cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors as alternatives to luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) analogs or anti-androgens for prostate downsizing before brachytherapy.

Abstract Introduction Prostate hypertrophy, median lobe hypertrophy, and pubic arch interference (PAI) are relative contraindications to brachytherapy because of potential morbidity and technical considerations. GnRH analogs or non-steroidal anti-androgens are currently utilized to achieve prostatic downsizing prior to brachytherapy. However, such agents have been associated with effects on body habitus, metabolism, and quality of life. In contrast, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARI) are far less frequently associated with these morbidities. Methods and materials Patients with large gland size, median lobe hypertrophy, or PAI were offered 5-ARI therapy. Repeat transrectal ultrasound was performed at 3 or 4 months, followed by brachytherapy if resolution was achieved. If downsizing was inadequate, patients were offered continuation of 5-ARI for additional 3 months, gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRH) agonist or antiandrogen therapy, or other curative treatment. Results Of 59 patients with follow-up available, 42 (71%) were deemed to have adequate downsizing; 37 (63%) after 3 to 4 months of 5-ARI and 5 (8%) after 7 to 8 months. Seventeen patients (29%) received other treatments because of inadequate effect. Median volume reduction was 20%. Of 41 patients undergoing brachytherapy, 4 (9.7%) required temporary catheterization because of obstruction. Median follow-up after implantation was 25 months (range, 1-64). Median time for return to International Prostate Symptom Score ≤5 of baseline score was 7 months (interquartile ratio, 6-13). All but 1 patient who received brachytherapy remain biochemically controlled. Conclusion 5-ARI monotherapy is an alternative for downsizing in patients with hypertrophy or PAI, with more than 70% achieving adequate downsizing without use of GnRH analogs or antiandrogens. Patients who received brachytherapy experienced typical rates of postimplant urinary morbidity.
From Tomography to Material Properties of Thermal Protection Systems

The X-ray micro-tomography technique provides non-destructive characterizations of three-dimensional material micro-structures at spatial resolutions from the sub-micron to the centimeter scale. High quality micro-tomography images of NASA Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials are obtained using one of the brightest synchrotron X-ray sources available. Leveraging on NASA supercomputing capabilities, material properties and response are computed from tomography-data. This talk highlights the process and challenges of going from 3D images of actual material structures to simulations of properties and phenomena relevant to TPS material response, such as thermal conductivity, permeability, mass transport and high temperature reactions. The talk is addressed to a broad audience including scientists, engineers, researchers, educators, programmers, managers, and members of the media.
Commentary on Magdalin v. Commissioner

This Chapter in FEMINIST JUDGMENTS: REWRITTEN TAX OPINIONS, Bridget Crawford & Anthony Infanti eds., Cambridge University Press (2017) page 243 comments on Jennifer Bird-Pollan’s rewritten opinion in Magdalin v. Commissioner, 96 T.C.M. (CCH) 491 (2008). In the original Magdalin opinion, United States Tax Court Judge Wherry denied the taxpayer, a single male, a medical expense tax deduction for the reproductive medical costs he incurred for in vitro fertilization, egg donation, and gestational surrogacy. Magdalin raises significant concerns — including feminist concerns — about forms of assisted reproduction technology (ARTs) and access to parenting and family formation, in particular for gay and lesbian would-be parents. The Commentary begins with a technical explanation of the tax deductibility of the costs of various types of ARTs to bear children. It proceeds to the important ancillary question of which taxpayers are allowed to deduct the medical costs of ARTs. Infertile different-sex couples, same-sex couples, and individuals increasingly use ARTs to become parents, and family law has developed new “intentional” and “functional” parentage tests to legally recognize the parent-child relationship of “intended” parents who nurture children conceived and born with ARTs. Bird-Pollan rewrites the Magdalin opinion to hold that Mr. Magdalin can deduct all of his fertility treatment costs as “medical care,” because fertility treatment promotes his reproductive “functioning.” Bird-Pollan’s opinion illustrates the potentially far-reaching implications of the 2015 same-sex marriage decision in Obergefell v. Hodges for the reproductive freedom of gay and lesbian would-be parents. Following Obergefell, Courtney Megan Cahill argued that the decision rendered legal distinctions between sexual procreation and alternative reproduction “constitutionally suspect.” Bird-Pollan’s opinion bears out Cahill’s argument that Obergefell could alter the legal conceptualization of alternative reproduction. In addition, Bird-Pollan’s approach is consistent with Cahill’s more recent argument to reject “reproductive binarism” (legal distinctions between sexual reproduction and alternative reproduction) in favor of a unitary legal approach to reproduction, with a focus on procreative intent instead of procreative mechanics.
Oral Health Disparities Across the Life Span

Despite improvements in the oral health status of the US population as a whole, a disproportionately higher burden of oral diseases and disorders are borne by those individuals from low-income and racial and ethnic minority groups. These differences in health status, health outcomes, or health care use between distinct socially disadvantaged and advantaged groups are well documented and known as health disparities. It is vital that members of the dental profession understand the distribution of oral health and disease across different populations and the life span and participate in developing innovative and sustainable approaches to eliminate oral health disparities.
Laser-Induced Thermal Therapy in Neuro-Oncology: A Review.

Objectives Laser therapy has become an appealing treatment modality in neurosurgery. In this review, we report on the history, physics, surgical steps, indications and uses, and complications that have been reported to date. Methods An extensive literature search was performed for laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) and laser therapy in the context of glial tumors, metastatic lesions, pediatric brain tumors, and radiation necrosis. Reported complications in each series also were reviewed. Results In the past decade, multiple studies have demonstrated the use, outcomes, and complications associated with LITT in neurosurgery. These same studies have consistently reported an overall benefit of LITT in cases in which traditional surgical approaches may be limited by the patient's clinical status, tumor location, or overall prognosis. However, there have been complications reported from local effects of thermal damage, technical error, and edema development. Increased experience has reduced complications and brought more promising results. Conclusions With the advent of real-time monitoring and damage estimation, LITT has gained ground in the management of intracranial tumors. Larger scale trials must be performed to develop standard protocols to define specific indications for use. Further large clinical studies for LITT in non-oncologic cases are also of interest.
Aqueous Choline Chloride: A Novel Solvent for Switchgrass Fractionation and Subsequent Hemicellulose Conversion into Furfural

The performance of aqueous choline chloride (ChCl) solution on switchgrass fractionation and further utilization was evaluated. Under a relatively mild pretreatment condition (120 °C, 25 min), acidified ChCl solution efficiently removed 76% xylan and 51% lignin from switchgrass. The solvent was recycled and reused with similar performance for at least four pretreatment cycles when an acidic condition was maintained. The solvent recycling and reuse led to an increase in cumulative lignin yield with increased pretreatment cycles, reaching 93% at the fifth cycle. Two-dimensional heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) NMR analysis revealed that lignin recovered from the fifth cycle had a similar β-O-4 linkage abundance to native lignin. Such lignin would be well-suited for aromatic monomer production via depolymerization. The solvent recycling also resulted in xylose-rich pretreatment liquor, which was a good substrate and reaction medium for furfural production. The pretreated switchgrass showed good ...
Mapping the need for adaptation: assessing drought vulnerability using the livelihood vulnerability index approach in a mid-hill region of Nepal

For effective development and adaptation interventions in resource-poor regions to take place, it is critical to identify, at the highest spatial scale possible, regions of higher priority based on...
The Impact of Alliances on Self Learning

What are the different ways in which firms learn in alliances? In this paper we show that apart from learning complementary knowledge from the partner, alliances also help a firm learn how to utili...
Passively mode-locked interband cascade lasers

Optical frequency combs have revolutionized the field of high resolution real-time molecular spectroscopy. Here, we demonstrate an electrically-driven optical frequency comb whose sub-picosecond pulses span more than 1 THz of spectral bandwidth centered near 3.3 mm. This is achieved by passively mode locking an interband cascade laser in a multi-contact architecture with gain and saturable absorber sections monolithically integrated on the same chip.
MP27-04 SHOULD CONTINUATION OF ANTITHROMBOTICS AT TIME OF INFLATABLE PENILE PROSTHESIS SURGERY BE STANDARD OF CARE?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Patients with medically refractory erectile dysfunction (ED) frequently have cardiovascular risk factors requiring antithrombotics (anticoagulation and/or antiplatelets)...
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION OF EZH2 IN ATYPICAL PAPILLARY EPITHELIAL PROLIFERATIONS OF THE ORAL CAVITY: A POTENTIAL MARKER FOR MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION

Background Enhancer of zeste homolog-2 (EZH2) is a member of the polycomb group PcG of proteins; the genes that are involved in transcriptional repression. Cell cycle regulation and cell proliferation is associated with EZH2 expression and EZH2 overexpression stimulates cell proliferation and invasiveness. Conversely, inhibition of EZH2 precludes cancer cell invasiveness through inhibition of cell proliferation. Atypical papillary epithelial proliferation (AEP) is a histologic diagnosis rendered for oral lesions with confounding microscopic features, neither overtly benign nor unequivocally malignant. Aim To evaluate EZH2 antibody expression through immunohistochemical testing to delineate the potential of malignant transformation in AEP by comparing and contrasting with unequivocally benign papillary lesions represented by inflammatory papillary hyperplasia (IPH) and malignant papillary lesions represented by papillary well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC). Materials and Methods 10 cases each of AEP, IPH and PSCC were retrieved from the University of Florida, Oral Pathology Biopsy Service archive and stained with Anti-KMT6/EZH2 antibody. The cases were reviewed and the extent and pattern of EZH2 expression were assessed. The results were analyzed for statistical significance using Fischer's exact test. Results The pattern and intensity of EZH2 expression in AEP and PSCC demonstrated statistically significant differences when compared to IPH (p=0.002). In addition, the basal cell layer showed EZH2 expression in all the cases of AEP (100%) and PSCC (100%) but only 3 out of 10 (30%) in IPH (p=0.000), comparable to normal oral epithelial control tissue. Conclusion EZH2 expression in AEP is more similar to malignant processes than benign lesions. The pattern of basal cell layer expression of EZH2 could be a potential prognostic indicator of malignant transformation risk in oral AEP lesions. A subsequent study by our group to assess EZH2 expression with respect to clinical outcome in AEP lesions is ongoing.
O5 Utilizing Data-Driven Strategies to Inform a SNAP-Ed Healthy Food Retail Initiative

Objective Identify evidence-based strategies for SNAP-Ed to target SNAP-authorized retailers to improve consumer purchases of healthy foods. Use of Theory or Research Mixed-methods study to explore feasibility of implementing behavioral economic strategies. The Market Basket Assessment Tool (MBAT) was used to measure frequency of low-cost nutritious foods. Target Audience Virginia SNAP-authorized retailers in low-income census tracts or with high SNAP redemption. Program Description Shop Smart, Eat Smart (SSES) is a 2-phase program; first building demand of existing healthy foods within SNAP-authorized retailers that score 15/40 or more on the MBAT, then supporting optional supply changes to increase healthy inventory. In phase 1, retailers choose from a “menu” of strategies based on research findings. Strategies range from signage to food demonstrations. In phase 2, technical assistance will be offered to facilitate inventory changes. Evaluation Methods The MBAT is used for baseline and follow-up food audits. In addition to measuring inventory changes, adoption rate, and potential reach, each strategy is complemented by a set of evaluation questions gathering retailer perspectives of impacts on consumer purchasing. Results The logo included the most popular, low-cost items featured in participating stores within the MBAT study; including bananas, canned green beans, eggs, canned tuna, and peanut butter. In-store marketing and consumer engagement materials found to be the most feasible by retailers were created; including shelf-talkers, posters, grocery store tours and scavenger hunts, food demonstration resources, floor arrows, and yard signs. In FY2018, seven stores implemented strategies within Virginia with the potential reach of 95,726 individuals and an average MBAT score of 33.6. Conclusions This study explored the feasibility of implementing strategies to promote healthier purchases. While SSES has the potential to reach large numbers of consumers and existing partnerships are promising, ongoing data collection is needed to determine impact. Funding SNAP-Ed.
Boreal and Taiga Biome

Abstract Boreal forests, or taiga, are the Earth's northernmost forests, covering vast tracts of land across Alaska, Canada, northern Europe, Russia and northeastern China, between the arctic tundra to the north and cold-temperate forests and grasslands to the south. The most characteristic climatic features are long duration of snow cover and short cool summers. They are among the world's leading purveyors of ecosystem services, including carbon storage and clean water, and they have a large impact on climate at local, regional and global scales. Boreal forests harbor globally significant wildlife populations, including songbirds, migratory waterfowl, bears, wolves, moose, lynx and Siberian tigers. Spruce, fir, pine and larch dominate these forests along with birch and aspen. Boreal forests are flammable, and large fires which renew forest ecosystems and regulate their value as wildlife habitat are common. Trees and other plants in the boreal biome have many adaptations to fire, such as abilities to store seeds in serotinuous cones or in the soil for release after a fire, sprouting from the stump or roots, or thick bark that insulates trees from fire. Although large tracts of unlogged, primeval forest are still present, unsupervised logging, mining, oil extraction and climate change pose threats.
Phenotypic shift of small intestinal intra-epithelial type 1 innate lymphoid cells in celiac disease is associated with enhanced cytotoxic potential.

The small intestinal (SI) epithelium harbors a heterogeneous population of lymphocytes that mediate mucosal damage and repair in celiac disease (CD). The composition and roles of human proximal SI intra-epithelial innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), and their alterations in CD, are not well understood. We report that duodenal intra-epithelial ILCs predominantly consist of natural killer (NK)p44+ CD127- cytotoxic ILC1s and NKp44- CD127+ helper ILC1s, while ILC3s only represent a minor population. In patients with newly diagnosed or active CD (ACD) and refractory CD type 1 (RCD I), the frequency of SI NKp44+ ILCs is decreased, with restoration of NKp44+ ILC frequency observed in patients adhering to a gluten-free diet who show evidence of mucosal healing. Moreover, the frequency of SI NKp44- ILCs is increased in ACD and RCD I patients and correlates with the severity of villous atrophy and epithelial damage, as assessed by serum levels of fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2). We show that the ILC alterations in CD represent a phenotypic shift of cytotoxic ILC1s rather than an increase in helper ILC1s or transdifferentiation of ILC1s to ILC3s, and activation-induced loss of NKp44 by cytotoxic ILC1s is associated with increased interferon (IFN)-γ expression and release of lytic granules. These findings suggest that intra-epithelial NKp44- CD127- cytotoxic ILC1s may contribute to mucosal damage in CD.
58-LB: Barriers to Technology Use for Underserved Communities with Type 1 Diabetes

Disparities in the use of CGMs and insulin pumps in T1D based on socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity are pronounced. However, systematic reports of perspectives from patients in vulnerable communities are limited. To better understand barriers, focus groups were conducted in Florida and California with adults with T1D. Selection criteria included hospitalization for DKA, HbA1C >9%, or receiving care at a Federally Qualified Health Center. A total of 16 focus groups were conducted in English or Spanish with 86 adults (Table 1). Transcript themes and pre-focus group demographic survey data were analyzed. In order of frequency, barriers to diabetes technology included: (1) provider-level (overtly blocked/discouraged by provider) (2) system-level (financial barriers related to coverage) and (3) individual-level (difficulty with use or preference issues). In Florida there was less technology use overall (38% had used CGMs in FL, 63% in CA; 43% had used pumps in FL, 69% in CA) and significant differences in pump use by SES (P=0.02 in FL, P=0.08 in CA) and race/ethnicity (P=0.01 in FL, P=0.80 in CA). In California there were significant differences in CGM use by race/ethnicity (P=0.05 in CA, P=0.56 in FL) and education level (P=0.02 in CA, P=0.90 in FL). These findings provide novel insights and demonstrate the need for multi-level interventions and further research on variations in technology use based on geographic location. Disclosure A.F. Walker: None. N. Cuttriss: None. M.J. Haller: Advisory Panel; Self; SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc. S.L. Filipp: None. K. Yabut: None. C. Anez-Zabala: None. K.K. Hood: Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; LifeScan, Inc., MedIQ. X. Roque: None. D. Naranjo: None. G. Aulisio: None. A. Addala: None. S. Look: None. M.J. Gurka: None. D.M. Maahs: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Insulet Corporation, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk A/S. Consultant; Self; Abbott, Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Bigfoot Biomedical, Dexcom, Inc., Roche Diabetes Care, Tandem Diabetes Care. Funding The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
Interconnectivity in Collaboration Networks Impact on Member Belongingness

AbstractThe nature of the construction industry is project-oriented with extensive collaborations. Belongingness, formed from collaborations, represents a sense of membership and an emotional attac...
The Homebody During/In Crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in a new paradigm of domesticity that manifested in and through the body. The complexities of domestic corporeality, however, predate this particular crisis. The inhabitation of the domestic realm is inherently riddled with contradictions of space, subjectivity, and sociality. In this article, I consider the many paradoxes imbuing the homebody both before and during the onset of the pandemic, arguing that crisis exacerbates the existing tensions that the homebody engenders, but it does not produce them. I examine the case of home dancer Marlee Grace and her Instagram activity prior to and during the quarantines, lockdowns, and stay-at-home orders of 2020. Grace's performed contradictions for her new media audience demonstrate that the homebody—though its complexities are amplified by the pandemic—has always been in crisis.
Far-Western Blotting

Protein-protein interactions play an important role in the proper functioning of the cell. Far-western blotting is a useful technique to study protein-protein interactions. In this method, proteins of interest are attached to a membrane and then probed with a non-antibody protein. While western blotting uses specific antibodies to detect target proteins, far-western blotting uses a protein probe to detect proteins based on the presence or absence of binding sites on the target protein for the probe. This method permits the study of protein-protein interactions in biological processes like signal transduction, including interactions controlled by posttranslational modification when specific modular protein-binding domains are used as probes. This chapter describes a rapid and simple protocol for far-western blotting developed by Joshua Jadwin, Bruce Mayer, and Kazuya Machida, in which they used GST-tagged Src homology 2 (SH2) domains to probe cellular proteins in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Here, a batch quantification technique (devised and described earlier by Mayer et al.) that permits the direct comparison of probe-binding patterns is also provided.
Concentrated sugar solutions protect lactase from thermal inactivation

Abstract Lactase (β-galactosidase) is an important enzyme with applications in bioprocessing, diagnostics, and waste stream valorization, yet its performance is sensitive to environmental conditions. The thermal and pH stability of a lactase from Bifidobacterium bifidum was characterized in the presence of concentrated sugar solutions (trehalose, glucose, and sucrose, 40 %, w/w). The protecting effect of sugars was most evident at 50 °C. Without the inclusion of sugars, lactase was inactivated within 2 h whereas supplementation with trehalose, glucose and sucrose, enabled activity retention of 91 %, 37 % and 79 %, respectively, after 25 h. Trehalose improved the stability of the enzyme at pH 5.0 and pH 6.8 and sucrose improved its stability at pH 4.0 over 78 h exposure. This improved stability would broaden the working conditions by the inclusion of sugars or immobilization into/onto sugar-analog solid supports in bioprocessing, which holds promise for future industrial applications of lactase in dairy waste valorization.
Anti-CD7 CAR T cells for T-ALL: impressive early-stage efficacy.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have remarkable efficacy in patients with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), but have not been successful to date in patients with T cell ALL (T-ALL). Now, data from Pan and colleagues demonstrate the safety and impressive short-term efficacy of allogeneic donor-derived anti-CD7 CAR T cells in an early-phase clinical trial involving patients with relapsed and/or refractory T-ALL.
Mockingbird Passing: Closeted Traditions and Sexual Curiosities in Harper Lee's Novel

How often does a novel earn its author both the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded to Harper Lee by George W. Bush in 2007, and a spot on a list of 100 best gay and lesbian novels ? Clearly, "To Kill a Mockingbird," Lee s Pulitzer Prize winning tale of race relations and coming of age in Depression-era Alabama, means many different things to many different people. In "Mockingbird Passing," Holly Blackford invites the reader to view Lee s beloved novel in parallel with works by other iconic American writers from Emerson, Whitman, Stowe, and Twain to James, Wharton, McCullers, Capote, and others. In the process, she locates the book amid contesting literary traditions while simultaneously exploring the rich ambiguities that define its characters. Blackford finds the basis of "Mockingbird s" broad appeal in its ability to embody the mainstream culture of romantics like Emerson and social reform writers like Stowe, even as alternative canons southern gothic, deadpan humor, queer literatures, regional women s novels lurk in its subtexts. Central to her argument is the notion of passing: establishing an identity that conceals the inner self so that one can function within a closed social order. For example, the novel s narrator, Scout, must suppress her natural tomboyishness to become a lady. Meanwhile, Scout s father, Atticus Finch, must contend with competing demands of thoughtfulness, self-reliance, and masculinity that ultimately stunt his effectiveness within an unjust society. Blackford charts the identity dilemmas of other key characters the mysterious Boo Radley, the young outsider Dill (modeled on Lee s lifelong friend Truman Capote), the oppressed victim Tom Robinson in similarly intriguing ways. Queer characters cannot pass unless, like the narrator, Miss Maudie, and Cal, they split into the modest double life. In uncovering "To Kill a Mockingbird" s lively conversation with a diversity of nineteenth- and twentieth-century writers and tracing the equally diverse journeys of its characters, Blackford offers a myriad of fresh insights into why the novel has retained its appeal for so many readers for over fifty years. At once Victorian, modern, and postmodern, Mockingbird passes in many canons. Holly Blackford, an associate professor of English at Rutgers University Camden, has published extensively in the fields of American literature and children s literature."
Life in the sick-room

Believing herself to be suffering from an incurable condition, Harriet Martineau wrote Life in the Sick-Room in 1844. In this work, which is both memoir and treatise, Martineau seeks to educate the healthy and ill alike on the spiritual and psychological dimensions of chronic suffering. Covering such topics as "Sympathy to the Invalid," "Temper," and "Becoming Inured," the work occupies a crucial place in the culture of invalidism that prospered in Victorian England. This Broadview edition also includes medical documents pertaining to Martineau's case; other writings on health by Martineau; excerpts from her other autobiographical writings; selected correspondence with Florence Nightingale; excerpts from contemporary works of sick-room literature; and reviews.
Prostate shape, external striated urethral sphincter and radical prostatectomy: the apical dissection.

AbstractIn an anatomical study of 64 gross specimens the external striated urethral sphincter was reconfirmed to extend as a single unit from the proximal penile urethra to the bladder base. The configuration of the external striated urethral sphincter was variable and was related to the shape of the apical prostate. Two basic prostatic shapes were recognized, distinguished by the presence or absence of an anterior apical notch. Whether a notch existed depended upon the degree of lateral lobe development and the position of its anterior commissure.In radical prostatectomy knowledge of the variation in the shape of the prostatic apex can help the surgeon to achieve optimal urethral transection with maximal preservation of the external striated urethral sphincter and other tissues of the continence mechanism. (J. Urol., 138: 543–550, 1987)
Estimating the Probability of Crashing for a Terrain-Following Missile

The probability of crashing (Pc) is an important measure by which a mission planner assesses, in advance, the chances of success of a terrain-following missile. The altitude clearance command is programmed accordingly. Monte Carlo methods are unreliable for estimating small values of Pc over a typical mission length, and require extensive simulation to improve this reliability. An analytic method for estimating Pc is described in this paper. This uses an analytical expression for mean frequency of crashing, in conjunction with the statistics of missile altitude error and error rate obtained from a simulated terrain-following flight over a stretch of terrain much shorter than that needed for Monte Carlo runs. The method is applicable to both Gaussian and non-Gaussian error statistics, and it provides data on small Pc values for typical mission lengths. This information would be much more expensive to obtain by Monte Carlo techniques.
Dynamic response of an ultracold Fermi gas near the Feshbach resonance

We investigate the dynamic response of a highly degenerate ultracold Fermi gas to varying magnetic fields near the Feshbach resonance. Following the experimental practice, we calculate the dynamics of the excitation gap in response to the oscillating and linearly ramped magnetic fields, respectively. For oscillating magnetic fields, depending on the frequencies and the amplitudes of the oscillations, the response of the system shows either linear or rich nonlinear behavior. In addition, both the spectral studies through the linear-response theory and the time-domain simulations suggest the existence of a resonant frequency corresponding to the dissociation threshold of the fermion atom pairs. For linearly ramped magnetic fields, the response of the excitation gap shows damped oscillations, with the final value dependent on the rate of the field sweep. This work may find its applications in exploring the dynamics of the ultracold atom superfluidity near the BCS\char21{}Bose-Einstein-condensation crossover region.
Coronal active regions and flare-associated events.

Comparison of models of coronal condensations derived from nonoptical and optical observations. Recent empirical models of coronal active regions, based on observations outside the optical wavelength band, are reviewed. Models derived from optical observations are then considered, with special emphasis on the optical forbidden line spectrum. The formation of sporadic condensations and loop prominences following a flare is discussed.
Intra- and inter-examination repeatability of magnetic resonance spectroscopy, magnitude-based MRI, and complex-based MRI for estimation of hepatic proton density fat fraction in overweight and obese children and adults

Purpose Determine intra- and inter-examination repeatability of magnitude-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-M), complex-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-C), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 3T for estimating hepatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF), and using MRS as a reference, confirm MRI-M and MRI-C accuracy.
Fast algorithms for wide sense stability of ARMA filters

The computational aspects of the algorithms for testing the strict sense and wise sense stability of discrete-time systems are studied. These algorithms are based on the computation of the reflection coefficients for a given real polynomial. The algorithms presented require one-half the number of multiplications and the same number of additions as compared to previously known similar algorithms. >
A Survey on Application of Swarm Intelligence in Network Security

Nowadays security is an essential part of every framework. In past few years due to the increase in access of malicious data over the Internet resources the security becomes a necessary component. Swarm intelligence is an emerging and new biological field of optimization. The researchers have already developed many algorithms by studying the behavior of different swarms of incest such as Ants Bees etc. After the success of swarm intelligence in other areas researchers now started work in the field of security too. In this survey paper we tried to find out the reason of network security and how swarm intelligence method have been used to make system efficient in term of performance by providing network security.
Phytoremediation of Methyl Tertiary‐Butyl Ether

The capability of plants to remediate methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) at contaminated sites is promising to the point that at least one field test is underway and others anticipated. Both hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra ‘DN34’ ‘Imperial Carolina’) cuttings and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) facilitate the removal of MTBE from saturated soil in the laboratory. The primary removal of MTBE is by soil volatilization facilitated by plant transpiration. Very little of the contaminant is metabolized or accumulated in laboratory studies. The MTBE that volatilizes and the small amount that diffuses from stems or transpires through leaves do not represent a risk in the atmosphere due to the rapid dispersion and degradation. Despite the different behavior of MTBE in groundwater, plants, and the atmosphere, concurrent phytoremediation of gasoline spills containing MTBE and other contaminants is expected to be very useful in the future. Keywords: phytoremediation; MTBE; aerobic cometabolism; uptake efficiency; alfalfa
Module-order modeling using an evolutionary multi-objective optimization approach

The problem of quality assurance is important for software systems. The extent to which software reliability improvements can be achieved is often dictated by the amount of resources available for the same. A prediction for risk-based rankings of software modules can assist in the cost-effective delegation of the limited resources. A module-order model (MOM) is used to gauge the performance of the predicted rankings. Depending on the software system under consideration, multiple software quality objectives may be desired for a MOM; e.g., the desired rankings may be such that if 20% of modules were targeted for reliability enhancements then 80% of the faults would be detected. In addition, it may also be desired that if 50% of modules were targeted then 100% of the faults would be detected. Existing works related to MOM(s) have used an underlying prediction model to obtain the rankings, implying that only the average, relative, or mean square errors are minimized. Such an approach does not provide an insight into the behavior of a MOM, the performance of which focusses on how many faults are accounted for by the given percentage of modules enhanced. We propose a methodology for building MOM (s) by implementing a multiobjective optimization with genetic programming. It facilitates the simultaneous optimization of multiple performance objectives for a MOM. Other prediction techniques, e.g., multiple linear regression and neural networks, cannot achieve multiobjective optimization for MOM(s). A case study of a high-assurance telecommunications software system is presented. The observed results show a new promise in the modeling of goal-oriented software quality estimation models.
Emergency department use by adult medicaid patients after implementation of managed care.

. Objective: To determine whether the advent of a mandatory Medicaid managed care (MMC) plan had any effect on emergency department (ED) utilization by adult Medicaid patients at an urban teaching hospital. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using four years of ED records encompassing the year prior to initiation of MMC (1994-95), the enrollment year (1995-96), and two years after the program had matured (1996-98). Results: Total ED census declined slightly, then returned to 1995 levels. Emergency department use by MMC patients declined steadily, with the 1998 figure of 5,888 representing a 40% decline over the pre-MMC volume of 9,849. Visits by MMC patients with acute illness or injury declined by 29%; MMC low-acuity visits decreased by 43%. Medicaid managed care low-acuitye after-hours/weekend visits declined by 19%, then leveled off. The MMC enrollment was stable throughout the study period. Conclusions: Mandatory managed care can be associated with considerable diminution in ED use by Medicaid patients. This decline is most pronounced in low-acuity triage categories, and least evident after hours and on weekends.
Effect of low dose cyclosporine and sirolimus on hepatic drug metabolism in the rat1.

Background. We examined the effect cyclosporine (CsA) and sirolimus (SRL) alone and in combination on hepatic cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism in rats. Methods. Rats were given 1 mg/kg of CsA or 0.4 mg/kg of SRL alone or in combination via constant intravenous infusion. Renal function was evaluated at the end of treatment. Blood samples were obtained to estimate CsA and SRL concentrations. Hepatic microsomes were prepared for immunoblotting and catalytic assays. Results. CsA alone did not alter serum creatinine levels. SRL given alone or in combination with CsA produced a significant increase in urine output without changes in fluid balance. Although CsA and SRL administered alone caused damage to renal proximal tubules, the two-drug combination dramatically increased the renal structural damage. CsA alone suppressed cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A2 protein levels by 39% (P=0.012) and catalytic activity by 30% (P=0.042). SRL alone reduced catalytic activity by 38% (P=0.012). Combination therapy reduced both CYP3A2 levels by 55% (P<0.001) and catalytic activity by 55% (P=0.001). CYP2C11 protein expression or catalytic activity were not changed in any group. CYP2A1 protein expression and catalytic activity were both significantly reduced in rats given CsA or/and SRL. Steady-state CsA levels were increased during concurrent SRL dosing, however, SRL concentrations were not changed by CsA coadministration. Conclusions. Concurrent SRL dosing increases CsA concentrations due to inhibition of hepatic CYP3A2 protein expression. Nephrotoxicity caused by combination therapy is due to CsA elevating levels of SRL or by SRL itself. Concurrent administration of CsA and SRL in transplant patients should be performed with caution.
Alcohol-related motivational tendencies in hazardous drinkers: assessing implicit response tendencies using the modified-IAT.

This study examined the utility of an implicit measure of cognitive associations, the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998), to assess alcohol-related approach dispositions. Forty-seven hazardous drinkers completed a modified IAT procedure that assessed the relation between alcohol and behavioral categories (i.e., approach and avoid). Participants completed a series of individual difference measures before an alcohol cue exposure task in which they anticipated alcohol consumption. Results indicate that the modified IAT is associated with binge drinking episodes, perceived difficulty controlling alcohol use, and appetitive responses to alcohol cues. Findings are discussed in terms of the potential value of this measure to assess alcohol-related memory associations among those whose alcohol use puts them at risk for harm.
Discussion: Macrosimulation Models

economists in this session are entitled to feel somewhat slighted by his statement that economists have given little or no attention to alternative model structures such as those used by systems analysts. I grant that we haven't got far in developing new estimation methods, but we have been formulating the models. Of course there is room for still more economists to give attention to this subject, and we shall welcome their help. There are plenty of problems. There is lso a need for better communication about what we have been doing. Naylor's final sentence suggests that just possibly we might have to consider using coefficients that vary with time. Well, some of us have been using them for a number of
Lysosomal Enzymes in Experimental Encephalomalacia

Pappenheimer and Goettsch1 described the symptoms of chick encephalomalacia produced by vitamin E deficiency and indicated that capillary thrombosis may be the primary cause of the observed ischaemic necrosis. Muscular dystrophy of vitamin E-deficient rabbits may be considered the counterpart of experimental encephalomalacia in chicks since both diseases can be produced by lack of dietary vitamin E.
Metal-insulator transition and its relation to magnetic structure in (LaMnO3)2n/(SrMnO3)n superlattices.

Superlattices of $({\mathrm{LaMnO}}_{3}{)}_{2n}/({\mathrm{SrMnO}}_{3}{)}_{n}$ ($1\ensuremath{\le}n\ensuremath{\le}5$), composed of the gapped insulators ${\mathrm{LaMnO}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{SrMnO}}_{3}$, undergo a metal-insulator transition as a function of $n$, being metallic for $n\ensuremath{\le}2$ and insulating for $n\ensuremath{\ge}3$. Measurements of transport, magnetization, and polarized neutron reflectivity reveal that the ferromagnetism is relatively uniform in the metallic state, and is strongly modulated in the insulating state, being high in ${\mathrm{LaMnO}}_{3}$ and suppressed in ${\mathrm{SrMnO}}_{3}$. The modulation is consistent with a Mott transition driven by the proximity between the $({\mathrm{LaMnO}}_{3})/({\mathrm{SrMnO}}_{3})$ interfaces. The insulating state for $n\ensuremath{\ge}3$ obeys variable range hopping at low temperatures. We suggest that this is due to states at the Fermi level that emerge at the $({\mathrm{LaMnO}}_{3})/({\mathrm{SrMnO}}_{3})$ interfaces and are localized by disorder.
Dynamical controls on the diurnal cycle of temperature in complex topography

We examine the climatological diurnal cycle of surface air temperature in a 6 km resolution atmospheric simulation of Southern California from 1995 to the present. We find its amplitude and phase both have significant geographical structure. This is most likely due to diurnally- varying flows back and forth across the coastline and ele- vation isolines resulting from the large daily warming and cooling over land. Because the region's atmosphere is generally stably stratified, these flow patterns result in air of lower (higher) potential temperature being advected upslope (downslope) during daytime (nighttime). This suppresses the temperature diurnal cycle amplitude at mountaintops where diurnal flows converge (diverge) during the day (night). The nighttime land breeze also advects air of higher potential temperature downslope to- ward the coast. This raises minimum temperatures in land areas adjacent to the coast in a manner analogous to the daytime suppression of maximum temperature by the cool sea breeze in these same areas. Because stratification is greater in the coastal zone than in the desert interior, these thermal effects of the diurnal winds are not uniform, gen- erating spatial structures in the phase and shape of the temperature diurnal cycle as well as its amplitude. We confirm that the simulated characteristics of the tempera- ture diurnal cycle as well as those of the associated diurnal winds are also found in a network of 30 observation sta- tions in the region. This gives confidence in the simula- tion's realism and our study's findings. Diurnal flows are probably mainly responsible for the geographical structures in the temperature diurnal cycle in other regions of
“I know y'all think I'm pretty square, but tuh, I believe what I believe”: Images of Evangelicals in American Film

Abstract This article provides a critical analysis and historical overview of four types of evangelical Christian images in American movies since 1970: the hypocritical, the psychotic, the naive, and the insensitive evangelical. The typologies are examined through formal analysis, as well as considerations of script adaptation and critical responses. Historically, the benign religious images that dominated when religious representatives played constitutive roles in shaping the content of American movies at the site of production have generally been replaced with images that are provocative but equally lacking in verisimilitude. The essay concludes with a consideration of images that complicate these dominant types.
A decomposition of locally finite graphs

Abstract We prove that every infinite, connected, locally finite graph G can be expressed as an edge-disjoint union of a leafless tree T , rooted at an arbitrarily chosen vertex of G , and a collection of finite graphs H 1 , H 2 , H 3 ,…such that, for all i less than j , the vertices common to H i and H j lie in T , and no vertex of H j lies on T between a vertex of H i ∩ T and the root.
The perceptual and acoustic characteristics of Korean idiomatic and literal sentences

AbstractPrevious studies have suggested that formulaic and literal expressions are stored and processed according to differing characteristics, and that certain auditory–acoustic cues serve to distinguish formulaic from literal meanings. This study took these observations a step further by investigating listeners' ability to discriminate between literal or idiomatic exemplars of ambiguous utterances and determining the acoustic features underlying this distinction in a non-Indo-European language. ‘Ditropically ambiguous' sentences, those with either a plausible literal or an idiomatic meaning, were audio-recorded by native speakers of Korean, once with an intended literal and once with an idiomatic meaning. Native Korean listeners were highly successful in discriminating the intended idiomatic or literal meanings. Acoustic analysis revealed that idiomatic utterances were characterized by significantly greater mean intensity, intensity variation, shorter duration, and greater variation in syllable duration...
Publishing in Slovenia

Abstract The author traces the history of vernacular publishing and printing in Slovenia from their beginnings in the late sixteenth century, concentrating on the period after 1945 and especially on 1990 to the present. Nearly all the major publishers survived the transition to a market economy, although many of the newest ventures did not. The country's small size has always meant a limited market for material in Slovenian, and publications have become quite expensive relative to income. Still, the Slovenian publishing industry is now strong, streamlined and ready for entry into the European Union. The author discusses current publishers of interest for research libraries and their profiles, then lists important serials by format and subject. A list of suppliers of Slovenian books and serials to Western libraries (vendors and a Slovenian library with active exchanges) is included, along with contact information and descriptions.
Urinary metabolites of harmine in the rat and their inhibition of monoamine oxidase

Abstract Tritiated harmine hydrochloride (5 mg/kg, i.p.) was given to male rats daily for 3 days and urine was pooled. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-15 yielded 5 radioactive fractions, I–V. Fraction V was shown to be harmol by comparison with authentic harmol by gel filtration, fluorescence spectrophotometry, paper chromatography, and paper electrophoresis. Fraction IV was shown similarly to be harmine. Pre-injecting rats with 35S-Na2SO3 yielded a radioactive fraction corresponding to III; hydrolysis of III by aryl sulfatase yielded harmol; III was therefore identified as harmol sulfate. Hydrolysis of II by β-glucuronidase yielded harmol and glucuronic acid; II was therefore identified as harmol glucuronide. Fraction I was shown to be a radioactive impurity in the injection solution. The urinary metabolites occurred in the percentages: V–11 per cent, IV-2 per cent, III-69 per cent, II-18 per cent. Rat liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase activity, measured by the conversion of benzylamine to benzaldehyde, was inhibited 27 per cent at 10−5M, V; 85 percent at 10−6M, IV; 29 per cent at 10−5M, III; and 52 per cent at 10−6M, II.