cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Status of mammography after the Digital Mammography Imaging Screening Trial: digital versus film.

: Well-publicized results of the recent Digital Mammography Imaging Screening Trial (DMIST) have again shown that there is no clear advantage in mammographic screening of the general population with digital versus film mammography. However, several subgroups—women less than 50 years old, pre- or perimenopausal, and denser breasts—did better with digital mammography than with film. Data also suggest that women with the opposite characteristics might do better with film mammography. This article reviews the data of the four studies comparing digital and film mammographic screening. In addition, it describes the technology involved in the two types of mammographic image capture, the advantages and disadvantages of each type of imaging, and the future possibilities opened by digital technique. Because less than one-tenth of mammography units in use in the United States are digital, the availability of this technology to women undergoing screening and to physicians referring patients to screening sites is very limited. The author suggests that the quality of mammography, rather than the technique used to capture the image, is more important in selecting a mammography facility. For those who have a facility that offers both digital and film mammography, consultation on which type of imaging might be better for an individual woman would be appropriate. Because digital mammography from different manufacturers is based on differing technologies and because data comparing the advantages or disadvantages of these differing types of equipment are not available, it is impossible to recommend which type of digital mammography equipment is best for those undergoing mammography with these types of units.
Antagonistic Effect of Calcium in Serum on the Activity of Tobramycin Against Pseudomonas

Physiological concentrations of calcium in serum antagonize the activities of colistin, polymyxin B, and gentamicin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Studies were carried out to determine whether tobramycin, a new aminoglycoside antibiotic, is also antagonized by calcium. The activity of tobramycin in vitro was shown to be antagonized by human serum and by physiological concentrations of calcium. The addition of human serum in broth-dilution tests produced a fourfold rise in the minimal inhibitory concentrations of tobramycin for five strains of Pseudomonas. In disc diffusion tests, the addition of calcium to the agar significantly decreased the size of inhibition zones, and the addition of a chelating agent to the agar increased the zone sizes. In a limited comparative study, tobramycin and gentamicin were tested against both light and heavy bacterial inocula of two strains of Pseudomonas. Tobramycin appeared to be antagonized less by serum than was gentamicin at equal antibiotic concentrations.
The Reliability and Specificity of Delta Versus Residualized Change as Measures of Cardiovascular Reactivity to Behavioral Challenges

The statistical parameters that influence the reliability of delta and residualized change were examined in the context of the assessment of cardiovascular reactivity. A comparison of the relative reliabilities of these two quantification methods was performed using systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate data from two samples of 134 and 109 subjects observed during baseline and either two or four behavioral challenges. The results indicated that both delta and residualized change scores can yield reliable measures of blood pressure and heart rate reactivity to behavioral challenges, and that their reliabilities will be comparable under the conditions observed in laboratory reactivity studies. Correlations between baseline and delta did not indicate that these two measures were systematically related. Finally, delta scores are more appropriate than residuals when assessing the generalizability of responses across a variety of tasks.
Transcranial Doppler monitoring after embolization of an unruptured left paraclinoid aneurysm led to detection of subarachnoid hemorrhage

A 46-year-old man who presented with an unruptured left paraclinoid aneurysm was treated via endovascular embolization using Guglielmi detachable coils, obtaining its complete exclusion. Within 5 hours, the patient developed a transient mild headache and moderate speech difficulty. CT scans revealed a left temporal ischemic area. Continuous transcranial Doppler monitoring was initiated. Eighteen hours after embolization, the patient developed a mild headache associated with a transient decrease in consciousness, while the diastolic blood flow velocity decreased and the pulsatility index increased in the left middle cerebral artery. These changes prompted us to perform CT, which revealed a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Angiograms demonstrated partial revascularization of the newly embolized aneurysm. The patient underwent a second embolization procedure with additional coils for complete exclusion of the aneurysm. His postoperative course was uneventful, with no additional neurological deficits. Although TCD monitoring is not recommended as a routine procedure in such cases, and experimental studies are needed to evaluate the possible risk of rebleeding in this specific setting, it could be used to detect the hemodynamic consequences of an acute increase in intracranial pressure, as in patients at risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage after endovascular treatment.
Preoperative weight gain might increase risk of gastric bypass surgery.

Abstract Background Weight loss improves the cardiovascular and metabolic risk associated with obesity. However, insufficient data are available about the health effects of weight gain, separate from the obesity itself. We sought to determine whether the changes in body weight before open gastric bypass surgery (OGB) would have a significant effect on the immediate perioperative hospital course. Methods A retrospective chart review of 100 consecutive patients was performed to examine the effects of co-morbidities and body weight changes in the immediate preoperative period on the hospital length of stay and the rate of admission to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Results Of our class III obese patients undergoing OGB, 95% had ≥1 co-morbid condition and an overall SICU admission rate of 18%. Compared with the patients with no perioperative SICU admission, the patients admitted to the SICU had a greater degree of insulin resistance (homeostatic model analysis–insulin resistance 10.8 ± 1.3 versus 5.9 ± 0.5, P = .001), greater serum triglyceride levels (225 ± 47 versus 143 ± 8 mg/dL, P = .003), and had gained more weight preoperatively (.52 ± .13 versus .06 ± .06 lb/wk, P = .003). The multivariate analyses showed that preoperative weight gain was a risk factor for a longer length of stay and more SICU admissions lasting ≥3 days, as were a diagnosis of sleep apnea and an elevated serum triglyceride concentration. Conclusion The results of the present retrospective study suggest that weight gain increases the risk of perioperative SICU admission associated with OGB, independent of the body mass index. Sleep apnea and elevated serum triglyceride levels were also important determinants of perioperative morbidity. In view of the increasing epidemic of obesity and the popularity of bariatric surgical procedures, we propose that additional clinical and metabolic research focusing on the understanding of the complex relationship among obesity, positive energy balance, weight gain, and perioperative morbidity is needed.
Enhanced quantitative analysis of resist image contrast upon line-edge roughness (LER)

Correlations between LER and various types of aerial image contrast were examined for three different commercial resists. LER was more tightly correlated with the standard (max-min) definition of contrast than with the others examined, suggesting that background flare is most accountable for aerial image profile-induced LER. The relationship was nearly inverse, with LER proportional to α (contrast)-0.85. In the latter portion of this paper, an image deblurring technique to recover more accurate LER data from SEM images was devised. This technique showed that, at times, LER can vary significantly before and after deblurring. Some initial tests to prove the validity of this LER measurement enhancement technique were performed, all with positive results.
Pharmacologically Distinct Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Drive Efferent-Mediated Excitation in Calyx-Bearing Vestibular Afferents

Electrical stimulation of vestibular efferent neurons rapidly excites the resting discharge of calyx/dimorphic (CD) afferents. In turtle, this excitation arises when acetylcholine (ACh), released from efferent terminals, directly depolarizes calyceal endings by activating nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs). Although molecular biological data from the peripheral vestibular system implicate most of the known nAChR subunits, specific information about those contributing to efferent-mediated excitation of CD afferents is lacking. We sought to identify the nAChR subunits that underlie the rapid excitation of CD afferents and whether they differ from α9α10 nAChRs on type II hair cells that drive efferent-mediated inhibition in adjacent bouton afferents. We recorded from CD and bouton afferents innervating the turtle posterior crista during electrical stimulation of vestibular efferents while applying several subtype-selective nAChR agonists and antagonists. The α9α10 nAChR antagonists, α-bungarotoxin and α-conotoxin RgIA, blocked efferent-mediated inhibition in bouton afferents while leaving efferent-mediated excitation in CD units largely intact. Conversely, 5-iodo-A-85380, sazetidine-A, varenicline, α-conotoxin MII, and bPiDDB (N,N-dodecane-1,12-diyl-bis-3-picolinium dibromide) blocked efferent-mediated excitation in CD afferents without affecting efferent-mediated inhibition in bouton afferents. This pharmacological profile suggested that calyceal nAChRs contain α6 and β2, but not α9, nAChR subunits. Selective blockade of efferent-mediated excitation in CD afferents distinguished dimorphic from calyx afferents by revealing type II hair cell input. Dimorphic afferents differed in having higher mean discharge rates and a mean efferent-mediated excitation that was smaller in amplitude yet longer in duration. Molecular biological data demonstrated the expression of α9 in turtle hair cells and α4 and β2 in associated vestibular ganglia.
Reoccupying Metaphor: On the Legitimacy of the Nonconceptual

Hans Blumenberg’s magisterial defense of modernity against the reproach of secularization, elaborated most extensively in The Legitimacy of the Modern Age (1966, 1974), develops both a distinctive method of philosophical history and the groundwork of a philosophical anthropology, predicated on the emergence of human self-assertion as theoretical curiosity. But as Blumenberg’s work attests more generally, this argument both devolves on and comprises an excursion into metaphorology, transposing the grounds of legitimation from dialectic to rhetoric. This paper explores the implications of such a metaphorical transfer, suggesting that Blumenberg not only presupposes a cryptic mode of poetics, but also (against its own anthropological intention) invests that poetics with the power to negate the category of the human as such.
Small-angle X-ray reflectivity of Co/Cu superlattices and other low-contrast multilayers: The influence of dispersion

Abstract The inner interfaces of many magnetic multilayer systems give relatively small X-ray diffraction contrast, because their constituents have similar electron densities. This enhances the influence on the diffraction patterns of differences in absorption (i.e., in the imaginary parts of the scattering factor). As an example we consider Co/Cu superlattices that have been widely studied because of their large magnetoresistance. We show that small-angle reflection X-ray diffraction patterns from these structures are much influenced by the effects of dispersion when CuKα radiation is used. At this wavelength the Fresnel coefficient for reflection at the Co/Cu interfaces is dominated by the difference in the imaginary parts of the refractive indices. This leads to asymmetric superlattice reflections that correspond to the lack of a center of symmetry in the superlattice unit cell. The diffraction patterns show obvious differences depending on whether the X-ray beam encounters the structure | Cu | Co | Cu | Co | ⋯ or its mirror image | Co | Cu | Co | Cu | ⋯. The predicted asymmetric diffraction patterns are confirmed by measurements of Co/Cu superlattices on Si substrates. There is evidence for similar asymmetric behavior with NiO/CoO and Fe/Cr superlattices, even though the interfacial contrast in the latter system is dominated by the difference in the real parts of the refractive indices.
Evolution of Regulatory Standards of Interference

This paper traces the development of interference regulations from the original requirement that waves be pure and sharp to the present complex formula for attenuation of spurious emissions. It also shows how different philosophies of regulation developed. In broadcasting, the regulations grew up around the concept of a "protected service area." In the communication service, on the other hand, regulations developed in the direction of limiting the bandwidth and confining emissions within the authorized band. The paper also traces the history of ISM regulation with its philosophy of assigned frequencies on which unlimited radiation is permitted with an associated requirement for severe limitation of radiation on other frequencies. It also discusses the "low-power rules" which establish the conditions under which low-power equipment may be operated without becoming a source of interference. The paper describes briefly the voluntary work in this area by industry, and touches on local regulations concerning interference.
Differentiation of inks by electrochromatophoresis

The recently described technique for electrochromatophoresis was applied to the identification of inks; the apparatus was also used for testing inks by simple chromatography. A total of twentythree inks tested were all clearly distinguishable by their patterns. The combination of Chromatographic with electrophoretic separation yielded greater separation and more detailed patterns than other techniques.
Increased transcription decreases the spontaneous mutation rate at the thymidine kinase locus in human cells.

Transcription increases DNA repair efficiency and modulates the distribution of certain types of DNA damage. Furthermore, increased transcription level stimulates spontaneous mutation rate in yeast. We explored whether transcription level affects spontaneous mutation rate in human cells. We first developed two thymidine kinase (tk) inducible human cell lines using the Gal4-Estrogen receptor system. In our TK6i-G3 and G9 tk heterozygous cell lines, the active tk allele is linked to an inducible promoter element. Tk mRNA is induced following treatment with estrogen. Spontaneous mutation rate was significantly decreased in human cell lines after induction in contrast to the report in yeast. Thus, humans may have evolved different or additional mechanisms to deal with transcription related spontaneous mutagenesis.
An Efficient Radiosity Approach for Realistic Image Synthesis

The radiosity method models the interaction of light between diffusely reflecting surfaces and accurately predicts the global illumination effects. Procedures are now available to simulate complex environments including occluded and textured surfaces. For accurate rendering, the environment must be discretized into a fine mesh, particularly in areas of high intensity gradients. The interdependence between surfaces implies solution techniques which are computationally intractable. This article describes new procedures to predict the global illumination function without excessive computational expense. Statistics indicate the enormous potential of this approach for realistic image synthesis, particularly for dynamic images of static environments.
Systems of Nonlinear Hyperbolic Equations Associated with Problems of Classical Electromagnetic Theory.

Abstract A broad survey of the influence of nonlinearity on diverse phenomena in classical electromagnetic theory is presented, with the focus being on the plane wave-nonlinear dielectric interaction problem and shock formation in distributed transmission lines; connections with recent work in the are of quasilinear hyperbolic systems of balance laws are emphasized.
Personalism, Social Constructionism and the Foundation of the Ethical:

This paper characterizes and contrasts personalism and social constructionism as ontologies—theories that makes claims about what fundamentally is—and as phenomenologies—theories that offer descriptions of lived experience. It is argued that as ontologies both perspectives face difficult problems. Personalism must assume a priori processes as a foundation for individual identity, but has difficulty accounting for genuine sociality. Social constructionism claims to account for the origin of intelligent actions, but must either beg the question or revert to a behaviorism. Both as ontologies and as phenomenologies personalism and social constructionism fail to provide adequately for the ethical nature of life and relation to the other. An alternative, drawn from the phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Emmanuel Levinas, is offered in which individuality, sociality and the ethical arise from the same metaphysical ground.
Inverse Heat Transfer Engineering Design for Internally Cooled Gas Turbine Airfoils

In the design and development of modern gas turbine machines for efficient power generation in combined cycle applications, nozzle segments with airfoils and sidewalls need to be effectively cooled to operate in gas temperature environments in the excess of the melting point of the material of construction. Particular attention is given to the thermal evaluation as it affects component design life and performance. In this context, an optimization methodology is prescribed for inverse determination of required coolant heat transfer as a function of hot gas conditions and subjected to constraints associated with allowable metal temperature. A general boundary element method is used in the optimization process to provide a relatively fast and economically feasible design procedure. The optimized set of heat transfer results are converged when the external metal temperatures fall within acceptable limits. Once the magnitude and distribution of required coolant heat transfer coefficients are obtained, the cooling technique can be devised using available or referenced correlations for impingement jets through insert plates, banks of pin fins, turbulators, or just simply forced convection through internal passages. An illustrative example is presented with a Joukowski airfoil using a finite element method as an alternative method of solution for comparison and verification.Copyright © 1996 by ASME
Energy separation in shear layers

Abstract A numerical analysis is performed to study the mechanism of energy separation in a viscous heat-conducting shear layer. Two-dimensional time-dependent Navier–Stokes equations and total energy conservation equation are solved simultaneously for four different Reynolds numbers: 100, 200, 500, and 1000. The results show that the roll-up and transport of vortices induce pressure fluctuations in the shear layer. Fluid which flows through the disturbed pressure field exchanges pressure work with the surroundings and separates into higher and lower total temperature regions. Even though some energy separation is caused by the imbalance between shear work and heat conduction, that due to the pressure fluctuation is much stronger. As the Reynolds number is increased, turbulence mixing between higher and lower total temperature regions tends to lessen the energy separation. However, the more rapid growth of pressure fluctuations overcomes the weakening of energy separation by random mixing.
Links between prime ideals in differential operator rings

In recent years much work has been done on a localization theory for noetherian rings. Links between prime ideals play a central role in this development. When a ring R is not commutative, it is rarely possible to localize R at a prime ideal P. Having a link between P and another prime ideal is an obstruction to localization. In this paper we will investigate the links between prime ideals in differential operator rings, showing that it is possible to localize these rings in a certain sense. Recall that a multiplicatively closed subset S of a ring R is a right Ore set if for all r in R and all s in S we have rS n sR # Qr. The set S is an Ore set if it is both a right and a left Ore set. It is always possible to construct a ring RF’ where the elements of S become units. However, if we insist on writing the elements of RF ’ as right fractions, rs ’ with r in R and s in S, then the set S must be a right Ore set [9, Sect. 12.11. Let P be a prime ideal of R, and let %7(P) = {r E R 1 r + P is regular in R/P). We say that P is a localizable prime ideal if the set U(P) is an Ore set. We will shortly give an example of a prime ideal which is not localizable, but first we introduce the differential operator ring. Let R be a ring, and let 6 be an additive map from R to itself. We call 6 a derivation if it satisfies the product rule; 6(ab)=@a) b+ad(b). The differential operatqr ring over R, denoted R[0; S], is a free left R-module with basis 1, 8, 13~ ,.... Thus every element of R[0; S] is a polynomial in 0 with coefficients from R. The addition in R[l?; S] is defined as usual for polynomials, but multiplication is extended from R by the rule Br = rtI + 6(r). The differential operator ring is an associative ring and is determined up to isomorphism by an obvious universal property [9, Sect. 12.21.
COMPARISON OF TUNICA ALBUGINEA SUBSTITUTES FOR THE TREATMENT OF PEYRONIE'S DISEASE

AbstractPurpose: Peyronie's disease is a connective tissue disorder resulting in fibrotic plaque formation on the tunica albuginea of the penis. One approach to repair consists of plaque excision and patching with one of many potential patch materials. Because the optimal patch material for covering the resultant defect has not been determined, this study compares histological and cavernosometric changes in the penis as a result of the placement of three different types of patch grafts used in surgery for Peyronie's disease.Materials and Methods: Eleven mongrel dogs were divided into three groups, each receiving a different patch material (superficial dorsal penile vein, silicone fabric, and dermabraded preputial flap). Each dog had dynamic infusion cavernosometry (DIC) performed prior to placement of the patch over a 6 × 3 mm. defect surgically created in the tunica albuginea. Three months later, DIC was repeated prior to sacrifice. Histology of the penis was examined using Masson's trichrome, and hemato...
The ellagitannin geraniin and its hydrolysis products isolated as insect growth inhibitors from semi-arid land plants☆

Abstract The phenolic dilactone, ellagic acid, was isolated and identified from the hot methanolic extracts of five species of semi-arid land plants as an insect growth inhibitor active against the polyphagous herbivore, Heliothis virescens (tobacco budworm). Ellagic acid bound as its hexahydroxydiphenoyl ester in the ellagitannin, geraniin, also was isolated (using milder extraction procedures) and spectrally identified from one of the five species (i.e. Geranium viscosissimum var. viscosissimum) as a growth inhibitor of H. virescens. Evidence is given for the hypothesis that the labile geraniin is a protoxin which releases insect growth inhibitors, particularly ellagic acid, upon hydrolytic cleavage. The free and bound forms of ellagic acid may explain the insect growth inhibitory activity detected in the methanolic extracts of many species in the Hamamelididae-Dilleniidae stock.
CYCLOHEXIMIDE INHIBITS LYSOSOMAL PROTEOLYSIS OF ENDOGENOUS BUT NOT EXOGENOUS PROTEINS

Cystinotic fibroblasts accumulate lysosomal cystine from the degradation of endogenous and exogenous cystine-containing proteins. Lysosomal cystine accumulation can be modulated by the addition of cystine rich proteins to the culture medium or by labelling the endogenous protein pool with 35(S)-cystine for varying periods.Cultures of cystinotic fibroblasts were incubated in 35(S) -cystine-containing medium (40 mCi/mmol) for 4,24, or 48 hr;treated with cysteamine for 30 min. to produce cystine depletion, and replaced in unlabelled medium with or without 100μM cycloheximide (CHx). The plates were harvested after 24 hr in unlabelled medium and the amount of 35(S)-cystine accumulation determined by high voltage electrophoresis. 100μM CHx inhibited 35(S)-cystine accumulation from all labelling periods. Results are expressed as CPM/106 cells of 35(S)-cystine X 104:4 hrs-control 1.46±.50, CHx 0.34±0.27 p 0.5 n=3. CHx, a known inhibitor of protein synthesis, also inhibits the lysosomal degradation of endogenous but not exogenous proteins,yet appears to enhance overall proteolysis.
Diabetes and kidney cancer: A direct or indirect association?

A positive association between diabetes and kidney cancer has been reported in several investigations, but it is unclear whether diabetes or its complications account for this association. Recent advances in estimating direct associations may be useful for elucidating the association between diabetes and kidney cancer. Therefore, we performed a case-control analysis to evaluate whether the direct association between diabetes and kidney cancer is the primary concern in this exposure-outcome relation. Discharge data (with International Classification of Diseases – 9 codes) from 2001 for hospitals throughout Florida were used to construct a case-control population of inpatients aged ≥45 years. Cases (n=1,909) were inpatients with malignant kidney cancer and controls (n=6,451) were inpatients with motor vehicle injuries. Diabetes status was ascertained for cases and controls. Covariates that required adjustment to estimate the total (age, gender, ethnicity, obesity, and smoking) and direct (age, gender, ethnicity, obesity, smoking, hypertension, and kidney disease) associations were identified in a directed acyclic graph. Binary logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted total and direct odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of kidney cancer for diabetics. The odds of kidney cancer were higher for inpatients with diabetes than inpatients without diabetes when estimating the total association (OR=1.27, 95%CI: 1.10, 1.47) but attenuated when estimating the direct association (OR=1.08, 95%CI: 0.93, 1.25). Our findings provide preliminary insight that the direct association between diabetes and kidney cancer may not be the primary concern in this exposure-outcome relation; indirect pathways (i.e. diabetic complications) may have greater influence on this relation. A similar analysis using longitudinal data with appropriately measured covariates may provide more definitive conclusions and could have implications for kidney cancer prevention among diabetics.
Tryptophan protection of phage from ultraviolet irradiation.

— Bacteriophage SP02c12 and its isolated DNA were irradiated at 254 nm in tryptophan solutions. At a concentration of 10 mM, the amino acid exerted a protective effect on intact virus. The magnitude of this effect depended upon the length of time elapsed between mixing and irradiation. No protection was observed for solutions irradiated immediately after mixing. Tryptophan did not have a significant effect on UV sensitivity of the isolated viral DNA. No covalent crosslinking of tryptophan to DNA was observed.
Discontinuous Precipitation of γ′ Phase in Ni-Co-Al Alloys

Decomposition of nickel-base alloys by precipitation of the γ′ phase occurs either continuously (homogeneously) or discontinuously. Under certain conditions of solute content and temperature, discontinuous precipitation is observed. Ni-Al-Co alloys have been characterized by coupling atom probe tomography with transmission electron microscopy studies. The primary focus was to investigate the discontinuous precipitation of γ and γ′ phases. When subjected to fast quenching after solution treatment, the γ′ precipitates exhibit a near-spherical shape and monomodal size distribution with an average size of less than 5 nm. After early stage annealing at 600°C for 10 min, discontinuous precipitation nucleated near the grain boundaries while some regions of homogeneous γ′ precipitates were observed. Discontinuous γ + γ′ product was completely transformed throughout the grain after 600°C/1 h. On long-term annealing (600°C/256 h), coarser γ + γ′ lamellae products replaced the fine discontinuous products that exhibited after 1 h annealing at 600°C. Equilibrium compositions of the γ and γ′ phases were achieved in this coarsening stage. The γ′ phase has an Al content of 25 at.%, which is consistent with the as-quenched condition where the (Ni + Co)3Al stoichiometry is maintained after 600°C/256 h annealing.
Highly Excited States of Ultracold Molecules: Photoassociative Spectroscopy of Na 2

We describe the spectroscopy of highly excited states of ultracold ${\mathrm{Na}}_{2}$ molecules using a new photoassociative approach based on resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization. We excite a remarkable number of ${\mathrm{Na}}_{2}$ rotational states providing a rich rovibrational spectrum. We thereby extract not only the first order quadrupole-quadrupole ( ${C}_{5}$) and the van der Waals constants ( ${C}_{6}$) but also sensitive atom-atom interaction parameters such as spin-spin, spin-orbit, and perturbative constants.
Separation of Čerenkov radiation in irradiated optical fibers by optical spectroscopy

We studied Cerenkov radiation generated in irradiated optical fibers and demonstrated a generic spectroscopic method for separation of Cerenkov radiation from the transmitted signal in fiber optic dosimetry based on the assumption that the recorded signal is a linear superposition of two basis spectra: Cerenkov radiation and characteristic luminescence of the phosphor medium. Experimentally, we evaluated this technique by using fiber optic probes irradiated by electron beams generated by a clinical linear accelerator. This method can be used for optical characterization of various scintillating materials, such as phosphor nanoparticles, in ionizing radiation fields of high energy. We performed Monte Carlo simulations of the Cerenkov radiation generated in the fiber and found a strong dependence of the recorded Cerenkov radiation on the numerical aperture of the fiber at shallow phantom depths; however, beyond the depth of maximum dose that dependency is minimal. Our simulation results agree well with the experimental results for Cerenkov radiation generated in fibers irradiated with 6 MeV electrons.
Separation of 1-butanol by pervaporation using a novel tri-layer PDMS composite membrane

Abstract A novel tri-layer composite membrane consisting of the active layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, Sylgard® 184) and dual support layers of high porosity polyethylene (PE) and high mechanical stiffness perforated metal was investigated for the separation of 1-butanol from aqueous solution by means of pervaporation. The experimental data show that total flux and separation factor are both increased by placing a layer of hydrophobic PE between the PDMS and the metal support. The enhancement is especially obvious at low temperatures. With the feed solution of 2% 1-butanol at 37 °C, the PDMS/PE/Brass support composite membrane confers a total flux of 132 g/h/m2 and a separation factor of 32. With the increase of the PDMS thickness, the separation factor increases as the total flux declines. It is suggested that while the water flux remains stable, the 1-butanol flux has linear relationship with respect to the feed concentration of 1-butanol. The overall mass transfer coefficient for butanol was determined to be 6.9E−7 m/s using the resistance-in-series model. Using a semi-empirical Sherwood number correlation, the mass transfer coefficient of 1-butanol through the liquid side boundary layer was estimated to be 25.5E−7 m/s. This is more than 3 times higher than the overall mass transfer coefficient, indicating that the membrane dominates the mass transfer of the pervaporation process.
Separating what we eat from where: Measuring the effect of food away from home on diet quality ☆

Many argue that food away from home (FAFH) is a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic, showing that body mass index and consumption of FAFH are positively correlated. However, correlation analyses using a simple regression approach, such as the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), do not prove that FAFH causes weight gain. We use a first-difference estimator to establish a causal relationship between FAFH and dietary intakes. Using dietary recall data from the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the 1994–1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals, we find that FAFH does indeed increase caloric intake and reduce diet quality, but that the effect is smaller than if estimated using OLS. Thus, models based on associations are likely biased upward, as much as 25% by our estimates.
Arterial Remodeling After Coronary Angioplasty A Serial Intravascular Ultrasound Study

Background Restenosis occurs after 30% to 50% of transcatheter coronary procedures; however, the natural history and pathophysiology of restenosis are still incompletely understood. Methods and Results Serial (postintervention and follow-up) intravascular ultrasound imaging was used to study 212 native coronary lesions in 209 patients after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, directional coronary atherectomy, rotational atherectomy, or excimer laser angioplasty. The external elastic membrane (EEM) and lumen cross-sectional areas (CSA) were measured; plaque plus media (P+M) CSA was calculated as EEM minus lumen CSA. The anatomic slice selected for serial analysis had an axial location within the target lesion at the smallest follow-up lumen CSA. At follow-up, 73% of the decrease in lumen (from 6.6±2.5 to 4.0±3.7 mm2, P<.0001) was due to a decrease in EEM (from 20.1±6.4 to 18.2±6.4 mm2, P<.0001); 27% was due to an increase in P+M (from 13.5±5.5 to 14.2±5.4 mm2, P<.0001). ΔLumen CSA correlated mo...
Implementation of a New Torque Device in Ox-Tails

In adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients, the vicious cycle hypothesis proposed by Dr. Stokes [1] suggests, a lateral spinal curvature produces asymmetrical loading of the skeletally immature spine, which in turn causes asymmetrical growth and therefore progressive wedging deformity. Numerous studies have been done to evaluate the effect of sustained compression-tension loading on spinal growth. Despite all this research, only [2] investigated the effect of torque on segmented bodies. However, the previous study did not have independent control of torque and bending moments. Since a coupling mechanism between the torque and bending moments may be involved in the development of spinal curvature, it is important to separate the torque and bending moments so that the effect of the torque may be fully understood.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Spread of disease via the subperitoneal space: The small bowel mesentery

The designation of the subperitoneal space emphasizes the continuum of the potential space of extraperitoneal and intraperitoneal areolar tissue traversed by blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves. Across its root, the subserous connective tissue of the small bowel mesentery is anatomically continuous with that deep to the posterior parietal peritoneum. There is thereby provided an avenue of spread from multiple sites to and from the small bowel mesentery and its relationships. These include perforated lesions of the bowel, pancreatitis, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, leiomyosarcoma of small bowel, and hemorrhage of retroperitoneal and pelvic origin.
Interference and Natural Language Processing in Second Language Acquisition.

This paper reports the findings of a study of the acquisition of relative clauses in Chinese, Japanese, Persian, German, and Portuguese by first and second year students of these languages with English as their first language. Various structures were tested with the aim of separating the features of interlanguage which may be attributed to first language interference from those which may be explained as being universal to second language acquisition. Among these structures were use of resumptive pronouns in the relative clause, deletion of relativizers, stranding of prepositions, deletion of prepositions, and piedpiping structures. In line with the work of Gass and Ard (1980) and Hyltenstam (1981), the present paper examines the explanatory value of the accessibility hierarchy of Keenan and Comrie (1977) as applied to the ease or difficulty of the acquisition of relativization of various syntactic types, and expands this study by including data from the acquisition of relative clause types not examined in previous works. Also tested were structures involving different strategies for the parsing and recognition of relative clauses, in order to determine which are employed most frequently and most successfully by second language learners, and structures with correct and incorrect deletion of prepositions, in order to see whether the loss of information involved would be a constraining factor.
Measured saline preference in the albino rat: the role of non-gustatory factors

Non-gustatory factors are shown to support, in part, the measured preference for.1 molar NaCl over distilled water in the albino rat. The method of response measurement is an important determinant of the measured degree of preference. Detailed analysis of preference behavior is warranted, especially where physiological variables are being related to the measured preference.
14N nuclear quadrupole resonance in carcinostatic phosphamides

Abstract Nitrogen-14 nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra of the anti-cancer drugs cyclophosphamide monohydrate, isonphosphamide and triphosphamide have been detected at 77 K. The electron distribution in the vicinity of the nitrogens possessing trigonal bonding configurations have been calculated in the framework of the Townes and Dailey theory.
Oxygen Isotope Study of Paleoproterozoic Banded Iron Formation, Hamersley Basin, Western Australia

A submillimeter-scale variation of δ18O in quartz was identified in chert and Fe-oxide mesobands of the Brockman Iron Formation, Western Australia, using an in situ CO2-laser fluorination technique. The total range of variation is 11.2–23.0‰, with >5‰ variations within a single mesoband of approximately 2 cm thickness. These data contradict most previous works, which have suggested that banded iron formations are isotopically homogeneous. The present sample was obtained outside of the iron mining area, and as such is considered to have been less altered by the hydrothermal event recently shown to be responsible for the formation of the iron ore. The data suggest that the largest Paleoproterozoic banded iron formations may have formed not in a stable, quiescent sea, but instead as a result of increased influx of iron- and silica-rich solutions during periods of increased magmatism and submarine hydrothermal activity in a rift basin environment.
Conductive cladding layers for electrode-poled nonlinear optic polymer electro-optics

We have demonstrated an enhancement in the effective electro-optic (EO) coefficient of electrode poled nonlinear optical polymers using a conductive polymer cladding. We have also demonstrated the lowest poling voltage to date, 300 V, for a 2 micrometers thick NLO polymer core and 2 micrometers thick conductive polymer cladding structure asymmetric waveguide structure. With the cladding material more conductive than the core material, the majority of the applied poling voltage is dropped across the core, maximizing poling efficiency and, hence, realizing a higher EO coefficient. These results show promise for lower operating voltage devices.
Bacteriologic and clinical evaluation of gowning in a premature nursery.

Summary The bacteriologic and clinical effects of a modification in gowning procedure among premature infants cared for in incubators were studied over a 21 month period. Mortality rates, frequency of infection, and the prevalence of several bacteria comprising the flora of the respiratory tract and skin during periods of strict gowning were comparable to those observed during relaxation of routine technique. These results, and those obtained in other recent studies, suggest the need for re-evaluation of stringent nursery procedures.
Informal support for women and intimate partner violence: the crucial yet ambivalent role of neighbours in urban India

Women who experience intimate partner violence often rely on informal support to mitigate intimate partner violence's health effects. Yet there is little known about who gives the support and how it is provided. This paper explores from whom and how low-income women experiencing domestic violence in urban India seek informal support. In South Asia, women's reliance on kin for support is culturally valued, yet the urban social context makes it more likely that they will access such support from non-kin when they experience intimate partner violence. The paper draws on observations and interviews with 10 families collected over 14 months of in-depth ethnographic research in one Delhi slum community. Using a case study approach to explore women's responses to violence longitudinally, it was possible to track how women drew on support. Results show that even as women sought emotional support and direct intervention from their neighbours to deal with their domestic violence, they restricted these relationships...
Receptors: Chemical courtship in mice

Physiologically relevant ligands for mammalian odorant receptors have been elusive. A mouse odorant receptor–based bioassay has now been used to guide purification and identification of a natural ligand that mediates attraction of female mice to male urine.
Prognostic study of gastric cancer without serosal invasion: reevaluation of the definition of early gastric cancer

Abstract Background: Early gastric cancer, a term defined by Japanese researchers in the 1960s, is equivalent to pT1 tumor stage regardless of nodal status. Recently, there were suggestions to exclude node-positive pT1 gastric cancer from this entity and to consider node-negative pT2 gastric cancer as early gastric cancer. Study Design: A survival analysis was conducted of 294 patients who underwent resection for gastric cancers confined within the gastric wall (pT1, n=164; pT2, n=130) between 1986 and 1992. Results: The cumulative 5-year survival rate was 93.5% for pT1 patients and 67.9% for pT2 patients, with an overall survival of 82.5%. There was a significant difference in the 5-year survival rate between node-positive and node-negative pT1 patients (72.8% versus 95.6%; p=0.0095). The 5-year survival rate of node-negative pT2 patients (80.4%) was significantly worse than that of node-negative pT1 patients (p = 0.011) but was not significantly better than that of node-positive pT1 patients (p = 0.4). If excellent prognosis is a prerequisite for the definition of early gastric cancer, then node-positive pT1 cancer and node-negative pT2 cancer should not be considered early gastric cancer. Conclusions: In the 1990s, now that new imaging techniques such as endoscopic ultrasonography has been introduced, the preoperative staging of gastric cancer can be made more accurately than in the 1960s, when the term "early gastric cancer" was defined. Because the prognosis of early gastric cancers, if subcategorized by nodal status, is not homogeneously excellent, a reevaluation of the definition of early gastric cancer may be necessary.
Interpretation of intermediate structure in the 40Ca neutron elastic scattering cross section

The s-wave neutron scattering cross section for 40Ca is reconstructed from published resonance parameters. Averages over energy intervals of varying size reveal the presence of intermediate structure below 1.2 MeV. The same structure appears at all angles in the differential scattering cross section. Monte Carlo sampling of the Porter-Thomas and Wigner distributions favors the interpretation of the structure as non-statistical. A coupled-channels formalism is applied to investigate intermediate states in n + 40Ca using the particle-vibrator coupling model. All parameters of the calculation are fixed a priori using other, non-neutron, experimental data. Various particle-vibrator configurations leading to 12+ resonances are examined. About two-thirds of the s-wave strength below 1.3 MeV is accounted for.
On algorithms for ordinary least squares regression spline fitting: A comparative study

Regression spline smoothing is a popular approach for conducting nonparametric regression. An important issue associated with it is the choice of a "theoretically best" set of knots. Different statistical model selection methods, such as Akaike's information criterion and generalized cross-validation, have been applied to derive different "theoretically best" sets of knots. Typically these best knot sets are defined implicitly as the optimizers of some objective functions. Hence another equally important issue concerning regression spline smoothing is how to optimize such objective functions. In this article different numerical algorithms that are designed for carrying out such optimization problems are compared by means of a simulation study. Both the univariate and bivariate smoothing settings will be considered. Based on the simulation results, recommendations for choosing a suitable optimization algorithm under various settings will be provided.
Alcoholism and Affective Disorders

God’s ways have struck many people, including Amiel, as pretty depressing. What is a good cure for depression? Alcohol, Housman says, and through the ages people have agreed with him.
A randomized controlled trial examining Iyengar yoga for young adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a study protocol

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, disabling disease that can compromise mobility, daily functioning, and health-related quality of life, especially in older adolescents and young adults. In this project, we will compare a standardized Iyengar yoga program for young people with rheumatoid arthritis to a standard care wait-list control condition. Methods/Design: Seventy rheumatoid arthritis patients aged 16-35 years will be randomized into either the 6-week Iyengar yoga program (12 - 1.5 hour sessions twice weekly) or the 6-week wait-list control condition. A 20% attrition rate is anticipated. The wait-list group will receive the yoga program following completion of the first arm of the study. We will collect data quantitatively, using questionnaires and markers of disease activity, and qualitatively using semi-structured interviews. Assessments include standardized measures of general and arthritisspecific function, pain, mood, and health-related quality of life, as well as qualitative interviews, blood pressure/ resting heart rate measurements, a medical exam and the assessment of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Data will be collected three times: before treatment, post-treatment, and two months following the treatment.
Action Research: Trends and Variations.

Action research continues to grow as a research tradition, yet misconceptions about what it is and is not remains, even among scholars. For example, some mistakenly believe action research is only about professional development and is not a scholarly research approach. Some assume action research must be accomplished through a collaborative process with representative stakeholders, and others believe it can be done alone as an independent process. Some believe action research is about problem solving while others avoid discourse about problems altogether and prefer to focus on the positive aspects of a setting. And, some begin the research process with defined assumptions about the core issues while others have no presuppositions and follow a discovery process. The goal of this article is to point to the various ways action research is defined and applied and position it as a growing research tradition.