cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cannabis and Prescription Drug Use Among Older Adults With Functional Impairment.

Introduction Psychoactive substance use may be risky for adults with functional impairments. This study investigates cannabis use and prescription opioid and tranquilizer/sedative (mis)use among adults aged ≥50 years reporting functional impairments in the U.S. Methods This cross-sectional analysis of adults aged ≥50 years from the 2015–2019 cohorts of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates the prevalence of past-year medical and nonmedical cannabis use and prescription opioid and tranquilizer/sedative use and misuse according to the number of functional impairments reported. The adjusted odds of medical and nonmedical use or misuse of each substance in relation to any impairment, the number of impairments, and specific impairments were estimated using logistic regression. Analyses were conducted in December 2020. Results Compared with those reporting no impairments, those reporting any impairment were more likely to report the use of cannabis and the (mis)use of prescription opioids and tranquilizers/sedatives (all p Conclusions Prescription drug misuse is linked to functional impairments among adults aged ≥50 years and may pose a potential risk for this vulnerable population.
How to Use a Computerized Telescope (Practical Amateur Astronomy Volume 1)

How to Use a Computerized Telescope is the first handbook that describes how to get your computerized telescope up and running, and how to embark on a program of observation. It explains in detail how the sky moves, how your telescope tracks it, and how to get the most out of any computerized telescope. Packed full of practical advice and tips for troubleshooting, it translates the manufacturers' technical jargon into easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, and includes many of the author's tried and tested observing techniques. Early chapters explain how to test your telescope's optics, choose eyepieces and accessories, and diagnose operational problems. The second half of the book then gives detailed instructions for three classic telescopes: the Meade LX200, Celestron NexStar 5 and 8, and Meade Autostar (ETX and LX90). Concentrating mainly on telescope operation and troubleshooting, it is the ideal companion to Celestial Objects for Modern Telescopes, also by Michael Covington.
Drawing France: French comics and the republic, by Joel E. Vessels

In this sociological and political study, Joel E. Vessels explores the shifting political and cultural place of the image and the evolution of bande dessinee (BD; French comics) from its early ince...
Abstract MP46: Association of healthy lifestyle factors with all-cause mortality and incident cardiovascular events among individuals with apparent treatment resistant hypertension: the Reasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study

Background: Patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH), defined as uncontrolled blood pressure (≥140/90 mmHg) despite use of 3 antihypertensive medications or use of ≥4 medications regardless of blood pressure control, have a higher risk for cardiovascular events compared to hypertensive patients whose blood pressure is controlled with antihypertensive medications. As the incidence of aTRH has been increasing, there is an urgent need toward improving outcomes in this high-risk population. Few data exist regarding whether healthy lifestyle factors, either individually or combined as part of an overall healthy lifestyle, are associated with a better prognosis among individuals with aTRH. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of healthy lifestyle factors with all-cause mortality and secondarily incident cardiovascular events among individuals with aTRH. Methods: We studied participants from the population-based REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study, a unique resource with 2,043 participants with aTRH. Six healthy lifestyle factors (normal waist circumference, physical activity ≥4 times/week, non-smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, high Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet score, and low sodium-to-potassium intake ratio) were examined. Results: A higher number of healthy lifestyle factors was associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality over a mean follow-up of 5.2 years. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios [HR (95% CI)] for all-cause mortality comparing individuals with 2, 3, 4, and 5-6 versus 0-1 healthy lifestyle factors were 0.78 (0.60-1.00), 0.70 (0.52-0.95), 0.56 (0.38-0.83) and 0.57 (0.32-1.00), respectively (P-trend=0.001). Physical activity (1-3 days/weeks vs. 0 days/week: HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.46-0.73; ≥ 4 days/week: HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.45-0.75) and, separately, non-smoking (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.40 -0.70) were individual healthy lifestyle factors each significantly associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality in a fully adjusted model. The HRs (95% CI) of incident cardiovascular events for 2, 3, and 4-6 versus 0-1 healthy lifestyle factors were 1.07 (0.68-1.67), 0.83 (0.48-1.44), and 0.66 (0.34-1.29), respectively (P-trend=0.150), in a fully adjusted model. Conclusions: In conclusion, healthy lifestyle factors, particularly physical activity and non-smoking, were associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality among individuals with aTRH, a high-risk subgroup of hypertensive individuals who require multiple medications. These data support the concept that the prognosis among individuals with aTRH may be improved by interventions targeting healthy lifestyle factors. Future randomized controlled trials may be warranted to examine whether lifestyle interventions lower mortality risk among adults with aTRH.
SDSR: a scalable data storage and retrieval service for wireless ad hoc networks

We present the framework of SDSR, a Scalable, efficient, robust and load-balanced Data Storage/Retrieval service for large scale wireless ad hoc networks. SDSR hashes each data key to normalized geographical coordinates (x,y), which can be seen as a rendezvous point for storing/retrieving the data in a unit grid. SDSR achieves scalability, robustness and load-balancing by partitioning the network into hierarchical grids of increasing sizes and replicating the data item into each grid. The storage location in each grid is determined by scaling the normalized coordinates to the corresponding grid size. SDSR retrieves a data item in the same way as it stores the data item. We show that in query dominant, large scale wireless ad hoc networks, SDSR performs better than existing schemes in terms of energy efficiency, query latency, hotspot usage, and resilience to clustering failures. It scales well when the network size and the number of queries increase.
Effect of a polyethylene-lined administration set on the availability of diazepam injection.

Delivery of diazepam through a polyethylene-lined i.v. administration set and through a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) set was compared. Diazepam was prepared in concentrations of 50 mg/500 mL and 100 mg/500 mL in 0.9% sodium chloride injection and 5% dextrose injection in glass containers. Diazepam concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography at 0 through 5 hours in samples collected simultaneously from the glass solution containers and from the distal ends of a PVC administration set and a polyethylene-lined (non-PVC) set. Flow rates of 50 and 100 mL/hr were tested. For the non-PVC sets, diazepam concentration in the infusate was not significantly different from concentration in the glass container at any sampling time. The overall percentage of diazepam recovered was 100.7 +/- 6.8%. For the PVC sets, diazepam concentration in the infusate was less than in the container at all sampling times, and the overall percentage of diazepam recovered was 65.4 +/- 13.3% (significantly different from delivery for the non-PVC sets). Delivery through the non-PVC sets was not affected by flow rate, type of solution, or concentration of diazepam. For infusion periods of up to five hours, delivery of diazepam through polyethylene-lined i.v. administration sets was superior to delivery through polyvinyl chloride sets.
Cytotoxic T cells are elicited during acute infection of mice with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus but disappear during the chronic phase of infection.

Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) invariably establishes a life-long viremic infection in mice, which is maintained by replication of LDV in a renewable subpopulation of macrophages and escape from all host immune responses. We now demonstrate that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that specifically lyse LDV-infected macrophages and 3T3 cells producing the nucleocapsid protein of LDV were elicited in Swiss, B10.A, and (Swiss x B10.A)F1 mice. To detect target cell lysis, splenocytes needed to be expanded by a 5-day in vitro culture in the presence of recombinant interleukin 2 and syngeneic LDV protein-expressing cells. In vitro culture resulted in the specific expansion of CD8+ cells which mediated the lysis of target cells in a major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted manner. When CTLs were added to macrophage cultures at 1 h after infection with LDV, the lysis of the infected macrophages by the CTLs started about 5 h postinfection (p.i.) and, at an effector cell/target cell ratio of 25:1, resulted in the lysis of all LDV-infected macrophages in a culture by about 7 h p.i. However, lysis of the LDV replication in a culture was not rapid enough to significantly suppress the LDV yield in the culture. LDV replication in mice was also little affected by the presence of CTLs which were induced by immunization with 3T3 cells expressing the LDV nucleocapsid protein. Furthermore, all CTL precursor cells in infected mice had disappeared by 30 days p.i. Loss of CTL precursor cells in infected mice probably reflected high-dose clonal exhaustion, since LDV infection of a mouse results in massive production of LDV in all tissues of the mouse, but especially in lymphoidal tissues, and accumulation of LDV in newly formed germinal centers. Furthermore, slow LDV replication continues in the thymus and other lymphoidal organs.
Neurogenic bladder in neurolepticmalignant syndrome

Urinary retention or incontinence is not an infrequent clinical finding in patients with neuroleptic malignant syndrome. We studied the pathophysiology of this voiding disorder by urodynamic testing. It revealed involuntary bladder contraction and rigidity of external sphincter (dyskinesia). These findings are analogous to those in Parkinson disease patients and support the dopamine deficiency theory as the cause of neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
Defining conditions to promote the attachment of adult human colonic epithelial cells

An improved method for the attachment and growth of normal human colonic epithelial cells from minute 1 to 3-mm3 biopsies has been developed. This yields four times as many cultured cells per biopsy than older methods, with a success rate of 97% in a series of 29 biopsies. Fetal bovine serum was eliminated from the medium, the medium pH was decreased to 6.7, the oxygen tension in the incubator was decreased to 3%, and the NCTC 168 medium was supplemented with ethanolamine, phosphoethanolamine, hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid, transferrin, glutamine, insulin, epidermal growth factor, pentagastrin, and deoxycholic acid. The best substrate for cell attachment was a mixture of ungelled collagen I and bovine serum albumin. This substrate was better than the identical mixture with fibronectin added, fibronectin alone, a thin gelatin film, collagen IV with or without fibronectin, and basement membrane preparations from four different cell lines.
Jet Slurry Corrosive Wear of High-Chromium Cast Iron and High-Carbon Steel Grinding Ball Alloys

Abstract Samples of high-chromium cast iron and high-carbon steel grinding balls were subjected to jet slurry impingement in an electrochemically instrumented apparatus. The jet velocity was 6.6 m/s. Quartz and chalcopyrite slurries containing 15% solids were used at pH values ranging from 5 to 11. Pure wear rates were obtained by cathodic protection, while pure corrosion rates were obtained by the polarization resistance technique. A synergistic effect was found between corrosion and wear.
Finding a maximum matching in a permutation graph

We present anO(n log logn) time algorithm for finding a maximum matching in a permutation graph withn vertices, assuming that the input graph is represented by a permutation.
The utility of muscarinic agonists in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles along with memory and cognitive deficits associated with a loss of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Efforts to treat Alzheimer’s disease have focused on compounds that elevate cholinergic activity such as cholinesterase inhibitors and direct acting muscarinic and nicotinic agonists. Low efficacy and poor selectivity of available compounds have limited the clinical utility of muscarinic agonists. Recent studies suggesting a role for muscarinic agonists in regulating the production of Aβ raise the possibility that selective M1 agonists could be useful in treating not only the symptoms, but also the underlying cause(s) of Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, renewed efforts have focused on the development of compounds with improved selectivity for M1 receptors and lower toxicity. 5-(3-ethyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine (CDD-0102) is a potent M1 agonist with a low side effect profile that enhances memory function in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. The available preclinical data suggest that CDD-0102 may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Replication of a bovine coronavirus in organ cultures of foetal trachea

Abstract A strain of bovine coronavirus (BC) adapted to tissue culture, was inoculated into organ cultures of bovine foetal trachea. Haemagglutinin in the fluid from infected organ cultures reached titres of 32 and characteristic coronavirus particles were observed electron microscopically. BC virus antigen was detected in frozen sections of the organ cultures by staining with fluorescent antibody. These data were evidence that BC virus replicated in organ cultures of respiratory tissue. The use of this technique for primary isolation of bovine coronaviruses from field material is discussed.
Increasing On-Task Behavior Using Teacher Attention Delivered on a Fixed-Time Schedule.

The effectiveness of fixed-time delivery of attention to increase the on-task behavior of 2 students in general education was examined. The teacher in this study provided attention to students on a 5-min fixed-time schedule and responded to students in her typical manner between cued intervals. An ABAB withdrawal design was used to test the effects of the intervention. The results of this study indicate that a fixed-time schedule of attention was effective in increasing students’ on-task behavior and decreasing their off-task behavior. Implications of the study for research and practice are discussed.
Blast dynamics at Mount St Helens on 18 May 1980

At 8.32 a.m. on 18 May 1980, failure of the upper part of the north slope of Mount St Helens triggered a lateral eruption (‘the blast’) that devastated the conifer forests in a sector covering ∼500 km2 north of the volcano. I present here a steady flow model for the blast dynamics and propose that through much of the devastated area the blast was a supersonic flow of a complex multiphase (solid, liquid, vapour) mixture. The shape of the blast zone; pressure, temperature, velocity (Mach number) and density distributions within the flow; positions of weak and strong internal shocks; and mass flux, energy flux, and total energy are calculated. The shape of blast zone was determined by the initial areal expansion from the reservoir, by internal expansion and compression waves (including shocks), and by the density of the expanding mixture. The pressure within the flow dropped rapidly away from the source of the blast until, at a distance of ∼11 km, the flow became underpressured relative to the surrounding atmosphere. Weak shocks within the flow subparallel to the east and west margins coalesced at about this distance into a strong Mach disk shock, across which the flow velocities would have dropped from supersonic to subsonic as the pressure rose back towards ambient. The positions of the shocks may be reflected in differences in the patterns of felled trees. At the limits of the devastated area, the temperature had dropped only 20% from the reservoir temperature because the entrained solids thermally buffered the flow (the dynamic and thermodynamic effects of the admixture of the surrounding atmosphere and the uprooted forest and soils into the flow are not considered). The density of the flow decreased with distance until, at the limits of the blast zone, 20–25 km from the volcano, the density became comparable with that of the surrounding (dirty) atmosphere and the flow became buoyant and ramped up into the atmosphere. According to the model, the mass flux per unit area at the source was 0.6 × 104 g s−1 cm−2 and the energy flux per unit area was 2.5 MW cm−2. From the measured total ejected mass, 0.25 × 1015 g, the total energy released during the eruption was 1024 erg or 24 megatons. The model, triggering of the eruption and the transition from unsteady to steady flow, and applications to eyewitness observations and atmospheric effects are discussed in ref. 1.
Variation of ion polarizability from vacuum to hydration: insights from Hirshfeld partitioning.

The results of iterative Hirshfeld partitioning on the polarizability of monovalent anions (F−, Cl−, and Br−) and Na+ in water clusters ranging from n = 0 to n = 25 are presented. In each case, the...
Growth and Condition of the Carp and the River Carpsucker in an Altered Environment in Western Kansas

Abstract This study was designed to assess the populations of the carp, Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, and the river carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio (Rafinesque), in Cedar Bluff Reservoir, and the Smoky Hill River, west-central Kansas. Three variables-(1) growth rate, (2) condition factor, and (3) percentage fat content-were used to evaluate the two populations. Data were collected from the spring of 1967 to the fall of 1968. Mean calculated lengths of carp at different ages in the reservoir were comparable to lengths of fish in the river. The growth of the carpsucker was slightly greater in the reservoir than in the river. The condition coefficients of carp in the river were significantly higher than those of carp in the reservoir, but no significant differences existed between carpsucker in the two environments. The percentage fat content of carp from the river was significantly greater than that in the carp from the reservoir, but the percentage fat content of the carpsucker from the two environments was not s...
Effects of Emotional Factors Upon Recall

(1935). Effects of Emotional Factors Upon Recall. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 49-59.
Masculine ideology, norms, and HIV prevention among young Black men.

This study examines the relationship between masculine ideology, adherence to norms, and HIV prevention among young Black heterosexual and gay men on the campus of a historically Black college/university. The data from four focus groups and nine individual interviews (N = 35) were aggregated and two recurring themes emerged: sexual communication and mate availability. Additional themes related to HIV prevention were stigma, protection, and testing. The importance of investigating masculinity with young men is highlighted and implications for professionals working with college students to prevent the transmission of HIV are included.
Morphometric effects of postnatal lead exposure on hippocampal development of the 15-day-old rat

Abstract Neurotoxic sequelae of developmental lead exposure suggest that the hippocampus may be affected. Therefore, rats received low-level lead exposure via the milk of dams drinking 0.2% lead acetate beginning at parturition, and mid-dorsal sections of the hippocampus and dentate gyrus (DG) from 15-day-old pups were examined by light and electron microscopy. Lead exposure did not reduce body weight nor produce obviously abnormal vascularity or signs of cytotoxicity in the hippocampal formation, and total numbers per section of dentate granule cells or CA3 pyramidal cells were not reduced. On the other hand, lead exposure reduced neuropil development as evidenced both by reduced areas of the dentate hilus and dentate infrapyramidal stratum moleculare and by increased number of hilar CA3 pyramidal cells per unit area. Also, lead exposure reduced numbers of several types of synaptic profiles per unit area in the suprapyramidal mossy fiber zone. Complex invaginated (CI) profiles, assumed to be mature mossy fiber boutons, were characterized by multiple membrane densities and deep invaginations around dendritic spines of pyramidal cells. Complex noninvaginated (CN) boutons exhibited bag-like profiles with multiple membrane densities. Smaller, less numerous, simple (S) profiles contacted either dendritic trunks (ST) or spines (SS). Lead exposure reduced the numerical density of CN, CI and SS profiles in the deep (close to stratum pyramidale) part of the proximal (close to DG) region of the suprapyramidal mossy fiber zone, but did not alter the numerical density of any of the profiles in the superficial (distal to stratum pyramidale) parts of either proximal or distal (close to CA1) regions. Average size of CN profiles in the distal region was increased by lead exposure. The pattern of effects suggests that low-level lead exposure during development preferentially affects later developing structures within the hippocampal formation, rather than affecting mature structures.
Platonism and penology: James Mill's attempted synthesis.

The modern science of penology owes much to the English Utilitarians, and to Bentham and his erstwhile disciple James Mill in particular. I argue that James Mill's views on crime and punishment are, contrary to the conventional view, not simply those of a Benthamite Utilitarian; they are, rather, distinctively Platonist. James Mill's penological theory reveals, upon closer examination, a deep and pervasive debt to Plato. The upshot of this discovery is that the roots and rationale of modern penology are older and deeper than is commonly supposed, and that Plato's presence pervades the theory, practice, and justification of that punitive discipline.
Exothermicity and three-dimensional effects in unsteady propane square jets

We present results of numerical simulations of the near field of unsteady fuel jets emerging from a square nozzle into a quiescent oxidizer background with nonpremixed initial conditions. The jets studied are subsonic, compressible, and both jet and surroundings are diluted with nitrogen. The numerical model involves space/time developing jets, species-and temperature-dependent diffusive transport, and finite-rate global chemistry. The jet visualizations show distinct high-temperature regions associated with local exothermicity and convective concentration of burned gas governed by the highly three-dimensional dynamics of vortex rings and hairpin vortices. Instantaneous chemical production occurs mainly at the outer sides of the fuel jet, at the interfaces between reactants, where most of the diffusive mixing takes place for the relatively fast flows considered. Topological features of the distributions of the scalar dissipation rate are characterized mainly by sheet-like structures, first appearing as relatively simple footprint surfaces enclosing vortex rings and braid vortices, and then becoming increasingly convoluted due to the complicated vortex interactions. Significant viscous damping effects are found for the reactive jets because of exothermicity and the monotonically increasing dependence of viscosity with temperature. In contrast, for the nearly isothermal nonreactive jets, viscosity is found to have only a slightly stabilizing role in the absence of chemical reactions.
Neuroendoscopic techniques in the treatment of arachnoid cysts in children and comparison with other operative methods.

Objective: The authors intended to evaluate the application of neuroendoscopic techniques for the treatment of arachnoid cysts in children and compare it with other operative methods. Methods: The analysis covered the results of treatment of 44 children with arachnoid cysts who were subjected to neuroendoscopic procedures and 62 patients who underwent other operations. Results: The neuroendoscopic treatment of arachnoid cysts was very effective because of low rate of reoperative treatment (six out of 44 patients), no need to change the operative method (40 effective out of total 44 operative procedures), and low rate of persistent worsening (none of 44 patients worsened). Conclusions: Summing up all the mentioned aspects of neuroendoscopic techniques, the neuroendoscopic techniques were the most suitable operative procedures in the treatment of arachnoid cysts in the presented group of patients, providing that the connection between the lumen of the arachnoid cyst and the cerebrospinal fluid cisterns was of good quality.
A Multiwavelength Campaign on γ Cassiopeiae. II. The Case for Corotating, Circumstellar Clouds

Simultaneous X-ray/UV observations over a full day on 1996 March 14E15 have been made of the prototypical B0.5e star c Cas using the Rossi X-Ray T iming Explorer satellite and the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The GHRS spectra, taken in the region of the Si IV jj1394E1403 doublet, also permitted the construction of an extremely precise light curve from a nearby "" pseudocontinuum II region. The continuum UV and X-ray light curves reveal a pair of X-ray maxima D10 hr apart that coincide in time with UV continuum Nux "" dips II of D1%. In the -rst paper in this series we attributed the long-term X-ray variations to magnetic activity sites on the surface of the star that undergo rotational modulation on a D1.125 days period. In the current study we -nd that Nux and color curves generated from a 33 hr sequence of International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) echellegrams obtained in 1996 January display dip features similar to those in the GHRS data. Comparing the timings of the continuum Nux dips and the Si IV line strength variations in both the GHRS and IUE data sets gives a slightly revised period of 1.123 days for both the UV and X-ray activ- ities. This strengthens the argument that high-energy activity on c Cas is modulated by rotation of long- lived structures close to its surface. Analysis of the pseudocontinuum light curves constructed from the GHRS and IUE light curves shows at least two surprising characteristics for the Nux dips: (1) the dips last only D0.3 cycles, which is too brief for rotation modulation of surface features, and (2) their ampli- tudes increase from long to short wavelengths, which attain a maximum near 1206 The character of Ae . the variations of the photospheric Si IV line pro-les is unexpected in that the equivalent width Nuctua- tions do not correlate with the slow undulations of the continuum Nux. Moreover, the pro-le variations do not show an expected blue-to-red migration of microfeatures. We show that the continuum character- istics and absence of migration of features in the Si IV lines can be explained by the presence of very cool, optically thin clouds that corotate with the star. Assuming a tilt of the rotational axis of )45i to the observerIs line of sight, our model simulations of the two major dips in the UV light curves indicate that the clouds have radii of a few tenths of a stellar radius and are attached to points on the surface at low to mid-latitudes on the near hemisphere. These -ndings support the conclusion of the -rst paper in this series that c Cas is a member of a small group of OB stars that have magnetospheres associated with X-ray activity. Subject headings: circumstellar matter E stars: activity E stars: emission-line, Be E stars: individual (c Cassiopeiae) E stars: rotation
Timing Is Everything? Primacy and Recency Effects in Voter Mobilization Campaigns

The timing of message delivery in political campaigns is a key component of strategy. Yet studies that examine the impact of message timing on political behavior are surprisingly rare. Although one recent study finds that appeals delivered closer to Election Day will be most effective (Nickerson, American Journal of Political Science 51(2):269–282, 2007), methodological considerations render this conclusion tentative and suggest the impact of message timing remains an open question. In this paper I report the results of a randomized field experiment designed to compare the mobilization effects of nonpartisan messages delivered via commercial phone banks at different points during a campaign cycle. The results of the experiment, conducted during the November 2005 municipal elections in Rochester, New York, suggest calls delivered early on during a campaign cycle can also be effective.
Correlation of clinical and pathologic factors with rising prostate-specific antigen profiles after radical prostatectomy alone for clinically localized prostate cancer

Abstract Objectives To better identify factors affecting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level elevation after radical prostatectomy alone in men with clinical Stage T1–2 prostate cancer, we have reviewed our experience in the PSA era with 337 cases. The identification of these factors permits better understanding of the impact of case selection on treatment outcome in prostate cancer. Methods The charts of all patients treated with radical prostatectomy alone between 1987 and 1993 were reviewed. Patients with clinical Stage T3 disease, without preoperative Gleason scores or PSA levels, with synchronous bladder cancer and who received adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. The distribution of cases by pretreatment PSA levels was as follows: 4 ng/mL or less (16%); greater than 4 to 10 ng/ mL (48%); greater than 10 to 20 ng/mL (22%); and greater than 20 ng/mL ( 14%). The median pretreatment PSA level for the entire group was 8 ng/mL. Only 26 patients (8%) had pathologically positive pelvic lymph nodes. The overall margin involvement rate was 43%. Margin involvement rates increased with increasing preoperative PSA levels. One hundred eighty-two patients (54%) had surgical Gleason scores of 7 or higher, and 208 (62%) had extracapsular extension. The median follow-up time was 36 months. Results The 3- and 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were 74% and 61%, respectively, with relapse being defined as either a clinically detectable recurrence or detectable/rising PSA levels. Among preoperative factors, PSA level was the only independent factor predicting relapse ( P = 0.006); the 5-year RFS was 89% in patients with preoperative PSA levels of 4 ng/mL or less; 62% for PSA level of 4 to 10 ng/mL; 56% for PSA level of 10 to 20 ng/mL; and 26% for a PSA level greater than 20 ng/mL. Among pathologic parameters, margin involvement was the most potent independent factor predicting relapse (P P Conclusions Pretreatment PSA is the most potent clinical factor independently predicting biochemical relapse. The great range in the relapse-free survival rates predicted by preoperative PSA levels demonstrates the importance of pretreatment PSA levels in case selection. Gleason score, extracapsular extension and surgical margin involvement are also independent predictors of biochemical relapse. Achieving negative margins, even in relatively advanced disease, provides excellent long-term local control.
Selective Fourier transform localization.

We have introduced the selective Fourier transform technique for spectral localization. This technique allows the acquisition of a high-resolution spectrum from a selectable location with control over the shape and size of the spatial response function. The shape and size of the spatial response are defined during data acquisition and the location is selectable through processing after the data acquisition is complete. The technique uses pulsed-field-gradient phase encoding to define the spatial coordinates. In this paper the theoretical basis of the selective Fourier transform technique is developed and experimental results are presented, including comparisons of spectral localization using either the selective Fourier transform method or conventional multidimensional Fourier transform chemical-shift imaging. © Academic Press, Inc.
Serotonin Augmentation Reduces Response to Attack in Aggressive Individuals

We tested the theory that central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) activity regulates aggression by modulating response to provocation. Eighty men and women (40 with and 40 without a history of aggression) were randomly assigned to receive either 40 mg of paroxetine (to acutely augment serotonergic activity) or a placebo, administered using double-blind procedures. Aggression was assessed during a competitive reaction time game with a fictitious opponent. Shocks were selected by the participant and opponent before each trial, with the loser on each trial receiving the shock set by the other player. Provocation was manipulated by having the opponent select increasingly intense shocks for the participant and eventually an ostensibly severe shock toward the end of the trials. Aggression was measured by the number of severe shocks set by the participant for the opponent. As predicted, aggressive responding after provocation was attenuated by augmentation of serotonin in individuals with a pronounced h...
Technology Penetration of Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair in Southern California

Our objective was to investigate the penetration of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) in the large, diverse health-care market of southern California over 3 years and to study variability in the pattern of distribution of EVAR in southern California counties by analyzing available demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic data from California state health-care databases. Information abstracted from the inpatient hospital discharge data for patients undergoing AAA repair for the years 2001, 2002, and 2003, derived from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, included age, gender, race, hospitals performing EVAR, and payors for the service. Per-capita income (PCI) for the year 1999 and the population size of each county for the respective years were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau. Data pertaining to members of the Southern California Vascular Surgical Society (SCVSS) serving the southern California region were obtained from the SCVSS membership directory. Data were categorized based on 10 counties in southern California. All the above variables were analyzed using the chi-squared test, with p $21,000 (p < 0.0001) and in Medicare, health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, and private insurance holders (p < 0.0001). There was a trend toward increased EVARs in counties with more than eight hospitals that performed EVAR (p = 0.0545). However, no significant difference in EVAR proportion was observed among subgroups based on race (p = 0.535) and population size (p = 0.84). Although the number and proportion of EVAR increased significantly in southern California over 3 years, the penetration of the procedure varied among counties. County affluence, payor mix, and the number of vascular surgeons/county influenced the variability. These observations suggest that economic barriers may limit access to new biomedical technology. This has implications for health-care public policy directed toward providing equal access to medical care without regard to economic status.
Electroless silver plating on spin-coated silver nanoparticle seed layers

Abstract The electroless plating of silver films on pure silver nanoparticle seed layers prepared by spin-coating and thermal decomposition of PVP/Ag nanoparticle composite has been investigated. The plating results strongly depend on the agglomeration of nanoparticles and interparticle distances in the seed layer, which in turn crucially depend on the thermal processing parameters. Uniform nanocrystalline 200-nm-thick silver films on glass were prepared by plating on nanoparticle layers with surface density of 5.7 × 10 10 cm − 2 and average particle size of 40 nm. It is shown that electroless plating on nanoparticle seed layers can produce different surface structures and can finely tune the surface plasmon resonance in nanoparticle layers that can be useful for optical and sensing applications.
Detoxification of hydrogen peroxide by the rabbit iris-ciliary body

When the intact rabbit iris-ciliary body was incubated in Tyrode's solution containing 10(-4) M hydrogen peroxide, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide remaining in solution diminished rapidly. The iris-ciliary body was homogenized and centrifuged at 100 000 g. It was observed that the hydrogen peroxide detoxification activity was resident primarily in the 100 000 g supernatant and not in the pellet. The hydrogen peroxide detoxification activity was found to be inactivated by heat and to be non-dialyzable. Gel filtration chromatography experiments revealed that breakdown of hydrogen peroxide by the ciliary body was not a 'bulk effect' due to generalized oxidation of tissue constituents. In fact, the active principle, localized by gel filtration chromatography, identified closely with catalase. These observations indicate that catalase within the iris-ciliary body enables the tissue to detoxify hydrogen peroxide from solution. Catalase might protect the iris-ciliary body from damage by hydrogen peroxide generated by normal physiological or pathophysiological conditions.
An MCNPX accelerator beam source

Abstract We have developed a new source feature for MCNPX that enables the transport of particles in a field-free drift region for a beam produced by an accelerator. The beam representation is based on the formulation used in the TRANSPORT charged-particle-beam code. We show how to take the beam equations and tailor the necessary forms for utilization by MCNPX. Simulation results for a muon beam are presented to illustrate the new capability. The new capability is suitable for use in applications including active interrogation and medical physics.
Characterization of the structure and properties of authentic and counterfeit polypropylene surgical meshes

A counterfeit version of the Ethicon Prolene polypropylene mesh was distributed to hospitals and clinics and unintentionally implanted into patients undergoing tension-free hernia repair. On December 19, 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health web notification indicating that the counterfeit mesh was not sterile or safe to use. To develop safety recommendations for patients with the counterfeit mesh implant, we compared the counterfeit's structural, physical, chemical and mechanical properties with polypropylene meshes previously cleared by FDA. The mesh fibers for all the products tested were found to have similar chemical and physical properties. The mechanical properties were directly related to the knitted structure (loop size, repeat distance, fabric tightness) and the porosity. Extracts from the counterfeit mesh passed cytotoxicity screening tests. The FDA further recommended that if the mesh had been inadvertently implanted, then those patients should be monitored as would be the practice for any patient with an implanted surgical mesh.
Validity of Hearing Thresholds Obtained from the Rising Portion of the Audiogram in Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Two experiments were performed for this study. The purpose of both experiments was to examine the validity of pure-tone hearing thresholds obtained near the rising portion of a sensorineural hearin...
Profit and penalty aware (PP-aware) scheduling for tasks with variable task execution time

As computing devices and the Internet technology advances, real-time on-line services are emerging. Different from traditional real-time applications for which the scheduling objective is to meet task deadlines, the optimization goal for on-line service systems is to maximize profit obtained through providing timely services. For this class of applications, there are two distinctive characteristics: (1) tasks, i.e., client requests, are associated with a pair of unimodal time functions, representing system accrued profit when a task is completed before its deadline, or accrued penalty if otherwise; and (2) requests execution times vary in a wide range. The paper presents a new scheduling algorithm, i.e., the Profit and Penalty aware (PP-aware) scheduling algorithm, with an objective to maximize system's total accrued profit. Our simulation results have empirically shown the advantages, in respect of system total accrued profit, of the proposed algorithm over other commonly used scheduling algorithms, such as Earliest Deadline First (EDF) and Utility Accrual (UA) algorithms.
Parameters for Optimum Separations in Field-Flow Fractionation

Abstract Parameters that yield optimum separations in field-flow fractionation (FFF) are investigated. Expressions for minimum plate height and optimum velocity are derived. It is shown that a typical FFF column is theoretically capable of yielding 12,000 plates per foot. With increasing retention, plate height decreases and optimum velocity increases. Minimum time conditions, analyzed next, are related to the rate of generation of theoretical plates. The latter increases with the rate of molecular transport and, surprisingly, with retention. Practical hurdles to achieving an infinite rate of generation of plates by going to infinite retention are discussed. Finally, a comparison is made between optimum separations using FFF and using direct fields (electrophoresis, sedimentation, and related methods.)
Traumatic rupture of the right hemidiaphragm: Diagnosis by chest radiography

Sixteen cases of blunt trauma resulting in surgically confirmed traumatic rupture of the right hemidiaphragm were reviewed from the Trauma Registry of Allegheny General Hospital. Only 10 of the 16 cases (63%) could be retrospectively diagnosed on chest radiographs. We found that a diagnosis of right-sided diaphragmatic rupture can be suggested when the apex of the right hemidiaphragm is shifted superomedially to a position approximately midway between the mediastinum and the right chest wall. Eight of these 10 cases with positive chest radiographic findings exhibited this superomedial shift of the diaphragmatic apex. On initial assessment, without using this sign, 5 of these 10 cases were not diagnosed. We feel that the combination of elevation of the right hemidiaphragm in association with a medial shift of the apex of that diaphragmatic dome in a patient who has suffered extensive blunt thoracoabdominal trauma is strongly suggestive of traumatic rupture of the diaphragm.
Rhinoplasty: Dorsal Grafts and the Designer Dorsum

Over the last 2 decades, many of the difficulties in shaping primary tips and rebuilding destroyed secondary tips have been solved through the use of tip sutures and grafts. Dorsal grafts, which are a highly visible determinant of the nasal profile and contour, have become the greatest challenge in rhinoplasty surgery. This article reviews the author's different approaches to dorsal grafts using fascia and diced cartilage, either separately or in combination.
A Prospective Study of the Sexual, Emotional, and Behavioral Correlates Associated With Young Women's First and Usual Coital Events

Context First coitus is considered a major transitional event imbued with cultural relevance. Research has focused on classifying women as virgins, with primary interest in pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection prevention and less on sexuality. This study prospectively explored young women's sexual interest and love at first and subsequent coitus. Methods Daily diary data were collected during a longitudinal study of young women's sexual health (N = 387; 14–17 years at enrollment). Variables of interest included sexual interest, love, and contraceptive and disease prevention behaviors. Analysis of variance and multinomial logistic regression were utilized. Results For first coital events, love and sexual interest were reported about “half of the day,” with sexual interest significantly higher on the day of first coitus. Condom use was nine times more likely than no method at first compared to later coital events. For subsequent coitus, feeling of being in love was significantly higher compared to first coitus, with average sexual interest and love significantly higher with use of no contraceptive method over condoms. Condoms were associated with higher feelings of being in love, but lower sexual interest compared to hormonal contraception. Conclusions The results indicated that sexual interest and love are independent components of coital behavior. Yet the results also suggest that young women's first coitus does not fully capture the expected significance of ”losing one's virginity.” Thus, at first coitus, women can actively engage in protective behaviors and focus on pleasure.
Staging of Commitment and Differentiation of Avian Cardiac Myocytes

The present study establishes the earliest time point for commitment of cardiac myocyte progenitors at gastrulation and determines the effects of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) on postgastrulated committed cardiac progenitor cells at a molecular level. Using immunochemical and reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction assays for cardiac muscle-specific gene expression, we found that while both pre- and postgastrulated embryonic cells were capable of cardiogenic differentiation at high cell density, only post-gastrulated cells exhibited the ability to differentiate at clonal density. These data indicate that while cardiac myocyte differentiation of pregastrulated cells can occur in vitro , cell-cell interactions are necessary for this to happen. Only gastrulated cardiac progenitor cells are able to differentiate in the absence of cell-cell interactions and are therefore both specified and committed. Next, by exposing postgastrulated committed cardiac progenitor cells from embryos at various stages to BrdU, we demonstrated that these cells from the lateral-plate mesoderm vary in their ability to differentiate into cardiac myocytes in vitro. Differentiation of cardiac myocyte progenitor cells from stages 4 and 5 was completely blocked by BrdU, whereas it was not blocked in cells from stages 7 and 8 and cells from stage 6 were varied in their reaction. Analysis of cardiac myogenesis in vivo revealed that cardiac progenitors acquire BrdU resistance as they migrate, postgastrulation, anteriorly along a rostrocaudal axis. The results from these two experiments suggest that while pregastrulated cells exhibit a limited ability to undergo cardiac myocyte differentiation, only postgastrulated anterior lateral-plate mesoderm contains committed cardiac myocyte progenitors and that these committed progenitors are not equivalent in their ability to differentiate.
Lighting Quality and Acoustic Quality in LEED-Certified Buildings Using Occupant Evaluation

Abstract Lighting quality and acoustic quality are often not well addressed in the current green building practice, including the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System in the US. While the level of LEED certification indicates the level of sustainability, it is not clear if a higher level of LEED certification also implies a more comfortable and productive work environment. The study intended to find the relationship between the level of LEED certification and the level of worker satisfaction and perceived job performance regarding lighting quality and acoustic quality from fifteen LEED-certified buildings. The findings indicate that the LEED Platinum building group tended to provide better lighting quality than the other lower certification groups, while the LEED Gold building group showed lower lighting quality and acoustic quality than the rest of the groups. Workplace designers and organizations should be mindful of the importance of lighting and acoustic qu...