cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterizing Craniomaxillofacial Injuries in American Professional Sports Leagues.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize the types of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) injuries that occur in professional sports leagues and the associated recovery times. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort study was designed and implemented using the Pro Sports Transaction Archive. The database was queried for all registered CMF injuries in the 4 main men's major professional sports leagues in the United States from 2013 to 2018. The sport, injury location, and season were the predictor variables, and the frequency and length of time on the injured list were the outcome variables. Descriptive statistics were computed, and Fisher's exact tests were used to determine the association between the predictor and outcome variables. Analysis of variance was used to compare the injury frequency and duration. Results Of the 198 injuries that met the inclusion criteria, 60 were from Major League Baseball (MLB) (30%), 49 from the National Basketball Association (25%), 8 from the National Football League (4%), and 81 from the National Hockey League (NHL) (41%). Injuries to the midface were most common (mean, 25.2 ± 3.6 injuries per season; P Conclusions Midface trauma was significantly more common than upper or lower face trauma in professional sports leagues during the past 5 seasons. The NHL had the greatest injury rate, even after adjustment for games played.
Cavernous sinus thrombosis caused by Streptococcus constellatus-associated Lemierre syndrome presenting as an isolated abducens nerve palsy.

Abstract Purpose To describe a patient with Streptococcus constellatus-associated Lemierre syndrome complicated by eventual cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) that manifested as an isolated abducens nerve palsy. Observations A patient with a history of heavy alcohol use presented with Lemierre syndrome caused by an odontogenic infection due to Streptococcus constellatus. Despite initiation of intravenous antibiotics and eventual eradication of her bacteremia, she developed an isolated abducens nerve palsy on hospital day 7 due to associated CST. Conclusions and Importance CST is a rare complication of odontogenic infection and Lemierre syndrome. This case demonstrates the potential for primary odontogenic infections to progress to life- and sight-threatening diseases. This case also illustrates the importance of considering uncommon pathogens as the etiology of CST based on the suspected source of primary infection.
To design or to integrate? Instructional design versus technology integration in developing learning interventions

Instructional Design Knowledge (IDK) can inform technology integration decisions and Technology Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK) can help instructional design processes. As a means to understand how teachers may draw from their TPACK and IDK as they design instructions and develop technology-enhanced learning activities, we examined the final projects of two groups of teachers enrolled in graduate-level instructional design and technology courses. By using both content and social network analysis methods, we identified the IDK and TPACK components exemplified in teachers’ projects. While the content analysis revealed differences between the two groups, some findings were common across the courses such as teachers minimally connecting technology to their content areas, exhibiting limited knowledge on learning needs, and having difficulties in engaging in design thinking processes. Furthermore, the social network analysis identified various communities of the knowledge components, highlighting when teachers tended to use their IDK and TPACK as they planned technology-enhanced learning activities and were engaged in instructional design respectively.
Differences in Indoor Cooking Practices and Vital Signs Across Nicaragua and Dominican Republic

Background: Indoor cooking practices, such as cooking indoors with a coal or wood stove without a pipe, are linked to higher carbon monoxide levels and lower peak flow measurements compared to cooking with an outside stove or a stove with a ventilation pipe. However, little is known about the differences across cooking practices, carbon monoxide levels, and peak flow measurements across countries. The purpose of this study is to determine differences in indoor cooking practices and vital signs across two middle-income countries, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Methods: This study used pooled data from both Nicaragua (n = 76) and Dominican Republic (n = 62). Participants were randomly selected from households in rural villages in the two countries. Descriptive statistics were computed among demographic, environmental, and behavioral characteristics across the two countries. Additionally, chi-square tests and independent samples t-tests were conducted to determine statistically significant differences between the two countries. The institutional review board approved this study. Results: Among all participants (n = 138), approximately half lived in Nicaragua (n = 76, 55.1%) and half lived in Dominican Republic (n = 62, 44.9%). A higher percentage of Dominican Republic participants reported using an inside cook stove (55.4%) compared to Nicaraguan participants (11.8%), which was statistically significant (P
Effect of grain size distribution on the strength of porous Si3N4 ceramics composed of elongated β-Si3N4 grains

The grain size distributions (diameter and aspect ratio) of porous Si3N4 ceramics composed of elongated β-Si3N4 grains were evaluated statistically, and their effect on the pore size distribution and the flexural strength of the porous Si3N4 was investigated. Porous Si3N4 ceramics having porosities of 27 to 43% and median pore diameters of 0.56 to 0.96 μm were used as specimens. The grain diameter distribution was well correlated to the pore size distribution of the porous Si3N4 ceramics. We concluded that the strength of the porous Si3N4 ceramics increased with increasing grain length of β-Si3N4 as well as with decreasing porosity.
Sensory integration abilities for balance in glaucoma, a preliminary study.

The goal of this study was to quantify the association between sensory integration abilities relevant for standing balance and disease stage in glaucoma. The disease stage was assessed using both functional (visual field deficit) and structural (retinal nerve fiber layer thickness) deficits in the better and worse eye. Balance was assessed using an adapted version of the well-established Sensory Organization Test (SOT). Eleven subjects diagnosed with mild to moderate glaucoma stood for 3 min in 6 sensory challenging postural conditions. Balance was assessed using sway magnitude and sway speed computed based on center-of-pressure data. Mixed linear regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between glaucoma severity and balance measures. Findings revealed that the visual field deficit severity in the better eye was associated with increased standing sway speed. This finding was confirmed in eyes open and closed conditions. Balance was not affected by the extent of the visual field deficit in the worse eye. Similarly, structural damage in either eye was not associated with the balance measures. In summary, this study found that postural control performance was associated with visual field deficit severity. The fact that this was found during eyes closed as well suggests that reduced postural control in glaucoma is not entirely attributed to impaired peripheral visual inputs. A larger study is needed to further investigate potential interactions between visual changes and central processing changes contributing to reduced balance function and increased incidence of falls in adults with glaucoma.
Spatial organization of transcript elongation and splicing kinetics

The organization of the genome in three-dimensional space has been shown to play an important role in gene expression. Specifically, facets of genomic interaction such as topologically associated domains (TADs) have been shown to regulate transcription by bringing regulatory elements into close proximity1. mRNA production is an intricate process with multiple control points including regulation of Pol II elongation and the removal of non-coding sequences via pre-mRNA splicing2. The connection between genomic compartments and the kinetics of RNA biogenesis and processing has been largely unexplored. Here, we measure Pol II elongation and splicing kinetics genome-wide using a novel technique that couples nascent RNA-seq with a mathematical model of transcription and co-transcriptional RNA processing. We uncovered multiple layers of spatial organization of these rates: the rate of splicing is coordinated across introns within individual genes, and both elongation and splicing rates are coordinated within TADs, as are alternative splicing outcomes. Overall, our work establishes that the kinetics of transcription and splicing are coordinated by the spatial organization of the genome and suggests that TADs are a major platform for coordination of alternative splicing.
Critical Care Management of the Patient With Anaphylaxis: A Concise Definitive Review.

Objectives Anaphylaxis is a rapidly progressive life-threatening syndrome manifesting as pruritus, urticaria, angioedema, bronchospasm and shock. The goal of this synthetic review is to provide a practical, updated approach to the evaluation and management of this disorder and associated complications. Data sources A MEDLINE search was conducted with the MeSH of anaphylaxis, anaphylactic reaction, anaphylactic shock, refractory anaphylaxis and subheadings of diagnosis, classification, epidemiology, complications and pharmacology. The level of evidence supporting an intervention was evaluated based on the availability of randomized studies, expert opinion, case studies, reviews, practice parameters and other databases (including Cochrane). Study selection Selected publications describing anaphylaxis, clinical trials, diagnosis, mechanisms, risk factors and management were retrieved (reviews, guidelines, clinical trials, case series) and their bibliographies were also reviewed to identify relevant publications. Data extraction Data from the relevant publications were reviewed, summarized and the information synthesized. Data synthesis This is a synthetic review and the data obtained from a literature review was utilized to describe current trends in the diagnosis and management of the patient with anaphylaxis with a special emphasis on newer evolving concepts of anaphylaxis endotypes and phenotypes, management of refractory anaphylaxis in the ICU setting and review of therapeutic options for the elderly patient, or the complicated patient with severe cardiorespiratory complications. Most of the recommendations come from practice parameters, case studies or expert opinions, with a dearth of randomized trials to support specific interventions. Conclusion Anaphylaxis is a rapidly progressive life-threatening disorder. The critical care physician needs to be familiar with the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, evaluation, and management of anaphylaxis. Skilled intervention in ICUs may be required for the patient with complicated, severe, or refractory anaphylaxis.
When Do Investors Know? Security Class Action Lawsuits, Short Selling, and Pre-filing News Releases

Prior literature on security class-action lawsuits generally treats the lawsuit filing day as the day when the event become public, in terms of evaluating event-study returns and informed shorting activity. However, in the days prior to the lawsuit filing, our investigation reveals that there are public announcements of law-firm investigations into more than half of the sued firms. Over our 2009-2019 sample, accounting for these pre-filing investigation announcements weakens prior evidence that suggested short-selling investors tend to anticipate the lawsuit filing from private information or inference from related industry litigation. Strikingly, the average cumulative abnormal return over the 5-day pre-event filing window is about -6.5% for our full sample (similar to prior studies) but it is only about -2.2% when excluding the lawsuits with a recent pre-filing investigation announcement. Regarding responses to the public news releases, we find that: (1) the coincident abnormal short selling and negative abnormal returns are much larger for the higher quality lawsuits, and (2) the abnormal shorting coincident with the initial public news about the lawsuit is reliably negatively related to the post-news abnormal return. Thus, in addition to weakening an anticipatory shorting view, our evidence provides considerable support to conclusions in Engelberg, Reed, and Ringenberg (2012) - - that short sellers are skilled at analyzing publicly available information.
Vulnerable Road Users Safety in Infrastructure Assisted Intelligent Transportation System

About 20–50 million people are involved in road accidents every year caused by human errors, with more than 500,000 of the victims being low-mobility, high-physical-impact-prone users of the road such as pedestrians, cyclists, motorbikes, scooter, and the likes. Such road users are called vulnerable road users (VRUs). Taking VRU awareness message (VAM) for assessment of the potential collision risk, we argue that the state-of-the-art metric, time-to-collision, is insufficient for accurate collision risk analysis and collision avoidance. A new metric, minimum safe distance, is proposed for realistic collision risk analysis based on VAM exchange to enhance VRU safety. Results show feasibility of pre-emptive triggering of collision warning at approaching vehicle thus enhancing VRU safety. Furthermore, VRU cluster formation and management schemes are proposed for high density VRU s to achieve at least one order of magnitude reduction in VAM messaging overhead.
Electrical and Structural Remodeling in Atrial Fibrillation

Intense research efforts since 1995 have sought to characterize the pathways that contribute to the occurrence and persistence of atrial fibrillation (AF). This chapter focuses on recent studies elucidating several of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the electrical and structural remodeling processes that promote persistent AF. Here there is a particular focus on the identification of signaling pathways that might be specifi cally and individually targeted for improved pharmacologic treatment or prevention of AF, perhaps simultaneously lowering the risk of stroke associated with AF.
Genetic algorithms produce individual robotic rat pup behaviors that match Norway rat pup behaviors at multiple scales

We designed input/output cognitive architectures for individual robotic rat pups using genetic algorithms with the aim of achieving insight into Norway rat pup behavior. Our cognitive architectures were evolved using only metrics of Norway rat pup macro-behavior (e.g., percent of time spent in corners, along walls, and center of an arena during animal experiments). Robotic rat pups not only quantitatively matched Norway rat pups at the macro-level (by design), but additionally qualitatively matched Norway rat pup behavior at the micro-behavior scales (corner- snooping, punting). The complexity of the resulting deterministic input---output controllers may lend support to previous studies that show random-like control codes (possibly emerging from complex underlying input---output interactions, or brain-initiated spontaneous behavior) can produce apparently realistic rat pup behavior below a certain age.
A vision-based architecture for intent recognition

Understanding intent is an important aspect of communication among people and is an essential component of the human cognitive system. This capability is particularly relevant for situations that involve collaboration among multiple agents or detection of situations that can pose a particular threat. We propose an approach that allows a physical robot to detect the intentions of others based on experience acquired through its own sensory-motor abilities. It uses this experience while taking the perspective of the agent whose intent should be recognized. The robot's capability to observe and analyze the current scene employs a novel vision-based technique for target detection and tracking, using a non-parametric recursive modeling approach. Our intent recognition method uses a novel formulation of Hidden Markov Models (HMM's) designed to model a robot's experience and its interaction with the world while performing various actions.
Ancillary services to the grid from commercial buildings through demand scheduling and control

How can a building Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) system vary its real time power consumption to provide ancillary services to the power grid without sacrificing occupant comfort? Prior work showed how this can be done if the reference power variation is of high frequency (seconds to a few minutes) so that the climate control system filters out the disturbance. This paper addresses the question of how to do that when the reference power variation is of lower frequency, e.g., periods of a few minutes to an hour. We propose a receding horizon approach to schedule the baseline cooling and heating power of a building based on weather forecasts. A lower level controller is then used to track the scheduled baseline plus ancillary service reference signal. Periodic updates to the scheduler based on measurements ensure quality of service in spite of forecasting errors. The algorithm is tested in simulation. Results show that ancillary service in the frequency range of ƒ ∈ [1/(1 hour), 1/(10 minutes)] can be extracted from commercial building HVAC systems while still maintaining a comfortable indoor climate.
Beta stability and tendency: An application of a variable mean response regression model

Abstract A Variable Mean Response Regression (VMRR) model is used to reexamine the stability and tendency of beta estimates. The analysis presented indicates that the VMRR model is a better model than the traditional fixed-coefficient regression model in investigating the beta stability and tendency. The mean square error criteria is also used to show that the beta estimates obtained from the VMRR model are generally more appropriate for forecasting the future betas than those obtained from the fixed-coefficient regression model.
BODY IMAGE CHANGES IN TEEN-AGE DIABETICS

Fantasies of five diabetic teen-agers about their illness were collected in a study of the relationship between body illness and body image. All of the subjects revealed underlying distortions of their knowledge of the disease process bated on primitive notions about physical causality. The imagery employed was strongly visual and illness was seen as the result of external deprivation, or of various internal abnormalities and deficiencies, such as absence of part of the pancreas, blockage within the pancreas, or dilatation of the stomach. The influence of previous instruction and education by the medical staff was found to be superficial and in all cases the children9s intellectual knowledge was incorporated into their own private thought systems. The patients drew what the illness meant to them rather than what they knew about the pathophysiological processes, and in this way demonstrated the link between physical illness and body image. The patients described feeling seriously damaged by the diabetes, and were able to graphically symbolize their conceptions of this damage. Knowledge that the child9s illness significantly alters a part of the self contributes to greater precision and effectiveness in communication.
Inland Capture Fisheries and Large River Systems: A Political Economy of Mekong Fisheries

This paper examines the political economy of the freshwater, inland fisheries in the Mekong River basin, which are among the most productive and diverse in the world. Yet the remarkably productive fisheries of the basin, and the livelihoods of rural people this production supports, are increasingly confronting a series of threats related to hydropower development and other socio-ecological processes. These threats are in turn driven by long-standing efforts to transform the Mekong basin – shared by China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam – through water resource development into a more vigorous source of regional economic development through appropriation of the basin's biophysical processes. Building on recent work on Mekong development, we highlight the biophysical and political–economic conflicts – and subsequent marginalization and devaluation of fisheries-based livelihoods – that emerge from long-held proposals to transform the basin into an engine of development.
The circulating vasopressinase of pregnancy: Species comparison with radioimmunoassay

Abstract A vasopressin substrate radioimmunoassay (RIA) system is described for the measurement of the vasopressinase elaborated during pregnancy. Results show that vasopressinase activity increases in the sera of pregnant women throughout gestation. At term, under the in vitro conditions described, pregnancy serum degrades vasopressin (Pitressin) at a rate of 53 mU. per milliliter of serum per minute. Serum obtained from paired umbilical cord samples had an activity of 9.2 μU per milliliter per minute; amniotic fluid obtained at delivery had an activity of 16.6 μU per milliliter per minute. Pregnancy serum obtained from sheep, rabbits, and rats, ovine umbilical cord serum, and ovine amniotic fluid had no detectable vasopressinase activity. Normal human male serum, nonpregnant female serum, and serum from women taking contraceptive agents also exhibited no activity.
Cytotoxicity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Membranes.

Abstract Organ cultures of adult hamster trachea were used to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of cell fractions of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Cytoplasm was essentially devoid of activity, whereas viable cells and membrane preparations, at a level of 25 μg of protein per ml, induced necrosis. Damage, as revealed by light and electron microscopy, included ciliostasis, vacuolization, loss of ciliated respiratory epithelial cells, disorganization, and a loss of polarity. Dose response data indicated that the speed and degree of cytotoxicity was directly related to the concentration of membranes. Doses of 30 to 60 μg of protein per ml could reduce relative ciliary activity to 20% of the control level within 4 days. Membranes prepared after freeze-thaw lysis of cells were almost twice as active as those isolated after a combination of osmotic and sonic shock. Membranes of M. fermentans were inactive, though both the FH and M129 strains of M. pneumoniae were toxic. These data indicate that the toxic factor responsible for M. pneumoniae may be located in the cell membrane.
Clinician-Patient Ethnicity in Psychiatric Diagnosis: A Pilot Study with Hispanics

Abstract Language and ethnicity are parts of the interpersonal process that converge during psychiatric diagnosis, affecting diagnostic accuracy and concordance among clinicians. In this feasibility study, the authors videotaped two Hispanic psychiatrists conducting typical diagnostic interviews with first-time Hispanic patients (N = 10) in a community mental health clinic. Then, two non-Hispanic psychiatrists viewed the videotapes with translator assistance. All psychiatrists rendered DSM-IV diagnoses on the patients they interviewed or whose tapes they watched. On Axis I, psychiatrists did not differ, diagnosing mostly mood disorders. On Axis II, non-Hispanic psychiatrists diagnosed personality disorders more often. On Axis IV, Hispanic psychiatrists identified more psychosocial stressors, especially family-related ones. On Axis V, Hispanic psychiatrists rated patients more functionally impaired. Although limited, the findings raise several interesting questions that can be useful to clinicians and rese...
Capacity Investment Under Responsive Pricing: Implications of Market Entry Choice*

We consider a manufacturer’s new market entry problem when it already has some established facility in its existing market. We consider two common market entry strategies: the export strategy and the foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy. In the export strategy the firm increases the capacity at its existing facility and subsequently allocates the output to the existing and the new market dynamically, depending on realized market conditions. The export strategy is a flexible strategy. In the FDI strategy, the firm invests in a dedicated capacity to serve the new market only. The FDI strategy is a (partially) dedicated strategy. We study these two strategies from a planning perspective, that is, how the firm’s strategy choice influences the optimal capacity levels. We find that the firm’s strategy choice can significantly impact the optimal capacity investment levels. We prove, for example, that the firm may enter the new market in the export strategy but not in the FDI strategy, even if the capacity investment cost is identical in the existing and the new market. In addition, we prove that the firm may invest a strictly higher capacity level in the export strategy than that in the FDI strategy. We also prove that new market entry in the FDI strategy may strictly decrease the firm’s supply to its existing market but this is not so in the export strategy, and hence policy makers should carefully consider the implications of trade regulations on firms’ market entry choices.
Rural access to vocational rehabilitation services: Minority farmers' perspective

Purpose. The paper documents the need for, and obstacles to effective access to rehabilitation services by minority farmers. It draws from the findings of a study conducted in the Mississippi delta...
Extra-anatomic arterial reconstruction with ligation of common iliac arteries and embolization of the aneurysm for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms in high-risk patients.

Abstract Purpose: The mortality of an unrepaired abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) generally exceeds the mortality associated with surgical repair. However, as our longevity increases, more frequently we see patients whose risk of surgical repair approximates the risk of rupture. We present an extra-anatomic bypass graft with complete aneurysm exclusion by iliac ligation and coil embolization of the aneurysm as an alternative for these high-risk patients. Methods: An extra-anatomic bypass graft, followed by bilateral iliac artery ligation (retroperitoneal approach) and complete coil embolization of the AAA, was performed in eight patients (mean age, 77 years) found to be at prohibitive operative risk because of multiple comorbidities (American Society of Anesthesiologists class IV). Most patients (5 of 8) were symptomatic on presentation with a mean AAA diameter of 7 cm (range, 6.7-9.5 cm). We repair approximately 30 infrarenal aneurysms per year electively at our institution. Results: All patients tolerated the surgical procedures. The average hospital stay was 8 days. All but two aneurysms demonstrated complete thrombosis by 48 hours. After 48 months there was no incidence of graft thrombosis, peripheral ischemia, visceral ischemia or thrombus infection. There was one perioperative death from aspiration pneumonia. Seventy-five percent (6 of 8) of patients have survived at least 1 year without surgical complications. No patient has had a ruptured aneurysm. Conclusion: Combining an extra-anatomic bypass graft and complete exclusion of the AAA by ligation of the common iliac arteries and a coil embolization is an effective, less invasive treatment option for patients with AAA and prohibitive operative risk. We emphasize the need for complete embolization documented by decreased aneurysm size. (J Vasc Surg 2001;33:745-51.)
The defect diffusion model and the properties of glasses and liquids

Abstract Several previously unexplained relaxation phenomena are interpreted quantitatively in terms of the defect diffusion model (DDM). These include widely different pre-exponentials, exponents and consequently fragility. In addition, the DDM is used to give a qualitative explanation of many properties that glasses and liquids exhibit. This includes interpretations of the glass transition (Tg), the liquid–liquid transition (TB), the crystalline melting temperature (Tm), and the different values of the characteristic temperature, TC, that some materials exhibit for different types of physical measurements. Next, qualitative explanations of the origin of secondary relaxations such as the excess wing and the β relaxation are given. In addition, the boson peak is discussed in terms of the DDM. Finally, it is pointed out that in the DDM, universality is embodied in the defects i.e. free volume.
Socioeconomic Diversity Among African Immigrants in the United States: An Intra-African Immigrant Comparison

Recent studies on Black immigrants in the USA report higher than average socioeconomic and educational attainment for African immigrants. Based on an intra-African immigrant comparison, we examine the generalizability of this finding to African groups of differing countries and regions using data from the 1990 and 2000 5 % U.S. census Integrated Public Use Microdata Samples (IPUMS). We specifically ask whether hourly earnings of African immigrants vary by region of origin. Results of our analyses reveal that sending region is an important determinant of variations in hourly earnings among African immigrants. Also, data indicate that both race and gender are significantly associated with earning outcomes; with the earnings of males and whites significantly higher than those of females and blacks. We discuss these findings in the context of the so-called “black immigrant success story.”
Relationship between in vitro relaxation of the costo-uterine smooth muscle and mesovarial leiomyoma formation in vivo by Β-receptor agonists

The three beta-agonists, salbutamol, ritodrine, and terbutaline have been shown to possess differing potentials to induce leiomyomas in rat costo-uterine muscle following chronic exposure (salbutamol greater than terbutaline greater than ritodrine). It has been suggested that the potential to induce leiomyomas is related to the relaxant properties of these agonists in the costo-uterine muscle. In order to test this hypothesis, the potencies of salbutamol, terbutaline, and ritodrine were compared to isoproterenol and norepinephrine in vitro in the rat costo-uterine smooth muscle, a beta 2-adrenergic receptor rich tissue. All compounds produced relaxation of potassium chloride (KCl) contracted costo-uterine smooth muscle. Significant differences in potency were observed, with isoproterenol being the most potent, followed in rank order by salbutamol, terbutaline and ritodrine. The relative potency of the non-selective beta-blocker propranolol in inhibiting the agonist mediated relaxant activity was similar for all agonists examined, indicative of interactions at the same receptor site (Tallarida and Jacob 1979). When tested for beta-agonist activity in the guinea pig atria, salbutamol and ritodrine were less potent in these tissues compared to the costo-uterine muscle. In summary, the in vitro pharmacological potency of salbutamol, terbutaline and ritodrine correlated with the potential to induce leiomyoma formation in rat costo-uterine muscle following chronic exposure to the respective beta-agonists. These results indicate that the isolated rat costo-uterine muscle is a sensitive model for comparing the potency of beta-agonists, and may assist in establishing the risk of costo-uterine leiomyoma formation in chronic rat studies relative to agents such as salbutamol.
Notch-sensitive fracture of polycarbonate

Abstract We have developed a constitutive model and fracture criteria which can capture the competition between the ductile mechanism of inelastic deformation by “shear-yielding” and eventual ductile tearing, typically observed in polycarbonate under states of low triaxial tension, and the brittle cracking phenomenon that is observed in states of high triaxial tension. We have implemented the constitutive model in a finite element computer program which permits the modelling of failure, when user-specified fracture criteria are met, by an element removal technique. We show that our theory, when suitably implemented and calibrated, is able to quantitatively predict the experimentally-observed ductile failure response of blunt-notched beams, as well as the competition between the brittle and ductile mechanisms in more sharply-notched beams of polycarbonate in bending.
Viscoelastic changes and cell opening of reacting polyurethane foams from soy oil

The modulus development of reacting polyurethane foams from modified soy oil (soy polyol) was studied. The reaction and buildup of rheological properties were monitored using vane geometry in a strain-controlled rheometer. Normal force exerted on the vanes by the expanding foam was measured as a function of time to study the phenomenon of cell opening. The effect of foam ingredients and process parameters on the modulus development was investigated. The morphology of the cured foam was studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Experiments were carried out to elucidate the effect of water and addition of petroleum-based polyol on the modulus development of the reacting foam and the morphology of the cured product. The effect of frequency and thermal history on the modulus development of the reacting foam was also studied. Ozonolysis of soybean oil was carried out to study the effect of adding OH groups on the modulus development during the foaming reaction. Four stages of modulus development, similar to those observed for synthetic polyol (voranol, Aldrich Chemicals) foams, were observed. Increase in water content led to an earlier stiffening of the polymer and a higher modulus. Addition of voranol in soy polyol reduced the liquid foam plateau and significantly reduced the reaction time. Ozonolysis of soy oil led to an earlier phase separation as compared with foams from soy polyol. The temperature at which the foaming reaction takes place dominated the rate of modulus buildup. Higher texture (urea aggregates) and an increase in the cell size were observed with an increase in water content for soy polyol foams. Addition of voranol increased the number of open cells. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:1977–1986, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Genetic introgression of ethylene-suppressed transgenic tomatoes with higher-polyamines trait overcomes many unintended effects due to reduced ethylene on the primary metabolome.

Ethylene regulates a myriad physiological and biochemical processes in ripening fruits and is accepted as the ripening hormone for the climacteric fruits. However, its effects on metabolome and resulting fruit quality are not yet fully understood, particularly when some of the ripening-associated biochemical changes are independent of ethylene action. We have generated a homozygous transgenic tomato genotype (2AS-AS) that exhibits reduced ethylene production as a result of impaired expression of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase 2 gene by its antisense RNA and had a longer shelf life. Double transgenic hybrid (2AS-AS x 579HO) developed through a genetic cross between 2AS-AS and 579HO (Mehta et al., 2002) lines resulted in significantly higher ethylene production than either the WT or 2AS-AS fruit. To determine the effects of reduced ethylene and introgression of higher polyamines’ trait, the metabolic profiles of ripening fruits from WT (556AZ), 2AS-AS, and 2AS-AS x 579HO lines were determined using 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The levels of Glu, Asp, AMP, Adenosine, Nucl1 and Nucl2 increased during ripening of the WT fruit. The increases in Glu, Asp, and AMP levels were attenuated in 2AS-AS fruit but recovered in the double hybrid with higher ethylene and polyamine levels. The ripening-associated decreases in Ala, Tyr, Val, Ile, Phe, malate and myo-inositol levels in the 2AS-AS line were not reversed in the double hybrid line suggesting a developmental/ripening regulated accumulation of these metabolites independent of ethylene. Significant increases in the levels of fumarate, formate, choline, Nucl1 and Nucl2 at most stages of ripening fruit were found in the double transgenic line due to introgression with higher-polyamines trait. Taken together these results show that the ripening-associated metabolic changes are both ethylene dependent and independent, and that the fruit metabolome is under the control of multiple regulators, including ethylene and polyamines.
A cool way to make proteins

Cold shock–inducible vectors enable the production of labeled proteins in bacteria for structural and functional studies.
QUICKTALK: a Smalltalk-80 dialect for defining primitive methods

QUICKTALK is a dialect of Smalltalk-80 that can be compiled directly into native machine code, instead of virtual machine bytecodes. The dialect includes “hints” on the class of method arguments, instance variables, and class variables. We designed the dialect to describe primitive Smalltalk methods. QUICKTALK achieves improved performance over bytecodes by eliminating the interpreter loop on bytecode execution, by reducing the number of message send/returns via binding some target methods at compilation, and by eliminating redundant class checking. We identify changes to the Smalltalk-80 system and compiler to support the dialect, and give performance measurements.
Determinants of temporal and areal variation in infant mortality in Germany, 1871–1933

This article investigates how sociodemographic, economic, medical, and public health factors influence infant mortality by using data about German administrative areas from 1871 to 1933. Marital fertility has the largest impact on infant mortality, followed by illegitimacy, medical care, urbanization, and infant welfare centers. The variables considered here account for most of the variation in infant mortality. Some of the unexplained variance is due to factors associated with regions, such as breastfeeding patterns, and with time periods, such as national health insurance. The analyses found no evidence that advances in medical technology affected infant mortality or that the influence of economic development changed over time.
Electrochemical behavior of cold sprayed hydroxyapatite/titanium composite in Hanks’ solution

Abstract A novel approach-cold spraying technique has been successfully used to deposit HAP/Ti composite coating on titanium substrate. The electrochemical corrosion behavior of cold sprayed 20 wt% and 50 wt% HAP/Ti composite coating has been evaluated in a simulated biomedical environment. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy were applied to identify the phases and the morphologies of the coatings. Potentiodynamic polarization and EIS techniques were used to analyze the corrosion behavior in Hanks’ solution. The microhardness measurements and shear punch tests were also conducted to investigate the mechanical property. It was found that cold sprayed 20 wt% HAP/Ti coating showed relatively higher corrosion current than pure Ti and 50 wt% HAP/Ti coating in Hanks’ solution, which indicates a low corrosion resistance. However, the post spray heat treatment improved the corrosion and mechanical properties remarkably. The results obtained in the present work demonstrate suitability of cold spraying technique to manufacture HAP/Ti composite coating on titanium substrate as load-bearing implant material for biomedical applications.
Light transmission through plastic panels in a sunlit phytotron unit

Clear plastic sheet materials were tested in three sizes of chamber for use in phytotron units designed for admission of maximum intensities of sunlight. A small rotating model facilitated studies with sunlight and demonstrated the desirability of rotation for later designs. Double-pane construction of Plexiglas in diffusing and light-directing patterns, with minimum obstruction of light, offered good thermal insulation and minimum shadows. The large room examined has a roof sloping 23°, an area of 12 ft 8 in × 16 ft 9 in and height of 9–13 ft for plant space. It provides good temperature control over a wide range of temperatures (40–120° F), with sunlight intensities of 43, 52 and 87% of those outdoors, averaged over the day, for summer, equinox and winter, respectively. Average intensities are uniform for all seasons. Intensities are distinctly higher than for rooms with glass blocks studied earlier, with considerable uniformity among areas and heights within the room. Window and roof areas reciprocate effectively at different times of day. Power consumption for operation of air-conditioning is very moderate in relation to light received. Light quality is excellent for plant growth.
Rise and decline of the water table induced by vertical recharge

Abstract A system composed of an unconfined aquifer bounded by two streams or drains is considered in which the drains completely cut through the depth of the aquifer. The water levels in the drains are assumed to be at equal elevation. The aquifer receives either time-varying or uniform vertical recharge. The system is characterized also by the constancy of the hydraulic conductivity and specific yield of the aquifer and the validity of the Dupuit-Forchheimer assumptions. Analytical solutions are developed for the rise, decline, and maximum height of the water table. The solutions are expressed in terms of the weighted mean of the depth of saturation. A procedure for estimating the weighted average depth of the flow medium is presented.
Determinants of Third World Hostility Toward the United States An Exploratory Analysis

The article examines a set of hypothesized determinants of hostile foreign policy stances emanating from the Third World in an attempt to derive simple models accounting for their targeting toward the international system in general and toward the United States in particular, as well as for the ratio of the latter to the former. The first two classes of hostility seem to obey very similar causal mechanisms. Relative deprivation assessed through intertemporal comparisons of one's value positions is found to be a good predictor of hostility as are defense expenditures and, to a lesser extent, domestic instability. The proportion of hostility preferentially directed toward the United States has been less successfully predicted although links of a military-political character would seem to be a more likely determinant than those of a more economic nature.
Linking policy and outcomes: A simulation model of poverty incidence

Many states are striving to meet public demand for accountability by “benchmarking”—setting social goals for the state and tracking progress in meeting the goals. However, states are finding it difficult to set realistic targets and to assess the impacts of policy on achievement of the targets without a framework that models the relationships among policy targets, policy actions and social and economic forces outside the control of policymakers. This paper develops a dynamic simulation model of one “benchmark” (poverty incidence) in Oregon, linking transitions into and out of poverty to various events (increased earnings, or having a child as a teenager, for example), and linking these events to policy. The simulation results suggest that, with current policies, Oregon will come close to achieving its poverty benchmark target of 11 percent by the year 2000 if economic conditions remain favorable. The model is used to examine the impact on poverty incidence of three policy strategies: reducing high school dropout and teen pregnancy rates, increasing the effectiveness of social support programs to JOBS participants, and boosting job growth. The simulation results suggest that when assessing the state's performance or “grading” the observed trend in the poverty benchmark, policymakers should take into account the performance of the state (and national) economy. The impact of policy efforts to reduce poverty is limited because many poverty spells are caused largely by events not affected by current state policies.
TH-C-18A-07: A Software Tool for Automated Analysis of CT Quality Assurance Phantoms.

Purpose: Automated software can save time, reduce cost and minimize human error in the analysis of quality-assurance phantom images. The goal of this work was to develop a software tool to facilitate an efficient, enterprise-wide, CT quality-assurance program and to perform the daily water QC tests recommended by the ACR. Methods: The QC software was developed in Matlab and includes tools for automating analysis of the daily water phantom and all four modules of the ACR CT phantom. The daily water phantom analysis follows guidelines from the ACR's 2012 CT quality control manual, which requires ROI analysis in the center and leading/trailing image of an image stack of both axial and helical acquisitions. A DICOM receiver on a dedicated workstation was configured to run the software automatically after receiving phantom images from a scanner. Results are added to a Matlab structure that serves as a database for tracking data trends, and a standardized report is automatically generated. Performance of the automated ACR phantom analysis was compared to that of trained observers for two tasks requiring subjective user decisions (slice thickness and high-contrast spatial resolution tasks). Images with multiple slice thicknesses and reconstruction kernels were evaluated by two observers and their results compared to the automated analyses. Results: As part of an ongoing pilot study, preliminary tests of the software have been performed on two scanners. Results are available within seconds of scanning the QC phantom. In the human observer study, the software-estimated slice thickness was within +/− 0.5 mm and the highest frequency bar pattern was within +/− 1 line pairs/cm. Conclusion: The developed software provides a robust tool for efficiently managing quality assurance of a large number of scanners. The workflow features an efficient web-based design that automatically analyzes QC images sent from the scanner and generates user-customizable reports.
Electron spin relaxation and rotational dynamics of tetramethylethylene radical cation in ZSM5

Abstract Electron spin relaxation and methyl rotation dynamics of the tetramethylethylene radical cation in ZSM5 were examined to probe the zeolite–guest and sorbate–sorbate interactions. T 1 and T 2 relaxation times and the intensity of the E lines due to tunneling rotation of methyl groups were measured as a function of temperature, sorbate loading and co-adsorbed argon. The EPR results demonstrate that site heterogeneity and sorbate-induced lattice distortions can affect the measured quantities. Sorbate–sorbate interactions, when they occur, can also be detected.
Evaluation of occupational dust control technology in cottonseed oil mills

Occupational cotton dust control technology was evaluated in 10 oil mills throughout the cotton belt of the U.S. This evaluation was restricted to mechanical portions of each mill: seed cleaning, delintering, hulling and separating, and linter baling. Based on the process machinery observed in these mills, a 500 ton/day model cottonseed oil mill was designed. The occupational dust control systems for this mill were based on current state-of-the-art technology observed during this project. Further improvements based on readily available air pollution control devices have been incorporated. In order to achieve minimal respirable dust concentrations in the mill, all dust emission points have been enclosed to the maximal extent consistent with efficient plant operations. The various processing areas in the mill were designed with negative pressure dust control systems separate from the general ventilation system. The dust control system includes coarse dust removal by high-efficiency cyclones whose effluent discharges into pulse-jet fabric filter bag-houses operated at an air-to-cloth ratio of 20:1. The emission control system for saw-type delinter systems were divided into small units to reduce the deleterious effects of fires.