating data on the readily available methods, and discuss more precise techniques to estimate protein and energy homeostasis. Special considerations of specific methods related to their clinical and/or research applicability as they pertain to renal failure are also addressed.
Rapid detection of DNA-interstrand and DNA-protein cross-links in mammalian cells by gravity-flow alkaline elution

Alkaline elution is a sensitive and commonly used technique to detect cellular DNA damage in the form of DNA strand breaks and DNA cross-links. Conventional alkaline elution procedures have extensive equipment requirements and are tedious to perform. Our laboratory recently presented a rapid, simplified, and sensitive modification of the alkaline elution technique to detect carcinogen-induced DNA strand breaks. In the present study, we have further modified this technique to enable the rapid characterization of chemically induced DNA-interstrand and DNA-protein associated cross-links in cultured epithelial cells. Cells were exposed to three known DNA cross-linking agents, nitrogen mustard (HN/sub 2/), mitomycin C (MMC), or ultraviolet irradiation (UV). One hour exposures of HN/sub 2/ at 0.25, 1.0, and 4.0 microM or of MMC at 20, 40, and 60 microM produced a dose-dependent induction of total DNA cross-links by these agents. Digestion with proteinase K revealed that HN/sub 2/ and MMC induced both DNA-protein cross-links and DNA-interstrand cross-links. Ultraviolet irradiation induced both DNA cross-links and DNA strand breaks, the latter of which were either protein and nonprotein associated. The results demonstrate that gravity-flow alkaline elution is a sensitive and accurate method to characterize the molecular events of DNA cross-linking. Using this procedure, elution ofmore » DNA from treated cells is completed in 1 hr, and only three fractions per sample are analyzed. This method may be useful as a rapid screening assay for genotoxicity and/or as an adjunct to other predictive assays for potential mutagenic or carcinogenic agents.« less
Heat of formation of the solid solutions of zinc, gallium and germanium in copper

Abstract The heats of formation of the solid solutions of zinc, gallium and germanium, in copper have been determined by liquid tin solution calorimetry. The results for copper-zinc and copper-gallium are consistent with the predictions of the Friedel theory of metallic solutions.
Accumulation of [3H]lysine in various types of neurons in male rats

Abstract [3H]lysine injected intravenously into male rats was observed to accumulate in various neurons at levels which were significantly higher than that observed in the plasma or spinal cord grey matter. While neurons, grey matter and dorsal root ganglia demonstrated an early period of rapid accumulation of lysine after injection, the neurons were characterized by having a short period of declining radioactivity levels after attaining their early peak level. This declining phase was then followed by a second period of accumulation. Although the curves reflecting accumulation into the different neuronal types (spinal cord, ventral horn cells, dorsal root ganglion cells and Purkinje cells) were similar, the total amounts of 3H activity (chromatographically lysine) in the different neuronal types were in most instances significantly different from each other. Finally, a comparison of the amount of lysine accumulated in the neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems indicated that there are no significant differences in the amount of lysine accumulated which could be related to the presence or absence of a blood-brain barrier.
Durability of biomass fly ash concrete : Freezing and thawing and rapid chloride permeability tests

Abstract Strict interpretation of ASTM C 618 excludes non-coal fly ashes, such as biomass fly ashes from addition in concrete. Biomass fly ash in this investigation includes (1) cofired fly ash from burning biomass with coal; (2) wood fly ash and (3) blended fly ash (wood fly ash mixing with coal fly ash). A set of experiments conducted on concrete from pure cement and cement with fly ash provide basic data to assess the effects of several biomass fly ashes on the performances of freezing and thawing (F–T) and rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT). The F–T tests indicate that all fly ash concrete has statistically equal or less weight loss than the pure cement concrete (control). The RCPT illustrate that all kinds of fly ash concrete have lower chloride permeability than the pure cement control concrete.
Immunohistochemical demonstration of the loss of immunoreactive amylase from neoplastic human salivary gland.

Antihuman parotid amylase antibodies raised in rabbits and horses were used as the primary antibodies in both the peroxidase-antiperoxidase and sandwich techniques for the localization of human amylase. Immunoreactive enzyme was demonstrated in the normal acinar cells of salivary glands and pancreas. Malignant transformation, which has occasionally resulted in ectopic production of amylase by various tissues, actually caused a loss of amylase synthesis by the transformed acinar cells of salivary glands and did not result in elaboration of amylase by transformed ductal cells.
Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of verofylline in rat serum

A simple and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure has been developed for the determination of verofylline in rat serum. This assay procedure, which is suitable for the analysis of microsamples (0.05 or 0.1 ml serum), involves a single extraction followed by isocratic chromatography on an RP-18 analytical column with ultraviolet detection at 280 nm. The calibration curve is linear within the study range 0.25-75 micrograms/ml. The intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation were below 5.7%. The specificity of the assay was confirmed by comparing the lipophilicity, absorbance, and chromatographic property of the apparent and authentic verofylline.
Polarographic reduction of aldehydes and ketones: Part XXVII. 1-Phenyl-1,2-propanedione

Abstract Polarographic reduction of the symmetrical diprotonated form of 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione (I) occurs in waves i′1 and i1 at pH The latter can be further reduced at more negative potentials in waves i4 and i5. At pH 8.5 to 9.5 the asymmetrical monoprotonated form of I is reduced in the irreversible wave i2 directly to α-ketol which is electroinactive under conditions used. At pH > 9.5 the symmetrical unprotonated form is reversibly reduced into enediolate dianion. Base catalyzed conversion of the enediolate into electroinactive species causes the decrease of the anodic wave obtained with the Kalousek commutator method at pH > 11. The ratio [α-ketol]:[β-ketol] under polarographic conditions is kinetically controlled, while during controlled potential electrolysis it is thermodynamically controlled. The diketo form of compound I is present in about 60% in the monohydrated form. Acid catalyzed dehydration results in an increase in wave i′1 in acidic media, base catalyzed in an increase in wave i3 at pH > 9. The overall pKa-value of the diprotonated form is pKH12 = −1.0, that of the geminal diol dissociation is pKOH = 10.35 and that corresponding to carbanion-enolate formation is pKB = 11.6. Possibility of separation of individual pK-values is shown and assumptions on which such separation is based are stated.
Gene Transcripts Associated with BMI in the Motor Cortex and Caudate Nucleus of Calorie Restricted Rhesus Monkeys

Obesity affects over 500 million people worldwide, and has far reaching negative health effects. Given that high body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance are associated with alterations in many regions of brain and that physical activity can decrease obesity, we hypothesized that in Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) fed a high fat diet and who subsequently received reduced calories BMI would be associated with a unique gene expression signature in motor regions of the brain implicated in neurodegenerative disorders. In the motor cortex with increased BMI we saw the upregulation of genes involved in apoptosis, altered gene expression in metabolic pathways, and the downregulation of pERK1/2, a protein involved in cellular survival. In the caudate nucleus with increased BMI we saw the upregulation of known obesity related genes (the insulin receptor and the glucagon-like peptide-2 receptor), apoptosis related genes, and altered expression of genes involved in various metabolic processes. These studies suggest that the effects of high BMI on the brain transcriptome persist regardless of two months of calorie restriction. We hypothesize that active lifestyles with low BMIs together create a brain homeostasis more conducive to brain resiliency and neuronal survival.
The Relevance of Second Language Acquisition Theory to the Written Error Correction Debate.

Abstract The controversies surrounding written error correction can be traced to Truscott (1996) in his polemic against written error correction. He claimed that empirical studies showed that error correction was ineffective and that this was to be expected “given the nature of the correction process and the nature of language learning” (p. 328, emphasis added). Although many empirical studies have investigated the effectiveness of written error correction, few researchers have delved into the claim that written error correction is incompatible with theories of second language acquisition (SLA). This paper discusses written error correction from the perspective of various approaches to SLA and what they might have to say about written error correction. In addition, studies that are conducted within the various approaches are described. I argue that despite differences in the various approaches, some conclusions can be drawn, most notably, that written error correction could be effective in certain conditions. Furthermore, it is also argued that L2 writing studies done within certain approaches to SLA could move the field forward.
Stochastic effectiveness models for human-machine systems

Stochastic models for system effectiveness are developed for a multiple-component human-machine system. System effectiveness is defined as the combined measure of availability and reliability at each task-arrival time, when transient human operator behavior is considered in conjunction with the machine state. Because factors such as fatigue, stress, and learning affect the human operator over time, all probability measures for successful human performance are considered to be time-dependent. Performance evaluation models for a generic military system are developed. The modeling techniques can also be used for large-scale, man-machine systems that consist of modern computers and processors. >
Reconstruction of the left ventricle from two orthogonal projections

A new method for reconstruction of the shape of the left ventricle from the biplane angiocardiograms is proposed. The shape of the ventricle is reconstructed by estimating the 2-dimensional shapes at close horizontal levels and piecing them together into a 3-dimensional object. Without using predefined binary mask models, we propose a new method to reconstruct the cross section under the assumption that the cross section is regular and a monotonically nondecreasing or nonincreasing equidivisor (ED) curve is available. Instead of constructing the binary matrix directly, we need only to obtain the equidivisor curve, from which the cross section is uniquely determined. The experiments show better results than by any existing directing methods. It also eliminates the sensitive selection of mask models which dominate the results of model-based methods.
Understanding complex reproductive ecology in fishes: the importance of individual and population-scale information

Many riverine cyprinids native to the Great Plains of North America are members of a reproductive guild that broadcast spawns pelagic, semi-buoyant ova. The task of fully understanding and appreciating the complexity of the reproductive ecology of this guild has been difficult. Although various efforts to understand their reproductive ecology have been conducted over the last 60 years, the results of these studies and the conclusions drawn from them have been inconsistent and oftentimes seemingly contradictory. The result has been varied and ill-informed conservation and management strategies based on an incomplete understanding of the reproductive ecology of these fish. We used gonadosomatic index, oocyte development, oocyte size distribution, and histological techniques to assess the reproductive ecology of sharpnose shiner Notropis oxyrhynchus in the upper Brazos River, Texas, between April 2003 and March 2005. Histological analyses of ovarian tissue revealed that reproduction occurred over a six-month period between April and September during which individual fish spawned multiple times. Patterns in gonadosomatic index, oocyte development, and oocyte size distribution indicated that sharpnose shiner spawn asynchronously except during periods of increased streamflow when spawning is synchronized within populations. Reproductive ecology of the sharpnose shiner reported in this study appears to be nearly identical to that recently reported for two other broadcast spawning cyprinids in the Great Plains, indicating that a more complete and consistent understanding of their reproductive ecology is beginning to emerge. We attribute this to the inclusion of both individual and population-scale analyses used in the most recent studies.
PREDICTION OF CHAOTIC TIME SERIES WITH NEURAL NETWORKS AND THE ISSUE OF DYNAMIC MODELING

This paper deals with the role of neural-network based prediction for the modeling of nonlinear dynamical systems. We show experimentally that the backpropagation learning rule to train neural networks and the prediction error, so widely utilized in teaching and comparing nonlinear predictors, do not consistently indicate that the neural network based model has indeed captured the dynamics of the system that produced the time series. Frequently, but not always, the neural network when used as an autonomous system in a feedback configuration was able to generate a time series that has dynamical invariants similar to the original time series. We show that the estimation of the dynamical invariants (correlation dimension, largest Lyapunov exponent) of the predicted and original time series are an appropriate tool to validate the predictive model.