cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Social Networks of Drug Abusers Before and After Treatment

Changes in the social networks of a sample of 38 drug abusers are studied from pretreatment to 1 and 3 months following treatment. Overall network composition changed to include fewer drug users and fewer long-term acquaintances. While the pretreatment networks of those who used opiates and those who did not use opiates in the follow-up period were virtually the same, the posttreatment networks of opiate abusers contained greater social influence toward drug use following treatment. Implications for treatment are discussed.
The new 2005 AISC specification

In late 2005, the American Institute of Steel Construction issued its most recent Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360-05). This specification includes updated design provisions in both allowable strength design (ASD) and load and resistance factor design methods (LRFD), and incorporates the design provisions for hollow structural sections and single angles. Amongst the major changes are a complete revamping of the methodologies for assessing stability of framed structures, new provisions for composite columns and updated material requirements. This paper will describe the changes and highlight those of practical significance.
Delayed Gratification in Blacks: A Critical Review

Research on the delay of gratification in Blacks was critically reviewed. The methodology typically em ployed to investigate this construct involves offering the individual a choice of obtaining either a small, im mediate reward or a large, delayed reward. Contrary to previous reports, it is argued here that the evidence divides published studies into those demonstrating overall patterns of nonpreference for delayed versus immediate rewards and those demonstrating overall or partial patterns of preference for delayed rewards among Blacks. Little empirical evidence is provided in the literature of a tendency for Blacks to prefer im mediate gratification, or of the relationship of such behavior to other personality characteristics.
Number of days, number of subjects, and sources of variation in longitudinal intervention or crossover feeding trials with multiple days of measurement

Dietary studies are often conducted as longitudinal intervention or crossover trials using multiple days of measurement on each subject during each of several measurement periods, and determining the required numbers of days and subjects is important in designing these studies. Linear mixed statistical models were used to derive equations for precision, statistical power and sample size (number of days and number of subjects) and to obtain estimates of between-subject, period-to-period, and day-to-day variation needed to apply the equations. Two cohorts of an on-going exercise intervention study, and a crossover study of Olestra, each with 14 d of measurement/subject per period, were used to obtain estimates of variability for energy and macronutrient intake. Numerical examples illustrate how the equations for calculating the number of days or number of subjects are applied in typical situations, and sample SAS code is given. It was found that between-subject, period-to-period, and day-to-day variation all contributed significantly to the variation in energy and macronutrient intake. The ratio of period-to-period and day-to-day standard deviations controls the trade-off between the number of days and the number of subjects, and this remained relatively stable across studies and energy and macronutrient intake variables. The greatest gains in precision were seen over the first few measurement days. Greater precision and fewer required days were noted in the study (Olestra) that exerted greater control over the subjects and diets during the feeding protocol.
The Multiple Realities of Sameness and Difference: Ideology and Practice

Gender distinctions as dichotomous categories are perpetuated and maintained by social mechanisms and are socially constructed. Part of this social construction is reproduced by many social scientists who adopt mainstream cultural categories of gender and, through theoretical or methodological biases, fail to question them, or who, by their own practices, reinforce them. This analysis is an overview of the epistemological and methodolical practices that reinforce gender distinctions and neglect reporting of similarities. Rejecting several models used to explain cultural differences, an alternative mode of analysis—multiplicity and proteanism—is proposed as a more productive perspective in the analysis of gender.
Registration Deadlines and Turnout in Context

This paper analyzes the effect of registration deadlines on voter turnout. The theoretical explanation considers how registration deadlines affect turnout when individuals influence the participation of others. The theoretical model leads to a novel empirical hypothesis, that deadlines can have both a direct and indirect effect on turnout through a behavioral contagion process. The paper reports empirical findings that confirm the theoretical expectations. These results have important implications for future research on registration deadlines and Election Day registration as the effects of these reforms depend on the specific social context in which they are adopted.
Hernia: is it a work-related condition?

Background Development of hernias among active workers is a major occupational problem, however, the work-relatedness of hernias has not been well investigated. It is a difficult question for occupational and primary care physicians who must often address whether a worker with an inguinal hernia should be restricted from work requiring lifting of heavy objects. Methods To evaluate the possible work-relatedness of inguinal hernias, a cross-sectional study was performed. The goal of the study was to determine hernia incidence according to occupation with the Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 1994. Hernia incidence rates (per 10,000 workers) for industry and occupation categories were calculated with the estimates of the number of hernias in males and the employed male workers from the Current Population Survey. Rate ratios (RR) of hernia incidence rates were calculated. Results In 1994, an estimated 30, 791 work-related hernias in males were reported by US private establishments. The occupation groups with the highest RR were laborers and handlers (RR, 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.14–2.80), machine operators (RR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.81–2.44), and mechanics and repairers (RR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.43–2.00). Conclusions Rate ratios for hernias vary considerably within industries and occupations, with the highest ratios found in industries and occupations involving manual labor. This provides support for the hypothesis that the hernias are work-related, especially in work involving strenuous, heavy manual labor. Am. J. Ind. Med. 36:638–644, 1999. Published 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Parental Effects on the Exchange of Sex for Drugs or Money in Adolescents

Research has examined risk factors related to involvement in prostitution and sex trafficking using samples of adult prostitutes, runaway and homeless youth, and youth involved in the juvenile system. There is scant research that includes adolescents who cannot be categorized into these groups. Additionally, research is limited related to how parents affect the decision for adolescents to engage in sex for drugs or money. We examine risk factors concerning the exchange of sex for drugs or money from a nationally representative sample of adolescents. The data are structured where responses can be compared to a group of adolescents who indicated never exchanging sex for drugs or money. We used a negative binomial regression analysis to examine how the effects of parental and individual factors influence the exchange of sex for drugs or money among adolescents. Analyses revealed that individual factors were significant while parental factors were not significant; however, parental effects were significant when dimensions of parental involvement were examined.
Effects of unilateral lesions of retrotrapezoid nucleus on breathing in awake rats

Akilesh, Manjapra R., Matthew Kamper, Aihua Li, and Eugene E. Nattie. Effects of unilateral lesions of retrotrapezoid nucleus on breathing in awake rats. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(2): 469–479, 1997.—In ...
Dismissing or Laying Off Associates Smoothly

Be as gentle and humane as possible in dismissing or laying off an employee. Attempt to keep the best from leaving if you can help it.
Identification of Pissodes strobi, P. approximatus, and P. nemorensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Using Discriminant Analysis

Among the bark weevils of eastern North America, Pissodes strobi (Peck), P. approximatus Hopkins, and P. nemorensis Germar have the greatest impact on the silviculture of conifers. They share a number of behavioral and morphological attributes that make their identification uncertain. Therefore, we made a discriminant analysis of eight morphological variables and one meristic variable on 97 insects of each species. Each weevil in the sample satisfied three attributes of its respective species: karyotype, breeding site, and key characters established by Hopkins. We developed linear discriminant functions to discriminate between P. strobi and P. approximatus , and between P. strobi and P. nemorensis . These functions can be used when, on the basis of other geographical or biological information, the unknown is thought to be one of just two species.
Urban Space and Travel on the Jewish Sabbath in the Nineteenth Century

Stiefel shows how the nineteenth-century transportation and construction revolutions forced Jewish leaders in the US and Europe to confront questions with implications for the place of walking within the Jewish economy of travel. Could practising Jews ride trams, underground trains, bicycles, lifts and cars on the Sabbath, a day when aided travel had been traditionally prohibited? Matters were complicated still further by the institution of eruvim (plural of eruv), which permitted traditional Jews to walk and carry items outside on the Sabbath—carrying being otherwise another Sabbath transgression. The debates over these matters, Stiefel reveals, not only helped articulate an emerging rift between Reform and Orthodox Judaism but also transformed the ways in which Jewish versions of spaces were imagined and traversed.
The Economic Role of the SBIR Program

A model of downside risk is posited as an economic rationale for the SBIR program. The model is developed and illustrated in this chapter.
A method for nondestructive mechanical testing of tissues and implants

Numerous tests have been used to elucidate mechanical properties of tissues and implants including tensile, compressive, shear, hydrostatic compression, and three-point bending in one or more axial directions. The development of a nondestructive test that could be applied to tissues and materials in vivo would promote the analysis of tissue pathology as well as the design of implant materials. The purpose of this article is to present the results of preliminary studies demonstrating nondestructive in vitro testing of a tissue model, decellularized human dermis, and a model implant, silicone rubber, using a combination of optical coherence tomography (OCT), and vibrational analysis. The results presented suggest that nondestructive vibrational testing of tissues and materials can be used to determine the modulus of polymeric materials and the results are similar to those found using tensile stress-strain measurements. The advantage of this method is that the modulus can be obtained from vibrational methods without having to approximate the tangent to the stress-strain curve, which is difficult for nonlinear materials that have a rapidly changing slope. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 15-22, 2017.
Changing Pathology of the Thoracic Aorta From Acute to Chronic Dissection: Literature Review and Insights.

We review current knowledge regarding the natural transition of aortic dissection from acute to chronic stages. As this is not well understood, we also bring to bear new data from our institution. Type A dissection rarely transitions naturally into the chronic state; consequently, information is limited. Type B dissections are routinely treated medically and indeed undergo substantial changes during their temporal course. General patterns include: 1) the aorta dilates and, absent surgical intervention, aortic enlargement may cause mortality; 2) continued false lumen patency, particularly with an only partially thrombosed false lumen, increases aortic growth, whereas calcium-channel blockers affect aortic dilation favorably; 3) aortic dilation manifests a temporal dynamic, with early rapid growth and deceleration during transition; 4) the intimal flap dynamically changes over time via thickening, straightening, and loss of mobility; and 5) temporal remodeling, on the cellular level, initially shows a high grade of wall destruction; subsequently, significant fibrosis ensues.
Income mobility and the Arab spring: the case of Egypt and Jordan

ABSTRACTArab Spring has swept Middle East and North Africa. Although the reasons behind this revolutionary albeit mostly unfruitful social phenomenon is unknown, economic reasons such as income inequality and lack of income mobility have been mentioned. Using an approach that is free of measurement error and attrition biases, this study estimates income mobility in a country that went through Arab Spring, Egypt, and compares that with a similar country that did not experience it, Jordan. The results show that unconditional and conditional income mobility were substantially smaller in Egypt than Jordan. This has implications for the policy-makers not just in the Middle East but the world.
Chromosomal Abnormalities in Philadelphia Chromosome (Ph)-Negative Metaphases Appearing during Novel Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (NTKI) Therapy in Patients (pts) with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) after Imatinib-Failure.

Abstract The development of chromosomal abnormalities in the Ph-negative metaphases during IM therapy of CML has been recognized in pts with CML. This is different from clonal evolution where the abnormalities are observed in the Ph-positive metaphases. This phenomenon has not been yet systematically assessed to date in patients treated with NTKIs such as dasatinib and nilotinib. By definition, this phenomenon is evaluable only among pts who achieve at least a minor cytogenetic response. We assessed the frequency and the significance of this event among 107 pts with CML after imatinib failure receiving dasatinib (=70) or nilotinib (n=37) therapy between June 2003 and March 2006. After a median follow-up of 13 months (range, 3–32 months), 12 pts (11%) (chronic phase n=6, accelerated phase n=6) receiving dasatinib (n=6) or nilotinib (n=6), developed 21 chromosomal abnormalities in Ph-negative metaphases. Ten (48%) of these abnormalities have been seen in 2 or more metaphases. The median time from the start of the NTKI to appearance of abnormalities was 7 months (range, 0–15 months). The most common cytogenetic abnormalities were: trisomy 8 (n=3, 14%) and del 20q (n=3, 14%). Excluding loss of chromosome Y abnormalities and abnormalities observed in only one metaphase, the incidence was 5%. At the time, abnormalities were detected, 8 pts were in major cytogenetic response (complete in 6) and 4 in minor cytogenetic response. In all but 4 pts these events have been transient and disappeared after a median of 4 months (range, 3–9 months). In 4 pts (+8 n=2, −Y n=1, and add1q, del10q, and del20q n=1), they persisted for a median of 5+ months (range, 3+ – 9+ months). One pt on dastinib developed refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (associated with trisomy 8); he had CML for 16 years, failed prior therapy with interferon, imatinib, and nilotinib, and achieved a complete cytogenetic response on dasatinib; none of the other pts has any feature of myelodysplasia. At the last follow-up, all pts are alive: 2 pts lost their response; one of them underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation and achieved a major molecular remission. The other 10 pts remained in major cytogenetic response (complete in 8). We conclude that cytogenetic abnormalities occur in Ph-negative cells in a small fraction of patients (11%; 5% if loss of Y and abnormalities in one metaphase excluded) treated with the NTKIs. These are frequently transient and usually have no clinical significance, but in rare instances they could signal the emergence of a new malignant clone.
Providing Opportunities to Learn in Home-Based Child Care Settings: Observations of Learning Contexts and Behavior

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: This observation study investigated the prevalence and correlates of learning contexts provided to preschool-age children in 133 registered child care homes in below-average-income neighborhoods in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. On average, 30% of the observed proportion of time was spent in structured teacher-led activities, 51% in free-choice activities, 10% in routine activities, 1% in watching video/TV, and 7% in transition. Home-based child care providers gave significantly more positive recognition during structured teacher-led activities, and children engaged in more prosocial behavior during free-choice time. Directives and noncompliance occurred more often during transitions. A higher child-to-caregiver ratio was associated with more time spent in free-choice time, and caregiver experience and education were not associated with the time spent in specific learning contexts. Practice or Policy: Similar to preschool and center-based child care, current practice in home-based ...
Abstract 236: Poor Recurrent Stroke Prevention Knowledge in High Risk Stroke Survivors

Stroke is highly prevalent. Control of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and appropriate antithrombotic use are important in preventing recurrent stroke. Inadequate control of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and poor stroke knowledge among transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke survivors impact stroke recurrence. We used a community-based participatory approach to recruit TIA/stroke survivors from community and clinical sites into a randomized controlled stroke prevention educational intervention trial. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline survey responses describing demographics, clinical characteristics, and stroke knowledge. The sample (n=600) had a mean age of 63 and was mostly female (60%), Black or Hispanic (81%), and insured (98%). 72% had 2 or more CV risk factors: hypertension (33%), high low-density lipoprotein levels (43%), obesity (41%), and tobacco use (17%). 47% had 2 or more poorly controlled risk factors, and 65% did not have controlled blood pressure and cholesterol levels and antithrombotic use. Stroke knowledge of effective stroke prevention measures was poor. Most believed that diet (60%), exercise (36%), and stress reduction (36%) were most important for stroke prevention. Despite poor risk factor control and stroke prevention knowledge, 82% had a doctor and 2 or more visits in the past 6 months. Inadequate control of CV risk factors and poor stroke knowledge is widely prevalent among TIA/stroke survivors. A silent high risk for progression of recurrent strokes and CV comorbidities persists despite regular medical care. Interventions that improve knowledge, support behavioral change, and improve patient self-management skills are critical for effective secondary stroke prevention.
Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.)

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is an understory tree, 4 to 9 m in height, native to the upper Amazonian forest (Cobley and Steele 1977). A member of the Sterculiaceae, it produces flowers and fruit directly from the stem (Fig. 1), with each fruit containing up to 40 seeds. The Aztecs used the seeds for currency and as the basis for a drink they called “chocolatl”, from which is derived the word “chocolate”, as well as the generic name, “drink of the gods”. The introduction of the drink into Europe and its subsequent popularity and modifications have led to the present-day $5.5 billion chocolate industry (Anon. 1984).
Dynamically Embedded Model Predictive Control

The paper describes a continuous-time dynamic feedback law that mimics the behavior of a model predictive controller. The proposed control strategy is based on implementing a continuous-time reformulation of the primal-dual gradient descent to track the solution of the optimal control problem. The optimal control action is thus embedded in the internal state vector of the dynamic control law, which runs in parallel to the controlled system. Using input to state stability arguments, it is shown that if the rate of change of the dynamic control law is sufficiently large with respect to the plant dynamics, the interconnection between the plant and the proposed controller is exponentially stable. The effectiveness of the control scheme is demonstrated with a numerical example.
The Role of Generative Adversarial Networks in Radiation Reduction and Artifact Correction in Medical Imaging

Adversarial networks were developed to complete powerful image-processing tasks on the basis of example images provided to train the networks. These networks are relatively new in the field of deep learning and have proved to have unique strengths that can potentially benefit radiology. Specifically, adversarial networks have the potential to decrease radiation exposure to patients through minimizing repeat imaging due to artifact, decreasing acquisition time, and generating higher quality images from low-dose or no-dose studies. The authors provide an overview of a specific type of adversarial network called a "generalized adversarial network" and review its uses in current medical imaging research.
Risk Perceptions of Common Technologies

Perceived risk is an important component of technology acceptance and adoption. Research has explored perceived risk, and its relation to technology acceptance. However, only limited work has consi...
How long bullying last? A comparison between a self-reported general bullying-victimization question and specific bullying-victimization questions

Abstract The absence of agreement on the measurement of bullying victimization hinders bullying identification and intervention. There is not empirical data about the duration of bullying victimization. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 404 students, 23.48% of total students of a Spanish district. Self-perceived duration of bullying was evaluated considering two instrument structures: a general bullying question and multiple specific bullying questions. The mean of bullying victimization was 2 years in the specific questions and 3 years in the general question. Both measurement structures coincided in the classification of 90% of the cases, but the specific bullying victimization questions reported more victims. Results have implications in the time-frame assumed to measure bullying victimization and start to fill a gap in the literature.
Differences in Diet Quality and Snack Intakes Among Non-Hispanic White and Mexican American Adolescents from Different Acculturation Groups.

Mexican American adolescents have an increased risk for obesity compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), especially as their degree of acculturation increases. Snack intakes can impact diet quality and may affect obesity risk, yet little is known about differences in snack intakes among NHW and Mexican American adolescents from different acculturation groups. This study compared diet quality and snack intakes among NHW and Mexican American adolescents from different acculturation groups. This study used cross-sectional data from 3636 Mexican American and NHW adolescents in the 2005–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Acculturation was defined based on generational status and language use. Outcomes were Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) score, daily energy intake from snacks, snack frequency, energy value of snacks, and percent contribution of snacks to total daily energy. Analysis of covariance was used to compare outcomes across groups, after adjustment for sex and income. In the full sample, mean HEI-2015 score was 45 ± 0.4. Non-Hispanic white adolescents had modestly poorer diet quality compared to US-born adolescents with a foreign-born parent and Mexican-born adolescents (P < 0.001). Mean daily snack intake was 583 ± 16 kcal. Items in the Snacks and Sweets and Beverages categories contributed more than half of the energy provided by snacks. Non-Hispanic white adolescents had a greater total snack intake compared to all language use at home groups, except equal Spanish and English use. Improving the types of foods consumed as snacks has the potential to partially mitigate differences in snack intakes and diet quality among non-Hispanic white and Mexican American adolescents.
Acceptance of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Launching Point:

BackgroundBecause neonatology is a relatively new medical specialty, it is host to on-going, rapid adaptation and evolution of medical treatments and practices. This process has almost exclusively ...
Characterizing physicians' information needs related to a gap in knowledge unmet by current evidence.

Objective The study sought to explore information needs arising from a gap in clinicians' knowledge that is not met by current evidence and identify possible areas of use and target groups for a future clinical decision support system (CDSS), which will guide clinicians in cases where no evidence exists. Materials and methods We interviewed 30 physicians in a large academic medical center, analyzed transcripts using deductive thematic analysis, and developed a set of themes of information needs related to a gap in knowledge unmet by current evidence. We conducted additional statistical analyses to identify the correlation between clinical experience, clinical specialty, settings of clinical care, and the characteristics of the needs. Results This study resulted in a set of themes and subthemes of information needs arising from a gap in current evidence. Experienced physicians and inpatient physicians had more questions and the number of questions did not decline with clinical experience. The main areas of information needs included patients with comorbidities, elderly and children, new drugs, and rare disorders. To address these questions, clinicians most often used a commercial tool, guidelines, and PubMed. While primary care physicians preferred the commercial tool, specialty physicians sought more in-depth knowledge. Discussion The current medical evidence appeared to be inadequate in covering specific populations such as patients with multiple comorbidities and elderly, and was sometimes irrelevant to complex clinical scenarios. Our findings may suggest that experienced and inpatient physicians would benefit from a CDSS that generates evidence in real time at the point of care. Conclusions We found that physicians had information needs, which arose from the gaps in current medical evidence. This study provides insights on how the CDSS that aims at addressing these needs should be designed.
Fanatic Hatred and Violence in Contemporary America

The paper is a social psychological and psychoanalytic examination of collective violence in the United States in which fanatic hatred and sheer destructiveness are the central operating principles. The primary character structure of who's involved in fanatic violence are shown here to be people who were raised in authoritarian-oriented backgrounds, who find themselves marginal, and “unnecessary” persons in postmodern American society.
Blackbody-radiation-noise broadening of quantum systems

Precision measurements of quantum systems often seek to probe or must account for the interaction with blackbody radiation. Over the past several decades, much attention has been given to ac Stark shifts and stimulated state transfer. For a blackbody in thermodynamic equilibrium, these two effects are determined by the expectation value of photon number in each mode of the Planck spectrum. Here we explore how the photon number variance of an equilibrium blackbody generally leads to a parametric broadening of the energy levels of quantum systems that is inversely proportional to the square root of the blackbody volume. We consider the effect in two cases which are potentially highly sensitive to this broadening: Rydberg atoms and atomic clocks. We find that even in blackbody volumes as small as 1 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$, this effect is unlikely to contribute meaningfully to transition linewidths.
Microscopic ejecta measurements from hypervelocity impacts on aluminum and powdered regolith targets

Abstract Meteoroids and space debris pose a two-fold threat to spacecraft due to the risk of both mechanical damage from the impact and electrical damage from the impact-generated plasma, which produces electromagnetic emissions. Analysis of impact products, however, has the potential to provide useful information about planetary rings and small solar system bodies, such as asteroids and comets. Understanding the plasma dynamics and radiation mechanism is essential to addressing the impact threat and extracting science data from impacts. Charge attachment to condensed-phase debris may lead to a dusty plasma under certain conditions, so interpreting hypervelocity impacts requires knowledge of both the nature of the plasma and of the ejecta. We address the latter with measurements of the microscopic ejecta distribution produced by light gas gun impacts on solid aluminum and powdered regolith simulant targets. We examine both the size and shape of the ejecta using thin-film witness plates and find that the size distributions of microscopic ejecta follow power laws. Observations from the powdered regolith simulant match well with disruption experiments of solid basalt, while measurements from the aluminum impacts diverge from extrapolations based on studies of macroscopic debris. Analysis of the ejecta shape shows a transition from smooth to irregularly shaped ejecta at the material grain size, and the shape of debris may provide insight on the phase of the ejected material. Based on our results, we predict a significant number of secondary impacts on plasma sensors due to ejecta, even at considerable distance from the target, supporting the hypothesis that charged dust affects plasma measurements in the ejecta curtain.
Sinogram-based deep learning image reconstruction technique in abdominal CT: image quality considerations

To investigate the image quality and perception of a sinogram-based deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithm for single-energy abdominal CT compared to standard-of-care strength of ASIR-V. In this retrospective study, 50 patients (62% F; 56.74 ± 17.05 years) underwent portal venous phase. Four reconstructions (ASIR-V at 40%, and DLIR at three strengths: low (DLIR-L), medium (DLIR-M), and high (DLIR-H)) were generated. Qualitative and quantitative image quality analysis was performed on the 200 image datasets. Qualitative scores were obtained for image noise, contrast, small structure visibility, sharpness, and artifact by three blinded radiologists on a 5-point scale (1, excellent; 5, very poor). Radiologists also indicated image preference on a 3-point scale (1, most preferred; 3, least preferred). Quantitative assessment was performed by measuring image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). DLIR had better image quality scores compared to ASIR-V. Scores on DLIR-H for noise (1.40 ± 0.53), contrast (1.41 ± 0.55), small structure visibility (1.51 ± 0.61), and sharpness (1.60 ± 0.54) were the best (p 0.05). DLIRs did not influence subjective textural perceptions and were preferred over ASIR-V from the beginning. All DLIRs had a higher CNR (26.38–102.30%) and lower noise (20.64–48.77%) than ASIR-V. DLIR-H had the best objective scores. Sinogram-based deep learning image reconstructions were preferred over iterative reconstruction subjectively and objectively due to improved image quality and lower noise, even in large patients. Use in clinical routine may allow for radiation dose reduction. • Deep learning image reconstructions (DLIRs) have a higher contrast-to-noise ratio compared to medium-strength hybrid iterative reconstruction techniques. • DLIR may be advantageous in patients with large body habitus due to a lower image noise. • DLIR can enable further optimization of radiation doses used in abdominal CT.
Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from active chronic otitis media

This study had studied the prevalence of some virulence genes which were carried by Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients affected by active chronic otitis media (COM) in Ad-Diwaniyah teaching hospital, Iraq. Fifty samples were taken from affected patients and submitted to culture on media for enrichment then submitted to extraction of DNA by using of 16S rRNA gene in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Moreover, Phylogenetic analysis tree of DNA (sequencing methods) confirmed the results. A summarized results included 38/50 (76%) of total cases caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, virulence genes included a toxic gene (84.2%), exoS gene (63.2%) and OprI gene (47.4%). The results also showed the multiple alignment analysis of sequencing similarity in 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences. It has been concluded that active COM may be more complicated due to virulence genes that carried by Pseudomonas aeruginosa; these virulence genes make the infection more difficult to be treated.
Strong-coupling diagnostics for multimode open systems

The authors present a technique based on two-dimension eigenvector projections for detecting correlation depth and connectivity in multi-mode open systems.
Biological Applications of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Viscometry Using a 13C-Labeled Trityl Spin Probe

Alterations in viscosity of biological fluids and tissues play an important role in health and diseases. It has been demonstrated that the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of a 13C-labeled trityl spin probe (13C-dFT) is highly sensitive to the local viscosity of its microenvironment. In the present study, we demonstrate that X-band (9.5 GHz) EPR viscometry using 13C-dFT provides a simple tool to accurately measure the microviscosity of human blood in microliter volumes obtained from healthy volunteers. An application of low-field L-band (1.2 GHz) EPR with a penetration depth of 1–2 cm allowed for microviscosity measurements using 13C-dFT in the living tissues from isolated organs and in vivo in anesthetized mice. In summary, this study demonstrates that EPR viscometry using a 13C-dFT probe can be used to noninvasively and rapidly measure the microviscosity of blood and interstitial fluids in living tissues and potentially to evaluate this biophysical marker of microenvironment under various physiological and pathological conditions in preclinical and clinical settings.
Public Preferences for Social Distancing Policy Measures to Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19 in Missouri.

Importance Policies to promote social distancing can minimize COVID-19 transmission but come with substantial social and economic costs. Quantifying relative preferences among the public for such practices can inform locally relevant policy prioritization and optimize uptake. Objective To evaluate relative utilities (ie, preferences) for COVID-19 pandemic social distancing strategies against the hypothetical risk of acquiring COVID-19 and anticipated income loss. Design, setting, and participants This survey study recruited individuals living in the Missouri area from May to June 2020 via randomly distributed unincentivized social media advertisements and local recruitment platforms for members of minority racial and ethnic groups. Participants answered 6 questions that asked them to choose between 2 hypothetical counties where business closures, social distancing policy duration, COVID-19 infection risk, and income loss varied. Main outcomes and measures Reweighted population-level relative preferences (utilities) for social distancing policies, subgroups, and latent classes. Results The survey had a 3% response rate (3045 of 90 320). Of the 2428 respondents who completed the survey, 1669 (75%) were 35 years and older, 1536 (69%) were women, and 1973 (89%) were White. After reweighting to match Missouri population demographic characteristics, the strongest preference was for the prohibition of large gatherings (mean preference, -1.43; 95% CI, -1.67 to -1.18), with relative indifference to the closure of social and lifestyle venues (mean preference, 0.05; 95% CI, -0.08 to 0.17). There were weak preferences to keep outdoor venues (mean preference, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.61) and schools (mean preference, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.30) open. Latent class analysis revealed 4 distinct preference phenotypes in the population: risk averse (48.9%), conflicted (22.5%), prosocial (14.9%), and back to normal (13.7%), with men twice as likely as women to belong to the back to normal group than the risk averse group (relative risk ratio, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.54 to 3.12). Conclusions and relevance In this survey study using a discrete choice experiment, public health policies that prohibited large gatherings, as well as those that closed social and lifestyle venues, appeared to be acceptable to the public. During policy implementation, these activities should be prioritized for first-phase closures. These findings suggest that policy messages that address preference heterogeneity (eg, focusing on specific preference subgroups or targeting men) could improve adherence to social distancing measures for COVID-19 and future pandemics.
A Minireview: Comparative Biochemistry of Photosynthesis in Palisade Cells, Spongy Cells, and Guard Cells of C3 Leaves

In broad terms plant biochemists differentiate only two classes of leaf chloroplasts (C3 chloroplasts and C4 mesophyll chloroplasts). However, anatomists distinguish many more, even within the mesomorphic dicotyledonous leaf (1). Surprisingly, the potential for biochemical differences among these plastids has been of little interest to experimentalists. The purpose of this brief overview is to summarize and compare selected biochemical attributes of chloroplasts from three types of C3 leaf cells (viz., palisade parenchyma, spongy parenchyma, and guard cells). Because of space constraints, this paper is not comprehensive; instead, it displays representative results. This area of comparative biochemistry is undeveloped, and I hope this first review of it will stimulate further work.
The myosin filament. IX. Determination of subfilament positions by computer processing of electron micrographs.

Abstract Computer image processing of electron micrographs has been employed to delineate the position of thick filament subunits in transverse sections of extensively crosslinked vertebrate skeletal muscle. Both back projection and rotational averaging methods indicate the presence of 12 subunits arranged on an approximately hexagonal lattice similar to that proposed by Pepe (1967). The spacing between subunits and the myosin content of the thick filament indicate that these subunits probably contain more than one myosin molecule and are most likely dimers.
The effects of sphingosine on sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane calcium release.

Abstract In this study, we report that sphingosine is a potent inhibitor of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium release. Evidence is presented demonstrating a direct effect of sphingosine on the SR ryanodine receptor. Calcium release from "skinned" rabbit skeletal muscle fibers and isolated junctional SR derived from the terminal cisternae (TC) was measured in response to caffeine, doxorubicin, 5'-adenylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate or calcium. Sphingosine inhibited caffeine-induced release in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of 0.1 microM for the single muscle fibers and 0.5 microM for the isolated TC vesicles. Near complete blockage of TC calcium release rate was observed with 3 microM sphingosine. Neither sphingomyelin nor sphingosylphosphorylcholine had any effect at the 3 microM level, suggesting that the sphingosine effect was specific. Doxorubicin-induced calcium release and spontaneous calcium release were also blocked by sphingosine. Sphingosine was also capable of stimulating calcium transport in the isolated TC vesicles without an effect on Ca-ATPase activity. Ruthenium red was not capable of substantial additional stimulation of calcium transport nor inhibition of calcium release beyond the action of sphingosine. Sphingosine's blockage of calcium release was not reversed by the protein kinase inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2- methylpiperazine dihydrochloride, suggesting that the action of sphingosine on calcium release was not dependent on ryanodine receptor phosphorylation. Sphingosine significantly increased (8-fold) the Kd for specific [3H]ryanodine binding to TC membranes and decreased the Bmax with a dose dependence similar to the inhibition of calcium release, but sphingosine did not affect the pCa tension relationship of skinned skeletal muscle fibers. These data are consistent with a direct effect of submicromolar sphingosine on the ryanodine receptor. Substantially higher concentrations of sphingosine (30-50 microM) or sphingosylphosphorylcholine (10-20 microM) were capable of inducing calcium release by themselves. Preliminary data indicate that the transverse tubule and not the SR contain substantial sphingomyelinase activity consistent with a transverse tubule source of sphingosine production. Considering that sphingosine is found in micromolar concentrations in some cells, our data indicate that sphingosine generated by the transverse tubule membranes may be a physiologically relevant mechanism for modulating SR calcium release.
Is pulmonary vein antrum isolation safe and effective in valvular heart disease and open heart surgery

Is pulmonary vein antrum isolation safe and effective in valvular heart disease and open heart surgery?
Maximum likelihood detection in Gaussian channels can have polynomial complexity

Summary form only given. A "sphere decoding" algorithm is suggested for finding the ML solution with a specified (high) probability; it is closely related to the Wozencraft sequential decoding algorithm. Closed-form expressions for the expected complexity are then found by using and extending some classical number-theoretic results and techniques. A multiple (transmit and receive) antenna problem is studied in some detail. It is shown that for a wide range of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs)and number of antennas, the expected complexity is polynomial, in fact often roughly cubic. This is the complexity of heuristic detection schemes such as the BLAST scheme developed at Bell Laboratories by G. Foschini and his colleagues. However, now for the same complexity we have an optimum solution, which yields much better error probability performance, thus allowing much lower SNR or many fewer antennas than with the heuristic schemes. The results can be extended to frequency selective channels, as well as to other communication problems. It is shown that expected complexity provides a new measure for evaluating and comparing different kinds of codes, such as turbo codes vs. LDPC codes.
The Role of Natural Fractures in Shale Gas Production

Natural fractures seem to be ubiquitous in shale gas plays. It is often said that their presence is one of the most critical factors in defining an economic or prospective shale gas play. Many investigators have presumed that open natural fractures are critical to gas production from deeper plays such as the Barnett, as they are for shallower gas shales such as the Dev‐ onian shales of the northeastern US and for coal bed methane plays. A common view on production mechanisms in shales is “because the formations are so tight gas can be pro‐ duced only when extensive networks of natural fractures exist” [6]. However, there is now a growing body of evidence that any natural fractures that do exist may well be filled with calcite or other minerals and it has even been suggested that open natural fractures would in fact be detrimental to Barnett shale gas production [9]. Commercial exploitation of low mobility gas reservoirs has been improved with multi-stage hydraulic fracturing of long horizontal wells. Favorable results have been associated with large fracture surface area in contact with the shale matrix and it is here that the role of natu‐ ral fractures is assumed to be critical. For largely economic reasons hydraulic fracturing for increasing production from shale gas reservoirs is often carried out using large volumes of slickwater injected at pressures/rates high enough to create and propagate extensive hy‐ draulic fracture systems. The fracture systems are often complex, due essentially to intersec‐ tion of the hydraulic fractures with the natural fracture network. After hydraulic fracturing operations the injected water is flowed back. Typically, only a small percentage (on the or‐ der of 20 to 40%) is recovered. In this paper we investigate the role played by natural fractures in the gas production proc‐ ess. By applying a new model of the production process to data from many shale gas wells across a number of shale plays in North America, we can for the first time begin to sort out assertion from inference in the role that these fractures play. Specifically, we are able to esti‐ © 2013 Walton and McLennan; licensee InTech. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. mate the magnitude of the fracture surface through which gas is actually produced. We are able to demonstrate that although it may be commensurate with the expected surface area of open natural fractures for the ultra-low permeability shallow gas shales, it is in fact com‐ mensurate with a very much smaller area for the deeper gas shales such as the Barnett. Fur‐ thermore, given a typical value of the matrix permeability, almost all the gas between the fractures would have been produced in an uncharacteristically short period of time unless the producing fractures are 100s of feet apart. The implications of these findings for comple‐ tion and stimulation strategies will be discussed.
Cognitive dysfunction and poor health literacy are common in veterans presenting with acute coronary syndrome: insights from the MEDICATION study.

Background Patient nonadherence to cardiac medications following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with increased risk of recurrent events. However, the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction and poor health literacy among ACS patients and their association with medication nonadherence are poorly understood.
Challenges in the Medical and Surgical Management of Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease patients will likely come to the surgeon's attention at some point in their course of disease, and they present several unique anatomic, metabolic, and physiologic challenges. Specific and well-recognized complications of chronic Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis are presented as well as an organized and evidence-based approach to the medical and surgical management of such disease sequelae. Topics addressed in this article include intestinal fistula and short bowel syndrome, pouch complications, and deep venous thrombosis with emphasis placed on optimization of the patient's physiologic state for best outcomes.