cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Administered activity and outcomes of glass versus resin (90)Y microsphere radioembolization in patients with colorectal liver metastases.

Background: Given the differences in size, specific activity, and dosing methods for glass yttrium-90 microspheres ( 90 Y-glass) and resin 90 Y microspheres ( 90 Y-resin), these therapies may expose the liver to different amounts of radiation, thereby affecting their efficacy and tolerability. We aimed to compare the prescribed activity of 90 Y-glass and 90 Y-resin for real-world patients undergoing selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for liver-dominant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and to assess efficacy and safety outcomes in these patients. Methods: We examined the records of 28 consecutive patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases treated with SIRT between June 2008 and May 2011 at our institution. Using baseline CT and MR images, we calculated a projected activity as if we had used the other product and compared it to the actual prescribed activity of 90 Y-glass and 90 Y-resin for each SIRT treatment per manufacturer guidelines. Progression and adverse events were evaluated at follow up visits. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: For 90 Y-glass treatments with a mean prescribed 90 Y activity of 1.77 GBq, the mean projected 90 Y-resin activity was 0.84 GBq. For 90 Y-resin treatments with a mean prescribed 90 Y activity of 1.05 GBq, the mean projected 90 Y-glass activity was 2.48 GBq. The median survival was 9.3 months versus 18.2 months for 90 Y-glass and 90 Y-resin, respectively (P=0.292). During the second year after SIRT, the hazard ratio of death for patients treated with 90 Y-glass versus 90 Y-resin was 4.0 (95% CI: 1.3, 12.3; P=0.017). No significant difference in progression, adverse events or liver toxicity was observed. Conclusions: Using manufacturer recommended guidelines, 90 Y-resin delivers significantly less activity than 90 Y-glass to patients with liver-dominant mCRC undergoing SIRT with no significant difference in adverse events and a trend toward improved survival.
Study on the role of internal electron donor to gas phase polyethylene catalyst

Four types of internal electron donors,alcohols,esters,ethers and silanes were added into the preparation of MgCl2/SiO2 complex support Ziegler-Natta catalyst for ethylene gas phase polymerization through the same preparation techniques.The influence of different types of internal electron donor on the catalyst activity,polymer bulk density and powder content were also investigated.The performance of tetraethoxy-silicone as the internal electron donor of polyethylene catalyst is better than that of the others.The activity of the catalyst was 3447.5 g·PE/g·Cat·h,Polymer bulk density was up to 0.33g·cm-3 and powder content was only 0.052%.The granule of the catalyst is sphericity uniformly.
Investigation of peripheral water pipe network water quality in rural water plants of zhejiang in 2009

Objective:To investigate the peripheral water pipe network quality and health status of rural water plants of zhejiang,to provide a assurance for the dirkning water qulailty in rural areas,and prevent from the poisoning and water-borne diseases that are resulted from unquality of the peripheral water pipe network.Methods: Select the representative monitoring points to have a questionnaire investigation about the peripheral water pipe network of villages,and the drinking water samples from different approachs of rural water plants and diferent water types of the peripheral water pipe network were collected in wet and dry season,then the water quality was analyzed and assessed according to the related standards and regulation.Results: In 403 towns of monitoring points,about 81.44% of rural population drink the water from rural water plants,the pass rate of composite indexs in wet and dry season,which are count by different approachs of rural water plants and diferent water types of the peripheral water pipe network,are 93.58% and 94.03% respectively.Conclusion: The pass rate of composite indexs in the peripheral water pipe network of rural water plants is relatively low,which is related to imperfect of process and irregular disinfection.
Surveillance for adverse event following immunization in Taizhou,Zhejiang,2012

Objective To understand the incidence pattern of adverse event following immunization(AEFI) and identify the related factors,and provide evidence for the improvement of the quality of vaccination services.Methods The incidence data of AEFI in Taizhou during 2012 were collected through national AEFI information management system and the descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted.Results Totally 173 AEFI cases were reported in2012 through AEFI information management system in Taizhou.AEFI were reported in all 9 counties,the overall reporting rate within 48 h was 98.27% and the investigating rate within 48 hours after reporting was 100%.Among the173 cases,112 were children less than 1 years old,accounting for 64.74%;Among the AEFI cases,136 were mild reactions,26 were abnormal reaction,10 were joint reactions and 1 was psychogenic reaction,accounting for 78.6%,15.0%,5.8% and 0.58% respectively.AEFI occurred within 1 day after vaccination in 157 people,accounting for90.75%;Among the AEFI cases,172 were cured,accounting for 99.4%.Conclusion AEFI surveillance system in Taizhou worked well.The reporting rate,investigating rate within 48 hours and the sensitivity of AEFI surveillance were at high levels.The vaccination safety and service quality were ensured.
2009 AHA Environmental Scan.

CEOs and trustees can get a "heads up" on trends in consumers and demographics, finance, human resources, information technology, insurance and coverage, political issues, provider organizations and physicians, and quality and patient safety.
On the Complexity of Graph Embeddings (Extended Abstract)

It is known that embedding a graph G into a surface of minimum genus γmin(G) is NP-hard, whereas embedding a graph G into a surface of maximum genus γm(G) can be done in polynomial time. However, the complexity of embedding a graph G into a surface of genus between γmin(G) and γm(G) is still unknown. In this paper, it is proved that for any function f(n)=O(n)∈, 0 ≤e<1, the problem of embedding a graph G of n vertices into a surface of genus at most γmin(G)+f(n) remains NP-hard, while there is a linear time algorithm that approximates the minimum genus embedding either within a constant ratio or within a difference O(n). A polynomial time algorithm is also presented for embedding a graph G into a surface of genus γm(G)−1.
A case of testicular tuberculosis mimicking malignancy in a healthy young man

Genitourinary tuberculosis represents a form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis that occurs in the kidneys, ureters, seminal vesicles, prostate, testis, vas deferens, and epididymis. Isolated testicular involvement is unusual, and differential diagnosis includes testicular tumor, acute infection, infarction, and granulomatous infection. We report a case of a 36-year-old Ecuadorian man residing in New York, New York, who presented with a painful scrotal mass, weight loss, and purulent discharge from ulcerated lesion in scrotal area 10 years following his immigration to the United States. No other systemic symptoms were noted. Positive QuantiFERON-TB Gold and radio imaging results led to the diagnosis. After extensive workup, acid fast bacilli positive cultures obtained by computed tomography guided fine needle aspiration grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy was initiated after sensitivity tests were confirmed. Significant recovery after 3 months of directly observed therapy was accomplished.
The Impact of Lake Bonneville and Lake Lahontan on the Halophytes of the Great Basin

The rivers in the Great Basin in the Western United States do not drain into the Pacific Ocean. Some 30,000 years ago a lot of water was present in the Great Basin and two huge lakes (Bonneville and Lahontan) were formed. These lakes were very large and very deep. Over the next 17,000 years, the weather became very dry and the lakes began to evaporate leaving lots of salts on the land and in the few remaining smaller lakes. Great salt lake is the largest remaining lake in the Great Basin and is very salty. Because the dissolved salts were deposited mainly on the valley floors, only salt tolerate plants (halophytes) can grow in the high salt areas. Because of the mountains in the Great Basin area there is considerable diversity in the plant population. The area is ranked 4th out of 116 Eco regions in North America. The number of halophytic species is the highest in the Great Basin in North America. In addition a number of non-native salt tolerant plants have been introduced.
Case XVIII: Thigh Pain 2

A 33-year-old female presents with a 2-month history of left anterior thigh pain. The pain is shooting, shock-like, and fluctuates between 6 and 10 on the VAS. She has baseline chronic low back pain. PMH significant for migraine headaches and bipolar disorder. FH positive for cancer colon in her father. Socially, she has smoked half pack of cigarettes per day for 16 years. On examination, left ilio-psoas 4, quadriceps 4+, the remaining muscle groups are 5/5. Sensation is intact to light touch. DTRs: Achilles 2+ bilaterally, patellar 3+ bilaterally with positive adductor and suprapatellar reflexes. No tenderness on palpation of the lumbar spine. There is negative straight leg raise test and positive femoral stretch test on the left.
An Index for Evaluating Fairy Ring Symptoms in Turfgrass

The term ''fairy ring'' typically refers to the visual appearance of mushrooms emerged in a circular pattern in a grass lawn, pasture, or meadow. Fairy ring symptoms in turfgrass stands are categorized as Type I (wilted, necrotic turf), Type II (dark green, stimulated turf), and Type III (basidiocarps present). A visual rating system was devised to assist researchers and practitioners with a numerical method to quantify the degree of severity of fairy ring symptoms at a turf site. Therefore, the Fairy Ring Severity Index is based on a 1 to 9 scale, where 1 indicates no fairy ring symptoms present, 2 through 5 indicates the low to high range for Type II symptoms, and 6 through 9 indicates the low to high range for Type I symptoms. For Type III symptoms, the number of mushrooms, toadstools, or puffballs present could be counted if that information is needed or helpful. In experimentalresearchplots,theFairyRingSeverityIndexisabettermethodforevaluating and comparing fairy ring symptoms vs. using a percent plot area affected estimate.
Phase II trial evaluating the use of 21-gene recurrence score (RS) to select preoperative therapy in hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer.

562 Background: Hormone receptor (HR)- positive breast cancer patients (pts) typically have lower pathological responses to pre-operative chemotherapy than HR-negative breast cancers. Objective: We...
Scleral Buckling for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

The principle of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair is rooted in the concept of closing the retinal break(s) and relieving the vitreous traction on the flap(s). However, the methods by which to repair a RRD vary considerably. While scleral buckles were formerly the mainstay of treatment, small-gauge instrumentation has made pars plana vitrectomy the preferred technique for a majority of retina specialists. Nevertheless, scleral buckle surgery either alone or in combination with pars plana vitrectomy is an essential component of retinal detachment repair and should be in the arsenal of all vitreoretinal surgeons. The principle of accurate identification and localization of retinal breaks is as pertinent to scleral buckling today as it was when first emphasized by Jules Gonin in 1921. Precisely identifying areas of retinal pathology is critical for choosing the appropriate buckling element. Consequently, meticulous preoperative and intraoperative examinations are essential to maximizing surgical success. Silicone rubber is the preferred material used for scleral buckle explants, either in the form of compressible sponges or solid elements. Compared to other materials, silicone rubber has been found to be biologically inactive, chemically inert, and is less prone to bacterial infection (Michels retinal detachment, St. Louis, 1997). Scleral buckles may be applied in a segmental (either circumferential or radial) or encircling fashion. The latter may be used as a solitary treatment or in combination with pars plana vitrectomy repair.
A Descriptive Study of School-Based Problem-Solving:

We report here the type of problems and solutions that 38 school teams reported during a randomized wait-list controlled trial of one problem-solving approach (Team Initiated Problem Solving [TIPS]...
Exploring the Use of Global Positioning System (GPS) for Identifying Customer Location in M-Commerce Adoption in Developing Countries

M-commerce in Kenya has seen tremendous growth over the last few years due to the availability of mobile payments, mobile internet access, and expansion of mobile banking systems. A critical factor to the success of m-commerce is timely delivery of purchased items to the customers’ premises. Timely delivery is highly dependent on the courier’s ability to locate the buyer’s physical location. To do this, the courier requires a reliable physical addressing system. However, like most developing countries, Kenya lacks a National Addressing System to provide properly registered physical identity of buildings, streets, and roads. The study explored the use of GPS in identifying customer’s location as an alternative to named physical addresses. This paper describes the study design and discusses the findings concerning the use of GPS tracking application among six retailers and thirty customers. The study reveals that geolocation can substitute physical addresses in m-commerce home deliveries.
The Earth Revolves Around the Sun? How Science, Religion and Law Come Together

The ultimate goal of science is TRUTH. The ultimate goal of religion is GOD. Thus, both science and religion aim towards an absolute. The main problem lies in the fact that both science and religion are created by humans, and thus depend on human perception. Consequently both truth and God cannot be isolated from human perception and are not objective but subjective phenomena. On the other hand since its inception, the law, again human creation, has asked both HOW and WHY.
Guanidines as Drugs

In 1983, at the first international meeting of this group, Drs. Robin and Marescau treated us to a survey of naturally occurring guanidino compounds that was detailed and authoratative. It was the highlight of the congress and ultimately became the most significant contribution to the text which followed.
Local wavefront mapping in tissue using computational adaptive optics OCT

The identification and correction of wavefront aberrations is often necessary to achieve high-resolution optical images of biological tissues, as imperfections in the optical system and the tissue itself distort the imaging beam. Measuring the localized wavefront aberration provides information on where the beam is distorted and how severely. We have recently developed a method to estimate the single-pass wavefront aberrations from complex optical coherence tomography (OCT) data. Using this method, localized wavefront measurement and correction using computational OCT was performed in ex vivo tissues. The computationally measured wavefront varied throughout the imaged OCT volumes and, therefore, a local wavefront correction outperformed a global wavefront correction. The local wavefront measurement was also used to generate tissue aberration maps. Such aberration maps could potentially be used as a new form of tissue contrast.
ELAMIPRETIDE REDUCES THE BURDEN FOR INDUCTION OF APOPTOSIS IN SKELETAL MUSCLE OF DOGS WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE

Exercise intolerance (Ex-Int) is a feature of heart failure (HF) and is attributed to skeletal muscle (SM) abnormalities including fiber type composition, atrophy, fiber loss, and mitochondrial (MITO) dysfunction. MITO dysfunction can activate apoptosis by releasing cytochrome C (CYTO-C) into the
Study of Distributed Framework Hadoop and Overview of Machine Learning using Apache Mahout

The amount of data generated every day in digital format is overwhelming, so we need storage mechanisms to store it and manage it. The technical solutions to store and manage the data should be scalable to allow extraction of relevant information and analysis. We describe the initial steps on using Apache Mahout to find out the total number of books written by authors of different age groups, analyzing the patterns in the authors’ age, and predicting which age group have authored the highest number of books in different calendar years. Publishing houses and literary agents can use our proposed software.
Sports participation and attitudes toward race and ethnicity: a study of twelfth-grade students in the United States.

Drawing on contact, social identity, and self-categorization theories, this study examines the extent to which adolescent sports participation associates with (a) concern about the treatment of min...
Political Opportunities for Islamist Women in Morocco and Egypt: Structure or Agency?

This chapter asks how do political opportunity structures (POS)—i.e., political openings for and obstructions against organizing—shape Islamist women’s political participation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)? The chapter examines particularly how the political dynamics and alliances shape Islamist women’s political participation in Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Morocco’s Justice and Development Party (JDP) and address the marginalization of Islamist women in the study of state–society politics. It also explores how Islamist women’s political organizing and framing strategies, in turn, reshape these political opportunities. To address how Islamist women respond to the changes in the POS, the chapter looks at the mobilizing mediums women utilize and their framing strategies in different political contexts. By applying mobilization and framing perspectives, the author sheds light on how the activities of Islamist women impact political elites’ backing for the movement’s agendas.
HIV Persistence in Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissues: Pharmacological Challenges and Opportunities

An increasing amount of evidence suggests that HIV replication persists in gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), despite treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Residual replication in this compartment may propagate infection at other sites in the body and contribute to sustained immune dysregulation and delayed immune recovery. Therefore, it is important to focus efforts on eliminating residual replication at this site. There are several challenges to accomplishing this goal, including low antiretroviral (ARV) exposure at specific tissue locations within GALT, which might be overcome by using the tools of clinical pharmacology. Here, we summarize the evidence for GALT as a site of residual HIV replication, highlight the consequences of persistent infection in tissues, identify current pharmacologic knowledge of drug exposure in GALT, define the challenges that hinder eradication from this site, and propose several avenues for pharmacologic intervention.
Red circles, embodied literacies, and neoliberalism: The art of noticing an unruly placemaking event:

This article presents a data story that illustrates unruly placemaking from an event that unfolded during a six-year research enquiry exploring the out-of-school literacies of young people in an in...
Intracranial Vessel Stenosis in a Young Patient with an MYH11 Mutation: A Case Report and Review of 2 Prior Cases

Background The MYH11 gene codes for smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, which has a critical function in maintaining vascular wall stability. Patients with this mutation most commonly have aortic and cardiac defects. Documented involvement of intracranial vessels is exceptional. Case Description A 29-year-old woman with a history of patent ductus arteriosus and aortic dissection was found to have incidental bilateral stenosis of the terminal internal carotid arteries as well as the proximal anterior cerebral arteries, middle cerebral arteries, and posterior cerebral arteries on magnetic resonance angiography that was obtained for unrelated symptoms. There was no evidence of basal collateral formation, and a generalized straightening of the vessels was observed. These angiographic findings have been typically observed in patients with ACTA2 mutations. Thus, genetic testing was pursued, which uncovered the presence of an MYH11 mutation. Follow-up imaging at 51 months demonstrated that the intracranial stenosis remained stable without evidence of basal collateral formation. She did not experience any neurologic events during the follow-up interval. Conclusions Intracranial vessel involvement in patients with MYH11 mutations is rare. Vigilant cerebrovascular monitoring should be practiced in this population to guide appropriate management. Reporting of similar cases is important to improve understanding of the development of idiopathic intracranial stenosis in young individuals.
Congruences modulo primes of the Romik sequence related to the Taylor expansion of the Jacobi theta constant $$\theta _3$$ θ 3

Recently, Romik determined (in: Ramanujan J, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11139-018-0109-5 ) the Taylor expansion of the Jacobi theta constant $$\theta _3$$ , around the point $$x=1$$ . He discovered a new integer sequence, $$(d(n))_{n=0}^\infty =1,1,-1,51,849,-26199,\ldots $$ , from which the Taylor coefficients are built, and conjectured that the numbers d(n) satisfy certain congruences. In this paper, we prove some of these conjectures, for example that $$d(n)\equiv (-1)^{n+1}$$ (mod 5) for all $$n\ge 1$$ , and that for any prime $$p\equiv 3$$ (mod 4), d(n) vanishes modulo p for all large enough n.
A 65-Year-Old Man with Leg Pain While Walking

Spinal stenosis represents a common cause of low back and lower extremity radiculopathy in middle-aged to older adults. While congenital etiology is possible, most of the focus is on canal narrowing that results from chronic spinal degeneration. As this patient population often exhibits other comorbidities associated with aging, clinicians should maintain a broad differential diagnosis. Both bilateral symptoms of central canal stenosis and unilateral pain caused by dynamic narrowing at the lateral recess or foramen may closely overlap with peripheral arterial disease, diabetic neuropathy, deep venous thrombosis, and even varicose veins. Furthermore, osteoarthritic change of the hip and knee joints may similarly produce lower extremity and back pain. In addition, stress fractures and subclinical trauma may likewise mimic the exertional and positional element of spinal stenosis. Clinicians should maintain high clinical suspicion when encountering middle-aged and elderly patients with symptoms of neurogenic claudication. Many studies have attempted to assess the predictability of these anatomic changes in determining clinical diagnosis and treatment response. Importance is still placed on concomitant history, physical examination, and imaging studies in assessing disease severity.
Macro Social Work Practice: Working for Change in a Multicultural Society: by Michael Reisch, San Diego, CA, Cognella Academic Publishing, 2019, 636 pp., $99 (paperback), ISBN # 978-1516507537

Professor Michael Reisch has written a book designed to satisfy several related goals, while maintaining an aim of enhancing bachelor and master’s social work education. Namely, this text seeks to ...
A Case Report on Diagnostic Approach of a Complex Clinical Scenario: Differentiation Between Coronary Artery Disease and Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy as a Cause of Recurrent Debilitating Angina.

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) is a clinical challenge when presenting with symptoms of angina plus shortness of breath. An appropriate diagnosis of concurrent coronary artery disease (CAD) is needed for proper diagnosis, risk stratification, and management. We present a case of a 64-year-old gentleman with a history of ApHCM and CAD with previous percutaneous intervention presenting with recurrent angina. A repeat coronary angiography showed no new obstructive lesions. A stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed, which showed perfusion defect in the apex with apical scarring likely secondary to microvascular disease. The patient was managed medically with the improvement of symptoms. Diagnosis and management of CAD in patients with ApHCM are challenging. Multiple diagnostic modalities may be required for delineating the underlying pathology. Patients should be managed initially with medications. If symptoms are not controlled with medical management, a heart team approach with referral to an advanced center experienced in apical myectomy should be considered.
Deep Understanding of Technical Documents: An Enhancement on Diagrams Understanding

Humans are capable of understanding the knowledge that is included in technical documents automatically by consciously combining the information that is presented in the document’s individual modal...
A comparison of different machine learning algorithms using single channel EEG signal for classifying human sleep stages

In recent years, the estimation of human sleep disorders from Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals have played an important role in developing automatic detection of sleep stages. A few methods exist in the market presently towards this aim. However, sleep physicians may not have full assurance and consideration in such methods due to concerns associated with systems accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. This paper presents a novel and efficient technique that can be implemented in a microcontroller device to identify sleep stages in an effort to assist physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of related sleep disorders by enhancing the accuracy of the developed algorithm using a single channel of EEG signals. First, the dataset of EEG signal is filtered and decomposed into delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma subbands using Butterworth band-pass filters. Second, a set of sample statistical discriminating features are derived from each frequency band. Finally, sleep stages consisting of Wakefulness, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) are classified using several supervised machine learning classifiers including multi-class Support Vector Machines (SVM), Decision Trees (DT), Neural Networks (NN), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Naive Bayes (NB). This paper combines REM with Stage 1 NREM due to data similarities. Performance is then compared based on single channel EEG signals that were obtained from 20 healthy subjects. The results show that the proposed technique using DT classifier efficiently achieves high accuracy of 97.30% in differentiating sleeps stages. Also, a comparison of our method with some recent available works in the literature reiterates the high classification accuracy performance.
MAS Infrastructure: Definitions, Needs and Prospects

This paper attempts to articulate the general role of infrastructure for multi-agent systems (MAS), and why infrastructure is a particularly critical issue if we are to increase the visibility and impact of multi-agent systems as a universal technology and solution. Second, it presents my current thinking on the socio-technical content of the needed infrastructure in four different corners of the multi-agent systems world: science, education, application, and use.
Conditional Distribution Approximations

Often inference for a subset of model parameters is desired, and the others are treated as nuisance parameters. Among the many methods for attacking this problem is conditional inference, in which sufficient statistics for nuisance parameters are conditioned on. Calculations involving these conditional distributions are often quite difficult. This chapter will develop methods for approximating densities and distribution functions for conditional distributions.
Serum, Retinal, Choroidal Vitreal Vitamin E Concentrations in Human Infants

Vitamin E is being used as an antioxidant in preterm neonates in an attempt to decrease the severity of retinopathy of prematurity. However, its efficacy may depend on many factors, a major one being its concentration in the retina. There is very little information available on the alpha-tocopherol levels in the human eye tissue. The present study was carried out to determine the total alpha-tocopherol levels in the retina, choroid, and vitreous and to compare the retinal levels with the serum levels obtained at the time of death. Thirteen whole eye donations were available during the past 22 months for the study. The data from this small number of cases showed that retinal levels of alpha-tocopherol were higher than choroidal and vitreal levels; higher serum levels were associated with higher retinal levels; and both serum and retinal alpha-tocopherol levels were lower in the unsupplemented (group A) infants. Further studies on pharmacokinetics of vitamin E in human newborns and its distribution are needed.
Obesity‐susceptibility loci and the tails of the pediatric BMI distribution

Objective: To determine whether previously identified adult obesity susceptibility loci were associated uniformly with childhood BMI across the BMI distribution. Design and Methods: Children were recruited through the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (n = 7,225). Associations between the following loci and BMI were assessed using quantile regression: FTO (rs3751812), MC4R (rs12970134), TMEM18 (rs2867125), BDNF (rs6265), TNNI3K (rs1514175), NRXN3 (rs10146997), SEC16B (rs10913469), and GNPDA2 (rs13130484). BMI z-score (age and gender adjusted) was modeled as the dependent variable, and genotype risk score (sum of risk alleles carried at the 8 loci) was modeled as the independent variable. Results: Each additional increase in genotype risk score was associated with an increase in BMI z-score at the 5th, 15th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 85th, and 95th BMI z-score percentiles by 0.04 (±0.02, P = 0.08), 0.07 (±0.01, P = 9.58 × 10−7), 0.07 (±0.01, P = 1.10 × 10−8), 0.09 (±0.01, P = 3.13 × 10−22), 0.11 (±0.01, P = 1.35 × 10−25), 0.11 (±0.01, P = 1.98 × 10−20), and 0.06 (±0.01, P = 2.44 × 10−6), respectively. Each additional increase in genotype risk score was associated with an increase in mean BMI z-score by 0.08 (±0.01, P = 4.27 × 10−20). Conclusion: Obesity risk alleles were more strongly associated with increases in BMI z-score at the upper tail compared to the lower tail of the distribution.
Transition from complex craters to multi-ringed basins on terrestrial planetary bodies: Scale-dependent role of the expanding melt cavity and progressive interaction with the displaced zone

[1] The observed differences between complex craters and multi-ringed basins are described and a combined “transient cavity/displaced zone/melt cavity” model is explored to account for the observations. In this “nested melt-cavity model”, the increasing influence of the percentage of the target undergoing impact melting at the sub-impact point with increasing size (the differential melt scaling of Cintala and Grieve [1998]) causes fundamental changes in the nature of the transient cavity, its relationship to the displaced zone, and its short-term collapse behavior. The transition from complex craters to two-ring basins involves expansion of the melting front into the displaced zone, formation of a two-component excavation cavity, and a concomitant radial expansion outward of the zone of maximum elastic rebound. The short-term modification stage is then dominated by the strength differences between the fluid melt in the inner cavity and rocks of the displaced zone; the highly shocked rocks at the outer margin of the expanded parabolic melting front rebound to form the expanded peak ring, moving upward and laterally inward, easily displacing fluid melt filling the inner depression. At larger sizes, differential melt scaling causes the peak ring diameter to expand relatively more rapidly than the basin rim, and upon collapse, the increased volume of melt ponds in the rebounded melt cavity inside the expanding peak ring. As the transient melt cavity further increases proportionally in size, it penetrates through the base of the displaced zone with significant consequences. The resulting modification stage now incorporates into the collapse process inward and upward movement along the base of the displaced zone; listric failure occurs inward into the fluid melt cavity beginning at the edge of the melt cavity and extending out along the base of the displaced zone up to the base of the rim structural uplift (at ∼1.5 crater radii). This forms an additional outer ring and a resulting megaterrace, modifying the radial ejecta on the collapsed rim to form a domical facies. At multi-ring basin scales, the significantly deeper penetration that occurs in the expanding melt cavity accounts for the maximum crustal thickness decrease that occurs inside the peak ring in the final basin. Early onset and higher density of peak ring basins on Mercury is predicted by higher mean impact velocity and differential melt scaling.
N-Acetylaspartate reductions in brain injury: impact on post-injury neuroenergetics, lipid synthesis, and protein acetylation

N-Acetylaspartate (NAA) is employed as a non-invasive marker for neuronal health using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). This utility is afforded by the fact that NAA is one of the most concentrated brain metabolites and that it produces the largest peak in MRS scans of the healthy human brain. NAA levels in the brain are reduced proportionately to the degree of tissue damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the reductions parallel the reductions in ATP levels. Because NAA is the most concentrated acetylated metabolite in the brain, we have hypothesized that NAA acts in part as an extensive reservoir of acetate for acetyl coenzyme A synthesis. Therefore, the loss of NAA after TBI impairs acetyl coenzyme A dependent functions including energy derivation, lipid synthesis and protein acetylation reactions in distinct ways in different cell populations. The enzymes involved in synthesizing and metabolizing NAA are predominantly expressed in neurons and oligodendrocytes respectively, and therefore some proportion of NAA must be transferred between cell types before the acetate can be liberated, converted to acetyl coenzyme A and utilized. Studies have indicated that glucose metabolism in neurons is reduced, but that acetate metabolism in astrocytes is increased following TBI, possibly reflecting an increased role for non-glucose energy sources in response to injury. NAA can provide additional acetate for intercellular metabolite trafficking to maintain acetyl CoA levels after injury. Here we explore changes in NAA, acetate and acetyl coenzyme A metabolism in response to brain injury.
Significance of hepatic expression of hepatitis C viral antigens in chronic hepatitis C.

To determine the significance of hepatic expression of hepatitis C viral (HCV) antigens, HCV core and NS4 antigens were detected by immunohistochemistry in 46 patients with chronic HCV infection. Serum HCV RNA was quantitated by branched DNA assay in 41 and HCV genotype determined in 30 patients. HCV core and NS4 antigens were detected exclusively in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in 83% and 61% of patients, respectively. There was no correlation between the expression of HCV antigens and clinical, biochemical, histological parameters and HCV genotype. Hepatic expression of HCV antigens was positively associated with serum HCV-RNA levels (P<0.02). At the end of interferon-α (IFN) therapy, expression of HCV antigens remained either unchanged or decreased in 11/12 patients studied (undetectable in all four patients who had complete and sustained response). We conclude that hepatic expression of HCV core and NS4 antigens parallels serum HCV-RNA levels and IFN therapy reduces hepatic expression of these viral antigens.
Investigations of a new family of alkaline-fluoride-carbonate electrolytes for zinc/nickel oxide cells

A new family of reduced-alkalinity electrolytes containing fluoride and carbonate anions significantly extends the cycle-life performance of zinc/nickel oxide cells. Various compositions of this family of electrolytes, with a range of KOH concentrations from 2 to 6.9 M, were characterized for zinc/nickel oxide cell cycle-life and power performance, and their conductivities were measured for a range of operating temperatures. The optimum composition for this type of electrolyte based on these criteria was determined to be 3.2--4.5 M KOH with 2 M KF, 2 M K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, 0.5 M, LiF (suspension), and saturated ZnO. The cycle-life performance for 1.4 Ah sealed cells with the optimum electrolytes is 425--460 cycles to 80% of initial capacity, compared to 75--100 cycles for the conventional highly alkaline electrolyte, 6.8 M:1 M KOH-LiOH, saturated ZnO, a factor of 5 improvement.
A study of the pharmacodynamic differences between immediate and extended release bumetanide formulations

Optimized bumetanide extended (ER) and immediate release (IR) formulations were developed using fluid bed layering and coating techniques. We postulated that the ER bumetanide formulation would have more effective and sustained diuretic and saluretic effects than IR. The diuretic/saluretic effects of both formulations were measured in rabbits (n=8) for two days after dosing with 1 mg/kg bumetanide. During the first day, both formulations produced 2–3 times more urine volume and sodium excretion than baseline. In the first 24 h, despite less bumetanide excretion from the ER formulation (101±13.9 μg/kg compared to 146±14.6 μg/kg for the IR formulation; P<0.04); the ER formulation produced diuresis and natriuresis that was equivalent to that of the IR formulation. In contrast, urine production in the IR formulation group fell below that of placebo controls on day 2. During the second day, the ER formulation was noted to produce persistent bumetanide excretion; the diuretic and natriuretic effects were not statistically significant from baseline control. We speculate that the decrease in response to bumetanide observed especially for the IR formulation during the second day may be due to the activation of compensatory counter-regulatory homeostatic mechanism(s). We conclude that the ER formulation had similar diuretic/saluretic effects but better drug excretion to urine production efficiencies than the IR formulation in the healthy rabbit model. The ER formulation, while providing comparable diuretic/saluretic effect to the IR formulation, offers the advantage of avoiding the initial, rapid and robust diuretic effect experienced with the IR formulations. Taken together, the data provide sufficient basis to warrant further investigation and refinement of our ER bumetanide formulation in humans.
Small-angle scattering of hydrogen atoms and protons in various gases

Cross sections have been measured for the differential (in angle) scattering of 15-keV H$sup +$ and H$sup 0$ in targets of He, Ar, H$sub 2$, and N$sub 2$. Separate cross sections are presented for scattering projectiles in the singly charged (H$sup +$), neutral (H$sup 0$), and negatively charge (H$sup - $) states; scattering angles range from 0.5 to 10 deg. Summing these constituent cross sections we arrive at a ''total'' cross section for scattering all projectiles into a particular angle. This ''total'' differential cross section is compared with predictions using a simple screened Coulomb potential; for the molecular targets the cross section is taken to be twice that for the corresponding atom. For H$sup +$ and H$sup 0$ impact on He and H$sub 2$ the measured cross section agrees with the predicted value; in these cases the effect of screening is negligible. For H$sup +$ and H$sup 0$ impact on Ar and N$sub 2$ the measurements agree fairly well with the screened Coulomb calculation at angles up to 1.5 deg and then fall lower than the predictions at larger angles; theory and experiment differ by a factor of 2 at 10 deg in one case. For all cases considered themore » formation of scattered H$sup -$ ions occurs in less than 2% of the collision events.« less
Techniques for improving overlay accuracy by using device correlated metrology targets as reference

The performance of overlay metrology as total measurement uncertainty, design rule compatibility, device correlation, and measurement accuracy has been challenged at the 2× nm node and below. The process impact on overlay metrology is becoming critical, and techniques to improve measurement accuracy become increasingly important. We present a methodology for improving the overlay accuracy. A propriety quality metric, Qmerit, is used to identify overlay metrology measurement settings with the least process impacts and reliable accuracies. Using the quality metric, a calibration method, Archer self-calibration, is then used to remove the inaccuracies. Accuracy validation can be achieved by correlation to reference overlay data from another independent metrology source such as critical dimension–scanning electron microscopy data collected on a device correlated metrology hybrid target or by electrical testing. Additionally, reference metrology can also be used to verify which measurement conditions are the most accurate. We provide an example of such a case.
Institutional Staff Training and Management: A Review of the Literature and a Model for Geriatric, Long-Term-Care Facilities.

In geriatric, long-term-care facilities, nursing assistants (NA) fulfill a primarily custodial function, and the manner in which they interact with patients can reinforce dependent behavior. If the goal of long-term-care is to progress from the custodial model to a therapeutic model of rehabilitation, the role of the NA must be redesigned. Effective training and management systems will be needed to teach new skills and to assure performance of these skills during daily work activities. This article reviews current methods of institutional staff training and management and proposes a model fox geriatric, long-term-care facilities. Organizational resistance is discussed, and suggestions are made for enhancing cooperation.
Autumatic Border Detection to Assess Right Ventricular Function Following Surgical Treatment of Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Automatic border detection (ABD) has been developed as a potentially useful means for evaluating ventricular function on line in an automatic fashion. Its success with tracking left ventricular function is established, but little is known about its ability to assess right ventricular (RV) function. Accordingly, 20 patients with severe pulmonary hypertension due to chronic thromboembolic disease underwent standard two-dimensional echocardiography and imaging with ABD before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy to correct pulmonary hypertension. ABD-derived results were compared to manually planimetered RV areas calculated from the apical four-chamber view. Doppler tricuspid regurgitant velocity fell significantly with surgery from 4.4 +/- 0.6 to 2.9 +/- 0.7 m/sec (P < 0.001). The mean values for RV areas derived by manual planimetry and ABD were similar, as was fractional area shortening, which improved significantly with surgery (manual 0.24 +/- 0.01 preoperative vs 0.31 +/- 0.11 postoperative, P < 0.05; and ABD 0.19 +/- 0.05 preoperative vs 0.32 +/- 0.15 postoperative, P < 0.001). There was, however, very little correlation between the individual values for ABD versus manually derived RV areas and fractional area shortening, with the best correlation being the RV end-diastolic areas after surgery (y = 0.684x + 7.9, r = 0.564, P = 0.01). These results demonstrate that both manually planimetered RV areas and those determined by ABD can adequately follow changes in ventricular function over time. However, variability within each technique may prevent direct comparison of the absolute values of the two techniques. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 13, March 1996)
Molding Optical Wavefronts Using Phase Discontinuities

The phase response of plasmonic antennas is used to create designer interfaces, based on which we demonstrated generalized laws of reflection and refraction in the presence of phase discontinuities and created optical vortex beams.
Photolysis of nootkatone—an unusual intramolecular photocyclisation

Photolysis of the principal flavouring constituent in grapefruit, nootkatone, leads to a number of products. One of these has been isolated and its structure has been determined by a variety of spectral methods on the parent compound and on its derivatives. The product arises by an unusual photochemical transformation which is a result of the unique geometry of the nootkatone molecule.
Quantizer-induced digital controller limit cycles

Limit-cycle oscillations can occur in recursive digital controllers, due to the finite resolution of the computational data word. Controllers are usually formed from first- and second-order structures, arranged in parallel, in cascade, or in a combination of these. A first-order structure cannot sustain a stable limit cycle, but a second-order structure can. A simple criterion, based on the describing function of a quantizer, is developed and presented for predicting the amplitudes and frequencies of quantizer-induced limit-cycle oscillations in second-order digital filter structures.
Regulation and technological change in the American meat industry

Abstract The effects of regulation upon technological change in the American meat industry in the period between 1950 and 1978 are examined in terms of the relationship between three alternative models — neoclassical, X-efficiency, and technological exogeneity —and the behavior of regulatory agencies. The paper is based upon patent data, equipment approvals by the United States Department of Agriculture and interviews with meat equipment and meat processing firms. Each theory was found to account for some of the observed transactions between regulation and technological change. Conversely, no single theory encompasses all observed effects. Regulations have added to the cost of developing new products. Increased uncertainty in the late 1970s over the standards sought by regulatory agencies have similarly increased the uncertainties of the profitability of R&D in selected product lines. This uncertainty was also found to be inducing firms to substitute product development via mergers for their own R&D. The Humane Slaughter Act was the proximate spur for technological advances that lead to a rationalization of production processes. The innovations that resulted from this act and from other regulatory standards highlighted, in accordance with the X-efficiency framework, technological opportunities that existed prior to and independent of changes in regulatory standards. Much of the momentum for technological change in the industry was shaped by an initial set of technological advances and the subsequent working through of production bottlenecks in an interrelated production system. These advances were largely independent of and unaffected by regulatory standards. Indeed, there is reason to believe that regulatory standards may themselves have an element of endogeneity in terms of the feasible set of best practice techniques. Thus at any particular time, technological change may serve to generate a production frontier towards which a regulatory agency might seem to propel an industry. Overall, our judgment is that regulation had little discernible impact on the pace of technological change related to the production and distribution of ground beef in the period between 1950 and 1978. If there has been any net effect, regulation probably served more to stimulate than to inhibit technological change.
Donor spectroscopy in GaAs

Abstract The far i.r. absorption and photoconductivity spectra of high purity n-type epitaxial GaAs has been measured. These spectra are interpreted on the basis of a shallow donor whose ionization energy is approximately 0.0046 eV.