cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trajectories of Children's Executive Function After Traumatic Brain Injury.

Importance Executive functions are critical for school and social success. Although these functions are adversely affected by pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI), recovery patterns are not well established. Objective To examine 3-year trajectories of selected children’s executive functions after TBI. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective cohort study was conducted from January 22, 2013, to September 30, 2015, with 3-year follow-up at the level I pediatric trauma centers Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas. Study participants included children aged 2 to 15 years with TBI or orthopedic injury (OI) who were treated at the participating hospitals. Children were consecutively recruited and stratified by injury severity and age group. A total of 625 children consented and completed a baseline survey; 559 (89%) children completed at least 1 follow-up and composed the analysis cohort. It was hypothesized that recovery would differ by injury severity, age at injury, and sex. Data analyses were performed from June to October 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Growth curve models examined the pattern of change in the Emotional Control, Inhibit, Working Memory, and Plan-Organize subscales of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) or BRIEF-Preschool. For all BRIEF subscales, higher scores indicate worse symptoms, and a score of 65 or greater represents clinical impairment. Results A total of 559 children (mean [SD] age, 8.6 [4.4] years; 356 boys [64%], 328 non-Hispanic White children [59%]) were included in the study: 155 (28%) children had mild TBI, 162 (29%) had complicated mild or moderate TBI, 90 (16%) had severe TBI, and 152 (27%) had OI. Growth curve trajectories varied by BRIEF subscale and injury severity. Overall, children with TBI did not return to their preinjury baseline, with a stepwise worsening of each outcome at 36 months by TBI severity compared with OI. Among children with severe TBI, trajectories accelerated fastest, indicating increased problems, from injury to 12 months for the Emotional Control (9.0 points; 95% CI, 6.0-11.9 points), Inhibit (3.6 points; 95% CI, 1.6-5.6 points), and Working Memory (7.0 points; 95% CI, 4.1-9.9 points) subscales. Their trajectories plateaued, with a secondary acceleration before 36 months for the Emotional Control and Working Memory subscales. Children with mild TBI had worse 36-month scores on all subscales except Inhibit compared with OI. Recovery patterns were similar for boys and girls. Conclusions and Relevance In this longitudinal cohort study of children with TBI, trajectory analysis revealed that some children worsen after a recovery plateau, suggesting a need for longitudinal reassessment beyond 1 year postinjury.
Advanced Multi-Mode Phase Retrieval For Dispersion Scan

We present a phase retrieval algorithm for dispersion scan (d-scan), inspired by ptychography, which is capable of characterizing multiple mutually-incoherent ultrafast pulses (or modes) in a pulse train simultaneously from a single d-scan trace. In addition, a form of Newton's method is employed as a solution to the square root problem commonly encountered in second harmonic pulse measurement techniques. Simulated and experimental phase retrievals of both single-mode and multi-mode d-scan traces are shown to demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the algorithm.
Perioperative Laboratory Markers as Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection After Elective Hand Surgery.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to test the null hypothesis that there is no association between perioperative laboratory markers (serum albumin and hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]) and incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) after soft tissue upper extremity surgery. METHODS We analyzed patient-level data from a large, insurance-based database containing supplemental laboratory results. We identified patients undergoing soft tissue upper extremity surgery (defined as carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, wrist ganglion excision, cubital tunnel release, Dupuytren partial fasciectomy, or first dorsal compartment release) with serum albumin or HbA1c measurements within 90 days of surgery. We stratified patients into cohorts based on serum albumin concentration (<3.5 g/dL) and HbA1c (≥7%) thresholds. The primary outcome was incidence of SSI within 30 days following surgery. We constructed multivariable logistic regression models to adjust for patient demographics and baseline comorbidities using the Elixhauser comorbidity index. RESULTS Patients with hypoalbuminemia experienced an SSI incidence of 3.5% compared to 0.9% in patients with normal serum albumin. In multivariable analysis, the odds ratio of SSI with hypoalbuminemia was 3.32 (95% CI, 2.32-4.65). Patients with HbA1c ≥ 7% experienced an SSI incidence of 1.1% compared to 0.7% in patients with HbA1c < 7%. Multivariable analysis revealed odds ratios for SSI of 1.47 (95% CI, 1.02-2.11) in patients with HbA1c ≥ 7% compared to those with HbA1c < 7%. CONCLUSIONS Hypoalbuminemia and elevated HbA1c (in patients with diabetes) are risk factors for SSI within 30 days following soft tissue upper extremity surgery. Preoperative measurement of these laboratory markers may be a useful tool for risk stratification and identification of high-risk patients for nutritional or glycemic optimization. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic II.
On the Development of a Tether-based Drone Localization System

This paper proposes an approach for localization of tethered drones using information from the shape of the tether and the vehicles' inertial data. Our approach relies on the fact that, in static or quasi-static conditions, a flexible tether will assume a catenary shape, thus allowing the use of known equations to formulate the localization algorithm. These equations are based on tether variables such as tether length, tension, and azimuth and elevation angles on both endpoints. To deal with uncertainties and to improve localization performance, a sensor fusion algorithm based on the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is applied. In this preliminary validation, we tested our method through experiments with a static real-world tether, and simulations with a drone in slow flight. In both cases, the proposed method successfully estimated positions in the presence of noisy measurements.
Differentially-Private Sublinear-Time Clustering

Clustering is an essential primitive in unsupervised machine learning. We bring forth the problem of sublinear-time differentially-private clustering as a natural and well-motivated direction of research. We combine the $k$ -means and $k$ -median sublinear-time results of Mishra et al. (SODA, 2001) and of Czumaj and Sohler (Rand. Struct. and Algorithms, 2007) with recent results on private clustering of Balcan et al. (ICML 2017), Gupta et al. (SODA, 2010) and Ghazi et al. (NeurIPS, 2020) to obtain sublinear-time private $k$ -means and $k$ -median algorithms via subsampling. We also investigate the privacy benefits of subsampling for group privacy.
Abstract 4221: HSP90 as a therapeutic target in colorectal cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Purpose/Objectives: Activation of PI3K /Akt/ NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway contributes to colorectal cancer cell growth, survival and resistance to therapy. HSP90 is required for PI3K/Akt and MAPK stability, folding and trafficking. Ganetespib is a potent functional inhibitor of HSP90 currently under evaluation in clinical trials. We tested the hypothesis that HSP90 functional inhibition by ganetespib can inhibit PI3K/Akt/ NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in colorectal cell lines. Methods: Two colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines were used, HCT-116 and HT-29. Cells were either untreated (control) or treated with ganetespib at 50nM for 24 hours. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses were carried out to determine the effect of ganetespib on protein molecules involved in cell survival and proliferation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was performed in CRC cells to evaluate the effects of ganetespib on NF-κB activity. A subcutaneous xenograft mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo effects of ganetespib. Results: Treatment of HCT-116 and HT-29 CRC cell lines with ganetespib inhibited survival signaling (PI3K/Akt) and proliferative signaling (MAPK) at the transcriptional and translational level. As validation, HSP90 knockdown similarly inhibited PI3K/Akt and MAPK protein and mRNA levels in both cell lines. Functional inhibition of HSP90 resulted in inhibition of PI3K/Akt and MAPK transcription. Functional inhibition or down regulation of HSP90 was associated with inhibition of NF-κB trafficking (downregulation of NF-κB in nucleus). Ganetespib sensitized colon cancer cell lines to the effects of oxaliplatin and 5FU. Similar effects were also observed in tumors from animals treated with ganetespib. Conclusion: In this study, we present in vitro and animal data supporting the targeting of HSP90 as a method to inhibit the PI3K/Akt/ NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in colorectal cancer. We demonstrate that inhibition of HSP90 downregulates PI3K/Akt/ NF-κB and MAPK leading to a decrease in colon cancer cell survival and proliferation, as well as sensitization to chemotherapy. Combining HSP90 inhibitors with chemotherapy is a rational approach for future drug development in colorectal cancer. Citation Format: Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju, Field F. Willingham, Kevin E. Woods, Patrick Sullivan, Jerome C. Landry, Roberto Diaz, Bassel F. El-Rayes. HSP90 as a therapeutic target in colorectal cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4221. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4221
Baseline Testing of Ultracapacitors for the Next Generation Launch Technology (Nglt) Project

The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center initiated baseline testing of ultracapacitors for the Next Generation Launch Transportation (NGLT) project to obtain empirical data for determining the feasibility of using ultracapacitors for the project. There are large transient loads associated with NGLT that require either a very large primary energy source or an energy storage system. The primary power source used for these tests is a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The energy storage system can consist of devices such as batteries, flywheels, or ultracapacitors. Ultracapacitors were used for these tests. Ultracapacitors are ideal for applications such as NGLT where long life, maintenance-free operation, and excellent low-temperature performance is essential. State-of-the-art symmetric ultracapacitors were used for these tests. The ultracapacitors were interconnected in an innovative configuration to minimize interconnection impedance. PEM fuel cells provide excellent energy density, but not good power density. Ultracapacitors provide excellent power density, but not good energy density. The combination of PEM fuel cells and ultracapacitors provides a power source with excellent energy density and power density. The life of PEM fuel cells is shortened significantly by large transient loads. Ultracapacitors used in conjunction with PEM fuel cells reduce the transient loads applied to the fuel cell, and thus appreciably improves its life. PEM fuel cells were tested with and without ultracapacitors, to determine the benefits of ultracapacitors. The report concludes that the implementation of symmetric ultracapacitors in the NGLT power system can provide significant improvements in power system performance and reliability.
Abstract 634: Combination chemotherapy significantly reduces indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity in NSCLC patients

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Heterogeneity and immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) has dampened the efficacy of current frontline combination chemotherapies for lung cancer which has provided limited improvement in patient survival. Modified amino acid metabolism in the TME contributes to lung cancer progression and suppression of anti-tumor immunity. Enhanced tryptophan metabolism in primary lung cancer patients is indicative of advanced disease stage. One of the key regulators of tryptophan metabolism is an intracellular, heme-containing enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). IDO catabolizes the breakdown of tryptophan into a toxic, immunosuppressive metabolite, L-Kynurenine (L-Kyn). Induction of IDO and accumulation of its metabolite correlates with poor prognosis and overall patient survival. We hypothesized that IDO enzymatic activity would be elevated in lung cancer patients compared to normal healthy controls. We predicted that combination chemotherapy strategies would modulate serum levels of L-Kyn and IDO activity in the immune compartment of lung cancer patients. Using an IDO enzymatic activity assay to measure the production of L-Kyn, we demonstrate that prior to receiving combination chemotherapies, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients (n=11) display significantly elevated levels of this immunosuppressive serum metabolite compared to healthy relatives (n=8) (Student's t-test p=0.000087; Paired Means p=0.0001). Following the second cycle of treatment, serum L-Kyn was reduced significantly (Student's t-test p=0.023; Paired Means p=0.043) in a subset of patients (n=3 of 5) suggesting response to chemotherapy, but these post-treatment levels remained elevated overall compared to healthy relatives. Additionally, greater levels of IDO enzymatic activity were observed in circulating immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells from NSCLC patients and peripheral blood mononuclear cells prior to receiving combination chemotherapy compared to those from healthy relatives. These preliminary studies suggest that the IDO enzymatic pathway and tryptophan metabolism may serve as important therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers in predicting clinical outcomes of combination chemotherapies in the treatment of NSCLC in humans. Citation Format: Cara C. Schafer, Yong Wang, Anandi Sawant, Tong Huan Jin, Selvarangan Ponnazhagan, Stefan C. Grant, Jessy S. Deshane. Combination chemotherapy significantly reduces indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity in NSCLC patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 634. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-634
Strategy for modeling flow diverters in cerebral aneurysms as a porous medium.

SUMMARY Simulations using the patient-specific geometry of the aneurysm may help in a better planning of the treatment and in a consequent reduction of the associated risks. We propose, evaluate, and implement a methodology for the simulation of flow diverter (FD) devices in intracranial aneurysms by using a porous medium method (PMM), which greatly reduces the computational cost of these simulations compared with immersed method (IMM) approaches used to model complex FDs. The method relies on parameters from an empirical correlation derived from experimental observations in wire screens, consistent with CFD simulations. The verification of our PMM strategy was carried out by comparing the results of simulations in different (patient-specific) geometries and FDs, to those obtained under identical conditions by the IMM. Overall, both quantitative and qualitative results are consistent between IMM and PMM in cases where the local porosity remains roughly uniform throughout the neck, with differences in the reduction of the observables lower than 10%. This PMM strategy is up to 10 times faster than the IMM, which allows for a runtime of hours instead of days, bringing it closer for its application in the clinic. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling learners as individuals and as groups

Adaptive navigation support normally attempts to make selecting a relevant hyperlink as easy as possible. However, in educational applications, this may have negative learning effects since selecting a link is sometimes an important educational problem for the student to solve. To provide appropriate scaffolding to students, it is necessary to understand how they navigate in hypermedia sites. By grouping students with similar conceptual (mis)understanding we were able to uncover a small set of characteristic navigation patterns, and to demonstrate that students with similar conceptual understanding have similar navigation patterns.
Continental margin tectonics - Forearc processes

Recent studies of convergent plate margins and the structural development of forearc terranes are summarized in a critical review of U.S. research from the period 1987-1990. Topics addressed include the geometry of accretionary prisms (Coulomb wedge taper and vertical motion in response to tectonic processes), offscraping vs underplating or subduction, the response to oblique convergence, fluids in forearc settings, the thermal framework and the effects of fluid advection, and serpentinite seamounts. Also included is a comprehensive bibliography for the period.
Water resource requirements of corn-based ethanol

[1] Ethanol derived from fermentation of corn is a very water-intensive product with water to ethanol mass ratios of 927 to 1178 and volumetric ratios of 1174 to 1492 for the major rainfed corn-growing U.S. states of Illinois and Iowa and the leading irrigated corn-growing state of Nebraska, respectively. Over 99% of water requirements are for growing corn feed stocks, with 99% of that amount in Illinois and Iowa, occurring as evapotranspiration of rainfall in corn fields, and 60% as evapotranspiration of applied irrigation water in Nebraska. As a rough measure of water quality impacts, 65.5 g N, 23.8 g P, and 1.03 g of pesticides are applied, and 4.8 kg of soil is eroded per liter of ethanol produced. These results add to knowledge on corn-based ethanol's low net energy balance and high carbon footprint by demonstrating the high water resource intensity of corn-based ethanol production.
Austerity and Anti-Systemic Protest: Bringing Hardships Back In

This article explores the relationship between hardships and protest in the world-system. Despite the history of discussion of anti-systemic protest, there has been little work that differentiates world-systems contributions to social movement research from others who examine social movements. We contribute to a theory of anti-systemic protest by re-introducing hardships as a crucial element that defines inequalities in the world-system; one consistent source of those hardships are austerity policies imposed in response to debt negotiations. In addition to our path analyses which demonstrate the clear link of hardships and protest, our case studies provide further historical analysis on when globalization, political openings, and long-term hardships also help explain the occasion of protest.
Intertemporal pricing of new products: Incentivizing consumer learning and inertia

When a new brand is launched, consumers are initially both uncertain of and not inertial to the new brand. Though these barriers may disappear on their own over time, a savvy brand manager who knows the relative importance of both can use relevant marketing levers to increase profits in the long run. This paper studies exactly these barriers and measures their relative effects on the launch of new brands. In particular, I focus on how the new brand's optimal prices are affected intertemporally in order to pin down which effect is larger. I start with evidence that prices for new products are indeed atypically low compared to later in their life cycle and compared to mature products. Motivated by this, I try to isolate the effects of consumer learning and inertia through a simple yet flexible structural model of demand. For simplicity, I limit the consumer learning and inertia processes to only be affected by actual purchases. As a practical example, I estimate this model using data from the yogurt category which includes purchases before and after the entry of Chobani. In counterfactuals, I find optimal prices in scenarios with different parameters for consumer learning or inertia. These counterfactuals reveal that, for Chobani, incentivizing consumer loyalty is the larger motivation for the firm to price low at launch. Though I only estimate and simulate one brand launch, the methodology for studying these relative effects is generally useful for any brand manager seeking to incentivize consumer learning or inertia for new brands.
Guía Etnográfica de la Alta Amazonía, vol. 1 (Mai Huna, Yagua, Ticuna)

Guia Etnografica de la Alta Amazonia, vol. (Mai Huna, Yagua, Ticuna). Fernando Santos and Frederica Barclay. eds. Quito: Facultad Latinamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) and Instituto Frances de Estudios Andinos (IFEA), 1994.456 pp.
Structural analysis of the toroidal field coils for the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT)

The toroidal field (TF) coils for the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT) have undergone numerous design iterations. The ongoing structural analysis of the present bucked TF design configuration is described. The modeling techniques and load generation, which rely heavily on the TF systems code, are also described. Results for the GlidCop (AL-15) conductor baseline design are presented. Problem areas are identified, and the tradeoffs which are underway are discussed. Current design allowances are presented and discussed. >
Identifying Rural Tourism Markets: A Practical Tool

ABSTRACT Product attributes of rural tourism are inherently green, and have the potential to appeal to the increasingly overstretched consumers who are in search for a personalized response to their need for physical, emotional, and social appreciation in a simpler environment. The same consumers also become more independent, involved, and discriminatory in the destination selection process. Despite their rich green assets, rural communities face marketing challenges in both financial and human resource terms in the highly competitive tourism marketplace. This study introduces a five-step practical tool that rural destinations can affordably use to engage in a critical marketing task of identifying viable segments of driving market. The tool was developed by applying the geographic concepts of distance decay and clock directions to examine the tourists' movement from their generating places to a rural destination. The tool's validity was statistically tested in exponential, logarithm, inverse, and cubic r...
ARVO Annual Meeting 2008: Visual Prostheses Research

The first visual prostheses were conceived approximately 40 years ago, but interest in the field of artificial vision has particularly increased over the last 10–15 years. Recent progress in microtechnology has made it possible to envision extremely small and highly integrated neurostimulators dedicated to restoring some useful vision to blind patients. A number of research groups – essentially multidisciplinary consortia – are presently working on projects aiming at the development of a visual prosthesis stimulating either surviving retinal neurons, fibers of the optic nerve or the visual cortex itself. The annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is one of the largest ophthalmic research events and provides an excellent update of current work. Approximately 15 years ago, research on visual prostheses was practically unreported at ARVO. Nowadays, there are numerous presentations and several sessions on the topic. At this year’s ARVO meeting, artificial vision was ...
Calculation of the 8S7/2 zero-field splitting for Gd3+-doped LaF3.

Calculations, based on crystal-field theory, are presented for the zero-field ground-state ${(}^{8}$${\mathrm{S}}_{7/2}$) splitting of ${\mathrm{Gd}}^{3+}$-doped ${\mathrm{LaF}}_{3}$ (single crystal). These agree, within experimental error, with those measured by EPR. This is the first case where a small (ground-state) zero-field splitting for ${\mathrm{Gd}}^{3+}$ can be explained through crystal-field theory alone, the results being in agreement with the excited-state splittings.
Motion analysis of grammatical processes in a visual-gestural language (abstract only)

Movement of the hands and arms through space is an essential element both in the lexical structure of American Sign Language (ASL), and, most strikingly, in the grammatical structure of ASL: it is in patterned changes of the movement of signs that many grammatical attributes are represented. These grammatical attributes occur as an isolable superimposed layer of structure, as demonstrated by the accurate identification by deaf signers of these attributes presented only as dynamic point-light displays. Three-dimensional computer graphic analyses were applied in two domains, to quantify the nature of the 'phonological' (formational) distinctions underlying the structure of grammatical processes in ASL. In the first, we show that for one 'phonological' opposition, evenness/unevenness of movement, a ratio of maximum velocities throughout the movement perfectly captures the linguistic classification of forms along this dimension. In the second, we map out a two-dimensional visual-articulatory space that captures in terms of signal properties, relevant relationships among movement forms that were independently posited as linguistically relevant. The fact that we are finding direct correspondences between properties of the signal and properties of the 'phonological' system in sign language, may arise in part because in sign languages, unlike in spoken languages, the movements of the articulators themselves are directly observable, and, also in part, because of the predominantly layered 'phonological' organization of sign language.
Estimating Family Planning Program Effects on U.S. Fertility Rates

An evaluation was undertaken of the effects on U. S. fertility rates of the national family planning program. 1968-1969 family planning enrollment data were linked to 1970 census data in the same areas to derive an objective measure of the impact of organized clinical family planning programs on the 1969-70 fertility rates of subgroups of women defined by age race marital status economic status and racial composition of their area. Multivariate modelling was used to control for spurious effects of irrelevant variables. Results of the multivariate modelling show significant reductions of marital fertility among the low socioeconomic groups served by the program; no effects were exhibited by groups not served. Cumulative fertility of all groups black and white at all age and socioeconomic levels was affected by the program. A plausible explanation for these results lies in antecedent factors which led to the presence or absence of family planning clinics in any particular area in 1969 and its 1969 enrollment level. Communities more favorably disposed to provision of birth control services would have been more likely than other areas to apply for federal funding of family planning programs when it became available in the middle 1960s. Due to an earlier start their programs were flourishing by 1969.
Isolation of fungi by standard laboratory methods in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objectives/Hypothesis Allergic fungal sinusitis and the role of fungi in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis are topics of interest and controversy in rhinology. The classification of chronic rhinosinusitis as either a bacterial infection or an allergic (eosinophilic) reaction to fungi has significant implications for treatment of this disease process. We designed a study to determine whether standard isolation techniques, as employed in a university hospital mycology laboratory, could isolate and identify fungi in the intraoperative specimens from patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis. Study Design Forty-five random patients with a diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis by clinical and computed tomography criteria underwent endoscopic sinus surgery during 2001, performed by two senior surgeons (j.b.j., r.a.l.). Specimens of mucin, sinus secretions, and/or tissue were obtained intraoperatively and sent to the New York University Medical Center (New York, NY) mycology laboratory for isolation and identification of fungi. Methods Specimens were treated with Sputolysin and chloramphenicol; plated on Sabouraud, ChromAgar/Candida, Mycosel, and Niger seed agar plates; and incubated at 30°C (or 37°C) for up to 1 month. Results We were able to demonstrate the presence of fungi in 56% of intraoperative specimens obtained from patients undergoing surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis. Conclusions Using a standard hospital mycology laboratory protocol, which is relatively inexpensive and readily available, fungus can be isolated from a majority of patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis. Educational statement: Discuss the possible role of fungus in chronic rhinosinusitis and evaluate the efficacy of documenting the presence of fungus in a routine fashion to encourage clinically relevant directed treatments.)
Semiclassical Methods in Chemical Physics

Semiclassical theory finds use in chemical physics both as a computational method and as a conceptual framework for interpreting quantum features in experiments and in numerical quantum calculations. The semiclassical description of one-dimensional dynamical systems is essentially a solved problem for eigenvalue and scattering situations and for general topologies of potential functions (simple potential wells, multiple wells, multiple barriers, and so forth). Considerable progress has also been made in generalizing semiclassical theory to multidimensional dynamical systems (such as inelastic and reactive scattering of atoms and molecules and vibrational energy levels of polyatomic molecules), and here, too, it provides a useful picture of quantum features (interference in product state distribution, generalized tunneling phenomena, and others) in these more complex systems.
Sinusitis complicated by dural sinus thrombosis and Streptococcus pneumoniae endocarditis: A case report and review of the literature

Streptococcus pneumoniae endocarditis is most commonly associated with pneumonia. It is relatively uncommon disease but its severity makes it clinically relevant. We present a case and review of sinusitis complicated by both pneumococcal endocarditis and cavernous sinus thrombosis. Both endocarditis and dural sinus thrombosis are known complications of facial infections. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of both S. pneumoniae endocarditis and dural sinus thrombosis complicating sinusitis. A case report and review of the literature is presented.
The Physician-Delivered Smoking Intervention Project: factors that determine how much the physician intervenes with smokers

Objective: To determine factors that affect how much physicians trained to use a patient-centered smoking intervention intervene with their smoking patients. Design: Forty internal medicine residents and ten internal medicine attending physicians trained in a patient-centered counseling approach were randomized to an algorithm condition (provision of intervention algorithm at each patient visit) or a no-algorithm condition. Smoking intervention steps used by physicians with patients were assessed with Patient Exit Interviews (PEIs). Setting: Ambulatory clinic; academic medical center. Patients: Five hundred twenty-seven adult smokers seen in clinic between June 1990 and April 1992. Main results: There was no difference in overall PEI scores or in individual PEI steps taken between the algorithm and no-algorithm conditions. Two patient baseline factors (reporting thinking of stopping smoking within six months and higher Fagerstrom Tolerance Score) and one physician factor (older age) were significantly predictive of higher PEI score. Conclusion: Provision of an intervention algorithm at each patient visit does not increase the likelihood that trained physicians who are cued to intervene will perform more of the intervention steps taught. Trained physicians are more likely to intervene with smokers who are more nicotine-dependent and who expect and desire to stop smoking.
Instantaneous slip rates from geology and geodesy

SUMMARY We develop a new method for analysing fault slip-rate data sets. The method converts long- and short-term rate estimates derived from geological and geodetic data into estimates for temporally localized rate averages. These averages provide the closest approximation to the instantaneous slip-rate history afforded by the given data. The method provides a means of quantitatively comparing and contrasting results obtained by different measurement techniques that fully accounts for the possibility of temporal variations in slip rate. We demonstrate the utility of the method using numerical simulations representing rate variations over late Pleistocene, and Holocene timescales. We find that a typical slip-rate data set comprising geodetic, palaeoseismologic, geomorphologic and/or structural geological constraints allows for reconstruction of instantaneous slip-rate history with resolution that decreases with time before present. Resolution for recent time periods (≤100 ka) is fairly high. The method should be useful for studies of the earthquake cycle and earthquake recurrence, repartitioning of slip rates within broad plate boundary zone fault systems over long-time intervals, and related problems, and could also be useful for identifying possible discrepancies arising from invalid assumptions and other model errors associated with the estimation of slip rates from basic geological and geodetic observables.
Less experienced mathematics teachers report what is wrong with their professional support system

Teachers with seven years of teaching experience or less (n = 10) participating in a large‐scale mathematics professional development program in the United States were interviewed. The goal of this qualitative study was to better understand less experienced teachers' reactions to professional development and professional support in the teaching profession. The interview data ­indicate that these less experienced mathematics teachers are not satisfied with their mentors orcollaboration in their department and would welcome opportunities for classroom observations. In addition, these teachers were disappointed and surprised at their more experienced peers' lack of mathematics content knowledge. The results of this study have direct implications for the structure and philosophy for professional development to better serve incoming and less experienced teachers.
Patient-Specific Finite Element Analysis of Femoral Giant Cell Tumor Reconstructed Using Locking Plate System

Giant cell tumor (GCT) is a benign bone tumor that usually involves the end of long bone in young adults. GCT is locally aggressive, weakens the bone and can lead to pathologic fracture [1, 2]. Clinically, GCT is removed and the defect is reconstructed with bone cement, sometimes enhanced with intramedullary pins. However, there was no significant biomechanical advantage to using a cement plus pin construct over cement alone; clinical outcomes of both reconstruction methods were controversial [3–5]. While locking plates were recently adopted for GCT reconstruction, no biomechanics analysis has been performed to indicate its advantage over the cement alone or cement plus pin reconstruction. In this study we developed patient specific finite element (FE) models to compare the mechanical strengths of GCT reconstructed using cement alone and cement plus locking plate.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The cockroach genus Pycnoscelus Scudder, with a description of Pycnoscelus femapterus, sp. nov. (Blattaria: Blaberidae: Pycnoscelinae)

Abstract The blaberid cockroach genus Pycnoscelus Scudder is rediagnosed. Descriptive remarks and a key are given for most of the known species. Pycnoscelus femapterus, sp. nov., from Burma, Java, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, is described; it is the only Pycnoscelus known in which the female lacks tegmina and wings and resembles a nymph.
Differential binding of sodium dodecyl sulfate to amino acids as evidenced by elution from Sephadex.

Summary An effective separation of basic and aromatic from acidic and neutral amino acids can be affected by chromatography on Sephadex G-25 in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate-formic acid. Compounds such as glucosamine, proline, and alanine elute in a region intermediate between these classes of amino acids. Evidence is presented, using 35S-sodium dodecyl sulfate, that the sodium dodecyl sulfate and amino acids interact to form micelles or aggregates that differ in size to an extent which enables them to be separated by gel exclusion chromatography. This interaction may reflect the degree to which amino acids influence the binding of sodium dodecyl sulfate to proteins.
Characterization of common path phase sensing for nulling interferometry

Presented is the design of a nulling interferometer testbed which is capable of maintaining the suppression of a broadband, infrared source in the presence of external perturbations. Pathlength stability is accomplished by introducing a dispersive phase shift which allows light at a SWIR band to be used as a wavefront sensor to stabilize the nulled output of a broadband MWIR channel. Since both channels are common path, fluctuations in OPD observed with the wavefront sensor directly correlate to fluctuations of the nulling passband. Results obtained from the testbed will be useful to future nulling interferometers such as the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer and the Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer which are currently being designed to aid in the search for earth-like planets outside our solar system.
Qualitative Research: Contributions to the Study of Drug Use, Drug Abuse, and Drug Use(r)-Related Interventions

This article describes how qualitative social science research has and can contribute to the emerging field of drug and alcohol studies. An eight-stage model of formative-reformative research is presented as a heuristic to outline the different ways in which qualitative research may be used to better understand micro and macro dimensions of drug use and distribution; more effectively design, monitor and evaluate drug use(r)-related interventions; and address the politics of drug/drug program representation. Tobacco is used as an exemplar to introduce the reader to the range of research issues that a qualitative researcher may focus upon during the initial stage of formative research. Ethnographic research on alcohol use among Native Americans is highlighted to illustrate the importance of closely examining ethnicity as well as class when investigating patterns of drug use. To familiarize the reader with qualitative research, we describe the range of methods commonly employed and the ways in which qualitative research may complement as well as contribute to quantitative research. In describing the later stages of the formative-reformative process, we consider both the use of qualitative research in the evaluation and critical assessment of drug use(r)-intervention programs, and the role of qualitative research in critically assessing the politics of prevention programs. Finally, we discuss the challenges faced by qualitative researchers when engaging in transdisciplinary research.
Wiggle-predicting functionally flexible regions from primary sequence.

The Wiggle series are support vector machine–based predictors that identify regions of functional flexibility using only protein sequence information. Functionally flexible regions are defined as regions that can adopt different conformational states and are assumed to be necessary for bioactivity. Many advances have been made in understanding the relationship between protein sequence and structure. This work contributes to those efforts by making strides to understand the relationship between protein sequence and flexibility. A coarse-grained protein dynamic modeling approach was used to generate the dataset required for support vector machine training. We define our regions of interest based on the participation of residues in correlated large-scale fluctuations. Even with this structure-based approach to computationally define regions of functional flexibility, predictors successfully extract sequence-flexibility relationships that have been experimentally confirmed to be functionally important. Thus, a sequence-based tool to identify flexible regions important for protein function has been created. The ability to identify functional flexibility using a sequence based approach complements structure-based definitions and will be especially useful for the large majority of proteins with unknown structures. The methodology offers promise to identify structural genomics targets amenable to crystallization and the possibility to engineer more flexible or rigid regions within proteins to modify their bioactivity.
Detector Performance Characterization for High Sensitivity Single-Photon Imaging

We are developing detectors for an un-collimated scanner for very high sensitivity single-photon imaging. The scanner consists of two large, thin, closely spaced, pixelated scintillation detectors of either thallium-doped sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)), sodium-doped cesium iodide (CsI(Na)), or bismuth germanate (BGO). The scintillator arrays are interchangeable to optimize performance for a wide range of isotope energies and imaging subjects. For each scintillator, flood histograms were obtained utilizing test gamma sources: $^{109}{\rm Cd}$ , $^{241}{\rm Am}$ , $^{57}{\rm Co}$ , $^{133}{\rm Ba}$ , $^{137}{\rm Cs}$ , $^{22}{\rm Na}$ , and beta source $^{32}{\rm Si}$ . Using a 3 mm thick $21 \times 41$ NaI(Tl) pixelated array ( $2~\hbox{mm} \times 2~\hbox{mm} $ pixels on a 2.2 mm pitch), read out by two adjacent Hamamatasu H8500 multi-channel photomultiplier tubes (MCPMTs), the energy resolution for $^{57}{\rm Co}$ was 12.2% over the center of the MCPMTs and 45.3% for pixels over the gap, with flood histogram peak-to-valley ratios $ > \!\!\!\!6.1$ for the center of the MCPMTs and $ > \!\!\!\!4.2$ for the gap between the two MCPMTs. The NaI(Tl) detector consistently produced peak-to-valley ratios of $ >\!\!\!\! 1.6$ in the center of the MCPMTs for all radioisotopes studied. CsI(Na) and BGO detectors had flood histograms of similar quality to NaI(Tl) at intermediate to high-energies, allowing for optimal imaging across a wide energy range. The measured sensitivity for point sources placed 10 mm from the detector approached 35% for low-energy isotopes and all scintillator materials, which results in an expected system sensitivity (two opposing detectors) of $ \sim \!\!70\%$ for these isotopes. The 5 mm thick BGO arrays had the greatest efficiency for high-energy isotopes due to the increased stopping power of this material. The measured spatial resolution for $^{99{\rm m}} {\rm Tc}$ for the CsI(Na) detector (1.6 mm pitch) was 7.5 mm FWHM at the aluminum entrance window (1.5 mm from scintillator face), decreasing to 15 mm at a distance of 5 mm from the scintillator face. The NaI(Tl) detector showed similar spatial resolution. This spatial resolution is sufficient for imaging well-localized radiotracer distributions in thin objects, and the very high sensitivity can be used for fast dynamic imaging, or imaging using very low injected doses.
Changes in antigenicity of Trypanosoma lewisi during the course of infection in rats.

SYNOPSIS. In rats infected with T. lewisi, 2 morphologically distinct forms of the trypanosome occur. By means of the immunodiffusion technic several antigenic differences between the 2 forms were observed. The time course in the antigenic and morphologic changes is somewhat different. The antigenic change from young to adult forms is gradual. It starts 12 days after infection and is complete in 14 days, 3 to 5 days after the morphologic appearance of the trypanosomes is that of adult forms. In addition, there appear to be 2 separate stages of young forms when they are analyzed for antigenic composition.
Case study : deterioration, autism, and recovery in two siblings

Two siblings whose functioning deteriorated in the second year of life met criteria for autism. They recovered after a form of behavior modification that was successful in a previous study. Follow-up of that study and of the siblings demonstrated that recovery was enduring. It is hypothesized that such therapy succeeds by modifying a still-plastic neural circuitry.
Projective limits of probability spaces

Abstract The classical Kolmogorov theorem on the existence of stochastic process has been generalized in several directions following its abstract formulation by Bochner. In the first half of the paper a unified exposition of the key results of the existing work is given. The second half consists of some characterizations of the projective systems admitting projective limits and some applications. The latter include a generalization of a theorem of Tulcea on product measures involving conditional probabilities, which now need not be regular, and a characterization of the regular martingale of Chow and Snell, as a particular projective system admitting the projective limit. Comparisons with other work and some pertinent remarks are included at several places.
Computer methods and ecological validity in reading research

Computer-based procedures for obtaining word-by-word reading times are evaluated in terms of criteria for basic research and for ecologically valid research. Ecological validity can sometimes compromise experimental designs that should control extraneous variables or separate confounded factors. Two reading paradigms that were developed for basic research on linguistic coding mechanisms are also shown to meet many of the criteria for ecological validity.
The Tenuous Hold of China Inc. in Africa

Although China's Africa strategy has yielded an impressive slate of successes recently, a closer inspection suggests a fundamental underlying problem: it depends on an increasing number of bureaucratic principals and corporate agents whose contradictions are likely to increase.
Characteristics of accounting programs: A survey of students' perceptions

Abstract The American Accounting Association (AAA) has recommended that accounting programs have certain characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to determine (a) if a selected sample of accounting students feel that those characteristics are present in their accounting programs, and (b) if there is a relationship between demographic characteristics and student perceptions of accounting program characteristics. Three hundred and twenty-five accounting students responded to a survey questionnaire about their accounting education. In general, students believe that professors and their accounting classes provide the learning experiences called for by the AAA. However, there are several specific areas where additional efforts are needed. The analysis also isolated several attitudinal differences based on the demographic characteristics of the students and their schools.