cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hybrid Fixation of Tibial Eminence Fractures in Skeletally Immature Patients

Tibial eminence fractures most commonly occur in children and adolescents. When treating displaced fractures of the tibial eminence, some surgeons prefer screw fixation whereas others prefer suture fixation. The ultimate goal is to limit morbidity through early return to range of motion and activity. In this technical note, we describe 2 hybrid fixation techniques for fixing tibial eminence fractures, one for type III and the other for type IV fractures. The first technique (variation A) is used to treat type III fractures and combines use of both a bioabsorbable compression screw and suture for fixation. The second technique (variation B) is used to treat type IV fractures and combines use of both a bioabsorbable compression screw and shoulder anchor fixation. We have found that these methods provide efficient, secure, and reliable fixation using standard techniques common to arthroscopic surgery. In addition, the growth plates are spared in children and adolescents, and the need for reoperation to remove hardware is eliminated.
Deciding on anticoagulating the oldest old with atrial fibrillation: insights from cost-effectiveness analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To better understand the tradeoffs between the efficacy of anticoagulation with warfarin and its side effects in the oldest old with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation (AF). DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysis. SETTING: Published literature, including meta-analyses when available, and web-based sources. PARTICIPANTS: Those aged 65 to 100 with AF. INTERVENTION: Anticoagulation with warfarin. MEASUREMENTS: Quality-adjusted life expectancy and cost. RESULTS: Anticoagulation is not effective in persons with AF who do not have other risk factors, even in the oldest old. The best argument for its use (prolongation of life at an acceptable cost) can be made in those at major risk for stroke because of previous stroke or transient ischemic attack, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, but poor quality of life before anticoagulation and comorbidities that carry their own risks of dying diminish benefits. The decision to anticoagulate the oldest old with AF must take into consideration the risk of hemorrhagic stroke and of death from hemorrhagic stroke that existed before anticoagulation, the increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke and of death from hemorrhagic stroke while anticoagulated, and the efficacy of anticoagulation. Cost-effectiveness is also influenced by the cost of warfarin, the risk of major extracranial bleeding, the risk (natural and anticoagulated) of death from hemorrhagic stroke, the rate of ischemic stroke, the cost of major extracranial bleeding and hemorrhagic strokes, the cost of nursing home care, and the fraction of patients with stroke who need nursing home care. CONCLUSION: There is no compelling evidence to date that anticoagulation prolongs quality-adjusted life expectancy in the oldest old with nonrheumatic AF. More studies that better estimate the risk of intracranial bleeding with and without anticoagulation in the oldest old are needed before recommendations can be made. The oldest old who are most likely to benefit are those who have a high risk of stroke secondary to risk factors other than age alone, although quality of life and life expectancy related to these risk factors limit obtained benefit. Recommendations that all older persons with AF should be anticoagulated are premature.
Fully differential CMOS-MEMS z-axis accelerometer with torsional structures and planar comb fingers

Fully differential z-axis acceleration sensing often requires complicated multiwafer bonding processes. We present an integrated fully differential complementary metal-oxide semiconductor-microelectromechanical systems (CMOS-MEMS) z-axis accelerometer utilizing planar comb fingers and a pair of single-crystal silicon (SCS) torsional springs. The sidewall capacitors formed by multiple CMOS interconnect metal layers are exploited for fully differential displacement sensing with a common-centroid wiring configuration. Single crystal silicon is used throughout the device to form robust microstructures. A deep reactive ion etching (DRIE)-based microfabrication process with large processing tolerance has been developed to allow monolithic integration of CMOS circuitry with sensor structures and high fabrication yield. With an on-chip low-power, low-noise, dual-chopper amplifier that has a measured 44.5-dB gain and 1-mW power consumption, the fabricated integrated z-axis accelerometer demonstrates a sensitivity of 250 mV/g and an overall noise floor of 110 µg/Hz.
A fluctuation theory analysis of the salting-out effect.

An analysis of the salting-out, or Sechenow, effect is given in terms of Kirkwood−Buff, or fluctuation, integrals. The analysis is formally exact but cannot easily be applied in its original form. When the solute that is being salted out is sparingly soluble, simplifications arise and the theory can be used to compute one of the Kirkwood−Buff integrals which is otherwise difficult to obtain.
Optical Proximity Sensor Using Multiple Cones Of Light For Measuring Surface Shape

A noncontact multilight source optical proximity sensor that can measure the distance, orientation, and curvature of a surface has been developed. Beams of light are sequentially focused from the ends of fiber optic cables onto a target surface. An analog light sensor a planar pin diode area sensor chip measures the position of the spots of light on the surface, and the 3-D locations of the spots are computed by triangulation. By fitting a surface to a set of points, the distance, orienta­ tion, and curvature of the target surface are calculated. The number of light sources and their positions and orientations were chosen so that the uncertainty in the measurement of distance would be within 0.05 mm and the uncertainty in surface orientation would be within 1.0°. Since there are no moving parts and the spot position sensor chip outputs the position of the spot directly without scanning its field of view, fast opera­ tion of the proximity sensor can be realized. Earlier prototype versions of the sensor can give approximately 1000 measurements of distance and orientation per second with precision of 0.07 mm for distance and 1.5° for surface orientation. This proximity sensor will be useful for such ap­ plications as tracing an object surface by a robot manipulator with a specified distance and orientation relative to the surface.
High-temperature infrared kinetics of transition-metal-catalyzed chemical reactions in solid state complexes of polybutadienes with palladium chloride

Abstract High-temperature infrared spectroscopy to 180°C identifies irreversible chemical changes that occur in solid state complexes of 1,2-polybutadiene and palladium chloride, prior to the onset of oxidation. The decrease in infrared absorption intensities at 910, 994, 1418 and 1640 cm −1 signifies the consumption of carbon–carbon double bonds in the polymer whose microstructure is 80% 1,2-vinyl. The loss of CC functionality in the sidegroup at elevated temperatures can be explained by palladium-catalyzed dimerization reactions. Transient experiments between 100°C and 140°C reveal that the reduction in the CC infrared signal at 1640 cm −1 follows an approximate 1st-order rate law which is consistent with a previous calorimetric study of exothermic kinetics over the same temperature range. Characteristic n th-order chemical reaction time constants for solid films of 1,2-polybutadiene with 4 mol% palladium chloride have been calculated at 100°C, 125°C and 140°C via infrared spectroscopy. These reaction time constants decrease at higher temperature with an apparent Arrhenius activation energy of ≈ 43 kJ/mol. Palladium complexes with cis -polybutadiene reveal that π back-donation of electron density from the metal center into the antibonding orbitals of the alkene group in the main chain shifts the CC absorption from 1653 to 1543 cm −1 . The uncomplexed signal at 1653 cm −1 is insensitive to high-temperature annealing whereas the palladium- π -complexed signal at 1543 cm −1 is severely attenuated after annealing for a few minutes at 150°C. This suggests that the formation of a π -complex is required before high-temperature irreversible chemical reactions. Infrared-determined characteristic n th-order chemical reaction time constants for solid films of cis -polybutadiene with 4 mol% palladium chloride at 100°C, 125°C and 140°C are five-fold longer than the corresponding reaction time constants for 1,2-polybutadiene with 4 mol% PdCl 2 . This kinetic mismatch is consistent with the trend in reaction rates for mono-substituted vs. di-substituted small-molecule alkenes, and suggests that a mixing strategy is required to compatibilize 1,2-polybutadiene and cis -polybutadiene via PdCl 2 at high temperatures.
Genetic variation in fatty acid-binding protein-4 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ interactively influence insulin sensitivity and body composition in males

Abstract Obesity and type 2 diabetes are closely related, multifactorial metabolic conditions characterized by alterations in energy metabolism and glucose homeostasis, respectively. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that regulates genes involved in lipid and glucose homeostasis, including the adipocyte-specific fatty acid-binding protein (FABP4). In turn, FABP4 binds fatty acids and transports them to the nucleus where the FABP4/fatty acid complex activates PPARγ in a positive feedback loop. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the polymorphisms, FABP4-376 and PPARγ Pro12Ala, interactively influence insulin sensitivity and body composition in nondiabetic, Hispanic and non-Hispanic white males (n = 314) participating in the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study (SLVDS). Although the individual sites were not statistically significantly associated with any of the outcomes, we found statistically significant interaction terms in 2-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models for homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) ( P = .014) and lean mass ( P = .019). While the PPARγ Pro12Ala site was the only statistically significant predictor of fat mass in the 2-way model ( P = .012), the FABP4 and PPARγ main effect terms individually became stronger when considered in one model compared with the analysis of each polymorphism separately. These findings provide evidence that FABP4 and PPARγ work together to influence a biologic pathway affecting insulin sensitivity and body composition, illustrating the importance of investigating the joint effect of genes in determining susceptibility for complex disease.
Effects of Microwave Processing on Fiber-Matrix Adhesion. II. Enhanced Chemical Bonding of Epoxy to Carbon Fibers

Abstract The effect of microwave processing on the chemical interactions occurring between the carbon fiber surface and the epoxy matrix constituents was investigated using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Monofunctional model compounds selected to duplicate the matrix constituents were exposed to the carbon fibers at temperatures similar to those encountered during composite processing. After solvent extraction, chemisorbed species were quantified by XPS. Differences were apparent in the C 1s and O 1s core electron regions of the microwave treated samples when referenced to the same elemental regions of thermally (convection) treated samples. Specifically, the atomic percentage of oxygen (in the form of carbon oxides) was increased to a greater degree when using the microwave treatment as opposed to the thermal treatments. The microwave treatment resulted in a substantial increase in the amount of chemical interaction between the fiber surface and the epoxy resin and amine components of the matrix...
Health education quality assessment for public health clinics: Responding to staff resistance

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has developed and tested several quality assessment tools over the last 7 years to assess both the administration and direct delivery of patient education services. The most recent system covers three aspects of patient education: environment, materials and personal interaction. Practical assessment tools, methods of introducing them into clinic settings, and areas of possible resistance are discussed.
On the entrainment rate of a stratocumulus-topped mixed layer

The forced entrainment rate at the top of a stratocumulus deck is derived from the assumption that the negative buoyancy flux there is a particular fraction (1/2) of the average buoyancy flux within the entire mixed layer. A portion of the cloudtop radiative cooling is allowed to occur below the inversion base, thus contributing to the maintenance of the mixed-layer turbulence. The derived equation clearly shows the dependence of the forced entrainment rate upon the surface heat and moisture fluxes, cloudtop radiative cooling rate, temperature and humidity jumps across the capping inversion, solar absorption rate within the mixed layer, and percentage of the mixed layer occupied by stratocumulus. The forced entrainment rate becomes inapplicable when the thermal jump at cloudtop becomes very small; then either encroachment or free entrainment occurs, and expressions are proposed for each. A useful criterion is that the entrainment rate is the minimum of the calculated rates for forced entrainment, encroachment, and free entrainment. The equation is tested satisfactorily against observations of coastal stratus off California and stratocumulus development over Lake Michigan.
Completely contractive factorizations of C∗-algebras

Abstract It is shown that a C ∗ -algebra is nuclear if and only if the identity map can be approximated in the point norm topology by complete contractions factoring through matrix algebras.
When Density Affects Task Performance

The effect of density on task performance was examined under three different conditions which varied whether subjects' performance was measured early or late in the crowding experiment. An effect of density on task performance was obtained only when performance was assessed immediately. This result may explain the failure of many studies to find density effects on task performance.
Computational Model Predictions of Cues for Concurrent Vowel Identification

Although differences in fundamental frequencies (F0s) between vowels are beneficial for their segregation and identification, listeners can still segregate and identify simultaneous vowels that have identical F0s, suggesting that additional cues are contributing, including formant frequency differences. The current perception and computational modeling study was designed to assess the contribution of F0 and formant difference cues for concurrent vowel identification. Younger adults with normal hearing listened to concurrent vowels over a wide range of levels (25–85 dB SPL) for conditions in which F0 was the same or different between vowel pairs. Vowel identification scores were poorer at the lowest and highest levels for each F0 condition, and F0 benefit was reduced at the lowest level as compared to higher levels. To understand the neural correlates underlying level-dependent changes in vowel identification, a computational auditory-nerve model was used to estimate formant and F0 difference cues under the same listening conditions. Template contrast and average localized synchronized rate predicted level-dependent changes in the strength of phase locking to F0s and formants of concurrent vowels, respectively. At lower levels, poorer F0 benefit may be attributed to poorer phase locking to both F0s, which resulted from lower firing rates of auditory-nerve fibers. At higher levels, poorer identification scores may relate to poorer phase locking to the second formant, due to synchrony capture by lower formants. These findings suggest that concurrent vowel identification may be partly influenced by level-dependent changes in phase locking of auditory-nerve fibers to F0s and formants of both vowels.
Fabrication and electrical properties of graphene nanoribbons

Graphene is a semimetal with a zero band gap, and therefore cannot be used for effective field-effect transistors (FETs) at room temperature. Theoretical study predicted an appreciable band gap opening with the formation of nanometer graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), providing opportunities for graphene based transistor application. In this paper, we review recent developments in fabrication and electrical property studies of GNRs. We first study the theoretic prediction of electrical structures in ideal graphene nanoribbons which is closely related to the edge configurations. Different experimental efforts to fabricate GNRs are introduced and the electrical transport behaviors of fabricated GNR device are described. We then investigate the effect of edge disorder and charge impurities on real device performance, in which Anderson localization and Coulomb blockade effect are discussed to explain the observed transport behaviors. Other approaches such as symmetry broken to induce band gap on bulk graphene are also described.
Counting Integral Numbers of γ-Carboxyglutamic Acids Per Peptide Chain Using Capillary Electrophoresis

Abstract A method for counting the number of γ-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues in peptides is presented. The product mixture generated by partial decarboxylation of a peptide containing multiple Gla residues is separated by capillary electrophoresis. A mixture derived from a peptide containing n Gla residues produces an electropherogram characterized by n + 1 peak groups. For a given peptide, a linear relationship (r2 > 0.99) is observed between the average electrophoretic mobility of each peak group and the representative number of Gla residues contained by that group. Resolution of peptide isomers is also obtained, permitting studies of the extent and sequence-specificity of decarboxylation.
Epicuticular waxes of four eragrostoid grasses

Abstract The major components of Sporobolus airoides wax were hydrocarbons (37%, C 27 –C 33 ), those of Bouteloua curtipendula and Eragrostis trichoides waxes esters (28% and 31%, respectively) and those of Muhlenbergia wrightii wax free alcohols (57%, almost entirely C 28 ). Free alcohols formed 22% of the wax from B. curtipendula , 19 % of the wax from E. trichoides and 10% of the wax from S. airoides ; the compositions ranged from C 26 to C 32 with C 32 the major component. These alcohol compositions are similar to those found for other species in the subfamily Eragrostoideae. The esters contain 32–46% of acylated triterpenols, principally α- and β-amyrins. Aldehydes were present in all the waxes except for that from S. airoides .
Comparison of the educational deficiencies of delinquent and nondelinquent students.

This article assesses the differences in educational deficiencies between a statewide sample of delinquent students and a matched sample of nondelinquent students. Employing a research design that controls for a series of relevant individual and school variables, the study’s findings document that delinquent students are characterized by a series of disproportionate educational deficiencies as compared to their nondelinquent student counterparts. Delinquent students were found to attain lower grade point averages, have poorer school attendance records, be retained more often in the same grade, and receive more school disciplinary actions. The article concludes that these documented educational deficiencies may play an integral role in the process of delinquency and, therefore, pose a number of public policy implications in relation to the prevention and treatment of delinquency.
Instrumentation of bridges for long-term performance monitoring

As the state of the art in bridge design is advancing toward the performance-based design, it becomes increasingly important to monitor and evaluate the long-term structural performance of bridges, including strains in critical structural members, soil pressures on the abutment back walls and footings, accelerations on the decks and bents, etc. Such information is essential in developing new performance criteria for design. In this research, sensor systems for long-term structural performance monitoring have been installed on two new highway bridges in Orange County, California: the Jamboree Road Overcrossing and the West Street On-Ramp. They include accelerometers, strain gauges, pressure sensors, displacement sensors, installed or embedded at strategic locations of both super- and sub-structures. Data recorders and power supplies have also been installed at the bridge sites. Preliminary vibration measurement and data analysis have been performed on these instrumented bridges. On the Jamboree Road Overcrossing, ambient vibration data have been collected, based on which natural frequencies and mode shapes have been extracted using various methods and compared with those obtained by the preliminary finite element analysis. On the West Street On-Ramp, braking and bumping vibration tests have been carried out using a water truck in addition to ambient vibration tests. Natural frequencies and mode shapes have been derived and the results by the breaking and bumping vibration tests have been compared.
Improving access to mobile technologies using tactile feedback

While mobile technologies, such as smart phones offer the benefits of portability and ubiquity, the small visual display can introduce a variety of challenges for users. Tactile feedback provides one solution to reduce the burden on the visual channel. However, the vibro-tactile signals presented by existing commercial mobile devices are relatively simple in nature and limited in number and hence cannot communicate broad set of semantic meanings or commands used in mobile applications and technologies. The research proposed in this paper, focuses on investigating how tactile feedback can be designed specifically for mobile interfaces, with the aim of improving and enriching user interactions when the visual channel is blocked or restricted (e.g. for blind or situationally-impaired users). More specifically, the aim is to investigate ways to widen the tactile bandwidth, through the manipulation of the parameters of touch. The resulting effects will be integrated within a range of mobile applications, and evaluated under a variety of common scenarios where distracters exist, to address the efficacy of the tactile icons developed. A framework of assistive tactile icons will be developed for mobile interface designers for reference, when aiming to improve non-visual access to mobile applications.
Quantification of the oxidative damage biomarker 2,3-dinor-8-isoprostaglandin-F2α in human urine using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract F 2 -isoprostanes are useful biomarkers of oxidative status in humans. We developed an ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometric (UPLC–MS/MS) method to quantify 2,3-dinor-8-iso prostaglandin F 2α , a urinary metabolite of 8-iso-prostaglandin F 2α. Urine was purified by solid-phase extraction and analyzed by UPLC–MS/MS with negative-ion electrospray ionization. The method was robust with a mean inaccuracy of 9%, interday and intraday imprecision of 7.5% or lower, and a lower limit of quantification of 0.5 μg/L, equivalent to 0.04 pmol injected onto the column. An analysis time of 6 min was shorter than previously published methods and amenable to large studies.
Respiratory protection: associated factors and effectiveness of respirator use among underground coal miners.

Background We investigated factors associated with the use of respiratory protection and explored the effectiveness of respirators among coal miners. Methods Between 1987 and 1992, respiratory symptoms, smoking, lung function, and dust exposures were assessed longitudinally among 185 underground bituminous coal miners. Self-reported use of respiratory protection was expressed as mean percent time wearing a respirator. Results Miners' respirator use increased with mean dust concentration, but decreased with tobacco consumption. Increasing age was associated with greater respirator use. Miners who had respiratory symptoms at the initial survey subsequently reported greater use of respirators. A significant protective association was found between the miners' respirator use and FEV1 levels at both the initial and follow-up surveys. Conclusions These results provide additional evidence that respirator use is protective of lung health. When respiratory protection programs are developed, factors that may affect respirator use behavior, such as age, smoking, and respiratory symptoms, should be considered. Future studies of respiratory health will need to consider workers' use of respiratory protection. Am. J. Ind. Med. 42:55–62, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On Unbiased Estimation for Randomized Response Models

Abstract For quantitative randomized response models, optimal unbiased estimation of regular functionals of distribution functions is considered. In this context, distribution theory of Hoeffding's U-statistics and von Mises' differentiable statistical functions is extended to randomized response models. Estimation of the basic distributions is also considered.
On flame holes and local extinction in lifted-jet diffusion flames

This paper reports observations of local extinction events characterized by flame holes in the CH profiles that have been gathered during a simultaneous sequential CH planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) investigation of a lifted methane-air diffusion flame. Flame bulges are also reported - that are thought to precede extinction events - as well as ''pinched'' regions upstream of the flame bulges. This information is of use to modelers regarding structures interacting with the reaction zone. It is also relevant to those analyzing and modeling breaks in the reaction zones in studies of flame holes and edge flames.
Hyperbaric Oxygenation Ameliorates Indomethacin-Induced Enteropathy in Rats by Modulating TNF-α and IL-1β Production

The effect of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO2) was investigated in a rat model of indomethacin-induced enteropathy. Enteropathy was induced by two subcutaneous injections of indomethacin (7.5 mg/kg) 24 hr apart. Six groups of rats (n=8) were treated with and without HBO2 (100% oxygen at 2.3 atm absolute) for 1 hr once or twice a day for 2 or 5 days. Disease activity index (DAI) and total ulcer length were measured. Other rats were randomized into two groups (n=16) with and without HBO2 (1 hr once a day) and four rats were killed in each group at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hr after the final injection of indomethacin. Serum and intestinal mucosal TNF-α, IL-1β, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and iNOS expression was measured. HBO2 treatment significantly attenuated indomethacin -induced intestinal ulceration and improved DAI. Indomethacin increased MPO activity and iNOS expression, and these were reduced by HBO2 treatment, with a concomitant reduction in TNF-α and IL-1β. Our data suggest that HBO2 treatment has a beneficial effect on indomethacin-induced enteropathy and this effect is possibly mediated by decreased production of TNF-α and IL-1β.
A Linear Analysis of the NCAR CCSM Finite-Volume Dynamical Core

Abstract The NCAR Community Climate System Model (CCSM) finite-volume atmospheric core uses a C–D-grid discretization to solve the equations of motion. A linear analysis of this discretization shows that it behaves as a D grid to leading order; it possesses the poor response of the D grid for short-wavelength divergent modes, the poor response of the C and D grids for short-wavelength rotational modes, and is only first-order accurate in time and damping. The scheme combines a modified forward–backward time integration for gravity waves with forward-in-time upwind-biased advection schemes, and the solver uses a vector-invariant form of the momentum equations. Other approaches using these equations are considered that circumvent some of the problems inherent in the current approach.
468 Making a Difference: Introducing Paediatric Critical Care Outreach Supports Effectiveness of An Early Warning Scoring System Improving Patient Safety

Nottingham Children's Hospital has recently developed and introduced an integrated Paediatric Early Warning Scoring tool and Observation Chart. To support this development and to enable the structured escalation plan to be instigated, a PCCOT team was also introduced and trialled for one month. The aim of the trial was to find out what added benefit the PCCOT Nurse contributed to the PEWS system in the recognition and management of evolving critical illness thus enhancing patient safety. Other aims included improvement to the patient treatment pathway, to assess the types/range of skills the PCCOT Nurse needs and the level of activity of the PCCOT Nurse. Utilising a service redesign model the project has moved through the following stages: Problem Identification Identifying issues surrounding ‘failure to rescue’ Proposed initiative PEWS and PCOTT. Development of Tool - PEWS, observation chart and escalation plan. Pilot Stage The trial of PCOTT and new charts took place over 1 month. Results: Total Number of patients 137. Average Number of PCCOT episodes per day 20 Time spent per episode 15 min - 6 hours Average PCCOT episodes per patient 5 Patients admitted to PICU/PHDU had higher PEWS score. Of 15 patients admitted to a higher level of care the transfers were controlled and timely. During the trial there were no cardiac arrests on the wards and only one ‘collapse’ needing ITU admission from a ward where PCOTT had not been involved. Conclusion: Paediatric Critical Care Outreach supports the effectiveness of a PEWS System improving patient safety.
The effect of balance training on balance performance in individuals poststroke: a systematic review.

Background and purpose Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, and impaired balance after stroke is strongly associated with future function and recovery. Until recently there has been limited evidence to support the use of balance training to improve balance performance in this population. Information about the optimum exercise dosage has also been lacking. This review evaluated recent evidence related to the effect of balance training on balance performance among individuals poststroke across the continuum of recovery. On the basis of this evidence, we also provide recommendations for exercise prescription in such programs. Methods A systematic search was performed on literature published between January 2006 and February 2010, using multiple combinations of intervention (eg, "exercise"), population (eg, "stroke"), and outcome (eg, "balance"). Criteria for inclusion of a study was having at least 1 standing balance exercise in the intervention and 1 study outcome to evaluate balance. Results Twenty-two published studies met the inclusion criteria. We found moderate evidence that balance performance can be improved following individual, "one-on-one" balance training for participants in the acute stage of stroke, and either one-on-one balance training or group therapy for participants with subacute or chronic stroke. Moderate evidence also suggests that in the acute stage, intensive balance training for 2 to 3 times per week may be sufficient, whereas exercising for 90 minutes or more per day, 5 times per week may be excessive. Discussion and conclusions This review supports the use of balance training exercises to improve balance performance for individuals with moderately severe stroke. Future high-quality, controlled studies should investigate the effects of balance training for individuals poststroke who have severe impairment, additional complications/comorbidities, or specific balance lesions (eg, cerebellar or vestibular). Optimal training dosage should also be further explored. Studies with long-term follow-up are needed to assess outcomes related to participation in the community and reduction of fall risk.
Growth of Ultrasmooth Octadecyltrichlorosilane Self-Assembled Monolayers on SiO2

Ultrasmooth octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) monolayers (2.6 ± 0.2 nm thick, RMS roughness ∼1.0 A) can be obtained reproducibly by exposing clean native SiO2 surfaces to a dry solution of OTS in Isop...
Proving the principle: Taking geodesic dynamics too seriously in Einstein's theory

Abstract In this paper I critically review attempts to formulate and derive the geodesic principle, which claims that free massive bodies follow geodesic paths in general relativity theory. I argue that if the principle is (canonically) interpreted as a law of motion describing the actual evolution of gravitating bodies, then it is impossible to generically apply the law to massive bodies in a way that is coherent with Einstein's field equations. Rejecting the canonical interpretation, I propose an alternative interpretation of the geodesic principle as a type of universality thesis analogous to the universality behavior exhibited in thermal systems during phase transitions.
Careers in Business: Selecting an Planning Your Career Path/Managing Career Development

The article reviews two books on career development. “Careers in Business: Selecting and Planning Your Career Path,” by Lila B. Stair; “Managing Career Development,” by Marilyn A. Morgan.
Inventing the Self, Fictionalizing the Other: False Memories in the Theatre of Mario Vargas Llosa

The Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the most prolific and distinguished Spanish American novelists of the twentieth century and the winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature, is also the author of eight plays, which have frequently been overshadowed by his narrative production. Going beyond the relationship traced by critics between his novels and his plays, this essay underscores the prevalence in his theatrical work of a tug of war between biographical and autobiographical voices as part of a fundamental exploration of real and fictional memory. From Vargas Llosa's early plays of the 1980s to his most recent ones, he has frequently dramatized the life of both real and imaginary, famous and infamous others and selves, creating the illusion that the audience is witnessing someone's life trajectory. This is the analytical angle from which this essay approaches not only Vargas Llosa's first play, La senorita de Tacna (1981), but in particular one of his most recent ones, Odiseo y Penelope (200...
Peroral esophageal myotomy (POEM) and laparoscopic Heller myotomy produce a similar short-term anatomic and functional effect.

Background Peroral esophageal myotomy (POEM) differs from laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) in that only the circular muscle layer of the esophagus is divided, the hiatus is not mobilized, and an antireflux procedure is not performed. The effect of these differences on anatomic and functional outcomes is unknown. Methods Patients who underwent LHM or POEM and had both a pre- and postoperative timed barium esophagogram were selected for analysis. Timed barium esophagograms were performed with 200 mL of contrast, with radiographs taken at 1, 2, and 5 minutes. Results A total o f 17 LHM and 12 POEM patients had undergone pre- and postoperative timed barium esophagograms. Both groups had decreased column heights postoperatively at 1, 2, and 5 minutes (LHM: pre, 15.6, 12.7, 11.3 cm vs post, 3.6, 2.5, 1.8 cm; P P Conclusion POEM and LHM produce a similar short-term anatomic and functional result at the esophagogastric junction. POEM results in a similar narrowing and straightening of the esophagus despite the fact that POEM does not involve hiatal mobilization.
Ex vivo T cell-depleted versus unmodified allografts in patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission.

Abstract This study was conducted to retrospectively compare the clinical outcomes after transplantation of T cell–depleted (TCD) and unmodified allografts in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission (CR1). Patients received TCD grafts at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC, N = 115) between 2001 and 2010 using the following preparative regimens: hyperfractionated total body irradiation (HFTBI)+thiotepa+fludarabine; HFTBI+thiotepa+cyclophosphamide; or i.v. busulfan+melphalan+fludarabine. TCD was performed by 1 of 2 immunomagnetic CD34+ cell selection methods for peripheral blood grafts or by soybean lectin agglutination followed by sheep red blood cell–rosette depletion for bone marrow grafts. No additional graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis was administered. Patients received unmodified grafts at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC, N = 181) after conditioning with busulfan+fludarabine and GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus+mini-methotrexate. Patients with unrelated or human leukocyte antigen–mismatched donors received anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) at both centers, with some recipients of matched related donor TCD transplants also receiving ATG, depending upon the preparative regimen. TCD graft recipients were more likely to be older, receive a mismatched transplant, and have peripheral blood used as the graft source. The incidences rates of grades 2 to 4 acute GVHD and chronic GVHD were significantly lower in the TCD graft group (5% versus 18%, and 13% versus 53%). Three-year relapse-free and overall survival rates were 58% and 57%, respectively, in recipients of TCD grafts, and 60% and 66% in recipients of unmodified grafts (P = not significant). Survival and relapse-free survival are similar after TCD and conventional transplants from related/unrelated donors in patients with AML in CR1, but TCD significantly reduces GVHD.
Evaluating Emergency Department Information Technology Using a Simulation-based Approach

Manual status boards, which are used in many emergency departments to track patient and ED status information, are being replaced with electronic patient tracking systems. Such technology transitions can be challenging for the users and can produce undesirable consequences if the new technologies are not properly designed and tested. Understanding the impact of technologies such as electronic patient tracking systems before implementation in a real ED can help avert adverse safety consequences and promote user adoption. However, it is challenging to test technologies in real-world domains such as an ED, due to time pressures and safety critical tasks. A more feasible alternative is to employ simulation in a lab-based environment. This paper describes research measuring situation awareness and workload during user interaction with a simulated electronic patient tracking system. The impact of technology design on situation awareness and workload, and insights on design improvement are discussed.
Correspondence between secular changes in alcohol dependence and age of drinking onset among women in the United States.

Background: Several lines of evidence suggest that the lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence among women has increased in recent decades, but has not risen significantly for men. Early age at onset of drinking (AOD) is strongly correlated with risk for alcohol dependence and there is evidence that mean AOD has also decreased, particularly for women. The present report sought to confirm the trends in AOD and to determine the extent to which they might account for secular trends in alcohol dependence. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional analyses of data from 2 large, national epidemiological surveys were conducted to enable estimates of cross-cohort differences while controlling for age-related factors. Regression analyses were used to compute risk for alcohol dependence associated with birth cohort membership, before and after inclusion of AOD as a covariate. Results: Both men and women born between 1944 and 1963 had earlier ages of onset for drinking than did the earliest birth cohort analyzed (1934-43). However, the net decrease in AOD was twice as large for women (3.2 years) than that for men (1.6 years). After adjusting for AOD, differences in lifetime prevalence between different birth cohorts of women were rendered nonsignificant, indicating that AOD accounts for a substantial portion of change in the lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence. Conclusions: These results suggest that a decrease in AOD accounts for much of the increase in lifetime alcohol dependence among women. AOD is likely to be an indicator of dynamic, and therefore modifiable risk behaviors impacting risk for alcohol dependence. Language: en
Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and persistent airway hyperresponsiveness.

Abstract Objective: We and others have observed significant hyperinflation and airflow obstruction after the surgical repair of pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect. This study sought to objectively characterize this problem and determine the prevalence of airway hyperresponsiveness in these patients. Methods: We performed a prospective study of children and young adults with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect between June 1996 and December 1998. The participants were stratified into 2 distinct molecular genotypes on the basis of chromosome 22q11.2 microdeletion. A clinical diagnosis of asthma and an objective assessment of airway hyperresponsiveness were determined by means of an asthma inventory scale and methacholine challenge testing, respectively. Thirty-three patients were enrolled. Thirteen had velocardiofacial syndrome, each with chromosome 22q11.2 microdeletion. Results: None of the nonsyndromic patients had evidence for haploinsufficiency. Overall, 66.7% (22/33) met criteria for a clinical diagnosis of airway hyperresponsiveness: 62% (8/13) from the microdeletion genotype and 70% (14/20) from the nonsyndromic group. Conclusions: We have identified an extremely strong association between pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect and persistent airway hyperresponsiveness. Haploinsufficiency at chromosome 22q11.2 did not contribute to this predilection for airway hyperresponsiveness. These results provide a basis to anticipate persistent respiratory difficulties after operations in patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect. Moreover, this at-risk patient population may yield unique insights into fundamental mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of airway hyperresponsiveness. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;122:169-77
Reconsidering international comics: foreignness, locality, and the third space

In this article, I propose the label ‘inter-national comics’ as an alternative to ‘international comics’. As it is currently understood, the notion of ‘international comics’ places a particular emphasis on the foreignness of works produced in other countries to the detriment of their reception by new readerships. Thus, the hyphenated ‘inter-national comics’ allows us to rethink the reciprocal relationship between the foreignness of a comic from another country and the locality of its new readership, bringing to the fore the exchange between nations that the hyphen emphasises. This ‘inter-national’ relationship, in addition, manifests formally within the very pages of certain works. This is the case of two world-renowned comics such as David B.’s Epileptic (2006) and Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido’s Blacksad (2005), which I read here as spaces in which a veritable encounter between nations occurs.
Effects of In profile on simulations of InGaN/GaN multi-quantum-well light-emitting diodes

We investigate the impact of incorporating realistic In profiles in simulations of c-plane InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes. Simulations based on a drift-diffusion model typically overestimate the onset voltage, but have usually been based on the assumption of ideal quantum wells with a square In profile. We demonstrate that more realistic profiles lead to significant modifications of current-density-versus-voltage characteristics, and explain the effects based on changes in the band diagram and carrier overlap.
Managing diffuse environmental contamination from agricultural pesticides : An economic perspective on issues and policy options, with particular reference to Europe

There are widely held concerns over environmental contamination from agricultural pesticide applications, and a current policy objective in many Western European countries is to reduce usage levels. However, it appears that existing arrangements to control usage, and thence contamination, are inadequate to achieve the levels of environmental quality currently demanded; policy innovation and reform are needed. This review examines some of the problems of controlling pesticide contamination, and the potential policy instruments for achieving pesticide use reduction for environmental improvement. Particular attention is given to the role of market mechanisms to achieve environmental policy aims, especially through the introduction of financial incentives for producers to switch to integrated pest management practices involving the use of less pesticides. Instruments such as input taxes seem administratively and politically feasible, but need careful design and implementation if environmental objectives with regard to pesticides are to be achieved. Environmental economics can make an important contribution to practical agri-environmental resource management if linked with more explicit acknowledgement of the characteristics of agro-ecosystems.
A three component interaction among starch, protein, and free fatty acids revealed by pasting profiles

A three way interaction among starch, protein, and lipid that affects the Rapid Viscoanalyzer (RVA) paste viscosity profile was revealed using a model system composed of isolated sorghum starch, whey protein isolate, and free fatty acids (FFAs) (20:2:1, w/w/w). A prominent cooling stage viscosity peak in the RVA profile was produced when all three components were present in the system, while there was no viscosity peak when either protein or FFA alone was combined with starch. The magnitude of the cooling stage viscosity peak differed with addition of palmitic, oleic, or linoleic acids to starch and protein. Amylose was the major functional molecule of the starch component. Addition of both protein and FFA to starch substantially reduced starch solubility after gelatinization, while solubility was less affected by single addition of FFA and was not affected by protein. Nonspecificity of this interaction phenomenon was demonstrated by similar results using maize starch and other soluble proteins.
The cerebrovascular response to elevated potassium--role of nitric oxide in the in vitro model of isolated rat middle cerebral arteries.

Abstract We investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the vascular response to high extraluminal K + -concentrations in the in vitro model of isolated rat middle cerebral arteries (MCA). Under control conditions, rat MCA dilated at 20, 30, 40 and 60 mM K + . At 80 mM K + , a slight vasoconstriction occurred. The unspecific NO synthase (NOS)-inhibitor L ω -nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) increased the resting tone at 3 mM K + by 31±5% ( P + was unaffected by L-NNA, NOS-inhibition resulted in vasoconstriction at ≥ 40 mM K + ( P S -nitroso- N -acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) or the cell-permeable guanosine-3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) analogue 8-Br-cGMP. Co-application of L-NNA with either SNAP or 8-Br-cGMP resulted in partial restitution of the vasodilatative effect of 40 mM K + , respectively. In presence of the soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1 H -[l,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), the vascular response to 40 mM K + was abolished. Our findings together with findings from the literature indicate a modulator role of NO at K + ≥ 40 mM K + , involving a cGMP-dependent mechanism.