cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adherence to repeat fecal occult blood testing in an urban community health center network.

Annual fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) has the potential to reduce colorectal cancer mortality, but in practice it is challenging to complete FOBT every year. Repeat FOBT adherence may be especially low in community health center (CHC) settings, where many patients face barriers to annual FOBT completion. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis to investigate adherence to annual FOBT in an urban CHC network that serves a predominantly Spanish-speaking, uninsured adult patient population. This study used data from the two-year period between January 2010 and December 2011, and included adults aged 50–74 who completed a screening FOBT with a negative result during the first 6 months of 2010. We examined whether each patient completed a second FOBT between 9 and 18 months after the initial negative FOBT, and tested whether repeat FOBT adherence was associated with patient characteristics or the number of clinic visits after the initial negative FOBT. Only 69 of 281 included patients completed repeat FOBT (24.6 % adherence), and none of 62 patients (0 %) with 0 clinic visits completed repeat FOBT. We detected no significant differences in adherence by age, sex, preferred language, insurance status, or number of chronic conditions. In multivariable regression, the adjusted relative risk of repeat FOBT was 1.66 (95 % CI 1.09–2.54; p = 0.02) among patients with 3 or more clinic visits (referent: patients with 1–2 visits). The observed low rate of adherence greatly diminishes the effectiveness of FOBT in reducing CRC mortality. Findings demonstrate the need for systems-based interventions that increase adherence without requiring face-to-face encounters.
Control of air pollution from restaurant charbroilers.

The operation of large restaurant charbroilers often results in appreciable visible smoke and odors. A program to evaluate control devices other than afterburners for this application has been completed by the State of Maryland. This paper discusses the results of this program including a discussion on the nature of the air emissions from these operations. Control equipment which eliminates visible emissions and reduces odors from charbroiler operations is discussed together with estimates on initial equipment and operating costs. Cooking alternatives to charbroiling are also considered.
1495 GEREBROSPINAL FLUID (CSF) ELECTROLYTES CHANGES IN NEWBORNS WITH PERIVENTRICULAR INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMMORRHAGE (PV-IVH)

To investigate electrolytes and glucose horneostasis in asphyxia and PV-IVH, Na, K, Cl and glucose were measured in CSF and blood of 14 newborns who had simultaneous lumbar and veni-punctures at a mean age of 26 hours. Glucose was determined by glucose-oxidase method, Na and K by ion selective electrode and Cl by coulometric-amperometric method. Cranial ultrasounds were done within 48-72 hours after birth. Babies with PV-IVH had significantly lower CSF Na and Cl than those with no PV-IVH (see table). There were no significant differences in CSF glucose and serum Na, Cl, and glucose between babies with and without PV-IVH. We conclude that PV-IVH significantly lowers Na and Cl in CSF while asphyxia does not.
Strategies for CNS repair following TBI

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) imparts a significant health burden in the United States, leaving many patients with chronic deficits. Improvement in clinical outcome following TBI has been hindered by a lack of treatments that have proven successful during phase III trials. Research remains active into a variety of non-pharmacologic, small molecule, endocrine and cell based therapies. Of particular focus in this review are the recent therapeutic avenues that have undergone clinical investigation and the mechanisms by which cell therapies may mediate recovery in severe TBI. Preclinical data show cell therapies to provide benefit when administered systemically or with transplantation to the site of injury. Increasingly, studies have shown that these cells are able to attenuate the inflammatory response to injury and stimulate production of neurotrophic factors. In animal models, beneficial effects on blood–brain barrier permeability, neuroprotection and neural repair through enhanced axonal remodeling have been observed. Clinical investigation with cell therapies for TBI remains ongoing.
12/15-lipoxygenase products induce inflammation and impair insulin signaling in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Inflammation and insulin resistance associated with visceral obesity are important risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and the metabolic syndrome. The 12/15-lipoxygenase (12/15-LO) enzyme has been linked to inflammatory changes in blood vessels that precede the development of atherosclerosis. The expression and role of 12/15-LO in adipocytes have not been evaluated. We found that 12/15-LO mRNA was dramatically upregulated in white epididymal adipocytes of high-fat fed mice. 12/15-LO was poorly expressed in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and was upregulated during differentiation into adipocytes. Interestingly, the saturated fatty acid palmitate, a major component of high fat diets, augmented expression of 12/15-LO in vitro. When 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with the 12/15-LO products, 12-hydroxyeicosatetranoic acid (12(S)-HETE) and 12-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12(S)-HPETE), expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-12p40, was upregulated whereas anti-inflammatory adiponectin gene expression was downregulated. 12/15-LO products also augmented c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK-1) phosphorylation, a known negative regulator of insulin signaling. Consistent with impaired insulin signaling, we found that insulin-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes exhibited decreased IRS-1(Tyr) phosphorylation, increased IRS-1(Ser) phosphorylation, and impaired Akt phosphorylation when treated with 12/15-LO product. Taken together, our data suggest that 12/15-LO products create a proinflammatory state and impair insulin signaling in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Because 12/15-LO expression is upregulated in visceral adipocytes by high-fat feeding in vivo and also by addition of palmitic acid in vitro, we propose that 12/15-LO plays a role in promoting inflammation and insulin resistance associated with obesity.
Selective attenuation in brightness for brief stimuli and at low intensities supports age-related transient channel losses.

Abstract A brightness estimation experiment was conducted on 10 old (ages 60 to 77) and 10 young (ages 22 to 27) volunteers. Participants were introduced to magnitude estimation by scaling the lengths of line stimuli, after which they dark adapted for 10 minutes. Stimuli for brightness estimation were presented binocularly via a free-viewing system and consisted of circular flashes of 2 degrees. Stimuli covered a 3 log unit range of luminance levels in 0.5 log unit steps, and 3 durations (10, 100, 1000 msec). Linear regression analysis yielded dual-branched functions with a low intensity segment which was significantly steeper in slope than the high intensity segment. The slope for the older group was significantly less steep than that of the younger observers only at the low intensity segment. Findings with respect to stimulus duration showed a significantly attenuated slope for the old as compared to the young group only at 10 msec. The results extend previous threshold results to suprathreshold levels,...
Role of Nanoporosity and Hydrophobicity in Sequestration and Bioavailability: Tests with Model Solids

Phenanthrene was rapidly and extensively mineralized by a bacterium in the presence of glass or polystyrene beads with no pores, silica beads with 2.5−15 nm pores, 3-aminopropyl-bonded silica beads with 6-nm pores, and diatomite beads with 5.4 μm pores. These beads sorbed 10−99% of the compound in 15 h, but 48−100% of the sorbed hydrocarbon was desorbed in 240 h. Although little phenanthrene was desorbed from octadecyl-bonded silica beads with 6-nm pores, the hydrocarbon was rapidly and extensively degraded. In contrast, the bacterium mineralized <7% of the phenanthrene sorbed to polystyrene beads with 5- or 300−400-nm pores, and little of the compound was desorbed. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that sequestration and reduced bioavailability occur when hydrophobic compounds enter into nanopores having hydrophobic surfaces.
Purinergic signaling at immunological synapses

The early studies and hypotheses of Geoffrey Burnstock catalyzed intensive characterization of roles for nucleotides and P2 nucleotide receptors in neurotransmission and neuromodulation. These latter analyses have focused on the mechanisms of nucleotide release and action in the microenvironments of nerve endings and synapses. However, studies of various white blood cells, such as monocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, suggest that locally released nucleotides also modulate intercellular signaling at so-called 'immunological synapses'. This communication describes recent findings and speculations regarding nucleotide release and signaling in several key phases of the immune and inflammatory responses.
Promoting pharmacy-based referrals to the tobacco quitline: a pilot study of academic detailing administered by pharmacy students.

Objective:To conduct a pilot study of a student-delivered academic detailing initiative to promote brief, pharmacy-based tobacco cessation interventions, and referrals to the tobacco quitline.Methods:Pharmacy students (n = 11) received training and delivered academic detailing sessions for promoting brief tobacco cessation interventions at community pharmacies (n = 37). Six months after the session, a survey was faxed to each pharmacy to assess (1) the quality and acceptance of the academic detailing session and the materials provided during the session and (2) tobacco cessation counseling perceptions and practices.Results:Pharmacists from 30 (81%) sites responded to the survey; of these, 37% reported that they increased the number of patients asked about smoking since the academic detailing session, 70% reported an increase in the number of participants advised to quit smoking, 57% reported an increase in the number of patients counseled, and 50% reported routinely providing referrals to the tobacco quit...
A percutaneous technique for venovenous bypass in orthotopic cadaver liver transplantation and comparison with the open technique

Venovenous bypass minimizes the hemodynamic alterations during the anhepatic phase of liver transplantation. A new technique for the percutaneous placement of the bypass cannulae is described and compared to the cut-down ("open") technique. The records of 81 patients who underwent 94 liver transplants between August 1991 and April 1994 were reviewed for indications for transplant, United Network for Organ Sharing status, mean age, body surface area, bypass technique and time, flow rates, cardiac output, mean arterial pressure and central venous pressure during bypass, the development of deep venous thrombophlebitis, and lymphoceles. Femoral flow rates were higher in the open group (2054 +/- 74 mL/min), compared with the percutaneous group (1726 +/- 74 mL/min) (p = 0.003). Total flow rates in the open (2238 +/- 58 mL/min) and percutaneous (2197 +/- 67 mL/min) groups were not different. Maximum cardiac outputs (L/ min) were higher in the open (10.1 +/- 0.6) versus percutaneous group (7.0 +/- 0.5) (p < 0.0002). Similarly, minimum cardiac outputs (L/min) were higher in the open (8.9 +/- 0.7) versus percutaneous group (5.8 +/- 0.5) (p = 0.003). Other hemodynamic parameters (mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure) were not different between groups. Venous thrombosis occurred in 1/50 (2.0%) and 4/34 (11.8%) patients in the open and percutaneous groups, respectively (p = 0.153). Nineteen lymphoceles occurred in 102 (18.6%) at-risk sites in the open group, whereas no lymphoceles occurred in 66 at-risk sites in the percutaneous group (p < 0.001). Groin lymphoceles occurred in 7/50 (14%) and 0/34 at-risk sites in the open and percutaneous groups, respectively (p = 0.039). Axillary lymphoceles occurred in 12/52 (23.1%) and 0/32 at-risk sites in the open and percutaneous groups, respectively (p = 0.0031). Operative repair of a lymphocele was required in 11/16 (69%) patients. The percutaneous placement of catheters for venovenous bypass has the advantage of comparable flow rates with satisfactory hemodynamics without the lymphatic complications of the cut-down technique.
The Portrayal of Senior Citizens by Banks in Newspaper Advertisements: A Content Analysis

ABSTRACT This inquiry employed a content analysis of bank newspaper advertisements to measure the degree to which senior citizens were employed as models in the advertisements and the degree to which they were portrayed in a positive or negative light, relative to younger persons. The researchers examined a sample of newspapers, as a means of testing hypotheses related to the portrayal of seniors by banks. The results of the inquiry were analyzed and conclusions drawn which can be of potential value to banks in serving older customers.
Late glacial and early Holocene Landscapes in northern New England and adjacent areas of Canada

The landscapes of northern New England and adjacent areas of Canada changed greatly between 14,000 and 9000 yr B.P.: deglaciation occurred, sea levels and shorelines shifted, and a vegetational transition from tundra to closed forest took place. Data from 51 14C-dated sites from a range of elevations were used to map ice and sea positions, physiognomic vegetational zones, and the spread of individual tree taxa in the region. A continuum of tundra-woodland-forest passed northeastward and northward without major hesitation or reversal. An increased rate of progression from 11,000 to 10,000 yr B.P. suggests a more rapid warming than in the prior 2000–3000 yr. Elevational gradients controlled the patterns of deglaciation and vegetational change. The earliest spread of tree taxa was via the lowlands of southern Vermont and New Hampshire, and along a coastal corridor in Maine. Only after 12,000 yr B.P. did the taxa spread northward through the rest of the area. Different tree species entered the southern part of the area at different times and continued their spread at different rates. The approximate order of arrival follows: poplars (13,000–12,000 yr B.P. in the south), spruces, paper birch, and jack pine, followed by balsam fir and larch, and possibly ironwood, ash, and elm, and somewhat later by oak, maple, white pine, and finally hemlock (10,000–9000 yr B.P. in the south).
Asymmetric induction during photocyclization of chiral and achiral α-oxoamides within achiral zeolites

The photochemistry of 31 α-oxoamides capable of undergoing γ-hydrogen transfer has been examined within zeolites. These molecules, upon excitation, yield two products—a β-lactam and oxazolidinone—in solution, both resulting from γ-hydrogen transfer. While in benzene the major product is oxazolidinone, within an MY zeolite, the main product is a β-lactam. In this investigation, we have focused our attention on asymmetric induction in the formation of the β-lactam product. Two approaches—using a chiral inductor and chiral auxiliary—have been employed. While in solution, in the presence of chiral inductors, achiral α-oxoamides yield β-lactams with zero enantioselectivity; within zeolites, an ee of up to 44% has been achieved. α-Oxoamides appended with a chiral auxiliary gave β-lactams with less than 5% diastereoselectivity in solution while within zeolites, the same α-oxoamides gave the products with de’s of up to 83%. Such a remarkable influence of zeolites is attributed to an alkali ion interaction with the reactant α-oxoamides and to the confined environment of the zeolite interior. At this stage, we have not been able to provide a model with predictive power and further work is needed to understand this valuable asymmetric induction strategy.
Rheological characteristics and cure kinetics of EPON 862/W epoxy used in pultrusion

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to measure the kinetic parameters of the EPON 862/W epoxy system (Shell EPON® Resin DPL-862/EPON CURING AGENT® W/EPON CURING AGENT® Accelerator 537). Heat of reaction, degree of cure, pre-exponential constant, and activation energy were determined using dynamic scanning at heating rates of 5, 10, and 20°C/min. Using a Brookfield DV-III rotational-type rheometer, the viscosity was measured isothermally as a function of time at temperatures of 23°, 35°, 45°, 55°, 65°, 80°, 90°, and 100°C. Experimental modeling of the rheological characteristics of the resin was conducted using expressions correlating the viscosity and the degree of cure. Viscosities calculated by the model were in good agreement with data obtained experimentally. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Adv Polymer Techn16: 297–311, 1997
Self-Assembly of Porphyrin Arrays via Coordination to Transition Metal Bisphosphine Complexes and the Unique Spectral Properties of the Product Metallacyclic Ensembles

Self-assembly of predesigned angular and linear dipyridylporphyrin modules with bisphosphine-coordinated Pd(II) and Pt(II) angular and linear modules leads to cyclic porphyrin arrays containing two or four units and ranging in size from 15 to 39 A. Multinuclear NMR spectra indicate high symmetry for these macrocycles. Restriction in rotation of trans-DPyDPP groups around the axis defined by the terminal metal−nitrogen bonds distorts the symmetry of the tetramers, but the rotation is unrestricted at elevated temperatures. Chiral metal triflates containing R(+)- or S(−)-BINAP phosphines promote formation of enantiomeric macrocycles with a puckered geometry. CD spectra of the chiral macrocycles reveal a strong exciton coupling between the porphyrin chromophores in the tetramers. Emission spectra reveal moderate fluorescence quenching of the dipyridylporphyrin fluorophores upon treatment with metal triflates and concomitant incorporation into the macrocycles.
Chromophore specific photoreactivity in 2,3,4‐Tri(1,2‐naphthoquinone‐2‐diazide‐5‐sulfonyl‐oxy)‐benzophenone

Different electronic structures for the three 1,2-naphthoquinone-2-diazide (NQD) chromophores in 2,3,4-tri (1,2-naphthoquinone-2-diazide-5-sulfonyl-oxy)-benzophenone were detected using 1H NMR spectroscopy. The NQD substituent in the o-position of the benzophenone is influenced by intramolecular through space interactions with the benzophenone part of the molecule. The change in the electronic structure is the reason for the obtained different photoreactivity of the o-NQD chromophore compared with m-NQD and p-NQD. The relative quantum yields of photolysis are 0.3 (o-NQD) and 0.9/1.0 (m-NQD/p-NQD).
Evaluating the role of cell wall material and soluble protein in the functionality of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) pastes

Wet-milling of soaked, decorticated cowpeas generated large amounts of coarse cell wall material (CWM) and soluble protein (SP). CWM with high water-holding and swelling capacities contributed to excellent paste hydration and flow properties; high SP and paste viscosity resulted in superior foaming characteristics. In hydrated cowpea meal, the presence of coarse cellular material adversely affected paste hydration and flow characteristics; low SP and viscosity resulted in poor foaming. Wet-milling of hydrated meal improved viscosity and functionality. Intense dry-milling increased SP but adversely affected paste viscosity and functionality. La pâte de dolique est utilisee dans la preparation de l'Akara, consomme en Afrique. Les effets des proteines solubles et des parois cellulaires sur la capacite de retention d'eau et les proprietes de gonflement et d'hydratation de la pâte de dolique sont observes.Cette pâte est obtenue soit a partir de la mouture par voie humide des grains trempes, soit par hydratation de la farine, soit par mouture a sec.
Fat, fire and muscle – The role of adiponectin in pulmonary vascular inflammation and remodeling

Pulmonary hypertension is a life-threatening condition that results from a heterogeneous group of diseases, many of which demonstrate characteristic pathologic changes of pulmonary vascular inflammation and remodeling. Recent clinical studies indicate obesity to be a risk factor for the development of pulmonary hypertension; however, the mechanisms leading to this association are unknown. Adipocytes secrete multiple bioactive mediators that can influence inflammation and tissue remodeling, suggesting that adipose tissue may directly influence the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. One of these mediators is adiponectin, a protein with a wide range of metabolic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative activities. Paradoxically, adiponectin is present in high concentration in the serum of lean healthy individuals, but decreases in obesity. Studies suggest that relative adiponectin-deficiency may contribute to the development of inflammatory diseases in obesity, and recent animal studies implicate adiponectin in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. Most notably, experimental studies show that adiponectin can reduce lung vascular remodeling in response to inflammation and hypoxia. Moreover, mice deficient in adiponectin develop a spontaneous lung vascular phenotype characterized by age-dependent increases in peri-vascular inflammatory cells and elevated pulmonary artery pressures. Emerging evidence indicates adiponectin's effects are mediated through anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative actions on cells in the lung. This review aims to synthesize the existing data related to adiponectin's effects on the pulmonary vasculature and to discuss how changes in adiponectin levels might contribute to the development of pulmonary hypertension.
Variables Affecting Trench and Trench-Slope Sedimentation Along Active Continental Margins: ABSTRACT

Studies of active continental margins show the diversity of sedimentation patterns in trenches and on trench slopes. Many variables produce a range of distinctive deposits on the seaward trench slope, the trench axis, and the landward trench slope which can be used to interpret modern and ancient depositional settings. Deposits along the trench axis are often described as a trench wedge, but the geometry and volume of these deposits vary extensively. The volume is dependent upon a balance between the rate of plate convergence and the rate of sedimentation. Sedimentation rate is a function of many factors such as climate, onshore drainage patterns, sea level fluctuations, the width of the continental shelf, and the amount of sediment trapped in fore-arc basins of behind smaller tectonic ridges along the landward trench slope. Variations in the geometry of trench axis deposits are due to irregularities on the oceanic plate and to sediment transport systems. Turbidites from a single point source may build a massive fan or a long wedge via an axial channel, while a series of smaller submarine canyons ma build a set of small fans or a chain of ponded basins. Sedimentation along the landward trench slope depends on many of the same variables, particularly the size and spacing of canyons and the distribution of basins and ridges on the slope. An apron of hemipelagic muds may cover much of the slope, while locally slope basins receive terrigenous turbidites. Large deep canyons End_Page 438------------------------------ can divert coarse clastics directly to the trench axis, bypassing basins on the lower slope. A model of trench and trench slope facies must account for the many variables recognized in modern subduction complexes. The model proposed here, based on the facies defined for deep sea and channel deposits, relates associations of facies to various trench and trench slope settings. End_of_Article - Last_Page 439------------
The independent and interactive effects of embodied-agent appearance and behavior on self-report, cognitive, and behavioral markers of copresence in immersive virtual environments

The current study examined how assessments of copresence in an immersive virtual environment are influenced by variations in how much an embodied agent resembles a human being in appearance and behavior. We measured the extent to which virtual representations were both perceived and treated as if they were human via self-report, behavioral, and cognitive dependent measures. Distinctive patterns of findings emerged with respect to the behavior and appearance of embodied agents depending on the definition and operationalization of copresence. Independent and interactive effects for appearance and behavior were found suggesting that assessing the impact of behavioral realism on copresence without taking into account the appearance of the embodied agent (and vice versa) can lead to misleading conclusions. Consistent with the results of previous research, copresence was lowest when there was a large mismatch between the appearance and behavioral realism of an embodied agent.
FERROCENE AS A BUILDING BLOCK FOR SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY SYSTEMS

The utilization of ferrocene as a component of supramolecular systems is surveyed. The electroactivity of ferrocene affords a convenient tool to characterize these systems and, in some instances, provides a mechanism to control their properties.
The Dynamics of Rules: Change in Written Organizational Codes. By James G. March, Martin Schulz, and Xueguang Zhou. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2000. 228p. $55.00 cloth, $24.95 paper.

James March, Martin Schulz, and Xueguang Zhou address the fascinating question of how rules evolve in a complex organization with a unique data set. Stanford University was founded in the decades before the turn of the last century. The authors searched and coded a vast Stanford archive of materials on rules related to student contact, the student honor system, faculty appointment and tenure procedures, faculty governance, and finally rules related to accounting, purchasing, and other administrative functions of a university. They are able to examine questions concerning the external and internal stimulants to rule creation, change, and suspension. No other book equals this one in regard to the breadth of the questions asked and the mode of analysis.
Parasitic Mode Losses versus Signal Sensitivity in Beam Position Monitors

A beam position monitor (BPM) for a storage or damping ring may be subject to heating problems due to the parasitic mode (PM) losses, beam interception and synchrotron radiation interception. In addition, high PM losses can cause beam instabilities under some conditions. Recessing and/or masking the BPM may increase the PM losses in the process of solving the latter two problems. This paper presents three complementary methods for estimating the PM losses and for improving the design of a stripline directional coupler type of BPM: bench measurements, computer modeling (TBCI) and an equivalent circuit representation. These methods lead to a decrease in PM losses without significant reduction in output signal for the north SLC damping ring BPMs.
New Approach to Quantification of Molecularly Targeted Radiotracer Uptake from Hybrid Cardiac SPECT/CT: Methodology and Validation

Quantification of molecularly targeted radiotracer uptake in the myocardium from SPECT remains challenging in part due to potentially low levels of focal tracer uptake of presently available molecularly targeted agents and further degradation of cardiac SPECT by extracardiac radioactivity and partial-volume effect. The purpose of this study was to derive and validate a new SPECT quantification method for assessments of absolute radiotracer uptake in the myocardium. Methods: The method was integrated with a hybrid micro-SPECT/CT imaging protocol to calculate radiotracer uptake of a molecularly targeted agent in the ischemic myocardium. CT coregistered with SPECT was used to identify the position and orientation of the left ventricle. Corrections for extracardiac activity and partial-volume errors were performed via a heuristic method derived with a total count sampling scheme. Myocardial radiotracer uptake was quantified from SPECT using an external point source as a known reference. Methods were validated using an ischemic rat model injected with a 99mTc-labeled SPECT radiotracer targeted at αvβ3 integrin. SPECT-quantified myocardial radiotracer uptake was compared with postmortem myocardial tissue well-counted radioactivity. Results: Initial correlation between SPECT-quantified and well-counted radioactivity was fair (R2 = 0.19, y = 0.50x + 0.05, P = 0.06) when no correction was applied to SPECT quantification. Correlation was significantly improved with tissue weight correction (R2 = 0.84, y = 1.82x − 0.01, P
Better bounds for graph bisection

We introduce new lower bounds for the minimum graph bisection problem. Within a branch-and-bound framework, they enable the solution of a wide variety of instances with tens of thousands of vertices to optimality. Our algorithm compares favorably with the best previous approaches, solving long-standing open instances in minutes.
Responses of common and successional heathland species to manipulated salt spray and water availability

Coastal sandplain heathlands are a rare plant community in the northeastern United States. Salt spray and water availability are likely important factors determining heathland distribution. Field surveys and manipulative experiments were performed to examine heathland species' responses to salt spray and water availability. We surveyed field distributions of four typical heathland species: Solidago puberula, Solidago rugosa, Gaylussacia baccata, and Myrica pensylvanica. The distributions of two native tree species, Pinus rigida and Quercus ilicifolia, were also surveyed because they succeed into coastal heathlands with low disturbance frequency. We then manipulated salt spray and water in the field and measured species' water status, necrosis, and growth responses to the treatments. Predawn xylem pressure potential and necrosis were strongly affected by high salt spray and low water availability. Shoot elongation was also limited in S. puberula and S. rugosa grown in high salt, low water treatments. Gaylussacia baccata and Q. ilicifolia were particularly sensitive to high salt spray and low water, suggesting that they might excluded be from areas with those conditions. The interaction between salt spray and water availability could affect the landscape scale and should be incorporated into conservation management plans.
Medications and Alcohol Craving

The use of medications as an adjunct to alcoholism treatment is based on the premise that craving and other manifestations of alcoholism are mediated by neurobiological mechanisms. Three of the four medications approved in the United States or Europe for treating alcoholism are reported to reduce craving; these include naltrexone (ReVia), acamprosate, and tiapride. The remaining medication, disulfiram (Antabuse), may also possess some anticraving activity. Additional medications that have been investigated include ritanserin, which has not been shown to decrease craving or drinking levels in humans, and ondansetron, which shows promise for treating early onset alcoholics, who generally respond poorly to psychosocial treatment alone. Use of anticraving medications in combination (e.g., naltrexone plus acamprosate) may enhance their effectiveness. Future studies should address such issues as optimal dosing regimens and the development of strategies to enhance patient compliance.
Descriptive and injunctive norms related to concurrent sexual partnerships in Malawi: implications for HIV prevention research and programming

Concurrent sexual partnerships are hypothesized to be a contributing factor to Malawi’s HIV epidemic. As social norms influence health behavior and have been found to influence sexual behavior the purpose of this study was to explore two types of norms descriptive and injunctive norms toward concurrent sexual partnerships in Malawi. Data from 40 focus group discussions and 20 in-depth interviews conducted in five districts in Malawi which included 318 participants aged 18-55 years were analyzed. Participants perceived that concurrent sexual partnerships were extremely common and believed that very few individuals in their communities were not in concurrent sexual partnerships. However participants perceived that others in their communities heavily disapproved of concurrent sexual partnerships outside of polygamy as polygamy was viewed as an acceptable type of partnership because it was conducted in the open. Participants asserted that there were no traditional practices that promoted concurrent sexual partnerships and perceived that those that engaged in the behavior were for the most part stigmatized by community members. Further research is needed to obtain a thorough understanding of the way in which the perceived actions and beliefs of peers influence the beliefs feelings and actions of individuals to strengthen HIV programming efforts in the region.
Building Connection While Thinking Together: By-products of Employee Training in Dialogue

This study investigates a Listening and Dialogue training workshop in a manufacturing company. Instructors presented dialogue as a way of communicating that enables groups to think together, which is consistent with Bohm’s epistemological approach. However, organizational me mbers described profound meaningful experiences of connection, otherness, and spirituality during the workshop. These themes, which are consistent with Martin Buber’s ontological notion of dialogue, occurred as by‐products of the Bohmian training. In this study, by‐products were enabled by workshop discourse linking dialogue skills to home and family settings. Implications for dialogue theory and organizational practice are discussed.
SPOTS Calibration Example

The results are presented using the procedure outlined by the Standardisation Project for Optical Techniques of Strain measurement to calibrate a digital image correlation system. The process involves comparing the experimental data obtained with the optical measurement system to the theoretical values for a specially designed specimen. The standard states the criteria which must be met in order to achieve successful calibration, in addition to quantifying the measurement uncertainty in the system. The system was evaluated at three different displacement load levels, generating strain ranges from 289 µstrain to 2110 µstrain. At the 289 µstrain range, the calibration uncertainty was found to be 14.1 µstrain, and at the 2110 µstrain range it was found to be 28.9 µstrain. This calibration procedure was performed without painting a speckle pattern on the surface of the metal. Instead, the specimen surface was prepared using different grades of grit paper to produce the desired texture.
X-ray differential phase contrast and dark-field computed tomography and radiography with microbubbles as contrast agent

Motivated to improve the low contrast detectability of x-ray imaging in soft tissues, increasing effort has been devoted to the research and development of refraction-based x-ray phase contrast imaging. Among all existing implementations, the x-ray tube and grating based differential phase contrast imaging is of high potential to become an imaging modality for preclinical and eventually clinical applications. Based on our preliminary investigation and recognizing the clinical success of iodine contrast agent in conventional attenuation-based x-ray imaging, we propose the grating-based x-ray differential phase contrast and dark-field imaging method with microbubbles as the contrast agent. Via computer simulation, we investigate the feasibility of the proposed x-ray differential phase contrast and dark-field computed tomography in this work. Preliminary data show that at the detector cell dimension adequate for both clinical (>100μm) and preclinical (≤100μm) applications, the contrast between microbubbles and soft tissues in x-ray differential phase contrast and dark-field computed tomography images is substantially larger than its counterpart in the conventional attenuation-based CT, which encourages further in-depth investigation along this scientific and technological avenue.
Modelling the effect of household composition on the welfare of limited-resource farmers in Coastal Cañete, Peru

Abstract Family composition and its changes over time are believed to have a major impact on the welfare and sustainability of small-scale, limited resource farm households. In order to understand and test the effects of household composition on overall farm household well-being, a simulation model was developed based on information from 60 small farms from the Coastal Canete Valley, Peru. The model accounts dynamically for the birth, age and death of household members and for crop, livestock, and economic activities. A representative farm with ten scenarios representing the range of household composition was simulated. Results in 10, 20 and 40-year runs showed that family composition has a large influence on economic stress. Families with fewer members were economically better off after 10, 20, and even 40 years. With more young or very old members, the expenses and consumption requirements exceeded the benefits from the additional labor, and debt was greater and of longer duration. Changing prices and yields across their observed ranged of variability influenced simulated financial position, but not the ranking of results among household composition scenarios.
Effects of temperature and precipitation trends on U.S. drought

[1] The contiguous United States has experienced both warming temperatures and a general increase in precipitation during the period 1950-2006. During that time drought has been a recurring phenomenon with a number of large droughts occurring, starting with the major drought in the 1950s in the Central United States and culminating with the persistent drought in the western portion of the country that started in the late 1990s. Here we examine the influence of the multi-decadal warming trend on drought coverage and the possibility that the general increase in regional and contiguous U.S. precipitation since about 1980 has masked the tendency for increasing drought driven largely by increasing temperature. Results indicate that without the increase in precipitation, severe to extreme drought would have affected as much as 50% more of the U.S. during some months in the most recent drought period.
Phrase based browsing for simulation traces of network protocols

Most discrete event simulation frameworks are able to output simulation runs as a trace. The network simulator 2 (NS2) is a prominent example that does so to decouple generation of dynamic behavior from its evaluation. If a modeler is interested in the specific details and confronted with lengthy traces from simulation runs, support is needed to identify relevant pieces of information. In this paper, we present a new phrase-based browser that has its roots in information retrieval, language acquisition and text compression which is refined to work with trace data derived from simulation models. The browser is a new navigation feature of Traviando, a trace visualizer and analyzer for simulation traces. The browsing technique allows a modeler to investigate particular patterns seen in a trace, that may be of interest due to their frequent or rare occurrence. We demonstrate how this approach applies to traces generated with NS2.
Analysis of atherosclerotic plaque formation in artery bifurcations

The role of geometric and fluid-dynamic parameters in atherogenesis is investigated by numerical solution of the relevant steady laminar flow equations, i.e. a finite-element solution of the steady-state 2-D and 3-D Navier-Stokes equations. The flow geometry representing an aortic bifurcation is a two-dimensional symmetric branching channel with and without stenosis. Since carotid flow also remains essentially constant, a three-dimensional tubular geometry is assumed for carotid artery bifurcations. The velocity fields, including reverse-flow regions, pressure profiles, and wall shear-stress distributions for different Reynolds numbers, wall curvatures, and bifurcation angles are of particular interest. The flow analysis is extended to include two new models. One is for the pseudotransient formation of plaque at sites, with deposition rates defined by the physical characteristics of the flow. The other model considers the fluid and the particles as interacting continua and describes the particle trajectories in order to determine the critical 'landing' sites, i.e. the wall areas of plaque formation. The validated computer simulation model is capable of analyzing the fluid-particle dynamics. >
STD Screening, Testing, Case Reporting, and Clinical and Partner Notification Practices: A National Survey of US Physicians

Objectives. This study presents results from a national survey of US physicians that assessed screening, case reporting, partner management, and clinical practices for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV infection. Methods. Surveys were mailed to a random sample of 7300 physicians to assess screening, testing, reporting, and partner notification for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV. Results. Fewer than one third of physicians routinely screened men or women (pregnant or nonpregnant) for STDs. Case reporting was lowest for chlamydia (37%), intermediate for gonorrhea (44%), and higher for syphilis, HIV, and AIDS (53%–57%). Physicians instructed patients to notify their partners (82%–89%) or the health department (25%–34%) rather than doing so themselves. Conclusions. STD screening levels are well below practice guidelines for women and virtually nonexistent for men. Case reporting levels are below those legally mandated; physicians rely instead on patients for partner notification. Health departm...
The transcriptional control region of the human carcinoembryonic antigen gene: DNA sequence and homology studies.

Phage clones containing human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) 5′ flanking sequences were isolated from a chromosome 19 genomic library. The clones were confirmed to contain CEA sequences flanking the CEA transcriptional start site by restriction endonuclease mapping, PCR analysis, and sequence determination. Restriction endonuclease mapping determined that the clones spanned approximately 26 kbp of contiguous sequence from 14 kbp 5′ to 12 kbp 3′ of the CEA transcriptional start. The DNA sequence of a 11, 288 bp Hind III/Sau 3A restriction endonuclease fragment was determined. This sequence extends from 10.7 kbp 5′ to 0.6 kbp 3′ of the transcriptional start. This sequence was analyzed for the presence of consensus transcriptional regulatory sequences, repetitive sequences, and other features. Several transcriptional regulatory consensus sequences were identified. These consensus sequences may have significance for the transcriptional regulation of CEA.
Graph-guided joint prediction of class label and clinical scores for the Alzheimer’s disease

Accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and its prodromal stage, i.e., mild cognitive impairment, is very important for early treatment. Over the last decade, various machine learning methods have been proposed to predict disease status and clinical scores from brain images. It is worth noting that many features extracted from brain images are correlated significantly. In this case, feature selection combined with the additional correlation information among features can effectively improve classification/regression performance. Typically, the correlation information among features can be modeled by the connectivity of an undirected graph, where each node represents one feature and each edge indicates that the two involved features are correlated significantly. In this paper, we propose a new graph-guided multi-task learning method incorporating this undirected graph information to predict multiple response variables (i.e., class label and clinical scores) jointly. Specifically, based on the sparse undirected feature graph, we utilize a new latent group Lasso penalty to encourage the correlated features to be selected together. Furthermore, this new penalty also encourages the intrinsic correlated tasks to share a common feature subset. To validate our method, we have performed many numerical studies using simulated datasets and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative dataset. Compared with the other methods, our proposed method has very promising performance.
The Impact of Conditional Cash Transfers on the Amount and Type of Child Labor

This paper analyzes the impact of conditional cash transfers on the amount and type of child labor in poor households. It first develops a simple theoretical model where child labor and training are chosen to maximize inter-temporal household income, given constraints to social, household, and child endowments. Then, it conducts an empirical analysis using the randomized trial data collected to evaluate the 2006 Nicaragua conditional cash transfer (CCT) program. This social program transferred wealth to poor families in rural areas of the country conditional on children’s school attendance and health check-ups. One-third of the beneficiaries received, in addition, a wealth transfer to begin a non-agricultural business. The paper finds that the CCT program had a selective impact on the volume and quality of child labor, reducing it in the aggregate and steering it toward skill-forming activities. Specifically, the program appears to have reduced child labor for household chores and traditional farming while increasing it for non-traditional activities related to commerce and retail. These require the child to develop basic skills in reading and writing, arithmetic, and interpersonal relationships. Moreover, the paper finds that the source behind the increase in the better-quality type of child labor is not the basic component of the program but distinctively its business-grant intervention.
White-Matter Tract Connecting Anterior Insula to Nucleus Accumbens Correlates with Reduced Preference for Positively Skewed Gambles

Individuals sometimes show inconsistent risk preferences, including excessive attraction to gambles featuring small chances of winning large amounts (called “positively skewed” gambles). While functional neuroimaging research indicates that nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and anterior insula (AIns) activity inversely predict risky choice, structural connections between these regions have not been described in humans. By combining diffusion-weighted MRI with tractography, we identified the anatomical trajectory of white-matter tracts projecting from the AIns to the NAcc and statistically validated these tracts using Linear Fascicle Evaluation (LiFE) and virtual lesions. Coherence of the right AIns-NAcc tract correlated with reduced preferences for positively skewed gambles. Further, diminished NAcc activity during gamble presentation mediated the association between tract structure and choice. These results identify an unreported tract connecting the AIns to the NAcc in humans and support the notion that structural connections can alter behavior by influencing brain activity as individuals weigh uncertain gains against uncertain losses.