cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of Citations in Neurosurgical Research.

Objective The number of citations an article receives is an important measure of impact for published research. There are limited published data on predictors of citations in neurosurgery research. We aimed to analyze predictors of citations for neurosurgical articles. Methods All articles published in 14 neurosurgical journals in the year 2015 were examined and data collected about their features. The number of citations for each article was tallied using both Web of Science (WoS) and Google Scholar (GS) 2.5 years after their publication in print. Negative binomial regression was then performed to determine the relationship between article features and citation counts for scientific articles. Results A total of 3923 articles were analyzed, comprising 2867 scientific articles (72.6%) and 1056 nonscientific (editorial, commentary, etc.) articles (27.4%). At 2.5 years, scientific articles had a median [interquartile range] number of citations per article of 3.0 [6.0] and 7.0 [9.0] found in WoS and GS, respectively; nonscientific articles had accumulated median 0.0 [2.0] in both WOS and GS. Articles with the study topic “Spine” had the highest citation count at 4.0 [5.0] and 8.0 [10.0] in WoS and GS, respectively. Significant predictors of citation count in scientific articles were level of evidence, number of centers, number of authors, and impact factor. Conclusions This is the largest investigation analyzing predictors of citations in the neurosurgical literature. Factors found to be most influential on citation rates in scientific articles included the study's level of evidence, number of participating centers, number of authors, and the publishing journal's impact factor.
Conservation genomics in the sagebrush sea: population divergence, demographic history, and local adaptation in sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.)

Sage-grouse are two closely related iconic species of the North American West, with historically broad distributions across sagebrush-steppe habitat. Both species are dietary specialists on sagebrush during winter, with presumed adaptations to tolerate the high concentrations of toxic secondary metabolites that function as plant chemical defenses. Marked range contraction and declining population sizes since European settlement have motivated efforts to identify distinct population genetic variation, particularly that which might be associated with local genetic adaptation and dietary specialization of sage-grouse. We assembled a reference genome and performed whole-genome sequencing across sage-grouse from six populations, encompassing both species and including several populations on the periphery of the species ranges. Population genomic analyses reaffirmed genome-wide differentiation between greater and Gunnison sage-grouse, revealed pronounced intraspecific population structure, and highlighted important differentiation of a small isolated population of greater sage-grouse in the northwest of the range. Patterns of genome-wide differentiation were largely consistent with a hypothesized role of genetic drift due to limited gene flow among populations. Inferred ancient population demography suggested persistent declines in effective population sizes that have likely contributed to differentiation within and among species. Several genomic regions with single-nucleotide polymorphisms exhibiting extreme population differentiation were associated with candidate genes linked to metabolism of xenobiotic compounds. In vitro activity of enzymes isolated from sage-grouse livers supported a role for these genes in detoxification of sagebrush, suggesting that the observed interpopulation variation may underlie important local dietary adaptations, warranting close consideration for conservation strategies that link sage-grouse to the chemistry of local sagebrush.
Summary and analysis of 216 GHz polarimetric measurements of in-situ rain

Summary and analysis of 216 GHz polarimetric measurements of LQsitu rain Abigail S. Hedden 1 *, David A. Wikner 1 , Russell W. Bradley 1,2 1 U.S. Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Rd., Adelphi, MD 20783 2 Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 ABSTRACT The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has developed a polarimetric frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) instrumentation radar that has been used to study the polarization and backscatter properties of in-situ rain in the 220 GHz atmospheric window. A summary of the preliminary measurements is presented in this work including an analysis of the co -polarization backscatter and attenuation characteristics measured at 216 GHz . A marginal detection of the co-polarization backscatter signature of rain was made during a series of fast-moving, heavy downpour thunderstorm events . A detection limit of - 40 ±3 dB[m 2 /m 3 ] was found for the VV-polarization cross section per unit volume for rain rates up to 150 mm/hr. Co-polarization (VV- and HH-polarization) attenuation characteristics measured at high rain rates (> 20 mm/hr) were well described by a Joss thunderstorm drop distribution in the high frequency limit, where drop size is much greater than the observation wavelength. Observations at 216 GHz suggest attenuation levels of 8- 10 dB/km at rain rates above 20 mm/hr, strengthening previous evidence that attenuation through rain is independent of frequency under high rain rate conditions. Attenuation measurements at lower rain rates (< 20 mm/hr) were qualitatively consistent with both Laws and Parsons and Joss thunderstorm distributions. Keywords: millimeter wave propagation, backscatter, rain, millimeter wave radar, radar polarimetry
Application of closed-loop management in production process of acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water in Central Sterile Supply Department

Objective To improve the management of the production process of acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water (AEOW) , detection of its physiochemical indicators and supply in the Central Sterile Supply Department with the closed-loop management and to ensure that its physiochemical indicators meet the requirement. Methods The current operation process of AEOW generators as well as detection and supply of AEOW in the Central Sterile Supply Department, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics were analyzed and the existing problems were identified between January and March 2017. The closed-loop management process was developed and implemented according to the existing problems. The satisfaction rate and compliant were compared before and after the management was modified. Results The satisfaction score before the closed-up management (October to December, 2016) was (90.04±11.75) . There were 1 complaint about unsatisfactory physiochemical indicators and 9 complaints about late supply of AEOW. The satisfaction score after the closed-up management (January to March, 2017) was (95.24±5.22) . There was no complaint about unsatisfactory physiochemical indicators and 1 complaints about late supply of AEOW. Conclusions The closed-up management helps to improve the production process of AEOW in the Central Sterile Supply Department, which enables timely feedback and problem-solving, avoids problems and complaints regarding its physiochemical indicators, satisfies clinical needs, and continuously improves the working quality of the Central Sterile Supply Department. Key words: Central Sterile Supply Department; Acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water; Closed-up management; Process improvement
Leading by Design: Lessons for the Future From 25 Years of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program for Women

The Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program for Women is designed to promote the careers of senior female leaders in academic health care in a way that ultimately seeks to transform culture and promote gender equity far beyond the careers of its participants. In an era of increased awareness of gender inequity within academic medicine, the longevity of the ELAM program raises several important questions. First, why is such a program still needed? Second, what exactly does it do, and what has been its influence on its participants and beyond? And third, what lessons can ELAM's example provide to help guide the medical profession as it strives to promote gender equity in the field? In this Invited Commentary, the authors seek to answer these questions from the perspective of a recent program participant and the current program director. The authors review the evidence that identifies how women, even today, face accumulating disadvantage over the course of their academic careers, stemming from repeated encounters with powerful unconscious biases and stereotypes, societal expectations for a gendered division of domestic labor, and still-present overt discrimination and sexual harassment. They describe ELAM's approach, which builds the knowledge and skills of the women who participate in the program, while also intentionally raising their visibility within their home institutions so that they have opportunities to share with institutional leaders what they have learned in ways that not only promote their own careers but also support gender equity in the broader environment. The authors conclude by offering thoughts on how ELAM's model may be leveraged in the future, ideally in partnership with the numerous professional societies, funding agencies, and other organizations that are committed to accelerating the rate of progress toward gender equity at all levels of academic medicine.
Airway Complications and Endoscopic Management After Lung Transplantation

Airway complications following lung transplantation are common and difficult to manage. While a bulk of literature exists regarding the prevalence and risk factors associated development of airway complications following lung transplantation, literature guiding specific treatment options is limited. Balloon dilation alone is able to transiently relieve airway stenosis and improve symptoms though it is frequently insufficient. Treatment with airway stenting in severe disease has resulted in significant clinical improvement and can generally be removed with sustained effects. Translational studies into hypoxia-induced gene expression and the lung microbiome offer potential therapeutic targets for improved outcomes moving forward. Balloon dilation for airway stenosis should be considered first-line therapy, with consideration of ablative and topical airway therapy for more effective and sustained results. In severe cases, including dehiscence, malacia, and stenosis, stenting is often required. Silicone and covered metal stents, while sometimes necessary, are not a perfect solution and are associated with their own list of potential complications. In the absence of a robust evidence base, recognition of endoscopic airway phenotypes and the utility of the various bronchoscopic modalities available are essential for treating this complex group of patients.
Long-Term Head Start Impacts on Cognitive Outcomes for Children With Disabilities:

Based on the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS) data, the current study examines Head Start’s long-term impacts on cognitive outcomes for children with disabilities: (a) Do children with disabilities w...
Production of jet-fuel-range molecules from biomass-derived mixed acids

Biomass has received considerable attention as a feedstock for the replacement of crude oil for producing both energy and high-value chemicals. In this work, we use a combination of chemical and biological processing to produce long-chain linear and branched ketones with low oxygen content. A mixture of medium-chain-length carboxylic acids was obtained by methane-inhibited, open-culture anaerobic fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass, and this mixture was further oligomerized using heterogeneous chemical catalysis. The products fall in the range of C10–C20 molecules that can potentially be blended with existing hydrocarbon jet fuels. We used a Pd/CeZrOx catalyst to achieve >90% yield to C11+ ketones starting from C2–C4 mixed acids. The acids are first recovered from the fermentation broth as ethyl esters by reactive distillation using Amberlyst-45 as a catalyst. We evaluated the activity of several bifunctional catalysts for upgrading these ethyl esters into long-chain ketones, finding that 0.25 wt% Pd/CeZrOx was most active. Using a combination of experimental reaction kinetics measurements and gas-phase thermodynamics calculations, we postulate a reaction network that explains the production of the most abundant products via a combination of direct ester ketonization, dehydration, and hydrogenation.
Pandering Politicians? Targeted Economic Development Incentives and Voter Response

Empirical evidence largely suggests that the billions of dollars state and local governments spend on targeted economic development incentive (EDI) programs are typically ineffective at stimulating...
Finding related papers in literature digital libraries

This paper is about searching literature digital libraries to find "related" publications of a given publication. Existing approaches do not take into account publication topics in the relatedness computation, allowing topic diffusion across query output publications. In this paper, we propose a new way to measure "relatedness" by incorporating "contexts" (representing topics) of publications. We utilize existing ontology terms as contexts for publications, i.e., publications are assigned to their relevant contexts, where a context characterizes one or more publication topics. We define three ways of context-based relatedness, namely, (a) relatedness between two contexts (context-to-context relatedness) by using publications that are assigned to the contexts and the context structures in the context hierarchy, (b) relatedness between a context and a paper (paper-to-context relatedness), which is used to rank the relatedness of contexts with respect to a paper, and (c) relatedness between two papers (paper-to-paper relatedness) by using both paper-to-context and context-to-context relatedness measurements. Using existing biomedical ontology terms as contexts for genomics-oriented publications, our experiments indicate that the context-based approach is accurate, and solves the topic diffusion problem by effectively classifying and ranking related papers of a given paper based on the selected contexts of the paper.
Optimal Test for Markov Switching

We propose a new test for the stability of parameters in a Markov switching model where regime changes are driven by an unobservable Markov chain. Testing in this context is more challenging than testing in structural change and threshold models because, besides the presence of nuisance parameters that are not identified under the null hypothesis, there is the additional difficulty due to the singularity of the information matrix under the null. We derive a class of information matrix-type tests and show that they are equivalent to the likelihood ratio test. Hence, our tests are asymptotically optimal. Besides their optimality properties, these tests are more general than the competing tests proposed by Garcia (1998) and Hansen (1992). Indeed, the underlying Markov chain driving the regime changes may have a finite or continuous state space, as long as it is exogenous. It is not restricted to linear models either. Therefore, our technique applies for instance to testing stability in random coefficient GARCH models. We use this test to investigate the presence of rational collapsing bubbles in stock markets. There is bubble if the stock price is disconnected from the market fundamental value. We regress the stock price on dividends and use the residual as proxy for the bubble size. Using US data, we find that the residuals are stationary, which could be hastily interpreted as evidence against the presence of bubbles. However, our Markov switching test strongly rejects the linearity, suggesting that at least two regimes should be used to fit the data. Estimating a two-state Markov switching model (Hamilton, 1989) reveals that one regime has a unit root, while the other is mean reverting, which is consistent with periodically collapsing bubbles
Multiple messenger RNA species give rise to the structural diversity in acetylcholinesterase

Abstract Acetylcholinesterase exists predominantly as a secreted enzyme which remains cell-associated at specific extracellular locations. Its extensive structural diversity appears responsible for the unique cellular disposition of the enzyme. To examine the molecular basis of the structural divergence of acetylcholinesterase species, we hybridized total RNA from Torpedo californica electric organ with restriction fragments from a cDNA encoding the catalytic subunits of asymmetric species of acetylcholinesterase. Multiple RNA species up to 14 kilobases in length can be detected on Northern blots using a full-length cDNA for hybridization. Each of these RNA species also hybridizes with smaller restriction fragments within the open reading frame and 3'-untranslated region of the cDNA. This indicates that the entire open reading frame plus the 3'-untranslated region is contained in the large RNA species. RNase protection experiments revealed at least three points of divergence for the message species. One occurs within the COOH-terminal portion of the open reading frame at a position just 5' to the TGA stop codon. This divergence accounts for the two classes of acetylcholinesterase found in abundance in Torpedo. The site of splicing has been further defined by isolating a genomic clone containing the exon serving as the potential splice donor. We find a divergence between the cDNA and genomic DNA at the position estimated by the protection experiments. A less abundant divergence in mRNA can also be detected in the 3'-untranslated region. Another divergence occurs as a deleted sequence within the 5'-noncoding region and may be important for controlling translation efficiency. Since it is hypothesized that a single gene encodes acetylcholinesterase, the divergences in the very 3' region of the open reading frame and the 5'-noncoding region correspond to presumed splice junction boundaries where alternative RNA splicing occurs.
The Chinese hamster gene map. Assignment of four genes (DTS, PGM2, 6PGD, EnoI) to chromosome 2.

Abstract Chinese hamster X mouse somatic cell hybrids constructed according to our methods, tend to retain a full complement of both sets of chromosomes, with eventual segregation of Chinese hamster chromosomes. Diphtheria toxin is an effective selective agent against Chinese hamster cells and their somatic cell hybrids. In Chinese hamster X mouse hybrids, sensitivity to diphtheria toxin (DTS) is associated with the presence of Chinese hamster chromosome 2. In addition, three Chinese hamster isozymes, PGM2, 6PGD, and EnoI, segregate with diphtheria toxin sensitivity, and are linked to Chinese hamster chromosome 2. Present data allow one to draw evolutionary comparisons with regard to genome organization among three mammalian species, human, mouse, and Chinese hamster.
Studies on the regulation of leucine catabolism: Mechanism responsible for oxidizable substrate inhibition and dichloroacetate stimulation of leucine oxidation by the heart☆☆☆

Abstract In the absence of any other oxidizable substrate, the perfused rat heart oxidizes [1- 14 C]leucine to 14 CO 2 at a rapid rate and releases only small amounts of α-[1- 14 C]ketoisocaproate into the perfusion medium. The branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex, assayed in extracts of mitochondria prepared from such perfused hearts, is very active. Under such perfusion conditions, dichloroacetate has almost no effect on [1- 14 C]leucine oxidation, α-[1- 14 C]ketoisocaproate release, or branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase activity. Perfusion of the heart with some other oxidizable substrate, e.g., glucose, pyruvate, ketone bodies, or palmitate, results in an inhibition of [1- 14 C]leucine oxidation to 14 CO 2 and the release of large amounts of α-[1- 14 C]ketoisocaproate into the perfusion medium. The branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex, assayed in extracts of mitochondria prepared from such hearts, is almost completely inactivated. The enzyme can be reactivated, however, by incubating the mitochondria at 30 °C without an oxidizable substrate. With hearts perfused with glucose or ketone bodies, dichloroacetate greatly increases [1- 14 C]leucine oxidation, decreases α-[1- 14 C]ketoisocaproate release into the perfusion medium, and activates the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. Pyruvate may block dichloroacetate uptake because dichloroacetate neither stimulates [1- 14 C]leucine oxidation nor activates the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex of pyruvate-perfused hearts. It is suggested that leucine oxidation by heart is regulated by the activity of the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex which is subject to interconversion between active and inactive forms. Oxidizable substrates establish conditions which inactivate the enzyme. Dichloroacetate, known to activate the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, causes activation of the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex, suggesting the existence of a kinase for this complex.
Cluster maximization, non-locality, and random tilings

Jeong and Steinhardt (JS) implement local rules by selecting the sub-ensemble of tilings which have the maximum occurrences of a chosen pattern (``cluster'') C It is unknown how to prove that a given C implies a given sub-ensemble; counterexamples given here demonstrate this problem is nonlocal, and show the JS results depend on periodic boundary conditions. Sub-ensembles which are tilings of supertiles are at least as interesting, mathematically and physically, as the ideal cases emphasized by JS; the case C = star-decagon is explored here. Finally, I suggest minimizing the frequency of chosen intersite distances as a more physical alternative to the cluster approach.
Why Hollywood Does Not Require 'Saving' from the Record Keeping Requirements Imposed by 18 U.S.C. Section 2257

Attorney Alan R. Levy recently published an article in The Yale Law Journal Pocket Part entitled "How 'Swingers' Might Save Hollywood from a Federal Pornography Statute." So eager was Levy to "save Hollywood" from having to keep records to verify that performers engaging in actual sexually explicit conduct are legally adults, that he grossly distorted the meaning and effect of 18 U.S.C. Section 2257. Ironically, while exaggerating the negative impact of Section 2257, he simultaneously underestimated the problematic nature of a different statutory provision potentially requiring record keeping for performers who engage in simulated sexual conduct. This essay discusses truths and falsehoods associated with 18 U.S.C. Section 2257.
Quantitative Models for Retail Category Management: A Review of Assortment and Shelf Space Planning in Practice, Software Applications and Science

Retail requires efficient decision support to manage increasing product proliferation and various consumer choice effects with limited shelf space. Our goal is to identify, describe and compare decision support systems for category planning. This research analyzes quantitative models and software applications in assortment and shelf space management and contributes to a more integrated modeling approach.There are difficulties commonly involved in the use of commercial software and the implementation and transfer of scientific models. Scientific decision models either focus on space-dependent demand or substitution effects, whereas software applications use simplistic rules of thumb. We show that retail assortment planning models neglect space-elastic demand and largely also ignore constraints of limited shelf space. Shelf space management streams on the one hand, mostly omit substitution effects between products when products are delisted or out of stock, which is the focus of consumer choice models in assortment planning. Also, the problem sizes of the models are often not relevant for realistic category sizes. Addressing these issues, this paper provides a state-of-the-art overview and research framework for integrated assortment and shelf space planning.Full paper is published in OMEGA
Effect of refuge distance on escape behavior of side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana)

Side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana Baird and Girard, 1852) use sagebrush desert habitat above cliffs and typically flee over and down the nearest cliff when disturbed. We tested antipredator escape tactics of lizards to a common local snake, the western yellowbelly racer (Coluber mormon Baird and Girard, 1852). Our goal was to determine if lizards use cliffs as a refuge from snakes, which cannot climb the sheer rock face, and whether distance to refuge affects escape behavior. We located undisturbed lizards above a cliff and approached them from a random direction with a realistic rubber snake model. When the snake model approached, lizards fled nonrandomly toward the nearest cliff refuge, indicating considerable spatial awareness. Lizards fled more directly toward the cliff the farther from the cliff they were found. However, when beyond ~15 m from the cliff the escape behavior of lizards changed to one of flight in circles (nondirectional) without hiding. Performance capacity (endurance) of the liz...
Target classification using radar data: a comparative study

This paper compares three different approaches when used against a problem of present and practical interest: the classification of radar return data from two classes of aircraft. The three approaches are: the typical feature extraction approach used for target classification when dealing with radar data; a multi layer perceptron neural network approach and; a branched multi layer perceptron neural network approach. The comparison was performed under equal conditions and at restricted sensor parameter conditions to demonstrate the anticipated advantage of the neural network approach in that it will be able to classify targets when the sensor parameters are not suitable for the feature extraction approach to work. The classification rate was used as the measure of effectiveness. Up to date the feature extraction approach has provided a classification rate of 84.1%. The multi layer perceptron consists of a one hidden layer network and the best classification rate it has provided is 86.8%. The branched multi layer perceptron consists of two separate multi layer perceptron neural networks trained to recognize only one class of targets and the best classification rate it has provided is 54.9%. The discrepancy in performance between the two neural network approaches is perhaps due to the more general structure with improved discrimination power of the branched network.
Report of the 2011-2012 AACP special advisory committee on research and graduate education

According to the Bylaws of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the Research and Graduate Affairs Committee (RGAC) shall provide assistance to the Association in developing its research, graduate education, and scholarship agenda. This assistance may include facilitating colleges and schools in formulating and advancing legislative and regulatory initiatives, and nurturing collaborative activities with organizations sharing an interest in issues related to the pharmaceutical sciences. Following the retirement of Dr. Kenneth Miller, formerly Senior Vice President at AACP in June 2010, AACP made a strategic decision approved by the Board of Directors to hire a Vice President of Research and Graduate Education serving as a Chief Science Officer (CSO), who deeply understands contemporary research and anticipated scientific progress that will benefit AACP and its members. AACP seeks to deepen its relationships with all public and private funding agencies supporting the spectrum of the pharmaceutical sciences and the CSO will have greater capacity for the primary areas of responsibility in research and scientific affairs. Yuen-Sum (Vincent) Lau, Ph.D., previously the John & Rebecca Moores Professor and Chair of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department at University of Houston College of Pharmacy, assumed this new role in July, 2011. During the first transitional year, the new CSO was responsible to evaluate the existing AACP programs and make necessary improvements. In addition, President Brian Crabtree had charged AACP to create a Special Advisory Committee on Research and Graduate Education to advise and provide assistance to the new CSO in strengthening research, graduate education, and scholarship for the academy. The recommended strategic directions included building relationships and collaboration with scientific organizations and funding agencies, leading scientists in and out of pharmacy education, creating an Academic Research Fellows Program, and strengthening and supporting graduate education. The Special Advisory Committee on Research and Graduate Education met on Dec. 13-14, 2011 in Alexandria Virginia, during which the 2010-11 Research and Graduate Affairs Committee Report1 and the current AACP Strategic Plan Critical Issue 5 on “Research and Scholarship” were examined and discussed. Throughout the year, the CSO contacted the committee members via electronic communication. The Committee met again through a conference call on June 26, 2012 to review the progress and discuss future agenda. This report summarizes the Committee’s discussion and AACP’s execution on tasks related to research and graduate affairs within the year.
Barriers to pain assessment and management in cancer survivorship

Introduction Healthcare providers frequently lack the knowledge and skills to provide optimal pain management for cancer survivors. Scientific evidence and clinical guidelines are lacking in the management of chronic, persistent pain in survivors. The purpose of this article is to describe pain-related issues of cancer survivors using case presentations of selected patients enrolled in a randomized trial to eliminate barriers to pain management.
Transrectal ultrasound for staging prostate carcinoma prior to radiation therapy: an evaluation based on disease outcome.

BACKGROUND Despite its subjectivity and inaccuracy, digital rectal examination (DRE) has a long history of well-documented prognostic significance in patients with prostate carcinoma. To the authors' knowledge, very few studies have evaluated the relative prognostic merits of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) versus DRE. This question is addressed in this study. METHODS The outcome for 558 men with T1–T3, N0, M0 adenocarcinoma of the prostate who underwent both DRE and TRUS and received external beam radiation without androgen ablation was evaluated relative to the prognostic information from DRE, TRUS, or both. The outcome endpoints were no evidence of disease (NED) (no relapse or rising prostate specific antigen level) and freedom from metastases. Prognostic factors were evaluated with univariate and multivariate techniques. The median follow-up was 55 months. RESULTS Both purely DRE-based and purely TRUS-based T categories correlated significantly with NED status. For DRE T categories, 6-year NED rates for T1/T2 and T3 disease were 64% and 36%, respectively (P < 0.001). For TRUS T categories, the rates for T1/T2 and T3 were 63% and 39%, respectively (P < 0.001). There were significant differences in patient composition between DRE and TRUS T categories. Only 40% of patients were in the same DRE and TRUS category, but the majority of the reclassification based on TRUS was within rather than between major T categories (T1/T2 vs. T3). Changes between the prognostically significant T1/T2 versus T3 categories occurred in ≤25%. This accounted for the similarity in NED outcome for DRE and TRUS T categories. However, TRUS categories did not discriminate significantly for metastatic recurrence between T1/T2 and T3 categories, whereas DRE categories did. Upstaging or downstaging by TRUS relative to DRE did not alter the DRE prognostic groupings substantially. CONCLUSIONS There was no clinically meaningful superiority of TRUS over DRE in the definition of prognostically useful T categories. Moreover, the addition of TRUS to DRE did not enhance the prognostic value of DRE findings in any meaningful way. Despite its subjectivity and inaccuracy, DRE provides prognostic information at least equivalent to TRUS and is preferable because of its low cost. Cancer 1999;85:1577–85. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Effects of oral digoxin on ventricular ectopy and its relation to left ventricular function

The ventricular antiarrhythmic properties of oral digoxin were examined in 13 patients with chronic ventricular ectopy using serial 24-hour electrocardiographic monitoring. Mean premature ventricular complex frequency (per 1,000 normal beats) decreased from 56 ± 47 during the placebo period to 40 ± 27 (p = not significant [NS]) and 25 ± 17 (p 50%) and 6 abnormal global LV performance. In the normal group, the mean premature ventricular complex frequency decreased from 69 ± 58 to 20 ± 18 (p
Evolutionary Dynamics of Plant R-Genes

Plant R-genes involved in gene-for-gene interactions with pathogens are expected to undergo coevolutionary arms races in which plant specificity and pathogen virulence continually adapt in response to each other. Lending support to this idea, the solvent-exposed amino acid residues of leucine-rich repeats, a region of R-genes involved in recognizing pathogens, often evolve at unusually fast rates. But within-species polymorphism is also common in R-genes, implying that the adaptive substitution process is not simply one of successive selective sweeps. Here we document these features in available data and discuss them in light of the evolutionary dynamics they likely reflect.
My three shrinks: Personal stories of social media exploration

Three psychiatrist authors illustrate the impact of social media on their professional lives by reflecting on personal stories about their experiences with social media. They reflect on their experiences with listservs, chat rooms, online forums, blogs, podcasts, and other interactive media, while recounting actual stories involving those media. The impact of social media on professional advocacy across broad populations is addressed. In addition, the use of social media in educating psychiatric trainees and informing forensic evaluations is discussed. Finally, social media as a tool for enhancing consumer advocacy and addressing controversial patient safety procedures in emergency settings is discussed.
The demography of native and non-native plant species in mountain systems: examples in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

In mountainous areas, native and non-native plants will be exposed to climate change and increased disturbance in the future. Non-native plants may be more successful than natives in disturbed areas and thus be able to respond quicker to shifting climatic zones. In 2009, monitoring plots were established for populations of a non-native species (Linaria dalmatica) and a closely related native species (Castilleja miniata) on an elevation gradient in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. Population data were collected twice during the growing season for 3 years and used to calculate population vital rates for both species, and to construct population dynamics models for L. dalmatica. Linaria dalmatica vital rates were more associated with climatic/environmental factors than those of C. miniata. Population dynamics models for L. dalmatica showed no trend in population growth rate (λ) vs. elevation. The highest λ corresponded with the lowest vegetation and litter cover, and the highest bare ground cover. All populations with λ < 1 corresponded with the lowest measured winter minimum temperature. There was a negative association between λ and number of weeks of adequate soil moisture, and a weak positive association between λ and mean winter minimum temperature. Variance in vital rates and λ of L. dalmatica suggest broad adaptation within its current range, with the potential to spread further with or without future changes in climate. There is evidence that λ is negatively affected by persistent soil moisture which promotes the growth of other plant species, suggesting that it might expand further if other species were removed by disturbance.
Characterization of the pulmonary arterial response to endothelin-1 and bosentan in neonatal pigs

Abstract Background . This study determined the pulmonary vascular responses to intravenous (IV) administration of endothelin-1 (ET-1) before and after an IV bolus of bosentan (Ro 47-0203), an endothelin receptor antagonist, in anesthetized open-chest 48-hour-old and 2-week-old Yorkshire pigs. Methods . Eighteen 48-hour-old and 25 2-week-old pigs were randomly allocated to receive either (1) 400 ng · kg−1 · min−1 of ET-1 or (2) 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg of Ro 47-0203 followed by 400 ng · kg−1 · min−1 of ET-1 over a 10-minute interval. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR, dyne sec/cm −5 ), elastic modulus (E Yo , dyne/cm 2 ), and characteristic impedance (Z o ) were determined (± SEM). Results . In 48-hour-old pigs, ET-1 decreased pulmonary artery pressure (PAP, dyne/cm 2 ; 21,317 ± 1833 versus 17,757 ± 1823; p = 0.003). In 2-week-old pigs, ET-1 elevated PAP (19,009 ± 1834 versus 21,935 ± 2104; p = 0.003) and PVR (1624 ± 254 versus 2302 ± 416; p = 0.001), whereas bosentan abolished the ET-1 induced pulmonary and systemic vasoconstriction. Neither agent altered E Y or Z o . Conclusions . ET-1 caused a pulmonary depressor response in 48-hour-old pigs and a constrictor response in 2-week-old pigs, whereas bosentan inhibited the ET-1 induced pulmonary arteriolar vasoconstriction in 2-week-old pigs. The response to ET-1 changes from dilation in 48-hour-old pigs (neonates) to constriction in 2-week-old pigs (infants) suggests a maturational dependent alteration in ET receptors during the first 2 weeks of life. These data suggest that bosentan may have potential clinical application in the treatment of newborn pulmonary hypertensive episodes as it ablated ET-1 induced pulmonary vasoconstriction, while maintaining systemic pressure.
The “Turkish Model” of Sociology: East–West Science, State Formation, and the Post-Secular

The field of sociology in Turkey has a history that is perhaps unique to Europe (and the “West”) in its co-founding with a modern nation-state, and yet its story is more central to the discipline’s general development than that of a marginal “outlier.” Positioned at an East–west crossroads, Turkey, and its sociological tradition, have been in an ongoing conversation between the two cultural poles. Drawing on Edward Said’s Orientalism, this article traces the discipline’s history through the lens of an East–west gaze. Touching on the lived public social questions that this story invokes, regarding ethnic relations, gender, migration, democracy-building, religion, and international relations, this article surveys the growth and present state of the discipline, including methodological trends and current issues.
The Pattern of Transcription of the Human Mitochondrial rRNA Genes Reveals Two Overlapping Transcription Units

Abstract A detailed analysis of the mapping and kinetic properties of oligo(dT)-cellulose bound and unbound transcripts synthesized in HeLa cells has indicated that two distinct transcription events take place in the rDNA region. Of these, one appears to start ∼25 bp upstream of the tRNA Phe gene and to terminate at or near the 3′ end of the 16S rRNA gene, being responsible for the synthesis of the bulk of rRNA. The other transcription event starts near the 5′ end of the 12S rRNA gene, proceeds beyond the 3′ end of the 16S rRNA gene, and results in the synthesis of a polycistronic molecule corresponding to almost the entire H-strand, which is destined to be processed to yield the mRNAs and most of the tRNAs encoded in the heavy strand. The existence of two overlapping transcription units with distinct promoters is probably the basis for the differential regulation of synthesis of the rRNAs and heavy-strand-coded mRNAs.
Schwarz'S lemma in normed linear spaces

In this paper we show that any Frechet holomorphic function mapping the open unit ball of one normed linear space into the closed unit ball of another must be a linear mapping if the Frechet derivative of the function at zero is a surjective isometry. From this fact we deduce a Banach-Stone theorem for operator algebras which generalizes that of R. V. Kadison.
Lie algebras of finite subalgebra rank

Let L be a Lie algebra over a field F of characteristic p≥ 0. If there exists a positive integer r such that every finitely generated subalgebra of L can be generated by r elements, then L is said to be of finite (subalgebra) rank, the minimal such r being the rank of L. Under certain restrictions on the base field F, we prove that every residually finite-dimensional Lie algebra of finite rank r has finite dimension bounded by an explicit function depending on r only.
Paramagnetism in Ni - Cu alloys

The paramagnetic properties of virtually iron-free Ni0.3Cu0.7 are consistent with the moment assignments for various local atomic environments, based on ferromagnetic data.
Determination of Organic Peroxides by High Performance Liquid Chroma-Tography with Electrochemical Detection

Abstract The application of electrochemical detection to the high performance liquid chromatographic determination of organic peroxides has been studied. The use of a buffered mobile phase was found to be critical to the successful analysis of samples containing hydroperoxides. Using amperometric detection, mixtures of peroxide containing compounds were readily determined. The sensitivity of the amperometric detector was in the one nanogram range for both benzoyl peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide. Polar-ographic detection was found to be a highly reproducible method for the analysis of samples containing peroxides as components of mixtures in the range of 5-2000 ng. The peroxide containing compounds determined in this manner were t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide, and 13-hydroperoxy-9(Z)-11(E)-octadecadien-oic acid. The polarographic detection system was used to obtain observed half-wave potentials for the peroxides under different chromatographic conditions. These observations correlated closel...
Information to the People: Cooperation Between the Library and Agricultural Extension

ABSTRACT Cooperation between the Cooperative Extension Service and the Agriculture Library at the University of Kentucky dates back to the early 1970s. Initiatives have included new agent orientation, participation in extension functions, working with extension specialists, and serving on extension committees. Current involvement with extension includes working with the National Extension Technology Conference and the Electronic Format Committee. Involvement continues to grow as services are automated.
Knowledge of and barriers to health literacy in Illinois.

Objective To examine Illinois pharmacists’ knowledge of and barriers to health literacy. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting Illinois, August to November 2009. Participants 701 Illinois pharmacists. Intervention Mail survey. Main outcome measures Pharmacists’ knowledge (percent correct), mean barrier factors, and percent agreement of barrier items. Results Usable responses were obtained from 701 respondents out of 1,457 pharmacists receiving surveys (48.1%). Percent correct for knowledge items ranged from 31.5% to 95.4% with only 19% to 27% of respondents answering a majority of the items correctly. Pharmacists had poor knowledge (percent correct) about prevalence of low health literacy (31.5%), its relationship to years of schooling (46.9%) and its lack of relationship to reading comprehension (48.4%). Overall process and practice–related barrier domain items were the most important barriers. In particular, the most frequently cited barriers towards low health literacy interventions were lack of adequate time (90.4%), use of mail order (83.8%), and presence of convenient delivery mechanisms (82.8%), all process barriers. Majority of respondents (57.3%) agreed that lack of knowledge about health literacy and its consequences is a barrier. Significant differences existed for barrier factors by demographics. Multivariate analysis examining the relationship between knowledge and barriers after controlling for demographics revealed no significant differences. Conclusion Pharmacists have limited knowledge of health literacy. We suggest training programs designed to address poor knowledge, interpreter services, access to written information tailored for various reading grade levels, and minimizing functional barriers such as time constraints.
SMI 2011: Full Paper: Cyclic twill-woven objects

Classical (or biaxial) twill is a textile weave in which the weft threads pass over and under two or more warp threads, with an offset between adjacent weft threads to give an appearance of diagonal lines. This paper introduces a theoretical framework for constructing twill-woven objects, i.e., cyclic twill-weavings on arbitrary surfaces, and it provides methods to convert polygonal meshes into twill-woven objects. It also develops a general technique to obtain exact triaxial-woven objects from an arbitrary polygonal mesh surface.
Down-regulation of pituitary receptors for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) in rats by LH-RH antagonist Cetrorelix

Antagonists of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH), unlike the LH-RH agonists, suppress gonadotropins and sex steroid secretion immediately after administration, without initial stimulatory effects. [Ac-D-Nal(2)1,D-Ph(4Cl)2,D-Pal(3)3,D-Cit6,D-Ala10]LH-R H (SB-75; Cetrorelix) is a modern, potent antagonistic analog of LH-RH. In this study, the binding characteristics of receptors for LH-RH in membrane fractions from rat anterior pituitaries were investigated after a single injection of Cetrorelix at a dose of 100 microg per rat. To determine whether the treatment with Cetrorelix can affect the concentration of measurable LH-RH binding sites, we applied an in vitro method to desaturate LH-RH receptors by chaotropic agents such as manganous chloride (MnCl2) and ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN). Our results show that the percentages of occupied LH-RH receptors at 1, 3, and 6 h after administration of Cetrorelix were approximately 28%, 14%, and 10%, respectively, of total receptors. At later time intervals, we could not detect occupied LH-RH binding sites. Ligand competition assays, following in vitro desaturation, demonstrated that rat pituitary LH-RH receptors were significantly (P < 0.01) down-regulated for at least 72 h after administration of Cetrorelix. The lowest receptor concentration was found 3-6 h after Cetrorelix treatment and a recovery in receptor number began within approximately 24 h. The down-regulation of LH-RH binding sites induced by Cetrorelix was accompanied by serum LH and testosterone suppression. Higher LH-RH receptor concentrations coincided with elevated serum hormone levels at later time intervals. Our results indicate that administration of LH-RH antagonist Cetrorelix produces a marked down-regulation of pituitary receptors for LH-RH and not merely an occupancy of binding sites.
On the use ofT H[1s] and 1s functions as expansion functions

It is shown by a numerical calculation that although aTH[1s] function (0s orbital) is a much better approximation to the exact Hartree-Fock 1s orbital than a usual 1s function, the set ofTH[1s] functions does not have markable advantage over the set of 1s functions as expansion functions.