cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stochastically curtailed phase II clinical trials

Phase II trials often test the null hypothesis H0: p ⩽ p0versus H1: p ⩾p1, where p is the true unknown proportion responding to the new treatment, p0 is the greatest response proportion which is deemed clinically ineffective, and p1 is the smallest response proportion which is deemed clinically effective. In order to expose the fewest number of patients to an ineffective therapy, phase II clinical trials should terminate early when the trial fails to produce sufficient evidence of therapeutic activity (i.e. if p ⩽p0). Simultaneously, if a treatment is highly effective (i.e. if p⩾p1), the trial should declare the drug effective in the fewest patients possible to allow for advancement to a phase III comparative trial. Several statistical designs, including Simon's minimax and optimal designs, have been developed that meet these requirements. In this paper, we propose three alternative designs that rely upon stochastic curtailment based on conditional power. We compare and contrast the properties of the three approaches: (1) stochastically curtailed (SC) binomial tests, (2) stochastically curtailed (SC) Simon's optimal design, and (3) SC Simon's minimax design to those of Simon's minimax and Simon's optimal designs. For each of these designs we compare and contrast the number of opportunities for study termination, the expected sample size of the trial under the null hypothesis (p ⩽p0), and the effective type I and type II errors. We also present graphical tools for monitoring phase II clinical trials with stochastic curtailment using conditional power. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Linking academic and clinical missions: UC Davis' integrated AHC.

Abstract Academic health centers (AHCs) rely on cross-subsidization of education and research programs by the clinical enterprise, but this is becoming more challenging as clinical reimbursements decline. These new realities provide an important opportunity to reevaluate the relationships between medical schools and academic medical centers. The authors examine the benefits of their ongoing commitment to create a fully integrated AHC at the University of California (UC) Davis, discussing strategies that serve as catalysts for continued growth. They explore how investments of proceeds from the clinical enterprise directly enhance educational and research initiatives, which, in turn, increase the success of patient-care programs. This has created a cycle of excellence that leads to an enhanced reputation for the entire health system. One strategy involves using clinical margins to “prime the pump” in anticipation of major research initiatives, resulting in rapid increases in external research funding and academic recognition. In turn, this facilitates recruitment of high-quality faculty and staff, improving the ability to deliver expert clinical care. The overall enhanced institutional reputation positions both the clinical and academic programs for further success. The authors posit that such approaches require executive-level commitment to a single strategic vision, unified leadership, and collaborative financial and operational decision making. Adopting such changes is not without challenges, which are discussed, but the authors suggest that an integrated AHC fosters optimized operations, enhanced reputation, and stronger performance across all mission areas. They also provide examples of how the UC Davis Health System has thus attracted philanthropists and investments from the private sector.
Determination of Hemoglobin Oxygen Saturation from Turbid Media Using Reflectance Spectroscopy with Small Source-Detector Separations

In this study, we present an empirically modified diffusion model determining hemoglobin oxygen saturation from turbid media using steady-state, broadband (500-600 nm) reflectance with source-detector separations of a few hundred micrometers. Development of this model was conducted using Monte Carlo simulations, a gold standard modeling technique for predicting the behavior of light propagation through turbid media. Hemoglobin oxygen saturation levels of 0 and 100% at different blood concentrations were studied. Nonlinear curve fitting was used to extract the hemoglobin oxygen saturation values from the reflectance spectra, producing errors of 5% between the simulated curves and the model for both saturation cases. Further validation was performed using liquid-tissue phantoms containing intralipid and blood. Curve fitting between the in vitro data and the model produced errors of less than 2%. This validated model was then used to extract saturation values from in vivo reflectance spectra of the human index finger and human brain tissues. This empirically modified diffusion model provides the possibility of extracting local hemoglobin oxygen saturation from blood-perfused turbid media using reflectance data measured with a small source-detector separation probe.
A test of the predictability of the properties of filled systems.

Time dependent small-strain modulus of styrene- butadiene rubber, noting predictability from selected molecular parameters
HEREDITARY ASPECTS OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE.

Abstract Currently available data on aggregations of coronary heart disease among relatives have been reviewed, and the interrelation-ships between genetic and environmental factors responsible for familial predispositions toward coronary atherosclerosis have been discussed. Although the evidence suggests a definite but not striking tendency for coronary disease to cluster in families, a quantitative assessment of the relative importance of familial influences in the genesis of these disorders is not possible at the present time. The first step toward the solution of the methodological problems involved lies in the recognition of their nature. It is suggested that the true extent of familial aggregations of coronary heart disease can only be estimated with assurance on the basis of long-term, rather than one-time, studies of families representative of the population at large.
Learning object color models from multi-view constraints

Color is known to be highly discriminative for many object recognition tasks, but is difficult to infer from uncontrolled images in which the illuminant is not known. Traditional methods for color constancy can improve surface reflectance estimates from such uncalibrated images, but their output depends significantly on the background scene. In many recognition and retrieval applications, we have access to image sets that contain multiple views of the same object in different environments; we show in this paper that correspondences between these images provide important constraints that can improve color constancy. We introduce the multi-view color constancy problem, and present a method to recover estimates of underlying surface reflectance based on joint estimation of these surface properties and the illuminants present in multiple images. The method can exploit image correspondences obtained by various alignment techniques, and we show examples based on matching local region features. Our results show that multi-view constraints can significantly improve estimates of both scene illuminants and object color (surface reflectance) when compared to a baseline single-view method.
Recent experience with Wilms' tumor: 1978-1991.

Background: The treatment of Wilms' tumor has undergone major advances in the past four decades. Current therapy is based on both the stage and pathology of the tumor. We have reviewed our recent experience with this tumor to assess the results of treatment on protocols that generally avoid the use of doxorubicin. Methods: Between January 1978 and December 1991 we treated 114 children with renal tumors. Ninety-one (80%) had favorable histology Wilms' tumor and 23 (20%), unfavorable histology tumors (13 anaplastic Wilms' tumors, four clear cell tumors of the kidney, and six sarcomatous tumors with rhabdoid elements). Chemotherapy was divided into two eras: 1978–1982 (vincristine and actinomycin-D) and 1983–1991 [vincristine and actinomycin-D for all patients, and cyclophosphamide for those with favorable histology and metastatic disease (n=13) and all patients with anaplastic histology (n=13)]. Four patients with clear cell or rhabdoid/sarcomatous tumor, three of whom are disease-free, were treated with a five-drug regimen (vincristine, doxorubin, cyclophosphamide, platinum, and VP-16). Approximately two thirds of the patients received megavoltage radiotherapy to the tumor bed. Mean abdominal radiation doses from 1978 to 1982 were slightly higher than those used from 1983 to 1991 (2,597±782 cGy vs. 2,039±524 cGy, respectively). Results: No isolated local failures were observed in any favorable histology patient who received radiotherapy. Among the 91 patients with favorable histology, there was no statistically significant difference in event-free survival irrespective of stage. Outcome for patients with anaplastic or clear cell variants was not different from that for those patients with favorable histology, but there were only small numbers in these groups for comparison. Only children with a rhabdoid/sarcomatous variant demonstrated survival that was different from all others (p=0.00). Our previously reported patients with stage I tumors (<550 g) (n=11) who were treated by nephrectomy only continue to have an excellent outcome (survival 100%). Conclusions: Wilms' tumors remain highly curable. Some unfavorable histology tumors require intensive therapy. Others such as our stage I tumors may be best observed without adjuvant therapy to avoid the toxicity of treatment.
Psychotherapist personality characteristics and the perception of self and patients in the treatment of borderline personality disorder

The influence of certain personality characteristics (tendency to depressive experiences, personal boundary preferences) on psychotherapist reaction to patients with borderline personality disorder was assessed by semantic differential ratings in an analogue study. Vignettes presented one of two patients enacting the Rewarding and Withdrawing object relations unit in two separate therapy sessions. Therapists higher on anaclitic depressive and fusion tendencies evaluated themselves less positively than other therapists (p less than .01) in the Withdrawing condition. They evaluated the patient less positively regardless of condition (p less than .05). High boundary therapists evaluated patients more positively (p less than .05) in the Withdrawing condition. They evaluated themselves more positively regardless of condition (p less than .05) and showed less tendency to devalue self and patient with the lower functioning borderline patient.
Questionnaire-based assessment of bladder dysfunction in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Objectives. To assess the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men and women with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease (PD) using validated symptom questionnaires. Methods. Eighty men and 39 women with mild to moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr score less than 3) were mailed LUTS questionnaires to complete and return. Men received the American Urological Association Symptom Index and women received the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6. Patients not responding by mail were called and asked to complete the survey over the telephone. Control populations of both symptomatic and asymptomatic men and women (without PD) were identified for comparison. Results. The overall response rate was 78%. Men with early-stage PD had higher American Urological Association Symptom Index scores than age-matched controls (total score of 12.0 versus 7.7, P Conclusions. On the basis of the responses to the validated symptom indexes, the development of LUTS appears to occur at an earlier stage of PD than was once appreciated. Prompt evaluation and treatment of patients with lower urinary tract complaints in the setting of PD may identify bladder dysfunction at an earlier, more treatable stage.
Diffuse sclerosis and Addison's Disease: Biochemical studies on gray matter, white matter, and myelin

Abstract Chemical studies were performed on the brain of a patient with a sex-linked form of diffuse sclerosis and Addison's Disease. As expected for a demyelinating disease, the major abnormality was seen in the white matter, and especially in myelin. The yield of myelin was significantly reduced, as were the contents of cerebroside, plasmalogen, and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Cholesterol esters, while increased in white matter, were not detected in myelin. The fatty acid composition of the myelin glycolipids was abnormal, in that there was a considerable increase in the amount of short-chain (C 16 and C 18 ) fatty acids, and a significant reduction in the amount of long-chain and hydroxy fatty acids. It is likely that the long-chain and hydroxy fatty acids were located on the outer portion of the myelin sheath, which is damaged first in a demyelinating disease. Myelin regeneration probably occurs through biosynthesis of short-chain fatty acids, utilizing the soluble de novo system.
A fast algorithm for optimal satellite spot beam pointing

An optimal algorithm for pointing a steerable satellite spot beam is described. The optimality criterion considered is maximization of the number of Earth terminals covered. The computation time of the algorithm has been compared with a brute force algorithm through a series of Monte Carlo trials.
Ludwig Boltzmann (1844–1906): Zum hundertsten Todestag

This little book is a family homage to Ludwig Boltzmann put together by his granddaughter, Ilse-Maria Fasol-Boltzmann, the daughter of Boltzmann’s second son, Arthur Ludwig. Much of its charm and historical interest derives from the intimate knowledge of Boltzmann and his family life which is conveyed in Fasol-Boltzmann’s own contributions. Equally important for the volume is the fact that Fasol-Boltzmann owned a major part of Boltzmann’s literary estate, which, as she relates in the preface, she has now passed on to her son, Gerhard Ludwig Fasol, who is a co-editor of the volume.
Island-edge effects in C-MOS/SOS transistors

The physical and electrical properties of C-MOS/SOS silicon island edges are investigated. Roughness of etched surfaces, nonuniform crystalline quality, and doping concentration along island-edge surfaces, and the formation of "V"-shaped grooves after thermal oxidation of silicon islands are related to leakage currents and other undesirable electrical characteristics. The interaction of oxide charges at the edge and the top surfaces, body doping level, and body bias effects due to the floating substrate are analyzed with respect to early turn-on of the edge channel in n-channel transistors. Finally, SOS transistors with various edge configurations (e.g., conventional island, oxide-backfilled, edge-channel-stopped, and edgeless) are studied to confirm the analysis experimentally.
Estimating the impact of triploid grass carp on sago pondweed in the Byrnes Canal: Implications for biological control in northern California irrigation systems

This paper describes a program which simulates growth of the aquatic plant, Potamogeton pectinatus L. (sago pondweed), and plant consumption by the herbivorous fish, Ctenopharyngodon idella Val (triploid grass carp), under environmental conditions characteristic of a northern California irrigation system. In the program, plant growth is driven by temperature and light intensity, and grass carp feeding and growth by water temperature. The program uses data on these variables collected from the Byrnes Canal using data loggers which recorded temperature and light at 0.5-h intervals on 115 days during the summer of 1989. Less extensive data sets from two other canals were used to construct realistic simulation scenarios for canals with warmer or cooler water temperatures. The program provided reasonable predictions of plant growth, plant consumption by the fish, and fish growth. Simulations showed that using triploid grass carp in northern California irrigation systems that typically have cool water temperatures (12 to 24°C) would require more fish (50 or 250 kg vegetated ha−1 depending on the management objectives) than previous simulations for lakes in the U.S. would suggest. Evaluation of two management strategies indicated that stocking grass carp at 50 kg vegetated ha−1 in the first year, and retrieving and releasing them in subsequent years would be economically competitive with current management practices.
Multiple-frequency thickness-mode thin-film piezoelectric-on-substrate filter array

An approach to build thin-film piezoelectric-on-substrate (TPoS) filters working at different frequencies on the same wafer is proposed. In this approach, filters with different substrate layer thicknesses working at different orders of resonance are used. The insertion loss for each thickness and mode is predicted by introducing damping elements in the material constants used in Masonpsilas model simulations. In a first demonstration, ZnO-on-Si filters with different Si layer thicknesses are fabricated and tested. Measurement results are in good agreement with simulations. Several filters with low insertion loss at different frequencies are fabricated on the same wafer.
Sexual behavior maturation in male Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae): a re-examination.

Sexual behavior of male Aedes triseriatus was studied in the laboratory during the last 2 hr of a l6-hr photophase for the first 5 days after emergence. During an artificial crepuscular period before scotophase, some males were able to erect antennal fibrillae, swarm, copulate, and inseminate I day after emergence. With increasing age, males displayed sexual behavior in progressively greater numbers and at progressively earlier times, extending into the precrepuscular period. Without a crepuscular period preceding scotophase, most male sexual behavior was delayed and suppressed. In young males successful copulation often did not result in insemination, but insemination success improved with increasing male age. A long sexual maturation time of males, reported by others, was apparently due to the absence of an evening crepuscular period and to the lack of precise age categories and differentiation between male and female maturation in their experiments.
Association of factor V gene polymorphism with arteriovenous graft failure

Background Dialysis grafts fail due to recurrent stenosis and thrombosis. Vasoactive and prothrombotic substances affecting intimal hyperplasia or thrombosis may modify graft outcomes. Study Design Genetic polymorphisms association study of patients enrolled in a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Setting & Participants 354 Dialysis Access Consortium (DAC) Study patients receiving a new graft with DNA samples obtained. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment with aspirin plus dipyridamole versus placebo. Predictor DNA sequence polymorphisms for the following candidate genes and their interaction with the study intervention: methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), factor V (F5), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), klotho, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Outcome Graft failure (>50% stenosis, angioplasty, thrombosis, surgical intervention, or permanent loss of function). Results During a median patient follow-up of 34.3 months, 304 grafts failed. After adjusting for clinical factors (patient age, sex, access location, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, baseline aspirin use, body mass index, timing of graft placement, and study treatment) and genetic ancestral background, single-nucleotide polymorphism rs6019 of the factor V gene was associated significantly with graft failure in a dominant model (HR of 1.70 [95% CI, 1.32-2.19; P Limitations Small sample size. Conclusion The rs6019 genotype of Factor V is associated with increased risk of graft failure. Anticoagulation may reduce graft failure in patients with the G/C or G/G genotypes.
An 18 b 12.5 MS/s ADC With 93 dB SNR

This paper presents a precision 18-bit 12.5 MS/s ADC that was designed primarily for digital X-ray imaging systems. This ADC was intended to have a faster output data rate than the precision successive approximation ADCs normally chosen for these systems but with similar DC accuracy and dynamic range. The chosen architecture consists of a pipeline of two multi-bit successive approximation converters. The first successive approximation ADC generates an initial coarse conversion result. The DACs within this converter are then used to generate a residue which is amplified by a residue amplifier before being converted by a second successive approximation ADC. Four comparators within each ADC allow 2 bits to be determined each bit trial. Capacitor mismatch errors are digitally corrected with error coefficients stored in non-volatile memory. Dither is used to reduce the effect of errors in the flash ADC within the second ADC. The ADC was implemented on 0.25 m CMOS process with PIP capacitors and achieves a SNR of 93 dB with a 50 kHz input tone. INL and DNL are within LSB and LSB respectively. Power consumption is 105 mW, excluding LVDS interface power.
An Analysis of Rule 11 Plea Bargain Options

Courts must either accept or reject "type A" charge bargain agreements and "type C" sentence bargain agreements.2 If a court rejects one of these agreements, the defendant may withdraw his guilty plea.3 However, a "type B" sentence bargain agreement does not bind the court, and "if the court does not accept the recommendation or request the defendant nevertheless has no right to withdraw the plea."4 To see the difference between type B and type C bargains, compare the following two plea agreements: 1. "Defendant 1" agreed to plead guilty to a drug charge and to cooperate with the government investigation. In exchange, the
Improvements in multislice parallel imaging using radial CAIPIRINHA

Multislice parallel imaging involves the simultaneous sampling of multiple parallel slices which are subsequently separated using parallel imaging reconstruction. The CAIPIRINHA technique improves this reconstruction by manipulating the phase of the RF excitation pulses to shift the aliasing pattern such that there is less aliasing energy to be reconstructed. In this work, it is shown that combining the phase manipulation used in CAIPIRINHA with a non-Cartesian (radial) sampling scheme further decreases the aliasing energy for the parallel imaging algorithm to reconstruct, thereby further increasing the degree to which a multi-channel receiver array can be utilized for parallel imaging acceleration. In radial CAIPIRINHA, individual bands (slices) in a multislice excitation are modulated with view-dependent phase, causing a destructive interference of entire slices. This destructive interference leads to a reduction in aliasing compared to the coherent shifts one observes when using this same technique with a Cartesian trajectory. Recovery of each individual slice is possible because the applied phase pattern is known, and a conjugate-gradient reconstruction algorithm minimizes the contributions from other slices. Results are presented with a standard 12-channel head coil with acceleration factors up to 14, where radial CAIPIRINHA produces an improved reconstruction when compared with Cartesian CAIPIRINHA.
Macro-system model: a federated object model for cross-cutting analysis of hydrogen production, delivery, consumption and associated emissions

The introduction of hydrogen as an energy carrier for light-duty vehicles involves concomitant technological progress in several directions, such as production, delivery, consumption and related emissions. To analyze each of these, a suite of corresponding models have been developed by the DOE, involving inputs from several national laboratories. The macro-system model is being developed as a cross-cutting analysis tool which combines a set of hydrogen technology analysis models. Within the macro-system model (MSM), federated simulation framework is used for consistent data transfer between the component models. The framework is built to suit cross-model as well as cross-platform data exchange and will involve features of ‘over-the-net’ computation.
Prolactin Family of the Guinea Pig, Cavia porcellus

Prolactin (PRL) is a multifunctional hormone with prominent roles in regulating growth and reproduction. The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) has been extensively used in endocrine and reproduction research. Thus far, the PRL cDNA and protein have not been isolated from the guinea pig. In the present study, we used information derived from the public guinea pig genome database as a tool for identifying guinea pig PRL and PRL-related proteins. Guinea pig PRL exhibits prominent nucleotide and amino acid sequence differences when compared with PRLs of other eutherian mammals. In contrast, guinea pig GH is highly conserved. Expression of PRL and GH in the guinea pig is prominent in the anterior pituitary, similar to known expression patterns of PRL and GH for other species. Two additional guinea pig cDNAs were identified and termed PRL-related proteins (PRLRP1, PRLRP2). They exhibited a more distant relationship to PRL and their expression was restricted to the placenta. Recombinant guinea pig PRL protein was generated and shown to be biologically active in the PRL-responsive Nb2 lymphoma cell bioassay. In contrast, recombinant guinea pig PRLRP1 protein did not exhibit PRL-like bioactivity. In summary, we have developed a new set of research tools for investigating the biology of the PRL family in an important animal model, the guinea pig.
DNA Polymerase of Murine Sarcoma-Leukemia Virus: Lack of Detectable RNase H and Low Activity With Viral RNA and Natural DNA Templates

Kirsten murine sarcoma-leukemia virus (Ki-MSV[MLV]) was found to contain less RNase H per unit of viral DNA polymerase than avian Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). Upon purification by chromatography on Sephadex G-200 and subsequent glycerol gradient sedimentation the avian DNA polymerase was obtained in association with a constant amount of RNase H. By contrast, equally purified DNA polymerase of Ki-MSV(MLV) and Moloney [Mo-MSV(MLV)] lacked detectable RNase H if assayed with two homopolymer and phage fd DNA-RNA hybrids as substrates. On the basis of picomoles of nucleotides turned over, the ratio of RNase H to purified avian DNA polymerase was 1:20 and that of RNase H to purified murine DNA polymerase ranged between <1:2,800 and 5,000. Based on the same activity with poly (A).oligo(dT) the activity of the murine DNA polymerase was 6 to 60 times lower than that of the avian enzyme with denatured salmon DNA template or with avian or murine viral RNA templates assayed under various conditions (native, heat-dissociated, with or without oligo(dT) and oligo(dC) and at different template enzyme ratios). The template activities of Ki-MSV(MLV) RNA and RSV RNA were enhanced uniformly by oligo(dT) but oligo(dC) was much less efficient in enhancing the activity of MSV(MLV) RNA than that of RSV RNA. It was concluded that the purified DNA polymerase of Ki-MSV(MLV) differs from that of Rous sarcoma virus in its lack of detectable RNase H and in its low capacity to transcribe viral RNA and denatured salmon DNA. Some aspects of these results are discussed.
Scale Development For Breakfast Cereals Using The Kelly Repertory Grid Technique

Consumer research is a key component of retail strategy and a major facilitator in the formation of a competitive advantage (Devlin, Birtwistle & Macedo, 2003). A sophisticated research approach that contributes a meaningful understanding of the dynamics of consumer’s perceptual orientations is of particular value to retailers (Mitchell, 2001). Gaining knowledge of the attributes consumers value and use to discriminate between products and why those attributes are important can generate a sustainable competitive advantage for retailers (Mitchell & Harris, 2005). Consumer perceptions of product attributes are crucial factors in the choice of food products. A focus on the subjective entities of a product as perceived by consumers is a major determining factor in the success of many product marketing strategies (Kupiec & Revell, 2001). One method that has been utilized to identify product attributes is the Kelly repertory grid method (Kelly, 1955). This method has also been used in previous studies for the recognition of food product attributes (Thomson & McEwan, 1988). The repertory grid technique (RGT) has been adopted in consumer research for examining consumers’ perceptions of products and services (Marsden & Littler, 2000). The following research project intends to help retailers understand grocery shoppers’ perceptions of breakfast cereals. The objective of the research is two-fold. First, to determine which attributes consumers perceive differences between breakfast cereals. Second, to generate a survey to measure the underlying constructs comprising breakfast cereals using the Kelly Repertory Grid Technique
Cost-effectiveness of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis in the United States

AbstractObjective:To assess the cost-effectiveness of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF, also known as gastro-resistant DMF), an effective therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), compared with glatiramer acetate and fingolimod, commonly used treatments in the US.Methods:A Markov model was developed comparing delayed-release DMF to glatiramer acetate and fingolimod using a US payer perspective and 20-year time horizon. A cohort of patients, mean age 38 years, with relapsing-remitting MS and Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores between 0–6 entered the model. Efficacy and safety were estimated by mixed-treatment comparison of data from the DEFINE and CONFIRM trials and clinical trials of other disease-modifying therapies. Data from published studies were used to derive resource use, cost, and utility inputs. Key outcomes included costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Alternative scenarios tested in a sensitivity analysis ...
CHAPTER 9 – Contagious Yawning and Laughter: Significance for Sensory Feature Detection, Motor Pattern Generation, Imitation, and the Evolution of Social Behavior

Contagious yawning and laughter in humans offer insights into a variety of problems in the neural, behavioral, and social sciences. It does not require conscious effort for an observer to imitate a yawning or laughing person. In the language of classical ethology, these neurological stimulus detectors would be innate releasing mechanisms (IRMs) evolved to detect the releasing stimuli of yawns or laughs. Contagious behavior, thus, provides a novel, noninvasive approach to the neural basis of sensory feature detection. Data collected in the naturalistic tradition of ethology offer considerable potential for clinical research and diagnosis. Armed with baseline data concerning yawning and laughter reviewed in this chapter, one can search for conditions that vary from the normal. The chapter notes the diagnostic significance of yawning for pathologies ranging from brain tumors to hemorrhage. The study of laughter in special and clinical populations offers similar promise. This diverse sample of proposed research converges on the common theme of social communication, its neural substrates, development, evolution, pathology, and variability. The investigation of one aspect of this program illuminates the others.
Toward Truly Informed Decisions About Appearance-Normalizing Surgeries

For children who are born with norm-challenging anatomical differences, the question arises over how to determine what is in the best interest of that child when normalizing surgery is an option. Miller argues that decisions about the medical care and treatment of children involve the rights and interests of three parties: the child, the parent, and the state. Due to the elective nature of these surgeries and the fact that such surgeries alter the natural identity of the child, traditional consent procedures may not be sufficient to protect the best interest of the child. Miller asserts that if the risks and benefits of such a procedure, both physical and psychological, are to be weighed carefully, it is essential to seek out the perspectives of those who live with the trait that the surgery seeks to change. Gathering insight and information from the community of affected individuals provides a context that will complement the perspective of the parents and the medical community. This is the only way to enable a truly informed choice.
The Influence of Extrinsic Reinforcement on Children with Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.

Background Prenatal alcohol exposure affects inhibitory control and other aspects of attention and executive function. However, the efficacy of extrinsic reinforcement on these behaviors has not been tested. Methods Alcohol-exposed children (AE; n = 34), children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 23), and controls (CON; n = 31) completed a flanker task with 4 reward conditions (no reward, reward, reward+occasional response cost, equal probability of reward+response cost). Inhibitory control was tested in the no reward conditions using a 3(group) × 2(flanker type) ANCOVA. Response to reinforcement was tested using 3(group) × 4(reward condition) × 4(flanker type) analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Response time (RT) and accuracy were tested independently. Results Groups did not differ on demographic variables. The flanker task was successful in taxing interference control, an aspect of executive attention (i.e., responses to incongruent stimuli were slower than to congruent stimuli) and the AE group demonstrated impaired executive control over the other groups. Overall, the AE group had significantly slower RTs compared to the CON and ADHD groups, which did not differ. However, reinforcement improved RT in all groups. While occasional response cost had the greatest benefit in the CON group, the type of reinforcement did not differentially affect the AE and ADHD groups. Accuracy across reward conditions did not differ by group, but was dependent on flanker type and reward condition. Conclusions Alcohol-exposed children, but not children with ADHD, had impaired interference control in comparison with controls, supporting a differential neurobehavioral profile in these 2 groups. Both clinical groups were equally affected by introduction of reinforcement, although the type of reinforcement did not differentially affect performance as it did in the control group, suggesting that reward or response cost could be used interchangeably to result in the same benefit.
Exorcising the Exercised: A Response to Professor Gordon

I have always welcomed honest criticism of my work, as I hope other scholars do of theirs. If Robert W. Gordon's lengthy review of my book, Trembling in the Ivory Tower: Excesses in the Pursuit of Truth and Tenure, were the launching pad for a thoughtful essay on postmodern critical legal studies, I would not feel compelled to respond. Unfortunately, despite (and perhaps because of) Gordon's considerable notoriety as a CLS theorist, his disagreement with what I perceive to be the primary ills of the modern academy seriously misreads both the substance and satire of my book. More troubling still is that his argument is filled with factually baseless characterizations.
Bipolar CHOICE (Clinical Health Outcomes Initiative in Comparative Effectiveness): A Pragmatic 6-Month Trial of Lithium Versus Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder

Background Bipolar disorder is among the 10 most disabling medical conditions worldwide. While lithium has been used extensively for bipolar disorder since the 1970s, second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have supplanted lithium since 1998. To date, no randomized comparative-effectiveness study has compared lithium and any SGA. Method Within the duration of the study (September 2010-September 2013), participants with bipolar I or II disorder (DSM-IV-TR) were randomized for 6 months to receive lithium (n = 240) or quetiapine (n = 242). Lithium and quetiapine were combined with other medications for bipolar disorder consistent with typical clinical practice (adjunctive personalized treatment [APT], excluding any SGA for the lithium + APT group and excluding lithium or any other SGA for the quetiapine + APT group). Coprimary outcome measures included Clinical Global Impressions-Efficacy Index (CGI-EI) and necessary clinical adjustments, which measured number of changes in adjunctive personalized treatment. Secondary measures included a full range of symptoms, cardiovascular risk, functioning, quality of life, suicidal ideation and behavior, and adverse events. Results Participants improved across all measures, and over 20% had a sustained response. Primary (CGI-EI, P = .59; necessary clinical adjustments, P = .15) and secondary outcome changes were not statistically significantly different between the 2 groups. For participants with greater manic/hypomanic symptoms, CGI-EI changes were significantly more favorable with quetiapine + APT (P = .02). Among those with anxiety, the lithium + APT group had fewer necessary clinical adjustments per month (P = .02). Lithium was better tolerated than quetiapine in terms of the burden of side effects frequency (P = .05), intensity (P = .01), and impairment (P = .01). Conclusions Despite adequate power to detect clinically meaningful differences, we found outcomes with lithium + APT and quetiapine + APT were not significantly different across 6 months of treatment for bipolar disorder. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier for the Bipolar CHOICE study: NCT01331304.
Expanding Tele-rehabilitation of Stroke Through In-home Robot-assisted Therapy

Objective: The purpose of this case series was to examine the feasibility of using an in-home robotic therapy telerehabilitation device to produce quality outcomes in functional ability and mood, while satisfying patient need for access to post-stroke rehabilitation at low cost to the client. Methods: Thirteen chronic stroke survivors with motor impairments of at least one upper or lower extremity were instructed in a home rehabilitation regimen using a robotic device designed for either the hand or the foot. Assessments of function and depression were made prior to initiation and at the end of 3 months of in-home use to determine any change in outcomes. Satisfaction with the device and access to therapy were determined using written and verbal surveys. Cost analysis was performed to compare the economics of the in-home delivery method to the cost of clinic-based physical or occupational therapy. A licensed physical therapist remotely monitored participant progress throughout the treatment period via weekly telephone calls and a secure database. Results: Compared to baseline, participants showed improvements in depressive symptoms, functional independence, use of the upper extremity in functional tasks, distance walked, and gait speed at final assessment. Participants indicated satisfaction with the device and with their outcomes at the end of the 3 month treatment period. Using the device in the home expanded access to post-stroke rehabilitation for all participants with a reduced cost compared to clinic-based therapy. Conclusion: Individuals were able to make functional improvements in the use of their impaired extremities poststroke using a robotic telerehabilitation device in the home. The in-home service delivery regimen reduced the cost of therapy while expanding access to a rehabilitation modality for individuals who would not otherwise have received services. A small sample of mostly males and no comparison group limits the statistical analysis and generalizability of results.
HERITABILITY OF OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO OFFSPRING PERFORMANCE WITHIN A SINGLE INSECT POPULATION.

Within a population of the butterfly Euphydryas editha that oviposits predominantly on two host species, heritable variation in postalighting oviposition preference was found. In a separate experiment, oviposition preference of adult females was found to be correlated with offspring performance (growth). There was a significant tendency for offspring to perform better on the host species that their female parent preferred. Analysis of the data showed that no single factor, neither maternal preference nor the host species on which the offspring were raised, accounted for any significant variation in larval performance. However, the effect of the interaction between host species and maternal preference on offspring performance was highly significant. These findings imply specialization in both oviposition preference and offspring performance by individuals within a single population. With present evidence, this preference-performance correlation is likely to be genetic. However, as in previous studies, other interpretations cannot be excluded.
Restenosis after Angioplasty

Over the past two decades, percutaneous coronary intervention has revolutionized the treatment of symptomatic coronary artery disease, sparing countless patients the need for surgical revascularization. This year, up to a million procedures are likely to be performed in North America alone. The success of percutaneous coronary intervention has been due largely to an explosion in technology development, with the introduction of a broad array of balloon catheters, atherectomy devices, lasers, and stents. The impetus for the development of such devices has been the occurrence — noted soon after the introduction of balloon angioplasty — of intimal tears, arterial recoil, and . . .
Changes in Internal Environment of Blood before and after Exchange Transfusion in Neonates with Hyperbilirubinemia

Objective To investigate the safety of exchange transfusion and its effect on internal environment of blood in neonates with hyperbilirubinemian.Methods Peripheral arteriovenous synchronization of exchange transfusion was performed in 32 neonates with hyperbilirubinemian.Blood routine measurement,blood gas determination and serum total bilirubin,blood glucose and blood electrolyte detection were carried out before and after exchange transfusion.Results The levels of serum total bilirubin,white blood cells,platelets and serum free calcium obviously decreased after exchange transfusion(P0.001 or P0.01).However,no obvious changes in serum sodium,potassium,hemoglobin,glucose and hematocrit were found after exchange transfusion(P0.05).Conclusion Exchange transfusion significantly decreases the levels of serum bilirubin,calcium,white blood cells and platelets,but has no significant effect on serum sodium and potassium.
The accuracy of C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis compared with that of clinical diagnosis.

Background Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies. Its diagnosis is usually made depending on presenting history, clinical evaluation and laboratory tests. It has been estimated that the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis is lying between 76% and 92% (1). Negative appendectomies are one of the burdens facing not only the general surgeon but also the patient himself and the society as a whole, since appendectomy, as any other operation, results in socio-economic impacts in form of lost working days and declined productivity. Objectives To determine the accuracy of c-reactive protein (CRP) in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in comparison with the accuracy of clinical diagnosis. Methods This is a prospective study of all appendectomized patients during a one-year period in King Hussein Hospital in Amman/Jordan. Results A total of 98 patients were included in this study. The diagnosis of acute appendicitis was histopathologically confirmed in 89 patients (91%), while 9 normal appendixes (9%) were removed. The readings of CRP were ranging between 0 and 11.7 mg/l (mean 5.6 mg/l) in patients with normal appendixes, and between 6-93.4 mg/l (mean 36.2 mg/l) in patients with acute appendicitis. Normal CRP readings were found in 4 patients with acute appendicitis, and of the 9 cases with normal appendectomy, CRP level was elevated in only one patient, so the CRP levels were true (positively or negatively) in 93 patients and it was false positive in one patient (11%) and false negative in 4 patients (4%). On the other hand, the clinical diagnosis was correct in 89 cases (91%) and false in 9 cases (9%), the difference is statistically significant (p value = 0.009). Conclusions We conclude that CRP is very helpful in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, but it doesn't replace the clinical skills of general surgeons.
Prevalence Rate of Renal Stone Disease in Forsyth County, North Carolina During 1977

AbstractA count of all recorded hospitalized cases of Forsyth County, North Carolina residents with a primary discharge diagnosis of renal (kidney and/or ureteral) stone in 1977 is obtained by age, race and sex, and used in conjunction with the census data to estimate age-adjusted prevalence rates. The over-all prevalence rate is 2.08 per thousand population, which agrees well with results of earlier investigations. For white male subjects the age-adjusted prevalence rate is 3.64 per thousand, for white female subjects 1.44, for non-white male subjects 0.97 and for non-white female subjects 0.34. The white to non-white ratio and the male to female rates are compared with earlier published values. For all groups the prevalence rate increases with age, attaining a maximum in the 40 to 60-year category for whites and somewhat later for non-whites. Beyond age 60 prevalence drops, reaching 0 or near 0 in the 80 to 89-year range. A simple phenomenological model is suggested to explain the observed race and sex ...
Rapid Bacteriuria Screening in a Urological Setting: Clinical Use

AbstractThe clinical use of a commercially available semiautomated bacteriuria screening device was evaluated in a urological setting. The 1,300 consecutive urine specimens processed by the device were contrasted with results of standard semiquantitative culture. A small number (2 per cent) were screened unsuccessfully owing to a clogged filter. With greater than 105 colony-forming units per ml. the sensitivity of the device was 91 per cent but it was only 81 per cent with bacteriuria levels greater than 104 colony-forming units per ml. More importantly, the predictive value of a negative test was 99 per cent with more than 105 colony-forming units per ml. and 96 per cent with more than 104 colony-forming units per ml. This capability promotes safe urological instrumentation and timely patient care.
The Risks of Nuclear Powered Space Probes

Nuclear powered space probes pose special risks, particularly in the case of high velocity re-entry accidents. Such accidents could spread radioactive material across a broad area and increase the level of cancer rates. One assessment of this risk is that even if such an accident caused thousands of cancers across several decades, this would be a negligible increase in the global cancer risk. (Especially so given the variety of terrestrial actions which might produce the same result.) There are also serious deontological concerns with regard to inflicting even small risks on people who have not given their consent. I will argue that such utilitarian and deontological critiques of current practices are broadly correct and that the associated practices should be changed to the extent of not using nuclear power supplies for earth orbital applications.
Toxicity and Role of Fumonisins in Animal Diseases and Human Esophageal Cancer

Fumonisins are secondary metabolites of Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium proliferatum and several other Fusaria that commonly contaminate corn. Only recently discovered in 1988, these mycotoxins appear to be the causative agents of several toxicoses in animals that result from ingestion of moldy corn or corn-based feeds. The syndromes observed vary considerably among the different species affected and include brain lesions in equids, lung edema in swine, and nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and hepatocellular carcinoma in laboratory rats. There is also evidence that suggests that F. moniliforme and fumonisins may also be responsible for esophageal cancer in humans in certain areas of the world where moldy corn is frequently consumed. Studies are currently underway to determine the extent of the hazards posed by fumonisins, and whether controls in the form of regulatory action levels may be necessary.