cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Space-Time Statistical Insights about Geographic Variation in Lung Cancer Incidence Rates: Florida, USA, 2000⁻2011.

The geographic distribution of lung cancer rates tends to vary across a geographic landscape, and covariates (e.g., smoking rates, demographic factors, socio-economic indicators) commonly are employed in spatial analysis to explain the spatial heterogeneity of these cancer rates. However, such cancer risk factors often are not available, and conventional statistical models are unable to fully capture hidden spatial effects in cancer rates. Introducing random effects in the model specifications can furnish an efficient approach to account for variations that are unexplained due to omitted variables. Especially, a random effects model can be effective for a phenomenon that is static over time. The goal of this paper is to investigate geographic variation in Florida lung cancer incidence data for the time period 2000–2011 using random effects models. In doing so, a Moran eigenvector spatial filtering technique is utilized, which can allow a decomposition of random effects into spatially structured (SSRE) and spatially unstructured (SURE) components. Analysis results confirm that random effects models capture a substantial amount of variation in the cancer data. Furthermore, the results suggest that spatial pattern in the cancer data displays a mixture of positive and negative spatial autocorrelation, although the global map pattern of the random effects term may appear random.
Hospital and Healthcare Transformation over Last Few Decades

As demonstrated throughout this book, hospitals have undergone massive and significant transformation, which if viewed by the previous generations of physicians, they would have difficulty recognizing the current hospitals’ transformed state. Traditionally, physicians expended enormous political capital to avoid being captured by the hospital in order to maintain both professional autonomy and control over their income without managerial interference. However, during the Clinton administration, the physician independence diminished significantly and has continued since. The current healthcare model in the United States is focused on an antagonistic environment between health systems, hospitals, and physicians versus the health insurance companies’ reimbursement paradigms. Yet, the modern hospitals survive despite many challenges and continue to provide the best possible care that humans ever received.
Reference analytics as an unexpected collection development tool

RefAnalytics, part of Springshare's LibAnswers, is a tool intended for tracking various statistical datasets, but Chicago State University’s Library decided to use it in part as a tool for collecti...
The Value of White Matter Tractography by Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Altering a Neurosurgeon's Operative Plan

Objective To investigate if the implementation of white matter (WM) fiber tractography by diffusion tensor imaging in presurgical planning for supratentorial tumors proximal to eloquent WM tracts can alter a neurosurgeon's operative strategy. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of patients with supratentorial brain tumors within eloquent WM tracts who underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography as part of their preoperative assessment. These patients were classified into 3 different DTI groups per the radiology reports: group 1, intact WM tracts; group 2, deviated and/or displaced WM bundles; and group 3, patients with an established WM injury (interrupted and/or destroyed tracts). A blinded prospective behavioral study followed, in which 4 neurosurgeons reviewed the preoperative images at 2 different times (magnetic resonance imaging without DTI, followed by a review of the DTI). They provided estimations about the DTI group of each individual eloquent WM category in every patient, and their planned surgical approach. Results Fifteen patients (mean age, 58.3 years) were included in the study. The neurosurgeons provided a correct DTI group estimation in 53%, 60%, and 57% of the cases that involved motor/sensory pathway tracts, optic tracts, and language tracts, respectively. The neurosurgeons underestimated DTI group 3 in the motor category and in the optic category 75% of the time. DTI did not alter the planned surgical approach. Conclusions DTI WM tractography helped neurosurgeons to correctly identify patients with interrupted motor and optic pathway tracts so they could be more aggressive with the extent of tumor resection, despite its inability to alter the operative approach.
Adapting a water, sanitation, and hygiene picture-based curriculum in the Dominican Republic:

Water, sanitation, and hygiene issues present barriers to health in rural Dominican Republic. Limited access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene accompanies a prevalence of water, sanitation...
Factors Associated With Antiretroviral Therapy Reinitiation in Medicaid Recipients With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to examine patient characteristics associated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) reinitiation in Medicaid enrollees. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study that uses Cox proportional hazard regression to examine the association between person-level characteristics and time from ART discontinuation to the subsequent reinitiation within 18 months. RESULTS There were 45 409 patients who discontinued ART, and 44% failed to reinitiate. More outpatient visits (3+ vs 0 outpatient visits: adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR), 1.56; 99% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-1.67) and hospitalization (adjHR, 1.18; 99% CI,1.16-1.20) during follow-up were associated with reinitiation. CONCLUSIONS Failure to reinitiate ART within 18 months was common in this sample. Care engagement was associated with greater ART reinitiation.
Emerging roles for R-loop structures in the management of topological stress

R-loop structures are a prevalent class of alternative non-B DNA structures that form during transcription upon invasion of the DNA template by the nascent RNA. R-loops form universally in the genomes of organisms ranging from bacteriophages, bacteria, and yeasts to plants and animals, including mammals. A growing body of work has linked these structures to both physiological and pathological processes, in particular to genome instability. The rising interest in R-loops is placing new emphasis on understanding the fundamental physicochemical forces driving their formation and stability. Pioneering work in Escherichia coli revealed that DNA topology, in particular negative DNA superhelicity, plays a key role in driving R-loops. A clear role for DNA sequence was later uncovered. Here, we review and synthesize available evidence on the roles of DNA sequence and DNA topology in controlling R-loop formation and stability. Factoring in recent developments in R-loop modeling and single-molecule profiling, we propose a coherent model accounting for the interplay between DNA sequence and DNA topology in driving R-loop structure formation. This model reveals R-loops in a new light as powerful and reversible topological stress relievers, an insight that significantly expands the repertoire of R-loops' potential biological roles under both normal and aberrant conditions.
Modifying Ripening through Modular Transcription.

Manipulation of ripening, the process that turns hard, flavorless green tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicum ) into the juicy, aromatic red fruits enjoyed worldwide, is of particular commercial and biological importance. Significant transcriptional reprogramming is required for synchronized cell wall
National trends in non-fatal suicidal behaviors among adults in the USA from 2009 to 2017.

Background The age-adjusted rate of suicide death in the USA has increased significantly since 2000 and little is known about national trends in non-fatal suicidal behaviors (ideation, plan, and attempt) among adults and their associated sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. This study examined trends in non-fatal suicidal behaviors among adults in the USA. Methods Data were obtained from adults 18-65 years of age who participated in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), including mental health assessment, from 2009 to 2017 (n = 335 359). Examinations of data involved trend analysis methods with the use of logistic regressions and interaction terms. Results Suicidal ideation showed fluctuation from 2009 to 2017, whereas suicide plan and attempt showed significantly positive linear trends with the odds increasing by an average of 3% and 4%, respectively. Suicide plan increased the most for females and adults ages 18-34, and attempt increased the most for adults with drug dependence. Both plan and attempt increased the most among adults who either had mental illness but were not in treatment or had no mental illness. Conclusions Given attempted suicide is the strongest known risk factor for suicide death, reducing non-fatal suicidal behaviors including attempt are important public health and clinical goals. The interactional findings of age, sex, mental health status, and drug dependence point toward the importance of tailoring prevention efforts to various sociodemographic and clinical factors.
Who Said We Were Terrorists? Issues with Terrorism Data and Inclusion Criteria

This article examines the reliability of “terrorism” classifications within the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) by looking at its inclusion criteria as well as filtering mechanisms for ensuring qua...
Rural Employment of Health Care Workers: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

Purpose Preserving and increasing the health care workforce in rural areas has become imperative due to the shortage of health care workers serving rural populations. However, limited data are available on long-term patterns of employment in rural settings among health care workers. Methods We analyzed the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, which enrolled a nationally representative sample of adolescents in 1979 and tracked their career outcomes through 2016. Using the US Census Bureau occupation codes, we identified participants who worked in health care occupations, and we classified their employment in rural versus urban areas. Findings Of the 1,007 respondents (including 109 doctoral health professionals), 70% worked only in urban locations, 13% worked only in rural locations, and 17% worked in both rural and urban locations during their health care career. Rural upbringing, White race, and female gender were associated with rural employment. Among nondoctoral health professionals, lower educational attainment was associated with increased likelihood of working only in rural settings. Conclusion Our study indicates the rural workforce is split between workers who are only employed in rural settings, and those who are intermittently employed in rural and urban settings. Therefore, retention of health care workers in rural settings and recruitment of workers from urban settings to practice in rural areas are important strategies for addressing the rural health care worker shortage. Rural upbringing, previously described as predictive of physician practice in rural locations, appears the strongest predictor of rural employment for both doctoral health professionals and nondoctoral health professionals.
Investigating the complex interplay between genotype and high-fat-diet feeding in the lactating mammary gland using the Tph1 and Ldlr knockout models.

We have created a novel mouse model that is focused on understanding the intersection of diet and genotype on mammary gland function during lactation.
Postsyntactic Lowering and linear relations in Dagur noun phrases

In this paper, I investigate the unusual order between case and possessive morphemes in the endangered Mongolic language Dagur. It is observed in many languages that the case morpheme follows possessive markers, but Dagur uniformly exhibits the morpheme order where possessive follows case in its nominal domain. Based on novel data from fieldwork, I propose that such order is due to postsyntactic Lowering, in which the head of K(ase)P lowers to Poss(essive) head. The evidence for the Lowering analysis comes from suspended affixation in this language. In particular, suspended affixation involving CASE and POSS morphemes displays unusual patterns, compared to the suspension of other types of morphemes. Further investigation reveals that Dagur suspended affixation is best analyzed as a base-generated structure, instead of morpheme ellipsis. Given these, the Lowering analysis correctly derives the POSS-final order and successfully accounts for the unusual patterns in suspended affixation. In addition, I examine surface morphophonological differences between the CASE and the POSS morphemes, and show that they can be systematically encoded in the current theory.
Introduction to Nonideal Theory and Its Contribution to Bioethics

At its core, nonideal theory is an attempt not only to address issues of justice, but it also provides us a lens through which we can articulate our limitations as knowers and reasoners, the ways in which we are relational in our autonomy needs, and the ways in which we are deeply dependent upon institutions and social supports for our agency and identities. Bringing this lens into bioethics means shifting our orientation in our scholarship and our practice. This shift will have implications in how bioethical evaluations are taken up and played out in policies, institutional structures that inform the clinical encounter, and avenues for protection and redress for marginalized and vulnerable populations. It will also allow theorists and researchers to interrogate the status quo, revealing how many standard policies and practices are embedded in social and institutional arrangements that privilege the few or are built on exclusionary norms. The path forward, and the aim of this volume, is to extend the scholarship of nonideal approaches to bioethics. The volume is divided into two main parts. The first is focused on philosophically unpacking nonideal theory as an approach in bioethics. The second offers applications of nonideal theory in environmental ethics, healthcare ethics, public heath ethics, and genetic ethics. Our collective aim is to expand what has been considered nonideal bioethics. The history of nonideal theory has as its point of reference a turn away from Rawlsian justice, but the future of nonideal theory is ripe with possibilities.
Fyn Kinase is Responsible for Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Mitochondrial Ribosomal Proteins

Mammalian mitochondria have their own DNA and unique ribosomes that encode for 13 mitochondrial-specific subunits of oxidative phosphorylation complexes. Recent evidence has shown that post-transla...
Drafting Jury Instuctions on Damages

In their zeal to prove liability, lawyers may neglect to establish all elements of damages that might be recoverable. To make certain that no potential item is overlooked, lawyers should consider starting their trial preparation by drafting jury instructions on damages, and then prepare their case with the instructions in mind. This article presents a detailed form jury instruction on damages that can serve as a checklist of elements of potential recovery in the ordinary personal-injury lawsuit.
UWB Perimeter Surveillance

This program will develop an automated and unmanned ultra-wide band (UWB) perimeter surveillance sensor designed to provide detection and tracking of personnel and vehicles at the perimeter of critical areas such as military installations and other such facilities. This effort describes the work being done for the protection of high value assets using a compact system which incorporates two technologies to enhance the probability of detection in stressing environments
Production and Grading of Sawn Lumber

Lumber production has grown from the old axe and two-person saw process to a sophisticated operation involving specialized machinery, such as multiple band saws or laser-beam cutters with digital control, and even optimization techniques to increase the yield of useful material from the log. To the engineer or wood scientist who wishes to specialize in it, wood production presents many interesting technical challenges. The structural designer, however, needs to know little about lumber production, except as it might affect either selection of material or the performance of that material in the completed structure.
Uncovering performance differences among backbone ISPs with Netdiff

We design and implement Netdiff, a system that enables detailed performance comparisons among ISP networks. It helps customers and applications determine, for instance, which ISP offers the best performance for their specific workload. Netdiff is easy to deploy because it requires only a modest number of nodes and does not require active cooperation from ISPs. Realizing such a system, however, is challenging as we must aggressively reduce probing cost and ensure that the results are robust to measurement noise. We describe the techniques that Netdiff uses to address these challenges. Netdiff has been measuring eighteen backbone ISPs since February 2007. Its techniques allow it to capture an accurate view of an ISP's performance in terms of latency within fifteen minutes. Using Netdiff, we find that the relative performance of ISPs depends on many factors, including the geographic properties of traffic and the popularity of destinations. Thus, the detailed comparison that Netdiff provides is important for identifying ISPs that perform well for a given workload.
Characterization of Nucleophosmin (B23) as a Myc Target by Scanning Chromatin Immunoprecipitation

The genetic program through which a specific transcription factor regulates a biological response is fundamental to our understanding how instructions in the genome are implemented. The emergence of DNA microarray technology for gene expression analysis has generated vast numbers of target genes resulting from specific transcription factor activity. We use the oncogenic transcription factor c-Myc as proof-of-principle that human genome sequence analysis and scanning of a specific gene by chromatin immunoprecipitation can be coupled to identify target transcription factor binding sequences. We focused on nucleophosmin, also known as B23, which was identified as a candidate Myc-responsive gene from a subtractive hybridization screen, and we found that sequences in intron 1, and not 5' sequences in the proximal promoter, are bound by c-Myc in vivo. Hence, a scanning chromatin immunoprecipitation (SChIP) strategy is useful in analyzing functional transcription factor-binding sites.
Acculturation, Dietary Behaviors, and Body Mass Index among Vietnamese American Adults

Objective: To examine the association of acculturation level with dietary behaviors and body mass index (BMI) in adult Vietnamese Americans. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey assessed accult...
Inexactness Issues in the Lagrange-Newton-Krylov-Schur Method for PDE-constrained Optimization

We present an overview of the Lagrange-Newton-Krylov-Schur (LNKS) method for solution of optimization problems that are governed by systems of partial differential equations. We discuss how to improve LNKS’s work efficiency by carrying out certain computations inexactly, without compromising convergence. LNKS solves the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker optimality conditions using a NewtonKrylov algorithm. Its key component is a preconditioner based on variants of quasiNewton reduced space Sequential Quadratic Programming (QN-RSQP) methods. LNKS combines the fast convergence properties of a Newton method with the ability of preconditioned Krylov methods to solve very large linear systems. Nevertheless, even with good preconditioners, solution of the optimization problem is several times more expensive than solution of the underlying PDE problem. To accelerate LNKS, its computational components are carried out inexactly: premature termination of iterative algorithms, inexact evaluation of gradients and Jacobians, and approximate line searches. We discuss several issues that arise with respect to these inexact computations, and the resulting trade-offs between speed and robustness.
A Simulation Study of Oxygen Vacancy-Induced Variability in ${\rm HfO}_{2}$ /Metal Gated SOI FinFET

Deposition of a metal gate on high-K dielectric HfO2 is known to generate oxygen vacancy (OVs) defects. Positively charged OVs in the dielectric affect the gate electrostatics and modulate the effective gate workfunction (WF). Count and spatial allocation of OVs varies from device-to-device and induces significant local variability in WF and Vth. This paper presents the statistical models to simulate OV concentration and placement depending on the gate formation conditions. OV-induced variability is studied for SOI FinFET, and compared against the other sources of variability across the technologies. The implications of gate first and gate last processes to the OV concentration/distribution are studied. Simulations show that with channel length and gate dielectric thickness scaling, the OV-induced variability becomes a significant concern.
Meeting the At-Risk Challenge: Empowering Nursing Students Through Mentoring

Wanting to improve student retention, progression, and graduation, the nursing faculty of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas developed a program for undergraduate students. Designated faculty mentors are available for academically at-risk students, or any student wanting to improve learning skills. Through mentoring sessions, students are helped to assess their learning difficulties, develop individualized prescription plans for learning, gain support during implementation of learning strategies, and evaluate results. Implemented in 2002, the program reflects positive outcomes. Of the 29 students who were referred to the program, only 3 were unsuccessful in passing their nursing courses. Student evaluations of the program reflect the value of the mentoring experience. The program has subsequently developed in the areas of advertising, diagnostic student testing, and student access to support resources.
Pseudopsammomatous meningioma with elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen: a true secretory meningioma. Case report.

✓ A sphenoid-wing meningioma in a 60-year-old woman was accompanied by elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, which returned to normal after removal of the tumor. Light microscopic examination revealed a secretory meningioma containing numerous pseudopsammoma bodies and a prominent vascular pattern. Immunohistochemical analysis showed the tumor cells and pseudopsammoma bodies to be CEA-positive. This case illustrates the possibility that secretory meningioma may be associated with clinically detectable secretion of CEA. The report also documents the rare occurrence of elevated serum CEA in a primary benign intracranial tumor.
Laboratory quality: A method for change

Abstract While the expected level may differ among clients, the expectation of quality is always present. This paper acknowledges the need for quality at every level of laboratory operations, and reviews selected, available tools to generate a quality product the first time. The expectation of quality on the part of the client is often different from that of either the technician or the manager. The shaping of quality within the laboratory to conform to the client's needs and expectations is the responsibility of both manager and technician. Shaping of laboratory goals is best done by building quality into the system, not adding quality at the end. To construct such a system, each process within the system must be consciously designed. A customer‐supplier diagram shows interactions of both external (clients) and internal (technicians) customers. In each exchange, the transferred product must be of high quality, which need not be corrected or partially reworked before further use. Development of quality in...
Buoy-deployed seeding: Demonstration of a new eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) planting method

We describe an innovative method of dispersing Zostera marinaL. (eelgrass) seed that has the potential to facilitate large-scale, citizen-based restoration programs. Mature reproductive shoots of eelgrass were collected during the second week of seed release and stocked into mesh pearl nets suspended from buoys set in 0.04 ha plots. As the seeds ripened, they were naturally released from the nets, fell to the bottom and germinated to form a distinct arc-shaped meadow under each buoy. A survey of seedling survival indicated that recruitment was at least 6.9% based on estimated seed abundance within each net. The advantages of this method are that (1) harvest and deployment of reproductive shoots takes place on the same day, eliminating the need to store reproductive shoots in an on-shore storage facility, to obtain a sufficient number of seeds for large-scale restoration programs and (2) once trained, citizens can participate in both the collection and seeding phases, thereby, increasing awareness and value of Z. marina restoration programs. The technique presented allows for a low-cost, efficient, and simple method for successfully dispersing seed, which consequently has a significant impact on establishment of plants from seed. These attributes can also influence restoration programs for other species of aquatic plants for which the seeding of sites, historically degraded but now habitable, is possible. © 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Measurement of adult performance on Piaget's water horizontality task

Abstract Three versions of Piaget's water-level-horizontality task (multiple choice, drawing, and apparatus tests) were administered to 121 female and 74 male adult volunteers. Sex differences and container orientation effects were replicated. Men were more accurate than women and horizontal and vertical container orientations evoked more accurate responses than oblique orientation. Reliability estimates ranged from .78 to .97 and correlations among the measures ranged from .78 to .88. The relative merits of alternative water-level testing and scoring methods and the orientation and type of stimuli to be used are discussed.
A Novel Bisphenol Monomer with Grafting Capability and the Resulting Poly(arylene ether sulfone)s

A new bisphenol monomer, 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-(4-(4-fluorophenyl)thio)phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (3FBPT), containing a masked grafting site was readily synthesized in high yield in two reaction steps. A conventional aromatic nucleophilic substitution (SNAr) was used for copolymerization of this monomer with difluorodiphenyl sulfone and hexafluorobisphenol A, which gave high molecular weight linear poly(arylene ether sulfone)s containing 4-fluorophenyl sulfide pendant groups. After oxidation to convert the sulfide to sulfone, the para fluorine on the pendant group becomes activated for further SNAr reaction for the introduction of other functionality onto the pendant side chains such as sulfonated species for fuel cell applications. All the polymers are thoroughly characterized by 1H, 19F, and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Thermal analysis study shows that these polymers have Tgs between 180 and 230 °C according to the monomer ratio and have excellent thermal stability up to 500 °C.
Turbulent Flow, Flexure-Pivot Hybrid Bearings for Cryogenic Applications

The thermal analysis of flexure-pivot tilting-pad hybrid (combination hydrostatic-hydrodynamic) bearings for cryogenic turbopumps is presented. The advantages of this type of bearing for high speed operation are discussed. Turbulent bulk-flow, variable properties, momentum and energy transport equations of motion govern the flow in the bearing pads. Zeroth-order equations for the flow field at a journal equilibrium position render the bearing flow rate, load capacity, drag torque, and temperature rise. First-order equations for perturbed flow fields due to small amplitude journal motions provide rotordynamic force coefficients. A method to determine the tilting-pad moment coefficients from the force displacement coefficients is outlined. Numerical predictions correlate well with experimental measurements for tilting-pad hydrodynamic bearings. The design of a liquid oxygen, flexure-pad hybrid bearing shows a reduced whirl frequency ratio and without loss in load capacity or reduction in direct stiffness and damping coefficients.
Refinement of algorithms for the real-time simulation of human movements in computer models

The purpose of this research is to develop natural movement algorithms that are more computationally efficient than those presently being used. This paper provides a new mathematical algorithm for solving the inverse kinematic problems needed to simulate the limb movements of a 3-D virtual human figure. This is accomplished by first decoupling the system of equations, then performing singular value decomposition (SVD) on the resulting matrix of constants coefficients.
Acute Hemodynamic Effect of Oral Nifedipine in Severe Chronic Congestive Heart Failure

The temporal hemodynamic effects of oral nifedipine after a single dose of 20 to 40 mg were evaluated in 11 patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure (left ventricular ejection fraction 0.22 ± 0.7 [mean ± standard deviation]). Nifedipine significantly reduced systemic vascular resistance, from 1,850 ± 493 to 1,315 ± 398 dynes s cm-5 at 1 hour (29%), to 1,410 ± 246 at 3 hours and to 1,523 ±286 at 6 hours (p < 0.05). Cardiac index increased 21%, from 2.07 ± 0.46 to 2.51 ± 0.83 liters/min/m2 at 1 hour, to 2.38 ± 0.53 liters/min/m2 at 3 hours (p < 0.05) and to 2.24 ± 0.41 liters/min/2 at 6 hours. The group response of stroke volume to nifedipine was smaller. A peak increase of 17% was seen 3 hours after initiation of therapy (22.6 ± 7.2 versus 25.5 ± 6.1 ml/2). This difference did not reach statistical significance. Mean blood pressure declined significantly, from 94 ± 20 to 80 ± 13 mm Hg at 1 hour, to 83 ± 15 mm Hg at 3 hours and to 86 ±17 mm Hg at 6 hours (p < 0.05) and was associated with no significant change in heart rate. The marked decrease in blood pressure resulted in a decrease in rate-pressure product from 12,272 ± 4,230 to 10,500 ± 2,074 mm Hg/min at 1 hour, to 10,374 ±2, 735 mm Hg/min at 3 hours and to 11,047 ± 3,813 mm Hg/min at 6 hours (p < 0.05). Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, right atrial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance and left ventricular stroke work index showed no significant change after oral nifedipine. This study therefore shows that oral nifedipine, when administered to patients with chronic severe congestive heart failure, markedly reduces systemic vascular resistance. However, this change is followed by no change in stroke work index and only a mild change in stroke volume and pulmonary artery wedge pressure. These findings suggest that nifedipine has a limited effect on cardiac performance and raise doubt regarding the role of this drug as a vasodilating agent in the treatment of chronic congestive heart failure.
Electrical transport properties of single crystal nickel oxide

Abstract Conductivity studies have been made on single crystal NiO samples grown by halide decomposition and by the flame-fusion method. The d.c. conductivity can be characterized by a single activation energy over a wide temperature range. At sufficiently low temperatures the activation energy begins to decrease with decreasing temperature. The a.c. conductivity is frequency dependent with the dispersion becoming more pronounced as the temperature is lowered. The experimental data are indicative of a mechanism involving a wide distribution of relaxation times. A model based on the hopping of a small polaron between a pair of randomly distributed acceptors provides a possible explanation of the frequency dependence. The experimental temperature dependence suggests that the hopping of carriers between groups of three or more acceptors also is important. In addition to the inter-acceptor hopping conduction, a second mechanism involving intra-acceptor hopping has been observed in the samples grown by halide decomposition.
Distribution and abundance of manatees trichechus manatus in the Dominican Republic

Abstract Aerial surveys and interviews were conducted in the Dominican Republic to determine the distribution and abundance of manatees. Results show that two reproducing populations range through marine habitat of northern and southwestern coastal segments. Calves were seen throughout the year, indicating continuous breeding. Illegal hunting is identified as the major source of mortality and stricter enforcement of existing laws would help to preserve the remaining population.
Robotic single-site combined cholecystectomy and hysterectomy: Advantages and limits

INTRODUCTION Robotic single-site surgery (RSS) represents the latest innovation for clinical use of single incision surgery. Several applications have been reported in urology, general surgery and gynecology with potential application in benign cases as well as in oncology.
Legal training and perceptions of Chief Housing Officers: A southwestern United States study

This study examined the legal training of Chief Housing Officers (CHOs) employed by colleges and universities in the southwest USA. The study also investigated the perceptions of CHOs with regard t...
Oxygen inhibits maize bundle sheath photosynthesis.

Abstract Oxygen inhibits photosynthetic CO 2 fixation in isolated maize bundle sheath strands. This inhibition is rapidly and completely reversible and is relieved by increased levels of CO 2 . These observations provide evidence that the relative oxygen-insensitivity of photosynthesis in intact maize leaves results from a CO 2 concentrating mechanism.
Oh say, can you see? The physiology of vision

How can we see? One answer lies in the receptive fields of visual cells in our eyes and brain. A 'receptive field' in the simplest terms is a map of the regions in space where light can affect a cell's electrical output. Millions of such fields analyze and filter the patterns of light that impinge on the retina. I will illustrate the major anatomical structures and physiological processes underlying such fields, in the primary visual pathway from the eye to the brain. An understanding of such fields is critically important, since their output provides the basis upon which conscious visual perception can eventually be constructed by higher brain processes. That is, perception itself is derived from the information as filtered and analyzed by such fields. Complete spatio-temporal receptive fields of simple cells in the visual cortex of monkeys were recently recorded using white-noise analysis techniques by Dan Pollen and colleagues. I discuss various models of the shapes of these fields (Gaussian derivative, Gabor, edge-and-line- detector, and difference-of-offset-Gaussian) in the context of these new data. The Gaussian derivative model provided the simplest and most concise description of the receptive fields to the models tested. Gaussian derivative machine vision spatio-temporal filters, based upon the biological data, produced robust estimates of the spatial and temporal derivatives of the image. These should prove suitable for form, motion, color, and stereo analysis, using only linear, separable filters or their linear combinations. So a partial answer to 'How can we see?' may be that receptive fields in the early visual system may serve as robust derivative analyzers in space and time.
RECENT APPLICATIONS OF FLAME ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY TO ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS

ABSTRACT Atomic absorption spectroscopy is very useful for the determination of a large number of elements, especially at trace levels. It is a widely used technique for analysis of a wide variety of sample matrices including biota, soils, and water. Atomic absorption spectroscopy is a very reputable technique that is inexpensive and delivers accurate results even in a complex matrix. This review focuses on the applications of flame atomic absorption spectroscopy to environmental measurements, and is mainly based on papers published from 1999–2002.
SU‐GG‐J‐40: Automated Detection of Gold Seeds in Prostate Electronic Portal Images

Purpose: Implanted gold seed markers are currently used to localize the relative prostate position in prostate electronic portal images during radiation therapy. This study describes a new algorithm that automatically identifies the gold seed marker positions in the Anterior‐Posterior (AP) and Lateral (LAT) prostate electronic portal image pairs. Method and Materials: Four prostate patients were imaged on a Siemens Oncor linear accelerator using standard AP and LAT image projections. The automated detection algorithm includes two phases: The first phase is to preprocess the image by passing a selected bandpass filter, including “Intensity Autoscale” and “Contrast Saturation” functions to produce a better visual contrast of the three gold seeds; The second phase is to do automatic detection by utilizing “Prewitt” edge detection method to convert the image into black and white image, and then detecting each gold seed position in a pre knowledge based selected window for AP and LAT images. The automatic detection algorithm was written in Matlab, and the detection results were compared to the positions which we marked in EPIDimages by using ImageJ.Results: For all the collected images, the gold seed markers are clearly visualized on the preprocessed images. We tested 8 pairs (AP/LAT) of images using the automatic detection algorithm and compared the gold seed positions to the manually marked seed positions. The automatic detection algorithm is able to locate the seed to within ±4 pixels (which is within ±1.6mm) of the manual seed location. Conclusion: This method improves visualization of EPIDimages and also has good accuracy for localizing the position of gold seeds on AP and LAT projections. Future work will adapt the localization algorithm for routine clinical use for the automatic detection of gold seeds in prostate EPIDimages.
The University of Missouri gamma-ray scattering facility

Abstract The field of gamma-ray scattering is new and only a few of the possible applications of the technique have been pursued. At the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) we are presently completing two instruments to perform studies not previously attempted. The first instrument is a full-circle diffractometer with additional differential ω-motion and linear drive system for the detector which will be used for accurate crystallographic structure measurements at either 0.125 A ( 153 Sm) or 0.03 A ( 198 Au). The reduced absorption and extinction at these wavelengths should permit more accurate structure factor determination than has been possible with either X-rays or neutrons. A unique source irradiation system and shield cask have been designed to permit the utilization of relatively large, extremely intense sources. The cask is self-centering at the instrument and has a built in rotation of the source container to maximize the intensity. A large exit aperture is provided in the vertical direction (∼3″) to give extra intensity when tight collimation is not required in that direction. The second instrument will be using the 103 keV photons from 153 Sm as a Mossbauer source and will detect inelastically scattered photons with a centrifugally driven absorber. Because of the high specific activities attainable in the flux trap at MURR (∼6000 Ci/g for enriched 152 Sm) these experiments should be possible where such studies with traditional sources, e.g., 57 Fe, have not succeeded.
Accessing opportunistic resources with Bosco

Bosco is a software project developed by the Open Science Grid to help scientists better utilize their on-campus computing resources. Instead of submitting jobs through a dedicated gatekeeper, as most remote submission mechanisms use, it uses the built-in SSH protocol to gain access to the cluster. By using a common access method, SSH, we are able to simplify the interaction with the cluster, making the submission process more user friendly. Additionally, it does not add any extra software to be installed on the cluster making Bosco an attractive option for the cluster administrator. In this paper, we will describe Bosco, the personal supercomputing assistant, and how Bosco is used by researchers across the U.S. to manage their computing workflows. In addition, we will also talk about how researchers are using it, including an unique use of Bosco to submit CMS reconstruction jobs to an opportunistic XSEDE resource.
Using a TightRope® to treat a complex fracture of the trapezium

We present the case of a 23-year-old man with a combined scaphoid fracture and comminuted trapezium fracture, treated surgically with percutaneous fixation of the scaphoid fracture and concomitant Arthrex Mini TightRope(®) stabilisation of base of thumb metacarpal to base of index finger metacarpal. The patient made a good functional recovery, returning to usual activities within six weeks. We suggest that this technique could be used to treat complex trapezium fractures that cannot be reconstructed with surgery.
Papillary Cystadenocarcinoma of Pancreas: Case Report, with Notes on Classification of Malignant Cystic Tumors of Pancreas

The case here reported is interesting both because of the rarity of the tumor and because the complete clinical record over a period of six years may throw possible light upon the pathogenesis of the neoplasm. The latter was an encapsulated cystic tumor of the tail of the pancreas, the size of a child9s head, which, after an interval of about five years, had, in part, undergone carcinomatous change, invading the capsule and metastasizing to the peritoneum, omentum, and liver. Large papillary cystadenocarcinomata of the pancreas of this type are admittedly rare (Kaufmann, 1; Ewing, 2), especially cases proved by adequate necropsy or biopsy data. In fact, there appears to be no authentic case report in the American literature. Malignant cystic tumors of the pancreas of all types have, of course, been described with increasing frequency within the past twenty years. Only a very small proportion of these, however, are cystadenocarcinomata in the specific sense of the author9s case, as will be seen later from a brief survey of the literature. Report of Case 2 The patient, a female nurse, a Russian, aged forty-four, single, first came under observation at the Mount Sinai Hospital in December 1928 (three years before necropsy), with a complaint of intermittent edema of the ankles of six years9 duration, pain in the left thigh, and a tendency to fatigue. In 1919, a hemorrhoidectomy had been performed. In November 1925, approximately six years before death, the patient had been observed for a period of two weeks at another hospital in New York City, where an exploratory laparotomy was performed for suspected acute intestinal obstruction. At operation, marked distention of all the intestine, including the sigmoid colon, was found, as well as marked edema of the mesosigmoid and an appreciable quantity of free serous fluid in the abdomen. The uterus showed a large intramural fibromyoma. The adnexa and appendix appeared normal. No intestinal obstruction was found, and the cause of the distention and peritoneal effusion was not clear. The patient was discharged improved. Shortly afterwards, her “spleen was felt to be enlarged.”
A Note on Hunting and Hominid Origins

Molins Fibrega, N. 1954 El C6dice Mendocino y la Economia de Tenochtitlin. Revista Mexicana de Estudios Antropol6gicos 14(1):303-322. Morley, Sylvanus G. 1938 The Inscriptions of Pet(n. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Pub. 437. Parsons, Jeffrey R. 1976 The Role of Chinampa Agriculture in the Food Supply of Aztec Tenochtitlin. In Cultural Change and Continuity: Essays in Honor of James Bennett Griffin. Charles E. Cleland, ed. pp. 233-262. New York: Academic Press.
China’s new leaders must keep science in focus

By bringing in people with more varied backgrounds, China’s leadership change could benefit science, argues Peng Gong.
Abstract 1504: Inhibition of RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) enhances radiation sensitivity in lung cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC We have previously demonstrated that radiation resistance in MEFs is mediated in part through RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) possibly through upregulation of AKT and NFk-B. The role of PKR in cancer cells has not been evaluated. In this study, we show that the transduction of MEFs and lung cancer cells with adenoviral wt PKR results in nuclear translocation of PKR, activation of AKT1/2 and increased radiation resistance. The transduction of lung cancer cells or MEFs with a dominant negative adenoviral PKR vector blocks nuclear translocation of PKR, inhibits AKT activation and leads to the reversal of radiation resistance. Plasmid transduction of MEFs and lung cancer cells with nuclear targeted wt PKR vectors also results in AKT1/2 activation and increased radiation resistance. This effect is selectively abrogated by plasmid transduction of dominant negative PKR vectors which inhibit AKT1/2 activation and restore radiation sensitivity. These findings suggest a novel role for PKR in lung cancer cells as a mediator of radiation resistance possibly through translocation of the protein product to the nucleus and activation of AKT1/2. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1504.
The Utility of Biomarkers in the Diagnosis and Therapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Fecal and serologic biomarkers can be used in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fecal markers such as calprotectin and lactoferrin have been studied for their ability to identify patients with IBD, assess disease activity, and predict relapse. Antibodies against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic proteins have been used in diagnosis of IBD, to distinguish Crohn's disease (CD) from ulcerative colitis, and to predict the risk of complications of CD. Tests for C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate have been used to assess inflammatory processes and predict the course of IBD progression. Levels of drug metabolites and antibodies against therapeutic agents might be measured to determine why patients do not respond to therapy and to select alternative treatments. This review addresses the potential for biomarker assays to improve treatment strategies and challenges to their use and development.
Restoring Adenine Nucleotides in a Brain Slice Model of Cerebral Reperfusion

Tissue adenine nucleotides are depleted during cerebral ischemia, impeding recovery after reperfusion. Although prior studies have attempted to prevent the initial loss of adenylates, the present study tests the hypothesis that stimulating synthesis of adenine nucleotides, through either adenosine kinase or adenine phosphoribosyltransferase, would result in significant cerebroprotection. To study the effects on neurons and glia directly while avoiding the influence of the cerebral vasculature, hippocampal brain slices were used for the model of transient ischemia with reperfusion. The standard brain slice insult of brief exposure to anoxia with aglycemia was modified based on studies which showed that a 30-minute exposure to air with 1 mmol/L glucose produced a stable, moderate reduction in ATP during the insult and that, 2 hours after return to normal conditions, there was moderate depletion of tissue adenine nucleotides and histologic injury. Treatments with 1 mmol/L adenosine, AMP, or adenine were equivalent in partially restoring adenine nucleotides. Despite this, only adenosine afforded histologic protection, suggesting a protective role for adenosine receptors. There also was evidence for metabolic cycling among adenine nucleotides, nucleosides, and purines. Adenosine may exert direct cerebroprotective effects on neural tissue as well as indirect effects through the cerebral vasculature.