cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asthma and Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Diagnosis and Medical Management

Asthma is a prevalent inflammatory condition of the lower airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). Symptomatically, these patients may demonstrate wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. This disease is a substantial burden to a growing population worldwide that currently exceeds 300 million individuals. This is a condition that is frequently encountered, but often overlooked in the field of otolaryngology. In asthma, comorbid conditions are routinely present and contribute to respiratory symptoms, decreased quality of life, and poorer asthma control. It is associated with otolaryngic diseases of the upper airways including allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). These conditions have been linked epidemiologically and pathophysiologically. Presently, they are considered in the context of the unified airway theory, which describes the upper and lower airways as a single functional unit. Thus, it is important for otolaryngologists to understand asthma and its complex relationships to comorbid diseases, in order to provide comprehensive care to these patients. In this article, we review key elements necessary for understanding the evaluation and management of asthma and its interrelatedness to CRS.
Mindfulness based intervention with an attentional comparison group in at risk young adolescents: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Background Risky behaviors are related to poor outcomes among young adolescents. This study piloted a mindfulness based intervention, Learning 2 Breath Mindfulness Curriculum, focusing on the feasibility of programming and intervention effects on coping, affect, and trait mindfulness among at-risk adolescents. Further, the mindfulness based intervention was compared to an attention intervention. Methods Sixth-grade level female students in a boarding school for at-risk youth randomly allocated to either the mindfulness intervention (n = 12) or an attention intervention (n = 11) for six weeks. Outcomes (i.e., primary coping, positive affect, and trait mindfulness) were assessed before and after the interventions. Results Intervention groups did not differ in demographics or outcomes at baseline. Twenty-two of 23 (95.7%) registered participants attended all of the sessions. Participants completed 86.4% of study tools. Separate repeated measures ANOVAs revealed no significant interactions among group and time for primary coping, positive affect, or mindfulness. However, positive affect did increase [F(1, 17) = 10.675, p = 0.005, partial η2 = 0.39] over time for both groups and there was a slight increase in trait mindfulness over time (although not statistically significant; p = 0.095, partial η2 = 0.155]). Primary coping did not change with time. Conclusion The mindfulness intervention utilized in the present study exhibited feasibility in this population. Although preliminary, mindfulness based interventions may contribute to positive affect among at-risk youth in a boarding school. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Results from DELPHI on the searches for SM and MSSM Neutral Higgs bosons

These final results from DELPHI searches for the Standard Model SM Higgs boson, together with benchmark scans of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model MSSM neutral Higgs bosons, used data taken at centre-of-mass energies between 200 and 209GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 224inv. pb.The data from 192 to 202GeV are reanalysed with improved b-tagging for MSSM final states decaying to four b-quarks. The 95% confidence level lower mass bound on the Standard Model Higgs boson is 114.1GeV. Mass limits are also given on the lightest scalar and pseudo-scalar Higgs bosons of the MSSM.
Engaging faculty in service-learning: opportunities and barriers to promoting our public mission

Community engagement has been defined as a collaborative enterprise between higher education institutes and external communities where stakeholders can experience and benefit from a mutually beneficial knowledge exchange. A researcher examined a Research 1 university faculty’s perception of community engagement in the form of service-learning and implemented an online community of practice for faculty and community members to increase the faculty’s use of service-learning. The findings revealed that, although faculty see many benefits in implementing service-learning and report interest in learning about and using this pedagogy, service-learning practices are still considered an addition to faculty workloads rather than an integrated and expected role. The faculty reported concerns about the mixed messages within the institution around the value of their investment in this practice, including the lack of recognition in promotion and their feelings around professional obligations particularly related to research publications. Although faculty described teaching as equally important to research, they also perceived that the institution valued teaching and service as less important than research. Consistent with extant literature, this research provides evidence that community engagement activities need to be embedded in faculty roles and rewards to become institutionalized. Implications for practice and research will be discussed.
Case-Based Modeling and the SACS Toolkit

Researchers in the social sciences currently employ a variety of mathematical/computational models for studying complex systems. Despite the diversity of these models, the majority can be grouped into one of four types: equation-based modeling, stochastic (statistical) modeling, computational modeling and network modeling. In the last few years, however, Byrne and colleagues have added a fifth type, called case-based modeling, which we employ in the current chapter.
A Technique for the Selection of the Fuel Pin Diameter for a Uranium/Zirconium Alloy-Fueled Pressurized Water Reactor

In this paper, uranium metal alloys were previously suggested for use in advanced pressurized water reactors; a method is proposed to select an appropriate fuel rod diameter for a uranium alloy-fueled reactor. The method attempts to isolate effects caused only by the change in pin diameter; therefore, the thermal margin is maintained by holding a constant departure from nucleate boiling ratio for designs. Neutronic optimization is also maintained by holding the hydrogen-to-uranium ratio constant. Operational aspects are conserved by assuming the same cycle length. Burnup uncertainty is removed by using the same discharge burnup. These assumptions allow a rapid determination of an appropriate fuel pin diameter. The procedure considers all cost changes expected, including pump power and capital cost, vessel and containment size changes, and fuel cycle cost changes. The analysis shows that under these constraints, a 10% Zirconium alloy fuel should have a pin diameter similar to but smaller than that of oxide fuel with a similar pitch. The costs appear to be about the same as for oxide-fueled cores. Large advantages, however, may be possible in safety or burnup.
Organic thin film transistors

Since John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain invented the world's first transistor in 1947, inorganic field-effect transistors (FETs) have dominated the mainstream microelectronics industry. They are the fundamental building blocks for basic analytical circuits, such as amplifiers, as well as the key elements for digital combinational logic circuits, such as adders, shifters, inverters, and arithmetic logic units, and are used to build sequential logic circuits, such as flip-flops. Moreover, transistors are essential to the modern memory devices, integrated circuits, and microprocessors used in personal computers and laptops.
1000 CONSECUTIVE PATIENTS EVALUATED FOR SAFETY AND EFFICACY: A FOCUSED STUDY OF PROHIBITED DEVICES IN THE MRI ENVIRONMENT

MRI is infrequently performed on patients with conventional pacemakers and ICDs. While many studies have documented MRI safety, the clinical value has not been considered. Yet, the recent CMS-NCD supported more widespread considerations. We propose that MRI in pts with a PM/ICD is crucial to the
A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO POLITICAL RISK ANALYSIS FOR EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

ABSTRACT Risks from political instability and government policies restricting equity ownership, local operations and transfers of payments affect the profitability of foreign mining ventures. More than seat-of-the-pants judgments and old-boy networks are required to anticipate these risks and to take actions appropriate to offsetting them. A system for making political forecasts, called the Prince System, and a series of charts relaying risks to a production of key minerals will be presented.
Massey, Marx, and human geography: disjunctures and provocations:

Doreen Massey made contributions that command the attention of historical geographical materialists. Although she was close to the left, her work strayed very significantly from Marx. Nevertheless,...
Law and land conflict in emerging market economies: Ethiopia, 2014–2018

Since the end of the Cold War, the World Bank and other Western development agencies have prescribed restructuring land rights in post-communist economies to promote land markets, with the goal of alleviating poverty and social conflicts. But restructuring land rights in such settings is more difficult than it may seem. Ethiopia’s efforts in this area have produced disparate laws that have exacerbated both the intensity and the frequency of land conflicts. This article analyzes all land cases decided by the Council of Constitutional Inquiry (CCI) and the House of Federation (HoF), Ethiopia’s constitutional review bodies, from 1998 to 2018. It shows that from 1998 to 2014, the trial and appellate courts were favorably disposed toward the policies of international financial agencies, and that the CCI and the HoF acquiesced. However, starting in 2014, following a countrywide protest connected to land dispossession, the CCI and the HoF have reversed the lower courts’ judgements by invoking constitutional clauses declaring that land belongs to the Ethiopian nations and that it cannot be alienated. The country’s experience reveals the perils of restructuring land rights without paying close attention to distributive concerns and the needs of those who end up being excluded from property access.
Mind the gap: School Librarians’ Anticipated and Preferred Professional Development Methods for Integration of Digital Textbooks

While the mandate to adopt digital textbooks in the U.S. state of Florida is looming for the next school year, there has been few discussion about how to provide professional development for school librarians who will be expected to play a leadership role. This study identifies both preferred and anticipated methods of professional development of Florida school librarians and the gap between them. It has been found that school librarians wish to initiate their training with other colleagues through workshops and study groups, which will enable them to discuss digital textbooks, and build networks with respect to the new technology. The anticipated way, however, reflects the environment of solo librarians. In conclusion, this study urges that professional development that will enlarge their viewpoint and enhance their awareness of the need for methods of implementation of digital textbooks, is urgently required.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Highway Traffic Patterns in Hurricane Irma Evacuation

The State of Florida is significantly vulnerable to catastrophic hurricanes that cause widespread infrastructural damage and claim lives annually. In 2017, Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 hurricane, t...
Education in times of crises: the dilemmas of digital teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

As COVID-19 swept the globe in early 2020, schools around the world began to close down all face-to-face teaching and learning activities and operations. Globally, there have been over 162 country-...
Introducing Discrepancy Values of Matrices and their Application to Bounding Norms of Commutators

We introduce discrepancy values, quantities that are inspired by the notion of spectral spread of Hermitian matrices. In particular, the discrepancy values capture the difference between two consecutive (Ky-Fan-like) pseudo-norms that we also introduce. As a result, discrepancy values share many properties with singular values and eigenvalues, and yet are substantially different to merit their own study. We describe several key properties of discrepancy values and establish a set of useful tools (e.g., representation theorems, majorization inequalities, convex optimization formulations, etc.) for working with them. As an important application, we illustrate the role of discrepancy values in deriving tight bounds on the norms of commutators.
A novel technique for Interfacial Thermal Resistance measurement for nanoscale thin films

Abstract Thermal resistance of interfaces is one of the most challenging measurands in experimental heat transfer, particularly for micro and nanoscale thin films. It is also the dominating quantity in thermal management in microelectronic and energy conversion devices. We present a novel technique that exploits the size dependence of thermal resistance in thin films to magnify the discontinuous temperature drop at the interface, which is then measured with infrared thermometry. We show that orders of magnitude amplification in interfacial temperature drop is possible by making the specimen freestanding, which facilitates the measurement. We present experimental results on metal–dielectric interfaces involving aluminum, copper, silicon di-oxide and hafnium oxide for validation of the novel technique.
Semen cryopreservation of dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) (Teleostei, Serranidae).

This study aims at developing a protocol of semen cryopreservation of the dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus. The effects of interaction between three extenders (pH 6.1 - 7.8 and 8.2), two concentrations of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO, 5 and 10%) and three freezing speeds (110; 90 and 60°C × min-1) on the sperm motility and time of sperm motility were analyzed by means of a factorial experiment. A sample of 16 fishes (1,378 ± 358 g, 44 ± 4 cm) collected in the nature was kept in floating net cages and were sex inverted with methyl-testosterone. The semen was frozen using cryogenic slats in nitrogen steam and transferred to liquid nitrogen. The higher sperm motility rate and time of motility (P <0.05) was achieved by combining extender C (pH 8.2) with DMSO (5%) and freezing speed of 60°C min-1 (P <0.05). These results made possible the implantation of the semen bank of dusky grouper in Brazil, which reduced the need of routine sex inversions for the species reproduction.
Medical Malfunction: How Health Administrators can become more Receptive to the LGBT Community

What companies have begun to see over the past few years is the slow destruction of the metaphorical closet the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community has been confined to for the past century. Now that the federal government has taken a proactive stance against discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity, it will be up to health administrators to implement their own policies that will assist employees and management in being more receptive to the needs of their LGBT workers. Here, you will find several procedures and strategies that can be put into practice by hospitals and clinics that make for a much more sensitive work environment. Combining these strategies into the culture of the workplace will increase productivity and decrease employee conflict and ostracizing among LGBT employees.
Grooming for success? The impact of adolescent society on early intergenerational social mobility

The attainment of initial status in adult society involves a series of transfers between distinct systems of adolescent stratification. The social and cultural resources of the childhood family may be converted into status within informal adolescent society and within the formal school system. In turn, family resources and status accrued during adolescence influence educational attainment and income in early adulthood. In this article, the outlines of these processes are specified in a structural model and tested in a nationally representative 12-year follow-up sample of high school sophomores in the United States. The findings in general support the validity of the model for White, Black, and Hispanic males and females.
Computational methods for the H/sup infinity / control of distributed systems

Some explicit design examples using a frequency-domain (skew Toeplitz) approach in the H/sup infinity / optimization of distributed systems are discussed. The emphasis is on the computational aspects of this methodology, which allows one to reduce infinite-dimensional design problems to finite-dimensional matrix and polynomial operations. A very general outline of what is involved in skew Toeplitz theory is given. It is shown how the solution of the H/sup infinity / optimization problem for distributed plants can be derived from a finite system of linear equations called the singular system. This theory is applied to a weighted two-block design for unstable plant models with delay. A mixed sensitivity design for a flexible beam modeled by the Euler-Bernoulli equation with Kelvin-Voigt damping is discussed. A delay is included in the model. >
The Ethics of Slotting: Is this Bribery, Facilitation Marketing or Just Plain Competition?

The practice of manufacturers' payments of fees to retailers for the display and sale of their products has become a common practice. In the grocery retail business, the fees paid by manufacturers are called slotting fees, or a payment made for a slot on the shelf. The same practice is used now in the retail book industry. Large book chains command high fees from publishers for the prominent display of books. Entrepreneur's products are often precluded from stores and markets because slotting fees are prohibitive. The fees are non-uniform and often paid in cash, creating an atmosphere that has already spawned illegal activity on the part of retail executives. This article examines the ethics of slotting fees.
Effect of Engine Oil Viscosity on Low-Temperature Cranking, Starting, and Fuel Economy

The effect of engine oil viscosity on low-temperature cranking, starting, and vehicle fuel economy at low ambient temperatures was determined for vehicles equipped with four- and eight-cylinder engines. Oils ranging in SAE viscosity grade from 5W-20 to 30 were investigated at temperatures between - 40 and - 12 degree C. For both vehicles, engine cranking speed increased with decreasing cold cranking simulator (CCS) viscosity. This was reflected in easier starting with lower viscosity oils. In addition, the maximum viscosity for successful engine starting decreased as the temperature decreased. Fuel economy during engine warm-up increased with decreasing CCS viscosity, with the friction-modified oils investigated providing better fuel economy during warm-up and easier low-temperature starting.
The Logic of Nature

The philosophy of nature has become virtually an oxymoron for the prevailing philosophical consensus. Reason, we are told, is powerless to conceive what nature is in itself, but it must instead hand over all understanding of physical reality to empirical science. Philosophy may reflect upon how natural science models its data, scrutinizing the consistency of scientific theories and the way research projects are framed, but reason must never go beyond its frail limits to provide a priori ampliative, synthetic knowledge of what holds universally and necessarily of nature. Insofar as the problems of knowing nature a priori apply to any extension of a priori knowledge beyond reason’s knowledge of itself, philosophy should have no aspirations beyond, on the one hand, developing the formal logic of a thinking incapable of generating contents of its own and, on the other, doing “philosophy of science,” finding some regulative, methodological coherence in the endeavors of the empirical sciences.
On presenting human resources in the balance sheet

Human resources accounting is concerned with the identification and measurement of investments in human resources by the fum. Alternative valuation methods could be used, all of which have drawbacks. The question of whether human resources represent assets in the accounting sense remains unresolved. This paper considers whether human resources are accounting assets and the problems of measuring human resources.
Site-Specific Protein Labeling via Sortase-Mediated Transpeptidation

Strategies for site-specific protein modification are highly desirable for the construction of conjugates containing non-genetically-encoded functional groups. Ideally, these strategies should proceed under mild conditions, and be compatible with a wide range of protein targets and non-natural moieties. The transpeptidation reaction catalyzed by bacterial sortases is a prominent strategy for protein derivatization that possesses these features. Naturally occurring or engineered variants of sortase A from Staphylococcus aureus catalyze a ligation reaction between a five-amino-acid substrate motif (LPXTG) and oligoglycine nucleophiles. By pairing proteins and synthetic peptides that possess these ligation handles, it is possible to install modifications onto the protein N- or C-terminus in site-specific fashion. As described in this unit, the successful implementation of sortase-mediated labeling involves straightforward solid-phase synthesis and molecular biology techniques, and this method is compatible with proteins in solution or on the surface of live cells. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The promoter region of the Drosophila alpha 2-tubulin gene directs testicular and neural specific expression

The temporal and spatial expression pattern of the Drosophila melanogaster alpha 2-tubulin gene (alpha 2) has been investigated by examining the expression of an alpha 2-lacZ fusion gene. When this fusion gene is introduced into the germ line by P-element mediated transformation, expression is only detected in chordotonal organs and testes. Chordotonal organs, which are sensory organs of the peripheral nervous system, express the gene from late embryonic through adult stages in both males and females. Testicular expression occurs from larval through adult stages and is limited to germ-line cells, the primary and secondary spermatocytes and perhaps the early spermatids.
Acropetal Movement of Auxin: Dependence on Temperature

The amounts of radioactive indole-3-acetic acid that moved, both basipetally and acropetally, through short sections of bean epicotyl were measured at 15 degrees and 25 degrees C in the presence and absence of 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid. Low temperature and this second compound each inhibited acropetal efflux of indole 3-acetic acid more than they did the influx. Results are interpreted as supporting a metabolically dependent component of the acropetal movement of auxin in bean epicotyls.
Affordable miniaturized SAR for tactical UAV applications

Sandia’s fielded and experimental SAR systems are well known for their real time, high resolution imagery. Previous designs, such as the Lynx radar, have been successfully demonstrated on medium-payload UAVs, including Predator and Fire Scout. However, fielding a high performance SAR sensor on even smaller (sub-50 pound payload) UAVs will require at least a 5x reduction in size, weight, and cost. This paper gives an overview of Sandia’s system concept and roadmap for near-term SAR miniaturization. Specifically, the “miniSAR” program, which plans to demonstrate a 25 pound system with 4 inch resolution in early 2005, is detailed. Accordingly, the conceptual approach, current status, design tradeoffs, and key facilitating technologies are reviewed. Lastly, future enhancements and directions are described, such as the follow-on demonstration of a sub-20 pound version with multi-mode (SAR/GMTI) capability.
A model of the earthquake cycle along the San Andreas Fault System for the past 1000 years

[1] We simulate 1000 years of the earthquake cycle along the San Andreas Fault System by convolving best estimates of interseismic and coseismic slip with the Green's function for a point dislocation in an elastic plate overlying a viscoelastic half-space. Interseismic slip rate is based on long-term geological estimates while fault locking depths are derived from horizontal GPS measurements. Coseismic and postseismic deformation is modeled using 70 earthquake ruptures, compiled from both historical data and paleoseismic data. This time-dependent velocity model is compared with 290 present-day geodetic velocity vectors to place bounds on elastic plate thickness and viscosity of the underlying substrate. Best fit models (RMS residual of 2.46 mm/yr) require an elastic plate thickness greater than 60 km and a substrate viscosity between 2 × 1018 and 5 × 1019 Pa s. These results highlight the need for vertical velocity measurements developed over long time spans (>20 years). Our numerical models are also used to investigate the 1000-year evolution of Coulomb stress. Stress is largely independent of assumed rheology, but is very sensitive to the slip history on each fault segment. As expected, present-day Coulomb stress is high along the entire southern San Andreas because there have been no major earthquakes over the past 150–300 years. Animations S1 and S2 of the time evolution of vector displacement and Coulomb stress are available as auxiliary material.
Arsenic inhibits neurofilament transport and induces perikaryal accumulation of phosphorylated neurofilaments: Roles of JNK and GSK-3β

The environmental neurotoxin arsenic has recently been associated with altered neurofilament (NF) content in sciatic nerve. We examined herein the impact of sodium arsenite (the inorganic form of arsenic) on NF dynamics. Treatment of differentiated NB2/d1 cells and cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons decreased NF transport into axonal neurites and increased perikaryal phospho-NF immunoreactivity. Both of these effects were prevented by a pharmacological inhibitor (SP600125) of c-jun terminal kinase and by expression of a dominant-negative form of this kinase. Arsenic-induced inhibition of NF transport was prevented by treatment with lithium, a selective inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta. Pharmacological inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase did not attenuate the effects of arsenic on NF dynamics. These latter findings suggest that this environmental neurotoxin could contribute to peripheral neuropathy by perturbing NF dynamics.
Comment on Šperka, P., I. Křupka, M. Hartl (2014). “Evidence of Plug Flow in Rolling–Sliding Elastohydrodynamic Contact.” Tribology Letters 54(2): 151–160

The authors were excited to see the recent paper by Sperka et al. (2014) as it seems to confirm recent findings in our own recent works [1–3]. The plug flow mechanism is important to explain the traction in elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) contacts with and without nanoparticles. Although in our paper we do not explicitly call the mechanism plug flow for the case without particles, we do show that there is localized shear near the surfaces. This is essentially the same mechanism and just described differently. The presence of nanoparticles can further enhance the effect by forcing an intermediate lubricant layer to follow the nanoparticle as a plug. Using molecular dynamics, we showed that this could happen with and without the nanoparticles (i.e., for conventional fluids or lubricants and nanofluids), if the film is sufficiently thin. The authors originally investigated this when our experimental measurements with the nanofluid resulted in friction coefficients that were lower than expected in the EHL regime. There are also other differences between the work by Sperka et al. (2014) and ours. For instance, they use the particles in a controlled experiment to trace the velocity profile, while in our paper, the particles enhance the mechanism. The geometry, surface material, lubricant composition, and operating conditions may also be different between the two works, but the observed mechanism is still very similar.
A novel enzymatic technique for determination of sarcosine in urine samples

Metabolites impart a significant importance to the understanding of biological reactions and consequently to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for specific diseases. Furthermore, there has been recent interest in metabolite concentrations present in urine for potential noninvasive disease diagnosis. The detection of specific metabolites, however, presents certain analytical difficulties such as low or ambiguous specificity of the techniques. This study developed a new technique, utilizing oxidative, enzymatic production of formaldehyde from the metabolite to produce a pH-induced change observed by fluorescein in acetone. This probe displays high sensitivity towards pH imbalances and, coupled with high enzymatic specificity, forms an accurate method to measure metabolite concentrations. Sarcosine was used as a model analyte in this study due to its potential for serving as a prostate cancer biomarker. Sarcosine was treated with sarcosine oxidase to generate formaldehyde, which was further oxidized to formic acid, and subsequently measured by the corresponding change in fluorescein. A good linearity was revealed with a correlation coefficient of 0.9961 and a detection limit of 20 nmol L−1. This method was applied to sarcosine analysis in nine urine samples. The results suggest that this is a viable, cost-effective technique for determination of sarcosine in urine samples without interferences such as alanine.
Gastroesophageal and pharyngeal reflux detection using impedance and 24-hour pH monitoring in asymptomatic subjects: defining the normal environment.

Airway symptoms are often caused by aspiration of refluxed materials into the larynx. In this study we sought to define the frequency, character, and proximal extent of refluxed contents - including nonacid reflux-in normal subjects using intraluminal impedance to improve our understanding of the relationship between reflux and aspiration. Ten subjects, who had no symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease or airway disease, underwent impedance/pH monitoring with a catheter that allowed simultaneous esophageal and pharyngeal monitoring. Impedance detected 496 gastroesophageal reflux episodes in the 10 subjects during 240 hours of study. The majority, 399 (81% of the total) were acid reflux episodes (pH 4). Most reflux episodes (348 of 496) reached the mid esophagus (9 cm above lower esophageal sphincter). There were 51 reflux episodes that reached the pharynx (PR). Only 13 (25%) of PR were acidic (pH < 4), while 38 were nonacid. Twenty-six PR episodes were liquid and 25 were mixed (liquid and gas). The median number of PR episodes measured with impedance was 5 (0-10). In asymptomatic subjects, most episodes of gastroesophageal reflux are acidic and reach the midesophagus. Reflux into the PR appears to be more common than previously believed, and most of these episodes are not acidic. Thus, traditional 24-hour pH monitoring may underestimate the presence of pharyngeal reflux. The combination of impedance with pH monitoring markedly enhances our ability to accurately detect potential microaspiration.
Direct colony PCR-SSCP for detection of multiple pythiaceous oomycetes in environmental samples

Colony PCR was developed for detection of pythiaceous species recovered on selective agar plates without DNA extraction. A minute amount of mycelia from a single colony was picked up with a pipette tip and added directly to the PCR mix as template for DNA amplification. Successful amplification was achieved in over 95% of the colonies recovered from plant tissues, irrigation water and soil with species-specific primers or oomycete ITS-1 primers. PCR was inhibited in the case of colonies emerging from unwashed pine bark potting mix plates. Direct colony PCR with ITS-1 primers combined with single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) was used to determine population levels of single and multiple species in plant and environmental samples. Application of this technique for disease diagnosis and monitoring pathogen sources was explored, and the potential for studying diversity and population dynamics of other cultivated microbial communities in the environment is discussed.
Implied Competence, Task Complexity, and Imitative Behavior

Summary Sixty undergraduates (28 male and 32 female) participated in an experiment to assess the effects on imitative behavior of task complexity with no knowledge of the model's competence at the task. Task complexity was manipulated by varying the probability of Ss making a given response by chance alone. Ss were informed of their “correctness” (reinforcement) on designated proportions of trials on which they imitated the model's response. Further, they estimated the competence of the model (implied competence) in proportion to the frequency of reinforcement received for matching responses. Implied competence significantly influenced matching behavior as did task complexity. Competence and complexity interacted so that the retarding effects of a complex task on learning of imitation were overcome by high levels of implied competence. Results are discussed in terms of reinforcement contingencies for imitative behavior.
Aminostratigraphy of Pliocene-Pleistocene high-sea-level deposits, Nome coastal plain and adjacent nearshore area, Alaska

Amino acid epimerization ratios (aIle/Ile) measured in 295 fossil molluscan shells of 3 genera provide a basis to evaluate the number and relative timing of high-sea-level events represented by deposits blanketing the Nome coastal plain and adjacent nearshore area, northwestern Alaska. Frequency-distribution analysis, along with a new approach that relies on the ranked-data distribution, was used to identify clusters (aminozones) in the aIle/Ile data, each of which presumably represents a discrete period of marine inundation of the study area. Six periods of high relative sea level were distinguished; some are recognized only by redeposited shells rather than in situ bio- or lithostratigraphic units. The oldest period is represented by shells recovered from the deepest sections of two offshore boreholes; aIle/Ile ratios in these shells (1.0) are much higher than in any found onshore and probably date to the late Miocene/early Pliocene. The oldest aminozone lies below nonfossiliferous sediments, which, in turn, are overlain by glacigenic and marine deposits containing largely fragmented shells with aIle/Ile ratios ranging from 0.35 to 0.65. This range coincides with aIle/Ile ratios from various onshore deposits previously ascribed to the middle Pliocene (∼3 m.y.) Beringian transgression. Ratios in this range can be subdivided into three evenly spaced aminozones, each of which may represent multiple, short-duration (10 4 yr) high-sea stands separated by a longer-period (>10 5 yr) sea-level oscillation. On the basis of a new empirical model of parabolic epimerization kinetics and an assumed age of 3.2 m.y. for the oldest Beringian aminozone (the approximate age of the initial submergence of Bering Strait), the estimated length of time represented by the three Beringian aminozones is between 0.5 and 1.7 m.y. The youngest Beringian highstand was followed in the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene by a lengthy period of nonmarine deposition during which local valley glaciers advanced onto the coastal plain at least once. Relative sea level apparently did not again surpass that of today until the middle Pleistocene Anvilian transgression, the oldest higher-than-present stand of the Pleistocene, yet considerably younger than previously thought. Glaciers overran the Nome coastal plain at least once following the Anvilian transgression, incorporating abundant shells into their drift. The drift is notched by a shoreline formed during the Pelukian transgression of the last interglaciation. Although well represented onshore, no Pelukian deposits have been found offshore.
Multimodal Therapy in the Treatment of Prostate Sarcoma: The Johns Hopkins Experience

Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with prostate sarcoma treated at our institution and report oncological outcomes. Materials and methods The records of patients with intermediate- or high-grade prostate sarcoma treated with curative intent at our institution from 1993 to 2013 were reviewed. Patient demographic information, tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities used were assessed. Overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were calculated. Results Eight patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age at presentation was 64 years, and urinary obstruction was the most common presenting symptom. All patients underwent surgical resection and neoadjuvant radiation and 6 had concurrent chemotherapy. Four patients received intraoperative radiation. With a median follow-up of 36 months, there were no local recurrences, 6 metastases, 4 deaths from disease, and no deaths from other causes. The median OS and CSS was 67.8 months, with actuarial OS and CSS rates of 100% at 1 year, 75% at 2 years, 62.5% at 3 years, and 62.5% at 5 years. Median RFS was 14.2 months, with actuarial RFS rate of 75% at 1 year, 37.5% at 2 years, and 25% at 3 years. Conclusion Prostate sarcomas are rarely cured using surgical resection alone. Our cohort treated with a multimodality approach had favorable CSS and RFS compared with historic and contemporary series of surgery alone and no local recurrences. Most patients developed metastatic recurrence, highlighting the aggressive nature of this disease.
Habitat preference in the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis): The role of photoperiod and dominance

Abstract Wild-caught dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), simultaneously presented with projected slides of their winter and summer habitats, demonstrated distinct preferences (in terms of time spent in front of particular slides) consistent with their season of capture and prior laboratory experience. Juncos caught in and kept on winter or summer photoperiods preferred winter and summer habitat slides respectively. A gradual increase in photoperiod up to natural summer conditions induced a switch from winter to summer habitat preference: a decrease in photoperiod induced a range of slide preferences correlated with the junco's size, a measure of the bird's dominance rank.
Periodontal Therapy in Young Adults With Severe Generalized Periodontitis

This study evaluated the effect of periodontal therapy on clinical and microbiological parameters in 23 subjects with severe generalized early onset periodontitis. Therapy consisted of oral hygiene instruction and root planing and scaling, followed 3 months later by open flap debridement. Subjects were monitored for both clinical measures and levels of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromas gingivalis as identified by indirect immunofluoresence. Clinical and microbiological evaluations were done at the start of the study, 3 months after the completion of root planing and scaling and 3 months after open flap debridement. Mean probing depth was reduced by both root planing and scaling and open flap debridement and the level of reduction demonstrated by both phases of therapy was similar to reductions found in studies that utilized subjects with chronic adult periodontitis. In contrast, reductions in attachment level due to the two phases of therapy, demonstrated in previous studies of subjects with adult periodontitis were not found in the young adult subjects with severe periodontal disease utilized in this study. Levels of A. actinomycetemcomitans were not significantly affected by root planing and scaling, but were reduced by open flap debridement. P. gingivalis was virtually eliminated by root planing and scaling, demonstrating that the two bacterial types respond differently to periodontal therapy. These changes in microbiological parameters were similar to those found in studies of localized juvenile periodontitis subjects, where surgery or antibiotics have been shown to be necessary to reduce levels of A. actinomycetemcomitans.
Diffusion Milieus as a Focus of Research on Innovation in the Public Sector.

Public policies to increase the efficiency of state and local governments through fostering the use of new technologies are based, implicitly at least, on theories of diffusion. Existing theories of diffusion have been found to be deficient. This paper presents an approach to the diffusion of technological innovations in state and local governments organized around the concept of “diffusion milieus.”
Practical management of Lisfranc injuries in athletes.

Abstract:Foot injuries are common in athletes. Injuries to the midfoot and, particularly, the Lisfranc joint are less common, but they have a high risk of ending the athlete's season or even career. Lisfranc injuries can be difficult to diagnose, and they often lead to a disastrous outcome when miss
Equity, quality and efficiency effects of reform in Turkish higher education

This paper summarizes the major findings of recent studies dealing with the equity, quality, and internal efficiency effects of higher education reform in Turkey. It uses these findings to examine whether public policies formulated by the central government in 1982, in fact made progress on their intended purposes. Such information should assist policy makers in Turkey to better understand tradeoffs in terms of costs and outcomes between equity policies and points of quality and internal efficiency.
Folate and homocysteine phenotypes: Comparative findings using research and clinical laboratory data.

Abstract Objectives A low folate/high homocysteine phenotype is associated with several pathologies, including spina bifida and cardiovascular disease. Folate and total homocysteine (tHcy) measurements are used clinically to assess risk and the need for folic acid supplementation and in research to investigate the metabolic basis of disease. Red blood cell (RBC) folate, the best indicator of long-term folate status, is usually measured as “total” folate. However, different folate derivatives support distinct biochemical functions, suggesting a need to develop more precise methods. This study was designed to evaluate a method based on stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring/mass spectrometry (LC-MRM/MS). Design and methods We used LC-MRM/MS to quantify the RBC folate derivatives 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH3-THF), tetrahydrofolate (THF), and 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate (5,10-methenylTHF) in pre-menopausal women. The concentration of each folate derivative was assessed for utility in predicting tHcy levels, and compared to folate and tHcy measurements derived by routine clinical laboratory methods. Results LC-MRM/MS was qualitatively and quantitatively superior to routine clinical laboratory methods for determining folate and tHcy concentrations. RBC 5-CH3-THF had a reciprocal relationship with tHcy (p = 0.0003), whereas RBC THF and RBC 5,10-methenylTHF had direct relationships (p = 0.01, 0.04 respectively). In combination, these three variables accounted for 42% of the variation in tHcy. Conclusions Robust methods for measuring RBC 5-CH3-THF would improve the utility of folate/homocysteine phenotyping in patient management. The use of LC-MRM/MS would allow studies of hyperhomocysteinemia and diseases associated with a low folate/high homocysteine phenotype to be performed with less measurement error and greater statistical power to generate data with the potential to elucidate the etiologic mechanisms of complex diseases and traits.
Safety of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Patients Receiving Long-term Warfarin Therapy

OBJECTIVE To investigate the safety of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Retrospective data were reviewed for 35 consecutively hospitalized patients who received long-term warfarin therapy and ECT at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 2001. RESULTS A total of 300 ECT treatments were administered to the 35 patients. Of 284 ECT treatments for which data were available, no ECT-related complications due to anticoagulation occurred despite increases in blood pressure and pulse rate. One patient experienced ventricular tachycardia, resulting in transfer to a cardiology service for temporary monitoring. No other serious ECT-related adverse effects were noted. The rate of intertreatment delirium was similar to that reported in other studies. CONCLUSIONS Electroconvulsive therapy in patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy appears to be safe. Although no major adverse effects were identified in our case series, additional prospective evaluation is warranted.
A Concept Analysis of Creativity: Uses of Creativity in Selected Design Journals

To say that “creativity” and being “creative” are part of the job description of the interior designer is a point that most in the field would agree on. However, at best, the meanings of those terms are somewhat ambiguous when viewed collectively. The purpose of our work was to analyze the concept of creativity in order to determine conceptual components used by design scholars in the literature. Multiple definitions of the terms “creativity” and “creative” are used in design though most scholars do not explicitly define creativity. The components of creativity are used in such diverse ways that developing a single definition of the concept is not possible. Though there is some scholarship on creativity in interior design, further investigation will contribute to a significant body of knowledge. The lack of identified definitions of creativity restricts the ability for meta-analysis and theory development.
Immune interactions in endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common, complex gynecologic disorder characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma at extrauterine (ectopic) sites. In women who develop this disease, alterations in specific biological processes involving both the endocrine and immune systems have been observed, which may explain the survival and growth of displaced endometrial tissue in affected women. In the past decade, a considerable amount of research has implicated a role for alterations in progesterone action at both eutopic and ectopic sites of endometrial growth which may contribute to the excessive inflammation associated with progression of endometriosis; however, it remains unclear whether these anomalies induce the condition or are simply a consequence of the disease process. In this article, we summarize current knowledge of alterations within the immune system of endometriosis patients and discuss how endometrial cells from women with this disease not only have the capacity to escape immunosurveillance, ...
Update and review of moderate and deep sedation

The use of sedation/analgesia to allow patients to tolerate diagnostic or therapeutic procedures and tests is commonplace. Approximately 200,000,000 such sedations are administered every year in the United States for numerous diagnostic tests and procedures. Any morbidity or mortality associated with sedation is likely to be deemed avoidable. There will never be adequate resources or personnel so that trained anesthesia providers administer all sedations, and there probably is no need for such an approach. Clinicians from many specialties safely and effectively administer sedation. With attention to updated guidelines and concepts, as outlined in this article, the safety and efficacy of sedation/analgesia can and should be excellent.