cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does the Bronchoscope Propagate Infection

The flexible and rigid bronchoscopes traverse the nasopharynx or oropharynx and carry with them the indigenous microbial flora to distal regions and may thus inoculate the tracheobronchial tree and possibly the pulmonary parenchyma. The three potential consequences of this event include: (1) onset of new infection in the tracheobronchial tree or lung parenchyma or, if the patient has preexisting infection, further spread of infection locally or to extrapulmonary sites; (2) spread of infection from one patient to another via the bronchoscope, if the methods of disinfection and sterilization are inadequate; and (3) pseudoinfection due to cross-contamination of the bronchoscope, resulting in isolation of organisms from the bronchoscopic specimens of a patient who is clinically not infected. Review of the literature indicates that the last-mentioned consequence is more commonly encountered in clinical practice. The occurrence of pseudoinfection inevitably leads to costly and time-consuming procedures to guarantee that the patients are not infected. Rigorous adherence to sterilization and disinfection procedures and a common sense approach to protecting the uninfected patients and bronchoscopy personnel from infected patients and instruments will prevent the risk of propagating infection through the bronchoscope. This can be accomplished by establishing a set of policies regarding disinfection, sterilization, and protection of uninfected patients, as well as the bronchoscopist and paramedical personnel involved in bronchoscopy.
Genetic control of the quantitative variation of erythrocytic glyoxalase-1(GLO-1) in mice.

Quantitative genetic variation in the glyoxalase-1 content (QGlo-1) of red cells of mice is described. Its genetic control is shown to be exerted by either the Glo-1 locus or a closely linked gene to the left of H-2K. At least six alleles, designated QGlo-1a through QGlo-1f, can be found in different inbred strains of mice.
Opportunities and challenges in the discovery of allosteric modulators of GPCRs for treating CNS disorders

Novel allosteric modulators of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are providing fundamental advances in the development of GPCR ligands with high subtype selectivity and novel modes of efficacy that have not been possible with traditional approaches. As new allosteric modulators are advancing as drug candidates, we are developing an increased understanding of the major advantages and broad range of activities that can be achieved with these agents through selective modulation of specific signalling pathways, differential effects on GPCR homodimers versus heterodimers, and other properties. This understanding creates exciting opportunities, as well as unique challenges, in the optimization of novel therapeutic agents for disorders of the central nervous system.
Towards quantitative measurements of charge transfer in complex crystals using imaging and diffraction of fast electrons

Abstract Electron diffraction and imaging are very sensitive to the valence-electron distribution in materials at small scattering angles. We take advantage of the large dimension of the unit-cell along the c-axis of YBa2Cu3O7 and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ superconductors, to study the distribution of charge carriers, crucial to understanding the superconducting behaviors in these complex systems. Electron pile-up associated with a structural modulation in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ was imaged at an atomic resolution. Charge transfer normal to the a–b plane in YBa2Cu3O7 and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ was accurately measured and plotted using formal valences as a reference. The results were compared with the electronic structures based on first principle calculations.
Harassment versus lobbying for trade protection

Contingent protection harasses foreign exporters and reduces their incentives to export and to support international tradeliberalization agreements. The resulting watereddown trade agreement rewards the harassing industry—even if the harassmentbased policy itself provides no direct protection. This approach carries several implications for the expected pattern of use of contingent protection. In addition, several lingering puzzles concerning contingent protection disappear if harassment to alter foreigners’ trade policy preferences—rather than direct protection per se—is the goal.
Jatene's arterial repair for transposition of the great vessels.

Abstract In 1975, Adib Jatene demonstrated the clinical feasibility of an arterial repair for transposition of the great vessels. This repair consisted of removing the left and right coronary arteries and reanastomosing them to the adjacent pulmonary artery, which was to become the neoaorta, and by transecting and transposing the aorta and main pulmonary artery. This repair varied from previous "arterial switch" procedures in that the aorta and pulmonary artery are divided distal from the aortic and pulmonary valves, and the coronary arteries are removed with a button of aortic wall facilitating the anastomosis to the neoaorta. Initially limited to patients with transposition and a large ventricular septal defect "preparing" the left ventricle, the indications for the arterial repair have been expanded to include neonates with simple transposition and other more complex lesions. Early results suggest that this anatomical and physiological approach will eliminate many of the complications associated with the physiological atrial repairs.
The thermodynamic properties of cobalt-palladium solid solutions

Abstract The thermodynamic activities of cobalt in palladium, relative to pure f.c.c. ferromagnetic cobalt, have been determined from e.m.f. measurements on solid-electrolyte oxygen concentration cells over the temperature range 800–1100°C. The activity of cobalt in palladium exhibits positive departures from ideal solution behavior in cobalt-rich alloys and negative departures in palladium-rich alloys. The activities of palladium, deduced from the experimental data, indicate negative departures from ideality at all compositions. Cobalt-palladium alloys were of particular interest because their unusually high Curie temperatures permitted compositions up to 40 at. % palladium to be studied in the ferromagnetic state. The experimental data were of sufficient precision that the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition could be detected in alloys containing nominally 20 and 30 at. % palladium. The relative integral molar excess entropies, determined from the changes in the partial molar free energies of mixing as a function of temperature, are positive for all the compositions studied. The heats of mixing are endothermic for cobalt-rich compositions and exothermic for palladium-rich compositions. An extrapolation of the experimental values of the partial molar free energies of cobalt to lower temperatures, suggests the presence of a miscibility gap below 600°C at high cobalt concentrations.
D-dimensional interpenetrable-sphere models of random two-phase media: Microstructure and an application to chromatography

Abstract For a class of models of random two-phase media we derive and numerically evaluate expressions for the porosity (matrix volume fraction) φ and the specific surface (interface area per unit volume) s, as well as certain generalizations of these quantities. In these models the medium is considered as a suspension of mutually interpenetrable D-dimensional spheres of radius R, embedded in a uniform matrix. The models and quantities considered have applications to a variety of problems concerning transport, mechanical, electromagnetic, and chemical properties of composite media. Spatial dimensionality D=3 is appropriate for a wide range of composite media, whereas D = 2 describes certain fiber composites (parallel cylindrical inclusions), and D = 1 is appropriate for layered structures. The models considered here contain a hardness parameter ϵ, such that for ϵ = 1 they reduce to mutually impenetrable (hard) spheres, and for ϵ = 0 they reduce to randomly placed spheres. We consider three specific models in this class. The first of these, the permeable—sphere model, is considered in the Percus-Yevick approximation to obtain the two-point distribution function g2(r1, r2). We obtain the n-point distribution functions gn(r1, …, rn) for n ⩾ 3 in the generalized superposition approximation. We also evaluate the lowest-order corrections to this approximation, finding that for all φ and ϵ it reliably gives φ as a function of inclusion number density. For the second model, the concentric-shell model, φ and s are evaluated in the scaled-particle approximation. The generalizations φ(R) and s(R), which are the volume fraction and specific surface available to a probe particle of finite radius R , are also derived and evaluated. For randomly placed spheres (ϵ = 0) these quantities are also considered for polydisperse media. An application to gel size-exclusion chromatography is considered. We find that varying the hardness parameter ϵ or the polydispersivity provides better agreement between theory and experiment than is obtained by using a monodisperse randomly placed sphere model of the gel. A comparison of the density expansions of φ and s for the permeable-sphere and concentric-shell models confirms that the considerable quantitative differences we find between these two conceptually distinct models are not simply the result of the approximation procedures that we use in evaluating their properties. Finally we introduce a new class of models, based on mixtures of spheres of different mutual interpenetrability. For one particular such model we obtain exact expressions for φ and s for general ϵ, as well as the two-point matrix function S2(r) in the Percus—Yevick and Verlet—Weis approximations.
Nucleophilic additions to platinum complexes

Complexes of the general formula ~--(diene)MX23, where M is platinum or palladium, react with alkoxides (i), ~-diketones (2), ethyl malonate (3,4), primary amines (5) and acetate ion (5) giving complexes containing metal-carbon ~-bonds. The stereochemical pattern of the oxyplatination and oxypalladation reactions with methanol has been determined (6,7). The overall reaction involves a methoxymetallation across one of the double bonds which has been made susceptible to the nucleophilic attack by methanol through coordination of the metal. We now have determined the stereochemistry of the addition of acetylacetone across the 5,6 double bond (norbornene double bond) of dichloro(endo-dicyclopentadiene)platinum (II) to be trans with the acetylacetone moiety exo. The new complex was prepared by allowing the anion of acetylacetone (formed from acetylacetone in the presence of sodium carbonate) to react with dichloro(endodicyclopentadiene)platinum (II). Prior preparation of the thallium salt is not necessary (8). Unlike the methoxymetallation, acetylacetone displaces the chloride ligands to give a complex whose stereochemistry is depicted in structure i. Hydrogenation
Low carbon isotope ratios in apatite: An unreliable biomarker in igneous and metamorphic rocks

Abstract Carbon isotope ratios of apatite have been used to interpret the source of carbon in magmas and metamorphic fluids, using the assumption that carbon isotope fractionations between phases are small in igneous and metamorphic systems. Measured carbon isotope fractionations between co-existing apatite and calcite from igneous, metaigneous, and metasedimentary rocks are large and variable (Δ13C = 2.3 to 20.8‰), reflecting variability in δ13C(Ap) sampled by combustion. This result indicates that carbon isotopes in apatite sampled by common techniques (combustion, ion microprobe, step-heating) do not have a straightforward interpretation. These data suggest that the low-δ13C values in apatite that have previously been used as indicators of biological activity may be the result of the carbon isotope fractionation systematics of apatite, rather than a reflection of incorporation of organic carbon. This unusual fractionation behavior may require reconsideration of the significance of low-δ13C carbonaceous inclusions in apatite from ≥ 3.8 Ga metamorphic rocks from Akilia Island, Greenland.
Cost impacts of implementing the IEC harmonic limits

The IEC harmonic limits will become mandatory in Europe for all information technology (IT) equipment as of 7/1/01. This paper discusses the cost impact to IT equipment if these limits become mandatory in the United States (US) and the resulting cost to the US consumer. Field experience to date does not appear to justify singling out IT equipment for mandatory implementation of the IEC limits. Technology trends that will help to reduce the rate of increase in power consumption and harmonic currents are also reviewed.
3-D imaging of the CNS.

3-D gradient echo techniques, and in particular FLASH, represent a significant advance in MR imaging strategy allowing thin section, high rsolution imaging through a large region of interest. Anatomical areas of application include the brain, spine, and extremities, although the majority of work to date has been performed in the brain. Superior T1 contrast and thus sensitivity to the presence of Gd DTPA is achieved with 3-D FLASH when compared to 2-D spin echo technique. There is marked arterial and venous enhancement following Gd DTPA administration on 3-D FLASH, a less common finding with 2-D spin echo. Enhancement of the falx and tentorium is also more prominent. From a single data acquisition, requiring less than 11 min of scan time, high resolution reformatted sagittal, coronal, and axial images can obtained in addition to sections in any arbitrary plane. Tissue segmentation techniques can be applied and lesions displayed in three dimensions. These results may lead to the replacement of 2-D spin echo with 3-D FLASH for high resolution T1-weighted MR imaging of the CNS, particularly in the study of mass lesions and structural anomalies. The application of similar T2-weighted gradient echo techniques may follow, however the signal-to-noise ratio which can be achieved remains a potential limitation.
Case Management in der Kinder- und Jugendmedizin

Eltern schwer oder chronisch kranker Kinder oder Eltern von Kindern, die einen schweren Unfall mit bleibenden Schaden erlitten haben, sind in der Regel unvorbereitet mit der Krankheit oder Behinderung ihres Kindes konfrontiert worden. Der Schock, ein behindertes oder krankes Kind zu haben, muss erst verarbeitet werden. Von den Eltern wird erwartet, dass sie sich den Anforderungen einer Krankenhausbehandlung anpassen und manchmal uber eine sehr eingreifende Therapie entscheiden. Sie sollen langfristig eine Vielzahl von Betreuungselementen fur ihr Kind selbstandig ubernehmen und brauchen dazu Information, Beratung und Anleitung. Auch ihr personliches Umfeld verandert sich in Folge der Erkrankung des Kindes. Die gesunden Geschwister leiden oft im Schatten ihres kranken Geschwisters, denn sie erhalten weniger Aufmerksamkeit und weniger emotionale Zuwendung, weil die uberforderten Eltern mit sich selbst beschaftigt sind, oder sie mussen zuruckstehen, wenn die Eltern den Patienten besuchen. Die Erkrankung des Kindes fuhrt zu einer Zerreisprobe fur die gesamte Familie, langere Krankenhausaufenthalte verschlimmern die Situation. Ziel muss also eine moglichst fruhe Entlassung des kranken Kindes sein.
Ultrasonic reflectivity tomography: reconstruction with circular transducer arrays.

An analysis is presented of backprojection methods for reconstructing cross-sectional images of ultrasonic reflectivity from scattering measurements. A circular array of transducer elements is considered, using three basic modes of data acquisition and image reconstruction: (1) the same element serves as transmitter and receiver and data is backprojected along circular paths centered at the element; (2) distinct transmitter and receiver with fixed separation and backprojection along elliptical paths with the elements at the foci; and (3) distinct transmitter and receiver with varying separations and backprojection along corresponding elliptical paths. The point spread function (PSF) for each of these cases is derived and is shown to depend on the shape of the acoustic pulse used. PSF's are evaluated for three different pulses — a narrowband, wideband, and an analytically-derived optimum pulse which yields the best sidelobe response and a mainlobe width equal to 0.3λC, where λC is the wavelength corresponding to the cutoff frequency of the pulse. When backprojection is performed along elliptical paths, the mainlobe width is shown to be broadened by a factor proportional to the cosine of half the angle subtending the transmit and receive elements at the center of the array. The close analogy between the techniques used here to reconstruct reflectivity and the convolution/backprojection method used in computerized x-ray tomography is discussed in detail. Salient properties predicted by the analytically-derived PSF's are confirmed in computer simulations. The characteristics of the PSF's are also examined as a function of the number of array elements, the location of a reflecting point in the object and the shape of the ultrasonic pulse.
A biosocial developmental model of borderline personality: Elaborating and extending Linehan's theory.

Over the past several decades, research has focused increasingly on developmental precursors to psychological disorders that were previously assumed to emerge only in adulthood. This change in focus follows from the recognition that complex transactions between biological vulnerabilities and psychosocial risk factors shape emotional and behavioral development beginning at conception. To date, however, empirical research on the development of borderline personality is extremely limited. Indeed, in the decade since M. M. Linehan initially proposed a biosocial model of the development of borderline personality disorder, there have been few attempts to test the model among at-risk youth. In this review, diverse literatures are reviewed that can inform understanding of the ontogenesis of borderline pathology, and testable hypotheses are proposed to guide future research with at-risk children and adolescents. One probable pathway is identified that leads to borderline personality disorder; it begins with early vulnerability, expressed initially as impulsivity and followed by heightened emotional sensitivity. These vulnerabilities are potentiated across development by environmental risk factors that give rise to more extreme emotional, behavioral, and cognitive dysregulation.
Funding AIDS programmes in the era of shared responsibility: an analysis of domestic spending in 12 low-income and middle-income countries

Summary Background As the incomes of many AIDS-burdened countries grow and donors' budgets for helping to fight the disease tighten, national governments and external funding partners increasingly face the following question: what is the capacity of countries that are highly affected by AIDS to finance their responses from domestic sources, and how might this affect the level of donor support? In this study, we attempt to answer this question. Methods We propose metrics to estimate domestic AIDS financing, using methods related to national prioritisation of health spending, disease burden, and economic growth. We apply these metrics to 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, generating scenarios of possible future domestic expenditure. We compare the results with total AIDS financing requirements to calculate the size of the resulting funding gaps and implications for donors. Findings Nearly all 12 countries studied fall short of the proposed expenditure benchmarks. If they met these benchmarks fully, domestic spending on AIDS would increase by 2·5 times, from US$2·1 billion to $5·1 billion annually, covering 64% of estimated future funding requirements and leaving a gap of around a third of the total $7·9 billion needed. Although upper-middle-income countries, such as Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, would become financially self-reliant, lower-income countries, such as Mozambique and Ethiopia, would remain heavily dependent on donor funds. Interpretation The proposed metrics could be useful to stimulate further analysis and discussion around domestic spending on AIDS and corresponding donor contributions, and to structure financial agreements between recipient country governments and donors. Coupled with improved resource tracking, such metrics could enhance transparency and accountability for efficient use of money and maximise the effect of available funding to prevent HIV infections and save lives. Funding US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rapid software prototyping using visual language techniques

Rapid prototyping of domain-specific software requires a systematic software development methodology and user-friendly tools. Being both executable and easy to use, visual languages and their automatic generation mechanisms are highly suitable for software prototyping. This paper presents a software prototyping methodology based on the visual language generation technology, that allows visual prototyping languages to be specified and generated using an expressive graph grammar formalism. Executable prototypes and their verification and code generation are made possible by syntax-directed computations. The paper demonstrates this methodology through a prototyping example built on our current implementation.
MEASUREMENT OF THE TEMPORAL DELAY OF A LIGHT PULSE THROUGH A ONE-DIMENSIONAL PHOTONIC CRYSTAL

We measure a maximum group delay of 22.6 ps for a light pulse propagating through a 1 cm long fiber Bragg grating when the frequency of the light is tuned near the band edge of the grating. Our measurements are performed in the time domain with single picosecond resolution using waelength-tunable pulses of 0.5 nm bandwidth spec- trally sliced from a mode-locked laser. Our experimental results are qualitatiely confirmed by our numerical simulations. Promising applica- tions include optical delay elements for phased-array radar and en- codersrdecoders in spread-spectrum code-diision multiple-access sys- tems. Q 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 20: 17)21, 1999.
EEG dipole localization bounds and MAP algorithms for head models with parameter uncertainties

The Cramer-Rao bound for unbiased dipole location estimation is derived under the assumption of a general head model parameterized by deterministic and stochastic parameters. The expression thus characterizes fundamental limits on EEG dipole localization performance due to the effects of both model uncertainty and statistical measurement noise. Expressions are derived for the cases of multivariate Gaussian and gamma distribution priors, and examples are given to illustrate the derived bounds when the radii and conductivities of a four-concentric sphere head model are allowed to be random. The joint MAP estimate of location/model parameters is then examined as a means of achieving robustness to deviations from an ideal head model. Random variations in both the multiple sphere radii and the layer conductivities are shown, via the stochastic Cramer-Rao bounds and Monte Carlo simulation of the MAP estimator, to have the most impact on localization performance in high SNR regions, where finite sample effects are not the limiting factors. This corresponds most often to spatial regions that are close to the scalp electrodes. >
The effect of second-line antiestrogen therapy on breast tumor growth after first-line treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole: long-term studies using the intratumoral aromatase postmenopausal breast cancer model.

Purpose: The aromatase inhibitors letrozole and anastrozole have been approvedrecently as first-line treatment options for hormone-dependent advanced breast cancer. Although it is established that a proportion of patients who relapse on first-line tamoxifen therapy show additional responses to aromatase inhibitors, it has not been determined whether tumors that acquire resistance to aromatase inhibitors in the first line remain sensitive to second-line therapy with antiestrogens. The aim of this study was to determine whether aromatase-transfected and hormone-dependent MCF-7Ca human breast cancer cells remain sensitive to antiestrogens after: ( a ) long-term growth in steroid-depleted medium in vitro; and ( b ) long-term treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole in vivo . Methods: In the first approach, a variant of the MCF-7Ca human breast cancer cell line was selected that had acquired the ability to grow in estrogen-depleted medium after 6–8 months of culture. Steroid-deprived UMB-1Ca cells were analyzed for aromatase activity levels, hormone receptor levels, and sensitivity to estrogens and antiestrogens in vitro and in vivo . In the second approach, established MCF-7Ca breast tumor xenografts were treated with letrozole 10 μg/day for 12 weeks followed by 100 μg/day for 25 weeks until tumors acquired the ability to proliferate in the presence of the drug. Long-term letrozole-treated tumors were then transplanted into new mice, and the effects of antiestrogens and aromatase inhibitors on tumor growth were determined. Results: Steroid-deprived UMB-1Ca breast cancer cells continued to express aromatase activity at levels comparable with the parental cell line. However, compared with MCF-7Ca cells, UMB-1Ca cells expressed elevated levels of functionally active estrogen receptor. The growth of UMB-1Ca cells in vitro was inhibited by the antiestrogens tamoxifen and faslodex and tumor growth in vivo was inhibited by tamoxifen. In the second approach, the time for MCF-7Ca tumor xenografts to approximately double in volume after being treated sequentially with the increasing doses of letrozole was thirty-seven weeks. Long-term letrozole-treated tumors continued to express functionally active aromatase. When transplanted into new mice, growth of the long-term letrozole-treated tumors was slowed by tamoxifen and inhibited more effectively by faslodex. Tumor growth was refractory to the aromatase inhibitors anastrozole and formestane but, surprisingly, showed sensitivity to letrozole. Conclusions: Steroid-deprived UMB-1Ca human breast cancer cells selected in vitro and long-term letrozole-treated MCF-7Ca breast tumor xenografts remain sensitive to second-line therapy with antiestrogens and, in particular, to faslodex. This finding is associated with increased expression of functionally active estrogen receptor after steroid-deprivation of MCF-7Ca human breast cancer cells in vitro .
Localizing contour points for indexing an X-ray image retrieval system

Vertebra shape can effectively describe various pathologies found in spine X-ray images. There are some critical regions on the shape contour which help determine whether the shape is pathologic or normal. We selected a subset of 250 segmented vertebra boundaries for study from a collection of 17,000 digitized X-rays of cervical and lumbar spine taken as a part of the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II). A board certified expert radiologist marked nine morphometric landmark points on the contour of these cervical and lumbar images. Image indexing could mimic the model used by the radiologists to mark the images, e.g. 6-, 9-, or 10-point, thereby improve the query and retrieval of vertebra shapes from the image database. In this paper, we present a technique to automatically select nine points from the boundary contour. The comparison between two 9-point models using the L/sub 2/ distance and retrieval rank results derived respectively from the 9-point model marked by the expert and the 9-point model selected with our algorithm provides a good measure of how well the two models match.
Policy challenges for the pediatric rheumatology workforce

Dr. Henrickson presents a thoughtful three part analysis of current challenges to pediatric rheumatologists regarding barriers to access to care for children with rheumatic disease and to achieving optimal clinical outcomes. 1-3 He then presents some possible solutions. He has initiated an important conversation that has the potential to impact the future of our discipline.
Luck and Oppression

Oppression can be unjust from a luck egalitarian point of view even when it is the consequence of choices for which it is reasonable to hold persons responsible. This is for two reasons. First, people who have not been oppressed are unlikely to anticipate the ways in which their choices may lead them into oppressive conditions. Facts about systematic phenomena (like oppression) are often beyond the epistemic reach of persons who are not currently subject to such conditions, even when they possess adequate information about the particular consequences of their choices. Second, people may be (much) less responsible for remaining in oppressive conditions, even if they are responsible for entering circumstances of oppression. Oppression that results from a person’s choice may cause or contribute to dramatic changes in that person, and these changes may be sufficient to undermine the person’s responsibility for the results of her earlier choice.
Designing a multi-faceted metric to evaluate soft skills

We describe the development of a multi-faceted metric for assessing soft skills of aspiring information systems developers who may become involved in team efforts to design, build or extend complex software-intensive solutions in organizational settings. The development involved a combination of meta-analysis of prior work, analysis of data gathered from novice systems developers, and coding by experts. We briefly illustrate how the metric and accompanying assessment procedures may be employed.
Low Pulsatility Signals Through the Orbits

Background and Purpose Low pulsatility signals (LPS) on transcranial Doppler ultrasonography are detected (1) with arteriovenous malformations, (2) distal to hemodynamically significant stenosis, and (3) in venous structures. We describe focal LPS in the territory of the internal carotid artery siphon that do not represent any of the above conditions. Methods We performed retrospective and prospective reviews of transcranial Doppler studies on 3225 patients over 5 years. Clinical and radiological data of all patients with focal LPS were extracted. LPS was defined as a focal signal identified through the orbital windows with a low pulsatility index (<0.6). Results Sixteen LPS (mean flow velocity [mean±SD], 62±11 cm/s; pulsatility index [mean±SD], 0.41±0.08; depth range, 46 to 72 mm) from 15 patients (mean±SD age, 45±15 years; 4 men, 11 women) were identified. LPS flow direction was away from the probe in 13 cases and toward it in 3. Presenting symptoms included headache, focal neurological deficits, dizzin...
Physical Attractiveness, Age and Body Type: Further Evidence

It is known that a woman's age and her body type or size affect judgments of her physical attractiveness. In the U.S. thinness and youth are desirable characteristics in the 1990s in much the same way that physical attractiveness is a desirable characteristic. The current study was designed to test a functional analogy between age, body type or size, and physical attractiveness by ascertaining the degree of similarity between middle-aged subjects' attitudes and assumed attitudes of a variety of models. Middle-aged midwestern women viewed and rated black and white photos of women of various age and sizes. Data analyses provide no support for an analogy between age, size and physical attractiveness. However, these results (a) extend earlier research by underscoring the inextricability of age, size, and physical attractiveness and (b) confirm that a cultural ideal of thinness and youth is held by middle-aged women.
Exhausting the Information: Novel Bayesian Combination of Photometric Redshift PDFs

The estimation and utilization of photometric redshift probability density functions (photo-z PDFs) has become increasingly important over the last few years. Primarily this is because of the prominent role photo-z PDFs play in enabling photometric survey data to be used to make cosmological constraints, especially when compared to single photo-z estimates. Currently there exist a wide variety of algorithms to compute photo-z ’s, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. In this paper, we present a novel and ecient Bayesian framework that combines the results from dierent photoz techniques into a more powerful and robust estimate by maximizing the information from the photometric data. To demonstrate this we use a supervised machine learning technique based on prediction trees and a random forest, an unsupervised method based on self organizing maps and a random atlas, and a standard template tting method but can be easily extend
Polarization reorientation in ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate thin films with electron beams

Ferroelectric domain patterning with an electron beam is demonstrated. Polarization of lead zirconate titanate thin films is shown to be reoriented in both positive and negative directions using piezoresponse force and scanning surface potential microscopy. Reorientation of the ferroelectric domains is a response to the electric field generated by an imbalance of electron emission and trapping at the surface. A threshold of 500 μC/cm2 and a saturation of 1500 μC/cm2 were identified. Regardless of beam energy, the polarization is reoriented negatively for beam currents less than 50 pA and positively for beam currents greater than 1 nA.
Angina pectoris syndrome, activated by ragweed sensitivity in a patient with coronary vessel sclerosis: Case report

Abstract A case is reported of a patient with essential hypertension, generalized arteriosclerosis, coronary vessel sclerosis and who is suffering from a proved allergic state, who presents repeated and frequent attacks of the angina pectoris syndrome, which were relieved by measures directed against the seasonal allergic manifestations.
Clinical Application of Dynamic Telepathology in Mohs Surgery

Background. Telepathology is an expanding technology in multiple fields for remote pathology diagnosis and consultation. The use of telepathology in Mohs surgery has been very limited. Objective. To describe the clinical experience of using a telepathology system for intraoperative consultations on difficult frozen sections during Mohs surgery. Materials and Methods. Intraoperative consultation with a dermatopathologist was obtained using a dynamic telepathology system for all questions arising on frozen sections during Mohs surgery for nonmelanoma skin cancers during a 2-year period. Results. The most common reason for consultation was to distinguish basal cell carcinoma from a benign histologic simulant on Mohs frozen sections. Other uses included determining tumor histology and distinguishing inflammation from residual tumor. Conclusion. Dynamic telepathology is a useful and convenient adjunct in the Mohs surgery practice for intraoperative consultations on difficult frozen sections. SEAN A. SUKAL, MD, PHD, KLAUS J. BUSAM, MD, AND KISHWER S. NEHAL, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS.
Cigarette smoking and obesity are associated with decreased fat perception in women.

Objective Smoking and obesity are independently associated with high consumption of high-fat foods in women. We tested whether the co-occurrence of smoking and obesity associates with reduced oral fat perception. Methods Four groups of women (14 obese smokers, 11 obese never-smokers, 10 normal-weight smokers, 12 normal-weight never-smokers) rated vanilla puddings that varied in fat content for perceived intensity of creaminess and sweetness, using the general Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS), and degree of pleasantness, using the hedonic gLMS. To determine the role of retronasal smell, subjects rated puddings with and without noseclips. Results For all groups, perception of creaminess grew with increasing fat concentrations; puddings with any amount of fat were perceived as sweeter than fat-free pudding, and sweetness was enhanced when tasted without noseclips. Overall, obese smokers perceived less creaminess, sweetness, and pleasure while tasting the puddings than did the other three groups (all P values < 0.02). Conclusion The ability to perceive fat and sweetness in and derive pleasure from foods is particularly compromised in obese women who smoke, which could contribute to excess calorie intake in this population already at high risk for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Retronasal olfaction appears not to contribute to blunted flavor perception observed in obese smokers.
Life Cycle Costing of Interior Materials for Florida's Schools

This paper describes a collaborative research project that expands an otherwise limited Service Life Cycle Cost (SLCC) evaluation of interior materials for Florida's educational facilities. The participatory research strategy involved a wide range of community representatives and academic scholars with different expertise: architecture, interior design, building construction, and civil engineering plus a variety of facilities users. The resulting SLCC evaluation produced a decision making tool that school officials could use to make informed decisions about building construction and renovation. The SLCC method differs from the AIA life cycle assessment [LCA] guidelines by utilizing input from the community of stakeholders to create an accurate and in-depth understanding of the LCA “product use phase.” By combining data from observation of users' behavior with published information regarding interior materials, the research suggests that a majority of building costs are incurred after the initial capital expenditure for construction. The selection of interior materials, based solely on low initial cost, often results in service life costs that exceed the cost benefit of the initial purchase. The research provides evidence that interior materials have a more significant impact on the life cycle costs of educational facilities than other building materials.
The Architecture and Future of the International Monetary System

There is a great deal of dissatisfaction with the architecture and functioning of the present international monetary system and this gives rise to persistent calls for reforms. Although these are most insistent during periods of crisis, such as at the time of the collapse of the Bretton Woods System in the early 1970s, the foreign debt problem of LDCs in the early 1980s, and the financial crises in emerging markets during the second half of the 1990s, they are heard even during periods of relative tranquility in international financial markets such as now. Dissatisfaction with the functioning of the present international monetary system arises because of excessive volatility and misalignments of exchange rates as well as a result of its inability to prevent or quickly resolve international financial crises. Uncertainty also arises from the move toward monetary unification in the European Union and the creation of the Euro, which seems to be pushing the world toward a tri-polar monetary system based on the dollar, the Euro and the yen. The reforms demanded most consistently are for a move to a system in which exchange rates are more stable and less flexible and emerging market economies are less prone to disruptive financial crises.
Validating Adolescent Socioeconomic Status: Comparing School Free or Reduced Price Lunch with Community Measures

The use of free or reduced price lunch (FRL), as a measure of socioeconomic status (SES), has received mixed reviews in the literature. This study expands on the limited research on the validity of FRL as a measure of SES by examining the relationship between FRL and a series of community-based SES measures to determine whether FRL is an adequate proxy for adolescent SES. Data are from a nationally representative sample of 154 public high schools in 2010 from Bridging the Gap with corresponding school level data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) to obtain a measure of percent of students receiving FRL and using ArcGIS 9 software with the ACS 05–09, matched at the census block group level to construct measures of community SES. School zone level SES measures obtained include: median household income, percent of families in poverty, percent of families with children younger than 18 years in poverty, and the percent of all households in poverty. Data collected through community observations were used to construct a physical disorder scale. Percent FRL was strongly and significantly associated with the percent of families in poverty (r=0.67), percent of families with children younger than 18 years (r=0.67), percent of households in poverty (r=0.66), median household income (r=−0.60), and physical disorder (r=0.56) in the expected directions. Additionally, all community based measures of socioeconomic status were highly correlated with each other. The validity and limitations of FRL as a proxy for adolescent SES are discussed.
Hayek's Post-Positivist Empiricism: Experience Beyond Sensation

Purpose – To answer the following questions: Is all knowledge based on “experience” in Hayek's view? Was he an “empiricist” or a “Kantian”? In what sense? Methodology/approach – Starting from a thorough analysis of Hayek's explicit ideas about empiricism and experience in The Sensory Order and some related writings, I reconstruct his epistemology but also try to improve on it with the help of some other philosophers. Findings – Empiricism has many meanings depending on how you define “experience.” Hayek is not a “sensationalist empiricist” because he does not believe that all knowledge is based on “sense experience.” However, given his ideas of “pre-sensory experience” and “experience of the race,” Hayek is a “post-positivist empiricist.” His empiricism can be improved upon by privileging what I call “selective experience.” Research implications – The next step is to analyze Hayek's market economics and philosophy of science to see which kind of experience guides Hayekian entrepreneurs and scientists. If this line of research is continued, practical and social implications might follow. Originality/value of the chapter – The question whether Hayek was an “empiricist” or a “Kantian” is an old question. However, this chapter is the first systematic analysis of his “empiricist” epistemology and his concept of “experience.” Moreover, it has value beyond Hayek scholarship since, in the general empiricism debate, epistemologists have almost ubiquitously assumed that “experience” means “sense experience.”
Tract length predicts successful closure with anal fistula plug in cryptoglandular fistulas

PURPOSE:Collagen anal fistula plug treatment of transsphincteric fistulas produces variable results. The purpose of our study was to determine whether long-tract fistulas (>4 cm) correlated with successful closure.METHODS:All patients undergoing transsphincteric cryptoglandular fistula repair with a
Exploring uncertainty and psychosocial adjustment after cardioverter defibrillator implantation.

BACKGROUND Sudden cardiac death is a leading cause of death in the Americas and Europe. Although the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has decreased mortality from sudden cardiac death, it may be associated with psychosocial adjustment (PSA) problems and be a source of uncertainty for some recipients. The purpose of this study was to explore uncertainty and PSA among first-time ICD recipients during the first 2 months after hospital discharge. METHODS Ninety-four adult, first-time ICD recipients recruited from 4 New England hospitals were studied at 1 week (S1) and 8 weeks (S2) after hospital discharge using a repeated-measures, correlational survey design. Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale, and a demographic questionnaire were administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson correlations, repeated-measures analysis of variance, multivariate canonical analysis, multiple regression, hierarchical regression, and 1-way analysis of variance. RESULTS There was no change in the nature or level of uncertainty over time. Uncertainty at S1 explained a significant amount (39%) of the variance in overall PSA at S2. Psychosocial adjustment domains at S1 explained a large proportion (62%) of the variance in overall PSA at S2. Education, employment status, and functional status were related to uncertainty. Younger recipients, people with a lower functional status, and those with disability had more PSA problems. Time since discharge was not correlated with uncertainty or PSA. Uncertainty was a strong predictor of PSA at both S1 and S2. CONCLUSIONS First-time ICD recipients who have greater uncertainty or less PSA at 1 week after hospital discharge may have more PSA problems during the first 2 months after implant. Age, education, and severity of illness may influence uncertainty and/or PSA. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between uncertainty and PSA over time.
Endoscopic therapeutic esophageal interventions: old, new, borrowed and . . . methylene blue?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Endoscopic interventions in the esophagus continue to evolve. This article reviews some of the notable advances over the past year in endoscopic therapy for the esophagus. RECENT FINDINGS In 2002 several endoscopic therapies were reintroduced or modified. Ablative treatments, including Nd:YAG laser, photodynamic therapy, and thermal contact treatments have been shown to be effective for Barrett esophagus and some early esophageal cancers. The addition of endoscopic mucosal resection may improve these therapies. Endoscopic stenting remains the dominant endoscopic palliative modality for unresectable esophageal cancers, and modifications of this therapy have focused on reducing side effects and complications. Innovations in endoscopic treatments for strictures and bleeding esophageal varices have been proposed and may improve outcomes, although probably only marginally. Additional endoscopic antireflux procedures have been introduced, although the results of long-term studies still need to be published before their place in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease can be determined. SUMMARY Rather than heralding novel endoscopic therapeutics, 2002 was a year of retooling and refining existing techniques.
Details of Molecular Organization during Strain-Induced Crystallization in Natural Rubber/Clay Systems As Revealed by Real-Time Mechano-Optical Behavior

A real-time spectral birefringence technique was implemented to follow the coupled relationships among birefringence, true stress, and true strain behavior of natural rubber vulcanizates containing a series of clay concentrations. The dynamics of structural evolution was also followed by off-line wide-angle X-ray diffraction to characterize the order and orientation at different extension levels. The results show that at the same true strain level the natural rubber/organomodified clay (NR/OC) nanocomposite with higher OC content exhibits higher true stress and birefringence. While the stress optical relationship shows three different linear stages during stretching, the strain optical relationship is nonlinear and found to always exhibit a positively increasing slope with increasing strain. XRD results show higher OC-content-induced earlier appearance of strain crystallization and higher orientation factor in crystalline domains of rubber, as also evidenced by the real time birefringence results.