cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The development and evaluation of the brief depression screen in medically ill disability claimants.

Objective: There is literature demonstrating elevated prevalence of depression in primary care. Yet there remains a need for a brief depression screen designed and evaluated specifically for use among medically ill patients. Our objective was to develop and validate a brief, unobtrusive screen for depression among severely medically ill long-term disability claimants. Methods: The study sample consisted of 480 long-term disability claimants, less than 55 years of age, with one of the following illnesses: cancer, diabetes, myocardial infarction, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. Each subject completed a questionnaire that included 26 potential screening items. A subset of subjects was administered the SCID, which served as the gold standard for the DSM-IV depression and dysthymia diagnoses. Results: The Brief Depression Screen, a three-item screen for major depressive disorder and dysthymia, was developed. About 34 percent of the sample met criteria for major depressive disorder or dysthymia. The Brief Depression Screen detected 75 percent of those subjects in this sample. Furthermore, nearly half of the subjects with positive screen results met criteria for depression or dysthymia. These results are comparable to those of the eight-item Burnam screen, but not as sensitive as the more widely used, twenty item CES-D. Conclusion: The Brief Depression Screen was developed and evaluated for use with severely ill long-term disability claimants. In practice, a positive screen for depression is to be followed with a comprehensive diagnostic assessment that could be conducted by a trained clinician. Further research is warranted to determine whether the identification and treatment of depression in disability claimants with non-psychiatric medical illnesses will facilitate return to work, even in the presence of comorbid medical illnesses.
Effects of d-amphetamine on behavioral and autonomic thermoregulation in mice

Abstract d -Amphetamine has well-known behavioral and sympathomimetic effects in rodents, but its effects on thermoregulation are not well characterized. d -Amphetamine was administered IP to mice at doses of 0.1 to 10.0 mg/kg. Locomotor activity and preferred ambient temperature (T a ) were measured for 60 min after injection in a linear temperature gradient, and metabolic rate (MR) and evaporative water loss (EWL) were measured in a metabolic chamber at ambient temperatures of either 20°C or 30°C. Colonic temperatures (T c ) were obtained 60 min after injection in all cases. Doses of d -amphetamine at 0.3 mg/kg and above reduced preferred T a from the control value of 30°C to about 25°C. Locomotor activity was reduced briefly by 0.3 mg/kg, and increased after 3.0 mg/kg d -amphetamine. Metabolic rate was suppressed by 0.3 mg/kg of the drug at both 20 and 30°C. At 20°C T a , 10.0 mg/kg d -amphetamine increased MR but not EWL. At 30°C, MR and EWL were both increased by doses of 3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg. Body temperatures varied both as a function of d -amphetamine dose and of apparatus, with pronounced hyperthermia (T c >38.5°C) evident only after 10 mg/kg in the metabolic chamber. Thus, the behavioral and autonomic heat loss responses induced in mice by d -amphetamine suggest that its thermogenic action is detected by the animal at doses below those producing measurable thermogenesis and that appropriate effectors, from selection of a cool T a to increasing EWL, are engaged in an orderly progression to maintain normothermia under all but the most challenging conditions.
You’ve Come a Long Way Baby Citizens at Conception? Prenatal Personhood and SCHIP Eligibility

What are the (un)intended consequences of a citizens at conception policy? This article explores whether redefining a child does indeed spur a material expansion of benefits through the States Children’s Insurance Program (SCHIP) or whether this action can be better understood as a struggle over symbolic boundaries of fetal personhood, social boundaries of citizenship, and the attendant challenges to women’s reproductive rights.
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Adolescent Obesity in Southern Appalachia, 2012

The objective of this study was to examine weight status among southern Appalachian adolescents and to identify risk factors for obesity. We analyzed baseline data from the Team Up for Healthy Living study in 2012. Overall, 19.8% of the sample was overweight, and 26.6% was obese. Boys had higher rates of overweight/obesity than girls (50.5% vs 42.3%). Being male (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39–2.29), having a mother with a high school education or less (OR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.05–1.83), or having a father with a high school education or less (OR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.17–2.09) was associated with a higher prevalence of obesity and a higher body mass index z score (β = 0.131, 0.160, and 0.043, respectively, P < .05). Parental education could be used to identify adolescents with a higher likelihood of obesity.
Utility of radiographic crestal lamina dura for predicting periodontitis disease‐activity

The relationship between radiographic crestal lamina dura and periodontitis disease-activity was studied longitudinally in 51 treated adult patients on a systematic 3-month maintenance program. The presence or absence of crestal lamina dura at 1809 interproximal sites was scored from periapical and bitewing radiographs taken at baseline of a 36-month maintenance care period. Semi-annual clinical evaluations by 2 independent examiners were carried out on each patient, with disease recurrence defined as sites revealing a > or = 3 mm increase in probing depth from baseline, or a > or = 2 mm increase in probing depth together with a > or = 2 mm loss of relative attachment level from an occlusal reference stent. Over the 36-month study period, 23 (45%) patients exhibited disease recurrence at 55 (3%) interproximal tooth sites scored for baseline crestal lamina dura. Absence of detectable baseline crestal lamina dura yielded high sensitivity (87-100%), but low specificity (17%) and low positive predictive values (0.8-3.2%), for localized periodontitis recurrence. In contrast, no sites exhibiting an intact baseline crestal lamina dura demonstrated periodontitis recurrence up to 24 months from baseline (100% positive predictive values). Presence of radiographic crestal lamina dura was positively associated with clinical periodontal stability (summary odds ratio for sites = 2.6, P = 0.0004), and negatively associated with periodontitis recurrence (summary odds ratio for sites = 0.4, P = 0.0004), for the 36-month study period. Evaluation of radiographic crestal lamina dura status appears valuable for assessing the risk of periodontitis disease-activity at inter-proximal tooth sites in patients on maintenance care programs.
N,N'-THIOCARBONYLBIS(CYCLIC NITROGEN HETEROPARAFFINS).

A series of thioureas, in which the two amido nitrogens are incorporated into separate rings, are prepared by the action of thiophosgene on hetercyclic amines. The infrared spectra are studied and the data correlated with that of prior investigations. The results of preliminary pharmacological testing are reported.
MORPHOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF FORAGE CHICORY FINE ROOTS TO MANIPULATED SOIL PHOSPHORUS LEVELS

In Appalachian pastures, chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) offers the potential for increased phosphorus (P) uptake. To determine if hydroponically grown chicory root response patterns also occur with soil grown plants, an experiment with three cultivars and four soil P levels was conducted. Roots were washed free of soil and then measured, then plant tissues were analyzed for P content. With decreasing soil P concentrations, “Grasslands Puna” decreased the diameter and increased the length of the thinnest roots. The cultivar “Forage Feast” responded to low P with the opposite pattern. Two populations of root diameter classes (meso-diameter classes - mDC) are shown to be involved in these responses. With Grasslands Puna, the larger diameter mDC is apparently suppressed at low P levels in favor of the smaller diameter mDC. The reverse is true with Forage Feast. Thus, chicory cultivars have differential fine root responses to soil P levels.
Evolution of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation in the late Holocene and insolation driven change in the tropical annual SST cycle

Abstract South American lake sediment records indicate that El Nino events in the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) became more frequent after 3000 calendar years BP. The reason for this evolution of ENSO behavior remains in question. An important trigger for ocean–atmosphere state switching in the tropical ocean is the annual cycle of sea surface temperature south of the equator along the margin of South America. This annual cycle can be reconstructed from the oxygen isotope records of the surf clam Mesodesma donacium. We provide evidence that these isotope records, as preserved in archeological deposits in coastal central Peru, reflect seasonal paleo-SST. We find that the annual SST cycle in the eastern equatorial Pacific became larger over the 4500–2500 calendar year BP interval. This is consistent with increased ENSO variability. The magnification of the annual SST cycle can be attributed to changing insolation, indicating that ENSO is sensitive to the intensity and seasonal timing of solar heating of the southern EEP.
Toughening mechanisms for a zirconia-lithium aluminosilicate glass-ceramic

The mechanical properties of a lithium aluminosilicate glass-ceramic and the same glass-ceramic containing 5 and 15 wt% zirconia were investigated. The aim of the study was to assess the contributions to toughening from various toughening mechanisms. For the zirconia-containing compositions, zirconia initially precipitated, upon heat treatment of the glass, as tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO2), and upon further heat treatment, transformed to monoclinic zirconia (m-ZrO2). This transformation could also be induced by grinding samples containing t-ZrO2. By heat treating, the fracture toughness of all compositions increased with increasing matrix grain size until the matrix grain size exceeded ∼ 1 μm, whereupon both the fracture toughness and strength decreased sharply. The matrix phases, lithium metasilicate and β-eucryptite, have either high thermal expansion mismatch or high thermal expansion anisotropy resulting in large thermal stresses. The initial toughness increases observed in each composition were attributed to the formation of a microcrack zone around the propagating crack. At larger grain sizes, thermal stresses caused spontaneous cracking and loss of strength. Zirconia additions also contributed to the fracture toughness improvement; however, the predominant toughening mechanism was not by transformation but due to crack deflection by the stress fields around the transformed, i.e. m-ZrO2, particles.
Birth Defects: A Selected Bibliography

The study of birth defects has increased in importance in recent years because the rate of infant mortality due to other causes (such as infection and nutritional disease) has decreased more quickly than has the rate of deaths due to birth defects. Today, abnormalities are detected in approximately 3 percent of newborn humans, and twice as many prenatally acquired defects are found in children after infancy as are discovered at birth. In addition, many of the more than 500,000 miscarriages and stillbirths that occur each year in the United States are due to abnormal fetal development.
Foucault and the Holocaust: Epistemic Shift, Liminality and the Death Camps

Michel Foucault, in his historical and theoretical works, often analyzed the Holocaust by applying his theories of carceral technology and biopower to the German system of concentration camps. This is similarly the case with scholars who write about Foucault as well as those who use his theories in critical application. However, consideration of or allusion to the German-operated death camps of occupied Eastern Europe is surprisingly rare in Foucault's writings. Attempting to explain this silence about the death camps specifically (as opposed to Foucault's more numerous references to the German system of concentration camps generally) in both Foucault's own thought and writings and those of Foucauldian scholars, this article suggest that the death camps occur as something liminal within Foucauldian theory. It argues that, though many of the techniques employed by the Germans in their carceral systems during the 1930s and 1940s were traced by Foucault and his exegetes back to the eighteenth century, looked...
Rapid renal single-photon emission tomography by continuous infusion of iridium-191m.

Continuous infusion of iridium-191m (t1/2 = 5 s), produced with an 191Os/191mIr generator, was used to obtain rapid high-resolution single-photon emission tomography (SPET) of renal blood flow in the rabbit. SPET scans of the abdomen were obtained with a triple-detector SPET system (MS3, Siemens Gammasonics). The generator was eluted at a flow rate of 3 ml/min, which delivered a steady-state dose of 170 MBq (4.5 mCi) of 191mIr. The total 191Os breakthrough was 850 kBq (23 µCi). A 5-min SPET acquisition recorded a total of 2.8 million counts, resulting in images of high technical quality. Volume-rendered images clearly showed the abdominal aorta, splenic artery, spleen, renal arteries, kidneys and splanchnic vasculature. Tomographic slices through the kidneys revealed tracer primarily within the renal cortices without visualization of the collecting system. The estimated effective dose equivalent for a 5 min infusion of 191mIr at a steady-state dose of 170 MBq is 0.74 mSv compared with 2.7 mSv from a 170 MBq dose of 99mTc-DMSA. This study demonstrates the feasibility of high-resolution SPET of regional renal perfusion in the rabbit by continuous intravenous infusion of 191mIr. The renal distribution of continuously infused 191mIr is largely within the cortices, with minimal or no detectable activity in the region of the renal pelvicalyceal system. Using this technique, cortical renal SPET can be completed much more rapidly (<5 min) than with conventional renal cortical imaging agents, which suggests that this technique could be applied to the observation of rapid changes in renal perfusion such as those resulting from pharmacologic intervention, obviating the need for the patient to return for additional visits. Additional studies are required to (a) validate the methodology in larger animals prior to considering the potential for use in human beings, (b) optimize the generator design for continuous infusion, and (c) evaluate the changes in the distribution of 191mIr that occur in animal models of altered renal perfusion.
Carcass mass can influence rate of decomposition and release of ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen into gravesoil.

Abstract To investigate the use of ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen (NRN) in gravesoil to estimate early postmortem interval (PMI), we conducted an experiment to decompose swine ( Sus scrofa ) carcasses of contrasting mass (∼1 kg, ∼20 kg, ∼40 kg, ∼50 kg). Carcasses were placed on the soil surface during June 2007 to monitor mass loss and the concentration of gravesoil NRN over an interval of 15 days. Carcasses of a mass ≤ 20 kg decomposed more rapidly than larger carcasses. However, 1 kg carcasses were associated with a slower release of NRN into gravesoil but a greater concentration of NRN per kg carcass (NRN C ). We conclude that carcass mass can affect the rate of decomposition and release of NRN into gravesoil, which reflects an interaction between carcass volume and blow fly colonization. Furthermore, we conclude that neonatal carcasses require a different equation than larger carcasses when using gravesoil chemistry to estimate PMI.
Conversion of a Golf car into a Hybrid Fuel Cell Li-ion Battery Vehicle and Validation of the Vehicle Model for the 2006 GEM eL Golf car Using PSAT

In this paper, a 2006 GEM eL Golf car was first analyzed and designed for similar vehicle requirements. Placement of vehicle components have been calculated and proposed. An automatic hybrid controller for the vehicle power management is also proposed. Further, the preliminary design is simulated as a series hybrid fuel cell li-ion battery vehicle model in PSAT software. The power flow among vehicle components are plotted and analyzed. This design can be implemented in the long run to general vehicles also, thus creating independence from fossil fuels.
Inability of Surface Electromyography to Register the Local Twitch Response Elicited by Trigger Point Injection and Snapping Palpation in Myofascial Pain Patients

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the local twitch responses [LTR] elicited by trigger point [TrP] injection and snapping palpation.Methods: The LTR was recorded with surface electromyography [sEMG] electrodes placed at the TrP and a control site on the trapezius muscle in 16 female subjects with myofascial pain. The following protocol was carried out: tension and contraction of the ipsilateral trapezius muscle, baseline resting activity, snapping palpation of the TrP and the control sites, TrP injection, and final resting activity.Results: During the TrP injection, the investigator found LTRs in 31 percent of the subjects, while 63 percent of the subjects reported that they felt the LTR, and the sEMG recorded only one LTR in one subject.Conclusions: The sEMG was unable to register the LTR.
Development and evolution of the MHAUS cognitive aid for malignant hyperthermia

Background Cognitive aids help the stressed practitioner in an emergency setting carry out complex tasks. Ideally, they ensure the completion of key steps and prevent unnecessary ones. Malignant hyperthermia is an emergency event that lends itself to the use of a cognitive aid. Experts associated with the Malignant Hyperthermia Association (MHAUS) first developed a cognitive aid in the form of a “poster” in the mid-1980s.
Performance Evaluation of Backcalculation Algorithms Through Three-Dimensional Finite-Element Modeling of Pavement Structures

Currently, the only means of assessing the performance of a backcalculation algorithm is to compare its results with the values obtained through laboratory measurements of core samples. Discrepancies are attributed to the inability of replicating in laboratory tests the same consolidation and stress conditions encountered in the field. In this paper, an explicit three-dimensional (3D) finite-element model (FEM) is used to back-calculate the layer moduli of rigid, flexible, and composite pavement structures. The modeling approach accounts for the dynamic nature of the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) load, friction at pavement-layer interfaces, and the 3D geometrical characteristics of the pavement structure. The FWD-measured and FEM-generated deflection basins are matched by adjusting the values of layer moduli used in the FEM. The backcalculated moduli using 3D FEM are compared with the results obtained from three backcalculation programs: MODCOMP, MODULUS, and EVERCALC. The results indicate that the t...
Studying social relations in MMOG play: An illustration of using ethnography to frame “Big Data”

This paper illustrates the first part of an ultimately more inclusive understanding of the social relations manifest in the play of Massive, Multiplayer On-Line Games. This initial part is based on the premise that comparative ethnography should be used to frame automated analysis of the electronic traces of player actions. This part involves first examining the spaces that become key elements in the virtual world of playing the game, and then time elements. The interesting ways in which space and time are combined are described next. Such observations demonstrate the feasibility of interpreting actual game play in terms of three factors: What follows from the physics engine chosen to render the games' virtual spaces, what follows from the deliberate play choices of games' designers, what is subconsciously carried over by players from the real world. This is an example of how ethnography can be used to create an analytical framework for focused, even hypothesis-driven analysis of large data sets captured from actual game play — specifically a basis for deciding what needs to be observed out of what can be observed, and what they might mean. Only after such preliminary work does it make sense to automate for statistically valid sampling.
An accurate scalable template-based alignment algorithm

The rapid determination of nucleic acid sequences is increasing the number of sequences that are available. Inherent in a template or seed alignment is the culmination of structural and functional constraints that are selecting those mutations that are viable during the evolution of the RNA. While we might not understand these structural and functional, template-based alignment programs utilize the patterns of sequence conservation to encapsulate the characteristics of viable RNA sequences that are aligned properly. We have developed a program that utilizes the different dimensions of information in rCAD, a large RNA informatics resource, to establish a profile for each position in an alignment. The most significant include sequence identity and column composition in different phylogenetic taxa. We have compared our methods with a maximum of eight alternative alignment methods on different sets of 16S and 23S rRNA sequences with sequence percent identities ranging from 50% to 100%. The results showed that CRWAlign outperformed the other alignment methods in both speed and accuracy. A web-based alignment server is available at http://www.rna.ccbb.utexas.edu/SAE/2F/CRWAlign.
Cardiac dysrhythmias in the acute setting: recognition and treatment or anyone can treat cardiac dysrhythmias.

Abstract The two primary goals in dysrhythmia therapy are: (1) to control the ventricular rate (between 70 and 100 beats per minute) and (2) to maintain sinus rhythm. Maintenance of sinus rhythm is definitely secondary. If a patient is hemodynamically unstable, but has a ventricular rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute, the trouble is almost certainly not due to the cardiac rhythm. Normal conduction velocity is fast. An impulse is transmitted by healthy Purkinje fibers at 2 to 3 meters per second. This means that the entire ventricle, when activated by the Purkinje system, is activated in 80 milliseconds. When a superventricular impulse is transmitted to the ventricles via the A-V node, the ventricle should be activated (depolarized) in less than 80 milliseconds. Conversely, if an impulse is generated at an ectopic ventricular site, it does not access the high velocity Purkinje system as rapidly. A ventricular origin beat (PVC) thus, takes longer to activate the entire ventricle. The QRS is, therefore, longer (or wider). A wide QRS signifies aberrant ventricular conduction. When a dysrhythmia originates above the A-V node, the therapy is pharmacologic A-V nodal blockade (verapamil). When a dysrhythmia originates below the A-V node, therapy is pharmacologic (Lidocaine) or electrical (cardioversion). If uncertain or a patient is unstable, cardioversion is always acceptable. Thus; (1) with an unstable patient, proceed immediately to cardioversion; (2) with a narrow complex tachycardia (superventricular) proceed to verapamil; and (3) with a wide complex (ventricular) tachycardia give Lidocaine and proceed to cardioversion.
Phenytoin Prodrugs V: In Vivo Evaluation of Some Water-Soluble Phenytoin Prodrugs in Dogs

Phenytoin bioavailability was evaluated in beagle dogs after oral and intravenous administrations of sodium phenytoin and two amino acyl esters and a disodium phosphate ester of 3-(hydroxymethyl)phenytoin (three prodrugs of phenytoin). Phenytoin displayed nonlinear pharmacokinetics in the dogs, complicating the determination of the absolute bioavailability of phenytoin from sodium phenytoin and the prodrugs. All three prodrugs essentially released phenytoin after intravenous administration in a quantitative manner, and all gave plasma levels of phenytoin after oral administration greater than those found after administration of sodium phenytoin. Based on the behavior in dogs and the earlier determination of the physicochemical properties of the prodrugs, it was concluded that one of the amino acyl esters, 3-(hydroxymethyl)-5,5-diphenylhydantoin N,N-dimethylglycine ester methanesulfonate, would be the most useful prodrug for oral administration, while 3-(hydroxymethyl)-5,5-diphenylhydantoin disodium phosphate ester would be the most useful for parenteral administration.
Institutionalizing Legal Consciousness: Regulation and the Embedding of Market Participants in the Securities Industry in Ghana and Fiji

How do differences in the implementation of regulation impact market behavior? I propose a theoretical framework to understand this impact as part of the process of embedding market participants through the institutionalization of legal consciousness within a field of action. I use this framework to understand the impact of the difference in the implementation of securities regulation in Ghana and Fiji. In Fiji, where the regulatory agency is more present and process-oriented, brokers operate with a greater orientation toward formal rules. In Ghana, where the regulatory agency is distant and auditing, brokers rely on explicit enforcement of floor-based norms. Conceiving of legal consciousness as an emergent feature of a field of social action advances the understanding of how legality is institutionalized, since the emergent structure shapes the orientations, behavior, and relations of actors within the field.
Should angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors be added to the water supply of patients with diabetes?

As time passes, we have increasing evidence that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are a major asset to patients with diabetes who have renal and cardiac disease. In light of these benefits, some endocrinologists have advocated the prophylactic use of this class of drug in patients with diabetes. Because ACE inhibitors were previously proved to be beneficial only in patients with proteinuria and in those with congestive cardiac failure associated with systolic dysfunction, and because ACE inhibitors can be associated with potentially harmful side effects, the prophylactic use of ACE inhibitors was generally thought not to be warranted, at least by the prudent diabetologist. With the publication of the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) Study (1), evidence is now available to justify the use of ACE inhibitors in all patients with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, data now show that patients with type 1 diabetes who have retinopathy or neuropathy—in addition to those who have nephropathy, microalbuminuria, or hypertension—will also benefit from treatment with ACE inhibitors. Because of this evidence, the case for prescribing an ACE inhibitor for all patients with diabetes has strengthened and extended to those with glucose intolerance or those at high risk of developing diabetes. In the HOPE Study, those patients receiving ACE inhibitors who entered the study without diabetes reduced their chances of developing diabetes by 30%.
A passive sampling device for determining formaldehyde in indoor air

A passive sampling device based on the principle of diffusion has been developed for the determination of formaldehyde in ambient air. The sampler consists of a capped glass tube (with approximate dimensions of 2.4 × 9 cm) containing a glass-fiber filter treated with NaHSO3. In the field, the device collects a sample by being uncapped for a specified sampling time. After being recapped and returned to the laboratory, the filter is analyzed by the chromotropic acid (CTA) method. Laboratory validation studies were conducted by exposing the sampling devices for 1 week to dry formaldehyde gas generated by passing trioxane vapor over an acid catalyst bed. In these tests, formaldehyde concentrations ranged from 0.05 to 0.80 mL/m3. Reproducibility was excellent, with relative standard deviations averaging 5.4% for five constant concentrations. The lower detection limit was determined to be 3.6 mL/m3 h. In an occupational environment an 8-h sample would be sufficient to detect compliance with the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 3 mL/m3; in a residential environment a 1-week sample would allow detection of 0.025 mL/m3 for indoor air quality audits.
Design of a GaAlAs travelling wave Mach-Zehnder electro-optic modulator

The analysis and design of a GaAlAs Mach-Zehnder electrooptic modulator operating at 820 nm is presented. Optical modulation is achieved through coplanar 50-ohm traveling-wave microwave electrodes with a resulting 3-dB bandwidth-length product of 11.95 GHz cm.
Unraveling Genomic Complexity at a Quantitative Disease Resistance Locus in Maize

Multiple disease resistance has important implications for plant fitness, given the selection pressure that many pathogens exert directly on natural plant populations and indirectly via crop improvement programs. Evidence of a locus conditioning resistance to multiple pathogens was found in bin 1.06 of the maize genome with the allele from inbred line “Tx303” conditioning quantitative resistance to northern leaf blight (NLB) and qualitative resistance to Stewart’s wilt. To dissect the genetic basis of resistance in this region and to refine candidate gene hypotheses, we mapped resistance to the two diseases. Both resistance phenotypes were localized to overlapping regions, with the Stewart’s wilt interval refined to a 95.9-kb segment containing three genes and the NLB interval to a 3.60-Mb segment containing 117 genes. Regions of the introgression showed little to no recombination, suggesting structural differences between the inbred lines Tx303 and “B73,” the parents of the fine-mapping population. We examined copy number variation across the region using next-generation sequencing data, and found large variation in read depth in Tx303 across the region relative to the reference genome of B73. In the fine-mapping region, association mapping for NLB implicated candidate genes, including a putative zinc finger and pan1. We tested mutant alleles and found that pan1 is a susceptibility gene for NLB and Stewart’s wilt. Our data strongly suggest that structural variation plays an important role in resistance conditioned by this region, and pan1, a gene conditioning susceptibility for NLB, may underlie the QTL.
Acute and residual effects of marijuana: Profiles of plasma THC levels, physiological, subjective, and performance measures

Three experienced marijuana smokers participated in four 2-day experimental sessions in which they smoked either 0, 1, or 2 marijuana cigarettes containing 2.57% delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at two different times on the first day. A battery of physiological, subjective, and performance measures was repeated throughout day 1 to assess acute effects and on day 2 to measure any residual effects of marijuana. Blood samples were also repeatedly collected to examine the relationship between plasma levels and pharmacological effects of THC. Acutely, marijuana increased heart rate and subjective ratings of drug effects and slightly impaired performance on a circular lights task in all subjects. Performance was also impaired (decreased accuracy and increased response time) on serial addition/subtraction and digit recall tasks on day 1 in two subjects. On day 2, tachycardia and subjective effects of marijuana were not observed. Performance remained impaired on the arithmetic and recall tasks on day 2, although the decrements were not as large as those observed on day 1. In general, plasma THC levels covaried with the other measures. These preliminary results suggest that marijuana can adversely affect complex human performance up to 24 hours after smoking.
Gaussian and EJ networks — Some efficient interconnection topologies for parallel systems

Summary form only given. Interconnection topology plays a major role in achieving high performance in parallel systems. In the past, many interconnection topologies have been proposed - some most popular being hypercube, torus, mesh, De Bruijn networks, etc. Recently, some efficient interconnection topologies called Gaussian networks and Eisenstein-Jacobi networks have been introduced. The topologies of these networks are based on the concepts of Gaussian and EJ integers. In this talk, first a brief overview of these number theory concepts including how to obtain modulo of a given Gaussian or EJ number is given. Then, the interconnection topology, the topological properties, Hamiltonian decomposition of these networks, routing and broadcasting algorithms, resource placement algorithms, etc. are presented.
Factors associated with alcohol-related problems following moderate to severe traumatic brain injury

Purpose/Objective: Postinjury alcohol use is a common problem within the traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. Given the association between heavy drinking and the development of alcohol-related consequences, we attempted to understand the contribution of postinjury coping strategies and other risk factors to alcohol-related problems following moderate to severe TBI. Research Method/Design: Participants were enrolled in a longitudinal study and followed up to 15 years following TBI; only persons with moderate to severe TBI (N 278) were recruited. Participants completed questionnaires assessing preinjury alcohol use, demographic variables, postinjury alcohol-related problems (Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test; SMAST; Selzer, Vinokus, & Van Rooijan, 1975), and postinjury coping strategies (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations; CISS; Endler & Parker, 1990). Only those who completed the SMAST were included in this investigation. Results: The overall regression model, with time to follow commands, age at the time of TBI, education, time since injury, and task-oriented coping style, was statistically significant. After accounting for other factors, specific postinjury coping strategies were not associated with post-TBI alcohol-related problems. Time to follow commands, education, and time since injury independently explained a unique portion of the variance in SMAST score. A second multiple regression analysis was conducted for a subset of the sample that provided information about premorbid binge drinking (n 95). The overall model was not significant, likely due to the reduced power to detect an effect, but premorbid binge drinking explained 4% of the variance in SMAST scores. Conclusion/Implications: Injury severity, education, and time since injury should be assessed, and at-risk patients should be informed of the consequences of alcohol use among those with TBI.
Corner layer flow: optimazation of numerical method of solution☆

Abstract The axial corner flow problem has been studied using an ADI method. An optimization study of the method has been carried out in order to maximise the solution convergence rate while maintaining is stability and accuracy. The results obtained by the present method are in good agreement with the available results due to the Gauss-Seidel explicit method. The influence of symmetry boundary on the solution convergence rate has been studied and the approximate manner of specifying this boundary condition for numerical computation has been established. The boundary condition on the vorticity function at the wall has been analysed, and the advantages of the implicit treatment of this boundary condition over explicit treatment are presented. The supriority of the ADI method over the Gauss-seidel explicit method is clearly demonstrated.
Healthcare reform perspectives of rural and urban hospital leaders--issues and attitudes.

Abstract What are the perspectives of rural and urban hospital leaders—administrators, physicians, and board members—regarding healthcare reform? Both groups support substantial reform in healthcare delivery. They agree that changing malpractice and tort laws is one of the leading strategies for reforming healthcare and that reform should be financed by income tax credits or a combination of employer premiums and government taxes.
SU-FF-J-127: Two-Dimesional Analysis of Patient Cervical Spine Movement Pattern During Radiation Therapy

Purpose: To characterize the two dimensional movement pattern of cervical spine during head and neck radiation treatment with the aim to adaptively modify the treatment.Method and Materials: An intensity based algorithm was used to extract the vertebrae contours in both diagnosis CT and treatment planningCTimages. Vertebrae movement variables were characterized by superimposing segmented sagital CTimages using a localized linear conformal registration. The correlation coefficient was used as a method of measuring the similarity for registration. Relative 2‐D motion of cervical spine were characterized by a transformation matrix representing motion relative to the adjacent vertebrae with 3 degrees of freedom by rigid body Euler angle and translations of orthogonal coordinate system. Results: We demonstrated that an intensity‐based local linear conformal registration can be used accurately co‐registered cervical spine in the treatment planningCTimages acquired before the treatment and in the diagnosis CTimages. A large variation was observed in the transformation matrix. The mean absolute Euler rotation of vertebrae were 25.4° for C2, 18.9° for C3, 13.7° for C4, 11.3° for C5, 5.3° for C6 and 7.6° for C7. Conclusion: We have quantitatively analyzed the intervertebral motions of the cervical spine during the radiation treatment. We have documented the first accurate depictions of cervical spine coupled motion. This information can be used for treatment planning in an adaptive CT‐guided radiation therapy.
Near-infrared spectroscopy and polysomnography during all-night sleep in human subjects

We have performed cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and polysomnography (electro-encephalography, electro-oculography, electro-myography, pulse oximetry, and respiratory monitoring) during all-night sleep in five human subjects. Polysomnography data were used for sleep staging, while NIRS data were used to measure the concentration and the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the frontal brain region. Immediately after sleep onset we observed a decrease in the cerebral concentration of oxy-hemoglobin ([HbO2]) and an increase in the concentration of deoxy-hemoglobin ([Hb]), consistent with a decrease in the cerebral blood flow velocity or an increase in cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen. An opposite trend (increase in [HbO2] and decrease in [Hb]) was usually observed after transition to deep sleep (stages III and IV). During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, we observed an increase in [HbO2] and decrease in [Hb], consistent with an increase in the cerebral blood flow that overcompensates the increase in the metabolic rate of oxygen associated with REM sleep.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nutrition beliefs, practices, and perceptions of young dancers☆☆☆

Forty-nine dancers from 21 states and Mexico ages 13-20 years participated in a study designed to further explore nutrition beliefs and dietary practices of young dancers. Subjects completed a previously used questionnaire that identifies nutrition beliefs and practices. The correlation between actual height and weight and subjects' perceived height and weight was significantly different (p = less than or equal to 0.5). Subjects requested that additional nutrition education be included in their training programs.
Neuroinflammation and Synaptic Loss

Neuroinflammation plays a critical role in the progression of many neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric and viral diseases. In neuroinflammation, activated microglia and astrocytes release cytokines and chemokines as well as nitric oxide, which in turn activate many signal transduction pathways. The cytokines, interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha, regulate transcription of a number of genes within the brain, which can lead to the formation of pro-inflammatory products of the arachidonic acid cascade. Formation of pro-inflammatory agents and associated cytotoxic products during neuroinflammation can be detrimental to neurons by altering synaptic proteins. Neuroinflammation as well as excitotoxic insults reduce synaptic markers such as synaptophysin and drebrin. Neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric illnesses and viral infections are accompanied by loss of both pre- and post-synaptic proteins. These synaptic changes may contribute to the progressive cognitive decline and behavioral changes associated with these illnesses.
Necrotizing enterocolitis in term neonates: data from a multihospital health-care system.

In the past 5½ years, 30 term or near-term neonates in the Intermountain Healthcare system developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) Bell's stage ⩾II. We sought to identify possible explanations for why these patients developed NEC, by comparing them with 5847 others that did not develop NEC, from the same hospitals and of the same gestational ages, cared for during the same 5½-year period. Data were collected from neonates admitted to any of the Intermountain Healthcare NICUs with a birth date from 1 January 2001 to 30 June 2006, and a gestational age >36 weeks. A variety of patient features and feeding practices were compared between those that did vs did not develop NEC. Forty-one neonates >36 weeks gestation were listed in the discharge records as having NEC of Bell's stage II or higher. However, on review of these 41 medical records, 11 were seen to have had NEC of Bell's stage I, whereas the remaining 30 had radiographs and clinical courses indicative of Bell's stage ⩾II. Those 30 formed the basis of this study. Twenty-eight of the 30 developed NEC after having been admitted to an NICU for some other reason; the other two developed NEC at home, within 2 days of being discharged from an NICU. The 30 that developed NEC were more likely than the 5847 that did not develop NEC, to have congenital heart disease (P=0.000), polycythemia (P=0.002), early-onset bacterial sepsis (P=0.004) or hypotension (P=0.017). All 30 received enteral feedings before NEC developed; 29 were fed either artificial formula or a mixture of formula and breast milk. The one that was exclusively fed human milk was fed human milk with added fortifier (24 cal/oz). The 30 that developed NEC were more likely to be fed formula exclusively (P=0.000). Seven of the 30 had a laparotomy for NEC; two of the seven had total bowel necrosis and support was withdrawn. The other five had perforations and bowel resections. The mortality rate was 13% (4/30). In our series, NEC among term or near-term neonates was exclusively a complication developing among patients already admitted to a NICU for some other reason. We speculate that the combination of reduced mesenteric perfusion and feeding with artificial formula were factors predisposing them to develop NEC.
Filtering Out Expected Dividends and Expected Returns

This paper applies a state space approach to the analysis of stock return predictability. It acknowledges that expected returns and expected dividends are unobservable and uses the Kalman filter to extract them from the observed history of realized dividends and returns. The suggested approach explicitly takes into account the time variation in expected dividend growth rates and exploits the present value relation. The obtained predictors for future returns are robust to structural breaks in the means of expected dividends and returns and more efficient than the dividend–price ratio. The likelihood ratio test reliably rejects the hypothesis of constant expected returns.
Finite element implementation of a generalized Fung-elastic constitutive model for planar soft tissues

Numerical simulations of the anisotropic mechanical properties of soft tissues and tissue-derived biomaterials using accurate constitutive models remain an important and challenging research area in biomechanics. While most constitutive modeling efforts have focused on the characterization of experimental data, only limited studies are available on the feasibility of utilizing those models in complex computational applications. An example is the widely utilized exponential constitutive model proposed by Fung. Although present in the biomechanics literature for several decades, implementation of this model into finite element (FE) simulations has been limited. A major reason for limited numerical implementations are problems associated with inherent numerical instability and convergence. To address this issue, we developed and applied two restrictions for a generalized Fung-elastic constitutive model necessary to achieve numerical stability. These are (1) convexity of the strain energy function, and (2) the condition number of material stiffness matrix set lower than a prescribed value. These constraints were implemented in the nonlinear regression used for constitutive model parameter estimation to the experimental biaxial mechanical data. We then implemented the generalized Fung-elastic model into a commercial FE code (ABAQUS, Pawtucket, RI, USA). Single element and multi-element planar biaxial test simulations were conducted to verify the accuracy and robustness of the implementation. Results indicated that numerical convergence and accurate FE implementation were consistently obtained. The present study thus presents an integrated framework for accurate and robust implementation of pseudo-elastic constitutive models for planar soft tissues. Moreover, since our approach is formulated within a general FE code, it can be straightforwardly adopted across multiple software platforms.
Sex, Attribution, and Severity Influence Intervention Decisions of Informal Helpers in Domestic Violence

Most domestic violence (DV) researchers examine professional intervention (e.g., police and nurses), but informal helpers (e.g., friends and bystanders) are critical. The authors measure undergraduates' intervention likelihood, type of involvement (i.e., contact with abuser), and the influence of attribution decisions in DV situations where the abuser's sex is manipulated. Self-esteem and other personal variables are not found to be influential, but participants intervene more when the abuser is male and if they have experienced childhood abuse. The influence of attributions in DV situations is influenced by the sex of the attacker and severity of the attack. Participants' attributions for male attackers predict intervention in severe cases of DV; attributions of drunkenness predict more intervention. In general, informal male helpers choose more risky types of intervention than female helpers do, and more aggressive individuals choose less helpful behaviors than those lower in aggression. Stigma reduction associated with DV and intervention, especially among male victims, and the importance of encouraging appropriate involvement among helpers are discussed.
LIFE HISTORY AFFECTS THE EVOLUTION OF REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION AMONG SPECIES OF COREOPSIS (ASTERACEAE)

The evolution of reproductive isolation within Coreopsis is investigated by integrating phylogenetic data with estimates of pollen viability of plants from inter- and intraspecific crosses. Three different models that predict F1 fitness are compared. The first uses ITS pairwise distances, the second is based on phylogenetic branch lengths derived from DNA sequences, and the third elaborates on the second model by dividing branch length according to reconstructions of the evolution of life history. This is the first study to use phylogenetic branch-length estimates for predicting levels of reproductive isolation. Estimated branch lengths (model 2) predict hybrid fitness more accurately than simply genetic distance (model 1) but only very slightly. This is probably because the two variables are strongly correlated in Coreopsis. Prediction is substantially improved by allowing evolutionary rates to differ between annual and perennial branches (model 3). A bootstrapping procedure indicates that the life-history effect is statistically significant. The more rapid evolution of reproductive isolation within annual species of Coreopsis may be due to differing mechanisms of reproductive isolation, that is, chromosomal rearrangements rather than genetic incompatibilities.