cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statin use and prostate cancer aggressiveness: results from the population-based North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project

Background: Although statin use has been associated with reduced prostate cancer aggressiveness, the impact of race and patient characteristics on this association is not well understood. We examined the association between statin use and prostate cancer aggressiveness in Caucasians (CA) and African Americans (AA) and explored effect modification by health-seeking behaviors associated with statin use. Methods: Of 1,930 cases from The North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project, 344 (18%) were classified as aggressive based on clinical criteria. Utilizing nonaggressive cases as referent, logistic regression was used to examine the association between statin use and prostate cancer aggressiveness, overall and stratified by race. Smoking and prostate cancer screening were examined as effect modifiers of this association. Results: There was an inverse association between statin use and prostate cancer aggressiveness [OR, 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.56–0.96], with comparable effect estimates in both races. Although not statistically significant, statin use was associated with reduced ORs for aggressive prostate cancer in never-screened men (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.45–1.39), men screened at low/recommended frequency (≤once/year; OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.41–1.06), and men screened at high frequency (>once/year; OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.53–1.15). Inverse associations between statins and aggressive prostate cancer were strongest in never smokers (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.25–0.72), attenuated in former smokers (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.59–1.19), and absent in current smokers (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.70–2.64). Conclusions: Statin use was associated with reduced prostate cancer aggressiveness in CA and AAs, with strongest inverse associations in nonsmokers. Impact: Health-seeking behaviors associated with statin use should be considered when examining the impact of statins on prostate cancer aggressiveness. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(4); 670–7. ©2016 AACR .
Laser Generated Plasma Using a Dual Pulse Approach with Application to Laser Ignition

The present paper discusses an alternative approach to laser induced ignition using a dual pulse pre-ionization technique. The method uses a 266nm UV laser pulse to achieve initial gas pre-ionization followed by an overlapped 1064 nm NIR pulse for energy addition into the pre-ionized gas. The experimental and numerical studies presented here investigate the requirements for achieving ignition conditions using the overlapped pulses configuration without optical breakdown. Results have shown that the UV pulse is effective in achieving gas pre-ionization thus allowing good energy absorption through the subsequent NIR pulse. Even at a low intensity of the 266 nm pulse of ~1 GW/cm, the breakdown requirement for the 1064 nm beam drops ~25%, while 266 nm pulses of ~5 GW/cm lead to a drop of ~50%. Rayleigh scattering has been employed for measuring the gas temperature increase due to the two laser pulses with preliminary results showing increase of ~200 K.
CLOSELY LINKED ALPHA-CHAIN HEMOGLOBIN LOCI IN PEROMYSCUS AND OTHER ANIMALS: SPECULATIONS ON THE EVOLUTION OF DUPLICATE LOCI.

A growing body of evidence suggests three generalities about the a-chain hemoglobin genes in mammals: 1) the loci are almost always present in duplicate copies; 2) the duplicate loci are closely linked on the chromosome; and 3) the duplicate loci produce subunits in unequal amounts, usually in a ratio roughly approximating 2:1. The first purpose of this report is to confirm and extend those conclusions vis-avis the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus. Deer mice show a very diverse range of hemoglobin phenotypes, due to polymorphisms at multiple hemoglobin loci (Rasmussen et al., 1968; Jensen et al., 1976; Maybank and Dawson, 1976; Snyder, 1977, 1978a, 1978b). Previous genetic data and molecular structure studies have demonstrated that at least two of the five hemoglobin structural loci code for a-type globins (Snyder, 1978a). Through the use of comparative linkage data it has been possible to identify the a-globin loci as those previously designated as Hba and Hbc (Snyder, 1980). As reported here, the discovery of a second electrophoretic allele at the Hba locus has made it possible to map the a-globin loci. Also, the use of thin-layer isoelectric focusing has revealed additional Hba and Hbc alleles and has made it possible to determine the genotypes of a number of previously ambiguous phenotypes. That, in turn, has allowed precise measurements of the relative amounts of subunits produced by the two a-globin loci. The second purpose of this paper is to reconcile conflicting views about the evolutionary history of the duplicate a-globin loci. The unequivocal occurrence of duplicate a-globin loci in diverse orders of mammals-and their probable occurrence in all mammals-implies that a single duplication of an ancestral a-globin locus took place before the evolutionary radiation of the mammals. On the other hand, amino acid sequence data indicate that, typically, there are more differences between a globins from separate taxa than there are between the duplicate a globins within a taxon. That general result has been interpreted to mean that in most mammalian taxa the duplication of the aglobin loci occurred rather recently in evolutionary time. The point made here is that there are at least two simple and feasible genetic mechanisms whereby the products of an ancient gene duplication can continue to evolve in concert and thereby contribute to the adaptive radiation of mammals.
Formation of Colloidal Molecules Induced by Alternating-Current Electric Fields

We report a versatile method for building colloidal molecules from particles that are isotropic in geometry and interfacial properties. When an external alternating-current electric field is applied, the particles experience anisotropic interactions that lead to the formation of colloidal oligomers via different assembly pathways that strikingly resemble chemical reactions of real molecules. We propose a mechanism for the formation of colloidal molecules that agrees well with the experiments. Our method can be used to build colloidal analogues of molecules using spherical particles with isotropic properties, which offers considerable advantages over existing methods. Moreover, our approach does not rely on material-specific properties and thus could have potential applications to a broad range of particles with different chemical properties.
Analysis on death situation and life lost for residents in Wuxi between2009 and 2013

Objective The aim of this study was to analyze the death situation and potential years of life lost for residents in Wuxi in order to provide scientific basis for carrying out prevention. Methods The death surveillance data of residents from 2009 to 2013 were analyzed to calculate mortality and potential years of life lost. Results General mortality was 667.48/lakh(standardized mortality was 318.49/lakh), male mortality was 735.78/lakh, which was significant higher than the motality for female(599.85/lakh).The first three causes for mortality were neoplasms, circulatory disease and respiratory disease. The major death cause for 0-4 years old was certain conditions originating in the perinatal period, congenital, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities. The major death cause for 5-14 years old was injury and poisoning. The major death cause for 15-59 years old was neoplasms. And the major death cause for people above 60 years old was circulatory disease and neoplasms. The first three causes for PYLL were neoplasms,injury and poisoning, and circulatory disease. Conclusion Neoplasms, circulatory disease, injury and poisoning were the major health problems which affected the residents' death cause. Work should be focused on the prevention.
Is Lamina Propria Matrix Responsible for Normal Bladder Compliance

AbstractImmunohistochemistry using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to extracellular matrix proteins is a highly sensitive tool for the characterization of matrix components. For the first time in the normal and noncompliant human bladder we have used antibodies to collagen types I, III and IV, and elastin to provide morphological correlation with mechanical properties noted clinically. In the normal bladder elastin and collagen types I and III showed intense localization in the lamina propria with modest localization in the detrusor layer. In contrast, lamina propria staining in the noncompliant bladder was essentially unchanged, while there was intense localization within the detrusor layer. Significantly, this intense localization consisted of collagen type III and elastin with little increase in type I. Type IV collagen is associated with basement membranes and individual smooth muscle cells, and shows commensurate increase in specimens with muscle hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia.These observations...
Deficiency of factor Xa-factor Va binding sites on the platelets of a patient with a bleeding disorder.

Abstract Factor V (Va) is essential for binding of factor Xa to the surface of platelets. After thrombin treatment, normal platelets release at least five times more factor Va activity than is required for maximal factor Xa binding. The concentration of factor V activity obtained after thrombin stimulation of 10(7) normal platelets is sufficient to allow half-maximal factor Xa binding to 10(8) platelets (10% normal, 90% factor-V deficient). Therefore, factor Va activity is not limiting in platelet-surface factor Xa binding and prothrombin activation in normal platelets; some other components limit the number of binding sites. We report studies of a patient (M.S.) with a moderate to severe bleeding abnormality whose platelets are deficient in the platelet-surface component required for the factor Va-factor Xa binding. The patient's platelet factor Va activity released after thrombin treatment is normal, but factor Xa binding is 20%-25% of control values at saturation. Abnormal prothrombin consumption in a patient with normal plasma coagulation factors and platelet function suggests a disorder in platelet-surface thrombin formation.
A neuroprosthesis for high tetraplegia.

Background: This case report describes a neuroprosthesis that restored shoulder and elbow function in a 23-year-old man with chronic C3 complete tetraplegia. Before implementation of the neuroprost...
The surprising influence of late charged current weak interactions on Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

The weak interaction charged current processes (νe+n↔p+e−; ν¯e+p↔n+e+; n↔p+e−+ν¯e) interconvert neutrons and protons in the early universe and have significant influence on Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) light-element abundance yields, particularly that for 4He. We demonstrate that the influence of these processes is still significant even when they operate well below temperatures T∼0.7 MeV usually invoked for “weak freeze-out,” and in fact down nearly into the alpha-particle formation epoch (T≈0.1 MeV). This physics is correctly captured in commonly used BBN codes, though this late-time, low-temperature persistent effect of the isospin-changing weak processes, and the sensitivity of the associated rates to lepton energy distribution functions and blocking factors are not widely appreciated. We quantify this late-time influence by analyzing weak interaction rate dependence on the neutron lifetime, lepton energy distribution functions, entropy, the proton–neutron mass difference, and Hubble expansion rate. The effects we point out here render BBN a keen probe of any beyond-standard-model physics that alters lepton number/energy distributions, even subtly, in epochs of the early universe all the way down to near T=100 keV.
Empirical Path Loss Models for Wireless Sensor Network Deployments in Short and Tall Natural Grass Environments

Extensive research has not been done on propagation modeling for natural short- and tall-grassy environments for the purpose of wireless sensor deployment. This study is essential for efficiently deploying wireless sensors in different applications such as tracking the grazing habits of cows on the grass or monitoring sporting activities. This study proposes empirical path loss models for wireless sensor deployments in grassy environments. The proposed models are compared with the theoretical models to demonstrate their inaccuracy in predicting the path loss between sensor nodes deployed in natural grassy environments. The results show that the theoretical model values deviate from the proposed model values by 12%–42%. In addition, the results of the proposed models are compared with those of the experimental results obtained from similar natural grassy terrains at different locations resulting in similar outcomes. Finally, the results of the proposed models are compared with those of the previous studies and other terrain models such as those in dense tree environments. These comparisons show that there is a significant difference in path loss and empirical model parameters. The proposed models as well as the measured data can be used for efficient planning and future deployments of wireless sensor networks in similar grass terrains.
Media Coverage of the 2009 Afghan Presidential Election

This chapter examines news stories about Afghanistan's 2009 presidential election from six Afghan news sources. It characterizes the overall topic selections of Afghan news sources, their election-focused topics, and some of the ways that election stories are framed for readers. It finds that, despite tremendous obstacles that journalists faced in Afghanistan, the news sources leveled a range of critiques against incumbent president Hamid Karzai, the Afghan government, and foreign governments. In particular, accusations of corruption were a prominent and unifying theme. At the same time, foreign news sources and stories focusing on foreign interests were heavily represented in Afghan news sources, leaving doubt as to how much the perspectives and experiences of Afghans were represented in media.
A generalized simulated-annealing optimization for inversion of first-arrival times

Abstract We employ a Monte Carlo-based optimization scheme called generalized simulated annealing to invert first-arrival times for velocities. We use “dense” common depth point (CDP) data with high multiplicity, as opposed to traditional refraction surveys with few shots. A fast finite-difference solution of the eikonal equation computes first-arrival travel times through the velocity models. We test the performance of this optimization scheme on synthetic models and compare it with a linearized inversion. Our tests indicate that unlike the linear methods, the convergence of the simulated-annealing algorithm is independent of the initial model. In addition, this scheme produces a suite of “final” models having comparable least-square error. These allow us to choose a velocity model most in agreement with geological or other data. Exploiting this method9s extensive sampling of the model space, we can determine the uncertainties associated with the velocities we obtain. We use the optimization procedure on first-arrival times picked from two sets of field shot records. One is the data set from COCORP Death Valley line 9, which traverses the central Basin and Range province in California and Nevada. The other data set is marine reflection data collected by the EDGE consortium across the Hosgri fault, offshore California. In both cases, the velocities in the region undergo rapid lateral changes, and our technique images these variations with little a priori information.
Roadmap for Part III

The evidence offered in Part II of the book is an important pillar of support for nuclear skepticism theory. We demonstrated that nuclear states do not issue more successful compellent threats (Chapter 3) or obtain more favorable territorial dispute settlements (Chapter 4) than their nonnuclear counterparts, on average. Most of the time, then, nuclear weapons do not appear to provide countries with special benefits when it comes to coercion in world politics. However, the preceding analysis leaves an important question unanswered: does nuclear coercion work when states deliberately invoke their arsenals in crises? In many of the cases that we analyzed in the previous two chapters, countries did not consciously use their nuclear arsenals for coercive purposes. Indeed, nuclear threats were notably absent from the majority of coercive threats and territorial disputes that we studied. We are not surprised that countries rarely brandish their nuclear arsenals, since our theory expects explicit brinkmanship behavior to occur infrequently. Yet a critic might argue that cases in which the danger of nuclear war was exceedingly low, like the 1999 Kosovo War, tell us little about the utility of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons would not play a role in these crises, according to this view, since states made no attempt to engage in atomic blackmail. In the next two chapters, we address this concern by studying cases in which countries clearly attempted nuclear coercion. Instead of comparing the success rates of nuclear and nonnuclear states in coercive diplomacy, as we did in Chapters 3 and 4, the following chapters analyze whether nuclear brinkmanship works when it is tried. A crisis must meet three conditions to be included in our analysis. First, at least one crisis participant must issue an explicit or implicit nuclear threat. This can be done by threatening to use nuclear weapons, alerting nuclear forces, deploying atomic weapons, or conducting tests of either nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles. However, these actions alone do not necessarily make a dispute a serious nuclear crisis. Some nuclear threats certainly bring states to the brink of nuclear war, but others do not.
Controls on the chemical composition of saline surface crusts and emitted dust from a wet playa in the Mojave Desert (USA)

Abstract Saline-surface crusts and their compositions at ephemeral, dry, and drying lakes are important products of arid-land processes. Detailed understanding is lacking, however, about interactions among locally variable hydrogeologic conditions, compositional control of groundwater on vadose zone and surface salts, and dust composition. Chemical and physical data from groundwater, sediments, and salts reveal compositional controls on saline-surface crusts across a wet playa, Mojave Desert, with bearing on similar settings elsewhere. The compositions of chemically and isotopically distinctive shallow (
Influence of intravenous regional limb perfusion with amikacin sulfate on Staphylococcus aureus bioburden in distal limb wounds in horses

Objective To quantify the influence of intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with amikacin on bacterial bioburden in limb wounds. Study design In vivo, experimental. Animals Four adult horses. Methods Full thickness wounds created on each dorsal metacarpus were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus. One forelimb was randomly assigned to cephalic vein IVRLP with amikacin on days 2, 3, and 4 post-wounding. Biopsies on day 2 prior to IVRLP, and on days 5 and 8 were cultured to quantify wound bioburden (CFU/g). Two horses repeated the study in a crossover design, receiving IVRLP on the opposite limb (n = 6 experiments). IVRLP was performed on both forelimbs simultaneously in 3 horses at the end of the study: limbs were perfused with a volume of new methylene blue equal to that of the amikacin, through the cephalic vein or palmar digital vein. After euthanasia, wounds were photographed to subjectively assess dye diffusion. Results The bioburden did not differ between control and IVRLP limbs overall or at any individual time point. No difference was detected between groups in terms of frequency of positive bacterial growth at any time. Methylene blue was visible in all excised tissues after IVRLP through the palmar digital vein, but was not visible in limbs perfused through the cephalic vein. Conclusion IVRLP may not effectively concentrate amikacin within a wound bed and did not influence S. aureus bioburden in an experimentally created wound infection.
Health care contact and suicide risk documentation prior to suicide death: Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS).

OBJECTIVE Prior research has shown that a substantial portion of suicide decedents access health care in the weeks and months before their death. We examined whether this is true among soldiers. METHOD The sample included the 569 Regular Army soldiers in the U.S. Army who died by suicide on active duty between 2004 and 2009 compared to 5,690 matched controls. Analyses examined the prevalence and frequency of health care contacts and documentation of suicide risk (i.e., the presence of prior suicidal thoughts and behaviors) over the year preceding suicide death. Predictors of health care contact and suicide risk documentation were also examined. RESULTS Approximately 50% of suicide decedents accessed health care in the month prior to their death, and over 25% of suicide decedents accessed health care in the week prior to their death. Mental health encounters were significantly more prevalent among suicide decedents (4 weeks: 27.9% vs. 7.9%, χ2 = 96.2, p < .001; 52 weeks: 59.4% vs. 33.7%, χ2 = 120.2, p < .001). Despite this, risk documentation was rare among suicide decedents (4 weeks: 13.8%; 52 weeks: 24.5%). Suicide decedents who were male, never married, and non-Hispanic Black were less likely to access care prior to death. Number of mental health encounters was the only predictor of suicide risk documentation among decedents at 4 weeks (OR = 1.14) and 52 weeks (OR = 1.05) prior to their death. CONCLUSIONS Many soldiers who die by suicide access health care shortly before death, presenting an opportunity for suicide prevention. However, in most cases, there was no documentation of prior suicidal thoughts or behaviors, highlighting the need for improvements in risk detection and prediction. Increasing the frequency, scope, and accuracy of risk assessments, especially in mental health care settings, may be particularly useful. (PsycINFO Database Record
Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Strokes in Younger Adults.

Importance While stroke mortality rates have decreased substantially in the past 2 decades, this trend has been primarily limited to older adults. Increasing trends in stroke incidence and hospitalizations have been noted among younger adults, but there has been concern that this reflected improved diagnosis through an increased use of imaging rather than representing a real increase. Objectives To determine whether stroke hospitalization rates have continued to increase and to identify the prevalence of associated stroke risk factors among younger adults. Design, Setting, and Participants Hospitalization data from the National Inpatient Sample from 1995 through 2012 were used to analyze acute stroke hospitalization rates among adults aged 18 to 64 years. Hospitalization data from 2003 to 2012 were used to identify the prevalence of associated risk factors for acute stroke. Acute stroke hospitalizations were identified by the principal International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code and associated risk factors were identified by secondary International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes for each hospitalization. Main Outcomes and Measures Trends in acute stroke hospitalization rates by stroke type, age, sex, and race/ethnicity, as well as the prevalence of associated risk factors by stroke type, age, and sex. Results The 2003-2004 set included 362 339 hospitalizations and the 2011-2012 set included 421 815 hospitalizations. The major findings in this study are as follows: first, acute ischemic stroke hospitalization rates increased significantly for both men and women and for certain race/ethnic groups among younger adults aged 18 to 54 years; they have almost doubled for men aged 18 to 34 and 35 to 44 years since 1995-1996, with a 41.5% increase among men aged 35 to 44 years from 2003-2004 to 2011-2012. Second, the prevalence of stroke risk factors among those hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke continued to increase from 2003-2004 through 2011-2012 for both men and women aged 18 to 64 years (range of absolute increase: hypertension, 4%-11%; lipid disorders, 12%-21%; diabetes, 4%-7%; tobacco use, 5%-16%; and obesity, 4%-9%). Third, the prevalence of having 3 to 5 risk factors increased from 2003-2004 through 2011-2012 (men: from 9% to 16% at 18-34 years, 19% to 35% at 35-44 years, 24% to 44% at 45-54 years, and 26% to 46% at 55-64 years; women: 6% to 13% at 18-34 years, 15% to 32% at 35-44 years, 25% to 44% at 45-54 years, and 27% to 48% at 55-65 years; P for trend Conclusions and Relevance The identification of increasing hospitalization rates for acute ischemic stroke in young adults coexistent with increasing prevalence of traditional stroke risk factors confirms the importance of focusing on prevention in younger adults.
On the Relative Extrema of the Hermite Orthogonal Functions

1. The Hermite polynomials H n (x) satisfy the recurrence relation H n+1 (x)=2xH n (x)-2nH n-1 (x), n≥I, (I.I) H 0 (x) = I, H 1 (x) = 2x, H 2 (x) = 4x 2 -2, H 3 (x) = 8x 3 -12x. (I.2) We follow the notation of G. Szego [3, pp. 101-102]. We have z"+(2n+1-x 2 ) z = 0, Z = e -x 2 /2 H n (x) = z n (x), (I.3).
Thirty Years of Corporate Governance: Determinants and Equity Prices

In this paper, we introduce a comprehensive corporate governance database starting in 1978 for approximately 1,000 firms tracking whether they had any of the 24 corporate governance provisions tracked by the IRRC (and which form the G-Index) as well as a number of other corporate governance variables. We document that most corporate governance changes occurred in the 1980s, not the 1990s. We find little evidence for reverse causation, i.e. low-value firms adopting a higher G-Index. An important determinant of firms' corporate governance changes was M&A activity with friendly and LBO merger waves being important determinants. Moreover, higher G-Index and E-Index scores are associated, even with firm fixed effects, with lower firm value with much of that lower firm value occurring for firms in industries that are subject to a merger wave. We also document that poison pills and classified boards appear to be more harmful to firm value after the poison pill was judicially approved in 1985. Finally, we document that a higher G-Index or higher E-Index is robustly associated for the 1978-2006 period with lower returns, even adjusting for industry as in Johnson, Moorman and Sorescu (2008).
Endlichkeit der Simplexmethode bei Störung

Wir sahen, das es im Falle der Entartung moglieh ist, eine Folge von Iterationen ohne Abnahme des Wertes z zu erhalten. Kann es unter diesen Umstanden nicht geschehen, das sich eine Basismenge wiederholt und damit ein endloser Kreis solcher Wiederholungen beginnt ? Wenn das der Fall ist, kann man ein wirksames Verfahren konstruieren, um die Moglichkeit eines solchen „Kreisens“ zu vermeiden ? In den fruhen Tagen der linearen Programmierung war das ein ungelostes Problem.
Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Medications and Male Reproduction

Cardiovascular and respiratory medications are used by men of reproductive age although use of the former is most prevalent in advanced age. Many of these drugs have been associated with sexual dysfunction, including erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction, but for most there is insufficient evidence to link their use with testicular dysfunction, reduced semen quality or infertility. Some exceptions are the irreversible α1-adrenergic antagonist phenoxybenzamine, which carries a high risk of retrograde ejaculation; the specific α1A-adrenergic antagonists silodosin and tamsulosin, used primarily to treat BPH/lower urinary tract symptoms, which can cause retrograde ejaculation; and the peripheral β1-adrenergic antagonist atenolol, used to treat hypertension, which may decrease testosterone/free-testosterone levels. In this chapter, we review the evidence available regarding adverse reactions on male reproduction of adrenergic receptor agonists/antagonists, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, diuretics, digoxin, and hydralazine. For some of these medications, there is some evidence for male reproductive effects, along with some solid work in experimental and companion animal species suggesting negative effects. In contrast, and of special note, are calcium channel blockers, which have long been included on lists of medications with the potential to cause male infertility. This turns out to be a good example of a substance with profound effects on sperm function in vitro, but with limited evidence for in vivo effects on semen quality or fertility, even in experimental species. We hope that the evidence provided in this chapter will stimulate additional studies for these important classes of medications.
What is the Problem with High Prison Temperatures? From the Threat to Health to the Right to Comfort

AbstractIn recent years, extreme heat in United States (US) jails and prisons has become a contested political issue. This article takes high prison temperatures, and prisoners’ demands for air-conditioning, as a case to reconsider established ways of thinking about the prison and punishment. Most advocates of air-conditioning focus on the health risks of exposure to extreme heat. This article, alternatively, identifies two limitations of such health-based approaches. First, they re-legitimize a standard of “humane treatment” that allows significant suffering short of a threat to health. Second, they avoid the public’s ambivalence about the suffering of incarcerated people. Drawing on the work of Michel Foucault and Lisa Guenther, I develop an alternative line of critique: problematizing the prison. Problematization seeks to illuminate the logics that channel our thinking in order to unsettle them. I argue that in the present political moment, considering prisoners’ right to comfort can have such an unset...
Impairment of Motivational Efforts: Another Complication of Opioid Compromise of Sleep Quality?

Fitzcharles and Shir1 emphasize the “negative effects of opioids in chronic pain conditions.” Kim, et al 2 attribute detrimental effects of opioids to compromise of adherence to therapeutic regimens, but Fitzcharles and Shir1 suggest an important role for other … Address correspondence to Dr. B.M. Rothschild, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA. E-mail: spondylair{at}gmail.com
Preparation and Characterization of PbS Quantum Dots Doped Ormocers

A new method for the preparation of semiconductor PbS quantum dot-doped Ormocer (Organically Modified Ceramic) has been developed. The Ormocer matrix was prepared through the hydrolysis and condensation of alkoxysilane precursors (sol-gel process). Formation of PbS particles took place in the porous Ormocer through H2S gas reaction with a lead precursor incorporated at the solution stage. Control of the PbS dot size was achieved through the use of organically substituted trifunctional silanes. Particle formation and growth was studied under different experimental conditions (e.g. temperature and lead precursor concentrations) where nucleation and aggregation processes occurred. Determination of the average particle size was done by XRD. Transmission electron microscopy was also used to determine particle diameter as well as particle size distribution. Optical absorption spectra were measured at the UV-VIS wavelength range. Absorption edge blue shifts showed the quantum confinement effect in these materials. The non-hydrolyzed groups bonded to the silane prevented uncontrolled nucleation and aggregation during the particle formation and growth, i.e. at the solution stage by the homogeneous distribution of the Pb salts or at the xerogel state by the capping of the growing particles.
Methane coupling to acetylene over Pt-coated monoliths at millisecond contact times

We have studied the adiabatic and autothermal oxidative coupling of methane over Pt on α-Al2O3 monoliths at space velocities above 105 h-1. The selectivity to C2 hydrocarbons (primarily acetylene) reaches a maximum of around 20% at low fuel to oxygen ratios, low dilution, and high space velocities. These conditions promote a large temperature gradient in the monolith, with an exit temperature of nearly 1500°C and an entrance temperature of less than 200°C. This temperature gradient appears to be the driving force for C2 hydrocarbon formation under these conditions. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions may be involved in producing coupling products, and a combustion model predicts C2 selectivities similar to those observed.
Probable cutaneous adverse drug reaction to piroxicam in a cat.

Case summaryA 9-year-old male neutered Devon Rex cat presented with bilaterally symmetrical ulcerative lesions with mucopurulent exudate that developed rapidly. The lesions were apparent on the axi...
Legume Consumption, Diet Quality and Body Weight: Results from NHANES 2009–2012 and the Food Patterns Equivalent Database 2009–2012

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines recommend legume consumption as part of a healthy diet, and consumer interest in non-meat protein sources has increased. This study describes legume intakes across demog...
A Temperature Sensing System With Encrypted Readout Using Analog Circuits

Low power integrated compact sensors for applications such as IoT and arrayed biomedical sensors are essential for today’s technology. However, security is not incorporated in these sensors and are typically added after implementation using digital hardware or software. In this paper, we demonstrate a temperature to time sensing system with a discrete level encryption process using real-time analog circuitry and minimal processing power. The encryption uses the chaotic Lorenz attractor system. The temperature sensor, implemented in 130 nm technology, consumes 195 nW with 0.5 V power supply. The encryption module is simulated in Simulink and implemented at the board level using discrete components on a printed circuit board. Experimental results show that the envisioned chaotic system is capable of accurately encrypting and decrypting the digital temperature signal.
Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Radiation Therapy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Preclinically, the taxanes appear to potentiate radiation more effectively than do the platinum compounds. In our phase I trial (LUN-17) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, we defined the maximum tolerated dose and toxicity profile of concomitant radiation and paclitaxel (Taxol). We then conducted a series of phase II clinical trials in patients with stage III A or stage III B non-small-cell lung cancer to explore the role of paclitaxel in a combined-modality approach; these trials were based on the very low paclitaxel concentrations needed to enhance radiation in the phase I trial and the relatively high response rate achieved. Our LUN-27 trial of weekly paclitaxel and concurrent radiation for 6 weeks with no adjuvant chemotherapy produced substantial response and survival rates with acceptable toxicity. LUN-56 added weekly carboplatin (Paraplatin) during the initial concurrent phase as well as two cycles of standard-dose paclitaxel and carboplatin. The ongoing LUN-63 phase II study delivers concurrent weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin with hyperfractionated radiation, followed by two cycles of adjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin, to further improve local control and overall survival. We are currently extending the investigation of concurrent weekly paclitaxel plus radiation in a large-scale, three-arm, randomized phase II trial. To date, toxicity in all trials has been acceptable and compares favorably with other regimens. The major side effect, esophagitis, occurs predictably and is managed easily, abating shortly after therapy is completed. The rates of overall response and 1- and 2-year survival are very encouraging, and phase III evaluation is warranted.
Labeling Emotional Stimuli in Early Childhood Predicts Neural and Behavioral Indicators of Emotion Regulation in Late Adolescence.

Abstract Background Effective emotion regulation (ER) may be supported by 1) accurate emotion identification, encoding, and maintenance of emotional states and related brain activity of regions involved in emotional response (i.e., amygdala, ventral/posterior insula) and 2) cognitive processes that implement reframing, supported by activation in cognitive control brain regions (e.g., frontal, insular, and parietal cortices). The purpose of this project was to examine how emotion labeling ability in early childhood is related to ER concurrently and prospectively. Methods Data from a prospective longitudinal study of youths at risk for depression, including measures of emotion labeling (i.e., Facial Affect Comprehension Evaluation) and ER ability (i.e., Emotion Regulation Checklist) and strategy use (i.e., Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Children’s Response Style Questionnaire), and functional magnetic resonance imaging data during a sadness ER task (N = 139) were examined. Results Findings from multilevel modeling and linear regression suggested that greater emotion labeling ability of more difficult emotions in early childhood was associated with enhanced parent-reported ER in adolescence, but not with a tendency to engage in adaptive or maladaptive ER strategies. Recognition of fear and surprise predicted greater activation in cortical regions involved in cognitive control during an ER of sadness task, including in the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, and inferior frontal gyrus. Conclusions These findings suggest that early ability to identify and label difficult facial emotions in early childhood is associated with better ER in adolescence and enhanced activity of cognitive control regions of the brain.
Nonzero spectral gap in several uniformly spin-2 and hybrid spin-1 and spin-2 AKLT models

The authors show that Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki models on several lattices possess a nontrivial spectral gap, including models on the singly decorated diamond lattice and singly decorated kagome lattice and two other two-dimensional uniformly spin-2 models.
Addressing Barriers to HIV Point-of-Care Testing in Community Pharmacies.

Significant numbers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are transmitted unknowingly, making efforts to increase HIV testing accessibility crucial. As trusted healthcare providers, pharmacists can increase accessibility of HIV screening and referral services. However, challenges with lack of private counseling and testing space, need for training and education, lack of adequate staffing, heavy workload, and uncertainty supporting patients with reactive results have been previously reported by community pharmacists as barriers to offering HIV screening. The objective of this study was to investigate pharmacists’ opinions of strategies for addressing these barriers. A survey was developed to gather information regarding steps that could be taken to increase pharmacist comfort and interest offering HIV point-of-care testing (POCT) services. Thirty pharmacies were contacted and representatives from twenty-six responded. Pharmacists reported that they were likely or very likely to offer HIV POCT if they were given the following: a 2 h training session on administering and interpreting HIV POCT (73%); a 4 h education session on a variety of HIV education topics (73%); training about couples testing, post-test counseling, and de-escalation techniques (58%); or a semi-annual CE training (58%). Pharmacist respondents were likely or very likely (81%) to implement HIV POCT if there was a protocol in place so that patients with a reactive screening would out be referred for diagnostic testing and if there was a script provided as a template for post-test counseling (81%). The majority of pharmacists (69%) also preferred the appointment-based model rather than a walk-in or combination option and preferred (77%) having 20–30 min of dedicated time with the patient to provide adequate testing, education, and counseling. By using these strategies to improve comfort and likelihood implementing HIV POCT, pharmacists can increase access to HIV testing and decrease the spread of HIV.
A single nucleobase tunes nonradiative decay in a DNA-bound silver cluster

DNA strands are polymeric ligands that both protect and tune molecular-sized silver cluster chromophores. We studied single-stranded DNA C4AC4TC3XT4 with X = guanosine and inosine that form a green fluorescent Ag106+ cluster, but these two hosts are distinguished by their binding sites and the brightness of their Ag106+ adducts. The nucleobase subunits in these oligomers collectively coordinate this cluster, and fs time-resolved infrared spectra previously identified one point of contact between the C2–NH2 of the X = guanosine, an interaction that is precluded for inosine. Furthermore, this single nucleobase controls the cluster fluorescence as the X = guanosine complex is ∼2.5× dimmer. We discuss the electronic relaxation in these two complexes using transient absorption spectroscopy in the time window 200 fs–400 µs. Three prominent features emerged: a ground state bleach, an excited state absorption, and a stimulated emission. Stimulated emission at the earliest delay time (200 fs) suggests that the emissive state is populated promptly following photoexcitation. Concurrently, the excited state decays and the ground state recovers, and these changes are ∼2× faster for the X = guanosine compared to the X = inosine cluster, paralleling their brightness difference. In contrast to similar radiative decay rates, the nonradiative decay rate is 7× higher with the X = guanosine vs inosine strand. A minor decay channel via a dark state is discussed. The possible correlation between the nonradiative decay and selective coordination with the X = guanosine/inosine suggests that specific nucleobase subunits within a DNA strand can modulate cluster–ligand interactions and, in turn, cluster brightness.
The Academy, the Association, and the Society Advancing Environmental Engineering Training and Credentialing

As the lead society for environmental engineering and similarly named programs accredited by ABET (formerly the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology, Inc.), the American Academy of Env...
Using Crop Databases to Explore Phenotypes: From QTL to Candidate Genes.

Seeds, especially those of certain grasses and legumes, provide the majority of the protein and carbohydrates for much of the world’s population. Therefore, improvements in seed quality and yield are important drivers for the development of new crop varieties to feed a growing population. Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) have been identified for many biologically interesting and agronomically important traits, including many seed quality traits. QTL can help explain the genetic architecture of the traits and can also be used to incorporate traits into new crop cultivars during breeding. Despite the important contributions that QTL have made to basic studies and plant breeding, knowing the exact gene(s) conditioning each QTL would greatly improve our ability to study the underlying genetics, biochemistry and regulatory networks. The data sets needed for identifying these genes are increasingly available and often housed in species- or clade-specific genetics and genomics databases. In this demonstration, we present a generalized walkthrough of how such databases can be used in these studies using SoyBase, the USDA soybean Genetics and Genomics Database, as an example.
Propagation of postsynaptic currents and potentials via gap junctions in GABAergic networks of the rat hippocampus

The integration of synaptic signalling in the mammalian hippocampus underlies higher cognitive functions such as learning and memory. We have studied the gap junction-mediated cell-to-cell and network propagation of GABAA receptor-mediated events in stratum lacunosum moleculare interneurons of the rat hippocampus. Propagated events were identified both in voltage- and current-clamp configurations. After blockade of ionotropic excitatory synaptic transmission, voltage-clamp recordings with chloride-loaded electrodes (predicted GABAA receptor reversal potential: 0 mV) at −15 mV revealed the unexpected presence of spontaneous events of opposite polarities. Inward events were larger and kinetically faster when compared to outward currents. Both types of events were blocked by gabazine, but only outward currents were significantly affected by the gap junction blocker carbenoxolone, indicating that outward events originated in electrically coupled neurons. These results were in agreement with computational modelling showing that propagated events were modulated in size and shape by their relative distance to the gap junction site. Paired recordings from electrically coupled interneurons performed with high- and low-chloride pipettes (predicted GABAA receptor reversal potentials: 0 mV and −80 mV, respectively) directly demonstrated that depolarizing postsynaptic events could propagate to the cell recorded with the low-chloride solution. Cell-to-cell propagation was abolished by carbenoxolone, and was not observed in uncoupled pairs. Application of 4-aminopyridine on slices resulted in spontaneous network activation of interneurons, which was driven by excitatory GABAA receptor-mediated input. Population activity was greatly depressed by carbenoxolone, suggesting that propagation of depolarizing synaptic GABAergic potentials may be a critical determinant of interneuronal synchronous bursting in the hippocampus.
Multiuser robust detection for frequency hopped signals in non-Rayleigh fading channels

This paper proposes a receiver implementation that uses robust detection techniques on top of fast frequency hopping to eliminate jamming and multiple access interference in non-Rayleigh fading channels. Computation of error probabilities and asymptotic relative efficiencies parametric detectors contaminated heavy with respect to optimum for various channels and tailed noise distributions demonstrates that the proposed detectors maintain a nearly optimum performance for small signal to noise ratios regardless of the degree of noise contamination and interference. Moreover, the theory of the proposed techniques can be easily extended to include error analysis in case that error correcting codes are employed to improve error rates.