cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Silent aspiration: Who is at risk?

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of silent aspiration in pediatric patients and identify which diagnoses may be associated with this finding. METHODS An institutional review board-approved retrospective review was conducted for all patients under the age of 18 who underwent modified barium swallow (MBS) studies at a tertiary children's hospital in 2015. Speech-language pathologists reviewed MBS studies to identify aspiration/silent aspiration on each fluid consistency tested. Charts were reviewed to collect demographic information and the otolaryngologic, neurologic, genetic, and syndromic diagnoses of each patient. RESULTS Among 1,286 patients who underwent MBS, 440 (34%) demonstrated aspiration. Within the aspiration group, 393 (89%) specifically demonstrated silent aspiration. Thin fluids were silently aspirated in 81% of these patients. Of children aged <6 months, 41% were found to aspirate and, of those, 95% silently aspirated. Median age at which patients demonstrated silent aspiration was 1.1 years. Silent aspiration was documented in 41% of patients with laryngeal cleft, 41% of patients with laryngomalacia, and 54% of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Laryngeal cleft, laryngomalacia, unilateral vocal fold paralysis, developmental delay, epilepsy/seizures, syndrome, and congenital heart disease were all associated with silent aspiration. CONCLUSION Silent aspiration may be associated with a number of underlying conditions and is more common than previously described. Caregivers and clinicians should be aware that the absence of cough does not eliminate the possibility of aspiration. Modified barium swallow studies can reveal silent aspiration, which is difficult to detect on clinical feeding evaluation. Modified barium swallow findings can guide feeding therapy and the overall management of aspiration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4. Laryngoscope, 1952-1957, 2018.
Franklian Psychology as a Theory of Motivation

This chapter uses the Part I Case Studies to explore Frankl’s existential psychology as a theory of motivation. Scholars with unusually personal connections to their work tend to be very passionate researchers. The ancient concept of the “wounded healer” and the etymological origins of the word “passion” to mean suffering are put forward as possible explanations for this enthusiasm. This chapter encourages readers to consider what makes their own scholarship meaningful, and offers suggestions for using personal uniqueness, responsibility, and Frankl’s formulation of creative, experiential, and attitudinal values to make it more meaningful. The search for happiness, success, and power in the academy is also discussed from a Franklian perspective. The chapter ends with a bulleted review and a list of existential questions for readers.
Impact of the Implementation of an Extended Stroke Code Window on Stroke Code Volume and Yield (P6.253)

Objective: To assess stroke code volume and yield with the implementation of a 24-hour acute stroke code window (ASCW). Background: Interim analysis of the DAWN and DEFUSE 3 trials suggests extended time windows of 16 to 24 hours may benefit select patients with confirmed large vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation. Recently, the Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH) emergency department (ED) extended its ASCW from 12 to 24 hours. Design/Methods: We reviewed metrics for all acute stroke (AS) non-contrast CT head scans performed on patients presenting to the ED. We compared last known well (LKW) to arrival time, door to CT time, ancillary imaging, and intervention status one month prior to (baseline cohort) and following (intervention cohort) implementation of the 24-hour ACSW. Results: Baseline cohort: 23 AS CT scans were performed. Median NIHSS was 2. 5 (22%) presented after 12 hours. Median LKW to arrival was 165 minutes, and median door to CT was 21 minutes. 17 (74%) received CT angiogram (CTA) and 2 (1%) received CT perfusion (CTP). None were treated with intravenous alteplase (IV tPA). 1 underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) with a LKW to arrival of 819 minutes. Intervention cohort: 22 AS CT scans were performed. Median NIHSS was 3. 4 (18%) presented after 12 hours. Median LKW to arrival was 204 minutes, and median door to CT was 24 minutes. 17 (77%) received CTA and 1 (0.5%) received CTP. 2 (1%) were treated with IV tPA. 1 underwent MT with a LKW to arrival of 36 minutes. Conclusions: The number of AS CT scans performed with a 24-hour ACSW remained stable. Even before a 24-hour window, AS CT scans were ordered for patients with LKW>12, and one patient received MT after presenting >13 hours from LKW. Disclosure: Dr. Velickovic Ostojic has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wheelwright has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stein has nothing to disclose. Dr. Persaud has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tuhrim has nothing to disclose.
Eosinophilic Cystitis: A Study of 16 Cases

The authors describe 16 examples of eosinophilic cystitis. Cases were predominately in older men, and usually were associated with other conditions of the bladder or prostate. In contrast, most of the 21 cases reported in the English language were in women and children who had a low incidence of associated bladder conditions, but often had allergic disorders and eosinophilia. It appears that either bladder injury or allergy predisposes to eosinophilic cystitis. The bladder-injury type probably occurs fairly commonly and can be misdiagnosed both clinically and pathologically. In most of the present series, the clinical diagnosis was carcinoma of the bladder, and some biopsy specimens superficially resembled specimens from cases of nonspecific chronic inflammation. There was muscle necrosis in most examples, and significant replacement fibrosis of muscle in all the latter sometimes masquerading as mucosal fibrosis. Giemsa stain for eosinophils and trichrome stain for muscle fibrosis are helpful diagnostic aids. Also, eosinophilic cystitis appears related to allergic cystitis and interstitial cystitis.
Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Surgical Treatment of Epilepsy

Epilepsy is the only chronic neurodegenerative disorder that can be cured with surgery. Epilepsy surgery consists of both curative and palliative procedures. Curative surgeries are based on the removal of a focal area of the brain from which the epilepsy arises. Often, this region can be visualized on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) but is not apparent macroscopically in the operating room. Stereotactic navigation in the operating room that is based on a preoperative acquired dataset does not account for intraoperative “brain shift” because of gravity, loss of cerebrospinal fluid, and retraction. The ability to perform intraoperative MRI can be a useful adjunct for intraoperative neuronavigation in these situations to assure complete removal of the lesion. Surgeries such as amygdalohippocampectomy, functional hemispherectomy, and corpus callosotomy require a complete removal or disconnection of an anatomic structure in the brain. Intraoperative judgment, although often adequate, can sometimes be inaccurate in assuring that all operative goals are met. The ability to perform intraoperative MRI scans combined with neuronavigation may be helpful in confirming, or directing, the surgeon’s impressions of various anatomic margins. Whether the implementation of intraoperative MRI is cost effective or significantly alters patient outcome is unknown.
Stochastic Models of Population and Phase Relaxation

The time constants T 1 and T 2 were introduced many years ago to describe relaxation in nuclear magnetic resonance.1,2 To be explicit, let us consider a collection of spin 1/2 particles in a static magnetic field in the z: direction. Each of the spins can of course be found in either of two quantum states, up or down. In thermal equilibrium, this produces a nonzero z-component of the magnetization. If the system is prepared in a nonequilibrium state, the longitudinal (z) and transverse (x or y) magnetizations relax in time to the appropriate equilibrium values. In the simple phenomenological model of Bloch, these longitudinal and transverse components decay exponentially with time constants T 1 and T 2 respectively. Focusing instead on the 2 × 2 density matrix for the two spin states, T 1 and T 2 also describe the exponential decay to equilibrium of the diagonal and off-diagonal elements respectively. For that reason T 1 and T 2 are called the population and phase relaxation times, respectively.
Velcro-mimicking surface based on polymer loop brushes

We herein report the fabrication of a Velcro-mimicking surface based on polymer brushes. Using poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) as the model polymer, polymer loop brushes (PLBs) and singly tethered polymer brushes (STPBs) with nearly identical tethering point density and brush heights were synthesized using a polymer single crystal (PSC)-assisted grafting-to method. Atomic force microscopy-based single molecular force spectroscopy (AFM-SMFS) and macroscale lap-shear experiments both demonstrated that the PLBs led to strong adhesion that is up to ∼10 times greater than the STPBs, which is attributed to the enriched chain entanglement between the probing polymer and the brushes. We envisage that our results will pave the way towards a new materials design for strong adhesives and nanocomposites.
The impact of radicals in cold atmospheric plasma on the structural modification of gap junction: a reactive molecular dynamics study

ABSTRACTCold atmospheric plasmas are currently gaining increasing attention for cancer therapy. However, very limited studies regarding the interaction mechanisms between plasma species and tissues are available. We report the interaction of plasma produced species ( ∗OH and HO2∗) with gap junction by employing reactive molecular dynamics simulations. Our results indicate ∗OH and HO2∗ radicals can chemically react with N-terminal of gap junction resulting in its structural damage. There are two breaking mechanisms being identified: C-N peptide bonds and C-C bonds can be damaged by ∗OH and HO2∗ radicals, respectively. Our findings could be particularly important for understanding the plasma-generated reactive species triggering bystander effect based on gap junction intercellular communication.
Malassezia Is Associated with Crohn's Disease and Exacerbates Colitis in Mouse Models.

Summary Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by alterations in the intestinal microbiota and altered immune responses to gut microbiota. Evidence is accumulating that IBD is influenced by not only commensal bacteria but also commensal fungi. We characterized fungi directly associated with the intestinal mucosa in healthy people and Crohn’s disease patients and identified fungi specifically abundant in patients. One of these, the common skin resident fungus Malassezia restricta, is also linked to the presence of an IBD-associated polymorphism in the gene for CARD9, a signaling adaptor important for anti-fungal defense. M. restricta elicits innate inflammatory responses largely through CARD9 and is recognized by Crohn’s disease patient anti-fungal antibodies. This yeast elicits strong inflammatory cytokine production from innate cells harboring the IBD-linked polymorphism in CARD9 and exacerbates colitis via CARD9 in mouse models of disease. Collectively, these results suggest that targeting specific commensal fungi may be a therapeutic strategy for IBD.
Creative Insight: The Social Dimension of a Solitary Moment

In this chapter we will present a different perspective, by expanding out from this moment in time and embedding it within the other relevant stages of the creative process. When we look at the complete “life span” of a creative insight in our subjects’ experience, the moment of insight appears as but one short flash in a complex, time-consuming, fundamentally social process. It is true that the individuals we interviewed generally report their insights as occurring in solitary moments: during a walk, while taking a shower, or while lying in bed just after waking.
Network Environment and Response to Uncertainty

Early in Chapter 1 we argued that organizational networks develop in social environments or communities, and network forms reflect the characteristics of these environments. In other words, the ecology into which the diffusion process is introduced influences how the need for the innovation is defined, the form the innovation must take if it is to be accepted, the type of channel through which it is diffused, and how the innovation is introduced through these channels.
Autoimmune Overlap Syndromes

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are autoimmune diseases of the liver. AIH has two major variants in which the features of classic AIH can coexist with either PBC, (formerly known as primary biliary cirrhosis) and PSC. AIH-PBC overlap syndrome (OS) occurs far more commonly than AIH-PSC OS. The recognition of these overlap syndromes mainly comes into significance because of lack of response to conventional corticosteroid therapy for AIH. Careful use of clinical and histologic criteria may be necessary for diagnosis. The overlap syndromes can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure if not recognized and adequately treated. Standard guidelines for treatment of these overlap syndromes are lacking, and is considered empiric and extrapolated from data derived from the primary autoimmune liver diseases.
Association between apgar score at 5 minutes and adverse outcomes among Low-Risk pregnancies.

Objective: Among low-risk pregnancies, we aimed to ascertain the association between 5-minute Apgar score and adverse outcomes of newborn-maternal dyad.Study design: We conducted a retrospective co...
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the Middle East and North Africa: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysis

To support the global strategy to reduce risk factors for obesity, we synthesized the evidence on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our systematic overview included seven systematic reviews reporting 229 primary studies. The meta-analysis included 125 prevalence measures from 20 MENA countries. After 2000, 50.8% of adults (ranging from 13.2% in Sudan to 94.9% in Jordan) and 25.6% of youth (ranging from 8.3% in Egypt to 51.0% in Lebanon) were sufficiently active. Limited data on PA behaviours is available for MENA countries, with the exception of Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The meta-regression identified gender and geographical coverage among youth, and the PA measurement as predictors of PA prevalence for both adults and youth. Our analysis suggests a significant PA prevalence increase among adults over the last two decades. The inconsistency in sedentary behaviour measurement is related to the absence of standardized guidelines for its quantification and interpretation. The global epidemic of insufficient PA is prevalent in MENA. Lower PA participation among youth and specifically females should be addressed by focused lifestyle interventions. The recognition of sedentary behaviour as a public health issue in the region remains unclear. Additional data on PA behaviours is needed from low- and middle-income countries in the region.
Combination product of dermal matrix, human mesenchymal stem cells, and timolol promotes diabetic wound healing in mice.

Diabetic foot ulcers are a major health care concern with limited effective therapies. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies are promising treatment options due to their beneficial effects of immunomodulation, angiogenesis, and other paracrine effects. We investigated whether a bioengineered scaffold device containing hypoxia-preconditioned, allogeneic human MSCs combined with the beta-adrenergic antagonist timolol could improve impaired wound healing in diabetic mice. Different iterations were tested to optimize the primary wound outcome, which was percent of wound epithelialization. MSC preconditioned in 1 μM timolol at 1% oxygen (hypoxia) seeded at a density of 2.5 × 105 cells/cm2 on Integra Matrix Wound Scaffold (MSC/T/H/S) applied to wounds and combined with daily topical timolol applications at 2.9 mM resulted in optimal wound epithelialization 65.6% (24.9% ± 13.0% with MSC/T/H/S vs 41.2% ± 20.1%, in control). Systemic absorption of timolol was below the HPLC limit of quantification, suggesting that with the 7-day treatment, accumulative steady-state timolol concentration is minimal. In the early inflammation stage of healing, the MSC/T/H/S treatment increased CCL2 expression, lowered the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1B and IL6 levels, decreased neutrophils by 44.8%, and shifted the macrophage ratio of M2/M1 to 1.9 in the wound, demonstrating an anti-inflammatory benefit. Importantly, expression of the endothelial marker CD31 was increased by 2.5-fold with this treatment. Overall, the combination device successfully improved wound healing and reduced the wound inflammatory response in the diabetic mouse model, suggesting that it could be translated to a therapy for patients with diabetic chronic wounds.
The elastic and inelastic scattering of 30.5 MeV protons by24Mg

Abstract Measurements of the differential cross sections for the elastic scattering of 30.5 MeV protons by 24 Mg and for the inelastic scattering to the 1.37, sum of 4.12 and 4.23, 5.22 and 6.0 MeV states are reported. Optical model fits to the elastic data, a distorted wave calculation for the first excited state, and coupled channel calculations are also presented.
Kinematic and Thermodynamic Limits on the Enhanced Diffusion of Enzymes

A number of enzymes reportedly exhibit enhanced diffusion in the presence of their substrates, with a Michaelis-Menten-like concentration dependence. Although no definite explanation of this phenomenon has emerged, a physical picture of enzyme self-propulsion using energy from the catalyzed reaction has been widely considered. Here, we present a kinematic and thermodynamic analysis of enzyme self-propulsion that is independent of any specific propulsion mechanism. Using this theory, along with biophysical data compiled for all enzymes so far shown to undergo enhanced diffusion, we show that the propulsion speed required to generate experimental levels of enhanced diffusion exceeds the speeds of well-known active biomolecules, such as myosin, by several orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the minimum power dissipation required to account for enzyme self-propulsion markedly exceeds the chemical power available from enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Alternative explanations for the observation of enhanced enzyme diffusion merit strong consideration.
Enhancement and mechanisms of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cell adhesion to albumin through calcium exposure

Serum albumin is the most prominent protein in blood, and it aids in bone fracture healing, though the manner through which enhanced healing occurs is not well understood. This study investigates the influence of calcium on the bioactivity of albumin due to the prevalence of calcium at bone injury sites. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was exposed to varying concentrations of calcium, adsorbed to tissue culture polystyrene, and the subsequent BSA-coated surfaces were evaluated with calcium titration, and cell adhesion, viability, and binding inhibition studies. Calcium-modified BSA improved overall MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cell adhesion, although high calcium concentrations induced cell death. Inhibiting specific integrins revealed that without calcium exposure, cell binding to BSA was primarily mediated by integrins that typically bind to the GFOGER sequence of collagen. As calcium exposure increases, the primary binding interaction transitioned to integrins known to bind RGD. However, cell binding to calcium-modified BSA was not completely eliminated during the inhibition studies indicating additional unidentified binding interactions occur. Overall, these results suggest that the exposure to calcium induces conformational changes that affect the cell-binding bioactivity of BSA, which may explain the beneficial impact of albumin in bone tissue.
Counting colorings of triangle-free graphs.

By a theorem of Johansson, every triangle-free graph $G$ of maximum degree $\Delta$ has chromatic number at most $(C+o(1))\Delta/\log \Delta$ for some universal constant $C > 0$. Using the entropy compression method, Molloy proved that one can in fact take $C = 1$. Here we show that for every $q \geq (1 + o(1))\Delta/\log \Delta$, the number $c(G,q)$ of proper $q$-colorings of $G$ satisfies $c(G, q) \,\geq\, \left(1 - \frac{1}{q}\right)^m ((1-o(1))q)^n$, where $n = |V(G)|$ and $m = |E(G)|$. Except for the $o(1)$ term, this lower bound is best possible as witnessed by random $\Delta$-regular graphs. When $q = (1 + o(1)) \Delta/\log \Delta$, our result yields the inequality $c(G,q) \,\geq\, \exp\left((1 - o(1)) \frac{\log \Delta}{2} n\right)$, which implies the optimal lower bound on the number of independent sets in $G$ due to Davies, Jenssen, Perkins, and Roberts. An important ingredient in our proof is the counting method that was recently developed by Rosenfeld. As a byproduct, we obtain an alternative proof of Molloy's bound $\chi(G) \leq (1 + o(1))\Delta/\log \Delta$ using Rosenfeld's method in place of entropy compression.
Computer-based guidance to support students’ revision of their science explanations

Abstract As they encounter new ideas, students need to make integrated revisions to their science explanations, a key aspect of science learning. This involves filling gaps, resolving inconsistencies with evidence, and strengthening connections among ideas. Rather than making integrated revisions, even after automated, adaptive guidance, students typically add disconnected ideas or fix mechanical errors. The knowledge integration framework, supported by new technologies including natural language processing, guided the design of the Annotator, a tool that models the revision process for students’ written explanations. This research investigates the added value of the Annotator compared to automated, adaptive guidance to support students to make integrated revisions to their science explanations and to strengthen knowledge integration. 798 6th and 7th-grade students from 4 schools participated in a study featuring pretests, posttests, embedded student explanations, student interviews and observations. Students using the Annotator who initially displayed unintegrated ideas were more likely to make integrated revisions to their explanations, than students receiving automated, adaptive guidance. These students also made greater knowledge integration revisions on the posttest one week later. Thus, modeling revision with the Annotator strengthened the ability of students who started with unintegrated ideas to explain scientific phenomena.
Variational estimates of the energies for the potential x2 + λx2(1 + gx2)

The Rayleigh-Ritz variational method is used to obtain very accurate bounds for the lowest even and odd parity energy levels of the rational potential V = x2 + λx2(1 + gx2). Tables for the energies are presented for λ = ±0.1, ±1, ±10, ±100 and g = 0.1, 1, 10. Using a modified scaled harmonic oscillator basis, upper and lower bounds have been calculated that agree to thirty significant places. This paper represents the first time that accurate upper and lower bounds have been obtained for this model.
Daily pain that was excruciating at some time in the previous week: prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes in nursing home residents.

Objectives: To examine the prevalence, correlates, and consequences of nursing home (NH) staff reports of “excruciating” level of pain at some time in the previous week in persons with daily pain reported on the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: NHs in the United States. Participants: A total 2,138,442 persons who resided in 15,745 nursing homes in the United States. Measurements: Pain reported as daily and at its most excruciating in the previous week on the MDS at initial and follow-up assessment. Associations were examined with demographic characteristics, functioning, and measures of disease burden reported on the MDS. Results: NH staff noted that 80,512 (3.7%) of residents had daily pain that was at one or more times excruciating in the previous week. This level of pain was more prevalent in younger residents. Nearly two-thirds (62.1%) of persons with this level of pain were no longer independent in activities of daily living, but 48.8% were rated to have normal cognitive status. In contrast, those without daily pain that was sometimes excruciating were less likely to be cognitively intact (25.7%P<.001) and less likely to have declined in their functioning (30.1%, P=.001). More than one in five with daily pain that was excruciating at times had a cancer diagnosis, and 21.5% experienced weight loss. Of the 24,300 persons with a second assessment, 10,284 (42.3%) still had excruciating pain at some time in the previous week. Conclusion: NH residents with daily pain that was sometimes excruciating were younger and seriously ill with functional decline and weight loss. Too often, persons remain in this level of pain.
Absence of PTEN Germ-Line Mutations in Men with a Potential Inherited Predisposition to Prostate Cancer

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that men with a family history of prostate cancer are at an increased risk for this disease. This important observation has led a number of research teams, including our own, to collect DNA samples and clinical data from prostate cancer families, with the goal of localizing and characterizing prostate cancer susceptibility genes. The candidate tumor suppressor gene PTEN (also called MMAC1) has recently been shown to be somatically altered in several common malignancies, including cancers of the brain, kidney, skin, thyroid, endometrium, breast, and prostate. Germ-line mutations in this gene, which maps to chromosome 10q23, have been associated with Cowden disease, an autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndrome that is characterized by multiple hamartomas. Although prostate cancer is not typically associated with Cowden disease, previous studies of sporadic prostate cancers demonstrate loss of heterozygosity at 10q23 loci in approximately 25% of cases. We, therefore, hypothesized that germ-line mutations in the PTEN gene may predispose to prostate cancer in a subset of families, particularly those in which cancers of the breast, kidney, and/or thyroid also segregate. To test this hypothesis, DNA was isolated from whole blood of 11 prostate cancer patients from 10 unrelated families. Four of the 10 families met the previously established clinical criteria for hereditary prostate cancer. Eight of the II men had at least one second primary malignancy, including cases of neuroendocrine cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, melanoma, kidney, and thyroid cancer. Although we identified some common as well as some unique polymorphisms, no nonsense or missense mutations were identified in any of the 11 samples. To further examine the possibility that PTEN mutations contribute to prostate cancer predisposition, we also studied the probands from each of 10 families with early-onset and/or multiple individuals with prostate cancer. Sequence analysis of the PTEN gene in these 10 men also revealed no mutations or novel polymorphisms. We conclude that germ-line mutations in the PTEN are unlikely to contribute in a significant way to the inherited predisposition to prostate cancer.
Morphogenesis and chemical dissipative structures. A computer simulated case study.

Abstract A basis for the chemical prepattem concept of morphogenesis in multi-cellular organisms is examined in terms of a computer simulated case study of a compartmentalized, reaction-diffusion system. The simulation provides a non-linear extension of Turing's linear analysis of similar systems. Using a chemical reaction type posed by Prigogine, it is shown how spatially non-homogeneous and stable, steady-state concentration distributions result when the system is maintained under conditions far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Interpreting these stable, non-homogeneous, steady states as chemical prepatterns for the spatial structuring of growth and/or differentiation, time structuring can also be obtained in the form of a sequence of prepatterns generated by the rule that a prepattem is converted into its successor when the growth it is directing results in conditions which render it unstable. The physical simplicity of such a scheme for obtaining spatial and temporal structuring suggests it as a primitive ordering method in the morphogenesis of multicellular organisms. Examples are also given of how complicated spatial prepatterns can be viewed as the piecing together of independent, simple prepatterns.
Contrastive topics in Paraguayan Guaraní discourse

The empirical basis of current formal semantic/pragmatic analyses of utterances containing contrastive topics are languages in which the expression that denotes the contrastive topic is marked prosodically, morphologically or syntactically, such as English, German, Korean, Japanese or Hungarian (e.g. Jackendoff 1972; Szabolcsi 1981; Roberts 1998; Buring 1997, 2003; Lee 1999). Such analyses do not extend to Paraguayan Guarani­, a language in which neither prosody, nor word order, nor the contrastive topic clitic =katu identify the contrastive topic. This article develops a formal pragmatic analysis of contrastive topic utterances in Paraguayan Guarani­ and explores cross-linguistic similarities and differences in contrastive topic utterances.
Predictors of length of stay in children admitted for presurgical evaluation for epilepsy surgery

Abstract Rationale One challenge for families whose children are undergoing presurgical evaluation for epilepsy surgery is the unpredictable length of hospitalization for video-electroencephalograph monitoring. The goal of this study was to retrospectively evaluate length of stay in children admitted for presurgical evaluation at a tertiary referral center. Methods Duration of stay for children with medically intractable epilepsy admitted for presurgical evaluation to the Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 2010 and 2013 was evaluated retrospectively. Results Of 140 children, surgical candidacy was determined in 122 (87.1%) (72 candidates, 50 noncandidates). The mean length of stay was 4.0 ± 3.7 days and was not predicted by candidacy for surgery, age at monitoring, duration of epilepsy, number of antiepileptic drugs at admission, or focal/hemispheric magnetic resonance imaging abnormality. Shorter length of stay was predicted by younger age at epilepsy onset ( P P = 0.001). Subtraction ictal single-photon emission computed tomography coregistered to magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 43 (35.2%) children, and correlated with longer length of stay (mean 5.1 ± 4.1 days for subtraction ictal single-photon emission computed tomography coregistered to magnetic resonance imaging users versus 3.5 ± 3.3 days for nonusers, P = 0.022). Antiepileptic drugs were reduced either upon or after admission in 67 (54.9%) children, and the length of stay was significantly longer in these patients (mean 5.5 ± 4.1 days if antiepileptic drugs were reduced versus 2.2 ± 2.1 days if not reduced, P Conclusions Significant predictors of shorter length of stay include younger age at epilepsy onset, shorter interval from most recent seizure, lack of subtraction ictal single-photon emission computed tomography coregistered to magnetic resonance imaging, and lack of need for AED reduction on or after admission.
In situ studies of precipitate formationin Al-Pb monotectic solidification by X-ray transmission microscopy

Al-1.5 wt pct Pb monotectic alloys were unidirectionally solidified. X-ray transmission microscope (XTM) observations, both during and after solidification, revealed various new morphological/compositional features in the melt and solid. In the melt, nonuniform lead-rich interfacial segregation layers and droplets were observed to form well ahead of the interface. In the solid, periodic striae formed at translation/solidification velocities as low as 6 × 10−6 m/s. The striae shape does not replicate that of the interface. The striae spacing decreases from 4 to 2 × 10−4 m with an increasing solidification rate between 6 and 16 × 10−6 m/s. High resolution postsolidification XTM examination reveals that these striae consist of Pb-rich particles of 2 to 3 × 10−6 m diameter. At translation/solidification velocities below 6 × 10−6 m/s, Pb incorporation into the solid occurs in the form of continuous fibers and strings of particles of about 5 × 10−6 m diameter. Bands, parallel to the interface, in which these fibers were aligned in the solidification direction, alternated with bands of poor fiber alignment. The width of these bands is comparable to the striae spacings obtained at the high solidification rates.
Introduction: 1989 and Beyond: the Future of Democracy

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the conflict in Tiananmen Square—the most telegenic events of the year 1989—stimulated developments well beyond central Europe and unleashed imagination that brought about the end of apartheid and the emergence of the prodemocracy movements in many other parts of the world. As we approach the 20th anniversary of 1989’s nonviolent transformations, we believe that it is important not only to celebrate the collapse of communism and the achievements of other negotiated transitions but also to revisit them and to draw from them lessons for the future of democratic politics. It is clear today that these nonviolent yet radical political changes contributed not only to major shifts of power but also to significant shifts in thinking about ways of ending dictatorships and instituting democracy. This is why in the current fall 2009 issue, as well as in the following winter 2009 issue of the Journal, we will revisit the momentous events and reflect upon the processes they launched, generating fresh insights into the inevitable and necessarily varied challenges faced by their respective societies while constructing democratic order. To ask questions about the lessons learned and lessons missed from the “revolutions” of 1989 is more than a mere academic exercise, as it is of importance for future democratization projects throughout the world. This is why in the current and in the upcoming issue of the Journal, we bring together studies that grasp not only the variety of experiences—as they looked in central and eastern Europe, the Baltic countries, southeastern Europe (usually referred to as the Balkans), West Africa (Benin), or South Africa—but also various genres of intellectual reflection and analysis, from conversation (Havel–Michnik) to essays (Jonathan Schell, Jeffrey Goldfarb), to more classical analyses anthropological, sociological, or legal. The majority of the contributions are the result of a conference organized in April 2008 at the New School For Social Research by the New School’s Transregional Center for Democratic Studies, in collaboration with the Europe-based Research Network 1989. Int J Polit Cult Soc (2009) 22:253 DOI 10.1007/s10767-009-9068-6
A method for the simultaneous measurement of the radioactivity of proline-C14 and hydroxyproline-C14 in biological materials.

Abstract A method is described by which radioactivity in proline-C14 and hydroxyproline-C14 derived from biological materials may be determined simultaneously. The method involves oxidizing both imino acids with chloramine-T and then selectively extracting the oxidation products into toluene. Of the amino acids derived from proline in biological systems, glutamic acid does not interfere at all while ornithine gives rise to an oxidized product which is toluene extractable to some extent. The method is extremely useful in studying the metabolism of hydroxyproline-containing proteins, where interference from ornithine is of no major importance.
Bone cortical area in the evaluation of nutrition and activity levels.

This study compares the differing impacts of nutrition and habitual activities on cortical area. While nutrition should have a systemic effect on cortical area, activities are more likely to result to localized changes in either cortical area, its distribution, or both. Two groups from the Southeastern United States were examined here: Archaic hunter-gatherers and Mississippian agriculturalists. Cross-sectional area and strength were greater in the femora alone of agricultural males. Agricultural females showed no increases in cortical area, but nonetheless had greater strength in both the arms and legs. In addition, in spite of significantly lower cortical area at one site-the proximal humerus-agricultural females maintained bone strength at this level. These findings suggest that most of the differences seen in cross-sectional area and structure are due to changing activities associated with the introduction of agriculture, although nutrition probably had a constraining effect on cortical area in agricultural females. Finally, in order to distinguish between the effects of diet and activities, it is best to examine more than a single bone and to consider both cortical area and its distribution, rather than area alone.
Raman Under Liquid Nitrogen (RUN)

The recording of Raman spectra for many molecules in air at room temperature is difficult or impossible as a result of sample degradation which is due to a combination of laser heating and oxidation. Often nitrogen gas is applied over the sample in an attempt to reduce oxidation. Also, the samples are sometimes cooled to reduce ro-vibrational "hot bands" and enhance the spectra. We have found great utility in recording Raman spectroscopy of samples under liquid nitrogen, a technique we call RUN. The RUN spectra show much higher resolution as a result of ro-vibrational cooling and in some cases cooling produces only the lowest energy conformer of the molecular ensemble further simplifying the spectra. A very sharp Raman peak at 2327.0 cm−1, due to liquid nitrogen, also serves as a convenient wavelength calibration. We also demonstrate the ability to clearly delineate the lattice modes for naphthalene and benzene crystals.
High thermoelectric figures of merit in PbTe quantum wells

High-quality Pb1−xEuxTe/PbTe multiple quantum wells (MQWs) have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The measured 300K thermoelectric properties have been compared with that of the best bulk PbTe. This experimental investigation is the first detailed study of MQW structures designed to improve ZT of thermoelectric materials and has resulted in a breakthrough in the decades-long ZT ≅ 1 barrier for a room-temperature thermoelectric material. A value of Z2DT >1.2 has been achieved for these PbTe quantum wells.
Molecule−Surface Orientational Averaging in Surface Enhanced Raman Optical Activity Spectroscopy

Surface enhanced Raman optical activity spectroscopy (SEROA) of chiral molecules has proved much more challenging than conventional surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). To further understand this, we calculated the “chemical effects” of molecule−metal binding in SEROA. The SEROA peaks’ signs and magnitudes are very sensitive to molecule−metal orientation; thus, SEROA from different molecules may cancel in ensemble measurements. We suggest that future SEROA experiments use ordered monolayers of chiral molecules to minimize orientational effects.
Acute Kidney Injury After Placement of an Antibiotic-Impregnated Cement Spacer During Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 84 patients to determine the incidence and predictors of acute kidney injury after antibiotic-impregnated cement spacer (ACS) placement for infected total knee arthroplasties. Acute kidney injury was defined as a more than 50% rise in serum creatinine from a preoperative baseline to a level greater than 1.4 mg/dL within 90 days postoperatively. Total incidence was 17% (n = 14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10%-26%), and acute kidney injury was significantly associated with ACS tobramycin dose as both a dichotomous variable (>4.8 g; odds ratio, 5.87; 95% CI, 1.43-24.19; P = .01) and linear variable (odds ratio, 1.24 for every 1-g increase; 95% CI, 1.00-1.52; P = .049). Routine monitoring of serum creatinine and measurement of serum aminoglycoside levels in response to a threshold creatinine rise may be warranted after the placement of an aminoglycoside-containing ACS.
A conceptual design by integrating dimethyl ether (DME) production with tri-reforming process for CO2 emission reduction

There has been considerable interest in the development of more efficient processes for conversion and utilization of CO2. Tri-reforming, as a new approach for the treatment of CO2 in flue stack gases, has been studied in this work. Tri-reforming process combines CO2 reforming with steam methane reforming and methane oxidation to produce syngas (H2 and CO) at a suitable ratio. To determine the optimum operating conditions for the production of syngas with a target ratio and maximized CO2 conversion, the effects of various factors including reaction temperature, reactor pressure and CH4 flow rate on the compositions of syngas obtained from tri-reforming process are investigated. Also, the production of dimethyl ether (DME) from syngas has been rigorously simulated. An optimum heat exchange network was obtained with the objective of minimizing utility cost, which was calculated by General algebraic modeling system (GAMS). Results show that tri-reforming coupled to DME synthesis is an economically feasible approach for the treatment and utilization of CO2 in flue stack gases.
Cladribine in Hairy Cell Leukemia

Cladribine results in prolonged complete remissions in most patients wo have HCL. Several studies have indicated that patients who are in complete remission have survivals that are comparable to those of normal age-matched controls. HCL-related mortality is distinctly uncommon. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that cladribine treatment of HCL is curative because MRD is common in the bone marrows of complete responders. Response criteria for HCL include clinical, hematologic, and morphologic criteria, but do not include flow cytometry, immunohistochemical analysis, or molecular studies. More sensitive techniques have been used by Filleul and colleagues to detect MRD. The used clonoegenic probes from the hypervariable regions of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene and performed polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) on bone marrow biopsy specimens, All seven patients who were in morphologic complete remission after a single cladribine infusion were PCR positive. These data indicate that cladribine induces protracted remissions but is not necessarily curative. MRD can be detected in most patients when sensitive techniques are used. Persistence of immunohistochemical MRD may predict detected MRD remains to be studied in a large number of patients. Investigators from the University of Pisa in Italy have used a combination of cladribine and rituximab to eradicate MRD in patients who have HCL. Ten patients received treatment with a standard infusion of cladribine. Two patients achieved a complete remission, 6 patients achieved a partial remission, and 2 patients failed to respond. All were PCR positive for the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IgH) gene product at the completion of cladribine treatment. All 10 patients had achieved a complete hematologic response 2 months after the completion of ritximab therapy. The curative nature of this treatment will require long-term follow-up. Cladribine represents a major therapeutic advance in the treatment of HCL. The prognosis of patients who have HCL has improved greatly with cladribine therapy. Future strategies should address combination therapy with purine analogs and monclonal antibodies. These strategies should address eradication of MRD in an attempt to develop a potentially curative combination treatment program.
Undergraduate Lab Project in Personality Assessment: Measurement of Anal Character

This article describes an undergraduate lab project in personality assessment. T e n students developed an objective measure of anal character by writing I04 items along three trait dimensions: frugality, orderliness, and obstinacy. This measure was administered to 126 "subjects" and students evaluated their respective items for internal reliability and for convergent and discriminant validity. T h e results indicate that the items were reasonably reliable and valid. The pedagogical value of the project is supported by the psychometric evidence that students capably measured their target traits.
Engineered Troponin C Constructs Correct Disease-related Cardiac Myofilament Calcium Sensitivity

Aberrant myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity is commonly observed with multiple cardiac diseases, especially familial cardiomyopathies. Although the etiology of the cardiomyopathies remains unclear, improving cardiac muscle Ca2+ sensitivity through either pharmacological or genetic approaches shows promise of alleviating the disease-related symptoms. Due to its central role as the Ca2+ sensor for cardiac muscle contraction, troponin C (TnC) stands out as an obvious and versatile target to reset disease-associated myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity back to normal. To test the hypothesis that aberrant myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity and its related function can be corrected through rationally engineered TnC constructs, three thin filament protein modifications representing different proteins (troponin I or troponin T), modifications (missense mutation, deletion, or truncation), and disease subtypes (familial or acquired) were studied. A fluorescent TnC was utilized to measure Ca2+ binding to TnC in the physiologically relevant biochemical model system of reconstituted thin filaments. Consistent with the pathophysiology, the restrictive cardiomyopathy mutation, troponin I R192H, and ischemia-induced truncation of troponin I (residues 1–192) increased the Ca2+ sensitivity of TnC on the thin filament, whereas the dilated cardiomyopathy mutation, troponin T ΔK210, decreased the Ca2+ sensitivity of TnC on the thin filament. Rationally engineered TnC constructs corrected the abnormal Ca2+ sensitivities of the thin filament, reconstituted actomyosin ATPase activity, and force generation in skinned trabeculae. Thus, the present study provides a novel and versatile therapeutic strategy to restore diseased cardiac muscle Ca2+ sensitivity.
CyberKnife Radiosurgery for Extremity Schwannomas: Technical Note and Case Report

Peripheral nerve sheath tumors are uncommon. Although surgical resection remains the treatment of choice for most symptomatic lesions, the potential for intraoperative injury to the nerve is not insignificant. This concern is of particular relevance in those patients with a genetic proclivity to develop multiple peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Here we report four symptomatic peripheral extremity schwannomas all in 1 patient who was treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery. The radiosurgical Dmax in each case was between 24.4 and 25.32 Gy. At 1-year follow-up, patient symptoms had been ameliorated, no tumor had increased in size and there was no compromise in neurological function. Although this experience is still very preliminary, it represents the first published description of a peripheral nerve sheath tumor being treated with stereotactic radiosurgery.