cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alcohol Interventions for Mandated Students: Behavioral Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effectiveness of three single-session interventions with high-risk mandated students while considering the influence of motivational interviewing (MI) microskills. METHOD: This randomized, controlled pilot trial evaluated single-session interventions: Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP), Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) feedback sessions, and treatment-as-usual Alcohol Diversion Program (ADP) educational groups. Participants were 61 full-time undergraduates at a southern U.S. campus sanctioned to a clinical program following violation of an on-campus alcohol policy (Mage = 19.16 years; 42.6% female). RESULTS: RESULTS revealed a significant effect of time for reductions in estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) and number of weekly drinks but not in alcohol-related consequences. Although ASTP and BASICS participants reported significant decreases in eBAC over time, ADP participant levels did not change (with no intervention effects on quantity or consequences). MI microskills were not related to outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: RESULTS from this study suggest equivalent behavioral impacts for the MI-based interventions, although individual differences in outcome trajectories suggest that research is needed to further customize mandated interventions. Given the overall decrease in eBAC following the sanction, the lack of reduction in the ADP condition warrants caution when using education-only interventions. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 76, 31-37, 2015). Language: en
INFORMATION SCIENCE OBSERVED: NEW MEDIA AND PRODUCTIVITY IN A GROUP OF UK PRACTITIONERS

The paper presents the results of the author's recent study of new media and productivity in a group of UK information scientists. The journal article was the primary focus of the study. Publishing was modelled in terms of stakeholder groups and analysed using a methodology from systems design, with the discipline of information science interpreted as a virtual site. The methodology used was qualitative, as the author intended to capture perceptions of social and economic practice, as well as descriptions of that practice. The outcome of the analysis is a profile of the group who were observed which is grounded in their perceptions of the publishing process, their perceptions of the research process, and their working habits.
Hospital-based employees' opinions about adolescents of four racial—Ethnic groups

We obtained opinions about adolescents' characteristics and behaviors from 290 employees of a medical school and its hospitals. Employees were asked for their opinions about 4 positive, 2 neutral, and 6 negative characteristics and about 5 sexual, 8 substance use, and 5 relationship behaviors. Most employees were willing to characterize adolescents in general, but fewer were willing to express opinions about white, black, Mexican-American or Oriental teens in particular. There was poor correspondence between the general adolescent ratings, the ratings of the racial—ethnic groups, and reports in the literature. The respondents, unable to accurately describe white and black teens, could not characterize Mexican-American teens and characterized Oriental teens predominantly in the category "least likely to behave this way." The data suggest that adults' stereotyping of adolescents' behaviors and characteristics is common and suggests the need for programs to better inform adults about adolescents.
Simulating multiphase flow in porous media on KSR-1 parallel computers

Abstract This paper discusses implementation of a parallel numerical algorithm for simulating multiphase flow in porous media, with application to reservoir simulations. The flow is described by a system of two coupled nonlinear PDEs which is discretized by the finite difference scheme and linearized by the Newton's method. Different implementations on the latest KSR-1 parallel computers are discussed to demonstrate the performance improvement by using different parallelization strategies; automatic parallelization, semi-automatic parallelization, and manual parallelization. Timing results show that good speedup can be achieved by using compiler directive on this type of architecture.
Creating Illusions of Knowledge: Learning Errors that Contradict Prior Knowledge.

Most people know that the Pacific is the largest ocean on Earth and that Edison invented the light bulb. Our question is whether this knowledge is stable, or if people will incorporate errors into their knowledge bases, even if they have the correct knowledge stored in memory. To test this, we asked participants general-knowledge questions 2 weeks before they read stories that contained errors (e.g., "Franklin invented the light bulb"). On a later general-knowledge test, participants reproduced story errors despite previously answering the questions correctly. This misinformation effect was found even for questions that were answered correctly on the initial test with the highest level of confidence. Furthermore, prior knowledge offered no protection against errors entering the knowledge base; the misinformation effect was equivalent for previously known and unknown facts. Errors can enter the knowledge base even when learners have the knowledge necessary to catch the errors.
Evaluation of the Symptom Representation Questionnaire (SRQ) for Assessing Cancer-Related Symptoms

Multidimensional, multisymptom approaches to cancer symptom assessment and management have been emphasized across health disciplines. However, each dimension that is assessed significantly increases patient/subject burden. Efficient, reliable, and valid assessment of the critical dimensions of patients' most salient symptoms is important in clinical and research settings. The Symptom Representation Questionnaire (SRQ), derived from information processing theory, assesses critical cognitive and emotional factors that are known to influence coping and outcomes. The SRQ was developed and evaluated in a three-phase process: (1) item selection, modification, and review by theoretical and clinical experts; (2) pilot evaluation of feasibility and psychometric properties; and (3) large sample psychometric evaluation. In Phase 3, members (n=713) of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition participated via mailed surveys. Internal consistency was good for all subscales (alpha=0.63-0.88). The internal structure of the SRQ was theoretically consistent except that emotional representation, identity, and consequence items all loaded onto a single factor. Between-group comparisons supported construct validity: Representations differed between long-term survivors and women with active disease. Finally, there were significant correlations between SRQ subscales and Symptom Interference and Life Satisfaction. The SRQ appears to be a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing representations of cancer-related symptoms. This instrument could play an essential role in advancing knowledge of the relationships among representations of symptoms, symptom management processes, and symptom-related outcomes. It could also be used in intervention research when changes in symptom representations are hypothesized to mediate changes in outcomes as a result of psychoeducational interventions.
DISXPERT: A rule-based vocational rehabilitation risk assessment system

Abstract This paper reports on the development and implementation of DISXPERT, a rule-based expert system tool for referral of social security disability recipients to vocational rehabilitation services. The growing use of paraprofessionals as caseworkers responsible for assessment in the social services area provides fertile domain areas for the application of expert systems technology. The main function of DISXPERT is to provide support to paraprofessional caseworkers in reaching unbiased and consistent assessment decisions regarding referral of clients to vocational rehabilitation services. DISXPERT was tested by vocational rehabilitation domain experts using actual social security disability case data. A controlled experiment demonstrated that paraprofessionals using DISXPERT made assessments in less time and with a level of accuracy comparable to the vocational rehabilitation domain professionals using manual methods. This paper discusses the background, design, implementation and validation of DISXPERT, and presents ideas for future work.
Probabilistic procedure for wood-frame roof sheathing panel debris impact to windows in hurricanes

Abstract The assessment of losses during extreme events such as hurricanes is important for performance-based design of residential buildings. In this paper, a methodology for estimating the probability of debris impact, specifically roof sheathing panels, to windows as a result of hurricanes is introduced and applied to a series of illustrative examples. The methodology is a combination of approaches on flat plate trajectories, numerical hurricane modeling, and statistical analysis of structural capacity. Within this methodology, one can estimate the probability of impact for one or more windows in a certain house group as a hurricane approaches and passes on a deterministic track as defined by the center of its eye. The impact probability is analyzed for each hour making up the full hurricane duration rather than a single analysis using the blended (total) hurricane statistics. An illustration of the method is presented through an assessment of windborne debris impacts to windows in a house group located near the US Gulf coast using a hurricane having the same track as hurricane Katrina in 2005. As a result, the probability of each window being hit by a roof sheathing panel (RSP) during each hour of the hurricane as well as during each of the example hurricanes is presented. The results quantify the probability from hour to hour during a hurricane and will provide a more accurate estimate of the probability and timing of pressurization of buildings for total loss estimation including rainwater intrusion volumes.
Sustained Firing of Model Central Auditory Neurons Yields a Discriminative Spectro-temporal Representation for Natural Sounds

The processing characteristics of neurons in the central auditory system are directly shaped by and reflect the statistics of natural acoustic environments, but the principles that govern the relationship between natural sound ensembles and observed responses in neurophysiological studies remain unclear. In particular, accumulating evidence suggests the presence of a code based on sustained neural firing rates, where central auditory neurons exhibit strong, persistent responses to their preferred stimuli. Such a strategy can indicate the presence of ongoing sounds, is involved in parsing complex auditory scenes, and may play a role in matching neural dynamics to varying time scales in acoustic signals. In this paper, we describe a computational framework for exploring the influence of a code based on sustained firing rates on the shape of the spectro-temporal receptive field (STRF), a linear kernel that maps a spectro-temporal acoustic stimulus to the instantaneous firing rate of a central auditory neuron. We demonstrate the emergence of richly structured STRFs that capture the structure of natural sounds over a wide range of timescales, and show how the emergent ensembles resemble those commonly reported in physiological studies. Furthermore, we compare ensembles that optimize a sustained firing code with one that optimizes a sparse code, another widely considered coding strategy, and suggest how the resulting population responses are not mutually exclusive. Finally, we demonstrate how the emergent ensembles contour the high-energy spectro-temporal modulations of natural sounds, forming a discriminative representation that captures the full range of modulation statistics that characterize natural sound ensembles. These findings have direct implications for our understanding of how sensory systems encode the informative components of natural stimuli and potentially facilitate multi-sensory integration.
On the Possibility of Profitable Self‐Selection Contracts in Competitive Insurance Markets

Several studies extend the Rothschild–Stiglitz model of competitive insurance contracting with adverse selection by incorporating additional dimensions of private information and conclude that some insurers may earn positive profit in a separating, self-selection equilibrium, provided each insurer is restricted to making a single contract offer. The main result of this article is that these profitable configurations are not sustainable when individual insurers can offer multiple contracts. It is also shown that the ability to offer multiple contracts overturns equilibria that have applicants from different risk classes pooled as well as those where profits are dissipated by a fixed entry cost.
Bi-directional LR parsing from an anchor word for speech recognition

This paper introduces a new technique of parsing sentences from an arbitrary word which is highly reliable or semantically important. This technique adopts an efficient LR parsing method and uses a reverse LR table constructed besides a standard LR table. This technique is particularly suitable in parsing a lattice of words hypothesized by a speech recognition module. If we choose anchor symbols in such a way that they are almost always acoustically reliable, the bi-directional LR parsing performs better against misrecognized words than the regular left-to-right LR parser, while most of the LR efficiency is preserved. A pilot implementation shows a 43% reduction of the error rate against the left-to-right LR method in parsing the speech input.
Lack of influence of patient self-report of pain intensity on administration of opioids for suspected long-bone fractures.

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to prospectively investigate the extent to which emergency providers base their decisions about pain management of suspected long-bone fracture on patient’s self-reported pain intensity. Of 100 long-bone fracture patients presenting to 2 inner-city emergency departments, 69% received opioids as compared to 30% of 110 patients without long-bone fracture (RR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.6 to 3.1). After stratification by pain ratings on a validated self-reported numerical rating scale, fracture patients remained twice as likely to receive opioids as those without fracture (RR = 2.0; 95% CI 1.5 to 2.7). Similarly, multivariate adjustment for self-reported pain intensity had little effect on the observed association (RR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.6 to 2.8). We conclude that emergency providers do not primarily base their decisions about pain management of suspected long-bone fractures on patient self-reporting of pain intensity. Perspective This article addresses the question of the role of self-reported pain intensity rating on the treatment of suspected fractures. The findings indicate that self-reported pain is not used as the most important measure of pain as recommended by expert panels. We speculate this may contribute to oligoanalgesia in the Emergency Department.
Protection against intense light. I. Discussion of the usual mechanisms of energy dissipation

The relative thermal protection offered by a series of halogenated vinyl polymers is discussed in terms of the usual modes of energy attenuation and dissipation, such as reflection, endothermic decomposition, etc. It is shown that none of these modes is so overwhelming that it alone can account for the relative thermal protection offered by these polymers.
The ethical quandaries of acute care nursing practice

This study explored the perceptions of nurses employed in acute care nursing regarding the ethical quandaries in which they find themselves involved on a recurrent basis. Sixty-five female nurses volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected over a 2-year period at four institutions. Qualitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data. Three categories were derived from the situational conditions described. These were exploitation, ie, nurses' concern with the inhumane treatment of seriously ill patients; exclusion, ie, the lack of attention paid to patient wishes in treatment decisions; and anguish, ie, the powerlessness and frustration felt by nurses involved in ethical situations. It was concluded that in an era of escalating, complex dilemmas, nurses are willing and motivated to engage in ethical decision-making situations, particularly when the comfort or rights of their patients are involved. The environmental barriers to this practice, however, are staggering. The barriers identified included lack of support or poorly defined mechanisms of support, time pressures, personal concerns over security, and hierarchic forces within the institution. Nurses' inability to act on behalf of patients or with regard to their individual conscience may be contributing to high turnover rates and the nursing shortage, particularly in those areas with high use of technology.
Survival Effects of Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy After Resection for Pancreatic Carcinoma

Background The survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy alone or chemoradiotherapy in patients with pancreatic cancer who have undergone surgical resection remains unclear. Objective To identify the additional benefit of adjuvant therapy by retrospectively examining a large population-based registry of patients who underwent definitive surgical resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Design and Setting The Florida cancer registry and state inpatient and outpatient hospital data records were queried for pancreatic adenocarcinoma diagnosed between 1998 and 2002. Patients A total of 2877 patients who underwent surgical resection with curative intent for pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified. Main Outcome Measure Overall survival time. Results Overall, 58.7% of patients were older than 65 years. Most patients were white (90.7%), were non-Hispanic (86.7%), and did not consume alcohol abusively (89.2%). Approximately half of the patients (51.9%) did not receive chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Approximately 25.0% of the patients underwent chemoradiotherapy, and 10.0% received chemotherapy alone. Patients were more frequently treated at low-volume centers (57.6%) and nonteaching facilities (72.8%). Multivariate analysis correcting for patient comorbidities demonstrated that postoperative chemoradiotherapy (hazard ratio = 0.69, P = .04) and treatment at high-volume centers (hazard ratio = 0.85, P P Conclusions Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was found to provide a significant additional survival benefit to surgical resection for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, this benefit is independent of the additional survival advantage when patients are treated at teaching facilities or high-volume centers. Although selection bias may be contributing to the observed differences, these data nonetheless support the use of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for pancreatic cancer.
Design, Simulation, and Experimental Study of Far-Field Beam-Forming Techniques Using Conformal Waveguide Arrays

Abstract Phased-array antennas have been employed for decades in numerous applications, such as radar, cellular communications, and satellite systems. Satellite links, for example, may require high-gain microwave beams with overall wide area coverage. Phased-array antennas for such an application can typically control position and beam width of individual sectoral patterns within the coverage region. This article presents an economical alternative in a conformal array antenna of open-ended rectangular waveguides, which can generate either multi-beam or single-beam patterns by switching control to different radiator configurations within the array structure. In the implementation to be presented, the conformal array property is realized by an axial shift of the array elements. This provides additional control over multi-beam coverage area and intensity taper. In this article, four array configurations are presented with experimental and simulated results that are shown to be in close agreement.
Synchronisation of canine germinal vesicle stage oocytes prior to in vitro maturation alters the kinetics of nuclear progression during subsequent resumption of meiosis

Inhibition of meiosis before in vitro maturation (IVM) can improve meiotic competence in immature mammalian oocytes. Therefore, meiosis-inhibiting agents were evaluated singularly for the ability to arrest and synchronise germinal vesicle (GV) stage canine oocytes, and the most effective treatments were combined to improve meiotic resumption rates. Oocytes cultured in 2 ng mL(-1) oestradiol (E2), 10 IU mL(-1) eCG, or both (EG) for 72 h resulted in significantly fewer oocytes resuming meiosis in EG than the control, E2, or with eCG. Oocytes cultured in 50 or 100 micromol L(-1) of butyrolactone 1 or roscovitine (ROS) for up to 48 h did not resume meiosis nor increase subsequent meiotic resumption rates following IVM. A combination of 50 micromol L(-1) ROS and EG treatment for 48 h significantly increased the proportion of canine oocytes in meiotic arrest. More importantly, following 48 h of IVM, ROS+EG-treated oocytes demonstrated a dramatic increase in the ability to resume meiosis compared with the non-treated controls (51.3 +/- 8.2% and 10.8 +/- 4.5%, respectively; P < 0.05). These data indicate that chemical and biological meiotic inhibitors are effective at inducing GV arrest in canine oocytes. Furthermore, these inhibitors are reversible and beneficial to subsequent meiotic resumption in vitro.
Neighborhood Satisfaction and Safety: A Study of a Low-Income Ethnic Area

The aims of this study were (1) to test theories related to neighborhood satisfaction and safety and (2) to address planning and policy questions raised by a proposal for controls on development in San Francisco's Chinatown. Findings of an interview sample survey supported the urban scale, compositional, quality of local conditions, and urban anonymity perspectives. Results revealed a relationship between high population density/commercial development and lowered levels of neighborhood satisfaction as well as a relationship between increased building density and lesser feelings of safety in one's neighborhood. Increased development would be expected to exacerbate undesirable environmental qualities of the area and potentially destroy the ethnic enclave nature of the community. The margin of "affordable error" was judged to be small given the following factors: (1) lack of alternatives for this low income, nonmobile, immigrant, and Chinese monolingual population, (2) lower level of neighborhood satisfactio...
Mechanics of Ambulation With Standard and Spring-Loaded Crutches

Abstract Segura A, Piazza SJ. Mechanics of ambulation with standard and spring-loaded crutches. Objective To compare kinetic measures and spatiotemporal variables assessed during walking with standard axillary crutches and spring-loaded crutches. Design A repeated-measures design in which healthy subjects walked with both standard and spring-loaded crutches. Setting Biomechanics research laboratory. Participants Ten healthy young adult volunteers participated. Only female volunteers between 154.9 and 175.3cm in stature were selected to fit the size of the crutches used. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measures were kinetic variables such as ground reaction force, rate of force rise, and impulse and spatiotemporal variables such as stride length, stride time, and percentage of stride spent in stance. Results The rate of ground reaction force rise and impulse of the ground reaction force (both P P =.001) with spring-loaded crutches. The stride time was increased with spring-loaded crutches ( P =.005), but the stride length did not differ significantly ( P =.465). Conclusions The use of spring-loaded crutches altered the mechanics of crutch gait in ways that are likely to reduce overuse injury in crutch users. Further study of spring-loaded crutches is warranted, especially with respect to their energetic efficiency.
Complications of the hot biopsy forceps technique

Hot biopsy forceps technique involves the use of insulated monopolar electrocoagulating forceps to simultaneously biopsy and electrocoagulate tissue. It has been recommended for removal of diminutive polyps and treatment of vascular ectasias of the gastrointestinal tract. The extent of its use and associated complications have not been delineated. This study evaluated the practice of 517 endoscopists. Seventy-one percent (369 endoscopists) used hot biopsy forceps and reported 117 complications, including 85 episodes of bleeding, 19 perforations, and one death. While the overall complication rate was less than that previously reported for colonoscopic polypectomy, 87% of colon perforations occurred on the right side. Factors that may have been important in the development of complications included the degree and length of current application. Adherence to suggested limitations in current application and use of proper technique should result in fewer complications.
Preferences of Husbands and Wives for Prostate Cancer Screening

The benefits of screening for prostate cancer are uncertain. Outcomes of treatment are particularly important to couples because they challenge the most intimate aspects of a couple's relationship. This study used clinical decision analysis to explore the preferences of 10 couples for prostate cancer screening. The decision-analytic model found that 7 of 10 husbands preferred the no screening strategy, while 9 of 10 wives preferred screening for their husbands. Wives associated little burden with complications of treatment, preferring to maximize their husbands' quantity of life regardless of complications. The issue of who is the decision maker is paramount in the case of prostate cancer screening. Optimal screening strategies may differ for husbands and wives. Guidelines for prostate cancer screening and management should consider assessing preferences on an individual couple basis.
A simple numerical solution procedure for statics problems involving arbitrary-shaped surfaces

A simple and efficient numerical procedure is presented for determining the static charge distribution on arbitrary-shaped surfaces. Surfaces are modeled by planar triangular subdomains in which the charge density is assumed to be constant. The method of moments is employed to calculate the charge distribution on the surface.
Performance of some multiple testing procedures to compare three doses of a test drug and placebo

A study design with two or more doses of a test drug and placebo is frequently used in clinical drug development. Multiplicity issues arise when there are multiple comparisons between doses of test drug and placebo, and also when there are comparisons of doses with one another. An appropriate analysis strategy needs to be specified in advance to avoid spurious results through insufficient control of Type I error, as well as to avoid the loss of power due to excessively conservative adjustments for multiplicity. For evaluation of alternative strategies with possibly complex management of multiplicity, we compare the performance of several testing procedures through the simulated data that represent various patterns of treatment differences. The purpose is to identify which methods perform better or more robustly than the others and under what conditions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural Obstacles to Grassroots Pastoral Practice: The Case of a Base Community in Urban Brazil*

Base Christian Communities (CEBs) represented a key element in progressive Catholicism in Latin America, particularly in Brazil where they attained a high level of development. This article examines the evolutiom of a CEB in the periphery of Rio de Janeiro, exploring the obstacles to the production, circulation, and reception of the progressive Catholic message. While tensions and contradictions within the CEB contributed to its decline, they had deleterious effects only when they were conditioned by external processes such as the Vatican restoration and the economic crisis Brazil faced beginning in the mid-I 980s. These macro processes exacerbated tensions between the pastoral agent and lay people and among different lay factions. They also disempowered the core of activists in the CEB. The paper concludes by challenging recent readings of the 'crisis' of Brazilian CEBs and by arguing for the need to place local religious dynamics in their proper institutional and structural context.
On the propagation of long waves in acoustically treated, curved ducts

A two‐dimensional, detailed study is presented on the behavior of long waves in lined, curved ducts. The analysis includes a comparison between the propagation in curved and straight ducts. A parametric study was conducted over a range of wall admittance and duct wall separation. The complex eigenvalues of the characteristic equation, which in the case of a curved duct are also the angular wavenumbers, have been obtained by successive approximations.
Wait, what? Assessing stereotype incongruities using the N400 ERP component

Numerous discoveries regarding stereotypes have been uncovered by utilizing techniques and methods developed by cognitive psychologists. The present study continues this tradition by borrowing psychophysiological techniques used for the study of memory and language, and applying them to the study of stereotypes. In this study, participants were primed with either the gender category ’Women’ or ’Men’, followed by a word which was either consistent with gender stereotypes (e.g. Women: Nurturing) or inconsistent (e.g. Women: Aggressive). Their task was to indicate whether the words matched or did not match, according to gender stereotypes. Both response times and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded during performance of the task. As predicted, stereotype incongruent word pairs were associated with larger N400 ERP amplitudes and slower response times, relative to congruent word pairs. The potential utility of this approach as an independent measure of stereotypes is discussed.
Mate fidelity and breeding site tenacity in a monogamous sandpiper, the black turnstone.

We examined the relationship between mate fidelity and breeding site tenacity during a 5-year study of the black turnstone, Arenaria melanocephala, a socially monogamous sandpiper breeding in subArctic Alaska. We tested the predictions of several hypotheses regarding the incidence of divorce and the benefits of fidelity to mate and breeding site. Interannual return rates to the breeding grounds (88% for males, 79% for females) were among the highest yet recorded for any scolopacid sandpiper, and 88% of returning birds nested on their previous year’s territory. The annual divorce rate was only 11%, and mate fidelity was significantly linked to fidelity to territory but independent of sex and year. Males arrived in spring significantly earlier than their mates and interannual fidelity was influenced by the relative timing of arrival of pair members. Reunited pairs had significantly higher fledging success than new pairs formed after death or divorce. The incidence of divorce was unrelated to reproductive success the previous year, although birds nested significantly further away after failure than after a successful nesting attempt. Sightings of marked individuals suggested that members of pairs do not winter together, and breeding site tenacity provides a mechanism through which pair members can reunite. We reject the ‘incompatibility’ hypothesis for divorce in turnstones, and our data contradict predictions of the ‘better option’ hypothesis. Alternatively, we propose the ‘bet-hedging’ hypothesis to explain the occurrence of divorce, which transpires when an individual pairs with a new mate to avoid the cost of waiting for a previous mate to return. Such costs can include remaining unmated, if the former mate has died, or experiencing lower reproductive success because of delayed breeding.
Non‐scale Models of Economic Growth

Growth models that incorporate non-rivalry and/or externalities imply that the size of an economy may influence its long-run growth rate. Such implied scale effects run counter to empirical evidence. This paper develops a general growth model to examine conditions under which balanced growth is void of scale effects. The model is general enough to replicate well known exogenous, as well as endogenous, (non-) scale models. We derive a series of propositions that show that these conditions for non-scale balanced growth can be grouped into three categories that pertain to (i) functional forms, (ii) the production structure, and (iii) returns to scale.
Border effects in the variability of rice price in the Indian subcontinent: Results from a natural experiment

The presence of a national border seems to increase the variability of consumer price for cross-border locations. Most of the empirical studies have been conducted in a with or without a border framework. Researchers compared price variation at locations in different countries with price variation at locations within a country. We adopted a complementary before and after a border framework. Prices at locations under different political regimes in different time periods were used to examine whether the creation of national borders is of any significance in consumer price variability. We found the price variability of rice for cross border city pairs increased significantly during the Pakistan period – when the Indian Subcontinent was composed of two independent countries – while it increased slightly during the Bangladesh period when the same geographic region was composed of three different countries.
P195 Case Series: How Useful Are Fleischner Guidelines For Nodule Surveillance in a District General Hospital?

Background Surveillance of pulmonary nodules aims to identify early-stage lung cancers where radical therapy can offer cure. Interval CT scans track nodule characteristics with Fleischner criteria commonly used in an attempt to standardise care. There remains debate regarding the applicability of Fleischner guidance in populations of UK patients that can differ substantially from those included in existing studies that define the Fleischner recommendations. Objectives Audit compliance of pulmonary nodule follow up with Fleischner Guidelines. Compare local outcomes with those used to create Fleischner guidelines. Compare local compliance with published compliance. Methods Patients referred to a specialist respiratory nurse service for pulmonary nodule surveillance since 2008 (including patients already under surveillance) with opportunity for 2 years of completed follow-up were included with retrospective review of the nodule database/electronic records and imaging. Patients were risk stratified according to nodule size and Fleischner risk category (e.g. smoking). Results 111 patients under surveillance were identified of whom 56 were Male and 55 Female with median age 67 (34–91) years. 67 were solitary and 44 were multiple. Patients were stratified to Low- and High-risk groups according to main nodule size: (L1–4 or H1–4 respectively). Each group included; High-risk: H1 ( 4–6mm) 25, H3 (>6–8mm) 19 and H4 (>8mm) 36 cases and Low-risk: L1 ( 4–6mm) 5, L3 (>6–8mm) 4 and L4 (>8mm) 3 cases. 89 patients completed standard follow-up and were discharged. Positive scans included Lung tumours (3) - (two underwent lobectomy); Aspergilloma (1); Rectal carcinoma (1)- discovered by non-Fleischner abdominal CT. Surveillance was discontinued for: Patient choice/co-morbidity (8); Nodule resolution (3); Not documented/lost (6). Conclusion Fleischner guidelines were well adhered to and were also utilised where their application is less well defined e.g. development of a new nodule during follow-up prompted either re-initiation or more commonly continued/modified trajectory of Fleischner - an area notably not well covered in current guidance. Furthermore principals of Fleischner recommendations were applied to multiple nodules but management of such patients is often not as easily followed as solitary nodules. MacMahon et al, University of Chicago, Radiology 2005; 237:295–400.
Reduced offsets for minimization of binary-valued functions

A modified approach to two-level logic minimization is described which obviates the need to compute the offset, yet provides the same global picture available with the offset. This approach is based on a new concept called the reduced offset. It is shown that reduced offsets can be computed without using the offset. This scheme has been implemented in ESPRESSO with an interface to the multilevel minimization environment MIS, where it is used to minimize individual nodes (representing two-level functions with single outputs) in multilevel networks. Such functions usually have very large offsets because of a large number of variables in their don't care sets. The modified approach is up to 8.5 times faster than ESPRESSO on a set of benchmark examples. >
A progressive two-stage global routing for macro-cell based designs

We propose a two-stage global routing algorithm based on mixed integer programming and a novel network-flow model. Results from various test cases including a subset of routes on a commercial 64-bit microprocessor core show that our method outperforms commercial CCT router. On average, we achieved 29% less delay violations, 40% less repeater usage on resulting routing-trees, 20% less maximum delay violation and better congestion distribution.
People and Their Pets: A Relational Perspective on Interpersonal Complementarity and Attachment in Companion Animal Owners

The current study evaluated the interpersonal circumplex as a theoretical model of companion animal personality and companion animal attachment. To this end, the study surveyed 266 companion animal guardians (owners)—89 reporting their most recent pet a cat and 177 reporting their most recent pet a dog—to assess the relationships between interpersonal complementarity and companion animal attachment. The study used MANOVA to evaluate differences in interpersonal traits for cats, dogs, and people who self-identified that cats or dogs were their ideal pets. Results indicated that cats—and people who identified cats as their ideal pet—were more hostile in their orientation than were dogs or people who preferred dogs. In hierarchical regression-analysis, the study also confirmed the positive relationship between interpersonal complementarity and companion-animal attachment.
Zero point energy on extra dimensions: Noncommutative torus

In this paper we calculate the zero point energy density experienced by observers on ${\mathcal{M}}^{4}$ due to a massless scalar field defined throughout ${\mathcal{M}}^{4}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{\mathbf{T}}_{F}^{2}$, where ${\mathbf{T}}_{F}^{2}$ are fuzzy extra dimensions. Using the Green's function approach we calculate the energy density for the commutative torus and the fuzzy torus. We also calculate the energy density for the fuzzy torus using the Hamiltonian approach. Agreement is shown between the Green's function and Hamiltonian approaches.
From Malthus to Ohlin: Trade, Industrialisation and Distribution Since 1500

A recent endogenous growth literature has focused on the transition from a Malthusian world where real wages were linked to factor endowments, to one where modern growth has broken that link. In this paper we present evidence on another, related phenomenon: the dramatic reversal in distributional trends—from a steep secular fall to a steep secular rise in wage-land rent ratios—which occurred some time early in the 19th century. What explains this reversal? While it may seem logical to locate the causes in the Industrial Revolutionary forces emphasized by endogenous growth theorists, we provide evidence that something else mattered just as much: the opening up of the European economy to international trade.
Lower fitness of hatchery and hybrid rainbow trout compared to naturalized populations in Lake Superior tributaries

We have documented an early life survival advantage by naturalized populations of anadromous rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss over a more recently introduced hatchery population and outbreeding depression resulting from interbreeding between the two strains. We tested the hypothesis that offspring of naturalized and hatchery trout, and reciprocal hybrid crosses, survive equally from fry to age 1+ in isolated reaches of Lake Superior tributary streams in Minnesota. Over the first summer, offspring of naturalized females had significantly greater survival than offspring of hatchery females in three of four comparisons (two streams and 2 years of stocking). Having an entire naturalized genome, not just a naturalized mother, was important for survival over the first winter. Naturalized offspring outperformed all others in survival to age 1+ and hybrids had reduced, but intermediate, survival relative to the two pure crosses. Averaging over years and streams, survival relative to naturalized offspring was 0.59 for hybrids with naturalized females, 0.37 for the reciprocal hybrids, and 0.21 for hatchery offspring. Our results indicate that naturalized rainbow trout are better adapted to the conditions of Minnesota's tributaries to Lake Superior so that they outperform the hatchery-propagated strain in the same manner that many native populations of salmonids outperform hatchery or transplanted fish. Continued stocking of the hatchery fish may conflict with a management goal of sustaining the naturalized populations.
Improvement of Bias and Generalizability for Computer-Aided Diagnostic Schemes

Computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) schemes have been developed for assisting radiologists in the detection of various lesions in medical images. The reliable evaluation of CAD schemes is as important as the development of such schemes in the field of CAD research. In the past, many evaluation approaches, such as the resubstitution, leave-one-out, cross-validation, and hold-out methods, have been proposed for evaluating the performance of various CAD schemes. However, some important issues in the evaluation of CAD schemes have not been analyzed systematically, either theoretically or experimentally. Such important issues include (1) the analysis and comparison of various evaluation methods in terms of some characteristics, in particular, the bias and the generalization performance of trained CAD schemes; (2) the analysis of pitfalls in the incorrect use of various evaluation methods and the effective approaches to reduction of the bias and variance caused by these pitfalls; (3) the improvement of generalizability for CAD schemes trained with limited datasets. This article consists of a series of three closely related studies that address the above three issues. We believe that this article will be useful to researchers in the field of CAD research who can improve the bias and generalizability of their CAD schemes.
Thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections: endovascular treatment

The treatment of thoracic aortic disease has changed radically with the advances made in endovascular therapy since the concept of thoracic endovascular aortic repair was first described 15 years ago. Currently, there is a diverse array of endografts that are commercially available to treat the thoracic aorta. Multiple studies, including industry-sponsored and single-institution reports, have demonstrated excellent outcomes of thoracic endovascular aortic repair for the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms, with less reported perioperative morbidity and mortality in comparison with conventional open repair. Additionally, similar outcomes have been demonstrated for the treatment of type B dissections. However, the technology remains relatively novel, and larger studies with longer term outcomes are necessary to more fully evaluate the role of endovascular therapy for the treatment of thoracic aortic disease. This review examines the currently available thoracic endografts, preoperative planning for thoracic endovascular aortic repair, and outcomes of thoracic endovascular aortic repair for the treatment of both thoracic aortic aneurysms and type B aortic dissections. Mt Sinai J Med 77:256-269, 2010. (c) 2010 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
A prospective randomized repeat-crossover comparison of antitachycardia pacing with low-energy cardioversion

BACKGROUND Multiprogrammable antiarrhythmia devices can treat monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) with autodecremental overdrive pacing and/or with low-energy cardioversion. These two methods provide the opportunity to decrease patient discomfort typically experienced with high-energy pulses. Although both therapies are known to be effective, controversy persists over their relative safety and efficacy. METHODS AND RESULTS The purpose of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of autodecremental overdrive pacing and low-energy cardioversion in reproducibly terminating monomorphic VT in 24 patients with multiprogrammable antiarrhythmia devices. The protocol required that identical ECG morphology VT be reproducibly induced four times to assess the outcome of antitachycardia pacing and cardioversion twice for each patient in a randomized fashion. Each episode of VT was induced via the implanted device. Autodecremental overdrive pacing initially began with seven stimuli at 97% of the VT cycle length, decrementing by 10 msec per stimulus to a minimum coupling interval of 200 msec. If ineffective, autodecremental overdrive pacing was allowed to iterate three more times for a total of four pacing interventions. With each iteration, one stimulus was added to the pacing train. Similarly, with low-energy cardioversion, up to four therapeutic attempts were made, beginning with a 0.2-J pulse. If ineffective, pulse energy was increased to 0.4, 1.0, and finally 2.0 J. All interventions were automatic without human interference. VT (cycle length, 306 +/- 42 msec) was repeatedly terminated in 15 of 24 patients (63%) by autodecremental overdrive pacing and in 18 of 24 patients (75%) by low-energy cardioversion (p = 0.53). Eight of the 24 patients (33%) had their VT terminated repeatedly by both therapies. VT accelerated to faster VT or ventricular fibrillation by autodecremental overdrive pacing in four of 24 patients (17%) and by low-energy cardioversion in five of 24 (21%) (p = 0.88). Only one of the 24 patients (4%) accelerated with both therapies. No patient was unaffected by either therapy. CONCLUSIONS In the manner programmed, autodecremental overdrive pacing and low-energy cardioversion have similar efficacy and acceleration rates. Response to one therapy does not predict response to the other.
Business as usual: interest group access and representation across policy-making venues

We provide the first comprehensive study of lobbying across venues by studying interest group registrations in both the legislative and administrative branches. We present four major findings based on Federal and state data. Firstly, groups engage in substantial administrative lobbying relative to legislative lobbying. Secondly, the vast majority of groups lobby the legislature, but a large proportion of groups also lobby the bureaucracy. Thirdly, representational biases in legislative lobbying are replicated across venues: business groups dominate administrative lobbying at least as much as they do legislative lobbying. Finally, the level of interest group activity in one venue for a given policy area is strongly related to its level in the other venue. The findings potentially have important implications for the impact of institutional design on both the form and promotion of broad participation in policy-making as well as the ultimate content of policies chosen by democratic governments, broadly construed.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Midfoot and Forefoot: Normal Variants and Pitfalls

Magnetic resonance imaging of the midfoot and forefoot are increasingly requested examinations for a variety of symptoms. This region has its own particular anatomic variants, which the interpreting radiologist needs to be aware of, including accessory ossicles, sesamoid variants, and tarsal coalitions. In addition, certain pulse sequences used in this region are predisposed to artifact, which may lead to false-positive findings. These topics are discussed in this content in addition to the inclusion of pointers to help avoid pitfalls in interpretation of common diseases.