cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Dapsone in the Treatment of Chronic Idiopathic and Autoimmune Urticaria.

Importance The first-line treatment for patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), which is divided into idiopathic and autoimmune subtypes, consists of H 1 -antihistamines. However, limited evidence guides the treatment of CSU after maximal therapy with antihistamines fails. Two randomized clinical trials suggest that dapsone may be a successful second-line therapy. Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dapsone therapy in patients with CSU. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective medical record review included 79 patients with CSU treated with dapsone who presented to the tertiary care academic medical center at the New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, from January 1, 2005, through April 15, 2017. Follow-up was completed on February 28, 2018. Data were analyzed from March 1 through May 31, 2018. Exposures Treatment with oral dapsone for CSU. Main Outcomes and Measures Efficacy of dapsone therapy for CSU was evaluated as improvement, complete response, and remission. Results Seventy-nine patients (65% women; mean [SD] age, 49.8 [16.1] years [range, 20-79 years]) were included in the analysis. Forty-five patients had chronic idiopathic urticaria and 34 had chronic autoimmune urticaria. Improvement in CSU was observed in 62 patients (78%) (36 [80%] with idiopathic and 26 [76%] with autoimmune disease) with dapsone. Mean (SD) time to improvement was 1.1 (1.0) months. A complete response was achieved in 29 (47%) of these 62 patients (16 [44%] with idiopathic and 13 [50%] with autoimmune disease). Mean (SD) time to complete response was 5.2 (5.2) months. Dapsone therapy was tapered in 21 patients after a mean (SD) of 2.4 (2.2) months and discontinued in 18. Ten patients experienced remission with no subsequent flares, even after dapsone therapy was discontinued with follow-up of 0.3 to 10.0 months. Sixteen patients experienced mild adverse effects. Two serious adverse effects were reported. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this study suggest that dapsone is a useful and well-tolerated second-line therapy for patients with CSU in whom antihistamines and other first-line agents have failed.
Genetic Risk, Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle, and Ischemic Heart Disease.

The purpose of this review is to investigate and discuss two aspects of coronary artery disease (CAD)—genetic risk and therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC)—both of which have key importance for patients and their care but which actually receive inadequate attention. Genetic risk has generally been relegated to a broad association with the presence of one or more inherited cardiovascular (CV) risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, family history of atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. However, the future of genetic risk is an understanding of specific genes, a genetic risk score, specific genetic loci known as selective nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), specific alleles, and microribonucleic acids (miRNAs). Healthy lifestyle is fashionably referred to as TLC and encompasses physical fitness, exercise, behavioral modification, diet, and stress reduction. In the past decade, aggressive treatment of cholesterol with statins has received the major emphasis for CV risk reduction. Genetics, of course, can only be modified by factors that influence epigenetics, and TLC could have an effect on genetics by this mechanism. On the other hand, each individual component of TLC has been shown to contribute to a reduction of CV risk. Although aggressive pharmaceutical approaches are now in vogue, whatever TLC can contribute, depending on the degree of individual patient adherence, should never be forgotten.
End-to-End Network Slicing for 5G&#38;B Wireless Software-Defined Systems

As a key enabling technology for 5G&#38;B systems, network virtualization allows multiple service providers to simultaneously and independently serve their users via virtualized network slices. However, this innovative technology cannot slice wireless resources without a paradigm shift in existing hardware-based architectures. In this paper, end-to-end network slicing is treated from a perspective of wireless software-defined networking architectures. It jointly optimizes all communication functionalities in both radio access and core networks to ensure optimal data throughput and congestion-free systems. First, based on software- defined cellular architectures, the idea of end- to-end (across access and core network domains) virtualization is introduced with dedicated control units, including high-level controllers and local baseband servers. Next, a stochastic utility-optimal virtualization problem is formulated, which jointly optimizes congestion control, flow routing, and power slicing to maximize the total incoming rates of wireless&#x002F;wired flows, while satisfying the flow- queue stability and system-level constraints. After transforming the virtualization problem into a tractable form, an iterative network slicing algorithm is proposed that employs a primal-dual Newton method with quadratic convergence and achieves resource-efficient virtualization via control-unit coordination. Numerical results validate the efficacy of our solution, facilitating the 5G&#38;B infrastructure-as-a-service.
The effect of melanin on in vivo optical coherence tomography of the skin in a multiethnic cohort

Background Noninvasive real-time assessment of living tissue is quickly becoming invaluable for bolstering histologic and dermatoscopic measures of cutaneous conditions. While many skin researchers have explored the utility of noninvasive imaging in inflammatory and malignant skin conditions, there is yet to be a definitive and direct assessment of the effects of melanin on the quality of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and its accuracy in multiethnic patient populations. We conducted a study to evaluate the effects of melanin on the quality of in vivo OCT imaging. Methods Volunteers of all Fitzpatrick skin types were imaged once in five skin regions. Images were analyzed for quality, defined quantitatively as depreciation of light as it passes through the depth of skin, and qualitatively as depth and contrast ranked by blinded clinicians. Results Our analysis of sixteen subjects shows that there is a significant difference in quantitative OCT image quality between light (Fitzpatrick I-III) and dark (IV-VI) skin types for both epidermal (p 0.0328) and dermal levels (p 0.0021). However, there was no significant difference in qualitative blinded rater measures of image clarity (p 0.11) or perceived depth (p 0.13). Conclusion Based on our definition of image quality, our study shows that OCT images taken from darker skin types have slightly lower quality than those taken from lighter skin. However, because blinded rater assessment showed no differences in clarity or perceived depth, we conclude that OCT may be used without hesitation for manual visualization of skin and its appendages in all Fitzpatrick skin types. Further studies are required to more extensively characterize the effects of melanin on OCT imaging. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pathology of the Aortic Valve: Aortic Valve Stenosis/Aortic Regurgitation

This discussion is intended to review the anatomy and pathology of the aortic valve and aortic root region, and to provide a basis for the understanding of and treatment of the important life-threatening diseases that affect the aortic valve. The most exciting recent finding is that less invasive methods are being developed to treat diseases of the aortic valve. There are no medical cures for aortic valve diseases. Until recently, open-heart surgery was the only effective method of treatment. Now percutaneous approaches to implant bioprosthetic valves into failed native or previously implanted bioprosthetic valves are being developed and utilized. A genetic basis for many of the diseases that affect the aortic valve is being discovered that also should lead to innovative approaches to perhaps prevent these disease. Sequencing of ribosomal RNA is assisting in identifying organisms causing endocarditis, leading to more effective antimicrobial therapy. There is exciting, expanding, therapeutic innovation in the treatment of aortic valve disease.
The Jekyll and Hyde symbiont: could Wolbachia be a nutritional mutualist?

The most common intracellular symbiont on the planet-Wolbachia pipientis-is infamous largely for the reproductive manipulations induced in its host. However, more recent evidence suggests that this bacterium may also serve as a nutritional mutualist in certain host backgrounds and for certain metabolites. We performed a large-scale analysis of conserved gene content across all sequenced Wolbachia genomes to infer potential nutrients made by these symbionts. We review and critically evaluate the prior research supporting a beneficial role for Wolbachia and suggest future experiments to test hypotheses of metabolic provisioning.
An Exploratory Study of African American Adolescents’ Talk About Peer Sexual Harassment: More Support for the Utility of Feminist Theory

ABSTRACTA qualitative exploratory study examined African American 7th graders’ talk about peer sexual harassment (N = 21). A thematic analysis of single-gender discussion groups demonstrated that w...
Food safety considerations in integrated organic crop–livestock systems: prevalence of Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 in organically raised cattle and organic feed

Availability of organic foods has been increasing in the United States due to consumer demand for food produced with a lower environmental footprint. Surveys show that organic consumers view organic food as safer and of higher quality, but a number of food-borne outbreaks have been linked to organic produce in recent years. This outcome suggests that improved food safety protocols are needed to ensure food safety along organic food chains. In this study, model integrated crop–livestock organic systems were established in three states (Iowa, Minnesota and Pennsylvania) to evaluate biological performance and food safety aspects. Organically raised cattle and their feed/forage, feces, hide and meat were examined for the presence of two pathogens, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. Results confirmed that E. coli O157:H7 was not isolated on any hide or meat samples. Across all sites, the prevalence rate for E. coli O157:H7 on feed/forage and fecal matter was 9.43 and 7.26%, respectively. Salmonella spp. was isolated from 1.89, 3.33 and 18.6% of feed, fecal and hide samples, respectively. Salmonella spp. was not detected on any meat samples. While Salmonella spp. rates on hides were greater than those in feed and fecal samples, the prevalence rate of both pathogens on cattle hides was lower than in previous studies. The use of an organic fly repellent containing essential oils in this study would need to be investigated further to determine any correlation between its use and lower pathogen rates on hides. Feed/forage was more likely to test positive for E. coli O157:H7 from June through August, indicating the importance of strict sanitary measures to prevent feed contamination during summer months. These results suggest that careful adherence to food safety management strategies can help reduce the risk of bacterial contamination in integrated crop–livestock systems.
Circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone levels, lactate levels, hematocrit and osmolality in relation to capture stress in Atlantic sharpnose sharks, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae.

Incidental capture of sharks during commercial and recreational fishing is of major conservation concern because of the potential effects it can have on physiological stress responses and survival. Endocrine aspects of the stress response are, however, poorly understood in elasmobranchs because of difficulties in measuring the primary glucocorticoid (1α-hydroxycorticosterone). Here, we combined measures of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), the highly conserved pituitary hormone responsible for stimulating the release of adrenal/interrenal glucocorticoids, with measures of plasma lactate, osmolality, hematocrit, and behavior to gain a greater understanding of the capture stress response in Atlantic Sharpnose sharks, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae. Individuals were subject to a non-repeated measures blood sampling protocol in which blood samples were obtained following exposure to capture stress for <3 min (designated baseline), and 15, 30, 45 and 60 min, after which behavior was categorized during release. Results revealed that ACTH was significantly higher at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min than at baseline. Lactate levels were highest at 45 and 60 min whereas osmolality and hematocrit did not differ significantly among the sampling periods. Lactate was the only variable to significantly predict the shark's behavior upon release with higher lactate levels correlating with sluggish behavior. Measurements of stress indicators are important in understanding the effects of capture on shark populations, which has been implicated in population declines.
Atlantic coastwide population structure of striped bass Morone saxatilis using microsatellite DNA analysis

Abstract Striped bass Morone saxatilis support one of the most popular and important inshore recreational and commercial fisheries along the Atlantic Coast of North America. Populations at both extremes of its distribution are largely resident while those in the center of its range (Hudson River, New York, to Roanoke River, North Carolina) are seasonally migratory, ranging from the Bay of Fundy, Canada, to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Historically, population abundances of striped bass fluctuated widely, sometimes resulting in the imposition of severe management measures to restrict their harvest. Detailed knowledge of its rangewide population structure would aid in more effective management; however, most genetic studies addressing the structure of the migratory coastal stock have largely failed to achieve this goal. To address this need, we used multi-loci microsatellite DNA analysis. We identified six, and posibly one more, genetically distinct populations across the species’ distribution, including the Miramichi, Shubenacadie, Hudson, Delaware-Chesapeake, Roanoke, and Santee-Cooper rivers. We also report significant genetic differentiation between the Nanticoke and Choptank rivers along the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay and collections from tributaries along the western shore of the Bay. The Annapolis and Saint John rivers, tributaries of the Bay of Fundy, historically hosted striped bass aggregations that were extirpated, or nearly so, by anthropogenic stressors in the late 20th century. No specimens with unique genotypes were found in collections from either river; instead the vast majority were admixed with genotypes of Shubenacadie River, Hudson River, Chesapeake Bay, and Roanoke River lineages. Finally, we show in simulations that these genetic markers should be informative in quantifying the contributions of the Hudson River, Chesapeake Bay-Delaware, and Roanoke River to mixed-stock harvests that occur within the range of the coastal migratory stock.
Shared mobility and transit-dependent population: A new equity opportunity or issue?

Using shared mobility data collected from different sources and multinomial models, this paper investigates its role in serving transit-dependent populations and whether shared mobility can reduce ...
Discovery of Senolytics and the Pathway to Early Phase Clinical Trials

Cellular senescence is one of the fundamental mechanisms of aging. Senescent cells accumulate at etiological sites of age-related diseases and can secrete factors that cause dysfunction at local and systemic levels. The discovery of senolytics, drugs that specifically target senescent cells, has opened an innovative pathway for treating age-related diseases. Successes in pre-clinical models have led to first-in-human trials. If effective, senolytics could have a profound impact on alleviating age-related disorders and diseases.
A 17.8MS/s Neural-Network Compressed Sensing Radar Processor in 16nm FinFET CMOS

Transceiver bandwidth limits the resolution of ultra-low-power pulse radar systems. Compressed sensing techniques improve resolution but existing efforts require heavy computation. This work proposes a neural-network based compressed sensing radar processor architecture that improves resolution by 6× while remaining computationally efficient. Fabricated in 16nm FinFET CMOS, the processor simultaneously achieves more than 8× throughput and 18× efficiency over the state-of-the-art.
Legal and Research Considerations regarding the Importance of Developing and Nurturing Trusting Family-Professional Partnerships in Special Education Consultation

Over the past 30 years, through multiple reauthorizations, both the Every Student Succeeds Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, lawmakers and researchers have consistently ackn...
The influence of inter-dialect contact on the Korean three-way laryngeal distinction: An acoustic comparison among Seoul, Gyeongsang, and bidialectal speakers

This study investigates the acoustic correlates of the Korean three-way laryngeal stop distinction in Gyeongsang-based Seoul bidialectal speakers who were born in the Gyeongsang region but moved to Seoul to pursue higher-level education. The main purpose is to examine whether exposure to Seoul Korean affects bidialectal speakers' cue-weighting strategy to distinguish stops in production. Acoustic data were collected from 8 bidialectal, 5 Gyeongsang speakers (GK), and 11 Seoul speakers (SK). Bidialectal speakers produced stimuli in both Gyeongsang and Seoul dialect. A cue-weighting model of measured data reveals that VOT is less important to distinguish lenis from aspirated stops for SK and for bidialectal speakers' SK compared to GK and bidialectal speakers' GK. In addition, F0 is more important for the lenis-aspirated distinction for bidialectal speakers' SK and for SK compared to GK and bidialectal speakers' GK, showing that bidialectal speakers rely less on VOT and more on F0 to distinguish lenis from aspirated stops compared to GK. Bidialectal speakers' SK reveals that they rely more on VOT and less on F0 compared to SK. These results provide empirical support to previous studies (e.g., Lee & Jongman, 2019) suggesting that a series of changes in GK are due to inter-dialect contact.
Mindfulness and acceptance-based behavioral treatment for bulimia-spectrum disorders: A pilot feasibility randomized trial.

Objective Although existing research supports the efficacy of mindfulness- and acceptance-based treatments (MABTs) for eating disorders (EDs), few studies have directly compared outcomes from MABTs to standard CBT. Method Participants (N = 44), treatment-seeking adults with bulimia-spectrum EDs, were screened for eligibility, consented, and randomized to receive 20 sessions of outpatient, individual CBT or MABT treatment. Treatment outcomes (binge eating and compensatory behavior episodes, global ED severity, depressive symptoms, quality of life, emotional awareness/clarity, distress tolerance, values-based decision-making, and emotion modulation) were measured at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow up. Data on feasibility and acceptability are also presented. Results Treatment and assessment retention rates were comparable between MABT and CBT (p range = .51-.73) and between-group differences on acceptability measures were very small (d range = 0.03-0.19). Both conditions produced notable and generally comparable changes in most treatment outcomes at post-treatment (within group d range = 0.06-1.77). Discussion The MABT and CBT conditions demonstrated comparable degrees of feasibility, acceptability, and symptom improvement, suggesting that MABTs warrant further evaluation as ED treatments.
Emergency medicine research: 2030 strategic goals.

All academic medical specialties have the obligation to continuously create new knowledge that will improve patient care and outcomes. Emergency medicine (EM) is no exception. Since its origins over 50 years ago, EM has struggled to fulfill its research mission. EM ranks last among clinical specialties in the percentage of medical school faculty who are National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded principal investigators (PIs; 1.7%) and the percentage of medical school departments with NIH-funded PIs (33%). Although there has been a steady increase in the number of NIH-funded projects and total NIH dollars, the slowing growth in the number of NIH-funded PIs and lack of growth in the number of EM departments with NIH-funded PIs is cause for concern. In response, the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM) Research Task Force proposes a set of 2030 strategic goals for the EM research enterprise that are based on sustaining historic growth rates in NIH funding. These goals have been endorsed by the AACEM Executive Committee and the boards of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM). The 2030 strategic goals include 200 NIH-funded projects led by 150 EM PIs in at least 50 EM departments with over $100M in annual funding resulting in over 3% of EM faculty being NIH-funded PIs. Achieving these goals will require a targeted series of focused strategies to increase the number of EM faculty who are competitive for NIH funding. This requires a coordinated, intentional effort with investments at the national, departmental, and individual levels. These efforts are ideally led by medical school department chairs, who can create the culture and provide the resources needed to be successful. The specialty of EM has the obligation to improve the health of the public and to fulfill its research mission.
Why Whistleblowers Lose: An Empirical and Qualitative Analysis of State Court Cases

This Article was originally intended to be an analysis of the propriety, or impropriety, of the doctrines most commonly used by courts to decide employees’ whistleblowing retaliation claims against employers. However, upon conducting initial research, it quickly became apparent that there was very little data available on whistleblowing cases. Unlike employment discrimination cases, where several empirical studies have been conducted, there is only one empirical analysis of whistleblower claims, which focused solely on outcomes in the federal administrative process for claims brought under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). That study revealed that whistleblowers fare poorly for a number of reasons, but many of the reasons suggested by the author appear to be unique to SOX plaintiffs. This Article studies the success rates of whistleblowers suing under state law, as different a context as possible from SOX, and identifies common reasons whistleblower claims fail in these cases.
Traffic Volume Detection Using Infrastructure-Based LiDAR under Different Levels of Service Conditions

AbstractLight detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology is a key component of an autonomous vehicle’s sensing system. It also has the potential to be used at the roadside as a major infrastructure-b...
The achievement of public health services in pharmacy practice: A literature review.

Abstract Background It is known that pharmacists are currently contributing to public health; however, the extent of this contribution as reported in the literature has not been examined. Investigating the ways that pharmacists are currently participating in public health is critical for the profession of pharmacy, pharmacy educators, and the public health community. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the reported contributions of pharmacy to each of the ten essential services of public health, and which of the five core competencies of public health were most frequently utilized in those contributions. Methods A PubMed search was used to extract references that included both the words pharmacy and services in the title or abstract, and the words public health in any part of the document. A total of 247 references were extracted and categorized into the essential services and core competencies. Results The essential services Inform, Educate, and Empower, and Link to/Provide Care were more frequently represented in the literature, and the core competency of Health Policy and Administration was most frequently utilized. Conclusion To further contribute to and integrate their contributions within population health, pharmacists must consider ways to strategically contribute to the essential services of public health and seek to increase competency in public health.
Incompetency to Stand Trial: Treatment Unaffected by Demographic Variables

The results of previous studies of the assessment of a defendant's competence to stand trial have suggested that demographic characteristics of the defendant have influenced diagnostic and treatment decisions. This study investigated the effect of three such demographic characteristics on the length of treatment of defendants committed because of incompetency to stand trial. Length of treatment was chosen because it had been the focus of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Jackson v. Indiana. The institution from which data were analyzed was the North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center, a forensic mental health treatment center located in Gainesville, Florida. The records of 1090 defendants committed for such treatment between 1978 and 1984 were coded and collected. The demographic composition of the institution was found to parallel that found in the prior studies and to reflect that of the criminal justice system generally. Statistical analysis, using linear regression, revealed, contrary to researchers' expectations, that length of treatment did not appear to be influenced by the demographic factors of race, education, or marital status.
Soft x-ray spectroscopic study of the ferromagnetic insulator V 0.82 Cr 0.18 O 2

The chromium-vanadium oxide system ${\text{V}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Cr}}_{x}{\text{O}}_{2}$ $(0.1lxl0.2)$ displays both insulating character in the rutile phase and room-temperature ferromagnetism. A combination of x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, and resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy of the $\text{V}\text{ }{L}_{3,2}$, $\text{O}\text{ }K$, and $\text{Cr}\text{ }{L}_{3,2}$ edges was used to study the electronic structure near the Fermi level of ${\text{V}}_{0.82}{\text{Cr}}_{0.12}{\text{O}}_{2}$. Our results show that the chromium enters as ${\text{Cr}}^{3+}$ with the ${d}^{3}$ configuration, resulting in the formation of ${\text{Cr}}^{3+}{\text{-V}}^{5+}$ ion pairs, in contrast to the simple ${\text{Cr}}^{4+}$ substitution expected from the end members ${\text{VO}}_{2}$ and ${\text{CrO}}_{2}$. The occupied $\text{Cr}\text{ }3d$ orbital is located $\ensuremath{\sim}2\text{ }\text{eV}$ below the Fermi level. Comparison with the parent material ${\text{VO}}_{2}$ reveals significant changes in the $\text{O}\text{ }2p$ bandwidth and increased $\text{O}\text{ }2p\text{-V}\text{ }3d$ hybridization in ${\text{V}}_{0.82}{\text{Cr}}_{0.12}{\text{O}}_{2}$, which are attributed to the reduced atomic spacing upon doping. Two energy loss features due to $d\text{\ensuremath{-}}{d}^{\ensuremath{\ast}}$ transitions are observed at 0.95 and 1.75 eV in the $\text{V}\text{ }{L}_{3}$-edge x-ray scattering spectra and are explained in terms of the splitting of the ${t}_{2\text{g}}$-derived $\ensuremath{\pi}$ band.
Hirschsprung's disease

Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) or “congenital megacolon” is a congenital developmental disorder characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the distal intestine with variable proximal extension. HD affects approximately 1 / 5,000 live births and is more common in males (M: F = 4: 1). According to the proximal extension is possible to indentify different forms of HD: ultrashort, short segment or classical form, long segment and total colonic aganglia. Most children with HD (50-90%) are diagnosed in the neonatal period. Typically the infant with HD is born at term and present with failure to pass meconium.When there is a clinical suspicion of HD, diagnostic investigations to be performed include: radiologic evaluation (plain radiographs, barium enema), anorectal manometry, rectal full-thickness biopsy or serum-muscle and / or rectal biopsy by suction (Rectal Suction biopsy - RSB).There are numerous surgical techniques described for the treatment of HD. The most commonly performed, and therefore considered “the major pull-through procedures”, are: Swenson rectosigmoidectomy, Duhamel retrorectal transanal pull-through, Rehbein pull-through with anterior colorectal anastomosis, Soave rectosigmoidectomy with aseptic endorectal colon pull-through.Early postoperative complication is represented by colo-anal anastomosis dehiscence (3.2%) which, if not massive, is solvable conservatively. Late postoperative complications are HAEC and colo-anal anastomosis stenosis.On rare occasions the child may require a RedoPT procedure. Indication for RedoPT in the recent review was most commonly for a retained aganglionosis/transition zone pathology (RA/TZP; 71% overall ). Other indications included stricture/obstructing Duhamel pouch (19%), excessively tight cuff (8%), twisted-PT (4%). Operative approach can vary widely and is heavily dependent on type of complication, underlying pathology, previous surgical history as well as surgeon preference as to the type of repair. Complications are quite similar after redo-PT compared to primary PT in experienced hands but stooling outcomes are significantly worse compared to those after a primaryPT. Importantly, continence is still retained in the majority of children.
The Legal Education of Plea Bargaining Participants

This is a book review of Milton Heumann's book, Plea Bargaining: THe Experiences of Prosecutors, Judges, and Defense Attorneys. University of Chicago Press, 1978
Chemical modification of bacterial elastomers: 1. Peroxide crosslinking

Abstract An enhancement in the elastic response of two bacterial thermoplastic elastomers, poly(β-hydroxyoctanoate), a saturated copolymer, and poly(β-hydroxyoctanoic-co-undecylenic acid), an unsaturated copolymer, was attempted using peroxide crosslinking both with and without multifunctional co-agents. Sol-gel analysis verified that crosslinking had occurred and that crosslinking varied with peroxide type and concentration. A peroxide efficiency model suggested that the olefin group improved the peroxide efficiency and reduced the probability of chain scission. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that crosslinking could eliminate all crystallinity. The elastic response was improved as indicated by a reduced tensile set. In general, the crosslinked materials exhibited a decrease in tensile modulus, and a very low tensile strength and tear resistance.
Rationality, Structure, and Agency in Post-Soviet Russian Democratization

Why, more than 15 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and after repeated elections at both the regional and national levels, has post-Soviet Russia slid back into authoritarianism? Given the increasingly tense relations between the Kremlin and the West, this is a question of growing geopolitical importance. Analyzing it also turns out to be immensely fruitful for sharpening our theoretical understanding of the sources of democracy and autocracy more generally. While the decade and a half since the Soviet collapse has been a time of massive upheaval and hardship for the hundreds of millions of people living in the region, it has also been something of a golden era for the study of comparative politics—as anyone who reads the works reviewed here will readily attest. Stephen E. Hanson is Boeing International Professor at the University of Washington and the Director of the Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies at the Jackson School of International Studies. He is the author of Time and Revolution: Marxism and the Design of Soviet Institutions , winner of the 1998 Wayne S. Vucinich Book Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies. He is also a co-editor of Capitalism and Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe: Assessing the Legacy of Communist Rule , a co-author of Postcommunism and the Theory of Democracy , and the author of numerous journal articles examining post-communist politics in comparative perspective.
Tritiated Digoxin XIV. Enterohepatic Circulation, Absorption, and Excretion Studies in Human Volunteers

Metabolic turnover studies performed on six patients with surgically induced biliary fistula given tritiated digoxin reveal virtually all stool excretion of digoxin to be derived from bile. This establishes the relative lack of recycling of digoxin as an important factor in digoxin metabolism. This is probably related to its polar chemical structure and is a determinant of its clinical duration of action in human subjects. The amount of digoxin in the enterohepatic circulation (recycling) was calculated to be 6.5% of the administered dose and absolute absorption to be 85% in human subjects.
Targeting plug-in hybrid electric vehicle policies to increase social benefits

In 2009 the U.S. federal government enacted tax credits aimed at encouraging consumers to purchase plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). These tax credits are available to all consumers equally and therefore do not account for the variability in social benefits associated with PHEV operation in different parts of the country. The tax credits also do not consider variability in consumer income. This paper discusses why the PHEV subsidy policy would have higher social benefits at equal or less cost if the tax credits were offered at different levels depending on consumer income and the location of purchase. Quantification of these higher social benefits and related policy proposals are left for future work.
One water molecule stabilizes the cationized arginine zwitterion.

Singly hydrated clusters of lithiated arginine, sodiated arginine, and lithiated arginine methyl ester are investigated using infrared action spectroscopy and computational chemistry. Whereas unsolvated lithiated arginine is nonzwitterionic, these results provide compelling evidence that attachment of a single water molecule to this ion makes the zwitterionic form of arginine, in which the side chain is protonated, more stable. The experimental spectra of lithiated and sodiated arginine with one water molecule are very similar and contain spectral signatures for protonated side chains, whereas those of lithiated arginine and singly hydrated lithiated arginine methyl ester are different and contain spectral signatures for neutral side chains. Calculations at the B3LYP/6-31++G** level of theory indicate that solvating lithiated arginine with a single water molecule preferentially stabilizes the zwitterionic forms of this ion by 25−32 kJ/mol and two essentially isoenergetic zwitterionic structure are most st...
Investment incentives and the demand for labor in U.S. regions

Abstract Most studies of federal investment incentives are limited to those policies' effects on capital formation. This paper departs from this tradition by examining the employment consequences, in general, and by industry and metropolitan area. In particular, it asks whether the accelerated depreciation allowance and investment tax credit: (1) generally displace more jobs (via the substitution effect) than they create (via the scale effect), (2) affect the overall employment situation in some metropolitan areas more than in others, and (3) help reallocate jobs across industries and metropolitan areas. Using data from Los Angeles and Philadelphia in two production models, the paper concludes that each of these outcomes is likely, though (2) depends on metropolitan areas' particular mixes of industries.
Electrical characteristics of boron diffused polycrystalline silicon layers

Abstract The resistivity, carrier concentration and Hall mobility of the boron diffused poly Si layers were measured by using the van der Pauw method. The effects of the thickness and deposition temperature of the poly Si layers and of the boron diffusion temperature and time on these electrical characteristics were investigated. The desirable boron diffusion condition for silicon gate MOS devices is 30 min at 950°C. With this condition, the resistivity of 1·2 × 10−3 Ω cm was obtained. The Hall mobility increases with the thickness and the deposition temperature of the poly Si layers due to the increase of the grain size and takes the maximum value of 30 cm2.V−1.sec−1 in the experimental range. The relationship between the boron diffusion and carrier concentration has been analyzed by using a simplified model of the poly Si-oxide-single crystal silicon structure. The carrier concentration increases with a dimensionless variable 1 L p (= D p t l p 2 ) and saturates to be about 40 per cent of the solid solubility limit of boron in single crystal silicon substrates due to the precipitation of boron at the grain boundaries.
AN ANALYSIS OF REASONS FOR INSTITUTIONALIZING CHILDREN WITH MONGOLISM.

A sample of 77 institutionalized children with mongolism and their families was studied to ascertain what factors were involved in the decision to place the child in an institution supposedly for medical care or educational training. Two children had medical reasons for hospitalization; 12 children were from communities where facilities for educational training were inadequate to meet their needs; the remaining 63 had been placed for various social reasons. In analyzing these social reasons, it became clear that the majority of parents acted because they were told, usually by a physician, that it would be undesirable to keep the child at home for reasons whose validity we doubt. Frequently the parents did not understand the problem of the child's capabilities, disorder, or the natural history of mongolism. We doubt that the majority of these children would need to have been institutionalized had more adequate counseling services been available to them when the problem first arose and during the critical early years when parents need it most.
Disk position before and after modified condylotomy in 80 symptomatic temporomandibular joints

Objective. Our primary objective was to determine the frequency of disk reduction after modified condylotomy and whether the type of displacement affected outcome. Design We classified reducing disk displacements from magnetic resonance images of 80 symptomatic temporomandibular joints before modified condylotomy. Disk position was reassessed after surgery. Results The disk and condyle typically move in reciprocal directions. The disk was reduced by surgery in 79% of the joints. The rate of reduction varied by the type of displacement, but the differences between the groups were not statistically significant. Conclusion This finding reaffirms that modified condylotomy has a high rate of disk reduction. The unexpected observation that the increase in joint space resulting from the surgery typically permitted a variable degree of spontaneous movement of the disk has implications for the nature of osteoarthrosis and internal derangement and for surgical treatments intended to reduce the disk.
PET imaging of gallbladder carcinoma.

Abstract:Positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) has been used to evaluate a variety of malignancies. The authors describe a patient with gallbladder carcinoma that showed multiple foci of intense increased FDG uptake in the liver and periaortic region consistent with metast
Apigenin enhances gemcitabine-induced pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis

Body. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is only marginally responsive to its first-line chemotherapeutic agent, gemcitabine. Apigenin, a naturally occurring flavanoid, has been shown to inhibit growth in some cancer cell lines but has not been studied in pancreatic cancer. We hypothesized that apigenin would inhibit growth and enhance gemcitabine’s effect on pancreatic cancer cells. Methods. Four human pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, CD18, MiaPaCa2, and S2013) were treated with varying concentrations (6.25–100 μM) of apigenin alone and in combination with gemcitabine (100 μM). Cells were analyzed at different time points (24–96 h). Proliferation was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation and cell counting. Cell-cycle analysis and apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry with propidium iodide DNA staining and annexin-V binding. Cell-cycle-associated proteins were investigated by Western blotting. Analysis of variance was used to determine if there were significant differences among the means. Results. Apigenin caused both time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of DNA synthesis (55% decrease in 24 h, P < 0.001) and cell proliferation (81.4% decrease in 72 h, P < 0.001) of all four pancreatic cancer cell lines. Apigenin induced G2/M phase cell-cycle arrest (control 12.88% versus treated 21.54%, P < 0.002). Apigenin reduced levels of cyclin A, B, cdc2 phosphatase, and cdc25 (proteins required for G2/M transition). With gemcitabine, apigenin increased the number of apoptotic cells more than either agent alone (combination 32.5% versus control 5.0%, P < 0.001; versus apigenin 11.7%, P < 0.01; versus gemcitabine 15.3%, P < 0.05). Conclusions. Apigenin inhibits growth of pancreatic cancer cells through suppression of cyclin B-associated cdc2 activity and G2/M arrest. Even greater effect was seen in combination with gemcitabine. Apigenin enhances gemcitabine-induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells and appears promising in combination as a chemotherapeutic agent.
Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction and Mortality Risk in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

Background— Endothelial function is known to be impaired in subjects with chronic heart failure (CHF), but the association between endothelial function and subsequent mortality risk in CHF has not been previously reported. Methods and Results— Biomarkers of endothelial function in the systemic arterial circulation (flow-mediated dilation [FMD] in the brachial artery) and the pulmonary circulation (exhaled nitric oxide [NO] production during submaximal exercise) were prospectively assessed in 259 subjects with New York Heart Association class II–III CHF. In subjects with FMD measurements (n=149), there were 12 deaths and 5 urgent transplantations over a median follow-up period of 841 days. In subjects with exhaled NO production measurements (n=110), there were 18 deaths and 1 urgent transplantation over a median follow-up period of 396 days. Both decreased FMD and decreased exhaled NO production were associated with increased risk of death or urgent transplantation after adjustment for other known CHF prog...
A classification and review of non-vision sensors used in discrete part manufacturing

Abstract The control of an automated manufacturing system relies heavily on the use of sensors. A review of sensors used in discrete part manufacturing is presented.
The silkmoth chorion: morphogenesis of surface structures and its relation to synthesis of specific proteins.

Abstract The morphogenesis of four spatially differentiated surface regions of the silkmoth eggshell (chorion) has been documented and correlated with differing patterns of chorion protein synthesis within the corresponding secretory cells. During the first half of choriogenesis the polygonal pattern of ridges which cover the entire chorion appears. Regional differences in the morphology of developing ridges are not accompanied by significant protein differences, and thus presumably reflect differences in secretory cell behavior and shape. During the second half of choriogenesis expanding domes of the chorion located immediately beneath three-cell junctions of the overlying secretory surface become prominent surface features exclusively in the aeropyle crown region. Domes are composed of a thin lamellar skin and an inner buttressing “filler.” Continued filler deposition appears to cause a ripping of the lamellar skin, transforming the dome into a multiple-pronged crown that overflows with filler. Continued synthesis of lamellar chorion components elongates and strengthens the crowns until they can stand alone without the support of filler. In the aeropyle crown region, synthesis of regionally specific proteins begins in the second half of choriogenesis and accelerates until the final stages, in parallel with dome/crown formation. The more numerous proteins which are common to all regions are synthesized at approximately equal rates within all regions, and their synthesis decelerates toward the end of choriogenesis. Fifteen of the proteins (excluding filler) which are found predominantly in the aeropyle crown region may be necessary but not sufficient for crown formation, since they also occur in the stripe region (1); presumably the secretory cell surfaces mold the same components differently in the two regions. Filler appears to play an important scaffolding role in crown formation. A group of eight aeropyle crown region-specific chorion proteins which compose filler have been identified on two-dimensional gels and shown to be restricted to one of five previously described classes of chorion proteins.
Molecular Identification and Analysis of a Novel Human Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) Receptor: The CRF2gamma Receptor

We report the discovery of a new CRF2 receptor splice isoform found in human brain, which we have termed the CRF2γ receptor. The CRF2γ cDNA encodes for a 397-amino acid receptor that has an amino terminus with no significant homology to the already reported α- and β-termini. When expressed in 293-EBNA (Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen) cells, the CRF2γ receptor responds in a dose-dependent manner to CRF and related peptides with a rank order of potency of urocortin≥sauvagine>urotensin>r/h CRF, with EC50 values more similar to CRF2α than CRF2β. Equilibrium saturation isotherm analysis with radiolabeled sauvagine reveals a two site/state model for binding to CRF2γ with a 60 pm Kd high-affinity site and a 5 nm Kd low-affinity site. Analysis of CRF2γ RNA expression in human brain demonstrates expression in septum and hippocampus, with weaker but detectable expression in amygdala, nucleus accumbens, midbrain, and frontal cortex.
Children, Schools and Information Technologies.

A number of issues are raised concerning the implications of new technologies. Issues are raised in the two broad areas: one is concerned with the compatibility of formats and content presented through the new technologies. The second issue is concerned with the structures of schools and more specifically now and whether elementary schools will integrate the use of technologies in an innovative manner.
Optimal new product design using quality function deployment with empirical value functions

The house of quality (HOQ) has been widely proposed as a method for capturing the voice of the customer (VOC) when developing requirements for new products. The methodology has lacked a formal mechanism for trading off customer preferences with technical feasibility and economic reality. We propose a non-linear mathematical program for determining the optimal engineering specifications during new product development as a function of elicited customer value functions, engineering development and production costs and development time constraints. The model is shown to be computationally feasible for realistic-size problems and to outperform heuristic approaches. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Isolation of a site-specifically modified RNA from an unmodified transcript

Natural RNAs contain many base modifications that have specific biological functions. The ability to functionally dissect individual modifications is facilitated by the identification and cloning of enzymes responsible for these modifications, but is hindered by the difficulty of isolating site-specifically modified RNAs away from unmodified transcripts. Using the m1G37 and m1A58 methyl modifications of tRNA as two examples, we demonstrate that non-pairing base modifications protect RNAs against the DNA-directed RNase H cleavage. This provide a new approach to obtain homogeneous RNAs with site-specific base modifications that are suitable for biochemical and functional studies.