cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reader variability and validation of the Timika X-ray score during treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Setting Chest radiographs (CXRs) are widely used for diagnosing pulmonary TB and assessing response to therapy. The Timika X-ray score has been proposed as a tool for measuring disease severity and predicting treatment outcome. Objective To evaluate inter- and intra-reader agreement of Timika scores and assess the ability of the score to predict microbiologic outcome at 2 months. Design Analytical validation study. Disease severity was measured by two readers using pretreatment radiographs and follow-up films taken at 2, 6 and 12 months after the start of treatment among 110 human immunodeficiency virus negative adults with pulmonary TB. One fourth of the films were reread to assess intra-reader agreement. Results The two-component Timika score had high inter- and intra-reader agreement (intraclass correlation (ICC)inter = 75%, ICCintra > 0.81). Baseline Timika score was associated with positive month 2 smear (P = 0.0004) and culture status (P = 0.03). The average Timika score declined significantly over the course of successful treatment. Conclusion The Timika score showed good inter- and intra-reader agreement and a significant association with microbiological outcomes after 2 months of treatment. The results of this study strengthen the evidence supporting the use of the Timika score for measuring disease severity on CXR.
Quality assurance in MRI for radiotherapy planning

MRI has played an important complimentary role with more universal imaging techniques (e.g. CT) in radiotherapy. As its role continues to evolve with novel MRI techniques and further integration with the radiation oncology clinic, an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of MRI is vital to appreciate. The implications and quality assurance of MRI in radiotherapy treatment planning were investigated through a comprehensive literature search. The historical and present role of MRI in radiation therapy is first summarized. MRI as a radiation therapy simulator is first introduced, including a presentation of the advantages and disadvantages for a clinic. The impact of geometrical distortions (of various magnitudes depending on scanner, pulse sequence, bandwidth, etc.) is discussed in the context of various anatomical sites. Methods to reduce the magnitude of these distortions are summarized. Distortion correction algorithms should be subjected to regular quality assurance. Other workflow issues including the creation of DRRs, the fusion with CT for electron density information, and other artifacts such as motion are discussed. A site-by-site overview of clinical applications of MR in radiation therapy is presented. Finally, the quality assurance is described specific to the type of MR application (for planning as the sole imaging modality, in conjunction with CT, if used as a simulator, etc.).
Properties of Binomial Coefficients

[AIME 1987] A given sequence r 1, r 2, ..., r n of distinct real numbers can be put in ascending order by means of one or more “bubble passes.” A bubble pass through a given sequence consists in comparing the second term with the first term and exchanging them if and only if the second term is smaller, then comparing the third term with the current second term and exchanging them if and only if the third term is smaller, and so on, in order, through comparing the last term, r n , with its current predecessor and exchanging them if and only if the last term is smaller. Figure 3.1 shows how the sequence 1, 9, 8, 7 is transformed into the sequence 1, 8, 7, 9 by one bubble pass.
A Comparison Of Video Formats For Online Teaching

The use of video to deliver content to students online has become increasingly popular. However, educators are often plagued with the question of which format to use to deliver asynchronous video material. Whether it is a College or University committing to a common video format or an individual instructor selecting the method that works best for his or her course, this research presents a comparison of various video formats that can be applied to online education and provides guidance in which one to select.
Impact of polarization dependent loss on the propagation of entangled photons over fiber optic links

Quantum network functionalities rely on the distribution of entangled photons to remote nodes interconnected by optical fibers. Polarization dependent loss (PDL) could potentially impair transmissions of entangled photon pairs. We propose a compact model that accounts for the deleterious effect of PDL of any orientation.
A linear-rate analog approach for the analysis of natural gas transportation networks

Abstract Modeling natural gas transportation networks poses a number of challenges due to the significant non-linearities associated to the governing equations. Pressure (nodal or p- ) formulations and flow (nodal-loop or q- ) formulations are the most commonly deployed approaches used to formulate gas flow network models. They treat nodal pressures and pipe branch flow rates as primary unknowns, respectively, and the Newton-Raphson method is the typical choice used to solve the resulting system of pipe network equations. The major disadvantage of Newton-Raphson methods is their tendency to hopelessly diverge when good initializations for the unknown pressure and flow variables are not available. In order to overcome this drawback, a linear-pressure analog approach, applicable to the p- formulation, was recently proposed to formulate an initial-guess-free solution protocol. However, solving the q- formulation rather than the p- formulation would be an alternate, practical, and desirable way to study gas flow in pipeline networks because the system of equations is predominantly linear—with the exception of the loop equations. Linear Theory and Hardy Cross methods have been used in the past solve such q- formulation. Unfortunately, these methods are not initial-guess-free and have been shown to become potentially unstable and thus inefficient because their convergence is also strongly associated with the availability of good initial guesses. This work proposes a linear-rate analog method capable of effectively solving the q- formulation. Through case studies, the proposed linear-rate analog method is shown to be a robust and initial-guess-free solution scheme to effectively model horizontal and inclined natural gas pipeline networks.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Melanoma

In patients with clinically negative regional lymph nodes, performing a sentinel lymph node biopsy is based upon the likelihood of regional lymph node involvement. Current recommendations are to perform sentinel lymph node biopsies for any melanoma that is 1.00 mm or greater. Strong consideration should be given to melanomas >0.75 mm thick with any factors placing the patient at increased risk of nodal involvement. This chapter lists the indications, essential steps, common technical variations, and complications of the procedure. A detailed template operative dictation note is included.
Motor loss reduction with high switching frequency SiC inverter

This paper presents motor loss reduction performed with high frequency Silicon-Carbide (SiC)-Based inverter. We developed prototype SiC inverter with custom SiC gate drivers and custom SiC power modules. We proposed gate driver to reduce switching loss and switching delay time for faster switching frequency. The proposed gate driver makes it possible to improve converter efficiency or allow switching at higher frequency. We also developed power modules without antiparallel Schottky-Barrier-Diodes (SBDs) to reduce switching time and power module size. This paper shows some experimental results that confirmed that the proposed SiC inverter reduces inverter loss compare to Silicon IGBT inverter at same switching frequency. And also, the paper shows that the prototype SiC inverter reduces motor loss with higher switching frequency. SiC inverter loss is smaller than Silicon IGBT's, even if switching frequency of the SiC inverter is doubled from one of Silicon IGBT inverters.
Efficacy of needleless transcutaneous electroacupuncture in synchronization with breathing for symptomatic idiopathic gastroparesis: A blinded and controlled acute treatment trial

BACKGROUND Needleless transcutaneous electroacupuncture (TEA) improves nausea and myoelectrical activity in diabetic gastroparesis (GP). Synchronized TEA (STEA), which combines synchronized breathing with TEA, is more potent than TEA in enhancing vagal activity in healthy subjects. AIMS To investigate whether STEA improves symptoms, electrogastrogram (EGG) and vagal activity in idiopathic gastroparesis (IGP). METHODS Eighteen IGP subjects underwent 2 randomized visits (sham at non-acupoints or real STEA at acupoints) consisted of a 30-minute baseline, an Ensure challenge to provoke nausea, followed by 60-minute treatment with sham or real STEA, and 15-minute observation period. Severity of nausea, EGG, and vagal activity (based on electrocardiogram and serum Pancreatic Polypeptide, PP) were recorded. RESULTS In sham or STEA, the nausea scores of 2.7 ± 0.5 and 1.9 ± 0.5 at fasting baseline, respectively, increased to 5.9 ± 0.4 and 5.8 ± 0.3 during Ensure test (P < .05, vs baseline), subsequently reduced to 3.4 ± 0.6 with sham or 3.6 ± 0.6 with STEA, respectively (P < .05, vs Ensure period). Experiments with sham and STEA started with similar % of normal waves on EGG (66.4 ± 3.9 and 61.8 ± 3.0, respectively); decreased to 63. 5 ± 4.1 and 58.2 ± 2.8 during the Ensure test. After STEA, there was ~24% increase in % of normal waves, significantly different from the sham (6.0%) (P < .01). In sham or STEA, vagal activity was identical at baseline and after the Ensure. STEA induced a 3-fold increase in vagal activity compared with sham (P < .01). Ensure increased serum PP levels, and both treatments decreased the PP CONCLUSIONS: In IGP, STEA is not superior to Sham in decreasing nausea, but is more effective in improving gastric dysrhythmia.
How to Select Accounting Faculty: A Look at Some Economic and Ethical Issues

Much is wrong with the way accounting faculty are selected. Under the present selection process, someone who has a PhD and no accounting experience is preferred over someone who has an MBA and CPA and 10 or 20 years of experience. Applicants who have published a few articles in "top" journals are preferred over applicants who have been in charge of 50 or 100 audits. This article looks at the criteria that are presently used by most colleges and universities to select accounting faculty, criticizes their weaknesses and offers an alternative that would enhance ethical standards and the quality of the selection process. The author suggests a point system for choosing accounting faculty where points are assigned for experience and the number of accounting courses taken without regard to whether the applicant has a PhD.
Postsecondary Participation of Students with Special Needs

Completion of some form of post-secondary education serves to increase the likelihood of securing gainful and satisfying employment and a high quality of life for all individuals, including those with special learning and behavioral needs. This article discusses the issues and barriers experienced, as well as strategies used to support students with special needs as they prepare for, seek access to, successfully participate in, retain, and complete post-secondary education. This article provides recommendations and other informational resources for professionals conducting training and research, and/or directly supporting students with special needs as they seek to access and succeed in post-secondary educational environments.
Epitaxial thin films of PbTiO3/SnO2 heterostructures on sapphire

Epitaxial films of single-layer SnO[sub 2] and PbTiO[sub 3]/SnO[sub 2] heterostructures were obtained on (0001) sapphire ([alpha]-Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]) substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the structural properties of these films. The epitaxial relationship for the heterostructure PbTiO[sub 3]/SnO[sub 2]/sapphire was found to be (111)[01[bar 1]]PbTiO[sub 3]//(100)[001]SnO[sub 2]//(0001)[1[bar 1]00][alpha]-Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]. The fact that epitaxial ferroelectric films were obtainable in such a structurally highly heterogeneous system suggests that a wide range of material selection is possible in exploring the kind of applications that need to utilize epitaxial ferroelectric films in a multilayered heterostructure.
Assessing Aerobic Fitness Level in Relation to Affective and Behavioral Functioning in Emerging Adult Cannabis Users.

Cannabis use is common among emerging adults and increasingly linked to negative mood and neurocognitive performance. Aerobic fitness, however, may be positively linked. Therefore, we assess the potential moderating influence of aerobic fitness on affective and behavioral functioning associated with cannabis. After 3 weeks of abstinence, 83 16–26 year olds (38 cannabis, 45 controls) completed self-report inventories (BDI-II, STAI-state, FrSBe, BIS/BAS), an objective emotion functioning measure (PennCNP), and VO2 max testing. Multiple regressions assessed symptoms from past-year cannabis use, VO2 max, and cannabis*VO2, controlling for alcohol, cotinine, gender, and BMI. Past-year cannabis use was associated with increased depressive symptoms (p = .04), BIS/BAS component (p = .002), and emotion recognition (p = .045). Results suggest a robust association between past-year cannabis use and depressive symptoms and behavioral and affective functioning. Aerobic fitness, however, did not moderate these relationships. Efforts should be made to inform the public of concerns regarding the potential negative impact of cannabis on mood.
The Ultrasonic Synthesis of Nanostructured Metal Oxide Catalysts

This paper describes the synthesis of a wide range of metal oxide and supported metal catalysts to determine whether ultrasonic treatment during precipitation affords any advantages for the preparation of nanostructured materials compared to identical syntheses by classical precipitation. The investigation concentrated on a determination of ultrasound effects during synthesis on reducing and controlling grain sizes, improving phase purities of complex metal oxides, improving the degree of alloy formation for supported bimetallic catalysts, and the capability to systematically vary and control grain sizes of the metallic particles. Based on current experimental results, it seems that the general effect of ultrasound on these syntheses was relatively minor, and in only a few cases consequential. In some cases, such as ceria and titania, the effect was more dramatic; however, the degree of variability of grain sizes and phase purity were less than expectations.
An Examination of Pre-Service Teachers’ Interpersonal Dispositions in the Readiness Assurance Stage of Team-Based Learning

Team-based learning (TBL) is a type of small-group collaborative learning that promotes students’ accountability and intellectual growth. The readiness assurance stage of TBL, though having a great...
Reaching for the stars: The importance of reputational rank in creative career development

Abstract This study draws on vacancy competition and the role-theoretic perspective on reputation to develop and test a sociological theory of how reputation formation and creative career development coevolve in project-based labor markets in the cultural industries. We use vacancy competition to emphasize the importance of identifying the correct reference groups and the role-theoretic perspective on reputation to emphasize the importance of reputational rank within the correct reference group. Specifically, we distinguish between local reputational rank among the peers at the same career stage, entry reputational rank among the peers from the same entry cohort, and global reputational rank among all the peers in an industry. However, unlike prior sociological research on creative careers and reputation, we argue that local reputational rank, not entry cohort or global reputational rank, predicts career development. We find support for our arguments using a comprehensive sample of complete career trajectories of successful and unsuccessful aspirant film directors that graduated from The National Film School of Denmark between 1968 and 2013.
Fatigue-crack advance mechanisms in polymers

The room-temperature fatigue-crack propagation behaviour of poly(butylene terephthalate) is strongly influenced by hysteretic heating near the crack tip since the glass transition temperature is just above room temperature. At low frequencies or stress intensities, the crack tip damage zone consists of several layers of crazes. At high frequencies or stress intensities, hysteretic heating causes a drop in yield stress and a large increase in the depth of the crack tip damage layer. At the same time, the increase in the plane stress plastic zones near the free surfaces produces large shear lips which flank the interior craze zone. This transformation results in a crack growth rate transition which appears as a crack deceleration followed by rapid crack acceleration. This thermal transition can be suppressed or delayed by immersion in water or silicone oil to reduce heat build-up in the sample during testing.
Comparison of Oral Fluid and Urine for Detection of Cocaine Abuse Using Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Background Requests for urine (UR) and oral fluid (OF) drug testing at our institutions are increasing. However, few studies have assessed the accuracy of each matrix using paired specimens and LC-MS/MS. We compared OF and UR for detection of cocaine (COC) abuse in addiction medicine-psychiatry (AMP) clinics. Methods We measured COC and benzoylecgonine (BZE) in OF (limit of detection (LOD) 2.0 µg/L) and BZE in UR (LOD 5 µg/L) by LC-MS/MS in 258 paired samples, and compared the two matrices when higher UR cutoffs of 25, 50, and 150 µg/L were employed. Results UR detected more COC abuse than OF at the LOD (5 µg/L). BZE was detected in 63 UR specimens and COC and/or BZE in 40 OF specimens (29 OF+UR+, 11 OF+UR-, 34 OF-UR+). UR creatinine was lower in OF+UR- specimens. COC and BZE were detected in 88% (35/40) and 75% (30/40) of OF specimens, respectively. OF was equivalent to UR at detecting COC abuse using a 25 µg/L cutoff, and detected more COC abuse than UR using 50 and 150 µg/L cutoffs. The ratio of OF COC/BZE increased with decreasing UR BZE concentrations. Conclusions We demonstrate that OF detects more COC abuse in an AMP setting when UR BZE cutoffs ≥ 50 µg/L are utilized, and that UR creatinine concentrations are significantly lower in specimens positive for COC and/or BZE in OF and negative for BZE in UR. The presence of only COC in OF and low concentrations of UR BZE likely indicates remote use of COC.
Patient-reported financial toxicity, quality of life, and health behaviors in insured US cancer survivors

Fighting cancer is a costly battle, and understanding the relationship between patient-reported financial toxicity (FT) and health outcomes can help inform interventions for post-treatment cancer survivors. Stages I–III solid tumor, insured US cancer survivors (N = 103) completed a survey addressing FT (as measured by the standardized COST measure) and clinically relevant health outcomes (including health-related quality of life [HRQOL] and adherence to recommended survivorship health behaviors). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess demographic and disease-specific correlates of FT, and to assess the predictive value of FT on HRQOL and adherence to survivorship health behaviors. Approximately 18% of respondents noted FT levels associated with significant financial burden. In univariate analyses, after correcting for multiple comparisons, greater FT was associated with unpartnered status, non-retirement, and lower level of educational attainment. Greater FT was also significantly associated with HRQOL components of anxiety, fatigue, pain, physical functioning, and social functioning. FT was not significantly associated with any measured survivorship health behaviors. In multivariate analyses, FT was found to be a meaningful predictor of patient-reported anxiety, fatigue, physical functioning, and social functioning above and beyond theoretically and statistically relevant demographic characteristics. Although overall levels of FT were lower among cancer survivors in this sample, as compared with active treatment patients assessed in previous studies, financial burden continued to be a concern for a significant minority of cancer survivors and was associated with components of reduced HRQOL. Further research is needed to understand FT among underinsured survivors and those treated in community oncology settings. Incorporation of FT assessment into survivorship care planning could enhance clinical assessment of survivors’ FT vulnerability, help address the dynamic and persistent challenges of survivorship, and help identify those most in need of intervention across the cancer care continuum.
Structural Coupling by FSI

Independent structures do not interact each other unless there is a mechanism to couple their responses. One of the coupling mechanisms is a fluid medium. Dynamic response of a structure (called the primary structure) can be transferred to a neighboring structure (called the secondary structure) through a fluid medium, especially when the fluid is water. Then, the secondary structure responds to the motion of the primary structure. Conversely, the response of the secondary structure also influences the dynamic response of the primary structure. As a result, both structures influence each other through FSI.
Factors associated with validity of consumer-oriented wearable physical activity trackers: a meta-analysis

The purposes of this study were to examine (1) the strength of the criterion validity evidence of various consumer-oriented wearable physical activity trackers, (2) the influence of brands of consumer-oriented wearable physical activity on validity evidence and (3) factors that may contribute to differences in the strength of the criterion validity evidence. A total of 589 articles were identified through four databases. Pairs of researchers reviewed the articles to determine eligibility. A total of 29 studies with 96 validity coefficients were included in the meta-analysis. Five different moderators, including the brands of physical activity trackers, placement of devices, type of activities (ambulatory vs. lifestyle activities), population, and release year, were analysed to examine which factors impact the validity evidence. The summarised validity coefficient between activity trackers and energy expenditure ranged from r = .41 to r = .91. Moderator analyses revealed that the brand, placement of the device, and population significantly impact the magnitude of the validity evidence, while the type of activity and release year of the devices do not. Device brand, population, andplacement are each factor that significantly affects the validity coefficientsbetween consumer-oriented wearable physical activity trackers. Efforts should be made to improve the accuracy of these devices to maintain the credibility of the research and the trust of consumers.
Hybrid Classical-Quantum Deep Learning Models for Autonomous Vehicle Traffic Image Classification Under Adversarial Attack.

Image classification must work for autonomous vehicles (AV) operating on public roads, and actions performed based on image misclassification can have serious consequences. Traffic sign images can be misclassified by an adversarial attack on machine learning models used by AVs for traffic sign recognition. To make classification models resilient against adversarial attacks, we used a hybrid deep-learning model with both the quantum and classical layers. Our goal is to study the hybrid deep-learning architecture for classical-quantum transfer learning models to support the current era of intermediate-scale quantum technology. We have evaluated the impacts of various white box adversarial attacks on these hybrid models. The classical part of hybrid models includes a convolution network from the pre-trained Resnet18 model, which extracts informative features from a high dimensional LISA traffic sign image dataset. The output from the classical processor is processed further through the quantum layer, which is composed of various quantum gates and provides support to various quantum mechanical features like entanglement and superposition. We have tested multiple combinations of quantum circuits to provide better classification accuracy with decreasing training data and found better resiliency for our hybrid classical-quantum deep learning model during attacks compared to the classical-only machine learning models.
Quantum chemical insight into the effects of the local electron environment on T2*-based MRI.

T2* relaxation is an intrinsic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameter that is sensitive to local magnetic field inhomogeneities created by the deposition of endogenous paramagnetic material (e.g. iron). Recent studies suggest that T2* mapping is sensitive to iron oxidation state. In this study, we evaluate the spin state-dependence of T2* relaxation using T2* mapping. We experimentally tested this physical principle using a series of phantom experiments showing that T2* relaxation times are directly proportional to the spin magnetic moment of different transition metals along with their associated magnetic susceptibility. We previously showed that T2* relaxation time can detect the oxidation of Fe2+. In this paper, we demonstrate that T2* relaxation times are significantly longer for the diamagnetic, d10 metal Ga3+, compared to the paramagnetic, d5 metal Fe3+. We also show in a cell culture model that cells supplemented with Ga3+ (S = 0) have a significantly longer relaxation time compared to cells supplemented with Fe3+ (S = 5/2). These data support the hypothesis that dipole-dipole interactions between protons and electrons are driven by the strength of the electron spin magnetic moment in the surrounding environment giving rise to T2* relaxation.
Masculine honour beliefs and volunteering to prevent rape versus volunteering to help women who have been raped

This research examined how masculine honour beliefs (MHB) relate to individuals’ intentions to volunteer for organisations that aim to prevent rape or to provide services to women who have been rap...
TU-G-BRD-01: Quantifying the Effectiveness of the Physics Pre-Treatment Plan Review for Detecting Errors in Radiation Therapy

Purpose: Physics pre-treatment plan review is crucial to safe radiation oncology treatments. Studies show that most errors originate in treatment planning, which underscores the importance of physics plan review. As a QA measure the physics review is of fundamental importance and is central to the profession of medical physics. However, little is known about its effectiveness. More hard data are needed. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effectiveness of physics review with the goal of improving it. Methods: This study analyzed 315 “potentially serious” near-miss incidents within an institutional incident learning system collected over a two-year period. 139 of these originated prior to physics review and were found at the review or after. Incidents were classified as events that: 1)were detected by physics review, 2)could have been detected (but were not), and 3)could not have been detected. Category 1 and 2 events were classified by which specific check (within physics review) detected or could have detected the event. Results: Of the 139 analyzed events, 73/139 (53%) were detected or could have been detected by the physics review; although, 42/73 (58%) were not actually detected. 45/73 (62%) errors originated in treatment planning, making physics review the first step in the workflow that could detect the error. Two specific physics checks were particularly effective (combined effectiveness of >20%): verifying DRRs (8/73) and verifying isocenter (7/73). Software-based plan checking systems were evaluated and found to have potential effectiveness of 40%. Given current data structures, software implementations of some tests such as isocenter verification check would be challenging. Conclusion: Physics plan review is a key safety measure and can detect majority of reported events. However, a majority of events that potentially could have been detected were NOT detected in this study, indicating the need to improve the performance of physics review.
First-Order Logic

In this chapter we present the syntax and semantics of classical first-order logic. We also state and prove a Model Existence Theorem, essentially a semantical result, asserting the existence of certain models. We use the theorem to establish some basic facts about first-order logic, suck as compactness and Lowenheim-Skolem results. In the next chapter we introduce proof procedures for first-order logic, and then the Model Existence Theorem will find its primary application, in proving completeness. Further consequences will be found in Chapter 8, after we have considered the implementation of proof procedures. This section sets forth the syntax of first-order logic, which is a considerably more complicated business than it was in the propositional case.
Studies on the mechanism of fatty acid synthesis. I. Preparation and purification of an enzymes system for reconstruction of fatty acid synthesis.

The synthesis of long-chain fatty acids (C16) from acetate has been shown to be catalyzed by at least four different subfractions derived from a soluble fraction (100,000 × g) of pigeon liver. Methods for the preparation of each fraction have been described. About a 50-fold purification of the composite synthetic system over the original supernatant was achieved. The composite system shows an optimum pH of 6.5 and the activity is proportional to both protein concentration and time under appropriate conditions. SH-compounds are needed for activity. It was shown that these compounds, at least in part, are active by virtue of their capacity to maintain the SH-groups of the component enzymes in reduced form.
Is residual memory variance a valid method for quantifying cognitive reserve? A longitudinal application

Cognitive reserve describes the mismatch between brain integrity and cognitive performance. Older adults with high cognitive reserve are more resilient to age-related brain pathology. Traditionally, cognitive reserve is indexed indirectly via static proxy variables (e.g., years of education). More recently, cross-sectional studies have suggested that reserve can be expressed as residual variance in episodic memory performance that remains after accounting for demographic factors and brain pathology (whole brain, hippocampal, and white matter hyperintensity volumes). The present study extends these methods to a longitudinal framework in a community-based cohort of 244 older adults who underwent two comprehensive neuropsychological and structural magnetic resonance imaging sessions over 4.6 years. On average, residual memory variance decreased over time, consistent with the idea that cognitive reserve is depleted over time. Individual differences in change in residual memory variance predicted incident dementia, independent of baseline residual memory variance. Multiple-group latent difference score models revealed tighter coupling between brain and language changes among individuals with decreasing residual memory variance. These results suggest that changes in residual memory variance may capture a dynamic aspect of cognitive reserve and could be a useful way to summarize individual cognitive responses to brain changes. Change in residual memory variance among initially non-demented older adults was a better predictor of incident dementia than residual memory variance measured at one time-point.
All-optical label switching/swapping of 160 Gbps variable length packets and 10 Gbps labels using a WDM Raman enhanced-XPM fiber wavelength converter with unicast/multicast operation

We report the first demonstration of all-optical label switching of variable-length 160 Gbps packets and swapping of 10 Gbps optical labels with real time switching and unicast/multicast operation using a WDM Raman enhanced all-optical fiber cross-phase modulation wavelength converter. Packet BER is measured for all channels and error free operation is demonstrated.
We Have a Religion: The 1920s Pueblo Indian Dance Controversy and American Religious Freedom

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Tisa Wenger Year: 2009 Pages: 336 Publisher: University of North Carolina Press ISBN: 978-0-8078-3262-2 (hard cover). Prices: $59.95 USD(hard cover).
Data analysis using the Gnu R system for statistical computation

R is a language system for statistical computation. It is widely used in statistics, bioinformatics, machine learning, data mining, quantitative finance, and the analysis of clinical drug trials. Among the advantages of R are: it has become the standard language for developing statistical techniques, it is being actively developed by a large and growing global user community, it is open source software, it is highly portable (Linux, OS-X and Windows), it has a built-in documentation system, it produces high quality graphics and it is easily extensible with over four thousand extension library packages available covering statistics and applications. This report gives a very brief introduction to R with some examples using lattice QCD simulation results. It then discusses the development of R packages designed for chi-square minimization fits for lattice n-pt correlation functions.
Lidocaine versus ropivacaine for postoperative continuous paravertebral nerve blocks in patients undergoing laparoscopic bowel surgery: a randomized, controlled, double- blinded, pilot study

Background and objectives Lidocaine could provide many advantages in continuous regional anesthesia techniques, including faster onset, greater titratability, and lower cost than long-acting local anesthetics. This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, pilot study is therefore intended to compare lidocaine to ropivacaine in bilateral continuous paravertebral blocks using a multimodal approach for postoperative pain management following laparoscopic bowel surgery. Methods Thirty-five ASA I-III consecutive patients undergoing elective laparoscopic bowel surgery and bilateral thoracic paravertebral continuous blocks were analyzed: bilateral thoracic paravertebral infusions of ropivacaine 0.2% (Group Ropi, n=18) or lidocaine 0.25% (Group Lido, n=17) were started at 7 mL/h in the postanesthesia care unit. For each patient, we collected numerical rating scores (NRS) for pain at rest and during movement at baseline, at postanesthesia care unit discharge, at 24 hours and 48 hours after the end of surgery, as well as hydromorphone patient-controlled analgesia requirements, local anesthetic consumption, side effects, postoperative complications, and functional outcomes. Results No effect of group distribution on NRS scores for pain at rest or at movement (P=0.823 and P=0.146), nor on hydromorphone (P=0.635) or local anesthetic consumption (P=0.063) was demonstrated at any analyzed time point. Hospital length of stay and spontaneous ambulation were comparable between groups (P=0.636 and P=0.148). In the context of a multimodal approach, the two drugs showed comparable safety profiles. Discussion Lidocaine 0.25% and ropivacaine 0.2% provided similar analgesic profiles after elective abdominal surgeries, without any difference in terms of functional outcomes. The easier titratability of lidocaine together with its lower cost induced our clinical practice to definitely switch from ropivacaine to lidocaine for postoperative bilateral paravertebral continuous infusions.
Reply to Liu et al.: HNF4A and PTBP1 expression in the brain of neurodegenerative disease patients.

We thank Liu et al. (1) for their comments on our manuscript in which hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A) and polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) are identified as potential dynamic biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease (PD) (2). In our study, transcriptomic and network-based metaanalysis identified HNF4A and PTBP1 as the most significant up-regulated and down-regulated genes, respectively, in blood of PD. Given the involvement of HNF4A in glucose metabolism and PTBP1 in insulin regulation, our findings provide a molecular rationale for the impaired insulin signaling observed in PD patients.
Successful Low-cost Energy Management Implementation in Healthcare Facilities

ABSTRCTEnergy management in existing buildings can produce significant savings opportunities, often by focusing on low-cost measures. This article will discuss the energy management methods used to reduce (weather-normalized) energy usage by 15% across eighteen hospital facilities (totaling 7.7 million ft2) owned by a large healthcare provider in Wisconsin. The approach is unique because it focuses solely on lowcost measures and demonstrates a simple and effective method of measurement and feedback to achieve the results. The sustainable energy savings have reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 23,100 tons annually, and have created additional funds for the owner. The energy management process was a successful collaboration between executive management, engineering consultants, hospital facility directors, and maintenance personnel that utilized a variety of strategies to save energy in each facility.
Opiate self-administration in adult offspring of methadone-treated female rats.

Abstract Chronic treatment of female Sprague-Dawley rats with methadone 5 mg/kg IP throughout gestation and lactation resulted in an increased oral self-administration (S.A.) of morphine by their 85–90-day-old offspring. By day 16 of the S.A. treatment schedule methadone offspring were taking 75 to 80% of their total fluid intake as morphine solution when given a choice between morphine solution and water, while control offspring under the same conditions took 33% of their total fluids as morphine solution. When the subjects were again given a choice between water and morphine solution following a 12-day drug free period, methadone offspring drank a significantly greater percentage of morphine solution than controls. Methadone S.A. in methadone offspring was not different from controls. The reasons for this marked difference between morphine and methadone S.A. are not clear. However, it does appear that chronic maternal exposure to methadone may facilitate development of a morphine-S.A. behavior in their offspring.
Virulent and attenuated mutant Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus show marked differences in replication in infection in murine macrophages.

Abstract One of the first target cells at the site of inoculation with an alphavirus may be monocytes or macrophages. The replication kinetics of virulent and attenuated molecularly clonedVenezuelan equine encephalitis virus(VEE) in murine macrophages were therefore compared. Infection of both quiescent and activated mouse primary peritoneal macrophages with a molecularly cloned, virulent VEE termed V3000 resulted in peak virus titres of 104plaque forming units (PFU)/ml supernatant by 24 h post-infection (pi), followed by rapidly decreasing virus titres. In contrast, a molecularly cloned attenuated VEE mutant, V3032, that differs from V3000 by a single amino acid at E2 glycoprotein position 209 (glu→lys) replicated more slowly and to higher titres (106PFU/ml supernatant) that peaked at 72 h pi. Replication of V3032, but not V3000, was sharply restricted by prior activation of macrophages with lipopolysaccharide or interferon-γ. These results indicate that virulent V3000 and attenuated V3032 differ in their growth kinetics in both quiescent and activated macrophages. Thus, macrophages, and their specific activation state, may play a major role in virulent and attenuated VEE replication and pathogenesis.
Time-Course of Hypericin Phototoxicity and Effect on Mitochondrial Energies in EMT6 Mouse Mammary Carcinoma Cells

Abstract Photoactivated hypericin produces singlet oxygen and superoxide anion radical; however, the intracellular events contributing to toxicity are unknown. Clonogenic assays of oxygen-dependent hypericin phototoxicity to EMT6 cells have previously shown that 0.5 μM hypericin + 1.5 J cm−2 fluorescent light is non-toxic and that 1.0 μM hypericin + 1.5 J cm−2 fluorescent light produces LD40 toxicity. Intracellular events leading to toxicity were revealed at these doses. Lactate dehydrogenase leakage was elevated for both 0.5 μM and 1.0 μM hypericin + light immediately following irradiation. While values eventually returned to control levels for 0.5 μM hypericin + light, leakage increased over time for 1.0 μM hypericin indicating reversible and irreversible toxicity, respectively. Increases in lipid and protein oxidation were measured immediately following irradiation; however, these parameters return to control levels within 0.5 h for both doses. Both total cellular ATP levels and cellular respiration were depressed by approximately 50% of control values for 1.0 μM hypericin + light. These values were unchanged for 0.5 μM hypericin + light. Along with previously reported data demonstrating that light-activated hypericin can inhibit mitochondial succinoxidase in beef heart mitochondria in vitro, these data support oxidative stress-initiated mitochondrial damage as a key target in hypericin phototoxicity.
Propagation of transient, cylindrical waves in an infinite, viscoelastic body

Abstract This study involves a linear viscoelastic body of infinite extent through which runs a cylindrical hole of circular section. The object of the study is to find the response of the body to a uniform pressure, applied to the wall of the hole, which has an arbitrary dependence on time. The method of characteristics is chosen for the solution and responses are found at two separate stations for three different viscoelastic materials. When the responses can be compared with those of others, they appear to be correct, and when they cannot, they are qualitatively what one would expect from intuition.
Nonparametric tests for interaction and group differences in a two-way layout.

Nonparametric tests of group differences and interaction across strata are developed in which the null hypotheses for these tests are expressed as functions of , where X refers to a random observation from one group and Y refers to a random observation from the other group within stratum i. The estimator r of the parameter ρ is shown to be a useful way to summarize and examine data for ordinal and continuous data.
Analogues of taurine as inhibitors of the phosphorylation of an ≈20K molecular weight protein present in a mitochondrial fraction of the rat retina

It has been previously demonstrated that taurine inhibits the phosphorylation of an ≈20K apparent molecular weight protein present in the mitochondrial fraction of the rat retina (Lombardini, 1991). In the present studies, various analogues of taurine were tested for their inhibitory activity on the phosphorylation of this ≈20K protein. The most potent analogues were (±)trans-2-aminocyclopentanesulfonic acid (TAPS) and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-8-sulfonic acid (THQS) which were approximately 21 and 7 times more potent than the parent compound, taurine. Median-effect plots were used to calculate the inhibitory median effect and combination index values for the combined effects of taurine and taurine analogues. From these studies, it was determined that the inhibitory taurine analogues were antagonistic to taurine when used in combination with taurine to inhibit the phosphorylation of the ≈20K apparent molecular weight protein. It was also concluded that: 1) the distance between the nitrogen and sulfur atoms in the taurine structure was important for inhibitory activity; 2) if the nitrogen atom is either within or attached to an unsaturated ring structure the inhibitory potency was significantly decreased, and 3) if both the sulfur and nitrogen atoms are present within the ring structure the analogue has no activity.
Legal and Ethical Issues Regarding Social Media and Pharmacy Education

Widespread use of social media applications like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter has introduced new complexities to the legal and ethical environment of higher education. Social communications have traditionally been considered private; however, now that much of this information is published online to the public, more insight is available to students' attitudes, opinions, and character. Pharmacy educators and administrators may struggle with the myriad of ethical and legal issues pertaining to social media communications and relationships with and among students. This article seeks to clarify some of these issues with a review of the legal facets and pertinent court cases related to social media. In addition, 5 core ethical issues are identified and discussed. The article concludes with recommendations for pharmacy educators with regard to preparing for and addressing potential legal issues pertaining to social media.
Effects of success and failure on emotionally handicapped boys

Abstract The study was designed to investigate the extent to which expectancies and performance of emotionally handicapped children could be altered by success- or failure-induced experiences. Students were randomly assigned to either of two experimental conditions during five trials of a guessing task. Immediately following the initial experience, all children were asked to estimate their expectancy of success on a novel learning task; students were then given a progressive matrix worksheet with ten problems which required adding and/or subtracting. It was hypothesized that those students in the success condition would have higher expectancies and actual performance scores than the children in the failure condition. It was further hypothesized that expectancy levels and performance scores would be related. An analysis of the results indicated that success and failure on a task were influential on subsequent expectancy estimates and performance; a discussion of these results is presented.
A Study of Mesh-Independent Spot Weld Modeling for Impact Simulation of Automotive Components

In order to accurately capture crash behavior during high-speed impact, a large amount of detailed finite element modeling features are needed in the dynamic analysis. An important feature in crash simulation is the amount of detail included in modeling spot weld connections. Traditionally for efficiency, simple node-to-node rigid (MPC) connections for modeling spot weld connections between different components are used in crash models, especially when many components are connected in a fully assembled vehicle crash model. In this work, different levels of complexity in spot weld modeling are examined: (a) simple node-to-node rigid connection, (b) rigid mesh independent spot welds, (c) elastic mesh independent spot welds, and (d) elastic mesh independent spot welds with failure. Mesh-independent spot-weld models define the location of the center point of the spot weld and define the spot weld radius on adjacent surfaces of connected components. A distributed coupling to nodes within the radius specified is automatically created which approximates the behavior of a spot weld of finite size. In order to study the fundamental behavior of different mesh-independent spot weld models, pullout and peal tests between two thin ductile steel plates are performed which isolate different failure modes. Comparisons of reaction force versus displacement curves and internal energy versus displacement for different spot weld models are examined. A case study of a front longitudinal rail for an automobile is presented to illustrate the behavior of the spot-weld models for crash analysis on a realistic and important automotive component which exhibits complex crushing modes with combined axial and bending and designed for strength and energy absorption.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Tissue reaction in rabbit muscle exposed to metallic implants

The tissue reaction to metallic and nonmetallic implants in the back muscles of New Zealand White Rabbits is presented. These reactions are graded and correlated with the trace metal contained around such implanes. Correlations are drawn as to the acceptability of various materials for the manufacture of surgical implants.