cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A prospective randomized controlled trial comparing occupational therapy with independent exercises after volar plate fixation of a fracture of the distal part of the radius

Background: The effect of formal occupational therapy on recovery after open reduction and volar plate fixation of a fracture of the distal part of the radius is uncertain. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in wrist function and arm-specific disability six months after open reduction and volar plate fixation of a distal radial fracture between patients who receive formal occupational therapy and those with instructions for independent exercises. Methods: Ninety-four patients with an unstable distal radial fracture treated with open reduction and volar locking plate fixation were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing exercises done under the supervision of an occupational therapist with surgeon-directed independent exercises. The primary study question addressed combined wrist flexion and extension six months after surgery Secondary study questions addressed wrist motion, grip strength, Gartland and Werley scores, Mayo wrist scores, and DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) scores at three months and six months after surgery. Results: There was a significant difference in the mean arc of wrist flexion and extension six months after surgery (118° versus 129°), favoring patients prescribed independent exercises. Three months after surgery, there was a significant difference in mean pinch strength (80% versus 90%), mean grip strength (66% versus 81%), and mean Gartland and Werley scores, favoring patients prescribed independent exercises. At six months, there was a significant difference in mean wrist extension (55° versus 62°), ulnar deviation (82% versus 93%), mean supination (84° versus 90°), mean grip strength (81% versus 92%), and mean Mayo score, favoring patients prescribed independent exercises. There were no differences in arm-specific disability (DASH score) at any time point. Conclusions: Prescription of formal occupational therapy does not improve the average motion or disability score after volar locking plate fixation of a fracture of the distal part of the radius. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Two-Dimensional Echocardiographic Evaluation of Right Ventricular Function in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Twenty-five patients with acute myocardial infarction, 15 inferior wall (IWMI) and 10 anterior wall (AWMI), were studied using two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) and blood pool scan to evaluate the accuracy of 2DE for measuring right ventricular function. Fractional shortening (FS) of the minor axis of the right ventricle in the apical four chamber view (A4C) and subcostal four chamber view (S4C) for AWMI patients was higher as compared to the control group (41.8± 11 vs 27±9 and 46±8 vs 27±7 respectively). FS of the minor right ventricular axis for isolated IWMI subjects in the same views was not significantly different from the control population (32±7% vs 27±9% and 34± 13 vs 27±7% respectively). However, patients with an IWMI complicated by right ventricular infarction (RVI) had a significant depression of FS of the minor axis as compared to the control group in both the A4C and S4C views (8±5% vs 27±9% and 18±7 vs 27±7% respectively). FS of the minor axis in only the A4C view correlated . well with...
A histological and hormonal analysis of physiological and morphological chromatophore responses in the soft‐shelled turtle Trionyx sp.*

Exceptionally little information is available on the nature of pigmentary responses in chelonians. It has been suggested that changes in pigmentation in these animals require relatively long intervals of time and that these changes are morphological in character. Because of the uniqueness of the skin on the carapace and plastron of the soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx, it has been possible to describe the interaction of the various pigment cells in their contribution to the colouration of the integument. In Trionyx, the distribution of the pigment cells is similar to those described for other reptiles. In addition, it has been established that spotting and related patterns are due to increased cell populations and/or differences in the degree of pigment dispersion within the melanin-containing cells. Analysis of the epidermis has demonstrated the existence of functional units of melanin production and distribution-epidermal melanin units. Light adaptation studies have shown that changes in colouration are primarily physiological in nature. With time, these changes may be reinforced by secondary, morphological changes. In vitro and in vivo studies with known melanin dispersing and aggregating substances strongly suggest that the regulatory mechanisms behind these changes are hormonal and not neural in origin.
Recent advances in ion beam modification of metals

Abstract Ion beam modification of metals continues to be an active area of research and development. The field has evolved from ion implantation for shallow subsurface treatments to ion beam mixing, and ion beam assisted deposition for coating and thin film applications. The most significant developments in direct ion implantation have been the development of high current sources, commercial scale implantation facilities and plasma source implantation facilities. The ion beam mixing area has seen substantial progress in understanding the relative contributions of ballistic mixing and chemical effects in the thermal spike and in understanding amorphization of solids. Ion beam assisted deposition has seen rapid progress in characterizing the effects of the process variables on microstructure and properties and shows tremendous potential for using the energetic flux to tailor properties of thin films. Molecular dynamics modelling has proven to be especially valuable in understanding these low energy ion-solid interactions. Pulsed ion beam evaporation offers some new possibilities for rapid large area deposition of thin films.
Evaluation of biogeochemical prospecting methods in the search for sulfide deposits in the Appalachian piedmont, Virginia, U.S.A.

Abstract Soil and stream sediment sampling have been the primary geochemical exploration tools in the Appalachian piedmont to date. However, the great thicknesses of soil and saprolite found in the region coupled with the dense vegetation frequently encountered favor biogeochemistry as an alternative or supplemental method since deep-rooted plants sample closer to bedrock. To evaluate this method, an orientation survey was performed in which soils and vegetation at 17 sites north of Mineral, Virginia, were sampled and analyzed for Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. The traverse included stations over the host rocks of massive sulfide mineralization, as well as over apparent “barren” country rock. Samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry using standard digestion and analytical techniques. Both A- and B-horizon soil metals generally appear to be reliable indicators of mineralization, with soils developed over sulfides showing up to three-fold enrichment in metal content relative to the average soils developed on the country rock. Correlation of metal concentrations in vegetation to soil metal concentrations reveal plant concentrations expressed on a dry-weight basis correlate stronger and more frequently to soil metals than do ash-weight concentrations. Copper shows some promise in selected organs and species, Ag appears fair but data are limited to one organ of one species, and plant Pb seems totally unresponsive to soil metal concentrations perhaps because foliar absorption is an important plant uptake mechanism here. However, Zn and Cd in organs of the oak group, especially mature leaves and twigs of the current year's growth show the greatest promise as prospecting tools. They correlate well with soil metals and when compared directly to the geology they reliably reflect mineralization. Although results using White oak were slightly less profound than those obtained from the Black-Red oak group, White oak may be preferred as it is a single, more widespread, easily-identifiable species. Copper and especially Zn although essential elements to plants, do not appear to be “difficult” elements for biogeochemical prospecting in the Appalachian piedmont.
Introduction The uses of formal analysis re cognitive and social issues

This essay addresses the power of formal analysis, and exemplifies some of the important issues that arise when we use formal analyses to address the substantive issues of kinship terminologies – and, through them, of category systems in general. These examples point to where a broad empirical understanding of kin terminologies can take us and indicate something of the potential import of kinship studies for our understanding of other cultural domains. The notions of ‘formal account’, ‘descriptive theory’ and ‘explanatory theory’ are considered, as is the role of explicitness and the question of what might constitute the (or an) ‘explanation’ of a terminology. The current status of kinship terminological analysis is evaluated.
Utilization of protein‐rich ethanol co‐products from corn in tilapia feed

Corn distiller’s grains with solubles (CDGS), which is the residue from ethanol fermentation of corn, were incorporated in tilapia (a warm-water fish) diets that contained either 36% protein without fish meal or 32% protein with and without fish meal. A 103-day feeding study indicated that the three diets containing CDGS resulted in higher weights of tilapia than fish fed a commercial fish feed containing 36% protein and fish meal. The difference in weight gains between 32 and 36% protein diets was not significant. Incorporating fish meal (6%) in diet had no advantage over a diet without fish meal.
Renal Developmental Physiology: Relevance to Clinical Care

Effective management of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis for the critically ill neonate requires a general understanding of renal development and changes that occur during the transition from the intrauterine to extrauterine environment. The maturation of kidney function and differences in regulation of body fluid tonicity and volume as well as acid-base balance and homeostasis of individual elements between preterm and term infants can have a substantial impact on therapies administered to neonates and the effects of such therapies.
IMMUNOGLOBULIN LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH HOMOZYGOUS β‐THALASSEMIA

Patients with hereditary hemolytic anaemias have been known to have immunoglobulin alterations related to an increased susceptibility to infection. In the present series, immunoglobulins, G, A and M have been estimated in 50 thalassemic children aged 10 months to 13 years. No significant difference was found in any of the immunoglobulins between patients and age-matched controls. No correlation could be shown between immunoglobulin levels and (a) the severity of anaemia, (b) the degree of hemosiderosis, and (c) the frequency of febrile infections per year. Against clinical impressions patients did not shown any increased susceptibility to infections.
Visualizing the runtime behavior of embedded network systems: A toolkit for TinyOS

TinyOS is an effective platform for developing lightweight embedded network applications. But the platform's lean programming model and power-efficient operation come at a price: TinyOS applications are notoriously difficult to construct, debug, and maintain. The development difficulties stem largely from a programming model founded on events and deferred execution. In short, the model introduces non-determinism in the execution ordering of primitive actions - an issue exacerbated by the fact that embedded network systems are inherently distributed and reactive. The resulting set of possible execution sequences for a given system is typically large and can swamp developers' unaided ability to reason about program behavior. In this paper, we present a visualization toolkit for TinyOS 2.0 to aid in program comprehension. The goal is to assist developers in reasoning about the computation forest underlying a system under test and the particular branches chosen during each run. The toolkit supports comprehension activities involving both local and distributed runtime behavior. The constituent components include (i) a full-featured static analysis and instrumentation library, (ii) a selection-based probe insertion system, (iii) a lightweight event recording service, (iv) a trace extraction and reconstruction tool, and (v) three visualization front-ends. We demonstrate the utility of the toolkit using both standard and custom system examples and present an analysis of the toolkit's resource usage and performance characteristics.
IMMIGRATION AND THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN

The employment rate of black men, and particularly of low-skilled black men, fell precipitously between 1960 and 2000. At the same time, their incarceration rate rose. This paper examines the relation between immigration and these trends in employment and incarceration. Using data from the 1960–2000 US censuses, we find that a 10% immigration-induced increase in the supply of workers in a particular skill group reduced the black wage of that group by 2.5%, lowered the employment rate by 5.9 percentage points, and increased the incarceration rate by 1.3 percentage points.
FGF4 is required for lineage restriction and salt-and-pepper distribution of primitive endoderm factors but not their initial expression in the mouse

The emergence of pluripotent epiblast (EPI) and primitive endoderm (PrE) lineages within the inner cell mass (ICM) of the mouse blastocyst involves initial co-expression of lineage-associated markers followed by mutual exclusion and salt-and-pepper distribution of lineage-biased cells. Precisely how EPI and PrE cell fate commitment occurs is not entirely clear; however, previous studies in mice have implicated FGF/ERK signaling in this process. Here, we investigated the phenotype resulting from zygotic and maternal/zygotic inactivation of Fgf4. Fgf4 heterozygous blastocysts exhibited increased numbers of NANOG-positive EPI cells and reduced numbers of GATA6-positive PrE cells, suggesting that FGF signaling is tightly regulated to ensure specification of the appropriate numbers of cells for each lineage. Although the size of the ICM was unaffected in Fgf4 null mutant embryos, it entirely lacked a PrE layer and exclusively comprised NANOG-expressing cells at the time of implantation. An initial period of widespread EPI and PrE marker co-expression was however established even in the absence of FGF4. Thus, Fgf4 mutant embryos initiated the PrE program but exhibited defects in its restriction phase, when lineage bias is acquired. Consistent with this, XEN cells could be derived from Fgf4 mutant embryos in which PrE had been restored and these cells appeared indistinguishable from wild-type cells. Sustained exogenous FGF failed to rescue the mutant phenotype. Instead, depending on concentration, we noted no effect or conversion of all ICM cells to GATA6-positive PrE. We propose that heterogeneities in the availability of FGF produce the salt-and-pepper distribution of lineage-biased cells.
Portrayals of Schizophrenia by Entertainment Media: A Content Analysis of Contemporary Movies

Movie portrayals of people with mental illness often perpetuate negative stereotypes. This review of 41 movies released between 1990 and 2010 that featured at least one main character with schizophrenia found that most characters engaged in dangerous or violent behaviors toward themselves or others, and nearly a third engaged in homicidal behavior. More research is needed, the author notes, to inform optimal use of entertainment media to correct misinformation and increase empathy and understanding.
Border Crossing Detection and Tracking through Localized Image Processing

The United States' borders are at risk and, due to their vast size, cannot possibly be monitored in their entirety by people at all hours of the day. Automated detection systems for border intrusion exist, but many of them require expensive electronics and lengthy installation procedures. This paper introduces a novel image processing algorithm that detects and tracks moving targets and, when coupled with infrared sensors, can detect temperature changes in the earth that may indicate paths being constructed for border-crossing under the surface. Intensive computer simulations show that the algorithm can also be adapted to automated vehicle control. The proposed algorithm can be implemented with commercial, off-the-shelf desktop computers and cameras, allowing for rapid deployment at low cost. Finally, use of Internet-enabled computers would allow a central command post to monitor the borders at all times and the algorithm could be combined with a simple system that automatically notifies command when a breach of the border occurs.
An Individualized Learning Activity Program Approach to Human Growth and Development.

In this Developmental course, the concept of “personalized” is extended to virtually all aspects of the course, with impressive results.
Autistic disorder in Noonan syndrome

Few reports have described the psychiatric co-morbidity of Noonan syndrome. While mental retardation is a common feature of Noonan syndrome, the diagnosis of autism using operational criteria has not been reported. In this paper, the authors describe the association of Noonan syndrome with autism. They propose that the co-morbid diagnosis of autism should be considered during the clinical assessment of persons with Noonan syndrome.
Multi-Level Structured Models for Document-Level Sentiment Classification

In this paper, we investigate structured models for document-level sentiment classification. When predicting the sentiment of a subjective document (e.g., as positive or negative), it is well known that not all sentences are equally discriminative or informative. But identifying the useful sentences automatically is itself a difficult learning problem. This paper proposes a joint two-level approach for document-level sentiment classification that simultaneously extracts useful (i.e., subjective) sentences and predicts document-level sentiment based on the extracted sentences. Unlike previous joint learning methods for the task, our approach (1) does not rely on gold standard sentence-level subjectivity annotations (which may be expensive to obtain), and (2) optimizes directly for document-level performance. Empirical evaluations on movie reviews and U.S. Congressional floor debates show improved performance over previous approaches.
REGULATION OF THE 5-LIPOXYGENASE PATHWAY IN HUMAN LEUCOCYTES

Local levels of 5-lipoxygenase pathway products are the net result of stimulus-induced local synthesis and subsequent degradation. These events are regulated by the interaction of leucocytes with stromal cells and locally produced cytokines and growth factors, and may be modulated by the fatty acid composition of cellular membrane phospholipids and extracellular fluid unesterified fatty acids. A more comprehensive understanding of the regulation and modulation of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway may result in more effective management of inflammatory and immune disorders.
Transactivation of human osteoprotegerin promoter by GATA-3

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a key regulator of bone remodeling. Mutations in OPG are involved in a variety of human diseases. We have shown that cochlear spiral ganglion cells secrete OPG at high levels and lack of OPG causes sensorineural hearing loss in addition to the previously described conductive hearing loss. In order to study the regulation of OPG expression, we conducted a database search on regulatory elements in the promoter region of the OPG gene, and identified two potential GATA-3 binding sites. Using luciferase assays and site directed mutagenesis, we demonstrate that these two elements are GATA-3 responsive and support GATA-3 transactivation in human HEK and HeLa cells. The expression of wild type GATA-3 activated OPG mRNA and protein expression, while the expression of a dominant negative mutant of GATA-3 or a GATA-3 shRNA construct reduced OPG mRNA and protein levels. GATA-3 deficient cells generated by expressing a GATA-3 shRNA construct were sensitive to apoptosis induced by etoposide and TNF-α. This apoptotic effect could be partly prevented by the co-treatment with exogenous OPG. Our results suggest new approaches to rescue diseases due to GATA-3 deficiency – such as in hypoparathyroidism, sensorineural deafness, and renal (HDR) syndrome – by OPG therapy.
A limited innate immune response is induced by a replication-defective herpes simplex virus vector following delivery to the murine central nervous system

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)—based vectors readily transduce neurons and have a large payload capacity, making them particularly amenable to gene therapy applications within the central nervous system (CNS). Because aspects of the host responses to HSV-1 vectors in the CNS are largely unknown, we compared the host response of a nonreplicating HSV-1 vector to that of a replication-competent HSV-1 virus using microarray analysis. In parallel, HSV-1 gene expression was tracked using HSV-specific oligonucleotide-based arrays in order to correlate viral gene expression with observed changes in host response. Microarray analysis was performed following stereotactic injection into the right hippocampal formation of mice with either a replication-competent HSV-1 or a nonreplicating recombinant of HSV-1, lacking the ICP4 gene (ICP4−). Genes that demonstrated a significant change (P < .001) in expression in response to the replicating HSV-1 outnumbered those that changed in response to mock or nonreplicating vector by approximately 3-fold. Pathway analysis revealed that both the replicating and nonreplicating vectors induced robust antigen presentation but only mild interferon, chemokine, and cytokine signaling responses. The ICP4− vector was restricted in several of the Toll-like receptor-signaling pathways, indicating reduced stimulation of the innate immune response. These array analyses suggest that although the nonreplicating vector induces detectable activation of immune response pathways, the number and magnitude of the induced response is dramatically restricted compared to the replicating vector, and with the exception of antigen presentation, host gene expression induced by the nonreplicating vector largely resembles mock infection.
Monopolizing Violence and Consolidating Power

Governments in weak states often face an armed opposition and have to decide whether to try to accommodate and contain that adversary or to try to consolidate power and monopolize violence by disarming it. When and why do governments choose to consolidate power and monopolize violence? How fast do they try to consolidate power? When does this lead to costly fighting rather than to efforts to eliminate the opposition by buying it off? We study an infinite-horizon model in which the government in each period decides how much to offer the opposition and the rate at which it tries to consolidate its power. The opposition can accept the offer and thereby acquiesce to the government's efforts to consolidate, or it can fight in an attempt to disrupt those efforts. In equilibrium, the government always tries to monopolize violence when it has "coercive power" against the opposition where, roughly, coercive power is the ability to weaken the opposition by lowering its payoff to fighting. Whether the government consolidates peacefully or through costly fighting depends on the size of any "contingent spoils," which are benefits that begin to accrue from an increase in economic activity resulting from the monopolization of violence and the higher level of security that comes with it. When contingent spoils are small, the government buys the opposition off and eliminates it as fast as is peacefully possible. When contingent spoils are large, the government tries to monopolize violence by defeating the opposition militarily. JEL Codes: D02, D74, H1. Copyright 2013, Oxford University Press.
Suppressor of hairless activates brachyury expression in the Ciona embryo.

The Ciona Brachyury gene (Ci-Bra) is regulated, in part, by a 434-bp enhancer that mediates restricted expression in the notochord. Here we present evidence that a Ciona Suppressor of Hairless {Ci-Su(H)} protein functions as an activator of this enhancer. Point mutations that reduce the binding of a GST/Ci-Su(H) fusion protein in vitro diminish the expression of mutagenized Ci-Bra/lacZ transgenes in electroporated embryos. Overexpression of a Ci-Su(H) fusion protein containing the Drosophila Hairy repression domain interferes with notochord differentiation, producing mutant tadpoles with shortened tails. Expression of a constitutively activated Xotch receptor in the notochord, endoderm, and CNS also alters tail morphogenesis. These results suggest that a Notch‐Su(H) pathway might participate in notochord differentiation in Ciona. © 1998 Academic Press
Combating Die and IC Recycling

In today’s electronic component supply chain recycled and remarked parts account for a significant percentage of counterfeit components. The detection of these parts poses a significant challenge to the global electronic component supply chain due to the lack of efficient, robust, and low-cost detection and avoidance technologies.
Actions of Toxicants on the Structure and Function of the Epididymis

There is increasing public concern regarding the possibility that semen quality might be declining in the human populaAmanntion due to environmental chemical and pharmaceutical exposures (Carlsen et al., 1992; Giwercman and Skakkebaek, 1992; Sharpe, 1993; Colborn et al., 1993; Auger et al., 1995; Comhaire et al., 1995; 1996; Menchini-Fabris et al., 1996; Pajarinen et al., 1997; Swan et al, 1997; Zorn et al., 1999; Gyllenborg et al. 1999). If future research establishes that this putative decline in semen quality is indeed occurring, and that chemical exposures are significantly associated with semen quality, the epididymis must certainly be considered a possible target organ. While historically the testis has been implicated with compromised sperm quantity and quality, it is important to remember that the epididymis is also pivotal in providing, through processes of sperm maturation such as plasma membrane modifications, sperm that are capable of fertilization (Bedford, 1975; Vreeburg et al., 1992; Klinefelter and Hamilton, 1985; Moore et al., 1987; Amann et al., 1993, Cooper, 2000). Moreover, sperm maturation within the epididymis may also be compromised by decreases in the epididymal transit time as the time available for processes requisite to the acquisition of fertility would be reduced. Finally, it should be recognized that in addition to possible qualitative effects of transit perturbations, the number of sperm available for ejaculation may also be influenced by transit rates.
Gibbsian Segregation During the Depth Profiling of Copper in Silicon

The segregation of Si to the surface of Cu as inferred by secondary ion mass spectrometry, SIMS, is shown to set in dramatically when O is present at the sputtered surface. Copper depth profiles obtained from Cu implanted silicon wafers or Cu-Si sandwiches using O 2 + or Ar+ bombardment at angles of incidence > 30° show no unusual perturbation. However, with O bombardment at ≤15° or with O incorporation from the ambient with either O 2 + or Ar+; bombardment, the measured Cu profiles become deeply penetrating. The results can be understood in terms of an interplay between bombardment-induced Gibbsian segregation (Cu is excluded fron the surface of Si in the presence of O) and room-temperature diffusional mobility (Cu is highly mobile in amorphous SiO2).
The Role of Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress and ATP Depletion in the Pathology of Manganese Toxicity

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) creates most of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the average eukaryotic cell. These ROS, primarily superoxide radical, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical, can damage the proteins, phospholipids, and nucleic acids of the mitochondria and the entire cell, though they also play important roles in cell signaling. Addition of ions such as Ca2+ or Mn2+ to mitochondria is known to increase ROS production. Excessive manganese (Mn) uptake by the brain, particularly by the globus pallidus and striatum, can cause signs and symptoms somewhat similar to those of Parkinson’s disease (PD); however, unlike PD, manganese toxicity, or manganism, is characterized pathologically by apoptotic cell death in the globus pallidus (GP). Initial effects of excessive brain Mn2+ include inhibition of ATP production and increased generation of mitochondrial ROS. We do not know the exact pathways that lead from these initial insults to the death of GP cells. However, ATP inhibition and increased ROS have been shown to contribute to the activation of apoptotic processes. ROS increase the probability of induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), which causes rapid swelling of the mitochondrial matrix, tearing or leakage of the mitochondrial outer membrane, and release of factors from the mitochondrial intermembrane space which activate apoptosis. It is likely that treatments which ameliorate mitochondrial ROS damage will prove beneficial in minimizing the signs and symptoms of Mn toxicity.
WIC Participation and Breastfeeding at 3 Months Postpartum

Objectives Participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has been associated with lower breastfeeding initiation and duration. This study examines breastfeeding-related factors among WIC participants and nonparticipants that might explain these previous findings. Methods Respondents to the 2007 Infant Feeding Practices Study II who were income-eligible for WIC were categorized as follows: no WIC participation (No-WIC); prenatal participation and infant entry while ≥60 % breastfeeding (WIC BF-high); prenatal participation and infant entry while <60 % breastfeeding (WIC BF-low). Percent breastfeeding was the number of breast milk feeds divided by the total number of liquid feeds. Using propensity scores, we matched WIC BF-high respondents to No-WIC respondents on demographic and breastfeeding factors. We used logistic regression to estimate the impact of WIC participation on breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum in the matched sample. Within-WIC differences were explored. Results Of 743 income-eligible respondents, 293 never enrolled in WIC, 230 were categorized as WIC BF-high, and 220 as WIC BF-low. Compared to matched No-WIC respondents, WIC BF-high respondents had increased odds of breastfeeding at 3 months, though this difference was not statistically significant (OR 1.92; 95 % CI 0.95-3.67; p value 0.07). WIC BF-high respondents were more similar on breastfeeding-related characteristics to No-WIC respondents than to WIC BF-low respondents. Conclusions for Practice Accounting for prenatal breastfeeding intentions and attitudes, we find no negative association between WIC participation and breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum. This is in contrast to prior studies, and highlights the importance of understanding within-WIC differences.
Evaluating emergency medical services: Quasi-experimental outcome studies.

The need to evaluate expensive, dramatic, and politically sensitive emergency medical services programs when classical controlled trials are neither ethically nor practically possible can be satisfied by quasi-experimental designs. The sequential implemen tation of paramedic services in several suburban areas provided a natural experimental situation in which to evaluate whether addition of the service could significantly alter the outcome of cardiac emergencies compared to the basic emergency medical technician program previously available. Before measurements and after measurements were made in a study area plus two control areas: one with paramedic services in both time periods and the other with emergency medical technican service throughout. Preliminary results indicate successful resuscitation increased from 20% to 32% (p < .05) and discharge from the hospital went from 8% to 18% (p<.01). The implications for program and policy decisions are noted. Development of studies that evolved from this work ...
Analysis of Shigella spp.surveillance in Fujian province from 2005 to 2009

Objective:To discover the etiological characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility of Shigella spp.in Fujian province,thus providing suggestion for shigellosis prevention and rational prescriptions in clinics.Methods:Positive Shigella isolates from the surveillance sites were systematically re-identified according to National Protocol of Shigellosis Surveillance.Results:137 positive isolates were re-identified.97 Shigella strains were confirmed,including 61 S.sonnei strains and 36 S.flexneri strains,i.e.62.9% and 37.1% respectively.Susceptibility tests indicated that the 97 Shigella strains were highly sensitive to cefotaxime,cefaclor,ciprofloxacin and furazolidone,but resistant to nalidixic,tetracycline,rifampicin and sulfamethoxazole.Conclusion:The dominant Shigella isolates in Fujian from 2005 to 2009 were S.sonnei,the rest were S.flexneri.Meanwhile,it should be concerned that these isolated possessed considerable resistance to common antibiotics.
Stability analysis of vertical cut with variable corner angle.

The stability of a vertical cut with a variable corner angle is analyzed by use of the upper bound theorem of the generalized theory of perfect plasticity. A three-dimensional collapse mechanism, symmetric in the vertical plane bisecting the corner opening, is assumed. Quantitative results are presented graphically and the physical meaning and general implication of these results are discuseed. Included in this generalized approach is the special case where the corner angle is equal to 180 degrees, for which a solution exists.
Clinafloxacin-theophylline drug interaction

Objective:To report an apparent pharmacokinetic interaction between clinafloxacin and theophylline in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Case Summary:A patient with a history of COPD was admitted for a fracture of the right femoral neck. Admission medications included extended-release theophylline 400 mg bid. The initial serum theophylline concentration was 81.03 µmol/L (normal 55—110). A subsequent concentration was subtherapeutic (46.62 µmol/L) and the theophylline dosage was increased to 300 mg tid. Therapeutic steady-state concentrations were achieved. The patient later developed pneumonia and was enrolled in a study of nosocomial acquired pneumonia involving clinafloxacin versus ceftazidime. He was randomized to receive clinafloxacin 200 mg iv ql2h. After clinafloxacin therapy was initiated, the serum theophylline concentration increased into the toxic range (155.96 µmol/L). Theophylline administration was held for 2 doses and the dosage then reduced to 200 mg tid. Serum conc...
Persistent asymmetrical priority effects in a California grassland restoration experiment.

The order of species arrival can dramatically alter the trajectory of community development. While there is experimental evidence that priority effects can be important drivers of community structure early on, the persistence and duration of these effects is unclear. Here we report on a community assembly experiment in which a mix of four native grasses and a mix of four native forbs were planted on their own, together, or with one-year priority over the other guild. We found positive effects of priority for both grasses and forbs in the initial years of the experiment. However, 6–8 yr after planting, the effectiveness of priority treatments were mixed. Some species became rare, persisting only in treatments in which they had been given priority; others continued to maintain high cover and exhibit a strong positive signal of priority effects; still others remained common but no longer showed a signature of the initial priority effects; and finally, some species became locally extinct across all experimental plots. Grass priority over forbs was strong and persistent, but not forb priority over grasses. Our results demonstrate that the long-term benefits of temporal priority can persist for at least 8 yr for some, but not all species, and these continued effects result in distinct community composition. Manipulating the trajectory of community assembly through priority in seeding has potential as a useful tool for restoration.
A New Look at Mixosaurus

Publisher Summary This chapter explores different aspects of Mixosaurus. The skulls of Mixosaurus cornalianus range in length from 185 mm to 270 mm. The skull is primitive in the relatively large size of the maxilla, the subequal lengths of the frontal and nasal bones, and the retention of the quadratojugal. Derived features are the large orbit, short cheek region, lacrimal excluded from the border of the external naris, very small upper temporal fenestra, elongated facial region, and exclusion of the postorbital from the temporal fenestra. The palate confirms the loss of the transverse flange of the pterygoid in mixosaurs as this is a derived character also belonging to M. cornalianus. There are only two bones in the posterior temporal region of ichthyosaurs, which is interpreted as being the squamosal and quadratojugal. The retention of the quadratojugal in the Mixosauridae would thus represent a primitive condition for ichthyosaurs. Neural spines of M. cornalianus are very high and straight-sided with dorsal tips sharply truncated. It has been found that the laterally flattened centra, plus the very tall anterior and middle caudal neural spines, and elongated chevrons, all serve to broaden the tail and produce an effective sculling organ.
Revolutionary Islamic Jurisprudence: A Restatement of the Arab Spring

In early 2011, a wave of uprisings swept through the Middle East, ushering in a year of protest and radical change. The events came to be known as the Arab Spring and they forever altered prior conventions. One outcome was the initiation of a vibrant legal discourse on Islamic law’s stance on revolution. It juxtaposed two sides, those advocating rigid adherence to the status quo legal tradition, a rejection of any opposition to the head of state, against those agitating for a more dynamic approach encompassing the public’s desire for freedom, dignity and justice. The legitimacy of the protests and its underlying universal values became an Islamic legal debate. Recognizing the potency of religious law, states employed their own Muslim jurists to delegitimize the protestors. In response, jurists from across the Middle East issued fatwas (legal opinions) presenting legal arguments in support of protests. Their challenge was to advocate for legal change, inserting new meanings into the law, while maintaining their legitimacy as authentically part of the Islamic legal discourse. In the process, they gave life to a Sunni legal discourse on non-violent revolution.This article identifies the primary arguments in this pro-uprising legal discourse: textual and policy-based. By examining fatwas from 2011, the first year of the uprisings, the article will demonstrate how jurists pursued creative techniques of legal interpretation to stay firmly within conventional Islamic law while still pursuing unconventional approaches to it. By bringing new readings to Islam’s constitutional sources, expanding the category of legal obligations and incorporating contemporary formulations of the idea of rights, this article provides new insights into how rapidly Islamic law can adapt to radical changes in the world it inhabits.
Pilot testing of a variable stiffness transverse plane adapter for lower limb amputees

Amputees often experience soft tissue breakdown and discomfort from the high transverse plane shear stresses between the residual limb and prosthesis. To evaluate the effects of varying the transverse plane stiffness, a small sample population of lower limb amputees wore a novel variable stiffness torsion adapter (VSTA). Peak transverse plane moments were evaluated for three fixed stiffness levels (compliant: 0.30Nm/°, intermediate: 0.57Nm/°, stiff: 0.91Nm/°) while participants traversed five tasks of daily living that emphasize transverse plane motion including: straight walking for reference, 90° turns, 180° turns, a static reach test, and the L-Test of functional mobility. Results indicated that activities requiring high levels of transverse plane motion (90° and 180° turns) had significantly reduced peak transverse plane moments when walking with the compliant transverse plane stiffness as compared to the stiff setting. Additionally, use of the VSTA resulted in no measurable loss of mobility at self-selected walking speeds between the three settings. These preliminary results indicate that a transverse rotation adapter with variable stiffness capability could be useful for a lower limb amputee to help reduce stresses at the socket-limb interface that result in soft tissue breakdown and discomfort.
Aboveground and belowground arthropods experience different relative influences of stochastic versus deterministic community assembly processes following disturbance.

BACKGROUND Understanding patterns of biodiversity is a longstanding challenge in ecology. Similar to other biotic groups, arthropod community structure can be shaped by deterministic and stochastic processes, with limited understanding of what moderates the relative influence of these processes. Disturbances have been noted to alter the relative influence of deterministic and stochastic processes on community assembly in various study systems, implicating ecological disturbances as a potential moderator of these forces. METHODS Using a disturbance gradient along a 5-year chronosequence of insect-induced tree mortality in a subalpine forest of the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA, we examined changes in community structure and relative influences of deterministic and stochastic processes in the assembly of aboveground (surface and litter-active species) and belowground (species active in organic and mineral soil layers) arthropod communities. Arthropods were sampled for all years of the chronosequence via pitfall traps (aboveground community) and modified Winkler funnels (belowground community) and sorted to morphospecies. Community structure of both communities were assessed via comparisons of morphospecies abundance, diversity, and composition. Assembly processes were inferred from a mixture of linear models and matrix correlations testing for community associations with environmental properties, and from null-deviation models comparing observed vs. expected levels of species turnover (Beta diversity) among samples. RESULTS Tree mortality altered community structure in both aboveground and belowground arthropod communities, but null models suggested that aboveground communities experienced greater relative influences of deterministic processes, while the relative influence of stochastic processes increased for belowground communities. Additionally, Mantel tests and linear regression models revealed significant associations between the aboveground arthropod communities and vegetation and soil properties, but no significant association among belowground arthropod communities and environmental factors. DISCUSSION Our results suggest context-dependent influences of stochastic and deterministic community assembly processes across different fractions of a spatially co-occurring ground-dwelling arthropod community following disturbance. This variation in assembly may be linked to contrasting ecological strategies and dispersal rates within above- and below-ground communities. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence indicating concurrent influences of stochastic and deterministic processes in community assembly, and highlight the need to consider potential variation across different fractions of biotic communities when testing community ecology theory and considering conservation strategies.
Hugo Grotius and the Natural Law of Marriage: A Case Study of Harmonizing Confessional Differences in Early Modern Europe

Seventeenth-century Dutch jurist, Hugo Grotius, worked out a detailed natural law of the family, which undergirded the competing Catholic and Protestant family and broader theological teachings of his day. Grotius showed how traditional teachings about the private and public goods of sexual pair-bonding, marriage, and parentage and traditional prohibitions against adultery, incest, prostitution, and fornication were consistent with rational natural law theory. But it took the Bible and Christian theology, he believed, to justify traditional prohibitions against polygamy, concubinage, divorce, and remarriage. This chapter evaluates Grotius’ contributions to natural law theory and family law history, lifting up themes and methods that have been central to the work of leading American legal historian, R.H. Helmholz, to whom the chapter is dedicated.
Delivery of drugs, growth factors, genes and stem cells via intrapericardial, epicardial and intramyocardial routes for sustained local targeted therapy of myocardial disease.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Local myocardial delivery (LMD) of therapeutic agents is a promising strategy that aims to treat various myocardial pathologies. It is designed to deliver agents directly to the myocardium and minimize their extracardiac concentrations and side effects. LMD aims to enhance outcomes of existing therapies by broadening their therapeutic window and to utilize new agents that could not be otherwise be implemented systemically.Areas covered: This article provides a historical overview of six decades LMD evolution in terms of the approaches, including intrapericardial, epicardial, and intramyocardial delivery, and the wide array of classes of agents used to treat myocardial pathologies. We examines delivery of pharmaceutical compounds, targeted gene transfection and cell implantation techniques to produce therapeutic effects locally. We outline therapeutic indications, successes and failures as well as technical approaches for LMD.Expert opinion: While LMD is more complicated than conventi...
Evaluation of state comprehensive cancer control plans for content related to stomach cancer.

8 Background: Since 1998, each US state, as well as some US territories and tribal groups, has had a written Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP). These plans are charged by the National CCCP with emphasizing “primary prevention of cancer”, supporting “early detection and treatment activities”, and promoting “health equity as it relates to cancer control.” Since stomach cancer still causes over 10,000 deaths a year in the US, since it is in many cases preventable, since its prognosis is highly related to timeliness of diagnosis, and since minority populations are disproportionately affected, it would appear to be an appropriate target for state CCCPs. In 2014, the World Health Organization recommended increased prevention efforts, in an extensive monograph titled “Helicobacter pylori as a Strategy for Preventing Gastric Cancer.” Methods: We reviewed the cancer control plans available on the CDC website, http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ncccp/ccc_plans.htm as of July 1, 2015. These included those of all 50...
On the lack of correlation between PD readings and failure location in high-voltage stator bars

After showing in a previous work that PD measurements suffer from poor repeatability and reproducibility, the present study turns now to a more qualitative approach, investigating if a method of PD fault location along a Roebel bar length can be used to identify insulation critical areas that later on could fail under electrical stress. Typical insulation “damages” have been created on the components in advance by submitting them to both thermal-mechanical and electrical aging tests. Once such preliminary aging was done, the critical areas along the bars length were identified by mapping the PD readings on each component. Afterwards, every bar was subjected to a destructive electrical breakdown test. At last, the breakdown locations were compared with the PD mappings to search for any possible correlation between the two events. Based upon the present results, such correlation does not exist.