cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflux as a cause of tracheoesophageal puncture failure

Objective: To evaluate the response to empiric reflux management in treatment of tracheoesophageal punctures (TEP) failures. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with failed TEP was performed (n = 37). Only those patients without any documented anatomic cause for failure (n = 22) were then further reviewed to determine if empiric treatment for reflux improved voicing. Evidence of reflux was determined by either using video flexible scope of the neopharynx, barium swallows, 24-hour pH probes, and /or transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE). In 13 of 22 patients who had voicing difficulties and no evidence of reflux on these tests, empiric treatment with antireflux medications had been documented. The 22 patients were closely monitored to determine the role of reflux therapy and subsequent voicing outcomes. Results: Of the 22 patients studied, 9 were noted to have granulation tissue on the tracheal side of the prosthesis. All nine patients had complete resolution of the granulation tissue after antireflux treatment, and seven of nine were able to voice again. Of the patients with no obvious reason for TEP failure who were empirically treated for reflux, 62% (8 of 13) had TEP voice after treatment. Seventy-seven percent of our patients (17 of 22) had a positive response to treatment with aggressive reflux therapy. Conclusions: Previous studies have demonstrated patients with a total laryngectomy and/or radiation therapy have increased reflux. This study addresses reflux as a potential cause of TEP voicing problems. We noted 41% (9 of 22) of patients with voicing difficulties had granulation tissue surrounding the prosthesis as a result of reflux. Aggressive antireflux therapy proved beneficial in eradicating this problem. Prophylactic antireflux therapy may be warranted for patients undergoing TEP to reduce voicing problems. Laryngoscope, 119:121–125, 2009
Experiments testing the abatement of radiation damage in D-xylose isomerase crystals with cryogenic helium.

Helium is a more efficient cryogen than nitrogen, and for macromolecular data collection at high-flux beamlines will deliver lower temperatures. An open-flow helium cryostat developed at the University of Toledo (the Pinkerton Device) has been used for macromolecular data collection. This device differs from standard commercial He cryostats by having a much narrower aperture providing a high velocity stream of He around the crystal that maximizes convective and conductive heat exchange between the crystal and the cryogen. This paper details a series of experiments conducted at the IMCA-CAT 17ID beamline using one crystal for each experimental condition to examine whether helium at 16 K provided better radiation-damage abatement compared with nitrogen at 100 K. These studies used matched high-quality crystals (0.94 A diffraction resolution) of d-xylose isomerase derived from the commercial material Gensweet SGI. Comparisons show that helium indeed abates the indicators of radiation damage, in this case resulting in longer crystal diffractive lifetimes. The overall trend suggests that crystals maintain order and that high-resolution data are less affected by increased radiation load when crystals are cooled with He rather than N2. This is probably the result of a lower effective temperature at the crystal with concomitant reduction in free-radical diffusion. Other features, such as an apparent phase transition in macromolecular crystals at lower temperatures, require investigation to broaden the utility of He use.
The relationship between plasma testosterone and mean LH levels in men.

We have studied the relationship between plasma testosterone and LH levels in normal men and in men with azoospermia due to primary testicular disorders. The degree of variability of the plasma testosterone was first quantitated and a good correlation (r = .908) was found between a single plasma testosterone and the mean over the 3-h period. The testosterone and mean LH levels were then found to be correlated in azoospermic men, though not in normal men. The correlation was virtually identical whether calculated from the testosterone concentration (r = 0.653) or from its logarithm (r = 0.631). The curvilinear plot of log testosterone vs. LH best fitted the data found in profoundly hypoandrogenic men. This curve seems to describe the testosterone-LH dose-response relationship. The variance of the data was not reduced by analysis of plasma free testosterone or of total androgen levels. There was a correlation between LH and FSH, but none between LH and serum estrogen levels. The slope of the curve relating ...
Multiple-dose study of imipenem/cilastatin in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing long-term hemodialysis

Multiple doses of imipenem/cilastatin were administered to patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing long-term hemodialysis. Schedules of 250 mg every six hours, 500 mg every six hours, and 500 mg every 12 hours were studied. Five hundred mg every 12 hours was the most efficient schedule that maintained effective trough antibiotic activity. Twelve volunteers including two patients with clinical infections using the dose schedule of 500 mg every 12 hours received imipenem/cilastatin for two to 14 days without any notable clinical side effects. Imipenem peak and trough concentrations averaged 29 +/- 5 micrograms/ml and 10 +/- 3 micrograms/ml, respectively. No accumulation of imipenem occurred during the trial. Cilastatin peak and trough concentrations were 89 +/- 38 micrograms/ml and 70 +/- 27 micrograms/ml, respectively. The plasma concentration of cilastatin increased with each dose until the next hemodialysis session.
15-mer DNA duplexes containing an abasic site are thermodynamically more stable with adjacent purines than with pyrimidines.

Abasic site (AP)-containing duplexes, with flanking adenine (A) or cytosine (C) bases, were shown to be more stable with flanking A than with C bases [Sagi, J., Hang, B., and Singer, B. (1999) Chem...
BALLOON CATHETER DILATATION OF ALIMENTARY TRACT STRICTURES IN THE DOG AND CAT

Application of a technique using a Gruntzig balloon dilatation catheter for the treatment of alimentary tract strictures in two dogs and two cats is described. Three of the patients responded favorably, as evidenced by no regurgitation or dysphagia when maintained on a gruel-type diet, weight gain, and resolution of obstipation in the patient with structure of a jejunocolonic anastomosis. Three to five dilatations were done on each animal. No complications attributable to the technique were observed in three animals, with follow-up periods of 9, 16, and 17 months. The fourth animal initially responded to balloon dilatation of the esophagus but ultimately required surgical intervention.
Usefulness of providing physicians the results of risk factor assessments and treatment recommendations at discharge after coronary artery bypass grafting.

stable versus unstable coronary syndromes: an intravascular ultrasound study. Circulation 1998;98(suppl I):I-368. 17. Dangas G, Mintz, GS, Mehran R, Lansky AJ, Kornowski R, Pichard AD, Satler LF, Kent KM, Stone GW, Leon MB. Preintervention arterial remodeling as an independent predictor of target lesion revascularization after non-stent coronary intervention. An analysis of 777 lesions with intravascular ultrasound imaging. Circulation 1999;99:3149–3154. 18. Popma JJ, Bashore TD. Qualitative and quantitative angiography. In: Topol E, ed. Textbook of Interventional Cardiology. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1994: 1052–1068. 19. Fuessl RT, Mintz GS, Pichard AD, Kent KM, Satler LF, Popma JJ, Leon MB. In vivo validation of intravascular ultrasound length measurements using a motorized transducer pullback device. Am J Cardiol 1996;77:1115–1118. 20. Tobis JM, Mallery J, Mahon D, Lehmann K, Zalesky P, Griffith J, Gessert J, Moriuchi M, McRae M, Dwyer ML, Greep N, Henry WL. Intravascular ultrasound imaging of human coronary arteries in vivo: analysis of tissue characteristics with comparison to in vivo histologic specimens. Circulation 1991;83:913– 926. 21. Nishimura RA, Edwards WD, Warnes CA, Reeder GS, Holmes DR Jr, Tajik AJ, Yock PG. Intravascular ultrasound imaging: in vitro validation and pathologic correlation. J Am Coll Cardiol 1990;16:145–154. 22. Potkin BN, Bartorelli AL, Gessert JM, Neville R, Almagor Y, Roberts WC, Leon MB. Coronary artery imaging with intravascular high-frequency ultrasound. Circulation 1990;81:1575–1585. 23. Mallery JA, Tobis JM, Griffith J, Gessert J, McRae M, Moussabeck O, Bessen M, Moriuchi M, Henry WL. Assessment of normal and atherosclerotic arterial wall thickness with an intravascular ultrasound imaging catheter. Am Heart J 1990;119:1392–1400.
Limited added utility of performing follow-up contrast-enhanced CT in patients undergoing initial non-enhanced CT for evaluation of flank pain in the emergency department

In our emergency department (ED), patients with flank pain often undergo non-enhanced computed tomography (NECT) to assess for nephroureteral (NU) stone. After immediate image review, decision is made regarding need for subsequent contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) to help assess for other causes of pain. This study aimed to review the experience of a single institution with this protocol and to assess the utility of CECT. Over a 6 month period, we performed a retrospective analysis on ED patients presenting with flank pain undergoing CT for a clinical diagnosis of nephroureterolithiasis. Patients initially underwent abdominopelvic NECT. The interpreting radiologist immediately decided whether to obtain a CECT to evaluate for another etiology of pain. Medical records, CT reports and images, and 7-day ED return were reviewed. CT diagnoses on NECT and CECT were compared. Additional information from CECT and changes in management as documented in the patient's medical record were noted. Three hundred twenty-two patients underwent NECT for obstructing NU stones during the study period. Renal or ureteral calculi were detected in 143/322 (44.4 %). One hundred fifty-four patients (47.8 %) underwent CECT. CECT added information in 17/322 cases (5.3 %) but only changed management in 6/322 patients (1.9 %). In four of these patients with final diagnosis of renal infarct, splenic infarct, pyelonephritis and early acute appendicitis in a thin patient, there was no abnormality on the NECT (4/322 patients, 1.2 %). In the remaining 2 patients, an abnormality was visible on the NECT. In patients presenting with flank pain with a clinical suspicion of nephroureterolithiasis, CECT may not be indicated. While CECT provided better delineation of an abnormality in 5.3 % of cases, changes in management after CECT occurred only in 2 %. This included 1 % of patients in whom a diagnosis of organ infarct, pyelonephritis or acute appendicitis in a thin patient could only be made on CECT.
Layouts for the shuffle-exchange graph based on the complex plane diagram

The shuffle-exchange graph is one of the best structures known for parallel computation. Among the things, a shuffle-exchange computer can be used to compute discrete Fourier transforms, multiply matrices, evaluate polynomials, perform permutations and sort lists. The algorithms needed for these operations are quite simple and many require no more than logarithmic time and space per processor. In this paper, we analyze the algebraic structure of the shuffle-exchange graph in order to find area-efficient embeddings of the graph in a two-dimensional grid. The results are applicable to the design of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) circuit layouts for a shuffle-exchange computer.
‘Creative destruction’: States, identities and legitimacy in the Arab world

In the modern Middle East, the public institutions associated with the internationally recognized states of the region are rarely viewed as trustworthy or reliable. Born in the demise of the Ottoman Empire, midwifed by European imperial powers who paid lip service to the development of the inhabitants, and nurtured in the cold war by superpowers largely indifferent to the well-being of the peoples of the region, the existing states came to be associated with expectations of welfare provision and structures of accountability that privileged external actors over local interests. In the absence of public institutions that responded to and represented local interests, people organized around those still vibrant alternative forms of community that existed – the exchange networks of informal economies or the kinship systems of extended families and the ethnic and religious communities of language, sect and confession – and sometimes they reorganized and reinterpreted these identities to supplement and ultimately supplant the failing states in which they found themselves.
Relationship between localized wafer shape changes induced by residual stress and overlay errors

The deposition of films with nonuniform residual stress can induce local changes in wafer shape and contribute to overlay errors with magnitudes that may be significant in advanced lithographic patterning processes. Understanding the fundamental relationship between residual stress, localized wafer shape changes, and overlay error is crucial for realizing new schemes to manage overlay errors, particularly at advanced nodes where feature sizes are smaller. In the present work, finite element modeling is used to quantitatively relate nonuniform residual stress in a deposited thin film to localized wafer shape changes and overlay errors. The results demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between localized shape variations induced by nonuniform residual stresses and noncorrectable overlay errors.
Prevalence of obesity in adult population of former college rowers.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of adolescent and adult obesity in the United States is increasing at an alarming rate. This study examined the prevalence of obesity in adults aged 20 through 60 years, comparing established national norms with a selected population of former college rowers. METHODS Selected for study were 4,680 male and female former intercollegiate rowing athletes who graduated in 1928 through 1998. The participants were surveyed regarding duration of rowing career and training methods, current and college height and weight, and questions regarding lifetime episodes of back pain. After two mailings, 2,165 (46%) questionnaires were returned. Our study data were compared with national cross-sectional survey data obtained through the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III (NHANES III). RESULTS Male and female former rowers had a significantly lower prevalence of obesity than the general population both in college and through their lifetime (P CONCLUSIONS Former collegiate rowers were less obese than the general population. BMI increases with age, and encouraging athleticism for those who are of college age and younger might be an effective method to decrease adult obesity.
Drug-induced heart failure

Purpose The published evidence on the role of various drugs and medication classes in causing or exacerbating heart failure (HF) is reviewed, with discussion of precautions and management strategies for use in clinical practice. Summary A literature search was conducted to identify reports of new-onset HF and exacerbations of HF associated with medication use published from 1960 to January 2011. A large body of evidence from controlled clinical trials has led to an improved understanding of well-established causes of drug-induced HF symptoms (e.g., thiazolidinediones, certain older chemotherapy agents) while implicating a wide range of other commonly used drugs and drug classes (e.g., tyrosine kinase inhibitors, biological response modifiers) as having causal or contributory roles. Among the various medications cited in cases of drug-induced HF, some have been linked to significantly increased risks of stroke, myocardial infarction, and death, particularly in patients with existing cardiovascular (CV) disorders or CV risk factors. In recent years, postmarketing and surveillance data have linked a number of newer medications--including the antiarrhythmic dronedarone, the antifungal itraconazole, and the anti-cancer drugs trastuzumab, lapatinib, and bevacizumab--to serious cardiac effects not reported during clinical trials. Conclusion A variety of agents have been associated with drug-induced HF. Patients receiving agents that have been implicated in cases of new-onset HF or exacerbations of HF should be monitored for signs and symptoms of CV effects.
Intake, digestion, and N metabolism in steers fed endophyte-free, ergot alkaloid-producing endophyte-infected, or nonergot alkaloid-producing endophyte-infected fescue hay.

A digestion and N balance trial was con- ducted to compare effects of traditional endophyte-in- fected (E+), endophyte-free (E−), and nontoxic endo- phyte infected (NE; MaxQ; Pennington Seed, Inc., Mad- ison, GA) Jesup tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) hay on digestion and N retention in steers. Hay composition (DM basis) was as follows: E+ (10.8% CP, 59.9% NDF, and 29.4% ADF), E− (11.8% CP, 58.5% NDF, and 28.4% ADF), and NE (11.6% CP, 58.6% NDF, and 28.3% ADF). Eight Polled Hereford steers (initial BW 240 ± 9 kg) were used in a replicated, 3 × 3 Latin square design, with an extra steer allotted to each square. Steers were fed ad libitum for 14 d, followed by a 9-d adaptation to restricted intake (based on the animal with the lowest ad libitum intake for the square) and a 5-d fecal and urine collection. Water intake (20.2 L/d) and urine output (7.40 L/d) did not differ (P > 0.10) during the collection period. Plasma prolactin concen- tration was less (P < 0.05) for steers on the E+ hay (8.83 ng/mL) than for those on the E− hay (18.03 ng/mL) and intermediate for steers on the NE hay (12.65 ng/mL). Endophyte-infected hay differed (P < 0.05) from E− and NE in ad libitum DMI (5.02 vs. 5.62 and 5.61 kg/d,
Low-power silicon spiking neurons and axons

The author presents low-power versions of two circuits often used in analog VLSI models of neural systems. The circuits model the spiking behavior of the axon hillock and the pulse propagation of axons. In these modified circuits, all transistors operate in the weak-inversion regime. The modified circuits are fully functional, and showed a measured improvement in power consumption over the original circuits. The circuit details, the experimental data, and the axonal delay circuit are discussed. >
Image denoising based on multiscale singularity detection for cone beam CT breast imaging

It was recently reported that the real-time flat panel detector-based cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) breast imaging can help improve the detectability of small breast tumors with an X-ray dose comparable to that of the conventional mammography. In this paper, an efficient denoising algorithm is proposed to further reduce the X-ray exposure level required by a CBCT scan to acquire acceptable image quality. The proposed wavelet-based denoising algorithm possesses three significant characteristics: 1) wavelet coefficients at each scale are classified into two categories: irregular coefficients, and edge-related and regular coefficients; 2) noise in irregular coefficients is reduced as much as possible without producing artifacts to the denoised images; and 3) for the edge-related and regular coefficients, if they are at the first decomposition level, they are further denoised, otherwise, no modifications are made to them so as to obtain good visual quality for diagnosis. By applying the proposed denoising algorithm to the filtered projection images, the X-ray exposure level necessary for the CBCT scan can he reduced by up to 60% while obtaining clinically acceptable image quality. This denoising result indicates that in the clinical application of CBCT breast imaging, the patient radiation dose can be significantly reduced.
Formation of granules and Methanosaeta fibres in an anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR).

Summary It has generally been accepted that the formation of granules in anaerobic wastewater treatment systems requires a hydraulic upflow pattern. To evaluate this hypothesis, we operated an anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR) without a hydraulic upflow pattern, using a synthetic wastewater containing acetate, propionate, butyrate and sucrose. We provided conditions amenable to the formation of granules by operating the system with a moderate hydraulic selection pressure, which in this system was not the result of a hydraulic upflow pattern, but was provided by migration of biomass and intermittent mechanical mixing. Granules were first noticed after 2 months of operation, and it took another 2 months for a mature granular blanket to develop. Besides granules, a a a1-cmlong Methanosaeta fibres developed and, after 6 months of operation, 30% of biomass consisted of these fibres. Quantitative membrane hybridization showed that almost all the total 16S rRNA extracted from fibres consisted of 16S rRNA from Methanosaeta concilii. This finding indicates that it was possible to develop pockets consisting almost entirely of an organism with a very limited substrate utilization spectrum (only acetate) in a system that was fed a synthetic wastewater containing acetate, propionate, butyrate and sucrose and that is known for its ability to develop biomass with a complex microbial community structure.
High-tech or low-tech? Comparing self-monitoring systems to increase task independence for students with autism

Independence is the ultimate goal for students with disabilities, including secondary students with autism. One avenue targeted for increasing independence and decreasing prompt-dependency is through self-monitoring. In this study, investigators sought to determine whether a difference exists in levels of task independence when three students with autism complete food preparation tasks while self-monitoring using a low-tech treatment (paper/pencil) and high-tech treatment (iPad). Although both interventions decreased the need for prompting thereby increasing independence, students needed less assistance when using the iPad. Students also maintained their levels of independence in food preparation following summer vacation. Social validity interviews indicated students preferred self-monitoring with the iPad over the paper/pencil.
National Psoriasis Foundation consensus statement on screening for latent tuberculosis infection in patients with psoriasis treated with systemic and biologic agents.

Background Chronic immunosuppression is a known risk factor for allowing latent tuberculosis (TB) infection to transform into active TB. Immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory therapies, while highly efficacious in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, may be associated with an increased rate of active TB in patients receiving some of these therapies. Objective Our aim was to arrive at a consensus on screening for latent TB infection in psoriasis patient treated with systemic and biologic agents. Methods Reports in the literature were reviewed regarding immunosuppressive therapies and risk of TB. Results Screening patients for latent TB infection before commencement of treatment is of utmost importance when beginning treatment with the tumor necrosis factor–α inhibitors, T-cell blockers, cyclosporine, or methotrexate. The currently recommended method for screening is the tuberculin skin test. It is preferable that positively screened patients be treated with a full course of latent TB infection prophylaxis before immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory therapy is initiated. However, in the opinion of many experts, patients may be started on the immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory therapy after 1 to 2 months, if their clinical condition requires, as long as they are strictly adhering to and tolerating their prophylactic regimen. Limitations There are few evidence-based studies on screening for latent TB infection in psoriasis patients treated with systemic and biologic agents. Conclusions The biologic TNF–α inhibitors are very promising in the treatment of psoriasis. However, because TNF–α is also an important cytokine in preventing TB infection and in keeping latent TB infection from becoming active disease, the use of TNF–α inhibitors has been associated with an increased risk of developing active TB. A higher incidence of TB has also been reported with other immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory treatments for psoriasis. It is, therefore, of utmost importance to appropriately screen all patients for latent TB infection prior to initiating any immunologic therapy. Delaying immunologic therapy until latent TB infection prophylaxis is completed is preferable. However, if the patient is adhering to his prophylactic regimen and is appropriately tolerating the regimen, therapy may be started after 1 to 2 months if the clinical condition requires.
Krüppel-like factor 6 regulates transforming growth factor-β gene expression during human respiratory syncytial virus infection

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is associated with airway remodeling and subsequent asthma development. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF) plays a crucial role in asthma development. The mechanism regulating TGF gene expression during RSV infection is not known. Kruppel-like factor family of transcription factors are critical regulators of cellular/tissue homeostasis. Previous studies have shown that Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) could function as a trans-activator of TGF gene; however, whether KLF members play a role during infection is unknown. In the current study we have evaluated the role of KLF6 during TGF expression in RSV infected cells. Silencing KLF6 expression by shRNA led to drastic inhibition in TGF production during RSV infection, as assessed by ELISA analysis of medium supernatants. RT-PCR analysis revealed loss of TGF expression in KLF6 silenced cells. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation assay conducted with RSV infected cells showed binding of KLF6 protein to the TGF promoter during RSV infection. We further observed reduced RSV infectivity in KLF6 silenced cells and in cells incubated with TGF neutralizing antibody. In contrast, enhanced RSV infection was noted in cells incubated with purified TGF. We have identified KLF6 as a key transcription factor required for trans-activation of TGF gene during RSV infection. Moreover, TGF production is required for efficient RSV infection and thus, KLF6 is also required for efficient RSV infection by virtue of KLF6 dependent TGF production during infection.
An Explicit Formula for the Risk of the Positive‐Part James‐Stein Estimator

When estimating a normal mean vector with variance known up to a multiplicative factor, it is well known that the positive-part James-Stein estimator is not admissible, but until now, no one has been able to exhibit a uniformly better estimator. We propose here an explicit formula for the risk of the positive-part James-Stein estimator. Pour l'estimation de la moyenne d'un vecteur normal dont la variance est connue a un facteur pres, on ne connait pas d'estimateur dominant uniformement l'estimateur de James-Stein tronque, bien que celui-ci ne soit pas admissible. Nous etablissons ici la formule explicite du risque de l'estimateur de James-Stein tronque, generalisant le resultat d'Egerton et Laycock (1982) pour l'estimateur de James-Stein.
Segregación residencial: la importancia de las escalas de los procesos informales de mercado

This paper addresses two principal issues: a) the scale at which one examines urban segregation; and b) how informality, specifically accessibility to land markets and the process of land appropriation by low-income groups in Latin American cities, influences segregation patterns. Using Mexico City as a case study for Latin America, it shows that macro residential segregation levels are not becoming more polarized as many believe, due to informality of the market place and the weak state intervention through planning and zoning. However, there is a hardening of boundaries between adjacent neighborhoods as people turn to gated communities, largely for security reasons. Case study material from three Mexican cities are presented to examine how the nature of residential land costs and market segmentation contributes to segregation in Latin American cities. In a second case study, data from peri-urban low-income self-build settlements (colonias) in Texas cities demonstrate how existing inequality patterns can be reproduced by differential access to land markets. They further argue a case that such isolated (rural) settlements serving nearby urban labor market, should also be included in any analysis of urban segregation patterns, even if they do not form part of the contiguous urban area.
Bell's Palsy: The Answer to the Riddle of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’

The smile of the famed portrait 'The Mona Lisa' has perplexed both art historians and researchers for the past 500 years. There has been a multitude of theories expounded to explain the nature of the model's enigmatic smile. The origin of the model's wry smile can be demonstrated through a careful analysis of both documented facts concerning the portrait--some gathered only recently through the use of modern technology--and a knowledge of the clinical presentation of Bell's palsy. Bell's palsy is more prevalent in women who are either pregnant or who have recently given birth. This paper postulates that the smile of the portrait's model was due to Leonardo da Vinci's anatomically precise representation of a new mother affected by Bell's palsy subsequent to her recent pregnancy.
CALL-SLT: A Spoken CALL System Based on Grammar and Speech Recognition

We describe CALL-SLT, a speech-enabled Computer-Assisted Language Learning application where the central idea is to prompt the student with an abstract representation of what they are supposed to say, and then use a combination of grammar-based speech recognition and rule-based translation to rate their response. The system has been developed to the level of a mature prototype, freely deployed on the web, with versions for several languages. We present an overview of the core system architecture and the various types of content we have developed. Finally, we describe several evaluations, the last of which is a study carried out over about a week using 130 subjects recruited through the Amazon Mechanical Turk, in which CALL-SLT was contrasted against a control version where the speech recognition component was disabled. The improvement in student learning performance between the two groups was significant at p < 0.02.
Transcriptional Activity of Baculovirus Very Late Factor 1

The product of the vlf-1 (very late factor 1) gene is required for expression of very late genes during the final phase of infection. To determine whether VLF-1 functions as a transcriptional activator, VLF-1 was overexpressed and purified by affinity and cation exchange chromatography. The addition of purified protein to transcription assays containing baculovirus RNA polymerase stimulated transcription of the very late polyhedrin promoter but not the late 39k promoter. Furthermore, construction and analysis of chimeric templates identified sequences within the polyhedrin promoter that were necessary for enhancement.
AMPLITUDES AND CROSS SECTIONS FOR WW -~ LL AND HEAVY LEPTON PRODUCTION IN THE EFFECTIVE W APPROXIMATION

We give the helicity amplitudes for the process WW ~ LL, and examine the validity of the equivalence theorem by comparing longitudinal W scattering with the corresponding unphysical Higgs scattering. We also study the production rates of fourth-generation heavy leptons and neutrinos in the effective W approximation.
Thermodynamic curvature and phase transitions in Kerr-Newman black holes

Singularities in the thermodynamics of Kerr-Newman black holes are commonly associated with phase transitions. However, such interpretations are complicated by a lack of stability and, more significantly, by a lack of conclusive insight from microscopic models. Here, I focus on the later problem. I use the thermodynamic Riemannian curvature scalar $R$ as a try to get microscopic information from the known thermodynamics. The hope is that this could facilitate matching black hole thermodynamics to known models of statistical mechanics. For the Kerr-Newman black hole, the sign of $R$ is mostly positive, in contrast to that for ordinary thermodynamic models, where $R$ is mostly negative. Cases with negative $R$ include most of the simple critical point models. An exception is the Fermi gas, which has positive $R$. I demonstrate several exact correspondences between the two-dimensional Fermi gas and the extremal Kerr-Newman black hole. Away from the extremal case, $R$ diverges to $+\ensuremath{\infty}$ along curves of diverging heat capacities ${C}_{J,\ensuremath{\Phi}}$ and ${C}_{\ensuremath{\Omega},Q}$, but not along the Davies curve of diverging ${C}_{J,Q}$. Finding statistical mechanical models with like behavior might yield additional insight into the microscopic properties of black holes. I also discuss a possible physical interpretation of $|R|$.
The Role of Market Efficiency Intuitions in Consumer Choice: A Case of Compensatory Inferences

The authors examine consumer inferences about product attributes that are unobservable at the time of the decision. Extant research predicts that in the absence of an explicit correlation between product attributes, consumers will infer that the brand that is superior on the observable attributes is also superior on the unobservable attributes. The authors propose an alternative inference strategy that makes the counterintuitive prediction that the apparently superior brand is inferior on the unobservable attributes. The authors refer to these inferences as compensatory inferences and assert that they are associated with consumers' intuitive theories about the competitive nature of a market. In a series of four experiments, the authors examine the occurrence of compensatory inferences and compare them with other inference strategies.
Order-Dependent Knowledge and the Economics of Science

Economists approaching the study of science typically assume the applicability of a market analogy, but then base their analysis on the presumption that science constitutes an area of pervasive market failure. Given the interactions that are actually observed to occur between scientists, we suspect that the failure is in the analogy, not in the putative market. In considering how one might better apply the economic way of thinking to the understanding of science as an activity, we suggest that it is necessary to specify exactly how scientific interaction differs from market interaction, and to be clear about how the behavior of interacting scientists might be modeled in terms of the general pursuit of self-interest in a noncatallactic context. Our model of science portrays an institutionalized mode of interaction between scientists involving the publication, use, and citation of scientific papers, and it is in the exploration of the individual incentives thrown up by this arrangement that the interesting empirical implications arise. We give a short exposition of the possible lines of investigation that could be followed based on this approach.
Developing a New Strategy for ActionAid to Advance a Human Rights-Based Approach to Development

The international non-governmental organization (NGO) ActionAid has been working with a human rights-based approach to development since 1998. Over the past year it has been reviewing its work and has developed a new agency-wide strategy for 2012–2017 which consolidates and advances the human rights-based approach. In this article David Archer, who facilitated the development of the new strategy, explains some of the key issues addressed, documents the participatory processes used to build ownership and highlights lessons learned that are relevant for other practitioners and organizations.
DOMESTIC POLITICS, FOREIGN POLICY, AND THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

▪ Abstract A significant and growing literature on international relations (IR) argues that domestic politics is typically an important part of the explanation for states' foreign policies, and seeks to understand its influence more precisely. I argue that what constitutes a “domestic-political” explanation of a state's foreign policy choices has not been clearly elaborated. What counts as a domestic-political explanation is defined by opposition to systemic or structural explanations. But these may be specified in several different ways—I spell out two—each of which implies a different concept of domestic-political explanations. If a systemic IR theory pictures states as unitary, rational actors, then a domestic-political explanation is one in which domestic-political interactions in at least one state yield a suboptimal foreign policy relative to some normative standard. Or, if a systemic IR theory pictures states as unitary, rational actors and also requires that attributes of particular states not ent...
Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction and Type A-B behavior in college students.

The incidence of self-reported Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction was assessed in large groups of Type A- and Type B-scoring college students, with the result that the Type A-scorers were 3.4 times more likely to report the dysfunction than the Type B-scorers.
Time course of hemosiderin production by alveolar macrophages in a murine model

Study objectives: The diagnosis of alveolar hemorrhage is assisted by the presence of hemosiderin-laden macrophages (HLMs) in the BAL fluid or lung tissue. Despite the importance of this diagnostic method in clinical settings, limited information is available on the formation and clearance of HLMs as a function of time. The objectives of this study are to determine the time course of HLMs within the BAL and lung tissue, and to evaluate the effect of a single blood aspiration on the recruitment of inflammatory cells within the BAL. Design: Under light anesthesia, Balb/c mice received a single intranasal instillation of species-specific blood (50 L). Control animals received heparinized sterile saline solution in a similar manner. At several time points after blood aspiration, BAL was recovered for cell differentials and determination of HLMs. The time course for HLMs was also established in the lung tissue. Results: Hemosiderin staining within alveolar macrophages was first detected in the BAL and lung tissue at day 3, peaked at day 7, and persisted through 2 months. The analysis of the BAL revealed an increased number of total cells, with an acute inflammatory reaction that resolved within 2 weeks. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the validity of this model for the study of HLM production after blood aspiration. Additional work using animal models of lung hemorrhage is needed to further characterize the cellular events leading to clearance of erythrocytes within the lung. (CHEST 2001; 120:2013–2020)
Swallowing syncope in a child.

Sudden loss of consciousness in children may be caused by either cardiac or neurologic dysfunction. Generalized seizure activity, breath-holding spells, and vasovagal syncope precipitated by a variety of factors frequently occur.1,2 The following case illustrates an unusual cause of repeated loss of consciousness in a child. CASE REPORT A 4-year-old white girl was in excellent health until 18 months of age when she first appeared to faint. During following 3 months, she was asymptomatic but then began having similar fainting episodes several times a day. For the next 2 years, the mother sought medical attention from pediatricians, cardiologists, neurologists, and otolaryngologists and began keeping detailed daily records of all spells.
Known versus unknown word discriminations in 12‐month‐old human infants: Electrophysiological correlates

Studies of brain‐language relations have focused almost exclusively on adults and, to a lesser extent, young children. Little, however, is known about the brain's involvement in language during the earliest stages of language acquisition, the focus of this study. Parents identified from a set of 10 words those that they believed were understood by their infant and those that were not known. Auditory event‐related potentials (ERPs) were then recorded from the frontal, temporal, and parietal scalp regions of the infants while they listened to this series of known and unknown words. The brain responses reliably discriminated between two sets of stimuli— words that were known to the infants and words that were unknown. Results resemble findings previously reported for older infants. These data extend the use of auditory ERPs in the study of early word meaning to 12‐month‐old infants and indicate marked similarities in responding between this age group and older infants.
Pathways Relating Soil Moisture Conditions to Future Summer Rainfall within a Model of the Land-Atmosphere System

In this paper, the key pathways and mechanisms through which soil moisture conditions affect future rainfall over the U.S. Midwest are investigated using a regional climate model. A series of numerical experiments are performed to identify these pathways using the drought of 1988 and flood of 1993 as representative events. The results suggest that the soil moisture‐rainfall feedback is an important mechanism for hydrologic persistence during the late spring and summer over the midwestern United States. They indicate that the feedback between soil moisture and subsequent rainfall played a significant role in enhancing the persistence of the drought of 1988 and the flood of 1993. It is found that there is a pronounced asymmetry in the sensitivity of simulated rainfall to specified initial soil moisture. The asymmetry acts to favor a stronger soil moisture‐rainfall feedback during drought conditions as opposed to flood conditions. Detailed analyses of the simulations indicate that the impact of soil moisture on both the energy and water budgets is crucial in determining the strength of the soil moisture‐rainfall feedback. Anomalously high soil moisture tends to 1) increase the flux of high moist static energy air into the planetary boundary layer from the surface via an increase in net surface radiation, 2) reduce the planetary boundary layer height thus increasing the moist static energy per unit mass of air, and 3) reduce the amount of entrained air of low moist static energy from above the planetary boundary layer. Each of these effects are additive and combine to increase the moist static energy per unit mass of air in the planetary boundary layer. This increase results in an increase in the frequency and magnitude of convective rainfall events and a positive feedback between soil moisture and subsequent rainfall.
Synthetic isoprenoid analogues for the study of prenylated proteins: Fluorescent imaging and proteomic applications

Protein prenylation is a posttranslational modification catalyzed by prenyltransferases involving the attachment of farnesyl or geranylgeranyl groups to residues near the C-termini of proteins. This irreversible covalent modification is important for membrane localization and proper signal transduction. Here, the use of isoprenoid analogues for studying prenylated proteins is reviewed. First, experiments with analogues containing small fluorophores that are alternative substrates for prenyltransferases are described. Those analogues have been useful for quantifying binding affinity and for the production of fluorescently labeled proteins. Next, the use of analogues that incorporate biotin, bioorthogonal groups or antigenic moieties is described. Such probes have been particularly useful for identifying proteins that are naturally prenylated within mammalian cells. Overall, the use of isoprenoid analogues has contributed significantly to the understanding of protein prenlation.
From the battlefields to the states: the road to recovery. The role of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in US military casualty care.

The transformation of the modern battlefield with respect to weaponry, modes of transportation, enemy capabilities and location, as well as technological advances, has greatly altered the tactical approach to the mission. Combat casualty care must continually evolve in response to the differences in types of injury, the number and triage of casualties, timing of treatment, and location of care. These battlefield changes have been demonstrated on a large scale in the global war on terrorism, which includes the military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The medical response has kept pace with this 21st-century conflict. Even in the new environment of armed conflict and with the advent of new technologies, the principles of managing orthopaedic combat casualties remain clear: preservation of life and limb, skeletal stabilization, and aggressive wound debridement. For United States service members wounded in the current conflicts, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center is a crucial stop along the road to recovery. Language: en
Lattice Parameter Behavior with Different Nd and O Concentrations in (U1−yNdy)O2±X Solid Solution

The solid solution of (U1−yFPy)O2±x has the same fluorite structure as UO2±x, and the lattice parameter is affected by dissolved fission product and oxygen concentrations. The relation between the ...
Suppression of vasomotor reflexes in man following L-hydrazinophthalozine (C-5968).

Summary and conclusionsThe administration of L-hydrazinophthalozine results in inhibition of sympathetic vasoconstrictor reflexes in man. In addition it has epinephrine-like effects on the heart. C-5968 differs from other “sympatholytic” drugs studied thus far in man.
Distribution of screwworms (Diptera: Calliphoridae) relative to land use and topography in the humid tropics of southern Mexico.

The distribution of adult screwworms ( Cochliomyia hominivorax [Coquillet]) relative to land use and topography was studied on the humid Pacific coastal plain of southern Chiapas, Mexico. Native screwworms were always more abundant when windoriented traps, baited with the attractant swormlure-4, were upwind and within 150 m of warm-blooded animals. Densities of flies were greatest in ecotones that included pastures and any tall vegetation. Flies also were abundant near houses with domestic animals. Flies were least common in low-profile stands (<0.75 m high) of young banana, young soybean, and pastures without animals. These data indicate that habitat preferences exist, that they are easily identifiable by land use, and that trapping efficiency can be improved by placing traps near and upwind of warm-blooded animals. The habitat preferences of sterile screwworms (strain M-83), released from a central ground release station, were similar to those of native flies within the study area; sterile and native males showed similar distributions to females. The data indicate that the dispersal of sterile flies within 2.1 km of the release point was adequate, and that current flight lane patterns for aerially releasing sterile screwworms appear adequate in southern Mexico.
Research on Multi-SCI Design Techniques in Single Chip Processor Systems

It is a common problem to design two or more serial communication interfaces (SCI) in a single chip processor system. This paper introduced 8 commonly used methods for solving this problem.Based on the comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of these 8 methods,the method choosing principle is given accordingly.Finally,the design of the SCI to digital compass in an unmanned aerial vehicle flight controller is given as an example of the research result.