cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic MR digital subtraction angiography using contrast enhancement, fast data acquisition, and complex subtraction

A dynamic MR angiography technique, MR digital subtraction angiography (MR DSA), is proposed using fast acquisition, contrast enhancement, and complex subtraction. When a bolus of contrast is injected into a patient, data acquisition begins, dynamically acquiring a thick slab using a fast gradient echo sequence for 10-100 s. Similar to x-ray DSA, a mask is selected from the images without contrast enhancement, and later images are subtracted from the mask to generate angiograms. Complex subtraction is used to overcome the partial volume effects related to the phase difference between the flowing and stationary magnetization in a voxel. Vessel signal is the enhancement of flow magnetization resulting from the contrast bolus. MR DSA was performed in 28 patients, including vessels in the lungs, brains, legs, abdomen, and pelvis. All targeted vessels were well depicted with MR DSA. Corresponding dynamic information (contrast arrival time t a and duration of the arterial phase t av ) was measured : t a /t av = 3.4/4.7 s for the lung, 10.3/4.9 s for the brain, 12.8/19.3 for the aorta, 15.2/12.6 s for the leg. MR DSA can provide dynamic angiographic images using a very short acquisition time.
The demand for local public goods: choosing an appropriate functional form

The demand for public goods is typically specified in direct form (prices are assumed exogenous, quantities are the choice variable) based on cross-section data. The fact that public goods are characterized by jointness suggests that the indirect form (quantity exogenous) may be more appropriate than the direct form. In addition, it is not likely that cross-sectional data will satisfy integrability. In this paper integrability. In this paper integrability is tested for in both the direct and indirect form using data on a typical cross-section of municipalities. It is found that the homogeneity, equality and symmetry conditions are violated in both the direct and indirect forms.
Academic Listening/Speaking Tasks for ESL Students: Problems, Suggestions, and Implications*

Survey research on academic skills that ESL students need to function effectively at English-speaking universities has, for the most part, focused extensively on reading and writing skills. Complementary research on subject-matter instructors' perceptions of linguistic/ academic problems of ESL students has similarly emphasized literacy tasks. The present study therefore investigates college/university professors' views on ESL students' difficulties with listening/speaking tasks. Content-area instructors at four different institutions and in a variety of academic disciplines responded to questions and provided comments about their ESL students' aural/oral skills. Respondents felt that their ESL students have great difficulty with class participation, asking and responding to questions, and general listening comprehension (as opposed to lecture comprehension). They also suggested strongly that ESL instructors strive for authenticity in their EAP activities, specifically that they give students opportunities to practice listening to real lectures by a variety of speakers, interact with native speakers, and cope with genre-specific vocabulary, reading materials, and writing tasks.
How Guilt and Pride Shape Subsequent Self-Control

The present research utilized experience sampling data to investigate how guilt and pride experiences in response to self-control failure versus success affect future self-control when encountering...
Job Displacement from Agriculture

Unlike manufacturing employers, "small" agricultural employers are generally not required to participate in the Unemployment Insurance system, which leaves many farm workers ineligible for unemployment benefits. Theory implies that displaced workers who are ineligible for benefits experience shorter jobless spells and a lower reemployment wage. With data from the Displaced Workers' Survey, we show that displaced agricultural workers spend 4.6 fewer weeks unemployed and upon reemployment earn 9% less than displaced manufacturing workers. Not surprisingly, in states where "small" agricultural employers are required to participate in the Unemployment Insurance program, postdisplacement outcomes for agricultural and manufacturing workers are similar. Copyright 2010, Oxford University Press.
Public Policy Issues in HIV/AIDS

Judy Auerbach is Vice President, Public Policy at the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), where she is responsible for developing, leading, and managing the activities of amfAR’s Public Policy Office in Washington, D.C. These activities include advocating for sound, science-based HIV/AIDS policy and protecting the rights of people infected with HIV and those at risk of infection. Prior to coming to amfAR, Dr. Auerbach served as the Director of the Behavioral and Social Science Program and as the HIV Prevention Science Coordinator in the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During 1998, while on a detail from the OAR, Dr. Auerbach served as Assistant Director for Social and Behavioral Sciences in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Prior to going to the NIH, Dr. Auerbach was a Senior Program Office at the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Sciences, where she was Study Director for the Committee on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in AIDS Research. Dr. Auerbach began her policy work in Washington in 1988 as an AAAS Congressional Science Fellow, sponsored by the Society for Research in Child Development, when she worked on child, family, and health policy issues in the office of Representative Pat Schroeder. From 1989 to 1990, she served as Director of the Institute for the Study of Women and Men at the University of Southern California. She then returned to Washington and served as Associate Director for Government Affairs at the Consortium of Social Science Associations. Dr. Auerbach received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1986, and taught sociology at Widener University and the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to a number of articles and book chapters, she is the author of the book, In the Business of Child Care: Employer Initiatives and Working Women (Praeger, 1988).
The African-American Family in Slavery and Emancipation, by Wilma Dunaway: Review Essay

This is an explosive book, iconoclastic, myth-shattering, and profound. But it is also fine tuned and rich in detail, the work of a master (no pun intended) craftswoman. You have simply got to read this book. Wilma Dunaway has issued a provocative rebuttal to those who have argued that slaveholders rarely broke-up enslaved African families; that slaves were adequately fed, clothed, and sheltered; and that slave health or death risks were no greater than those experienced by white adults. According to Dunaway these weaknesses in much scholarly research stem from a flawed view of the slave family, scholarly neglect of small plantations, limited analysis of Upper South enslavement, and academic exaggeration of slave agency. Dunaways study relies largely on her analysis of slave narratives.
Environmentally benign processing of YAG transparent wafers

Abstract Transparent yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) wafers were successfully produced via aqueous tape casting and vacuum sintering techniques using a new environmentally friendly binder, a copolymer of isobutylene and maleic anhydride with the commercial name ISOBAM (noted as ISOBAM). Aqueous YAG slurries were mixed by ball-milling, which was followed by de-gassing and tape casting of wafers. The final YAG green tapes were homogenous and flexible, and could be bent freely without cracking. After the drying and sintering processes, transparent YAG wafers were achieved. The microstructures of both the green tape and vacuum-sintered YAG ceramic were observed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Phase compositions were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Optical transmittance was measured in UV–VIS regions with the result that the transmittance is 82.6% at a wavelength of 800 nm.
Gross motion planning and collision avoidance

It has been shown that a more advanced approach to robot programming is task-level programming, where the operator does not specify a sequence of manipulator motions and functions, but the general task (independent of the specific robot and the workcell) is in natural language. Thus the problem of automatic robot programming can be formulated [Lau88] as follows: Given a description of the initial and of the goal situations along with a complete model of the robot world, find a robot motion allowing to reach the goal situation without generating any collision between the robot (the arm and the payload) and the objects belonging to the robot workspace; moreover, the generated solution must verify various constraints (contacts, accuracy, velocity, robustness . . . ) depending on the context of the motion to be executed. For manipulator robots the motion planning problem can be broken up in three separate parts: gross-motion-, fine-motion- and grasp-planning, while for mobile robots it is usually divided into route- and docking-planning [Rem89]. The objective in this Chapter is to present methods of solving gross motion problems in order to generate collision-free paths for general robot arms.
We are one Kenya: representations of the nation, leadership, and de-ethnicized identity on reality TV:

This research analyzes Uongozi, a massive multimodal civic education campaign that culminated in the Uongozi reality television show, situating the campaign within its socio-political context. Our analysis suggests that Uongozi framed and promoted a version of leadership that is tied to an idealized progressive, youth leader despite the lack of quality youth ‘candidates’ on the show. The campaign also endorsed a message of national unity and identity, articulated through the promotion of a nonethnic collective Kenyan identity. Uongozi contributed to a larger pre-election narrative promulgated through mass media efforts that encouraged Kenyans to move beyond ethnicity in their voting and participate in a peaceful election.
Understanding the African American "Smoker".

UNLABELLED This commentary draws on the articles contained in this special African American youth and adult tobacco use supplement to better understand the apparent paradox of low youth smoking rates and high adult smoking rates. Implications for tobacco use prevention and control are discussed. IMPLICATIONS This commentary introduces the reader to the topics and questions addressed in the supplement and urges an invigorated public health response to address tobacco-caused disease and death in African Americans.
Predictors of an Effective Performance Measurement System: Evidence from Municipal Governments in Turkey

ABSTRACTThe study examines the predictors of effective performance measurement in the context of Turkish municipalities. Theoretical guidance of context-design-performance model has been utilized to examine the contextual and design factors which have influenced the effective use of performance measurement systems in Turkish municipalities. It is hypothesized in the study that external support and organizational support for the use performance measurement, and technical capacity for the performance measurement are associated with quality of performance measures and effectiveness of performance measurement systems in general. The results of the study supported the hypotheses of the study regarding the relationships among organizational support, technical capacity, quality of performance measures, and effectiveness of performance measurement. Although the results confirmed that external support has an indirect effect on effectiveness of performance measurement via technical capacity and quality of performan...
Distribution of the melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae (Diptera, Tephritidae), and host plants on Kauai, Hawaiian Islands

Distribution of the melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, was determined by trapping males at 330 sites throughout the island of Kauai. Melon flies were most numerous at coastal trap sites, particularly along the south and west coasts. The Waimea Valley site located on the southwest coast was the one with the highest trap catch. Lowest catches were made at the highest elevations at the center of the island. Trap catches declined sharply with increasing rainfall and increasing elevation. However, during the seasonal peak in abundance in late summer, a few flies were trapped in the higher elevations where no host plants were present. These flies were evidently migrating rather than breeding flies. Melon fly distribution was related to distribution of its host plants. Distribution of the fly was largely along coastal areas of the island where host plants were present in commercial and backyard gardens. The melon fly was also present in noncultivated areas where the wild host, Momordica balsamina L., was located along edges of fields and roadsides.
Mysterious Tremor‐Like Signals Seen on the Reelfoot Fault, Northern Tennessee

Abstract A phased array of 19 broadband seismometers was deployed from November 2009 to September 2011 in an effort to detect nonvolcanic tremor or tectonic tremor associated with the Reelfoot fault, northern Tennessee. An autodetection algorithm using broadband frequency–wavenumber analysis was used to search for the recurrence of signals first reported during an active source experiment in 2006. The original signals appeared as short duration, impulsive arrivals with a high phase velocity ranging from 3 to 25 km/s. We have identified thousands of similar signals on the 2‐year long array data. Two distinct detection peaks are observed with event azimuths from the west and northeast. The detections are most similar to the events seen in 2006 and are inferred to come from very small ( M L ∼−1) microearthquakes that occur in the shallow basement on faults adjacent to the Reelfoot fault. These include detections with coherent S ‐wave energy that reinforce the interpretation of very small local and regional events. Other signals detected show distinct changes in slowness and azimuth as a function of time. These events were interpreted as atmospheric acoustic sources. The high‐frequency content and impulsive arrivals of the nonacoustic arrivals are not consistent with tectonic tremor as seen in other parts of the world but do indicate seismic activity in the crust near the Reelfoot thrust fault that was previously unknown.
Use of the hydroxamic acid reaction for determining pectinesterase activity.

The technique is: React pectinesterase contained on filter paper discs on a pectin-agar plate, flood the plate with a solution of hydroxylamine hydrochloride and then a solution of sodium hydroxide, acidify with hydrochloric acid, and then add a ferric chloride solution. The areas of substrate, desterified by the enzyme, appear as clear zones on a red background. The formation of the insoluble, red-colored ferric-pectin hydroxamic acid is characteristic of the presence of pectin carbomethoxy (methyl ester). Areas which are not colored are indicative of pectinesterase activity and this test can be used for qualitative and semi-quantitative test for approximately 1 × 10-3 to 1 × 10-4 pectinesterase units.
Analysis of disinfection status of medical sewage in Yuyao

Objective To know the disinfection status of medical sewage in Yuyao,to prevent environmental pollution caused by toxic or harmful substances. Methods Fecal coliform,shigella,salmonella,total residual chloride,anionic surface active agent,colority,pH value,cyanide and hexavalent chrome were detected in the sewages from 12 medical institutions according to GB18466-2005. Results For a total of 9 items,anionic surface active agent,colority,salmonella,shigella,cyanide,hexavalent chrome and pH value were all qualified,with the pass rates of 100%,while the qualified rates of fecal coliform and total free residual chloride were 83. 7% and 36. 6%,respectively. It has a significant relationship between the concentration of free residual chlorine and the presence of fecal coliform( χ2= 71. 46,P 0. 01). Conclusion The status of medical sewage disinfection in medical institutions is generally good in Yuyao. But the use of chlorine-containing disinfectant is in disorder,extra-and low free residual chlorine were found in some hospitals,thus the training of employees need to ensure the safe emissions of sewage in hospital.
Open-Porous Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds for Three-Dimensional Culture of Human Adult Liver Cells

Liver cell culture within three-dimensional structures provides an improved culture system for various applications in basic research, pharmacological screening, and implantable or extracorporeal liver support. Biodegradable calcium-based scaffolds in such systems could enhance liver cell functionality by providing endothelial and hepatic cell support through locally elevated calcium levels, increased surface area for cell attachment, and allowing three-dimensional tissue restructuring. Open-porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds were fabricated and seeded with primary adult human liver cells, which were embedded within or without gels of extracellular matrix protein collagen-1 or hyaluronan. Metabolic functions were assessed after 5, 15, and 28 days. Longer-term cultures exhibited highest cell numbers and liver specific gene expression when cultured on hydroxyapatite scaffolds in collagen-1. Endothelial gene expression was induced in cells cultured on scaffolds without extracellular matrix proteins. Hydroxyapatite induced gene expression for cytokeratin-19 when cells were cultured in collagen-1 gel while culture in hyaluronan increased cytokeratin-19 gene expression independent of the use of scaffold in long-term culture. The implementation of hydroxyapatite composites with extracellular matrices affected liver cell cultures and cell differentiation depending on the type of matrix protein and the presence of a scaffold. The hydroxyapatite scaffolds enable scale-up of hepatic three-dimensional culture models for regenerative medicine applications.
Target-Matching Accuracy in Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of Lung Cancer: An Investigation Based on Four-Dimensional Digital Human Phantom

Aim: To investigate the effect of irregular respiratory on target-matching accuracy in lung stereotactic-body radiation therapy (SBRT). Methods: The four-dimensional extended cardiac torso (4D-XCAT) phantom was used to generate 4D computed tomography (4DCT) and cone-beam CT (CBCT) images. Images were generated for 1 regular and 10 irregular trajectories, and for 3 tumor size groups (1, 2, and 3 cm). Image registrations between CBCT and average intensity projection (AIP) images of 4DCT were performed based on target volume matching. Error of registration was determined as the difference between manual CBCT-to-AIP registration and known registration between the two. In addition, internal target volumes (ITVs) were contoured on and compared between AIP, maximum intensity projection (MIP), and CBCT. Results: Small inter-observer variations of registration were found: 0.2, 0.3, and 0.7 mm in the medial-lateral (ML), anterior-posterior (AP), and superior-inferior (SI) direction, respectively. Small errors of registration (median ≤ 0.5 mm) were found in all three directions for the regular respiratory profile. For the irregular profiles and on average of all tumor size groups, the median ± standard deviation (SD) errors of registration were 0.5 ± 0.3 mm, 0.4 ± 0.5 mm, and 1.9 ± 1.6 mm in the ML, AP, and SI direction, respectively. Significant differences were found between MIP and CBCT-based ITV volumes for the three tumor size groups (P = 0.011, 0.010, and 0.006 for 1, 2, and 3 cm tumor size group, respectively). Conclusion: Irregular breathing can induce error in CBCT-to-AIP registration in lung SBRT. This error increases as the breathing irregularity increases.
Economic Outcomes of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options

Economic outcomes of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation options are reviewed, including reductions in tillage intensity, diversifying crop rotation, and N fertilizer management. While reducing tillage can be a cost-effective GHG mitigation practice, results varied by region and even within regions, and costs of mitigation were sensitive to differences in profitability and C sequestration rates. One meta-analysis indicated regional mitigation costs ranging from $1.96 Mg −1 in the South to values approaching infinity for no-till wheat in the Prairies due to insignificant carbon storage. However, there are often complex interactions among tillage, rotation, and fertilizer management that affect economic performance of these practices and their GHG mitigation effects. There is evidence from some locations that farmers rotating crops are also likely to adopt conservation tillage, and that rotating crops and adopting conservation tillage seem to decrease N fertilizer rates in other locations. So, looking at impacts of individual practices may be misleading. Economic performance of these practices is also sensitive to changing market conditions. This is illustrated by the effect that rapid growth in bioenergy production has had on agricultural markets and the relative profitability of agricultural management alternatives. While economic and GHG effects of bringing non-cropped land into crop production have received much attention, the less studied effects of changing agricultural management practices on existing cropland could have substantial impacts on GHG mitigation. Given that we are in a bioenergy world, better understanding of the impacts of the growing biofuels market is needed for assessing economic outcomes of GHG mitigation options. As markets continue to change, research is needed to better anticipate changes in the relative profitability of GHG mitigation practices in response to changing farming input prices, crop prices, as well as to the constraints and incentives provided by conservation and energy policies.
Simultaneously Tailoring Surface Energies and Thermal Stabilities of Cellulose Nanocrystals Using Ion Exchange: Effects on Polymer Composite Properties for Transportation, Infrastructure, and Renewable Energy Applications.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have great potential as sustainable reinforcing materials for polymers, but there are a number of obstacles to commercialization that must first be overcome. High levels of water absorption, low thermal stabilities, poor miscibility with nonpolar polymers, and irreversible aggregation of the dried CNCs are among the greatest challenges to producing cellulose nanocrystal–polymer nanocomposites. A simple, scalable technique to modify sulfated cellulose nanocrystals (Na-CNCs) has been developed to address all of these issues. By using an ion exchange process to replace Na+ with imidazolium or phosphonium cations, the surface energy is altered, the thermal stability is increased, and the miscibility of dried CNCs with a nonpolar polymer (epoxy and polystyrene) is enhanced. Characterization of the resulting ion exchanged CNCs (IE-CNCs) using potentiometry, inverse gas chromatography, dynamic vapor sorption, and laser scanning confocal microscopy reveals that the IE-CNCs have lower...
Getting to S: CDK functions and targets on the path to cell-cycle commitment.

How and when eukaryotic cells make the irrevocable commitment to divide remain central questions in the cell-cycle field. Parallel studies in yeast and mammalian cells seemed to suggest analogous control mechanisms operating during the G1 phase—at Start or the restriction (R) point, respectively—to integrate nutritional and developmental signals and decide between distinct cell fates: cell-cycle arrest or exit versus irreversible commitment to a round of division. Recent work has revealed molecular mechanisms underlying this decision-making process in both yeast and mammalian cells but also cast doubt on the nature and timing of cell-cycle commitment in multicellular organisms. These studies suggest an expanded temporal window of mitogen sensing under certain growth conditions, illuminate unexpected obstacles and exit ramps on the path to full cell-cycle commitment, and raise new questions regarding the functions of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) that drive G1 progression and S-phase entry.
Wave-by-wave control in irregular waves for a wave energy converter with approximate parameters

This paper investigates wave-by-wave control of a single-mode wave energy converter driven to operate such that the oscillation velocity closely matches the hydrodynamically optimum velocity for best power absorption. Such control typically requires prediction of the incident wave profile, which, for realistic wave spectra may be obtained using up-wave measurements over a duration and at a distance based on a deterministic propagation model and the device dynamics. This work investigates how such control may be attempted when the device inertia, viscous damping, hydrostatic stiffness, frequency-dependent hydrodynamic coefficients, and exciting force are quantified approximately. In particular, this paper studies an implementation of adaptive trajectory-tracking control using on-line estimation of the mechanical and hydrodynamic parameters (i.e. inertia, viscous damping, hydrostatic stiffness, frequency-dependent added mass, frequency-dependent radiation damping, and the exciting force), where a hydrodynamically optimum velocity variation based on approximate parameter estimates provides the reference trajectory. In this study, the rest mass, infinite-frequency added mass, hydrostatic stiffness, a linearized viscous damping coefficient, and two parameters representing the uncertainties in the radiation impulse-response function and the exciting force impulse-response function are estimated on line. The present method relies on feedback and feedforward forces derived using a Lyapunov function comprised of a system Hamiltonian that combines the mechanical and information exergy functions. Energy capture results under oscillation constraints show that, while the present implementation leaves significant room for improvement relative to near-optimal wave-by-wave control with exact parameters, considerable improvement is still observed relative to resistive control with exact parameters.
Total knee arthroplasty and fractures of the tibial plateau

Tibial plateau fractures are common injuries that occur in a bimodal age distribution. While there are various treatment options for displaced tibial plateau fractures, the standard of care is open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). In physiologically young patients with higher demand and better bone quality, ORIF is the preferred method of treating these fractures. However, future total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a consideration in these patients as post-traumatic osteoarthritis is a common long-term complication of tibial plateau fractures. In older, lower demand patients, ORIF is potentially less favorable for a variety of reasons, namely fixation failure and the need for delayed weight bearing. In some of these patients, TKA can be considered as primary mode of treatment. This paper will review the literature surrounding TKA as both primary treatment and as a salvage measure in patients with fractures of the tibial plateau. The outcomes, complications, techniques and surgical challenges are also discussed.
The gas that fuels the engine: Individuals' motivations for medicalisation

It is well established that the drivers of medicalisation have shifted alongside changes in the institution of medicine. The process of medicalisation is no longer incited by macro processes of institutional prestige or control; rather, individual patients/consumers are pushing the process forward. The present study complicates this neat transition and examines the relationship between structure and agency using the case of assisted reproductive technology (ART), specifically the medicalisation of lesbian reproduction in the US. I explore individuals' influence on and motivations towards medicalisation through 24 in-depth interviews with women in same-sex relationships who had ever attempted to become pregnant. In centring on their experiences, I find that while individual consumers may now propel medicalisation forward, oftentimes consumers' motivations for doing so reside in the prestige and control of medicine. In other words, consumers now seek medicalisation precisely because of the process's previous institutional drivers. In exploring what fuels the engine of medicalisation, the findings reveal its nuance and complexity.
UVM-based verification of ECC module for flash memories

In this contribution, we present a coverage driven functional verification environment based on the UVM framework and the System Verilog language to certify the operational correctness of the ECC error management logic used in volatile and nonvolatile memories. We apply this methodology to floatinggate nonvolatile memories for the embedded market, which requires a read error rate of 10−14. The proposed environment achieves the complete validation of ECC features by 80 coverage main points. Additionally, we cover also the error distribution in the cache buffer, on board the memory, which requires additional 240 coverage points. The advantage of code reusability of this kind of verification environment and the wished coverage plan, achieved in few minutes with respect to the exhaustive approach, make easier the application of the proposed solution to any kind of volatile and nonvolatile memories.
Rethinking the Heckler's Veto After Charlottesville

The violent Charlottesville protests of August 12, 2017, raise one of the more vexing questions of First Amendment law: at what point does a given expression’s tendency to provoke a violent response in listeners justify government intervention against the speaker? Current doctrine provides no clear answer, and even suggests that such intervention may never be justified. This Essay argues that in some cases it is justified, and proposes a modified Brandenburg v. Ohio incitement standard to define when that is. Setting such a standard would remedy the existing asymmetry between the law’s treatment of speech that incites violence and speech that provokes it. It would protect speakers’ rights while providing a cognizable pre-violence point at which authorities could intervene without fear of violating the First Amendment.
Prospective Comparison between Serum Monoclonal Prostate Specific Antigen and Acid Phosphatase Measurements in Metastatic Prostatic Cancer

Prostate specific antigen, prostatic acid phosphatase antigen and acid phosphatase activity were measured on 175 serum samples serially collected from 80 patients with metastatic stage D adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Prostate specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase antigen concentrations were measured with a monoclonal radioimmunometric assay, and acid phosphatase activity was measured enzymatically. The over-all frequency of abnormal levels of prostate specific antigen (76 per cent) was significantly greater than abnormal prostatic acid phosphatase antigen (60 per cent) and acid phosphatase activity (49 per cent) results (p less than 0.001). These differences were greater among the subset of patients in clinical remission. Levels greater than 10 times normal were observed in 68 per cent of prostate specific antigen, 43 per cent of prostatic acid phosphatase antigen and 31 per cent of acid phosphatase activity measurements (p less than 0.001). Three or more serial prostate specific antigen measurements in 17 patients demonstrated excellent correlation with independently assessed clinical disease activity. These results suggest that prostate specific antigen is a more sensitive and potentially more useful tumor marker than acid phosphatase measurements in patients with metastatic prostatic carcinoma.
Logical Argument Structures in Decision-making

Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca's practical reasoning theory has attracted a great deal of interest since its publication in 1969. Their most important assertion, however, that argument is the logical basis for practical decision-making, has been under-utilized, primarily because it was not sufficiently operationalized for research purposes. This essay presents an operationalization of practical reasoning for use in analyzing argument logics that emerge through group interaction. Particular elements of discourse and argument are identified as responding to principles put forward by Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca, and are viewed as fitting together in a kind of logical argument structure that is well suited to the study of practical arguments in decision-making. Both the content elements and the logical argument structure are illustrated using examples from two studies examining decision logics in public participation and jury decision-making. Advantages of this approach and proposed recognition of a new `filtered' type of argument structure are discussed.
Age-related epigenome-wide DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation in longitudinal mouse blood

DNA methylation at cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) dinucleotides changes as a function of age in humans and animal models, a process that may contribute to chronic disease development. Recent studies have investigated the role of an oxidized form of DNA methylation - 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) - in the epigenome, but its contribution to age-related DNA methylation remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that 5hmC changes with age, but in a direction opposite to 5-methylcytosine (5mC), potentially playing a distinct role in aging. To characterize epigenetic aging, genome-wide 5mC and 5hmC were measured in longitudinal blood samples (2, 4, and 10 months of age) from isogenic mice using two sequencing methods - enhanced reduced representation bisulfite sequencing and hydroxymethylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. Examining the epigenome by age, we identified 28,196 unique differentially methylated CpGs (DMCs) and 8,613 differentially hydroxymethylated regions (DHMRs). Mouse blood showed a general pattern of epigenome-wide hypermethylation and hypo-hydroxymethylation with age. Comparing age-related DMCs and DHMRs, 1,854 annotated genes showed both differential 5mC and 5hmC, including one gene - Nfic - at five CpGs in the same 250 bp chromosomal region. At this region, 5mC and 5hmC levels both decreased with age. Reflecting these age-related epigenetic changes, Nfic RNA expression in blood decreased with age, suggesting that age-related regulation of this gene may be driven by 5hmC, not canonical DNA methylation. Combined, our genome-wide results show age-related differential 5mC and 5hmC, as well as some evidence that changes in 5hmC may drive age-related DNA methylation and gene expression.
Support schemes for infinitesimal unipotent supergroups

Abstract We investigate support schemes for infinitesimal unipotent supergroups and their representations. Our main results provide a non-cohomological description of these schemes that generalizes the classical work of Suslin, Friedlander, and Bendel. As a consequence, support schemes in this setting have the desired features of such a theory, including naturality with respect to group homomorphisms, the tensor product property, and realizability. As an application of the theory developed here, we investigate support varieties for finite-dimensional Hopf subalgebras of the Steenrod algebra.
Efficacy of Vitrectomy and Macular Hole Repair in Eyes With Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration:

Purpose:The purpose of this article is to examine the efficacy of macular hole repair in eyes with coexisting dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Methods:A retrospective analysis was perform...
Examining the Relations of the Home Literacy Environments of Families of Low SES with Children's Early Literacy Skills.

This study examined variability of the home literacy environment (HLE) using multiple measures among families of low SES. The relations of the measures to each other and to children’s early oral la...
Neuroticism and Facebook Addiction: How Social Media can Affect Mood?

Individuals high in neuroticism experience negative affect and social anxiety, therefore, they may prefer online communications where they are able to portray an idealized image of themselves to at...
Incorporating Sex and Gender‐based Medical Education Into Residency Curricula

Background Emergency medicine (EM) residents do not generally receive sex- and gender-specific education. There will be increasing attention to this gap as undergraduate medical education integrates it within their curriculum. Methodology Members of the Sex and Gender in Emergency Medicine (SGEM) Interest Group set out to develop a SGEM toolkit and pilot integrating developed components at multiple residency sites. The curriculum initiative involved a pre- and posttraining assessment that included basic demographics and queries regarding previous training in sex-/gender-based medicine (SGBM). It was administered to PGY-1 to -4 residents who participated in a 3-hour training session that included one small group case-based discussion, two oral board cases, and one simulation and group debriefing. Analysis Components of the developed toolkit (https://www.sexandgenderhealth.org) were implemented at four unique SGEM Interest Group member residency programs. Residents (n = 82/174, 47%) participated; 64% (n = 49) were male and 36% (n = 28) were female. Twenty-six percent (n = 21) of the residents reported that they had less than 1 hour of training in this domain during residency; 59% (n = 48) reported they had 1 to 6 hours and 16% (n = 13) reported they had >6 hours. The average preassessment score was 61% and postassessment was 88%. After training, 74% (n = 60) felt that their current practice would have benefited from further training in sex-/gender-based topics in medicine during medical school and 83% (n = 67) felt their clinical practice would have benefited from further training in this domain during residency. Implications The majority of EM residents who participated in this training program reported that they had limited instruction in this domain in medical school or residency. This initiative demonstrated a method that can be emulated for the incorporation of SGBM educational components into an EM residency training educational day. After training, the majority of residents who participated felt that their current practice would have benefited from further training in sex- and gender-based topics in residency.
Anesthetic management of pediatric patients diagnosed with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy: A single-center experience.

Background X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is a progressive demyelinating disease that primarily affects males with an incidence of 1:20 000-30 000. The disease has a wide spectrum of phenotypic expression and may include adrenal insufficiency, cerebral X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy and adrenomyeloneuropathy. The condition has implications for the administration of anesthesia and reports of anesthetic management in those patients are limited at this point. Aim To review the perioperative care, complications and outcomes of patients diagnosed with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital. Method After obtaining IRB approval, we performed a retrospective chart review of pediatric patients diagnosed with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy who underwent either surgery or diagnostic/therapeutic procedures that included anesthesia services between January 2014 and December 2016. Data included demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, preoperative diagnosis, history of hematopoietic stem cell transplant, anesthetic approaches, airway management, medications used, intra- and postoperative complications, and patient disposition. Results We identified 38 patients who had a total of 166 anesthetic encounters. The majority of patients underwent procedures in the sedation unit (75.9%) and received a total intravenous anesthetic with spontaneous ventilation via a natural airway (86.1%). Preoperative adrenal insufficiency was documented in 87.3% of the encounters. Stress-dose steroids were administered in 70.5% of the performed anesthetics. A variety of anesthetic agents were successfully used including sevoflurane, isoflurane, propofol, midazolam, ketamine, and dexmedetomidine. There were few perioperative complications noted (6.6%) and the majority were of low severity. No anesthesia-related mortality was observed. Conclusions With the availability of skilled pediatric anesthesia care, children with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy can undergo procedures under anesthesia in sedation units and regular operating rooms with low overall anesthesia risk.
Leveraging Disasters for Sustainable Development

iStock/swissmediavisionDisasters present opportunities to deliberately change development pathways, as they lay bare underlying problems, weaken dominant forces (even if only temporarily), enhance ...
Willow-shrub encroachment affects physicochemical properties differently in two subtropical freshwater marshes

Shrub encroachment has been increasing at unprecedented rates worldwide and a knowledge gap exists regarding how nutrient dynamics differ in shrub-encroached wetlands compared to marshes. This study evaluated physicochemical property differences in the soil, water, and vegetation of willow (Salix caroliniana) plots, marsh plots adjacent to willows, and control marsh plots in two wetlands within the St. John’s River watershed, FL. In both wetlands, Moccasin Island and Lake Apopka, willow leaves (484 ± 7 g kg−1) contained more carbon (C) than sawgrass (442 ± 3 g kg−1) and cattail (468 ± 4 g kg−1) leaves. At Moccasin Island, soil nutrient (C, nitrogen, phosphorous) concentrations were doubled in willow and adjacent plots compared to marsh plots, while 37% less soil C was observed in willow plots than marsh plots at Lake Apopka. These results demonstrate willow-encroached marshes have unique properties relative to non-encroached marshes, but the direction and magnitude of the differences are site-specific.
The knowns and unknowns of treatment for alcoholic hepatitis.

Summary Alcoholic hepatitis is an acute, inflammatory liver disease associated with high morbidity and mortality both in the short term and long term. Alcoholic hepatitis often arises in patients with a background of chronic liver disease and it is characterised by the rapid onset of jaundice and the development of myriad complications. Medical therapy for severe alcoholic hepatitis relies on corticosteroids, which have modest effectiveness. Abstinence from alcohol is critically important in patients with alcoholic hepatitis, but recidivism is high. Because of the absence of effective medical treatments for alcoholic hepatitis and alcohol dependency, there is a pressing need to develop new and effective therapeutics. Supported by promising preliminary and preclinical studies, many ongoing clinical trials of new therapies for alcoholic hepatitis are currently underway and are discussed further in this Series paper.
Effects of Computerized Leisure Education on Self-Determination of Youth with Disabilities

A multiple probe, single-subject design replicated across 4 youth with disabilities, ages 10–14 years, was employed to assess participants' achievement of objectives associated with Og (Williams & ...
A Low-Fidelity Stochastic Model of Viral Spread in Aircraft to Assess Risk Mitigation Strategies

AbstractThe purpose of this work is to develop a computationally efficient model of viral spread that can be utilized to better understand the influences of stochastic factors on a large-scale syst...
Decreased Plasma Levels of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Among Patients With Bipolar Disorder.

Background Dysfunctions in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) seem to be involved in the pathophysiology of several mental illness, including schizophrenia and mood disorders. We carried out a cross-sectional study assessing the levels of RAS-related molecules among bipolar disorder (BD) patients compared to healthy controls. Methods our sample consisted of 30 outpatients with BD type 1 (10 males, 20 females, age = 35.53 ± 10.59 years, 14 euthymic, 16 experiencing mood episodes) and 30 healthy controls (10 males, 20 females, age = 34.83 ± 11.49 years). Plasma levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin-II (Ang II), and angiotensin (1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] were determined by ELISA. Results BD patients experiencing ongoing mood episodes had significantly lower ACE levels compared to controls (median: 459.00 vs. 514.10, p < 0.05). There was no association between the levels of these biomarkers and clinical parameters. Conclusion Our findings support the involvement of RAS dysfunction in the pathophysiology of BD. Considering the potential therapeutic implications linked to a better understanding of the role of RAS dysfunction in BD, studies allowing a better characterization of RAS-related molecules level and activity across different mood states are of high interest.
Focusing on Resilience and Renewal From Stress: The Role of Emotional and Social Intelligence Competencies

Individuals are subject to stressful events from daily chronic stress to traumatic life-changing experiences and the resulting impairment. Efforts to reduce stress or stressors are misdirected. Instead, bouncing back or recovering from such experiences, often called resilience is a far more potent way to ameliorate the ravages of chronic stress and move to a state of renewal, thriving and flourishing. Because we infect each other with stress or renewal through emotional contagion, each person's ability to manage their own emotions as well as those of others and their relationships becomes key to health. These capabilities are called emotional and social intelligence. At the trait level, they are personal dispositions but at the behavioral level they are patterns of behavior we call emotional and social intelligence competencies (ESI). This paper is a review addressing the role of emotional and social intelligence competencies in resilience. By focusing on the behavioral level of ESI, designs for more precise research and practical applications as to how to develop ESI and resilience are offered.
Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel trisubstituted ethylenes: 5. Dimethyl and dimethoxy ring-substituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, dimethyl and dimethoxy ring-substituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH2(CH2)6CH3 (where R is 2,3-dimethyl, 2,4-dimethyl, 2,5-dimethyl, 2,6-dimethyl, 3,4-dimethyl, 3,5-dimethyl, 2,3-dimethoxy, 2,4-dimethoxy, 2,5-dimethoxy, 2,6-dimethoxy, 3,4-dimethoxy, 3,5-dimethoxy) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The ethylenes were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-disubstituted benzaldehydes and octyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.
Comprehensive Characterization of MOSFET Intrinsic Capacitances

The intrinsic capacitances of field effect transistors such as MOSFETs largely determine the switching speed and transient behavior of these devices. Proper representations of these non-linear capacitances are needed to develop accurate simulation models and to improve understanding of the device behavior. This paper presents a holistic representation of device capacitances that considers the influence of both the gate-source voltage (V GS ) bias and drain-source voltage (V DS ) bias. This analysis is applied to both a Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET and a low-voltage Silicon (Si) MOSFET. These devices have similar physical structures but demonstrate significant differences in terms of their intrinsic capacitance profiles. A methodology for implementing the proposed bias-dependent capacitor model in the SPICE environment is proposed and validated with experimental data as part of this work.