cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Borehole Geophysics: Tools to Characterize Rock Properties

Effective design and construction in rock requires characterization of the engineering properties of the rock mass, as well as any associated geological features such as joints, faults, and bedding planes. Surface geophysics methods (e.g., seismic refraction or reflection) are commonly used to locate buried rock layers, determine depth, and help uncover some information about their properties. However, these surface geophysical techniques often do not provide sufficient engineering information to conduct design analyses, particularly when the designed geo-structural feature (e.g., tunnel or underground utilities) is primarily located inside the rock layers.
A combined quantitative property-property relationship (QPPR) for estimating packaging-food and solid material-water partition coefficients of organic compounds.

Abstract The packaging-food partition coefficient (Kpf) is a key parameter to estimate the chemical migration from packaging to food and resulting ingestion exposures. As a particular case of Kpf, the solid material-water partition coefficient (Kmw) is also important in relating the material to the water phase-based skin permeation coefficient to further assess dermal contact exposure to chemicals in solid consumer products. Existing correlations to estimate Kpf or Kmw are applicable for a limited number of chemical-food-packaging or chemical-material combinations without considering the temperature effect. The present study develops a combined quantitative property-property relationship (QPPR) to predict Kpf and Kmw with a wide applicability. We compiled a dataset of 1846 measured Kpf or Kmw for 232 chemicals in 19 consolidated material types. A regression model predicts Kpf or Kmw as a function of chemical's Kow, food or water's ethanol equivalency, temperature and material type, which shows good fitting performance with R2adj of 0.93, and has been verified by internal and external validations to be robust, stable and has good predicting ability (R2ext > 0.80). A generic QPPR is also developed to predict Kpf or Kmw from chemical's Kow, food or water's ethanol equivalency, and temperature only (R2adj = 0.90), without the need to assign a specific material type. These QPPRs provide a comprehensive correlation method to estimate Kpf for diverse chemical-food-packaging combinations or to estimate Kmw for materials other than food packaging, which will facilitate high-throughput assessments of consumer exposures to chemicals in food packaging and in other solid materials such as building materials, furniture and toys.
Modeling, Design Optimization, and Applications of Switched Reluctance Machines—A Review

Switched reluctance machines (SRMs) are witnessing increased interests and applications in the industry and scientific communities thanks to the advantages of rigid structures, high reliability and robustness, the absence of permanent magnets, fast dynamic response, and low manufacturing cost. SRMs have become a feasible and popular alternative to conventional electric machines, such as induction machines and permanent magnet machines, with variable speed drives in many applications. Since improving the electromagnetic and thermal performances of an SRM at the design stage is of significant value, this paper presents an in-depth literature review on the status and potential trends of the technology pertinent to the design and optimization of SRMs in the following aspects: the mathematical modeling of the electromagnetic and thermal fields in SRMs, the enhancement of the performances in terms of the torque ripple, acoustic noise, efficiency, and torque density, and the multiobjective design optimization incorporating all the above factors. Finally, the presence of SRMs and their design considerations for specific applications in electric vehicles, aircraft and aerospace systems, wind generators, high speed, and energy storage systems are extensively discussed in this paper. The existing approaches advancing the SRM technologies are systematically and comprehensively summarized and compared for each category.
Social Enterprise and the Capability Approach: Exploring How Social Enterprises Are Humanizing Business

This mixed-method empirical study applies the capability approach, a multidimensional framework for evaluating human development, to survey 115 social enterprises on their social activities. Findin...
Controversial Speakers on Campus: Liberties, Limitations, and Common-Sense Guidelines

"Veritas vos liberabit," chanted the scholastics of yesteryear. The "truth will set you free," echo their latter-day counterparts in the academy, intoning the mantra reverentially but with increasingly more hope than confidence, more faith than conviction.... The real world of the academy, of course, is not quite that wonderful, nor nearly as bad as many would suggest. The ironies become palpable, however, when those self-same institutions, which almost universally view themselves as bastions of free speech, instead stifle debate that is perceived as politically incorrect or otherwise embarrassing. Academic administrators naturally shy away from conflict and contention. They shun controversy. They abhor negative publicity of any kind, quelling it as heavy-handedly as conservative corporations whose primary concern is to ensure a profitable bottom line. Thus universities have become intuitively reluctant to sponsor ideas that clash too loudly. The research and scholarship they most entusiastically support is that which curries favorable coverage from the media and attracts large amounts of dollars from alumni.
Stereoselective C-X and regioselective C-H activation to, and selective C(sp2)-C(sp3) reductive elimination from, platinum compounds with thiophene-derived ligands

Abstract Several thiophene-based N^C ligands were synthesized. Strategically, a bromide was incorporated on the 2-position of the thiophene ring. When allowed to react with the platinum tetramethyl dimer, [Pt2Me4(µ-SMe2)2], platinum(IV) platinacycles were formed by oxidative addition of the C(sp2)-X bond. These platinum(IV) compounds were characterized by NMR and HRMS. The platinum (IV) compounds were subsequently subjected to thermolysis. A series of reactions occurred, including selective C-C reduction elimination and selective C-H oxidative addition, giving mixtures of platinum(II) products with varying degrees of regioselectivity.
Perceived vs. Negotiated Discounts: The Role of Advertised Reference Prices in Price Negotiations

Retailers routinely present a posted or sale price together with a higher advertised reference price, in an effort to evoke a perception of the discount the consumer is receiving. If prices can be negotiated though, what impact does this initial perceived discount (IPD) have on the ultimate discount, demand, and revenue? With data from consumers of a large durable goods retailer, in a natural decision-making environment, this study provides evidence that a greater IPD is associated with smaller negotiated discounts. Then, a lab experiment involving negotiation and purchase decisions for multiple products, with randomly assigned values of the IPD, establishes that a $1 increase in IPD lowers the negotiated discount by 5.7 cents. Furthermore, 55% of this decrease can be attributed to reduction in the participants' likelihood to initiate a negotiation. Under bargaining, almost one-third of the increase in revenue from a higher IPD stems from an increase in the negotiated price, which is unlike fixed pricing, in which setting an increase in IPD affects revenue only through changes in demand. Finally, the optimal advertised reference prices a seller would post under bargaining and fixed pricing are similar, but the benefit from posting this price is significantly higher under bargaining. These findings in turn have implications for researchers, retailers, consumers and policy makers.
Trauma in Permanent Teeth: Factors Associated with Adverse Outcomes in a University Pediatric Dental Clinic.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine variables associated with adverse outcomes among traumatized permanent teeth in a university pediatric dental clinic. METHODS Electronic charts of children treated at a university-based dental clinic for trauma in permanent teeth were analyzed. Variables evaluated included demographics (age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, and insurance type), affected tooth location, trauma characteristics, type of dental trauma, elapsed time between trauma and initial treatment, elapsed time between the initial and final treatment, initial treatment type, and initial and final restoration type. Adverse outcomes were defined as root canal treatment, decoronation, and extraction. Associations between adverse outcomes and each variable of interest were calculated using chi-square and Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. The significance level was set at five percent. RESULTS Adverse outcomes were significantly associated with the type of dental trauma (P=0.001), presence of luxation injury (P=0.048), initial dental treatment (P<0.001), and initial dental restoration type (P=0.019). CONCLUSIONS Treating dental trauma in permanent teeth in a timely manner can strongly impact their prognosis.
Effects of Sucralose Ingestion versus Sucralose Taste on Metabolic Responses to an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test in Participants with Normal Weight and Obesity: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Here, we tested the hypothesis that sucralose differentially affects metabolic responses to labeled oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) in participants with normal weight and obesity. Participants (10 with normal weight and 11 with obesity) without diabetes underwent three dual-tracer OGTTs preceded, in a randomized order, by consuming sucralose or water, or by tasting and expectorating sucralose (e.g., sham-fed; sweetness control). Indices of β-cell function and insulin sensitivity (SI) were estimated using oral minimal models of glucose, insulin, and C-peptide kinetics. Compared with water, sucralose ingested (but not sham-fed) resulted in a 30 ± 10% increased glucose area under the curve in both weight groups. In contrast, the insulin response to sucralose ingestion differed depending on the presence of obesity: decreased within 20–40 min of the OGTT in normal-weight participants but increased within 90–120 min in participants with obesity. Sham-fed sucralose similarly decreased insulin concentrations within 60 min of the OGTT in both weight groups. Sucralose ingested (but not sham-fed) increased SI in normal-weight participants by 52 ± 20% but did not affect SI in participants with obesity. Sucralose did not affect glucose rates of appearance or β-cell function in either weight group. Our data underscore a physiological role for taste perception in postprandial glucose responses, suggesting sweeteners should be consumed in moderation.
Neonatal Vitamin D Status Is Associated with the Severity of Brain Injury in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Pilot Study.

Objective The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentration at birth and the short-term outcomes in neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Our secondary aim was to evaluate the effect of postnatal vitamin D supplementation on outcomes in the perinatal period after hypoxic injury. Study Design This retrospective cohort study included all infants ≥35 weeks gestation admitted to a regional level IV neonatal intensive care unit and diagnosed with moderate or severe HIE. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to evaluate associations between clinical outcomes including standardized brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scores and either 25OHD concentrations in the first 48 hours of life or total vitamin D supplementation. Result A total of 43 infants met inclusion criteria; 22 had 25OHD concentrations drawn within the first 48 hours. There was a significant inverse association between 25OHD concentration and brain injury on MRI (p = 0.017). There was a trend toward decreased ventilator days in infants receiving higher doses of vitamin D in the first week of life (p = 0.062), but there was no association between vitamin D dosing and MRI injury. Conclusion These results support an association between lower vitamin-D levels and early adverse outcomes in HIE, including radiographic severity of brain injury.
The Evolution of the Federal Budget and Fiscal Rules

Peach discusses the role of the fiscal rules introduced in the United States at the federal level from the mid-80s. He notes that the first generation of rules, which focused on numerical targets for the deficit, did not prove very effective. The second generation was more successful: it established ceilings on some expenditure items and modified budgetary procedures. In particular, changes in the tax code and in expenditure enacted in a session of the Congress were expected to be deficit neutral over a certain number of years. Peach argues that rules, although not always adhered to, substantially affected the policy debate in the United States. Rules were particularly effective when they were supported by the political will to avoid large deficits and debts. He notes that also simple rules can be instrumental in improving the fiscal balance. In particular, the requirement to formally raise the debt ceiling introduced in the US in 1917 contributed to the enactment of legislation aimed at avoiding debt expansion. He concludes that rules are particularly effective when the majority of voters are convinced that compliance with them is in their interest.
A Statistical Modeling Method for Road Recognition in Traffic Video Analytics

A novel statistical modeling method is presented to solve the automated road recognition problem for the region of interest (RoI) detection in traffic video cognition. First, a temporal feature guided statistical modeling method is proposed for road modeling. Specifically, a foreground detection method is applied to extract the temporal features from the video and then to estimate a background image. Furthermore, the temporal features guide the statistical modeling method to select sample data. Additionally, a model pruning strategy is applied to estimate the road model. Second, a new road region detection method is presented to detect the road regions in the video. The method applies discrimination functions to classify each pixel in the estimated background image into a road class or a non-road class, respectively. The proposed method provides an intra-cognitive communication mode between the ROI selection and video analysis systems. Experimental results using real traffic videos from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) show that the proposed method is able to (i) detect the road region accurately and robustly and (ii) improve upon the state-of-the-art road recognition methods.
515. Risk Factors for Death, Intubation and Cardiac Arrest among COVID-19 Patients Hospitalized in Eastern North Carolina

Background Although majority of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases demonstrate mild to asymptomatic disease, COVID-19 can cause serious complications and death. However, risk factors for development of such complications are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for intubation, cardiac arrest, and death in COVID-19 patients.
Cosyntropin is poorly effective in treatment of infantile spasms (P1.5-027)

Objective: To report that Cosyntropin is poorly effective in treatment of infantile spasms. Background: Most authorities recommend adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) as the first line therapy for treatment of infantile spasms (IS). Very few researchers have reported on the relative efficacy of synthetic ACTH (sACTH) versus natural ACTH (nACTH), however both are thought to be similarly effective. United States (US) data reports a 55% response rate (IS freedom at 3 months post therapy) for nACTH, and United Kingdom data 76% for sACTH (tetracosactide) (using 40 international units-IU- for 2 weeks and then 60 IU if no response). Cosyntropin is an alternative synthetic ACTH available in the US. Design/Methods: After IRB approval, we performed a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) from September 2009 to December 2017. Analysis included 0–2 year old children diagnosed with IS and hypsarrhythmia on video EEG. We excluded those with Ohtahara syndrome or early myoclonic encephalopathy. We compared the response rate to various treatment regimes. Responders were divided into early responders (ER) – IS free Results: Of a total of 124 patients with IS, 41 had prior brain injury, 25 had migrational or other structural abnormalities, 24 had genetic etiologies, 11 had unknown etiology with developmental delay, and 23 had unknown etiology with normal development at diagnosis. A total 21 patients received CS, ranging from Conclusions: Cosyntropin does not appear to be effective in the treatment of IS. Disclosure: Dr. Arya has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gabriel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sharp has nothing to disclose. Dr. Samanta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Willis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cobb has nothing to disclose. Dr. Manbeck has nothing to disclose. Dr. Edens has nothing to disclose. Dr. Outlaw has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cash has nothing to disclose. Dr. Christensen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stanley has nothing to disclose. Dr. Phillips has nothing to disclose. Dr. Selvy has nothing to disclose.
An Approach to the Problem of Practice Teaching

(1949). An Approach to the Problem of Practice Teaching. Journal of the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation: Vol. 20, No. 5, pp. 307-350.
HYPOXANTHINE-GUANINE PHOSPHORIBOSYLTRANSFERASE DEFICIENCY: ALTERED KINETIC PROPERTIES OF A SPECIFIC MUTANT FORM OF THE ENZYME

The Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a rare, X-linked genetic disease due to a functional absence of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) (Seegmiller, Rosenbloom and Kelley, 1967). This enzyme catalyzes the transfer of the 5-phosphoribosyl moiety of 5-phosphoribosyl-l-pyrophosphate (PP-ribose-P) to the purine bases guanine and hypoxanthine to form the nucleotides inosinic acid and guanylic acid.
Photosynthetic Apparatus in the Green Bacterium Chloropseudomonas ethylicum.

Holt, Stanley C. (Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, N.H.), S. F. Conti, and R. C. Fuller. Photosynthetic apparatus in the green bacterium Chloro-pseudomonas ethylicum. J. Bacteriol. 91:311-323. 1966.-When cells of Chloro-pseudomonas ethylicum were broken by ballistic disruption and examined by electron microscopy, vesicles 1,300 to 1,500 A long and 300 to 500 A wide were found to rim the periphery of the cell. Examination of these vesicles obtained by disruption with a French pressure cell and purified by density gradient centrifugation revealed inter-connections between the vesicles. During sonic and Mickle disruption of the cells, chlorophyll was released at a lower rate than soluble cytoplasmic components, but faster than the membrane-bound enzyme succinic dehydrogenase. Unlike the situation that exists in the purple photosynthetic bacteria, it appears that the chlorophyll in the green bacteria is contained as part of a structure which may be differentiated both structurally and functionally from the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane.
Prosecuting Federal Crimes in State Courts

May state courts entertain federal criminal prosecutions? Many scholars assume that the answer is "yes." From the Progressive era to the present, scholars have urged that state courts be allowed to entertain certain federal criminal prosecutions - prosecutions now within the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts. These proposals aim to alleviate pressures on the federal courts caused by Congress’s unabated federalization of ostensibly local crimes, by returning many such crimes to local courts for local enforcement. While scholars debate the utility of such proposals, this article focuses on a different and less well explored problem: whether such proposals are constitutional. A close review of the evidence - including the Constitution’s framing and ratification, the early practices of Congress and the state courts, as well as more modern developments - suggests that there is far less support for the possibility of concurrent state court jurisdiction over federal crimes than is often assumed. In addition to these jurisdictional concerns, doubts would surround the question whether state prosecutors could be compelled or even authorized to exercise federal prosecutorial power, absent compliance with the Constitution’s Appointments and Take Care Clauses. Even assuming such compliance, cross-jurisdictional prosecutions also raise the question whether criminal defendants facing federal charges in state court would enjoy various constitutional protections still applicable only in federal courts, as well as questions respecting the operation of double jeopardy and the location of the pardon power. While the constitutional problems may not be insurmountable, this article concludes that they are sufficiently pervasive and difficult that proposals for state court prosecutions of federal crimes should be rejected.
Miniature three-element stochastic Yagi-Uda array optimization via particle swarm intelligence

The relatively new nature-based algorithm, particle swarm optimization, is used to design optimal miniaturized stochastic Yagi-Uda arrays. The PSO scheme utilizes a fixed-length grid mapping of continuous values. In the conventional sense, the driven linear dipole element of a Yagi-Uda array has a fixed-length at the resonant frequency while the element spacing is known to have the greatest impact on the radiation properties of the antenna. To accomplish miniaturization of such arrays, a simple but effective grid searching technique is introduced for use in conjunction with the PSO. Designs utilizing both parallel and planar grids are considered. It is found that the overall array length and width can be reduced by as much as 70% and 44%, respectively, compared to conventional Yagis. These results are achieved at the expense of some performance parameters, such as directive gain and/or bandwidth.
Salmonella Suppression by Known Populations of Bacteria in Flies

Survivorship of Salmonella typhimurium, Streptococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied in dibiotic and tribiotic interactions in vitro and in various regions of the digestive tract of the blow fly, Calliphora vicina. In dibiotic interactions, Salmonella typhimurium dominated Streptococcus faecalis and was dominated by P. mirabilis, but in neither case was it eliminated from the larval gut. In tribiotic interactions, there was synergic suppression and a definite trend toward elimination of Salmonella typhimurium from the gut. This trend approaches but does not match the total exclusion of S. typhimurium from the gut of maggots with a normal flora. Bacterial survival in the gut of the fly is discussed in relation to doubling time, sweep-out rate of the maggot and prepupal gut, and the midgut bactericide.
Searching for patterns in remote sensing image databases using neural networks

The authors have investigated a method, based on a successful neural network multispectral image classification system, of searching for single patterns in remote sensing databases. While defining the pattern to search for and the feature to be used for that search (spectral, spatial, temporal, etc.) is challenging, a more difficult task is selecting competing patterns to train against the desired pattern. Schemes for competing pattern selection, including random selection and human interpreted selection, are discussed in the context of an example detection of dense urban areas in Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery. When applying the search to multiple images, a simple normalization method can alleviate the problem of inconsistent image calibration. Another potential problem, that of highly compressed data, was found to have a minimal effect on the ability to detect the desired pattern. The neural network algorithm has been implemented using the PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) library and nearly-optimal speedups have been obtained that help alleviate the long process of searching through imagery.
Genetic Association of MPPED2 and ACTN2 with Dental Caries

The first genome-wide association study of dental caries focused on primary teeth in children aged 3 to 12 yr and nominated several novel genes: ACTN2, EDARADD, EPHA7, LPO, MPPED2, MTR, and ZMPSTE24. Here we interrogated 156 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within these candidate genes for evidence of association with dental caries experience in 13 race- and age-stratified samples from 6 independent studies (n = 3600). Analysis was performed separately for each sample, and results were combined across samples via meta-analysis. MPPED2 was significantly associated with caries via meta-analysis across the 5 childhood samples, with 4 SNPs showing significant associations after gene-wise adjustment for multiple comparisons (p < .0026). These results corroborate the previous genome-wide association study, although the functional role of MPPED2 in caries etiology remains unknown. ACTN2 also showed significant association via meta-analysis across childhood samples (p = .0014). Moreover, in adults, genetic association was observed for ACTN2 SNPs in individual samples (p < .0025), but no single SNP was significant via meta-analysis across all 8 adult samples. Given its compelling biological role in organizing ameloblasts during amelogenesis, this study strengthens the hypothesis that ACTN2 influences caries risk. Results for the other candidate genes neither proved nor precluded their associations with dental caries.
Quality and equity in the Mongolian education sector

This case study identifies four targets groups that are specific to the achievement of the EFA Millennium Development Goals in Mongolia: boys, out-of-school children, vulnerable children and minorities, and children of herders. Boys from herder families in remote rural areas are at the greatest risk of drop-out or non-enrollment. The case study therefore focuses on problems with access to education for boys from nomadic herder families. The inverse gender gap in the Mongolian education sector is a well-explored topic in educational policy research. What is lacking, however, is a more comprehensive look at how, and why, the combination of gender, household income and location of school—urban, semi-urban, rural—affect access to education in Mongolia.
Comparison of robustness to outliers between robust poisson models and log-binomial models when estimating relative risks for common binary outcomes: a simulation study

To estimate relative risks or risk ratios for common binary outcomes, the most popular model-based methods are the robust (also known as modified) Poisson and the log-binomial regression. Of the two methods, it is believed that the log-binomial regression yields more efficient estimators because it is maximum likelihood based, while the robust Poisson model may be less affected by outliers. Evidence to support the robustness of robust Poisson models in comparison with log-binomial models is very limited. In this study a simulation was conducted to evaluate the performance of the two methods in several scenarios where outliers existed. The findings indicate that for data coming from a population where the relationship between the outcome and the covariate was in a simple form (e.g. log-linear), the two models yielded comparable biases and mean square errors. However, if the true relationship contained a higher order term, the robust Poisson models consistently outperformed the log-binomial models even when the level of contamination is low. The robust Poisson models are more robust (or less sensitive) to outliers compared to the log-binomial models when estimating relative risks or risk ratios for common binary outcomes. Users should be aware of the limitations when choosing appropriate models to estimate relative risks or risk ratios.
The Aether and Heinrich Hertz's The Principles of Mechanics Presented in a New Form

The luminiferous aether played an important role in the careers of one of the greatest of nineteenth-century physicists, Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894). This paper demonstrates from Hertz's own writings the maturing of his interest in the aether during the years 1885–1894 until he finally considered the nature of the aether the most important problem remaining to be solved by physicists. This conviction, joined to his desire to reduce all physics to mechanics, eventually led Hertz to devote the last three years of his life (1891–1894) to his The Principles of Mechanics Presented in a New Form, a work he intended as preparatory to an all-out attack on the nature and functions of an aether. The reason why, after Hertz's premature death in 1894, physicists gradually lost interest in both his Mechanics and in the aether are discussed.
Apoptosis: Basic Concepts and Implications in Coronary Artery Disease

Apoptosis is an active form of cell death that is intricately regulated and distinct from necrosis. Data suggest that apoptosis may play a role in the pathophysiology of coronary atherosclerotic disease. Anatomic evidence of apoptosis has been observed in coronary atherosclerosis, restenosis, and transplant arteriopathy, accompanied by an increase in biochemical and genetic markers of apoptosis. Vasoactive substances such as nitric oxide and angiotensin II also regulate vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis; vasodilating factors may induce apoptosis, whereas vasoconstricting factors may inhibit apoptosis. The aim of this article is to review key points regarding the detection of apoptosis, its regulation, and its possible role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease.
An algorithm for automatic, computed-tomography-based source localization after prostate implant

Permanent implant of the prostate using I-125 and Pd-103 seeds is a popular choice of treatment for early-stage prostate cancer in the United States. Evaluation of the quality of the implant is best based on the calculated dose distribution from postimplant computed tomography(CT)images. This task, however, has been time-consuming and inaccurate. We have developed an algorithm for automatic source localization from postimplant CTimages. The only requirement of this algorithm is knowledge of the number of seeds present in the prostate, thus minimizing the need for human intervention. The algorithm processes volumetric CT data from the patient, and pixels of higher CT numbers are categorized into classes of definite and potential source pixels. A multithresholding technique is used to further determine the number of seeds and their precise locations in the CT volume data. A graphic user interface was developed to facilitate operator review of and intervention in the calculation and the results of the algorithm. This algorithm was tested on two phantoms containing nonradioactive seeds, one with 20 seeds in discrete locations and another with 100 seeds with small distances between seeds. The tests showed that the algorithm was able to identify the seed locations to within 1 mm of their physical locations for discrete seed locations. It was further able to separate seeds at close proximity to each other while maintaining an average seed localization error of less than 2 mm, with no operator intervention required.
Loneliness and depression in independent living retirement communities: risk and resilience factors

Socio-emotional selectivity theory posits that as individuals age, they desire less social stimulation and novelty, and tend to select close, reliable relationships to meet their emotional needs. Residence in congregate facilities affords social exposure, yet does not guarantee access to close relationships, so that loneliness may be a result. Further, the gerontology literature has suggested that loneliness in late life may be a risk factor for serious mental health concerns such as depression. This article examined data on loneliness and depressive symptoms from older adults aged 60-98, residing in two age-segregated independent living facilities. Overlap between those scoring in the depressed range on the Geriatric Depression Scale and those scoring more than one standard deviation above the mean on the UCLA Loneliness Scale was less than 50%, although zero-order correlation of the two continuous scores was moderately high. Potential risk and resilience factors were regressed on the continuous scores of the two scales in separate hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Depression was predicted by being older, number of chronic health conditions, grieving a recent loss, fewer neighbor visitors, less participation in organized social activities and less church attendance. Grieving a recent loss, receiving fewer visits from friends, and having a less extensive social network predicted loneliness. In addition, loneliness scores explained about 8% of the unique variance in depression scores, suggesting it is an independent risk factor for depressive symptoms. Loneliness scores were seen to be more widely dispersed in these respondents, with less variance explained by the available predictors. Suggestions are made for addressing loneliness in older adults as a means of preventing more serious mental health consequences.
Adenosine Stress Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Women With Low Risk Chest Pain: The Emory University Experience

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of adenosine stress magnetic resonance imaging (ASMRI) for the evaluation of women with low-risk chest pain (CP). Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) can present differently among women than among men. There is increased interest in the use of ASMRI for lower risk patients in the emergency department to rule out CAD, and it would be valuable to assess its performance specifically in women. Methods This study included 82 women with low-risk CP who presented to the emergency department during a 2-year period at our institution and were evaluated by ASMRI. Clinical events were followed by review of medical records. Results The specificity of ASMRI for ischemia detection in this small cohort of patients was 100%. Sensitivity was 94.9%, negative predictive value 100%, and positive predictive value 42.9%. Conclusions ASMRI may be used as the initial imaging modality for ruling out CAD in women with low-risk CP because of its very high sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value for the detection of ischemia. Further randomized controlled trials comparing ASMRI with established noninvasive nuclear and echocardiographic stress modalities are needed.
Synapses and malnutrition: quantitative ultrastructural study of rat cerebral cortex.

In a previous study we have found that synaptosomal fractions from cerebral cortex of 24-day-old rats malnourished from late gestation yielded more protein and higher enzyme activities than the controls, suggesting that presynaptic endings may be relatively “spared” during malnutrition. In order to explore further the effect of malnutrition on presynaptic endings, we have carried out a quantitative ultrastructural study of the lamina pyramidalis from the somatosensory cortex of rats identical in age and method of malnutrition to those used in the previous study. The fractional area of the cortex occupied by cell bodies was 53% larger in the malnourished animals than in the controls. This increase was due to a higher density rather than a larger size of the cell bodies. Neurons accounted for almost all the increase of cellularity while no conclusion could be reached for the glia. The fractional area occupied by neuropil was decreased by 7.4%. The fractional area of the neuropil occupied by presynaptic endings was 18.3% smaller in malnourished animals. This decrease was the result of a diminished size (−11.8%) as well as density (−7.4%) of the presynaptic endings. Furthermore, in malnourished animals, about 72% of the area occupied by presynaptic endings was accounted for by presynaptic profiles measuring 0.375 μm2 or less, while in the controls presynaptic endings of the same size accounted for about 57% of the presynaptic endings area. Possible explanation for the apparent inconsistency of biochemical and morphologic data are presented.
Computation of self-similar solutions for mean curvature flow

We describe a numerical algorithm to compute surfaces that are approximately self-similar under mean curvature flow. The method restricts computation to a two-dimensional subspace of the space of embedded manifolds that is likely to contain a self-similar solution. Using the algorithm, we recover the self-similar torus of Angenent and find several surfaces that appear to approximate previously unknown self-similar surfaces. Two of them may prove to be counterexamples to the conjecture of uniqueness of the weak solution for mean curvature flow for surfaces.
Self-consistent mean-field theory, progenitor sum rules, and the giant dipole resonance☆

Abstract Self-consistent mean-field theory gives an expression for the giant dipole resonance energy which depends on κ (the enhancement of the dipole sum rule by exchange currents). The value of κ needed to fit the GDR is much smaller than that obtained from the integrated photoabsorption cross section, in Suzuki's treatment. A corrected treatment which resolves this discrepancy is given here.
Rotational decoupling of vibrational modes due to rotational excitation: Application to a model of the HDO stretching motions

Rotational motion can have a significant effect on intramolecular vibrational dynamics. In this paper, we explore the recently discovered phenomenon of rotational decoupling through both quantum mechanical and classical methods. It is found in a model system for the stretching motions of HDO, that rotational motion about the c axis can decouple the stretches. This fact can be understood as a cancellation between kinetic and centrifugal coupling as illuminated using classical resonance analysis and quantum matrix element calculations. The significance of this phenomenon is discussed in infrared multiple photon absorption experiments with specific application to isotope separation in HDO.
Resuscitation and Function of the Cadaver Heart

Cadaver dog hearts with anoxia for one and one-half hours and no cooling were revived with 70% (18 of 26) success. There was occasional success after one and one-half to two hours of anoxia. At two hours no heart could be revived. After resuscitation cadaver hearts were maintained in a functional heart-lung preparation for periods up to 30 hours. Attempts were made to transplant ten of these hearts into the orthotopic position. There were no long-term survivors; all ten, however, were able to take over the circulatory load after bypass. Four dogs maintained an adequate circulation without supportive drugs for from eight to 38 hours.
The α and γ subunits of 7S nerve growth factor are present in excess concentrations in the mouse submandibular gland

The 7S nerve growth factor molecule, found in the mouse submandibular gland, is comprised of three distinct protein subunits named α, γ and β-NGF. In this paper, radioimmunoassays specific for each subunit were used to measure the concentrations of these subunits in homogenates of mouse submandibular gland. It was determined that there were excess concentrations of both the α and γ subunits, more than enough to bind all of the β-NGF in the gland to form 7S-NGF. The radioimmunoassay data was confirmed by gel filtration experiments. In the gel filtration experiments, the excess α and γ subunits eluted at positions which would indicate that these excess subunits were free and not bound in the 7S-NGF complex. The identity of the excess α and γ subunits was substantiated by ion exchange chromatography, isoelectric focusing polyacrylamide gels and immunoblotting experiments. In conclusion, there are considerable quantities of α and γ subunits present in the submandibular gland which are not bound to β-NGE The functional significance of these excess concentrations of the α and γ subunits is not known.
Differential effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on selected subunit mRNAs of the GABAA receptor in rabbit anterior cingulate cortex

Abstract We have previously shown that in the dopamine-rich anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), significant changes in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) immunoreactivity occur in the offspring of rabbits given intravenous injections of cocaine (3 mg/kg) twice daily during pregnancy. In the present study, the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on the developmental expression of specific GABA A receptor subunit mRNAs were investigated. We compared the distribution of the α1, β2, and γ2 subunit mRNAs in cocaine- and saline-treated offspring aged postnatal days 20 and 60 (P20, P60). At P20, prenatal cocaine exposure resulted in a significant increase in α1 subunit mRNA in ACC lamina III and a significant reduction in the amounts of the β2 subunit mRNA in ACC lamina II. No differences between cocaine- and saline-treated controls were detected for γ2 subunit mRNA levels in ACC. Although the pattern of labeling was altered in cocaine-exposed animals, Nissl sections revealed no differences in lamination, indicating that the changes in GABA A subunit mRNAs could not be attributed to abnormal cytoarchitectonics. In P60 brains, no significant differences were observed between cocaine- and saline-treated material, indicating that the observed differences were transient. Collectively, our data show that prenatal cocaine exposure elicits differential, lamina-specific changes in mRNA levels encoding selected subunits of the GABA A receptor. Since these changes occur during a critical period when fine tuning of synaptic organization is achieved by processes of selective elimination or stabilization of synapses, we suggest that specific subunit mRNAs of the GABA A receptor play a role in cortical development.
Assessing Errors in Variational Dual-Doppler Wind Syntheses of Supercell Thunderstorms Observed by Storm-Scale Mobile Radars

AbstractDual-Doppler wind retrieval is an invaluable tool in the study of convective storms. However, the nature of the errors in the retrieved three-dimensional wind estimates and subsequent dynamical analyses is not precisely known, making it difficult to assign confidence to inferred storm behavior. Using an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) framework, this study characterizes these errors for a supercell thunderstorm observed at close range by two Doppler radars. Synthetic radar observations generated from a high-resolution numerical supercell simulation are input to a three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) dual-Doppler wind retrieval technique. The sensitivity of the analyzed kinematics and dynamics to the dual-Doppler retrieval settings, hydrometeor fall speed parameterization errors, and radar cross-beam angle and scanning strategy is examined.Imposing the commonly adopted assumptions of spatially constant storm motion and intrinsically steady flow produces large errors...
Intergovernmental Social Transfers and the Welfare State: Menace or Promise?

A collaborative cross-national study involving teams from eight countries has examined how local social service officials and local politicians seek discretionary influence over targeted national grants for local social services in education and health. It is found that local need and local political orientation have little bearing on local success in obtaining discretionary concessions over rules, allocation, and reporting of such funds. On the contrary, local actors are valued for their ability to circumvent national guidelines, often with the assistance of intermediate-level officials. Administrators are rewarded for their skills in exploiting national grants for local purposes and in interpreting complex rules to fit local preferences. Politicians tend to see themselves as troubleshooters, but generally prefer not to become involved in local social assistance problems. The results show that, despite efforts to cut back social spending, an important reservoir of professional and administrative talent e...
Slanted objectivity? Perceived media bias, cable news exposure, and political attitudes

Objectives. This research explores the consequences of a fragmented television news audience. The recent proliferation of a wide array of television news sources has influenced the manner in which a large number of Americans get their information about politics and government. The political consequences of media fragmentation and the polarization of the U.S. television news audience are explored. Methods. I analyze data on television news-gathering habits and political attitudes collected from several surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center during the 2004 presidential election campaign. Results. The Fox News Channel has been the main beneficiary of television news fragmentation by appealing to those individuals who have become disillusioned with what they perceive as a liberally-biased mainstream media. The findings show that the Fox News audience has a distinct set of political attitudes regarding President Bush and his opposition. Evidence also indicates that the Fox News audience has distinct voting behavior patterns, even when controlling for party identification. Finally, the results illustrate that Fox News watchers have perceptions of political reality that differ from the rest of the television news audience. Conclusions. The television news audience is divided along political lines. This division could contribute toward further political polarization among the U.S. mass public as the content of television news coverage of politics becomes less and less homogenized.
Predictors of overall and on-the-job substance use among young workers.

Predictors of overall and on-the-job substance (alcohol and marijuana) use were studied in a sample of young workers. The 18 predictors represent 6 general domains of risk factors: demographic, personality, substance use outcome expectancies, workplace substance availability, workplace social control, and work stressors. Data were obtained from a sample of 319 individuals ages 16 to 19. Hierarchical tobit regression analyses revealed that 5 of the 6 domains of risk factors were related to employee substance use. Similarities and differences were found in the predictors of overall and on-the-job substance use and in the predictors of alcohol and marijuana use. Language: en