cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of increasing hemoglobin cutoff in male donors and increasing interdonation interval in whole blood donors at a hospital-based blood donor center.

BACKGROUND: The NHANES-III survey found hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations of more than 13.5 g/dL and more than 12.0 g/dL in normal Caucasian males and females. In the United States, a Hb of least 12.5 g/dL is required for blood donation, which allows “anemic” males to donate while excluding “normal” females. Low Hb is the major cause of deferral in donors and deferrals are associated with decreased donor return rates. Additionally, frequent blood donations are associated with depletion of body iron stores. Analysis of the effect of various Hb cutoffs and interdonation intervals on our center's blood supply is presented. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Whole blood donor data for a 12-month period were studied. Potential effects on the blood supply by increasing male Hb eligibility levels and/or increasing the interdonation interval were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 13,519 individuals (females, 56%) donated 30,678 units (mean frequency, male 2.7 and females 2.1) with the majority (42%) donating once. Increasing the male Hb eligibility to at least 13.5 g/dL will decrease collections by 1457 (5%) units. In addition, decreasing the female Hb eligibility to at least 12.0 g/dL will result in total gain of 307 (1%) units. Considering 12-week interdonation interval and Hb eligibility of at least 13.5 g/dL (male) and at least 12.5 g/dL (female) results in decrease of 11% (3352) units. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the Hb cutoff for male donors and/or interdonation interval for all donors will decrease available blood, some of which may be reduced by decreasing the Hb cutoff for females to at least 12.0 g/dL. As a majority of the donors donate only once with mean donation frequency being 2.4, it may be possible to overcome this shortfall by targeted recruitment of donors donating once.
Computation of Radial Electromagnetic Forces on Power Transformer LV Windings due to Short-Circuit Currents

The short-circuit electromagnetic force in radial direction induces critical mechanical stress on a power transformer. In this paper, the radial short-circuit forces which are exerted on transformer low voltage (LV) windings are investigated. Firstly, the mechanisms of leakage flux and short-circuit electromechanical forces in transformer coils are analyzed. Afterwards, based on IEC standards followed by short-circuit tests, calculations of radial short-circuit forces and evaluations of the ability to withstand short currents in LV windings are developed. The case studies and comparisons with improved measures show that the evaluation and calculation method is feasible and effective, and this method also offers three useful ways to strengthen the ability to withstand short-circuit currents for transformer windings.
Assessment of Right Ventricular Structure and Function in Pulmonary Hypertension

Right ventricular function plays an important role in determining cardiac symptoms and exercise capacity in chronic heart failure. It is known that right ventricle has complex anatomy and physiology. The purpose of this review paper is to demonstrate the best assessment of the right ventricle with current echocardiography. Echocardiography can assess sufficiently right ventricular structure and function and also suggest prognosis in pulmonary hypertension patients, especially with the use of modern imaging techniques. Finally, the new imaging modality of real time three dimensional echocardiography is interchangeable to cardiac magnetic resonance in reproducibility and accuracy.
Extensive stage small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer is a rapidly proliferating, biologically aggressive form of lung cancer that has a short survival without treatment. Chemotherapy is the foundation of the therapeutic approach to patients with small cell lung cancer. Most patients present with extensive disease, and, although few patients are cured, significant improvement in survival is possible with modern chemotherapy. The role of radiation therapy in extensive disease is palliative, and surgery has little role in patient management. The standard chemotherapy regimen for patients with small cell lung cancer has become either cisplatin or carboplatin with etoposide. Second-line chemotherapy regimens are moderately effective in patients previously responding to initial chemotherapy. Newer chemotherapy agents show promise, but few randomized trials have been completed in extensive disease. Physicians should be encouraged to include their patients with extensive small cell lung cancer in the evolving clinical trials.
Matrix metalloproteinase activity is necessary for thymosin beta 4 promotion of epithelial cell migration

Studies from our laboratory provide substantial evidence that thymosin beta 4, (Tbeta(4)), an actin-sequestering protein, promotes corneal wound healing through its ability to stimulate epithelial cell migration. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are expressed in a wide variety of tissues including the cornea, also play a key role in epithelial cell migration and wound healing. In this study we investigated the role of MMPs in Tbeta(4)-stimulated corneal epithelial cell migration. In Boyden chamber assays, XG076, an inhibitor of the conversion of pro- to active MMPs, had no effect on epithelial cell migration stimulated by exogenous activated MMP-1. However, in in vitro migration assays where the activation of pro-MMPs was blocked, XG076 significantly inhibited cell migration and wound healing in the presence or absence of Tbeta(4). GM6001, a broad-spectrum inhibitor of active MMPs and selective MMP inhibitors, also suppressed Tbeta(4)-stimulated cell migration. Tbeta(4) upregulated MMP-1 gene and protein expression in primary human corneal epithelial cells and in transformed human corneal epithelial cells following scrape wounding. From these results we conclude that MMP catalytic activity is necessary for Tbeta(4) promotion of epithelial cell migration. These novel findings are the first to demonstrate a functional link between the two.
Comparative effectiveness research methods: symposium overview and summary.

Background:The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in expanding its efforts to advance methods for comparative effectiveness research (CER), convened a second invitational symposium in June 2009 through its Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions About Effectiveness (DEcIDE) network. A disti
Virtual copies: at the boundary between classes and instances

Knowledge bases built in object-oriented systems use networks of interconnected objects in their representations. The mechanism described here provides a way to use such a network as a prototype by making virtual copies of it. The virtual copy is created incrementally. Values of instance variables in the virtual copy are inherited from the prototype until locally overridden in the copy, similar to inheritance of defaults between instances and classes in Loops. A virtual copy preserves the topology of the original network. Virtual copies can be made from virtual copies. Alternative implementations of virtual copies allow different tradeoffs in space and lookup time. Virtual copies can be used for building knowledge bases for design, for representing contexts in a problem solving system, and have other uses in ordinary programming.
Arteriography for Proximity of Injury in Penetrating Extremity Trauma

Arteriography for proximity of injury was studied prospectively at a trauma center. Findings in 85 patients with penetrating extremity wounds were analyzed to determine the prevalence and types of vascular abnormalities seen with these injuries. Ninety-two limb segments were studied for 77 gunshot and 15 stab wounds. Arteriographic findings were positive in 24% overall but in only 5% for injuries confined to major vessels. A 60% positive rate was seen in a small subgroup of 10 patients with fractures due to gunshot wounds. The most frequently injured vessels were muscular branches of the deep femoral artery (59%); the most common injury was focal, non-occlusive spasm (42%). All patients were treated conservatively, without sequelae at follow-up. In this study, the vascular injuries found at arteriography for proximity of injury in penetrating trauma due to bullets or knives, particularly in the thigh, did not require surgical or radiologic intervention.
Management of Low-Risk Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Based Only on Thyroglobulin Measurement After Recombinant Human Thyrotropin

A multicenter study was undertaken to ascertain prevalence and significance of recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH)-stimulated increases in thyroglobulin (Tg) levels in thyroid cancer patients classified to be at low risk for recurrence. Patients were eligible for enrollment if they had undergone near-total or total thyroidectomy and remnant ablation between 1-10 years prior to enrollment and had received thyroxine suppression therapy (THST) with a TSH level of < 0.5 mU/L and Tg level less than or equal to 5 ng/mL within the prior year. Patients with anti-Tg antibodies, distant metastases, or other evidence of residual disease were excluded. Four hundred eighty-six patients were entered into the study, and 300 were considered eligible and comprise the study population. TSH, Tg, and anti-Tg antibody levels were obtained at baseline, followed by intramuscular injection of 0.9 mg of rhTSH on days 1 and 2 and measurement of Tg on day 5. After rhTSH, 53 patients (18%) had elevations in Tg of at least 2 ng/mL, including 33 patients (11%) with increases from baseline of equal to or greater than 5 ng/mL. Patients with an initial advanced stage of disease were more likely to display elevations in Tg after rhTSH. One third of those with stage III disease displayed elevations in Tg of 2 ng/mL or more. Patients within 5 years of thyroidectomy were as likely to display elevations in rhTSH-stimulated Tg as those 5-10 years from surgery. In conclusion, these data suggest rhTSH-stimulated Tg testing without scan may be a useful tool in the follow-up of patients with low-risk thyroid cancer, and may serve to identify patients previously thought free of disease on the basis of undetectable Tg levels while undergoing THST. A strategy is presented for incorporation of this approach into the management of patients with low-risk well-differentiated thyroid cancer.
Normalized difference water index for remote sensing of vegetation liquid water from space

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which is equal to (NIR- RED)/(NIR+RED), has been widely used for remote sensing of vegetation for many years. One weakness of this index is that the reflectance of RED channel has no sensitivity to changes in lead area index changes when the leaf area index is equal to 1 or greater due to strong chlorophyll absorption near 0.67 micron. In this paper, another index, namely the normalized difference water index (NDWI), is proposed for remote sensing of vegetation liquid water from space. NDWI is equal to [R(0.86 micrometers ) - R(1.24 micrometers )]/[R(0.86 micrometers ) + R(1.24 micrometers )], where R represents the apparent reflectance. At 0.86 micrometers and 1.24 micrometers , vegetation canopies have similar scattering properties, but slightly different liquid water absorption. The scattering by vegetation canopies enhances the weak liquid water absorption at 1.24 micrometers . As a result, NDWI is sensitive to changes in liquid water content of vegetation canopies. Spectral imaging data acquired with Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) over Jasper Ridge, California and Holland, Maine are used to demostrate the usefulness of NDWI. Comparisons between NDWI and NDVI images are also given. Because aerosol scattering effects in the 0.86-1.24 micrometers region are weak, NDWI is less sensitive to atmospheric effects that NDVI.
Pitfalls in the simulation of manufacturing systems

There has been a significant increase in the use of simulation to design and analyze manufacturing systems during the last few years. However, in many of these simulation studies the major emphasis has been on programming, with relatively little consideration being given to model validity and statistical issues. In this paper we discuss ten potential simulation pitfalls in the areas of model development, simulation software, modeling system randomness, and design and analysis of simulation experiments.
Foods of the Pallid Bat, Antrozous pallidus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), in the Chihuahuan Desert of Western Texas

Abstract Pallid bats, Antrozous pallidus, glean prey off the ground or from vegetation. During 27 March-19 November 2004, culled parts of prey were collected from under a night roost on Indio Mountains Research Station, Hudspeth County, Texas. Adjacent pitfall traps were monitored concurrently to determine species richness and seasonal abundance of potential prey. Prey representing 44 morphospecies from 4 classes, 13 orders, 25 families, and 34 genera were recovered and identified. Of the identified morphospecies, 29 were unrecorded previously in diet of the pallid bat. Orthopterans were the highest percentage of prey (44.1%), followed by coleopterans (26.8%), and solifugids (16.2%), but most taxa were represented by <4% of the total. Conclusions are that arthropods are the primary food source, but a wide variety of species are consumed, there is occasional predation on vertebrates (three species of lizards), there are statistical differences between amount of prey eaten and abundance of prey in the same ...
Flow modelling to estimate suspended sediment travel times for two Canadian Deltas

Abstract. The approximate travel times for suspended sediment transport through two multi-channel networks are estimated using flow modelling. The focus is on the movement of high sediment concentrations that travel rapidly downstream. Since suspended sediment transport through river confluences and bifurcation movement is poorly understood, it is assumed that the sediment moves at approximately the average channel velocity during periods of high sediment load movement. Calibration of the flow model is discussed, with an emphasis on the incorporation of cross-section data, that are not referenced to a datum, using a continuous water surface profile. Various flow regimes are examined for the Mackenzie and the Slave River Deltas in the Northwest Territories, Canada, and a significant variation in travel times is illustrated. One set of continuous daily sediment measurements throughout the Mackenzie Delta is used to demonstrate that the travel time estimates are reasonable. Keywords: suspended sediment; multi-channel river systems; flow modelling; sediment transport
Thinking More Politically about the Challenges before Us: A Response to Romberg.

I have a good deal of respect for Thomas Romberg. Over the past three decades, he has had a significant impact on how we think about educational research, policy, and practice. This is true not only in mathematics education but in the larger research community as well. His response to my analysis rightly reminds us of many of the educational and social goals and beliefs that stood behind the history of the Standards documents. These are valuable reminders, because all too often we forget the historical genesis of important arguments. We pull them out of the issues that generated them, thereby losing some of the power and insights they may possess. Yet this very sense of history points to a number of pressing concerns. I shall raise them in the context of what my friends in logic call the genetic fallacy. We are apt to think about the dangers of the genetic fallacy in particular ways. We tend to castigate authors who assume that the import and meaning of any position is totally determined by its original grounding. Thus, an argument that assumes that, because Edward L. Thorndike was a confirmed eugenicist (Selden, in progress) whose vision of education was inherently undemocratic and therefore every aspect of his work is totally "polluted" by his (repugnant) social beliefs, is on shaky logical grounds. Thorndike's research program may have been epistemologically and empirically problematic, but a different kind of evidence is required to debunk all of it than simply to claim (correctly) that he was often racist, sexist, and elitist.' I want to turn the genetic fallacy on its head, so to speak. Professor Romberg clearly documents the kinds of people involved in the production of the Standards and their originating motives. Yet, originating motives do not guarantee at all how arguments will be used, whose interests they will ultimately serve, and what the patterns of differential benefits will be, given existing relations of unequal power in this society. Much of my discussion is based on an analysis of these relations of power. I claimed that although many groups of people of varying education and political beliefs were deeply involved in attempts to make our educational system more responsive, the most powerful elements, the groups exerting the most leadership and having the most impact, were part of a largely rightist coalition. I have discussed the aims of those groups involved in the conservative restoration in considerable detail elsewhere (Apple, 1988, 1992, in press; Apple & ChristianSmith, 1991) and shall not rehash them in detail here. But, my basic point is an important one. It is not the largely meritorious motives that stood behind the Standards that will determine the uses to which they will be put. It will be the current
An all-digital analog-to-digital converter with 12-/spl mu/V/LSB using moving-average filtering

A compact, high-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) especially for sensors is presented. The basic structure is a completely digital circuit including a ring-delay-line with delay units (DUs), along with a frequency counter, latch, and encoder. The operating principles are: (1) the delay time of the DU is modulated by the analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion voltage and (2) the delay pulse passes through a number of DUs within a sampling (= integration) time and the number of DUs through which the delay pulse passes is output as conversion data. Compact size and high resolution were realized with an ADC having a circuit area of 0.45 mm/sup 2/ (0.8-/spl mu/m CMOS) and a resolution of 12 /spl mu/V (10 kS/s). Its nonlinearity is /spl plusmn/0.1% FS per 200-mV span (1.8-2.0 V), for 14-b resolution. Sample holds are unnecessary and a low-pass filter function removes high-frequency noise simultaneously with A/D conversion. Thus, the combination of this ADC and a digital filter that follows can eliminate an analog prefilter to prevent the aliasing before A/D conversion. Also, both this ADC can be shrunk and operated at low voltages, so it is an ideal means to lower the cost and power consumption. Drift errors can be easily compensated for by digital processing.
Odorized air current trailing by garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis.

The response of adult red-sided garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis , to airborne odor trails was studied. An airtight T-maze was used, through which a constant airflow was
Effects of P and B adsorbates on the Fe(111) surface

To gain insights into the segregation energy differences between grain boundaries and free surfaces which drive impurity embrittlement of boundaries, the effects of P and B adsorbates on the Fe(111) surface have been determined using the all-electron full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave total-energy method. The calculated nearest P(B)-Fe distance in P(B)/Fe(111) is 2. 14(1.82) A. Both P and B affect the surface relaxation of the Fe(111) substrate strongly. In contrast to the P-Fe bonding, there is no evident charge transfer from B to Fe
Hydration of isobutene in liquid‐full and trickle‐bed reactors

Rates of hydration of isobutene were measured with Amberlyst-15 catalyst particles in a differential, liquid-full recycle reactor operating at atmospheric pressure and 303 to 333 K. Catalysts pretreated in two different ways were studied. Liquid-to-particle mass transfer had a small but measurable effect on the rate. Intraparticle diffusion was more significant, as indicated by effectiveness factors from 0.26 for the larger catalyst particles (dp = 1.04 × 10−3 m) at 333 K to 0.84 for the smaller particles (dp = 0.45 × 10−3 m) at 303 K. The intrinsic rate was first-order in isobutene concentration with an activation energy of 67 kJ/mol. The intraparticle diffusion resistance is due to the macropores surrounding the very small gel-type microparticles of which the particles were composed. Some data were obtained for reaction rates in trickle-bed operation. Global rates were somewhat lower in the trickle-bed operation than in the liquid-full runs. Using the previously determined intrinsic kinetics and effectiveness factors, the liquid-to-particle mass transfer coefficients could be approximated for the trickle-bed operation.
Flow dependence of valve area in aortic stenosis: relation to valve morphology.

AbstractObjectives. We sought to develop an index of flow dependence of valve area in aortic valve (AoV) stenosis and to determine whether this index is related to structural characteristics of the...
Optimization of secondary suspension of piecewise linear vibration isolation systems

A comprehensive optimal design solution is presented for piecewise-linear vibration isolation systems. First, primary suspension optimum parameters are established, followed by an investigation of jump-avoidance conditions for the secondary suspension. Within the no-jump zones, an optimal design solution is then obtained for the secondary system and overall results are discussed. Averaging method is employed to obtain an implicit function for frequency response of a bilinear system under steady-state conditions. This function is examined for jump-avoidance and a condition is derived which when met ensures that the undesirable phenomenon of 'jump' does not occur and the system response is functional and unique. Optimal stiffness and damping parameters for the primary suspension are extracted from a recently established work for passive linear vibration systems. For each point of the primary suspension optimal curve, jump-free zones are identified. Iterating this process, a boundary surface between no-jump (unique response) and jump (multiple-response) areas is established. Keeping optimal parameters for the primary suspension system fixed, the secondary suspension stiffness and damping parameters are varied inside the no-jump zones to explore optimum solutions for the secondary. The root mean square (RMS) of the absolute acceleration is minimized against the RMS of the relative displacement (η). It is observed that there is a certain band of parameters defined by primary damping, within which a valid frequency response can be obtained. An optimum numerical solution is sought within this band of parameters. Optimal solution curves are achieved for the secondary suspension. These can be used in conjunction with the optimal curve for the primary suspension to select design parameter values for the best possible vibration isolation performance in a given application.
Effects of N,N-dimethyltryptamine on electrically evoked responses in the cat visual system and modification by neuroleptic agents.

Abstract The effects of N,N-dimethyltryptamine on electrically evoked potentials in the visual system of the cat and the interaction of selected neuroleptic agents with dimethyltryptamine were studied. Dimethyltryptamine caused a dose-dependent decrease in the amplitude of the response evoked by stimulation of the optic chiasm as recorded in the lateral geniculate nucleus and the visual cortex. Dimethyltryptamine had no significant effect on antidromically evoked potentials in the lateral geniculate nucleus or potentials in the visual cortex produced by optic radiation stimulation. A dose-dependent biphasic effect was found in animals pretreated with various doses of chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thiothixene, molindone, methiothepin and octoclothepin. Methiothepin and octoclothepin were the most potent antagonists of dimethyltryptamine, while molindone was essentially ineffective. Low doses of the neuroleptics, with the exception of molindone, potentiated the inhibitory action of dimethyltryptamine on evoked responses.
Previewing: a developmental principle that promotes the therapeutic use of metaphor.

When one is treating mother-infant dyads psychotherapeutically, the infant's inchoate language skills render the traditional use of metaphor ineffective. This paper discusses how a developmental principle, labeled previewing, may function like a metaphor and be used to address the therapeutic needs of the dyad. Previewing and metaphor also may complement each other in the treatment of adults in individual therapy. Previewing — like metaphors — may provide a means of addressing interpersonal issues, may function as a shared language that promotes intersubjectivity, and may help the patient deal with conflict in a non-threatening manner that may circumvent defensive operations.
The concordance of pulsatile ultradian release of adrenocorticotropin and cortisol in male rhesus monkeys

The ultradian release of ACTH and cortisol was investigated in six male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) with an intensive (2-min) blood-sampling procedure to investigate micropulsatile hormone secretory patterns. A sensitive and specific immunoradiometric assay was used to measure plasma ACTH concentrations. An objective pulse detection algorithm (Cluster) was used to assess the pulsatility of ACTH and cortisol release. The temporally coincident release of ACTH and cortisol was also examined. Venous blood samples were collected (over < 15 s) every 2 min for 120 min beginning at 1300 h. The number of ACTH peaks (3.2 peaks/h), interpulse intervals (19 +/- 2.4 min), and pulse amplitudes (9.7 +/- 1.6 pmol/L) in rhesus monkey were similar to corresponding measures of ACTH release in humans (3.3 peaks/h, 18 +/- 0.8 min, and 4.7 +/- 1.0 pmol/L, respectively). The number of cortisol peaks (2.3 peaks/h), interpulse interval (26 +/- 8.6 min), and other characteristics of pulsatile cortisol release were also determined. There was a 32.4% exact concordance of ACTH with cortisol peaks (11 of 34; P < 0.001). Fifty-six percent of ACTH peaks (19 of 34) were followed by a cortisol peak within 10 min (P < 0.02). There was a significant correlation between the ACTH and coincident cortisol pulse amplitudes (P < 0.0001). The amplitudes of ACTH peaks coincident with cortisol peaks at 0 min time lag were significantly higher than ACTH peaks not temporally coupled with cortisol peaks. Our data indicate that 1) high frequency, low amplitude micropulsatile ACTH secretion in rhesus monkeys is very similar to the high frequency ACTH rhythm in humans; 2) temporally concordant ACTH and cortisol release episodes may be amplitude coupled; and 3) an adequate incremental ACTH pulse amplitude may elicit a concurrent cortisol release episode from the adrenal cortex. These data suggest that the rhesus monkey is a potentially useful model for the study of neuroendocrine control of ACTH release.
Metabolic QTL Analysis Links Chloroquine Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum to Impaired Hemoglobin Catabolism

Drug resistant strains of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, have rendered chloroquine ineffective throughout much of the world. In parts of Africa and Asia, the coordinated shift from chloroquine to other drugs has resulted in the near disappearance of chloroquine-resistant (CQR) parasites from the population. Currently, there is no molecular explanation for this phenomenon. Herein, we employ metabolic quantitative trait locus mapping (mQTL) to analyze progeny from a genetic cross between chloroquine-susceptible (CQS) and CQR parasites. We identify a family of hemoglobin-derived peptides that are elevated in CQR parasites and show that peptide accumulation, drug resistance, and reduced parasite fitness are all linked in vitro to CQR alleles of the P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt). These findings suggest that CQR parasites are less fit because mutations in pfcrt interfere with hemoglobin digestion by the parasite. Moreover, our findings may provide a molecular explanation for the reemergence of CQS parasites in wild populations.
Phosphorylation of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate by Streptococcus faecalis.

Abstract An enzyme which catalyzes the phosphorylation of fructose 6-phosphate and sedoheptulose 7-phosphate has been purified from Streptococcus Jaecalis . The product of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate phosphorylation has been isolated and has all the properties expected of sedoheptulose 1,7-diphosphate. The requirements for the phosphorylation of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate have been studied and are generally similar, suggesting that both reactions are carried out by one enzyme. A role for sedoheptulose diphosphate in the fermentation of gluconic acid is suggested for this organism.
Resting state functional connectivity based on principal component transformation of cortical fMRI measurements

Functional brain connectivity on the basis of fMRI time series analysis is a promising research endeavor in the study of the brain in its normal state as well as under different pathologies and neurological disorders. This study introduces a new approach to constructing rest-state connectivity networks interconnection with less amount of need to a-priori assumption and without setting any specific threshold. These network topologies are shown to reflect well the fMRI measurements. This data-driven solution at constructing fMRI-based connectivity networks considers the brain as a network of networks, and defines smallest sub-network as the regions of interest made from structural segmentation of cortical areas of the brain. Principal components (PC) of these defined subnetworks are used to gauge patterns of interconnections in the hierarchy of brain networks based on a geometrical concept. Experimental evaluations were conducted on resting state fMRI recordings of a group of healthy subjects. Results of this study support the assertion that resting state networks and default mode networks can be potentially derived without the need of either thresholding or a-priori considerations.
On the existence of smooth breathers for nonlinear wave equations

Previous work has shown that there is a finite-dimensional manifold of generalized solutions of the nonlinear wave equation utt − Δu + αg(u) = ƒ, subject to T-periodicity in t plus radial symmetry and decay to zero at infinity in x. The generalized solutions may lack regularity at the origin. If ƒ ≡ 0 and u depends on t, these solutions are called breathers. Numerical evidence for the existence of smooth solutions, which are more regular at the origin, is presented.
The Zone Definition Problem in Survey Research: An Empirical Example from New York State*

This paper examines problems of zonal definition in the context of a recent empirical project on the geography of inter-firm linkages in New York State. It is argued that the results of a spatially structured survey of private companies can change significantly depending on the manner in which the study regions of the analysis are defined. Variations in the composition of study regions are a result of either changes in spatial scale, or spatial zoning at any one scale. This point is illustrated with data from 472 New York State manufacturing firms aggregated into four different zonal systems. The results of the analysis suggest that misleading interpretations of spatial data can emerge, even when logical boundaries are selected from the outset.
Feasibility and Reproducibility of Systolic Right Ventricular Strain Measurement by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in premature infants

Background Right ventricular (RV) systolic function is an important prognostic determinant of cardiopulmonary pathologies in premature infants. Measurements of dominant RV longitudinal deformation are likely to provide a sensitive measure of RV function. An approach for image acquisition and postacquisition processing is needed for reliable and reproducible measurements of myocardial deformation by two-dimensional (2D) speckle-tracking echocardiography. The aims of this study were to determine the feasibility and reproducibility of 2D speckle-tracking echocardiographic measurement of RV peak global longitudinal strain (pGLS) and peak global longitudinal strain rate in premature infants and to establish methods for acquiring and analyzing strain. Methods The study was designed in two phases: (1) a training phase to develop methods of image acquisition and postprocessing in a cohort of 30 premature infants (born at 28 ± 1 weeks) and (2) a study phase to prospectively test in a separate cohort of 50 premature infants (born at 27 ± 1 weeks) if the methods improved the feasibility and reproducibility of RV pGLS and peak global longitudinal strain rate measurements to a clinically significant level, assessed using Bland-Altman analysis (bias, limits of agreement, coefficient of variation, and intraclass correlation coefficient). Results Strain imaging was feasible from 84% of the acquisitions using the methods developed for optimal speckle brightness and frame rate for RV-focused image acquisition. There was high intraobserver (bias, 3%; 95% limits of agreement, −1.6 to +1.6; coefficient of variation, 2.7%; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.97; P = .02) and interobserver (bias, 7%; 95% limits of agreement, −4.8 to +4.73; coefficient of variation, 3.9%; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.93; P r = 0.97 [ P r = 0.93 [ P Conclusions This study demonstrates high clinical feasibility and reproducibility of RV pGLS and RV peak global longitudinal strain rate measurements by 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography in premature infants and offers methods for image acquisition and data analysis for systolic strain imaging that can provide a reliable assessment of global RV function.
Thermal advection and stratification effects on surface winds and the low level meridional mass transport

Statistical tests are performed on the Seasat scatterometer observations to examine if and to what degree thermal advection and stratification effects manifest themselves in these remotely sensed measurements of mean wind and wind stress over the ocean. On the basis of a two layer baroclinic boundary layer model which is presented, it is shown that the thermal advection and stratification of the entire boundary layer as well as the geostrophic forcing influence the modeled near surface wind and wind stress profiles. Evidence of diurnal variation in the stratification under barotropic conditions is found in the data, with the daytime marine boundary layer being more convective than its nighttime counterpart. The temporal and spacial sampling pattern of the satellite makes it impossible to recover the full diurnal cycle, however. The observed effects of the thermal advection are shown to be statistically significant during the day (and presumed more convective) hours, causing a systematic increase in the poleward transport of mass and heat. The statistical results are in a qualitative agreement with the model simulations and cannot be reproduced in randomized control tests.
The ergonomics of shovelling and shovel design—a review of the literature

In spite of increased automation, there is still a need for muscular power and for manual tools in the modem consumer and industrial environment Yet, although the concepts of human performance and ergonomic efficiency have been applied to various industrial tasks in recent years, they have been neglected in the design of many tools, especially shovels and spades. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to ascertain the extent to which, in the past, ergonomic principles have been applied to the task of shovelling and to the design of the shovel itself. Those design aspects which have been previously neglected, but could possible lead to improved shovelling efficiency, are outlined as a guide for further research.
What Women Want From Abortion Counseling in the United States: A Qualitative Study of Abortion Patients in 2008

Abortion counseling, including informed consent laws specifying what a woman must be told to obtain an abortion, have been the subject of a great deal of social policy. Using a qualitative sample of 49 women seeking abortions in 2008, we asked women whether they had their mind made up when they called the clinic to make their appointment as well as what they wanted from abortion counseling. The majority of women contacting the abortion clinic had already made up their minds to have an abortion and were therefore not seeking options counseling. Neither were they seeking to emotionally confide in their abortion counselors: They anticipated that the counselor would try to discourage them from having an abortion, they stated that they had met their emotional needs elsewhere, and they feared that confiding in the counselor might endanger their ability to obtain an abortion. They perceived other women needed counseling, though, to help them make a responsible decision. A cafeteria-style approach to counseling t...
Cratering mechanics on Venus: Pressure enhancement by the atmospheric “ocean”

The impedance match technique and EOSs of equations of state (EOSs) of geologically relevant materials are used to investigate cratering mechanics on Venus, specifically, the coupling of impactor kinetic energy and momentum into the target surface. These EOSs are modified to account for multiple shocks. Peak impact pressures from both first reflection and later reverberations are determined. These are compared to values obtained using an atmosphereless model, and the differences between and implications for atmosphere-affected and atmosphereless impacts are discussed.
Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Children's Negative Cognitive Error Questionnaire with a Clinically Depressed Adolescent Sample

The factor structure and psychometric properties of the Children's Negative Cognitive Error Questionnaire (CNCEQ) were examined with 427 adolescents ages 12 to 18 (193 boys) with current major depressive disorder. Results of confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor model comprised of three content area factors (i.e., social, academic, athletic) and a general factor. Internal consistencies ranged between .84 and .94 for the total and three content area scores. Girls scored significantly higher than boys on all factors, but no age differences on the factors were found. Convergent and discriminant validity of the CNCEQ were supported. Results did not support the original subscales organized by type of cognitive distortion (e.g., catastrophizing, overgeneralizing). Findings indicated that the CNCEQ would be a useful clinical tool for assessing cognitive symptoms within relevant domains of functioning (e.g., social, academic) of depressed youth.
Tendon graft fixation in ACL reconstruction: In vitro evaluation of bioabsorbable tenodesis screw

Background Conventional ACL reconstruction requires sufficient tibial bone quality for secure graft fixation. We evaluated the mechanical characteristics of a supplemental tenodesis screw in cadaveric specimens. Material and methods One group of 7 specimens from 7-paired tibiae was randomly assigned to undergo tibialis anterior tendon graft-bone tunnel fixation with a bioabsorbable interference screw, using conventional ACL reconstruction techniques. The other group of 7 specimens underwent the same procedure supplemented with a bioabsorbable tenodesis screw. All specimens were subjected to pullout testing on a servo hydraulic device. Results Specimens in the supplemental fixation group had double the load to failure (tenodesis = 467 (SD 184) N, control group = 223 (SD 66) N, p = 0.02) and were also one-third stiffer (tenodesis = 31 (SD 13) N/mm, control group = 21 (SD 6) N/mm, p = 0.03) than the specimens in the conventional fixation group. Interpretation Supplemental bioabsorbable tenodesis screw fixation may be advantageous for primary reconstruction in patients with low tibial bone mineral density or during revision procedures. By providing secure soft tissue graft-tibia fixation during the early phase after ACL reconstruction, supplemental tenodesis fixation may enable patients to participate safely in more intense, early rehabilitation.
Failure patterns after hemithoracic pleural intensity modulated radiation therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Purpose We previously reported our technique for delivering intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to the entire pleura while attempting to spare the lung in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Herein, we report a detailed pattern-of-failure analysis in patients with MPM who were unresectable or underwent pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), uniformly treated with hemithoracic pleural IMRT. Methods and Materials Sixty-seven patients with MPM were treated with definitive or adjuvant hemithoracic pleural IMRT between November 2004 and May 2013. Pretreatment imaging, treatment plans, and posttreatment imaging were retrospectively reviewed to determine failure location(s). Failures were categorized as in-field (within the 90% isodose line), marginal ( Results The median follow-up was 24 months from diagnosis and the median time to in-field local failure from the end of RT was 10 months. Forty-three in-field local failures (64%) were found with a 1- and 2-year actuarial failure rate of 56% and 74%, respectively. For patients who underwent P/D versus those who received a partial pleurectomy or were deemed unresectable, the median time to in-field local failure was 14 months versus 6 months, respectively, with 1- and 2-year actuarial in-field local failure rates of 43% and 60% versus 66% and 83%, respectively ( P =.03). There were 13 marginal failures (19%). Five of the marginal failures (38%) were located within the costomediastinal recess. Marginal failures decreased with increasing institutional experience ( P =.04). Twenty-five patients (37%) had out-of-field failures. Distant failures occurred in 32 patients (48%). Conclusions After hemithoracic pleural IMRT, local failure remains the dominant form of failure pattern. Patients treated with adjuvant hemithoracic pleural IMRT after P/D experience a significantly longer time to local and distant failure than patients treated with definitive pleural IMRT. Increasing experience and improvement in target delineation minimize the incidence of avoidable marginal failures.
Comparison of Hydroisomerization and Hydrocracking Reactions of Normal and Branched Octanes over USY and ZSM-12 Catalysts

The activity and reaction paths for the hydroisomerization and hydrocracking of n-C 8 and various branched octane molecules over Pt/H-USY and Pt/H-ZSM-12 were studied. The relative sizes of the zeolite pore opening and the kinetic diameter of the molecule, as well as the degree of branching and position of the branches, all played a role in determining the rate of conversion of the molecule. Only n-C 8 reacted at a faster rate over ZSM-12 than over USY; all the other isomers reacted faster over USY. The tribranched isomers 2,2,4-TMC 5 and 2,3,4-TMC 5 reacted several times faster than n-C 8 over ZSM-12, and the formation of bulkier 2,2,3- and 2,3,3-TMC 5 isomers was suppressed to a large extent, which indicated that the reaction was occurring inside the ZSM-12 pore. Even the distribution of the monobranched isomers was slightly affected by the shape selective effects in the ZSM-12 pore. Reactions that led to the removal of a branch from both monobranched and dibranched isomers were observed to a much larger extent over ZSM-12 than USY. These data, from catalytic reactions of molecules of various sizes, provide information about the true catalytic pore size of ZSM-12, which is greater than the crystallographic pore size. Over USY, 2,3,4-TMC 5 reacted three times faster than 2,2,4-TMC 5 , even though it had to undergo an alkyl shift before the type A β-scission step. This indicates that the reaction of 2,2,4-TMC 5 is significantly slowed due to diffusion even over USY.
Characterization and classification of ECHO 28-rhinovirus-coryzavirus agents.

SummaryThirty-five coryzavirus strains were recovered from cases of common cold in adults and from “colds” (upper respiratory illness), croup, bronchitis and bronchopneumonia in children. Two additional viruses were recovered from clinically well persons. These viruses were divided into 20 distinct serotypes based on tests with specific guinea pig antisera. Nineteen of the 20 types grew only in human cell cultures (H) while a single type (30) propagated also in grivet monkey kidney cells (M). None of the coryzavirus strains was related immunologically to any of the rhinoviruses, or to the ECHO, Coxsackie A or B, or reoviruses. The coryzaviruses shared properties with the ECHO 28 and rhinoviruses which provided a basis for the designation of an ECHO 28-rhinovirus-coryzavirus (ERC) group and for differentiating them from the remaining ECHO and Cox-sackie A and B viruses. The ERC agents share with ECHO-Coxsackie A and B agents the properties of small size, RNA type, and ether stability, but differ from them ...
Sonography of sigmoid diverticulitis: does sound make sense in this diagnosis?

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the value of sonographic assessment of the sigmoid colon using transrectal and transabdominal sonography for evaluation of sigmoid diverticulitis. Overlying intestinal gas often impairs transabdominal sonographic assessment of the lower sigmoid colon, which can be better visualized and with higher resolution using transrectal ultrasound. In this investigation, 86 consecutive patients with suspected acute sigmoid diverticulitis were referred for transabdominal sonography as the initial imaging method. In 46 patients, transrectal ultrasound was performed in addition to transabdominal sonography if pain was localized to the mid-lower abdomen and if a disease process could not be visualized or only partially visualized on transabdominal examination. An end-firing 5- to 9-MHz endocavitary probe was used for the transrectal examinations. A final diagnosis of sigmoid diverticulitis was made in 50 patients; 34 of these patients had both transabdominal and transrectal sonography. In 20 patients, transrectal sonography showed relevant additional information; six diagnoses of sigmoid diverticulitis were established on transrectal examination alone. Transrectal sonography revealed one perforation, five abscesses, and three fistulous complications that were not shown on transabdominal sonography. In the remaining five patients, correct diagnoses were supported on transabdominal examinations, but only transrectal sonography could show an inflamed diverticulum. In 10 patients, transrectal sonography revealed signs of diverticulitis but no relevant information in addition to results from transabdominal evaluation. Four false negative and two false positive results occurred with transrectal sonography. The authors conclude that transrectal sonography is accurate for confirming clinically suspected acute colonic diverticulitis when the lower sigmoid colon is affected. Compared to the transabdominal approach, transrectal sonography avoids false negative results and better defines the severity of disease in the lower sigmoid colon. In summary, transrectal sonography increases the sensitivity of sonographic diagnosis of sigmoid diverticulitis.
Industrial Shifts and Uneven Development Patterns of Growth and Decline in U.S. Metropolitan Areas

The authors explore patterns of employment and population change in 140 U.S. metropolitan areas from the early 1970s to the late 1980s using U.S. government data. Their analysis generated a typology of six broad types of metropolitan areas suggestive of changing production functions. Regional patterns of change revealed by their typology suggested regional differences which they subjected to regression analyses to assess the relationships among change in manufacturing employment, employment more generally, and population. Their findings have implications for the theoretical understanding of the relationship between employment and population and the practical concerns of urban and economic policy.