cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic traffic assignment model considering drivers' unfamiliarity with network layout

Most existing dynamic traffic assignment models assume that drivers have sufficient knowledge on roadway networks. However, past experiments have shown that drivers' familiarity with the network layout is an essential component in route selections. In this paper, the concept of recognition level is defined to categorize drivers based on their unfamiliarity of the network and of the alternative routes between origins and destinations. Each catalog is assigned a specific utility function that is dependent on travel time, length of route and recognition parameters. Drivers' route choice behavior is determined by these specific utility functions. A sample network is first employed to test the feasibility of the proposed model, and the result complies with the specified travel patterns. After that, a real network near downtown Houston is used to further test the proposed model. An experiment is conducted based on the information collected from an on-site survey and the on-line realtime traffic map from Houston TranStar. In order to validate the necessity of the proposed model, a control experiment is carried out with all parameters being set in the same way as the designed experiment except that drivers are assumed to be fully familiar with the network layout and alternative routes. Test results show that the proposed model better fit the real case.
Expansion and Restriction: Competing Pressures on United Kingdom Asylum Policy

Analysis of asylum policy in the United Kingdom thus requires examination of the complex interaction between domestic and international pressures, between legislative and judicial action, and between expansionism and restrictionism. In Part I, this paper considers the history of asylum in the UK through the 1990s, looking at the changes that occurred over the 20th century, and the international legal obligations at the core of the UK's asylum policy. The paper specifically addresses Britain's new commitments to European Union asylum policies, and the ways in which Britain's overall relationship with the EU affects Britain's domestic asylum policy. In Part II, the paper examines the two most significant recent changes in UK asylum law, namely the passage of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act of 2002, and the passage and implementation of the Human Rights Act in 1998. Finally, in Part III, the paper situates each of these major developments in the wider context of the various forces for expansion and restriction, in the UK and Europe. The paper concludes by examining the balance that may be struck as these forces interact.
Clinical toxicity of chloridazepoxide and diazepam in relation to serum albumin concentration: A report from the Boston collaborative drug surveillance Program

Of 6673 hospitalized medical patients monitored in a drug surveillance program, 1037 (15.5%) received chlordiazepoxide and 1202 (18.0%) received diazepam. Anxiety was the most common indication for therapy. Unwanted CNS depression was reported in 7.1% of all diazepam recipients, but ranged from 2.9% in patients with normal serum albumin concentrations (≥4.0 g/100 ml) to 9.3% in those with severe hypoalbuminemia (<3.0 g/100 ml) (p<0.02). A similar trend noted with unwanted CNS depression due to chlordiazepoxide did not reach statistical significance. Age, sex, hospital, renal function, survival, length of hospitalization, diagnosis, use of coffee, alcohol or tobacco, indication for drug therapy, or drug dosage did not influence the association of hypoalbuminemia and diazepam-induced CNS depression. The mechanism of this association remains unclear.
Polymerization and characterization of nitrile‐terminated diacetylene materials

A family of nitrile-terminated diacetylene materials were synthesized. Samples were prepared in various forms and polymerization was performed photochemically and thermally. The resulting materials exhibited low molecular weights and were obtained in low yields. Although the diacetylene group had oligomerized, no evidence was found in support of CN chain formation. Thermochromism was exhibited by the irradiated 8-nitrile sample and a molecular interpretation of this chromic transition was discussed. Diffraction data implied that strong intermolecular interactions were present between adjacent nitrile groups in the low temperature phase. It is suggested that stresses are built up during polymerization which cause the low degree of polymerization and yield.
A Tapered Phased Array Ultrasound Transducer for Hyperthermia Treatment

Abstracl-An ultrasonic tapered phased array transducer, consisting of a linear phased array employing elements with a tapered thickness, was developed to study the feasibility of its use for hyperthermic treatment of deep-seated tumors. The cylindrical focal region is generated and steered in two dimensions by controlling the phases of the driving signals on each element and moved in the third dimension by changing the driving frequency. Experimentally obtained field intensity distributions are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Acoustical power output measurements indicate that tapered phased arrays are capable of providing the intensities necessary for producing therapeutic temperatures in tumors.
Transverse structure of wind-driven flow at the entrance to an estuary: Nansemond River

[1] Observations of current velocity profiles were combined with an analytical solution to study the transverse partition of the wind-driven flow in an estuary, the Nansemond River, which is a tributary of the James River in the Chesapeake Bay. Observations spanned two periods of nearly 3 months in autumn-winter of 2003–2004 and spring-summer 2004. The wind-driven circulation consisted of downwind flow over the shoal and upwind flow in the channel at the entrance to the estuary. This pattern developed mainly with landward winds and provided observational evidence that sustains analytical and numerical model results. The transverse structure of the flow showed synoptic temporal variability (3–7 days), which corresponded to the variability of winds and sea level. Synoptic variability seemed to be more influential in autumn-winter than in springsummer. However, variability of 1–2 days was persistent in both periods of observation. Also, the transverse structure of the wind-driven flows was linked to a counterclockwise recirculation pattern previously observed with survey data. Part of the flow going into the tributary over the shoal might recirculate and form or enhance the outflow in the channel. As suggested by the temporal scale of the wind, the recirculation might weaken or even reverse direction every 3–7 days at the entrance to the estuary. Further detailed studies are needed to better define the extent of this recirculation.
Techniques for privacy and authentication in personal communication systems

Describes progress in the development of authentication and key agreement (AKA) processes for personal communication systems (PCS). A conceptual framework is first established; this is a three-part general model that characterizes all AKA techniques. Then three proposed AKA methods are compared using this model. These methods are the so-called secret key method of GSM, the secret key method of United States Digital Cellular (IS-54, IS-95), and a public key/secret key method. Finally, a summary is presented that indicates the AKA method of preference for some proposed PCS air interfaces that are under development by standards bodies. >
The Perspectives of Individuals with Cognitive Disabilities and/or Autism on Their Lives and Their Problem Behavior:

The purpose of the study was 2-fold: (a) to explore the perceptions of individuals with cognitive disabilities and/ or autism regarding barriers and solutions they have experienced related to probl...
Variation in Composition and Functional Properties Within Brine-Salted Mozzarella Cheese

Abstract Objectives of this research were to determine whether locational differences in composition within a cheese block affected melting characteristics. Immediately after brining, industrial low moisture and low moisture, part skim cheeses were divided in half vertically. Equally weighted samples representing surface and center from one-half of each block were analyzed immediately (d 2) for apparent viscosity, free oil, and composition (moisture, fat, NaCl, Ca, pH). Samples from the other half were vacuum packaged and stored at 4°C until analysis on d 16. From d 2 to d 16, free oil increased significantly, and apparent viscosity decreased significantly. Free oil increased the most in the center of low moisture cheeses, indicating that Mozzarella with high fat and low NaCl contents has greater tendency to oil off. Surface samples had significantly higher NaCl and apparent viscosity and lower moisture, Ca, and free oil than center samples. These locational differences in melting characteristics may be caused in part by exchange of Na with casein-bound Ca at the cheese surface, which enhances the emulsifying ability of soluble casein, resulting in a more emulsified fat phase at the cheese surface and less formation of free oil.
Autoantibody induced by experimental ocular Onchocerca infection: identification and characterization of autoantigens.

Hartley guinea pigs were injected with Onchocerca lienalis microfilariae (Mf) as a model for human infection with Onchocerca volvulus. Subconjunctival injection of guinea pigs with O. lienalis Mf results in penetration of Mf to the central cornea, and formation of acute inflammatory reactions resembling those of human onchocerciasis around dead Mf. Sera from these animals contain IgG autoantobodies directed against at least two components of 3M KCl extracts of guinea pig cornea and liver. Components with apparent molecular weights of 94-99 and 110-120 kilodaltons (kD) were recognized in both cornea and liver extracts, while 100, 74 and 34 kD components were recognized in liver extracts only. Components of 140 kD and 84 kD were recognized in cornea extracts only. The guinea pig liver extract cross-reacted with homogenate antigens from O. lienalis Mf, while the guinea pig cornea extract did not. Autoantibody-mediated inflammatory mechanisms may contribute to immunopathologic processes in onchocerciasis.
The long-term effect on PSA values of incidental prostatic irradiation in patients with pelvic malignancies other than prostate cancer.

Abstract Purpose: To determine the effect of external beam radiation therapy on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) production by the benign prostate. Methods and Materials: We studied a cohort of 24 men receiving treatment for cancer of the bladder or rectum. The radiation fields in all cases encompassed the prostate gland, and none of the patients were known to have prostate cancer. All patients had 2 or more PSA estimations obtained in the years following their radiation treatment. A second group of 46 patients who had undergone radical external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer and who were clinically disease free 8–22 years later were also observed, with a median of 5.8 years of PSA observations. Results: Only 3 of the 24 patients in the first group showed a significant rise of > 0.2 ng/ml in their serum PSA levels, with a median of 3.3 years follow-up from the first PSA test. Seven of 24 showed progressive declines, and 14 of 24 showed steady levels. The median PSA for this group was ≤ 0.5 ng/ml. Only 6 of the 46 in the second group showed a PSA rise of > 0.2 ng/ml. Thirty-four had stable values, and 6 had further declines. Again, the median PSA for the entire group was ≤ 0.5 ng/ml. Conclusion: Recovery of prostatic secretory function is an uncommon event after external beam radiation. The concern that this might significantly confound new definitions of biochemical failure after radical radiation for prostate cancer that are based on progressively rising PSA values thus appears to be unfounded.
H++ 3.0: automating pK prediction and the preparation of biomolecular structures for atomistic molecular modeling and simulations

The accuracy of atomistic biomolecular modeling and simulation studies depend on the accuracy of the input structures. Preparing these structures for an atomistic modeling task, such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, can involve the use of a variety of different tools for: correcting errors, adding missing atoms, filling valences with hydrogens, predicting pK values for titratable amino acids, assigning predefined partial charges and radii to all atoms, and generating force field parameter/topology files for MD. Identifying, installing and effectively using the appropriate tools for each of these tasks can be difficult for novice and time-consuming for experienced users. H++ (http://biophysics.cs.vt.edu/) is a free open-source web server that automates the above key steps in the preparation of biomolecular structures for molecular modeling and simulations. H++ also performs extensive error and consistency checking, providing error/warning messages together with the suggested corrections. In addition to numerous minor improvements, the latest version of H++ includes several new capabilities and options: fix erroneous (flipped) side chain conformations for HIS, GLN and ASN, include a ligand in the input structure, process nucleic acid structures and generate a solvent box with specified number of common ions for explicit solvent MD.
Radiated immunity tests of automotive EMC challenge vehicle active antenna designs

Designing vehicle active antennas for weak signal performance while meeting the requirements of vehicle radiated immunity tests according to ISO 11451-2 and ISO 11452-2 remains one of the big challenges for the automobile and vehicle antenna manufacturers. Past vehicle testing has shown that some vehicle active antenna systems had during those tests performance issues (e.g. antenna burning or intermodulation distortion) which are caused by the vehicle body size. Component radiated immunity tests of ISO 11452-2 challenge active antenna system designs. In order to effectively reach a good reception performance, a deep knowledge about the design of the vehicle active antennas is required for the automotive EMC. There are three major topics this paper addresses: 1) clarifying the technical parameters of the vehicle antenna designs (e.g. transfer functions for vehicles and component set ups); 2) characterizing parameters useful for the ldquoelectromagnetic compatibilityrdquo (EMC) in order to pass the radiated immunity tests (e.g. injection RF-power); and finally 3) Identifying the causes of the antenna amplifier failures (amplifier distortion and destruction).
APPLICATIONS OF PHOTOREFRACTIVE VOLUME HOLOGRAPHY IN OPTICAL COMPUTING

After a brief review of the photorefractive effect, we describe three examples of the applications in optical computing using photorefractive volume holography. These are 3-dimensional optical storage, parallel optical matrix processor, and multiwavelength optical half-adder. For the 3-dimensional optical storage, we consider some fundamental issues in photorefractive memory, including the storage capacity and the dynamic range. We also discuss the photorefractive noise gratings formed during a multiple exposure schedule. These fundamental issues in photorefractive storage are important in understanding the potentials and limitations of optical memory systems. For parallel optical matrix processing, we propose and demonstrate a novel method of matrix-matrix application using grating degeneracy in photorefractive media in conjunction with incoherent laser source arrays. For multiwavelength optical half-adder, we describe photorefractive logic gates and their application in the summation of binary numbers.
Further Evidence on the Separate and Joint Effects of Litigation and Brand Reputation Motives on Assurance Quality

We exploit differences in litigation concerns combined with similarities in reputational concerns across two attest service types (comprehensive annual audits and limited interim reviews) to assess litigation-based and reputation-based theories of assurance quality. We contend that because the quality of any attest service type impacts assurance providers’ reputation, reputation concerns motivate high quality services for both reviews and audits. On the other hand, because litigation risk is high for audits but minimal for reviews, litigation concerns motivate high quality services for audits but not reviews. We examine the association of assurance firm size (Big N, national, and regional), attest service type (review versus audit), and the interaction of these two variables with three proxies for client firms’ earnings quality (discretionary accruals, propensity to avoid earnings decreases, and propensity to avoid losses). Our results suggest significant separate and joint effects of reputation and litigation concerns on assurance quality.
Integrating clustering and multi-document summarization by bi-mixture probabilistic latent semantic analysis (PLSA) with sentence bases

Probabilistic Latent Semantic Analysis (PLSA) has been popularly used in document analysis. However, as it is currently formulated, PLSA strictly requires the number of word latent classes to be equal to the number of document latent classes. In this paper, we propose Bi-mixture PLSA, a new formulation of PLSA that allows the number of latent word classes to be different from the number of latent document classes. We further extend Bi-mixture PLSA to incorporate the sentence information, and propose Bi-mixture PLSA with sentence bases (Bi-PLSAS) to simultaneously cluster and summarize the documents utilizing the mutual influence of the document clustering and summarization procedures. Experiments on real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods.
Mortality of Three Stored Product Moths in Atmospheres Produced by an Exothermic Inert Atmosphere Generator

The order of tolerance Loan atmosphere of less than 1% O2 (27°C and 50% RH) produced by an exothermic inert atmosphere generator was: the Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier)—larvae-pupae > eggs > adults; the almond moth, Cadra cautella (Walker) — eggs > pupae > larvae > adults; and the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) — pupae> eggs > adults > larvae. All stages of the Indian meal moth and all except the eggs of the almond moth were killed by 24-h exposures: eggs of the almond moth required a 48-h exposure. The tolerance of Angoumois grain moth larvae to the inert atmosphere increased with each successive week of growth after the eggs hatched and the larvae entered the wheat kernels. An exposure of 120 h was required to cause 100% mortality of fully grown larvae and pupae.
Internal Market of Enterprise: Theory, Elements and Change Trend

The author thinks that hierarchies and internal markets are being integrated and great changes are taking place in the internal market of an enterprise, whose boundary is getting blurred. Internal markets and strategic alliances established on the basis of integrated value chain are integrating with internal markets established on the basis of value networks or value constellation. The paper summarizes the theories on internal market and explores the elements for establishment of internal market and its trend.
Regulation of capillary exchange capacity in postnatal swine intestine.

To determine whether intrinsic regulation of capillary exchange capacity is age-dependent during early postnatal life, we measured the capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,c), an index of capillary exchange capacity, within isolated perfused intestine from 3- and 35-day-old swine at different arterial pressures. Kf,c was determined gravimetrically, by means of the flow-equilibration technique. During baseline perfusion at age-appropriate pressures, Kf,c averaged 0.203 +/- 0.020 vs. 0.361 +/- 0.040 ml.min-1 x mmHg-1 x 100 g in 35- vs. 3-day-old intestine. In older animals, a progressive rise in Kf,c was noted as arterial pressure was lowered: Kf,c increased 14, 35, and 98% above baseline when pressure was reduced 20, 40, and 60% below baseline, respectively. An inverse linear correlation between Kf,c and blood flow was demonstrated in this group. Kf,c also increased in 3-day-old intestine during progressive hypotension, but these changes were of less magnitude: Kf,c averaged 19, 17, and 23% above baseline when pressure was reduced 20, 40, and 60% below baseline, respectively. In contrast to the circumstance noted in older animals, the relationship between Kf,c and blood flow was not significant within 3-day-old intestine. Intraarterial infusion of 1 microgram/min of isoproterenol, an agent known to increase capillary exchange capacity, caused Kf,c to increase 80% within 3-day-old intestine group. We conclude that Kf,c increases to a greater extent in 35- than 3-day-old swine intestine in response to arterial pressure reduction. However, intestine from younger animals is capable of increasing capillary exchange capacity in response to stimuli other than arterial hypotension, as evidenced by its response to isoproterenol.
Sensitization of theTritoniaEscape Swim

When repeatedly elicited, the oscillatory escape swim of the marine mollusc Tritonia diomedea undergoes habituation of the number of cycles per swim. Previous work has shown that this habituation is accompanied by sensitization of another feature of the behavior: latency to swim onset. Here we focused on the behavioral features of sensitization itself. Test swims elicited 5 min after a strong sensitizing head stimulus differed in several ways from control swims: sensitized animals had shorter latencies for gill and rhinophore withdrawal, a shorter latency for swim onset, a lower threshold for swim initiation, and an increased number of cycles per swim. Sensitized animals did not, however, swim any faster (no change in cycle period). A separate experiment found that swim onset latency also sensitized when Tritonia came into contact with one of their natural predators, the seastar Pycnopodia helianthoides, demonstrating the ecological relevance of this form of nonassociative learning. These results define the set of behavioral changes to be explained by cellular studies of sensitization in Tritonia.
Requirements for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type I-F CRISPR-Cas Adaptation Determined Using a Biofilm Enrichment Assay

ABSTRACT CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-Cas (CRISPR-associated protein) systems are diverse and found in many archaea and bacteria. These systems have mainly been characterized as adaptive immune systems able to protect against invading mobile genetic elements, including viruses. The first step in this protection is acquisition of spacer sequences from the invader DNA and incorporation of those sequences into the CRISPR array, termed CRISPR adaptation. Progress in understanding the mechanisms and requirements of CRISPR adaptation has largely been accomplished using overexpression of cas genes or plasmid loss assays; little work has focused on endogenous CRISPR-acquired immunity from viral predation. Here, we developed a new biofilm-based assay system to enrich for Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains with new spacer acquisition. We used this assay to demonstrate that P. aeruginosa rapidly acquires spacers protective against DMS3vir, an engineered lytic variant of the Mu-like bacteriophage DMS3, through primed CRISPR adaptation from spacers present in the native CRISPR2 array. We found that for the P. aeruginosa type I-F system, the cas1 gene is required for CRISPR adaptation, recG contributes to (but is not required for) primed CRISPR adaptation, recD is dispensable for primed CRISPR adaptation, and finally, the ability of a putative priming spacer to prime can vary considerably depending on the specific sequences of the spacer. IMPORTANCE Our understanding of CRISPR adaptation has expanded largely through experiments in type I CRISPR systems using plasmid loss assays, mutants of Escherichia coli, or cas1-cas2 overexpression systems, but there has been little focus on studying the adaptation of endogenous systems protecting against a lytic bacteriophage. Here we describe a biofilm system that allows P. aeruginosa to rapidly gain spacers protective against a lytic bacteriophage. This approach has allowed us to probe the requirements for CRISPR adaptation in the endogenous type I-F system of P. aeruginosa. Our data suggest that CRISPR-acquired immunity in a biofilm may be one reason that many P. aeruginosa strains maintain a CRISPR-Cas system.
Reasoning Improves in Response to Threats of Contagion and Food Contamination

A large body of evidence demonstrating the shifts in attitudes and behavior towards threats of illness suggests that humans have evolved to detect and avoid sources of contagion, which Schaller (Psychological Inquiry, 17(2), 96–137, 2006) labeled the behavioral immune system. In the present study, subjects engaged in a reasoning task (the Wason selection task) in order to uncover possible sources of contagion or contaminated food. I predicted that the behavioral immune system would direct subjects to correct responses more often when reasoning about possible threats than when threats were absent in the scenarios. The results revealed a systematic increase in likelihood to reason correctly when threats of illness were present. This was true for both the threat of contagion and the threat of contaminated food. These findings suggest the behavioral immune system influences reasoning, possibly by directing attention to key elements in the reasoning scenario.
Formation of S-[2-(N6-Deoxyadenosinyl)ethyl]glutathione in DNA and Replication Past the Adduct by Translesion DNA Polymerases.

1,2-Dibromoethane (DBE, ethylene dibromide) is a potent carcinogen due at least in part to its DNA cross-linking effects. DBE cross-links glutathione (GSH) to DNA, notably to sites on 2′-deoxyadenosine and 2′-deoxyguanosine (Cmarik, J. L., et al. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 6672−6679). Adduction at the N6 position of 2′-deoxyadenosine (dA) had not been detected, but this is a site for the linkage of O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase (Chowdhury, G., et al. (2013) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 52, 12879−12882). We identified and quantified a new adduct, S-[2-(N6-deoxyadenosinyl)ethyl]GSH, in calf thymus DNA using LC-MS/MS. Replication studies were performed in duplex oligonucleotides containing this adduct with human DNA polymerases (hPols) η, ι, and κ, as well as with Sulfolobus solfataricus Dpo4, Escherichia coli polymerase I Klenow fragment, and bacteriophage T7 polymerase. hPols η and ι, Dpo4, and Klenow fragment were able to bypass the adduct with only slight impedance; hPol η and ι showed increased misincor...
Understanding the Role of GPGPU-Accelerated SoC-Based ARM Clusters

The last few years saw the emergence of 64-bit ARM SoCs targeted for mobile systems and servers. Mobile-class SoCs rely on the heterogeneous integration of a mix of CPU cores, GPGPU cores, and accelerators, whereas server-class SoCs instead rely on integrating a larger number of CPU cores with no GPGPU support and a number of network accelerators. Previous works, such as the Mont-Blanc project, built their prototype ARM cluster out of mobile-class SoCs and compared their work against x86 solutions. These works mainly focused on the CPU performance. In this paper, we propose a novel ARM-based cluster organization that exploits faster network connectivity and GPGPU acceleration to improve the performance and energy efficiency of the cluster. Our custom cluster, based on Nvidia Jetson TX1 boards, is equipped with 10Gb network interface cards and enables us to study the characteristics, scalability challenges, and programming models of GPGPU-accelerated workloads. We also develop an extension to the Roofline model to establish a visually intuitive performance model for the proposed cluster organization. We compare the GPGPU performance of our cluster with discrete GPGPUs. We demonstrate that our cluster improves both the performance and energy efficiency of workloads that scale well and can leverage the better CPU-GPGPU balance of our cluster. We contrast the CPU performance of our cluster with ARM-based servers that use many CPU cores. Our results show the poor performance of the branch predictor and L2 cache are the bottleneck of server-class ARM SoCs. Furthermore, we elucidate the impact of using 10Gb connectivity with mobile systems instead of traditional, 1Gb connectivity.
Through the smoke lies a further threat

CD4+ lymphocyte differentiation is enhanced in patients with concomitant COPD and lung cancer, improving responses to immune checkpoint inhibition.
Flexible Budgeting as a Management Tool

The managerial tool of flexible budgeting usually is presented as a large business application. The purpose of this paper is to present flexible budgeting as a practical tool that also has utility ...
Mercury Poisoning in a Toddler from Home Contamination due to Skin-Lightening Cream.

A 17-month-old child presented with hypertension, fussiness, constipation, and arthralgia due to mercury toxicity from a skin-lightening cosmetic used by her mother and grandmother. Blood mercury level was 26 mcg/L and urine level was 243 mcg/g creatinine. She was chelated with succimer. The home was contaminated and needed remediation.
The Turkish Foreign Fighters and the Dynamics behind Their Flow into Syria and Iraq

During the past decade, the flow of foreign fighters into conflict zones has emerged as a serious problem that deserves policy intervention. Based on latent content analysis of 89 interviews conduc...
Reimbursement for PET and PET/CT Imaging

The utilization of positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT is increasing and their major impact is on the management of oncology patients. The utilization of PET and PET/CT scans in oncologic patients is benefiting only a small percentage of patients who could benefit from having these procedures. Since the initial coverage of PET for lung cancer indications by Medicare in January 1998, Medicare and other third-party payers now cover several cancers. The delay in utilization of PET relates to several factors: lack of knowledge about PET by referring physicians; lack of knowledge about PET by patients; limited number of PET scanners available; and limited number of physicians trained to read PET scans. With the recent introduction of combined PET and computed tomography (CT) devices, additional complexity in performing and interpreting PET scans is introduced. Now the decision has to be made concerning the technologist who performs the study (is it a radiologic technologist, a nuclear medicine technologist, or both?) and the physician interpreting the study (is it a diagnostic radiologist alone or a nuclear medicine physician interpreting the PET scan and a diagnostic radiologist interpreting the CT scan?). This chapter provides a background on the payment for PET and PET/CT in the United States covering the regulatory and reimbursement issues, an overview of the PET and PET/CT market, the costs of doing PET and PET/CT, and a summary of the current status of coverage.
Transient Isotopic Studies of the Role of Lattice Oxygen During Oxidative Coupling of Methane on Sr/La2O3 and Ca/ThO2 Catalysts

Abstract Studies of the oxidative coupling of methane were performed by applying transient isotopic techniques on Sr promoted La 2 O 3 and Ca promoted ThO 2 catalysts. Pulses of methane with different oxygen concentrations and 13 CH 4 / 12 CH 4 isotopic switch experiments show that these catalysts do not activate methane unless oxygen is present in the gas phase. These measurements also indicate that no long lived methane species can be detected on the surface of the catalysts under reaction conditions. Results of the steady state 18 O/ 16 O switch experiments combined with temperature programmed isotopic exchange (TPIE) data show that Sr promotion of La 2 O 3 and Ca promotion of ThO 2 increase the mobility of lattice oxygen by creating oxygen vacancies in the solid structure.
MRI/MRS of Brain Tumors

The role of any imaging modality in the evaluation of brain tumors is first and foremost the detection of such a tumor when clinical suspicion exists. In addition, characterization of the tumor with respect to its localization helps in formulating management plans. Finally, to the degree that an imaging modality can help in presurgical (or other therapeutic) planning, the value of the modality increases.
Language Learning in Social Context. The View from Research in Second Language Learning

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the extent to which those who provide linguistic and social support for language learning can influence the outcome of the process. It discusses the ways in which instructional practices affect children's learning of the school language. In a study discussed in the chapter, these students were slightly older. They were between ages 8 and 10 when the study began, and they were a year older when the observations were concluded. The findings from these studies of variation in language learning yield a richly detailed picture of both the social and the cognitive processes involved in second language learning. Moreover, the chapter discusses the social processes in language learning, although it also discusses cognitive and linguistic processes as they are influenced by the social.
Review of Green Gentrification: Urban Sustainability and the Struggle for Environmental Justice

In their book, Green Gentrification: Urban Sustainability and the Struggle for Environmental Justice, Kenneth Gould and Tammy Lewis argue that cities are leading the charge to “go green.” They illu...
Aragonite dissolution kinetics and calcite/aragonite ratios in sinking and suspended particles in the North Pacific

The lack of consensus on CaCO_3 dissolution rates and calcite to aragonite production and export ratios in the ocean poses a significant barrier for the construction of global carbon budgets. We present here a comparison of aragonite dissolution rates measured in the lab vs. in situ along a transect between Hawaii and Alaska using a ^(13)C labeling technique. Our results show a general agreement of aragonite dissolution rates in the lab versus in the field, and demonstrate that aragonite, like calcite, shows a non-linear response of dissolution rate as a function of saturation state (Ω). Total carbon fluxes along the N. Pacific transect in August 2017, as determined using sediment traps, account for 11∼23 weight % of total mass fluxes in the upper 200 m, with a PIC (particulate inorganic carbon) /POC (particulate organic carbon) mole ratio of 0.2∼0.6. A comparison of fluxes at depths of 100 m and 200 m indicates that 30∼60% PIC dissolves between these depths with 20∼70% attenuation in POC fluxes. The molar ratio of PIC to POC loss is 0.29. The simultaneous loss of PIC and POC in the upper 200 m potentially indicates PIC dissolution driven by organic matter respiration, or metazoan/zooplankton consumption. The calcite/aragonite ratio in trap material is significantly lower in the subtropical gyre than in the subarctic gyre. Aragonite fluxes vary from 0.07 to 0.38 mmol m^(−2) day^(−1) at 100 m, and 0.06 to 0.24 mmol m^(−2) day^(−1) at 200 m along the North Pacific transect, with no specific trend over latitude. The identification of suspended PIC mineral phases by Raman spectroscopy shows the presence of aragonite below 3000 m in the subtropical gyre, but none in the subpolar gyre. These multiple lines of evidence suggest that predictions based on a strictly thermodynamic view of aragonite dissolution, combined with measured aragonite fluxes, underestimate observed alkalinity excess and measured PIC attenuation in sinking particles. Our measured aragonite flux combined with our inorganic dissolution rate only account for 9% and 0.2% of the excess alkalinity observed in the North Pacific (Feely et al., 2004), assuming aragonite sinking rates of 1 m day^(−1) and 100 m day^(−1), respectively. However, respiration-driven dissolution or metazoan/zooplankton consumption, indicated by the simultaneous attenuation of PIC and POC in sediment traps, is able to generate the magnitude of dissolution suggested by observed excess alkalinity.
Body Composition, Serum Biomarkers of Inflammation and Quality of Life in Clinically Stable Women with Estrogen Receptor Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

AbstractLimited data exist regarding body composition and associated patient-reported outcomes for women with metastatic BC. Demographic, clinical, blood, and questionnaire data were collected to quantify body composition and explore associations with symptoms, inflammation, and quality of life (QOL) in 41 women with ER + metastatic BC. Diagnostic/surveillance computed tomography (CT) images including the third lumbar region (L3) were obtained to evaluate skeletal muscle (SM) quantity and quality, and abdominal adipose tissue. Frequencies, medians and interquartile ranges are presented, stratified by sarcopenia and obesity (Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30.0 kg/m2). Overall, 34% (n = 14/41), 49% (n = 20/41), and 34% (n = 14) of women had sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and obesity, respectively. Handgrip strength was compromised in 24% of subjects (n = 10/41). Women with sarcopenia had significantly lower body weight (P = 0.01), BMI (P ≤ 0.001), and whole body SM (P < 0.001), yet reported greater engagement in leisur...
Blood pressure and the new ACC/AHA hypertension guidelines

Abstract The ACC/AHA hypertension guidelines cover virtually all aspects of the diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, secondary causes as well as drug and non-drug treatment of hypertension. Substantial and appropriate emphasis has been given to the strategies necessary for accurate measurement of blood pressure in any setting where valid blood pressure measurements are desired. Most “errors” made during blood pressure measurement bias readings upwards resulting in over-diagnosis of hypertension and, amongst those already on drug therapy, underestimating the true magnitude of blood pressure lowering resulting in over-treatment. Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure is consistently ≥130 and/or ≥80 mm Hg. However, the majority of patients with hypertension between 130–139/80–89 mm Hg (stage 1 hypertension) do not qualify for immediate drug therapy. The guideline breaks new ground with some of its recommendations. Absolute cardiovascular risk is utilized, for the first time, to determine high-risk status when BP 130–139/80–89 mm Hg (Stage 1 hypertension) and high-risk patient characteristics/co-morbidities are absent including age 65 and older, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, known cardiovascular disease; high-risk individuals initiate drug therapy when BP ≥ 130/80 mm Hg. The exception amongst high-risk individuals is for secondary stroke prevention in drug naive individuals as drug therapy is initiated when blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg. Non-high risk individuals will initiate drug therapy when BP is ≥140/90 mm Hg. Irrespective of blood pressure threshold for initiation of drug therapy, the target BP is minimally 20/10 mm Hg above goal.
Digging Deeper: An Object Relations Couple Therapy Update

Over the past two decades, neurobiology research has added clarity to the process of emotional and behavioral change. In turn, this has led to endorsement of interventions that appear to be most helpful in individual and couple therapy. In addition to research on emotional dysregulation, contemporary studies have focused on the construction of meaning and its relevance to interpersonal relationships. According to Lisa Barrett, Richard Lane, and others, the brain references concepts to rapidly arrive at the most probable conclusions. Encoded experience and memory fragments guide this process and are vital in understanding partners' emotional responses. These findings support an object relations perspective that emphasizes the importance of past relational experiences that inform the present. This is particularly relevant in work with couples, as each individual's beliefs, expectations, and capacity for intimacy are invariably tied to earlier relationships. Research findings on memory reconstruction provide a basis for interventions that can add to the existing treatment approach, as it is suggested that working in a specific way with emotionally based memories has the potential to modify and reduce their predictive power and ability to unleash beliefs and behaviors that work against intimacy. The therapist who is informed by emerging neuroscience research can better uncover and actively work with memories that may be compromising a couple's relationship.
Clinical Impact of Size, Shape, and Orientation of the Tricuspid Annulus in Tricuspid Regurgitation as Assessed by Three-Dimensional Echocardiography.

Background Tricuspid annuloplasty for tricuspid regurgitation (TR) depends on the measurements of tricuspid annular diameter (TAD) obtained in an apical four-chamber view on two-dimensional (2D) transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). We performed a combined 2D and three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic study to understand the impact of the size, shape, and orientation of a dilated annulus on the inconsistencies between measured 2D TTE-TAD and the actual annular diameter. Methods A total of 185 patients with grade ≥3+ TR and 50 controls underwent 2D TTE and 3D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) assessment of the tricuspid valve. The 3D TEE-TAD, defined as the longest dimension, and tricuspid annulus (TA) eccentricity index, defined as the shortest/longest dimension ratio, were obtained. The angle between the major tricuspid annulus axis and interatrial septum parallel to the vertical axis (α°) was measured as an index of TA orientation. Results Compared with controls, TR subgroups had a larger α° irrespective of TR etiology and cardiac rhythm (P Conclusions The inconsistencies between measured 2D TTE-TAD and the actual annular diameter can be explained through morphologic factors such as TA size and orientation.
Programmable Emulsions via Nucleophile-Induced Covalent Surfactant Modifications

Responsive surfactants designed with kinetic control are rare and offer new opportunities in generating tunable reactive assemblies. In this work, we discuss the design of novel molecular assemblie...
Development of a modified floristic quality index as a rapid habitat assessment method in the northern Everglades

Floristic quality assessments (FQA) using floristic quality indices (FQIs) are useful tools for assessing and comparing vegetation communities and related habitat condition. However, intensive vegetation surveys requiring significant time and technical expertise are necessary, which limits the use of FQIs in environmental monitoring programs. This study modified standard FQI methods to develop a rapid assessment method for characterizing and modeling change in wetland habitat condition in the northern Everglades. Method modifications include limiting vegetation surveys to a subset of taxa selected as indicators of impact and eliminating richness and/or abundance factors from the equation. These modifications reduce the amount of time required to complete surveys and minimizes misidentification of species, which can skew results. The habitat characterization and assessment tool (HCAT) developed here is a FQA that uses a modified FQI to detect and model changes in habitat condition based on vegetation communities, characterize levels of impact as high, moderate, or low, provide predictive capabilities for assessing natural resource management or water management operation alternatives, and uniquely links a FQI with readily accessible environmental data. For application in the northern Everglades, surface water phosphorus concentrations, specific conductivity, distance from canal, and days since dry (5-year average) explained 67% of the variability in the dataset with > 99.9% confidence. The HCAT approach can be used to monitor, assess, and evaluate habitats with the objective of informing management decisions (e.g., as a screening tool) to maximize conservation and restoration of protected areas and is transferable to other wetlands with additional modification.
In situ observations of wave transformation and infragravity bore development across reef flats of varying geomorphology

The character and energetics of infragravity (‘IG’, 25 s 250 s) waves over coral reef flats can enhance shoreline erosion or accretion, and also govern extreme shoreline events such as runup, overwash, and flooding on coral reef-lined coasts. Here we use in situ wave measurements collected along cross-reef transects at 7 sites on Pacific islands with varying reef geomorphologies to examine under what conditions IG waves occur and what factors enhance their irregularity. In general, a greater fraction of total wave energy was transferred to the IG band on reefs with steeper fore reef slopes and shallower reef flats. The IG wave amplitudes scaled with increasing water levels, but it was primarily at lower water levels when these waves became pitched onshore (negatively asymmetrical) and peaked (positively skewed). However, our results also highlight the importance of reef-flat width and slope as important morphological controls on IG waves, as the most asymmetric, bore-like, IG waves occurred on the wider reef flats, and the most skewed IG waves at the site with the steepest reef-flat. On the wider reef flats, IG wave-wave capture was observed during periods of large offshore wave forcing and enhanced VLF wave energy. Because similar IG wave motions over plane beaches enhance sea-swell (‘SS’, period < 25 s) bore-merging in the surf zone, we posit that VLF waves over reef flats may facilitate IG bore merging, and this may lead to larger, more pitched-onshore bores at the shoreline. In addition, greater IG wave heights appear to support the transmission of larger secondary short-period waves over the reef flat, independent of overall water levels. As irregular IG waves may be strong drivers of cross-reef sediment transport as well as runup, understanding the conditions and reef geomorphologies that lead to low-frequency, energetic bores on reef flats is critical to forecasting how coral reef-lined coasts will respond to sea-level rise and climate change.
Leveraging the Common Model to Inform the Research Agenda on Aging and Wisdom

For millennia, the question of wisdom, its precursors and correlates, and its implications for informing a ‘good life’ has fascinated philosophers and social scientists alike (Sternberg & Gluck, 20...
Contrast echocardiography: current status and future directions

Contrast echocardiography is a family of ultrasound-based procedures, whereby acoustic enhancing agents, usually microbubbles, are administered by intravenous route and detected in order to improve diagnostic performance. This review describes: (1) the agents that have been designed for diagnostic imaging, (2) current clinical applications where either left ventricular opacification or microvascular perfusion imaging with myocardial contrast echocardiography have been demonstrated to provide incremental information to non-contrast echocardiography and (3) future diagnostic and therapeutic applications of contrast ultrasound that rely on unique compositional design of ultrasound-enhancing agents.
Resistance to Social Death in an Indecent Society: a Pastoral-Psychoanalytic Perspective

This article explores and describes a source and type of political resistance to social death in an indecent society. While there are varied forms of political resistance, I consider the ways communities of faith and care serve as sites of resistance, wherein the grammar of racist humiliation, mimetic violence, and social death is inoperative. That is, the routine, day-to-day faithful and caring interactions of oppressed persons are key sources of political resistance, even when it appears the arc of history is not bending toward justice.