cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health Insurance Coverage Among U.S. Workers: Differences by Work Arrangements in 2010 and 2015

Introduction For most Americans, health insurance is obtained through employers. Health insurance coverage can lead to better health outcomes, yet disparities in coverage exist among workers with different sociodemographic and job characteristics. This study compared uninsured rates among workers with different work arrangements. Methods Data from the 2010 and 2015 National Health Interview Survey–Occupational Health Supplements were used to capture a representative sample of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population. Associations between work arrangement and lack of health insurance were analyzed, adjusting for covariates. Analyses were performed during 2016–2018. Results The percentage of workers aged 18–64years without health insurance coverage decreased significantly by 6.8% among workers in all work arrangement categories between 2010 and 2015. However, workers in nonstandard work arrangements were still more likely than standard workers to have no health insurance coverage. In 2015, for workers to have no health insurance the ORs were 4.92 (95% CI=3.91, 6.17) in independent, 2.87 (95% CI=2.00, 4.12) in temporary or contract, and 2.79 (95% CI=0.34, 0.41) in other work arrangements. Standard full-time workers in small establishments and standard part-time workers were also more likely to have no health insurance coverage (OR=2.74, 95% CI=2.27, 3.31, and OR=1.65, 95% CI=1.25, 2.18, respectively). Conclusions Important disparities in health insurance coverage among workers with different work arrangements existed in 2010 and persisted in 2015. Further research is needed to monitor coverage trends among workers.
Association of Vitamin D and Magnesium Status with Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011 to 2014 (FS05-03-19)

Vitamin D protects neuronal structure and aids in neuronal calcium regulation and may play a role in neurodegeneration and aging. Magnesium plays an important role in multiple neurological disorders including cognitive impairment, and is linked with the synthesis and metabolism of vitamin D. Whether vitamin D and magnesium status influence cognitive function in older adults is poorly studied. We examined potential associations of these nutrients with cognitive status in a population-based cross-sectional study. Utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) 2011 to 2014, 2984 participants aged 60 years and older who completed the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) were analyzed. Cognitive function was assessed using DSST scores. Cases were defined as participants with a 25ᵗʰ percentile or lower score on the DSST. Total vitamin D and magnesium intake were determined from 24-hour dietary recalls and supplemental interviews. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was used to define vitamin D status. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). After adjustment for confounders, total energy and magnesium intake, a higher serum 25(OH)D level was associated with decreased odds of having a low DSST score (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50, 0.87) comparing highest vs. lowest tertile (P trend < 0.01). A similar association was observed for total vitamin D intake, with a reduced risk of lower DSST score with higher vitamin D intake. An inverse association of higher serum 25(OH)D with cognitive function was observed primarily among participants with a daily total magnesium intake of <254 mg (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.78) or ≥375 mg (OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.95). There were no clear associations for cognitive function with total magnesium intake overall. We found that higher serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with reduced risk of low cognitive function in older adults, and this association appeared to be modified by the intake level of magnesium. These findings warrant further studies investigating magnesium and vitamin D and their combined effects on cognitive function. UNTHSC.
Accuracy of clinical nodal staging and factors associated with receipt of lymph node dissection at the time of surgery for nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract Introduction The benefit of lymph node dissection (LND) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains poorly defined. Despite this uncertainty, the American Urological Association (AUA) guideline on localized renal cancer recommends that LND be performed for staging purposes when there is suspicion of regional lymphadenopathy on imaging. Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we sought to determine how much of a departure the new AUA guideline is from current practice. We hypothesized that practice patterns would reflect the “Expert Opinion” recommendation and that patients who are clinical lymph node (cLN) positive would receive a LND more often than those who are cLN negative. Additionally, we sought to determine factors that would trigger a LND as well the accuracy of clinical staging by examining the relationship between cLN and pathologic lymph node (pLN) status of patients who received a LND. Materials and methods The NCDB was queried for patients with nonmetastatic RCC who underwent partial nephrectomy or nephrectomy from 2010 to 2014. Patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were extracted. Frequency distributions were calculated for patients with both cLN and pLN status available. Of patients who received a LND, sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values (PPV/NPV) of cLN status for pLN positivity were calculated. Logistic regression models were used to examine association between clinical and socioeconomic factors and receipt of LND. Propensity score matching was used in sensitivity analyses to examine potential for reporting bias in NCDB data. Results We identified 110,963 patients who underwent surgery for RCC, of whom 11,867 (11%) had LND performed at the time of surgery. cLN and pLN information were available in 11,300 patients, of which 1,725 were preoperatively staged as having positive cLN. More LNDs were performed per year for patients who were cLN negative than cLN positive. Of patients who received a LND, the majority of patients were cLN negative across all clinical T (cT) stages. Multivariable analysis showed that all patients who had care at an academic/research institution (odds ratio [OR]: 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43–1.74) and had to travel >12.5 to 31.0 miles and >31.0 miles to a treatment center (OR: 1.08, 95%CI: 1.01–1.15 and OR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.20–1.36, respectively) were more likely to get a LND. As cT stage increased from cT2-4, the risk of LND increased (OR range: 4.7–7.90, respectively). Patients who were cLN positive were more likely to receive a LND at the time of surgery (OR: 18.68, 95%CI: 16.62–21.00). Of the patients who received a LND, clinical staging was more specific than sensitive. Conclusion More patients received a LND who were cLN negative compared to patients who were cLN positive. Patients who were cLN positive were more likely to receive a LND. Treatment center type, distance to treatment center, cT stage, and cLN positivity were factors associated with LND receipt.
Practitioner-Implemented Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: Systematic Review of Social Validity Practices:

Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) are evidence-based interventions implemented by the adults in a child’s natural environment (e.g., by practitioners in classrooms). The s...
We Can’t Step Back: Women Specially…A Narrative Case Study on Resilience, Independence, and Leadership of a Bhutanese Refugee Woman:

One of the fastest emerging global public health crises is the rapid increase in the population of forcibly displaced people, known as refugees. Refugee women, particularly, are at a greater disadv...
Leu8 and Pro8 oxytocin agonism differs across human, macaque, and marmoset vasopressin 1a receptors.

Oxytocin (OXT) is an important neuromodulator of social behaviors via activation of both oxytocin receptors (OXTR) and vasopressin (AVP) 1a receptors (AVPR1a). Marmosets are neotropical primates with a modified OXT ligand (Pro8-OXT), and this ligand shows significant coevolution with traits including social monogamy and litter size. Pro8-OXT produces more potent and efficacious responses at primate OXTR and stronger behavioral effects than the consensus mammalian OXT ligand (Leu8-OXT). Here, we tested whether OXT/AVP ligands show differential levels of crosstalk at primate AVPR1a. We measured binding affinities and Ca2+ signaling responses of AVP, Pro8-OXT and Leu8-OXT at human, macaque, and marmoset AVPR1a. We found that AVP binds with higher affinity than OXT across AVPR1a, and marmoset AVPR1a show a 10-fold lower OXT binding affinity compared to human and macaque AVPR1a. Both Leu8-OXT and Pro8-OXT produce a less efficacious response than AVP at human AVPR1a and higher efficacious response than AVP at marmoset AVPR1a. These data suggest that OXT might partially antagonize endogenous human AVPR1a signaling and enhance marmoset AVPR1a signaling. These findings aid in further understanding inconsistencies observed following systemic intranasal administration of OXT and provide important insights into taxon-specific differences in nonapeptide ligand/receptor coevolution and behavior.
Introduction: Congress, Factions, and the Battle for U.S. Foreign Policy

This chapter explores how members of Congress strategize to win the battle over U.S. foreign policy. While traditional scholarship focuses on establishment party leaders and majority rule, we argue that the study of factions flows naturally from theories of democratic representation. Exploration of the role of sub-groups within parties as agents of change helps overcome some systemic biases in the political science scholarship, as well as in popular culture, regarding the role of factions.
Financial Incentives and Herding: Evidence from Two Online Experiments

Social conformity and information‐based herding have been studied extensively in the social sciences, but there is little experimental evidence on how financial incentives impact the likelihood that an individual will follow the crowd. We present the results of a pair of two‐stage online experiments where we use answers to and confidence about trivia questions—with and without information about the choices of others—to test the impact of financial incentives on an individual's likelihood of engaging in herd behavior (i.e., switching their answer to the most popular answer when it is revealed). We find strong evidence that individuals are more likely to herd when there are financial incentives to be correct, suggesting that individuals are less likely to rely on their own beliefs and judgments when the stakes are higher. We also exploit the unique design of our experiments to show that in the absence of information about others' choices, men report higher levels of confidence than women.
Private Company Fraud

Fewer companies are going public in the United States, but public companies are still the focus of securities law and enforcement. A major exception is that anti-fraud provisions apply to all companies, public or private. Theranos is a prominent example. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued this private company for securities fraud. This article examines one societal cost of the decline of public companies: the loss of information needed to detect and punish fraud. It analyzes the SEC’s securities fraud enforcements against private companies and assesses the information costs of moving to an anti-fraud-only regime. It concludes by identifying ways to incentivize information disclosure in the newly private universe of corporations, including a proposal to expand whistleblower protection for employees of private companies.
Political Freedom and Civil Order

This chapter introduces the norm of political freedom; the norm is presented as a historical artifact that has emerged from a strategy for the effective management of social (particularly religious) conflict in those states where the norm now has a presence. Introduction of the norm, however, merely introduces the challenges associated with bringing it to life in the state. The problem of political thinking, in this regard, involves identifying and articulating the spirit underlying the material manifestations of the norm in political life in order to understand how the norm may best be applied in order to produce a stable political condition into the future.
Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is defined as cancer that develops in the lining of the upper portion of the urinary tract, which extends from the distal ureter proximally to the renal pelvis of the kidneys. UTUC is rare with several modifiable risk factors. Usual presentation is the presence of hematuria and typically requires a workup including a computed tomography (CT) urogram or magnetic resonance (MR) urogram and ureteroscopic evaluation. Management will be dependent upon stage, grade, tumor volume, and patient performance status. The use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy with chemotherapy or immunotherapy should be considered.
The Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Background/Aims A number of inflammatory mediators have been documented to be elevated in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Similar inflammatory mediators are involved in coronary artery disease. Thus, the aim of the study is to determine if GERD is a risk factor for developing acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods We used Explorys, a private cloud-based data store to which a number of health care systems feed information. We identified a cohort of GERD patients who have undergone an esophagogastroduodenoscopy compared to those without GERD. Incidence of AMI was studied after statistically controlling for known AMI risk factors. Results Total of 200 400 patients were included in the GERD group and 386 800 patients in non-GERD group. The primary event of AMI occurred in 17 200 patients in the GERD group (8.6%) vs 24 300 in non-GERD group (6.3%). Using logistic regression analysis and controlling for 6 major risk factors which included male gender (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.07-1.11; P < 0.001), hypertension (OR, 6.53; 95% CI, 6.21-6.88; P < 0.001), hyperlipidemia (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 2.96-3.20; P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.69- 1.76; P < 0.001), obesity (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.04; P = 0.044), and smoking (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.35-1.41; P < 0.001). The odds of developing AMI in the GERD population was 1.11 (95% CI, 1.08-1.13; P < 0.001). GERD had higher odds of developing AMI than male gender or obesity in our study. Conclusions This study demonstrated that GERD is a risk factor for AMI, higher than male gender and obesity. However, the increased risk may be clinically insignificant. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2020;26:471-476)
Depth of invasion versus tumour thickness in early oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma: which measurement is the most practical and predictive of outcome?

Aims The 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging introduced depth of invasion (DOI) into the pT category of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. However, we noted multiple practical obstacles in accurately measuring DOI histologically in our daily practice. Methods and results To compare the prognostic effects of DOI and tumour thickness (TT), a meticulous pathology review was conducted in a retrospective cohort of 293 patients with AJCC 7th edition pT1/T2 oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Overall survival (OS) and nodal metastasis rate at initial resection were the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. We found that TT and DOI were highly correlated with a correlation coefficient of 0.984. The upstage rate was only 6% (18 of 293 patients) when using TT in the pT stage compared with using DOI. More importantly, DOI and TT, as well as pT stage using DOI and pT stage using TT, performed identically in predicting risk of nodal metastasis and OS. Conclusions We therefore propose to replace DOI, a complicated measurement with many challenges, with TT in the pT staging system.
Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) Health and Disease: Review and Future Directions

The eastern North Pacific gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) population is considered “recovered” since the days of commercial whaling, with a population of over 25,000 animals. However, gray whale habitat is changing rapidly due to urbanization of the migratory coastal corridor, increases in shipping, and climate change altering water conditions and prey distribution. Increased single strandings and intermittent large-scale mortality events have occurred over the past twenty years, raising questions about how gray whale health is affected by whale population size (density dependence), climate change and coastal development. To understand the impacts of these factors on health and the role of health changes in whale population dynamics, increased understanding of the pathogenesis and epidemiology of diseases in gray whales is needed. To date, most information on gray whale health and disease are in single case reports, in sections of larger papers on whale ecology, or in technical memoranda and conference proceedings. Here we review existing data on gray whale health and disease to provide a synthesis of available information and a baseline for future studies, and suggest priorities for future study of gray whale health. The latter include nutritional studies to distinguish annual physiological fasting from starvation leading to mortality, identification of endemic and novel viruses through increased use of molecular techniques, quantifying parasitic infections to explore interactions amongst prey shifts and parasite infection and body condition, as well as enhancing necropsy efforts to identify stochastic causes of mortality such as ship strikes, entanglements and predation. Integration of health and disease studies on individual animals with population monitoring and models of whale/prey dynamics will require interdisciplinary approaches to understand the role of health changes in population dynamics of this coastal whale.
Drug dosing in the critically ill obese patient: a focus on medications for hemodynamic support and prophylaxis

Medications used for supportive care or prophylaxis constitute a significant portion of drug utilization in the intensive care unit. Evidence-based guidelines are available for many aspects of supportive care but drug doses listed are typically for patients with normal body habitus and not morbid obesity. Failure to account for the pharmacokinetic changes that occur with obesity can lead to an incorrect dose and treatment failure or toxicity. This paper is intended to help clinicians design initial dosing regimens in critically ill obese patients for medications commonly used for hemodynamic support or prophylaxis. A detailed literature search of medications used for supportive care or prophylaxis listed in practice guidelines was conducted with an emphasis on obesity, pharmacokinetics and dosing. Relevant manuscripts were reviewed and strategies for dosing are provided. For medications used for hemodynamic support, a similar strategy can be used as in non-obese patients. Similarly, medications for stress ulcer prophylaxis do not need to be adjusted. Anticoagulants for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, on the other hand, require an individualized approach where higher doses are necessary.
Can Self-Efficacy and Task Values Buffer Perceived Costs? Exploring Introductory- and Upper-Level Physics Courses

Students’ cost perceptions have been associated with lower retention and academic performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Guided by expectancy-value theory, we exam...
Acute postoperative pain management with percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation: the SPRINT neuromodulation system

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) may be used to treat acute postoperative pain for various types of surgeries. This modality avoids several limitations of tradition...
COG0523 proteins: a functionally diverse family of transition metal-regulated G3E P-loop GTP hydrolases from bacteria to man.

Transition metal homeostasis ensures that cells and organisms obtain sufficient metal to meet cellular demand while dispensing with any excess so as to avoid toxicity. In bacteria, zinc restriction induces the expression of one or more Zur (zinc-uptake repressor)-regulated Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) COG0523 proteins. COG0523 proteins encompass a poorly understood sub-family of G3E P-loop small GTPases, others of which are known to function as metallochaperones in the maturation of cobalamin (CoII) and NiII cofactor-containing metalloenzymes. Here, we use genomic enzymology tools to functionally analyse over 80 000 sequences that are evolutionarily related to Acinetobacter baumannii ZigA (Zur-inducible GTPase), a COG0523 protein and candidate zinc metallochaperone. These sequences segregate into distinct sequence similarity network (SSN) clusters, exemplified by the ZnII-Zur-regulated and FeIII-nitrile hydratase activator CxCC (C, Cys; X, any amino acid)-containing COG0523 proteins (SSN cluster 1), NiII-UreG (clusters 2, 8), CoII-CobW (cluster 4), and NiII-HypB (cluster 5). A total of five large clusters that comprise ≈ 25% of all sequences, including cluster 3 which harbors the only structurally characterized COG0523 protein, Escherichia coli YjiA, and many uncharacterized eukaryotic COG0523 proteins. We also establish that mycobacterial-specific protein Y (Mpy) recruitment factor (Mrf), which promotes ribosome hibernation in actinomycetes under conditions of ZnII starvation, segregates into a fifth SSN cluster (cluster 17). Mrf is a COG0523 paralog that lacks all GTP-binding determinants as well as the ZnII-coordinating Cys found in CxCC-containing COG0523 proteins. On the basis of this analysis, we discuss new perspectives on the COG0523 proteins as cellular reporters of widespread nutrient stress induced by ZnII limitation.
FELIX: the Detector Interface for the ATLAS Experiment at CERN

The Front-End Link eXchange (FELIX) system is an interface between the trigger and detector electronics and commodity switched networks for the ATLAS experiment at CERN. In preparation for the LHC Run 3, to start in 2022, the system is being installed to read out the new electromagnetic calorimeter, calorimeter trigger, and muon components being installed as part of the ongoing ATLAS upgrade programme. The detector and trigger electronic systems are largely custom and fully synchronous with respect to the 40.08 MHz clock of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The FELIX system uses FPGAs on server-hosted PCIe boards to pass data between custom data links connected to the detector and trigger electronics and host system memory over a PCIe interface then route data to network clients, such as the Software Readout Drivers (SW ROD), via a dedicated software platform running on these machines. The SW RODs build event fragments, buffer data, perform detector-specific processing and provide data for the ATLAS High Level Trigger. The FELIX approach takes advantage of modern FPGAs and commodity computing to reduce the system complexity and effort needed to support data acquisition systems in comparison to previous designs. Future upgrades of the experiment will introduce FELIX to read out all other detector components.
Local thermal gradient and large-scale circulation impacts on turbine-height wind speed forecasting over the Columbia Basin

Abstract. We investigate the sensitivity of turbine-height wind speed forecast to initial condition (IC) uncertainties over the Columbia River Gorge (CRG) and Columbia River Basin (CRB) for two typical weather phenomena, i.e., local thermal gradient induced marine air intrusion and a cold frontal passage. Four types of turbine-height wind forecast anomalies and their associated IC uncertainties related to local thermal gradients and large-scale circulations are identified using the self-organizing map (SOM) technique. The four SOM types are categorized into two patterns, each accounting for half of the ensemble members. The first pattern corresponds to IC uncertainties that alter the wind forecast through modulating weather system, which produces the strongest wind anomalies in the CRG and CRB. In the second pattern, the moderate local thermal gradient and large-scale circulation uncertainties jointly contribute to wind forecast anomaly. We analyze the cross-section of wind and temperature anomalies through the gorge to explore the evolution of vertical features of each SOM type. The turbine-height wind anomalies induced by large-scale IC uncertainties are more concentrated near the front. In contrast, turbine-height wind anomalies induced by the local IC thermal uncertainties are found above the surface thermal anomalies. Moreover, the wind forecast accuracy in the CRG and CRB are limited by IC uncertainties in a few specific regions, e.g., the 2-m temperature within the basin and large-scale circulation over the northeast Pacific around 140° W.
English learner education and teacher preparation in the U.S.: an interpretive language education policy analysis

This article examines recent U.S. language education policies regarding English learners (ELs) and their teachers using an interpretive policy analysis theoretical lens (Wagenaar 2011) incorporatin...
AGRICULTURE Sale of Agricultural and Forest Products; Protect the Vidalia Onion Trademark; Provide for Royalty or License Fees; Provide for the Commissioner’s Powers and Duties

The Act known as the Vidalia Onion Trademark Act, authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to create and protect a trademark for use in connection with the sale of Vidalia onions and Vidalia onion products. The Act also authorizes the Commissioner of Agricultural to impose and collect license fees or royalties for the use of the trademark.
Pneumonia Due to Mycoplasma in Gnotobiotic Mice III. Lesions in the Lungs of Gnotobiotic Mice After Multiple Intranasal Inoculations of Broth Cultures of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Lung lesions characterized by extensive peribronchial and perivascular round cell infiltration and intrabronchial plugging with polymorphonuclear leukocytes were produced in 5 of 44 Ha/ICR gnotobiotic mice sacrificed 3 to 10 days after three intranasal inoculations of broth cultures of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. After 10 days, no significant lesions were seen, and the proportion of lungs positive for M. pneumoniae dropped off sharply. M. pneumoniae persisted for longer periods (up to 24 days) in the trachea, nasopharynx, and anterior nares. These findings would seem to represent a self-limited respiratory infection due to M. pneumoniae in gnotobiotic mice. Ring forms within granular alveolar pneumocytes were seen by electron microscopy in the lungs of triply inoculated gnotobiotic controls receiving sterile horse-serum broth as well as in the lungs of mice receiving broth cultures of M. pneumoniae. Ring forms must now be considered to be part of the nonspecific cellular reactions of pneumocytes to foreign substances in the lungs of mice rather than intracytoplasmic developmental forms of mycoplasma as previously proposed.
Adsorption of interacting Brownian particles onto surfaces

Abstract In this study we have derived a generalized diffusion equation for interacting Brownian particles in a space that includes a fixed external surface of arbitrary shape. Both fluid convection and external forces are also included in a general fashion. The Brownian particles can interact with each other and with the fixed surface. These interactions include direct strong force interactions, such as various types of electrostatic interactions, and indirect, hydrodynamic interactions due to the presence of the intervening fluid. The hydrodynamic interactions are treated through a superposition approximation of the particle-fixed surface and particle-particle hydrodynamic problems. The generalized diffusion equation obtained is shown to recover Felderhof's equation (6) in the absence of a fixed surface and the more commonly studied single-particle convective diffusion equation in the absence of interparticle interactions. The conditions of applicability of the generalized diffusion equation are established by asymptotic analysis (Appendix 1). As a specific example, the problem of convective transport and adsorption of hydrodynamically interacting particles onto a fixed external surface was solved under the conditions of low fluid Reynolds numbers and large Peelet numbers, thereby extending the analysis of Part I (4) for nonhydrodynamically interacting particles. Also, a critical examination of the superposition approximation of the hydrodynamic problem is given on the basis of recently published solutions involving many interacting spheres and a plane wall.
Chromosome Organization within the Nucleus

The interphase nucleus provides the structural context for chromosome biology, including gene expression and recombination. The organization of chromosomes within the nucleus is not random. Instead, chromosomes are organized by specific constraints, including interactions of specific loci with the nuclear envelope. This interaction may involve both nuclear lamins and nuclear pore complexes. Specific nuclear envelope attachments, together with a persisting remnant of the anaphase chromosome configuration, leads to chromosomes being organized into nonoverlapping territories with specific orientations. Superimposed on this organization is a high degree of chromosome mobility driven by diffusion. Because chromosomes are constrained by nuclear envelope attachments, their diffusion is constrained, with each locus able to explore only a limited subregion of the nucleus. This constrained mobility, together with the nonrandom positional organization of chromosomes, predicts a high degree of nonrandomness in the pattern of interchromosomal interactions. Keywords: Constrained Diffusion; FISH (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization); Heterochromatin; Nuclear Envelope; Nuclear Matrix; Rabl Configuration
Searching for Gravity's Hidden Strength

Gravity is by far the weakest of the four known forces. The gravitational attraction between two protons is 35 orders of magnitude weaker than their electromagnetic repulsion. The weakness of gravity may not be an intrinsic property, however, but may result from the propagation of gravity in extra spatial dimensions. In his Perspective, [Feng][1] describes the search for strong gravity and extra dimensions that is now being pursued on many fronts--from tabletop probes of Newtonian gravity to searches for microscopic black holes in kilometer-scale cosmic ray detectors. Upcoming experiments will either exclude this explanation of the weakness of gravity or find evidence for a radically new view of spacetime. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/302/5646/795
The health belief model and consumer information searches: toward an integrated model.

Some health data organizations (HDOs) are producing consumer-level health services information. National reform proposals would suggest that competition between health plans will be developed through the use of outcome information. Policy makers have paid little attention to how consumers might use that information or how that information might be most effectively packaged for consumer use. This paper argues that marketing literature developed over the last ten to fifteen years could prove to be an informative resource for policy makers and the health services provider community alike. This paper suggests that combining an consumer decision model (CDM) with the health belief model (HBM) will provide an important step toward an increased understanding of consumer information search behavior. This integrated model could form the basis of future research in this important area.
Fluorine Compounds, Inorganic, Lithium

Lithium fluoride is used primarily in the ceramic industry to reduce firing temperatures and improve resistance to thermal shock, abrasion, and acid attack. It is also used in flux compositions with other fluorides, chlorides, and borates for metal joining, and is an essential component of the fluorine cell electrolyte. Properties are described.
Two-dimensional signal processing from hexagonal rasters

Two-dimensional signals are normally sampled and processed as rectangular arrays. For signals which are bandlimited with a circular region of support in the Fourier plane, however, it has been known for some time that a savings in the number of samples required for an exact reconstruction can be realized by sampling the signal on a hexagonal sampling raster. In this presentation we show that a substantial savings in computation can result as well. Included are methods for signal representation, linear system implementation, Fourier transform computation and FIR filter design. Some comparisons between systems defined over rectangular and hexagonal sampling rasters will also be given.
Degree-Day Prediction Models for the Flight Phenology of Western Bean Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Assessed with the Concordance Correlation Coefficient

Western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a native, univoltine pest of corn and dry beans in North America. The current degree-day model for predicting a specified percentage of yearly moth flight involves heat unit accumulation above 10°C after 1 May. However, because the moth's observed range has expanded into the northern and eastern United States, there is concern that suitable temperatures before May could allow for significant S. albicosta development. Daily blacklight moth catch and temperature data from four Nebraska locations were used to construct degree-day models using simple or sine-wave methods, starting dates between 1 January and 1 May, and lower (-5 to 15°C) and upper (20 to 43.3°C) developmental thresholds. Predicted dates of flight from these models were compared with observed flight dates using independent datasets to assess model performance. Model performance was assessed with the concordance correlation coefficient to concurrently evaluate precision and accuracy. The best model for predicting timing of S. albicosta flight used simple degree-day calculations beginning on 1 March, a 3.3°C (38°F) lower threshold, and a 23.9°C (75°F) upper threshold. The revised cumulative flight model indicated field scouting to estimate moth egg density at the time of 25% flight should begin when 1,432 degree-days (2,577 degree-days °F) have accumulated. These results underscore the importance of assessing multiple parameters in phenological models and utilizing appropriate assessment methods, which in this case may allow for improved timing of field scouting for S. albicosta.
Duverger and devolution: a note on the effects of new electoral rules in the UK

Abstract Elections to the devolved assemblies in the United Kingdom were held under electoral laws distinct from those used for the House of Commons. Comparing the results of the devolved elections using mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation in Scotland and Wales and the single-transferable-vote (STV) system in Northern Ireland to results from the same regions held under plurality rules in UK elections in 1992, 1997 and 2001 provides a quasi-experimental test of Duverger’s Law and Hypothesis. We find support for both mechanical and psychological effects in this comparison and the results indicate that the devolved bodies have more proportional outcomes. The outcomes result in more political parties represented and as a consequence, the single-party majority governments typical in the UK govern none of the devolved assemblies.
A Newborn with Genital Ambiguity, 45,X/46,XY Mosaicism, a Jumping Chromosome Y, and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

Disorders of sex development (DSD), formerly termed “intersex” conditions, arise from numerous causes. CAH secondary to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most common cause of DSD. Sex chromosome disorders, including sex chromosome mosaicism, are the second most common cause of DSD. We discuss a medically complex neonate with DSD presenting with ambiguous genitalia. Hormone levels suggested 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Molecular analysis revealed compound heterozygous mutations in the 21-hydroxylase gene (CYP21A2), confirming the diagnosis of CAH. Chromosome analysis revealed sex chromosome mosaicism with three cell lines: 45,X[8]/45,X,tas(Y;16)(p11.32;p13.3)[8]/45,X,t(Y;8)(p11.32;p23.3)[4] with the Y chromosome in telomere association with chromosomes 8p and 16p in different cell lines, a “jumping translocation.” Histologically, the right gonad had irregular, distended seminiferous tubules with hyperplastic germ cells contiguous with ovarian stroma and primordial follicles. The left gonad had scant ovarian stroma and embryonic remnants. Chromosome analyses showed mosaicism in both gonads: 45,X[17]/45,X,tas(Y;8)(p11.32;p23.3)[3]. This is the first case of coexisting CAH and 45,X/46,XY mosaicism reported in the English literature and the third case of a constitutional chromosome Y “jumping translocation.” Our report documents the medical and genetic complexity of children such as this one with ambiguous genitalia and discusses the need for a multidisciplinary team approach.
Psychiatric consultation in the nursing home: referral patterns and recognition of depression.

Abstract Objective: To assess the accuracy of referrals to psychiatric consultants for depression (or depression-related disorders) among nursing home residents. Methods: Retrospective review of psychiatric consultations for nursing home residents in six facilities for a 3-year period. Reasons for referral, assigned diagnoses, rates of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were examined to assess patterns of referral and recognition of clinical variants of depressive disorders. Results: Referrals for depression comprised 19.7% of all requested consultations. Of patients referred for depression, 74.2% were diagnosed with a depressive disorder. Of all residents diagnosed with depressive disorders, 53.5% were referred for other reasons. Men were referred for evaluation of depression significantly more often than women. However, rates of diagnosis of depression did not appear to differ significantly between men and women. Conclusions: Nursing home staff often failed to recognize depression. Depressed residents are primarily referred for disruptive behaviors. Referrals for depression may be a secondary concern.
Modeling the constitutive response of bimodal metals

The mechanical response of metals with a bimodal grain-size distribution is modeled using the secant Mori-Tanaka (M-T) mean-field approach. The actual microstructure of bimodal metals involves a grain size distribution in the ultrafine and coarse regimes; the model approximates this in terms of two phases with distinct grain sizes and with specific volume fractions. The model is applied to two bimodal materials: the Al-5083 alloys of Laverniaet al. and the Cu of Wanget al. In both the materials, the predictions agree well with the experiments. In the bimodal Al alloy, the effect of extrusion on the anisotropy in yield strength and flow behavior is also addressed. Finally, based on the model predictions, an empirical expression of the Voce form is proposed to describe the overall flow behavior of both bimodal metals.
Does rectal mucosa regenerate after ileonal anastomosis

Regeneration of rectal mucosa after rectal mucosectomy and ileoanal anastomosis (IAA) could jeopardize the long-term safety of the procedure. The aim of this study was to determine if rectal mucosal regeneration occurred after IAA. Pathologic specimens of the IAA and surrounding rectal muscular cuff were obtained from 29 patients who had required IAA excision 17 +/- 2 months (mean +/- SEM, range, 2 to 48 months) following construction. Multiple (greater than or equal to 6) coronal and sagittal sections of each specimen were made and examined histologically. The rectal muscle cuff was bound to ileal serosa by dense fibrous tissue. Small islets of residual rectal mucosa were identified between the denuded rectal cuff and the ileal pull-through in four patients (14 percent) and at the ileoanal anastomosis in two patients (7 percent). Active rectal mucosal disease, dysplasia, or reepithelialization of the denuded rectal muscle were not seen. It is concluded that small islets of rectal mucosa may remain after IAA. Up to four years after IAA, however, no evidence of rectal mucosal regeneration could be documented.
Intraocular lymphomas. Natural history based on a clinicopathologic study of eight cases and review of the literature

Eight patients with intraocular lymphoma were studied; all were middle-aged or elderly, usually presenting with a unilateral visual deficit. All patients also had an extraocular lymphoma with either systemic (2) or isolated central nervous system (CNS) involvement (6). When ocular symptoms preceded CNS symptoms, they presented from 11 months to 10 years earlier. Intraocular lymphoma tended to affect the eye ipsilateral to the CNS tumor either exclusively or initially, and to the greatest degree histologically. Histologic examination of intervening optic pathways revealed extension of intraocular tumor across the optic nerve into orbital leptomeninges in 3 cases. Corresponding CNS tumors showed prominent leptomeningeal involvement. All intraocular and extraocular tumors showed diffuse growth patterns with histiocytic (large cell), poorly differentiated lymphocytic or mixed lymphocytic-histiocytic subtypes. CNS tumors were detected only after onset of neurologic symptoms, and were almost always fatal, although CNS irradiation prolonged survival for years in some cases. Our data suggest that the peculiar link between intraocular and CNS lymphomas may reflect both multicentric and metastatic disease processes. The prompt recognition of intraocular lymphomas as a harbinger of extraocular tumor may prove valuable in earlier recognition and treatment of the disease.
Impaired Adrenergic and Corticotropic-Axis Outflow During Exercise in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Exercise stimulates coordinated release of the sympathoadrenal hormones adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (Epi). The study hypothesis was that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is marked by heightened sympathoadrenal outflow at comparable relative workloads. The location of the study was at a clinical research unit. Eight healthy men and 9 men with stable COPD (forced expiratory volume at 1 second <75% predicted) were studied. Volunteers rested (baseline) or exercised at individual submaximal (35% ± 5%) or maximal oxygen consumption. Blood was sampled every 2 minutes for 40 minutes concurrently. Two-way analysis of covariance was applied to examine group (healthy/COPD) and exercise (3 levels) effects on ACTH, cortisol, NE, and Epi release and regularity (estimable by approximate entropy). The timing of peak hormone concentrations was Epi, 14 minutes; NE, 16 minutes; ACTH, 22 minutes; and cortisol, 34 minutes in both cohorts. Type of exercise regimen influenced all 4 hormones (each P < .001), and subject group (control vs COPD) affected cortisol (P < .001) and Epi (P = .048) responses. Exercise regimen and group together controlled ACTH, cortisol, and Epi (each P < .001), but not NE, responses. In particular, endocrine responses were attenuated in COPD compared with control subjects. Approximate entropy analysis also identified loss of maximal exercise-induced ACTH-secretory regularity in COPD patients (P = .042). These outcomes demonstrate impaired rather than augmented exercise-associated sympathocorticotropic-axis outflow in patients with COPD even when outcomes are normalized to maximal oxygen consumption, suggesting that factors other than fitness are at work.
Gender Disparity in Emergency Department Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Management

Abstract Background Many studies have looked at differences between men and women with acute coronary syndrome. These studies demonstrate that women have worse outcomes, receive fewer invasive interventions, and experience delay in the initiation of established medical therapies. Objective Using innovative technology, we set out to unveil and resolve any gender disparities in the evaluation and treatment of patients presenting with a positive troponin while in the emergency department. Our goal was to assess the feasibility of using a business management query system to create an automated data report that could identify deficiencies in standards of care and be used to improve the quality of treatment we provide our patients. Methods Over a 12-month period, key markers for patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) were tracked (e.g., time to electrocardiogram, door to medications). During this time, educational endeavors were initiated utilizing McKesson’s Horizon Business Insight™ (McKesson Information Solutions, Alpharetta, GA) to illustrate gender differences in standard therapy. Subsequently, indicators were evaluated for improvement. Results Substantial improvements in key indicators for management of NSTEMI were obtained and gender differences minimized where education was provided. Conclusion The integration of these information systems allowed us to create a successful performance improvement tool and, as an added benefit, nearly eliminated the need for manual retrospective chart reviews.
Nutrient concentration and yield variation within southern soybean germplasm grown on acid Norfolk soil

Abstract Seventy‐one soybean genotypes were grown in the field on an acid Norfolk loamy sand to evaluate growth, seed yield, and nutrient concentrations in aerial plant fractions. The pH values in the Ap, A2, and B horizons were 4.6, 4.4, and 4.4, respectively. Cation exchange capacities (CEC) were 2.1, 0.9, and 2.8 me/100 g with an Al saturation of 34, 49, and 40%, respectively. Very few visual toxicity or deficiency symptoms were found among the genotypes. Analyses of aerial plant fractions collected when the genotypes were in bloom or early pod fill showed some significant differences, but In general P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations were adequate, while Al, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations were very high. Average yields of genotypes in maturity groups IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII were 2.7, 2.7, 2.6, 2.4, and 2.2 t/ha, respectively. There were significant differences in seed yield among genotypes in maturity groups IV and VIII, but differences among genotypes in the other maturity groups were nonsignificant. Co...
Plant use in Kaigani Haida culture: Correction of an ethnohistorical oversight

Until recently the use of plants for the precontact cultures of the Northwest Coast has been weakly and sporadically documented. This has led to some misconceptions about the importance of food plants in the precontact diet. This paper documents the use of plants associated with food for the Kaigani Haida of southeast Alaska who were first contacted in 1774, giving the native terms for the plants, and methods of preparation and storage both in precontact and contemporary life. Evidence is offered which indicates that plants were of great importance to the societies of the Northwest Coast and that food plants were more important than has been recognized. A map shows the territory of the Kaigani Haida prior to Euro-American contact, old village sites and the modern village of Hydaburg. Women’s knowledge of plants, their native names, economic use, and method of preparation and storage are offered as evidence that food plants were significantly important to the precontact economy. Nutritional analyses of some of the berries and sprouts indicates that such foods were necessary in the diet in order to maintain healthy, viable populations.
Cerebral Palsy of the Elbow and Forearm

Management of elbow and forearm involvement in cerebral palsy has evolved over the last 3 decades with a better understanding of its neuropathophysiology, improved outcome measures, and evolving therapy protocols. Current nonoperative and surgical treatment methods are discussed. The use of standard function measuring instruments and encouragement of the participation in research will hopefully result in more accurate outcome information and, thereby, refine our techniques and rehabilitation methods.