cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Out-of-pocket medication costs and use of medications and health care services among children with asthma.

Context Health plans have implemented policies to restrain prescription medication spending by shifting costs toward patients. It is unknown how these policies have affected children with chronic illness. Objective To analyze the association of medication cost sharing with medication and hospital services utilization among children with asthma, the most prevalent chronic disease of childhood. Design, Setting, and Patients Retrospective study of insurance claims for 8834 US children with asthma who initiated asthma control therapy between 1997 and 2007. Using variation in out-of-pocket costs for a fixed “basket” of asthma medications across 37 employers, we estimated multivariate models of asthma medication use, asthma-related hospitalization, and emergency department (ED) visits with respect to out-of-pocket costs and child and family characteristics. Main Outcome Measures Asthma medication use, asthma-related hospitalizations, and ED visits during 1-year follow-up. Results The mean annual out-of-pocket asthma medication cost was $154 (95% CI, $152-$156) among children aged 5 to 18 years and $151 (95% CI, $148-$153) among those younger than 5 years. Among 5913 children aged 5 to 18 years, filled asthma prescriptions covered a mean of 40.9% of days (95% CI, 40.2%-41.5%). During 1-year follow-up, 121 children (2.1%) had an asthma-related hospitalization and 220 (3.7%) had an ED visit. Among 2921 children younger than 5 years, mean medication use was 46.2% of days (95% CI, 45.2%-47.1%); 136 children (4.7%) had an asthma-related hospitalization and 231 (7.9%) had an ED visit. An increase in out-of-pocket medication costs from the 25th to the 75th percentile was associated with a reduction in adjusted medication use among children aged 5 to 18 years (41.7% [95% CI, 40.7%-42.7%] vs 40.3% [95% CI, 39.4%-41.3%] of days; P = .02) but no change among younger children. Adjusted rates of asthma-related hospitalization were higher for children aged 5 to 18 years in the top quartile of out-of-pocket costs (2.4 [95% CI, 1.9-2.8] hospitalizations per 100 children vs 1.7 [95% CI, 1.3-2.1] per 100 in bottom quartile; P = .004) but not for younger children. Annual adjusted rates of ED use did not vary across out-of-pocket quartiles for either age group. Conclusion Greater cost sharing for asthma medications was associated with a slight reduction in medication use and higher rates of asthma hospitalization among children aged 5 years or older.
Intestinal handling of mercury in the rat: implications of intestinal secretion of inorganic mercury following biliary ligation or cannulation.

Three sets of experiments were carried out to determine if there is an intestinal secretory component in the fecal excretion of administered inorganic mercury. In the first set of experiments the disposition of a nontoxic 0.5-mumol/kg intravenous dose of inorganic mercury was evaluated in control rats and rats whose bile duct had been ligated. Data collected 24 h after the administration of mercuric chloride indicated that some inorganic mercury had moved from the blood across the epithelium into the lumen of the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. This secretory movement of mercury was most prominent in the small intestine. Interestingly, the renal uptake and accumulation of mercury were diminished significantly in the rats whose bile duct had been ligated. A time-course experiment showed that the maximum amount of secretory movement of mercury into the lumen of the small intestine occurred during the initial 12 h after the injection of mercuric chloride. By the end of 24 h after the injection...
The Middle Ear Region of the Cariamiformes (Aves)

ABSTRACT The anatomy of the cavum tympanicum (middle ear region) and os quadratum (quadrate) is described for the Cariamiformes. Specimens from both extant species are included. Pathways of blood vessels and nerves and their foramina are described as are other important anatomical characters. More research at both the morphological and molecular levels is needed to fully understand where to place this order within birds. An understanding of the anatomy of middle ear structures will be important to taxonomists who are looking for characters on which to test their hypotheses of relationships.
Advances in Chemotherapy for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objectives To discuss the use of chemotherapy and targeted therapy for treating non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data Sources Published articles, book chapters, and research papers. Conclusion Chemotherapy has improved both response and survival rates incrementally in patients with advanced NSCLC. Targeted therapy agents are now included in the treatment schema and are impacting overall survival in combination with chemotherapy for first-line therapy and as monotherapy for second- or third-line treatment. In recent years, chemotherapy has also shown efficacy in earlier stages of treatment, especially as adjuvant therapy after surgery. Additionally, elderly patients can tolerate platinum-based chemotherapy without significant toxicities; therefore, age should not be the only determining factor when deciding on treatment for an older person. Implication for Nursing Practice It is important for nurses to know and understand the background and rationale for many of the current treatments for NSCLC given today.
The role of data reuse in the apprenticeship process

The availability of research data through digital repositories has made data reuse a possibility in a growing number of fields. This paper reports on the results of interviews with 27 zoologists, 43 quantitative social scientists and 22 archaeologists. It examines how data reuse contributes to the apprenticeship process and aids students in becoming full members of scholarly disciplines. Specifically, it investigates how data reuse contributes to the processes by which novice researchers join academic communities of practice. We demonstrate how projects involving data reuse provide a unique opportunity for advisors to mentor novices through the process of creating knowledge. In these situations, senior researchers model general reuse practices and impart skills for their students to use in the future when selecting, evaluating, and analyzing data they did not collect. For novices, data reuse constitutes a form of legitimate peripheral participation, a way for them to enter the community of practice by analyzing data that has been previously collected and reflecting on others' methodologies. Our study findings indicate that reuse occurs across each target community studied. They also suggest how repositories can help foster a reuse culture by providing access to data and building trust in research communities.
Is physiology the locus of health/health promotion?

A current trend in physiology education involves the use of clinical vignettes to demonstrate the importance of knowing normal physiology to appreciate pathophysiology. Although laudable, in effect, such tactics promote the so-called “disease” model of medicine while at the same time suggesting that the only utility for the knowledge of physiology is to understand pathophysiology. This would seem to be at odds with health professions and institutions, who maintain their goal is to promote health. Yet, a search for the locus of “health” education in typical curricula is not easily found. Given the developing interest in biological systems as well as aging, it is suggested that these topics may provide a basis for locating physiology as the locus for understanding “health.”
Interhemispheric connections differ between symmetrical and asymmetrical brain regions

Abstract Coronal sections from the brains of male Wistar rats that underwent corpus-callosectomy in adulthood were stained with Cresyl Violet for Nissl substance or by the Fink-Heimer method for terminal axonal degeneration. Measurements of volumetric asymmetry of neocortical region SM-I were made, and the per cent of terminal degeneration computed. As in previous studies, there was a negative correlation between asymmetry coefficient and total (right plus left) architectonic volume, indicating that symmetrical brain regions are larger than the average of the corresponding regions in asymmetrical brains. It was also found that as volumetric asymmetry increased, the per cent of axonal termination decreased, partly as a result of a decrease in the number of patches of callosal axonal termination. These results are interpreted in the light of what is known about the ontogenesis of callosal connectivity, and mechanisms for the development of architectonic asymmetry in the cerebral cortex are postulated.
Scanning Probe Microscopy of Cleaved Molybdates: α-MoO3(010), Mo18O52(100), Mo8O23(010), and η-Mo4O11(100)

Abstract Scanning probe microscopy was used to examine the cleaved surfaces of four binary molybdates: α-MoO3(010), Mo18O52(100), Mo8O23(010), and η-Mo4O11(100). The Mo18O52(100) and Mo8O23(010) surfaces were imaged in air and vacuum using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The contrast associated with two types of surface/crystallographic shear (CS) plane intersections has been unambiguously identified; shear normal to the surface creates a line of vertical relief 1.5 A high and shear in the surface plane creates a line of dark contrast. The contrast from the surface/CSplane intersection arises, in part, from local variations in the electronic properties. These signatures are easily distinguished from features on the fully oxidized α-MoO3(010) surface. STM images of η-Mo4O11(100) reveal a surface terminated by tetrahedral groups. In each case, we find that the atomic-scale contrast can be interpreted based on the arrangement of surface polyhedra that is expected to result from cleavage of the longest, weakest bonds.
The Spectrum of Reflux-Associated Otolaryngologic Problems in Infants and Children

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in children has been considered to be the etiology of many types of pathology in infants and children. The otolaryngologic complaints may be chronic and unresponsive to usual therapies such as antimicrobial treatments. For accurate diagnosis and treatment of otolaryngologic manifestations of GER in these patients, a high index of suspicion for GER, and for the concept of ‘‘silent’’ GER (GER without overt symptoms) is necessary. In this discussion, the literature concerning the spectrum of reflux-associated otolaryngologic problems in infants and children will be reviewed. A discussion of the medical and surgical treatment of GER will not be included, since this material has been addressed elsewhere. The results of a porcine model of the effects of gastric juice and the role of peptide growth factors in subglottic mucosa will also be presented.
Cross linking encapsulated hemoglobin with solid phase supports: lipid enveloped hemoglobin adsorbed to surface modified ceramic particles exhibit physiological oxygen lability.

To reduce hemoglobin toxicity, a cross linking agent is generally used. To preserve hemoglobin function, an allosteric modifier is generally used. Historically, the use of one has precluded the use of the other. A potential solution to this problem was investigated.Hemoglobin A0 was adsorbed irreversibly to carbohydrate coated nanosized diamond particles and then encapsulated in a standard mixture of phospholipids. Endotoxin free preparations with concentrations of bound hemoglobin near 10 g/dl were achieved with as little as 0.1 g/dl of free hemoglobin and remained stable over a 48 hour period. By transmission electron microscopy these particles appeared roughly spherical and measured approximately 75 nanometers well below that of alveolar capillary vessels. In shallow pH gradients, liquid electrophoresis demonstrated that such constructs exhibit Bohr effect behavior by the induction of a dramatic surface charge inversion at around pH 6.8. To evaluate oxygen lability, oxygen saturation trials were conduc...
PERC-a collaboration between engineering and arts and science faculty to help insure better student preparation

In an attempt to enhance preparation of engineering students, the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State University have been working together to try to enhance the effectiveness of pre-engineering courses. As part of this effort, the physics department has started supplementing regular physics for engineering courses with Web-based content. The goal is to develop tools and content that will help infuse proven effective teaching practices in the teaching of these courses. The aim is to have Web tools that affect both the in-class activities as well as the outside of class activities. Currently, some of the tools used allow for just-in-time teaching inquiry based learning through online tutorials. To accomplish this goal a set of dedicated tools and tutorials (PERC) was developed and placed on a dedicated Web server. Effort was made to ensure that the tools were easy to use by both students and faculty, and that they do not require an extra time investment from the faculty. Pre and post standard tests were administered and used to help evaluate the effect of PERC. We describe PERC, from both student and faculty viewpoints. We demonstrate an example tutorial and show the faculty-authoring interface. We address faculty and student use. We discuss collaboration issues both within the department and outside the department. We finally report the evaluation activities and their results.
A 0.6-to-1V inverter-based 5-bit flash ADC in 90nm digital CMOS

A 0.6-to-1 V inverter-based 5-bit flash ADC in 90 nm digital CMOS is presented. Single-ended comparators are formed using digital inverters and resistors. The comparators are designed for compatibility with nanoscale CMOS lithography. A single-ended flash architecture was used without a front-end sample-and-hold. The ADC achieves a low frequency effective number of bits (ENOB) between 4.08 bits and 4.45 bits without calibration. Voltage scaling is demonstrated by 60 MS/s, 300 MS/s, and 600 MS/s operation at 0.6 V, 0.8 V, and 1 V, respectively. Power scales from 1.3 mW to 6.7 mW.
A 4GS/s, 8.45 ENOB and 5.7fJ/conversion, digital assisted, sampling system in 45nm CMOS SOI

A 4GS/s sampling system achieved 8.45-ENOB linearity with 5.7fJ/conversion energy efficiency at 1V power supply and its gain can be adjusted in a digital manner. The measured IIP3 and IIP2 are 17.7dBm and 40dBm respectively. The ENOB of the sampler shows no degradation up to Nyquist frequency. An integrated phase rotator allows digital clock delay and duty cycle adjustment with sub-picosecond resolution. The sampling system tracks and settles in 1/4UI (62.5ps). Realized in a 45nm SOI CMOS the active area of the sampler is only 0.2×0.2mm2.
Systematics of halogen elements and their radioisotopes in thermal springs of the Cascade Range, Central Oregon, Western USA

Abstract This study quantifies the cycling of halogen elements through the Cascadia subduction zone based on the chemistry of thermal springs in the Central Oregon Cascade Range and of a mineral spring in the forearc (Willamette Valley). Considerations based on mass balances, element ratios, and 36Cl/Cl and 129I/I ratios suggest that halogens discharged through the thermal springs in the Cascade Range are probably derived from magma degassing. Our results indicate that
The herpes simplex virus VP16-induced complex: mechanisms of combinatorial transcriptional regulation

At any one time, a cell transcribes only a small subsetof all the genes in its genome. To provide specificity tothe regulation of transcription, each cell relies on the assembly of particular sets or combinations of transcriptionfactors on different promoters. Through such combinatorial mechanisms, individual transcription factors can acquire different activities depending on the presence or absence of other coregulators in the same cell, thus reducingthe total number of regulators needed to control cellulartranscription...
A new approach to the semi-classical relativistic two-body problem for charged fermions

Generalizing from a recently developed hybrid formulation of classical electrodynamics with «direct (charge-field) action» structure we construct an analogous semi-classical Dirac formulation of the theory, which is capable of describing the semi-classical quantum mechanics of two identical spin-1/2 particles. This semi-classical formulation is to be used as a heuristic aid in searching for the theoretical structure of a fully «second quantized» theory. The Pauli exclusion principle is incorporated by making the interaction fields (in the action principle) antisymmetric with respect to «charge-field» labeling. In this manner, «position correlation» effects associated with «configuration interaction» can also be accounted for. By studying the nature of the stationary-state solutions, the formalism is compared with the conventional quantum-mechanical one (to understand the similarities and the differences between this approach and the usual correlated Hartree-Fock approximation of ordinary relativistic quantum theory).The stationarystate solutions to the semi-classical formalism are shown to closely approximate the usual quantum-mechanical solutions when the wave functions are represented as a superposition of Slater determinants of Dirac-Coulombic-type wave functions with radial parts having a form which extremizes the total Breit energy. The manner in which this semi-classical theory might be extended to a fully «second quantized» formalism is sketched.
Toward Comprehensive Watershed-Based Restoration and Protection for Great Salt Lake

Views about the value of Great Salt Lake (alternatively,"the lake") have evolved over time, and perspectives on the uses of the lake vary considerably. These differences present a classic challenge in environmental and natural resource law and policy. How should a public resource be managed in the face of divergent views on its appropriate uses and values?
The Pardoning of “Tokyo Rose”: A Report on the Restoration of American Citizenship to Iva Ikuko Toguri

On 19 July 1977, on his last full day in office, President Gerald R. Ford signed a full and unconditional pardon for Iva Ikuko Toguri d'Aquino, wiping the record clean. It was the first time in Uni...
All Pay Auction: An Experimental Design

The All Pay auction, also known as the Dollar Auction modifies the parameters of a normal auction by requiring that more than just the high bidder pays their highest bid. Under a normal auction, the winner is the only one who pays, but in the All Pay auction at least the top two players pay the highest they respectively bid, and in some versions all players who have bid must pay the amount of their highest bid – hence the name All Pay. The All Pay auction has been used to analogize to various different situations including international politics, standard wars in emerging industries, and lobbying. Along with the standard experimental design, this paper includes the necessary programming code needed to run the auction. The code generates 2 types of screen, the control center screen for the experimenter to change the variables of the experiment, and the gaming screen which the subjects are shown. In order to run the program a user needs to have the Python programming language installed as well as the Willow module.
Lexical characteristics of Spanish and English words and the development of phonological awareness skills in Spanish-speaking language-minority children

The lexical restructuring model (LRM) is a theory that attempts to explain the developmental origins of phonological awareness (PA). According to the LRM, various characteristics of words should be related to the extent to which words are segmentally represented in the lexicon. Segmental representations of words allow children to access the parts of words needed to complete PA tasks. This study examined the relations between various lexical characteristics of Spanish and English words and the PA skills of Spanish-speaking language-minority children. Participants came from two independent samples of Spanish-speaking preschool children (Sample 1 N = 553, Sample 2 N = 600). For children in both samples, only phonotactic probability was related to children’s likelihood to respond correctly to Spanish PA items. Age of acquisition and word frequency were related to children’s likelihood to respond correctly to English PA items for children in both samples. Phonological neighborhood density and phonotactic probability were also related to children’s likelihood to respond correctly to English PA items; however, these effects were sample-specific. Children’s Spanish vocabulary knowledge moderated the effects of Spanish age of acquisition and word frequency on responses to Spanish PA items. Children’s English vocabulary knowledge moderated the effects of English phonological neighborhood density and phonotactic probability on responses to English PA items. These findings have implications for the development of PA assessments to be used with language-minority children.
Multiple Orientations for the Conduct of Marketing Research: An Analysis of the Academic/Practitioner Distinction:

A distinction often is made in marketing between academic and practitioner-oriented research. That distinction has been used to justify one type of research by highlighting the limitations of the o...
A Commentary on Allan and Turner. Sailing in Postmodern Winds: Formal Methods in Uncertain Worlds:

Kenneth Allan and Jonathan Turner's article, “A Formalization of Postmodern Theory,” is a wonderful example of intellectual courage and honesty. They seek to subject selected theories associated wi...
An estrogen effect on 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in the mouse adrenal.

A 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20α-OHD) activity can be demonstrated by a histochemical staining reaction and by a spectrophotometric assay in the 33,000 ×g supernatant fraction of the adrenal gland of the adult or weanling female mouse. These reactions are not detected in the male adrenal. Injection of 1 μg//day for 1 week of estradiol into the adult or weanling male mouse will induce the adrenal 20α-OHD activity. Injections of testosterone into the female will cause a loss in adrenal activity. The changes in 20α-OHD activity are distinct from those observed for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the supernatant and Δ6-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the particulate fractions of the mouse adrenal. The adrenal 20α-OHD activity first appears in female mice 11–13 days after birth and cannot be detected in retired breeder females. The action of estrogen on the 20α-OHD enzyme is suggested to be one means by which steroid hormone secretion may be regulated in the mouse adrenal gland. (Endocrinology 8...
In This Issue: Labor in the Food System, from Farm to Table

First paragraphs of this issue's editorial: Labor is at the heart of the food system—economically, politically, and ethically. This JAFSCD issue brings concerns about labor economics, politics, and ethics to contemporary food systems praxis. In so doing, we build upon the work of Cesar Chavez, Carey McWilliams, Deborah Fink, Dolores Huerta, Don Villarejo, Frank Bardacke, John Steinbeck, William Friedland, and countless others. Their activism and scholarship, set in an earlier context, has not always translated into the promise of the new sustainable or alternative agrifood movement, which, as Biewener states, has often focused more on "good food" than "good jobs." As someone who has worked as a farm laborer, food factory worker, and food service worker and written about social justice, racism, labor, gender, and localism in sustainable and alternative food systems for more than 25 years, I am honored to introduce the work of scholar-activists in this journal issue. The articles collectively address a wide range of labor issues, and in this introduction I highlight three themes that emerge: the need to see labor issues and solutions as social rather than individual problems; the reproduction of disenfranchisement; and the need to create new political economic systems. The articles in this issue demonstrate in a number of ways that labor problems are not so much the result of individual choices, but rather part of an entire system that extracts value from those who are the most vulnerable and allocates it to those who are the most powerful. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the agrifood system, where jobs are low-wage, dangerous, and contingent. Workers are often treated as instrumental factors of production and are commodified ( Clayton, Ikerd ) rather than as people with feelings, intellect, and aspirations....
Changes and significance of serum neuron specific enolase in full-term neonates with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia

Objectives To investigate the serum level of neuron specific enolase(s-NSE)in full-term neonates with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. To explore the correlation between serum unconjugated bilirubin(s-UCB)and s-NSE,neonate behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA)scores. Methods Seventy-one(71)full-term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia were divided into three groups:mild,moderate and severe,according to the level of s-UCB. Twenty(20)healthy full-term neonates with s-UCB levels less than 85.5 μmol/L were recruited as control group. s-NSE levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. NBNA was scored from all subjects on the 7th day after birth. Results Levels of s-NSE in the hyperbilirubinemia groups were significantly higher than that in the control group(P 0.01). s-NSE level in severe group was obviously higher than that in the mild group(P 0.01). Neither between the mild group and the moderate group,nor between the moderate and the severe group showed any significant differences(P 0.05). By linear correlation analysis,s-NSE levels were inversely associated with NBNA scores(r = 0.8843,P 0.001). The correlation between s-UCB and NBNA scores was poor(r = 0.2756,P 0.05),and no significant correlation was observed between s-UCB and s-NSE. Conclusions s-NSE level may have potential value of estimating bilirubin-related brain damage,and should,as a biochemical marker,provide an objective basis for reasonable treatment of the neonates with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia.
Single lung transplantation for pulmonary hypertension. Technical aspects and immediate hemodynamic results.

Donor availability has limited the clinical applicability of heart-lung transplantation in patients with end-stage pulmonary hypertension. Satisfaction with single lung transplantation in other patient groups prompted its extension to patients with pulmonary hypertension. Nine patients with end-stage pulmonary hypertension underwent single lung transplantation. Important technical considerations included routine use of cardiopulmonary bypass, simultaneous closure of significant associated cardiac defects (n = 4), and use of remaining thoracic donor organs in multiple recipients (total thoracic transplants from eight donors = 21). Analysis of immediate postoperative hemodynamics suggests that early relief of pulmonary hypertension and improvement in right ventricular function can be expected. There was one postoperative death. Eight patients have been discharged and are alive and well at a mean follow-up period of 1 year. All eight survivors have returned to New York Heart Association functional class I from their preoperative levels of III or IV. These results support the use of single lung transplantation as a transplant option in patients with end-stage pulmonary hypertension. The question of long-term durability remains unanswered. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;103:475-82)
HK-Integral and HK-Spaces

This chapter introduces the Henstock–Kurzweil integral (HK). This is the easiest to learn and best known of those integrals, which integrate nonabsolutely integrable functions and extend the Lebesgue integral. Section 3.1 provides a fairly detailed account of the HK-integral and its properties in both the one- and n-dimensional case. Section 3.2 discusses a new class of Banach spaces (KS p spaces), which are for nonabsolutely integrable functions as the L p spaces are for Lebesgue integrable functions. These spaces contain the L p spaces as continuous dense and compact embeddings. Section 3.3 covers some additional classes of Banach spaces associated with nonabsolutely integrable functions that may have future interest. First, we introduce the natural parallel class of Sobolev type spaces for the HK-integral. In the following section, we define a more important class of spaces \(SD^{p}[\mathbb{R}^{n}],\;1\leqslant p\leqslant \infty \). These spaces contain the test functions of Schwartz (Theorie des Destributions. Hermann, Paris, 1966) \(\mathcal{D}[\mathbb{R}^{n}]\), as a dense continuous embedding. In addition, they have the remarkable property that for any multi-index \(\alpha,\;\left \|D^{\alpha }\mathbf{u}\right \|_{SD} = \left \|\mathbf{u}\right \|_{SD}\), where D is the distributional derivative. We call them the Jones strong distribution Banach spaces. As an application, we obtain a nice a priori estimate for the nonlinear term of the classical Navier–Stokes initial-value problem. In Sect. 3.4, we introduce a class of spaces in honor of our deceased colleague Woodford W. Zachary. These spaces all extend the class of functions of bounded mean oscillation to include the HK-integrable functions.
The effect of electrocautery on neurotransmitter receptor binding assays in the canine prostate.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether resection of the prostate with electrocautery alters the binding properties of various neurotransmitter ligands. Prostate glands were removed from four adult male dogs. The prostates were divided in the midsaggital plane and one half of the prostate was resected using a resectoscope. Saturation experiments were performed on the resected and control prostatic tissue using 3 H-NMS, 125 I-Heat, and 3 H-rauwolscine. The mean equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) and the mean densities of 3 H-NMS, 125 I-Heat, and 3 H-Rauwolscine binding sites were similar in tissue homogenates obtained from control and resected portions of the prostate (p> 0.05). Resection of the prostate using electrocautery did not alter the binding properties of various neurotransmitter ligands for characterizing and quantifying muscarinic cholinergic, alpha 1 adrenergic, and alpha 2 adrenergic binding sites in the canine prostate. Approximately 90% of prostatectomies for symptomatic BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) are performed transurethrally. The ability to accurately measure neurotransmitter receptor densities in prostate tissues obtained following transurethral resection is imperative for our future studies designed to elucidate the role of alpha adrenergic receptors in the development of bladder outlet obstruction in men with BPH. ( J. Urol., 140: 668–671, 1988 )
Technetium-99m-Disofenin Identification of an Intrahepatic Gallbladder: Case Report

Un patient de 47 ans presente une douleur dans le quart droit superieur du foie. Un sonogramme revele une vesicule biliaire anormale ou l'absence de vesicule. Un scan hepatobiliaire est pratique par injection de cholecystokinine puis de technetium-99m dosoferrine. Une camera γ filme par intervalle de 15 minutes
Status and Stones in the Casas Grandes Region: Analysis of Debitage from the 76 Draw Site (LA 156980)

There has been a shortage of studies of Medio period (A.D. 1200–1450) lithic assemblages, and even fewer of these have come from outside the immediate vicinity of Paquime. Here I analyze thousands of flaked-stone artifacts from the 76 Draw Site in Luna County, New Mexico, in order to gain a more complete understanding of stone reduction practices during the Medio period, as well as the economic and social processes that governed stone reduction across the Medio period world. The data suggest that the inhabitants of 76 Draw reduced locally available material through generalized core reduction. Further, a comparison of the 76 Draw flaked-stone assemblage to several Medio period sites reflects the use of similar reduction strategies. Finally, a comparison of raw materials between Medio period sites reveals a disparity in access to high-quality stone, which may reflect trade, gifts, and/or migration from the periphery into Paquime.
A robust subspace approach to layer extraction

Representing images with layers has many important applications, such as video compression, motion analysis, and 3D scene analysis. The paper presents a robust subspace approach to extracting layers from images reliably by taking advantage of the fact that homographies induced by planar patches in the scene form a low dimensional linear subspace. Such a subspace provides not only a feature space where layers in the image domain are mapped onto denser and better-defined clusters, but also a constraint for detecting outliers in the local measurements, thus making the algorithm robust to outliers. By enforcing the subspace constraint, spatial and temporal redundancy from multiple frames are simultaneously utilized, and noise can be effectively reduced. Good layer descriptions are shown to be extracted in the experimental results.
An antarctic deployment of the NASA/JPL tumbleweed polar rover

The Tumbleweed rover, currently under development at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, is a large, windblown, inflated ball, which carries an instrument payload in its interior. Such rovers offer an effective and simple means of gathering data over large spatial extents of Earth, Mars, and other solar system bodies. Tumbleweeds could prove to be a safe and economical way of deploying instruments such as a ground penetrating radar or a magnetometer in numerous hostile environments. The latest version of the rover was recently deployed in Greenland, where it completed a more than 130 km autonomous traverse across an ice sheet. Communicating via the Iridium satellite network, the rover in question successfully and reliably relayed live GPS, temperature, and pressure data to a ground station at JPL for nearly ten days. The follow-on rover is currently being readied for a traverse from the South Pole to the coast of Antarctica some 2000 km away. The Antarctic test is set to take place in February of 2004 and serves to verify Tumbleweed as an effective means of harvesting data in extreme and remote settings
Who was James Clerk Maxwell and what is/was his electromagnetic theory

The electromagnetic community makes a living out of Maxwellpsilas name yet very few researchers really know what actually did Maxwell do? The goal of this presentation is to make the point that Maxwell was one of the greatest scientist of the last century and he could be called so even if he did not do any work on electromagnetic theory. He did develop however almost all aspects of electrical engineering and many branches of modern physics. His name is primarily associated with the famous four equations called Maxwellpsilas equations. The crux of the matter is that Maxwell did not write those four equations that we use today. They were first put in the scalar form by Heinrich Hertz and in the vector form by Oliver Heaviside, who did not even have a college education! That is why Einstein used to call it the Maxwell-Hertz-Heaviside equations. The goal of this presentation is to illustrate those points and finally what exactly did Maxwell do to come to the conclusion that light was electromagnetic in nature.
Authenticity in Leadership: Intersectionality of Identities

This chapter situates leadership and the process of becoming a leader within an understanding of identity, particularly intersecting social identities and intersectionality.
Investing in Independent Contract Work

New York City “yellow” taxi drivers work as independent contractors. Like many independent contract workers, taxi drivers engage in economically precarious work—or work that is economically uncerta...
Experiments in Composing Proxy Audio Services for Mobile Users

This paper describes an experimental study in the use of a composable proxy framework to improve the quality of interactive audio streams delivered to mobile hosts. Two forward error correction (FEC) proxylets are developed, one using block erasure codes, and the other using the GSM 06.10 encoding algorithm. Separately, each type of FEC improves the ability of the audio stream to tolerate errors in a wireless LAN environment. When composed in a single proxy, however, they cooperate to correct additional types of burst errors. Results are presented from a performance study conducted on a mobile computing testbed.
Therapeutic angiogenesis of adipose-derived stem cells for ischemic diseases

Ischemic diseases, the leading cause of disability and death, are caused by the stenosis or obstruction of arterioles/capillaries that is not compensated for by vessel dilatation or collateral circulation. Angiogenesis is a complex process leading to new blood vessel formation and is triggered by ischemic conditions. Adequate angiogenesis, as a compensatory mechanism in response to ischemia, may increase oxygen and nutrient supplies to tissues and protect their function. Therapeutic angiogenesis has been the most promising therapy for treating ischemic diseases. In recent years, stem cell transplantation has been recognized as a new technique with therapeutic angiogenic effects on ischemic diseases. Adipose-derived stem cells, characterized by their ease of acquisition, high yields, proliferative growth, and low immunogenicity, are an ideal cell source. In this review, the characterization of adipose-derived stem cells and the role of angiogenesis in ischemic attack are summarized. The angiogenic effects of adipose-derived stem cells are discussed from the perspectives of in-vitro, in-vivo, and clinical trial studies for the treatment of ischemic diseases, including ischemic cardiac, cerebral, and peripheral vascular diseases and wound healing. The microvesicles/exosomes released from adipose-derived stem cells are also presented as a novel therapeutic prospect for treating ischemic diseases.
Being bilingual, being a reader: Prekindergarten dual language learners’ reading identities:

This study explores the interplay between early reading, identity and bilingualism. Reading identities, or understandings about what reading is and whom one is as a reader, have been linked to read...
The Relationship Between Cross-Sectional Shapes and FTIR Profiles in Synthetic Wig Fibers and Their Discriminating Abilities - An Evidential Value Perspective

Wig fragments or fibers may occasionally be recognized as potential physical evidence during criminal investigations. While analytical methods traditionally adopted for the examination of textile fibers are utilized for the characterizations and comparisons of wig specimens, it is essential to understand in deeper detail the valuable contribution of features of these non-routine evidentiary materials as well as the relationship of the gathered analytical data. This study explores the dependence between the microscopic features of cross-sectional shapes and the polymer type gathered by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The discriminating power of the two methods of cross-sectioning and FTIR spectroscopy was also investigated. Forty-one synthetic wigs varying in both quality and price were collected: twenty-three brown, twelve blondes and six black samples. The collected samples were observed using light microscopy methods (bright field illumination and polarized light), before obtaining cross-sections using the Joliff method and analyze them using FTIR spectroscopy. The forty-one samples were divided into ten groups based on one or more of the ten types of cross-sectional shapes that were observed. The majority of encountered cross-sectional shapes were defined as horseshoe, dog bone and lobular. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed modacrylic to be the most prevalent fiber type. Blends of modacrylic and polyvinyl chloride fibers were also observed as well as polypropylene wig samples. The Goodman and Kruskal lambda statistical test was used and showed that the cross-sectional shape and infrared profile were related. From an evidentiary value perspective, this finding has implications when addressing questions about a common source between questioned wig specimens and a wig reference sample.
Clinical and Radiological Outcomes After Weil Osteotomy Compared to Distal Metatarsal Metaphyseal Osteotomy in the Treatment of metatarsalgia-A Prospective Study

Abstract Background The distal metatarsal metaphyseal osteotomy (DMMO) may have lower complication rates than the Weil osteotomy (WO) due to its extraarticular location and its minimal invasive nature. This study compares the clinical and radiological outcomes and complications after DMMO and WO. Methods We compared 30 patients with WO (Group A) to 30 patients with DMMO (Group B). Ten males and 50 females with a mean age of 57.7 were included. 45 WOs and 73 DMMOs were evaluated in 60 patients. Allocation to Group A or B were random, indications comparable. The outcome was measured clinically using the Visual Analogue Scale Foot and Ankle and radiologically with an average follow up period of 13 months. Results Clinical examination six weeks postoperatively showed swelling of the forefoot in 66.7% for Group A and in 73.3% for Group B. Swelling subsided in the course of time, but postoperative stiffness, lack of toe purchase and range of motion deficits did not change in the course of time. All osteotomies healed. The VAS-FA improved for both groups. Tourniquet time and operating time were lower and radiation doses higher in Group B. Conclusions The DMMO resulted in a comparable patient satisfaction and comparable radiological healing compared to WO and appears to be a valid alternative to the WO.
An Analysis of Technologically Radical Innovation and Breakthrough Patents

Breakthrough innovations – commonly defined by innovations with patents surpassing a critical threshold of forward citations – generate benefits for innovators, businesses, and society. Analyzing m...
Chiral flow in one-dimensional Floquet topological insulators

We propose a bulk topological invariant for one-dimensional Floquet systems with chiral symmetry which quantifies the particle transport on each sublattice during the evolution. This chiral flow is physically motivated, locally computable, and improves on existing topological invariants by being applicable to systems with disorder. We derive a bulk-edge correspondence which relates the chiral flow to the number of protected dynamical edge modes present on a boundary at the end of the evolution. In the process, we introduce two real-space edge invariants which classify the dynamical topological boundary behavior at various points during the evolution. Our results provide an explicit bulk-boundary correspondence for Floquet systems in this symmetry class.
Urhobo Culture and the Amnesty Program in Niger Delta, Nigeria: An Ethnographic Case Study

Urhobo Culture and the Amnesty Program in Niger Delta, Nigeria: An Ethnographic Case Study by John O. Tobor Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University September 2014 Abstract Despite abundant oil resources, the residents of the Niger Delta endure extreme poverty, polluted environments, poor infrastructure, and high unemployment. In the early 1990s, these problems led to a violent uprising against oil exploration. In 2009 the government of Nigeria attempted to end the uprising by implementing an amnesty program for the militants that was designed to address the region’s problems. The amnesty programDespite abundant oil resources, the residents of the Niger Delta endure extreme poverty, polluted environments, poor infrastructure, and high unemployment. In the early 1990s, these problems led to a violent uprising against oil exploration. In 2009 the government of Nigeria attempted to end the uprising by implementing an amnesty program for the militants that was designed to address the region’s problems. The amnesty program resulted in suspending the violence but so far has not resolved the region’s problems. If these problems are not addressed, the uprising may resume. Although the Urhobo people comprised the largest number of militants from the Western Niger Delta, there has been no research on whether there are aspects of the Urhobo culture that may be helpful for strengthening the amnesty program and preventing a return to violence by Urhobo exmilitants. Benet’s polarities of democracy model served as the theoretical framework for this ethnographic study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations of 20 Urhobo ex-militants to learn what might prevent their return to violence. Content analysis was used to identify significant themes. Findings indicated that aspects of the Urhobo culture, such as communal obligations, respect for elders, and commitment to social justice and equality, may contribute to strengthening the amnesty program and preventing a return to violence. Recommendations include incorporating meaningful participation of Urhobo elders in the further development and implementation of the amnesty program. Implications for social change include informing policy makers of the importance the Urhobo culture may play in strengthening the amnesty program. Urhobo Culture and the Amnesty Program in Niger Delta, Nigeria: An Ethnographic Case Study
Uncertainty, Delegation and Incentives

How does imperfect contractibility of preferences in‡uence the governance of a contractual relationship? We analyze a two-party decision-making problem where the optimal decision is unknown at the time of contracting. In consequence, instead of contracting on the decision directly, the parties need to design a contract that will induce good decision-making in the future. We examine how environmental uncertainty, quality of available performance measures and interim access to information in‡uence the joint determination of the allocation of authority, use of performance pay and direct controls. We use the results from the model to cast light on (i) the con‡icting empirical evidence on the
Student Autonomy and Teacher Input

The Congress of the United States created the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1950. It stipulated that the Foundation would have two missions: to support basic research in science and to improve science education. From the inception, the first of these missions was pursued enthusiastically, but not the second. While there was considerable interest within the Foundation for support of education in science at the Ph.D. level, there was little enthusiasm for becoming involved in undergraduate science curriculum—and there was none for education below the college level. In fact, funds to address issues of improving pre-college science education were not made available until 1956. Under a new “course content improvement program,” a grant was awarded to the Physical Sciences Study Committee, a consortium of science professors and some teachers in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area, to design a new course for high school physics. Support for several other secondary-school curriculum projects followed quickly. Nevertheless, there was continuing and pronounced reluctance, as well as active opposition, to a move into developing science curriculum for elementary-schools.