cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Partisan Dehumanization in American Politics

Despite evidence that dehumanizing language and metaphors are found in political discourse, extant research has largely overlooked whether voters dehumanize their political opponents. Research on dehumanization has tended to focus on racial and ethnic divisions in societies, rather than political divisions. Understanding dehumanization in political contexts is important because the social psychology literature links dehumanization to a variety of negative outcomes, including moral disengagement, aggression, and even violence. In this manuscript, I discuss evidence of partisan dehumanization during the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign and demonstrate how a focus on dehumanization can expose new relationships between moral psychology and partisan identity. Using data from two surveys conducted in October of 2016, I show that partisans dehumanize their political opponents in both subtle and blatant ways. When I investigate the correlates of dehumanization, I find that partisans who blatantly dehumanize members of the opposing party prefer greater social distance from their political opponents, which is indicative of reduced interpersonal tolerance. I also find that blatant dehumanization is associated with perceptions of greater moral distance between the parties, which is indicative of moral disengagement. These results suggest that dehumanization can improve our understanding of negative partisanship and political polarization.
Immunofluorescence studies of apolipoprotein B in intestinal mucosa

Abstract During fat absorption, active synthesis of cholesterol, phospholipids, and specific apolipoproteins are required for chylomicron formation and secretion. In the inherited disease abetalipoproteinema, chylomicrons cannot be made in response to fat feeding, and they as well as low and very low density lipoproteins are completely absent from plasma. The genetic defect in the disease is presumed to be an inability to synthesize apolipoprotein B, the apoprotein common to all the above lipoprotein classes, but such a defect has not been directly demonstrated. With peroral intestinal biopsies and immunofluorescence techniques, we have demonstrated the presence and intracellular localization of apolipoprotein B within jejunal epithelial cells of five normal subjects and have shown that its content increases markedly after fat feeding. In two patients with abetalipoproteinemia no apolipoprotein B was seen by immunofluorescence techniques in the jejunal mucosa in the fasting state or after a fatty meal. Intestinal synthesis of apolipoprotein B appears not to occur in abetalipoproteinemia.
Oxidative Amide Coupling from Functionally Diverse Alcohols and Amines using Aerobic Copper/Nitroxyl Catalysis

The aerobic Cu/ABNO catalyzed oxidative coupling of alcohols and amines is highlighted in the synthesis of amide bonds in diverse drug-like molecules (ABNO=9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane N-oxyl). The robust method leverages the privileged reactivity of alcohols bearing electronegative hetero- atoms (O, F, N, Cl) in the β-position. The reaction tolerates over 20 unique functional groups and is demonstrated on a 15 mmol scale under air. Steric constraints of the catalyst allow for chemoselective amidation of primary amines in the presence of secondary amines. All catalyst components are commercially available, and the reaction proceeds under mild conditions with retention of stereocenters in both reaction partners, while producing only water as a by-product.
Energy Depletion Attack in Low Power and Lossy Networks: Analysis and Defenses

With increasingly popular computing devices endowed with sensing and communicating capabilities, low power and lossy networks (LLNs) are rapidly emerging as an important part of ubiquitous computing and communication infrastructure. In order to support the vision of Internet-of-Things (IoT) and its applications, a novel routing protocol for low power and lossy networks, also referred to as RPL, has been proposed to provide efficient and reliable communication and enable the integration of resource-constrained devices into the Internet. However, due to the shared wireless medium, the lack of physical protection, and instinctive resource constraints, RPL-based LLNs are undeniably vulnerable to various Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks. In this paper, we propose a misbehavior-aware detection scheme, called MAD, against energy depletion attack in RPL-based LLNs, where a malicious node intentionally generates and sends a large number of packets to legitimate node to excessively consume the energy resource of intermediate nodes located along the forwarding path, and finally makes the resource-constrained network suffer from denial of service. In the MAD, each node maintains a count of the number of received packets from its child node within a specific time window, and then compares the count with a dynamically calculated threshold to detect potential energy depletion attack. We conduct extensive simulation experiments for performance evaluation and comparison with the original RPL with and without adversary, respectively. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme is a viable approach against energy depletion attack in RPL-based LLNs.
A meta-analysis comparing transaxillary and transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: While transfemoral (TF) approach is considered as the default access for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), the alternative access route of choice remains to be elucidated. Transaxillary (TAx) approach has shown promise as an excellent option. We performed a meta-analysis of the studies comparing the TF and TAx approaches using one type of self-expandable transcatheter valve to avoid device-related bias. Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from inception to December 2018 to identify articles comparing TAx-TAVR and TF-TAVR. The studies included in this meta- analysis contain data related to the use of the CoreValve device. Patients’ baseline characteristics, procedural outcomes, and clinical outcomes were extracted from the articles and pooled for analysis. Results: The meta-analysis included five studies comprising 1,414 patients in the TF group and 489 patients in the TAx group. The average EuroScores of the TF and TAx groups were 20.04±13.89 and 22.73±14.73, respectively. The TAx group has higher rates of major comorbidities. No difference was found between the two groups with regard to vascular complications (P=0.71; OR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.71–1.65), aortic regurgitation (P=0.90; OR 1.03; 95% CI, 0.71–1.49), and permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation (P=0.42; OR 1.12; 95% CI, 0.86–1.46). The TAx group has a lower incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) (P=0.05; OR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.01–2.62). No difference was observed in 30-day mortality (P=0.32; OR 1.30; 95% CI, 0.78–2.17) or 1-year mortality (P=0.21; OR 0.76; 95% CI, 0.50–1.16). Conclusions: TAx-TAVR is associated with overall comparable outcomes to TF TAVR in high-risk patient cohorts, despite higher incidences of major comorbidities in the TAx-TAVR patient population. The rate of AKI appears to be lower after TAx-TAVR.
Unlocking the Power of Formal Hardware Verification with CoSA and Symbolic QED: Invited Paper

As designs grow in size and complexity, design verification becomes one of the most difficult and costly tasks facing design teams. Formal verification techniques offer great promise because of their ability to exhaustively explore design behaviors. However, formal techniques also have a reputation for being labor-intensive and limited to small blocks. Is there any hope for successful application of formal techniques at design scale? We answer this question affirmatively by digging deeper to understand what the real technological issues and opportunities are. First, we look at satisfiability solvers, the engines underlying formal techniques such as model checking. Given the recent innovations in satisfiability solving, we argue that there are many reasons to be optimistic that formal techniques will scale to designs of practical interest. We use our CoSA model checker as a demonstration platform to illustrate how advances in solvers can improve scalability. However, even if solvers become blazingly fast, applying them well is still labor-intensive. This is because formal tools are only as useful as the properties they are given to prove, which traditionally have required great effort to develop. Symbolic quick error detection (SQED) addresses this issue by using a single, universal property that checks designs automatically. We demonstrate how SQED can automatically find logic and security bugs in a variety of designs and report on bugs found and efficiency gains realized in academic and industry designs. We also present a generator for an improved SQED module that further reduces the amount of manual effort that has to be spent by the designer.
Three key findings when diagnosing shoulder multidirectional instability: Patient report of instability, hypermobility, and specific shoulder tests

Shoulder instability has varying mechanisms of injury, direction, and severity. Classification systems based on clustering signs and symptoms have been developed to define subgroups of shoulder instability. Despite this attempt at homogeneity, multidirectional instability (MDI) suffers from the same lack of diagnostic clarity as low back pain. In this Viewpoint, the authors outline 3 key areas to address when diagnosing MDI: patient interview, medical comorbidities, and specific shoulder tests and measures. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020;50(2):52-54. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.0602.
Growth of the conceptus from days 33 to 45 of pregnancy is similar for heifers and lactating cows and not associated with circulating glucose, insulin, IGF1 or progesterone concentrations

Abstract Less than optimal circulating progesterone as well as glucose, insulin, and IGF1 concentrations in lactating cows may contribute to embryonic loss if placental development is dependent on concentrations of these hormones. There was comparison of fetal growth in lactating dairy cows with a contemporary group of nulliparous heifers (negative control for lactation). There was also assessment of the association between conceptus development and circulating hormone and metabolite concentrations and the response to an intravenous glucose administration. The embryo and amniotic vesicle were measured every 2–3 days during a 2-week period (days 33–45 of pregnancy). Blood samples were collected at the time of ultrasonography and analyzed for glucose, insulin, IGF1, and progesterone. There was also an intravenous glucose administration. Lactating cows had lesser blood concentrations of glucose, progesterone, and IGF1 during pregnancy. With respect to glucose administration, cows had lesser insulin and glucose than heifers at time 0 but heifers released three-fold more insulin than cows in response to glucose infusion. Cows had slightly larger fetuses when compared with heifers. When included in the model for embryo or amniotic vesicle length or area, concentrations of circulating glucose, insulin, IGF1, or progesterone did not explain a large amount of variation in values for these variables (P > 0.10). The conclusion was that cows differed from heifers for fetal growth but concentrations of circulating metabolites were not associated with size of the fetus. There was no evidence for an association between the hormonal or metabolic milieu and conceptus development.
CHAPTER 13 – Confidence Intervals

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of confidence intervals. A point estimate in the majority of situations equals the unknown value of the parameter being estimated with either an extremely small probability or zero probability. The chapter discusses the relation between the confidence intervals and the tests of hypotheses. If a confidence interval exists for the value of some parameter, then the problem of finding it becomes one of finding a test of hypothesis. However, if a confidence interval exists, it does not necessarily follow a test of hypothesis for that parameter yields that particular confidence interval or any other confidence interval.
The contribution of active travel to meeting physical activity recommendations among college students

Abstract Background Active travel (AT), that is walking or biking for transport, is one way in which individuals can accumulate physical activity to benefit their physical and mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of AT to physical activity among college students. Methods Data were collected from students enrolled in general health and wellness courses at a large university in the northeast of the United States using an online survey distributed via email. Participants self-reported their demographics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and residence location) as well as their physical activity using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Weekly metabolic equivalent minutes (weekly MET-minutes) were calculated for moderate physical activity (MPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA) and AT. Participants were categorized as moderately and highly physically active based on whether they met the criteria of ≥600 and ≥1500 weekly MET-minutes from MPA and VPA respectively both before and after adjusting for weekly AT MET-minutes. Results Analyses were conducted on 3714 students, who had a mean age of 21.0±1.5 years, and the majority of whom were women (57.8%), non-Hispanic white (77.2%), and resided off campus (79.5%). Adjusting for weekly AT MET-minutes resulted in a significant decrease in the number of students classified as moderately and highly physically active. Odds ratios revealed that sex, but not race, significantly predicted the likelihood of students no longer being both moderately and highly physically active after adjusting for AT. Women were more than 40% more likely to no longer meet both criteria compared to men after controlling for age, race, and residence location. Conclusions Findings suggest that AT contributes considerably to college students’ physical activity, particularly among women. Findings reinforce the importance of facilitating and promoting AT among college students and considering socio-demographic characteristics when making such efforts.
Tuning cesium–guanidinium in formamidinium tin triiodide perovskites with an ethylenediammonium additive for efficient and stable lead-free perovskite solar cells

Achieving efficient and stable tin-based perovskite solar cells remains challenging. In this work, we incorporate the ethylenediammonium diiodide (EDAI2) additive into a cesium–guanidinium doped formamidinium tin triiodide perovskite with the composition of (CsGA)xFA1−2xSnI3 + y% EDAI2. This new perovskite utilizes the strong hydrogen bonding of the guanidinium cation and the lattice strain relaxation of the small cesium cation as well as the hollowing and passivation effects of the EDAI2 additive. The EDAI2 additive not only yields pinhole-free cubic phase perovskite films but also decreases both shallow and deep trap states in the perovskite films. These effects are pronounced with the increase of substitution of the pair of GA+ and Cs+. The new perovskites are deployed in inverted planar solar cells. A maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.01% is achieved with the (CsGA)0.15FA0.70SnI3 + 0% EDAI2 device but the device degrades after storage in a nitrogen-filled glove box for 30 days. Both performance and stability are improved with the addition of EDAI2. A maximum PCE of 5.72% is achieved with the (CsGA)0.15FA0.70SnI3 + 1.0% EDAI2 device. The (CsGA)0.15FA0.70SnI3 + 1.5% EDAI2 devices exhibit a maximum PCE of 5.69% and the performance is further increased to 6.39% after storage in a nitrogen-filled glove box for 4 days; 70% of the initial PCE is retained after 45 days. This study demonstrates the benefit of tuning cation sizes and introducing divalent cations to integrate stabilizing factors into pure Sn perovskites, creating new routes for efficient and stable lead-free perovskite solar cells.
Evaluation of Yttrium Hydride (δ-YH2-x) Thermal Neutron Scattering Laws and Thermophysical Properties

Yttrium hydride is being considered as a moderator material for microreactor concepts because of its excellent hydrogen retainment capacity at high temperatures. These types of reactors, operating ...
Defect-Based Fatigue Modeling for AlSi10Mg Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process

Defects are inevitable in metal parts manufactured by any process; the size, shape and location of such defects play a critical role in determining the material’s fatigue strength. Due to the random nature of the defects’ distribution in the part, a statistical method must be employed for fatigue strength estimation. The laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process introduces two main types of porosity defects: keyhole pores and lack-of-fusion pores. A defect-based statistical fatigue strength model has been developed and validated for the L-PBF AlSi10Mg aluminum alloy containing keyhole defects with different size distributions. Artificial defects were also introduced for model validation. The approach is based on the modified Murakami’s formulation to address the material dependence and followed the Romano’s approach to consider the statistical behavior of the fatigue strength. The proposed model successfully predicts the fatigue strength of different keyhole porosity distributions but is unable to predict the fatigue strength of materials containing lack-of-fusion porosity, possibly due to the higher stress concentration induced by its morphology.
Association Between Body Mass Index and Male Sperm Apoptosis and Apoptosis-Related Factors.

Background Although obesity may affect reproductive functions, the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis-related biomarkers remain uncertain. Objective To examine the effects of body mass index on sperm quality and apoptosis-related factors in seminal plasma of men. Methods Data for 54 subfertile men were collected at our reproductive medical center. The men were divided into normal weight, overweight, and obese groups based on their body mass index (BMI). Sperm DNA fragmentation (sperm chromatin structure analysis), sperm apoptosis (annexin V), and sperm apoptosis-related factors (antibody array assay) were assessed and their relationships with BMI were analyzed. Results BMI was not significantly related to age, duration of infertility, duration of sexual abstinence, semen volume, sperm concentration, or rate of normal sperm morphology (p > 0.05). However, progressive sperm motility was significantly reduced and the rates of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and sperm apoptosis were significantly increased in overweight and obese men compared with men with normal BMI. Fas/Fasl, Bcl-2/Bax, caspase-3, caspase-8, p53, and p21 were all upregulated in the overweight and obese groups. Protein function annotation by Gene Ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that apoptosis-related factors were enriched in a network associated with activation of apoptotic signaling pathways, such as apoptosis and p53 signaling. Conclusion These data suggest that increased BMI is associated with increased sperm apoptosis and sperm DNA damage, as well as accelerated expression of apoptosis-related factors via the activation of apoptotic signaling pathways.
Role of FDG in the management of metastatic hepatic tumors treated with chemoembolization

1181 Objectives: Examine the role of FDG-PET/CT imaging in hepatic tumors pre- and post-chemoembolization in patient selection, patient prognosis, and treatment response. Methods: Chemoembolization is a well-established method for locoregional treatment of patients with hepatic tumors, for decreasing tumor burden, preventing metastatic spread, and as a treatment bridge to liver transplant in some patients. Therefore, careful selection of patients through proper staging as well as a tool for monitoring therapy response is critical. Results: The hybrid imaging technique of FDG-PET/CT provides functional as well as anatomical information in understanding tumors’ behavior, thereby providing molecular information about a tumor before its manifestation anatomically. Quantitative PET analysis is a technique that can aid in the selection, evaluation, and continued management of patients undergoing chemoembolization for liver metastases. We demonstrate a quantitative method which incorporates all the malignant lesions using the adaptive thresholding algorithm of ROVER software (ABX GmbH, Radeberg, Germany) which is a representation of the global disease burden. Through the measurement of global SUV, quantitatively, we can determine the extent of response to treatment more efficiently through PET imaging pre- and post-chemoembolization as well as DTP (Dual time-point) imaging. Conclusion: The application of quantitative FDG-PET/CT throughout global disease assessment and the implementation of DTP imaging in the management of hepatic tumors treated by chemoembolization can be an effective method for selecting subjects, determining prognosis and assessing response to treatment.
Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Turfgrass: Ecology and Management of Important Insect Pests in North America

Several genera of grasses are capable of forming a mat of intertwined plants to form a solid ground cover with an extensive root mass. They can also regenerate from the crown after defoliation. The about 50 grass species amenable to use in turfgrass systems are further on able to form a high shoot density under the continuous mowing regimes characteristic for turfgrass systems (Christians, 1998). These properties allow turfgrasses to provide a hard–wearing permanent or semi–permanent ground cover that can be used for various recreational spaces in urban and suburban environments including lawns, parks, golf courses, and athletic fields. Other areas in which turfgrasses are grown include cemeteries, roadsides and sod farms. In the USA, turfgrass areas cover about 20 million ha and the size of the turfgrass industry is estimated at $40,000 million per year (National Turfgrass Federation, 2009). Besides their recreational uses, turfgrasses control soil erosion, capture and clean run–off water from urban areas, provide soil improvement and restoration, moderate temperature, reduce glare and noise, reduce pests, pollen and human disease exposure, create good wildlife habitats, and improve physical and mental health of urban populations (Beard & Green, 1994).
Dose-response study of DNA and hemoglobin adduct formation by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone in F344 rats.

Levels of hemoglobin adducts and DNA adducts were measured in F344 rats after 4 consecutive daily i.p. injections of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The dose range was from 3 to 10,000 micrograms/kg/day. [5(-3)H]NNK and [C3H3]NNK were used to measure pyridyloxobutylation and methylation, in both globin and DNA, respectively. In globin, the level of binding increased linearly with dose. Total binding of [5(-3)H] NNK to globin was 3.2 to 8900 fmol/mg and total binding of [C3H3]NNK was 3.5 to 20,000 fmol/mg. The extents of pyridyloxobutylation of both DNA and globin were determined by measuring the amounts of 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone released from each, over the dose range 15-5000 micrograms/kg/day. The levels of 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone released were 3.2-650 fmol/mg globin, 18-3400 fmol/mg liver DNA, and 58-2180 fmol/mg lung DNA. The extents of DNA methylation in both lung and liver were greater than pyridyloxobutylation. When the dose range was 3-5000 micrograms/kg/day, the levels of 7-methylguanine were 0.22-246 pmol/mumol guanine (149-167,000 fmol/mg) in liver DNA and 0.23-78 pmol/mumol guanine (160-53,000 fmol/mg) in lung DNA. In the lung, the ratio of methylation to pyridyloxobutylation decreased as the dose decreased. In contrast to globin adduct formation, DNA adduct formation did not increase linearly with dose; adduct formation was greater at lower doses than would have been predicted by extrapolation from higher doses. Thus the results of this study demonstrate that there was not a linear relationship between globin adduct formation, neither pyridyloxobutylation nor methylation, and DNA adduct formation in the liver or the lung of rats treated with NNK.
WILD PEAR - PYRUS PYRASTER AS A NEW HOST OF ERWINIA AMYLOVORA IN MACEDONIA

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, for the last 20 years has been the most destructive disease of pear, apple, quince and several other members of the family Rosaceae in the Republic of Macedonia. E. amylovora is a quarantine pathogen that has already caused considerable damage to orchards, and shows the tendency to further spreading. Bacteria with colony morphology similar of those of E. amylovora were repeatedly recovered from twild pear (Pyrus pyraster) on a semi-selective medium and identified as E. amylovora based on morphological, pathological, biochemical, nutritional, physiological methods, BIOLOG and PCR. The detection of E. amylovora on wild pear (Pyrus pyraster) in our country casts doubt on the reported suitability of this species as a source of resistance for pear breeding.
Effects of performance goals and anxiety on learning a gross motor task.

Abstract The effects of performance goals on learning gross motor tasks have been investigated only sparsely. Junior high school students (N = 90) who had scored either high-anxious or low-anxious on Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Inventory were randomly divided into a Performance Goal Group, a Verbal Encouragement Group, and a Control Group. These subjects practiced a two-ball, one-hand juggling task for 5 min on 12 consecutive school days. They responded to the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory immediately preceding the practice sessions. The average number of catches per trial was recorded for each subject, each session. All subjects were given knowledge of results. Subjects in the Verbal Encouragement Group were verbally encouraged to “do your best.” Subjects in the Performance Goal Group were given a goal based on their previous trial. No significant differences in performance were found among the three groups. A strong relationship was found to exist between state and trait anxiety. With practice, as...
Labor on Trial

The organizing model is doomed unless unions can transform into a social movement. Such a transformation entails at least three components: union democracy–-instilling in the rank and file a sense of ownership; decentralized union governance through giving members control over union affairs; and a radical break with business unionism–-where the union's main function is delivering the goods for members. The labor movement must advance a broader notion of unions as class institutions whose motto is that an injury to one is an injury to all.
Progress in PV technology development under the New Sunshine Program JFY1997-2000-solar cell manufacturing technology

Triggered by the oil crisis in the early 1970s, the Sunshine Project was launched in 1974 as a national program to develop oil-alternative energy sources. New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) was established to implement it in 1980. Renamed the New Sunshine Program in 1993, it was concluded in 2000. Developments of manufacturing technologies were performed for thin film solar cells and compound solar cells during the four years of JFY1997-2000 under the program. Numerous positive results regarding them were reported.
The quality of sustainability: Agroecological partnerships and the geographic branding of California winegrapes

Abstract Quality and sustainability are both socially constructed, ambiguous terms, but they have not been heretofore linked in the rural studies literature. The “quality turn” has received particular attention from researchers for its potential to organize linkages among various forces in agrofood systems, providing more income to producers by appealing to affluent, reflexive consumers. A distinct line of rural research has attended to the challenge of agro-environmental pollution and regulation, but this research trajectory has been subsumed under the broader paradigm of sustainability. This article seeks to contribute to discussions about quality in the agrofood sector by analyzing the potential of fusing rural resource protection practices with place-based marketing of enhanced quality, drawing from an empirical study of the California winegrape industry. In several California commodities, agroecological partnerships are becoming the chief vehicle for extending sustainable agricultural practices. California's winegrape farmers have undertaken more partnerships to greater effect than those of any other US crop, and they are now discursively linking their sustainable farming practices, environmental quality, and wine quality. This marks a new linkage of two heretofore discrete social imaginaries. This article argues that “quality” is a term that can conceptually link increasing consumer demand for differentiated product taste with increasing regulatory pressure for environmental protection. Synergistic benefits from such a linkage have the potential to strengthen rural development initiatives. Making progress toward sustainability requires collective action on the part of producers, and in some commodities, may mesh well with efforts to enhance foodstuff quality.
Angiografía por tomografía computarizada coronaria: indicaciones, adquisición de imágenes e interpretación

Intense scientific and clinical evaluation have brought about great improvements in cardiac CT. This is no longer merely an experimental technique, rather it has become a clinical application that is ready to fulfill its promise of replacing invasive cardiac catheterization in certain patient populations. Among the proven indications is the evaluation of patients with atypical chest pain, the morphological evaluation of the coronary arteries in cases of suspected congenital anomalies, and before surgical intervention, as well as the evaluation of coronary revascularizations. The use of CT angiography for the exhaustive evaluation of cardiac and non-cardiac pathology in patients with acute chest pain in the emergency department is currently being investigated. Because the heart is continuously moving, CT coronary angiography represents a greater technical challenge than other applications of CT. On the other hand, rapid technical development requires acquisition protocols to be adjusted constantly. However, users that know the general techniques of computed tomography can overcome these challenges. The aim of this article is to provide those interested and involved in CT angiography with a manual to enable them to follow our method step by step. We include considerations regarding the correct selection of patients, patient medication, radiological protection, contrast enhancement, acquisition and reconstruction parameters, image display, image analysis techniques, and the radiological report. Our recommendations are based on our experience, which runs from the evolution of multiple-row detector CT scanners for cardiac applications from its beginnings to the most modern presentations of advanced acquisition modalities, including dual-source CT, which we consider to be the precursor of this test in routine clinical practice.
Modelling of Five-Axis Machine Tool Metrology Models Using the Matrix Summation Approach

Five-axis machining has been used widely in manufacturing freeform surfaces. The traditional approach of using a homogeneous transformation matrix (HTM) relies on heavy symbolic manipulation of the matrix multiplication. In this work, a new approach - the matrix summation approach - is developed and implemented for modelling the geometric errors of five-axis machine tools. This approach breaks down the kinematic equation into six components, each of which has clear physical meaning. It reduces the computations substantially and makes the five-axis kinematic model manageable and understandable.
A tale of two counties: the impact of pretrial release, race, and ethnicity upon sentencing decisions

Pretrial release is clearly an important issue for defendants, since the results of previous research has suggested that pretrial release or detention can have an effect on later processing decisions. Additionally, race and ethnicity have been identified as factors in processing decisions in American courts. The current study is an analysis of a sample of felony filings in two Florida counties during 1998. Two dependent variables are considered: type of sentence (incarceration or another sentence) and the actual length of incarceration. The purpose of the analysis is to detect whether pretrial release remains a significant predictor of sentence type and length after controlling for legal and extra‐legal variables. Specifically, we are interested in whether pretrial release has a differential impact on Hispanic and non‐white defendants compared to whites. Defendants held pending trial faced significant disadvantages compared to their released peers in all models, but race and ethnicity did not appear to be...
Surface loading effects on orthophosphate surface complexation at the goethite/water interface as examined by extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy.

Abstract To investigate the effect of P surface loading on the structure of surface complexes formed at the goethite/water interface, goethite was reacted with orthophosphate at P concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.8 mmol L −1 at pH 4.5 for 5 days. The P concentrations were chosen to ensure that P loadings at the surface would allow one to follow the transition between adsorption and surface precipitation. Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectra were collected in fluorescence mode at the P K-edge at 2150 eV. The structural parameters were obtained through the fits of the sorption data to single and multiple scattering paths using Artemis. EXAFS analysis revealed a continuum among the different surface complexes, with bidentate mononuclear ( 2 E), bidentate binuclear ( 2 C) and monodentate mononuclear ( 1 V) surface complexes forming at the goethite/water interface under the studied conditions. The distances for P–O (1.51–1.53 A) and P–Fe (3.2–3.3 A for bidentate binuclear and around 3.6 A for mononuclear surface complexes) shells observed in our study were consistent with distances obtained via other spectroscopic techniques. The shortest P–Fe distance of 2.83–2.87 A was indicative of a bidentate mononuclear bonding configuration. The coexistence of different surface complexes or the predominance of one sorption mechanism over others was directly related to surface loading.
The Potency and Power of Counseling Stories

Stories are an essential part of counseling. Through stories, clients and counselors gain a deeper understanding of concerns brought into counseling sessions and strategies used to address them. Through storytelling, catharsis, power, insight, meaning, cultural awareness, and change take place. This article examines the research on stories in counseling plus how counselor stories, as well as client stories, can be used in teaching, helping, and healing.
Solid Phase Coexistence in Chiral Domains of Two-Dimensional Streptavidin Crystals

Growth of two-dimensional streptavidin crystals at the air−water interface has been used to study protein molecular interactions at various pH values. Between pH 5 and 6, several unique crystal domain shapes are visible with fluorescence microscopy. Characterization of a chiral domain with transmission electron microscopy reveals a composition of two coexisting crystal types. The bulk crystal, one previously seen at pH 4 (space group P1) (Hemming et al. J. Mol. Biol. 1995, 246, 308), has interspersed within it at approximately 5% aerial extent a new crystal type with unit cell parameters a = 116 A, b = 58 A, and γ = 107° (space group P2). This new form exists in the chiral domains as long narrow crystals and is characterized by relatively weak and anisotropic molecular interactions. The packing arrangement for the new P2 crystal at pH 5−6 exhibits characteristics of the pH 4 crystal and of the C222 crystal (Darst et al. Biophys. J. 1991, 59, 387) obtained at pH 7.
From automata theory to brain theory

Although the brain modeler can gain many useful insights from such concepts of orthodox automata theory as finite automata, network complexity theory, and Turing machines, we here stress that the best neural modelling will bear little resemblance to a straight application of such techniques. This general perspective is complemented by a survey of eight levels of neural modelling, coupled with an extensive bibliography. The eight levels are: formfunction relations in single neurons; lateral inhibition; mode selection; statistical mechanics; adaptive neural networks; holography; control theory; and cognitive modelling.
Long-term follow-up of two infants with an implanted cardiac pacemaker.

Abstract The clinical course of two patients with congenital heart block who had pacemaker implantation at age 7 and 8 months, respectively, is reviewed. One patient at age 10 years has had nine pulse generators Inserted; the other has had six implantations, the most recent a lithium iodine pacemaker, during 8 1 2 years of observation. Both patients have shown normal physical development and emotional maturation despite multiple hospitalizations and pacemaker replacements, thus demonstrating that electrical pacing, initiated in infancy, can be maintained through childhood without adverse effects.
Flavor Evaluation of Chicken Meat from Broilers Fed Narasin

Abstract Flavor comparisons were made using triangle difference and consumer preference tests to compare meat samples from broilers fed a commercial ration without an anticoccidial agent to those from broilers fed narasin, an anticoccidial agent. Two hundred, day-old chicks were divided in two pens of 50 males each and two pens of 50 females each. Within each sex, one pen was fed commercial broiler starter and grower rations while the other pen was fed a similar ration supplemented with narasin at 80 mg/kg diet. There were no significant differences in growth, feed efficiency, or mortality between the two feeding regimens. Medicated feed was withdrawn 72 hr prior to slaughter at 49 days of age. The meat was evaluated by both a sensory panel and a consumer panel. Meat was prepared for flavor evaluation by the sensory panel either by pressure deep fat frying or by oven roasting. Sensory panel evaluations were made on freshly cooked product and on cooked meat refrigerated for 24 hr and reheated in a conventional oven to 45 C prior to evaluation. Consumer panelists were served only fried chicken shortly after cooking. No flavor differences were detected by the sensory panel with freshly cooked or reheated chicken. The consumer panel forced-choice test indicated no preference. Narasin fed at 80 ppm in feed with a 72 hr withdrawal does not alter the flavor of fried or roasted chicken within the limits of methods used.
The Official National Language and Language Attitudes of Three Ethnic Minority Groups in China.

La oficiala lingvo kaj lingvaj sintenoj ĉe tri minoritataj grupoj en CinioRezulte de lingvoplanado, duono de la cent milionoj da etnominoritatanoj (EMN) en Ĉinio parolas iun version de Putonghua (PTH) kiel sian unuan aŭ duan lingvon. La nuna studo, utiligante sintenan/motivan enketaron kaj "pare maskitan" procedon, ekzamenis la taskojn fare de anoj de kazaka, ujgura kaj jia minoritatoj pri PTH kaj EMN-aj lingvoj, kaj dekdu varieblojn pri lernado kaj uzado de PTH. Analizoj de la rezultoj pere de unudirekta "ANOVA" kaj parspecimena testo t montras, ke a) integra orientigo kaj impreso de pekina-noj estas la plej bonaj manieroj antaŭdiri la instrumentan orientigon, intense-con kaj deziron de EMN pri la lernado kaj utiligo de PTH; b) la longeco de la lernperiodo de PTH sola suficas por determini kiom komforte EMN sentas en sia utiligo de PTH; c) niveloj de kontakto kun la hana minoritato para-lelas iliajn pritaksojn de PTH kaj de EMN-lingvoj; kaj c) bona impreso de pekinanoj korelaciigas kun pli altaj taksoj de PTH. La eltrovoj de la studo donas al la farantoj de lingvopolitiko kaj al esplorantoj tra la tuta mondo utilajn perspektivojn pri la rilato inter lingvaj sintenoj kaj etnaj rilatoj.
Microwave imaging for thermal therapy monitoring: temperature accuracy and image reconstruction time improvements

Microwave imaging has been investigated as a method of non-invasively estimating tissue electrical properties especially the conductivity, which is highly temperature dependent, as a means of monitoring thermal therapy. The technique we have chosen utilizes an iterative Gauss-Newton approach to converge on the correct property distribution. A previous implementation utilizing the complex form (CF) of the electric fields along with a sub-optimal phantom experimental configuration resulted in imaging temperature accuracy of only 1.6°C. Applying the log-magnitude/phase form (LMPF) of the algorithm has resulted in imaging accuracy on the order of 0.3°C which is a significant advance for the area of treatment monitoring. The LMPF algorithm was originally introduced as a way to reconstruct images of large, high-contrast scatterers as is the case in breast imaging. However, recent analysis of the Jacobian matrices for the comparable implementations has shown that the reconstruction problem in the new formulation more closely resembles a linear task as is the case in x-ray computed tomography. The comparisons were performed by examining plots of the Jacobian matrix terms for fixed transmit and receive antennas which demonstrated higher sensitivity in the center of the imaging zone along with narrower paths of senstivity between the atnenna pair for the LMPF algorithm. Animal model experiments have also been performed to validate these capabilities in a more realistic setting. Finally, the overall computational efficiency has been significantly enhanced through the use of the adjoint image reconstruction approach. This enables us to reconstruct images in roughly one minute which is essential if the approach is to be used as a therapy feedback mechanism.
The Near-Space Unwanted RF Environment as Observed Using VHF Lunar Reflections

Man-made terrestrial radio leakage as reflected off the Moon has been observed with the 305-m Aercibo antenna. The nature and intensity of this leakage gives one some indication of the unwanted radiofrequency (RF) environment for operations in space in the 150-500 MHz range. The experiment consisted of observing both on the Moon and on a nearby patch of blank sky (as a way to identify local sources of interference) for three nights at a variety of VHF frequencies. As predicted in a previous model, we find that the military radars and television (TV) transmitters are main contributors. With regard to the question of possible contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, the Earth indeed is revealing itself to any interstellar eavesdropper who uses the equivalent of an Arecibo antenna at distances up to 30 light years, or who uses a Cyclops system (1000 100-m dishes) up to fifteen times farther away.
Designer nanojunctions: orienting shaped nanoparticles within polymer thin-film nanocomposites

We demonstrate that polymer-grafted metal nanoparticles of various shapes and dimensions self-assemble into arrays of string-like superstructures upon phase separation within a matrix polymer. Interparticle orientation within these nanocomposites can be dictated by the chain length of the grafted polymer.
But does it really work? A vision for student services, 2002–2007

This concluding chapter provides an example of one institution's strategic plan: mission, vision, values, measured accomplishments, and future goals. The plan was written in 2002 with a five-year time line. Thus, it is possible to assess the results of strategic planning in student affairs.
A Titrated Morphine Analgesic Regimen Comparing Substance Users and Non-Users with AIDS-Related Pain

Abstract To compare morphine dosage and effectiveness in AIDS patients with/without prior substance use and pain, a prospective, open-label case series lasting 3–18 days was conducted in both outpatients and inpatients at major pain service teaching programs. Forty-four patients, 13 with prior drug use history, who had pain associated with HIV infection or its treatment were administered sustained-release morphine (SRM) every 12 hours. The dose was titrated to pain relief for a period of ≥3 consecutive days (associated with ≤2 immediate-release morphine tablets per 24 hours), or until the patient discontinued from the study or completed 18 study days. Forty-four patients were enrolled (13 with a prior drug use history). Forty were evaluable for an intent-to-treat analgesia, including 11 with a drug use history. Twenty-four (6 users) completed this study. Former users and non-users were similar in demographics, baseline pain intensities, causes of pain, discontinuation, quality of life, and acceptability of therapy. Pain intensity decreased by ≥50% in both groups (P ≤ 0.0001). To identify a stable dose, the dose of SRM more than doubled in former users and rose by 31% in non-users (mean final dose 177.4 mg and 84.9 mg, respectively) (P = 0.0018). Immediate-release morphine decreased in both; former users required more (P = 0.0006). These data suggest the utility of morphine for AIDS-related pain. Patients with a prior drug use history benefited but required substantially more morphine.
A plea for prospective studies on diskography

D r. Bogduk has eloquently stated the case in favor of diskography as a diagnostic tool for identifying the isolated intervertebral lumbar disk that is painful in concordance with the patients low back symptoms. He likewise has separated out as nondiagnostic the patient with multiple level diskography pain and the patient with discordant diskography pain. His lucid separation of the elements in the controversy surrounding diskography and his review of the literature should be a reference for all students of degenerative spinal disorders. Back pain is virtually ubiquitous, 4 and it remains the most costly disorder in the U.S. 3 Most treatments for back pain, particularly surgery, are unproven and potentially harmful. 18 Back pain is also an exceedingly complex entity. This commentary draws attention to one, but not the sole, potential cause of back pain, the degenerated disk. Many patients with back pain do not have positive diskography. Furthermore, the correlation between positive diskography and the disk histology, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging is not completely reliable. 9 Like-
Sensitivity of the Northern Hemisphere climate system to extreme changes in Holocene Arctic sea ice

The extent of seasonal and perennial sea ice changed dramatically through the Late Quaternary and these changes influenced both the ocean and atmosphere by controlling the exchange of energy, moisture and gases between them, and by altering the planetary albedo. Reconstructing the changing patterns of sea ice distribution in the recent past remains one of the outstanding challenges to the paleo-community. To evaluate the importance of these reconstructions we performed sensitivity tests using NCAR's Community Climate Model (CCM3), and a series of prescribed sea ice extents designed to capture the full range of Arctic sea ice variability under interglacial (Holocene) and full glacial (Last Glacial Maximum) boundary conditions. Our simulations indicate that surface temperatures and sea level pressures in winter (DJF) are most sensitive to changes in sea ice, and that these changes are propagated over the surrounding land masses in the North Atlantic, but that equivalent changes in sea ice produce smaller corresponding changes in temperature or sea level pressure in the North Pacific region. A comparison between CLIMAP (Map Chart Series MC-36, Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, 1981) and a more realistic assessment of LGM sea ice yields dramatic changes in winter temperatures and precipitation patterns across Eurasia. These differences, forced only by changed sea ice conditions, reinforce the need to develop accurate maps of past sea ice to correctly simulate Late Quaternary environments. Such reconstructions also will be essential to validate the next generation of sea ice models.