cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Predictive Model for Pediatric Postoperative Respiratory Failure: A National Inpatient Sample Study.

Study Objective:To identify risk factors for pediatric postoperative respiratory failure and develop a predictive model.Design:This retrospective case–control study utilized the US National Inpatie...
Low energy electron transmission through suspended graphene layers

We measured the transmission of low energy $( eV) electrons through suspended graphene membranes. Different number of graphene layers (1, 2 and 5) were characterized using electrons generated from a low voltage Si field emitter array. Biasing the membranes at a different voltage allowed us to control the energy of electrons impinging on the graphene layer. We demonstrate that for electron energies lower than 100 eV, the number of collected electrons even exceeds the number of incident electrons, which could be because of secondary electrons generated in the graphene layers.
Association of Baseline Characteristics With Insulin Sensitivity and β-Cell Function in the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness (GRADE) Study Cohort

OBJECTIVE We investigated sex and racial differences in insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and the associations with selected phenotypic characteristics. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 3,108 GRADE (Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study) participants. All had type 2 diabetes diagnosed RESULTS The cohort was 56.6 ± 10 years of age (mean ± SD), 63.8% male, with BMI 34.2 ± 6.7 kg/m2, HbA1c 7.5 ± 0.5%, and type 2 diabetes duration 4.0 ± 2.8 years. Women had higher DI than men but similar insulin sensitivity. DI was the highest in Black/African Americans, followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, and Whites in descending order. Compared with Whites, American Indians/Alaska Natives had significantly higher HbA1c, but Black/African Americans and Asians had lower HbA1c. However, when adjusted for glucose levels, Black/African Americans had higher HbA1c than Whites. Insulin sensitivity correlated inversely with BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, triglyceride-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C), and the presence of metabolic syndrome, whereas DI was associated directly with age and inversely with BMI, HbA1c, and TG/HDL-C. CONCLUSIONS In the GRADE cohort, β-cell function differed by sex and race and was associated with the concurrent level of HbA1c. HbA1c also differed among the races, but not by sex. Age, BMI, and TG/HDL-C were associated with multiple measures of β-cell function and insulin sensitivity.
Athletic Training and Population Health Science

Objective To define and discuss the role of population health as a framework to improve care and clinical decision making in athletic training practice. Background Athletic trainers are allied health professionals who are uniquely suited to provide preventative and educational health and wellness programs to improve health outcomes across a physically active population. Athletic trainers are often the first touch point for high school athletes seeking health and wellness education which may allow them to be the first intervention or prevention point for reducing or eliminating negative health behaviors and outcomes among their patients. Conclusions Integrating a population health framework into the athletic training setting prepares athletic trainers to address complex health issues that exist in communities as a result of factors that influence determinants of health. The field of athletic training could benefit from the use of a population health approach to care by creating a broader consideration of the factors that impact the health of homogenous groups of populations that are served by athletic trainers.
Animal models of preeclampsia: investigating pathophysiology and therapeutic targets

Animal models have been critical in investigating the pathogenesis, mediators, and even therapeutic options for a number of diseases, including preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The placenta is thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of this disease because it releases antiangiogenic and proinflammatory factors into the maternal circulation, resulting in the maternal syndrome. Despite the deleterious effects preeclampsia has been shown to have on the mother and baby during pregnancy and postpartum, there is still no effective treatment for this disease. Although clinical studies in patients are crucial to identify the involvement of pathogenic factors in preeclampsia, there are obvious limitations that prevent detailed investigation of the quantitative importance of time-dependent mechanisms involved in this syndrome. Animal models allow investigators to perform proof-of-concept studies and examine whether certain factors found in women with preeclampsia mediate hypertension and other manifestations of this disease. In this brief review, we summarize some of the more widely studied models used to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms that are thought to be involved in preeclampsia. These include models of placental ischemia, angiogenic imbalance, and maternal immune activation. Infusion of preeclampsia-related factors into animals has been widely studied to understand the specific mediators of this disease. These models have been included, in addition to a number of genetic models involved in overexpression of the renin-angiotensin system, complement activation, and trophoblast differentiation. Together, these models cover multiple mechanisms of preeclampsia from trophoblast dysfunction and impaired placental vascularization to the excess circulating placental factors and clinical manifestation of this disease. Most animal studies have been performed in rats and mice; however, we have also incorporated nonhuman primate models in this review. Preclinical animal models not only have been instrumental in understanding the pathophysiology of preeclampsia but also continue to be important tools in the search for novel therapeutic options for the treatment of this disease.
Budesonide Prophylaxis Reduces the Risk of Engraftment Syndrome After Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Background Engraftment syndrome (ES) after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) in multiple myeloma (MM) encompasses a continuum of periengraftment complications characterized by noninfectious fever, rash, diarrhea, and capillary leak features. Patients and Methods We analyzed the ES outcomes in 257 consecutive patients MM patients who underwent AHCT at our institution from 12/2017 to 11/2019 with budesonide prophylaxis (3 mg PO daily at day +5 post-AHCT till the time of discharge) (N = 109) and no prophylaxis (N = 148). Results The rates of ES were significantly higher in the no prophylaxis group versus prophylaxis group [69 (46%) vs. 23 (21%); P Conclusion Budesonide prophylaxis significantly reduces the risk of ES in MM patients undergoing AHCT. These promising results suggest the need for a randomized study investigate the role of budesonide for ES prophylaxis.
Analysis of Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Anxiety Surrounding Giving Birth During COVID-19 Among Pregnant Women in the United States

Objectives To assess the relationship between perceived level of anxiety and concern with giving birth during COVID-19 and level of prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy among a sample of pregnant persons in the United States.
Distribution Grid Optimal Power Flow Integrating Volt-Var Droop of Smart Inverters

Smart inverters (SIs) with local volt-var droop functions are effective in maintaining voltage and reactive power on the distribution feeders. Volt-var optimization (VVO) is generally carried out using distribution grid optimal power flow (DOPF)-based model that provides set point for the inverters and/or legacy grid devices. However, the existing works do not consider volt-var droop settings in the VVO framework, making the inverter dispatch solutions unsuitable at the local inverter controller level. Therefore, in this work, we propose the inclusion of SIs' local volt-var droop functions (as per the IEEE-1547) as constraints in the VVO formulation. We adopt a well-known second-order cone programming (SOCP) version of DOPF and with the inclusion of SIs' droop functions, the resulting VVO renders an efficient mixed-integer SOCP (MISOCP) problem. The efficacy of the proposed model is shown on a 33-node distribution feeder with 4 SIs having volt-var droop functions set as per the IEEE-1547.
Examining the Drivers and Barriers of Intention to Use AI Chatbot to Purchase Apparel Online

It is reported that the use of AI chatbot in retail sales is expected to grow to $22 billion by 2023 from $2.6 billion in 2019 (Tracy, 2019). AI chatbot can help customers by answering their questions, asking follow-up questions to customers, and providing suggestions for searching products (Huang et al., 2007). Therefore, many apparel brands such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, and H&M have adopted AI chatbot technology to interact with their consumers. Te purpose of this study is to investigate the drivers and barriers of apparel consumers’ intentions to use AI chatbot purchasing apparel online. Findings revealed that optimism and innovativeness of technological readiness positively influenced the perceived ease of use of AI chatbot. Findings showed that while relative advantage and complexity of psychological readiness positively influenced the perceived usefulness of AI chatbot, resistance to change of psychological readiness negatively influenced the perceived usefulness of AI chatbot.
Hydrogels and Hydrogel Nanocomposites: Enhancing Healthcare Through Human and Environmental Treatment.

Humans are constantly exposed to exogenous chemicals throughout their life, which can lead to a multitude of negative health impacts. Advanced materials can play a key role in preventing or mitigating these impacts through a wide variety of applications. The tunable properties of hydrogels and hydrogel nanocomposites (e.g., swelling behavior, biocompatibility, stimuli responsiveness, functionality, etc.) have deemed them ideal platforms for removal of environmental contaminants, detoxification and reduction of body burden from exogenous chemical exposures for prevention of disease initiation, and advanced treatment of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In this review, three main junctures where the use of hydrogel and hydrogel nanocomposite materials can intervene to positively impact human health are highlighted: (1) preventing exposures to environmental contaminants; (2) prophylactic treatments to prevent chronic disease initiation; (3) treating chronic diseases after they have developed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases: structural aspects of evolution and tRNA recognition

Abstract Structural studies of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases have uncovered two strikingly different classes of synthetases that divide the twenty naturally occurring amino acids evenly between them. The glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase contacts the entire inside of the relevant L-shaped tRNA, making interactions that discriminate among tRNAs at the acceptor end and stem of the molecule, and in the anticodon loop.
A Peculiar Type of Democratic Unity: Carl J. Friedrich's Strange Schmittian Turn 0r How Friedrich Stopped Worrying and Learned to Decide on the Exception

Professor Joseph Bendersky claims that Harvard Political Scientist and German emigre Carl J. Freidrich's Weimar-era constitutional ideas were "Schmittian to their core" but that Friedrich's experience as a naturalized U.S. citizen led him to embrace American liberalism. This thesis argues to the contrary that Friedrich's Weimar-era thought lacked two essential axioms of Schmitt's philosophy: that democracy requires a people who are substantively homogeneous and that sovereignty even in a democracy can only genuinely be exercised by a single individual. Friedrich, however, played a crucial role in the New Deal reconfiguration of American liberalism by leading a movement among American social scientists during the 1930s and 40s toward playing a more direct role in policymaking. ironically, the liberal ideas of Friedrich's that emerged out of this reconfiguration and would persist for decades after World War II contained strong elements of both "core" Schmittian axioms.
Sex differences in the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction in cardiac surgical patients.

Objectives The mortality from diastolic dysfunction is approximately 9% to 28%. In patients with ischemic heart disease, female sex and advanced age are associated with increases in ventricular diastolic stiffness. Clinical studies have found higher rates of diastolic dysfunction in women, despite higher ejection fractions, than in men post–myocardial infarction. Therefore, we hypothesized that female patients undergoing cardiac surgery have higher degrees of diastolic dysfunction and experience more adverse outcomes, such as prolonged hospitalization. Methods We prospectively enrolled 153 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Diastolic function was assessed using early transmitral velocity (E) and early diastolic lateral mitral annular tissue velocity (e'). Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was defined as binary and a continuous outcome (E/e'). Results Females were more likely than males to present with higher E/e' (11.5 vs. 7.9, p = 0.001) and higher left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (71% vs. 36%, p < 0.001). The addition of sex to the model for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was significant. The relationship between sex and E/e' ratio showed the biggest difference between males and females in the 56–72-year-old age brackets, where women were much more likely to have a higher E/e' than males. Conclusions We identified a significantly higher prevalence of diastolic dysfunction among females presenting for elective cardiac surgery compared to males. This finding is more pronounced with age. Additionally, we found that female sex is at higher risk of prolonged ICU and hospital length of stay. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12506 (J Card Surg 2015;30:238–245)
Labor Rights as Human Rights

A large and growing number of labor law and industrial relations scholars have argued that labor rights ought to be understood and conceptualized as fundamental human rights. In a parallel movement, a growing number of labor rights organizations have begun to deploy human rights discourse and methods, while some international human rights scholars and organizations have also, although to a lesser degree, begun to direct some of their attention to questions of labor rights – an issue long left to unions and labor law scholars.Few scholars have challenged this move to human rights discourse, however. In this essay I argue that there are important and salient differences between labor rights and human rights, not only in how these rights operate conceptually, but also and perhaps equally importantly, in how these rights are actualized by their respective movements. I argue that the strategies, politics, culture, and ideologies that inform human rights and much of the U.S. human rights establishment are quite at odds with those of labor rights movements, and a hard human rights turn by labor rights advocates risks eviscerating the fundamental commitments to economic justice and worker democracy in which the labor rights movement is grounded.
Los orígenes de la revolución de Quito en 1809

La Revolucion de Quito de 1809 no fue un movimiento por la independencia. Lejos de ello, se trato de una reaccion local ante la crisis de la monarquia espanola. A lo largo del siglo XVIII, el Reino de Quito experimento un declive economico, politico y juridico. Supeditado a las capitales de dos virreinatos –Lima y Santa Fe–, Quito buscaba el estatus de una capitania general independiente con el fin de liberarse del dominio de Nueva Granada y Peru. Convencido de que Espana estaba perdida y de que los espanoles en Quito traicionarian al reino y aceptarian el gobierno frances, un grupo de quitenos tomo el control del gobierno y puso en practica un programa que garantizara la autonomia y que promoviera sus intereses economicos. No obstante, otras provincias del reino, cuyos intereses se vieron amenazados, se opusieron a Quito y unieron fuerzas con los virreyes de Peru y Nueva Granada para extinguir el levantamiento que duro unos tres meses. ABSTRACT The Quito Revolution of 1809 was not a movement for independence. Rather, it was a local reaction to the crisis of the Spanish Monarchy. The Quito movement, like those in the Peninsula and the rest of America, sought to safeguard the Monarchy from the French usurpers. This article focuses on the factors that led to the formation of the 1809 junta and its eventual demise. Quito’s eighteenthcentury economic and political decline and its failure to achieve autonomous status within the Spanish Monarchy shaped the 1809 movement. The crisis of the Monarchy provided the leaders of Quito an opportunity to form an autonomous junta that would free it from the authority of Nueva Granada and Peru. Their plan, which threatened the interests of the other provinces, let to a civil war that ended in Quito’s defeat.
Party Parity: A Defense of the Democratic Party Equal Division Rule

Introduction 381 I. The Origins of Equal Division Rules 384 A. Democratic and Republican Party Charters, Bylaws, and Rules 384 B. Pre-Suffrage: 1895-1919 385 C. Post-Suffrage: 1920-1950 386 D. Women’s Movement: 1960s-1970s 388 II. Doctrinal Challenges to the Equal Division Rule 391 A. Freedom of Association 391 B. Voting Rights 392 C. Political Question Doctrine 396 D. State Action 400 III. Equal Protection Analysis 403 A. Gender Based Discrimination Analysis 404 B. Affirmative Action Analysis 407 Conclusion 409 Appendix 412
On-Site DME Generation from Methanol for Pilot Injection in CI Engines

Dual fuel (Cl) engines provide an excellent means of maintaining high thermal efficiency and power while reducing emissions, particularly in situations where the primary fuel does not exhibit good auto-ignition characteristics. This is especially true of diesel engines operating on natural gas; usually in stationary applications such as distributed power generation. However, because two fuels are needed, the reliability of the engine is compromised. Therefore, this paper describes the first phase of a project that is to eventually manufacture dimethyl ether (DME) from natural gas and supply it to the pilot injector of a dual fuel engine. A chemical pilot plant has been built and operated, demonstrating an intermediate step in the production of DME from natural gas. DME is manufactured from methanol for pilot injection into a dual fuel engine operating with natural gas as the main fuel. Presently, 0.38 kilogram of DME fuel is produced per kilogram of methanol feed into the process via a catalytic reaction. Future improvements in separation efficiency should improve this to ∼0.53 kg DME / kg methanol feed. The plant is capable of supplying DME of sufficient fuel quality (i.e., DME containing < 10 wt% H 2 O and < 10 wt% methanol) to the fuel injection system at a pressure of 15 bar a and a flow-rate of 1.5-2.0 kg D M E /hr. This would be enough to provide a ½ LHV% pilot of DME to a 1000 bkW dual fuel engine with 42% thermal efficiency. Byproducts of the process situate into two liquid phases, each containing amounts of DME, methanol, and water.
The End of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Public Law103-160, commonly referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” was a controversial law that prohibited homosexuals from serving in the military and prohibited the military from inquiring into a service member’s sexual preference. Since passage of this law in 1993, thousands of men and women have been discharged from military service despite many having rare and valuable military skills. While President Obama recently signed a repeal to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, allowing homosexuals to serve openly, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and many other organizations, maintain their opposition. This paper examines arguments on both sides of the debate and explores the massive onsequence of the policy’s repeal for the military, veterans service organizations, and America as a nation.
Use of ß-blocker therapy to prevent primary bleeding of esophageal varices

Patients with portal hypertension are at an increased risk of developing esophageal varices. In Europe and North America, cirrhosis accounts for 90% of the cases of portal hypertension (Triantos & Burroughs, 2007). Other causes can include thrombosis of any of the veins leading to the liver (portal, superior mesenteric, or splenic), idiopathic portal hypertension, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, vitamin A toxicity, infiltrative disorders, veno-occlusive disease, Budd-Chiari syndrome, and congestive heart failure (Toubia & Sanyal, 2008). Esophageal varices are a major concern in patients with cirrhosis. These varices have a high propensity to bleed because of the fragility of the engorged blood vessels (Cichoz-Lach, Celinski, Slomka & Kasztelan-Szczerbinska, 2008). Each episode of bleeding has a 30%–50% mortality risk. Furthermore, after the initial episode of bleeding the incidence of rebleeding is up to 70% and frequently occurs within 6 weeks of the initial hemorrhage (Sharma & Rakela, 2005; Toubia & Sanyal, 2008). For patients with esophageal varices the goal of treatment is to reduce portal hypertension. By reducing portal pressure there is a concomitant decrease in the probability of esophageal bleeding. Reducing the risk of primary bleeding of esophageal varices can be accomplished by using nonselective s-blocker therapy. This pharmacological intervention works by reducing the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). The HPVG is a measure of the pressure difference in the portal vein and the intra-abdominal portion of inferior vena cava and is typically between 5 and 10 mmHg (Toubia & Sanyal, 2008). Unfortunately, many patients with portal hypertension are not receiving s-blocker therapy or are not on doses adequate to attain therapeutic results. The reasons include: therapy is never initiated, the dose is not therapeutic, or the patient or the healthcare provider discontinues s-blockers because of the side effects. Even with treatment of nonselective s-blocker therapy only 38% of patients respond (Sharma, Kumar, Sharma & Sarin, 2009). At present there is no way to identify who will be a responder unless the invasive method of HVPG measurement is used. Instead, adequate endpoints of s-blocker therapy are monitored noninvasively by heart rate and blood pressure reduction. While this is not always an indication of being a responder, it is easy, noninvasive, and the most accepted method to date. In spite of the documented need to reduce heart rate by 20%–25% with s-blocker therapy, healthcare providers are not reaching this endpoint or just not prescribing the medications. There is a knowledge deficit related to the need to use this pharmacological intervention. Therefore, this is an area in which nurse practitioners (NPs) can make great strides. By starting the patient on s-blocker therapy and monitoring closely for side effects, NPs can adjust dosages and provide encouragement for patients to “stay the course” and let their body adapt to the treatment regimen.
Studies of inhibition of rat spermidine synthase and spermine synthase

1. S-Adenosyl-l-methionine, S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine, 5′-methylthioadenosine and a number of analogues having changes in the base, sugar or amino acid portions of the molecule were tested as potential inhibitors of spermidine synthase and spermine synthase from rat ventral prostate. 2. S-Adenosyl-l-methionine was inhibitory to these reactions, as were other nucleosides containing a sulphonium centre. The most active of these were S-adenosyl-l-ethionine, S-adenosyl-4-methylthiobutyric acid, S-adenosyl-d-methionine and S-tubercidinylmethionine, which were all comparable in activity with S-adenosylmethionine itself, producing 70–98% inhibition at 1mm concentrations. Spermine synthase was somewhat more sensitive than spermidine synthase. 3. 5′-Methylthioadenosine, 5′-ethylthioadenosine and 5′-methylthiotubercidin were all powerful inhibitors of both enzymes, giving 50% inhibition of spermine synthase at 10–15μm and 50% inhibition of spermidine synthase at 30–45μm. 4. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine was a weak inhibitor of spermine synthase and practically inactive against spermidine synthase. Analogues of S-adenosylhomocysteine lacking either the carboxy or the amino group of the amino acid portion were somewhat more active, as were derivatives in which the ribose ring had been opened by oxidation. The sulphoxide and sulphone derivatives of decarboxylated S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine and the sulphone of S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine were quite potent inhibitors and were particularly active against spermidine synthase (giving 50% inhibition at 380, 50 and 20μm respectively). 5. These results are discussed in terms of the possible regulation of polyamine synthesis by endogenous nucleosides and the possible value of some of the inhibitory substances in experimental manipulations of polyamine concentrations. It is suggested that 5′-methylthiotubercidin and the sulphone of S-adenosylhomocysteine or of S-adenosyl-3-thiopropylamine may be particularly valuable in this respect.
Systematic analysis of the regulation of type three secreted effectors in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

The type III secretion system (TTSS) is an important virulence determinant of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. It enables the injection of effector proteins into the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. These effectors ultimately manipulate the cellular functions of the infected organism. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium encodes two virulence associated TTSSs encoded by the Salmonella Pathogenicity Islands (SPI) 1 and 2 that are required for the intestinal and systemic phases of the infection, respectively. However, recent studies suggest that the roles of these TTSSs are not restricted to these compartments. The regulation of TTSSs in Salmonella is very complex with several regulators operating to activate or to repress expression depending on the environmental conditions. We performed a systematic analysis of the regulation of type III effectors during growth in vitro. We have tested the ability of seven regulatory genes to regulate ten effector genes. Each regulator was expressed in the absence of the other six to avoid cascade effects. Our results confirm and extend the previously reported regulation of TTSS1 and TTSS2 effectors by InvF-SicA and SsrB respectively. The set of strains constructed for this study can be used to quickly and systematically study the regulation of newly identified effector genes of Salmonella enterica. The approach we have used can also be applied to study complex regulatory cascades in other bacterial species.
The Missing 'P': Prosecution, Prevention, Protection, and Partnership in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act

In 2000, Congress passed and President Clinton signed into law the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, which has the three primary purposes: to punish traffickers; to support countries in preventing trafficking; and to provide restorative services to victims of trafficking. While much scholarship has focused on the shortcomings of the TVPA, with particular emphasis on strengthening prosecution and ensuring adequate access to victims’ services, there has been only cursory discussion of how the goals of the TVPA can be achieved in tandem. In particular, there has been minimal evaluation of the effectiveness of law enforcement and NGO cooperation, a partnership I argue is critical to the success of ending trafficking and a key to addressing the common criticisms of the TVPA. In this Article, I focus on the missing “P” in the “three p” paradigm — partnership — by discussing the theoretical and practical benefits of law enforcement and NGO collaboration in working within the confines of the current TVPA to provide the most deterrence to traffickers and the most relief to victims. The Article then specifically analyzes DOJ-funded task forces and their success in partnering law enforcement with victim service providers to unite the goals of the TVPA. It ends by examining the potential struggles task forces face and proposing means for extending and enhancing current success. Ultimately, the Article argues that understanding these partnerships, critiquing them, and enhancing their effectiveness is central to ensuring that the goals of the TVPA are finally met.
Reformatted 3D airway imaging in patients with airway obstruction and micrognathia

Abstract Purpose Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) is an effective treatment for patients with micrognathia and severe recurrent airway obstruction (Denny, 2004; Denny and Amm, 2005; Denny, 2009; Cicchetti et al., 2012; Flores et al., 2014). However the efficacy of the procedure is based on selecting the appropriate patient. Presence of central apnea or airway obstruction anywhere other than the tongue base will make MDO futile. The availability of three dimensional reformatting of the airway has greatly improved the accuracy of correct patient selection, providing a powerful tool to further characterize the pathology in these patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of the last thirty patients with micrognathia and severe recurrent airway obstruction seen in consult by the senior author for potential role of surgery in their management. Results Twenty-one patients met our inclusion criteria, with fourteen treated appropriately with MDO. The remaining patients had findings on the 3D airway CT scans with other anatomic causes of obstruction making them inappropriate candidates for mandibular distraction osteogenesis. Conclusions The use of three dimensional formatting of the airway from CT scans obtained using low dose protocols has improved the accuracy of evaluation and treatment of Pierre Robin patients. Most valuable is the non-invasive identification of airway abnormalities that would make mandibular distraction osteogenesis ineffective in correcting the airway obstruction.
On the structure and pressure of tethered polymer layers in good solvent

The structural and thermodynamic properties of tethered polymer chains in the good solvent regime are studied using the single-chain mean-field theory. The mushroom to brush transition is found to be broad. For surface coverages below the brush regime, i.e., mushroom regime and crossover region, the relevant length scale of the layers is found to be the bulk radius of gyration of the chains, R g , while in the brush regime the relevant length scale is the distance between tethering points as assumed in the analytical approaches. The onset of the brush regime corresponds to the beginning of the overlap between the chains as measured by the distance-dependent lateral radius of gyration of the chains. The predictions of the theory for the height of the polymer layer and the lateral pressures as a function of the surface coverage are compared with recent experimental observations of Kent and co-workers. Excellent agreement is found for the height of the brush for all surface coverages. The experimental lateral pressures multiplied by the square of the bulk radius of gyration are found to be a universal function of the reduced surface coverage, * =πR g 2 . The predictions of the theory are in good agreement with the experimental measurements up to values of the reduced surface coverages * ∼8. For higher reduced surface coverages the theoretical results deviate from the scaling found experimentally. This deviation is consistent with the fact that these surface coverages correspond to the brush regime. The theoretical lateral pressure is found to be better described as a universal function of * ∼8 from low to relatively high surface coverages. From the analysis of the average conformational properties of the chains, it is argued that the behavior of the measured lateral pressures at high reduced surface coverages may be due to nonequilibrium effects. From the comparisons between the theory and the experiments it is found that most of the measurements correspond to the crossover region between the mushroom and the brush regimes. This explains the scaling found for most experimental properties
An Empirical Analysis of the Relation Between Theory and Practice in Clinical Social Work

This study examined the relation between clinical social workers' beliefs about the helping process and their self-reported practice behavior. The problem was investigated with analogues of clinical interviews and previously validated attitude scales which distinguish among helping professionals on the basis of their beliefs about the helping process. A sample of 199 currently practicing M.S.W. and doctoral social workers was drawn from 33 family service, mental health and medical settings in a Midwestern metropolitan region. Findings reveal that beliefs about the helping process are significantly related to self-reported practice behavior in theoretically expected directions. However, a canonical correlation analysis reveals that three underlying dimensions explain over 91 percent of the variance in the relationship between practice beliefs and behavior. These dimensions may represent empirical continua along which practitioners can be located with respect to the following aspects of clinical practice: (...
Help-seeking and recovery by problem drinkers: characteristics of drinkers who attended Alcoholics Anonymous or formal treatment or who recovered without assistance.

Abstract Most problem drinkers do not seek formal treatment, yet some achieve problem resolution without it. This research investigated variables related to help-seeking and to long-term drinking outcomes in a 3 X 2 factorial design, using 126 problem drinkers who varied in their help-seeking history (no assistance, A.A. only, or treatment plus A.A.) and current drinking status (abstinent more than 6 months or engaging in problem drinking). Dependent variables included alcohol-related negative consequences, dependence symptoms, drinking patterns, other drug use, and demographic characteristics. Formal treatment utilization was associated with greater psychosocial dysfunction, especially in interpersonal relationships, and with greater nonprescribed drug use. Alcohol dependence levels were not related to help-seeking, but higher levels were associated with an abstinent drinking status. Abstinent subjects also showed some evidence of greater social stability, but demographic variables, including gender, did not otherwise differentiate the groups. These findings suggest that help-seeking and attainment of abstinence are somewhat independent processes, but that both relate more to the functional consequences of problem drinking than to stable drinker characteristics.
Reciprocal expression of c-jun, proline-rich protein and amylase genes during rat parotid salivary gland development

Abstract We have investigated the temporal expression and cellular localization of the c-jun proto-oncogene and two major rat parotid gland secretory protein genes, PRP (proline-rich protein) and amylase, during postnatal development. c-jun mRNA steady-state levels increased at days 1, 7 and 14 after birth and decreased to basal levels at 21 days and older. PRP mRNA was first detected at 14 days and abruptly increased to adult levels at day 21. Amylase transcripts were first seen at day 7 and progressively increased to adult levels by 28 days. In situ hybridization demonstrated c-jun mRNA accumulation in the differentiating acinar cells and the ducts. The c-jun mRNA accumulation with time corresponds with the proliferative activity reported to occur in these two cellular populations. PRP transcripts were present exclusively in the well differentiated acinar cells while the accumulation of amylase mRNA corresponded to the progressive commitment of parotid cells to acinar differentiation. Our data suggest that during the postnatal development of the rat parotid gland: (a) c-jun expression associates with parotid gland proliferation and precedes the expression of PRP and amylase genes, and (b) activation of PRP and amylase genes is not concomitant and apparently occurs only in differentiating acinar cells.
Acucise Endopyelotomy: Assessment of Long-term Durability

AbstractPurpose: We evaluated the long-term efficacy of Acucise* *Applied Medical Resources, Laguna Hills, California. endopyelotomy.Materials and Methods: A total of 28 patients with 28 ureteropelvic junction obstructions was reevaluated 2 or more years after Acucise endopyelotomy (mean 32.5 months). Subjective analysis was done with analog pain scales and objective analysis was performed with diuretic renal scintigraphy.Results: Subjective followup was available for all 28 patients, and 17 (61 percent) had a favorable response with 36 percent totally free of pain and 25 percent markedly improved. Among 26 patients with objective followup (93 percent) 21 (81 percent) had a patent ureteropelvic junction based on a diuretic renal scan with a half-time of less than 10 minutes or a normal Whitaker test. Among all regularly followed patients failure occurred uniformly within 1 year.Conclusions: Acucise endopyelotomy is an effective and durable method for treating ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
GASTRIC MOTILITY IN INFANTS WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX (GER)

Significantly delayed gastric emptying may be seen in 30 - 40% of infants with GER. The mechanism(s) responsible for this abnormality are presently unknown. Gastric motility was studied in 8 infants (ages: 2-7 mo) with GER and normal (N = 3) or delayed (N = 5) gastric emptying of formula as defined by Tc99m milk scans. Antral and fundal contractions and gastric pacesetter potentials were measured using perfused catheters with intragastric electrodes for 40 - 50 min following a formula meal of 5 cc/kg. Motility indices (M1) were calculated from pressure tracings. Results: 1) In both groups, gastric motor activity was insignificant following a formula meal. 2) Antral and fundal M1 (mmHg / sec / 5 min) were similar in all patients studied. 3) Gastric pacesetter potentials were observed a frequency of 3 cpm. 4) No gastric dysmotility was documented in either patient group. Conclusions: In infants with GER, formula is emptied as a liquid meal without significant gastric motor activity. Postprandial gastric motility is similar in patients with normal and delayed emptying; differences in motility patterns do not appear to be a mechanism for the delayed emptying. Other variables, such as position or caloric density of feedings may be more important.
Permeabilization of yeast for enzyme assays: an extremely simple method for small samples.

It has been found that α-glucosidase can be assayed quantitatively in small samples of unwashed yeast cells permeabilized by drying on filters at room temperature. The details of the procedure are discussed together with the possible application of the permeabilization method to the quantitative assay of other enzymes and to the qualitative assay of α-glucosidase and other enzymes in cells grown on solid media.
Condition monitoring approaches applied to a polychloroprene cable jacketing material.

In this paper we examine the utility of several promising material condition monitoring (CM) techniques applied to a commercial polychloroprene cable jacketing material used in nuclear power plant applications. These include two relatively unknown approaches, cross-sectional modulus profiling and NMR T2 relaxation time measurements of solvent-swelled samples, as well as three more commonly used approaches, density, gel fraction and solvent uptake. The results from each approach were compared to tensile elongation measurements, the usual standard approach for monitoring degradation of elastomers. Degradation was carried out at three temperatures and at four combined radiation plus thermal environments, all of which were selected (by theoretical modeling and later confirmed by cross-sectional degradation mapping) such that oxidation proceeded uniformly throughout the cross-section of the material. This allowed macroscopic condition monitoring measurements to be made in the absence of anomalous diffusion-limited oxidation effects. Of the techniques examined, modulus profiling, solvent uptake and NMR T2 measurements correlated extremely well with the elongation measurements and therefore showed substantial potential as CM approaches for this material. This is not unexpected since all of these techniques are sensitive to crosslinking of the material and the deterioration of the elongation is itself dominated by material hardening and thus by crosslinking.
Gender differences in sexual behaviors and fantasies in a college population.

Abstract This study presents male and female responses of 193 university students to questions about sexual experiences and fantasies. There are few significant gender differences in experiences, but many in fantasies. Males fantasized about sex more and exhibited greater interest in partner variation and in the spectrum from domination to sadism. While male sexuality is often described as aggressive/sadistic and female sexuality as passive/masochistic, most men and women in our population do not report fantasies supporting such stereotypes.
Du Bois on citizenship: Revising the ‘Du Bois as sociologist’ canon:

This essay surveying W.E.B. Du Bois' views on citizenship contends that the conventional canon in 'Du Bois as sociologist' studies tends to fixate on his pre-First World War years as a Social Darwinian reformer, focusing on the cultural and legal exclusion of African American and Pan-African citizens. Ignored in this focus is his turn to the left after his 1926 visit to the Soviet Union, which contributed to his gradual transformation into a Marxist-oriented world peace advocate and, during his last years, into a Communist.The Red Scare, the Cold War, the factor of race in Jim Crow America, and the anti-Marxist and anti-Communist perspectives of the third-generational sociologists who would come to define post-Second World War American sociology would assure Du Bois' political burial in American sociology and in American intellectual thought in general until a new Black pride generation emerged in the 1960s. But even then, post-1960s sociologists have yet to come to terms with Du Bois' post- 1920s Marxist and otherwise left-of-center perspectives on the experiences of citizenship injustice among people of color and other dehumanized peoples around the world, which read so much like contemporary post-modern and restorative justice theories and parallel C.Wright Mills'The Power Elite, published in the 1950s.
Epitaxial science of GaN: nanowires, quantum dots, and mesoscopic morphology

In addition to future applications in electronics, optoelectronics, and biophotonics, synthesis of nanostructures such as nanowires, nanorods, and quantum dots offer insights regarding the governing principle of crystal growth that can be applied to a wide range of mesoscopic phenomena. The basis for understanding the morphology of GaN nanosystems during epitaxy is the (kinetic) Wulff theorem which incorporates the concept of energy minimization into a set of geometrical rules depicting shape evolution. An appreciation of the Wulff plot for GaN, a three-dimensional diagram (v-plot) where the radial distance is proportional to the growth velocity along that direction, not only assists the interpretation but also facilitates a detailed control of nanoepitaxial processes. To map out the kinetic Wulff diagram, we carried out selective-area growth (SAG) of GaN on polar, nonpolar, and semipolar surfaces under a wide range of conditions (temperature, pressure, and V/III ratio). Salient features on the kinetic Wulff plot include cusps, saddle points, and apexes, which all have implications in shaping the nano-objects. Examples will be given to illustrate the utility of Wulff plots in explaining the topography of nanorods and quantum dots and in aiding a rational design of GaN nonpolar and semipolar growth for solid state lighting applications.
Effect of a sustained release formulation of diltiazem on the development of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits

Cholesterol-fed rabbits were used to test potential anti-atherosclerotic effects of diltiazem, a calcium antagonist of the benzothiazepine type. Two groups of 7 rabbits each were fed standard laboratory chow supplemented with 1% cholesterol. One group received a 60 mg sustained release diltiazem capsule twice a day and the other group received a placebo capsule twice a day. A third group of control animals were fed an unmodified basal diet under conditions exactly the same as the experimental groups. All groups were studied over a period of 16 weeks. The cholesterol-fed animals showed a marked increase in plasma total cholesterol which was not significantly different for the diltiazem and placebo groups. Plasma calcium levels, blood pressure, and heart rate were also unchanged from the control animals. In the diltiazem-treated animals, 47.5 +/- 10.5% of the aortae showed atherosclerotic lesions; the value for the placebo group was 43.1 +/- 8.1%. Similar results were obtained for the coronary arteries. These results show that diltiazem treatment in the doses employed in this study had no effect on the reduction of atherosclerosis in this animal model.
Deducing radiation pressure on a submerged mirror from the Doppler shift

Radiation pressure on a flat mirror submerged in a transparent liquid depends not only on the refractive index $n$ of the liquid but also on the phase angle ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{0}$ of the Fresnel reflection coefficient of the mirror, which could be anywhere between 0${}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ and 180${}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$. Depending on the value of ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{0}$, the momentum per incident photon picked up by the mirror covers the range between the Abraham and Minkowski values, i.e., the interval (2$\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}/nc$, 2$n\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}/c$). Here $\ensuremath{\hbar}$ is the reduced Planck constant, ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$ is the frequency of the incident photon, and $c$ is the speed of light in vacuum. We argue that a simple experimental setup involving a dielectric slab of refractive index $n$, a vibrating mirror placed a short distance behind the slab, a collimated, monochromatic light beam illuminating the mirror through the slab, and an interferometer to measure the phase of the reflected beam is all that is needed to deduce the precise magnitude of the radiation pressure on a submerged mirror. In the proposed experiment, the transparent slab plays the role of the submerging liquid (even though it remains detached from the mirror at all times), and the adjustable gap between the mirror and the slab simulates the variable phase angle ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{0}$. The phase of the reflected beam, measured as a function of time during one oscillation period of the mirror, then provides the information needed to determine the gap dependence of the reflected beam's Doppler shift and, consequently, the radiation pressure experienced by the mirror.