cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computerized adaptive testing and short form development for child and adolescent oral health patient‐reported outcomes measurement

Author(s): Shen, Jie; Hays, Ron D; Wang, Yan; Marcus, Marvin; Maida, Carl A; Xiong, Di; Lee, Steve Y; Spolsky, Vladimir W; Coulter, Ian D; Crall, James J; Liu, Honghu | Abstract: ObjectivesTo develop computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and short forms of self-report oral health measures that are predictive of both the children's oral health status index (COHSI) and the children's oral health referral recommendation (COHRR) scales, for children and adolescents, ages 8-17.Material and methodsUsing final item calibration parameters (discrimination and difficulty parameters) from the item response theory analysis, we performed post hoc CAT simulation. Items most frequently administered in the simulation were incorporated for possible inclusion in final oral health assessment toolkits, to select the best performing eight items for COHSI and COHRR.ResultsTwo previously identified unidimensional sets of self-report items consisting of 19 items for the COHSI and 22 items for the COHRR were administered through CAT resulting in eight-item short forms for both the COHSI and COHRR. Correlations between the simulated CAT scores and the full item bank representing the latent trait are r = .94 for COHSI and r = .96 for COHRR, respectively, which demonstrated high reliability of the CAT and short form.ConclusionsUsing established rigorous measurement development standards, the CAT and corresponding eight-item short form items for COHSI and COHRR were developed to assess the oral health status of children and adolescents, ages 8-17. These measures demonstrated good psychometric properties and can have clinical utility in oral health screening and evaluation and clinical referral recommendations.
Correcting tree-ring δ13C time series for tree-size effects in eight temperate tree species.

Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in tree rings have been widely used to study changes in intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), sometimes with limited consideration of how C-isotope discrimination is affected by tree height and canopy position. Our goals were to quantify the relationships between tree size or tree microenvironment and wood δ13C for eight functionally diverse temperate tree species in northern New England and to better understand the physical and physiological mechanisms underlying these differences. We collected short increment cores in closed-canopy stands and analyzed δ13C in the most recent 5 years of growth. We also sampled saplings in both shaded and sun-exposed environments. In closed-canopy stands, we found strong tree-size effects on δ13C, with 3.7-7.2‰ of difference explained by linear regression vs height (0.11-0.28‰ m-1), which in some cases is substantially stronger than the effect reported in previous studies. However, open-grown saplings were often isotopically more similar to large codominant trees than to shade-grown saplings, indicating that light exposure contributes more to the physiological and isotopic differences between small and large trees than does height. We found that in closed-canopy forests, δ13C correlations with diameter at breast height were nonlinear but also strong, allowing a straightforward procedure to correct tree- or stand-scale δ13C-based iWUE chronologies for changing tree size. We demonstrate how to use such data to correct and interpret multi-decadal composite isotope chronologies in both shade-regenerated and open-grown tree cohorts, and we highlight the importance of understanding site history when interpreting δ13C time series.
Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Panther Symposium ACL Injury Return to Sport Consensus Group.

Background:A precise and consistent definition of return to sport (RTS) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is lacking, and there is controversy surrounding the process of returning patie...
Identification of Blood Parasites in Individuals from Six Families of Freshwater Turtles

Freshwater turtles from 28 species representing 6 families, categorized as “wild,” “captive,” or “wild-caught, captive-raised,” were analyzed for the presence of intraerythrocytic, parasitic protozoa. Microscopic analyses of blood smears from 327 individual turtles revealed parasites in the blood of 29% of these individuals (n = 96), with levels of parasitemia ranging from 0.003% to 2.1%. SYBR ® Green–based quantitative polymerase chain reaction confirmed these results with 29% overall prevalence (94 of 324), with 66% prevalence in the Geoemydidae, 26% prevalence in the Emydidae, and 23% prevalence in the Kinosternidae. No infections were detected in members of the Chelidae, Pelomedusidae, and Trionychidae. Prevalence was highest in wild turtles with 67%–100% from 7 locations, followed by wild-caught, captive-raised turtles with 4%–26% from 2 locations, while detections in captive turtles were zero in 2 locations and 3% in the remaining third location. Comparative sequence analyses of 583-bp amplicons of 18S rRNA gene fragments allowed us to identify 80 Haemogregarina infections and one Hemolivia infection. Parasites representing the genus Hepatozoon were not detected. Because parasites were generally detected in wild turtles and only rarely in captive turtles, captive breeding with subsequent release of turtles would seem to pose little risk to free-ranging turtles with regard to the spread of these parasites. On the contrary, wild turtles would be more likely sources of parasite transmission to captive populations if used in breeding programs.
Pressure-Induced Optical Transitions in Metal Nanoclusters.

Currently, a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between atomic structures and optical properties of ultrasmall metal nanoclusters with diameters between 1 and 3 nm is lacking. To addre...
Occupational epidemiologist's quest to tame measurement error in exposure

Abstract I aimed to assess current practices and opportunities for addressing the problem of errors in exposure in occupational epidemiology. Occupational epidemiologists appreciate that errors in exposure are a concern, but almost none correct for these errors, although there are currently no theoretical and practical barriers for this inertia. The most serious barrier to change is a faulty belief that a well-conducted epidemiologic study suffers only non-differential exposure misclassification and that its sole impact is to attenuate risk gradients, causing a false negative. On the contrary, differential exposure misclassification is the most defensible model in occupational epidemiology, and errors in exposure increase chance of both false positive and negative results. Resistance to mathematical adjustment for errors in exposure is equivalent to denying the value of more valid exposure estimates and undermines the discipline's relevance to protection of workers by informing workplace exposure limits.
Unified model of short- and long-term HIV viral rebound for clinical trial planning.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively controls HIV infection, suppressing HIV viral loads. Typically suspension of therapy is rapidly followed by rebound of viral loads to high, pre-therapy leve...
Abstract P221: Metabolic Syndrome And Its Factors Associate With Non-calcified Coronary Plaque Burden In Chronic Inflammation: Results From A Prospective Observational Study

Introduction: Psoriasis is a common, inflammatory skin disease associated with systemic inflammation and heightened risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Population studies have shown that psorias...
Using counterfactual thinking theory to change alcohol protective behavioural strategy use intentions

OBJECTIVES Despite numerous drinking interventions, alcohol use among college students remains a significant problem. Typically activated after negative events, counterfactual thinking is a cognitive process that contrasts reality with an imagined better alternative. As a result, counterfactual thinking highlights potential causal links between problematic behaviours and negative outcomes, which can strengthen intentions to change behaviour. Recent research has found that modifying behavioural intentions to engage in protective behavioural strategies (PBS) has led to increased PBS use and reduced alcohol outcomes. The current study evaluated counterfactual thinking as a way to increase PBS use intentions. DESIGN Intervention US study with college student drinkers. METHODS A sample of college students (n = 466) completed a web-based assessment of demographics, drinking, alcohol consequences, and PBS use. Those who endorsed an adverse drinking event were randomly assigned to an intervention condition (Control, Negative event only, Negative event with description, or Negative event with counterfactual). Following the intervention, participants reported intentions to engage in each PBS subtype over the next week. RESULTS Relative to control, the counterfactual condition resulted in greater PBS use intentions across all subtypes. Neither the negative event only nor the negative event with description resulted in higher PBS use intentions, relative to control. Importantly, the control group did not report whether they experienced a negative event; thus, we cannot definitively determine the effect this may have on the data. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a new theory-driven avenue for alcohol use interventions utilizing counterfactual thinking to enhance safe drinking intentions.
Sex differences in migraine: A twin study

Migraine is a neurological disorder with a prominent sex difference such that two thirds of sufferers are female. The mechanisms behind the preponderance of migraine in women have yet to be elucidated. With data on 51,872 participants from the Swedish Twin Registry, we report results from two distinct analyses intended to clarify the degree to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to sex differences in migraine. First, we fit a sex-limitation model to determine if quantitative genetic differences (i.e., is migraine equally heritable across men and women) and/or qualitative genetic differences (i.e., are different genes involved in migraine across men and women) were present. Next, we used a multilevel logistic regression model to compare the prevalence of migraine in individuals from opposite-sex and same-sex twin pairs to determine whether differences in the prenatal hormone environment contribute to migraine risk. In the final analytic sample, women were found to have a significantly higher rate of migraine without aura relative to men (17.6% vs 5.5%). The results from an ADE sex-limitation model indicate that migraine is equally heritable in men and women, with a broad sense heritability of .45, (95% CI = .40 - .50), while results from a reduced AE sex-limitation model provide subtle evidence for differences in the genes underlying migraine across men and women. The logistic regression analysis revealed a significant increase in migraine risk for females with a male co-twin relative to females with a female co-twin (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.26 - 1.81). These results suggest that the prominent sex difference in migraine prevalence is not entirely accounted for by genetic factors while demonstrating that masculinization of the prenatal environment may increase migraine risk for females. This effect points to a potential prenatal neuroendocrine factor in the development of migraine.
Fallen Nestlings and Regurgitant as Mechanisms of Nutrient Transfer from Nesting Wading Birds to Crocodilians

Positive interspecific interactions can shape fundamental wetland ecosystem dynamics, including energy transfer and spatial distribution of nutrients. Birds, by foraging in one location and nesting in another, commonly act as between-ecosystem nutrient vectors. However, the distribution of nutrients within nesting areas and mechanisms of transfer to other trophic levels are poorly understood. We report on measurements of available food transferred from nesting long-legged wading birds to American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in the Everglades of Florida, USA. Using throughfall traps, a historic dataset on nesting success and a literature-parameterized alligator energy budget, we estimated the potential food available to alligators via regurgitant and nestling carcasses, and compared that to alligator food requirements. Although dropped regurgitant is of little importance to scavenging alligators, we estimate that nestling carcasses throughout the ecosystem could support the energetic requirements of hundreds of alligators for periods of several months. This resource occurs during the dry season, when alligator thermoregulatory opportunities are relatively scarce and female alligators are mobilizing resources for egg-laying. Our results indicate that through fallen nestlings, wading bird nesting colonies have strong potential to benefit alligators. This facilitative exchange may be globally widespread, forming a keystone process in many tropical and subtropical wetlands.
“We Used Every Effort to be Impartial”: The Complicated Response of Newspaper Publishers to Unions

As large employers of labor and owners of businesses that conveyed information about organized labor to a wide audience, publishers were intimately connected to the labor movement during the 1930s ...
Peritonitis, as a Result of a Retrograde Postoperative Incisional Infection

Abstract An 8-year-old Quarter Horse × walking horse cross mare was referred for treatment of septic pedal osteitis and subsequently developed a cecal impaction which was resolved surgically. Postoperative enteritis and incisional drainage developed in the short-term postoperative period. One month postoperatively, the mare developed an acute septic peritonitis with Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus that was likely a sequela to the incisional infection. Systemic antibiotic therapy and peritoneal lavage were instituted; however, repeated culture and sensitivity of the abdominal fluid revealed a multidrug resistant Escherichia coli . In the face of antibiotic treatment failure, medical grade Phaenicia sericata larvae were placed into the abdomen to be used as a biological debriding agent. Clinical improvement was seen for 6 weeks, until the mare was euthanized due to a small intestinal strangulating lesion. Additionally, this case report is a description of the novel use of medical maggots in the treatment of a multidrug resistant peritonitis in a horse.
Private accreditation as a substitute for direct government regulation in public health insurance programs: when is it appropriate?

Private accreditation of health care institutions serves crucial quality assurance functions in the American health care system. Since the advent of widespread third-party payment for health care services in the mid-twentieth century, third-party payers have used private accreditation to thereby identify which health care institutions are qualified to provide services for payment to their beneficiaries. Private accreditation serves to alleviate the need for third-
Rave Culture: The Alteration and Decline of a Philadelphia Music Scene

Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Corporate Raves, Weeklies, Underground Parties, and More: Defining the Rave- Club Culture Continuum 3. Loyalists, Spillovers, and Other Party People: Personal and Collective Identities in the Post-rave Era 4. From 1990s Massives to Raves' Death?: Forces of Cultural Change 5. "Players and Their Tracks": Types of Cultural Work in the EDM Scene 6. EDM as a Vibrant Global Scene 7. Twenty- First- Century Scenes, Sounds, and Selves Appendix: Methods Notes References Index
Advanced return-path cable TV access technologies

The return-path dense wavelength-division-multiplexed network architecture using time -division-multiplexing and frequency-stacking methods is reviewed. Digitizing the return-path bandwidth provides significant cost savings while maintaining network transparency and flexibility.
Favoring, Likelihoodism, and Bayesianism

Strictly speaking, favoring should really be thought of as a four-place relation, between E, H1, H2, and a corpus of background evidence K. But, for present purposes (which won't address issues involving K), I will suppress the background corpus, so as to simplify our discussion. Moreover, the favoring relation is meant to be a propositional epistemic relation, as opposed to a doxastic epistemic relation. That is, the favoring relation is not meant to be restricted to bodies of evidence that are possessed (as evidence) by some actual agent(s), or to hypotheses that are (in fact) entertained by some actual agent(s). In this sense, favoring is analogous to the relation of propositional justification — as opposed to doxastic justification (Conee 1980). In order to facilitate a comparison of Likelihoodist vs Bayesian explications of favoring, I will presuppose the following bridge principle, linking favoring and evidential support:
Evaluation of assumptions for estimating chemical light extinction at U.S. national parks.

Studies were conducted at Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NP) (GRSM), Tennessee, Mount Rainier NP (MORA), Washington, and Acadia NP (ACAD), Maine, to evaluate assumptions used to estimate aerosol light extinction from chemical composition. The revised IMPROVE equation calculates light scattering from concentrations of PM2.5 sulfates, nitrates, organic carbon mass (OM), and soil. Organics are assumed to be nonhygroscopic. Organic carbon (OC) is converted to OM with a multiplier of 1.8. Experiments were conducted to evaluate assumptions on aerosol hydration state, the OM/OC ratio, OM hygroscopicity, and mass scattering efficiencies. Sulfates were neutralized by ammonium during winter at GRSM (W, winter) and at MORA during summer but were acidic at ACAD and GRSM (S, summer) during summer. Hygroscopic growth was mostly smooth and continuous, rarely exhibiting hysteresis. Deliquescence was not observed except infrequently during winter at GRSM (W). Water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) was separated from bu...
Nature of excited helium atoms in liquid helium: A theoretical model

A model is developed in which excited helium atoms in liquid helium may exist in stable cavities of diameter 10 \AA{} and larger. A repulsive effective interaction between the excited atom and the remaining atoms in the ground state is responsible for cavity formation. The equilibrium shape of the cavity is determined by minimizing the total energy, which is the sum of the electronic perturbation due to the surrounding liquid and the energy required to form the cavity. Each of these can be evaluated separately as a function of the cavity size and shape. The energy required to form a near-spherical cavity of radius $R$ is approximated by the classical expressions for work done against the surface tension $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ of liquid helium, and against the external pressure $p$ on the liquid. For a particular cavity size, the liquid may be represented by a perturbing potential, and the response of the electronic wave function explicitly determined using the variational method. The calculations indicate that the optical spectra of helium atoms in these cavities are only slightly perturbed, and agreement with observed spectra lends strong support to the cavity model. Agreement has been obtained with the observed emission transitions $2^{3}P\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2^{3}S$ and $3^{1,3}S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2^{1,3}P$, and also with the absorption $2^{3}S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2^{3}P$, at saturated vapor pressure. Recently, the pressure dependence of the position and width of these spectral lines has been measured up to 25 atm. The pressure dependence predicted by the model is in good agreement with the data for all lines in which the initial state is spherically symmetric.
Compass Point University: how many spring/summer classes should be offered?

Abstract This case poses the issue of marginal costing for a service that occurs regularly, but is not the primary function of the organization. The setting is a university and the service is courses offered during spring/summer semesters, a situation familiar to many students. In this case, students must decide whether spring/summer courses are analogous to a special order or whether such costs should be considered integral to the institution’s programming. Students are asked to identify relevant costs and revenues and to devise a decision rule which takes into consideration the implications of various cost assumptions. After completing the case students should be able to apply the concepts of incremental revenues and costs in decision-making. They should also be able to justify using incremental costing in a recurring setting. Students will be able to explain how managerial incentives, in the form of fixed budgets, can interfere with the application of incremental cost and revenue concepts. During class discussion, the broader implications of changing institutional responsibility reporting and budgeting policies may be raised. This case is suitable for introductory courses at both graduate and undergraduate levels and in the first upper-division undergraduate course in managerial accounting.
Astronomy: On the track of the transit

Owen Gingerich enjoys two histories of the expeditions that aimed to measure the passage of Venus across the face of the Sun.
Development of the escape response in larval walleye pollock ( Theragra chalcogramma )

The development of the escape response of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) larvae from attacks by macrozooplanktonic and small-fish predators was quantified in laboratory experiments. Behavior was recorded using video cameras with silhouette illumination from infrared-emitting diodes and by visual observation. Laboratory-reared larvae of 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 18, 22, 27, 42 days post-hatching, ranging in size from 4 mm to 10 mm total length, were used in the experiments. Even the youngest larvae were observed to exhibit a fast startle response. The percentage of successful larval escapes from the different predators increased as the larvae developed. Euphausiids (Thysanoessa raschii) and amphipods (Calliopiella pratti) often touched larvae but the larvae were usually able to escape and no successful captures of larvae over 22 days old were observed. Although successful escape from initial attacks by three-spine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) increased ontogenetically, sticklebacks were able to consume most larvae, even of the oldest age group, by repeated attacks. Day-old larvae had the lowest percent of escapes after encounters with jellyfish (Sarsia sp.), but the percentage of escapes increased dramatically for 3-day-old larvae. Escape speeds after an attack also increased with age, and tended to be higher after stickleback attacks and lower after jellyfish attacks. This study revealed that the escape response of larval pollock to attack by predators improves rapidly with development during the early larval stage.
An optimization model for zero-excess phosphorus management

Abstract Livestock production in the 21st century is moving in the direction of higher animal densities. Accompanying livestock expansion is the challenge of manure handling and utilization. A model for zero-excess phosphorus (ZEP) management has been developed for a dairy-crop operation that is based on multicriteria optimization. ZEP management practices are identified by simultaneously minimizing excess manure phosphorus, feed cost, and cropland requirement. System components include commercial fertilizer application, feed crop production, P storage in the soil profile, surface runoff, procurement of feed supplements, ration formulation, dairy herd structure and dynamics, manure handling, manure storage, and manure spreading. Manure is recycled as a fertilizer nutrient source in crop production. ZEP management practices include a cropping system, nutrient applications, and animal rations which are characterized by low feed cost and maximum use of land resources.
Sepsis-induced muscle proteolysis is blocked by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 beta inhibitors

Abstract Introduction: Muscle wasting in sepsis is mainly caused by increased degradation of proteins, in particular the myofibrillar proteins actin and myosin. Recent studies suggest that inactivation of GSK-3beta, a downstream enzyme in the PI3K signaling pathway, may prevent muscle atrophy. The role of GSK-3beta in sepsis-induced muscle proteolysis is not known. We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of GSK-3beta reduces protein breakdown in septic muscle. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent induction of sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or were sham-operated. After 16 hours, paired extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles were incubated for 2 hours under physiological conditions in the absence or presence of one of the GSK-3beta inhibitors, lithium chloride (LiCl, 50 millimolar) or thiadiazolidinone-8 (TDZD-8, 25 micromolar). Protein breakdown rates were determined by measuring the net release of free tyrosine. Results: Sepsis resulted in a substantial increase in muscle protein breakdown, confirming previous observations. Treatment of incubated muscles with either of the GSK-3beta inhibitors significantly reduced protein breakdown in muscle from septic rats. LiCl also reduced basal protein degradation. ∗−LiCl+LiCl−TDZD-8+TDZD-8SHAM266.7 ± 21.7186.6 ± 15.1∗272.9 ± 8.6210.2 ± 15.7CLP475.0 ± 43.1301.7 ± 16.6∗418.6 ± 42.8301.4 ± 31.4∗∗Results are mean ± SEM with n=8 in each group;∗p Conclusions: Inhibition of GSK-3beta may reduce muscle protein breakdown during sepsis and perhaps other muscle-wasting conditions as well.
Xenon in Kirkland lake tellurides

Measurements on xenon and tellurium from a Kirkland Lake telluride show that the half-life for the double betadecay of 130 Te is 2.03 ± 0.30 × 10 21 years and that of 128 Te is ≧ 1.2 × 10 23 years. It is shown that the excess 129 Xe and 131 Xe in tellurium ores does not correlate with the 130 Te· 130 Xe age or with the uranium content.
Native Daughter: Home, Segregation, and Mental Maps

ABSTRACTNarrow mental maps, those that present a blinkered, overly simplified view of reality, are believed to play a role in the development of prejudicial attitudes and behaviors. But what about when such maps happen to be held by members of disadvantaged groups? This paper examines the mental map of “home” held by an African-American girl who lived in a racially segregated community outside Chicago during the Depression. It finds that her map was not a simple, single construct, but consisted of overlapping, interpenetrating landscapes of sights, sounds, places, and feelings. Perhaps surprisingly, while her map was detailed and complete, it did not acknowledge the segregated nature of her family's neighborhood. The article suggests that her map served a defensive purpose, protecting her from the indignities of being a conscious victim of discrimination. It concludes that while narrow maps might indeed feed the prejudices of members of dominant groups, they may operate as instruments of empowerment among...
Dynamic impedance matching with a lever

Multiple elastic collisions are analyzed that occur between an incident mass M1, a target mass M2, and a single intermediating hinged lever of moment of inertia I that bounces back and forth between the two masses, transferring angular momentum and energy with each double collision until, if I is chosen correctly, 100% of the energy has been transferred from M1 to M2 in N double collisions, where N=1, or 2, or 3, or ... . The model was inspired by the mechanical transformer, designed and built by Ansbacher, that employs two nearly massless levers as intermediaries so as to achieve nearly complete energy transfer between two masses on an air track.
A convenient enzymic synthesis of guanosine diphosphate-[14C]mannose

Abstract A cell-free extract from baker's yeast supplemented with hexokinase, GTP, 3-phosphoglyceric acid, and glucose 1,6-diphosphate converts [14C]mannose to GDP-[14C]mannose in 55–60% yield. Addition of EDTA to the reaction mixture prevents the formation of glycolytic products by inactivating phosphomannose isomerase. GDP-[14C]mannose can be purified by a combination of paper chromatography and high pressure liquid chromatography or by ion-exchange chromatography of the reaction mixture after alkaline phosphatase treatment.
Measuring dynamic efficiency of highway maintenance operations

In this paper we discuss a dynamic efficiency measurement model for evaluating the performance of highway maintenance policies where the inter-temporal dependencies between consumption of inputs (i.e., maintenance budget) and realization of outputs (i.e., improvement in road condition) are explicitly captured. We build on a micro representation of pavement deterioration and renewal processes and study the impact of the allocation of scarce maintenance budgets over time. We provide a measure of efficiency that contrasts the optimized budget allocations to the actual ones. The developed model is then applied to an empirical dataset of pavement condition and maintenance expenditures over the years 2002 to 2008 corresponding to seventeen miles of interstate highway that lay in one of the counties in the state of Virginia, USA. The policies that were found through optimization showed that road authorities should give higher priorities to preventive maintenance than corrective maintenance. In essence, by applying preventive maintenance, the road authorities can effectively decrease the need for future corrective maintenance while spending less overall.
Integrating DICOM structure reporting (SR) into the medical imaging informatics data grid

The Medical Imaging Informatics (MI 2 ) Data Grid developed at the USC Image Processing and Informatics Laboratory enables medical images to be shared securely between multiple imaging centers. Current applications include an imaging-based clinical trial setting where multiple field sites perform image acquisition and a centralized radiology core performs image analysis, often using computer-aided diagnosis tools (CAD) that generate a DICOM-SR to report their findings and measurements. As more and more CAD tools are being developed in the radiology field, the generated DICOM Structure Reports (SR) holding key radiological findings and measurements that are not part of the DICOM image need to be integrated into the existing Medical Imaging Informatics Data Grid with the corresponding imaging studies. We will discuss the significance and method involved in adapting DICOM-SR into the Medical Imaging Informatics Data Grid. The result is a MI 2 Data Grid repository from which users can send and receive DICOM-SR objects based on the imaging-based clinical trial application. The services required to extract and categorize information from the structured reports will be discussed, and the workflow to store and retrieve a DICOM-SR file into the existing MI 2 Data Grid will be shown.
Fatty acid ethyl esters: Nonoxidative metabolites of ethanol

The story of fatty acid ethyl (FAEE) encompasses nearly 40 years of research. For more than half of this time, the investigation was limited to documenting the presence of ethyl ester synthesis in different cells and tissues. In the last three years, increasing evidence has emerged that FAEE contribute to ethanol-induced organ damage, with a variety of different mechanisms proposed for mediation of this toxic effect. In addition, multiple enzymatic activities associated with FAEE formation have been described. Independent of their role in mediating cell injury, it has very recently been shown that FAEE are useful short-term and long-term serum markers of ethanol intake, given their appearance in the blood rapidly after ethanol ingestion and their presence when ethanol is no longer detectable.
Longitudinal Change in Reproductive Hormones and Depressive Symptoms Across the Menopausal Transition: Results From the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN)

Context The contribution of reproductive hormones to mood has been the focus of considerable research. Results from clinical and epidemiological studies have been inconsistent. It remains unclear whether alterations in serum hormone levels across the menopausal transition are linked to depressive symptoms. Objectives To evaluate the relationship between serum hormone levels and high depressive symptoms and whether hormone levels or their change might explain the association of menopausal status with depressive symptoms previously reported in a national sample of midlife women. Design A longitudinal, community-based, multisite study of menopause. Data were collected at baseline and annually from December 1995 to January 2008 on a range of factors. Early follicular phase serum samples were assayed for levels of estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Setting Seven communities nationwide. Participants A community-based sample of 3302 multiethnic women, aged 42 to 52 years, still menstruating and not using exogenous reproductive hormones. Main Outcome Measure Depressive symptoms assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The primary outcome was a CES-D score of 16 or higher. Results In multivariable random-effects logistic regression models, log-transformed testosterone level was significantly positively associated with higher odds of a CES-D score of 16 or higher (odds ratio = 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.31) across 8 years, and a larger increase in log-transformed testosterone from baseline to each annual visit was significantly associated with increased odds of a CES-D score of 16 or higher (odds ratio = 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.45). Less education, being Hispanic, and vasomotor symptoms, stressful life events, and low social support at each visit were each independently associated with a CES-D score of 16 or higher. No other hormones were associated with a CES-D score of 16 or higher. Being perimenopausal or postmenopausal compared with being premenopausal remained significantly associated with a CES-D score of 16 or higher in all analyses. Conclusions Higher testosterone levels may contribute to higher depressive symptoms during the menopausal transition. This association is independent of menopausal status, which remains an independent predictor of higher depressive symptoms.
Palladium–Carbon Eutectic Fixed Point for Thermocouple Calibration

A Pd–C eutectic fixed point has been produced using a molybdenum disilicide element, electrically heated furnace that was built in-house. The eutectic fixed point was measured with two Pt/Pd thermocouples calibrated at the fixed points of Sn, Zn, Al, Ag, and Au. An ITS-90 temperature of (1490.69 ± 0.88) °C (k = 2) was obtained for the inflection point of the melting plateau. Diffusion of Pd into the thermowell and onto the thermocouple protection tube was observed.
Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Fever of Undetermined Origin: Not What It Used to Be

Eighty cases of fever of undetermined origin seen at Dallas VAMC from 1979 to 1985 were analyzed. Infectious etiology was the cause in one half, with equal numbers of localized infections or systemic infections. In contrast to older series, viral infections were frequently seen, but tuberculosis and malaria were less commonly noted. Solid tumors were the most frequently diagnosed non-infectious cause of fever. Fevers secondary to malignancy commonly responded to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Patterns of illness were helpful in defining certain diseases such as adult Still's disease and polymyalgia rheumatica. Diagnostic tests of value are discussed.
Jurors' reactions to satanic ritual abuse allegations

OBJECTIVE: Some of the most highly publicized child sexual abuse trials of this century have involved bizarre allegations of satanic ritual abuse, yet little is known about jurors' reactions to ritual abuse claims. We investigated how jurors' judgements of defendant guilt and witness credibility are affected by the presence or absence of satanic ritual abuse allegations. METHOD: Two hundred forty-three mock jurors rendered judgments about a case involving childhood sexual abuse allegations made by either a 5-year-old child or a 30-year-old adult survivor. The presence or absence of satanic ritual abuse allegations was varied between subjects. Jurors' religiosity was measured. RESULTS: Although jurors were significantly less likely to believe the satanic ritual allegations than other case details, they were as likely to vote guilty and to believe the victim in satanic as in nonsatanic cases. Victim age had no significant effect on mock jurors' judgments, but there were marked individual differences in decisions: When the allegations involved satanic ritual abuse, religious jurors were more likely than less religious jurors to believe the victim. Further, across all conditions, women made more pro-victim judgements than did men. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that highly bizarre details may be discounted by jurors (particularly less religious jurors), but that jurors may set aside their skepticism of satanic ritual details and make judgments about child sexual abuse cases based on their perceptions of the credibility of nonsatanic allegations of harm. Whether or not this is an accurate approach to decision-making in these cases remains an empirical question. Language: en
Propagation characteristics of GaAs/AlGaAs QW ridge waveguides

A method is presented to accurately determine geometric effects in quantum well (QW) devices. Finite element methods have been used in combination with perturbation techniques to determine the propagation characteristics of a single QW GaAs/AlGaAs ridge waveguide. The attenuation coefficient and phase shift are evaluated for both transverse-electric (TE) and transverse-magnetic (TM) polarizations. The results show that a simple slab model overestimates the attenuation and phase change for wavelengths smaller than the excitonic resonances of the QW and underestimates them for larger wavelengths. >
Dynamic Behavior in Isotropic Regions of Tetradecylpyridinium Bromide/pentanol/heptane/water System

Abstract Self-diffusion coefficients from pulsed-gradient spin-echo NMR are reported for four components of the tetradecylpyridinium bromide-85% heptane 15% pentanol-water pseudoternary system. Measurements were taken throughout the inverted microemulsion region and also in a small isotropic region beyond the domain of lamellar liquid crystals. Boundaries for the smaller isotropic region were also delineated. Observations of the self-diffusion coefficients for water relative to those of the surfactant, oil, and alcohol show several distinct structural transitions within the water-in-oil region of the phase diagram. The smaller isotropic region exhibits a complete inversion of phase relative to the water-in-oil region. Conductivity measurements were used to further clarify the NMR data.
Numerical simulation of developing natural convection in an enclosure due to rapid heating

Abstract Effects of thermoacoustic wave motion on the developing natural convection process in a compressible gas-filled square enclosure were investigated numerically. In the cases considered, the left wall temperature is raised rapidly (impulsively or gradually) while the right wall is held at a specified temperature. The top and the bottom walls of the enclosure considered are thermally insulated. The numerical solutions of the full Navier–Stokes equations were obtained by employing a highly accurate flux-corrected transport algorithm for the convection terms and by a central differencing scheme for the viscous and diffusive terms. The strength of the pressure waves associated with the thermoacoustic effect and resulting flow patterns are found to be strongly correlated to the rapidity of the wall heating process. Fluid thermal diffusivity was found to affect the strength of the thermoacoustic waves and the resulting interaction with the buoyancy-induced flow.
Dual Promoters of Mouse μ-Opioid Receptor Gene1

Two transcriptional initiation sites, distal and proximal, located at approximately 500 bp apart in mouse mu-opioid receptor gene were identified recently. Using deletional and transfection analyses, the distal or proximal promoter alone displayed similar activity in neuronal cells constitutively expressing mu-opioid receptors (SH-SY-5Y). The presence of both promoters did not result in an increase in activity. However, when distal promoter linked with 3'-downstream sequences without the proximal promoter region, the distal promoter activity was abolished. Transfection analysis using various cell lines further suggested that only the proximal promoter preferentially directed the neuronal subtype expression. To verify the physiological importance of each promoter, the ratio of mu-receptor transcripts initiated by either promoter was examined by quantitative RT-PCR using mouse adult brain mRNA. We found that receptor mRNA was predominantly initiated by the proximal promoter. These studies suggested that the proximal promoter was the major functional promoter.
Experimental determination of interception collection efficiencies for small cloud droplets

Abstract The collection efficiencies for small droplets, with radius ranging from 1.4 to 8.0 μm, of 0.7 μm radius Escherichia coli bacterial particles, are investigated experimentally. The water droplets are produced in a cylindrical chamber 150 ft3 in volume by adiabatic cooling. The size distribution histograms are determined by direct microscopic measurements on gelatin-coated glass slides, while the collection efficiency is determined by direct observation on agar-coated slides. Measured collection efficiencies agree well with those predicted by interception theory but are higher than the published theoretical collision efficiencies.
The Ant Larvae of the Subfamily Dolichoderinae: Supplement

An earlier study on the larvae of the Dolichoderinae was published by the authors in 1951. The present supplement contains descriptions of 9 additional species in the genera Dolichoderus , Forelius and Iridomyrmex . Forelius is new to the authors' collection and is characterized here for the first time. Necessary revisions are made in the 1951 descriptions and additional references to the literature are cited. The body profiles of dolichoderine larvae are classified into 3 generalized types; there is only 1 generalized type of mandible shape. The tubercles of 6 genera ( Dorymyrmex , Iridomyrmex , Bothriomyrmex , Engramma , Tapinoma, and Technomyrmex ) are described and contrasted with the tubercles of ponerine larvae, from which they differ markedly in number, position and shape.
Rhizobium selenireducens sp. nov.: A Selenite-Reducing α-Proteobacteria Isolated From a Bioreactor

A Gram-negative, nonpigmented bacterium designated strain B1 was isolated from a laboratory bioreactor that reduced selenate to elemental red selenium (Se0). 16S rRNA gene–sequence alignment identified the isolate as a Rhizobium sp. belonging to the Rhizobium clade, which includes R. daejeonense, R. giardinii, R. undicola, R. larrymoorei, R. radiobacter, R. rubi, and R. vitis.R. radiobacter and R. rubi are its closest relatives as indicated by 16S rRNA gene–sequence alignments, which differ from strain B1 by 2.6% and 2.8%, respectively. Within this group, strains that show variances > 0.8% to 2.2% have been classified as different species. The major cellular fatty acids present in the B1 strain were C16:0 (1.8%), C18:0 (3.38%), 18:0 3-OH (1.6%), 18:1 ω7c (86.8%), 19:0 cycloω8c (1.5%), and summed features 2 (3.8%) and 3 (1.2%). The large amount of 18:1 ω7c present is constant with members of this group of bacteria, but the small amounts of 16:0, 19:0 cycloω8c, and summed feature 3 shows variance from R. radiobacter and R. rubi. The strain’s phenotypic and biochemical characteristics are consistent with its placement in this genus.
In vivo toxicity and pulmonary effects of promazine and chlorpromazine in rats.

Cationic amphiphilic drugs induce a phospholipid storage disorder known as phospholipidosis. Halogenated analogs of the drugs are more potent inducers of phospholipidosis when compared to nonhalogenated analogs. Two such antipsychotic drugs, promazine and chlorpromazine, are effectively taken up by the lungs and induce lamellar inclusions in vitro. We compared the in vivo toxicity and efficacy of promazine and chlorpromazine to induce phospholipidosis in the lung and in pulmonary alveolar macrophages. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given promazine or chlorpromazine (25 mg/kg/day, P.O., in water) for 5 weeks. Food intake was decreased in promazine- and chlorpromazine-treated rats, chlorpromazine rats being affected more than promazine rats. To minimize experimental error due to starvation, control rats were pair-fed. The body weight gain was decreased in chlorpromazine rats in comparison to pair-fed controls. Chlorpromazine-treated rats, but not promazine-treated rats, showed increased mortality over the 5-week treatment period. Histopathologic examination of lung revealed loss of alveolar macrophages with no other gross abnormalities in chlorpromazine-treated rats. Quantitative analysis of lung lavage also showed significant reduction in the number of macrophages. This finding is in contrast to other cationic amphiphilic drugs, which induce phospholipidosis as well as accumulation of alveolar macrophages. Phospholipid level increased in alveolar macrophages but not in lavaged lung following chlorpromazine treatment. Acid phosphatase activity in lavaged lung homogenate and macrophages of promazine- and chlorpromazine-treated rats, taken as an index of toxicity to cells, did not differ significantly from control rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Stability analysis of supercavitating underwater vehicles with adaptive cavitator

Supercavitating vehicles are characterized by substantially reduced hydrodynamic drag with respect to fully wetted underwater vehicles. Drag is localized at the nose of the vehicle, where a cavitator generates a cavity that completely envelops the body (supercavity). The size of the supercavity and the magnitude of the drag at the cavitator are greatly affected by the vehicle's velocity and by the shape and size of the cavitator. This paper investigates the benefits of an adaptive cavitator, capable of adjusting its size with the speed of forward motion of the vehicle. Objective of the cavitator size variation is to maintain the minimum cavity length and the minimum drag at any given speed. The localized drag and the propulsion required to sustain the vehicle's motion can cause the vehicle to buckle. In addition, propulsion acts as a follower force and may be a source of flutter-type instabilities when the vehicle is accelerating. The insurgence of buckling and flutter is investigated to identify limiting operating conditions. The analysis is performed by using a finite element model developed to predict stability limits. The case of pulsating thrust is also addressed through the application of the method of infinite determinants, also known as Bolotin's method.
New concepts of regulation of retinal vessel tone

Objective: To review the mechanisms of local regulation of the vascular tone of the retinal and choroidal circulations. Design: Literature review. Results: The vascular endothelial cell may produce nitric oxide, endothelins, prostaglandins, and reninangiotension products in response to chemical stimuli such as acetylcholine and bradykinin, to changes in blood pressure and vessel wall stress, to changes in local oxygen levels, and to other local stimuli. These substances are among the most potent vasoconstrictors and vasodilators known. Preliminary investigations suggest a potential role for these substances in endothelial autoregulation of the retinal and choroidal vasculatures. Conclusion: Hormonal products of the vascular endothelium may provide the final common pathway for vessel autoregulation in response to varying physiologic stress in many vascular beds, including the retina and choroid. Pharmacologic modulation of this process may provide treatment modalities for diseases such as hypertensive and diabetic retinopathies.