cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing site-isolation of amine groups on aminopropyl-functionalized SBA-15 silica materials via spectroscopic and reactivity probes

Abstract The average degree of separation and the accessibility of aminopropyl groups on SBA-15 silica materials prepared using different silane grafting approaches are compared. Three specific synthetic approaches are used: (1) the traditional grafting of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane in toluene, (2) a protection/deprotection method using benzyl- or trityl-spacer groups, and (3) a cooperative dilution method where 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and methyltrimethoxysilane are co-condensed on the silica surface as a silane mixture. The site-isolation and accessibility of the amine groups are probed via three methods: (a) evaluation of pyrene groups adsorbed onto the solids using fluorescence spectroscopy, (b) the reactions of chlorodimethyl(2,3,4,5-tetramethyl-2,4-cyclopentadien-1-yl)silane (Cp′Si(Me)2Cl) and chloro(cyclopenta-2,4-dienyl)dimethylsilane (CpSi(Me)2Cl) with the tethered amine sites, and (c) comparison of the reactivity of zirconium constrained-geometry-inspired catalysts (CGCs) prepared using the Cp′Si(Me)2-modified aminosilicas in the catalytic polymerization of ethylene to produce poly(ethylene). The spectroscopic probe of site-isolation suggests that both the protection/deprotection method and the cooperative dilution method yield similarly isolated amine sites that are markedly more isolated than sites on traditional aminosilica. In contrast, both reactivity probes show that the protection/deprotection strategy leads to more uniformly accessible amine groups. It is proposed that the reactivity probes are more sensitive tests for accessibility and site-isolation in this case.
Baclofen, raclopride, and naltrexone differentially affect intake of fat and sucrose under limited access conditions.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine, and opioids are implicated in impulse control, addiction and binge eating. Recent evidence suggests that sucrose alters the effects of GABAergic, dopaminergic, and opioid receptor ligands on consumption of a fatty food in a rat limited-access binge protocol.
In vivo and in vitro affinity of diaminoacridines for nucleoproteins

Abstract Diaminoacridines have an affinity in vivo for intranuclear desoxyribose-and ribosenucleoproteins. There is little or no affinity of these compounds for the extranuclear ribosenucleoprotein. The behavior of diaminoacridines in vitro , that is staining after fixation, is like that of other basic dyes: they have an affinity for all nucleoproteins regardless of their localization in the cell. The possible chemical basis for the in vivo affinity of diaminoacridines for nucleoproteins is discussed. The differential behavior in vivo of diaminoacridines towards the intranuclear and extranuclear ribosenucleoproteins indicates in vivo differences between these two components. Similar differences may exist between the desoxyribosenucleoproteins and the extranuclear ribosenucleoproteins.
24 Dealing With Bereavement in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

PURPOSE OF STUDY: To determine if post-mortem family conferences would have a positive impact on the healing process of families who experience the loss of their newborn. Through a questionnaire, we evaluated our experience and effectiveness in dealing with multiple aspects of the family's loss. We further evaluated our experience with the loss of a newborn to formulate a model in bereavement. METHODS: We identified 370 newborns that expired in our NICU over an 11 year period (1994 – 2005). Under IRB approval, we sent a questionnaire to evaluate the family's emotional, social and vocational adaptation after the loss. Of the 370 families identified, 104 were excluded due to no forwarding address and/or incomplete database. Of the remaining 266 families, 29 (11%) responded. RESULTS (N = 29) Table 1 Of the 29 responses, 10(34%) of the families participated in a post-mortem conference versus 19(66%) who did not. There was a decreased reported intensity in the grieving process in those participating in a post-mortem conference. Ninety percent recalled meeting with the Neonatal team, and 10% with the Obstetrical team. Of the 29 responses, 8(28%) autopsies were performed, 12(41%) declined and 9(31%) were not offered. There was 1(3%) post-loss divorce. Of the 22 who worked prior to delivery, all returned to work post loss. Almost half of those responding had subsequent children. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our data, a specific bereavement team should be identified to implement a consistent approach and follow up for families that experience the loss of a newborn. A post mortem conference appears to reduce the intensity of the grieving process and provide comprehensive support. Offering this conference should be mandatory. Autopsy consent and obstetrical involvement can be improved. This approach can provide experience and education in this humanistic side of medicine relevant to all members of the healthcare team who care for critically ill newborns.
Analysis of Ogo 6 observations of the O I 5577-A tropical nightglow.

Atomic oxygen green line data from the horizon scanning photometer on Ogo 6 have been examined. Unfolding the satellite data from the tropical F region yields altitude and latitude variations of the O(1S) emissions. The spatial variations of the tropical F-region electron density are then calculated by assuming dissociative recombination and using a model atmosphere. Where comparisons to ground based data are possible the results are good. Thus, the satellite observations constitute a form of topside sounding of the ionosphere below the F peak and provide synoptic data about this portion of the ionosphere that are otherwise impractical to obtain.
ThreadMentor: a pedagogical tool for multithreaded programming

ThreadMentor is a multiplatform pedagogical tool designed to ease the difficulty in teaching and learning multithreaded programming. It consists of a C++ class library and a visualization system. The class library supports many thread management functions and synchronization primitives in an object-oriented way, and the visualization system is activated automatically by a user program and shows the inner working of every thread and every synchronization primitive on-the-fly. Events can also be saved for playback. In this way, students will be able to visualize the dynamic behavior of a threaded program and the interaction among threads and synchronization primitives.
The importance of being ordered: improving NMR structures using residual dipolar couplings.

Abstract Residual dipolar couplings arise from small degrees of alignment of molecules in a magnetic field. Most biomolecules lack sufficient intrinsic magnetic susceptibility anisotropies for practical purposes; however, alignment can be achieved using dilute aqueous phospholipid mixtures, colloidal suspensions of rod-shaped viruses, complex phases of surfactant systems and strained gels. The stability of the liquid crystalline phases varies with respect to temperature range, pH variation and time and is critically dependent on sample composition and experimental conditions. The magnitude of the residual dipolar couplings depends upon the degree of ordering and allows the determination of the corresponding inter-nuclear vectors with respect to the molecule’s alignment frame. Inclusion of dipolar constraints into NMR structure calculations leads to improved precision and accuracy of the resulting structures, especially in cases where the information content provided by traditional NOE constraints is limited. In addition, rapid evaluation of backbone protein folds and determination of the relative orientations of individual components in multi-molecular complexes have become feasible. Dipolar coupling based strategies may well emerge as the most critical developments, in establishing NMR as a valuable and competitive methodology in the structural genomics initiative.
Effective measurement techniques for heat, smoke, and toxic fire gases

The latest techniques which have been developed for the measurement of heat, smoke, and toxic gas emissions from fires are reviewed. The current objective of minimizing apparatus dependence of the data is emphasized. Forms of data and their units are outlined. Differences between data obtained in large-scale and in bench-scale tests are discussed, and areas where further research is needed are indicated.
Increased Resolution on an ICFLCD Through Field Sequential Sub Pixel Illumination

The ultimate goal of many types of display system (HMD, digital movie projector, simulator) is to produce images with an angular resolution approaching the human eye's natural limit. For most displays, this implies a resolution of many thousands of lines — far beyond what is possible for any real time system in existence today. DTI has demonstrated a technique that promises to produce ultra-high resolution images through innovative illumination of a fast low cost ICFLCD or potentially a DLP. DTI's method creates images with more resolution than is provided by the pixels themselves by using time multiplexed illumination. Specifically, during four sequential scans of the ICFLCD, the four quadrants of each pixel are illuminated in sequence, building up an image made up of the illuminated quadrants rather than the pixels themselves.
Case Study Method for Design Research: A Justification

Case studies are used in design research to analyze a phenomenon, to generate hypotheses, and to validate a method. Though they are used extensively, there appears to be no accepted systematic case study method used by design researchers. Considering its nature and objectives, the case study method could be considered as a suitable method for conducting design research. Many times, design researchers have to confront questions about the validity of using case studies and their results. The objective of this paper is to present a brief overview of case study method, compare it with other qualitative and quantitative research methods, and study the merits and limitations of using the same in design research. Requirements are derived from the general characteristics of design research. Four popular research strategies are evaluated with respect to the requirements. A preliminary benchmark study suggests that case study method is a suitable method for conducting design research.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The measurement of homogeneity of optical materials in the visible and near infrared.

A procedure is described for determining the inhomogeneities of a sample of optical material in terms of small changes in index of refraction at discrete points over the measured surface. The method is used in the visible- and near-ir regions of the spectrum. An He–Ne gas laser source was used for the ir measurements. The variation in index was mapped with contour lines enclosing areas of similar index variations. The largest index change in 1-cm distance was noted and recorded as the maximum variation per centimeter. Over twenty-five different samples of six different materials were examined. The results are presented in a chart indicating the range of maximum refractive index variations of the samples observed. Data are shown to illustrate the possibility of determining index values to higher precision than the material justifies.
An experimentally based thermo-kinetic hardening model for high power direct diode laser cladding

Abstract High power direct diode laser (HPDDL) based cladding is found to be an economical process for repairing or building valued components and tools that are used in the automotive, aerospace, nuclear and defense industries. In this study, a 2-kW HPDDL of 808 nm in wavelength, rectangular-shaped laser spot of 12 mm × 1 mm with uniform distribution (top-hat) of laser power is used to carry out the experiments. An off-axis powder injection system is used to deposit tool steel H13 on the AISI 4140 steel substrate. A number of experiments are carried out by changing the laser power and scanning speeds while keeping a constant powder feed rate to produce different sizes of clad. An experimentally based finite element (FE) thermal model is developed to predict the cross-sectional temperature history of the cladding process. The temperature-dependent material properties and phase change kinetics are taken into account in this model. As-used experimental boundary conditions are adopted in this model. The acquired temperature history from the FE model is used to predict the temperature gradient, rates of heating and cooling cycles, and the solidification of the clad to the substrate. The FE thermal model results are coupled with thermo-kinetic (TK) equations to predict the hardness of the clad to the substrate. Metallurgical characterization and hardness measurements are performed to quantify the effect of processing parameters on the variation of clad geometry, microstructure, and the change of hardness of the clad to the substrate. The results show that a good metallurgically bonded clad of hardness uniformity is achieved.
THz generation using high power ultrafast Yb-doped fiber amplifier

Power scalable approach for THz generation is demonstrated using optical rectification in GaP pumped by a high power ultrafast Yb-doped fiber amplifier. 1.8 muW THz radiation is obtained from 2.6 W pump power.
Photopolymerizable nanoarray hydrogels deliver CNTF and promote differentiation of neural stem cells

One of the goals in neural tissue engineering is to be able to direct the repair and replacement of lost cells and tissue. This will likely involve a multifactorial approach that combines cells, an appropriate scaffold, and drug delivery. In many cases, this system will also need to be able to be delivered in a minimally invasive manner. To address these needs, we have developed a new nanoarray scaffold that can deliver a growth factor over a few weeks, is photopolymerizable to permit minimally invasive administration, and supports the encapsulation, migration, and differentiation of cells. As a model system, we have focused on delivering ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and neural stem cells (NSCs). CNTF has been shown to be neuroprotective in the central nervous system and also directs NSCs to differentiate, suggesting that it may be useful in treating or engineering tissues of the nervous system. However, combining CNTF delivery with a scaffold to support the growth of neural cells and tissue has been challenging. Here CNTF-loaded nanospheres based on poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were surface-modified with acrylated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and crosslinked into a photopolymerizable poly-L-lysine/PEG hydrogel to act as both a tissue engineering scaffold and a drug delivery system. When NSCs were encapsulated in this CNTF-loaded construct, we observed high survival rates and significant differentiation to mature phenotypes. This allows us to tailor the microenvironment to engineer tissues in new ways.
Design of robot gripper jaws based on trapezoidal modules

Assembly line reliability can be increased if grippers are carefully designed to capture and align parts. Jaw design depends on the geometric and mechanical properties of the part as well as its desired orientation. We propose a class of modular jaws based on rapidly machineable trapezoidal modules. An optimal jaw design is an arrangement of trapezoidal jaw modules that maximizes contacts between the gripper and the part at its desired final orientation over the constraints that: the jaws will capture and rotate the part to its desired orientation and achieve a form-closure grasp. Given the n-sided 2D convex projection of an extruded polygonal part, we develop an implemented O(n/sup 5/) algorithm to find the optimal jaw design. The algorithm combines toppling, jamming, liftoff, accessibility, and form-closure analysis. We verify resulting designs by physical experiments.
Performance of multiuser zero-forcing and MMSE decision-feedback detectors for CDMA channels

We consider interference rejection for code-division multiple-access (CDMA) channels using decision-feedback detectors. Performance of zero-forcing and the minimum mean square error (MMSE) multiuser decision-feedback detectors is studied, and the full and partial feedback approaches are investigated. We also derive the maximum-likelihood detector based on the white noise CDMA channel model. Comparison among the decision-feedback detectors, the two-stage receivers, the conventional detector, and the linear decorrelating detector is undertaken for a four-user bandwidth-efficient asynchronous CDMA channel. We find that the decision-feedback detectors compare favorably to other suboptimal methods and maintain good performance under diverse channel conditions. This conclusion is further strengthened by performance analysis of the decision-feedback detector for a two-user synchronous CDMA flat Rayleigh fading channel. >
Translating Infection Control Guidelines Into Practice: Implementation Process Within a Health Care Institution

Health-care-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major patient safety problem even as policy and programmatic efforts designed to reduce HAIs have increased. Although information on implementing effective infection control (IC) efforts has steadily grown, knowledge gaps remain regarding the organizational elements that improve bedside practice and accommodate variations in clinical care settings. We conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews in 11 hospitals across the United States with a range of hospital personnel involved in IC (n = 116). We examined the collective nature of IC and the organizational elements that can enable disparate groups to work together to prevent HAIs. Our content analysis of participants' narratives yielded a rich description of the organizational process of implementing adherence to IC. Findings document the dynamic, fluid, interactional, and reactive nature of this process. Three themes emerged: implementing adherence efforts institution-wide, promoting an institutional culture to sustain adherence, and contending with opposition to the IC mandate.
The Aspect Hypothesis Revisited: A Cross-Sectional Study of Tense and Aspect Marking in Interlanguage1

L'article examine l'hypothese de l'aspect, selon laquelle les inflections verbales dans les systemes interlangues anciens fonctionnaient comme des marqueurs de l'aspect lexical independants de la langue-cible. L'etude analyse des entretiens en anglais avec des etudiants portoricains regroupes en quatre niveaux de competence. Trois dimensions de l'aspect lexical sont etudiees, qui interagissent pour former six categories aspectuelles
Research Update: Towards designed functionalities in oxide-based electronic materials

One of the grand challenges facing materials-by-design approaches for complex oxide deployment in electronic devices is how to balance transformative first-principles based predictions with experimental feasibility. Here, we briefly review the functionality-driven approach (inverse design) for materials discovery, encapsulated in three modalities for materials discovery (m3D) that integrate experimental feedback. We compare it to both traditional theoretical and high-throughput database-directed approaches aimed at advancing oxide-based materials into technologies.
Euclidean structure recovery from motion in perspective image sequences via Hankel rank minimization

In this paper we consider the problem of recovering 3D Euclidean structure from multi-frame point correspondence data in image sequences under perspective projection. Existing approaches rely either only on geometrical constraints reflecting the rigid nature of the object, or exploit temporal information by recasting the problem into a nonlinear filtering form. In contrast, here we introduce a new constraint that implicitly exploits the temporal ordering of the frames, leading to a provably correct algorithm to find Euclidean structure (up to a single scaling factor) without the need to alternate between projective depth and motion estimation, estimate the Fundamental matrices or assume a camera motion model. Finally, the proposed approach does not require an accurate calibration of the camera. The accuracy of the algorithm is illustrated using several examples involving both synthetic and real data.
Stent retriever thrombectomy with the Cover accessory device versus proximal protection with a balloon guide catheter: in vitro stroke model comparison

Background Recently, an in vitro cerebrovascular occlusion model of the intracranial circulation was developed for testing thrombectomy devices. The Cover accessory (Lazarus Effect; Campbell, California, USA) is a novel nitinol braided mesh device that surrounds the stent retrieval device and thrombus during the retrieval process to help prevent clot fragmentation and embolization. Methods Using the in vitro model, after introducing fresh clot into the middle cerebral artery, we compared rates of target vessel recanalization and embolization in new territories (areas in which clot had not been introduced) achieved with the Solitaire Flow Restoration (FR) stent retriever (Covidien, Irvine, California) in conjunction with the use of a conventional guide catheter (control group), a balloon guide catheter (BGC group), and the Cover device (Cover group). Results In a total of 51 thrombectomy experiments (20 in the control group, 20 in the BGC group, and 11 in the Cover group), successful recanalization (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2b–3) was achieved more frequently in the Cover group than in the control group or in the BGC group (p=0.047 and p=0.020, respectively). Embolization of new (previously unaffected) territories occurred in five (25%) experiments from the control group and in three (15%) experiments from the BGC group, whereas no embolization of new territories was seen with Cover device assisted thrombectomy. Conclusions Application of the Cover device in this experimental model resulted in higher successful recanalization rates, no embolic events, and was more effective than use of the conventional guide catheter or BGC.
Stochastic analysis of the initial condition constraints on chaotic inflation.

We use stochastic dynamics to examine the probability of successful inflation from various initial conditions at the Planck epoch. This approach allows us to approximate the effect of strong quantum fluctuations at the earliest epoch of inflation, including fluctuations in the local expansion rate. The well-known classical attractors along the slow-roll trajectory exist even when large quantum fluctuations in the early Planck epoch are included. However, our results suggest that a significant fraction of the initial condition phase space which leads to a successful inflationary stage in the classical analysis actually fails to inflate
Predictors of patient reported outcomes and cost of care in younger men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND. The proportion of younger men (<65 years) diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) has increased significantly. We sought to analyze the association between race/ethnicity, biochemical recurrence risk and outcomes in younger men with PCa. METHODS. In this prospective cohort study, we recruited 318 younger men with newly diagnosed PCa. Participants completed generic and prostate-specific Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), out-of-pocket cost and satisfaction with care surveys at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of follow-up. Health resource utilization and cost data were obtained from the hospital based administrative databases. We compared time to return to baseline (RTB) of HRQoL scores across groups. Survival curves were used to compare mean time to RTB across groups. Linear mixed effects (LMEs) and generalized linear (GLM) models were used to analyze the association of race/ethnicity and biochemical recurrence groups with outcomes. RESULTS. African Americans reported lower generic and prostate-specific HRQoL scores at diagnosis and required more time to RTB values for generic HRQoL. The results of LME models showed that low risk of biochemical recurrence was associated with better physical function, vitality, mental health, and general health. For prostate-specific HRQoL items, low risk of biochemical recurrence was associated with impaired urinary function and better bowel function and bowel bother. GLM model showed that treatment, hospital type and comorbidity were associated with cost. CONCLUSIONS. Biochemical recurrence risk and treatment groups, not ethnicity, were associated poorer post-treatment outcomes. This information is important in planning for and communicating with patients about post-treatment care. Prostate 69: 1067–1076, 2009. # 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Thrombin increases permeability only in venules exposed to inflammatory conditions

Thrombin is widely used to stimulate a variety of responses in cultured endothelial cell monolayers as a model of acute vascular endothelial reponse to inflammatory mediators. However, preliminary ...
Depositional and Diagenetic History of Bodcaw Sand, Cotton Valley Group (Upper Jurassic), Longwood Field, Caddo Parish, Louisiana: ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT The Bodcaw Sand contains fine-grained sandstones and siltstones deposited within a barrier bar sequence. Based on vertical changes in sedimentary structures, texture, and mineralogical composition, three distinct lithofacies (upper, middle, and lower shoreface) within the Bodcaw Sand and two associated lagoonal lithofacies were identified. Cross-stratification and low angle laminations, rarely disrupted by biogenic structures, characterize the fine-grained upper shoreface sandstones. Middle shoreface sandstones have undergone extensive reworking by biotic and abiotic factors. Few primary sedimentary structures or early generation trace fossils are preserved in middle shoreface sandstones. Lower shoreface siltstones and very fine-grained sandstones contain lenticular and wavy bedding features that are often disrupted by bioturbation. The Bodcaw Sand has low porosity and permeability values. Vertical and lateral variation in porosity and permeability values are related to original deposition and subsequent diagenesis of Cotton Valley sediments. The Bodcaw Sand has experienced a complicated diagenetic history; compaction, cementation, replacement, and dissolution have modified primary rock properties following deposition of barrier bar sediments. Authigenic cementation plays an important role in modification of reservoir properties. Important authigenic minerals identified in the Bodcaw Sand include silica, carbonates, and phyllosilicates. Two major diagenetic sequence in the Bodcaw Sand are recognized based upon textural relationships between allogenic grains and authigenic constituents.
Invisible Victims: White Males and the Crisis of Affirmative Action

Introduction: Social Policy by Steamroller Affirmative Action: Legal History and Public Opinion An Affirmative Action Sampler Invisible Victims: Individual Reactions Invisible Victims: Reactions of Co-Wrokers, Friends, and Relatives Invisible Victims: Institutional Responses Affirmative Action and the Mass Media The Spiral of Silence and the New McCarthyism Affirmative Action, the University, and Sociology Elite Recommendation and the Flaws of Affirmative Action Manifest Consequences of Affirmative Action Restructuring Society by Race and Gender: Latent Functions of Affirmative Action Appendixes Index
Reperfusion Therapy Reduces the Risk of Myocardial Rupture Complicating ST‐Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The debate about the advantages of fibrinolytic therapy or primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PCI) as a superior reperfusion strategy for ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has continued for 30 years. In the first decade, primary PCI was limited by first‐generation equipment,
Mercury: Sodium Atmospheric Enhancements, Radar-Bright Spots, and Visible Surface Features

Telescopic observations of Mercury's sodium atmosphere were made to test the theory that two mid-latitude radar-bright spots centered near ∼345° longitude and ∼55° N and ∼25° S are sources of sodium in Mercury's atmosphere. Three important results came from these observations. (1) When the spectrograph slit was placed over, or near, the location of the radar-bright spots, notable sodium enhancements were seen. When the spectrograph was placed at a greater distance from the spots and beyond the seeing disk, no sodium enhancements were seen. We conclude that these two locations on Mercury's surface are Na-rich and are two sources of the Na atmosphere. (2) To fit the surface continuum traces from the data, it was necessary to include two highly reflective regions at the locations of the radar-bright spots in our Hapke rough-surface reflectance model. This indicates the mid-latitude radar-bright spots are also brighter than surrounding terrain at visible wavelengths. (3) High Na atmospheric abundances occur during periods of low solar activity as well as high solar activity. Average zenith column abundances above the spots are 8.6 × 1011and 8.0 × 1011Na atoms cm−2for the northern and southern spot, respectively. These Na abundances are among the highest ever reported, exceeded only by measurements of May, 1988 (maximum value 1.5 × 1012Na atoms cm−2) when Mercury's morning terminator was in view and another radar-bright region centered near ∼240° longitude and ∼15° N was near the noon-point. Both sunspot index and solar F10.7 flux (a proxy for EUV) were close to the solar minimum.
Utility of type I procollagen propeptide assays for assessing abnormalities in metabolic bone diseases

We measured type I procollagen carboxyl-terminal propeptide (PICP) by a commercial radioimmunoassay and amino-terminal propeptide (PINP) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developed in our laboratory in serum from 75 normal women, 10 growing girls, 84 normal men, and 197 patients with various metabolic bone diseases. The molar concentrations of serum PINP were 100-fold higher than those of PICP, suggesting differences in the metabolism of PICP and PINP. In normal women, serum PICP values correlated positively with age and serum PINP values correlated negatively with age (r = 0.28 and -0.32, respectively; P = 0.02). In normal men, however, PICP correlated negatively with age (r = -0.32, P = 0.003) whereas PINP did not change. As assessed by Z scores (SD from age- and sex-specific predicted normal mean), changes in serum PICP and PINP values were concordant in hypoparathyroidism (mean Z scores for PICP and PINP, -0.63 and -1.48, respectively) and Cushing's syndrome (0.50 and 0.40) but were discordant in acromegaly (0.78 and -0.68), hyperthyroidism (1.33 and -0.66), untreated postmenopausal osteoporosis (-0.11 and 0.40), fluoride-treated postmenopausal osteoporosis (-0.61 and 1.08), Paget's disease (4.05 and -0.20), and chronic renal failure (1.45 and -0.50). With either assay, deviations from normal were less pronounced than the deviations of concurrently measured serum osteocalcin and bone alkaline phosphatase values. The deviations in these latter two values agreed better with those of PICP than with those of PINP, except in untreated or fluoride-treated osteoporotic patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Does the Curriculum Fit the Career? Some Conclusions from a Survey of Graduates of a Degree Program in Professional and Technical Communication

Recent graduates of a degree program in professional and technical communication were surveyed to identify their current employment, their attitudes toward their academic preparation, and the profe...
Taser-Related Testicular Trauma

The Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle (Taser) is an electrical weapon designed as a nonlethal means to subdue violent or fleeing subjects. Several reports have been published on the safety and efficacy of, as well as injury profile from, police Tasers. Documented urologic involvement is rare. The sequela of an electrical current from a Taser gun to the testis in regard to both short- and long-term functions is unknown. Herein we present a case of penetrating trauma to the scrotum from a Taser dart.
Abstraction abstracted

An abstraction is the reification and conceptualization of a distinction. We use the process of forming abstractions to make sense of the world, i.e., to form concepts. Once created we are often able to externalize these concepts as software. Abstractions are what give software elegance. Abstractions build on each other, producing a hierarchical dependency structure that often creates challenges for understanding. We can teach the use of pre-packaged abstractions. It is more difficult to teach the self-awareness necessary for inventing new abstractions. The process of building abstractions is bottom-up. Thought externalization is where top-down meets bottom-up.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo commonly occurs following repair of superior canal dehiscence

Objectives/Hypothesis Repair of superior canal dehiscence (SCD) often results in the resolution of preoperative auditory and vestibular symptoms; however, many patients experience dizziness in the postoperative period. Postoperative dizziness may be the result of new-onset benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). This study aims to investigate the prevalence of BPPV before and following SCD repair. Study Design Retrospective chart review at a tertiary care center. Methods Electronic medical records were reviewed for patients with a diagnosis of SCD syndrome (SCDS) between January 2002 and May 2015. Collected information included demographic data, incidence of BPPV diagnosed by Dix-Hallpike maneuver before and following surgery, operative technique, repair material, and the duration of time to BPPV onset. Results A total of 180 patients with a diagnosis of SCDS were identified: 84 patients underwent surgery (operated subjects) and 96 were observed (nonoperated, control group). In operated subjects, 20 of 84 (23.8%) developed BPPV following SCD repair versus 6.2% of nonoperated (P < 0.005). Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo lateralized to the operated side in all but one subject whose laterality was unknown (P < 0.0001). There were no associations of BPPV with surgical approach (P = 0.50) or repair material (P = 0.33). The majority of subjects (58%) were diagnosed with BPPV within 3 months of surgery. Conclusion New-onset BPPV occurs commonly after SCD repair and may be the result of mobilized otoliths from inner ear pressure changes. Although the exact etiology of post-SCD repair BPPV remains unknown, postoperative dizziness is important to discuss with patients during preoperative counseling. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 2015
Four Weeks in a Single-Leg Weight-Bearing Hip Spica Cast is Sufficient Treatment for Isolated Femoral Shaft Fractures in Children Aged 1 to 3 Years.

BACKGROUND Hip spica casting regimens for the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in a pediatric population aged 1 to 3 years vary. Patient charts were reviewed to determine if there are any clinical differences between 3 and 4 weeks in an ambulatory single-leg hip spica (SLHS) cast versus 6 to 8 weeks in a standard double-leg, non-weight-bearing hip spica cast. METHODS The medical records of 109 patients with femoral shaft fractures treated with a hip spica casting from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011 were examined. After exclusions, 94 patients were eligible for inclusion in the study. Patient records were assessed, noting age, weight, type of cast, time in cast, and complications. All casts were applied by senior pediatric orthopaedic surgeons at a single institution. RESULTS Two groups were evaluated: 59 patients in the SLHS group and 35 in the double-leg hip spica group. The 2 groups were demographically similar with an average age of 2 years, 70.2% of patients were male, 45.7% were black, and 35.1% were white. The average time to cast removal was 4.1 weeks for the single-leg group and 5.3 weeks for the double-leg group (P<0.001). Both groups had similar low rates of loss of reduction. The double-leg group had a significantly higher incidence of clinically significant limb-length discrepancy (7/35, 20%), compared with the single-leg group (1/59, 1.7%, P=0.004). In addition, the double-leg group also had more skin problems (11/35, 31.4%) compared with the single-leg group (6/59, 10.2%, P=0.013). Seventeen patients in the single-leg group were documented as walking in the cast as compared with no patients in the double-leg group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Patients treated with a single-leg spica cast for 4 weeks had fewer complications than patients treated in a traditional double-leg cast. Femoral shaft fractures in patients less than 4 years old can be treated in a weight-bearing SLHS casts for approximately 4 weeks with fewer alignment and skin complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III-clinical retrospective comparative study.
Abstract IA15: Lymphangiogenesis and metastasis of postpartum breast cancer

Young women diagnosed with breast cancer have a 2-3 fold increased risk of metastatic disease if they are diagnosed within ten years of a completed pregnancy. We find a postpartum diagnosis to be a poor prognostic indicator independent of tumor stage and biologic subtype, leading to the investigation of whether postpartum breast involution is a mediator of metastasis. We show that human postpartum breast cancers have increased peritumor lymphatic vessel density that correlates with increased frequency of lymph node metastases. In addition, we show that breast cancer cells exposed to the involuting mammary microenvironment acquire pro-lymphangiogenic properties that contribute to peritumor lymphatic expansion, invasion, and distant metastases. This pro-lymphatic phenotype appears to be due to tumor cells hijacking developmentally-regulated programs normally restricted to the actively involuting mammary gland. Specifically, we find upregulation of lymphangiogenesis with weaning in the normal mammary glands of rodents and humans. Further, in rodent models of postpartum breast cancer, COX-2 inhibition limited to the involution window decreases normal mammary gland lymphangiogenesis, mammary tumor associated lymphangiogenesis, tumor cell invasion into lymphatics, and metastasis. Finally, we find that COX-2 inhibition also targets fibroblast activation and collagen production during mammary gland involution, raising the possibility that COX-2 orchestrates a whole tissue response that is supportive of tumor cell escape in the involuting gland. In summary, we show that physiologic COX-2 dependent fibroblast activation, collagen deposition, and lymphangiogenesis are coordinated in the postpartum mammary gland and suggest that tumors evolving in this unique microenvironment acquire enhanced pro-lymphangiogenic and pro-metastatic activities. These data provide further impetus for considering the use of COX-2 inhibitors in the treatment of postpartum breast cancer, and suggest novel prevention strategies targeted to recently pregnant women as well. Citation Format: Pepper J. Schedin, Virginia F. Borges. Lymphangiogenesis and metastasis of postpartum breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr IA15.
The effects of porcine somatotropin and dietary lysine on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing swine fed to 105 or 127 kilograms.

One hundred twenty barrows (initially 59 kg) were used to determine the effects of dietary lysine and porcine somatotropin (pST) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs fed to heavy market weights (127 kg). Pigs were injected daily with either 4 mg of pST or a placebo and fed diets containing either .8, 1.0, 1.2, or 1.4% lysine in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement. Performance data were collected and evaluated for the weight ranges: 59 to 105, 105 to 127, and 59 to 127 kg. In addition, daily accretion rates of protein (DPA), lipid (DLA), moisture, and ash were determined by slaughtering six randomly selected pigs at the start of the experiment, then one pig per pen when pigs reached mean weights of 105 and 127 kg. Pigs injected with pST had greater (P .20) on ADG during the entire trial (59 to 127 kg). Although control pigs showed no increase in ADG with increasing lysine, ADG of pST-treated pigs tended to increase. This resulted in a pST x lysine interaction (P < .07) for ADG from 59 to 127 kg. Feed consumption decreased (P < .05) in pigs from 59 to 105 kg and 59 to 127 kg with pST treatment and with increasing dietary lysine. Feed conversion (G/F) was improved (P < .01) by pST administration and a tendency for a pST x lysine interaction (P < .12) was observed. At 105 kg, average backfat thickness, kidney fat, longissimus muscle area, and DPA were unaffected by dietary lysine but were improved by pST treatment (P < .01). At a slaughter weight of 127 kg, average backfat thickness decreased and DPA increased (linear, P < .05) with increasing dietary lysine and pST treatment (P < .01). Longissimus muscle area was increased and DLA was decreased (P < .01) by injections of pST but both were unchanged by dietary lysine. These data indicate that growth performance and carcass characteristics at 105 and 127 kg were improved by daily administration of 4 mg of pST. At both slaughter weights, increasing dietary lysine resulted in increased carcass leanness (increased carcass protein and decreased carcass lipid). Although increasing lysine did not improve overall (59 to 127 kg) ADG and feed efficiency, pST-treated pigs showed a greater response to increasing dietary lysine. The data indicate that pST-treated pigs (4 mg/d) require approximately 28 g/d of lysine.
Cortisol Awakening Response and Internalizing Symptoms Across Childhood: Exploring the Role of Age and Externalizing Symptoms.

Efforts to identify biological correlates of internalizing symptoms in childhood have involved examinations of HPA-axis functioning, namely Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR). However, research has not assessed the relationship between CAR and internalizing problems among children younger than 8 years. Findings with older samples have been somewhat equivocal, perhaps due to high rates of co-occurring externalizing symptoms during childhood and/or due to age-related differences. This cross-sectional study examined CAR in an at-risk sample of children aged 22 months to 8 years at various levels of risk for internalizing symptoms. Internalizing symptoms were associated with blunted CAR, but only after controlling for externalizing problems. The relationship between CAR and internalizing symptoms disappeared with age. Results demonstrate that a negative association between CAR and internalizing exists during early childhood and illustrate the importance of accounting for comorbid externalizing disorders and de...
The Thirty Years War and the disruption of international finance, 1914–1944

The outbreak of the Great War in the summer of 1914 created a whirlpool of financial disturbances that disrupted completely the global financial market. Until then, international finance, operating both through banks with foreign branches and correspondents and securities markets open to corporations and customers both domestic and foreign, had been expanding worldwide. When Austria declared war on Serbia on Tuesday July 28, stock exchanges in Montreal, Toronto and Madrid closed, followed on Wednesday July 29, by the closure of exchanges in Vienna, Budapest, Brussels, Antwerp, Berlin, and Rome. On July 30, St. Petersburg and all South American countries closed, as did the Paris Bourse ; first on the Coulisse (the bankers’ market) and then on the Parquet (the official exchange). When even the London Stock Exchange shut down on Friday morning July 31, only the exchanges in New York remained as markets where the world's panic could vent. All this happened before the Great Powers themselves got around to declaring war. As with the outbreak of wars in the past, there was an immediate scramble for liquidity and the pound sterling rose sharply on the foreign exchanges (Keynes 1914). The shock of universal sell orders on all the world's stock exchanges was completely predictable, but two aspects were new and cause for future concern whenever the hostilities ended. First was the extent to which foreigners with open positions on the London Stock Exchange and with the London discount houses were unable to meet their obligations. The importance of the London money market for the finance of international trade meant that the outbreak of general hostilities inflicted what we now call “counterparty risk” upon the entire financial community of London. As the bulk of the world's international trade at the time was then financed through the London money market, whether a British firm was actually involved in the trade or not, counterparty risk reverberated throughout the world. The second problem encountered in London was the pusillanimity with which the London banking community met the systemic liquidity crisis (Keynes 1914, pp. 461–462).
CORRUPTION, PRODUCT MARKET COMPETITION, AND INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE U.S. STATES

This article argues that the effect of corruption on competition is dependent on the institutional environment. When institutions are relatively efficient, observed corruption is likely to be associated with relatively less competition. Conversely, in areas with low quality institutions (e.g., excessively burdensome regulations), corruption may lead to relatively more competition. I employ unique data on competition, corruption, and institutional quality across U.S. states from 1997 to 2009 and report that a higher level of corruption is associated with relatively more competition in states with low levels of institutional quality. However, as institutional quality improves, the effect of corruption worsens. Thus, institutional quality is a fundamental determinant of the corruption-competition relationship. Improving institutional quality, while at the same time reducing corruption, will increase competition and likely improve economic outcomes. (JEL D73, O17, L26)
Forgotten Jewish Godfathers

In The Fifties (1993), David Halberstam describes briefly what he perceived to be a significant political shift in that decade. He writes that although the “traditional left” had been devastated by the “grimness of Communism” and the “success of American capitalism,” there had arisen “a new kind of left” that was alienated from the mainstream in a different way. Instead of attacking capitalism for its failures, Halberstam says, the new left was “essentially criticizing America for its successes, or at least for the downside of its successes.” He names sociologist C. Wright Mills as the key link between “the old left, Communist and Socialist, which had flourished during the Depression, and the New Left which sprang up … to protest the blandness of American life.” Nowhere in his vast popular study, however, does Halberstam make reference to a growing conservative counterweight to the regnant cosmopolitan culture. His lack of knowledge or indifference reflects the failure of that culture to recognize an important new force that would soon affect the social and political landscape so dramatically. The fifties, in fact, witnessed an extraordinary burst of conservative intellectual energy that foreshadowed the conservative ascendancy of more recent times. The postwar conservative revival was kicked off in Britain with the publication of The Road to Serfdom (1944), Friedrich von Hayek's broad-gauged attack on collectivism, which became a major event in American intellectual life when it was published in this country.
Optical Coherence Tomography of the Oral Cavity and Pharynx: Normative Anatomy and Benign Processes

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a minimally invasive optical imaging modality which produces three-dimensional (3D) images of biological tissue. In the last 10 years, technological innovation and research in biophotonics have led to advancements in OCT-based diagnostic evaluation of head and neck anatomy and pathology. With near-histologic resolution of mucosal epithelial and subepithelial tissues, OCT has the potential for in vivo diagnosis of oral and pharyngeal lesions. This chapter focuses on OCT technology, research and clinical applications in anatomical imaging of the pharynx, and OCT-based diagnosis of benign and precancerous lesions of the oral cavity (OC) and pharynx.