cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhaled corticosteroids for asthma: Are ED visits a missed opportunity for prevention?☆

Inhaled corticosteroids are effective but underused. This study evaluated the outpatient management of emergency department (ED) patients presenting with acute asthma and the relation of inhaled corticosteroid use to the patient's primary care provider (PCP) status. ED patients were interviewed by the hospital's asthma education program staff about their asthma. Overall, 85% (101 of 119) of asthmatics reported having a PCP. Although patients with a PCP and patients without a PCP both were using inhaled beta-agonists (93% v 89%, respectively; P = .54), patients without a PCP were less likely to be using inhaled corticosteroids (49% v 11%, P = .003). Controlling for age, acute asthma severity, and asthma hospitalizations during the past year, PCP status remained a significant predictor of inhaled corticosteroid use (odds ratio = 5.6; 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 27). Even among ED patients with a PCP, inhaled corticosteroids appear to be underused. ED asthma visits present an opportunity to initiate preventive measures such as inhaled corticosteroid use.
Aminoguanidinium(1+) pentafluorozirconate: multiple redetermination and comparisons.

The structure of CN4H7ZrF5 reported by Bukvetskii et al. [Koord. Khim. (1992). 18, 576–579] has been independently redetermined on the basis of measurements on three different crystals. Assuming all four resulting structures are drawn from a normal distribution, normal probability analysis of the atomic coordinates taken in pairs reveals joint standard uncertainties that are underestimated by factors as large as 16.5 for the x(Zr) coordinate. Unit-cell parameters in the four crystals similarly have joint uncertainties, under the same assumption, that are underestimated by factors as large as 83.0 for the b axis. The variations in axial lengths from crystal to crystal and the declines in standard reflection intensities by 13–15% in at least two of the crystals measured are consistent with the inference that the distribution is not normal. Rather, the differences observed may be assumed to be caused by small but highly significant radiation-induced structural changes. The large underestimations hence reflect physical differences among the four irradiated crystals. The determinations show that the CN4H7+1 cation is exactly planar except for the two H atoms bonded to the terminal N atom; the plane of this NH2 group is normal to that of the cation. The average length of the three independent C—N bonds is 1.318 (11) A; the N—N bond length is 1.397 (3) A. Distorted ZrF7 pentagonal bipyramids share edges, forming chains linked by N—H⋯F bonds to the CN4H7+1 ions.
Relationship between caffeine-induced changes in resting cerebral perfusion and blood oxygenation level-dependent signal.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recent interest has emerged in the use of pharmacologic methods to maximize blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity changes in functional MR imaging (fMRI). Adenosine antagonists, such as caffeine and theophylline, have been identified as potential agents for this purpose. The present study was designed to determine whether caffeine-induced decreases in cerebral perfusion result in enhanced BOLD responses to visual and auditory stimuli. METHODS: MR imaging was used to measure resting cerebral perfusion and stimulus-induced BOLD signal intensity changes in 19 patients. We evaluated the relationship between resting cerebral perfusion and the magnitude of BOLD signal intensity induced by visual and auditory stimulation under caffeine and placebo conditions. RESULTS: The data showed that changes in resting cerebral perfusion produced by caffeine are not a consistent predictor of BOLD signal intensity magnitude. Although all cerebral perfusion was reduced in all study participants in response to caffeine, only 47% of the participants experienced BOLD signal intensity increase. This finding was independent of the participants’ usual caffeine consumption. CONCLUSION: The data presented herein show that the relationship between resting cerebral perfusion and the magnitude of BOLD signal intensity is complex. It is not possible to consistently enhance BOLD signal intensity magnitude by decreasing resting perfusion with caffeine. Future studies aimed at evaluating the relationship between perfusion and BOLD signal intensity changes should seek a means to selectively modulate known components of the neural and vascular responses independently.
The Calm before the Storm: Examining Emotion Regulation Consumption in the Face of an Impending Disaster

In the midst of the physical damage and collective stress created by natural disasters, individuals come to terms with their utter lack of control. In the process, a myriad of emotions are experienced, with many of them being negative in nature. Research suggests that during moderately challenging situations individuals experiencing negative emotions may engage in coping attempts to improve their emotional state. Consumption has been one strategy used by individuals to mitigate negative emotions. This research extends previous research by exploring whether such emotion regulation processes occur in extreme conditions such as natural disasters. Specifically, it examines the emotions experienced by individuals, the antecedents of these emotions, as well as how individuals regulate their emotions through consumption. A conceptual model is proposed and tested in Study 1 and findings are once again corroborated in a follow-up study. Implications for mitigating negative emotions and improving subjective well-being during extreme crisis situations are discussed.
Determination of intracranial tumor volumes in a rodent brain using magnetic resonance imaging, Evans Blue, and histology: a comparative study

The measurement of tumor volumes is a practical and objective method of assessing the efficacy of a therapeutic agent. However, the relative accuracy of different methods of assessing tumor volume has been unclear. Using T/sub 1/-weighted, gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (T/sub 1/-MRI), Evans Blue infusion and histology the authors measured intracranial tumor volumes in a rodent brain tumor model (RT2) at days 10, 16 and 18 after implantation of cells in the caudate putamen. There is a good correlation between tumor volumes comparing T/sub 1/-MRI and Evans Blue (r/sup 2/=0.99), T/sub 1/-MRI and histology (r/sup 2/=0.98) and histology and Evans Blue (r/sup 2/=0.93). Each of these methods is reliable in estimating tumor volumes in laboratory animals. There was significant uptake of gadolinium and Evans Blue in the tumor suggesting a wide disruption of the blood-brain barrier.
Ballistocardiographic study of body acceleration during the acute and convalescent stages of rheumatic fever.

Abstract Ballistocardiograms of body acceleration, velocity, and displacement were recorded serially in 170 children, ranging in age from 6 to 15 years, during various stages of acute rheumatic fever and during convalescence. Similar records were obtained from a control group of 150 children. Changes in the acceleration ballistocardiogram designated as grossly “abnormal” were encountered in 1.3 per cent of the total control group. There was a direct relationship between the severity of acute rheumatic carditis and the incidence and degree of ballistocardiographic abnormality. The incidence of grossly abnormal ballistocardiograms decreased as the acute rheumatic attack subsided. During treatment with either cortisone or salicylates, the ballistocardiogram appeared to reflect the cardiac status of the patient rather than the symptomatic response to the anti-inflammatory effects of therapy. During the first few months of convalescence, patients with the highest incidence of abnormal ballistocardiograms were those who had had clinically evident carditis during the acute stage of the disease. Within six months, the incidence of gross abnormalities in the BCG's in this group decreased significantly. Patients without apparent carditis during the acute stage of the disease had fewer abnormal BCG's during the first three months of convalescence. All reverted to normal after six months. Progressive improvement in the ballistocardiogram occurred despite the persistence of valvular deformity except in some patients with marked cardiac enlargement. This study indicates that marked acceleration BCG changes occur frequently during the acute stages of rheumatic fever, when rheumatic carditis is clinically evident. When clinical manifestations of carditis are absent such changes appear less frequently and are less marked. During convalescence virtually all abnormalities disappear by the end of six months except in those patients whose cardiac reserve is limited by persistent chronic rheumatic carditis or advanced rheumatic heart disease. The acceleration BCG has many advantages over previously described methods for the measurement of body motion. The absence of quantitative criteria to determine the range of normal variation compels dependence upon subjective impressions which at present impose a serious limitation upon the immediate clinical application of the method. The results of this study, however, justify further investigation of the use of the acceleration BCG to detect myocardial involvement in patients with rheumatic fever.
SYNCHROTRON X-RAY BASED CHARACTERIZATION OF CDZNTE CRYSTALS

Synthetic CdZnTe (CZT) crystals can be used for the room temperature-based detection of gamma radiation. Structural/morphological heterogeneities within CZT, such as secondary phases (namely, precipitates and inclusions), can negatively affect detector performance. We used a synchrotron-based x-ray technique, specifically extended x-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, to determine whether there are differences on a local structural level between intact CZT of high and low radiation detector performance. These studies were complemented by data on radiation detector performance and transmission infrared (IR) imaging. The EXAFS studies revealed no detectable local structural differences between the two types of CZT materials.
Hyaluronan-Based Three-Dimensional Microenvironment Potently Induces Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Populations

The relationship between stem cell niches in vivo and their surrounding microenvironment is still relatively unknown. Recent advances have indicated that extrinsic factors within the cardiovascular progenitor cell niche influence maintenance of a multipotent state as well as drive cell-fate decisions. We have previously shown the direct effects of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and have now investigated the effects of dimension on the induction of a cardiovascular progenitor cell (CPC) population. We have shown here that the three-dimensionality of a hyaluronan-based hydrogel greatly induces a CPC population, as marked by Flk-1. We have compared the effects of a 3D microenvironment to those of conventional 2D cell culture practices and have found that the 3D microenvironment potently induces a progenitor cell state.
The Effect of High Levels of Antibiotics on the Growth of Chickens During Hot Weather

Abstract THE literature contains many reports about the effect of antibiotics on the growth rate of young chickens, but an extensive review does not seem necessary for the scope of this paper. Rather, it seems preferable to mention only two pertinent reports. The first is that of Couch and coworkers (1952) who found the “best and most constant results have been obtained when a combination of antibiotics is fed” (to broilers). The other is that of Heywang (1956) who found that chlortetracycline at the levels of 50 and 100 grams per ton of diet increased the egg production of apparently healthy White Leghorns kept under high, but normal, environmental air temperatures. In two experiments conducted during hot weather prior to 1954 at the Southwest Poultry Experiment Station, Glendale, Arizona, combinations of low levels of antibiotics were at least as effective as somewhat higher levels of individual antibiotics. In the first of …
MEASUREMENT OF THE CARDIAC RESPONSE IN SCHIZOPHRENIC AND NORMAL CHILDREN

In a previous study (Bernal & Miller, 1970), striking differences were found between schizophrenic and normal children in the magnitude of their galvanic skin responses (GSRs) to simple sensory stimuli. However, the Lang and Hnatiow (1962) measure of cardiac response failed to demonstrate these GSR group differences. The present paper is a followup of the Bernal and Miller study and its purpose was to evaluate the use of various measures of heart rate (HR) in discriminating between clinical and normal groups of children. The cardiac data were converted to measures that were (1) independent of and dependent upon prestimulus HR level, and (2) based upon individually and group derived decelerative trough in HR. The main results of the analyses of variance for repeated measurements were: (1) no single HR measure was found to delineate the cardiac response reliably across stimulus conditions or between groups of Ss, and (2) individually-determined HR deceleration, especially when corrected via covariance analysis for prestimulus level, was superior to a group-determined decelerative HR measure in demonstrating both habituation and group effects.
Can androgen therapy replete lean body mass and improve muscle function in wasting associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection

A significant number of men who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have low testosterone levels. Androgen deficiency in HIV-infected patients is associated with decreased muscle mass and function, and adverse disease outcome. Administration of replacement doses of testosterone to healthy hypogonadal men augments lean body mass, muscle size, and maximal voluntary strength. Recent studies have shown that physiologic testosterone replacement in HIV-infected men with weight loss who have low testosterone levels can also increase muscle mass and effort-dependent strength. However, further studies are needed to determine whether androgen therapy can improve physical function and health-related outcomes in HIV-infected men.
The Toxicology of Bath Salts: A Review of Synthetic Cathinones

Synthetic cathinones have recently emerged and grown to be popular drugs of abuse. Their dramatic increase has resulted in part from sensationalized media attention as well as widespread availability on the Internet. They are often considered “legal highs” and sold as “bath salts” or “plant food” and labeled “not for human consumption” to circumvent drug abuse legislation. Cathinone is a naturally occurring beta-ketone amphetamine analogue found in the leaves of the Catha edulis plant. Synthetic cathinones are derivatives of this compound. Those that are being used as drugs of abuse include butylone, dimethylcathinone, ethcathinone, ethylone, 3- and 4-fluoromethcathinone, mephedrone, methedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), methylone, and pyrovalerone. Synthetic cathinones are phenylalkylamines derivatives, and are often termed “bk-amphetamines” for the beta-ketone moiety. They may possess both amphetamine-like properties and the ability to modulate serotonin, causing distinct psychoactive effects. Desired effects reported by users of synthetic cathinones include increased energy, empathy, openness, and increased libido. Cardiac, psychiatric, and neurological signs and symptoms are the most common adverse effects reported in synthetic cathinone users who require medical care. Deaths associated with use of these compounds have been reported. Exposure to and use of synthetic cathinones are becoming increasingly popular despite a lack of scientific research and understanding of the potential harms of these substances. The clinical similarities to amphetamines and MDMA specifically are predictable based on the chemical structure of this class of agents. More work is necessary to understand the mechanisms of action, toxicokinetics, toxicodynamics, metabolism, clinical and psychological effects as well as the potential for addiction and withdrawal of these agents.
Puzzles about Supply‐Side Explanations for Vanishing Trials: A New Look at Fundamentals

The recent sharp decline in the rate of federal trials has many potential explanations. In addition to changes in the demand for trials, some commentary suggests that a shortage in judicial resources and the press of the criminal docket have led to problems of supply, inducing litigants to turn to alternative dispute resolution or other means of resolving their cases. The increased number of federal magistrate judges provides a counterweight to many of these claims about judicial shortages. Nonetheless, we show that a puzzle remains. Federal districts vary in their trial rates, and the rate of trial is negatively correlated with the number of civil cases filed per judge, regardless of whether magistrate judges are included in the total. Moreover, that relationship persists even after controlling for the rate of criminal cases filed in the district. Thus, unless other differences across districts explain the persistent negative correlation, the supply of judicial resources remains a potential contributor to the low rate of trial in the federal system, reducing the willingness of litigants to persevere until trial in districts with heavy caseloads. Prospective studies of the perceptions of litigants are needed to understand how the users of the civil justice system interpret trial signals and decide whether to resolve their dispute at trial.
Testing the “Dick Cheney” Hypothesis: Do Governments of the Left Attract More Terrorism than Governments of the Right?

Do governments of the left attract more terrorism than governments of the right? We examine how the political orientation of governments affects the probability of states being the target of terrorist attack. We develop a series of related theoretical linkages between partisan orientation, policy choice, and terrorist behavior to explain why governments of the left should be more likely to see higher numbers of terrorist attacks than governments of the right. We test our expectations using two different datasets; the Database of Political Institutions and the Party Manifesto data against the ITERATE terrorism dataset between the years 1975 and 1997. The results suggest that governments of the left are more likely to be the targets of terrorism than governments of the right and that the causal mechanisms behind this outcome might be context dependent.
Legal Aspects of Digital Forensics: A Research Agenda

The evolution of the Information Age has necessitated and facilitated the relatively new field of digital forensics. As a largely practitioner-driven field, there is no clearly defined research agenda to promote top-down research in related areas so that the evolution can be more solidly based on research findings. This paper builds on previously published topical research agendas for digital forensics and introduces a preliminary research hierarchy for legal issues associated with digital forensics. Topics discussed include constitutional law, property law, contract law, tort law, cybercrime, criminal procedure, evidence law, and cyber war. In addition some special associated problems and overarching areas are identified for consideration and for future research.
Optimization of Cottonseed Oil Ethanolysis to Produce Biodiesel High in Gossypol Content

Transesterification of cottonseed oil was carried out using ethanol and potassium hydroxide (KOH). A central composite design with six center and six axial points was used to study the effect of catalyst concentration, molar ratio of ethanol to cottonseed oil and reaction temperature for percentage yield (% yield) and percentage initial absorbance (%A385nm) of the biodiesel. Catalyst concentration and molar ratio of ethanol to cottonseed oil were the most significant variables affecting percentage conversion and %A385nm. Maximum predicted % yield of 98% was obtained at a catalyst concentration of 1.07% (wt/wt) and ethanol to cottonseed oil molar ratio of 20:1 at reaction temperature of 25 °C. Maximum predicted %A385nm of more than 80% was obtained at 0.5% (wt/wt) catalyst concentration and molar ratio of 3:1 at 25 °C. The response surfaces that described % yield and %A385nm were inversely related. Gossypol concentration (% wt), oxidative stability and %A385nm of biodiesel were found to be highly correlated with each other. Hence, color %A385nm is a measure of the amount of pigments present in biodiesel fuels that have not yet been subjected to autoxidation. High gossypol concentration also corresponds to a fuel with high oxidative stability. The fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) produced from cottonseed oil had superior oxidative stability to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) produced from cottonseed oil.
Lack of Impact of Den Interference on Neonatal Red Wolves

Abstract Biologists handled Canis lupus rufus (Red Wolf) pups from 12 wild litters over 3 years to determine if den interference and handling negatively impacted neonatal survival. Litters were handled for blood collection and transponder placement on one of 2 den visits approximately 13 days apart when pups were approximately 5 days and 19 days old, respectively. No biologically important difference in the proportion of pups surviving was observed between subsequent visits, nor in comparison to historical data from dens where pups were not handled but rather documented based on autumn trapping surveys.
Acid Mine Drainage: Sources and Treatment in the United States

Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs when metal sulfides are exposed to oxidizing conditions. Leaching of reaction products into surface waters pollute over 20,000 km of streams in the United States alone. Mining companies must predict the potential of creating AMD by using overburden analyses. Where a potential exists, special handling of overburden materials and quick coverage of acid-producing materials in the backfill should be practiced. The addition of acid-neutralizing materials can reduce or eliminate AMD problems. Placing acid-producing materials under dry barriers can isolate these materials from air and water. Other AMD control technologies being researched include injection of alkaline materials (ashes and limestone) into abandoned underground mines and into buried acid material in mine backfills, remining of abandoned areas, and installation of alkaline recharge trenches. Chemicals used for treating AMD are Ca(OH)2, CaO, NaOH, Na2CO3, and NH3, with each having advantages under certain conditions. Under low-flow situations, all chemicals except Ca(OH)2 are cost effective, whereas at high flow, Ca(OH)2 and CaO are clearly the most cost effective. Floc, the metal hydroxide material collected after treatment, is disposed of in abandoned deep mines, refuse piles, or left in collection ponds. Wetlands remove metals from AMD through formation of oxyhydroxides and sulfides, exchange and organic complexation reactions, and direct plant uptake. Aerobic wetlands are used when water contains enough alkalinity to promote metal precipitation, and anaerobic wetlands are used when alkalinity must be generated by microbial sulfate reduction and limestone dissolution. Anoxic limestone drains are buried trenches of limestone that intercept AMD underground to generate alkalinity. Under anoxia, limestone should not be coated with Fe+3 hydroxides in the drain, which decreases the likelihood of clogging. Vertical flow wetlands pretreat oxygenated AMD with organic matter to remove oxygen and Fe+3, and then the water is introduced into limestone underneath the organic matter. Open limestone channels use limestone in aerobic environments to treat AMD. Coating of limestone occurs, and the reduced limestone dissolution is designed into the treatment system. Alkaline leach beds, containing either limestone or slag, add alkalinity to acid water. At present, most passive systems offer short-term treatment and are more practical for installation on abandoned sites or watershed restoration projects where effluent limits do not apply and where some removal of acid and metals will benefit a stream. Keywords: acid-base accounting; acid-producing material; acid-neutralizing material; alkalinity-producing systems; anoxic limestone drains; chemical treatment; open limestone channels; passive treatment; wetlands
Post-Princess Models of Gender: The New Man in Disney/Pixar

Unlike most Disney animated films, which have been criticized for decades for their stereotypical female leads and traditional representations of gender, all the major features released by Disney's Pixar studios since 1990 have featured masculine protagonists. These male plots are remarkably alike, and together, we argue, they indicate a rather progressive postfeminist model of gender. Beginning with alpha-male traits in common, from emotional inaccessibility to keen competitiveness, the stars of these stories follow similar bildungsroman plots. In this article, we chart the pattern of masculine development in three of these films—Cars, Toy Story, and The Incredibles—noting that Pixar consistently promotes a new model of masculinity. From the revelation of the alpha male's flaws, including acute loneliness and vulnerability, to figurative emasculation through even the slightest disempowerment, each character travels through a significant homosocial relationship and ultimately matures into an acceptance of...
Numerical Experiments with a Stochastic Zonal Climate Model.

A zonally averaged energy balance climate model is developed to generate zonal temperature variability through fluctuating meridional energy transports. Stochastic transport fluctuations are included in the model by multiplying the eddy diffusion coefficients by Gaussian random deviates. For a variability of eddy coefficients of 50 percent, the model is found to generate an interannual temperature variability of 0.03 K for the global temperature, and 0.04 and 0.05 K for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, respectively. It is shown that the temperature variability level generated is linearly related to the transport variability level introduced. An increase in the level of model-generated temperature variability and a change in the shape of variance spectra of temperature anomaly time series are obtained by switching from the multiplicative noise model to an additive noise model. The results of these model studies are compared with a time series of central England temperatures as well as GCM generated climate variability.
Short-range dispersal and overwintering habitats of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) during and after harvest in the subtropics

Field experiments in the subtropical Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas were conducted to determine the extent of adult boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), dispersal from cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., fields during harvest operations and the noncotton-growing (“overwinter”) period between 1 September and 1 February. Using unbaited large capacity boll weevil traps placed at intervals extending outward from commercial field edges, boll weevils did not move in substantial numbers during harvest much beyond 30 m, primarily in the direction of prevailing winds. From traps placed in fallow cotton; citrus; lake edge; pasture; treeline; sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, and sugarcane, Saccharum spp., habitats during the overwinter period, the most boll weevils were collected in the fallow cotton fields and adjacent treelines during the fall. However, the greatest abundances of boll weevils were found in citrus orchards in the spring, before newly planted cotton fields began to square. One of the three lake edges also harbored substantial populations in the spring. Egg development in females was not detected between November and April, but in cotton fields most females were gravid between May and August when cotton fruiting bodies were available. Mated females, as determined by discoloration of the spermatheca, made up 80–100% of the female population during November and December but declined to ≈50% in February. The lower incidence of mating indicates a reduction in physical activity, regardless of overwinter habitat, until percentages increased in March and April after cotton fields had been planted and squares were forming.
Euler-Lagrange Equations for Differential Systems with One Independent Variable

On a manifold X we consider a Pfaffian differential system (I,ω) whose independence condition is a 1-form ω.
Marital Acts, Morality, and the Right to Privacy

Commentators argue that same-sex couples cannot engage in truly marital acts and thus should not be allowed to marry. However, this approach relies on an understanding of "marital acts," which is neither widely accepted nor even plausible. Further, the analysis offered by these commentators fails to reflect the current legal understanding of the functions and goals of marriage, especially as informed by the developing right to privacy jurisprudence. Even were the approach's definition of marital acts and understanding of marriage generally accepted and even were same-sex unions to involve something morally impermissible, a separate question would be whether such marriages should therefore not be legally recognized. That aspect of the analysis, namely, the connection between moral impermissibility and legal non-recognition, has thus far been either underdeveloped or simply ignored, even though it is the most crucial part of the argument. This article challenges both the plausibility of the accounts of marriage and marital acts offered by these commentators, and the implications that would follow even were those accounts more plausible.
Probing the adsorption and orientation of 2,3-dichloro-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone on gold nano-rods: A SERS and XPS study

Abstract 2, 3-Dichloro-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (DDNQ) is a synthetic naphthaquinone which has shown reduced chemotoxicity and enhanced chemotherapeutic activity in in vitro studies. The ability of DDNQ to serve as a chemical dopant of graphene resulting improved performance of graphene by tuning its band gap is also being explored. In this report surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy was utilized to probe the adsorption/orientation of DDNQ on gold nano-rods. Interpretation of the SERS data required a complete assignment of the vibrational modes of DDNQ and this was performed with DFT calculations using BP86/6-31G (d, p), B3LYP/6-31G (d) basis sets, and potential energy distribution (PED) calculations. Surface selection rules and relative band enhancement factors were utilized to propose an orientation and mode of interaction for DDNQ adsorbed on Au nanosurfaces. XPS data supported the conclusions obtained from the SERS data.
Economics of garlic production in the Northern State

This study was cond ucted to evaluate the main factors affecting garlic productivity, to analyze the profitability of two varieties of garlic (local and Chinese) and to draw some policy implications for improving garlic productivity in the Northern State . The study used cross sectional data in the agricultural season 2003/04. The survey results indicated that farmers prefered growing the Chinese variety due to its high return but still the number of farmers growing it was less compared to the local variety (ratio 7:13) and the main reasons were the high price of Chinese variety seeds and lack of knowledge about its cultural practices. The analysis of cost of production showed that seeds cost amounted to 28.3% of the total cost of production followed by land rent (17%), irriga tion (16.3%), harvesting (11.7%), weeding, (10.7%), fertilizer (5%), Zakat (4.7%), land preparation (3. 3 %) and planting (3%).The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that fertilizers, seed rate and weeding were the most important factors af fecting garlic productivity in the study area. The budget analysis showed that the two varieties of garlic grown were profitable and the Chinese variety was more profitable than the local variet y . For improving productivity, the study recommended the suppl y of fertilizers, seeds and herbicides at the appropriate time and reasonable prices in addition to the adoption of improved cultural practices through extension services. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"جدول عادي"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
Neuroimaging in Psychiatry

The tools of neuroimaging continue to improve at a rapid pace. Each technique possesses strengths and limitations. The various techniques each offer unique information. To fully understand the biological substrates of psychiatric disease, multiple neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques must continue to develop and flourish. The goal of this chapter is to provide a solid understanding of methods frequently used in neuroimaging and neurophysiology.
Learning-styles of Hospitality Students: Do Career Interests Make Differences in Learning-styles?

This study explores different aspects of learning-styles by employing Felder-Solomon's Index of Learning-styles. This particular index has not been used as a measure of learning-styles in hospitality education as Kolb's Theory has been the method of choice. The relationship between learning-styles and students' career interests, which has not been investigated and reported upon in previous hospitality literature, is examined. Results indicate the majority of senior-level students (juniors and seniors) in the hospitality program surveyed are more likely to prefer active, sensing, visual, and sequential learning-styles. With few exceptions, students with different career interests display no variations in learning-styles.
Laser Shock Hardening of Welded Maraging Steel

The effect of laser-induced high intensity stress waves on the hardness, residual stresses, and fatigue resistance at the heat affected zone of welded 18 Ni (250) maraging steel was investigated. Laser shock processing increased the hardness, induced compressive residual stresses, and increased fatigue strength of weldments.
Unexpected biodiversity of ciliates in marine samples from below the photic zone.

Marine microbial eukaryotes play critical roles in planktonic food webs and have been described as most diverse in the photic zone where productivity is high. We used high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to analyse the spatial distribution of planktonic ciliate diversity from shallow waters ( 800 m depth) along a 163 km transect off the coast of New England, USA. We focus on ciliates in the subclasses Oligotrichia and Choreotrichia (class Spirotrichea), as these taxa are major components of marine food webs. We did not observe the decrease of diversity below the photic zone expected based on productivity and previous analyses. Instead, we saw an increase of diversity with depth. We also observed that the ciliate communities assessed by HTS cluster by depth layer and degree of water column stratification, suggesting that community assembly is driven by environmental factors. Across our samples, abundant OTUs tend to match previously characterized morphospecies while rare OTUs are more often undescribed, consistent with the idea that species in the rare biosphere remain to be characterized by microscopy. Finally, samples taken below the photic zone also reveal the prevalence of two uncharacterized (i.e. lacking sequenced morphospecies) clades - clusters X1 and X2 - that are enriched within the nano-sized fraction (2-10 μm) and are defined by deletions within the region of the SSU-rDNA analysed here. Together, these data reinforce that we still have much to learn about microbial diversity in marine ecosystems, especially in deep-waters that may be a reservoir for rare species and uncharacterized taxa.
Near-Infrared Photoluminescence and Thermal Stability of PbS Nanocrystals at Elevated Temperatures

Near-infrared quantum dots (QDs) are attractive materials for biological, defense, and telecommunications applications. Many of these applications depend on QD luminescence at elevated temperatures, which has not been thoroughly explored in infrared-emitting QD materials. Here, we report a comprehensive study of the thermal stability of lead sulfide (PbS) QDs. Despite a bulk melting temperature of 1100 °C, in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed coalescence of neighboring PbS QDs at temperatures as low as 150 °C. While TEM, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis showed no changes to the QD structure below 150 °C, the photoluminescence of densely packed QD films irreversibly decreased after exposure to temperatures as low as 50 °C. In contrast, embedding the QDs in cross-linked poly(lauryl methacrylate) dramatically improved the stability of photoluminescence to thermal cycling, delaying the onset of irreversible luminescence quenching beyond 120 °C and maintaining measurable pho...
Validation of a Novel Visceral Adiposity Prediction Tool and Comparison to Existing Adiposity Indices

Background/objectives: Visceral adiposity measured by computed tomography (CT) as intra-abdominal fat area (IAFA) predicts metabolic diseases. Measuring IAFA by CT, however, is not practical. We developed a new index (Visceral Adiposity Estimate – VAE) for IAFA estimation, and validated its performance. Subjects/methods: We recorded age, BMI, waist circumference (WC), fasting lipids, glucose, and smoking status for 622 participants in the Japanese-American Community Diabetes Study (JACDS). IAFA was measured with a single CT slice at the umbilicus. We used stepwise linear regression and regressed IAFA on commonly available laboratory and demographic variables in sex-stratified models. We termed this estimate the VAE. For men, variables included were age, WC, HDL, and glucose; for women, age, BMI, WC, HDL, LDL, and glucose. We compared area under receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUROC) between VAE, the Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI: a measure incorporating BMI, WC, triglycerides, and HDL), and WC for IAFA dichotomized at the median and 75 th percentile. Results were validated in 1645 Japanese participants in the Ohtori Study. Results: Participant characteristics were: JACDS, mean age 53.7, 55% male; Ohtori, mean age 50.4, 63% male. In JACDS, VAE predicted above-median IAFA (men: AUROC = 0.88; women: AUROC = 0.94) better than VAI and WC for men (VAI AUROC = 0.74, p < 0.001; WC AUROC = 0.81, p < 0.001) and women (VAI AUROC = 0.79, p < 0.001; WC AUROC = 0.88, p = 0.001). At the 75 th percentile, VAE predicted IAFA (men: AUROC = 0.88; women: AUROC = 0.93) better than VAI and WC for men (VAI AUROC = 0.74, p < 0.001; WC AUROC = 0.84, p = 0.004) and women (VAI AUROC = 0.78, p < 0.001; WC AUROC = 0.88, p = 0.030). Results were similar for Ohtori. Conclusions: VAE predicted IAFA better than VAI or WC in derivation and validation datasets of Japanese-American and Japanese populations.
Open Surgical Repair Remains the Gold Standard for Treating Aortic Arch Pathology

Background Endovascular arch repair technology is driven in large part by the assumption that open arch operations are high-risk. We wanted to evaluate the clinical results of open arch reconstruction in the modern era in a large group practice. Methods From October 2003 to June 2014, 567 patients underwent aortic arch operations: hemiarch repair was performed in 429 patients (75.7%; group A), total arch repair in 129 (22.7%; group B), and patch repair in the remaining 9 (1.6%). The procedure was an emergency in 88 patients (20.5%) in group A and in 41 patients (31%) in group B. Redo sternotomy after a previous aortic operation was performed in 35 patients (8.2%) in group A and in 28 patients (22%) in group B. Results Permanent neurologic deficits were diagnosed in 12 patients (2.8%) in group A and in 3 patients (2.4%) in group B. No spinal cord injuries occurred. Mortality at 30 days was 4% (17 patients) in group A and 5.4% (7 patients) in group B. Patients in group A were younger than in group B (mean age, 61.3 vs 63.6 years; p = 0.06). Older age (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.09; p = 0.0087) and extracorporeal circulation time (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1 to 1.01; p p = 0.006) was the only predictor for neurologic dysfunction. Survival at 2, 6, and 8 years was 90%, 80%, and 69%, respectively, for group A, and 85%, 70% and 62%, respectively, for group B. Conclusions These results set a standard against which endovascular technology needs to be compared.
Enhancing Power System Operational Flexibility With Flexible Ramping Products: A Review

With the increased variability and uncertainty of net load induced from high penetrations of renewable energy resources and more flexible interchange schedules, power systems are facing great operational challenges in maintaining balance. Among these, the scarcity of ramp capability is an important culprit of power balance violations and high scarcity prices. To address this issue, market-based flexible ramping products (FRPs) have been proposed in the industry to improve the availability of ramp capacity. This paper presents an in-depth review of the modeling and implementation of FRPs. The major motivation is that although FRPs are widely discussed in the literature, it is still unclear to many that how they can be incorporated into a co-optimization framework that includes energy and ancillary services. The concept and a definition of power system operational flexibility as well as the needs for FRPs are introduced. The industrial practices of implementing FRPs under different market structures are presented. Market operation issues and future research topics are also discussed. This paper can provide researchers and power engineers with further insights into the state of the art, technical barriers, and potential directions for FRPs.
Selective Annotation of Modal Readings: Delving into the Difficult Data

Modal auxiliaries have different readings, depending on the context in which they occur (Kratzer, 1981). Several projects have attempted to classify uses of modal auxiliaries in corpora according to their reading using supervised machine learning techniques (e.g., Rubinstein et al., 2013, Ruppenhofer & Rehbein, 2012). In each study, traditional taxonomic labels, such as ‘epistemic’ and ‘deontic’ are used by human annotators to label instances of modal auxiliaries in a corpus. In order to achieve higher agreement among annotators, results in these previous studies are reported after collapsing some of the initial categories. The results show that human annotators have fairly good agreement on some of the categories, such as whether or not a use is epistemic, but poor agreement on others. They also show that annotators agree more on modals such as might than on modals such as could. In this study, we used traditional taxonomic categories on sentences containing modal auxiliary verbs that were randomly extracted from the English Gigaword 4th edition corpus (Parker et al., 2009). The lowest inner-annotator agreement using traditional taxonomic labels occurred with uses of could, with raw agreements of 42%−48% (κ = 0.196−0.259), compared to might, for instance, with raw agreement of 98%. In response to the low numbers, rather than collapsing traditional categories, we tried a new method of classifying uses of could with respect to where the reading situates the eventuality being described relative to the speech time. For example, the sentence ‘Jess could swim.’ is about a swimming eventuality in the past leading up to the time of speech, if it is read as being an ability. The sentence is about a swimming eventuality in the future, if it is read as being a statement about a possibility. The classification labels we propose are crucial in separating uses of could that have actuality inferences (Bhatt, 1999, Hacquard, 2006) from uses that do not. For the temporal location of the event described by a use of could, using four category labels, we achieved 73%−90% raw agreement (κ = 0.614−0.744). Sequence of tense contexts (Abusch, 1997) present a major factor in the difficulty of determining the temporal properties present in uses of could. Among three annotators, we achieved raw agreement scores of 89%−96%(κ =0.779−0.919%) on identification of sequence of tense contexts. We discuss the role of our findings with respect to textual entailment.
Open Versus Minimally Invasive Surgery for Extraforaminal Lumbar Disk Herniation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction Extraforaminal disk herniation (EDH) accounts for 3%–11% of all disk herniations. Despite the heterogeneity of spinal procedures, there is a paucity of literature comparing the outcomes from different surgical approaches. Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of available literature on EDHs. We compared patients undergoing open surgery (OS) with those undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approaches, including tubular microscopic, percutaneous endoscopic, and microendoscopic. Results A total of 41 studies with 1813 patients (1239 OS, 574 MIS) were included our analysis. The MIS group showed no significant difference from OS group in the incidence of complications (MIS: 0.01 vs. OS: 0.01, P = 0.971) or reoperation (OS: 0.04, MIS: 0.03; P = 0.382). There was an increased incidence of poor patient satisfaction according to the Macnab criteria for the OS group compared with the MIS group, but the difference was not statistically significant (OS: 0.14 vs. MIS: 0.06; P = 0.237). The OS group had greater estimated blood loss (mean difference [MD]: 38.6 mL), slightly longer operation time (MD: 12.2 minutes), longer hospital stay (MD: 30.3 hours), and longer return to work time (MD: 3.3 weeks). Tubular microscopic procedures had a lower incidence of reoperation than both percutaneous endoscopic (0.01 vs. 0.06, P = 0.01) and microendoscopic procedures (0.01 vs. 0.05, P = 0.03). Conclusions Minimally invasive procedures for EDHs are associated with a similar incidence of complications and reoperation but lower estimated blood loss, shorter operative time, shorter hospital stay, and faster return to work time compared to OS. Tubular microscopic have the lowest reoperation rate of MIS procedures.
Position of the South Atlantic Anticyclone and Its Impact on Surface Conditions across Brazil

AbstractThis study examines the surface wind characteristics of Brazil on the basis of the location of the maximum high pressure center in the South Atlantic basin (SAB), known as the South Atlantic anticyclone (SAA), from three reanalysis datasets for the period of 1980–2014. Linear wind speed trends determined for Brazil are geographically related to surface and macroscale atmospheric conditions found in the SAB. The daily mean position of the SAA exhibited a latitudinal poleward shift for all seasons, and a longitudinal trend was dependent upon extratropical activity found in the SAB. Results also show that wind speed and sea level pressure for northern Brazil are dependent upon the latitudinal position of the SAA. Consequently, surface wind correlations for southern Brazil tend to be related to changes in the longitudinal position of the SAA, which result from transient anticyclones migrating over the SAB. An examination of positive and negative wind anomalies shows that shifts in the position of the ...
Special Relativity and Spacetime

In this chapter Cosgrove subjects the concept of Minkowski spacetime to critique in three principal respects: (1) the theory of spacetime articulates no clear meaning to the concept of a single continuum of space and time; (2) the theory of spacetime conflates two quite different types of geometrical representation, graphs and images, and so takes visual features of graphs as if they were direct images of the physical world; and third, the theory of spacetime misconstrues the significance of invariance in special relativity, by way a false analogy with geometry.