cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety and Efficacy of Hepatic Artery Embolization in Treating Solitary Fibrous Tumor Metastatic to the Liver.

The aim of this study was to evaluate safety and survival following hepatic artery embolization (HAE) for metastatic solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) in the liver. All patients with SFT metastatic to liver treated with HAE were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor response was evaluated using mRECIST. Objective response, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier and multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratio. Adverse events were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. Twelve patients (6 males and 6 females, mean age: 42.5 ± 13 years; 24–65) were treated with 33 embolizations. Anatomical sites of origin for SFT were the head and neck (n = 6; 50%), pelvis (n = 2), pleura (n = 2), retroperitoneal (n = 1), and thigh (n = 1). The median follow-up from first HAE was 4.5 years (3–7.9). 84% of the patients showed objective response [42% complete response (CR) plus 42% partial response (PR)] to HAE by mRECIST (95% CI, 60–99%). Patients with CR to HAE had significantly higher OS compared to others ( ). The postembolization median OS was 4 years (95% CI, 2.3–5.2), and mean PFS, for intra- or extrahepatic progression of disease, was 6 months (95%, CI, 3.2–7.1). One patient developed pneumonia/sepsis and died 27 days postembolization, possibly not directly related to embolization. No grade III or IV adverse events were identified in the remaining patients. In conclusion, HAE for metastatic liver SFT is a relatively safe treatment option with high response rate and should be considered as a treatment option for metastatic liver SFT. In our cohort of patients with metastatic SFT to the liver, we observed a median OS of 4 years following HAE. Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of HAE.
Intragastric Balloons and Aspiration Therapy

The disease obesity continues to be a major health issue in the United States and abroad due to its prevalence and associated comorbidities. Treatment has consisted of lifestyle intervention, pharmacotherapy, and surgery; however, this treatment paradigm has not resulted in a decrease in the prevalence of obesity in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved four gastric endoscopic bariatric therapies (EBTs) for the primary treatment of obesity. These include three intragastric balloons (IGBs) (the ReShape Dual Balloon, the Orbera Balloon System, and the Obalon Balloon System) and the ASpireAssist System. These therapies provide additional options for treatment of obesity. They provide more weight loss than lifestyle intervention and pharmacotherapy, but less weight loss than bariatric surgery. However, they are also less invasive and carry less risk than bariatric surgery, which may make EBTs a more acceptable treatment to many patients.
Effect of Gate Voltage on the Photovoltaic Performance of GaAs-based Schottky Junction Solar Cells

In this paper, the effect of external gate voltage on GaAs-based metal-semiconductor (MS) Schottky solar cells is investigated. Subsequent changes in photovoltaic characteristic properties of the solar cells are extracted, reported and explained. Under positive gate voltages, the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density measured at collector are significantly increased due to the drift of holes from gate junction to the collector (forward bias condition of gate junction). However, there is slight increase in open-circuit voltage under reverse gate voltages, where only thermally generated electrons drift toward the collector junction. Moreover, negative gate voltage on insulated gate contact has resulted into slight increase in open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current compared to zero gate voltage. These results demonstrate the potential to change and control the performance characteristics of Schottky junction solar cells by using gated layers.
Book Review: Outlaw Women: Prison, Rural Violence, and Poverty in the American West: by Dewey Susan, Zare Bonnie, Connolly Catherine, Epler Rhett, and Bratton Rosemary, New York: New York University Press, 2019, 271 pp., $30 pbk, ISBN: 9781479897439.

Criminology is now much less urbanormative than it was 10 years ago. Still, as the authors of the ground-breaking book reviewed here correctly point out, “rural criminology remains undertheorized, ...
Studies of the antidiarrheal action of clonidine

Abstract Clonidine, an α 2 -adrenergic agonist, has been reported to stimulate the rate of electrolyte absorption in vitro, to alter intestinal motility in vivo, and to have antidiarrheal effects in animais. Experiments were performed in 8 healthy volunteers in order to evaluate the antidiarrheal effect of clonidine in humans. When diarrhea was induced by intragastric infusion of 2700 ml of balanced electrolyte solution over 90 min, oral administration of 0.3 mg of clonidine reduced the volume of rectal effluent by 48% (from 1233 ± 62 to 640 ± 77 ml, p
Addressing the so-called validity–diversity trade-off: Exploring the practicalities and legal defensibility of Pareto-optimization for reducing adverse impact within personnel selection

It is necessary for personnel selection systems to be effective, fair, and legally appropriate. Sometimes these goals are complementary, whereas other times they conflict (leading to the so-called “validity-diversity dilemma”). In this practice forum, we trace the history and legality of proposed approaches for simultaneously maximizing job performance and diversity through personnel selection, leading to a review of a more recent method, the Pareto-optimization approach. We first describe the method at various levels of complexity and provide guidance (with examples) for implementing the technique in practice. Then, we review the potential points at which the method might be challenged legally and present defenses against those challenges. Finally, we conclude with practical tips for implementing Pareto-optimization within personnel selection.
The factor structure of depressive symptoms in patients with obesity enrolled in the RAINBOW clinical trial.

Abstract Background Examining variability in the presenting symptoms of depression may be particularly important in characterizing depression in patients with comorbid conditions such as obesity. Identifying the underlying constructs of depression in such patients may produce phenotypic information to aid diagnosis and treatment decisions. Objective To examine the latent factors of symptoms using the depression Symptom Checklist (SCL-20) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), separately, in patients with obesity and elevated depressive symptoms. Methods Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on baseline data from 409 patients with obesity and elevated depressive symptoms recruited in primary care. Bootstrap analysis was performed to estimate the precision and potential replicability of identified latent factors. Results Participants (70% women, mean age of 51.0 ± 12.1 years) had moderate depression. EFA of the SCL-20 suggested two reliable factors: dysphoric mood (71% of the variance) and anhedonia (15% of the variance). EFA of the PHQ-9 yielded one factor: dysphoric mood (87% of the variance). Bootstrapped results supported the replicability of these results. The top most endorsed symptoms were feeling low energy, overeating and disturbed sleep. Limitations The generalizability of these findings to severe depression may be limited. Conclusions Patients with elevated depressive symptoms and obesity present with heterogeneous symptoms. The SCL-20 seems more sensitive than the PHQ-9 for differentiating symptom profiles in this population. Some possible reasons include: 1) differences in number of scale items, and 2) differences in the aspects of depression they tap into; the SCL-20 measures the severity of symptoms, whereas the PHQ-9 measures the frequency of symptoms.
The effect of fluid flow on CO2 corrosion of high-strength API carbon steels

Abstract This paper presents and discusses the outcomes of a recent study on the corrosion resistance of API carbon steels (T95 and Q125). The scope includes experimental investigation as well as theoretical modeling. To predict CO2 corrosion under dynamic conditions, an existing model is improved and validated using experimental measurements. Corrosion tests were conducted under static and dynamic conditions. API casings were cut and machined to prepare test specimens used for measuring Average Corrosion Rate (ACR) and Load-Carrying Capacity (LCC). The dynamic test condition was simulated using the flow between two concentric cylinders (Couette type flow). The test solution (2% wt. NaCl) was saturated with a gas mixture containing 50% CO2 and 50% methane. Tests were carried out at 41.37 MPa with varying temperature and the speed of the inner cylinder, and subsequently, changing the wall shear stress (τw). The ACR was determined by applying the Weight Loss (WL) method. A digital microscope was utilized to inspect the morphology of the corrosion scale (product). The change in LCC of the specimens was compared with the theoretically predicted change in LCC to identify the presence of localized corrosion and/or intergranular attack. In addition to LCC, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of corroded specimens is determined and compared with that of uncorroded specimens. Results show that the CO2 corrosion of API steels is sensitive to the fluid velocity regardless of temperature. The corrosion of Q125 is more affected by fluid flow than that of T95. Below critical shear stress, CO2 corrosion was strongly affected by fluid flow. Under a static condition, Q125 demonstrated higher corrosion resistance than T95 but under a dynamic condition, T95 exhibited higher corrosion than Q125. At high temperature (71 °C), the occurrence of localized corrosion was observed. Corrosion model predictions show reasonable agreement with measurements.
Human Environmental Impacts Introducer: Susanna B. Hecht

It is difficult to overstate how influential William Denevan’s research and writings have been. His work, derived from the school of landscape analytics at Berkeley, was profoundly influenced by forms of interdisciplinarity that were unusual for the time and provided the empirical research that would give rise to alternative positions to the functionalist cultural ecological theories, under development ideologies, and the ahistorical views of the Amazonia that placed the region as a tabula rasa and knowledge void. His own work on historical demography provided the archival impetus, and his experience as a journalist in Peru gave him initial experience in the field, which if one were not enchanted by ideas of Amazonian primitivism could provide ample evidence of the engineering and ecological cultures that had been annihilated in the great dying. His own research embraced indigenous agricultures of multiple types, and his master work Cultivated landscapes of native Amazonia and the Andes (2001) provides an indispensable overview. At a time when analytic focus lays firmly in annual cropping systems, his sweep was remarkable and paradigm breaking. His attention to wetlands, terraces, lake cultivation, and fallow stimulated research into what became a recognition not just of the diversity of systems but of the management within them. His studies of fallow management opened up the reality of studies of the anthropogenic Amazon that have recast its history and landscape.
Linearizing the output of resistance temperature gages: Investigation indicates that process of balancing Wheatstone bridge and looking up the temperature in a table can be made automatic

The resistance of resistance temperature gages is a nonlinear function of temperature. In addition, the output voltage of a Wheatstone bridge is a nonlinear function of gage resistance. The two nonlinearities oppose each other, and can be made to cancel each other by proper choice of the bridge dummy resistors. The bridge output voltage is then almost exactly proportional to gage temperature change, and can be used to drive any high-impedance indicator or recorder.
The STI1-domain is a flexible alpha-helical fold with a hydrophobic groove.

STI1-domains are present in a variety of co-chaperone proteins and are required for the transfer of hydrophobic clients in various cellular processes. The domains were first identified in the yeast Sti1 protein where they were referred to as DP1 and DP2. Based on hidden Markov model searches, this domain had previously been found in other proteins including the mammalian co-chaperone SGTA, the DNA damage response protein Rad23, and the chloroplast import protein Tic40. Here, we refine the domain definition and carry out structure-based sequence alignment of STI1-domains showing conservation of five amphipathic helices. Upon examinations of these identified domains, we identify a preceding helix 0 and unifying sequence properties, determine new molecular models, and recognize that STI1-domains nearly always occur in pairs. The similarity at the sequence, structure, and molecular levels likely supports a unified functional role. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Young v. United Parcel Services, Inc., Rewritten

Young v. United Parcel Services, 135 S. Ct. 1338 (2015), is appropriately considered a win for women because it expanded opportunities for pregnant employees to receive workplace accommodations. However, the case could have been far more transformative, both in how it interpreted the law and in how it explained why it matters for working women. This “rewritten” version, forthcoming in an edited volume, imagines what Young might have said if it were written from a feminist perspective. The Supreme Court’s actual decision instructs lower courts to assess whether an employer’s refusal to provide an accommodation is infected by discriminatory bias. The rewritten decision, by contrast, argues the plain language of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act makes intent irrelevant, so long as a pregnant employee can show that other workers with similar limitations receive more favorable treatment. This interpretation is better supported by the text of the statute, as well as its history and purpose. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also endorsed this interpretation, and the rewritten opinion shows why deference was warranted. Finally, the rewritten opinion rejects the contention, articulated by the Court in the actual Young decision, that this interpretation affords pregnant women a “most favored nation” status. This allegation suggests accommodating male workers is an ordinary cost of business, but costs relating to pregnancy are special costs that employers should not have to bear. The PDA’s comparative structure was intended to counteract such assumptions and the still-pervasive belief that pregnant women are less capable or less committed than other employees. Readers may also be interested in my more traditional academic scholarship on this subject: Gilbert Redux: The Interaction of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Amended Americans With Disabilities Act, 46 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 961 (2013) (https://ssrn.com/abstract=2221332) and The Interaction of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act After Young v. UPS, 50 U.C. Davis L. Rev. 1423 (2017) (https://ssrn.com/abstract=2948666).
A Review of Smart Irrigation Decision Support Systems

Smart irrigation systems are designed to save as much water and costs in irrigation as possible in the precondition of ensuring the necessarily needed water by the crops. Numerous devices and systems integrating cutting-edge technologies in hardware and software have been invented to realize this goal. However, the autonomous large-scale smart irrigation system is still an unsolved and ongoing challenge. To get a clear picture of the current status and the opportunities, this paper investigated the existing smart irrigation systems reported in literature and agricultural community, and summarized the technologies and algorithms behind them, and revealed the major bottleneck challenges and the coming opportunities in this domain.
Evaluating and Improving Unified Debugging

Automated debugging techniques, including fault localization and program repair, have been studied for over a decade. However, the only existing connection between fault localization and program repair is that fault localization computes the potential buggy elements for program repair to patch. Recently, a pioneering work, ProFL, explored the idea of unified debugging to unify fault localization and program repair in the other direction for the first time to boost both areas. In this way, ProFL also extends the application scope of automated repair to all possible bugs (not only the small ratio of bugs that repair systems can automatically fix). However, ProFL only considers one program repair system, and it is not clear how other repair systems contribute to unified debugging. In this work, we perform an extensive study of the unified debugging approach on 16 state-of-the-art program repair systems for the first time. Our initial experimental results on the Defects4J benchmark reveal various practical guidelines for unified debugging, such as (1) nearly all 16 studied repair systems positively contribute to unified debugging despite their varying repair capabilities, (2) repair systems targeting multi-edit patches can bring extraneous noise, (3) repair systems with more executed/plausible patches tend to perform better, (4) unified debugging effectiveness does not rely on the availability of correct patches, and (5) we propose a new technique, UniDebug++, which localizes over 20% more bugs within Top-1 than state-of-the-art technique ProFL. Furthermore, we extend the above experiments to make the following additional contributions: we (6) further perform an extensive study on 76.3% additional bugs and confirm that UniDebug++ again outperforms ProFL by localizing 185 (out of 395) bugs within Top-1, (7) investigate the impact of 33 SBFL formulae and observe UniDebug++ consistently improving upon all formulae, (8) demonstrate that UniDebug++ can substantially boost state-of-the-art learning-based method-level fault localization techniques, (9) extend unified debugging to the statement level for first time and observe that UniDebug++ localizes 78 (out of 395) bugs within Top-1 and outperforms state-of-the-art learning-based fault localization techniques by 30%, and finally (10) propose a new technique, UniDebug+*, based on detailed patch statistics, to further improve upon UniDebug++.
How (not) to learn rhetoric: Lucian’s Rhetorum Praeceptor as rebuttal of a school exercise

A chreia attested in later sources shows enough points of similitarity with Lucian’s ironic tract on rhetorical education to suggest that he is assuming his readers’ knowledge of a particular school exercise.
Epidermal growth factor. Location of disulfide bonds.

The three disulfide bridges in epidermal growth factor have been identified by the isolation of three unique cystinyl peptides obtained by thermolytic digestion. The cysteic acid-containing peptide pairs derived from each of the cystinyl peptides were isolated. Their amino acid compositions were in agreement with those predicted from the known amino acid sequence of epidermal growth factor. The cysteinyl residues in positions 6 and 20, 14 and 31, and 33 and 42 were linked as disulfides in this 53 amino acid residue polypeptide.
Color Connotations and Racial Attitudes

The colors black and white have long carried opposite connotations. Black has connoted evil and disgrace, while white has connoted decency and purity (Gergen, 1967; Isaacs, 1963; Jordan, 1968; Podair, 1970). Where, as in the United States, colors have also designated racial groups, their connotations may well reinforce social norms pertaining to those groups. For example, norms describing Blacks as vile and immoral may be reinforced by the connotations of the color black. This article reports a recent survey of color connotations among Blacks and Whites, and raises issues which are crucial to the interpretation of color connotations research. Williams has been the principal investigator of the connotations of colors by which racial groups are designated.
Ants, Crops, and History

Humans pride themselves on their agricultural prowess, but some ants were ahead by about 50 million years. These ants are farmers of a specialized kind: They cultivate in their nests fungi that provide them with nutrients. In his Perspective, Diamond discusses results reported in the same issue by [ Mueller et al .][1], who screened a large variety of ant-cultivated fungi and sequenced the genes of several. The new data permit an insightful comparison of how humans and ants tend their respective gardens. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/281/5385/2034
Donald Wittman's The myth of democratic failure

The publisher's blurb promotes Wittman's book as a "provocative manifesto" which refutes one of the cornerstone beliefs of economics and political science: that economic markets are more efficient than the processes and institutions of democratic government. A "provocative manifesto" is precisely what it is, certainly not a balanced piece of scholarship that carefully weighs both theory and evidence before providing a well-balanced judgement. The publisher usefully might have added the epithet: caveat emptor. For Wittman's book is high class snake oil salesmanship, luring the incautious reader gently but inexorably into a virtual reality which is shockingly different, in important respects, from the Realpolitik that it purports to represent. Certainly, this book is a far cry from the meticulous scholarship and impeccable statistical analysis that University of Chicago Press publications have come to represent. When Wittman claims that democratic political markets are efficient, there is no pussyfooting with respect to the latter concept, no Stiglerian attempt to fudge between economic and political efficiency for example. For Wittman, efficiency means Pareto optimality (or rather, although he does not say it, Kaldor-Hicks-Scitovsky efficiency since compensation need not be paid) honed yet more sharply into wealth maximization in order to avoid ambiguities inherent in the concept of utility. In no sense will Wittman shield his manifesto behind the broad definition
Surface conductance measurements of adsorbed gases

The surface conductance of adsorbed water, carbon dioxide, and ammonia has been measured as a function of temperature using a triple-track test substrate. The individual pure gases were studied along with their mixtures. Adsorbed carbon dioxide or ammonia was found to have a negligible surface conductance, while adsorbed water exhibited an increase in conductance beginning at -25/spl deg/C. Mixtures of carbon dioxide and water exhibited essentially the same conductance as water by itself, while mixtures of ammonia and water exhibited a conductance 10/sup 4/ times larger than water between -40/spl deg/C and 0/spl deg/C. Mixtures of all three gases resulted in a relatively low conductance at lower temperatures (-100/spl deg/C to -50/spl deg/C). Corresponding pressure measurements indicated that vaporization was greatly suppressed in some cases, suggesting strong interaction between the adsorbed species. >
Blocking apoptosis prevents blindness in Drosophila retinal degeneration mutants.

Apoptosis is a gene-directed form of cell death that is essential for normal development and health. Yet abnormally high levels of apoptosis are linked to many degenerative diseases1. Some important biochemical events in apoptosis have been identified2, but the therapeutic utility of blocking cell death remains unclear. An important question in this regard is whether cells rescued from apoptosis can function. We have investigated the mechanism of cell death in two Drosophila mutant strains that exhibit age-related retinal degeneration. One of these mutations also occurs in humans, where it causes retinitis pigmentosa. We found that retinal cell death in rdgC and ninaERH27/+ flies occurred by apoptosis and was blocked by eye-specific expression of the baculoviral cell survival protein p35. Most importantly, the mutant flies expressing p35 showed significant retention of visual function. The results demonstrate a therapeutic benefit of late-stage inhibition of apoptosis to flies, and suggest that similar results may be obtained in higher organisms.
Biocompatible PEG‐Chitosan@Carbon Dots Hybrid Nanogels for Two‐Photon Fluorescence Imaging, Near‐Infrared Light/pH Dual‐Responsive Drug Carrier, and Synergistic Therapy

Stimuli-responsive nanogels have gained signifi cant progress because of their great potential for applications in intelligent drug delivery and other biomedical fi elds. [ 1–4 ] Recently, much attention has been focused on the integration of stimuli-responsive polymer nanogels with inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) to combine the biosensing or bioimaging ability with the controlled drug delivery function. [ 5–10 ] A key attribute of such responsive hybrid nanogels as drug delivery systems is their ability to regulate the drug release under specifi c environments or stimuli, which can signifi cantly improve the therapeutic effi cacy at pathological sites but reduce the systemic side effects. [ 11 ] Both endogenous and exogenous activations can be used to regulate the drug release from their carriers. [ 12–14 ] The endogenous activation can be realized by the variation of specifi c physiochemical characteristics of the pathological microenvironment. [ 15–17 ] For example, many pathological processes in tumor tissue and intracellular endosome/lysosome decrease the local pH by 1–2.5 pH units or increase the local temperature by 1–5 °C in comparison with that of blood and normal tissues. [ 18–20 ] On the other hand, the exogenous activation that can remotely control the drug release at a desired site and time is considered crucial to boost the drug effi cacy in cancer treatment while minimizing side effects. [ 21–26 ] Among all external stimuli including light and magnetic fi eld, near-infrared (NIR) light is the most favored for controlling the drug release due to its simple operation, low energy absorption, maximum penetration, and minimum side effects for human tissue and organs. [ 27,28 ] So far, nanostructured gold (Au) has been commonly integrated into the stimuli-responsive polymer nanogels to realize simultaneous NIR light-triggered drug release and cell imaging. [ 29–34 ] However, several disadvantages are associated with the noble metal NPs for their use in biomedical areas, including the Biocompatible PEG-Chitosan@Carbon Dots Hybrid Nanogels for Two-Photon Fluorescence Imaging, Near-Infrared Light/pH Dual-Responsive Drug Carrier, and Synergistic Therapy
Inductive/effector mechanisms for humoral immunity at mucosal sites.

Citation Wright PF. Inductive/effector mechanisms for humoral immunity at mucosal sites. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 65: 248–252 Problem Inductive and effector functions in the human mucosal immune system in relationship to protective immunity to HIV are poorly defined. Method of Study A broader review of vaccine-induced immunity in mucosal systems was undertaken. Results A series of questions are posed. The limited answers to the questions indicate our profound lack of knowledge of some of the broader issues of the induction of mucosal immunity. The questions posed include the following: Is there a common mucosal immune system? Is IgA the critical immunoglobulin class in mucosal protection? Will systemic administration of antigen stimulate mucosal immunity? Is there true sterilizing mucosal immunity? What is the duration of mucosal immunity? Conclusion The focus on mucosal immunity in HIV of this conference highlights recent remarkable advances in our understanding of the early events in HIV pathogenesis at the mucosal surface. This review identifies areas for further research.
Admission hypomagnesemia linked to septic shock in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

AbstractBackground: The association between admission serum magnesium (Mg) levels and risk of developing septic shock in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is limited. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of developing septic shock in hospitalized patients with SIRS with various admission Mg levels. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study conducted at a tertiary referral hospital. All hospitalized adult patients with SIRS at admission who had admission Mg available from January 2009 to December 2013 were analyzed in this study. Admission Mg was categorized based on its distribution into six groups ( 2.3 mg/dL). The primary outcome was septic shock occurring after hospital admission. Logistic regression analysis was performed to obtain the odds ratio (OR) of septic shock of various admission Mg levels using Mg with lowest incidence of shock, 2.1–2.3 mg/dL as the reference group. Results: Of 2589 patients with SIRS ...
Exacerbations in the pre- and post-COPD diagnosis periods.

PURPOSE Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is usually recognized in its later stages, delaying therapeutic opportunities. Screening questionnaires have modest sensitivities and specificities. Adding questions about prior respiratory events might improve screening characteristics. METHODS Using administrative data from all health care facilities in Olmsted County, Minnesota USA, we identified all adults with an initial diagnosis of COPD from 2005 through 2007. For each individual we identified all coded lower and upper respiratory events in the 2 years before and the 2 years after the COPD diagnosis and categorized them as probable or possible COPD exacerbations. RESULTS 356 women and 346 men (N = 702) with a mean age of 67.5 years and 66.6 years respectively had a first diagnosis of COPD during the study period. Respiratory events in the 2 years prior to a COPD diagnosis were common with a range of 0 to 16 events per individual and a mean (SD) of 2.04 (2.14), 1.38 (1.86) all of which were probable COPD exacerbations. Prediagnostic respiratory events were predictive of similar events in the post diagnostic period (odds ratio = 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3 to 1.8). CONCLUSION Inquiring about the number and type of upper or lower respiratory events in the 2 past years may be a useful addition to the "screening" criteria to improve COPD identification, especially those at risk of frequent exacerbations.
Daily stress increases risky decision‐making in adolescents: A preliminary study

Adolescence is characterized as a developmental period of risky decision-making. During this developmental window there is also a marked increase in actual and perceived stress. Acute stress increases risky decision-making in adults, but no research has examined this phenomenon in adolescents. In this study, an ecologically relevant approach was used to document daily self-reports of stress in adolescents and an emerging adult comparison group. Participants visited the laboratory twice: once each when they endorsed a high and low level of stress, where they performed a risky decision-making task and a response inhibition task. In both groups, participants showed greater risky decision-making under high (vs. low) stress conditions but no stress-related effects on response inhibition. The dissociation between decision-making and response inhibition under stress suggests that, across development, individuals show greater vulnerability to contextual influence in decision-making domains.
Heuristic Novelty and the Asymmetry Problem in Bayesian Confirmation Theory

Bayesian confirmation theory, as traditionally interpreted, treats the temporal relationship between the formulation of a hypothesis and the confirmation (or recognition) of evidence entailed by that hypothesis merely as a component of the psychology of discovery and acceptance of a hypothesis. The temporal order of these events is irrelevant to the logic of rational theory choice. A few years ago Richmond Campbell and Thomas Vinci offered a reinterpretation of Bayes' Theorem in defense of the view that the temporal relationship between hypothesis and evidence really does matter. More specifically, they advocated the thesis that successful predictions implied by scientific hypothesis H will increase the degree of confirmation of H only if they are novel predictions in the following sense; Evidence E is heuristically novel with respect to hypothesis H if and only if H was not deliberately designed to explain E (if E has already been corroborated) or in anticipation of E (if E is regarded as likely to be corroborated at some future date). Campbell and Vinci argue that the traditional interpretation of Bayes' Theorem misconstrues the significance of predictive novelty by ignoring heuristic novelty. In this paper I review the formal component of their preferred interpretation and demonstrate that it fails to establish that heuristic novelty has any special effect on theory confirmation. That is, even on their revisionist interpretation, regardless of whether H was deliberately designed to explain known evidence E (or in anticipation of suspected E), or whether H was designed without any awareness of the entailment relationship between H and E, Bayes' Theorem will generate the same epistemic probability for hypothesis H. Cases where new evidence was not foreseen at the time a hypothesis first emerged do not carry any more epistemic weight than they would have if such evidence had been foreseen.
Atrophin-1, the DRPLA gene product, interacts with two families of WW domain-containing proteins

Atrophin-1 contains a polyglutamine repeat, expansion of which is responsible for dentatorubral and pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA). The normal function of atrophin-1 is unknown. We have identified five atrophin-1 interacting proteins (AIPs) which bind to atrophin-1 in the vicinity of the polyglutamine tract using the yeast two-hybrid system. Four of the interactions were confirmed using in vitro binding assays. All five interactors contained multiple WW domains. Two are novel. The AIPs can be divided into two distinct classes. AIP1 and AIP3/WWP3 are MAGUK-like multidomain proteins containing a number of protein-protein interaction modules, namely a guanylate kinase-like region, two WW domains, and multiple PDZ domains. AIP2/WWP2, AIP4, and AIP5/WWP1 are highly homologous, each having four WW domains and a HECT domain characteristic of ubiquitin ligases. These interactors are similar to recently isolated huntingtin-interacting proteins, suggesting possible commonality of function between two proteins responsible for very similar diseases.
WEIGHT FUNCTIONS ON EXTENSIONS OF THE COMPOUND MANUAL

by PATRICIA J. FRAZER, DAVID J. FOULIS, and CHARLES H. RANDALL(Received 30 October, 1978)1. Introduction. It has been shown ([8], [2], [1], [3], [9]) that a collection of physicaloperations or experiments can be represented by a nonempty set of nonempty setssatisfying certain technical conditions. Such a set si is called a manual. The operations ind are looked at as having no "before" and no "after", i.e., they are isolated in time. If wewish to look at connected sequences of operations—in particular, if we wish to conditionby events in si—we must look at the compoun
Gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes

Numerous polyposis syndromes involve the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including both non-hereditary and hereditary types. Causative genes are now known for the seven major syndromes. Genetic and clinicopathologic features are reviewed here and cancer predisposition is emphasized. Genetic testing is available for the GI polyposis syndromes, and can be accessed through GeneTests-GeneClinics on the Internet at http://www.genetests.org/. The website is available at no cost and is a publicly funded medical genetics resource for health care providers and researchers.
Thermodynamics of hydrochloric acid in 1-propanol from e.m.f. measurements at 5 to 45 °C

The standard electromotive force of the cell: Pt | H 2 ( g , 1 atm ) | HCI ( m ) in 1 − propanol | AgCI | Ag has been determined at nine temperatures ranging from 5 to 45 °C. The standard e.m.f. E ° varied with Celsius temperature θ according to the equation: E ° / V = − 0.1200 − 15.874 × 10 − 4 ( θ / ° C − 25 ) − 6.529 ( θ / ° C − 25 ) 2 . The activity coefficients of hydrochloric acid, the primary medium effect, and the thermodynamic functions Δ G ° t , Δ H ° t , and Δ S ° t for the transfer of HCl from water to pure 1-propanol have been determined from the e.m.f. measurements. The molality of the acid ranged from 0.006 to 0.099 mol kg −1 . A large positive value for the Gibbs free energy of transfer suggests that the affinity of 1-propanol for HCl is less than that of water. The electrostatic contribution toward the total Gibbs free energy of transfer was evaluated on the basis of Born's electrostatic model and hence the chemical effect has been obtained by subtracting the electrostatic free energy from the total Gibbs free energy. At 25 °C the solvent has a dielectric constant of 20.1.
Lifetimes of electronically excited UF6 in the presence of inorganic quenchers

Abstract UF6 was excited at 3935 A by a nitrogen-laser-pumped dye laser and the lifetimes of *UF6 were determined in the presence of selected inorganic gases. The following low pressure quenching rate constants (units of 11011 l mol−1 s−1) were determined: oxygen, 1.0; helium, 0.0095; argon, 0.0097; hydrogen, 0.013; CO, 0.024; fluorine, 0.016; nitrogen, 0.018; SF6; 0.015. All the gases except oxygen at high pressures give *UF6 lifetimes much longer than those calculated from the low pressure rate constants. The lifetime behavior at high pressures is consistent with a mathematical formulation which predicts that the zero pressure value derived from a high pressure asymptotic extrapolation is independent of the chemical identity of the quenching gas.
One-year changes in glucose and heart disease risk factors among participants in the WISEWOMAN programme

AbstractBackground: WISEWOMAN provides chronic disease risk factor screening, referrals and lifestyle interventions to low-income, uninsured women, to reduce their heart disease and stroke risk. Participants learn behaviour-changing skills tailored to low-income populations, such as collaborative goal setting, the need to take small steps and other empowerment techniques.Aim: To quantify the baseline prevalence of pre-diabetes (fasting blood glucose 5.5–6.9 mmol/l) and diabetes among WISEWOMAN participants and assess one-year changes in glucose levels and other diabetes risk factors.Methods: We used 1998–2005 baseline and one-year follow-up data from WISEWOMAN participants. Using a multilevel regression model, we assessed one-year changes in glucose, blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol and 10-year risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) among participants with baseline pre-diabetes (n=688) or diabetes (n=338).Results: At baseline, 15% of participants had pre-diabetes and 10% had diabetes. Of those with di...
Telomere DNA recognition in Saccharomycotina yeast: potential lessons for the co-evolution of ssDNA and dsDNA-binding proteins and their target sites.

In principle, alterations in the telomere repeat sequence would be expected to disrupt the protective nucleoprotein complexes that confer stability to chromosome ends, and hence relatively rare events in evolution. Indeed, numerous organisms in diverse phyla share a canonical 6 bp telomere repeat unit (5’-TTAGGG-3’/5’-CCCTAA-3’), suggesting common descent from an ancestor that carries this particular repeat. All the more remarkable, then, are the extraordinarily divergent telomere sequences that populate the Saccharomycotina subphylum of budding yeast. These sequences are distinguished from the canonical telomere repeat in being long, occasionally degenerate, and frequently non-G/C-rich. Despite the divergent telomere repeat sequences, studies to date indicate that the same families of single-strand (ss) and double-strand (ds) telomere binding proteins (i.e., the Cdc13 and Rap1 families) are responsible for telomere protection in Saccharomycotina yeast. The recognition mechanisms of the protein family members therefore offer an informative paradigm for understanding the co-evolution of DNA-binding proteins and the cognate target sequences. Existing data suggest three potential, inter-related solutions to the DNA recognition problem: (i) duplication of the recognition protein and functional modification; (ii) combinatorial recognition of target site; and (iii) flexibility of the recognition surfaces of the DNA-binding proteins to adopt alternative conformations. Evidence in support of these solutions and the relevance of these solutions to other DNA-protein regulatory systems are discussed.
SemSUP: Design and implementation of semantic enhance social-aware user profile

This paper proposes a semantic enhance social-aware user profile to address the issues of capturing and modeling user information for personalized services and contents. We also identify design requirements for user-centric profile to enhance its applicability in different domains and usage scenarios. In addition, the paper also provides the refinement algorithm to confine the user profile to most recurrent preferences. We use a policy base approach to ensure user privacy and authorize sharing of profile information with third parties. We formally represent authorization policies by exploiting Semantic Web Rule Language. The paper also provides evaluation of the proposed ontology by comparing it with the selected existing user profile ontologies.
Accelerated Mammary Gland Development during Pregnancy and Delayed Postlactational Involution in Vitamin D3 Receptor Null Mice

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is present in mammary gland, and VDR ablation is associated with accelerated glandular development during puberty. VDR is a nuclear receptor whose ligand, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)(2)D] is generated after metabolic activation of vitamin D by specific vitamin D hydroxylases. In these studies, we demonstrate that both the VDR and the vitamin D 1-alpha hydroxylase (CYP27B1), which produces 1,25-(OH)(2)D are present in mammary gland and dynamically regulated during pregnancy, lactation, and involution. Furthermore, we show that mice lacking VDR exhibit accelerated lobuloalveolar development and premature casein expression during pregnancy and delayed postlactational involution compared with mice with functional VDR. The delay in mammary gland regression after weaning of VDR knockout mice is associated with impaired apoptosis as demonstrated by reductions in terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine nick-end labeling staining, caspase-3 activation and Bax induction. Under the conditions used in this study, VDR ablation was not associated with hypocalcemia, suggesting that altered mammary gland development in the absence of the VDR is not related to disturbances in calcium homeostasis. Furthermore, in the setting of normocalcemia, VDR ablation does not affect milk protein or calcium content. These studies suggest that the VDR contributes to mammary cell turnover during the reproductive cycle, and its effects may be mediated via both endocrine and autocrine signaling pathways. Unlike many mammary regulatory factors that exert transient, stage-specific effects, VDR signaling impacts on mammary gland biology during all phases of the reproductive cycle.
Vanity, fashion leadership, and self-consciousness among South Korean male and female college students

The purpose of this study was to compare vanity and self-consciousness between fashion leaders and fashion followers and genders among South Korean college students (280 women; 120 men; mean age=21.77) who completed scales measuring vanity, public self-consciousness, private self-consciousness and fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership. Women scored higher than men on vanity physical appearance concern, vanity physical appearance view, public self-consciousness and private self-consciousness. Fashion leaders scored higher than fashion followers on public self-consciousness, private self-consciousness and all four dimensions of vanity. Participants who scored high (vs. low) in public self-consciousness scored higher on all four dimensions of vanity. Similarly, participants who scored high (vs. low) in private self-consciousness scored higher on all four dimensions of vanity. The current research supported use of cultural values as a conceptual framework within which to investigate consumer behaviour...
Acute and longer term effects of meso-2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on the behavior of lead-exposed and control mice

We investigated the effect of chelating agent meso-2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on spatial learning and forced-swim immobility in Binghamton Heterogeneous Stock (HET) mice. Forced-swim immobility (characterized by increasingly frequent bouts of complete motionlessness in a forced-swim test, i.e., behavioral despair) is reduced by exposure to lead. In Experiment 1, male and female HETs (n = 81) were assigned to lead-exposed (0.5% lead acetate ad lib in drinking fluid), pair-fed (PF), or water control groups. Six weeks after the termination of lead exposure, half of each group was injected intraperitoneally (IP) with 50 mg/kg DMSA or vehicle once per day for 5 days. Following treatment, all animals were tested for acquisition and extinction in the Morris Water maze, followed by immobility testing in an inescapable forced-swim task. Neither Pb nor DMSA affected Morris maze performance. However, consistent with previously published work, Pb reduced immobility in the forced-water swim relative to both PF and water controls. Additionally, lead-exposed males, but not females, showed sustained improvement following DMSA treatment on immobility measures. Experiment 2 was designed to demonstrate the effect of the above DMSA protocol on blood-Pb, and also examined the immediate effects of DMSA on immobility during treatment. Thus, in Experiment 2, animals were exposed to an identical Pb and DMSA treatment protocol, but the effects of DMSA on immobility during the course of DMSA treatment were measured, and animals were sacrificed immediately after treatment so that blood-Pb measures could be taken. Under these circumstances, DMSA markedly reversed the lead-induced reduction in immobility immediately during the treatment phase. Although DMSA clearly reduced blood-lead in males, its influence on female blood levels was far less. Taken together, the data from these experiments suggest that DMSA ameliorates lead-induced immobility changes in mice, but that gender may modulate DMSA's effect on blood-lead and longer-term behavioral effects. However, further work is needed to clarify the role of gender in response to DMSA.