cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy.

Purpose: The role that sex education plays in the initiation of sexual activity and risk of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD) is controversial in the United States. Despite several systematic reviews, few epidemiologic evaluations of the effectiveness of these programs on a population level have been conducted. Methods: Among never-married heterosexual adolescents, aged 15-19 years, who participated in Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth and reported on formal sex education received before their first sexual intercourse (n 1719), we compared the sexual health risks of adolescents who received abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education to those of adolescents who received no formal sex education. Weighted multivariate logistic regression generated population-based estimates. Results: Adolescents who received comprehensive sex education were significantly less likely to report teen pregnancy (ORadj .4, 95% CI .22- .69, p .001) than those who received no formal sex education, whereas there was no significant effect of abstinence-only education (ORadj .7, 95% CI .38 -1.45, p .38). Abstinence-only education did not reduce the likelihood of engaging in vaginal intercourse (ORadj .8, 95% CI .51-1.31, p .40), but comprehensive sex education was marginally associated with a lower likelihood of reporting having engaged in vaginal inter- course (ORadj .7, 95% CI .49 -1.02, p .06). Neither abstinence-only nor comprehensive sex education significantly reduced the likelihood of reported STD diagnoses (ORadj 1.7, 95% CI .57-34.76, p .36 and ORadj 1.8, 95% CI .67-5.00, p .24 respectively). Conclusions: Teaching about contraception was not associated with increased risk of adolescent sexual activity or STD. Adolescents who received comprehensive sex education had a lower risk of pregnancy than adolescents who received abstinence-only or no sex education. © 2008 Society for Adolescent Medicine. All rights reserved.
Down–Up Algebras and Their Representation Theory

Abstract A class of algebras called down–up algebras was introduced by G. Benkart and T. Roby (1998, J. Algebra 209 , 305–344). We classify the finite dimensional simple modules over Noetherian down–up algebras and show that in some cases every finite dimensional module is semisimple. We also study the question of when two down–up algebras are isomorphic.
From Crisis to Opportunity: Human Resource Challenges for the Public Sector in the Twenty‐First Century

A great deal of attention has been focused on the human capital crisis in the public sector since the mid-1990s. Experts and practitioners give many reasons why the current crisis emerged. This article examines the important factors that led to the crisis, what is being done about them through presidential agendas, legislators, oversight agencies, professional societies, and public policy think tanks. Concerns are many in terms of a large number of upcoming retirements, early retirements, unplanned downsizing, difficulty in attracting new generations to public service, and the changing nature of public service. However, the human resource crisis also presents an opportunity to fundamentally change those features of public sector human resource management practices that have become outdated for contemporary organizations and position government agencies for the twenty-first century by meaningfully reforming the civil service. This transformation would require public sector organizations to take a more strategic view of human resource management and to give greater policy attention to human capital issues.
Propagation of pulsed-carrier signals in random media

A careful examination of the time-averaging procedures used in analyzing transient signal propagation through random media is made. By employing a time-domain formalism, the statistics of the time-averaged pulse are shown to coincide exactly with the continuous-wave statistics which have been treated so extensively. In contrast with previous work the demonstration does not depend on any particular form of the wave equation, the manner in which the wave equation is solved, nor on the particular shape of the transient signal. Thus a considerable simplicity in dealing with transient problems is brought about.
Bursting of Prefrontal Cortex Neurons in Awake Rats is Regulated by Metabotropic Glutamate 5 (mGlu5) Receptors: Rate-dependent Influence and Interaction with NMDA Receptors

Metabotropic glutamate 5 (mGlu5) receptors have been recently implicated in prefrontal cortex (PFC)-dependent executive functions because inhibition of mGlu5 receptors impairs working memory and worsens cognitive-impairing effects of NMDA receptor antagonists. To better understand the mechanisms by which mGlu5 receptors influence PFC function, we examined the effects of selective mGlu5 receptor antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (MPEP), given alone or in combination with the NMDA receptor antagonist MK801, on ensemble single unit activity in the medial PFC (mPFC) of behaving rats. MPEP decreased the spontaneous burst activity of the majority of mPFC neurons. This inhibition was selective for the most active cells because greater decreases were observed in neurons with higher baseline firing rates. MPEP augmented the effects of MK801 on burst activity, variability of spike firing and random spike activity. These findings demonstrate that in awake animals mGlu5 receptors regulate the function of PFC neurons by two related mechanisms: (i) rate-dependent excitatory influence on spontaneous burst activity; and (ii) potentiation of NMDA receptor mediated effects on firing rate and burst activity. These mechanisms support the idea that modulation of mGlu5 receptors may provide a pharmacological strategy for fine-tuning the temporal pattern of firing of PFC neurons.
Immobilized cellulases for cellulose utilization

Abstract The cellulase enzyme complex can be immobilized quite easily by covalent attachment to water-soluble and insoluble supports and by entrapment within gel matrices. Fungal mycelia that are secreting cellulase can also be immobilized for the continuous production of cellulase. Cellulase that has been immobilized to water-soluble polymers is capable of hydrolyzing insoluble cellulosic substrates, but alterations in the specific activity or stability of the enzyme have not been evident. When immobilized by entrapment or by covalent attachment to water-insoluble supports, limited hydrolysis of cellulosic substrates by such immobilized cellulases is possible. The β-glucosidase component of cellulase can be stabilized and immobilized for efficient hydrolysis of soluble cellobiose and short-chain cello-oligosaccharides.
Application of REDOR subtraction for filtered MAS observation of labeled backbone carbons of membrane-bound fusion peptides

Clean MAS observation of 13 C-labeled carbons in membrane-bound HIV-1 and influenza fusion peptides was made by using a rotational-echo double-resonance spectroscopy (REDOR) filter of directly bonded 13 C– 15 N pairs. The clean filtering achieved with the REDOR approach is superior to filtering done with sample difference spectroscopy. In one labeling approach, the peptide had labels at a single 13 C carbonyl and its directly bonded 15 N. The resulting chemical shift distribution of the filtered signal is used to assess the distribution of local secondary structures at the labeled carbonyl. For the influenza peptide, the Leu-2 carbonyl chemical shift distribution is shown to vary markedly with lipid and detergent composition, as well as peptide:lipid ratio, suggesting that the local peptide structure also has a strong dependence on these factors. Because most carboxylic- and amino-labeled amino acids are commercially available, this REDOR approach should have broad applicability to chemically synthesized peptides as well as bacterially synthesized proteins. In a second labeling approach, the HIV-1 fusion peptide had U- 13 C, 15 N labeling over three sequential residues. When a 1.6 ms REDOR dephasing time is used, only backbone 13 C signals are observed. The resulting spectra are used to determine spectral linewidths and to assess feasibility of assignment of uniformly labeled peptide. 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Intense Convective Storms with Little or No Lightning over Central Arizona: A Case of Inadvertent Weather Modification?

Abstract On 20/21 August 1993, deep convective storms occurred across much of Arizona, except for the southwestern quarter of the state. Several storms were quite severe, producing downbursts and extensive wind damage in the greater Phoenix area during the late afternoon and evening. The most severe convective storms occurred from 0000 to 0230 UTC 21 August and were noteworthy in that, except for the first reported severe thunderstorm, there was almost no cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning observed during their life cycles. Other intense storms on this day, particularly early storms to the south of Phoenix and those occurring over mountainous terrain to the north and east of Phoenix, were prolific producers of CG lightning. Radar data for an 8-h period (2000 UTC 20 August–0400 UTC 21 August) indicated that 88 convective cells having maximum reflectivities greater than 55 dBZ and persisting longer than 25 min occurred within a 200-km range of Phoenix. Of these cells, 30 were identified as “low-lightning” storm...
Caucasian Bronze Age

The climate during the Caucasian Bronze Age was similar to that of today: basically continental with warm to hot summers and cold winters and varying with altitude, with pronounced diurnal variations particularly during summer months at the higher elevations. There is a general decrease in precipitation from west to east with the greatest rainfall in the subtropical Colchidean depression of western Georgia. Given shifts in settlement location and the abandonment of drier areas, such as the Mil-Karabagh steppes, at the beginning of the Caucasian Bronze Age, some researchers have postulated increased aridization; similarly, others have postulated another such shift at the end of the Early Bronze Age as reflected in the abandonment of numerous Kura-Araxes culture sites. Both theories need more primary empirical substantiation.
Application of Enforced Motion to Study 2-D Cascade Lock-in Effect

condition. The governing nonlinear, unsteady Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a novel harmonic balance (HB) method. For periodic unsteady flows, such as the transonic flow through a turbomachinery cascade, this method requires one to two orders of magnitude less computational time than conventional time-accurate solvers. The vortex shedding frequency is obtained using a unique phase error method. Enforced motion is then used to encourage lock-on of the frequency of the blades’ motion to the natural shedding frequency. In particular, it is assumed that the airfoils vibrate harmonically in pitch about their elastic axis at a given frequency and amplitude. Analogous to the circular cylinder, a V-shaped lock-in region is observed. The aeroelastic stability of the rotor is determined and the results indicate that the largest limit cycle oscillation (LCO) amplitude is not at the natural shedding frequency. Furthermore, the system is always stable at the natural shedding frequency. This is contrary to conventional thought in which the most significant response is assumed to be when the blade frequency and the frequency of the fluid instability are coincident. Therefore, the results indicate how both the natural shedding frequency and blade frequency should be considered in design analysis.
BM-13THE (F)UTILITY OF PREDICTIVE MODELS

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Physician estimates of cancer patients' survival are notoriously inaccurate. A number of models have been developed in an effort to better predict patient lifespan based on clinical factors. The Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA), most recently published in 2012 by Sperduto et al, estimates median survival (MS) for patients who had undergone treatment for new brain metastases from June 1993 to January 2010. While independently validated in numerous studies, we investigated the applicability of the GPA model in the modern era for a smaller cohort of patients with brain metastases who were specifically selected for SRS by retrospectively calculating the diagnosis-specific GPA predicted median survival for patients with brain metastases treated with SRS at our institution between 2006 and 2012. RESULTS: 100 patients underwent SRS; 73 received whole brain radiation therapy. Observed (O) and predicted (P) MS were 13.3 and 9.4 months. The difference between predicted and actual survival was computed for each patient, and the mean difference was 10.8 months (95% CI, 8.95 - 14.8 months); the mean actual/predicted ratio was 2.07 (95% CI, 1.64 - 2.50). Compared to the predicted, actual survival was 25/35/50% longer (an arbitrarily chosen yet clinically significant amount of time) in almost half (53/49/48%) of our patients. Even when KPS was overestimated (increasing GPA predicted survival), actual survival 25/35/50% longer than predicted survival was observed in 49/46/44% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our deliberate selection bias of recently treated patients with modern imaging and more advanced therapies confirms that clinical models such as the GPA must be used with awareness of the current clinical setting as well as a full understanding of the model and its derivation to be of greatest benefit.
The Role of Wastewater Reclamation and Reuse in the USA

IAWPRC9s Specialist Group on Wastewater Reclamation, Recycling and Reuse (Water Reuse Group) is conducting a day-long Water Reuse Seminar on August 1, 1990 at the 15th Biennial Conference in Kyoto, Japan. This paper is prepared to review the role of wastewater reclamation and reuse in water resources management in the U.S.A., and to serve as an introduction to the theme for the Seminar. Following a brief summary of available water resources in the United States, the role of wastewater reclamation and reuse is discussed in terms of planning and implementation. Major wastewater reuse categories are identified and discussed. The emphasis of this paper is on wastewater reuse in the context of the water supply benefits to water resources management rather than on water pollution control measures. The overriding importance in wastewater reclamation and reuse is to protect public health and to mitigate health risks. Accordingly, wastewater reclamation criteria for health protection are also presented.
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning: Effects on Breeding Terns

--More than 70 Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) and lesser numbers of other terns and gulls were killed on 11-12 June 1978, by Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP; toxin of the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax excavata) at a breeding colony in Massachusetts. PSP toxin was detected at lethal levels in sand-launce (Ammodytes americanus), the terns' principal food. Almost all terns that died were females in pre-laying condition; other birds vomited and survived. Breeding performance of survivors was unaffected. Mortality was greatest in three-year-old birds; 10-25% of three-year-old females were killed. Although PSP toxin was present in local shellfish for about three weeks, tern mortality was limited to a few hours on two days. Much higher levels of toxin were detected in shellfish at other parts of the Massachusetts coast in 1978 and other years, but terns and other susceptible seabirds were unaffected. Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) results from ingestion of a toxin produced by marine algae and which accumulates primarily in molluscs. In the North Atlantic, the organism primarily responsible for producing the toxin is a dinoflagellate (Gonyaulax excavata, formerly known as G. tamarensis), whose periodic blooms are known as "red tides" (Loeblich and Loeblich 1975, Sweeney 1976, White 1980a). The toxin acts by blocking propagation of nerve impulses, leading to paralysis of skeletal muscles and, in sufficient doses, to death from respiratory failure (Schantz 1973). It has recently been discovered that the toxin can accumulate in marine zooplankton to levels that are lethal to planktivorous fish (White 1977, 1980b, 1981 a, b). However, there are few reports of PSP in piscivorous fish or piscivorous birds. McKernan and Scheffer (1942) reported mortality of Common Murres (Uria aalge) and loons (Gavia spp.) in an outbreak off Washington state. Coulson et al. (1968) and Armstrong et al. (1978) reported two incidents in northeastern England, in which large numbers of breeding Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Great Cormorants (P. carbo) and Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and smaller numbers of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) and terns (Sterna spp.) were killed. Effects on the terns in the 1968 incident were described in more detail by Horobin (1970) and Dunn (1972). In this paper I describe a similar incident at a tern colony in Massachusetts, in which I was able to document differential effects upon ageand sex-classes.
Conditional Party Government in the States

We extend theories of congressional parties and committees to the state legislative setting, using the variation among legislatures to explore the links between elections and parties and between parties and committees. We examine elections by comparing the electoral concentration of parties to measures of conditional party government. We examine informational and partisan theories of com? mittees by looking to the relationship between committee representativeness and conditional party govern? ment. With data from eleven states, we find that competitive party sys? tems breed highly polarized legisla? tive parties, and these two traits lead to representative committees.
Does Criminal Propensity Moderate the Effects of Social Learning Theory Variables on Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACTAkers’ Social Learning Theory (SLT) is one of the predominant general theories of criminal behavior; it has been widely tested and is typically supported. Despite being a validated general theory, it is possible there are other factors such as criminal propensity that influence the effects of social learning constructs. This study examines the extent, if any, to which crime-specific operationalizations of SLT exert equivalent effects on a specific type of offense—intimate partner violence (IPV) (both perpetration and victimization)—across level of criminal propensity. Using self-report data on intimate partner violence among university students and specifically designed to test SLT, the results indicate that (1) the effects of differential associations and differential reinforcements exerted consistent effects across the various measures of IPV, (2) the effects of definitions and imitation are much less consistent, and, most importantly (3) the effects of SLT constructs on IPV were moderated by cr...
‘Highly Selective’ Proximal Gastric Vagotomy

When the problem is recurrent bleeding from a duodenal ulcer and the patient is a young woman, which type of operative procedure is likely to give the best result? If vagotomy is chosen, should it be “highly selective,” “selective,” or “truncal”? The differences among these approaches are detailed and the reasons for choosing the “highly selective” operation are discussed in terms of the case presented.
Performance measurement: a local government response

Previous research has indicated that municipalities regularly collect performance data. A survey of medium-to-large southeastern cities supports that conclusion, but cautions that limited emphasis is placed on performance during budget construction. Prior-year expenditures drive the budget at the preparation phase. Performance information is added at the presentation phase for explication and to conform norms promulgated by professional budgeting organizations.
Sublingual Tacrolimus in Liver Transplantation: A Valid Option?

Abstract Background Oral tacrolimus (Tac) is currently the pillar of maintenance immunosuppression after solid organ transplantation. Recent studies proposed sublingual (SL) administration as an alternative; however, data regarding its use in adult liver transplant (LT) recipients are limited. Methods Three LT recipients were included. Two (patients 1 and 2) were transitioned from oral to SL Tac owing to persistently erratic serum concentrations and 1 (patient 3) because of severe oral intolerance. SL Tac was started in a 1:2 dose-conversion rate. Results All patients tolerated the SL Tac well without any side effects requiring dose reduction or discontinuation. In patients 1 and 2, the therapeutic trough concentrations improved significantly after switching to SL Tac: 20% (10/50) on oral Tac to 50% (7/14) on SL Tac in patient 1 (P = .04), and from 0% (0/15) oral Tac vs 40% (4/10) on SL Tac in patient 2 (P = .02). Patient 2, who had consistently subtherapeutic trough levels on oral Tac (mean trough of 2.6 ± 0.7 ng/mL), achieved a stable therapeutic level on SL Tac (mean trough 8.1 ± 2.7 ng/mL; P Conclusions Oral administration of Tac is the criterion standard route for drug delivery; however SL administration should be considered as a safe alternative when the oral method is not an option.
Application of Domain-Specific Search Method in Meta-Search Engine on Internet

With the Internet's prosperity, more surfers find it is difficult to retrieve information efficiently. Domain-specific search engine (DSSE) is one of solutions to alleviate such inefficient situation. This paper proposes a new method for building DSSE based on meta-search engine (MSE) on Internet. First, odds ratio method is used to refine the domain-specific keywords, which are weighted by means of TF-IDF method. Second, domain query expression is constructed with the keywords by Decision Tree method to reflect the features of domain documents. Combining user's plain query with the domain query expression, the MSE constructs a domain-specific query expression and submits it to general-purpose search engines (GSE). The Extended Boolean Model is employed to rank the search results back from the GSE. Finally, the ranked results are returned to the query user. The experiment results show that the proposed domain-specific search method is effective in searching domain documents. The designed DSSE is more simple and efficient than the dedicated domain-specific search engines.
An incremental and approximate local outlier probability algorithm for intrusion detection and its evaluation

ABSTRACTThis paper proposes a novel incremental modification to the Local Outlier Probabilities algorithm, which is commonly used for anomaly detection, to allow it to detect outliers nearly instantly in data streams. The proposed incremental algorithm’s strength is based on denying the insertion of incremental points into the data set. This precludes the anomaly scores of other points having to update (saving valuable computational time) while resulting in a small amount of error, as compared to an exact approach. This work aims to allow low-resource machines, such as small or older satellites, to perform incremental anomaly detection on large static data sets quickly, trading accuracy impairment for speed of detection.
Brothers and Sisters of Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Meta-Synthesis

Date Presented 4/8/2016The poster focuses on siblings and their needs when an infant sibling is in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Although occupational therapists (OTs) have made a great impact and created a strong role within the NICU, it has been limited to a developmental interventionis
Infinitesimal dipoles simulation of antennas using genetic algorithms

Infinitesimal dipoles are used to simulate some antennas. The Genetic Algorithm (GA) method is used to minimize the near field difference of the antenna and the field from certain number of infinitesimal dipoles of arbitrary orientation. The obtained dipoles from single frequency measurements are found to be valid for certain frequency band.
Properties of suprathermal electrons associated with discrete auroral arcs

We report on the properties of suprathermal electrons observed over three discrete auroral arcs from a sounding rocket by applying shifted kappa distributions. By analyzing kappa parameters (density, temperature, and kappa), we found three novel characteristics to provide clues to understanding the auroral acceleration mechanisms and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes. First, the auroral potential drop was proportional to the inverse-square of kappa, consistent with previous theoretical investigations by [Dors and Kletzing, 1999]. The observed dependency was slightly stronger than their calculations, suggesting additional contribution from non-linear plasma processes. Second, the polytropic relation showed non-adiabatic (near isothermal) state of the source electrons. This can provide a restriction on the pressure balance issues in the plasma sheet convection. Third, there was a clear difference in the polytropic and the kappa index for the first arc as opposed to the second and the third arcs, suggesting different source locations in the plasma sheet for precipitating electrons to cause these near-by arcs.
Cigarette Smoking and Perceived Risk: A Multidimensional Investigation:

In this study, the authors use marketing's perceived risk literature to specify and examine the influence of five different types (i.e., addiction, financial, health, time, and social) of perceived...
Local ensemble transform Kalman filter for ionospheric data assimilation: Observation influence analysis during a geomagnetic storm event

We propose a targeted observation strategy, based on the influence matrix diagnostic, that optimally selects where additional observations may be placed to improve ionospheric forecasts. This strategy is applied in data assimilation observing system experiments, where synthetic electron density vertical profiles, which mimic those of Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate/Formosa satellite 3 (COSMIC), are assimilated into the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics Global Circulation Model (TIEGCM) using the Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF) during the 26 September 2011 geomagnetic storm. During each analysis step, the observation vector is augmented with five synthetic vertical profiles optimally placed to target electron density errors, using our targeted observation strategy. Forecast improvement due to assimilation of augmented vertical profiles is measured with the root mean square error (RMSE) of analyzed electron density, averaged over 600 km regions centered around the augmented vertical profile locations. Assimilating vertical profiles with targeted locations yields about 60%-80% reduction in electron density RMSE, compared to a 15% average reduction when assimilating randomly placed vertical profiles. Assimilating vertical profiles whose locations target the zonal component of neutral winds (Un) yields on average a 25% RMSE reduction in Un estimates, compared to a 2% average improvement obtained with randomly placed vertical profiles. These results demonstrate that our targeted strategy can improve data assimilation efforts during extreme events by detecting regions where additional observations would provide the largest benefit to the forecast.
Caribbean Kinship as Instituted Process

Islands are colonized by organized groups of people. This paper examines the ways in which the economy of colonizing groups is embedded in kinship institutions. This perspective emerged from substa...
Outcomes of “one‐day” vs “two‐day” injection protocols using Tc‐99m tilmanocept for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer

No prior studies have compared Tc-99m tilmanocept (TcTM) one-day and two-day injection protocols for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in breast cancer (BC). We retrospectively identified patients with clinically node-negative BC undergoing SLN biopsy at our institution. Patients received a single, intradermal peritumoral injection of TcTM on day of surgery or day prior to surgery in addition to an intraoperative injection of isosulfan blue dye. Univariable and multivariable Poisson regression count models were constructed to assess the effects of injection timing, radiologist, patient and surgeon characteristics on the number of removed SLNs. A total of 617 patients underwent SLN biopsy with TcTM and blue dye. Sixty-seven (10.9%) patients were injected with the two-day protocol. Patients in the one-day protocol had a mean of 3.0 (standard deviation (SD) 1.9) SLNs removed compared with 2.7 (SD 1.4) SLNs in the two-day protocol, P-value = .13. On multivariable analysis, patient age and operating surgeon significantly affected the number of removed SLNs; however, the injection timing and the nuclear radiologist did not influence the number of removed SLNs. The performance of Tc-99m tilmanocept did not differ significantly between one-day and two-day injection protocols. These results are similar to other radiotracers used for SLN biopsy in BC.
Macrophage-Targeted Therapeutics for Metabolic Disease

Macrophages are cells of the innate immune system that are resident in all tissues, including metabolic organs such as the liver and adipose tissue (AT). Because of their phenotypic flexibility, they play beneficial roles in tissue homeostasis, but they also contribute to the progression of metabolic disease. Thus, they are ideal therapeutic targets for diseases such as insulin resistance (IR), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and atherosclerosis. Recently, discoveries in the area of drug delivery have facilitated phenotype-specific targeting of macrophages. In this review we discuss advances in potential therapeutics for metabolic diseases via macrophage-specific delivery. We highlight micro- and nanoparticles, liposomes, and oligopeptide complexes, and how they can be used to alter macrophage phenotype for a more metabolically favorable tissue environment.
Institutional Identification and Sense of Community: Analysis of a New Online Graduate Public Administration Program

Villanova University launched its online Master of Public Administration (MPA) program in fall 2012, in which students from across the country, and in some instances the world, engage in video-base...
Identifying and using tools for reducing risks to patients and health care workers: a nursing perspective.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Research efforts and policy initiatives in health care errors and injury to health care workers have attracted increasing attention in recent years. An emerging theme in both these areas is the importance of organizational and other systems factors in the occurrence of medical error and health care worker injury. These commonalities call for the identification of common research efforts and, when appropriate, policy efforts. Moving from hypothesis to conclusion The proposition that health care error and worker injury are linked to the same organizational variables requires further research and deserves the same type of human factors approach that has characterized much of the investigative efforts that have occurred in the patient safety arena during the past decade. Serious problems exist with respect to access to data on staffing levels, skill mix, consecutive work hours, and other information that is crucial to examining the link between practice conditions, health care error, and health care worker injury. Human factors One important resource in identifying effective approaches to prevent error and health care worker injury is the field of human factors, the discipline concerned with the design of tools, machines, and systems that takes into account human capabilities, limitations, and characteristics. Conclusion The potential benefits of linking patient safety and health care worker safety efforts are significant. The research, experience, and successful practices from multiple disciplines must be utilized in identifying areas of common interest and concern in advancing work in both of these important areas.
Evolution des Menschen und soziale Themen

Die Mechanismen der Koevolution, die Natur des Kopplungsungleichgewichts oder die Geschichte der Artenvielfalt mogen nur fur relativ wenige Menschen von fesselndem Interesse sein, das Thema der menschlichen Evolution dagegen erweckt fast universelles Interesse. Fur die Verfechter der Schopfungsthese ist dieses Thema der Kernpunkt des Wetterns gegen die Evolution. Fur andere liefert es moglicherweise den Schlussel zum Geheimnis des «Vorbilds der Tiere» und erlaubt Einsichten in die Moglichkeiten und Grenzen der «menschlichen Natur». Auch wenn die Evolutionsbiologie sehr wohl etwas uber den Menschen sagen kann, ist dieser jedoch ebenso Gegenstand der Anthropologie und Soziologie, der Psychologie, Geschichte und Philosophie, der Religion und der Kunste. Menschen sind zu komplex, als das sie allein aus der engen Perspektive der Biologie oder einer anderen einzelnen Wissenschaft heraus verstanden werden konnten.
The role of continuous microbial debulking in the hospital environment and its effect on reducing hospital-acquired infections (HAI)

Abstract: Healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) result in significant patient morbidity and mortality. Biofilms are ubiquitous. They represent the dominant form of life on inanimate objects and the surfaces of all living organisms. Routine hygienic measures and extraordinary disinfection can limit the risk posed by microbes but have been found lacking in being able to reduce the incidence of HAI and emergence of resistance to antimicrobials. Recent work has found that when microbes come in direct contact with solid copper surfaces their number and ability to move antibiotic resistance determinants are continuously mitigated. In the latter half of the 19th century Nightingale appreciated that when hospitals were kept clean, deaths from infectious diseases were lower. This chapter will address whether the use of solid copper in hospitals to control bacteria and biofilms represents a transformation to medicine similar in signficance to the observation made by Nightingale.
Induction of Krüppel-like factor 2 reduces K/BxN serum-induced arthritis.

Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) critically regulates activation and function of monocyte, which plays important pathogenic role in progressive joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is yet to be established the molecular basis of KLF2-mediated regulation of monocytes in RA pathogenesis. Herein, we show that a class of compound, HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) induced KLF2 expression in monocytes both in vitro and in vivo. KLF2 level was also elevated in tissues, such as bone marrow, spleen and thymus in mice after infusion of HDACi. Importantly, HDACi significantly reduced osteoclastic differentiation of monocytes with the up-regulation of KLF2 and concomitant down-regulation of matrixmetalloproteinases both in the expression level as well as in the protein level. In addition, HDACi reduced K/BxN serum-induced arthritic inflammation and joint destruction in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, co-immunoprecipitation and overexpression studies confirmed that KLF2 directly interacts with HDAC4 molecule in cells. These findings provide mechanistic evidence of KLF2-mediated regulation of K/BxN serum-induced arthritic inflammation.
Metachronous Neoplasias Arise in a Higher Proportion of Colon Segments From Which Large Polyps Were Previously Removed, and Can be Used to Estimate Incomplete Resection of 10–20 mm Colorectal Polyps

Background & Aims Incomplete resection of polyps could be an important cause of post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer. However, it is difficult to study progression of incompletely removed polyps or their clinical importance. We aimed to estimate incomplete polyp resection using risk of metachronous neoplasia per colon segment. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 1031 patients (6186 colon segments) who initially underwent resection of a large (10–20 mm) neoplastic polyp at 2 academic medical centers (from 2000 through 2012) and then underwent a subsequent colonoscopy within 0.5 to 5 years. We determined the proportions of metachronous neoplasia in colon segments from which a single large neoplastic polyp was removed and in segments without prior neoplasia. We then used the absolute difference in proportions between these groups to estimate the rate of incomplete resection. Our analysis assumed that development of metachronous neoplasia in each colon segment was the consequence of a newly grown polyp, a previously missed polyp, or an incompletely removed polyp. Results Metachronous neoplasia was detected in 177 of 757 segments (23.4%) with a single large polyp, and in 438 of 4232 segments (10.3%) without any neoplasia at baseline colonoscopy (P Conclusion Metachronous neoplasia arises in a significantly higher proportion of colon segments from which a polyp was previously removed. Based on these data, we estimate that 13% of all large polyps are incompletely resected and 18% of large non-pedunculated polyps are incompletely resected. These findings indicate that incomplete resection could be a risk factor for later development of neoplasia. Segment metachronous neoplasia might be used as a marker of resection quality.
Progesterone pretreatment reduces the incidence of drug-induced torsades de pointes in atrioventricular node-ablated isolated perfused rabbit hearts.

INTRODUCTION Higher progesterone concentrations are protective against drug-induced prolongation of ventricular repolarization. We tested the hypothesis that pretreatment with progesterone reduces the incidence of drug-induced torsades de pointes (TdP). METHODS AND RESULTS Female New Zealand white rabbits (2.5-3.2 kg) underwent ovariectomy and were randomized to undergo implantation with subcutaneous 21-day sustained release pellets containing progesterone 50 mg (n = 22) or placebo (n = 23). After 20 days, hearts were excised, mounted, and perfused with modified Krebs-Henseleit solution. The atrioventricular (AV) node was destroyed manually. Following a 15-minute equilibration period, hearts were perfused with dofetilide 100 nM for 30 minutes, during which the electrocardiogram was recorded continuously. Incidences of spontaneous TdP, other ventricular arrhythmias and mean QTc intervals were compared. Median serum progesterone concentrations were higher in progesterone vs placebo-treated rabbits (3.8 [range, 2.8-5.1] vs 0.7 [0.4-1.7] ng/mL, P < 0.0001). Median serum estradiol concentrations were similar (58 [22-72] vs 53 [34-62] pg/mL), P = 0.79). The incidence of TdP was lower in hearts from progesterone-treated rabbits (27% vs 61%, P = 0.049). The incidences of bigeminy (36% vs 74%, P = 0.03) and trigeminy (18% vs 57%, P = 0.01) were also lower in hearts from progesterone-treated rabbits. There was no significant difference between groups in incidence of couplets (59% vs 74%, P = 0.54) or monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (14% vs 30%, P = 0.28). Maximum QT c interval and short-term beat-to-beat QT interval variability during dofetilide perfusion were significantly shorter in hearts from progesterone-treated rabbits. CONCLUSIONS Pretreatment with progesterone reduces the incidence of drug-induced TdP, bigeminy, and trigeminy in isolated perfused AV node-ablated rabbit hearts.
Synthetic scaffolds for musculoskeletal tissue engineering: cellular responses to fiber parameters

Tissue engineering often uses synthetic scaffolds to direct cell responses during engineered tissue development. Since cells reside within specific niches of the extracellular matrix, it is important to understand how the matrix guides cell response and then incorporate this knowledge into scaffold design. The goal of this review is to review elements of cell–matrix interactions that are critical to informing and evaluating cellular response on synthetic scaffolds. Therefore, this review examines fibrous proteins of the extracellular matrix and their effects on cell behavior, followed by a discussion of the cellular responses elicited by fiber diameter, alignment, and scaffold porosity of two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) synthetic scaffolds. Variations in fiber diameter, alignment, and scaffold porosity guide stem cells toward different lineages. Cells generally exhibit rounded morphology on nanofibers, randomly oriented fibers, and low-porosity scaffolds. Conversely, cells exhibit elongated, spindle-shaped morphology on microfibers, aligned fibers, and high-porosity scaffolds. Cells migrate with higher velocities on nanofibers, aligned fibers, and high-porosity scaffolds but migrate greater distances on microfibers, aligned fibers, and highly porous scaffolds. Incorporating relevant biomimetic factors into synthetic scaffolds destined for specific tissue application could take advantage of and further enhance these responses.
Timing Ability in the Focus Market of Hedge Funds

This paper examines the timing ability of hedge funds covering various investment categories. We extend the Treynor-Mazuy (1966) and Henriksson-Merton (1981) market timing models to a multiple market framework and propose the concept of a focus market in which a fund trades most actively. Concentrating on the focus market enables us to parsimoniously apply conditional multifactor models. With a large sample of hedge funds during 1994-2002, we show evidence of significant timing ability in the focus markets including bond, currency, and equity markets at both the category and the fund levels. Tests of performance persistence present some supportive evidence over a short horizon.
Adalimumab-induced Anti-neutrophilic Cytoplasmic Antibody Vasculitis: A Rare Complication of an Increasingly Common Treatment.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are used for treatment of different autoimmune diseases. Interestingly they are also being noted to cause autoimmune side effects such as vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, interstitial lung disease, etc. We describe one such case of granuloma annulare being treated with Adalimumab, who then developed pulmonary-renal syndrome form anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-induced vasculitis. This was treated with steroids and immunosuppression, as well as discontinuation of the TNF inhibitor. However, he remains dependant on dialysis and immunosuppression. In this article, we review the existing literature on clinical presentation and course of TNF inhibitors-induced ANCA vasculitis. We also discuss the underlying mechanisms thought to be responsible for this.
Abstract 200: Behavior Modification and Hypothalamic Appetite Regulation in a Stress-less Mouse Model

Obesity is a major crisis in the Appalachian region. Being obese not only increases risk to heart disease and diabetes, but also promotes behavior modifications. Behavior changes such as excess foo...
Prospective Elementary Teachers’ Beliefs About Mathematical Myths: A Historical and Qualitative Examination

AbstractPrevious research has found that prospective elementary teachers hold beliefs about mathematics that potentially hinder learning, sometimes called “math myths.” However, since these researc...
PTEN as a Guardian of the Genome: Pathways and Targets

Faithful transmission of genetic information is only possible with the structural and functional integrity of the genome. PTEN has been recognized as a guardian of the genome since the identification of its noncanonical localization and function in the nucleus. Yet, the role of PTEN in guarding the genome relies on integration of diverse mechanisms elicited by its canonical activity in antagonizing PI3K as well as emerging noncanonical functions. In the nucleus, PTEN maintains the structural integrity of chromosomes and the architecture of heterochromatin by physically interacting with chromosomal and nucleosomal components. PTEN also controls the functional integrity of key genetic transmission machineries by promoting proper assembly of the replisome and mitotic spindles. Deregulation of PTEN signaling impairs genome integrity, leading to spontaneous replication/mitotic stress and subsequent stress tolerance. Identification of novel targets of PTEN signaling and illumination of the interplay of diverse PTEN pathways in genome maintenance will help us better understand mechanisms underlying tumor evolution and therapeutic resistance.
P091 Estimating neonatal herpes simplex virus infections using chapman’s capture-recapture method, florida, 2011–2017

Background Neonatal infection with Herpes Simplex Virus (nHSV) is a reportable condition in Florida. Healthcare providers are required to report cases of nHSV, and clinical laboratories are required to report the results of tests in which HSV is detected. However, electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) to the Florida Department of Health is incomplete, and results are not captured in the repository used for case-based reporting of other nationally reported sexually transmitted infections. We estimated the incidence of laboratory-confirmed nHSV in Florida using provider-reported cases alone, ELR alone, both provider and ELR reports, and the incidence yielded by a capture-recapture methodology. Methods Provider-reported cases of nHSV (infants Results Providers reported 113 nHSV cases and ELR identified 197 nHSV cases during 2011–2017. Of these, 44 cases were common to both datasets, leaving 266 unique nHSV reports. Given the number of unmatched cases, Chapman’s estimator suggests 501 (95% C.I. 401–600) nHSV cases occurred in Florida during the study period. The incidence of nHSV using only provider–reports was 7.4 cases/100,000 live births; ELR-only was 12.8; combined provider and ELR reports was 17.3; and Chapman’s estimator was 32.7. Conclusion The incidence of nHSV measured using current provider- and ELR-reporting may substantially underestimate the disease burden in Florida. Expanding the number of healthcare facilities and laboratories electronically reporting nHSV infections and encouraging providers to report nHSV cases could help address the gap in reporting. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Mattachine Society’s Use of Loose Coupling as a Strategy for Covert Political Action

Covert political organizing is a vital means by which subordinate groups express grievances against authorities or elites. This article develops an understanding of the process of covert organizing to show how the selection of an organizational structure is a strategic decision. Using original, archival data from the Mattachine Society, a homosexual organization founded in 1950, and the affiliated Mattachine Foundation, I show how the structure of the organizations enabled leaders to segment their audiences and adapt to challenges from outside and inside the group. In particular, I use the concept of a loosely coupled system, emphasizing relations between organizations, to show how organizations can work with varying degrees of discretion. Moreover, building off analytically similar cases in the literature, I demonstrate that a loosely coupled system enables both organizational flexibility and covert political action.
Automating the Design of Instrument Flight Procedures

The design of instrument flight procedures (IFPs) is currently a manual process that is aided by automated application of IFP criteria to candidate designs. As the National Airspace System (NAS) transitions to performance-based navigation (PBN), these procedures, and their construction logic, are becoming increasingly complex. Today, procedure designers must manually balance input from a wide range of stakeholders, which can be a lengthy and suboptimal process.This paper describes a system to augment the capabilities of procedure designers by automating the design of optimal instrument flight procedures. This can be achieved by combining existing IFP criteria automation capabilities with optimization algorithms and large-scale compute resources and would improve the efficiency of the IFP design process across several common use cases. A proof-of-concept of an automated IFP design suggestion capability was developed and successfully generated valid IFPs in several challenging scenarios, proving the feasibility of the concept. Such a system has the potential to reduce the amount of time needed to implement a new or modified procedure, resulting in a more agile NAS that is more responsive to stakeholder objectives.