cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment Use Remains Low Among Florida Medicaid Beneficiaries With Chronic Hepatitis C

Medicaid prior authorization (PA) policies for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy are changing. We aimed to evaluate effects of changes in PA requirements on treatment uptake and to determine the factors associated with DAA treatment among Florida Medicaid beneficiaries with HCV. This is a retrospective cohort analysis of Florida's Medicaid administrative claims and electronic medical records (2013-2018). A total of 14,063 newly diagnosed patients with HCV were grouped based on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection and/or a substance use disorder (SUD) (7,735 HCV mono-infected with a SUD, 5,180 HCV mono-infected without a SUD, 564 HCV/HIV co-infected with a SUD, and 584 HCV/HIV co-infected without a SUD). Although the treatment rate increased three-fold after June 1, 2016, when a fibrosis-stage restriction was eliminated, only 8% received DAAs. Compared to HCV mono-infected without a SUD, HCV mono-infected with a SUD and HCV/HIV co-infected with a SUD were 47% (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.60) and 59% (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.61) less likely to initiate DAAs. Those with HCV/HIV/SUD did not experience a DAA initiation increase after a fibrosis-stage restriction was eliminated. Compared with Whites, Blacks were less likely to receive DAAs but were more likely to complete treatment. Use of medication-assisted therapy was low, despite those on medication-assisted therapy being 60% more likely to initiate DAA therapy and no more likely to discontinue therapy. Conclusion: Despite changes in Florida's Medicaid PA requirements for DAA treatment, only 8% received treatment. Disparities in treatment access were found among patients with HIV and a SUD, and who were Black.
Dose- and time-dependent increase in circulating anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediators following eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation in patients with major depressive disorder and chronic inflammation.

Abstract Background Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) supplementation is an effective treatment option in major depressive disorder (MDD) associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. EPA is the precursor of specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs) termed resolvins (Rv), that serve important roles in the resolution of inflammation. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of different doses of EPA on plasma concentrations of EPA metabolites and SPMs in MDD patients. Methods In a 2-site study, 61 MDD patients with body mass index >25 kg/m2 and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥3 μg/mL were enrolled in a 12-week randomized trial comparing EPA 1, 2, and 4 g/d to placebo. Plasma EPA (mol%) and SPMs (pg/mL) were measured in 42 study completers at baseline and at the end of treatment by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results Plasma EPA and SPM concentrations did not change in the placebo group during 12 weeks of treatment. Plasma EPA and EPA-derived metabolites increased significantly and dose-dependently in all EPA supplementation arms. The increase in 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (18-HEPE), the precursor of RvE1–3, was significantly greater with the 4 g/d EPA dose than the other doses from week 4 to 12. RvE1 was undetected in all treatment groups, while RvE2 was detected in half of the subjects both at baseline and after treatment, with dose-dependent increases. RvE3 was detected only after supplementation, dose-dependently. A significant reduction in plasma arachidonic acid (AA), relative to baseline, was observed in all EPA arms. This was in contrast with an increase in AA-derived SPM lipoxin B4 (LXB4) in the 4 g/d arm. Conclusions Our results show a robust effect of EPA 4 g/d supplementation in increasing plasma EPA and 18-HEPE levels, associated with improved conversion to RvE2–3, and LXB4 levels.
The Creation of the World in Jewish Esoteric Philosophy

A discussion of Creation du monde et limites du langage. Sur l’art d’ecrire des philosophes juifs medievaux by David Lemler. Published Online (2021-08-31)Copyright © 2021 by Igor H. De Souza Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/aestimatio/article/view/37702/28700 Corresponding Author: Igor H. De Souza, Yale UniversityE-Mail: igor.h.desouza@yale.edu
Discursive Emotional Appeals in Sustaining Violent Social Movements in Iraq, 2003–2011

How are some rebel leaders able to sustain violent collective action but others not? Most theories focus on leaders’ use of selective incentives and efforts to lower their transactions costs and raise those of the government. We argue that a leader’s ability to arouse emotions of anger, humiliation, and fear is also critical. Foreign leaders and former exiles typically lack the legitimacy and understanding of local politics necessary to incite such emotions. We test this argument in three case studies in Iraq between 2003 and 2011. In this period, the Sadrist Trend sustained violent collective action and gained lasting political power, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq failed to maintain its influence, and al-Qaeda in Iraq first gained and then lost its ability to mobilize violence.
Applications of CBPCs to Hazardous Waste Stabilization

This chapter provides an application of CBPCs to hazardous waste stabilization. The ever-increasing production of waste is a direct result of increasing world population, and its appetite for a better life. These waste streams are produced by individual households, utilities, and a wide range of industries, including petrochemical and other chemical, medical and pharmaceutical, and electronics. This chapter illustrates that work done on phosphate washing demonstrate that phosphates are very powerful stabilizers of inorganic hazardous contaminants. Phosphate washing is very economical, and once the treated waste is disposed, because phosphates are common fertilizer components, the soil becomes enriched with phosphates. The solubility data allows one to predict the effect of the phosphate treatment on individual contaminants and also help in the evaluation of the waste form behavior in groundwater.
Measuring Public Safety Retirement Plan Wealth: Implications for Assessing Economic Loss

The unique features of retirement plans for public safety employees make the traditional method of appraising losses based on the contribution of the employer invalid. The correct approach to valuation is outlined and the error associated with the traditional method is measured. The structure of the plan in Utah, which probably is typical, provides a strong incentive for workers to retire with 20 years of service and an even stronger disincentive to continue work after 30 years of service. For the latter, it is shown that the value of retirement wealth declines by 3 to 5% per year as work continues beyond 30 years of service. Thus, the analysis has implications for the worklife expectancy of a public safety employee.
Efficient neuromorphic optomotor heading regulation

“Neuromorphic” vision sensors are a recent development in sensing technology. They can be thought of a camera sensor whose output is a sequence of “retinal events” rather than frames. Events are generated independently by each pixel as they detect a change in the light field. These sensors have low latency ( 120 dB), and very low power consumption. Therefore, they are well suited for control applications where power is limited yet high performance is necessary. Existing computer vision algorithms that work on frames cannot be adapted to process retinal events from neuromorphic sensors, so a new class of algorithms needs to be investigated. This papers considers the problem of designing a regulator for the heading of a vehicle based on the feedback from an on-board neuromorphic sensor. It is shown that a nonlinear function of the events retinal positions, followed by retinal integration, followed by a linear filter is a simple design that is sufficient to guarantee stability. This shows that computationally simple controllers are sufficient to control motion tasks even with the feedback from noisy and ambiguous event data, and without having to compute explicit representations for the state.
Tracking Human Process Using Crowd Collaboration to Enrich Data

A rich source of data that has been largely ignored in crowdsourcing is the processes that humans use to accomplish a task. If we can capture this information, we could model it for automatic processing and use it to better understand the phenomena being modeled. Using crowd collaboration to trace workers’ process produces a rich dataset that can be mined for new insights. We tested this approach on the task of sentence simplification and show the sources and types of additional information that we have obtained.
7. Light Scattering and Other Optical Methods

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of light scattering and other optical methods. A number of studies employing various optical techniques have been carried out in porous materials in recent years. Generally they fall into two categories. First, if the matrix material is transparent and uniform in index of refraction and the pore spaces can be filled with a fluid having an index of refraction that closely matches that of the matrix material, the porous material is rendered transparent. So-called “index matching” removes the discontinuities at the pore-matrix boundaries to such an extent that the effects of multiple scattering and attenuation can be essentially ignored. Conventional imaging is employed and the detected light is considered as affected only by single scattering. Second, in complete contrast to the first category, in systems that scatter light strongly, the propagation of light can be described by a diffusion approximation. The key idea is that the light that reaches the detector has been scattered within the medium so many times that the phases of the scattered fields have been completely randomized and only the intensity of the light reaching the detector must be considered. An equivalent description is that the path of each scattered photon can be considered to be a random walk through the medium. The statistics of these random walks is well understood and can be used in the analysis of the scattered light. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), forced Rayleigh scattering (FRS), and interferometric methods belong to the first category. Diffusing-wave spectroscopy (DWS) belongs to the second category and is relatively new to this field. The distinguishing characteristics of each method are described in the chapter.
Hypolimnetic methylmercury and its uptake by plankton during fall destratification : A key entry point of mercury into lake food chains ?

Seasonal concentration changes in monomethylmercury (MMHg) and total Hg (T-Hg) were determined in Devil's Lake, Wisconsin, a lake with a mercury consumption advisory for walleye. Mercury dynamics were studied in water and several lower food chain fractions during the ice-free seasons in 1994 and 1995, and limited data for Hg in water were collected in 1993. MMHg concentrations increased in hypolimnetic waters before turnover each year, although maximum concentrations declined from 1993 to 1995. As the hypolimnion eroded, MMHg concentrations increased in both particulate matter and Daphnia. Maximum concentrations were obtained near the time of complete mixis. The magnitude of this increase correlated with the mass of hypolimnetic MMHg that had built up prior to turnover in 1994 and 1995. Hg concentrations in yearling planktivorous fish exhibited a decline corresponding to the decline in hypolimnetic MMHg from 1993 to 1995. Our results suggest that fall destratification represents an important time period for entry of MMHg to the food chain of lakes exhibiting a hypolimnetic MMHg buildup.
Observing soil biota in situ

Lussenhop, J. and Fogel, R., 1993. Observing soil biota in situ. Ini L. Brussaard and M.J. Kooistra (Editors), Int. Workshop on Methods of Research on Soil Structure/Soil Biota Interrelationships. Geoderma, 56: 25-36. Rhizotrons and minirhizotrons allow repetitive, nondestructive observation of the soil biota. Bias associated with minirhizotron and rhizotron observations, and methods that will help realize the potential of these observational platforms are reviewed. Root density estimates in minirhizotrons are prone to bias due to soil compaction, and poor contact between tube and soil. Density estimates of microarthropods observed in minirhizotrons, are less biased by longer observation periods, low light levels, and good optical resolution. Microarthropods observed in a rhizotron were underrepresented compared with soil cores if they belonged to groups that move little, are transparent, or small. Timelapse video can be used to sample microarthropod density in rhizotrons. Better visualization of all of the biota can be achieved by using long working length microscope objectives, and stains such as fluorescein diacetate, ethidium bromide and the tetrazolium dye, p-Iodonitrotetrazolium Violet. Repeated observation of the same roots allows the use of demographic methods for calculation of root survivorship, turnover, and productivity.
A short period of ejaculatory abstinence before intrauterine insemination is associated with higher pregnancy rates.

An ejaculatory abstinence period of ≤2 days before IUI produced the highest pregnancy rates per cycle compared with longer intervals of ejaculatory abstinence. This higher conception rate occurred despite a lower total number of motile spermatozoa inseminated.
A transgenic mouse model for Alzheimer's disease has impaired synaptic gain but normal synaptic dynamics.

Abstract The chronic accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides is thought to underlie much of the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and transgenic mice overexpressing Aβ show both behavioral defects and impairments in hippocampal synaptic transmission. In the present study, we examined excitatory transmission at the Schaffer collateral synapse in acute hippocampal slices from APPSwe/PS-1A246E transgenic mice to determine whether the synaptic impairment in these mice is due to a reduction in the activity-independent synaptic gain, or to a change in the activity-dependent synaptic dynamics. We observed a strong reduction in synaptic transmission in slices from APPSwe/PS-1A246E mice compared to those from their wildtype littermates. However, there was no resolvable change in the synaptic dynamics observed in response to either simple or complex stimulus trains. We conclude that the chronic accumulation of Aβ impairs synaptic transmission through a reduction in the synaptic gain, while preserving the synaptic dynamics.
Vernier acuity is less than grating acuity in 2- and 3-month-olds

Vernier acuity and grating acuity were measured longitudinally starting at 1 or 2 months of age in 22 infants, using a two-alternative, forced-choice preferential looking technique. For vernier acuity, the motion-sound display was employed. For grating acuity, a preferential looking method was employed. Steps of the stimulus (vernier offset and spatial frequency of the grating) and procedures were basically identical between the two acuity tests. The range of stimuli was set so as to compare the two acuities at younger ages. Results show: vernier acuity is less than grating acuity at 11-12 weeks of age or younger, and the developmental rate of vernier acuity is greater than that of grating acuity in the first half-year of life. To interpret the data, it was speculated that: the mean sampling distance (center-to-center distance between receptive fields) may influence vernier acuity more than grating acuity, whereas the size of the receptive field may influence grating acuity more than vernier acuity: when the mean sampling distance is large relative to the size of the receptive field, vernier acuity may be less than grating acuity. Thus, the neonatal visual system, just as the visual system in the periphery and in strabismic amblyopia, may be characterized by spatial undersampling.
Smart Needling System for Fully Conformal Radiation Dose Delivery in Treating Prostate Cancer

Anatomy of the prostate having centrally located urethra detects that the radioactive seeds be distributed peripherally for prescribed dose coverage to the prostate and minimal dose to the urethra. Additionally, dose to the rectum should be minimal without sacrificing does coverage to the prostate. In conventional low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy approach, seeds are delivered in prostate through needles inserted rectilinearly with limited flexibility and maneuverability (Fig. 1a).Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Correction for head size in brain-imaging measurements

Structural brain-imaging measurements based on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are often corrected or adjusted for normal variation in head size. Some methods of head-size correction, such as the ventricle-brain ratio (VBR), are based on taking the brain structure size as a proportion of the estimated head size, while other methods have used a regression model to obtain head-size residualized structure measures. Recently, head-size correction was shown to result in less reliable volumetric measures of brain structures (Arndt et al., 1991). In the present study, MRI was used to examine the effects of head-size correction on the interrater reliability of volumetric measures of gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. Four raters independently scored MRI brain images from 26 subjects, generating separate estimates of head size and region of interest (ROI) size. Two methods were used to correct MRI values for differences in head size, one based on proportions and the other based on linear regression. Results confirmed that head-size correction did produce measures with lower reliability; however, further analysis based on classical measurement theory showed that the lower reliability was attributable not only to increased measurement error variance, but also to reduced true score variance. Subsequent analyses of criterion validity compared the raw (uncorrected) and head-size-corrected ROI measures in terms of their correlations with age in a sample of 43 normal control subjects, and in terms of their ability to differentiate schizophrenic patients (n = 22) from normal control subjects (n = 20). Results indicated that head-size correction often improved criterion validity, producing higher correlations with age and with diagnostic status than those produced by the raw measures. These findings suggest that head-size correction removes irrelevant true-score variance which reduces reliability yet improves the correlations with validity criteria such as age and diagnostic status.
Theory of Magnetic Ordering in the Heavy Rare Earths

A detailed account is given of the calculation of the generalized susceptibility functions of Gd, Dy, Er, and Lu using realistic energy bands. These susceptibilities clearly show the influence of the Fermi-surface geometry in determining the helical ordering arrangements of the heavy rare earths, and the ferromagnetic ordering of Gd. A microscopic discussion of the magneto-elastic effect for a general ordered spin state is also presented. The first-order transition from the helical state to the ferromagnetic or conical ferromagnetic state in Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er is explained by this effect. Dy is used as an example of the application of the formalism, and a fundamental understanding is obtained of the transition between the helical and the ferromagnetic state and of the anomalous thermal expansion in both ordered states.
A clinicopathologic correlation in osteoblastoma of the spine in a child

Spinal osteoblastomas are considered benign tumors but can be locally aggressive. Patients usually present with pain and undergo radiologic and histologic work-up to establish a diagnosis. Osteoblastomas have discordant appearances on CT scans and MRI because of the inflammatory response seen on MRI that characterizes these tumors - the "flare" phenomenon. Solely using MRI can lead to over-resection, as signal abnormality may include areas devoid of tumor. There are a few reports of this phenomenon in the radiology literature, but to our knowledge, there are none in neurosurgery journals. We report an 11-year-old boy who presented with back pain and radiculopathy with an osteoblastoma at the L4 level. We totally excised the lesion to definitively treat the patient but also, based on MRI findings, differentially biopsied portions of the lesion and correlated them to the imaging studies, to confirm that the intense reactive portion of the lesion was devoid of tumor cells.
Suppression of deprivation-induced water intake in the rat by opioid antagonists: central sites of action.

The effects of naltrexone methobromide, a quaternary derivative of the opioid antagonist naltrexone, were investigated on deprivation (24 h)-induced water intake in the unilaterally cannulated rats. Naltrexone methobromide reduced post-deprivational water intake with an ED50 of 7.3 μg when tested at 30 min (peak effect) after intracere-broventricular administration. It also dose-dependently (0.3–10 μg) depressed water intake, with peak effects at 15 min, after microinjection into the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus and into the supraoptic hypothalamic nucleus. The drug did not produce any other effects on behaviors. The ED50s were 1.4 μg when given into the paraventricular nucleus, and 3.3 μg when given into the supraoptic nucleus, respectively. Although injections of higher doses (1.0, 3.0 and/or 10 μg) of the drug into the preoptic area, zona incerta, and corpus callosum significantly suppressed water intake, other behavioral manifestations, such as rotational behaviors, convulsions, body shakes, head swaying, and/or backward locomotion were manifested simultaneously with the reduction in drinking. When injected into the lateral hypothalamic area, water intake was not significantly affected by the drug. These findings suggest that the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei are important sites of action in the naltrexone-induced suppression of water intake.
Chemical vapor deposited silica coatings for solar mirror protection

A variety of techniques is available to apply protective coatings to oxidation susceptible spacecraft components, and each has associated advantages and disadvantages. Film applications by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has the advantage of being able to be applied conformally to objects of irregular shape. For this reason, a study was made of the oxygen plasma durability of thin film (less than 5000 A) silicon dioxide coatings applied by CVD. In these experiments, such coatings were applied to silver mirrors, which are strongly subject to oxidation, and which are proposed for use on the space station solar dynamic power system. Results indicate that such coatings can provide adequate protection without affecting the reflectance of the mirror. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that oxidation of the silver layer did occur at stress crack locations, but this did not affect the measured solar reflectances. Oxidation of the silver did not proceed beyond the immediate location of the crack. Such stress cracks did not occur in thinner silica films, and hence such films would be desirable for this application.
Orbiter-to-orbiter radio occultation measurements of planetary atmospheres and ionospheres

Atomic physics of lasers and active materials, noting multiplet spectra of atoms, molecular specroscopy, energy level population distribution and amplification
Clinical evaluation of the effect of an ultrasonic toothbrush on plaque, gingivitis, and gingival bleeding: A six-month study

This study evaluated the long-term effect of an ultrasonic toothbrush used as part of a daily oral hygiene regimen on supragingival plaque, gingivitis, and gingival bleeding. Compared with a conventional toothbrush, the ultrasonic toothbrush was significantly more effective in reducing plaque formation ( p p p
Graph embedding in SYNCHEM2, an expert system for organic synthesis discovery

Abstract Graph embedding (subgraph isomorphism) is an NP-complete problem of great theoretical and practical importance in the sciences, especially chemistry and computer science. This paper presents positive test results for techniques to speed embedding by modeling graphs with subroutines, precalculating edge tables, turning recursion into iteration, and using search-ordering heuristics. The expert system synchem 2 searches for synthesis routes of organic molecules without the online guidance of a user, and this paper examines how embedding information helps to implement the central operations of synchem 2: selection, application, and evaluation of chemical reactions. The paper also outlines the architecture of synchem 2, analyzes the computational time complexity of embedding and related problems in graph isomorphism and canonical chemical naming, and suggests topics and techniques for further research.
Molecular structures for the oligomeric constituents of petroleum pitch

Abstract Individual dimer, trimer, and tetramer constituents that comprise the higher molecular weight (mol wt), mesophase-forming fraction of M-50 petroleum pitch were characterized in terms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) backbone structure, the extent of alkylation, and the nature of the bonds connecting the monomeric “building blocks” comprising the oligomeric species. Isolation of individual oligomeric constituents for subsequent analysis and identification was made possible by applying our two-step, sequential fractionation technique of dense-gas/supercritical extraction (DGE) followed by prep-scale gel permeation chromatography (GPC). MALDI and MALDI-post source decay (PSD) mass spectrometry of the narrow mol wt fractions obtained indicate that the major oligomeric constituents are grouped in terms of well-defined molecular weight distributions, with each composed of base monomer PAH backbone structure(s) (e.g., pyrene, triphenylene, benzopyrenes, chrysene, and benz[a]anthracene) possessing various degrees (typically 1–4/monomer unit) of methylation. UV–Vis analysis indicates that the oligomerization process occurs via a condensation reaction, with the loss of four hydrogens as a nonalternant, 5-membered PAH ring forms to join the reacting monomer units. FT-IR spectroscopy indicates that this reaction results in relatively uncondensed structures over the entire range of oligomers investigated. Analogous results to those given above were obtained for the thermal polymerization of an anthracene pitch.
Constructing a learning partnership in transformative teacher development

The learning partnership model was dynamic in the design of a master's degree program for practising k‐12 teachers. The process of designing experiences that explicitly support teachers to reflect on their assumptions, consider alternative perspectives, develop a language and make explicit connections between theory and practice will be discussed. A variety of reflective tools encourage a movement in teacher's development toward becoming self‐authoring; these tools are essential to sustaining continuous improvement. Over time, teachers demonstrated ownership of pedagogical understandings and the transfer of knowledge into practice. The impact of modeling the reflective feedback cycle by university faculty enhances the learning process toward transformative teacher development.
Modeling Biased Fineness and Maturity Results

In an earlier paper, our classical models study included simulations to explain the variability in coefficients of determination (R2) between fineness and maturity, micronaire and fineness, and micronaire and maturity of cotton. Subsequently, we emphasized the derivation and testing of three diagnostic models to enhance the R2 and provide information about the analytical quality (accuracy) of the results. In this paper, the theory of biased fineness and maturity measures is introduced and effects on the relationships with micronaire are simulated. Error functions based on Lord's micronaire model are derived to express biased results relative to the unbiased values. The simulations include three case studies in order of increasing complexity: bias varies linearly with micronaire, bias is nonlinear with micronaire, and random error is added to the bias. Classical and diagnostic model plots of the simulated unbiased and biased data are presented in detail to readily determine differences in the relationships.
Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of the Extended Solar Corona During The Spartan 201 Mission

The instruments on the Spartan 201 spacecraft are an Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer and a White Light Coronagraph. Spartan 201 was deployed by the Space Shuttle on 11 April 1993 and observed the extended solar corona for about 40 hours. The Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer measured the intensity and spectral line profile of HILyαand the intensities of OVI 103.2 and 103.7 nm. Observations were made at heliocentric heights between 1.39 and 3.5 R⊙. Four coronal targets were observed, a helmet streamer at heliographic position angle 135°, the north and south polar coronal holes, and an active region above the west limb. Measurements of the HILyαgeocorona and the solar irradiance were also made. The instrument performed as expected. Straylight suppression, spectral focus, radiometric sensitivity and background levels all appear to be satisfactory. The uv observations are aimed at determining proton temperatures and outflow velocities of hydrogen, protons and oxygen ions. Preliminary results from the north polar coronal hole observations are discussed.
Performance Metric Issues for Space Time Adaptive Processing Methods

Space time adaptive processing was introduced to the radar community in the 1970's as a multi-dimensional filtering method to discriminate moving targets from clutter when observed from an air-borne/space-borne multi-channel phased array radar. Numerous variants of this filtering technique have been developed and are often compared to some baseline performance with respect to output signal to interference plus noise ratio or minimum mean square error. Under clairvoyant conditions these metrics have a direct relation to probability of detection. However under non-clairvoyant conditions, such as with recorded data, probability of detection is not measured directly and secondary metrics, such as signal to interference plus noise ratio and minimum mean square error, are used to measure performance. This paper attempts to show a case where using a metric such as minimum mean square error can indicate erroneous favorable performance.
Reactions of As(NMe2)3 and Sb(NMe2)3 with aluminum and magnesium alkylating agents

Abstract The reactions of aluminum alkyls, R 3 Al (R  Me, Et, Pr n , Bu n and Bu i , with As(NMe 2 3 and Sb(NMe 2 ) 3 have been used to synthesize the respective tertiary arsines, R 3 As, and tertiary stibines, R 3 Sb, in good yields. As(NMe 2 ) 3 also reacts with Grignard reagents RMgX (R  Et, Pr n , Pr i , Bu n , Bu i , Bu t , Ch 2 CH, CH 3 CHCH, Me 3 SiCH 2 , Ph, p -tolyl and mesityl), to give R 3 As. Complete 13 C and 1 H NMR spectral data on the synthesized R 3 Sb and [R 2 AlNMe 2 ] 2 are also reported.
Do You Want the Good News or the Bad News First? The Nature and Consequences of News Order Preferences

Information often comes as a mix of good and bad news, prompting the question, “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” In such cases, news-givers and news-recipients differ in their concerns and considerations, thus creating an obstacle to ideal communication. In three studies, we examined order preferences of news-givers and news-recipients and the consequences of these preferences. Study 1 confirmed that news-givers and news-recipients differ in their news order preferences. Study 2 tested two solutions to close the preference gap between news-givers and recipients and found that both perspective-taking and priming emotion-protection goals shift news-givers’ delivery patterns to the preferred order of news-recipients. Study 3 provided evidence that news order has consequences for recipients, such that opening with bad news (as recipients prefer) reduces worry, but this emotional benefit undermines motivation to change behavior.
This review points to positive effects of behavioral interventions on verbal communication of persons with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Egan, M., Berube, D., Racine, G., Leonard, C., & Rochon, E. (2010). Methods to enhance verbal communication between individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their formal and informal caregivers: A systematic review. International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. doi 10.4061/2010/906818 Source of funding and disclosure of interest: This study was supported by research funds from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, Canada. The original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.
THE SUBLETHAL EFFECTS OF SELECTED INSECTICIDES ON LIFE TABLE PARAMETERS OF PANONYCHUS CITRI (ACARI: TETRANYCHIDAE)

Populations of the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), reared on “rough lemon” seedlings (Citrus limon (L.) Burm.) in a greenhouse and treated with malathion or permethrin were significantly higher than those on untreated seedlings. Significant increases were demonstrated in age-specific fecundity (mx), mortality corrected mx (lx mx), and net reproductive rate (Ro) values for mites reared in the laboratory on leaves treated with malathion or permethrin when compared with those reared on untreated leaves. Mites reared on oxamyl-treated leaves exhibited significant reductions in age-specific survivorship (% lx), mx, lxmx, and Ro values compared with those reared on untreated leaves. The importance of reproductive stimulation in relation to other causes of pest resurgence is discussed.
Heavy Quark Jet Quenching with Collisional plus Radiative Energy Loss and Path Length Fluctuations

Abstract With the QGP opacity computed perturbatively and with the global entropy constraints imposed by the observed d N c h / d y ≈ 1000 , radiative energy loss alone cannot account for the observed suppression of single non-photonic electrons. We show that collisional energy loss, which previously has been neglected, is comparable to radiative loss for both light and heavy jets and may in fact be the dominant mechanism for bottom quarks. Predictions taking into account both radiative and collisional losses significantly reduce the discrepancy with data. In addition to elastic energy loss, it is critical to include jet path length fluctuations to account for the observed pion suppression.
Section V: techniques of esophageal resection.

Esophagectomy the treatment of choice for esophageal cancer, is a procedure which, nationwide, carries a mortality rate of 10% and a morbidity rate of 50%. The five-year survival rate for esophagectomy for cancer remains at 20%. With great care in surgical planning, technique, and patient care, the mortality rate has been lowered to 3% at several large academic centers. The methods of esophagectomy including Ivor-Lewis, transhiatal, left thoracoabdominal, and cervical exenteration are discussed. The technique of tri-incisional esophagectomy is detailed in this chapter. This technique combines the best aspects of the Ivor-Lewis and transhiatal approaches, those being a cervical anastomosis (avoiding an intrathoracic leak, minimizing reflux, and allowing for a complete esophagectomy) and transthoracic dissection of the esophagus (allowing for a safe dissection and complete lymphadenectomy).
Vigorous physical activity and cytokines in adolescents

Habitual physical activity and chronic exercise may positively influence circulating cytokines in youth as in adults. The purpose of this study was to determine if adolescents reporting higher amounts of physical activity had a better cytokine profile independent of weight status. We compared the concentrations of cytokines in highly active (n = 60) and less active adolescents (n = 60) of different weight status [normal weight (BMI 95th percentile)]. Vigorous physical activity (VPA) was obtained through a questionnaire and included activities with a MET level of ≥6. Adiponectin, resistin, TNF-α and IL-6 were measured in fasting plasma samples. Anovas indicated that girls with high VPA had higher adiponectin than girls with low VPA (P 0.05). Boys with high VPA had only a trend to lower resistin than those with low VPA (P = 0.052). Differences between VPA groups were independent of weight status. In adolescents, higher amounts of accumulated habitual VPA may improve some cytokines, reducing the risk of inflammation associated with increased adiposity and insulin resistance. The effect of physical activity appears to be independent of weight status.
Codes of ethics move into the third generation

Corporations have come to rely on codes of ethics more frequently as a tool to ensure that their employees are engaged in ethical behavior in the course of their job duties. Over time, these tools have evolved from a focus on ethics as strictly legal compliance to a more sophisticated understanding of ethics which addresses the complex nature of interpersonal relationships. The author addresses how this shift in focus has impacted employees and proposes the adoption of a fiduciary standard in ethics codes for employees of international corporations.
Strand displacement amplification—an isothermal, in vitro DNA amplification technique

Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA) is an isothermal, in vitro nucleic acid amplification technique based upon the ability of HincII to nick the unmodified strand of a hemiphosphorothioate form of its recognition site, and the ability of exonuclease deficient klenow (exo- klenow) to extend the 3'-end at the nick and displace the downstream DNA strand. Exponential amplification results from coupling sense and antisense reactions in which strands displaced from a sense reaction serve as target for an antisense reaction and vice versa. In the original design (G. T. Walker, M. C. Little, J. G. Nadeau and D. D. Shank (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci 89, 392-396), the target DNA sample is first cleaved with a restriction enzyme(s) in order to generate a double-stranded target fragment with defined 5'- and 3'-ends that can then undergo SDA. Although effective, target generation by restriction enzyme cleavage presents a number of practical limitations. We report a new target generation scheme that eliminates the requirement for restriction enzyme cleavage of the target sample prior to amplification. The method exploits the strand displacement activity of exo- klenow to generate target DNA copies with defined 5'- and 3'-ends. The new target generation process occurs at a single temperature (after initial heat denaturation of the double-stranded DNA). The target copies generated by this process are then amplified directly by SDA. The new protocol improves overall amplification efficiency. Amplification efficiency is also enhanced by improved reaction conditions that reduce nonspecific binding of SDA primers. Greater than 10(7)-fold amplification of a genomic sequence from Mycobacterium tuberculosis is achieved in 2 hours at 37 degrees C even in the presence of as much as 10 micrograms of human DNA per 50 microL reaction. The new target generation scheme can also be applied to techniques separate from SDA as a means of conveniently producing double-stranded fragments with 5'- and 3'-sequences modified as desired.
Racial disparities in treatment for pancreatic cancer and impact on survival: a population-based analysis.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women. Mortality from pancreatic cancer is higher amongst blacks compared to other races. We performed this analysis with the aim of examining racial disparity for receipt pancreatic cancer treatment and its association with survival. Using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database from 1988 to 2008, cases with locoregional pancreatic cancer were analysed. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were assessed to assess the survival amongst various races. Cox proportional hazard model was built to assess the impact of receipt of treatment on the racial disparity in survival. Of 16,282 cases with locoregional pancreatic cancer, 1,806 (11%) occurred in blacks. Median survival was 8–9 months with poorest survival in blacks. Blacks and Hispanics received radiation treatment less often compared to other races. On Cox regression logistic regression analysis, blacks had 20% poorer survival compared to whites. Treatment for pancreatic cancer explained only one-fourth of this poorer survival. Blacks have worst survival from locoregional pancreatic cancer. Receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer only explains 25% of the poorer survival amongst blacks, suggesting role of other factors. Studies are suggested to (a) identify barriers in receipt of treatment for pancreatic cancer amongst blacks and (b) to assess role of genetic and other factors to examine racial differences in survival.
Study of a Three-Dimensional Crack Terminating at an Interface

In this study the stress intensity factors for a three-dimensional crack perpendicular to and terminating at a bimaterial interface are calculated. It is assumed that the crack is pressurized by a uniform pressure. The method of solution used here is based upon the body-force method and requires the analytical results from the elasticity point-force solution for a bimaterial interface. The solution technique leads to the reduction of the problem to a two-dimensional singular integral equation, which can be solved numerically for the crack opening displacement. Numerical examples of a semi-circular, semi-elliptical crack and growth of circular crack are given.
Magnetostriction and Magnetoelectric Effects in Iron, Nickel and Cobalt

Magnetostriction effects in pure cobalt and in iron and nickel.---Various properties of the same sample of very pure cobalt wire (Co 99.73 per cent) annealed at 1100\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C were determined and compared with those of Armco iron and commercially pure nickel. (1) Wiedemann effect. As found by Pidgeon, Co is intermediate between Fe and Ni, the twist for 6 amp./${\mathrm{mm}}^{2}$ decreasing to a minimum of 21 sec./cm for a field of 50 gauss. (2) Joule effect in longitudinal field for Co is also intermediate between Fe and Ni, $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}L}{L}$ decreasing steadily to -20\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ for 1000 gauss. For Fe, as has usually been found, the effect was positive only up to 250 gauss.Magnetoelectric effects in pure cobalt and in iron and nickel.---(1) Change of thermal e.m.f. in longitudinal field. $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}E}{E}$ was positive for Fe, reaching a maximum of.021 for 110 gauss; for Ni, it was negative, increasing to -.026 for 1000 gauss; for Co, it was intermediate, reaching a maximum of only 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ and being negative above 300 gauss. The effect of loading Fe and Ni was to lower the curves considerably in the negative direction; for Co, the effect was less. (2) Change of resistance in longitudinal field. For Fe, $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}R}{R}$ increased to a constant value 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ for $Hg800$ gauss; for Ni, it increased rapidly to a steady value 14.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ for $Hg400$ gauss; for Co, the values were intermediate, increasing steadily to 4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ for 1000 gauss.
Unravelling the endovascular microenvironment by optical coherence tomography

> “The more I see, the less I know for sure.” > > - John Lennon Undoubtedly, the field of interventional cardiology has evolved significantly over the past decades. A myriad of technologies, from mechanical devices that simply remove or displace obstructive atheroma to more complex energy-emitting or local drug delivery systems that interfere with critical molecular pathways, have been incorporated into our clinical armamentarium. This rapid pace of cardiovascular device development poses considerable challenges to contemporary clinician-investigators, who have at their disposal ageing X-ray coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging systems to take on the difficult task of judging these therapies ( Figure 1 ). We have relied on a presbyopic view of what happens in the vascular microenvironment after it receives high doses of potent drugs, once only given to patients with cancer or transplanted organs. Barlis et al. have reported the first multicentre experience on the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to evaluate the clinical outcomes of a new drug-eluting stent (DES).1 The term substudy in the title and the fact that OCT was not the primary endpoint of the main investigation should not distract the reader from realizing the historical value of this report as it indicates the early signs of a late catch-up phenomenon, not the one commonly associated with late lumen loss. It defines the somewhat late arrival of OCT, a derivative of optical low-coherence reflectometry introduced by James Fujimoto in the early 1990s,2 in cardiology clinical trials providing the corrective lens to allow a clear, close-up look at the vessel wall. In a simplified view, OCT is the optical cousin of IVUS: emitting and detecting backscattered signals. The use of light renders considerable advantages to OCT while creating some challenges—the most noticeable are the inability to see through blood or beyond 2 mm of tissue depth. The … *Corresponding author. Tel +1 216 844 5840, Fax: +1 216 844 8954, Email: marco.costa{at}uhhospitals.org
Absence of significant RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity in lymphocytes from patients with Kawasaki syndrome.

Kawasaki syndrome, an acute febrile multisystem illness of young children, is a panvasculitis with prominent rheumatic features1. Arthritis and pancarditis are frequent during the acute stage; coronary artery aneurysms occur in 20% of cases and the disease is now the leading cause of acquired heart disease in childhood. A microbial aetiology is suggested by the acute febrile self-limited character of the disease, the regular occurrence of epidemic outbreaks at intervals of 2–3 years, and the virtual restriction to young children, consistent with the early acquisition of immunity. Reports of elevated DNA polymerase activity (assumed to be RNA-dependent reverse transcriptase) in cultured lymphocytes from patients with acute Kawasaki syndrome suggest that a retro-virus might be the causative agent2,3. We have measured supernatant DNA polymerase activity in lymphocyte cultures from 49 Hawaiian patients in acute and convalescent stages of Kawasaki syndrome and have been unable to demonstrate significant reverse transcriptase activity or other evidence of involvement of a retrovirus in the aetiology of the disease.
Adaptive solutions of the Euler equations using finite quadtree and octree grids

Abstract Numerical solutions of the Euler equations of inviscid compressible flows are obtained by combining finite quadtree or octree mesh generation procedures, a finite volume technique, and an adaptive mesh refinement strategy. The finite quadtree and octree procedures, respectively, subdivide a computational domain into quadrants in two dimensions and octants in three dimensions. Mesh generation is automatic and domains containing complex two- and three-dimensional objects are discretized without user intervention. The Euler equations are approximated by a finite volume technique on the mesh of triangular or tetrahedral elements produced by the finite quadtree or octree procedures, respectively. A first-order method is generated by approximating the flow variables by piecewise constant functions and using a flux vector splitting due to van Leer. Adaptive mesh refinement is performed by locating elements of a mesh that have large Mach number gradients, subdividing cells of the finite quadtree or octree by binary refinement, and generating a new mesh locally. Two-dimensional examples involving NACA.0012 airfoils in various configurations are presented.