cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strict Control of Blood Glucose With an Intravenous Insulin Infusion Decreases the Risk of Post-operative Lower Extremity Weakness After Complex Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

Objective/background It has previously been shown that post-operative lower extremity weakness (LEW) is associated with elevated blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose levels after branched endovascular aneurysms repair (BEVAR) of extensive aortic aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a post-operative insulin infusion protocol (IIP) to achieve tight blood glucose control decreases the rate of LEW. Methods From October 2013, blood and CSF samples were collected pre-operatively, immediately post-operatively, and on post-operative day one in asymptomatic patients undergoing BEVAR. In July 2016, an IIP was initiated to maintain post-operative blood glucose levels Results Between October 2013 and April 2018, 43 patients underwent BEVAR. Twenty-two (group A) underwent BEVAR before initiation of the IIP. Of these, seven (32%) developed LEW within 48 h of repair. This was temporary in five (23%) and permanent in two (9%) patients. Post-operative blood glucose levels were significantly higher in patients with LEW compared with those without LEW (140 ± 27 mg/dL vs. 117 ± 16 mg/dL; p = .02). Post-operative CSF glucose levels were significantly higher in patients with LEW compared with those without LEW (102 ± 15 mg/dL vs. 77 ± 15 mg/dL; p = .001). The subsequent 21 patients (group B) underwent BEVAR after initiation of the IIP. No patient in group B developed LEW while on the IIP, but one (5%) developed paraplegia on post-operative day four. The rate of early LEW ( Conclusion An IIP to control blood glucose after BEVAR is associated with a decreased rate of post-operative LEW. Tight control of blood glucose should be considered after any extensive aortic reconstruction to minimise the risk of post-operative LEW.
Gibbs Distribution Based Antenna Splitting and User Scheduling in Full Duplex Massive MIMO Systems

A Gibbs distribution based combinatorial optimization algorithm for joint antenna splitting and user scheduling problem in full duplex massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system is proposed in this paper. The optimal solution of this problem can be determined by exhaustive search. However, the complexity of this approach becomes prohibitive in practice when the sample space is large, which is usually the case in massive MIMO systems. Our algorithm overcomes this drawback by converting the original problem into a Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence minimization problem, and solving it through a related dynamical system via a stochastic gradient descent method. Using this approach, we improve the spectral efficiency (SE) of the system by performing joint antenna splitting and user scheduling. Additionally, numerical results show that the SE curves obtained with our proposed algorithm overlap with the curves achieved by exhaustive search for user scheduling.
The dynamics of political power: The socio-technical transition of California’s electricity system to renewable energy

Abstract Global electricity generation depends on fossil fuels as a primary fuel and the negative environmental consequences of fossil fuel combustion are well known. This makes transitioning electricity generation to renewable energy sources a critical component of climate change mitigation. Energy transitions involve complex socio-technical systems, extending beyond economics or policy to include societal relationships with energy such as processes of manifesting societal will as policy decisions. Yet current energy-economy-climate-models are economy-policy centric and fail to include such socio-technical feedbacks in energy transition dynamics, especially the influence of policy formation on the rate of energy transitions. This missing feedback is incorporated into a system dynamics model of California’s electricity generation. The model is grounded in the advocacy coalition framework and examines competition between pro-fossil and pro-renewable interest’s influence on policy formation dynamics. Results show policy volatility, where competition drives inconsistent policy enactment and lifespan. This impacts transition dynamics as policies influence profitability analyses, and subsequent decisions in new generation capacity investments. Political lock-in was hypothesized to be the most critical influence on transition dynamics, as well-funded pro-fossil policy manipulation creates barriers to renewable energy that green advocacy coalitions struggle to overcome. However, results show this is less influential than anticipated and carbon lock-in, defined as the long lifespan of fossil fuel technologies, is also a critical driver of transition rates. Early retirement of fossil fuel electricity generation technologies allows current investment dynamics to favor higher capacities of renewables. This is a novel finding, and an open area for future research.
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Primary Breast Lymphoma: The Cleveland Clinic Experience.

Introduction Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare malignancy that accounts for less than 0.5% of all breast malignancies. Materials and Methods We retrospectively analyzed 36 PBL patients to report the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with indolent and aggressive histologic subtypes. Results Thirteen (36%) patients had aggressive and 23 (64%) had indolent PBL. Marginal zone lymphoma was the most common histologic subtype (33%). Stage IE, IIE, and IV disease were seen in 27 (75%), six (17%), and three (8%) patients, respectively. Patients with aggressive PBL more often presented with a breast lump and/or B symptoms (unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats) (78% vs. 31%, p = 0.005). Commonly used treatment modalities for aggressive vs. indolent PBL were chemotherapy alone (23% vs. 26%, p = 0.8), chemoradiotherapy (46% vs. 9%, p = 0.009), radiotherapy alone (15% vs. 22%, p = 0.6), and observation (0% vs. 26%, p = 0.07), respectively. The five-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of PBL patients were 82% (95% CI: 67 - 100) and 63% (95% CI: 45 - 89), respectively. The five-year OS of patients with aggressive vs. indolent PBL were 92% (95% CI: 77 - 100) vs. 80% (95% CI: 63 - 100), respectively (p = 0.6). The five-year OS of patients who received > 1, 1, and 0 treatment modalities were 92% (95% CI: 77 - 100), 86% (95% CI: 63 - 100), and 53% (95% CI: 21 - 100), respectively. Conclusion In our cohort, the higher utilization of chemoradiotherapy in aggressive PBL was able to overcome the worse prognosis of these patients. At least one treatment modality should be considered in patients with indolent PBL, given that observation alone was associated with a poor prognosis.
The RNA-binding protein PTBP1 promotes ATPase-dependent dissociation of the RNA helicase UPF1 to protect transcripts from nonsense-mediated mRNA decay

The sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins PTBP1 (polypyrimidine tract–binding protein 1) and HNRNP L (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L) protect mRNAs from nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) by preventing the UPF1 RNA helicase from associating with potential decay targets. Here, by analyzing in vitro helicase activity, dissociation of UPF1 from purified mRNPs, and transcriptome-wide UPF1 RNA binding, we present the mechanistic basis for inhibition of NMD by PTBP1. Unlike mechanisms of RNA stabilization that depend on direct competition for binding sites among protective RNA-binding proteins and decay factors, PTBP1 promotes displacement of UPF1 already bound to potential substrates. Our results show that PTBP1 directly exploits the tendency of UPF1 to release RNA upon ATP binding and hydrolysis. We further find that UPF1 sensitivity to PTBP1 is coordinated by a regulatory loop in domain 1B of UPF1. We propose that the UPF1 regulatory loop and protective proteins control kinetic proofreading of potential NMD substrates, presenting a new model for RNA helicase regulation and target selection in the NMD pathway.
Ribosome-mediated polymerization of long chain carbon and cyclic amino acids into peptides in vitro.

Ribosome-mediated polymerization of backbone-extended monomers into polypeptides is challenging due to their poor compatibility with the translation apparatus, which evolved to use α-L-amino acids. Moreover, mechanisms to acylate (or charge) these monomers to transfer RNAs (tRNAs) to make aminoacyl-tRNA substrates is a bottleneck. Here, we rationally design non-canonical amino acid analogs with extended carbon chains (γ-, δ-, e-, and ζ-) or cyclic structures (cyclobutane, cyclopentane, and cyclohexane) to improve tRNA charging. We then demonstrate site-specific incorporation of these non-canonical, backbone-extended monomers at the N- and C- terminus of peptides using wild-type and engineered ribosomes. This work expands the scope of ribosome-mediated polymerization, setting the stage for new medicines and materials. Backbone extended monomers are poorly compatible with the natural ribosomes, impeding their polymerization into polypeptides. Here the authors design non-canonical amino acid analogs with cyclic structures or extended carbon chains and used an engineered ribosome to improve tRNA-charging and incorporation into peptides.
Negative pressure therapy for stoma closure sites-a nonrandomised case control study.

The PICO (Smith & Nephew, UK) dressing is a single use negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) system that is designed to be used for up to 7 days for closed wounds. We aimed to assess its use for stoma closure wounds. We conducted a retrospective analysis of stoma reversal wounds from April 2018 to June 2019. The wound was partially closed with an absorbable subcutaneous suture in a purse-string fashion. A 15 cm × 15 cm PICO dressing was applied directly over this wound. A control group who had received partial purse string closure with packing over the same time period was identified. Patients were contacted and information collected using a questionnaire. The primary outcome measure was the number of visits for dressing changes in the community. Further information was collected about length of stay, time to resolution of pain and return to work. On average, the patients with PICO dressings attended the community nurses 1.9 times. The patients in the PICO group stated it took 1–2 weeks to return to full work/daily activities. The control group averaged attending the community nurse 11.9 times, and 33% had not returned to work/daily activities in 1–2 weeks. Those who had a PICO dressing required fewer visits to the community nurse and the majority were able to return to work or resume usual activities within 1 to 2 weeks. This pilot study suggests that negative pressure dressings may be a useful aid for stoma closure site wounds.
The Influence of Peer Relationships on Latina Adolescents' Experiences with Depressive Symptoms.

Abstract Purpose Previous research has demonstrated that peers may play an integral role in the development of depressive symptoms among Latina adolescents; however, little is known about the function of peers in the ongoing management of depressive symptoms for Latina adolescents. The purpose of this study was to describe how peers influence Latina adolescents' experiences with the onset and ongoing management of depressive symptoms. Design and methods Qualitative descriptive methods were used in conducting semi-structured interviews with twenty-five young Latinas (ages 13–20) who had a history of depressive symptoms during adolescence. Participants were asked to describe their experiences with depressive symptoms and how they interacted with others in relation to their depressive symptoms. Thematic analysis methods were used to identify common themes in how peers influenced Latina adolescents' experiences with depressive symptoms. Results Latina adolescents experienced tensions with peers in the development, disclosure, and self-management of depressive symptoms. Peers were: 1) allies and bullies; 2) confidants and betrayers; and 3) up-lifters and downers. Conclusions Peer relationships can be a source of risk and resiliency for Latina adolescents throughout the process of experiencing depressive symptoms. Practice implications Interventions preventing or treating depression among Latina adolescents should capitalize on the strengths of peer relationships, while recognizing that peers may also contribute to risk.
Relational partners’ uncertainty management: testing the moderating effect of context in the theory of motivated information management

Distinct contexts present different communication challenges, which may influence the processes through which uncertainty motivates information management. To understand the potential moderating ef...
Data-driven learning of impactor strength properties from shock experiments with additively manufactured materials

In this work we demonstrate a method for leveraging high-fidelity, multi-physics simulations of high-speed impacts in a particular manufactured material to encode prior information regarding the impactor material's strength properties. Our simulations involve a material composed of stacked cylindrical ligaments impacted by a high-velocity aluminum plate. We show that deep neural networks of relatively simple architecture can be trained on the simulations to make highly-accurate inferences of the strength properties of the impactor material. We detail our neural architectures and the considerations that went into their design. In addition, we discuss the simplicity of our network architecture which lends itself to interpretability of learned features in radiographic observations.
Why China Won't Rescue North Korea: What to Expect If Things Fall Apart

Over the last two decades, Chinese relations with North Korea have deteriorated drastically behind the scenes, as China has tired of North Korea’s insolent behavior and reassessed its own interests on the peninsula. Today, China is no longer wedded to North Korea’s survival. In the event of a conflict or the regime’s collapse, Chinese forces would intervene to a degree not previously expected—not to protect Beijing’s supposed ally but to secure its own interests.
Investigating weaknesses in Android certificate security

Android's application market relies on secure certificate generation to establish trust between applications and their users; yet, cryptography is often not a priority for application developers and many fail to take the necessary security precautions. Indeed, there is cause for concern: several recent high-profile studies have observed a pervasive lack of entropy on Web-systems leading to the factorization of private keys.1 Sufficient entropy, or randomness, is essential to generate secure key pairs and combat predictable key generation. In this paper, we analyze the security of Android certificates. We investigate the entropy present in 550,000 Android application certificates using the Quasilinear GCD finding algorithm.1 Our results show that while the lack of entropy does not appear to be as ubiquitous in the mobile markets as on Web-systems, there is substantial reuse of certificates only one third of the certificates in our dataset were unique. In other words, we find that organizations frequently reuse certificates for different applications. While such a practice is acceptable under Google's specifications for a single developer, we find that in some cases the same certificates are used for a myriad of developers, potentially compromising Android's intended trust relationships. Further, we observed duplicate certificates being used by both malicious and non-malicious applications. The top 3 repeated certificates present in our dataset accounted for a total of 11,438 separate APKs. Of these applications, 451, or roughly 4%, were identified as malicious by antivirus services.
Tombstone Technology: Deathscapes in Asia, the U.K. and the U.S.

This chapter examines QR codes and the impact of smartphone technology on tombstones and column bariums. It briefly surveys Human-Computer Interaction related to smartchip technology in the funeral industry in Japan, Korea, China, the United Kingdom and the United States. Then it examines how tombstone technology impacts the way people think about death and remember the dead, particularly in terms of religious expression.
Fabrication and Process Modeling

A necessary precondition for successful piezoresistor design is an accurate model for the fabrication process. In particular, we require a model that can predict the dopant concentration profile of the piezoresistor in terms of fabrication input parameters (e.g. predeposition time and temperature). The dopant concentration profile determines the charge carrier and electrical resistivity profiles. As we saw in the last section, these quantities determine the noise, sensitivity and resolution of a sensor. This chapter will focus on accurately modeling the most common piezoresistor fabrication techniques.
The Quest for Self: The Labyrinth in the Fiction of Lawrence Durrell

Along with the figure of Narcissus, Durrell's image of the labyrinth commands center stage in his work—art made live through imitation so that life might imitate, might be, art. Thus humankind might live more fully and completely. Durrell's work mentions the labyrinth most prominently in The Dark Labyrinth; Tunc and Numquam in The Revolt of Aphrodite; Justine, Balthazar, and Clea in The Alexandria Quartet; and Monsieur, Constance, and Quinx in The Avignon Quintet. Clearly the image has been both ubiquitous and constant in Durrell's thought, the vulnerable omphalos of mankind's body and experience, the center of creation and destruction, itself beyond both time and causation.
Statistical Methods for Modeling Home Values

Recent problems in the economy have focused a spotlight on some of the problems that existed in the Real Estate industry during the past several years. Many of the current economic problems are a direct result of overly optimistic valuations of home prices. This article addresses specific problems relating to subjective home price valuations. The method outlined here gives a framework for a home buyer to validate the asking price or accessed value of a home value quoted by a realtor or appraiser.
Separation and characterization of the subunits of ribonucleic acid polymerase.

Abstract This paper presents studies on the subunit structure of Escherichia coli DNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Phosphocellulose column purified enzyme is denatured and its polypeptide chains separated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 in the presence of 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate. The amino acid compositions, molecular weights, NH2 terminal amino acids, and molar ratios of these polypeptide chains are presented. It is concluded that phosphocellulose enzyme has the structure α2ββ' where the molecular weights of the chains α, β, and β' are 39,000 ± 5%, 155,000 ± 10%, and 165,000 ± 10%, respectively. In addition, a small protein component, ω, with molecular weight of 9,000 ± 10% is observed. These subunits are not joined together by disulfide linkages. From these data one can compute a molecular weight of 400,000 ± 10% for the monomeric form of the phosphocellulose purified polymerase.
Soil Ecology of Coccidioides immitis at Amerindian Middens in California

Outbreaks of coccidioidomycosis and isolation of Coccidioides immitis have been reported from Amerindian middens. This study was undertaken to determine the most important ecological component(s) for the occurrence of C. immitis at archeological sites. Soils from 10 former Indian villages with no prior history of coccidioidal infection were collected and cultured. The physicochemical properties of the midden soils were compared with nonmidden soils and positive soils. The following theories for the sporadic distribution of the pathogen in the soil of the Lower Sonoran Life Zone were considered: (i) the Larrea tridentata (creosote bush) association, (ii) the preference for saline soils, (iii) isolation near rodent burrows, and (iv) animals as possible agents of dispersal. Results showed that a high percentage of the midden soils contained C. immitis, whereas none of the adjacent, nonmidden soils yielded the fungus. Physicochemical analyses revealed that the dark color and alkaline pH of the midden soils were due to past organic contamination. Repeated isolations were made from soils with low to moderate alkalinity. Alkalinity and sandy texture were consistent features of all soils in this study. However, the lack of any reports of nonsandy infested soils possibly indicates that the sandy texture and alkalinity may be factors in the distribution of this fungus. The organic content, soil parent material, and color were not important in the soil ecology. L. tridentata was not significant in the macroflora at the infested sites surveyed. Samples collected without reference to rodent burrows yielded a high percentage of recoveries. Animals, although not the major natural reservoir, cannot be ignored as possible factors in the ecology of C. immitis.
Fuzzy Reinforcement Learning and Dynamic Programming

In this paper, we develop a new algorithm called Fuzzy Q-Learning (or FQ-Learning) which extends Watkin's Q-Learning method. It can be used for decision processes in which the goals and/or the constraints, but not necessarily the system under control, are fuzzy in nature. An example of a fuzzy constraint is: “the weight of object A must not be substantially heavier than w” where w is a specified weight. Similarly, an example of a fuzzy goal is: “the robot must be in the vicinity of door k”. We show that FQ-Learning provides an alternative solution to this problem which is simpler than the Bellman-Zadeh's fuzzy dynamic programming approach. We apply the algorithm to a multistage decision making problem.
β Hydrogen bonding: Part 28. NMR study of β-CH to 14N coupling as a function of hydration of tetraethylammonium halides

Abstract Tetraethylammonium ion in dilute aqueous solution shows clearly resolved coupling between 14N and the β-CH of the methyl groups; this coupling is absent in the lowest liquid hydrates of the halide salts. Observation of the development of coupling as the lowest liquid hydrates are diluted suggests that the cation forms an initial clathrate with the first 6–7 mol of water, and that formation of this clathrate is independent of anion. Additional water may result in a larger, looser hydration shell; however, the formation of this second structure is anion dependent.
Clearance of circulating radiochromated albumin and erythrocytes by the gastrointestinal tract of normal subjects.

Summary Gastrointestinal clearances of 51 Cr-albumin and 51 Cr-erythrocytes were measured in 19 normal subjects in 40 separate studies. Albumin clearances were conducted after equilibrium had been established between intravascular and extravascular compartments. Daily albumin clearance through the gut averaged 1.73 g, and mean daily erythrocyte clearance was 0.44 ml, equivalent to 33.58 ml of serum and 1.01 ml of whole blood, respectively. Attempts to derive correction factors for incomplete stool collections by the use of daily polyethylene glycol ingestion and fecal assay were unsuccessful because of incomplete recovery of the marker in fecal specimens. The rapid clearance of albumin in contrast to erythrocytes suggests that albumin enters the gut lumen in a selective fashion or from multiple compartments, or both, rather than from a simple open-ended vascular space.
Model Predictive Lateral Pulse Jet Control of an Atmospheric Rocket

Uncontrolled direct fire atmospheric rockets exhibit high impact point dispersion, even at relatively short range, and, as such, have been employed as area weapons on the battlefield. To reduce the dispersion of a direct fire rocket, the use of a small number of short-duration lateral pulses acting as a control mechanism is investigated. A unique control law is reported that combines model predictive control and linear projectile theory for lateral pulse jet control of an atmospheric rocket. The impact point in the target plane is directly controlled. Through simulation, this model predictive flight control law is shown to efficiently reduce direct fire rocket dispersion. A parametric trade study on an example rocket configuration is reported that details the effect of the number and amplitude of individual pulse jets, as well as the effect of the flight control system computation cycle time.
Safe Adaptive Control for Performance Improvement

In the past fifty years, adaptive control theory has reached a high level of maturity. However, applications of adaptive control in safety sensitive systems are still very limited. Conventional identifier based adaptive control may lead to poor transients during the learning process due to the conflict between parameter estimation and control. Their nonlinear nature makes it difficult to check stability and robustness bounds as done in the linear time invariant (LTI) case. As a result in applications where safety is at stake practitioners are reluctant to close the loop using an identifier based adaptive controller. In this paper, we propose a novel adaptive controller, referred to as safe adaptive controller, which is composed of a supervisor and two candidate controllers. One candidate controller is a LTI model reference controller that can always guarantee system stability, while the other is a model reference adaptive controller that can tune its parameters to counteract the changes in the plant. The supervisor evaluates the performance of the two candidate controllers without using any plant model information and activates the candidate controller leading to better transient response. It is shown that the system stability is guaranteed as long as the non-adaptive candidate controller is stabilizing. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the proposed safe adaptive controller is able to achieve better performance than the two candidate controllers.
Mass‐Spectrometric Detection of Dimers of Nitric Oxide and Other Polyatomic Molecules

Abstract : Previous studies with Ar (see AD-637 177) have shown that the empirical extrapolation of the Ar dimer mole fraction to zero orifice size gives a value quite close to that obtained from equilibrium calculations. Such a result with Ar led to the hope that the other weakly interacting gases could be sampled at high pressures (where higher-cluster equilibria are favored), with extrapolation against orifice size being used to correct for nucleation effects during expansion. However, the polyatomic gases appear to behave quite differently. This behavior is discussed in terms of possible reasons for the low observed mole fractions of polyatomic dimer. The support that the NO results give for Fontijn and Rosner's postulate that clusters are involved in the anomalous (NO) x +O reaction rates is then briefly mentioned.
Particle radiation therapy: constraints and requirements.

Abstract Modern supervoltage radiation therapy has provided a satisfactory treatment for a variety of malignancies of specific clinical stages, but has been limited in other situations. It is imperative that we not sacrifice this known therapeutic efficacy to gain other advances. The requirements for particle radiation therapy must be related to improvement upon the best possible results of “state of the art” photon radiation therapy. There must be an increase in the therapeutic gain factor, i.e. the ratio between tumor control probability and complications. A clinician must have a firm idea of the implications of RBE differences as a function of both depth in tissue and fraction size. One must understand the carcinogenic potential of particles; the late effects reported in the early Berkeley experience are worrisome enough so that special attention should be given to late effects and intensive fibrosis. The proper fractionation must be considered from the point of view not only of RBE, but also of normal-tissue tolerance in general. There are also significant logistic questions. We must have a satisfactory particle beam as good as, and preferably better than, the supervoltage radiotherapy available today, with adequate depth dose, small penumbra and good flatness. Particle beams should be compared not only with general supervoltage results, but with supervoltage delivered in the most imaginative techniques, resulting in the optimal dose distributions possible with photons. It is critical to separate the advantages of particle radiation into those due to dose distribution and those which are biologically intrinsic to the particle beam. The former might be achieved with supervoltage radiation, while the latter appear to be a characteristic of particles. Availability of particle radiation to patients will be affected by the cost of the machine, and its ease of installation into hospital settings. Finally, other potential methods of dealing with hypoxic cells in tumors, including hypoxic sensitizers and hypertbermia, in combination with optimized dose distribution, using dynamic treatment and appropriate interstitial radiation, must be compared with particle radiation.
Theory of ultrasonic attenuation and second sound in insulators

Abstract The properties of interacting phonons are determined in a unified fashion through a study of the displacement correlation function. Expressions for the attenuation are obtained at all frequencies and for different anharmonic mechanisms in insulators and helium. Second sound is shown to be an additional phonon mode at long wavelength.
Parametric Performance Analysis Of Spaceborne Laser Communication Systems

Results of a parametric study to assess the effects of system tradeoffs and design considerations on the operational capabilities of optical communication links using laser sources and semiconductor detectors are presented. System performance was analyzed using an interactive computer program to determine parameter values required for a given bit error rate. This computer code is applicable to a wide variety of links, laser wavelengths, and background scenarios. Examples of the application of this analysis to several representative space-based laser communication systems are presented, and conclusions are reached regarding whether these systems can achieve design goals set by mission objectives.
Long-term effects of repeated methylamphetamine administration on monoamine neurons in the rhesus monkey brain

Abstract Previous studies indicate that the repeated administration of d -methylamphetamine (MA) produces a long-lasting depletion of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in various brain regions of a number of species. The objectives of the present study were: (1) to establish a short, subcutaneous injection regimen which would reliably produce the neuronal alterations; (2) to evaluate MA-induced NE depletions produced by this new regimen; and (3) to determine whether central MA-induced neuronal changes are reflected in changes in cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolite concentrations. It was observed that high doses of MA administered (s.c) over a 2-week period to rhesus monkeys decreases in DA and 5-HT, but not NE levels, in various brain regions. The decrease in caudate DA levels was accompanied by a decrease in the number of DA uptake sites, a decrease in the level of homovanillic acid (HVA) and an increase in DA turnover. This decrease in brain DA was accompanied by a decrease in the cerebrospinal fluid concentration of HVA.
The diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism: a metaphor for medicine in the evidence-based medicine era.

Background The history of pulmonary embolism (PE) provides a fascinating portrait of a well-established diagnosis and standard of care treatment moving into the age of evidence-based medicine. Methods We examined the history of PE and the practice of treating PE with anticoagulation. Results Pulmonary embolism is a diagnostic category whose definition and treatment have both changed in the past century. Initially, PE was recognizable only when massive, with the signs and symptoms of right heart failure. Anticoagulants were established as the cornerstone of PE management with a single randomized controlled trial of 35 patients in 1960 and based on commonsense pathophysiologic reasoning. Since then, the diagnostic category of PE has been broadened, and the advent of computed tomography pulmonary angiography has yielded nearly a doubling of the incidence of the disease, without a concordant decrease in mortality. Although anticoagulation remains the cornerstone of management, open questions remain: what end points are altered by anticoagulation? What is the number needed to treat? Conclusions Trials of newer anticoagulants and longer durations of anticoagulation have not yielded real improvements over heparin, inviting doubts regarding its efficacy. Thus, PE is the quintessential diagnosis of medicine not because it represents our greatest success, but because it captures all the complexity of medicine in the evidence-based era. It may serve as a metaphor for many other conditions in medicine, including coronary artery disease. New trials in the field continue to test trivialities, whereas fundamental questions are unanswered.
Informed consent: Protection or obstacle? Some emerging issues

There is widespread consensus on the need for informed consent procedures in medical research. Nevertheless, aspects of the informed consent process remain controversial, and innovative approaches to research may raise new issues and concerns. The randomized consent design for clinical trials, proposed by Zelen (N Engl J Med 1979; 300:1242-1245), permitted physicians to randomize patients without consent, then obtain informed consent from only those patients randomized to the experimental (as opposed to the standard treatment) arm. More recently, the proposal has been made to allow waiver of informed consent for study of patients in emergency circumstances who may be temporarily incapable of providing such consent, and for whom no family member is immediately available to give a "proxy" consent (Biros M.H. et al. JAMA 1995; 273:1283-1287). The medical community and federal regulatory policy have responded differently to these proposals.
Dopamine depletion in nucleus accumbens reduces ACTH1–24-induced excessive grooming

Abstract Animals were pretreated with 6-OHDA or ascorbate vehicle injected into the nucleus accumbens and tested 10 days later for excessive grooming induced by intracerebroventricular injection of ACTH 1–24 . The animals pretreated with 6-OHDA showed a significant decrease in excessive grooming produced by the neuropeptide and this reduction was seen only in the last 30 minutes of a 60-min test session. The results suggest an interaction of ACTH with dopamine systems on the onset and maintenance of excessive grooming.
Ionic Conduction and Structure in Cesium and Thallium Silicate Glasses

Density, NMR absorption, and ionic conductivity were measured for cesium and thallium silicate glasses. Results indicate that the cesium ions change their environment between 20 and 35 mole % Cs2O, possibly by means of a phase separation. These observations are consistent with the composition independence of the activation energy for conduction above 25 mole % Cs2O but do not reflect the rapid change in activation energy below 25 mole %. The extreme breadth of the 205Tl NMR Une varied with Tl2O content in the same manner as the activation energy for conduction. This result indicates that the distribution of ionic environments may provide a similar distribution of energy barriers to ionic motion. The relation between ionic conduction and structure appears to be different in cesium and thallium silicate glasses.
Alcohol mortality: a comparison of spatial clustering methods

Abstract The identification of spatial clusters of alcohol mortality can be a key tool in identifying locations that are suffering from alcohol-related problems or are at risk of experiencing those types of problems. This study compares two methods for identifying statistically significant spatial clusters of county-level alcohol mortality rates in New York. One method utilizes a local indicator of spatial association to determine which groups of neighboring counties have rates that are significantly related to each other. The other method is a spatial scan technique that calculates a maximum likelihood ratio of cases relative to the underlying population to identify the group of counties that rejects the null hypothesis of “no clustering”. The results show that because each technique bases its cluster detection on its own criteria, different counties are selected by each method. However, the overlap of the selections indicates that the two analytic methods illustrate different elements of the same clusters. Consequently, these spatial analytic techniques are seen as complimentary and are best used in tandem rather than individually. These findings suggest that multiple methods are a preferred approach to identifying clusters of alcohol-related mortality at the county level.
Notes on Test Homogeneity of the Odds Ratio in Matched Pairs Under Stratified Sampling: A Monte Carlo Evaluation

Using Monte Carlo simulation, we compare the performance of five asymptotic test procedures and a randomized permutation test procedure for testing the homogeneity of odds ratio under the stratified matched-pair design. We note that the weighted-least-square test procedure is liberal, while Pearson's goodness-of-fit (PGF) test procedure with the continuity correction is conservative. We note that PGF without the continuity correction, the conditional likelihood ratio test procedure, and the randomized permutation test procedure can generally perform well with respect to Type I error. We use the data taken from a case–control study regarding the endometrial cancer incidence published elsewhere to illustrate the use of these test procedures.
How to do or not do things with words: The case of Koreans in Japan

In this article, I explore the ways in which ethnic identity is expressed by following the formulaic socio-linguistic norm, the very method of which defies the authenticity of identity itself, thereby asserting the identity's multi-facetedness as sustained in performative linguistic practice. I look at multi-sited socio-linguistic interactions among Koreans in Japan, who claim their primary identity to be that of North Korea's overseas citizens even though none of them have North Korean passport or nationality. Their identity, in other words, is based on ideological commitment, which is in reality supported by their ongoing linguistic practice. A close look at their socio-linguistic life reveals their ethnicity's dual or multiple ontology, which challenges among other things the currently dominant assertion of Japanese self in the western academic discourse.
Intraarterial thrombolysis within the first three hours after acute ischemic stroke in selected patients.

Geoffrey A. Donnan MD, FRACP Stephen M. Davis MD, FRACP Section Editors: Several factors determine outcome after an acute ischemic stroke (AIS). These include type of stroke, speed of occlusion, presence of collateral circulation, as well as comorbid medical conditions. Recanalization is important in improving outcome. The results of the large German stroke registry, the MERCI registry, the MULTI-MERCI trial demonstrate a clear correlation of arterial recanalization with improved outcome after AIS.1 The only approved therapy for improving outcome of AIS came from the NINDS intravenous thrombolysis trial in 1995 demonstrating an ARR of 11% to 13% after 3 months in achieving a modified Rankin score (mRS) of ≤1 across all groups of patients with AIS.2 Interestingly, patients treated within 90 minutes did better than those treated after 90 minutes within the 3-hour window. This difference was significant and suggests that earlier treatment is associated with a better outcome. However, when analyzed by stroke severity, the magnitude of the benefit declined with increasing NIHSS scores. Patients with NIHSS scores >20 had a ≤6% ARR in achieving mRS <1 at …
On the steady-state approximation in thermal free radical frontal polymerization

Frontal polymerization is a process in which a spatially localized reaction zone propagates into a monomer converting it into a polymer. We formulate a mathematical model of thermal free radical frontal polymerization involving a five-species reaction mechanism and justify its reduction to a four-species problem by combining the concentrations of two kinds of radicals, primary radicals and polymer radicals. We study the simplified problem both numerically and analytically, and determine such important characteristics of the process as the propagation speed of the wave, the final temperature in the system, and the spatial distributions of all the species in the wave. We perform the analyses with the steady-state approximation (SSA) and without it, and reveal where the SSA solution breaks down. Specifically, the non-SSA solution predicts full monomer conversion and an adiabatic final system temperature, whereas the SSA solution predicts a less-than-adiabatic final temperature and incomplete conversion.
Ambivalent sexism and misogynistic rap music: Does exposure to Eminem increase sexism?

We evaluate the oft-repeated but typically untested claim that rap music encourages sexism. We randomly assigned participants to 1 of 3 conditions: no music, misogynistic rap music, and nonmisogynistic rap music. The first study (treated as a pilot; N = 232) weakly demonstrated the differential impact of exposure on male and female participants, but our measures of sexism were unreliable. We then conducted a second study (N = 175) employing well-validated (and more subtle) measures taken from the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI). While we replicated the weak differential impact of participants' sex, we also find that sexism increased after listening to nonmisogynistic rap music, especially among males. Implications for the debate about labeling and censoring rap music are discussed.
Katalytische Untersuchungen an Legierungen. XXI. Über die Hydrierung des Acetons an pulverförmigen Nickel-Legierungskatalysatoren†

Versuche zur experimentellen Uberprufung der d-Lucken-Theorie der Metallkatalysatoren zeigen, das der Einflus von Eisenzusatzen zu Nickel-Katalysatoren durch geringe Kupfersatze aufgehoben werden kann. Kupferzusatze von 5% bewirken eine Anderung der katalytischen Aktivitat um etwa eine Grosenordnung. Experimental examinations of the theorie of d-electron vacancies of metal catalysts have shown that the influence of additive iron in Ni-catalysts is counterbalanced by small amounts of copper. Copper additions of 5% cause an alteration of the catalytic activity of about one order of magnitude.
General equation for calculating the dissociation constants of polyprotic acids and bases from measured retention factors in high-performance liquid chromatography.

A general equation relating the observed retention factor to the pH of the mobile phase, the dissociation constants, and the retention factors of the different ionic species has been derived. This equation is applicable to polyprotic weak acid and base dissociation events, that is, the secondary equilibria existing in the HPLC mobile phase. It is written as: [formula: see text] where the kr values are the retention factors of the dissociated species, and Ka(r), the product of the first r-dissociation constants, [formula: see text] is related to the pH of the mobile phase: x = 2.303.pH. The derived equation was used to calculate three dissociation constants of leukotriene E4. Also, a formula is established for calculating the range of pH values where an ionic species is most likely to be predominant in the mobile phase.
Communicating the reasons for social rejection

Two studies examined the pattern of reasons given for rejecting dates and how they reflect concerns of the rejector. Study One examined retrospective accounts of rejection. Rejectors often reported withholding the reason for rejection from the rejected person. A content analysis of the reasons communicated to rejected persons was performed using Weiner's (Journal of Educational Psychology, 1979, 71, 3–25) attributional dimensions of locus, controllability, and stability. The stated reasons were found to be primarily impersonal, uncontrollable, and unstable. Study Two examined rejectors' willingness to communicate certain types of reasons. The true, privately held reasons for turning down dates were systematically varied as to locus, controllability, and stability. The types of reasons subjects offered to rejected persons were consistent with Study One. Reasons for refusal were less likely to be revealed when they related to the appearance or personality of the rejected person, particularly when the personal reasons were uncontrollable and stable. Rejectors were not as forthright when they controlled the reason for rejection as when they lacked control. The rejectors' actions were interpreted as being self-presentational, reflecting concerns about rejected persons' emotional reactions, expectancies for the future of the relationship, and blame for rejection.
Choices and challenges in e-government field force automation projects: insights from case studies

Field Force Automation (FFA) has been introduced as the summary term for the redesign of workflows and business processes in the field by means of fully mobile wirelessly connected technologies and applications. In practice, governments around the world have increasingly begun to explore the potential of FFA by equipping field crews with mobile technologies and applications. FFA in government promises substantial gains in crew productivity and information quality in on-site decision making. However, as in the case of other far-reaching technology-enabled changes in the past, FFA requires numerous technical, organizational, and social adjustments to reach the targeted potential. We have studied the case of a US city government that introduced FFA in its public utilities service units a while ago. While FFA lives up to promise in some areas, it does not so in others. Based on the analyses of the work context and the FFA uses, we have developed a set of recommendations for improving both the technical and organizational sides of the FFA approach. While some recommendations might be case-specific, others appear to apply to e-Government FFA in general. In this paper, we detail and discuss the choices that governments may face in FFA projects. The contribution of this paper is that it helps guide other FFA projects. The paper also adds to the academic understanding of the challenges and choices in e-Government FFA.