cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment choice in heterogeneous populations using experiments without covariate data

I examine the problem of treatment choice when a planner observes (i) covariates that describe each member of a population of interest and (ii) the outcomes of an experiment in which subjects randomly drawn from this population are randomly assigned to treatment groups within which all subjects receive the same treatment. Covariate data for the subjects of the experiment are not available. The optimal treatment rule is to divide the population into subpopulations whose members share the same covariate value, and then to choose for each subpopulation a treatment that maximizes its mean outcome. However the planner cannot implement this rule. I draw on my work on nonparametric analysis of treatment response to address the planner's problem
No-till and cropping system diversification improve soil health and crop yield

Abstract The performance of no-till (NT) in temperate regions may be enhanced through the integration of additional conservation practices such as cover cropping and crop rotations. This study assessed the long-term impacts of continuous (20+ years) NT in comparison to plow-till (PT) management on soil properties and corn (Zea mays L.) yields in New York. The effects of tillage were assessed in combination with different cropping systems (24 years corn monoculture vs. 12 years corn monoculture; and with or without interseeded cover crops) on three soil textures: clay loam, loamy sand and silt loam. We measured four soil biological indicators - organic matter (OM), active carbon (ActC), respiration (Resp) and protein (Prot); four soil physical indicators - available water capacity (AWC), water stable aggregation (WSA), penetration resistance (PR) and water infiltration rate (InfRate); soil chemical indicators (plant available nutrients, pH and total N), and corn yield. Soil managed under long-term NT showed the most favorable soil biological, physical and chemical conditions for plant development, with higher levels of OM, Prot, Resp, WAS, total N, P and Zn, and InfRate. Benefits of introducing a grass-legume cover crop mixture into the cropping system were evident after 4 years for OM, Prot, Resp, AWC, Fe and Zn. Cover crop effects were greater under NT than PT, and additive to the NT benefits. On the clay loam soil, the effects of a 6-year interruption of continuous corn production with a perennial grass crop were still discernable with several soil health indicators 12 years after resuming corn production under NT. The better soil conditions under NT resulted in higher corn yields in both the loamy sand and silt loam soils, but not the clay loam. Our study shows that long-term NT can be viable in temperate regions, promoting significant improvement in soil health and crop yield and that these benefits are enhanced when NT is combined with crop rotation (perennial grass) and cover crops.
DRESS Syndrome and Daclizumab Failure-Were Potentially Dangerous Signs Missed in Clinical Trials?

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zinbryta, an interleukin-2 receptor blocking antibody (daclizumab; Biogen and AbbVie) for the treatment of adults with relapsing forms of multiple...
Control of a Simulated Inverted Pendulum Using the BOXES Method

Many real systems are difficult to control by conventional means because of the complexity of the very fabric of their components. Some of those systems perform very well under most conditions and then burst into wild, sometimes chaotic, oscillations for no apparent reason. Such behaviors happen in bioreactors, electro-plating, and several other application domains. In these cases it may not be possible to construct an analytical model that can be trusted to accurately replicate observable dynamics in the real-world system. BOXES is a well-known methodology that can learn to assert control maneuvers for even unstable dynamical systems with only cursory a priori knowledge of the mathematics of the system model. To demonstrate the methodology, this chapter shows how a simulated model of a two-dimensional pole and cart can learn to balance the freely swinging pole by moving the cart in rhythmic oscillatory motion. This system should not be confused with pole-balancing in which the pole is swung up from a rest position and maintain balance by vibrating the cart under the pole.
Circuitry and Beyond: How Far Does Connectivity Get Us?

The prevailing view of organized neural masses is in the terms and imagery of circuits and networks, including “local circuits.” Reasons are given for doubting the adequacy of thinking in terms of circuitry. Using the analogy of a crowd at a sports stadium, I underline those features of neural function that involve several kinds of signals, for example communication by other than conventional synapses, including electrical field effects and transmitter and modulator action over distances of more than a cleft width. Nonsynaptic variables that contribute to integration and do not fit in the usual view of circuitry include the roles of geometry of axonal terminal ramifications and dendritic arbors and the three-dimensional distribution of anatomical synapses to form functional synapses. It is a major challenge today to avoid confining our mental image and dialogue to the schematics and the seriously simplified list of parameters in circuit and network diagrams, though they are essential first steps in understanding any given neural system.
Phonon transport properties of two-dimensional electride Ca2N—A first-principles study

We investigate phonon transport in dicalcium nitride (Ca2N), an electride with two-dimensional confined electron layers, using first-principles density functional theory and the phonon Boltzmann transport equation. The in-plane ( κ100) and out-of-plane ( κ001) lattice thermal conductivities at 300 K are found to be 11.72 W m−1 K−1 and 2.50 W m−1 K−1, respectively. Spectral analysis of lattice thermal conductivity shows that ∼85% of κ100 and κ001 is accumulated by phonons with frequencies less than 5.5 THz and 2.5 THz, respectively. Modal decomposition of lattice thermal conductivity further reveals that the optical phonons contribute to ∼68% and ∼55% of overall κ100 and κ001, respectively. Phonon dispersion suggests that the large optical phonon contribution is a result of low frequency optical phonons with high group velocities and the lack of phonon bandgap between the acoustic and optical phonon branches. We find that the optical phonons with frequencies below ∼5.5 THz have similar three-phonon phase space and scattering rates as acoustic phonons. Comparison of the contributions from emission and absorption processes reveals that the three-phonon phase space and scattering rates of phonons—optical or acoustic—with frequencies below 5.5 THz are largely dominated by absorption processes. We conclude that the large contribution to lattice thermal conductivity by optical phonons is due to the presence of multiple low frequency optical phonon modes with high group velocities and similar phase space and scattering rates as the acoustic phonons. This study provides the frequency and temperature dependent lattice thermal conductivity and insights into phonon transport in Ca2N, both of which have important implications for the development of Ca2N based devices.We investigate phonon transport in dicalcium nitride (Ca2N), an electride with two-dimensional confined electron layers, using first-principles density functional theory and the phonon Boltzmann transport equation. The in-plane ( κ100) and out-of-plane ( κ001) lattice thermal conductivities at 300 K are found to be 11.72 W m−1 K−1 and 2.50 W m−1 K−1, respectively. Spectral analysis of lattice thermal conductivity shows that ∼85% of κ100 and κ001 is accumulated by phonons with frequencies less than 5.5 THz and 2.5 THz, respectively. Modal decomposition of lattice thermal conductivity further reveals that the optical phonons contribute to ∼68% and ∼55% of overall κ100 and κ001, respectively. Phonon dispersion suggests that the large optical phonon contribution is a result of low frequency optical phonons with high group velocities and the lack of phonon bandgap between the acoustic and optical phonon branches. We find that the optical phonons with frequencies below ∼5.5 THz have similar three-phonon pha...
The helix-to-sheet transition of an HIV-1 fusion peptide derivative changes the mechanical properties of lipid bilayer membranes.

Abstract A short sequence on the gp41 envelope protein of HIV-1 is integral to infection by the virus. Without this sequence, termed the fusion peptide (FP), the virus is far less effective at fusing with the cellular membrane. One of the interesting features of the isolated FP is that it transitions between an α-helical conformation and a β-sheet conformation in lipid bilayer membranes as a function of lipid composition and concentration, and the transition correlates with fusion. To better understand how the conformations of the FP impact lipid bilayer membranes, a variant of the FP that does not strongly promote fusion, termed gp41rk, was studied. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin echo spectroscopy (NSE) were used to relate the conformation of gp41rk to the structure and mechanical properties of lipid bilayer membrane vesicles composed of a 7:3 molar ratio mixture of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol). At a peptide-to-lipid ratio (P/L) of 1/200, it adopts an α-helical conformation, while gp41rk is a β-sheet at a P/L of 1/50 in the unilamellar vesicles. SANS reveals that the lipid bilayer membrane becomes thicker when gp41rk adopts a β-sheet conformation, which indicates that the high-concentration state of the peptide increases the order of the lipid acyl chains. At the same time, NSE demonstrates that the bilayer becomes more rigid, demonstrating that the β-sheet conformation, which correlates with fusion for the native FP sequence, stiffens the bilayer. The results have implications for the function of the FP.
Evaluation of a Multizone Impedance Eduction Method

A computational study is used to evaluate the PyCHE impedance eduction method developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. This method combines an aeroacoustic duct propagation code based on numerical solution to the convected Helmholtz equation with a global optimizer that uses the Differential Evolution algorithm. The efficacy of this method is evaluated with acoustic pressure data simulated to represent that measured with one-zone, two-zone, and three-zone liners mounted in the NASA Langley Grazing Flow Impedance Tube. The PyCHE method has a normalized impedance error of approximately 0.2 for (uniform) one-zone liners with a length of at least 5”, and produces quite reasonable results for liners as short as 2”. Whereas the impedance of the liner has an effect on eduction accuracy, the amount of attenuation is shown to be the dominant parameter. Similar results are observed for two-zone liners, for which the impedance of each zone is unique. The two-zone results also indicate it is more difficult to accurately educe resistance than reactance, and a zone length of at least 6” (slightly longer than for uniform liners) is needed to limit the normalized error to 0.2. The PyCHE method is also demonstrated to successfully educe the impedances for each zone of a three-zone liner. These results are sufficiently encouraging to warrant the continued usage of the PyCHE impedance eduction method for single and multizone liners.
Treatment Sequencing for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Treatment sequencing for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) described in this chapter utilizes a logical trimodal approach, which capitalizes on the strengths of each treatment modality. Four to six months minimum of chemotherapy treats micrometastatic disease and selects out patients who are not appropriate candidates for local therapies. Radiation then sterilizes margins and lymph nodes and treats the perineurium known to commonly be involved in locally advanced cases. Surgical resection then removes the tumor and involved vasculature, not only enhancing local disease control but also giving patients the best overall chance for prolonged survival and potential cure. Herein, we describe the rationale and results of this approach to the treatment of LAPC.
Sex Discrimination and the Transformation of U.S. Education

This Book Chapter provides an overview of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment as related to legal protection against sex discrimination in public schools’ admissions and curriculum and the prohibition of sexual discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funds. The Author explains Title IX’s application to sexual misconduct in education and employment, as well as to discrimination against LGBT, pregnant or parenting individuals.
Individual and community practices for constructing communicative resilience: exploring the communicative processes of coping with parental alienation

Parental alienation occurs after parents divorce and intentionally or even unintentionally persuade their children to distance themselves from or reject the other parent. Framed by the communicatio...
Health Needs of Youth in Detention With Limited Justice Involvement.

Abstract Although incarcerated youth (i.e., youth sentenced to secure custody) have high health needs, the health of detained youth with limited justice involvement remains poorly understood. Between September 2018 and February 2019, social workers from the Los Angeles County Whole Person Care Juvenile Reentry Aftercare Program (WPC) assessed the health and social needs of youth in pre-trial detention. We partnered with the WPC team to analyze assessments completed by 83 youth participants. Youth were on average 16 years old, most (83%) identified as male, and all were from racial or ethnic minority groups. Participants reported high behavioral health needs, including a high prevalence of prior suicide attempts (16%) and history of substance use (81%). Participants demonstrated a pattern of crisis healthcare utilization. Youth also indicated areas of strength, including positive personal traits, engagement in extracurricular activities, educational achievements, and having multiple sources of social support. The majority of youth (74%) desired vocational training and nearly all (94%) wanted to return to school after release. Overall, the findings indicate that detained youth with limited involvement in the justice system are a resilient group that have notably higher health risk than same-age peers, signifying a critical opportunity for intervention.
Development and validation of a conceptual survey instrument to evaluate students’ understanding of thermodynamics

Development and validation of a 33-item conceptual survey on thermodynamic processes and the first and second laws at the level of introductory physics.
Zhu Xi’s Conception of Yijing Divination as Spiritual Practice

This chapter demonstrates the complexity and richness of the Yijing through Zhu Xi’s 朱熹 perception of its divination. Zhu felt that both the “image and number” (xiangshu 象數) and the “meaning and principle” (yili 義理) schools had shortcomings and attempted to synthesize them. His novel approach was to insist that the real meaning of the Yijing could only be apprehended through the ritual of divination, and that the graphic elements (trigrams and hexagrams) were just as important as the textual elements. This was based on his belief that the Yijing had been created by Fu Xi expressly for the purpose of divination, and so its original meaning had to be understood in the context of the Sage’s original intention in creating it. He further argued that Fu Xi was the first Sage in the “succession of the Way” (daotong 道統), and that Fu Xi’s signal contribution to it was to provide a method—Yijing divination—by which later people could fully realize the unity of moral principle and natural principle and thus approach sagehood themselves.
Incidence of Surgical-Related Infections in Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support Patients Using Narrow Spectrum versus Broad Spectrum Peri-Operative Antibiotic Prophylaxis

Purpose To date, there are no studies evaluating the effects of prophylactic antibiotic regimens in patients receiving temporary Impella® mechanical circulatory support (MCS). The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of surgical-related infections within 30 days of temporary MCS implantation in patients receiving narrow versus broad spectrum peri-operative antibiotics. Methods 89 Patients receiving Impella® 5, 5.5, and CP devices in a surgical setting at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from January 2017 to August 2020 were included for analysis which was IRB approved. This study period includes devices implanted before and after the implementation of MCS Antibiotic Selection for Surgical Prophylaxis Guideline. This protocol recommends cefazolin or ceftriaxone for pre-op surgical prophylaxis, with gentamicin for additional gram-negative coverage and vancomycin for beta-lactam allergy. 34/89 (38.2%) patients were identified as Stewardship (protocol adherence), while 27/89 (30.3%) were identified as Conventional (protocol non-adherence) another 28/89 (31.5%) patients were identified as Pre-existing (admitted with prior antimicrobial). The primary endpoint was the incidence of surgical site infections (SSI) and surgical-related bacteremia (SRB) within 30-day post-implant period. The secondary endpoint was protocol adherence. Results 72%, 26% and 2% of patients were bridged to heart transplant, durable MCS or no device, at 30 days respectively. There were no cases of SSI within 30 days post-operatively in any group, except for one case of SRB with Streptococcus mitis bacteremia in the Conventional group. Patients were screened for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization before incision in 72.2% of cases (mean, 2.6 days prior to device implantation). Reasons for non-adherence included incorrect duration of post-operative antibiotic(s) (44.4%), no pre-operative antibiotic given prior to incision (25.9%), and incorrect pre-operative antibiotic(s) given (22.2%). Conclusion The absence of SSI and SRB among Stewardship group supports narrow spectrum pre-op antibiotic prophylaxis over broad-spectrum agents for Impella® non-durable MCS.
Broadband sum-frequency generation of spectrally incoherent pulses

We study and demonstrate the nonlinear frequency conversion of broadband optical pulses from 1053 nm to 351 nm using sum-frequency generation with a narrowband pulse at 526.5 nm. The combination of angular dispersion and noncollinearity cancels out the wave-vector mismatch and its frequency derivative, yielding an order-of-magnitude increase in spectral acceptance compared to conventional tripling. This scheme can support the nonlinear frequency conversion of broadband spectrally incoherent nanosecond pulses generated by high-energy lasers and optical parametric amplifiers to mitigate laser−plasma instabilities occurring during interaction with a target. The experimental results obtained with KDP crystals are in excellent agreement with modeling, demonstrating the generation of spectrally incoherent pulses with a bandwidth larger than 10 THz at 351 nm.
Manufacturing Bacteriophages (Part 2 of 2): Formulation, Analytics and Quality Control Considerations

Within this second piece of the two-part series of phage manufacturing considerations, we are examining the creation of a drug product from a drug substance in the form of formulation, through to fill-finish. Formulation of a drug product, in the case of bacteriophage products, is often considered only after many choices have been made in the development and manufacture of a drug substance, increasing the final product development timeline and difficulty of achieving necessary performance parameters. As with the preceding review in this sequence, we aim to provide the reader with a framework to be able to consider pharmaceutical development choices for the formulation of a bacteriophage-based drug product. The intent is to sensitize and highlight the tradeoffs that are necessary in the development of a finished drug product, and to be able to take the entire spectrum of tradeoffs into account, starting with early-stage R&D efforts. Furthermore, we are arming the reader with an overview of historical and current analytical methods with a special emphasis on most relevant and most widely available methods. Bacteriophages pose some challenges that are related to but also separate from eukaryotic viruses. Last, but not least, we close this two-part series by briefly discussing quality control (QC) aspects of a bacteriophage-based product, taking into consideration the opportunities and challenges that engineered bacteriophages uniquely present and offer.
Degradation Behaviors in InAs Quantum Dot Lasers on Silicon using Misfit Dislocation Trapping Layers

InAs quantum dot lasers on silicon using misfit dislocation trapping layers show 400-fold improvement in lifetime at 80°C (failure criterion: 50% initial peak power). Trapped misfit segments show no evidence of recombination enhanced dislocation climb, leading to an order of magnitude reduction in its extent.
Comparison of conventional and A novel direct- current vector control approaches for a LCL-filter based STATCOM

Nowadays, VSC-based STATCOM is widely used to compensate reactive power and regulate voltage for AC power systems. In order to achieve attenuation of injected current harmonics, a low pass filter needs to be connected between the converter and power network. The LCL filter, a typical low pass filter, has shown better attenuation ability than a simple L or LC filter but its compensation capability and stability are more sensitive to filter parameters which require more challenging control design. This paper studies and compares the performance of conventional and a proposed direct-current vector control strategies for control of a VSC-STATCOM that is connected to the power grid via a LCL filter. The Matlab SimPowerSystem simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control technology can provide stronger stability for system after a LCL-filter parameters change.
Immunoblot analysis of antibody responses to Sporothrix schenckii.

Abstract The serologic response to Sporothrix schenckii was investigated in patients with sporotrichosis by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and Western immunoblot techniques. A soluble antigen preparation derived from an S. schenckii isolate contained 15 protein staining components ranging in molecular size from 22 to 70 kilodaltons (kDa) by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Sera from 40 patients with sporotrichosis demonstrated Sporothrix immunoglobulin G antibody by ELISA with titers between 128 and 65,200. No sera from 300 healthy individuals or 100 patients with various systemic mycoses other than sporotrichosis had ELISA titers greater than 64. By Western immunoblotting of the antigens separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, sera from 10 patients with cutaneous sporotrichosis reacted with 8 to 10 antigen components (range, 40 to 70 kDa), while sera from 15 patients with extracutaneous sporotrichosis reacted with a greater number of antigen components (15 to 20 bands) over a wider range of molecular sizes (22 to 70 kDa). Antibody to 40- and 70-kDa antigen components was detected by immunoblots in all sera tested from patients with sporotrichosis. Antibody to 22- to 36-kDa antigen components was present in sera from 13 of 15 patients with extracutaneous sporotrichosis, but these lower-molecular-weight components were not detected by sera from patients with cutaneous sporotrichosis. Antibody to these components was not detected by Western blotting in sera from 19 of 20 patients with other fungal diseases or from 30 healthy individuals. Purification of these specific antigen fractions could provide the basis of a sensitive and specific serodiagnostic test to indicate the presence and activity of extracutaneous sporotrichosis.
Elucidating the phylogeographic structure among a mosaic of unisexual and bisexual populations of the weevil Geodercodes latipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Transverse Ranges of southern California

Studies investigating the short-term benefits of asexual reproduction suggest that there are a variety of ecological and genetic factors that influence relative success rates. The current study focuses on investigating these factors in the weevil Geodercodes latipennis with newly discovered parthenogenetic populations in the California Floristic Province. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data revealed three independent transitions from sexual to asexual reproduction. One of these asexual lineages had a much broader range than the other sexual and asexual populations, and was distributed across several geographic features that have been implicated as strong phylogeographic barriers in other species in the region, suggesting high migration rates, high adaptability, or both. The success of this lineage relative to the other parthenogenetic clades may be related to its age; however, there were several possibilities explaining why it was more broadly distributed than its sexual sister group. Understanding how various factors operate in one system contributes to our understanding of how the evolutionary history of lineages with frequent transitions to parthenogenesis can be affected by the short-term advantages of asexual reproduction. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 101, 935–948.
Managing Professional Interpersonal Interactions

al education and the literature of social work is devoted to the study of, development of knowledge about, and skill in understanding and man aging relationships between social workers and clients. These interper sonal relationships, after all, provide the acceptance, empathy, warmth, un derstanding, and knowledge that en
Feasibility of the synthesis of AlAsN and GaAsN films by plasma-source molecular-beam epitaxy

Possible experimental realizations of AlAsN and GaAsN alloys are explored. Growths were conducted to test whether the pseudobinary alloys III-AsxN1 − x could be formed by providing As2 and excess Group III fluxes in a plasma-source nitride epitaxial growth process based on Si(1 1 1) substrates. Incorporation of several atomic percent of As occurs at typical III-N growth temperatures. However, X-ray and transmission electron microscopy analysis show that disordered phases are present and that the incorporated As is not purely substitutional on N sublattice sites. A pronounced surfactant effect of As in the growth of GaN is demonstrated, with the rms surface roughness decreasing one order of magnitude. Another approach, using “digital” alloys of GaAsN formed by alternating beam epitaxy on GaAs(1 0 0) has demonstrated incorporation of several atomic percent of N in GaAs. High-resolution X-ray rocking curves and TEM images of the digital alloy are provided.
Protein Kinase D Is Increased and Activated in Lung Epithelial Cells and Macrophages in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a relentlessly progressive and usually fatal lung disease of unknown etiology for which no effective treatments currently exist. Hence, there is a profound need for the identification of novel drugable targets to develop more specific and efficacious therapeutic intervention in IPF. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical analyses to assess the cell type-specific expression and activation of protein kinase D (PKD) family kinases in normal and IPF lung tissue sections. We also analyzed PKD activation and function in human lung epithelial cells. We found that PKD family kinases (PKD1, PKD2 and PKD3) were increased and activated in the hyperplastic and regenerative alveolar epithelial cells lining remodeled fibrotic alveolar septa and/or fibroblast foci in IPF lungs compared with normal controls. We also found that PKD family kinases were increased and activated in alveolar macrophages, bronchiolar epithelium, and honeycomb cysts in IPF lungs. Interestingly, PKD1 was highly expressed and activated in the cilia of IPF bronchiolar epithelial cells, while PKD2 and PKD3 were expressed in the cell cytoplasm and nuclei. In contrast, PKD family kinases were not apparently increased and activated in IPF fibroblasts or myofibroblasts. We lastly found that PKD was predominantly activated by poly-L-arginine, lysophosphatidic acid and thrombin in human lung epithelial cells and that PKD promoted epithelial barrier dysfunction. These findings suggest that PKD may participate in the pathogenesis of IPF and may be a novel target for therapeutic intervention in this disease.
Direct emission and Auger decay from multiplet final states in Zr observed by ultraviolet photoemission CFS techniques

Abstract Photoemission techniques have been used to investigate the structures accompanying excitation of shallow p -core states in crystalline Zr. The continuum nature of synchrotron radiation has been exploited between hv = 20 and 45 eV to determine the Constant Final-state-energy Spectra (CFS) over a range of kinetic energies of the emitted electrons. The results reveal strong direct emission from the multiplet final states and indicate that the final states are broadened by configuration interaction. Auger processes appear to be a probable mode of decay of the p -hole. Secondaries resulting from the Auger processes give rise to structures in the CFS's which compare well to structures in the optical absorption coefficient.
Impact of Race on Selecting Appropriate Patients for Active Surveillance With Seemingly Low-risk Prostate Cancer

Objective To evaluate active surveillance (AS) criteria on their ability to predict favorable pathology at prostatectomy within a low-risk African American (AA) cohort. Methods The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, receiver operator curve, and area under the curve (AUC) were compared for 6 published AS criteria (National Comprehensive Cancer Network; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance Study; Johns Hopkins–Epstein; University of California at San Francisco; and University of Miami) to predict organ-confined Gleason score 6 disease at prostatectomy in AAs and white Americans (WAs) with low-risk cancer. We also compared clinical parameters for AAs with favorable prostatectomy pathology with those for AAs with unfavorable pathology, and then used preoperative variables associated with unfavorable pathology as an additional exclusion criteria for AS. Results Of 468 patients with low-risk disease, 308 of 402 (76.6%) WAs and 55 of 66 (83.3%) AAs were eligible for AS by one or more criteria (P = .23). For WAs, Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance Study criteria had the highest rate of favorable pathology (81.7%) and the best performance (AUC = 0.70) in determining appropriate candidates for AS. However, all 6 AS criteria performed poorly for AA patients, with all AUCs ≤0.52. When comparing AAs with favorable pathology with AAs with unfavorable pathology, only family history of prostate cancer was statistically significant (11 of 25 [47.8%] vs 8 of 41 [22.2%]; P = .04). When adjusting AS criteria in AAs to exclude those with a positive family history, the AUC increased most for the University of California at San Francisco (from 0.52 to 0.6) and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center criteria (from 0.50 to 0.58). Conclusion Current criteria underperform in appropriately selecting AAs for AS. AAs considering AS should be counseled about their increased risk for occult adverse pathology, particularly if a family history of prostate cancer is present.
The inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase activity in developing rat tissues by central nervous system β-endorphin is mediated by μ-opioid receptors, but not by δ- or ϵ-opioid receptors

Our laboratory has previously shown that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of beta-endorphin suppresses brain and liver ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC; a growth regulatory enzyme) in preweanling rats. This investigation examined, in 6-day-old rats, the relative participation of brain mu-, delta- and epsilon-opioid receptors in beta-endorphin's ODC effects, by comparing tissue ODC responses to beta-endorphin given alone i.c.v. and in the presence of D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTOP; mu-opioid receptor antagonist), N,N-diallyl-Tyr-Aib-Aib-Phe-Leu-OH (ICI-174,864; delta-opioid receptor antagonist) or beta-endorphin-(1-27) (epsilon-opioid receptor antagonist). Administration of 0.5 microgram of beta-endorphin alone significantly decreased brain and liver ODC activity 4 h after injection, and the effect was completely blocked by coinjection of CTOP (0.075 micrograms) but not by ICI-174,864 (0.75 or 3.75 micrograms) or beta-endorphin-(1-27) (3.75 or 7.5 micrograms). The blockade of endogenous opioid:opioid receptor interactions by either CTOP (at doses > 0.075 microgram) or ICI-174,864 alone was accompanied by increased levels of basal ODC activity. The results obtained demonstrate that i.c.v. beta-endorphin downregulates ODC expression in central as well as in peripheral tissues by interacting with brain mu-opioid receptors, but not with delta- or epsilon-opioid receptors or mu/delta-opioid receptor complexes. Also, they indicate that endogenous opioid systems have a tonic inhibitory influence on ODC activity which is mediated, at least in part, by mu- and delta-opioid receptors.
Effect of partial deficiency of threonine on enzyme activity and fat deposition in liver.

SummaryThe effect of a partial deficiency of threonine in the rat on the activities of several liver enzymes and on liver fat deposition has been determined. Liver fat deposition, in confirmation of earlier reports, was higher in animals receiving the threonine-deficient diet. The activities of the mitochondrial enzymes, succinic oxidase and choline oxidase, were higher in liver homogenates from threonine-deficient animals. Endogenous respiration and the activities of the cytoplasmic enzymes, xanthine oxidase and tyrosine oxidase, were lower in the livers of animals fed diets deficient in threonine.
Bridging Culture On-Line: Strategies for Teaching Cultural Sensitivity

Abstract The demand for on-line learning experiences is greatly increasing, especially for place-bound students living in rural areas. Faculty at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire School of Nursing responded to the need for coursework focusing on cultural competence by offering an elective course at both the undergraduate and graduate level through asynchronous delivery systems. To accomplish this, specific strategies were used in the course on cross-cultural health. These approaches were thoughtfully developed to bridge cultures in an on-line environment for students who do not have cross-cultural experiences easily accessible within their home communities. Strategies included: (1) culturally congruent use of a minority visiting scholar who is a leader in professional nursing and a traditional woman healer within her Native American community to provide wisdom, information, and support to students and faculty, in the novel role of guest listener; (2) requiring participation in cultural enrichment activities, designed to assist the student in discovering the similarities and differences among diverse peoples in their lives; and (3) developing course and faculty evaluations that are congruent with the asynchronous learning environment. J Prof Nurs 18:320-327, 2002. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
In and Out of Cuba: Characterizing Cuba's Connectivity

The goal of our work is to characterize the current state of Cuba's access to the wider Internet. This work is motivated by recent improvements in connectivity to the island and the growing commercial interest following the ease of restrictions on travel and trade with the US. In this paper, we profile Cuba's networks, their connections to the rest of the world, and the routes of international traffic going to and from the island. Despite the addition of the ALBA-1 submarine cable, we find that round trip times to websites hosted off the island remain very high; pings to popular websites frequently took over 300 ms. We also find a high degree of path asymmetry in traffic to/from Cuba. Specifically, in our analysis we find that traffic going out of Cuba typically travels through the ALBA-1 cable, but, surprisingly, traffic on the reverse path often traverses high-latency satellite links, adding over 200 ms to round trip times. Last, we analyze queries to public DNS servers and SSL certificate requests to characterize the availability of network services in Cuba.
Computational methods for biomolecular docking

With the rapidly increasing amount of molecular biological data available, the computer-based analysis of molecular interactions becomes more and more feasible. Methods for computer-aided molecular docking have to include a reasonably accurate model of energy and must be able to deal with the combinatorial complexity incurred by the molecular flexibility of the docking partners. In both respects, recent years have seen substantial progress.
An Anionic, Tetragonal Copper(II) Superoxide Complex

Insight into copper-oxygen species proposed as intermediates in oxidation catalysis is provided by the identification of a Cu(II)-superoxide complex supported by a sterically hindered, pyridinedicarboxamide ligand. A tetragonal, end-on superoxide structure is proposed based on DFT calculations and UV-vis, NMR, EPR, and resonance Raman spectroscopy. The complex yields a trans-1,2-peroxodicopper(II) species upon reaction with [(tmpa)Cu(CH(3)CN)]OTf and, unlike other known Cu(II)-superoxide complexes, acts as a base rather than an electrophilic (H-atom abstracting) reagent in reactions with phenols.
Radiologic manifestations of the syndrome of neurocrest and colonic tumors.

This report describes the radiologic findings in the recently described syndrome of multiple colonic polyps and malignant tumors of neurocrest origin. One patient had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 11B with malignant medullary thyroid carcinoma, another had malignant pheochromocytoma, and the third had malignant carcinoid tumor. All patients had multiple colonic tubular or tubulovillous adenomas. In 2 patients, there were 8 sessile or pedunculated polyps distributed throughout the colon. In the patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 11B, the colon was carpeted with small polyps, 2–6 mm in size.
Stimulation of [14C] tryptophan 5-hydroxylation by norepinephrine and dibutyryl adenosine 3′, 5′ monophosphate in rat pineal organ cultures

Abstract Both norepinephrine and dibutyryl adenosine 3′, 5′ monophosphate (DAMP) accelerate the synthesis of [14C] serotonin from [14C] tryptophan by cultured rat pineals. When pineals are incubated with [14C] 5-hydroxytryptophan instead of [14C] tryptophan, neither norepinephrine nor DAMP influences the rate of [14C] serotonin synthesis. These data indicate that one locus at which norepinephrine and DAMP influence the biosynthesis of pineal indoles is the enzymatic hydroxylation of [14C] tryptophan. Since the enzymes which catalyze serotonin biosynthesis in brain and pineal appear to be similar, our data raise the possibility that noradrenergic neurons in brain which make functional synaptic contact with serotoninergic neurons might stimulate serotonin synthesis in these neurons.
VARIATION OF SATELLITE POSITION WITH UNCERTAINTIES IN THE MEAN ATMOSPHERIC DENSITY

For satellites whose orbits are immersed in the atmosphere, a variation in predicted position will occur due to the uncertainty in the mean atmospheric density at any given altitude. The effects of this uncertainty on altitude, in-track position, and cross-track position are considered. Analytic relations between the in-plane position and mean atmospheric density, W/CDA9 and number of revolutions since the last precision orbit determination are found. The variation in period, coupled with the rotation of Earth, gives rise to a lateral (cross-track) displacement of the locus of subsatellite points (compared to the locus for an orbit with nominal period). This displacement is determined from the fundamental relations developed in this paper. The analysis throughout is valid for near-circular orbits of any inclination about a spherical Earth. Favorable agreement was found between analytic predictions and machine-integrated orbits.
Preparation of titanium nitride : Microwave-induced carbothermal reaction of titanium dioxide

Carbothermal reduction and nitridation of TiO2 was performed in a 2 kW, 2.45 GHz microwave furnace. Carbon, generally added for the removal of oxygen from TiO2 lattice also served as the low-temperature susceptor in these experiments. At temperatures >1200°C, the mixtures started reacting vigorously (self-burn), which was never observed with the respective pure compounds. In the self-burning state, the minimum duration required for complete titanium nitride transformation was ∼20 min with stoichiometric amounts of carbon. With excess C, the transformation duration dropped to just 1 min. CO removal and subsequent Ni fixation occur more directly in microwave-induced reactions than in conventional nitridation procedures. Intermediate formation of successive Magneli phases (Ti2nO2n−1) was not found in the microwave-induced reactions. The combination of microwave processing and combustion makes this route of economical interest.
The nuclear pore complex and chromatin boundaries

Abstract The organization of the chromatin fiber within specific nuclear compartments and its arrangement into domains of higher-order structure are aspects of the regulation of gene expression that remain largely undefined. Boundary and insulator elements are likely to play important roles in establishing and maintaining the nuclear architecture required by eukaryotic cells to orchestrate the intricate array of events such as DNA replication, transcription and RNA processing. Recent results suggest a link between chromatin organization and nuclear transport and offer a glimpse of how nuclear organization might facilitate the integration of complex nuclear processes.
Li7(p, γ)Be8 excitation curve from 1.5 MeV to 11 MeV

Abstract The Li7(p, γ)Be8 reaction has been studied from 1.5 MeV to 11 MeV bombarding energy using the proton beam from the Rice tandem Van de Graaff accelerator. The sum of the gamma rays leading to the ground and first excited states of Be8 shows a giant resonance peaked at 7.3 MeV with a possible secondary peak at 6 MeV bombarding energy. Five angular distributions were measured below 7 MeV and showed isotropy within 25% in all cases. A tunnel diode discriminator and linear gating circuit were used to prevent excessive pile-up from neutron capture in the NaI(Tl) crystal. To further reduce the background, nearby slits were dispensed with and the beam was stopped 10 m away from the target.
Optimal weapons allocation against layered defenses

We solve the problem of optimal allocation of weapons to targets in the presence of layered regional defenses. The general solution technique is an integer program transformable to a minimum-cost network flow. This model assumes the defense has perfect weapons. Results of a small sample scenario are included. Additionally, a representative attrition algorithm is described and the two models combined to form a hybrid algorithm. The hybrid algorithm allows for less-than-perfect weapons while maintaining optimality.
Photoluminescence, optical absorption, and excitation spectra of cinnabar( α -HgS)

In cinnabar ($\ensuremath{\alpha}$-HgS) grown by chemical vapor transport (CVT), four photoluminescence (PL) features, ${X}_{1}$, ${X}_{2}$, ${B}_{1}$, and ${B}_{2}$, are observed with below band-gap photoexcitation. Two of these PL features, ${X}_{1}$ at 1.873 eV and ${X}_{2}$ at 1.855 eV, are sharp, with half-widths of 3.7 and 6.6 meV, respectively, and two of them, ${B}_{1}$ at 2.19 eV and ${B}_{2}$ at 1.78 eV, are broad, with half-widths of \ensuremath{\sim} 100 meV. New photoluminescence, optical absorption, and PL excitation measurements are reported on this material. The details observed in these measurements, together with transport results, enable presentation of an energy-level scheme and Fermi-level assignment for CVT-grown cinnabar which accounts for the ${X}_{1}$, ${X}_{2}$, ${B}_{1}$, and ${B}_{2}$ PL features. In addition to the valence- and conduction-band continua, five energy states are postulated, three levels nearer to the conduction band and two levels nearer to the valence band. The binding energies of the former are 0.005, 0.402, and 0.420 eV, and those of the latter are 0.25 and 0.05 eV. Based upon PL excitation spectra and optical absorption, ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{F}$, the equilibrium Fermi energy, is placed in the range $1.855\ensuremath{\lesssim}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{F}\ensuremath{\lesssim}1.873$ eV. In order to explain the shape of the optical absorption and PL excitation spectra, matrix-element effects are examined for a very simple band-to-impurity absorption process. The two PL features ${X}_{1}$ and ${X}_{2}$ can be interpreted as bound-to-free transitions which are weakly coupled to lattice vibrations, whereas the ${B}_{1}$ and ${B}_{2}$ features can be interpreted as bound-to-bound transitions strongly coupled to lattice vibrations. The temperature dependence of the ${X}_{1}$ and ${B}_{2}$ peak intensities is discussed in terms of a configuration coordinate model. The linear broadening of the ${X}_{1}$ and ${X}_{2}$ peaks with temperature above \ensuremath{\sim} 20 K is attributed to interactions with phonons.
Activities of Various 4-Aminoquinolines Against Infections with Chloroquine-Resistant Strains of Plasmodium falciparum

The studies reported here stemmed from a personal report by Geiman on the capacity of the 4-aminoquinoline amodiaquin to inhibit in vitro maturation of ring stages of the chloroquine-resistant Monterey strain of Plasmodium falciparum. This observation, confirmed in owl monkeys infected with this strain, led to a comparison of the activities of chloroquine, amodiaquin, amopyroquin, and dichlorquinazine (12,278 RP) against infections with various chloroquine-susceptible and chloroquine-resistant strains. The results showed that: (i) these 4-aminoquinolines were essentially equally active against infections with chloroquine-susceptible strains and (ii) the activities of amodiaquin, amopyroquin, and dichlorquinazine were reduced significantly in the face of chloroquine resistance, but (iii) well-tolerated doses of these compounds would cure infections with strains that fully resisted treatment with maximally tolerated doses of chloroquine. Two other 4-aminoquinolines, SN-8137 and SN-9584, which also exhibited activity against chloroquine-resistant parasites in vitro, displayed curative activity in monkeys infected with a chloroquine-resistant strain. These observations show that there is cross-resistance among the 4-aminoquinolines, confirming earlier findings, but indicate that the dimensions of this phenomenon are sufficiently limited so that some derivatives are therapeutically effective against infections refractory to maximally tolerated doses of chloroquine.
Voltage stress effect on class AB power amplifier and mixed-signal sample-hold circuit

Abstract The effects of gate and drain voltage stress and breakdown location on the class AB power amplifier and mixed-signal sample-hold circuit have been studied. The soft breakdown has minor effect on the performance of the power amplifier and sample-hold circuit, while the hard breakdown at the drain side reduces the power efficiency of the class AB power amplifier and degrades the signal to noise ratio of the sample-hold circuit significantly. Also, hot electron effect reduces the linearity of the class AB power amplifier.