cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diffuse esophageal leiomyomatosis: A case report with surgical correlation.

Abstract A 15 year old female with a history only significant for long standing dysphagia and intermittent chest pain underwent a screening chest radiograph. Findings of a large mass prompted cross sectional imaging where extensive and marked diffuse esophageal thickening was demonstrated. The patient ultimately underwent biopsy and surgical resection for diffuse esophageal leiomyomatosis. Diffuse leiomyomatosis of the esophagus has been described in the literature for about 100 years with increasing recognition in more recent times. There is a known association with inherited syndromes such as Alport and Esophageal-Vulvar syndrome, though some cases are sporadic. This case report will demonstrate the imaging features of diffuse esophageal leiomyomatosis utilizing multiple modalities including radiography, fluoroscopy, CT, and MRI, with surgical and pathologic correlation.
Examining vowel nasalization in English word productions of bilingual and monolingual Cajun heritage speakers

One perceived characteristic of Cajun English (CE) spoken in the state of Louisiana is vowel nasalization, which has been attributed to Cajun French (CF) influence and has been reported in oldest generation Cajuns and young generation Cajun men (DuBois and Horvath, 1998, 2000). Previous research involved only CF-CE bilinguals and sociolinguistic coding based on auditory impressions. In this study, acoustic measures were used to investigate vowel nasalization among both CF-CE bilinguals (the oldest generation) and CE monolinguals. Five bilinguals and five monolinguals completed a word-reading task. In 39 monosyllabic words, four vowels occurred in both oral and nasal environments (CVC, CV, CVN). Nasality measures included bandwidth of F1; the difference between F1’s amplitude and the highest of the first or second harmonic (A1-P0); and the difference between F3’s amplitude and P0 (A3-P0). These were identified as most effective to distinguish oral and nasal vowels (Styler, 2017). Results showed that in comparison to monolinguals, vowels produced by bilinguals were more nasalized in both oral and nasal environments. This suggests that the vowel nasalization may be fading in CE, as it is lessened among young monolinguals. The results are discussed in relation to theories regarding cross-linguistic influence in bilingual communities.One perceived characteristic of Cajun English (CE) spoken in the state of Louisiana is vowel nasalization, which has been attributed to Cajun French (CF) influence and has been reported in oldest generation Cajuns and young generation Cajun men (DuBois and Horvath, 1998, 2000). Previous research involved only CF-CE bilinguals and sociolinguistic coding based on auditory impressions. In this study, acoustic measures were used to investigate vowel nasalization among both CF-CE bilinguals (the oldest generation) and CE monolinguals. Five bilinguals and five monolinguals completed a word-reading task. In 39 monosyllabic words, four vowels occurred in both oral and nasal environments (CVC, CV, CVN). Nasality measures included bandwidth of F1; the difference between F1’s amplitude and the highest of the first or second harmonic (A1-P0); and the difference between F3’s amplitude and P0 (A3-P0). These were identified as most effective to distinguish oral and nasal vowels (Styler, 2017). Results showed that in com...
Tempered distributions and Schwartz functions on definable manifolds

Abstract We define the spaces of Schwartz functions, tempered functions and tempered distributions on manifolds definable in polynomially bounded o-minimal structures. We show that all the classical properties that these spaces have in the Nash category, as first studied in Fokko du Cloux's work, also hold in this generalized setting. We also show that on manifolds definable in o-minimal structures that are not polynomially bounded, such a theory can not be constructed. We present some possible applications, mainly in representation theory.
Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Voiding Dysfunction

Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin which is produced by the gram-positive bacteria Clostridium botulinum and has been used for various clinical applications since the 1980s. the toxin exerts its effects at the presynaptic nerve terminals by inhibiting the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Urologists most commonly use botulinum toxin as a therapeutic intervention for patients with bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to idiopathic overactive bladder (OAB) as well as adult neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction after initial therapeutic modalities have failed to improve symptoms. Intradetrusor botulinum toxin injection is very effective in treating OAB symptoms and has shown to improve urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia, and urgency urinary incontinence in clinical trials. Patients with adult neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction also had significant improvements in reducing urgency urinary incontinence episodes as well as significant improvements in quality of life. Despite the drug’s clinical efficacy, patients must be carefully selected for therapy and informed of the risks of the procedure. The most common adverse effects experienced in clinical trials and in clinical practice include urinary tract infection (UTI) and incomplete bladder emptying requiring de novo clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Additionally, patients should be informed of the need to repeat injections in the future to maintain therapeutic efficacy. Injections may be performed using cystoscopic guidance in an office setting for most patients and the procedure is well tolerated using local anesthesia. Patients should be reassessed approximately 2 weeks postinjection to assess their post void residual. Additionally, patients are recommended to follow up approximately 3 months following their initial injection to assess symptom improvement and determine the need for a repeat injection.
Patient perceptions of a tuberculosis testing program provided in the community pharmacy setting.

Abstract Objectives This study sought to describe patient experiences and perceptions of a public health initiative designed to improve tuberculosis (TB) testing access using the tuberculin skin test (TST) in a community pharmacy setting. Study design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods A telephonic survey of patients who had received a TST at one of twelve participating community pharmacies between August 2014 and July 2016 was conducted. The 26-question survey was developed by two pharmacists with expertise in TB management and one pharmacy student. Before administration the survey was peer-reviewed for clarity. Potential study patients were identified through TST records at the study pharmacies. English-speaking patients older than 18 years were eligible for study inclusion. Statistical differences in responses based on location were identified using chi-squared test for frequency comparisons with a P-value of Results A total of 1709 patients received a TST during the study period, of whom 431 were contacted and 325 participated, meeting the predetermined representative sample needed of 314 patients. The majority of study patients were female (67.1%) and white (81%). The mean age was 36 years (standard deviation = 14.1). A majority (68.3%) lived Conclusions Uptake of the TST service in the community pharmacy setting was high and patients reported positive experiences.
"My Life Has Been Just Like a Big Expectation": A Retrospective Reflection of Role Expectations and Mental Health Concerns of Adult Children of Seventh-day Adventist Pastors

This study examines the family and social expectations of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) clergy children, their mental and emotional health concerns, and the relationship between expectations and emotional health. The study used data triangulation from an online survey (N=120) and four focus groups to answer the research questions. The greatest source of concern came from clergy children’s perceptions about was how the people in their parent’s congregation thought they should behave. In addition, results show that the majority of the respondents expressed some level of concern about anxiety/depression or their emotional health. The findings reveal a statistically significant relationship between the expectations that clergy children recalled and the mental and emotional concerns they experienced. Clergy children expected to attend more church services, reported more concerns about their mental and emotional health. These findings provide a call to action for Christian social workers, particularly those engaged in congregational social work.
Post-process annealing of large-scale 3D printed polyphenylene sulfide composites

Abstract Large-scale extrusion-based additive manufacturing of high-performance thermoplastic composites like fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is well-suited for tooling applications to lower manufacturing costs and lead times. Autoclave tooling requires good mechanical performance at temperatures even above the glass transition temperature (Tg). In this work, the authors have investigated a post-process isothermal annealing technique to improve the mechanical properties of various grades of carbon fiber reinforced PPS components printed on the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) system. Since PPS is a semi-crystalline polymer, crystallinity can change during annealing and affect the mechanical properties of the part. In addition, isothermal annealing can also lead to solid-state structural changes in the form of thermal and oxidative branching and/or crosslinking reactions in some grades of PPS which can alter the crystallization process. This work reports the effect of annealing on dynamic mechanical properties of BAAM printed components, along with studies to determine the effect of annealing on crystallinity and the occurrence of oxidative reactions. Results showed that isothermal annealing at 250 °C for 18 h improved the storage modulus of all selected grades (neat and reinforced) of PPS at temperatures above Tg. Annealing led to an overall increase in the degree of crystallinity, with secondary crystallization taking place. Although oxidative structural changes were observed to occur more on the surface of the PPS parts, they primarily influenced the size of crystals formed and did not significantly alter the degree of crystallinity at various regions within the sample.
The Legal Profession's Critical Role in Systems Level Bioenergy Decision-Making

Mounting resource scarcity confronts policymakers to make decisions based on predictions of complex system behavior under conditions of great uncertainty. Nowhere is this more evident than in bioenergy policy, which relies heavily on modeling to determine biofuels’ effects on complex climate, food and natural systems. This article provides a primer on models’ inner workings to facilitate engagement by the legal field so critical in building and applying models, and remedying them when they fail. Any conceptual model cannot predict future reality with accuracy absent accounting for regulatory and litigatory scenarios that only the legal discipline can assess fully. Administrative law and judicial review also can fortify bioenergy modeling by exposing errors in assumptions, parameterization, data, and underlying science, and incorporating iterative feedback loops through adaptive management. Legal processes also reveal societal values and norms inherent in judgments about risk and causation that must occur under the uncertainty and complexity that currently marks bioenergy policymaking.
Development of meat powder from beef byproduct as value-added food ingredient

Abstract Food waste accounts for $161 billion in loss in the US. Meat animal waste and meat products are major contributors to food loss. This study was designed to develop and optimize the process of spray-drying method and evaluate the potential of beef tongue powder as a value-added, multi-purpose food ingredient. To develop and optimize the process of spray-drying, beef tongue was skinned, chopped, micronized, filtered to generate a homogeneous meat slurry. After spray drying, the meat powder properties were characterized for proximate composition, lipid composition, and proteomic profile were evaluated. Our findings indicate that beef tongue powder can be developed by spray-drying and that the beef tongue powder retains both protein and fat content from the raw tongue. Additionally, the results show the presence of native proteins and the retention of unsaturated fatty acids, an abundance of unsaturated fatty acids, and other nutritional elements that could make it a high-quality functional food ingredient. The beef tongue powder will provide a sustainable solution for a meat byproduct to be converted into a value-added food ingredient with potential nutritional and functional application.
In vivo detection of distal tumor glycolytic flux stimulated by hepatic ablation in a breast cancer model using hyperpolarized 13C MRI

Abstract Purpose Hepatic thermal ablation therapy can result in c-Met-mediated off-target stimulation of distal tumor growth. The purpose of this study was to determine if a similar effect on tumor metabolism could be detected in vivo with hyperpolarized 13C MRI. Materials and methods In this prospective study, female Fisher rats (n = 28, 120–150 g) were implanted with R3230 rat breast adenocarcinoma cells and assigned to either: sham surgery, hepatic radiofrequency ablation (RFA), or hepatic RFA + adjuvant c-Met inhibition with PHA-665752 (RFA + PHA). PHA-665752 was administered at 0.83 mg/kg at 24 h post-RFA. Tumor growth was measured daily. MRI was performed 24 h before and 72 h after treatment on 14 rats, and the conversion of 13C-pyruvate into 13C-lactate within each tumor was quantified as lactate:pyruvate ratio (LPR). Comparisons of tumor growth and LPR were performed using paired and unpaired t-tests. Results Hepatic RFA alone resulted in increased growth of the distant tumor compared to sham treatment (0.50 ± 0.13 mm/day versus 0.11 ± 0.07 mm/day; p Conclusion In vivo hyperpolarized 13C MRI can detect hepatic RFA-induced increase in lactate flux within a distant R3230 tumor, which correlates with increased tumor growth. Adjuvant inhibition of c-Met suppresses these off-target effects, supporting a role for the HGF/c-Met signaling axis in these tumorigenic responses.
Eavesdropping in Massive MIMO: New Vulnerabilities and Countermeasures

Massive multiple-input and multiple-output (massive MIMO) has the potential to thwart passive eavesdropping as the signals transmitted by large antenna arrays become highly focused. Indeed, the impact of passive eavesdropping has been shown to be negligible when the base station (BS) antenna size approaches infinity for Rayleigh channels. In this paper, we experimentally explore eavesdropping in massive MIMO incorporating real-world factors including a limited BS antenna array size, potential correlation in over-the-air channels, and adaptation of modulating and coding schemes (MCS) over a discrete and finite set. Using a 96-antenna ArgosV2 BS, we first explore scaling the array size and identify eavesdropper (Eve) advantages due to channel correlation. We next identify the “MCS saturation regime” as a vulnerability even with high SNR due to limited MCS levels, and thereby demonstrating the need for power control as a counter-strategy, especially considering Eve’s advantages in the over-the-air channels. We further demonstrate Eve’s gain in optimizing her position, not only via being nomadic and searching for the most favorable position, but also via exploiting predictable line-of-sight (LoS) positional vulnerabilities. Specifically, we demonstrate Eve’s advantage by simply sharing the elevation angle with Bob in the LoS scenario. Finally, we examine how Eve’s advantage due to channel correlation scales with more eavesdropping antennas.
Small molecules in regeneration

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major clinical and economic problem worldwide and currently there are no effective treatments. Due to the numerous renal insults that lead to AKI and the complexity of injury, many pathways are dysregulated leading to maladaptive repair, which can lead to chronic kidney disease. The focus of this chapter is to illustrate the pathways that play a role in AKI and how small molecules for therapeutic intervention can be utilized to modulate their activity and enhance productive repair. Given the large number of pathways that could be therapeutic targets, we will focus on only a limited number that have shown promising results in the treatment of AKI.
Prognostic and predictive impact of MGMT promoter methylation in grade 3 gliomas.

Abstract Background Grade 3 gliomas are aggressive primary brain tumors. Promoter methylation of methyl guanine methyl transferase (MGMT) has been associated with a favorable prognosis in patients with glioblastoma, but the impact of MGMT promoter methylation in patients with grade 3 gliomas is less clear. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the utilization of MGMT testing in patients with Grade 3 glioma, as well its prognostic and predictive value. Methods The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried (2004–2016) for patients with newly diagnosed grade 3 glioma without 1p19q codeletion. Statistics included Kaplan-Meier overall survival (OS) analysis, along with Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results Of 20,488 total patients, 1,209 (5.0%) had MGMT testing. Of these patients, 561 (46.4%) were MGMT methylated (mMGMT), and 648 (53.6%) were MGMT unmethylated (uMGMT). mMGMT patients experienced greater median overall survival (OS) than both uMGMT patients as well as patients with no MGMT status reported (p Conclusions This is the largest study to date describing the utilization of and outcomes for mMGMT patients with grade 3 glioma. The present results demonstrate that mMGMT is a prognostic factor and possibly a predictive biomarker, and is currently under-utilized within the US. MGMT methylation status could be used to risk-stratify and select patients for treatment intensification. Importance of study The present study is the largest of its kind to examine the prognostic and predictive impact of MGMT methylation (mMGMT) amongst patients with Grade 3 Glioma. The results suggest that mMGMT is prognostic, as amongst all patients, mMGMT was associated with improved overall survival. These results also suggest that mMGMT is predictive, as patients treated with adjuvant chemoradiation or adjuvant radiation therapy did have improved overall survival with mMGMT, though there was no difference in overall survival observes amongst patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy or those patients receiving no adjuvant treatment. The study also found that only 5% of patients nationwide with Grade 3 Glioma are tested for MGMT.
ERUPTIVE XANTHOMAS: IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNITION TO REDUCE DELAY OF EFFECTIVE TRIGLYCERIDE REDUCTION.

Abstract Eruptive xanthomas are localized lipid deposits in the dermis and an important early clue to severe hypertriglyceridemia. These small erythematous or yellow papules that localize to the extensor surfaces of extremities, buttocks, and the back, are often overlooked during routine visits secondary to poor familiarity and limited skin examinations. We present three cases of patients with eruptive xanthomas and severe hypertriglyceridemia who underwent skin biopsy and waited weeks to years before receiving effective treatment. We suggest the following to minimize the delay between presentation and effective management. First, perform a comprehensive skin exam. Second, be mindful of the association between metabolic syndrome and/or diabetes with severe hypertriglyceridemia. Third, evaluate the Four D's of secondary hypertriglyceridemia: Diet/Lifestyle, Drugs/Medications, and Diseases/Disorders of metabolism. Finally, initiate effective treatment promptly after recognition. This includes beginning with a minimal fat diet and appropriate pharmacological intervention to control triglycerides as outlined in recent guidelines 1 , 2 .
Phenomena of Formation of Gas Induced Shrinkage Porosity in Pressure Die-Cast Mg-Alloys

It is usually believed that formation of gas and shrinkage porosity has different dependencies on the process conditions, and consequently, the gas and shrinkage pores are usually regarded as independent microstructural features. In this contribution, it is shown that in high-pressure die-castings, gas pores can lead to the formation of shrinkage porosity under specific conditions. This is because the air/gas in the gas pores is an efficient heat-insulating medium. Therefore, presence of gas porosity can retard heat transfer in the liquid melt as compared to similar regions without gas porosity. Consequently, the local solidification rate is lower in such regions, leading to shrinkage porosity formation. Two and three-dimensional (3D) microstructural observations using digital image analysis and numerical simulation for heat transfer support such a hypothesis. Finite element (FE)-based simulations have also been performed on the 3D microstructures to reveal the variations of local stresses caused by gas induced shrinkage porosity.
Functions of very distal dendrites: experimental and computational studies of layer 1 synapses on neocortical pyramidal cells

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews an approach that combines quantitative morphology, physiology, and computational analysis to understandthe functions of a complex synaptic–neuronal interaction in the cortex. A variation of the in vitro slice of rat somatosensory neocortex examines the effectiveness of layer 1 inputs to pyramidal cells whose bodies lie 0.5–1 mm deeper, in layers 3 or 5. The horizontal fibers in layer 1 (HL1) were isolated by disconnecting all deeper horizontal fibers with a cut perpendicular to the surface, extending from just below layer 1 downward through subcortical white matter and Layer 1 was stimulated on one side of the cut and the response mediated by HL1 fibers passing to the other side was recorded extracellularly and intracellularly. Backward cortico–cortical projections, which end largely on distal apical dendrites in layer 1, are important for higher cortical functions. By isolating horizontal afferents to layer 1 in an in vitro neocortical slice, layer 1 synapses can strongly excite pyramidal cells as deep as layer 5b.
Weak Interaction Studies Using Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy

Important developments in laser sources for the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) region of the spectrum are making it possible to carry out resonance ionization [for a review, see Ref.1] of some of the noble gases. It has already been shown that xenon can be ionized in a two-photon allowed excitation from the ground state. Recently a new method of generating radiation by four-wave mixing in mercury vapor[2] enables excitation of xenon in a one-photon resonance process. With these new laser sources[3] we expect to have effective ionization volumes of 10-3-10-2 cm3 for the cases of argon, krypton, and xenon. This has important consequences in weak interaction physics and environmental research.
Rehabilitation Stocking of Walleyes and Lake Trout: Restoration of Reproducing Stocks in Michigan Waters of Lake Huron

AbstractLake Trout Salvelinus namaycush and Walleye Sander vitreus, native keystone predators of the upper Great Lakes, were nearly extirpated from Lake Huron in the 1940s. Efforts to restore these species in the Great Lakes constitute one of North American's largest-scaled native keystone predator recovery projects. From 1973 to 2012 nearly 49 million yearling-equivalent Lake Trout and 21 million spring-fingerling Walleyes were stocked in western Lake Huron. We used assessment catch rates and biological data, statistical catch-at-age models, and harvest statistics to evaluate whether the objectives of rehabilitation stocking and management have been achieved in the Main Basin of Lake Huron, with emphasis on the period from 2003 to 2012. Key measures of progress were the biomass of older, spawning stock and evidence of natural reproduction. Until 2000, excessive Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus– and fishing-induced mortality caused few Lake Trout to survive to spawning age. Lake Trout broodstock biomass ros...
Anomalous Offspring and Growth of Wistar Rats Maintained on a Deficient Diet.

SummaryGross anatomical malformations can be induced in approximately one-third of the offspring of Wistar rats, if they are fed a deficient diet after maturity. In agreement with previous reports,...
Mass Nouns in a Logic of Classes as Many

A semantic analysis of mass nouns is given in terms of a logic of classes as many. In previous work it was shown that plural reference and predication for count nouns can be interpreted within this logic of classes as many in terms of the subclasses of the classes that are the extensions of those count nouns. A brief review of that account of plurals is given here and it is then shown how the same kind of interpretation can also be given for mass nouns.
Minitrack: Persistent Conversation 8: Design and Analysis of CMC Systems

Persistent conversation is human-to-human interaction carried out over computer networks; it is produced by typing, speaking, or other means. Unlike face-to-face conversation, however, it leaves a trace-in the form of text on a computer screen, sound files, etc. that persists for varying amounts of time. Examples of persistent conversation include interactions carried out via group chat, IM, texting, MUDs, email, newsgroups, web boards, blogs, wikis, 3-D virtual environments, and other digital media.
Performance evaluation of a make-tO-stock production line with a two-parameter-per-machine policy: the control point policy

This paper presents a decomposition method for evaluating the performance of a production line with finite buffers controlled by the Control Point Policy (CPP), a policy with two parameters per machine. (One parameter is the buffer size; the other is a local hedging point.) Policies with two parameters per machine show very good performance while remaining simple to use. However, decomposition methods have not yet been developed for their analysis. We consider a production line, with exponentially distributed processing, failure, and repair times, controlled by a CPP. We decompose this line into two-machine CPP-controlled lines, which considerably simplifies the decomposition equations. Furthermore, the information loops are then included in the building blocks, and can be solved numerically. A numerical study shows that the method is accurate.
Ultrasonic Atomization Studies

Atomization of selected fluids has been observed to occur in a capillary at various resonance heights of the standing ultrasonic wave in the fluid. The length of fogging has been observed to be a function of the voltage applied to the transducer producing the ultrasonic wave in the fluid. A theoretical analysis is given to explain the experimental results obtained.
Synthesis and electrochemical investigation of oligo-(arylenevinylenes) intended for the preparation of two-dimensional polymer networks

Four phenylenevinylene oligomers (1/4 )h ave been synthesized and characterized by cyclic voltammetry, absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL). Two of the oligomers contain a tri-substituted central benzene ring, while one contains a tetrasubstituted central ring. These oligomers were prepared in an effort to increase hole and electron mobility in organic materials via extension of conjugation to two dimensions. Optical and electrochemical evidence is given for significant interactions of the alkoxysubstituted styryl units of 3 that are attached to the central benzene ring in meta positions. The tetra-substituted oligomer (4) also exhibits strong interactions between the pair of para substituted arms. The photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield for the tetrasubstituted oligomer is high, indicating that it is an excellent candidate for the active layer in organic light-emitting diodes. # 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Simulations of Concentrated Suspensions of Semirigid Fibers: Effect of Bending on the Rotational Diffusivity

Brownian dynamics simulations of the behavior of semirigid polymers demonstrate that small deviations from rigid models affect the dynamics of rod suspensions and that the dynamics are sensitive to the hydrodynamic model. Simulations were performed with two models having different short-time diffusivities. The first was a slender-body dimer model, where two rigid slender-bodies are joined at their ends, and the second was a three-bead trimer model where the beads are connected by rigid rods. A potential was applied to hinder the bending of the rods. An aspect ratio (rod length over diameter) of 50 was used for all simulations, and an excluded volume potential was used to prevent the rods from crossing one another. Simulations of systems of stiff rods which are not quite rigid show a delayed onset of semidilute behavior in comparison to simulations of rigid rod systems, with different hydrodynamic models providing different power-law scalings of the rotational diffusivities within the semidilute concentrat...
Evaluation of hippocampus dose for patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective:To evaluate the dose received by the hippocampus among patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal cancer.Methods:10 patients with biopsy-proven, locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer constituted the study population. The total prescribed dose to the planning target volume (PTV) was 70 Gy (D95%) delivered in 2.12-Gy daily fractions using IMRT. Using established anatomical guidelines, MRI co-registration and the assistance of a board-certified neuroradiologist, the right and left hippocampi were delineated on axial imaging from the CT scan obtained at simulation for each patient beginning at the most anterior portion of the lateral ventricle. IMRT treatment plans were generated without dose–volume constraints to the hippocampus. A range of dose–volume statistics was calculated.Results:The mean hippocampus volume was 6.01 ± 2.61 cm3. The mean V20 was 72.2%; V40 was 22.0%; V50 was 10.2%; and V60 was 5.5%. The average mean, minimum and maximum hippocampus doses we...
Spreading disease: integro-differential equations old and new

We investigate an integro-differential equation for a disease spread by the dispersal of infectious individuals and compare this to Mollison's [Adv. Appl. Probab. 4 (1972) 233; D. Mollison, The rate of spatial propagation of simple epidemics, in: Proc. 6th Berkeley Symp. on Math. Statist. and Prob., vol. 3, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1972, p. 579; J. R. Statist. Soc. B 39 (3) (1977) 283] model of a disease spread by non-local contacts. For symmetric kernels with moment generating functions, spreading infectives leads to faster traveling waves for low rates of transmission, but to slower traveling waves for high rates of transmission. We approximate the shape of the traveling waves for the two models using both piecewise linearization and a regular-perturbation scheme.
A strategy to increase the number of urban family practice resident physicians who enter rural practice.

: Physician geographic maldistribution is a problem in the United States health care system. Innovative strategies are needed to entice resident family physicians training in the larger, more numerous suburban and urban training programs to practice in rural areas upon completing their training. This paper describes a strategy used at St. Elizabeth Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program, Dayton, OH, to encourage rural practice. In the St. Elizabeth plan, the interested family practice resident moonlights in a rural practice provided by the local county hospital. The county medical staff covers the resident physician's practice during the frequent absences. The residency program faculty provide on-site supervision, telephone back-up coverage, and practice consultation. The county hospital provides billing services; the resident physician retains 100 percent of collections. The resident physician gains exposure to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed in rural practice. Upon completion of residency training, the physician remains in practice and is not required to pay back any expenses incurred by the hospital. Two resident physicians participate currently; three others have expressed interest in practicing in the community. A similar plan might work in parts of the United States where, like Ohio, training programs and rural communities are not far apart.
Thermodynamics of complex nonpolar liquids: Part 1: Pure components

Abstract A semi-empirical partition function is established for representing the configurational properties of nonpolar liquids. The partition function is appli The partition function reproduces with good accuracy saturated liquid volumes, compressibilities, vapor pressures and energies of vaporisation.
Natural Tritium Measurements by Ethane Counting

A method is described for the synthesis of ethane from hydrogen that is at present used for the counting of low-level tritium activity at the La Jolla tritium laboratory. The reaction procedure is simple and involves the mixing of the hydrogen with acetylene over a colloidal palladium catalyst. Counting characteristics of ethane are found to be ideal. With a 1-liter counter filled to three atmospheres of ethane, only a tenfold tritium enrichment is necessary in order to obtain a sensitivity of 0.32 counts per minute per tritium unit.
Flow-dependent pulmonary vasodilation during acute unilateral pulmonary artery occlusion in Jungle Fowl

Giant Jungle Fowl previously were shown to be highly resistant to the onset of pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS, ascites) under conditions that induce a substantial incidence of PHS in broiler chickens. In the present study, lightly anesthetized, clinically healthy 12- to 13-wk-old male Giant Jungle Fowl maintained a lower respiratory rate, a similar hematocrit, and superior arterial blood gas values when compared with 6-wk-old male broilers. Giant Jungle Fowl weighed less than broilers (1,860 +/- 19 vs 2,788 +/- 63 g, respectively) and had equivalent absolute values for pulmonary arterial pressure, cardiac output, and pulmonary vascular resistance. Acute unilateral pulmonary artery occlusion in Giant Jungle Fowl doubled the pulmonary vascular resistance and forced the right ventricle to propel a sustained 60% increase in blood flow through the vasculature of the unoccluded lung. A transient increase in pulmonary arterial pressure initially was required to overcome the vascular resistance of the unoccluded lung; however, flow-dependent vasodilation gradually reduced the pulmonary vascular resistance and permitted pulmonary arterial pressure to return toward control levels. Unilateral pulmonary artery occlusion also triggered an immediate reduction in the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood, and the gradual return of pulmonary arterial pressure toward control levels did not eliminate this ventilation-perfusion mismatch, which has been attributed to blood flowing too rapidly through the unoccluded lung to permit diffusive gas equilibration. The inherent capacity for flow-dependent pulmonary vasodilation may reduce the susceptibility of Giant Jungle Fowl to PHS by reducing the increment in pulmonary arterial pressure required to propel an elevated blood flow through the lungs.
Multiauthorship, an Indicator of the Trend Toward Team Research in Ecology

Older scientists are aware that before World War II most research was published by single authors, whereas since then the trend has been toward team research and multiauthored papers. We have investigated this trend in ecology by counting the number of research articles with 1 author, and with 2, 3, 4, 5, and more than 5 authors, in the British Journal of Ecology and the American Ecology since the latter began in 1920. They exhibit similar patterns, which we show decade by decade.
Explicit solutions of Fisher's equation for a special wave speed

The travelling waves for Fisher's equation are shown to be of a simple nature for the special wave speeds $$c = \pm 5/\sqrt {(6)} $$ . In this case the equation is shown to be of Painleve type, i.e. solutions admit only poles as movable singularities. The general solution for this wave speed is found and a method is presented that can be applied to the solution of other nonlinear equations of biological and physical interest.
The politics of US energy policy

Abstract Worldwide concern for a shift in US energy policy is well placed - the USA's per capita energy consumption is eight times the world average and three times that of the richest economies in Western Europe. President Carter saw the National Energy Plan as a vital priority for the first year of his administration, yet the US Congress, though largely agreeing with the value of the plan, has refused to endorse it. Optimism about US energy supply and the end of the recession has made the US public complacement about the need for burdensome legislation. This article analyses the political idealogies and the business attitudes underlying the Congressional statement that pr prevails over the most important elements of the NEP.
Collapse Analysis: Large Inelastic Deformations Analysis of Planar Frames

In an attempt to trace the collapse of structures in seismic events, this paper discusses an alternative approach to the formulation and solution of the large deformation inelastic problem in planar frame structures. A beam–column element that includes the effect of geometric and material nonlinearities is developed using the flexibility approach. The formulation uses force interpolation functions and the principle of virtual forces in rate form. It is formulated in the context of the state space approach, where the global system of conservation equations and the local constitutive equations are solved simultaneously. The differential-algebraic system solver is used to solve the resulting system of equations. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the functionality of the analysis using the newly formulated approach.
A comparative study of discrete, semicontinuous, and continuous hidden Markov models

Abstract In this paper, we first extended the semicontinuous hidden Markov model to incorporate multiple code-books. The robustness of the semicontinuous output probability is enhanced by the combination of multiple codewords and multiple codebooks. In addition, we compared the semicontinuous model with the continuous mixture model and the discrete model in a large-vocabulary speaker-independent continuous speech recognition (DARPA resource management) task. The model assumption and parameter size issues are addressed in particular through these experiments. When the acoustic parameters are not well modelled by the continuous probability density, the model assumption problems may cause the recognition accuracy of the semicontinuous model or the continuous mixture model to be inferior to the discrete model. We also found that the SCHMM can have a large number of free parameters in comparison with the discrete HMM because of its smoothing ability. With explicit male and female clustered models and for conditional feature sets, we were able to reduce the error rate of discrete-model-based SPHINX by more than 20%.
Informed consent, comparative effectiveness, and learning health care.

The authors argue that in a learning health care system with ethically robust oversight policies, a streamlined consent process could replace formal written informed-consent procedures for many studies, and patient consent would not be required at all for some trials.
Probing the reaction mechanism of spore photoproduct lyase (SPL) via diastereoselectively labeled dinucleotide SP TpT substrates

5-Thyminyl-5,6-dihydrothymine (commonly called spore photoproduct or SP) is the exclusive DNA photodamage product in bacterial endospores. It is generated in the bacterial sporulation phase and repaired by a radical SAM enzyme, spore photoproduct lyase (SPL), at the early germination phase. SPL utilizes a special [4Fe-4S] cluster to reductively cleave S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to generate a reactive 5'-dA radical. The 5'-dA radical is proposed to abstract one of the two H-atoms at the C6 carbon of SP to initiate the repair process. Via organic synthesis and DNA photochemistry, we selectively labeled the 6-H(proS) or 6-H(proR) position with a deuterium in a dinucleotide SP TpT substrate. Monitoring the deuterium migration in enzyme catalysis (employing Bacillus subtilis SPL) revealed that it is the 6-H(proR) atom of SP that is abstracted by the 5'-dA radical. Surprisingly, the abstracted deuterium was not returned to the resulting TpT after enzymatic catalysis; an H-atom from the aqueous buffer was incorporated into TpT instead. This result questions the currently hypothesized SPL mechanism which excludes the involvement of protein residue(s) in SPL reaction, suggesting that some protein residue(s), which is capable of exchanging a proton with the aqueous buffer, is involved in the enzyme catalysis. Moreover, evidence has been obtained for a possible SAM regeneration after each catalytic cycle; however, such a regeneration process is more complex than currently thought, with one or even more protein residues involved as well. These observations have enabled us to propose a modified reaction mechanism for this intriguing DNA repair enzyme.
Mutation in the CSB gene in a patient with Cerebro-Oculo-Facio-Skeletal syndrome

Cerebro-Oculo-Facio-Skeletal (COFS) syndrome is an autosomal recessive multiple malformation syndrome with congenital microcephaly, microphthalmia and cataracts, characteristic facial features, camptodactyly and rocker-bottom feet. Survival is usually less than 5 years. Cockayne syndrome is an autosomal recessive condition with dwarfism, precocious senile appearance, eye abnormalities and mental retardation. Features are usually not apparent until 2-4 years of age. Two complementation groups have been identified (CS-A and CS-B) and both genes have been characterized. There is an early onset form of Cockayne syndrome (EOCS) and it has been suggested that EOCS and COFS may be the same condition. Recently a mutation in the CSB gene has been reported in two related patients with the COFS phenotype. We describe a patient with congenital microcephaly, microphthalmia, prominent nose, micrognathia, large ears, small mouth with upper lip overlapping lower lip, joint contractures, rockerbottom feet, congenital cataracts, and profound growth and developmental retardation. At age 2 years 10 months she developed seizures, proteinuria, and acute renal failure and died. The family history is notable for a female sibling with identical clinical features who died at age 3 of nephrotic syndrome. There is no reported consanguinity. DNA sequence analysis of the CSB gene in fibroblasts from this patient revealed a homozygous 177 bp deletion in exon 10. This is a different mutation than that previously reported in COFS syndrome and provides further evidence that COFS syndrome is caused by mutations in the CSB gene. Patients identified with the COFS phenotype should have UV sensitivity studies and analysis of the CSB gene; identification of a mutation would provide a method for prenatal diagnosis in subsequent pregnancies and for carrier testing.
Functional receptor for platelet-derived growth factor in rat embryonic heart-derived myocytes: role of sequestered Ca2+ stores in receptor signaling and antagonism by arginine vasopressin.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is established to function importantly in the growth, development, and function of most cardiovascular tissues. However, evidence that the factor participates directly in the growth and development of the mammalian myocardium is lacking. H9c2 rat embryonic ventricular myocytes were found to respond to PDGF-BB with a rapid mobilization of cell-associated Ca2+ and increased rates of protein synthesis, followed by markedly increased rates of DNA synthesis. PDGF acted as a full mitogen for these myocytes. Evidence is provided that documents the expression of classical PDGF-β, but not PDGF-α, receptors in H9c2 cells. Scatchard analysis revealed the presence of 44,000 β-receptors per myocyte. Cell shortening and clustering of plasmalemmal β-receptors occurred within 30 min of exposure to PDGF-BB. Treatment was also associated with a transient increase in the rate of synthesis of GRP78/BiP, consistent with a transitory release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum [S(E)R]. Increased rates of protein synthesis at early times of PDGF treatment were additive with those occurring in response to arginine vasopressin, indicating different mechanisms of translational upregulation by these agents. The mitogenic effects of PDGF were delayed by vasopressin, which causes H9c2 myocytes to undergo hypertrophy while promoting the persistent depletion of S(E)R Ca2+ stores. In the presence of PDGF, vasopressin did not induce hypertrophy. As compared to untreated myocytes, DNA synthesis in PDGF-treated myocytes was optimized at lower extracellular Ca2+ concentrations and was significantly less sensitive to inhibition by ionomycin. H9c2 cells appear to provide a useful embryonic cardiomyocyte model in which to examine both PDGF-activated proliferative and vasopressin-activated hypertrophic events and the importance of transient vs. sustained Ca2+ release in these events. J. Cell. Biochem. 84: 736–749, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Not just slow: double trouble.

D T i m e c s d s l e RESENTATION 65-year-old woman complaining of severe weakness and ightheadedness with very near syncope was brought to the mergency department. These symptoms had been noticed ver the previous day. Although her past medical history ncluded hypertension, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, and astroesophageal reflux, she was not taking any regular edications. Her vital signs included a blood pressure of 51/78 mm Hg with a heart rate of 30 beats per minute.
Adjusting Rates of Homicide Clearance by Arrest for Investigation Difficulty: Modeling Incident- and Jurisdiction-Level Obstacles

Scholars have criticized the use of homicide clearance rates to measure police performance, as many incident- and jurisdiction-level characteristics beyond police control influence these rates. The current study estimated adjusted measures and rates of homicide arrest clearance, accounting for jurisdictional and incident characteristics related to investigation difficulty, for 85 agencies. Comparing agencies’ raw and adjusted measures indicates that 16% would be miscategorized as being above or below average in performance if the assessment of performance used raw rates. Adjusted homicide clearance rates, while not a singular indicator of overall success, offer a better police agency performance measure than raw rates.
Double Helix at Atomic Resolution

The sodium salt of the dinucleoside phosphate adenosyl-3′,5′-uridine phosphate crystallizes in the form of a right handed antiparallel double helix with Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding between uracil and adenine. A sodium ion is located in the minor groove of the helix complexed to both uracil rings.
Architectonics of Proportion: A Shape Grammatical Depiction of Classical Theory:

A shape-grammatical interpretation is given for the anthyphairetic procedures of Platonic mathematics.
The paired-pulse index: A measure of hippocampal dentate granule cell modulation

This study was undertaken to assess whether the paired-pulse index (PPI) is an effective measure of the modulation of dentate granule cell excitability during normal development. Paired-pulse stimulations of the perforant path were, therefore, used to construct a PPI for 15-, 30-, and 90-day old, freely moving male rats. Significant age-dependent differences in the PPI were obtained. Fifteen-day old rats showed significantly less inhibition at short interpulse intervals [interpulse interval (IPI): 20 to 30 msec), a lack of facilitation at intermediate IPIs (50 to 150 msec), and significantly less inhibition at longer IPIs (300 to 1,000 msec) than adults.