cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity in Definitions of High-risk Prostate Cancer and Varying Impact on Mortality Rates after Radical Prostatectomy

Abstract Background Multiple definitions of high-risk prostate cancer (PC) exist in clinical practice. Prior studies have primarily evaluated the variability in prediction of biochemical recurrence. Objective To examine the impact of different definitions on mortality after radical prostatectomy (RP). Design, setting, and participants Retrospective study of 6477 men with clinically localized disease undergoing RP at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis, MO, USA) and Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH, USA) between 1995 and 2007. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Seven pretreatment definitions of high-risk PC (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] ≥20 ng/ml, biopsy Gleason score 8–10, clinical stage ≥T2c, cT3, D’Amico definition, National Comprehensive Cancer Network definition, Kattan nomogram) were evaluated. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to generate unadjusted survival estimates. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models (controlling for age) were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for PC-specific mortality (PCSM) and overall mortality (OM) in the high-risk group compared to men with lower risk not meeting that definition. Results and limitations 6477 men were treated with RP from 1995 to 2007 and were followed for a median of 67 mo. Depending on the definition, patients with high-risk PC comprised between 0.7% (when using cT3 as the criterion) and 8.2% (when using the D’Amico criterion) of the population. The 10-yr PC survival estimates varied from 89.7% (PSA ≥20 ng/ml) to 69.7% (cT3) and overall survival ranged from 83.4% to 58.1%. On multivariable analysis, all high-risk definitions were associated with a higher risk of PCSM compared to lower risk (HR ranging from 4.38 for PSA ≥20 ng/ml to 19.97 for cT3; all p Conclusions Heterogeneity in outcomes existed, depending on the pretreatment definition of high-risk PC. Clinical stage T3 and Gleason score 8–10 were most strongly associated with PCSM and OM. Patient summary There is variability in prostate cancer outcomes after surgery, depending on the definition of pretreatment high-risk disease used. Clinical stage T3 and high Gleason score were most strongly associated with prostate cancer–specific mortality and overall mortality.
In Planta Bacterial Transcriptomics Predict Plant Disease Outcomes.

Plants are colonized by pathogenic and beneficial microbes. When pathogenic bacteria contact plant cells, bacterial gene expression changes, influencing disease development. The impact of host plant immunity on bacterial gene expression remains largely unexplored. Recent studies show how in planta bacterial transcriptomics methods can better define mechanisms of plant–microbe interactions.
What Engineers Do

Engineers deal with reality and usually have a set of specific problems that must be solved to achieve a goal. Engineering problems usually have more than one solution. It is the aim of the engineer to obtain the best solution possible with the resources available. Engineers are professionally responsible for the safety and performance of their designs. The objective is to solve a given problem with the simplest, safest, most efficient design possible, at the lowest cost. Engineering is obviously one of the applied sciences. The specific activities of the engineer cover a wide spectrum. They range from the role of a pure scientist to that of a sales or applications engineer who has more to do with people-oriented subjects such as psychology and economics. A very important aspect of engineering education is the development of communication skills. An important item, usually not treated in a formal way, is the development of a professional sense of responsibility. This includes the habit of getting jobs done on time with a reasonable degree of completeness and with emphasis on precision and a logical approach. The objective of this book is to paint a clear picture of the activities of the engineer including the nature of the special analytical subjects involved and how these are applied to the solution of real world problems.
Abnormalities in Anorexia Nervosa of Dexamethasone Suppression Test and Urinary MHPG Suggest a Norepinephrine Hypothesis

The illness of primary anorexia nervosa (PAN) has been considered from several etiological standpoints. Some authors have suggested that the syndrome is secondary to psychological conflicts within the patient or their family (Bruch, 1977; Minuchin et al., 1978), others that it is a psychosomatic disorder (Weiner, 1977) with multiple etiologies, and yet others have considered it as a primary hypothalamic disturbance (Vigersky and Anderson, 1977; Minuchin et al., 1978). There have been numerous studies and reviews (Walsh et al., 1978) showing endocrinological abnormalities related to hypothalamic dysfunction during the acute phase of AN, although there is controversy about whether the endocrinological changes precede or follow the behaviors of PAN. A large group of anorexic patients have not previously been studied with the two biochemical tests that are currently in widespread use in clinical and research psychiatry: the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and urine 3-methoxy-4-hydroxypenylglycol (MHPG).
Brain Mechanism in Music

Research into the relationship between musical abilities and the brain has benefited from a series of recent technical innovations. These have made possible two basic approaches: One involves the use of dichotic listening techniques and infers hemispheric specialization on the basis of comparing performance between the left and right ears. A second approach is to construct musical tasks which are similar to those in classical experimental psychology and where brain-behavioral correlates have been demonstrated in animal models. Thus by delineating similarities and differences in processing between musical and non-musical tasks, models or theories of brain function can be attempted.
Design Guidelines and Limitations of Multilayer Two-dimensional Vertical Tunneling FETs for UltraLow Power Logic Applications

New designs for vertical 2D-materials-based TFETs are proposed in this paper adopting asymmetric layer numbers for the top and bottom layer with undoped source/drain using Black Phosphorus as an example. The results show that abrupt turn-on and I on /I off > 105 can be sustained when the channel length is down to sub-5 nm. The results are benchmarked against other TFETs based on promising 2D materials homo-/hetero-structures, meanwhile, the limitations, as well as guidelines, are presented.
Transfemoral Venous Access Facilitates Upper Extremity Dialysis Interventions: Procedural Success and Clinical Outcomes.

To report technical success and clinical outcomes of transfemoral venous access for upper extremity dialysis interventions. A total of 15 patients underwent a transfemoral venous approach for fistulography (n = 4; 27%) or thrombectomy (n = 11; 73%) over a 14-month period. Access characteristics, sheath size, thrombectomy method, angioplasty site, fluoroscopy time, radiation dose, technical and clinical success, complications, and post-intervention primary and secondary patency rates were recorded. Access type included arteriovenous fistulas (n = 10; 67%) and grafts (n = 5; 33%). The most common configuration was brachio-brachial (n = 6; 38%). Mean age of access was 37 months. Mean prior interventions were 4. Right CFV access was used in all patients using 6–8-French (most common: 7-French [n = 10; 67%]) sheaths. Most thrombectomies (n = 11; 73%) required both pharmacologic and mechanical maceration (n = 9; 82%). All accesses required angioplasty to treat underlying stenosis at the outflow vein (n = 12; 80%) or arteriovenous anastomosis (n = 9; 90%). Mean fluoroscopy time was 26.43 min. Air kerma and dose area product were 178.06 ± 225.77 mGy and 57,768.83 ± 87,553.29 μGym2, respectively. Procedural and clinical success rates were 93% and 80%, respectively. Technical failure was due to persistent stenosis in one patient. Clinical failure was due to unsuccessful dialysis immediately following intervention in three patients. Mean post-intervention primary patency and secondary patency durations were 2.8 and 4.8 months, respectively. Primary patency rates at 1 and 3 months were 50% and 35%, respectively. Secondary patency rates at 1 and 3 months were 58% and 30%, respectively. A transfemoral venous approach for intervention of upper extremity dialysis accesses may be a valuable adjunct to traditional approaches.
PWM Plus Phase-Shift-Modulated Three-Port Three-Level Soft-Switching Converter Using GaN Switches for Photovoltaic Applications

Gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are a promising technology for high-efficiency and high-power density applications. In this paper, a stacked three-port three-level converter (STPTLC) using GaN switches is proposed for interfacing the renewable energy sources (RESs) with load for applications that the presence of energy storage device is necessary. Derived from the asymmetrical bidirectional half-bridge (ABHB) converter, the proposed converter presents valuable advantages in terms of simple control scheme, extended soft-switching over a wide range of operating conditions, and reduced voltage stress across switches. The soft-switching for all switches at turn-on instant is guaranteed, thanks to the active clamp configuration, resulting in the high-efficiency performance. The pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) plus phase-shift control technique paves the way for decoupled regulation of the output voltage and power by presenting two control freedoms, which allows the input voltage to vary in a wide range. To diminish the current stress of switches and minimize the conduction loss, the root-mean-square (rms) current of inductance and the boundary condition of the phase-shift controller in different operation cases are studied. Finally, the experimental results of a 1-kW, 100-kHz prototype of STPTLC using GaN switches are given to confirm the validity of the proposed concept.
Outcomes of resident-performed small incision cataract surgery in a university-based practice in the USA.

Purpose To assess outcomes of resident-performed small incision cataract surgery (SICS) at a single academic institute and to determine the availability of SICS-oriented educational resources in residency programs across the USA. Patients and methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients who underwent SICS performed by postgraduate year 4 residents between January 2014 and January 2018 at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. Postoperative visual acuity, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications were the main outcomes measured. In addition, a survey was administered to all ophthalmology residency program directors in the USA to assess the presence of SICS-related content in their surgical training curriculum. Results Twenty-two eyes of 17 patients underwent planned resident-performed SICS, mainly for white cataracts. Intraoperative complications occurred in two (9.1%) eyes. The most common postoperative complication was transient increased intraocular pressure (two eyes, 9.1%). Mean preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was approximately 20/4,000. The large majority (95.2%) of eyes experienced improved BCVA following SICS, with a mean postoperative BCVA of 20/138 over an average follow-up of 4.2 months. Forty-seven programs responded to the survey (40.1% response rate). Residents were trained in SICS in 66.7% of these programs. However, more than half of all the programs did not have SICS-oriented educational resources available for residents. Conclusion Resident-performed SICS was found to be a safe and effective technique for cataract management. Considering the limited surgical volume for SICS in the USA, training programs might instead consider implementing SICS-oriented content in their surgical curriculum, including wet labs.
Successful Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Chemotherapy Efficiency Initiative at a Community Hospital.

PURPOSE:Long wait times at chemotherapy infusion centers adversely affect patients’ perception of quality of care and result in patient dissatisfaction. We conducted a quality improvement initiativ...
Restructuring Italian (or Other Euro Area) Debt: Do Euro CACs Constrain or Expand the Options?

This paper examines the intersection between two fundamental attributes of Euro Area sovereign debt. The first is that sovereigns tend to issue bonds governed by their own law, which makes a debt restructuring comparatively easy. The second is the standardized collective action clause (CAC) mandated for most sovereign bonds by the treaty establishing the European Stability Mechanism. These Euro CACs let a bondholder supermajority approve a debt restructuring in a vote that binds dissenters. How Euro CACs interact with local law advantage is one of the central legal uncertainties affecting debt restructuring in the Euro Area. History teaches that borrower governments can easily restructure local-law debt. But this intuition co-exists with a widespread sense that Euro CACs make it harder for governments to exploit the benefits of local law. Using a hypothetical Italian debt restructuring as an example, this paper explains why Euro CACs do not, in fact, materially constrain a sovereign’s ability to change its local law to facilitate restructuring. Put simply: From a restructurer’s perspective, Euro CACs are the safe option, not the only one. A restructuring conducted via the CAC will leave no holdouts and will survive almost any legal challenge. But a sovereign that has issued local-law debt remains free to alter its law to facilitate restructuring, although it will encounter various legal constraints in doing so. These constraints, however, are not absolute; there is room for the prudent exercise of local law advantage. The paper closes by discussing implications for current reform efforts in the Euro Area, including efforts to revise the Euro CAC template.
Net Community Production, Dissolved Organic Carbon Accumulation, and Vertical Export in the Western North Atlantic

The annual North Atlantic phytoplankton bloom represents a hot spot of biological activity during which a significant fraction of net community production (NCP) can be partitioned into dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The fraction of seasonal NCP that is not respired by the heterotrophic bacterial community and accumulates as seasonal surplus DOC (∆DOC) in the surface layer represents DOC export to the upper mesopelagic zone, and in the North Atlantic this is facilitated by winter convective mixing that can extend to depths >400 m. However, estimates of ∆DOC and vertical DOC export for the western North Atlantic remain ill-constrained and the influence of phytoplankton community structure on the partitioning of seasonal NCP as ∆DOC is unresolved. Here, we couple hydrographic properties from autonomous in situ sensors (ARGO floats) with biogeochemical data from two meridional ship transects in the late spring (~ 44 – 56˚N along ~ -41˚W) and early autumn (~ 42 – 53˚N along ~ -41˚W) as part of the North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study (NAAMES). We estimate that 4 – 35% of seasonal NCP is partitioned as ∆DOC and that annual vertical DOC export ranges between 0.34 – 1.15 mol C m-2 in the temperate and subpolar North Atlantic. Two lines of evidence reveal that non-siliceous picophytoplankton, like Prochlorococcus, are indicator species of the conditions that control the accumulation of DOC and the partitioning of NCP as ∆DOC.
Work cognitions and work intentions: a canonical correlation study

Positive organizational science has emerged during the last two decades in multiple research fields. In support, two positive sets of measures, work cognitions and work intentions, have been develo...
On Compton Scattering Scenarios for Blazar Flares

The synchrotron reflection scenario recently proposed to explain γ-ray flares observed from blazar jets is studied. Our analysis takes into account the angular distribution of the beamed radiation, the finite extent of the scattering region, and light-travel-time effects. We compare energy densities and powers for synchrotron, synchrotron self-Compton, reflected synchrotron (RSy), and external Compton scattering processes. If the width of the scattering layer is much larger than ΓR'B, where Γ and R'B denote the bulk Lorentz factor and the comoving frame radius of the plasma blob, respectively, then the ratio of the RSy and synchrotron energy densities is ~4Γ3nBLRσTR'B, where nBLR is the mean particle density in the broad line region (BLR). Our results imply that Thomson-thick scattering regions of narrow extent must be present for the synchrotron reflection mechanism to operate effectively. This process seems unlikely to cause flares in lineless BL Lac sources, where X-ray and TeV flares are common and the BLR is thought to be weak or absent. We sketch time profiles of flares for various scenarios.
Development of an Online Experimental History of Menswear Course

Feedback from students enrolled in a survey course on twentieth-century fashion prompted the development of an online history of menswear course. These students expressed disappointment that they were not learning as much about men's apparel as they were about women's clothing. The course has three main objectives: a) to cover important changes in European and American menswear from the Renaissance to the present, including special topics such as dandyism and subcultural styles; b) to situate men's dress in the social, cultural, political, economic, environmental, and technological contexts of the Western world; and c) whenever possible to urge critical thinking about dominant narratives in history, and how the experiences of those communities who have been marginalized may differ. The addition of this course to the program offerings responds to trends in the scholarship and business of fashion, and also addresses the lack of gender inclusion within the current course curriculum.
Academics’ Entrepreneurship Propensities and Gender Differences

Using survey data from a large public research organization, this study examines entrepreneurship propensities of academic researchers, focusing on gender differences. Although sample means of female and male propensities toward entrepreneurship are fairly similar, regression estimates show significant gender differences in the association of several factors with propensities to start businesses. In particular, prior record of researchers’ patenting and institutional leadership promote tendencies towards entrepreneurship among male researchers, but not among female researchers. Also, unlike the male scientists, doctoral degrees and preference for open access of research results do not significantly influence the entrepreneurial attitudes of female researchers. The results for the full sample are similar to those for the male sub-sample, with a negative coefficient on the variable identifying females.
Immortal Time Bias in the Analysis of Time-to-Event Data in Orthopedics.

Abstract Many outcomes in arthroplasty research are analyzed as time-to-event outcomes using survival analysis methods. When comparison groups are defined after a time-delayed exposure or intervention, a period of immortal time arises and can lead to biased results. In orthopedics research, immortal time bias often arises when a minimum amount of follow-up is required for study inclusion or when comparing outcomes in staged bilateral vs unilateral arthroplasty patients. We present an explanation of immortal time and the associated bias, describe how to correctly account for it using proper data preparation and statistical techniques, and provide an illustrative example using real-world arthroplasty data. We offer practical guidelines for identifying and properly handling immortal time to avoid bias. Please visit the following https://youtu.be/58p8w5o-ci4 for a video that explains the highlights of the paper in practical terms.
Role-Redefining Reforms

Scholars across a range of disciplines have examined why successful reform remains so elusive in the public sector, yet these views often overlook or underestimate the inherently social and emotion...
Substrate ubiquitination retains misfolded membrane proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum for degradation

To maintain secretory pathway fidelity, misfolded proteins are commonly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and selected for ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Soluble misfolded proteins use ER chaperones for retention, but the machinery that restricts aberrant membrane proteins to the ER is unclear. In fact, some misfolded membrane proteins escape the ER and traffic to the lysosome/vacuole. To this end, we describe a model substrate, SZ∗, that contains an ER export signal but is also targeted for ERAD. We observe decreased ER retention when chaperone-dependent SZ∗ ubiquitination is compromised. In addition, appending a linear tetra-ubiquitin motif onto SZ∗ overrides ER export. By screening known ubiquitin-binding proteins, we then positively correlate SZ∗ retention with Ubx2 binding. Deletion of Ubx2 also inhibits the retention of another misfolded membrane protein. Our results indicate that polyubiquitination is sufficient to retain misfolded membrane proteins in the ER prior to ERAD.
Collective Dynamics in the Vicsek and Vectorial Network Models Beyond Uniform Additive Noise

In this work, we analyze the coordination of interacting individuals in two nonlinear dynamical models that are subject to a new form of noise. Specifically, we propose extensions both to the classical Vicsek model, whereby each individual averages the orientation of its geographically proximal neighbors, and to the vectorial network model, in which the selection of neighbors is random and independent of the group geometric configuration. In the traditional forms of these models, the update rule for the individuals’ orientations is affected by additive uniform noise. Motivated by biological groups in which individuals’ turn rates exhibit sporadic and large changes, we extend the uniform additive noise model to a turn rate stochastic process. Through comprehensive numerical simulations, we demonstrate the impact of such occasional large deviations (intensity and frequency), along with the role of the neighbors’ selection process, on the coordination of the group. In addition, we establish a closed-form expression for the group polarization for the vectorial network model in the vicinity of an ordered state.
The Nightmare and the Noble Dream: Hart and Honoré on Causation and Responsibility

In Causation in the Law (1959), Hebert Hart and Tony Honore attempted to set forth a set of allegedly causal principles, supposedly deeply embedded in ordinary thought, for identifying causes and attributing legal responsibility. This attempt is quite puzzling given the remarkable contradiction between its premises and the strict positivist theory of law that Hart was simultaneously engaged in elaborating and defending, which insists on the lack of any necessary connection between law and morality. What accounts for this remarkable contradiction? I believe that it was generated by Hart’s attempt, in both Causation in the Law and his writings on legal positivism, to defend law and legal reasoning against the rule skepticism and legal nihilism that he (erroneously) attributed to the American legal realists. Hart initially rejected the argument, which he described as a noble dream (but later partially accepted), that the nightmare of legal nihilism could be avoided or reduced by resort to the purposes or principles that underlie legal rules and judicial decisions. He instead attempted to apply his own version of the noble dream in Causation in the Law. As a recent and devout convert to J.L. Austin’s “ordinary language analysis” approach to philosophy, he hoped to rebut the claims of the legal nihilists by identifying and articulating, through analysis of ordinary language as employed in and outside the law, “common sense” principles of causation embedded in ordinary thought that encompass not only the issue of natural causation but also attributions of legal responsibility. The abject failure of this attempt was clearly perceived by philosophers and no doubt lead to the rapid decline of ordinary language philosophy. Unfortunately, it was not perceived by many in the legal community, but rather continues to engender confusion regarding the concept of causation and its relation to moral and legal responsibility.
Classroom clickers offer more than repetition: Converging evidence for the testing effect and confirmatory feedback in clicker-assisted learning

The present study used a methodology that controlled subject and item effects in a live classroom to demonstrate the efficacy of classroom clicker use for factual knowledge acquisition, and to explore the cognition underlying clicker learning effects. Specifically, we sought to rule out repetition as the underlying reason for clicker learning effects by capitalizing on a common cognitive phenomenon, the spacing effect. Because the spacing effect is a robust phenomenon that occurs when repetition is used to enhance memory, we proposed that spacing lecture content and clicker questions would improve retention if repetition is the root of clicker-enhanced memory. In experiment 1 we found that the spacing effect did not occur with clicker use. That is, students performed equally on clicker-targeted exam questions regardless of whether the clicker questions were presented immediately after presentation of the information during lecture or after a delay of several days. Experiment 2 provided a more direct test of repetition, comparing test performance after clicker use with performance after a second presentation of the relevant material. Clicker questions promoted significantly higher performance on test questions than repetition of the targeted material. Thus, the present experiments failed to support repetition as the mechanism driving clicker effects. Further analyses support the testing effect and confirmatory feedback as the mechanisms through which clickers enhance student performance. The results indicate that clickers offer the possibility of real cognitive change in the classroom.
Transport of coenzyme M (2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid) and methylcoenzyme M [(2-methylthio)ethanesulfonic acid] in Methanococcus voltae: identification of specific and general uptake systems

A transport system for coenzyme M (2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid [HS-CoM]) and methylcoenzyme M [(2-(methylthio)ethanesulfonic acid (CH3-S-CoM)] in Methanococcus voltae required energy, showed saturation kinetics, and concentrated both forms of coenzyme M against a concentration gradient. Transport required hydrogen and carbon dioxide for maximal uptake. CH3-S-CoM uptake was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and monensin. Both HS-CoM and CH3-S-CoM uptake showed sodium dependence. In wild-type M. voltae, HS-CoM uptake was concentration dependent, with a Vmax of 960 pmol/min per mg of protein and an apparent Km of 61 microM. Uptake of CH3-S-CoM showed a Vmax of 88 pmol/min per mg of protein and a Km of 53 microM. A mutant of M. voltae resistant to the coenzyme M analog 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid (BES) showed no uptake of CH3-S-CoM but accumulated HS-CoM at the wild-type rate. While the higher-affinity uptake system was specific for HS-CoM, the lower-affinity system mediated uptake of HS-CoM, CH3-S-CoM, and BES. Analysis of the intracellular coenzyme M pools in metabolizing cells showed an intracellular HS-CoM concentration of 14.8 mM and CH3-S-CoM concentration of 0.21 mM.
Resistance of Vaccinated Mice to Typical and Atypical Strains of Coccidioides immitis

In earlier reports, it was shown that mice and monkeys could be immunized against otherwise lethal challenge doses of Coccidioides immitis arthrospores. The vaccine was composed of Formalin-killed, in vitro grown, endosporulating spherules of C. immitis strain Silveira. In this study, mice were immunized as in the earlier work and then challenged intranasally with arthrospores from seven heterologous strains of C. immitis. Two of these strains were typical of the species, and five were atypical with respect to their cultural characteristics and morphology of microscopic structures. The vaccinated animals were well protected against challenge doses that were lethal to a majority of the control animals, regardless of the strain of fungus employed. The infection ratios among surviving vaccinated and control animals were comparable, but demonstrable lesions were generally smaller and less numerous in the vaccinated groups. It is suggested that these strains are at least immunogenically similar, although not necessarily identical, and that a vaccine prepared from a single strain of C. immitis would be practical for an immunization program.
Quantitative SPECT techniques.

Quantitative imaging involves first, a set of measurements that characterize an image. There are several variations of technique, but the basic measurements that are used for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion images are reasonably standardized. Quantification currently provides only relative tracer activity within the myocardial regions defined by an individual SPECT acquisition. Absolute quantification is still a work in progress. Quantitative comparison of absolute changes in tracer uptake comparing a stress and rest study or preintervention and postintervention study would be useful and could be done, but most commercial systems do not maintain the data normalization that is necessary for this. Measurements of regional and global function are now possible with electrocardiography (ECG) gating, and this provides clinically useful adjunctive data. Techniques for measuring ventricular function are evolving and promise to provide clinically useful accuracy. The computer can classify images as normal or abnormal by comparison with a normal database. The criteria for this classification involve more than just checking the normal limits. the images should be analyzed to measure how far they deviate from normal, and this information can be used in conjunction with pretest likelihood to indicate the level of statistical certainty that an individual patient has a true positive or true negative test. The interface between the computer and the clinician interpreter is an important part of the process. Especially when both perfusion and function are being determined, the ability of the interpreter to correctly assimilate the data is essential to the use of the quantitative process. As we become more facile with performing and recording objective measurements, the significance of the measurements in terms of risk evaluation, viability assessment, and outcome should be continually enhanced.
Impedance of a Coil in the Vicinity of a Crack.

In the design of electromagnetic NDE systems for the detection and examination of cracks and other defects in conducting materials, it is desirable to have a quantitative description of the fields in the vicinity of the defect. In previous work by this author and co-workers [1,2], the fields in the vicinity of a crack were calculated for models based on excitation by a spatially uniform applied field, as in the interior of a solenoid. The present work reports on an improved model which includes non-uniformity of the field of the exciting coil and the effects of coil size and position relative to the crack.
Identification of peptide synthetase-encoding genes from filamentous fungi producing host-selective phytotoxins or analogs

Race 1 of Cochliobolus carbonum (Cc) makes a cyclic tetrapeptide, HC-toxin, that is necessary for its virulence on certain genotypes of maize. The synthesis of HC-toxin is catalyzed by a 570-kDa multifunctional enzyme, HC-toxin synthetase (HTS). The gene encoding HTS (HTS1) is absent from other races of Cc and from other species of Cochliobolus. Four other unrelated filamentous fungi make cyclic peptides closely related to HC-toxin, raising the possibility that the corresponding cyclic peptide synthetase (CPS)-encoding genes have moved between these fungi by horizontal gene transfer. Degenerate PCR primers were designed based on several highly conserved amino acid (aa) motifs common to known CPS domains and used to amplify genomic sequences from different fungi. PCR products representing CPS genes from Diheterospora chlamydosporia, which makes the HC-toxin analog chlamydocin, Cylindrocladium macrosporum, which makes the analog Cyl-2, and C. victoriae, which makes the unrelated cyclic pentapeptide victorin, were cloned and analysed. Their sequences are more related to HTS1 than to other cloned CPS, but the percent aa identity is not consistent with very recent horizontal movement of these genes.
Nonphotic stimuli alter a day-night rhythm of allograft rejection in gulf killifish.

Abstract The influence of environmental stimuli on a daily rhythm of immune activity during scale allograft rejection was investigated in gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis. Although melanophore destruction in the grafts is largely restricted to the scotophases in killifish held on 12 h daily phoperiods (LD 12:12), timed daily netting (tank-transfer “stress”), thermoperiods (from 20° to 30°C for 4 or 12 h), and feeding altered the expression of this rhythm. Melanophore breakdown peaked 0–12 h after netting or thermoperiod onset and 12–24 h after feeding, whether the fish were exposed to these nonphotic daily stimuli at the onset or offset of 12-h photoperiods. In fish held under continuous light and pretreated with these daily stimuli, 24-h immune activity rhythms persisted in the altered phases for several days after the daily treatments were stopped. These findings suggest that a daily rhythm of immune activity may have adaptive significance in fish.
Viscosity and glass temperature relations for polymer-diluent systems

Expressions are derived from free volume considerations which predict the concentration dependence of viscosity and glass temperature for polymer-diluent systems. Experimental data for several systems were examined and general agreement with theory was found over broad ranges of concentration. Particular emphasis is placed on the limited amount of information required for the application of these expressions to describe the viscous properties of polymer-diluent systems.
Dispersion by Pseudomonas aeruginosa requires an unusual posttranslational modification of BdlA

Dispersion enables biofilm bacteria to transit from the biofilm to the planktonic growth state and to spawn novel communities in new locales. Although the chemotaxis protein BdlA plays a role in the dispersion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in response to environmental cues, little is known about regulation of BdlA activity or how BdlA modulates the dispersion response. Here, we demonstrate that BdlA in its native form is inactive and is activated upon nonprocessive proteolysis at a ClpP-protease-like cleavage site located between the Per Arnt Sim (PAS) sensory domains PASa and PASb. Activation of BdlA to enable biofilm dispersion requires phosphorylation at tyrosine-238 as a signal, elevated c-di-GMP levels, the chaperone ClpD, and the protease ClpP. The resulting truncated BdlA polypeptide chains directly interact and are required for P. aeruginosa biofilms to disperse. Our results provide a basis for understanding the mechanism of biofilm dispersion that may be applicable to a large number of biofilm-forming pathogenic species. Insights into the mechanism of BdlA function have implications for the control of biofilm-related infections.
Evaluation of Time in Therapeutic Range on Warfarin Therapy Between Face-to-Face and Telephone Follow-Up in a VA Medical Center:

Background: Few studies have evaluated percent time in therapeutic range (TTR) for warfarin managed via face-to-face (FF) to telephone (TELE) visits—all finding no difference between groups. Objective: Compare and evaluate TTR for warfarin in patients who received pharmacist-managed care via FF or TELE. Methods: Single-center, retrospective study. Eligible participants were ≥18 years old, on indefinite warfarin therapy, followed by clinical pharmacists via FF or TELE from 2010 to 2012. Primary outcome (TTR) calculated via Rosendaal method. Event data included rates of any bleeding, significant bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular accident, hospitalizations, and death. Clinics were also compared by location. Results: Two hundred subjects (90 FF and 110 TELE) were included. Mean TTR was 68.17% and 69.57% in FF and TELE groups, respectively. The FF group had statistically significant higher rates of any bleeding (48.9% vs 30.9%). Rates of significant bleeding in FF versus TELE ...
Formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxyuridine in hepatic DNA of rats treated with γ-irradiation, diethylnitrosamine, 2-acetylaminofluorene or the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate

The peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate was tested for its ability to induce DNA damage in the form of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdU), an adduct that results from the reaction of thymine in DNA with hydroxyl radicals. In order to quantify HMdU, DNA containing [3H]thymidine of high specific activity had to be obtained. Since hepatocytes normally have a very low rate of DNA synthesis, rats were subjected to partial hepatectomy to stimulate DNA synthesis and then were administered [methyl-3H]thymidine by three p.o., i.p. or i.v. injections 20, 22 and 24 h after partial hepatectomy; or by slow infusion through the portal vein, starting 20 h after partial hepatectomy for 4 h. The specific activity of DNA in rats receiving [3H]thymidine through the portal vein was considerably higher than in rats receiving p.o., i.p. or i.v. injections. Rats were then exposed to various doses of gamma-irradiation after partial hepatectomy and infusion of [6-3H]thymidine through the portal vein. DNA from the liver was extracted, enzymatically hydrolyzed and analyzed by HPLC. The percentage of HMdU in DNA increased in a dose-dependent manner. Rats were then treated with the carcinogens 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) or diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in conjunction with partial hepatectomy and infusion of [methyl-3H]thymidine. There was an increase in HMdU formation after a single administration of DEN or AAF. Another group of rats was fed a diet containing the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate for 3 weeks. After partial hepatectomy and infusion of [6-3H]thymidine, these rats were fed the same ciprofibrate-containing diet for 2-4 more weeks. HMdU was detected in DNA at 2-4 weeks after [6-3H]thymidine infusion, but the level at 4 weeks was nearly 50% less than at 2 weeks. This study shows that oxidative DNA damage in the form of HMdU is induced in the liver by gamma-irradiation, DEN, AAF and peroxisome proliferation.
Tumor cell recognition by natural killer cells

Natural killer (NK) cells contribute to the immune defense against cancer and viruses. Tumor cells and infected cells that downregulate the HLA class I antigen expression are targets for NK cell responses because NK cell activation is controlled by a repertoire of inhibitory receptors with different HLA class I specificities. The clonal distribution of these inhibitory receptors permits NK cell recognition of target cells that have lost expression of a single HLA-B or HLA-C allotype. Several activation receptors on NK cells have been identified that contribute to tumor cell recognition. One such receptor, NKG2D, is expressed by all NK cells and binds to inducible ligands on tumor cells.
Better Off Than You Might Think: Russia Is Not a Basket Case

W ith a range of collaborators, Anders Aslund and Andrew Kuchins have written a very fair-minded and penetrating analysis of the Russian political economy. Published by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, The Russia Balance Sheet is a follow up to the very successful 2006 book China: The Balance Sheet.1 As its predecessor did for China, The Russia Balance Sheet seeks to identify the underlying strengths and weaknesses of the unique political-economic model that has emerged in Russia over the past decade-plus and then offers a strategy to U.S. policymakers now seeking to re-conceptualize Washington’s relationship with Moscow. The book’s timing is particularly fortunate, being published in the early spring of 2009 when Russia was suffering through the worst part of the global economic crisis. The book’s focus on Russia’s strengths is especially welcome, because popular portrayals of the country too often emphasize the negative: social decay, corruption, repressive politics, and an aggressive foreign policy. The Russia Balance Sheet makes the case that, with the exception of corruption, many of these stereotypes ought to be tempered by a longer perspective and a broader comparative lens. As Aslund and Kuchins emphasize, Russia in many ways is better off than most middle income countries, including its putative partners among the BRIC economies (Brazil, India, and China), all of whose citizens have a much lower median income level and less access to education than their Russian counterparts. Moreover, Russia lacks the desperate poverty of the Brazilian favelas (shanty towns) or the slums of Mumbai. Russia is also more economically open than it is often given credit for being (p. 77).2 At least until the onset of the current crisis, Russian economic policy was generally conservative, with the oil wealth sequestered in a sovereign wealth fund designed both to insure against a downturn and to prevent the influx of money from setting off inflation.
Phase II Clinical Trial Data with the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Erlotinib (OSI-774) in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Erlotinib (OSI-774; Tarceva) is an orally available, highly specific epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The results of 3 phase II studies with erlotinib in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are reviewed herein: (1) in patients with chemotherapy-resistant, HER1/EGFR-expressing NSCLC of all histologies, (2) in patients with bronchoalveolar carcinoma previously untreated or treated with chemotherapy, and (3) as first-line therapy in elderly patients with NSCLC of all histologies. These studies have evaluated tumor response, survival, and symptom improvement. Erlotinib was given as an oral, continuous daily dose of 150 mg. The drug was well tolerated; drug-related cutaneous rash and diarrhea were observed in approximately two thirds of patients. Withdrawals caused by toxicity were rare. The response rates were 12.3%, 25%, and 13.3%, respectively. Mature survival data are available for the first trial. The median survival was 8.4 months, and the 1-year survival rate was 40%. All responding patients in the first and second trials presented skin rash. In addition, survival correlated with the occurrence and severity of rash in the first trial. No data on the correlation between rash and survival are available for the second and third trials. Erlotinib is active and well tolerated in patients with NSCLC as first- and second-line therapy. Cutaneous rash appears to be a surrogate marker of clinical benefit, but this finding needs to be confirmed in ongoing and future studies.
Optimum two level fractional factorial plans for model identification and discrimination

Model identification and discrimination are two major statistical challenges. In this paper we consider a set of models Mk for factorial experiments with the parameters representing the general mean, main effects, and only k out of all two-factor interactions. We consider the class D of all fractional factorial plans with the same number of runs having the ability to identify all the models in Mk, i.e., the full estimation capacity.The fractional factorial plans in D with the full estimation capacity for k ≥ 2 are able to discriminate between models in Mu for u ≤ k*, where k* = (k/2) when k is even, k* = ((k - 1)/2) when k is odd. We obtain fractional factorial plans in D satisfying the six optimality criterion functions AD, AT, AMCR, GD, GT, and GMCR for 2m factorial experiments when m = 4 and 5. Both single stage and multi-stage (hierarchical) designs are given. Some results on estimation capacity of a fractional factorial plan for identifying models in MK are also given. Our designs D4.1 and D10 stand out in their performances relative to the designs given in Li and Nachtsheim [Model-robust factorial designs, Technometrics 42(4) (2000) 345-352.] for m = 4 and 5 with respect to the criterion functions AD, AT, AMCR, GD, GT, and GMCR. Our design D4.2 stands out in its performance relative the Li-Nachtsheim design for m = 4 with respect to the four criterion functions AT, AMCR, GT, and GMCR. However, the Li-Nachtsheim design for m = 4 stands out in its performance relative to our design D4.2 with respect to the criterion functions AD and GD. Our design D14 does have the full estimation capacity for k = 5 but the twelve run Li-Nachtsheim design does not have the full estimation capacity for k = 5.
The Distribution of Basic Emotions in Everyday Life: A State and Trait Perspective from Experience Sampling Data

Abstract We examine emotions in the ongoing daily lives of our research participants using an Experience Sampling Methodology. Participants report three times per day for a month on how much they are experiencing various basic emotions. Positive emotions clearly dominated our participants' experience, with mean intensities and frequencies that greatly exceeded the negative emotions. In terms of blends, anger and sadness, and anger and disgust correlated at high levels. Finally, a discrete emotions model fit the data for emotion states, but a dimensional model appeared more appropriate for portraying emotion traits.
Evidence that enteric neurons may derive from the sympathoadrenal lineage.

The first neurons that differentiate in the embryonic foregut of mammals transiently express catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes and accumulate catecholamine. Since this transmitter is found predominantly in cells of the sympathoadrenal (SA) lineage, it has been suggested that enteric and sympathetic neurons may derive from the same progenitor. Enteric neurons would then lose the catecholamine phenotype during further development, as the two lineages diverge. We have further investigated this possibility using the SA1 monoclonal antibody that binds selectively to SA progenitor cells in the embryonic rat. We find that SA1 binds to the tyrosine hydroxylase^+, neurofilament^+, and SCG10^+ cells of the Embryonic Day 14.5 (E14.5) rat foregut. We also find that a marker for later neuronal differentiation in the SA lineage, B2, also appears in the myenteric plexus concomitant with the loss of SA1 staining. Thus, at least some enteric neuronal precursors may exhibit the SA1 → B2 antigenic switch previously observed in developing sympathetic neurons at E14.5. SA1 staining in the foregut partially overlaps with staining for neuropeptide Y, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and serotonin. These results support the hypothesis that enteric and sympathetic neurons derive from a common progenitor and that as the markers for the SA lineage are down-regulated, the many types of enteric neurons begin to differentiate.