cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An association between renal cell carcinoma and lymphoid malignancies: A case series of eight patients

BACKGROUND Second primary malignancies have been described in patients with both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. However, an association between renal cell carcinoma and lymphoid malignancies has rarely been described. Eight patients with both disorders are described and possible explanations for the association are reviewed. METHODS A retrospective review of records from patients with renal cell carcinoma, lymphoma, leukemia, or myeloma discharged from the University of California at Los Angeles between July 1, 1993 and June 30, 1995 was performed. Renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 186 patients, whereas 405 had a lymphoid malignancy. Eight patients with both disorders were identified. RESULTS In four of the eight patients, the renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed prior to their hematologic malignancy, whereas in the remaining four patients, the lymphoid malignancy was diagnosed first. Renal cell carcinoma is observed in the general population in 12.5 persons per 100,000 and hematologic malignancies in 31.8 per 100,000. The number of cases of lymphoid malignancies expected in the 186 renal cell carcinoma patients is lower than the 4 cases actually observed (P < 0.01). Likewise, the number of renal tumors expected in the 405 patients with hematologic malignancies is fewer than the 4 cases observed (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of renal cell carcinoma and lymphoid malignancy occurring in the same patient is higher than that expected in the general population. This association cannot be explained by treatment-related development of a second malignancy. A common genetic mutation or an immunomodulatory role of the first malignancy predisposing to the second are possibilities but further investigation is warranted. Cancer 1996;78:2421-6.
Simulated microgravity activates apoptosis and NF-κB in mice testis

Microgravity is known to have significant effect on all aspects of reproductive function in animal models. Recent studies have also shown that microgravity induces changes at the cellular level, including apoptosis. Our effort here was to study the effect of simulated microgravity on caspase-8 and the caspase-3 activities, the effectors of the apoptotic pathway and on the transcription factor NF-κB a signaling molecule in mouse testis. Morey-Holton hind limb suspension model was used to simulate microgravity. Caspase-8 and 3 fluorometric assays were carried out and HLS mice testis exhibited a 51% increase in caspase-8 and caspase-3 compared to the controls. A sandwich ELISA-based immunoassay was carried out for detection of NF-κB which again significantly increased in the test mice. Testosterone levels were measured using an ELISA kit and in HLS mice the decrease was significant. There was also a significant decrease in testis weight in the test mice. Simulated microgravity activates caspase 8, 3 and NF-κB necessary to stimulate the apoptotic pathway in mice testis. This may account for the drop in testis weight and testosterone level further affecting testicular physiology and function.
Chalcogenide Fibers for Mid-Infrared Applications

The Naval Research Laboratory has developed rare-earth doped and undoped chalcogenide glass fibers for applications in the 1-12 µm wavelength region. Recent results on these fibers, IR fiber lasers, devices and applications will be reviewed. Article not available.
Focusing, rotational state selection and orientation of CH3I in a seeded supersonic beam

Abstract Rotationally cool methyl iodide molecules from a seeded, supersonic nozzle beam source are focused and state-selected using the hexapole electric field tecnique of Kramer and Bernstein. The narrow speed distributions obviate the use of a mechanical velocity selector. A quantitative computer simulation of the focusing curves (transmitted intensity versus hexapole rod voltage V0), based on the trajectory method of Brooks , yields the rotational state distributions of the transmitted beams. These results establish confidence in the calculated values of the average molecular alignment of the molecules passing into orientation field, within which (using a crossed beam arrangement) oriented-molecule collisions may be carried out. For a CH3I beam (rotational temperature 23 K), state-selected and focused at V0 = 2 kV, the average value of the molecular alignment is found to be ( cos θ > = 0.64: ± 0.01. The most abundant J, K, M quantum states in the focused beam are (2,2,2) (3,3,3) and (1,1,1), respectively. These three states alone account for over 90% of the transmitted CH3I molecules.
Silicon immersion gratings for very high-resolution infrared spectroscopy

In our group, development of large format silicon immersion gratings with sizes up to 4 inches in diameter is a routine practice. The first silicon anamorphic immersion grating has an 80x50 mm2 etched grating area, a 63.5° blazed angle and a 5.4 l/mm groove density (or 185 μm period) on a 30mm thick silicon substrate. The groove density is about 4 times coarser than any existing commercial echelle grating, allowing a complete coverage of a cross-dispersed echelle spectrum on a 1k x 1k IR array at R = 220,000 in the K band. The optical measurements show the grating has a high quality wavefront and surface. The rms wavefront error is 0.125 waves and the integrated scattered light is ~1% at 0.6328 nm. A silicon immersion grating with an 85x50 mm2 etched area, a 54.7° blazed angle and 16.1 l/mm groove density on a 40 mm thickness allows for complete wavelength coverage of 1.2-2.4 μm on a 2kx2k IR array. We are in the middle of processing a silicon disk with a 6 inch diameter and 2.5 inch thickness to make a large format silicon immersion grating for the Gemini next generation Advanced Cryogenic Echelle Spectrograph (ACES) and space applications.
COMPUTER ANALYSIS OF THE TOEFL TEST OF WRITTEN ENGLISH

This project had three main objectives: (1) to establish a database of essays written by different language groups on a variety of topics for the Test of Written English (TWE) that can be used in future research; (2) to summarize, analyze, and compare the linguistic properties of those essays; and (3) to determine how the TWE performance of language groups relates to essay styles. As part of the first objective of this project we created a database of 1,737 essays, a data matrix of essay variables, files containing sorted phrases and vocabularies of different language groups, and files of the common and unique vocabulary items for each pair of language groups. The essay sample consisted of TWE essays from five language groups, including Arabic, Chinese, English (including native-English and nonnative-English), and Spanish speakers. Essays from English-speaking students in the United States were collected and scored to provide a baseline with which to compare essays by students who speak English as a second language (ESL). This report includes the analysis of 106 variables for each essay along with summary analyses, such as correlation, analyses of variance, discriminative analysis, and factor analysis. It also presents information on the accuracy and cost of data entry and on the accuracy of the text analysis programs, as well as extensive data on vocabulary. A program that assesses content was developed for this project. Results show that topic differences affected some essay variables, but these effects were generally felt equally by the different language groups. Factor analysis replicated work showing that major distinguishing features of academic writing include a nominal style, passive constructions, and complexity of sentence structure. Discriminant analysis suggest three features that might distinguish the performance of different language groups — directness, expressiveness, and academic stance. Nevertheless, a linguistic analysis of the accuracy of underlying text analysis programs shows that for some word classes implicated in defining “academic” or “expressive” styles, cautions are needed in interpreting program outputs. Two variables that can be measured unambiguously by computer — number of words and the average length of words — taken together are quite predictive of TWE essay scores of non-English speakers (multiple R > .8).
An epidemiologic study of perinatal telencephalic leucoencephalopathy in an autopsy population

Abstract Changes in the occurrence of perinatal telencephalic leucoencephalopathy (PTL) during a 3-year interval and the association of risk factors with PTL were studied in an autopsy population. The frequency of PTL in infants who died between the ages of 9 and 30 days was double that of older and younger infants. Marked variation in the annual frequency of PTL suggests that exogenous factors play an important role in the occurrence of PTL. Congenital heart disease, hyaline membranes, amniotic fluid aspiration, thoracotomy, laparotomy, cardiac catheterization, and pre-term birth were not associated with PTL. Post-mortem bacteremia was strongly associated with PTL. Since 85% of infants with both PTL and post-mortem bacteremia had Gram-negative organisms it is hypothesized that in certain instances PTL may represent the adverse effects of endotoxin on myelinogenesis or some other maturational process unique to infant white matter.
The Acutely Injured Knee

Acute knee pain is a common complaint among patients presenting to outpatient clinics. Although most injuries are minor and resolve without surgical intervention, some injuries, such as extensor mechanism injuries, tibial plateau fractures, and multi-ligament knee injuries, require prompt evaluation by an orthopedic surgeon. A thorough history and physical examination combined with radiographs are usually sufficient to diagnose these more urgent injuries. If the diagnosis remains uncertain, magnetic resonance imaging is the imaging modality of choice in diagnosing ligamentous, tendinous, meniscal, and chondral injuries.
Clinical Science Nitrous Oxide Analgesia: A Psychophysical Evaluation Using Verbal Descriptor Scaling

The effect of 33% nitrous oxide/67% oxygen was compared with 100% oxygen and air on verbal reports of either sensory intensity or unpleasantness of sensations associated with painful electrical tooth pulp stimulation. Forty-eight subjects used words describing the sensory intensity (i.e., weak, mild, strong) or degree of unpleasantness (i.e., annoying, unpleasant, distressing) to assess the sensations produced by a broad range of tooth pulp stimuli. Within the experimental session, a given subject assessed the painful sensations under all three treatments delivered through a nasal inhaler in a double-blind manner. The incorporation of within-subject placebo (nasal inhaler + air) and active placebo (nasal inhaler + oxygen) controls allowed for rigorous assessment of the components of nitrous oxide analgesia. The results of this study suggest that 33% nitrous oxide analgesia reduces the intensity but not the unpleasantness of painful tooth pulp sensations. Further, 100% oxygen provides no analgesic effect.
Darfur: Strategic Victimhood Strikes Again?

Although most humanitarians advocate more international intervention in Darfur, some analysts urge the opposite on grounds that intervention has backfired due to the problem of moral hazard. These contrarians argue that the expectation of benefiting from intervention is what emboldens Darfur's rebels to fight, which provokes state-sponsored retaliation against their perceived civilian supporters, thereby exacerbating and prolonging the humanitarian emergency. This article tests the moral-hazard hypothesis against four other potential explanations for why Darfur's militants launched and perpetuated their rebellion despite being unable to protect their civilians from genocidal retaliation. The evidence indicates that moral hazard—the expectation of humanitarian intervention—increased both the magnitude and duration of Darfur's rebellion, and therefore the retaliation it provoked against civilians. Competing hypotheses are less plausible but cannot be ruled out completely based on available evidence. The art...
Dose-related Differences in the Pharmacodynamic and Toxicologic Response to a Novel Hyperglycosylated Analog of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin in Sprague-Dawley Rats with Similarly High Hematocrit

We recently reported results that erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA)–related thrombotic toxicities in preclinical species were not solely dependent on a high hematocrit (HCT) but also associated with increased ESA dose level, dose frequency, and dosing duration. In this article, we conclude that sequelae of an increased magnitude of ESA-stimulated erythropoiesis potentially contributed to thrombosis in the highest ESA dose groups. The results were obtained from two investigative studies we conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats administered a low (no thrombotic toxicities) or high (with thrombotic toxicities) dose level of a hyperglycosylated analog of recombinant human erythropoietin (AMG 114), 3 times weekly for up to 9 days or for 1 month. Despite similarly increased HCT at both dose levels, animals in the high-dose group had an increased magnitude of erythropoiesis measured by spleen weights, splenic erythropoiesis, and circulating reticulocytes. Resulting prothrombotic risk factors identified predominantly or uniquely in the high-dose group were higher numbers of immature reticulocytes and nucleated red blood cells in circulation, severe functional iron deficiency, and increased intravascular destruction of iron-deficient reticulocyte/red blood cells. No thrombotic events were detected in rats dosed up to 9 days suggesting a sustained high HCT is a requisite cofactor for development of ESA-related thrombotic toxicities.
Chronic toxicity of zatosetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, in rhesus monkeys.

ABSTRACTA 1-year chronic toxicity study was conducted in which rhesus monkeys (4/sex/dose) were given daily doses of 0, 3, 10, or 25 mg zatosetron/kg by nasogastric intubation. Clinical signs of toxicity characterized by salivation, diarrhea or soft stools, and/or emesis occurred in animals that received 10 or 25 mg/kg of zatosetron. One monkey in the high-dose group and one in the middle-dose group died as a result of intratracheal administration of the compound. The death of another monkey in the high-dose group was associated with an unexpectedly high (3-fold the mean plasma Cmax value in surviving females in this group) plasma level of zatosetron as indicated by postmortem analysis of heart blood. Animals of both sexes in all treatment groups gained weight at a slightly reduced rate when compared to control monkeys. Depressed appetite occurred in some monkeys in all treatment groups but was most evident in those receiving 25 mg/kg. Evaluation of ECG's indicated that treatment with zatosetron did not p...
Polarizability response spectroscopy: Formalism and simulation of ultrafast dynamics in solvation

A formalism is presented for a novel fifth-order spectroscopy designed to measure the spectrum of nuclear modes coupled to photoinduced processes. In this description of polarizability response spectroscopy, a two-level system first interacts (twice) with an electronically resonant laser pulse to create ground and excited state wavepackets that evolve until the polarizability spectrum is probed by three off-resonant pulses and a fourth local oscillator probe field. In the experiment and in the present formalism, heterodyne detection is accomplished by tuning the relative phase of a local oscillator field with respect to the signal field. Full field-resolved signal detection by spectral interferometry is also described with the formalism of this paper. Terms in the response function involving electronic ground and excited state populations are shown to be 180 degrees out-of-phase. We present a model for which signal generation in the presence of these interfering terms results from two mechanisms: structural relaxation induced resonance and dephasing-induced resonance. Our model shows that interference between ground and excited state terms in the PORS response function may be interpreted as arising from the overlap of hole and particle nuclear wavepackets in coordinate space. These results are discussed in the context of experimental measurements for Coumarin 153-Solvent systems. Comparison of theoretical and experimental signals suggests that structural relaxationinduced resonance of the solvent is the primary origin of the measured signals in both solvation and charge transfer processes. � 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
"Echo attributions" and other risks when publishing on novel therapies without peer review.

A special series on Thought Field Therapy in the Journal of Clinical Psychology provides an opportunity for psychologists to learn about techniques and theories outside the mainstream of our field. Unfortunately, by publishing this series of manuscripts without meeting the standards of peer review, the Journal also provides an avenue for the misuse of its good reputation and the improper promotion of untested methods. “Echo attributions” can be made whereby an author attributes the source of his own words to the professional journal in which the text appears. Historical examples illustrate that such misuse of scientific journals and institutions occurs. A formal statement of guidelines is needed to instruct authors on appropriate versus unethical representations of their publications. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 1245–1250, 2001.
Maternal and child health care of haitian families living on a sugarcane plantation in the dominican republic.

Data regarding the maternal and child health care of Haitians living in the Dominican Republic were collected by questionnaire. Respondents were contacted in their homes with the assistance of miss...
Organisch‐anorganische Hybridmaterialien: von „einfachen”︁ Koordinationspolymeren zu Molybdänoxiden mit Organodiamin‐Templaten

Eine Blaupause fur das Design von Oxidmaterialien kann uns die Natur liefern, da sie bei Biomineralisationsprozessen und bei der Hydrothermalsynthese komplexer Mineralien anorganische Mikrostrukturen beeinflussen kann. Eine Anleihe bei dieser Fahigkeit fuhrt zu einer ganz neuen Klasse von Materialien, bei denen organische Komponenten eine Rolle bei der Kontrolle uber die anorganischen Mikrostrukturen spielen. Der Einsatz von Verbindungen aus der bestandig wachsenden Klasse polymerer Komplexkationen ermoglicht die Herstellung von Molybdanoxiden mit neuartigen Substrukturen (siehe das im Bild gezeigte Beispiel).
Securing Russia's HEU stocks

Production and use of HEU and plutonium are inherently dangerous due to the possibility of their diversion to terrorist groups or rogue nations. Of the two, HEU might be of greater concern. First, HEU is used in a wide range of applications and is therefore more readily available. Second, in many cases, HEU might be more vulnerable to diversion. Unirradiated HEU does not require containment and operating personnel often have a legitimate and prolonged direct access to the material. It is also less radioactive and therefore is harder to detect by conventional passive radiation‐detection techniques that are employed at personnel and vehicle portals at nuclear facilities. Third, although the arsenals of the existing nuclear powers are built around plutonium, HEU is likely to be a material of choice for a less sophisticated bombmaker.1 HEU processing is somewhat easier and it is a relatively minor health hazard. It also has a much lower rate of spontaneous fission, a fact that makes the weapon design job some...
Global model estimates of carbon and nitrogen storage in litter and soil pools: response to changes in vegetation quality and biomass allocation

Changes in plant production, structure, and tissue composition are primary drivers for terrestrial biogeochemistry under future environmental conditions. Consequently, there is a need for process-oriented assessment of the potential global importance of vegetation controls over extended periods of C and N sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, plant litter quality (lignin content) and carbon allocation to woody tissues are used as surrogates for testing the hypothetical effects of vegetation change on C and N cycles. We tested the CASA (Carnegie-Ames-Stanford approach) biosphere model, which uses global gridded (1°) satellite imagery on a monthly time interval to simulate seasonal patterns in net ecosystem carbon balance and near steady-state C/N storage in detritus and soils. Under contemporary “reference” settings, combined organic matter storage (litter plus surface soil to c . 30 cm depth) for C and N is estimated highest in tropical and boreal forest ecosystem zones, and in cultivated ecosystems. The worldwide C:N ratio (by weight) for standing litter plus surface soil organic matter (SOM) is estimated at 23. About 14% of the projected global pool of 1327 Pg (10 15 g) soil C resides in “modern” form, in the sense that this proportion is in near-steady state exchange with plant production and decomposition on time scales of several decades. Likewise, about 12% of the projected global pool of 104 Pg soil N is in modern form. Sensitivity tests treated litter quality and allocation effects independently from other direct effects of changes in climate, atmospheric CO 2 levels, and primary production. For forested ecosystems, the model predicts that a hypothetical 50% decrease in litter lignin concentration would result in a long-term net loss of about 10% C from surface litter and soil organic matter pools. A 50% decrease in C allocation to woody tissues would invoke approximately the same net loss of C as a 50% decrease in litter lignin. With respect to nitrogen, the 50% downward adjustment in litter allocation to woody tissues may increase both the estimated net N mineralization rates and SLOW N pool by approximately 9% on a global basis. This pattern is consistent with an overall increase in N available for cycling, which is affected by the fraction of relatively N-poor to N-rich litter inputs. For comparison to the effects of these surrogate changes in vegetation tissue composition, model response to a globally uniform increase in surface air temperature of 1 °C is a net loss of 5% C from litter and SOM pools. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0889.49.issue1.1.x
Thermal Decomposition of Energetic Materials 56. On the fast thermolysis mechanism of ammonium nitrate and its mixtures with mangnesium and carbon

Fast thermolysis studies of ammonium nitrate (AN) and its mixtures with magnesium and activated charcoal have been carried out by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy/temperature profiling technique. When subjected to rapid heating (ca. 80°C/s), AN Sublimes/decomposes around 300°. Sublimation dominates at ambient pressures. The IR-active products of decomposition are NH3, NO2, N2O and H2O. Reaction schemes accounting for the products are proposed which involve proton transfer leading to NH3 by the decomposition products of HNO3. The decomposition of AN is significantly enhanced when AN is mixed with magnesium powder or charcoal, and occurs at as low a temperature as 135°C. Whereas NH3 is the major product of decomposition of ANMg mixtures, no NH3 is observed from ANC mixtures. The results are explained by the reaction of HNO3 and NH3 with Mg or C.
Free Radical Production, Antioxidant Capacity, and Oxidative Stress Response Signatures in Fibroblasts From Lewis Dwarf Rats: Effects of Life Span-Extending Peripubertal GH Treatment

The discovery that in invertebrates, disruption of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 pathway extends life span and increases resistance to oxidative injury led to the hypothesis that IGF-1 signaling may play a role in regulating cellular reactive oxygen species production, oxidative stress resistance, and consequentially, organismal life span in mammals. However, previous studies testing this hypothesis in rodent models of IGF-1 deficiency yielded controversial results. The Lewis dwarf rat is a useful model of human growth hormone (GH)/IGF-1 deficiency as it mimics many of the pathophysiological alterations present in human GH/IGF-1–deficient patients as well as elderly individuals. Peripubertal treatment of Lewis dwarf rats with GH results in a significant extension of life span. The present study was designed to test the role of the GH/IGF-1 axis in regulating cellular oxidative stress and oxidative stress resistance, utilizing primary fibroblasts derived from control rats, Lewis dwarf rats and GH-replete dwarf rats. Measurements of cellular dihydroethid ium and C-H2DCFDA fluorescence showed that cellular − 2 O and peroxide production were similar in each group. Fibroblasts from control and Lewis dwarf rats exhibited similar antioxidant capacities and comparable sensitivity to H2O2, rotenone, high glucose, tunicamycin, thapsigargin, paraquat, and mitomycin, which cause apoptosis through increasing oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, ATP depletion, and/or by damaging DNA, lipids and proteins. Fibroblasts from GH-replete rats exhibited significantly increased antioxidant capacities and superior resistance to H 2O2, rotenone and bacterial lipopolysaccharide–induced cell death compared with cells from Lewis dwarf rats, whereas their sensitivity to the other stressors investigated was not statistically different. Thus, low circulating IGF-1 levels present in vivo in Lewis dwarf rats do not elicit long-lasting alterations in cellular reactive oxygen species generation and oxidative stress resistance, whereas life span–extending peripubertal GH treatment resulted in increased antioxidant capacity and increased resistance to cellular injury caused by some, but not all, oxidative stressors.
Subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum

A 45-year-old man was transferred to our institution for management of potential bronchopleural fistula complicating left upper lobe surgical lung wedge resection for lung adenocarcinoma. Four days after surgery, extensive subcutaneous emphysema was seen on chest X-ray (Figure 1 …
Influences of feedback and ascending and descending trial presentations on perithreshold odor detection performance.

The influences of feedback and ascending and descending trial sequences on the ability of 135 college-aged subjects to detect phenyl ethyl alcohol odorant concentrations ranging from 10 –9 to 10 –5.5 v/v were examined in a two-alternative forced-choice test paradigm. At the highest concentrations, ascending trial sequences produced better performance than descending trial sequences; the reverse was true at the lowest concentrations. There was a tendency for feedback to improve performance marginally at the lowest two odorant concentrations presented. In the region associated with a traditional detection threshold calculation (i.e. at the 75% performance point in a two-choice detection task), no influences of feedback or direction of trial sequence were apparent. These data indicate that the effects of explicit feedback and trial sequence direction depend upon the segment of the peri-threshold stimulus concentration continuum evaluated.
A transmission range reduction scheme for power-aware broadcasting in ad hoc networks using connected dominating sets

In ad hoc wireless networks, due to node mobility, broadcasting is expected to be more frequent to update global route/network information. A straightforward broadcasting by flooding is usually very costly and will result in substantial redundancy and large energy consumption. Power consumption is an important issue since most mobile hosts operate on battery. Broadcasting based on a connected dominating set (CDS) is a promising approach, where only nodes in the CDS need to relay the broadcast message. A set is dominating if all the nodes in the system are either in the set or neighbors of nodes in the set. In general, nodes in the CDS consume more energy to handle various bypass traffic than nodes outside the set. To prolong the life span of each node and, hence, the network, nodes should be alternated when possible to form a CDS. In this paper, we further extend the power-aware broadcasting by dynamically reducing the transmission range of each node during the broadcast process without sacrificing the broadcast coverage. The effectiveness of the proposed methods in prolonging the life span of the network is confirmed through simulation.
Occupy Wall Street, the Global Crisis, and Antisystemic Movements

The ancient discussion about the purposes of wealth and the conflict between oligarchy- rule of the rich - and democracy- the rule of the demos/the people comes to the fore once again within the current systemic crisis, from the Arab Spring to the Occupy protests, to the Arab Fall. Even as counterrevolution and growing regional and global turbulence - political, economic and military - appear to be triumphing over the new wave of democratic revolutions and rebellions, at least in the Arab world, with the threat of regional and global conflagration all too real, the underlying structural causes reality of a militarized capitalist world-system in deep crisis will ensure continued waves of antisystemic protests for years to come.
Predictive Models for Characterizing Disparities in Exclusive Breastfeeding Performance in a Multi-ethnic Population in the US.

Objectives Maternal lactation performance varies across populations, yet the relative impact of maternal sociodemographics, perinatal factors, and birth outcomes on disparities in exclusive breastfeeding (XBR) outcomes is not well known. We aimed to develop predictive models and compare the relative contribution of predictors for XBR initiation and XBR ≥ 6 months. Methods Infant feeding data were obtained from women with children aged 0–6 years (n = 1471) in a multi-ethnic cross-sectional study in the US (2011–2012). We compared discriminant ability of predictors for ever XBR and XBR ≥ 6 months using discriminant function analysis, respectively. We also calculated adjusted ORs for factors associated with XBR outcomes and breast-bottle feeding (BrBot) subgroups. Results Maternal sociodemographics (education level, marital status, nativity, and age at childbirth) had greater discriminating abilities in predicting ever XBR and XBR ≥ 6 months than birth outcomes and perinatal factors. Foreign-born women were two-fold more likely to initiate XBR but not necessarily continue to 6 months compared to their US-born counterparts. Factors associated with BrBot subgroups differed from those associated with XBR outcomes, whereas maternal age was the only predictor consistently associated with ever XBR, XBR ≥ 6 months, and BrBot subgroups. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for models predicting ever XBR and XBR ≥ 6 months were 0.88 (95 % CI 0.85, 0.91) and 0.90 (95 % CI 0.88, 0.93), respectively. Conclusions Findings underscore the importance of educational, clinical, and social support to promote XBR in mothers with sociodemographic factors predictive of none or poor XBR outcomes.
The Virginia Horn: A Reactivated Archean Fault/Shear Complex

The “Virginia Horn” structure of the Mesabi Iron Range, northeastern Minnesota, refers to the broad, gently plunging anticline-syncline in Proterozoic Animikie Group rocks as outlined by the prominent “lightning streak” map pattern of the Biwabik Iron Formation. Archean basement rocks consisting principally of mafic to intermediate volcanic rocks, volcaniclastic metasedimentary rocks, and assorted small felsic intrusives are exposed in the anticlinal core of the Virginia Horn. Structural study indicates that these rocks have undergone at least three periods of folding, and are cut by a northeasterly trending fault/shear complex that (at least for the most part) does not cut into the overlying Animikie Group rocks. This fault/shear system coincides with the axis of the Virginia anticline.
Processing and Properties of Sol-Gel Derived 20 Mol% Na2 0–80 Mol% SiO2 (20N) Materials

A number of investigators [1–6] have studied the sol-gel-glass transformation and the aging, drying and densification processes involved. However, monolithic, amorphous, large scale xerogels are still difficult to produce because of insufficient understanding of basic changes in microstructure during the sol-gel-glass transformation and the chemical reactions of the precursors, solvents and catalysts used. Some papers sugqest ways of obtaining monolithic gels by (1) increasing the mechanical strength of gel by aging [7]; (2) diminishing the magnitude of capillary forces by enlarging the pore size and/or decreasing the surface energy by using surfactants [8] (3) reducino the rate of evaporation of the solvent from the pores by using a semipermeable membrane during drying [9] (4); and eliminating the pore liquid-solid interface by hypercritical evacuation [10].
Addressing ethical challenges in HIV prevention research with people who inject drugs

Despite recent advances in HIV prevention and treatment, high HIV incidence persists among people who inject drugs (PWID). Difficult legal and political environments and lack of services for PWID likely contribute to high HIV incidence. Some advocates question whether any HIV prevention research is ethically justified in settings where healthcare system fails to provide basic services to PWID and where implementation of research findings is fraught with political barriers. Ethical challenges in research with PWID include concern about whether research evidence will be translated into practice; concerns that research might exacerbate background risks; and ethical challenges regarding the standard of HIV prevention in research. While these questions arise in other research settings, for research with PWID, these questions are especially controversial. This paper analyses four ethical questions in determining whether research could be ethically acceptable: (1) Can researchers ensure that research does not add to the burden of social harms and poor health experienced by PWID? (2) Should research be conducted in settings where it is uncertain whether research findings will be translated into practice? (3) When best practices in prevention and care are not locally available, what standard of care and prevention is ethically appropriate? (4) Does the conduct of research in settings with oppressive policies constitute complicity? We outline specific criteria to address these four ethical challenges. We also urge researchers to join the call to action for policy change to provide proven safe and effective HIV prevention and harm reduction interventions for PWID around the world.
Depletion of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells confers susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in GM-CSF-deficient Csf2−/− mice

Previous studies established that GM-CSF-deficient (Csf2-deficient) mice exhibit profound resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. This study addressed whether the resistance of Csf2-deficient mice was a result of a requirement for GM-CSF in controlling the functional balance between effector and regulatory T cell subsets during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The main observation was that treatment with the anti-CD25 mAb PC61 rendered Csf2-deficient mice fully susceptible to severe, chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, with disease incidences and severities equivalent to that of C57BL/6 mice. When both donors and recipients were treated with PC61 in a passive model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, adoptive transfer of myelin-specific Csf2-deficient T cells into Csf2-deficient recipients resulted in a nonresolving chronic course of severe paralytic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The peripheral Csf2-deficient T cell repertoire was marked by elevated CD3+ T cell frequencies that reflected substantial accumulations of naive CD44null-low CD4+ and CD8+ T cells but essentially normal frequencies of CD4+ CD25+ forkhead box P3+ T cells among the CD3+ T cell pool. These findings suggested that Csf2-deficient mice had secondary deficiencies in peripheral T cell sensitization to environmental antigens. In accordance, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55/CFA-sensitized Csf2-deficient mice exhibited deficient peripheral sensitization to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, whereas pretreatment of Csf2-deficient mice with PC61 enabled the robust induction of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific T cell responses in the draining lymphatics. In conclusion, the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis resistance of Csf2-deficient mice, at least in part, reflects a deficient induction of effector T cell function that cannot surmount normal regulatory T cell barriers. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis effector responses, however, are unleashed upon depletion of regulatory CD25+ T cells.
Solution structure for Pandinus toxin K-alpha (PiTX-K alpha), a selective blocker of A-type potassium channels.

PiTX-Kα, a 35-residue peptide recently isolated from the venom of Pandinus imperator, blocks the rapidly inactivating (A-type) K+ channel(s) in rat brain synaptosomes and the cloned Kv1.2 potassium channel at very low toxin concentrations (6 nM and 32 pM, respectively) [Rogowski, R. S., Collins, J. H., O'Neil, T. J., Gustafson, T. A., Werkman, T. A., Rogawski, M. A., Tenenholz, T. C., Weber, D. J., & Blaustein, M. P. (1996) Mol. Pharmacol. 50, 1167−1177]. The three-dimensional structure of PiTX-Kα was determined using NMR spectroscopy in order to understand its selectivity and affinity toward K+ channels. PiTX-Kα was found to have an α-helix from residues 10 to 21 and two β-strands (βI, 26−28; βII, 33−35) connected by a type II β-turn to form a small antiparallel β-sheet. Three disulfide bonds, which are conserved in all members of the charybdotoxin family (α-K toxins), anchor one face of the α-helix to the β-sheet. The N-terminal portion of PiTX-Kα has three fewer residues than other α-K toxins such as c...
All Malignancies of Older Adults

The most important cancers in persons aged 50 and over are the most common cancers overall, namely breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, and lung and colon cancer in both the genders. As a group, cancers among older men are less common among the polyglot population of Los Angeles County than among other populations, even including Utah. In contrast to malignancies among younger adults, those among older adults are more common among men than among women. African-American men and white women have a higher risk than other racial/ethnic groups, but in both sexes the risk is higher in those of a higher social class. These cancers have different patterns of occurrence and showed no tendency to concentrate within the same population groups. No systematic pattern of geographical occurrence is apparent among the few high-risk census tracts, and therefore older persons seem to experience roughly the same risk in all neighborhoods.
Men and the Middle: Gender Differences in Dyadic Compromise Effects

Individual decision makers show robust tendencies toward choosing compromise options. But what happens when consumers make choices with someone else? This article examines the choice of compromise options in joint dyadic decisions. Findings reveal that preferences for compromise alternatives replicate in mixed-gender and female-female dyads as among individuals but are attenuated when two males make a choice together. Moreover, when two males make joint choices, their tendency to choose the compromise alternative decreases not only relative to other types of pairs but also to male and female individual decision makers. Evidence is presented that this happens because male-male dyadic contexts cue gender dichotomization, behavior that is consistent with masculine but not feminine gender norms. Because the extremity in decision making is maximally consistent with masculine but not feminine gender role norms, male-male dyads exhibit lower preferences for compromise options. However, if men have an opportunity to signal masculinity to one another prior to making joint compromise choices, male-male dyads prefer compromise options at proportions no different from female-female dyads. This work brings together the judgment and decision-making literature with insights from the social psychology literature, identifying a case when gender role norms have profound influences on classic judgment and decision-making effects.
Vacancy–Vacancy Interaction Induced Oxygen Diffusivity Enhancement in Undoped Nonstoichiometric Ceria

Molecular dynamics simulations and molecular static calculations have been used to systematically study oxygen vacancy transport in undoped nonstoichiometric ceria. A strong oxygen diffusivity enhancement appears in the vacancy concentration range of 2–4% over the temperature range from 1000 to 2000 K. An Arrhenius ion diffusion mechanism by vacancy hopping along the ⟨100⟩ direction is unambiguously identified, and an increasing trend of both the oxygen migration barrier and the prefactor with increasing vacancy concentration is observed. Within the framework of classical diffusion theory, a weak concentration dependence of the prefactor in oxygen vacancy migration is shown to be crucial for explaining the unusual fast oxygen ion migration in the low concentration range and consequently the appearance of a maximum in oxygen diffusivity. A representative ⟨100⟩ direction interaction model is constructed to identify long-range vacancy–vacancy interaction as the structural origin of the positive correlation b...
Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Criteria and Clinical Endpoints

The Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) Working Group is an international multidisciplinary group whose goal is to improve response criteria and define endpoints for neuro-oncology trials. The RANO criteria for high-grade gliomas attempt to address the issues of pseudoprogression, pseudoresponse, and nonenhancing tumor progression. Incorporation of advanced MR imaging may eventually help improve the ability of these criteria to define enhancing and nonenhancing disease better. The RANO group has also developed criteria for neurologic response and evaluation of patients receiving immunologic therapies. RANO criteria have been developed for brain metastases and are in progress for meningiomas, leptomeningeal disease, spinal tumors, and pediatric tumors.
Cyclic magnetic actuation technique for thin film interfacial fatigue crack propagation

Abstract Interfacial fatigue crack characterization is challenging for as-deposited thin films due to issues with fixturing and precision application of cyclic loading. A fixtureless and microfabricated test technique is presented to characterize delamination propagation rate as a function of constant amplitude fatigue loading using a novel peel test configuration and magnetic actuation. The test was demonstrated for 1.6 μm thick Cu films on a Si substrate, where interfacial fatigue crack propagation was observed to follow Paris Law behavior.
Core curriculum illustration: dural venous sinus thrombosis

This is the 25th installment of a series that will highlight one case per publication issue from the bank of cases available online as a part of the American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) educational resources. Our goal is to generate more interest in and use of our online materials. To view more cases online, please visit the ASER Core Curriculum and Recommendations for study online at http://www.aseronline.org/curriculum/toc.htm .
Effect of p53 Silencing on Asenic Tioxide-Induced Apoptotic Pathways in a Myeloma Cell Line Expressing w.t.p53.

Mutations in the p53 gene are the most common genetic abnormality in human cancers. P53 is a tumor suppressor gene, which regulates a wide variety of target genes controlling cell cycle and apoptosis. Arsenic Trioxide (ATO) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia and is being tested in phase II studies in various types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. We have previously shown that ATO is a potent inducer of apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells, engaging the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in cells expressing w.t. p53. In contrast, in cells expressing mutant p53, both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways are engaged. Our finding in this respect were further supported by our recent study using a p53 temperature sensitive (p53Ts) mutant cell line, BRK, expressing w.t. p53 at 32°C and mutant p53 phenotype at 37°C (Akay et al.,AACR; Abstract #5344, 2005). We hypothesized that knocking out of p53 or p21 mRNA will result in modifying ATO-induced apoptotic pathways as observed using the p53-Ts conditional mutant of BRK cells. Thus, IM9 cells (expressing w.t.p53) were transfected [AMAXA Nucleoporator, ~60% transfection by green fluorescence protein (GFP) tag] with a GFP-SiRNA expressing plasmid co-expressing anti-sense RNA sequences for p53 (GFP/Sip53) and p21 (GFP/Sip21). As a control, GFP expressing plasmid not containing SiRNA (GFP/cont) was used. We observed in GFP/cont-transfected cells a G1 arrest through activation of p21 and moderate apoptosis, primarily through activation of procaspase 9, with no activation of BID and procaspase 8. In cells transfected with GFP/Sip53 or GFP/Sip21 plasmids we observed rapid mitochondrial membrane depolarization and apoptosis primarily through activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway with downregulation of FLIP, activation of procaspase 8 and BID, enhanced release of AIF from mitochondria and rapid apoptosis. Depletion of glutathione was observed with or without silencing of p21 or p53. Furthermore, silencing of p53 or p21 resulted with a decrease in ATO-induced activation of c-jun and Erk and in a decrease in the activation of Akt. These results further substantiate the model we put forward for the role of p53 in ATO-induced apoptosis in myeloma and other cancer cell lines.
The Relation between Public Manager Compensation and Members of Parliament's Salary across OECD Countries

The compensation for central government senior managers has been the focus of considerable attention from the public, media and academia in recent years. In several countries, the average compensation of public managers, especially top level ones, has risen in a way that public considers disproportionate and inequitable. In this context, there is a hot debate that the government senior managers are overpaid. A growing literature has analysed the possible determinants of compensation in public and private organizations. However, some political and institutional factors affecting public managers’ compensation are hardly known. Here, we show that the average compensation for central government senior managers seems to be positively associated to average salary of members of parliament (MPs), standardized with GDP per capita of countries. In addition, results show that higher levels of compensation for central government senior managers are mainly in countries based on Mixed Executive. We also show that higher public manager compensations are associated to countries with lower freedom of expression, freedom of association, free media, lower quality of contract enforcement, property rights and corruption control. These results can provide fruitful insights to support reforms and best practices that improve the efficiency of public administration, mainly in latecomer countries.