cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk of missing advanced stage or high grade tumors during active surveillance (AS) even in favorable-risk prostate cancer (PC).

5069 Background: Owing to tumor heterogeneity, no standard selection criteria exist among prospective AS cohorts. Generally, men with low-stage, -volume, and -grade PC and low prostate-specific ant...
Institutions of Friendship; or, Anonymous Authorship and Political Economy in Sarah Scott’s Millenium Hall

This chapter examines Scott’s novel Millenium Hall (1762), about an exclusive female utopia founded on Christian friendship. Although Scott publishes anonymously, her opening depiction of two male friends, the work’s editor and narrator, cues the reader toward a critical reading of the ideological contradictions that promote the division of private affect from public commerce and the gendering of each sphere. The stories of Scott’s heroines develop the idea of a benevolent providential fortune that brings together female friends and helps them recover maternal inheritances. The novel consciously utilizes and critiques the dynamics of semi-anonymous authorship, a condition shaping the careers of many female novelists in the period.
Differentiating Immune Cell Targets in Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue for HIV Cure.

Abstract The single greatest challenge to an HIV cure is the persistence of latently infected cells containing inducible, replication-competent proviral genomes, which constitute only a small fraction of total or infected cells in the body. Although resting CD4+ T cells in the blood are a well-known source of viral rebound, more than 90% of the body's lymphocytes reside elsewhere. Many are in gut tissue, where HIV DNA levels per million CD4+ T cells are considerably higher than in the blood. Despite the significant contribution of gut tissue to viral replication and persistence, little is known about the cell types that support persistence of HIV in the gut; importantly, T cells in the gut have phenotypic, functional, and survival properties that are distinct from T cells in other tissues. The mechanisms by which latency is established and maintained will likely depend on the location and cytokine milieu surrounding the latently infected cells in each compartment. Therefore, successful HIV cure strategies...
A collaborative program to increase adult pneumococcal vaccination rates among a high-risk patient population receiving care at urgent care clinics.

Objective We report a project that utilized pharmacy students to increase pneumococcal vaccination rates in patients aged 19-64 years with high-risk medical conditions within urgent care clinics. The study also sought to better identify the number of patients previously vaccinated for pneumococcal disease. A total of 1,178 patients were considered eligible for pneumococcal vaccination during the study period, 287 (24.4%) of whom were determined to be previously vaccinated through chart assessment or patient interview. Of the remaining 891 patients, chart documentation of pneumococcal vaccination administered at the time of the urgent care visit was present for 96 patients (10.7%) in the intervention clinics compared with 6 patients in 2 control clinics who received the usual standard of care (P
Leveraging Syntactic Constructions for Metaphor Identification.

Identification of metaphoric language in text is critical for generating effective semantic representations for natural language understanding. Computational approaches to metaphor identification have largely relied on heuristic based models or feature-based machine learning, using hand-crafted lexical resources coupled with basic syntactic information. However, recent work has shown the predictive power of syntactic constructions in determining metaphoric source and target domains (Sullivan 2013). Our work intends to explore syntactic constructions and their relation to metaphoric language. We undertake a corpus-based analysis of predicate-argument constructions and their metaphoric properties, and attempt to effectively represent syntactic constructions as features for metaphor processing, both in identifying source and target domains and in distinguishing metaphoric words from non-metaphoric.
Intellectual Property and Human Rights: Learning to Live Together

Intellectual property and human rights must learn to live together. Traditionally, there have been two dominant views of this "cohabitation," namely a conflict view, which emphasizes the negative impacts of intellectual property on rights such as freedom of expression or the right to health and security, and a compatibility model, which emphasizes that both sets of rights strive towards the same fundamental equilibrium. This Book Chapter takes the dualist view that both are right, though there is, and should be, much more truth to the second approach in the coming years.
Analysis of osteosarcoma subtypes by clinical genomic testing to identify clinically actionable alterations.

11019Background: Genomic testing is being utilized with increasing frequency to identify matched therapies for patients (pts) with advanced disease; however, the utility of such testing has not bee...
The Male Womb

Male characters such as King Lear, Falstaff, Holofernes, Hamlet, Edgar, and Angelo rhetorically appropriate the womb to reveal their interiority to the audience. This chapter explores why the womb—and not male anatomy—is used to delineate their inner experiences. Male characters imagine their bodies possessing wombs, which proposes that their own bodies lack sufficient organs to articulate their inner passions, and subversively emphasizes the womb’s agency. Through an analysis of King Lear’s infamous self-diagnosis of hysterica passio, this chapter considers the semiotics of humoral wombs on stage in summoning a gendered, invisible organ in a visual medium. During performance, the storm and olfactory props render the womb perceptible within the theatrical space by externalizing popular herbal remedies for Lear’s wandering womb.
Deep capillary retinal ischemia and high-titer prothrombin-associated antiphospholipid antibodies: A case series of three patients.

Abstract Purpose Acute macular neuroretinopathy has been shown to be due to ischemia of the deep capillary retinal plexus and most cases occur in young women; we hypothesized that there may be an association with antiphospholipid antibodies. Observations We identified three patients who were diagnosed with deep capillary retinal ischemia after presenting with sudden onset of focal paracentral scotoma who tested persistently positive for antiphospholipid antibodies. All patients had high-titer prothrombin-associated antibodies and two of the three also had low-titer anticardiolipin antibodies. In all patients, the diagnosis was missed at the initial presentation. All patients experienced involvement of both eyes over time with permanent visual deficits and all were female with an average age at symptom onset of 34 years. All patients were using exogenous estrogen and had additional but previously undiagnosed symptoms or signs that may be seen in the antiphospholipid syndrome. One patient was ANA positive with a titer of 1:320, but none had lupus-specific antibodies or clinical features of lupus. Conclusions and Importance The persistent presence of high-titer prothrombin-associated antiphospholipid antibodies in three women with deep capillary retinal ischemia suggests this may be an important association. Prothrombin-associated antibodies (anti-prothrombin IgG and anti-phosphatidylserine-prothrombin IgG and IgM) as well as the traditional antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin IgG, IgM and IgA; anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgG, IgM and IgA; and the lupus anticoagulant) should be included in the diagnostic work-up of patients diagnosed with deep capillary retinal ischemia. Because of the broader health and treatment implications of high-titer antiphospholipid antibodies, further investigation into this suspected association is warranted.
Seismic Performance and Recovery Modeling of Natural Gas Networks at the Community Level Using Building Demand

AbstractEarthquakes can substantially disrupt the operation of critical lifelines in a community, particularly water, gas, and other below-ground infrastructure. The damage that occurs to lifelines...
Outcomes of intraoperative radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer: Experience from a multidisciplinary breast oncology program.

Abstract Background Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) was implemented at our institution for early stage breast cancer patients including those with geographic or medical co-morbidity limitations to whole breast radiation therapy (WBRT). Methods Retrospective review of patients (n = 127) who underwent IORT from 2009 to 2016 for breast cancer. Demographics, pathology, toxicity, and recurrences were ascertained. Results The median age was 67 years (interquartile range: 62–73). At median follow-up (49.6 months), 5 patients (4%) had ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence with median time to recurrence of 36.8 months. Acute and late grade ≥3 skin toxicities were observed in 3.1% and 4.7% of patients, respectively. A subset (n = 7) who received prior ipsilateral WBRT was found to have no subsequent local recurrence, one case of acute grade 3 skin toxicity, and no late toxicity. Conclusions IORT is a safe and effective alternative to whole breast radiotherapy, and serves as a suitable alternative to completion mastectomy in locally recurrent breast cancer.
Effects of pectoralis minor length on strength improvement and pain reduction during scapular reposition test

[Purpose] This study aimed to compare pain and shoulder elevation strength when scapular reposition test is applied to subclinical individuals with a short or long pectoralis minor. [Participants and Methods] Subclinical participants (n=34) with a positive impingement result on at least one of three tests were assigned to short (n=18) or long (n=16) pectoralis minor groups. Impingement tests were repeated with and without scapular reposition test. Visual analog scale was used to measure pain intensities under both conditions. Isometric shoulder elevation strength was measured by dynamometry. Two-way analyzes of variance and paired t-test were used to evaluate the effects of scapular reposition test in the two groups. [Results] The effects of pectoralis minor length on the frequencies of meaningful strength, pain reduction, and positive scapular reposition test result were evaluated. Repositioning reduced pain in both groups. In the short pectoralis minor group, shoulder elevation strength was significantly improved by scapular reposition test. A meaningful strength improvement and positive scapular reposition test result were reported more frequently in the short pectoralis minor group. [Conclusion] Consideration of pectoralis minor length and scapular reposition test results could aid the identification of factors contributing to scapular dyskinesis and related shoulder injuries, thereby enabling the selection of appropriate interventions.
Signals Modulating Cyclic di-GMP Pathways in Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae is an aquatic bacterium that is also the causative agent of the diarrheal disease cholera. In this bacterium, the secondary messenger, cyclic di-GMP, regulates the lifestyle transition between a motile state and a sessile biofilm state as well as other key processes such as virulence factor production. The V. cholerae genome encodes 62 proteins that contain GGDEF, EAL, or HD-GYP domains that are predicted to be involved in the synthesis or degradation of cyclic di-GMP. Presumably, one or more signals modulate the activity of each of these proteins to regulate cyclic di-GMP levels in the cell; however, to date, only a few of these signals have been elucidated. In this chapter, we present our current knowledge about the signals that have an effect on cyclic di-GMP signaling in V. cholerae and the signaling networks that play direct or indirect roles in processing these signals. These signals include polyamines, bile acids, temperature, and molecular oxygen. We also discuss how cyclic di-GMP signaling networks interact with other signal transduction pathways, such as quorum sensing, to regulate behavior. In addition to the many unidentified signals, there are other gaps in our knowledge including how signal specificity and processing is achieved and what is the nature and the extent of crosstalk among cyclic di-GMP and other signal transduction networks. Future research addressing these questions will help us better understand how V. cholerae assimilates cues in both aquatic habitats and host organisms to optimize its response to specific environments through cyclic di-GMP signaling.
A Bayesian Approach to Assessing Small-Study Effects in Meta-Analysis of a Binary Outcome with Controlled False Positive Rate.

Publication bias threatens meta-analysis validity. It is often assessed via the funnel plot; an asymmetric plot implies small-study effects, and publication bias is one cause of the asymmetry. Egger's regression test is a widely used tool to quantitatively assess such asymmetry. It examines the association between the observed effect sizes and their sample SEs; a strong association indicates small-study effects. However, its false positive rates may be inflated if such an association intrinsically exists even if no small-study effects appear, particularly in meta-analyses of odds ratios (ORs). Various alternatives are available to address this problem. They usually replace Egger's regression predictor or response with different measures; consequently, they are powerful only in specific cases. We propose a Bayesian approach to assessing small-study effects in meta-analyses of ORs. It controls false positive rates by using latent "true" SEs, rather than sample SEs, in the Egger-type regression to avoid the intrinsic association between ORs and their SEs. Although "true" SEs are unknown in practice, they can be modeled under the Bayesian framework. We use simulated and real data to compare various methods. When ORs are away from 1, the proposed method may have high powers with controlled false positive rates, while Egger's test has seriously inflated false positive rates; nevertheless, in other situations, some other methods may be superior. In general, the proposed method may serve as an alternative to rule out potential confounding effects caused by the intrinsic association between ORs and their SEs in the assessment of small-study effects.
Monitoring of soil-transmitted nematodes in Santai County of Mianyang in 2013

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics of soil-transmitted nematodes in Santai,Mianyang for prevention and control.Methods All residents above aged 3 were selected as survey sample,whose stool samples were collected and examined with Kato-Katz method,3 tests for each sample to check the eggs of soil-transmitted nematodes.Meanwhile,cellophane tape method was adopted to check the eggs of pinworm for children aged from 3 to 12.15 families were selected randomly to test their soil in various environment to identify larva of America or duodenal hook worms.Results Four types of soil-transmitted nematodes were found from 1 007 residents investigated.The total infection rate was 8.17％(82/1 007),among which roundworm 0.70％ (7/1 007),hookworm 6.95％ (70/1 007),Whipworm 0.10％ (1/1 007),and pinworm 3.42％ (4/117).There were statistical differences in infection rate among the worms (x2=200.56,P＜0.05).The infection rate of men and women was 7.50％ and 8.73％,respectively with no statistical difference(x2=0.51,P＞ 0.05).The infection rate was higher among over 50 years old and low level of education individuals.The highest infection rate(8.53％) was found in farmers.Hookworm eggs were found positive in 7 out of the 15 soil samples examined.Conclusion The infection rate of soil-transmitted nematodes was decreasing in Santai.Farmers and individuals with little education had a higher rate of infection.Effective measures should be taken to reduce infection rate in those people. Key words: Soil-transmitted nematodes; Monitor; Analysis
Correction to: Defending Discontinuism, Naturally

In the published article a reference to the author’s prior work remained redacted in the final version.
Mechanical dilation to remove incarcerated laminaria during a second trimester abortion.

Abstract Cervical preparation with laminaria reduces complications with 2nd trimester dilation and evacuation. During a surgical abortion at 22 weeks, we could not remove laminaria manually or with ring forceps due to laminaria “dumbbelling” [1] . Without pushing laminaria into the uterus, we mechanically dilated the cervix and removed the incarcerated laminaria.
UPLC-MS/MS method for determination of panaxynol in cultured Caco-2 cells

Objective To develop an ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) method to quantify the uptake of panaxynol in cultured Caco-2 cells.MethodsThe chromatographic separation was performed on Acquity BEH C18 column(2.1 mm×100 mm,1.7 μm) with aqueous methanol as the mobile phase,using gradient elution at 0.3 mL/min.A triple-quadruple mass spectrometer employing electrospray ionization in positive ion mode was developed,and panaxynol in Caco-2 cells was determined using multiple reaction monitoring of precursor→product ion transitions at m/z 227→129 for quantification and m/z 227→143 for confirmation.ResultsThe established method was validated by determining the linearity(r20.99),precision(≤6.2%) and accuracy(-6.7% to 2.1%).The limit of detection for panaxynol was 4 ng/mL.When incubated for 2 h at 37 ℃,the uptake was(20.7±1.8) nmol/mg protein for 50 μmol/L panaxynol and(21.8±1.7) nmol/mg protein for 100 μmol/L panaxynol,and there was no significant difference between them(P0.05).ConclusionThis method is sensitive,reliable and specific,and can be used in determination of panaxynol in Caco-2 cells.
Narrative Inquiry and Content Analysis of Slave Narratives

This research paper scrutinizes four excerpts from slave narratives in the United States to focus on performing a narrative inquiry.
Elevated Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio is Associated with Worse Outcomes after Carotid Endarterectomy in Asymptomatic Patients.

Abstract Objective Management of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) remains controversial and proper patient selection critical. Elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated with poor outcomes after vascular procedures. The effect of NLR on outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients is assessed. Materials and Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all patients between 2010 and 2018 with carotid stenosis >70% as defined by CREST 2 criteria. A total of 922 patients were identified, of whom 806 were treated with CEA and 116 non-operatively with best medical therapy (BMT). Of patients undergoing CEA, 401 patients (290 asymptomatic [aCEA], 111 symptomatic [sCEA]) also had an available NLR calculated from a complete blood count with differential. All patients treated with BMT were asymptomatic and had a baseline NLR available. Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed composite ipsilateral stroke or death over 3 years. Results In sCEA group, the 3-year composite stroke/death rates did not differ between NLR 3.0 (38.1%) (P=.10). In aCEA group, patients with a baseline NLR >3.0 had an increased risk of 3-year stroke/death (42.6%) compared to both those with NLR 3.0, there was no longer a benefit to prophylactic CEA compared to BMT (42.6% vs. 22.2%, P=.05). Multivariable analysis identified NLR >3.0 (HR, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.93-5.42; P Conclusions NLR >3.0 is associated with an increased risk of late stroke/death after prophylactic CEA for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis, with benefits not superior to BMT. NLR may be used to help with selecting asymptomatic patients for CEA. The effect of NLR and outcomes in symptomatic patients requires further study. Better understanding of the mechanism(s) for NLR elevation and medical intervention strategies are needed to modulate outcome risk in these patients.
Exploration of Predictive Modeling of Defense Health Agency & Department of Veterans Affairs Beneficiaries Dietary Supplements Use.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to predict dietary supplements (DS) use among Defense Health Agency (DHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries who were scheduled for surgical procedures. Design This was a predictive descriptive multicenter study with a convenience sample of 2,623 adult subjects. After institutional review board exemption, data collection occurred preoperatively via electronic survey. Participation was voluntary and data unidentifiable. Methods Data were collected in preoperative anesthesia clinics during preanesthetic evaluations, or in surgery holding areas immediately prior to surgery, using a validated data collection tool. The total convenience sample size was 2,623 subjects from 6 medical centers. Data were voluntarily, anonymously, and verbally obtained from subjects using electronic survey methodology. Collected data included: gender, age, rank, beneficiary status, race, body mass index, tobacco use, marital status, and knowledge of DS side effects and drug interactions. For predictive modeling of DS use, multiple logistic regression was performed for binary outcomes via SPSS. Findings For binary logistic regression the predictors were significant for the following outcomes: taking DS (education, sex, age, and race; P Conclusions Understanding DS use is central to predict and anticipate potential negative sequelae in patient outcomes in anesthesia. College education, females, Caucasians, and increasing age are indicators for greater DS use. These results provide opportunities for perianesthesia nurses to improve preoperative assessments, design patient specific perianesthesia care, and enhance patient education. Further research is recommended.
Disorder Oriented Policing: A Revealing Case Study of a Special Differential Response Unit in the Houston Police Department:

Proactive policing has been a preferred approach among American law enforcement agencies for decades. While most of the systematic studies done in this area focus on the effect of proactive policin...
Models of an early lunar dynamo

The hypothesis that a dynamo once existed in the moon, and hence was the source of lunar paleomagnetism, is tested using a model for the global thermoremanent magnetization of spherical lithospheres. Various models of an ancient lunar dipole field are used which incorporate intensity variations and reversals, and which are consistent with lunar sample paleointensities. It is found that non-reversing lunar dynamos which have simple exponential decay histories beginning at 4.6 b.y. ago are inconsistent with this limit, unless the moon has been thoroughly demagnetized to a depth of tens of kilometers by impacts or other processes. An early lunar dynamo cannot be excluded by global scalar measurements unless the permanent lunar dipole moment is shown to be significantly less than 10 to the 13th power G/cu cm by future spacecraft measurements, which may be technologically impossible; vector measurements of lunar magnetic anomalies over the whole moon offer a possibility of determining the source of the field which magnetized the lunar crust.
Hyperspectral Image Analysis for Skin Tumor Detection

This chapter presents hyperspectral imaging of fluorescence for nonin-vasive detection of tumorous tissue on mouse skin. Hyperspectral imaging sensors collect two-dimensional (2D) image data of an object in a number of narrow, adjacent spectral bands. This high-resolution measurement of spectral information reveals a continuous emission spectrum for each image pixel useful for skin tumor detection. The hyperspectral image data used in this study are fluorescence intensities of a mouse sample consisting of 21 spectral bands in the visible spectrum of wavelengths ranging from 440 to 640 nm. Fluorescence signals are measured using a laser excitation source with the center wavelength of 337 nm. An acousto-optic tunable filter is used to capture individual spectral band images at a 10-nm resolution. All spectral band images are spatially registered with the reference band image at 490 nm to obtain exact pixel correspondences by compensating the offsets caused during the image capture procedure. The support vector machines with polynomial kernel functions provide decision boundaries with a maximum separation margin to classify malignant tumor and normal tissue from the observed fluorescence spectral signatures for skin tumor detection.
Noncoherent equalization for multipulse modulation

Noncoherent equalization of inter-symbol interference (ISI) channels for nonorthogonal multipulse modulation (NMM) is introduced. Multipulse modulation (a simple example of which is FSK) is usually seen as a nonlinear modulation technique, so that equalization for such modulation schemes is described as being difficult by Lee and Messerschmitt (1994). However, Varanasi (see Proc. IEEE Intl. Conf. Personal Wireless Communications (ICPWC97), Mumbai (Bombay), India, 1997) showed that ISI can indeed be effectively mitigated in baseband channels, such as with the linear and decision feedback, zero-forcing, multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) equalizers proposed in that work. One of the advantages of multipulse modulation is of course the option of noncoherent reception in bandpass communications. In this paper, we obtain a carrier phase-independent MIMO zero-forcing equalizer. Detection at the output of the zero-forcing equalizer is equivalent to M-ary noncoherent one-shot detection of nonorthogonal signals with unequal energies, a problem that was solved previously by the author and Russ (see Proc. IEEE ICC'97, Montreal, Canada, 1997). Any one of the three noncoherent detection rules obtained therein can be used as post-equalizer units depending on whether the energies of the transmitted waveforms are known or unknown at the receiver.
An Internet Survey of Demographic and Health Factors Associated with Risk of Sexual Dysfunction in Women Who Have Sex with Women

Introduction There has been scant attention to predictors of sexual dysfunction in women who have sex with women (WSW).
The Cataloger and the Archivist Should Be Friends: or, Herding vs. Milking Special Collections

I would say that technical services archivists and rare book catalogers play roles as different as those of the farmer and the cowman, even though both work in the territory of special collections. They . . .
Epidermal growth factor and necrotizing enterocolitis

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common and devastating gastrointestinal (GI) disease predominantly affecting prematurely born infants. Severe NEC is characterized by an extensive hemorrhagic inflammatory necrosis of the distal ileum and proximal colon [1]. The disease can be mild to severe, with clinical presentation ranging from abdominal distension and tenderness, pneumatosis intestinalis, occult or frank blood in stools, intestinal gangrene, bowel perforation, sepsis, and shock [2]. Recent reports suggest increasing occurrence of NEC, estimating up to 6000 cases of NEC in the United States every year, with death occurring in 20% to 40% of affected individuals [3,4]. Survivors of a severe acute episode of NEC frequently suffer the effects of short bowel syndrome [5], which results in increased medical expenses and chronic GI difficulties. The incidence of NEC varies with gestational age, being highest among smaller, more premature neonates with a birth weight >1500 g; it is rarely seen in full-term neonates or older children [4,6–9]. The etiology of this disease remains poorly understood; however, prematurity, enteral feeding, intestinal hypoxiaischemia, and bacterial colonization are considered major risk factors [10,11]. Animal models of necrotizing enterocolitis and their relevance to human necrotizing enterocolitis Data collected from clinical studies of NEC provide limited information about the etiology and the pathogenesis of NEC. Therefore, a relevant experimental model of NEC is essential for understanding the causes of this disease and for developing preventive therapeutic strategies. Several animal models have been developed to study the pathophysiology of NEC; these studies include pigs [12], dogs [13], rabbits [14], mice [15], and rats [16–18]. The ideal NEC model should be consistently reproducible and relevant to prematurity of the GI tract. Among the animal models, the neonatal rat model
Temperature Dependence of the Primary Donor Triplet State g-Tensor in Photosynthetic Reaction Centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 Observed by Transient 240 GHz Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

We report time-resolved 240 GHz EPR spectra of the primary donor triplet state 3P from photosynthetic reaction centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26.1 as a function of temperature in the range 10−230 K. The data allow the determination of the principal g-tensor values and the principal axes directions of the 3P g-tensor with respect to its zero-field axes. The g-tensor measured at 240 GHz differs appreciably from previous measurements of 3P at lower frequencies and also differs from that of the cation radical state P+, which has previously been characterized at high frequencies. In contrast to P+, the 3P state exhibits significant temperature dependence in its g-tensor, particularly in the directions of the principal axes, which appear to rotate by about 30° around the x principal axis over the temperature range studied. The 3P yield anisotropy first observed by Boxer and co-workers at high field using photoselection methods is also evident in the high-field EPR spectrum as a significant variation of int...
ADMISSIBILITY OF BAYES ESTIMATES UNDER BLINEX LOSS FOR THE NORMAL MEAN PROBLEM

We consider admissibility properties of Bayes estimators in a normal mean problem derived under a parametric family of bounded asymmetric loss functions called BLINEX. We prove results on admissibility of Bayes estimators when the risk is computed under squared error loss and BLINEX loss. With noninformative prior, the Bayes estimator under squared error loss is inadmissible relative to BLINEX. Also, the Bayes estimator under BLINEX is inadmissible relative to squared error loss. These findings contrast with nondominance results obtained under conjugate prior. Our findings confirm the importance of loss structure specification, and are consistent with those obtained when the LINEX loss is considered.
Circulating immune complexes in patients with necrotizing vasculitis

Abstract Sera from 29 patients with biopsy-proven idiopathic active cutaneous necrotizing venulitis (CNV) were examined for immune complexes by serum complement levels, Clq binding, and ADCC inhibition. For comparison these studies were also performed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most of the patients with CNV, SLE, and RA have evidence of circulating immune complexes at a time during which they have active disease. Patients with CNV tend to have normal or slightly reduced serum complement levels, abnormal Clq binding assay levels, and abnormal ADCC inhibition. The complexes were mostly >19 S in size. Density gradient analysis did not separate between the complexes in these three diseases. There was no association between ADCC inhibition and Clq binding or serum complement levels suggesting that these two assays detect different types of immune complexes. These observations suggest that multiple types of immune complexes exist in patients with different forms of vasculitis: those that appear to fix complement avidly and are cleared (low serum complement, low Clq binding); those that fix complement poorly in vivo but are readily detected in vitro (high Clq binding): and those which bind to lymphocyte Fc receptors (ADCC inhibition), and appear not to fix complement.
Power, affiliation, and war: Three tests of a motivational model.

From previous research, a model relating war outbreak to a pattern of high power motivation and low affiliation motivation is developed and tested by content analysis of (a) historical materials from over 300 years of British history, (b) British-German communications at the outbreak of World War I, and (c) United States-Soviet communications during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In all 3 studies, observed motive patterns in relation to war-versus-peace outcomes support the essential features of the model. Furthermore, wars once underway end only after power motivation drops and not after affiliation increases. Finally, ending of wars is followed by declines in power and achievement motivation. Alternative interpretations of the results are discussed and further, multivariate research is outlined
Functional fixation revisited: the effects of feedback and a repeated measures design on information processing changes in response to an accounting change

Abstract This study uses a product pricing laboratory experiment to evaluate the presence of functional fixation and extends prior research, particularly the work of Bloom et al. (1984) and Murray (1991) [Bloom, R., Elgers, P. T., & Murray, D. (1984). Functional fixation in product pricing: A comparison of individuals and groups. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 9(1), 1–11; Murray, D. (1991). Data fixation: Methodological refinements and additional empirical evidence. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 3, 25–38] by incorporating a repeated measures design and a feedback variable. Functional fixation was assessed by the degree of information processing changes in response to an accounting change. The accounting change, in the form of a change in depreciation method (straight line to accelerated or accelerated to straight line, respectively), was varied by the period in which the change occurred and by whether judgment policy feedback was provided. Ten experimental conditions were utilized in the study: two control conditions with no accounting change, four second-period accounting change conditions (two with feedback and two without), and four third-period accounting change conditions (two with feedback and two without). A total of 190 subjects participated in the study and made product pricing decisions for three sets of thirty products each, each constituting a separate period. In four of the 10 conditions, subjects received feedback during the second and third period in the form of cue weights and estimated prices based on the preceding task. Overall, results indicate that functional fixation is present, and that the period of the accounting change and feedback do not significantly influence it. However, feedback was differentially effective depending on the period in which the accounting change occurred, such that although it did not reduce fixation, it resulted in pricing differences obtaining from a revised consideration of the variables underlying the pricing decision model. The results of a second experiment with a larger number of periods were basically similar in demonstrating fixation effects. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for functional fixation as well as directions for future research.
Dermal elastin in actinic elastosis pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

FOR sixty-five years the identity of the fibres staining with elastic tissue stains in actinic (senile) elastosis has been the subject of debate1–5. Recent work has shown that elastotic dermis contains more hexosamine and less hydroxyproline than covered skin and that these changes are localized in the upper dermis6. This communication describes the estimation of elastin from elastotic skin determined after extraction in hot alkali7.
Evidence for a Ca-channel mutation in the K+-resistant mutants ofParamecium

The K+-resistant mutants ofParamecium tetraurelia were isolated for their ability to survive high concentrations of K+ that kill wild type (Shusterman et al. (1978)Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA75∶5645). These mutants have a normal turnover of the K-analog86Rb and do not appear to be defective in their K-regulation. Instead, the following evidence suggests that these mutants have a defective Ca channel that carries a lower-than-normal current: (1) Two K-resistant mutants survive longer than wild type in Ba++, which entersParamecium through the Ca channel during an action potential. (2) The most resistant mutant swims backward longer in Ba than wild type and has a much slower uptake of133Ba per second backward swimming. (3) Only the influx of Ba++ is altered in this mutant; the efflux of Ba++ is normal. All of the phenotypic differences of these mutants, including their lack of “adaptation” to high K+, can be explained by the postulated Ca-channel defect.
“Wild Minds—What Animals Really Think”: A Museum Exhibit at the New York Hall of Science, December 2011

Of the sciences, behavioral science might seem to be one of the most public-friendly. Although it may boggle the mind to try to imagine a world created of invisible, interwoven “strings” or even to...
Overview and treatment of opioid-induced constipation.

AbstractOpioid analgesics have a central place in the management of both chronic and acute moderate-to-severe pain. However, their potential benefits may be compromised by constipation and other related bowel adverse effects mediated by gastrointestinal μ-opioid receptors. These adverse effects occur in up to 90% of patients treated with opioids, and may be sufficiently debilitating to cause patients to discontinue or modify opioid therapy, thereby compromising effective analgesia. Thorough assessment and treatment to prevent or ameliorate opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is therefore an essential component of pain management. Current treatment options include lifestyle and dietary alterations and pharmacologic interventions, such as laxatives. However, laxatives do not affect opioid binding to μ-opioid receptors in the gastrointestinal tract and, hence, treatment of OIC with these agents is often unsatisfactory to patients. Although μ-receptor blockade with naloxone has been shown to relieve OIC, this c...
INACTIVATION OF THE IRRITANT TOXICANTS OF POISON IVY AND RELATED COMPOUNDS BY TYROSINASE

The action of mushroom tyrosinase on the oxidation of the irritant principles of poison ivy and on related toxic compounds has been demonstrated by measuring oxygen consumption, color change, decrease in phenolic groups and reduction in dermatitis-producing properties of these compounds on human and guinea-pig skin. The action of tyrosinase on poison ivy toxicants occurs both in vitro and on the human skin.
Tumorigenic conversion of a rat urothelial cell line by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes activated by lipopolysaccharide.

Chronic inflammation is a significant risk factor for the development of urinary bladder cancer. We have shown that inflammation induced by killed Escherichia coli and also by its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) strikingly enhances N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-initiated rat bladder carcinogenesis. Aspirates from the bladder lumen contained a large quantity of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and several cytokines. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) released from activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) are involved in inflammation-associated bladder carcinogenesis. Using an immortalized nontumorigenic rat urothelial cell line, MYP3, we examined the effect of LPS-activated PMN on malignant transformation. MYP3 cells pretreated with or without MNU were exposed daily to LPS-activated PMN for one week and were then tested for growth in soft agar. In contrast to no colony formation by the parental cells, a varying number of colonies developed from cells treated with LPS-activated PMN. Although combined treatment with MNU and PMN was most effective (P < 0.01), cells treated with LPS-activated PMN alone also formed a small number of colonies. Addition of catalase, which decomposes H2O2, and/or an antioxidant, α-tocopherol, reduced the number of colonies induced by LPS-activated PMN (P<0.05). Cells derived from colonies were tumorigenic in athymic nude mice. However, tumorigenicity in mice was greater with cells treated with both MNU and PMN than with cells treated with PMN alone. Our results suggest that ROI released from LPS-activated PMN may be one of the mechanisms involved in the carcinogenesis associated with active urinary tract infection.
Tools to facilitate development of conceptual understanding in the first and second year of engineering

We want our students to understand and apply the concepts in each course. Therefore, we work hard to help our students master often-difficult concepts; however, our evaluation of their conceptual understanding often occurs simultaneously with evaluation of other learning goals through use of traditional problem-solving tests. Seldom do we measure pre-to-post learning gains. Often, instruments that would facilitate pre-to-post learning evaluation are not available. Creation, development, and use of such instruments would likely promote constructive conversations between engineering students and faculty members. Assessment instruments that have been designed to evaluate only conceptual understanding are often referred to as concept inventories, following a convention established by the Force Concept Inventory. Concept inventories have a range of possible uses, e.g., a pre-course diagnostic to understand conceptual understanding of students at the beginning of a course, early course formative assessment to guide instructional planning, summative assessment to evaluate conceptual understanding at the end of the course, and pre-post assessment to aid evaluation of instructional strategies. Concept inventories have been used at both course and program levels. What distinguishes concept inventories from typical engineering course assessment methods is focus on a small set of key constructs, focus on a specific domain of academic content, and focus on conceptual understanding or qualitative reasoning, as opposed to computational problem solving. Considerable scholarship informs selection of the situations, formulation of the question, and development of plausible distracters. During the workshop, participants will (i) be provided an overview of research on conceptual understanding, (ii) be provided an overview of the historical development of concept inventories, (iii) engage in activities to describe effective uses and some misuses of concept inventories in their courses, (iv) learn how to access existing concept inventories via the developing ciHUB.org platform, (v) discuss psychometric properties of existing instruments, (vi) learn how psychometric analysis can aid development of concept inventories, and (vii) have opportunities to become active members in a growing community of users.
CD studies of double-stranded polydeoxynucleotides composed of repeating units of contiguous homopurine residues.

Double-stranded synthetic polydeoxynucleotides of the general form poly[d(GnCn)] · poly[d(GnCn)], poly[d(GnC)] · poly[d(GCn)], and poly[d(AnTn)] · poly[d(AnTn)] have been synthesized. When n = 4 or larger, the CD spectra of polymers of the form poly[d(GnCn)] · poly[d(GnCn)] or poly[d(GnC)] · poly[d(GCn)] closely resemble the spectrum of poly[dG] · poly[dC], suggesting that a string of four continguous guanosine residues is sufficient to induce a conformation resembling that of the polypurine · polypyrimidine. With polymers of the form poly[d(AnTn)] · poly[d(AnTn)], however, the CD spectrum only gradually approaches that of poly[dA] · poly[dT].
Use of modulators of airways inflammation in patients with CF.

One of the hallmarks of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is the presence of intense, neutrophil-dominated airway inflammation, and many researchers have focused on developing therapies to reduce inflammation in CF lung disease. Systemic corticosteroids can delay progression of lung disease, but at the cost of unacceptable side effects. Inhaled corticosteroids are widely used, but their efficacy has yet to be demonstrated in a controlled fashion. Ibuprofen has also been shown to delay disease progression, but its use has been limited by the need to obtain individual pharmacokinetics and concern about side effects. Other treatments with potential anti-inflammatory effects include pentoxifylline, leukotriene antagonists, docosahexaenoic acid, and azithromycin. Few, if any, large clinical studies of these therapies have been published, but several are presently underway. Because neutrophil elastase appears to be a key mediator of tissue damage in CF lung disease, antielastase compounds have also been studied, including alpha-1-protease inhibitor, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, and small molecule inhibitors. There have been no large-scale controlled trials of these therapies in CF. More recently, investigators have focused on cytokine modulation, using either interleukin-10 or interferon gamma. Some complementary and alterative medicine therapies may also have anti-inflammatory effects, although their clinical value has yet to be demonstrated in a rigorously-controlled fashion. In summary, numerous anti-inflammatory therapies have been applied to CF lung disease, but more large, well-controlled studies will need to be performed to determine their true clinical usefulness.
A Closer Look at Person–Environment Fit

Abstract While in agreement with a number of Tinsley's (2000) principles, we disagree on the two key aspects of lack of recognition of selection effects and inaccurate criticism of the circular structure tests. As a result, we question his conclusion about the invalidity of Holland's congruence hypothesis. We do agree with many of the recommendations for future research and briefly embellish on a few of these.
Error-free computation of a reflesive generalized inverse

Abstract The paper develops a method from which algorithms can be constructed to numerically compute an error-free reflexive generalized inverse of a matrix having rational entries. Multiple-modulus residue arithmetic is used to avoid error that is inherent in floating-point arithmetic. Some properties of finite fields of characteristic p , GF( p ), are used to find nonsingular minors of the matrix over the field of rational numbers.
Ocular disease in children with vertically acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Abstract Background: Clinical reports suggest that ocular disease in infants and children vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is different from that in adults. Pediatric patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV infection are being treated more aggressively and are living longer, but current literature on the incidence of AIDS-related ocular disease in vertically acquired HIV infection is limited. Methods: Thirty-three children with culture-positive, vertically acquired HIV infections were prospectively followed with ophthalmic examinations between September 1991 and August 1996 at the University of Massachusetts. Patients were categorized as having symptomatic or asymptomatic HIV disease according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Absolute CD4 counts and other measures of immune function were obtained. Results: The average length of follow-up was 30 months, and the average number of ophthalmic examinations per patient was 4.8. Ten patients developed ophthalmic findings. Nine of 18 (50%) patients with symptomatic AIDS disease developed ophthalmic findings. One of 15 asymptomatic HIV-infected patients developed ocular findings. Two patients with absolute CD4 counts less than 10 developed cytomegalovirus retinitis. Conclusions: These results suggest that AIDS-related ophthalmic disease is less common in vertically infected children than in adult AIDS patients. It also supports intensified clinical surveillance for cytomegalovirus retinitis in children with end-stage disease and very low CD4 counts.
Taxonomic, nomenclatural, and reproductive notes on Carlowrightia (Acanthaceae)

Information onC. arizonica, C. hapalocarpa, C. mcvaughii, C. parviflora, andC. pectinata published in a monograph of the genus in 1983 is updated. The generic affinities ofC. myriantha andC. sinaloensis are resolved, with the former placed inCarlowrightia and the latter removed to a separate genus. The new combinationC. neesiana, necessitated by conservation of the generic nameCarlowrightia, is provided for the species previously known asC. glandulosa. Two new species from western Mexico,C. fuertensis andC. huicholiana, are described, mapped, and illustrated.