cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Expression of Self and Grief in the Nineteenth Century: An Analysis through Distant Readings

When writing about grief, Peter N. Stearns and Mark Knapp (‘Historical Perspectives on Grief’, in The Emotions: Social, Cultural and Biological Dimensions, ed. Rom Harre and W. Gerrod Parrot (London: Sage Publications, 1996): 138) speculate that ‘[i]n contrast to eighteenth-century songs about death, which were set in the artificial pastoral world of shepherds and written in the third person, Victorian grief songs were personal and immediate’. Inspired by this claim, we investigated the usage of pronouns, as well as topics surrounding grief, in ballads taken from broadsides in the nineteenth century. We found that the use of first-person pronouns increases over the nineteenth century, and that this was not a linear trend; there were sharp increases in the usage of first-person pronouns beginning in 1815, which leveled off in the third quarter of the century. Additionally, we examined the usage of lyrical topics about death, grieving, negatively valenced emotion and sadness, and asked whether such topics correlated with the increased usage of first-person pronouns. We found that there was not a strong correlation with the usage of pronouns and such topics, though there was a small correlation between the usage of such pronouns and sadness and a stronger positive correlation between a focus on the present and positively valenced emotion. These findings suggest that first-person pronouns are not reliable indicators of lyrical topics surrounding grief, or vice-versa. Using personal pronouns as a measure of intimacy, we conclude that songs written in the beginning of the nineteenth century did see a rise in intimacy in song lyrics. However, this increase does not appear to be tied to songs about grief, specifically. Despite the existence of many personal grief songs in the Victorian period, our distant reading reveals linguistic trends and interrelations that challenge the intuition that nineteenth-century grief songs were more personal than earlier ones.
Automatic Concept Extraction for Domain and Student Modeling in Adaptive Textbooks

The increasing popularity of digital textbooks as a new learning media has resulted in a growing interest in developing a new generation of adaptive textbooks that can help readers to learn better through adapting to the readers’ learning goals and the current state of knowledge. These adaptive textbooks are most frequently powered by internal knowledge models, which associate a list of unique domain knowledge concepts with each section of the textbook. With this kind of concept-level knowledge representation, a number of intelligent operations could be performed, which include student modeling, adaptive navigation support, and content recommendation. However, manual indexing of each textbook section with concepts is challenging, time-consuming, and prone to errors. Modern research in the area of natural language processing offers an attractive alternative, called automatic keyphrase extraction. While a range of keyphrase and concept extraction methods have been developed over the last twenty years, few of the known approaches were applied and evaluated in a textbook context. In this paper, we present FACE, a supervised feature-based machine learning method for automatic concept extractions from digital textbooks. This method has been created for building domain and student models that form the core of intelligent textbooks. We evaluated FACE on a newly constructed full-scale dataset by assessing how well it approximates concept annotations produced by human experts and how well it supports the needs of student modeling. The results show that FACE outperforms several state-of-the-art keyphrase extraction methods.
Is There a Connection Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Osteochondritis Dissecans

Background To determine if children with Osteochondritis Dessicans (OCD) lesions of the distal femur are more likely to have a co-morbid diagnosis of Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) than age matched controls and to assess the impact of ADHD on OCD outcomes. Methods A retrospective chart review of patients treated at a single tertiary care hospital between 2000-2012 was performed. Charts were reviewed for a diagnosis of OCD of the distal femur in all skeletally immature patients (males < 16 years and females < 14 years). These were then screened for a comorbid diagnosis of ADHD. Age-matched controls with anterior knee pain without OCD were then reviewed to determine if ADHD was more common in the OCD population. Treatment and outcomes of the OCD lesions were then compared in children with and without ADHD. Results The prevalence of ADHD was 23% in patients with OCD lesions and was significantly greater than the 11% found in the anterior knee pain age-matched controls (p<0.05). The average grade of lesions at presentation was similar in both groups (2.2 ADHD vs 2.1 no ADHD) however, at final follow-up, the average OCD grade was significantly worse for children with ADHD (1.4 vs 0.7, p<0.004). Conclusion There is a significantly higher prevalence of ADHD in children with OCD lesions compared with age-matched controls. This study suggests children that with osteochondritis dessicans and ADHD may not have as favorable treatment course as children without the hyperactivity disorder.Level of Evidence: III.
Chronic jetlag-induced alterations in pancreatic diurnal gene expression.

Cell-autonomous circadian clocks exist in nearly every organ and function to maintain homeostasis through a complex series of transcriptional-translational feedback loops. The response of these per...
Adolescent Binge Drinking Is Associated With Accelerated Decline of Gray Matter Volume.

The age- and time-dependent effects of binge drinking on adolescent brain development have not been well characterized even though binge drinking is a health crisis among adolescents. The impact of binge drinking on gray matter volume (GMV) development was examined using 5 waves of longitudinal data from the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence study. Binge drinkers (n = 166) were compared with non-binge drinkers (n = 82 after matching on potential confounders). Number of binge drinking episodes in the past year was linked to decreased GMVs in bilateral Desikan-Killiany cortical parcellations (26 of 34 with P < 0.05/34) with the strongest effects observed in frontal regions. Interactions of binge drinking episodes and baseline age demonstrated stronger effects in younger participants. Statistical models sensitive to number of binge episodes and their temporal proximity to brain volumes provided the best fits. Consistent with prior research, results of this study highlight the negative effects of binge drinking on the developing brain. Our results present novel findings that cortical GMV decreases were greater in closer proximity to binge drinking episodes in a dose-response manner. This relation suggests a causal effect and raises the possibility that normal growth trajectories may be reinstated with alcohol abstinence.
Quick Reads: Word Clouds in Math Classrooms: a good idea in a small package

Edited by trena Wilkerson, Trena_ Wilkerson@baylor.edu, Baylor University, Waco, Texas. Readers are encouraged to submit manuscripts through http://mtms.msubmit.net. A word cloud, also known as a tag cloud, is a graphic representation that illustrates the important words that appear in a body of text. The words are proportional in size to their frequency of use or importance in the text. This article explores three aspects of a word cloud. First, I trace the origin of word clouds and their usage in blogs and other social media sites as they evolved into a valuable organizational and communication tool that can be used in the classroom. Second, I provide directions for teachers to create word clouds for use in the classroom. Third, I present two ways I have incorporated these images in my mathematics classroom.
Caregivers as Therapeutic Agents in Dementia Care: The Context of Caregiving and the Evidence Base for Interventions

Given the public health magnitude of dementia and its profound and extreme ripple effects on families, dementia caregiving warrants a focused discussion to understand this particular care context. Thus, the focus of this chapter is on dementia caregiving. The authors integrate and classify the existing evidence for interventions of family caregivers of people with dementia, and in a novel extension to typical reviews, provide a guiding framework for how the effective integration of “best” evidence can help to support the delivery and decision making of care providers when selecting evidence-based services to provide to families in need. They first discuss the therapeutic roles that families assume and provide a framework for understanding family needs, and then examine the robust corpus of intervention studies specific for dementia caregivers and their relative strengths and limitations. Finally, future directions for developing interventions with clinical applicability are outlined.
Racial Politics in Post-Revolutionary Cuba: Race and Daily Life in Cuba During the Special Period: Part I: Interview Data

On a hot March afternoon in Havana, a Cuban friend and I entered the Havana Libre Hotel and waited to meet with two other friends. We sat at the bar and tried to order drinks. The bartender refused us service, however, and asked us to leave, whereupon a security guard soon followed and escorted us out of the hotel. It bears mentioning that my friend and I are black. My friend, “Pedro,” is a dark young Cuban man with sharp features that denote his origin in Santiago de Cuba. In island terminology, he is an “Oriental.” The type of rude treatment we received would not have been out of character in 1950s America – or in 1950s Cuba, for that matter – but it seemed strange to be at the receiving end of it in Cuba today, in a society in which people of all colors live, work, love, and celebrate – for the most part, together. How, then, can I explain a Jim Crow experience in what appears to be a rainbow society? Angry and confused, my friend and I left for another establishment. I asked Pedro what had happened. He gave me an explanation that others seemed to agree with: “We are both black and well dressed. I am clearly an Oriental and therefore lower class. You are black and dressed in American clothes. We are, in their eyes, hustlers, criminals.
Treadmill Running Induces a Detrimental Metabolic Adaptation in the Diabetic Mouse

Background: Regular exercise is generally recommended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Exercise reduces body weight, increases insulin sensitivity, and improves glycemic control. The present study was designed to determine the impact of voluntary wheel and forced treadmill running on the metabolic state in the db/db mouse, a model of type 2 diabetes. Our hypothesis is that exercise training improves the metabolic status such that a reduction in body weight, blood glucose and insulin are observed, resulting in improved insulin sensitivity. Methods: Male diabetic db/db mice were assigned to sedentary (DS), voluntary wheel running (DV), and treadmill running (DT) running groups for 12 weeks. Nondiabetic heterozygote littermates served as control (CN). Results: After 12 weeks of training, DV and DT mice ran a total of 4.24 ± 0.18 km and 11.8 km, respectively. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM for 10-12 mice in each group. * P *** Table in Full Text PDF. *** Conclusions: Voluntary exercise training is beneficial in reducing body weight and blood glucose in the db/db mouse, but this effect is minor. Forced treadmill running, however, did not improve body weight, blood glucose and the hyperinsulinemic state remained. These results suggest that forced treadmill exercise training may actually worsen the metabolic state in this model of diabetes.
Polyadenylation of Escherichia coli transcripts plays an integral role in regulating intracellular levels of polynucleotide phosphorylase and RNase E.

Summary Polyadenylation in Escherichia coli has been implicated in the destabilization of a variety of transcripts. However, transiently increasing intracellular poly(A) levels has also been shown to stabilize the pnp and rne transcripts, leading to increased polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) and RNase E levels respectively. Here, we show that the half-lives of both the pnp and rne transcripts are dependent on the intracellular level of polyadenylated transcripts. In addition, experiments using pnp–lacZ and rne–lacZ translational fusions demonstrate that the variations in transcript stability and protein levels arise from alterations in the autoregulation of both genes. Further support for this conclusion is provided by the fact that, in an rne mutant in which autoregulation is inactivated by deletion of most of the 5′ untranslated region, variations in the level of polyadenylated transcripts no longer affect RNase E protein expression. Of even more interest is the fact that the presence of a functional degradosome is essential for RNase E to detect increased levels of poly(A). Thus, it appears that polyadenylation of transcripts in E. coli serves as a sensing mechanism by which the cell adjusts the levels of both RNase E and PNPase.
Bronchiectasis in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Report of Four Cases and a Review of the Literature—Implications for Management with Biologic Response Modifiers

Objective To describe patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who subsequently developed bronchiectasis (BR) and to review the literature on biologic response modifiers (BRM) in relation to infectious complications in the management of these patients. Methods We describe 4 patients with RA who were diagnosed with BR out of a cohort of 170 patients. We then performed a comprehensive review of the English language literature on the major clinical trials for RA that involved the BRMs etanercept, infliximab, anakinra, and adalimumab. We focused on inclusion/exclusion criteria involving pulmonary disease and infectious complications in these trials. Results Of the 4 patients we describe, all developed BR after the diagnosis of RA was established, had positive cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, had extra-articular manifestations, and had clinical courses complicated by pneumonia. Management strategies were influenced by these factors in all of the patients described. Of the 16 clinical trials on BRMs reviewed, few studies mentioned BR as an exclusion criteria or reported pneumonia as a specific infectious complication. Conclusions BR may be considered as an extra-articular pulmonary manifestation of RA. The infectious complications associated with BR in these patients underscore the management challenge, especially in choosing whether or not to treat with BRMs. Further studies are needed to analyze the infectious complications in RA trials with BRMs, specifically, to assess the risk of patients with BR. Risk stratification in these patients may require screening them for the presence of underlying BR.
Castings for the Colonial: Memory Work in ‘New Order' Java

At no time has there been more fascination with the contrast that memories of colonialism afford between the “elegance” of domination and the brutality of its effects.Renato Rosaldo, “Imperialist Nostalgia,” in Culture and Truth, (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1985), 68. While images of empire surface and resurface in the public domain, colonial studies has materialized over the last decade as a force of cultural critique, political commentary, and not least as a domain of new expert knowledge. One could argue that the entire field has positioned itself as a counterweight to the waves of colonial nostalgia that have emerged in the post-World War II period in personal memoirs, coffee table books, tropical chic couture, and a film industry that encourages “even politically progressive [North American] audiences” to enjoy “the elegance of manners governing relations of dominance and subordination between the races.”Ibid. Still, Nietzsche's warning against “idle cultivation of the garden of history” resonates today when it is not always clear whether some engagements with the colonial are raking up colonial ground, or vicariously luxuriating in it.Freidrich Nietzsche, “The Uses and Advantages of History,” Untimely Meditations, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996[1874]), 68.
Maintenance of postmitotic neuronal cell identity

The identity of specific cell types in the nervous system is defined by the expression of neuron type-specific gene batteries. How the expression of such batteries is initiated during nervous system development has been under intensive study over the past few decades. However, comparatively little is known about how gene batteries that define the terminally differentiated state of a neuron type are maintained throughout the life of an animal. Here we provide an overview of studies in invertebrate and vertebrate model systems that have carved out the general and not commonly appreciated principle that neuronal identity is maintained in postmitotic neurons by the sustained, and often autoregulated, expression of the same transcription factors that initiate terminal differentiation in a developing organism. Disruption of postmitotic maintenance mechanisms may result in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions.
Determination of Atropine in Blood by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method for the rapid quantitation of atropine (AT) in blood is presented. A 2.0-mL blood specimen containing deuterated N-methyl-atropine as the internal standard was alkaline-hydrolyzed to convert atropine to tropine. The tropine was extracted by organic solvent which was evaporated to dryness. Tropine in the residue was derivatized with pentafluoropropionic anhydride (PFPA) to the PFPA-tropine ester which was chromatographed on a 25-m cross-linked methyl silicone capillary column with temperature programming at 100 degrees C initially and increased by 20 degrees C/min. The retention time of atropine was 1.7 min. The GC/MS was operated in the SIM mode and the mass fragments monitored were 124 and 287 for AT and 127 and 290 for the internal standard. The assay was linear from 10-300 ng/mL. Replicate analysis of blood specimens containing 200 ng/mL gave a CV = 6.5% (n = 10). Recovery of AT at 75 and 150 ng/mL was 69% (n = 10). The limit of quantitation of AT was 10 ng/mL. Scopolamine may be simultaneously extracted and identified; the retention time was 1.8 min with mass ions 81 and 138.
Azasugar and glycal inhibitors of α-L-fucosidase

Abstract Several azasugar and glycal inhibitors were studied to map the active site of α-L-fucosidase enzyme.
Friend or foe? A behavioral and stable isotopic investigation of an ant–plant symbiosis

In ant–plant symbioses, the behavior of ant inhabitants affects the nature of the interaction, ranging from mutualism to parasitism. Mutualistic species confer a benefit to the plant, while parasites reap the benefits of the interaction without reciprocating, potentially resulting in a negative impact on the host plant. Using the ant–plant symbiosis between Cordia alliodora and its ant inhabitants as a model system, I examine the costs and benefits of habitation by the four most common ant inhabitants at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Costs are measured by counting coccoids associated with each ant species. Benefits include patrolling behavior, effectiveness at locating resources, and recruitment response. I also compare the diets of the four ant species using stable isotope analysis of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C). Ants varied in their rates of association with coccoids, performance of beneficial behaviors, and diet. These differences in cost, benefit, and diet among the ant species suggest differences in the nature of the symbiotic relationship between C. alliodora and its ants. Two of the ant species behave in a mutualistic manner, while the other two ant species appear to be parasites of the mutualism. I determined that the mutualistic ants feed at a higher trophic level than the parasitic ants. Behavioral and dietary evidence indicate the protective role of the mutualists, and suggest that the parasitic ants do not protect the plant by consuming herbivores.
Judgements of others’ emotional appropriateness are multidimensional

This study investigated the multidimensional structure of judgements of emotional appropriateness, the degree to which an observer judges a target's emotion to conform to observer-valued expectations for emotion in that context. Participants (N=169) were shown one of two brief video clips of an actor either showing anger or neutral expressions in an anger-evoking situation of either low, medium, or high severity. Participants rated the target's emotion on the Perception of Emotion Appropriateness Rating Scale (PEARS), which taps observers’ perceptions of a target's emotional appropriateness for a specific situation. We found that appropriateness ratings are comprised of three factors, assessment of Type Present (type of emotion in expression); Type Absent (missing key emotions); and Intensity (intensity with which the emotion is felt or expressed). Results are discussed in terms of the usefulness of a multidimensional conceptualisation of emotional appropriateness.
Multilevel microstructures and mold inserts fabricated with planar and oblique x-ray lithography of SU-8 negative photoresist

For patterning thick photoresist films, x-ray lithography is superior to optical lithography because of the use of a shorter wavelength and a very large depth of focus. SU-8 negative resist is well suited to pattern tall, high-aspect ratio microstructures in UV optical and x-ray lithography with rapid prototyping capability due to its high sensitivity. The negative tone of the SU-8 resist offers advantages in fabricating multi-level and non-planar microstructures using x-ray lithography or a combination of x-ray and UV optical lithography. In this paper, we present a fabrication process for multi-level metallic mold insert by a combination of multi-layer SU-8 patterning, poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molding, and nickel electroplating to make final nickel mold inserts that are suitable for injection molding and hot embossing of plastics and ceramics.
Vibronic states in La{2-x}BaxCuO4BaxCuO4

The temperature dependences of the resistivity R(T) and the thermoelectric power α(itT) under different hydrostatic pressuresP for the system La{2-x}BavCuO4, 0.11 ≤ x < -1.6, are reported and interpreted as evidence for strong electron coupling to oxygen vibrations along the CuO-Cu bond axes of the CuO2 sheets. The sensitivity of the transport properties to the bending Φ of the (180‡-Φ) Cu-O-Cu bond angle and their insensitivity to long-range magnetic order indicate that the segregation into hole-rich and magnetic stripe domains is driven primarily by electron-lattice interactions and not by electron-electron interactions alone.
Bicrystalline Zn3P2 and Cd3P2 Nanobelts and Their Electronic Transport Properties

As an interesting morphology and phase, the 1D bicrystalline (twinned) nanostructures have received much consideration because of their peculiar structure. In this paper, bicrystal nanobelts of Zn3P2 and Cd3P2 have been prepared on a large scale, via a simple vapor-solid process. The products were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, as well as energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer and the results revealed that both of them are of bicrystal shapes with the preferred growth axis along the [101] directions. P-type Field-effect transistors (FETs) based on single Zn3P2 and Cd3P2 nanobelts were fabricated, which revealed the thermal activation of carriers as the dominant transport mechanism, as was verified under the measurements at various temperatures (100−300 K).
Chebyshev polynomial expansions for simultaneous approximation of two branches of a function with application to the one-dimensional Bratu equation

We introduce two methods for simultaneously approximating both branches of a two-branched function using Chebyshev polynomials. Both schemes remove the pernicious, convergence-wrecking effects of the square root singularity at the limit point where the two branches meet. The ''Chebyshev-Shafer'' method gives the approximants as the solution to a quadratic equation; the ''mapping'' algorithm makes a quadratic change of variable. For both, the only input information is the set of values of f(x) at a set of discrete points. There is little to choose between the two schemes in accuracy, but the single expansion/mapping method is more flexible in that it can accommodate different ranges on the two branches. The eigenrelation for the one-dimensional Bratu equation is an interesting example because the upper branch is also singular at another point besides the limit point; this, too, can be removed by subtracting the asymptotic solution, which is the Lambert W-function, from the upper branch only. When the domain of the variable is infinite, the quadratic change of variable can still be applied by substituting rational Chebyshev functions, which are basis functions for an unbounded interval, for Chebyshev polynomials. We illustrate this by approximating the real-valued root of the Brill quintic, u^5-u-@l, @l@?[-~,~], which was first solved by Hermite using elliptic modular functions more than a century ago.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopause: A Qualitative Analysis of Women’s Decision Making

While almost half of women use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) during their menopause, almost no literature explores why women choose CAM for menopausal symptoms. Clinician–patient conversations about CAM can be unsatisfactory, and exploration of women’s choices may benefit communication. The objective of this study was to describe women’s choices to use CAM for menopausal health issues. This is a qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews. Convenience sample of 44 menopausal women ages 45 to 60 recruited in two primary care clinics. Both users and non-users of CAM were included. Transcripts of semi-structured interviews were analyzed for themes that were refined through comparison of labeled text. Four themes emerged in decisions to use CAM: (1) valuing CAM as “natural”, although the meaning of “natural” varied greatly, (2) perceiving menopause as marking a change in life stage, (3) seeking information about menopause generated from personal intuition and other women’s experiences, and (4) describing experiences before menopause of using CAM and allopathic medication in patterns similar to current use (patterned responses). Women’s decisions about using CAM during menopause can be understood through their perspectives on menopause and overall health. Increased clinician awareness of these themes may promote supportive discussions about CAM during counseling for menopause.
Efficient prestack modeling and imaging of pegleg multiples

We introduce an efficient linear operator for the “true relative amplitude” modeling and imaging of pegleg multiples. Applying the forward operator to primary reflections after normal moveout models the peglegs. Applying the adjoint operator to multiples produces events which are directly comparable to NMO’ed primaries. The kinematic component of our operator is an extension of the NMO equation which independently images “split” peglegs from a moderately heterogeneous earth. The amplitude component corrects multiples for their differences in angle-dependent reflection strength, relative to a primary. We illustrate the efficacy of our approach on 2D and 3D prestack field data examples.
Evaluating post-treatment screening in women with breast cancer.

purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the 5-year post-treatment use rate for screening mammography and clinical breast examination (CBE) among women treated for atypical hyperplasia (AH) or carcinoma in situ (CIS). description of study: A total of 103 women, who had received diagnoses and had been treated for primary AH or CIS, were observed for 5 years through a review of medical records and electronic databases. Adequate screening use was defined as the patient undergoing one mammography examination and at least one CBE per year. results: Multivariate logistic regression showed that screening activity declined significantly with time. During the first year, 83.5% and 80.6%, respectively, of women were screened by CBE and mammography. By year 2, CBE screening had dropped by 25.2% (P < .01) and mammography screening by 9.7% (P = .08). Attrition in CBE and mammography screening continued for each consecutive year and was significant (P < .01). During the first year, 70.9% of women received both methods of screening, which declined to 9.7% by year 5. Women who had received diagnoses of CIS and those married with children were more likely to use post-treatment screening, while fee-for-service insurance was negatively associated with screening. clinical implications: The reasons for the observed decline in the annual post-treatment screening are not known. Negative findings from follow-up screenings might have lowered the perception of cancer susceptibility and promoted the decline in screening use. A communication gap between physicians and patients might have reinforced this perception. The importance of annual screening may be verbally emphasized at each clinic visit, and reminder notes and telephone calls may be used to remind patients of upcoming screenings. Additional studies are planned to evaluate the effect of various intervention strategies in improving post-treatment screening use.
Numerical Simulation of Tsunamis

Abstract Two-dimensional, time-dependent, nonlinear, incompressible, viscous flow calculations of realistic models of tsunami waves interacting with continental slopes and shelves were performed. Wave heights were observed to grow by a factor of 4 as they shoaled up a 1:15 continental slope. The second or third wave often exhibited the largest wave run-up. Comparisons with shallow water, long-wave calculations showed similar results except for short wavelength tsunamis. The damping action of submerged barriers on tsunami waves was investigated. Significant amounts of the energy of a tsunami may be reflected by submerged barriers. The numerical simulation of tsunami waves can provide realistic descriptions of their flow.
Scaled discrete cosine transform algorithms for JPEG and MPEG implementations on fused multiply/add architectures

We introduce a new scaled Discrete Cosine Transform (SDCT) and inverse SDCTs optimized for architectures where a primitive arithmetic operation is a fused multiply/add. Explicit algorithms are derived for 1- dimensional inputs of 8 points and for 2-dimensional inputs of 8 X 8 points. The latter require 416 operations. When constants are programmable, descaling plus computing the inverse DCT on 8 X 8 points can be done with 417 operations.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Surgical versus medical treatment for calciphylaxis

Background Calciphylaxis is a rare, painful, life-threatening problem of cutaneous necrosis and refractory healing seen in patients with uraemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism. The pathogenesis involves abnormalities in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and acute deposition of calcium in tissues. Methods The clinical course of 16 patients diagnosed with calciphylaxis at this institution from 1994 to 1998 was reviewed. Results Fourteen women and two men, with a mean age of 56 (range 39–70) years, presented with chronic renal disease of various causes, hyperparathyroidism and characteristic skin lesions. All patients underwent intensive medical therapy, including haemodialysis (n = 16), parathyroidectomy (PTX) (n = 7) and skin debridement of cutaneous lesions (n = 8). Mean preoperative serum values in surgical (PTX) versus non-surgical patients were: calcium 9·9 and 9·3 mg dl−1 (P = 0·25); phosphorus 5·8 and 4·9 mg dl−1 (P = 0·04); calcium–phosphorus product 61·6 and 45·2 (P = 0·03); and parathyroid hormone (PTH) 56·8 and 5·9 pmol l−1 (P = 0·0001) respectively. Mean postoperative values for calcium (8·7 mg dl−1), phosphorus (4·2 mg dl−1), calcium–phosphorus product (30·5) and PTH (4·0 pmol l−1) in surgical patients changed significantly (P < 0·05). Median overall survival was 9·4 months with 15 patients now deceased. Median survival was 14·8 and 6·3 months for PTX versus no PTX (P = 0·22), 14·1 and 6·1 months for skin debridement versus no debridement (P = 0·08), 12·4 and 6·6 months for proximal versus distal skin lesions (P = 0·60), and 6·5 and 13·9 months for diabetic versus non-diabetic patients was (P = 0·11). Conclusion Calciphylaxis appears to have a female preponderance with a very dismal prognosis. A multidisciplinary approach using frequent haemodialysis to normalize serum calcium and phosphorus levels, and local debridement of skin lesions seems prudent. PTX cannot be recommended routinely in all such patients unless severe secondary hyperparathyroidism with poorly controlled metabolic disturbance mandates surgery. The exact indications for PTX for calciphylaxis remain unclear. © 2000 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd
Measures of small-fiber neuropathy in HIV infection

Introduction Noninvasive methods are needed to detect distal sensory polyneuropathy in HIV-infected persons on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Precision and accuracy for rat whole body and femur bone mineral determination with dual X-ray absorptiometry

Summary Precision and accuracy for rat whole body and excised femur bone mineral density (BMD) measurements were evaluated with two dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) systems. The ‘small subject’ mode on the Norland XR-26 (XR), and the ‘ultra high resolution mode’ on the Hologic QDR-IOOOAV(QDR) were used for the analysis. The whole body mode was only available on the XR. The lowest precision error for the whole body was found using a scan resolution of 1.0 × 1.0 mm and a scan speed of 15 mm/s. The scan spatial resolution of the femur measurement was approximately eight times higher on the QDR than on the XR. However, the XR allowed analysis of an arbitrary region of interest within the femur, which was not easily done with the QDR. Precision for the total femur measurement on the QDR (0.5–0.9%) was approximately two to four times superior to that of the XR (1.5–4.3%). The difference may be due to the superior scan resolution of the QDR. Bone mineral content and BMD on the QDR significantly declined with an increase of water depth (P
Morphology of glutaraldehyde-fixed preserved red blood cells and 24-hr post-transfusion survival

Liquid-stored red blood cells and washed, previously frozen red blood cells were studied to determine whether a correlation existed between morphology and post-transfusion survival. Red cell concentrates were stored at 4 °C in citrate-phosphate-dextrose (CPD) for 21 days or in CPD-adenine (CPDA-1, CPDA-2, or CPDA-3) for as long as 35 days as liquid-preserved red cells. Both nonrejuvenated and rejuvenated red blood cells were frozen with 40%wv glycerol at −80 °C and were washed prior to testing. Samples of fresh, liquid-stored, and washed, previously frozen red blood cells were fixed with a 2% veronal glutaraldehyde solution. Phase, light, and electron microscopy were used to measure the numbers of discocytes, discoechinocytes, echinocytes, echinospherocytes, and spherocytes in each sample. A morphology score was assigned, with 100 representing all discocytes and 500 all spherocytes. In all samples phase and light microscopy gave nearly identical scores (r = 0.94), and phase and electron microscopy gave highly similar scores (r = 0.83). The morphology score proved to be a good indicator of 24-hr post-transfusion survival in liquid-stored red blood cells but not in washed, previously frozen red blood cells. Red blood cells stored in the liquid state at 4 °C in CPD, CPDA-1, CPDA-2, or CPDA-3 showed a significant inverse correlation between morphology and 24-hr post-transfusion survival (r = −0.611) and a significant correlation between red cell ATP and 24-hr post-transfusion survival (r = 0.742). We saw no significant correlation between morphology scores and 24-hr post-transfusion values or between ATP levels and post-transfusion survival values in nonrejuvenated or rejuvenated washed, previously frozen red blood cells.
Morphological characterization of carbon nanofiber aerosol using tandem mobility and aerodynamic size measurements

Characterizing microstructural and transport properties of non-spherical particles, such as carbon nanofibers (CNF), is important for understanding their transport and deposition in human respiratory system and engineered devices such as particle filters. We describe an approach to obtain morphological information of non-spherical particles using a tandem system of differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and an electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI). Effective density, dynamic shape factors (DSF), particle mass, and fractal dimension-like mass-scaling exponent of nanofibers were derived using the measured mobility and aerodynamic diameters, along with the known material density of CNF. Multiple charging of particles during DMA classification, which tends to bias the measured shape factors and particle mass toward higher values, was accounted for using a correction procedure. Particle mass derived from DMA–ELPI measurements agreed well with the direct mass measurements using an aerosol particle mass analyzer. Effective densities, based on mobility diameters, ranged from 0.32 to 0.67 g cm−3. The DSF of the CNF ranged from 1.8 to 2.3, indicating highly non-spherical particle morphologies.
Expansion pattern of flare-associated disturbances near the earth's orbit during October 23 to November 4, 1968

A series of solar flares accompanying type II and type IV radio bursts were observed while the active region McMath No. 9740 was on the solar disk during October 23 to November 4, 1968. Most of these flares were also associated with solar cosmic rays and SSC geomagnetic storms1. More than ten times of SSC storms were observed on the Earth during this period. Their source flares were identified by using solar and geomagnetic data (refs 2, 3 and K. S. and J. K. Chao, to be published). From these identified records, I estimate the transit times of flare-associated disturbances between the Sun and the Earth.
Clinician Roles and Responsibilities During Care Transitions of Older Adults

Objectives: To identify the perceived roles and responsibilities of clinicians during care transitions of older adults. Design: Qualitative study involving 1-hour in-depth semistructured interviews. Audiotapes of interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed, and themes and subthemes were generated. Setting: An acute care hospital, a skilled nursing facility, two community-based outpatient practices, and one home healthcare agency. Participants: Forty healthcare professionals directly involved in care transitions of older adults (18 physicians, 11 home healthcare administrative and field staff, four social workers, three nurse practitioners, three physician assistants, and one hospital case manager). Measurements: Perspectives of healthcare professionals regarding clinicians' roles and responsibilities during care transitions were examined and described. Results: Content analysis revealed several themes: components of clinicians' roles during care transitions; congruence between self- and others' perceived ideal roles but incongruence between ideal and routine roles; ambiguity in accountability in the postdischarge period; factors prompting clinicians to act closer to ideal roles; and barriers to performing ideal roles. A conceptual framework was created to summarize clinicians' roles during care transitions. Conclusion: This study reports differences between what healthcare professionals perceive as ideal roles of clinicians during care transitions and what clinicians actually do routinely. Certain patient and clinician factors prompt clinicians to act closer to the ideal roles. Multiple barriers interfere with consistent practice of ideal roles. Future investigations could evaluate interventions targeting various components of the conceptual framework and relevant outcomes.
Utilizing Client Experience in Developing New Service Delivery Models for Care of the Aged

The utilization experience of control group members of the National Long Term Care Demonstration (Channeling) is assumed to represent ordinary use of services by this population. Patterns of utilization over 12 months are examined and the implications of these patterns for design of new service delivery models are explored.
Cerebrovascular complications of methamphetamine abuse.

Objective Methamphetamine is a stimulant widely abused in the United States. The objective of this study was to demonstrate an association of methamphetamine use and ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hemorrhage and to further reveal the underlying vascular pathology using neuroimaging and pathology.
Intrinsic factor-mediated radio-B12 uptake in sequential incubation studies using everted sacs of guinea pig small intestine: evidence that IF in not absorbed into the intestinal cell.

SummarySequential incubation studies using everted sacs of guinea pig small intestine and vitamin B12 labeled with two different isotopes of cobalt, 60Co and 57Co, showed that IF-saturated with B12, could effect specific attachment of the complex to distal sacs. In a subsequent incubation IF could: (i) mediate in specific fashion (not exchange) the uptake of additional B12, (ii) interact with IF-“blocking” antibody, and (iii) be partially dissociated by EDTA from the sac (in a form biologically active for this system and retaining specificity of activity) leaving its B12 attached to the mucosa. These results were interpreted to indicate that, in this experimental system, IF is not absorbed into the intestinal cell during the B12 uptake that is mediated by intrinsic factor.
Thermochemistry of Framework Titanosilicate A2TiSi6O15 (A = K, Rb, Cs)

A new family of framework titanosilicates, A{sub 2}TiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15} (A=K, Rb, Cs) (space group Cc), has recently been synthesized using the hydrothermal method. This group of phases can potentially be utilized for storage of radioactive elements, particularly {sup 137}Cs, due to its high stability under electron radiation and chemical leaching. Here, we report the syntheses and structures of two intermediate members in the series: KRbTiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15} and RbCsTiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15}. Rietveld analysis of powder synchrotron X-ray diffraction data reveals that they adopt the same framework topology as the end-members, with no apparent Rb/K or Rb/Cs ordering. To study energetics of the solid solution series, high-temperature drop-solution calorimetry using molten 2PbO {center_dot} B{sub 2}O{sub 3} as the solvent at 975 K has been performed for the end-members and intermediate phases. As the size of the alkali cation increases, the measured enthalpies of formation from the constituent oxides and from the elements ({Delta}H{sub f,el}) become more exothermic, suggesting that this framework structure favors the cation in the sequence Cs{sup +}, Rb{sup +}, and K{sup +}. This trend is consistent with the higher melting temperatures of A{sub 2}TiSi{sub 6}O{sub 15} phases with increase in the alkali cation size.
Justices' Responses To Case Facts: An Interactive Model

In this study we evaluate the generalizability of the attitudinal model as explicated in the United States Supreme Court by assessing the extent to which state supreme court justices' responses to case facts are conditioned not only by their ideological preferences but also by the political environments within which the cases are heard. Using probit analysis, we examine the votes of supreme court justices in eight states (Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas) from 1983 through 1988 in the death penalty decisions issued by these courts. We find that justices do not respond uniformly to certain case facts when deciding between sentences of life or death for defendants convicted of capital crimes. Instead, justices' responses to case facts vary according to their individual partisan preferences and the ideological climates within which they operate. In other words, contextual forces are important direct and indirect influences on judicial behavior, and the attit...
SU-E-T-550: Development of a Piezoelectric Pressure Sensor Array for Detection of Intrafraction Motion during Cranial Radiosurgery

Purpose: To develop a system using piezoelectricpressuresensor arrays in a radiosurgery/radiotherapy environment to accurately map patient motion with sufficient precision to supplement or replace portions of standard image‐based patient positioning techniques. Method and Materials: An inexpensive, noninvasive, non‐ionizing continuous patient tracking system would benefit the accuracy and efficiency of treatment delivery in cranial radiosurgery, as well as other modes of radiotherapy. We assessed the ability of piezoelectricpressuresensors placed under a standard CIVCO head sponge to detect patient movement. Multiple FlexiForce (Tekscan, Inc) sensors (0.2 mm thick, 25 lb pressure range) were attached to the plastic support structure of the head sponge such that the sensors bore the entire weight of the head. Volunteers were used to provide realistic clinical motion. The volunteers were instructed to rotate their heads ±5 degrees from a rest position. Visual markers were used to reproducibly align the volunteer at −5, −2.5, 0, 2.5, and 5 degrees. For each position, the response of each sensor was measured and recorded. In separate measurements, each FlexiForce sensor was tested for radiation durability by measuring sensor response to the application of known weights between delivery of multiple 25 Gy fractions. Results: Sensor measurements with volunteers demonstrated a linear response to rotation angle and a clear indication of direction of motion. Sensor response to known weights after 100 Gy was found to vary less than 1.3% from measurements prior to irradiation, which is below than the manufacturer‐specified reproducibility of the sensors (2.5%). Conclusions: Preliminary results indicate the piezoelectricpressuresensors can reliably track small cranial movements in a radiosurgery environment. Application of this technology can potentially improve treatment precision by alerting therapists to inter‐imaging motion, and treatment efficiency by potentially reducing the frequency of radiograph‐ based imaging.
Theodore Roosevelt, American Politician: An Assessment

This book is about Theodore Roosevelt as a politician--not as a statesman/politician, just a politician. The parties, persons, decisions, and mistakes that made up Roosevelt's political experience are discussed, and the book seeks to isolate Roosevelt's political motivation and his moves to enhance an appreciation of his political savvy.
ANGIOLEIOMYOMA IN HAND — A CASE REPORT

Angioleiomyomas are benign tumours arising from smooth muscle and composed of vascular tissue. They rarely occur in the hand. There are only about 100 such cases reported in English literature. This is because of the paucity of smooth muscle in the hand. The tumour is rarely diagnosed before surgery. The treatment is excision and ligation of feeder vessels. A slow growing tumour in the right hand in a 73-year-old gentleman which turned out to be an angioleiomyoma is presented in this paper.