cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved memory function 12 weeks after bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Growing evidence has shown that obesity is associated with poor neurocognitive outcomes. Bariatric surgery has been shown to be an effective intervention for morbid obesity and can result in improvement of many co-morbid medical conditions that are associated with cognitive dysfunction. The effects of bariatric surgery on cognition are unknown. Methods We performed a prospective study total of 150 subjects (109 bariatric surgery patients enrolled in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery project and 41 obese control subjects who had not undergone bariatric surgery). These 150 subjects completed a cognitive evaluation at baseline and at 12 weeks of follow-up. The demographic, medical, and psychosocial information was also collected to elucidate the possible mechanisms of change. Results Many bariatric surgery patients exhibited impaired performance on cognitive testing at baseline (range 4.6–23.9%). However, the surgery patients were no more likely to exhibit a decline on ≥2 cognitive tests at 12 weeks of follow-up than were the obese controls [12.84% versus 23.26%; chi-square (1) = 2.51, P = .11]. Group comparisons using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance showed that the surgery patients had improved memory performance at 12 weeks of follow-up [λ = .86, F(4, 147) = 5.88, P P = .005], although the other demographic and medical variables were largely unrelated to the test performance. Conclusion The present results suggest that cognitive impairment is common in bariatric surgery patients, although these deficits might be at least partly reversible. Future studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms, in particular, longitudinal studies using neuroimaging and blood markers.
Case files of the medical toxicology fellowship at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ: methemoglobinemia following dapsone exposure

Acquired methemoglobinemia is a common, potentially fatal syndrome that can occur as a result of exposure to numerous xenobiotics. A case report of a 14-month-old female who developed methemoglobinemia following a dapsone ingestion. The child was treated with numerous boluses of methylene blue and ultimately required a continuous infusion of methylene blue. The common causes of methemoglobinemia, as well as the underlying pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment strategies are discussed.
Acute Effects of Sublingual Nitroglycerin on Hepatic Blood Flow in Healthy Volunteers

Duplex sonography was used to assess the effects on hepatic blood flow after administering 0.6 mg nitroglycerin (NTG) sublingually to ten healthy volunteers. The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study in which subjects were studied on three separate occasions. Each visit involved administering either placebo or NTG followed by estimation of blood flow through a particular branch of the hepatic artery, portal vein, and hepatic vein every minute for 15 minutes after NTG and placebo administration. Two hours later, subjects were crossed over to the other treatment and the same vessel branch was again examined for 15 minutes. Total blood flow increased 7% in the portal vein and 27% in the hepatic vein during NTG treatment, but did not change significantly in the hepatic artery. Vascular resistance was increased in the hepatic artery and decreased in the portal and hepatic veins after NTG. Qualitatively, flow changed dramatically in the hepatic vein after NTG with the disappearance of normal retrograde flow. The results indicate that nitroglycerin effects hepatic blood flow through the portal and hepatic veins with a decrease in vascular resistance in the portal and hepatic veins and an increase in resistance in the hepatic artery.
On information management, environmental sustainability, and cradle to cradle mentalities: A relationship framework

Attempting to merge the topics of environmental sustainability and information management, this article works towards defining both fields and constructing a viable framework that creates a strong relationship between the two topics. Reviewing literature on information management and environmental sustainability, the authors argue that the two topics must become inseparable — the work in one discipline must inform and advance the other. The need to do so is further underscored by the evolving nature of both disciplines.
Prognostic impact of microsatellite instability and DNA ploidy in human colon carcinoma patients.

Background & Aims: Genomic instability in colon cancers is a consequence of chromosomal instability characterized by aneuploidy or defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR) indicated by microsatellite instability (MSI). Given that high-frequency MSI (MSI-H) and diploidy are correlated, we determined whether they are independent prognostic variables. Methods: Astler–Coller stage B2 and C colon cancers (N = 528) from patients treated in 5-fluorouracil–based adjuvant therapy trials were analyzed for MSI using 11 microsatellite markers. Immunostaining for hMLH1, hMSH2, and p53 proteins was performed. DNA ploidy was analyzed by flow cytometry. Associations with disease-free and overall survival were determined. Results: MSI-H was detected in 95 tumors (18%), and 70 (74%) of these were diploid. Tumors showing MSI-H (hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.44–0.96; P = .023) or loss of MMR proteins ( P = .024) were associated with better overall survival. Improved disease-free and overall survival were found for diploid versus aneuploid/tetraploid tumors (overall survival: hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.43–0.79; P = .0003). In the subgroups of MSI-H and microsatellite stable (MSS)/low-frequency MSI (MSI-L) tumors, diploidy was associated with better survival. The prognostic impact of ploidy was similar in stage B2 and C tumors. Ploidy did not predict the benefit of 5-fluorouracil–based treatment. When ploidy, MSI, and MMR proteins were analyzed in the same multivariate model, only ploidy remained significant. Conclusions: DNA ploidy and MSI-H status were independent prognostic variables, yet ploidy was the strongest marker. Diploidy was associated with better survival in MSI-H and in MSS/MSI-L patient subgroups.
‘Defying’ democratization and environmental protection in Kenya: The case of Karura Forest reserve in Nairobi

Abstract It had been assumed that the rise of multipartyism in sub-Saharan Africa in the late 1980s and 1990s would necessarily lead to better environmental management. Limited studies, mostly based on experiences in southern Africa, suggest that the relationship between the environment and democratization in sub-Saharan Africa still remains an open question. Furthermore, democratization in sub-Saharan Africa has coincided with the implementation of neoliberal-inspired economic adjustment programs. So far, most discussions of the environmental effects of democratization in the region reflect studies of democratization and neoliberalization which tend to treat the two processes separately, failing to recognize their complex interconnections, both in their material and discursive dimensions. This paper is, therefore, an effort to broaden the discussion of the interactions between democratization and the environment in sub-Saharan Africa. Accordingly, the paper investigates the change in the protection of Karura Forest, a key public forest reserve in Nairobi, Kenya, during a period of multi-party politics and election and neoliberal economic reforms in the country in the early 1990s. The paper uses the urban political ecology perspective to help tease out the interactions between democratization and the environment, and highlights how neoliberalism may complicate those interactions. Ultimately, this paper supports cautionary observations about the environmental effects of democratization in sub-Saharan Africa.
Jesus' Understanding of History

HE problem of history is a burning issue today, and works treating of the subject seem to agree largely that this interest is a contribution to Western thought due more to our Hebrew-Christian heritage than to our Greek heritage. Such writers on the topic as Karl L6with (Meaning in History) and H. Butterfield (Christianity and History), though not biblical scholars, have directed their analyses to the Bible. But such treatments have tended to ignore Jesus, perhaps partly because he was not an author of, "just" a participant in biblical history, partly because of the difficulty of ascertaining and understanding his language. A welcomed exception is the brief chapter devoted to Jesus by E. C. Rust in The Christian Understanding of History. Yet even the specific treatment of the Early Christian Interpretation of History by R. L. P. Milburn begins only with the second century. Thus the answer to the problem of how the Hebrew prophetic concept of history entered Western civilization is at the decisive point passed by, a gap which we are likely to overlook because we are accustomed to conceive of the Old Testament as a Christian book
Calibration of SeaWiFS on orbit

SeaWiFS was launched onboard the OrbView-2 satellite on 1 August 1997. On 4 September 1997, the day of first light for the instrument, SeaWiFS global images were processed automatically using the instrument’s prelaunch calibration and distributed on the World Wide Web. With the first reprocessing of SeaWiFS data in January 1998, the radiometric calibration coefficients for the SeaWiFS visible bands were linked to the water-leaving radiances measured by the Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY). In addition, the calibration coefficient for the 765 nm SeaWiFS infrared band was adjusted to give values consistent with those for an atmosphere with the maritime type of aerosol found in the vicinity of the MOBY buoy. Since the infrared bands were designed to allow the inference of aerosol type for the SeaWiFS atmospheric correction algorithm, this vicarious calibration forces their agreement with the conditions for a known aerosol type. With the second reprocessing in August 1998, temporal changes in the radiometric sensitivities of the SeaWiFS near infrared bands were corrected using lunar and solar measurements. The third SeaWiFS reprocessing in May 2000 introduced small time dependent calibration corrections to some visible bands. Future SeaWiFS reprocessings are scheduled to occur on an annual to biennial basis. With the third reprocessing, the emphasis of the instrument calibration program has shifted to the assessment of the surface truth comparisons used by SeaWiFS, principally those with MOBY.
Low-energy parity-violation and new physics

The new physics sensitivity of a variety of low-energy parity-violating (PV) observables is analyzed. A comparison is made between atomic PV for a single isotope, atomic PV using isotope ratios, and PV electron-hadron and electron-electron scattering. The complementarity among these observables, as well as with high-energy processes, is emphasized. Theoretical uncertainties entering the interpretation of low-energy measurements are discussed.
Lethality of Cardiovascular Events Highlights the Variable Impact of Complication Type Between Thoracoscopic and Open Pulmonary Lobectomies

Background This study examines the impact of postoperative complications by type on perioperative mortality in lobectomies performed by thoracoscopic (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery [VATS]) and open thoracotomy (OPEN) approaches for primary lung cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis of the Healthcare and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) database from 2007 to 2010 was performed. Patients with primary lung malignancies undergoing pulmonary lobectomy were selected using International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Perioperative complications within a 30-day period from the operation were identified and recorded using ICD-9-CM codes. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed using Poisson and logistic regression modeling. Results There were 24,253 patients included in the analysis, with 5,223 in the VATS cohort and 19,030 in the OPEN cohort. An increased number of complications were associated with increased mortality in both the VATS and OPEN cohorts. The probability of mortality was higher in the OPEN cohort, with 0 or 1 complication, but this difference was lost as the number of complications increased. When categorized by complication type, pulmonary, cardiovascular, wound-related, systemic, and gastrointestinal complications were commonly associated with mortality in both groups. When comparing the number of complications by type between the VATS and OPEN cohorts, cardiovascular (odds ratio [OR], 2.19; p = 0.001) and wound-related (OR, 1.77; p = 0.041) complications were more strongly associated with mortality in the VATS cohort. Conclusions When cardiovascular complications occur after VATS lobectomy, their impact appears to be more significant than those occurring after OPEN lobectomies. This observation deserves further study because of a likely multifactorial explanation.
Characterization of thermal diffusion in polymer solutions by thermal field‐flow fractionation: Dependence on polymer and solvent parameters

The thermal diffusion coefficient DT has been obtained for 17 polymer-solvent combinations, each of them spanning a range of polymer molecular weights, using thermal field-flow fractionation. The polymers examined include polystyrene, poly(alpha-methyl)styrene, polymethylmethacrylate, and polysioprene. The solvents include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, tetrahydrofuran, methylethylketone, ethylacetate, and cyclohexane. Although DT was confirmed as essentially independent of polymer molecular weight, it was found to vary substantially with the chemical composition of polymer and solvent. The results were used to evaluate several thermal diffusion theories; the agreement with theory was generally found to be unsatisfactory. Attempts were then made to correlate the measured thermal diffusion coefficients with various physicochemical parameters of the polymers and solvent. A good correlation was found in which DT increases with the thermal conductivity difference of the polymer and solvent and varies inversely with the activation energy of viscous flow of the solvent.
Characterization of stable humic–enzyme complexes of different soil ecosystems through analytical isoelectric focussing technique (IEF)

Abstract Conventional parameters (total organic carbon, total nitrogen, humic acids and fulvic acids) frequently associated with soil quality were measured and compared with the amount and activity of β-glucosidases associated with the humic–enzyme complex. Soil quality may be defined as the maintenance of an “enzymatically active humic carbon pool” which may express soil resilience and ecological functions. The combination of ultrafiltration (UF) and isoelectric focussing (IEF) permitted the extraction and purification of the humic-bound β-glucosidases. Even though humic-β-glucosidases represent only a small part of soil humic matter either in terms of total soil β-glucosidase activity (3–21%) or as a proportion of the humic-C content (4–8%), they proved to be discriminating parameters (significative differences at P 104 Da (IEF peaks in the pH range 3.5–4.5), the soils were distributed in a decreasing order of quality: undisturbed meadow > tree plantation > 60-year vineyard > agricultural soil > 1-year vineyard.
Growing Diamond Crystals by Chemical Vapor Deposition

The synthesis of large single-crystal diamonds by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at high growth rate has opened a new era for applications of the material. Large and thick single crystals can now be produced at very high growth rates, and the mechanical properties, chemistry, and optical and electronic properties of the material can be tuned over a wide range. The single crystals can have extremely high fracture toughness and exceptionally high hardness following high-pressure/high-temperature annealing. CVD single-crystal diamonds will make possible a new generation of high-pressure-temperature experimentation to study Earth and planetary materials and should enable a variety of other new scientific and technological applications.
Getting Here from There: The Acquisition of "Point of View" in Mopan Maya

A study of the Mopan Maya verb tal (coming) shows that ideal adult usage makes reference to the speaker's own location. Child acquisition, however, proceeds by a process of refinement toward rather than a process of extension from this ideal. The moment at which linguistically expressed "point of view" is understood to be ideally restricted to the speaker is critical in social interactionist developmental accounts. It is only after this moment (in the current data, perhaps around eight years of age) that children might be able to use language to see themselves "through the eyes of the Other."
Aggregation kinetics in salt‐induced protein precipitation

The kinetics of protein aggregation in salt-induced precipitation processes were studied as a function of salt type, salt concentration, temperature and protein concentration. α-chymotrypsin (αCT) was used as a model protein. Stopped-flow turbidimetry was used to monitor the progress of precipitations. Analysis of the linear portions of the turbidity trajectories indicates that temperature and salt concentration effects are related to protein solubility; the protein concentration dependence is well described by the Smoluchowski collision equation. The aggregation kinetics of partially-inhibited αCT exhibit poisoning behavior, underscoring the importance of dimerization and monomer addition in the precipitation of αCT. Solute particle radius distributions determined via dynamic laser light scattering for low salt and supernatant αCT solutions indicated that significant aggregation does not occur in the absence of supersaturation. A detailed population balance model was proposed that accounted for specific and nonspecific interactions and monomer addition. The model is expected to find general application to protein aggregation phenomena, in particular for proteins that have specific quaternary interactions.
Fluorescent and Raman scattering by molecules embedded in small particles: Magnetic dipole transitions

A classical model for fluorescent and Raman scattering by molecules embedded in small spherical particles has been formulated recently by Chew, McNulty, and Kerker, on the assumption that the dominant transitions are electric dipole transitions. In this Addendum results are given for those cases where the dominant transitions are magnetic dipole.
New Developments in the Assessment of Professional Education

SynopsisIncreasingly, the products of medical education are being studied by systematic evaluation procedures which include: empirical determination of essential components of professional competence, employment of simulation technique to supplement more conventional methods of assessment, application of pre-established standards, and utilization of numerous feedback mechanisms to assure fuller exploitation of evaluation data. Such data are utilized not only to assess individual achievement of critical performance requirements, but also to identify differential rates and patterns of progress toward these goals, to determine the relation between these patterns and important independent variables in the learning situation, to guide curricular development, and to provide evidence of value in re-defining the goals themselves. It seems clear that this approach can be useful in the evaluation of professional education.
Coupled Fluid-Structural Characteristics of Actuators for Flow Control

The characteristics of a typical flow control actuator design are discussed. The device is based on a resonating structure that interacts with a closed volume of fluid to create a concentrated jet through an exit orifice. The resulting unsteady flow through the orifice introduces viscous effects that are characterized by the Stokes parameter based on the orifice diameter. An optimum operating Stokes parameter is then computed by matching this viscous dominated solution to an ideal, inviscid result. The actuator is modeled with a system of coupled equations that describe its fluid-structural behavior.
Metal coated functionalized single -walled carbon nanotubes for composite applications

This study is considered as a method for producing multifunctional metal composite materials by using Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs). In this research, various metals (Ni, Cu, Ag ) were successfully deposited onto the surface of SWNTs. It has been found that homogenous dispersion and dense nucleation sites are the necessary conditions to form uniform coating on SWNTs. Functionalization has been applied to achieve considerable improvement in the dispersion of purified single-walled carbon nanotubes. A three-step electroless plating approach was used and the coating mechanism is described in the paper. The samples were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The application of coated SWNTs in Titanium will be discussed in this paper.
Design of multi-degree-of-freedom tuned-mass dampers

Many methods have been developed for the design of a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) vibration absorber to damp SDOF vibration since Den Hartog presented his fixed points method in 1928. But a rigid body employed as a vibration absorber will in general have six degrees of freedom relative to a structure. By taking full advantage of the inertia of the body, we can damp as many as six modes, or make the system more robust or compact. In this paper, we present a two-step method for optimization of the stiffness and damping of a multi-degree-of-freedom connection between a reaction mass and a vibrating structure: First, treating the reaction mass as a perturbation to the vibrating structure, we obtain an approximate design. Second, we adapt a descent-subgradient method to fine-tune the design by maximizing the minimal damping over a prescribed frequency range.
Aromatic Oligoureas: Enforced Folding and Assisted Cyclization

Aromatic oligoureas are forced into well-defined conformation by incorporated intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Shape-persistent tetraureas macrocycles were obtained in a one-step [2+2] reaction in good yields.
Visibility and Aerosol Size Frequency Distribution.

Abstract The visual quality of the atmosphere in terms of the meteorological range has become a frequently used working standard in aviation and air pollution. Calculations of the meteorological range based on measured size frequency distribution of aerosols in the atmosphere are compared with visibility observations and discussed with regard to existing weather conditions. The results show the existence of strong inhomogeneities in the aerosol content of air and indicate the necessity for objective means in order to quantitatively evaluate the visual quality of the atmosphere. It follows from the calculations that changes in refractive index and wavelength within their limiting values have little influence on the total extinction of any size distribution.
A stressed intermediate in the formation of stably initiated RNA chains at the Escherichia coli lac UV5 promoter

We report experiments designed to elucidate the mechanism by which RNA polymerase advances from the open complex to synthesis of a stably bound RNA chain during transcription initiation. Techniques used include deoxyribonuclease I footprinting. methylation protection, and exonuclease III digestion through upstream domains, each applied to the open, abortive and productive transcription complexes of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase with the lac promoter. The results show a slight loss of upstream open complex contacts during abortive transcription of a 6-mer and 8-mer, but a large loss of these contacts upon escape from abortive cycling into productive transcription at the 11-mer. We propose a model for early initiation in which competition between open complex polymerase-DNA contacts on one hand and initiated complex polymerase-DNA-RNA interactions on the other produces a “stressed intermediate” during formation of a short RNA-DNA duplex. The strain energy is relieved either by ejecting the short RNA. resulting in aborted initiation, or by eliminating the σ subunit and breaking the open complex contacts, thereby escaping abortive cycling into productive transcription. Further evidence for this model is based on the observation that destabilization of interactions specific for either open complex or initiated complex has the predicted effect on the amount of abortive cycling. The model predicts a complicated relationship between overall promoter strength and DNA sequence changes that alter polymerase-DNA interactions.
Phytochrome-mediated Electric Potential Changes in Oat Seedlings

Brief exposures to red light induce far red-reversible changes of 5 to 10 millivolts magnitude in the upper 1 centimeter of etiolated Avena coleoptiles. The changes begin within 15 seconds of the start of illumination and they continue for at least 12 minutes. The changes were measured using a flowing solution of 10 mm KCl to contact the surface of the coleoptile. A dark-grown coleoptile shows no change in response to far red light unless it first receives red light treatment. The second of two red light exposures is ineffective without an intervening far red treatment. Some characterization of these electric responses to light is presented.
Children's voluntary exploration and preference for tactually presented nonsense shapes differing in complexity.

Abstract This study represents an extension of research on children's response to nonsense shapes varying in complexity to the tactual modality. Wooden cut-out shapes varying in number of turns from 3 to 40 were presented to children at Grades I, III, and VI, both for voluntary haptic exploration, and for preference choices. Both of these measures yielded monotonically increasing functions in the oldest group, while the youngest showed a similar but much flatter gradient for exploration times, and an inverted-U shaped preference function; data for the Third Grade subjects were in both cases intermediate. Supplementary data based on an analysis of preference choice latencies for stimulus pairs of adjacent levels of complexity, as well as on ratings of subject's mode of exploration of the stimuli under both response sets showed a marked shift from a predominantly passive to an increasingly active mode of exploration. These results are related to the age differences for the exploration-time and preference data, and discussed in relation to Schachtel's differentiation between allocentric and autocentric modes of perception.
Individual differences in strategy use in second language reading and testing.

individual differences in strategy use by adult second language learners while engaged in two reading tasks: taking a standardized reading comprehension test and reading academic texts.' Results on reading comprehension tests are often used to characterize readers yet the results do not provide any insight into the processes readers have used to arrive at a given answer. Increased attention is being given to an examination of individual learner differences
Strategies for Telecoms to Improve Efficiency in the Production of Revenues: An Empirical Investigation in the Context of Transition Economies

AbstractDespite sharing a common label, Transition Economies (TE) do not constitute a homogenous group; rather, these countries differ in many ways, including the level of economic development. These differences preclude TEs from adapting a uniform strategy towards increasing the level of relative efficiency of production of revenues from investments in Telecoms. In this study, conducted in the context of 18 TEs, we address two research questions. The first involves the identification of strategies appropriate to each TE for increasing the level of the relative efficiency of the production of revenue from Telecoms. The second question involves the identification of the appropriate implementation routes of the identified strategy. In order to answer the research questions of this study, we draw theoretical support from the framework of Neoclassical Growth Accounting and employ a three-step methodology utilizing Decision Trees, Neural Networks, and Data Envelopment Analysis.
QSAR for methyl- and/or chloro-substituted anilines and the polar narcosis mechanism of toxicity

Abstract The relative toxicity of 32 methyl- and/or chloro-substituted anilines was assessed in the 48-h sublethal, static Tetrahymena pyriformis population growth assay. Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) were examined. Regression analysis of toxicity (log IGC 50 −1 ) versus the 1-octanol/water partition coefficient (log K OW ) showed excellent correlation as revealed by the equation log IGC 50 −1 = 0.698 (log K OW ) −1.190; n= 23, r-square= 0.931, s= 0.136, f= 282.47, Pr > f= 0.0001. This equation is considered to represent the polar narcosis mode of action. Nine derivatives were not included in the model. The parent compound aniline and the 4-chloro derivative were observed to be more toxic than predicted. The seven di- and trimethyl derivatives were observed to be less toxic than predicted. The latter seven derivatives could be included in the model with the addition of the summation of the Hammett sigma constants (∑σ) as a second descriptor, log IGC 50 −1 = 0.428 (log K OW ) + 0.733 (∑σ) −0.828; n= 30, r-square= 0.919, s= 0.169, f= 153.60, Pr > f= 0.0001. Abiotic loss was not considered to be a factor in the observed toxicities.
Violence and the western political tradition.

Western political systems have sought to concentrate, and hence increase, the instruments of violence in the hands of the state and to diminish the means of violence available to private groups. Three basic approaches have been put forward: the “disguise of violence,” the introduction of a “mediator” and the creation of a “science of violence.” One of today's critical problems is that all three approaches have steadily lost their efficacy and appeal.
Particle order: A new fundamental concept in Hadron Physics

The sequentially ordered SM, and the DTU scheme based on it, were seen to describe from a unified point of view a wide range of phenomena in the meson sector; indeed, it appears to have the potential of becoming a quantitative theory of mesons (of course a strong-interaction theory cannot be complete without including all hadrons, but to the extent that baryons do not affect the calculations too strongly, it appears to be a good approximation for mesons). Given this state of affairs, we found it hard to believe that the ordered SM idea would remain limited to mesons, particularly since baryons, too, exhibit features that we had come to recognize as the hallmark of the ordered SM, such as quark structure (qqq), the OZ[ rule (e.g., ~--~ p/~ etc. is strongly suppressed), Regge pole dominance, exchange degeneracy for many trajectories, etc. In fact, the need to extend duality and particularly the DTU program to baryons had been felt acutely for quite a while, and had given rise to numerous attempts to accomplish this, none of them really successful. One of the more persistent obstacles was the problem posed by the
Examining whether lung screening changes risk perceptions: National Lung Screening Trial participants at 1‐year follow‐up

BACKGROUND: The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) research team reported reduced lung cancer mortality among current and former smokers with a minimum 30 pack-year history who were screened with spiral computed tomography scans compared with chest x-rays. The objectives of the current study were to examine, at 1-year follow-up: 1) risk perceptions of lung cancer and smoking-related diseases and behavior change determinants, 2) whether changes in risk perceptions differed by baseline screening result; and 3) whether changes in risk perceptions affected smoking behavior. METHODS: A 25-item risk perception questionnaire was administered to a subset of participants at 8 American College of Radiology Imaging Network/NLST sites before initial and 1-year follow-up screens. Items assessed risk perceptions of lung cancer and smoking-related diseases, cognitive and emotional determinants of behavior change, and knowledge of smoking risks. RESULTS: Among 430 NLST participants (mean age, 61.0 years; 55.6% men; 91.9% white), half were current smokers at baseline. Overall, risk perceptions and associated cognitive and emotional determinants of behavior change did not change significantly from prescreen trial enrollment to 1-year follow-up and did not differ significantly by screening test result. Changes in risk perceptions were not associated with changes in smoking status (9.7% of participants quit, and 6.6% relapsed) at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Lung screening did not change participants' risk perceptions of lung cancer or smoking-related disease. A negative screening test, which was the most common screening result, did not appear to decrease risk perceptions nor provide false reassurance to smokers. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Expression of L1 in primary astrocytes via a defective herpes simplex virus vector promotes neurite outgrowth and neural cell migration

The neural cell adhesion molecule L1 is a transmembrane glycoprotein of approximately 200 kDa molecular weight that is a member of the immunoglobulin super family. Multiple functions of L1 have been reported, including cell-cell interactions, neurite elongation, axonal fasciculation, cell migration, and myelination. L1 plays important roles in neural development and axonal regeneration in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), however in the adult it is only present on neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). In the present study we have used defective herpes simplex virus (HSV) vectors to express full-length human or rat L1 in cultured primary rat cortical astrocytes. Rat cerebellar granule cells, a rather homogeneous population of neurons, co-cultured on a substrate layer of L1-expressing astrocytes demonstrated increased migration and neurite extension compared with neurons co-cultured on lacZ-expressing astrocytes or uninfected astrocytes. There was no detectable difference between human and rat L1. Because this vector system can be used to confer phenotypic changes in primary nervous system cells it will be useful for in vitro and in vivo studies of neural regenerative sprouting and plasticity in the CNS.
Treatment strategies for anxiety, stress, and developmental conflict during reproduction

In the preceding article, I reviewed the literature and analyzed psychophysiological and psychosocial foundations of reproductive health outcomes. In this article, I focus on treatment strategies and considerations for policy formation pertaining to the care of women, children, and families during reproduction. I discuss (a) cognitive and behavioral strategies for decreasing anxiety and promoting relaxation during gestation and parturition; (b) educational and other activities to prepare women for the childbirth event and alternatives to current practice; (c) methods of providing support and enhancing the mother's capacity for coping with events occurring during labor and delivery; and (d) current national and international programs and pilot projects that have effectively promoted health and adaptation to pregnancy and have reduced the occurrence of reproductive complications.
On the Uplink Capacity of Hybrid Cellular Ad Hoc Networks

Towards increasing spatial reuse, cellular networks may be augmented with ad hoc connectivity. In the resulting hybrid network, the coverage area of the base station (BS) is reduced and the users within this area relay packets from/to the users outside. With this approach, shorter range, higher-rate links are used; this favors an increase in spatial reuse and thus, the achievable capacity. However, multi-hop relaying overhead can hurt capacity. In this paper, we analytically compute the uplink capacity, defined as an upper bound on the achievable throughput under max-min fairness. To gage the tightness of the bound, we seek to find the optimal transmission schedule for delivering the packets from the nodes in a cell to the BS. In general, constructing the optimal uplink schedule is NP-hard. We develop a heuristic approach and show via simulations that the resulting performance is close to the derived capacity bound. Our results suggest that (a) the hybrid network can achieve up to a 200 % increase in the uplink capacity compared to a pure cellular network, and (b) the simulated throughput is close to the analytically computed capacity showing that our bound is tight.
The identification of a TiErO phase

Etude par EDS, EELS, AES et STEM de la phase intermetallique obtenue lors du frittage a chaud a pression isostatique (HIP) d'une poudre metallique de type Ti-Er-O
Estimates of the influence of nuclear deformations and shell effects on the lifetimes of exotic radioactivities

Abstract We estimate the influence on the lifetimes of exotic radioactivities of nuclear ground-state deformations and of the attenuation of fragment shell effects by the fragments' interaction. These corrections are generally of the order of one power of ten, representing modifications of the barrier penetrabilities amounting to a few percent. The corrections to the lifetimes do not ruin the current reasonable correspondence between theory and experiment. In fact, the fit is improved slightly.
Natural Amyloid-Beta Oligomers Acutely Impair the Formation of a Contextual Fear Memory in Mice

Memory loss is one of the hallmark symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been proposed that soluble amyloid-beta (Abeta) oligomers acutely impair neuronal function and thereby memory. We here report that natural Abeta oligomers acutely impair contextual fear memory in mice. A natural Abeta oligomer solution containing Abeta monomers, dimers, trimers, and tetramers was derived from the conditioned medium of 7PA2 cells, a cell line that expresses human amyloid precursor protein containing the Val717Phe familial AD mutation. As a control we used 7PA2 conditioned medium from which Abeta oligomers were removed through immunodepletion. Separate groups of mice were injected with Abeta and control solutions through a cannula into the lateral brain ventricle, and subjected to fear conditioning using two tone-shock pairings. One day after fear conditioning, mice were tested for contextual fear memory and tone fear memory in separate retrieval trials. Three experiments were performed. For experiment 1, mice were injected three times: 1 hour before and 3 hours after fear conditioning, and 1 hour before context retrieval. For experiments 2 and 3, mice were injected a single time at 1 hour and 2 hours before fear conditioning respectively. In all three experiments there was no effect on tone fear memory. Injection of Abeta 1 hour before fear conditioning, but not 2 hours before fear conditioning, impaired the formation of a contextual fear memory. In future studies, the acute effect of natural Abeta oligomers on contextual fear memory can be used to identify potential mechanisms and treatments of AD associated memory loss.
Estimation of the geometrical rate constant in idealized three dimensional grain growth

An estimate is made of the geometrical rate constant G3 in the parabolic grain growth law d〈r〉2/dt = kG3 in three dimensions, where 〈r〉 is the average volume-equivalent grain radius and where k = -un/K is a positive constant in which un is the local boundary velocity along an outward pointing normal and K is the local mean curvature (positive for a sphere). The parabolic law follows from the above velocity rule and a hypothesis of statistical self-similarity of the structure. The estimate is based on (l) a theorem deduced from the preceeding assumptions, (2) an approximate formula for the rate of change of the volume of a given grain, (3) a model of polyhedral geometry and (4) the experimental data of Hull on separated β-brass grains. We estimate G3 = 0.5 ± 0.l. Comparison with previous estimates is made.
AXONAL TRANSPORT OF CATECHOLAMINE SYNTHESIZING AND METABOLIZING ENZYMES

The rates of accumulation of the catecholamine synthesizing and metabolizing enzymes proximal to a ligation on the sciatic nerve of the rat were studied. Dopamine-β hydroxylase (EC 1.14.2.1) and tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.3a) accumulated at a similar rapid rate, and catechol-O-methyl-transferase (EC 2.1.1.6), choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6) and monoamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.4) accumulated at the same slow rate, whereas DOPA decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.26) accumulated at an intermediate rate. Based on clearance of the rapidly accumulating enzymes, absolute flow rates were estimated to be: 106-167 mm/24 h for tyrosine hydroxylase; 138-185 mm/24 h for dopamine-β-hydroxylase; and 36-86 mm/24 h for DOPA decarboxylase. In contrast, the mean rate of transport of the slowly accumulating enzymes (monomine oxidase, catechol-O-methyltransferase and choline acetyltransferase) was approximately 3 mm/24 h. Colchicine and vinblastine completely blocked the axonal transport of both the rapidly and slowly transported enzymes. Studies of the subcellular distribution of each enzyme failed to confirm the suggestion that particulate enzymes are transported rapidly and soluble enzymes slowly. Our results suggest that the transport and inactivation of dopamine-β-hydroxylase, DOPA decarboxylase, and tyrosine hydroxylase are under different controls than monoamine oxidase and catechol-O-methyltransferase.
1.5.2 EXPERIENCE WITH AUTOMATED REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT

Theory is one thing; practicality is another. Selling a requirements tool is one thing; using it is another. Here actual experiences in requirement management using three automated toolsets–the Simple Tested Available Requirement Tracer (START), Teamwork and the Cowen Utilities, and R-Trace and Utilities-are described in some detail. These toolsets range from table-document referencing systems to a full centralized database requirement text system. All were used through one or more revisions to top level requirements and all were successful to a degree. Topics include training; requirement identification/marking, allocation, and flowdown verification; responsibility segmentation; and spec and analysis document generation and control. Brief comments are also given on experience with eight other toolsets.
SU‐E‐T‐94: Daily Fraction Dose Recalculation Based On Rigid Registration Using Cone Beam CT

Purpose: To calculate the daily fraction dose for a CBCT recalculation based on rigid registration and compare it to the planned CT dose. Methods: For this study, 30 patients that were previously treated (10 SBRT lung, 10 prostate and 10 abdomen) were considered. The daily CBCT images were imported into the Pinnacle treatment planning system from Mosaic. The prescribing physician contoured the regions of interest (ROI) on each CBCT and then dose was computed on each CBCT. Each CBCT dose distribution was then compared against the plan. The evaluation was based on isodose line comparison and Dose Volume Histogram comparison. Results: In the case of lung patients the dose differences between daily dose and plan dose were considered small. The PTV coverage was not compromised and the dose to the organs at risk had negligible differences. Larger differences were observed for prostate and abdomen patients. In these cases, although the PTV doses did not change on a daily basis, the doses to the organs at risk had significant differences. For a prostate patient, the bladder dose at 35% volume was 2714.444 cGy for the CT plan and 2844.747, 2801.556, 3552.37, and 2970.968 cGy for subsequent CBCTs. For the PTV on a SBRT patient, however, the CT plan had a dose at 35% volume of 6917.71 cGy and 6815.385, 6892.5, 6896.25, and 6922.9 cGy for the CBCTs. Conclusion: Daily dose validation is feasible using CBCT and treatment planning system. It provides means to evaluate the course of treatment for the patient undergoing radiation therapy and can assist in the decision of the need of adaptation of the treatment plan.
A Burst Scheduling Access Reordering Mechanism

Utilizing the nonuniform latencies of SDRAM devices, access reordering mechanisms alter the sequence of main memory access streams to reduce the observed access latency. Using a revised M5 simulator with an accurate SDRAM module, the burst scheduling access reordering mechanism is proposed and compared to conventional in order memory scheduling as well as existing academic and industrial access reordering mechanisms. With burst scheduling, memory accesses to the same rows of the same banks are clustered into bursts to maximize bus utilization of the SDRAM device. Subject to a static threshold, memory reads are allowed to preempt ongoing writes for reduced read latency, while qualified writes are piggybacked at the end of bursts to exploit row locality in writes and prevent write queue saturation. Performance improvements contributed by read preemption and write piggybacking are identified. Simulation results show that burst scheduling reduces the average execution time of selected SPEC CPU2000 benchmarks by 21% over conventional bank in order memory scheduling. Burst scheduling also outperforms Intel's patented out of order memory scheduling and the row hit access reordering mechanism by 11% and 6% respectively
FPPAC94: A two-dimensional multispecies nonlinear Fokker-Planck package for UNIX systems☆

Abstract FPPAC94 solves the complete nonlinear multispecies Fokker-Planck collison operator for a plasma in two-dimensional velocity space. The operator is expressed in terms of spherical coordinates (speed and pitch angle) under the assumption of azimuthal symmetry. Provision is made for additional physics contributions (e.g. rf heating, electric field acceleration). The charged species, referred to as general species, are assumed to be in the presence of an arbitrary number of fixed Maxwellian species. The electrons may be treated either as one of these Maxwellian species or as a general species. Coulomb interactions among all charged species are considered This program is a new version of FPPAC. FPPAC was last published in Computer Physics Communications in 1988. This new version is identical in scope to the previous version. However, it is written in standard Fortran 77 and is able to execute on a variety of Unix systems. The code has been tested on the Cray-C90, HP-755 and Sun Sparc-1. The answers agree on all platforms where the code has been tested. The test problems are the same as those provided in 1988. This version also corrects a bug in the 1988 version.
Material selection and product safety : theory versus practice

Abstract The role of material development and selection as well as product safety and liability is explored in this paper. The paper presents a conceptual framework which facilitates an interface between material selection and product safety/liability at the three planning-horizon levels of strategic, intermediate, and tactical. The five specific areas of interface include: (1) strategic material development and usage, (2) product safety, (3) product liability, (4) materials selection and testing and (5) materials usage and processing. Then, five propositions pertaining to each area of interface at each level of planning are proposed and evaluated for a company as an example. The results indicate that the company performed well for two propositions (2) and (3); and performed very poorly for three propositions (1), (4) and (5). The company had to comply with stringent safety and regulatory requirements but was under no internal or external pressure to improve its material development, selection, and processing practices. Finally, the conclusions, assessment, and future research directions are presented. Additional recommendations, prerequisites, or guidelines for effective incorporation of the propositions for the company or other companies that might embark on similar programs are proposed.