cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Late Castration, Zeranol and Breed Group on Growth, Feed Efficiency and Carcass Characteristics of Late Maturing Bovine Males

A total of 280 young bulls representing five breed groups with an average age of about 1 yr were assigned to five experimental treatments as follows: (1) emasculator castration at d 0, (2) surgical castration at d 0, (3) intact, (4) intact and implanted at d 0 and 70 with 36 mg of zeranol and (5) intact and implanted at d 0 with 72 mg zeranol. All animals were slaughtered and carcass data were collected after a feeding period of 141 d. Method of castration did not affect rate of gain. Intact males not implanted with zeranol gained 38.6% more (P less than .01) during the 141 d period than castrate males. Intact males from the two zeranol implant treatment groups did not differ from each other in gain, but averaged 11.1% more (P less than .01) during the 141 d period than males from the intact treatment group not implanted. Castrate males required 40.4% more (P less than .01) metabolizable energy (ME) and dry matter (DM)/kg gain than intact males not implanted, but intact males implanted with zeranol did not require less (P greater than .05) ME or DM/kg gain than intact males not implanted. Males castrated at about 1 yr showed a progressive decrease in secondary sex characteristics during the 141 d feeding period, while males from the three intact treatments showed a progressive increase. Zeranol did not have an effect on testicular weight or on aggressive male behavioral characteristics. Castrate males had greater (P less than .01) fat thickness at 12th rib, higher (P less than .01) marbling score and lower (P less than .01) cutability and retail product percentage than the males from the three intact treatments, which did not differ (P greater than .05) from each other in traits associated with carcass composition. The effect of treatment on lean color score, though significant, was not of major importance; all treatments produced meat of acceptable color. The longissimus muscle of castrate males had a finer texture (P less than .01) than longissimus muscle from males from intact treatments, which did not differ from each other (P greater than .05).
Foundations for social work on open-heart surgery service.

Pre- and postoperative intervention can be crucial in the ability of patients and their families to cope with the psychosocial ramifications of heart surgery
More rapid thrombolysis with coronary venous retroinfusion of streptokinase compared with intravenous administration. An experimental study in canines.

The efficacy of coronary venous retroinfusion vs intravenous administration of streptokinase was compared in 20 closed chest dogs with copper coil induced thrombosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Streptokinase was continuously infused for 60 min (100 IU kg−1 min−1) starting 60 min after coronary artery occlusion. Time to clot lysis was determined by coronary angiography performed at 5 min intervals. Complete lysis occurred in eight out of 10 dogs receiving intravenous streptokinase and in all 10 dogs in the coronary venous group. Time to thrombolysis was significantly shorter with coronary venous retroinfusion (23 ± 8 min) than after systemic infusion (62 ± 26 min; P < 0.001). Recovery of ischaemic zone left ventricular systolic function, studied by two-dimensional echocardiography, was significantly better in the animals that received retrograde streptokinase than in the group that received intravenous streptokinase (17 ±12% vs-2 ±16%; P < 0.05). Myocardial necrosis expressed as a percentage of the risk area was 8 ±12% after retroinfusion of streptokinase compared with 32 ±25% (P < 0.005) after intravenous administration. In conclusion, coronary venous administration of streptokinase was more effective than intravenous therapy as determined by more rapid clot lysis which resulted in improved functional recovery of the ischaemic myocardium and a significant reduction in myocardial necrosis.
XXXI. On the sensitivity, specificity, and discrimination of diagnostic tests

In 1947, Yerushalmy18 introduced the terms sensitivity and specificity as statistical indexes of the efficiency of a diagnostic test. The sensitivity of the test would indicate its capacity for making a correct diagnosis in confirmed positive cases of the disease. The specificity would indicate the capacity for correct diagnosis in confirmed negative cases.
Measuring cognitive processes underlying picture naming in Alzheimer's and cerebrovascular dementia: a general processing tree approach.

Existing data from the Boston Naming Test were analyzed using standard statistical methods and with a General Processing Tree (GPT) model in an attempt to differentiate between patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Cerebrovascular dementia (CVD), matched for severity, and age-matched healthy controls. The GPT approach enables the estimation of parameters reflecting underlying cognitive processes (e.g., perceptual analysis, lexical access) based on categorical data. Compared to traditional analyses of proportion correct and of errors, the analysis with the GPT model was more sensitive in detecting differences between patient groups, as well as the source of these differences. Among the differences were two, evident in a comparison between very mild AD and very mild CVD patients: standard analyses did not reveal a significant difference between these groups; but the GPT analysis revealed that the CVD patients had significantly higher estimates than the AD patients on parameters reflecting lexical access and phonological realization.
Peter Ackroyd: Chatterton (1987)

Peter Ackroyd is representative of a generation of English novelists whose education has familiarized them with poststructuralist literary theory. Inevitably this has affected their understanding of the nature of writing and entered their fiction — frequently in the form of increased verbal playfulness, self-consciousness and metafictional interventions. Ackroyd exemplifies this generational characteristic by publishing as his first book what he described as a “polemic” (Notes 9) on poststructuralist theory, Notes for a New Culture: An Essay on Modernism (1976). This was written while Ackroyd was spending two postgraduate years (1971–73) at Yale on a Mellon Fellowship. There he met John Ashbery and Kenneth Koch, both poets of the New York School. Ashbery had spent nine years in France and was well acquainted with contemporary currents in French thought. In the space of two years Ackroyd had absorbed contemporary French theory with as much enthusiasm as the Yale school of critics were showing at this time.
Multiple people tracking using contextual trajectory forecasting

People tracking is the ability to identify the position of a specified person in the camera view with the progression of time. Trajectory forecasting is the task of predicting the likely path that a person might take to reach a destination. Contextual trajectory forecasting (CTF) leverages the 3D geometric information and static objects in the environment along with observed behavioral norms for human path prediction. In this paper, we enhance CTF to also account for dynamic objects in the environment (like other humans) for prediction. The proposed tracking algorithm makes use of traditional HSV histogram appearance features for detection and combines it with the enhanced CTF for tracking. A maximum likelihood minimum mean square error data association filter is used to probabilistically associate the appearance detections and the CTF predictions for tracking. Two real world scenarios with 49 ID's were used to evaluate the proposed algorithm. The result show a significant improvement over a baseline tracking algorithm (HSV histogram) and a state-of-the-art online multi person tracking algorithm.
Nature: A Conversation in Three Parts

This conversation considers the contemporary popularity across the academy and among the wider public of the idea that humans and nature are always interconnected, as reflected especially in the idea of the Anthropocene. On the one hand, the popularity of nondualist ideas and related practices suggests the widespread acceptance of concepts long at the core of geographical thought and, as such, these new phenomena seem to be something to be celebrated by geographers. On the other hand, these nondualist ideas and practices are also unleashing new forms of politics, particularly regarding efforts to engineer a range of new natures, including bodies, ecosystems, and the earth system writ large. Therefore, we propose that geography's longstanding and intradisciplinary attention to interconnections among humans and nature is as essential now as ever. We no longer have to convince others that humans and nature are interconnected, but rather than celebrate this, our task now is to investigate how nondualism works...
Directions in Ceramic Research

Ceramics are among the most common classes of artifacts recovered in many archaeological contexts. Because of this, we rely on ceramics to answer many of the questions we wish to ask about the human past. The relations between ceramic variability and these questions—on political, social, economic, or ideological organization and change—are not always obvious or straightforward. In many cases, other classes of material culture might be more suited to approaching such questions. For example, clothing styles, tattoos, and other perishable media of expression would probably be more useful than ceramics in many contexts for considering questions of social organization and the definition and expression of social boundaries. Goods with high political and economic significance may be more subject to administrative control in early states than domestic ceramic vessels. Yet ceramics are often what archaeologists have to work with. Although they may not be suited to all questions, careful work within a logical theoretical framework can enable us to use ceramics to answer a broad range of questions that go beyond the construction of traditional typologies, chronologies, and the identification of broad culture areas.
Ways of Looking: The Global Vision of V. S. Naipaul

(2005). Ways of Looking: The Global Vision of V. S. Naipaul. South Asian Review: Vol. 26, 'V.S Naipaul: His ideas, work and art'. Guest Edited by P. A. Chauhan, pp. 358-374.
An improved method to estimate pigeon populations in urban areas

The Rock Pigeon, Columba livia, is rare in natural environments but extremely successful in urban areas all over the world. Management programs are important because it is considered a pest in many cities. Nevertheless, no appropriate evaluation of methods to estimate urban pigeon populations is available in the literature. We compared three methods: a) the frequently used Stratified grids ; b) Point counts , i.e. total pigeon counts with a mechanic counter in sampling points with a 50m radius; and c) Panoramas, 360 o panoramic photographs. In nine urban parks in central Costa Rica, we made 1350 counts in total and compared: coefficient of variation (to assess precision); accuracy; time counting or taking photographs in situ ; time merging photographs, counting pigeons in photographs, or typing data; and advantages or disadvantages. The Panorama Method is cheap, precise, accurate, secure, fast and easy. It can be used as an indicator or to estimate the actual population.
Wide field-of-view high lateral resolution optical coherence tomography with 3D image stitching and superresolution

We report that wide field-of-view (FOV) optical coherence tomography images with high lateral resolution can be obtained by using superresolution and 3D image stitching techniques. About 3 times lateral resolution improvement from 6.20 μm to 2.19 μm using a focusing lens of 0.08 numerical aperture has been demonstrated. With such lens the FOV is generally small owing to off-axis focusing degradation. To enlarge the FOV while maintaining high lateral resolution, 3D image stitching technique is introduced to effectively reconstruct an ultra-wide FOV 3D image of 2.10x1.15 mm2 lateral area from ten C-scans of 500×500 μm2 FOV. Improved FOV with high lateral resolution should benefit various biomedical imaging applications.
Sulfonium Ion Condensation: The Burden Borne by SAM Synthetase

S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM+) serves as the principal methylating agent in biological systems, but the thermodynamic basis of its reactivity does not seem to have been clearly established. Here, we show that methionine, methanol, and H+ combine to form S-methylmethionine (SMM+) with a temperature-independent equilibrium constant of 9.9 M–2. The corresponding group transfer potential of SMM+ (its free energy of hydrolysis at pH 7) is −8.2 kcal/mol. The “energy-rich” nature of sulfonium ions is related to the extreme acidity (pKa −5.4) of the S-protonated thioether produced by sulfonium hydrolysis, and the large negative free energy of deprotonation of that species in neutral solution (−16.7 kcal/mol). At pH 7, SAM synthetase requires the free energy released by cleavage of two bonds of ATP to reverse that process.
The Work Formalism: A new Theory of Electronic Structure

The electronic properties of a system are described by its stationary state wavefunction ψ, which is the eigenfunction of the time-independent Schrodinger [1 ] equation. The determination of the wavefunction ψ, however, is complicated by the presence in the Hamiltonian of the nonlocal operator representing Coulomb repulsion between the electrons. Thus, although electron correlations due to the Pauli exclusion principle are accounted for by the requirement of antisymmetry of the wavefunction, the explicit representation of Coulomb repulsion in the wavefunction is unknown. As a consequence the wavefunction must be approximated. The best wavefunctions are obtained by application of the variational principle for the energy. As the representation of electron correlations in the approximate wavefunction is improved, as in going from the Hartree to Hartree-Fock to the Configuration-Interaction approximations, the energy too is improved. In each case a rigorous upper bound to the exact non-relativistic value is obtained, the bound improving with the wavefunction.
The effect of liquid gallium on the strengths of stainless steel and thermoplastics

We have investigated the effect of liquid gallium on type 316L stainless steel (as a candidate for the P–V–T pressure vessel), and four thermoplastics: two semicrystalline (high-density polyethylene and polypropylene) and two amorphous (polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate)). Specimens were coated with gallium and held at elevated temperatures and reduced pressure for extended periods. Measurements conducted on the plastics include weight change analyses, tensile tests and particle diffusion analysis using dispersion X-ray spectroscopy. For the stainless steel specimens, tensile and corrosion tests were conducted. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the level of corrosion. The results are compared with specimens heat treated identically but without gallium contact. After 3 months, the gallium corroded the surface of the steel to a depth of only 12 μm. No penetration path of the gallium into the steel has been observed. The gallium was also found to cause no change in the mechanical properties of the polymers tested, nor was it found to have caused any weight change in the specimens.
GROWTH OF MEAT ANIMALS | Physiology

The physiology of growth of meat animals involves genetic determinants, plane of nutrition age-related changes, and the coordinated effects of synthesis and secretion of hormones and growth factors that determine the cell number and size in organs, skeletal muscle, bone, and adipose tissue. Metabolic hormones such as somatotropin, insulin, and thyroid hormones direct the use of nutrients for protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and organ tissue growth, and lipid synthesis and accumulation in adipose tissue. Gender also influences cell number and size, nutrient metabolism, mature size, and carcass composition among breeds of the same species, provided nutrition is adequate.
Language, Identity, and Arab Nationalism: Case Study of Palestine

Palestine became a predominantly Arab country with a Muslim majority in the late seventh century. Known to the entire Muslim world by its Arabic name, Filastin, Palestine’s physical characteristics...
Subglottal resonances of American English speaking children

This paper presents an investigation of children's subglottal resonances (SGRs), the natural frequencies of the tracheo-bronchial acoustic system. A total of 43 children (31 male, 12 female) aged between 6 and 18 yr were recorded. Both microphone signals of various consonant-vowel-consonant words and subglottal accelerometer signals of the sustained vowel /ɑ/ were recorded for each of the children, along with age and standing height. The first three SGRs of each child were measured from the sustained vowel subglottal accelerometer signals. A model relating SGRs to standing height was developed based on the quarter-wavelength resonator model, previously developed for adult SGRs and heights. Based on difficulties in predicting the higher SGR values for the younger children, the model of the third SGR was refined to account for frequency-dependent acoustic lengths of the tracheo-bronchial system. This updated model more accurately estimates both adult and child SGRs based on their heights. These results indicate the importance of considering frequency-dependent acoustic lengths of the subglottal system.
Hepatic iron overload identified by magnetic resonance imaging-based T2* is a predictor of non-diagnostic elastography.

Background Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a non-invasive test used to assess liver stiffness and fibrosis in chronic liver disease, which includes systemic iron overload. However, iron deposition by itself is associated with technical failure of MRE of the liver which necessitates the use of invasive liver biopsy as an alternative monitoring method for these patients. T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2*) is a reliable modality to asses for hepatic as well as total body iron overload. Therefore, we aimed to determine a cutoff value on the T2* reading at which MRE would no longer provide accurate stiffness measurements in patients with iron overload. Methods Ninety-five patients with iron overload who underwent MRE at our institution, between 2010 and 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. We compared T2* values between patients with adequate elastography (N=63) versus those with non-diagnostic elastography (N=32). We additionally examined the ability of T2* to predict the likelihood of non-diagnostic elastography by estimating area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results T2* was significantly different between patients with and without an adequate elastography (P<0.0001) and predicted occurrence of non-diagnostic elastography with an AUC of 0.95. All patients with a non-diagnostic elastography had a T2* value below 20 milliseconds (ms), and correspondingly 55% of the patients with a T2* value below 20 ms had a non-diagnostic elastography. The subgroups of patients with a T2* value ≤10, ≤8, and ≤6 ms, had a higher likelihood of non-diagnostic elastography (87%, 92%, and 95%, respectively). Conclusions T2* can be used to accurately predict which patients are most likely to have a non-diagnostic elastography reading. T2* of 20 ms or lower reflects a higher likelihood of non-diagnostic elastography.
Abstract 142: Characterizing the Mechanisms of Factor VIII Binding to Low-density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein 1

Hemophilia A is a bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in coagulation factor VIII (fVIII) that affects 1 in 5,000 males. Current prophylactic replacement therapy, while effective, is difficult ...
Intrinsic Low Thermal Conductivity and Phonon Renormalization Due to Strong Anharmonicity of Single-Crystal Tin Selenide

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals material tin selenide (SnSe) has recently attracted intensive interest due to its exceptional thermoelectric performance. However, the thermal properties and phon...
Survey reveals frequency of multiple resistance to glyphosate and dicamba in kochia (Bassia scoparia)

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) kochia has been reported across the western and midwestern United States. From 2011 to 2014, kochia seed was collected from agronomic regions across Colorado to evaluate the frequency and distribution of glyphosate-, dicamba-, and fluroxypyr-resistant kochia, and to assess the frequency of multiple resistance. Here we report resistance frequency as percent resistance within a population, and resistance distribution as the percentage and locations of accessions classified as resistant to a discriminating herbicide dose. In 2011, kochia accessions were screened with glyphosate only, whereas from 2012 to 2014 kochia accessions were screened with glyphosate, dicamba, and fluroxypyr. From 2011 to 2014, the percentages of GR kochia accessions were 60%, 45%, 39%, and 52%, respectively. The percentages of dicamba-resistant kochia accessions from 2012 to 2014 were 33%, 45%, and 28%, respectively. No fluroxypyr-resistant accessions were identified. Multiple-resistant accessions (low resistance or resistant to both glyphosate and dicamba) from 2012 to 2014 were identified in 14%, 15%, and 20% of total sampled accessions, respectively. This confirmation of multiple glyphosate and dicamba resistance in kochia accessions emphasizes the importance of diversity in herbicide site of action as critical to extend the usefulness of remaining effective herbicides such as fluroxypyr for management of this weed.Nomenclature: Dicamba; fluroxypyr; glyphosate; kochia, Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J. Scott
Faculty Views on College Student Mental Health: Implications for Retention and Student Success:

Faculty members play key roles in successful college student retention and degree completion. In recent years, investigators in a variety of higher education disciplines identified numerous factors...
Poisoning and competitive adsorption effects during phenol hydrogenation on platinum in water-alcohol mixtures

Abstract The effect of other bio-oil components on the aqueous phase hydrogenation of phenol on a Pt/C catalyst was investigated at a temperature of 353 K and a total pressure of 250 psi. Cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol were primary products; cyclohexanone was further converted to cylcohexanol. Methanol or ethanol as additives in water could completely stop ring hydrogenation in phenol (and in other test compounds: benzene, toluene) and decelerated the hydrogenation of cyclohexanone. Formic acid also suppressed hydrogenation reactions. The poisoning effect resulted from CO, formed by decomposition of alcohols or formic acid on platinum. Ab initio density-functional theory calculations afforded adsorption geometries, binding energies and diffusion barriers of relevant species. Phenol hydrogenation on platinum is more susceptible to CO poisoning than cyclohexanone hydrogenation because it needs a large ensemble site. The poisoning effect of alcohols can be avoided by mixing the components in a specific order.
Dispositional mindfulness predicts cortisol, cardiovascular, and psychological stress responses in adolescence.

Abstract Background Past studies investigating the link between mindfulness and stress responding (i.e., emotional, psychological, and physiological responses to perceived threat or challenge) have focused on mindfulness training and on adult populations. In addition, research has not directly examined whether high mindfulness is particularly beneficial under conditions of high stress. To fill these gaps, the current study examined whether dispositional mindfulness predicts reduced cortisol, psychological, and cardiovascular stress responding in adolescence, and whether these effects are moderated by perceived life stress. Methods Adolescents (N = 150; 14–21yrs) completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, perceived life stress, emotional reactivity, and appraisals of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Cortisol and blood pressure responses were measured. Results Higher dispositional mindfulness predicted reduced emotional and cardiovascular responding to the TSST, as well as less-negative task appraisals. In contrast, higher dispositional mindfulness predicted greater cortisol reactivity (or increases in cortisol in response to the TSST), particularly for adolescents experiencing lower perceived life stress. Conclusion These findings add to the body of literature indicating that greater mindfulness predicts improved stress responding, but do not suggest that mindfulness buffers the effects of high stress on adolescent stress responding.
Cursed creatives: alienation, sublimation, and the plight of contemporary creative work

This paper connects the critical discourse on the ‘creative class’ with a longstanding lineage of thought on creativity in psychoanalysis, demonstrating their combined value in understanding worker...
Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis as Diagnosed by 99mTc-PYP Scanning in Patients with Acute Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Transthyretin amyloid deposition is present in 17% of autopsies of patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). 99mTechnetium-pyrophosphate scintigraphy (99mTc-PYP) is sensitive and specific to diagnose cardiac transthyretin amyloid deposition (ATTR). The prevalence of ATTR
The Button Project: Using Chart Rounds for Teaching Clinical Ophthalmology with an Electronic Medical Record.

Objective Chart rounds have traditionally been used effectively for clinical teaching in ophthalmology. The introduction of the electronic health record has altered practice patterns and some evidence suggests interference with resident education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of chart rounds in our ophthalmology department and to see if a simple intervention, an "education button", could positively impact clinical teaching. Design We used a cross-sectional survey, and pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess the utility of an intervention - an "education button". Setting Department of Ophthalmology at Duke University, a tertiary care academic ophthalmology practice, in Durham, North Carolina. Participants Ophthalmology trainees (37), including residents and clinical fellows, and clinical faculty (50) in the department were surveyed anonymously. The overall response rate for the cross-sectional survey was 83% (72/87). The overall response rate for the educational study was 53% for the first time-point and 59% for the second time-point. Results For the cross-sectional survey, trainees found chart rounds to be useful and would like to increase their frequency. Most faculty reported doing them regularly, although not having enough time was the most common barrier (76% of the faculty). In the pre- and post-assessment of the "education button" (overall response rate 53%), the overall impression was positive with the button easy to use, but the implementation of the button did not appear to change the quality or frequency of chart rounds; nor did it appear to have an effect on covering learning objectives. Conclusion While the "education button" could help with communication between the faculty and trainees during a busy clinic session to identify cases for discussion, it did not address the most common barrier identified by faculty members, that of not having enough time.
Paul A. Samuelson and the Foundation of International Economics

The bell is still tolling for Samuelson’s works on trade theory. This chapter looks at some models he presented that are still relevant for global trade driven by communication and digital technologies. The models rest on a sound general equilibrium base, for which Samuelson used theoretical and operational perspectives. The models invoke free trade, which bequeaths potential gains for all players. In today’s world of increasing productivity for many underdeveloped economies, the Stolper–Samuelson theorem points to the idea that rich nations which lose comparative advantages may suffer lower wages and lower net gains from trade. An allied theorem relates to factor price equalization where competition in final products can cause convergence in factor prices. This chapter presents Samuelson’s fundamental contributions to international trade theory, including his contribution to the transfer problem, which constituted the main research programs in the last half-century or more in this field of economics, and are still the paradigms for future research.
A novel, yet simple MLC-based 3D-crossfire technique for spatially fractionated GRID therapy treatment of deep-seated bulky tumors.

Purpose Treating deep-seated bulky tumors with traditional single-field Cerrobend GRID-blocks has many limitations such as suboptimal target coverage and excessive skin toxicity. Heavy traditional GRID-blocks are a concern for patient safety at various gantry-angles and dosimetric detail is not always available without a GRID template in user's treatment planning system. Herein, we propose a simple, yet clinically useful multileaf collimator (MLC)-based three-dimensional (3D)-crossfire technique to provide sufficient target coverage, reduce skin dose, and potentially escalate tumor dose to deep-seated bulky tumors. Materials/methods Thirteen patients (multiple sites) who underwent conventional single-field cerrobend GRID-block therapy (maximum, 15 Gy in 1 fraction) were re-planned using an MLC-based 3D-crossfire method. Gross tumor volume (GTV) was used to generate a lattice pattern of 10 mm diameter and 20 mm center-to-center mimicking conventional GRID-block using an in-house MATLAB program. For the same prescription, MLC-based 3D-crossfire grid plans were generated using 6-gantry positions (clockwise) at 60° spacing (210°, 270°, 330°, 30°, 90°, 150°, therefore, each gantry angle associated with a complement angle at 180° apart) with differentially-weighted 6 or 18 MV beams in Eclipse. For each gantry, standard Millenium120 (Varian) 5 mm MLC leaves were fit to the grid-pattern with 90° collimator rotation, so that the tunneling dose distribution was achieved. Acuros-based dose was calculated for heterogeneity corrections. Dosimetric parameters evaluated include: mean GTV dose, GTV dose heterogeneities (peak-to-valley dose ratio, PVDR), skin dose and dose to other adjacent critical structures. Additionally, planning time and delivery efficiency was recorded. With 3D-MLC, dose escalation up to 23 Gy was simulated for all patient's plans. Results All 3D-MLC crossfire GRID plans exhibited excellent target coverage with mean GTV dose of 13.4 ± 0.5 Gy (range: 12.43-14.24 Gy) and mean PVDR of 2.0 ± 0.3 (range: 1.7-2.4). Maximal and dose to 5 cc of skin were 9.7 ± 2.7 Gy (range: 5.4-14.0 Gy) and 6.3 ± 1.8 Gy (range: 4.1-11.1 Gy), on average respectively. Three-dimensional-MLC treatment planning time was about an hour or less. Compared to traditional GRID-block, average beam on time was 20% less, while providing similar overall treatment time. With 3D-MLC plans, tumor dose can be escalated up to 23 Gy while respecting skin dose tolerances. Conclusion The simple MLC-based 3D-crossfire GRID-therapy technique resulted in enhanced target coverage for de-bulking deep-seated bulky tumors, reduced skin toxicity and spare adjacent critical structures. This simple MLC-based approach can be easily adopted by any radiotherapy center. It provides detailed dosimetry and a safe and effective treatment by eliminating the heavy physical GRID-block and could potentially provide same day treatment. Prospective clinical trial with higher tumor-dose to bulky deep-seated tumors is anticipated.
Folate Deficiency Inhibits Development of the Mammary Gland and its Associated Lymphatics in FVB Mice.

BACKGROUND Folate is essential for DNA synthesis, DNA repair, cell proliferation, development, and morphogenesis. Folic acid (FA) is a nutritional supplement used to fortify human diets. OBJECTIVES We investigated the effects of dietary FA on early mammary gland (MG) development and hyperplasia. METHODS Study 1: nulliparous female FVB wild-type (WT) mice were fed control (Con; 2 mg FA/kg), deficient (Def; 0 mg FA/kg), excess (Ex; 5 mg FA/kg), or super excess (S-Ex; 20 mg FA/kg) diets for 8 wk before mating to WT or heterozygous FVB/N-Tg[mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat (MMTV)-polyomavirus middle T antigen (PyVT)]634Mul/J (MMTV-PyMT+/-) transgenic males. Dams were fed these diets until they weaned WT or MMTV-PyMT+/- pups, which were fed the dam's diet from postnatal day (PND) 21 to 42. Tissues were collected from female progeny at PNDs 1, 21, and 42. Study 2: Con or Def diets were fed to WT intact females and males from PND 21 to 56, or to ovariectomized females from PND 21 to 77; tissues were collected at PND 56 or 77. Growth of all offspring, development of MGs, MG hyperplasia, supramammary lymph nodes, thymus and spleen, cell proliferation, and expression of MG growth factors were measured. RESULTS Study 1: Ex or S-Ex did not affect postnatal MG development or hyperplasia. The rate of isometric MG growth (PND 1-21) was reduced by 69% in Def female progeny (P < 0.0001). Similarly, hyperplastic growth in MGs of Def MMTV-PyMT+/- offspring was 18% of Con (P < 0.05). The Def diet reduced supramammary lymph node size by 20% (P < 0.0001) and increased MG insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA by 200% (P < 0.05) and protein by 130%-150% (P < 0.05). Study 2: the Def diet did not affect MG growth, but it did reduce supramammary lymph node size (P < 0.05), spleen weight (P < 0.001), and thymic medulla area (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In utero and postnatal folate deficiency reduced the isometric development of the MGs and early MG hyperplasia. Postnatal folate deficiency reduced the development of lymphatic tissues.
Utilization of mental health services in pediatric patients surviving penetrating trauma resulting from interpersonal violence.

Abstract Background Violent trauma has lasting psychological impacts. Our institution’s Community Violence Response Team (CVRT) offers mental health services to trauma victims. We characterized implementation and determined factors associated with utilization by pediatric survivors of interpersonal violence-related penetrating trauma. Methods Analysis included survivors (0–21 years) of violent penetrating injury at our institution (2011–2017). Injury and demographic data were collected. Nonparametric regression models determined factors associated with utilization. Results There was initial rapid uptake of CVRT (2011–2013) after which it plateaued, serving >80% of eligible patients (2017). White race and higher injury severity were associated with receipt and duration of services. In post-hoc analysis, race was found to be associated with continued treatment but not with initial consultation. Conclusion Successful implementation required three years, aiding >80% of patients. CVRT is a blueprint to strengthen existing violence intervention programs. Efforts should be made to ensure that barriers to providing care, including those related to race, are overcome.
Selective and Efficient Production of Biomass-derived Vinylfurans

We describe a two-step catalytic process for the selective and rapid conversion of biomass-derived acetylfurans into vinylfurans. This is accomplished by nearly quantitatively reducing acetylfurans...
Brand Novelty and Publicity About Athlete Endorsers Affect Psychological Processing of Ads

Using a hierarchy of effects theoretical framework, the present study investigates psychological responses to positive and negative publicity about athlete endorsers. Furthermore, this research add...
Investigating Markers of Early Traumatic Brain Injury (iMet)

Purpose: Diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in young children can be difficult due to their limited communicative ability. Two serum biomarkers recently approved for clinical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), have demonstrated diagnostic utility in adults with both mild and moderate TBI. Our objective was to investigate if serum levels of GFAP and UCH-L1 were significantly different in young children with acute TBI, relative to children with orthopedic injury (OI). Design/Methods: Prospective case-control study of children 0-4 years old presenting to an emergency department within six hours of injury. Eligible patients included children with an …
The Tea Light Candle and the Global Waste Problem

In 2012, the World Bank estimated that each person living on planet Earth produces approximately 1.2 kg of waste per day, amounting to 1.2 billion tons per year. By 2025, this number is expected to reach a staggering 2.2 billion tons, which raises the fundamental question: What is and what happens to waste? Domestic burning of waste is a frequent disposal technique in many parts of the world. Further, even when waste is moved to dumpsites in many developing countries, it is not uncommon for the material to be burned by open, uncontrolled fires. In short, fire is the primary mode of waste disposal. Fire provides volume reduction and prevents disease, but inefficient combustion brings its hazards in the form of toxic/noxious gasses. This paper will discuss the work we have been doing at WPI related to burning hazardous waste cleanly and efficiently by observing a tea light candle's behavior.
State-building and the European Union: Markets, War, and Europe's Uneven Political Development:

The European Union’s institutional development is highly imbalanced. It has established robust legal authority and institutions, but it remains weak or impotent in terms of its centralization of fi...
Lives, Livelihoods, and Landscapes: A Study of Land Use and Social Change in Northeastern Nepal

An abstract of the thesis of Jennifer Leigh Anderson for the Master of Science in Geography presented June 4, 2003. Lives, Livelihoods, And Landscapes; A Study of Land Use and Social Change in
A Review of: “Billions: Selling to the New Chinese Consumer”

Billions: Selling to the New Chinese Consumer is based on author Tom Doctoroff's working experience at J. Walter Thompson (JWT) of more than 11 years and partner experience with more than 50 multin...
The Myth of American Isolationism

International relations scholarship often describes America's foreign policy tradition as having isolationist tendencies or an isolationist dimension, a characterization derived most directly from American security policy in the 1920s and 1930s. This article offers a critique of this characterization. American diplomacy in the 1920s was subtle but ambitious and effective. American policy in the years leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor was in fact quite responsive to events on the European continent. In short, American isolationism is a myth.
China's Economic Takeoff

This article analyzes several similarities between the takeoffs to sustained growth in China and in Japan. The takeoff period for Japan was from 1868 to the late 1930s, while for China it has been from 1978 to the present. Prior to takeoff both countries went through periods in which economic policy was distorted due to revenue needs of the ruling elite. The economic takeoffs in both countries were dependent on surges in agricultural growth and rural-based manufacturing. These surges provided opportunities for the ruling elites in both nations to diversify their revenue sources via fiscal contracts and to provide the infrastructure (physical and institutional) necessary for the transition to rapid growth.
Effect of connecting rain barrels on the storage size reduction

In this article, the possibility of sharing rain barrels and the potential benefit of reducing storage size through physical and non-physical connections of rain barrels in a community are investigated. Using the concepts of homogeneous/heterogeneous users in rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS), two simple cases of a community composed of four prospective users are examined. The first is performed with the users who have the same mean and variance in water demands (homogeneous users), and the second is with the users with different means and variances (heterogeneous users). To take account for the rainfall characteristics in different places, historical records from six cities in the USA are used for storage–reliability–yield analysis. The result indicates that required total storage can be reduced by connecting multiple rain barrels. In addition, a significant difference is found between homogeneous and heterogeneous user groups. Homogeneous users do not achieve a substantial benefit from connecting their rain barrels; these users may even be disadvantaged by sharing. In contrast, heterogeneous users receive benefit by reducing the total required storage. Most benefit is expected between users with maximum difference in mean water demands. The reduction in storage size was as considerable as 37% in this study. The quantity of storage reduction depends on locations and target reliabilities. Knowledge of the benefits and limitations of rain barrel connections can improve RWHS performance through ability to customize a network plan for individual users. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Covalent interaction of 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine with hepatic lipids: Enzymic basis and stability of the adducts

Administration of a single oral dose (20 mg/kg) of [U-14C]3,3'-dichlorobenzidine to rats resulted in the in vivo covalent binding of the compound to hepatic lipids. More than 70% of the lipid-3,3'-dichlorobenzidine adducts were accounted for in microsomes. Loss of the lipid-bound 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine residues from either total liver or endoplasmic reticulum occurred in at least two phases--an initial fast phase and a terminal slow phase. In vitro studies with hepatic microsomes in the presence of antibodies to specific P450 isozymes and chemical inhibitors to determine the enzymes that activate 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine to the lipid-binding derivative(s) implicated cytochrome P450d. The 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine-bound microsomal lipids were not mutagenic to Salmonella TA98 in the Ames test. The results suggest that adduct formation between 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine and membrane lipids may provide a measure of 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine activation. It is speculated that covalent interaction of the compound with membrane lipids may modify cellular processes, leading to either enhancement or attenuation of carcinogenesis by the chemical.
Calculating the Shrapnel Generation and Subsequent Damage to First Wall and Optics Components for the National Ignition Facility

The purpose of this work is to computationally assess the threat from shrapnel generation on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) first wall, final optics, and ultimately other target chamber components. Shrapnel is defined as material.that is in a solid, liquid, or clustered-vapor phase with sufficient velocity to become a threat to exposed surfaces as a consequence of its impact. Typical NIF experiments will be of two types, low neutron yield shots in which the capsule is not cryogenically cooled, and high yield shots for which cryogenic cooling of the capsule is required. For non-cryogenic shots, shrapnel would be produced by spaIIing, melting and vaporizing of ``shine shields`` by absorption and shock wave loading following 1-{omega} and 2-{omega} laser radiation. For cryogenic shots, shrapnel would be generated through shock wave splitting, spalling, and droplet formation of the cryogenic tubes following neutron energy deposition. Motion of the shrapnel is determined not only by particle velocities resulting from the neutron deposition, but also by both x-ray and debris loading arising from explosion of the hohlraum. Material responses of different target area components are computed from one- dimensional and two-dimensional stress wave propagation codes. Well developed rate-dependent spall computational models are used for stainless steel spall and splitting,. Severe cell distortion is accounted for in shine-shield and hohlraum-loading computations. Resulting distributions of shrapnel particles are traced to the first wall and optics and damage is estimated for candidate materials. First wall and optical material damage from shrapnel includes crater formation and associated extended cracking.
K Nearest Gaussian-A model fusion based framework for imbalanced classification with noisy dataset

Data quality issues such as data imbalance and data noise have great impact on the performances of many classifiers. Althoughthe co-existence of imbalance and noise appears in many real world datasets, the issue of imbalance and noise have mostlybeen treated separately due to their different causes and problematic consequences. However, doing so may ignore the mutualeffects thus may not achieve optimal classification performance. In this research, we propose a model fusion based framework,termed K Nearest Gaussian (KNG) to tackle the imbalance and noise issues jointly. KNG employs generative modeling method(GMM) to extract the data characteristics from the training data which are less sensitive to data imbalance and noise. The datacharacteristics are then used to establish Gaussian confidence regions which are used to achieve final classification in a K nearestneighbor (KNN) manner. Experiments on seven UCI benchmark datasets and one medical imaging dataset show KNG methodgreatly outperforms traditional classification methods in dealing with imbalanced classification problems with noisy dataset.
Inhibition of endometrial carcinoma cell cultures by a synthetic androgen.

This paper describes the dose-response inhibitory effects of a synthetic androgen, methyltrienolone, on the growth of a grade II endometrial adenocarcinoma in vitro . Derived from a nude mouse heterotransplant, this cell line has maintained the morphological characteristics of the original human tumor, remains tumorigenic in the nude mouse, forms colonies on soft agar, and exhibits low levels of estrogen receptors. Data reported in this paper indicate that the cells contain androgen binding sites. At low doses of 0.25 µg/ml methyltrienolone had no effect on these cells, whereas at 1.0 and 10.0 µg/ml there was significant dose dependent inhibition of cell growth and an increase in the cell doubling time. Both testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were not inhibitory to the cells except at high doses where inhibition was slight. Methyltrienolone was not inhibitory to normal human foreskin fibroblast cultures tested as a control for cytotoxicity of the synthetic androgen. These data suggest that androgens may play a role in the treatment of tumors not responsive to conventional forms of hormonal therapy.
Enantiospecific Adsorption of (R)-3-Methylcyclohexanone on Naturally Chiral Cu(531) R&S Surfaces

The enantiospecific adsorption and desorption of (R)-3-methylcyclohexanone on naturally chiral Cu(531) R&S surfaces was studied using temperature programmed desorption. The Cu(531) R&S surfaces are of interest because they lie at the center of the stereographic triangle and thus, have the highest density of chiral adsorption sites possible on the surface of a face centered cubic metal. Several (R)-3-methylcyclohexanone desorption features were resolved in the TPD spectra from Cu(531) R&S surfaces and were assigned to desorption of molecules from terrace, step, and kink sites. The peaks associated with (R)-3-methylcyclohexanone desorbing from the R- and S-kink sites differed in temperature by 2.2 ± 0.6 K. This corresponds to an enantiospecific difference in the desorption energies of 0.5 ± 0.2 kJ/mol, with a preference for adsorption of (R)-3-methylcyclohexanone at the S-kinks on the Cu(531) S surface.
Fine-tuning motor neuron properties: signaling from the periphery.

Our understanding of motor neuron differentiation is rapidly evolving. New studies demonstrate that cells in the periphery of the embryo provide feedback signals for spinal cord motor neurons that are instrumental in the timing and regulation of their development. Two papers in this issue of Neuron (Haase et al., 2002; Livet et al., 2002) identify a motor neuron survival factor, GDNF, and the ETS transcription factor, PEA3, as key components of a signal transduction pathway whose goals are 2-fold: to cluster motor pool-specific cell bodies and to promote axon arborization.