cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Baseline serum magnesium concentrations and neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely low birth weight premature infants

Abstract Aim To test the hypothesis that, in ELBW infants who did not receive antenatal MgSO 4 , lower baseline serum Mg is associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes (NDO). Study design The study was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 — retrospective, and Phase 2 — prospective. Subjects Extremely low birth weight infants. Outcome measures Mortality and adverse NDO were assessed in relation to initial serum Mg measured in the first 12 hours of age. Results We studied 156 ELBW infants. In phase 1 ( n = 102): initial serum Mg (median [IQ range]) was greater in the infants who died compared to those who survived (1.7 [1.5–2.2] mg/dL vs. 1.6 [1.4–1.7] mg/dL, p = 0.034). In phase 2 ( n = 54): initial serum Mg was greater in infants who died or had adverse NDO at 9 months when compared to those who survived with better NDO (1.7 [1.55–2.1] mg/dL vs. 1.5 [1.4–1.68] mg/dL, p = 0.008). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, increased Mg concentration in the first 12 hours > 1.6 mg/dL was associated with unfavorable outcomes with sensitivity of 73%, specificity of 67%, and odds ratio of 5.5 (CI = 1.2–24.8, p = 0.037). Conclusions In a cohort of preterm infants without antenatal exposure to MgSO 4 , initial serum Mg concentrations associated positively with poor outcomes. Further studies are needed in ELBW infants with poor NDO to determine whether they have a dysfunctional transport system that prevents Mg from entering into cells, or they have an active process that excretes Mg extracellularly.
An inverse PDE-ODE model for studying building energy demand

Development of an accurate heat transfer model of buildings is of high importance. Such a model can be used for analyzing energy efficiency of buildings, predicting energy consumption and providing decision support for energy efficient operation of buildings. In this paper, we propose a PDE-ODE hybrid model to describe heat transfer through building envelope as well as heat evolution inside building. A inversion procedure is presented to recover parameters of equations from sensor data and building characteristic so that the model represents a specific building with current physical condition. By matching the simulated temperature and thermal energy dynamic profile with EnergyPlus generated data and actual field data, we validate the model and demonstrate its capability to predict energy demand under various operation condition.
lyotard and the philosopher child

Jean-Francois Lyotard’s description of the philosopher uses a metaphor comparing the philosopher to the child. This article traces the use of the child metaphor in relation to philosophy throughout Lyotard’s work. In general, the historical problem with philosophy for Lyotard is that it has been understood as involving maturity, mastery, and adulthood. While the stereotype of the wise philosopher might suggest a mature expert who knows all, Lyotard rejects this view. For Lyotard, the philosopher is the child who seeks answers, but cannot master them. The wisdom of the philosopher is similar to Socrates’ wisdom, in that he is wise because he knows the limitations of his knowledge and does not presume to be a master. Furthermore, the philosopher is the one who listens for what has not yet been articulated and says something new. Philosophical language does not merely report or observe, but it creates expressions of what is new by becoming attuned to something latent in the world (WP 95). Therefore, the answers will not be mastered, comprehensive, or settled for good. In Lyotard’s later work, the mode or method of philosophy is closer to reflective judgment because the issues it examines are open to further discussion. Lyotard’s linking of philosophy with childhood helps avoid an understanding of philosophy grounded in technological rationality in which practical mastery is the goal. Understanding the world exclusively through the categories of means leading to ends, assumes definitive answers, mastery, and expertise. Though many understandings of philosophy stress the practical knowledge conclusively obtained or strive for mastery, Lyotard sees these forces as enemies to philosophical thought, which requires more openness to childhood. Consequently, philosophy is fully political by providing a small voice against the loud and overwhelming push toward practicality, efficiency, and the discourse of capitalism.
Joining Hands: A Parental Involvement Program

Although teachers and administrators often go to great lengths to involvelow-income families in school projects, their attempts often are unsuccessful. In this article, alternatives to traditional concepts of involvement and different behavioral styles are discussed. Joining Hands, a model project designed to encourage low-income and minority parents to become more active in their children 's academic education, is described. The first phase of the project, a parent training program, offers parents inexpensive strategies and techniques that they can use to prepare 3- and 4-year-old children for successful school experiences. The second phase of the project, a series of teacher in-service sessions, is aimed at sensitizing school employees to the concerns, needs, and problems of low-income and minority parents.
A new iterative structure for hardware division: the parallel paths algorithm

We present a new approach to hardware division - the parallel paths algorithm. In this approach, prescaling allows the division recurrence to be implemented by three processes which can be calculated in parallel during iterations. While two of the processes must complete in a single iteration, the third - which includes the most expensive division operations - can be calculated over multiple iterations. Iteration latency is determined by the slowest of the three paths, and in many cases can be limited to that of carry-save addition and latching. A radix-4 implementation of the algorithm is shown to achieve better performance than other commonly used methods while requiring a modest increase in area.
Loss of dystrophin causes aberrant mechanotransduction in skeletal muscle fibers

Dystrophin is a cytoskeletal protein found at the inner surface of skeletal and cardiac muscle fibers. We hypothesize that deficiency of dystrophin increases muscle compliance and causes an aberrant mechanotransduction in muscle fibers. To test this hypothesis, we measured the length–tension relationships and determined intracellular signaling leading to the activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases in diaphragm muscle fibers from dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. Compared with controls, length–tension curves of the mdx mice were shifted to the right. A higher level of activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 or p38 MAP kinase was observed in the mdx muscle compared with the normal muscle in response to mechanical stretch. Removal of Ca2+ from the medium inhibited stretch-induced ERK1/2 activation only in mdx muscle fibers but not in the normal fibers. Conversely, pretreatment with TMB-8 (an antagonist of intracellular Ca2+) blocked the me...
Reading Disabilities and Aggression A Critical Review

Several authors have suggested that there is a strong association between specific learning disabilities and aggression, antisocial behavior, and juvenile delinquency. Claims that learning disabilities cause aggressive behavior and delinquency are increasingly common in the popular press, and a variety of theories concerning this purported causal relationship have been proposed. This research is flawed by a lack of specificity in the definition of learning disabilities, with studies often examining heterogeneous groups of children with learning problems. The present review examines the relationship between specific reading disabilities (the most frequently diagnosed learning disability) and aggressive behavior. The data suggest that there is not enough evidence to conclude that reading disability causes aggressive or delinquent behavior, although limited evidence does suggest that reading disability may worsen preexisting aggressive behavior.
Laser Spark Ignition: Laser Development and Engine Testing

Evermore demanding market and legislative pressures require stationary lean-burn natural gas engines to operate at higher efficiencies and reduced levels of emissions. Higher in-cylinder pressures and leaner air/fuel ratios are required in order to meet these demands. Contemporary ignition systems, more specifically spark plug performance and durability, suffer as a result of the increase in spark energy required to maintain suitable engine operation under these conditions. This paper presents a discussion of the need for an improved ignition source for advanced stationary natural gas engines and introduces laser spark ignition as a potential solution to that need. Recent laser spark ignition engine testing with natural gas fuel including NOx mapping is discussed. A prototype laser system in constructed and tested and the results are discussed and solutions provided for improving the laser system output pulse energy and pulse characteristics.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Computer-Aided Detection of Intracranial Aneurysms in MR Angiography

Intracranial aneurysms represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. While the risk factors for aneurysm formation are known, the detection of aneurysms remains challenging. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) has recently emerged as a useful non-invasive method for aneurysm detection. However, even for experienced neuroradiologists, the sensitivity to small (<5 mm) aneurysms in MRA images is poor, on the order of 30~60% in recent, large series. We describe a fully automated computer-aided detection (CAD) scheme for detecting aneurysms on 3D time-of-flight (TOF) MRA images. The scheme locates points of interest (POIs) on individual MRA datasets by combining two complementary techniques. The first technique segments the intracranial arteries automatically and finds POIs from the segmented vessels. The second technique identifies POIs directly from the raw, unsegmented image dataset. This latter technique is useful in cases of incomplete segmentation. Following a series of feature calculations, a small fraction of POIs are retained as candidate aneurysms from the collected POIs according to predetermined rules. The CAD scheme was evaluated on 287 datasets containing 147 aneurysms that were verified with digital subtraction angiography, the accepted standard of reference for aneurysm detection. For two different operating points, the CAD scheme achieved a sensitivity of 80% (71% for aneurysms less than 5 mm) with three mean false positives per case, and 95% (91% for aneurysms less than 5 mm) with nine mean false positives per case. In conclusion, the CAD scheme showed good accuracy and may have application in improving the sensitivity of aneurysm detection on MR images.
THE OBTURATOR SIGN AS THE EARLIEST ROENTGENOGRAPHIC SIGN IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF SEPTIC ARTHRITIS AND TUBERCULOSIS OF THE HIP

1. The normal appearance of the obturator shadow is described. 2. In certain types of hip pathology the obturator shadow becomes obscured, or it becomes widened with a more curved border. This is called a positive obturator sign. 3. The greatest value of this sign is in the early roentgenographic diagnosis of septic hip disease. 4. It is of some importance in the early diagnosis of tuberculosis of the hip. 5. It is not present in fractures about the hip, osteochondritis, and other pathological conditions of the hip.
Food Security and Indian Agriculture

The food insecurity is a gigantic problem in front of the world population. In spite of the reaching horizon of economic development, people are struggling for the survival of their daily life as at least 25,000 die people every day due lack of proper diets. Nearly 852 million people in the world are victims of vicious cycle of maturation and chronic hunger. It was a period of last 30 years when 70 per cent enhance was in the world population, world agriculture produced 17 per cent more calories per person today. The present study is an attempt to analyse the current agricultural scenario and global food insecurity and to identify the discrepancies in the system, find the ways to remove the anomalies and to make the mechanism more effective for achieving food security to all. India ranks 94th in the Global Hunger Index of 119 countries and there is paradoxical situation in endemic mass-hunger coexisting with the mounting food grain stocks. So, effective measures are needed to achieve the goal of hunger free, food and nutritional secure India. Food security act is an opportunity and this can be regarded as appreciable step in India. But the framework of poverty estimation and identification is complex and impractical. Proper distribution and procurement are the issues in the way of implementation of the act. The need of the time is simplified, transparent and equitable framework for practicability of the act. Community measures like education, health facilities, children care and women empowerment are some issues which can improve the nutritional status at household level because in India women and children are mostly affected by food insecurity. In country like India where barriers like caste, religion and socioeconomic culture are dominant, community measures can play important role in solving the problem of food security at micro level.
The Ultimate Properties of Unswollen Polydimethylsiloxane Networks and Their Dependence on Crosslink Density and Dilution during Crosslinking

Abstract Polydimethylsiloxane networks were prepared by means of γ-irradiation of the polymer, both in the undiluted state and in cyclohexane solutions. Seven polymer concentrations were employed, and radiation doses were varied at each concentration, thereby giving a series of networks varying in both the amount of diluent present during crosslinking and the degree of crosslinking. A total of 72 networks thus prepared were characterized, unswollen, with regard to their ultimate properties in uniaxial extension at 30°C. For networks prepared at constant polymer concentration, an increase in degree of crosslinking was found to give an approximately linear increase in ultimate strength, as measured by either the nominal stress or reduced stress at rupture. The accompanying decrease in the average length of the network chains caused a corresponding decrease in the maximum extensibility. At a constant crosslink density, decrease in the polymer concentration, in the system which had been used to form the netwo...
Age, Sexual Dimorphism, and Growth Rates in the Black Salamander, Aneides flavipunctatus (Plethodontidae)

To understand how rates of growth interact to result in sexual dimorphism in the Black salamander, Aneides flavipunctatus, I conducted a mark–recapture study in Mendocino County, California. Five hundred captures (420 unique animals plus 80 recaptures over four occasions) were measured (body length, head width, head length) and released. Adult males and females are not sexually dimorphic in body length, but are dimorphic in head width; males have wider heads compared to females. From 80 recaptures, growth rates were determined for body length and head size. As expected, juveniles grow faster relative to adults; growth rates decrease as body size increases. Adult males and females have similar growth rates of body length. Males and juveniles have greater head-width growth rates compared to adult females. Head size dimorphism in A. flavipunctatus is a result of a higher head growth rate in males at sexual maturity relative to females. Because body growth rates are not significantly different between adult m...
Critical Exponents for Solvent Extraction Resolved Using SAXS

The solvent extraction of an ionizable solute (H3PO4) from water into a water-in-oil microemulsion, and subsequent organic phase splitting (known as third phase formation), has been recast as a critical phenomenon by linking system structure to solute concentration via a critical exponent. The transuranic extraction (TRUEX) system was investigated by extracting increasing concentrations of H3PO4 into a microemulsion—consisting of two extractant amphiphiles (CMPO and TBP) and water in n-dodecane—and taking small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements from the resulting solutions. The H3PO4 concentration at which phase splitting occurred was defined as the critical concentration (XC), and this was related to the precritical concentrations (X) by the reduced parameter e = (XC – X)/XC. The scattering intensity at the zero angle I(0), relating to the interaction between reverse micellar aggregates, conformed to the relation I(0) = I0e–γ, with critical exponent γ = 2.20. To check γ, SAXS measurements were t...
A Population Of Uranotaenia Anhydor From Death Valley, With Descriptions Of All Stages And Discussion Of The Complex (Diptera, Culicidae)

Uranotaenia anhydor Dyar, 1907 is regarded as one of the rarer North American mosquitoes. The original description was based on a single larva collected by Dyar and Caudell on June 2, 1906 in a swamp full of reeds at Sweet water Junction (now part of National City), near San Diego, Calif. Subsequently, Dyar reared a series of adults of both sexes from larvae collected in Old Town, San Diego (Howard, Dyar and Knab, 1917, 4: 1041–1042), Freeborn (1926:350) reported a single female from Camp Kearney (near San Diego), and E. A. Seaman and C. S. Richards found two larvae near Bonsall, San Diego County (Seaman, 1945). Brookman and Reeves (1953: 234–235) were the first to report this species outside of San Diego County, having reared an adult of each sex from two pupae collected in northwestern Baja California, Mexico, some 45 miles south of San Diego. These authors also mentioned a series of rubbed females apparently of this species collected at lights by C. B. and R. N. Philip at Fairbanks Springs, Ash Meadows, Nye County, Nevada, on August 21, 1949. In the summer and fall of 1953, C. S. Richards took a small series of anhydor females in light traps and one larva and one pupa at St. David, Cochise County, Arizona (Richards, 1954 in lit .).
Cooperative-Hybrid-Layer-Beacon-driven leader based protocol

To solve the problem that the poor quality nodes affect the performance of the overall network in the leader based multicast error control protocols,this paper proposed a Cooperative-Hybrid-Layer-BLBP(CHLBLBP),which was combined of the collaborative transmission and forward error correction mechanism.In CHLBLBP,the data transmission was divided into two phases,the original sender transmitted packets in the first phase,and some relays transmitted packets in the second phase to help the sender.The results from the theoretical analysis and simulation showed that CHLBLBP can improve the reception probability of the poor quality nodes,reduce the number of retransmission and network latency,and improve the quality of the overall network.
Cadm3 (Necl-1) interferes with the activation of the PI3 kinase/Akt signaling cascade and inhibits Schwann cell myelination in vitro

Axo-glial interactions are critical for myelination and the domain organization of myelinated fibers. Cell adhesion molecules belonging to the Cadm family, and in particular Cadm3 (axonal) and its heterophilic binding partner Cadm4 (Schwann cell), mediate these interactions along the internode. Using targeted shRNA-mediated knockdown, we show that the removal of axonal Cadm3 promotes Schwann cell myelination in the in vitro DRG neuron/Schwann cell myelinating system. Conversely, over-expressing Cadm3 on the surface of DRG neuron axons results in an almost complete inability by Schwann cells to form myelin segments. Axons of superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons, which do not normally support the formation of myelin segments by Schwann cells, express higher levels of Cadm3 compared to DRG neurons. Knocking down Cadm3 in SCG neurons promotes myelination. Finally, the extracellular domain of Cadm3 interferes in a dose-dependent manner with the activation of ErbB3 and of the pro-myelinating PI3K/Akt pathway, but does not interfere with the activation of the Mek/Erk1/2 pathway. While not in direct contradiction, these in vitro results shed lights on the apparent lack of phenotype that was reported from in vivo studies of Cadm3-/- mice. Our results suggest that Cadm3 may act as a negative regulator of PNS myelination, potentially through the selective regulation of the signaling cascades activated in Schwann cells by axonal contact, and in particular by type III Nrg-1. Further analyses of peripheral nerves in the Cadm-/- mice will be needed to determine the exact role of axonal Cadm3 in PNS myelination. GLIA 2016;64:2247-2262.
A psychoanalytic study of integrity and "good character".

One should look beyond the patient's illness and form an estimate of his whole personality; those patients who do not possess a reasonable degree of education and a fairly reliable character should be refused. It must not be forgotten that there are healthy people as well as unhealthy ones who are good for nothing in life, and that there is a temptation to ascribe to their illness everything that incapacitates them, if they show any signs of neurosis.
Chemistry of the Amino Acids

Publisher Summary Every amino acid has a primary amino group and a primary carboxyl group. Either of these groups could also appear on a side chain. One of the common ways to mark a specific amino acid to facilitate studying its changes is to make a radioactive iodine derivative. Other chemical changes that are of potential importance to food scientists include those that modify the protein and change its food functionality. The degree of reaction is often different in the free amino acids because of the zwitter ion nature of the compound. The isoelectric point of an amino acid is the point at which the amino acid has no net electrical charge. It is an important characteristic for any amino acid, because every amino acid has at least two acid-base groups. Another important property of an amino acid is the association constant of the individual reactive groups. It is expressed as p K , the negative log of κ (the dissociation constant). These numbers change as the solution conditions change. The p K values of the α-carboxyl and the α-amino groups are not influenced by the side chains, and the p K values of the side chains are not much influenced by the α-carboxyl or α-amino groups.
Abstractions of Whiteness in Downtown Los Angeles: Ate9’s Kelev Lavan

Ate9 Dance Company’s Kelev Lavan raised questions about the politics of individualism and the neutrality of whiteness in art, during a period of acute social tension surrounding police violence against people of color in the US. Issues of technique, aesthetics, and the invisibilization of identity politics are explored in the context of this sitespecific performance.
Selection for drought tolerance in sorghum using desiccants to simulate post-anthesis drought stress

Abstract Late-season drought is a major limiting factor worldwide for rainfed sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production. Field screening of genotypes against post-anthesis drought is challenging as the stress is unpredictable and, when it happens, is often confounded with stalk diseases and lodging. In this study, we report on the results of tests on the use of desiccants in simulating post-anthesis drought effects in sorghum as aid in selection for late-season drought tolerance. First, we tested the efficacies of three desiccants KI, NaClO3 and KClO3. Each desiccant was applied at three concentrations: 0.4% w/v, 0.6% w/v and 1% w/v, and on three genotypes P89001, P898012 and TX7078, known for their drought responses. Genotypic grain yield (GY) and seed weight (SWT) differed significantly under each of these desiccants. Genotype P898012, tolerant to post-anthesis drought, had the highest GY and SWT, while TX7078 and P89001, known for their post-anthesis drought susceptibility, had the lowest values following treatment with desiccants. The desiccants had significantly different effects, with NaClO3 inducing the most severe effect on GY and SWT while KI had the least effect. Observed genotypic differences were greater at 0.4% w/v for NaClO3 and KClO3, while KI had greater marked effect both at 0.6% w/v and 1% w/v. In the second experiment, we assessed the sensitivity of 18 diverse sorghum genotypes to KI (0.6% w/v). All genotypes tolerant to late-season drought had lower grain yield reduction (GYR), seed weight reduction (SWR) and stress susceptibility index (SSI), but a higher stress tolerance index (STI) than the susceptible genotypes. Remobilized total nonstructural carbohydrate was associated positively with STI’s but negatively with SSI’s. Results from this study suggested that desiccants simulated the effect of post-season drought stress, and that this technique could be used in assisting sorghum breeders to rapidly screen for post-anthesis drought tolerance under drought free environments.
Change point tests in functional factor models with application to yield curves

Motivated by the problem of the detection of a change point in the mean structure of yield curves, we introduce several methods to test the null hypothesis that the mean structure of a time series of curves does not change. The mean structure does not refer merely to the level of the curves, but also to their range and other aspects of their shape, most prominently concavity. The performance of the tests depends on whether possible break points in the error structure, which refers to the random variability in the aspects of the curves listed above, are taken into account or not. If they are not taken into account, an existing change point in the mean structure may fail to be detected with a large probability. The paper contains a complete asymptotic theory, a simulation study and illustrative data examples, as well as details of the numerical implementation of the testing procedures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Receptor-stimulated transamidation induces activation of Rac1 and Cdc42 and the regulation of dendritic spines

Regulation of dendritic spines is an important component of synaptic function and plasticity whereas dendritic spine dysregulation is related to several psychiatric and neurological diseases. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that serotonin (5-HT)2A/2C receptor-induced Rho family transamidation and activation regulates dendritic spine morphology and that activation of multiple types of receptors can induce transglutaminase (TGase)-catalyzed transamidation of small G proteins. We previously reported a novel 5-HT2A receptor downstream effector, TGase-catalyzed serotonylation of the small G protein Rac1 in A1A1v cells, a rat embryonic cortical cell line. We now extend these findings to rat primary cortical cultures which develop dendritic spines; stimulation of 5-HT2A/2C receptors increased transamidation of Rac1 and Cdc42, but not RhoA. Inhibition of TGases significantly decreased transamidation and activation of Rac1 and Cdc42, suggesting that transamidation led to their activation. In primary cortical cultures, stimulation of 5-HT2A/2C receptors by 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) caused a transient dendritic spine enlargement, which was blocked by TGase inhibition. Stimulation of both 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors contributed to DOI-induced Rac1 transamidation in primary cortical cultures as demonstrated by selective antagonists. Furthermore, stimulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and NMDA receptors also increased TGase-catalyzed Rac1 activation in SH-SY5Y cells and N2a cells, respectively. Receptor-stimulated TGase-catalyzed transamidation of Rac1 occurs at Q61, a site previously reported to be important in the inactivation of Rac1. These studies demonstrate that TGase-catalyzed transamidation and activation of small G proteins results from stimulation of multiple types of receptors and this novel signaling pathway can regulate dendritic spine morphology and plasticity.
Training residents in depression and grief.

BACKGROUND About 20 per cent of Americans will experience depression in their lifetimes, and almost all will experience the death of a loved one. Both depression and grief have been associated with adverse health outcomes, including a decline in quality of life and excess mortality. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are the initial health care contact for most patients with depression and grief, yet often perceive that they lack the skills to adequately address these issues. Previous studies have investigated whether educational efforts improve PCP depression and grief knowledge or perceived skills, but few have focused on medical residents. There is the potential that resident education may impact practice over a longer span of time than later career training, simply because it occurs earlier in one's medical career. METHODS The authors examined whether a brief educational curriculum, delivered in two 2-hour sessions to 40 internal medicine residents, was associated with changes in knowledge, attitudes, comfort level and reported behaviours, with regards to grieving or depressed patients. Self-report surveys were administered before and about 5 months after receipt of the new curriculum. RESULTS Residents receiving the curriculum reported increases in knowledge, confidence and self-reported behaviours in working with patients suffering depression and grief. Both depression and grief have been associated with adverse health outcomes DISCUSSION: Although more research is needed to determine whether these findings can be replicated in other settings, the results are promising. Further dissemination of such training may ultimately enhance the detection and treatment of depression and grief in primary care, and decrease the associated emotional and functional burdens in patients.
Racial disparities in neurologic health care access and utilization in the United States.

Objective: To evaluate racial and ethnic differences in the utilization of neurologic care across a wide range of neurologic conditions in the United States. Methods: We analyzed nationally representative data from the 2006–2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), including information on demographics, patient-reported health conditions, neurology visit rates, and costs. Using diagnostic codes, we identified persons with any self-identified neurologic disorder except back pain, as well as 5 subgroups (Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, headache, cerebrovascular disease, and epilepsy). To assess disparities in neurologic care utilization, we performed logistic regression analyses of outpatient department neurologic care visit rates and expenditures for each racial ethnic group controlling for age, sex, health status, socioeconomic characteristics, and geographic region of care. Results: Of the 279,103 MEPS respondents, 16,936 (6%) self-reported a neurologic condition; 5,890 (2%) received a total of 13,685 outpatient neurology visits. Black participants were nearly 30% less likely to see an outpatient neurologist (odds ratio [OR] 0.72, confidence interval [CI] 0.64–0.81) relative to their white counterparts, even after adjustment for demographic, insurance, and health status differences. Hispanic participants were 40% less likely to see an outpatient neurologist (OR 0.61, CI 0.54–0.69). Among participants with known neurologic conditions, blacks were more likely to be cared for in the emergency department, to have more hospital stays, and to have higher per capita inpatient expenditures than their white counterparts. Conclusions: Our findings highlight racial and ethnic inequalities in the utilization of neurologic care in the United States.
The use of kinetic imagery by children and adults

In this study, we examined developmental improvement in kinetic imagery skills as related to differences in the utilizability vs. evocability of those skills. Analyses were conducted on performance levels and response times for task trials in which participants were required to determine which of 3 larger blocks could be “made” by combining (through imagery) 2 smaller blocks. Adults performed better than did 9- or 11-year-olds, especially for trials that required mental representation of rotation as well as horizontal movement. Examination of the effects of 2 conditions of task administration indicated no developmental changes in the adjustment of methods of task solution to specific instructions. However, analyses of response times suggested that age differences in performance levels could be attributed to differences in the degree to which possibilities of ways in which blocks could be combined through mental imagery were exhaustively examined.
Elevated serum osteoprotegerin is associated with increased left ventricular mass index and myocardial stiffness.

AIM Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). OPG has also been associated with fibrosis and collagen cross-linking, which increase arterial and left ventricle (LV) myocardial stiffness. Little is known about the relation of OPG and LV structure and function in African-Americans who are disproportionately affected by HFpEF. METHODS AND RESULTS Our analysis included 1172 participants with preserved LV ejection fraction (>50%) from the African-American cohort in the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy Study (mean age 63 years, 72% female). We used diastolic wall strain indicator measured by echocardiography to assess LV myocardial stiffness. Diastolic wall strain was calculated as (LV posterior thickness at end-systole - LV posterior thickness at end-diastole)/LV posterior thickness at end-systole. Associations between OPG levels and indices of arterial and LV structure and function were evaluated by using generalized linear mixed models and adjusted for possible confounders. OPG levels were correlated with age, female sex, presence of hypertension and diabetes, and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (P < 0.05 for all). Multivariable analysis revealed that higher OPG levels were associated with greater LV mass index, increased LV myocardial stiffness, and higher N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide levels (P < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION In African-Americans, higher OPG levels were associated with characteristics common in patients with HFpEF and were significantly associated with known precursors to HFpEF. These findings indicate a potential role for OPG in the pathophysiology of HFpEF in African-Americans.
O RÁDIO LOCAL E O COMPORTAMENTO DA INFORMAÇÃO NA NOVA ORDEM GLOBAL

Este trabalho e uma sintese da tese “A voz da aldeia: o radio local e o comportamento da informacao na nova ordem global”. Trata-se de um estudo de caso do radio no Oeste de Santa Catarina (Brasil), regiao que mantem uma relacao historica com esse meio de comunicacao. A investigacao, centrada no trabalho jornalistico e na analise do conteudo veiculado pelas emissoras, procurou perceber ate que ponto o radio e um veiculo verdadeiramente local, voltado as necessidades de sua audiencia, e que cumpre funcao relevante nas comunidades em que esta inserido. A pertinencia do estudo evidencia-se numa epoca em que a comunicacao assume carater cada vez mais globalizado, dominada por grandes corporacoes de midia, que absorvem e influenciam os veiculos menores.
“Hearing” and Auditory Neuropathy: Lessons from Patients, Physiology, and Genetics

I review auditory neuropathy (AN), an auditory temporal processing disorder, drawing upon lessons from patients, from temporal bones and peripheral nerves, and from the genetics of the disorder. The auditory temporal processing disorder affects speech comprehension and localization of sounds that can be disabling. Audibility is typically not the majoy problem. The criteria for diagnosis are physiological and include (1) abnormal auditory nerve function reflected by absent or abnormal auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and (2) normal cochlear outer hair cell functions reflected by cochlear microphonics (CMs) and/or otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). The tests are relatively simple, and the results are typically unambiguous, encouraging the recognition of AN from diverse etiologies. The cochlear sites that are affected include auditory nerve, inner hair cells, or their synapses. Type I AN is a postsynaptic disorder involving both the number and functions of auditory nerves; Type II AN is a presynaptic disorder affecting inner hair cells’ ability to form and/or release neurotransmitters. Inherited forms of AN are diverse. Temporal bone studies of postsynaptic forms of AN show a marked loss of auditory nerve fibers with accompanying demyelination whereas both the number and morphology of inner and outer hair cells are preserved. There are as yet no temporal bone studies of presynaptic forms of AN.
Acute Changes in Plasma Total Tau Levels Are Independent of Subconcussive Head Impacts in College Football Players

Abstract Athletes in contact sports sustain repetitive subconcussive head impacts in a brief window, yet neurophysiological sequelae from repetitive subconcussion remain unclear. This prospective longitudinal study examined a relationship between changes in plasma Tau protein levels and subconcussive impact kinematic data in 23 Division I collegiate football players during a series of pre-season practices. Plasma measures for Tau and S100β proteins, symptom scores, and near point of convergence were obtained at pre-season baseline and pre-/post-practices. During each practice, impact frequency and linear and rotational head accelerations were recorded via an accelerometer-embedded mouth guard. There were significant elevations in plasma Tau levels at all post-practice time-points, compared with those of pre-practice and baseline levels. However, the highest degree of elevation in plasma Tau was observed after the first practice, for which players sustained the lowest number of hits and magnitudes for thes...
Inactivation of MAP3K7 in FOXD1-expressing cells results in loss of mesangial PDGFRΒ and juvenile kidney scarring.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) plays a central role in renal scarring, controlling extracellular matrix deposition by interstitial cells and mesangial cells. TGFβ signals through Smad and mito...
Semiparametric estimation in regression with missing covariates using single-index models

We investigate semiparametric estimation of regression coefficients through generalized estimating equations with single-index models when some covariates are missing at random. Existing popular semiparametric estimators may run into difficulties when some selection probabilities are small or the dimension of the covariates is not low. We propose a new simple parameter estimator using a kernel-assisted estimator for the augmentation by a single-index model without using the inverse of selection probabilities. We show that under certain conditions the proposed estimator is as efficient as the existing methods based on standard kernel smoothing, which are often practically infeasible in the case of multiple covariates. A simulation study and a real data example are presented to illustrate the proposed method. The numerical results show that the proposed estimator avoids some numerical issues caused by estimated small selection probabilities that are needed in other estimators.
Work Free or Quit: A Time-Series Model of How Autonomy Influences Turnover Intentions

Employee turnover is a costly expense for organizations. In addition to the costs associated with replacing an employee, the firm must also deal with the loss of individual knowledge associated wit...
Local policy responses to the AIDS epidemic: New York and San Francisco.

The epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been concentrated in a few large cities. Thus far, New York City and San Francisco have reported more AIDS cases than any other cities in the world. Together they account for 40% of the total number of cases reported in the United States through the end of 1986.
An n-Dimensional Hahn-Banach Extension Theorem and Minimal Projections

Let T~=∑i=1n ũi⊗rvi:V → V=[v1,. . . .,vn]⊂ X, where ũi∈ V* and X is a Banach space. Let T= ∑i=1nui⊗vi: X→ V be an extension of T~ to all of X (i.e., ui∈ X*) such that T has minimal (operator) norm. (E.g., if T~=I, T is a minimal projection from X onto V.) Then it is necessary and sufficient that u:=u_1,. . . ,un is given by (v:=v1,. . . ,vn)
Land cover impacts on storm flow suspended solid and nutrient concentrations in southwest Ohio streams

Impacts between urban and agricultural land cover on storm flow water quality are poorly understood for the Eastern Corn Belt Ecoregion in SW Ohio. Storm flow water samples were collected from May 2017 to October 2017 across seven SW Ohio watersheds which ranged in urban land cover from 6% to 92% and in agricultural land cover from 4% to 70%. Two watersheds contained water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs). Percent agricultural land cover in a watershed and storm magnitude were primary explanatory variables for total suspended solid and total phosphorus concentrations. Total nitrogen, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations were primarily explained by the presence of WRRFs and percent agricultural land cover. Increased dissolved nutrient concentrations in watersheds with WRRFs indicate that WRRFs in the study area are ineffectively removing nitrate and phosphate from effluent. Results suggest that to improve water quality during storm flows, additional management efforts need to be focused on agricultural watersheds and WRRFs. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Storm flow water quality in the study area is significantly affected by land cover, WRRF Q, and storm Q. TSS and TP concentrations are best explained by percent of agricultural land cover in a watershed and magnitude of storms. TN, NO3 -N, and PO43-P concentrations are best explained by WRRF Q, followed by the percent agricultural land cover. This study shows that agricultural land cover and WRRFs play a significant role in water quality degradation in SW Ohio.
Design and Optimization of OpenSHMEM 1.4 for the Intel® Omni-Path Fabric 100 Series

The OpenSHMEM 1.4 specification recently introduced support for multithreaded hybrid programming and a new communication management API. Together, these features enable users to manage communications performed by multiple threads within an OpenSHMEM process and to overlap communication and computation to hide costly latencies. In order to realize these benefits, OpenSHMEM implementations must efficiently map this broad new space of usage models to the underlying fabric. This paper presents an implementation of OpenSHMEM 1.4 for the Intel®Omni-Path Fabric 100 Series. The OpenFabrics Interfaces (OFI) libfabric is used as the low-level fabric API; we identify strategies for effectively managing shared transmission resources using libfabric, as well as for managing the communication requirements of the Omni-Path fabric. We study the performance of our implementation, identify design tradeoffs that are influenced by application behavior, and explore application-level optimizations that can be used to achieve the best performance.
A Congressional View of Workable Linkages

Speaking as a veteran of two decades of energy policy wars, I would offer a few observations as we embark on yet another attempt to write a national energy strategy. The first is that these debates have always and only occurred in the wake of some sort of crisis. In the early and late 1970s, we were busily turning down our thermostats and waiting in line at gas pumps, following the Arab and Iranian oil cutoffs. This year’s debate is conducted in the shadow of the Persian Gulf War.
The 2018 Florida Bar Criminal Justice Summit: A First Step in Improving Florida's Criminal Justice System

In October 2018, the Florida Bar initiated the Bar's first Criminal Justice Summit. It included state attorneys, public and private defense counsel, policymakers, legislators, and judges.Together they examined topics including sentencing reform, pretrial release, direct file of juveniles, mental health, offender re-entry, and conviction integrity. This Article provides an overview of this Summit, the issues covered, and the next steps for achieving criminal justice reform.
Autism spectrum disorder and neurodevelopmental delays in children with giant omphalocele.

Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence and identify risk factors of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and neurodevelopmental delays in giant omphalocele (GO) survivors. Materials and methods The study cohort consists of 47 GO survivors enrolled in our follow-up program between 07/2004 and 12/2015. All patients underwent assessments at 2 years of age or older. Outcomes were assessed by either the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (prior 2006) or III (after 2006), or the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (children older than 4 years). ASD diagnosis was made based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (prior to 2014) or 5 criteria. Results The prevalence of ASD in GO children is 16 times higher than the general population (P = 0.0002). ASD patients were more likely to be diagnosed with neurodevelopmental and neurofunctional delays, language disorders, and genetic abnormalities (P Conclusions There is a significant rate of ASD in GO survivors. Neurodevelopmental delays, language delays, and genetic abnormalities were strongly associated with ASD. Neurological impairments were present in nearly half of GO children. Surrogate markers of disease severity were associated with below average neurodevelopmental scores. Level of evidence Level IV
Intermetallic Insertion Electrodes with a Zinc Blende‐Type Structure for Li Batteries: A Study of Li x InSb ( 0 ≤ x ≤ 3 )

The intermetallic compound InSb with a zinc blende-type (diamond) structure has been investigated as a host structure for lithium. After one break-in cycle, it appears that lithium can be inserted electrochemically into the structure in a two-step process to the approximate composition Li{sub 2}InSb. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that further lithiation of Li{sub 2}InSb displaces In from the structure to yield a closely related Li{sub 3}Sb-type structure. The electrochemical reaction that occurs between 1.2 and 0.5 V is reversible. The cubic unit cell expands isotropically by only 5.6% upon Li insertion to the end member Li{sub 2+x}In{sub 1-x}Sb at x{approx}0.5. This finding has implications for developing commercially attractive intermetallic insertion electrodes with zinc blende-type structures for lithium-ion batteries.
ION CHANNELS | Proepileptic Effects of BK Channel Gene Mutations

The textbooks tell us that the opening of sodium and calcium channels depolarize cells and increase excitability, whereas potassium and chloride channels repolarize membrane potentials and reduce excitability. Mostly this generalization is true, and therefore the drugs that block voltage-dependent sodium and calcium channels, such as phenytoin and lamotrigine, are effectively utilized as anticonvulsants and anti-epileptic drugs. Similarly, agonists for ionotropic GABA receptors (that conduct chloride ions), such as benzodiazepines, are used to control seizures. More recently, new classes of potassium channel agonists were developed for a similar purpose. But the role of individual potassium channels is more complex than described by such simple concepts. Surprisingly, there are examples where inhibition of BK-type potassium channels reduce excitability of neurons. A recent finding has shown that a human gain-of-function mutation in the BK potassium channel gene results in epilepsy. Such a finding indicates that this channel, and perhaps other potassium channels, has much more complex roles than described in textbooks. This article will discuss our current understanding of these channels and propose some hypotheses to explain the paradoxical, pro-epileptic effects of BK potassium channels.