cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Manipulation of Physiological Parameters During Hyperthermia

Thermal sensitivity of tumors depends on a number of physiological parameters such as tumor pH and metabolic status. Therefore, efforts to improve the efficacy of hyperthermia treatments have led to attempts to manipulate these various physiological factors either directly or indirectly. The parameters most often studied have been tumor pH and tumor blood flow. Tumor blood flow will influence tumor temperatures achieved during the treatment, as well as oxygen and nutrient delivery to the tumor and waste byproduct removal from the tumor that can ultimately impact on tumor pH. Thus, manipulation of tumor blood flow can affect many physiological parameters in the tumor. This chapter will cover some of the methods and results used to manipulate these physiological parameters.
Liposarcoma in a Backyard Silkie and Retrospective Summary of Neoplasms Diagnosed in Backyard Chickens Submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, 2008-2017.

SUMMARY Liposarcomas are a malignant neoplasm of adipocytes, and are rarely diagnosed in avian species. This case report describes the evidence supporting a diagnosis of metastatic liposarcoma in a backyard silkie chicken. On September 28, 2017, a dead 3-yr-old backyard silkie chicken, with a history of unknown skin lesions involving the entire body and severe weight loss, was submitted to California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System–Turlock branch for necropsy. At necropsy, raised necrotic lesions involving the majority of the skin and multiple nodules in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow were noticed. Microscopically, stellate, spindle, and myxoid cells containing large vacuoles, which were confirmed as lipid droplets by Oil Red O, were observed infiltrating the dermis and underlying a necrotic epidermis, with metastasis to liver, spleen, bone marrow, and ovary being the most significant findings. PAS, Oil Red O, Ziehl-Neelsen, Congo red, Gram, and Von Kossa stains, along with immunohisto...
The synaptic receptor Lrp4 promotes peripheral nerve regeneration

Early during PNS regeneration, regenerating axons emerge from the proximal nerve stump, yet whether they extend simultaneously or whether pioneering axons establish a path for follower axons remains unknown. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms underlying robust regeneration are incompletely understood. Using live imaging, we demonstrate that in zebrafish pioneering axons establish a regenerative path for follower axons. We find this process requires the synaptic receptor lrp4, and in lrp4 mutants pioneers are unaffected while follower axons frequently stall at the injury gap, providing evidence for molecular diversity between pioneering and follower axons in regeneration. We demonstrate that Lrp4 promotes regeneration through an axon extrinsic mechanism and independent of membrane anchoring and MuSK co-receptor signaling essential for synaptic development. Finally, we show that Lrp4 coordinates the realignment of denervated Schwann cells with regenerating axons, consistent with a model by which Lrp4 is repurposed to promote sustained peripheral nerve regeneration via axon-glia interactions.
Integrated Balanced Microwave Photonic Canceller

We demonstrate an integrated photonic circuit capable of simultaneous wideband self-interference cancellation and RIN suppression. This is the first integrated photonic canceller to use external modulation or balanced detection. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate 25 dB of cancellation over 20 MHz at various LTE frequencies.
The Impact of Firm Objectives on Lending: Banks and Credit Unions in the Great Recession

In the U.S., credit union lending grew by 15 percentage points more relative to commercial bank lending after the Great Recession. Comparing institutions that faced similar borrowers within narrowly-defined local credit markets and similar crisis exposures shows the effect is supply-driven. Balance sheet mechanisms, loan pricing, informational advantages, tax benefits, and regulation do not explain results. Rather, higher lending was sustained by lower profit margins. Results suggest member-oriented firm objectives that prioritize the provision of financial services led the $1.4 trillion dollar credit union industry to lend more relative to profit-maximizing banks.
Why study inner ear hair cell mitochondria

In several systems of the body (muscle, liver, nerves), new studies have examined the internal structure of mitochondria and brought to light striking new findings about how mitochondria are constructed and how their structure affects cell function. In the inner ear field, however, we have little structural knowledge about hair cell and supporting cell mitochondria, and virtually none about mitochondrial subtypes or how they function in health and disease. The need for such knowledge is discussed in this short review.
Cryptococcus neoformans pericarditis in a lung transplant recipient: Case report, literature review and pearls.

A 68-year-old man presented for outpatient evaluation of dyspnea and new-onset atrial fibrillation 9 months after undergoing bilateral lung transplantation. Echocardiography prior to cardioversion raised concern for tamponade. Therapeutic pericardiocentesis returned fluid containing 1875 wbc/mcl (68% pmn) and yielded Cryptococcus neoformans in culture. Cryptococcal antigen was detected in serum at a titer of 1:20. Cerebrospinal (CSF) fluid was without evidence of inflammation and without detectable cryptococcal antigen. There was no radiographic evidence of pulmonary cryptococcosis. Cultures of blood and CSF were without growth. Liposomal amphotericin B (3 mg/kg/day) was administered for 15 days. Oral fluconazole was added on day seven of amphotericin, and the patient was discharged to home 3 days later. Daily dosages of prednisone (10 mg), mycophenolate (500 mg), and tacrolimus (3 mg) at discharge were the same as at hospital admission. He was readmitted 12 days later with dyspnea and with re-accumulation and loculation of pericardial fluid. A pericardial window was created. Pericardial fluid contained 722 wbc/mcl (35% pmn); Cryptococcus was not identified on direct examinations or cultures of pericardial fluid or tissue. Cryptococcus antigen was present in serum at 1:160. Liposomal amphotericin B was resumed and continued for 2 weeks followed by resumption of fluconazole. Mycophenolate was stopped. Prednisone and tacrolimus were continued. Restrictive pericarditis was evident 3 weeks after window creation. Colchicine was initiated, prednisone increased to 15 mg daily and pericardiectomy planned. We aim to raise awareness to Cryptococcus as a potential etiology for pericarditis in solid organ transplant recipients.
Pseudovascular Invasion: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Endometrial Cancer.

Background and objectives To determine if the use of an intrauterine manipulator is associated with an increased incidence of pseudovascular invasion on pathologic evaluation of hysterectomy specimens for endometrial cancer and to assess the possible implications of pseudovascular space invasion in the treatment of endometrial cancer. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with early stage (I/II) endometrial cancer who underwent minimally invasive surgical staging. The following data were abstracted: race, body mass index, grade, age, stage, histology, presence or absence of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), peritoneal cytology, and adjuvant treatment. Slides were blindly reviewed by a gynecologic pathologist. Results Of the104 patients meeting eligibility criteria, 74 cases were reviewed in detail (the study was terminated early based on the results of an interim analysis). Patients in the no-manipulator group were older (P = .02) and had a higher stage 1B/II (P = .01) than patients in the manipulator group. No difference was found in the incidence of pseudovascular invasion between the manipulator and the no-manipulator groups (P = .86). Subgroup analysis showed no association of pseudovascular invasion with tumor grade (P = .79). Five patients were identified to have pseudovascular invasion misdiagnosed as true LVSI-4 had endometrioid and 1 had serous histology. Of these, 3 were in the manipulator group. Two received adjuvant radiotherapy which they not have gotten, absent reported lymphovascular invasion. Conclusion The use of a uterine manipulator does not appear to increase the rate of pseudovascular invasion in our limited data set. Misdiagnosis of pseudovascular invasion as LVSI can result in risk migration of patients with potential for harm from unwarranted adjuvant therapy.
Impact on Length of Stay of a Hospital Medicine Emergency Department Boarder Service

BACKGROUND It is not known whether delivering inpatient care earlier to patients boarding in the emergency department (ED) by a hospitalist-led team can decrease length of stay (LOS). OBJECTIVE To study the association between care provided by a hospital medicine ED Boarder (EDB) service and LOS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective cross-sectional study (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018) conducted at a single, large, urban academic medical center. Patients admitted to general medicine services from the ED were included. EDB patients were defined as those waiting for more than two hours for an inpatient bed. Patients were categorized as covered EDB, noncovered EDB, or nonboarder. INTERVENTION The hospital medicine team provided continuous care to covered EDB patients waiting for an inpatient bed. PRIMARY OUTCOME AND MEASURES The primary outcome was median hospital LOS defined as the time period from ED arrival to hospital departure. Secondary outcomes included ED LOS and 30-day ED readmission rate. RESULTS There were 8,776 covered EDB, 5,866 noncovered EDB, and 2,026 nonboarder patients. The EDB service covered 59.9% of eligible patients and 62.9% of total boarding hours. Median hospital LOS was 4.76 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.90-7.22) days for nonboarders, 4.92 (IQR 3.00-8.03) days for covered EDB patients, and 5.11 (IQR 3.16-8.34) days for noncovered EDB (P < .001). Median ED LOS for nonboarders was 5.6 (IQR 4.2-7.5) hours, 20.7 (IQR 15.8-24.9) hours for covered EDB, and 10.1 (IQR 7.9-13.8) hours for noncovered EDB (P < .001). There was no difference in 30-day ED readmission rates. CONCLUSION Admitted patients who were not boarders had the shortest LOS. Among boarded patients, coverage by a hospital medicine-led EDB service was associated with a reduced hospital LOS.
Prosecuting Opioid Use, Punishing Rurality

The opioid crisis spotlights rural communities, and accompanying that bright light are long-standing, traditional biased tropes about backwards and backwoods White Appalachians. These stereotypes conflate rurality with substance use disorder as the next progression in dehumanizing stereotypes. Widespread attention to our nation’s use disorder crisis, however, also brings an opportunity to recognize these fallacious stereotypes and to look more closely at the criminal legal systems in rural communities. In this Article, I use drug-induced homicide — what has become a popular prosecutorial charge in response to the opioid crisis — as a prism to identify and critique the failings in rural criminal courts more broadly. This Article includes modest recommendations that acknowledge and respond to these inadequacies while attempting to preserve people’s constitutional rights and decrease opiate-related overdoses.
The Effect of a Major Customer’s Information Quality on Its Supplier’s Investment Decisions

I examine the influence of a major customer’s information quality on a supplier’s investment decision-making process. I propose that the flow of high-quality information from a customer reduces a supplier’s uncertainty about its return on investment and increases the supplier’s investment level. Using the customer’s voluntarily disclosed guidance as a proxy for information quality, I find evidence suggesting that suppliers face less uncertainty, invest more in working capital, and are less responsive to uncertainty when their customers provide higher quality information. The effect on suppliers appears to be attributable to the customers’ demand-related information, since customer sales guidance is related to supplier investment, but customer earnings guidance is not. I use restatements as an additional proxy for customer information quality and continue to find evidence that the customer’s internal information influences supplier investment. These results contribute to prior research investigating (1) information spillovers from one firm to another, (2) the information flow from customers to suppliers, and (3) the link between internal information quality and disclosure quality.
Tight Junctions as Targets and Effectors of Mucosal Immune Homeostasis.

Defective epithelial barrier function is present in maladies including epidermal burn injury, environmental lung damage, renal tubular disease, and a range of immune-mediated and infectious intestinal disorders. When the epithelial surface is intact, the paracellular pathway between cells is sealed by the tight junction. However, permeability of tight junctions varies widely across tissues and can be markedly impacted by disease. For example, tight junctions within the skin and urinary bladder are largely impermeant and their permeability is not regulated. In contrast, tight junctions of the proximal renal tubule and intestine are selectively permeable to water and solutes on the basis of their biophysical characteristics and, in the gut, can be regulated by the immune system with remarkable specificity. Conversely, modulation of tight junction barrier conductance, especially within the gastrointestinal tract, can impact immune homeostasis and diverse pathologies. Thus, tight junctions are both effectors and targets of immune regulation. Using the gastrointestinal tract as an example, this review explores current understanding of this complex interplay between tight junctions and immunity.
Cognitive phenotypes and their functional differences in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

Interindividual variation in cognitive ability has been widely reported across a diverse array of taxa and has recently been modelled as a broad consequence of a speed–accuracy trade-off. This trade-off can result in alternative cognitive phenotypes, which in turn could be associated with differences in behavioural and life history traits. While a growing body of literature suggests that performance in certain cognitive and behavioural traits do covary, multiple traits must be measured at these different levels to understand how differences in cognition determine variation in other traits. We tested for the presence of distinct cognitive phenotypes in the honey bee, Apis mellifera, by measuring multiple cognitive traits and determining whether these traits covary in a manner that can be used to define a cognitive axis. Our results indicate the presence of two distinct cognitive phenotypes that meet the predictions of the speed–accuracy trade-off such that fast bees are described by high associative learning, high preference for novelty and high preference for variance, compared to slow bees, and that these differences are consistent across colonies. We then determined whether there were functional differences between these two cognitive phenotypes by measuring their performance in several behavioural and life history traits. We found that fast bees also engaged in more nursing behaviour and transitioned to becoming foragers at an earlier age but we detected no difference in their social behaviour or survival. We discuss our results in terms of their possible implications for social behaviour and the pace-of-life hypothesis.
Evidence-Based Review of Current Botulinum Toxin Treatment Indications in Medicine

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) has been increasingly used not only as a cosmetic drug but, more importantly, it has emerged as the most versatile therapeutic, utilized in virtually all sub-specialties of medicine. In neurology, there is Level A (effective) evidence for the use of certain serotypes of BoNT in cervical dystonia, chronic migraines, upper- and lower-limb spasticity and Level B (probably effective) evidence in blepharospasm. These levels of recommendation, however, must be interpreted cautiously as they are based only on published randomized, controlled studies and are limited to particular products. United States Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA) approved BoNT for these and other indications, such as focal axillary hyperhidrosis and sialorrhea, but there are a growing number of conditions for which BoNT is used off-label. In addition to focal dystonia, BoNT is also increasingly used to treat tremor and other movement disorders and a variety of neuropathic pain disorders including trigeminal neuralgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, and diabetic neuropathy. In urology, there are several randomized controlled trials supporting the benefits of BoNT in overactive bladder and interstitial cystitis. In gastroenterology, BoNT is used to treat anal fissures and achalasia. Thus, BoNT is the most widely used therapeutic molecule.
Determining Market Perceptions on Contamination of Residential Property Buyers Using Contingent Valuation Surveys

This study reports the results of contingent valuation (CV) studies conducted in eight states in the United States. Over 1,100 telephone interviews examined valuation effects on residential propert...
Effects of brainstem lesions on amino acid levels in the rat cochlear nucleus

There is evidence for glutamate, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), and glycine as neurotransmitters of centrifugal pathways to the cochlear nucleus, but the quantitative extent of their contributions to amino acid neurotransmission in cochlear nucleus regions has not been known. We used microdissection of freeze-dried tissue sections of rat cochlear nucleus, with mapping of sample locations, combined with a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay, to measure amino acid levels in cochlear nucleus subregions of rats with unilateral lesions of centrifugal pathways to the cochlear nucleus. In rats with lesions transecting all or almost all pathways to the cochlear nucleus from brain stem regions, GABA, aspartate, and glutamate levels were reduced, compared to contralateral values, in almost all ipsilateral cochlear nucleus regions. The largest reductions, in dorsal (DCN), anteroventral (AVCN), and posteroventral (PVCN) cochlear nucleus regions, approached 50% for GABA, 40% for aspartate, and 30% for glutamate. In contrast, glutamine and taurine levels were typically higher in lesioned-side cochlear nucleus regions than contralaterally. Effects on glycine levels were mixed but usually included increased lesioned-side values compared to contralateral, probably reflecting a balance between increases during protein breakdown and decreases of free glycine in transected pathways. More limited lesions transecting just dorsal pathways showed much less effect on amino acid levels. Lesion of the ipsilateral trapezoid body connection plus ipsilateral superior olivary nuclei resulted in decreases of GABA, aspartate, and glutamate levels especially in ventral cochlear nucleus regions. No clear contralateral effects of this lesion could be shown. The results most strongly support centrifugal GABAergic pathways to the cochlear nucleus, providing almost half of GABAergic neurotransmission in most regions. Our results support and extend previously published measurements of lesion effects on GABA uptake and release in cochlear nucleus subdivisions.
Optimal Control of Autonomous Vehicles for Traffic Smoothing

Uniform traffic flow has been shown to be unstable in certain flow regimes due to collective behaviors of human drivers, resulting in the well-observed stop-and-go waves. These traffic waves can arise even in the absence of merges, bottlenecks, or lane changing, and may lead to higher vehicle fuel consumption and emissions. In this article, we aim to smooth unstable traffic flow via optimal control of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in a predominantly human-driven traffic flow. These controlled AVs act as mobile actuators in the traffic without changing the way human-driven vehicles (HVs) normally operate. We develop a dynamic model to describe mixed traffic flow in the presence of both HVs and AVs, whose dynamics follow general nonlinear car-following principles. Based on this general framework, we formulate an optimal control problem with the objective of minimizing vehicle speed perturbation, and prove the existence of optimal AV control policy. Following the necessary conditions of optimality prescribed by the well-known Pontryagin's minimum principle, we present a computational algorithm to determine the optimal AV control strategy and prove its convergence. The mathematical model is further illustrated using the intelligent driver model (IDM) and optimal velocity with relative velocity (OVRV) model for HVs and AVs, respectively. Numerical results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach on traffic smoothing, as well as the improvement on vehicle fuel economy.
Oral Sulfate Solution versus Low-volume Poly Ethylene Glycol for Bowel Preparation: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background and aims Oral sodium sulfate (OSS) and low volume polyethylene glycol-based solutions are two of the more common low volume purgatives used as colonoscopy preparations. Data on how these different low-volume solutions compare are mixed. Our aim was to conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) to compare OSS with low-volume PEG plus Ascorbic acid (PEG+Asc) solution with respect to (i) satisfactory bowel preparation, (ii) excellent bowel preparation, and (iii) tolerability. Methods Studies were identified by searching ten medical databases for reports published from 1974 until 2019. Only fully published RCT's comparing OSS and low volume PEG based products with regard to overall satisfactory bowel preparation were included. Pooling was conducted by both fixed-effects and random-effects models; results are presented from the random effects model when heterogeneity was significant. Results Seven studies (involving 2049 subjects) met the inclusion criteria. There was no difference between OSS and PEG+Asc with respect to adequate bowel preparation (RR=1.02 (0.99-1.06); p=0.16). OSS did result in higher chance of excellent bowel preparation (R=1.18 (1.06-1.31); p=0.03). OSS was associated with a 30% increased risk of nausea (RR=1.35 (1.03-1.77); p=0.03) and more than double the risk of vomiting (RR=2.30 (1.63-2.23); p Conclusions Individuals at low risk of inadequate bowel preparation who use OSS for bowel preparation are more likely to achieve excellent bowel preparation, but are more likely to experience nausea and vomiting than are individuals using low-volume PEG-based solutions.
Modeling of Bioheat Transfer Processes at High and Low Temperatures

Publisher Summary Heat transfer exhibits many therapeutic applications involving either a raising or lowering of temperature. It often requires precise monitoring of the spatial distribution of thermal histories that are produced during a protocol. The ability to perform accurate analysis of the heat transfer phenomena has led to a quantitative basis for describing the broad range of bioheat transfer processes that exist and in modeling the unique features of the flow of heat in living systems. This chapter presents a general background for the previous work in bioheat transfer. It describes the evolution of modeling techniques to deal with the special problems confronting the analysis of heat transfer processes in biosystems, both in vivo and in vitro. In specific, the chapter outlines the paths that are followed in arriving at the present state-of-the-art in several important areas of bioheat transfer modeling. It addresses the techniques for the modeling of many of the most important and commonly encountered examples of heat transfer processes in living systems.
Neither Fish Nor Fowl: Administrative Judges in the Modern Administrative State

This article examines the role of administrative adjudication in the United States constitutional system. It begins by noting that such adjudication fits uncomfortably within a system of divided powers. Administrative judges, including administrative law judges [ALJs] (who have the highest level of protection and status), are considerably more circumscribed than ordinary Article III judges. Indeed, administrative judges are usually housed in the agencies for which they decide cases, rather than in independent adjudicative bodies, and they do not always have the final say regarding the cases they decide. In many instances, the agency can appeal an adverse administrative judge’s decision directly to the head of the agency, and the agency head retains broad power to overrule the administrative judge’s determinations. In other words, the agency can substitute its judgment for that of the administrative judge regarding factual determinations, legal determinations, and policy choices. As a result, many administrative adjudicative structures involve difficult tradeoffs between independence, political control, and accountability. This article examines issues related to the status and power of administrative judges, as well as the constraints that have been imposed on administrative adjudicative authority, and explores whether those constraints continue to serve the purposes for which they were originally imposed.
VIDEO TECHNOLOGIES FOR ROADWAY SURVEILLANCE AND AUTOMATED DETECTION

This paper summarizes the current state-of-the-art in video imaging and video signal processing technology for traffic surveillance and electronic detection. Technical considerations relevant to the selection of video cameras and computer vision hardware and software are reviewed. Applicable standards are identified, and evaluation criteria and test procedures are described.
On the Contributions of Topics to System Evaluation

We consider the selection of good subsets of topics for system evaluation. It has previously been suggested that some individual topics and some subsets of topics are better for system evaluation than others: given limited resources, choosing the best subset of topics may give significantly better prediction of overall system effectiveness than (for example) choosing random subsets. Earlier experimental results are extended, with particular reference to generalisation: the ability of a subset of topics selected on the basis on one collection of system runs to perform well in evaluating another collection of system runs. It turns out to be hard to establish generalisability; it is not at all clear that it is possible to identify subsets of topics that are good for general evaluation.
An Approach to the Verification of the Center-TRACON Automation System

The Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS) is a collection of planning and control software functions that generate landing schedules and advisories to assist air traffic controllers in handling traffic in the en-route and terminal areas. In this paper, we propose a formal safety analysis methodology to determine the correctness of CTAS with respect to safety. Four large classes of safety notions are identified for the CTAS problem: nominal, robust, structural and degraded. For nominal safety questions we seek conditions under which the system is guaranteed to be nominally safe.
King County Metro -- Allison Hybrid Electric Transit Bus Testing

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's ReFUEL facility conducted chassis dynamometer testing of two 60-foot articulated transit buses, one conventional and one hybrid to study emissions trends.
Pollen morphology inLinum sect.Macrantholinum

Pollen of the two distylous species which make upLinum sect.Macrantholinum differs from that of other distylous species in the genus in being multiporate and in having much more modest differences in exine sculpturing between grains from long- and short-styled plants. Pollen morphology does not help in relating the two species to others in the genus but does support their retention in a separate section.
The initial experience with RENAL Nephrometry in children, adolescents, and young adults with renal tumors.

Background No standardized manner exits to objectively compare renal tumor complexity in children and adolescents. However, the RENAL Nephrometry scoring system has been recently developed in adults and shown to predict tumor complexity and correlate with clinical outcomes. Thus, the study objective was to evaluate RENAL Nephrometry tumor score in a population of children, adolescents, and young adults and correlate it with tumor features and pathology. Methods Patients at the study institution who underwent attempted renal tumor resection from 2002 to 2012, and had pre-operative imaging available for scoring were retrospectively reviewed. A Nephrometry score for each affected kidney was calculated separately by two blinded reviewers and the final score was based on consensus review. Tumor characteristics and oncologic outcomes were compared between the low-, moderate-, and high-complexity masses. Results Sixty-five patients and 67 kidneys met study criteria. This included: 5 (7.5%) low-complexity, 11 (16.4%) moderate-complexity, and 51 (76.1%) high-complexity lesions. In comparing the clinical and pathologic features between groups, it was observed that less complex masses were observed in older patients, were more commonly managed with nephron-sparing surgery, and more often represented renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and other non-Wilms tumor pathology. No statistically significant correlation was observed between tumor complexity score and blood loss, operative time, transfusion requirement, positive margins or tumor rupture. Conclusion In general, renal lesions in this population are highly complex. In its current form, RENAL Nephrometry appears most useful in evaluating tumor complexity in RCC and masses in older children and adolescents. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014; 61:1434–1439. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effectiveness of dexamethasone iontophoresis for temporomandibular joint involvement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement is common in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Dexamethasone iontophoresis (DIP) uses low-grade electric currents for transdermal dexamethasone delivery into deeper anatomic structures. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of DIP for the treatment of TMJ involvement in JIA, and to delineate variables that are associated with improvement after DIP. Methods Medical records of all JIA patients who underwent DIP for TMJ involvement at a larger tertiary pediatric rheumatology center from 1997–2011 were reviewed. DIP was performed using a standard protocol. The effectiveness of DIP was assessed by comparing the maximal interincisor opening (MIOTMJ) and the maximal lateral excursion (MLETMJ) before and after treatment. Results Twenty-eight patients (ages 2–21 years) who received an average of 8 DIP treatment sessions per involved TMJ were included in the analysis. Statistically significant improvement in the median MIOTMJ (P < 0.0001) was observed in 68%. The median MLETMJ (P = 0.03) improved in 69%, and resolution of TMJ pain occurred in 73% of the patients who had TMJ pain at baseline. Side effects of DIP were transient site erythema (86%), skin blister (4%), and metallic taste (4%). Improvement in TMJ range of motion from DIP is associated with lower MIOTMJ, lower MLETMJ, and absence of TMJ crepitus at baseline. Conclusion In this pilot study, DIP appeared to be an effective and safe initial treatment of TMJ involvement in JIA, especially among patients with decreased TMJ measurements. Prospective controlled studies are needed.
The soil-geomorphic template and biotic change in arid and semi-arid ecosystems

The objective of this paper is to illustrate the concept of the soil-geomorphic template and its relationship to biotic change in arid and semi-arid regions. Such biotic change is typically accompanied by and linked to geomorphic change that involves soil, topography, and soil parent material, which together form the soil-geomorphic template. Soil is a factor in biotic change because it is the substrate that provides water, nutrients, anchorage for plants, and habitat for burrowing animals. Topography is a factor in biotic change because it influences local microclimate by means of elevation, lateral redistribution of water, and slope orientation. Soil parent material is a factor in biotic change because it provides the lithic inheritance from the geologic landscape that gives rise to soils with different particle size distribution (i.e. available water holding capacity) and nutrient status. Numerous linkages and feedback loops occur between the soil-geomorphic template, microclimate, vegetation, and animals. A perturbation in any of these factors can steer an ecosystem from one state to another. The integral relationship between the soil-geomorphic template and biotic change is an example of how biological and geological systems are coupled and co-evolve over long-term (Quaternary landscape evolution) and short-term (human-induced desertification) time-scales.
Far-ultraviolet laser ablation of atherosclerotic lesions

Far-ultraviolet (far-UV) (193 nm) laser radiation ablates arterial wall tissue, including noncalcified atherosclerotic lesions, with no apparent thermal damage to remaining tissue. This effect contrasts sharply with the thermal damage produced by visible-wavelength laser irradiation. The mechanism by which far-UV radiation interacts with tissue is predominantly photochemical rather than photothermal. Potential clinical applications include thsoe in which geometrically precise removal of tissue, without thermal damage to the reamaining substrate, is desired. Ultraviolet laser catheterization appears practical with respect to the availability of fiberoptic materials and high-pulse-rate excimer lasers.
Manners of Imagining the real

What counts as evidence? What is accepted as true in court given the evidence admitted? How are subordinated peoples further oppressed in courts because they cannot demonstrate that their experience is fact? Drawing on the confirmation brings for Clarence Thomas as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and the testimony of Anita Hill in those hearings, the author explores the ways in which representations of sexual violence against women can be seen as not “real.”
Liquid crystalline siloxanes containing spiropyran chromophores as reversible optical data storage materials

The application of liquid crystalline siloxanes consisting of pentamethylhydrocyclosiloxane cores with attached cholesteryl-, biphenyl- and photochromic spiropyran-based mesogens as reversible optical data storage materials is demonstrated by grating formation with an argon ion laser beam operating in the UV and visible regions. Erasure of the gratings with heat or visible radiation was possible.
A condition variation study for radioiodination via triazene intermediates

Pyrrolidyl triazenes prepared by interception of the diazonium transient in the Sandmeyer reaction of amines can serve as useful intermediates in the iodination and radioiodination of aryl rings. Decomposition of such triazenes in the presence of iodide is acid-catalyzed and is sensitive to choice of solvent, acid, and triazene structure. A condition variation study by HPLC of four different solvent systems and two non-nucleophilic acids was carried out on the123I iodination of the triazenes of p-nitroaniline, p-anisidine and p-toluidine. This method has proven useful in radiolabeling of two pharmaceutical analogs which were not amenable to labeling through the classic Sandmeyer method.
Sensitivity of Late Permian climate to bathymetric features and implications for the mass extinction

Abstract Evidence from stratigraphic sections of the Panthalassa, Paleo-Tethys and Neo-Tethys suggests that the oceans experienced widespread anoxia during the Late Permian, which likely contributed to the extinction of ~ 90% of marine and ~ 70% of terrestrial species. The Late Permian and Early Triassic were also characterized by significant carbon isotope excursions implying that considerable perturbations in the carbon cycle occurred. Bathymetric features of the Panthalassa during this period are not well known since most of the ocean floor has been subducted; however, tectonic reconstructions suggest that active marine subduction zones surrounded Pangea. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that there was an active mid-ocean ridge system located in Panthalassa during the Late Permian. In this study, the impact of such a spreading center within Panthalassa on the climate and carbon cycle is investigated using a comprehensive climate system model for the end-Permian. This is a novel approach because a majority of previous simulations assumed a flat bottom for the Panthalassa deep-sea. The mid-ocean ridge (MOR) simulation enhanced vertical mixing and topographic steering of the currents near the ridge-axis but in comparison with the simulation using a flat bottom, changes in the global distribution of water masses and circulation in the Panthalassa were insignificant. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were not considerably affected by the implementation of the mid-ocean ridge. Thus the approximation of using a flat-bottom topography in ocean models for the Late Permian remains valid. In a second sensitivity study, the effect of a sill between the deep Paleo-Tethys and Panthalassa on water mass distribution and oxygen content has been investigated. Model results suggest that the introduction of a sill led to enhanced stratification, as well as an increase in salinity and temperature in the Paleo-Tethys. An associated reduction of the dissolved oxygen concentration to dysoxic to near-anoxic conditions below 1800 m suggests that the changes in sill height between the Paleo-Tethys and Panthalassa may have been a contributing factor of regional importance to the Permian-Triassic mass extinction.
Detection of pelvic lymph node micrometastasis in stage IA2–IB2 cervical cancer by immunohistochemical analysis

Abstract Objective. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the incidence of lymph node micrometastasis in cervical cancer by immunohistochemical analysis and (2) determine if the presence of micrometastasis is a poor prognostic feature in early cervical cancer. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 62 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy for FIGO stage IA2–IB2 cervical cancer at Stanford University Hospital from 1990 to 2000. Forty-nine patients with negative lymph nodes were identified. A total of 976 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pelvic lymphadenectomy specimens were serially sectioned and stained with anti-cytokeratin antibodies AE1 and AE1/CAM5.2. Results. Six patients had stage IA2 disease, 37 had stage IB1, and 6 had IB2. The mean age of the patients was 44 years (range, 24–76). Seventy-one percent had squamous cell carcinomas, 22% had adenocarcinomas, and 6% had other types. Lymph node micrometastases were immunohistochemically detected in 4 of the 49 (8.1%) patients, comprising 4 of 976 (0.41%) pelvic lymph nodes examined. Twelve of 45 (15.6%) patients with negative nodes had lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) whereas 3 of 4 (75%) patients with micrometastases had LVSI. At a mean follow-up time of 39.4 months, 2 of 4 (50%) patients with micrometastasis had recurrent disease, while 3 of 45 (6.7%) patients without micrometastasis developed recurrent disease. Conclusions. These preliminary data suggest that immunohistochemical detection of pelvic lymph nodes is more frequent in patients with LVSI and may identify patients needing adjuvant chemoradiation.
Effect of reactive ion etch-induced damage on the performance of 4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes

The effect of reactive ion etch (RIE) induced damage on 4H-SiC surfaces etched in fluorinated plamas has been investigated and characterized using Ni Schottky diodes and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic surface analysis. The diodes were characterized using current-voltage, current-voltage-temperature, and capacitance-voltage measurements with near ideal forward characteristics (n=1.07) and forward current density as high as 9000 A/cm2 from the control (unetched) devices. High current handling capability was observed in diodes with etched surfaces as well. Diodes with surfaces etched in CHF3 containing plasmas showed a significant reduction in the barrier height compared to the diodes with surfaces etched in CF4 containing plasma. Control devices exhibited high leakages when reverse biased, which is attributed to the presence of a thin (∼2 nm) oxide layer at the metal-semiconductor interface. However, under reverse bias diodes with CHF3-etched surfaces showed improvement in leakage current compared to diodes with CF4-etched surfaces and the control diodes.
The Effect of Recruitment Upon Metropolitan Voting Cohesion in the House of Representatives: A Research Note

this research note reports the initial results of a longitudinal analysis of the voting behavior of metropolitan congressional delegations in the House of Representatives. The hypothesis examined was developed on the premise that varying types of recruitment patterns among United States congressmen would affect the voting cohesion of metropolitan delegates. At this initial stage we have examined the cohesion of four metropolitan delegations during the period of 1955-1966. The possible relation between recruitment and voting cohesion was originally posited by Leo Snowiss.1 His research had led him to conclude that within the Chicago Democratic party apparatus, and particularly within the inner-core districts where the party is massive, hierarchial, and lacking any significant Republican opposition, the Democratic party has maintained absolute control over both the nomination and election of inner-city congressmen. Longstanding membership in the party organization is the single most important criterion for selection; representatives are chosen by party regulars from a pool of party regulars who have risen through the hierarchy by submitting to career patterns shaped by the distribution of local power and the existence of established tradition. The high cohesion within the Chicago delegation is, therefore, a logical product of these environmental factors. More specifically, in the resultant pattern he sees three distinctive features: (1) inner-city congressmen have been well schooled in and appreciate the value of quiet bargaining, negotiation, and compromise; (2) they are pragmatists rather than ideologues; and (3) their long association with the party organization has instilled in them an
Modeling finite-rate mixing effects in reburning using a simple mixing model

Abstract Natural gas reburning is a NO x to N 2 conversion technology in which turbulent jets are used to mix reburning fuel into furnace gases. Modeling of the reburning process requires a description of the detailed chemical kinetics and the turbulent mixing between the reburn fuel (natural gas) and oxidizer (the furnace gases). The simple mixing models developed for the reburning application by Alzueta et al. [1] , Cha et al. [2] , and Han et al. [3] are able to incorporate the necessarily large chemistry sets with little computational overhead. These simple mixing approaches, e.g., the One-Reactor Model (1RM), yield good predictive capabilities over the parametric range in reburn zone stoichiometries [2] . This study investigates the role of finite-rate mixing on reburn performance over the parametric range in temperature. This is done through the application of the 1RM to the reburn pilot-scale data sets of Mereb and Wendt 4 , 5 . Results show weaknesses in the simple mixing model at relatively low temperatures. Possible causes for this breakdown of the 1RM and similar simple mixing model approaches at low temperatures include uncertainties in the chemistry and/or the influence of the “homogeneity assumption” in the mixing model.
Computer simulation of mosquito populations (Anopheles albimanus) for comparing the effectiveness of control technologies.

A deterministic simulation model for mosquitoes based on a life history analysis was developed. Average daily survival values for the adult and immature stages based on data collected in the field were used as the primary factors affecting population growth rates and density over time. Changes in survival were considered to be the net result of all environmental changes on population dynamics when temperature was not a major factor. The development times for immature stages and the pattern of mating, biting, and oviposition remained constant. A subroutine was included that could be used to determine the number of mosquitoes present in the population each day that were capable of transmitting malaria. Simulations were conducted for comparison of the effect cf both contact insecticides and sterile male releases, used alone and in combination, for a population representative of an area in El Salvador. With this approach to modeling, it is possible to simulate populations as they occur naturally and when subjected to control.
Reaction path in the magnesium thermite reaction to synthesize titanium diboride

TiB2, along with MgO and Mg3B2O6, was formed by a thermite reaction between Mg, amorphous B2O3, and TiO2 powders in argon. The mixture 5Mg–TiO2–B2O3 along with binary mixtures and single components were analyzed using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Large (25 g) specimens were also ignited in bulk using a resistance-heated nichrome wire. The reaction path in forming TiB2 in the three component mixture was deduced. Mg reduces TiO2 and B2O3 to form Ti and MgB2, respectively, which in turn react to form TiB2. In an oxidizing atmosphere, the significant speed of the reaction permitted solid state reaction to form TiB2 before atmospheric oxygen could diffuse into the powder mass and react to form oxide phases. Thermite reactions in air have the advantage (over furnace heating in air) of not providing time at elevated temperatures for Mg and intermediate products to become consumed in the formation of oxides, nor time for oxidation degradation of TiB2.
Vitamin stability in oral multivitamin preparations.

The stability of the more commonly used vitamins in vitamin concentrates and multivitamin preparations for oral administration has been studied in a variety of basic aqueous solvent mixtures of practical significance under normal storage conditions. The overage required for each vitamin under various conditions and in different formulations has been indicated in order to determine the excess of each vitamin necessary to maintain label declarations for normal storage periods.
Efficiency of prefix and non-prefix codes in string matching over compressed databases on handheld devices

This paper shows the efficiency of prefix and non-prefix codes for searching over compressed handheld databases. Byte Pair Encoding (BPE), Tagged Suboptimal Code (TSC), and Huffman encoding are the compression techniques used in the evaluation. By compressing handheld databases and searching over compressed text without needing to expand the databases, more data will be stored and more applications can be used. Experimental results show that about 33% more space has been achieved in the compressed handhelds' databases when using Searching over Compressed Text using BPE (SCTB) or Searching over Compressed Text using TSC (SCTT) solutions. Moreover, both solutions are 6.6 times faster than decompressing the databases followed by a linear search in all different sizes of databases. Efficiency performance shows that SCTB is the recommended solution for databases consisting of large-sized records and rarely updated, and SCTT is the recommended method for frequently updated databases or consisting of small-sized records. TSC and BPE compression schemes could also be used to accelerate wireless connectivity, web clipping, or databases transfer between handheld devices and computers, since these databases are usually small in size.