cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PEE1: ANTIBIOTIC PRESCRIBING PATTERNS FOR THE TREATMENT OF INITIAL ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA IN CHILDREN ENROLLED IN IOWA MEDICAID FROM 1990 THROUGH 1997

INTRODUCTION: Otitis media and acute otitis media (AOM) are the most common diseases among children in the US with an annual cost of more than $3 billion in 1996. Historically, a ten-day course of antibiotics has been the standard treatment for AOM. Providers can choose first-line antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole, and Erythromicin-Sulfisoxazole) or a group of second-line antibiotics. Second-line antibiotics generally have a broader spectrum of activity but are more costly relative to first-line antibiotics. Presently, policy-makers have little evidence to evaluate the increased effectiveness of second-line antibiotics for AOM in practice. OBJECTIVES: As a first step to address this question, this study describes the factors related to the choice between first-line and second-line antibiotics for initial AOM in Iowa Medicaid population. METHODS: We identified 19,987 Iowa Medicaid eligible children less than 13 year of age who had initial AOM from 1990 through 1997. We estimated the probability of the second-line agent use across the patient demographics (age, sex), previous antibiotic use, year of diagnosis, patient's county, and the specialty of the treating physician. RESULTS: Factors of age (p < 0.01), county (p < 0.01), previous antibiotic use (p < 0.01), provider specialty (p < 0.01), and year of diagnosis (p < 0.01) had statistically significant effects on second-line prescribing. We found that second-line prescribing increased over time. With respect to specialty, general practitioners (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.18–1.49), family practitioners (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.01–1.19), and otolaryngologists (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.53–2.18) were more likely to prescribe second-line antibiotics than pediatricians. In addition, the effect of the timing of previous antibiotic use on second-line prescribing varied with type of antibiotic previously used. Any second-line antibiotic used within the last 180 days was positively related to second-line antibiotic use for initial AOM. However, only first-line antibiotic use within the last 60 days contributed to increased second-line use.
Self-psychology and the new narcissism in psychoanalysis

Abstract Much recent attention has been paid to a purported trend toward increased incidence of “narcissistic” forms of psychopathology, relatively unresponsive to psychoanalytic treatment, and decreases in classically analyzable psychoneuroses. Heinz Kohut's self-psychology was initially an effort to extend analytic theory and methods to encompass narcissistic disorders. It has since been given much broader application, attracted numerous adherents, and become highly controversial. The present paper summarizes self-psychological theory and therapy, and discusses them in the context of the history and meanings of narcissism in psychoanalysis. Particular consideration is given to its theoretical consistency and explanatory power, the possible change-producing factors in self-psychological treatment, and the place of this system in relation to classical psychoanalysis.
Synthesis of β-cyclodextrin oximes

Abstract The primary- and secondary-side oxime derivatives of β-cyclodextrin have been prepared as hydrolysis reagents. The secondary-side derivative has been converted to the first secondary-side keto-cyclodextrin.
Trace detection and discrimination of explosives using electrochemical potentiometric gas sensors.

Abstract In this article, selective and sensitive detection of trace amounts of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) is demonstrated. The screening system is based on a sampling/concentrator front end and electrochemical potentiometric gas sensors as the detector. Preferential hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide(s) mixed potential sensors based on lanthanum strontium chromite and Pt electrodes with yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) solid electrolyte were used to capture the signature of the explosives. Quantitative measurements based on hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide sensor responses indicated that the detector sensitivity scaled proportionally with the mass of the explosives (1–3 μg). Moreover, the results showed that PETN, TNT, and RDX samples could be discriminated from each other by calculating the ratio of nitrogen oxides to hydrocarbon integrated area under the peak. Further, the use of front-end technology to collect and concentrate the high explosive (HE) vapors make intrinsically low vapor pressure of the HE less of an obstacle for detection while ensuring higher sensitivity levels. In addition, the ability to use multiple sensors each tuned to basic chemical structures (e.g., nitro, amino, peroxide, and hydrocarbon groups) in HE materials will permit the construction of low-cost detector systems for screening a wide spectrum of explosives with lower false positives than present-day technologies.
Inhibition of lectin-stimulated lymphocyte agglutination and mitogenesis by hydroquinone: Reactivity with intracellular sulfhydryl groups

Abstract Benzene-induced lymphocytopenia and hypoplasia in bone marrow, spleen, and thymus correlate with concentrations of polyhydroxy metabolites of benzene in these target organs. Pretreatment of Ficoll-purified rat spleen lymphocytes with hydroquinone (HQ) enhanced in vitro phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated mitogenesis at lower concentrations but inhibited lectin-stimulated blast transformation at higher concentrations. Following preincubation with HQ, viable lymphocytes failed to agglutinate or undergo blast transformation in the presence of PHA. This effect occurred in the absence of depressed energy production which suggested an impairment of cytoskeletal function. Other polyhydroxy metabolites of benzene, including p -benzoquinone, 1,2,4-benzenetriol, and catechol produced similar effects on mitogen response. N -Ethylmaleimide (NEM), a membrane penetrating alkylating agent with specificity for sulfhydryl (SH) groups, inhibited lymphocyte mitogenesis and agglutination at the same concentrations as HQ. 5,5′-Dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), a poorly penetrating SH reagent, had no effect on lymphocyte function. The concurrent inhibition of mitogenesis and agglutination by HQ and NEM was prevented by the addition of dithiothreitol (DTT), a SH compound, suggesting an important interaction of the metabolite (or its products) with intracellular SH groups critical to early events in blastogenesis. We suggest that interaction of the polyhydroxy metabolites of benzene with particularly reactive SH groups on microtubules may explain their sublethal effects of lymphocyte function.
Effect of intrinsic stress gradient on the effective mode-I fracture toughness of amorphous diamond-like carbon films for MEMS

Abstract The influence of intrinsic stress gradient on the mode-I fracture of thin films with various thicknesses fabricated for Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) was investigated. The material system employed in this study was hydrogen-free tetrahedral amorphous diamond-like carbon (ta-C). Uniform gauge microscale specimens with thicknesses 0.5, 1, 2.2, and 3 μm, containing mathematically sharp edge pre-cracks were tested under mode-I loading in fixed grip configuration. The effective opening mode fracture toughness, as calculated from boundary force measurements, was 4.25±0.7 MPa√m for 0.5-μm thick specimens, 4.4±0.4 MPa√m for 1-μm specimens, 3.74±0.3 MPa√m for 2.2-μm specimens, and 3.06±0.17 MPa√m for 3-μm specimens. Thus, the apparent fracture toughness decreased with increasing film thickness. Local elastic property measurements showed no substantial change as a function of film thickness, which provided evidence for the stability of the sp2/sp3 carbon binding stoichiometry in films of different thicknesses. Detailed experiments and finite element analysis pointed out that the dependence of the effective fracture toughness on specimen thickness was due to the intrinsic stress gradient developed during fabrication and post-process annealing. This stress gradient is usually unaccounted for in mode-I fracture experiments with thin films. Thicker films, fabricated from multiple thin layers, underwent annealing for extended times, which resulted in a stress gradient across their thickness. This stress gradient caused an out-of-plane curvature upon film release from its substrate and, thus, combined bending and tensile mode-I loading at the crack tip under in-plane forces. Since the bending component cannot be isolated from the applied boundary force measurements, its contribution, becoming important for thick films, remains unaccounted for in the calculation of the critical stress intensity factor, thus resulting in reduced apparent fracture toughness that varies with film thickness and curvature. It was concluded that in the presence of a stress gradient, accounting only for the average intrinsic stresses could lead in an overestimate of the fracture resistance of a brittle film. Under these considerations the material fracture toughness of ta-C, as determined from specimens with negligible curvature, is KIC=4.4±0.4 MPa√m.
Microstructural Characterization of Ceramic Materials by Small Angle Neutron Scattering Techniques

The use of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) techniques for characterizing the microstructure of ceramic materials is discussed. Attention is given to a description of experiments with SANS techniques in order to determine their advantages and possible limitations in ceramics research in two areas: the diffraction of microstructural phenomena of less that 100 nm and beam broadening for microstructural phenomena greater than 90 nm. The bound values of coherent scattering length, incoherent scattering cross-section, and absorption cross-section for 96 elements and isotopes analyzed with SANS techniques are reported. A schematic diagram of the National Bureau of Standards SANS instrument and its computer substructures is provided. 20 references.
Spectrophometric Assay for Measuring Branched-Chain Amino Acid Concentrations: Application for Measuring the Sensitivity of Protein Metabolism to Insulin

Plasma amino acid concentrations fall during insulin infusion. Amino acid concentrations can be maintained using an infusion of amino acids if their plasma concentration can be determined within a few minutes. We developed a spectrophometric assay which determines the total concentration of all three branched-chain amino acids in plasma within 1 min. The enzyme leucine dehydrogenase oxidatively deaminates leucine, isoleucine, and valine, with stoichiometric reduction of NAD that is measured using a spectrophotometer. The assay was developed in both a kinetic and end-point format. For the kinetic assay the buffer conditions were formulated to obtain equivalent rates with all three amino acids so that it could be used in samples containing unknown mixtures. For the end-point assay additional enzyme was added so that an end-point could be reached within 1 min. The application of the kinetic assay for "clamping" the branched-chain amino acids during hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps in humans is demonstrated.
Case Report Pure red cell aplasia and the syndrome of multiple endocrine gland insufficiency

A 26-year-old female with the syndrome of multiple endocrine gland insufficiency developed pure red cell aplasia. A clinical remission of the pure red cell aplasia was induced with prednisone and cyclophosphamide therapy. The occurrence of these two disorders in a single patient allows speculation on a possible defect in immune surveillance leading to multisystemic immune dysfunction in this patient.
Migration of plutonium in ground water at the Nevada Test Site

Mobile colloids—suspended particles in the submicrometre size range—are known to occur naturally in ground water1, 2 and have the potential to enhance transport of non-soluble contaminants through sorption3. The possible implications of this transport mechanism are of particular concern in the context of radionuclide transport. Significant quantities of the element plutonium have been introduced into the environment as a result of nuclear weapons testing and production, and nuclear power-plant accidents. Moreover, many countries anticipate storing nuclear waste underground. It has been argued that plutonium introduced into the subsurface environment is relatively immobile owing to its low solubility in ground water4 and strong sorption onto rocks5. Nonetheless, colloid-facilitated transport of radionuclides has been implicated in field observations6, 7, but unequivocal evidence of subsurface transport is lacking3, 8, 9. Moreover, colloid filtration models predict transport over a limited distance resulting in a discrepancy between observed and modelled behaviour3. Here we report that the radionuclides observed in groundwater samples from aquifers at the Nevada Test Site, where hundreds of underground nuclear tests were conducted, are associated with the colloidal fraction of the ground water. The 240 Pu/239 Pu isotope ratio of the samples establishes that an underground nuclear test 1.3 km north of the sample site is the origin of the plutonium. We argue that colloidal groundwater migration must have played an important role in transporting the plutonium. Models that either predict limited transport or do not allow for colloid-facilitated transport may thus significantly underestimate the extent of radionuclide migration.
Mandatory Retirement Savings

Nudges toward voluntary defined-contribution retirement savings have moved many non-savers into savings but have left many behind. I argue that it is time to switch from libertarian-paternalistic nudges to fully paternalistic shoves. I draw on evidence from the United States and other countries to advocate a retirement savings solution centered on a paternalistic second layer of mandatory private defined-contribution savings accounts in a retirement savings pyramid, above the paternalistic first layer of Social Security and below the libertarian third layer of voluntary savings.
Low abundance of NPY in the hypothalamus can produce hyperphagia and obesity

States of increased metabolic demand are associated with up-regulation of NPY and hyperphagia. However, we present some instances of hyperphagia in which NPY is not up-regulated. Ablation or functional disruption of specific sites in the hypothalamus, such as the ventromedial or paraventricular nuclei, or transection of inputs to the hypothalamus from the hindbrain results in hyperphagia and excess body weight gain. However, NPY expression and concentration in these experimental models is either decreased or unchanged. While there is no up-regulation of NPY in these models, there is increased sensitivity to the orexigenic effects of NPY. This enhanced responsiveness to NPY may more than compensate for the reduced levels of NPY and result in hyperphagia and excess body weight gain. The hyper-responsiveness may be due either to an increase in NPY receptors or to other changes in target cells and response pathways that may result from the treatments used in these models.
Accumulation of heat shock protein 70 RNA and its relationship to protein synthesis after heat shock in mammalian cells

Heat stress induces a set of heat shock proteins (hsps) in a wide variety of species. In response to either a mild (5 min × 45 °C) or severe (30 min × 45 °C) heat shock, the timing of expression of the hsps and the recovery of general protein synthesis in rat embryonic fibroblasts was dependent on the duration of the hyperthermic exposure. Synthesis of mRNA coding for an hsp of Mr ∼- 70 000 (hsp70) followed immediately after the mild heat shock but was delayed after the severe heat shock. Appearance of the hsps paralleled the synthesis and decay of RNA and was indicative that new RNA synthesis was required for hsp 70 expression. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide after the mild heat shock increased the maximal accumulation of hsp 70 encoding mRNA but did not prevent the subsequent decrease in this mRNA species. These results suggest that mammalian cells control the expression of hsp 70 primarily at the level of transcription, and that the normal pattern of hsp 70 mRNA turnover after an inducing heat stress is not dependent on new protein synthesis.
Isoform-specific modulation of coronary artery PKC by glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoids (GC) exert diverse cellular effects in response to both acute and chronic stress, the functional consequences of which have been implicated in the development of cardiovascular pathology such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. However, the mechanisms by which GCs activate divergent signaling pathways are poorly understood. The present study examined the direct effects of natural (cortisol) and synthetic (dexamethasone) GCs on protein kinase C (PKC) isoform expression in coronary arteries. Porcine right coronary arteries were treated in vitro for 18 h in the presence and absence of either dexamethasone (10, 100, or 500 nM) or cortisol (50, 125, 250, or 500 nM). PKC isoform levels and subcellular distribution were determined by immmunoblotting of whole cell homogenates and immunocytofluorescence using PKC-alpha, -betaII, -epsilon, -delta, and -zeta specific antibodies. Dexamethasone caused a approximately 4-fold increase in PKC-alpha, a approximately 2.5-fold increase in PKC-betaII, and a 2-fold increase in PKC-epsilon (p<0.05). In contrast, dexamethasone had no effect on PKC-delta or PKC- zeta levels. Dexamethasone also caused an increase in the activity of PKC-alpha (285%), -betaII (170%), and -epsilon (210%). Cortisol produced similar effects on PKC isoform expression. Confocal microscopy revealed that while dexamethasone altered localization patterns for PKC-alpha, -betaII and -epsilon, no such effect was observed for PKC-delta or PKC-zeta. The stimulatory effects of dexamethasone and cortisol on coronary PKC levels and translocation were prevented by the GC receptor (GR) blocker, RU486. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that GCs modulate coronary PKC expression and subcellular distribution in an isoform-specific manner through a GR-dependent mechanism.
Growth and implications of network systems: technological and legislative issues

The development of computer networks originated with the military. Today, a wide variety of applications is accessible to the public, internationally. Legislation concerning networks is trying to keep pace with the rapid changes in this field - governments are simultaneously attempting to encourage progress in networks and protect their vital interests from easily accessible information. Regulatory organizations are improving network communications by drafting protocols to unify different types of hardware and software within the business sector. Information exchange is increasing in many industries for several reasons, of which cost reduction is the most significant. Additionally, the trend towards wireless communications may become the most economic method for information exchange. Although limitations have prevented widespread acceptance of such communications within the business sector, improvements in this new technology are gradually reversing this attitude.
Preferential Feeding by the Chinese Rose Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on Ethephon-Treated Plants

Preferential feeding by the Chinese rose beetle, Adoretus sinicus Burmeister, on ethephon-[(2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid] treated host leaves was found under field and caged conditions. In field trials, the leaves of edible ginger, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, showed progressively greater feeding damage with increasing concentrations (0, 500, 1,000 ppm) of ethephon. Similar feeding responses by the beetles were found on the leaves of ginger and snap bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., treated with 1,000 ppm ethephon under caged conditions. Olfactometer experiments confirmed preferential movement of the beetles toward ethephon-treated ginger plants and indicated that the movement was not because of the ethephon treatment itself or ethylene gas, which is present in ethephon and which continues to be produced in the plant following treatment. It appears that the high levels of ethylene gas found in ethephon-treated plants are involved in the formation of a plant volatile(s) that serves as an attractant and feeding stimulus for the Chinese rose beetle.
Angiogenesis inhibitors in lung cancer: a promise fulfilled.

Abstract Sustained angiogenesis is one of the hallmarks of carcinogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a crucial molecule mediating proangiogenic signals against which a number of therapeutic approaches have been designed, such as monoclonal antibodies, small-molecule receptor kinase inhibitors, and nucleic acid inhibitors. The VEGF signaling pathway as a target in lung cancer therapy was validated by a randomized phase III study of platinum agent–based combination chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody against VEGF-A, in first-line, nonsquamous, metastatic non-smallcell lung cancer. This trial demonstrated an improvement in overall survival among patients who received bevacizumab in comparison with those who received carboplatin and paclitaxel alone. In this review, we will discuss various aspects of this pivotal trial and highlight issues relevant to angiogenesis inhibition in the treatment of non–small-cell lung cancer.
Identification of robust scheduling heuristics: application of Taguchi methods in simulation studies

Abstract The successful implementation of scheduling heuristics developed by researchers and practitioners can be greatly influenced by the heuristic's ability to perform well across a wide spectrum of environments. This particular characteristic of a heuristic, robustness, can be quantified and analyzed via the experimental strategies and techniques introduced by Taguchi. This paper examines the concept of robust scheduling heuristics, introduces experimental designs which are useful for analyzing robustness in simulation studies, and discusses appropriate statistical analysis. A comparison of different scheduling and due date assignment rules is used for illustrative purposes. It is shown that the selection of the ‘best’ heuristic may change when the experimental results are looked at in terms of robustness and dispersion.
Stress Differences and the Reference Ellipsoid.

Hullet suggestion that gravity anomalies are related to other geophysical phenomena, including faults and pole position
A view from below: industrial re-structuring and women's employment at four Russian enterprises

Abstract The labor market in Russia has changed significantly during the last decade. This transformation has resulted in notable changes in employment and unemployment patterns, and in labor mobility, flexibility and insecurity. One critical question is whether these changes signal important differences in labor market outcomes by gender. The approach taken here is to focus on the Russian industrial enterprise. In our study, we find that women experience different internal labor market opportunities and external job prospects than men and those differences in experience are reflected in the actual hiring practices at our firms, with men substituting for women, and women finding it particularly difficult to negotiate the increasingly closed labor market in Russia. At the same time important differences persist among women, differences that do not exist for men.
Relationship among measures of evaluation ability (problem solving), creative thinking, and intelligence

Abstract Tasks designed to assess children's verbal abilities to define problems, ask questions to clarify the problem, guess causes, foresee consequences, and generate possible solutions were administered to 156 fourth graders. These tasks were graded in terms of the children's fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration of responses. The purpose of the present analyses was to identify relationships among these measures of creative thinking, intelligence, and evaluation skills. Evaluation ability was measured by the Purdue Elementary Problem Solving Inventory. With intelligence controlled by means of partial correlations, the relationship between creative thinking scores and evaluation ability was near zero. Results were discussed in terms of the role of evaluation in creative thinking and problem solving.
Microbial N and biomass, respiration and N mineralization in soils beneath two chaparral species along a fire-induced age gradient

Abstract A decline in available nutrients may contribute to the loss of vigor observed in older chaparral stands. We examined N mineralization and the storage of C and N in the microbial biomass of soil along a fire-induced chaparral chronosequence in San Diego County, Calif. Soil was collected under chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum H. & A.) and ceanothus [Ceanothus greggii Gray var. perplexans (Trel.) Jeps] shrubs in stands burned 0, 2, 4, 11, 20, 54 and 80 yr prior to the study. Soil collected from the top 5 cm beneath chamise and ceanothus had similar microbial biomass patterns with stand aging. The amount of microbial C in soil remained relatively constant across the age gradient. Concentrations of microbial N and the amount of N mineralized fluctuated, with no significant trend across the stand-age gradient. For both chaparral species, NH4+ concentrations in soil were significantly higher in the recently burned stand (age = 0) than in stands burned from 2 to 80 yr earlier. Ammonium and nitrate concentrations in soil were not significantly different in most instances among soils from 2 to 80 yr-old stands. Soil collected under A. fasciculatum had significantly higher respiration rates, and higher concentrations of NH4+ and NO3− compared to C. greggii, suggesting that these chaparral species have differential influences on microbial processes in the soil around them.
An overview of the calculus curriculum reform effort: issues for learning, teaching, and curriculum development

(1991). An Overview of the Calculus Curriculum Reform Effort: Issues for Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum Development. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 98, No. 7, pp. 627-635.
NOTES ON THE THEORY AND EVIDENCE ON AGGREGATE PURCHASES OF DURABLE GOODS

The basic implications of the frictionless permanent income hypothesis for durable goods purchases are strongly rejected by the data. At the aggregate level there is too much inertia. At the macroeconomic level purchases are too infrequent and lumpy. In principle these rejections can be simultaneously rationalized by the presence of fixed costs of adjustment at the microeconomic level. This article provides a simplified overview of recent developments attempting to formalize and measure the implications of models of fixed cost of adjustment for microeconomic and especially, aggregate behavior of expenditure on durable goods. It contends that these efforts have paid off in terms of methodological and empirical improvements. Copyright 1994 by Oxford University Press.
Distortion score based pose selection for 3D tele-immersion

3D Tele-Immersion (3DTI) systems capture and transmit large volumes of data per frame to enable virtual world interaction between geographically distributed people. Large delays/latencies introduced during the transmission of these large volumes of data can lead to poor quality of experience of the 3DTI systems. Such poor experiences can possibly be overcome by animating the previously received mesh using the current skeletal data (that is very small in size and hence experiences much lower communication delays). However, using just the previously transmitted mesh for animation is not ideal and could render inconsistent results. In this paper, we present a DIstortion Score based Pose SElection (DISPOSE) approach to render the person by using an appropriate mesh for a given pose. Unlike pose space animation methods that require manual or offline time consuming pose set creation, our distortion score based scheme can choose the mesh to be transmitted and update the pose set accordingly. DISPOSE works with partial meshes and does not require dense registration enabling real time pose space creation. With DISPOSE incorporated into 3DTI, the latency for rendering the mesh on the receiving side is limited by only the transmission delay of the skeletal data (which is only around 250 bytes). Our evaluations show the effectiveness of DISPOSE for generating good quality online animation faster than real time.
Molecular dynamics study on effect of elongational flow on morphology of immiscible mixtures.

We studied the effect of elongational flow on structure and kinetics of phase separation in immiscible blends using molecular dynamics simulations. Two different blend systems have been investigated—binary blend of polymers and binary mixture of molecular fluids. The interaction potential parameters in both material systems were chosen to ensure complete phase-separation in equilibrium. We found that elongational flow, beyond a certain rate, significantly alters the steady state morphology in such immiscible mixtures. For the case of polymer blends, perpendicular lamellar morphology was formed under elongation rates (ɛ) from 0.05 to 0.5 MD units possibly due to the interplay of two opposing phenomena—domain deformation/rupture under elongation and aggregation of like-domains due to favorable energetic interactions. The elongation timescale at the critical rate of transition from phase-separated to the lamellar structure (ɛ = 0.05) was found to be comparable to the estimated polymer relaxation time, sugg...
Cost-effectiveness landscape analysis of treatments addressing xerostomia in patients receiving head and neck radiation therapy

Head and neck (H&N) radiation therapy (RT) can induce irreversible damage to the salivary glands thereby causing long-term xerostomia or dry mouth in 68%-85% of the patients. Not only does xerostomia significantly impair patients' quality-of-life (QOL) but it also has important medical sequelae, incurring high medical and dental costs. In this article, we review various measures to assess xerostomia and evaluate current and emerging solutions to address this condition in H&N cancer patients. These solutions typically seek to accomplish 1 of the 4 objectives: (1) to protect the salivary glands during RT, (2) to stimulate the remaining gland function, (3) to treat the symptoms of xerostomia, or (4) to regenerate the salivary glands. For each treatment, we assess its mechanisms of action, efficacy, safety, clinical utilization, and cost. We conclude that intensity-modulated radiation therapy is both the most widely used prevention approach and the most cost-effective existing solution and we highlight novel and promising techniques on the cost-effectiveness landscape.
Nonlinear metamaterial surfaces for absorption of high power microwave surface currents

Surface currents due to high power microwaves can damage or interfere with sensitive antennas and electronic devices. Absorbers tend to be thick and heavy, and reactive coatings such as high impedance surfaces alter the scattering properties of a surface, thereby affecting the radiation pattern of nearly antennas. In this paper, a novel metamaterial surface with nonlinear properties is introduced, and we numerically demonstrate how this structure overcomes the limitations of conventional absorbers or reactive surfaces, and how it works as an absorbing structure for high power microwave surface currents without affecting the behavior of the surface of low power levels.
Tungsten response to transient heat loads generated by laser pulses

Tungsten (W) has been selected as a plasma-facing component (PFC) material in the activated phase of ITER. High melting point and thermal conductivity and low erosion rate and low tritium inventory are the major advantages of W material, which makes it suitable for plasma fusion technology. However, ductile-to-brittle transition is also a major drawback of W, which could produce large macroscopic particles as well as small dust particles. The emission of dust particles from W are found to persist for longer duration compared to plasma lifetime with velocities of several tens m/s. The lifetime of the PFCs also depends on ELMs, VDEs, disruptions and runaway electrons.
Collocation software for second-order elliptic partial differential equations

We consider the collocation method for linear, second-order elliptic problems on rectangular and general two-dimensional domains. An overview of the method is given for general domains, followed by a discussion of the improved efficiencies and simplifications possible for rectangular domains. A very-high-level description is given of three specific collocation algorithms that use Hermite bicubic basic functions, (1) GENCOL (collocation on general two-dimensional domains), (2) HERMCOL (collocation on rectangular domains with general linear boundary conditions), and (3) INTCOL (collocation on rectangular domains with uncoupled boundary conditions). The linear system resulting from INTCOL has half the bandwidth of that from HERMCOL, which provides substantial benefit in solving the system. We provide some examples showing the range of applicability of the algorithms and some performance profiles illustrating their efficiency. Fortran implementations of these algorithms are given in the companion papers [10, 11].
Ethanol. A heat sensitizer on neuroblastoma cells in culture

The presence of 1% ethanol in culture medium during heat treatment (40 degrees C for 8 hours and 43 degrees C for 15 minutes) was sufficient to enhance the effect of hyperthermia on murine neuroblastoma cells (NBP2) in culture, on the criteria of growth (number of viable cells per dish) and survival (colony formation). However, the metabolites of ethanol, acetaldehyde, and sodium acetate at concentrations of 0.003% and 0.125% in culture medium, respectively, under the same experimental conditions did not modify the effect of heat (40 degrees C) on these cells. The presence of same concentration of ethanol, acetaldehyde, or sodium acetate for 15 minutes or 8 hours at 37 degrees C did not affect the growth or the survival of NB cells in culture. These results suggest that ethanol itself rather than its metabolites is responsible for the enhancement of heat effect on NB cells. When ethanol and its metabolites were allowed to remain in the culture medium for the entire periods of heat treatment and observation, they also enhanced the effects of heat on NB cells; however, acetaldehyde was more effective.
A Note on the Theil‐Sen Regression Estimator When the Regressor Is Random and the Error Term Is Heteroscedastic

In simple regression, two serious problems with the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator are that its efficiency can be relatively poor when the error term is normal but heteroscedastic, and the usual confidence interval for the slope can have highly unsatisfactory probability coverage. When the error term is nonnormal, these problems become exacerbated. Two other concerns are that the OLS estimator has an unbounded influence function and a breakdown point of zero. Wilcox (1996) compared several estimators when there is heteroscedasticity and found two that have relatively good efficiency and simultaneously provide protection against outliers: an M-estimator with Schweppe weights and an estimator proposed by Cohen, Dalal and Tukey (1993). However, the M-estimator can handle only one outlier in the X-domain or among the Y values, and among the methods considered by Wilcox for computing confidence intervals for the slope, none performed well when working with the Cohen-Dalal-Tukey estimator. This note points out that the small-sample efficiency of theTheil-Sen estimator competes well with the estimators considered by Wilcox, and a method for computing a confidence interval was found that performs well in simulations. The Theil-Sen estimator has a reasonably high breakdown point, a bounded influence function, and in some cases its small-sample efficiency offers a substantial advantage over all of the estimators compared in Wilcox (1996).
Resolved Hapke parameter maps of the Moon

We derived spatially resolved near-global Hapke photometric parameter maps of the Moon from 21 months of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) multispectral observations using a novel “tile-by-tile method” (1° latitude by 1° longitude bins). The derived six parameters (w,b,c,BS0,hS, andθp) for each tile were used to normalize the observed reflectance (standard angles i = g = 60°, e = 0° instead of the traditional angles i = g = 30°, e = 0°) within each tile, resulting in accurate normalization optimized for the local photometric response. Each pixel in the seven-color near-global mosaic (70°S to 70°N and 0°E to 360°E) was computed by the median of normalized reflectance from large numbers of repeated observations (UV: ∼50 and visible: ∼126 on average). The derived mosaic exhibits no significant artifacts with latitude or along the tile boundaries, demonstrating the quality of the normalization procedure. The derived Hapke parameter maps reveal regional photometric response variations across the lunar surface. The b, c (Henyey-Greenstein double-lobed phase function parameters) maps demonstrate decreased backscattering in the maria relative to the highlands (except 321 nm band), probably due to the higher content of both SMFe (submicron iron) and ilmenite in the interiors of back scattering agglutinates in the maria. The hS (angular width of shadow hiding opposition effect) map exhibits relatively lower values in the maria than the highlands and slightly higher values for immature highland crater ejecta, possibly related to the variation in a grain size distribution of regolith.
Some defects in Strawson's anti-skeptical method

In The Bounds of Sense Strawson argues for the 'objectivity thesis' that all experiencers must use concepts of objective particulars.' A particular is an objective particular if and only if it is (i) reidentifiable, that is, identifiable as the same thing in different perceptual situations at different times, (ii) existentially independent, that is, its existence at any given time is logically independent of anyone's perception of it at that time, and (iii) attributively independent, that is, when perceived, it can have properties other than those it seems to have to the perceiver. The argument for the objectivity thesis (the objectivity argument) is, for Strawson, a paradigm of metaphysical reasoning a sound instance of a transcendental argument. Yet Strawson never fully explicates the nature of such reasoning. In this paper I shall give a general account of Strawson's transcendental method, clarify it by considering a defective criticism of Richard Rorty's, outline the objectivity argument, and then criticize both the argument and the method in general.
The Deng Reforms (1978 1992) and the Gorbachev Reforms (1985 1991) Revisited: A Political Discourse

Culture and history explain the different outcomes of efforts to reform the Soviet Union and China in the 1980s.
MEDICAL THERAPY FOR INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

CD and UC represent a spectrum of chronic IBD that present in protean ways and are accompanied by a variety of systemic sequelae. Sulfasalazine and the newer 5-aminosalicylates are important in the management of mild-to-moderate disease, whereas corticosteroids remain the primary therapy for most patients with moderate-to-severe disease (Tables 2-5). The toxicities associated with long-term steroid therapy, combined with their ineffectiveness as maintenance medications, have led to increased use of immunomodulators, such as azathioprine and 6-MP, for the treatment of steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant IBD. Infliximab is a novel therapeutic adjunct for chronically active and fistulizing CD that will herald a new era of biologic therapy for IBD. Meanwhile, CSA remains an alternative to urgent colectomy in severe UC unresponsive to corticosteroids and also for CD patients with severe disease or refractory fistulas. Finally, continued insights into the etiopathogenic pathways in IBD will provide evolving and innovative approaches until the eventual causes and cures are elucidated. In the meantime, clinicians should remain optimistic regarding current ability to reduce the morbidity and maintain the quality of life for patients suffering with these frustrating diseases.
AEG-1 Regulates Retinoid X Receptor and Inhibits Retinoid Signaling

Retinoid X receptor (RXR) regulates key cellular responses such as cell growth and development, and this regulation is frequently perturbed in various malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecule(s) that physically govern this deregulation are mostly unknown. Here, we identified RXR as an interacting partner of astrocyte-elevated gene-1 (AEG-1)/metadherin (MTDH), an oncogene upregulated in all cancers. Upon interaction, AEG-1 profoundly inhibited RXR/retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-mediated transcriptional activation. Consequently, AEG-1 markedly protected HCC and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells from retinoid- and rexinoid-induced cell death. In nontumorigenic cells and primary hepatocytes, AEG-1/RXR colocalizes in the nucleus in which AEG-1 interferes with recruitment of transcriptional coactivators to RXR, preventing transcription of target genes. In tumor cells and AEG-1 transgenic hepatocytes, overexpressed AEG-1 entraps RXR in cytoplasm, precluding its nuclear translocation. In addition, ERK, activated by AEG-1, phosphorylates RXR that leads to its functional inactivation and attenuation of ligand-dependent transactivation. In nude mice models, combination of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and AEG-1 knockdown synergistically inhibited growth of human HCC xenografts. The present study establishes AEG-1 as a novel homeostatic regulator of RXR and RXR/RAR that might contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. Targeting AEG-1 could sensitize patients with HCC and AML to retinoid- and rexinoid-based therapeutics.
A Mathematical Model with Applications to a Study of Accident Repeatedness among Children

Abstract A Bates-Neyman model is applied to four sets of accident data obtained in a study of childhood accidents. In each case, the model fits the data well. The inference is therefore tenable that the assumptions on which the model is based describe the processes underlying the observed accident distribution. For our purpose, the crucial assumptions are, first, that there are differences in accident liability within each of the groups of children studied and, second, that these differences persist over time. The model is then used to estimate the extent to which a measure of accident liability based on observed number of accidents would be contaminated by chance factors. We find as expected, that some children are likely to be classified incorrectly with respect to liability. However, the estimated proportion of incorrect classifications is low enough (especially in the extreme groups) to warrant using number of accidents as a criterion of accident liability. It is also demonstrated that keeping contami...
Evidence for the absence of Staphylococcus aureus in land applied biosolids

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen both within the hospital setting and as a community-acquired infection. Recently there has been concern that land applied biosolids may transmit S. aureus. However, no scientific data are available to document whether biosolids are a source of S. aureus. To determine if S. aureus is present in biosolids, we collected samples from 15 sites across the United States. Samples analyzed were as follows: 3 raw untreated sewage samples and 2 undigested primary sewage sludge samples; 23 different biosolid samples; and 27 aerosols obtained during biosolid land application (biosolid aerosols). Although S. aureus were detected in raw sewage samples, none were found in any of the treated biosolids nor in any biosolid aerosol samples. These results suggest that biosolids are not a likely source of S. aureus human exposure or infection.
Scattering in the radiation source and the fundamental-harmonic hypothesis

A model for the radiation source for type III solar radio bursts which includes random density fluctuations is reviewed. This methodology is applied to the burst of 28 September, 1973, 03:19 UT which is an archetype ‘fundamental-harmonic’ pair. It is found that for scattering inhomogeneities consistent with those necessary to explain the observed sizes of the sources, it is impossible to amplify fundamental radiation in a source with a spatially uniform energy density in plasma waves; i.e., it is impossible to interpret this burst as a ‘fundamental-harmonic’ pair from such a source. However, the supposed ‘fundamental’ has fine structure similar to type IIIb bursts and since it is very difficult to explain these features except as fundamental radiation, it is concluded that there must be small clumps of intense plasma waves in the source which allow the fundamental to be amplified. These results are also applied to the hectometric burst of 19 July, 1971 for which a steep rise in brightness is observed between 10 and 50 R0. It is argued that the most plausible explanation of this rise is that the density inhomogeneities become sufficiently weak to allow the fundamental to be amplified in this range.
Emission and excitation spectra of benzyl radicals in solid argon

Abstract Argon resonance photolysis of toluene and toluene-d8 during condensation with excess argon produced and trapped the benzyl-h7 and benzyl-d7 free radicals. Dye laser excited emission spectra are qualitatively similar to spectra of the radicals in glassy hosts. Excitation spectra provide spectroscopic evidence for perturbation of the 12A2-22B2 excited states and demonstrate the differences between absorption and emission for the 12A2 ↔ 12B2 transition of the benzyl radical.
The computer in teaching: ten widely believed myths

The following remarks were made by the author at the SIGUCC meeting which followed immediately upon the Fourth Conference on Computers in Undergraduate Curricula, held in Claremont in June.
The Influence of Default Values on the Evaluative Behavior of Graduate Education Students Completing Computerized Evaluations.

Abstract This article reports the findings of a series of studies conducted over a 3-year period. These studies investigated the influence of default values on the evaluative behavior of graduate education students who completed versions of a computerized evaluation instrument that presented one of three defaults: Excellent, Good, or Poor. Although overall evaluative ratings did not differ significantly among the three treatments, respondents who were exposed to the Excellent default rated the instructor significantly more favorably than did respondents exposed to either the Good default or the Poor default. Respondents in the Excellent default treatment also used fewer keystrokes in completing the evaluation and were significantly more likely to accept the default value than were respondents in the other two default treatments. Order of presentation and contiguity of items did not influence ratings significantly, regardless of the default employed.
Not finding the 17 keV neutrino

Abstract We review the results from magnetic spectrometer searches for heavy neutrinos with emphasis on recent work at Caltech, Princeton and Tokyo. None of these experiments reveals evidence for a heavy neutrino, admixed to the usual light neutrino, in the mass range of about 10 to 25 keV. New measurements with the Caltech iron-free double-focusing magnetic spectrometer rule out, at the 6σ level, a 17 keV neutrino admixed at 0.85%, and give an upper limit (90% CL) of 0.2% for such an admixture.