cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taste clusters of music and drugs: Evidence from three analytic levels

This article examines taste clusters of musical preferences and substance use among adolescents and young adults. Three analytic levels are considered: fixed effects analyses of aggregate listening patterns and substance use in US radio markets, logistic regressions of individual genre preferences and drug use from a nationally representative survey of US youth, and arrest and seizure data from a large American concert venue. A consistent picture emerges from all three levels: rock music is positively associated with substance use, with some substance-specific variability across rock sub-genres. Hip hop music is also associated with higher use, while pop and religious music are associated with lower use. These results are robust to fixed effects models that account for changes over time in radio markets, a comprehensive battery of controls in the individual-level survey, and concert data establishing the co-occurrence of substance use and music listening in the same place and time. The results affirm a rich tradition of qualitative and experimental studies, demonstrating how symbolic boundaries are simultaneously drawn around music and drugs.
Back Pain Prevalence in Nursing Personnel: Measurement Issues:

1. The problem of work related musculoskeletal disorders of the low back in nursing personnel has been well documented in the literature by cross sectional studies showing high prevalence rates in licensed nurses and nursing aides. However, it is difficult to compare findings among these studies because of the use of nonstandardized symptom surveys, variations in case definitions, and other methodological inconsistencies. 2. Measuring the change in current back pain prevalence yields more timely information about the effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention than assessing injury incidence rates, because of the high percent of nursing staff members who work in pain but delay filing workers' compensation claims. 3. As employers attempt to reduce manual handling injuries, occupational health nurses may be called upon to survey workers for musculoskeletal symptom prevalence and document the effectiveness of ergonomic interventions. Before using or developing any musculoskeletal disorder symptom survey for workplace surveillance or research, occupational health nurses should determine whether the survey has adequate reliability, validity, responsiveness, and practicality.
Morphological classification: application to cardiac MRI of tetralogy of fallot

This paper presents an image-based classification method, and applies it to classification of cardiac MRI scans of individuals with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Clinicians frequently diagnose cardiac disease by measuring the ventricular volumes from cardiac MRI scans. Interrater variability is a common issue with these measurements. We address this issue by proposing a fully automatic approach for detecting structural changes in the heart. We first extract morphological features of each subject by registering cardiac MRI scans to a template. We then reduce the size of the features via a nonlinear manifold learning technique. These low dimensional features are then fed into nonlinear support vector machine classifier identifying if the subject of the scan is effected by the disease. We apply our approach to MRI scans of 12 normal controls and 22 TOF patients. Experimental result demonstrates that the method can correctly determine whether subject is normal control or TOF with 91% accuracy.
The Design of Pictorial Databases Based Upon the Theory of Symbolic Projections

We present a methodology for pictorial database design, based upon a new spatial knowledge structure. This spatial knowledge structure consists of an image database, symbolic projections representing the spatial relations among objects or sub-objects in an image, and rules to derive complex spatial relations from the generalized 2D string representation of the symbolic projections. The most innovative aspect of this spatial knowledge structure is the use of symbolic projections to represent pictorial knowledge as generalized 2D strings. Since spatial knowledge is encoded into strings, inference rules can be applied for spatial reasoning. Finally, we describe a prototype knowledge-based pictorial database system, which supports spatial reasoning, flexible pictorial information retrieval, visualization and manipulation.
Zen and the art of climate maintenance

Targets and timetables dominate the policy response to climate change. Is it wise to rely on a strategy that has yet to get off the ground? Or could Zen and social science suggestsensible alternatives?
The Structure of Photospheric Flux Tubes

Basic physical mechanisms for producing the observed intense magnetic flux tubes in the solar photosphere are reviewed. The mechanism of flux expulsion by convective cells can concentrate magnetic flux up to the equipartition field strength, which is only about 200 G at the solar surface for the observed granular convection. Other mechanisms that partially evacuate the flux tube are needed to produce further concentration of magnetic flux to the observed values of 1000-1500 G. Two such mechanisms are discussed: concentration by convective collapse of a vertical flux tube in the superadiabatic layer just below the solar surface, and concentration by a siphon flow in an arched, isolated flux tube.
The Han of the Sinned-Against: A Global Sensus Fidei in the Pope Francis Era

The problem of the barbarous excess of human suffering is becoming the main question of global Christianity. This has been highlighted by Pope Francis—the first pontiff from the Global South—due to his sensitivity to the experiences of the women, men, and the ecological context that are “sinned-against.” With this in mind, an important question arises: in an intercultural, globalizing world, how does the global sensus fidei assist in envisioning the wounds of sin and God’s saving work of healing, liberation, and redemption? My essay addresses this question by engaging with the Korean anthropology of han (ruptured heart/frustrated hope/black hole in the soul) . I will argue that han is an anthropology with a constellation of signifiers “thick” enough to account for one aspect of the global sensus fidei : the shared experiences of unwarranted human suffering and ecological degradation that seek God’s salvation, albeit fragmentary, in this world. To do so, I discuss intercultural hermeneutics and the semiotics of culture, a constellation of some meanings associated with the Korean anthropology of han, and the terms sensus fidei and consensus fidelium as clarified by the recent document from the International Theological Commission. I suggest that han anthropology should be considered a global “flow” within the sensus fidei that can lead to a consensus fidelium : assessing and interpreting doctrine, faith, and practice based upon the experiences of the sinned-against.
Disruption of MHC class II-restricted antigen presentation by vaccinia virus

Vaccinia virus (VV), currently used in humans as a live vaccine for smallpox, can interfere with host immunity via several discrete mechanisms. In this study, the effect of VV on MHC class II-mediated Ag presentation was investigated. Following VV infection, the ability of professional and nonprofessional APC to present Ag and peptides to CD4+ T cells was impaired. Viral inhibition of class II Ag presentation could be detected within 1 h, with diminished T cell responses dependent upon the duration of APC infection and virus titer. Exposure of APC to replication-deficient virus also diminished class II Ag presentation. Virus infection of APC perturbed Ag presentation by newly synthesized and recycling class II molecules, with disruptions in both exogenous and cytoplasmic Ag presentation. Virus-driven expression of an endogenous Ag, failed to restore T cell responsiveness specific for this Ag in the context of MHC class II molecules. Yet, both class II protein steady-state and cell surface expression were not altered by VV. Biochemical and functional analysis revealed that VV infection directly interfered with ligand binding to class II molecules. Together, these observations suggest that disruption of MHC class II-mediated Ag presentation may be one of multiple strategies VV has evolved to escape host immune surveillance.
Cutting Edge: HLA-DM Functions through a Mechanism That Does Not Require Specific Conserved Hydrogen Bonds in Class II MHC-Peptide Complexes

HLA-DM catalyzes peptide dissociation and exchange in class II MHC molecules through a mechanism that has been proposed to involve disruption of specific components of the conserved hydrogen bond network in MHC-peptide complexes. HLA-DR1 molecules with alanine substitutions at each of the six conserved H-bonding positions were expressed in cells and susceptibility to DM catalytic activity was evaluated by measuring release of CLIP. The mutants αN62A, αN69A, αR76A, and βH81A DR1 were fully susceptible to DM-mediated CLIP release, and βN82A resulted in spontaneous release of CLIP. Using recombinant soluble DR1 molecules, amino acid βN82 was observed to contribute disproportionately in stabilizing peptide complexes. Remarkably, the catalytic potency of DM with each β chain mutant was equal to or greater than that observed with wild type DR1. Our results support the conclusion that no individual component of the conserved hydrogen bond network plays an essential role in the DM catalytic mechanism.
Identification and management of overweight and obesity by internal medicine residents: Christopher B. Ruser, Lisa Sanders et al.

To the editor:—Similar to Ruser et al.,1 our Internal Medicine residency has also been studying obesity identification and management. In addition to an ambulatory chart review, for 3 years incoming residents were surveyed. In our chart review of resident practices at the Norwalk Community Health Center, structured similarly to a federally qualified health center,2 weight was documented in 63% of the charts reviewed and body mass index (BMI) in only 4%.3 There has been a trend of increasing awareness of obesity and its management among surveyed physicians in training. Over the last 3 years, 56 of 75 incoming residents (74.6%) completed a survey adapted from the literature using a 5-point Likert scale.3 Residents reported that maintenance of BMI in healthy range is important (98.2%) and that treatment for obese patients should be offered (67.8% when BMI>25 compared with 32.1% when BMI>30). Futhermore, 80.3% disagreed when asked whether treatment for overweight should be offered only when other risk factors such as Type II diabetes or hypertension are present. Residents noted their lack of training in managing overweight and obesity (only 32.1% and 26.7% felt that they are professionally well trained to manage overweight and obese patients, respectively). Finally, residents compared self-rated importance of different approaches for weight management with their personal use of these approaches with their patients. As expected, self-reported practice fell short of self-rated importance: patient weight history (usually done 10.7% vs important 80.3%); dietary habits (usually done 10.7% vs important 482.1%); physical activity habits (usually done 12.5% vs important 85.7%); and readiness for change at first contact (usually done 5.35% vs important 80.3%). As seen with other physicians, it is challenging to integrate weight management into medical practice.4–6 These results expand on the study published recently in JGIM and reinforce the importance of improving practice among Internal Medicine residents toward obesity. It is critical that trainees become prepared to deal with what is one of the largest growing epidemics facing health care today and in the future.
Modulation of endocrine pathways by 4,4'-DDE in the deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus.

Abstract 4,4′-DDT and 4,4′-DDE are widespread environmental contaminants that cause eggshell thinning in birds, altered sex ratios in the American alligator, and changes in the anal–genital distance in rodents. These contaminants are known to cause some of their toxicity by altering steroid receptor-mediated mechanisms. However, chemical-specific alterations in the expression of hormone-metabolizing enzymes may also be a mechanism for endocrine disruption, by altering the half-life of hormones in critical tissues. Previously, we showed that 4,4′-DDE causes a dose-dependent increase in ethoxyresorufin- O -deethylase (EROD) activity, but not pentoxyresorufin- O -dealkylase (PROD) activity, in the deer mouse. In this study, we demonstrated that 4,4′-DDE elicited a corresponding increase in CYP1A protein expression but not CYP2B using Western blotting and immunoprecipitation. 4,4′-DDE-mediated changes in phase II conjugating enzymes; UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and phenolsulfotransferase (ST), were also investigated for the first time. Prepubescent female deer mice were dosed with 4,4′-DDE by gavage on days 1 and 2, then euthanized on day 4. As anticipated, dose-dependent increases in hepatic EROD and MROD activities, but not PROD or BROD, were observed. UGT activity was monitored by incubating liver microsomes and 14 C-UDP-GA with potential substrates and measuring incorporation of radioactivity into TLC-resolved glucuronides. Dose-dependent increases in conjugation were observed with p -nitrophenol (a general UGT substrate) but not testosterone. Interestingly, a biphasic dose–response curve was observed for ST activity, with a peak at the 3 mg/kg dose. Dose-dependent increases in CYP1A1 and UGT-specific immunoreactive proteins were observed, suggesting de novo synthesis as a consequence of 4,4′-DDE exposure. We also measured Phase I and II enzymes in deer mouse platelets. Preliminary results indicate that the 4,4′-DDE-induced changes in liver Phase I and II enzyme activity were similar, but not identical, to those found in platelets. These results indicate that environmentally-relevant levels of 4,4′-DDE modulate the activity and expression of CYP1A1 and phase II enzymes in the deer mouse and that certain changes may be measured non-lethally.
{RuNO}6vs. co-ligand oxidation: two non-innocent groups in one ruthenium nitrosyl complex

Recently, a new {RuNO}6 complex, [Ru(L)(PPh3)(NO)(Cl)]2+ (where L = 1-phenyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)-2-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)hydrazine), was reported which exhibits a one-electron quasireversible oxidation. The oxidized product, [Ru(L)(PPh3)(NO)(Cl)]3+, was isolated and proposed to be a highly unusual {RuNO}5 complex. In this paper, we investigate the electronic structure of both of these ruthenium complexes by DFT calculations and find that the oxidized species is best described as a {RuNO}6 complex with a co-ligand radical. [Ru(L)(PPh3)(NO)(Cl)]2+ is therefore oxidized to [Ru(L+˙)(PPh3)(NO)(Cl)]3+, i.e. this is an interesting example of a complex with two non-innocent ligands simultaneously bound to a ruthenium center.
An Elementary Proof of Douglas′ Theorem on Contractive Projections on L1-Spaces

Douglas (Pacific J. Math.15 (1965), 443-462) has shown that the conditional expectation operators are the only contractive projections on L1(σ) that leave the constant functions invariant. This remarkable result has applications to several areas and our objective is to present here an elementary and self-contained proof. Douglas* theorem has been proven and generalized in various contexts by many authors; for details see Ando (Pacific J. Math.17 (1966), 391-405), Bernau and Lacey (Pacific J. Math.53 (1974), 21-41), and Dodds et al. (Pacific J. Math.141 (1990), 55-77) and the references therein.
Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma represents an especially good target for gene therapy since few effective therapies exist, the disease remained relatively localized until late in its course, the tumor can be accessed relatively easily through the chest wall, and the thin layer of mesothelial cells offers a large surface area for efficient, rapid, and diffuse gene transfer. Gene therapy trials in mesothelioma have shown safety, and some limited evidence of efficacy. We present a review of clinical trials that have been performed in mesothelioma and describe several new approaches currently being pursued.
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer science payload overview

The Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer is a NASA Medium Class Explorer mission to perform and all-survey in four infrared wavelength bands. The science payload is a cryogenically cooled infrared telescope with four 1024 2 infrared focal plane arrays covering from 2.8 to 26 microns. Advances in focal plane technology and a large aperture allow an all-sky survey to be performed with high sensitivity and resolution. Mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) detectors, cooled to 32 K, are used for the two midwave channels, and Si:As detectors, cooled to < 8.3 K, are used for the two long wavelength channels. Cooling for the payload is provided by a two-stage solid hydrogen cryostat providing temperatures <17K and < 8.3K at the telescope and Si:As focal planes, respectively. The science payload supports operations on orbit for the seven month baseline mission with a goal to support a 13 month extended mission if available. This paper provides a payload overview and discusses instrument requirements and performance.
Starch aerogel beads obtained from inclusion complexes prepared from high amylose starch and sodium palmitate

Starch aerogels are a class of low density, highly porous, renewable materials currently prepared exclusively from retrograded starch gels and are of interest due to their high surface area, porosity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Recently, we have reported the preparation and properties of amylose-fatty acid salt helical inclusion complexes prepared by steam jet-cooking amylose-containing starches and then blending the resulting dispersions with sodium palmitate. Dispersions of these amylose-sodium palmitate complexes prevent amylose from retrograding and possess polyelectrolyte properties due to the anionic charge of the sodium palmitate. Stable aqueous dispersions of these complexes form hydrogels when added to acid to lower the pH, and these hydrogels were used to prepare their corresponding xerogels, cryogels, and aerogels. Solvent exchange with ethanol and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) drying of the starch gels preserved the structure of the gels and yielded aerogels having a macroporous nanoparticulate internal structure. Depressurization rates during SC-CO2 drying were examined to optimize aerogel properties, and starch aerogels with densities between 0.120–0.185 g cm−3 and BET surface areas ranging between 313–362 m2 g−1 were obtained. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were used to characterize the aerogels. The corresponding xerogels and cryogels had inferior properties. This method provides an alternative method for the preparation of starch aerogels and eliminates many difficulties associated with starch gelatinization and retrogradation procedures that are currently used to prepare the prerequisite starch gels.
Distributed motor processing in cerebral cortex

Responding to a visual cue requires processing throughout many areas in the brain. The anatomical pathways connecting these diffuse areas are numerous. One way to study the cognitive processing associated with volitional movement is to identify common physiological properties in each area. Recently, the discovery that neuronal activity is broadly tuned in many of these cortical areas has led to new insights into the physiological structure of the process underlying cognition in this distributed system.
Ionizing radiation exposure: another underrecognized risk factor for poor health outcomes in dialysis patients

Dialysis patients are at greater risk for cancers, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality than people in the general population. Novel risk factors have been identified that may help explain these risk elevations. We discuss medical radiation exposure as a novel risk factor in dialysis patients and suggest the need for future research on this topic.
Massively parallel electrical conductivity imaging of the subsurface: Applications to hydrocarbon exploration

Three-dimensional (3D) geophysical imaging is now receiving considerable attention for electrical conductivity mapping of potential offshore oil and gas reservoirs. The imaging technology employs controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) and magnetotelluric (MT) fields and treats geological media exhibiting transverse anisotropy. Moreover when combined with established seismic methods, direct imaging of reservoir fluids is possible. Because of the size of the 3D conductivity imaging problem, strategies are required exploiting computational parallelism and optimal meshing. The algorithm thus developed has been shown to scale to tens of thousands of processors. In one imaging experiment, 32,768 tasks/processors on the IBM Watson Research Blue Gene/L supercomputer were successfully utilized. Over a 24 hour period we were able to image a large scale field data set that previously required over four months of processing time on distributed clusters based on Intel or AMD processors utilizing 1024 tasks on an InfiniBand fabric. Electrical conductivity imaging using massively parallel computational resources produces results that cannot be obtained otherwise and are consistent with timeframes required for practical exploration problems.
Professionals with hearing loss: maintaining that competitive edge.

Objectives The goals of this investigation were to gauge how hearing loss affects the self-perceived job performance and psycho-emotional status of professionals in the workforce and to develop a profile of their aural rehabilitation needs. Design Forty-eight participants who had at least a high school education and who hold salaried positions participated in one of seven focus groups. Participants first answered questions about a hypothetical executive who had hearing loss and considered how she might react to various communication issues. They then addressed questions about their own work-related predicaments. The sessions were audiovideo recorded and later transcribed for analysis. Results Unlike workers who have occupational hearing loss, the professionals in this investigation seem not to experience an inordinate degree of stigmatization in their workplaces, although most believe that hearing loss has negatively affected their job performance. Some of the participants believe that they have lost their "competitive edge," and some believe that they have been denied promotions because of hearing loss. However, most report that they have overcome their hearing-related difficulties by various means, and many have developed a determination and stamina to remain active in the workforce. The majority of the participants seemed to be unfamiliar with the Americans with Disability Act, Public Law 101-336. The overriding theme to emerge is that professionals desire to maintain their competency to perform their jobs and will do what they have to do to "get the job done." Conclusions The situations of professionals who have hearing loss can be modeled, with a central theme of maintaining job competency or a competitive edge. It is hypothesized that five factors affect professionals' abilities to continue their optimal work performance in the face of hearing loss: (a) self-concept and sense of internal locus of control, (b) use of hearing assistive technology, (c) supervisor's and co-workers' perceptions and the provision of accommodations in the workplace, (d) use of effective coping strategies, and (e) communication difficulties and problem situations. The implications that the present findings hold for aural rehabilitation intervention plans are considered, and a problem-solving approach is reviewed.
Optimal value for the Newton-Raphson division algorithm

Abstract The Newton-Raphson algorithm for the fast division of floating point numbers is described. A new technique is developed to select the optimal initial value for this iterative algorithm. The performance is then compared to traditional techniques in terms of execution time and errors.
Chaotic communications that are difficult to detect

Work on self-synchronizing systems for communications has had limited practicality because the chaotic signals were not as easy to detect in the presence of noise as conventional spread-spectrum signals. This difficulty may actually be an advantage in some cases, where one wants to conceal the existence of the communications signal. Conventional communications signals are cyclostationary; while they may look random, they have statistical properties that vary periodically. One may design chaotic communication signals that lack this cyclostationary property, and therefore are harder to detect.
Effect of Sex and Age on Proximate Analysis, Cholesterol and Selected Vitamins in Broiler Breast Meat

Breast meat was obtained from 7- through 12-wk-old commercially reared broilers and analyzed. Proximate analyses values showed no differences due to sex or age of bird. Riboflavin values remained constant at about 0.09 mg/100g raw flesh for the period studied. Vitamin B6 values were higher than has been reported in literature (0.72-0.86 mg/100g range). Niacin values were only slightly higher than previously reported (11.7-13.3 mg/100g). Cholesterol values were lower than reported in the literature (31-54 mg/100g vs 58 mg/100g). The 7- and 12-wk values were near reported values, while the 9, 10 and 11-wk values were definitely lower.
Curcumin analogue UBS109 prevents bone loss in breast cancer bone metastasis mouse model: involvement in osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis

Bone metastasis of breast cancer typically leads to osteolysis, which causes severe pathological bone fractures and hypercalcemia. Bone homeostasis is skillfully regulated through osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Bone loss with bone metastasis of breast cancer may be due to both activation of osteoclastic bone resorption and suppression of osteoblastic bone formation. This study was undertaken to determine whether the novel curcumin analogue UBS109 has preventive effects on bone loss induced by breast cancer cell bone metastasis. Nude mice were inoculated with breast cancer MDA-MB-231 bone metastatic cells (106 cells/mouse) into the head of the right and left tibia. One week after inoculation, the mice were treated with control (vehicle), oral administration (p.o.) of UBS109 (50 or 150 mg/kg body weight), or intraperitoneal administration (i.p.) of UBS109 (10 or 20 mg/kg body weight) once daily for 5 days per week for 7 weeks. After UBS109 administration for 7 weeks, hind limbs were assessed using an X-ray diagnosis system and hematoxylin and eosion staining to determine osteolytic destruction. Bone marrow cells obtained from the femurs and tibias were cultured to estimate osteoblastic mineralization and osteoclastogenesis ex vivo and in vitro. Remarkable bone loss was demonstrated in the tibias of mice inoculated with breast cancer MDA-MB-231 bone metastatic cells. This bone loss was prevented by p.o. administration of UBS109 (50 and 150 mg/kg body weight) and i.p. treatment of UBS109 (10 and 20 mg/kg) in vivo. Culture of bone marrow cells obtained from the bone tissues of mice with breast cancer cell bone metastasis showed suppressed osteoblastic mineralization and stimulated osteoclastogenesis ex vivo. These changes were not seen after culture of the bone marrow cells obtained from mice treated with UBS109. Moreover, UBS109 was found to stimulate osteoblastic mineralization and suppress lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow cells obtained from normal nude mice in vitro. These findings suggest that the novel curcumin analogue UBS109 prevents breast cancer cell bone metastasis-induced bone loss by stimulating osteoblastic mineralization and suppressing osteoclastogenesis.
Refracture candidate selection using hybrid simulation with neural network and data analysis techniques

Abstract By now very few analytical models have been developed to select well refracture candidates due to complicated multi-parameter relationships. In this study, we proposed a new method by merging mathematical data analysis with feed forward back propagation neural network utilizing post-fracturing data. The model preference is thereby based on the correlation coefficients of several selected independent variables against production performance. The solution to this expense is a tool that can identify restimulation candidates quickly and economically. We employ two mathematical analysis techniques to filter several independent yet influential parameters as inputs. These parameters are supposed to be primary factors with high impact on potential production improvement. Then we use these well data to train an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict post-fracture production. The errors of the best samples should decrease consistently along with the training samples. A minimal error of the training sets is not necessary because over-fitting of the network could be memorizing rather than generalizing. The testing results showed that there is higher than 80% prediction accuracy, which is good enough for decision making. This methodology gives credible prediction results when it is applied in Zhongyuan oilfield and provides the operators with useful recommendations to make decisions for restimulation.
A volume-localized, two-dimensional NMR method for lactate-edited diffusion coefficient measurements using zero-quantum coherence-transfer spectroscopy

The noninvasive measurement of the self-diffusion coefficient of biological metabolites would be a powerful tool for evaluating the microenvironment of these compounds. The molecular displacement of in vivo metabolites is a complex function of, for example, cellular compartment size, active and passive transport across cell membranes, and immobilization due to adsorption processes (I), which are in turn associated with the biological activities of the cell and its immediate surroundings. Consequently, the study of metabolite diffusion would be important for understanding these processes and may prove useful in characterizing the disease state of a tissue or an organ. Diffusion-coefficient measurements of in vivo metabolites have recently been initiated using spin-echo NMR spectroscopy pulse sequences which contain diffusion-sensitive pulsed field gradients (1, 2). In addition to the classical Stejskal-Tanner spin-echo method (3), the stimulated-echo (STE) sequence (4), shown in Fig. 1, has been found to be particularly useful for applications to metabolites, which frequently have short T, but relatively long T, relaxation times. For the STE sequence in Fig. 1, molecular diffusion in the presence of the pulsed field gradients results in an attenuation of the echo signal amplitude given by
Accuracy of patient care staff in estimating and documenting meal intake of nursing home residents.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the accuracy of patient care staff estimates and documentation of food intake of residents in nursing homes. DESIGN: Prospective, observed, unblinded cohort study. SETTING: Three urban nursing home facilities. SUBJECTS: Staff estimation and documentation of 27 nursing home residents' meal intake. MEASUREMENTS: Actual amount consumed by 27 nursing home residents was ascertained by weighing food and caloric fluids on resident trays before and after one lunch time meal. Staff estimates and documentation of percent of meal consumed was compared with actual intake. RESULTS: Patient care staff estimates differed from actual intake by approximately 20%, and in most instances intake was overestimated. Almost one-third of the residents at risk for nutritional problems were not identified correctly by staff. Chart documentation of meal intake frequently did not reflect either actual amount of meal consumed or the staff's estimation of what was eaten. CONCLUSION: Study findings indicate that the present system used to document nursing home residents' intake is inadequate and that a more accurate mechanism or an entirely different process for identifying residents at risk for nutritional problems should be developed and implemented.
Association of psychiatric and substance use disorder comorbidity with cocaine dependence severity and treatment utilization in cocaine-dependent individuals

The relations among psychiatric and substance dependence disorders and treatment utilization are of interest both for their clinical management and for health services. We examined these relations using six self-reported indices of cocaine dependence severity and three self-reported measures of treatment utilization and self-help group participation for cocaine dependence. The sample consisted of dyads: namely, a cocaine-dependent adult proband (N=449) and a cocaine-dependent sibling (N=449). Psychiatric and substance use disorders were assessed with the Semi-structured Assessment for Drug Dependence and Alcoholism. We controlled for the nesting within families of proband-sibling dyads and for demographic features using generalized estimating equation linear and logistic regression analyses. We found that psychiatric disorders were associated with an increased likelihood of cocaine dependence treatment or self-help group participation, but with only one of six indices of cocaine dependence severity. Bipolar disorder and antisocial personality disorder were associated with greater past heavy cocaine use, and with utilizing self-help but not treatment. Major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder were associated with treatment utilization and overall services utilization, respectively. The presence of other substance use disorders (SUDs) was the strongest correlate of cocaine dependence severity. Results suggest that co-occurring substance dependence and psychiatric disorders warrant attention in cocaine dependence assessment, treatment, and self-help.
Fermentation characteristics of ensiled seafood wastes and low-quality roughages

Abstract Experiments were conducted to investigate the chemical composition of seafood waste and the ensiling characteristics of seafood waste combined with low-quality roughages. Average crude protein of the fish and crab wastes was 60.4% and 44.1%, dry basis, respectively. Fish and crab processing wastes were ground and ensiled with corn stover or peanut hulls in proportions to result in dry matter (DM) levels of 40, 50 and 60% alone and with 5% dry molasses or 1% formic acid in 3.8 1 cardboard containers double-lined with polyethylene. The seafood wastes were also ensiled with wilted Johnsongrass (50:50, wet basis) with and without 5% dry molasses. All silages had desirable aroma except those with crab waste ensiled at 40 and 50% DM. After ensiling average pH for mixtures with fish waste was 6.5, compared with 8.0 for mixtures with crab waste. Addition of dry molasses decreased pH of the ensiled fish-waste mixtures, but had no effect on the crab-waste mixtures. Coliforms and fecal coliforms were decreased or eliminated by ensiling. Finfish wastes and crab processing wastes were mixed with wheat straw and ensiled in 210-1 metal drums, double-lined with polyethylene. Proportions of fish waste and straw were 70:30 and 51:49, wet basis, and those for the crab waste were 60:40 and 40:60, wet basis, respectively. Dry molasses (5%) was included in all mixtures and acetic acid was added to the crab-waste mixture to lower the initial pH to 4.5. Mixtures containing fish waste and straw decreased in pH after ensiling, the decrease being large for the mixture with the lower proportion of fish waste. Lactic acid concentrations were inversely related to pH. In the crab waste-straw mixtures, pH remained below 5, and essentially no lactic acid was present.
The LIM Domain Protein FHL2 Interacts with the NR5A Family of Nuclear Receptors and CREB to Activate the Inhibin-α Subunit Gene in Ovarian Granulosa Cells

Nuclear receptor transcriptional activity is enhanced by interaction with coactivators. The highly related nuclear receptor 5A (NR5A) subfamily members liver receptor homolog 1 and steroidogenic factor 1 bind to and activate several of the same genes, many of which are important for reproductive function. To better understand transcriptional activation by these nuclear receptors, we sought to identify interacting proteins that might function as coactivators. The LIM domain protein four and a half LIM domain 2 (FHL2) was identified as interacting with the NR5A receptors in a yeast two-hybrid screen of a human ovary cDNA library. FHL2, and the closely related FHL1, are both expressed in the rodent ovary and in granulosa cells. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of FHL1 and FHL2 in primary mouse granulosa cells reduced expression of the NR5A target genes encoding inhibin-α and P450scc. In vitro assays confirmed the interaction between the FHL and NR5A proteins and revealed that a single LIM domain of FHL2 is sufficient for this interaction, whereas determinants in both the ligand binding domain and DNA binding domain of NR5A proteins are important. FHL2 enhances the ability of both liver receptor homolog 1 and steroidogenic factor 1 to activate the inhibin-α subunit gene promoter in granulosa cells and thus functions as a transcriptional coactivator. FHL2 also interacts with cAMP response element-binding protein and substantially augments activation of inhibin gene expression by the combination of NR5A receptors and forskolin, suggesting that FHL2 may facilitate integration of these two signals. Collectively these results identify FHL2 as a novel coactivator of NR5A nuclear receptors in ovarian granulosa cells and suggest its involvement in regulating target genes important for mammalian reproduction.
China–Iran Relations: Cautious Friendship with America’s Nemesis:

China views Iran as an important country sharing many interests and views with China, and with whom China may benefit via cooperation in a wide number of areas. China views Iran as an especially reliable oil supplier in the event of a crisis in Sino-American relations, and as a capable and ambitious country defending itself against American aggressiveness. Yet Beijing also views maintaining comity in relations with the United States as vital to the success of China’s long-term development drive. Beijing eschews open challenge to the US over Iran as potentially undermining Sino-US comity precisely because the US drive against Iran is so strategically important to what China views as a US drive to secure control of Persian Gulf oil. Beijing also views cooperation with Washington in the area of nuclear non-proliferation, and thus the Iran nuclear issue, as a factor stabilising Sino-US relations. China’s ties with Iran thus vacillate between cooperation with Iran that often flies in the face of US efforts to ...
Urban Residential Differentiation: An Overview of Patterns, Trends, and Problems*

The main causes, conditions, and social consequences of residential differentiation in urbanized communities are reviewed. A comparison is made among the forms of residential differentiation in preindustrial, industrial, and postindustrial cities and in planned and unplanned industrial cites. Major emphasis is given to the social problems and issues connected with postindustrial residential differentiation.
Hautmann and Studer Orthotopic Neobladders: A Contemporary Experience

ABSTRACTPurpose: The development of Studer and Hautmann orthotopic neobladders has revolutionized the management of urinary diversion. Several series have promoted 1 technique over the other. We examine the clinical outcome of a contemporary cohort of patients with bladder cancer who underwent either Hautmann or Studer orthotopic reconstruction.Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on 130 patients who underwent cystectomy and orthotopic diversion (Studer 93 and Hautmann 37) between March 1, 1995 and September 30, 2000. Clinical parameters evaluated were age, gender, procedure time, length of hospital stay, blood loss, pathological stage, and rates of complication, continence and reoperation. Diversion type was compared with clinical parameters using Fisher’s exact test, t-test and Wilcoxon rank sum analysis.Results: Studer and Hautmann techniques had mean procedure times of 5.9 and 5.3 hours, respectively (p = 0.003), and mean length of stay was shorter for Hautmann than Studer (7.0 ...
Racial disparities in the use of radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery: a national Medicare study.

BACKGROUND: In prior studies, the use of standard breast cancer treatments has varied by race, but previous analyses were not nationally representative. Therefore, in a comprehensive, national cohort of Medicare patients, racial disparities in the use of radiotherapy (RT) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for invasive breast cancer were quantified. METHODS: A national Medicare database was used to identify all beneficiaries (age >65 years) treated with BCS for incident invasive breast cancer in 2003. Claims codes identified RT use, and Medicare demographic data indicated race. Logistic regression modeled RT use in white, black, and other-race patients, adjusted for demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic covariates. RESULTS: Of 34,080 women, 91% were white, 6% were black, and 3% were another race. The mean age of the patients was 76 ± 7 years. Approximately 74% of whites, 65% of blacks, and 66% of other-race patients received RT (P < .001). After covariate adjustment, whites were found to be significantly more likely to receive RT than blacks (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.34-1.63 [P < .001]). Disparities between white and black patients varied by geographic region, with blacks in areas of the northeastern and southern United States demonstrating the lowest rates of RT use (57% in these regions). In patients age <70 years, racial disparities persisted. Specifically, 83% of whites, 73% of blacks, and 78% of other races in this younger group received RT (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In this comprehensive national sample of older breast cancer patients, substantial racial disparities were identified in RT use after BCS across much of the United States. Efforts to improve breast cancer care require overcoming these disparities, which exist on a national scale. Cancer 2010. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Nearly arbitrary on-chip optical filters for ultrafast pulse shaping.

We demonstrate a reverse design method for realizing a broad range of optical filters based on integrated optical waveguides and experimentally verify example designs on a CMOS-compatible silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The reflectance-based filters allow for control of both phase and amplitude of the optical response. Among this device’s many potential applications we highlight and numerically demonstrate its use for ultrafast on-chip pulse shaping.
Improved cryostat for spectrophotometry of cytochromes.

Abstract To expand the possibilities for repetitious use of double-beam spectrophotometry at low temperature in the visible region, and to avoid analyses in which the reference system was at room temperature and the sample to be assayed was at low temperature, new cryostatic equipment was designed to permit placing two low-temperature cuvettes simultaneously in the sample chamber. This paper describes the new equipment and demonstrates its usefulness.
Two New Cenozoic Microtine Rodents

Further washing of matrix from the Saw Rock Canyon local fauna locality in southwestern Kansas has produced numerous parts of a vole previously reported as Cosomys . Sufficient material has been found to show that the vole is distinct from Cosomys . It is here reported as a new species of the Pliocene genus Ogmodontomys . A lower jaw of a small vole from the early Pleistocene Sand Draw local fauna of Nebraska is described as a new genus and species. Cosomys primus Wilson, Hibbard, 1949. Contrib. Mus. Paleo., Univ. Mich., vol. 7, no. 5, p. 103, fig. 2C–E. Fig. 1 (A-F) Ogmodontomys sawrockensis sp. nov. (A and B) Occlusal view of RM1-M3, and lateral view of right ramus, paratype UMMP No. 29715. (C) Ventral view of palate with RM1, holotype, UMMP No. 28166. All × 6. (D, E and F) Occlusal, lingual and anterior views of LM3, No. 33654a. × 8. (G) Ventral view of palate with RM1 and M2, and LM1-M3, of Ogmodontomys poaphagus. × 6. Drawing by Michael O. Woodburne. Fig. 2 (A and B) Occlusal view of RM1, and lateral view of right ramus of Nebraskomys mcgrewi gen. and sp. nov.; holotype UMMP No. 25610. × 8. (C-I) Ogmodontomys sawrockensis sp. nov. (G and D) Occlusal view of RM1 and M2 and lateral view of right ramus, UMMP No. 31013. × 6. (E, F and G) Occlusal, lingual and anterior views of LM3, UMMP No. 33654b. × 8. (H and I) Labial views of RM1, UMMP, No. 33653a-b. × 8. Drawing by Michael O. Woodburne. Cosomys primus Wilson, Hibbard, 1953. Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci. Arts and Letters, vol. 38 (1952), p. 406. Holotype .—No. …
Missing content from health-related quality of life instruments: interviews with young adult survivors of childhood cancer

Purpose Young adult survivors of childhood cancer (YASCC) are an ever-growing cohort of survivors due to increasing advances in technology. Today, there is a shift of focus to not just ensuring survivorship but also the quality of survivorship, which can be assessed with standardized instruments. The majority of standardized health related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments, however, are non-specific to this age group and the unique late effects within YASCC populations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relevance and accuracy of standardized HRQoL instruments used with YASCC.
Motivational Salience Signal in the Basal Forebrain Is Coupled with Faster and More Precise Decision Speed

The survival of animals depends critically on prioritizing responses to motivationally salient stimuli. While it is generally believed that motivational salience increases decision speed, the quantitative relationship between motivational salience and decision speed, measured by reaction time (RT), remains unclear. Here we show that the neural correlate of motivational salience in the basal forebrain (BF), defined independently of RT, is coupled with faster and also more precise decision speed. In rats performing a reward-biased simple RT task, motivational salience was encoded by BF bursting response that occurred before RT. We found that faster RTs were tightly coupled with stronger BF motivational salience signals. Furthermore, the fraction of RT variability reflecting the contribution of intrinsic noise in the decision-making process was actively suppressed in faster RT distributions with stronger BF motivational salience signals. Artificially augmenting the BF motivational salience signal via electrical stimulation led to faster and more precise RTs and supports a causal relationship. Together, these results not only describe for the first time, to our knowledge, the quantitative relationship between motivational salience and faster decision speed, they also reveal the quantitative coupling relationship between motivational salience and more precise RT. Our results further establish the existence of an early and previously unrecognized step in the decision-making process that determines both the RT speed and variability of the entire decision-making process and suggest that this novel decision step is dictated largely by the BF motivational salience signal. Finally, our study raises the hypothesis that the dysregulation of decision speed in conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, and cognitive aging may result from the functional impairment of the motivational salience signal encoded by the poorly understood noncholinergic BF neurons.