cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceived self-efficacy as a predictor of outcome of pelvic muscle exercises in the treatment of urinary incontinence

Perceived self-efficacy (a person's confidence in her ability to perform a specific behavior in a specific situation) is a powerful mediator of health behavior changes in many areas. Despite the increasing attention paid to behavioral therapies for urinary incontinence, perceived self-efficacy has been largely overlooked. This preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and the treatment outcome of pelvic muscle exercises. Seventy-one women enrolled in a study assessing the outcome of a 3-month course of pelvic floor muscle exercises completing a self-efficacy questionnaire, which was administered at baseline and 3 weeks into treatment. Sixty-three of the women completed the questionnaire at 3 weeks. The primary outcome measure was number of incontinent episodes per day, as reported on a 3-day voiding diary. We defined improvement as ≥50% reduction in the number of incontinent episodes. There was a negative relationship between self-efficacy expectations at baseline and treatment outcome (r=−0.402). There was a trend toward a relationship between increases in self-efficacy between baseline and 3 weeks and improved treatment outcome (r=0.312,P<0.07). We examined behavioral factors which might affect exercise continuation, and found that both inaccessibility for telephone follow-up calls and incompletely recorded baseline voiding diary were associated with a higher dropout rate. Our preliminary results, then, are mixed, as we found no relationship between high initial self-efficacy and treatment outcome, but did find a possible association between increases in self-efficacy perception and treatment outcome. Self-efficacy may be another piece in the puzzle of how to improve outcome for non-surgical incontinence treatments, but it needs more evaluation. Our research suggests that healthcare providers should not be reticent to recommend a course of pelvic muscle exercises for those patients who express poor perceived self-efficacy at the outset of treatment. In addition, an incomplete or partially completed voiding diary should serve as a warning that a patient may be a suboptimal candidate for behavioral therapy.
Desloratadine inhibits allergen-induced airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness and alters T-cell responses in murine models of asthma

Abstract Background: Histamine elicits many features of immediate hypersensitivity reactions. Recent evidence indicates that H1 receptors modulate immune responses to antigens. Desloratadine (DL), a new, long-acting, H1 receptor antagonist, has both a potent antihistaminic function and anti-inflammatory properties. Objective: We sought to evaluate the effect of DL on allergic-airway responses in mice after inhalation of the naturally occurring aeroallergen Aspergillus fumigatus ( Af ) and to examine the effects of DL on specific immune responses to a defined protein antigen with the use of an ovalbumin (OVA) model of asthma. Methods: Mice were subjected either to repeated, intranasal application of Af extract or to intraperitoneal immunization with OVA, followed by inhalation challenge. DL or a control fluid was given daily throughout the sensitization process. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, bronchoalveolar lavage-fluid cytokines and cytology, lung histology, and physiologic responses to methacholine were assessed in the allergen-treated mice. Anti-OVA IgE responses and OVA-driven T-cell cytokine production were examined. Results: Treatment with DL did not impair IgE production but did inhibit bronchial inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in both Af- and OVA-treated mice. This inhibition required that DL be administered concurrently with allergen sensitization, indicating that the attenuation of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and inflammation was not caused by anticholinergic receptor effects. OVA-responsive T cells from DL-treated mice exhibited depressed production of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 and normal amounts of interferon-γ. The amounts of IL-5 and IL-13 were also diminished in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Conclusion: DL, given at the time of exposure to the allergen, inhibits T H 2 responses, the induction of allergic pulmonary inflammation, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. These results suggest that DL or similar agents given during times of antigen exposure might alter disease progression in patients with respiratory allergy. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003; 112:149-58.)
Modeling the structural evolution of carbide-derived carbons using quenched molecular dynamics

We develop morphologically realistic models for amorphous carbon using quenched molecular dynamics. We show that as the thermal quench rate is decreased, the model structures become more highly ordered, forming large graphene-like fragments and regularly shaped porous features. The evolution of these changes is compared with a series of carbide-derived carbons synthesized from crystalline TiC using different chlorination temperatures. In general, we find that the structural changes in the models are similar to those seen in experiment and that these changes have a significant impact on pore size distributions, specific surface areas, and adsorption isotherms, which are used to empirically characterize microporous carbons.
Development of a storage-compatible microtiter plate-based technique for lymphocyte proliferation.

Abstract The lymphocyte proliferation assay (LPA) is an important tier 1 test to assess non‐specific lymphocyte function, in vitro. However, this assay requires fresh preparation, is time consuming, and labor intensive. Developing a plate coating technique for lymphocyte proliferation that is both stable and storage compatible would be useful to the basic and clinical researcher. In this study, we compared the effects of different mitogen plate coating techniques on lymphocyte proliferation to freshly prepared plates. The results show that plates prepared with complete media and stored at −40°C up to 10 days corresponded well to control plates.
Endocervical involvement in endometrial adenocarcinoma is not prognostically significant and the pathologic assessment of the pattern of involvement is not reproducible.

Abstract Objectives Since 1988, cervical gland involvement and stromal invasion defined stage IIA and stage IIB endometrial carcinoma. In 2009, FIGO changed the criteria for stage II disease to include only those with cervical stromal invasion. We wished to: 1) assess the reproducibility of pathologists to distinguish patterns of cervical spread, and 2) determine the prognostic significance of cervical involvement. Methods Slides from 46 women with cervical involvement by endometrial adenocarcinoma were scored for 5 patterns of involvement by 6 experienced pathologists to determine reproducibility. To assess prognostic significance, 206 patients with FIGO 1988 stage II adenocarcinoma formed the study population with matched FIGO stage I controls. Results At least 5 of the 6 pathologists agreed that the cervix was involved in the 46 cases. The reproducibility for cervical gland involvement and endocervical stromal invasion was slight (kappas of 0.15 and 0.28). The survival with any type of cervical involvement was not significantly different from that of matched stage I controls (p=0.18). The 5year recurrence-free survival rates were 84% for FIGO 1988 stage I, 73% for stage IIA, and 82% for stage IIB (FIGO 2009 stage II). Conclusions Pathologists reliably recognize cervical involvement by endometrial carcinoma. However, reproducibility for the determination of pattern of cervical spread by experienced pathologists is too low to be of clinical utility. Women with spread of carcinoma to the cervix do not have a significantly lower survival than matched stage I controls. Cervical spread should not be the basis for determination of stage II disease.
Generalized Hermite polynomials

Abstract Hermite polynomials of several variables are defined by a generalization of the Rodrigues formula for ordinary Hermite polynomials. Several properties are derived, including the differential equation satisfied by the polynomials and their explicit expression. An application is given.
Exploring Technology Integration in a Field-Based Teacher Education Program: Implementation Efforts and Findings

AbstractThe Learning and Integrating New Knowledge and Skills (LINKS) project is designed, to integrate established and emerging technologies into the teacher preparation curriculum at Texas Woman’s University. LINKS addresses the technology needs of preservice teachers by supporting their development as well as the associated development of their mentor teachers and university instructors. This approach is consistent with best practice, and the research conducted to evaluate the efficacy of project implementation within the preservice teacher population is discussed. The project, as well as the accompanying research, is supported by a U.S. Department of Education Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology implementation grant.
Water structure in aqueous solutions of alkali halide salts: FTIR spectroscopy of the OD stretching band.

Abstract Water structure making/breaking studies in solutions of five alkali halide salts (KF, KI, NaI, CsF and CsCl) in 4 wt% D2O in H2O mixtures have been performed by FTIR analysis of the OD stretching band in the full solubility range. The proposed method gives a microscopic picture of the water structure making/breaking character of the salts in terms of the hydrogen bonding between the water molecules in the solution. With the exception of CsCl, there is a very good correlation of the structure making/breaking character of the salts determined by FTIR analysis, and the viscosity coefficients of the solutions. The results fully support and explain previous studies of bubble attachment to microscopic salt particles of the above salts. The investigations support the primary importance of interfacial water structure in the explanation of the flotation of alkali halide salts in their brines.
$D$ Lifetimes and Cabibbo Suppressed Decays in the Massive Quark Model

We investigate the possibility of explaining both the D lifetime ratio and the ratio of the D/sup 0/ Cabibbo-suppressed modes in the massive-quark model. We find that a simultaneous fit to both sets of experimental data is difficult, if not impossible.
THE MYTH OF THE CORPORATE POLITICAL JUNGLE: POLITICIZATION AS A POLITICAL STRATEGY

It is argued that the belief that the intraorganizational environment is necessarily a political one represents a myth propagated and entertained to address various needs of organizational members. One consequence of subscription to the myth of the corporate political jungle is a belief in the necessity for, and as a result the performance of, ‘political’ behaviour itself. ‘Political’ responses by others to this behaviour empirically support the myth and justify the behaviour. It is argued that political behaviour incurs dysfunctional consequences that warrant its reduction or elimination. Because political behaviour responds to belief in its inevitability, reduction of political behaviour ultimately depends upon acceptance of the argument presented in this discussion that the workplace is not inherently political.
Energy-Optimized Low-Complexity Control of Power and Rate in Clustered CDMA Sensor Networks with Multirate Constraints

In this paper, we propose a low-complexity scheme for minimizing energy consumption in a clustered multirate CDMA sensor network with multiple receive antennas by jointly controlling the powers and rates of all transmitting sensor nodes. The non-convex bit-energy optimization model is formulated by the sum product of transmit-plus-hardware powers and processing gains. The reason of taking the hardware consumed power into account is because the consumed energy in hardware is significant in a dense sensor network. We first optimized transmit powers by fixing the processing gains. As a consequence, we acquired the optimal transmit power expressed as a function of the processing gains. Next we reformulated a new simplified optimization problem with convexity. Then we can derive two low-complexity and closed-form algorithms for the transmit power and rate, respectively. A numerical example verifies our proposed algorithms have a nice performance in saving energy.
How can Health Behavior Theory be made more useful for intervention research

BACKGROUND: The present paper expresses the author's views about the practical utility of Health Behavior Theory for health behavior intervention research. The views are skeptical and perhaps even a bit exaggerated. They are, however, also based on 20-plus years of in-the-trenches research focused on improving health behavior practice through research. DISCUSSION: The author's research has been theoretically driven and has involved measurement of varying variables considered to be important theoretical mediators and moderators of health behavior. Regretfully, much of this work has found these variables wanting in basic scientific merit. Health Behavior Theory as we have known it over the last 25 years or so has been dominated by conceptualizations of behavior change processes that highlight cognitive decision-making. Although much of health behavior practice targets what people do rather than what they think, the logic of focusing on thoughts is that what people think about is the key to what they will do in the future, and that interventions that can measure and harness those processes will succeed to a greater extent than those that do not. Unfortunately, in the author's experience, the premise of cognitive theories has fallen short empirically in a number of ways. The cognitive schemata favored by most health behavior theories are difficult to measure, they do not predict behavioral outcomes very well, there is little evidence that they cause behavior, and they are hard to change directly. SUMMARY: It is suggested that health behavior researchers reconsider their use of these theories in favor of models whose variables are more accessible to observation and experimental manipulation and that most importantly have strong empirical support.
Directionality of point mutation and 5-methylcytosine deamination rates in the chimpanzee genome

Background The pattern of point mutation is important for studying mutational mechanisms, genome evolution, and diseases. Previous studies of mutation direction were largely based on substitution data from a limited number of loci. To date, there is no genome-wide analysis of mutation direction or methylation-dependent transition rates in the chimpanzee or its categorized genomic regions.
FINITE-DEGREE LINK INVARIANTS AND CONNECTIVITY

Finite-degree invariants of links are defined following [Sta92] and Kontsevich’s integral is shown to generalize to this situation. The notion of connectivity is introduced, and finite-degree invariants are shown to decompose into a finite sum of invariants of finite degree and connectivity. Given an invariant of finite connectivity, a polynomial invariant of finite connectivity is given encoding its value of the invariant on cabled links. Invariants of finite degree and connectivity are constructed from the linking matrix and shown to classify finite-degree invariants of large connectivity.
The Role of Hypoxia and Exploitation of the Hypoxic Environment in Hematologic Malignancies

Tumor hypoxia is a well-described phenomenon during the progression of solid tumors affecting cell signaling pathways and cell metabolism; however, its role in hematologic malignancies has not been given the same attention in the literature. Therefore, this review focuses on the comparative differences between solid and hematologic malignancies with emphasis on the role of hypoxia during tumorigenesis and progression. In addition, contribution of the bone marrow and angiogenic environment are also discussed. Insight is provided into the role of hypoxia in metastatic spread, stemness, and drug resistance in hematologic conditions. Finally, emerging therapeutic strategies such as small-molecule prodrugs and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) targeting approaches are outlined to combat hypoxic cells and/or adaptive mechanisms in the treatment of hematologic malignancies.
Imaging in Endovascular Stroke Trials

Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Various endovascular trials have addressed clinical outcomes without elucidating the impact of imaging studies in patient selection. The success of recent endovascular trials was bolstered by the use of advanced imaging techniques for optimal selection of reperfusion candidates. This seminal juncture in the history of stroke trials warrants further consideration on the use of imaging to guide future refinements in the treatment of acute stroke. In this article, we systematically review the imaging methodology and key facets used in all published endovascular stroke trials to date, discuss the success of recent trials using latest advanced imaging techniques and focus on the importance of imaging studies for future patient selection.
Eight problems for the mirror neuron theory of action understanding in monkeys and humans

The discovery of mirror neurons in macaque frontal cortex has sparked a resurgence of interest in motor/embodied theories of cognition. This critical review examines the evidence in support of one of these theories, namely, that mirror neurons provide the basis of action understanding. It is argued that there is no evidence from monkey data that directly tests this theory, and evidence from humans makes a strong case against the position.
Phase speed spectra of transient eddy fluxes and critical layer absorption

Tropospheric zonal mean eddy fluxes of heat and momentum, and the divergence of the Eliassen-Palm flux, are decomposed into contributions from different zonal phase speeds. Data analyzed are the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts operational global analyses covering 1980-1987. Eastward moving medium-scale waves (zonal waves 4-7) dominate the spectra of lower tropospheric heat fluxes in both hemispheres and all seasons. Upper tropospheric wave flux spectra are similar to the low level spectra in midlatitudes, but shift to slower zonal phase speeds as low latitudes are approached. The cause of this shift is the selective absorption of faster moving components in midlatitudes as the waves propagate meridionally. Latitude-phase speed distributions of eddy fluxes are constructed and compared to the zonal mean wind structure. These results demonstrate that upper tropospheric eddies break and decelerate the zonal mean flow approximately 10-20 deg in latitude away from their critical line (where phase speed equals zonal wind speed). Comparisons are also made with results from the middle stratosphere.
Degeneration of neuronal cell bodies following axonal injury in WldS mice

The phenotype of WldS (“slow Wallerian degeneration”) mice demonstrates prolonged survival of injured axons. However, whether the WldS mutation delays degeneration of the neuronal cell body following axonal injury is unclear. We used a retrograde model of axonal transport failure in WldS mice to test whether the mutant WldS protein has any beneficial effect on the neuronal cell body. Retrograde axonal transport was physically blocked by optic nerve crush and confirmed by the absence of Fluoro-Gold labeling in wild-type and in WldS mice. After this axonal injury, there was marked protection of axonal degeneration in the WldS phenotype, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. However, the WldS protein, localized in the nucleus of retinal ganglion cells, did not prevent or delay degeneration of the retinal ganglion cell body, confirmed by TUNEL staining and Fluoro-Gold labeling. These results imply that, after axonal injury, Wallerian degeneration of axons and degeneration of the neuronal cell body have different mechanisms, which are autonomous and independent of each other. Although the WldS phenotype can be used to demonstrate stable enucleate axons, the mutation is unlikely to protect neurons in neurodegenerative diseases in which there is failure of retrograde transport. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comparison of Fault Representation Methods in Finite Difference Simulations of Dynamic Rupture

Assessing accuracy of numerical methods for spontaneous rupture simulation is challenging because we lack analytical solutions for reference. Previous comparison of a boundary integral method (bi) and finite-difference method (called dfm) that explicitly incorporates the fault discontinuity at velocity nodes (traction- at-split-node scheme) shows that both converge to a common, grid-independent solution and exhibit nearly identical power-law convergence rates with respect to grid spacing Δ x . We use this solution as a reference for assessing two other proposed finite-difference methods, the thick fault (tf) and stress glut (sg) methods, both of which approximate the fault-jump conditions through inelastic increments to the stress components (inelastic-zone schemes). The tf solution fails to match the qualitative rupture behavior of the reference solution and has quantitative misfits in root- mean-square rupture time of ∼30% for the smallest computationally feasible Δ x (with ∼9 grid-point resolution of cohesive zone, denoted N c = 9). For sufficiently small values of Δ x , the sg method reproduces the qualitative features of the reference solution, but rupture velocity remains systematically low for sg relative to the reference solution, and sg lacks the well-defined power-law convergence seen for bi and dfm. The rupture-time error for sg, with N c ∼ 9, remains well above uncertainty in the reference solution, and the split-node method attains comparable accuracy with N c 1/4 as large (and computation timescales as ( N c ) 4 ). Thus, accuracy is highly sensitive to the formulation of the fault-jump conditions: The split-node method attains power-law convergence. The sg inelastic-zone method achieves solutions that are qualitatively meaningful and quantitatively reliable to within a few percent, but convergence is uncertain, and sg is computationally inefficient relative to the split-node approach. The tf inelastic-zone method does not achieve qualitatively meaningful solutions to the 3D test problem and is sufficiently computationally inefficient that it is not feasible to explore convergence quantitatively.
Simulation software for surface mount assembly

SMT Sim is a simulation program specially developed for surface mount assembly. Detailed models have been constructed for studying feeder setup and chip placement operations. This software tool can be used for estimating the production cycle time for a particular set of boards and for evaluating the impact of various production policies on a surface mount factory's throughput. Following some introductory comments regarding the need for developing a tool such as SMT Sim, this paper presents an overview of the functional elements of the software, i.e., the routines for managing input data, outputs, and process models. The object-based code libraries of the SMT Sim software are also discussed. Use of the software is explained by means of an example simulation run, from build plan to simulated production report. Two types of applications are addressed: benchmarking setup procedures and analyzing assembly cost.
Law & Psychiatry: Responsibility for Torts: Should the Courts Continue to Ignore Mental Illness?

Although courts routinely consider whether a criminal defendant's mental illness makes punishment unfair, the rules are very different for civil liability. When people with mental illness harm others, courts refuse to consider their mental states in determining civil liability. The justifications offered for this rule range from the difficulty of assessing the impact of mental illness on behavior to the desire to place the burden of loss on the person who caused the injury. Undeniably, though, mental disabilities are treated differently from physical impairments, and the law's resistance to change seems largely based on misunderstanding and prejudice against mental illness. (Psychiatric Services 63:308–310, 2012; doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.20120p308)
Design of a Wireless Sensor Network Based Automatic Light Controller in Theater Arts

In this paper, an automatic lighting controller designed and built using a wireless sensor network indoor positioning technology is described. This controller can autonomously track actors during a real-time theatrical performance. Kalman filter and 3D trilateration technologies were used with Cricket wireless sensors to implement this system. In addition, an entertainment industry standard protocol DMX-512 and an efficient calibration method were applied to realize remote computerized fixture control. As far as we know, this controller is the first application of wireless sensor networks in the theater arts area. A successful public performance concert at the University of Arizona validated the performance of the system
Dynamic effects of government policies in an open economy

Abstract The effects of three government policies, an increase in the provision of government services, an open market operation, and an increase in the rate of growth of government liabilities, are studied in a long-run model of a small open economy with flexible exchange rates. The government budget constraint, the degree to which government bonds are net wealth to the public, and the degree of substitutability of government services for private market purchases are all considered. The determination of the exchange rate and the adjustment of the accounts of the balance of payments to changes in government policy are explored.
From Hairballs to an Understanding of Transendothelial Migration of Monocytes in Atherosclerosis

In the current issue of ATVB , Shang et al provide compelling evidence for the involvement of LIM domain binding 2 (LDB2) in the transendothelial migration of monocytes in atherosclerosis.1 The article is also of interest because of the systems analyses that led to its identification as a strong candidate. See accompanying article on page 2068 LDB2 was identified earlier as a key driver of atherosclerosis based on studies of gene expression profiles of tissues obtained from patients.2 Using samples from the Stockholm Atherosclerosis Gene Expression (STAGE) study, the authors profiled gene expression of 5 atherosclerosis-relevant tissues from 114 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The tissues collected were distal internal mammary artery, wall of the ascending aorta at the aortic root, anterior hepatic edge, skeletal muscle, and visceral fat. A total of 278 gene expression profiles were used in a coupled 2-way clustering analysis3 to identify 60 gene subnetworks in these tissues. Two of the gene clusters, one in atherosclerotic arterial wall (49 genes) and the other in visceral fat (59 genes), segregated the patients according to the extent of atherosclerosis as measured by quantitative coronary angiography. The authors further validated their findings using expression data obtained from carotid lesions isolated from patients undergoing carotid stenosis surgery. Clustering of data identified 8 gene subnetworks in carotid lesions, one of which segregated the patients according to the extent of atherosclerosis as measured by ultrasound-measured intima-media thickness. …
Flux–gradient relationship, self‐correlation and intermittency in the stable boundary layer

The correlation between dimensionless shear ϕm and dimensionless height z/L, where L is the Obukhov length, for stable conditions is strongly influenced by self-correlation for the present datasets. This effect is quite large for stronger stability but still significant for near-neutral conditions. A conditional analysis of nocturnal stable boundary-layer data, where ‘non-turbulent’ parts of the record are removed, reduces the impact of nonstationarity and therefore reduces the scatter. The conditional analysis also reduces the relative importance of self-correlation. Difficulties with estimating self-correlation are also discussed. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society
Synergistic liver toxicity of copper and retrorsine in the rat

To investigate the possible synergy between copper and retrorsine (a pyrrolizidine alkaloid) as a cause of Indian Childhood Cirrhosis, four groups of male Wistar rats were fed the following diets from weaning: A. Normal diet; B. Copper loaded (2 g CuSO 4 /kg diet); C. Retrorsine supplemented (Expt 1: 25 mg/kg body weight/week by gavage, Expt 2: 25 mg/kg food initially then 15 mg/kg food after 4 weeks); and D. Copper and retrorsine as above. Serial plasma samples were assayed for aminotransferases, albumin and bilirubin. Liver samples at biopsy and sacrifice provided samples for copper analysis and histology. Results showed that copper and retrorsine together significantly increased liver damage compared with feeding either alone as assessed by: 1. Increased mortality rate; 2. Decreased plasma albumin and increased plasma bilirubin (mainly conjugated) indicative of hepatocyte dysfunction; 3. Massive liver copper accumulation, and 4. Increased liver damage histologically. Thus retrorsine caused liver copper accumulation, and together copper and retrorsine led to severe hepatic dysfunction, characterised by hypoalbuminaemia and conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia. Plant alkaloids secreted in milk by grazing animals and copper from brass vessels may together produce Indian Childhood Cirrhosis.
The sea surface pressure formulation of rigid lid models. Implications for altimetric data assimilation studies

The sea surface pressure formulation of the rigid lid primitive equation oceanic problem is reviewed and clarified. The geostrophic limit for the sea surface pressure equation is then considered and a new diagnostic relationship is found that relates the surface pressure to the barotropic and baroclinic components of the subsurface flow field. We demonstrate that a direct insertion in the model equations of sea surface information, such as that provided by satellite altimetry, does not produce changes in the subsurface dynamics due to the divergenceless nature of the barotropic flow field. The geostrophic limit of the sea surface pressure field computed from a standard general circulation model of the world ocean is presented and the barotropic/baroclinic components of the absolute dynamic topography of the global general circulation are discussed.
Posterior Urethral Valves

Posterior urethral valves (PUVs) are a congenital obstruction of the male posterior urethra that can have lifelong effects on the urinary tract, ranging from voiding dysfunction to renal insufficiency. The key to their diagnosis lies in a high index of clinical suspicion in conjunction with thorough imaging. Management depends initially upon surgical relief of the obstruction, followed by close follow-up by the pediatric urologist. Further management may require intervention such as catheterization and/or medication like anticholinergics. Children with PUVs who progress to end-stage renal disease should also be followed by a pediatric nephrologist.
Restenosis: do we need to understand it to treat it?

“There is, we believe, both in pathogenesis and in therapeutics: much remedy, little cure; much theory, little truth.” —Pierre Marie, 1883, Archive de Neurologique Restenosis has been the major therapeutic challenge of interventional cardiology over the past two decades. Andreas Gruentzig
Bone marrow recovery and subsequent chemotherapy following radiolabeled anti-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) monoclonal antibody J591 in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (metCRPC)

e16004 Background: Reversible myelosuppression is the dose-limiting toxicity of radioimmunotherapy (RIT). Cases of marrow damage, including myelodysplasia and acute leukemia have been reported with...
Investigation of Visual Features for Augmented Reality Assembly Assistance

The overall goal of this research is to investigate the effectivity of augmented reality (AR) assembly assistance in relation to the difficulty of a particular assembly task since advantages of AR, such as time and error reduction, have not been consequently reported in literature. The research aims to identify additional factors that affect the design of virtual instructions for AR applications. This paper intends to discuss a suggested classification of visual features for AR assembly assistance applications. The classification suggests visual features for different assembly activities and distinguishes significant from less significant parts. It represents a theoretical framework for this research. A user study was conducted to verify the suggested visual features. The results are not significant and do not support the classification. However, observations made during the study indicate additional factors.
Virtual Inspector and its application to immediate pre-event and post-event earthquake loss and safety assessment of buildings

We previously introduced the Virtual Inspector, which is a decision-support system that follows current US guidelines for post-earthquake damage and safety evaluation of buildings in order to calculate probabilities that a building will be tagged with red, yellow or green safety placards after earthquake shaking of the building. The procedure is based on an existing probabilistic methodology for performance-based earthquake engineering that involves four analysis stages: hazard, structural, damage and loss analyses. In this paper, we propose to integrate the Virtual Inspector into an automated system for immediate pre- and post-earthquake loss and safety assessment in a building. This system could be combined with an earthquake early warning system to assist in an automated decision analysis for initiating safety and loss mitigation actions just before the arrival of earthquake shaking at the building site. The Virtual Inspector can also be used immediately after strong earthquake shaking to provide an automated probabilistic safety and loss assessment to support risk decision making related to possible building closure and the cost of recovery to bring the building back to an operating condition. The proposed theory for these extensions of the Virtual Inspector is illustrated using an example based on a previously studied benchmark office building.
Tort Law: Children v. Advertisers: TV Torts -- Is There a Duty?

This article explores the Florida Supreme Court’s decision to affirm dismissal of a negligence claim based on TV advertising. A child, mimicking the activity of the actor’s in a Mountain Dew commercial, harmed himself. In affirming the dismissal of the parents’ claim against Pepsico, Inc., the Florida Supreme Court determined that Pepsico, Inc. owed no duty of care to the child and there was no foreseeability of injury. While this no-duty rule is consistent with other publisher liability claims, the article points out that the research on the influence of advertising on children establishes that children do and will mimic the activities they view in commercials. In fact advertisers purposely associate their product with an activity that will entice the viewer. Children, in particular, are susceptible to the influence of TV advertising. The article gives empirical evidence indicating that children are more vulnerable to television messages than adults. The article suggests that fears of potentially unlimited liability of advertisers are unwarranted, concluding that applying common sense in future cases will avoid the “slippery slope” effect.
Abstract A102: Chemopreventive efficacy and mechanistic studies of Targretin in the B[a]P-induced mouse lung tumor prevention model

Aspiration route has been demonstrated to be as effective as inhalation in administering agents to lung with associated reduction in cost for equipment and chemopreventive agent. The current study evaluated the chemopreventive efficacy and mechanism (s) of Targretin, a novel oral synthetic retinoid that selectively binds and activates retinoid X receptors, via oropharyngeal aspiration against the strain A/J mouse lung adenoma induced by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). Lung adenomas were induced in 8-week old female strain A/J mice by three oral gavages of B[a]P (2 mg /0.2 ml cotton seed oil). The mice were allowed 4 weeks to develop dysplasia, then given one of three doses of Targretin (0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg) for 16 weeks. At different time points, the expression of a series of biomarkers (e.g., Cox-2 and 5-Lox at 2 and 16 weeks, survivin, PCNA and apoptosis at 16 weeks) in lung was evaluated by Western Blot and immunohistochemistry. Tumor incidence and multiplicity in the lung were measured following 16-week aspiration of Targretin and compared with B[a] P only group. Targretin showed dose-related inhibition of B[a]P-induced tumor incidence (p Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):A102.
Corporate Credit Default Swap Liquidity and Its Implicationsfor Corporate Bond Spreads

In a credit default swap (CDS) trade, a credit protection buyer acquires credit protection from the counterparty by paying a premium. The CDS premium has been viewed as a clean representation of the price of credit risk. As a result, in the past few years, researchers have used data on CDS trades where the reference entity is a corporation to determine the liquidity component of corporate bond spreads. Using a transaction dataset, the authors discover very large bid–ask spreads in CDS quotes. With a two-factor model, they show that such large bid–ask spreads can profoundly affect the estimation of credit risk, which in turn has a significant effect on the estimation of the liquidity spread for corporate bonds. Contrary to the literature, the authors show that although the bond and CDS markets appear to have two different values for the credit spread, once liquidity is accounted for they no longer find such a difference.
Experimental and Quantitative Analysis of Local Anesthesia of the Frog's Isolated Sciatic Nerve

ConclusionsSensory anesthesia produced by 0.25 % concentration in normal salt solution on the frog's sciatic nerve has been tested on a considerable series by immersion of the toes in 1% HCl. The results obtained were: 1. The mean and median durations of anesthesia fall in the following ascending order: Procaine HCI, Meta-mine, Cocaine HCI, Panthesine. 2. A high degree of range is found for the 4 drugs studied. 3. The absolute variability in duration of anesthesia falls in the following ascending order : Procaine HCI, Metacaine, Cocaine HCl, Panthesine. 4. The relative varia-bility in duration falls in the following order: Panthesine, Metacaine, Cocaine HCI, Procaine HC1. 5. All distributions of duration of anesthesia show a distinct measure of skewness, those for Procaine HCl and Panthesine being positive and those for Cocaine HC1 and Metacaine being negative. 6. The differences in mean duration of anesthesia between the several drugs is highly significant in 4 pairings, probably significant in one, and ...
Within-Field and Within-Panicle Distribution of Heliothis zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Celama sorghiella (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Eggs in Grain Sorghum

The within-field and within-panicle distributions of Heliothts zea (Boddie) and Celama sorghiella (Riley) eggs were studied in Arkansas grain sorghum during 1985 and 1986. The distribution of eggs parasitized by Trichogramma spp. was also evaluated. None of the three insect species showed a consistent preference for any portion of a grain sorghum panicle based on either location (upper, middle, or lower third) or flowering stage (⅓, ⅔, or full bloom). H. zea exhibited a clumped within-field spatial pattern for total and parasitized eggs as based on Taylor's indices of aggregation ( a = 1.24, b = 1.31, and a = 1.85, b = 1.18, respectively). Total and parasitized C. sorghiella eggs were decidedly more aggregated than those of H. zea with Taylor's indices of a = 2.56, b = 1.46, and a = 3.28, b = 1.34, respectively. Required sample sizes needed to estimate population densities of both species are provided.
Genetic overexpression of Serpina3n attenuates muscular dystrophy in mice

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is associated with mutations in genes that stabilize the myofiber plasma membrane, such as through the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC). Instability of this complex or defects in membrane repair/integrity leads to calcium influx and myofiber necrosis leading to progressive dystrophic disease. MD pathogenesis is also associated with increased skeletal muscle protease levels and activity that could augment weakening of the sarcolemma through greater degradation of cellular attachment complexes. Here, we observed a compensatory increase in the serine protease inhibitor Serpina3n in mouse models of MD and after acute muscle tissue injury. Serpina3n muscle-specific transgenic mice were generated to model this increase in expression, which reduced the activity of select proteases in dystrophic skeletal muscle and protected muscle from both acute injury with cardiotoxin and from chronic muscle disease in the mdx or Sgcd(-/-) MD genetic backgrounds. The Serpina3n transgene mitigated muscle degeneration and fibrosis, reduced creatine kinase serum levels, restored running capacity on a treadmill and reduced muscle membrane leakiness in vivo that is characteristic of mdx and Sgcd(-/-) mice. Mechanistically, we show that increased Serpina3n promotes greater sarcolemma membrane integrity and stability in dystrophic mouse models in association with increased membrane residence of the integrins, the DGC/utrophin-glycoprotein complex of proteins and annexin A1. Hence, Serpina3n blocks endogenous increases in the activity of select skeletal muscle resident proteases during injury or dystrophic disease, which stabilizes the sarcolemma leading to less myofiber degeneration and increased regeneration. These results suggest the use of select protease inhibitors as a strategy for treating MD.
Detection of Toxin Production by Bacteroides fragilis: Assay Development and Screening of Extraintestinal Clinical Isolates

Strains of Bacteroides fragilis that produce an extracellular 20-kD heat-labile toxin have been epidemiologically associated with diarrheal disease. To standardize detection of the B. fragilis toxin (BFT), a detailed description of the methods for identifying BFT production by B. fragilis strains is reported. To further study the role of toxigenic strains of B. fragilis in clinical disease, extraintestinal clinical isolates that were recovered at an urban east-coast hospital were evaluated. Four (6.2%) of 65 isolates produced BFT. Three cases in which BFT-producing B. fragilis were isolated from extraintestinal sites are reported. In contrast to studies from Japan that have reported BFT production by 23.4% of extraintestinal B. fragilis isolates, we conclude that BFT-producing strains of B. fragilis are infrequently associated with extraintestinal B. fragilis disease at our institution. Additional study will be necessary to better define the importance of BFT production in human disease due to B. fragilis.
Electron-temperature dependence of the recombination of NH4+(NH3)n ions with electrons

The two-body recombination of NH4(+)(NH3)(sub 2,3) cluster-ions with electrons has been studied in an afterglow experiment in which the electron temperature T, was elevated by radio-frequency heating from 300 K up to 900 K. The recombination coefficients for the n = 2 and n = 3 cluster ions were found to be equal, alpha(sub 2, sup(2)) = alpha(sub 3, sup(2)) = (4.8 +/- 0.5) x 10(exp - 6)cu cm/s, and to vary with electron temperature as T(sub c, sup -0.65) rather than to be nearly temperature-independent as had been inferred from measurements in microwave-heated plasmas.
20 Transculturele psychiatrie

De transculturele psychiatrie is een subspecialisme binnen de psychiatrie dat zich onder meer bezighoudt met de studie van het voorkomen, de uitingsvorm en de behandeling van deviant gedrag in verschillende culturen en onder culturele subgroepen. De transculturele psychiatrie probeert vragen te beantwoorden die relevant zijn voor de hele geestelijke gezondheidszorg, zowel de ambulante, de klinische, de biologische, de sociale, de forensische als de ouderenzorg.
Polymerase chain reaction for the detection of bacteremia.

Analysis of blood by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a more rapid and sensitive method to detect bacteremia than blood culture. The PCR was performed on blood obtained from patients during blood culture draws and on blood from normal volunteers. Eighty-seven patients provided 125 blood samples for blood culture comparison with PCR. Specific PCR primers for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli that targeted conserved regions common to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were used. Selective stringency conditions identified other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The blood culture agreed with the PCR in 93 of the 125 patient specimens (74%). In 29 of these specimens the PCR was positive yet the blood culture was negative. When clinical information was included with positive blood culture to define sepsis in these patients and their specimens were added to the positive blood cultures the statistical accuracy of PCR was 93 per cent. Only three of the 78 specimens with negative PCR had positive blood cultures. The PCR was negative in all but one of the 50 volunteers. PCR is more sensitive than blood culture, and it can quickly rule out bacteremia.
High-pressure shock tube experiments and modeling of n-dodecane/air ignition

We have measured ignition delay times of n-dodecane/air mixtures over a range of conditions including pressures of 18-31 atm, temperatures of 943-1177 K, and equivalence ratios (φ) of 0.5-1.0, utilizing the heated, high pressure shock tube (HPST) at Stanford University. The shock tube and mixing assembly were heated to 120 and 170 C, respectively, to prevent condensation of n-dodecane fuel (because of its low vapor pressure). Ignition delay times behind reflected shocks were measured using side-wall pressure and OH* emission diagnostics. Shock tube ignition time measurements can provide excellent validation targets for refinement of jet fuel kinetic modeling, and n-dodecane is widely used as the principal representative for n-alkanes in jet fuel surrogates. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first gas-phase shock tube ignition time data for n-dodecane. We also provide comparisons with the ignition delay time predictions of two detailed JP-8 mechanisms that include n-dodecane as an important JP-8 surrogate component.