cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Level Set Segmentation of Breast Masses in Contrast-Enhanced Dedicated Breast CT and Evaluation of Stopping Criteria

Dedicated breast CT (bCT) produces high-resolution 3D tomographic images of the breast, fully resolving fibroglandular tissue structures within the breast and allowing for breast lesion detection and assessment in 3D. In order to enable quantitative analysis, such as volumetrics, automated lesion segmentation on bCT is highly desirable. In addition, accurate output from CAD (computer-aided detection/diagnosis) methods depends on sufficient segmentation of lesions. Thus, in this study, we present a 3D lesion segmentation method for breast masses in contrast-enhanced bCT images. The segmentation algorithm follows a two-step approach. First, 3D radial-gradient index segmentation is used to obtain a crude initial contour, which is then refined by a 3D level set-based active contour algorithm. The data set included contrast-enhanced bCT images from 33 patients containing 38 masses (25 malignant, 13 benign). The mass centers served as input to the algorithm. In this study, three criteria for stopping the contour evolution were compared, based on (1) the change of region volume, (2) the average intensity in the segmented region increase at each iteration, and (3) the rate of change of the average intensity inside and outside the segmented region. Lesion segmentation was evaluated by computing the overlap ratio between computer segmentations and manually drawn lesion outlines. For each lesion, the overlap ratio was averaged across coronal, sagittal, and axial planes. The average overlap ratios for the three stopping criteria ranged from 0.66 to 0.68 (dice coefficient of 0.80 to 0.81), indicating that the proposed segmentation procedure is promising for use in quantitative dedicated bCT analyses.
Extranodal oral lymphomas: Histologic subtypes and immunophenotypes (in routinely processed tissue)

Abstract Twenty-seven extranodal oral lymphomas were subclassified according to the National Institutes of Health International Working Formulation. Immunophenotypes were then determined by means of an ABC technique with newly generated antibodies that identify fixation-resistant antigens on lymphoid cells. Diffuse small and large cell lymphomas were the most frequently identified subtypes. B-cell-associated antibody, L26, stained a majority of tumor cells in all lymphomas. Although 4KB5 was a less consistent B-cell marker, it stained most lymphomas. Reactive T-cell infiltrates, identified with antibodies MT1, UCHL-1, anti-CD3, and OPD4, varied from slight to intense. MT1 occasionally showed cross-reactivity with neoplastic B cells. No “histiocytic” lymphomas were found, but reactive macrophage infiltrates were identified in many lymphomas with monoclonal antibody KP1. In view of the immunohistochemical results, all lymphomas were believed to be of B-cell origin. Although antibody panels of the type used in this study can be effective in subtyping routinely processed oral lymphomas, careful interpretation is required because of reactive T-cell infiltrates.
Asymmetric control achieves size-independent stability margin in 1-D flocks

We consider the stability margin of a large 1-D flock of double-integrator agents with distributed control, in which the control at each agent depends on the relative information from its nearest neighbors. The stability margin is measured by the real part of the least stable eigenvalue of the closed-loop state matrix, which quantifies the rate of decay of initial errors. In [1], it was shown that with symmetric control, in which two neighbors put equal weight on information received from each other, the stability margin of the flock decays to 0 as O(1/N2), where N is the number of agents. Moreover, a perturbation analysis was used to show that with vanishingly small amount of asymmetry in the control gains, the stability margin can be improved to O(1/N). In this paper, we show that, in fact, with asymmetric control the stability margin of the closed-loop can be bounded away from zero uniformly in N. Asymmetry in control gains thus makes the control architecture highly scalable. We establish the results through distinct routes, using state-space analysis and also using a partial differential equation (PDE) approximation. Numerical verifications are also provided to corroborate our analysis.
Recycled water for augmenting urban streams in mediterranean-climate regions: a potential approach for riparian ecosystem enhancement

AbstractThe scarcity of water in mediterranean-climate regions makes flow management in the rehabilitation of urban streams problematic. To explore potential applications of using recycled water for stream enhancement, we examine streams in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, USA, to characterize: (a) historic flow regimes at the regional scale, (b) potential unintended ecological effects and (c) specific issues related to recycled water. We analysed historic flow regimes in five basins, performed a streamflow augmentation experiment and monitored benthic macroinvertebrates above and below a recycled-water discharge. Streamflow augmentation with recycled water can provide improved aesthetics and aquatic habitat, but there are caveats to consider. Implications of inputs of recycled water in streams, whether direct or indirect, require detailed analysis of trade-offs. Augmentation is unlikely to harm the ecology of urban streams that are now just barely flowing perennially with pools of stagnant, cont...
Electropore Dynamics in Time-Dependent Electric Fields

Experimental studies have shown that cell membranes can be permeabilized by exposure to nanosecond and subnanosecond electric pulses with megavolt-per-meter amplitudes [1,2]. For pulses in the low nanosecond and subnanosecond range, the rise time of the actual waveform delivered to a biological load is a significant percentage of the entire pulse duration, but experimental and modeling studies of the effects of varying the rise time are rare. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have contributed to our understanding of lipid bilayer electropermeabilization, and we show here that when time-varying external fields are introduced into MD, it becomes possible to modulate pore properties dynamically by sampling a large range of frequencies, fields, pulse shapes, and polarities with various charged and uncharged bilayer systems. This capability also enables the refinement of models of nanosecond pore formation by loosening the constraints of models with constant and idealized external perturbations. Results are compared to and, to the extent possible at this time, reconciled with existing mathematical models of electroporation, presenting a more unified and complete framework for future studies.1. Vernier, P. T., Y. Sun, and M. A. Gundersen. 2006. Nanoelectropulse-driven membrane perturbation and small molecule permeabilization. BMC Cell Biol. 7:37.2. S. Xiao, S. Guo, V. Nesin, R. Heller, and K. H. Schoenbach. 2011. Subnanosecond electric pulses cause membrane permeabilization and cell death. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 58:1239-1245.
Anderson Hamiltonian description of the experimental electronic structure and magnetic interactions of copper oxide superconductors.

We describe valence-band and core-level photoemission data for copper oxide superconductors using the Anderson Hamiltonian applied to an impurity-cluster configuration-interaction model. We obtain experimental values of the parameters of the model, the copper\ensuremath{\rightleftarrows}oxygen chargetransfer energy $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\sim}0.4$ eV, the $d\ensuremath{-}d$ Coulomb interaction $U\ensuremath{\sim}6$ eV, and the ligand-$d$ hybridization $T\ensuremath{\sim}2.4$ eV. Using these parameters, we evaluate the linear Cu-O-Cu superexchange interaction $J$ and find it is dominated by the charge-transfer fluctuations. The magnitude obtained for $J$ is much larger than typical N\'eel temperatures of these materials, and is somewhat larger than that estimated from applying the resonating-valence-bond picture to ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$. We point out that for $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\ll}U$ and $T\ensuremath{\gg}\ensuremath{\Delta}$ the charge-transfer degrees of freedom, and the lattice aspects of the Anderson lattice Hamiltonian, should not be neglected in constructing models for the high-${T}_{c}$ superconductivity. We also emphasize our resonant-photoemission result that the very small density of states at or near the Fermi level in all these materials has a substantial contribution from Cu $3d$ states, suggesting their importance for the superconductivity. We report other details of the resonant-photoemission data involving La and Ba states in the materials containing these elements.
Evaluation of Florida Palustrine Wetlands: Application of USEPA Levels 1, 2, and 3 Assessment Methods

Three categories of wetland assessment methods have been recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, including Level 1—Landscape-scale Assessment; Level 2—Rapid Field Methods; and Level 3—Intensive Biological and Physico–Chemical Measures. This study incorporates wetland assessment methods for each assessment level, including the Level 1 Landscape Development Intensity (LDI) index, Level 2 Wetland Rapid Assessment Procedure (WRAP), and Level 3 Florida Wetland Condition Index (FWCI). Using a neighborhood analysis in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), an LDI index map was created using 1995 land use, creating a calculated LDI index value for each 30 m2 area in Florida. Level 1–3 assessment procedures were employed at 193 palustrine emergent (n = 75) and forested (n = 118) wetlands. Significant correlations were found among the multiple Level 1–3 assessment procedures using the nonparametric Spearman’s correlation coefficient for pair-wise comparisons of LDI and WRAP, LDI and diatom FWCI, WRAP and diatom FWCI, LDI and macrophyte FWCI, WRAP and macrophyte FWCI, LDI and macroinvertebrate FWCI, and WRAP and macroinvertebrate FWCI (|r| > 0.50, P < 0.01). Defining the relationship between Level 1–3 assessment methods may be used to estimate the more intensive and species assemblage-specific Level 3 FWCI assessment scores for wetlands with Level 1 or Level 2 scores. Inferences can then be made as to wetland condition based on established correlations with intensive assessment methods.
Rapid Catalyst Screening by a Continuous-Flow Microreactor Interfaced with Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography

A high-throughput screening system for homogeneous catalyst discovery has been developed by integrating a continuous-flow capillary-based microreactor with ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) for fast online analysis. Reactions are conducted in distinct and stable zones in a flow stream that allows for time and temperature regulation. UHPLC detection at high temperature allows high throughput online determination of substrate, product, and byproduct concentrations. We evaluated the efficacies of a series of soluble acid catalysts for an intramolecular Friedel−Crafts addition into an acyliminium ion intermediate within 1 day and with minimal material investment. The effects of catalyst loading, reaction time, and reaction temperature were also screened. This system exhibited high reproducibility for high-throughput catalyst screening and allowed several acid catalysts for the reaction to be identified. Major side products from the reactions were determined through off-line mass spectrometric ...
Bioavailable vitamin D in chronic kidney disease

Most of the major vitamin D metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D circulates in a tightly bound state to vitamin D-binding protein (DBP), rendering this fraction unavailable for biological action. A smaller fraction, loosely bound to albumin or circulating freely, is bioavailable, and hence bioactive. This Commentary discusses the free hormone hypothesis and the role of DBP in vitamin D metabolism.
Elastic Coupling Effects in Tapered Sandwich Panels with Laminated Anisotropic Composite Facings

A newly developed theory for the analysis of tapered sandwich panels with laminated anisotropic facings is presented. Unlike sandwich panels of uniform depth, the response of tapered sandwich panels is counterintuitive. For example, prior studies have demonstrated that a tapered cantilever sandwich beam having constant dimensions at the clamped edge and subjected to a tip load has an optimum taper angle where the tip deflection is a minimum. The decrease in tip deflection with increasing taper angle, despite the reduction in core thickness, is due to the participation of the facings in resisting transverse shear loads. In the present work, we systematically develop a tapered sandwich theory that is simple to use, yet accurately predicts the stresses and deflection of both symmetric and nonsymmetric tapered sections. A novel feature of the analytical model is that the elastic rigidities of tapered sandwich composites are expressed in terms of the familiar A, B, and D matrices that are widely used to analyze the response of laminated plates and sandwich beams of uniform depth. It is shown that the stiffness matrix for a tapered sandwich member exhibits a total of 12 elastic couplings that are absent in sandwich beams of uniform depth. The analytical model predicts large interlaminar shear and normal stresses near the root of the tapered sandwich beam, which can cause delamination failure between the facings and the core. Numerical results obtained using the tapered sandwich theory and two-dimensional finite element models are in good agreement for several case studies.
A new complex sheet of uranyl polyhedra in the structure of wolsendorfite

The structure of wolsendorfite, Pb 6.16Ba0.36[(UO2)14O19(OH)4](H2O)12, Z = 8, orthorhombic, a = 14.131(1), b = 13.885(1), c = 55.969(4) A, V = 10,982 A 3 , space group Cmcm, was solved by direct methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques to an agreement factor ( R) of 6.4% and a goodness-of-fit (S) of 1.13 using 6215 unique observed reflections (| Fo| ≥ 4σF) collected with MoKα X-radiation and a CCD (charge-coupled device) detector. The structure contains eight unique U 6+ positions, each of which is part of a nearly linear (UO 2) 2+ uranyl ion. The uranyl ions (Ur) are further coordinated by four or five anions ( φ) arranged at the equatorial corners of square and pentagonal bipyramids, respectively. The structure contains two unique Ur φ4 square bipyramids and six unique Urφ5 pentagonal bipyramids that link by the sharing of equatorial corners and edges to form infinite sheets that are parallel to (100). The sheets have a primitive repeat distance of c = 55.969 A, and are by far the most complex sheet of uranyl polyhedra yet observed. The interlayer between the uranyl sheets contains Pb 2+ and Ba cations, as well as H 2O groups that are either bonded to the interlayer cations or are held in the structure by H bonding only. There are eight unique cation positions in the interlayer that are coordinated by six to ten anions. The structure of wolsendorfite is remarkable both in the complexity of the sheets of uranyl polyhedra and the connectivity of the interlayer. By using the sheet anion-topology approach, it is shown that the wolsendorfite sheet is composed of slabs of the simpler α-U3O8 and β-U3O8-type sheets. It is possible that many as yet unknown complex sheets of uranyl polyhedra exist that are based upon anion topologies that are combinations of slabs of simpler topologies, but it is currently not possible to distinguish which of these may be energetically favorable.
Measuring the nematic order of suspensions of colloidal fd virus by x-ray diffraction and optical birefringence.

The orientational distribution function of the nematic phase of suspensions of the semiflexible rodlike virus fd is measured by x-ray diffraction as a function of concentration and ionic strength. X-ray diffraction from a single-domain nematic phase of fd is influenced by interparticle correlations at low angle, while only intraparticle scatter contributes at high angle. Consequently, the angular distribution of the scattered intensity arises from only the single-particle orientational distribution function at high angle but it also includes spatial and orientational correlations at low angle. Experimental measurements of the orientational distribution function from both the interparticle ~structure factor! and intraparticle ~form factor! scattering were made to test whether the correlations present in interparticle scatter influence the measurement of the single-particle orientational distribution function. It was found that the two types of scatter yield consistent values for the nematic order parameter. It was also found that x-ray diffraction is insensitive to the orientational distribution function’s precise form, and the measured angular intensity distribution is described equally well by both Onsager’s trial function and a Gaussian. At high ionic strength, the order parameter S of the nematic phase coexisting with the isotropic phase approaches theoretical predictions for long semiflexible rods S50.55, but deviations from theory increase with decreasing ionic strength. The concentration dependence of the nematic order parameter also better agrees with theoretical predictions at high ionic strength indicating that electrostatic interactions have a measurable effect on the nematic order parameter. The x-ray order parameters are shown to be proportional to the measured birefringence, and the saturation birefringence of fd is determined enabling a simple, inexpensive way to measure the order parameter. Additionally, the spatial ordering of nematic fd was probed. Measurements of the nematic structure factor revealed a single large peak in contrast to nematics of rigid rods.
Drug transport in brain via the cerebrospinal fluid

The human brain has no lymphatic system, but produces over a half-liter each day of cerebrospinal fluid. The cerebrospinal fluid is secreted at the choroid plexus and occupies the cavities of the four ventricles, as well as the cranial and spinal sub-arachnoid space. The cerebrospinal fluid moves over the surfaces of the brain and spinal cord and is rapidly absorbed into the general circulation. The choroid plexus forms the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, and this barrier is functionally distinct from the brain microvascular endothelium, which forms the blood-brain barrier. Virtually all non-cellular substances in blood distribute into cerebrospinal fluid, and drug entry into cerebrospinal fluid is not an index of drug transport across the blood-brain barrier. Drug injected into the cerebrospinal fluid rapidly moves into the blood via bulk flow, but penetrates into brain tissue poorly owing to the limitations of diffusion. Drug transport into cerebrospinal fluid vs. brain interstitial fluid requires knowledge of the relative expression of transporters at the choroid plexus versus the brain microvascular endothelium.
Deletion of thioredoxin-interacting protein in mice impairs mitochondrial function but protects the myocardium from ischemia-reperfusion injury

Classic therapeutics for ischemic heart disease are less effective in individuals with the metabolic syndrome. As the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is increasing, better understanding of cardiac metabolism is needed to identify potential new targets for therapeutic intervention. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) is a regulator of metabolism and an inhibitor of the antioxidant thioredoxins, but little is known about its roles in the myocardium. We examined hearts from Txnip-KO mice by polony multiplex analysis of gene expression and an independent proteomic approach; both methods indicated suppression of genes and proteins participating in mitochondrial metabolism. Consistently, Txnip-KO mitochondria were functionally and structurally altered, showing reduced oxygen consumption and ultrastructural derangements. Given the central role that mitochondria play during hypoxia, we hypothesized that Txnip deletion would enhance ischemia-reperfusion damage. Surprisingly, Txnip-KO hearts had greater recovery of cardiac function after an ischemia-reperfusion insult. Similarly, cardiomyocyte-specific Txnip deletion reduced infarct size after reversible coronary ligation. Coordinated with reduced mitochondrial function, deletion of Txnip enhanced anaerobic glycolysis. Whereas mitochondrial ATP synthesis was minimally decreased by Txnip deletion, cellular ATP content and lactate formation were higher in Txnip-KO hearts after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Pharmacologic inhibition of glycolytic metabolism completely abolished the protection afforded the heart by Txnip deficiency under hypoxic conditions. Thus, although Txnip deletion suppresses mitochondrial function, protection from myocardial ischemia is enhanced as a result of a coordinated shift to enhanced anaerobic metabolism, which provides an energy source outside of mitochondria.
Energy Balance of Voiding Post-Ileocecocystoplasty

The initiation of micturition involves opening of the bladder neck and shortening the urethra (Lapides et al., Lapides). Beyond this, there is little consensus concerning the mechanism. Hutch summarized 4 possible mechanisms: 1. Contraction of the outer longitudinal muscles of the bladder around a fluid bolus. The contraction of the detrusor pulls open the bladder neck (Woodburne). 2. Contraction of the superficial musculature of the trigone which depresses the dorsal lip of the bladder neck, thereby assisting in “breaking the base plate” and funnelling the bladder neck and urethra. 3. Contraction of the internal longitudinal muscular layer of the bladder. The internal longitudinal musculature of the bladder is continuous with the internal longitudinal musculature of the urethra (Krantz, Clegg). It’s contraction therefore shortens the urethra and “breaks the base plate” as in Paragraph 2. 4. Contraction of striated musculature found at the bladder neck and around the urethra thereby achieving the same effect as in Paragraph 2. (It should be noted that the striated musculature is not longitudinal, but rather oblique and probably sphincteric (Krantz) in the female, and non existant in the male prostatic urethra except at the apex (Clegg).
Embodying Neoliberalism: Economy, Culture, and the Politics of Fat

The purpose of this paper is to recast the politics of obesity in the United States in light of the unsatisfactory nature of the current, popular debates on this problem. The paper begins by taking...
Emergency Department Visits for Concussion in Young Child Athletes

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to characterize emergency department (ED) visits for pediatric sport-related concussion (SRC) in pre–high school– versus high school–aged athletes. METHODS: A stratified probability sample of US hospitals that provide emergency services in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (1997–2007) and All Injury Program (2001–2005) was used. Concussion-related ED visits were analyzed for 8- to 13- and 14- to 19-year-old patients. Population data were obtained from the US Census Bureau; sport participation data were obtained from National Sporting Goods Association. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2005, US children who were aged 8 to 19 years had an estimated 502 000 ED visits for concussion. The 8- to 13-year-old group accounted for ∼35% of these visits. Approximately half of all ED visits for concussion were SRC. The 8- to 13-year-old group sustained 40% of these, which represents 58% of all concussions in this group. Approximately 25% of all SRC visits in the 8- to 13-year-old group occurred during organized team sport (OTS). During the study period, ∼4 in 1000 children aged 8 to 13 years and 6 in 1000 children aged 14 to 19 years had an ED visit for SRC, and 1 in 1000 children aged 8 to 13 years and 3 in 1000 children aged 14 to 19 years had an ED visit for concussion sustained during OTS. From 1997 to 2007, although participation had declined, ED visits for concussions in OTS in 8- to 13-year-old children had doubled and had increased by >200% in the 14- to 19-year-old group. CONCLUSIONS: The number of SRCs in young athletes is noteworthy. Additional research is required.
Pain Tolerance in Opioid Addicts On and Off Naltrexone Pharmacotherapy: A Pilot Study

Abstract Under certain experimental and clinical conditions, opioid antagonists have been demonstrated to have analgesic properties. In this open-label, nonrandomized, within-subject comparison, the effect of chronic treatment with the antagonist, naltrexone, on tolerance for experimental pain was evaluated in a small sample of male opioid addicts (N = 10) receiving naltrexone maintenance. Cold-pressor pain tolerance was measured during (≥6 weeks) and after discontinuation (≥1 week) of naltrexone treatment. Intra-subject comparison revealed that eight of the ten subjects were more pain tolerant (median + 20 sec) while receiving naltrexone. It is suggested that either midbrain opioid system upregulation in the presence of naltrexone or underlying individual differences in pain tolerance in persons with addictive disease provide potential explanations for these findings.
Dialectics and Method Reconstructing Radical Therapy

This article addresses the question "What is radical therapy?" Should radical therapy be understood as radicals doing good humanistic therapy or is there something intrinsically radical about radical therapy? The lack of a precise definition and practice of radical therapy stems from the numerous and diverse therapeutic practices that are included under its umbrella. Radical therapy can be intrinsically radical to the extent that it is reconstructed on the basis of a Marxist methodology. This becomes apparent when one reviews the contributions and limitations of humanistic psychology and the human potential movement to the development of radical therapy. A critical examination of radical psychiatry, the most prevalent form of radical therapy, also indicates the necessity of using a Marxist methodology for reconstructing radical therapy. The author suggests that dialectics are the most important aspect of the Marxist method for radical therapy and provides several guidelines for using dialectical analysis ...
Borders of Disorder

A quantitative theory is described for the boundary layer of fully turbulent parallel shear flow. In past literature, this region has been called the “laminar sublayer” and enters as a central amplitude-determining factor into the current empirical statistical descriptions of the full flow. The idealization explored here parallels the ingenious view advanced by Howard [1] to interpret the fully developed thermal convective boundary layer. Howard pictured a thermal boundary layer swept away by a swift convective instability, and then reestablishing itself on a diffusive time scale. Here, a parallel study for the shear-flow boundary layer is advanced based on the presumption that the time-dependent instability of the growing diffusive layer is a dominant first-order aspect of this essentially nonlinear process. The quantitative results support this ordering, as do the initial nonlinear flows emerging from the growing instability. Application of these findings is made to the problem of thermal convection with an external flow, which modifies the instability. Also studied is the “classical” initial instability of parallel shearing flow, and from these results, possible improvement in upper bound theories for turbulent flow.
Preventing abusive head trauma among infants and young children: a hospital-based, parent education program.

Objective. Abusive head injuries among infants (shaken infant or shaken impact syndrome) represent a devastating form of child abuse; an effective prevention program that reduces the incidence of abusive head injuries could save both lives and the costs of caring for victims. We wished to determine whether a comprehensive, regional, hospital-based, parent education program, administered at the time of the child9s birth, could be successfully implemented and to examine its impact on the incidence of abusive head injuries among infants Methods. All hospitals that provide maternity care in an 8-county region of western New York State participated in a comprehensive regional program of parent education about violent infant shaking. The program was administered to parents of all newborn infants before the infant9s discharge from the hospital. The hospitals were asked to provide both parents (mothers and, whenever possible, fathers or father figures) with information describing the dangers of violent infant shaking and providing alternative responses to persistent infant crying and to have both parents sign voluntarily a commitment statement (CS) affirming their receipt and understanding of the materials. Program compliance was assessed by documenting the number of CSs signed by parents and returned by participating hospitals. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with a randomized 10% subset of parents, 7 months after the child9s birth, to assess parents9 recall of the information. Finally, the regional incidence of abusive head injuries among infants and children Results. During the first 5.5 years of the program, 65 205 CSs were documented, representing 69% of the 94 409 live births in the region during that time; 96% of CSs were signed by mothers and 76% by fathers/father figures. Follow-up telephone surveys 7 months later suggested that >95% of parents remembered having received the information. The incidence of abusive head injuries decreased by 47%, from 41.5 cases per 100 000 live births during the 6-year control period to 22.2 cases per 100000 live births during the 5.5-year study period. No comparable decrease was seen in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the years 1996–2002, which bracketed the control and study periods in western New York State. Conclusions. A coordinated, hospital-based, parent education program, targeting parents of all newborn infants, can reduce significantly the incidence of abusive head injuries among infants and children
Meteorological and Hydrological Influences on the Spatial and Temporal Prevalence of West Nile Virus in Culex Mosquitoes, Suffolk County, New York

The factors determining the spatial and temporal distribution of West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) activity are not well understood. Here, we explore the effects of hydrological and meteorological conditions on WNV infection among Culex genus mosquitoes collected during 2001-2009 in Suffolk County, Long Island, NY. We show that WNV infection rates in assayed pools of Culex mosquitoes are associated in both space and time with hydrological and meteorological variability. Specifically, wet winter, warm and wet spring conditions, and dry summer conditions are associated with the increased local prevalence of WNV among Culex mosquitoes during summer and fall. These findings indicate that within Suffolk County, and for a given year, areas at risk for heightened WNV activity may be identified in advance by using hydrology model estimates of land surface wetness and observed meteorological conditions.
Adaptive filtering of ballistocardiogram artifact from EEG signals using the dilated discrete hermite transform

Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, when recorded within the strong magnetic field of an MRI scanner are subject to various artifacts, of which the ballistocardiogram (BCG) is one of the prominent ones affecting the quality of the EEG. The BCG artifact varies slightly in shape and amplitude for every cardiac cycle making it difficult to identify and remove. This paper proposes a novel method for the identification and elimination of this artifact using the shape basis functions of the new dilated discrete Hermite transform. In this study, EEG data within and outside the scanner was recorded. On removal of the BCG artifact for the EEG data recorded within the scanner, a significant reduction in amplitude at the frequencies associated with the BCG artifact was observed. In order to quantitatively assess the efficacy of this method, BCG artifact templates were added to segments of EEG signals recorded outside the scanner. These signals, when filtered using the proposed method, had no significant difference (p<0.05) from the original signals, indicating that the technique satisfactorily eliminates the BCG artifact and does not introduce any distortions in the original signal. The method is computationally efficient for real-time implementation.
Duality and martingales: a stochastic programming perspective on contingent claims

The hedging of contingent claims in the discrete time, discrete state case is analyzed from the perspective of modeling the hedging problem as a stochastic program. Application of conjugate duality leads to the arbitrage pricing theorems of financial mathematics, namely the equivalence of absence of arbitrage and the existence of a probability measure that makes the price process into a martingale. The model easily extends to the analysis of options pricing when modeling risk management concerns and the impact of spreads and margin requirements for writers of contingent claims. However, we find that arbitrage pricing in incomplete markets fails to model incentives to buy or sell options. An extension of the model to incorporate pre-existing liabilities and endowments reveals the reasons why buyers and sellers trade in options. The model also indicates the importance of financial equilibrium analysis for the understanding of options prices in incomplete markets.
On the solution of simultaneous fuzzy models

The problem of the simultaneous solution of relationships involving fuzzy systems models is investigated. We illustrate this problem by considering the equilibrium problem in economics. In this case we have two relationships, one between price and supply and the other between price and demand, and we desire to find the price for which the supply equals the demand. It is shown that if the fuzzy models have antecedent fuzzy sets which are of the trapezoidal-triangular type then a solution technique can be found.
High level expression of human tissue kallikrein in the circulation induces hypotension in transgenic mice.

Abstract In order to create an animal model expressing a high level of tissue kallikrein in the circulation, the human tissue kallikrein gene was placed under the control of a mouse albumin enhancer and promoter to target its expression to liver. Three lines of transgenic mice carrying the human tissue kallikrein gene were established. The major site of human tissue kallikrein synthesis was identified in the liver of transgenic mice, and a high level of human tissue kallikrein was secreted into the mouse circulation. The systolic blood pressures of these transgenic mice are about 15–20 mmHg lower than that of the control mice. Administration of aprotinin, a potent tissue kallikrein inhibitor, restored normal blood pressure in these animals. These studies show that a high level of foreign tissue kallikrein in the circulation plays a role in blood pressure regulation
Identification of the initial field of concentrations of cs137 in the black sea after the chernobyl accident on the basis of the solution of a dual problem

By the method of dual equations, we identify the initial field of the concentrations of Cs137 in the Black Sea after the Chernobyl accident. We determine the zones of possible radioactive precipitations and compute the concentration of Cs137 in this region. It is shown that the results of numerical simulations performed by using the obtained initial field is in good agreement with the data of measurements.
Quantitation of ventricular repolarization: a new approach

Ten morphological variables describing electrocardiographic ventricular repolarization were considered, an addition to the conventional QT interval, in order to have a more complete description of the phenomenon. The computer program QTNEW was developed in order to analyze the repolarization segment automatically and to measure the variables. A final list of seven variables was obtained after the application of dimensionality-reduction techniques and did not include the QT interval. Six variables were independent of the QT, six were heart-rate independent, and all were age and body surface-area independent. >
Reevaluation of a classic phylogeographic barrier: new techniques reveal the influence of microgeographic climate variation on population divergence

We evaluated the mtDNA divergence and relationships within Geomys pinetis to assess the status of formerly recognized Geomys taxa. Additionally, we integrated new hypothesis-based tests in ecological niche models (ENM) to provide greater insight into causes for divergence and potential barriers to gene flow in Southeastern United States (Alabama, Florida, and Georgia). Our DNA sequence dataset confirmed and strongly supported two distinct lineages within G. pinetis occurring east and west of the ARD. Divergence date estimates showed that eastern and western lineages diverged about 1.37 Ma (1.9 Ma–830 ka). Predicted distributions from ENMs were consistent with molecular data and defined each population east and west of the ARD with little overlap. Niche identity and background similarity tests were statistically significant suggesting that ENMs from eastern and western lineages are not identical or more similar than expected based on random localities drawn from the environmental background. ENMs also support the hypothesis that the ARD represents a ribbon of unsuitable climate between more suitable areas where these populations are distributed. The estimated age of divergence between eastern and western lineages of G. pinetis suggests that the divergence was driven by climatic conditions during Pleistocene glacial–interglacial cycles. The ARD at the contact zone of eastern and western lineages of G. pinetis forms a significant barrier promoting microgeographic isolation that helps maintain ecological and genetic divergence.
Making Peace with Agwu

It is generally accepted that ethnographic fieldwork can and should challenge researchers' assumptions about the world. However, anthropologists generally avoid the fundamental ontological issues raised by their experiences in the field. This article is an account of my initiation into a guild of traditional healers in the Ohafia region of Igbo-speaking Nigeria. The ceremony was instigated by an ancestral spirit and, indirectly, by a spirit entity named Agwu, with whom I was obliged to make peace. Learning to accept the necessity of interacting with a spirit provided fundamental insights into Ohafia culture and a critical understanding of the implications of ethnographic research. Language: en
Health Workforce Assessment of Hawaii Physicians: Analysis of data from the DHHS Health Resources and Services Area Resource File, 2001

Rural Americans suffer significant health disparities compared to their urban counterparts. One of the explanations for this is lack of adequate workforce. Rural communities in the State of Hawai’i are no exception. Although there is an adequate supply of providers in the state, the disproportionate distribution leaves rural areas lacking. The PowerPoint prepared provides a cross sectional picture of the number of practicing physicians, a description of their specialties, age distribution, and location of training by county based on data collected by the federal government. We hope that this will help highlight current and future physician needs for medical and non-medical professionals working to provide Hawaii’s rural communities with adequate health care.
Relation of Diet to Diverticulosis of the Colon in Rats

Summary Observations made on 252 rats fed various diets in life span studies indicated that diverticulosis of the colon in ageing rats is produced by the lack of a suitable kind and amount of roughage in the diet. Bulk-formers including more or less hemicellulose in the form of psyllium seed husks were found to prevent the development of colonic diverticulosis.
Rationality and Consistency

Is consistency indispensable? Is the avoidance of self-contradiction indeed the fundamental requisite and decisive touchstone of rationality?
Investigation of a stripline transmission line structure for gyromagnetic nonlinear transmission line high power microwave sources

A stripline gyromagnetic nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) was constructed out of yttrium iron garnet ferrite and tested at charge voltages of 35 kV–55 kV with bias fields ranging from 10 kA/m to 20 kA/m. Typically, high power gyromagnetic NLTLs are constructed in a coaxial geometry. While this approach has many advantages, including a uniform transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode, simple interconnection between components, and the ability to use oil or pressurized gas as an insulator, the coaxial implementation suffers from complexity of construction, especially when using a solid insulator. By moving to a simpler transmission line geometry, NLTLs can be constructed more easily and arrayed on a single substrate. This work represents a first step in exploring the suitability of various transmission line structures, such as microstrips and coplanar waveguides. The resulting high power microwave (HPM) source operates in ultra high frequency (UHF) band with an average bandwidth of 40.1% and peak rf power from 2 MW to 12.7 MW.
Modeling purchase-timing and brand-switching behavior incorporating explanatory variables and unobserved heterogeneity

The authors use a continuous-time semi-Markov approach to analyze in a single framework the purchase-timing and brand-switching decisions of households for a frequently purchased product. The analysis provides more insights into the dynamics of household purchase behavior than could be obtained from conventional discrete choice models such as logit or probit. The authors find that the probability distribution of interpurchase times is not the same for various switching between brands, revealing extra information about the purchase-timing decisions. Further, they find that though the marketing mix and household demographic variables explain a large part of the variation in the brand-switching rates, they account for only a small part of the variation in the repeat purchase rates. Another finding from the analysis is that the rates of switching between brands due to promotional activities such as special displays and price reductions are in reverse order to the share of purchases of the various brands.
Failure of the Bactec 460 radiometer to detect Cryptococcus neoformans fungemia in an AIDS patient.

Cryptococcus neoformans fungemia occurred in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The BAC-TEC® 460 radiometer failed to detect Cryptococcus neoformans in eight aerobic BACTEC 6B culture bottles inoculated with the patient’s blood. The diagnosis of cryptococcemia was established by terminal (seven-day) subculturing of 6B broth to chocolate agar, which was positive for all eight radiometrically negative blood culture bottles. It appears that radiometric measurement is not optimal for the laboratory detection of cryptococcal fungemia.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHROMOSOMAL VARIANTS.

Closely related species frequently differ by some chromosomal change such as a difference in chromosomal number, an inversion, or a translocation, although it is not clear whether this change is a cause of speciation or coincidental with other genetic change. For example, Wright (1940) and Bush et al. (1977) suggested that both speciation and chromosomal evolution are enhanced by small effective population size (see also Bengtsson, 1980). In any case, it seems the genetic changes which occur during speciation may take many forms with the primary prerequisite being that they cause reproductive isolation between the new species and its ancestor. White (1978) and others have advocated that chromosomal changes may provide a barrier between a new population and its ancestral one because chromosomal hybrids generally have reduced fertility due to segregation abnormalities in meiosis. A problem arises, however, as discussed by Wright (1941) and by Bengtsson and Bodmer (1976) in that the probability of fixation of a new chromosomal type, given lowered heterokaryotic fertility, is generally very small. When there is a heterokaryotic disadvantage and the frequency of the new chromosomal type is below the unstable equilibrium generated by such a fitness array, selection will reduce its frequency further and lead to the elimination of the new variant. As a result, there appears to be a basic paradox: there are generally chromosomal changes associated with speciation but there is no genetic model which permits the establishment of these new chromosomal types in a popu-
Pharmacy-initiated introduction of patient-controlled analgesia to a 400-bed community hospital

The pharmacist's role in the implementation of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in a 400-bed community hospital is described. PCA for postoperative patients was introduced on the recommendation of the pharmacy and therapeutics committee. A subcommittee selected a PCA pump, developed a physician order form and patient monitoring sheet, and in March 1987 initiated a two-month pilot study of PCA therapy in orthopedic-surgery patients. An orthopedic-service pharmacist developed an inservice-education program for the physicians, anesthesiologists, and nurses involved in the care of these patients. Because of the support of anesthesiologists for this program, PCA use during the two-month period rapidly expanded beyond orthopedics to include general and genitourinary-gynecologic patients. Nursing staff demand for PCA inservice education became so great that all staff pharmacists participated in the teaching. Pharmacists in the decentralized areas also provided one-on-one instruction to physicians, nurses, and patients. Positive evaluations of PCA therapy by patients and nurses and favorable patient pain assessment scores, in addition to the hospital-wide acceptance and use of PCA by medical staff, indicated that the program was a success. Active pharmacist participation was a major factor in PCA being well accepted by physicians, nurses, and patients as an effective alternative method of narcotic administration.
Comparison of three instructional strategies in food and nutrition education: developing a diet plan for a diabetic case

ABSTRACTThis study examines the performance of dietitians-in-training on developing a diet plan for a diabetic patient either independently or after peer discussion. Participants (n = 58) from an undergraduate program in food and nutrition were divided into two groups based on their prior knowledge before being randomly assigned into three conditions: (1) peer discussion with just-in-time information (JIT information), (2) peer discussion without JIT information), and (3) independent performers. The learners’ performance in the three conditions was analyzed. The results presented here describe the role of prior knowledge and JIT information across the conditions and the interaction of the two factors as well as the instructional implications of the findings.
Repair of Proximal Hypospadias Using a Preputial Free Graft for Neourethral Construction and a Preputial Pedicle Flap for Ventral Skin Coverage

A total of 21 patients with proximal hypospadias underwent repair with a preputial free graft for neourethral construction and a preputial pedicle flap for ventral skin coverage. Only 1 patient had a stricture and a fistula. The other 20 repairs were completely successful. These results seem to be superior to those of other reports.
Entr’acte Revolution and Empire

‘The dynasty of Naples has ceased to reign.’ So declared Napoleon from Schonbrunn (27 December 1805) where he was basking in the glory of his victory at Austerlitz (2 December, the anniversary of his coronation as Emperor in Notre-Dame a year earlier). His nephew, Louis Napoleon, would honor the auspicious day for his own coup d’etat in 1851.