cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU-FF-T-243: Feasibility of Using Stereotactic Body Radiation as An Alternative to HDR for the Treatment of GYN Sites

Purpose:Brachytherapy is frequently used to boost volumes at risk in the treatment of gynecological tumors. Not all the centers have an HDR, or LDR capabilities, however, all have a linear accelerator. We evaluated the possibility of using external beam radiation therapy using Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy(SBRT) or Intensity Modulated SBRT (IM‐SBRT) approach. Method and Materials: Volumes covered by the HDR prescription were used to define a CTV, with a prescription of 3250 cGy to the CTV over 5 fractions. Planning started with 36 equi‐spaced non‐coplanar beams and beam weight optimization was used to choose the most effective beam orientations. Then, unmodulated beams produced the SBRT plans and by allowing beam modulation IM‐SBRT plans were generated. Both absolute and film dosimetry were performed to ensure accurate deliverability. Results: At least 96% of the CTV was covered by the prescription dose for SBRT and IM‐SBRT plans. Relative to the original HDR plan, bladder dose reduced by 12.8% and 38.5% by SBRT and IM‐SBRT respectively. Rectal dose increased by 49.3% using SBRT and decreased by 5.1% using IM‐SBRT. As expected, The integral dose outside CTV was higher in SBRT and IM‐SBRT approaches. Conclusion:SBRT and IM‐SBRT methods provided similar tumor coverage to HDR. IM‐SBRT reduced dose to bladder and rectal point. In the near future we will be evaluating a novel new device to localize the anatomy on a daily basis so that a precise delivery is possible.
Photoexchange products of cytosine and 5-methylcytosine with Nα-acetyl-l-lysine and l-lysine

The photoinduced exchange reactions of cytosine (Ia) and 5-methylcytosine (IIa) with N alpha-acetyl-L-lysine, a derivative of the common amino acid L-lysine, were studied. These reactions of Ia and IIa at pH 7.5 produce, respectively, 2-N-acetylamino-6-(1-cytosinyl)hexanoic acid (Ib) and 2-N-acetylamino-6-(1-(5-methylcytosinyl]hexanoic acid (IIb) as major final products. In addition, small amounts of the corresponding deamination products were formed in the 5-methylcytosine-N alpha-acetyl-L-lysine and cytosine-N alpha-acetyl-L-lysine systems, namely 2-N-acetylamino-6-(1-thyminyl)-hexanoic acid and 2-N-acetylamino-6-(1-uracilyl)hexanoic acid. The compounds Ib and IIb were deacetylated by acid hydrolysis to yield the corresponding lysine products: 2-amino-6-(1-cytosinyl)hexanoic acid (Ic) and 2-amino-6-(1-(5-methylcytosinyl]hexanoic acid (IIc). The compound Ic was identified as a product in the photoreaction of cytosine with L-lysine at near neutral pH, while IIc is found as a product in the corresponding reaction of 5-methylcytosine. The occurrence of the above photoexchange reactions at pH values near those found in physiological systems could have biological implications; in particular, our observations suggest that cytosine and 5-methylcytosine residues, contained in DNA, might react with the epsilon-amino groups of lysine residues in proteins upon UV irradiation of nucleosomes and other DNA-protein complexes under physiological conditions.
Finite-Element Modeling of Titanium Powder Densification

A powder-level, finite-element model is created to describe densification, as a function of applied stress during uniaxial hot pressing, of CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V powders with spherical or spheroidal shapes for various packing geometries. Two cases are considered: (1) isothermal densification (in the α- or β-fields of CP-Ti and in the β-field of Ti-6Al-4V) where power-law creep dominates and (2) thermal cycling densification (across the α/β-phase transformation of Ti-6Al-4V) where transformation mismatch plasticity controls deformation at low stresses. Reasonable agreement is achieved between numerical results and previously published experimental measurements and continuum modeling predictions.
A study of surface wave attenuation measurement for application to pavement characterization

There is a need for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques which can effectively determine the extent of damage (cracking) in concrete structures. Non-destructive, one-sided surface wave attenuation measurement is a very sensitive and practical tool for such characterization. A technique for practical determination of frequency-dependent surface wave attenuation is introduced and demonstrated to be sensitive to damage in free concrete slabs. A theoretical model for the attenuation response in undamaged free slabs is introduced and shown to accurately predict experimentally obtained responses in concrete within certain frequency limits. The theoretical model is then used to investigate the practical application of the attenuation technique to concrete pavement NDE in terms of slab depth and subbase conditions. Theoretically obtained data are presented for a variety of pavement types. Based on the presented results of the theoretical model, conclusions concerning practical application of the technique to pavement inspection are given.
A hybrid method for three‐dimensional problems of dynamics of foundations

A method is developed applicable to problems of dynamics of arbitrary-geometry foundations. Finite elements are employed in the near field in order to obtain a discrete solution. In the far field, a semidiscrete solution is synthesized from modes also calculated by the finite element method. The solutions are matched by applying the stationarity condition of a functional. Examples of application are presented in order to verify the validity and illustrate the use of the method.
Reduced sensitivity to the locomotor-stimulant effects of cocaine is associated with increased sensitivity to its discriminative stimulus properties.

Outbred Long–Evans rats exhibit wide variation in their locomotor response to cocaine. Here, we investigated the relationship between these individual differences and interoceptive effects of cocaine in low cocaine responder (LCR) and high cocaine responder (HCR) phenotypes. Rats were trained to dis
Is disclosure of childhood rape associated with mental health outcome? Results from the National Women's Study

Clinicians often assert that disclosure of childhood rape is beneficial to victims because it sets the occasion for protective action and can bring them into contact with professionals trained to address rape-related mental health needs. Consistent with this is the hypothesis that victims of childhood rape who disclose their victimization soon after it occurs are at lower risk for later psychosocial difficulties relative to those who delay disclosure or never disclose. We explored this issue with a nationally representative sample of 3,220 adult women; 288 (8.9%) endorsed at least one instance of forcible sexual penetration prior to age 18. Results revealed a significantly higher past-year prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive episodes among women who waited longer than 1 month to disclose their rape relative to nondisclosers and women who disclosed within 1 month of the rape. Delayed disclosure remained associated with PTSD after controlling for demographic and rape characteristics. Patterns of disclosure were not associated with past-year substance-use problems.
Membranous glomerulonephritis in association with hepatitis C virus infection

Abstract Two bone marrow transplant recipients are described who developed nephrotic syndrome in association with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Renal biopsies of both patients revealed stage I membranous glomerulonephritis. Detection of HCV genome was performed by nonisotopic in situ hybridization and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on paraffin-embedded renal biopsy specimens. Hepatitis C virus genome was detected by reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reaction on the RNA extracted from 15 5-μm paraffin sections. However, HCV genome was not revealed by nonisotopic in situ hybridization, which was likely due to the low copy number of HCV genomes present. These studies suggest that chronic HCV infection is associated with membranous glomerulonephritis.
An examination of comorbid asthma and obesity: assessing differences in physical activity, sleep duration, health-related quality of life and parental distress

AbstractObjective: Compare youth with comorbid asthma and obesity to youth with obesity only to determine if differences exist in body mass index, dietary intake, levels of physical activity, sleep duration and health-related quality of life. Levels of parent distress were also compared. Methods: Participants included 248 children (n = 175 in Obesity group; n = 73 in Asthma + Obesity group) with a BMI ≥ 85th percentile for age and gender, and their participating parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Measures of child height and weight were obtained by study personnel and Z-scores for child body mass index were calculated using age- and gender-specific norms. Child physical activity and sleep duration were measured via accelerometers. Dietary intake, health-related quality of life and parent distress were assessed via self-report. Results: The Asthma + Obesity group evidenced significantly higher body mass index scores, and had lower sleep duration. There was a non-statistically significant trend for lower level...
Effects of kelp forest removal on associated fish assemblages in central California

Abstract Visual surveys along subtidal belt transects were used to compare fish assemblages on an experimental and a control site before and after the removal of a canopy-forming kelp forest. The giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C.A. Agardh was removed at the holdfast from ≈ 1 ha of high relief structurally complex rock substratum. The abundance of seven species of fish, of which five were considered midwater species, significantly declined after the kelp was removed. No increases in abundance were noted within the experimental site. On the control site, two declines in abundance were observed, while two species increased in abundance. These results indicate that the presence of a giant kelp forest may increase the abundance and species diversity of the fish assemblages over a high relief rocky reef in central California, U.S.A.
Tight Gas Sands-Permeability, Pore Structure, and Clay

Gas permeability has been measured on a suite of cores from the Spirit River tight gas sand of western Alberta and on two samples from the Cotton Valley formation of east Texas. Using nitrogen as the mobile fluid, we have measured permeability as a function of partial water saturation at in-situ levels of pore pressure and confining pressure. Samples from both locations show strong dependence of permeability (k) on effective pressure and on the degree of water or brine saturation. The validity of Darcy's law in the microdarcy range has been verified in a dry Spirit River sample. Extensive thin-section, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies have been conducted. The primary clays in Spirit River and Cotton Valley cores are chlorite and illite. In one sample we measured k vs. saturation first with distilled water and then with a 2% KCl brine solution and saw no significant change in permeability behavior. By observing the effects of pressure, partial saturation, and salinity on permeability in these samples, we can deduce several important characteristics of the pore structure and can evaluate the relative importance of clay content.
Evidence for a Prostate Cancer Susceptibility Locus on the X Chromosome

Jianfeng Xu1*, Deborah Meyers1, Diha Freije2, Sarah Isaacs2, Kathy Wiley2, Deborah Nusskern2, Charles Ewing2, Eric Wilkens2, Piroska Bujnovszky2, G. Steven Bova2,3, Patrick Walsh2 & William Isaacs2,4 (Group 1) Johanna Schleutker5*, Mika Matikainen5*, Teuvo Tammela5, Tapio Visakorpi5 & Olli-P. Kallioniemi12 (Group 2) Rebecca Berry6*, Daniel Schaid7*, Amy French6, Shannon McDonnell7, Jennifer Schroeder6, Michael Blute8 & Stephen Thibodeau6 (Group 3) Henrik Gronberg9*, Monika Emanuelsson9, Jan-Erik Damber10, Anders Bergh11 & Bjorn-Anders Jonsson11 (Group 4) Jeffrey Smith12*, Joan Bailey-Wilson12, John Carpten12, Dietrich Stephan12, Elizabeth Gillanders12, Isaac Amundson12, Tommi Kainu12, Diana Freas-Lutz12, Agnes Baffoe-Bonnie13, Anne Van Aucken12, Raman Sood12, Francis Collins12, Michael Brownstein12 & Jeffrey Trent12 (Group 5) *These authors contributed equally to this work.
The Year in Review: Critical Care Medicine

Background: There have been significant recent advances in the pharmacotherapeutic management of critically ill patients. The purpose of this article is to review and discuss the most pertinent published literature in the areas of neurology, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, nephrology, hematology, and gastroenterology as it pertains to critical care in order to provide an update for the critical care practitioner.Methods: We performed a Medline search from July 1999 to December 2000 utilizing terms relating to the pharmacotherapy of the specific aforementioned topics in critical care medicine. We focused on English-language clinical studies performed in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients. From these articles we selected those that would have a practical impact on drug therapy in the ICU or the development of drug usage guidelines for critically ill patients. Review articles were generally not included.Results: The following topics were found to be either new developments or of potential...
Reduction of End Effect-Induced Zone Broadening in Field-Flow Fractionation Channels

A channel configuration for the elimination of end effects in field-flow fractionation (FFF) channels is simulated and demonstrated for a microfabricated FFF system. In field-flow fractionation, the carrier liquid and sample particles are transferred from a point injection to the full breadth of the rectangular channel using a triangular end piece at the inlet. The nonuniformity in streamline length generated by this end piece results in an increased instrument-related plate height. An additional contribution from the end piece at the outlet of the channel further increases the total band broadening. This paper presents a novel approach to minimize end-effect contributions to plate height by fabricating microstructures in the channel end sections to redistribute the flow streams and force streamline lengths to be more uniform. Numerical analysis of the flow profile and sample dispersion (including spreading of particles due to diffusion and advection) is carried out to investigate the optimized microstruc...
NEW CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF INDIUM NITRIDE: A PRESSURE-INDUCED ROCKSALT PHASE

Crystal structures of the III–V compound InN were studied under high pressure in a diamond anvil cell to 35 GPa by energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. A pressure-induced phase transformation from a wurtzite structure to a rocksalt structure was observed in polycrystalline InN during compression. This is a first-order phase transformation with a volume collapse of 20%. The high pressure rocksalt phase started to appear at 10 GPa and the transformation was completed at 14 GPa. The rocksalt phase remained stable to at least 35 GPa, the upper pressure limit of this experiment. During unloading of the diamond anvil cell, InN started to transform back to the wurtzite phase at a pressure of 5 GPa and a small amount of high pressure rocksalt phase persisted after completely releasing the pressure cell. The equilibrium transformation pressure lies on the interval of 5 to 10 GPa.
Age at stroke: temporal trends in stroke incidence in a large, biracial population.

Objectives: We describe temporal trends in stroke incidence stratified by age from our population-based stroke epidemiology study. We hypothesized that stroke incidence in younger adults (age 20–54) increased over time, most notably between 1999 and 2005. Methods: The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region includes an estimated population of 1.3 million. Strokes were ascertained in the population between July 1, 1993, and June 30, 1994, and in calendar years 1999 and 2005. Age-, race-, and gender-specific incidence rates with 95 confidence intervals were calculated assuming a Poisson distribution. We tested for differences in age trends over time using a mixed-model approach, with appropriate link functions. Results: The mean age at stroke significantly decreased from 71.2 years in 1993/1994 to 69.2 years in 2005 ( p p = 0.002), characterized as a shift to younger strokes in 2005 compared with earlier study periods. Stroke incidence rates in those 20–54 years of age were significantly increased in both black and white patients in 2005 compared to earlier periods. Conclusions: We found trends toward increasing stroke incidence at younger ages. This is of great public health significance because strokes in younger patients carry the potential for greater lifetime burden of disability and because some potential contributors identified for this trend are modifiable.
Fluorescent labeling of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein

5-Iodoacetamidofluorescein (5-IAF) covalently labels dog kidney (Na+ + K+)-ATPase with approximately 2 moles incorporated per mole of enzyme. ATPase and K+-phosphatase activities are fully retained after reaction, and the kinetic parameters for Na+, K+, Mg2+, ATP and p-nitrophenyl phosphate are likewise not significantly affected. The fluorescence of the bound 5-IAF is increased by ATP, Na+, and Mg2+, and decreased by K+. These fluorescence changes likely reflect ligand-induced stabilization of the E1 or E2 states of the enzyme.
Metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Patients with renal cell cancer (RCC) develop metastatic spread in approximately 33% of cases. The clinical management of patients with metastatic RCC is complicated by the lack of significant efficacy from available therapies. Common sites of metastases include the lung, liver, bone, brain, and adrenal gland, with case reports detailing the capacity of RCC to appear almost anywhere in the body. More than one organ system is often involved in the metastatic process. Metastases may be found at diagnosis or at some interval after nephrectomy. Approximately 20% to 50% of patients will eventually develop metastatic disease after nephrectomy. A shorter interval between nephrectomy and the development of metastases is associated with a poorer prognosis. Patients with metastatic RCC face a dismal prognosis, with a median survival time of only 6 to 12 months and a 2-year survival rate of 10% to 20%. Recent advances in biologic response modifier therapy have brought new hope to a small percentage of patients who respond to this therapy and rekindled interest in cytoreductive nephrectomy as an integral part of the management of these patients.
Caries: a problem in an overdenture population.

Abstract A series of 254 patients who had their overdentures constructed at a University clinic from 1973 to 1985 were followed longitudinally. This paper reports on the caries experience in the abutment teeth of these patients. The mean age of the patients at the time of insertion of the dentures was 58.6 yr. The overall rate for new caries was 6.5% of the abutment teeth per year. The highest rate for the maxilla was 15.4%, which occurred during the 5th yr, and in the mandible it was 11.0%, which occurred in the 4th yr. A regression model was developed to profile individuals susceptible to caries. The Logistic Regression model identified a list of predictor variables which included frequency of brushing, use of home fluoride, and disease and drug effect. However, discriminant function analysis showed that although specificity was very high (98.5%), sensitivity was very low (7.9%). Therefore, this model was unable to predict persons who would be at high risk for caries.
Composite photoanodes for photoelectrochemical solar water splitting

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is an attractive approach to capturing and storing the earth's abundant solar energy influx. The challenging four-electron water-oxidation half-cell reaction has hindered this technology, giving rise to slow water oxidation kinetics at the photoanode surfaces relative to competitive loss processes. In this perspective, we review recent efforts to improve PEC efficiencies by modification of semiconductor photoanode surfaces with water-oxidation catalysts that can operate at low overpotentials. This approach allows separation of the tasks of photon absorption, charge separation, and surface catalysis, allowing each to be optimized independently. In particular, composite photoanodes marrying nanocrystalline and molecular/non-crystalline components provide flexibility in adjusting the properties of each component, but raise new challenges in interfacial chemistries.
Host-Pathogen Interactions in Experimental Mycoplasma pneumoniae Disease Studied by the Freeze-Fracture Technique

The application of freeze-fracture and organ culture technology to the study of disease caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae provided a new perspective on host-pathogen interactions. Structural variations of the M. pneumoniae membrane and alterations of the host cell membrane that are induced by this pathogen during experimental infection were observed. Study of freeze-fracture preparations of M. pneumoniae revealed the presence of numerous membrane-associated particles embedded in the inner aspect of the bimolecular leaflet. However, areas of the fractured membrane of cells sometimes had particle-free zones and/or blebs. These particle-free areas were sometimes closely aligned to host tracheal epithelium in organ culture. In addition, marked changes in the membrane integrity of the host epithelium during experimental infection were observed. Deterioration of luminal surface membranes and alterations in the distribution of ciliary intramembranous particles were frequently noted. Ciliary dysfunction was also suggested by observations of abnormally aligned and clumped adjacent cilia. These findings correlated well with biochemical data demonstrating altered host macromolecular synthesis and observations of ciliostasis during experimental M. pneumoniae infection.
Effects of the dynamic Lorentz shift on four-wave parametric interactions in a strongly driven two-level system.

We calculate the effect of the local-field correction (LFC) on the local response at ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{s}}$ and 2${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{p}}$-${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{s}}$ of a medium consisting of two-level systems when subject to a pump of arbitrary intensity at ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{p}}$ and a weak probe at ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{s}}$. The pump is considered strong if its reduced intensity I=${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{R}}^{2}$/${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{1}$${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{2}$ is large compared to unity. Here ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{R}}$ is the Rabi frequency and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{1}$ and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{2}$ are the longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates. In the weak pump case the LFC manifests itself as a fixed or static frequency shift. When the pump is strong, the response is independent of the LFC. At intermediate pump intensities the effect of LFC is dependent on the intensity of the pump. Both line-shift and line-shape distortions are present. The LFC thus gives rise to a shift in the resonance response that varies according to the intensity and frequency of the applied radiation. We call this effect the dynamic Lorentz shift.
Posterior interosseous nerve palsy secondary to rheumatoid cyst of the elbow joint: case report

A 73-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis had lost the ability to extend the digits on her right hand. A rheumatoid cyst in the elbow caused the posterior interosseous nerve palsy. Decompression was performed, and she recovered extension of the thumb and fingers completely within 3 weeks after the operation.
Nutritional Treatment of Obesity

The focus of this article is nutritional strategies for weight loss. Following a review of general nutritional principles, the evidence behind specific nutritional weight-loss strategies is presented. These strategies include nutritional supplements, nutrient-limited diets, and energy-limited diets. A brief discussion of nutritional considerations relevant to other weight-loss strategies—pharmacologic, surgical, and exercise-based—is included. Specific evidence-based recommendations are presented.
The application of dynamic clustering data to the sedimentation rates of concentrated suspensions

A modified Stokes equation is proposed for the settling of concentrated suspensions of spherical particles in Newtonian fluids. The proposed hindered settling model was derived semi-analytically incorporating data obtained on dynamic particle clustering in concentrated suspensions by Graham and Bird. The approach differs from previous models which either neglected the influence of one particle on another or treated these interactions in an empirical manner with minimal physical or mechanistic basis for their design. The phenomenon of dynamic clustering which has recently been observed experimentally and shown to occur in flowing suspensions and sedimentation provides the basis for this study. Cluster size distributions are estimated based on suspension properties and a summation of Stokes terms provides a settling velocity prediction of concentrated systems. The validity of the model is supported by comparing calculated sedimentation rates with measured values for a number of data sets obtained from a variety of different authors.
Effects of testosterone manipulations on nonbreeding season territorial aggression in free-living male lizards, Sceloporus jarrovi

Seasonal changes in testosterone levels in male mountain spiny lizards (Sceloporus jarrovi) are correlated tightly with seasonal changes in intensity of aggressive territorial defense. Testosterone levels are lowest in the winter when males aggregate, are moderately elevated during the summer when males show low-intensity territorial defense, and are highest during the fall breeding season when males show high-intensity territorial defense. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that changes in testosterone levels cause these seasonal changes in territorial behavior. We experimentally increased and decreased circulating testosterone levels in free-living males during the summer, when they display nonbreeding season territoriality. Artificially increasing testosterone levels to levels equivalent to the breeding season significantly increased some, but not all, measures of territorial aggression. Levels of aggression attained, however, were still well below those typical of breeding season males. This implies that the transition to full breeding season levels of aggression is caused only partly by an increase in testosterone levels. Castration of males during the summer had no effect on several measures of territorial aggression. Thus the activation of nonbreeding season territoriality, which precedes testicular recrudescence by several months, is relatively unaffected by testosterone levels. Taken together these results suggest that the same behavior, in this case territorial aggression, may be controlled by different mechanisms in different seasons.
Adaptation to displaced vision contingent upon vibrating stimulation

In two experiments Ss were exposed to a prismatically displaced view of their right hand resting on a board that could he made to vibrate. Groups receiving vibration achieved significantly more adaptation as measured by a pointing test than control groups who did not.
Noise Adjusted Principal Component reconstruction to optimize infrared microspectroscopy of individual live cells

We have optimized an imaging methodology capable of monitoring individual live HeLa cells using non-synchrotron FTIR in an aqueous environment. This methodology, in combination with MATLAB based pre-processing techniques, allows fast and efficient collection of data with high signal-to-noise ratio in comparison with previous methods using point mode data collection, which required manual operation and more collection time. Also, presented are early results that illustrate interpretable spectral differences from live cells treated with chemotherapeutic drugs, demonstrating the potential of this methodology to develop more desirable modes of treatment for patients in their diagnoses and treatments for disease.
Methods for quantitative image quality evaluation of MRI parallel reconstructions: detection and perceptual difference model

Many reconstruction algorithms are being proposed for parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses multiple coils and subsampled k-space data, and a quantitative method for comparison of algorithms is sorely needed. On such images, we compared three methods for quantitative image quality evaluation: human detection, computer detection model and a computer perceptual difference model (PDM). One-quarter sampling and three different reconstruction methods were investigated: a regularization method developed by Ying et al., a simplified regularization method and an iterative method proposed by Pruessmann et al. Images obtained from a full complement of k-space data were also included as reference images. Detection studies were performed using a simulated dark tumor added on MR images of fresh bovine liver. Human detection depended strongly on reconstruction methods used, with the two regularization methods achieving better performance than the iterative method. Images were also evaluated using detection by a channelized Hotelling observer model and by PDM scores. Both predicted the same trends as observed from human detection. We are encouraged that PDM gives trends similar to that for human detection studies. Its ease of use and applicability to a variety of MRI situations make it attractive for evaluating image quality in a variety of MR studies.
An Instrument Concept for Atmospheric Infrared Sounding from Medium Earth Orbit

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) offers a unique vantage point for atmospheric infrared sounding. The orbit allows the entire globe to be covered each day with one satellite. The orbit is slow enough to allow multiple views of a single target to be made on each pass. this paper discusses the advantages in coverage and revisit rate from MEO for a particular concept for a Medium Earth Orbit Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (MIRIS). The requirements for this instrument in terms of spectral range, spatial resolution, field of view, and calibration are presented as well as the radiometric performance expectations.
Vibrational Excitation by Electron Impact near Threshold in H 2 , D 2 , N 2 , and CO

The trapped-electron method is applied to the measurement of the slopes of the vibrational cross sections near their respective thresholds. Absolute values are obtained by normalization to positive-ion cross sections. The values obtained in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ are 43 for $v=1, 0.72$, for $v=2, 0.04$, for $v=3, \mathrm{and} 0.003$, for $v=4$, in units of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/eV. The values for ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ are 2.5 for $v=1$ and about 0.02 for $v=2$, whereas, the values for CO are much larger, i.e., 120 for $v=1 \mathrm{and} 2.4$ for $v=2$. Various corrections that are necessary for determining absolute cross sections from trapped-electron data are discussed. The validity of the corrections is studied for the case of the $2^{3}S$ excitation function in He.
Voicing "Phono-Indexicals": On the Politics of Vocalic Variation in Metasemiosis

Research on reflexivity in communication has shown that speakers leverage a range of semiotic strategies to segment and characterize linguistic variability. My work explores how entextualization and intertextuality play key roles in dialogically managing interpretations of sociophonetic variability (cf. Schilling-Estes 1998). I examine how speakers “voice” and comment on vocalic variation by employing interrelated modes of metapragmatic typification, including eye-dialect spelling, (explicit) metapragmatic discourse, constructed dialogue (Tannen 1989), and parodic double-voicing (Bakhtin 1981; Sclafani 2009). These strategies prove indispensable to the metapragmatic framing of phono-indexicals because most phonetic features in speech become objects of metasemiotic activity by virtue of their realization in specific words and salient texts, which in turn serve as sign vehicles for vocalic variables and other “semiotic hitchhikers” (Mendoza-Denton 2011). Accordingly, our capacity to reflexively model the pragmatics of sociophonotic variables derives in large part from our ability to segment and evaluate the more metalinguistically-available structures in which these phono-indexicals occur. The case of /aw/ monophthongization in the speech of many young black women and men in Houston, Texas supports this position. Drawing on five years of ethnographic research at a public radio station in Houston, I consider how this pronunciation feature becomes tethered indexically to contested formulations of authenticity and indigineity by virtue of its occurrence in a locally-salient idiom, COMIN’ DINE ([kʌmn daːn] “coming down”). This idiom has become an enregistered emblem of a street-savvy “gangsta” persona in the popular music of Houston-based hip hop cultures. In this music, recontextualized across globally-circulating media, the expression of COMIN’ DINE puts sociophonetic variation on display, rendering it available for metasemiotic negotiation through “Bakhtinian voicing” (Jaffe 2009).
Fecal chlorophyll describes the link between primary production and consumption in a terrestrial herbivore

Spatiotemporal variation in primary productivity is known to have strong and far-reaching effects on herbivore ecology, but this relationship is often studied indirectly at broad scales, in part due to the difficulty in measuring selection for green biomass by individual animals. In aquatic systems, the concentration of chlorophyll in herbivore feces has been used as a direct measure of the consumption of photosynthetic primary production, but this method has not been applied to terrestrial systems. We measured chlorophyll concentration in feces from elk (Cervus elaphus) experiencing large fluctuations in primary production in the winter to spring transition over three years. We compared temporal trends in fecal chlorophyll with trends in fecal nitrogen, grass chlorophyll, grass digestible nitrogen, and landscape-level primary productivity (as described by the normalized difference vegetation index or NDVI). We also directly examined the relationship between fecal chlorophyll and NDVI. Temporal trends in ...
Similarity Results for Operators of Class C 0

If T is a multiplicity-free contraction of class C0 with minimal function mT, then it is quasisimilar to the Jordan block S(mT). In case mT is a Blaschke product with simple roots forming a Carleson sequence, we show that the relation between T and S(mT) can be strengthened to similarity. Under the additional assumption that u(T) has closed range for every inner divisor \({u\in H^\infty}\) of mT, the result also holds in the more general setting where the roots have bounded multiplicities.
IQ Scores Should Be Corrected for the Flynn Effect in High-Stakes Decisions

IQ test scores should be corrected for high stakes decisions that employ these assessments, including capital offense cases. If scores are not corrected, then diagnostic standards must change with each generation. Arguments against corrections, based on standards of practice, information present and absent in test manuals, and related issues, ignore expert consensus about the assessment of intellectual disabilities and the acceptance of the Flynn effect in the field. Most psychometric concerns about correction are based on validity studies with small subgroups and do not reflect sufficient effort to estimate the precision of the Flynn estimate. We computed a confidence interval for the Wechsler PIQ across four validity studies that shows a SEM of about 1 around a mean of about 3 points per decade. A meta-analytic weighted mean of the 14 studies in Flynn (2009) is 2.80 (2.50, 3.09), close to Flynn’s (2009) unweighted average (2.99). More psychometric research would be helpful, but this level of precision supports the Flynn adjustment of 3 points per decade.
Home Health Physical Therapy: Practice Patterns in Western New York

Background and Purpose. Home health care is a rapidly growing form of practice for physical therapists. This study examined how physical therapists are providing these services in one metropolitan area of western New York. Subjects and Methods. By completing a log sheet, 19 home health physical therapists provided data on 737 home visits, indicating the number of minutes spent in 50 home health activities over a 2-week period. Visits were recorded for 279 patients with an average age of 64.3 years (SD=21.8, range=0–101). Results. Therapists reported that direct patient treatment was the most time-consuming portion of each home visit and that exercise was the most frequent and time-consuming type of treatment provided. Older patients received shorter treatments than younger patients received. Patients with neurological diagnoses received the longest treatments. Patient education was provided in 54% of all home visits. Conclusion and Discussion. This study provides data regarding the practice patterns of home health physical therapy in one community. Further research is needed to determine how these patterns compare with those in other parts of the country. Studies of the effectiveness of home health physical therapy are also necessary.
Oxidative Stress in the Splenotoxicity of Aniline

Abstract Aniline-induced splenic toxicity is characterized by hemorrhage, capsular hyperplasia, fibrosis, and a variety of sarcomas in rats. Early biochemical events responsible for the observed effects are not known. To understand the mechanism(s) of aniline-induced splenic toxicity, single and multiple (four and seven) doses of 1 mmol/kg of aniline hydrochloride(AH) were given in rats. Apart from changes in the hematological parameters, these studies demonstrated that AH could induce lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in the spleen, and significant increases were observed at four doses. Subsequently, a dose–response study of AH was performed. Male SD rats were given four doses each (one dose/day) of 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mmol/kg of AH in water by gavage, while controls received water only. Animals were euthanized 24 hr following the last dose and tissues obtained. Spleen weight increased by 32 and 80% at 1 and 2 mmol/kg doses, respectively. Splenic lipid peroxidation showed dose-dependent increases of 24, 32, and 43% at 0.5, 1, and 2 mmol/kg, respectively. Protein oxidation in the spleen, quantitated by carbonyl content per milligram protein, showed 10, 28, and 27% increases at 0.5, 1, and 2 mmol/kg, respectively. Iron content in the spleen also showed dose-dependent increases of 72, 172, and 325% at 0.5, 1, and 2 mmol/kg, respectively. Dose-related histopathologic expansion of splenic red pulp was characterized by increasing vascular congestion (most pronounced at 2 mmol/kg), increased red pulp cellularity, erythrophagocytosis, and cellular fragmentation at 1 and 2 mmol/kg; iron deposition in red pulp also increased dramatically with dose. These studies establish that aniline induces lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in the spleen and suggest that oxidative stress plays a role in the splenic toxicity of aniline.
An undergraduate research course aimed at furthering the Web

The World Wide Web presents a new frontier in science and engineering. There are many problems yet to be solved or even formulated. Many students are fascinated by the World Wide Web and a good number of the authors' own students have created rather sophisticated Websites. The major aim of this course is to introduce them to skills and habits that enable them to develop new technologies and applications for the Web. This is not necessarily an easy task, as engineers are traditionally trained to solve problems rather than formulate interesting problem statements. The centerpiece of the course is the research project. Through it, students investigate and develop new technologies or applications for the Web. Additionally, the authors study major areas in which the Web has an impact.
Protective Effect of the Xanthate, D609, on Alzheimer's Amyloid β-peptide (1–42)-induced Oxidative Stress in Primary Neuronal Cells

Tricyclodecan-9-yl-xanthogenate (D609) is an inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C, and this agent also has been reported to protect rodents against oxidative damage induced by ionizing radiation. Previously, we showed that D609 mimics glutathione (GSH) functions and that a disulfide is formed upon oxidation of D609 and the resulting dixanthate is a substrate for GSH reductase, regenerating D609. Considerable attention has been focused on increasing the intracellular GSH levels in many diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid beta-peptide [Abeta(1-42)], elevated in AD brain, is associated with oxidative stress and toxicity. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of D609 on Abeta(1-42)-induced oxidative cell toxicity in cultured neurons. Decreased cell survival in neuronal cultures treated with Abeta(1-42) correlated with increased free radical production measured by dichlorofluorescein fluorescence and an increase in protein oxidation (protein carbonyl, 3-nitrotyrosine) and lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxy-2-nonenal) formation. Pretreatment of primary hippocampal cultures with D609 significantly attenuated Abeta(1-42)-induced cytotoxicity, intracellular ROS accumulation, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and apoptosis. Methylated D609, with the thiol functionality no longer able to form the disulfide upon oxidation, did not protect neuronal cells against Abeta(1-42)-induced oxidative stress. Our results suggest that D609 exerts protective effects against Abeta(1-42) toxicity by modulating oxidative stress. These results may be of importance for the treatment of AD and other oxidative stress-related diseases.
Weber on anomie

InGesammelte Aufsatze zur Religionssoziologie, Max Weber discussed the anomic potential of some non-Western religious doctrines. This paper provides an analysis of Weber's writings on anomie and attempts to show the relevance of Weber's work to contemporary anomie research. First, I locate Weber's treatment of anomie within his discussion of great world religions, highlighting its significance in a cross-cultural context. Second, I compare Weber's notion of anomie with current evaluations of anomie and discuss a typology of usages of the term. Finally, I explore the suggested usefulness of Weber's work on anomie for contemporary purposes.
Development of the Damage State Variable for a Unified Creep Plasticity Damage Constitutive Model of the 95.5Sn–3.9Ag–0.6Cu Lead-Free Solder

A unified creep plasticity damage (UCPD) constitutive model was developed to predict the fatigue of 95.5Sn-3.9Ag-0.6Cu solder joints. Compression, stress-strain and creep properties were generated in previous studies of this solder. Crack damage was reflected in a single state variable, D ω, in the model. Isothermal fatigue tests were performed at 25°C, 100°C, and 160°C using a double-lap shear test specimen. A new approach to fitting the revised damage model is proposed based on finite element analysis (FEA) simulation of the load decay of the fatigued solder material. Accurate predictions required that those parameters be temperature dependent. The UCPD constitutive model was successfully implemented as a subroutine in the commercial finite element code ANSYS®. Consistent predictions were obtained as demonstrated by a comparison of results generated from FEA simulation of the test assembly against analogous experimental results.
A multimodal, computer-based drawing system for persons who are blind and visually impaired

Many individuals who are blind or visually impaired are interested in drawing tactile pictures, and some have already done so with static raised-line drawing kits. However, static raised-line drawing kits are problematic as they are non-erasable. Various computer systems, with or without accompanying device interfaces, have been designed to allow these individuals the ability to both perceive and construct their own drawings on a computer, but each with various drawbacks. A focus group was conducted to gain input from blind and visually impaired computer users on a new design. Based on these results, a new multimodal device design concept has been generated which will improve upon previous solutions and give graphic editing and viewing to blind and visually impaired individuals at a low cost.
ANNIE: a simulated neural network for empirical studies and application prototyping

Provides background information on the theory and applications of neural networks, and define the role of a simulated neural network package ANNIE (Artificial Neural Network Integrated Environment) which the authors developed in order to support their theoretical studies with empirical investigations and to prototype applications. Then they discuss the development of ANNIE, including a description of the user environment and the validation procedure. Finally, they present results of their application prototyping activities in the areas of communication system signal detection and robot manipulator control. >
Neuraminidase mutations conferring resistance to oseltamivir in influenza A(H7N9) viruses

Human infections by avian influenza A(H7N9) virus entail substantial morbidity and mortality. Treatment of infected patients with the neuraminidase (NA) inhibitor oseltamivir was associated with emergence of viruses carrying NA substitutions. In the NA inhibition (NI) assay, R292K conferred highly reduced inhibition by oseltamivir, while E119V and I222K each caused reduced inhibition. To facilitate establishment of laboratory correlates of clinically relevant resistance, experiments were conducted in ferrets infected with virus carrying wild-type or variant NA genes recovered from the A/Taiwan/1/2013 isolate. Oseltamivir treatment (5 or 25 mg/kg/dose) was given 4 hours post-infection followed by twice daily treatment for 5 days. Treatment of ferrets infected with wild-type virus resulted in a modest dose-dependent reduction (0.7–1.5 log 10 TCID 50 ) in nasal wash viral titers and inflammation response. Conversely, treatment failed to significantly inhibit the replication of R292K or E119V viruses. A small reduction of viral titers was detected on day 5 in ferrets infected with the I222K virus. Propensity for oseltamivir resistance emergence was assessed in oseltamivir-treated animals infected with wild-type virus; emergence of R292K virus was detected in 3 of 6 ferrets within 5–7 days post-infection. Collectively, we demonstrate that R292K, E119V and I222K reduced the inhibitory activity of oseltamivir not only in the NI assay, but also in infected ferrets, judged particularly by viral loads in nasal washes, and may signal the need for alternative therapeutics. Thus, these clinical outcomes measured in the ferret model may correlate with clinically relevant oseltamivir resistance in humans. Importance This report provides more evidence for using the ferret model to assess susceptibility of influenza A(H7N9) viruses to oseltamivir, the most prescribed anti-influenza drug. The information gained can be used to assist in the establishment of laboratory correlates of human disease and drug therapy. The rapid emergence of viruses with R292K in treated ferrets correlates well with the multiple reports on this NA variant in treated human patients. Our findings highlight the importance for discovery and characterization of new antiviral drugs with different mechanism of action and the use of combination treatment strategies against emerging viruses with pandemic potential such as avian H7N9 virus, particularly against those carrying drug resistance markers.