cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
385 PREDICTORS OF OSTEOPOROSIS KNOWLEDGE IN WOMEN OVER 65.

Background More than 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures occur in the United States each year, and half of all postmenopausal women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime. Despite the significant morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporosis, adherence to screening guidelines is low. The purpose of this report was to determine characteristics associated with better osteoporosis knowledge in women over 65 years old. Methods Women were recruited from internal medicine clinics as part of a multisite study examining the effect of patient and physician education on osteoporosis screening rates. Women were eligible to participate if they were age 65 years or older and had been seen in the clinic at least once in the previous 2 years and were excluded if they were acutely ill, cognitively impaired, or in a hospice program. Participants completed a questionnaire, which included demographic questions and 28 items testing their knowledge of osteoporosis and its risk factors. An osteoporosis knowledge score was calculated for each respondent by assigning 1 point for each correct answer and 0 points for an incorrect answer or an answer of “don9t know.” Results The preliminary results from 137 women with a mean age of 74.5 (SD 6.35) are presented. Fifty-four percent of women were African American and 44% were white. The mean osteoporosis knowledge score was 15.6 (SD 6.45) of a possible 28. A higher knowledge score was significantly associated with higher education level (R = .35, p = .0001), income (R = .31, p = .0006), white race [mean 16.8 (SD 5.73) vs 14.4 (SD 6.81), p = .0323], and a personal history of osteoporosis [mean 17.8 (SD 5.47) vs 14.7 (SD 6.57), p = .0138] and was inversely associated with age (R = −.20, p = .0266). Additionally, women reporting that their doctor had talked to them about protecting their bones had significantly higher scores [mean 17.1 (SD 5.75) vs 14.0 (SD 6.78), p = .0072]. There was no association with a family history of osteoporosis or a history of broken bones in the last 10 years (p > .05). Conclusions The findings suggest that women at risk of osteoporosis have limited knowledge about osteoporosis and its risk factors. Further research is needed into optimal strategies for improving women9s osteoporosis knowledge, particularly in African American, low-income, and less educated women. The results suggest that education provided by a physician may be an important component of any such strategy.
Association of Neonatologist Continuity of Care and Short-Term Patient Outcomes.

Objectives To describe neonatologist continuity of care and estimate the association between these transitions and selected patient outcomes. Study design We linked Children's Hospitals Neonatal Database records with masked neonatologist daily schedules at 4 centers, which use 2- and 3-week and 1-month “on service” blocks to provide care. After describing the neonatologist transitions, we estimated associations between these transitions and selected short-term patient outcomes using multivariable Poisson, logistic, and linear regression analyses, independent of length of stay (LOS) and case-mix. We also completed analyses after stratifying the cohort by LOS, birthweight, age at admission categories, and selected diagnoses. Results Stratified by LOS, patient transitions varied between centers in both unadjusted (P Conclusions Transitions in neonatologists are frequent in regional neonatal intensive care units but appear unrelated to short-term patient outcomes. Future work to define continuity of care and develop effective strategies that promote longitudinal inpatient management is needed.
REDUCING ELECTROSURGICAL HAZARDS FOR TRANSURETHRAL RESECTIONS

This paper discusses electrosurgical hazards which may be present during transurethral resection (TUR) procedures. The causes of these hazards are examined and procedures are suggested for minimizing them. Additionally, two items to provide increased protection to both the urologist and the patient are discussed: a protective shroud for the resectoscope and a hazard monitor to detect excessive r.f. and d.c. potentials on the resectoscope frame.
Shareholder investment horizons and bank debt financing

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of institutional shareholder investment horizons on a firm's use of bank debt. We find that short-term institutional ownership of the borrowing firm has a negative effect on bank debt financing. This finding provides evidence consistent with the monitoring avoidance incentives of short-term shareholders. In contrast, long-term institutional ownership has a positive impact on the firm's reliance on bank debt financing. These effects are attenuated by higher managerial ownership and more motivated investors and are exacerbated by higher information opacity. Our results are robust to potential endogeneity concerns, the potential use of bonds, firm size effects, and alternative measures of investment horizon. Investigating the effects of investment horizons on other aspects of debt corroborates our main findings.
125 Emergency medical response to US sports injuries: patients, places, and procedures

Statement of Purpose Emergency medical services (EMS) often respond to injuries sustained during sports. Characterizing such incidents can help schools/organizations and EMS agencies anticipate sports-related pre-hospital care needs, and coordinate their responses. Methods/Approach We identified EMS runs associated with team sports (ICD-10 activity code Y93.6x), to a school, athletic field, or another athletic facility, using National Emergency Medical Services Information System 2017 data. We characterized incidents by patient characteristics, incident location, and pre-hospital medical procedures; we used ICD-10 diagnosis codes and SNOMED procedure codes. Results Of 1107 EMS runs identified, the median patient age was 17 years (interquartile range 14–29), 29.5% of patients were female, and 46.7% were white. The most common locations were athletic fields (517 incidents, 46.7%) and schools (330, 29.8%). Initial diagnoses were non-specific: the most common primary symptom was ‘pain, unspecified’ (34.7%), and the most common primary impression was ‘injury, unspecified’ (53.7%). Of 1656 procedures recorded, 287 (17.3%) were conducted prior to EMS arrival. The most common pre-EMS procedure was splinting (32.4% of pre-EMS procedures), and the most common EMS procedures were gaining intravenous access (33.7%) and electrocardiographic monitoring (22.6%). Conclusions The vast majority of sports-related EMS responses were for teens and young adults, at known athletic venues, for musculoskeletal injuries and pain. Pre-EMS care often focused on stabilizing the injury, while EMS care often involved advanced assessment and pain relief/fluid administration. National EMS data, while informative, often lacked diagnostic detail, and the specific type of athletic facility; combining EMS data with hospital diagnoses, when available, would enable greater precision. Significance and Contributions to Injury and Violence Prevention Science Characterizing sports-related EMS responses allows organizations with responsibility for athlete health and safety to train and equip on-scene responders, and to coordinate responses to take advantage of the complementary skill sets of on-scene and EMS responders.
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) inhibition to increase muscle mass and function in cancer cachexia.

e15633Background: Almost half of cancer deaths are attributed to cancers most frequently associated with cachexia. Cachexia is a complex metabolic disease characterized by anorexia and unintentiona...
Longer development provides first-feeding fish time to escape hydrodynamic constraints.

What is the functional effect of prolonged development? By controlling for size, we quantify first-feeding performance and hydrodynamics of zebrafish and guppy offspring (5 ± 0.5 mm in length), which differ fivefold in developmental time and twofold in ontogenetic state. By manipulating water viscosity, we control the hydrodynamic regime, measured as Reynolds number. We predicted that if feeding performance were strictly the result of hydrodynamics, and not development, feeding performance would scale with Reynolds number. We find that guppy offspring successfully feed at much greater distances to prey (1.0 vs. 0.2 mm) and with higher capture success (90 vs. 20%) compared with zebrafish larvae, and that feeding performance was not a result of Reynolds number alone. Flow visualization shows that zebrafish larvae produce a bow wave ~0.2 mm in length, and that the flow field produced during suction does not extend beyond this bow wave. Due to well-developed oral jaw protrusion, the similar-sized suction field generated by guppy offspring extends beyond the horizon of their bow wave, leading to successful prey capture from greater distances. These findings suggest that prolonged development and increased ontogenetic state provides first-feeding fish time to escape the pervasive hydrodynamic constraints (bow wave) of being small.
Forge Theory: From GNS to the Big Model

This chapter describes the development of a theory of role-playing games at the Forge, discussing its initial focus on ‘GNS,’ the three ‘aesthetic priorities’ of Gamism, Narrativism, and Simulationism that were held to inform TRPG design and play. It describes some of the arguments about GNS that were raised, and describes how GNS fits into the broader ‘Big Model’ of Forge theory as ‘Creative Agenda’ (CA) that functioned as potential orienting principles for a given play group. It presents the Big Model as a kind of frame-analytic approach to understanding the structure of TRPG activity, and suggests that within such an approach, CA serve the useful purpose of allowing that activity to be understood as play. It also discusses the experience of Forge participants in grappling with the Big Model.
The theory and algorithm of detecting and identifying measurement biases in power system state estimation

The theory and algorithm of the detection and identification of measurement biases are developed. A fast and efficient recursive measurement biases estimation identification method is proposed. A set of linearized recursive formulae are developed to recursively calculate measurement residual averages and their variance. Using this algorithm, the long list of suspicious data can be avoided and the computational speed can be increased greatly. This adds a new function of monitoring on the operation of measurement system to the real network state analysis application software in power system control center and can improve the quality of the state estimation and the ability to detect and identify the bad data. >
Experiences of viewing self in the mirror for men and women with dementia as perceived by their caregivers: A phenomenological study.

Abstract Aim To explore and discuss the perceptions and experiences of caregivers who rendered care to persons with dementia who viewed themselves in the mirror. Background Considerations must be given to caring for those with dementia due to the steady rise of adults 65 and older living with dementia. A literature review revealed limited experiential knowledge concerning aspects of mirror-viewing for persons with dementia. Methods This phenomenological hermeneutic study was analyzed using Ricoeur's theory of interpretation. Eighteen participants who cared for individuals with dementia in the home, and long-term care facilities took part in the study. A semi-structured interview guide with open- ended questions facilitated an open dialogue about their experiences while caring for persons with dementia when they view themselves in the mirror. Two questions guiding the study were: 1) What are caregivers' perceptions of what they see and believe when they observe dementia patients whom they care view themselves in a mirror? 2) How do the caregivers' perceptions of that experience change over time as the dementia worsens? Results The structural analysis uncovered a considerable difference between the numbers of mirrors available in the homes as compared to the long-term care facilities. Two phenomenological findings were uncovered: 1) decision to look in the mirror and 2) viewing self in the mirror. Six subsequent subthemes; mirror as a tool, wanting to look presentable, self- recognition, self-confirmation seeing another and the latent stage were revealed. Conclusion A mirror assessment is needed for individuals who have dementia.
Really, for the Greater Good? Impact of Message Frames and Reference Points Related to Packaging of Apparel Products on Brand Attitude

Many companies are struggling to address overconsumption and packaging, some are dissuaded by behavioral trends. However, Prospect Theory positions that individuals tend to act and/or form different attitudes based on the gain or loss frame. Literature also suggests that references and green consumer values interact with the frame, producing different results. Thus, this paper addresses the use of Prospect Theory and reference points in creating message stimuli for apparel brands’ sustainable packaging initiatives. The study uses a 2 (frame: gain/loss) x 2 (reference: personal/societal) x 2 (green consumer value: high/low) mixed method online experiment in which consumers were shown one of four message combinations for a sustainable packaging initiative. While the message did not have a significant effect on attitude towards the packaging initiative, three-way ANOVA results indicated reference and green consumer values act as moderators between frame and attitude towards the packaging initiative, which in turn impact brand attitude.
Attitudes Toward Dog Relinquishment as Assessed Through a Survey of University Students

Significant numbers of dogs are relinquished to shelters each year, impacting dogs, owners, and communities. Attitudes surrounding relinquishment may guide how a dog owner responds to situations su...
Analyzing public opinion on COVID-19 through different perspectives and stages

In recent months, COVID-19 has become a global pandemic and had a huge impact on the world. People under different conditions have very different attitudes toward the epidemic. Due to the real-time and large-scale nature of social media, we can continuously obtain a massive amount of public opinion information related to the epidemic from social media. In particular, researchers may ask questions such as “how is the public reacting to COVID-19 in China during different stages of the pandemic?”, “what factors affect the public opinion orientation in China?”, and so on. To answer such questions, we analyze the pandemic-related public opinion information on Weibo, China's largest social media platform. Specifically, we have first collected a large amount of COVID-19-related public opinion microblogs. We then use a sentiment classifier to recognize and analyze different groups of users’ opinions. In the collected sentiment-orientated microblogs, we try to track the public opinion through different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we analyze more key factors that might have an impact on the public opinion of COVID-19 (e.g. users in different provinces or users with different education levels). Empirical results show that the public opinions vary along with the key factors of COVID-19. Furthermore, we analyze the public attitudes on different public-concerning topics, such as staying at home and quarantine. In summary, we uncover interesting patterns of users and events as an insight into the world through the lens of a major crisis.
Abstract P746: Sex Differences in Cognitive and Psychological Outcomes of Stroke: Impact of Diabetes

Diabetes increases risk and severity of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), a major cause of disability worldwide. While it is known that females suffer more from PSCI, psychological outcomes ...
In Situ Crosslinking Temperature-Responsive Hydrogels with Improved Delivery, Swelling, and Elasticity for Endovascular Embolization

Endovascular embolization of cerebral aneurysms is a common approach for reducing the risk of often-fatal hemorrhage. However, currently available materials used to occlude these aneurysms provide incomplete filling (coils) or require a complicated, time-consuming delivery procedure (solvent-exchange precipitating polymers). The objective of this work was to develop an easily deliverable in situ forming hydrogel that can occlude the entire volume of an aneurysm. The hydrogel is formed by mixing a solution of a temperature-responsive polymer containing pendent thiol groups with a solution of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate. Incorporation of hydrophilic grafts of Jeffamine® M-1000 acrylamide (JAAm) in the temperature-responsive polymer caused weaker physical crosslinking, facilitated faster and more complete chemical crosslinking, and increased gel swelling. One formulation (30 wt% PNCJ20+PEGDA) could be delivered for over 220 seconds after mixing, formed a strong and elastic hydrogel (G' > 6000 Pa) within 30 minutes and maintained its shape and volume in a model aneurysm under flow. This gel represents a promising candidate water-based material utilizing both physical and chemical crosslinking that warrants further investigation as an embolic agent for saccular aneurysms.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Hardware Failure in Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures: Who, What, When, Where, and Why?

Abstract Background Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) is increasingly used to reduce pulmonary complications and death among patients with rib fractures. However, the five Ws of hardware failure –who, what, when, where, and why– remains unclear. We aimed to synthesize available evidence on the five Ws and outline future research agenda for mitigating hardware failure. Methods Experimental and observational studies published between 2009 and 2020 evaluating adults undergoing SSRF for traumatic rib fractures underwent evidence synthesis. We performed random effects meta-analysis of cohort/consecutive case studies. We calculated pooled prevalence of SSRF hardware failures using Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation and assessed study heterogeneity using DerSimonian-Laird estimation. We performed meta-regression with rib fracture acuity (acute or chronic) and hardware type (metal plate or not metal plate) as moderators. Results Twenty-nine studies underwent qualitative synthesis and 24 studies (2404 SSRF patients) underwent quantitative synthesis. Pooled prevalence of hardware failure was 4(3-7)%. Meta-regression showed fracture acuity was a significant moderator (P = 0.002) of hardware failure but hardware type was not (P = 0.23). Approximately 60% of patients underwent hardware removal after hardware failure. Mechanical failures were the most common type of hardware failure, followed by hardware infections, pain/discomfort, and non-union. Timing of hardware failure after surgery was highly variable, but 87% of failures occurred after initial hospitalization. Mechanical failures was attributed to technical shortcomings (i.e. short plate length) or excessive force on the thoracic cavity. Conclusions SSRF hardware failure is an uncommon complication. Not all hardware failures are consequential, but insufficient individual patient data precluded characterizing where and why hardware failures occur. Minimizing SSRF hardware failure requires concerted research agenda to expand on the paucity of existing evidence.
A novel LiCl–BaCl2:Eu2+ eutectic scintillator for thermal neutron detection

Abstract A natLiCl–BaCl2:Eu2+ eutectic scintillator was synthesized by the vertical Bridgman method aiming at the application of thermal neutron detection. The molar ratio of LiCl and BaCl2 was 75.1/24.9, which corresponds to the eutectic composition in the LiCl–BaCl2 system. The grown eutectic showed a periodic microstructure of BaCl2:Eu2+ and LiCl phases with 2–3 μm thickness. The α-particle induced radioluminescence spectrum of the scintillator showed an intense emission peak at 406 nm due to the Eu2+ 5d1→4f emission from the BaCl2:Eu2+ phase and an additional weak emission peak at 526 nm. The scintillation decay time was 412 ns. LiCl–BaCl2:Eu2+ eutectic samples exhibited non-correlated neutron detection efficiency and light yield as a function of crystal length, suggesting material non-uniformities within the boule. The relative light yield was equal to or greater than that of Nucsafe lithium glass. Gamma-ray exposures indicate that gamma/neutron threshold discrimination for higher energy gamma-rays will be limited.
Th17 Augmentation in OTII TCR Plus T Cell-Selective Type 1 Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor Double Transgenic Mice

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in blood and lymph controls lymphoid traffic and tissue migration of T cells through signals from the type 1 S1PR (S1P(1)), but less is known of effects of the S1P-S1P(1) axis on nonmigration functions of T cells. CD4 T cells from a double transgenic (DTG) mouse express OTII TCRs specific for OVA peptide 323-339 (OVA) and a high level of transgenic S1P(1), resistant to suppression by T cell activation. OVA-activated DTG CD4 T cells respond as expected to S1P by chemotactic migration and reduction in secretion of IFN-gamma. In addition, DTG CD4 T cells stimulated by OVA secrete a mean of 2.5-fold more IL-17 than those from OTII single transgenic mice with concomitantly higher levels of mRNA encoding IL-17 by real-time PCR and of CD4 T cells with intracellular IL-17 detected by ELISPOT assays. OVA challenge of s.c. air pockets elicited influx of more OTII TCR-positive T cells producing a higher level of IL-17 in DTG mice than OTII control mice. Augmentation of the number and activity of Th17 cells by the S1P-S1P(1) axis may thus enhance host defense against microbes and in other settings increase host susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.
Viewing the Hip

ABSTRACT “Viewing the Hip,” is an overview of the use of Rap music in feature films. This essay will examine (1) A definition of Rap music (2) An overview of African-American film music (3) The emergence of Rap music on film soundtracks and (4) Rap as a film score and soundtrack. This essay reviews more than thirty-five film soundtracks from 1989 through 1995.
Bull Semen Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Nucleosidase III. PROPERTIES OF THE SUBSTRATE BINDING SITE

Abstract The properties of the substrate binding site of the bull semen nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nucleosidase were studied with a titrimetric assay. The adenosine derivatives, adenosine, AMP, ADP, and ADP-ribose, were found to inhibit the NADase-catalyzed hydrolysis of NAD. Inhibition by these compounds was observed to be competitive with respect to NAD. The importance of an adenosine region and a pyrophosphate region at the substrate binding site of this enzyme was demonstrated by the relative Ki values obtained for these compounds. N1-Alkylnicotinamide chlorides were also shown to be substrate-competitive inhibitors of the NADase-catalyzed hydrolysis of NAD. These compounds were suggested to be bound at a pyridinium ring region of the substrate binding site. The positive chain length effect observed in the binding of N1-alkylnicotinamide chlorides, N1-ethyl- to N1-dodecylnicotinamide chloride, inclusive, to the enzyme suggested the presence of a hydrophobic region close by the pyridinium ring region. Multiple inhibition studies demonstrating simultaneous binding of adenosine derivatives and N1-methylnicotinamide chloride indicate that the binding of these inhibitors occurs at different parts of the substrate binding site.
Talking with College Students about Alcohol: Motivational Strategies for Reducing Abuse

Grounded in current best practices, this book offers flexible, readily applicable guidelines for assessing and working with college drinkers. Provided is a wealth of practical advice on interacting with students in a range of contexts, from brief conversations in medical settings to motivational counseling sessions and group interventions. Also described are effective ways to weave alcohol prevention and intervention services into the fabric of campus life. Over a dozen appendices feature reproducible assessment instruments and other indispensable tools, in a large-size format for ease of photocopying and use. For optimal utility, supplemental materials for use in workshops, seminars, and other educational and training events are available online as PowerPoint slides (www.guilford.com/walters2).
Blind) adaptive equalizers with soft decision feedback

In this paper, a new approach based on joint entropy maximization is considered and adaptive decision feedback equalizers are developed for equalization of complex linear channels. The proposed work generalizes the existing (blind) algorithms for DFE with a hard decision device. Previous research has shown that when the hard decision device in a DFE is replaced with soft decisions, the performance of the adaptive algorithms improves dramatically. The soft decision can be introduced naturally via the viewpoint taken here; additionally, constant modulus and other (blind) algorithms for DFE with the soft decision can be derived from this joint entropy maximization approach.
Beyond pregnancy gingivitis: bringing a new focus to women's oral health

The compromised functional status, physical confinement, medical conditions, and cognitive impairments of significant numbers of women have important implications for oral health risk and dental treatments. In addition, there are a variety of economic, social, psychological, and behavioral factors which are operative in placing women at high risk for development of oral diseases. This paper describes the available U.S. data on women9s oral health and examines some of the biological, behavioral, and societal factors which may be important for a more comprehensive understanding of this subject. It is this broad array of factors which differentiate women from men and which should be considered when defining priority research and treatment issues for women9s oral health.
Gamma-protocadherins are enriched and transported in specialized vesicles associated with the secretory pathway in neurons

Gamma protocadherins (Pcdh-γs) resemble classical cadherins and have the potential to engage in cell-cell interactions with homophilic properties. Emerging evidence suggests non-conventional roles for some protocadherins in neural development. We sought to determine whether Pcdh-γ trafficking in neurons is consistent with an intracellular role for these molecules. Here we show that, in contrast to the largely surface localization of classical cadherins, endogenous Pcdh-γs are primarily intracellular in rat neurons in vivo and are equally distributed within organelles of subsynaptic dendritic and axonal compartments. A strikingly higher proportion of Pcdh-γ-containing organelles in synaptic compartments was observed at postnatal day 16. To determine the origin of Pcdh-γ-trafficking organelles, we isolated organelles with Pcdh-γ antibody-coupled magnetic beads from brain organelle suspensions. Vesicles with high levels of COPII and endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) components were isolated with the Pcdh-γ antibody but not with the classical cadherin antibody. In cultured hippocampal neurons, Pcdh-γ immunolabeling partially overlapped with calnexin- and COPII-positive puncta in dendrites. Mobile Pcdh-γ-GFP profiles dynamically codistributed with a DsRed construct coupled to ER retention signals by live imaging. Pcdh-γ expression correlated with accumulations of tubulovesicular and ER-like organelles in dendrites. Our results are consistent with the possibility that Pcdh-γs could have a unique function within the secretory pathway in addition to their documented surface roles.
ESWL monotherapy for large-volume renal calculi: Efficacy and morbidity

We assessed the efficacy and morbidity of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) monotherapy in the treatment of 25 consecutive patients with large-volume renal calculi (surface area greater than or equal to 5.0 cm2). Eighteen of the calculi were infection (struvite) stones and 7 were sterile stones. In 21 cases internal ureteral stents were positioned before ESWL, but no patient underwent pretreatment percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) or percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PNL). An average of 2.1 procedures including ESWL, PCN, or ureteral interventions were required to achieve a stone-free renal collecting system and ureter, or residual stone particles less than 4 mm in diameter confined to the renal collecting system. Sixty percent of the patients required no ancillary procedures after ESWL. There were no differences in the mean duration of hospitalization, need for post-treatment ancillary procedures, time to clearance of ureteral fragments, and incidence of residual stone particles among patients with infection and sterile stones. Of 23 patients observed greater than three months (mean 10.9 mos) after ESWL, 43 percent had residual stone particles in the renal collecting system. Expansion of these particles or stone recurrence in the absence of residual particles has not been observed. We conclude that large volume renal calculi may be managed effectively and safely with ESWL monotherapy.
Genetic variation in XRCC1 , sun exposure, and risk of skin cancer

The XRCC1 gene is involved in the base excision repair pathway. We assessed the associations of polymorphisms and haplotypes in XRCC1 with skin cancer risk in a nested case–control study within the Nurses' Health Study (219 melanoma, 286 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 300 basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and 873 controls). We genotyped four haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (Arg194Trp, C26602T, Arg399Gln, and Gln632Gln). There was no significant difference in frequency distribution between cases and controls for any of the five inferred common haplotypes. We observed that the 399Gln allele was inversely associated with SCC risk. This inverse association was only seen among those who had five or more lifetime sunburns, those with a family history of skin cancer, and those in the highest tertile of cumulative sun exposure in a bathing suit, but not among those with low risk defined by these risk factors. We also observed a significant association of the carriage of 194Trp allele with increased SCC risk, which was modified by family history of skin cancer. These two polymorphisms were not associated with BCC or melanoma risk. Our data suggest that the Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln polymorphisms may be differently associated with skin cancer risk according to exposure dose and skin cancer type.
Evolution in natural and experimental populations of Amphicarpaea bracteata

Genetically divergent lineages (biotypes) often coexist within local populations of the selfing annual Amphicarpaea bracteata (Leguminosae). At one site, a rapid change in lineage frequency was observed, with one biotype decreasing from 41% to 16% of the population over a 2 year period. During 6 additional years of censuses, this lineage showed no tendency to recover to its former abundance. An experimental population was constructed with approximately equal numbers of individuals from the two dominant biotypes in this population, and plants were allowed to grow and reproduce without interference for 3 generations. The same lineage that declined in the natural habitat was also strongly selected against in this experimental population, with a selection coefficient (0.57 per generation) comparable to that inferred from the initial decline in frequency of this lineage in nature (0.47). A greenhouse experiment suggested that differential adaptation to high vs. low light environments could be one factor affecting relative success of these lineages. Differences in reproductive allocation and disease resistance to local pathogens are also key factors likely to affect relative fitness. Overall, these results show that the genetic structure of selfing plant populations can be highly dynamic, with intense selection and sudden shifts in relative abundance of different lineages.
Semi-Supervised Policy Recommendation for Online Social Networks

Fine grain policy settings in social network sites is becoming a very important requirement for managing user's privacy. Incorrect privacy policy settings can easily lead to leaks in private and personal information. At the same time, being too restrictive would reduce the benefits of online social networks. This is further complicated with the growing adoption of social networks and with the rapid growth in information uploading and sharing. The problem of facilitating policy settings has attracted numerous access control, and human computer interaction researchers. The solutions proposed range from usable interfaces for policy settings to automated policy settings. We propose a fine grained policy recommendation system that is based on an iterative semi-supervised learning approach that uses the social graph propagation properties. Active learning and social graph properties were used to detect the most informative instances to be labeled as training sets. We implemented and tested our approach using real Facebook dataset. We compared our proposed approach to supervised learning and random walk approaches. Our proposed approaches provided high accuracy and precision when compared to the other approaches.
Characterization and identification of a human dentin phosphophoryn.

The present study further characterizes an extract from immature, human tooth apicies from which an intact dentin phosphoprotein has been identified. Third molar apicies from developing roots were decalcified in 10% EDTA until Ca2+ was undetectable in the decalcifying solution. The crude extract was run on 7.5% SDS-PAGE and stained with “Stains-All.” Four distinct bands were found and the molecular weights were 140,60, 50, and 34 k. When run on a SDS-PAGE under nonreducing conditions the 60, 50, and 34 k bands were absent. These results suggest that the lower molecular weight bands may be subunits of the larger protein. The extract was then further purified by adding CaCl2 and MgCl2 to precipitate the phosphoprotein. The precipitate was subjected to a DEAE-Sepharose CL6B column and eluted by 0–0.7 M NaCl gradient solution. The amino acid composition of the purified phosphoprotein was determined and the extract was found to be rich in serine and aspartic acid residues. The N-terminal peptide Asp-Asp-Pro was identified. The sequence of the three amino acids is identical to rat incisor phosphoprotein.
Phosphorylation of CREB by CaM-Kinase IV Activated by CaM-Kinase IV Kinase

Previous reports have shown that CaM-kinase IV can phosphorylate the transcription factor CREB in vitro on Ser133. Furthermore, transfected CaM-kinase IV can activate CREB-dependent transcription, but at a lower efficiency than the cAMP-kinase. In this paper we examine the kinetics and site-specificity of CREB phosphorylation in vitro by CaM-kinase IV after its phosphorylation and activation by a newly discovered brain CaM-kinase IV kinase. Our results show that activated CaM-kinase IV has the same Km (1-5 microM) for CREB phosphorylation, but the Vmax is about 30-fold higher than with non-activated CaM-kinase IV. Activated CaM-kinase IV still shows specificity for phosphorylation of Ser133, the site necessary for transactivation by CREB. It is likely that the lower efficiency of transcriptional activation by transfected CaM-kinase IV in previous studies was due to the fact that the CaM-kinase IV was not activated by CaM-kinase IV kinase.
FEASIBILITY OF A PORTABLE DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM FOR DRIVER PERFORMANCE TESTING

This paper reports on a research program which was conducted that was oriented toward the development of a portable data acquisition system for driver performance testing. The paper describes three tasks which were performed during phase I of the research. These include: 1) identification of parameters that should be measured and definition of the minimum set of parameters, 2) development of design requirements for the data acquisition system, and, 3) identification of the data storage and transmission architecture.
Kramers degeneracy without eigenvectors

Wigner gave a well-known proof of Kramers degeneracy for time reversal invariant systems containing an odd number of half-integer spin particles. But Wigner's proof relies on the assumption that the Hamiltonian has an eigenvector, and thus does not apply to many quantum systems of physical interest. This Brief Report illustrates an algebraic way to talk about Kramers degeneracy that does not appeal to eigenvectors and provides a derivation of Kramers degeneracy in this more general context.
An exploration of ranking models and feedback method for related entity finding

Most existing search engines focus on document retrieval. However, information needs are certainly not limited to finding relevant documents. Instead, a user may want to find relevant entities such as persons and organizations. In this paper, we study the problem of related entity finding. Our goal is to rank entities based on their relevance to a structured query, which specifies an input entity, the type of related entities and the relation between the input and related entities. We first discuss a general probabilistic framework, derive six possible retrieval models to rank the related entities, and then compare these models both analytically and empirically. To further improve performance, we study the problem of feedback in the context of related entity finding. Specifically, we propose a mixture model based feedback method that can utilize the pseudo feedback entities to estimate an enriched model for the relation between the input and related entities. Experimental results over two standard TREC collections show that the derived relation generation model combined with a relation feedback method performs better than other models.
E-cadherin expression in endometrioid, papillary serous, and clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium.

Abstract Objective To compare the frequency and pattern of E-cadherin expression in endometrioid, papillary serous, and clear cell carcinomas of the endometrium. Methods E-cadherin expression was examined in 76 endometrial carcinomas by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody to E-cadherin and was correlated with poor prognostic indicators such as depth of myometrial invasion, lymph node status, and intraperitoneal spread. The frequency of expression was compared between endometrioid, papillary serous, and clear cell carcinomas by the Fisher exact test. Logistic regression was used to examine the simultaneous effect of histological type and tumor grade on E-cadherin expression. Results Sixty-three endometrioid, nine papillary serous, two clear cell, and two carcinomas of mixed histology were examined. E-cadherin negative tumors were more likely to be poorly differentiated (P Conclusion Papillary serous and clear cell carcinomas are significantly less likely to express E-cadherin than endometrioid tumors. This difference may account for the more aggressive behavior of papillary serous and clear cell carcinomas.
Cell phone roulette and “consumer interactive” quality

Under current policies, cell phone consumers face a lower probability of finding the best carrier for their usage patterns than winning at roulette. Corroborating survey data consistently show significant dissatisfaction among cell phone users, network performance is a major issue, and customer “churn” is high. This problem may be traced to a new form of “consumer interactive” quality characteristic of emergent high technology products such as cell phone and broadband services. This problem is unlikely to be resolved by effective search and sampling, efficient secondary markets, or voluntary carrier disclosure. Traditional one-dimensional disclosure responses to this new variation on an old asymmetric information problem should give way to a more multi-faceted and fine-grained policy approach. © 2005 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
A test on peptide stability of AMBER force fields with implicit solvation.

We used replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations to evaluate four different AMBER force fields and three different implicit solvent models. Our aim was to determine if these physics-based models captured the correct secondary structures of two α-helical and two β-peptides: the 14-mer EK helix of Baldwin and co-workers, the C-terminal helix of ribonuclease, the 16-mer C-terminal hairpin of protein G, and the trpzip2 miniprotein. The different models gave different results, but generally we found that AMBER ff96 plus the implicit solvent model of Onufriev, Bashford, and Case gave reasonable structures, and is fairly well-balanced between helix and sheet. We also observed differences in the strength of ion pairing in the solvent models, we but found that the native secondary structures were retained even when salt bridges were prevented in the conformational sampling. Overall, this work indicates that some of these all-atom physics-based force fields may be good starting points for protein folding and protein structure prediction.
Nosocomial cardiac infections

The most important nosocomial cardiac infections include nosocomial infective endocarditis on native and prosthetic valves, and nosocomial infections related to transvenous permanent pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and left ventricular assist devices. Although representing rare complications, they are of great importance because they are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Most of them are encountered in older-age groups, related to nosocomial invasive procedures performed within the preceding four to eight weeks of hospital admission. Nosocomial bacteraemia associated with infected central intravascular devices, genitourinary or gastrointestinal tract surgery and instrumentation, breaks in sterile surgical techniques at the implantation of prosthetic valves and cardiac devices as well as wound and skin infections, represent the most important risk factors. Staphylococcus aureus in native valve endocarditis and S. epidermidis in the presence of foreign bodies are the main implicated pathogens. However, because of the steeply increasing incidence of candidaemia in tertiary hospitals, nosocomial cardiac infections caused by Candida spp. have also been steadily increasing over the last decades. Diagnosis of nosocomial cardiac infections, particularly in the presence of foreign bodies, is often difficult because of the severity of patients' co-morbid illnesses and the co-existence of several risk factors. Diagnosis should be based on positive blood cultures and transoesophageal echocardiographic findings in febrile high-risk patients. Therapy necessitates a combination of antibiotics and surgical removal of foreign bodies. Prophylaxis should mainly target the prevention and/or appropriate treatment of bacteraemias secondary to infected intravascular devices, as well as application of prophylaxis guidelines whenever invasive hospital-based procedures are performed in high-risk individuals.
Field promoted and surface catalyzed formation of H3 and NH3 on transition metal surfaces: A pulsed-laser imaging atom-probe study

Abstract The surface field must play an important role in the reactivity of a surface. This effect can be probed in field ion emission experiments where the applied field is an adjustable parameter and it is of the same order of magnitude as the surface field. We report here a study of field promoted and surface catalyzed formation of H3 and NH3 on 20 transition metals, using the pulsed-laser imaging atom-probe. We find that in an applied field of about 2.0 V/A, H3 can be formed most readily on surfaces of hep metals, and metals on the left hand side of the periodic table. Atomic chemisorption of hydrogen favors, but does not guarantee, the formation of H3. In N2H2 mixed gases, a small amount of NH3 can be formed in an applied field of 1.2 to 2.5 V/A on surfaces of metals which are known to promote such a reaction in field free conditions. However, only on Fe and Co surfaces, a substantial amount of NH3 can be formed. From the dependence of the relative abundances of the various observed ionic species on the composition of the mixed gas and on the gas pressure, we conclude that NH3 is formed from the chemisorbed nitrogen and hydrogen atoms, whereas the pulsed-laser field desorbed NH3+ originates from the field adsorbed NH3, or the physisorbed NH3.
Postmigratory enteric and sympathetic neural precursors share common, developmentally regulated, responses to BMP2.

The development of enteric and sympathetic neurons from neural crest precursor cells is regulated by signals produced by the embryonic environments to which the cells migrate. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are present in the developing embryo and act to induce neuronal differentiation and noradrenergic properties of neural crest cells. We have investigated the role of BMP2 in regulating the appearance of distinct populations of autonomic neurons from postmigratory, HNK-1-positive neural crest precursor cells. BMP2 promotes neuronal differentiation of sympathetic and enteric precursor cells isolated from E14.5 rat. The effects of BMP2 change over time, resulting in a decrease in neuron number that can be attributed to apoptotic cell death. BMP2-dependent neuron death is rescued by gut-derived factors that provide trophic support to maturing neurons, indicating that BMP2 regulates the acquisition of trophic dependence of developing peripheral neurons. In addition to regulating neuron number, BMP2 promotes both panneuronal maturation and the acquisition of an enteric phenotype, as measured by lineage-specific changes in the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and MASH-1. While BMP2 is sufficient to induce neuronal differentiation and panneuronal development, these results suggest that additional factors in the environment must collaborate with BMP2 to promote the final noradrenergic phenotype of sympathetic neurons.
Incidence and Survival Patterns of Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma in the United States

Objective To determine trends in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) survival patterns in the United States. Design Retrospective review of national database. Participants All cases of SNUC in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results program from 1973 to 2010 were examined. Main Outcome Measures Age-adjusted incidence and survival rates were calculated and stratified by demographic information and treatment modality. Cohort analysis was performed to analyze survival patterns over time. Results A total of 318 SNUC cases were identified. Age-adjusted incidence rate (IR) was 0.02 per 100,000. Incidence was greater in males (IR: 0.03) than females (IR: 0.01; p = 0.03). Overall 5- and 10-year relative survival rate was 34.9% and 31.3%, respectively. Overall median survival was 22.1 months. Median survival following surgery combined with radiation was 41.9 months. Five-year relative survival rate following surgery, radiation, or surgery combined with radiation was 38.7%, 36.0%, and 39.1%, respectively. Median survival from 1973–1986 and 1987–2010 was 14.5 and 23.5 months, respectively. Conclusions This study provides new data regarding survival patterns of SNUC in the United States, confirming survival benefit with surgery and radiation as well as identifying a trend toward improved survival in recent decades.
Chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil, mitoxantrone, and cisplatin for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: an analysis of 63 cases.

We evaluated the anti-tumor efficacy and toxicity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), mitoxantrone, and cisplatin (FMP) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and conducted an analysis of the prognostic factors for response to such therapy and patient survival.