cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating Cancer Latency Times Using a Weibull Model

Mathematical models can be useful tools in exploring population disease trends over time and can be used to gain insight into the fundamental mechanisms of cancer development. In this paper, we provide a systematic comparison between the exact and the approximate solutions for estimating the length of time between the biological initiation of cancer and diagnosis through the development of a Weibull-like survival model. A total of 1,608,484 malignant primary cancers were used in the analysis using cancer incidence data obtained from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. We find that the approximate solution provides a reliable comparison of the latency periods for different types of cancer and has no significant effect on the estimation accuracy, which differs from the exact solution by 0% to 11.3%. Thirty-five of the 44 cancers in this analysis were found to progress silently for 10 years or longer prior to detection representing 89% of the patients in this analysis. The results of this analysis differentiate cancer types that progress undetected over a period of years to identify new opportunities for early detection which increases the likelihood of successful treatment and alleviates the ever-growing cancer burden.
Technology Adoption Among Cape May Fishermen

We discuss the innovation process in the technologically sophisticated and heavily-capitalized commercial fishery of Cape May, New Jersey. Data from interviews with 46 fishing captains suggest that decisions to adopt new techniques or other innovations are linked to expectations about future fishing opportunities and assessments of current returns from fishing, as well as to vessel replacement value, an index of socio-economic position. These factors may cause fishermen to seek changes in their economic niches. The results of our study also underscore the importance of a situational approach combined with an actor-based model of decision-making in understanding the innovation process.
Vindicating the Founders: Race, Sex, Class, and Justice in the Origins of America

According to the conventional wisdom of our time, our nation's Founders were guilty of racism, sexism, and elitism. They were hypocrites who failed to live up to their own enlightened principles. The fact that Washington and Jefferson held slaves is taken as definitive proof that they never really believed 'all men are created equal.' It is also widely asserted that women, even after the American Revolution, enjoyed virtually no rights, and that the poor and property-less were denied the basic tenets of democratic participation. Observing that our understanding of the Founders so profoundly influences our opinion of contemporary America, Thomas West demonstrates why the Founders were indeed sincere in their belief of universal human rights and in their commitment to democracy. More importantly, this landmark book explains why their views, and particularly the constitutional order they created, are still worthy of our highest respect. In a straightforward style, West debunks numerous widely held myths about the Founders' political thought. He contrasts the Founders' ideas of liberty and equality with today's, concluding that contemporary notions of liberalism bear almost no resemblance to the concepts originally articulated by the Founders. This controversial, convincing, and highly original book is important reading for everyone concerned about the origins, present, and future of the American experiment in self government.
A longitudinal study of the emergence of phonemes in children with down syndrome

Articulation norms are typically used to measure sound acquisition and mastery in children with Down syndrome. The present longitudinal study examines the clinical records of 60 children with Down syndrome to evaluate phoneme acquisition and emergence. Results document the order of emergence of sounds in children with Down syndrome. Factors affecting emergence of sounds (e.g. oral motor skills) and difficulties in using a mastery model to evaluate speech sound acquisition in children with Down syndrome are explored. Clinical as well as research implications of the data are presented.
Toughening of polyamides by the in situ generation of elastomeric phases

Samples of a commercial Trogamid polyamide (an aromatic “nylon”) were modified with two silane coupling agents. In the case of the epoxysilyl agent, the silane was incorporated as a side chain by reacting it with the sample at 50–60 °C for 3 days, with triethylenediamine as catalyst. In contrast, an isocyanatosilyl compound was added only to the polyamide end groups (carboxylic acid and amine groups). The polyamide–epoxy composites were linked with a difunctional silane and were then dried into films. They exhibited some improved ultimate properties, including toughness, at the lower epoxysilane contents. In particular, the tensile strengths of the samples that were annealed at 120 °C were greatly improved. Also, the maximum extensibility was increased by increasing the amount of difunctional silane, but at the cost of decreased tensile strengths. The Trogamid isocyanatosilyl materials, on the other hand, showed properties similar to those of polyamides reinforced with silica generated in situ by the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane. Specifically, the tensile strengths of these composites increased slightly, but at the cost of decreased toughness. Although it was not possible to improve all the mechanical properties of either type of composite simultaneously, it was possible to identify the conditions for maximizing at least one or two of them at a time. Thus, the results provided guidance on how to optimize the properties of an important class of polyamides for any particular application.
Choroidal vascular occlusion in a child with a connective tissue disease and complement C4 deficiency

Abstract Objective To report the histopathologic findings in the eyes of a patient with a connective tissue disease and complement deficiency. Design Human postmortem ocular histopathologic study. Intervention A 15-year-old female died from complications of a connective tissue disease of uncertain etiology, particularly acute respiratory distress syndrome. Abnormalities seen in the eyes at autopsy were consistent with complement activation, granulocyte aggregation, and leukocyte embolization. Main outcome measures Both eyes were examined by light microscopy. Results Some choroidal vessels were occluded by platelet–fibrin thrombi and occasionally by aggregates of granulocytes and fibrin. Serous retinal detachment involving the macula and peripheral retina was present in both eyes. Conclusions This is a report of the ocular histopathologic findings in a patient with connective tissue disease and complement C4 deficiency. The light microscopy findings were consistent with complement activation with granulocyte aggregation and leukocyte embolization and may represent another mechanism to explain the clinical findings in patients with connective tissue disease, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus.
Study of the Partial Oxidation of Methanol to Formaldehyde on a Polycrystalline Ag Foil

A study of the partial oxidation reaction of methanol to formaldehyde has been carried out on the surface of an oxygen permeable, Ag-membrane. Surface oxygen species are formed on the high vacuum side of the Ag-foil by diffusion of O atoms generated by dissociative adsorption on the high pressure side at temperatures >500 K. Methanol pressures were kept sufficiently low (≤10-5 Torr) to ensure collision free sampling of the products using electron-impact mass spectrometry. Starting with a new Ag-foil, reaction rates were found to increase over time, with maximum rates achieved after activation times of several hours. Activation is accompanied by significant changes in membrane morphology. For a methanol pressure of 1 × 10-6 Torr, the maximum rate of formaldehyde formation is 7 × 1014 mol/s-cm2 at 900 K and only decreases by a factor of 2 as the foil temperature is reduced to 300 K. Reaction at room temperature is attributed to the high diffusion rate of O atoms dissolved in the bulk which maintains the sur...
Liability for defective content

Software publishers and information service providers publish information about their own products and about other products and people. Additional content might be incidental, such as discussion of the practice of accounting in documentation of a bookkeeping program. Or it may relate to a publisher's product, such as papers on the nature of a disease at the Web site of a manufacturer of a device used to diagnose that disease. Other content is irrelevant to the product, such as political articles on a company's Web site. In all of these cases, the publisher's technical publications or quality control staff might wonder whether they should check accuracy and tone of this content that is not direct documentation of the product under development. This article considers a variety of potential legal grounds for holding publishers accountable for content errors.
Treatment recommendations for chronic hepatitis B: an evaluation of current guidelines based on a natural history study in the United States.

Current guidelines for treatment of chronic hepatitis B include hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status, levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values in the setting of either chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. Based on findings from a prospective study of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients, we determined whether these guidelines included patients who developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and who died of non-HCC liver-related complications. The criteria for treatment from four published guidelines were matched to a cohort of 369 HBsAg-positive patients enrolled in the study. During a mean follow-up of 84 months, 30 patients developed HCC and 37 died of non-HCC liver-related deaths. Using criteria for antiviral therapy as stated by the four guidelines, only 20%-60% of the patients who developed HCC, and 27%-70% of patients who died of non-HCC liver-related deaths would have been identified for antiviral therapy according to current treatment recommendations. If baseline serum albumin levels of 3.5 mg/dL or less or platelet counts of 130,000 mm3 or less were added to criteria from the four treatment guidelines, then 89%-100% of patients who died of non-HCC liver-related complications, and 96%-100% of patients who developed HCC would have been identified for antiviral therapy. In addition, if basal core promoter T1762/A1764 mutants and precore A1896 mutants also were included, then 100% of patients who developed HCC would have been identified for treatment. Conclusion: This retrospective analysis showed that the current treatment guidelines for chronic hepatitis B excluded patients who developed serious liver-related complications. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.)
A Clinicopathologic Study of Primary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Lacrimal Gland

A retrospective study of 26 patients with the diagnosis of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland was performed with use of randomly selected tissue from each tumor. An attempt was made to determine any associations among clinical presentation, survival, and tumor histologic patterns. We found that lower tumor grades were associated with a predominantly Swiss-cheese (cribriform) pattern. Both lower tumor grade and Swiss-cheese pattern were associated with longer survival. The basaloid (solid) pattern or bone invasion was not associated with a shorter survival. Between men and women, there were no differences in clinical presentation, histologic patterns, or survival. Survival was not affected by surgical or radiation therapy.
Mixed Orientation Si–Si Interfaces by Hydrophilic Bonding and High Temperature Oxide Dissolution

In this paper, we describe a "quasi-hydrophobic" bonding method in which ultrathin (<1-2 nm) oxide, present on wafer surfaces during bonding, is removed after bonding by a high temperature oxide dissolution anneal to leave the desired direct Si-to-Si contact at the bonded interface. We show that the direct-silicon-bonded (DSB) interfaces produced by this method are clean enough to allow implementation of a recently described amorphization/templated recrystallization technique for changing the orientation of selected DSB layer regions from their original orientation to the orientation of the underlying handle wafer. We then present results from a related study on the dissolution of oxide layers disposed between a Si substrate and a polycrystalline overlayer, and discuss mechanisms most likely to be operative for our oxide dissolution observations.
Comparison of european and US biological indicators for ethylene oxide sterilization

Biological indicators (BIs) are used to monitor ethylene oxide (EO) gas sterilization processes for medical devices. Several European and United States BIs for EO sterilization were evaluated for resistance according to both United States Pharmacopeia (USP) XXI and United Kingdom's (UK) tests for D-values. US BIs areB. subtilis var. niger spores on paper strips or disc carriers while European BIs use aluminum strips, quartz sand, or cotton yarn. Numerous BIs per run and runs per lot, as well as 2–3 different lots of BIs from each manufacturer, were examined. Both British and US BIs met their respective label claims for rates of inactivation when tested against British and USP EO test parameters, respectively. However, Danish BIs, on cotton yarn or quartz sand, were not inactivated following USP specifications during the exposure dwell times tested (600 mg L−1 EO, 54°C, 60% RH, 0–110 min). The Danish BIs will require further testing in order for us to determine if theirB. subtilis spores are unusually resistant to EO or if the spore carrier substrates protect the spores from the sterilizing gas. In conclusion, the British and American BIs for EO sterilization are equivalent in resistance despite differences in carrier substrate, recovery conditions, calculation methods for D-values, and the labeled sterilization conditions for use.
Sodium-Lithium Countertransport Activity Is Linked to Chromosome 5 in Baboons

To the Editor: We read with interest the elegant work of Kammerer et al1 on sodium-lithium countertransport (SLC) activity in baboons. Their findings were particularly interesting because they apply the exciting field of genetic characterization to that of SLC research some 20 years after a genetic linkage between SLC expression and hypertension was first proposed.2 SLC has since been shown to be highly heritable, but the genetic contribution has been difficult to isolate and identify despite work in special populations such as large family groups and identical twins.3,4 However, it was unfortunate that the authors chose to shackle a 20-year-old method to their cutting-edge genetic technology. In doing little more than measuring lithium efflux from red cells, the method used by Kammerer et al1 makes little or no concession to advances in SLC methodology made over the past 2 decades.5,6 In 1980, Rutherford et al7 described how hypertension may be related to a specific characteristic of the countertransporter, namely a measure of its affinity for sodium. This was achieved by undertaking a kinetic characterization of the transporter. …
Optimizing Perioperative Management of Total Joint Arthroplasty

Clinical pathways for total joint arthroplasty have been shown to reduce costs and significantly impact perioperative outcomes mainly through reducing provider variability. Effective clinical pathways link evidence to individual practice and balance costs with local experience, outcomes, and access to resources for responsible perioperative management. Common components of clinical pathways with major impact on perioperative outcomes are: 1) implementing pathways designed to include multimodal analgesia with regional anesthesia, 2) use of tranexamic acid to reduce blood loss, and 3) preconditioning followed by participation in early, accelerated rehabilitation programs to prevent postoperative complications related to immobility.
Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Adaptation

Novel, unaccustomed exercise has been shown to result in temporary, repairable skeletal muscle damage. After exhaustive endurance exercise, muscle damage can be produced by metabolic disturbances associated with ischaemia. Extensive disruption of muscle fibres also occurs after relatively short term eccentric exercise where high mechanical forces are generated. Biopsies taken after repetitive eccentric muscle actions have revealed broadening, streaming and, at times, total disruption of Z-discs. Muscles that develop active tension eccentrically also become sore, lose inherent force-producing capability, and show a marked release of muscle proteins into the circulation. Because creatine kinase (CK) is found almost exclusively in muscle tissue, it is the most common plasma marker of muscle damage. Despite the universal use of CK as a marker, several factors with regard to efflux and clearance remain unexplained. Also the large intersubject variability in response to exercise complicates its interpretation. Damage progresses in the postexercise period before tissues are repaired. However, the mechanism to explain exercise-induced muscle damage and repair is not well defined. Among the factors that may influence the damage and repair processes are calcium, lysosomes, connective tissue, free radicals, energy sources, and cytoskeletal and myofibrillar proteins. Physical conditioning results in an adaptation such that all indicators of damage are reduced following repeated bouts of exercise. Recently, investigators have suggested that the prophylactic effect of training may be due to performance of a single initial exercise bout. Following a second bout of exercise performed 1 to 6 weeks after the first bout, there is a reduction in morphological alterations and performance decrements and a profoundly reduced elevation in plasma CK levels. Several hypotheses have been presented to explain the repeated bout or rapid training effect. Stress-susceptible fibres may be eliminated or susceptible areas within a fibre may undergo necrosis and then regenerate. These regenerated fibres, along with adaptations in the connective tissue, may provide greater resistance to further insult.
Magnetization behavior of nanometer-scale iron particles

The magnetic properties (magnetic moment, shape anisotropy, switching field, and distribution) of nanometer-scale ferromagnetic iron particles are investigated by measuring magnetization curves for different particle orientations. The measured switching fields indicate that magnetization curling accounts for the reversal at ``zero'' temperatures and an exchange length, ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{ex}}$=2.6 nm, is deduced. A phenomenological model describing the temperature dependence of the switching field is used to estimate the activation volume, ${v}_{A}=270 {\mathrm{nm}}^{3}$. This is small compared to the particle volume and may explain the experimental fact that the magnetization reversal cannot be described by thermal activation over an average single energy barrier.
Recovery of 2,3-butanediol from water by a solvent extraction and pervaporation separation scheme ☆

Abstract An integrated separation scheme based on solvent extraction and pervaporation was proposed to recover 2,3-buthanediol from a synthetic fermentation broth. The selected extracting solvent 1-butanol was found to be more suitable than others. Polydimethylsiloxane membrane was employed to further enrich the 2,3-butanediol in the organic phase consisting of 2,3-butanediol, 1-butanol and water. Of the three species, water was found to be the most permeable in the membrane followed by 1-butanol, implying that concentration and purification of 2,3-butanediol as membrane retentate could be achieved by using the polydimethylsiloxane membrane alone. Two membrane batch operations, i.e., dehydration, and removal of 1-butanol using chitosan and polydimethylsiloxane composite membranes, respectively, were conducted to demonstrate the capability of the selected membranes for producing 2,3-butanediol with purities higher than 98 wt.%. And numerical simulation showed the viability of the membrane in continuous operation for the recovery of 2,3-buatendiol.
Stem cell plasticity and blood and marrow transplantation: A clinical strategy

The newly described phenomenon of stem cell plasticity raises interesting biological questions and offers exciting opportunities in clinical application. This review uses the well-established practice of blood and marrow transplantation as a paradigm to explore the clinical consequences of this finding. Recently proposed non-myeloablative conditioning regimens have shown that mixed donor-host hematolymphoid chimerism can be established with relatively low toxicity in both animal studies and human trials. Hematopoietic growth factor treatment of transplanted patients can mobilize a large number of donor stem cells to migrate from marrow to non-hematopoietic organs. We propose that these advances, in conjunction with the developmental plasticity of stem cells, can constitute components of a clinical strategy to use blood and marrow transplantation as a platform to treat systemic diseases involving non-hematopoietic tissues.
A Novel Microtubule‐Associated Protein‐2 Expressed in Oligodendrocytes in Multiple Sclerosis Lesions

Elucidation of the mechanisms involved in the regeneration of oligodendrocytes and remyelination is a central issue in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. We recently identified a novel alternatively spliced, developmentally regulated oligodendrocyte-specific protein designated microtubule-associated protein-2+13 [microtubule-associated protein-2 expressing exon 13 (MAP-2+13)]. MAP-2+13 is expressed in human fetal oligodendrocytes during process extension and myelination but is minimally expressed in normal mature CNS. To test the hypothesis that MAP-2+13 is reexpressed in regenerating oligodendrocytes in MS lesions, we examined the brains of MS patients for the expression of this protein. By immunocytochemistry using a series of monoclonal antibodies specific for MAP-2+13, we determined that MAP-2+13 expression was up-regulated in all 31 lesions from 10 different MS brains. MAP-2+13 was expressed in regenerating oligodendrocytes associated with demyelinated lesions, with the highest counts found in regions of extensive remyelination. By electron microscopy, MAP-2+13 was localized to oligodendrocytes engaged in remyelination, evident by their process extension and association with thinly myelinated (remyelinated) and demyelinated axons. These results suggest a hitherto unsuspected role for this microtubule-associated protein in oligodendrocyte function during development and myelin repair.
HRV Monitoring for Human Factor Research in UAS

Though Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) operators have started to push for general acceptance into the National Airspace System (NAS), there remain significant and necessary areas of research. Despite the ‘Unmanned’ moniker, human factors serve a vital role in safe and robust operation. Numerous reports have placed human errors as significant factors in recent UAS incidents, leading many researchers to investigate a framework for analyzing these human factors that lead to incidents. In this paper, the use of Heart Rate Variability (HRV), as an indicator of operator pressure or cognitive load of a UAS operator, is considered. Furthermore, potential applications of HRV research are presented towards applying this new layer of human feedback information to adjust UAS operations to achieve a safer and more resilient UAS. This paper serves as an initial proposal for this bigger closed-loop thinking in UAS human factor research.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography Helps Discriminate Low-grade From High-grade Bowel Wall Fibrosis in Ex Vivo Human Intestinal Specimens

Objectives To determine whether bowel wall fibrosis can be detected in freshly resected human intestinal specimens based on ultrasound-derived shear wave speed. Methods Seventeen intact (>3-cm) bowel segments (15 small and 2 large intestine) from 12 patients with known or suspected inflammatory bowel disease were procured immediately after surgical resection. Ultrasound shear wave elastography of the bowel wall was performed by two methods (Virtual Touch Quantification [VTQ] and Virtual Touch-IQ [VT-IQ]; Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc, Mountain View, CA). Eighteen short-axis shear wave speed measurements were acquired from each specimen: 3 from the 9-, 12-, and 3-o'clock locations for each method. Imaging was performed in two areas for specimens greater than 10 cm in length (separated by ≥5 cm). A gastrointestinal pathologist scored correlative histologic slides for inflammation and fibrosis. Differences in mean shear wave speed between bowel segments with low and high inflammation/fibrosis scores were assessed by a Student t test. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed. Results High-fibrosis score (n = 11) bowel segments had a significantly greater mean shear wave speed than low-fibrosis score (n = 6) bowel segments (mean ± SD: VTQ, 1.59 ± 0.37 versus 1.18 ± 0.08 m/s; P= .004; VT-IQ, 1.87 ± 0.44 versus 1.50 ± 0.26 m/s; P= .049). There was no significant difference in mean shear wave speed between high-and low-inflammation score bowel segments (P > .05 for both VTQ and VT-IQ). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed areas under the curve of 0.91 (95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.99) for VTQ and 0.77 (95% confidence interval, 0.51-0.94) for VT-IQ in distinguishing low-from high-fibrosis score bowel segments. Conclusions Ex vivo bowel wall shear wave speed measurements increase when transmural intestinal fibrosis is present.
Assimilation of Hydrocarbons by Pseudomonas Strains Isolated from Human Clinical Specimens

Twenty strains of Pseudomonas isolated from human clinical specimens on routine laboratory media, without hydrocarbon enrichment and unselected for their growth on hydrocarbons, were tested for their ability to utilize a series of eight n-alkanes and two 1-alkenes as a sole carbon and energy source for growth. Hydrocarbon assimilation does occur with such isolates relative to the chain length and the degree of saturation of the hydrocarbon. The data presented show that all 16 stains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa studied grew readily on dodecane through hexadecane and on 1-hexadecene. In addition, most strains of this species grew on undecane and 1-dodecene after prolonged incubation. There was a long lag period, usually a minimum of 4 days, before onset of growth on any hydrocarbon. In no case did hexane or decane support growth. Two strains each of P. maltophilia and P. stutzeri were unable to grow on any of the hydrocarbons tested. Hexane in concentrations above 1% (vol/vol) is bactericidal toward the Pseudomonas inoculum. It is toxic even to cells utilizing different hydrocarbon for growth. The addition of 1% hexane to 1% (vol/vol) hexadecane markedly prolonged the lag phase of P. aeruginosa utilizing the hexadecane for growth.
Measles Virus Preferentially Transduces the Basolateral Surface of Well-Differentiated Human Airway Epithelia

Measles virus (MV) is typically spread by aerosol droplets and enters via the respiratory tract. The progression of MV infection has been widely studied; yet, the pathway for virus entry in polarized human airway epithelia has not been investigated. Herein we report the use of a replication-competent Edmonston vaccine strain of MV expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (MV-eGFP) to infect primary cultures of well-differentiated human airway epithelia. Previous studies with polarized Caco-2 cells (intestine-derived human epithelia) and MDCK cells (kidney-derived canine epithelia) demonstrated that MV primarily infected and exited the apical surface. In striking contrast, our results indicate that MV preferentially transduces human airway cells from the basolateral surface; however, virus release remains in an apical direction. When MV-eGFP was applied apically or basolaterally to primary cultures of airway epithelia, discrete foci of eGFP expression appeared and grew; however, the cell layer integrity was maintained for the duration of the study (7 days). Interestingly, utilizing immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, we observed widespread expression of the receptor for the vaccine strain of MV (CD46) at greatest abundance on the apical surface of the differentiated human airway epithelia as well as in human tracheal tissue sections. These data suggest that the progression of MV infection through the respiratory epithelium may involve pathways other than direct binding and entry through the apical surface of airway epithelia.
PEDIATRIC TONGUE LACERATION REPAIR USING 2-OCTYL CYANOACRYLATE (DERMABOND)

Abstract Background Tongue lacerations provide a challenge for emergency physicians, especially in the case of pediatric patients. Traditional wound closure typically involves local anesthesia or procedural sedation in children, which is time consuming and often anxiety provoking for providers, patients, and parents. 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate (Dermabond®; Ethicon, Inc., Sommerville, NJ) has been used in the context of the emergency department for successful repair of lacerations, however, is not marketed for use on mucosal or intraoral surfaces. This case report describes an alternative manner of tongue laceration repair by the use of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate. Objective 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate is generally not indicated for intraoral use. Our case demonstrates a situation in which it was used safely and effectively to repair a tongue laceration. Case Report A 7-year-old boy presented to the emergency department after sustaining a large tongue laceration requiring repair. The boy's parent refused traditional wound repair with suturing due to concerns regarding the pain of local anesthesia administration, as well as risks posed by procedural sedation. The wound was repaired using the tissue adhesive 2-octyl cyanoacrylate. The patient tolerated the procedure well and there were no complications in the patient's course. Good cosmetic results were achieved using this method. Conclusions Tongue lacerations and other intraoral lacerations are challenging to repair, especially in pediatric patients. The use of tissue adhesives such as 2-octyl cyanoacrylate is very likely safe and may provide an expedient manner in which to repair such lesions with good cosmetic results.
Aqueous cleaning of vacuum tube components, replacing 1,1,1, trichloroethane

The first process step in the production of a specialty vacuum tube at the Hewlett-Packard Santa Clara Division has been to clean all of the hardware in a 1,1,1, trichloroethane (TCA) degreaser. However, due to the inclusion of TCA in the Montreal protocol and in the proposed EPA labeling regulations, a permanent environmentally suitable solution had to be found. The challenge was to find commercially available aqueous cleaners (saponifiers) that would remove light machine shop oils and particulates so that the parts would be clean enough to be placed in moderate (10/sup -6/ torr) vacuum atmosphere with no functional degradation. Sample parts and subassemblies were contaminated with sample soils and then cleaned with candidate cleaners. Detailed analyses have shown aqueously cleaned parts to have lower contamination levels than the vapor degreased parts. Details of the materials cleaned, saponifiers used, and test results are presented. >
The Impact of Unified Party Government on Campaign Contributions

This article examines the connection between unified party government and campaign contributions. Our central argument is that unified party government confers a substantial, but previously overlooked, fundraising advantage to intra-chamber majority parties. We examined data on corporate campaign contributions to U.S. House incumbents and state legislators in 17 different legislative chambers. We found a strong fundraising benefit accruing to intra-chamber majority status across all of these legislatures, but the benefit is heavily conditioned by the presence of unified or divided government. The results offer important implications for our understanding of the financial balance of power in American politics and for the vast scholarly literature on unified party government.
Scotopic visual signaling in the mouse retina is modulated by high-affinity plasma membrane calcium extrusion

Transmission of visual signals at the first retinal synapse is associated with changes in calcium concentration in photoreceptors and bipolar cells. We investigated how loss of plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase isoform 2 (PMCA2), the calcium transporter isoform with the highest affinity for Ca2+/calmodulin, affects transmission of rod- and cone-mediated responses. PMCA2 expression in the neuroblast layer was observed soon after birth; in the adult, PMCA2 was expressed in inner segments and synaptic terminals of rod photoreceptors, in rod bipolar cells, and in most inner retinal neurons but was absent from cones. To determine the role of PMCA2 in retinal signaling, we compared morphology and light responses of retinas from control mice and deafwaddler dfw2J mice, which lack functional PMCA2 protein. The cytoarchitecture of retinas from control and dfw2J mice was indistinguishable at the light microscope level. Suction electrode recordings revealed no difference in the sensitivity or amplitude of outer segment light responses of control and dfw2J rods. However, rod-mediated ERG b-wave responses in dfw2J mice were ∼45% smaller and significantly slower than those of control mice. Furthermore, recordings from individual rod bipolar cells showed that the sensitivity of transmission at the rod output synapse was reduced by ∼50%. No changes in the amplitude or timing of cone-mediated ERG responses were observed. These results suggest that PMCA2-mediated Ca2+ extrusion modulates the amplitude and timing of the high-sensitivity rod pathway to a much greater extent than that of the cone pathway.
Assessment of tissue oxygen tension: comparison of dynamic fluorescence quenching and polarographic electrode technique

Introduction and methods Dynamic fluorescence quenching is a technique that may overcome some of the limitations associated with measurement of tissue partial oxygen tension (PO2). We compared this technique with a polarographic Eppendorf needle electrode method using a saline tonometer in which the PO2 could be controlled. We also tested the fluorescence quenching system in a rodent model of skeletal muscle ischemiahypoxia.
A Longitudinal Assessment of Consumers' Attitudes Toward Physicians' Advertising

The purpose of this study is to investigate current attitudes and opinions toward physicians' advertising and to compare them to the attitudes expressed 20 years ago. It replicates a survey done in 1986 and uses the same questionnaire and the same population to compare responses longitudinally. Both the 1986 and 2006 respondents agreed that the public would be provided useful information through advertising by physicians, and both groups also believed that it is proper for physicians to advertise. The study seems to confirm the belief of many marketing professionals that advertising and marketing clearly have a place in the future of health care services.
Ventricular Septal Defects

Ventricular septal defects are the most common congenital heart defect. They vary greatly in location, clinical presentation, associated lesions, and natural history. The present article describes the clinical aspects of ventricular septal defects and current management strategies.
Seismic polarization measurements using multi-taper spectral analysis

The authors characterize the site response at a high frequency seismic array and 2 boreholes by examining the frequency-dependent polarization, between 1 and 45 Hz, of the initial longitudinal arrival (P-wave) from local earthquakes. They use a multi-taper spectral analysis to determine the polarizations. The data display a strong frequency-dependence in the apparent incidence angle. the authors show this variation is mainly due to an irregular weathered granite surface layer found in the region. Although scattering becomes prominent at high frequencies they are able to model many of the gross features of the polarization with a simple shallow 1D velocity model. The borehole polarizations also display strong frequency dependent incidence angles due to the reflected energy from the free surface. Unlike the surface data the borehole results are insensitive to the top-most surface layer, instead they help constrain the average velocity and attenuation above the sensors. >
A hand-held fiber-optic implement for the site-specific delivery of photosensitizer and singlet oxygen.

We have constructed a fiber optic device that internally flows triplet oxygen and externally produces singlet oxygen, causing a reaction at the (Z)-1,2-dialkoxyethene spacer group, freeing a pheophorbide sensitizer upon the fragmentation of a reactive dioxetane intermediate. The device can be operated and sensitizer photorelease observed using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. We demonstrate the preference of sensitizer photorelease when the probe tip is in contact with octanol or lipophilic media. A first-order photocleavage rate constant of 1.13 h )1 was measured in octanol where dye desorption was not accompanied by readsorption. When the probe tip contacts aqueous solution, the photorelease was inefficient because most of the dye adsorbed on the probe tip, even after the covalent ethene spacer bonds have been broken. The observed stability of the free sensitizer in lipophilic media is reasonable even though it is a pyropheophorbide-a derivative that carries a p-formylbenzylic alcohol substituent at the carboxylic acid group. In octanol or lipid systems, we found that the dye was not susceptible to hydrolysis to pyropheophorbide-a, otherwise a pH effect was observed in a binary methanol-water system (9:1) at pH below 2 or above 8.
The differential effects of equipotent doses of isoflurane and desflurane on hippocampal acetylcholine levels in young and aged rats

Abstract The differential effects of age-adjusted equipotent doses of isoflurane (Iso) and desflurane (Des) on hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) levels were examined using cerebral microdialysis in young (12–16 weeks old) and aged (16–18 months old) Fischer 344 rats. An 80 min exposure to 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane and desflurane produced similar maximal decreases in hippocampal ACh levels in both age groups: to 36.3 ± 13.9% (Iso) and 28.6 ± 12.9% (Des) of baseline in aged rats versus 32.5 ± 18.7% (Iso) and 29.6 ± 12.5% (Des) of baseline in young rats. Compared to isoflurane, the onset of this maximal decrease was delayed in both age groups with desflurane. Furthermore, following the end of anesthesia in aged rats, hippocampal ACh levels returned to control levels faster with desflurane (within 20–40 min) than isoflurane (within 60–80 min). These data demonstrate that age-adjusted equipotent doses of isoflurane and desflurane produce similar maximal decreases in hippocampal ACh levels in a manner that is independent of age. However, compared to isoflurane, desflurane is associated with a slower decrease in and a faster restoration of hippocampal ACh levels following anesthesia in this rat model of aging. Hence, in the aged, the administration of age-adjusted equipotent doses of an inhalational anesthetic with low blood and tissue solubility, such as desflurane, may provide a viable pharmacotherapeutic strategy for minimizing the duration of the attenuation of hippocampal cholinergic outflow observed following anesthesia.
Muddy waters: temporal variation in sediment discharging from a karst spring

Karst aquifers are capable of transporting and discharging large quantities of suspended sediment, which can have an important impact on water quality. Here we present the results of intensive monitoring of sediment discharging from a karst spring in response to two storm events, one following a wet season and the other following a dry season; we describe temporal changes in total suspended solids (TSS), mineralogy, and particle size distribution. Peak concentrations of suspended sediment coincided with changes in aqueous chemistry indicating arrival of surface water, suggesting that much of the discharging sediment had an allochthonous origin. Concentrations of suspended sediment peaked 14‐16 h after rainfall, and the bulk of the sediment (approximately 1 metric ton in response to each storm) discharged within 24 h after rainfall. Filtered material included brightly colored fibers and organic matter. Suspended sediments consisted of dolomite, calcite, quartz, and clay. Proportions of each mineral constituent changed as the aquifer response to the storm progressed, indicating varying input from different sediment sources. The hydraulic response of the aquifer to precipitation was well described by changes in parameters obtained from the particle size distribution function, and corresponded to changes seen in TSS and mineralogy. Differences between storms in the quantity and mineralogy of sediment transported suggest that seasonal effects on surface sediment supply may be important. The quantity of sediment discharging and its potential to sorb and transport contaminants indicates that a mobile solid phase should be included in contaminant monitoring and contaminant transport models of karst. Temporal changes in sediment quantity and characteristics and differences between responses to the two storms, however, demonstrate that the process is not easily generalized. q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Phytoplankton cell size and the development of microenvironments

The effect of cell size on the development of extracellular microenvironments of pH produced by individual photosynthesizing phytoplankton cells was investigated. The presence of pH microenvironments was determined by detection of a chemical reaction known to occur in microenvironments of high pH produced by algal photosynthesis, specifically the extracellular oxidation of Mn(II) to MnOx. The dye leukoberbelin blue was used to detect the reaction. It was experimentally determined that individual algal cells larger than 20 μm (length and/or width) produced microenvironments, while smaller cells did not unless present as cell aggregates larger than 20 μm. A mathematical model is presented and discussed.
Measurement of solid-state optical refrigeration by two-band differential luminescence thermometry

We present a non-contact optical technique for the measurement of laser-induced temperature changes in solids. Two-band differential luminescence thermometry (TBDLT) achieves a sensitivity of 7 mK and enables a precise measurement of the net quantum efficiency of optical refrigerator materials. The TBDLT detects internal temperature changes by decoupling surface and bulk heating effects via time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. Several Yb 3+ -doped fluorozirconate (ZrF4‐BaF2‐LaF3‐AlF3‐NaF‐InF3, ZBLANI) glasses fabricated from precursors of varying purity and by different processes are analyzed in detail. A net quantum efficiency of 97.39±0.01% at 238 K (at a pump wavelength of 1020.5 nm) is found for a ZBLANI:1% Yb3+ lasercooling sample produced from metal fluoride precursors that were purified by chelate-assisted solvent extraction and dried in hydrofluoric gas. In comparison, a ZBLANI:1% Yb 3+ sample produced from commercialgrade metal fluoride precursors showed pronounced laser-induced heating that is indicative of a substantially higher impurity concentration. The TBDLT enables rapid and sensitive benchmarking of laser-cooling materials and provides critical feedback to the development and optimization of high-performance optical cryocooler materials. © 2010 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 160.5690, 300.2530, 300.6430.
Distortions of Asymptotic Confidence Size in Locally Misspecified Moment Inequality Models

This paper studies the behavior, under local misspecification, of several confidence sets (CSs) commonly used in the literature on inference in moment (in)equality models. We propose the amount of asymptotic confidence size distortion as a criterion to choose among competing inference methods. This criterion is then applied to compare across test statistics and critical values employed in the construction of CSs. We find two important results under weak assumptions. First, we show that CSs based on subsampling and generalized moment selection (Andrews and Soares (2010)) suffer from the same degree of asymptotic confidence size distortion, despite the fact that asymptotically the latter can lead to CSs with strictly smaller expected volume under correct model specification. Second, we show that the asymptotic confidence size of CSs based on the quasi-likelihood ratio test statistic can be an arbitrary small fraction of the asymptotic confidence size of CSs based on the modified method of moments test statistic.
TESTING A VICARIANCE MODEL TO EXPLAIN HAPLOTYPE DISTRIBUTION IN THE PSAMMOPHILIC SCORPION PARUROCTONUS UTAHENSIS

A model of vicariance speciation has been proposed to explain the proliferation of psammophilic (sand loving) species in several endemic genera of scorpions. The current distribution of Paruroctonus utahensis (Williams, 1968) populations on isolated sand dunes seems to fit this model; therefore, this species was examined to test the model for psammophilic population distribution and haplotype variation. A portion of the mitochondrial rDNA gene was sequenced from 44 individuals representing 7 populations of P. utahensis. Three individuals of Paruroctonus gracilior (Hoffmann, 1931) and 1 individual of Paruroctonus boquillas Sissom and Henson, 1998, were used for outgroup comparison. A maximum parsimony heuristic search indicated that the basal populations were in the south and derived populations occurred in the northeastern portion of the range. A nested clade analysis found a statistically significant correlation between haplotypes and their geographical distribution at several clade levels. The biological cause of this association was best explained by allopatric fragmentation. Our data supported the vicariance model of isolation by fragmentation of a larger habitat to explain the variation seen among populations of P. utahensis.
What can the GC compute efficiently?: a language for heap assertions at GC time

We present the DeAL language for heap assertions that are efficiently evaluated during garbage collection time. DeAL is a rich, declarative, logic-based language whose programs are guaranteed to be executable with good whole-heap locality, i.e., within a single traversal over every live object on the heap and a finite neighborhood around each object. As a result, evaluating DeAL programs incurs negligible cost: for simple assertion checking at each garbage collection, the end-to-end execution slowdown is below 2%. DeAL is integrated into Java as a VM extension and we demonstrate its efficiency and expressiveness with several applications and properties from the past literature.Compared to past systems for heap assertions, DeAL is distinguished by its very attractive expressiveness/efficiency tradeoff: it o ers a significantly richer class of assertions than what past systems could check with a single traversal. Conversely, past systems that can express the same (or more) complex assertions as DeAL do so only by su ering orders-of-magnitude higher costs.