cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth Determinants Revisited Using Limited‐Information Bayesian Model Averaging

Summary We revisit the growth empirics debate using a novel limited-information Bayesian model averaging framework in short T panels that addresses model uncertainty, dynamics, and endogeneity. We construct an estimator without restrictive distributional assumptions, illustrate its performance using simulations, and apply it to the investigation of growth determinants. Once model uncertainty, dynamics, and endogeneity are accounted for, we identify several factors that are robustly correlated with growth. We find the strongest support for the neoclassical growth variables including initial income and proxies for physical and human capital accumulation, as well as evidence in favor of both fundamental and proximate factors including macroeconomic policy, geography, and ethnic heterogeneity. In addition, we demonstrate that applying methodologies that do not account for either dynamics or endogeneity yields different sets of robust determinants. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A sensitivity analysis for operator error

This paper conducts a sensitivity analysis for operator error. The analysis is conducted with respect to the type of probability distribution used to describe error occurrence because the major dilemma when including operator performance in a study of transportation systems is choosing a probability distribution that accurately describes the occurrence of operator error. The motivation for the approach taken in this paper is that data is difficult and expensive to collect. It is worthwhile to determine how much and what kind of data needs to be collected. With this point of view, the paper begins with a simple distribution for error occurrence. The result from a simple distribution is compared to the results from more complicated distributions. All the distributions are based on a consideration of human factors and operating environments. The analysis is carried out for a sample transportation system, and there is an accident only if there is an error and certain traffic conditions. Because of this complexity, the safety parameter (the expected number of accidents during the systems' lifetime) is estimated by Monte Carlo methods.
A multivariable analysis of clinical factors predicting for pathological features associated with local failure after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer

Abstract Purpose: A multivariate analysis is used to determine the predictive value of pretreatment clinical indicators on pathologic features associated with local failure after radical prostatectomy in patients with prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: A retrospective review of the pathologic findings of 235 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate treated between 1990 and 1993 with a radical retropubic prostatectomy was performed. The preoperative clinical data including the serum prostate specific antigen, clinical stage, Gleason sum, and endorectal magnetic resonance scan findings are used to identify patients prior to definitive treatment who would be at high risk for having pathologic features associated with local failure at radical prostatectomy. Outcome prediction curves are constructed from a logistic regression multivariate analysis displaying the probability of pathologic involvement of the seminal vesicle, extracapsular disease, or positive surgical margins as a function of the preoperative prostate specific antigen and Gleason sum for the cases when the endorectal magnetic resonance scan is positive, negative, or not included in the multivariate analysis. Results: Factors identified on multivariate analysis as significant predictors of seminal vesicle invasion include endorectal magnetic resonance scan findings ( p p = 0.017). Endorectal magnetic resonance scan findings ( p = 0.0016), preoperative prostate specific antigen ( p = 0.0002), and Gleason sum ( p p p = 0.03) were significant predictors of disease extending to the margins of resection. Clinical stage was not a significant predictor ( p > 0.05) of pathologic features associated with local failure on multivariate analysis. As a single modality, endorectal surface coil magnetic resonance imaging was accurate 93%, 69%, and 72% of the time for predicting seminal vesicle invasion, transcapsular disease, and final pathologic stage, respectively. Failure to recognize microscopic penetration of the capsule found at the time of pathologic evaluation in a prostate gland with a grossly intact capsule accounts for the majority (70%) of the staging inaccuracies. Conclusions: The use of the endorectal surface coil magnetic resonance scan findings in conjunction with both the serum prostate specific antigen and Gleason sum improves the clinical accuracy of predicting those patients at high risk for clinically unsuspected extraprostatic disease. In particular, for the subgroup of patients with moderately elevated prostate specific antigen (> 10–20 ng/mL) and intermediate grade clinically organ confined prostate cancer [Gleason sum: 5–7] where the specificity of these tests to predict for occult extraprostatic disease is suboptimal, the additional information obtained from the endorectal coil magnetic resonance scan allows the physician to definitively subgroup these patients into low and high risk for seminal vesicle invasion or transcapsular disease.
Utility of the antibodies CA 19-9, HBME-1, and thrombomodulin in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma in cytology

BACKGROUND The distinction between malignant mesothelioma (MM) and adenocarcinoma (ACA) in cytologic specimens frequently is difficult, often requiring immunocytochemistry to support the diagnosis. Recent reports have proposed the utilization of antibodies to mesothelial cell clone HBME-1 and thrombomodulin (TM), because they are immunoreactive in MM and less commonly reactive in ACA. Immunoreactivity for the monoclonal antibody CA 19-9 has been observed in many ACAs and reportedly is absent in MM. METHODS In this study, immunostaining was performed on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded cell blocks from effusions or fine-needle aspirations using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Thirty-eight MMs and 49 ACAs were tested using antibodies to CA 19-9, HBME-1, and TM. RESULTS Anti-CA 19-9 stained only 1 of the 37 cases of MM tested (3%), but stained 24 of the 49 cases of ACA (49%). Anti-HBME-1 stained 34 of 38 cases of MM (89%), and 28 of 43 cases of ACA tested (65%). Anti-TM stained 24 of 36 cases of MM (67%), and 21 of 40 cases of ACA tested (53%). CONCLUSIONS CA 19-9 has utility as part of an immunocytochemical panel for distinguishing ACA from MM, because a positive staining reaction would make the diagnosis of MM unlikely. Although HBME-1 and TM can identify MM positively, each frequently is detected in ACA, thus limiting the utility of these antibodies in cytologic specimens.Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 1998;84:101-8. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Effects on phytoplankton of nutrients added in conjunction with acidification

1. The effects of nitric acidification on phytoplankton were studied in a small, eperimentally manipulated, oligotrophic lake (L302N) in the Eperimental Lakes Area of Canada. The focus was altered after 9 years of acidification to investigate the possibility of using nutrient additions to stimulate recovery, followed by a controlled incremental recovery, in which the pH was increased to a predetermined target level. 2. Five years of additions of HNO3 to L302N reduced its pH from 6.5 to 6.1. Nitrate concentration increased because the algal community was severely P deficient. The phytoplankton community structure and productivity were not significantly affected by these additions. 3. The phytoplankton community was significantly affected when pH was subsequently decreased over three successive years from 6.1 to 5.1 by the addition of HCl. Dominance shifted from chrysophytes to a co-dominance of chlorophytes and dinoflagellates, which altered the size structure of the community. Species diversity significantly decreased, although phytoplankton productivity remained unchanged. 4. At pH 5.1 nitrate and sulphate additions were made, creating conditions like those in lakes in eastern North America, which receive high loadings of nitrogen from the atmosphere. The phytoplankton assemblage shifted to dominance by small coccoidal chlorophytes. However, biomass and productivity were unaffected. 5. Finally, phosphate, as phosphoric acid, was added, along with nitrate and sulphate, to the epilimnion, which stimulated internal alkalinity generation and productivity. It is concluded that CO2 concentrations and the form of N (nitrate vs. ammonia) affect algal composition but that P determines algal biomass and productivity. Chlorophytes were found to be good competitors for P when N and CO2 were high; it is epected that cyanobacteria would be more competitive for P in low CO2 systems. Conversely, dinoflagellates are most competitive in systems with low pH and high P, such as that which occurred in L302N. Although the P additions reduced N concentrations and created alkalinity, this is not a recommended remedial procedure in acidified lakes because it enhanced dinoflagellate abundance, which has been associated with fish kills. 6. When all additions ceased, the pH of L302N recovered from 5.1 to 5.8, chrysophytes and chlorophytes became more abundant and dinoflagellates decreased in abundance. Phytoplankton biomass decreased and species diversity increased. Phytoplankton productivity remained unchanged
FDG PET imaging in cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by persistent neutrophilic lung inflammation that begins early in life and leads to an inexorable progressive loss of lung function over time, causing significant morbidity and mortality. Studies to date support the hypothesis that higher levels of lung inflammation lead to worsening lung dysfunction. However, measuring the extent and severity of lung inflammation in the CF lung is difficult as few lung-specific biomarkers of inflammation can quantify the regional and whole-lung inflammatory burden accurately and reproducibly. PET with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) has shown promise in measuring lung inflammation in both acute and chronic lung diseases. Several studies have now shown that 18 F-FDG uptake may be a useful measure of lung inflammation in CF. The whole-lung rate of 18 F-FDG uptake in stable CF, quantified by the Patlak graphical analysis, appears to correlate with more rapidly declining lung function. Acute exacerbation, on the contrary, leads to focally increased 18 F-FDG uptake, which decreases with antibiotic treatment. These small studies are the first attempts to characterize the patterns of 18 F-FDG uptake in CF and suggest a potential role for 18 F-FDG as a treatment modifiable biomarker of lung inflammation in CF.
Race and wages in the metro Atlanta fast food industry

One explanation for the black-white earnings gap is spatial mismatch, that is, where blacks tend to seek employment in areas with lower prevailing wages. Ihlanfeldt and Young [1996] study the spatial mismatch phenomenon in the metro Atlanta fast food industry by focusing on the distribution of black employment. This paper extends their analysis by focusing on the wage relative to black employment. Additionally, the metro Atlanta area will be divided into the north and south sides for comparison.
GTPγS-induced solubilization of actin and myosin from rabbit peritoneal neutrophil membrane

Addition of guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTPγS) to the membrane fraction isolated from rabbit peritoneal neutrophils results in the solubilization of several proteins from the membrane. The major proteins are of 180 kDa (myosin) and 43 kDa (actin). The effect is observed with a half-maximum GTPγS concentration of 70 μM. The potencies of various nucleotides are compared: GTPγS ⪢ GtP ATP ⪢ GDP, GMP, cGMP, cAMP. The effect does not require calcium and is not inhibited by using membranes perpared from cells that have been pretreated with pertussis toxin.
Rosacea and its ocular manifestations

Abstract Background Rosacea is a chronic condition affecting the facial and ocular surface tissues. It is historically underdiagnosed and affects people of all ethnicities. The exact pathophysiology of rosacea is poorly understood. A variety of medical therapies are available to treat the various signs and symptoms of rosacea. Currently, there is no cure for the condition. Methods This report is a literature review. Results The clinical manifestations of rosacea are diverse, with periods of exacerbation and remission. Many short- and long-term treatments are available to alleviate the symptoms and effects of rosacea. Variations are common in the medications used, dosages, and durations of treatment. Current topical, oral, and surgical treatment options are presented and reviewed. As a chronic condition, rosacea treatment should be tailored toward individuals and adjusted over time. Conclusions Subtle presentations of rosacea may be overlooked by health care providers. When treating the condition, certain individuals may require both systemic and topical therapy to effectively control rosacea outbreaks. Eye care professionals need to be aware of the presence of rosacea to appropriately treat ocular surface disease that is not responding as expected to standard topical therapy. Severe facial and ocular surface damage caused by rosacea may need surgical intervention. Specific treatment protocols are elusive because of the diversity of the disease. Additional research is needed to find the exact cause of rosacea to more effectively manage the dermatologic and ocular manifestations of the disease and to find a cure.
Fractal correlation in heterogeneous systems

Abstract Noisy or irregular signals are usually thought of as being composed of or driven by random processes. However, some signals which appear noisy (such as fractal signals) are correlated, and the fractal dimensions, D, provides a measure of the degree of correlation between elements of signals (densities, intensities of a property, voltages, etc.) over space or time. To arrive at this correlation, methods of analysis using the dispersion of a signal, such as the relative dispersion or the Hurst rescaled range analysis, give measures of the fractal dimension D and of the two-point correlation between adjacent segments of the signal. We have derived expressions for the two-point correlation over an extended range of observations of non-adjacent neighbors. The result allows estimation of the fractal dimension D from the autocorrelation function directly. We use the result as a test for self-similarity to determine whether or not the correlation fall-off is the same for different sized groupings of the data. This means that the estimate of the fractal dimension D and the correlation requires observations at one unit size to estimate the range-extended correlation behavior, with verification at one other unit size. The correlation coefficient between nth neighbor units is rn=0.5[|n + 1|2H−2|n|2H + |n−1|2H], where the Hurst coefficient H = 2 − D for one-dimensional signals. Asymptotically, the ratio of successive values of rnisrn/rn−1 = [n/(n− 1)]2H−2. The extended range fractal correlation technique is therefore both efficient and relatively robust.
Treatment of renal transplant stones byextracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy in the prone position

Two patients with renal transplant lithiasis were successfully treated with extracor- iporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in the prone position. Pathogenesis and treatment of trans- iplant lithiasis are discussed. Performing ESWL on renal transplant patients in the prone position ~has advantages over standard positioning techniques. Li(hiasis is an unusual complication of renal transplantation, occurring in 0.2-1.0 percent of !transplants. TM Several different approaches ~have been advocated for the management of al- :!ograft calculi including endourologie extrac- tion and surgical removal of symptomatic L~tones. A recent report described the use of a {combination extraeorporeal shock-wave litho- tripsy (ESWL) and pereutaneous techniques in :treating a renal transplant stone, using the fblast-path" technique of positioning, s By per- ~t6rming ESWL, we were successful in remov- iilng renal transplant stones in 2 patients in the ii:~prone position without the use of percutaneous nephrostomy. I: i! : .,::., : Case Reports
G2(MP2) and G2(MP2,SVP) Calculations of Enthalpies of Hydrogenation, Isomerization, and Formation of C5 Hydrocarbons. 2. Substituted Cyclobutenes, Vinylcyclopropene, Spiropentane, and Methyltetrahedrane

We report the ab initio G2(MP2) and G2(MP2,SVP) standard enthalpies of hydrogenation and isomerization (ΔhydH and ΔisomH) at 298 K of 23 C5 cyclic hydrocarbons, including methyl- and methylenecyclobutane, spiropentane, and related unsaturated hydrocarbons, as well as methyltetrahedrane. ΔhydH298 and ΔisomH298 are found from the differences in total energy (E0) of the participants in the hydrogenation and isomerization reactions. Combination of calculated ΔhydH298 and ΔisomH298 with one experimental enthalpy of formation (ΔfH298) in the set yields ΔfH298 of all the rest. In those few instances for which reliable experimental results can be found, agreement between experiment and calculation is within 1 kcal mol-1.
CAD tool autogeneration of VHDL FFT for FPGA/ASIC implementation

Hand-coding Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) in Hardware Description Language (HDL) is time consuming and prone to errors. Proprietary IP cores are available, however they are closed-source and unviewable. The open-source FFT generator SPIRAL is available, however it only produces parallel arithmetic solutions and thus limits the maximum FFT size that will fit in available Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). An autogenerator of VHDL FFTs is described that takes a set of FFT parameters and generates an FFT component with feedback of occupied slices, maximum frequency, and dynamic range performance. Both parallel arithmetic and serial-parallel butterfly architectures can be generated where serial-parallel allows larger sized FFTs to fit inside available FPGA parts. Emphasis is placed on large sized serial-parallel FFTs and portability to Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) using Cadence Encounter. Serial-parallel FFT pipeline control and FPGA hardware reduction are also investigated.
Comorbid chronic illness and the diagnosis and treatment of depression in safety net primary care settings

Objective: To estimate the impact of chronic medical conditions on depression diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care in primary care settings. Design: This was a cross-sectional study that used interviewer-administered surveys and medical record reviews. Three hundred fifteen participants were recruited from 3 public primary care clinics. Depression diagnosis, guideline-concordant treatment, and follow-up care were the primary outcomes examined in individuals with depression alone compared with individuals with depression and chronic medical conditions measured using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Results: Physician diagnosis of depression (32.6%), guideline-concordant depression treatment (32.7%), and guideline-concordant follow-up care (16.3%) were all low. Logistic regression analysis showed no significant difference in the likelihood of depression diagnosis, guideline-concordant treatment, or follow-up care in individuals with depression alone compared with those with both depression and chronic medical conditions. Participants with severe depression were, however, twice as likely to receive a diagnosis of depression as participants with moderate depression. In addition, participants with moderately severe and severe depression received much less appropriate follow-up care than participants with moderate depression. Among participants receiving a depression diagnosis, 74% received guideline-concordant treatment. Conclusion: Physician depression care in primary care settings is not influenced by competing demands for care for other comorbid medical conditions.
Political Business Cycles in the Public Mind

Numerous studies have sought to discover political business cycles in macroeconomic variables. Although voters' subjective economic expectations have been shown to influence their electoral decisions, no existing research has attempted to uncover cyclical patterns in citizens' economic expectations. Using survey data, I seek to determine whether expectations shift to benefit the incumbent president's electoral interest. The analyses show that the percentage of the public predicting an economic upturn increases before a presidential election. One explanation for the findings is that voters might extrapolate cyclical expectations from macroeconomic conditions that contain election-driven cycles. Yet the analyses show that expectational cycles still appear when the macroeconomic conditions are held constant. I conclude by drawing an explanation without recourse to macroeconomic cycles.
The Archive and the Labyrinth: On the Contemporary Bilderatlas*

The indexicality of photography has by now become a theoretical common-place: The photographic image presents us with the punctual index of a given “scene” at a specific moment. That scene is situated in an irretrievable past, its referents irrevocably displaced in time and space; indeed, the indexical image points ineluctably to something no longer extant.
Supported and Nonsupported Valve Homografts in Man

Abstract In terms of valvular insufficiency, there appears to be little difference between stented and unstented orthotopic aortic valve homografts. Inverted aortic valves in the mitral position, however, resulted in mitral insufficiency in 6 of 19 patients who survived operation. In 3 of the 6 patients this was due to particular technical factors. Clinical and catheterization evidence suggests that a greater degree of turbulence and obstruction occurs with stented than with unstented valves. We cannot state with confidence that the aortic homograft in the mitral position offers a real advantage over some forms of prostheses except from the standpoint of embolic complications. The use of aortic valve homografts has been successful in obviating systemic embolism when this has been a problem with prosthetic valves inserted in the mitral area. Histologically, fresh valves show greater cellularity than do frozen valves, particularly in the first 6 months. Later on, both are acellular. Whether or not this has a bearing on the ultimate performance of the valve remains to be seen. We now prefer to use fresh unstented homografts in the aortic position in the typical patient. The use of stented valves in this area seems to offer an advantage when bypass time needs to be short, however, or when there is inherent weakness or enlargement of the aortic root.
Reorientation of remanent magnetism during tectonic fabric development: an example from the Waynesboro Formation, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Abstract A paleomagnetic study of the late Early-early Middle Cambrian Waynesboro Formation in south, central Pennsylvania reveals a pre-folding magnetization which is close to the expected Cambrian field at three sites, while other site mean directions are rotated by as much as 82° from the expected Cambrian field. These results are based on detailed thermal demagnetization analysis of 84 red siltstone and sandstone samples from nine sites collected over a 163 km 2 area. Local faulting, fault block rotation, and remanence acquisition during rapid apparent polar wander do not appear to be responsible for the observed remanence deviations. Total strain at the sites, as indicated semiquantitatively by the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of 28 samples, has been studied to test the hypothesis that deformation has rotated the remanence directions. AMS data vary considerably both between sites and within sites and show a path of progressive deformation on a Flinn diagram. There is a strong, positive correlation between the deviation of a sample's remanence from the expected Cambrian field and its position along the deformation path, suggesting that finite strain/fabric development has rotated the magnetizations. The study area is structurally contained in the South Mountain Anticlinorium whose southern margin forms the displacement transfer zone to the southern Appalachian Alleghenian thrust sheets (Elliott, 1976). If thrusting had continued and incorporated the Waynesboro rocks into these thrust sheets, the rotated magnetizations could have been incorrectly interpreted to result from rigid thrust sheet rotation.
CONDITIONS WHICH OCCASION DEPRESSION: A REVIEW OF THREE BEHAVIORAL MODELS

The behavioral models of depression proposed by Ferster (1966, 1973), Lewinsohn (1974a, 1974b), and Seligman (1973, 1975, 1978) are summarized and the variables proposed in the models are evaluated. While no one variable has been related conclusively to onset of depression, there is sufficient evidence regarding the effects of these variables to justify further investigation. Most research to date has been directed toward either characterizing depression by correlating various measures of depressive behavior or demonstrating the relation between individual variables and reduction in depression. Correlational research facilitates the specification of the definition of depression. Research on reduction in depression contributes to the development of effective intervention techniques. A theoretical understanding or prediction of depression onset will require research demonstrating antecedents to depression. Problems of such research are discussed and suggestions for future strategies for research are offered.
Colloidal processing and optical transmittance of submicron polycrystalline alumina

ABSTRACT Grain-boundary scattering due to intrinsic birefringence limits the optical transmittance of polycrystalline alumina (PCA). Smallest grain size and highest density are desired for maximum real in-line transmittance (RIT). Grain size versus density or sintering path plots were employed to compare different colloidal routes for fabricating green bodies followed by pressureless sintering and hot-isostatic pressing. Compacts fabricated by colloidal pressing showed superior density at similar grain size as compared to slip-cast compacts. Th e real in-line transmittan ce of the PCA was measured over a range of wavelengths (0.19-10 µm ). The compacts fabricated by colloidal pressing showed higher transmittance as compared to slip-cast specimens. Th e measured transmittance was still, however, slightly lower than the theoretical values predicted by the grain-boundary scattering model of Apetz and van Bruggen. The grain-size dependence of RIT was analyzed using a model that combined grain-boundary scattering and scattering by isolated grain-boundary pores. Keywords: Polycrystalline Alumina, Birefri ngence, Grain-Boundary Scattering
Drag and Added-Mass Coefficients of Large Sandbags

Experimental investigations to understand the mechanics of motion of large sandbags and to simulate their settling behaviors are reported in this paper along with the details of experimental setup and procedures. Two high-definition charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras recorded the motion of the sandbags from the side of a glass water tank and a digital particle tracking velocimetry (DPTV) technique was used to determine the settling velocity of the bags. The drag and added-mass coefficients are estimated for the sandbags and the values of the added-mass coefficient are compared to those for solid spheres. The unit weight adjustment and the drag coefficient adjustment approaches are investigated for simulating the settling behavior of permeable sandbags. The results show that the unit weight adjustment approach gives better results than the drag coefficient adjustment approach, if the reduction in the drag coefficient because of porosity is taken into consideration and the effect of permeability of the sandbag on the drag coefficient is small and neglected. An exponential equation to estimate the percentage increase of the unit weight for the permeable sandbags is presented.
Cross-correlation method for intensity measurement of transmission electron diffraction patterns

Abstract This paper describes a method of intensity measurement of diffraction spots from digitized negatives using cross-correlation. The method is highly robust against noise and diffuse background in the diffraction pattern; therefore intensities of very weak spots such as those due to a reconstructed surface can be measured accurately. The reliability of this method and the implication for a quantitative structure analysis by transmission electron diffraction are discussed.
Optimizing the gate-pulse width for fast neutron induced gamma-ray spectroscopy

We used a pulsed 14 MeV neutron generator (NG) to acquire two concurrent gamma-ray spectra induced by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and thermal neutron capture (TNC) in Si, O, and C, which are key elements in soil analyses. These separate spectra were acquired by gating the data acquisition system during the neutron pulse, to obtain an INS spectrum, and in between the neutron pulses, to obtain a TNC spectrum. Despite this separation, TNC gamma rays are still counted in the INS window due to the steady state achieved in the former reaction. With the NG operating at 10 kHz and a 25% duty cycle, the magnitude of the single-escape gamma rays from the Si 4.93 MeV gamma-ray peak in the TNC spectrum to the 4.43 MeV carbon region in the INS spectrum is 10.1% of the 4.93 MeV peak intensity. This percentage depends on the neutron repetition rate and duty cycle. It can be reduced to 4.9% by using a narrower gate-pulse that closely fits the neutron burst. We also show that under these conditions the net count rate in the individual peaks of soil elements, Si and O (6.13 MeV) of the TNC spectrum reaches a steady state between the neutron pulses, but the total count rate from the entire spectrum does not.
Radical endoscopic assisted perineal prostatectomy.

ABSTRACTPurpose: During radical perineal prostatectomy transection of the bladder neck and dissection of the seminal vesicles under direct vision can be difficult. We describe a technique of radical endoscopic assisted perineal prostatectomy that facilitates dissection of these structures.Materials and Methods: Cadaveric dissections were performed in 4 individuals to develop and assess the technique. It was subsequently applied to a 64-year-old male with clinically localized prostate cancer (Gleason grade 3+3). Management of the bladder neck and seminal vesicles was performed with a bipolar transurethral resectoscope. The remainder of the procedure was performed via a traditional subsphincteric perineal approach with the patient in the standard dorsal lithotomy position.Results: The bladder neck and seminal vesicles were successfully dissected in 55 minutes. Total operative time was 3 hours. Estimated blood loss was 500 cc. The patient was discharged home the morning of postoperative day 1 and the cathete...
Hemodynamic Responses to Tilt and Beta-Adrenergic Blockade in Young Patients with Borderline Hypertension

Seventeen young patients with borderline hypertension (one female) and 18 normotensive paid volunteers (two females) were studied at rest and in the tilted position after 10 min of 45° head-up tilt. Cardiac output, heart rate, and intra-arterial pressure were recorded. The measurements at rest and during the tilt were repeated after betaadrenergic blockade with propranolol. By comparison with the normotensives, cardiac output and heart rate in those with borderline hypertension were elevated initially, after 50 min of rest, and during tilt. The change of the cardiac output and heart rate to tilt was of the same magnitude in patients and control subjects. Consequently, regulation of the rate and flow in borderline hypertensives appears to be normal but starts from a higher base line level. After blockade with propranolol, cardiac output in patients with borderline hypertension was still slightly elevated, but the difference from controls was not significant. The heart rate, however, remained significantly ...
Data Recycling: Using Existing Databases to Increase Research Capacity in Speech-Language Development and Disorders

Purpose This clinical forum was organized to provide a means for informing the research and clinical communities of one mechanism through which research capacity might be enhanced within the field of speech-language pathology. Specifically, forum authors describe the process of conducting secondary analyses of extant databases to answer questions of relevance to speech and language development and disorders. Method This prologue defines the concept of secondary analysis of databases and provides an overview of each of the articles that make up the forum. Conclusion Researchers invested in addressing basic and applied problems of relevance to speech and language services in schools can make use of a variety of extant databases to increase research capacity.
Distributed process creation within a shared data space framework

This paper describes the design and implementation of a remote process instantiation mechanism which is consistent with the Linda paradigm and semantics of the EVAL operation, and which uses shared data space as the medium for passing process and environment parameters. The motivation fo such an implementation stems from our effort to rehost a uniprocessor version of the Linda computational system to a network of workstations. The baseline version relies on the semantics of the UNIX fork() system call to create processes and to pass the proper execution parameters to them. In creating a distributed version of the Linda environment, two major issues are addressed: (1) how to instantiate a remote process that knows where, among several possibilities, to begin its execution, and (2) how to communicate the proper runtime values of relevant variables to each new remote Linda process. Guiding our implementation was a desire to employ existing interprocess communication facilities, e.g., shared data space, to pass process creation and execution parameters.
Effects of Chronic Medical Illness and Dementia on the Dexamethasone Suppression Test

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was performed on 26 elderly male outpatients in a geriatric medical clinic. Patients with depression were excluded. All patients had two or more medical diagnoses. Fourteen patients also met DSM-III criteria for dementia. No patient had an abnormal DST result. The authors suggest that neither chronic medical illness nor dementia causes false-positive DST results in this patient population in an outpatient setting, and discuss the findings in relation to previous reports.
Internal structure in small Au crystals resolved by three-dimensional inversion of coherent x-ray diffraction

Coherent x-ray diffraction (CXD) is a technique which utilizes the favorable coherence properties of an x-ray beam to collect three-dimensional (3D) diffraction data from which the 3D shape of a sample can be determined. The shape of the sample is found by reconstructing the phase of the diffracted wave in the far field using iterative techniques and recognizing the relationship between this complex amplitude and the sample's electron density. We describe the experimental procedure for measuring CXD near a high-angle Bragg peak from a small crystal and report the 3D shape information recovered by overcoming the so-called phase problem. We also describe the reconstruction procedure, including some difficulties encountered therein and the steps taken to ameliorate these problems. In the final reconstruction of the electron density we observe nanometer-scale density variation within the crystal that we attribute to deformation.
Spatial Pattern Separation in Cognitively Normal Young and Older Adults

The current study examined the ability of cognitively normal young adults (n = 30) and older adults (n = 30) to perform a delayed match-to-sample task involving varying degrees of spatial interference to assess spatial pattern separation. Each trial consisted of a sample phase followed by a choice phase. During the sample phase, a circle appeared briefly on a computer screen. The participant was instructed to remember the location of the circle on the screen. During the choice phase, two circles were displayed simultaneously and the participant was asked to indicate which circle was in the same location as the sample phase circle. The two circles on choice phase trials were separated by one of four possible spatial separations: 0 cm, 0.5 cm, 1.0 cm, and 1.5 cm. Smaller separations are likely to create increased overlap among memory representations, which may result in heightened interference and a greater need for pattern separation. Consistent with this hypothesis, performance increased as a function of increased spatial separation in both young and older adults. However, young adults outperformed older adults, suggesting that spatial pattern separation may be less efficient in older adults due to potential age-related changes in the dentate gyrus and CA3 hippocampal subregions. Older adults also were divided into older impaired and older unimpaired groups based on their performance on a standardized test of verbal memory. The older impaired group was significantly impaired relative to both the older unimpaired and young groups, suggesting that pattern separation deficits may be variable in older adults. The present findings may have important implications for designing behavioral interventions for older adults that structure daily living tasks to reduce interference, thus improving memory function.
Physician Race/Ethnicity Predicts Successful Emergency Department Analgesia

Abstract This study investigated the association between effectiveness of ED pain treatment and race of patients, race of providers, and the concordance of patient and provider race, with a prospective, multicenter study of patients presenting to 1 of 20 US and Canadian EDs with moderate to severe pain. Primary outcome is a 2-point or greater reduction in pain intensity, measured with an 11-point verbal scale, considered the minimum clinically important reduction in pain intensity. A total of 776 patients were enrolled. The sample included 57% female, 44% white, 26% black, and 26% Hispanic. The physician was white in 85% of encounters. Arrival pain score (adjusted odds ratio, 1.14; 95% CI 1.06, 1.24), receipt of any ED analgesia (1.59; 95% CI 1.17, 2.17), and physician nonwhite race (1.68; 95% CI 1.10, 2.55) were significant predictors of clinically significant reduction in pain intensity in multivariate analysis. Nonwhite physicians achieved better pain control without using more analgesics. Future research should explore the determinants of this difference in patient response to pain treatment related to provider race including provider characteristics and training that were not measured in this study. This study provided no evidence supporting an effect of racial concordance on the primary outcome. Perspective This article presents analysis of predictors of clinically important reduction in pain intensity among emergency department patients, finding nonwhite physicians achieving better pain relief with less analgesia. This finding should encourage researchers to investigate elements of the therapeutic relationship that may be enhanced to achieve better pain relief for patients.
Stress induced changes in cortical and hypothalamic c-fos expression are altered in fragile X mutant mice

Abstract Fragile X (FraX) syndrome is characterized by mental retardation and a behavioral phenotype that includes stress-related behaviors. Recently, FraX children were shown to have elevated glucocorticoid hormones under basal conditions and an exaggerated hormonal response to stress. In the present study, fragile X mental retardation 1-knockout (Fmr1-KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to immobilization stress for 30 min or 2 h, killed with paired controls, and the hippocampus, neocortex, and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) assessed by in situ hybridization for effects on c-fos mRNA. The main effect of stress in hippocampus was a reduction in mRNA levels within CA3–CA1 pyramidal cells in both genotypes. Stress significantly reduced CA1 c-fos mRNA in Fmr1-KOs at 30 min (−41%) and 2 h (−57%), whereas in WTs levels were significantly reduced only at 2 h (−57%). In neocortex, 30 min stress significantly increased c-fos mRNA in Fmr1-KOs only (+53%); however, by 2 h levels were reduced in both genotypes versus respective controls. In the paraventricular nucleus, c-fos mRNA levels were significantly, and equally, increased in both genotypes at 30 min. However, at 2 h, mRNA levels were still elevated in the Fmr1-KOs, whereas they had returned to control values in the WTs. Finally, immobilization stress significantly increased serum corticosterone levels in both genotypes at 30 min and 2 h, with Fmr1-KOs exhibiting greater levels than WTs; levels were statistically different at 2 h. These data indicate a greater response to stress in FraX mutants than in WTs, and further support the hypothesis of a dysregulated hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in FraX syndrome.
Current Emotion Research in Health Behavior Science

In the past two to three decades health behavior scientists have increasingly emphasized affect-related concepts (including, but not limited to emotion) in their attempts to understand and facilitate change in important health behaviors, such as smoking, eating, physical activity, substance abuse, and sex. This article provides a narrative review of this burgeoning literature, including relevant theory and research on affective response (e.g., hedonic response to eating and drug use), incidental affect (e.g., work-related stress as a determinant of alcohol use), affect processing (e.g., anticipated regret for illicit sex or skipping an exercise session), and affectively charged motivation (e.g., cigarette craving). An integrative dual-processing framework is presented that suggests pathways through which affect-related concepts may interrelate to influence health behavior.
CobD, a Novel Enzyme withl-Threonine-O-3-phosphate Decarboxylase Activity, Is Responsible for the Synthesis of (R)-1-Amino-2-propanol O-2-Phosphate, a Proposed New Intermediate in Cobalamin Biosynthesis inSalmonella typhimurium LT2

Abstract The cobD gene of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 has been cloned, sequenced, and overexpressed. The overexpressed protein had a molecular mass of ∼40 kDa, in agreement with the mass predicted by the deduced amino acid sequence (40.8 kDa). Computer analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of CobD identified a consensus pyridoxal phosphate-binding motif. The role of CobD in cobalamin biosynthesis in this bacterium has been established. CobD was shown to decarboxylate l-threonineO-3-phosphate to yield (R)-1-amino-2-propanolO-2-phosphate. We propose that the latter is a substrate in the reaction catalyzed by the CbiB enzyme proposed to be responsible for the conversion of adenosylcobyric acid to adenosylcobinamide and that the product of the reaction is adenosylcobinamide phosphate, not adenosylcobinamide as previously thought. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of the demonstrated kinase activity of the CobU enzyme (O’Toole, G. A., and Escalante-Semerena, J. C. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 23560–23569) responsible for the conversion of adenosylcobinamide to adenosylcobinamide phosphate. These findings shed light on the strategy used by this bacterium for the assimilation of exogenous unphosphorylated cobinamide from its environment. To our knowledge, CobD is the first enzyme reported to havel-threonine-O-3-phosphate decarboxylase activity, and computer analysis of its amino acid sequence suggests that it may be a member of a new class of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent decarboxylases.
Spatially constrained forest cover dynamics using Markovian random processes

Abstract Essential to analyses of forest-cover change is application of geospatial empirical or semi-empirical models of transition potentials based on the likelihood that forest land would change to non-forested land or vice versa depending on prevailing conditions of land-use change. Modeling land-cover as a function of land-use aids in understanding pertinent land-cover dynamics. This can enable forecasting of ramifications of current conversion processes on land designated for agriculture or development. National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) grid data published by USDA for years 1997–2002 were used as preliminary inputs. Two prevalent transition probabilities were derived: probability of a pixel changing (a) from forested to non-forested, Pfnf and (b) from non-forested to forested, Pnff. These probabilities were determined for the years (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–2001, (iii) 1999–2001, and (iv) 1999–2009 using decade stratification. The maximal transition probability ranges for forest to non-forest transition were higher for 1999–2000 and 1999–2001 transiting periods compared to 2000–2001. The maximal transition probability ranges for non-forest to forest transition were lower for 1999–2000 transiting period compared to 2000–2001, and 1999–2001 transiting periods. The analysis provided a glimpse on areas deemed prone to forest conversion and those that would immensely benefit from federally funded programs.
The Kerf-Cut Dressing: Application of a Woodworking Technique for Efficient Postsurgical Wound Care

Background. Simple surgical excision is one of the most common treatment methods in the dermatologist's armamentarium. We describe a precise postsurgical dressing technique that can be used for wound care of those patients whose treatment involves removal of lesions via cutaneous surgery. Objective. To devise a novel, precise, and effective dressing technique for postsurgical wound care. Materials and Methods. We describe the technique using common in-office instruments. Results and Conclusion. Wound dressings for lesions located on curved areas such as the ears, nose, cheeks, and chin often exhibit less than adequate adherence and stability. The kerf-cut dressing technique optimizes pliability of dressing tape, and this maximizes efficient and stable application of postsurgical wound dressings to curved areas of the body. JOHN STARLING III, BA, PURVISHA J. PATEL, MD, AND RON D. RASBERRY, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS.
Cloning and Expression of Mitochondrial Translational Elongation Factor Ts from Bovine and Human Liver

The sequences of the cDNAs for the mitochondrial translational elongation factor Ts (EF-Tsmt) from bovine and human liver have been obtained. The deduced amino acid sequence of bovine liver EF-Tsmt is 338 residues in length and includes a 55-amino acid signal peptide and a mature protein of 283 residues. The sequence of the mature form of bovine EF-Tsmt is 91% identical to that of human EF-Tsmt and 29% identical to Escherichia coli EF-Ts. Southern analysis indicates that there are two genes for EF-Tsmt in bovine liver chromosomal DNA. A 224-base pair intron is located near the 5′-end of at least one of these genes. Northern analysis using a human multiple tissue blot indicates that EF-Tsmt is expressed in all tissues, with the highest levels of expression in skeletal muscle, liver, and kidney. Both the mature and precursor forms of bovine liver EF-Tsmt have been expressed in E. coli as histidine-tagged proteins. The mature form of EF-Tsmt forms a complex with E. coli elongation factor Tu. This complex is active in poly(U)-directed polymerization of phenylalanine. The precursor form is expressed as a 42-kDa protein, which is rapidly degraded in the cell.