cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effective Property Tax Rates and Capital Formation Issues: Manvel, Acton and Darby

Using comparatively new data sources, this study estimates that effective property tax rates on taxable capital declined nearly 50% in the U.S. during the decade of the 1970s, a phenomenon generally overlooked or understated in previous studies. Recognition of this halving of property tax rates permits at least a partial explanation for a number of otherwise unexplained macroeconomic occurrences during the 1970s, particularly the smaller-than-anticipated interactive effects of inflation and the income tax on interest rates, on the one hand, and on capital allocation, on the other. The clear implication is that greater attention must be paid to trends in effective property tax rates in understanding and predicting important economic behavior.
Fracture toughness of autoclaved portland cement/silica mixtures

Abstract Fracture toughness measurements made at 11% RH on autoclaved cement/silica mixtures having a wide range of silica contents and porosities yielded a series of curves for K c versus porosity and K c versus silica content. Those for preparations having low porosity and silica content were unique. Apparently α C 2 S-hydrate, unreacted silica and pores having specific size distribution can act as crack arrestors. K c versus hardness curves were similar to those for K c versus porosity. Simple microhardness tests may be useful in predicting fracture toughness of autoclaved cementitious systems.
Detection of Cryptococcus neoformans Antigen in Body Fluids by Latex Particle Agglutination.

SummaryAntigen of C. neoformans was detected in serum and/or CSF from 7 of 9 cases of CNS cryptococcosis by a rapid, sensitive slide test in which antibody-coated latex particles are agglutinated. The procedure yielded few nonspecific reactions, which were of low degree. Decline in reactivity following treatment suggests that the test has prognostic as well as diagnostic value. Lack of reactivity of blood and CSF from 2 patients was shown not to be attributable to serotype variation.
An Interior Design Experience Program, Part II: Developing the Experiences

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this project was to develop a structured work experience program for entry-level interior designers. The objectives of this study were (a) to identify the scope of experiences related to interior design practice and (b) to establish a priority of importance for the experiences. These provided the contextual framework for the structure and content of the program. Three additional objectives were (c) to assess practitioners' willingness to assist entry-level interior designers in obtaining work experience, (d) to determine what experiences could be offered by firms, and (e) to pretest the proposed experience program to assess the effectiveness of its processes and mechanics. RESEARCH DESIGN: A multi-methodological approach was used to meet the objectives. First, a comprehensive review of studies on interior design practice was competed. Second, a survey of practitioners further elaborated on these experiences and provided an assessment of practitioners' willingness to assist with the program. Third, a pretest of the proposed program was completed. ANALYSIS: The data collected were qualitatively evaluated. A matrix was developed to assess experiences based on their priority of importance to interior design practice, frequency of activity in practice, participant time recorded performing tasks, and the value of the experience. Evaluations of this matrix were solicited from the project advisory board, entry-level interior designers, and consultants. KEY FINDINGS: This study developed and articulated the scope of experiences for entry-level interior designers who, after college graduation, would participate in a formal apprenticeship program called the Interior Design Experience Program (IDEP). Task content areas and their value units were developed. CONCLUSION: This study provides common terminology, definitions, and scope of experiences for a structured work experience program that links the standards and guidelines established by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER) and the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) to professional practice. It also provides valuable information for assessing all experiences related to the career path of professional interior designers, particularly in regard to the NCIDQ eligibility requirements.
Who's Securing Grants?: Demographics of Full-Time Faculty at Two-Year Institutions

This research project used a large database to examine factors associated with full-time faculty at 2-year institutions who have secured or not secured external funds. Specifically, the research examined demographic characteristics and other variables of faculty at 2-year institutions.
Maternal factors affecting teratogenic response: a need for assessment.

A review of current literature suggests that maternal nutritional status can be an important modulator of the developmental toxicity of a number of agents in the environment. While the provision of multivitamin/multimineral supplements during the periconceptional period is often associated with improved pregnancy outcome, it has been difficult to identify specific nutrient deficiencies as causative factors of abnormal development in humans. One explanation for this is that nutrient deficiencies can arise through a number of means in addition to a simple dietary deficit of the nutrient. The hypothesis is proposed that one mechanism contributing to the embryotoxicity of a diverse group of insults is an alteration in the metabolism of select nutrients. Evidence is presented that zinc is one nutrient whose metabolism can be markedly influenced by a variety of insults. One consequence of this alteration can be a reduction in embryonic zinc uptake, the development of embryonic zinc deficiency and abnormal development. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effect of the Arctic Oscillation on precipitation in the eastern USA during ENSO winters

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Arctic Oscillation (AO), respectively, dominate global and Northern Hemispheric climate variability on interannual timescales. Statistical and composite analyses of historical climate records between 1899 and 2007 reveal a strong influence of the AO on eastern USA winter precipitation and atmospheric circulation over the Pacific/North American (PNA) region during ENSO years. Records of the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and anomalies in the 500 hPa geopotential height field show the AO to exert greatest effect on El Nino-related climate. The presence of a strong northwardly displaced polar front jet and a well- developed Bermuda high during months when the AO is positive promotes the influx of warm and moist air from the western Atlantic into the study area, significantly enhancing winter El Nino- related precipitation in the southeast USA. Negative phases of the AO that coincide with El Ninos deepen the lows over the North Pacific and diminish the influence of the Bermuda high on the east- ern USA. This modification enhances the influx of northerly air into the study area, bringing unsea- sonably dry winters to the Midwest and the Ohio Valley. The presence of the negative phase of the AO returns the wintertime circulation and SPI regimes to near-normal values throughout the study area during La Nina winters, whereas no appreciable effects on La Nina-related circulation and SPI regimes are noted when AO becomes positive. The interaction between ENSO and the AO helps to account for the inter-ENSO variability of climate teleconnections across the PNA region, possibly enhancing our ability to provide better winter climate forecasts across the eastern United States during ENSO episodes.
Interpretation of infrared intensities. I. Mass-weighted squared effective charges.

Abstract Relationships between atomic polar tensors (APTs) and experimental infrared intensities are reviewed. The invariant known as the square of the effective charge on the αth atom and its relationship to the intensity sum allow the definition of the atomic contribution to the sum of all vibrational and rotational infrared intensities for the molecule, and the contribution to the experimental dipole moment derivative (∂μ x /∂Q s ) from each atom in the molecule. It is seen that this atomic contribution to the intensity sum (≡ the mass-weighted squared effective change, 3χ 2 α /m α ) has very interesting properties. For one thing, values calculated from an ab initio molecular orbital calculation for a number of atoms appear to be relatively transferable for atoms in the same chemical bond in different molecules. Furthermore, the sum of intensities (or sum of 3χ 2 α /m α values) are found to be constant for different tautomeric forms of a molecule. These interesting relationships are discussed briefly.
Effects of Spontaneous and Induced Lookbacks on Self-Perceived High- and Low-Ability Comprehenders.

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of a graphic organizer that was designed to induce students to look back in their texts for information they had missed, misunderstood, or forgotten. Sixty-four tenth graders, whose self-perceived comprehension ratings matched their scores on a traditional reading achievement measure, were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Students in the graphic organizer group read a social studies passage and answered questions with the aid of the organizer. Students in the control group read the passage and answered the questions. Predictions suggested by the achievement-treatment-interaction hypothesis were confirmed. Lookback behavior induced by using a graphic organizer as a “road map” to guide students to the appropriate answers in the text differentiated between students who perceived themselves as low-ability comprehenders but not between students who perceived themselves as high-ability comprehenders.
Theories of Embodied Knowledge: New Directions for Cultural and Cognitive Sociology?

Sociological propositions about the workings of cognition are rarely specified or tested, but are of central relevance to studies of culture, social judgment, and social movements. This paper draws out lessons of recent work from sociological theory, cognitive science, psychology, and neuroscience on the embodied nature of knowledge and thought, and develops implications of these lessons for cultural and cognitive sociology. Knowledge ought to be conceived of as fundamentally embodied, because sensory information is a fundamental component of experience as it is stored in long-term memory, and because bodily responses and intuitions often precede reflexive or strategic thought. I argue that the challenge of embodied knowledge for cultural sociology is threefold: to develop cultural theories of motivation; to specify the ways in which the body structures discourses endogenously; and to specify how embodied motivations and embodied discourses interact.
The use of arthroscopy to document accurate position of core decompression of the hip

The use of hip arthroscopy is documented as a means of determining accurate placement for core decompression of the femoral head. The authors describe the technique whereby the patient is placed on the fracture table in the supine position and the guide wire for the core decompression is inserted into the middle of the infarct. The surgeon is assured of accurate placement within the center of the infarct.
Domain-Disjoint Routing Based on Topology Aggregation for Survivable Multi-Domain Optical Networks

In a multi-domain network, domains may be defined based on geography or administrative boundaries. For domains that are constructed based on geographic locations, multiple links within the same domain may fail simultaneously due to geographically localized failure events. For domains that are defined administratively, a domain administrator may not be able to provide link-disjointness for two paths traversing the domain. Thus, in some cases, it may be necessary to find two domain-disjoint paths to improve survivability. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to find domain-disjoint working and backup paths for multi-domain routing requests. We prove that our approach is optimal in finding domain disjoint paths with minimum total cost.
Mapping the blogosphere: Professional and citizen-based media in the global news arena

Globalization and the internet have created a space for news and political discourse that overrides geography and increases opportunities for non-mainstream, citizen-based news sources. Drawing a d...
Materials for Oral Implantation—Biological and Functional Criteria

In this contribution, we summarize the recent progress in the interdiscipline of biomaterials as it relates to the use of alloplastic implants in maxillofacial and oral surgery. Emphasis is placed on the improved understanding of biological and functional criteria for appropriate performance of an implant. In addition, new information relative to the use of porous implant systems for prosthesis stabilization is presented, together with animal and early clinical results of the particular system developed in our laboratory.
Hydroclimate of the Western United States Based on Observations and Regional Climate Simulation of 1981–2000. Part II: Mesoscale ENSO Anomalies

Abstract The hydroclimate of the western United States is influenced by strong interannual variability of atmospheric circulation, much of which is associated with the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Precipitation anomalies during ENSO often show opposite and spatially coherent dry and wet patterns in the Northwest and California or vice versa. The role of orography in establishing mesoscale ENSO anomalies in the western United States is examined based on observed precipitation and temperature data at 1/8° spatial resolution and a regional climate simulation at 40-km spatial resolution. Results show that during El Nino or La Nina winters, strong precipitation anomalies are found in northern California, along the southern California coast, and in the northwest mountains such as the Olympic Mountains, the Cascades, and the northern Rockies. These spatial features, which are strongly affected by topography, are surprisingly well reproduced by the regional climate simulation. A spatial feature investigat...
Time to get on the bus: children's surgery and where we need to go.

* Abbreviations: ACS — : American College of Surgeons KID — : Kids Inpatient Database Who should do the operation? Where should the operation be done? After ensuring that their child needs a surgical procedure, these are among the most important questions anxious parents ask. Although factors such as travel distance and insurance requirements play a role in these decisions, the most important consideration is what will be safest and provide the best possible outcome. In this edition of Pediatrics , Somme and colleagues1 give us a view of the current landscape. This view is essential because it is hard to reach a destination if you do not know where you are. Somme et al describe inpatient pediatric surgical case volumes from the Kids Inpatient Database (KID) from 2009. This includes 216 081 procedures performed in children <18 years at either a general hospital or pediatric hospital. The first important observation is that 40% of these operations occurred in general, not pediatric, hospitals. Although it is unlikely that children’s hospitals could quickly absorb this entire volume of pediatric general surgery, even if desired, some continued shift toward children’s hospitals is likely to occur as work-hour restrictions in general surgery residency training programs have mandated less and less exposure to pediatric specialty training. Secondly, Somme et al show that 58% of the pediatric inpatient procedures in general … Address correspondence to Rebecka L. Meyers, Professor of Pediatric Surgery, University of Utah, Primary Children’s Hospital, 100 Mario Capecchi Dr., Salt Lake City, Utah 84103, Phone:801-662-2950, Rebecka.meyers{at}imail.org
HPLC Band Shape Analysis for Postcolumn Chemiluminescence Detection Obtained by Finite-Difference Simulation: The Chemical Band Narrowing Effect

Algorithms for the finite-difference digital simulation of partition chromatography with chemiluminescence (CL) detection have been developed for a proposed postcolumn CL reaction mechanism for acridinium esters reacting with peroxide and base. These algorithms use classical plate theory to establish the theoretical chromatographic band shape; subsequently, statistical moment analysis is employed to evaluate the retention time and the variance for the “spectrophotometric” peak obtained prior to postcolumn reaction with peroxide and base and for the CL peak shape detected downstream. The resulting model can be used to compare the two band shapes and to optimize postcolumn CL detection conditions such as the concentration of peroxide and base and the length of tubing connecting reaction tee and detector. The simulation assesses the effect of each photochemical reaction involved in the CL mechanism on detection level and chromatographic efficiency. As such, this work provides fundamental insight into the eff...
Rheological behavior of compatible polymer blends. I. Blends of poly(styrene-Co-acrylonitrile) and poly(ε-caprolactone)

The rheological behavior of blends of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) and poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was investigated, using a cone-and-plate rheometer. For the study, blends of various compositions were prepared by melt blending using a twin-screw compounding machine. The rheological properties measured were shear stress (σ12), viscosity (η), and first normal stress difference (N1) as functions of shear rate (γ) in steady shearing flow, and dynamic storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) as functions of angular frequency (ω) in oscillatory shearing flow, at various temperatures. It has been found that logarithmic plots of N1 versus σ12, and logarithmic plots of G′ versus G″, become virtually independent of temperature but vary regularly with blend composition, and that the zero-shear viscosity of the blends, (ηo)blend, follows the relationship, 1/log(ηo)blend = wA/log η0A + wB/log η0B, where η0A and η0B are the zero-shear viscosities of components A and B, respectively, and wA and wB are the weight fractions of components A and B, respectively. The physical implications of the relationship found are discussed.
Relationships between perceptual attributes and rheology in over-the-counter vaginal products: a potential tool for microbicide development.

Vaginal microbicides are believed to have substantial potential to empower women to protect themselves from HIV, although clinical trials to date have had mixed results at best. Issues with patient adherence in these trials suggest additional emphasis should be placed on optimizing acceptability. Acceptability is driven, in part, by the sensory properties of the microbicide, so better understanding of the relationships between sensory properties and the physical and rheological properties of microbicides should facilitate the simultaneous optimization of sensory properties in parallel with the biophysical properties required for drug deployment. Recently, we have applied standard methods to assess the potential acceptability of microbicide prototypes ex vivo and to quantify the sensory properties of microbicide surrogates. Here, we link quantitative perceptual data to the rheological properties of 6 over-the counter (OTC) vaginal products used as ex vivo microbicide surrogates. Shear-thinning behavior (n) and tan δ (10 rad/s) showed no relationship with any perceptual attributes while shear storage modulus, G’ (10 rad/s) was correlated with some attributes, but did not appear to be a strong predictor of sensory properties. Conversely, the storage loss modulus, G” (10 rad/s) and the consistency coefficient, K, were correlated with several sensory attributes: stickiness, rubberiness, and uniform thickness for G’’ and stickiness, rubberiness, and peaking for K. Although these relationships merit confirmation in later studies, this pilot study suggests rheological principles can be used to understand the sensory properties evoked by microbicide surrogates assessed ex vivo. Additional work is needed to determine if these findings would apply for microbicides in vivo.
Diffusion of divalent calcium in silver bromide.

Using a radiotracer-sectioning method, the diffusion coefficients of calcium tracer in single crystals of pure AgBr in the temperature range 325\char21{}416 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C have been determined. The diffusion Arrhenius plot is found to consist of two linear branches with a break occurring around 380 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The diffusion parameters determined from this plot for the region below 380 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C are typical of a vacancy mechanism. The diffusion coefficients in AgBr are consistently higher than in AgCl because of the relatively larger concentrations of intrinsic cation vacancies in AgBr. Treating the diffusion to take place by means of impurity-vacancy complexes, the low-temperature data give the activation enthalpy and entropy for impurity migration to be 0.92 eV and 4.2${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$, respectively. The significant deviations encountered at the higher temperatures from the extrapolated values show that simple ideas of mass action are inadequate at high defect concentrations.
Cardiomyocytes are Protected from Antiretroviral Nucleoside Analog-Induced Mitochondrial Toxicity by Overexpression of PGC-1α

The nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), used for treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus-1, compromise mitochondria in cardiomyocytes and other host cells, limiting the clinical use of these drugs. To explore underlying mechanisms, we overexpressed PGC-1α, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, twofold in H9c2 rat cardiomyocyte cultures, hypothesizing that this might protect the mitochondria from damage induced by the NRTI combination zidovudine (AZT) and didanosine (ddI). The experimental groups, evaluated during 16 passages (P) of drug exposure, included: PGC-1α-overexpressing cells with no exposure, or exposure to 50 µM AZT plus 50 µM ddI; and control cells with no exposure or exposure to the same doses of AZT and ddI. The AZT/ddI combination caused a growth inhibition of 15-20% in control cells, but none in PGC-1α cells. Apoptosis was highest in AZT/ddI-exposed control cells, and PGC-1α overexpression protected cells from AZT/ddI-induced apoptosis. At P3, P6, P8, and P12, uncoupled mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate, determined by Seahorse 24 XF Analyzer, as higher in AZT/ddI-exposed PGC-1α cells, compared to AZT/ddI-exposed control cells (p < 0.05 at all P). Complex I activity was higher in AZT/ddI-exposed PGC-1α overexpressing cells than that in AZT/ddI-exposed control cells (p < 0.05), and reactive oxygen species levels were lower in PGC-1α overexpressing cells than that in control cells (p < 0.05) when both were exposed to AZT/ddI. Taken together, these experiments show proof of concept that overexpression of PGC-1α protects cardiomyocytes from NRTI-induced toxicity, and suggest that a pharmaceutical agent with similar activity may protect against NRTI-induced mitochondrial toxicity.
Coulomb explosion of 173-MeV HeH + ions traversing carbon foils

The Coulomb explosion of 173-MeV HeH{sup +} molecular ions traversing thin carbon foils has been measured for foil thicknesses ranging from 2 to 200{mu}g/cm{sup 2}. In contrast with measurements at lower energies, the energy spectra for protons observed emerging in the incident beam direction show distinct components that correspond to the partner helium ions being in charge states 0, 1, and 2. From an analysis of the variation of the yields of these components as functions of the target thickness, we extract electron-loss cross sections that are in good agreement with theoretical estimates. {open_quotes}Wake effects{close_quotes} that increase with increasing target thickness are observed as asymmetries in the yields and energy shifts for {open_quotes}backward-going{close_quotes} as compared to {open_quotes}forward-going{close_quotes} protons. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Comparison of mediastinal width, mediastinal-thoracic and -cardiac ratios, and “mediastinal widening” in detection of traumatic aortic rupture

This study was undertaken to determine whether direct measurement of mediastinal width or computation of ratios of measurements of easily detectable mediastinal structures is more effective than the subjective impression of "mediastinal widening" in selecting trauma patients for aortography. A group of five surgeons and radiologists individually read in blinded fashion 149 chest films of trauma victims who had undergone aortography to rule out traumatic rupture of the aorta (TRA). Each made a subjective interpretation of "mediastinal widening," as well as direct measurement of mediastinal width (MW), thoracic width at the level of the mediastinum, cardiac width, and maximum thoracic width. Mediastinal-cardiac (MC), mediastinal-thoracic (MT), and mediastinal-mediastinothoracic (MMT) ratios were calculated. Statistically significant differences were found in all parameters of direct measurement between cases with and without TRA (P from .0001 for MT to .01 for MMT). The critical measurement for mediastinal width separating positive from negative cases was 8.0 cm; the critical ratios were MT = 0.275, MC = 0.555, and MMT = 0.36. Application of these parameters to detect TRA yielded sensitivities of .75 for MW, .68 for MC, .66 for MMT, and .62 for MT. Statistically significant differences between observers' measurements were seen. None of these measurements was as effective as subjective interpretation of mediastinal widening, which had a sensitivity of .91 (P = .0000). We conclude that the subjective impression of mediastinal widening is superior to "objective" direct measurement of mediastinal structures for identification of trauma patients with aortic rupture.
Analysis of nitramine and nitroaromatic explosives in pink water by capillar electrophoresis

Analysis of nitramine and nitroaromatic explosives is of interest for environmental applications. Analysis of 14 nitramine and nitroaromatic explosives was accomplished by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC). Analysis times under 14 min were possible employing a phosphate-sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) electrolyte and direct UV detection at 254 nm. Analysis of various waste water samples (called “pink water”) from ammunition plants was performed.
The Effects of Metal Doping: Yba2(Cu1-XMX)3O7-δ (M=;Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn)

In this study, we describe X-ray absorption measurements designed to determine the influence of subsitutents on the location of dopants, the valence of dopants, structural changes, and modifications of electronic densities of states. Several possible mechanisms are offered which may elucidate Tc suppression due to metal dopings.
Neural Development of Networks for Audiovisual Speech Comprehension.

Everyday conversation is both an auditory and a visual phenomenon. While visual speech information enhances comprehension for the listener, evidence suggests that the ability to benefit from this information improves with development. A number of brain regions have been implicated in audiovisual speech comprehension, but the extent to which the neurobiological substrate in the child compares to the adult is unknown. In particular, developmental differences in the network for audiovisual speech comprehension could manifest through the incorporation of additional brain regions, or through different patterns of effective connectivity. In the present study we used functional magnetic resonance imaging and structural equation modeling (SEM) to characterize the developmental changes in network interactions for audiovisual speech comprehension. The brain response was recorded while children 8- to 11-years-old and adults passively listened to stories under audiovisual (AV) and auditory-only (A) conditions. Results showed that in children and adults, AV comprehension activated the same fronto-temporo-parietal network of regions known for their contribution to speech production and perception. However, the SEM network analysis revealed age-related differences in the functional interactions among these regions. In particular, the influence of the posterior inferior frontal gyrus/ventral premotor cortex on supramarginal gyrus differed across age groups during AV, but not A speech. This functional pathway might be important for relating motor and sensory information used by the listener to identify speech sounds. Further, its development might reflect changes in the mechanisms that relate visual speech information to articulatory speech representations through experience producing and perceiving speech.
A new identification and mitigation algorithm for second trip contamination

This paper presents a new algorithm to identify and mitigate the second trip contamination for the polarmetric weather radar employing the random phase coding. The algorithm is based on an auto/cross-correlation function (ACF/CCF) multi-lag processing method and the optimal use of instantaneous phase from polarimetric channels. It is specially designed for polarimetric weather signals with a random phase. Therefore, it is convenient to be implemented in a magnetron weather radar. The data processing of C-band polarimetric weather radar OU-PRIME demonstrates the effectiveness of identification and mitigation of the second trip echo.
Pilot Study of a Low-Pressure Membrane System Treating Surface Water of the Qiantang River

To meet increasingly stringent drinking water regulations and to accommodate worsening water quality due to pollution, a large water company in southeast China evaluated hollow fiber membrane technology to upgrade one of its water treatment plants. Pilot studies using a Pall microfiltration (MF) unit were performed to provide information for the process design of the plant. Low-pressure membranes (microfiltration and ultrafiltration) were determined to be cost-effective and reliable technology to integrate into the existing treatment plant. The results of the pilot studies indicate that pretreatment had a strong impact on membrane performance. Three different pretreatment trains were tested. The treatment train consisting of coagulation – sedimentation – GAC filter proved to be the most effective based on the rate of increase in trans-membrane pressure (TMP). Water quality monitoring at the various points of the treatment train indicated excellent removal of fecal coliforms and oxidized (iron and manganese) by MF, and NH 3 reduction via nitrification in GAC filters. These data demonstrated that low-pressure microfiltration membrane can be effectively integrated with traditional treatment processes to provide high quality water regardless of raw water quality.
Myelosuppression monitoring after immunomodulator initiation in veterans with inflammatory bowel disease: a national practice audit.

Summary Background Immunomodulator medications (IMM) play a vital role in the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD practice guidelines recommend myelosuppression monitoring after initiation of IMM. Aim To identify adherence rates and predictors of myelosuppression monitoring after IMM initiation in a large practice setting. Methods We identified a national cohort of VA users with IBD for the fiscal years 2003–2009 using the Veterans Affairs administrative datasets. Subjects with filled prescriptions for IMM were included. The primary endpoint was the proportion of subjects who had a white blood cell (WBC) test completed within 90 days of the IMM index date. Determinants of myelosuppression monitoring were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results A total of 6045 unique IBD patients were identified with filled IMM prescriptions. Overall, only 57% of subjects completed a WBC test within 90 days of IMM index date. Monitoring rates increased over time, from 48% in 2003 to 75% in 2009. There was variability of monitoring rates by facility, ranging from 0 to 83%. In multivariate analyses, older age at IMM index date was associated with a lower rate of monitoring. Frequency of VA encounters and IMM index date were associated with increased rates of myelosuppression monitoring. Conclusions Monitoring for myelosuppression among veterans with inflammatory bowel disease after immunomodulator medications initiation is low with wide variability based on facility. This may reflect a low quality of care among veterans with IBD. Provider- and system-wide interventions are needed to improve adherence and reduce variability of immunomodulator medications monitoring across facilities.
Use of Adjunctive Aerosolized Antimicrobial Therapy in the Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

BACKGROUND: Adjunctive aerosolized antibiotics (AAA) have been recommended in the setting of Gram-negative ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), but little is known about their influence on clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To assess outcomes associated with AAA for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) VAP. METHODS: A retrospective, single-center cohort study at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis, Missouri. Consecutive subjects treated for bronchoalveolar lavage-confirmed PA or AB VAP between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2009 were enrolled. Records of subjects treated with AAA were compared to those who did not receive AAAs (NAAA). RESULTS: Ninety-three patients were evaluated (NAAA n 74, AAA n 19, inhaled colistin n 9, inhaled tobramycin n 10). Patients receiving AAA were significantly more likely to be infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria (52.6% vs 14.9%, P < .001) and had greater Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (21.4 5.7 vs 17.5 5.3, P .004) compared to patients receiving NAAA. NAAA subjects experienced a shorter time from VAP onset to appropriate intravenous antibiotic initiation (0.5 0.9 d vs 2.6 5.4 d, P .038), but length of intravenous therapy was similar between groups (12.8 8.5 d vs 17.8 13.3 d, P .16). The NAAA group demonstrated significantly shorter mechanical ventilation duration (18.9 15.9 d vs 38.4 32.4 days, P < .001), intensive care unit stay (37.5 42.5 d vs 56.3 31.3 d, P .001), and hospital stay (39.0 42.5 d vs 58.3 33.4 d, P .001). However, Kaplan-Meier curves for the probability of 30-day survival from VAP onset demonstrated that patients receiving AAA had statistically greater survival (P .030 by the log rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PA and AB VAP may experience favorable survival when treated with AAA, despite greater severity of illness and a greater incidence of multidrug-resistant infection. Large randomized trials are needed
Systematic review of site of obstruction identification and non-CPAP treatment options for children with persistent pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

Objectives/Hypothesis Although adenotonsillectomy is accepted as a first-line therapy for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), there is currently no consensus regarding optimal methods for identifying the sites of obstruction or treatment of children with persistent disease after surgery. With this in mind, our aim was to systematically review the English-language literature pertaining to these issues. Study Design Systematic review. Methods We searched all indexed years of Pubmed, Cochrane CENTRAL, DynaMed, UpToDate, CINAHL, and Scopus for English-language articles containing original human data, with ≥ 7 participants, all < 18 years old. Data regarding study design, demographics, clinical characteristics/outcomes, level of evidence, and risk of bias were obtained. Articles were independently reviewed by two investigators. Results Of 758 identified abstracts, 24 articles (combined population = 960) were ultimately included. Seventeen (71%) described methods to identify site(s) of obstruction: drug-induced sleep endoscopy (11/24), cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (3/24), and alternative imaging (3/24). Treatment options included lingual tonsillectomy (n = 6), with success rates of 57% to 88% (Cohen's effect size d = 1.38), as well as supraglottoplasty (n = 4), with success rates of 58% to 72% (d = 0.64). Additional treatments included medications and surgery (e.g., partial midline glossectomy and tongue suspension). Conclusions Drug-induced sleep endoscopy and cine MRI are the most commonly reported tools to identify sites of obstruction for children with persistent OSA; however, these techniques have not yet been clearly linked to outcomes. Evidence for treatment is extremely limited and focuses primarily on lingual tonsillectomy and supraglottoplasty. Also, reports regarding appropriate patient selection and outcomes in obese or otherwise healthy children are scant. Laryngoscope, 126:491–500, 2016
Efficacy of Retrograded Stentograms Following Cystectomy and Diversion

AbstractPurpose: The radiological evaluation of ureteroenteric anastomoses following cystectomy and diversion is standard practice at our institution. To our knowledge there are no data that demonstrate the efficacy of retrograde “stentograms” following cystectomy.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the retrograde stentograms of 73 patients who underwent cystectomy and diversion was reviewed.Results: Of 135 ureteroenteric anastomoses 3 (2.2%) demonstrated a leak by retrograde stentogram. No patients had evidence of obstruction.Conclusion: The 2.2% incidence of ureteroenteric leak in our series does not support the routine use of retrograde stentogram following cystectomy and diversion.
Effect of high-dose etodolac on renal function

Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated transient effects on renal function by etodolac, 200 mg b.i.d. The current study assessed the effects of a larger dose of etodolac (500 mg b.i.d.) to explore the time course of its renal effects and to determine whether the transient effect would become more prolonged with a larger dose. We studied 10 normal subjects and nine patients with renal insufficiency, examining the effects of the first 500 mg dose of etodolac as well as 4 days of b.i.d. administration. In both groups, etodolac transiently decreased fractional excretions of sodium and chloride and urinary prostaglandin E2. In patients, etodolac also transiently decreased inulin and para-aminohippuric acid clearances and urinary 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha. Chronic administration caused no changes in renal function in either group. In summary, in this relatively small group of patients, high-dose etodolac caused only transient, fully reversible effects on renal function, the cumulative effect of which was negligible.
Participatory Discrepancies and the Perception of Beats in Jazz

A POPULAR THEORY HOLDS THAT "SWING" STEMS specifically from asynchronous timing between bass and drums in their shared articulation of the beat, a phenomenon Charles Keil has dubbed "participatory discrepancies" (PDs; Keil, 1987). The "push and pull" between these instruments purportedly generates a "productive tension" thought to drive the groove with energy. This paper presents the results of two experiments on the perception of PDs. Experiment 1 employed synthetic recordings of a conventional swing groove in which the onset asynchronies between bass and drums were varied. Participants used three listening strategies to perceive the asynchrony and its purported effects. Experiment 2 employed recordings of professional jazz musicians and tested for the effects of learning in the perception of PDs. Little evidence emerged from either experiment in support of the PD framework. An alternative proposal drawn from metric entrainment theory explains the effects of PDs as more limited and local than previously thought.
Studies in the Design and Analysis of Dental Experiments 12. Comparison of Two Measurements of Root Divergence

In odontometric studies, root divergence can be expressed in terms of the ratio of the projected root length to the actual root length (cosine) or as the actual angle itself. Since the distribution of the cosines is skewed and the distribution of the angles is rather symmetrical, the angle measurement is preferable. Various types of significance tests with either measurement will generally not differ greatly, because of the insensitive (robust) nature of these tests.
The cyclic AMP-dependent initiation of DNA synthesis by T51B rat liver epithelioid cells.

The brief rise in the cellular cyclic AMP content which occurs late in the prereplicative phases of rat hepatocytes in vivo and T51B rat liver epitheloid cells in vitro seems to be necessary for the initiation of DNA synthesis. Thus, the extracellular calcium-deprivation in T51B rat liver cells in culture which induces a late G-1 block is rapidly reversible (cells surge into S phase within one hour) either by creating a cyclic AMP surge by the addition of calcium or 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine (a cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor) or by the exogenous addition of low concentrations of cyclic AMP itself (i.e., 10(-8)-10(-5) M). On the other hand, prevention of the calcium-induced cyclic AMP surge by imidazole (a cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activator) blocked the initiation of DNA synthesis by the calcium-deprived T51B cells.
Engineering synthetic killer circuits in bacteria

I will discuss our efforts to engineer suicidal bacteria, by using cell-cell communication to regulate cell killing. Lessons learned from these studies may provide insights into precise programming of bacterial dynamics for diverse applications.
An adaptive scheduling scheme for dynamic service time allocation on a shared resource

A scheduling scheme that allows a number of customers to share a common resource in an efficient and fair way is presented. Each customer is allowed to use the resource for an amount of time that does not exceed a certain limit, the limit being a function of the waiting time elapsed between the time of its last request and the time of access to the resource. After expiration of the service time allocated to a customer, if more service is still needed, the customer has to re-enter the request queue and issue a new service request. The scheme combines the advantages of both processor-sharing and first-come, first-served disciplines in a dynamic way. The applicability and the advantages of the scheme in both open and closed system environments are discussed. >
Cold rolling of polymers 3. Properties of rolled crystallized polycarbonates

Amorphous polycarbonate sheets up to 1/4 inch in thickness have been crystallized both thermally and by acetone vapor sorption. For thick sheets acetone vapor sorption is the superior technique and a method has been developed for assuring homogeneous crystallized sheets. The crystallized polycarbonate can be cold rolled providing there is a residual acetone content to act as a plasticizer for the sheet. The tensile stress strain characteristics of the as-crystallized sheets as well as the rolled crystallized sheets have been determined as a function of the residual acetone content. It is shown that a crystallized polycarbonate whose thickness is reduced by 74 percent can achieve a true stress at fracture of 27,180 psi and a strain of 33 percent. These values are significantly greater than the values obtained for rolled amorphous polycarbonates.
Lipocalin-2 released in response to cerebral ischaemia mediates reperfusion injury in mice.

Thrombolysis remains the only effective therapy to reverse acute ischaemic stroke. However, delayed treatment may cause serious complications including hemorrhagic transformation and reperfusion injury. The level of lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is elevated in the plasma of ischaemic stroke patients, but its role in stroke is unknown. Here, we show that LCN2 was acutely induced in mice after ischaemic stroke and is an important mediator of reperfusion injury. Increased levels of LCN2 were observed in mouse serum as early as 1 hr after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO), reaching peak levels at 23 hrs. LCN2 was also detected in neutrophils infiltrating into the ipsilateral hemisphere, as well as a subset of astrocytes after tMCAO, but not in neurons and microglia. Stroke injury, neurological deficits and infiltration of immune cells were markedly diminished in LCN2 null mice after tMCAO, but not after permanent MCAO (pMCAO). In vitro, recombinant LCN2 protein induced apoptosis in primary cultured neurons in a dose-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that LCN2 is a neurotoxic factor secreted rapidly in response to cerebral ischaemia, suggesting its potential usage as an early stroke biomarker and a novel therapeutic target to reduce stroke-reperfusion injury.
RIM1α and RIM1β Are Synthesized from Distinct Promoters of the RIM1 Gene to Mediate Differential But Overlapping Synaptic Functions

At a synapse, presynaptic terminals form a specialized area of the plasma membrane called the active zone that mediates neurotransmitter release. RIM1α is a multidomain protein that constitutes a central component of the active zone by binding to other active zone proteins such as Munc13 s, α-liprins, and ELKS, and to synaptic vesicle proteins such as Rab3 and synaptotagmin-1. In mice, knockout of RIM1α significantly impairs synaptic vesicle priming and presynaptic long-term plasticity, but is not lethal. We now find that the RIM1 gene encodes a second, previously unknown RIM1 isoform called RIM1β that is upregulated in RIM1α knock-out mice. RIM1β is identical to RIM1α except for the N terminus where RIM1β lacks the N-terminal Rab3-binding sequence of RIM1α. Using newly generated knock-out mice lacking both RIM1α and RIM1β, we demonstrate that different from the deletion of only RIM1α, deletion of both RIM1α and RIM1β severely impairs mouse survival. Electrophysiological analyses show that the RIM1αβ deletion abolishes long-term presynaptic plasticity, as does RIM1α deletion alone. In contrast, the impairment in synaptic strength and short-term synaptic plasticity that is caused by the RIM1α deletion is aggravated by the deletion of both RIM1α and RIM1β. Thus, our data indicate that the RIM1 gene encodes two different isoforms that perform overlapping but distinct functions in neurotransmitter release.
Approaches to the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Venous and Cardiac Thromboembolic Disease

Rudolf Virchow, the 19th century German physician, described three factors that contribute to venous thrombosis: (1) Phenomena due to irritation of the vessel and its surroundings; (2) Phenomena due to blood coagulation; and (3) Phenomena due to the interruption of the blood stream [1]. An updated description of these factors is: (1) Alteration in blood flow (i.e. stasis); (2) Vascular endothelial injury; and (3) Hypercoagulability. Clot formation does not require the presence of all factors; however there is an additive risk with increasing factors. Thus, this triad forms the basis for risk factor analysis for venous thromboembolism (VTE).
Adding a power integrator: a tool for global stabilization of high-order lower-triangular systems

A feedback design tool called adding a power integrator is introduced and used to solve the problem of global robust stabilization, for a significant class of uncertain nonlinear systems that are of a lower-triangular form but neither necessarily feedback linearizable (fully or partially) nor affine in the control variables, and therefore cannot be dealt with via conventional approaches. Sufficient conditions are presented under which a globally stabilizing smooth state feedback control law can be explicitly constructed, using repeatedly the adding one power integrator technique. This novel design technique permits removal of the feedback linearizability and linearity of the control input, which have been two common assumptions so far in the literature of nonlinear control.