cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utilisation d’une ancienne électrode de stimulation électrique comme référence dans la réimplantation cochléaire chez l’enfant

Resume Objectifs Explorer les causes de l’implantation cochleaire et l’utilisation d’une ancienne electrode de stimulation electrique lors de la reimplantation cochleaire chez l’enfant. Methodes Les causes, les techniques chirurgicales et les difficultes rencontrees au cours de l’operation de reimplantation cochleaire de 24 patients au sein de l’hopital pediatrique de Henan entre juin 2016 et avril 2018 ont ete analysees pour cette etude. Resultats Chez 23 patients, la chirurgie de reimplantation cochleaire s’est passee avec succes. Un patient a conserve approximativement 1/3 de l’extremite anterieure de l’ancienne electrode cochleaire en raison d’une forte resistance lors du retrait des electrodes. Les causes des reimplantations furent : une defaillance de l’implant (onze patients), des valeurs d’impedance elevees pour toutes les electrodes apres un traumatisme crânien (deux patients) et le prolapsus de l’implant avec l’electrode suite a un accident de la voie publique (un patient). Conclusion L’ancienne electrode peut etre une source de reference importante dans la reduction des risques operatoires et la garantie du succes de la reimplantation.
Administrative Inertia after Regents and Department of Commerce

Agency actions, like objects in motion, resist being reversed. That resistance is administrative inertia and is measured by the amount of effort an administration must expend to reverse it in compliance with the APA. The principle of stare decisis implies that the amount of effort that one administration must expend to reverse a predecessor’s action ought to be constant across administrations. DHS v. Regents and Dep't of Commerce v. New York, however, added mass to certain regulatory actions by requiring that, before an agency may rescind an action that confers a benefit, the agency must separately consider each part of a policy, articulate granular and specific decisions for rescission, consider reliance interests and alternatives, and ensure that the rationale is directed at a concrete outcome and that the record shows it. This article sets about identifying those agency actions that have had their administrative mass increased and measuring just how much more force is now needed to reverse them. It then applies those observations to the Biden Administration’s aggressive efforts to rescind various Trump-administration actions. The article concludes that if the courts apply these two decisions to the Biden Administration in the same way that the Supreme Court applied them to the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration will likely find it much harder to rescind many Trump-Administration policies than it was for past presidents to rescind the policies of their predecessors. This increased administrative inertia will be most noticeable in agency actions that loosened environmental restrictions and relaxed regulatory burdens on commerce.
Anatomic Description of the Distal and Intercuneiform Articulations: A Cadaveric Study.

ABSTRACT The medial, intermediate, and lateral cuneiforms play a pivotal role in foot biomechanics. When correcting deformities of this joint complex understanding the clinical anatomy remains imperative to provide both anatomic reduction and appropriately sized fixation. This study qualitatively and quantitatively describes the distal and intercuneiform articulations and their clinical implications. The cuneiform complex of 10 fresh-frozen cadavers was dissected, and the width of the complex was measured with digital calipers. Following further dissection, the distal articular surface shapes of each cuneiform were described, and the individual heights and widths were measured. The intercuneiform articular facets were described and the protrusion distances, between the medial and lateral cuneiforms with the intermediate cuneiform, were measured. The width of the joint complex was 44.74 ± 3.40 mm. The medial cuneiform height, width, dorsal anterior, and plantar protrusion distances were 32.58 ± 2.77 mm, 14.08 ± 2.26 mm, 8.51 ± 2.17 mm, and 6.66 ± 1.21 mm, respectively. The intermediate cuneiform height and width was 23.05 ± 1.92 mm and 9.59 ± 1.85 mm, respectively. The lateral cuneiform height, width, dorsal, and plantar anterior protrusion distances were 23.38 ± 2.67 mm, 10.98 ± 3.01 mm, and 6.76 ± 1.43 mm, and 4.19 ± 1.10 mm respectively. The anterior surface of the medial, intermediate, and lateral cuneiforms was described as reniform, triangular, and triangular, respectively. The majority of intermediate cuneiforms shared an inverted L-shaped articulation with the medial cuneiform, and a B-shaped articulation with the lateral cuneiform. The shapes and sizes of distal and intercuneiform articulations were described with shared anatomical features across cadavers. Understanding the dimensions of the respective surfaces allows for anatomically appropriate fixation size.
ICD-10 Transition Influences Trends in Perforated Appendix Admission Rate.

Abstract Background This study sought to evaluate the influence of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) transition on Perforated Appendix Admission Rate (PAAR), which is a commonly used indicator representing access to care developed by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Materials and Methods In this interrupted time series study of Pediatric Health Information System database from 2013 to 2018, we employed three study phases (pre-implementation, washout, and initial implementation) to evaluate the influence of ICD-10 transition on trends in PAAR. ICD-10 diagnosis codes suggested by AHRQ's specifications were used to identify perforated and simple appendicitis, and PAAR was estimated accordingly. Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the association of ICD-10 initial implementation and being documented as perforated appendicitis on encounter level. Results We identified a total of 94,810 encounters diagnosed with appendicitis, and almost all patients’ characteristics were similar over the three study phases, except for PAAR. The pre-implementation PAAR in October 2013 was 33.1%, and the immediate influence of ICD-10 transition on PAAR was 3.2% (P = 0.002), with a 0.38% per quarter increase over time (P = 0.02). After adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, payer, and year, the likelihood of being documented as having perforated appendicitis in 2016 was 1.5 times higher than the estimated likelihood before the implementation (adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.51; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.40-1.63; P Conclusions The 2015-2018 ICD-10 transition may be erroneously associated with an increasing trend of PAAR. Care should be taken when interpreting the metric during this period.
Using Machine Learning to Greatly AcceleratePath Integral Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics

Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) has become one of the most popular and robust approaches for modeling complicated chemical, liquid, and material systems. However, the formidable computational cost often limits its widespread application in simulations of the largest scale systems. The situation becomes even more severe in cases where the hydrogen nuclei may be better described as quantized particles using a path integral representation. Here, we present a computational approach that combines machine learning with recent advances in path integral contraction schemes, and we achieve a two-order-of-magnitude acceleration over direct path integral AIMD simulation while at the same time maintaining its accuracy.
Legionnaires' Disease 25 Years Later: Lessons Learned†

In 1990, epidemic diphtheria began to emerge in the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union; by 1996, approximately 125,000 cases of diphtheria and 4,000 deaths had been reported. Disease outbreaks are yet another stimulus to discovery. Certainly no one wishes for large numbers of people to become ill; however, outbreaks usually are investigated in considerable detail, whereas single cases are much less likely to receive such attention. Certainly this rule of thumb held true with the Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Philadelphia in 1976, the toxic shock syndrome outbreak several years later, and the outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Four Corners area of the United States in 1993. The response to anomalous laboratory results turned out to be a critical factor during the investigations of Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever. Epidemiologic investigations quickly established that the disease was airborne, but there was no evidence of person-to-person spread. The pulmonary manifestations of the Philadelphia patients were considered more typical of viral pneumonia than of bacterial.
Role of the pericyte in wound healing: An ultrastructural study☆

Abstract Mesenchymal cells present in early wounds were divided into two groups: primitive mesenchymal cells and macrophages. Primitive mesenchymal cells appeared to become incorporated in the thick basement membrane of recently formed capillaries, and they also appeared to differentiate into fibroblasts. After becoming encased in vascular basement membrane these cells, pericytes, featured areas of cytoplasmic contact with underlying endothelium. It is proposed that the pericyte-endothelial “contacts” act as a regulatory mechanism for capillary proliferation.
A novel type of effect of an acid-base equilibrium preceding electroreduction

Abstract Polarographic reduction currents of pyridinecarboxaldehydes and their N -methyl-derivatives increase (with increasing pH) at pH>7 in the shapes of a dissociation curve. This increase occurs in a pH-range several pH-units lower than that of the p K for the dissociation of the corresponding geminal diol. This behavior is interpreted by assuming that the rate of dissociation yielding the geminal diol anion is the rate-determining step in the electrode process followed by fast elimination of a hydroxide ion. By comparing the shapes of the i 1 -pH plots it was concluded that whereas for N -methylpyridiniumcarboxaldehydes the protolytic dissociation (5b) predominates, for 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, the predominating path is the hydrolytic dissociation (5a). It has been demonstrated that in these cases the conjugate acid is electroinactive and the conjugate base is effectively reduced (after a rapid transformation into an electroreducible species). Such a mechanism is indicated by the shift of the polarographic dissociation curve to pH-values lower than the true p K .
The prebiotic Leslie Orgel: some of his contributions to our understanding of the origins of life.

In the previous recollection Jack Dunitz presented a delightful account of Leslie's pre-prebiotic life as a theoretical inorganic chemist. In this account I will present my recollections of his contributions, as a chemist-molecular biologist, to the field of origins of life.
Mineral status of soils, forages and cattle in Nicaragua. I. Microminerals

A study was conducted to determine the micromineral status of cattle in six important cattle-producing regions of Nicaragua. A total of 14 farms within six regions during the wet season and eight farms within two regions during the dry season were evaluated. States in each region were: I (Esteli), II (Leon and Chinandega), III (Managua). IV (Granada and Rivas), V (Boaco and Chontales), and VI (Matagalpa and Jinotega). On each farm, 14 composite soil and forage samples and 30 blood samples (lactating cows, heifers and calves) were collected and analyzed for micromineral concentrations. Soil Mn was different (P ˂ .05) among regions in the wet season. Soil Cu was higher (P
Bi-directional transmission of 8/spl times/10 Gb/s DPSK signals over 80 km of SMF-28 fiber using in-line semiconductor optical amplifier

An error-free DPSK DWDM bi-directional transmission of 8/spl times/10 Gb/s signals using an in-line SOA over 80 km SMF-28 with matching DCF is demonstrated. The results suggest promising application for bi-directional transmission in metro and access network with simple configuration and low cost.
Rationalizing Parliament: Legislative Institutions and Party Politics in France

Rationalizing Parliament examines how institutional arrangements in the French Constitution shape the bargaining strategies of political parties. The book investigates the decision by French cities to include in the Constitution legislative procedures aimed to 'rationalize' the policy-making role of parliament and analyses the impact of these procedures on policy outcomes, cabinet stability and political accountability. Drawing on diverse methodological approaches, including formal models, multivariate statistics, historical analysis and qualitative case studies, Professor Huber contributes to general theoretical debates about the endogenous choice of institutions, and about the exogenous impact of institutional arrangements on political decision-making. Through its use of theories developed in the American politics literature, the study reveals important similarities between legislative politics in the United States and in parliamentary systems and shortcomings in conventional interpretations of French institutional arrangements.
Seismic detection of transient changes beneath Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. : II. Basal morphology and processes

Using changes observed in daily seismic reflections, we have investigated the basal morphology of Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. The englacial drainage of ice-marginal lakes caused significant changes in the daily reflections, as well as dramatic increases in basal motion. Changes in reflection arrival times and amplitudes indicate that there is a basal till layer at least 5 m thick at some locations beneath this surge-type glacier. Rapid changes in the observed reflection coefficients during the drainage events indicate that changes in till properties must occur throughout the entire 5 m thick layer, they must last for several days following the lake drainages and they must be completely reversible over as little as 36 min. Our seismic analysis shows that changes in effective pressure of the till are unlikely to cause the required changes in the reflection coefficients, but that a decrease in till saturation is likely. We therefore interpret the cause of the seismic anomalies as being a temporary decrease in saturation as water is input to the subglacial hydraulic system, and propose that such a change may occur quickly and reversibly by a redistribution of overburden pressure. Higher water pressures within the hydraulic system cause that region to support more of the glacier’s weight, leaving the remaining areas to support less. Any till within these areas of decreased normal stress would experience a consequent decrease in pore-water pressure, causing gas to exolve, thus decreasing saturation. This decrease in saturation would cause a change in the strength of the basal layer and may affect basal dynamics.
Impact of combined resistance and aerobic exercise training on branched-chain amino acid turnover, glycine metabolism and insulin sensitivity in overweight humans.

Aims/hypotheses Obesity is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity (IS) and elevated plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between BCAA metabolism and IS in overweight (OW) individuals during exercise intervention.
Atomic Physics Tests of the Basic Concepts in Quantum Mechanics

Publisher Summary Quantum mechanics is the theory used to describe microscopic systems such as atoms, molecules, and elementary particles. It grew early in this century from a synthesis of Planck's introduction of the elementary quantum of action to understand the observed spectrum for blackbody radiation, Einstein's use of the quantum of action to explain the photoelectric effect, and Bohr's combination of the planetary model of the atom and the quantum of action to create a description of the hydrogen atom with a distinct set of stationary energy states. The present form of the nonrelativistic theory was developed independently by Schrodinger through the use of a wave equation that was motivated by work by de Broglie and by Heisenberg through an algebraic analysis based on a calculus of observables and motivated by dispersion theory relationships. This chapter first reviews the present conceptual basis for quantum mechanics and then describes the experiments that have been carried out to test these concepts. The relevant experiments are precision measurements of the predicted eigenvalue spectrum, single-photon interference experiments, successive measurements on eigenstates, measurements of photon-photon and spin correlations as a test of Bell's inequality, and the observation of the sign change for the rotation of the neutron through 2 π rad. Earlier reviews that summarize some of the information presented here are given by Paty , Freedman and Holt , and Freedman.
Review of Water for Agriculture: Irrigation Economics in International Perspective by Stephen Merrett

As noted by the author in Water for Agriculture, increases in world population are creating anxieties about the future of the world’s water resources. World population will increase by about one-third to approximately 8 billion people by the year 2025, but there is no prospect for a corresponding increase in the global effective rainfall available for plant and animal life and to replenish the world’s lakes, rivers, and aquifers. Agricultural irrigation will be a major component of the demand for the fixed water supply; in 2025, irrigation for agriculture will be nearly 70% of the total diversion for human use. In an earlier book ~Merrett 1997!, the author addressed the economics of water resources and defined the subject areas of hydroeconomics broadly in terms of water-resources conservation, land drainage, flood control, dam projects, freshwater supply, domestic, agricultural, industrial water use, and wastewater treatment and disposal. Following a similar format, the present book addresses in detail one of these subject areas, i.e., the economics of agricultural irrigation. As an introduction to the subject, no prior knowledge of economic theory is assumed. The book consists of eight chapters: 1. The global challenge ~introduction!; 2. The demand for irrigation services; 3. Irrigation service supply: The infrastructure; 4. Irrigation service supply: Operation, maintenance, and management; 5. Drainage services demand and supply; 6. Social cost-benefit analysis for irrigation and drainage projects; 7. Water allocation at the regional scale; and 8. Institutional economics and irrigation policy. Chapter 1 advocates the need for studying the economics of agricultural irrigation because water is recognized as an economic good and because agricultural irrigation constitutes about 70% of all diversions. Chapter 2 briefly addresses plants’ needs for water and farmers’ demand for and use of irrigation water. Chapter 3 introduces the supply of irrigation services with respect to capital infrastructure and how such infrastructure is financed. Chapter 4 discusses the supply of irrigation with respect to the operation, maintenance, and management ~OM&M! of irrigation systems. Chapter 5 addresses the drainage question with reference to both the demand for drainage services and their supply. Chapter 6 addresses the economic evaluation of irrigation and drainage projects by means of social cost-benefit analysis. Chapter 7 considers possible conflicts over water allocation between the irrigation sector and alternative outstream uses on the regional scale. Chapter 8 provides a summary of the previous chapters. Chapters 1–7 are all complemented by one or more case studies that draw
Cognitive engagement and attitude development

Abstract The quality of thinking that underlies and supports an attitude is integral to it and deserves greater attention. The present study examines this aspect of attitudes by investigating the effects of different forms of cognitive engagement on the thinking underlying attitudes toward capital punishment. Urban community college students in three interactive conditions engaged in dyadic discussion of the topic with a series of peers over six sessions. The conditions differed as to whether the dyads were composed largely of peers who (a) shared the participant’s pro or con opinion, (b) opposed the participant’s opinion, or (c) were equally divided between both types. In a non-interactive condition, students listened to audiotapes of other students’ dialogues. In an assessment 6 weeks later, participants in the agreement and mixed condition, but not the disagreement or non-interactive condition, showed improvements in quality of thinking about the topic. The results are consistent with the view that more active forms of engaging a topic are conducive to cognitive growth but that there is a limit to the degree of exposure to opposing views that is beneficial.
Student Motivations: A Heritage Tourism Perspective

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was multifold: to identify push and pull factors that influence student decisions to visit heritage sites, examine the pattern of interrelationships between them, and investigate their effect on satisfaction levels. Students from a few universities in the United States were surveyed and important push and pull factors were identified. The study results highlight significance of authenticity as an important push factor and its equally crucial role in the enhancement of overall satisfaction levels. Important implications are noted for destination marketing organizations and the heritage sites. For instance, knowledge on motivations and resulting levels of satisfaction can help heritage travel organizations devise tailor-made marketing strategies for potential target markets.
Synthesis, structure, and properties of a mixed-valent triiron complex of tetramethyl reductic acid, an ascorbic acid analogue, and its relationship to a functional non-heme iron oxidation catalyst system.

The purple triiron(II,III,III) complex, [Fe3Cl2(TMRASQ)4(HTMRA)2]·C5H12 (1·C5H12), where H2TMRA is a tetramethyl reductic acid, 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2,3-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one, and HTMRASQ is the semiquinone form of this ligand, was prepared from (Et4N)2[Fe2OCl6] and H2TMRA and characterized by X-ray crystallography, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and redox titrations. The physical properties of the complex in solution are consistent with its mixed-valent character, as delineated by a solid-state structure analysis. Assignments of the iron and ligand oxidation states in the crystal were made on the basis of a valence bond sum analysis and the internal ligand geometry. As the first well-characterized iron complex of an ascorbic acid H2AA analogue, 1 provides insight into the possible coordination geometry of the family of complexes containing H2AA and its analogues. In the presence of air and H2TMRA, 1 is able to catalyze the oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol with remarkable selectivity, but the natu...
Photo-Ionization of Crystalline Anthracene

The photo-ionization spectra of the ground, first singlet, and first triplet states of crystalline anthracene are calculated assuming transitions to a simple continuum. The calculations neglect vibrational-overlap factors which will reduce the cross sections perhaps by as much as a factor of 10. Recombination is also neglected, and is blamed for discrepancies between the calculation and experiments which measure photo-currents. Kepler has reported a cross section of 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ from the first singlet, Courtens et al., one of 0.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}19}$; the calculation gives 6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$. Holzman et al. report ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}20}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ from the first triplet; the calculation gives 6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$. If one accounted for vibrational overlap and recombination (which will be larger in the second experiment, because of the smaller kinetic energy), the agreement would be good. The agreement is not so good with the magnitude of transitions from the ground state, though the energy dependence gives a good fit. The discrepancy may be due to the (neglected) influence of auto-ionizing states on the final-state wave functions. Based on a theory by Choi, the singlet exciton-exciton ionization rate constant is calculated to be 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$ ${\mathrm{sec}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ (vibrations and recombination neglected) compared with Silver's experimental value of 0.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$; again the agreement is good. Finally, the time needed for a photo-ionized electron to lose kinetic energy by exciting a triplet is calculated to be ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ sec or longer, so this mechanism is ruled out as an energy-loss process in comparison with the emission of optical vibrations, which has been estimated to take about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ sec.
Phase I trial of carboplatin, paclitaxel, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide with granulocyte colony stimulating factor as first-line therapy for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objectives. The goal of this study was to determine the maximally tolerated doses (MTDs) of carboplatin, paclitaxel (Taxol), etoposide, and cyclophosphamide (CTEC) with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF, Filgrastim) support as first-line chemotherapy in women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods. Newly diagnosed patients with either stage IV EOC, or stage III EOC and any amount of gross residual tumor after surgical debulking were eligible to receive six cycles of CTEC over five different dose levels in this phase I trial (planned 21-day cycle length). Paclitaxel, carboplatin, and cyclophosphamide were administered intravenously on Day 1, and oral etoposide was administered on Days 1, 2, and 3. G-CSF was administered beginning Day 4. Results. Twenty patients received a total of 98 cycles of CTEC over the five dose levels evaluated. Bone marrow suppression was the major toxic effect, with grade 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia being observed in 25 and 23% of cycles, respectively. The overall incidence of febrile neutropenia was 10%, and no toxic deaths occurred. No grade IV thrombocytopenia or febrile neutropenia was observed once the carboplatin dose was reduced from AUC of 7 to 5. Nonhematologic toxicity was generally mild (grade 2 or less). Dose-limiting toxicity was not observed at the highest dose level evaluated in this study, preventing assignment of the MTD. The clinical complete response rate was 92%, although 15 of 16 evaluable patients have progressed with a median progression-free interval of 4 months (range, 2–11 months). One patient remains disease-free 9 months from the completion of CTEC. Conclusions. The CTEC regimen is well tolerated and highly active. Although the MTD was not reached in this study, the short median progression-free interval suggests that this regimen is unlikely to be superior to standard treatment with paclitaxel and carboplatin. Strategies to optimize the development of future combination chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of newly diagnosed ovarian cancer are discussed.
Advancing the construct validity of the Early Communication Indicator (ECI) for infants and toddlers: Equivalence of growth trajectories across two early head start samples

Abstract The Early Communication Indicator (ECI) is a measure for universal screening, intervention decision-making, progress monitoring for infants and toddlers needing higher levels of support, and program accountability. In the context of the ECI's long-term wide-scale use for these purposes, we examined the invariance of ECI measurement in two samples of the same Early Head Start (EHS) population differing in the years data were collected. Invariance or equivalence across samples is an important step in measurement validation because making inferences assumes that the measurements are factorially invariant. A number of time-covarying factors (e.g., assessors, children, etc.) can be hypothesized as threats to measurement invariance. Results of latent growth curve analyses indicated similarity in the functional forms (velocity and shape) of the ECIs four key skill trajectories between groups of children and ECI vocalizations, single, and multiple words trajectories met strong factorial and structural invariance. Gestures met only weak factorial invariance. ECI total communications, a weighted composite of the four scales, also met both strong factorial and structural invariance. With one exception, results indicated that the ECI produced comparable growth estimates over different conditions of programs, assessors, and children over time, strengthening the construct validity of the ECI. Implications are discussed.
Airline frequent flyer programs: equity and attractiveness

Abstract The scheme of a frequent flyer program describes how travelers accumulate and redeem their frequent flyer miles in the program, and determines the amount of benefits travelers can receive from the program (e.g., number of free trips). In the US, there are three basic types of frequent flyer program schemes (standard, discount, and non-mileage schemes). This paper investigates, by type of traveler, which scheme is most (or least) attractive to customers, so that each airline can select the most appropriate (or attractive) scheme for its target audience. The study results imply that the “non-mileage” scheme may be most attractive to travelers with low average trip miles (flown miles per trip), while the “standard” scheme may be most attractive to travelers with high average trip miles.
Contralateral breast dose after whole-breast irradiation: an analysis by treatment technique.

Purpose To investigate the contralateral breast dose (CBD) across a continuum of breast-conservation therapy techniques. Methods and Materials An anthropomorphic phantom was CT-simulated, and six treatment plans were generated: open tangents, tangents with an external wedge on the lateral beam, tangents with lateral and medial external wedges, a simple segment plan (three segments per tangent), a complex segmental intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plan (five segments per tangent), and a beamlet IMRT plan (>100 segments). For all techniques, the breast on the phantom was irradiated to 5000 cGy. Contralateral breast dose was measured at a uniform depth at the center and each quadrant using thermoluminescent detectors. Results Contralateral breast dose varied with position and was 50 ± 7.3 cGy in the inner half, 24 ± 4.1 cGy at the center, and 16 ± 2.2 cGy in the outer half for the open tangential plan. Compared with an average dose of 31 cGy across all points for the open field, the average doses were simple segment 32 cGy (range, 99–105% compared with open technique), complex segment 34 cGy (range, 103–117% compared with open technique), beamlet IMRT 34 cGy (range, 103–124% compared with open technique), lateral wedge only 46 cGy (range, 133–175% compared with open technique), and medial and lateral wedge 96 cGy (range, 282–370% compared with open technique). Conclusions Single or dual wedge techniques resulted in the highest CBD increases compared with open tangents. To obtain the desired homogeneity to the treated breast while minimizing CBD, segmental and IMRT techniques should be encouraged over external physical compensators.
Propylene glycol toxicity: a severe iatrogenic illness in ICU patients receiving IV benzodiazepines: a case series and prospective, observational pilot study.

Study objectives Benzodiazepines are commonly administered to medical ICU (MICU) patients. Propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol) is the solvent used to deliver lorazepam and diazepam IV. Although propylene glycol toxicity is increasingly recognized and reported, its incidence is unknown. Herein, we describe five MICU patients who acquired severe propylene glycol toxicity due to IV lorazepam or diazepam administration. Additionally, we evaluate the incidence of propylene glycol toxicity in MICU patients receiving IV lorazepam or diazepam. Design Case series and prospective, observational study. Setting Eighteen-bed MICU in a 550-bed urban academic hospital. Patients and methods MICU patients administered IV benzodiazepines during a 3-month period were enrolled. Patients were categorized according to the IV benzodiazepine that they received. Laboratory data and highlights of their clinical course were recorded daily. The incidence of propylene glycol toxicity was determined and the groups compared. Results Forty-four patients were enrolled. Twenty-one patients received a benzodiazepine delivered in propylene glycol (lorazepam or diazepam), and 23 patients received a benzodiazepine delivered in an alternative solvent (midazolam). We found that four patients (19%) who received IV lorazepam or diazepam had metabolic evidence of propylene glycol toxicity. None of the patients had clinical deterioration. Neither metabolic abnormality nor clinical deterioration suggestive of propylene glycol toxicity were identified in subjects receiving IV midazolam. Conclusion Propylene glycol toxicity is a potentially life-threatening iatrogenic complication that is common and preventable. It should be considered whenever a patient has an unexplained anion gap, unexplained metabolic acidosis, hyperosmolality, and/or clinical deterioration. Close monitoring of all patients receiving IV lorazepam or diazepam for early evidence of propylene glycol toxicity is warranted.
Intracerebroventricular Passive Immunization. I. The Effect of Intracerebroventricular Administration of an Antiserum to Tumor Necrosis Factor-α on the Plasma Adrenocorticotropin Response to Lipopolysaccharide in Rats1

The present study tested the hypothesis that the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is an important central nervous system mediator of the rat hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to the iv administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 μg/kg). LPS produced a rapid (within 30 min) rise in plasma TNF-α levels, which preceded elevations in plasma ACTH (commencing at 45 min). Despite a lack of detectable TNF-α biological activity in the brain 30 min to 2 h after LPS administration, intracerebroventricular (icv) pretreatment (−20 h) with 5 μl anti-TNF-α antiserum significantly delayed the onset of the plasma ACTH response to LPS, suggesting that TNF-α acts within the brain. However, we also noted that the icv infusion of anti-TNF-α 20 h earlier produced experimentally significant concentrations of the same anti-TNF-α antibodies in systemic blood. This suggested the possibility that the effect of this antiserum was due to its leakage to the periphery. Indeed, 5 μl anti-TNF-α administered iv at...
Naphthol- and resorcinol-based azo dyes as metal ion complexants in aqueous biphasic systems.

Aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) are comprised of both a polymer-rich phase (e.g., polyethylene glycol, PEG) and a salt-rich phase [e.g., (NH4)2SO4] such that both phases are 80% water on a molar basis. ABS have demonstrated applications as environmentally-friendly methods to separate relatively hydrophobic anionic species, such as pertechnetate and mercury halide anionic complexes, from high ionic strength solutions although partitioning of hydrated metal ions, such as Fe3+ and actinides, to the PEG-rich phase is negligible without the addition of a metal ion complexant to the system. Four naphthol- or resorcinol-based dyes; 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN), 1-(thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN), 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol (PAR) and 4-(2-thiazolylazo)-resorcinol (TAR), each incorporating a naphthol or resorcinol with an ortho azo functional group, have been studied as metal ion extractants in ABS as a function of pH. In the PEG-2000/ (NH4)2SO4 ABS, the distribution ratios of Fe3+, Co2+ and Ni2- were enhanced by several orders of magnitude at high pH in contrast to the behavior of Cs+, Cd2+ and Eu3+ whose partitioning behavior was largely unaffected by the presence of these extractants at any pH. The three extracted metal ions, Fe3+, Co2+ and Ni2+, could be stripped by contact with a fresh salt phase at low pH.
A phase-field study of the aluminizing of nickel

A quantitative phase-field approach for multiphase systems that is based upon CALPHAD free energies is used to model the aluminization of nickel wires, wherein vapour-phase alloying is used to deposit Al on the surface of the Ni wire and then the wire is annealed so that to remove all Al gradients and achieve a homogenous Ni-Al alloy. Both processes are modelled and numerical results are compared with experiments. It is found that the kinetics of both processes is controlled by bulk diffusion. During aluminization at 1273 K, formation and growth of intermetallics, Ni2Al3 NiAl and Ni3Al, are strongly dependent on the Al content in the vapour phase. Ni2Al3 growth is very fast compared with NiAl and Ni3Al. It is also found that an intermediate Al content in the vapour phase is preferable for aluminization, since the Ni2Al3 coating thickness is difficult to control. Ni2Al3 is found to disappear in a few minutes during homogenization at 1373 K. Thereafter, the NiAl phase, in which the composition is highly non...
The effect of forced exercise on development of heart, lung and diaphragm muscle in weanling horses

Summary Eleven weanling Quarter Horses were separated into two treatment groups, EX = exercise (n=5) and NEX = non-exercise (n=5). At 150 days-of-age, EX horses were started on a 120-day exercise conditioning program. Horses were exercised over a sandy track using a mechanical walker at 3 m/second for from 3.4 to 34.0 minutes/day, 5 days per week; they travelled in opposite directions on alternate days. Horses were weighed and measured for height at the withers at the beginning and end of the study. Homes were euthanized at approximately 270 days-of-age. Rump fat thickness was measured, and heart, lung and diaphragm muscles were removed, dried to constant weight and expressed as percent of body weight or in ratio to height at the withers.
MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF ACYCLOVIR-RESISTANT VARICELLAZOSTER VIRUS ISOLATES

Many serious varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections are treated with acyclovir (ACV). While there has not been clinical evidence of VZV resistance to ACV, its possibility warrants our understanding of its molecular basis. The majority of laboratory derived resistant VZV strains are deficient in thymidine kinase (TK) which.phosphorylates ACV. We studied the TK locus of 3 wild-type (TK+) and 3 ACV-resistant (TK-) strains. The 2.6 Kb Pst I-P VZV DMA fragment encoding TK was cloned from each strain and sequenced by the dideoxy chain termination method. The TK open reading frame is highly conserved with > 99% nucleotide homology among all strains. All TK+ strains are identical in predicted amino acid sequence in and around the putative enzyme binding sites for ATP and thymidine. However, one TK- mutant has a single base change near the thymidine binding site. The two other mutants contain premature stop codons which presumably result in a truncated, nonfunctional polypeptide. We propose that one mechanism of ACV resistance in VZV involves single base substitutions that lead to alterations in the substrate binding sites or overall secondary structure of the viral TK.
Isolation of a phospholipid fraction from inedible egg

Abstract During processing of eggs, large amounts of waste material (feed grade or “inedible egg”) are also produced. The amount of “feed grade egg” that the US industry generates from processing operations is estimated to be approximately 2% of the egg production. Researchers are challenged to investigate potential new uses of this by-product. With nearly 80% of the total phospholipids present in egg being phosphatidylcholine (PC), inedible egg constitutes an inexpensive source of an ingredient with high nutritional and functional properties. Our objective was to optimize and improve existing methods to isolate an enriched phospholipid fraction from dry inedible eggs by selective supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). A phospholipid-rich fraction was successfully extracted with a unique two-step process, consisting of a first step with CO 2 and a second step with ethanol as co-eluent. In an effort to optimize the extraction conditions of the first step, pressure, CO 2 flow rate and temperature effects were investigated. Various times of extraction were also employed to obtain the highest concentration of PC in the residual egg powder with the highest elution of unwanted neutral lipids. Optimal conditions to achieve the highest retention of PC in the dried egg were found to be 41.4 MPa pressure, CO 2 flow rate of approximately 5 l/min and 45 °C sample temperature. A second step with a SFE with CO 2 -containing ethanol as modifier resulted in elution of a fraction rich in PC. The yield was estimated to be approximately 49 g PC/kg of dried egg. Results presented demonstrate that supercritical fluid extraction can lead to the isolation of a value-added ingredient from a by-product of the egg industry.
The evolutionary significance of incest rules

Abstract Evolutionary theory predicts that humans should avoid incest because the behavior depresses individual fitness through production of defective offspring. Selection for avoidance of close-kin mating has resulted in a developmental mechanism that promotes voluntary incest avoidance. If avoided, why are social rules constructed in most cultures to regulate incest? The suggestion in this article is that incest do not regulate close-kin mating, but instead regulate inbreeding between more distant kin and sexual relations between nonkin. Inbreeding (e.g., cousin marriage) is hypothesized to be regulated because if it occurs, it can concentrate wealth and power within families threatening the powerful positions of rulers in the society. The hypothesis was supported using a worldwide sample of 129 societies, whereas two other alternative hypotheses (one dealing with coadapted genomes, and the other with sexual reproduction and host/ parasite coevolution), were not.
Calcium Double K-Shell Ionization Produced from 24.0- to 48.0-MeV Oxygen Bombardment

We have measured relative x-ray-production cross sections for Ca $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ satellite and hypersatellite transitions produced from 24.0- to 48.0-MeV oxygen bombardment of thick targets. All cross-section ratios as functions of projectile energy for initial defect configurations ${K}^{k}{L}^{l}$, where $k=1, 2$ and $l=0, 1, 2, 3, 4$, are in qualitative agreement with configuration-space binary-encounter-approximation predictions.
A micro-discharge photoionization detector for micro-gas chromatography

We report on a small (20 × 10 mm) micromachined device for the detection of gases in micro-gas chromatography (GC). It incorporates a micro-discharge across a 20-μm gap, and a remote electrode in the micro cavity that generates an electrical signal corresponding to the photo-ionization of gaseous analytes in a stream of carrier gas. Multi-component mixtures were detected and the results compared to those obtained with a flame ionization detector. The minimum detectable limit is 350 pg.μL−1 of n-octane in air when applying a 1.4 mW discharge. The combination of wet etching of glass (as used for microfluidic channels) with a lift-off process for detector electrodes by a robust batch process results in a universal, non-destructive, and sensitive microdetector for micro-GC.
A note on the variational method of Stokes and DeMarcus for radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres

A generalized functional which yields the Milne integral equation on variation and whose extremum value is proportional to the reflectivity at arbitrary emergent angle is proposed. A similar functional exists for computing the transmissivity at arbitrary emergent angle. This work is a generalization of the variational method of Stokes and DeMarcus (1971, Icarus 14, 307) based on the principle of reciprocity. In the special case of trial functions that are linear in the undetermined parameters, the calculation is greatly simplified. The computational value of our variational principle is demonstrated.
Boundary-layer treatment of film condensation in the presence of a solid matrix

FIG. 3. A correlation of the freeze-off conditions for a wide range of 5. factor coefficient, 0 < r < 3.6 x 104. The upper region of the predicted line shows a freeze-off regime and the lower, a steady-state ice-band. Taking into account that the morphology of the ice layer under which the experimental conditions are close to the onset of freeze-off is often affected by small disturbances in temperature and flow conditions, it can be said that equations (9) and (10) give good predictions for the effects of the friction-factor on the freeze-off conditions.
Effect of a Coagulation Monitoring Device on Experimental Cheese Yield

Abstract Six strain gauges mounted on a motor-driven oscillating arm were used to monitor the coagulation force on six stainless steel probes 5cm in diameter. At the time of enzyme addition, probes were lowered into the milk, where they oscillated between 5 and 7.5cm below the surface at 10 cpm. Increased viscosity during coagulation exerted an increasing force on the probes. Signals from the strain gauges were standardized, amplified, and recorded by a strip chart recorder or entered into a personal computer. The cut point was reached when the output approached 85mV. Experimental direct acid stirred curd cheese was manufactured to determine the effect of oscillating probes in small research vessels on cheese yield. Control vats had no probes. There were nine replications of each treatment in a randomized block design for a total of 18 vats. Cheese was analyzed for total solids and yield from the cheese press. Lower DM yield and higher moisture were observed in cheeses produced in vats containing oscillating probes throughout coagulation but removed prior to cutting.
SmartApps: middle-ware for adaptive applications on reconfigurable platforms

One general avenue to obtain optimized performance on large and complex systems is to approach optimization from a global perspective of the complete system in a customized manner for each application, i.e., application-centric optimization. Lately, there have been encouraging developments in reconfigurable operating systems and hardware that will enable customized optimization. For example, machines built with PIM's and FPGA's can be quickly reconfigured to better fit a certain application and operating systems, such as IBM's K42, can have their services customized to fit the needs and characteristics of an application. While progress in operating system and hardware and hardware has made re-configuration possible, we still need strategies and techniques to exploit them for improved application performance.In this paper, we describe the approach we are using in our smart application (SMARTAPPS) project. In the SMARTAPP executable, the compiler embeds most run-time system services and a feedback loop to monitor performance and trigger run-time adaptations. At run-time, after incorporating the code's input and determining the system's state, the SMARTAPP performs an instance specific optimization. During execution, the application continually monitors its performance and the available resources to determine if restructuring should occur. The framework includes mechanisms for performing the actual restructuring at various levels including: algorithmic adaptation, tuning reconfigurable OS services (scheduling policy, page size, etc.), and system configuration (e.g., number of processors). This paper concentrates on the techniques for providing customized system services for communication, thread scheduling, memory management, and performance monitoring and modeling.