cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lunate-lunate facet ratio and variance to predict articular gap after distal radius fracture.

Purpose Intra-articular gap is a well-defined prognosticator of outcome after distal radius fracture. However, it is often difficult to assess on plain radiographs, particularly in the sagittal plane, as visualized on the lateral view. The purposes of this study were to establish normal values for the lunate–lunate facet ratio (LLFR) and to evaluate whether the LLFR and lunate–lunate facet variance (LLFV) are reliable plain film measures of sagittal articular gap in distal radius fractures compared with sagittal reconstructions of computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods We studied 35 uninjured, skeletally mature wrist radiographs to establish the normal LLFR value. The LLFR was defined as the ratio of the maximum width of the lunate (A) to the width of a line spanning the maximum distance from dorsal to volar across the articular surface of the lunate facet, defined by the end point of the radiographically thickened line representing the subchondral bone (B). The LLFV was determined as measurement B minus measurement A. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability for 2 observers were examined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for measurements of the uninjured wrists and for the same measurements of 20 intra-articular distal radius fractures. For 12 of the subjects with fractures, the LLFR and LLFV were correlated with the intra-articular gap as measured on CT scan using simple linear regression. Results The mean value of the LLFR in the normal subjects was 1.00 ± 0.04 for observer 1 and 1.00 ± 0.02 for observer 2. There was significant intraobserver reliability for both uninjured (ICC = 0.83, p 2 = –0.81, p 2 = 0.83, p Conclusions The LLFR, measured on the lateral radiograph of the wrist, exhibits high intraobserver and interobserver reliability, with a normal value of 1.0. Both the LLFR and the LLFV are significantly related to articular gap on sagittal CT reconstruction images. The LLFR decreases with increasing intra-articular gap formation. The LLFV allows a direct estimation of articular gap size. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic III.
Absorption And Excitation Spectroscopy Of The Vibronic Laser KZnF 3 :Co

Tunable lasers in the near-infrared spectral region have attracted considerable attention recently because of potential applications in, for example, photochemistry, spectroscopy and optical communications. Vibronic solid state lasers form one class of tunable laser that are actively under development at present. We present here results ,of a detailed optical study of the vibronic laser material KZn 1-x Co x F3' which has been demonstrated') to exhibit tunable single-frequency continuous-wave laser action in the wavelength range 1.75 to 2.15 μm.
Defining RNA motif-aminoglycoside interactions via two-dimensional combinatorial screening and structure-activity relationships through sequencing.

Abstract RNA is an extremely important target for the development of chemical probes of function or small molecule therapeutics. Aminoglycosides are the most well studied class of small molecules to target RNA. However, the RNA motifs outside of the bacterial rRNA A-site that are likely to be bound by these compounds in biological systems is largely unknown. If such information were known, it could allow for aminoglycosides to be exploited to target other RNAs and, in addition, could provide invaluable insights into potential bystander targets of these clinically used drugs. We utilized two-dimensional combinatorial screening (2DCS), a library-versus-library screening approach, to select the motifs displayed in a 3 × 3 nucleotide internal loop library and in a 6-nucleotide hairpin library that bind with high affinity and selectivity to six aminoglycoside derivatives. The selected RNA motifs were then analyzed using structure–activity relationships through sequencing (StARTS), a statistical approach that defines the privileged RNA motif space that binds a small molecule. StARTS allowed for the facile annotation of the selected RNA motif–aminoglycoside interactions in terms of affinity and selectivity. The interactions selected by 2DCS generally have nanomolar affinities, which is higher affinity than the binding of aminoglycosides to a mimic of their therapeutic target, the bacterial rRNA A-site.
Rethinking Postgraduate Geography Education in the USA: Issues and Concerns

Postgraduate geography education in the USA is growing and changing. In recent years, the number of postgraduate programs has increased at both the doctoral and master's levels. Interest in improving and reforming doctoral education has increased dramatically both inside and outside geography, and geography has been involved in these reforms. Master's programs in the USA face somewhat different concerns. One difference is that, in some respects, the master's degree is gradually becoming the ‘new’ bachelor's degree—an entry-level credential for many careers and this has had a number of consequences for the design and redesign of these programs.
Azaaldol condensation of a lithium enolate solvated by N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine: dimer-based 1,2-addition to imines.

The lithium enolate of tert-amylacetate solvated by N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) is shown to be a doubly chelated dimer. Adding the dimeric enolate to 4-fluorobenzaldehyde-N-phenylimine affords an N-lithiated β-amino ester shown to be monomeric using 6Li and 15N NMR spectroscopies. Rate studies using 19F NMR spectroscopy reveal reaction orders consistent with a transition structure of stoichiometry [(ROLi)2(TMEDA)2(imine)]⧧. Density functional theory computations explore several possible dimer-based transition structures with monodentate and bidentate coordination of TMEDA. Supporting rate studies using trans-N,N,N′,N′-1,2-tetramethylcyclohexanediamine showing analogous rates and rate law suggest that TMEDA is fully chelated.
Papaver bracteatum, potential commercial source of codeine

Papaver bracteatum, native to Iran and southern Russia, has been grown successfully in many countries. Research in the northwest United States has confirmed the potential for its commercial production as a source of the alkaloid thebaine. Potential for the chemical conversion of thebaine into codeine, one of man’s most widely used alkaloidal medicinal agents, is reviewed. Economic and social advantages of growing this species over opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) are discussed. The value of the seed oil for cooking and industrial use is considered.
Psychopathology of Parents of Abused and Neglected Children and Adolescents

Seventy-six parents of abused and neglected children who were referred for psychiatric treatment to a child abuse and neglect treatment program in a general medical hospital were compared to 38 control parents of nonmaltreated pediatric outpatients of the same hospital in terms of the presence of diagnosed psychopathology. The psychiatric assessment was made using a standard semistructured instrument, the SADS-L, and was based on Research Diagnostic Criteria. Abusive and neglectful parents were more frequently given psychiatric diagnoses than were control parents, and perpetrators of abuse were given diagnoses different from their nonabusing spouses.
Manipulation of the Ruminal Fermentation. II. Effect of Sodium Sulfite on Bovine Digestion and Ruminal Fermentation

Abstract In previous work, sodium sulfite was used to manipulate the ruminal fermentation by decreasing the molar per cent acetate and increasing that of propionate and butyrate in lactating cows. In this study the effects of sodium sulfite on ruminal fermentation were studied further, along with its effect on ration digestibility. No effect of sodium sulfite on the digestibility of a high-grain ration fed to steers was observed. However, feed intake on the sulfite diets was variable. In studies with incubated ruminal ingesta, acetate production decreased, whereas the more highly reduced acids were generally increased. Gas production by ruminal ingesta from a cow on a hay diet and another cow on a hay-grain diet was measured with and without sodium sulfite added to the ingesta. Methane production was decreased (P 2 SO 3 added per 100ml of ingesta.
Mining discriminative components with low-rank and sparsity constraints for face recognition

This paper introduces a novel image decomposition approach for an ensemble of correlated images, using low-rank and sparsity constraints. Each image is decomposed as a combination of three components: one common component, one condition component, which is assumed to be a low-rank matrix, and a sparse residual. For a set of face images of Nsubjects, the decomposition finds N common components, one for each subject, K low-rank components, each capturing a different global condition of the set (e.g., different illumination conditions), and a sparse residual for each input image. Through this decomposition, the proposed approach recovers a clean face image (the common component) for each subject and discovers the conditions (the condition components and the sparse residuals) of the images in the set. The set of N+K images containing only the common and the low-rank components form a compact and discriminative representation for the original images. We design a classifier using only these N+K images. Experiments on commonly-used face data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach for face recognition through comparing with the leading state-of-the-art in the literature. The experiments further show good accuracy in classifying the condition of an input image, suggesting that the components from the proposed decomposition indeed capture physically meaningful features of the input.
Bayesian methods for generalized linear models with covariates missing at random

The authors propose methods for Bayesian inference for generalized linear models with missing covariate data. They specify a parametric distribution for the covariates that is written as a sequence of one-dimensional conditional distributions. They propose an informative class of joint prior distributions for the regression coefficients and the parameters arising from the covariate distributions. They examine the properties of the proposed prior and resulting posterior distributions. They also present a Bayesian criterion for comparing various models, and a calibration is derived for it. A detailed simulation is conducted and two real data sets are examined to demonstrate the methodology. Methodes bayesiennes pour modeles lineaires generalises dont certaines valeurs des covariables sont manquantes de facon fortuite Les auteurs proposent des methodes d'inference bayesienne adaptees aux modeles lineaires gene-ralises pour les situations ou les valeurs de certaines covariables sont manquantes au hasard. La loi parametrique choisie pour les covariables s'exprime comme succession de lois conditionnelles univariees. Une classe de lois a priori informative est suggeree pour les coefficients de regression et pour les parametres lies aux lois des covariables. Les auteurs examinent les proprietes de ces lois a priori et des lois a posteriori qui en decoulent. Ils presentent aussi un critere bayesien pour la comparaison des differents modeles et montrent comment le calibrer. Une simulation detaillee et l'examen de deux ensembles de donnees reelles illustrent l'approche proposee.
Antioxidant capacity of pummelo and navel oranges: Extraction efficiency of solvents in sequence

Abstract Extraction efficiency of five different solvents on the antioxidant capacities of pummelo and navel oranges was measured by five widely used antioxidant methods. Freeze-dried edible parts of pummelo and navel oranges were extracted with five different solvents such as hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol and methanol:water (8:2). The total phenolic content of the extracts was determined by Folin–Ciocalteu method and expressed as catechin equivalents. The highest phenolic content was obtained from ethyl acetate and the minimum phenolic content was found in methanol extract. The dried extracts were screened for their radical scavenging activity using three different methods such as α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical assay and ORAC methods. Ethyl acetate extract from navel orange and pummelo was found to be most active radical scavenging activity, whereas hexane extract from pummelo and methanol extract from navel orange was found to be lowest activity. Moreover, all the extracts from pummelo and navel orange were studied for their antioxidant capacity by the formation of phosphomolybdenum complex and reducing power by potassium ferricyanide reduction method at various concentrations. The order of antioxidant capacity of pummelo and navel orange was found to be ethyl acetate>acetone>MeOH:water>methanol> hexane and ethyl acetate>MeOH:water>acetone>methanol>hexane, respectively. Acetone and methanol extracts from pummelo and navel oranges showed highest reducing power than other extracts at 1000 μg/ml. Significant differences in antioxidant capacity were found between the values obtained by the same method in different solvents and as well as each extract antioxidant capacity obtained by the different method. Results of the present study may be due to the extent of antioxidant capacity of each extract is in accordance with the amount of carotenoids, phenolics and vitamin C present in the extracts.
FORAMINIFERAL RESPONSE TO HABITAT DISRUPTION: ARROYO COLORADO, TEXAS

In order to assess the possible effects of pollutants on foraminifera along the Texas Gulf Coast, sediment cores were taken in four areas considered to be at risk: southern Laguna Madre, Nueces Bay, the Arroyo Colorado, and Laguna Atascosa. Geochemical analyses indicate that the sediments are relatively uncontaminated. Foraminiferal analyses, however, reveal otherwise undetected inconsistencies and changes with time. First, though foraminiferal assemblages in the surface sediments of Laguna Madre, Nueces Bay, and Laguna Atascosa are typical, they are atypical in the Arroyo Colorado. In Texas estuarine environments, Ammonia often comprises a large proportion of the assemblage. But in the Arroyo Colorado, an estuarine river, the assemblage is almost all Elphidium to the exclusion of Ammonia. A second observation is that down-core in the Arroyo Colorado cores, Ammonia becomes abundant as numbers of El-phidium decrease. The assemblage at the base of the Arroyo Colorado cores is thus more typical for the Gulf Coast, while that in the surface sediments is not. This down-core change in the foraminiferal assemblage is coincident with a change in sediment grain size, both most likely due to the dredging of the Harlingen ship channel in the late 1940s. The reasons why Ammonia, an opportunistic genus that thrives in a wide range of environmental conditions, was unable to tolerate a habitat disturbance and is nearly absent in the surface sediments of the Arroyo Colorado are unclear.
Dehydrated Blueberries by the Continuous Explosion-Puffing Process

A blueberry dehydration process which includes the unique continuous explosion-puffing system (CEPS) is described. A drying study including alternate drying pretreatments failed to increase the dehydration rate. It was found that care during processing was necessary to prevent rupture of the berries as rupture caused bleeding during drying which reduced the drying rate. Optimum operating conditions for CEPS were established for blueberries. Measurements of dried blueberry properties such as bulk density, color, rehydration, and disintegration were used to determine optimum operating conditions for pressure (103 kPa), temperature (190°C), and feed moisture (18.5%) for CEPS.
Three-dimensional aircraft path planning based on nonconvex quadratic optimization

In this paper, we examine the three-dimensional aircraft path planning problems under field-of-view constraints using a nonconvex quadratic optimization method. The aircraft is assumed to be flying at constant speed with small angle of attack. We focus on determining the attitude of the aircraft when planning the optimal paths. Under this venue, the aircraft kinematics are expressed as quadratic functions in terms of unit quaternions and the path planning problem is reformulated as a general quadratically constrained quadratic programming (QCQP) problem. A semidefinite programming method is then applied to relax the nonconvex QCQP problem to obtain the bounds on the optimal value. Subsequently, an iterative rank minimization approach is proposed to find the optimal solution. Simulation results for planned paths using the proposed method are presented and compared with those obtained from the other method.
Effect of Column-Base Flexibility on the Seismic Response and Safety of Steel Moment-Resisting Frames

The effect of column-base flexibility on the response of steel moment frames is assessed through parametric simulation. The response of four frames (2-, 4-, 8-, and 12-story), designed as per curre...
Is Rhetoric an Art

Abstract: This essay discusses four pivotal moments in the consideration of whether rhetoric is an art. Section I sets the stage by briefly discussing the charge against rhetoric found in the Gorgias . Section II sketches the arguments of Sextus Empiricus and shows how they can be traced back to a single objection implicit in the Socratic charge, namely that the putative subject matter of rhetoric is indeterminate. Section III reviews several arguments presented by Quintilian, most of which can be usefully formulated as responses to Sextus. Section IV shows how Quintilian in fact reflects a line of thought first presented by Isocrates in Against the Sophists . The essay articulates what is common in the “common stock” of arguments about whether rhetoric is an art, and why the argument is one of intrinsic importance.
Purification of cereal prolamins by means of preparative PAGE at acid pH

Summary Rye secalins have been separated using preparative Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in gradient gels. Fractionated secalin was recovered by solvent extraction. Based on the recovery of unfractionated secalin from the entire gel, nearly quantitative recovery of cereal prolamins is possible. However, the yield of purified secalin constituents was typically about 75 %. The procedure has been used to prepare milligram quantities of individual secalin bands or fractions. The method and equipment described are simple and can be applied for the fractionation of prolamins from other cereal grains. To demonstrate the general usefulness of the method, wheat gliadins and barley hordeins have been fractionated. Experimental conditions can readily be modified to enhance prolamin resolution. The procedure can probably be adapted to provide purified components equivalent to most of the prolamin bands visible in one- or two-dimensional PAGE patterns.
Internal Hernias and Nonclosure of Mesenteric Defects During Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Background Internal hernias have been described after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) as a major problem. Thus, many routinely close defects during LRYGB. In our technique, we do not close any defects. We hypothesize that not closing the defects would not cause a significant internal hernia rate diagnosed during reoperations.
Does Type of Crime Affect the Stress and Coping Process? Implications of Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence occurs in relationships of intimacy, kinship, dependency, or trust. It ranges from physical, emotional, financial, and sexual abuse to neglect. A relatively unexplored area has been the study of the type of crime as a factor affecting stress and coping in victims. A small but compelling body of literature suggests that such stressors as crime victimization may be coped with quite differently by subgroups of victims. As such, this study explores the differences in appraisal, coping strategy, levels of distress, social support, and well-being in a sample of intimate partner abuse victims and victims of other violent crimes.
Dietary calcium does not affect prostate tumor progression in LPB-Tag transgenic mice.

High dietary calcium has been shown in epidemiological studies to be a risk factor for prostate cancer, and it has been postulated that this effect is secondary to calcium induced modulation of the vitamin D axis. In this study, we used LPB-Tag transgenic mice on the CD1 background to examine the impact of dietary calcium on prostate tumor progression. CD1-LPB-Tag mice predictably develop autochthonous, hormone-responsive prostate tumors by 3 months of age. Age matched transgenic and non-transgenic littermates were weaned onto high (2%) or low (0.2%) calcium diets and mice were sacrificed at 5, 7, and 9 weeks of age. The entire urogenital complex was excised, weighed, and processed for histology. There was no significant effect of dietary calcium on tumor weight or on the time course of tumor progression, as monitored using a modified Gleason grade (MGS). Serum calcium was maintained in the normal range in mice on the low and high calcium diet throughout the study. Circulating 1,25(OH)2D3 was elevated by low dietary calcium in 5 week old mice, but not in older animals. In summary, neither development nor progression of prostate tumors in LPB-Tag mice was accelerated by high dietary calcium.
Sex-Typing and Androgyny: An Empirical Study

score were computed for each person. As defined by Bem, the masculinity score equals the mean self-rating for all endorsed masculine items and femininity equals the mean selfrating for all endorsed feminine items. The androgyny score, defined as Student's t ratio for the difference between a person's masculine and feminine self-endorsement, was approximated using the method outlined by Bem (1974). The androgyny score, femininity minus masculinity, was multiplied by the empirically derived conversion factor from the Stanford University and Foothill Junior College samples, 2.322, yielding an approximated t ratio for each subject.
Linguistic practice and identity work: Variation in Taiwan Mandarin at a Taipei County high school†

This article examines variation in the use of two Taiwan Mandarin features, de-retroflection of sibilant fricatives [ʂ] [s], and labial glide deletion [wɔ] [ɔ], in the speech of Taipei County high school students. The features become resources for the negotiation of identity positions within the highly structured school institution. I discuss the correlations between the use of Taiwan Mandarin and two social factors: membership in the small culture (Holliday 1999) of a particular bānji or class, and individual aspirations. Holliday's concept of small cultures is proposed as a variant of the Community of Practice. I refer to Bucholtz and Hall's (2004) tactics of intersubjectivity framework as a possible tool for explaining variation at the school. I argue that the two Taiwan Mandarin features are invoked to perform different social goals, which is possible because they are imbued with related but significantly different sociocultural meanings (Brubaker 2012; Baran 2007). 本研究探討台灣新北市高中高職生的發音使用,針對台灣華語中的兩個特徵:(1)捲舌嘶音[ʂ]的齒音化[s],以及(2)[wɔ]韻尾唸做[ɔ],也就是雙唇滑音[w]被刪除的情形。學生常用這兩種範疇來劃定自己在高度結構化的學校社群中的身份地位。作者探討台灣華語的使用方式與以下兩種社交因素的關聯:(1)在某班級的「小文化」歸屬 (Holliday 1999),以及(2)個人發展志向。作者提議:Holliday的小文化概念與「實務社群」(Community of Practice)概念相似,而Bucholtz and Hall (2004) 的互為主體性架構也可以做為分析學校差異性的工具。根據作者的論點,學生常運用上述兩種台灣華語的發音特徵來達成不同的社交目的,因為這兩個特徵各有不同卻相關的社會文化意涵(Brubaker 2012; Baran 2007)。[Chinese]
Disposable CD electrodes for DNA-based detection of Ralstonia solanacearum

In this study, we describe a disposable electrode system on a polycarbonate substrate intended for DNA-based detection of the bacterial plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum. The electrode system was prepared by using a laser engraver to expose and isolate areas of gold film on gold compact discs to make working, auxiliary, and reference electrodes. Silver and silver chloride were subsequently coated onto the reference electrode by electrochemical treatment. The CD electrode system performed comparably to commercial screen-printed electrodes when used for analysis of ferricyanide by cyclic voltammetry, and also showed superior electrode surface smoothness. Current efforts are focused on coupling DNA hybridization probes to these electrode systems to detect loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) amplicons of R. solanacearum.
The A-Optimality of Block Designs for Comparing Test Treatments with a Control

Abstract In this article we consider experimental settings in which it is desired to optimally compare v test treatments to a standard or control treatment and the experimental units are to be arranged in b blocks of size k. This problem has received a good deal of attention in recent years. Majumdar and Notz (1983) developed some sufficient conditions that can be used to establish the A-optimality of balanced treatment block designs (BTBD's) in these situations, and several authors have since used these sufficient conditions to show the A-optimality of some specific BTBD's as well as characterize some infinite families of A-optimal BTBD's. Here we develop some further sufficient conditions for A-optimality that generalize those given by Majumdar and Notz (1983) and can often be used to establish the A-optimality of BTBD's not covered by the results of Majumdar and Notz (1983), as well as the A-optimality of certain types of designs called group-divisible treatment designs. Several examples are given to i...
Towards optimal strategies for moving droplets in digital microfluidic systems

In digital microfluidic systems, analyte droplets (volume typically less than 1 /spl mu/l) are transported across a planar electrode array by dielectrophoretic or electrowetting effects. This paper outlines a high-level approach to optimally control digital microfluidic systems, i.e., to develop efficient algorithms that generate a sequence of control signals for moving one or many droplets from start to goal positions in the shortest number of steps, subject to constraints such as minimum required separation between droplets, obstacles on the array surface, and limitations in the control circuitry. However, optimality may be prohibitive for large-scale configurations because of the high asymptotic complexity. Alternative solutions include (1) an investigation of still useful but more limited system configurations; and (2) approximation algorithms that trade off optimality of the control sequences with higher efficiency of the algorithms that generate these control sequences.
Direct Trajectory Optimization of Rigid Body Dynamical Systems through Contact

Direct methods for trajectory optimization are widely used for planning locally optimal trajectories of robotic systems. Most state-of-the-art techniques treat the discontinuous dynamics of contact as discrete modes and restrict the search for a complete path to a specified sequence through these modes. Here we present a novel method for trajectory planning through contact that eliminates the requirement for an a priori mode ordering. Motivated by the formulation of multi-contact dynamics as a Linear Complementarity Problem (LCP) for forward simulation, the proposed algorithm leverages Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) to naturally resolve contact constraint forces while simultaneously optimizing a trajectory and satisfying nonlinear complementarity constraints. The method scales well to high dimensional systems with large numbers of possible modes.We demonstrate the approach using three increasingly complex systems: rotating a pinned object with a finger, planar walking with the Spring Flamingo robot, and high speed bipedal running on the FastRunner platform.
Host factors and the pathogenesis of HIV-induced disease

The level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in patients reflects a balance between stimulatory and inhibitory host factors (particularly endogenous cytokines). New information concerning the cellular co-receptors for HIV and the cellular tropism of different strains of virus will advance our understanding of HIV-induced pathogenesis and suggests new therapeutic and preventive strategies.
WELFARE GAINS FROM STABILIZATION IN A STOCHASTICALLY GROWING ECONOMY WITH IDIOSYNCRATIC SHOCKS AND FLEXIBLE LABOR SUPPLY

Stochastic models with economywide shocks imply that the welfare costs of aggregate volatility are negligible. Empirical evidence suggests that the volatility of idiosyncratic shocks is several times that of aggregate shocks. This paper introduces both types of shocks. We find that if in the process of eliminating aggregate risk the policymaker can reduce idiosyncratic risk by an amount suggested by available empirical evidence, the welfare gains from stabilization can become significant. The introduction of idiosyncratic risk has important implications for asset pricing, and in particular may reduce the risk-free rate substantially, through the precautionary savings motive. Many of our results are sensitive both to the degree of risk aversion and to the flexibility of labor supply. The paper highlights the trade-offs involved in analyzing the effects of risk on growth and welfare and on asset pricing, clarifying the need to examine these issues within a unified stochastic general equilibrium framework.
Predicting ejection fraction improvement by mechanical model and cine magnetic resonance images

A mechanical model based on cine magnetic resonance images was developed to predict left ventricle ejection fraction improvement after revascularization. This fast and accurate prediction can assist cardiologists in making decisions for revascularization. Accurate prediction would also reduce patient risk and health care cost by eliminating unnecessary operations.
The effective thermal conductivity of sheared suspensions

Formal expressions are derived for the effective thermal conductivity Kij of randomly dispersed suspensions undergoing shear. These are then evaluated for the cases of dilute suspensions of cylinders and of spheres when the bulk motion is a simple shear, the Peclet number Pe is large, and the particle Reynolds number is small enough for inertia effects to be negligible. It is shown that as Pe → ∞ the presence of shear can significantly affect the O(ϕ) contribution to Kij (ϕ being the volume fraction of the solids), which becomes independent of k, the thermal conductivity of the suspended material. This results from the presence of regions of closed streamlines surrounding each particle which, for sufficiently large Pe, attain an isothermal state and therefore act as regions of infinite conductivity.
Pathophysiological classification of chronic rhinosinusitis

Background Recent consensus statements demonstrate the breadth of the chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) differential diagnosis. However, the classification and mechanisms of different CRS phenotypes remains problematic.
Induction of estrus and superovulation in seasonally anestrous ewes.

Abstract The induction of estrus in 17 previously cycling nulliparous ewes, 9 to 10 months of age, was attempted with Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) pessaries during the early anestrous period (March–April). Ewes were verified to be anestrous by the lack of estrous behavior in the presence of a vasectomized ram and by a radioimmunoassay for serum progesterone in two samples taken 7 days apart showing less than 1 ng/ml serum progesterone. Superovulation was attempted with injections of either FSH or FSH + LH. MAP vaginal pessaries remained in place for a period of 12 days and FSH was administered to all ewes (IM) at 12 hr intervals over a 3 day period; 5 mg was injected twice on day 11 after pessary insertion, followed by 4 and 3 mg injections twice daily on each succeeding day, for a total of 24 mg per ewe. Nine ewes were given 25 mg LH (IV) within 8 hrs after the onset of behavioral estrus in addition to FSH. Ewes were hand-mated to several rams at 12 hr intervals throughout the estrus period. Ovulation and fertilization rates were recorded for each ewe following midline laparotomy and embryo collection. All ewes were in estrus between 36 and 48 hrs after removal of the MAP pessaries. In ewes injected with FSH only, 8 of 8 ovulated with a mean ovulation rate of 6.0 ± 4.4 and a fertilization rate of 70%. Nine of 9 ewes receiving both FSH + LH ovulated with a mean ovulation rate of 13.9 ± 13.1 and a fertilization rate of 72%. Statistical analysis by Students t-test resulted in differences in number of ova recovered (P
Managing Antiinfective Therapy of Community‐Acquired Pneumonia in the Hospital Setting: Focus on Switch Therapy

Targeting patients for early switch from intravenous to oral antibiotic therapy and early hospital discharge is an important strategy in the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This strategy can reduce costs due to drug administration and length of hospital stay. We show that switch therapy can be implemented safely when four criteria are met: cough and respiratory distress improve, fever abates for at least 8 hours, white blood cell count is returning to normal, and patient can take drugs orally In prospective clinical studies conducted at our institution, the clinical cure rate with switch therapy was 99%, and mean length of hospital stay was reduced by more than 2 days. Early switch, coupled with hospital discharge, may be possible in nearly half of all CAP patients. Universal use of switch therapy in the United States could result in the total reduction of about 440,000 hospital days annually and an overall savings of $400 million.
Order of accuracy analysis for multiresolution time-domain using Daubechies bases

In this paper, the spatial order of accuracy of multiresolution time-domain methods using basis functions from the Daubechies family are studied. It is observed that MRTD methods using scaling functions from the Daubechies N-vanishing-moment orthonormal family have a spatial order of accuracy equal to 2N. For MRTD methods using scaling functions from the CDF (2, N2) biorthogonal family, the spatial order of accuracy is 2 + N2. We also find that the order of accuracy is the same for both staggered and nonstaggered spatial grids. The simulation results are presented which confirm analytical predictions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 45: 290–293, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20798
Hypnosis for treatment of insomnia in school-age children: a retrospective chart review

The purposes of this study are to document psychosocial stressors and medical conditions associated with development of insomnia in school-age children and to report use of hypnosis for this condition. A retrospective chart review was performed for 84 children and adolescents with insomnia, excluding those with central or obstructive sleep apnea. All patients were offered and accepted instruction in self-hypnosis for treatment of insomnia, and for other symptoms if it was felt that these were amenable to therapy with hypnosis. Seventy-five patients returned for follow-up after the first hypnosis session. Their mean age was 12 years (range, 7–17). When insomnia did not resolve after the first instruction session, patients were offered the opportunity to use hypnosis to gain insight into the cause. Younger children were more likely to report that the insomnia was related to fears. Two or fewer hypnosis sessions were provided to 68% of the patients. Of the 70 patients reporting a delay in sleep onset of more than 30 minutes, 90% reported a reduction in sleep onset time following hypnosis. Of the 21 patients reporting nighttime awakenings more than once a week, 52% reported resolution of the awakenings and 38% reported improvement. Somatic complaints amenable to hypnosis were reported by 41%, including chest pain, dyspnea, functional abdominal pain, habit cough, headaches, and vocal cord dysfunction. Among these patients, 87% reported improvement or resolution of the somatic complaints following hypnosis. Use of hypnosis appears to facilitate efficient therapy for insomnia in school-age children.
Evidence for interspecific competition between feral ass Equus asinus and mountain sheep Ovis canadensis in a desert environment

Abstract Different ungulate species that co-occur over evolutionary time have been hypothesized to develop mechanisms to limit the degree to which they directly compete for the same limited resources (i.e. resource partitioning). In situations where an exotic ungulate has been recently introduced to a system, resource partitioning has not likely developed; this appears to be the situation between introduced feral ass Equus asinus and indigenous mountain sheep Ovis canadensis in the Sonoran Desert of southeastern California, USA. We analysed data from aerial surveys conducted during 1993–2003 to look for evidence of an effect of feral ass abundance on mountain sheep demography. After controlling for the influence of forage availability via rainfall, we found no evidence of relationship between an index of feral ass abundance and indices of reproduction or recruitment in mountain sheep (P≥0.360). However, we found strong evidence for an effect on indices of sheep abundance and population rate of change. The...
Are Traditional Methods of Determining Nest Predators and Nest Fates Reliable? An Experiment with Wood Thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina) Using Miniature Video Cameras

Abstract We used miniature infrared video cameras to monitor Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) nests during 1998–2000. We documented nest predators and examined whether evidence at nests can be used to predict predator identities and nest fates. Fifty-six nests were monitored; 26 failed, with 3 abandoned and 23 depredated. We predicted predator class (avian, mammalian, snake) prior to review of video footage and were incorrect 57% of the time. Birds and mammals were underrepresented whereas snakes were over-represented in our predictions. We documented ≥9 nest-predator species, with the southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) taking the most nests (n = 8). During 2000, we predicted fate (fledge or fail) of 27 nests; 23 were classified correctly. Traditional methods of monitoring nests appear to be effective for classifying success or failure of nests, but ineffective at classifying nest predators.
The τ-Skyline for Uncertain Data.

In this paper, we introduce the notion of -skyline as an alternative representation for uncertain skylines. Given a parameter ∈ [0; 1] and a set P of n uncertain points in the plane, where each uncertain point Pi is described by a discrete probability distribution defined over k locations, the -skyline region of P is the set of points q in the plane such that the probability of any Pi dominating q is at most , and the -skyline of P is the boundary of the -skyline region of P. We present an O(nk log(nk)) time algorithm for computing the -skyline of P. The -skyline probability of each Pi of P is defined to be the probability of Pi lying inside the -skyline region of P. We show that the -skyline probabilities of all Pi’s can be computed in O(nk log(nk)) time. Remarkably, our method is very simple and can be easily implemented, a huge potential interest for practice.
Stalled Youth Transitions in the Middle East: A Framework for Policy Reform

Young people in the Middle East (15-29 years old) constitute about one-third of the region's population, and growth rates for this age group are the second highest after sub-Saharan Africa. Today, the entire Middle East region is experiencing a demographic boom along with an oil boom. The concurrence of sound economic growth and a large youthful working population create the social and political impetus for fundamental institutional change which can enable the region to capitalize on these twin dividends for lasting economic development. Thus, tapping the full potential of young people is one of the most critical economic development challenges facing the Middle East in the twenty-first century.In recent years, a number of policy frameworks have emerged to address youth transitions from education to employment and to family formation. These frameworks recognize that the critical transitions experienced by youth within a relatively short timeframe in turn have lifelong impacts on them, their families, and society at large.Building on these existing frameworks, this paper focuses on the role of markets and institutions in mediating youth transitions, namely education systems, labor and housing credit markets, and social norms governing marriage and family formation. Difficult youth transitions and social exclusion are interpreted as a consequence of failures in these market and non-market institutions. Economic and social policy should be designed to improve the institutional environment and create incentives that will allow youth to better manage their transitions to adulthood.
SFG analysis of the molecular structures at the surfaces and buried interfaces of PECVD ultralow-dielectric constant pSiCOH

PECVD deposited porous SiCOH with ultralow dielectric constant has been successfully integrated as the insulator in advanced interconnects to decrease the RC delay. The effects of NH3 plasma treatment and the effectiveness of the dielectric repair on molecular structures at the surface and buried interface of a pSiCOH film deposited on top of a SiCNH film on a Si wafer were fully characterized using sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG), supplemented by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. After exposure to NH3 plasma for 18 s, about 40% of the methyl groups were removed from the pSiCOH surface, and the average orientation of surface methyl groups tilted more towards the surface. The repair method used here effectively repaired the molecular structures at the pSiCOH surface but did not totally recover the entire plasma-damaged layer. Additionally, simulated SFG spectra with various average orientations of methyl groups at the SiCNH/pSiCOH buried interface were compared with the experimental...
Dimensional changes of the feet in pregnancy.

Serial measurements of the volume, length, and width of the feet of seventeen pregnant women were made at, or close to, the thirteenth and thirty-fifth weeks of pregnancy and eight weeks post- partum. The same measurements were made twice on a control group of sixteen nulliparous women at intervals that ranged from sixteen to twenty weeks. There was no change in the length or width of the feet in either group. The mean volume of the feet increased 57.2 milliliters between early and late pregnancy (p < 0.001) and de- creased by only 8.42 milliliters between late pregnancy and eight weeks postpartum. These changes were at- tributed to retention of fluid or to an increase in soft tissue and not to stretching or relaxation of the liga- ments. Women commonly report that the feet become larger during pregnancy. These changes could be due to the ac- cumulation of fluid or fat, or both, or to changes in ligaments caused by the extra weight that is carried during pregnancy or by hormonally induced alterations of the connective tissue in the ligaments. Mechanical stress has been shown to in- duce remodeling of tissue9'2, but it is unlikely that the in- crease in weight that is associated with pregnancy persists long enough to induce such changes. Therefore, changes in the size of the feet during pregnancy have been presumed to be secondary to retention of fluid or to increased laxity of ligaments. The amount of retained water at term averages 6.5 liters81#{176}. The gain is accounted for by fluid in the fetus, placenta, uterus, breasts, and extracellular spaces; by am- niotic fluid; and by increased blood volume. Women who have pregnancy-induced hypertension retain even more fluid5'#{176}. Many pregnant women have pitting edema of the ankles and legs late in the day, and this is attributed to compression of the venous system by the uterus. The av- erage weight gain at term is about twelve kilograms5. Dennis and Bytheway found that about 75 per cent of this gain disappears by eight weeks postpartum, but many women
Vibrio vulnificus infection and liver cirrhosis: a potentially lethal combination

We present a case of a 40-year-old man with decompensated alcoholic liver cirrhosis presenting with atraumatic cellulitis of one extremity and severe sepsis that rapidly progressed to compartment syndrome despite broad-spectrum antibiotics. Local cultures following debridement revealed Vibrio vulnificus, and subsequent history revealed consumption of raw oysters 48 h before presentation. Our case points out the unique susceptibility of those with cirrhosis and elevated iron saturation to Vibrio septicaemia, as well as the rapidity and severity of the disease progression.
Control Strategy and Comparison of Tuning Methods for Continuous Lactide Ring‐Opening Polymerization

Polylactic acid is produced industrially by ring-opening polymerization of lactide. Such a reaction is extremely sensitive to the level of monomer contaminants, thus posing some challenges for the operability of continuous processes. A control strategy was designed and the corresponding controller parameters were determined using gProms simulations by applying the Ziegler-Nichols, the Tyreus-Luyben, and the Cohen-Coon methods. Simulation results show that the proposed control strategy is effective in restoring the targeted process conditions after a sudden change in the level of contaminants, with the Cohen-Coon controller providing the better results. Additionally, the simulations demonstrate that the use of automatic process control reduces significantly the pressure rise along the reactors after a feed disturbance, thus ensuring a safer plant operation.
Violence perpetration among patients hospitalized for unintentional and assault-related firearm injury: a case-control study and a cohort study

BACKGROUND: Hospital-based violence intervention programs typically focus on patients whose firearm injury occurred through interpersonal violence (assault). Knowledge of violence perpetration by victims of unintentional (accidental) firearm injury is limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine violence perpetration before and after a patient becomes hospitalized for firearm injury according to injury intent (intentional [assault] or unintentional [accidental]). DESIGN: A case-control study and a retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Hospitals in Washington. PATIENTS: Persons aged 15 years or older hospitalized for a firearm injury, other injuries, or a noninjury reason from 2006 to 2007. MEASUREMENTS: In the case-control study, the odds of violence-related arrest from 2001 through hospitalization by injury intent among 3 groups were compared. In the cohort study, the rates of violence-related arrest from hospitalization through 2011 by injury intent among 3 groups were compared. RESULTS: Patients with unintentional firearm injuries (n RESULTS: = 180) were more likely than those with other unintentional injuries (n = 62 795; odds ratio [OR], 2.01 [95% CI, 1.31 to 3.09]) and no injuries (n = 172 830; OR, 3.43 [CI, 2.22 to 5.32]) to have been arrested for a violent crime before hospitalization. Prior violence-related arrest did not dif RESULTS: fer between patients with assault-related firearm injuries (n = 339) and those with other assault-related injuries (n = 2342; OR, 1.10 [CI, 0.84 to 1.46]). During follow-up, the cumulative incidence of violence-related arrest for patients with unintentional and assault-related firearm injuries was RESULTS: 10% and 15% (subhazard ratio, 1.88 [CI, 1.11 to 3.17] and 1.61 [CI, 1.08 to 2.44]), respectively, compared with 1% for those without injuries. LIMITATION: Exclusion of self-inflicted injuries, misclassification of intent, and ascertainment bias. CONCLUSION: Some firearm injuries classified as accidental may indicate involvement in the cycle of violence and present an opportunity for intervention. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: City of Seattle and the University of Washington Royalty Research Fund. Language: en
The Silent Majority? College Students’ Views, Conditions, and Reactions to Drunken Facebook Posts:

College students’ definitions of inappropriate drunken posts, their reasoning, and what they do in response are generally absent in the literature. An online survey of 522 college students examined...