cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The geographic alignment of primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas with markers for social determinants of health

Background The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), works to ensure accessible, quality, health care for the nation’s underserved populations, especially those who are medically, economically, or geographically vulnerable. HRSA-designated primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (pcHPSAs) provide a vital measure by which to identify underserved populations and prioritize locations and populations lacking access to adequate primary and preventive health care–the foundation for advancing health equity and maintaining health and wellness for individuals and populations. However, access to care is a complex, multifactorial issue that involves more than just the number of health care providers available, and pcHPSAs alone cannot fully characterize the distribution of medically, economically, and geographically vulnerable populations. Methods and findings In this county-level analysis, we used descriptive statistics and multiple correspondence analysis to assess how HRSA’s pcHPSA designations align geographically with other established markers of medical, economic, and geographic vulnerability. Reflecting recognized social determinants of health (SDOH), markers included demographic characteristics, race and ethnicity, rates of low birth weight births, median household income, poverty, educational attainment, and rurality. Nationally, 96 percent of U.S. counties were either classified as whole county or partial county pcHPSAs or had one or more established markers of medical, economic, or geographic vulnerability in 2017, suggesting that at-risk populations were nearly ubiquitous throughout the nation. Primary care HPSA counties in HHS Regions 4 and 6 (largely lying within the southeastern and south central United States) had the most pervasive and complex patterns in population risk. Conclusion HHS Regions displayed unique signatures with respect to SDOH markers. Descriptive and analytic findings from our work may help inform health workforce and health care planning at all levels, and, by illustrating both the complexity of and differences in county-level population characteristics in pcHPSA counties, our findings may have relevance for strengthening the delivery of primary care and addressing social determinants of health in areas beset by provider shortages.
Effect of Copper on Immune Function and Disease Resistance

Recent evidence suggests that copper exacts an important role in the maintenance of immunocompetence. Copper deficiency results in decreased humoral and cell-mediated, as well as nonspecific immune function. Impairment of immune function may be highly correlated with an increased incidence of infection and higher mortality rates observed in copper-deficient animals. The actual mechanisms by which copper is involved in immune processes are not well defined. This review addresses the copper-immune function interaction and discusses possible immunomodulatory roles for copper.
Levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease

Abstract A major problem in treating Parkinson's disease is that up to 80% of patients will develop levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs). These abnormal involuntary movements result in difficulty in controlling movements and contribute to further disability in Parkinson's disease. Despite the long history of levodopa as the leading therapy, it remains unknown how these abnormal movements develop. In this chapter, we review the pathophysiology of LIDs including recent work implicating different neuronal populations in the striatum.
Stent placement for long-segment total occlusion of an aberrant right subclavian artery: A 7-year follow-up.

An aberrant origin of the right subclavian artery arising as the most distal vessel from the aortic arch is an uncommon but clinically important anomaly. Its abnormal course may result in esophagea...
Types of Toxins in Commercial Use, Their Similarities and Differences

The clinical application of botulinum toxin currently spans across several medical specialties as new indications continue to be investigated and new products continue to be developed. This chapter discusses similarities and differences among the currently commercially available botulinum toxin products. The mechanism of action of both serotypes, BoNT-A and BoNT-B, is introduced. The clinical indications for each available botulinum toxin product including onabotulinumtoxinA, abobotulinumtoxinA, incobotulinumtoxinA, and rimabotulinumtoxinB are discussed along with potential adverse effects and the potential of developing immunogenicity. Finally, future products such as daxibotulinumtoxinA and praxibotulinumtoxinA with potential for further clinical indications are touched upon.
Evaluation of geogrid reinforcement of flexible pavement performance: A review of large-scale laboratory studies

Abstract Many researchers have conducted laboratory studies for assessing the interaction mechanism of soil and geosynthetics and have shown that the performance of flexible pavement is enhanced by geosynthetic reinforcement through extending their service life or decreasing the base course thickness. However, there is a lack of comprehensive comparisons between different studies. This paper reviews laboratory studies available in the literature and presents a review of the main contributions. This literature review reveals that improvement of the performance due to the geosynthetic reinforcement relates to various factors and variables, including geogrid stiffness and geometry, geogrid location/depth, asphalt surface and aggregate thicknesses, and subgrade stiffness. Based on synthesizing laboratory testing studies, a regression-based formulation is proposed to predict the Granular Equivalent (GE) factor of geogrid reinforcement of flexible pavements. The predictive model is robust as it includes the key parameters mentioned above. This formula was developed from a regression analysis by back calculating the variety of the results of the performed experimental tests using the AASHTO1993 design method to evaluate the equivalent base course thickness of reinforced sections compared to unreinforced sections. The benefit of this study is realizing and understanding the structural benefits of geogrids and applying GE factors to a pavement design to reduce the thickness of gravel and/or asphalt and consequently extend the service life and reduce maintenance costs. It is expected that the appropriate use of geogrids can be a significant cost saving per project.
Advocating for an Incarcerated Informed Lens in Therapy.

Exceptionally high rates of incarceration in the United States have caused a need for a major social justice movement. This paper explains the various collateral damages endured by the incarcerated...
A Comparison of Expert Ratings and Marker-Less Hand Tracking Along OSATS-Derived Motion Scales

Objective: This study creates linear and generalized additive models (GAMs) of video-recorded two-dimensional hand motion (synonymously referred to as hand movements or hand kinematics) to predict expert-rated performance along a series of surgical motion scales. Background : Surgical performance assessments are costly and time consuming. Automatically quantifying hand motion may offload some burden of surgical coaching and intervention by automatically collecting features of psychomotor performance. Methods : Five experts rated anonymized video clips of benchtop suturing and tying tasks ( n = 219) along four visual-analog (0–10) performance scales: fluidity of motion, motion economy, tissue handling, and hand coordination. Custom software tracked both participant hands across successive video frames and populated a robust feature set to train a series of predictive models to reproduce the expert ratings. Results : A GAM (which accounts for nonlinear effects) predicted fluidity of motion ratings with slope = 0.71, intercept = 1.98, and ${{\boldsymbol{R}}^2}$ = 0.77 for clinicians of different experience levels. Fluidity of motion and motion economy models outperformed those created to predict hand coordination and tissue handling ratings. Conclusions : Hand motion tracking may not address all contextual features of surgical tasks. Future work will explore how well simulation-based models extrapolate to more dynamic settings of the operating room.
Detecting Cyber Threats in Non-English Hacker Forums: An Adversarial Cross-Lingual Knowledge Transfer Approach

The regularity of devastating cyber-attacks has made cybersecurity a grand societal challenge. Many cybersecurity professionals are closely examining the international Dark Web to proactively pinpoint potential cyber threats. Despite its potential, the Dark Web contains hundreds of thousands of non-English posts. While machine translation is the prevailing approach to process non-English text, applying MT on hacker forum text results in mistranslations. In this study, we draw upon Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM), Cross-Lingual Knowledge Transfer (CLKT), and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) principles to design a novel Adversarial CLKT (A-CLKT) approach. A-CLKT operates on untranslated text to retain the original semantics of the language and leverages the collective knowledge about cyber threats across languages to create a language invariant representation without any manual feature engineering or external resources. Three experiments demonstrate how A-CLKT outperforms state-of-the-art machine learning, deep learning, and CLKT algorithms in identifying cyber-threats in French and Russian forums.
The promise of stem cell-derived islet replacement therapy

Present-day treatments for people that are insulin dependent require multiple insulin injections, sometimes with an insulin pump, coupled with regular blood glucose monitoring. The availability of modified insulins, each with peaks of activity at varying times, has improved diabetes management. On the other hand, there have been impressive results leading to insulin independence by transplantation of cadaveric islets coupled with immune suppression. This review focuses on the possibility of treating diabetes with cellular transplants, specifically with the use of pluripotent stem cells, to produce a virtually unlimited and uniform supply of human islet-like clusters by directed differentiation. Prospects for improving the in vitro differentiation of human endocrine cells for the study of endocrine function and their possible clinical uses are also discussed.
CFD investigation of oil-free granular lubrication

Abstract This study presents an advanced theoretical modeling methodology and simulation procedure to evaluate the performance of granular lubrication. The computational approach utilizes the Euler-Eulerian multiphase flow model based on the solid kinetic theory in a 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) framework. The predictions of the CFD model are verified by available experimental data, and a parametric study is presented to assess the influence of critical input parameters. The parametric study provides valuable information for a suitable and efficient granular lubricating system design.
Algal Assays: Development and Application

The development, refinement, standardization, and practical application of an algal assay procedure are described. Results of experiments are presented to illustrate the use of the algal assay procedure to determine algalgrowth-limiting nutrients in fresh waters. including lakes and streams; for the assessment of receiving waters to determine their nutrient status and sensitivity to change; for the assessment of the effects of changes in waste treatment processes on receiving waters; and for the evaluation of materials and products to determine their potential effects on algal growth.
Inhibition of NF-κB decreases androgen receptor expression and prostate cancer growth

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 135 The mechanisms and biochemical pathways that contribute to the development of androgen independent prostate cancer (AIPC) are not well understood. Enhanced activation of androgen receptor (AR) has been proposed as one important mechanism. Therapy resistance is often associated with a marked increase in AR transcripts without gene amplification and activation of NF-κB, which suggests that increased AR and NF-κB expression is a critical event. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism and the role of NF-κB in regulating AR expression in prostate cancer. We found that NF-κB activates the AR promoter following transient transfection of LNCaP cells. Overexpression of p65/RelA, the active subunit of NF-κB, significantly increases the AR mRNA and protein level and promotes cell proliferation in prostate cancer cells. Ectopic expression of the dominant mutant inhibitor of NF-κB, IκBαM, decreased AR transactivation activity with inhibited AR protein expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Pathenolide, an NF-κB inhibitor, inhibited AR expression, p65 expression, PSA secretion and proliferation of prostate cancer cells in both LNCaP and LAPC-4 cells. Overall, our data suggest that NF-κB is able to activate AR expression in prostate cancer cells. The combination of the inhibition of NF-κB and AR may be a novel therapeutic strategy to battle the prostate cancer.
Estimating Labor Trafficking Among Farmworkers: An Inverse Sampling Strategy Based on Reliable Housing Predictions

The lack of knowledge on the magnitude of the human-trafficking problem regionally and internationally remains the weakest link in the current countertrafficking movement and has given rise to estimates and unsubstantiated claims. However, difficult-to-count populations such as trafficking victims pose significant sampling challenges for social scientists because a sampling frame cannot be reliably established. As a result, field researchers often choose to accept nonparametric strategies such as convenience sampling at the cost of weakened generalizability and inferential potential. We launched a pilot in 2013 to test whether a new sampling frame enumeration strategy, based on Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled field inspections, would be economically feasible and methodologically reliable. The pilot study included 543 dwellings randomly drawn from U.S. Census block and block clusters in four North Carolina counties. Findings support the rationale behind our field enumeration strategies and its cost...
Categories and Population Proportions

Chapters 7–10 dealt with making estimates about a population on the basis of a sample when the observation of interest was a measurement whose mean or median in the population we wished to estimate. In Chapter 6 we discussed a different kind of observation, one based on categories rather than measurements. If the observation of interest involves a set of categories rather than a measurement, it of course makes no sense to think in terms of the center of a batch or its spread. Rather, we approach the batch in terms of proportions. When we observe categories in a sample, then, our basic thought about the population from which the sample was selected concerns the proportions of the different categories in the population, not the mean or median of anything. The estimation of a population proportion on the basis of a sample is quite similar to the estimation of a population mean on the basis of a sample, so in this chapter we will treat proportions as an extension of the principles applied to means in the previous three chapters. Suppose that we examine the raw materials used to manufacture the projectile points in the sample of 100 projectile points discussed in Chapter 9. We may find that, of the 100 points, 13 are made of obsidian. Since the number in the sample is 100, the proportion of points made of obsidian in the sample is 13/100 or 13.0%. What does this tell us about the large and vaguely defined population that the sample of 100 points came from? Just as with means, the sample proportion is the likeliest single value for the proportion in the population from which the sample was selected. Thus, the best estimate of the population proportion, based on this sample, is 13.0%.
Germanium-on-insulator photodetectors

This paper provides an overview of IBM's recent results on Ge-on-insulator (GOI) photodetector technology and describes their suitability for use in so-called "in-the-box" massively-parallel optical interconnects.
Typology of database quality factors

Databases are a critical element of virtually all conventional and ebusiness applications. How does an organization know if the information derived from the database is any good? To ensure a quality database application, should the emphasis during model development be on the application of quality assurance metrics (designing it right)? A large number of database applications fail or are unusable. A quality process does not necessarily lead to a usable database product. A database application can also be ‘well-formed’ with high data quality but lack semantic or cognitive fidelity (the right design). This paper expands on the growing body of literature in the area of data quality by proposing additions to a hierarchy of database quality dimensions that includes model and behavioral factors in addition to process and data factors.
Professional Self‐regulation in North America: The Cases of Law and Accounting

Professional and expert work holds the potential for misconduct that can harm clients or the public. According to the traditional model of professional self-regulation, developed during the “golden age” of the professions in the mid-20th century, societies grant professional communities freedom from external regulation in return for their commitment to regulate their members' conduct. Professions were said to cultivate distinctive ethical norms, socialize new practitioners, and engage in social control of deviant behavior. In light of dramatic changes in the professional world since that time, this essay reviews research on the legal and accounting professions in North America to assess the extent to which this traditional model still holds. The two professions continue to resemble the traditional model in some respects but diverge from it in others, and on some points, there is insufficient evidence to draw a conclusion. The traditional model of self-regulation is probably best viewed as an ideal type that can serve as a standard of reference, not as an accurate representation of social reality. This conclusion opens up new topics for research and opportunities to inform policy.
Synthesis and Preliminary Characterization of a PPE-Type Polymer Containing Substituted Fullerenes and Transition Metal Ligation Sites

A substituted fullerene was incorporated into a PPE-conjugated polymer repeat unit. This subunit was then polymerized via Sonogashira coupling with other repeat units to create polymeric systems approaching 50 repeat units (based on GPC characterization). Bipyridine ligands were incorporated into some of these repeat units to provide sites for transition metal coordination. Photophysical characterization of the absorption and emission properties of these systems shows excited states located on both the fullerene and aromatic backbone of the polymers that exist in a thermally controlled equilibrium. Future work will explore other substituted polyaromatic systems using similar methodologies.
Puromycin- and methotrexate-resistance cassettes and optimized Cre-recombinase expression plasmids for use in yeast.

Here we expand the set of tools for genetically manipulating Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that puromycin-resistance can be achieved in yeast through expression of a bacterial puromycin-resistance gene optimized to the yeast codon bias, which in turn serves as an easy to use dominant genetic marker suitable for gene disruption. We have constructed a similar DNA cassette expressing yeast codon-optimized mutant human dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) that confers resistance to methotrexate and can also be used as a dominant selectable marker. Both of these drug-resistant marker cassettes are flanked by loxP sites allowing for their excision from the genome following expression of cre-recombinase. Finally, we have created a series of plasmids for low-level constitutive expression of cre-recombinase in yeast that allows for efficient excision of loxP-flanked markers.
Differential expression and distinct DNA-binding specificity of ME1a and ME2 suggest a unique role during differentiation and neuronal plasticity

Class A basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins have been referred to as ubiquitous and are believed to have redundant functions. They are involved in the control of several developmental pathways, such as neurogenesis and myogenesis. To rationalize the existence of multiple class A bHLH proteins, we evaluated the differences and similarities between ME1a and ME2, two class A bHLH proteins, highly expressed in differentiating neuronal cells. In situ hybridization analyses reveal that ME1a and ME2 are characterized by distinguishable patterns of expression in areas of the adult mouse brain where neuronal plasticity occurs. Also, DNA-binding assays show that both proteins bind to E-boxes as homodimers and heterodimers, and show differences in their DNA-binding specificities, which suggest selective interactions with different binding sites of target genes. In addition, in vitro DNA-binding assays demonstrate that Id2 forms heterodimers with ME1a and ME2. As a result of these interactions, their DNA-binding activity is abolished. Furthermore, overexpression of Id2 in neuronal cells suppresses ME1a and ME2 transcriptional activity. Based on our data, we hypothesize that ME1a and ME2 may activate gene expression of different target genes and therefore are likely to be differently involved during neurogenesis.
Shape versus Volume: Making Large Flat Extra Dimensions Invisible

We show that the shape moduli associated with large extra dimensions can have a dramatic effect on the corresponding Kaluza-Klein spectra. Specifically, shape moduli can change the mass gap, induce level crossings, and even interpolate between theories with different numbers of compactified dimensions. We also show that in certain cases it is possible to maintain the ratio between the higher-dimensional and four-dimensional Planck scales while simultaneously increasing the Kaluza-Klein graviton mass gap by an arbitrarily large factor. These observations can therefore be used to alleviate many of the experimental bounds on theories with large extra spacetime dimensions.
In vitro effects of somatostatin and urotensin II on prolactin and growth hormone secretion in tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus.

Abstract The control of release of two recently characterized forms of prolactin (PRL) of molecular mass 24 and 20 kDa was investigated. The rostral pars distalis of male tilapia was incubated singly in a hypotomic modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate medium in order to stimulate PRL release; for comparison, the proximal pars distalis containing growth hormone (GH) cells was incubated in isotonic medium with or without 1 μg/ml cortisol to stimulate GH release. The release of both PRLs and GH into the medium was measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by densitometry. Both somatostatin and synthetic ( Gillichthys ) urotensin II, a partial somatostatin homolog and analog from the teleost caudal neurosecretory system, significantly inhibited the release of both PRLs. Somatostatin significantly inhibited GH release, but urotensin II had no significant effect.
Perceived ethicality of some TV news production techniques by a sample of Florida legislators

Given the subtle norms associated with television journalistic production techniques, the following question was posited: Can a sample of politicians make ethical evaluations concerning a variety of common television production decisions? A factor analysis of legislators’ responses extracted two higher order factors—one dealing with required editorial simplification, and the other concerning intentional distortion.
A simple Ru catalyst for the conversion of aldehydes or oximes to primary amides

Abstract Ru(DMSO) 4 Cl 2 is catalytically active for converting aldehydes to primary amides via oxime intermediates. This catalyst is readily available, and requires no additional ligands, a great simplification compared to previous work. A Ru(II)/(IV) mechanism is proposed.
Boron, the Dominant Acceptor in Semiconducting Diamond

A study has been made to determine the nature of the acceptor center in laboratory-grown semiconducting diamonds. Analyses for nitrogen, aluminum, boron, and uncompensated-acceptor content of aluminum and boron-doped crystals have shown that (i) the aluminum content of inclusion-free crystals is very low, (ii) there is not enough aluminum to account for the acceptor content, (iii) the nitrogen content is very low and only a small degree of compensation by deep-lying nitrogen donors could exist for many semiconducting diamonds, and (iv) there is a good correlation between boron content and acceptor content. These results indicate that boron is the dominant acceptor in laboratory-grown semiconducting diamond, and not aluminum as has been assumed previously by a number of authors. These results, when combined with other data on resistivity and activation energy for conduction, indicate that the dominant semiconducting properties of both natural and laboratory-grown diamond are due to one acceptor, boron, at different concentrations. Previous papers on laboratory-grown semiconducting diamonds which based arguments on the large aluminum content and the assumed high nitrogen content are critically reexamined.
Gender Matters: Exploring the Process of Developing Resilience through Outdoor Adventure.

This two-phase study investigates the process of developing resilience through participation in outdoor adventure programming. In this study, resilience is conceptualized as experiencing growth thr...
A Simpler Mechanism That Stops Agents from Cheating

Abstract This note considers a principal–multi-agent model of a firm subject to adverse selection. With just the usual optimal (incentive-constrained) contracts being offered, there exist multiple (Bayes–Nash) equilibria in the agents′ subgame. Moreover, from the agents′ perspective, there exists an equilibrium that Pareto-dominates the equilibrium desired by the principal. By exploiting the structure of the model, this note develops a new approach for eliminating unwanted equilibria (while retaining the desired equilibrium). The approach, when compared to existing approaches, employs a simpler mechanism (one with a smaller message space) and makes weaker assumptions about the agents′ behavior. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72, D82.
Sequences in the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae maltose permease are required for vacuolar degradation but not glucose-induced internalization.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, glucose addi- tion to maltose fermenting cells causes a rapid loss of maltose transport activity and ubiquitin-mediated vac- uolar proteolysis of maltose permease. GFP-tagged Mal61 maltose permease was used to explore the role of the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain in glucose- induced inactivation. In maltose-grown cells, Mal61/ HA-GFP localizes to the cell surface and, surprisingly, to the vacuole. Studies of end3 and doa4 mutants indicate that a slow constitutive internalization of Mal61/ HA-GFP is required for its vacuolar localization. Site- speciWc mutagenesis of multiple serine/threonine resi- dues in a putative PEST sequence of the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of maltose permease blocks glu- cose-induced Mal61p degradation but does not aVect the rapid loss of maltose transport activity associated with glucose-induced internalization. The internalized multiple Ser/Thr mutant protein co-localizes with Snf7p in a putative late endosome or E-compartment. Further, alteration of a putative dileucine (D/ EExxxLL/I) motif at residues 64-70 causes a signiWcant defect in maltose transport activity and mislocalization to an E-compartment but appears to have little impact on glucose-induced internalization. We conclude that the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of maltose perme- ase is not the target of the signaling pathways leading to glucose-induced internalization of Mal61 permease but is required for its subsequent delivery to the vacu- ole for degradation.
SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ALPHA AMINO NITROGEN METABOLISM IN THE UTERUS OF THE PREGNANT AND NON-PREGNANT EWE

Arterial and uterine venous concentrations of alpha amino nitrogen and uterine blood flow were repeatedly measured in twelve non-pregnant and ten pregnant Dorset ewes. The arterial levels and uterine arteriovenous differences of alpha amino nitrogen were low early in gestation and gradually increased to approach non-pregnant values towards the end of gestation. The uterine uptake of alpha amino nitrogen per kilogramme of uterine tissue behaved in a similar way but remained lower than the uptake per kilogramme of tissue by the non-pregnant uterus. The data suggest that the removal of amino acids by the uterus is independent of the levels in the blood reaching the organ.
The oxidation of cytochrome c peroxidase by hydrogen peroxide. Characterization of products.

H2O2 reacts with cytochrome c peroxidase in a variety of ways. The initial reaction produces cytochrome c peroxidase Compound I. If more than a 10-fold excess of H2O2 is added to the enzyme, a portion of the H2O2 will react with Compound I to produce molecular oxygen. The remainder oxidizes the heme group and various amino acid residues in the protein. If less than a 10-fold excess of H2O2 is added to the enzyme, essentially all the H2O2 is utilized by oxidation of amino acid residues in the protein. The oxidation of the amino acid residues by H2O2 substantially modifies the reactivity of cytochrome c peroxidase. The modification of reactivity could be the direct result of amino acid oxidation or an indirect result caused by a perturbation of the protein structure at the active site. The products oxidized at pH 8 lose their ability to react with H2O2. The products oxidized at pH 4 react with H2O2 but their reactivity toward Fe(CN)64− is substantially reduced.
The Big Questions of Personality Psychology: Defining Common Pursuits of the Discipline

Big questions of personality are those that are simple, important, and often have been asked repeatedly over time, such as “Who am I?” “What is human nature?” and “How does personality work?” This article identifies 20 big questions relevant to personality psychology. The historical background of each question is briefly described, and the questions are arranged into a model of big questions about personality. The questions, it is argued, both reflect and help to clarify the intrinsic interest in studying personality psychology. They offer insight into the cohesive nature of the field of personality by helping to define its common pursuits.
Attenuation of the Metabisulfite-induced Bronchoconstrictive Response by Pretreatment with Cromolyn

In a retrospective analysis of 1,544 patients who underwent provocative challenge with metabisulfite at the National Jewish Center between 1983 and 1987, an abnormal airway response to metabisulfite was found in 52 patients, an incidence of 3.4 percent. There was no relationship between this abnormal airway responsiveness to metabisulfite and the degree of airway obstruction present, or the degree of airway reactivity as assessed by the response to inhaled bronchodilator or exercise testing. In a pilot study, we found that the administration of cromolyn sodium prior to metabisulfite challenge markedly attenuated the abnormal bronchoconstrictive response in nine of ten patients. We conclude that a metabisulfite-induced bronchoconstrictive response cannot be predicted on the basis of the degree of airway obstruction or airway reactivity and that pretreatment with cromolyn sodium may attenuate the abnormal response.
ON THE INFLUENCE OF FATIGUE UNDERLOADS ON CYCLIC CRACK GROWTH AT LOW STRESS INTENSITIES

Abstract The influence of variable-amplitude loading in the form of block underload cycling is examined for (plane strain) near-threshold fatigue crack propagation in a bainitic 2.25Cr-1Mo pressure vessel steel (ASTM A542 class 3), tested in ambient temperature moist air at low load ratios ( R = 0.05). It is shown that the application of fatigue underloads with stress intensity ranges below the threshold Δ K 0 can result in significant transient retardations in initial growth rates when cycling is subsequently resumed at baseline levels above the threshold. The magnitudes of the retardation are found to be dependent on the baseline Δ K B and underload Δ K u stress intensities. Using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and scanning Auger spectroscopy, the observations are shown to be consistent with concepts of oxide-induced crack closure, which arises from extra corrosion debris (Fe 2 O 3 ) generated within the near-threshold crack during the underload cycling period. Such oxide deposits, which are of the order of pulsating crack-tip-opening displacements ΔCTOD, can lead to increased closure loads and reduced effective stress intensity ranges, thereby retarding subsequent initial growth rates at baseline levels. It is shown that sub-threshold fatigue underloads have negligible effects on baseline near-threshold growth rates when the underload ΔCTOD appears to be smaller than the existing (baseline) excess oxide thickness. In this instance the crack remains effectively closed during underload cycling, thus restricting further oxide growth. The relevance of these observations to current procedures for the determination of threshold values and slow crack growth rates at low stress intensities is discussed in detail.
Transient dynamics and directional solidification in space platforms.

: The impact of short impulsive forces on the semiconductor segregation patterns inside a generic μg Bridgman growth arrangement is discussed here with the help of a time-dependent 2D numerical scheme. Impulses have been applied parallel to the growth interface, equivalently, orthogonal to the external thermal gradient. The present results indicate that for each one of the three semiconductors considered, the reduced longitudinal and radial solid segregation are practically insensitive to the pulse shape, rectangular or half-sinusoidal. The reduced longitudinal segregation only depends on the growth velocity for constant g-dose impulses. The reduced radial segregation depends on both the interface growth velocity and very weakly on the activity time of the constant g-dose impulse externally applied. The thermal flux across the interface is shape-dependent and does not act synchronically with half-sinusoidal external impulses. Also, as before, this flux depends on the activity time and on the growth velocity for constant g-dose impulses.
Phase managed organic synthesis 2. A new polymer assisted synthesis of acid anhydrides.

Abstract A solid-phase copolymer of 4-vinylpyridine is shown to be a highly effective reagent/ catalyst for the synthesis of acid anhydrides from mixtures containing equimolar quantities of carboxylic acids and acid chlorides. The process may be carried out in batch or column mode.
Stability of a cantilevered bar subjected to a transverse follower force of fluid jet

Bending-torsional flutter stability of cantilevered bar subjected to transverse follower force of fluid jet, using Frobenius method
PMH6 Economic Outcomes of Antidepressant Use in A Managed Care Organization

Hospitals, health care systems, and policy makers are striving to seek ways to provide cost-effective care for patients with major depressive disorder. OBJECTIVES: The first objective is to investigate the differences between the newer antidepressants regarding treatment completion, average daily dose, dosage titration, switching, and augmentation behavior. The second objective is to compare direct health service expenditures related to the treatment of depression. The inquiry is guided by the following question: Is there a significant difference between antidepressants in regard to overall health care service expenditures for the treatment of depression? METHODS: Retrospective archival data from computerized claims records of a large managed care organization were analyzed. Treatment completion was defined as receiving at least 180 days of therapy at a minimum therapeutic dose as defined by the AHCPR guidelines for detection, diagnosis, and treatment of depression. Patients were included in the analysis if (1) they had an ICD-9 diagnosis code for depression or if (2) they received an antidepressant prescription. Patients were excluded if (1) they were less than 18 years of age, (2) they had a diagnosis indicating schizophrenia or bipolar depression, (3) there were not at least 6 months of follow up data available, or (4) they were ineligible for coverage by the plan. RESULTS: Patients initiated on fluoxetine were more likely to complete therapy than those on paroxetine, sertraline, nefazodone, or venlafaxine (n = 65,792; p < .01). These differences narrowed over time. Results regarding overall health care utilization related to each antidepressant will be presented. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this sample of patients, it appears that patients initiated on fluoxetine are more likely to complete therapy when compared to the other antidepressants.
Clinical evaluation of a pre-tied ligating loop for liver biopsy and liver lobectomy.

Objectives The aim of this prospective case series was to evaluate the suitability of a pre-tied ligating loop for liver biopsy or partial or complete liver lobectomy via midline coeliotomy for diagnosis or treatment of hepatic disease. Methods Nine client-owned animals (six dogs and three cats) in which liver biopsy or partial or complete liver lobectomy was performed using a 2–0 Polysorb™ pre-tied ligating loop (SurgiTie™; Covidien) via midline coeliotomy were included. The fit of the loop, space for incision and presence and character of bleeding from the incised surface were assessed. Pre- and postoperative haematocrit and peri-operative complications were noted. Dimensions, histopathology and mineral analysis of acquired specimens were reviewed. Results The pre-tied ligating loop was successfully employed for liver biopsy and resection of torsed liver lobes and neoplastic tissue. Dirty margins were obtained in one case in which complete resection of neoplastic tissue was the primary goal. Few perioperative complications were noted, the most common being generalised oozing from the cut surface in four cases, effectively controlled with local haemostasis. Clinical Significance The pre-tied ligating loop is a versatile and safe method for liver biopsy or lobectomy. As with other surgical techniques, alternative methods of haemostasis should always be available.
High repetition rate frequency combs: Ultrafast optics starting with continuous-wave lasers

High repetition rate frequency combs and pulse trains are generated from continuous-wave lasers by nonlinear wave mixing in microresonators or by strong electro-optic modulation. Applications to arbitrary waveform generation and RF photonic filtering are discussed.
Dirty work: Are immigrants only taking jobs that the native underclass does not want?

The contention in this article is that immigration [to the United States] legal and illegal has greatly reduced the net number of jobs available to the low-skill worker....I examine the evidence from four experiments regarding the impact of immigrants on American workers jobs: first field data from the 1982 experiment termed Project Jobs in which thousands of illegal immigrants were deported by the Reagan administration in an attempt to create jobs for American workers. Then three individual field studies in the Houston [Texas] Metropolitan Area during the 1980s which attempted to measure the willingness of the unemployed to take dirty jobs typically held by illegal immigrants....Finally two recent comprehensive econometric measures of job displacement and wage depression are reviewed. (EXCERPT)
Cholera Toxin Binding Affinity and Specificity for Gangliosides Determined by Surface Plasmon Resonance

The present study determines the affinity of cholera toxin for the ganglioside series GM1, GM2, GM3, GD1A, GD1B, GT1B, asialo GM1, globotriosyl ceramide, and lactosyl ceramide using real time biospecific interaction analysis (surface plasmon resonance, SPR). SPR shows that cholera toxin preferably binds to gangliosides in the following sequence: GM1 > GM2 > GD1A > GM3 > GT1B > GD1B > asialo-GM1. The measured binding affinity of cholera toxin for the ganglioside sequence ranges from 4.61 x 10-12 M for GM1 to 1.88 x 10-10 M for asialo GM1. The picomolar values obtained by surface plasmon resonance are similar to Kd values determined with whole-cell binding assays. Both whole-cell assays and SPR measurements on synthetic membranes are higher than free solution measurements by several orders of magnitude. This difference may be caused by the effects of avidity and charged lipid head-groups, which may play a major role in the binding between cholera toxin, the receptor, and the membrane surface. The primary difference between free solution binding studies and surface plasmon resonance studies is that the latter technique is performed on surfaces resembling the cell membrane. Surface plasmon resonance has the further advantage of measuring apparent kinetic association and dissociation rates in real time, providing direct information about binding events at the membrane surface.
On q-analogues of Riemann's zeta function

In the paper, we introduce q-deformations of the Riemann zeta function, extend them to the whole complex plane, establish a q-counterpart of the TlogT-formula for the number of zeros, and discuss theoretically and (mainly) numerically a q-variant of the Riemann hypothesis. The construction is closely related to the recent difference generalization of the Harish-Chandra theory of zonal spherical functions. The q-zeta functions do not satisfy the functional equation but have some analytic advantages.
The evolutionary psychology of physical attractiveness: Sexual selection and human morphology

Abstract Psychological evidence suggests that sex differences in morphology have been modified by sexual selection so as to attract mates (intersexual selection) or intimidate rivals (intrasexual selection). Women compete with each other for high quality husbands by advertising reproductive value in terms of the distribution of fat reserves and by exaggerating morphological indicators of youthfulness such as a small nose and small feet and pale, hairless skin. Men's physical appearance tends to communicate social dominance, which has the combined effects of intimidating reproductive rivals and attracting mates. In addition to their attractiveness and intimidatory effects, human secondary sexual characters also provide cues to hormonal status and phenotypic quality consistent with the good genes model of sexual selection (which includes parasite resistance). Low waist-hip ratio is sexually attractive in women and indicates a high estrogen/testosterone ratio (which favors reproductive function). Facial attractiveness provides honest cues to health and mate value. The permanently enlarged female breast appears to have evolved under the influence of both the good genes and the runaway selection mechanisms. The male beard is not obviously related to phenotypic quality and may have evolved through a process of runaway intersexual selection.
Subretinal Neovascular Membrane in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Purpose To define the prevalence, natural history, treatment, and prognosis of papilledema-related juxtapapillary subretinal neovascular membranes (SRNVMs). Design Retrospective observational case series. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review. Results Of 1140 cases of idiopathic intracranial hypertension, six patients had juxtapapillary SRNVM. Three patients were observed, and their final visual acuities were 20/20, 20/50, and 20/200. Three SRNVM involved the fovea; two of the cases were treated with argon laser therapy, and one case was treated with photodynamic therapy. Conclusion SRNVM in idiopathic intracranial hypertension is rare (0.53%). Most cases of juxtapapillary SRNVM are self-limited and regress, can be observed, and have a favorable visual prognosis. The progression of the SRNVM ophthalmoscopically or angiographically toward the fovea, however, might be an indication for laser treatment. Once subfoveal extension occurs, the visual outcome tends to be unfavorable. No patients had recurrence of SRNVM after the resolution of the papilledema.
Tumor stabilization after hyperthermia: an important criterion of response to thermal therapy.

Several investigators have indicated that changes in tumor size may not occur after hyperthermia therapy even with substantial tumor cell kill, because of early edema and subsequent fibrosis of background stroma, suggesting that "tumor stabilization" might be an important benefit of thermal therapy. Recently, 9 institutions completed a national cooperative study of localized hyperthermia for patients with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic solid cancer that evaluated the potential significance of this response variable in a standardized clinical trial. Of 960 evaluable patients who completed at least one course of hyperthermia, thermoradiotherapy, or thermochemotherapy, 85 (9%) had complete responses for 1-34 months, 173 (18%) had partial responses for 1-39 months, 95 (10%) had minimal responses for 1-15 months, and 313 (33%) had disease stabilization for 1-32 months. Of 313 patients who had no change (i.e., +/- 25%) in the size of their tumors after hyperthermia, the response lasted only 1-3 months in 170 (54%) patients, a finding of questionable clinical significance. However, disease stabilization was observed for more than 3 months in 143 (46%), for more than 6 months in 67 (21%), more than 9 months in 33 (10%), and more than 12 months in 16 (5%). Disease stabilization was also associated with improved activity for 1-22 months in 79 (25%) of these patients, and improved pain for 1-22 months in 100 (32%). Disease stabilization appeared to be independent of tumor histology, location, or depth within the body, size, or minimum treatment temperature, but was somewhat more frequent after hyperthermia combination therapy. There is sufficient accumulative data to suggest that tumor stabilization after hyperthermia should not be dismissed as a placebo effect. This response variable well may be a unique and potentially important criterion of response to localized hyperthermia therapy.
Correction of magnetic field distribution within the optical radiation coverage zone of magnetic laser therapy apparatuses

Methods for correction of magnetic field distribution within the optical radiation coverage zone of magnetic laser therapy apparatuses were developed. These methods in medical apparatuses provide a 3.5–4.0-fold decrease in the magnetic induction in the therapeutic zone of ring magnets. Magnetic field strength was optimized using magnetic tips made of soft magnetic materials. Engineering solution of magnetotherapeutic apparatuses provides optimal value of magnetic induction in the zone of an optical beam. The magnetic field induction can be varied within range |B| = 27–75 mTl using magnetic core position. This regulation allows magnetic therapy efficacy to be adapted to the patient’s pathology, age, and individual physiology.