cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptation of the Possibilities for Activity Scale for women encountering cancer (PActS-W)

BACKGROUND/AIM The original Possibilities for Activity Scale (PActS) examined the internalised societal pressures of older adults with cancer. Previous research found that scores from the original PActS scale were associated with participation in meaningful activity. Women of working age may have different societal pressures than older adults, which could impact their quality of life. Our aims were to (i) adapt the scale specifically for women, (ii) test convergent and structural validity and (iii) test internal consistency reliability. METHOD First, we completed a literature review to add new items, then measured psychometric properties of PActS-W. FINDINGS A total of 186 women, one month after cancer surgery completed PActS-W. PActS-W demonstrated convergent-related (physical health r = 0.40, mental health r = 0.30, P < 0.01), structural validity (CFI, 0.96; RMSEA, 0.10; IFI, 0.96, NFI, 0.94) and high internal consistency reliability (stratified coefficient α = 0.90). CONCLUSION The PActS-W may be useful for measuring women's internalised societal pressures after encountering cancer, which relates to their quality of life, but further testing is needed.
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Show a Preference for the Consumption of Ethanol.

Background Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are significant global issues. Honey bees are excellent models for learning and other complex behaviors; furthermore, they share many behavioral responses to ethanol (EtOH) with humans and animal models. We develop a 2-feeder choice assay to determine whether honey bees will self-administer and preferentially consume solutions containing EtOH. Methods Gustatory responsiveness to EtOH is determined using the proboscis extension reflex and consumption assays. A 2-feeder choice assay is used to examine preference for the consumption of EtOH. Survival assays assess the metabolic and toxic effects of EtOH consumption. Results Honey bees find the taste of EtOH to be aversive when in water, but addition of sucrose masks the aversive taste. Even though the taste of EtOH is not appetitive, honey bees preferentially consume sucrose solutions containing 1.25 to 2.5% EtOH in a dose-dependent manner. Based on survival assays, honey bees may not be able to derive caloric value from EtOH, and EtOH concentrations of 2.5% or higher lead to significant increases in mortality. Conclusions Honey bees will self-administer EtOH and show a preference for consuming solutions containing EtOH. Bees may not be able to efficiently utilize EtOH as an energy source, but EtOH-dependent increases in mortality complicate separating the effects of caloric value and toxicity.
Barriers to preexposure prophylaxis use among individuals with recently acquired HIV infection in Northern California.

ABSTRACTBarriers to HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use have not been well-characterized in people who became HIV-infected, all of whom could have benefited from PrEP. We invited Kaiser Permanen...
A Modern Primer on Light Chain Amyloidosis in 592 Patients With Mass Spectrometry–Verified Typing

Abstract Objective To describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with meticulously typed light chain (AL) amyloidosis. Patients and Methods Patients (N=592) with biopsy-proven, mass spectrometry–confirmed AL amyloidosis diagnosed from January 1, 2008, through August 31, 2015, were included. Results The median patient age at diagnosis was 63 years. Thirty-four percent of patients (n=204) had isolated organ involvement, mostly heart (19% [n=115]) followed by kidney (9% [n=53]). In contrast, 25% (n=146) had more than 2 involved organs. Patients with isolated cardiac involvement had similar cardiac dysfunction compared with those with nonisolated cardiac amyloidosis. In contrast, isolated renal involvement was associated with increased proteinuria and higher estimated glomerular filtration rate compared with nonisolated renal amyloidosis. Serum and urine immunofixation electrophoresis results were positive in 80% and 88% of patients, respectively, with 94% of patients having at least 1 positive immunofixation electrophoresis result (serum or urine). The serum free light chain ratio was abnormal in 91% of patients. When all monoclonal protein studies were combined, only 1 patient (0.2%) had normal results. The 1- and 5-year survival rates were 65% and 46%, respectively. Survival of patients with cardiac amyloidosis was not influenced by the number of involved organs (1 vs >1 organ), emphasizing the prognostic significance of cardiac involvement. Conclusion When mass spectrometry is used to definitively type amyloid, only a fraction of a percent of patients with AL have negative monoclonal protein studies, unlike historical reports. Patient characteristics and outcomes of accurately typed patients are described.
Distinct subgroups of emergency department frequent users: A latent class analysis.

Abstract Background Emergency department (ED) frequent users have high resource utilization and associated costs. Many interventions have been designed to reduce utilization, but few have proved effective. This may be because this group is more heterogeneous than initially assumed, limiting the effectiveness of targeted interventions. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe distinct subgroups of ED frequent users and to estimate costs to provide hospital-based care to each group. Methods Latent class analysis was used to identify homogeneous subgroups of ED frequent users. ED frequent users (n = 5731) from a single urban tertiary hospital-based ED and level 1 trauma center in 2014 were included. Descriptive statistics (counts and percentages) are described to characterize subgroups. A cost analysis was performed to examine differences in direct medical costs between subgroups from the healthcare provider perspective. Results Four subgroups were identified and characterized: Short-term ED Frequent Users, Heart-related ED Frequent Users, Long-term ED Frequent Users, and Minor Care ED Frequent Users. The Heart-related group had the largest per person costs and the Long-term group had the largest total group costs. Conclusion Distinct subgroups of ED frequent users were identified and described using a statistically objective method. This taxonomy of ED frequent users allows healthcare organizations to tailor interventions to specific subgroups of ED frequent users who can be targeted with tailored interventions. Cost data suggest intervention for long-term ED frequent users offers the greatest cost-avoidance benefit from a hospital perspective.
Ligand control in nuclearity of Zn complexes supported by formamidinates

Abstract Using N,N′-diarylformamidinate (DArF) ligands containing different substituents of varying steric properties as the supporting ligands, four Zn complexes of atypical structural geometries were successfully synthesized and fully characterized. Detailed structural comparisons indicated steric hindrance of the ligands was a crucial factor in governing the geometry and nuclearity of the Zn products. DArFs with low steric hindrance to the metal centers produced two trinuclear Zn clusters (1 and 2) where all ligands were in non-symmetric coordination modes in both solid state and solution phase. DArFs with relatively bulky substituents led to the formation of bimetallic complexes 3 and 4 in a pseudo-paddlewheel geometry where each two Zn cores were held together by two DArFs parallel to each other. This study, together with the monozinc complex {HC(NDipp)2}2Zn (Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) in the literature, indicated that an increase in the steric demands of the ligands led to a decrease in the nuclearity of the Zn–formamidinate complexes. All product complexes were relatively thermally robust, but air and moisture sensitive. A tetranuclear cluster with an interstitial oxide was obtained when a small amount of oxygen content was present during the synthesis.
Human Performance Technology: Further Reflections on Human Competence

In the 1990s Thomas and Marilyn Gilbert were finishing revision to Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Performance (1978) based on 20 years of experience implementing performance improvement in ma...
N-(ϱ-coumaryl)-tryptamine and N-ferulyl tryptamine in kernels of Zea mays

Abstract N -(ϱ-coumaryl)tryptamine and N -ferulyltryptamine were isolated from aqueous acetone extracts of ground kernels of Zea mays by successive column chromatography on partially sulfonated styrenedivinylbenzene copolymer resin, lipophilic Sephadex and preparative TLC. Identification of these compounds was made by GCMS of their trimethylsilyl derivatives and the trimethylsilyl derivatives of their acid hydrolysis products.
Writing software to be understood: an exercise in Ginger using literate programming

Ginger is a new language being developed at Northern Arizona University that emphasizes human readability and comprehension over computer readability by supporting literate programming techniques. A program written in Ginger can be compiled to either a machine executable or a rich human readable document that interweaves human narrative with a high-level programming language. In this paper we demonstrate how Ginger has been used in a Computer Graphics course to enable students in developing rich programs that emphasize the communication of ideas as part of the programming process. The result differs markedly from meager comments nested in code. Instead, the narrative must strongly root and communicate the program which in turn encourages students to think about their program organization in terms of potency and efficiency of idea communication. This strong connectivity and communication of code and mental process gives the instructor a larger window into how students approach and think about problems and may provide added tools to identify misconceptions, poor organization and poor communication skills.
An Immersive Video Experience with Real-Time View Synthesis Leveraging the Upcoming MIV Distribution Standard

The upcoming MPEG Immersive Video (MIV) standard will enable storage and distribution of immersive video content over existing and future networks, for playback with 6 full or partial degrees of freedom of view position and orientation. The demo showcases a VOD server streaming MIV encoded immersive video contents up to a decoding client where an HMD is connected. The user can perceive the parallax as he moves his head (translation, rotation) when seated. The core contribution of the demo is a real-time GPU implementation of the virtual view synthesis at decoder side. An enhanced quality of rendered views is attained through a weighting strategy of source views contributions which leverages standardized metadata conveying information on the pruning decisions at encoder side.
First-principles study of the surface properties of uranium carbides

Abstract Uranium carbides have attracted renewed interest as advanced nuclear fuels for Generation IV reactors. As an important property required for gas bubble modeling in nuclear fuels, the surface energy of uranium carbides is scarce in literature. In this work, we study the surface properties of uranium carbides by first-principles density functional theory calculations. Surface orientations with maximum Miller index up to 3, 2 and 2 are investigated for UC, U2C3 and α-UC2, respectively. By studying the effects of surface termination and chemical potential on surface energy, we identify the factors that determines the surface stability. From the calculated surface energies, the surface properties of uranium carbide single crystals are obtained from Wulff construction, including equilibrium morphology, dominant surface orientation and area weighted surface energy.
The Effect of Lateral Pharyngeal Collapse Patterns on Therapy Response in Upper Airway Stimulation Surgery.

Objectives:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repeated upper airway collapse while sleeping which leads to intermittent hypoxemia. Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is a commonly practi...
Socioeconomic inequality and omission of adjuvant radiation therapy in high-risk, early-stage endometrial cancer.

Abstract Objective Gaps in access to appropriate cancer care, and associated cancer mortality, have widened across socioeconomic groups. We examined whether demographic and socioeconomic factors influenced receipt of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in patients with high-risk, early-stage endometrial cancer. Methods A retrospective study cohort was selected from 349,404 endometrial carcinoma patients from the National Cancer Database in whom adjuvant RT would be recommended per national guidelines. The study included surgically treated patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer with one of the following criteria: 1) FIGO 2009 stage IB, grade 1/2 disease, age ≥ 60 years; 2) stage IB, grade 3 disease; or 3) stage II disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with omission of adjuvant RT. Association between adjuvant RT, covariables, and overall survival (OS) was assessed with multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Results 19,594 patients were eligible for analysis; 47% did not receive adjuvant RT. Omission of adjuvant RT was more prevalent among African-American, Hispanic, and Asian compared to non-Hispanic white patients (OR 0.79, 95%CI: 0.69–0.91; OR 0.75, 95%CI: 0.64–0.87; OR 0.75, 95%CI: 0.60–0.94, respectively). Lower median household income of patient's area of residence, lack of health insurance, treatment at non-academic hospitals, farther distance to treatment facilities, and residence in metropolitan counties were associated with omission of adjuvant RT. Such omission was independently associated with worse OS (HR1.43, p Conclusion Adjuvant RT is omitted in 47% of patients with early-stage, high-risk endometrial cancer, which is associated with poor access to appropriate, high-quality care and worse outcome.
Optimal Methods of Input for Pedagogic Engineering Software

Computer simulations are commonly employed to teach intuitive causal engineering relationships, yet there is little research regarding what aspects make such simulations maximally pedagogically effective. This paper investigates how the discrete vs. continuous nature of user input, such as moving a dial vs. typing a parameter, affects actual learning as well as the user-perceived learning. The N = 91 cohort size was not sufficient to establish statistical differences at the \(\alpha\) = 0.05 level, but at \(\alpha\) = 0.1 it was observed that simulations using continuous input caused students to learn more effectively, and that students who used continuous input methods believed, following their use, that continuous input learning methods were more effective than discrete input learning methods. Surprisingly, an inverse correlation was found between objectively-measured student understanding and subjectively-rated student belief of their own subject mastery. In other words, students who used continuous input simulations believed they were better teaching tools in general, even though they believed their specific learning was inadequate.
Defence spending, burden-sharing and strategy in NATO’s Black Sea littoral states: domestic, regional, and international systemic factors

The allocation of scarce resources is a grand strategic question – burden-sharing behaviour has clear effects on states’ ability to contribute to collective defence. Both NATO and the European Unio...
Racial and Neighborhood-Level Disparities in COVID-19 Incidence among Patients on Hemodialysis in New York City.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately affected socially disadvantaged populations. Whether disparities in COVID-19 incidence related to race/ethnicity and socioeconomic factors exist in the hemodialysis population is unknown. METHODS: Our study involved patients receiving in-center hemodialysis in New York City. We used a validated index of neighborhood social vulnerability, the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), which comprises 15 census tract-level indicators organized into four themes: socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, minority status and language, and housing type and transportation. We examined the association of race/ethnicity and the SVI with symptomatic COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and August 3, 2020. COVID-19 cases were ascertained using PCR testing. We performed multivariable logistic regression to adjust for demographics, individual-level social factors, dialysis-related medical history, and dialysis facility factors. RESULTS: Of the 1378 patients on hemodialysis in the study, 247 (17.9%) developed symptomatic COVID-19. In adjusted analyses, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic patients had significantly increased odds of COVID-19 compared with non-Hispanic White patients. Census tract-level overall SVI, modeled continuously or in quintiles, was not associated with COVID-19 in unadjusted or adjusted analyses. Among non-Hispanic White patients, the socioeconomic status SVI theme, the minority status and language SVI theme, and housing crowding were significantly associated with COVID-19 in unadjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients on hemodialysis in New York City, there were substantial racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 incidence not explained by neighborhood-level social vulnerability. Neighborhood-level socioeconomic status, minority status and language, and housing crowding were positively associated with acquiring COVID-19 among non-Hispanic Whites. Our findings suggest that socially vulnerable patients on dialysis face disparate COVID-19-related exposures, requiring targeted risk-mitigation strategies.
Lessons learned from a failed clinical trial of chronic subdural hematoma treatment.

To the Editor We read with interest the Editor’s column in the April 2021 issue of Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery , titled “Embolization of the middle meningeal artery for the treatment of chronic subdural hematoma: considerations for pragmatic trial design”, which discusses the challenges in rigorously evaluating the efficacy of middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization for chronic subdural hematomas (cSDH).1 The practical considerations raised by the authors clearly highlight the complexities of designing a clinical trial comparing interventions that can guide practice in what is an unexpectedly heterogeneous population. During our residency training, we devised and attempted to perform a randomized, controlled trial comparing standard burr hole evacuation vs medical therapy (dexamethasone) for cSDH treatment, under the guidance of the late neurosurgeon-scientist Dr. Edward Oldfield.2 The trial ultimately failed to recruit enough patients, but our experience mirrored many of the pitfalls described in the current editorial. As such, our experience might provide some insight for those contemplating clinical trials of MMA embolization in a similar population. First, …
La politique rurale des États-Unis : Accroître les opportunités et améliorer la qualité de vie dans les collectivités rurales

Ce chapitre ne doit pas etre presente comme exprimant les vues officielles de l’OCDE ou de ses pays membres. Les opinions exprimees et les arguments employes sont ceux des auteurs.
Molecular Dynamics Modeling of Epoxy Resins Using the Reactive Interface Force Field

Predictive computational modeling of polymer materials is necessary for the efficient design of composite materials and the corresponding processing methods. Molecular dynamics (MD) modeling is especially important for establishing accurate processing-structure-property relationships for neat resins. For MD modeling of amorphous polymer materials, an accurate force field is fundamental to reliable prediction of properties. Reactive force fields, in which chemical bonds can be formed or broken, offer further capability in predicting the mechanical behavior of amorphous polymers subjected to relatively large deformations. To this end, the Reactive Interface Force Field (IFF-R) has been recently developed to provide an efficient means to predict the behavior of materials under these conditions. Although IFF-R has been proven to be accurate for some crystalline organic and inorganic systems, it has not yet been proven to be accurate for amorphous polymer systems. The objective of this study is to use IFF-R to predict the thermo-mechanical properties of three different epoxy systems and validate with experimental measurements. The results indicate that IFF-R predicts thermo-mechanical properties that agree closely with experiment. Therefore, IFF-R can be used to reliably establish mechanical properties of polymers on the molecular level for future design of new composite materials and processing methods.
Palliative Care in an underserved community: Striving and Thriving

Program Goals: Our program is uniquely positioned in a safety net hospital that serves as a large tertiary referral center for pediatric transplant, trauma and heart failure as well as being an international catchment area for the southern hemisphere. Meeting the palliative care needs of our medically complex and chronically ill children proves to be a tremendous challenge, oftentimes made worse by the fact that our most technology dependent children may be uninsured with families that have little to no resources. Despite the complexity of our population and our many financial and …
Succinate metabolism uncouples retinal pigment epithelium mitochondria

Succinate is central in energy metabolism. It is thought to be made and consumed within mitochondria, and not to cross the plasma membrane. Contrary to the canonical role of succinate, it is produced in the retina and released into the extracellular milleau. It is unknown how this affects adjacent retinal pigment epithelium, within eyecup tissue. By measuring consumption of 13C4-succinate and O2 we probe metabolism of the eyecup, we find robust succinate consumption by eyecup but not retina tissue. Succinate-dependant stimulation of eyecup respiration is oligomycin resistant; indicating that in eyecup tissue succinate uncouples mitochondrial ATP synthesis from respiration.
A Brief Overview of the Use of Evoked Potentials in Pediatrics

Evoked potential (EP) testing of all modalities has specific uses and particular challenges in the pediatric population. Methods and techniques for encouraging cooperation for the test vary with th...
Learning from little: comparison of classifiers given little training

Many real-world machine learning tasks are faced with the problem of small training sets. Additionally, the class distribution of the training set often does not match the target distribution. In this paper we compare the performance of many learning models on a substantial benchmark of binary text classification tasks having small training sets. We vary the training size and class distribution to examine the learning surface, as opposed to the traditional learning curve. The models tested include various feature selection methods each coupled with four learning algorithms: Support Vector Machines (SVM), Logistic Regression, Naive Bayes, and Multinomial Naive Bayes. Different models excel in different regions of the learning surface, leading to meta-knowledge about which to apply in different situations. This helps guide the researcher and practitioner when facing choices of model and feature selection methods in, for example, information retrieval settings and others.
Chapter 91 Elemental analysis by atomic emission and mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasmas

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the instrumentation and basic analytical capabilities of inductively coupled plasma (ICP)–atomic emission spectrometry (AES) and ICP–mass spectrometry (MS). Some illustrative examples of analyses involving rare earths as either an analyte or a matrix are also described. ICP serves as an energy source to atomize, ionize, and excite atoms from the sample. The physical nature of the sample determines the means used to introduce it into the ICP. Emission spectrometry is the technique for elemental determinations, with isotope ratio determinations being the domain of MS. In the manufacture, handling, and analysis of nuclear materials, there is considerable need for techniques to determine both elemental and isotopic concentrations of U, Pu, and other actinides in as near an on-line, process control fashion as possible. These elements emit many lines when excited in the ICP. Relative to ICP–AES, ICP–MS yields simpler spectra and better detection limits for rare earths. Representative detection limits typical of the performance of most devices under multielement operating conditions are given. The detection limits follow the trend of isotopic abundances—that is, detection limits are best for the monoisotopic elements and poorest for Gd and Nd where less abundant isotopes are monitored.
Getting it Right When it Counts: Constituency Competition and Voters’ Perceptions of British Party Positions

The spatial model of electoral competition emphasizes the role issues play in the electoral decision-making. Unfortunately, the informational requirements associated with a policy-based choice can be quite rigorous. In this paper, I argue that the political environment, in the form of constituency competition (or marginality), can improve the ability of citizens to acquire political knowledge. Constituency marginality increases the amount of campaign attention a constituency’s voters receive, and therefore influences the amount of information citizens have regarding the policy positions of the parties competing in their constituency. I evaluate this argument using data from the 2005 British Election Study, and find that citizens residing in marginal constituencies are, in fact, more likely than their counterparts in safe constituencies to perceive the parties’ relative ideological positions correctly.
Multilevel Methodology in Parallel Computing Environment for Evaluating BWR Safety Parameters

A multilevel methodology has been developed to extend the TRAC-BF1/NEM coupled code capability to obtain the transient fuel rod response. The COBRA-TF thermal-hydraulics subchannel analysis code is coupled to TRAC-BF1/NEM in the parallel virtual machine environment. The power information obtained from the nodal expansion method three-dimensional neutronic calculation is used by the hot subchannel analysis module. The TRAC-BF1 thermal-hydraulic system analysis code provides the COBRA-TF thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions. The subchannel analysis module uses this information to recalculate the fluid, thermal, and hydraulics conditions in the most limiting node (axial region of assembly/channel) within the core at each time step. A dynamic algorithm has been developed to identify the most limiting channel and fuel assembly (radially) and axial region (node) based on the current state of the core. Results, obtained with the new parallel multilevel coupled methodology, are presented and discussed for the Mexican Laguna Verde 1 nuclear power plant control rod drop accident.
Cerebral blood flow and energy metabolism during stress

Many, but not all, stressful events are accompanied by increases in cerebral blood flow and/or energy metabolism. The stressful events include pharmacological paralysis, footshock, conditioned fear, hypotension, hypoglycemia, hypoxia, noise, and ethanol withdrawal. These increases are significant because 1) all brain regions are often affected, i.e., certain stressful events have global effects on cerebral blood flow and energy metabolism; and 2) various stressful events appear to have a common adrenergic mechanism for increasing cerebral blood flow and energy metabolism. The adrenergic mechanism involves beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation by either epinephrine secreted from the adrenal medulla or possibly norepinephrine endogenous to the brain. While adrenergic mechanisms are not the only mechanism controlling flow and metabolism for a given stressful condition, they do appear to be common to many situations. At least part of the increase in cerebral blood flow and energy metabolism during many conditions appears to be the result of the stress response and not directly a result of the condition itself.
A pilot study: integrating an emergency department with indiana's prescription drug monitoring program

Rapid increase in abuse and overdose of controlled substances was the main driving force of implementing Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP). We aimed to describe how the integrated Indiana's PDMP (INSPECT) data into an electronic health record (EHR) can improve clinical workflow within an emergency department (ED). After integration, upon patient arrival into the ED, a PDMP report containing history of dispensed schedule II-V medications is retrieved and stored in the patient's medical record. The evaluation of the new system among physicians showed high satisfaction of having access to the patients' medication history through the existing EHR. We show that the PDMP data was easily accessible and more informative in the new integrated system. The PDMP report alters the pattern of prescribing narcotic medications to patients. In conclusion, enhancing workflow through PDMP reports integration with the patients' EHR is valued by the clinicians and reduces the number of narcotic prescriptions.
Using Written and Behavioral Data to Detect Evidence of Continuous Lear ning

Abstract : We describe a lifelong learner modeling project that focuses on the use of written and behavioral data to detect patterns of learning over time. Related work in essay analysis and machine learning is discussed. Although primarily focused on isolated learning experiences, we argue there is promise for scaling these techniques up to the lifelong learner modeling problem.
DNA sequence-based comparative studies between non-extremophile and extremophile organisms with implications in exobiology

We have characterized function related DNA sequences of various organisms using informatics techniques, including fractal dimension calculation, nucleotide and multi-nucleotide statistics, and sequence fluctuation analysis. Our analysis shows trends which differentiate extremophile from non-extremophile organisms, which could be reproduced in extraterrestrial life. Among the systems studied are radiation repair genes, genes involved in thermal shocks, and genes involved in drug resistance. We also evaluate sequence level changes that have occurred during short term evolution (several thousand generations) under extreme conditions.
ACNE TREATED WITH A TOPICAL TETRACYCLINE PREPARATION: RESULTS OF A ONE-YEAR MULTI-GROUP STUDY

ABSTRACT: One hundred five patients were treated effectively with topically applied tetracycline in an ethanol-water solution with n-decyl methyl sulfoxide, and observed for a year. Comedones and cystic lesions were least responsive to topical tetracycline. Side effects, which were minor, included yellow staining of facial skin and stinging after application. Two patients, one with juvenile diabetes and one with congenital nephritis, successfully used the preparation without adverse effects.
Anisotropic effects in the angular distribution of photoelectrons from cesium 6s

Abstract Dirac-Fock calculations show dramatic variations of the asymmetry parameter with energy for Cs 6s in contrast to the β = 2 prediction of more approximate theories.
Comments on reply by Eu on co-rotating frames

Abstract The role of microscopic cross correlation functions in the rotating frame formalism is discussed in the context of remarks by Eu.
Plant–insect dialogs: complex interactions at the plant–insect interface

Although five different classes of insect herbivore-produced elicitors of plant volatiles have been identified, this is only a part of the complex, chemically mediated interactions between insect herbivores and their host plants. The defensive reactions of the plant, following physical injury by the herbivore, are influenced by a multitude of factors including, but not necessarily limited to, the elicitors and numerous other herbivore-associated molecules, as well as microbes on the plant surface that may alter plant defensive pathways. Ultimately, a thorough and accurate understanding of the chemical ecology of insect-plant interactions will require a more holistic approach, taking into consideration the ecological and physiological context in which a plant perceives and responds to herbivore-associated signals.
Corneal endothelium--past, present, and future.

Objective:To review the history of the growth in knowledge about the corneal endothelium.Methods:Publications concerning the corneal endothelium were reviewed.Results:Highpoints in the growth of knowledge about the corneal endothelium include discovery of barrier and pump functions, specular microsc
Efficient list decoder architecture for polar codes

Long polar codes achieve the capacity of binary-input discrete memoryless channels when decoded with a successive cancelation (SC) algorithm. For polar codes with short or moderate length, the decoding performance of the SC algorithm is inferior, and the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) aided successive cancelation list (SCL) algorithm achieves significantly improved performance. In this paper, we propose an efficient list decoder architecture for the CRC aided SCL algorithm. Three list decoders with list size L = 2, 4 and 8, respectively, are implemented with a 90nm CMOS technology. Compared to list decoders with L = 2 and 4 in the literature, the proposed list decoders achieve 1.42 and 2.84 times, respectively, higher hardware efficiency. The implementation with list size L = 8 demonstrates that our decoder architecture works for large list sizes.
A stereotaxic atlas of the rat olfactory system

Abstract A Stereotaxic atlas of the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex of the adult male hooded rat is illustrated by photomicrographs showing myelinated pathways and nuclear structures. The atlas includes a statistical analysis of stereotaxic variability of cerebral structures in the frontal plane and methods for reducing errors in predicting the position of brain targets.
PREDICTING STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENT IN COLLEGE FROM THE ACT ASSESSMENT.

In the interest of human and social values, educational institutions should be concerned with finding students who will do outstanding things outside the classroom and in later life as well as students who have the ability to get satisfactory grades. If we are to find such students, we need a better record of students' competencies and achievement during the high school years. Further, we should consider such measures important in their own right rather than weak supplenentary measures to remedy the slight defects of conventional aptitude and achievement tests.
1,10‐PHENANTHROLINE N‐OXIDE CHELATES WITH 3D METAL PERCHLORATES

Abstract The synthesis of divalent 3 d metal perchlorate chelates with 1,10-phenanthroline mono-N-oxide (phenNO) is reported. The new complexes were characterized by means of their i.r. and electronic spectra, magnetic moments molar conductivities in solution and X-ray powder diffraction patterns, and formulated as [ M (phenNO) 3 ](ClO 4 ) 2 ( M  Mn, Fe, Co, Zn) [Ni(phenNO) 3 ] ClO 4 ) 2 . 2H 2 O, and [Cu(phenNO) 2 ](ClO 4 ) 2 . PhenNO acts as a bidentate O,N-chelating agent. The Ni(II) complex contains lattice water. The u.v.-visible spectra of the new metal chelates are characterized by the presence of ligand, charge-transfer (metal-to-ligand) and ( d − d ) bands. The spectrochemical parameters for the phenNO complexes suggest that this compound is a considerably weaker ligand than 1,10-phenanthroline. This is also demonstrated by the fact that the latter ligand forms a spin-paired [FeL 3 ] 2+ complexes, whereas the corresponding phenNO complex is spin-free.
Phase Equilibria in the Bismuth−Oxygen System

The bismuth−oxygen system was studied in the crystalline and gaseous state by means of high-temperature vaporization studies. Vaporization experiments were performed using Knudsen effusion in a high-vacuum environment and using thermogravimetric analysis with a flowing pure nitrogen environment. Oxygen was lost from samples of Bi2O3(δ). Compositions of residues from the vaporization experiments were determined by using thermogravimetric analysis with pure oxygen to oxidize the residues to Bi2O3. The congruently effusing composition was determined to be at a composition of 1.23 O/Bi atomic ratio. The vaporization data, solid-state composition as a function of fraction of sample vaporized, could not be explained without having a new phase present in the system. The new solid phase is in accord with Bi14O16, a phase previously observed only in thin films. Pressures of the dominant gaseous species Bi and O2 were determined by using two data: mass spectrometric intensities and the congruently effusing composi...
Digital chest radiography at the University of Chicago: Present status and future plans

Storage-phosphor computed radiography and film digitization systems have been in routine clinical use at the University of Chicago for several years. During this time we have implemented numerous modifications including techniques for scatter reduction, image processing enhancements and display systems to improve the image quality and utility of these devices. We have also evaluated the image quality and functionality of digital systems relative to conventional screen-film radiography. In this paper, we review our experience and summarize our impressions. In addition, we summarize our plans for a rapid transition into picture archiving and communication systems, with hardcopy interpretation being phased out for most modalities over the next 2 to 5 years.
Utility of portable chest radiographs as a predictor of endotracheal tube cuff pressure

Increased endotracheal tube cuff pressure causes mucosal ischemia that can lead to necrosis, infection, and, eventually, tracheomalacia or tracheal stenosis. Endotracheally intubated patients frequently undergo portable chest radiography. In this study we explored the relationship of endotracheal tube cuff pressure and the appearance on the tracheal air columns on the portable chest radiograph. We measured the endotracheal tube cuff pressure of intensive care unit patients 124 times immediately before portable chest radiography. On 64 of these radiographs we measured the width of the tracheal air column below the tip of the endotracheal tube and at the maximal diameter of the endotracheal tube balloon. We then analyzed the relationship of cuff pressure to tracheal dilation. The results of ANOVA of tracheal dilation for three groups (safe, borderline, and unsafe cuff pressures) were significant. Large overlapping ranges existed in each group. Regression analysis confirmed a linear relationship between cuff pressure and tracheal dilation (r = 0.435, p < 0.001). Predicted tracheal expansion at 20 mm Hg was a poor screen for endotracheal tube cuff inflation safety; the sensitivity was only 56% and specificity only 71%. The differences in the capacity for tracheal distension between patients make these findings not unexpected. The portable chest radiograph is a poor screening tool for unsafe endotracheal tube cuff pressure. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999;120:51-6.)
Processing variable-length abbreviations

This paper describes a simple technique for processing variable length abbreviations of keywords.
Antiferromagnetically driven electronic correlations in iron pnictides and cuprates

The iron pnictides and the cuprates represent two families of materials, where strong antiferromagnetic correlation drives three other distinct ordering tendencies: (1) superconducting pairing, (2) Fermi-surface distortion, and (3) orbital-current order. We propose that (1)--(3) and the antiferromagnetic correlation are the hallmarks of a class of strongly correlated materials to which the cuprates and pnictides belong. In this paper, we present the results of the functional renormalization-group studies to support the above claim. In addition, we show that as a function of the interlayer hopping parameter, the double-layer Hubbard model nicely interpolates between the cuprate and the iron pnictide physics. Finally, as a check, we will present the renormalization-group study of a ladder version of the iron pnictide and compare the results to those of the two-dimensional model.
Integrated Chemical-Biological Treatment of Benzo[a]pyrene

Benzo[a]pyrene of natural and anthropogenic sources is one of the toxic, mutagenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) listed as priority pollutants. This study focuses on an integrated treatment of benzo[a]pyrene involving sequential chemical oxidation and biological degradation. The objectives are to (1) provide mechanistic details in the ozone-mediated degradation of benzo[a]pyrene in the aqueous phase, (2) test the biodegradability of resultant intermediates, and (3) test the feasibility for the coupled chemical-biological treatment of the five-ring PAH. Batch and packed column reactors were used to examine the degradation pathways of benzo[a]pyrene subject to ozonation in the aqueous phase. After different ozonation times, samples containing reaction intermediates and byproducts from both reactors were collected, identified for organic contents, and further biologically inoculated to determine their biodegradability. The O3-pretreated samples were incubated for 5, 10, 15, and 20 days; afterward ...
Optoelectronic resonator neural networks

An associative memory is described which utilizes a hologram in a hybrid optoelectronic resonator. The nonlinear end mirrors of the resonator are two sets of video detectors and spatial light modulators which act as pseudoconjugators. The transformation properties of the end mirrors are programmable which allows the real-time selection of various associative pathways. An extension of the system to multilayer neural network models, in particular a backpropagation network, is also described.
Research Ethics: Depression and Mortality in Nursing Homes

In Reply. — Sachs et al raise questions that concern all researchers who study patients receiving medical care. At issue is the balance of the potential to improve care, patient confidentiality, and ethical obligations to intervene in life-threatening circumstances. The major focus of our study was on adaptation to nursing home placement and was driven by data indicating that most patients entering nursing homes remain there until death. For them, quality of care in the nursing home is extremely important. Psychiatric diagnoses are particularly relevant in this regard, and our informed consent forms stated that results of the psychiatric examination would be available to nursing home physicians at the request of the patient or the family, or if the researchers determined there was a clinical need to inform the nursing home physician. Regarding the latter, the investigators agreed to do so if depression with suicidality were evident. That occasion never
The Effect of Ground Phosphate Rock Fed at Various Levels on the Growth of Chicks and on Egg Production Preliminary Report

Abstract THE steadily increasing demand for bone-meal as a source of calcium phosphate for growing chicks has caused increases in the market price of this material and a consequent interest in possible substitutes. Extensive mineral deposits of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate exist in the United States, and are being mined for use as a mineral supplement. They are mixed in these deposits in varying proportions, and are known commonly as rock phosphate or phosphatic limestone, according to the preponderance of the two principal constituents. This material is also used in the preparation of pure phosphates for baking powder, but the greater part of it is still being employed as a fertilizer. The use of this material for animal feeding began in about 1910, when Hart, McCollum, and Fuller (1909) used it as a source of phosphorus in pig-feeding experiments, with favorable results during a relatively short feeding period. Further data . . .
Neurocognitive outcomes in pediatric HIV

Cognitive impairment has long been associated with the natural history of HIV among vertically infected children. In children, HIV may have a direct or indirect impact on the developing brain, may lead to global or highly specific consequences, and may be responsible for minor cognitive consequences or, conversely, long-term and severe disability. This differential impact is related to multiple factors that influence the individual expression of the virus in any given child. This review provides an overview of the relevant literature on neurocognitive outcomes for infants, children, and youth vertically infected with HIV, with attention to those factors impacting neurocognitive outcome within a developmental framework. Research findings in both the era preceding and following the introduction of combined therapies are reviewed, since many of the issues identified prior to state-of-the-art treatment currently available in the United States and other developed countries still apply in much of the developing world. Intervention issues and directions for future research are also discussed.
Dissociation between two-dimensional echocardiographic left ventricular wall motion and myocardial salvage in early experimental acute myocardial infarction in dogs

This study was designed to evaluate whether the effects of coronary reperfusion with or without a pharmacologic agent could be detected in the early hours after infarction by 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography applied in a manner analogous to its clinical use. Proximal left anterior descending coronary occlusion was performed in 24 dogs, and the dogs were then randomized into 3 groups. In group 1 (n = 8), coronary occlusion was maintained for 6 hours; in group 2 (n = 8), coronary occlusion was maintained for 2 hours and was followed by 4 hours of reperfusion; in group 3 (n = 8), 2 hours of coronary occlusion were followed by 4 hours of reperfusion but methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg intravenously) was also administered 15 minutes after coronary occlusion. At 6 hours, 2-D images were obtained through the closed chest wall and the percentage of the left ventricular wall motion abnormalities was determined at 4 short-axis levels. The mass at risk was defined by in vivo Monastral blue injection and infarction by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. The mass of necrosis was 74 ± 4% (mean ± standard error of the mean) of the mass at risk in group 1 and was smaller in groups 2 and 3, 44 ± 6% and 35 ± 4%, respectively (p
Scalable shortest paths browsing on land surface

The growing popularity of online Earth visualization tools and geo-realistic games and the availability of high resolution terrain data have motivated a new class of queries to the interests of the GIS and spatial database community: spatial queries (e.g., kNN) over land surface. However, the fundamental challenges that restrict the applicability of these studies to real world applications are the prohibitive time complexity and storage overhead to precompute the shortest surface paths. In this paper, for the first time, we propose an approximate solution to address both challenges and allow browsing the shortest surface paths in O(log N + √N) time, where N is the size of the terrain. With this method, the time and space requirements for an exhaustive all-pair pre-computation have been reduced from O(N3) to O(N1.5) and O(N) respectively. The substantial savings in both time and storage are gained by taking advantage of the fact that the O(N2) surface paths only deviate from approximate straight lines at O(√N) points, termed rough vertices. As a result, we propose a linear time shortest surface path computation algorithm between two arbitrary vertices and a linear size storage structure, which captures all the shortest surface paths between any pair of vertices. We experimentally verified the applicability and scalability of the proposed methods with large real world and synthetic data sets and showed that accuracy higher than 97% can be obtained in most cases.