cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management and outcomes of symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms during the past 20 years

Abstract Objective We compared the management of patients with symptomatic, unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) treated at a tertiary care center between two decades. This 20-year period encapsulated a shift in surgical approach to aortic aneurysms from primarily open to primarily endovascular, and we sought to determine the effect of this shift in the evaluation, treatment, and clinical outcomes of patients with symptomatic AAA. Methods We reviewed 1429 consecutive patients with unruptured AAAs treated at a tertiary care hospital by six staff surgeons between 1995 and 2004 (era 1) and between 2005 and 2014 (era 2). Of those patients, 160 (11%) were symptomatic from their aneurysm and were included in our study. Patient demographics, operative approach, and outcomes were analyzed and compared for each period. Results Era 1 included 75 patients (71% men; average age, 73.1 ± 10.0 years) treated for symptomatic AAA (91.9% infrarenal, 4.0% juxtarenal, and 4.0% pararenal); of these, 68% were treated with open repair and 32.0% were treated with an endovascular repair. Perioperative mortality during this period was 5.3% (7.8% for the open cohort and 0% for the endovascular cohort). Era 2 included 85 patients (72.9% men; average age 72.0 ± 9.5 years) treated for symptomatic AAA (90.1% infrarenal, 7.5% juxtarenal, and 2.4% pararenal); of these, 29% were treated open and 71% underwent endovascular repair. Perioperative mortality was 5.9% (8.0% for the open cohort and 5.0% for the endovascular cohort). Era 2 had a significantly higher rate of endovascular repair compared with era 1 (71% vs 32%; P P = .005). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the largest single-institution cohort of symptomatic AAAs, which comprise 10% to 11% of overall aneurysms. As expected, we found a significant shift over time in the approach to these patients from a primarily open to a primarily endovascular technique. The modern era was also associated with decreased lengths of stay and fewer gastrointestinal and wound complications but no significant differences in overall perioperative mortality.
Neuropsychological Characteristics of Children with Mixed Autism and ADHD.

Clinical heterogeneity is a well-established characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD is well known in clinical practice, relatively little research has examined the neuropsychological profile of children with ASD
Velocity-Curvature Patterns Limit Human–Robot Physical Interaction

Physical human–robot collaboration is becoming more common, both in industrial and service robotics. Cooperative execution of a task requires intuitive and efficient interaction between both actors. For humans, this means being able to predict and adapt to robot movements. Given that natural human movement exhibits several robust features, we examined whether human–robot physical interaction is facilitated when these features are considered in robot control. The present study investigated how humans adapt to biological and nonbiological velocity patterns in robot movements. Participants held the end-effector of a robot that traced an elliptic path with either biological (two-thirds power law) or nonbiological velocity profiles. Participants were instructed to minimize the force applied on the robot end-effector. Results showed that the applied force was significantly lower when the robot moved with a biological velocity pattern. With extensive practice and enhanced feedback, participants were able to decrease their force when following a nonbiological velocity pattern, but never reached forces below those obtained with the 2/3 power law profile. These results suggest that some robust features observed in natural human movements are also a strong preference in guided movements. Therefore, such features should be considered in human–robot physical collaboration.
Noninvasive measurement of pulsatile intracranial pressure using ultrasound

The present study was designed to validate our noninvasive ultrasonic technique (pulse phase locked loop: PPLL) for measuring intracranial pressure (ICP) waveforms. The technique is based upon detecting skull movements which are known to occur in conjunction with altered intracranial pressure. In bench model studies, PPLL output was highly correlated with changes in the distance between a transducer and a reflecting target (R2 = 0.977). In cadaver studies, transcranial distance was measured while pulsations of ICP (amplitudes of zero to 10 mmHg) were generated by rhythmic injections of saline. Frequency analyses (fast Fourier transformation) clearly demonstrate the correspondence between the PPLL output and ICP pulse cycles. Although theoretically there is a slight possibility that changes in the PPLL output are caused by changes in the ultrasonic velocity of brain tissue, the decreased amplitudes of the PPLL output as the external compression of the head was increased indicates that the PPLL output represents substantial skull movement associated with altered ICP. In conclusion, the ultrasound device has sufficient sensitivity to detect transcranial pulsations which occur in association with the cardiac cycle. Our technique makes it possible to analyze ICP waveforms noninvasively and will be helpful for understanding intracranial compliance and cerebrovascular circulation.
Assessment of the Hindlimb Membrane Musculature of Bats: Implications for Active Control of the Calcar

The striking postcranial anatomy of bats reflects their specialized ecology; they are the only mammals capable of powered flight. Bat postcranial adaptations include a series of membranes that connect highly-modified, or even novel, skeletal elements. While most studies of bat postcranial anatomy have focused on their wings, bat hindlimbs also contain many derived and functionally important, yet less studied, features. In this study, we investigate variation in the membrane and limb musculature associated with the calcar, a neomorphic skeletal structure found in the hindlimbs of most bats. We use diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography and standard histological techniques to examine the calcars and hindlimb membranes of three bat species that vary ecologically (Myotis californicus, a slow-flying insectivore; Molossus molossus, a fast-flying insectivore; and Artibeus jamaicensis, a slow-flying frugivore). We also assess the level of mineralization of the calcar at muscle attachment sites to better understand how muscle contraction may enable calcar function. We found that the arrangement of the calcar musculature varies among the three bat species, as does the pattern of mineral content within the calcar. M. molossus and M. californicus exhibit more complex calcar and calcar musculature morphologies than A. jamaicensis, and the degree of calcar mineralization decreases toward the tip of the calcar in all species. These results are consistent with the idea that the calcar may have a functional role in flight maneuverability. Anat Rec, 301:441-448, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Frequency Dependence of the Dielectric Properties of Coai — Part II1

The dielectric properties of 18 pulverized coal samples, including run-of-mine and light and dense fractions, were measured over the frequency range from 1 MHz to 12 GHz at 22°C and are presented graphically. For Iowa coal, the dielectric loss factors of dense fractions containing most of the pyrite tended to increase noticeably as frequency increased. The loss factors of dense fractions of eastern coal (Kentucky and Ohio) tended to decrease with increasing frequency and then rose somewhat as frequency approached the microwave range. Data are also presented on the dielectric constant as a function of bulk density. Plots of the square root of the dielectric constant vs. bulk density resulted in straight lines that can be extrapolated with confidence to the coal particle density, thus providing estimates for the dielectric constant of the solid coal from measurements on pulverized samples.
Pseudospherical surfaces and evolution equations

On considere des equations d'evolution du type u t =F(u,u x ,...,∂ k u/∂x k ), qui decrivent des surfaces pseudospheriques. On obtient une methode systematique pour determiner un probleme lineaire pour lequel une equation donnee est la condition d'integrabilite
Chemistry of Nickel

This chapter on nickel chemistry is designed for readers with only a weak background in inorganic chemistry; hence, my treatment of this enormous field is necessarily superficial. Those interested in a more detailed discussion are referred to the excellent review by Saconni et al. (1987) and other references cited below.
Scleromyxedematous Changes in a Patient With Long-Standing Mycosis Fungoides Who Progressed to Sézary Syndrome.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) variants with different clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features have been well-delineated. We report a case of scleromyxedematous changes arising in a patient with long-standing MF who progressed to Sezary syndrome (SS) shortly afterward. Total-skin electron-beam radiation therapy resulted in an excellent response, controlling both the MF/SS and the scleromyxedematous lesions; however, the patient died few months later. Although mucin deposition has been described in association with MF/SS (mainly follicular mucinosis in folliculotropic MF), there are limited reports in the literature on dermal mucinosis and scleromyxedematous changes in MF/SS. The mechanism of this association and its prognostic implications requires further investigation.
Transverse chromatic aberration in virtual reality head-mounted displays

We demonstrate a method for measuring the transverse chromatic aberration (TCA) in a virtual reality head-mounted display. The method relies on acquiring images of a digital bar pattern and measuring the displacement of different color bars. This procedure was used to characterize the TCAs in the Oculus Go, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear, and HTC Vive. The results show noticeable TCAs for the Oculus devices for angles larger than 5° from the center of the field of view. TCA is less noticeable in the Vive in part due to off-axis monochromatic aberrations. Finally, user measurements were conducted, which were in excellent agreement with the laboratory results.
Deconstructing the structural conservation of distantly related bacterial nucleoid-associated proteins using functional chimeras

ABSTRACT Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) are DNA-binding proteins critical for the organization and function of the bacterial chromosome. A subclass of NAPs, including Caulobacter crescentus GapR and Escherichia coli H-NS, preferentially bind AT-rich regions of the nucleoid, but phylogenetic groups that encode GapR rarely encode H-NS. Here, utilizing genetic, biochemical, and biophysical studies of GapR in light of a recent DNA-bound crystal structure of GapR (Guo et al, 2018), we show that although evolutionarily distant, GapR and H-NS possess two regions that are structurally and functionally conserved. These regions are involved in self-association and DNA-binding, even though the two proteins oligomerize and regulate transcription differently. Functional analysis of GapR and H-NS protein chimeras identified structural elements present in H-NS but absent in GapR that rationalize differences in transcriptional regulation. In addition, we identified a sequence element unique to GapR that enables assembly into its tetrameric state. Using fluid-atomic force microscopy, we showed that GapR is capable of bridging DNA molecules in vitro. Together, these results demonstrate that two distantly related NAPs utilize evolutionarily conserved structural elements to serve specialized cellular roles via distinct mechanisms.
Writing Is Revising: Improving Student Persuasive Writing through Individualized Asynchronous Audio Feedback

Students with and without behavioral challenges struggle to improve writing, and teachers often lack capacity to provide individualized feedback to support revising. In this concurrent multiple probe across participants study, researchers examined effects of asynchronous audio feedback on eight fifth grade struggling writers’ persuasive essays. After ten hours of professional development, an inclusive special education teacher taught the intervention using self-regulated strategy development. Students received personalized audiovisual writing conferences using iPads and the Notability app. Essays were analyzed for substantive revisions. Students demonstrated a 164% mean increase in persuasive elements and 87% in holistic quality between final versions in baseline and post-intervention. Fidelity of implementation was 85%. Additionally, the teacher reported fewer incidences of behavioral interruptions. Based on results, we posit the intervention can augment classroom writing conferences by increasing teacher capacity to provide individualized feedback and allowing students to listen and respond to feedback effectively at their own pace.
Late Effects of 1H + 16O on Short-Term and Object Memory, Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology and Mutagenesis

The space extending beyond Earth's magnetosphere is subject to a complex field of high-energy charged nuclei, which are capable of traversing spacecraft shielding and human tissues, inducing dense ionization events. The central nervous system is a major area of concern for astronauts who will be exposed to the deep-space radiation environment on a mission to Mars, as charged-particle radiation has been shown to elicit changes to the dendritic arbor within the hippocampus of rodents, and related cognitive-behavioral deficits. We exposed 6-month-old male mice to whole-body 1H (0.5 Gy; 150 MeV/n; 18-19 cGy/minute) and an hour later to 16O (0.1Gy; 600 MeV/n; 18-33 Gy/min) at NASA's Space Radiation Laboratory as a galactic cosmic ray-relevant model. Animals were housed with bedding which provides cognitive enrichment. Mice were tested for cognitive behavior 9 months after exposure to elucidate late radiation effects. Radiation induced significant deficits in novel object recognition and short-term spatial memory (Y-maze). Additionally, we observed opposing morphological differences between the mature granular and pyramidal neurons throughout the hippocampus, with increased dendritic length in the dorsal dentate gyrus and reduced length and complexity in the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus. Dendritic spine analyses revealed a severe reduction in mushroom spine density throughout the hippocampus of irradiated animals. Finally, we detected no general effect of radiation on single-nucleotide polymorphisms in immediate early genes, and genes involved in inflammation but found a higher variant allele frequency in the antioxidants thioredoxin reductase 2 and 3 loci.
Green Schools in the United States

The emergence of the United States Green Schools movement is rooted in a combination of growing acceptance of new green school buildings, improving the environmental performance of the nation’s 130,000 existing schools, a growth in popularity of school gardens and outdoor classrooms and, importantly, a green school’s ability to provide critical educational benefits to students of science, technology, mathematics, social sciences and community service. United States K-12 education is far from centralized with each state having its own education governance along with some 30,000 privately run schools. The U.S. must, therefore, rely on schools volunteering to become part of a school greening program. Fortunately, education decision-makers are increasingly seeing economic, social, environmental and educational value in making schools greener. They are likewise seeing sustainability education as rising in overall importance. This has meant that as many as 9–12% of U.S. K-12 schools have, as of 2019, school greening programs and more than one third of all K-12 schools use outdoor gardens, natural classrooms and onsite habitats as part of their educational approach. Elective programs such as Eco Schools USA, and other NGO-hosted efforts are proving helpful to schools which also receive encouragement from the U.S. Department of Education, many state education agencies and numerous local public school districts.
Personality Theories: Development, Growth, and Diversity

Each chapter concludes with one or more of the following: "Evaluation," "Conclusion(s)," "Summary Points," "Running Comparison," "Essay/Critical Thinking Questions," and "E-mail Interaction." 1.Introduction. Preliminary Definition of Personality. Methods of Studying Personality. Personality Tests: Personologists' Tools. Testing and Theorizing About Personality in a World of Human Diversity. A Final Word About "Science." 2.The Psychoanalytic Legacy: Sigmund Freud. Freud, The Person. Freud's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Freud. 3.Personality's Ancestral Foundation: Carl Jung. Jung, The Person. Jung's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Jung. 4.Overcoming Inferiority and Striving for Superiority: Alfred Adler. Adler, The Person. Adler's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Adler. 5.Moving Toward, Away From, and Against Others: Karen Horney. Horney, The Person. Horney's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Horney. 6.Personality from the Interpersonal Perspective: Harry Stack Sullivan. Sullivan, The Person. Sullivan's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Sullivan. 7.The Seasons of Our Lives: Erik Erikson. Erikson, The Person. Erikson's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Erikson. Theoretical and Empirical Support for Erikson's Point of View. 8.The Sociopsychological Approach to Personality: Erich Fromm. Fromm, The Person. Fromm's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Fromm. 9.Every Person Is to Be Prized: Carl Rogers. Rogers, The Person. Rogers' View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Rogers. 10.Becoming All That One Can Be: Abraham Maslow. Maslow, The Person. Maslow's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Maslow. 11.Marching to a Different Drummer: George Kelly. Kelly, The Person. Kelly's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Kelly. Personality Development. 12.The Social-Cognitive Approach to Personality: Walter Mischel and Julian Rotter. Mischel: A Challenge to Traits. Mischel, The Person. Mischel's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Mischel. Rotter: Internal versus External Control of Our Behavior. Rotter, The Person. Rotter's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Rotter. 13.Thinking Ahead and Learning Mastery of One's Circumstances: Albert Bandura. Bandura, The Person. Bandura's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Bandura. 14.It's All a Matter of Consequences: B.F. Skinner. Skinner, The Person. Skinner's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Skinner. 15.Human Needs and Environmental Press: Henry A. Murray. Murray, The Person. Murray's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Murray. 16.The Trait Approach to Personality: Raymond Cattell and Hans Eysenck. Cattell, The Person. Cattell's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Cattell. Eysenck: 16 = 3 - Conceiving of Personality in Three Dimensions. Eysenck, The Person. Eysenck's View of the Person. Basic Concepts and Contributions: Eysenck. Limitations. 17.Personality Development and Prejudice: Gordon Allport. Allport, The Person. Allport's View of the Person. Basic Concepts: Allport. Personality Development. Personality and Prejudice.
The Unique Aesthetics of Organizational Climate that Contribute to the Prevalence of Sexual Harassment Incidents within the Restaurant Industry

Sexual harassment is pervasive globally within hospitality organizations. This conceptual study identifies organizational climate characteristics that make the restaurant work environment unique as...
A Survey of Performance Optimization in Neural Network-Based Video Analytics Systems.

Video analytics systems perform automatic events, movements, and actions recognition in a video and make it possible to execute queries on the video. As a result of a large number of video data that need to be processed, optimizing the performance of video analytics systems has become an important research topic. Neural networks are the state-of-the-art for performing video analytics tasks such as video annotation and object detection. Prior survey papers consider application-specific video analytics techniques that improve accuracy of the results; however, in this survey paper, we provide a review of the techniques that focus on optimizing the performance of Neural Network-Based Video Analytics Systems.
Abstract 2378: Circulating microRNAs and cytokines as prognostic biomarkers for doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury and for evaluating the beneficial effects of exercise

Introduction: Cardiotoxicity and late cardiomyopathies compromise survival in >50% of childhood cancer survivors treated doxorubicin (Dox). Early intervention is important for initiating therapy to preserve heart function. There are no accepted biomarkers identifying which patients are at risk for developing cardiac problems and no interventions to inhibit the cardiac damage. Troponin has not proved useful for predicting Dox-induced cardiotoxicity and patient outcome. We developed a pediatric mouse cardiotoxicity model to define early biomarkers of Dox-induced cardiac injury, investigate the efficacy of an exercise intervention, and whether these biomarkers can be used as a non-invasive method to monitor exercise effectiveness. Hypothesis: Circulating micro-RNAs are increased during Dox but not Dox + exercise therapy which correlate with cardiac damage. These can be used to monitor intervention effectiveness. Methods: Mice were treat with Dox (2.5mg/kg 2x/wk for 2 wks), Dox + exercise (walking 45 min/day at 12 meter/min) or PBS. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography 24 hrs after therapy. Blood was collect before and 6 and 24 hrs after therapy. Plasma cytokine levels, troponin and miRNAs (miRNA 1, 29b, 499) were quantified. We also obtained plasma samples from Dox-treated osteosarcoma patients. Results: Decreased ejection fraction and fractional shortening were seen in Dox but not Dox + exercise-treated mice. There was an increase in miR-1 and miR-499 and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-6, in Dox-treated but not Dox + exercise-treated mice compared with PBS controls. Troponin levels were not elevated until 24 hrs following therapy. Increased miRNAs and cytokines in the Dox-treated patient plasma samples 24 hrs after therapy mimicked the results observed in mice. Conclusion: These data indicate that miRNA499, miRNA1, IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-6 are early biomarkers of Dox-induced cardiac injury which predict cardiac functional changes and can be used to evaluate intervention efficacy during combined therapy. Following these biomarkers may also assist in identifying patients at risk for cardiac late effects and also enable intervention modification as needed. Citation Format: Prince Jeyabal, Eugenie S. Kleinerman. Circulating microRNAs and cytokines as prognostic biomarkers for doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury and for evaluating the beneficial effects of exercise [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2378.
Impacts of Nutritional Management During Early Postnatal Life on Long-Term Physiological and Productive Responses of Beef Cattle

Effective early postnatal nutritional management is a crucial component of livestock production systems, and nutrient manipulation during this period has been shown to exert long-term consequences on beef cattle growth and physiology. Metabolic imprinting defines these biological responses to a nutritional intervention early in life that permanently alter physiological outcomes later in life. Early weaning has been used to study metabolic imprinting effects, given that it allows for nutritional manipulation of animals at a young age. This practice has been shown to enhance carcass characteristics in feedlot cattle and accelerate reproductive development of females. Another strategy to study the effects of metabolic imprinting without the need for early weaning is to provide supplements via creep feeding. Providing creep feed to nursing cattle has resulted in transient and long-term alterations in cattle metabolism, contributing to increased reproductive performance of developing heifers and enhanced carcass quality of feeder cattle. Collectively, results described herein demonstrate nutrient manipulation during early postnatal life exerts long-term consequences on beef cattle productivity and may be a strategy to optimize production efficiency in beef cattle systems
True Random Number Generators

Random numbers are needed in many areas: cryptography, Monte Carlo computation and simulation, industrial testing and labeling, hazard games, gambling, etc. Our assumption has been that random numbers cannot be computed; because digital computers operate deterministically, they cannot produce random numbers. Instead, random numbers are best obtained using physical (true) random number generators (TRNG), which operate by measuring a well-controlled and specially prepared physical process. Randomness of a TRNG can be precisely, scientifically characterized and measured. Especially valuable are the information-theoretic provable random number generators (RNGs), which, at the state of the art, seem to be possible only by exploiting randomness inherent to certain quantum systems. On the other hand, current industry standards dictate the use of RNGs based on free-running oscillators (FRO) whose randomness is derived from electronic noise present in logic circuits and which cannot be strictly proven as uniformly random, but offer easier technological realization. The FRO approach is currently used in 3rd- and 4th-generation FPGA and ASIC hardware, unsuitable for realization of quantum RNGs. In this chapter we compare weak and strong aspects of the two approaches. Finally, we discuss several examples where use of a true RNG is critical and show how it can significantly improve security of cryptographic systems, and discuss industrial and research challenges that prevent widespread use of TRNGs.
Cement Stabilization/Solidification Techniques: pH Profile Within Acid-Attacked Waste form

Summary Leaching of cement-based waste form in acetic acid solutions has been investigated in this work. The examination of the pH profile along the acid penetration route by various pH colorimetic indicators is reported. A line of demarcation, believed to be the leaching boundary, was observed in every leached samples.
Transnational adoption: reflections of the “diaper diaspora”: On reconfiguring race in the USA

Purpose – Popularly viewed as a humanitarian issue that transcends not only geopolitical boundaries of nationality but also sociopolitical borders of race, the ways in which transnational adoption reflects the racialization of children are often ignored. Because adoption is not a random process of family building but rather a purposive endeavor that involves the multiple dynamics of race, class, gender, sexual orientation and disability, it is important to recognize how trends in transnational adoption intersect with shifting racial structure. This paper aims to examine visas issued to orphans entering the USA from 1990‐2005, international programs offered by US adoption agencies, and juxtaposes these with policies governing adoption in sending countries to illustrate how transnational adoption mirrors these emerging racial categories.Design/methodology/approach – Using the tripartite racial framework argued to characterize the shifting US racial structure, the author located adoptions in the top 20 sendi...
GraphMat: high performance graph analytics made productive

Given the growing importance of large-scale graph analytics, there is a need to improve the performance of graph analysis frameworks without compromising on productivity. GraphMat is our solution to bridge this gap between a user-friendly graph analytics framework and native, hand-optimized code. GraphMat functions by taking vertex programs and mapping them to high performance sparse matrix operations in the backend. We thus get the productivity benefits of a vertex programming framework without sacrificing performance. GraphMat is a single-node multicore graph framework written in C++ which has enabled us to write a diverse set of graph algorithms with the same effort compared to other vertex programming frameworks. GraphMat performs 1.1-7X faster than high performance frameworks such as GraphLab, CombBLAS and Galois. GraphMat also matches the performance of MapGraph, a GPU-based graph framework, despite running on a CPU platform with significantly lower compute and bandwidth resources. It achieves better multicore scalability (13-15X on 24 cores) than other frameworks and is 1.2X off native, hand-optimized code on a variety of graph algorithms. Since GraphMat performance depends mainly on a few scalable and well-understood sparse matrix operations, GraphMat can naturally benefit from the trend of increasing parallelism in future hardware.
High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer risk reduction.

High-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) is the earliest accepted stage in carcinogenesis, possessing most of the phenotypic and biochemical changes in cancer without invasion of the basal membrane of the acini. The support for high-grade PIN as the main premalignant lesion of prostate cancer is based on several lines of evidence derived from prostate cancer animal models, epidemiological, morphological, genetic, and molecular studies. The incidence of high-grade PIN averages 9% (range 4–16%) in prostate biopsies, representing 115,000 new cases of high-grade PIN diagnosed each year in the United States. Performing saturation prostate biopsies to rule out any coexistent prostate cancer followed by every 3–6 month serial repeated prostate biopsies is currently the only way in which to manage patients found to have high-grade PIN. Medical therapy for high-grade PIN may easily become the mainstay treatment for high-grade PIN. Treatment of high-grade PIN appears to be of clinical benefit notwithstanding the potential for prostate cancer risk reduction. These clinical benefits would reduce morbidity, enhance quality of life, delay surgery or radiation, and increase the interval for surveillance requiring invasive procedures.
Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity Causes VEGFR‐2 Cleavage and Microvascular Rarefaction in Rat Mesentery

A complication of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is microvascular rarefaction, defined by the loss of microvessels. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain incompletely identified. Recent work in our laboratory suggests that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may play a role by cleavage of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2). In order to further delineate the role for MMPs in microvascular rarefaction, the objective of the current study was to examine the relationship in the same tissue between MMP activity, VEGFR-2 cleavage and rarefaction. Using an in vivo microzymographic technique, we show significantly enhanced levels of MMP-1, -1/-9, -7, and -8 activities, but not MMP-2 and -3 activities, along mesenteric microvessels of the SHR compared to its normotensive control, Wistar Kyoto rat. Based on immunohistochemical methods, the SHR exhibited a decreased labeling of the extracellular, but not the intracellular, domain of VEGFR-2 along mesenteric microvessels. Chronic MMP inhibition served to attenuate VEGFR-2 cleavage and microvascular network rarefaction in the SHR mesentery. These results spatially link MMP-induced VEGFR-2 cleavage and rarefaction in the mesentery of the SHR and thus support the hypothesis that MMPs serve as regulators of microvascular dysfunction in hypertension.
Studies on tryptophan synthetases from various strains of Bacillus subtilis

1. Tryptophan synthetase B of three strains of Bacillus subtilis was prepared from ;exo-protoplastic' and ;endo-protoplastic' fractions; the enzyme from ;exo-protoplastic' fraction was purified 30- to 120-fold by ammonium sulphate precipitation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography; the latter step separated this enzyme from tryptophan synthetase A, tryptophanase and proteolytic enzymes, but the purified preparations were not stable. 2. The activity of tryptophan synthetase B did not depend on the presence of tryptophan synthetase A. 3. Tryptophan synthetases B of the strains tested differed in their utilization of 2- and 7-methylindole as compared with indole; this suggests that these tryptophan synthetases B are not identical.
(1‐oxo‐2‐propenyl)trimethylsilane

(1-OXO-2-PROPENYL)TRIMETHYLSILANE intermediate: (1-hydroxy-2-propenyl)trimethylsilane byproduct: 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl sulfide product: (1-oxo-2-propenyl)trimethylsilane Keywords: metalation reactions, lithium; oxidation, CHOH CO; rearrangements; silylation; silylation; allyl alcohol; assay methods, for butyllithium, with 2-butanol, menthol, 2-pentanol, or 2-propanol, 1,10-phenanthroline indicator; assay methods, for butyllithium, with 1,3-diphenyl-2-propanone tosylhydrazone; chlorotrimethylsilane; dichloromethane (methylene chloride); dimethyl sulfoxide; tetrahydrofuran; triethylamine; benzene; tert-butyllithium, extremely pyrophoric
Equipping the Equippers: The Pedagogical and Programmatic Implications of The Christians' Callings in the World Project

When five theological schools realized (a) their graduates affirmed vocation as central to their theology and practice, yet (b) the parishioners of their graduates nevertheless did not feel called, they knew they had to do something. For six years, faculty teams from these schools conducted a variety of experiments in pedagogy, curriculum reform, and program development in order to train their graduates to equip all of God's people to claim and live their vocational identity in the world. This article introduces the identified challenge and necessary theological and pedagogical shift and then describes five of those experiments in greater detail.
Genetic Marker Identification in Largemouth Bass with Electrophoresis of Low-Risk Tissues

Abstract Electrophoretic genotyping is a contemporary technique that enables aquaculturists and fishery managers to distinguish between domestic and native stocks of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and to monitor gene flow between them. Analysis of low-risk tissue samples (erythrocytes, blood plasma, caudal and pelvic fin, and scale-epithelial tissue) allows investigators to obtain considerable genetic information with minimal loss of performance by individual fish. We have identified at least 64 enzyme locus products in Florida, northern, and intergrade strains of largemouth bass by using invasive biopsy or necropsy. Polymorphic loci account for approximately one-third of the loci examined. Low-risk tissue samples allowed adequate electrophoretic resolution of 44 (69%) of the 64 gene products examined. Of the 23 polymorphic loci thus far identified in largemouth bass, at least 16 can be resolved from blood or fin tissues or both. Thus, using only tissue samples that do not significantly debilitate ...
Receiving versus being denied an abortion and subsequent tobacco use

The negative health consequences of tobacco use are well documented. Some research finds women receiving abortions are at increased risk of subsequent tobacco use. This literature has methodological problems, most importantly, inappropriate comparison groups. This study uses data from the Turnaway Study, a longitudinal study of women who all sought, but did not all receive, abortions at 30 facilities across the United States. Participants included women presenting just before an abortion facility's gestational age limit who received abortions (Near Limit Abortion Group, n = 452), just after the gestational limit who were denied abortions (Turnaways, n = 231), and who received first trimester abortions (First Trimester Abortion Group, n = 273). This study examined the association between receiving versus being denied an abortion and subsequent tobacco use over 2-years. Trajectories of tobacco use over 2 years were compared using multivariate mixed effects regression. Women receiving abortion maintained their level of tobacco use over 2 years. Women denied abortion initially had lower levels of tobacco use than women receiving abortion, but increased their tobacco use from 1 week through 12-18 months post-abortion seeking and then decreased their use by 2 years post-abortion seeking. Baseline parity modified these associations. Receiving an abortion was not associated with an increase in tobacco use over time. Overall, women who carry unwanted pregnancies to term appear to demonstrate similar cessation and resumption patterns to other pregnant women.
Magnetically Enhanced Coagulation of Very Small Iron Grains: A Correction of the Enhancement Factor Due to Dipole-Dipole Interactions

We correct an earlier effort to calculate the magnetically enhanced, coagulation cross section for very small iron grains in the solar nebula. None of the equations derived is completely satisfactory and several problems with regard to the initial assumptions in the derivation are discussed. Our most conservative estimates for the enhancement in the coagulation cross section due to magnetic effects are factors of 103 to 104, while more realistic values range from 105 to 107 or higher. We therefore conclude that magnetic dipole-dipole interactions could play a significant role in the initial stages of plantesimal accretion in protosellar nebulae.
Magnetism and local order. II. Self-consistent cluster calculations.

L'effet de l'environnement local sur le moment magnetique et sa convergence vers la valeur de volume, est etudie de facon auto-coherente au moyen d'un modele d'amas moleculaire, dans le cadre de la theorie de la fonctionnelle de densite de spin. On etudie egalement l'effet de complexes de defauts sur les proprietes magnetiques du milieu et compare les resultats aux donnees experimentales connues
The action of IAA and kinetin on the mitotic cycle of proliferative and stationary phase excised root meristems

Abstract The influence of kinetin and IAA on the G1 (presynthetic), S (DNA synthetic) and G2 (postsynthetic) periods of the mitotic cycle of actively dividing (proliferative phase) and initially nondividing (stationary phase) root meristem cells was determined with the use of tritiated thymidine ( 3 H-T ) and autoradiography. Proliferative phase meristems were cultured for 72 h in White's medium with 2 per cent sucrose and kinetin or IAA or both. Pulse labeling with 3 H-T was performed at 72 h. The stationary phase meristems were induced by a 24 h deprivation of sucrose. These meristems were almost devoid of dividing and DNA synthesizing cells. After establishment of the stationary phase the roots were transferred to medium containing sucrose, 3H-T, and kinetin or IAA or both. Results obtained with proliferative phase cells suggested that kinetin slightly increased G2 and certainly the (G1 durations. IAA appeared to act primarily on the duration of S. The combination of kinetin and IAA produced all three results. The effect on stationary phase cells, i.e. cells that are retained in either G1 or G2 until provided sucrose, indicated that kinetin and IAA impaired the initiation of DNA synthesis of most but not all of the G1 cells. The combination of kinetin and IAA reduced the initiation of DNA synthesis by G1 cells and further impaired the progress of cells through S; G2 cells also displayed sensitivity to the combination of kinetin and IAA in that they entered mitosis at a low rate. The concentrations of kinetin and IAA used in these experiments were similar to those used to induce cell proliferation in differentiated areas of the pea root; therefore, it is probable that controlling sites or moieties are activated or derepressed in cells of differentiated tissue and inactivated or repressed in meristematic cells by the direct or indirect action of the chemicals.
Growth and tillering patterns within tussocks of Eriophorum vaginatum

Growth patterns were investigated for Eriophorum vaginatum tussocks from disturbed and undisturbed tussock tundra at two sites in Alaska. Total basal area of tussocks decreased with increased cryoturbation but mean basal area per tussock did not. Flowering was observed in tussocks of significantly smaller size on disturbed compared to undisturbed tundra. For tussocks with < 10% cover by shrubs and moss, number of tillers per tussock was linearly related to tussock diameter in most disturbed and undisturbed sites. Exceptions occurred in an area that had been bladed with a bulldozer 7 yr before our survey where tiller number increased as the square of diameter and in an area with much frost activity where tiller number was not emulated with diameter. The ratio of daughter tillers to adult tillers decreased with diameter in disturbed tundra, whereas the trend was less pronounced in undisturbed tundra. Microsuccession in undisturbed tussock tundra was investigated by sampling tussocks with different amounts of shrub and moss cover for number of daughter tillers per adult tiller, weight per tiller, percent nitrogen, and percent phosphorus. Small tussocks without cover by other species and large, partially covered tussocks were not significantly different by any measures, but tussocks that were almost completely buried had significantly (p < 0.05) lower values of tillering index, weight per tiller, and percent phosphorus.
A transistorized radiation monitor

Abstract This paper describes the investigation of a number of possible semiconductor devices which can be used for the detection of radioactive particles. The sensitives of two types of transistor (a-n-p alloy junction diode operated up grown junction) and a p-n alloy junction diode operated up to its “avalanche” condition were determined. The possible uses of such detectors are discussed and they are shown to be particularly suitable where high rates of counting, with good efficiency and small detecting area (or low geometry) are required. A completely transistorized radiation monitor has been developed using a p-n-p transistor as the detector head. This is specifically designed for α-particle detection but the detector head with slight modification should be suitable for proton or neutron detection.
Characteristics of effective summer learning programs in practice

The Center for Summer Learning examined various summer program models and found that there are nine characteristics that provide a framework for effective summer programs. In this chapter, the authors demonstrate how effective practices lead to positive results for young people. The nine characteristics of effective summer learning programs are (1) accelerating learning, (2) youth development, (3) proactive approach to summer learning, (4) leadership, (5) advanced planning, (6) staff development, (7) strategic partnerships, (8) evaluation and commitment to program improvement, and (9) sustainability and cost-effectiveness. These characteristics are divided into two sections. The first three characteristics address a program's approach to learning. Summer instructional techniques are most effective when academic learning is woven into enrichment activities and youth development. The second section covers program infrastructure to ensure the organization achieves and maintains quality programming. The nine characteristics complement each other to ensure a strong program that works to prevent summer learning loss and narrow the achievement gap. To demonstrate the variety of high-quality programs that include the nine characteristics, thirteen program profiles at the conclusion of the chapter each highlight one of the characteristics. These profiles show the various approaches that different summer programs have developed to accelerate academic achievement and promote positive development for young people in their communities.
A COMPARISON OF POLYSOMNOGRAPHIC (PSG) VS MOTILITY MONITORING SYSTEM (MMS) SLEEP STATE DETERMINATION DURING NAPS IN INFANTS. † 1139

A COMPARISON OF POLYSOMNOGRAPHIC (PSG) VS MOTILITY MONITORING SYSTEM (MMS) SLEEP STATE DETERMINATION DURING NAPS IN INFANTS. † 1139
Differential induction of Fos protein and a Fos-related antigen following acute and repeated cocaine administration.

The present study examined the effects of a single and five once daily injections of cocaine on the expression of c-fos mRNA, Fos protein and Fos-related antigens (Fra) in the striatum. A single injection (40 mg/kg, i.p.), which induces locomotion, increased the expression of c-fos mRNA, Fos protein and a 35 kDa Fra. In contrast, five injections (40 mg/kg, i.p.) given once a day, which induces even more behavioral stimulation, diminished the increase in c-fos mRNA and Fos protein expression. However, the cocaine-induced Fra expression was sustained and not reduced after the five injections. The results demonstrate that cocaine-induced expression of the Fos/Fra gene family is dynamic and the profile of gene transcription and translation in the striatum changes when animals are behaviorally more sensitive to cocaine.
Quasilinear parabolic and elliptic systems with mixed quasimonotone functions

Abstract This paper deals with a class of quasilinear parabolic and elliptic systems with mixed quasimonotone reaction functions. The boundary condition in the system may be Dirichlet, nonlinear, or a combination of these two types. The elliptic operators in the system are allowed to be degenerate. The aim is to show the existence and uniqueness of a classical solution to the parabolic system, the existence of maximal and minimal solutions or quasisolutions of the elliptic system, and the asymptotic behavior of the solution of the parabolic system. This consideration leads to a global attractor of the parabolic system as well as an one-sided stability of the maximal and minimal solutions. Applications of these results are given to three models arising from biology and ecology where diffusion coefficients are density-dependent and are degenerate. These applications exhibit quite distinct dynamical behavior of the population species between degenerate density-dependent diffusion and constant diffusion.
Relationship between inflation rate and inflation uncertainty

Abstract To shed further light on the possible link between inflation rate and inflation uncertainty, the paper explores the relationship for US monthly inflation over 1926 to 1992 with various ARFIMA-GARCH-type models. It found that the inflation affected its uncertainty weakly negatively whereas the uncertainty affected the inflation insignificantly. The results were robust to the high inflation period of the 1970s and the volatile period of 1929 to 1945. It supports Engle’s result that a high rate of inflation does not necessarily imply a high variance of inflation, unlike Friedman’s view that a high rate of inflation leads to a high variance of inflation.
A comment on Mermin's “Understanding Einstein's 1905 derivation of E=mc2”

Abstract N. D. Mermin has proposed an “elaboration” of Einstein's 1905 derivation that supposedly fixes the flaws that I identified in this derivation. By specific examples taken from Einstein's own later work, I show that Mermin's elaboration is fraught with misconceptions.