cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A42: Association between neighborhood deprivation and lung cancer risk in the Southern Community Cohort Study

Purpose: Counties with the highest rates of lung cancer mortality in the United States from the 1980s have been located in the South. This finding is related to high regional smoking prevalence, but we hypothesized that area-level socioeconomic deprivation may also contribute. We used data from the Southern Community Cohort Study to examine this exposure in a multilevel nested case-control study of incident lung cancer. Methods: Men and women with incident lung cancer were identified through linkage with state cancer registries and the National Death Index (1,334 cases). Approximately four controls were matched to each case on sex, race, age at diagnosis, and year of recruitment (5,315 controls). Individual-level smoking and socioeconomic status were obtained through baseline surveys, while block group-level neighborhood deprivation was obtained from U.S. Census data. Results: After adjustment for smoking and other confounders, but prior to adjustment for individual-level measures of socioeconomic status, there was an increased risk of lung cancer for persons living in neighborhoods with the greatest quartile of deprivation relative to those in neighborhoods with the least (odds ratio (OR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.63). Additional adjustment for individual-level measures of socioeconomic status weakened this effect (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.94-1.55). There was no evidence of effect modification by race or sex. Conclusions: Area-level measures of socioeconomic status were associated with lung cancer risk in this population after control for smoking. Citation Format: Maureen Sanderson, Melinda C. Aldrich, Robert S. Levine, Barbara Kilbourne, Qiuyin Cai, William J. Blot. Association between neighborhood deprivation and lung cancer risk in the Southern Community Cohort Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr A42.
959-P: The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists' Audit of Freestyle Libre in Diabetes in United Kingdom—Effect on Hypoglycaemia Awareness

The FSL flash glucose monitoring device can reduce hypoglycaemia in people with diabetes. This national audit explores UK real world experience of FSL with respect to hypoglycaemia awareness in people with diabetes. Clinicians using FSL were invited to submit data to a secure web-based tool held within the NHS N3 network. Data were analysed from available initial submissions from the 60 out of 120 NHS trusts registered for the audit. R3.5 was used for statistical analysis and T-test and Mann Whitney-U tests was used to compare the baseline and follow-up GOLD score and brief Diabetes Distress Screening Score (DDSS) respectively. Data were available for 2,438 (2,348 people with type 1 diabetes) FSL users; age 34(IQR =19-51) years, 54% female, diabetes duration 14 (IQR=19-51) years, and BMI of 24(IQR=21-28) kg/m2. In those with follow-up and baseline GOLD score (n=566), the median Gold score decreased significantly from 3.29(±1.85) at baseline to 2.79(±1.91), P Disclosure E.G. Wilmot: Advisory Panel; Self; Dexcom, Inc. Research Support; Self; Diabetes UK. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Abbott, Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk Inc., Sanofi. H. Deshmukh: None. D. Bishop: None. D.W. Lipscomb: Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. Stock/Shareholder; Self; ABCAM, EKF Diagnostics, GlaxoSmithKline plc., Renalytix AI PLC. R. Banatwalla: None. R. Zaidi: None. Z.V. Smith: None. L. Overend: Other Relationship; Self; Lilly Diabetes, Novo Nordisk Inc. S. Kamaruddin: None. C.M. Hall: None. A. Kilvert: Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi. J. Macfadyen: None. T. Sathyapalan: Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Novo Nordisk Foundation. Other Relationship; Self; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi-Aventis. C. Walton: Advisory Panel; Spouse/Partner; Celgene Corporation. Speaker9s Bureau; Spouse/Partner; Leo Pharma, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. R.E. Ryder: Advisory Panel; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Bioquest.
Reframing Gentrification: How Tenant Shopkeepers’ Activism in Seoul Radically Reframed Gentrification:

Critical scholarship on gentrification has contributed significantly to bolstering the rights of working-class residents against the forces that price them out of the city. However, working-class r...
Nonmodal Growth of Traveling Waves on Blunt Cones at Hypersonic Speeds

The existing database of transition measurements in hypersonic ground facilities has established that, as the nose-tip bluntness is increased, the onset of boundary-layer transition over a circular...
High-Performance Adaptive MPI Derived Datatype Communication for Modern Multi-GPU Systems

The recent advent of the NVLink interconnect and Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) switch has resulted in the creation of extremely dense Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems like Cray CS-Storm and NVIDIA DGX. In addition to the extremely high computational capability and communication capacity within a single machine, these systems expose novel capabilities like performing load-store operations from remote GPU memory across interconnects. While researchers have proposed solutions that take advantage of load-store semantics to provide support for high-performance datatype processing on CPUs, there exists no scholarly work on how one can orchestrate such high-performance datatype-based communication for GPU-resident data. In this paper, we take up this challenge and propose high-performance and architecture-aware designs for GPU-based non-contiguous datatype processing that uses the load-store semantics exposed by modern dense GPU systems. We demonstrate that the proposed solutions can reduce the overhead of datatype processing by up to 4.7X compared to the state-of-the-art schemes for GPU-based MILC communication kernel on an NVLink2-enabled dense GPU system. For a weather forecast application kernel, the proposed designs demonstrate up to 9.9X faster HaloExchange kernel among 64 GPUs over state-of-the-art designs. The proposed adaptive scheme also reports 10% higher throughput than existing designs for a 2D Jacobi solver on 16 GPUs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first scholarly work that takes advantage of the zero-copy based load-store semantics to perform high-performance GPU to GPU derived datatype communication on modern dense GPU systems.
Feasibility and effectiveness of a telehealth service delivery model for treating childhood posttraumatic stress: A community-based, open pilot trial of trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy

Telepsychotherapy (also referred to as telehealth or telemental health), the use of videoconferencing to deliver psychotherapy services, offers an innovative way to address significant gaps in access to care and is being used to deliver a variety of treatments for youth. Although recent research has supported the effectiveness of telehealth delivery of a variety of interventions for children, the literature has focused very little on childhood posttraumatic stress disorder. This pilot study examined the feasibility and potential effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive- behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) delivered via telepsychotherapy in community-based locations of either schools or patient homes. Telepsychotherapy treatment was delivered to 70 traumaexposed youth in 7 underserved communities. Of these, 88.6% completed a full course of TF-CBT and 96.8% of these treatment completers no longer met diagnostic criteria for a trauma-related disorder at posttreatment. Results demonstrated clinically meaningful symptom change posttreatment, with large effect sizes evident for both youthand caregiver-reported reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. The results observed in this pilot evaluation are promising and provide preliminary evidence of the feasibility and effectiveness of this novel treatment format. The COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented need to rethink how mental health services are delivered, which is particularly applicable to high base rate conditions related to posttraumatic stress. Given the existing network of nationally certified TF-CBT therapists, and many international TF-CBT therapists, these findings suggest the potential for providing effective and accessible telepsychotherapy intervention during this public health crisis (as well as those that will occur in the future).
Harmony Lost: Cell-Cell Communication at the Neuromuscular Junction in Motor Neuron Disease.

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized synapse that is the point of connection between motor neurons and skeletal muscle. Although developmental studies have established the importance of cell–cell communication at the NMJ for the integrity and full functionality of this synapse, the contribution of this structure as a primary driver in motor neuron disease pathogenesis remains uncertain. Here, we consider the biology of the NMJ and review emerging lines of investigation that are highlighting the importance of cell–cell interaction at the NMJ in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Ongoing research may reveal NMJ targets and pathways whose therapeutic modulation will help slow the progression of motor neuron disease, offering a novel treatment paradigm for ALS, SBMA, SMA, and related disorders.
Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee (Femoral Condyle and Patella)

Osteochondritis dissecans, also referred to as an osteochondral defect, is an alteration in the subchondral bone structure with risk for instability and disruption of adjacent articular cartilage. Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions of the knee are most often located in the femoral condyle but can also be found in the patella. Children may present with chronic, vague, activity-related knee pain. If the lesion is unstable, children may have mechanical symptoms, swelling, and gait abnormalities. OCD lesions are often initially diagnosed on radiographs and then confirmed, characterized, and staged with MRI. Depending on the stability of the lesion and patient characteristics, OCD lesions are either treated with conservative management non-operatively or with surgical intervention.
First Records of Coccomorpha (Hemiptera) Species in Diyarbakır, Turkey

Plants in gardens and parks within Diyarbakir Province (Baglar, Kayapinar, Sur, and Yenisehir) of Turkey were sampled throughout the years of 2016 and 2017. These collections yielded 10 species from the superfamily Coccoidea (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) including 3 species from the family Coccidae (Parthenolecanium corni [Bouche], Didesmococcus unifasciatus [Archangelskaya], Sphaerolecanium prunastri [Boyer de Fonscolombe]), 5 species from the family Diaspididae (Leucaspis pusilla [Low], Pseudaulacaspis pentagona [Targiona-Tozzetti], Mercetaspis halli [Green], Salicicola kermanensis [Lindinger], Parlatoria oleae [Colvee]), and 1 species each from family Eriococcidae (Gossyparia spuria [Modeer]) and family Pseudococcidae (Planococcus vovae [Nasonov]). The diaspids L. pusilla, Pseudaulacaspis pentagona, and Salicicola Kermanensis; the eriococcid G. spuria; and the pseudococcid Planococcus vovae represent the first records for the Diyarbakir Province insect fauna.
The Utility of Absolute Monocyte Counts in Predicting Severity of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a potentially devastating disease of preterm newborns characterized by severe gut inflammation. Monocyte-derived macrophages have been implicated in the cellular inflammatory response in NEC (Mohankumar 2012). As macrophages are consumed, peripheral monocytes are recruited to repopulate the intestinal pool resulting in a perceptible drop in the serum monocyte count (Remon 2014). Objectives: Primary: To determine whether the degree of change in absolute monocyte count (AMC) at illness onset can predict eventual severity of disease at its peak. Secondary objective: to determine whether a drop in AMC is observed in bacteremic infants without NEC, as the two illnesses can present similarly. Design/Methods: A retrospective chart review (Jan 2012-Dec 2016), performed on …
Forearm muscle mitochondrial capacity and resting oxygen uptake: Relationship to symptomatic fatigue in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Background Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Whether mitochondrial alterations are a function of ambulatory dysfunction or are of a non-ambulatory systemic nature is unclear. Objective To compare oxidative capacity, and rest muscle oxygen consumption (mVO2) in the upper limb of persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) to a control group (CON), whereby an upper limb would be comparatively independent of ambulation or deconditioning. Methods Near infra-red spectroscopy was used to measure oxidative capacity of the wrist flexors in PwMS (n = 16) and CON (n = 13). Oxidative capacity was indicated by the time constant (TC) of mVO2 recovery following brief wrist flexion contractions. Measurements included well-being, depression, symptomatic fatigue, disability, handgrip strength, cognition, and functional endurance. Analysis was by T-tests and Pearson correlations with p ≤ 0.05. Data are mean (SD). Results TC of mVO2 recovery was slower in PwMS (MS = 47(14) sec, CON = 36(11) sec; p = 0.03). No significant correlations were found between oxidative capacity and any other measures. Rest mVO2 was not different between groups, but correlated with symptomatic fatigue (r = 0.694, p = 0.003) and strength (0.585, p = 0.017) in PwMS. Conclusion Oxidative capacity was lower in the wrist flexors of PwMS, possibly indicating a systemic component of the disease. Within PwMS, rest mVO2 was associated with symptomatic fatigue.
Enhancing Global Competitiveness: Benchmarking Airline Operational Performance in Highly Regulated Environments

Enhancing competitiveness in the global airline industry is at the forefront of attention with airlines, government, and the flying public. The seemingly unchecked growth of major airline alliances is heralded as an enhancement to global competition. However, like many mega-conglomerates, mega-airlines will face complications driven by size regardless of the many recitations of enhanced efficiency. Outlined herein is a conceptual model to serve as a decision tool for policy-makers, managers, and consumers of airline services. This model is developed using public data for the United States (U.S.) major airline industry available from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and other public and private sector sources. Looking at historical patterns of Airline Quality Rating results provides the basis for establishment of an industry benchmark for the purpose of enhancing airline operational performance. Applications from this example can be applied to the many competitive environments of the global industry and assist policy-makers faced with rapidly changing regulatory challenges.
Gender and History of the Postbellum U.S. South

Although gender as a category of analysis has been largely accepted in the discipline of history for its valuable insights, such acceptance was not without resistance. The difficulty of understanding how gender applies in all historical situations impeded early endorsement. In this article, I examine works of historians writing on the postbellum U.S. South, a time and place when all social and political relations were especially volatile and in flux. The chosen works reveal the ways gender has collapsed the divide between public and private, between social and political history, divisions that have defied resolution. They also provided a foundation for studies on the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow, which followed.
A geometric approach to failure detection and identification in linear systems

Using concepts of (C,A)-invariant and unobservability (complementary observability) subspaces, a geometric formulation of the failure detection and identification filter problem is stated. Using these geometric concepts, it is shown that it is possible to design a causal linear time-invariant processor that can be used to detect and uniquely identify a component failure in a linear time-invariant system, assuming: (1) The components can fail simultaneously, and (2) The components can fail only one at a time. In addition, a geometric formulation of Beard's failure detection filter problem is stated. This new formulation completely clarifies of output separability and mutual detectability introduced by Beard and also exploits the dual relationship between a restricted version of the failure detection and identification problem and the control decoupling problem. Moreover, the frequency domain interpretation of the results is used to relate the concepts of failure sensitive observers with the generalized parity relations introduced by Chow. This interpretation unifies the various failure detection and identification concepts and design procedures.
Inhibition by corticosteroids of epidermal growth factor-induced recovery of cyclooxygenase after aspirin inactivation.

Cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells superfused with [14C]arachidonic acid synthesized the antiplatelet substance prostacyclin as the major cyclooxygenase product. Prostacyclin synthesis was inactivated by aspirin, which irreversibly acetylates cyclooxygenase. Aspirin-treated cells recovered within 2 h by a process that was blocked by cycloheximide but not by actinomycin D, and that required a serum component identified as epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF-induced recovery of cyclooxygenase was greatly potentiated by type beta transforming growth factor (TGF-beta). Incubation with EGF and TGF-beta in the 0.1-1.0 nanomolar range stimulated cyclooxygenase recovery up to 20-fold without increasing [35S]methionine incorporation into other cell proteins. Induction of cyclooxygenase by EGF and TGF-beta also was prevented by cycloheximide but not by actinomycin D. EGF-dependent recovery was blocked by preincubation with dexamethasone (2 microM), an effect that was duplicated by pure lipocortin (2-4 microgra...
Uncovering regulatory nodes in miRNA-mediated regulation of glycome (608.7)

Glycan biosynthesis is a complex and highly non-linear process requiring a large number of diverse proteins (glycosyltransferases, glycosidases and sugar nucleotide transporters) to act in accord. ...
Prospective Surveillance of Intravenous Amphotericin B Use Patterns

Information on amphotericin B use patterns and infusion-related adverse events were prospectively collected from 397 hospitalized adults. The methods of initiating amphotericin B varied greatly, with the majority of patients being gradually titrated to a full maintenance dose over 1-5 days. Overall, 71% of patients experienced at least one episode of an infusion-related adverse event (IRAE) during the first week of therapy. Fever and chills were most commonly observed, with peak frequency on days 1-3, followed by a subsequent decline. A wide variety of pretreatment medications were used to minimize IRAE; the most common regimens included some combination of diphenhydramine, acetaminophen, and corticosteroids, with or without heparin. The majority of patients (84.7%) received a test dose, and although none experienced a severe allergic reaction, one patient subsequently had an anaphylactic episode on the third day of amphotericin B therapy. The use of a test dose and the titration process are attempts to avoid the IRAE frequency associated with large initial doses of amphotericin B, but we observed that they provided little or no benefit. In addition, our study suggests that pretreatment regimens are frequently used in conjunction with the test dose. If the intent of the test dose is to identify patients sensitive to amphotericin B, pretreatment drugs may minimize these adverse events and prevent a complete evaluation of response to the test dose.
Arachidonic acid inhibits lipogenic gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes through a prostanoid pathway

This report examines the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on lipogenic gene expression in cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Arachidonic acid (20:4, n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5, n-3) suppressed mRNAs encoding fatty acid synthase (FAS) and S14, but had no effect on beta-actin. Using a clonal adipocyte cell line containing a stably integrated S14CAT fusion gene, oleic acid (18:1, n-9), arachidonic acid (20:4, n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5, n-3) inhibited chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity with an ED50 of 800, 50, and 400 microM, respectively. Given the high potency of 20:4, n-6, its effect on adipocyte gene expression was characterized. Arachidonic acid suppressed basal CAT activity, but did not affect glucocorticoid-mediated induction of S14CAT expression. The effect of 20:4, n-6 on S14CAT expression was blocked by an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase implicating involvement of prostanoids. Prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGF2alpha at 10 microM) inhibited CAT activity through a pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi/Go-coupled signalling cascade. Our results suggest that 20:4, n-6 inhibits lipogenic gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes through a prostanoid pathway. This mechanism of control differs from the polyunsaturated fatty acid-mediated suppression of hepatic lipogenic gene expression.
Comparison of cellular and whole-animal bioassays for estimation of radiation effects in the polychaete worm Neanthes arenaceodentata (Polychaeta).

The polychaete wormNeanthes arenaceodentata was used in experiments to determine possible relationships between short-term genotoxicity tests and reproductive and lethal consequences of exposure to ionizing radiation. Groups of juvenileN. arenaceodentata received one of four different radiation doses (2, 4, 8, and 16 Gy) to determine dose-effect estimates for chromosomal aberration induction, and groups of both adult and juveniles received one of seven different radiation doses (1, 4, 8.4, 46, 102, 500, and 1000 Gy) to determine dose-effect estimates for reproduction, mortality, and life span. Effects on reproduction and genetic material were observed at the lowest doses and in the same range; detrimental reproductive effects were observed at 1 to 4 Gy, and the frequency of chromosomal aberrations were significantly increased at 2 Gy. Only high doses resulted in acute mortality (>500 Gy) and decreased life span (>100 Gy).
Effect of Age and Exercise on the Viscoelastic Properties of Rat Tail Tendon

Tendon mechanical properties are thought to degrade during aging but improve with exercise. A remaining question is whether exercise in aged animals provides sufficient regenerative, systemic stimulus to restore younger mechanical behaviors. Herein we address that question with tail tendons from aged and exercised rats, which would be subject to systemic effects but not direct loading from the exercise regimen. Twenty-four month old rats underwent one of three treadmill exercise training protocols for 12 months: sedentary (walking at 0° incline for 5 min/day), moderate (running at 0° incline for 30 min/day), or high (running at 4° incline for 30 min/day). A group of 9 month old rats were used to provide an adult control, while a group of 3 month old rats provided a young control. Tendons were harvested at sacrifice and mechanically tested. Results show significant age-dependent differences in modulus, ultimate stress, relaxation rate, and percent relaxation. Relaxation rate was strain-dependent, consistent with nonlinear superposition or Schapery models but not with quasilinear viscoelasticity (QLV). Trends in exercise data suggest that with exercise, tendons assume the elastic character of younger rats (lower elastic modulus and ultimate stress).
Asymmetric antagonistic effects of an inhalation anesthetic and high pressure on the phase transition temperature of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid bilayers.

Abstract The phase transition temperature ( T t ) of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid multilamellar liposomes is depressed 10°C by the inhalation anesthetic methoxyflurane at a concentration of 100 mmol/mol lipid. Application of 100 atm of helium pressure to pure phosphatidic acid liposomes increased T t only 1.5°C. However, application of 100 atm helium pressure to dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid lipsomes containing 100 mmol methoxyflurane/mol lipid almost completely antagonized the effect of the anesthetic. A nonlinear pressure effect is observed. In a previous study, a concentration of 60 mmol methoxyflurane/mol dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine depressed T t only 1.5°C, exhibiting a linear pressure effect. The completely different behavior in the charged membrane is best explained by extrusion of the anesthetic from the lipid phase.
When they were very young: Almost-threes remember two years ago☆

Abstract Five children who had participated 15–19 times between 6–40 weeks of age in a study of the perception of auditory space returned to the laboratory two years later. The original experimental sequence, which entailed trials in both light and darkness, was carried out along with several additional memory probes. Five control subjects, age, and sex mates who had not previously participated, also experienced the test procedure. Behavior was videotaped and recorded by two observers, and the control and experimental groups were compared on a series of measures. Several measures provide indications that the 2-year-olds remembered what they did in the laboratory two years before; specifically, they retained memory for early action sequences. The findings are of particular interest because a transition from preverbal to verbal functioning marks this 2-year period of development.
A synthetic approach to polyene macrolldes: Synthesis of the building blocks

Abstract The two building blocks required to construct the 26-membered ring skeleton of tetrin-A have been synthesized.
Directing and sensing changes in molecular conformation on individual carbon nanotube field effect transistors.

This study explores how to populate the surface of the carbon nanotubes with functional molecules that can be toggled back-and-forth between different molecular conformations. The molecules synthesized for this study are tagged with a photoswitchable headgroup and a functional group which directs the assembly on the surface of the carbon nanotubes. Single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors switch between high and low conductance as the molecules are switched with light between open and closed conformations. These devices detect the photoswitching of ∼104 molecules.
Resolution limitations in intravascular ultrasound imaging.

Interest in the use of ultrasound to characterize the structure and composition of blood vessel walls has risen dramatically as a result of the development of intravascular ultrasonic imaging transducers mounted on the tips of small-diameter catheters. A study of the resolution of these tranducers is needed to understand the limitations in the visualization of these structures. Theoretic and experimental studies of the resolution of the two principal designs of intravascular ultrasonic transducers, the mechanically scanned single element and the multielement circular array, were carried out. Comparisons of the two designs reveal that they have similar resolutions. However, the resolutions in two of the three dimensions are shown to decrease linearly with increasing radial distance. Significant errors in image interpretation, particularly in larger diameter vessels, will result if this variation in resolution is not accounted for.
Cross-national homicide: a review of the current literature

Since LaFree’s review of 34 cross-national homicide studies in 1999, an additional 50 studies have been published on this topic. There have been a few reviews of the extant literature, and a meta-analysis of cross-national predictors of homicide. However, none of these have directly assessed the degree to which the subsequent research has heeded the recommendations provided by LaFree, nor considered the long-term implications of his analysis for ongoing cross-national homicide research. We extend the literature by updating the review conducted by LaFree and detailing the major changes that have occurred in this body of research since the late 1990s. Our review reveals that recent studies appear to have taken into account LaFree’s recommendations, particularly in regard to data sources, theoretical perspectives, and variable choices. We conclude that while advances in this field have been made, there are issues that have remained problematic over time and should be considered by researchers engaged in cros...
A pediatric patient with a dissecting thrombotic anterior choroidal artery aneurysm: case report.

OBJECTIVE We report a unique case of a dissecting thrombosed left anterior choroidal aneurysm. CLINICAL PRESENTATION The aneurysm was diagnosed in a pediatric patient who presented with right-sided hemiparesis. Computed tomography, computed tomographic angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and conventional angiography studies were helpful in diagnosing the aneurysm in this patient. Imaging was consistent with an acute infarct in the left globus pallidus. INTERVENTION An orbitozygomatic craniotomy was performed for surgical clipping of the aneurysm. CONCLUSION This case illustrates the unique appearance of a dissecting aneurysm in the anterior choroidal artery and stresses the importance of recognizing atypical presentations of complex aneurysms in the pediatric population.
A grading scale to predict outcomes after intra-arterial thrombolysis for stroke complicated by contrast extravasation.

Objective Contrast extravasation after intra-arterial thrombolysis for stroke occurs frequently and is identifiable on a computed tomographic (CT) scan, but it is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed. Few articles describing this phenomenon have been published. The clinical outcomes of patients after contrast extravasation are poorly understood. We designed a grading system to predict outcomes after contrast extravasation and tested the grading scale prospectively. Methods We studied 27 patients who had contrast extravasation exhibited on a CT scan immediately after intra-arterial thrombolysis. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was used to quantify neurological examinations preoperatively, postoperatively, and at follow-up an average of 3 months later. A grading scale from 0 to 10 was developed from a retrospective analysis of the first 18 patients using odds ratios and Fisher's exact test. The grading system was then applied prospectively to the next 9 consecutive patients. Results Six components of the grading system were weighted approximately proportional to corresponding odds ratios: 1) incomplete recanalization (3 points), 2) prolonged angiographic blush (2 points), 3) hyperdensity greater than 150 Hounsfield units (2 points), 4) lesion volume greater than 50 cc exhibited on a CT scan (1 point), 5) lesion in eloquent parenchyma (1 point), and 6) hypodensity demonstrated on an immediate postoperative CT scan (1 point). The contrast extravasation grades for each outcome category (excellent, fair, poor, died) increased in stepwise fashion. There was a direct linear correlation between the assigned grade and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score improvement at follow-up. Conclusion This grading system should prove useful as a preliminary guide for predicting outcomes of patients with contrast extravasation after intra-arterial thrombolysis for stroke. Further analysis in a large cohort of prospective patients is necessary to ensure extensibility.
Comparison of Gas Nucleation and Pool Boiling Site Densities

It has been well established that the rate of heat transfer associated with boiling systems is strongly dependent on the nucleation site density. Over many years attempts have been made to predict nucleation site density in boiling systems using a variety of techniques. With the exception of specially prepared surfaces, these attempts have met with little success. This paper presents an experimental investigation of nucleation site density measured on roughly polished brass and stainless steel surfaces for gas nucleation and pool boiling over a large parameter space. The fluids used for this study, distilled water and ethanol, are moderately wetting and highly wetting, respectively. Using distilled water it has been observed that the trends of nucleation site density versus the inverse of the critical radius are similar for pool boiling and gas nucleation. The nucleation site density is higher for gas nucleation than for pool boiling. An unexpected result has been observed with ethanol as the heat transfer fluid, which casts doubt on the general validity of heterogeneous nucleation theory. Due to flooding, few sites are active on the brass surface and at most two are active on the stainless steel surface during gas nucleation experiments. However, nucleation sites readily form in large concentration on both the brass and stainless steel surfaces during pool boiling. The nucleation site densities for the rough and mirror polished brass surfaces are also compared. It shows that there is no large difference for the measured nucleation site density.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Corruption networks as a sphere of investment activities in modern Russia

This paper studies a new phenomenon, the ‘top to bottom’ corruption networks of organized crime, law enforcement and Government officials in Russia. We examine the Soviet roots of corruption and its transformation during transitional period. By focusing on contemporary Russian corruption networks this paper explores the complex of state-run oligarchic structure with established rates, well organized inter-institutional groups incorporated by common ideas of extracting profits. The danger is in the existence of extensive and stable corruption networks, which not only profit by their illegal activities between Organized Crime groups and Law Enforcements, but invest in further corrupt developments to control the government. We argue that corruption in Russia, for a long time, has been imbedded in the system of social relations and, by the majority of citizens, was not considered to be a crime. Presenting arguments against existing simplified understanding of corruption, this study elucidates corruption networks as an expansion of Organized Crime in all spheres of post-totalitarian Russia. It also shows that a magic circle of corruption closely intertwines with the inefficiency of power and the inefficiency of rule of law.
Radiation effects in amorphous FexNi80−xP14B6

Change in the Curie temperature and magnetic saturation of the amorphous ferromagnetic series FexNi80−xP14B6 for 20?x?34 induced by proton bombardment have been studied, and correlated with small angle x‐ray scattering measurements performed for x = 20 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Both the Curie temperature and the low temperature saturation magnetization increase with proton fluence up to 1016 cm−2 but are constant for higher fluences. Protons of energy 2.25 MeV (range much greater than the sample thickness) are more effective at producing changes than protons of energy 0.25 MeV (range much less than sample thicness). Thus, hydrogen implantation is eliminated as the principal source of the observed changes. In addition, careful attention to sample temperature during irradiation excludes thermal annealing as the origin of the effect. Proton bombardment at the same fluences produces scattering centers that are observed by small angle x‐ray scattering. The concentration of scattering centers increases ...
Environmental impact on the magnetic field distribution of a magnetic proximity detection system in an underground coal mine

A magnetic proximity detection system mounted on an underground mobile mining machine detects whether a worker is hazardously close to the machine. The system generates magnetic fields covering the extended spaces around the machine. A magnetic detector worn by the worker measures the magnetic field flux density and determines the distance from it to the machine. The system is frequently in close proximity to coal as the machine moves, causing the magnetic field flux, in part, to enter massive in situ coal. This has the potential to have an adverse effect on the accuracy of the system and on the safety of the worker if the coal were to significantly alter the magnetic flux density distribution. Two experiments were conducted to study the impact of in situ coal on these magnetic fields. Measurements in one mine show that coal mass has no significant impact on the magnetic field flux distribution.
A summer science experience with computer graphics for secondary students

This paper describes the principles, implementation, and results of a weeklong summer science course for junior high and high school students interested in computer science. To motivate and foster interest and creativity in students, while providing adequate complexity to introduce programming concepts and techniques, we used programming projects in computer graphics as the main learning tool. Included in our discussion are experiences across three course offerings, as well as detailed course assignments.
Multiphonon vibrational relaxation in liquids: should it lead to an exponential-gap law?

The profound differences between solids and liquids notwithstanding, high-frequency vibrational energy relaxation in liquids seems to be well described by assuming that the excess energy is being transferred into discrete overtones of some fundamental intermolecular vibrations—precisely the way it is in crystalline solids. In a solid-state context, this kind of analysis can be used to justify the observation that relaxation rates fall off exponentially with the energy being transferred. Liquids, however, have a substantial degree of disorder, causing their relevant intermolecular spectra to have correspondingly diffuse band edges and large bandwidths. It is therefore not at all obvious what should become of this exponential-gap-law phenomenology. We show in this paper how near exponential-gap-law behavior can still be derived for vibrational energy relaxation in liquids. To do so, we take advantage of the simple dynamics that the high-frequency relaxation has when it is launched from an individual instantaneous configuration. Interestingly, the physically relevant region turns out not to be true asymptotic limit of our formalism, but for realistic liquid parameters the behavior in the physical regime differs only slightly from an exact exponential-gap law and is strikingly independent of the details of the intermolecular spectra.
Autonomic predictors of recovery following surgery: a comparative study.

Although heart rate and temperature are continuously monitored in patients during recovery following surgery, measures that extract direct manifestations of neural regulation of autonomic circuits from the beat-to-beat heart rate may be more sensitive to outcome. We explore the relationship between features of autonomic regulation and survival in the prairie vole, a small mammal, with features of vagal regulation of the heart similar to humans. Cardiac vagal regulation is manifested in the beat-to-beat heart rate variability (HRV) pattern and can be quantified by extracting measures of the amplitude of periodic oscillations associated with spontaneous breathing. Thus, monitoring beat-to-beat heart rate patterns post-surgery in the prairie vole may provide an opportunity to dynamically assess autonomic adjustments during recovery. Surgeries to implant telemetry devices to monitor body temperature and continuous ECG in prairie voles are routinely performed in our laboratory. Ten of these implanted prairie voles died within 48 h post-surgery. To compare the post-surgery autonomic trajectories with typical surviving prairie voles, the post-surgery data from 17 surviving prairie voles were randomly selected. The data are reported hourly for 27 prairie voles between 6 and 14 h (1 h before the demise of the first subject) post-surgery. Receiver operator curves were calculated hourly for each variable to evaluate sensitivity in discriminating survival. The data illustrate that measures of HRV are the most sensitive indicators. These findings provide a foundation for investigating further neural mechanisms of cardiovascular function.
Pharmacogenetics in dermatology: a patient-centered update.

Background The term pharmacogenetics is used to describe an evolving field that aims to understand the relationship between individual variations in genetic sequence and differences in the therapeutic and toxic response to medications. The promise of pharmacogenetics is empowerment of clinicians with information that will enable them to personalize drug therapy – to prescribe the right medication at the right dose for each patient, while minimizing adverse effects. Despite dramatic advances, wide application of pharmacogenetics to clinical practice has been slow for a number of reasons, including lack of evidence-based therapeutic guidelines as well as ethical concerns and cost. Methods To illustrate applications to dermatology practice, we present three clinical scenarios that serve as a springboard for discussion of the principles of pharmacogenetics and how they can be used to guide treatment with azathioprine, 5-fluorouracil, and trastuzumab. Conclusion The therapeutic and toxic effects of a given medication ultimately depend on its combined pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacogenetic properties in a given individual. Pharmacodynamic properties of individual medications must be correlated with single nucleotide polymorphisms. Test recommendations and standardization of therapy for specific disorders can then be established.
Cabibbo current and CP violation in a six quark gauge model

The extended Cabibbo current in a six quark gauge model is obtained in terms of Eulerian angles theta/sub c/, phi and psi which are functions of quark mass ratios and phases in the quark mass matrices. Particular attention is paid to arbitrary phases that lead to CP violation. In the limit m/sub u//m/sub c/ ..-->.. 0 there is no CP violation for parallel ..delta..S parallel = 1 processes. Some phenomenological results of the model are discussed.
How to Build Cost-Effective Skid-Sprayers for Prescribed Burning

April 2007 The decline of grassland and savanna ecosystems due to woody plant encroachment has led to an increase in restoration efforts largely focused on reintroducing an effective fi re regime. However, reintroduction of fi re into Texas ecosystems has not been easy, especially in the Edwards Plateau region, where fi re has been suppressed since the development of the livestock industry. Implementation of an effective prescribed burning program requires rancher and landowner education and cooperation; it also requires prescribed fi re training, sharing of proper equipment, reduced liability, and the ability of ranchers to gain experience on the fi re line as well as writing burn plans and managing prescribed fi res. Equally important in getting a sustainable fi re program started is the ability to conduct prescribed burns under a wide range of environmental conditions (for example, conducting prescribed fi re during burn bans). The formation of prescribed burn associations, such as the Edwards Plateau Prescribed Burn Association, has provided a framework for ranchers and other landowners to collectively manage all of these factors with the end result of a substantial increase in prescribed fi re on Texas rangelands.1
Effect of Yaw on Pressure Oscillation Frequency Within Rectangular Cavity at Mach 2

We examine the effect of yaw on the frequency of oscillations in an open cavity when placed in a supersonic flow.
Multiple Generations at Work: Current and Future Trends

The multi-generational workforce of the past 20 years or so is the focus of this special issue of the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships (JIR). The challenges and realities of having multip...
Energy efficient video summarization and transmission over a slow fading wireless channel

With the deployment of 2.5G/3G cellular network infrastructure and large number of camera equipped cell phones, the demand for video enabled applications are high. However, for an uplink wireless channel, both the bandwidth and battery energy capability are limited in a mobile phone for the video communication. These technical problems need to be effectively addressed before the practical and affordable video applications can be made available to consumers. In this paper we investigate the energy efficient video communication solution through joint video summarization and transmission adaptation over a slow fading channel. Coding and modulation schemes, as well as packet transmission strategy are optimized and adapted to the unique packet arrival and delay characteristics of the video summaries. Operational energy efficiency -- summary distortion performance is characterized under an optimal summarization setting.
Dynamic modeling and state estimation for an emulsion copolymerization reactor

Abstract The development of a nonlinear dynamic model of the seeded semicontinuous emulsion copolymerization of vinyl-acetate- n -butyl acrylate for copolymer composition control is summarized. Because the available process measurements do not yield the entire state vector directly, nonlinear state estimation is used. Process disturbances and measurement errors are modeled as stochastic processes and a hybrid extended Kalman filter is employed for state estimation. The filter is based on the local linearization of the process model around the suboptimal filter estimates which are needed for the effective composition control of the produced copolymer.
Issues in computational resource allocation in cooperative control

This paper considers the problem of computational resource allocation for a team of dynamic mobile robots subject to limited communication and processing bandwidth, and uncertain state information. We describe a robot test bed, the Dynabot, that exhibits these constraints and characterize its information flow and state estimation accuracy. These models are used for simulating formation of a group of Dynabots, while illustrating resource allocation tradeoffs.
Comparison of digital subtraction video densitometry and area length method in the determination of left ventricular ejection fraction

SummaryThis paper has described our initial experience with using computerized fluorosocpyin the determination of left ventricular ejection fraction by digital subtraction videodensitometry. The digital video images were obtained using a commercially availablevideo image processor. In 15 patients Renografin 76 was injected intravenously througha femoral vein by hand. The amount of contrast agent used for each patient varied from30 to 40 cc. Low x -ray tube currents (max 8mA) were used in our studies. The left ven-tricular ejection fraction was computed using a video densitometric algorithm describedin this paper. The area - length method was applied to the same images to compute the LVEFindependently. The correlation between the two methods was good (r= 0.96).We are in the process of clinically evaluating the system and the method describedin this paper with a larger number of patients.AcknowledgementThe authors would like to thank M. Johnson and E. Rule of Siemens Corporation foruseful discussions and technical assistance.*Supported in part by the American Edwards LaboratoriesReferences