cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catheter-related Corynebacterium bacteremia: should the catheter be removed and vancomycin administered?

The purpose of this study was to determine the need for central venous catheter removal in patients with corynebacterial catheter-related bloodstream infections and the impact of central venous catheter retention on response to systemic antibiotic therapy and relapse. We searched the microbiology laboratory database and patients’ medical records at our institution between January 2000 and December 2006. We identified 98 patients with corynebacteria infection. Most of the episodes (94%) were catheter-related. Removing the catheter did not affect the outcome of treatment, particularly when an active non-glycopeptide antibiotic was used. All Corynebacterium species isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, 54/55 (98%) to linezolid, 80/95 (84%) to rifampin, and 69/85 (81%) to tetracycline. The median duration of antibiotic therapy was 12 days (range, 0–28), and vancomycin was the most commonly used antibiotic (64%). There was a trend toward earlier fever resolution in patients treated with non-glycopeptide antibiotics compared to vancomycin, particularly if the catheter was not removed. Central venous catheter removal might not be necessary in patients with corynebacterial catheter related bloodstream infection, particularly if systemic therapy consists of non-glycopeptide antibiotics. Treatment with a systemic active antibiotic over a 7-day period appears to be adequate for resolution of the infection.
Body surface area prediction in normal-weight and obese patients.

None of the equations frequently used to predict body surface area (BSA) has been validated for obese patients. We applied the principles of body size scaling to derive an improved equation predict...
Effect of S-emopamil, nimodipine, and mild hypothermia on hippocampal glutamate concentrations after repeated cerebral ischemia in rabbits.

We sought to determine the effects of two different calcium channel antagonists, S-emopamil and nimodipine, on hippocampal glutamate and glycine release and to compare their effects to those of mild hypothermia.New Zealand White rabbits were subjected to two 7.5-minute episodes of global cerebral ischemia at a 1-hour interval produced by neck tourniquet inflation (20 psi) combined with hypotension during halothane anesthesia. Hippocampal extracellular concentrations of glutamate and glycine were monitored using in vivo microdialysis. Animals were randomized to receive either S-emopamil (1 mg.kg-1 bolus, 0.1 mg.kg-1.min-1 infusion), nimodipine (10 micrograms.kg-1 bolus, 1 microgram.kg-1.min-1 infusion), hypothermia (32 degrees C), or saline (control) before ischemia. Drug infusion and hypothermia were continued throughout the study periods.In all four groups, both ischemic episodes resulted in significant elevations of hippocampal extracellular concentrations of glutamate and glycine (baseline vs peak, P <...
The effect of varying levels of surfactant on the reactive uptake of N 2 O 5 to aqueous aerosol

Abstract. Recent observations have detected surface active organics in atmospheric aerosols. We have studied the reaction of N2O5 on aqueous natural seawater and NaCl aerosols as a function of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentration to test the effect of varying levels of surfactant on gas-aerosol reaction rates. SDS was chosen as a proxy for naturally occurring long chain monocarboxylic acid molecules, such as palmitic or stearic acid, because of its solubility in water and well-characterized surface properties. Experiments were performed using a newly constructed aerosol flow tube coupled to a chemical ionization mass spectrometer for monitoring the gas phase, and a differential mobility analyzer/condensation particle counter for determining aerosol surface area. We find that the presence of ~3.5wt% SDS in the aerosol, which corresponds to a monolayer surface coverage of ~2×1014 molecules cm-2, suppresses the N2O5 reaction probability, γN2O5, by approximately a factor of ten, independent of relative humidity. Consistent with this observation is a similar reduction in the rate of ClNO2 product generation measured simultaneously. However, the product yield remains nearly constant under all conditions. The degree of suppression is strongly dependent on SDS content in the aerosol, with no discernable effect at 0.1wt% SDS, but significant suppression at what we predict to be submonolayer coverages with 0.3–0.6wt% SDS on NaCl and natural seawater aerosols, respectively.
Needle thoracostomy by non-medical law enforcement personnel: preliminary data on knowledge retention.

Introduction: Tension pneumothorax is the second leading cause of preventable combat death. Although relatively simple, the management of tension pneumothorax is considered an advanced life support skill set. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of non-medical law enforcement personnel to learn this skill set and to determine long-term knowledge and skill retention. Methods: After completing a pre-intervention questionnaire, a total of 22 tactical team operators completed a 90-minute-long training session in recognition and management of tension pneumothorax. Post-intervention testing was performed immediately post-training, and at one- and six-months post-training. Results: Initial training resulted in a significant increase in knowledge (pre: 1.3 ±1.35, max score 7; post: 6.8 ±0.62, p < 0.0001). Knowledge retention persisted at one- and six-months post-training, without significant decrement. Conclusions: Non-medical law enforcement personnel are capable of learning needle decompression, and retain this knowledge without significant deterioration for at least six months. Sztajnkrycer MD: Needle thoracostomy by non-medical law enforcement personnel: Preliminary data on knowledge retention. Prehospital Disast Med 2008;23(6):553‐557.
The evaluation of North Carolina’s state-sponsored youth tobacco prevention media campaign

In 2003, the state of North Carolina (NC) implemented a multi-component initiative focused on teenage tobacco use prevention and cessation. One component of this initiative is Tobacco.Reality.Unfiltered. (TRU), a tobacco prevention media campaign, aimed at NC youth aged 11-17 years. This research evaluates the first 5 years of the TRU media campaign, from 2004 to 2009, using telephone surveys of NC youth. Overall, TRU campaign awareness was moderate among youth in its first year, with awareness significantly increasing over time. The majority of youth who saw the advertisements reported that they were convincing, attention grabbing and gave good reasons not to smoke. In 2009, logistic regression models revealed awareness of the TRU advertisements was associated with decreased odds of current smoking and experimenting with cigarettes for at-risk NC youth. Results from this research may help other states to define, evaluate and modify their own media campaigns, especially within financially or politically constraining environments.
Band-Edge Electronic States, and Pre-Existing Defects in Remote Plasma Deposited (RPD) GeO2 and SiO2

Two issues are addressed: (i) X-ray spectroscopic studies of RPD-SiO2 and RPD GeO2, include band edge states and pre-existing defects, each in the OK edge spectrum, and (ii) interpretation of these X-ray absorption spectroscopy to identify band edge states and intrinsic defects. (iii) These provide a basis for interpretation of electrical data associated with band edge electrically active singlet state defects.
Induced Ovulation of Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma Using Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Analogue Implants

Implanted pellets that provide a sustained release of [D-Ala6 Des-Gly10] LHRH-ethylamide (GnRHa) were used to induce maturation and ovulation of Southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma. Of the 12 females whose ovaries contained follicles with a maximum diameter ≥500 μm, 11 ovulated for the first time within 90 h of hormone implantation. Only 1 fish with a maximum follicle diameter less than 500 μm ovulated within 2 wk after implantation. Ovulated eggs were manually stripped from the females and mixed with sperm from several males. Most females were spawned 1 to 3 times on consecutive days with variable fertility. One female was spawned 11 times producing 668,000 eggs. Fertility was evaluated by examining the incubated eggs for early stages of embryonic cleavage. The percentage of fertile eggs in subsamples of incubated eggs ranged from 7–95%. The results indicate that GnRHa implants can be used to induce repeated ovulation in this species. The variability in fertility is discussed in relation to egg quality.
Chicken embryo extract mitigates growth and morphological changes in a spontaneously immortalized chicken embryo fibroblast cell line

Abstract The SC-1 spontaneously immortalized chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell line has been established recently. Although this cell line had been in culture for over 3 yr, its growth rate has remained lower than that of primary CEF cells, and the morphology has not been as uniform as observed in primary cells. In the present study, the SC-1 cell line was treated with chicken embryo extract (CEE) to determine whether growth rates could be increased and cell morphology enhanced. The CEE also was tested on primary CEF cells, another spontaneously immortalized CEF cell line (DF-1), and on 2 other nonvirally and nonchemically immortalized CEF cell lines (BCEFi and HCEFi). Results indicated that concentrations of CEE > or = 100 microg/mL inhibited growth of all cells tested. However, addition of 50 microg of CEE/mL enhanced the growth rate and improved the morphology of the SC-1 cells. Addition of CEE to the other immortal or primary CEF cells did not increase the growth rate or change their morphology. Analysis of mRNA expression revealed that SC-1 cells treated with 50 microg of CEE/mL had lower levels of the p16(INK4a) alternate reading frame sequence (ARF) and E2F-1 than untreated SC-1 cells. The increased growth rate and improved morphology of the SC-1 cells achieved with CEE treatment were retained following removal of CEE, and these improvements should aid in increasing the utility of the SC-1 cell line as a cellular/molecular reagent.
Toll-like receptor 4 inhibition within the paraventricular nucleus attenuates blood pressure and inflammatory response in a genetic model of hypertension

Despite the availability of several antihypertensive medications, the morbidity and mortality caused by hypertension is on the rise, suggesting the need for investigation of novel signaling pathways involved in its pathogenesis. Recent evidence suggests the role of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in various inflammatory diseases, including hypertension. The role of the brain in the initiation and progression of all forms of hypertension is well established, but the role of brain TLR4 in progression of hypertension has never been explored. Therefore, we investigated the role of TLR4 within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN; an important cardioregulatory center in the brain) in an animal model of human essential hypertension. We hypothesized that a TLR4 blockade within the PVN causes a reduction in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), inflammatory cytokines and sympathetic drive in hypertensive animals. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were administered either a specific TLR4 blocker, viral inhibitory peptide (VIPER), or control peptide in their PVN for 14 days. MAP was recorded continuously by radiotelemetry. PVN and blood were collected for the measurement of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β), anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TLR4, nuclear factor (NF) κB activity and plasma norepinephrine (NE) and high mobility group box (HMGB)1 expression, respectively. Hypertensive rats exhibited significantly higher levels of TLR4 in the PVN. TLR4 inhibition within the PVN attenuated MAP, improved cardiac hypertrophy, reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS levels, and NFκB activity in SHR but not in WKY rats. These results were associated with a reduction in plasma NE and HMGB1 levels and an increase in IL-10 levels in SHR. This study demonstrates that TLR4 upregulation in PVN plays an important role in hypertensive response. Our results provide mechanistic evidence that hypertensive response in SHR are mediated, at least in part, by TLR4 in the PVN and that inhibition of TLR4 within the PVN attenuates blood pressure and improves inflammation, possibly via reduction in sympathetic activity.
Childhood Adversity, Midlife Generativity, and Later Life Well-Being

Method. The study utilized a sample of 636 men from the Harv ard Sample and Inner City Cohort of the 73-year longitudinal Study of Adult Development. Nested ordinary least squares regression models were used to test the mediating and moderating effects of midlife generativity on later life health and adjustment to aging. Results. Men who e xperienced childhood adversity were less likely than men with no childhood adversity to achieve generativity in midlife. Although achievement of generativity was associated with better later life health and adjustment to aging, it neither mediated nor moderated the negative relation between childhood poverty and later life health outcomes. However, for men who experienced an adversarial childhood, achievement of generativity mediated and moder ated adjustment to aging. Discussion. Results suggest that psychosocial gro wth in adulthood can compensate for the long-term negative effects of an adversarial childhood on adjustment to aging, but not for later life health.
‘Prenasalised consonants’ and syllable timing: evidence from Runyambo and Luganda*

An interesting feature of many Bantu languages is the presence of what have been called ‘prenasalised consonants’-these are typically sounds that might be interpreted as a sequence of nasal + stop, but which behave in many respects like single segments:
THYROTROPIC HORMONE CONTENT OF RABBIT PITUITARY DURING GROWTH12

THE EARLY CESSATION of growth following the removal of the pituitary has been II reported in many mammals (1,2,3). Growth is resumed upon the administration of implants or extracts of the anterior pituitary (AP) when supplied in suitable amounts and containing the proper proportions of the necessary factors (1,4). In fact in some normal animals, after the growth curve has begun to plateau, renewed growth can be stimulated by suitable amounts of AP extracts (5, 6). From these observations it has been assumed that the pituitary secretes one or more factors which in some way regulate somatic growth. The ablation of certain other endocrine glands have been reported from time to time to retard growth, but in none of these is the evidence more certain than that the removal of the thyroid gland in early life slows down the rate and finally causes a complete cessation of growth (7, 8, 9).
What is That Mysterious Booming Sound

The residents of coastal North Carolina are occasionally treated to sequences of booming sounds of unknown origin. The sounds are often energetic enough to rattle windows and doors. A recent sequence occurred in early January 2011 during clear weather with no evidence of local thunder storms. Queries by a local reporter (Colin Hackman of the NBC affiliate WETC in Wilmington, North Carolina, personal communication 2011) seemed to eliminate common anthropogenic sources such as sonic booms or quarry blasts. So the commonly asked question, “What's making these booming sounds?” remained (and remains) unanswered. This phenomenon is hardly unique to North Carolina or to the modern Industrial Age. Residents in the vicinity of Lake Seneca in the Catskill Mountains of New York have long known similar booming sounds as “Seneca guns” (a term also common throughout the coastal region of the Carolinas). This name has been variously attributed to the section in Washington Irving's short story “Rip Van Winkle” (1819) that describes the ghosts of Henry Hudson's crew playing nine pins in the Catskill Mountains, or to the short story “The Lake Gun” by James Fenimore Cooper (1851). Elsewhere, such sounds are known by a variety of names including “mistpouffers” (fog belches) in coastal Belgium, “Bansal guns” in the Ganges delta and the Bay of Bengal, “brontidi” (thunder-like) in the Italian Apennines (Gold and Sorter 1979), and “yan” by the people of Harami in Shikoku, Japan. Elsewhere, such sounds are known by a variety of names including “mistpouffers” (fog belches) in coastal Belgium, “Bansal guns” in the Ganges delta and the Bay of Bengal, “brontidi” (thunder-like) in the Italian Apennines ( Gold and Sorter 1979 ), and “yan” by the people of Harami in Shikoku, Japan. Proposed explanations for natural booming sounds lacking an obvious proximal source are varied and imaginative. The more plausible …
Dynamically Quantifying and Improving the Reliability of Distributed Storage Systems

In this paper, we argue that the reliability of large-scale storage systems can be significantly improved by using better reliability metrics and more efficient policies for recovering from hardware failures. Specifically, we make three main contributions. First, we introduce NDS (Normalcy Deviation Score), a new metric for dynamically quantifying the reliability status of a storage system. Second, we propose MinI (Minimum Intersection), a novel recovery scheduling policy that improves reliability by efficiently reconstructing data after a hardware failure. MinI uses NDS to tradeoff reliability and performance in making its scheduling decisions. Third, we evaluate NDS and MinI for three common data-allocation schemes and a number of different parameters. Our evaluation focuses on a distributed storage system based on erasure codes. We find that MinI improves reliability significantly, as compared to conventional policies.
Factors affecting the adjustment to disability for new immigrants

Factors such as self-esteem, social support, and perceived social discrimination are associated with the acceptance of disability. A new immigrant may face unique barriers to health care, including cultural differences between the patient and provider, language/communication issues, and discrimination. However, little research is available that identifies barriers specific to new immigrants relating to disability. This is an exploratory descriptive pilot study using a phenomenological approach. The investigator interviewed two “new” immigrants with an acquired disability. A “new” immigrant is defined as an individual who was born outside of the United States, whose parents were born outside of the United States, and who relocated across international borders to live in this country. The participants reported on perceived barriers to the adjustment to a disability. Strategies to consider in the care of the immigrant patient are described.
The Changeability of a Dictatorship

The following reflections have been occasioned by the Twenty-second Congress of the Communist Party of the USSR. Their purpose is to try to grasp the nature and to gauge the extent of the change between the Russia of today and that of Stalin's time. Naturally, no more can be done within the scope of a brief paper than to indicate some of the areas that may be relevant in this connection and to arrive at some provisional conclusions. In looking for those areas, various curiosities and incongruities of the Moscow Congress may serve as guiding beacons.
Spray Stress Revisited

Abstract In winds approaching hurricane strength, spray droplets proliferate. Once created, these droplets accelerate to the local wind speed in 1 s or less and thereby extract momentum from the wind. Because these droplets have substantial mass, they eventually plunge back into the ocean, delivering their horizontal momentum to the surface in the form of a spray stress. Inadequate information on the production rate and size distribution of spray droplets, however, hampered previous attempts to estimate the magnitude of this spray-mediated momentum exchange. This paper therefore uses recent estimates of the spray generation function to reconsider spray's ability to alter air–sea momentum exchange. Conservation of momentum requires that spray cannot enhance the air– sea stress beyond what the large-scale flow dictates. However, spray can redistribute stress in the near-surface atmosphere since the wind must slow if the spray droplets accelerate. For a wind of 30 m s−1, spray supports about 10% of the surfa...
Overexpression of ER and VDR is not sufficient to make ER-negative MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells responsive to 1α-hydroxyvitamin D5

1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(5) [1alpha(OH)D(5)] is an active vitamin D analog showing promising chemopreventive effect in breast carcinogenesis. We previously reported that estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cells were sensitive, whereas ER-negative breast cancer cells were relatively resistant to their antiproliferative effects. In the present study, we used ER-negative MDA-MB231, ER-transfected MDA-MB231 (S30) and ER-positive BT474 cell lines to evaluate the possible association between ER status and cellular sensitivity to 1alpha(OH)D(5) treatment. Our results demonstrate that ER expression in ER-negative breast cancer cells (S30) did not increase the sensitivity to 1alpha(OH)D(5), whereas in ER-positive BT474 cells, the significant antiproliferative effect of 1alpha(OH)D(5) was correlated with the downregulation of ER and progesterone receptor expression. Further analysis indicated that both MDA-MB231 and S30 cells express low vitamin D receptor (VDR) at transcriptional level and protein level. However, transfection of VDR failed to restore the sensitivity to 1alpha(OH)D(5) in MDA-MB231 and S30 cells, although VDR direct target gene CYP24 was more responsive to 1alpha(OH)D(5) treatment in MDA-MB231 and S30 cells overexpressing VDR. In addition, nuclear receptor cofactors NCoR1 and SRC1 that could potentially affect VDR action were also low in both MDA-MB231 and S30 cells in comparison with ER-positive, vitamin D-sensitive BT474 cells. These results suggest that in addition to the increased ER and VDR expression, the intact VDR signaling machinery as present in ER-positive, vitamin D-sensitive cells is essential for the antiproliferative action of vitamin D, whereas the direct VDR target genes such as CYP24 can remain responsive to augmented VDR expression.
Heterogeneity of brain fractions containing neuronals and glial cells.

— A density-gradient procedure, previously reported to enable the separation of intact metabolically active neuronal and glial cells, has been appraised in terms of cellular homogeneity and integrity. Morphological examination by light and electron microscopy of fractions prepared by this method demonstrated marked heterogeneity and a high degree of cellular damage. The ‘neuronally enriched’ fraction contained a large proportion of non-neuronal tissue including fragmented capillaries and endothelial cells. The ‘glial-enriched’ fraction contained numerous nerve-endings and synaptic boutons. The distribution of protein, DNA, carbonic anhydrase, succinate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase was examined, but such data were difficult to interpret in view of the marked heterogeneity of the fractions. Particulate material from the fractions was capable of endogenous respiration which was stimulated by glucose or pyruvate to levels slightly lower than that found in slices of cerebral cortex. The limitations of this and other methods for separation of cell types from neural tissue are discussed.
Multicultural Issues in Family Law: An Annotated Bibliography

This bibliography covers law review articles published, for the most part, after 2009. Articles for which the title is self-explanatory or that concern only a single case, state, or statute are cited, but not annotated.
Investigating the applicability of a moving target defense for SCADA systems

As computer attacks become more sophisticated and the rise of advanced persistent threats, moving target defense (MTD) is a new strategy being developed to reduce attacker success and provide for system resiliency. This work has been focused on standard IT infrastructures. In this paper we put forward how current MTD techniques may be applicable to the SCADA environment.
Sucrose incentive shifts in the Skinner box with thirsty rats

Water-deprived rats (N = 4) presented on a test day with counterbalanced series of sucrose concentrations (15 min each) in a Skinner box demonstrated lower responding for a 32% solution than for 4, 8, or 16% solutions during initial exposure but higher responding for 32% during later exposures. Results are discussed in terms of an interaction of sucrose rewards with motivational state.
Teaching the State Tax Power: Direct Marketing Association v. Brohl (Presentation Slides)

These slides cover state power to collect use tax from customers of online businesses like Amazon.com. The United States Supreme Court, in March 2015, made it harder for states to collect use taxes by ruling that challenges to state tax laws can be heard in federal courts. The Tax Injunction Act generally bars federal courts from hearing cases that enjoin, suspend or restrain the assessment, levy or collection of any state tax. Colorado tax law requires out of state businesses to inform buyers of their use tax obligations at time of purchase and annually as well as inform the state of such buyer's purchases annually. The Direct Marketing Association sued the state arguing that these laws violate the dormant commerce aspect of the Commerce Clause. Colorado responded on appeal that the TIA barred this federal lawsuit. However, SCOTUS held that the TIA does not bar the suit because the CO laws don't enjoin the assessment, levy or collection of any tax. These laws deal with an earlier step in the process according to how these terms are defined in federal tax law and in context. These slides walk the reader through the case and its background.
Reirradiation for Soft Tissue Sarcomas

The incidence of local recurrence after wide local excision and radiation of soft tissue sarcoma ranges from 5 to 20 %. Up to 80 % of these relapses will occur in the absence of metastatic disease. The optimal management of locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma must be individualized and depends on prior therapy, the location of the recurrence, and the feasibility of conservative surgery. Following retreatment, the likelihood of ultimate local control ranges from 37 to 100 % and is a reflection of well-known risk factors for de novo sarcomas such as the number of prior recurrences, high grade, positive margins, deep location, and non-extremity tumor site. Reirradiation as part of a multimodality retreatment strategy may improve the chance of local control and organ preservation, but its use must be balanced with the risk of severe treatment-related side effects. Various reirradiation techniques have been utilized for salvage treatment, each with unique risks and benefits.
Development of an inducible CD40-dendritic cell vaccine for prostate cancer

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 2724 Clinical trials utilizing dendritic cell (DC)-based cancer vaccines have been performed in patients with a variety of cancers including prostate, melanoma, renal, and colorectal. Despite some encouraging observations in these trials, vaccine-induced antigen-specific T cell responses have been largely insufficient to effectively reduce tumor burden or prevent tumor progression in most patients, suggesting that further enhancements in the potency of DC-based cancer vaccines are required to achieve a meaningful clinical response. To enhance a human DC-based vaccine, we used the combination of an inducible CD40 receptor (iCD40) and TLR-4 ligands. The iCD40 receptor permits targeted, reversible activation of CD40 in vivo and previously has been shown to enhance tumor regression in mouse models more efficiently than DCs activated with LPS and CD40L in vitro. Human DCs were generated by stimulation the precursors with 800 U/ml GM-CSF and 500U/ml IL-4 in DC medium (CellGenix). On day 5 of culture, immature DCs were pulsed with tumor antigen, transduced with Ad5/f35-iCD40 and activated with TLR4 ligands and AP20187 dimerizer drug. The frequency of antigen-specific T cells was evaluated using IFN-gamma ELISPOT, tetramer staining and chromium release assays. Using iCD40 in combination with LPS or MPL, we enhanced multiple parameters associated with DC activation, including levels of maturation markers expression (CD80, CD83 and CD86), IL-12p70 and IL-6 production, and HLA class I and II epitope-specific T cell responses, as well as DCs migration in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, use of iCD40-modified and LPS-stimulated DCs led to targeted expansion of autologous T cells against the self-protein and attractive tumor-associated antigen prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). This novel approach is the basis of a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy and forms the technological foundation for a planned phase I/II trial in patients with advanced, hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer: the stage disadvantage in the black male.

In an effort to determine the impact of race on the stage of prostate cancer at presentation, the records of 2102 patients diagnosed in Chicago between 1985 and 1987 were reviewed. For each of three age groups (less than 65, 65 to 75, and greater than 75 years), blacks had a significantly (P less than .05) lower percentage of localized stage disease than whites. Inasmuch as stage at diagnosis is inversely related to survival, these data may explain in part why prostate cancer mortality in every age category is higher for blacks than whites nationally.
“People of Plenty”: The American Economic Exception

Americans are an exceptional “people of plenty” (Potter 1954). Since colonial times, North America has promised wealth and opportunity to new settlers. As an independent country, the United States became first a commercial and then an industrial power, overtaking Britain by the early 1900s. During the “American Century,” the U.S. led the way in creating a new kind of consumer economy that transformed daily life around the globe. After World War II, it instigated a reorganization of the world economy, forging a new financial infrastructure while promoting trade.
Rethinking Representation from a Communal Perspective

Most foundational theories of congressional representation were developed during an era of less polarized and less partisan politics. These theories viewed the incumbency advantage as buttressed by the fact that some constituents were willing to support legislators from the opposite party because of their “home styles.” But in an era of policy immoderation in Congress, this perspective leads to an assumption that citizens evaluate their members of Congress based on what those legislators do for them individually, rather than what they do for their districts more broadly. In this paper, we ask whether citizens take the interests of their fellow constituents into account when evaluating their members of Congress. Using both survey data and an experiment, we uncover support for the notion that citizens take a more communal view of representation as at least part of their evaluations of their representatives. This suggests individuals may have a more nuanced understanding of representation than purely self-interested approaches tend to assume.
Sparse reconstruction localization of multiple acoustic emissions in large diameter pipelines

A sparse reconstruction localization method is proposed, which is capable of localizing multiple acoustic emission events occurring closely in time. The events may be due to a number of sources, such as the growth of corrosion patches or cracks. Such acoustic emissions may yield localization failure if a triangulation method is used. The proposed method is implemented both theoretically and experimentally on large diameter thin-walled pipes. Experimental examples are presented, which demonstrate the failure of a triangulation method when multiple sources are present in this structure, while highlighting the capabilities of the proposed method. The examples are generated from experimental data of simulated acoustic emission events. The data corresponds to helical guided ultrasonic waves generated in a 3 m long large diameter pipe by pencil lead breaks on its outer surface. Acoustic emission waveforms are recorded by six sparsely distributed low-profile piezoelectric transducers instrumented on the outer surface of the pipe. The same array of transducers is used for both the proposed and the triangulation method. It is demonstrated that the proposed method is able to localize multiple events occurring closely in time. Furthermore, the matching pursuit algorithm and the basis pursuit densoising approach are each evaluated as potential numerical tools in the proposed sparse reconstruction method.
Electro-optical field performance validation in the presence of turbulence

When new and unique task difficulties are requested to be determined, it is important to use methodologies that are consistent with previous research. Unfortunately, some new tasks break the paradigm of past research and require new techniques in order to properly determine their difficulty. This paper describes the process of determining the difficulty for tasks that are unique in that they have a null case (where no object or motion is present) and because these tasks have been requested to be quantified in environments that potentially contain high amounts of atmospheric turbulence. Because each of the calculated V50’s was based upon an assumption, a secondary field collection was necessary in order to validate which model assumptions correlated properly to field performance data.
A Case and Techniques for Computers: Using Computers in Middle School Mathematics.

Computers are rapidly becoming accessible to everyone. The costs of purchase have continued to decrease, with the recent miniprocessors and microprocessors representing pricing breakthroughs, and inexpensive microcomputers being promoted as personal, home computers. Though much of their suggested usages to date relate to family leisure or home management, some vendors offer packages for computer-based games and drills involving mathematical ideas. Instructional programs will become increasingly available as the marketplace develops. Today's middle school students are growing up in a computerized society. Students probably feel more comfortable (often excited and curious) with the prospects of "everyman" routinely using computers than do many adults, who still view computers as complex and futuristic.
Experimental evaluation of school-based HIV programs in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract School-based adolescent health education programs represent a durable strategy in reducing the spread of HIV because they can leverage pre-existing social and organizational structures to reach large fractions of students at critical life stages. Many evaluations of school-based HIV programs draw on multilevel study designs that assign schools to treatment conditions or assign students to treatment conditions within blocks defined by school membership. Under multilevel designs, the power or probability with which a design can detect an effect is proportional to the degree of clustering among students within schools. A priori knowledge of plausible values of this clustering is necessary to ensure the effective and efficient design of a study. The purpose of this study was to improve the design of school-based studies of HIV education programs in sub-Saharan Africa by compiling empirical estimates of this clustering using representative samples in 15 countries.
Self-reported Needs of Youth and Families: Informing System Change and Advocacy Efforts

This study sought to explore caregiver-reported needs of youth and families receiving services within a System of Care (SOC). Data were collected to augment the in-depth, standardized interview protocols that are part of the National Evaluation of SOCs in order to identify gaps in the local delivery of services and supports to youth with severe emotional and/or behavioral disorders and their families. Primary caregivers of youth receiving services within the SOC were asked to report on the current need(s) of the youth and the current need(s) of the family. These open-ended responses were coded and examined for themes. The most common needs of the youth were Services and Life Management, while the most common needs of the family were Services and Financial. Focus groups conducted with youth and caregivers confirmed these themes. Findings from this study shed light on the diverse needs of these families, indicate that families believe they are not receiving adequate supports and services, underscore that youth have distinct views, and highlight that providing a way for the typically disenfranchised youth and families to express their perspective is central to the functioning of SOCs. Study findings were used by a local nonprofit organization to inform their advocacy efforts, and were incorporated into an enrollment process at a local mental health agency are part of a programmatic change pilot effort.
Considerations for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients with biopsy proven axillary disease prior to neoadjuvant treatment.

Abstract Background Axillary disease can be downstaged with neoadjuvant treatment for breast cancer. We attempted to identify factors to consider in determining whether to perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with biopsy proven axillary metastases (cN+) prior to neoadjuvant treatment. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients at a single tertiary care center who underwent neoadjuvant treatment followed by surgery between 9/2013 and 2/2017. Results 47% of patients with node positive disease prior to neoadjuvant treatment were downstaged to node negative (ypN0) disease. These patients were more likely to have triple negative or Her2 positive disease than those patients who remained node positive (ypN+) as these were more likely to have hormone receptor positive disease. These patients were also more likely to demonstrate complete clinical imaging response of the primary tumor and axilla on preoperative breast MRI. Conclusions Tumor biology and clinical response noted on breast MRI can help guide the decision to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with axillary node positive disease prior to neoadjuvant treatment.
Mid-infrared quantum well lasers on multi-functional metamorphic buffers

In this talk, we demonstrate the concept of a multi-functional metamorphic buffer (MFMB, Fig. 1(a)) layer that not only allows for growth of highly lattice-mismatched active regions on InP substrates, but also serves as a bottom cladding layer for optical confinement in a laser waveguide. Using the MFMB concept in conjunction with a strain-balanced multiple quantum well active region, we demonstrate laser diodes operating at room temperature (RT) in the currently underserved 2.5–3.0 μm wavelength range.
Assessing and counseling the obese patient: Improving resident obesity counseling competence.

Abstract Objective To evaluate obesity counseling competence among residents in a primary care training program Methods We delivered a 3 h obesity curriculum to 28 Primary Care residents and administered a pre-curriculum and post curriculum survey looking specifically at self-assessed obesity counseling competence. Results Nineteen residents completed both the pre curriculum survey and the post curriculum survey. The curriculum had a positive impact on residents’ ability to ascertain patient’s stage of change, use different methods to obtain diet history (including 24 h recall, food record or food frequency questionnaire), respond to patient’s questions regarding treatment options, assist patients in setting realistic goals for weight loss based on making permanent lifestyle changes, and use of motivational interviewing to change behavior. When looking at the 5As domains, there was a significant improvement in the domains of Assess, Advise, and Assist. The proportion of residents with a lower level of self-assessed obesity counseling competence reduced from 75% before the curriculum to 37.5% (p = 0.04) after the curriculum. Conclusion Our curriculum addressing weight loss counseling using the 5As model increased obesity counseling competence among residents in a primary care internal medicine residency program.
HIV-related sexual decisions made by African-American adolescents living in different family structures: study from an ecodevelopmental perspective.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the association between the dynamics of family structure and sexual behaviors of African-American adolescents using the ecodevelopmental theory. Methods This study stratified data from 1,617 African-American adolescents of the Add Health Wave I respondents with an identified family composition. It examined the associations between family structure, parenting function, and adolescents' sexual decision-making: age of first sexual intercourse, sexual initiation before age 16, and using a condom during the first and last sexual intercourse. Results Emotional connection between parents and children (feeling more love from the father: β=0.17, P=0.0312; feeling more love from the mother: β=0.3314, P=0.0420) and mothers' less permissive attitude toward adolescents' sexual experience in their teens (β=0.33, P=0.0466) are positively associated with late age of sexual initiation of adolescents living in two-parent households. School-level factors (β=0.07, P=0.0008) and the adolescents' characteristics (being older: 0.42, P=0.0002; heterosexuality: β=2.28, P=0.0091) are the factors most positively related to the age of sexual initiation for those living with a single parent. Immediate social determinants, other than family factors (such as land use of immediate area [rural]: β=9.84, P<0.0001; the condition of living unit: β=1.55, P=0.0011; and safety of neighborhood: β=4.46, P=0.004), are related to late age of sexual initiation among those living with other relatives/alone. A higher tendency of condom use consistency was present in adolescents living with two parents compared to those living in other family structures. Conclusion Less parent/child connection and parent/family influence were found in African-American adolescents living with other relatives or alone, suggesting that living with two residential parents plays an essential role in their late sexual initiation and could account for an important element to combat high HIV incidence of African-American adolescents.
Nodular fasciitis: Differential considerations and current management strategies

Nodular fasciitis (NF) typically presents as an enlarging soft tissue mass with imaging characteristics that may be suggestive of soft tissue sarcoma or desmoid tumor. This presentation can make a correct diagnosis and management of patients with NF a challenge. We report our recent experience with two cases of NF that were both referred with a diagnoses of "soft tissue sarcoma." Patient 1 was a 46-year-old woman who had undergone breast augmentation and was referred with a rapidly growing firm mass on the left chest wall beneath the breast implant. Computed tomography of the chest noted the mass to be 8 cm x 11 cm in size displacing the implant laterally with no radiological involvement of the bony structures of the chest. Core biopsy was suggestive of inflammation only. Given the clinical suspicion of malignancy, the patient underwent resection of the mass with implant removal. Final pathology showed NF. Patient 2 was a 65-year-old woman referred with an enlarging tender 3-cm infraclavicular mass and a clinical diagnosis of "soft tissue sarcoma." Preoperative biopsy suggested NF. The patient underwent complete excision, which confirmed the diagnosis. These cases highlight the clinical issues associated with management of patients with NF. Current approaches to evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of NF are discussed.
Review of Early Postoperative Metrics for Children Undergoing Resection of Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformations and Report of Pleuropulmonary Blastoma at a Single Institution.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe a single institution's 11-year experience treating children with congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAMs) and pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB). Materials and Methods An institutional database was sampled for all patients aged 0 to 18 years from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2015. Patients with a pathologic diagnosis of CPAM or PPB during this period were reviewed. Results A total of 51 patients with a pathologic diagnosis of CPAM (n = 45; 88.2%) or PPB (n = 6; 11.8%) underwent surgical resection. Among patients treated for PPB, one death occurred approximately 13 months after diagnosis. Although four patients with PPB (four out of six; 66.7%) had radiographic indicators highly suggestive of malignancy prior to surgery, two had a preoperative diagnosis of CPAM (two out of six; 33.3%). Twenty-four patients (24 out of 45; 53.3%) with CPAM underwent resection after developing symptoms and 21 (21 out of 45; 46.7%) were symptomatic at the time of surgery. Mann–Whitney's tests revealed a statistically significant difference in postoperative length of stay (median: 6 vs. 3 days; p Conclusion CPAM patients appear to recover faster from surgery, if performed before the onset of symptoms. There may be a benefit to waiting until at least 3 months of age to complete resection in the asymptomatic patient. A low threshold for resection should be maintained in patients where delineating CPAM from PPB is difficult.
End-user computing: Concepts, issues, and applications

Part 1 End-user computing - what is it?: The CEO goes on-line a field study of end-user computing - findings and issues. Part 2 Organizational support for EUC: what to do with all those micros information centres - a survey of successes. Part 3 EUC development life cycle: caution - user-developed systems may be hazardous to your organization prototyping - the new paradigm for systems development. Part 4 The management of EUC - managing end-user computing organizational factors affecting the success of end-user computing. Part 5 Cases and applications in EUC: case studies of end user requirements for interactive problem-solving systems general foods information systems services department organization and management of the information centre.
Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Internationalization and Globalization of Successful U.S. High-Tech Start-Ups

Immigrant entrepreneurs play an important role in the U.S. high-tech sector and may advance the country’s collaborative advantage through internationalization and globalization of start-ups. This study explores whether immigrant founding of U.S. high-tech firms, conditional on survival and sustained growth, contributes to their pursuing internationalized or globalized strategies. The strategies are defined with regard to their acquisition and deployment of financial, human, and social capital across a single border (for international strategies) or multiple borders spanning geographically-dispersed and culturally-diverse countries (for globalized strategies). A set of twelve matched-firm case studies across four high-tech sectors form the main data source along with a survey sample of approximately 1300 successful high-tech firms. We find that native-founded firms in our case study group were as likely as immigrant-founded firms to pursue internationalized strategies, but the immigrant-founded firms appeared more likely to adopt such strategies earlier in their history and were more likely to set up substantial operations outside the U.S., rather than partnerships or marketing arrangements.