cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MO-B-218-01: Managing the Pediatric Patient's CT Dose: The Role of SSDE.

As many as 6 – 8 million CT scans are performed annually in the United States on pediatric patients. The majority of these CT scans are not performed in pediatric hospitals that specialize in addressing the unique requirements of pediatric imaging. Instead, most of these scans occur in adult hospitals, where pediatric CT scanning is a small fraction of the total caseload. Both adult and pediatric hospitals need a simple method that allows the management of the CTradiation dose received by each patient based on the patient's physical size. This lecture suggests some simple tools and techniques that the qualified medical physicist can introduce to an individual practice in an effort to properly manage CT doses. This lecture begins by exploring the unique challenges presented by the pediatric patient in the management of their radiation dose during CT scanning. This is followed by an explanation of the basic science behind the development of the Size Specific Dose Estimate (SSDE) in CT, the strengths and weaknesses of the method, and some sample calculations. The presentation concludes by exploring the clinical application of SSDE in the day to day management of the radiation dose during CT scanning of not only small pediatric patients, but also patients who are larger than the average size adult. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the basic challenges associated with CTimaging of children. 2. Understand the basic science used to develop SSDE, its strengths and its limitations 3. Understand the application of SSDE in the clinic in the daily management of pediatric CT doses.
Quantifying the Within-Field Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Bean pod mottle virus in Soybean.

Abstract The prevalence and incidence of Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) have been reported to be on the increase in the United States but little is known about the temporal and spatial dynamics of this virus within soybean (Glycine max) fields. A quadrat-based sampling method was developed to quantify the within-field spread of BPMV in soybean in 2006 and 2007. Twenty-five 30-cm-long quadrats were established within each row of soybean in field plots consisting of six rows, each 7.6 m long and spaced 0.76 m apart. Four treatments were used to influence the temporal and spatial dynamics of BPMV epidemics. Treatments were: (i) establishment of a point source of BPMV inoculum within soybean plots; (ii) lambda-cyhalothrin insecticide applied at the V1 and R2 growth stages; (iii) establishment of a BPMV inoculum point source, plus the application of foliar insecticide sprays at the V1 and R2 growth stages; and (iv) a nontreated, noninoculated control. All quadrats (census) were sampled beginning 25 days after pl...
Mismatch repair converts AID-instigated nicks to double-strand breaks for antibody class-switch recombination

Mismatch repair (MMR) proteins are important for antibody class-switch recombination (CSR), but their roles are unknown. We propose a model for the function of MMR in CSR in which MMR proteins convert single-strand nicks instigated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) into the double-strand breaks (DSBs) that are required for CSR. This model does not invoke any novel functions for MMR but simply posits that, owing to numerous single-strand nicks in the switch (S) regions of both DNA strands, when MMR proteins are recruited by U:G mismatches, they excise one strand of DNA and soon reach a nick on the opposite strand. This halts excision activity and creates a DSB. This model explains why B cells that lack either Sμ and MSH2 or UNG and MSH2 cannot undergo CSR.
Sinusitis in the intensive care unit patient

Abstract A retrospective study was undertaken to determine the incidence of sinusitis as a source of fever in the intensive care unit (ICU) patient, evaluate the effectiveness of radiologic studies in diagnosing sinusitis, and develop guidelines that may help predict the result of antral levage. Sixteen of 52 (30.7%) lavages in patients studied with plain films and 27 of 67 (40.3%) lavages in patients studied with computed tomography of the sinuses revealed purulence in the maxillary sinuses. Conversely, 23 of 30 (76.7%) of the cases with purulence in the middle meatus had purulence in the maxillary sinus (chi-squared = 27.1). If no purulence was seen, the results of the antral lavage were negative in 68 of 89 cases (76.4%). When physical examination was used in conjunction with computed tomography, 92.3% of lavages confirmed purulence in the maxillary sinus (chi-squared = 16.6). In conclusion, the most important factor in predicting a positive result with antral lavage is the presence of purulence in the middle meatus on physical examination in conjunction with the presence of sinus disease on computed tomography of the sinuses. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1997;117:362-6.)
Targeting angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer: rationale and pitfalls

Introduction Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer responsible for over 20% of deaths due to gastrointestinal malignancies. PDAC is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage which, in part, helps to explain its high resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, the cancer cells in PDAC have a high propensity to metastasize and to aberrantly express several key regulators of angiogenesis and invasion. Chemotherapy has only provided a modest impact on mean survival and often induces side effects. Targeting angiogenesis alone or in combination with other modalities should be investigated to determine if it may provide for increased survival.
Dilated intercellular spaces: A morphological feature of acid reflux-- damaged human esophageal epithelium

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Dilated intercellular spaces are a sign of epithelial damage in acid-perfused rabbit esophagus, a change best identified by transmission electron microscopy. The aim of this study was to determine if this change is also a feature of acid damage to human esophageal epithelium. METHODS: Endoscopic esophageal biopsy specimens from patients with (n = 11) and without (n = 13) recurrent heartburn were examined using transmission electron microscopy. Of 11 patients with heartburn, 6 had erosive esophagitis and 5 had normal- appearing mucosa on endoscopy; 13 controls had no symptoms or signs of esophageal disease. Using a computer, intercellular space diameter was measured from transmission electron microscopy photomicrographs of the specimen from each patient. RESULTS: Intercellular space diameter was significantly greater in specimens from patients with heartburn than those from controls; this was true irrespective of whether the patient had erosive or nonerosive disease. Space diameters of > or=2.4 microns were present in 8 of 11 patients with heartburn and in no controls. CONCLUSIONS: Dilated intercellular spaces are a feature of reflux damage to human esophageal epithelium. As a morphological marker of increased paracellular permeability, its presence in patients without endoscopic abnormalities may help explain their development of heartburn. (Gastroenterology 1996 Nov;111(5):1200-5)
Fault population investigation and estimating magnitude of extension in Guma Graben, Central Afar, Ethiopia

Abstract Extension in the Afar depression occurs on steeply dipping normal faults of many scales. An estimate for cumulative extension can be derived by summing the heave of these faults using digital topographic data, supplemented by field observations of fault dip. If it can be established that the distribution of faults exhibits self-similarity, an estimate of the contribution from faults too small to appear on the digital imagery can be incorporated into the integrated estimate for cumulative extension. A field study of faulting was undertaken within the Dobe and Guma grabens of Central Afar. A fractal dimension of 0.48 was obtained for the measured population of fault throws (n = 92) in 3 traverses totaling 42 km, a value interpreted to represent the dominant contribution to extension from faults with large throw. The local extension rate across Guma graben is estimated to be between 0.06 and 0.24 mm/year. The higher topographic position of the floor of Guma graben, relative to the sediment filled, adjacent floors of Dobe and Immino grabens is perhaps an indication of a slower rate of extension across Guma graben as compared to Dobe and Immino grabens, assuming they all initiated at the same time.
Academic Attributes of College Freshmen That Lead to Success in Actuarial Studies in a Business College

The authors studied beginning undergraduate actuarial concentrators in a business college. They identified four variables (math Scholastic Aptitude Test [SAT] score, verbal SAT score, percentile rank in high school graduating class, and percentage score on a college mathematics placement exam) that were available for entering college students that distinguished freshman actuarial majors who completed the major from those who changed concentrations at some point before completing the major. In addition, the authors developed a logistic regression model using the same variables that predicted the probability of a student being a member of the actuarial graduates or the actuarial dropouts. This information is expected to improve the ability of teachers to advise prospective and beginning actuarial students as to their likelihood of completing this challenging concentration and, thereby, qualifying for an entry-level position in the actuarial field.
Characterization of the thermodynamic cycle of a MEMS-based external combustion resonant engine

The thermodynamic cycle of a resonant, MEMS-based, micro heat engine is characterized. The micro heat engine is an external combustion engine made of a cavity encapsulated between two membranes. The cavity is filled with saturated liquid–vapor mixture working fluid. Heat is added to and rejected from the engine at a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the engine. Both pressure–volume and temperature-entropy diagrams are used to investigate the thermodynamic cycle of the resonant micro heat engine. The results show that the working cycle is nearly rectangular in shape and consists of two constant temperature processes and two constant volume processes. We hypothesize that major sources of irreversibility in the engine are heat transfer over finite temperature differences during heat addition and rejection, heat transfer into and out of engine thermal mass, viscous losses due to liquid working fluid motion, and heat escape from the engine to the surroundings. The maximum pressure and volume changes measured inside the engine cavity are 45 Pa and 0.55 mm3, respectively. The results show that for a heat addition of 1 mJ, the engine operates over a very small temperature difference. The small operating temperature difference is mostly attributable to the large thermal storage of the engine structure, the membranes and the wicks. The measured second law efficiency of the micro heat engine is 16 %.
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan's Contribution to the Development of Muslim Nationalism in India *

By a general consensus among historians, the modern age is characterized as the age of nationalism. Despite this general agreement, however, the phenomenon of Muslim nationalism in India, which finally fulfilled itself in establishing the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, has remained misunderstood. In the first decade after the partition of India, the creation of Pakistan was explained away in terms of the divide and rule policy of the British and/or the religious fanaticism of the Muslims. This was so because Indian nationalists of all descriptions had assumed that Indian nationalism was a single and unified movement working for the unity or homogeneity of Indian civilization.
Reverse Referral: From Pathology to Endocrinology

Establishing a diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) especially in children, adolescents, and young adults can be challenging because of phenotypic heterogeneity even among family members. We report an adolescent girl diagnosed to have MEN1 following presentation with multiple collagenomas. Histological evaluation of her cutaneous lesions revealed >70 collagenomas. Hormonal evaluation included calcium, phosphate, and parathormone measurements. Exons 2–10 of the MEN1 gene and flanking intron–exon borders were sequenced and revealed a novel nonsense mutation, Y222X. Following the identification of the cutaneous lesions as collagenomas by the pathologist, the patient was referred for an endocrine evaluation which revealed asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism. The patient elected to have surgery at which time she was found to have parathyroid hyperplasia. This case emphasizes the usefulness of cutaneous findings for the diagnosis and management of MEN1.
Enumeration of cyclic graphs and cyclic designs

Abstract The close relationship of cyclic graphs and cyclic designs is pointed out and used in the enumeration of cyclic graphs. An explicit formula is given for graphs with a prime number of vertices and a general constructive method of enumeration is developed. The problem is shown to be the same as that of enumerating cyclic paired-comparison designs which was previously considered by the author. The earlier results are extended and modified.
Madonna Eletta between Petrarch and Boccaccio

AbstractAlthough rarely discussed within the commentary tradition, the image of Petrarch’s mother — Eletta Canigiani (ca. 1280–1318) — reverberates throughout his body of work. As Petrarch’s friend and closest reader, Boccaccio recognized the significance of the maternal figure in his mentor’s self-mythologizing. This article considers a unique aspect of the intellectual exchange between Petrarch and Boccaccio by focusing on the figure of Eletta. Through the strategic reiteration of her name, Boccaccio pays tribute to Petrarch and aligns his life and work with that of his praeceptor. Boccaccio invokes “eletta” in two texts: (1) a missive addressed to Petrarch (Epistola XV) and (2) his sonnet on Petrarch’s death (Rime 126). In Epistola XV, Boccaccio deploys Eletta to stress similarities between the two authors. Rime 126 echoes Petrarch’s earliest extant composition, Metrica 1.7, an affectionate lament composed to honor his mother. In his eulogy for his friend, Boccaccio carefully invokes “eletta” as a senh...
Two roles of ecologists in defining and determining the acceptability of environmental impacts

A framework is presented for defining the environmental impact of a project on an ecosystem. An 8‐step decision tree is introduced which leads to operational definitions of unacceptable and acceptable impacts. Within this framework, two roles ecologists play in the field of environmental impact assessment are considered: (1) To supply scientifically sound and objective predictions of the potential impact of a project on an ecosystem, and (2) to reach conclusions, based on his own value system, concerning the acceptability of the predicted impact.
On the reaction of N+ ions with O2

The reaction of atomic nitrogen ions with molecular oxygen is a major loss mechanism for N(+) ions in the ionosphere and is a source of NO(+) ions and atomic nitrogen at certain altitudes. Ion cyclotron resonance methods are used to measure the product distribution of thermal energy N(+) ions reacting with O2. Three product channels are identified with the following fractional distributions: O2(+) + N, 0.65 plus or minus 0.04; NO(+) + O, 0.31 plus or minus 0.04; O(+) + NO, 0.04 plus or minus 0.02.
Three-dimensional monte carlo simulation of grain growth in the heat-affected zone of a 2.25Cr-1Mo steel weld

We report here the first three-dimensional (3-D) Monte Carlo (MC) modeling of grain growth in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of a weldment. Computed grain-size distributions in the HAZ of a 2.25Cr-1Mo steel, for different heat inputs in the range from 1.1 to 4.8 MJ/m, were compared to independent experimental results. The simulated mean grain size for different heat inputs agreed well with the corresponding independent experimental data. The mean grain size at various locations equidistant from the fusion line were different. The predicted grain size from the 3-D model matched the experimental results more closely than that from a two-dimensional (2-D) model. When the whole calculation domain was subjected to a single thermal cycle experienced by a monitoring location within the HAZ, the computed grain size was larger than that calculated at the monitoring location by taking into account the prevailing temperature gradient due to thermal pinning. The good agreement between the simulated grain structure and the corresponding experimental results indicates significant promise for understanding grain-growth phenomena in the entire HAZ by using the MC technique.
Fluorometric properties of the bibenzimidazole derivative Hoechst 33258, a fluorescent probe specific for AT concentration in chromosomal DNA.

A new fluorescent probe of chromosomal DNA structure in situ, the bibenzimidazole derivative Hoechst 33258, shows enhanced fluorescence with both AT- and GC-rich DNA; however, enhancement by AT-rich DNA is greater than enhancement with GC-rich DNA. When this compound is used as a probe, it produces localized fluorescence which can be correlated with AT concentration in specific chromosome regions. By the use of 33258, Hilwig and Gropp (1972) were able to demonstrate the relatively AT-rich DNA present in centric regions of mouse chromosomes; these regions do not fluoresce brightly when treated with quinacrine because of the presence of guanine residues which are spaced with high periodicity and which therefore efficiently quench quinacrine fluorescence. The data obtained in this study with DNA polymers of defined structure or composition, as test model compounds, suggest that 33258 is a useful cytochemical reagent for generally identifying all types of AT-rich regions in chromosomes, including those which are not demonstrable with quinacrine.
A new parametrization for the three-class ideal observer's decision rule

Despite theoretical and practical difficulties, we are attempting to extend receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to tasks with more than two classes. Previously we developed explicit analytical expressions for the behavior of the ideal observer acting on univariate trinormal data, and for the region of support of the ideal observer's decision variables when acting on bivariate trinormal data. Although explicit calculation of the ideal observer's behavior for general underlying data is difficult, we have developed a new set of parameters for describing the ideal observer's decision rule which may aid in analytic or numeric computation of the ideal observer's behavior.
On some subclasses of well‐covered graphs

A set of points in a graph is independent if no two points in the set are adjacent. A graph is well covered if every maximal independent set is a maximum independent set or, equivalently, if every independent set is contained in a maximum independent set. The well-covered graphs are classified by the Wn property: For a positive integer n, a graph G belongs to class Wn if ≥ n and any n disjoint independent sets are contained in n disjoint maximum independent sets. Constructions are presented that show how to build infinite families of Wn graphs containing arbitrarily large independent sets. A characterization of Wn graphs in terms of well-covered subgraphs is given, as well as bounds for the size of a maximum independent set and the minimum and maximum degrees of points in Wn graphs.
Promoting species persistence through spatial association optimization in nature reserve design

An important concern for certain species in reserve network design is ensuring that selected sites are either clustered or dispersed. The task of structuring a clustered or dispersed reserve system is often achieved without considering the spatial distribution of the species involved. To address this issue, we develop a probabilistic design model that considers species-specific persistence in selecting reserve sites in order to enhance survival probability. The application results illustrate how the model accounts for spatial association between reserve sites. Differences to related approaches are discussed, focusing on how long-term species representation in reserve design is promoted.
Conference Theme Lecture: STS or PRD (Policy, Research, and Democracy)?

The convergences of science, technology, and soci ety (STS) may be better specified as the interaction of policy, research, and democracy. From the perspective of a long-time participant in the process of federal policy making, the author puts STS as a research and education enterprise into its broader cultural context. He addresses how, in the information age, STS promotes participation in a democracy through human resource development, paths to science literacy, and federal funding of science and technology.
The parenting profile assessment: Screening for child abuse

T HE RATE OF severe abuse towards children has dropped over the last decade. Despite the decrease in reported cases, there are at best still 800,000 child abuse victims annually (Gelles & Straus, 1987). Continued efforts to decrease the number of child abuse cases are essential and can be facilitated through early identification of and intervention for at-risk families. Parents who have had unusual childhood experiences and currently use atypical child rearing practices can be identified. Unusual patterns of childrearing can predispose the child to various outcomes ranging from childhood learning disorders to abusive parenting behaviors during adulthood (Helfer, 1976). Assessments of and interventions for parents with abnormal parenting practices can decrease the infant's potential abuse (Gray, Cutler, Dean, & Kempe, 1976). The importance of prevention through education and teaching has been demonstrated, but the screening of families at risk for potential abuse generates several ethical questions. Given the ethical implications of using a screening tool to identify at-risk parents for abuse or neglect, one must be cautious. Screening tools are not diagnostic devices; families screened as "positive" for parenting problems need additional assessment. When a screening tool is used, staff must be available to provide the necessary followup. If someone is identified as potentially having a parenting problem, it does not mean there is a problem. Parents need this reassurance. Screening and subsequent intervention resulting from the screening must be ethical and must not label,the family. Screening should not be done unless a treatment is possible to improve the situation. The costs associated with the screening, diagnosis, and treatment should be outweighed by the saving of human suffering and fiscal expenditure if the problem remains uncovered (Schneider, Heifer, & Hoffmeister, 1980). The advocacy of a screening program depends on two assumptions: (a) a high degree of probability exists so that a screening tool can correctly identify the known, actual characteristics of at-risk families, and (b) it is possible to develop a parenting-skills training course allowing parents to identify their own values and raise their children accordingly. If prediction methods are neither reliable nor valid, and training sessions are neither flexible nor individually developed, ethical problems escalate (Brody & Gaiss, 1976).
Variation in Structure of the Kuhn‐McPartland Twenty Statements Test and Related Response Differences

(1964). Variation in Structure of the Kuhn-McPartland Twenty Statements Test and Related Response Differences. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 47-59.
Regeneration of the green-rod pigment in the isolated frog retina

Abstract The early receptor potential is used to show that, like the principal cone pigment (λ max = 580nm), the frog's green rod pigment (λ max = 433nm) regenerates in the isolated retina. Regeneration of rhodopsin (λ max = 502nm) was not observed.
Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) and the changing definition of psilocybin.

Abstract Background This research focuses on the events leading to the 1968 U.S. federal prohibition of psilocybin. It is a study of duelling moral entrepreneurs—Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert vs. the Harvard University Administration. The goal is to show how the primary active compound in an ostensibly harmless fungus (the psilocybin mushroom) became controversial in less than a decade. Methods We used books, newspapers, magazine articles and previously unpublished materials (including documents from the Harvard Archives) to analyze Leary and Alpert's lives and careers through the early 1970s. Results The prohibition of psilocybin in the U.S. was largely a product of Leary and Alpert's involvement in the "Harvard drug scandal" and their transformation from Harvard professors to countercultural icons. They tested the substance on a variety of human subjects and in doing so piqued the interest of Harvard undergraduates while drawing condemnation from other faculty and Harvard administrators. This case is theoretically interesting because unlike most illegal drugs, psilocybin was never linked to a threatening minority group, but to some of the nation's most privileged youth. Conclusion The Harvard administrators were not really moral entrepreneurs but Leary and Alpert clearly were. Although they were far from being prohibitionists, they were self-righteous crusaders on different but equally holy missions for the good of young and minority Americans. Ironically, due to their successes the possession of psilocybin was criminalized under United States federal law in 1968 (Pub. L. No. 90-639, Stat. 1361 1968 and Boire, 2002). This case study demonstrates that crusaders can be successful in changing culture even when laws are passed in futile attempts to control their behaviour, just as Leary predicted.
Neuroethology of sound localization in the owl

The preface to "King Solomon's Ring" by Konrad Lorenz (1952) starts with the following poem by Rudyard Kipling. There was never a king like Solomon not since the world began Yet Solomon talked to a butterfly As a man would talk to a man.
Muscle pre-and coactivity during downward stepping are associated with leg stiffness in aging

We have previously reported that elderly compared to young women executed downward stepping with substantially greater leg stiffness. Because antagonist muscle coactivity increases joint stiffness we hypothesized that increased leg stiffness in aging is associated with increased muscle coactivity. We also explored the possibility that the magnitude of the preparatory muscle activity preceding impact also differed between young and old subjects. Young (n=11, 20. 8 yr) and old (n=12, 69 yr) women performed downward stepping from a platform set at 20% body height. The leg was modeled as a simple mass-spring system. From video and ground reaction force data leg stiffness was computed as the ratio of force under the foot and the linear shortening of the limb. EMG activity of the vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius lateralis, and tibialis anterior were recorded with a telemetric system. Elders compared to young subjects had 64% greater leg stiffness during downward stepping. Muscle activity over a 200-ms period preceding touch down was 136% greater in elderly than in young subjects. Biceps femoris and tibialis anterior coactivity during ground contact was 120% greater in the elders. Muscle pre- and coactivity, respectively, accounted for about 50% of the variance in leg stiffness. In conclusion, elderly people elevate muscle pre- and coactivity during downward stepping to stiffen the leg in compensation for impaired neuromotor functions.
Sarcoidosis of the heart

Abstract 1. 1. A case of generalized sarcoidosis in which there was massive infiltration of the myocardium is reported. The patient had had premature ventricular beats from multiple foci, paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia, and severe congestive heart failure. 2. 2. Eight cases of sarcoidosis of the heart were found in a review of the literature. Clinical evidence of heart disease was present in three of these cases, and sudden death occurred in another. The electrocardiogram showed no characteristic changes, but in several of the cases of massive cardiac involvement there were pronounced abnormalities of the cardiac mechanism. 3. 3. There seems to be little or no occasion to doubt that some of the cases reported as atypical tuberculosis, specific myocarditis, granulomatous myocarditis, and myocarditis of unknown cause were, in fact, cases of sarcoidosis of the heart.
The actions of prostaglandins and cyclo-oxygenase inhibition on the resistance vessels supplying the human fetal placenta.

Abstract The resistance arteries supplying individual exchange villi of the full-term human fetal placenta were examined for their reactivity to various prostaglandins (PG's) as well as for their ability to synthesize biologically active PG's. PGA 1 , PGF 2α , PGE 2 and PGE 1 produced dose-dependent contractions between 10 −7 and 10 −5 M. The order of potency observed was PGA 1 ≈ PGF 2 α > PGE 2 > PGE 1 . TXB 1 was without activity in this preparation. Prostacyclin (PGlP 2 ) produced a dosedependent relaxation of pre-contracted strips between 10 −8 M and 10 −5 M. Arachidonic acid (A.A.) produced stable a dose-dependent contractions (10 −5 M to 10 −3 M) which were totally abolished by pretreatment with 10 −7 M meclofenamate (MF). At no concentration of A.A. was any evidence of vascular relaxation observed. larger concentrations of FM (> 10 −6 M) resulted in a non-specific depression of the placental vascular smooth muscle. Meclofenamate (10 −7 M) pretreatment of strips subjected to dose-response studies using PGF 2α , PGE 2 , bradykinin (B K) and angiotensin II (AII) revealed a significant reduction in tension developed to both BK and AII. This finding suggests that the vasoactive peptides BK and AII stimulate the synthesis of vasoconstricting PG's in the fetal placental resistance arteries which relax in response to PGl 2 and contract in response to the other PG's tested.
The expected length of a shortest path

Abstract We derive an exact summation formula and a closed-form approximation for the expected length of a shortest path for a complete graph where the arc lengths are independent and exponentially distributed random variables. Experimental data validates both results. The property of completeness allows us to exploit certain symmetries to derive these results, which would otherwise require computing an exponential number of recursive equations. We have also found that this formula is a close approximation for the expected length of a shortest path in complete graphs with uniformly distributed arc lengths.
The red book: reflections on C.G. Jung's Liber Novus

This fine collection of essays by distinguished Jungian scholars, many of whom (not all) are analysts, is an indispensable companion to the publication of C.G. Jung's The Red Book, or Liber Novus i...
Donor-π-Acceptor Conjugated Copolymers for Photovoltaic Applications: Tuning the Open-Circuit Voltage by Adjusting the Donor/Acceptor Ratio

A class of new conjugated copolymers containing a donor (thiophene)−acceptor (2-pyran-4-ylidene-malononitrile) was synthesized via Stille coupling polymerization. The resulting copolymers were characterized by 1H NMR, elemental analysis, GPC, TGA, and DSC. UV−vis spectra indicated that the increase in the content of the thiophene units increased the interaction between the polymer main chains to cause a red-shift in the optical absorbance. Cyclic voltammetry was used to estimate the energy levels of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the band gap (Eg) of the copolymers. The basic electronic structures of the copolymers were also studied by DFT calculations with the GGA/B3LYP function. Both the experimental and the calculated results indicated an increase in the HOMO energy level with increasing the content of thiophene units, whereas the corresponding change in the LUMO energy level was much smaller. Polymer photovoltaic cells of a bulk het...
Reliable assessment of malaria prevalence through village clinics.

Abstract In 4 villages in the Pakistani Punjab, clinic surveys (CS) provided similar results on total malaria and malaria species prevalence as those from mass surveys (MS) — and at a fraction of the effort. This was true at 3 different levels of malaria transmission. Both methods requiring blood films from all interviewed subjects are believed to be superior to the classical active (ACD) and passive (PCD) case detection methods which sample only patients with a history of recent fever. These latter methods would not detect the large population of oligo- and asymptomatic parasitaemic subjects in the semi-immune population of malaria endemic areas.
Some approaches to prediction of potato early dying disease severity

There are two control procedures available to growers who have fields that may develop severe potato early dying. The first, use of long crop rotation sequence, may result in only marginal control. The second, soil fumigation, is costly; and while providing effective control in many cases, has failed in others. Because of the cost of fumigation and its limited effectiveness in some situations, it may be helpful to predict the potential severity of the disease and subsequent yield loss. One approach to disease and yield loss prediction could be to rely on historical knowledge of early dying severity and yield in a field. Another approach is to use soil inoculum levels as an indicator of potential disease severity and yield loss. Because severity of potato early dying may vary from year to year in a given field as a result of differing environmental conditions, neither historical knowledge nor estimated soil inoculum levels may be sufficient for predicting disease severity. These methods may, however, provide an estimate of the potential for severe early dying to occur. Modelling the impact of early dying on plant growth and yield as a function of environmental parameters and presence of inoculum may provide a means of setting confidence limits of an estimated disease severity and yield loss based on historical knowledge or knowledge of inoculum load.
Daytime evaporation and the self-preservation of the evaporative fraction and the Bowen ratio

Abstract Under certain conditions several ratios of fluxes in the surface energy budget are known to remain relatively constant during the daytime hours. This ‘self-preservation’ has allowed the use of midday values of the evaporative fraction, EF, multiplied by the daytime total of net radiation minus the ground heat flux, to provide a good estimate of total daytime evaporation. A similar method is discussed, in which the daytime total sensible heat flux is divided by the noon Bowen ratio (β = (1/EF) - 1). Data from the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment (FIFE) indicate that the two methods give rather different results. It is shown by propagating uncertainties that the uncertainty in the daytime total evaporation is likely to be smaller with the constant-EF method than with the constant-β method for β greater than about - 1/2.
Impairment of fibrinolysis by streptokinase, urokinase and recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in the presence of radiographic contrast agents

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an adverse interaction exists between radiographic contrast agents and thrombolytic drugs. Background. Coronary thrombosis may occur in the setting of unstable angina and after coronary angioplasty. However, the use of thrombolytic drugs in the setting of unstable angina has not been beneficial and, in one large trial of angioplasty in patients with unstable angina, was associated with an increased incidence of ischemic complications and abrupt closure. The reasons for these results are not clear. Coronary arteriography was performed in many of these trials, and it is known that fibrin structure and assembly are altered by radiographic contrast agents. Methods. Blood samples were obtained from patients before (n = 25) and after (n = 20) angiography using iohexol. Blood samples obtained before angiography were tested for response to streptokinase (10 and 100 IU/ml), urokinase (100, 200 and 500 IU/ml) and recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rtPA) (100 and 1,000 IU/ml) and the results measured. Iohexol, diatrizoate or ioxaglate (4% by volume) was added to separate aliquots of the baseline sample, and the test was repeated. Blood samples obtained after angiography were tested in a similar manner. Results. The onset of lysis at baseline by rt-PA at 1,000 IU/ml occurred at 72 -+ 8.2 s (mean -+ SD) and was markedly delayed in the presence of diatrizoate (527 -+ 181.7 s, p < 0.001) or iohexol (460 -+ 197.0 s, p < 0.001) but not ioxaglate. At 100 IU/ml, there was no lysis detected with rt-PA after the addition of any contrast agent. The addition of a contrast agent caused similar delays in the onset of lysis by urokinase and streptokinase; similar to rt-PA, the effect was smaller at higher concentrations of drug. In vivo blood samples obtained from the patient after angiography showed delays in the onset of lysis by rt-PA and urokinase but not streptokinase. Conclusions. These data demonstrate that radiographic contrast agents impede fibrinolysis. This previously undescribed interaction was demonstrated using an in vitro test system, but these findings may have clinical relevance when thrombolytic drugs are used at the time of angiography. (J Am Con Cardiol 1995;25:1069-75)
In Situ Digestion Kinetics and Ruminal Turnover Rates of Normal and Brown Midrib Mutant Sorghum × Sudangrass Hays Fed to Nonlactating Holstein Cows

Abstract Four nonlactating Holstein cows were fed all-forage diets, consisting of two brown midrib mutant sorghum×sudangrass hybrids (Redlan×Greenleaf and Redlan×Piper) and their normal counterparts, to assess the effects of the brown midrib mutation on the rate and extent of in situ cell wall digestion and on ruminal liquid and particulate turnover rates. The four diets were preserved as hay and coarsely chopped prior to feeding in a 4×4 Latin square design. Brown midrib genotypes had lower NDF, acid detergent lignin, and hemicellulose concentrations than did normal genotypes. There was no significant difference between brown midrib and normal diets in the rate of in situ cell wall digestion or in digestion lag time. However, brown midrib diets had greater extent of digestion and greater apparent digestibility than normal diets. There was no difference between genotypes in ruminal liquid or particulate turnover rates. In this experiment, lignin concentration had no effect on the rate of in situ digestion or on the rate of ruminal digesta flow.
Compressed sensing based UWB receiver: Hardware compressing and FPGA reconstruction

A low sampling rate approach for recovering ultra wide band (UWB) signals is proposed, using Distributed Amplifiers (DAs) and low speed Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) and based on the theory of compressed sensing. A microwave circuit consisting of a bank of DAs, followed by a bank of ADCs, is designed to implement analog compressing, where the elements of measurement matrix are realized by picosecond delay tap and flexible gain coefficients in DAs. Numerical simulation shows that a bank of eight DAs and ADCs with 500MHz sampling rate can almost perfectly recover a 100ps-resolution UWB echo signal in the noiseless case. For recovering the UWB signals in a real-time way, issues in field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation are discussed.
Critical pathways: occupational therapists' role in development and utilization.

Managed care is mandating that healthcare facilities implement cost containment measures. Critical pathways are one popular tool used to meet this demand. The purpose of this study was to explore current involvement of occupational therapists (OTRs) in the use and creation of critical pathways.Results of a national survey showed 70.5% of the respondents reported they are not currently using critical pathways. A majority of OTRs are not and have not taken an active role in critical pathway development. Furthermore, the majority indicated having no knowledge of future critical pathway implementation in their facilities.Information gathered from those OTRs reporting critical path use included most common diagnoses using the paths and percentages of OTRs utilizing critical paths in specific occupational therapy areas.The conclusions drawn by the researchers indicated the need for OTRs to become more involved in the development and utilization of this multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. For OTRs to maint...
History of Giftedness: Perspectives from the Past Presage Modern Scholarship *

Across centuries and cultures, exceptional performances and performers have intrigued scholars, practitioners, and the general public. Whatever the domain, highlevel achievements interest people, sometimes as a model to emulate, sometimes as an area of inquiry, sometimes as a curiosity. Theoretically, the modern study of giftedness is related to the psychology of individual differences. In the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries, the psychological constructs of intelligence, creativity, and motivation provided the foundation for understanding giftedness. There are, however, earlier conceptions of extraordinary people and performances that have influenced our perspectives on giftedness as well. This chapter reviews briefly the historical interest in giftedness to the nineteenth century, shares four biographical summaries that illustrate key issues in the twentieth-century history of gifted education, offers a review of cognitive and affective variables which have historically been used to study giftedness, and concludes with attention to issues of particular interest to psychologists and mental health professionals.
Overrelaxation and Monte Carlo simulation

I study a simple variation of the algorithm of Metropolis et al. for simulating statistical systems. The trial changes in any given variable are taken from a region of phase space far from the old value but involving only small changes in energy. This results in correlation times which are short compared to the usual applications of the algorithm of Metropolis et al. Tests with SU(2) and SU(3) lattice gauge theories indicate substantial possible savings in computation time relative to standard approaches.
Choice of vasopressor in septic shock: does it matter?

Septic shock is a medical emergency that is associated with mortality rates of 40–70%. Prompt recognition and institution of effective therapy is required for optimal outcome. When the shock state persists after adequate fluid resuscitation, vasopressor therapy is required to improve and maintain adequate tissue/organ perfusion in an attempt to improve survival and prevent the development of multiple organ dysfunction and failure. Controversy surrounding the optimum choice of vasopressor strategy to utilize in the management of patients with septic shock continues. A recent randomized study of epinephrine compared to norepinephrine (plus dobutamine when indicated) leads to more questions than answers.
Crystal Structures of the "Two" 4-Aminofurazan-3-Carboxylic Acids

The crystal structures of the two compounds reported to be 4-aminofurazan-3-carboxylic acid have been determined. The compound reported by Sheremetev et al. (J Heterocycl Chem 2005, 42, 519) is the actual 4-aminofurazan-3-carboxylic acid. The compound reported by Meyer (Org Prep Proced Int 2004, 36, 361) is the interesting complex formed from a molecule of the acid and a molecule of the potassium salt of the acid.
An empirical test of the Hull‐White option pricing model

INTRODUCTIONThe Black-Scholes (1973) option pricing model provides the foundationfor the modern theory of options valuation. In actual applications, how-ever, the model has certain well-known deﬁciencies. For example, whencalibrated to accurately price at-the-money options the Black-Scholes(1973) model often misprices deep in-the-money and deep out-of-the-money options. This model-anomalous behavior givesrisetowhatoptionsprofessionals call “volatility smiles.” A volatility smile is the skewed pat-tern that results from calculating implied volatilities across a range ofstrike prices for an option series. This phenomenon is not predicted bythe Black-Scholes (1973) model, since volatility is a property of the un-derlying instrument and the same implied volatility value should be ob-served across all options onthatinstrument.Volatilitysmilesaregenerallythought to result from the parsimonious assumptions used to derive theBlack-Scholes model. In particular, the Black-Scholes (1973) model as-sumes that security log prices follow a constant variance diffusion pro-cess. The constant variance assumption has been tested and rejected inearly studies by Beckers (1980), Black and Scholes (1972), Christie
Calculation of vocal tract length

There are many different vocal tract shapes which could produce the same speech signal. One of the parameters of the vocal tract which is not directly available from the speech signal is the length of the tract. A hypothesis is proposed for determining the vocal tract length from a specification of the impedance seen at the lips. Vowel data of Fant [3] are used to test the hypothesis. There is very good agreement between the experimental and predicted values of this length parameter.
Fully-automated hex-dominant mesh generation with directionality control via packing rectangular solid cells

A new fully automatic hex-dominant mesh generation technique of an arbitrary 3D geometric domain is presented herein. The proposed method generates a high-quality hex-dominant mesh by: (1) controlling the directionality of the output hex-dominant mesh; and (2) avoiding ill-shaped elements induced by nodes located too closely to each other. The proposed method takes a 3D geometric domain as input and creates a hex-dominant mesh consisting mostly of hexahedral elements, with additional prism and tetrahedral elements. Rectangular solid cells are packed on the boundary of and inside the input domain to obtain ideal node locations for a hex-dominant mesh. Each cell has a potential energy field that mimics a body-centred cubic (BCC) structure (seen in natural substances such as NaCl) and the cells are moved to stable positions by a physically based simulation. The simulation mimics the formation of a crystal pattern so that the centres of the cells provide ideal node locations for a hex-dominant mesh. Via the advancing front method, the centres of the packed cells are then connected to form a tetrahedral mesh, and this is converted to a hex-dominant mesh by merging some of the tetrahedrons. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Forcing Linearity on Greedy Codes

Described in this paper are two different methods of forcing greedy codes to be linear over arbitrary finite fields. Both methods are generalizations of the binary B-greedy codes as well as the triangular greedy codes over arbitrary fields. One method generalizes to arbitrary orderings over arbitrary finite fields while the other method generalizes theB -greedy codes to linear codes over arbitrary finite fields. Examples of the first method are computed for triangular greedy codes. These examples give codes similar to triangular codes from B-orderings. Both methods are shown to be substantially different.