cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An indoor localization algorithm in the absence of a priori propagation information

Non-line-of sight (NLOS) radio signal propagation can cause significant localization errors in centralized indoor localization systems. While a distributed localization system could effectively identify NLOS propagation, it usually requires more power and computational resources. This paper proposes an localization algorithm to take advantage of both methods and avoid their drawbacks. In the absence of a priori information, the centralized time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) localization method is applied to estimate the target position if enough range measurements remain after the NLOS mitigation; otherwise, a leveled distributed time-of-arrival (TOA) localization system is utilized to estimate the target position with the help of dynamic anchors. Simulation results demonstrate a major improvement on the estimation performance in the crowded environments.
Screening for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement.

Importance Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, a lateral curvature of the spine of unknown cause with a Cobb angle of at least 10°, occurs in children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years. Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common form and usually worsens during adolescence before skeletal maturity. Severe spinal curvature may be associated with adverse long-term health outcomes (eg, pulmonary disorders, disability, back pain, psychological effects, cosmetic issues, and reduced quality of life). Early identification and effective treatment of mild scoliosis could slow or stop curvature progression before skeletal maturity, thereby improving long-term outcomes in adulthood. Objective To update the 2004 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on screening for idiopathic scoliosis in asymptomatic adolescents. Evidence Review The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for and treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Findings The USPSTF found no direct evidence on screening for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and health outcomes and no evidence on the harms of screening. The USPSTF found inadequate evidence on treatment with exercise and surgery. It found adequate evidence that treatment with bracing may slow curvature progression in adolescents with mild or moderate curvature severity (Cobb angle Conclusions and Recommendation The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years. (I statement)
Seeing the Hidden Lamina: Effects of Exsanguination on the Optic Nerve Head

Purpose To introduce an experimental approach for direct comparison of the primate optic nerve head (ONH) before and after death by exsanguination. Method The ONHs of four eyes from three monkeys were imaged with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and after exsanguination under controlled IOP. ONH structures, including the Bruch membrane (BM), BM opening, inner limiting membrane (ILM), and anterior lamina cribrosa (ALC) were delineated on 18 virtual radial sections per OCT scan. Thirteen parameters were analyzed: scleral canal at BM opening (area, planarity, and aspect ratio), ILM depth, BM depth; ALC (depth, shape index, and curvedness), and ALC visibility (globally, superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal quadrants). Results All four ALC quadrants had a statistically significant improvement in visibility after exsanguination (overall P < 0.001). ALC visibility increased by 35% globally and by 36%, 37%, 14%, and 4% in the superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal quadrants, respectively. ALC increased 4.1%, 1.9%, and 0.1% in curvedness, shape index, and depth, respectively. Scleral canals increased 7.2%, 25.2%, and 1.1% in area, planarity, and aspect ratio, respectively. ILM and BM depths averaged -7.5% and -55.2% decreases in depth, respectively. Most, but not all, changes were beyond the repeatability range. Conclusions Exsanguination allows for improved lamina characterization, especially in regions typically blocked by shadowing in OCT. The results also demonstrate changes in ONH morphology due to the loss of blood pressure. Future research will be needed to determine whether there are differences in ONH biomechanics before and after exsanguination and what those differences would imply.
The fiscal crisis of the state and state financing of health care: Toward a conceptual and action statement for improved public support of medical and health care☆

Abstract After recognizing the absence of Marxist conflict perspectives in classic surveys of public finance and explanations of public support for medical care. a conflict perspective is suggested. O'Connor's work is drawn upon for the framework suggested here. In addition, the suggested framework places emphasis upon class struggle within neo-imperialist monopoly capitalism functioning in a world political economic system. Key components in this struggle are seen as national states, their component and ruling class structures, multinational corporations, and a supporting cultural hegemony. The nation state is seen as collecting and disbursing taxes and other financing to attempt to (1) provide favorable conditions for capital accumulation by the bourgeoisie and (2) integrate the potentially rebellious working class through a variety of cultural as well as welfare and service programs and. when necessary, repression. State financing of medical care is then considered within this perspective. As monopoly capital comes to require ever larger amounts of state financing, ruling class pressures develop to cut back on public support for services to the ‘non-productive’ portions of the population—the unemployed. those on welfare, the elderly, etc. The paper concludes with some action strategies and suggestions.
Studies in myrsinaceae

Maesa dubia (Tribe Maesoideae) of the family Myrsinaceae shows some interesting embryological features. The floral parts arise in acropetal succession. The vascular bundle of each stamen divides in the connective. The tetrasporangiate anthers dehisce by longitudinal slits shedding the pollen at the 2-celled stage. The endothecium and the next layer develop fibrillar thickenings except at the region of dehiscence. The ovules are anatropous, tenuinucellar and bitegmic. The micropyle is organised by both the integuments. While there is usually a single hypodermal archesporium there is a tendency for the differentiation of multiple archesporium. Only one archesporial cell functions and develops into megaspore mother cell. The tetrad of megaspores is usually linear. Some abnormalities in the sequence of degeneration of the three micropylar megaspores are observed. The development of the female gametophyte follows the Polygonum type. A prominent endothelium is differentiated at the dyad stage in the ovule. The chalazal half of the embryo sac forms an aggressive haustorium.
Conditionalization, Observation, and Change of Preference

I take bayesianism to be the doctrine which maintains that (i) a set of reasonable beliefs can be represented by a probability function defined over sentences or propositions, and that (ii) reasonable changes of belief can be represented by a process called conditionalization. Bayesians have produced several ingenious arguments in support of (i); but the equally important second condition they often seem to take completely for granted. My main aim is to fill this gap in those bayesian positions which characterize reasonable belief directly as a probability function. Thus, what follows applies equally to the bayesian personalists’ views which characterize reasonable belief as having subjective sources and to views such as that of Carnap which attempt to explicitly define a function which characterizes the degree of belief it would be objectively reasonable for an idealized rational agent to have in a given proposition in stated circumstances. Many frequentist views are also classifiable as bayesian, and I will briefly discuss the justification of condition (ii) from the point of view of a frequency interpretation of probability or reasonable degree of belief. Two other topics will also come up along the way: the connection between change of belief and change of preference, and the connection between conditionalization and observation.
The Political World of Bob Dylan: Freedom and Justice, Power and Sin

In their book The Political World of Bob Dylan: Freedom and Justice, Power and Sin, a part of Palgrave and Macmillan’s Critical Political Theory and Radical Practice series, Jeff Taylor and Chad Is...
Butterfly Vertebrae: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Analysis.

Study Design:Systematic review (Level 4)Objective:To summarize the demographics, clinical presentations, and conditions associated with butterfly vertebrae.Methods:A systematic search was performed...
Inhibition of Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase by Hibiscone C in T cells

Inhibitors of Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase (PI3K) are of significant interest due to their ability to target an intracellular pathway, which regulates cell proliferation, growth, and migration. Mutations in PI3K can lead to an upregulation of the pathway, resulting in tumorigenesis, autoimmunity, and leukemia in the immune system, while a nonfunctional PI3K can result in immunodeficiency. Wortmannin, a known and potent PI3K inhibitor, possesses many unfavorable characteristics as a chemotherapeutic and immunotherapy drug such as its insolubility in neutral buffers, limited supply, and high toxicity in vivo , which have prevented its clinical application. The small molecule inhibitor Hibiscone C, synthesized from the readily available precursors acetone and isobutylaldehyde, shares the same structural chemistry at the binding site as Wortmannin, suggesting that it shares similar biological activity. Via analysis of phosphorylation of the downstream effector molecule Akt in activated T cells, we demonstrate that Hibiscone C also can irreversibly inhibit PI3K activity due to the presence of the furanosteroid ring, to which PI3K covalently binds in each molecule. As predicted by the lack of functional groups in Hibisconce C that are present in Wortmannin, Hibiscone C was found to be less potent of an inhibitor. Despite this reduced inhibitory potency, Hibiscone C serves as a minimalist structure with which to study the requirements for PI3K binding affinity and inhibition. This reduced structure can be manipulated in order to synthesize derivatives that can maximize potency, specificity, and solubility.
Semi-implicit operator splitting for the simulation of Herschel-Bulkley flows with smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) has become a popular numerical framework of choice for simulating free-surface flows, mainly for Newtonian fluids. The topic regarding the simulation of non-Newtonian free-surface flows, however, remains relatively untouched due to difficulties regarding the computation of viscous forces. In previous approaches, the viscous forces acting on each SPH particle were computed explicitly. Non-Newtonian fluids such as Herschel–Bulkley fluids, the effective viscosity between yielded and unyielded regions can differ by several orders of magnitudes; imposing severe time step restrictions for the simulation for explicit methods. Numerically, this can be seen as a stiff problem. We propose a semi-implicit time-stepping approach where the viscous forces are computed implicitly, within the context of SPH. We demonstrate the convergence of the method via a simple 2D test case.
“Some Men Don’t Bounce”: Miller’s The Price, Mamet’s American Buffalo, and Shepard’s The Late Henry Moss

Arthur Miller’s The Price evinces intriguing parallels with works by two iconic postmodern dramatists, David Mamet and Sam Shepard. The Price and Mamet’s American Buffalo share thematic parallels that highlight the arbitrary and imaginary nature of monetary value. By incorporating economic theorists such as Slavoj Žižek, this essay analyzes Miller’s portrait of the Franz family heirlooms as a type of “junk shop” comparable to the setting of American Buffalo; moreover, the characters in both plays exhibit anxiety at the prospect of being taken advantage of by a subjective or otherwise arbitrary third-party appraiser who can assign or repudiate the monetary value of material objects. The Price and Shepard’s The Late Henry Moss both depict brothers who are traumatized subjects resulting from a father’s paternal deficiencies. Borrowing from trauma studies, this essay analyzes how and why both sets of estranged brothers provide conflicting accounts of a dysfunctional father. This comparative study reveals The Price to be a harbinger of postmodern dramatic themes employed by Mamet and Shepard.
Streamlining radioembolization in UNOS T1/T2 hepatocellular carcinoma by eliminating lung shunt estimation

Background & Aims Pre-treatment Tc-99m macroaggregated albumin (MAA) scans are routinely performed prior to transarterial radioembolization (TARE) to estimate lung shunt fraction (LSF) and lung dose. In this study, we investigate LSF observed in early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and provide the scientific rationale for eliminating this step from routine practice. Methods Patients with HCC who underwent Y90 from 2004 to 2018 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were early stage HCC (UNOS T1/T2/Milan criteria: solitary ≤5 cm, 3 nodules ≤3 cm). LSF was determined using MAA in all patients. Associations between LSF and baseline characteristics were investigated. A “no-MAA” paradigm was then proposed based on a homogenous group that expressed very low LSF. Results Of 1,175 patients with HCC treated with TARE, 448 patients met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 65.6 years and 303 (68%) were males. A total of 352 (79%) had solitary lesions and 406 (91%) unilobar disease. Two-hundred and forty-three (54%), 178 (40%) and 27 (6%) patients were Child-Pugh class A, B and C, respectively. Median LSF was 3.9% (IQR 2.4–6%). Median administered activity was 0.9 GBq (IQR 0.6–1.4), for a median segmental volume of 170 cm3 (range: 60–530). Median lung dose was 1.9 Gy (IQR: 1.0–3.3). The presence of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS; n = 38) was associated with LSF >10% (odds ratio 12.2; 95% CI 5.2–28.6; p Conclusion LSF is clinically negligible in patients with UNOS T1/T2 HCC without TIPS. When segmental injections are planned, this step can be eliminated, thereby reducing time-to-treatment, number of procedures, and improving convenience for patients traveling from faraway. Lay summary Transarterial radioembolization is a microembolic transarterial treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. In our study, we found that early stage patients, where segmental injections are planned, exhibited low lung shunting, effectively eliminating the risk of radiation pneumonitis. We propose that the lung shunt study be eliminated in this subgroup, thus leading to fewer procedures, a cost reduction and improved convenience for patients.
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: Miss Evers’ Boys (1997)

Every basic lecture in healthcare ethics, health disparities, bioethics, public health or research ethics must include some mention of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study—a study funded by the U.S.
Genotypes and prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Background The molecular epidemiology of resistance of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are important in the study of multidrug-resistant bacteria. We evaluate the prevalence of the different mechanisms of CRE in a hospital in Saudi Arabia. Methods Carbapenem non-susceptible isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested by real-time PCR for the detection of genes responsible for beta-lactam resistance. Results There were a total of 200 isolates with carbapenem non-susceptibility and these were Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=96, 48%), Escherichia coli (n=51, 25.5%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=45, 22.5%). The detected carbapenemases were oxacillinase-48 (OXA-48) (n=83, 41.5%), New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) (n=19, 2.5%) and both NDM and OXA-48 (n=5, 2.5%). The other carbapenemases were imipenemase (n=1, 0.5%), Verona integrin encoded metallo-β-lactamase (n=6, 3%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (n=1, 0.5%), but none were detected in 86 isolates (43%). Conclusion The most common carbapenemases were OXA-48 and a significant percentage had no detectable genes. These data will help in the selection of new antimicrobial therapies.
Determinants of the Marketing Budget Allocation Process across Countries Using Artificial Neural Network Classification: Japan, Germany, United States: An Abstract

Marketing managers have continued to grapple with the transitory targets of what are the most efficient and effective levels of marketing and sales expenditures given optimal return. Numerous studies suggest that there is a correlation between marketing and sales budgets and firm performance, however marketing scholars have been slow to integrate managerial relevance when decision making (Fischer et al. 2011). In addition, little cohesive research results suggest marketing allocation optimization in varying product categories or geographic regions. Moreover, there appears to be little consensus as to the identification of consistent input firm or customer level variables consistently associated with favorable outcomes and good practice. The proposition here is a firm level examination of variables with a particular effort to confirm impact on firm and marketing performance measurements across cultural settings. Specifically, a sample of 722 retail trade firms from Japan, Germany and the United States are empirically analyzed in an attempt to answer the following primary questions: (a) Does a common set of high ranking determinants for Maximum Net Marketing Contribution exist among retail trade firms from the examined countries, combined? (b) Does a unique set of high-ranking determinants for Maximum Net Marketing Contribution exist within the retail trade firms from each country, individually?
Visual-Motor Coordination

Visual-motor coordination may be referred to by a variety of terms, including perceptual-motor integration and fine motor coordination. All the terms refer to an individual’s capacity to carry out tasks that require smooth eye-hand coordination. More fundamentally, testing in this domain examines the accuracy of an individual’s perception of stimuli and their related ability to appropriately manipulate objects in the environment.
Measuring equity of education resource allocation: An output-based approach

Abstract This paper provides a methodological framework to measure and analyze educational resource allocation within and across systems and ascertain potential equity implications. The proposed approach employs an outputs-driven method to provide a snapshot of the equitable distribution of key educational resources available in relation to student populations that are most in need. Our approach standardizes educational resources into three broad dimensions including teacher quality, school physical environment, and school instructional environment while contrasting the allocation of these resources between low- and high-needs schools. We implement this approach using real world data from Brazil to demonstrate its adaptability to the context and available data while still maintaining a consistent framework across applications.
Distributed network flow optimization algorithm with tie-set control based on coloring for SDN

This paper proposes a distributed algorithm that aims for congestion control in Software Defined Networking with distributed controllers by exploiting loop structures in a network and coloring. Our algorithm dissects a network into loop units called tie-sets and updates flows on edges by enclosed calculation in each controller, which is in charge of one of loop units. Additionally, the deployment of coloring in a tie-set meta-graph enables the distributed algorithm to avoid update conflicts in shared edges with less communications among controllers.
Subclasses of extranodal oral B-cell lymphomas express cIgM, plasmacytoid, and monocytoid differentiation: A study of 10 cases

Abstract Light microscopic and immunohistochemical findings in 10 extranodal oral B-cell lymphoproliferations are described. Three lymphomas were of the small lymphocytic/plasmacytoid type that also contained immunoblasts. Five lymphomas were monocytoid type with folded nuclei and pale-staining cytoplasm. Two lymphomas were of the large-cell type and contained multilobated blast cells, a low-grade neoplastic lymphoid component, and tumor plasma cells. All lymphomas were reactive with B-cell specific 4KB5, LN-2, L26, and LN-1 antibodies. There was a variable expression of intracytoplasmic μ heavy chain and monotypic κ or λ light chains with neoplastic lymphoplasmacytoid cells and plasma cells. These subclasses of primary oral lymphomas express the histologic and immunophenotypic likeness as well as the immunoreactive spectrum of parafollicular B cells. They may have an intimate morphogenetic association with that of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma.
Temperature and Missouri River Stages near Omaha

A pronounced correlation between water temperature, shifts in the stage-discharge relationship, and bed roughness forms in the Missouri River near Omaha was reported by the U.S. Army District, Omaha, after conducting a comprehensive data collection program in 1966-1969 and 1975 in a 7-mile (11.3-km) reach of the Missouri River. This paper presents and analyzes field data collected in this reach. It is found that the form resistance curve proposed by Einstein and Barbarossa can be used to describe the flow resistance, and the bed form prediction diagram presented by Vanoni is very applicable. Based on Vanoni's curve, a criterion is developed to predict the change of bed form in the Missouri River near Omaha due to river temperature.
Hematopoietic progenitor cell line 32D cl 3 and squamous cancer cell line SCC-VII are sensitized to ionizing irradiation by thalidomide

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4395 Thalidomide (TL) has been used in the treatment of multiple myeloma and due to its anti-angiogenic effects has been postulated to be a potential radiosensitizer for squamous cancers in vivo. We first investigated the effect of TL on growth of IL-3 dependent murine hematopoietic 32D cl 3 cells in semisolid methylcellulose containing medium also supplemented with TL ranging from 0 to 200 μM. The cells were incubated at 37°C for 7 days at which time colonies of greater than 50 cells were counted. TL increased cell colony formation 2-fold over the dose range of 10 to 100 μM. In serially decreasing concentrations of IL-3, TL (50 μM) was growth stimulatory of 32D cl 3 colony formation in 15% IL-3 and 10% IL-3 conditioned medium (146.2 ± 7.2 and 89.3 ± 2.4 colonies/500 cells plated in TL vs. 110.8 ± 11.4 and 58.0 ± 2.1 without TL, p = 0.0304 or 0.0006). To determine whether TL was a radiosensitizer, cells were placed in: 0, 50, or 150 μM TL in three protocols: 1) 1 hour before irradiation; 2) 1 hour before irradiation plus also in methylcellulose following irradiation; or 3) were placed in TL containing methylcellulose only following irradiation. Cells were irradiated to doses ranging from 0 to 800 cGy and plated in methylcellulose containing medium. Seven days later, colonies of greater than 50 cells were counted and analyzed by single hit, multi-target or linear quadratic models. Cells grown in 50 μM TL which stimulated cell growth resulted in an increased radiation resistance compared to control irradiated cells (D = 1.87 ± 0.02 vs. 1.30 ± 0.09 Gy, respectively, p = 0.0366). However, 150 μM TL (which did not stimulate cell growth) increased radiation sensitivity compared to control irradiated cells (D = 1.22 ± 0.5 vs. 1.64 ± 0.11 Gy, respectively, p = 0.0245). To determine whether TL radiosensitized tumor cells in the therapeutic 150 μM range, SSC-VII murine squamous cell carcinoma cells were grown in TL at concentrations ranging from 0 to 200 μM and were assayed for colony formation. In contrast, SSC-VII cells showed no detectable stimulation or inhibition of cell growth for unirradiated cells in any concentration of TL. However, at 150 μM TL, SSC-VII cells were radiosensitive when incubated in TL before irradiation compared to control irradiated cells (D = 2.02 vs. 2.55 Gy, respectively). Thus, thalidomide may be a clinically valuable radiosensitizer.
AMC 048: modified CODOX-M/IVAC-rituximab is safe and effective for HIV-associated Burkitt lymphoma

The toxicity of dose-intensive regimens used for Burkitt lymphoma prompted modification of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, high-dose methotrexate/ifosfamide, etoposide, and high-dose cytarabine (CODOX-M/IVAC) for HIV-positive patients. We added rituximab, reduced and/or rescheduled cyclophosphamide and methotrexate, capped vincristine, and used combination intrathecal chemotherapy. Antibiotic prophylaxis and growth factor support were required; highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was discretionary. Thirteen AIDS Malignancy Consortium centers enrolled 34 patients from 2007 to 2010. Median age was 42 years (range, 19-55 years), 32 of 34 patients were high risk, 74% had stage III to IV BL and CD4 count of 195 cells per μL (range, 0-721 cells per μL), and 5 patients (15%) had CD4 <100 cells per μL. Twenty-six patients were receiving HAART; viral load was <100 copies per mL in 12 patients. Twenty-seven patients had at least one grade 3 to 5 toxicity, including 20 hematologic, 14 infectious, and 6 metabolic. None had grade 3 to 4 mucositis. Five patients did not complete treatments because of adverse events. Eleven patients died, including 1 treatment-related and 8 disease-related deaths. The 1-year progression-free survival was 69% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51%-82%) and overall survival was 72% (95% CI, 53%-84%); 2-year overall survival was 69% (95% CI, 50%-82%). Modifications of the CODOX-M/IVAC regimen resulted in a grade 3 to 4 toxicity rate of 79%, which was lower than that in the parent regimen (100%), without grade 3 to 4 mucositis. Despite a 68% protocol completion rate, the 1-year survival rate compares favorably with 2 studies that excluded HIV-positive patients. This trial was registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00392834.
Modeling Economic Growth with Unpredictable Shocks: A State-Level Application for 1960-90

for three decades beginning in 1960. Frontier estimation techniques are used to test for the presence of state-specific shocks to economic growth that are independent of the usual, normally-distributed random errors. We fmd that large, positive shocks to growth occurred during the period 1960-90. Our results indicate that the error term structure assumed under OLS may not be appropriate for modeling economic growth.
State Abortion Policy and the Long‐Term Impact of Parental Involvement Laws

This paper presents empirical evidence that the enactment of parental involvement laws by states is a major reason for the steady decline in the incidence of abortion that has occurred in the United States since 1981. Parental involvement laws reduced the likelihood of teen minor females (under 18 years of age) having unwanted pregnancies by altering their frequency of unprotected sexual activity or contraceptive use. This change in teen minors' pregnancy avoidance behavior is found to be perpetuated over adult women's childbearing span of 18-44 years of age. Parental involvement laws are estimated to account for approximately one-third of the decline in the abortion rates of adult women of childbearing age over the period 1982-2000. The empirical results remain robust even after controlling for outliers, interstate migration, regional effects, and the presence of a waiting period. Este articulo presenta evidencia empirica de que la promulgacion, al nivel de entidades federativas, de leyes de involucramiento de los padres, es una razon importante para la continua disminucion en la incidencia de abortos que ha ocurrido en los Estados Unidos desde 1981. Estas leyes llamadas “Parental Involvement Laws” redujeron la incidencia de embarazos entre menores adolescentes (con menos de 18 anos de edad) al disminuir la frecuencia de la actividad sexual no protegida de las mismas. Este cambio en el comportamiento en la prevencion del embarazo en las menores adolescentes es perpetuada en mujeres adultas en edad fertil de los 18 a los 44 anos de edad. Se estima que dichas leyes son la causa de aproximadamente 1/3 de la disminucion en los indices de aborto entre mujeres adultas en edad fertil en el periodo de 1982-2000. Los resultados empiricos se mantienen robustos aun despues de controlar los valores atipicos, la migracion entre estados, efectos regionales, y la presencia de un periodo de espera.
Methysergide delays the decompensatory responses to severe hemorrhage by activating 5-HT1A receptors

Central administration of the serotonin receptor ligand methysergide delays the decompensatory response to hypotensive hemorrhage. This study was performed to determine the receptor subtype that me...
Oral health content of early education and child care regulations and standards.

Objective: Almost two out of every three US children younger than five receive child care from someone other than their parents. Health promotion in early education and child care (EECC) programs can improve the general health of children and families, but little is known about the role of these programs in oral health. We identified US EECC program guidelines and assessed their oral health recommendations for infants and toddlers. Methods: State licensing regulations were obtained from the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care's online database. Professional standards were identified through a search of PubMed, early childhood organizations' websites, and early childhood literature. All EECC guidelines were reviewed for key terms related to oral health promotion in children and summarized by domains. Results: Thirty-six states include oral health in their licensing regulations, but recommendations are limited and most often address the storage of toothbrushes. Eleven sets of standards were identified, four of which make recommendations about oral health. Standards from the American Academy of Pediatrics/American Public Health Association (AAP/APHA) and the Office of Head Start (OHS) provide the most comprehensive oral health recommendations regarding screening and referral, classroom activities, and education. Conclusions: Detailed guidelines for oral health practices exist but they exhibit large variation in number and content. States can use the comprehensive standards from the AAP/APHA and OHS to inform and strengthen the oral health content of their licensing regulations. Research is needed to determine compliance with regulations and standards, and their effect on oral health.
SU-E-J-265: Practical Issues and Solutions in Reconstructing and Using 4DCT for Radiotherapy Planning of Lung Cancer

Purpose: To report practical issues and solutions in reconstructing and using 4DCT to account for respiratory motion in radiotherapy planning. Methods: Quiet breathing 4DCT was used to account for respiratory motion for patients with lung or upper abdomen tumor. A planning CT and a 4DCT were acquired consecutively with a Philips Brilliance CT scanner and Varian RPM System. The projections were reconstructed into 10 phases. In Pinnacle RTP system, we contour a GTV in each phase and unite all 10 GTVs as ITV. The ITV is then mapped to the planning CT. We describe practical issues, their causes, our solutions and reasoning during this process. Results: In 6 months, 9 issues were reported for 8 patients with lung cancer. For two patients, part of the GTV (∼50% and 10%) in planning CT fell outside the ITV in 4DCT. There was a 7 mm variation in first patient back position because less restricted immobilization had to be used. The second discrepancy was due to moderate variation in breathing amplitude. We extended the ITV to include the GTV since both variations may likely happen during treatment. A LUL tumor showed no motion due to a 10-s long no-breathing period. An RLL tumor appeared double due to an abnormally deeper breath at the tumor region. We repeated 4DCT reiterating the importance of quiet, regular breathing. One patient breathed too light to generate RPM signal. Two issues (no motion in lung, incomplete images in 90% phase) were due to incorrect tag positions. Two unexplainable errors disappeared when repeating reconstruction. In summary, 5 issues were patient-related and 4 were technique issues. Conclusion: Improving breathing regularity avoided large artifacts in 4DCT. One needs to closely monitor patient breathing. For uncontrollable variations, larger PTVs are necessary which requires appropriate communication between physics and the treating physician.
Predicted power spectra for subordinated variables in periodic instabilities making use of a center manifold reduced Floquet theory

Abstract A center manifold reduction is derived to analyze noise effects on periodic instabilities. Scaling and self-similarity relations are found among the autocorrelations of fast-relaxing degrees of freedom. In the infinite relaxation time limit for order parameters the power spectra converge to a single distribution in accord with previous findings.
Intensity-modulated photon arc therapy for treatment of pleural mesothelioma

Radiotherapy plays a key role in the definitive or adjuvant management of patients with mesothelioma of the pleural surface. Many patients are referred for radiation with intact lung following biopsy or subtotal pleurectomy. Delivery of efficacious doses of radiation to the pleural lining while avoiding lung parenchyma toxicity has been a difficult technical challenge. Using opposed photon fields produce doses in lung that result in moderate-to-severe pulmonary toxicity in 100% of patients treated. Combined photon-electron beam treatment, at total doses of 4250 cGy to the pleural surface, results in two-thirds of the lung volume receiving over 2100 cGy. We have developed a technique using intensity-modulated photon arc therapy (IMRT) that significantly improves the dose distribution to the pleural surface with concomitant decrease in dose to lung parenchyma compared to traditional techniques. IMRT treatment of the pleural lining consists of segments of photon arcs that can be intensity modulated with varying beam weights and multileaf positions to produce a more uniform distribution to the pleural surface, while at the same time reducing the overall dose to the lung itself. Computed tomography (CT) simulation is critical for precise identification of target volumes as well as critical normal structures (lung and heart). Rotational arc trajectories and individual leaf positions and weightings are then defined for each CT plane within the patient. This paper will describe the proposed rotational IMRT technique and, using simulated isodose distributions, show the improved potential for sparing of dose to the critical structures of the lung, heart, and spinal cord.
Community-Based Participatory Research With Native American Communities: The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

Health disparities among Native Americans persist despite efforts to translate evidence-based programs from research to practice. Few evidence-based, theory-driven prevention and management interventions have been successfully translated within Native American communities. The use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) has shown promise in this process. This article provides an overview of the use of CBPR with Native American communities and discusses the translation of the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, using a CBPR approach, with an urban Native American community. This article highlights not only how the CBPR process facilitates the successful translation of the Stanford program but also how CBPR is used within this community to build community capacity.
Liberalization and concentration: Case of Turkey

Abstract The paper attempts to evaluate the liberalization program in terms of its degree of success in achieving competition. The analysis is limited to sellers’ concentration ratio in manufacturing. There is a decline in concentration ratio in manufacturing following liberalization measures taken during the post-1980 period. Considering the degree of the success in such targets as low and stable inflation, and high and sustainable growth, the modest decrease in the concentration ratio appears to be a real success. This decrease looks even better if one considers resources devoted to various targets in the economy.
The Wounds of Savagery

Abstract The author presents a descriptive history of the first black woman executed in North Carolina in the twentieth century. There is a paucity of literature that specifically focuses on the manner in which violent black females have been socially constructed as to legitimize their oftentimes harsh punishments in the historic southern justice system. Anthropological and criminological discussions of Negro primitivism and gender parity are offered as viable explanations for this phenomenon.
Algorithms for processing spatial information

Pairs of stimuli taken from a psychometric measure of spatial aptitude were shown to 9-year-olds, 13-year-olds, and adults. The stimuli in pairs were (a) either identical or mirror images, and (b) presented in orientations that differed by 0-150 degrees. Individuals judged, as rapidly as possible, if the stimuli in a pair would be identical or mirror images if presented at the same orientation. In Experiment 1, in which the stimuli were letter-like characters, at all ages most persons solved the problems using an algorithm in which an individual encodes the stimuli in working memory, mentally rotates one stimulus to the orientation of the other, compares them to determine if they are identical, and responds. In Experiment 2, the stimuli were multielement flags; here, the modal algorithm for both 9- and 13-year-olds differed from the previously described algorithm in that if the comparison process revealed that the stimuli were dissimilar, individuals did not respond immediately, but continued processing until a self-imposed deadline was reached. Among adults, the modal algorithm was the same one used in Experiment 1. Results are discussed in terms of the roles of encoding in contributing to the use of a particular algorithm.
LANGUAGE AND THE TAO: SOME REFLECTIONS ON INEFFABILITY

Confucius withdrew and told his disciples, “I know a bird can fly; I know a fish can swim; I know animals can run. Creatures that run can be caught in nets; those that swim can be caught in wicker traps; those that fly can be hit by arrows. But the dragon is beyond my knowledge; it ascends into heaven on the clouds and the wind. Today 1 have seen Lao Tzu, and he is like the dragon!”
Three‐dimensional collisionless magnetic reconnection in the presence of a guide field

[1] Previous investigations of collisionless magnetic reconnection in a standard Harris neutral sheet configuration have demonstrated the importance of the Hall term for producing near-Alfvenic rates of reconnection and the existence of a very thin (∼c/ωpe) electron current layer and sharp density/pressure gradients on c/ωpi scales. The present work uses three-dimensional (3-D) particle-in-cell simulations with an open geometry to investigate the changes in the reconnection physics produced by a “guide field” component B0y of the magnetic field. With B0y ≲ B0, the nonlinear reconnection rate is not substantially modified from that for the Harris case. The properties of the reconnection fields and particle dynamics, however, are strongly altered. The familiar quadrupole By pattern is replaced by an enhancement of ∣By∣ between the separatrices. The enhanced parallel electric field and parallel electron velocity are confined to one pair of separatrix arms (which are positively charged), while the electron current peaks on the other pair (which are negatively charged). The ion outflow along the current sheet polarizes the separatrices, thereby creating large components of the in-plane electric field. The electrons are accelerated to form a beam structure with parallel speed limited by the electron Alfven speed. The beam-dominated electron distribution produces some y-dependent structures in E∥. For B0y ≫ B0, the reconnection rate is reduced by a factor of 2–3, and the parallel fields and velocities are somewhat smaller; the Hall current produced perturbations in By are considerably reduced.
Gender, Race, and Travel Behavior: Analysis of Household-Serving Travel and Commuting in San Francisco Bay Area

Detailed trip diary data from a 1990 survey of San Francisco Bay Area residents were used to examine the effects of race/ethnicity on the differences in commuting and household-serving travel among men and women. With respect to travel behavioral differences between men and women, the findings suggest that women do more child chauffeuring and make more household-serving trips than men. This analysis further reveals that these gender differences in commuting behavior extend to household-serving travel and can vary significantly by race/ethnicity in addition to income and household structure. It was found, for example, that commute time differences are highest among whites (4.5 min) and lowest among Hispanics (1.8 min), whereas observed gender differences in average travel time for all trips do not vary much by race or ethnicity. Furthermore, the gender variation in child-serving trips was lowest among Asians and Pacific Islanders (women are 60 percent more likely to make such trips) and highest among white...
Bipolar resistive switching in room temperature grown disordered vanadium oxide thin-film devices

Abstract We demonstrate bipolar switching with high OFF/ON resistance ratios (>104) in Pt/vanadium oxide/Cu structures deposited entirely at room temperature. The SET (RESET) process occurs when negative (positive) bias is applied to the top Cu electrode. The vanadium oxide (VOx) films are amorphous and close to the vanadium pentoxide stoichiometry. We also investigated Cu/VOx/W structures, reversing the position of the Cu electrode, and found the same polarity dependence with respect to the top and bottom electrodes, which suggests that the bipolar nature is linked to the VOx layer itself. Bipolar switching can be observed at 100 °C, indicating that it not due to a temperature-induced metal–insulator transition of a vanadium dioxide second phase. We discuss how ionic drift can lead to the bipolar electrical behavior of our junctions, similar to those observed in devices based on several other defective oxides. Such low-temperature processed oxide switches could be of relevance to back-end or package integration processing schemes.
Ex-PRESS™ Mini Glaucoma Shunt: surgical technique and review of clinical experience

Glaucoma is a leading cause of worldwide blindness. Treatment of this chronic disease, centered on lowering intraocular pressure (IOP), may require surgical intervention when medical and/or laser therapy fail to control IOP. Traditional glaucoma surgery, such as trabeculectomy, has been performed for decades and has a proven track record of success. Unfortunately, many complications such as hypotony and slow visual recovery are known to occur and can lead to significant patient morbidity. New devices are being developed to allow surgeons increased control with more predictable postoperative results. One such device, the Ex-PRESS™ mini glaucoma shunt, has undergone changes in design and method of insertion making it more appealing for use in patients requiring IOP-lowering surgery. We summarize pertinent literature and expand on the future role of this device in glaucoma surgery.
Effect of Microarc Oxidation Time on Electrochemical Behaviors of Coated Bio-compatible Magnesium Alloy☆

Abstract Magnesium alloys are newly promising biomaterials with potential application of human bone replacement. However, there is a drawback due to their high corrosion rates. In this study, AZ31 magnesium alloys were coated using microarc oxidation (MAO) process. Two oxidation durations, 1 minute and 5 minutes, were used. The samples were immersed in the simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to seven days. Then the electrochemical behaviors of the two samples were comparatively investigated. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) experiments were used. The results show that the 5-minute MAO coated sample had a better corrosion resistance than the 1-minute MAO coated sample. The study shows processing parameters, e.g., oxidation time, can be used to design an optimized MAO-coated magnesium alloy with controlled corrosion rates.
The Social Support Apgar: instrument development and testing.

The Social Support Apgar (SSA), developed as a user-friendly tool for screening for perceptions of adequacy of social support among perinatal women, provides a profile of perceived satisfaction with five types of support from five different sources. The results of psychometric analyses from three separate studies involving the SSA are reported. Cronbach's alphas of.88 to .93 were obtained. A positive relationship between SSA scores and favorable pregnancy outcomes and a negative relationship between SSA scores and life stress proved some evidence of validity. The SSA's clinical utility is suggested by its ease of completion and the finding of no relationship between client and nurse ratings. These results suggest that the tool holds promise for use as a screening instrument with prenatal clients in busy clinical settings.
Necessary conditions for the method of inferring phylogeny by linear invariants

It is known that if all the Markov transition matrices that govern the substitution of one nucleotide for another satisfy six linear constraints, then equations can be derived that permit one to infer evolutionary trees from nucleic acid sequences by the method of linear invariants. These sufficient conditions are also necessary. Any relaxation of them results in the loss of all linear invariants. Necessary conditions for any given set of linear invariants can be derived by examining conditions a matrix must satisfy to map a certain set of matrices into itself. To the extent that necessary conditions are incorrect, a method is not reliable. In a world where different parts of molecules evolve at different rates, the two-parameter model of Kimura may not be empirically distinguishable from the more general one treated here.
Activation of apoptosis signaling eliminates CD34+ progenitor cells in blast crisis CML independent of response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Despite being highly effective for newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), imatinib not only is inactive against quiescent CML stem cells, but also has limited activity against blast crisis (BC) CML. The relative activity of Bcr-Abl and the expression levels of antiapoptotic proteins in proliferating and quiescent CD34(+) BC CML progenitor cells and the effects of targeting antiapoptotic proteins in these cells are unknown. Here we report higher levels of p-CrkL in quiescent than in proliferating CD34(+) progenitor cells and comparable expression levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1 and XIAP in the two populations in BC CML. Inhibition of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL by ABT-737 in cells from patients with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant BC CML promoted apoptosis in quiescent CD34(+) progenitor cells with an efficacy similar to that in proliferating cells. Combination of ABT-737 with imatinib (which decreases Mcl-1 levels) or triptolide (which decreases Mcl-1 and XIAP) synergistically induced death of both proliferating and quiescent CD34(+) progenitor cells obtained from TKI-resistant BC CML patients. These results suggest that antiapoptotic proteins are critical targets in BC CML and that activation of apoptosis signaling can eliminate both proliferating and quiescent CD34(+) progenitor cells in BC CML, independent of response to TKIs.