cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of super-selective neck dissection following chemoradiation for advanced head and neck cancer

Summary Background Hypothesizing that neck-level specific locations of residual lymph node metastases following chemoradiation for head and neck cancer are highly predictable, the efficacy of the more targeted lymphadenectomy procedure called super-selective neck dissection (SSND) was evaluated. Methods A retrospective analysis of the databases from 2 institutions indicated that 35 SSND’s were performed on 30 patients following chemoradiation as either a planned or early salvage intervention. Results Over a median follow-up of 33 (range: 8–72) months, 8 patients developed recurrent disease (3 primary, 5 distant) but there were no isolated recurrences in the neck. The projected 5 year disease specific survival rate for the group was 60%. Conclusions SSND is an effective intervention for patients with advanced head and neck cancer treated with chemoradiation whose risk for residual nodal disease is confined to one level.
Control of aerosol contaminants in indoor air: combining the particle concentration reduction with microbial inactivation.

An indoor air purification technique, which combines unipolar ion emission and photocatalytic oxidation (promoted by a specially designed RCI cell), was investigated in two test chambers, 2.75 m3 and 24.3 m3, using nonbiological and biological challenge aerosols. The reduction in particle concentration was measured size selectively in real-time, and the Air Cleaning Factor and the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) were determined. While testing with virions and bacteria, bioaerosol samples were collected and analyzed, and the microorganism survival rate was determined as a function of exposure time. We observed that the aerosol concentration decreased ∼10 to ∼100 times more rapidly when the purifier operated as compared to the natural decay. The data suggest that the tested portable unit operating in ∼25 m3 non-ventilated room is capable to provide CADR-values more than twice as great than the conventional closed-loop HVAC system with a rating 8 filter. The particle removal occurred due to unipolar ion emiss...
Calculation and design of resistance-coupled amplifiers using pentode tubes

RESISTANCE-COUPLED amplifiers employing pentode tubes are used more widely than any other type of voltage amplifier for audio frequencies. In spite of this, no method of analysis is available for correctly calculating the complete characteristics of such amplifiers and design procedures ordinarily followed involve considerable cut and try. The present paper presents (1) an analysis taking into account all of the factors of significance in determining the amplification and phase-shift characteristics of ordinary audio-frequency amplifiers employing pentode tubes, together with charts which make it a simple matter to use the analysis; and (2) a systematic procedure for proportioning the coupling network in the plate circuit when the main objective is: (a) maximum possible voltage gain, and (b) large output voltage.
Molded Rigid Polymer Monoliths as Separation Media for Capillary Electrochromatography

Rigid, monolithic capillary columns for reversed-phase electrochromatography have been prepared within the confines of untreated fused-silica capillaries in a single step by a simple copolymerization of ethylene dimethacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid in the presence of a porogenic solvent. The composition of the specifically designed ternary porogenic solvent allows fine control of the porous properties of the monolithic material over a broad range. While the electroosmotic flow through these capillary columns increases with both increasing pore size of the monolith and content of charged functionalities, better chromatographic properties have been observed for monoliths with larger surface area and hydrophobicity. Using this technique, monolithic capillary columns with an efficiency higher than 120 000 plates/m have been easily obtained.
Cell density regulated expression of transcription factor Sp1 in corneal stromal cultures.

Sp1, a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor, has been implicated to have a role in cell differentiation and cell proliferation. In keratoconus, a corneal disease characterized by thinning and scarring of the central cornea, Sp1 is found up-regulated. In the present study, we examined the expression of Sp1 in stromal cells cultured from normal human and keratoconus-afflicted corneas and evaluated the influence of varying cell densities. Immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that in both normal human and keratoconus cultures, Sp1 protein levels and binding activities increased with the density of cells. The basal level of Sp1 in keratoconus cultures was higher than that in normals. These results demonstrate a marked density mediated up-regulation of Sp1 in corneal stromal cells, suggesting that the Sp1 expression may be regulated by differentiation states of the cells in the cornea. In addition, cells from keratoconus corneas in vitro appear to carry and retain the Sp1 abnormality as in vivo. The Sp1 defect may be an inborn error in keratoconus.
Optimal and approximate approaches for deployment of heterogeneous sensing devices

A modeling framework for the problem of deploying a set of heterogeneous sensors in a field with time-varying differential surveillance requirements is presented. The problem is formulated as mixed integer mathematical programwith the objective tomaximize coverage of a given field. Two metaheuristics are used to solve this problem. The first heuristic adopts a genetic algorithm (GA) approach while the second heuristic implements a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm. A set of experiments is used to illustrate the capabilities of the developed models and to compare their performance. The experiments investigate the effect of parameters related to the size of the sensor deployment problem including number of deployed sensors, size of the monitored field, and length of the monitoring horizon. They also examine several endogenous parameters related to the developed GA and SA algorithms.
THE EFFECT OF IRRADIATED PLASMA ON NORMAL HUMAN CHROMOSOMES AND ITS RELEVANCE TO THE LONG‐LIVED LYMPHOCYTE HYPOTHESIS

The persistence of unstable chromosome-type aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of irradiated individuals has led to the proposal that some lymphocytes survive for many years in vivo without undergoing mitosis (Fitzgerald, 1964). It has recently been shown, however, that plasma from irradiated individuals can induce chromosomal damage in cultures of normal blood lymphocytes (Hollowell & Littlefield, 1968) even when the plasma donors were irradiated 7 years earlier (Goh & Sumner, 1968). Goh (1968) has therefore suggested that ‘An alternate explanation to the “long-lived cell” theory proposed by others…would be that a substance is produced or activated by total body irradiation and remains capable of affecting the chromosomes for extensive lengths of time'. The present results show that a lymphocyte chromosome-breaking factor can be induced in the plasma of blood irradiated in vitro as well as in vivo. All of the aberrations induced by this ‘plasma factor’and those reported by other workers can be interpreted as being of the chromatid type. Before the long-lived lymphocyte hypothesis can be brought into serious disrepute, it must be shown that the plasma factor can induce aberrations of the same type as persist after in vivo irradiation (i.e. unequivocal chromosome-type aberrations, such as dicentrics and rings) and that these can be induced in vivo.
Stimulated dissipation of magnetic discontinuities and the origin of solar flares

It is proposed that the principal cause of the confined solar flare is the dissipation of magnetic energy at the many small-scale pre-existing tangential dscontinuities in the local bipolar magnetic field. The discontinuities are a consequence of the continuous shuffling and intermixing of the footpoints of the bipolar field by the turbulent photospheric granules. The X-ray corona within the bipolar field is presumed to be a consequence of the continuing dissipation by reconnection at these discontinuities. A flare results when static deformation and/or internal agitation of the field stimulates the onset of rapid reconnection at the many small internal discontinuities. The discontinuities are partially exhausted by the flare, so that the post-flare X-ray emission of that particular loop is substantially below the pre-flare level for a period of some hours while the discontinuities are being rejuvenated.
On Feedback Passivity of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Networked Control Systems With Packet Drops

We analyze the feedback passivity of a networked control system in which the control packets may be dropped by the communication channel. Specifically, we consider a discrete-time switched nonlinear system with relative degree zero that switches between two modes. At the instants when the communication link transmits the packet successfully, the system evolves in closed-loop and the increase in storage function is bounded below the energy supplied by the control input. At the instants when a packet drop occurs, the system evolves in open loop according to the free dynamics of the closed-loop mode and the increase in storage function is not necessarily bounded by the supplied energy. The literature on passivity of switched systems seems to consider only the case when all the modes are passive, which is not the case here. We prove that if the ratio of time steps for which the system evolves in closed-loop versus in open loop is lower bounded by a critical number, the system is locally feedback passive in a suitably defined sense. This generalized definition of feedback passivity is useful since it preserves two important properties of classical passivity—that feedback passivity implies asymptotic stabilizability for zero state detectable systems and that feedback passivity is preserved in parallel and negative feedback interconnections.
Custom implants for medialization laryngoplasty: a model that considers tissue compression.

Summary Objective Unilateral vocal fold paralysis can be treated with surgical medialization with a carved silastic implant. One challenge to this approach is anticipating the dimensions of the implant for adequate medialization. The purpose of this study was to develop a predictive model for implant design based on a patient's unique laryngeal anatomy and considering compression of the vocal fold. Study Design Retrospective chart review, prospective cadaver study, and prospective patient study. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who received silastic medialization laryngoplasty with favorable outcome and who had preoperative computed tomography. Data including Voice Handicap Index, maximum phonation time, and implant dimensions were collected from medical records, and laryngeal measurements were taken from preoperative imaging. Measurements were taken from computed tomography scans of three cadavers who underwent laryngoplasty for this study. Tissue compression (TC) was calculated and analyzed. A model to predict successful implant dimensions was developed and applied prospectively in 16 patients. Results Eleven patients from the chart review and three cadavers were included. Of all laryngeal metrics, width of the vocal fold at maximal medialization was most strongly correlated to TC ( r = 0.728). Linear regression was performed ( y = 0.50 x − 1.2, R 2 = 0.53, P = 0.005, F = 12.39). Of the prospective patients, 15 of 16 demonstrated complete glottis closure with the premeasured silastic implant. Conclusions Vocal fold compression by silastic implants is linearly correlated with vocal fold-width at maximal medialization. A predictive formula was generated to anticipate TC and was successful in designing custom implants for patients.
Electron microscopy of pokeweed leaf cells infected with pokeweed mosaic virus

Abstract Cytoplasmic inclusions associated with pokeweed mosaic virus (PMV) infection are similar to those which have been reported for other long, flexuous rod-shaped viruses. Cylindrical inclusions and their derivatives such as circular inclusions, tubes, laminated aggregates, bundles, and pinwheels are all associated with PMV infection. A close association between endoplasmic reticulum and both laminated aggregates and bundles was noted. Virus particles were not associated with virus-induced cytoplasmic inclusions but were evident in masses in the cytoplasm near the central vacuole. Near the accumulation of virus particles were many vesicles in various sizes. Golgi apparatus were closely associated with the vesicles. Many secondary vacuoles protruded into the central vacuole. The thin layers of cytoplasm surrounding secondary vacuoles were filled with virus particles. Stellate, crystallike inclusions were noted in chloroplasts of infected cells and apparently were not viral in nature. Cytoplasmic invaginations containing mitochondria or endoplasmic reticulum in chloroplasts of infected cells were noted.
Potential impact of preoperative EUS on esophageal cancer management and cost

Abstract Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative proportions of esophageal cancer stages in a group of patients referred for preoperative EUS, to determine the proportions of EUS stage 1 and 4 tumors that would not be treated with combined modality therapy, and to estimate the impact of the EUS diagnosis of these stages on costs. Methods: A large national endoscopic database was reviewed retrospectively to identify cases of esophageal cancer in which there was a referral for preoperative staging with EUS. Data were analyzed as to demographics, histology and tumor stage by EUS according to the American Joint Commission for Cancer tumor node metastasis classification system for esophageal cancer. Cost estimates were based on Medicare reimbursement rates and published figures. Results: Of 188 EUS procedures done for preoperative staging of esophageal cancer (82% men, mean age 66.5 years), the histopathologic types of cancer were: adenocarcinoma, 107; squamous cell carcinoma, 39; and unknown histology, 42. Numbers and proportions of patients by American Joint Commission for Cancer group stage based on 162 procedures for which complete staging information was available are as follows: Stage I, 23 patients (14%); Stage II, 51 (31%); Stage III, 69 (43%); and Stage IV, 19 (12%). Therefore, for every 100 patients staged before surgery with EUS (cost $63,420), 14 patients with Stage I disease would be spared neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (saving $122,192) and 12 patients with Stage IV cancer would be spared surgery (saving $285,600) for an average cost savings of $3443 per patient. Conclusion: Preoperative staging of esophageal cancer with EUS identifies a significant proportion of patients (26% in this series) with stage I and IV tumors who may be spared combined modality therapy with an associated potential for cost savings. (Gastrointest Endosc 2002;56:391-6.)
Novel Direct Coagulation Casting of Alumina Suspensions Using Y3+-Ion Releasing Substances as Coagulant

Direct coagulation casting (DCC) is a relatively new ceramic near-net-shape forming process which can form homogeneous ceramic green body with complex shape and high density. Direct coagulation casting of aqueous alumina slurries by adding Y3+ ions, which have been frequently used as additive for the sintering of alumina ceramics, were studied. Two different kinds of Y3+-ion releasing substances, Y2O3 powder and Y(NO3)3, were used as coagulants and were introduced into stabilized alumina suspensions directly after dispersing. Compared with that of Y2O3 powder, both the coagulation time and the added amount required for a reasonable shaping were significantly reduced for using Y(NO3)3 as coagulant. The effects of the two coagulants on the properties of the consolidated green bodies and sintered ceramics were studied. The mechanisms of coagulation induced by the addition of Y3+-ions were discussed on the basis of interactions between Y3+ ions and the added polyelectrolyte dispersant.
A Class of near-Perfect Coded Apertures

Coded aperture imaging of gamma ray sources has long promised an improvement in the sensitivity of various detector systems. The promise has remained largely unfulfilled, however, for either one of two reasons. First, the encoding/decoding method produces artifacts, which even in the absence of quantum noise, restrict the quality of the reconstructed image. This is true of most correlation-type methods. Second, if the decoding procedure is of the deconvolution variety, small terms in the transfer function of the aperture can lead to excessive noise in the reconstructed image. We propose to circumvent both of these problems by use of a uniformly redundant array (URA) as the coded aperture in conjunction with a special correlation decoding method. The correlation of the decoding array with the aperture results in a delta function with deterministically zero sidelobes. The properties of the encoding/decoding method are similar to those of the nonredundant pinhole array (NRA), however, the URA can be composed of thousands of holes whereas the NRA contains less than 40. In short, the URA offers the transmission advantage of the random array or Fresnel zone plate without introducing the artifacts typically seen when those apertures and others are used. It is shown that the reconstructed image in the URA system contains virtually uniform noise regardless of the structure in the original source. Therefore, the improvement over a single pinhole camera will be relatively larger for the brighter points in the source than for the low intensity points.
Epithelial mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells in esophageal adenocarcinoma originating from Barrett's esophagus

Carcinomas comprise cohesive epithelial cells linked to one another by E-cadherin-based cell-cell junctions. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) enables carcinoma cells to migrate from the original tissue and invade into stromal components. The E-cadherin promoter is frequently repressed by specific transcriptional repressors including Snail, Slug and Twist. CD133 is known to be a marker of tumor-initiating cells in human cancers. This is the first study to characterize the transcriptional factors for E-cadherin and the representative cancer stem cell marker in specimens of early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) originating from Barrett’s esophagus. Ten surgically treated patients were analyzed in the present study. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the expression of Snail, Slug, Twist and CD133, and the results were scored. Unlike previous studies of advanced stage esophageal cancers showing the overexpression of each specific transcriptional protein, the invading edges of the tumor were found to abundantly express Snail, Slug, Twist and CD133 in our cohort. Therefore, results of this study suggest that early stage cancers predominantly comprise cells with metastatic potential and this evidence adds legitimacy to the complete removal of early EAC.
Theory of parametric frequency down conversion of light.

A theoretical study is made of the process in which incident pump photons that interact with a nonlinear medium (such as a crystal lacking inversion symmetry) are spontaneously split into lower-frequency signal and idler photons. The down-converted fields are quantized and described by a continuum of modes, a subset of which interacts with each photodetector. It is shown that when two ideal photodetectors are appropriately located so that they receive the conjugate signal and idler photons, then the joint probability of two-photon detection by the two detectors can equal the single-photon detection probability. The time correlation between the two detected photons is shown to be limited either by the resolving time of the detectors, or by the bandwidth of the down-converted light, and to be independent of the coherence time of the pump field or of the length of the nonlinear medium. These conclusions are compared with the results of recent experiments.
Sources of nestmate recognition cues in the imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Abstract Aggression bioassays were conducted to investigate nestmate (worker-worker) recognition in monogyne colonies of the imported fire ant. Environmentally correlated cues dominated the recognition cue hierarchy of laboratory and field colonies, anddiet alone significantly modified recognition labels and templates of laboratory-reared workers. ‘Discriminators’ associated with worker genotype also affected recognition, but ‘queen discriminators’ did not significantly affect either labels or templates of laboratoryreared workers exposed as adults to alien queens for 28 days. Factors contributing to the importance of environmentally derived recognition cues in this species and the potential implications of such cues for the formation of polygynous fire ant populations are discussed.
K/Ka-band Single-Pole Single-Throw switch with integrated filtering function

This paper proposes a new K/Ka-band Single-Pole Single-Throw (SPST) switch with an integrated bandpass filtering (BPF) function. The proposed BPF SPST switch is implemented by cascading series switches and a switch integrated BPF by using 0.18-μm BiCMOS technology. The SPST switch in its on-state shows the calculated insertion loss of 4.7 and 4.8 dB at 24.5 and 35 GHz, respectively, while the switch in its off-state shows isolation of 40.2 and 32.7 dB at 24.5 and 35 GHz, respectively. The simulated IP1dB reaches as high as 7.44 and 9.31 dBm at 24.5 and 35 GHz, respectively, when the switch is turned on.
Wave-supported sediment gravity flows currents: Effects of fluid-induced pressure gradients and flow width spreading

Abstract Equilibrium shelf morphology offshore of rivers reflects a balance between the input rate of fluvial sediments, and their transport rate by submarine processes. Researchers have proposed that sediment-charged river effluents form gravity currents that transport sediment to the shelf-slope break. However, conditions conducive to such hyperpycnal flows are rare. Recent measurements indicate that wave suspension of fine sediment, in tandem with shelf currents, generate subaqueous gravity currents capable of transporting sediment across the shelf. Building on previous conceptual models, we present a generalized mathematical model for wave supported gravity flows in which (i) waves provide an external source of bed shear, (ii) the sediment gravity flow momentum is balanced by gravity, internal fluid pressure (i.e., density contrast) and friction, and (iii) the lateral spreading into and vertical entrainment of ambient water is taken into account. Using this model, we explore the role of wave parameters, gravity current characteristics, and sea bottom slope in determining the critical conditions for bypass of wave-supported gravity flows. Based on a scale analysis provided for several natural systems, we find that inclusion of the density contrast term in the fluid momentum balance allows and accurate prediction of transport dynamics under a give set of flow and wave conditions for very low-slope shelves. Model predictions for the conditions associated with wave suspension of sediment and downstream deposition are compared favorably to field measurements.
Intelligent Diagnosis System

Auscultation of heart murmurs can detect various types of heart problems; however, this process is prone to human error because it involves a clinician evaluating and categorizing the heart sound via stethoscope. By implementing Soft Computing techniques to analyze the sound received from the stethoscope and classify the heart pathology, this research project introduces the intelligent diagnosis system that is not based on subjective evaluations. The sound signal from the stethoscope is transformed into a spectrogram (an image that shows the time-based analysis of the frequency components) formed by taking the Fourier transform over a small sliding window in time. The magnitudes of the resulting Fourier transforms are mapped to a color function in a density plot. Color Reduction and Color Feature extraction methods are applied to convert the density plot to a manageable image characteristic and reduce the colors of the density plot from sixteen million to eight: red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, white, and black. The density plot represented by the eight- color vector is then matched with a database to identify a possible pathology.
Changes in Precipitation Seasonality in West Africa Predicted by RegCM3 and the Impact of Dynamic Vegetation Feedback

Using a regional climate model asynchronously coupled to a dynamic vegetation model, this study examines future climate predictions for the West Africa region and how dynamic vegetation feedback may influence such predictions. Without accounting for the impact of vegetation dynamics, the model predicts a future decrease of annual rainfall over Sahel. Dynamic vegetation feedback reverses this trend, leading to a substantial increase of annual rainfall. Regardless of how vegetation is treated, the predicted future trend of precipitation in the Sahel region follows a specific seasonal pattern, with a decrease during the pre- and early-monsoon season (May-June and early July) due to the warming-induced enhancement of spring convective barrier and an increase after the monsoon is fully established (typically in July-August-September) due to enhanced moisture import from a warmer ocean. Dynamic vegetation feedback reduces the magnitude of the predicted rainfall reduction in the early season and increases the magnitude of the predicted rainfall increase later in the rainy season. The future decrease of early-season rainfall has significant agronomic implications.
‘In Italy the dead rule’: Marco Bellocchio’s ‘Italian difference’ between Manzoni–Camerini and Bene–Godard

In his film The Wedding Director (2006), Marco Bellocchio expresses his view of the ‘Italian difference’ that demarcates this national tradition from others with the refrain ‘In Italy the dead rule.’ This adage is repeated throughout his film and provides the motivation behind it. For Bellocchio, the dead in question belong primarily, though not solely, to the Italian parochial heritage exemplified by Alessandro Manzoni’s The Betrothed (1840), and in particular by Mario Camerini’s film adaptation of the same novel (1941). In The Wedding Director, Bellocchio enacts yet another, albeit eclectic, adaptation of these palimpsests, desecrating them and the values they supposedly stand for. Crowned by a happy ending, The Wedding Director surpasses its targets, advocating for their visual and conceptual inadequacy. This essay analyzes Bellocchio’s film using a theoretical approach that I see articulated in two critical texts and four creative instances. Firstly, I analyze The Wedding Director in light of the conc...
Pathogenesis of gram-negative bacterial infections in warmwater fish

Abstract Knowledge concerning the pathogenesis of many bacterial diseases in fish is limited, especially in those diseases that occur in warmwater species. This limited knowledge base is due to the relative recent emergence of warmwater fish culture as a major industry in many parts of the world, and to the previous economic insignificance of warmwater aquaculture and the bacterial pathogens affecting warmwater species. This article is an overview of the important gram-negative pathogens of warmwater fish, including members of the genera Aeromonas, Edwardsiella, Pasteurella, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio. The current knowledge of the pathogenesis of these organisms is emphasized, including: the source of the pathogen, its preferred site and method for attaching to and penetrating the host, its adaptations for surviving the host immune system, and its strategies for obtaining nutrients required for proliferation and growth. Although information for many of these pathogens is limited, the intent of this article is to provide a baseline for the development of future research projects. Increases in worldwide aquaculture production will result in a demand for knowledge about the pathogenesis of bacterial pathogens in warmwater fish, because of its importance in making health management decisions, in deciding on treatment regimens, and in the development of vaccines.
Simultaneous gas chromatographic determination of pirimiphos-methyl and malathion residues in peanuts, peanut hulls, peanut meats, and peanut oil

A gas chromatographic method developed for the simultaneous determination of residues of pirimiphos-methyl (O-[2-(dimethyl-amino)-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl] O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate) and malathion (diethyl mercaptosuccinate S-ester with O,O-dimethyl phosphorodithioate), in whole peanuts, peanut hulls, peanut meats, and peanut oil gives good recoveries and has a limit of detection for pirimiphos-methyl and malathion of 0.04 ppm. Quantitative analysis for the two insecticides with electronic integration was reliable to 0.1 ppm.
A generalization of leighton's variational theorem

This paper offers the following generalization of the well known variational theorem of Leighton. Considering the non-linear equation , we show that following an arbitrary choice of function u(x)∊C2 and of G(u(x)), G(u(α)) = G(u(β)) = 0; G(u(x)) > 0 for all x in [α, β] the negative sign of the functional implies that all solutions of our equation will be bounded in absolute value by the number (m/K)1/(K-1), where on some sub-interval of [α, β]. In the linear case, K= 1, we show that the negative sign of the above functional and the condition imply the vanishing of all solutions on [α, β]
The economic burden of sixteen measles outbreaks on United States public health departments in 2011.

Abstract Background Despite vaccination efforts and documentation of elimination of indigenous measles in 2000, the United States (US) experienced a marked increase in imported cases and outbreaks of measles in 2011. Due to the high infectiousness and potential severity of measles, these outbreaks require a vigorous response from public health institutions. The effort and resources required to respond to these outbreaks are likely to impose a significant economic burden on these institutions. Objective To estimate the economic burden of measles outbreaks (defined as ≥3 epidemiologically linked cases) on the local and state public health institutions in the US in 2011. Methods From the perspective of local and state public health institutions, we estimated personnel time and resources allocated to measles outbreak response in local and state public health departments, and estimated the corresponding costs associated with these outbreaks in the US in 2011. We used cost and resource utilization data from previous studies on measles outbreaks in the US and, relying on outbreak size classification based on a case-day index, we estimated costs incurred by local and state public health institutions. Results In 2011, the US experienced 16 outbreaks with 107 confirmed cases. The average duration of an outbreak was 22 days (range: 5–68). The total estimated number of identified contacts to measles cases ranged from 8936 to 17,450, requiring from 42,635 to 83,133 personnel hours. Overall, the total economic burden on local and state public health institutions that dealt with measles outbreaks during 2011 ranged from an estimated $2.7 million to $5.3 million US dollars. Conclusion Investigating and responding to measles outbreaks imposes a significant economic burden on local and state health institutions. Such impact is compounded by the duration of the outbreak and the number of potentially susceptible contacts.
Silurian acritarchs: distribution and trends

Abstract Using as point of departure data from hundreds of localities with, essentially, Middle Silurian acritarch assemblages, logical constraints on the composition of these assemblages as they can be inferred from geological information, are discussed. It is concluded that (1) the regional composition of coeval acritarch spectra was primarily temperature controlled, and only secondarily determined by such factors as abnormally high or low salinity, turbulence, etc.; and (2) acritarch spectrum provinciation is the rule rather than the exception in the Lower Paleozoic. A palynological province model for the Wenlockian is presented, and also a tentative one for the Lower Ordovician. There is not always a perfect match between the palynological province model and observed palynofacies, the geotectonic implications of which are discussed in some detail.
On the topology of black holes

We establish from local hypotheses some results concerning the final state topology of black holes. We show that the surface of a black hole must have 2-sphere topology and that the topology of space in its vicinity is simple.
Postoperative pain after 1- and 2-visit root canal therapy.

Abstract Objectives. The factors that influence postoperative pain after root canal treatment are not completely understood. The purpose of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate postoperative pain after root canal therapy performed in 1 appointment versus 2 appointments. Study Design. Seventy-two patients requiring root canal therapy on permanent molars were included in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to either the 1-appointment or the 2-appointment group. Both vital and nonvital teeth were included. The standardized protocol for all teeth involved local anesthesia, isolation and access, engine-driven rotary nickel-titanium canal instrumentation to a minimum size #5 (.028 mm).04 taper Profile with step-back flaring, and irrigation with 2.5% NaOCl. Teeth in group 1 (n = 39) were obturated at the first appointment by using laterally condensed gutta-percha and Roth 811 sealer. Teeth in group 2 (n = 33) were closed with a sterile dry cotton pellet and Cavit restoration and were obturated at a second appointment 7 to 14 days later. A modified Visual Analogue Scale was used to measure preoperative pain and pain at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after the first appointment. Statistical analysis was performed to compare groups at each interval by using an independent-samples t test with Bonferroni adjustment. Results. There was no statistically significant difference between groups at preoperative intervals or at any of the 4 postoperative intervals (P
Occupational science: a renaissance of service to humankind through knowledge

The context for the development of occupational science, the study of the human as an occupational being, included the worldwide increase in the population of people with chronic impairments, decreased resources for people with handicaps, growth in the complexity of daily life and the global maturation of the profession of occupational therapy. Occupational science promises that occupational therapists will define the knowledge base of the profession and its appropriate scope of practice through scholarly work. Occupational scientists need to develop a fresh synthesis of ideas from those scholarly disciplines that view the human as a complex being who interacts with the environment by using occupation over the three time spans of evolution, human development and learning; occupation as agency; and viewing the person served as Homo occupacio, a dynamic, open human system. The occupational human engages in daily life through development of a repertoire of skills which adheres to the rules of culture. Such study will need to include the contexts in which people carry out their rounds of occupation. The ‘detective work’ of occupational scientists, contributing to but not bound by the immediate demands of occupational therapy practice, will be guided by the values and traditions of the field to ensure its relevance and ethical foundation. The most important tool of the world community of occupational therapists will be the mind of the occupational therapist, who, through knowledge of occupation, will foster human capability and influence health. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Optimization of residential property management

Purpose – The paper aims to provide an analysis of the principle‐agent relationship between owner (principal) and manager (agent) of investment properties by: developing an optimization model for the net profit scenario that any third party manager of properties in multiple locations faces; and describing the principal's (or owner's) problem and likewise developing an income optimization model. The model allows illustrating the misalignment of incentives and compensation arrangements common to the business of managing small investment properties.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides an in depth review of literature on the agency problem, both in general as well as in real estate research and compares the qualitative findings with analytical results provided by the model. The latter is developed by applying a transaction cost framework to the context of income structures in investment properties and their management.Findings – The optimization model shows that profit maximization for the manger ...
194 Radiation therapy of breast carcinoma: Confirmation of prescription dose

The purpose of this study is quantitation of dose delivered during tangential breast radiation therapy and measurement of scatter dose to the contralateral breast for three different breast set-up techniques. A commercial semi-conductor diode system is used for dose measurements. In-vivo dose measurements on 11 patients undergoing tangential breast radiation therapy with 6 MV photons were performed. Scatter doses to the contralateral breast for three breast set-up techniques were measured and documented as a function of distance from the field edge and various beam modifiers commonly used in breast radiation therapy. The in-phantom measurements resulted in dose accuracy within ± 1.5%. Dose measurements on patients resulted in standard deviations of 1.2%, 2.3% for the medial entrance exit doses and 1.7%, 2.2% respectively for the lateral entrance, exit doses. In patients, the scatter doses to the opposite breast at a 5 cm perpendicular distance from the medial field edge resulted in cumulative scatter doses of 247 cGy to 530 cGy from the tangential fields and an additional 50 cGy from the supraclavicular or axillary field if included. Quantitative verification of the prescribed daily dose is important in breast radiation therapy to ensure precision in patient set-up and accuracy in dose delivery.
Phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging of the tissue motion within the organ of Corti at a subnanometer scale: a preliminary study.

Hearing loss can mean severe impairment to the quality of life. However, the biomechanical mechanisms of how the hearing organ, i.e., the organ of Corti OC, responds to sound are still elusive, largely because there is currently no means available to image the 3-D motion characteristics of the OC. We present a novel use of the phase-sensitive spectral domain optical coherence tomography PSOCT to characterize the motion of cellular compartments within the OC at a subnanometer scale. The PSOCT system operates at 1310 nm with a spatial resolution of 16 m and an imaging speed of 47,000 A-lines/s. The phase changes of the spectral interferograms induced by the localized tissue motion are used to quantify the vibra- tion magnitude. Fourier transform analysis of the phase changes im- proves the system sensitivity to sense minute vibrations smaller than 1n m. We demonstrate that the PSOCT system is feasible to image the meaningful vibration of cellular compartments within the OC with an unprecedented sensitivity down to 0.5 A. © 2010 Society of Photo-Optical
Filling high aspect ratio trenches by superconformal chemical vapor deposition: Predictive modeling and experiment

Complete filling of a deep recessed structure with a second material is a challenge in many areas of nanotechnology fabrication. A newly discovered superconformal coating method, applicable in chemical vapor deposition systems that utilize a precursor in combination with a co-reactant, can solve this problem. However, filling is a dynamic process in which the trench progressively narrows and the aspect ratio (AR) increases. This reduces species diffusion within the trench and may drive the component partial pressures out of the regime for superconformal coating. We therefore derive two theoretical models that can predict the possibility for filling. First, we recast the diffusion-reaction equation for the case of a sidewall with variable taper angle. This affords a definition of effective AR, which is larger than the nominal AR due to the reduced species transport. We then derive the coating profile, both for superconformal and for conformal coating. The critical (most difficult) step in the filling process occurs when the sidewalls merge at the bottom of the trench to form the V shape. Experimentally, for the Mg(DMADB)2/H2O system and a starting AR = 9, this model predicts that complete filling will not be possible, whereas experimentally we do obtain complete filling. We then hypothesize that glancing-angle, long-range transport of species may be responsible for the better than predicted filling. To account for the variable range of species transport, we construct a ballistic transport model. This incorporates the incident flux from outside the structure, cosine law re-emission from surfaces, and line-of-sight transport between internal surfaces. We cast the transport probability between all positions within the trench into a matrix that represents the redistribution of flux after one cycle of collisions. Matrix manipulation then affords a computationally efficient means to determine the steady-state flux distribution and growth rate for a given taper angle. The ballistic transport model predicts a deeper position for the peak of the super-conformal growth rate than the diffusion-reaction model, and successfully explains the observation of complete filling. These models can be used to predict the behavior of any system given a small set of kinetic coefficients to describe the growth rate.
Biochemical Markers of Spontaneous Preterm Birth in Asymptomatic Women

Preterm birth is a delivery that occurs at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation and it is associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality. Spontaneous preterm birth accounts for up to 75% of all preterm births. A number of maternal or fetal characteristics have been associated with preterm birth, but the use of individual or group biochemical markers have advanced some of the understanding on the mechanisms leading to spontaneous preterm birth. This paper provides a summary on the current literature on the use of biochemical markers in predicting spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic women. Evidence from the literature suggests fetal fibronectin, cervical interleukin-6, and α-fetoprotein as promising biochemical markers in predicting spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic women. The role of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, as well as epigenetics, has the potential to further elucidate and improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms or pathways of spontaneous preterm birth. Refinement in study design and methodology is needed in future research for the development and validation of individual or group biochemical marker(s) for use independently or in conjunction with other potential risk factors such as genetic variants and environmental and behavioral factors in predicting spontaneous preterm birth across diverse populations.
Strategic Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence

Command, control, communications, and intelligence (C/sup 3/I) for nuclear forces are essential elements in the deterrence of nuclear war. The present C/sup 3/I system has vulnerabilities associated with its reliability, survivability, and endurance under attack, thereby weakening deterrence by increasing the ambiguity in our capabilities. Development of a reliable and enduring C/sup 3/I system would reduce this ambiguity. Its reliable, positive control of nuclear forces would give the national leadership more time to assess situations, ensure discriminate retaliation, and improve our ability to manage crises in general. These capabilities could help to stop a war rapidly should one start. A reliable and enduring C/sup 3/I system will be needed for a long time to come, even if a freeze on strategic nuclear forces is accomplished or other arms-control successes achieved. Indeed, C/sup 3/I may be the best source today of confidence-building measures to reduce tensions and the threat of nuclear catastrophe. 14 references, 5 figures.
Conductivity model and photoacoustic FT-IR surface depth profiling of heterogeneous polymers

Abstract A novel thermal model is developed for surface depth profiling of heterogeneous polymeric surfaces using step-scan photoacoustic Fourier transform (SS PA FT-IR) spectroscopy. This approach is based on the propagation of thermal waves generated during the photoacoustic effect which travel to the film–air (F–A) interface, thus generating acoustic signals above the surface, which upon Fourier transform, result in infrared spectra. The developed model volumetrically slices the surface into finite homogeneous layers parallel to the film–air (F–A) interface and a composition of each i th layer is assumed to be the same, but the layers among themselves ( i th+1 and i th−1) may or may not exhibit compositional changes. Overall thermal properties of the multi-layered surface consist of the sum of in-series connected thermal conductor layers. The proposed model can be utilized to polymeric films containing the following parametrically analyzed inclusions: (1) inclusions with no interphase between the matrix polymeric and (2) inclusions with a finite interphase. This model is flexible, allowing variations of the particle size, shape, and surface/interfacial microstructural changes. It was tested for depths of penetrations in the range of 5–50 μm for carbon black inclusions imbedded into a two-component (2K) polyurethane (PUR) film deposited on acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) substrate. These studies show that the experimental results are consistent with the proposed model, allowing predictions of interphase layers on particles; for example, a 10 nm water layer adsorbed on carbon black particle surfaces can be detected.
Luck, Knowledge, and “Mere” Coincidence

There are good reasons for pursuing a theory of knowledge by way of understanding the connection between knowledge and luck. Not surprisingly, then, there has been a burgeoning of interest in “luck theories” of knowledge as well as in theories of luck in general. Unfortunately, “luck” proves to be as recalcitrant an analysandum as “knows.” While it is well worth pursuing a general theory of luck despite these difficulties, our theory of knowledge might be made more manageable if we could find a more restricted notion that captured the core phenomena of luck that are relevant to whether or not someone knows. This essay makes the attempt to delineate such a notion, called “mere coincidence.”
Summen und Differenzen zweier gleicher Funktionen

Die in § 13 entwickelten Formeln bezogen sich auf Summen und Differenzen von Winkeln. Jetzt soll gezeigt werden, wie man die Summe oder Differenz zweier gleicher Funktionen umformen kann. Von besonderer Wichtigkeit sind die Formeln fur die Summe (Differenz) zweier Sinusoder zweier Kosinusfunktionen.