cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU-G-IeP3-05: Effects of Image Receptor Technology and Dose Reduction Software On Radiation Dose Estimates for Fluoroscopically-Guided Interventional (FGI) Procedures

Purpose: To investigate the effects of image receptor technology and dose reduction software on radiation dose estimates for most frequently performed fluoroscopically-guided interventional (FGI) procedures at a tertiary health care center. Methods: IRB approval was obtained for retrospective analysis of FGI procedures performed in the interventional radiology suites between January-2011 and December-2015. This included procedures performed using image-intensifier (II) based systems which were subsequently replaced, flat-panel-detector (FPD) based systems which were later upgraded with ClarityIQ dose reduction software (Philips Healthcare) and relatively new FPD system already equipped with ClarityIQ. Post procedure, technologists entered system-reported cumulative air kerma (CAK) and kerma-area product (KAP; only KAP for II based systems) in RIS; these values were analyzed. Data pre-processing included correcting typographical errors and cross-verifying CAK and KAP. The most frequent high and low dose FGI procedures were identified and corresponding CAK and KAP values were compared. Results: Out of 27,251 procedures within this time period, most frequent high and low dose procedures were chemo/immuno-embolization (n=1967) and abscess drainage (n=1821). Mean KAP for embolization and abscess drainage procedures were 260,657, 310,304 and 94,908 mGycm2, and 14,497, 15,040 and 6307 mGycm2 using II-, FPD- and FPD with ClarityIQ- based systems, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed in KAP values for embolization procedures with respect to different systems but for abscess drainage procedures significant differences were only noted between systems with FPD and FPD with ClarityIQ (p<0.05). Mean CAK reduced significantly from 823 to 308 mGy and from 43 to 21 mGy for embolization and abscess drainage procedures, respectively, in transitioning to FPD systems with ClarityIQ (p<0.05). Conclusion: While transitioning from II- to FPD- based systems was not associated with dose reduction for the most frequently performed FGI procedures, substantial dose reduction was noted with relatively newer systems and dose reduction software.
Fundamentals of Medical Ethics

It is practically impossible to go through medical training, or even just to be around the medical field, without a discussion or two along the way about the proper course of action in a difficult medical situation. The challenging medical ethical questions are legion. The pressure of time may drive one past the initial questions of how to arrive at an answer to an ethical dilemma on to the concluding question, “What should we do?” This chapter is about those initial questions and asks what are some of the principles involved and what is a process that can be used to arrive at the answer to a difficult medical ethical challenge. In short, it is on the fundamentals of medical ethics.
Inhibition of D-Ala incorporation into wall teichoic acid in Staphylococcus aureus by desleucyl-oritavancin

The mode of action for desleucyl-oritavancin was investigated by adding an antibiotic to Staphylococcus aureus during its growth in a defined medium containing l,d-[1-15N]Ala and l-[1-13C]Lys, or d-[1-15N]Ala. 13C{15N} and 15N{13C} rotational-echo double resonance NMR determined that desleucyl-oritavancin inhibited the incorporation of d-[1-15N]Ala into wall teichoic acid.
Identification of ALK Rearrangements in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma.

Importance Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive tumor arising from the peritoneal lining, induced by asbestos, therapeutic radiation, or germline mutations. Nevertheless, the molecular features remain largely unknown. Objective To investigate anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements in a large series of peritoneal mesothelioma and characterize the mutational landscape of these tumors. Design, Setting, and Participants We studied 88 consecutive patients (39 men, 49 women; median age 61, range 17-84 years) with peritoneal mesotheliomas diagnosed at a single institution between 2005 and 2015. We identified ALK-positive mesotheliomas by immunohistochemistry and confirmedALKrearrangement by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). InALK-rearranged cases, we characterized the fusion partners using targeted next-generation sequencing of both tumor DNA and RNA. In select cases, we quantified asbestos fibers by combined scanning electron microscopy and x-ray spectroscopy. We also exploredALKrearrangement in a separate series of 205 patients with pleural mesothelioma. Main Outcomes and Measures Identification and characterization of novelALKrearrangements and correlations with clinicopathologic characteristics. Results Anaplastic lymphoma kinase was positive by immunohistochemistry in 11 (13%) peritoneal mesotheliomas (focal weak in 8, diffuse strong in 3). In focal weak ALK-positive cases, noALKrearrangement was detected by FISH or next-generation sequencing. In strong diffuse ALK-positive cases, FISH confirmedALKrearrangements, and next-generation sequencing identified novel fusion partnersATG16L1,STRN, andTPM1. Patients withALK-rearranged peritoneal mesotheliomas were women and younger than patients withoutALKrearrangement (median age 36 vs 62; Mann-Whitney test,P = .02), but all other clinicopathologic characteristics (size of tumor nodules, histology, treatment, and survival) were not different. No asbestos fibers were detected inALK-rearranged cases. Furthermore, loss of chromosomal region 9p or 22q or genetic alterations inBAP1,SETD2, orNF2typically present in peritoneal mesothelioma were absent in theALK-rearranged cases. All pleural mesotheliomas were ALK-negative by immunohistochemistry. Conclusions and Relevance We identified uniqueALKrearrangements in a subset of patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, each lacking asbestos fibers, therapeutic radiation, and cytogenetic and molecular alterations typically found in these tumors. Identification of clinically actionableALKrearrangements may represent a novel pathogenetic mechanism of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with promise for targeted therapy.
Catalysing water oxidation using nature’s metal

In nature, a manganese catalyst is used for photosynthetic water oxidation, but efforts to develop artificial manganese-based counterparts have been hampered by the lability of manganese complexes. By using a bulky and hydrophilic ligand, a water-soluble Mn12 complex is found to be a stable and efficient water oxidation electrocatalyst.
Why First-Principles Calculations for Alloy Phase Equilibria?

A brief non-technical overview is presented for first-principles calculations of alloy phase equilibria. Merits and drawbacks of various methods are briefly discussed.
On labelled graph grammars

According to the classification of labelled graph grammars by Nagl [4], it can be shown that the class of context-sensitive graph languages is equivalent to the class of context-free graph languages and the context-free graph languages properly include the regular graph languages.
Osaka In and Out of the Nation: Neoliberal Spatial Gestures for the Globally Competitive City-Region

A complex word in the city imaging literature is ‘regionality.’ The relationship between cities and regions is intricate and overlapping. Joel Matthews confronts this complex issue, exploring the specificity of Osaka. In an attempt to create an innovative and distinctive city imaging from Tokyo, Osaka politicians have opened out the economic, political and social spaces around Osaka, to create a city-region. Matthews probes the success of such reconfigurations of urbanity.
Ethnic differences in the development of albuminuria: the DISTANCE study.

Diabetes afflicts 8% of the US population, and its prevalence is expected to double over the next 2 decades.1 Diabetes is at least 2 to 4 times more common among ethnic minorities than it is among non-Hispanic whites.2 Furthermore, minorities have higher mortality rates and microvascular complications of diabetes, such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD).3 Collectively, these statistics have placed diabetes at the center of the president’s Healthy People 2020 initiative to eliminate health disparities.4 Albuminuria is an extremely common consequence of diabetes, with a prevalence of 30% to 50%.5 Microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria are strongly associated with angiographically determined coronary atherosclerosis, cardiovascular events, kidney failure, and mortality in patients with diabetes, as well as in the general population, independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).6,7 Although the natural history of diabetic nephropathy is relatively well described, prior studies have rarely examined ethnic variations in the development of albuminuria or identified factors that may explain ethnic differences in the risk of incident albuminuria. The majority of work in this field has focused on ESRD, for which ethnic disparities are established.3 However, ESRD patients represent less than 1% of the diabetic population; therefore, strategies targeting ESRD are limited to a small subset of patients.8 Understanding ethnic differences in rates of albuminuria and the underlying causes for these differences is likely to advance public health objectives for diabetes treatment, because albuminuria is very common and is strongly associated with adverse events, and kidney disease is the complication of diabetes with the greatest effect on minority groups.3,7 We conducted a prospective, longitudinal cohort study to evaluate ethnic differences in incident albuminuria in a fully insured, ethnically diverse, well-characterized cohort of diabetic patients. Our secondary goal was to identify social, behavioral, and provider-level factors that could explain observed ethnic differences in albuminuria in this population.
Educating Educators in the Age of Trump

This essay will outline what we did in the 15-week course, Education in the Age of Trump, and will document the ways in which it made us all vulnerable. It will analyze the possibilities and perils of creating an overtly political classroom in an era of political polarization and widespread fear.
Evaluation of a Curricular Addition to Assist Medical Students in Specialty Selection.

Early hands-on experience with surgical procedures may help medical students make better-informed choices if considering a surgical specialty. Here, we evaluate a curricular addition in surgical an...
Undisclosed Consequences of Drug Use.

Two recent news reports about prescription drug use piqued my interest in whether there might be a connection between inaccurate or incomplete information in direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising an...
Intersectionality in Clinical Medicine: The Need for a Conceptual Framework

Intersectionality has become a significant intellectual approach for those thinking about the ways that race, gender, and other social identities converge in order to create unique forms of oppression. Although the initial work on intersectionality addressed the unique position of black women relative to both black men and white women, the concept has since been expanded to address a range of social identities. Here we consider how to apply some of the theoretical tools provided by intersectionality to the clinical context. We begin with a brief discussion of intersectionality and how it might be useful in a clinical context. We then discuss two clinical scenarios that highlight how we think considering intersectionality could lead to more successful patient-clinician interactions. Finally, we extrapolate general strategies for applying intersectionality to the clinical context before considering objections and replies.
Making room for leadership and advocacy in site supervision

Using grounded theory analysis, we examined the leadership and advocacy practices of seven site supervisors in clinical mental health settings. We explored how participants make room for leadership...
Collective Behavior, Sociology of

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by J.L. Wood, volume 4, pp. 2204–2208, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Health Care Utilization Among Adults With CKD and Psychological Distress

Rationale & Objective Despite extensive research on health care access for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), there is little research on the relationship between health care access barriers and psychological distress. Study Design An observational study based on the publicly available 2013 to 2017 US National Health Interview Survey data. Setting & Participants 3,923 respondents 18 years or older who self-reported a diagnosis of CKD in the preceding 12 months. Predictor(s) and Outcome(s) Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Barriers to health care access included lack of health insurance coverage, lack of a usual source of health care, and financial barriers to accessing/obtaining health care, including medical specialist services, prescription drugs, mental health counseling, and dental care. Analytical Approach Multinomial logistic regression with 3 levels of K6 scores (no distress, mild to moderate distress, and serious distress) as the dependent variable. Results 15% of respondents reported mild to moderate and 11% reported serious psychological distress. Compared with those with no distress, those with mild to moderate and serious distress were younger but less likely to have worked in the preceding year, had more chronic medical conditions, and visited an emergency department more frequently. Multivariable regression models show that each financial barrier to health care access (likely due to lack of health insurance) was significantly associated with mild to moderate and serious distress. Limitations CKD diagnosis was self-reported and CKD stage was unknown. Because this is a cross-sectional study, associations cannot be assumed to imply causal relationships. Conclusions Access to sick and preventive/routine care should be improved. People with CKD should be assessed for psychological distress, treated as needed, and offered case management and social services to help them navigate the health care system and alleviate personal stressors.
Nonreactivity and Resilience to Stress: Gauging the Mindfulness of African American College Students

Resilience is a protective factor against stress and research indicates that mindfulness is associated with increased resilience. Few mindfulness studies have specifically focused on African American college students, who are at heightened risk to the effects of stress due to race-related factors such as social, economic, and political exclusion relative to their Caucasian counterparts, who have received the bulk of mindfulness research attention. It is important to understand how mindfulness is related to resilience within this population and to examine if specific components of mindfulness are particularly predictive of increased resilience. In this study, African American undergraduate students attending a Historically Black University administered the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Mindfulness was found to be positively associated with resilience (r = .68). A multiple hierarchical regression indicated that the nonreactivity facet of mindfulness, the capacity to pause before responding to stimuli, explained the largest amount of unique variance (∆R2 = .11, p < .001) compared to acting with awareness (∆R2 = .07), nonjudging (∆R2 = .03), and describing (∆R2 = .02), as unique predictors. Results indicated that the capacity for nonreactivity may play a unique potentiating role in the relationship between mindfulness and resilience in African American college students, which could inform the development of college programming. The results indicate that it may be useful to create new mindfulness-based interventions specifically with the intention of building the skill of nonreactivity in order to cultivate resilience.
A Rare Complication of HVAD Outflow Thrombosis and the Importance of HVAD Waveform Analysis

We present a case of a 64-year-old female who was supported with an HVAD as bridge-to-transplant (BTT) who presented with a gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy. Her waveforms changed abruptly following the procedure, and she decompensated. With various imaging modalities and hemodynamic monitoring, we felt that she had thrombus in her outflow graft, which improved following systemic heparinization. She was listed for cardiac transplantation and remained hospitalized. At the time of surgery, her outflow graft was noted to be compressed externally and pathology was consistent with platelet-fibrin thrombus deposition.
Chapter 17 – Information from Isotopes

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the information retrieved from isotopes. Radioisotopes provide a great deal of information for human benefit. The characteristic radiation permits the tracing of processes such as fluid flow. Pharmaceuticals are radioactively tagged chemicals used in hospitals for diagnosis. Scanners detect the distribution of radioactivity in the body and form images of diseased tissue. Radioimmunoassay measures minute amounts of biological materials. The dates of archaeological artifacts and of rock formations can be found from carbon-14 decay data and the ratios of uranium to lead and of potassium to argon. The irradiation of materials with neutrons gives rise to unique prompt gamma rays and radioactive decay products, allowing measurement of trace elements for many applications. Radiography uses gamma rays from cobalt-60 or neutrons from a reactor, accelerator, or californium-252. Radiation gauges measure density, thickness, ground moisture, water/cement ratios, and oil deposits.
Luxury Fashion Products Addressing Cultural Changes

Through a look at the coolest fashion and accessories that drop in limited editions and enthrall consumers, it has become clear that luxury fashion designers are pushing the limits of their imagination by visualizing the endless possibilities of life when driven by thought at the leading edge. This process of collecting creative inputs manifests itself in the specificity of design elements such as line, color, shape, form, texture (and surface design), as well as space. This is how the materiality of luxury fashion becomes specific while remaining at the forefront of innovation. Three additional historical cases, Charles James, Yeohlee, and Rodarte, confirm that the new in luxury fashion has always addressed significant cultural changes which the designers were able to foresee before these issues even reached the awareness of the public.
Vertebral Artery Stenosis

Vertebral artery stenosis is a common condition associated with a very high risk of stroke. The goal of this review is to summarize the pathophysiology and natural history of vertebral artery stenosis and to evaluate the efficacy of medical and endovascular therapies. Early and aggressive initiation of medical care combined with advancements in antithrombotic and lipid-lowering therapies has substantially reduced the risk of stroke due to vertebral artery stenosis. Endovascular therapy does not appear to be beneficial with extracranial vertebral artery stenosis and appears harmful with intracranial vertebral artery stenosis. Risk of stroke due to symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis can be significantly reduced with implementation of standardized best medical therapy protocols focusing on ultra-early dual antiplatelet therapy, high-intensity statin therapy + novel lipid-lowering agents, and aggressive risk factor control. Endovascular therapy with angioplasty and stenting is not likely to play a significant role in treatment.
Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas.

Abstract A survey of ixodid ticks parasitizing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) was completed during the 2018–2019 public hunt season on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Cameron County, Texas) and the East Foundation's El Sauz Ranch in nearby Willacy County (Texas). Anocenter nitens was the predominant tick species identified with 5% of these ticks collected from nilgai. All life stages were encountered in high numbers on white-tailed deer, indicating that deer may be a primary host in this region. Amblyomma maculatum and Amblyomma inornatum were identified from both hosts, while Ixodes scapularis was encountered only on white-tailed deer. This is the first published record of A. inornatum on nilgai. A subset of ticks was used in PCR assays to detect Rickettsia spp., family Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp., and Theileria-Babesia spp. Borrelia spp. were not detected in any of the ticks analyzed. Rickettsia parkeri was detected in three A. maculatum adult ticks from deer, Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont sequences were present in all I. scapularis ticks, and Rickettsia amblyommatis was detected in three A. inornatum adult ticks from deer. Sequence analysis of Anaplasmataceae-positive amplicons from A. nitens and A. maculatum had low percent identity to published Anaplasma spp. sequences, suggesting a unique Anaplasma sp. may be circulating in the population. Anaplasma platys was detected from A. nitens larvae and an Ehrlichia sp. Delta strain was present in A. maculatum, both of unknown pathogenicity towards deer. Theileria cervi was detected in all stages of A. nitens ticks, and positive ticks originated from 27 of 31 deer and a single nilgai sampled from throughout the survey site. The primary vector for T. cervi is absent from this region, suggesting T. cervi is possibly maintained by a different tick species.
Quadratization of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman Equation for Near-Optimal Control of Nonlinear Systems

This paper provides a tractable approximate solution to the classical optimal control problem of a nonlinear control system and its corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation. Our focus is on systems whose right-hand sides are analytic functions, i.e., they admit power series representations. We utilize quadratization techniques to lift the HJB equation, which is a nonlinear partial differential equation, into an operator equation that resembles the well-known Riccati equation. We exploit the structural properties of this operator equation to calculate the block components of its solution using an exact iterative method. The uniqueness of the solution is proven and it is shown that under some technical assumptions the resulting closed-loop system is stable in the sense of Lyapunov. The Small-Gain theorem is applied to show that one only needs to run finitely many iterations to compute a stabilizing near-optimal solution for the optimal control problem. Our theoretical findings are verified using several simulations.
Using Cognitive Interviewing to Test Youth Survey and Interview Items in Evaluation: A Case Example

Background: Cognitive interviewing is a pretesting tool used by evaluators to increase item and response option validity. Cognitive interviewing techniques are used to assess the cognitive processes utilized by participants to respond to items. This approach is particularly appropriate for testing items with children and adolescents who have more limited cognitive capacities than adults, vary in their cognitive development, and have a unique perspective on their life experiences and context. Purpose: This paper presents a case example of cognitive interviewing with youth as part of a national program evaluation, and aims to expand the use of cognitive interviewing as a pretesting tool for both quantitative and qualitative items in evaluation studies involving youth. Setting: Youth participants were located in four regions of the United States: Northeast, Central, Southern, and Western. Interviewers were located at Montclair State University. Intervention: Not applicable. Research design: A cognitive interview measure was designed to include a subset of survey items, interview questions, and verbal probes, to evaluate if these items and questions would be understood as intended by both younger and older youth participants. An iterative design was used with cognitive interviewing testing rounds, analysis, and revisions. Data Collection and Analysis: The cognitive interview was administered by phone to 10 male youth, five from the 10-13-year-old age range and five from the 15-17-year-old age range. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, reviewed, and coded. Survey items and interview questions were revised based on feedback from the participants and consensus agreement among the evaluation team. Item revisions were included in further testing rounds with new participants. Findings: As a result of using cognitive interviewing to pretest survey and interview items with youth, response errors were identified. Participants did not understand some of the items and response options as intended, indicating problems with validity. These findings support the use of cognitive interviewing for testing and modifying survey items adapted for use with youth, as well as qualitative interview items. Additionally, the perspective of the youth participants was valuable for informing decisions to modify items and helping the evaluators learn the participants’ program culture and experiences. Based on the findings and limitations of the study, we give practice recommendations for future studies using cognitive interviewing with a youth sample. Keywords: cognitive interviewing; item validity; response error; verbal probes; pre-testing surveys; qualitative evaluation; interviewing children and adolescents; survey development
Abstract 355: Calculating Pulse Wave Velocity from a Single Pressure Waveform Using the Intrinsic Frequency Method

INTRODUCTION: Increased aortic stiffness is correlated with many clinically adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The “gold standard” quantitative index for arterial stiffness is the pulse wave velocity (PWV). We have developed a new method called the Intrinsic Frequency ( IF ), which views the arterial pressure waveform as a piecewise combination of two coupled systems, the heart and arterial system which are decoupled upon closure of the aortic valve. Each of these dynamical systems has an inherent frequency of operation (ω1 and ω2) which gives information about LV function (ω1) as well as arterial dynamics (ω2). METHODS: IF methodology is based on Sparse Time-Frequency Representation method. It uses an effective L2-minimization to extract the second intrinsic frequency (ω2) from an aortic pressure waveform. To examine the clinical relevance of this method, IF was applied to aortic pressure waveforms taken from published works. These aortic waveforms were selected from a healthy population free of any cardiovascular diseases (CVD). RESULTS: Our results show that ω2 represents information about the arterial system and that these measurements are highly correlated with PWV ( r=0.9 ). CONCLUSION: These results show ω2 can potentially be used to evaluate aortic rigidity and calculate aortic PWV from one pressure waveform. Increased aortic rigidity is a common feature in normal aging and is accelerated in many CVDs including diabetes. One unique advantage of the method is that only a single measurement of the pressure waveform is required to extract the result. Therefore, ω2 may be employed as a clinically effective noninvasive assessment of cardiovascular health. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Nuclear magnetic resonance of C-60 and fulleride superconductors

The alkali-doped solid materials {ital A}{sub 3}C{sub 60} (where {ital A} is an alkali metal), which are superconductors with transition temperatures among the highest known apart from the high-{ital T}{sub {ital c}} cuprates, are among the most exciting outgrowths of the discovery of the family of fullerene molecules. The structural, electronic, and superconducting properties of the alkali fullerides have been subjects of great controversy. In this article the authors review nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) investigations of the alkali fullerides and of undoped C{sub 60}. They show that, although the NMR data certainly provide evidence for unusual static and dynamic structural properties, there is little evidence for unusual normal- and superconducting-state electronic properties, such as strong correlations in the normal state or nonphononic mechanisms of superconductivity. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Geographical differences in seasonal clutch size variation in multi-brooded bird species

The seasonal pattern of clutch size variation in birds varies among species. In single-brooded bird species clutch sizes decline continuously with date from an early season maximum. In resident multi-brooded species, clutch sizes first increase to a mid-season maximum and then decrease again. Limited data for multi-brooded migratory birds suggest that clutches in these species also show a continuous decline throughout the season, but it remains to be resolved whether this applies generally and whether migration adds a constraint to the system. We here report on a study of the Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis conducted using data collected by volunteers across most of its range. In the southern part of its range, where Eastern Bluebirds are largely year-round residents, clutches initially increase, reach a mid-season maximum and gradually decline later in the season. In the northern part of the range, where the majority of Eastern Bluebirds are migratory, clutch sizes decline continuously throughout the season. To determine whether seasonal changes in the clutch size of multi-brooded species are determined by migratory behaviour of the population we compared our results with published data on the Dunnock Prunella modularis and conclude that in multi-brooded species migratory behaviour is not a sufficient condition for a continuous seasonal decline in clutch size, but it could be a necessary one. We propose two mechanisms for the pattern observed among multi-brooded migrants: (i) a time or energy cost of migration, and (ii) a more abrupt increase in seasonal resources in spring at more northerly latitudes.
TRANS: efficient sequential verification of loop-free circuits

Bischoff et al. (1997) proposed a method for reducing sequential verification of loop-free circuits to combinational verification, by constructing and comparing the so called Timed (ternary) Binary Decision Diagrams (TBDDs). Ranjan et al. (1999) independently re-discovered a similar method. We propose a much more simple and efficient algorithm for constructing TBDDs. Furthermore, we prove the soundness of the algorithm, and describe very briefly a (restricted) new algorithm for generating sequential counter examples. These algorithms are implemented in Intel's sequential verification engine, TRANS.
Studying Plant–Insect Interactions with Solid Phase Microextraction: Screening for Airborne Volatile Emissions Response of Soybeans to the Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Insects trigger plants to release volatile compounds that mediate the interaction with both pest and beneficial insects. Soybean aphids (Aphis glycines) induces soybean (Glycine max) leaves to produce volatiles that attract predators of the aphid. In this research, we describe the use of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for extraction of volatiles from A. glycines-infested plant. Objectives were to (1) determine if SPME can be used to collect soybean plant volatiles and to (2) use headspace SPME-GC-MS approach to screen compounds associated with A. glycines-infested soybeans, grown in the laboratory and in the field, to identify previously known and potentially novel chemical markers of infestation. A total of 62 plant volatiles were identified, representing 10 chemical classes. 39 compounds had not been found in previous studies of soybean volatile emissions. 3-hexen-1-ol, dimethyl nonatriene, indole, caryophyllene, benzaldehyde, linalool, methyl salicylate (MeSA), benzene ethanol, and farnesene were considered herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs).
Active transport, ion movements, and pH changes : I. The chemistry of pH changes.

The transport of substances across cell membranes may be the most fundamental activity of living things. When the substance transported is any ion there can be a change in the concentration of hydrogen ions on the two sides of the membrane. These hydrogen ion concentration changes are not caused by fluxes of hydrogen ions although fluxes of hydrogen ions may sometimes be involved. The reason for the apparent contradiction is quite simple. All aqueous systems are subject to two constraints: (1) to maintain the charge balance, the sum of the cationic charges must equal the sum of the anionic charges and (2) the product of the molar concentration of H+ and the molar concentration of OH−, established and maintained by the association and the dissociation of water, remains always at 10−14. As a consequence the concentrations of H+ and OH− are determined uniquely by differences between the concentrations of the other cations and anions, with [H+] and [OH−] being dependent variables. Hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions can be produced or consumed in local reactions whereas any strong ions such as Cl−, Mg2+, or K+ can be neither produced nor consumed in biological reactions. Further consequences of these truisms are outlined here in terms of the chemistry of the kinds of reactions which can lead to pH changes.
An exploratory analysis of resource utilization across organizational units: Understanding the resource‐based view

This study explores the applicability of the resource‐based view at the organizational unit level by investigating why resource utilization, as measured by efficiency, might differ within a firm. Using a downstream petroleum firm as the context for this study, the data envelopment analysis framework is applied to examine resource input congestion of its DCs (i.e. distribution centers). The study also provides a more granular analysis by decomposing distribution efficiency into managerial, scale, and programmatic efficiency, and examines the impact of corporate‐level decision making by including non‐discretionary variables. The analysis identifies opportunities to improve efficiency at the organizational unit level, using alternative views of the operational problem. The approach also provides practicing managers with an objective means to evaluate performance at the level of the organizational unit. Both the efficiency view and the managerial performance view are discussed simultaneously from a strategic view of firm resources.
An application of fractal and chaos theory in the field of two-phase flow & heat transfer

The essentials of the theory of fractals and chaos are reviewed and then applied to the problem of density-wave oscillations in a boiling channel. It is shown that these mathematical techniques give valuable new insight into nonlinear thermal-hydraulic oscillations.
A CONSTRUÇÃO DE MEMÓRIA SIMBÓLICO-RELIGIOSA E LASSALISTA A PARTIR DOS VITRAIS DA CAPELA SÃO JOSÉ, EM CANOAS/RS

This paper presents and discusses some results of a survey analyzing the iconographic and iconological contents of thirty-three stained glass windows of St. Joseph Chapel in Canoas/RS, Brazil. It shows the intimate relationship between symbolism and Lasallian memory from theoretical considerations about symbolism and social memory. The research method is qualitative, gathering primary and secondary research sources such as manuscripts, photographs, iconography, bulletins, newsletters, interviews and memos. The interpretation of the symbolic meanings of the stained glass was performed according to the three levels of iconological and iconographic analysis proposed by Erwin Panofsky. The six stained glass windows described in this paper represent the realization of collective and spiritual memories of the Lasallian tradition. In this sense, to rebuild the symbolic significance of the stained glass windows of the St. Joseph Chapel is to confirm it as a symbolic-religious memory space and of Lasallian identity.
“Precision” drug development?

The concept of precision medicine has entered broad public consciousness, spurred by a string of targeted drug approvals, highlighted by the availability of personal gene sequences, and accompanied by some remarkable claims about the future of medicine. It is likely that precision medicines will require precision drug development programs. What might such programs look like?
Working Memory and Parent-Rated Components of Attention in Middle Childhood: A Behavioral Genetic Study

The purpose of the current study was to investigate potential genetic and environmental correlations between working memory and three behavioral aspects of the attention network (i.e., executive, alerting, and orienting) using a twin design. Data were from 90 monozygotic (39% male) and 112 same-sex dizygotic (41% male) twins. Individual differences in working memory performance (digit span) and parent-rated measures of executive, alerting, and orienting attention included modest to moderate genetic variance, modest shared environmental variance, and modest to moderate nonshared environmental variance. As hypothesized, working memory performance was correlated with executive and alerting attention, but not orienting attention. The correlation between working memory, executive attention, and alerting attention was completely accounted for by overlapping genetic covariance, suggesting a common genetic mechanism or mechanisms underlying the links between working memory and certain parent-rated indicators of attentive behavior.
The oligopoly solution concept is identified

Oligopoly theory predicts that market price will be at least as high as the competitive price and no higher than the monopoly price. Particular oligopoly solution concepts offer more exact predictions, but it is difficult to know which solution concept holds in any real market. This paper shows that the oligopoly solution concept can be estimated econometrically.
Examining sex and gender disparities in total joint arthroplasty.

Background Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is remarkably successful for treating osteoarthritis: most patients see substantial gains in function. However, there are considerable geographic, racial, and gender variations in the utilization of these procedures. The reasons for these differences are complex.
Subspace iterations approach to the time scale separation

Some properties of the time scale separation are reviewed and a new globally convergent algorithm is proposed. A connection between the new algorithm and the existing Riccati-like algorithms is established.
The neuraminidase of bat influenza viruses is not a neuraminidase

Influenza A viruses are classified into subtypes according to their two viral glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). These viruses are known to infect multiple animal species, including humans, pigs, horses, dogs, sea mammals, chickens, ducks, and other birds. Although humans are sporadically infected with avian influenza virus strains belonging to multiple subtypes, only H1, H2, and H3 HA subtypes and N1 and N2 NA subtypes have been documented to cause pandemics and annual epidemics of influenza in humans. By contrast, all H16 and N9 subtypes of influenza A viruses are found circulating in birds. The recent discovery of influenza A viruses clearly distinct from any known avian influenza A virus subtype in little yellow-shouldered bats from Guatemala has been the first example of an influenza A virus subtype not found in avian species (1). Bat influenza viruses have glycoproteins related to the HA and NA of influenza A virus, which prompted to the classification of these viruses as H17N10 influenza A virus. The crystal structure of the N10 glycoprotein is now solved independently by Li et al. (2) and Zhu et al. (3) in PNAS, and these works provide important clues on the characteristics of these newly discovered influenza viruses.
Auditory imprinting in domestic chicks during tonic immobility.

In the present study we attempted to determine whether the characteristic unresponsiveness of animals during tonic immobility is due to sensory or motor inhibition. Specifically, we exposed domestic chicks to an auditory imprinting stimulus during tonic immobility. Seventy-five White Leghorn chicks were tested in 1 of 5 conditions: (1) immobilized and imprinted; (2) restrained but not immobilized, and imprinted; (3) imprinted only; (4) immobilized but not imprinted; and (5) neither immobilized nor imprinted. Chicks in the 1st 3 groups all imprinted to the same degree in that they did not differ in median run times in a straight alley with the imprinting stimulus. These results demonstrate that chicks do process auditory stimuli during tonic immobility and the reduced responsiveness observed during tonic immobility is due mainly to motor inhibition.
Optical properties of annealed, single GaAs quantum wells: cap doping and mask width dependence

Band edge absorption measurements are used to characterize the degree of Al-Ga intermixing (blue-shifting) and the linear optical loss of waveguides formed in five annealed and encapsulated single GaAs quantum well laser heterostructure wafers which differed only by the amount of Zn doping in the GaAs cap layer. In addition to the transmission measurements, secondary ion mass spectroscopy data was used to verify the diffusion of Zn before and after annealing. High zinc doping in the cap is observed to cause quantum well disordering below the encapsulant (Si3N4) and is attributed to impurity induced layer disordering. Moderate doping in the cap results in selective area intermixing via controlled gallium vacancy production. A stripe width dependence is also observed, which suggests a role of lateral diffusion of species which affect the intermixing. For an undoped (n−) cap, the degree of intermixing is heavily dependent on the arsenic overpressure used during the anneal and is independent of the nitride stripe width suggestive of a volumetric Fermi level dependent production of vacancies within the cap.
Comparing Four CAB Abstracts Platforms from a Veterinary Medicine Perspective

CAB Abstracts® is the premier database for the veterinary medical literature. This research evaluated search performance, using recall and precision, and compared interface features and of the CAB Direct®, EBSCOhost®, ISI, and OvidSP interfaces to CAB Abstracts. While differences were found in search formulation, there were no statistically significant differences in precision or recall for ten veterinary searches, and all interfaces provided a good set of standard features. Additional evaluation through focus groups and user studies is necessary to determine the utility of many of the advanced interface features and to further evaluate impact of differences in search formulation requirements.
Dielectric relaxation studies of dipolar aromatics in polyethylene I. Spherulitic low‐density polyethylene

Stretched polyethylene has been used for several years by organic spectroscopists as a means of orienting isolated aromatic molecules. Dielectric relaxation studies are reported which consider dipolar aromatic molecules dissolved in stretched polyethylene in order to learn more about the environment of these oriented molecules. The research builds on earlier studies of the dielectric relaxation behavior of dipolar aromatic molecules dissolved in unoriented low density polyethylene. Studies demonstrate that molecules in the amorphous phase are oriented at temperatures below the glass transition, both the β and γ relaxations being orientation dependent. It is shown through studies of oriented rods that large numbers of the orientable molecules are immobilized by the oriented polyethylene and cannot relax. An essential criterion for immobilization to occur is that molecules exhibit geometrical symmetry.
What are Your Assumptions?: Improving Instruction by Examining Theories

Classrooms are very busy places. In addition to overt actions vis ible to an observer, classrooms hold much that is not readily seen. Stu dents and teacher are thinking about the people and the events of the class room. Feelings are present, too; some feelings are overtly expressed, others are private, and still others are outside of awareness.1 To manage these complex levels of actions, thoughts, and feelings, teach ers develop theories that help them to separate and to order their experiences. These include both espoused theories, which are explicit and can be articu lated, and theories-in-use, which are im plicit rather than explicit, but that influ ence behavior nonetheless. In terms of action science, these theories are collec tively termed theories-of-action. Theories-of-action are best thought of as propositions related to one an other in complex ways (Argyris, Put nam, and Smith 1985). For teachers, the propositions express assumptions and knowledge about learning proc esses, student characteristics, commu nication dynamics, and other "laws" of the classroom. Action theories are usually expressed in terms of a situa tion, an intended consequence, and a behavior; for example, "When stu
Extended-range grazing-incidence spectrometer for high-resolution extreme ultraviolet measurements on an electron beam ion trap.

A high-resolution grazing-incidence grating spectrometer has been implemented on the Livermore electron beam ion traps for performing very high-resolution measurements in the soft x-ray and extreme ultraviolet region spanning from below 10 A to above 300 A. The instrument operates without an entrance slit and focuses the light emitted by highly charged ions located in the roughly 50 μm wide electron beam onto a cryogenically cooled back-illuminated charge-coupled device detector. The measured line widths are below 0.025 A above 100 A, and the resolving power appears to be limited by the source size and Doppler broadening of the trapped ions. Comparisons with spectra obtained with existing grating spectrometers show an order of magnitude improvement in spectral resolution.
Differential characterization of women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome

Abstract Objective: We differentiated women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome into subgroups on the basis of the time of symptom onset, a history of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, and the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism. Study Design: One hundred sixty-two consecutive patients with strictly defined vulvar vestibulitis syndrome were asked to fill out a questionnaire with the assistance of their gynecologist. A buccal sample was collected from each subject for the analysis of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism; vaginal and vestibular microbial investigations were performed. Results: Symptoms began with the first act of coitus in 20.4% of patients. A history of a recurrent Candida vulvovaginal infection was reported in 42.6% of patients; 25.9% of the patients were positive for the homozygous interleukin-1 receptor antagonist 2,2 genotype. Women with primary vulvar vestibulitis syndrome differed from women with secondary vulvar vestibulitis syndrome; women with primary vulvar vestibulitis syndrome were younger at the time of the onset of the symptoms (23.8 vs 31.2 years, P P Candida vulvovaginitis differed from the other subjects by having a higher frequency of constant vestibular pain (40.6% vs 20.4%, P =.005), a vaginal discharge (79.7% vs 45.2%, P P =.0001). Women who were homozygous for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist 2,2 genotype had an earlier onset of symptoms (26 years) than did women who were allele 1 homozygotes (31.3 years, P P P =.002). Human papillomavirus in the vaginal vestibule occurred at a greater frequency in women who were homozygous for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist 2,2 genotype. Conclusion: Subgroups of women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome may be differentiated by symptomatic and genetic variables. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:589-94.)