cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient expectation trends on receiving antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

BACKGROUND Despite a variety of programs developed to control inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for viral infections, antibiotics are still prescribed excessively for Respiratory Tract Infections (RTI). The patient's expectation to receive an antibiotic often influences the clinician's decision and can lead to inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions. Our objective was to investigate the changes in patient expectations over time when presenting with symptoms of a respiratory infection. METHODS We performed a systematic review of patient's expectation to receive antibiotics for RTIs. Two reviewers independently evaluated the collected studies based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Our search initially identified 12 070 studies, of which 321 studies were eligible for full text review and 37 articles were selected for final evaluation. Meta-regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between patient expectations and different years. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Q statistic. RESULTS Patient expectations (effect size) were pooled using a random effects model. The effect-equality test showed heterogeneity among studies (Q = 3304.23, df = 40, P < 0.0001, k = 40, τ2 = 0.63). Meta-regression results revealed that there is a significant linear negative relationship (B = -1.8374, P < 0.05) between patient expectation and year of data collection, at the global level. A similar finding is observed for the subset of studies conducted outside United States (U.S.) (B = -1.2411, P < 0.1). However, there is no discernible trend for patient expectation in the U.S. or among children and adult subgroups. Also, no significant differences are observed between the patient expectations when considering different age groups. CONCLUSION The trend of patient expectation for receiving antibiotics for RTIs is declining over time on a global level and also outside the U.S.
Youth Cognitive Empowerment: Development and Evaluation of an Instrument

Psychological empowerment (PE) is a multicomponent construct that involves the mechanisms through which people and groups gain control over their lives and environments. Psychological empowerment has previously been operationalized using measures of sociopolitical control among young people, with findings indicating links between PE and other positive developmental outcomes. Sociopolitical control, however, is only an indicator for the emotional component of PE. Research has largely neglected the cognitive component of PE, particularly in studies of younger people. In fact, few studies to date have presented and empirically tested measurement instruments for the cognitive component of PE among youth. In this study, we adapted a measure, which previously had been validated and used among adults, for use among young people and tested it in a sample of high school students (53% female, 75% Hispanic) in an urban school in the northeastern U.S. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to assess the hypothesized three-factor structure of cognitive empowerment, and the measure was examined for association with the construct of social justice orientation. Results indicate an adequate fit for the second-order factor, and an expected relationship with the related construct.
Proper accounting for N in cropping systems.

ABSTRACT Almost all variables involved in a system of soil and crop management can influence N cycling and the accounting of N in the ecosystem. Consequently, research related to the effects of agriculture upon nitrate accumulation in ground water must address all aspects of both the N cycle and the hydrological cycle. Dominant in any accounting of N is the yield goal for the production enterprise. This establishes a minimum value for the total N required by the crop, but crop N requirement must be adjusted for efficiency of N uptake, climate, and for management practices. Credits must also be given for the amount of N derived from mineralization of soil organic N, manures, green manures, crop residues, or various types of wastes, plus that added through precipitation, foliar absorption of ammonia, biological N fixation, or nitrates in irrigation water. The deficit between crop N requirement and N from these sources is normally corrected by fertilization. A major problem exists in determining what is sufficient fertilizer N. One must consider the crop, weather, soil properties, and a multitude of fertilizer practices (carriers, time of application, rate, and placement). Also, many management practices can influence fertilizer N efficiency–tillage and crop residue placement, cropping system, irrigation practices, weed control, and others. Consequently, fertilizer N use efficiency can and does vary greatly. All these variables affect soil microbial activity and N immobilization-mineralization rates. Leaving crop residues on the soil surface, for example, creates a cooler and wetter environment than in bare soils, affecting activities of soil microorganisms and resulting in differential effects on N cycling and availability. Quantitative effects of a practice are often site-specific, and can only be predicted through process-based computer simulation models. Until such models are developed, the best approach is to fertilize according to field-calibrated soil tests. Although an empirical approach, when restricted to the area from which the field calibration was derived, this approach can provide reasonable estimates of minimum fertilizer N requirements. Previous research has shown that fertilizer use based on such recommendations reduces production costs and nitrates leaching, while maintaining yields. With continued research, well calibrated soil test recommendations for fertilizer usage can provide the accounting of N needed to minimize nitrate leaching into ground water.
Differences in clinicopathologic variables between Borrelia C6 antigen seroreactive and Borrelia C6 seronegative glomerulopathy in dogs.

Author(s): Borys, Moria A; Kass, Philip H; Mohr, Frederick C; Sykes, Jane E | Abstract: BackgroundRapidly progressive glomerulonephritis has been described in dogs that seroreact to Borrelia burgdorferi, but no studies have compared clinicopathologic differences in Lyme-seroreactive dogs with protein-losing nephropathy (PLN) versus dogs with Borrelia-seronegative PLN.Hypothesis/objectivesDogs with Borrelia C6 antigen-seroreactive PLN have distinct clinicopathologic findings when compared to dogs with Borrelia seronegative PLN.AnimalsForty dogs with PLN and Borrelia C6 antigen seroreactivity and 78 C6-seronegative temporally matched dogs with PLN.MethodsRetrospective prevalence case-control study. Clinical information was retrieved from records of dogs examined at the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Histopathologic findings in renal tissue procured by biopsy or necropsy of dogs with PLN were reviewed.ResultsRetrievers and retriever mixes were overrepresented in seroreactive dogs (P l .001). Seroreactive dogs were more likely to have thrombocytopenia (P l .001), azotemia (P = .002), hyperphosphatemia (P l .001), anemia (P l .001), and neutrophilia (P = .003). Hematuria, glucosuria, and pyuria despite negative urine culture were more likely in seroreactive dogs (all P ≤ .002). Histopathologic findings were consistent with immune-complex glomerulonephritis in 16 of 16 case dogs and 7 of 23 control dogs (P = 006). Prevalence of polyarthritis was not different between groups (P = .17).Conclusions and clinical importanceC6 seroreactivity in dogs with PLN is associated with a clinicopathologically distinct syndrome when compared with other types of PLN. Early recognition of this syndrome has the potential to improve outcomes through specific aggressive and early treatment.
Population Dynamics of Tay-Sachs Disease. II. What Confers the Selective Advantage Upon the Jewish Heterozygote?

It is now well established that the birth incidence of Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) is a hundred times higher, and the gene frequency ten times higher among Ashkenazi Jews than among other Jewish groups and non-Jewish populations (Goldschmidt et al., 1956, Kozinn et al., 1957, Myrianthopoulos, 1962, Aronson, 1964). The present authors (Myrianthopoulos and Aronson, 1966) examined several possible mechanisms but found no evidence that differential breeding pattern, genetic drift or differential mutation rate could explain the difference in gene frequency distribution. We then tested the possibility of differential fertility of the heterozygote for the TSD gene by comparing the reproductive performance of the grandparents of a large number of Jewish infants affected with TSD with that of an appropriate control group. The results suggested that the Jewish TSD heterozygote enjoys an overall reproductive advantage of about 6% over the presumed Jewish homozygous normal and that TSD sibships had significantly higher survival to age 21 than did control sibships. This advantage is of more than sufficient magnitude to have raised the frequency of the lethal TSD gene among the Ashkenazi Jews from a presumed frequency equal to that of non-Jews of 0.0013 at the end of the first century A.D. when the mass emigration of the Jews began, through 50 generations to the late 19th century, when TSD was recognized as occurring chiefly among Ashkenazi Jews with a gene frequency of 0.0126.
Dampening Agricultural Commodity Price Volatility in Civi-Strife-Torn MENA Countries: A Portfolio Theory Approach

The Middle East and North Africa region is one of the most politically volatile and food insecure areas on earth. The sum of political upheavals and endemic food-security constraints has reduced many MENA nations to the equivalent of small, import-dependent countries. Such countries are especially vulnerable to commodity-price volatiltity, the focus of this paper. As MENA countries begin to arise from current civil conflict they must attempt to diminish the food-price risk that results from import dependence. This paper describes a constrained-optimization model that can produce optimal domestically-sourced commodity portfolios for re-emerging MENA agricultural sectors, nested in domestic production and strategic storage. The model is driven by the use of financial-economics concepts to inform a representation of commodity-price volatility.
The moral foundations of crime control in American presidential platforms, 1968–2016:

The present research for the first time uses Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) as an analytical framework for evaluating the moral foundations of prescriptive presidential party platform statements on...
Aristotle's Anatomical Philosophy of Nature

This paper explores the anatomical foundations of Aristotle's natural philosophy. Rather than simply looking at the body, he contrives specific procedures for revealing unmanifest phenomena. In some cases, these interventions seem extensive enough to qualify as experiments. At the work bench, one can observe the parts of animals in the manner Aristotle describes, even if his descriptions seem at odds with 20th century textbooks. Manipulating animals allows us to recover his teleological thought more fully. This consideration of Aristotle as a sophisticated biologist helps our reading of his writings in other areas of philosophy.
Ion regulation and stress tolerance during oscillating salinity in two color morphs of the green crab, Carcinus maenas (1099.6)

Carcinus maenas occurs in two color morphs: green after molting and red after prolonged intermolt. The ability to ion regulate in C. maenas is well documented in green morphs at low salinity, but n...
Exploring Chronically Ill Seniors' Attitudes About Discussing Death and Postmortem Medical Procedures

Proxy decisions about postmortem medical procedures must consider the dead patient's likely preferences. Ethnic-and sex-based attitudes surely underlie such preferences but lack sufficient characterization to guide decisions. Therefore, this exploratory study interviewed Mexican-American, Euroamerican, and African-American seniors in San Antonio, Texas, for their attitudes about discussing death before it occurs and about organ donation, autopsy, and practice on cadavers. A rigorous content analysis identified themes. Majority attitudes of an ethnic group or sex subgroup here may characterize the group generally. Attitudes about discussing death differed only by ethnic group. Mexican Americans and Euroamericans favored such discussions, but African Americans did not. Attitudes about the postmortem procedures differed by ethnic group and sex. Overall, Mexican Americans viewed the procedures most favorably; Euroamericans, less so; and African Americans, least so. Men and women differed further within ethnic groups. Mexican-American men and women split evenly over organ donation, the men expressed no majority preference about autopsies and the women agreed to them, and the men refused and the women agreed to practice on their cadavers. Euroamerican men expressed no majority preferences, but Euroamerican women agreed to organ donation, had no majority preference about autopsies, and refused practice on their cadavers. African-American men expressed no majority preferences, and African-American women expressed none about organ donation or autopsies but refused practice on their cadavers. If confirmed, these ethnic- and sex-based attitudes can help health professionals tailor postmortem care to individual patients' preferences.
Success of endoscopic pharyngoesophageal dilation after head and neck cancer treatment.

Objectives/hypothesis To assess clinical success and safety of endoscopic pharyngoesophageal dilation after chemoradiation or radiation for head and neck cancer and to identify variables associated with dilation failure. Study design Case series with chart review. Methods Between 2000 and 2008, a total of 111 patients treated with chemoradiation or radiation for head and neck cancer with subsequent pharyngoesophageal stenosis requiring endoscopic dilation were identified. Patients were evaluated for endoscopic dilation technique, severity of stenosis, technical and clinical success, and intra- and postoperative complications. The Diet/GT score (range, 1-5) was utilized to measure swallow success. Variables associated with dilation failure were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results There were 271 dilations analyzed, with 42 combined antegrade retrograde dilations, 208 dilations over a guidewire, and 21 dilations without guidewire. Intraoperative patency and successful dilation of the stenotic segment was achieved in 95% of patients. A Diet/GT score of 5 (gastrostomy tube removed and soft/regular diet) was attained in 84 of 111 (76%) patients. Safety analysis showed complications occurred in 9% of all dilations. Perforations were noted in 4% of all procedures, with only two esophageal perforations requiring significant intervention. Multiple dilations were associated with an increased risk for perforations. Further logistic regression analyses revealed that the number of dilations was indicating a poor outcome and low Diet/GT score. Conclusions Pharyngoesophageal stenosis, occurring after chemoradiation and radiation treatment, can be successfully and safely treated with endoscopic dilation techniques. Patients with restenosis, requiring multiple dilations, have a higher risk of persistent dysphagia.
NEW SURFACE ALLOTROPES OF CARBON

Abstract The simplest negatively curved (schwartzene) surface allotrope of carbon, C 32 -trousers, is introduced and modeled. Restricted Hartree-Fock calculations show that C 32 -trousers is a stable unit and also demonstrate the viability of several related schwartzenes. In contrast to many schwartzene structures proposed earlier, C 32 -trousers is a reasonable target for organic synthesis.
Estrogen replacement and tardive dyskinesia

A double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted among 10 post-menopausal women with tardive dyskinesia (TD) to test the effect of estrogen replacement of the severity of abnormal movements and other outcome variables. After 3 weeks of treatment, the mean Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) score decreased by 38% in the estrogen group and by 9% in the placebo group; the difference between groups was marginally significant (p less than 0.10). However, the small sample size and the imbalance between groups in baseline AIMS scores do not allow us to rule out the confounding effects of other prognostic factors. There were no significant differences between treatment groups for parkinsonian and psychological symptoms at any visit or for changes in these variables between visits. The findings of this preliminary trial are consistent with the results of other human and animal investigations, and they support the need for future research to understand the role of estrogens in the neuropathology and treatment of TD.
Toxicological Studies on Certain Medical Grade Plastics Sterilized by Ethylene Oxide

Ethylene oxide gas sterilization of plastics used in medical and pharmaceutical applications presents a toxicity problem which at the present time remains largely unsolved due to the increasing complexity of the plastic itself. A series of preliminary experiments was conducted to survey the problem and to present evidence of the toxic potential of plastics having a variety of chemical and physical properties. It was demonstrated that residual ethylene oxide caused extensive blood hemolysis and death to cells grown in culture.
Anisotropic Bistable Electroactive Polymers: Large Strain Actuation of Shape Memory Polymers

In this paper, constitutive equations to model the electromechanical behavior of shape memory polymers (SMPs) are introduced for the first time. SMPs are unique material that can be transformed into complicated shapes and recover their original shapes even under large deformations [1]. Above their transition temperature, elastic modulus decreases and they can be easily deformed by mechanical or electrical input. Advantage of this behavior is returning to the deformed shape utilizing a triggering temperature without any applied forces. This can be used to actuate the electroactive polymer to restore the deformed shape without applying an electric field [2]. Therefore in this paper, the equibiaxial extension of two different SMPs (PTBA (poly(tert-butylacrylate)) [2] and Sylgard (Sylgard 184)/PCL (poly(e-caprolactone)) composite [3]) is simulated numerically to demonstrate the electromechanical behavior with respect to mechanical and electromechanical inputs. For simplification, the response of the SMP above the transition temperature is considered, so that material properties are constant and not a function of temperature. The SMPs are considered a fiber-reinforced membrane with two families of fibers, which enable to tune the material properties of SMPs [3]. To describe the constitutive relation of the SMPs, Mooney-Rivlin and Ogden model for isotropic SMPs, as well as Gasser et al model [4] for anisotropic SMPs, are applied. In the numerical computations, the isotropic and anisotropic electromechanical response of PTBA and Sylgard/PCL composite are presented. PTBA shows larger electromechanical effect in the range of stretch 1.5–2.5. Additionally, the effects of the fiber stiffness, angle, and dispersion on the deformation of the SMPs are observed. According to the result, the fiber stiffness can significantly affect on the electromechanical response and fiber angle and dispersion can influence the anisotropic deformation.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Regional imbalanced activation of the calcineurin/BAD apoptotic pathway and the PI3K/Akt survival pathway after myocardial infarction

Background The underlying molecular mechanisms of the remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of a survival pathway (PI3K/Akt) and an apoptosis pathway (calcineurin/BAD) in the remodeling after MI in a large animal model.
Some secular changes in the growth of American-born and native Japanese children.

Three hundred and sixteen (35%) of the American-born Japanese children whose height, weight, and skeletal age were recorded in 1956–57 were reexamined as young adults between 1968 and 1974, when they were found to be taller, heavier, and shorter legged than men and women in Japan who were born in the same years as they. These differences between the American-born and the native Japanese adults were relatively smaller than they had been during childhood, due to both an acceleration in the growth rate of the native Japanese and a concomitant decline in that of the American-born Japanese during the intervening years. A comparison of our 1956–57 data with Kondo and Eto's findings in Los Angeles in 1971 shows that there has been very little increase in the size of California-Japanese children since 1956. The curves of average heights of native Japanese children 6 to 20 years of age, at 10-year intervals from 1900 to 1970, disclosed the changing rate at which they grew during different decades of that period. Those curves and other data discussed in this paper provide additional evidence of the biological superiority of the human female as compared with the male.
On the Eigenvalues and Critical Speed Stability of Gyroscopic Continua

In order to provide analytical eigenvalue estimates for general continuous gyroscopic systems, this paper presents a perturbation analysis to determine approximate eigenvalue loci and stability conclusions in the vicinity of critical speeds and zero speed. The perturbation analysis relies on a formulation of the general continuous gyroscopic system eigenvalue problem in terms of matrix differential operators and vector eigenfunctions. The eigenvalue λ appears only as λ 2 in the formulation, and the smoothness of λ 2 at the critical speeds and zero speed is the essential feature. First-order eigenvalue perturbations are determined at the critical speeds and zero speed. The derived eigenvalue perturbations are simple expressions in terms of the original mass, gyroscopic, and stillness operators and the critical-speed/zero-speed eigenfunctions. Prediction of whether an eigenvalue passes to or from a region of divergence instability at the critical speed is determined by the sign of the eigenvalue perturbation. Additionally, eigenvalue perturbation at the critical speeds and zero speed yields approximations for the eigenvalue loci over a range of speeds. The results are limited to systems having one independent eigenfunction associated with each critical speed and each stationary system eigenvalue. Examples are presented for an axially moving tensioned beam, an axially moving string on an elastic foundation, and a rotating rigid body. The eigenvalue perturbations agree identically with exact solutions for the moving string and rotating rigid body.
The chemical control of respiration

Arterial blood gas tensions are maintained at appropriate levels through a feedback system which adjusts ventilation and has multiple inputs and outputs. Inputs to the system arise mainly from peripheral and central chemoreceptors, but there are other inputs from mechanoreceptors and higher brain centers. Output from the system travels to chest wall and upper airway muscles. Need to conserve energy consumption by the respiratory system may also affect controller activity. The response times of the system may be important clinically but are not measured by conventionally used tests of respiratory control. Instability in respiratory control may contribute to the recurrent periods of apnea seen during sleep.
Geologic framework influences on the geomorphology of an anthropogenically modified barrier island: Assessment of dune/beach changes at Fire Island, New York

Antecedent geology plays a crucial role in determining the inner-shelf, nearshore, and onshore geomorphology observed in coastal systems. However, the influence of the geologic framework on a system is difficult to extract when evaluating responses to changes due to storms and anthropogenic modifications, and few studies have quantified the potential for these influences in dune/beach environments. This study evaluates topographic change to the dune/beach system at Fire Island, New York over a ten year period (1998-2008) at two sites representing eastern and western reaches of the island where morphology has been shown to vary. The sites are situated along swaths of coast eroding differentially and where the inner shelf geologic framework differs substantially. Fewer large storms occurred in the first half of the study period, compared with the later part of the study period which includes several severe and prolonged extratropical storms. Additionally, a major beach replenishment project was conducted at one of the study sites. Topographic data from LiDAR and RTK GPS surveys are used to construct high-resolution 3D surfaces, which are used to determine volumetric change and to extract 2D alongshore features and profiles for analysis. The study sites help to further characterize morphologic differences between eastern and western reaches of the island. The western site displays higher sand volumes, lower dunes, and a lower gradient profile slope when compared with the eastern site. In addition to these fundamental morphologic differences, the two sites also differ significantly in their response to coastal storms and in the fact that their replenishment histories are different. The replenished areas show reduced vulnerability to storms through minimal volume loss and shoreline accretion that should be considered when evaluating the response of replenished areas to episodic events. We propose that site-specific differences evident throughout the study period can be linked to alongshore variations in the framework geology of the system. Anthropogenic modifications may have intensified differences already inherent in the system.
Methods for the isolation and detection of etheno adducts in nucleotide pools in vivo following exposure to ethyl carbamate.

Cellular extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the isolation of etheno adducts from nucleotide pools formed in vivo following exposure to the chemical carcinogen ethyl carbamate. These techniques were employed to detect etheno adduct formation using BDF1 mice and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) as test species following interperitoneal injection of the chemical. Ethenoadenine was detected in spleenocyte nucleotide pools of mice after acute (24 h) exposure and chronic (two weeks) exposure. Several etheno adducts (i.e. ethenoadenine, etheno-AMP, etheno-ADP and etheno-ATP) were also detected in total spleen cell nucleotide pools of trout following acute ethyl carbamate exposure.
Two-dimensional model of a capacitively coupled rf discharge and comparisons with experiments in the Gaseous Electronics Conference reference reactor

We present results from a two-dimensional (2D) numerical fluid model of rf discharges in conditions close to recently published measurements of the spatial distribution of plasma density in the Gaseous Electronic Conference reference cell. The discharge is in pure argon at pressures in the 100 mtorr range, frequency 13.56 MHz, and rf voltage amplitudes on the order of 100 V. The model is based on solutions of the continuity, momentum (drift-diffusion), and energy equations for the electrons, continuity, and drift-diffusion equation for positive ions, coupled with the Poisson equation. The results of the model are qualitatively and quantitatively in good agreement with the experiments. The model predicts a maximum of plasma density off axis, as in the experiment. The ion current density on the electrode is also nonuniform, and increases radially in the conditions of the experiments. The effects of the rf voltage, pressure, and reactor geometry (electrode dimensions, gap length, guard rings, etc.) on the plasma properties and on the uniformity of the ion current on the powered electrode are also discussed. It is shown that the existence of a maximum of plasma density in the radial direction, in the conditions of the experiment, is due to the small value of the electrode spacing. The results show that the harmonic content of the discharge current is also geometry dependent. The comparisons show that 2D, three-moment fluid models can accurately describe the discharge and the effects of the chamber geometry on the plasma properties for pressure above the limit where collisionless electron heating does not play a significant role.
Data Producers Courting Data Reusers: Two Cases from Modeling Communities

Data sharing is a difficult process for both the data producer and the data reuser. Both parties are faced with more disincentives than incentives. Data producers need to sink time and resources into adding metadata for data to be findable and usable, and there is no promise of receiving credit for this effort. Making data available also leaves data producers vulnerable to being scooped or data misuse. Data reusers also need to sink time and resources into evaluating data and trying to understand them, making collecting their own data a more attractive option. In spite of these difficulties, some data producers are looking for new ways to make data sharing and reuse a more viable option. This paper presents two cases from the surface and climate modeling communities, where researchers who produce data are reaching out to other researchers who would be interested in reusing the data. These cases are evaluated as a strategy to identify ways to overcome the challenges typically experienced by both data producers and data reusers. By working together with reusers, data producers are able to mitigate the disincentives and create incentives for sharing data. By working with data producers, data reusers are able to circumvent the hurdles that make data reuse so challenging.
The effect of economic recession on population health

Economic recessions have paradoxical effects on the mortality trends of populations in rich countries. Contrary to what might have been expected, economic downturns during the 20th century were associated with declines in mortality rates. In terms of business cycles, mortality is procyclical,
Intervertebral Disc Collagen USAGE OF THE SHORT FORM OF THE α1(IX) CHAIN IN BOVINE NUCLEUS PULPOSUS

Nucleus pulposus, the central zone of the intervertebral disc, is gel-like and has a similar collagen phenotype to that of hyaline cartilage. Amino-terminal protein sequence analysis of the α1(IX)COL3 domain purified from bovine nucleus pulposus gave a different sequence to that of the long α1(IX) transcript expressed in hyaline cartilage and matched the predicted sequence of short α1(IX). The findings indicate that the matrix of bovine nucleus pulposus contains only the short form of α1(IX) that lacks the NC4 domain. The sequence encoded by exon 7, predicted from human COL9A1, is absent from both short and long forms of α1(IX) from bovine nucleus pulposus and articular cartilage. A structural analysis of the cross-linking sites occupied in type IX collagen from nucleus pulposus showed that usage of the short α1(IX) transcript in disc tissue had no apparent effect on cross-linking behavior. As in cartilage, type IX collagen of nucleus pulposus was heavily cross-linked to type II collagen and to other molecules of type IX collagen with a similar site occupancy.
Localization and characterization of members of a family of repetitive sequences in the goat βglobin locus

We have characterized a family of repetitive DNA elements in the beta-globin locus of the goat. These sequences are structurally analogous to the Alu families of repeats of other mammals. Repetitive elements are located both in the intervening sequences and in the intergenic regions of the goat beta-globin locus. Nucleotide sequence analysis of five repetitive elements located within the large intervening sequence of the beta-like globin genes, and four repeats located 5' to the major developmentally regulated beta-globin genes has resulted in the definition of a consensus sequence for this family of repeats.
Stress Urinary Incontinence in the Elderly: Evaluation, Surgical Treatment, and Management of Postoperative Voiding Dysfunction

The goal of this review is to present a review of the literature regarding evaluation and treatment of stress urinary incontinence with commentary on the management of postoperative voiding dysfunction in the elderly. An extensive review of the literature was performed through MEDLINE using keywords of stress incontinence, urinary incontinence, geriatrics, elderly, evaluation, treatment, and outcomes. Urinary incontinence is a prevalent health concern that increases with advanced age. Studies have demonstrated that both stress and urgency incontinence can have a huge impact on quality of life and that successful treatment options exist. Surgical therapy may be safely considered, as appropriate, for each individual. Patient age should not preclude treatment for quality of life issues. Successful options are available, and though as with any intervention, potential complications can occur. Patients should be informed of their options and counseled on the choices available to them and the risks, benefits, and alternatives of these interventions.
Process Enhanced Polaron Conductivity of Infrared Transparent Nickel-Cobalt Oxide

Abstract The effects of gas composition during combinatorial sputtering of p-type polaron conducting films and the effects of total chamber gas pressure and different target-to-substrate distance show correlated variations in electrical and optical properties. Optimum conductivity from combinatorially deposited films containing equal parts of nickel and cobalt is achieved when sputtered in a gas mixture of 50% argon and 50% oxygen from oxide targets, with the best film conductivity of 375 S cm −1 achieved using growth conditions that promote complete oxidation. The gas pressure study shows that deposition at relatively low chamber pressures followed by subsequent quenching of heated samples in air leads to enhanced conductivity. Conductivity is enhanced even further at lower chamber pressure deposition due to a higher growth rate and increased adatom mobility during growth due to the larger molecular mean free path. Increased distance of target-to-substrate decreased the film density, increased film porosity and decreased conductivity, but increased optical transparency between 2 and 10 μm. Post deposition heat treatment improves film conductivity when followed by rapid quenching, but degrades film conductivity when followed by slow cooling in air. Optical transparency degrades as electrical conductivity improves and vice versa. The temperature dependence of conductivity showed that the activation energy of electrical conductivity is lower for films rapidly quenched than for films that are slowly cooled following heat treatment. Rapid cooling of films from 375 °C to room temperature is postulated to increase the concentration of defects or induce a disordered charge distribution state that increases the concentration of polarons and lowers the activation energy for electrical conductivity. Slow cooling allows defects to anneal out, resulting in improved transparency across the infrared region but a lower electrical conductivity.
Lipolytic response to metabolic stress in critically ill patients.

Objective To measure whole-body lipolysis and fatty acid re-esterification in critically ill patients. Design The rates of appearance of glycerol and palmitic acid in blood plasma were measured by infusing stable isotope tracers [2H5]glycerol and [1-13C]palmitic acid, respectively. Energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry. Setting Medical ICU of The University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital, a university-based referral center. Patients Five uninjured critically ill patients. Four patients were hospitalized because of respiratory insufficiency and one because of myocardial infarction. Three patients died during their hospitalization. Interventions Metabolic studies were performed in each patient after an overnight (12-hr) fast. Measurements and main results Mean +/- SE glycerol and fatty acid rates of appearance were 4.5 +/- 1.0 and 11.5 +/- 0.8 mumol/kg.min, respectively. The ratio of fatty acid to glycerol rate of appearance was 2.9 +/- 0.5. Resting energy expenditure was 132 +/- 6% of predicted. Conclusions An accelerated rate of lipolysis is part of the metabolic response to severe stress, regardless of its etiology. Because the rate of fatty acid release far exceeded energy requirements, fatty acids that were not oxidized as fuel were re-esterified to triglyceride, presumably in the liver.
Pipeline leak detection system for oil and gas flowlines

Petroleum fluids in production systems are frequently transported by surface steel pipelines of low diameter working at low pressures and under a two-phase flow regime. These pipelines operate without permanent, continuous supervision for leaks. The leaked volume is usually high before the leak is noticed and stopped. High leak volumes pollute the environment and increase production costs. This paper describes the expected performance of the acoustic emission leak detection system for low pressure flowlines in oil and gas gathering installations. The developed system detects acoustic emission signals generated by leaks. Specific features of the system are discussed. The system was tested in a closed field scale two-phase flowloop. Example results of tests are reported. The paper is completed with conclusions and discussion of potential applications of the system.
Abundance, distribution and oil biodegradation potential of micro-organisms in Raritan Bay

Abstract Using an improved enumeration technique, the abundance of oil degrading microorganisms was monitored in Raritan Bay during a one-year period. The determined numbers varied from a low of 20/1 to a high of 3400/1 of surface sea water. The abundance of oil-degrading microorganisms was positively correlated with existing patterns of low-level oil pollution and with the water temperature, but was independent of total microbial counts. All tested sea water samples contained an adequate microbial population to cause the extensive biodegradation of added Sweden crude oil within eighteen days. The number of oil-degrading microorganisms in sea water samples was found to be a useful and sensitive indicator of low-level oil pollution that escaped routine gas chromatographic detection.
Clinical and biological changes in liver function during intravenous hyperalimentation.

The use of intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) with 30% dextrose-amino acid solution produces prolonged positive nitrogen (N) balance, weight gain, and normal growth and development, with minimal metabolic complications. Several investigators have recently reported liver fatty metamorphosis with an associated increase in serum liver enzymes during IVH, particularly noticeable in premature infants. However, this effect has not been clearly defined in adult patients, especially in regard to the composition of the solution, the kcs:N ratio of the infused solution, and caloric requirements of the patient. A series of 42 patients were given a standard IVH formula (25% dextrose—4.5% crystalline amino acids) administered continuously through a central venous catheter whose tip was positioned in the superior vena cava. These patients were divided into 3 groups: Group I (27) who had no documented liver pathology. Group II (15) who had liver disease documented by liver biopsy or liver scan, and Group III (9) who we...
Safety of urologic surgical intervention in the elderly

Concomitant with the rapidly increasing elderly population in the United States is the development and manifestation of urologic diseases. Besides diagnosing urologic diseases in the geriatric population, the urologic surgeon must be prepared to treat this population. To determine if urologic surgical intervention is safe in this patient population, the records of 59 patients who underwent major urological procedures with anesthesia were reviewed. The mean age was 84.6 years (range 80–101), 55 (92.2%) were males and 4 (6.8%) were females. The patients were divided according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines. In this study 57.6% of the patients had at least one severe, non-incapacitating, systemic disease which constituted an ASA classification of 3 and above. Forty one patients (69.5%) had endoscopic procedures; transurethral resection of the prostate made up the majority of these, 25 (61%). Eighteen patients (30.5%) underwent open procedures; the majority of these (11 of 18) consisted of abdominal and pelvic surgery: radical cystectomy (3), radical nephrectomy (3), suprapubic prostatectomy (3), suprapubic exploration and pelvic lymph node dissection [1], and ileal ureter interposition with bladder cap augmentation (1). The remaining seven patients had scrotal procedures. There were no deaths in either group. Complications occurred in five patients (8.5%); four of these patients had an ASA classification of 3 and above with 2/5 having cerebrovascular accidents. We concluded that age should not be the limiting factor in a decision to perform urologic procedures. Given the advancing age of the American population, surgery, both major endoscopic and open, may be performed in the geriatric population with minimum deaths and complications. Special care and perioperative monitoring should be provided in patients with ASA levels of 3 or greater.
Remedial Amendment Delivery Near the Water Table Using Shear Thinning Fluids: Experiments and Numerical Simulations

The use of non-Newtonian shear thinning fluids (STFs) containing xanthan is a potential enhancement for emplacing a solute amendment near the water table and within the capillary fringe. Most research to date related to STF behavior has involved saturated and confined conditions. A series of flow cell experiments were conducted to investigate STF emplacement in variable saturated homogeneous and layered heterogeneous systems. Besides flow visualization using dyes, amendment concentrations and pressure data were obtained at several locations. The experiments showed that injection of STFs considerably improved the subsurface distribution near the water table by mitigating preferential flow through higher permeability zones compared to no-polymer injections. The phosphate amendment migrated with the xanthan STF without retardation. Despite the high viscosity of the STF, no excessive mounding or preferential flow were observed in the unsaturated zone. The STOMP simulator was able to predict the experimentally observed fluid displacement and amendment concentrations well. Based on the observed pressure gradients and concentration data in layers of differing hydraulic conductivity, cross flow between layers was identified as the main mechanism transporting STFs into lower permeability layers.
Low-Profile, Switched-Beam Diversity Antennas Using High-Impedance Ground Planes

We explore high-impedance surfaces for use in low-profile, switched-beam diversity antennas for mobile communications. High-impedance surfaces provide two important advantages for low-profile antennas: (1) They suppress the propagation of surface currents. (2) Image currents appear inphase, rather than our-of-phase as on an ordinary metal ground plane. This results in improved radiation properties by partially isolating the antenna from the nearby electromagnetic environment. Furthermore, radiating elements can lie directly adjacent to the ground plane without being shorted out. A low-profile, four-sector diveristy antenna on a high-impedance surface is described, and radiation performance is characteriazed.
WHITE PINE SHOOTS: ROLES OF GRAVITY AND EPINASTY IN MOVEMENTS AND COMPRESSION WOOD LOCATION

Pinus strobus L. trees were grown on a clinostat. Although elongating shoots moved in almost the reverse of the normal pattern, they reached a normal original angle. Compression wood (CW) formed only on the upper side of branches opposite where CW had previously formed. Neither treatments to remove epinasty (girdling branches, removing leaders and branches), nor treatments to bend branches out of position changed CW distribution. On trees grown off the clinostat, branches bending upwards after removal of the terminal formed CW on the upper side before reaching vertical. Main stems could form CW on the upper side after having been tipped to induce CW formation on the under side. It is suggested that epinasty is not involved in either early shoot movements or in compression wood location and that when gravity stimulates CW formation on the under side of a shoot it preconditions the upper side for CW formation, thus establishing an equilibrium position for the shoot.
Designing a New Automotive DNA

The automotive industry stands on the threshold of a new opportunity - an opportunity that stems from the reinvention of the automobile using a new DNA that exchanges the internal combustion engine, petroleum, and mechanical linkages for fuel cells and batteries, hydrogen and electricity, and electronic systems and controls. Electrically driven vehicles and the introduction of advanced electronics and connected vehicle technologies will revolutionize how our vehicles operate, how we interact with them, and how they communicate with each other and the outside world. These new technologies will also, importantly, dramatically change how automobiles are designed and built. In this talk, Dr. Burns will highlight why the new automotive DNA will be paradigm shifting for the industry and address the design challenges and opportunities presented by the requirement for new electrical and electronics-based architectures, systems, and software for our vehicles.
Prevalence of interstitial cystitis symptoms in a managed care population.

ABSTRACTPurpose: We calculated the prevalence of symptoms typically associated with interstitial cystitis (IC) in men and women in a managed care population in the Pacific Northwest.Materials and Methods: International Classification of Diseases-9 based queries of the Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, Oregon database were used to identify subjects with IC exclusion criteria, who were excluded from further analysis. A total of 10,000 questionnaires, including 5,000 for women and 5,000 for men, were mailed to subjects with codes indicating bladder symptoms and to those with none of the codes. The questionnaires included questions about the presence of IC symptoms and the O'Leary-Sant interstitial cystitis questionnaire. IC symptoms were defined in 2 ways, that is as 1) pelvic pain at least 3 months in duration plus urgency or frequency at least 3 months in duration and 2) the same criteria plus pain increasing as the bladder fills and/or pain relieved by urination.Results: The prevalence of IC symptoms...
Neutron polarizabilities from Compton scattering on the deuteron

A calculation of deuteron Compton scattering using non-relativistic perturbation theory is presented,with the primary motivation of investigating the feasibility of determining the neutron polarizabilities from this type of experiment. This calculation is expected to be valid for energies below 100 MeV. Pion-exchange, relativistic, and recoil corrections are also included. The low-energy theorem for gauge invariance is shown to be satisfied. The relative effects of the different terms and their effects on the determinations of the polarizabilities are discussed at energies of 49, 69, and 95 MeV. The cross-section is dominated by the seagull, polarizability, and electromagnetic multipole interactions. Relativistic and pion-exchange terms are also important, while recoil corrections and multipoles of $L$=2 and greater are negligible. The calculation provides a reasonable description of the experimental data points at 49 and 69 MeV. The polarizabilities are difficult to determine at these energies. A more accurate determination of the polarizabilities may be possible at 95 MeV.