cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative assessment of the impacts of disruptive precipitation on surface transportation

Abstract This article addresses the impacts of flood events on urban street networks. Macro-traffic simulation techniques were used on disrupted and undisrupted scenarios to assess the increase on the network’s mobility and accessibility. Local topographical aspects of the terrain were analyzed to identify portions of the network more prone to disruption. Flood maps were used to systematically remove links from the network, generating its disrupted state for different scenarios. The traffic assignment model generated routes using k-shortest path methods with link impedance penalty functions, selecting them based on user equilibrium assumption. Simulation results indicated the viability of the method to analyze the impacts of flood events of different severity and duration. The successful validation of this method indicated its viability as a tool for benefit cost analysis of urban improvement projects including resilience plans for high risk cities. The analysis was validated using the City of Hoboken, New Jersey’s transportation network and flood models. Results can be applied to cities with a high chance of flooding and should help authorities to effectively review their infrastructure strategic plans as well as their short and long-term urban mobility plans.
The status of semantic memory in medial temporal lobe amnesia varies with demands on scene construction

Semantic memory is typically preserved in medial temporal lobe (MTL) amnesia. However, there are instances of impairment, such as in the recall of semantic narratives. As some forms of semantic knowledge play out in a spatial context, one possible explanation is that semantic memory impairments, when observed, relate to demands on scene construction - the ability to bind and maintain spatial information in a coherent representation. To investigate whether semantic memory impairments in MTL amnesia can be understood with reference to a deficit in scene construction, the current study examined knowledge of scripts that vary in the extent to which they play out in a scene context in nine patients with MTL amnesia and eighteen healthy control subjects. Scripts are routine activities characterized by an ordered set of actions, including some that are essential for completing the activity. Comparing performance on scene-based scripts (e.g., buying groceries at the grocery store) and object-based scripts (e.g., addressing a letter), we found that patients generated the same number of total action steps as controls for both types of script, but patients were selectively impaired at generating essential actions steps for scene-based scripts. Furthermore, patients made more sequencing and idiosyncratic errors than controls in the scene-based, but not in the object-based, scripts. These findings demonstrate that the hippocampus plays a critical role in the retrieval of semantic knowledge about everyday activities when such retrieval entails scene construction.
Variational Bayesian Estimation of Time-Varying DOAs

We present a Bayesian method for sequential direction finding based on variational line spectral estimation (VALSE). The proposed method promotes sparse solutions by means of a Bernoulli-Gaussian amplitude model, is grid-less, and provides marginal posterior distributions from which DOA estimates and their uncertainties can be extracted. Simulation results demonstrate performance improvements in the considered scenario. We also evaluate the proposed method using acoustic data from an underwater source localization experiment.
Visible light OCT improves imaging through a highly scattering retinal pigment epithelial wall

Here we provide a counter-example to the conventional wisdom in biomedical optics that longer wavelengths aid deeper imaging in tissue. Specifically, we investigate visible light optical coherence tomography of Bruch’s membrane (BM) in the non-pathologic eyes of humans and two mouse strains. Surprisingly, we find that shorter visible wavelengths improve the visualization of BM in pigmented eyes, where it is located behind a highly scattering layer of melanosomes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Monte Carlo simulations of radiative transport suggest that, while absorption and scattering are higher at shorter wavelengths, detected multiply scattered light from the RPE is preferentially attenuated relative to detected backscattered light from the BM.
Who really contributes to information science research? An analysis of disciplinarity and nationality of contributors to ten top journals

Understanding the shifts in contributions to the discipline of Information Science, and its subdisciplines/specialties of Library Science and Information Science, is important for researchers, educators, and advocates in this field. This study analyzes the disciplinary and national affiliations of authors in ten top Information Science journals from 2015-2019. Findings indicate that significant discrepancies exist among the authorship of journals examined, with journals like Journal of Documentation having a large majority of authors from Library and Information Science schools, while journals like Information Processing and Management have only a small number of computers from Library and Information Science relative to disciplines such as computer science. Nationality findings indicate that Europe, North America, and Asia have significant representation in these Information Science publications, though developing countries are severely underrepresented compared to developed countries. These findings highlight significant discrepancies in contributions to Information Science research and the need for more Library and Information Science contributors, particularly from developing countries. International and interdisciplinary collaboration may be particularly helpful in achieving this goal.
Do Institutions and Firms Trade in Tandem With One Another? Evidence From Share Repurchases

I study repurchase motives by examining trading from institutional investors, usually considered informed traders, around the events. When firms conduct repurchases, the likelihood of institutional selling increases and institutional buying decreases, consistent firms repurchasing to provide liquidity to institutional traders. A negative relation between repurchase intensity and changes in institutional ownership before and during repurchase quarter, but not in the quarter after the events, suggests that firms buy back shares to provide liquidity to institutional selling and not vice versa. The results hold across all types of institutions and are stronger for illiquid stocks. Institutional trading adds value to repurchase signals: Repurchases with concurrent institutional buying are associated with significantly higher abnormal returns than those with net institutional selling in the quarter before and up to two quarters in the future around share repurchases. The relation between ex-post returns and institutional trading is stronger for active and transient institutions.
Characterizing Health Care Delays and Interruptions in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Internet-Based, Cross-sectional Survey Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has broader geographic spread and potentially longer lasting effects than those of previous disasters. Necessary preventive precautions for the transmission of COVID-19 has resulted in delays for in-person health care services, especially at the outset of the pandemic. Objective: Among a US sample, we examined the rates of delays (defined as cancellations and postponements) in health care at the outset of the pandemic and characterized the reasons for such delays. Methods: As part of an internet-based survey that was distributed on social media in April 2020, we asked a US–based convenience sample of 2570 participants about delays in their health care resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Participant demographics and self-reported worries about general health and the COVID-19 pandemic were explored as potent determinants of health care delays. In addition to all delays, we focused on the following three main types of delays, which were the primary outcomes in this study: dental, preventive, and diagnostic care delays. For each outcome, we used bivariate statistical tests (t tests and chi-square tests) and multiple logistic regression models to determine which factors were associated with health care delays. Results: The top reported barrier to receiving health care was the fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection (126/374, 33.6%). Almost half (1227/2570, 47.7%) of the participants reported experiencing health care delays. Among those who experienced health care delays and further clarified the type of delay they experienced (921/1227, 75.1%), the top three reported types of care that were affected by delays included dental (351/921, 38.1%), preventive (269/921, 29.2%), and diagnostic (151/921, 16.4%) care. The logistic regression models showed that age (P<.001), gender identity (P<.001), education (P=.007), and self-reported worry about general health (P<.001) were significantly associated with experiencing health care delays. Self-reported worry about general health was negatively related to experiencing delays in dental care. However, this predictor was positively associated with delays in diagnostic testing based on the logistic regression model. Additionally, age was positively associated with delays in diagnostic testing. No factors remained significant in the multiple logistic regression for delays in preventive care, and although there was trend between race and delays (people of color experienced fewer delays than White participants), it was not significant (P=.06). Conclusions: The lessons learned from the initial surge of COVID-19 cases can inform systemic mitigation strategies for potential future disruptions. This study addresses the demand side of health care delays by exploring the determinants of such delays. More research on health care delays during the pandemic is needed, including research on their short- and long-term impacts on patient-level outcomes such as mortality, morbidity, mental health, people’s quality of life, and the experience of pain.
Context matters: Integration of social determinants of health in AEGD and GPR curricula.

Purpose To examine the integration of social determinants of health (SDH) in the US Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) and General Practice Residency (GPR) programs. Methods This study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach. A 46-question survey was sent to all 265 AEGD and GPR programs in February 2019. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing SDH curricular inclusion. A convenience sample of program directors (PDs) was interviewed between June and December 2019. Through content analysis, themes and subthemes were identified. Results Of the 265 AEGD and GPR PDs, 111 completed the survey (42% response rate). Almost three-quarters of PDs (72%) agreed that it was important for residents to understand basic SDH concepts. However, programs lacked eight of the 10 surveyed SDH subtopics. The odds of teaching five or more SDH subtopics were 0.09 (95% CI: 0.02-0.41) for programs with none-to-minimal levels of SDH integration in their clinical settings compared to close-to-fully integrated ones. Coding of PD interviews (N = 13) identified five major themes: 1. influences to integrate SDH, 2. training strategies, outcomes, and outputs, 3. reasons for training strategies, 4. barriers and solutions, and 5. future integration goals. Most PDs cited delivering SDH content during patient care and reported time and organizational culture being barriers to more curricular inclusion. Conclusions AEGD and GPR curricula are deficient in SDH content and risk underpreparing residents for caring for the underserved. PDs and organizational leaders must prioritize SDH inclusion in order to train dentists for integrated person-centered care.
COVID-19: the Risk to Athletes.

Purpose of review The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on athletics, and the question of safely resuming competitive sports at all levels has been a source of significant debate. Concerns regarding myocarditis and the risk of arrhythmias and sudden death in athletes have prompted heightened attention to the role of cardiovascular screening. In this review, we aim to comprehensively outline the cardiovascular manifestations associated with COVID-19 infection, to discuss screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies, and to evaluate the current literature on the risk to athletes and recommendations regarding return-to-play. Recent findings COVID-19 is known to cause myocarditis, with presentations ranging from subclinical current or prior infection detected on cardiac MRI imaging, to fulminant heart failure and shock. While initial data early in the pandemic suggested that the risk of myocarditis could be significant even in patients with nonsevere COVID-19 infection, recent studies suggest a very low prevalence of clinically significant disease in young athletes. Summary While COVID-19 can have significant cardiovascular manifestations, recent data demonstrate that a screening approach guided by severity of COVID-19 infection and cardiovascular symptoms allows the majority of athletes to safely return to play in a timely manner. We must continue to tailor our approach to screening athletes as knowledge grows, and further research on the longitudinal cardiovascular effects of COVID-19 is needed.
Mental Health Consequences of Disaster Exposure in Older Adults

Older adults represent the fastest growing demographic of the United States population. However, the elderly are insufficiently represented in studies examining the mental health impact of natural and man-made disasters. Social, cultural, and economic variables influence disaster-related mental health sequelae with a higher risk for morbidity and mortality among older adults due to physiologic factors, associated cognitive underpinnings, and chronic disease burden. Post-disaster mental health symptoms in elderly include sleep disturbance, irritability, acute stress reactions, depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Trigeminal System and Taste

This cranial nerve is the principal cranial nerve responsible for transmitting general sensation arising from many structures in the head.
Labour in Capitalist America: Ideology, Bureaucracy, Insurgency

AS THE DUST of the "collapse of communism" has had about a decade to settle, and the often bewildering realities of the new millennium engulf us, a proliferation of problems and studies suggest the truth of an old assertion of Jean-Paul Sartre. Marxism remains "the philosophy of our time," because the conditions that brought it into being — the dynamic and incredibly creative/destructive realities of capitalism — continue to be the framework within which we live. A majority of us continue to make our living by selling our ability to work to employers for a paycheck, which Karl Marx defined as the typical proletarian condition in capitalist society. According to Martin Glaberman and Seymour Faber, "the workplace in capitalist society is essentially an authoritarian structure." They go on to quote Marx that "in proportion as capital accumulates, the lot of die laborer, be his [or her] payment high or low, must grow worse.... Accumulation of wealth at one end is the accumulation of misery, agony of toil, slavery, ignorance, brutality, mental degradation, at the opposite pole, i.e., on the side of the class that produces its own product in the form of capital." Such a description must have the vibrant
Embedded Software and Systems: Challenges and Approaches

One of the most pervasive applications of computing is information processing tightly integrated with physical processes. Embedded computing rapidly takes over the role of being a universal integrator for physical systems. This trend is based on a fundamental technical reason: digital information processing is uniquely suitable for controlling and implementing complex interactions among physical system components. The expanding integration role of computing challenges the state-of-the-art in both system and software design. First, the traditional separation of related design disciplines is not maintainable. Predictability of the design requires integrated modeling and analysis of physical processes and information processing. Second, the narrow focus of current software technology on functional composition is not sufficient. Essential physical properties of embedded computing systems, such as timing, noise or fault behavior, cut across functional boundaries, which makes software design and implementation extremely hard and expensive. Third, design technologies, which are based on the modeling and analysis of systems with static structure, are becoming inadequate. Although networked embedded computing combined with inexpensive MEMS-based sensors and actuators make the construction of large physical systems with continuously changing structure and physical interactions feasible, their design is an open challenge. The first part of the talk provides an overview of the unique challenges and new research directions in embedded system and software design. The second part of the talk describes the Model-Integrated Computing (MIC) approach to address some of these challenges. Using the design of structurally adaptive embedded processing systems as example, the following three topics will be covered: 1. Methods and tools for the specification and construction of multiple-view, domain-specific modeling languages and integrated design environments. The MIC approach is based on the application of meta-modeling, meta-programmable modeling tools and model translators that form the foundation for composable design environments. 2. Automated synthesis of processing architectures satisfying multiple functional and physical constraints. The method described is based on symbolic constraint satisfaction. 3. Application of generative programming techniques with special emphasis on model-based software generators.
The expressive power of the hierarchical approach to modeling knowledge and common knowledge

One approach to representing knowledge or belief of agents, which has been explored independently by economists (Boge and Eisele; Mertens and Zamir; Brandenburger and Dekel; Tan and Werlang) and by computer scientists (Fagin, Halpern, and Vardi) involves an infinite hierarchy of beliefs. Such a hierarchy consists of an agent's beliefs about the state of the world, his beliefs about other agents' beliefs about the worlds, his beliefs about other agents' beliefs about other agents' beliefs about the worlds, etc. Economists and computer scientists differ, however, in the way they model beliefs. Economists prefer a probability-based framework, where belief is modeled as a probability distribution on the uncertainty space. In contrast, computer scientists prefer an information-based framework, where belief is modeled as a subset of the underlying space. The idea is that whatever is in the subset is believed to be possible, and whatever is not in the subset is believed to be impossible. We consider the question of when such an infinite hierarchy completely describes the uncertainty of the agents. We provide various necessary and sufficient conditions for this property. It turns out that the probability-based approach can be viewed as satisfying one of these conditions, which explains why the infinite hierarchy always completely describes the uncertainty of the agents in the probability-based approach. An interesting consequence of our conditions is that adequacy of an infinite hierarchy may depend on the "richness" of the states in the underlying state space. We also consider the question of whether an infinite hierarchy completely describes the uncertainty of the agents with respect to "interesting" sets of events and show that the answers depends on the definition of "interesting".
Heterocyclic syntheses from o-aminonitriles—XXVII : A one-step synthesis of fused pyrimidinedithiones☆☆☆

Abstract The reaction of aromatic and heterocyclic o-aminonitriles with carbon disulfide in pyridine solution constitutes a convenient, one-step synthesis of fused pyrimidinedithiones (fused 2,4-dimercaptopyrimidines). The reaction proceeds by the intermediate formation of a 4-imino-m-thiazine which rearranges rapidly and irreversibly by a base-catalysed (pyridine) ring-opening, ring-closure sequence to give the observed product.
Queer Teens and Legislative Bullies: The Cruel and Invidious Discrimination Behind Heterosexist Statutory Rape Laws

Most states make an exception to their statutory rape laws for sexual acts involving an adolescent victim, who is below the age of consent, when the defendant is close in age to the victim (i.e., generally no older than three or four years). However, a few states explicitly limit such exceptions (commonly referred to as Romeo and Juliet exceptions) to only those situations involving teens who are of the opposite gender. Thus, adolescents in these states who have sex with someone below the age of consent, and who are also the same gender as the defendant, cannot avail themselves to the exception. As a result, these teens are faced with felony convictions, large fines and mandatory sex offender registration - penalties that would not attach had the victim been the opposite gender. My article argues that such disparate treatment is not only cruel, but is also invidious discrimination that violates the Equal Protection Clause given that these laws serve primarily to stigmatize LGBT adolescents, a class of individuals that is already one of the most stigmatized and at-risk groups in American society.
Processor-group aware runtime support for shared-and globaladdress space models

Exploiting multilevel parallelism using processor groups is becoming increasingly important for programming high-end systems. This paper describes a group-aware run-time support for shared-/global- address space programming models. The current effort has been undertaken in the context of the Aggregate Remote Memory Copy Interface (ARMCI) [1], a portable runtime system used as a communication layer for Global Arrays [2], Co-Array Fortran (CAF) [3], GPSHMEM [4], Co-Array Python [5], and also end-user applications. The paper describes the management of shared memory, integration of shared memory communication and remote direct memory access (RDMA) on clusters with SMP nodes, and registration. These are all required for efficient multi- method and multi-protocol communication on modern systems. Focus is placed on techniques for supporting process groups while maximizing communication performance and efficiently managing global memory system-wide.
Transformations between celestial and terrestrial reference frames

The rotation of a Cartesian frame of reference due to general (lunisolar and planetary) precession and astronomic nutation between the epochs T0 and T is given by the matrix formula $${{\vec{e}}_{T}} = N{\mkern 1mu} P{{\vec{e}}_{M}}$$ (1) where \({{\vec{e}}_{M}}\) and \({{\vec{e}}_{T}}\) denote unit vectors in the reference frame at the epoch T0 (and affected by precession) and at the epoch T (and affected by precession and nutation) respectively. In the astronomical convention, the former is termed the ‘mean’ unit vector (at epoch T0), while the latter is the ‘true’ unit vector (at epoch T). The terms mean and true are also used in the general sense, defining star positions, reference frames, celestial equator, equinox, pole positions, etc., depending on whether they are affected by precession only or also by nutation. Reference epoch designation must also follow. For the theory of precession and nutation, see Chapter 8.
Immediate postpartum hemorrhage due to retained secundines.

Abstract Excessive blood loss in the third stage of labor is the forerunner and the cause of much of our maternal mortality and morbidity. 1–3 Although age, parity, type of labor, use of instruments, and many other factors have some predisposing influence upon immediate postpartum uterine hemorrhage, we believe that the most frequent cause of postpartum uterine bleeding is faulty separation or retention of parts of the secundines. The purpose of this paper is to record the blood loss, the clinical course, and the treatment of 115 private patients in whom retained placenta, membranes, or both was the cause of the hemorrhage.
On cost sharing mechanisms in the network design game

A fundamental network design problem is the one of SteinerNetwork Design. The goal is to design a network which is able to support a unit flow for each commodity, at a time, between its source-sink pair. When the flows are unsplittable, this corresponds to the Steiner forest problem and to the problem of sharing cost of the multicast by different users. As a result of greedy selfish behavior of users in the network design game, the overall quality of the resulting solution is often not as good as the globally optimum solution of the underlying problem. We are therefore interested in the problem of designing distributed cost sharing mechanisms that induce the selfish agents to converge to the near-optimum solutions.Our main contribution is showing that 1+e ratio can be achieved by (non-obvious) unfair cost sharing mechanism, at least for the fractional version of the problem. Our second contribution is showing how to implement our cost sharing mechanism which guarantees fast convergence to a near-optimum equilibrium. We show that for the fractional network design problems, there are indeed such mechanisms that induce greedy agents to converge to (1+e)-approximate equilibria in linear time.
Evaluation of Human Skin Reconstituted from Composite Grafts of Cultured Keratinocytes and Human Acellular Dermis Transplanted to Athymic Mice

This study evaluates the use of composite grafts of cultured human keratinocytes and de-epidermalized, acellular human dermis to close full-thickness wounds in athymic mice. Grafts were transplanted onto athymic mice and studied up to 8 wk. Graft take was excellent, with no instances of infection or graft loss. By 1 wk, the human keratinocytes had formed a stratified epidermis that was fused with mouse epithelium, and by 8 wk the grafts resembled human skin and could be freely moved over the mouse dorsum. Immunostaining for keratins 10 and 16 and for involucrin revealed an initial pattern of epithelial immaturity, which by 8 wk had normalized to that of mature unwounded epithelium. Mouse fibroblasts began to infiltrate the acellular dermis as early as 1 wk. By 8 wk fibroblasts had completely repopulated the dermis, and blood vessels were evident in the most superficial papillary projections, Dermal elements, such as rete ridges and elastin fibers, which were present in the starting dermis, persisted for the duration of the experiment. Grafts using keratinocytes from dark-skinned donors as opposed to light-skin donors had foci of pigmentation as early as 1 wk that progressed to homogenous pigmentation of the graft by 6 wk. These results indicate that melanocytes that persist in vitro are able to resume normal function in vivo. Our study demonstrates that composite grafts of cultured keratinocytes combined with acellular dermis are a useful approach for the closure of full-thickness wounds.
New long-acting stimulants in children with ADHD.

Keywords: Adderall XR; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Concerta; Metadate; CD; Ritalin-LA
Associations of depression with the transition to menopause

AbstractObjectives:The aims of this study were to identify the risk of depression in the transition to menopause in women with and without a history of depression and to consider that the changing hormonal milieu is one of multiple risk factors for perimenopausal depression.Method:A review of epidem
Rydberg and valence-shell character as functions of internuclear distance in some excited states of CH, NH, H2, and N2

Abstract SCF MO computations have been carried out on several excited states of CH and NH in which the excited MO 4σ is a Rydberg or near-Rydberg MO at internuclear distances R near that ( R e ) of equilibrium in the ground state, but becomes an antibonding valence-shell MO as R increases toward dissociation. For the lowest 3 Π g state of H 2 and the lowest 3 Π g and 3 Π u states of N 2 the extent of 3dπ Rydberg character in the excited MO as a function of R for some R values ⩽ R e is evaluated by SCF MO computations.
The time course of musculotendinous stiffness responses following different durations of passive stretching.

Study Design Repeated-measures experimental design. Objective To examine the acute effects of different durations of passive stretching on the time course of musculotendinous stiffness (MTS) responses in the plantar flexor muscles. Background Stretching is often implemented prior to exercise or athletic competition, with the intent to reduce the risk of injury via decreases in MTS. Methods and Measures Twelve subjects (mean ± SD age, 24 ± 3 years; stature, 169 ± 12 cm; mass, 71 ± 17 kg) participated in 4 randomly ordered experimental trials: control with no stretching, and 2 minutes (2min), 4 minutes (4min ), and 8 minutes (8min) of passive stretching. The passive-stretching trials involved progressive repetitions of 30-second passive stretches, while the control trial involved 15 minutes of resting. MTS assessments were conducted before (prestretching), immediately after (poststretching), and at 10, 20, and 30 minutes poststretching on a Biodex System 3 isokinetic dynamometer. Results MTS decreased (P<.0...
The necropsy incidence of gross scars or acute infarction of the papillary muscles of the left ventricle

Abstract Mechanical dysfunction of one or both papillary muscles of the left ventricle is probably a frequent cause of apical systolic murmurs. The present study was undertaken to determine the frequency of gross scarring or fresh infarction of the papillary muscles of the left ventricle. In a series of 420 consecutive necropsies, gross scars were found in one or both papillary muscles in 21.4 per cent of hearts, whereas acute infarction of one or both papillary muscles was found in 3.8 per cent of hearts. Although the clinical significance of these findings is unknown, it is suggested that papillary muscle dysfunction may be an important cause of apical systolic murmurs, especially in older patients.
THE MODE OF INTERACTION OF ACTINOMYCIN D WITH DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID.

Abstract The interaction of actinomycin D with DNA from calf thymus and Escherichia coli has been examined by equilibrium dialysis and light scattering. There are two types of binding sites, one of which has a binding constant about 50 times greater than the other. The binding of actinomycin to the strong sites causes a “imerization” of the DNA. Upon removal of the drug, the molecular weight reverts to its original value. The radius of gyration of the dimerized complex is not sensibly greater than that of the original DNA; therefore the doubling of the molecular weight is due to a lateral rather than a head-to-tail aggregation. Subsequent binding of actinomycin has so little effect on the radius of gyration that intercalation can be ruled out. Denaturation of the DNA results in a single type of binding site, with a binding constant of intermediate value, but the total number of sites remains constant. These observations shed light on the nature of the actinomycin binding sites and their relation to the interaction of RNA polymerase (nucleoside triphosphate: RNA nucleotidyl-transferase, EC 2.7.7.6) with DNA. It is deduced that actinomycin inhibits RNA polymerase by competing with it for the strong sites on the DNA, and that these sites are in one groove while those that bind DNA polymerase are in the other groove.
NICOTINE GUM AND SELF-HELP MANUALS IN SMOKING CESSATION: AN EVALUATION IN A MEDICAL CONTEXT

This study evaluated the effectiveness of nicotine chewing gum in smoking cessation, when incorporated into a behaviorally oriented self-help program. One hundred ninety-seven patients were randomly assigned to nicotine gum with a self-help manual, a self-help manual without gum, or a control condition, but received no further treatment from the prescribing physician. At six weeks, the nicotine gum group was superior to both the self-help and control conditions. By one year, many gum patients had relapsed, and the treatment effect was no longer significant. Patients who were able to quit initially were most likely to remain ex-smokers in the self-help condition. The clinical importance of these findings is discussed.
Modelling of a solar-pumped MHD excimer laser

An analytical model is applied to the concept of a solar-pumped MHD laser utilizing the CsXe excimer and Cs2 dimerA-X laser transitions. The model predicts practical gain coefficients on the excimer band for supersonic flow of a 2000 K, 20 atmosphere cesium-xenon plasma across a ∼10 kG magnetic field.
Gravitational creation of particles by a vacuum bubble

Abstract The outgoing energy flux of massless scalar particles created by the gravitational field of a bubble of anti-de Sitter space expanding into Minkowski space is calculated. The flux is proportional to the curvature coupling constant (ξ) of the scalar field. A positive flux, such as for a conformally invariant scalar field ( ξ= 1 6 ), would help stabilize Minkowski space against decay.
Adenosine triphosphatase activity in brain, intestinal mucosa, kidney, and liver cellular fractions of the red-eared turtle following in vitro treatment with DDT, DDD, and DDE.

Increasing awareness of the environmental effects of organochlorine insecticides has stimulated research on the effects of these ccmpounds on active transport across cellular membranes. The effects of DDT on the ATPase systems of liver, intestinal mucosa, cloacal bladder, and kidney tissue of 5 turtle species were studied by PHILLIPS and W~,T~q (!974). Their data indicated that the total (Na +, K +, Mg +2) -, Mg +2-, (Na +, K+)-dependent ATPases in the tissues of all 5 turtle species were significantly inhibited by 53 uM DDT. There was some inhibition and stimulation following treatment with 5.3 uM DDT.
Generating high-resolution data using hints

We describe an artistic project that uses scientific tools to convey a sense of place. Detail is an important element in creating an artistic sense of place. This detail must be consistent with what we know about the correlation between topography and its surface appearance. The vegetation and exposed rock in the mountains of the North Slope of the Brooks Range are distinctly correlated with the digital terrain. Analysis of elevation, slope, and aspect generates tools used to create a probability mapping between the terrain and the appearance of the surface. Digital painting techniques create texture maps that we wrap around 3D models of the terrain. We use these models in our animation of a traverse of the landscape. These techniques aid in the development of high resolution geometry. A persistent theme in this process is the use of visual metaphor and visual thinking. Active geomorphology and the viscous flow of vegetation characterize the northeastern mountains of the Brooks Range. The vegetation exists, not so much in competition, but in response to solar energy niches. Colony ecology is significant. The surface creeps in response to the flow of water and ice. The ecology and topography appear unmodified by human hands. One gets the impression that the forces of nature are consistently and clearly expressed. Our art uses science to create a representation of this dynamic landscape.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Response of imatinib-resistant extra-abdominal aggressive fibromatosis to sunitinib: case report and review of the literature on response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Purpose Aggressive fibromatosis (AF) is usually a slowly growing locally invasive tumor, but may exhibit a much more aggressive phenotype. The role of chemotherapy in AF is not well defined, but can be useful in some cases. We examined the response of a case to both imatinib and sunitinib.
Translocation of polymers out of confined geometries

We consider the free energy of confinement for a flexible self-avoiding polymer inside a spherical cavity. Accurate numerical calculations allow us to arbitrate between competing scaling predictions. We find that, for moderate confinement, the free energy exhibits a power-law dependence on cavity size that is different from what is observed for planar and cylindrical confinement. At high monomer concentrations, crossover to another scaling regime occurs. One of the consequences of these findings is a new prediction for the escape time of a polymer from a spherical confinement. By means of additional simulations, we confirm that the translocation time can be described by a scaling law that exhibits a nonlinear dependence on the degree of polymerization that is sensitive to the nature of the confining geometry. The geometry dependence contradicts earlier predictions but is in quantitative agreement with findings for the free energy of confinement.
Thalassia testudinum productivity: A field comparison of measurement methods

A 6-day in situ comparison between the Wetzel inorganic 14C uptake and Zieman leaf-biomass techniques for measuring net primary production rates in the seagrass Thalassia testudinum was performed in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Measurement differences between the two methods were insignificant when the 14C uptake technique was corrected for sediment 14C “uptake” (13%), incubation-chamber light-energy absorption (14%) and differences in total light-energy which resulted from the experimental design (7.7%). These results reinforce previous observations that the 14C technique estimates net particulate-carbon production.
Repair of traumatic earlobe clefts: A simplified modification

A simplified technique for repair of traumatic earlobe clefts is presented. The technique aim is solid repair of the earlobe cleft while avoiding future notching. Preserving the earring hole is not an aim of the current modification.
Optical and microstructural properties of anodically oxidized aluminum

Abstract Scanning electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, emissometer and reflectometer measurements have been made on anodic oxide coatings on aluminum prepared from solutions of phosphoric, chromic and sulfuric acid. The anodic oxide films are very porous, with the porosity greatest in films which were produced in phosphoric acid. A structural model for the oxide coatings has been generated from the data, and microstructural parameters for the model were defined. The IR emittance as well as the spectral hemispherical reflectance of the oxides have been measured as a function of film parameters, with specific emphasis on optimization of optical properties for use of the coatings as the matrix material for solar absorber coatings.
Advanced oxidation kinetics of aqueous trialkyl phosphate flame retardants and plasticizers.

Trialkyl phosphate esters are a class of anthropogenic organics commonly found in surface waters of Europe and North America, due to their frequent application as flame retardants, plasticizers, and solvents. Four trialkyl phosphate esters were evaluated to determine second-order rates of reaction with ultraviolet- and ozone-generated •OH in water. Tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) was fastest to react with •OH (kOH,TBEP = 1.03 × 1010 M−1 s−1), followed sequentially by tributyl phosphate (TBP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), and tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP) (kOH,TBP = 6.40 × 109, kOH,TCEP = 5.60 × 108, and kOH,TCPP = 1.98 × 108 M−1 s−1). A two-stage process was used to test the validity of the determined kOH for TBEP and the fastest reacting halogenated alkyl phosphate, TCEP. First, •OH oxidation of TCEP and TBEP, in competition with nitrobenzene was measured in ozonated hydrogen peroxide solutions. Applying multiple regression analysis, it was determined that the UV/H2O2 and O3/H2O2...
Regularity effects in word naming: what are they?

In a word-naming experiment, word-body consistency was crossed with grapheme-to-phoneme regularity to test predictions of current models of word recognition. In the latency and error data, a clear effect of consistency was observed, with the influence of regularity somewhat weaker. In addition, simulation data from three contemporary models of word recognition were obtained for the stimuli used in the experiment in order to compare the models’ latencies with those of humans. The simulations showed that the human latency data are most consistent with the parallel-distributed-processing model of Plaut, McClelland, Seidenberg, and Patterson (1996), less so with the dual-process model (Zorzi, Houghton, & Butterworth, 1998), and least so with the dual-route-cascaded model (Coltheart & Rastle, 1994).
Identifying and tracking key odorants from cattle feedlots

Odors from cattle feedlots can negatively affect air quality in local communities. Our objectives were the following: 1) identify key odor-causing compounds using odor activity values (OAVs) and gas chromatography–olfactometry (GC–O) techniques; 2) compare odor threshold values from published databases; and 3) track the movement of odors from a cattle feedlot to receptor community. Odorous compounds emitted from a cattle feedlot were sampled on-site, 250 m downwind and 3.2 km downwind using both sorbent tubes and denuders. Sorbent tubes were analyzed by both GC–MS and GC–MS–O and key odorants determined using both OAV and GC-Surface Nasal Impact Frequency (SNIF) analysis, while denuders were analyzed by ion chromatography. Odorant concentrations had a diurnal pattern with peak concentrations during early morning and late evening periods. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were the most abundant of the major odorants. Odorants with concentrations above their odor threshold values at the feedlot included amines, VFAs, phenol compounds, and indole compounds. Key odorants at the feedlot were VFAs and phenol compounds, but their relative importance diminished with downwind distance. Indole compounds, while not the key odorants at the feedlot, increased in relative importance downwind of the feedlot. In general, the odorous compounds identified by GC-SNIF and OAV as having fecal/manure nature were similar. GC-SNIF was the more sensitive analytical technique; it identified several compounds that may have contributed to the unpleasantness of the cattle feedlot odor, but its throughput was extremely low thereby limiting its usefulness. There is a need to improve field sampling devices and odor threshold databases to enhance understanding and confidence in evaluating odors.
Prolonged inactive phases during the discontinuous pattern of prematurity in the electroencephalogram of very-low-birthweight infants.

A consecutive cohort of 46 very-low-birthweight infants, who had routine electroencephalograms (EEGs) while in the neonatal intensive care unit, were studied. Two infants were lost to follow-up and were excluded, leaving a study population of 44 infants. Their mean birthweight was 945 ± 166 g, gestation 27.1 ± 1.7 weeks. Thirteen infants died before discharge. The remaining 31 had a mean corrected age of 26.1 ± 8.7 months at the time of the last visit. Three groups were distinguished: normal survivors, handicapped survivors and non-survivors. The longest inactive phase encountered in the discontinous EEG was the yardstick of the study with 3 subdivisions: less than 20 sec, 20–29 sec and equal to or more than 30 sec. The data showed a relative increase in poor outcome with increasing duration of inactivity (P<0.05) and, conversely, a favorable outcome with the absence of 20 sec or longer inactivity (P<0.001). All infants received therapeutic doses of phenobarbital during the early part of their illness which could have affected their EEG. Mean phenobarbital levels, obtained close to the time of the EEG, however, did not differ significantly and failed to show a significant relationship between the duration of the inactive phase and drug level observed. Inactive phases ⩾ 30 sec were more common (P<0.01) in infants with intraventricular hemorrhage. We conclude: although full recovery and normal outcome have been documented, prolonged isoelectric phases beyond 30 sec are more common in infants with fatal outcome.
Effects of uncertainty in model predictions of individual tree volume on large area volume estimates

Forest inventory estimates of tree volume for large areas are typically calculated by adding model predictions of volumes for individual trees. However, the uncertainty in the model predictions is generally ignored with the result that the precision of the large area volume estimates is overestimated. The primary study objective was to estimate the effects of model residual variability and model parameter uncertainty on large area volume estimates and their uncertainties for a study area in northeastern Minnesota, USA. Monte Carlo simulation approaches were used because of the complexities associated with multiple sources of uncertainty and the nonlinear nature of the models. Two conclusions were important. First, for this study, the effects of uncertainty in model predictions on the large area volume estimates and their uncertainties were small when the models were calibrated using an average of 100 or more observations per species and when the average proportion of variance explained by the models was at least 0.95. Second, large area estimates and their uncertainties based on coniferous/deciduous and nonspecific models deviated very little from large area estimates based on species-specific models.
Charge calibration of CsI(Tl)/photodiode spectroscopy systems

Abstract A charge calibration method for spectroscopy systems that use inorganic scintillators, photodiodes, and charge-sensitive preamplifiers is presented. The shaped square wave (SSW) method accounts for ballistic deficit when long decay time constants are present. The SSW method is demonstrated for CsI(T1) and compared to other calibration methods.
A comparison study between American and Chinese societies: home caring for elders with Alzheimer’s and memory impairments

Abstract Of all diseases associated with aging, Alzheimer’s disease and memory impairments are the most stressful for the family and home caregivers. The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamics of care-giving for Alzheimer’s and memory-impaired patients in both countries and to compare the differences and similarities between the feeling of burden and caring values of the home caregivers for elders in both societies.
Potential-dependent adsorption and orientation of a small zwitterion: p-aminobenzoic acid on Ag(111).

We report on the potential-dependent behavior of the zwitterionic molecule p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) at a Ag(111) electrode surface. Infrared−visible sum frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG) in tandem with electrochemical capacitance and CV measurements are used to study the effects of applied potential on the adsorption and orientation of PABA. Changes in the SFG signal indicate that PABA changes orientation in response to the charge on the electrode surface, orienting one way positive of the potential of zero charge (pzc) and oppositely negative of the pzc. At positive potentials, a phase change is observed associated with the formation of a condensed layer. PABA is observed to remain on the surface at all potentials examined. These results show that the orientation of small molecules with large dipoles, like zwitterions, can be controlled by applied potential.