cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gunn Diode and IMPATT Diode Modelling

Transferred-electron devices (utilizing the bulk negative resistance of gallium arsenide, indium phosphide or related compounds) and avalanche devices that use impact ionization in high electric field — are the most powerful solid-state sources of microwave energy. In this Chapter, we discuss different approaches to modeling these devices. First, we consider the mechanism responsible for the negative differential mobility in GaAs. Then we discuss and compare a full blown self-consistent Monte Carlo simulation of transferred electron devices with a much simpler (but a far less accurate) approach based on the drift-diffusion equation. Then we consider IMPATT devices which use phase delays related to avalanche breakdown and carrier drift in a semiconductor diode and discuss additional problems involved in modeling IMPATT devices.
Social and political embeddedness of approaches to health and illness: author's response

Extract: Dr. Tatiana Andreeva’s reflection (Andreeva, 2013) on the diversity of approaches to public health problems (in this issue) strikes very close to the heart of my own research. Her assertion that “contrasting paradigms [of public health] that dominated in the former Soviet Union and in Western countries may include … certain pathologies, which are not recognized as such in other societies” rings particularly true. I have been researching public health responses to HIV and IV drug use in Ukraine since 2007, and I have been involved in harm reduction efforts in my home country, the United States, since 2003. Throughout the last decade, I have sought to better understand how society’s perception of drug use (or, perhaps, I should say how different perceptions of drug use that emerge in different societies) shape social and medical responses to drug use and how those responses affect the lives of addicted persons.
A phase Ib study evaluating the safety and tolerability of durvalumab in combination with eribulin in patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer and recurrent ovarian cancer.

TPS3116Background: Recent studies have revealed only modest responses to single-agent immune checkpoint blockade in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC) patients as com...
Teachers leading educational reform: The power of professional learning communities

For many decades, substantive educational reform has remained elusive. This may be due to the fact that efforts to enact educational reform have often focused on “what” their proponents seek to cha...
Abstract P315: Progesterone Supplementation Abolishes Sflt-1 Induced Hypertension In Pregnant Rats

Preeclampsia (PE) affects 7% of pregnancies in the United States and is characterized by new onset hypertension in association with elevated soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1). We and othe...
Caregiver Well-being and the Quality of Cancer Care.

ABSTRACT Objectives To conceptualize the pathways and assess current evidence for the relationship between caregiver well-being and the quality of the cancer patient's care. Data sources Qualitative, quantitative, and theoretical literature and official reports. Conclusion Caregiver well-being has both direct and indirect effects on the quality of cancer care, including care received from the health care team, from the caregiver themselves, and in relation to patients’ own self-management. Implications for Nursing Practice Supporting caregivers has tangible consequences with regard to the quality of cancer care on multiple levels, with direct implications for patient outcomes. Nurses have a key role in providing psychosocial care to patients and their caregivers, and in supporting system-level change.
Réveiller l’archive d’une guerre coloniale: Photographies et écrits de Gaston Chérau, correspondant de guerre lors du conflit italo-turc pour la Libye (1911–1912)

Historian-geographer Pierre Schill has taken a uniquely exciting approach in this book to exploring an archive. The archive in question is made up of the photographs, letters, and select publicatio...
Heat exposure and global air conditioning

Air conditioning adoption is increasing dramatically worldwide as incomes rise and average temperatures go up. Using daily temperature data from 14,500 weather stations, we rank 219 countries and 1,692 cities based on a widely used measure of cooling demand called total cooling degree day exposure. India, China, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh and the Philippines all have more total cooling degree day exposure than the United States—a country that uses 400 terawatt-hours of electricity annually for air conditioning. Adoption of air conditioning is increasing globally, leading to peaks in electricity consumption and related environmental concerns. Compiling recent data on population and temperature, this study ranks 219 countries and 1,692 cities based on a measure of cooling demand to improve our understanding of future trends.
Federal consent decrees: a review of policies, processes, and outcomes

ABSTRACTFederal consent decrees have been used to reform police organizations in the United States for more than two decades. Agencies having completed consent decrees and the data accumulated in t...
Tranilast induces MiR-200c expression through blockade of RelA/p65 activity in leiomyoma smooth muscle cells

Objective To determine the mechanism by which tranilast induces miR-200c expression in leiomyoma smooth muscle cells (LSMCs). Design Experimental study. Setting Academic research laboratory. Patient(s) Women undergoing hysterectomy for leiomyoma. Intervention(s) Blockade of RelA/p65. Main Outcome Measure(s) Effects of tranilast and blockade of RelA/p65 on miR-200c expression. Result(s) Tranilast, an inflammation inhibitor, dose-dependently induced miR-200c in LSMCs and myometrium smooth muscle cells (MSMCs), with a more profound effect in LSMCs than in MSMCs. The treatment of LSMCs with Bay 117082, an inhibitor of IκB phosphorylation, further enhanced miR-200c induction by tranilast. The knockdown of RelA/p65 by small interfering RNA also induced miR-200c expression in LSMCs. Although tranilast had no effect on total RelA/p65 protein levels in LSMCs, it significantly induced RelA/p65 phosphorylation at S536 while reducing its activity as well as its nuclear translocation. ChIP assay indicated that tranilast reduces the binding ability of RelA/p65 to miR-200c promoter, resulting in miR-200c induction. Tranilast also inhibited interleukin-8 (IL8) expression in LSMCs. The induction of miR-200c by tranilast partially mediates the inhibitory effect of tranilast on the expression of IL8 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 in LSMCs. Conclusion(s) Induction of miR-200c by tranilast in LSMCs is mediated through a transcriptional mechanism involving inhibition of the nuclear factor κB signaling pathway. These results highlight the significance of inflammation in the pathogenesis of leiomyoma and the potential utility of antiinflammatory drugs for treatment of leiomyomas.
Does sexual functioning improve with migraine improvements and/or weight loss?—A post hoc analysis in the Women's Health and Migraine (WHAM) trial

Background Despite plausibility of migraine headaches contributing to impaired sexual function among women, data are inconsistent and point to obesity as a potential confounder. Prospective studies that assess the relative importance of migraine improvements and weight loss in relation to sexual function could help elucidate associations among migraine, obesity and female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Objective To evaluate sexual function changes and predictors of improvement after behavioural weight loss (BWL) intervention for migraine or migraine education (ME). Methods Women with migraine and overweight/obesity were randomized to 16 weeks of BWL (n = 54) or ME (n = 56). Participants completed a 4-week smartphone headache diary and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) at pre- and post-treatment. A validated FSFI total cut-off score defined FSD. We compared changes in FSFI scores and FSD rates between conditions and evaluated migraine improvements and weight loss as predictors of sexual functioning in the full sample. Results Among treatment completers (n = 85), 56 (65.9%) participants who reported sexual activity at pre- and post-treatment were analysed. Migraine improvements were similar between conditions, whereas BWL had greater weight losses compared with ME. FSD rates did not change overall (48.2% to 44.6%, p = .66) or by condition (BWL: 56.0% to 40.0% vs. ME: 41.9% to 48.4%, p = .17). Similar patterns were observed for changes in FSFI total and subscale scores. Across conditions, larger weight losses predicted greater improvements in FSFI total and arousal subscale scores, whereas larger migraine headache frequency reductions predicted greater improvements in FSFI satisfaction subscale scores. Conclusion Sexual functioning did not improve with either BWL or ME despite migraine headache improvements in both conditions and weight loss after BWL. However, weight loss related to improvements in physiological components of the sexual response (i.e., arousal) and overall sexual functioning, whereas reduced headache frequency related to improved sexual satisfaction. Additional research with larger samples is needed.
LIGA-based microsystem manufacturing:the electrochemistry of through-mold depostion and material properties.

The report presented below is to appear in ''Electrochemistry at the Nanoscale'', Patrik Schmuki, Ed. Springer-Verlag, (ca. 2005). The history of the LIGA process, used for fabricating dimensional precise structures for microsystem applications, is briefly reviewed, as are the basic elements of the technology. The principal focus however, is on the unique aspects of the electrochemistry of LIGA through-mask metal deposition and the generation of the fine and uniform microstructures necessary to ensure proper functionality of LIGA components. We draw from both previously published work by external researchers in the field as well as from published and unpublished studies from within Sandia.
Travel-Related Risk Behaviors and Antibiotic Use Among Older Travelers

Background Antibiotic stewardship in the pretravel care of older adults is important to effectively treat infections while minimizing harm from side effects and unnecessary antibiotic use. The objective of this study was to compare the characteristics, risk behaviors, infectious diseases, and antibiotic use between older (≥60 years) and younger (18-59 years) travelers. Methods TravMil is a prospective, observational cohort of United States (US) Department of Defense beneficiaries traveling outside the continental US for ≤6.5 months. For this analysis, we included adults enrolled pretravel between January 2010 and August 2018 and excluded active duty personnel on deployment. Pre and post-travel surveys captured trip characteristics, exposures, illnesses, and antibiotic use. Results A total of 1742 travelers were analyzed: 747 (42.9%) were aged ≥60 years and 995 (57.1%) were aged 18-59 years. Older travelers were less likely to engage in high-risk dietary behaviors and experience travelers' diarrhea than younger travelers (18.2% vs 22.9%; P < .05). Influenza-like illness (12.5%) and febrile illness (3.4%) occurred less frequently in the older cohort. Antibiotic use for self-treatment was common in both age groups (25.7% vs 26.7%) and often inappropriate, for example, for treatment of occasional loose stool or mild travelers' diarrhea (67.0% [67/100] in older adults vs 57.6% [83/144] in younger adults; P < .05), and influenza-like illness (63.4% [64/101] vs 58.6% [68/116], respectively; P < .05). Conclusions Older travelers were less likely to engage in high-risk behaviors and experience travelers' diarrhea, and both age groups experienced mild, self-limited infections. Inappropriate use of antibiotics was common, suggesting that antimicrobial stewardship should be emphasized at pretravel counseling with international travelers.
Progress in ASCVD Risk Assessment in African Americans and Hispanic Americans

Prediction of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has evolved to the point that national guidelines now recommend assessment of risk in most middle-aged and older adults. These risk estimates focus on persons without cardiovascular disease at a baseline evaluation. Expert committees have decided that the key cardiovascular events to predict and potentially prevent are myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and cardiovascular death. The experience of relatively large observational cohorts has typically been used to develop ASCVD risk assessments. The factors most frequently used to estimate vascular disease risk include age, sex, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level, diabetes mellitus status, and smoking status. In recent guidelines a longer list of factors has been identified that may enhance ASCVD risk and bear consideration. When first developed in the 1990s most ASCVD risk assessments were based on the experience of Euro Americans, but in more recent years prediction algorithms have been developed for African American and Hispanic American adults.
Coevolutionary feature learning for object recognition

In this paper, we consider the task of automatic synthesis/learning of pattern recognition systems. In particular, a method is proposed that, given exclusively training raster images, synthesizes complete feature-based recognition system. The proposed approach is general and does not require any assumptions concerning training data and application domain. Its novelty consists in procedural representation of features for recognition and utilization of coevolutionary computation for their synthesis. The paper describes the synthesis algorithm, outlines the architecture of the synthesized system, provides firm rationale for its design, and evaluates it experimentally on the real-world task of target recognition in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery.
Spamalot: A Toolkit for Consuming Spammers' Resources.

The Spamalot system uses intelligent agents to interact with spam messages and systems referenced in spam. The goal of Spamalot is to consume spam senders’ resources by engaging the spammer in an unproductive conversation or information exchange. To date two Spamalot agents have been implemented: Arthur which handles Nigerian spam and Patsy which processes spam requesting information via web forms.
Contingent capital and bank risk-taking among British banks before the First World War†

The recent financial turmoil highlights the incentive of highly leveraged financial institutions to take excessive risk, given the protection of limited liability. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, many banks operated under liability rules which obligated shareholders to bear larger costs of bank insolvency in the form of contingent, or even unlimited, liability. This article examines the empirical relationship between the size of banks' contingent liability and their risk-taking behaviour using data on British banks from 1878 to 1912. We find that banks with more contingent liability appear to have taken less risk. We also find evidence that the risk-reducing effects of contingent liability were larger for banks with higher leverage, suggesting that contingent capital mitigated the moral hazard problem at banks.
Implications of nonuniform tumor doses for radioimmunotherapy.

UNLABELLED This article describes a method of assessing the biologic consequences of nonuniform dose distributions produced in tumors by biologically targeted radionuclide therapy. The analysis is based on a simple mathematical model that assumes all tumor cells are uniformly radiosensitive. METHODS Using the linear-quadratic radiobiologic model, it is possible to represent an absorbed dose distribution by a biologically effective dose (BED) volume histogram (BVH). The Laplace transform of the BVH yields an equivalent uniform biologically effective dose. This is a one-number value that fully describes the biologic effect of a nonuniform absorbed dose distribution. In this article, for the purposes of exposition, nonuniform BED distributions are represented by normal distributions. RESULTS Nonuniform absorbed dose distributions are inefficient in sterilizing tumors and become proportionately less effective as the mean dose increases. The loss in effectiveness is most severe for radiosensitive tumors. CONCLUSION Several approaches may alleviate the consequences of dosimetric nonuniformity. These include the use of smaller targeting molecules, radionuclides with longer emission ranges, fractionated administration of biologically targeted radionuclide therapy and combined modality treatments.
Collective bargaining: crisis and its consequences for American society

The term ‘collective bargaining’ was first used extensively and developed in full form by Sidney and Beatrice Webb. As the intellectual father and mother of British industrial relations and through their multiple contributions to research, government and policy making, and university affairs, the Webbs served as role models for multiple generations of British scholars. Willy Brown, scholar, educational leader and active public servant, stands as our generation's Webbs' equivalent. In all three domains he has carried on the Webbs' legacy with the highest distinction. So it is fitting that one essay in this collection honouring Willy be devoted to an examination of the current state of this institution the Webbs called collective bargaining. I am honoured to present an analysis of collective bargaining, albeit one limited to its effects, the consequences of its decline and its potential future in the United States.
A reassessment of the distribution of multiple sclerosis.

When reviewed some 10 years ago, available prevalence studies of multiple sclerosis (MS) seemed to divide the world into three frequency zones for MS: high prevalence at 30 to 60 per 100,000 population; medium at 5 to 15; and low at less than 5 per 100,000. In the last decade the number of the available studies has more than tripled. Their reassessment, including judgments of comparability, still indicates a high-medium-low division for MS frequency world-wide. The high risk areas comprise northern Europe, northern United States, much of southern Canada, New Zealand, and probably southern Australia. Prevalence rates in these regions are mostly 30 to 80 per 100,000 population, centering at about $50. Medium frequency is defined as prevalence of 5 to 25, and is mostly 10 to 15. In Europe, the medium frequency zone bounds that of high frequency to the north, east, and south. The European Mediterranean basin is of medium prevalence with a sharp division from the high zone across France and Switzerland. It is likely that this division continues eastward across Austria, north of Hungary, and across the upper Ukraine to the Caspian Sea, but this is not definite. Medium risk areas of Europe thus include surveyed sites of Spain, Italy, Hungary, Jugoslavia, Bulgaria, and central Ukraine, together with southeastern France and southern Switzerland. Though Romania could be high, it is more likely to be of medium prevalence. Turkey measures low, but from incomplete data. From nationwide prevalence and mortality studies, the west coast of Norway and all Scandinavia above latitude 65° north are of medium frequency. Based on hospital data, northwestern USSR is high, and central and southern USSR medium, in MS risk. Other medium risk areas include southern United States, most of Australia, one ethnic group only in South Africa, and possibly Hawaii. Low risk areas are all surveyed sites of Asia, the Pacific islands, Africa, Latin America, Alaska, and Greenland.
Morphology of the cells within the inferior temporal gyrus that project to the prefrontal cortex in the macaque monkey

The primate neocortex possesses an extraordinary degree of regional specialization. Virtually all cortical functions are dependent upon a complex system of reciprocal connections between related cortical regions that allow for distributed information processing. Although some aspects of the organization of these corticocortical projections are understood, little is known about the morphology and afferents to the cells of origin of long corticocortical projections in primates. We combined intracellular injection of Lucifer Yellow (LY) in fixed tissue with in vivo retrograde transport of fast blue to study the dendritic morphology of neurons within the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and the superior temporal sulcus (STS) that furnish corticocortical projections to the prefrontal cortex. The fast blue retrogradely labeled cells formed two clearly defined bands within the inferior temporal cortex: a supragranular band that corresponded to layer III, and an infragranular band that corresponded to layers V and VI. After Lucifer Yellow intracellular filling, these retrogradely labeled cells projecting to the prefrontal cortex were found to be morphologically very heterogeneous. Although all filled cells had spiny dendrites, they presented a wide range of cell body sizes and dendritic tree morphologies. In layer III, the majority of cells were typical pyramids of various sizes. In layers V-VI, numerous typical pyramidal cells were present. In addition, significant numbers of modified pyramidal forms were found, including vertical and horizontal fusiform cells, asymmetrical pyramids and multipolar cells. The entire dendritic arbor of individual subtypes in layers III, V, and VI was restricted to a few cortical layers, but as a group these cells had dendrites spanning the whole cortical depth. We suggest that corticocortically projecting cells are distinct from subcortically projecting cells and consist of a defined set of morphological and functional subgroups, each of which is driven by a distinct set of afferents and likely possesses different response properties.
Passive reduced-order modeling of electromagnetic systems

Rapid electromagnetic field simulation is now being recognized as a critical component of next-generation computer-aided design frameworks that will be used for performance evaluation and design of the information processing and communication systems of the 21st century. Except for very simple systems, computer simulation of electromagnetic interactions is hindered by the very large number of degrees of freedom involved in the discrete model. One potentially useful approach to overcoming this computational bottleneck is model order reduction, where parts of the electromagnetic model are replaced by models of substantially lower order, yet capable of capturing the electromagnetic behavior of the original subsystems with sufficient engineering accuracy. Possible approaches to the development of such model order reduction techniques are the subject of this paper. The potential applications and the benefits from such electromagnetic model order reduction are discussed. The important issue of passivity of the generated reduced model is considered, and a set of constraints on the state representation of the discrete electromagnetic boundary-value problem are identified for the reduced order model to be passive. The paper concludes with a presentation of several numerical examples from the application of model order reduction techniques to the analysis of electromagnetic waveguides and antennas.
E-government cloud computing proposed model: Egyptian E_Government Cloud Computing

Cloud benefits are yet encountered by a vital difficulty; among them are security, privacy, reliability and performance. Additional important concern is the legal issues regarding the compliance with national and international regulatory framework. This paper proposes an abstract hybrid model to adapt e-government to cloud computing in Egypt that minimizes the risk associated with those concerns. The hybrid model consists of three types of cloud computing which are Intra-Cloud computing “IACC”, Extra-Cloud computing “EXCC” and Inter-Cloud computing “IECC”. The proposed model enables each of three clouds to set a number of constraints and restriction yet permits maximum integration, communication and collaboration among them. Finally, a set of recommended implementation practices and specification are suggested that ensure the risk minimization of the above concerns.
Voltage-gated Na + channels confer invasive properties on human prostate cancer cells

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American males, resulting in an estimated 37,000 deaths annually, typically the result of metastatic disease. A consequence of the unsuccessful androgen ablation therapy used initially to treat metastatic disease is the emergence of androgen-insensitive prostate cancer, for which there is currently no prescribed therapy. Here, three related human prostate cancer cell lines that serve as a model for this dominant form of prostate cancer metastasis were studied to determine the correlation between voltage-gated sodium channel expression/function and prostate cancer metastatic (invasive) potential: the non-metastatic, androgen-dependent LNCaP LC cell line and two increasingly tumorogenic, androgen-independent daughter cell lines, C4 and C4-2. Fluorometric in vitro invasion assays indicated that C4 and C4-2 cells are more invasive than LC cells. Immunoblot analysis showed that voltage-gated sodium channel expression increases with the invasive potential of the cell line, and this increased invasive potential can be blocked by treatment with the specific voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitor, tetrodotoxin (TTX). These data indicate that increased voltage-gated sodium channel expression and function are necessary for the increased invasive potential of these human prostate cancer cells. When the human adult skeletal muscle sodium channel Na(v1.4) was expressed transiently in each cell line, there was a highly significant increase in the numbers of invading LC, C4, and C4-2 cells. This increased invasive potential was reduced to control levels by treatment with TTX. These data are the first to indicate that the expression of voltage-gated sodium channels alone is sufficient to increase the invasive potential of non-metastatic (LC cells) as well as more aggressive cells (i.e., C4 and C4-2 cells). Together, the data suggest that increased voltage-gated sodium channel expression alone is necessary and sufficient to increase the invasive potential of a set of human prostate cancer cell lines that serve as a model for prostate cancer metastasis.
Bromine adsorption, reaction, and etching of Cu(100)

Abstract The interaction of Br 2 with Cu(100) was characterized using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Initial exposure to Br 2 resulted in the formation of a c(2 × 2) LEED pattern and CuBr desorption peaks at 870 and 1000 K. These desorption peaks saturated at a dose of approximately 5 L and were attributed to Br chemisorption. Continued exposure to Br 2 resulted in the growth of Cu 3 Br 3 desorption peaks associated with the formation of bulk CuBr. The Cu 3 Br 3 desorption peaks exhibited a strong coverage dependence. At low CuBr coverages, desorption peaks at 450 and 485 K were observed, while at intermediate coverages a third peak at 540 K was observed, and at high coverages a single broad peak at 500 K was observed. Similar results were obtained whether the CuBr layer was formed by exposure to Br 2 or by deposition of Cu 3 Br 3 onto a c(2 × 2) layer. The two higher-temperature peaks were shown to be consistent with sublimation of α and β CuBr, while the lowest-temperature peak could not be associated with sublimation of any bulk phase of CuBr. The lowest-temperature peak was attributed to either a grain-size effect or to the interaction of CuBr with chemisorbed Br. At 325 K, growth of CuBr resulted in a hexagonal LEED pattern that disappeared upon annealing to 400 K. Again, the same results were obtained for CuBr formed by reaction with Br 2 and by vapor deposition of Cu 3 Br 3 , suggesting that the reaction produces near-equilibrium structures. The hexagonal LEED pattern was attributed to compressed epitaxial CuBr(111). The reaction of Br 2 with Cu(100) was characterized by a constant sticking coefficient, indicating that the reaction is adsorption-rate limited over the range studied. The sticking coefficient was found to depend on temperature in two distinct ways: (i) annealing the c(2 × 2) layer irreversibly increases the sticking coefficient, and (ii) the sticking coefficient reversibly decreases with increasing reaction temperature. The first effect was attributed to structural changes in the chemisorbed layer.
Infertility and its influence on women's career identities

(1987). Infertility and its influence on women's career identities. Health Care for Women International: Vol. 8, No. 2-3, pp. 185-196.
Effect of osmotic diuresis on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

The effect of isosorbide diuresis on gentamicin excretion and tissue accumulation as well as gentamicin-induced histopathologic changes in renal tissue were examined in rats. Gentamicin (30, 60, 120, 160 mg/kg) was administered s.c. for 10 consecutive days with or without isosorbide pretreatment. Osmotic diuresis with isosorbide did not significantly reduce the dose-dependent extent of gentamicin accumulation in renal tissues in comparison to nondiuresed rats. Although the urinary concentration of gentamicin was reduced in the diuresed animals, total gentamicin excretion remained unaffected. In addition, diuresis altered neither the renal excretion of the proximal tubular cell marker enzyme, N-acetyl-B-glucosaminidase, nor the severity of pathologic damage as determined by light microscopic examination of renal tissues. It appears that osmotically-induced diuresis alone is insufficient to prevent or significantly reduce gentamicin nephrotoxicity in rats. This is in contrast to other forms of diuretic therapy, such as furosemide, which have been shown to effectively reduce renal accumulation and resultant renal toxicity of aminoglycoside administration.
Comparison of outpatient narcotic prescribing patterns after minimally invasive versus retropubic and perineal radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: Studies comparing pain after minimally invasive vs retropubic and perineal radical prostatectomy are conflicting. We characterized population based outpatient narcotic prescribing patterns after minimally invasive, retropubic and perineal radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: We evaluated outpatient prescription data after minimally invasive, retropubic and perineal radical prostatectomy from 2003 to 2006 using MarketScan®. Baseline and postoperative narcotic prescriptions were identified using the National Drug Code. Total prescribed narcotic strength in morphine sulfate equivalents, the number of prescriptions filled and costs were compared. We performed multivariate analysis adjusted for surgical approach, age, comorbidity, baseline narcotic use, health plan and geographic region.Results: We identified 2,206 minimally invasive, 8,037 retropubic and 463 perineal radical prostatectomies with no differences in baseline narcotic prescription use. Perineal and retropubic operations were asso...
Estimating the mean function of a Gaussian process and the Stein effect

Abstract The problem of global estimation of the mean function θ(·) of a quite arbitrary Gaussian process is considered. The loss function in estimating θ by a function a (·) is assumed to be of the form L ( θ , a ) = ∫ [ θ ( t ) − a ( t )] 2 μ ( dt ), and estimators are evaluated in terms of their risk function (expected loss). The usual minimax estimator of θ is shown to be inadmissible via the Stein phenomenon; in estimating the function θ we are trying to simultaneously estimate a larger number of normal means. Estimators improving upon the usual minimax estimator are constructed, including an estimator which allows the incorporation of prior information about θ. The analysis is carried out by using a version of the Karhunen-Loeve expansion to represent the original problem as the problem of estimating a countably infinite sequence of means from independent normal distributions.
A theorem on interpolation in Haar subspaces.

Abstract : The purpose of the note is to answer an old question about the Lagrange interpolation process. The authors prove here that in interpolation by polynomials of degree n, it is possible to select the n+1 nodes of interpolation in such a way that the resulting Lebesgue function exhibits n+2 maxima of equal amplitude. The authors actually establish this theorem for almost arbitrary Haar subspaces.
Antibody inhibition of cytomegalovirus: the role of natural killer and macrophage effector cells.

To explore mechanisms by which antibody might inhibit cytomegalovirus (CMV), we measured the ability of intravenous CMV-IgG (CytoGam® to reduce viral yield in the presence of effector cells. Foreskin fibroblasts were infected with a clinical strain of CMV, and CytoGam® was added along with effector cells consisting of either unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), natural killer (NK) cells, or macrophages. The combination of CytoGam® and either of the effector cell types markedly inhibited established CMV infection in vitro. In addition, CytoGam® combined with effector cells protected the monolayer from CMV-induced cytopathic effects. Antibody-dependent, effector cell-mediated functions may underlie the ability of CytoGam® to prevent or modulate CMV infection in vivo.
A comparison of strategies for behavioral obesity treatment

Abstract The present study examined different modes of behavioral obesity treatment, varying amounts of therapist time and contact, in a realistic health service setting. We examined effects on weight loss of group vs group plus individual contact, and of non-trained external agents vs trained agents. The results indicated significant losses in both pounds and percent obesity at the end of treatment and at six month follow-up for each of the treatment vs controls, with no between group differences. Implications for minimal therapist contact in behavioral obesity treatment are discussed.
Leptocephalus energetics: Assembly of the energetics equation

The principles of energetics were used to examine the energetic requirements of leptocephali. Respiration and excretion rates and daily growth rates combined with proximate composition were used to examine the allocation of energy into each of the three main components of energetics: metabolism, excretion and growth. The daily energetic requirements for leptocephali, referred to as type 2 larvae based upon their unique developmental strategy, were compared to the requirements of non-leptocephalus larvae, known as type 1. Leptocephalus daily energetic requirements were also compared to the energy available from the leptocephalus' proposed food sources. The four species of eel larvae selected were all from the order Anguilliformes: Paraconger caudilimbatus (Poey), Ariosoma balearicum (Delaroche), Gymnothorax saxicola Jordan and Davis, and Ophichthus gomesii (Castelnau). The allocation of energy to each of the components of energetics as well as the total energetic requirements for the leptocephali proved to be very different from those of type 1 larvae. Metabolism received the majority, 60–92%, of the energy required per day. Growth and excretion were allocated 4–39% and <1–21%, respectively, of the total energy needed per day. Leptocephali required <50% of the energy needed by type 1 larvae of equal dry mass. The unique growth strategy used by leptocephali allows them to increase rapidly in size while allocating the majority of their energy, not to growth as in most larval fish, but to metabolism.
Sequence preference of chloroquine binding to DNA and prevention of Z-DNA formation

Chloroquine is a critically important antimalarial drug and a well known intercalator into DNA. We now show that chloroquine binds more avidly to poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) than to other synthetic polynucleotides and that this binding inhibits both salt- and cobalt-induced transitions to Z-DNA. These data are consistent with the possibility that chloroquine's toxicity to malarial parasites is mediated by its effect on DNA.
Isolation and Characterization of Uracil‐Degrading Clostridia from Soil

Five strains of uracil-degrading clostridia were isolated from soil using an enrichment medium containing uracil as the principal energy source. All the isolates resembled Clostridium glycolicum, although they lacked the characteristic ability to ferment ethylene glycol. Both representative isolates and a reference strain of Cl. glycolicum degraded uracil and produced β-alanine when grown in a semi-defined medium. Thus, the uracil-degrading activity was similar to that described previously for Cl. uracilicum.
DMS air/sea flux and gas transfer coefficients from the North Atlantic summertime coccolithophore bloom

[1] Dimethylsulfide (DMS) atmospheric and oceanic concentrations and eddy covariance air/sea fluxes were measured over the N. Atlantic Ocean during July 2007 from Iceland to Woods Hole, MA, USA. Seawater DMS levels north of 55°N ranged from 3 to 17 nM, with variability related to the satellite-derived distributions of coccoliths and to a lesser extent, chlorophyll. For the most intense bloom region southwest of Iceland, DMS air/sea fluxes were as high as 300 μmol m−2 d−1, larger than current model estimates. The observations imply that gas exchange coefficients in this region are significantly greater than those estimated using most gas transfer parameterizations. South of 55°N, DMS levels were lower and the gas transfer coefficients were similar to those observed in other regions of the ocean. The data suggest that DMS emissions from the bloom region may be significantly larger than current estimates. The anomalous gas exchange coefficients likely reflect strong near-surface, water column DMS gradients influenced by physical and biological processes.
Tennessee Probes Placement of Farm Youth

A state-wide study to secure basic placement data for Tennessee rural youth in both farming and related fields is here described. This article will inform our readers what is being attempted in one agricultural area and may stimulate other surveys of a similar nature.
Uroepithelium in a colonic diverticulum

Giant colonic diverticula are rare entities and often present in adulthood as acute diverticulitis. The authors present a case of giant colonic pseudodiverticulum lined with uroepithelium causing bowel obstruction in a neonate. The presence of uroepithelium in a colonic pseudodiverticuium remains unexplained and to the authors' knowledge unreported. This heterotopic tissue may be a result of an embryonic rest or could be urachal in origin adhering initially to the colon and eventually detaching from the umbilicus. These lesions should be resected because of the risk of infection, perforation, or obstruction.
The Germination of Vavraia culicis Spores1

Buffered solutions of KCl and NaCl were tested for their stimulatory effect on the germination of variously-aged spores of Vavraia culicis. Germination was optimal in 0.2 M KCl, pH 6.5 for one isolate, and, for another isolate, peaks of germination occurred at pH 7.0 and 9.5. Spores incubated for several hours in suboptimal solutions became unable to germinate under optimal conditions. After being returned to water, they regained their ability to germinate. Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and ammonium chloride inhibited germination. After ingestion by mosquito larvae, spores germinated near the posterior end of the midgut.
The costs of congestion and wilderness recreation

Existing research on the effects of congestion in wilderness areas suffers from problems associated with asking people directly what they would be willing to pay to avoid congestion under hypothetical circumstances. The work reported here is based on methodologies that infer conclusions from observed behavior. Two inferential methodologies are used to examine visitors' willingness to pay at three California wilderness areas during peak and off-peak use periods. Inferential methodologies do not provide unambiguous measures of consumer surplus. However, they do yield the conclusion that, with the exception of a relatively few individuals, solitude is not of overriding importance. Convenience of timing and the attributes of different wilderness areas appear to be more important than congestion.
Control of food-motivated instrumental behavior in water-deprived rats by prior water and saline drinking

Abstract Water-deprived rats trained to bar-press for food after drinking water were tested for food-reinforced responding after drinking 0.0 to 15.0 ml water and after drinking .075 to .30 M saline. Response rates were an increasing function of amount of water and a decreasing function of saline concentration, whether food reinforcement was continuous or on a 30-sec variable interval schedule, which severely limited the amount of food actually ingested during the experimental sessions. The finding that the incentive value of food for thirsty rats shows a graded increase with increasing hydration is consistent with the view that the inhibition of eating by water-deprived animals results from a suppression of feeding motivation, rather than a limitation of the amount of food that can be consumed.
Plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations and their relationship to dietary zinc intake and zinc supplementation during pregnancy in low-income African-American women.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effects of usual dietary intake of zinc and of zinc supplementation during pregnancy on plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations. Design A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjects Low-income African-American women (n=580) assigned randomly to groups at 19 weeks of gestation. Intervention A daily dose of zinc (25 mg) or a placebo until delivery. Main outcome measures Plasma, erythrocyte, and dietary zinc levels. Statistical analyses Multiple regression and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results In both the placebo and the supplemented groups, when all subjects were grouped by usual dietary zinc intake above or below the median (12 mg/day), results were the same: Women with high dietary zinc intake had higher erythrocyte zinc levels at the time of randomization and at all subsequent measurements during pregnancy than those who had low dietary zinc intake ( P ≤.06; difference not significant for zinc-supplemented group); no difference was observed for plasma zinc levels. On the other hand, when the subjects were stratified at the median by total daily zinc intake (usual dietary zinc + 25 mg zinc supplement) during pregnancy, a significant difference in plasma zinc levels ( P Applications These results should help dietitians and other health professionals better understand the expected changes in plasma and erythrocyte zinc levels during pregnancy, and the relationship between dietary and supplemental zinc and zinc nutriture. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:1296-1274.
Effect of cytokines on prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin production in primary cultures of human myometrial cells.

The objective of this study was to characterize interleukin-1, -6, and -8 (IL-1-, IL-6-, and IL-8)-induced prostacyclin (PGI2 as 6-keto PGF1α) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in primary cultures of human myometrial cells. Prostaglandins (PGs) released into the culture media were quantitated by specific radioimmunoassays. IL-1, but not IL-6 or IL-8, caused a dose- and time-dependent increase in the production of both PGI2 and PGE2. Half-maximally stimulating doses (EC50) of IL-1 were about 0.1 ng/ml, and maximal responses were observed at 1–10 ng/ml, amounting to 15- to 23-fold increases over unstimulated controls. The action of IL-1 was greatly potentiated by the protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester, TPA, and inhibited by actinomycin D and cycloheximide. IL-1-induced PG production was also suppressed by dexamethasone, by the natural IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), and by transforming growth factor1β (TGF1β). It is concluded that IL-1 is a potent agonist of PG synthesis in human myometrial c...
Family and childhood adjustment in cystic fibrosis

Family adaptation has been commonly associated with the psychological adjustment of chronically ill children. However, few studies have attempted to systematically evaluate this association and its relationship to illness severity. We studied 44 children ages 7 to 15 and their families at a large cystic fibrosis center and obtained measures of 1) impact of illness on the family; 2) family functioning; 3) behavioral adjustment; 4) social competence; 5) ratings of anxiety, depressive, and eating disorder symptoms; and 6) ratings of illness severity and duration. Impact of illness on the family and overall family dysfunction were significantly correlated with illness severity, but not duration. However, impact of illness on the family was significantly correlated with internalizing behavioral symptoms, while family dysfunction was correlated with depressive symptomatology. These findings suggest that illness-related stress is primarily reflected in general emotional and behavioral symptoms, with familial adaptation either ameliorating or exacerbating their development into depressive symptomatology.
Elevated carbon monoxide levels from smoking in blood donors.

The greater affinity of hemoglobin for carbon monoxide than for oxygen can lead to increased carboxyhemoglobin in blood donors who smoke. The presence of carboxyhemoglobin has an adverse effect on the oxygen dissociation curve resulting in a decreased release of oxygen to the tissues. When this is present, along with the progressive decrease in oxygen-carrying capacity resulting from storage, bank blood will have an even greater loss in ability to provide oxygen to the tissues of a recipient. Carbon monoxide can be displaced from hemoglobin by oxygen when there is room air exchange by donor respiration. The rate of this exchange can be accelerated by taking advantage of the natural gas laws and using a higher concentration of oxygen for respiration or by increasing ventilatory exchange. Volunteers in the present study raised their carboxyhemoglobin levels by heavy smoking and had the rate of decrease in carboxyhemoglobin tested either after breathing pure oxygen or after exercise-induced hyperventilation. The decreases in carboxyhemoglobin levels were accelerated by either method. Donors who had not smoked showed low carboxyhemoglobin levels which did not decrease after exercise. Thus, blood banks could minimize carboxyhemoglobin levels in collected blood by restricting the smoking of donors, by not collecting blood for at least 2 to 4 hours after smoking, or by using oxygen breathing or exercise-induced hyperventilation to accelerate the donors excretion of carbon monoxide.
Attenuation of Estrogen Receptor α (ERα) Signaling by Selenium in Breast Cancer Cells via Downregulation of ERα Gene Expression

Numerous studies have shown that selenium provides beneficial effects as a cancer chemoprevention agent. Although long-term intervention trials failed to confirm selenium protection against breast cancer in humans because of insufficient cases, the evidence of effective selenium chemoprevention in animal mammary tumor models or human breast cancer cells is substantial and convincing. The present study demonstrates that the selenium compound methylseleninic acid (MSA) inhibits estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) signaling in ER-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells as evidenced by decreased estradiol-dependent cell growth and gene expression. MSA diminishes estradiol induction of endogenous ER-regulated pS2 and c-myc genes as well as the expression of an ER-regulated reporter gene. A major mode of MSA action on ER signaling is through a downregulation of ERalpha gene expression that precedes a decrease in ERalpha protein level. This study provides a mechanism driven rationale for using selenium as a chemopreventive agent for women at high risk for developing breast cancer or as a therapeutic strategy for ER-positive breast cancer.