cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Facial Artery Musculomucosal Flap for Nasopharyngeal and Oropharyngeal Reconstruction

Importance: The facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap is a well vascularized axial flap which has been described for mucosal reconstructions throughout the oral cavity. There are limited data regarding its efficacy in secondary repair of nasopharyngeal stenosis and velopharyngeal insufficiency due previous surgery and scar tissue formation. Objective: This study seeks to demonstrate the efficacy of FAMM flap procedure in patients with nasopharyngeal stenosis and velopharyngeal insufficiency. Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective case series included patients treated for nasopharyngeal stenosis or velopharyngeal insufficiency with a FAMM flap at an academic medical center from January 1, 2012 to November 1, 2017. Patients included in the study were those who underwent a FAMM flap procedure by the senior author during the specified time period. Main Outcomes and Measures: Functional outcomes included nasopharyngeal airway patency, nasal regurgitation, and speech quality. Any postoperative complications were recorded, including flap necrosis, infection, flap failure, dehiscence, trismus and need for revision surgery. Results: A total of 6 FAMM flap procedures were performed by the senior author over the study period for the indications of this case series. Three patients had nasopharyngeal stenosis and three had velopharyngeal insufficiency. All had successful, sustained nasopharyngeal airway patency or restored velopharyngeal function. The only postoperative complication noted was trismus at the cheek donor site. There were no patients who suffered flap failure or need for revision surgery of the FAMM flap. Conclusions: The FAMM flap is useful for secondary reconstruction of nasopharyngeal stenosis and velopharyngeal insufficiency due to previous surgery and scarring. This study demonstrates the efficacy and reliability of FAMM flaps for repair of complete/near complete nasopharyngeal stenosis and cases of velopharyngeal insufficiency due to scarring of the pharynx.
Analysis of clinical features of 14 infants with Takayasu arteritis

Objective To improve the understanding and diagnosis and treatment level of infant with Takayasu arteritis (TA) by analyzing the clinical features of 14 pediatric patients and reviewing related articles. Methods The clinical and follow-up data of infants with TA who were admitted to the Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics between July 2016 and May 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.By reviewing related articles, the clinical features of this disease were summarized. Results The age of 14 patients (including 6 males and 8 females) were between 1 month and 23 days and 28 months.The most common clinical manifestations were fever in 10 cases (71.4%), hypertension in 9 cases (64.3%), weak or no pulse in 5 cases (35.7%). According to the clinical type of lesion vessels, 11 cases (78.5%) were generalized type, 3 cases (21.4%) were brachiocephalic artery type, and there was no thoracic abdominal aorta or single pulmonary artery type in this group.Among 14 infants with TA, 12 cases had common carotid artery, carotid artery, subclavian artery, coronary artery and its branches (anterior descending branch, circumflex branch) involved (85.7%); 11 cases had renal artery involved (78.6%); 9 cases had radial artery involved (64.2%); 8 cases had abdominal aorta involved (57.1%); 6 cases had descending aorta involved (42.9%); 6 cases had thoracic aorta involved (42.9%); 6 cases had superior mesenteric artery involved (42.9%); 5 cases had femoral artery involved (35.7%); 5 cases had pulmonary artery involved (35.7%); and 4 cases had brachial artery involved (28.6%). In those 14 patients, 11 cases were misdiagnosed, and 3 cases had unclear diagnosis, with misdiagnosis duration of 18 days to 2 months.In misdiagnosed cases, 8 cases were misdiagnosed as atypical Kawasaki disease.Among those 14 cases, the ranges of most lesions were gradually decreased, and the slightly involved vessels even completely returned to normal state after treatment in 7 cases.The vascular imaging showed no significant exacerbation or improvement in 4 cases.Nine cases developed hypertension, the blood pressure of whom could be controlled within normal range with hypotensive drugs which could not be interrupted.Physical examination found weak or no pulse in 5 cases who were not improved.Among 14 patients, 7 cases showed normal development, while the height and body mass of another 7 cases were the 25th percentile below those of normal children of the same age.All 14 patients were followed up for 2-22 months and received regular treatment without recurrence. Conclusions TA patients aged less than 3 years tend to have more blood vessels involved, be in serious condition and have higher rate of misdiagnosis.The disease can be controlled quickly after treatment, but vascular diseases may be developed easily.Some patients have a poor prognosis. Key words: Infant; Takayasu arteritis; Clinical features
How to End a Cold War

Histories of the end of the Cold War that have focused on the roles of the top leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union have neglected an important dimension of the ending of the antagonism between the West and the East. Before Ronald Reagan and M.S. Gorbachev met at Geneva in November 1985, citizens of the USA, the USSR, and European nations who were alarmed by the danger of nuclear war formed new organizations dedicated to overcoming the hostility between their nations. British members of European Nuclear Disarmament and American activists in groups such as Beyond War and Peace Links established connections to independent groups in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union as well as the Committee of Soviet Women and the Committee for the Defense of Peace in the USSR. These relationships made it possible to organize very ambitious citizen diplomacy projects. Hundreds of Soviet citizens made extensive speaking tours in the United States while numerous British and American activists visited the Soviet Union. These exchanges dispelled negative stereotypes and helped to end the mutual demonization that had been central to the Cold War since the late 1940s. Analysis of the experiences of the citizen diplomats in the 1980s yields lessons for contemporary international relations about the importance of avoiding one-sided blame for conflicts and the need to move beyond recriminations about the past in order to develop cooperation in the present and future.
Thyroid surgery in the elderly

Surgeons across all specialties often hesitate to operate on elder and geriatric patients due to concern for an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Fortunately, the majority of research demonstrates that performing thyroid surgery in the elderly is safe. The most common indications for thyroid surgery in the elderly include malignancy, multinodular goiters with compressive symptoms, and thyrotoxicosis. Though some debate exists, most studies demonstrate that once comorbidities are properly addressed prior to surgery, the complication rates of thyroid surgery in the elderly are comparable to those of younger patients. Preoperative planning in the elder patient should take into consideration a more challenging thyroid exposure due to anatomical and histological age-related alterations. Overall, age alone is not a contraindication to performing thyroid surgery in the elderly.
Towards a Natural Perspective of Smart Homes for Practical Security and Safety Analyses

Designing practical security systems for the smart home is challenging without the knowledge of realistic home usage. This paper describes the design and implementation of Helion, a framework that generates natural home automation scenarios by identifying the regularities in user-driven home automation sequences, which are in turn generated from routines created by end-users. Our key hypothesis is that smart home event sequences created by users exhibit inherent semantic patterns, or naturalness that can be modeled and used to generate valid and useful scenarios. To evaluate our approach, we first empirically demonstrate that this naturalness hypothesis holds, with a corpus of 30,518 home automation events, constructed from 273 routines collected from 40 users. We then demonstrate that the scenarios generated by Helion seem valid to end-users, through two studies with 16 external evaluators. We further demonstrate the usefulness of Helion’s scenarios by addressing the challenge of policy specification, and using Helion to generate 17 security/safety policies with minimal effort. We distill 16 key findings from our results that demonstrate the strengths of our approach, surprising aspects of home automation, as well as challenges and opportunities in this rapidly growing domain.
Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization for the Treatment of Chronic Subdural Hematoma: A Systematic Literature Review (2552)

Objective: To educate neurologists about a highly efficacious, minimally-invasive treatment for chronic subdural hematoma. Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) arises from injury to dural border cells. This initiates a self-perpetuating inflammatory response complicated by the formation of vascularized neo-membranes that are fed by the middle meningeal artery (MMA). Blood and fluid extravasation through fragile arterial vessels fill the new membrane-bound subdural space. cSDH presents clinically in a myriad of forms and may cause significant morbidity and mortality if left untreated. Symptomatic patients have traditionally undergone surgical hematoma evacuation, but MMA embolization has arisen as an alternative management strategy. MMA embolization devascularizes the neo-membrane and allows for the unopposed resorption of the hematoma while sparing the patient the risks of open surgery. Design/Methods: We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify reports of MMA embolization and determine the rates of technical success and complications as well as patient outcomes associated with this contemporary procedure. Results: Our literature search yielded 22 studies of 229 patients who underwent 242 embolization procedures for the treatment of cSDH. Median age was 70.3 years, 154 (67.2%) were male, and median follow-up duration was 4.4 months. Over half of patients were on antithrombotic therapy at the time of intervention. The procedure was selected as salvage treatment to surgical evacuation in most cases (59.5%), as primary treatment in some (36.4%), and least commonly as prophylaxis (4.1%). In 176 (72.7%) procedures, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles were used to embolize. Hematoma recurrence occurred in 11 (4.5%) cases. There were no reported procedural or technical complications. Conclusions: While many of the published studies to date are retrospective and small, patient outcomes are overwhelmingly favorable which suggests that MMA embolization is a highly efficacious alternative or adjunct to surgery for treatment of cSDH. Disclosure: Dr. Bond has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bond has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kattah has nothing to disclose.
Developmental Comorbidity of Substance Use and Handgun Carrying Among U.S. Youth.

Introduction This study identifies the longitudinal trajectories of multiple forms of substance use and handgun carrying and examines their comorbidity over time. Methods In a cohort study of 6,748 youth from a U.S. nationally representative sample (51% male, 49% female; 69% White, 16% Black, 14% Hispanic, and 1% other race/ethnicity; born between 1980 and 1984), individuals self-reported their substance-use status (i.e., smoking, drinking, marijuana use, and hard drug use), handgun carrying, and other covariates between 1997 and 2013. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify distinct patterns of substance use and handgun carrying over time. Chi-square tests were used to determine the bivariate associations between substance-use and handgun-carrying trajectories, and a multinomial logistic regression examined the associations while adjusting for covariates. Analyses were conducted in 2020. Results Trajectories of all the 4 forms of substance use were associated with handgun-carrying trajectories. Specifically, the risk of being in the declining trajectory of handgun carrying (compared with that of being in the very-low trajectory) was higher for participants who were in the decreasing trajectories of smoking, drinking, marijuana use, and hard drug use and lower for those who were in the increasing trajectory of drinking. Inversely, the risks of being in the low and high-increasing trajectories of handgun carrying (compared with that of being in the very-low trajectory) were higher for participants who were in the increasing trajectory of hard drug use. Conclusions Both substance use and gun carrying are developmentally heterogeneous phenomena. Varied forms of substance use should be targeted to counter the distinct gun carrying patterns.
Brief report: generalization weaknesses in verbally fluent children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty generalizing—i.e., relating new stimuli to past experiences. Few experimental studies have addressed this weakness, despite its impact on intervention effects. In a reanalysis of data (de Marchena et al. Cognition 119(1):96–113, 2011), we tested a novel form of generalization—the ability to transfer a strategy used in one context to a similar context—in verbally fluent youth with ASD and matched typically developing controls. Participants with ASD were subtly less likely to learn from experience; their generalizations were less consistent. Generalization in ASD correlated with receptive vocabulary but not age, suggesting a link to language development. A richer understanding of how to promote generalization in ASD will advance both theory and practice.
Clustering of metal atoms in organic media: 10. Various arene solvated nickel atom systems employed in the preparation of nickel powder and nickel-alumina catalysts. Surface area, catalytic akd x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies

Abstract Nickel atom solutions were prepared at low temperatures in mesitylene, toluene, trifluoromethylbenzene and meta-bistrifluoromethylbenzene. These solutions were allowed to warm in the absence or presence of Al 2 O 3 catalyst support. Nickel particles containing large amounts of carbonaceous species were deposited as powders in the absence of support. In the presence of Al 2 O 3 , highly dispersed catalysts were obtained. The nickel clusters (and perhaps atoms) on Al 2 O 3 also contained large amounts of carbonaceous material formed from arene fragmentations at very low temperatures. The effects of the different arenes on particle size, catalytic activities (toluene hydrogenation-dealkylation and alkane hydrogenolysis) and surface species have been studied. The electron demanding arenes (CF 3 substituted) aid in dispersion, yielding catalysts with very small particle size. However, these small particles scavenge fluorine from the CF 3 groups available and inactive catalysts result.
Alcoholic Hyalin and Megamitochondria as Separate and Distinct Entities in Liver Disease Associated with Alcoholism

Liver biopsy specimens from patients with liver disease associated with alcoholism were studied by light and electron microscopy to demonstrate the distinguishing features of alcoholic hyalin and "megamitochondria" (giant mitochondria). Alcoholic hyalin is a fibrillar material and megamitochondria are readily identifiable organelles. They are separate and distinct entities, and there is no valid reason for confusing one with the other.
463PEFFECT OF FOOD ON THE BIOAVAILABILITY OF PALBOCICLIB 125 MG CAPSULES IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS

ABSTRACT Aim: Palbociclib (P), a selective oral cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor that blocks G1/S cell cycle progression, is in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials across multiple oncology indications. P has low solubility and high permeability. This completed phase 1 study estimated the effect of food on P bioavailability. Methods: This randomized, open-label, 4-sequence, 4-period crossover study (NCT01904747) in 28 healthy adult volunteers estimated the relative bioavailability of single-dose P 125 mg (free base capsule) administered 30 min after a high fat/calorie meal, 30 min after a low fat/calorie meal, or between 2 moderate fat/standard calorie meals (1 h after/2 h before) versus after fasting ≥10 h overnight (washout: ≥10 d between study periods). No food was allowed ≥4 h postdose (all conditions except moderate fat meal). Pharmacokinetic (PK) samples were collected predose and serially up to 144 h postdose; P concentrations were measured using validated high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. PK data were analyzed using a non-compartmental approach based on a mixed effects model. Results: Time to maximum P concentration (Tmax) and terminal plasma half-life (t1/2) values were similar across fed and fasted conditions (median Tmax: 8 h, all; mean t1/2: 22.03–23.90 h). Relative to the fasted condition, ratios of adjusted geometric means for high fat, low fat, and moderate fat conditions were 121%, 112%, and 113%, respectively, for AUCinf and 138%, 127%, and 124%, respectively, for Cmax; the slight increase in exposure in the fed versus fasted conditions was driven mainly by a subgroup of subjects (n = 3) with significantly lower exposure in the fasted condition. PK variability (% coefficient of variation) was reduced in the fed (AUCinf, 23%–27%; Cmax, 21%–24%) versus fasted (AUCinf, 39%; Cmax, 73%) conditions. In a supplemental analysis excluding the 3 subjects with significantly lower exposure in the fasted condition, food intake did not affect P exposure, and PK variability was similar across fed and fasted conditions. Conclusions: Overall, P exposure was marginally affected, but PK variability was greatly reduced, in the fed versus the fasted condition. Thus, P should be administered with food. Disclosure: A. Ruiz-Garcia: Employment: Pfizer Inc Stock ownership: Pfizer Inc.; A. Plotka: Employment: Pfizer Stock ownership: Pfizer; S. Pawlak: Speakers’ bureau: Pfizer Employment: Pfizer Stock ownership: Pfizer; M. O'Gorman, S. Nidadavolu and S. Phillips: Employment: Pfizer; M. Kosa: Employment: Contractor at Pfizer (Clinical Assay Group) through Atrium Services. D.D. Wang: Employment: Pfizer Stock ownership: Pfizer.
Activity patterns in design processes of IT standards

Contemporary IT standards are designed, not selected. Their design enacts a complex process that brings together a coalition of players. We examine the design of the SOAP standard to discover activity patterns in this design process. The paper reports these patterns as a precursor to developing a microlevel process theory for designing IT standards.
Altered endothelial function in lambs with pulmonary hypertension and acute lung injury.

Acute lung injury produces pulmonary hypertension, altered vascular reactivity, and endothelial injury. To determine whether acute lung injury impairs the endothelium-dependent regulation of pulmonary vascular tone, 16 lambs were studied during U46619-induced pulmonary hypertension without acute lung injury, or air embolization-induced pulmonary hypertension with acute lung injury. The hemodynamic responses to endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine, ATP, ET-1, and 4 Ala ET-1 [an ETb receptor agonist]) and endothelium-independent (nitroprusside and isoproterenol) vasodilators were compared. During U46619-induced pulmonary hypertension, all vasodilators decreased pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance (P < 0.05). During air embolization-induced pulmonary hypertension, the pulmonary vasodilating effects of acetylcholine, ATP, and 4 Ala ET-1 were attenuated (P < 0.05); the pulmonary vasodilating effects of nitroprusside and isoproterenol were unchanged; and the pulmonary vasodilating effects of ET-1 were reversed, producing pulmonary vasoconstriction (P < 0.05). During air embolization, the pulmonary vasoconstricting effects of ET-1 were blocked by BQ 123, an ETa receptor antagonist. The systemic effects of the vasoactive drugs were similar during both conditions. We conclude that pulmonary hypertension with acute lung injury induced by air embolization results in endothelial dysfunction; there is selective impairment of endothelium-dependent pulmonary vasodilation and an altered response to ET-1 from pulmonary vasodilation to vasoconstriction. This altered response to ET-1 is associated with decreased ETb receptor-mediated vasodilation and increased ETa receptor-mediated vasoconstriction. Endothelial injury and dysfunction account, in part, for the altered regulation of pulmonary vascular tone during pulmonary hypertension with acute lung injury. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1999; 27:147–156. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On the electronegativities of the group IV elements

Abstract Reported values for the electronegativities of the Group IV elements are critically reviewed and it is concluded that the electronegativities of Si, Ge, Sn and Pb are essentially constant or decrease slightly. It is further concluded that in contrast to a previous suggestion, the electronegativity differences have essentially no effect upon the chemistry of these elements, and cannot be correlated with either the nuclear quadrupole coupling of the tetrahalides or the chemical shift of the alkyl derivatives.
The roles of historical experience and construct accessibility in judgments about alcoholism

A preliminary survey study (1) screened potential subjects and (2) identified characteristics associated with “alcoholic” and “social drinker” labels. Subjects at three experience levels (parent alcoholic, friend alcoholic, and no experience) then participated in a “perception” experiment in which a construct (alcoholic/social drinker) was experimentally primed, followed by an “interpersonal understanding” experiment in which subjects rated the drinking habits either of hypothetical others or of the self in hypothetical situations. Results indicated that primes significantly interacted with level of prior experience (only subjects with no historical experience tended to make drinking judgments that were more in the direction of alcoholism following an “alcoholic” prime). Results are discussed in terms of the notion that increased historical exposure to a construct may lead to the development of clearer construct boundaries, thereby reducing the tendency toward indiscriminate construct use under conditions of heightened accessibility.
Left ventricular transverse internal diameter: value in studying left ventricular function.

ecause the changes in volume of the left ventricle reflect the changes in length of the ventricular muscle fibers, quantitation of instantaneous volume during the cardiac cycle is of value for describing cardiac performance in terms of muscle mechanics. However, estimation of left ventricular volume in the intact animal by presently available methods is difficult, tedious, and, to some degree, inaccurate. In addition, measurement of ventricular volume is often a means rather than an end, since volume is usually sought primarily for the derivation of certain critical dimensions based on an assumed ventricular model. Thus, one must estimate a volume, approximate a geometrical model, and then derive the dimensions corresponding to the volume and geometry. Studies with a variety of techniques have indicated that the most significant left ventricular contraction occurs perpendicular to a line drawn from base to apex, that is, in the transverse plane.1-4 Recently, a method has been developed for direct measurement of the internal transverse diameter, using sonomicrometer crystals implanted on the endocardial surface of the canine left ventricle.5s6 This provides a continuous, instantaneous measurement which avoids difficulties inherent in the commonly used external ventricular dimension measurements, which fail to differentiate between changes in wall thickness and changes in internal dimensions or volume. Using this method, it was found that, during rapid intravenous infusions in conscious dogs, there was an approximately linear relationship between instantaneous volume ejected and instantaneous diameter throughout the ejection portion of each beat.? This study indicated that left ventricular transverse internal diameter and ventricular volumes were closely related. It was decided, therefore, to investigate the possibility that ventricular volume could be estimated to a reasonable degree of accuracy with this single dimension measurement. To test this proposition, and to obtain data for a critical evaluation of problems involved in calculation of ventricular
How Do Literacy Experiences Affect the Teaching Propensities of Elementary Pre-Service Teachers?.

Three assumptions frame this study (a) preservice teachers who enjoy reading foster positive attitudes towards reading, (b) life-long reading habits are developed during formative years, and (c) these preservice teachers convey reading strategies that encourage success across content strands. This study examines the relationship between literacy experiences, reading attitudes and behaviors of 129 elementary pre-service and their ability to assist students with reading mathematics word problems. A questionnaire was administered to obtain personal reading characteristics, and a structured interview was used understand the phenomenon from eight purposefully selected participants. Findings suggest the majority of participants are not active readers but the impact for teaching mathematics word problems were: 1) those who claimed to read regularly, actively engaged students in comprehension strategies during mathematics instruction, 2) active readers were more likely to check vocabulary understanding with stude...
Zambian teachers’ perceptions of expert teaching: resourcefulness, punctuality, and sobriety

This research examines Zambian teachers’ perceptions of expert teaching, as identified by characteristics possessed by a theoretical “expert teacher”. One primary question guided the study: In the minds of teachers at basic schools (grades one to nine) in Choma District, Zambia, what specific characteristics are believed to be essential for teachers to possess in order to be an expert teacher? Additionally, an ancillary question was explored concerning the relationship between teacher perceptions of expert teachers and the local environments where they live and teach. Conducted in 2008, this study utilized qualitative methods to explore these questions. The results of the research revealed six characteristics Zambian teachers believe are essential to being an expert. The characteristics have implications for change within national educational policies, teacher training programs, and individual schools. These suggested modifications, in turn, have the potential to improve the overall quality of education i...
The effect of congruous and incongruous source-statement combinations upon the judged credibility of a communication.

Abstract This experiment was designed to determine whether a statement would be judged more truthful if made by an author whose ideological position was known or thought to be contrary to that expressed in the statement. In the study, the interaction of Source Presence (or Absence) with Statement Congruity (or Incongruity) was of primary interest. Over two sources, the general hypothesis that incongruous Source-Statement combinations would be more credible was confirmed. Contrary to previous studies, the results indicated that this credibility increment was independent of changes in source evaluation. The “enhancement of credibility by incongruous Source-Statement pairings” did not generalize to later items. Possible explanations for the obtained credibility and evaluation effects are offered.
Emergence of Ideal Membrane Cascades for Downstream Processing

An algorithm is developed for describing ideal membrane cascades for fractionation of binary and pseudo-binary mixtures. It is shown that solvent management plays a key role in determining both purification and yield. Development of efficient diafilters is needed if membrane cascades are to achieve their full potential in competing with both chromatography and simulated moving bed operations in downstream processing of proteins. Such a replacement will also be important for fractionation of higher titers and larger substrates, such as plasmids, viruses, and even whole cells.
Isolation of hyaluronate from human synovial fluid by zone electrophoresis.

LITTLE is known about the condition of hyaluronate in normal human synovial fluid because it is difficult to isolate the former in good yield by mild methods from small quantities of highly viscous fluid. Although hyaluronate can be completely precipitated from small amounts of synovial fluid by adding acetic acid or a complex cobalt salt, some degradation of hyaluronate may occur, and 50–60 per cent of the proteins of the fluid are co-precipitated in the mucin clot1. Isolation of hyaluronate from synovial fluid by moving-boundary electrophoresis is feasible, for at pH 8.6 hyaluronate migrates toward the anode slightly ahead of albumin. In normal synovial fluid, one or two components that migrated ahead of albumin were found2 but were not isolated for further study. Electrodeposition of pooled synovial fluids was carried out three times at pH 7.0 by Roseman et al. 3, and hyaluronate was isolated in yields of 70 per cent or less, with a ratio mgm. protein/mgm. hyaluronate of 0.13, or about 11.5 per cent protein in the hyaluronate.
Pelvic exenteration: A 15-year experience in a general metropolitan hospital

Between June, 1966, and June, 1981, 92 pelvic exenterations were performed by gynecologic oncologists at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Medical Center. The decrease in postoperative morbidity and mortality and the improved 5-year survival rate probably were related to improvement in hospital facilities and more refined surgical techniques. Urinary and gastrointestinal complications occurred with equal frequency during the period of study and were more common in patients who had received previous radiation therapy. On the basis of our experience, recommendations to decrease gastrointestinal and urinary complications further are presented.
Biocompatibility and biodistribution of surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanoprobes in zebrafish embryos: in vivo and multiplex imaging.

Nanoparticles are increasingly being used to investigate biological processes in various animal models due to their versatile chemical, unique optical, and multifunctional properties. In this report we address the biocompatibility and biodistribution of nanoparticle sensors used for Raman chemical imaging in live zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoprobes (NPs) comprising gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as enhancing substrate and nonfluorescent Raman labels were synthesized and microinjected into zebrafish embryos at the one-cell stage. Raman mapping was performed to assess their distribution in various cell-types and tissues of developing embryo at five different stages between 6 and 96 hpf (hours post-fertilization). Biocompatibility and toxicity studies indicate that the NPs are not toxic and the embryos were found to exhibit normal morphological and gene expression in addition to the proper form and function of major organs such as the heart and vasculature (of 7 d...
Linguistic performance of female aphasic adults during group interaction

Abstract Verbal productions of four aphasie adults in group interactions were examined at two different intervals. Two nonfluent and two fluent female subjects met as a group for 10 one-hour sessions over a 10-week period. Verbal output from the second and ninth sessions were examined for different variables within and across the four linguistic parameters: phonology, semantics, syntactics and pragmatics. Results indicate that group interaction increases the quantity of verbal output without compromising the quality of the aphasie productions. Aphasie adults who are nonfluent in their verbal output appeared to gain more from group situations. The obtained findings have implications for developing measures to evaluate the efficacy of group therapy in aphasia rehabilitation.
Combining rotation and translation in a variable line space high-resolution soft-X-ray monochromator: Design requirements and performance evaluation of a novel grating mount

Abstract We describe a new fixed-slit single-element spherical-grating monochromator which has been designed, built and tested for the new high-resolution soft X-ray beamline at the University of Wisconsin Synchrotron Radiation Center. A novel grating mount utilizes a combined rotation and translation of a variable line space grating to minimize major aberration terms. The resolving power of the aberration-corrected monochromator is then primarily determined by the finite figure error and the mechanical performance of the grating mechanism. Assuming a 0.2 arc sec figure error, a resolving power ranging from E ΔE = 10 4 to 4.6 × 103 over the energy range of 500 to 1150 eV requires grating rotation and translation to be synchronized with a precision and accuracy of the order of 0.1 arc sec and 10 μm respectively. Extensive testing has verified precision and allowed appropriate calibrations to be developed to obtain the required accuracy. Calibrations minimize the impact of specific component behavior such as the compression of linear crossed roller bearings, the characteristic signature of a lead screw and the elastic response of the support structure.
Central Venous Catheter-Related Infections: A Review

Catheter-associated bloodstream infections remain an important cause of nosocomial infection, with an estimated 50,000-100,000 cases occurring each year in the United States. Central venous catheters are believed to be responsible for 90% of such infections. The cumulative risk of acquiring a catheter-related bloodstream infection has ranged between 1 and 10% for central venous catheters in general and 6% for total parenteral nutrition catheters. The skin is the most common source of organisms causing catheter-related infections. Recent prospective studies have shown that the incidence density per catheter day does not increase with duration of catheterization and that routine changes, either over a guidewire or by new site puncture, do not appear to lower the risk of infection. Diagnosis of infection can be difficult in intensive care patients but is usually easier in less ill patients with a central venous catheter. Quantitative or semiquantitative laboratory techniques can be used to confirm the diagnosis in the appropriate clinical setting. A variety of preventive measures have been shown to minimize the risk of development of catheter-related bloodstream infection, including use of maximal aseptic technique for insertion, use of special teams for care of the catheter, limiting manipulation of the catheter, use of povidone-iodine ointment and cotton gauze dressings for recently inserted catheters, a silver-impregnated collagen cuff and antiseptic-impregnated catheters.
Histologic factors of prognostic significance in the glioblastoma multiforme.

The pretreatment biopsy specimens from 184 cases of malignant gliomas from The National Brain Tumor Study Group were reviewed in order to determine which, if any, of nine histologic factors were useful in subdividing the glioblastoma multiforme. In the smaller group of cases treated with surgery and supportive care only, there was a strong negative correlation between cellularity and survival. For those cases treated with surgery and radiation only, and for the study as a whole, there was a positive relationship between survival and the presence of a giant cell neoplasm. We have concluded, on the basis of this limited sample of this select group of patients, that this latter feature offers a potential basis for subclassification of the glioblastoma multiforme.
Thermal fluctuations of the order parameter in charge-density waves

Incorporating the thermal fluctuations of the phase of charge-density-wave order parameter into the theory, we extend the Fukuyama-Lee-Rice theory to finite temperatures. We find the temperature dependence of the threshold field at low temperatures (e.g., T(1/2)${T}_{c}$) is given by , where ${T}_{0}$ is a material constant independent of the impurity concentration. Furthermore, we find the characteristic Lee-Rice correlation length depends on the temperature as . The former prediction describes quite well the observed temperature dependence of the threshold field ${E}_{T}$(T) at low temperatures of ${\mathrm{NbSe}}_{3}$, orthorhombic and monoclinic ${\mathrm{TaS}}_{3}$, and (${\mathrm{TaSe}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$I. Furthermore, the present theory describes qualitatively both the observed pressure dependence of ${E}_{T}$(0) and ${T}_{0}$ orthorhombic ${\mathrm{TaS}}_{3}$ and (${\mathrm{TaSe}}_{4}$${)}_{2}$I.
A Godunov-Type Scheme for Atmospheric Flows on Unstructured Grids: Euler and Navier-Stokes Equations

In recent years there has been a growing interest in using Godunov-type methods for atmospheric flow problems. Godunov's unique approach to numerical modeling of fluid flow is characterized by introducing physical reasoning in the development of the numerical scheme (van Leer, 1999). The construction of the scheme itself is based upon the physical phenomenon described by the equation sets. These finite volume discretizations are conservative and have the ability to resolve regions of steep gradients accurately, thus avoiding dispersion errors in the solution. Positivity of scalars (an important factor when considering the transport of microphysical quantities) is also guaranteed by applying the total variation diminishing condition appropriately. This paper describes the implementation of a Godunov-type finite volume scheme based on unstructured adaptive grids for simulating flows on the meso-, micro- and urban-scales. The Harten-Lax-van Leer-Contact (HLLC) approximate Riemann solver used to calculate the Godunov fluxes is described in detail. The higher-order spatial accuracy is achieved via gradient reconstruction techniques after van Leer and the total variation diminishing condition is enforced with the aid of slope-limiters. A multi-stage explicit Runge-Kutta time marching scheme is used for maintaining higher-order accuracy in time. The scheme is conservative and exhibits minimal numerical dispersion and diffusion. The subgrid scale diffusion in the model is parameterized via the Smagorinsky-Lilly turbulence closure. The scheme uses a non-staggered mesh arrangement of variables (all quantities are cell-centered) and requires no explicit filtering for stability. A comparison with exact solutions shows that the scheme can resolve the different types of wave structures admitted by the atmospheric flow equation set. A qualitative evaluation for an idealized test case of convection in a neutral atmosphere is also presented. The scheme was able to simulate the onset of Kelvin-Helmholtz type instability and shows promise in simulating atmospheric flows characterized by sharp gradients without using explicit filtering for numerical stability.
A uniform thermal field in a hyperthermia chamber for microvascular studies

Abstract Hyperthermia has been the subject of much research recently as a cancer treatment. Its greatest potential lies in its combination with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Elevated temperatures have been shown to alter both tumor and normal tissue microcirculation. Changes in tissue perfusion could affect drug distribution and radiosensitivity via changes in hypoxic fraction. A thermal device using water as the heating fluid has been designed for the Arizona transparent access chamber to permit measurement of single vessel behavior in vivo at controlled temperatures. The device is made of lexan and encloses the chamber permitting fluid contact with the external window surface. The tissue temperature between the chamber's windows can be adjusted to within 0.1°C and the temperature over the surface of the tissue is uniform to ± 0.1°C. A bypass for the heating fluid permits rapid changes in tissue temperature so that simultations of clinical hyperthermia treatments can be done. A numerical simulation model correctly predicts the temperature distributions in the chamber and the design is shown to provide rapid heating of the window chamber to the desired temperature.
Cross-generational relationships in rural Jamaica

In keeping with trends in the most affected regions of the world, Jamaican young women are at greater risk of becoming infected with HIV than their male peers. Cross-generational relationships (CGRs), or sexual relationships between younger females and older men, have been reported as contributing to this increased risk. Utilizing a qualitative research design, this study aimed to (1) delineate the context in which CGRs occurred in some rural communities in Jamaica and (2) investigate the sexual risk behaviors that occurred in these relationships. The results indicated that young women engaged in these relationships for three main reasons: economic gain, status, and emotional support. At the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community levels based on the social ecological model, findings also highlighted various factors which facilitated the occurrence of these relationships in some rural communities, including the transactional nature of the relationships, as well as family knowledge and encouragement. T...
T cell homing to epithelial barriers in allergic disease

Allergic inflammation develops in tissues that have large epithelial surface areas that are exposed to the environment, such as the lung, skin and gut. In the steady state, antigen-experienced memory T cells patrol these peripheral tissues to facilitate swift immune responses against invading pathogens. In at least two allergy-prone organs, the skin and the gut, memory T cells are programmed during the initial antigen priming to express trafficking receptors that enable them to preferentially home to these organs. In this review we propose that tissue-specific memory and inflammation-specific T cell trafficking facilitates the development of allergic disease in these organs. We thus review recent advances in our understanding of tissue-specific T cell trafficking and how regulation of T cell trafficking by the chemokine system contributes to allergic inflammation in mouse models and in human allergic diseases of the skin, lung and gut. Inflammation- and tissue-specific T lymphocyte trafficking pathways are currently being targeted as new treatments for non-allergic inflammatory diseases and may yield effective new therapeutics for allergic diseases.
Essays of a Peripheral Mind: A Chronic Lack of Focus

Essays of a Peripheral Mind: A Chronic Lack of Focus DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v32i3_havstad
Medical services and associated costs vary widely among surgeons treating patients with hand osteoarthritis.

Background There are substantial variations in medical services that are difficult to explain based on differences in pathophysiology alone. The scale of variation and the number of people affected suggest substantial potential to lower healthcare costs with the reduction of practice variation. Our study assessed practice variation across three affiliated urban sites in one city in the United States and related healthcare costs following the diagnosis of hand osteoarthritis (OA) in patients.
Plasmonic polymers unraveled through single particle spectroscopy

Plasmonic polymers are quasi one-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles whose optical responses are governed by near-field coupling of localized surface plasmons. Through single particle extinction spectroscopy correlated with electron microscopy, we reveal the effect of the composition of the repeat unit, the chain length, and extent of disorder on the energies, intensities, and line shapes of the collective resonances of individual plasmonic polymers constructed from three different sizes of gold nanoparticles. Our combined experimental and theoretical analysis focuses on the superradiant plasmon mode, which results from the most attractive interactions along the nanoparticle chain and yields the lowest energy resonance in the spectrum. This superradiant mode redshifts with increasing chain length until an infinite chain limit, where additional increases in chain length cause negligible change in the energy of the superradiant mode. We find that, among plasmonic polymers of equal width comprising nanoparticles with different sizes, the onset of the infinite chain limit and its associated energy are dictated by the number of repeat units and not the overall length of the polymer. The intensities and linewidths of the superradiant mode relative to higher energy resonances, however, differ as the size and number of nanoparticles are varied in the plasmonic polymers studied here. These findings provide general guidelines for engineering the energies, intensities, and line shapes of the collective optical response of plasmonic polymers constructed from nanoparticles with sizes ranging from a few tens to one hundred nanometers.
Dilution of dose and acute oral toxicity.

Abstract The death rates from 12 different drugs given orally to mice and rats were higher, the greater the dilution of the dose in water. A similar relationship was noted between the oral LD 50 in mice and dilution of the dose of 4 different drugs.
Electrostatic end plugging accompanied by a central‐cell density increase in an axisymmetric tandem mirror

Electrostatic end plugging is observed in a completely axisymmetric, three cell tandem mirror under conditions where the central‐cell plasma density is always larger than the end‐cell density. A factor of 4 increase in the central‐cell density, to a maximum of 1.2×1013 cm−3 with simultaneous plasma beta of 13%, occurs upon application of the end plugging potential. Ion confining potentials of 25 V and 80 V at the two ends of the device, respectively, result in a factor of 2.5 increase in the axial confinement time for Tic =40 eV in agreement with the collisional flow model for ion confinement. The non‐Boltzmann ion confining potential is caused by electron heating in the end cells by rf near the ion‐cyclotron frequency. The initial central‐cell density rise is caused by an increase in the ionization rate that occurs because of an increase in the electron temperature. The density remains high throughout the end‐cell heating pulse as a result of increased particle confinement time. There is no nonambipolar ...
Does dispositional optimism moderate the relation between perceived stress and psychological well-being?: a preliminary investigation

Abstract The present study examined dispositional optimism as a moderator of the influence of perceived stress on psychological outcome. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that dispositional optimism significantly moderated the relation between stress and psychological well-being. Some implications of the present findings for theory and research are discussed.