cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Tissue Comparison of DNA Methylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (Nr3c1) in European Starlings.

Abstract Negative feedback of the vertebrate stress response via the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is regulated by glucocorticoid receptors in the brain. Epigenetic modification of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (Nr3c1), including DNA methylation of the promoter region, can influence expression of these receptors, impacting behavior, physiology, and fitness. However, we still know little about the long-term effects of these modifications on fitness. To better understand these fitness effects, we must first develop a non-lethal method to assess DNA methylation in the brain that allows for multiple measurements throughout an organism’s lifetime. In this study, we aimed to determine if blood is a viable biomarker for Nr3c1 DNA methylation in two brain regions (hippocampus and hypothalamus) in adult European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). We found that DNA methylation of CpG sites in the complete Nr3c1 putative promoter varied among tissue types and was lowest in blood. Although we identified a similar cluster of correlated Nr3c1 putative promoter CpG sites within each tissue, this cluster did not show any correlation in DNA methylation among tissues. Additional studies should consider the role of the developmental environment in producing epigenetic modifications in different tissues.
Mediators between Victimization and Offending among Young Men in the Context of General Strain Theory

ABSTRACTThe relationship between victimization and offending is complex.Purpose: This paper simultaneously examines the trajectory of individual, family and neighborhood factors related to victimiz...
Consumption of baby kale increased cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) activity and influenced bilirubin metabolism in a randomized clinical trial

Abstract Brassica vegetables may modulate cancer risk by regulation of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XMEs). In a randomized crossover study, the effect of kale consumption on CYP1A2, CYP2A6, XO, and NAT2 activity was determined by urinary caffeine metabolite ratios, UGT1A1 activity by serum bilirubin concentrations, and GSTA protein and GST activity in blood by ELISA. Adults (n = 25) consumed a basal diet supplemented with kale and radish for 14 days or control vegetables. The kale diet increased CYP1A2 activity by 16.4% on day 8 and 15.2% on day 15 compared to control. Conjugated bilirubin was reduced by the kale diet, decreasing from 19.4 to 14.3 to 9.5% of total bilirubin on days 1, 8, and 15, respectively, which may be explained by induction of MRP2. Other XMEs were not affected by diet. The implications of these results for cancer risk will be clarified as the functions of these XMEs become better understood.
Dopamine Signaling in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Enables Weight Gain Associated with Hedonic Feeding.

Summary The widespread availability of energy-dense, rewarding foods is correlated with the increased incidence of obesity across the globe. Overeating during mealtimes and unscheduled snacking disrupts timed metabolic processes, which further contribute to weight gain. The neuronal mechanism by which the consumption of energy-dense food restructures the timing of feeding is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that dopaminergic signaling within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the central circadian pacemaker, disrupts the timing of feeding, resulting in overconsumption of food. D1 dopamine receptor (Drd1)-null mice are resistant to diet-induced obesity, metabolic disease, and circadian disruption associated with energy-dense diets. Conversely, genetic rescue of Drd1 expression within the SCN restores diet-induced overconsumption, weight gain, and obesogenic symptoms. Access to rewarding food increases SCN dopamine turnover, and elevated Drd1-signaling decreases SCN neuronal activity, which we posit disinhibits downstream orexigenic responses. These findings define a connection between the reward and circadian pathways in the regulation of pathological calorie consumption.
History and overview of dialectical behavior therapy

Abstract Before the development of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), no empirically supported treatment existed for individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Clients presented to therapy with intense agony, severe multidiagnostic problems, and life-threatening behaviors. Clinicians found themselves overwhelmed and unable to effectively help their clients. These clients—many of whom met criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD)—did not respond to treatment and were often at high risk for suicide and other serious self-injurious behaviors. This chapter provides an overview of the history of DBT, including details of its earliest development, challenges encountered in initial applications of the therapy, and how these challenges were addressed to form what is now the gold-standard treatment for BPD, severe emotion dysregulation, and suicidal behaviors. The authors discuss philosophical underpinnings of the therapy, including Linehan’s biosocial theory, and how this conceptual framework was integrated with existing behavioral, social learning, dialectical, and acceptance-based thinking to form the comprehensive treatment that exists today. Major elements of the treatment are outlined, including treatment modes and targets, stages of treatment, key strategies, and assumptions about clients and therapy. The chapter concludes with research supporting DBT, recent applications in various contexts, and how it has developed to treat diagnostic presentations beyond BPD.
Influence through Absence in U.S. Counterinsurgency Interventions? Coercing Local Allies through Threats to Withdraw

In counterinsurgency, U.S. officials often feel trapped by a localally who appears unable to survive the departure of U.S. forces. Advocates for withdrawal argue that only a deadline to depart will...
Single-cell peripheral immunoprofiling of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) may provide insight into the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated PBMC samples from 132 well-characterized research participants using seven canonical immune stimulants, mass cytometric identification of 35 PBMC subsets, and single-cell quantification of 15 intracellular signaling markers, followed by machine learning model development to increase predictive power. From these, three main intracellular signaling pathways were identified specifically in PBMC subsets from people with AD versus controls: reduced activation of PLCγ2 across many cell types and stimulations and selectively variable activation of STAT1 and STAT5, depending on stimulant and cell type. Our findings functionally buttress the now multiply-validated observation that a rare coding variant in PLCG2 is associated with a decreased risk of AD. Together, these data suggest enhanced PLCγ2 activity as a potential new therapeutic target for AD with a readily accessible pharmacodynamic biomarker.
Point-of-care ultrasound with handheld devices in hematology: a monocentric single-stage phase II study.

Point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) with pocket-size devices is an efficient and safe imaging modality that became a standard of care in various clinical settings. However, its implementation in hemat...
Abstract 15768: Social Connectedness is Independently Associated With Cardiovascular Health

Introduction: Social connectedness (SC) is an important determinant of maintaining overall health, and the strength of connections with others may influence cardiovascular health (CVH) in part thro...
Comments on ``Study of Systematic Bias in Measuring Surface Deformation With SAR Interferometry''

In a recent publication, Ansari et al. (2021) claimed (see, in particular, the Discussion and Recommendation Section in their article) that the advanced differential SAR interferometry (InSAR) algorithms for surface deformation retrieval, based on the small baseline approach, are affected by systematic biases in the generated InSAR products. Therefore, to avoid such biases, they recommended a strategy primarily focused on excluding ``the short temporal baseline interferograms and using long baselines to decrease the overall phase errors.'' In particular, among various techniques, Ansari et al. (2021) identified the solution presented by Manunta et al. (2019) as a small baseline advanced InSAR processing approach where the presence of the above-mentioned biases (referred to as a fading signal) compromises the accuracy of the retrieved InSAR deformation products. We show that the claim of Ansari et al. (2021) is not correct (at least) for what concerns the mentioned approach discussed by Manunta et al. (2019). In particular, by processing the Sentinel-1 dataset relevant to the same area in Sicily (southern Italy) investigated by Ansari et al. (2021), we demonstrate that the generated InSAR products do not show any significant bias.
Diagnosing Renal Artery Stenosis in Children: Point-CTA Serves an Important Role in Diagnosis and Guiding Management.

This article does not include an abstract. Please see the accompanying Counterpoint by Anne Marie Cahill.
Acceptance Sampling Plans

Acceptance sampling plans are one of the oldest methods of quality control. Acceptance sampling is used in conjunction with statistical process control methods when it is assumed that the process is under statistical control. The primary goal of acceptance sampling plans is to make sure units or raw materials to be used in the manufacturing process are of good quality. Acceptance sampling plans are typically classified into three broad categories: sampling plans for attributes, sampling plans for variables, and special sampling plans. The chapter discusses single sampling plans for attributes, other sampling plans for attributes, and sampling standard ANSI/ASQ Z1.4‐2003. Dodge‐Romig tables were designed as sampling plans to minimize average total inspection. The concept of an acceptance quality limit applies only when an acceptance sampling scheme with rules for switching between normal, tightened, reduced, and discontinuance of sampling inspection is used.
Trichloroethylene replacements for the cleaning of silicone oil used in the internal gelation process

Abstract Silicone oil continues to be used as a gelation medium for internal gelation process. Typically, the silicone oil has been removed from the gel spheres using trichloroethylene (TCE) washes. However, TCE is no longer a viable option for large-scale operations because of environmental issues, health concerns, and disposal costs. During the development of a large gelation system at the Y-12 National Security Complex, two new TCE wash replacements were identified. NuSolv SOR-C and FluoSolv WS were used in a number of uranium runs and found to effectively remove silicone oil. NuSolv SOR-C was determined to be the best option.
CVSS: Ubiquitous and Broken

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is at the core of vulnerability management for systems of private corporations to highly classified government networks, allowing organizations to prioritize remediation in descending order of risk. With a lack of justification for its underlying formula, inconsistencies in its specification document, and no correlation to exploited vulnerabilities in the wild, it is unable to provide a meaningful metric for describing a vulnerability's severity, let alone risk. As it stands, this standard compromises the security of America?s most sensitive information systems.
Inside the cis -Regulatory Module: Control Logic, and How Regulatory Environment is Transduced into Spatial Patterns of Gene Expression

This chapter discusses structure/function relations inside developmental cis-regulatory modules that remain thin, and also discusses the fundamental importance of genomics, for evolution and for understanding how development is programmed. To understand the role of cis-regulatory elements in specification, it is necessary to think of them as devices that make choices—they produce alternative outputs depending on the sets of inputs with which they are confronted in different cells. Cis-regulatory inputs consist of the concentrations and the activities of the nuclear transcription factors for which the element includes target sites. Regional differences in transcription factor presentation that are set up in different spatial domains of a pluripotential field of cells usually depend on intercellular signaling, or very early in development, on the location of the nucleus with respect to the spatial coordinates of the egg. The primary principle of the mechanisms by which specification functions are executed is that specification depends on cis-regulatory transformation of input patterns into spatial domains of differential gene expression. This is the essential job performed by cis-regulatory elements at the initiation of each phase of development.
Quality-Adjusted Consumer Surplus for Markets with Asymmetric Information

When product or service quality cannot be well-specified ex-ante because of uncertainty and information asymmetry, consumer surplus (CS) is not well-defined or known ex-ante. Traditional measures of CS have implicitly assumed that the quality expected is the same as the quality that is paid for. However, when the service and price exchange doesn’t take place at the same time and in the presence of information asymmetry, the expected service quality may not necessarily realize, which may either overestimate or under-estimate its real level, thus misrepresenting the surplus e-markets offer to customers (service buyers).In this paper, using global e-markets for services outsourcing as a context, we propose a quality-adjusted measure for CS. We first relax the assumption that buyers always get what they expected. Second, we include the psychological factors of disconfirmation on satisfaction to construct the functional form for the measure. We leverage expectation-confirmation theory to theorize the way expected service quality and ex-post consumer satisfaction affect CS and derive a quality-adjusted measure for CS.Empirically, using transaction data from a leading e-market for services outsourcing, we find the following: First, the quality-adjusted measure of CS for the initial project of a buyer predicts whether he decides to stay on the marketplace, and even his subsequent payments and projects; while the traditional measure of CS does not have prediction power. Second, we propose the difference between the quality adjusted measure and traditional measure of CS ( ΔCS ) to be an indicator of ex-post differential satisfaction, and find buyer experience, repeat purchase, lack of language barrier and labor arbitrage to be positively associated with ΔCS , while number of bids is negatively associated with ΔCS . Third, the results also show that buyers reap an average surplus of $94.4-$175.5, even the lower-bound estimate is surprisingly high (about 69% of the winning bid price ($137)). Also, providers’ CS will be inflated if the quality-adjusted measure is not employed. We discuss validity of the quality-adjusted measure of CS and call for revisiting the estimation of CS toward economic reality.
Predictive coding schemes for subband image coders

The authors present an analytical treatment and experimental study of coders for subband image coding. In particular, a generalized family of techniques based on two-dimensional adaptive linear prediction is introduced and shown to provide an effective method for low-bit-rate subband coding of monochrome images. Previous work in this area has included the use of separable APCM (adaptive pulse-code modulation) and DPCM (differential pulse-code modulation), which may be viewed as special cases of the generalized approach presented here. Several systems are discussed that minimize certain types of coding distortions in the reconstructed images. Computer simulation results are included to illustrate the subjective quality differences among these systems and the achievable performance gain. High-quality performance is achieved at bit rates below 0.7 b/pixel for 256*256 monochrome images. >
Conformity and Dissent

Much of the time, human beings do what others do. This is perfectly sensible, because the actions and statements of other people convey valuable information about what should be done. In addition, most people want the good opinion of others, and this desire promotes conformity. But conformity can lead both groups and institutions in unfortunate and even catastrophic directions. The most serious problem is that by following others, people fail to disclose what they know and believe, thus depriving society of important information. Those who dissent, and who reject the pressures imposed by others, perform valuable social functions, often at their own expense, material or nonmaterial. These points are illustrated by reference to theoretical and empirical work on conformity, cascades, and group polarization. An understanding of the role of conformity and dissent casts new light on a variety of legal issues, including the expressive function of law; the institutions of the American constitution; the functions of free speech in wartime; the debate over the composition of the federal judiciary; and affirmative action in higher education.
Improved survival for BRCA2-associated serous ovarian cancer compared with both BRCA-negative and BRCA1-associated serous ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND Multiple observational studies have suggested that BRCA-associated ovarian cancers have improved survival compared to BRCA-negative ovarian cancers. Most of these studies, however, have combined BRCA1 and BRCA2 patients or evaluated only BRCA1 patients. We sought to examine if BRCA1− and BRCA2-associated ovarian cancers were associated with different outcomes.
Controlling polymer structures by atom transfer radical polymerization and other controlled/living radical polymerizations

Fundamentals of controlled/living radical polymerization (CRP) and Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP), relevant to the synthesis of controlled polymer structures are described. Macromolecular brushes with star like structure are used as an example to illustrate synthetic power of ATRP.
Overview of the Cassini Extended Mission Trajectory

Due to the highly successful execution of the Cassini-Huygens prime mission and the estimated propellant remaining at the conclusion of the prime mission, NASA Headquarters allocated funding for the development of a 2-year long Cassini extended mission. The resultant extended mission, stemming from 1.5 years of development, includes an additional 26 targeted Titan flybys, 9 close flybys of icy satellites, and 60 orbits about Saturn. This paper describes, in detail, the different phases of the Cassini extended mission and the associated design methodology, which attempted to maximize the number and quality of high-priority scientific objectives while minimizing the total delta v expenditure and adhering to mission-imposed constraints.
Oral disease burden and utilization of dental care patterns among pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.

Objectives: We conducted a study among pediatric renal (RTRs) and liver transplant recipients (LTRs) to determine: a) the overall burden of oral disease; and b) the frequency with which this population utilizes dental care services in relation to sociodemographic factors and oral disease burden. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, study procedures included the completion of a standardized questionnaire (by parents/guardians), oral mucosal examination, assessment of caries, gingival enlargement, and plaque index. Results: The 142 children (82 RTRs and 60 LTRs) enrolled from April 2002 to November 2005 were predominantly Latino (41 percent) and Caucasian (34 percent). Forty-three percent had at least one carious surface (in either a deciduous or permanent tooth), 19 percent had five or more carious surfaces, and 25 percent had gingival enlargement. We found only one case of oral candidiasis. Even though 72 percent of parents/guardians reported their child had a regular source of dental care, only 49 percent had a dental cleaning and 44 percent had dental radiographs in the past year, reflecting a low prevalence of preventive dental care. Among children with no regular source of dental care, there were statistically significantly higher proportions of Latinos, younger children, and families with an annual household income <$35,000. Conclusion: While the prevalence of oral mucosal disease and gingival enlargement was low, the prevalence of children with caries was high, and there was low use of preventive dental care. Strategies to improve this population's utilization of preventive dental care are needed.
Preoperative and Intraoperative Determinants of Incisional Bulge following Retroperitoneal Aortic Repair

Although the left flank retroperitoneal incision is a useful approach for many patients undergoing major aortic reconstruction for aneurysmal and occlusive disease, it has been associated with weakening of the flank muscles, resulting in bulges varying from slight asymmetry to huge hernias. The purpose of this study was to determine if the incidence of this complication correlated with identifiable preoperative or intraoperative factors. Fifty consecutive patients undergoing aortic reconstruction via the retroperitoneal approach were followed for 1 year postoperatively for evidence of disfiguring bulges. Bulges were scored as follows: normal/mild, 2 inches and/or pain or true herniation. Preoperatively, patients were administered a questionnaire to elicit demographic and comorbidity data. Fifty-six percent of patients developed a bulge at 1 year. In 43% of these, the bulge was deemed mild and in 54% moderate. One patient developed a severe bulge. Among preoperative comorbidities, no statistically significant correlations were found on bivariate analysis. However, likelihood ratios for bulge development of 5.5 for renal disease and 3.1 for cancer were demonstrated. Conversely, peripheral vascular disease had a likelihood ratio of 0.21 for bulge formation and emphysema, 0.28. On logistic analysis, incision >15 cm and body mass index (BMI) >23 mg/kg2 were found to correlate strongly with bulge formation (p = 0.003, odds ratio = 9.1, and p = 0.018, odds ratio = 16.9, respectively). Together, these yielded a pseudo r2 of 0.32. BMI >23 mg/kg2 was found to yield the greatest explanatory power. These same two variables were found to correlate with severity of bulge: p = 0.02 for incision >15 cm and p = 0.006 for BMI >23. Of note, gender, age, and extension of the incision into the interspace were not significant on logistic analysis. Preoperatively, surgeons should warn obese patients and those requiring large incisions for extensive disease of their increased risk for poor healing. Intraoperatively, surgeons should aim to minimize incision length.
Cluster validity for fuzzy clustering algorithms

Abstract The proportion exponent is introduced as a measure of the validity of the clustering obtained for a data set using a fuzzy clustering algorithm. It is assumed that the output of an algorithm includes a fuzzy nembership function for each data point. We show how to compute the proportion of possible memberships whose maximum entry exceeds the maximum entry of a given membership function, and use these proportions to define the proportion exponent. Its use as a validity functional is illustrated with four numerical examples and its effectiveness compared to other validity functionals, namely, classification entropy and partition coefficient.
Phase-Averaged Wall Shear Stress, Wall Pressure, and Near-Wall Velocity Field Measurements in a Whirling Annular Seal

The flow field inside a 50 percent eccentric whirling annular seal operating at a Reynolds number of 24,000 and a Taylor number of 6600 has been measured using a three-dimensional laser-Doppler anemometer system. Flush mount pressure and wall shear stress probes have been used to measure the stresses (normal and shear) along the length of the stator. The rotor was mounted eccentrically on the shaft so that the rotor orbit was circular and rotated at the same speed as the shaft (a whirl ratio of 1.0). This paper presents mean pressure, mean wall shear stress magnitude, and mean wall shear stress direction distributions along the length of the seal. Phase-averaged wall pressure and wall shear stress are presented along with phase-averaged mean velocity and turbulence kinetic energy distributions located 0.16c from the stator wall, where c is the seal clearance. The relationships between the velocity, turbulence, wall pressure, and wall shear stress are very complex and do not follow simple bulk flow predictions.
Crises in Echocardiography

The use of echocardiography in the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease has grown tremendously since its first applications in 1954. Users of this modality, however, must recognize that many crises have arisen with this increased use. Indeed, there are many crises in echocardiography today, and many of them are unrecognized. The crises affect all of us who use or benefit from this technique. In some cases the users are the cause of the crises-sonographers, physicians, administrators, and manufacturers, governmental regulatory authorities, and patients alike. Some may be surprised that I think patients are partly responsible for some of the crises. In reality their rnle is small. It should be remembered that their trust ill health care professionals is great, so great occasionally that the trust becomes blind. Some discussion of the role of patients in these crises appears necessary to demonstrate the naivete that we all share. While preparing this address, I asked our sonographers to informally query patients as to why their ultrasound examinations were ordered. Few patients responded with adequate knowledge; only 20% knew. Many of the remaining patients simply said they failed to ask. · Not one patient knew or even inquired from the physician or clinician what the procedure would cost. When informed, they were shocked. Those patients with health care insurance sighed relief that all would be paid by insurance. When told that some forms of insurance would not pay the entire cost, some patients were alarmed. This is not to say or even imply that patients are
Seasonal carbonate chemistry covariation with temperature, oxygen, and salinity in a fjord estuary: implications for the design of ocean acidification experiments.

Carbonate chemistry variability is often poorly characterized in coastal regions and patterns of covariation with other biologically important variables such as temperature, oxygen concentration, and salinity are rarely evaluated. This absence of information hampers the design and interpretation of ocean acidification experiments that aim to characterize biological responses to future pCO2 levels relative to contemporary conditions. Here, we analyzed a large carbonate chemistry data set from Puget Sound, a fjord estuary on the U.S. west coast, and included measurements from three seasons (winter, summer, and fall). pCO2 exceeded the 2008–2011 mean atmospheric level (392 µatm) at all depths and seasons sampled except for the near-surface waters (< 10 m) in the summer. Further, undersaturated conditions with respect to the biogenic carbonate mineral aragonite were widespread (Ωar<1). We show that pCO2 values were relatively uniform throughout the water column and across regions in winter, enriched in subsurface waters in summer, and in the fall some values exceeded 2500 µatm in near-surface waters. Carbonate chemistry covaried to differing levels with temperature and oxygen depending primarily on season and secondarily on region. Salinity, which varied little (27 to 31), was weakly correlated with carbonate chemistry. We illustrate potential high-frequency changes in carbonate chemistry, temperature, and oxygen conditions experienced simultaneously by organisms in Puget Sound that undergo diel vertical migrations under present-day conditions. We used simple calculations to estimate future pCO2 and Ωar values experienced by diel vertical migrators based on an increase in atmospheric CO2. Given the potential for non-linear interactions between pCO2 and other abiotic variables on physiological and ecological processes, our results provide a basis for identifying control conditions in ocean acidification experiments for this region, but also highlight the wide range of carbonate chemistry conditions organisms may currently experience in this and similar coastal ecosystems.
Obesity accentuates circadian variability in breathing during sleep in mice, but does not predispose to apnea

Obesity is a primary risk factor for the development of obstructive sleep apnea in humans, but the impact of obesity on central sleep apnea is less clear. Given the comorbidities associated with ob...
Growth hormone receptors.

Abstract The receptor for rabbit liver growth hormone (GH) has recently been purified and cloned. Sequencing data demonstrates that this site represents a new class of transmembrane receptor proteins containing covalently linked ubiquitin and N-linked obligosaccharides. Homology with the human GH liver receptor is estimated to be 84%. GH receptors are also present on non-liver cells, however, their function is poorly understood, and it is not yet known if there is homology with the liver site. Direct stimulation of differentiation of preadipocytes to adipocytes by GH has been demonstrated. In bone, binding of GH to the resting cell zone, but not the proliferative layers has been reported. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis of Green and colleagues that GH has a dual mechanism of action which includes direct stimulation of differentiation of precursor cells and a secondary effect of enhancing the clonal proliferative response.
Geometry independent indium activation analysis

Abstract A geometry independent method has been derived for calculating the ratio of the spectrum averaged cross-sections for the reactions 115 In(γ, γ′) 115m In and 113 In(γ, γ′) 113m In in the energy region of interest 300–500 keV. The technique is unique as it eliminates the need for a detailed detector efficiency formulation for varying source–detector geometries, thereby removing a source of systematic uncertainty. The validity of the technique is demonstrated experimentally by comparing the cross-section ratios for a geometrically diverse set of source–detector configurations. The average ratio value for seven independent measurements is 0.778±0.0033 with a reduced χ 2 of 1.2, which is within 1.15% of the previously published value.
Upper bounds for Ising model correlation functions

A Griffiths correlation inequality for Ising ferromagnets is refined and is used to obtain improved upper bounds for critical temperatures. It is shown that, for non-negative external fields, the mean field magnetization is an upper bound for the magnetization of Ising ferromagnets.
Evaluating professionally operated and self-help programs for the seriously mentally ill

Reviewed a study by Bond et al. (1990) that evaluates assertive community treatment (ACT), an intensive community-based program for the seriously mentally ill. Such programs have been developed at a rapid pace in recent years but lack extensive research support. This randomized study supports the effectiveness of ACT and is a significant contribution to the mixed findings from the existing literature. However, its methodological flaws include (a) differential dropout from the ACT and comparison groups, (b) a relatively short follow-up period (12 months), and (c) limitations of the ACT intervention which prevents rehospitalization but lacks impact in other domains (e.g., social relationships, housing stability, employment). Self-help programs, poorly represented by the comparison group in this research, may offer the sorts of societal niches required by the mentally ill. Further research, giving such programs a "fair shake" against professionally controlled programs, is sorely needed.
Yield and chemical composition of corn grown with subsurfacely injected textile mill sludge

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effects of subsurfacely injected sludge on growth and composition of corn (Zea mays L.) silage. Sewage sludge from a textile mill which produces sanitary products was collected in lagoons and injected into bands 30 cm deep in a well‐drained loam in western Massachusetts. Injection rates were 0, 6.8, 13.6, and 25.6 metric tons of dry material per hectare. The sludge was 3% solids and contained 10 ppm each of Cd, Ni and Pb, 5 ppm of Hg, 70 ppm of Cr, 80 ppm of Zn, and 160 ppm of Cu. Inorganic and organic N composed 0.52% and 5.80%, respectively, while P and K were 0.89% and 0.52%, respectively, of the dry weight of the sludge. Seedling emergence was not hindered, and silage yields were increased by sludge application. No trace element increased in plant tissue with sludge fertilization. Nitrate concentrations increased in the plants with sludge fertilization but only in the roots and stems.
An Adaptive Approach to Optimizing Tradeoff Between Service Performance and Security in Service-Based Systems

The message-based communication among services in Service-based Systems SBS is vulnerable to various security attacks and must be well protected by security mechanisms, which may affect performance due to available system resources. In this paper, an adaptive approach is presented to optimize the tradeoff between service performance and security according to SBS users' requirements and preferences on performance and security. This adaptive approach is based on a tradeoff algorithm with quantitative performance and security metrics and the tradeoff objective function. An SBS example with a security service and a traffic service is used to illustrate the approach.
Inflammation, cancer, and bone loss

Skeletal distortions impose grave health disparities with potentially devastating consequences, including bone pain, immobility, and morbidity. Bone erosion is chiefly caused by hyperactive osteoclasts summoned to bone in response to circulating factors produced by tumor and inflammatory cells. Intense research in the past two decades has identified crucial elements and intricate circulatory systems that maintain and exacerbate inflammatory osteolysis. This progress led to better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this response and to developing advanced therapeutic interventions. Nevertheless, the multifactorial causes of inflammatory osteolysis continue to impose a great challenge for these therapies. This article provides an overview of some of the prominent facets contributing to this process.
A Guide to the External Review of an Academic Radiology Department

External reviews are used to evaluate a department on a routine basis or prior to reappointment or recruitment of a department chair. The Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD) developed a template that outlines important components of an external review report and a table that outlines the objective information that can be requested from the institution/department prior to the reviewer's site visit. The template is meant to facilitate a high-quality review and serve as a guide to a chair who is preparing for his/her first review, chairs who serve as external consultants, and institutional officials seeking review of a radiology department.
Darwin's finches and the evolution of sexual dimorphism in body size

A simple model based on certain bioenergetic phenomena accounts for seasonal patterns of sexual dimorphism, size related changes in the timing of reproduction and geographic variation in body size of Darwin's finches.
INCORPORATING REMOTE SENSING DATA INTO A GIS FOR EMERGENCY SPILL RESPONSE AND NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT

ABSTRACT In California, A GIS (Geographic Information System) is routinely employed by the Unified Command to manage, map, analyze and display convergent data during an oil spill emergency response. Collecting remote sensing data from satellite, aircraft and ground based platforms has become more common as technology advances and data acquisition expenses decrease. The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) first used aerial photographs acquired in stereo pairs in both natural color and color infra-red for the MV Stuyvesant response in 1999. The aim was to map aquaculture sites in Humboldt and Arcata Bays. OSPR used satellite radar (RADARSAT-1, ERS-2) for slick detection at the MV Stuyvesant and SS Jacob Luckenbach responses. A pilot project by OSPR in 2004/05 showed the feasibility of using the RADARSAT-1 satellite for both ship detection and suspected pollution (slick) location in near real-time. At the Suisun Marsh pipeline incident in 2004 the trus...
Computer-automated silica aerosol generator and animal inhalation exposure system

AbstractInhalation exposure systems are necessary tools for determining the dose response relationship of inhaled toxicants under a variety of exposure conditions. The objective of this study was to develop an automated computer controlled system to expose small laboratory animals to precise concentrations of uniformly dispersed airborne silica particles. An acoustical aerosol generator was developed which was capable of re-suspending particles from bulk powder. The aerosolized silica output from the generator was introduced into the throat of a venturi tube. The turbulent high-velocity air stream within the venturi tube increased the dispersion of the re-suspended powder. That aerosol was then used to expose small laboratory animals to constant aerosol concentrations, up to 20 mg/m3, for durations lasting up to 8 h. Particle distribution and morphology of the silica aerosol delivered to the exposure chamber were characterized to verify that a fully dispersed and respirable aerosol was being produced. The...
One-Dimensional Unsteady Periodic Flow Model with Boundary Conditions Constrained by Differential Equations

This paper describes a modeling method for closed-loop unsteady fluid transport systems based on 1D unsteady Euler equations with nonlinear forced periodic boundary conditions. A significant feature of this model is the incorporation of dynamic constraints on the variables that control the transport process at the system boundaries as they often exist in many transport systems. These constraints result in a coupling of the Euler equations with a system of ordinary differential equations that model the dynamics of auxiliary processes connected to the transport system. Another important feature of the transport model is the use of a quasilinear form instead of the flux-conserved form. This form lends itself to modeling with measurable conserved fluid transport variables and represents an intermediate model between the primitive variable approach and the conserved variable approach. A wave-splitting finite-difference upwind method is presented as a numerical solution of the model. An iterative procedure is implemented to solve the nonlinear forced periodic boundary conditions prior to the time-marching procedure for the upwind method. A shock fitting method to handle transonic flow for the quasilinear form of the Euler equations is presented. A closed-loop wind tunnel is used for demonstration of the accuracy of this modeling method.
Strategy Choices in Simple and Complex Addition: Contributions of Working Memory and Counting Knowledge for Children with Mathematical Disability.

Groups of first-grade (mean age = 82 months), third-grade (mean age = 107 months), and fifth-grade (mean age = 131 months) children with a learning disability in mathematics (MD, n = 58) and their normally achieving peers (n = 91) were administered tasks that assessed their knowledge of counting principles, working memory, and the strategies used to solve simple (4+3) and complex (16+8) addition problems. In all grades, the children with MD showed a working memory deficit, and in first grade, the children with MD used less sophisticated strategies and committed more errors while solving simple and complex addition problems. The group differences in strategy usage and accuracy were related, in part, to the group difference in working memory and to group and individual differences in counting knowledge. Across grade-level and group, the switch from simple to complex addition problems resulted in a shift in the mix of problem-solving strategies. Individual differences in the strategy mix and in the strategy shift were related, in part, to individual differences in working memory capacity and counting knowledge.
Effect of Zanchol and Chenic Acid on Bile Acid Pool Size and Gallstones in Hamsters

Abstract After receiving a lithogenic regime for 12 weeks (Phase I), 60 hamsters were allocated to groups of 10 animals. During Phase II, except for one group which remained on the lithogenic regime, all groups were switched to a standard diet and chenic acid 20 mg/kg/day or Zanchol 5, 15 or 25 mg/kg/day or no other therapy. Half the animals in each group were sacrificed at 3 weeks and the remainder at 10 weeks. Gallstones were found in all animals except those receiving chenic acid for 10 weeks. At 3 weeks in Phase II, with chenic acid, the bile acid pool size was not significantly decreased and bile remained saturated despite a 38% lower rate of hepatic synthesis of cholesterol (p In conclusion, chenic acid decreased the hepatic synthesis of cholesterol prior to increasing the bile acid pool, unsaturating bile and dissolving gallstones. Zanchol did not affect the biliary cholesterol saturation or dissolve gallstones despite an increase in the synthesis and pool size of the bile acids.
Fabrication and characterization of permeable degradable poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) hollow fiber phase inversion membranes for use as nerve tract guidance channels

Biodegradable permeable poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) were fabricated using a wet phase inversion technique. By varying several parameters, such as the spinneret size, solvent and non-solvent pair, polymer concentration, flow rate, precipitation method, drop height, and small molecular pore-forming agents, PLGA HFMs with variable sizes, surface morphologies, porosities, and diffusive permeability were obtained. Under simulated physiological conditions in vitro, PLGA HFMs exhibited a degradation profile to accommodate nervous system regeneration and axonal outgrowth. While accelerated degradation resulted in substantial molecular weight loss starting at 2 weeks and loss of selective permeability at 3 weeks, PLGA HFMs maintained gross structural integrity in the first 4 weeks, followed by sharp weight loss at 6 weeks and complete disappearance at about 8 weeks. When compared to the raw PLGA material in a pellet form, which underwent heterogeneous degradation, the PLGA HFMs exhibited a homogeneous degradation where the surface and bulk degraded at approximately the same rate, and an overall lower degradation rate. Our results indicate that using a wet phase inversion technique, degradable HFMs with variable size, inner and outer surface morphologies, porosity, and permeability with potential applications for nerve tract guidance conduits can be fabricated.
Quantitative recovery of absorption coefficient using DOT-assisted photoacoustic tomography for breast imaging

We introduce a fitting procedure which can quantitatively recover the absorption coefficient using DOT-assisted photoacoustic tomography. The background optical properties provided by DOT can significantly improve the accuracy of the fitting.
Impacts of health maintenance organization growth on community health care costs.

Abstract The paper presents a model of health maintenance organization (HMO) growth, traditional health delivery system response, and total community health care costs. Simulations using a range of assumptions about the response of government and the traditional sector to HMO growth suggest three conclusions. First, HMO growth reduces total community health costs, but a substantial fraction of HMO subscribers' savings is added to the cost of other sector subscribers. Second, HMO cost savings depend as much on HMO control of inflation rates as on control of hospital utilization. Third, while HMOs can have significant impact even when they share hospital resources with the traditional sector, HMOs must control captive hospitals in order to achieve all of their potential savings, growth, and community impact.
The Effects of Sex-Typed Labeling on Preschool Children's Information-Seeking and Retention.

When preschool children are exposed to novel objects, will their tactual and verbal information seeking about these objects and the amount of information they remember about these objects be influenced by whether an adult labels them as things “for girls” or “for boys”? The findings reveal that children actually explored less frequently, asked fewer questions, and recalled the names of objects less frequently when the objects were labeled for the opposite sex than when they were labeled either for their own sex or for both sexes. The results are discussed both in terms of implications for adults who aim to broaden the scope of learning available to children and in terms of the need for additional research to clarify the relation between sex-typed labeling and memory mechanisms involved in facilitating or inhibiting recall.
Birth weight of infants with cyanotic and acyanotic congenital malformations of the heart

0 B S E R V A T I 0 N S in the Harriet Lane Home Cardiac Clinic led us to believe that the birth weight of infants with complete transposition of the great vessels tended to be higher than the average birth rate of normal infants. A survey of the literature revealed no study of the birth weight of infants with congenital malformations of the heart. Since it has been shown that the average birth weight of white infants is higher than that of Negro newborn infants, and since our clinic population is composed mainly of white children, this study was restricted to the birth weight of white infants.
Disclosure of a Cancer Diagnosis in Organizational Peer Relationships

The purpose of this study was to explore types of message content received by peers of cancer survivors (N = 126) during cancer disclosure in the workplace. Coworkers reported cancer disclosure interactions with female (65.5%) and male (34.5%) cancer patients. Based on organizational peer types reported in the literature, coworkers reported differences in specific message content received by informational (36.5%), collegial (52.3%), and special peers (11.1%). Coworker relationships were also examined for perceived interpersonal solidarity based on peer type. Results reveal that messages with a treatment focus were most common with all peer types, followed by nondisclosure. Nondisclosure of a cancer diagnosis between coworkers reinforces cancer patients' needs for privacy boundaries, even within close workplace relationships. Of the three peer types, special peers had the most perceived interpersonal solidarity after a cancer disclosure.
Personalized Therapy: Prognostic Factors in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)

Over the last decade, considerable progress has been made in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with respect to determining prognosis and therapy. Here, we will summarize some of the major developments and how they have led to an increased use of personalized treatment in GIST.