cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peripheral histamine and neonatal growth performance in swine

Abstract Identification of plasma and/or serum markers at birth that will predict animal performance may be useful for identifying animals susceptible to poor growth. Metabolomic analysis of plasma from newborn swine was used to identified potential metabolite differences between 8 pairs of littermates with similar birth weights but whose ADG differed by >50 g/d so that, at weaning (21 d), littermates differed in BW by 1.62 kg (P
FT-ICR MS and Orbitrap mass spectrometry approaches in environmental chemistry

Abstract This chapter will address non-target ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometric approaches currently implemented in aquatic and sediment environmental chemistry with a focus on drinking water, wastewater and emerging pollutant screening in aquatic/sediment systems. How to discover new and previously unknown DBPs will be described in drinking water. Non-target screening for unknown contaminants in wastewater is also an emerging field and examples are given describing approaches used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids and secondary treated effluent. Non-targeted screening for known and unknown contaminants in surface, groundwater and also sediments is discussed and approaches are summarized.
Rape and the Jury

Rape is unique among criminal cases. Unlike other case types, alleged victims in rape cases are essentially “on trial” as much as their alleged perpetrators: In their determination of whether rape occurred, jurors often consider information about the victim’s behavior prior to the alleged rape, including her sexual history, her attire, her consumption of alcohol, and whether she resisted sex. Jurors also consider characteristics of the alleged perpetrator (e.g., his physical attractiveness or social status) and the testimony of expert witnesses, who often testify regarding the somewhat controversial concept of rape trauma syndrome. But jurors’ characteristics matter, too: Attitudes associated with rape myth acceptance and endorsement of traditional gender roles predict jurors’ reactions to victims, perpetrators, and trial evidence. In reviewing empirical investigations of rape and the jury, this chapter asks and answers new questions that emerge in a culture increasingly aware of issues of nonconsensual sex. We emphasize variables that affect perceived credibility of victims and the reasons why victims might delay reporting their assault for prolonged periods of time. We also address the notion that increased cultural salience of rape might lead defendants to be presumed guilty before evidence is considered in court. Modern replication of classic studies of rape and the jury can continue to inform psychologists and legal professionals, and the dissemination of this research can help provide justice to victims and perpetrators.
2670 Laparoscopy in the Chronic Pelvic Pain Patient: Incidence and Outcomes of Subsequent Laparoscopies

Study Objective Our aim is to determine the incidence of multiple laparoscopies for chronic pelvic pain over 10 years and to compare outcomes between patients who underwent single vs multiple laparoscopies. Design Retrospective case-control study. Setting Urban based tertiary care medical center. Patients or Participants Women with diagnosis of chronic pelvic pain that underwent one laparoscopy in comparison with those who underwent multiple laparoscopies in a 10-year period. Interventions Multiple Laparoscopies. Measurements and Main Results Parametric, nonparametric and descriptive statistics were employed. 792 patients were managed with laparoscopy for a diagnosis of chronic pelvic pain (CPP), 14% of which had multiple laparoscopies. 678 controls with single laparoscopy and 114 cases with multiple laparoscopies were identified. 400 (59%) had medical management prior to first laparoscopy in the control group and 82 (72%) in the cases. 559 had diagnostic and 119 had extirpative laparoscopies in the single laparoscopy group vs 91 diagnostic and 23 extirpative laparoscopies in the multiple laparoscopy group. Of the patients with persistent pain after first laparoscopy in the control group, 52 underwent hysterectomy. Of the 37 who followed up, 26 reported pain response and 5 no response. The average number of laparoscopies in the multiple laparoscopy group was 2.27. In the multiple laparoscopy group, 38 patients underwent hysterectomy. Of the 26 that followed up, 22 reported pain response and 4 no response. Of the total patients who underwent hysterectomy and had follow-up, 80% (54 of 67) reported pain response. Of the 792 patients who underwent laparoscopy, 25 had pathologic evidence of endometriosis in the single laparoscopy group vs 32 in the multiple laparoscopy group. Conclusion Approximately 1 in 7 patients are subject to multiple laparoscopies for CPP. Despite clinical symptoms, endometriosis is a minor contributor to CPP. Management of CPP with laparoscopy poorly correlates with response to hysterectomy.
The use of green plant material in bird nests to avoid ectoparasites

Etude comparative pour les falconiformes. Il semble qu'il y ait des raisons eventuelles tres nombreuses pour expliquer la presence de materiaux verts dans la construction du nid et l'hypothese d'une defense contre les ectoparasites doit etre envisagee avec beaucoup de precautions
Access to Care: Using eHealth to Limit Location-Based Barriers for Patients With Cancer.

Background Rural and urban communities may encounter barriers to care, which can lead to delays in timely screening, diagnosis, and treatment. eHealth interventions, such as televisits and remote patient monitoring, are being used increasingly to improve patient access to quality clinical cancer care and to support patient-provider communication. Objectives This article describes how eHealth can bridge gaps in patient access to cancer care and provides insight into successful eHealth program implementation. Methods Articles that evaluate access to care and eHealth program implementation were summarized. Two case studies illustrate eHealth as a strategy to improve care delivery and access. Findings Integrating eHealth into clinical practice can help to transform care delivery and improve patient access to quality cancer care by limiting barriers.
Clinical utility of PSAD combined with PI-RADS category for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer.

Abstract Purpose The goal of this study was to determine the predictive value of prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) plus Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) category for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 526 men without known prostate cancer (initial diagnosis group) and 133 men with prostate cancer grade group 1 (active surveillance group) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging–guided and/or systematic prostate biopsy procedures between August 2014 and October 2018. Prostate specific antigen (PSA), PSAD, and PI-RADS category were entered into logistic regression models for predicting clinically significant prostate cancer (grade group ≥2) at biopsy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to assess model accuracy. Results The area under the curve (AUC) increased when PSAD was combined with PI-RADS in the initial diagnosis group (difference in AUC = 0.031; 95% confidence interval: 0.012, 0.050; P = 0.002) but not in the active surveillance group (difference in AUC = 0.016; 95% confidence interval: –0.040, 0.071; P = 0.579). When a PSAD threshold of 0.15 was applied, the frequency of clinically significant prostate cancer in patients with a PI-RADS score of 3 or lower decreased from 9.8% to 5.6% in the initial diagnosis group and from 10.7% to 2.7% in the active surveillance group. Conclusions The addition of PSAD improves the predictive performance of PI-RADS in men without known prostate cancer. A PSAD threshold of 0.15 can help to minimize the number of missed clinically significant prostate cancer cases in men with a PI-RADS score of 3 or lower who decide to defer biopsy.
Exploring the components of brand equity amid declining ticket sales in Major League Baseball

Ticket sales for Major League Baseball (MLB) games are decreasing annually, yet baseball fans have increased team interest and following in other ways. Instead of following from the stands or on television fans are choosing to follow, for example, via social media. The emerging unified theory of brand equity offers a framework to examine the mediating role of attendance and local television and the moderating role of Twitter followers on the relationships between MLB marketing assets (MA) and team financial performance. Publicly available secondary data are analyzed with PLS-SEM. The results indicate attendance and local TV partially mediate the relationship between non-seasonal MA and team financial performance, whereas attendance and local TV fully mediate the relationship between in-season MA and team financial performance. Furthermore, the number of Twitter followers for each MLB team moderates various relationships within the MLB brand equity research model. Findings suggest MLB sales and marketing professionals should design ticket sales initiatives that not only promote attendance in the short-term but, more importantly, build upon non-seasonal sources of team brand equity for the long-term.
Acquired tracheoesophageal fistula in disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex associated with anti-interferon-gamma autoantibodies

We describe a case of a 30-year-old previously healthy woman who presented to our hospital with a 2-month history of fevers, tender lymphadenopathy, dysphagia, globus sensation and occasional haematemesis. Further evaluation revealed cervicothoracic adenopathy and a subcarinal mass with oesophageal involvement. Imaging showed a transesophageal fistula at the level of the carina with contrast extravasation to the left main bronchus. Our patient was diagnosed with disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) based on acid-fast bacillus noted on sputum cultures and nodal biopsies. Further investigation revealed anti-interferon-gamma autoantibodies as a possible predisposing factor for the disseminated MAC infection. This case demonstrates the importance of a broad differential diagnoses in a patient presenting with unexplained cervicothoracic lymphadenopathy, fever and dysphagia. Although acquired tracheoesophageal fistulae are uncommon, it should be considered in the clinical setting of globus sensation, haemoptysis and dysphagia. Furthermore, our case highlights a rare predisposition to disseminated Mycobacterium infection.
717 AMG 160, a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted BiTE® immuno-oncology therapy, is active in models of advanced prostate cancer that are resistant to radioligand therapy

Background AMG 160 is an HLE BiTE® (half-life extended bispecific T-cell engager) that binds PSMA on prostate cancer cells and CD3 on T-cells and induces redirected T-cell lysis of PSMA-expressing cells. This mechanism may allow the BiTE molecule to be active in settings where other targeted or immune therapies have failed. Here, we evaluated the activity of AMG 160 in mouse models of advanced prostate cancer that are resistant to 177Lu-PSMA-617, a PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy that has emerged as a promising treatment modality for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Methods Two prostate cancer models were tested in 6–8-week-old male NCG mice: one cohort had established subcutaneous C4-2 TP53-/- tumors (C4-2 cells with TP53 knockout), and the other cohort had established systemic C4-2 TP53wt/wttumors that mimic metastatic lesions (intracardiac injection). PSMA levels in both models (~255,000 PSMA/cell) are sufficient for tumor growth inhibition with 177Lu-PSMA-617. Mice were administered a single intravenous (IV) infusion of human T-cells. Three days later, mice were treated with 1 cycle of 177Lu-PSMA-617 (30 MBq, IV), or 3 weekly doses of AMG 160 (1 mg/kg, IV) or of a control HLE BiTE molecule (1 mg/kg, IV; target not expressed on C4-2 cells). Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by tumor burden measurements, time to progression (TTP), and survival. Results In both prostate cancer models, AMG 160 treatment significantly improved disease control (figure 1). Median TTP was not reached in the AMG 160 group (p 100 days). In contrast, all mice in the 177Lu-PSMA-617 and control groups succumbed to progressive disease. Conclusions Our study demonstrates potent antitumor activity of AMG 160 monotherapy in models of metastatic CRPC that are resistant to PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy with 177Lu-PSMA-617. These data provide a rationale for evaluating AMG 160 in patients with mCRPC who have progressed on 177Lu-PSMA-617. AMG 160 is currently being evaluated in a phase 1 study in patients with mCRPC (NCT03792841). Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge Micah Robinson, PhD of Amgen Inc. for medical writing support and Hosein Kouros-Mehr, MD, PhD of Amgen Inc. for facilitating the collaboration and helpful discussions. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials. gov Identifier: NCT03792841 Ethics Approval All animal experimental protocols were approved by the UCLA Animal Research Committee (# 2005-090).
Once Came Close to Being Enough: Electron Polarization and Parity Nonconservation

In this chapter we will discuss the experiments of Richard Cox and his collaborators, as well as those of Carl Chase, Cox’s student, which, at least in retrospect, showed that parity symmetry, (space-reflection symmetry), was violated. The experiments involved the double scattering of electrons from β decay. The second scattering showed a left-right (90°/270°) asymmetry. At the time, no one, including the experimenters themselves, realized the significance of these results. We will discuss whether these results did, in fact, demonstrate parity nonconservation and why they were overlooked.
Self-reported community participation experiences and preferences of autistic adults.

Community participation is essential to overall health and well-being. However, research on the community participation experiences and preferences of autistic adults is lacking. Results from a lar...
Boundary politics and the social imaginary for sustainable food systems

In this essay, Kim Niewolny, current President of AFHVS, responds to the 2020 AFHVS Presidential Address given by Molly Anderson. Niewolny is encouraged by Anderson’s message of moving “beyond the boundaries” by focusing our gaze on the insurmountable un-sustainability of the globalized food system. Anderson recommends three ways forward to address current challenges. Niewolny argues that building solidarity with social justice movements and engendering anti-racist praxis take precedence. This work includes but is not limited to dismantling the predominance of neoliberal-fueled technocratic productivism in agricultural science and policy while firmly centering civil society collective action and human rights frameworks as our guiding imaginary for racial, gender, environmental, and climate justice possibilities for sustainable food systems praxis. She concludes by exploring the epistemic assertion to push beyond our professional and political imaginaries to build a more fair, just, and humanizing food system.
A pictorial review of I-123 MIBG imaging in pediatric neuroblastoma utilizing the state-of-the-art CZT SPECT/CT system.

2033 Aim: I-123 MIBG imaging is a valuable imaging modality for the diagnosis, staging, and restaging of neuroblastoma, particularly in children. NM/CT 870 CZT (GE Healthcare) is the state-of-the-art, general-purpose SPECT/CT system with a dual-head gamma camera equipped with cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors, which is capable of imaging higher energy peaks and promises to provide improved image quality and lesion detection compared with conventional NaI gamma cameras. Its diagnostic capabilities with 99m-Tc based radiopharmaceuticals, e.g., for bone scanning and myocardial perfusion imaging, have been demonstrated in the literature; however, I-123 MIBG clinical data are scarce, particularly in pediatric neuroblastoma. This Educational Exhibit, in a pictorial review format, covers a wide range of acquisition protocol options and imaging findings related to clinical I-123 MIBG imaging in pediatric neuroblastoma and illustrates the capabilities as well as constraints of the current CZT SPECT/CT system. Objectives: (1) To review planar acquisition protocols, including continuous vs. step-and-shot whole body and high-energy scatter correction, as well as imaging characteristics including lesion detection and image artifact. (2) To review SPECT/CT acquisition protocol and options for postprocessing (resolution recovery; high-energy scatter correction; post-filter), and imaging characteristics, including lesion detection and artifact. Solutions to avoid an artifact commonly seen around the patient9s body are presented, which, if unsolved, can affect the image quality and interpretation of the maximum intensity projection (MIP) image.
Systems-on-Chip with Strong Ordering

Sequential consistency (SC) is the most intuitive memory consistency model and the easiest for programmers and hardware designers to reason about. However, the strict memory ordering restrictions imposed by SC make it less attractive from a performance standpoint. Additionally, prior high-performance SC implementations required complex hardware structures to support speculation and recovery. In this article, we introduce the lockstep SC consistency model (LSC), a new memory model based on SC but carefully defined to accommodate the data parallel lockstep execution paradigm of GPUs. We also describe an efficient LSC implementation for an APU system-on-chip (SoC) and show that our implementation performs close to the baseline relaxed model. Evaluation of our implementation shows that the geometric mean performance cost for lockstep SC is just 0.76% for GPU execution and 6.11% for the entire APU SoC compared to a baseline with a weaker memory consistency model. Adoption of LSC in future APU and SoC designs will reduce the burden on programmers trying to write correct parallel programs, while also simplifying the implementation and verification of systems with heterogeneous processing elements and complex memory hierarchies.1
Step In, Step Out: The Dynamic Relationship Between Interlocking Directors and CEO Compensation

Combining literature on CEO pay-setting process, board processes, and group norms, this study explores the influence of interlocking director dynamics on subsequent CEO pay raises. Particularly, we...
An Integrative Systematic Review of the Medical Literature on Pain Clinic Definitions and Comparison With Existing State Laws and Regulations

BACKGROUND: In response to widespread opioid misuse, ten U.S. states have implemented regulations for facilities that primarily manage and treat chronic pain, called "pain clinics." Whether a clinic falls into a state's pain clinic definition determines the extent to which it is subject to oversight. It is unclear whether state pain clinic definitions model those found in the medical literature, and potential differences lead to discrepancies between scientific and professionally guided advice found in the medical literature and actual pain clinic practice. Identifying discrepancies could assist states to design laws that are more compatible with best practices suggested in the medical literature. METHODS: We conducted an integrative systematic review to create a taxonomy of pain clinic definitions using academic medical literature. We then identified existing U.S. state pain clinic statutes and regulations and compared the developed taxonomy using a content analysis approach to understand the extent to which medical literature definitions are reflected in state policy. RESULTS: In the medical literature, we identified eight categories of pain clinic definitions: 1) patient case mix; 2) single-modality treatment; 3) multidisciplinary treatment; 4) interdisciplinary treatment; 5) provider supervision; 6) provider composition; 7) marketing; and 8) outcome. We identified ten states with pain clinic laws. State laws primarily include the following definitional categories: patient case mix; single-modality treatment, and marketing. Some definitional categories commonly found in the medical literature, such as multidisciplinary treatment and interdisciplinary treatment, rarely appear in state law definitions. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to our knowledge to develop a taxonomy of pain clinic definitions and to identify differences between pain clinic definitions in U.S. state law and medical literature. Future work should explore the impact of different legal pain clinic definitions on provider decision-making and state-level health outcomes.
Feasibility and Acceptability of Guided Imagery to Sequentially Address Multiple Health Behaviors During Pregnancy

Introduction Pregnancy presents health challenges related to well-being, physical activity, dietary regulation, and body image. There is evidence to support the use of guided imagery to address these concerns during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the use and short-term outcomes of a multiple-behavior guided imagery intervention delivered through a mobile health (mHealth) application for pregnant women. Methods A single-arm, 5-week feasibility trial was conducted, and participants were instructed to listen to an audio file every day for 35 days on an mHealth application. Measurements included ongoing assessments of the participants' use of the guided imagery audio files and pre- and post-test measures of depression, anxiety, stress, physical activity, food cravings, and body image. Postintervention qualitative interviews were conducted to assess whether participants would continue to use guided imagery. Results Fifty-eight participants (mean age, 28.5 years) were enrolled from January to June of 2018. Cloud analytics data showed an average of 4.96 audio downloads per week with the Sleep and Relaxation file being the most widely used (mean weekly usage, 5.67) and reported favorite during follow-up interviews. Paired-sample t tests from pre- to post-test showed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, increased physical activity, and sedentary behavior along with some changes in body image. Discussion Future scalable guided imagery interventions are justified to test for efficacy. Guided imagery may also be delivered in person by health care providers or by using widely available technologies.
The Civil Engineer/Citizen: What Role and Responsibility in Government—

A common goal for all engineers is to become true professionals. The civil engineer should share his professional knowledge with the community through voicing his concerned opinion whenever possible. To meet this leadership responsibility, the civil engineer should be well informed on all aspects of the community. This also means that he must continue his education in order to expand his knowledge of the technological, social, and physical environments. The civil engineer should participate in all levels of government by being a well-informed voter and by serving on voluntary governmental commissions. All civil engineers should be active in their professional societies which promote professional engineering.
Intestinal calcium absorption: interplay of paracellular and cellular pathways.

Intestinal absorption of calcium as characterized by studies in the rat follows both mediated mechanisms through enterocytes as well as fluxes between epithelial cells. Data summarized in this review suggests that the extracellular or paracellular route in distal small intestine plays a dominant role in calcium absorption at luminal calcium concentrations above 1 mM; proximal small intestine and cecum/colon show a much greater dependence on cellular translocation processes. The wide spectrum of paracellular:cellular transport ratios found in the intestine suggests a well-adapted mechanism to minimize energy expenditure for calcium absorption in the presence of adequate dietary calcium with capacity for efficient calcium scavenging when dietary supplies are limited. No evidence to date supports a role for vitamin D in the control of paracellular calcium absorption. Other mechanisms regulating paracellular calcium absorption will undoubtedly become a significant new area for future inquiry.
Non-Destructive Failure Prediction in Ceramics

The role of non-destructive evaluation procedures in the reliable mechanical performance of ceramics is discussed. Non-destructive measurements capable of providing information about the dimensions of fracture initiating defects are described and fracture mechanisms associated with these defects are discussed. The application of NDE measurement procedures and fracture models to the development of accept/reject decision procedures is then presented. The decision process is illustrated by examples.
Orthogonal Relations for Reasoning about Abstract Events

As systems become increasingly complex, event abstraction becomes an important issue in order to represent interactions and reason at the right level of abstraction. Abstract events are collections of more elementary events, that provide a view of the system execution at an appropriate level of granularity. Understanding how two abstract events relate to each other is a fundamental problem for knowledge representation and reasoning in a complex system. In this paper, we study how two abstract events in a distributed system are related to each other in terms of the more elementary causality relation. Specifically, we analyze the ways in which two abstract events can be related to each other orthogonally, that is, identify all the possible mutually independent relations by which two such events could be related to each other. Such an analysis is important because all possible relationships between two abstract events that can exist in the face of uncertain knowledge can be expressed in terms of the irreducible orthogonal relationships.
The Hollywood War Machine: U.S. Militarism and Popular Culture, by Carl Boggs and Tom Pollard

Perhaps among the most perplexing aspects of the militarization of American culture is the way in which militarism has expanded at the same time that it has become so thoroughly normalized, unremar...
A Review of: “Jon T. Coleman. Vicious: Wolves and Men in America”

This interesting, well-written book adds greatly to the literature on human–wolf interactions. Coleman, an historian, presents his central thesis in his carefully worded title Vicious: Wolves and M...
Reactions of ethyl groups on a model chromia surface: Ethyl chloride on stoichiometric α-Cr2O3 (1 0 1¯ 2)

The thermal reaction of vinyl chloride on nearly-stoichiometric {alpha}-Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}{sub (10{bar 1}2)} produces gas phase acetylene, ethylene, 1,3-butadiene, and dihydrogen, and results in the deposition of chlorine adatoms. No surface carbon or combustion products (CO, CO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}O) are observed. Thermal desorption and spectroscopic studies indicate that the surface reaction of vinyl chloride proceeds through C-Cl bond cleavage to form Cl adatoms and surface vinyl groups which dehydrogenate to acetylene, hydrogenate to ethylene, and couple to form butadiene. Cl adatoms affect surface reactivity in two ways: (1) by increasing the barrier to vinyl dehydrogenation from 145 to 160 kJ/mol, and (2) by blocking Cr{sup 3+} sites which shuts down the surface chemistry. Selectivity to butadiene is dependent on Cl adatom coverage, where the increased stability of vinyl intermediates at lower Cl coverages gives rise to more butadiene coupling product. At higher Cl coverages, Cl appears to inhibit the mobility of surface vinyl and decreases the reaction probability for coupling. Photoemission and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra show that a mixed monolayer of molecular and dissociated vinyl chloride is formed at 130 K. The polarization dependence of the NEXAFS indicates that vinyl chloride {pi}-bonds with themore » molecular plane nominally parallel to the surface, while vinyl intermediates {sigma}-bond at Cr centers with the molecular plane nominally perpendicular to the surface, in agreement with DFT predictions of the adsorption geometries.« less
Professional development through self‐directed expatriation: intentions and outcomes for young, educated Eastern Europeans

This article explores the experiences of young, well-educated Eastern Europeans who have moved to Western Europe in search of opportunities for professional development, opportunities that, for the most part, are not available in their home countries. The focus of this paper is on the resulting outcome of downskilling, where these individuals work in positions well below their levels of education and capability. Based on 22 in-depth interviews with workers living in Ireland, England, the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic, the study offers two major findings. First, although self-directed expatriates move to host countries specifically for professional development opportunities, they do little to research on their career and employment options prior to moving to the host country. Second, organizations are not fully utilizing the available human capital offered by Eastern Europeans, suggesting untapped opportunities to achieve competitive advantage through human capital.
Substance Use among Adolescent Mothers: A Review

Maternal substance abuse is a critical problem, and adolescent mothers appear to be at high risk for such behaviors. We review studies on postpartum adolescent substance use to explore the extent of this problem and avenues for new research. Authors screened 1,300 studies, identifying 12 articles on substance use among postpartum adolescent mothers for this review. Adolescent mothers reported greater substance use before pregnancy compared to other adolescent females. Although some adolescents continued substance use during pregnancy, most stopped using only to resume within six months after birth. Comparisons of use to national samples of nulliparous adolescent females showed a higher prevalence of substance use in this population. Substances used often varied by race/ethnicity, with white mothers more likely to smoke cigarettes and use marijuana, and Black mothers more likely than whites to drink and use drugs. Of all identified studies, only one focused on Hispanics. Beliefs about drug use grew less negative as girls transitioned from pregnancy to parenthood. As they transitioned to adulthood, substance use remained prevalent and stable. Psychological distress and low self-esteem appeared to influence continued use. Friends' cigarette smoking predicted early initiation of and persistent smoking, while increased education predicted quitting. Early initiation of substances often predicted problem behaviors. Adolescent mothers are a vulnerable population, implicating use of problem behavior theory or the self-medication hypothesis in future research. Multiple avenues for new studies are needed to help identify effective treatment and intervention for this understudied population.
Design and Evaluation of Scalable Concurrent Queues for Many-Core Architectures

As core counts increase and as heterogeneity becomes more common in parallel computing, we face the prospect of programming hundreds or even thousands of concurrent threads in a single shared-memory system. At these scales, even highly-efficient concurrent algorithms and data structures can become bottlenecks, unless they are designed from the ground up with throughput as their primary goal.In this paper, we present three contributions: (1) a characterization of queue designs in terms of modern multi- and many-core architectures, (2) the design of a high-throughput, linearizable, blocking, concurrent FIFO queue for many-core architectures that avoids the bottlenecks and pitfalls common in modern queue designs, and (3) a thorough evaluation of concurrent queue throughput across CPU, GPU, and co-processor devices. Our evaluation shows that focusing on throughput, rather than progress guarantees, allows our queue to scale to as much as three orders of magnitude (1000x) faster than lock-free and combining queues on GPU platforms and two times (2x) faster on CPU devices. These results deliver critical insights into the design of data structures for highly concurrent systems: (1) progress guarantees do not guarantee scalability, and (2) allowing an algorithm to block can increase throughput.
Analysis of IAEA environmental samples for plutonium and uranium by ICP/MS in support of international safeguards

A method for the separation and determination of total and isotopic uranium and plutonium by ICP/MS was developed for IAEA samples on cellulose-based media. Preparation of the IAEA samples involved a series of redox chemistries and separations using TRU® resin (Eichrom). The sample introduction system, an APEX nebulizer (Elemental Scientific, Inc.), provided enhanced nebulization for a several-fold increase in sensitivity and reduction in background. Application of mass bias (ALPHA) correction factors greatly improved the precision of the data. By combining the enhancements of chemical separation, instrumentation and data processing, detection levels for uranium and plutonium approached high attogram levels.
Tensile bond of resin cements to porcelain veneers.

6. Willmann DE, Norling BK, Johnson WN. A new prophylaxis instrument: effect on enamel alterations. J Am Dent Assoc 1980;101:923-5. Atkinson DR, Cobb CM, Killoy WJ. The effect of an airPowder abrasivse system on in vitro root surfaces. J Periodontol 1984;55:13-8. Boyde A. Airpolishing effects on enamel, dentine, cement and bone. Br Dent ,J 1984;156:287-91. Petersson LG, Hellden L, Jongblord W, Arends J. The effect of a jet abrasive instrument (Prophy-Jet) on root surfaces. Swed Dent J 1985;9:193-9. Newman PS, Silverwood RA, Dolby AE. The effects of an airbrasive instrument on dental hard tissues, skin and oral mucosa. Br Dent J 1985;159:9-12. 7. Clinical Research Associates. Subject: oral prophylaxis: ProphyJet. Clin Res Assoc Newsletter 1981;52:1-2. 8. Lubow RM, Cooley RL. Effect of air-powder abrasive.instrument on restorative materials. J PROSTHET DENT 1986;55: 462-5. 9. Cooley RL, Lubow RM, Patrissi GA. The effect of an airpowder abrasive instrument on composite resin. J Am Dent Assoc 1986;112:362-4.
Reinforcing a continuum of care: in-hospital initiation of long-term secondary prevention following acute coronary syndromes.

Patients with a history of acute coronary syndrome are particularly susceptible to further vascular or ischemic events. Effective secondary prevention following acute coronary syndrome requires multiple medications targeting the different mechanisms of atherothrombosis. The 2002 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for the management of unstable angina and non ST-segment myocardial infarction and the 2004 guidelines for ST-segment myocardial infarction assign priority to the long-term administration of four critical classes of drugs: antiplatelet agents, in particular aspirin and clopidogrel, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and statins. Despite clinical trial evidence demonstrating their ability to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, available preventive pharmacotherapies remain underutilized. Suboptimal compliance with current recommendations, as with other management guidelines, arises from a host of entrenched physician, patient, and system-related factors. Optimal management of acute coronary syndrome acknowledges a continuum of care in which acute stabilization represents a single important component. Early, in-hospital implementation of secondary preventive measures reinforces the continuum of care approach, promoting a successful transition from treatment to prevention, inpatient to outpatient management, and, when appropriate, subspecialist to generalist care.
Society of Skeletal Radiology annual meeting

Peer-reviewed abstracts presented at the Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) meeting of 2007 were reviewed again after oral presentation. Topics representing new concepts, new or novel imaging techniques and instructive case series involving the musculoskeletal system, felt to be of potential interest to investigators and practicing clinicians, have been highlighted in this compilation and analysis.
Chemical tagging of chlorinated phenols for their facile detection and analysis by NMR spectroscopy

A derivatization method that employs diethyl (bromodifluoromethyl) phosphonate (DBDFP) to efficiently tag the endocrine disruptor pentachlorophenol (PCP) and other chlorinated phenols (CPs) along with their reliable detection and analysis by NMR is presented. The method accomplishes the efficient alkylation of the hydroxyl group in CPs with the difluoromethyl (CF2H) moiety in extremely rapid fashion (5 min), at room temperature and in an environmentally benign manner. The approach proved successful in difluoromethylating a panel of 18 chlorinated phenols, yielding derivatives that displayed unique 1H, 19F, and 13C NMR spectra allowing for the clear discrimination between isomerically related CPs. Due to its biphasic nature, the derivatization can be applied to both aqueous and organic mixtures where the analysis of CPs is required. Furthermore, the methodology demonstrates that PCP along with other CPs can be selectively derivatized in the presence of other various aliphatic alcohols, underscoring the superiority of the approach over other general derivatization methods that indiscriminately modify all analytes in a given sample. The present work demonstrates the first application of NMR on the qualitative analysis of these highly toxic and environmentally persistent species.
Measuring Physical Activity in Outdoor Community Recreational Environments: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice.

Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) are major contributors to escalating health care costs in the USA. Physical activity is an important protective factor against CVD, and the National Prevention Strategy recognizes active living (defined as a way of life that integrates physical activity into everyday routines) as a priority for improving the nation’s health. This paper focuses on developing more inclusive measures of physical activity in outdoor community recreational environments, specifically parks and trails, to enhance their usability for at-risk populations such as persons with mobility limitations. We develop an integrated conceptual framework for measuring physical activity in outdoor community recreational environments, describe examples of evidence-based tools for measuring physical activity in these settings, and discuss strategies to improve measurement of physical activity for persons with mobility limitations. Addressing these measurement issues is critically important to making progress towards national CVD goals pertaining to active community environments.
Time Estimation as a Measure of Mental Workload during the Training of Laparoscopic Skills

How sensitive are distortions in students' time perception to changes in demand across laparoscopic training tasks? Volunteers used an endoscopy training simulator to perform two common training tasks. The simpler of the two tasks involved using graspers to move beads from a dish to a small bucket. The more difficult task involved threading beads onto small pegs. In one experiment, 13 participants estimated the duration of each training trial immediately upon its completion. They also completed the NASA-TLX. In another experiment, 15 participants verbally indicated when they thought each successive 31-second interval had elapsed while performing the training trials. Results indicated that errors in temporal judgments were sensitive to differences in task demand using the interval production method but not the retrospective estimation technique. One implication is that interval production shows promise as a secondary task workload measure for laparoscopic tasks, although procedural refinements are needed t...
Good neighbours in the tumour stroma reduce oxidative stress

Tumour cells undergo oncogene-regulated metabolic reprogramming that maximizes survival and growth. However, little is known about metabolic interactions between tumour cells and their non-malignant neighbours in the stroma. Bone-marrow-derived stromal cells are now shown to provide cysteine, an essential nutrient that enables leukaemia cells to resist oxidative stress.
Anatomical Relationships in Transposition of the Great Arteries: Juxtaposition of the Atrial Appendages

Abstract In 6 specimens of hearts with transposition of the great arteries the right atrial appendage was bifid with partial juxtaposition. Study of these specimens revealed that the os of the juxtaposed appendages occupies the anterior portion of the atrial septum, as viewed from the right atrium. The tubular proximal portion is limited by the main pulmonary artery and valve anteriorly and interiorly, the left pulmonary artery superiorly, and the anteromedial wall of the left atrium posteriorly.
Egg capsules of the Filetail fanskate Sympterygia lima (Poeppig 1835) (Rajiformes, Arhynchobatidae) from the southeastern Pacific Ocean, with observations on captive egg-laying

A total of 42 egg capsules of Sympterygia lima are examined in this study. Freshly laid egg capsules are pale yellow-brownish in color and turn to dark brown over time in sea water. Dorsal and ventral surfaces are soft and slightly striated. Anterior horns are shorter than posterior and are arranged in parallel. Posterior horns transition into long coiled tendrils, which are the first to emerge through the cloaca during egg-laying. Notes on oviposition rates are discussed; these were shown to vary from 4 to 20 days, with two eggs being deposited each time. The presence of tendril-like posterior horns is not common in rajids. They seem to occur only within the genus Sympterygia, becoming a useful character for distinguishing them from other egg capsules that may be found in the same latitudinal range. Egg capsule characteristics may be useful to help identify the species responsible for egg-laying sites and, indirectly, the reproductive cycle with a nonlethal method.
The effects of physical aging on the viscoelastic behavior of a thermoset polyester

Abstract The effect of physical aging on the viscoelastic behavior of a cross-linked polyester resin is reported. Tensile creep and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests yielded creep compliance (S(t)) and dynamic shear complex compliance ( J ∗ (ω) ) of the polymer. Thermoreversible physical aging was found to have significant effects on the creep response of the polyester. Physical aging shift factors were determined at 60, 80, 100 and 120°C. Standard frequency-temperature superposition procedures were used to construct master curves for the dynamic mechanical data. The shift constants c 1 = (70) and c 2 = (450° C ) determined from DMA data were used to construct a smooth master curve for creep data. The predictions of long-term behavior by means of master curve construction were found to agree with experimentally measured long-term creep behavior when differences in material aging were introduced.
Measuring the Impact of Child Indicators

Despite a proliferation of initiatives using statistical indicators to promote better public understanding of child well-being around the world, little information has been generated about the impact of such projects. This paper provides readers with information about the impact of one such project in the United States, KIDS COUNT. A short overview of the history, rationale, and activity of the KIDS COUNT project is provided prior to presenting data regarding the impact of the project. The data show that KIDS COUNT Data Book receives extensive media attention when it is released each year. Among seven key audiences (Congressional staff, state legislators, state legislators’ staff, state legislative leaders, business leaders, county officials, and data users) half or more of each group said there were aware of the KIDS COUNT initiative. Most of those who are aware of KIDS COUNT have positive perceptions about it as being timely, clear, credible, useful, and relevant to policymakers and respected by people with differing political views. A large share of each group says they use the KIDS COUNT data for a variety of applications. Most respondents say they think KIDS COUNT has had an impact on public awareness of children’s issues and an impact on public policy.
Determination of plasma trimetrexate levels using gas chromatography--mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring

Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol, I.C.I. 35,868) is a rapid-acting, intravenous anesthetic agent recently introduced for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. This paper describes a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric procedure using selected-ion monitoring for the determination of plasma propofol levels. The drug and the internal standard (thymol) were extracted from plasma into diethyl ether-pentane, and derivatized to their trimethylsilyl derivatives before analysis. The reproducibility of the daily standard curves had coefficients of variation ranging from 2.7% to 10.2%. The precision of the assay yielded a coefficient of variation ranging from 4.5% to 5.6%, and the concentration means for the seeded control samples were found to be within -1.6% to +0.6% of the theoretical values for propofol. No interfering peaks have been observed in application of this procedure to either normal volunteer or patient samples. The minimum detectable level under the conditions described was 0.20 ng propofol/ml plasma. This assay and a high-performance liquid chromatographic assay with fluorescence detection were both used to measure plasma propofol concentrations in 89 human plasma samples, and the correlation between the two methods was excellent.
Mapping Paleo-Fire Boundaries from Binary Point Data: Comparing Interpolation Methods

Fire history studies have traditionally emphasized temporal rather than spatial properties of paleo-fire regimes. In this study we compare four methods of mapping paleo-fires in central Washington from binary point data: indicator kriging, inverse distance weighting, Thiessen polygons, and an expert approach. We evaluate the results of each mapping method using a test (validation) dataset and receiver operating characteristic plots. Interpolation methods perform well, but results vary with fire size and spatial pattern of points. Though all methods involve some subjectivity, automated interpolation methods perform well, are replicable, and can be applied across varying landscapes.
Informal Interaction and Faculty Projections of Student Ratings of the Institutional Climate.

This study employed the Semantic Differential technique to investigate the relationship between informal interaction with students and the accuracy with which faculty members project students' perceptions of the institutional climate at two colleges of Arts and Sciences. When subdivided into nominal categories of “high,” “moderate,” and “low interactors” on the basis of their frequency of informal, out-of-class contacts with students, high interactors were found to project consistently more accurate student ratings of the climate on a bureaucracy factor than low interactors. A similar, though not consistent, relationship was found between high and low interactors on an intellectualism/scholarship dimension.
Competitiveness of Busulfan-fed Sterile vs. Native Male Boll Weevils 13

Field cage tests to evaluate the competitiveness between busulfan-fed sterile males of a laboratory strain and fertile males of a field-collected strain were conducted. The field-collected males mated with 66.2% of the released field-collected females and the sterile males mated with 27.0%; 6.8% of the females had apparently mated with both sterile and fertile males.