cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Consumers' moral philosophies: identifying the idealist and the relativist

Abstract Do demographic and socioeconomic variables have an impact on moral philosophies consumers adopt? Although researchers have examined this question to some extent, findings tend to be inconsistent. This discordance may be a function that prior work has examined the foregoing issue in an ad hoc fashion rather than selecting personal characteristics predicated on some underlying theory. The present study seeks to address this shortcoming by investigating three demographic and three socioeconomic variables that are intricately associated with cognitive moral development (CMD). Using Chi Square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID), the results highlight the importance of considering the interactive effects of these variables on consumers' moral philosophy. Implications for retailers, educators, and researchers are provided.
A simple Landsat–MODIS fusion approach for monitoring seasonal evapotranspiration at 30 m spatial resolution

Persistent cloud-cover in the humid southeastern USA and the low temporal resolution of Landsat sensors limit the derivation of seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) maps at moderate spatial resolution. This article introduces a Landsat Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (Landsat–MODIS) ET fusion model that uses simple linear regression to integrate Landsat-derived reference ET fraction (ETrF) from mapping ET at high resolution with internalized calibration (METRIC) model and the vegetation temperature condition index (VTCI) derived from MODIS images. For a study site in Florida, model-estimated ET and ET estimated using energy budget eddy covariance at a US Geological Survey (USGS) station in Ferris Farm, Florida, were found to be in a good agreement with a root mean squared error of 0.44 mm day–1, coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.80, Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.79 for daily ET (ETd), and 2% relative error for cumulative seasonal ET during the growing season of 2001. At another study site ...
Prostacyclin, thromboxane A2, and atherosclerosis in young hypercholesterolemic swine

Abstract Plasma 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α and thromboxane B 2 levels were determined to evaluate their role as predictive indicators for the development and progression of coronary atherosclerosis in young hypercholesterolemic swine. 32 young swine were randomly assigned to the control or atherogenic diet group for 10, 30, 90, or 180 days. Lipid profiles were obtained at the onset and repeated throughout the study. Radioimmunoassays of plasma 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α and thromboxane B 2 were recorded at 10 day intervals in the 10 and 30 day subjects and at 30 day intervals in the 90 and 180 day subjects. Sections from the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery were classified based on their histological evidence of atherosclerosis by light microscopy. Hypercholesterolemia was positively correlated with development of coronary atherosclerosis (r = 0.704). However, plasma 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α , thromboxane B 2 , and the thromboxane B 2 :6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α ratio were not found to be predictive indicators (p > 0.05) for the development or early progression of coronary atherosclerosis.
Tuning Temperature Controllers on Openloop Unstable Reactors

There have been several methods proposed in the literature for tuning feedback controllers in openloop unstable processes. All of these methods assume a transfer function model is available that co...
Report on the work of the international commission on continental and oceanic structure

In 1932 the Dutch Geodetic Commission tabled a resolution advocating the appointment of a Joint Committee for the Study of the Earth's Crust for discussion by the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics at its Lisbon meeting. At the Lisbon meeting, in 1933, it was resolved that the Bureau of the Union should appoint such a committee for the Edinburgh meeting. Early in 1936, the American Geophysical Union brought forward a similar, but perhaps more specific, proposition in advocating a joint discussion on “The use and value of geophysical methods in the attack upon the structural problems of oceanic and continental areas.” The value of the complete interrelation of geophysics and structural geology was especially emphasized in this proposal. During the last Pacific Science Congress, the same general question was also raised. At the Edinburgh meeting of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics on September 24, 1936, the General Assembly unanimously approved the formation of a Commission on Continental and Oceanic Structure, and elected the following members: G. Angenheister, R. M. Field (Chairman), J. A. Fleming (Secretary), B. Helland-Hansen, Harold Jeffreys, F. A. Vening Meinesz, and O. T. Jones. Steps have been taken to increase the membership so as to include representatives of all the leading maritime nations, especially France, Russia, Italy, and Japan.
Overview of the Disability Movement: History, Legislative Record, and Political Implications

This article presents a brief history and legislative record of the disability movement, along with their political implications. Beginning with the mid-nineteenth century efforts of Samuel Gridley Howe, the history of disability policy is reviewed. The impact of the field of eugenics is assessed. Notable achievements of the disability movement over the last two decades are presented, culminating in the Americans with Disabilities Act. The basic paradigm of disability policy is presented. The political and policy implications facing the disability movement are discussed.
B-Virus (Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1) Infection in Humans and Macaques: Potential for Zoonotic Disease

Nonhuman primates are widely used in biomedical research because of their genetic, anatomic, and physiologic similarities to humans. In this setting, human contact directly with macaques or with their tissues and fluids sometimes occurs. Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 (B virus), an alphaherpesvirus endemic in Asian macaques, is closely related to herpes simplex virus (HSV). Most macaques carry B virus without overt signs of disease. However, zoonotic infection with B virus in humans usually results in fatal encephalomyelitis or severe neurologic impairment. Although the incidence of human infection with B virus is low, a death rate of >70% before the availability of antiviral therapy makes this virus a serious zoonotic threat. Knowledge of the clinical signs and risk factors for human B-virus disease allows early initiation of antiviral therapy and prevents severe disease or death.
Ranking Political Science Journals: Reputational and Citational Approaches

Academic journals play a key role in the dissemination of scholarly knowledge in the social sciences. Hence, publication in journals is critical evidence of scholarly performance for both individuals and the departments that they populate. While in the best of worlds each scholar's performance would be evaluated based on a close reading of his/her published journal articles, in the actual practices of hiring, tenure and promotion review, and departmental evaluations this ideal is often honored only in the breach. Instead, evaluators commonly base their judgments of the importance and quality of published articles, at least in part, on the journals in which they appear. The higher the status accorded a journal, the greater the weight attached to publications appearing in it.
Multiple Antenna Time Reversal Transmission in Ultra-Wideband Communications

In this paper we study the multiple antenna time reversal downlink transmission in an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication system which consists of access points and users. The access point has multiple antennas and the user has a single antenna. We design the UWB beamformer that focuses on the intended user while minimizing its interference on unintended users and eavesdropping access points. We show that the designed UWB beamformer is equivalent to the time reversal focusing and nulling schemes and yields better performance than the conventional delay line wideband beamformer. We verify our results using experimentally measured electromagnetic data in an indoor environment.
Teaching and learning science as argument

The concept of science as argument, and the view that engaging in scientific argumentation should play a key role in science education, has become widely endorsed. The case is made here that this objective will be enhanced by broad understanding of the nature of argument skills and their directions and patterns of development. A line of research directed to this goal is described. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed94:810–824, 2010
Maintaining geometric dependencies in an assembly planner

The problem of generating assembly sequences strictly from the geometry of a goal assembly is addressed. The planner considers 2-D, polygonal parts and makes the usual assumptions about the monotony of partial assemblies, which allows an 'and/or' graph representation to be used. The problem of decreasing the number of geometric checks which must be done to test candidate assembly operations is also addressed. This is accomplished by replacing them with dependency checks which try to reuse previous geometric computations. The results of several experiments are shown. >
Optimal timing of the second stage of palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome facilitated through home monitoring, and the results of early cavopulmonary anastomosis

For children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, contemporary management over three stages includes a window of high risk for sudden death between the initial stage of palliation, the Norwood operation itself, and the second stage, creation of the bidirectional superior cavopulmonary connection. The risk is highest at a time when patients have been discharged from the hospital to grow and prepare for the second stage,1–4 and has persisted despite the remarkable improvements in immediate postoperative and hospital survival after the initial surgery.5,6 Potential contributing factors to the increased vulnerability to sudden death between the stages include the limited circulatory reserve inherent in the parallel circulations supported by a functionally univentricular heart, the reliance on a prosthetic shunt which is susceptible to thrombosis, and congenital or acquired anatomical cardiovascular abnormalities such as aortic atresia, residual obstruction in the aortic arch, tricuspid valvar insufficiency, or right ventricular dysfunction.7–12
Examining the Link between Child Abuse and Youth Violence: An Analysis of Mediating Mechanisms

This study investigates several factors as possible mediators of physical child abuse in the prediction of violence among adolescents. Prospective and retrospective measures of abuse are compared in mediation tests. Data are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective study of 457 children followed from preschool into adolescence. Structural equation models examined the degree to which abuse is mediated in the prediction of violence through youths' bonds to family, commitment to school, involvement with antisocial peers during adolescence, and attitudes about the use of violence. The model included measures of family socioeconomic status and youths' gender and age as controls on violence. Findings suggest that abuse (whether measured prospectively or retrospectively) is heavily mediated in its prediction of later violence and that a sizeable proportion of variance is accounted for in the violence outcome. A fuller pattern of mediation was shown when the retrospective abuse variable was modeled.
Vouchering Out Distressed Subsidized Developments: Does Moving Lead to Improvements in Housing and Neighborhood Conditions?

When households receive Section 8 vouchers or rent certificates and moderate amounts of counseling, and have no program requirements dictating where they should move, how far will they go and how successful will the moves be? This article offers some answers to these questions by analyzing the experiences of households relocated from four distressed, privately owned subsidized developments in Baltimore; Newport News, VA; Kansas City, MO; and San Francisco. Although many of the residents chose to remain in the same area, most of them improved their situation by moving. However, the majority continued to live in racially segregated areas. The moderate relocation counseling that residents received had little impact on their housing search and on satisfaction with their new home. It may be unreasonable to expect households that are given certificates or vouchers to relocate to new or unfamiliar neighborhoods without support or without intensive counseling encouraging them to do so.
Social Class and Work Functioning in Treatment for Depression

718 Objective: This study examined work functioning across three treatments for depression in relation to social class. Methods: The study was based on data available from the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program (1982 to 1986). Participants included 239 patients with major depressive disorder. Primary measures included the work functioning domain on the Social Adjustment Scale, the Hollingshead Two-Factor Index of Social Position, and family income. Analyses used hierarchical linear modeling to test the association of social class with work functioning over the course of treatment. Results: Social class was positively associated with improvement in work functioning across all three treatments for depression. Conclusions: These findings suggest that there may be limitations in the use of empirically supported treatments with depressed patients from a lower social class, because their improvement rates in work functioning were less than those of middle-class persons with depression, even though they were treated with the same modalities. (Psychiatric Services 61:718–721, 2010)
A microfabricated array of clamps for immobilizing and imaging C. elegans

This paper describes the fabrication of a microfluidic device for rapid immobilization of large numbers of live C. elegans for performing morphological analysis, microsurgery, and fluorescence imaging in a high-throughput manner. The device consists of two principal elements: (i) an array of 128 wedge-shaped microchannels, or clamps, which physically immobilize worms, and (ii) a branching network of distribution channels, which deliver worms to the array. The flow of liquid through the device (driven by a constant pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet) automatically distributes individual worms into each clamp. It was possible to immobilize more than 100 worms in less than 15 min. The immobilization process was not damaging to the worms: following removal from the array of clamps, worms lived typical lifespans and reproduced normally. The ability to monitor large numbers of immobilized worms easily and in parallel will enable researchers to investigate physiology and behavior in large populations of C. elegans.
Classroom Management Issues for Teaching Assistants

For many graduate teaching assistants, the task of planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling classroom environments can be overwhelming. Empirical research pertaining to major classroom management problems experienced by TAs is scarce. This article is a report of a survey study regarding TA classroom management at a large, land-grant Research 1 University. The study provides specific information about TAs' perceptions of classroom management experiences and concerns based on TA type, gender, teaching experience, and academic discipline. The results of the study indicate that international and U.S. TAs experienced many common problems, but each of the two types of TAs also had unique problems. More U.S. TAs than international TAs reported experiencing classroom management problems. The years of TA teaching experience were significantly related to the number of classroom management problems and concerns TAs reported. Regression analysis revealed that TA type, teaching experience, and academic discipline, but not gender, were significant predictors of classroom problems and concerns. Discussion of the results, implications, and suggestions for further research are included.
The anterior midplevis

Abstract The data presented may be summarized as follows: 1. The anterior midpelvis seems to be of adequate capacity in about one-third of all cases in which the bispinous diameter is narrow. 2. The passage of the largest diameter of the vertex anterior to the ischial spines is probably a common occurrence in pelves with a wide biischial diameter, even when the bispinous diameter is narrow. 3. There is a high incidence of low midpelvic arrest of labor in cases in which the anterior midpelvis is contracted.
Different alpha-adrenoceptor subtypes mediate constriction of arterioles and venules

Recent studies indicate that rat vascular smooth muscle can express mRNAs for the alpha 1A-(alpha 1c-), alpha 1B-, alpha 1D-, alpha 2B-, and alpha 2D-adrenoceptors (ARs). The present study sought to determine which subtypes mediate constriction of resistance and capacitance vessels in rat cremaster skeletal muscle using videomicroscopy. Arterioles (125 microns internal diameter) were isolated, cannulated, and pressurized in a tissue bath. Vascularly "isolated" first-order venules (211 microns) were studied in situ in the cremaster muscle maintained in a tissue bath. Concentration-response curves for stimulation of alpha 1-ARs (norepinephrine plus 1 microM rauwolscine) and alpha 2-ARs (UK-14,304 plus 10 microM 5-methyl-urapidil) were obtained in the presence or absence of alpha-AR subtype-selective antagonists. Chloroethylclonidine (35 and 70 microM), which is most potent against alpha 1B-ARs, had no effect on alpha 1-constriction of arterioles but decreased venule alpha 1-sensitivity (50% effective concentration) by 13-fold (P < 0.01). The alpha 1A- and alpha 1D-selective AR antagonists WB-4101 (50 nM) and 5-MU (350 nM) had no effect on venule alpha 1-sensitivity but reduced arteriole alpha 1-AR sensitivity by 35-fold (P < 0.001) and 6-fold (P < 0.01), respectively. The alpha 1D-antagonist BMY-7378 (350 nM) decreased arteriole sensitivity by fourfold (P < 0.01) but had no effect on venule sensitivity. The alpha 2D-antagonist BRL-44408 (1 microM) caused a ninefold (P < 0.01) decrease in arteriole sensitivity to UK-14,304, whereas the alpha 2B-antagonist ARC-239 (1 microM) had no effect. BRL-44408 also caused a fourfold decrease (P < 0.01) in arteriole sensitivity to oxymetazoline, an agonist selective for alpha 2D- over alpha 2B-ARs. Venule sensitivity to UK-14,304 was reduced fivefold by BRL-44408 (P < 0.05), whereas ARC-239 had no effect. alpha 2 Subtype-selective antagonists inhibited UK-14,304 constriction of venules, with 50% inhibitory concentration values for BRL-44408 (alpha 2D-selective) of 6.04 +/- 0.07, and for the alpha 2B-selective antagonists ARC-239 of 4.79 +/- 0.20, spiroxatrine of 4.91 +/- 0.07, and SK&F-104856 of 5.06 +/- 0.10. These results suggest that constriction of rat skeletal muscle arterioles is mediated predominantly by an alpha 1D-like receptor and the alpha 2D-AR, whereas constriction of venules is dominated by the alpha 1B- and alpha 2D-adrenergic receptor subtypes.
Persistent dilemmas in zoster eye disease

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) is a common, vision and potentially life-threatening disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in the distribution of the first division of cranial nerve V. Although the rate of herpes zoster increases with age, over half of the people with zoster in general, including HZO, are under age 60. In addition, over 90% of people with zoster are immunocompetent, even though the disease is more common and severe in immunocompromised patients. The incidence of zoster is increasing worldwide for unknown reasons. The epidemiology has not yet been impacted by the zoster vaccine (ZV). The lack of a strong recommendation by physicians for this vaccine is a major barrier to its use. An unresolved dilemma regards the optimum timing for this vaccine. In the USA, the current recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is for eligible people age 60 and older, despite its greater efficacy in reducing the incidence of disease and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for age 50-59. Although there is a consensus regarding use of acute high-dose oral antiviral treatment to reduce ocular complications, there is limited evidence for prolonged treatment. The rationale for a proposed randomised controlled trial (RCT) of suppressive antiviral treatment to reduce chronic eye disease and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) includes evidence that zoster is followed by chronic active VZV infection and similarities between HZO and herpes simplex virus (HSV) eye infection, where this treatment is effective and is the standard of care.
The effects of partnered exercise on physical intimacy in couples coping with prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE The study examined whether couples coping with prostate cancer participating in a partnered exercise program-Exercising Together (ET)-experienced higher levels of physical intimacy (i.e., affectionate and sexual behavior) than couples in a usual care (UC) control group. METHOD Men and their wives (n = 64 couples) were randomly assigned to either the ET or UC group. Couples in the ET group engaged in partnered strength-training twice weekly for 6 months. Multilevel modeling was used to explore the effects of ET on husband and wife engagement in both affectionate and sexual behaviors over time. RESULTS Controlling for relationship quality, wives in ET showed significant increases in engagement in affectionate behaviors compared to wives in UC. No intervention effects were found for husbands. CONCLUSION Couple-based approaches to physical intimacy, after a cancer diagnosis, that facilitate collaborative engagement in nonsexual physical activities for the couple have potential to be effective for wives. More research is needed in this area to determine couples most amenable to such exercise strategies, optimal timing in the cancer trajectory, and the benefits of combining partnered exercise with more traditional relationship-focused strategies.
Exploiting the Substrate Promiscuity of Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:Shikimate Hydroxycinnamoyl Transferase to Reduce Lignin

Lignin poses a major challenge in the processing of plant biomass for agro-industrial applications. For bioengineering purposes, there is a pressing interest in identifying and characterizing the enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of lignin. Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT; EC 2.3.1.133) is a key metabolic entry point for the synthesis of the most important lignin monomers: coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols. In this study, we investigated the substrate promiscuity of HCT from a bryophyte (Physcomitrella) and from five representatives of vascular plants (Arabidopsis, poplar, switchgrass, pine and Selaginella) using a yeast expression system. We demonstrate for these HCTs a conserved capacity to acylate with p-coumaroyl-CoA several phenolic compounds in addition to the canonical acceptor shikimate normally used during lignin biosynthesis. Using either recombinant HCT from switchgrass (PvHCT2a) or an Arabidopsis stem protein extract, we show evidence of the inhibitory effect of these phenolics on the synthesis of p-coumaroyl shikimate in vitro, which presumably occurs via a mechanism of competitive inhibition. A structural study of PvHCT2a confirmed the binding of a non-canonical acceptor in a similar manner to shikimate in the active site of the enzyme. Finally, we exploited in Arabidopsis the substrate flexibility of HCT to reduce lignin content and improve biomass saccharification by engineering transgenic lines that overproduce one of the HCT non-canonical acceptors. Our results demonstrate conservation of HCT substrate promiscuity and provide support for a new strategy for lignin reduction in the effort to improve the quality of plant biomass for forage and cellulosic biofuels.
Review of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections

Abstract During the past decade, pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) has become the topic of numerous debates, sparking research on its presentation, existence, and treatment. As the awareness of PANDAS has increased among the general community, health care providers have been forced to increase their knowledge of this controversial disease state. This article will review the background information, diagnostic criteria, treatment, and contentious issues related to PANDAS.
Multiple calibrator measurements improve accuracy and stability estimates of automated assays

AbstractObjectives The effects of combining multiple calibrations on assay accuracy (bias) and measurement of calibration stability were investigated for total triiodothyronine (TT3), vitamin B12 and luteinizing hormone (LH) using Beckman Coulter’s Access 2 analyzer. Methods Three calibration procedures (CC1, CC2 and CC3) combined 12, 34 and 56 calibrator measurements over 1, 2, and 3 days. Bias was calculated between target values and average measured value over 3 consecutive days after calibration. Using regression analysis of calibrator measurements versus measurement date, calibration stability was determined as the maximum number of days before a calibrator measurement exceeded 5% tolerance limits. Results Competitive assays (TT3, vitamin B12) had positive time regression slopes, while sandwich assay (LH) had a negative slope. Bias values for TT3 were −2.49%, 1.49%, and −0.50% using CC1, CC2 and CC3 respectively, with calibrator stability of 32, 20, and 30 days. Bias values for vitamin B12 were 2.44%...
Investigation into the Spall Strength of Cast Iron

The spall strength of cast iron has been investigated by means of planar plate impact experiments conducted in a vacuum. A single stage gas gun was utilized to drive projectiles to velocities between 100 and 300 m/sec, resulting in low to moderate shock loading of the cast iron specimens. Measurement of the stress histories were made with the use of commercial manganin stress gauges that were imbedded between the back face of the cast iron specimen and a low impedance backing of polycarbonate. Spall strength values were calculated utilizing the measured peak stress and minimum stress pullback signals captured in the stress history. Spall strengths were found to vary between 0.98 and 1.45 GPa for the cast iron tested. Postmortem analysis of recovered specimen has provided insight into the evolution of spall failure in cast iron and shed light on the varying nature of the spall strength values calculated. It was determined that the lower bound of strength values were associated with small scale microfailure, while the upper bound values corresponded to complete spall fracture.
Therapeutic potential of sustained-release sodium nitrite for critical limb ischemia in the setting of metabolic syndrome.

Nitrite is a storage reservoir of nitric oxide that is readily reduced to nitric oxide under pathological conditions. Previous studies have demonstrated that nitrite levels are significantly reduce...
Having Someone to Walk down the Road With: A Conversation with Jeffrey Sprague.

Dr. Jeffrey Sprague is a professor of special education and the director of the University of Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior. He directs research and demonstration projects r...
Solution aging and degradation of a transparent conducting polymer dispersion

As organic electronics improve, there is increased research interest on the longevity and stability of both the device and individual material components. Most of these studies focus on post deposition degradation and aging of the film. In this article, we examine the stability of polyelectrolyte dispersions before film coating. We observe substantial differences in the solution properties of the transparent conducting polymer, S-P3MEET, when comparing fresh versus aged dispersions and relate these solution differences to film properties. The aged dispersion contains large agglomerates and exhibits a typical shear-thinning rheological behavior, which results in non-uniformity of the spin-coated films. Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure measurements were used to differentiate the changes in bonding and oxidation states and show that aged S-P3MEET is more highly self-doped than fresh S-P3MEET. We also show that addition of acid, salt or heat to fresh S-P3MEET can accelerate the degradation/aging process but are subjected to different mechanisms. Conductivity measurements of S-P3MEET films illustrate that there is a tradeoff between increased work function and decreased conductivity upon perfluorinated ionomer (PFI) loading. The formation of nanostructure in solution is also correlated to film morphology variations obtained from atomic force microscopy. We expect that dispersion aging is a process that commonly exists in most solution-dispersed polyelectrolyte materials and that the methodologies presented in this paper might be beneficial to future degradation/stability studies.
Protecting Waste Assimilation Streamflows by the Law of Water Allocation, Nuisance, and Public Trust, and by Environmental Statutes

Both federal and state water pollution control statutes require dramatic reductions in waste discharges, but not their total elimination. Those statutes require establishing water quality standards for receiving waters and presume that they will be adequate to assimilate the residual post-treatment wastes. But nothing in those statutes assures that minimum flows for waste assimilation in fact will remain in existence. Neither the common law nor eastern and western diversion permit statutes expressly provide direct means for establishing such minimum flows. Indirect means do exist, however, for establishing minimum protected flows for residual waste assimilation. Those means include establishing minimum flowsforfish and wildlife habitat and recreation purposes in some eastern diversion permit states, authorizing appropriations for the same purposes in some western states, and requiring protection of environmental values in those states that recognize the public trust or have enacted environmental protection statutes. Because of the haphazard and inadequate characteristics of those indirect means, states should establish direct regulatory authority for establishing minimum protected streamflows for waste assimilation.
GreyMatters: An Interactive Tool for Patients and Their Caregivers

ABSTRACTEvery person needs communication. When the ability to communicate is lost, quality of life declines. Hearing loss, visual deficits, mobility issues, and cognitive decline all impact the communicative abilities of people and the quality of their communication. Dementia is one of the chronic health conditions that greatly and negatively impacts communication on all levels. A graphic artist with family affected by dementia developed an application to give dementia patients and their family, friends, and caregivers the opportunity to have meaningful interactions. GreyMatters is a health literacy tool to improve communication and quality of life in these patients.
High Resolution Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Testicular Relapse in Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

AbstractThe testis is a frequent site for relapse in male patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Ultrasonography can be useful in this clinical setting by confirming the nature of a palpable abnormality or by detecting subclinical disease.
Master Equation Approach for an Ideal Bose Gas

Though experimentally more relevant, treatment of a confined ideal Bose gas through canonical ensemble is a formidable task due to the partide number conservation condition. We show here that the recently developed non-equilibrium master equation approach gives an equilibrium solution which is faithful to the canonical ensemble result.
Catalyst-free Synthesis of α1-oxindole-α-Hydroxyphosphonates Via Phospha-aldol Reaction of Isatins Employing N-heterocyclic Phosphine (NHP)-thiourea

A highly efficient phospha-aldol reaction for the synthesis of α1-oxindole-α-hydroxyphosphonates is developed utilizing N-heterocyclic phosphine (NHP)-thiourea as a phosphonylation reagent under catalyst, additive free conditions. This methodology encompasses a variety of isatin derivatives to provide α1-oxindole- α-hydroxyphosphonates up to 99% yield.
Primary Prophylaxis Prevents the Onset of Arthropathy: Longitudinal Results of 603 Boys with Severe Factor VIII Deficiency Analyzed through the Centers for Disease Control Universal Data Collection (CDC UDC) Study.

BACKGROUND: Arthropathy is the most common complication of severe factor VIII deficiency and causes chronic pain, functional disability and increased cost of care. Early institution of primary prophylaxis (PP) was found to prevent hemophilic arthropathy at age 6 years in a prospective randomized clinical trial including 65 boys (NEJM 2007;357:535–44). The current study was conducted to determine the prevalence and efficacy of primary prophylaxis to prevent joint disease in the larger population of young children enrolled in the CDC UDC data base. METHODS: Eligibility for this analytic project included boys with factor VIII < 1% entered onto the UDC study at or before 36 months of age. Treatment was clinically determined and defined as prophylactic which could be primary (PP, initiated at or before 36 months), secondary (SP, initiated at or following 42 months), or indeterminate (IP, initiated between 36 and 42 months); or episodic (E, without routine prophylaxis). A target joint was defined as one with four or more bleeding events within 6 months. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to evaluate survival without target joint development over time; Cox modeling was employed to assess risk factors for target joint development. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used to model risk factors for bleeding. RESULTS: Of 603 eligible boys, treatment included: PP in 252 (42%), SP in 73 (12%), E in 240 (40%). 38 boys (6%) with IP were excluded from the analysis. In comparison to children treated with E, those on PP were, on average: older (2.17 vs 1.87 years, p < 0.0001); more likely to have had a bleeding event (96 vs 91%, p=0.002); more likely to have received home infusions (90 vs 49%, p < 0.0001); and more likely to have suffered an intracranial hemorrhage (11.3 vs 4.1%, p=0.02). Despite their increased experience with joint and other bleeding events, during the period of prospective observation, children on PP had significantly less joint bleeding (OR 0.51, CI 0.39–0.66, p < 0.0001) and showed improved survival time without onset of a target joint (p = 0.002 overall, and 0.004 between PP and E, figure 1). Results for muscle or any bleeding were similar. In multivariable analysis PP exerted the greatest protective effect on risk of target joint development (hazard ratio 0.38, 95% CI 0.22–0.66, P = 0.001). Factors associated with E therapy included non-white race (p < 0.0001) and insurance coverage other than commercial (p = 0.004), although these factors were not associated with poor joint outcomes. CONCLUSION: In a large population of children with severe hemophilia A on the CDC UDC registry, PP prevents joint and other bleeding and delays target joint development. Factors limiting application of PP must be explored and addressed. ![Figure][1] Figure [1]: pending:yes
Review of multimodal therapies for obesity treatment: Including dietary, counseling strategies, and pharmacologic interventions

Abstract There have been several recent advances in the field of obesity medicine in the areas of structured behavioral therapies, medically supervised diet programs, pharmacotherapy, and new interactive technologies. Patients with obesity now have several options for treatment beyond the standard lifestyle modifications of reducing calories and increasing exercise. Although bariatric surgery is the gold standard of treatment for patients with severe obesity, the problem of recidivism despite surgical intervention has lead obesity medicine specialists to develop multiple treatment modalities. The addition of tailored dietary intervention, targeted behavioral therapies, and the use of Food and Drug Administration approved antiobesity pharmacotherapy can allow patients to augment weight loss or to treat weight regain after bariatric surgery and endoscopic bariatric procedures. New technologies and web-based weight loss applications can allow patients to self-monitor in between office visits.
[18F]Florbetapir PET Imaging in Cognitively Normal Parkinson’s Disease

86 Objectives To evaluate frequency of beta-amyloid plaques (Aβ) in cognitively normal Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients using [18F]-florbetapir PET imaging with visual evaluation and automated quantification. Methods 40 cognitively normal PD patients (mean age 65.7, DRS-2 score ≥139) prospectively underwent [18F]florbetapir PET and T1 MRI. Two nuclear medicine physicians independently interpreted [18F]florbetapir scans as positive or negative. Consensus was reached on discrepant reads. PET scans were quantified using FDA approved, commercial software to calculate SUVR (reference cerebellum) for 6 standard regions-of-interest (ROIs) with a global average (GA)1. GA SUVR≥1.17 was considered positive2. T1 MRI-based maximum probabilistic atlas method (N30R83) was also used to calculate SUVR, with and without partial volume correction (PVC). Agreement between methods was assessed with Cohen’s kappa, percent agreement, and Pearson’s correlation. Results There was high inter-reader agreement (Cohen’s kappa 0.844). 17% of consensus (7/40) reads were positive. There was 87.5% agreement between clinical read and commercial SUVR software. Pearson’s correlation coefficient between commercial and atlas SUVR ranged from 0.67 to 0.89 on ROI-basis. For atlas SUVR, we considered ≥1.23 and ≥1.34 as positive to account for bias relative to the commercial software resulting in 87.5% and 90% agreement with clinical reads with and without PVC, respectively. Conclusions Similar to cognitively normal elderly patients, Aβ deposition is present in a sizable percentage of cognitively normal PD patients3-5. Interpretation of [18F]florbetapir PET shows high inter-reader agreement. Different automated methods may require unique SUVR cutoff values. Future evaluation of cognitive decline will determine the effects of baseline cerebral Aβ in this cohort. Research Support 1. University of Pennsylvania Institute on Aging 2. Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. 3. NINDS, 5P50NS053488-08, PI- John Q Trojanowski
Targeted Ultrasound After MRI

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-directed ultrasound (US), also known as second-look US or targeted US, is performed to assess for a sonographic correlate for a lesion detected by MRI that was not initially seen at mammography or ultrasound. If a correlate is seen at ultrasound, US-guided biopsy is the preferred method as it can be less expensive, faster, easier, and more comfortable for patients than MRI-guided biopsy. Understanding the differences in breast position between MRI (prone) and ultrasound (supine) in addition to knowledge of the location and morphology of the MRI-detected lesion can aid in identifying a sonographic correlate. Performing imaging-histopathologic concordance and imaging follow-up are important in patient management. In the absence of a sonographic correlate, MRI-guided biopsy is still required of any lesion deemed suspicious at MR imaging.
Multiple Schottky Barrier-Limited Field-Effect Transistors on a Single Silicon Nanowire with an Intrinsic Doping Gradient

In comparison to conventional (channel-limited) field-effect transistors (FETs), Schottky barrier-limited FETs possess some unique characteristics which make them attractive candidates for some electronic and sensing applications. Consequently, modulation of the nano Schottky barrier at a metal-semiconductor interface promises higher performance for chemical and biomolecular sensor applications when compared to conventional FETs with ohmic contacts. However, the fabrication and optimization of devices with a combination of ideal ohmic and Schottky contacts as the source and drain, respectively, present many challenges. We address this issue by utilizing Si nanowires (NWs) synthesized by a chemical vapor deposition process which yields a pronounced doping gradient along the length of the NWs. Devices with a series of metal contacts on a single Si NW are fabricated in a single lithography and metallization process. The graded doping profile of the NW is manifested in monotonic increases in the channel and junction resistances and variation of the nature of the contacts from ohmic to Schottky of increasing effective barrier height along the NW. Hence multiple single Schottky junction-limited FETs with extreme asymmetry and high reproducibility are obtained on an individual NW. A definitive correlation between increasing Schottky barrier height and enhanced gate modulation is revealed. Having access to systematically varying Schottky barrier contacts on the same NW device provides an ideal platform for identifying optimal device characteristics for sensing and electronic applications.
Formal Specification of IEEE Floating-Point Arithmetic Using PVS

Abstract A significant portion of the ANSI/IEEE-854 Standard for Radix-Independent Floating Point Arithmetic is fonnally defined using PVS (Prototype Verification System). Since IEEE-854 is a generalization of the ANSI/IEEE-754 Standard for Binary Floating-Point Arithmetic, the PVS specification also formally defines much of IEEE-754. This collection of PVS theories provides a basis for machine checked verification of floating-point systems. The process of defining IEEE-854 using PVS revealed some imprecision in the standard. This formal definition illustrates that formal specification techniques are sufficiently advanced that it is reasonable to consider their use in the development of future standards.
Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy and Minimally Invasive Surgery for Kidney Cancer

Radical nephrectomy has long been the gold standard for the management of renal tumors since Robson and colleagues reported increased survival in that group as compared to those who underwent simple nephrectomy1.Over the last decade, however, the surgical management of renal tumors has changed with emergence of laparoscopy as an alternative to open surgery. The short-term benefits of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) in the form of reduced morbidity were clearly established soon after its inception. However, the long-term benefits and particularly the oncological efficacy of LRN were not established until very recently. Mature data from several groups provide evidence that LRN appears to have equivalent oncological efficacy to open radical nephrectomy, establishing it as a new standard of care in select cases.
Minimizing breaks in sport scheduling with local search

Sport scheduling has received significant attention in the recent years and has contributed many challenging applications for optimization technologies. This paper reconsiders the problem of minimizing the number of breaks in round-robin tournaments, an application which has been recently tackled by sophisticated constraint and mathematical programming approaches. It proposes a simulated annealing algorithm that finds optimal solutions very quickly for the largest instances available. On the larger instances (e.g., 28 teams), the algorithm is several orders of magnitude faster than earlier approaches. In addition, the experimental results indicate that near-optimal solutions can be obtained within 10 seconds for large instances. Of particular interest is the simplicity of the implementation, its automatic tuning of the parameters, and the fact that simulated annealing is an effective technique for another sport-scheduling application.
Characterization and localization of pulmonary and hepatic masses using breath-hold respiratory-gated PET/CT

2113 Objectives: The purpose is to determine the impact breath-hold respiratory-gated PET/CT imaging has on pulmonary and hepatic lesion characterization and localization. Methods: 20 patients received whole body PET/CT scans(10-18 mCi FDG iv, 60 min uptake period, GE DSTE). During the whole body PET/CT scan, the patients were instructed to lie still and maintain quiet respiration. The patient was repositioned in the PET scanner detector field, and breath-hold respiratory-gated dynamic images were obtained centered over the identified lesions. Breath-hold respiratory-gated dynamic PET images, (12 frames, 15 sec length) were acquired, alternating the frames between breath-hold and free breathing. The 6 frames of breath-hold data were summed, and this data was attenuation corrected to the separate inspiratory breath-hold CT of the chest and upper abdomen. Images that required adjustments in alignment were done using an Attenuation Correction Quality Control program. Results: SUVmax:Whole body PET/CT (4.66 +/-2.58),Respiratory-gated PET/CT (4.57 +/-3.56). In patients where the SUVmax decreased from whole body PET/CT to respiratory-gated technique, the mean SUVmax was 3.34 +/- 2.26. In patients where the SUVmax increased from whole body PET/CT to respiratory-gated technique, the mean SUVmax was 7.86 +/- 4.09. The mean shift of respiratory-gated PET/CT was equal or less than whole body PET/CT in 16 of 20 cases. Conclusions: Using the breath-hold respiratory-gated technique, there was a higher contrast between high uptake lesions and low uptake lesions which may improve lesion characterization even though the mean SUVmax was not significantly different, and an equal or smaller shift in 16 of 20 cases which may improve lesion localization.
Antithrombin III: A Backward Glance O’Er Travel’d Roads

Having been given the rare privilege of reviewing my own work on antithrombin, I will try here to be informative both about anti- thrombin and about how I found my scientific endeavor to function. Except for “antithrombin III,” I borrowed the title from Walt Whitman who used it for reflections on his great work, Leaves of Grass. One of his critics thought that poetry would cease to be read in 50 years owing to the tendency toward science and its all-devouring force. Whitman rightfully anticipated the opposite. There was another problem, which he expressed in the following phrase: “Public criticism on the book and myself as author of it yet shows mark’d anger and contempt more than anything else.” Today, any literary scholar thinks of Leaves of Grass when Whitman is mentioned, and he would be embarrassed if he made the mistake of saying that Ralph Waldo Emerson was the author. Similar associations of author and his work are not common in science.
Water quality assessment of transitional and coastal marine Sicilian waters (Italy): Ecological and epidemiological significance of multiple antimicrobial resistant Enterococcus spp.

Abstract The water quality of Sicilian transitional and coastal marine areas was investigated by evaluating the distribution of Enterococcus spp.; as a reference, two sewage samples were also analysed. The epidemiological implications of their presence were considered. Enterococcal strains isolated by culture methods were phenotypically and molecularly identified and their susceptibility to antibiotics tested. High phenotypic variability was detected, with low specific identification for 46% of the isolated strains. E. casseliflavus, isolated from transitional environments only, predominated; in coastal and sewage waters E. faecium prevailed, occurring also in transitional environments, where multiple antibiotic resistances were found. Ampicillin and vancomycin resistant enterococci were isolated exclusively from transitional environments. The dynamics of dissemination of antibiotic resistant enterococci in aquatic environments located across the South-North migration route of many wild birds could be very complex, emphasising the relevance of epidemiological studies on transitional aquatic environments as reservoirs of pathogenic enterococci, as well as on sedentary seagulls and migratory wild birds as carriers and spreaders of antibiotic resistant enterococci.