cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dysphagia in Parkinson's Disease Improves with Vocal Augmentation.

While voice-related disorders in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are commonly discussed in the literature, dysphagia in PD is less widely published. Vocal fold augmentation, including injection laryngoplasty (IL), is a well-established treatment for glottal insufficiency (Cates et al. in Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 155(3):454–457, 2016). This study aimed to observe the effects of IL in PD patients with vocal bowing, with or without therapy, on glottic closure and patient-reported dysphagia outcomes. The study design was based on retrospectively collected database and cohort–case series. PD patients selected for retrospective review over a 2-year period were referred and evaluated in the Voice, Swallowing, and Airway multidisciplinary clinic by speech language pathologist and laryngologist, and were undergoing IL. Charts were reviewed for age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), onset of PD, and Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part 3 (MDS-UPDRS) scoring. We compared pre/postoperatively (> 1 < 3 months) using validated patient-reported outcome tools: Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), Glottal Function Index (GFI), Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT), and stroboscopic examinations. The study included 14 patients undergoing 22 IL or 1.6 IL/patient: mean age 70 years (63–80), 100% male, and BMI 25.9 ± 4.3 (mean ± SD). MDS-UPDRS scoring 33 ± 20 (moderate severity), with time between PD diagnosis and IL 8 ± 10 years. All patients had pre- and post-stroboscopic examinations; however, only 4:14 underwent formal swallowing evaluation. Overall, 14 IL patients improved on patient-reported measures (ΔRSI = 4; ΔGFI = 3; ΔEAT = 4). Based on the findings of the study, we conclude that PD is a progressive neurodegenerative condition with dysphagia. The presented pilot data suggest that IL may be considered as a beneficial adjunct for PD patients with glottal insufficiency. 4.
OxiMA: A Frequency-Domain Approach to Address Motion Artifacts in Photoplethysmograms for Improved Estimation of Arterial Oxygen Saturation and Pulse Rate

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that a new algorithm for estimating arterial oxygen saturation can be effective even with data corrupted by motion artifacts (MAs). Methods: OxiMA, an algorithm based on the time-frequency components of a photoplethysmogram (PPG), was evaluated using 22-min datasets recorded from 10 subjects during voluntarily-induced hypoxia, with and without subject-induced MAs. A Nellcor OxiMax transmission sensor was used to collect an analog PPG while reference oxygen saturation and pulse rate (PR) were collected simultaneously from an FDA-approved Masimo SET Radical RDS-1 pulse oximeter. Results: The performance of our approach was determined by computing the mean relative error between the PR/oxygen saturation estimated by OxiMA and the reference Masimo oximeter. The average estimation error using OxiMA was 3 beats/min for PR and 3.24% for oxygen saturation, respectively. Conclusion: The results show that OxiMA has great potential for improving the accuracy of PR and oxygen saturation estimation during MAs. Significance: This is the first study to demonstrate the feasibility of a reconstruction algorithm to improve oxygen saturation estimates on a dataset with MAs and concomitant hypoxia.
The Influence of Signal Presentation Factors on Performance of an Immersive, Continuous Signal Detection Task

Conventional independent trial signal detection tasks are representative of many real-world tasks, such as identifying flavors or spotting abnormalities on an x-ray film; however, there is also a wide range of task types that are not accurately modeled by the standard yes/no decision making paradigm. Active monitoring and driving hazard detection tasks, for example, do not occur as a set of independent events but are executed in response to a continuous flow of incoming stimuli. Identification of a potential threat is therefore dependent on a multitude of factors that may be influenced by not only the characteristics of the threat (the relevant signal) but also by ongoing events (dynamic noise) and one’s environment. Although signal detection theory is typically applied to trials of static signal-noise constructs, it may be extended to many more task types by relaxing the temporal independence of trials and allowing both noise and signal stimuli to be presented dynamically. The primary drawback of these modifications is the reduction of control over the noise that accompanies any given signal. Fortunately, a reduction in that control does not necessitate a loss of control; instead, it changes the tactics that must be employed to ensure the production of usable data. Rather than attend to signal-noise characteristics between trials, designers of a continuous signal detection task must focus on those characteristics as a function of time and also consider the potential lifespan and evolution of any given signal. This paper considers the presentation of signals in a continuous monitoring task which was administered in two experiments conducted in immersive virtual reality. The factors that were found to most strongly influence participants’ detection tendencies are discussed with regards to their impacts and the means by which their effects may be mitigated or controlled. Both signal and noise characteristics were manipulated across the two experiments; the influence of each is evaluated in the context of the resulting signal-noise construct which was presented to participants. Additionally, standard signal detection task parameters such as event rate, signal salience, signal origin type, signal-to-noise ratio, etc. are discussed with regards to their extension into the continuous domain.
Time evolution and squeezing of the field amplitude in cavity QED

We present the conditional time evolution of the electromagnetic field produced by a cavity QED system in the strongly coupled regime. We obtain the conditional evolution through an intensity–amplitude correlation function that measures the time evolution of the field after the detection of a photon. A connection exists between this correlation function and the spectrum of squeezing, which permits the study of squeezed states in the time domain. We calculate the spectrum of squeezing from the master equation for the reduced density matrix using both the quantum-regression theorem and quantum trajectories. Our calculations not only show that spontaneous emission degrades the squeezing signal, they also point to the dynamical processes that cause this degradation.
Inbred Mouse Strains in the Study of Bone Disease

Abstract Give the anatomic and genomic similarities between mice and human, mice remain a widely used species for pre-clinical research. Inbred mice have many advantages for conducting rigorous science as genetic difference between animals within a strain have been eliminated. However, the differences between strains and the impact of crossing strains can impact study results and must be considered when interpreting data. In this review we (1) define what is an inbred strain and a sub-strain, (2) present the bone phenotype of commonly used inbred strains for bone biology and (3) highlight the impact of genetic background on study design and data interpretation.
Ablation of piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride with a 193 nm excimer laser.

The unique flexible and piezoelectric properties of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films would allow for new applications for integrated bioelectronic devices. The use of these films has been precluded by the difficulty in machining them into small, discrete features without damaging the properties of the material. The etching of piezoelectric PVDF by means of a 193 nm excimer laser is explored and characterized. Etch rates are shown for common laser fluence values, along with images of the quality of the cuts to provide the reader with an understanding of the compromise between etch rate and edge roughness. The authors describe a novel method for the etching of piezoelectric, β-phase PVDF. While PVDF is flexible, acoustically matched to biological tissue, and has a wide resonance bandwidth, it is often overlooked as a piezoelectric material for micro-electrical-mechanical-system devices because of the difficulty in fabrication. In this paper, the authors characterize the etch rate and quality while using a 193 nm argon fluoride excimer laser for patterning.
Survival and toxicity in patients with human papilloma virus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer receiving trimodality therapy including transoral robotic surgery.

BACKGROUND Patients with oropharyngeal cancer who undergo transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and have high-risk features generally receive adjuvant chemoradiotherapy or trimodality therapy (TMT). The notion that TMT leads to high toxicity is largely based on studies that included human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative cancers and/or nonrobotic surgery; we sought to describe outcomes in HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (HPV + OPSCC) undergoing TORS-TMT. METHODS In consecutive patients with HPV + OPSCC receiving TMT at an academic center from 2010 to 2017, survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methodology, and toxicities were ascertained via chart review. RESULTS In our cohort of 178 patients, 5-year survival was 93.6%. Feeding tube rates were 25.8% at therapy completion and 0.7% at 1 year. Rates of grade ≥ 3 kidney injury, anemia, and neutropenia in cisplatin-treated patients were 2.7%, 3.4%, and 11.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Patients with HPV + OPSCC who underwent TORS-TMT had excellent survival and low rates of toxicity and feeding tube dependence. These outcomes compare favorably to historical cohorts treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy.
A Descriptive Analysis of the Experiences of Nursing Students Who Participated in an International Service-Learning Project in Haiti

Abstract Background Studies have demonstrated multiple benefits of international service-learning experiences in nursing education. These benefits include personal and professional growth, increased cultural sensitivity, and increased self-efficacy. Purpose The purpose of this project was to describe the experiences of nursing students engaged in an international service-learning experience in Haiti. Method A descriptive qualitative outcomes evaluation project was utilized to understand student perceptions of this experience. Nine respondents were interviewed about their experiences that took place as part of a nursing capstone course offered at a private liberal arts university in the Midwest. Interview transcripts were analyzed by the authors for common themes. Results The six themes identified included: a desire for an international experience to better understand healthcare in a developing country; culture shock; context of poverty; excitement and a sense of “helping” amidst the chaos; feelings of increased confidence, independence, and competence; and personal and professional growth. Responses indicated students felt more confident in caring for individuals from other cultures as well as in basic nursing skills and interprofessional communication after this experience. Participants' narratives also indicated intent to serve vulnerable populations in the future. Conclusions The nursing students perceived increased sociocultural understanding and self-efficacy following a 10-day international service-learning experience.
Alcohol consumption and the risk of gastric intestinal metaplasia in a U.S. Veterans population.

Background Chronic alcohol use is a risk factor for non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma. However, it is less well understood whether alcohol use is a risk factor for premalignant mucosal changes, namely gastric intestinal metaplasia. We examined the association between various parameters of alcohol use and risk of gastric intestinal metaplasia. Methods We used data from 2084 participants (including 403 with gastric intestinal metaplasia) recruited between February 2008-August 2013 into a cross-sectional study at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas. All participants underwent a study upper endoscopy with systematic gastric mapping biopsies. Cases had intestinal metaplasia on any non-cardia gastric biopsy. Participants self-reported lifetime history of alcohol consumption, along with other lifestyle risk factors, through a study survey. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for categories of average alcohol consumption using multivariable logistic regression, and restricted cubic spline regression to explore the potential shape of a dose-response relationship. Results Compared to lifelong non-drinkers, individuals who consumed on average ≥28 drinks per week had no elevated risk for gastric intestinal metaplasia (adjusted OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.74-2.19). Based on a spline regression curve and its 95% CI, there was also no demonstrable association between cumulative lifetime alcohol consumption and risk of gastric intestinal metaplasia. Similarly, we found no association between beverage type (beer, wine, liquor/spirits) and risk for gastric intestinal metaplasia. Conclusions Neither amount of alcohol consumed nor specific beverage type was associated with risk of gastric intestinal metaplasia.
Prescription-acquired acetaminophen use and potential overuse patterns: 2001-2008.

BACKGROUND: Food and Drug Administration advisory committees recently made some recommendations to address acetaminophen (APAP)-related toxicity. OBJECTIVES: To study the proportion of APAP users potentially consuming APAP over the currently recommended dosage (4 g/day) and a toxic dosage (10 g/day). To explore the impact of substituting the APAP strength in combination prescriptions to 325 mg on potential APAP overuse patterns. METHODS: Using the 2001-2008 pharmacy claims from IMS LifeLink Health Plans, APAP potential maximum daily dose (PMDD), potential cumulative dose, and potential average daily dose (PADD) were calculated annually for APAP users. The proportion of users with potential APAP use above 4 g/day and 10 g/day are reported. Analyses were repeated by substituting the maximum APAP strength in combination prescriptions to 325 mg. Ordinary least squares regression was used to detect linear trends in APAP use/overuse. RESULTS: 790 188 of 2 656 161 study subjects were prescribed APAP in one or more years from 2001 to 2008. 32.62% and 26.84% of the adult APAP users had a PMDD > 4 gm/day in 2001 and 2008 while 1.88% and 3.17% had a PMDD > 10 gm/day. If the maximum APAP strength in combination prescriptions was 325 mg, the proportion of APAP users with PMDD > 4 g would be 14.08% in 2001 and 13.67% in 2008, whereas the proportion of those with PMDD > 10 g would be 0.21% and 2.30%, respectively. CONCLUSION: About one in four APAP users have a PMDD > 4 g/day, whereas 2-3% have a PMDD > 10 g based exclusively on prescription data, which is concerning. These proportions could reduce by over half if the maximum APAP strength in combination prescriptions is 325 mg. Additional monitoring of opioid prescription-patterns, physician and pharmacist cognizance in prescribing APAP-containing combination products, and dose-reduction strategies should be considered to reduce APAP overuse. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Efficacy of a geriatrics team intervention for residents in dementia-specific assisted living facilities: effect on unanticipated transitions.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a multidisciplinary team intervention minimizes unanticipated transitions from assisted living for persons with dementia. DESIGN: Randomized trial. SETTING: Two dementia-specific assisted living facilities in Connecticut owned and managed by the same corporation. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred older adults with dementia who relocated to assisted living. INTERVENTION: Four systematic multidisciplinary assessments by a geriatrician, geriatrics advanced practice nurse, physical therapist, dietitian, and social worker during the first 9 months of relocation to assisted living. MEASUREMENTS: Permanent relocation to a nursing facility, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization, and death. RESULTS: Fifty-five residents experienced any unanticipated transition out of assisted living, on average 84 ± 74 days after relocation; falls were the primary reason for transition. The intervention reduced the risk of any unanticipated transitions (13%), permanent relocation to a nursing facility (11%), ED visits (12%), hospitalization (45%), and death (63%), but the results did not meet statistical significance. In secondary analysis, more men experienced any unanticipated transition (P<.001), hospitalization (P<.001), or death (P<.001) than women. CONCLUSION: Although an untargeted multidisciplinary intervention did not significantly reduce the risk of transitions for individuals with dementia relocating to assisted living in this small sample, trends for decreasing hospitalization and death were found. The data further suggest that those at risk for falls and men may benefit from targeted clinical interventions to prevent unanticipated transitions, especially during the first 3 months after relocation.
An SVM-based approach for genotyping deletions and insertions with population sequence reads

With the advance of high-throughput sequencing, it is feasible to study entire transcriptomes through the use of de novo sequence assembly algorithms. A popular strategy of these algorithms is to first construct an intermediate de Bruijn graph structure that represents the transcriptome. An additional step is performed to obtain predicted transcripts from the graph.
Caffeine and the Control of Cerebral Hemodynamics

While the influence of caffeine on the regulation of brain perfusion has been the subject of multiple publications, the mechanisms involved in that regulation remain unclear. To some extent, that uncertainty is a function of a complex interplay of processes arising from multiple targets of caffeine located on a variety of different cells, many of which have influence, either directly or indirectly, on cerebral vascular smooth muscle tone. Adding to that complexity are the target-specific functional changes that may occur when comparing acute and chronic caffeine exposure. In the present review, we discuss some of the mechanisms behind caffeine influences on cerebrovascular function. The major effects of caffeine on the cerebral circulation can largely be ascribed to its inhibitory effects on adenosine receptors. Herein, we focus mostly on the A1, A2A, and A2B subtypes located in cells comprising the neurovascular unit (neurons, astrocytes, vascular smooth muscle); their roles in the coupling of increased neuronal (synaptic) activity to vasodilation; how caffeine, through blockade of these receptors, may interfere with the "neurovascular coupling" process; and receptor-linked changes that may occur in cerebrovascular regulation when comparing acute to chronic caffeine intake.
PLEIOTROPIC EFFECTS ON FITNESS OF MUTATIONS AFFECTING VIABILITY IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

ABSTRACT The relative viabilities and fitnesses of wild-type second chromosomes in heterozygous condition were determined. Joint analysis of these permitted an estimation of a parameter that relates the viability effect of a mutation to its effect on fitness as a whole. For newly arisen mutations, the estimate was slightly greater than one, indicating that the reductions in viability caused by these mutations are associated with reductions in other components of fitness. For mutations from an equilibrium population, the estimate of the parameter was near zero, implying that the deleterious viability effects of these mutations arc compensated by improvements in other aspects of fitness.
Chapter 10: Overview of Valuation Methods

This is Chapter 10 of Environmental Economics: An Integrated Approach and it provides an overview of the environmental valuations commonly used in environmental economics prior to detailed treatments in later chapters.
Nitric oxide and pregnancy

This review will consider whether nitric oxide (NO) contributes to maternal systemic vasodilation during pregnancy, regulates uterine and fetoplacental blood flow, and is involved in uterine quiescence prior to parturition. Also, whether a deficiency of NO contributes to the hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, preeclampsia, will be considered. The biosynthesis of NO increases in gravid rats and sheep, but the status in normal human pregnancy and preeclampsia is controversial. NO contributes to maternal systemic vasodilation and reduced vascular reactivity during normal pregnancy; however, the relative contribution of NO is variable depending on the animal species, vascular bed, and vessel size. Impaired relaxation responses to acetylcholine, but not bradykinin or NO donors, are observed in small arteries from women with preeclampsia, suggesting a receptor or signal transduction defect, although NO may play little, if any, role here. Uterine arteries have increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, protein expression, and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate production during pregnancy; however, whether these mediate uterine vasodilation during pregnancy remains to be established. NOS is expressed in the human placental syncytiotrophoblast and in the fetoplacental and umbilical vascular endothelium where basal production of NO contributes to low fetoplacental vascular resistance. Controversy exists over the status of placental NOS in preeclampsia, although an abnormality of umbilical NOS activity is likely. Finally, the uterus has NOS activity, which decreases at the end of gestation, and exogenous NO relaxes the myometrium, but whether endogenous NO contributes to uterine quiescence during pregnancy has yet to be confirmed.
Water transport in epididymal and ejaculated rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) sperm during freezing.

Abstract In the present study, we report the effects of cooling ejaculated and epididymal rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) sperm with and without the presence of a cryoprotective agent, glycerol. Water transport data during freezing of ejaculated and epididymal sperm cell suspensions were obtained at a cooling rate of 20 °C/min in the absence of any cryoprotective agents and in the presence of 0.7 M of glycerol, as well. Using previously published values, the macaque sperm cell was modeled as a cylinder of length 73.83 μm with a radius of 0.40 μm and an osmotically inactive cell volume, Vb, of 0.772Vo, where Vo is the isotonic cell volume. This translated to a surface area, SA to initial water volume, WV ratio of ∼22 μm−1. By fitting a model of water transport to the experimentally determined volumetric shrinkage data, the best-fit membrane permeability parameters (reference membrane permeability to water at 0 °C, Lpg or Lpg[cpa] and the activation energy, ELp or ELp[cpa]) were found to range from: Lpg or Lpg[cpa] = 0.0020–0.0029 μm/min-atm; ELp or ELp[cpa]) = 10.6–18.3 kcal/mole. By incorporating these membrane permeability parameters in a recently developed equation (optimal cooling rate, B opt = 1009.5 · exp ( - 0.0546 · E Lp ) · ( L pg ) · ( SA WV ) ; where the units of Bopt are °C/min, ELp or ELp[cpa] are kcal/mole, Lpg or Lpg[cpa] are μm/min-atm and SA/WV are μm−1), we determined the optimal rates of freezing macaque sperm to be ∼23 °C/min (ejaculated sperm in the absence of CPAs), ∼29 °C/min (ejaculated sperm in the presence of glycerol), ∼24 °C/min (epididymal sperm in the absence of CPAs) and ∼24 °C/min (epididymal sperm in the presence of glycerol). In conclusion, the subzero water transport response and consequently the subzero water transport parameters are not significantly different between the ejaculated and epididymal macaque spermatozoa under corresponding cooling conditions.
Lymphadenectomy influences the utilization of adjuvant radiation treatment for endometrial cancer

Objective We analyzed the effect of lymphadenectomy on the use of adjuvant radiation treatment for women with stage I-II endometrial cancer. Study Design Women with stage I-II endometrioid adenocarcinomas treated between 1988 and 2006 and recorded in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database were identified. The influence of lymphadenectomy (LND) on receipt of external beam radiation and brachytherapy stratified was examined. Results We identified 58,776 women including 26,043 who underwent LND (44.3%). Among women younger than 60 years of age with stage IA (grades 1, 2, and 3) tumors, LND had no impact on the use of radiation. Patients with stage IB (grade 2 or 3) and stage IC (grade 1 or 2) tumors who underwent lymph node dissection were less likely to undergo external beam radiation and more likely to receive vaginal brachytherapy ( P Conclusion Women who undergo lymphadenectomy are less likely to receive whole pelvic radiotherapy.
Dialogue with Preschoolers: A Cognitively-Based System of Assessment.

A System is Presented for coding and analyzing dialogue that involves preschool-age children. In the System, each participant is seen, throughout the course of a dialogue, to assume the roles of both initiator and responder. Each role is evaluated according to different scales. As initiator, a speaker's utterances are judged for their level of cognitive complexity and for their “summoning power” (i.e., for their explicitness of a demand for a response). As responder, a speaker's utterances and behaviors are judged for their appropriateness as responses to the speaker-initiator's preceding verbalizations. In assessing dialogue, the scales are interlinked so as to permit one to assess the extent and complexity of the verbal communication that is taking place between the two members of a dyad. The application of the scales is illustrated through the analysis of dialogues recorded between six mothers and their 3-year-old daughters.
Cryoballoon Angioplasty Broadens the Role of Primary Angioplasty and Reduces Adjuvant Stenting in Complex Superficial Femoral Artery Lesions

Background Cryoballoon angioplasty (CP) for superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusive disease has attracted attention as an adjunct to primary high-pressure balloon angioplasty (HP) and as an alternative to primary stenting in the SFA. Study Design A retrospective review from 1999 to 2005 of patients with chronic critical ischemia because of complex SFA lesions (TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus [TASC] C and D) was performed. Those patients treated with either standard HP or CP were examined. Vessels treated by primary stenting or atherectomy were excluded. Results Eight-five patients with 93 (67%) limbs underwent HP and 39 patients with 45 (33%) limbs underwent CP. Rest pain, tissue loss, or both, were the presenting symptoms in 49% of the HP group and 69% of the CP group. There was no significant difference in the final technical success rate between HP and CP, but significantly more stents were required in HP (75% versus 22%, HP versus CP; p Conclusions CP substantially increases the number of TASC C and D lesions for which balloon angioplasty alone is effective. Adjuvant stent usage is markedly reduced without a decrease in cumulative patency. Cryoballoon angioplasty should be considered a viable alternative for sole therapy for complex lesions of the SFA.
Temperature Dependence of the Viscosity of Sugar and Maltodextrin Solutions in Coexistence with Ice

Abstract The viscosities of glucose, sucrose, and maltodextrin solutions coexisting with ice were measured by rotational viscometry. Samples were prepared by forming a shell of pure ice in a stainless steel tube immersed in a cooling bath, then introducing aqueous solutions at concentrations corresponding to the ice-melt equilibrium temperature. Temperature dependence of viscosity was analysed in terms of Arrhenius, VTF, WLF, and power-law models. Two glass transition reference temperatures were used with the WLF and power-law models: (1) Tg associated with the transition from liquid to glass and (2) Tg′ associated with the transition to glass from a maximally freeze-concentrated solution. Plots of Logη vs I/T were fairly linear for each solution, but each displayed a unique slope with EA ranging from 168 kJ/K mol to 464 kJ/K mol. WLF and power law models gave a linear fit to all solutions when Tg was chosen as the reference temperature. Regression analysis gave constants of C1 = 16.5 and C2 = 37.5 for WLF (Γ = 0.95), and κ = 1018.6 and m = 8.5 for power-law (Γ = 0.97) models.
Coagulation Abnormalities in Cystic Fibrosis

Coagulation status of patients with cystic fibrosis was investigated because of the major problems of hemoptysis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Although gastrointestinal bleeding was frequently associated with hypoprothrombinemia, gastrointestinal ulceration and hemoptysis due to bronchiectasis were more common than bleeding due to a coagulation defect. Only patients with advanced pulmonary disease who had hepatosplenomegaly or abnormal liver function tests were subject to hypoprothrombinemia. Mild thrombocytopenia, probably due to hypersplenism, was present in several patients. In relatively few patients coagulation was impaired enough to cause bleeding. During times of stress, three patients with liver disease were shown to have increased plasma fibrinolytic activity. Although it was not the cause of clinical bleeding in these patients, it should be considered as a possibility in bleeding patients.
Recent Trends in Precision Polymer Optics Fabrication

Precision polymer-optics, manufactured by injection-molding techniques, is a key enabling technology for a range of sophisticated devices. We discuss how companies looking to employ polymer-optical components benefit by working with manufacturers having vertically-integrated manufacturing environments.
Strategic managerial incentives in a two-period Cournot duopoly

Abstract This paper examines the nature of optimal managerial incentives in the context of a duopoly marked by competition between the firm's managers in a dynamic production environment. If the marginal cost of production falls moderately over time or remains unchanged, there exists an equilibrium where one owner requires her manager to maximize profit, whereas the rival-owner requires her manager to maximize sales revenue. The profit-maximizing manager turns his firm into a Stackelberg-leader, while the sales-revenue-maximizing manager turns his firm into a Stackelberg-follower. Further, the profit-maximizing manager may generate a larger firm profit relative to the sales-revenue-maximizing manager.
In Cultured Astrocytes, p53 and MDM2 Do Not Alter Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1α Function Regardless of the Presence of DNA Damage

A principal molecular mechanism by which cells respond to hypoxia is by activation of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha). Several studies describe a binding of p53 to HIF-1alpha in a protein complex, leading to attenuated function, half-life, and abundance of HIF-1alpha. However, these reports almost exclusively utilized transformed cell lines, and many employed transfection of p53 or HIF-1alpha plasmid constructs and/or p53 and HIF-1alpha reporter constructs as surrogates for endogenous protein activity and target expression, respectively. Thus, it remains an open and important question as to whether p53 inhibits HIF-1alpha-mediated transactivation of endogenous HIF-1alpha targets in nontransformed cells. After determining in primary astrocyte cultures the HIF-1alpha targets that were most dependent on HIF-1alpha function, we examined the effect of the loss of p53 function either alone or in combination with MDM2 on expression of these targets. Although p53 null astrocyte cultures resulted in markedly increased HIF-1alpha-dependent target expression compared with controls, this altered expression was determined to be the result of increased cell density of p53 null cultures and the accompanying acidosis, not loss of p53 protein. Although activation of p53 by DNA damage induced p53 target expression in astrocytes, it did not alter hypoxia-induced HIF-1alpha target expression. Finally, a combined loss of MDM2 and p53 did not alter HIF-1alpha target expression compared with loss of p53 alone. These data strongly suggest that p53 and MDM2 do not influence the hypoxia-induced transactivation of HIF-1alpha targets, regardless of p53 activation, in primary astrocytes.
Form and Meaning in Mishnah

The social aspect of the linguistic character of Mishnah-Tosefta, one of the two principal documents of Judaism, with special reference to the Order of Purities, is analyzed. Mishnah is formulated within a few tightly disciplined formulaic patterns. What do we learn about the minds of people who redacted and formulated the document in that way? First, they proposed that Mishnah would be transmitted through memorization and not through writing, even though there were no technical disadvantages to the preservation of materials in writing. Second, the system of grammar and syntax distinctive to Mishnah expresses conventions intelligible to the members of a particular community, the rabbis who stand behind and later preserved Mishnah. It is not a public and ordinary language at all, even though Middle Hebrew, of which Mishnaic Hebrew is only one exemplum, may have been a spoken language. Mishnaic language is expressive and conative. Mishnaic forms are rhetorical, empty of content, serviceable for a wide variety of themes. They are based on deep syntactical recurrences, not on surface-patterns of rhyme, rhythm, or sound. Mishnah's susceptibility to memorization rests principally upon the utter abstract of recurrent syntactical patterns, rather then on concrete repetition of particular rhythms, syllabic counts, or sounds. The people who memorized conceptions reduced to these forms were capable of extraordinarily abstract perception. They perceived, beneath the diversities of language, the unstated principle and the unsounded pattern. Mishnah's formalized grammatical rhetoric creates a world of discourse quite distinct from the concrete realities of a given time, place, or society. Unchanging and enduring patterns lie deep in the inner structure of reality and impose structure upon the accidents of the world. Reality for Mishnaic rhetoric consists in the deep syntax of language: consistent and enduring patterns of relationship among diverse and changing concrete things or persons. What lasts is not the concrete thing but the abstract principle governing the interplay of concrete things. Just as we accomplish memorization by perceiving not what is said but how it is said and persistently arranged, so we speak to undertake to address and describe a world in which what is concrete and material is secondary to how things are Jacob Neusner is University Professor, Professor of Religious Studies, and The Ungerleider Distinguished Scholar of Judaic Studies at Brown University. He is author of A History of the Mishnaic Law of Purities, Vols. I-XX, and The Academic Study of Judaism, Essays and Reflections, 2 vols. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.104 on Sun, 19 Jun 2016 06:03:23 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Utilization of Standardized Patients to Decrease Nursing Student Anxiety

Abstract Background Undergraduate nursing students often view the mental health clinical rotation as a source of anxiety. This anxiety can have a negative influence on the establishment of a therapeutic relationship, jeopardize patient safety, and impact student well-being and success in the program. Incorporation of standardized patients (SPs) into the mental health specialty may be one strategy to decrease student anxiety and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Methods This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess if SPs can reduce student anxiety as measured by an anxiety visual analog scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). A convenience sample of 69 senior level undergraduate nursing students participated in the study. Results/Conclusion The results of the study revealed a statistically significant reduction in student anxiety after the interaction with the SP and provide preliminary support of incorporating SPs as a teaching methodology in the mental health specialty.
Incubation periods of acute respiratory viral infections: a systematic review

Summary Knowledge of the incubation period is essential in the investigation and control of infectious disease, but statements of incubation period are often poorly referenced, inconsistent, or based on limited data. In a systematic review of the literature on nine respiratory viral infections of public-health importance, we identified 436 articles with statements of incubation period and 38 with data for pooled analysis. We fitted a log-normal distribution to pooled data and found the median incubation period to be 5·6 days (95% CI 4·8–6·3) for adenovirus, 3·2 days (95% CI 2·8–3·7) for human coronavirus, 4·0 days (95% CI 3·6–4·4) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, 1·4 days (95% CI 1·3–1·5) for influenza A, 0·6 days (95% CI 0·5–0·6) for influenza B, 12·5 days (95% CI 11·8–13·3) for measles, 2·6 days (95% CI 2·1–3·1) for parainfluenza, 4·4 days (95% CI 3·9–4·9) for respiratory syncytial virus, and 1·9 days (95% CI 1·4–2·4) for rhinovirus. When using the incubation period, it is important to consider its full distribution: the right tail for quarantine policy, the central regions for likely times and sources of infection, and the full distribution for models used in pandemic planning. Our estimates combine published data to give the detail necessary for these and other applications.
Quantum Theory of an Optical Maser. I. General Theory

A quantum statistical analysis of an optical maser is presented in generalization of the recent semiclassical theory of Lamb. Equations of motion for the density matrix of the quantized electromagnetic field are derived. These equations describe the irreversible dynamics of the laser radiation in all regions of operation (above, below, and at threshold). Nonlinearities play an essential role in this problem. The diagonal equations of motion for the radiation are found to have an apparent physical interpretation. At steady state, these equations may be solved via detailed-balance considerations to yield the photon statistical distribution ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{n,n}$. The resulting distribution has a variance which is significantly larger than that for coherent light. The off-diagonal elements of the radiation density matrix describe the effects of phase diffusion in general and provide the spectral profile ${| E(\ensuremath{\omega}) |}^{2}$ as a special case. A detailed discussion of the physics involved in this paper is given in the concluding sections. The theory of the laser adds another example to the short list of solved problems in irreversible quantum statistical mechanics.
African American males speak: The lifelong process

This paper is based on interview data provided by 230 black males in America. Three important concepts—emasculation, dehumanization, and inferioritization are used in this work to characterize the outcome of the socialization process for black males. The theoretical orientation includes the structural-functional relationship of the socialization process to the larger society; with the primary emphasis on self-esteem. Early family life socialization does not produce significant differences in interpretations of self and the world in later life.
Gray bats killed by dieldrin at two additional Missouri caves: Aquatic macroinvertebrates found dead

We learned previously (CLARK et al. in manuscript) that mortality due to dieldrin poisoning occurred during 1976-78 in two maternity colonies of the endangered gray bat (~otis grisescens) at Bat Cave No. 2-3 and Roaring Spring Cave, Franklin County, Missouri. Residues of heptachlor-related chemicals in bats increased markedly in 1977 to potentially dangerous concentrations and remained elevated in 1978. The colony that showed the greater mortality disappeared in 1979 and was not present when the roost caves were visited in 1982.
Miscibility and properties of poly(vinyl butyral) and thermoplastic polyurethane blends

Abstract This paper describes the use of specific thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPU) in blends with poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB). This work was directed towards the development of an interlayer having improved impact resistance and less sensitivity to variations in impact resistance over the useful temperature range. A family of commercially available cycloaliphatic polyether TPUs was found which produced optically clear, mechanically and thermodynamically miscible blends with PVB. The concept of a miscibility parameter was used to rationalize the compatibility of these blends. Support for compatibility is given by Tg, d.s.c. and d.m.a. data. The Gordon-Taylor relationship has been extended from use as a predictive tool for estimating the Tg of blends to estimating the physical properties of blends. Good agreement between tensile, tear and the measured values was obtained. Impact data on laminates using PVB/TPU ( 60 40 ) lightly plasticized (7%) with a glycol ether show almost complete lack of temperature sensitivity.
Efficacy of methylphenidate in bulimia nervosa comorbid with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A case report

This case describes the beneficial effect on the binge eating component of bulimia nervosa of methylphenidate, which was prescribed to treat comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Possible mechanisms of action are discussed.
A structural mechanics model for sports shoes: the heel strike

For a shod heel-striking runner, classical mechanics was used to predict the stresses and displacements for the shoe’s heel, with and without reinforcement. The shoe’s heel loading was based on a typical runner’s measured plantar pressure distribution fitted to a hemispheric pressure dome. Experiments showed that the shoe’s heel region was approximately linearly elastic, so that classical solutions were appropriate for an elastic half-space heel model. Here, the surface dome heel pressure within the heel area and image point loads beyond the heel boundary were superimposed to predict realistic heel boundary stresses and displacements. Results for two limiting boundary conditions were investigated: a vanishing radial boundary stress with maximum lateral heel bulging, and complete suppression of lateral bulging using radial heel reinforcement. The theoretical results herein can serve as guidelines for the development of a new class of running shoes with optimal heel reinforcement between these two boundary limits. This optimisation would lead to more comfortable and efficient running.
Alterations in hippocampal mossy fiber pathway in Schizophrenia and Alzheimer' s disease

Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) both involve pathology of the medial temporal lobe. Structural abnormalities of the entorhinal cortex (Arnold et al 1991a; Arnold et al 1991b) and behavioral deficits implicating medial temporal circuits (Saykin et al 1991) have been reported in schizophrenia. The entorhinal cortex is the first and among the most severely effected regions in AD (Braak and Braak 1992). The entorhinal cortex receives input from higher-order multimodal and sensory-specific association cortices and transmits that information to the hippocampus via its connections with the dentate gyrus (Rosene an Van Hoesen 1987). The memory deficit in AD has been related to the disruption of this connection to the hippocampus, the perforant pathway (Hyman et al 1984). Despite the strong evidence of neuropathological changes in the entorhinal cortex in AD and schizophrenia, it is not known if they result in transneuronal changes of intrahippocampal connections. One method for testing this is to examine whether the density of mossy fibers, arising from the granule cells of the dentate gyrus and innervating the hilus, CA4 and CA3 subfields of the hippocampus (Rosene and Van Hoesen 1987), is altered. Experimentally induced unilateral entorhinal lesions lead to sprouting of the hippocampal mossy fibers (Steward 1992). Examination of the density of mossy fibers arising from the dentate granule cells has not been previously report4ed for these two diseases. We examined the staining intensity of the mossy fibers, following
Plasma mineralocorticoids, plasma renin, and urinary kallikrein in salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats.

Plasma aldosterone, deoxycorticosterone (DOC), 18-hydroxy-deoxycorticosterone (180H-DOC), and corticosterone were measured in Dahl salt-sensitive (S) and salt-resistant (R) rats. Plasma corticosterone and DOC were not different between strains but plasma aldosterone was decreased and plasma 180H-DOC increased in S compared to R. Plasma renin activity and urinary kallikrein excretion were both lower in S than R. Urinary kallikrein is known to vary directly with mineralocorticoid activity and 180H-DOC is a weak mineralocorticoid. The lower urinary kallikrein in the presence of elevated 180H-DOC could mean that urinary kallikrein differences between S and R are under independent genetic control from 180H-DOC.
Disproportionation of arene radical anions is driven overwhelmingly by solvation, not ion pairing

The equilibrium constants for disproportionation of anthracene and perylene radical anions into neutral and dianion both in the absence and presence of solvent and for ion pairing of the dianions to tetraethylammonium ion have been computed by density functional B3LYP/6-311+G* theory. The disproportionation equilibrium is shown to be highly influenced by differential solvation effects and only modestly by ion pairing.
Effects of coadsorbed atomic oxygen on the electron-stimulated desorption of neutral NO from Pt(111)

We examine the effects of an electronegative coadsorbate on the electron-stimulated-desorption (ESD) yield and desorbate energies (translational and internal) of a chemisorbed molecule. Specifically, we use laser resonance-ionization spectroscopy to characterize the ESD of neutral NO from a Pt(111) surface precovered with atomic oxygen. With increasing oxygen coverage (up to 0.75 monolayer), we observe the following for the NO desorbate: (1) an exponential increase in specific yield, (2) increased translational energy, (3) decreased vibrational energy, (4) decreased rotational energy, and (5) a growing propensity to produce the upper spin-orbit level of the spin-orbit-split electronic ground state. The first three observations are understood in terms of an O-induced reduction in charge transfer from the substrate into the adsorbate 2{pi} molecular level to screen the electronic excitation (5{sigma}{sup {minus}1}). This has the dual effect of reducing the Auger decay rate 5{sigma}{sup 1}2{pi}{sup 2}(NO){r arrow}5{sigma}{sup 2}2{pi}{sup 0}(NO{sup +}), and of lowering the NO vibrational excitation. The consequences of a reduced Auger decay rate are a larger ESD yield and more desorbate translational energy. We argue that the spin-orbit propensity arises from an O-induced rotational hindering of the NO excited state. A hindered NO{sup +} rotor, ionized after Auger decay, is reneutralized by amore » strongly spin-orbit-split Pt(111) substrate at a greater rate into the upper level than into the lower level.« less
Revision cruciate ligament surgery with retention of femoral interference screws

As the popularity of cruciate ligament reconstruction continues to escalate, the need for revision surgery has also increased. Revision cruciate ligament surgery is often associated with difficult technical challenges including removing previously placed femoral interference screws. Not only can this hardware be difficult to remove, interference screw extraction often creates a large bony defect immediately adjacent to the revised femoral tunnel that can jeopardize the fixation of the new cruciate ligament graft. It is often possible to perform revision cruciate ligament reconstruction without removing femoral interference screws. This technical note provides several examples of this technique. Routine removal of femoral interference screws during revision cruciate ligament surgery is often not necessary.