cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Knee Osteoarthritis After Single-Bundle Versus Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Purpose To systematically review high-quality studies in the literature to compare the postoperative radiographic incidence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with a single-bundle (SB) versus double-bundle (DB) graft. Methods A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase to locate randomized controlled trials that compared the postoperative progression of knee OA in SB versus DB ACLR patients. The search terms used were “anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,” “single-bundle,” “double-bundle,” “randomized,” and “osteoarthritis.” Patients were assessed based on radiographic evaluation (Kellgren-Lawrence [K-L] and objective International Knee Documentation Committee scales) and graft failure. Results A total of 7 studies (5 Level I and 2 Level II) met the inclusion criteria, including 375 SB and 477 DB ACLR patients with a mean follow-up period of 5.3 years. Graft failure occurred in 3.2% of patients overall (27 of 852), with no significant difference between groups (P = .10). No significant difference in overall K-L grade distribution was found between groups (P = .90). Overall, 15.1% of patients (58 of 383) were given a K-L grade of 2 or greater, including 14.4% in the SB group (31 of 215) and 16.1% in the DB group (27 of 168) (P = .65). Using other, unconventional grading schemes, 2 studies found DB ACLR patients to have significantly fewer signs of radiographic knee OA at follow-up compared with SB ACLR patients (P Conclusions Patients undergoing ACLR with either an SB or DB graft can be expected to experience a similar incidence of postoperative knee OA at midterm follow-up according to the K-L grading system. Level of Evidence Level II, systematic review of Level I and II studies.
A Role for Postsynaptic Density 95 and Its Binding Partners in Models of Traumatic Brain Injury.

Abstract Postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95), the major scaffold protein at excitatory synapses, plays a major role in mediating intracellular signaling by synaptic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) type gl...
The Relationship Between Physician/Nurse Gender and Patients' Correct Identification of Health Care Professional Roles in the Emergency Department.

Abstract Background: A 2006 study of emergency medicine (EM) patients found male physicians were more often recognized as doctors that were female physicians. We sought to identify gender awareness...
Knowing bodies, passionate souls: sense perceptions in Byzantium, edited by Susan Ashbrook Harvey and Margaret Mullett

The fruit of a conference hosted by Dumbarton Oaks (25–27 April 2014), this handsome, richly illustrated volume seeks to turn scholarly attention from a more commonly acknowledged “sensorily capaci...
Spitzer reveals what's behind Orion's Bar

We present Spitzer Space Telescope observations of 11 regions in the Orion Nebula all southeast of the Bright Bar. Our Cycle 5 program obtained deep spectra with both the IRS short-high (SH) and long-high (LH) modules with aperture grid patterns chosen to very closely match the same area in the nebula. Previous IR missions observed only the inner few arcmin (the ‘Huygens’ region). The extreme sensitivity of Spitzer in the 10-37 μm spectral range permitted us to measure many lines of interest to much larger distances from the exciting star θ1 Ori C.
A Denotational Semantics for Low-Level Probabilistic Programs with Nondeterminism

Abstract Probabilistic programming is an increasingly popular formalism for modeling randomness and uncertainty. Designing semantic models for probabilistic programs has been extensively studied, but is technically challenging. Particular complications arise when trying to account for (i) unstructured control-flow, a natural feature in low-level imperative programs; (ii) general recursion, an extensively used programming paradigm; and (iii) nondeterminism, which is often used to represent adversarial actions in probabilistic models, and to support refinement-based development. This paper presents a denotational-semantics framework that supports the three features mentioned above, while allowing nondeterminism to be handled in different ways. To support both probabilistic choice and nondeterministic choice, the semantics is given over control-flow hyper-graphs. The semantics follows an algebraic approach: it can be instantiated in different ways as long as certain algebraic properties hold. In particular, the semantics can be instantiated to support nondeterminism among either program states or state transformers. We develop a new formalization of nondeterminism based on powerdomains over sub-probability kernels. Semantic objects in the powerdomain enjoy a notion we call generalized convexity, which is a generalization of convexity. As an application, the paper sketches an algebraic framework for static analysis of probabilistic programs, which has been proposed in a companion paper.
Enabling high-efficiency photovoltaics by tailoring monochromatic illumination to energy-selective front reflectors

Improved photovoltaic efficiencies by incorporating an internal front reflector in addition to an ideal back reflector is limited to devices with absorber bandgaps below ~1.34 eV due to the availability of AM1.5G photons above the reflector energy-cutoff, i.e. reflector bandgap. However, energy-selective front reflectors especially benefit photovoltaic devices under monochromatic illumination, i.e. laser power converters (LPCs). The efficiency improvements with and without a front reflector as a function of solar cell bandgap are compared under AM1.5G versus monochromatic light at the reflector bandgap. For a GaAs solar cell, where front reflectance enhancements are negligible, over 5% absolute efficiency increase is predicted in a GaAs LPC with a front reflector (605 nm illumination). Bandgap reduction further increases the efficiency enhancement under monochromatic illumination, where up to 60% relative efficiency increase can be achieved at Eg =0.5 eV with E_laser = 1.467 eV.
Impact of hyperleptinemia during placental ischemia-induced hypertension in pregnant rats.

Ours is the first study to examine the impact of hyperleptinemia on the development of placental ischemia-induced hypertension using an experimental animal model.
FIELD SERVICE LIFE PERFORMANCE OF DEEP POLYMER IMPREGNATION AS A METHOD FOR PROTECTING BRIDGE DECKS FROM CORROSION

Two sound concrete bridge decks were impregnated with methyl methacrylate to a depth of 76 to 102 mm (3 to 4 in.) and polymerized in situ. Both bridges were in sound condition with no surface spalling at the time of impregnation. After 15 and 5 years, respectively, the small- and full-scale field trial sections were evaluated for their corrosion abatement performance. The evaluation program included delamination survey, chloride content, corrosion potentials, petrographic analysis of core section, and corrosion rate measurements. The small-scale field trial has undergone dramatic differences in performance between the control and impregnated sections, with spalling and very high corrosion rates occurring in the control section. One year after evaluation (bridge impregnation age is now 15 years), the bridge deck containing the small-scale section was replaced. The impregnated section and a nonimpregnated section were salvaged for continuous monitoring. The full-scale field trial was reevaluated after 8 years of service. The control section for the full-scale field trial shows higher chloride contents and corrosion rates than the impregnated sections.
Internal consistency of marine carbonate system measurements and assessments of aragonite saturation state: Insights from two U.S. coastal cruises

Abstract This research assesses the thermodynamic consistency of recent marine CO2 system measurements in United States coastal waters. As one means of assessment, we compared aragonite saturation states calculated using various combinations of measured parameters. We also compared directly measured and calculated values of total alkalinity and CO2 fugacity. The primary data set consists of state-of-the-art measurements of the keystone parameters of the marine CO2 system: dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), CO2 fugacity (fCO2), and pH. This study is the first thermodynamic CO2 system intercomparison based on measurements obtained using purified meta cresol purple as a pH indicator. The data are from 1890 water samples collected during NOAA's West Coast Ocean Acidification Cruise of 2011 (WCOA2011) and NOAA's Gulf of Mexico and East Coast Carbon Cruise of 2012 (GOMECC-2). Calculations of in situ aragonite saturation states (ΩA) near the saturation horizon exhibited differences on the order of ± 10% between predictions based on the (DIC, TA) pair of measurements vs. the (pH, DIC), (fCO2, DIC), or (fCO2, pH) pairs. Differences of this magnitude, which are largely attributable to the imprecision of ΩA calculated from the (DIC, TA) pair, are roughly equivalent to the magnitude of ΩA change projected to occur over the next several decades due to ocean acidification. These observations highlight the importance of including either pH or fCO2 in saturation state calculations. Calculations of TA from (pH, DIC) and (fCO2, DIC) showed that internal consistency could be achieved if minor subtractions of TA (≤ 4 μmol kg− 1) were applied to samples of salinity
Swimming Power Test

Abstract An objective test of swimming power has been developed for the side stroke and front crawl. The reliability coefficients are .97 and .95 respectively, while the validity coefficients are .83 and .69 respectively. T-scores have been computed, based on the performance of 97 college women ranging in ability from beginning to advanced. The test promises to be as effective on the back crawl, breast stroke, and elementary back stroke.
Policy, Structural, and School Board Influences on Superintendent Supply and Demand.

This article provides an overview of the macrolevel structures, policies, and institutionalized practices that influence mismatches between educational administrator supply and demand. It also expl...
MRI Pre- and Post-Embolization Enhancement Patterns Predict Surgical Outcomes in Intracranial Meningiomas.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of preoperative embolization on overall surgical outcomes after meningioma resection and determine whether pre- and postembolization tumor enhancement patterns on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can be used to assess the efficacy of embolization. METHODS We developed a prospective database of all patients who underwent surgical resection with or without preoperative embolization for extra-axial intracranial meningiomas from 2004 to 2010. Using specialized computer software, the total volume of enhancement was calculated in pre- and postembolization MRI scans to quantify the percentage of embolization, which was described as the embolization fraction (EF). RESULTS A total of 89 patients underwent surgical resection. Fifty two patients underwent embolization prior to surgery. Tumor location significantly correlated with the decision to embolize preoperatively. Adequate embolization was achieved in 58% of patients. Forty four patients (84.6%) had a postsurgical Karnofsky performance score (KPS) of 80 or above, while 46 patients (88.4%) had a postsurgical Glascow Outcome Score (GOS) of 4 or 5. The mean EF was 25.03% with a median of 18.72%. A greater extent of embolization as quantified by EF led to decreased intraoperative blood loss (r = −.319, P = .022) and better postsurgical outcomes as defined by KPS (r = .279, P = .044). CONCLUSIONS Pre- and postembolization tumor enhancement patterns on magnetic resonance imaging defined as EF correlate with improved surgical facilitation and postoperative functional outcomes in the management of intracranial meningioma.
Effect of high up front charges on access to surgery for poor patients at a public hospital in New Mexico

A public hospital in New Mexico required collection of 50% of estimated costs prior to elective surgeries for self-pay patients. This study assesses the impact of this policy on access to elective surgical procedures. Chi-square tests determined if there was a statistically significant difference between the number of self-pay and insured patient cancellations for financial reasons. A multivariate binomial regression model was used to calculate risk ratios and confidence limits for effects of race/ethnicity, and insurance status, controlling for gender, on these cancellations. Of the 667 cancellations, there were 99 self-pay and 568 insured patients. Cancellations for financial reasons occurred in 55.6% of self-pay and 9.3% of insured patients (p < 0.0001). Inability to pay 50% up front accounted for 76.4% of self-pay patient cancellations for financial reasons. Self-pay, non-Hispanic whites and minority race/ethnicities were 8.76 and 8.61 times more likely to cancel for financial reasons, respectively, than insured non-Hispanic whites. Self-pay patients, regardless of race/ethnicity, have elective surgical procedures cancelled for financial reasons significantly more often than insured patients. The hospital's 50% up-front payment policy represents a significant financial barrier to accessing elective surgical procedures for self-pay patients.
Broken Cogs or Strategic Agents

Genes in Conflict. The Biology of Selfish Genetic Elements. By Austin Burt and Robert Trivers. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2006. 620 pp. $35, £21.95. ISBN 0-674-01713-7. The authors explore molecular, genetic, behavioral, and evolutionary aspects of selfish genetic elements--DNA that acts to advance its own replication at the expense of the larger organism.
Use of Thorium for Transmutation of Plutonium and Minor Actinides in PWRs

An assessment is made of the potential for Th-based fuel to minimize Pu and minor actinide (MA) production in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Destruction rates and residual amounts of Pu and MA ...
Improving form-based data entry with image snippets

This paper describes Snippets, a novel method for improving computerized data entry from paper forms. Using computer vision techniques, Snippets segments an image of the form into small snippets that each contain the content for a single form field. Data entry is performed by looking at the snippets on the screen and typing values directly on the same screen. We evaluated Snippets through a controlled user study in Seattle, Washington, USA, comparing the performance of Snippets on desktop and mobile platforms to the baseline method of reading the form and manually entering the data. Our results show that Snippets improved the speed of data entry by an average of 28.3% on the desktop platform and 10.8% on the mobile platform without any detectable loss of accuracy. In addition, findings from a preliminary field study with five participants in Bangalore, India support these empirical results. We conclude that Snippets is an efficient and practical method that could be widely used to aid data entry from paper forms.
Chromosomal aberrations in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma do not vary based on severity of tobacco/alcohol exposure

Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) have been causally associated with tobacco and alcohol exposure. However, 10–15% of HNSCC develop in absence of significant carcinogen exposure. Several lines of evidence suggest that the genetic composition of HNSCC varies based on the extent of tobacco/alcohol exposure, however, no genome wide measures have been applied to address this issue. We used comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to screen for the genetic aberrations in 71 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and stratified the findings by the status of tobacco/alcohol exposure.
Chronic Stress and Sexual Function in Women

Introduction Chronic stress is known to have negative effects on reproduction, but little is known about how it affects the sexual response cycle. The present study examined the relationship between chronic stress and sexual arousal and the mechanisms that mediate this relationship.
Imprecision in Computer Vision

Visual perception has perplexed researchers in philosophy and psychology for centuries. Now it’s also perplexing computer scientists. Despite persistent efforts by many noted scientists, it is still unclear how our brain “sees” the visual signals received by our eyes [10]. Earlier it was believed that a good understanding of optics, the retinal image, and the anatomy and physiology of eye and brain would unravel the puzzle of visual perception. However, the many advances in these fields have not solved the problem.
EST2Prot: Mapping EST sequences to proteins

Background EST libraries are used in various biological studies, from microarray experiments to proteomic and genetic screens. These libraries usually contain many uncharacterized ESTs that are typically ignored since they cannot be mapped to known genes. Consequently, new discoveries are possibly overlooked.
Dietary fiber and progression of atherosclerosis: the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study

Background Several epidemiologic studies found weak protective relations between dietary fiber intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease events. However, few of the studies addressed possible mechanisms of the effect. Objective In the present study, we estimated relations between the progression of atherosclerosis and the intake of selective dietary fiber fractions. Mediation of the relations by serum lipids was also investigated. Design Participants who were free of heart disease and aged 40-60 y were recruited into the cohort (n = 573; 47% women). The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid arteries was measured ultrasonographically at the baseline examination and at 2 follow-up examinations (n = 500), dietary intakes were assessed with six 24-h recalls (3 at baseline and 3 at the first follow-up examination), and blood samples were analyzed at baseline and at both follow-up examinations. Results A significant inverse association was observed between IMT progression and the intakes of viscous fiber (P = 0.05) and pectin (P = 0.01). Correction for measurement error increased the magnitude of these estimated effects. The ratio of total to HDL cholesterol was inversely related to the intakes of total fiber (P = 0.01), viscous fiber (P = 0.05), and pectin (P = 0.01). The magnitude of the association between IMT progression and the intakes of viscous fiber and pectin was attenuated by adjustment for serum lipids. Conclusions The intake of viscous fiber, especially pectin, appears to protect against IMT progression. Serum lipids may act as a mediator between dietary fiber intake and IMT progression.
I Don't Know It But I Like You The Influence of Non‐conscious Affect on Person Perception

A model of non-conscious affect is proposed and an experiment tests predictions about the influence of non-conscious affect on evaluations made of conversational interact ants. Participants engaged in a subliminal priming task to induce a positive non-conscious affective response toward one of two target persons. Participants then watched two videotaped interactions (one featured the subliminally primed target person) and rated a target person from each interaction. A3 × 2 × 2 mixed experimental design crossed Target Primed (Target A, B, or No Prime) and Order of Evaluation (A vs. B first), whereas the third factor (Target Evaluated) was within subjects. The primed target was rated as more likable and attractive yet not more competent. The non-conscious affect was target specific (affecting judgments of the primed target) and diffuse (affecting judgments of a non-primed target).
Update on the Safety Considerations in the Management of Insomnia With Hypnotics: Incorporating Modified-Release Formulations Into Primary Care

Objective: From a safety perspective, several issues require assessment when a decision is made to prescribe a sleep medication, including next-day residual effects, the potential for abuse, tolerance, and dependence. This article aims to provide an update of the safety profile of agents commonly used in the management of insomnia, with an emphasis on newly approved hypnotics. Data Sources: Publications relevant to the subject of this review were identified by a PubMed search (conducted without date restrictions; search terms: insomnia WITH safety OR tolerability OR side effects OR tolerance OR dependence OR abuse OR residual effects AND benzodiazepines OR non-benzodiazepines OR zolpidem OR eszopiclone OR zaleplon OR ramelteon OR melatonin OR trazodone OR antihistamines OR alcohol OR alternative therapies), and additional articles (selected by the author on the basis of his experience) were included. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Publications relevant to the objective of this article were obtained, and the key safety data relating to adverse events, next-day residual effects, tolerance, and withdrawal were summarized. Data Synthesis: The non-benzodiazepines (eszopiclone, zolpidem, zolpidem extended-release, and zaleplon), which have largely replaced the benzodiazepines for insomnia treatment, have a lower risk of tolerance, dependence, abuse, and residual effects compared with benzodiazepines. The modified-release formulation of zolpidem demonstrates a comparable safety profile to that of original zolpidem but has an additional sleep maintenance benefit. Ramelteon, a novel melatonin receptor agonist, is indicated for sleep-onset difficulties and is not scheduled. Over-the-counter agents, alternative therapies, and the prescription of off-label drugs, such as trazodone, have a lack of controlled clinical efficacy and safety studies in the treatment of insomnia and as a result should be used with caution. Conclusions: Overall, published studies report that the safety of insomnia treatments has improved considerably over the past 10 years with the introduction of agents that provide improved safety, particularly with regard to next-day residual effects and abuse liability.
Quantitative immunofixation of proteins following zone electrophoresis in agarose gel: Application to the determination of the stoichiometry of the α1-antitrypsin-elastase interaction☆

A method for the quantitative determination of proteins by immunofixation-agarose gel electrophoresis is described. The proteins are separated electrophoretically and the resulting circular zone overlaid with specific antibody-impregnated filter paper (10.2 microliter/cm2). Following incubation for 20 h at room temperature the plates were processed, stained and the areas of the precipitin zones determined by planimetry. Intra-plate variation (coefficient of variation) for alpha1-antitrypsin (30 samples) and elastase (30 samples) at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ml was 2.2--5.8% and inter-plate variation ranged from 2.9% to 5.2%. Overall, the analyses showed that the method is the statistical equivalent of rocket immunoelectrophoresis. The lowest concentration used was 0.25 mg/ml which corresponds to a sensitivity of 1.25 microgram (5 microliter per sample well). It is conceivable that lower amounts could be successfully determined. Application of the method to the determination of stoichiometry of the alpha1-antitrypsin--elastase interaction permitted the simultaneous quantitative determination of inactivated alpha1-antitrypsin (an acidic protein) and excess elastase (a basic protein) in alpha1-antitrypsin--elastase reaction mixtures (molar ratio elastase/alpha1-antitrypsin = 1.3) and thus by difference, the amount of elastase and and alpha1-antitrypsin in the alpha-antitrypsin--elastase complex. The results showed that the molar combining ratio of inhibitor to enzyme was 1.086 : 1 or 1 : 1. Conventional inhibition experiments (residual elastase activity as a function of increasing amounts of alpha 1-antitrypsin) showed this ratio to be 1.79 : 1 but 1.03 : 1 when the inactivation reaction, as determined by quantitative immunofixation, was taken into account. The quantitative immunofixation method should be applicable to interacting systems which, like elastase and alpha1-antitrypsin, result in complexes with electrophoretic mobilities intermediate to the parent proteins.
The Friction of Very Thin Solid Film Lubricants on Surfaces of Finite Roughness

The various theoretical hypotheses that have been put forward to explain the effect of the thickness of solid lubricant films on the friction between relatively sliding surfaces are described. The rise in friction that occurs with decreasing thickness when the films are very thin is discussed in detail and a new explanation of this phenomenon based upon an increasing degree of film penetration is put forward. A theoretical model to describe such a process is set up. The predicted variation of the friction made on this basis is in good agreement with existing experimental data. Experiments on a pin disc machine that were carried out to provide further evidence for checking the postulated mechanism are also described. Friction coefficient results obtained from these experiments with films of different thicknesses on surfaces of different roughnesses provide further evidence to support the given interpretation of the friction process. Explanations for certain discrepancies between the theoretical and experim...
Reply: Comparison of RC networks for frequency stability in oscillators

The Q factor of different RC networks, commonly employed in an RC oscillator, has been the criterion of their selection for providing high frequency stability to the oscillator. In this paper, it is shown that the network with the highest Q factor does not provide maximum frequency stability in an oscillator with dual feedback paths. The parameters for optimum stability have been obtained for different RC networks when used in an oscillator with dual feedback paths.
Paroxetine is effective in desensitizing 5-HT1A receptor function in adult offspring exposed prenatally to cocaine.

Rationale Desensitization of postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors may be responsible for the therapeutic effectiveness of serotonin selective uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). As prenatal cocaine exposure produces long-term deficits in 5-HT neurons in offspring, it may alter the ability of postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors to be desensitized by chronic paroxetine.
Golgi complex: Stacking the cisternae

The Golgi complex breaks down at mitosis and is subsequently reassembled in a process that involves cisternae formation and stacking. Recent studies have provided new insights into the molecular events that mediate both formation and stacking of the Golgi cisternae during post-mitotic reassembly.
Human Breast Tumor Cells Are More Resistant to Cardiac Glycoside Toxicity Than Non-Tumorigenic Breast Cells

Cardiotonic steroids (CTS), specific inhibitors of Na,K-ATPase activity, have been widely used for treating cardiac insufficiency. Recent studies suggest that low levels of endogenous CTS do not inhibit Na,K-ATPase activity but play a role in regulating blood pressure, inducing cellular kinase activity, and promoting cell viability. Higher CTS concentrations inhibit Na,K-ATPase activity and can induce reactive oxygen species, growth arrest, and cell death. CTS are being considered as potential novel therapies in cancer treatment, as they have been shown to limit tumor cell growth. However, there is a lack of information on the relative toxicity of tumor cells and comparable non-tumor cells. We have investigated the effects of CTS compounds, ouabain, digitoxin, and bufalin, on cell growth and survival in cell lines exhibiting the full spectrum of non-cancerous to malignant phenotypes. We show that CTS inhibit membrane Na,K-ATPase activity equally well in all cell lines tested regardless of metastatic potential. In contrast, the cellular responses to the drugs are different in non-tumor and tumor cells. Ouabain causes greater inhibition of proliferation and more extensive apoptosis in non-tumor breast cells compared to malignant or oncogene-transfected cells. In tumor cells, the effects of ouabain are accompanied by activation of anti-apoptotic ERK1/2. However, ERK1/2 or Src inhibition does not sensitize tumor cells to CTS cytotoxicity, suggesting that other mechanisms provide protection to the tumor cells. Reduced CTS-sensitivity in breast tumor cells compared to non-tumor cells indicates that CTS are not good candidates as cancer therapies.
PUBLIC OPINION AND JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY: MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

In the last 30 years, legislatures throughout the United States haveinstituted a series of reforms that redefined the purposes of juvenile courtsand exposed young offenders to a variety of harsh punishments. Amongthe more significant changes, they amended juvenile codes to endorse thegoals of punishment and protection of public safety,expanded provisionsto transfer youths to the jurisdiction of the criminal courts, createdblended sentencing options that carry sentences that sometimes extendwell into the adult years, and adopted offense-based determinate andmandatory minimum sentencing.Legislators frequently claim that they had a public mandate to enactpunitive reforms. However, the role actually played by the public in the“get tough” movement is a matter of considerable debate. According tomost accounts, the movement was initially set in motion by an upsurge inyouth violence in the 1960s and 1970s that put the problem of youth crimesquarely on the nation’s radar screen. After a brief period of stabilizationin the early 1980s, juvenile crime—especially drug crime and urban gunviolence—increased at unprecedented rates. The media provided heavyand often sensationalized coverage, contributing to a climate of fear.According to one view, the citizenry placed much of the blame for thewave of youth violence on a juvenile justice system that was perceived tobe lenient and ineffectual. They powered the “get tough” movement bydemanding harsh punishments, which they believed would be moreeffective in reducing crime. An alternative view has it that the publicwanted “something
Photochemical charge transfer excitation of trans-4-stilbazole at a silver electrode

Abstract When adsorbed at the surface of a polycrystalline silver electrode, trans-4-stilbazole photoreacts, in the presence of dissolved oxygen, to form trans-4′-hydroxy-4-stilbazole. The structure of the photoproduct is confirmed by (1) a comparison of the surface Raman results with the normal Raman of trans-4′-hydroxy-4-stilbazole, and by (2) by ex-situ analysis of the irradiated electrode surface using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The surface photochemistry appears to be a one-photon process whose threshold wavelength lies in the middle of the visible range though neat trans-4-stilbazole absorbs only in the ultraviolet. The surface Raman intensity of the photoproduct increases synchronously with the Faradaic current of oxygen reduction. Attendant incorporation of oxygen exclusively at the 4′ position of end-on trans-4-stilbazole evidences a photo-initiated electron transfer from the electrode to oxygen reducing at the other end of the molecule. Scattering from stilbazole adsorbed at two different surface sites is evident in the surface Raman spectrum: charged (Ag+) sites and more neutral surface sites. We assign excitation profile maxima for stilbazole at Ag+ sites and the photochemical initiation to a silver-to-stilbazole charge transfer at those sites. Ab-initio molecular orbital calculations on a model composed of a ground state Li0-trans-4-stilbazole and the anion radical excited state Li+-trans-4-stilbazole− reveal a low-energy transition that supports assignment of the visible excitation to a silver-to-stilbazole electron transfer.
Delivery timing and cesarean delivery risk in women with mild gestational diabetes mellitus.

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between gestational age (GA) and induction of labor (IOL) and the rate of cesarean delivery in women with mild gestational diabetes mellitus. Study Design We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a multicenter randomized controlled trial of mild gestational diabetes mellitus treatment. Cesarean delivery rate of women delivering at term (≥37 weeks' gestation) was evaluated by 2 complementary approaches: (1) IOL vs spontaneous labor: women who were induced at each GA compared with those who spontaneously labored at the same GA and (2) IOL vs expectant management: women who delivered after IOL at each GA compared with those who delivered after spontaneous labor at the same GA or subsequently after spontaneous or induced labor (outcome at each week compared with expectant management at that week). Logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Results The overall cesarean delivery rate was 13%. When compared with 39 weeks' gestation (either IOL or spontaneous labor) as the referent, there was no significant difference in the cesarean delivery rate in women who delivered at 37, 38, or 40 weeks' gestation. However, IOL was associated with a 3-fold increase in cesarean delivery rate at 41 weeks' gestation and beyond, as compared with IOL at 39 weeks' gestation. Similarly, there was a 3-fold increase in the cesarean delivery rate in women who were induced when compared with those who were treated expectantly at 40 completed weeks' gestation. Conclusion Induction of labor in women with mild gestational diabetes mellitus does not increase the rate of cesarean delivery at
Differential Regulation of IGF-1 and IGF-Binding Protein-1 by Dietary Composition in Humans

Although it is known that circulating levels of the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) fluctuate in response to changes in nutritional status, there is little information regarding either relative contributions from different dietary components or regulation by insulin in nondiabetic subjects. To define dietary contributions to IGF regulation, the authors examined the effects of fasting and hypocaloric diets of differing nutritional composition on serum IGF-1 and a IGFBP-1 in 16 healthy, obese adult women. Subjects received an isocaloric diet for 6 days, followed by 14 days of calorie restriction (fasting or a hypocaloric diet enriched in either protein, fat, or carbohydrate), and by 4 days refeeding. All diets produced 6-8% weight loss over 14 days with little difference between groups. The "protein-sparing" diet sustained nitrogen balance (+1.2 g/d, versus -4.5 g/d for the other three groups; p < 0.05). Serum IGF-1 levels decreased during calorie restriction with fasting or with diets high in fat or carbohydrates (CHO; combined mean 40 +/- 7%) but showed little change with the high protein regimen (3 +/- 16%; p < 0.05 compared to the other diets). In contrast, IGFBP-1 increased during calorie restriction in all four groups but significantly less with the high CHO diet (43 +/- 17% above baseline) than with the other diets (168 +/- 31%; p < 0.05). Levels of IGF-1 were correlated with nitrogen balance (r = 0.51; p < 0.05) but levels of IGFBP-1 were not. Although IGFBP-1 levels inversely correlated with measures of insulin secretion, IGF-1 levels did not.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The crisis in academic hiring in computer science

Many informal discussions at various recent computer science meetings suggest that difficulties of hiring new computer science faculty have reached crisis proportions. Of course, the high demand for computer scientists is not limited to academia; the media regularly report difficulties in hiring in the business and governmental sectors, with many stories of high salaries and competitive bidding. However, much conversation -both at meetings and in the media -is based only on anecdotal information.
A Programmable Processor For Real-Time Feature Extraction

This paper describes the design and operation of a high-speed micro-programmable processor, incorporated into an instrument to extract and classify measurement features from an edge-coded binary image in real-time. The processor is based on the AMD29300 family of 32-bit bipolar processors, incorporating a hardware multiplier and floating-point processor. The hardware is designed primarily to extract measurement features from line- scan-based image sensors (e.g. linear CCD arrays, laser scanners, etc.) but would also accept images from frame-based (e.g. TV, CCD area array) sensors operating in non-interlaced mode. The hardware is currently designed to accept the edge-encoded data at up to 10MHz and can cope with scan widths up to 65336 pixels, with a maximum of 50 objects across the scan.
The Olympic public sphere: the London and Beijing opening ceremonies as representative of political systems.

Television coverage of the Beijing Olympics was estimated to reach 70% of the world's population; London reached even more. The Olympic Games – in particular the opening ceremonies and the national medal contest – are providing global citizens with a common talking point about political systems, and the Internet is increasingly opening up a space for discussion across national borders. The London Olympic opening ceremony provided a forum for comparisons with the Beijing Olympic ceremony, with each representing a political system. East Asia as a region has been rising in the medal count, which has also sparked comparisons of Japanese, Chinese and North and South Korean political systems. The result is a more sophisticated understanding of political systems and a surprising number of shared viewpoints about the obligations of governments to their people, how they should spend their money and their future orientations. In today's increasingly connected world, the Olympics may be bringing us closer than we th...
Down-regulation of the human c-fos and c-myc proto-oncogene promoters by adeno-associated virus Rep78

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a non-pathogenic human parvovirus which has anti-tumor and anti-proliferation properties in tissue culture and animal studies. Furthermore, AAV infection is negatively associated with human cervical cancer. C-myc has been implicated in cervical cancer, and c-fos is involved in signal transduction initiation of cell growth. To study the potential regulation of these two prominent human proto-oncogenes by AAV, the expression of three marker coding sequences ligated 3′ of the proto-oncogene promoters were observed. Demonstrated here, the AAV Rep78 gene product was able to down-regulate the human c-fos and c-myc proto-oncogene promoters in all three assay systems. These interactions may partially explain AAVs anti-proliferation properties.
Are retrofitted wheelchair entries separate and unequal

Abstract To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA (1990), many buildings were retrofitted to make at least one entry accessible to people in wheelchairs. ADA called for “full and equal enjoyment;” and as a civil rights act, it follows the precedent from Brown vs. The Board of Education that “separate is not equal.” Do the retrofitted separate entries offer full and equal enjoyment to the older front entries? In answer to this question, this paper reports two studies. The first had a diverse sample of thirty adults evaluate the pleasantness of 29 entry routes (twelve main, twelve retrofitted, and, as deflectors, five accessible entries for new buildings). The second obtained responses to the same routes from a sample of 24 individuals who use a wheel chair or other aid to walking. The results showed that each group judged the retrofitted routes as less appealing than the main routes. However, route complexity (or length), when added to the model replaced the effect of route type. Nevertheless, the results indicate that the retrofitted entries do not provide equal enjoyment to the main entry routes. Better design might improve the appeal of the retrofitted entry experience.
Embedded system education: a new paradigm for engineering schools?

Embedded systems are emerging as an essential component of modern electronic products. Embedded system design problems are posing challenges that involve entirely new skills for engineers. These skills are related to the combination of traditionally disjoint engineering disciplines. There is a shared concern that today's educational systems are not providing the appropriate foundations for embedded systems. We believe a new education paradigm is needed.We will argue this point using the example of an emerging curriculum on embedded systems at the University of California at Berkeley. This curriculum is the result of a distillation process of more than ten years of intense research work. We will present the considerations that are driving the curriculum development and we review our undergraduate and graduate program. In particular, we describe in detail a graduate class (EECS249: Design of Embedded Systems: Modeling, Validation and Synthesis) that has been taught for six years. A common feature of our education agenda is the search for fundamentals of embedded system science rather than embedded system design techniques, an approach that today is rather unique.
Compact conformal map for greedy routing in wireless mobile sensor networks

Motivated by mobile sensor networks as in participatory sensing applications, we are interested in developing a practical, lightweight solution for routing in a mobile network. While greedy routing is robust to mobility, location errors and link dynamics, it may get stuck in a local minimum, which then requires non-trivial recovery methods. We follow the approach taken by Sarkar et. al. [24] to find an embedding of the network such that greedy routing using the virtual coordinates guarantees delivery, thus eliminating the necessity of any recovery methods. Our new contribution is to replace the in-network computation of the embedding by a preprocessing of the domain before network deployment and encode the map of network domain to virtual coordinate space by using a small number of parameters which can be pre-loaded to all sensor nodes. As a result, the map is only dependent on the network domain and is independent of the network connectivity. Each node can directly compute or update its virtual coordinates by applying the locally stored map on its geographical coordinates. This represents the first practical solution for using virtual coordinates for greedy routing in a sensor network and could be easily extended to the case of a mobile network. Being extremely light-weight, greedy routing on the virtual coordinates is shown to be very robust to mobility, link dynamics and non-unit disk graph connectivity models.
A study of the advancing interface. I. Interface shape in liquid—gas systems

Abstract The shape of the advancing liquid—air interface has been studied in a glass capillary over the range in which viscous and interfacial forces are the dominant factors controlling the system. Plotting the apparent contact angle versus the capillary number plus a shift factor, one obtains a curve which correlates all the data. In the systems examined experimentally in this study, the shift factor is determined solely by the static contact angle between the liquid and the solid substrate. To generate the curve, data were first obtained over the full range of apparent contact angles from 0 to 180° with liquids having shift factors which were equal to zero or negligible. Then the validity of the correlation was tested with data on liquids requiring large shift factors and the results were found to agree with the data obtained on the other liquids.
Biscalability of error matrices and all-or-none reaction time theories

Abstract A family of models for confusion matrices is investigated, involving the notion that the data can be explained by two factors: a stimulus factor and a response bias. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given, and the relations with previous models are considered (Conjoint Measurement, Quasi-independence, and the so called Fast Guess Model). A new model, the “Simply Biased Choice Model,” is proposed. An application to response data collected in a reaction time situation, in which the stimuli were presented with constant probabilities, is described in detail. It is shown that a critical prediction of the Fast Guess Theory must be rejected. Some indications of a “Matching Law” are obtained.
A phase II trial evaluation selective use of altered radiation dose and fractionation in patients with unresectable rhabdomyosarcoma

Abstract Purpose: Between 1987 and 1991, 25 children with advanced rhabdomyosarcoma (20 with IRS Group 3 disease and 5 with Group 4 disease) were entered on a prospective study evaluating selective use of hyperfractionated irradiation (HFI) and reduced-dose conventionally fractionated irradiation (CFI), based on disease status following induction chemotherapy (ifosfamide or melphalan, followed by vincristine, adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide combination) with or without delayed surgery. Methods and Materials: Patients with gross disease following induction chemotherapy with or without delayed surgery, and whose primary tumor sites did not involve the central nervous system, received HFI ( n = 12) at 1.1 Gy twice-a-day to 59.4–63.8 Gy total. Patients with parameningeal primaries and intracranial disease extension received HFI with initiation of therapy ( n = 2). Those with microscopic disease following induction chemotherapy with or without delayed surgery ( n = 11) received reduced-dose CFI to 40 Gy. Active follow-up ranges from 28–75 months (median = 43 months) with no patient lost to follow-up. Results: Eighteen patients (72%) are alive and without disease, including 8 of the children with gross residual disease postinduction therapy. The absolute 2-year continuous local tumor control rate is 86% for all patients. Among the 14 who received HFI, the absolute 2-year continuous local tumor control rate is 75% at 33 to 67 months (median = 38 months) postirradiation. Hyperfractionated irradiation was associated with expected enhancement of acute reactions, which all resolved with conservative medical management. Grade 4 or 5 acute toxicities were not seen. Significant late radiation morbidity has, thus far, been minimal and limited to Grade 1 and 2 events. Among the 11 who received reduced-dose CFI, the absolute 2-year continuous local tumor control rate is 100% at 25 to 70 months (median = 40 months) postirradiation. Conclusion: This limited experience suggests that HFI to a dose level of 60 Gy can be used selectively in children with advanced rhabdomyosarcoma left with gross disease following induction chemotherapy, with or without delayed surgery, with an apparent improvement in local control, and minimization of potential late radiation toxicity. Concurrently, those left with microscopic disease following therapy can be selectively treated with reduced-dose CFI with excellent local control.
Vascular PPARδ Protects Against Stroke-Induced Brain Injury

Objective— To investigate the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)δ in the cerebral vasculature following stroke-induced brain injury. Methods and Results— Here, we report a novel finding that selective PPARδ genetic deletion in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) resulted in increased cerebrovascular permeability and brain infarction in mice after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Mechanistically, we revealed for the first time that PPARδ expression is reduced, but matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity is increased in cultured VSMCs after oxygen–glucose deprivation and also in the cerebral cortex of mice following MCAO. Moreover, gain- and loss of PPARδ function in VSMCs significantly reduces and increases oxygen–glucose deprivation–induced MMP-9 activity, respectively. We have further identified that MMP-9 is a direct target of PPARδ-mediated transrepression by chromatin immunoprecipitation and PPARδ transcriptional activity assays. Furthermore, inhibition of MMP-9 activity by lentiviral MMP-9 short hairpin RNA effectively improves cerebrovascular permeability and reduces brain infarction in VSMC-selective PPARδ conditional knockout mice after MCAO. Conclusion— Our data demonstrate that PPARδ in VSMCs can prevent ischemic brain injury by inhibition of MMP-9 activation and attenuation of postischemic inflammation. The pharmacological activation of PPARδ may provide a new therapeutic strategy to treat stroke-induced vascular and neuronal damage.