cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A model for ethical practices in clinical phonetics and linguistics

The emergence of clinical phonetics and linguistics as an area of scientific inquiry gives rise to the need for guidelines that define ethical and responsible conduct. The diverse membership of the...
CENTRAL SCHEMES AND CONTACT DISCONTINUITIES

We introduce a family of new second-order Godunov-type central schemes for one-dimensio- nal systems of conservation laws. They are a less dissipative generalization of the central-upwind schemes, proposed in (A. Kurganov et al., submitted to SIAM J. Sci. Comput.), whose construction is based on the maximal one-sided local speeds of propagation. We also present a recipe, which helps to improve the resolution of contact waves. This is achieved by using the partial characteristic de- composition, suggested by Nessyahu and Tadmor (J. Comput. Phys. 87 (1990) 408{463), which is eciently applied in the context of the new schemes. The method is tested on the one-dimensional Euler equations, subject to dierent initial data, and the results are compared to the numerical solu- tions, computed by other second-order central schemes. The numerical experiments clearly illustrate the advantages of the proposed technique.
End effects in optical fibres.

The performance of highly multiplexed spectrographs is limited by focal ratio degradation (FRD) in the optical fibres. It has already been shown that this is caused mainly by processes concentrated around the mounting points at the ends of the fibres. We use the thickness of rings produced in the far-field when a fibre is illuminated by a collimated beam, to estimate the size of the region where the FRD is generated. This requires the development of a new model, using features of existing ray-tracing and wave-based models, which fits existing data very well. The results suggest that the amount of FRD is primarily determined by the length of fibre bonded into the supporting ferrule. We point out the implications for the production of future fibre systems.
Analysis of allergy alerts within a computerized prescriber-order-entry system

Purpose. Allergy alerts within a computerized prescriber-order-entry (CPOE) system were analyzed. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate inpatient CPOE orders that triggered an allergy alert for one month in November 2007. Data were extracted from a computer-generated report to identify the total number of prescription orders and the number of orders triggering an allergy alert during the study time frame. When overriding an allergy alert from the CPOE system, prescribers had to choose one of three rationales: the benefit outweighs the risk, the patient previously tolerated the medication, and the medication is therapeutically appropriate. Data collected included the number of allergy alerts, allergy alert overrides, override rationale, and patients’ demographic information. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results. Results. Allergy alerts were triggered on 643 (1.3%) of the 49,887 total orders entered during the month (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–1.4%). Alerts were triggered on a total of 289 patients, with a mean of 2 orders triggering alerts per patient. The median age was 65 years old. The median hospital stay for patients with an order triggering an alert was three days. Overall, 625 of 643 alerts (97%) were overridden for rationales as following: the patient previously tolerated the medication (49%), the benefit outweighed the risk (29%), and the medication was therapeutically appropriate (24%), and a free text explanation (8%). Conclusion. While a small portion of prescription orders generated through a CPOE system triggered an allergy alert, most of the allergy alerts were overridden by prescribers.
Why don't patients get better? The three 'nons'.

Dermatologists are quite efficient at diagnosing common skin diseases. We are also very aware of appropriate treatment options for patients with these conditions. So why don't patients always get b...
Cost Management: Is Vertical Integration the Answer?

Vertical integration is booming in many industries. Is it the answer to cost management problems? © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A characteristic based volume penalization method for general evolution problems applied to compressible viscous flows

In order to introduce solid obstacles into flows, several different methods are used, including volume penalization methods which prescribe appropriate boundary conditions by applying local forcing to the constitutive equations. One well known method is Brinkman penalization, which models solid obstacles as porous media. While it has been adapted for compressible, incompressible, viscous and inviscid flows, it is limited in the types of boundary conditions that it imposes, as are most volume penalization methods. Typically, approaches are limited to Dirichlet boundary conditions. In this paper, Brinkman penalization is extended for generalized Neumann and Robin boundary conditions by introducing hyperbolic penalization terms with characteristics pointing inward on solid obstacles. This Characteristic-Based Volume Penalization (CBVP) method is a comprehensive approach to conditions on immersed boundaries, providing for homogeneous and inhomogeneous Dirichlet, Neumann, and Robin boundary conditions on hyperbolic and parabolic equations. This CBVP method can be used to impose boundary conditions for both integrated and non-integrated variables in a systematic manner that parallels the prescription of exact boundary conditions. Furthermore, the method does not depend upon a physical model, as with porous media approach for Brinkman penalization, and is therefore flexible for various physical regimes and general evolutionary equations. Here, the method is applied to scalar diffusion and to direct numerical simulation of compressible, viscous flows. With the Navier-Stokes equations, both homogeneous and inhomogeneous Neumann boundary conditions are demonstrated through external flow around an adiabatic and heated cylinder. Theoretical and numerical examination shows that the error from penalized Neumann and Robin boundary conditions can be rigorously controlled through an a priori penalization parameter @h. The error on a transient boundary is found to converge as O(@h), which is more favorable than the error convergence of the already established Dirichlet boundary condition.
The effect of light color on egg quality of turkey hens in cages

Abstract The effect of light color on the egg quality of turkey breeder hens in individual cages during 20 weeks of egg laying was investigated. Hens were photostimulated at 32 weeks of age with blue, green, or red restricted wavelength light or incandescent light. The light intensity was equalized on the basis of the number of photons (3.0 × 1014 /sec/cm2) in each light treatment. Physical characteristics of turkey eggs were measured on daily egg collections during the 160 days after photostimulation. Egg weights from hens receiving red light were significantly (P
Return to play.

seminar presented at the Advanced Team Physician Course (ATPC) in 2002. The ATPC is a course designed for sports medicine physicians that covers topics in more detail and covers more controversial topics than many sports meetings. It is cosponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. Many of the contributors to this issue were participants in that symposium, and they were chosen to contribute here because of their expertise and experience with these issues. All of them are team physicians in some capacity or deal with athletes who are referred to their practices. The topic of return to play has always been pertinent for anyone who treats athletes or active individuals. Returning a patient to an active life is not only a core concept of sports medicine but has implications for health care professionals from almost every discipline. Margo Putukian, MD, suggested that the issue of return to play has an impact on patients of any age from 5 to 85 and can apply to ‘‘almost any medical condition’’ [1]. When do you let the 5-year-old with a forearm bone fracture return to gymnastics, a college athlete with manicdepressive illness return to stressful competition, and the octogenarian with a hernia repair return to long-distance running? As practitioners, particularly as sports medicine physicians, we are faced with making these decisions and making recommendations to patients on a daily basis. There are four facets of the discussion regarding decisions to return a participant to play. The first is the medical component, and it is the one that is perhaps the least well defined of all. Although we all prefer certainty in this life, complete
Label-free direct electronic detection of biomolecules with amorphous silicon nanostructures.

We present the fabrication and characterization of a nano-scale sensor made of amorphous silicon for the label-free, electronic detection of three classes of biologically important molecules: ions, oligonucleotides, and proteins. The sensor structure has an active element which is a 50 nm wide amorphous silicon semicircle and has a total footprint of less than 4 μm2. We demonstrate the functionalization of the sensor with receptor molecules and the electronic detection of three targets: H+ ions, short single-stranded DNAs, and streptavidin. The sensor is able to reliably distinguish single base-pair mismatches in 12 base long strands of DNA and monitor the introduction and identification of straptavidin in real-time. The versatile sensor structure can be readily functionalized with a wide range of receptor molecules and is suitable for integration with high-speed electronic circuits as a post-process on an integrated circuit chip.
Nausea and Vomiting: Underlying Mechanisms and Upcoming Treatments

Nausea and vomiting (emesis) occur under a variety of conditions in response to activation of one or more emetic triggers, such as abdominal visceral, cardiac and vestibular nerve afferents, the area postrema chemoreceptor trigger zone in the caudal brainstem, and higher brain centers. The act of vomiting is coordinated by neuronal circuitry located in the brainstem and extending from the nucleus of the solitary tract through the lateral tegmental field of the reticular formation to the ventrolateral medulla. The sensation of nausea is thought to involve the cerebral cortex. The motor act of vomiting is produced primarily by complicated changes in the activity of the respiratory muscles. There are also complex changes in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, which are mediated by the vagus nerve but are not essential for vomiting. The recently introduced serotonin type 3 receptor antagonists are very effective in combating nausea and vomiting induced by cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy. More broad based anti-emetic action has been achieved in animal models by using serotonin type 1A receptor agonists and neurokinin type 1 receptor antagonists. Stimulation of the P6 acupuncture point is reported to be effective against motion and pregnancy sickness, and postoperative and cancer chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying nausea and vomiting and more effective treatments are still required, especially in conditions such as pregnancy sickness, postoperative nausea and vomiting, the delayed phase of vomiting following cisplatin therapy, and cyclical vomiting.
Outcomes from pediatric solid organ injury: role of standardized care guidelines.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Recent advances in the delivery of trauma and critical care in children have resulted in improved outcome following major injuries. It is imperative that physicians who treat injured children familiarize themselves with current treatment algorithms for abdominal trauma. Important contributions have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of children with abdominal injury by radiologists and endoscopists. RECENT FINDINGS This report examines the impact of consensus guidelines in the treatment of blunt abdominal solid organ injuries. Consensus guidelines for treatment of children with isolated spleen and liver injury are reviewed demonstrating conformity of care and significant reduction of resource utilization without adverse sequelae. Review of large datasets indicate contrasting rates of splenectomy depending on the expertise of the institution, emphasizing the need for wide dissemination of guidelines. SUMMARY Clinical experience and published reports addressing specific concerns about the nonoperative treatment of children with solid organ injuries and recent radiologic and endoscopic contributions have made pediatric trauma care increasingly nonoperative. Although the trend is in this direction, the pediatric surgeon should remain the physician-of-record in the multidisciplinary care of critically injured children.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical interventions versus conservative therapy for venous ulcers.

Objective This goal of this study was to systematically review the literature to determine if surgical intervention (open or endovascular) is superior to compression alone with respect to ulcer healing, ulcer recurrence, and time to ulcer healing in patients with lower extremity venous ulcer disease. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative observational studies from 1990 to December 2013. The interventions of interest were any open or endovascular surgical interventions on the venous system in the lower extremity compared with compression alone. Results We included 11 studies (seven RCTs and four observational studies) with moderate to increased risk of bias. The meta-analysis of all studies demonstrated increased healing rate (pooled risk ratio [RR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.13; I 2 = 10%) and lower risk of recurrence (RR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.34-0.85; I 2 = 27%) with open surgical procedures compared with compression. However, the meta-analysis of only RCTs showed no difference, possibly due to imprecision. The meta-analysis of three RCTs showed no difference in time to ulcer healing, −0.41 (95% CI, −0.89 to 0.07). Two studies of endovascular surgical procedures compared with compression showed no significant difference in ulcer healing (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.43-6.32). One study of open surgical venous ligation and stripping compared with endovenous laser also showed no significant difference in ulcer recurrence (RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.21-3.27). Conclusions Open surgical interventions may improve lower extremity venous ulcer healing. The quality of this evidence is low because the analysis was dominated by the results of observational studies. The current evidence does not definitively support the superiority of endovascular surgical interventions compared with compression alone.
Localized cutaneous posttransplant Epstein-Barr virus–associated lymphoproliferative disorder

Localized cutaneous posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder is a rare complication of solid organ transplantation. Biopsies demonstrate diffuse dermal proliferations of atypical lymphocytes with variable Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein-1 expression. Extracutaneous involvement is absent.
On being a couple: A dialogal inquiry

An expanded conceptualization of the dialogal research methodology was used to gain a deeper understanding of the dyadic experience of Being a couple. Twenty-two committed couples from a variety of backgrounds were interviewed, responding to the question: “What does it mean to ‘Be’ a couple?” The interviews were videotaped, allowing the researchers to engage with both verbal and nonverbal interpersonal expression. The authors describe the dialogal process used, and identify and discuss three core themes expressed by the couples regarding the meaning of being a couple: commitment, morphogenesis, and transcending paradox through witness.
Role of Caspases and Mitochondria in the Steroid-Induced Programmed Cell Death of a Motoneuron during Metamorphosis

Abstract Accessory planta retractor (APR) motoneurons of the hawk moth, Manduca sexta, undergo a segment-specific pattern of programmed cell death (PCD) 24 to 48 h after pupal ecdysis (PE). Cell culture experiments show that the PCD of APRs in abdominal segment 6 [APR(6)s] is a cell-autonomous response to the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and involves mitochondrial demise and cell shrinkage. Twenty-four hours before PE, at stage W3-noon, APR(6)s require further 20E exposure and protein synthesis (as tested with cycloheximide) to undergo PCD, and death can be blocked by a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor. By PE, death is 20E- and protein synthesis-independent and the caspase inhibitor blocks cell shrinkage but not loss of mitochondrial function. Thus, the commitment to mitochondrial demise precedes the commitment to execution events. The phenotype of necrotic cell death induced by a mitochondrial electron transfer inhibitor differs unambiguously from 20E-induced PCD. By inducing PCD pharmacologically, the readiness of APR(6)s to execute PCD was found to increase during the final larval instar. These data suggest that the 20E-induced PCD of APR(6)s includes a premitochondrial phase which includes 20E-induced synthetic events and apical caspase activity, a mitochondrial phase which culminates in loss of mitochondrial function, and a postmitochondrial phase during which effector caspases are activated and APR(6) is destroyed.
Suicide attempts in bipolar I and bipolar II disorder: a review and meta-analysis of the evidence

Objective The prevalence of suicide attempts (SA) in bipolar II disorder (BPII), particularly in comparison to the prevalence in bipolar I disorder (BPI), is an understudied and controversial issue with mixed results. To date, there has been no comprehensive review of the published prevalence data for attempted suicide in BPII.
Schedule-induced polydipsia and neocortical lesions in the rat.

The effects of frontal, midcortical, or occipital lesions on water intake following 23-hr. water deprivation or under conditions of schedule-induced polydipsia within an operant response paradigm w...
Electrospun fibers from wheat protein: investigation of the interplay between molecular structure and the fluid dynamics of the electrospinning process.

In the present work, we demonstrate the ability to electrospin wheat gluten, a polydisperse plant protein polymer that is currently available at roughly $0.50/lb. A variety of electrospinning exper...
Female sex and higher drug dose as risk factors for late cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin therapy for childhood cancer.

Background Late cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin are increasingly a problem for patients who survive childhood cancer. Cardiotoxicity is often progressive, and some patients have disabling symptoms. Our objective was to identify risk factors for late cardiotoxicity. Methods We examined echocardiograms from 120 children and adults who had received cumulative doses of 244 to 550 mg of doxorubicin per square meter of body-surface area for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia or osteogenic sarcoma in childhood, a mean of 8.1 years earlier. Measurements of blood pressure and left ventricular function, contractility (measured as the stress–velocity index), end-diastolic posterior-wall thickness, end-diastolic dimension, mass, and afterload (measured as end-systolic wall stress) were compared with sex-specific values from a cohort of 296 normal subjects. Results All echocardiographic measurements were abnormal at follow-up a minimum of two years after the end of therapy, with more frequent and severe ...
EFFECTS OF THE ENCRUSTING BRYOZOAN, MEMBRANIPORA MEMBRANACEA, ON THE LOSS OF BLADES AND FRONDS BY THE GIANT KELP, MACROCYSTIS PYRIFERA (LAMINARIALES)1

Juvenile sporophytes of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. A. Agardh, were transplanted from local kelp beds to stations located various distances from the outfall from an electrical generating station that was known to cause an increase in the settlement of fouling organisms. Plants near the outfall became heavily fouled by the encrusting bryozoan, Membranipora membranacea (L.), and lost about one-third of their blades during the course of the experiment. Blade loss was significantly correlated with amount of fouling. To test the hypothesis that fouling causes blade loss, we paired fouled and unfouled plants of about the same age, overall length, and number of fronds and placed them at stations in nearby kelp beds and near the outfall. At the stations in the kelp beds, the fouled plants lost blades more rapidly than the unfouled controls. However, at the station near the outfall the “control” plants quickly became fouled so there was little difference in treatments and there was no significant difference in blade loss. Plants fouled by Membranipora suffered greater blade loss than clean plants probably because fouled blades are fragile and break off easily and because fish bite off chunks of blade while foraging on the attached bryozoans.
Fictive Bibliotherapy and Therapeutic Storytelling with Children Who Hurt.

This manuscript addresses the impact of traumatic events on children and the relevancy of treatment using books and stories with children in grief. It also addresses research, efficacy, and some li...
Control of Cardiac Output

Abstract Although cardiac output is measured as the flow of blood from the left ventricle into the aorta, the system that controls cardiac output includes many other components besides the heart itself. The heart’s rate of output cannot exceed the rate of venous return to it, and therefore, the factors governing venous return are primarily responsible for control of output from the heart. Venous return is affected by its pressure gradient and resistance to flow throughout the vascular system. The pressure gradient for venous return is a function of several factors including the blood volume flowing through the system, the unstressed vascular volume of the circulatory system, its capacitance, mean systemic pressure, and right atrial pressure. Resistance to venous return is the sum of total vascular resistance from the aortic valve to the right atrium. The sympathetic nervous system and vasoactive circulating hormones affect short-term resistance, whereas local tissue blood flow autoregulatory mechanisms ar...
Transcriptional mapping of ribosomal RNA genes of the chloroplast and nucleus of Chlamydomonas reinhardi.

Abstract DNA-dependent RNA polymerase was used as a measuring device for the mapping of genes within an operon. The chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes of Chlamydomonas reinhardi, located in chloroplast DNA, have been mapped using three methods of “transcriptional” mapping: (a) The introduction of more-or-less random blocks to RNA synthesis throughout the genes; (b) the inhibition of initiation of RNA synthesis and (c) the synchronous initiation of RNA synthesis on ribosomal RNA genes. Random blocks were created by treating the cells with various concentrations of actinomycin D; the inhibition of initiation was achieved by treatment with rifampicin; and the synchronous initiation of RNA synthesis was induced by using synchronously growing cultures. The data suggest that chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes are arranged in tandem in transcriptional units consisting of two or three pairs of 16 s and 23 s ribosomal RNA genes. The 16 s ribosomal RNA gene is located first in every pair in relation to the promoter. The results do not exclude the presence of independent ribosomal RNA genes with spacer regions between them and their promoter. The actinomycin D experiment with cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA's indicates the presence of two types of actinomycin binding sites in the ribosomal RNA genes of the nucleus.
Low power parallel spread-spectrum correlator

Direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) transmissions require a despreading stage within the standard receiver block to recover the spread spectrum signal. For long spread spectrum codes, the correlation block can be a large portion of the receiver size, hence a considerable portion of the power consumption. The authors look at two power reduction alternatives for a parallel spread spectrum correlator, by analysing the algorithm and designing a baseline correlator and by investigating how to streamline the arithmetic operations in one case, and optimising the sample storage in the other. The two correlator designs are compared with a mix of analytical techniques and simulation data to determine the optimal correlator alternative for the DSSS application. The final analysis shows that the register file based correlator can reduce the power by over 30% for bus widths greater then 6 by using a structure which maintains the multi-bit data samples in a static area and by rotating the single bit coefficients around the data with a circular shift register.
The Professional Architect

All complex systems grow from smaller systems that work in the first place; all complex systems will fail, in one way or another. Between the small and the large, between the perfect and the flawed, there is some person or persons who had a vision for the shape of things to come. We call such people "architects".
Bioavailability of Phytochemical Constituents From a Novel Soy Fortified Lycopene Rich Tomato Juice Developed for Targeted Cancer Prevention Trials

Studies suggest that tomato and soy foods may contribute to a lower risk of certain cancers. We developed a novel soy germ tomato juice to be used in controlled cancer prevention trials. This study describes an initial test of compliance, phytochemical bioavailability, and effects on biomarkers of blood lipids. Healthy men and women (n = 18) consumed a soy germ-fortified juice daily (300 mL supplying 66 mg isoflavones and 22 mg lycopene) for 8 wk. A single-dose bioavailability study was completed on day 1 and isoflavones in plasma and urine, and lycopene in the plasma, were measured. All subjects completed the trial, with 97.7% ± 3.5% (mean ± SD) of the scheduled juice consumed. No adverse effects were documented. The postprandial study indicated that 3.1% ± 2.3% of lycopene was absorbed and that 49.3% ± 12.1% isoflavones ingested were recovered in 24-h urines. Lycopene plasma concentration changed from 0.60 ± 0.22 to 1.24 ± 0.30 μmol/L during 8 wk of consumption. Juice consumption significantly improved resistance of LDL+VLDL-C to Cu(2+)-mediated oxidation (P = 0.039), HDL-C (47.3 ± 15.8 to 51.7 ± 14.8 mg/dL, P < 0.001), and the ratio of total-C/HDL-C (4.25 ± 1.59 to 3.63 ± 1.16, P < 0.001) at 8 wk. A well-characterized soy-fortified tomato juice can be produced in large scale for multiinstitutional long-term cancer prevention trials and showed excellent compliance with no toxicity, while demonstrating absorption of biologically active phytochemicals.
Pharmacokinetic determinants of hypnotic drug action: The art and science of controlling release

Abstract Pharmacokinetic properties of hypnotic drugs are important determinants of onset, intensity and duration of clinical action, as well as the occurrence of side effects (such as excessive night-time sedation or respiratory depression and residual next-day sedation). Based largely upon safety considerations, the pattern of hypnotic drug use has shifted away from long half-life compounds in favor of drugs with a short half-life. These include the benzodiazepine triazolam, and the nonbenzodiazepines zolpidem, zaleplan, and zopiclone. Zolpidem is the most widely prescribed of these. Zolpidem is rapidly absorbed (mean absorption half-life of 30 min), providing rapid onset of action and proven efficacy for sleep-onset latency, and is rapidly eliminated (mean half-life of 2.7 h), thereby reducing the likelihood of residual effects. Zolpidem therefore promotes sleep and sleep initiation but may not act for long enough to sustain sleep throughout the night. The attainment of an ideal profile, with a defined duration of action and an appropriate continuous-release profile, does not seem to be possible by simply adjusting the dosage or absorption rate of a single-release preparation. Modified-release preparations offer the possibility of customizing the plasma concentration curve over time. The modified-release formulation of zolpidem shows a more sustained effect compared with immediate-release zolpidem, providing both a rapid onset of action as well as maintained sedative effects over 3–6 h post-dose and few residual effects.
Attachment Behaviors in Autistic Children.

The social behaviors of 14 autistic children and 14 normal children of equivalent mental age were observed during a free-play situation as well as during separation from and reunion with their mothers and a stranger. As a group, the autistic children showed evidence of attachment to their mothers, directing more social behaviors and more physical contact to their caregivers than to the stranger during the reunion episodes. Within the autistic group, the children who showed an increase in attachment behaviors in response to separation and reunion demonstrated more advanced symbolic play skills than those autistic children who showed no change in attachment behaviors. One possible explanation may be that autistic children require more advanced levels of symbolic ability to form attachments to others than is necessary for the development of attachments in normal children.
Feature space transforms for curve detection

Abstract Hough-like transforms may be used to detect curves in digital pictures. Applications of this technique are surveyed. The essentially parallel character of transforms is discussed. Elements of theory are presented for performance prediction together with simulated results.
Past and present instrument use in pediatric adenotonsillectomy

Objective Examine changing trends/instrument usage for pediatric adenotonsillectomy. Study Design and Setting Survey of 300 members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology assessing instruments used in adenotonsillectomy currently and over the past 15 years. Results A total of 120 surveys were returned. The most common total tonsillectomy instruments for obstruction/infection were: monopolar electrocautery (ME) (53.1%/54.5%) and coblation (CT) (16.0%/16.1%). The most common subtotal tonsillectomy instrument for obstruction/infection was microdebrider (51.4%/30.8%). Over the past 15 years, ME predominated, cold utilization declined, and CT rose. The most common adenoidectomy instruments were ME (25.0%/25.0%), curette with touch-up ME (22.4%/22.4%), and microdebrider with touch-up ME (19.0%/14.7%). Over the past 15 years, curette with touch-up ME predominated early, curette utilization alone declined, and ME, microdebrider, and CT have risen. Conclusion Pediatric otolaryngologist technique/instrument use for adenotonsillectomy has changed over the past 15 years. This study may be limited by the low survey response rate.
Pdcd4 knockdown up-regulates MAP4K1 expression and activation of AP-1 dependent transcription through c-Myc

Programmed cell death 4 (Pdcd4) is a novel tumor suppressor, whose expression is frequently down-regulated in several types of cancers. In the present study, we demonstrated that Pdcd4 knockdown up-regulates MAP kinase kinase kinase kinase 1 (MAP4K1) expression and increases phosphorylation of c-Jun. Over-expression of c-Myc in HEK293 cells increases the levels of MAP4K1, MAP4K1 promoter activity, and phospho-c-Jun. Mutation analysis showed that the c-Myc binding site at -536bp (relative to the initiation ATG) of map4k1 promoter responds to c-Myc regulation. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that c-Myc directly binds to map4k1 promoter at this site. Down-regulation of c-Myc reverses MAP4K1 expression and AP-1 activation in Pdcd4 knockdown cells. Moreover, over-expression of dominant negative Tcf4 decreases expression of c-Myc and MAP4K1, JNK activation, and AP-1 dependent transcription. Thus, activation of β-catenin/Tcf dependent transcription in Pdcd4 knockdown cells up-regulates MAP4K1 expression and AP-1 activity via c-Myc. The study presented here further reveals in detail the mechanism of how Pdcd4 inhibits tumor cell invasion and provides a functional connection between β-catenin/Tcf and AP-1 dependent transcription.
The effect of renal impairment and haemodialysis on single dose pharmacokinetics of oral enoxacin

The effect of renal impairment on the single dose pharmacokinetics of oral enoxacin was studied in 28 volunteers with creatinine clearances ranging from less than 15 to 120 ml/min, including patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis. Following an overnight fast, 400 mg of enoxacin was administered orally to each subject. Blood and urine samples were collected at predetermined times for 48 and 72 h, respectively. Plasma and urine samples were assayed for enoxacin and for oxo metabolite concentrations by a specific high performance liquid chromatographic method. Area under the concentration-time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC0-infinity) was increased in subjects with renal impairment. Plasma half-life (10.6-11.6 h) in volunteers with severe renal impairment was approximately double the 5.2 h half-life found in subjects with normal renal function, and this should result in steady-state enoxacin concentrations approximately double those measured in normal subjects given equivalent doses. Haemodialysis did not remove significant amounts of enoxacin. A significant correlation between creatinine clearance and enoxacin renal clearance was observed (r = 0.97).
Influence of Water-to-Rice Ratio on Cooked Rice Flavor and Texture

ABSTRACT Water-to-rice ratio is known to affect cooked rice texture, whereas the effects on flavor are largely unknown. To determine the influence of the amount of water during cooking on flavor and texture attributes, three water-to-rice ratios of low (less than recommended), recommended, and high (more than recommended) were evaluated. The recommended amount used was based on amylose content and cook type for the cultivar. Four diverse cultivars were compared: Dellmont (aromatic long-grain), Saber (conventional long-grain), Neches (waxy long-grain), and Bengal (conventional medium-grain). A descriptive sensory panel evaluated flavor and texture attribute intensities. The water-to-rice ratio did not significantly affect flavor attributes across all cultivars. The amount of water affected 11 of the 14 texture attributes evaluated. Of these 11, initial starchy coating, slickness, stickiness between grains, cohesiveness, and uniformity of bite increased in intensity with greater amounts of water at cooking,...
Wavelength dependence of the nonresonant photoionization cross section of a two-electron atom near the ionization threshold.

We present the theoretical near-threshold photoionization cross sections of He atoms from bound excited states, using a {ital B}-spline-based configuration-interaction method. Our study has shown that in the absence of a strongly energy-dependent feature such as a doubly excited resonance, the photoionization cross sections in the immediate vicinity of the ionization threshold depend {ital linearly} on the wavelengths of the incident light. Qualitatively, following the quantum-defect theory, this linear dependence can be linked directly to the expected nearly energy-independent scattering phase shift corresponding to the wave function of the ionized electron at near-zero photoelectron energy.
Efficient simulation of rayleigh fading with enhanced de-correlation properties

New sum-of-sinusoids simulation models are proposed for Rayleigh fading channels and compared with existing simulation models. First, an ergodic statistical ("deterministic") model is proposed that, compared to existing models, yields a significantly lower cross-correlation between different complex envelopes and between the quadrature components of each complex envelope. However, the auto-correlation functions of the quadrature components still do not match the theoretical functions. To overcome this disadvantage, we also propose a new statistical simulator that converges faster than existing statistical models, and has lower cross-correlations between different complex envelopes and between the quadrature components of each complex envelope. This new statistical model yields adequate statistics with only 30 simulation runs
Affine arithmetic based estimation of cue distributions in deformable model tracking

In this paper we describe a statistical method for the integration of an unlimited number of cues within a deformable model framework. We treat each cue as a random variable, each of which is the sum of a large number of local contributions with unknown probability distribution functions. Under the assumption that these distributions are independent, the overall distributions of the generalized cue forces can be approximated with multidimensional Gaussians, as per the central limit theorem. Estimating the covariance matrix of these Gaussian distributions, however, is difficult, because the probability distributions of the local contributions are unknown. We use affine arithmetic as a novel approach toward overcoming these difficulties. It lets us track and integrate the support of bounded distributions without having to know their actual probability distributions, and without having to make assumptions about their properties. We present a method for converting the resulting affine forms into the estimated Gaussian distributions of the generalized cue forces. This method scales well with the number of cues. We apply a Kalman filter as a maximum likelihood estimator to merge all Gaussian estimates of the cues into a single best fit Gaussian. Its mean is the deterministic result of the algorithm, and its covariance matrix provides a measure of the confidence in the result. We demonstrate in experiments how to apply this framework to improve the results of a face tracking system.
Empowered Managers and Empowered Workers: The Effects of Managerial Support and Managerial Perceived Control on Workers' Sense of Control over Decision Making

In this study, we sought to identify conditions under which workers could experience empowered managers as empowering. Within an organizational context, we defined empowerment as the belief that one has control over decision making. Specifically, we proposed that when workers believe that their managers both have a high level of control over decision making and are supportive, workers will report that they themselves are empowered. We reasoned that managers who exercise power in a supportive manner will be an empowering force for their workers. In support of these hypotheses, we found that it is possible for both workers and supportive managers to enjoy relatively high levels of perceived control over organizational decisions.
Formation of Hyaluronan- and Versican-Rich Pericellular Matrix Is Required for Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

The accumulation of hyaluronan (HA) and the HA-binding proteoglycan versican around smooth muscle cells in lesions of atherosclerosis suggests that together these molecules play an important role in the events of atherogenesis. In this study we have examined the formation of HA- and versican-rich pericellular matrices by human aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro, using a particle-exclusion assay, and the role of the pericellular matrix in cell proliferation and migration. The structural dependence of the pericellular matrix on HA can be demonstrated by the complete removal of the matrix with Streptomyces hyaluronidase. The presence of versican in the pericellular matrix was confirmed immunocytochemically. By electron microscopy, the cell coat was seen as a tangled network of hyaluronidase-sensitive filaments decorated with ruthenium red-positive proteoglycan granules. Ninety percent of migrating cells in wounded cultures, and virtually all mitotic cells, displayed abundant HA- and versican-rich coats. Time-lapse video imaging revealed that HA- and versican-rich pericellular matrix formation is dynamic and rapid, and coordinated specifically with cell detachment and mitotic cell rounding. HA oligosaccharides, which inhibit the binding of HA to the cell surface and prevent pericellular matrix formation, significantly reduced proliferation and migration in response to platelet-derived growth factor, whereas larger HA fragments and high molecular weight HA had no effect. Treatment with HA oligosaccharides also led to changes in cell shape from a typical fusiform morphology to a more spread and flattened appearance. These data suggest that organization of HA- and versican-rich pericellular matrices may facilitate migration and mitosis by diminishing cell surface adhesivity and affecting cell shape through steric exclusion and the viscous properties of HA proteoglycan gels.
Nozzle Dimension Effects on the Expansion of Extrusion Cooked Corn Starch

Normal corn starch was extruded through nozzles with different length to diameter ratios (L/D). The expansion ratio of the extrusion-cooked starch increased from 4.5 to 13.0 as the extruder nozzle L/D increased from 2.5 to 3.4 and then decreased gradually to 8.5 as the nozzle L/D was increased to 10.3. The back-pressure in the extruder barrel was directly proportional to the nozzle LKI ratios, with the optimum expansion at approximately 7 MPa.
Porous Cathodes for Implantable Hybrid Cells

The in vivo power output of implantable power sources using porous platinum- or palladium-black cathodes is approximately four to five times greater than ones using commercially available cathodes of platinum black dispersed in Teflon. Porous electrodes produce a much lower foreign-body reaction than electrodes with plastic binders. Comparison of BET surface-area measurements for the powders and compacted electrodes illustrate that there is an approximate 20-percent decrease in surface area following compaction. The particle size, distribution, and shape of the powders were studied with the aid of scanning electromicrographs. In vitro galvanostatic measurements were made on the implantable power sources to study the electrochemical activity before implantation.
Comparative studies on holotrichous ciliates in the Colpidium-Glaucoma-Leucophrys-Tetrahymena group. II. Morphology, life cycles and systematic status of strains in pure culture.

In the last 30 years, at various laboratories in the United States, France and England, many strains of small holotrichous ciliates have been established in axenic culture for use in a widening variety of investigations of a physiological or biochemical nature. Since few of these organisms have been adequately described or properly identified by the workers employing them, thus making difficult meaningful comparison of the various experimental results reported, the need for morphological and taxonomical study has become increasingly apparent. At least twenty-nine such axenic strains of ciliates, considered members of a ‘Colpidium-Glaucoma-Leucophrys-Tetrahymena group’ because it has been principally to these four genera that the protozoa have been assigned in the past, are still in existence and twenty-six of them were collected for use in the present investigation. For accurate identification of such relatively undifferentiated ciliates the use of silver nitrate impregnation techniques, the value of which was recognized some years ago by Klein (1926) and stressed by Furgason (1940), is re-emphasized as being nearly indispensable. Details of buccal organelles and differentiated pellicular structures in other parts of the body are revealed precisely and with constancy.
Optimizing Histogram Queries under Differential Privacy

Differential privacy is a robust privacy standard that has been successfully applied to a range of data analysis tasks. Despite much recent work, optimal strategies for answering a collection of correlated queries are not known. We study the problem of devising a set of strategy queries, to be submitted and answered privately, that will support the answers to a given workload of queries. We propose a general framework in which query strategies are formed from linear combinations of counting queries, and we describe an optimal method for deriving new query answers from the answers to the strategy queries. Using this framework we characterize the error of strategies geometrically, and we propose solutions to the problem of finding optimal strategies.
Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of hydroxycinnamoylated methyl α-l-arabinofuranosyl-(1 → 2)- and (1 → 3)-β-d-xylopyranosides

A reaction sequence for the preparation of methyl 5-O-feruloyl-alpha-L- arabinofuranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranoside, the companion 5-O-p-coumaroyl disaccharide, and their (1-->2) analogs has been developed. The (1-->3) hydroxycinnamoylated disaccharides are available in 11 steps from L-arabinose and methyl beta-D-xylopyranoside in 17% overall yield (based on methyl beta-D-xylopyranoside). The corresponding (1-->2) materials were prepared in 9 steps in > 37% overall yield. Complete spectral characterization provides unambiguous assignments for comparison with analogous materials isolated from plant cell-walls. Conformational aspects of the prepared materials are discussed in relation to coupling-constant information.
Is plea bargaining a rational choice? Plea bargaining as an engine of racial stratification and overcrowding in the United States prison system:

The United States incarcerates 1% of American adults. Incarceration rates have increased steadily since 1970 even while criminal activity has dropped. Additionally, while crime rates are relatively equal across races, the rate of incarceration for blacks has risen faster than for whites. This paper argues that plea bargaining, which accounts for 95% of criminal dispositions, is a major causal factor of high prison populations and high levels of racial stratification in prisons. This paper hypothesizes that by placing defendants in a multi-player Prisoner’s Dilemma, and by reducing transaction costs, plea bargaining allows prosecutors to act on a political will to incarcerate large numbers of people. Additionally, it hypothesizes that since black defendants are likely to have less faith in the criminal justice system than white defendants, this places them in a worse bargaining position, leading to systematically worse bargains. These differential bargains aggregate into a stratified prison population.
Correlation among corpus allatum volume, cell size, and juvenile hormone biosynthesis in ovariectomized adult Blattella germanica

The corpora allata (CA) of both intact and ovariectomized Blattella germanica adult females exhibited a high degree of bilateral symmetry in the rate of juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis, the mean size of CA cells, and gland volume (81.3%, 98.3%, and 100% respectively with less than a twofold difference between the two glands in CA pairs). This permitted us to split each CA pair randomly, measure JH biosynthesis in one gland, and dissociate the other gland into a cell suspension in which the size of CA cells was measured. In ovariectomized females, changes in CA volume and the spontaneous and farnesoic acid (FA)-stimulated rates of JH biosynthesis, measured from the same glands, were well correlated (r = 0.78, for both correlations). Similarly, the mean volume of CA cells in one gland increased in relation to increases in both the spontaneous and FA-stimulated rates of JH biosynthesis by the contralateral member of the pair (r = 0.83 and r = 0.91, respectively). Concurrent changes in CA cell size and activity suggest that in the CA of B. germanica cellular growth and degradation are involved in the regulation of JH biosynthesis.