cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting R01 grant funding among academic neurosurgeons over the last decade.

Background Recent studies have reported a gender and medical degree disparity for those receiving Research Project Grants in surgical specialties. The aim of the present study is to analyze factors among academics neurosurgeons that correlate to higher amounts of R01 grant monies awarded. Materials and methods The National Institutes of Health Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results database was queried for neurosurgery funding between 2008 and 2018. Grant recipients were categorized among type of degree, secondary degree(s), professorship, gender, and h - index. Statistical analysis was performed. Results The National Institutes of Health awarded 480 R01 grants totaling $182,482,644 to 81 allopathic neurosurgeons between 2008 and 2018. No osteopathic neurosurgeons were awarded an R01 grant during this timeframe. There was a significant difference for type of professorship on the total awarded amount at the p < 0.05 level for the three types of professorship [F (2,78) = 4.85, p < 0.01)]. There was a significant difference for magnitude of h - index on total R01 monies (p < 0.00001). Males accounted for the majority of R01 monies (93.99%); however, no significant difference between average amount awarded and gender was identified (p = 0.86). A secondary degree was without significant difference for R01 amount awarded (p = 0.75). Conclusions The present study establishes a medical degree disparity for academic neurosurgeons who receive an R01 grant. Statistically significant factors found to affect amount of R01 grant monies awarded were limited to type of professorship and magnitude of h - index.
3-D Geologic Controls of Hydrothermal Fluid Flow at Brady geothermal field, Nevada, USA

Abstract In many hydrothermal systems, fracture permeability along faults provides pathways for groundwater to transport heat from depth. Faulting generates a range of deformation styles that cross-cut heterogeneous geology, resulting in complex patterns of permeability, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. Vertical connectivity (a throughgoing network of permeable areas that allows advection of heat from depth to the shallow subsurface) is rare and is confined to relatively small volumes that have highly variable spatial distribution. This local compartmentalization of connectivity represents a significant challenge to understanding hydrothermal circulation and for exploring, developing, and managing hydrothermal resources. Here, we present an evaluation of the geologic characteristics that control this compartmentalization in hydrothermal systems through 3-D analysis of the Brady geothermal field in western Nevada. A published 3-D geologic map of the Brady area is used as a basis to develop structural and geological variables that are hypothesized to control or effect permeability or connectivity. The 3-D distribution of these variables is compared to the distribution of productive and non-productive fluid flow intervals along production wells and non-productive wells via principal component analysis (PCA). This comparison elucidates which geologic and structural variables are most closely associated with productive fluid flow intervals. Results indicate that production intervals at Brady are located: (1) within or near to known and stress-loaded macro-scale faults, and (2) in areas of high fault and fracture density.
Developing Optimal Student Plans of Study

Advisors in a small graduate program needed to be able to help students with a wide variety of needs and preferences in terms of starting term, pace of study, program of study, and mode of course d...
Plant uptake of pharmaceutical and personal care products from recycled water and biosolids: a review

Reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation is growing in arid and semi-arid regions, while increasing amounts of biosolids are being applied to fields to improve agricultural outputs. These historically under-utilized resources contain "emerging contaminants", such as pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), which may enter agricultural soils and potentially contaminate food crops. In this review, we summarize recent research and provide a detailed overview of PPCPs in the soil-plant systems, including analytical methods for determination of PPCPs in plant tissues, fate of PPCPs in agricultural soils receiving treated wastewater irrigation or biosolids amendment, and plant uptake of PPCPs under laboratory and field conditions. Mechanisms of uptake and translocation of PPCPs and their metabolisms in plants are also reviewed. Field studies showed that the concentration levels of PPCPs in crops that were irrigated with treated wastewater or applied with biosolids were very low. Potential human exposure to PPCPs through dietary intake was discussed. Information gaps and questions for future research have been identified in this review.
Dissolved hydrocarbons and related microflora in a fjordal seaport: sources, sinks, concentrations, and kinetics.

Abstract The continuous addition of toluene as a solute of treated ballast water from oil tankers into a well-defined estuary facilitated the study of the dynamics of dissolved hydrocarbon metabolism in seawater. Most rates of toluene oxidation were in the range of 1 to 30 pg/liter per h at 0.5 μg of toluene per liter. Near the ballast water injection point, a layer of warm ballast water, rich in bacteria, that was trapped below the less-dense fresh surface water was located. Toluene residence times were approximately 2 weeks in this layer, 2 years elsewhere in Port Valdez, and 2 decades in the surface water of a more oceanic receiving estuary adjacent. Mixing was adequate for a steady-state treatment which showed that 98% of the toluene was flushed from Port Valdez before metabolism and gave a steady-state concentration of 0.18 μg/liter. Total bacterial biomass from direct counts and organism size data was usually near 0.1 mg/liter, but ranged up to 0.8 mg/liter in the bacteria-rich layer. The origin of bacteria in this layer was traced to growth in oil tanker ballast during shipments. The biomass of toluene oxidizers in water samples was estimated from the average affinity of pure-culture isolates for toluene (28 liters per g of cells per h) and observed toluene oxidation kinetics. Values ranged from nearly all of the total bacterial biomass within the bacteria-rich layer down to 0.2% at points far removed. Because the population of toluene oxidizers was large with respect to the amount of toluene consumed and because water from a nearby nonpolluted estuary was equally active in facilitating toluene metabolism, we searched for an additional hydrocarbon source. It was found that terpenes could be washed from spruce trees by simulated rainfall, which suggested that riparian conifers provide an additional and significant hydrocarbon source to seawater.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy for multisite extracranial oligometastases: final report of a dose escalation trial in patients with 1 to 5 sites of metastatic disease.

BACKGROUND: A subset of patients with metastatic cancer in limited organs may benefit from metastasis-directed therapy. The authors investigated whether patients with limited metastases could be safely treated with metastasis-directed radiotherapy. METHODS: Patients with 1 to 5 metastatic cancer sites with a life expectancy of >3 months received escalating stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) doses to all known cancer sites. Patients were followed radiographically with CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis and metabolically with fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, 1 month after treatment, and then every 3 months. Acute toxicities were scored using the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0, and late toxicities were scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group late toxicity scoring system. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients with 113 metastases were enrolled from November 2004 to November 2009 on a prospective radiation dose escalation study. Median follow-up was 20.9 months. Patients tolerated treatment well; the maximal tolerated dose was not reached in any cohort. Eleven patients (18.3%) have not progressed. One and 2-year progression-free survival are 33.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.8-46.1) and 22.0% (95% CI, 12.8-34.4); 1-year and 2-year overall survival are 81.5% (95% CI, 71.1-91.1) and 56.7% (95% CI, 43.9-68.9). Seventy-two percent of patients whose tumors progressed did so in limited (1-3) metastatic sites. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with 1 to 5 metastases can be safely treated to multiple body sites and may benefit from SBRT. Further investigation should focus on patient selection. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
The Greed and Regret Problem

Anshul Sheopuri Department of Information, Operations and Management Science, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University. 8-154, 44 West, 4 Street New York, NY10012. asheopur@stern.nyu.edu Eitan Zemel Department of Information, Operations and Management Science, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University. 8-65, 44 West, 4 Street New York, NY10012. zemel@stern.nyu.edu
Evolutionary Dynamics on Small-World Networks

We study how the outcome of evolutionary dynamics on graphs depends on a randomness on the graph structure. We gradually change the underlying graph from completely regular (e.g. a square lattice) to completely random. We find that the fixation probability increases as the randomness increases; nevertheless, the increase is not significant and thus the fixation probability could be estimated by the known formulas for underlying regular graphs. Keywords—evolutionary dynamics, small-world networks.
Development and Structures of Creole Languages: Essays in Honor of Derek Bickerton

Development and Structures of Creole Languages: Essays in Honor of Derek Bickerton. Francis Byrne and Thorn Huebner. eds. Creole Language Library, 9. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1991. 222 pp.
The effect of argon laser irradiation on demineralization resistance of human enamel adjacent to orthodontic brackets: an in vitro study.

Argon lasers, because of their significant timesavings over conventional curing lights, have been investigated for use in bonding orthodontic brackets. They are also being investigated for their ability to confer demineralization resistance on enamel, which is of great interest in orthodontics. A two-part in vitro study on 86 human posterior teeth was conducted to determine the effects of a five-second argon laser exposure on shear bond strength and to evaluate the effects of a five- and 10-second argon laser exposure (250 mW) on demineralization of enamel surrounding orthodontic brackets after exposure to an artificial caries bath. Brackets cured with the argon laser for five seconds yielded mean bond strengths similar to those attained with a 40-second conventional light-cured control (n = 13 per group, 20.4 vs 17.8 MPa). Brackets cured with the argon laser for 10 seconds resulted in significantly lower mean lesion depth when compared with a visible light control (n = 20 per group, 107.8 vs 137.2 microm, P = .038). There were no statistically significant differences in lesion depth between the five-second argon laser and the visible light control groups. Overall, there was a 15% and 22% reduction in lesion depths for the five- and 10-second group, respectively. Poor correlations were found between the clinical appearance of decalcifications and their lesion depth. Argon lasers used for bonding orthodontic brackets would save a significant amount of chair time while possibly conferring demineralization resistance upon the enamel.
Complement Inhibition by Staphylococcus aureus: Electrostatics of C3d–EfbC and C3d–Ehp Association

Virulence factors EfbC and Ehp from Staphylococcus aureus are potent inhibitors of complement activation. Both are excessively charged and bind to complement protein C3d at an acidic interface. We computationally generated single-alanine mutants of charged residues in the C3d–EfbC and C3d–Ehp complexes, and utilized electrostatic clustering and Poisson–Boltzmann free energy calculations to evaluate the role of electrostatics in association. Our results indicate that both interfacial electrostatic interactions and electrostatic potential distribution are crucial for C3d–EfbC and C3d–Ehp association. The results presented herein serve as a predictive tool in the selection of mutants with desired binding and immunological activity, and will narrow the search for viable candidates for further computational and experimental analyses. This study serves as the foundation for development of an inhibitor of the C3d–EfbC and C3d–Ehp interactions to combat bacterial infection and design of a complement inhibitor using EfbC and Ehp as a model.
Opposing basal ganglia processes shape midbrain visuomotor activity bilaterally

The manner in which the nervous system allocates limited motor resources when confronted with conflicting behavioural demands is a crucial issue in understanding how sensory information is transformed into adaptive motor responses. Understanding this selection process is of particular concern in current models of functions of the basal ganglia1. Here we report that the basal ganglia use simultaneous enhancing and suppressing processes synergistically to modulate sensory activity in the superior colliculi, which are bilaterally paired midbrain structures involved in the control of visual orientation behaviours2. These complementary processes presumably ensure accurate gaze shifts mediated by the superior colliculi despite the presence of potential distractors.
PTSD and major depression: Methodological and treatment considerations in a single case design*

A case of successful cognitive behavioral treatment of a woman diagnosed with assault-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid major depression is presented. The client was treated using a combination of stress inoculation, cognitive restructuring, and imaginal in vivo exposure. A statistical technique based on classical test theory (Yarnold, 1988) was used to evaluate the client's progress in treatment. After 18 sessions, few statistically significant improvements were noted, although visual inspection of the data suggested improvements. However, after an additional six sessions devoted solely to exposure-based treatment, dramatic improvements were observed, which were maintained at one- and three-month followups. The case highlights the utility of statistical analysis in single case designs to evaluate the clinical decisions made in the selection of target behaviors for treatment of PTSD when comorbid disorders are present.
Correspondence truth and scientific realism

I argue that one good reason for Scientific Realists to be interested in correspondence theories is the hope they offer us of being able to state and defend realistic theses in the face of well-known difficulties about modern physics: such theses as, that our theories are approximately true, or that they will tend to approach the truth. I go on to claim that this hope is unlikely to be fulfilled. I suggest that Realism can still survive in the face of these difficulties, as a claim about the kind of theories we want to aim for. I relate this conception of Realism to various contemporary discussions, both by realists and antirealists.
How Well Does the Edmonson-Paloheimo Model Approximate Instantaneous Birth Rates?

An equation independently derived by Edmondson and Paloheimo for estimating in- stantaneous birth rates without a knowledge of mortality rates has been extensively employed by zooplankton ecologists. This expression is exactly true only under the unlikely conditions that the age distribution is stable and that egg mortality is equal to that averaged across the entire population. Here I compare estimates of instantaneous birth rates (b) using the Edmondson-Paloheimo equation to those determined with a general model which accounts for age structure instability and egg mortality in two Daphnia pulex populations. Despite the fact that the assumptions of the Edmondson-Paloheimo model are rarely met, it mimics the seasonal pattern of b quite well, with few exceptions. An analysis of variance suggests that the model will provide an adequate approximation of the true population birth rate when a variance in b of 0.003 can be tolerated. A much more critical factor in the analysis of instantaneous rates in plankton populations is the development of accurate sampling techniques.
Nucleic acid-binding ligands identify new mechanisms to inhibit telomerase.

Abstract We screened a small library of known nucleic acid-binding ligands in order to identify novel inhibitors of recombinant human telomerase. Inhibitory compounds were classified into two groups: Group I inhibitors had a notably greater effect when added prior to telomerase assemblage and Group II inhibitors displayed comparable inhibition when added before or after telomerase assemblage. Hoechst 33258, a Group I inhibitor, was found to interact tightly ( K D =0.36 μM) with human telomerase RNA (hTR) leading us to propose that hTR is the molecular target for this and other Group I inhibitors. Our results suggest that hTR can be exploited as a small-molecule drug target and provide several new structural motifs for the further development of novel telomerase inhibitors.
Abnormal adrenal steroidogenesis in growth-retarded newborn infants.

ABSTRACT: The results of prior studies suggest that abnormalities of development and function of the fetal adrenal occur in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR). In the present investigation, we sought to extend such studies by matching IUGR infants with normally grown infants of women in whom pregnancy complications, delivery method, and gestational age were comparable. In 47 vaginally delivered, IUGR infants (38 ± 2 wk, mean SD; 2244 ± 589 g body weight), the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DS) in umbilical cord serum (4.48 ± 2.94 μmol/L) were lower (p = 0.035) than those (5.94 ± 3.63 μmol/L) of 47 normal weight infants (38 ± 2 wk; 3107 ± 527 g). Yet, umbilical cord serum levels of cortisol in IUGR infants (455 ± 189 nmol/L) were slightly higher than those of the control infants (408 ± 247 nmol/L). The DS/cortisol molar ratio in IUGR infants (10.5 ± 6.8) was 41% lower (p = 0.0013) than that of the control infants (17.7 ± 13). Also, the estimated DS plasma pool in IUGR infants (521 ± 349 nmol) was strikingly lower (p = 0.0018) than that of the control infants (800 ± 480 nmol); the estimated plasma pools of cortisol were equivalent (growth-retarded: 53 ± 27 nmol; control: 55 ± 34 nmol). Although we anticipated that total cholesterol and apo B levels in IUGR infants would be increased due to reduced adrenal utilization of LDL for DS production, such was not the case. We conclude that a selective deficiency of DS production occurs in the IUGR fetus.
Why invest in an educational fellowship program

Expanding and refining the repertoire of medical school teaching faculty is required by the many current and changing demands of medical education. To meet this challenge academic medical institutions have begun to establish programs--including educational fellowship programs--to improve the teaching toolboxes of faculty and to empower them to assume leadership roles within both institutional and educational arenas. In this article, the authors (1) provide historical background on educational fellowship programs; (2) describe the prevalence and focus of these programs in North American medical schools, based on data from a recent (2005) survey; and (3) give a brief overview of the nine fellowship programs that are discussed fully in other articles in this issue of Academic Medicine. These articles describe very different types of educational fellowships that, nevertheless, share common features: a cohort of faculty members who are selected to participate in a longitudinal set of faculty development activities to improve participants' teaching skills and to build a cadre of educational leaders for the institution. Evaluation of educational fellowships remains a challenging issue, but the authors contend that one way to evaluate the programs' effectiveness is to look at the educational improvements that have been instigated by program graduates. The authors hope that the various program descriptions will help readers to improve their existing programs and/or to initiate new programs.
Firefighter command training virtual environment

The Firefighter Command Training Virtual Environment is being developed at Georgia Tech in collaboration with the Atlanta Fire Department. The VE allows the user to: navigate around the environment, viewing a house on fire from any angle; command firefighters and watch them execute those commands; and see realistic fire and smoke behavior reacting to changes in the environment. The VE user is a commanding officer trainee who instructs teams of virtual firefighters to perform different actions to help put out virtual fires. The correct sequence of commands will successfully extinguish the flame with the least amount of danger to the firefighters and the least amount of damage to the home. This simulation was developed using the Simple Virtual Environment (SVE) library, an extensible framework for building VE applications. This is the first example of a firefighter training environment that combines representations of animated firefighters with a reasonable simulation and animation of smoke and fire.
Nuclear magnetic resonance determination of the 125Te hyperfine field in ferromagnetic CuCr2Te4

Abstract In CuCr 2 Te 4 . a direct measurement yields for 125 Te a hyperfine field of 188 kOe at 1.4°K which is directed opposite to the sample magnetization. Our value of the field disagrees with a previous indirect Mossbauer determination.
Treatment of Late-Life Mental Disorders in Primary Care: We Can Do a Better Job

Health care services provided to older adults today are not as effective as they should be. The quality of care for late-life mental disorders often falls short of desired standards. The growth of the elderly population makes it imperative for the health care system to address late-life mental disorders more effectively. Intervention strategies based in primary care settings show the most promise, but effectiveness will depend on solving the geriatric psychiatry workforce crisis. Collaborative care is one promising model for improving geriatric mental health care delivery in primary care. Diffusion of collaborative care into the health care system and integrating geriatric psychiatry into other models such as geriatric medical homes will require redesign of the organization and financing of primary care and psychiatry to overcome current barriers. Public policy should reflect the essential role of psychiatry in geriatrics and promote the integration of geriatric psychiatry with primary care.
A Study of Eddy-induced Fluctuations of the Zonal-Mean Wind Using Conventional and Transformed Eulerian Diagnostics

The dynamics of eddy-induced fluctuations of the zonal-mean current in the troposphere and lower stratosphere is investigated using conventional and transformed Eulerian diagnostics utilizing ECMWF FGGE IIIb data. The results obtained support the notion that large convergences of the vertical component of the Eliassen-Palm flux in the middle troposphere at mid- to high-latitudes have much less effect on zonal-mean angular momentum fluctuations than do small divergences of the horizontal component at lower latitudes and higher altitudes.
Autosomal dominant inheritance of a predisposition to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections and intracranial saccular aneurysms

A genetic predisposition for thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD) can be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner with decreased penetrance and variable expression. Four genes identified to date for familial TAAD account for approximately 20% of the heritable predisposition. In a cohort of 514 families with two or more members with presumed autosomal dominant TAAD, 48 (9.3%) families have one or more members who were at 50% risk to inherit the presumptive gene causing TAAD had an intracranial vascular event. In these families, gender is significantly associated with disease presentation (p <0.001), with intracranial events being more common in women (65.4%) while TAAD events occurred more in men (64.2%,). Twenty-nine of these families had intracranial aneurysms (ICA) that could not be designated as saccular or fusiform due to incomplete data. TGFBR1, TGFBR2, and ACTA2 mutations were found in 4 families with TAAD and predominantly fusiform ICAs. In 15 families, of which 14 tested negative for 3 known TAAD genes, 17 family members who were at risk for inheriting TAAD had saccular ICAs. In 2 families, women who harbored the genetic mutation causing TAAD had ICAs. In 2 additional families, intracranial, thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms were observed. This study documents the autosomal dominant inheritance of TAADs with saccular ICAs, a previously recognized association that has not been adequately characterized as heritable.I these families, routine cerebral and aortic imaging for at risk members could prove beneficial for timely medical and surgical management to prevent a cerebral hemorrhage or aortic dissection.
Using pilot study information to increase efficiency in clinical trials

It is often necessary to conduct a pilot study to determine the sample size required for a clinical trial. Due to differences in sampling environments, the pilot data are usually discarded after sample size calculation. This paper tries to use the pilot information to modify the subsequent testing procedure when a two-sided t-test or a regression model is used to compare two treatments. The new test maintains the required significance level regardless of the dissimilarity between the pilot and the target populations, but increases the power when the two are similar. The test is constructed based on the posterior distribution of the parameters given the pilot study information, but its properties are investigated from a frequentist's viewpoint. Due to the small likelihood of an irrelevant pilot population, the new approach is a viable alternative to the current practice.
An overview of automatic feature recognition techniques for computer-aided process planning

Abstract In recent years, various researchers have come up with different ways and means to integrate CAD and CAM. Automatic feature recognition from a CAD solid model, for downstream applications like process planning, greatly impacts the level of integration. A brief discussion and review of methods used in automatic feature recognition like cell division, cavity volume, convex hull, laminae slicing and other miscellaneous techniques which include graph-based and hint-based feature recognition methods have been presented. Automatic feature recognition for machining is essentially viewed as an exercise in decomposition. It is further confirmed that even in a “design by features” environment, the need for feature recognition is inevitable.
Reply to “Can Limited Scientific Value of Potential Pandemic Pathogen Experiments Justify the Risks?”

We thank Dr. Lipsitch for his comments (1). Dr. Lipsitch does not argue with the notion that gain-of-function experiments are epistemologically valuable, but he does feel that their practical value is limited. Likewise, we would not argue that reasonable people cannot come to different conclusions about the relative epistemic value of any given experiment. He makes several points to which we will respond. The first point is that the epistemic yield of influenza virus GOF experiments in ferrets is limited. Dr. Lipsitch questions the value of the experiments establishing H5N1 transmissibility in ferrets (2, 3) on the basis of underpowered experiments and the possibility that the information is limited to ferrets. That may be true for quantitative data, although arguments have been made to the contrary (4), but the experiments on H5N1 transmissibility unequivocally established that H5N1 had the biological potential to become mammalian transmissible, and that observation was a qualitative, all-or-nothing, result for which there is no need for statistical analysis: it happened. The fact that it happened is the epistemic gain, and the definitive nature of the result makes it of high epistemic value. Prior to these experiments, the question of whether highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) had the biological potential for mammalian transmissibility was in doubt. Since the completion of these experiments, we know with great confidence that H5N1 can …
Testing solar models with global solar oscillations in the 5-minute band

Frequencies of solar oscillation for normal modes described by spherical harmonics with l-values between 0 and 4 are computed. The method of computation is discussed and some of the theoretical uncertainties are examined. It is shown that the standard solar model has eigenfrequencies which do not agree with the frequencies observed for the low l-modes to within the estimated accuracy of either the observed or theoretical frequencies. Four non-standard models are considered: (1) the interior Z abundance is lower than the surface abundance; (2) the interior Z abundance is higher than the surface abundance; (3) the interior Z abundance is altered by mixing; and (4) a large primordial magnetic field remains in the solar core. The effect of all these models on the solar neutrino flux is considered, with the result that the high-Z model is rejected. The conclusions of Bahcall and Ulrich (1971) that a primordial magnetic field increases the neutrino flux are disputed.
Teachers and the Workplace.

Teachers remember their responses to the introduction of "efficiency" in the schools of Pittsburgh.
Further X-Ray Studies of Gutta-Percha and Balata

Abstract New x-ray diffraction data for gutta-percha and balata are given and considered in the light of von Susich's recent conclusion that these substances are identical and exist in two crystalline forms. The data also support the assumption that gutta-percha is a mixture of balata and another crystalline constituent, an assumption that is in some respects preferable to that of von Susich. Although the relation between gutta-percha and balata has been established and there may be no ultimate difference between them, it is pointed out that the majority of specimens examined of material classified commercially as balata produce a diffraction pattern different from that of gutta-percha, a fact of practical significance. THERE has been considerable disagreement as to the significance of x-ray diffraction data for gutta-percha and balata as reported by different investigators. The main point at issue has been the fundamental difference between gutta-percha and balata. Clark (1) and Hauser (2) have obtained ...
New and Future Resuscitation Fluids for Trauma Patients Using Hemoglobin and Hypertonic Saline

Hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOC) and hypertonic saline solutions (HSS) are used for resuscitation of trauma patients with hemorrhagic shock. In this review, the clinical application, dosing, administration, and side effects of these solutions are discussed. Although HBOC and HSS are not ideal resuscitation fluids, until rapidly thawed universal donor frozen blood and blood component therapy becomes widely available in North America, these fluids should to be considered immediately after injury and throughout the spectrum of care for patients with hemorrhagic shock, until blood and blood components become available.
Real-time content analysis and adaptive transmission of lecture videos for mobile applications

With the popularity of e-learning systems, there is an increasing demand on effectively utilizing instructional videos to augment distance learning experiences. This paper addresses some special issues in processing and streaming lecture videos, and provides a new approach for real-time content analysis and adaptive transmission of these videos over wireless networks. A content-based analysis method and a buffer-based model are provided to detect content regions and to select content significant key frames, and an adaptive feedback control scheme is applied to transmit properly compressed key frames to accommodate dynamically changing bandwidths in wireless environments, with consideration of the limitations of resolution and computing capability of mobile devices. We demonstrate the effectiveness and scalability of our system in experimental results of adaptive transmission of instructional videos over 802.11b wireless networks to mobile devices.
Multi‐scale spatial correlation and scaling behavior of surface soil moisture

from 1 � 1k m 2 to 140 � 140 km 2 . Semi-variograms were used to analyze the spatial correlation in remotely sensed soil moisture data from SGP97. Results indicate that a nested correlation structure exists within regional scale fields. Three representative semi-variograms were chosen to calculate the scaling of soil moisture variance with increasing support scale. While previous research at smaller scales (<1 km 2 ) revealed that soil moisture variance follows a power law decay with increasing support area, we show that in the presence of significant spatial correlation at the larger scales studied here, a power law relationship no longer holds. Rather, the type of correlation function and correlation length play an important role in the relationship between soil moisture variance and support area. We suggest that understanding the spatial correlation pattern of soil moisture across scales is critical for characterizing the scaling behavior of soil moisture variance. Citation: Ryu, D., and J. S. Famiglietti (2006), Multi-scale spatial correlation and scaling behavior of surface soil moisture, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L08404, doi:10.1029/2006GL025831.
Automatic graph-cut based segmentation of bones from knee magnetic resonance images for osteoarthritis research

In this paper, a new, fully automated, content-based system is proposed for knee bone segmentation from magnetic resonance images (MRI). The purpose of the bone segmentation is to support the discovery and characterization of imaging biomarkers for the incidence and progression of osteoarthritis, a debilitating joint disease, which affects a large portion of the aging population. The segmentation algorithm includes a novel content-based, two-pass disjoint block discovery mechanism, which is designed to support automation, segmentation initialization, and post-processing. The block discovery is achieved by classifying the image content to bone and background blocks according to their similarity to the categories in the training data collected from typical bone structures. The classified blocks are then used to design an efficient graph-cut based segmentation algorithm. This algorithm requires constructing a graph using image pixel data followed by applying a maximum-flow algorithm which generates a minimum graph-cut that corresponds to an initial image segmentation. Content-based refinements and morphological operations are then applied to obtain the final segmentation. The proposed segmentation technique does not require any user interaction and can distinguish between bone and highly similar adjacent structures, such as fat tissues with high accuracy. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated by testing it on 376 MR images from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) database. This database included a selection of single images containing the femur and tibia from 200 subjects with varying levels of osteoarthritis severity. Additionally, a full three-dimensional segmentation of the bones from ten subjects with 14 slices each, and synthetic images with background having intensity and spatial characteristics similar to those of bone are used to assess the robustness and consistency of the developed algorithm. The results show an automatic bone detection rate of 0.99 and an average segmentation accuracy of 0.95 using the Dice similarity index.
THE ADRENAL ANDROGENS DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE AND ANDROSTENEDIOL DO NOT STIMULATE RAT TIBIAL GROWTH

Abstract Adrenal androgen levels increase in late childhood during a period known as adrenarche. The role of increased adrenal androgens during this period is not known, nor have their effects on skeletal growth been clearly established. We investigated the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone and androstenediol administration on tibial growth in castrated 21 day old male rats. Growth rate was assessed by measurement of epiphyseal growth plate width and longitudinal growth rate. In the dehydroepiandrosterone-treated rats, the epiphyseal growth plate width and the longitudinal growth rate did not change significantly even though serum dehydroepiandrosterone levels increased from 18±2 to 395±52 ng/dl. Likewise, in the androstenediol-treated rats, the epiphyseal growth plate width and longitudinal growth rate did not change significantly even though serum androstenediol levels increased from 58±6 to 143±14 ng/dl. These data suggest that dehydroepi-androsterone and androstenediol do not stimulate rat tibial growth.
Development of Active and Passive Fatigue Manipulations Using a Driving Simulator

The present study investigates driving simulator methodologies for inducing qualitatively different patterns of subjective response. The study tested Desmond and Hancock's (2001) theory that there ...
Size effects of dislocation patterning in fatigued metals

Abstract The finite-size analog of the Walgraef—Aifantis (WA) model of the “reaction + diffusion” type has been proposed to explain the size effects of dislocation patterning in fatigued metals. It has been demonstrated that the formation of certain patterns can be understood as a result of competition between the intrinsic length scales of the WA-model and the linear size of the system which can be thought of as grain size, L . In our computer stimulations we demonstrate that depending on the value of grain size L , one can obtain formation of the ladder structure of persistent slip bands ( L = 13 μ m), dislocation grids overlying grain boundaries ( L = 1 μ m) or dislocation patterning can become prohibited when L → 0.1 μ m and the system returns to the thermodynamic branch of solutions.
Synthesis and monoamine transporter affinity of front bridged tricyclic 3β-(4′-halo or 4′-methyl)phenyltropanes bearing methylene or carbomethoxymethylene on the bridge to the 2β-position

Abstract A series of front bridged tricyclic 3β-(4′-halo or 4′-methyl)phenyltropanes bearing methylene or carbomethoxymethylene on the bridge to the 2β-position was synthesized, and their binding affinities were determined in cells transfected to express human norepinephrine transporter (NET), serotonin transporter (SERT), and dopamine transporter (DAT) via competition binding assays. All compounds studied in this series exhibit a moderate to high potency at all three transporters with SERT or DAT selectivity. 3β-(4′-iodo)phenyltropane bearing methylene on the bridge to the 2β-position (24) presents a particularly attractive pharmacological profile, with very high SERT affinity (Ki = 0.09 nM) and selectivity versus NET (65-fold) and DAT (94-fold).
Vasopressin in aged rats: longitudinal studies of vasopressin excretion in Sprague-Dawley and Fischer 344 strains.

In order to provide physiological baseline values for future experimental procedures, indices of vasopressin secretion were assessed in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats at 3 and 20 months of age. Daily water intake, urine volume, urine osmolality, and urinary vasopressin excretion were monitored in SD rats for 30 days, and in F344 rats for 60 days. In the SD strain, daily water and urine volumes, expressed as ml/24 hr/100 g b.wt., were consistently lower in aged animals, as was a calculation of water balance (water intake-urine output volumes/24 hr). Although mean VP concentration in urine appeared higher in aged rats (33.9±20.4 pg/ml) than in young (16.3±7.7 pg/ml), total daily VP excretion was comparable for both ages when expressed as a function of body weight [80.6±37.3 pg for 3 months old (m.o.) and 81.9±47.2 pg/24 hr/100 g b.wt. for 3 and 20 m.o. respectively]. Young and old F344 males showed comparable daily drinking and urine volumes, and water balance, during two months of monitoring, but VP excretion was lower (p<0.025) in aged rats (83.8±19.0 pg/24 hr/100 g b.wt.) than in 3 m.o. rats (213.0±48.1 pg/24 hr/100 g b.wt.). Urine VP concentration was comparable (69.6±20.6 for 3 m.o.; 59.8±25.6 pg/ml for 20 m.o.). Mean urine osmolality was not significantly different among groups. Urine osmolality and daily urine volumes showed a significant correlation with daily VP excretion among young, but not aged, rats of both strains. Thus, water balance and urine osmolality remained unchanged with age in F344 male rats, despite decreased VP excretion. Water balance was lower in aged SD males, despite maintenance of urinary VP excretion and urine osmolality. The rapid weight gain and decline in water balance in SD males dictate against their use as a model for studies of VP secretion in aging. The data should serve, however, as a basis for further studies on VP secretion and water balance in aged rats of either strain.
A comparison of pulsed and steady-state tokamak reactor burn cycles. Part I: Thermal effects and lifetime limitations☆

Abstract Four distinct operating modes have been proposed for tokamaks, and consequently a variety of thermal environments can be postulated for future reactor subsystems. Our study concentrates on lifetime limitations associated with fluctuating thermal loads on the first wall, limiter or divertor plates, and in the breeding blanket. Simultaneous failure from thermal fatigue, radiation damage, and disruption-induced erosion is considered, and burn length goals are calculated in order to help achieve high availability for a commercial reactor. In addition, the cost of thermal storage is found as a function of the dwell period between burns of a pulsed cycle; thermal storage is shown to be an expensive requirement for pulsed reactors.
Clostridium difficile-induced colitis in mice is independent of leukotrienes.

Clostridium difficile is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis in healthcare settings. However, the host factors involved in the intestinal inflammatory response and pathogenesis of C. difficile infection (CDI) are largely unknown. Here we investigated the role of leukotrienes (LTs), a group of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators, in CDI. Notably, the neutrophil chemoattractant LTB4, but not cysteinyl (cys) LTs, was induced in the intestine of C57BL/6 mice infected with either C. difficile strain VPI 10463 or strain 630. Genetic or pharmacological ablation of LT production did not ameliorate C. difficile colitis or clinical signs of disease in infected mice. Histological analysis demonstrated that intestinal neutrophilic inflammation, edema and tissue damage in mice during acute and severe CDI were not modulated in the absence of LTs. In addition, CDI induced a burst of cytokines in the intestine of infected mice in a LT-independent manner. Serum levels of anti-toxin A immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels were also not modulated by endogenous LTs. Collectively, our results do not support a role for LTs in modulating host susceptibility to CDI in mice.
Video measurements of large-scale flows in a laboratory wave basin

This paper describes nonintrusive optical techniques to measure large-scale O(10 m×10 m) flows in a laboratory wave basin. Numerous drifters with weak positive flotation are tracked discretely and automatically using a video camera mounted near the laboratory ceiling. Processed drifter tracks are used for dense estimates of mean surface currents over the visible area. Examination of the drifter tracks also shows that waves are imaged and therefore basic wave properties may also be estimated, although this requires some further assumptions. These video based flow observations are presumed to have less precision than in situ measurements; however, the density of measurements from the video far exceeds that which can be obtained using fixed instruments, providing the method’s major advantage.
An Asymptotic Analysis of Three-Dimensional Extrusion

A new method of analysis of three-dimensional metal extrusion using asymptotic perturbation methods is presented in this paper
THE CBAL READING ASSESSMENT: AN APPROACH FOR BALANCING MEASUREMENT AND LEARNING GOALS

No Child Left Behind has highlighted the need for new types of assessments that not only provide high-quality evidence about what students know and can do, but also help to move learning forward. This paper describes a linked set of formative and summative reading assessments designed to address the tradeoffs inherent in these two goals. Targeted skills include the full range of competencies underlying proficient reading at the middle-school level, including both lower-order skills such as oral reading fluency and decoding, and higher-order skills such as the ability to integrate and synthesize information from multiple texts. Data collected in pilot administrations of two prototype test forms are presented. Analyses suggest that this new approach yields acceptable measurement properties while simultaneously addressing crucial learning outcomes. This paper was presented June 23, 2009 at the National Conference on Student Assessment, Los Angeles, CA.
Development of a set of equations for incorporating disk flexibility effects in rotordynamic analyses

Rotordynamic equations that account for disk flexibility are developed. These equations employ free-free rotor modes to model the rotor system. Only transverse vibrations of the disks are considered, with the shaft/disk system considered to be torsionally rigid. Second-order elastic foreshortening effects that couple with the rotor speed to produce first-order terms in the equations of motion are included. The approach developed in this study is readily adaptable for usage in many of the codes that are currently used in rotordynamic simulations. The equations are similar to those used in standard rigid disk analyses but with additional terms that include the effects of disk flexibility. An example case is presented to demonstrate the use of the equations and to show the influence of disk flexibility on the rotor dynamic behavior of a sample system.
The architecture of professional development: materials, messages and meaning

Abstract As an aesthetic form, architecture deals with the creation and definition of space expressed in buildings and other physical structures. The Colosseum in Rome, Notre Dame in Paris, and the United States capital in Washington, through their designs define space, capture our imagination, and communicate important cultural and historical messages. Similarly, the architecture of professional development communicates messages about teaching, learning, and educational reform by creating and defining professional learning spaces for teachers and principals. In this paper I build on and extend earlier work on the architecture of professional development in schools (Designs for Learning: A New Architecture for Professional Development in Schools, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA). The purpose of this paper is to accomplish three objectives. First, I describe an emerging architecture for teacher professional development highlighting its underlying design principles, essential components, and expressions in contemporary educational reform in schools. The second objective is to propose a framework for evaluating the architecture of professional development. In the final section of this paper, I describe how the systematic evaluation of professional development helps us better understand the messages and meanings communicated in current expressions of professional development in architecture.