cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B13: Modeling childhood versus adolescent HPV vaccination in Mali, West Africa

Objectives: Several regions in the developing world, including West Africa, bear a disproportionately high burden of cervical cancer. Incorporating the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into existing childhood vaccination programs may be a practical way to combat cervical cancer in these settings. Procedures: A compartmental mathematical model compared the occurrence of HPV and cervical cancer outcomes in childhood (age: 1 year) and adolescent (age: 10-14 years) vaccination scenarios over 75 years in Mali, West Africa. The model contained three prominent novel features: adjustable age of vaccination, waning vaccine-induced immunity at a rate of 1% annually, and moderate cross-protection against non-vaccine high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) types. Results: Compared to a scenario with no vaccination, childhood vaccination resulted in a 53.8% (at 50% vaccine coverage) reduction in combined prevalence of all modeled HPV types in Year 75, whereas adolescent vaccination resulted in a prevalence reduction of 52.7%. After 50 years, childhood and adolescent vaccination produced 15.4% and 22.8% reductions, respectively, in the total number of life-years lost to cervical cancer. From Year 51 to Year 75, childhood vaccination reduced the total number of life-years lost by 42.9%, compared to 45.7% for adolescent vaccination. Conclusion: Adolescent vaccination will produce a more immediate impact on cervical cancer outcomes than will childhood vaccination, but the effects of the two approaches become similar once the vaccinated cohorts span all living generations. Childhood HPV vaccination could be a practical long-term option for resource-limited countries with existing childhood vaccination programs. Citation Format: Nicholas H. Schluterman, J Kathleen Tracy. Modeling childhood versus adolescent HPV vaccination in Mali, West Africa. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr B13.
Bank Financial Reporting Opacity and Regulatory Intervention

I study the association between bank financial reporting opacity, measured by delayed expected loan loss recognition, and the intervention decisions made by bank regulators. Examining U.S. commercial banks during the 2007-2009 financial crisis, I find that delayed expected loan loss recognition is negatively associated with the likelihood of regulatory intervention (measured by either severe enforcement action or closure). This result is robust to using an extensive set of control variables and various research designs. I consider two alternative mechanisms for this association: financial reporting opacity inhibiting the effectiveness of regulatory monitoring (regulatory unawareness) or regulators practicing forbearance on opaque banks (regulatory forbearance). I find evidence supporting the forbearance mechanism, but not the unawareness mechanism. My findings contribute to the extant literature on bank opacity, regulatory forbearance and intervention, and the consequences of loan loss provisioning by suggesting that delayed expected loan loss recognition may affect regulatory intervention decisions.
Adenosine and adenosine receptors in the pathogenesis and treatment of rheumatic diseases

Adenosine, a nucleoside derived primarily from the extracellular hydrolysis of adenine nucleotides, is a potent regulator of inflammation. Adenosine mediates its effects on inflammatory cells by engaging one or more cell-surface receptors. The expression and function of adenosine receptors on different cell types change during the course of rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Targeting adenosine receptors directly for the treatment of rheumatic diseases is currently under study; however, indirect targeting of adenosine receptors by enhancing adenosine levels at inflamed sites accounts for most of the anti-inflammatory effects of methotrexate, the anchor drug for the treatment of RA. In this Review, we discuss the regulation of extracellular adenosine levels and the role of adenosine in regulating the inflammatory and immune responses in rheumatic diseases such as RA, psoriasis and other types of inflammatory arthritis. In addition, adenosine and its receptors are involved in promoting fibrous matrix production in the skin and other organs, and the role of adenosine in fibrosis and fibrosing diseases is also discussed.
Deconstructing naturalization ceremonies as public spectacles of citizenship

ABSTRACTNaturalizations, unlike inaugurations and national party conventions, are one of the few daily repeated political theatre experiences, replete with monologs, dialogues, costumes, props, actors, stage managers, plural audiences, and staged practices. They serve as a public ritual to render foreigners into members. In so doing, they generate a citizen identity, reinforce the power of the state and confirm a relationship between new citizens, current citizens, and the state. In this article, through an interpretive process including participant-observation and grounded theory approaches, I question the presence, interaction, and roles of the multiple publics (immigrants, observers, civil servants, judges and non-governmental groups) in a naturalization ceremony. I present field notes and reflections from a ‘typical’ US naturalization ceremony. I deconstruct the choreography and structure of the public ritual to show what the public performance of naturalization tells us about what it means to be an A...
Aversive Properties of Time-Out From Maximal fr Schedules of Positive Reinforcement

In one stimulus component of a multiple fixed-ratio schedule of water reinforcement, rats could produce or prevent time-out by respectively lengthening or shortening the post-reinforcement pause. In a second component, Ss could similarly initiate or avoid periods of stimulus change. The Ss consistently shortened their pauses and maintained the baseline contingencies whether time-out was equivalent to extinction or was signalled by retraction of the response lever. No positively reinforcing effects of stimulus change were observed, although some generalization from the time-out contingencies was noted.
Relative Incidence of Seizures and Myoclonus in Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, and Frontotemporal Dementia.

BACKGROUND Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are more prone to seizures and myoclonus, but relative risk of these symptoms among other dementia types is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine incidence of seizures and myoclonus in the three most common neurodegenerative dementias: AD, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). METHODS Our institution's medical records were reviewed for new-onset unprovoked seizures and myoclonus in patients meeting criteria for AD (n = 1,320), DLB (n = 178), and FTD (n = 348). Cumulative probabilities of developing seizures and myoclonus were compared between diagnostic groups, whereas age-stratified incidence rates were determined relative to control populations. RESULTS The cumulative probability of developing seizures after disease onset was 11.5% overall, highest in AD (13.4%) and DLB (14.7%) and lowest in FTD (3.0%). The cumulative probability of developing myoclonus was 42.1% overall, highest in DLB (58.1%). The seizure incidence rates, relative to control populations, were nearly 10-fold in AD and DLB, and 6-fold in FTD. Relative seizure rates increased with earlier age-at-onset in AD (age <50, 127-fold; 50-69, 21-fold; 70+, 2-fold) and FTD (age <50, 53-fold; 50-69, 9-fold), and relative myoclonus rates increased with earlier age-at-onset in all groups. Seizures began an average of 3.9 years after the onset of cognitive or motor decline, and myoclonus began 5.4 years after onset. CONCLUSIONS Seizures and myoclonus occur with greater incidence in patients with AD, DLB, and FTD than in the general population, but rates vary with diagnosis, suggesting varied pathomechanisms of network hyperexcitability. Patients often experience these symptoms early in disease, suggesting hyperexcitability could be an important target for interventions.
A quest for polycarbonates provided via sustainable epoxide/CO2 copolymerization processes

The present review highlights advances in the copolymerization of carbon dioxide (CO2) and epoxides (oxiranes) to produce polycarbonates. Specifically, focus has been given to epoxide starting materials that have been generated from renewable feedstocks including straight-chain alkylene oxides, cyclohexadiene oxide, and limonene oxide, among several others. These renewable feedstocks are attractive green alternatives to traditional petroleum-based materials, however, some limitations do exist regarding the availability of monomer feedstocks as well as economic factors. Recent advances for each of these polymeric products will be discussed in detail. The use of industrial post-combustion CO2 waste streams will also be commented upon.
What Level of Tutor Interaction is Best

Razzaq and Heffernan (2006) showed that scaffolding compared to hints on demand in an intelligent tutoring system could lead to higher averages on a middle school mathematics post-test. There were significant differences in performance by condition on individual items. For an item that proved to be difficult for all of the students on the pretest, an ANOVA showed that scaffolding helped significantly (p < 0.01). We speculated that the scaffolding had a greater positive effect on learning for this item because it was much more difficult for the students than the other items. We thought that this result warranted a closer look at the link between the difficulty of an item and the effectiveness of scaffolding. In this paper, we report on an experiment that examines the effect of math proficiency and the level of interaction on learning. We found an interesting interaction between the level of interaction and math proficiency where less-proficient students benefited from more tutor interaction and more-proficient students benefited from less interaction.
Local Drug Delivery System for Dynamic Control of Neural Environment using Parylene-Based Microelectrodes

Delivering drugs directly and locally to the brain tissue opens new approaches to disease treatment and improving neural interfaces. Several approaches using neural prostheses have been made to deliver drugs by bypassing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In this study, we propose a new local drug delivery system for dynamic control of the neural environment using parylene-based microelectrodes. This polymer-based flexible microelectrode has both drug delivery and electrophysiological recording capabilities in a single probe. An in vitro model using cells found in the chronic neural probe environment provides control of independent variables and thus a useful environment to test the efficacy of delivered drugs. The in vitro model uses a combination of meningeal fibroblasts, microglia and astrocytes plated directly on the microelectrode sites. The drug delivery system utilizes two different drug delivery strategies: (1) a liquid phase drug delivery for water soluble drugs via an integrated microfluidic port, and (2) drug-embedded nanoparticle-mediated delivery for water insoluble drugs pre-loaded into a passive microfluidic port. We are currently characterizing the effects of dexamethasone (DEX) delivery on cell development using impedance spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. Early results show that electrode sites with plated cells on functional probes increase the impedance. This local drug delivery system provides an efficient testing protocol for therapeutic drugs intended to improve the neural interface.
Association of Maternal Exposure to Childhood Abuse With Elevated Risk for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Offspring

Children whose mothers experienced childhood abuse are more likely to suffer various neurodevelopmental deficits. Whether an association exists specifically for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is unknown. We examined the association of maternal experience of childhood abuse with ADHD in offspring, assessed by maternal report of diagnosis and validated with the ADHD Rating Scale-IV in a subsample, in the Nurses' Health Study II (n = 49,497 mothers; n = 7,607 case offspring; n = 102,151 control offspring). We examined whether 10 adverse perinatal circumstances (e.g., prematurity, smoking) or socioeconomic factors accounted for a possible association. Exposure to abuse was associated with greater prevalence of ADHD in offspring (8.7% of offspring of women exposed to severe abuse vs. 5.5% of offspring of women not abused, P = 0.0001) and with greater risk for ADHD when the model was adjusted for demographic factors (male offspring, risk ratio (RR) = 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3, 1.9; female offspring, RR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.7, 3.0). After adjustment for perinatal factors, the association of maternal childhood abuse with ADHD in offspring was slightly attenuated (male offspring, RR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.8; female offspring, RR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.6, 2.8). We identified an association between maternal experience of childhood abuse and risk for ADHD in offspring, which was not explained by several important perinatal risk factors or socioeconomic status.
The influence of social relationships and school engagement on academic achievement in maltreated adolescents

Adolescents who have experienced maltreatment face many developmental and educational challenges compared with their non-maltreated peers. Research demonstrates the importance of social relationships in academic achievement among non-maltreated youth, and suggests the influence of parent and peer relationships for academic success in maltreated youth as well, including the potential benefit of school engagement. Data for the study comes from the first wave of the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II), a nationally-representative sample of children involved in Child Protective Services in the United States. The study finds that maltreated adolescents' perceptions of relationship quality with both parents and peers significantly predict academic achievement. In addition, results demonstrate a mediating effect of school engagement between parent and peer variables and some academic achievement outcomes.
Subconjunctival sustained release 5-fluorouracil.

The authors have developed a sustained release device for 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) made up of a 12 mg pellet of drug coated in a mixture of permeable and impermeable polymers. When implanted subconjunctivally in rabbits, these devices released 5-FU at approximately 1 mg/d for over 10 days. Devices were implanted into four cynomolgus monkey eyes after posterior lip sclerotomy. One eye (treatment) received a device that contained 12 mg 5-FU and the other eye (control) received a placebo device that contained no drug. In control eyes, intraocular pressures returned to normal within 1 wk. In treatment eyes, pressures remained significantly lower throughout the experimental period (3 mo). There was no indication of impaired wound healing, corneal toxicity, inflammation, or damage to the ciliary body in rabbits or monkeys. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33:3430-3435, 1992 Filtering surgery in glaucoma patients creates an alternative aqueous pathway from the anterior chamber to the subconjunctival space. The overall success rate for these operations varies from series to series but is approximately 85%.' However, in young, black, or aphakic patients or in those who have had a previous failed filter, the success rate may be as low as 20%. 2<3 Failure usually is due to the proliferation of fibroblasts, which leads to scarring and subsequent blockage of the filter. Successful filtration in these patients primarily depends on a suppression of fibroblast proliferation. 4 Numerous attempts have been made to pharmacologically inhibit fibroblast proliferation and hence improve the success rate of filtering surgery. 5 Proliferation of fibroblasts can be reduced in culture by administering low levels of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU; 50% inhibition at 0.2 jug/ml). 6 In rabbits, twice daily sub
0-dimensional subschemes of P 2 : New application of Castelnuovo's function

This note first reformulates and sharpens certain newly discovered properties of the first difference of the postulation of a 0-dimensional subscheme ofP 2, a function which it seems historically appropriate to call “Castelnuovo's Function». Those results are then applied in two ways: inverting Bezout's Theorem; settling the existence problem for finite pointsets inP 2 with postulation and «Cayley-Bacharach Number» prescribed.
A Matrix Approach to Low-Order Uncertainty Modeling of Real Parameters

Abstract Robust control system analysis and design is based on an uncertainty description which separates the uncertain system from the nominal system. Low-order models of this structure are difficult to formulate for many practical problems involving uncertainty in the physical parameters of the system. This paper presents a matrix-based method of directly constructing a low-order uncertainty model for real parameter problems involving multivariate rational functions of the uncertain parameters.
Tackling mental health by integrating unobtrusive multimodal sensing

Mental illness is becoming a major plague in modern societies and poses challenges to the capacity of current public health systems worldwide. With the widespread adoption of social media and mobile devices, and rapid advances in artificial intelligence, a unique opportunity arises for tackling mental health problems. In this study, we investigate how users' online social activities and physiological signals detected through ubiquitous sensors can be utilized in realistic scenarios for monitoring their mental health states. First, we extract a suite of multimodal time-series signals using modern computer vision and signal processing techniques, from recruited participants while they are immersed in online social media that elicit emotions and emotion transitions. Next, we use machine learning techniques to build a model that establishes the connection between mental states and the extracted multimodal signals. Finally, we validate the effectiveness of our approach using two groups of recruited subjects.
Spatiotemporal downscaling of global population and income scenarios for the United States

Downscaled climate projections need to be linked to downscaled projections of population and economic growth to fully develop implications for land, natural resources, and ecosystems for future scenarios. We develop an empirical spatiotemporal approach for jointly projecting population and income at the county scale in the United States that is consistent with neoclassical economic growth theory and overlapping labor markets and that accounts for labor migration and spatial spillovers. Downscaled projections generated for the five Shared Socioeconomic Pathways used to support global scenario analysis generally show growth focused around relatively few centers especially in the southeast and western regions, with some areas in the Midwest and northeast experiencing population declines. Results are consistent with economic growth theory and with historical trends in population change and convergence of per capita personal income across US counties.
Principles for Effectively Communicating the Theoretical Framing of Our Work

Based on my experience as a reviewer and, in particular, as an editorial panel member, I discuss six principles related to the role of theoretical frameworks in research dissemination. Throughout the chapter, I draw on examples from the mathematics education research literature to illustrate what application of the principles looks like in practice. My purpose in articulating and sharing these principles is to help us all think about how we can better communicate the theoretical framing of our work to those who will read it.
An assessment of the quality of optical coherence tomography image acquisition.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides excellent image resolution, however OCT optimal acquisition is essential but could be challenging owing to several factors. We sought to assess the quality of OCT pullbacks and identify the causes of suboptimal image acquisition. We evaluated 784 (404 pre-PCI; 380 post-PCI) coronary pullbacks from an anonymized OCT database from our Cardiovascular Imaging Core Laboratory. Imaging of the region-of-interest (ROI—lesion or stented segment plus references) was incomplete in 16.1% pullbacks, caused by pullback starting too proximal (63.7%), inappropriate pullback length (17.1%) and pullback starting too distal (11.4%). The quality of image acquisition was excellent in 36.3% pullbacks; whereas 4% pullbacks were unanalyzable. Pullback quality was most commonly affected by poor blood displacement from inadequate contrast volume (27.4%) or flow (25.6%), followed by artifacts (24.1%). Acquisition mode was ‘High-Resolution’ (54 mm) in 74.4% and ‘Survey’ (75 mm) in 25.6% of cases. The 54 mm mode was associated with incomplete ROI imaging (p = 0.020) and inadequate contrast volume (p = 0.035). We observed a substantial frequency of suboptimal image acquisition and identified its causes, most of which can be addressed with minor modifications during the procedure, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Assessing the Correlation between Parental Incarceration and Relational Aggression: Factor Structure of the Diverse Adolescent Relational Aggression Scale (DARAS)

This study details the development of the Diverse Adolescent Relational Aggression Scale (DARAS), to examine the association between parental incarceration and relational aggression in a high schoo...
Cytochalasin-Induced Ultrastructural Alterations in Nicotiana Pollen Tubes

Cytochalasin causes rapid inhibition of cytoplasmic streaming and growth in pollen tubes. In the present study we describe the ultra-structural changes that occur in pollen tubes of Nicotiana alata following treatment with cytochalasins. We utilize rapid freeze fixation and freeze substitution as a method superior to conventional chemical fixation for the preservation of cytoskeletal elements and membrane systems. The results show that either cytochalasin B or cytochalasin D causes microfilaments to form massive bundles throughout the cytoplasm, including the tipmost region of the pollen tube. Other effects include a loss of organelle zonation and vesicle aggregation in the tube tip, the accumulation of large stacks and coils of endoplasmic reticulum, and a crystalline rearrangement of a membrane component of some of the vacuoles. Following removal of cytochalasin the pollen tube ultrastructure returns to its normal configuration.
A Neurobiological Schema Model for Contextual Awareness in Robotics

A robot operating in multiple settings must develop stable as well as flexible representations of the tasks and contexts associated with their environments. Taking inspiration from neurobiology, we apply a neural network model of schemas and memory consolidation to train the Toyota Human Support Robot to find and retrieve objects in indoor settings. We define schemas to be collections of objects bound together by a common context. In this case, the robot must learn schemas associated with rooms found in a school based on objects typically found in those rooms. Because the model develops schema representations for each room, the robot can rapidly perform object retrieval tasks associated with familiar schemas and disambiguate the tasks by context. Our experiment explores the effects of the model in an embodied setting and shows the benefits of applying research in memory consolidation to contextual awareness in robotics.
PeerCould: Enhancing Mobile Cloud with Social-Aware Device-to-Device Offloading

Mobile cloud computing has been widely used to support the computation-intensive applications in mobile devices. Since cloud computing relies on the facilities like network infrastructures and cloud servers, the cloud service can be easily hampered by the limitation of these facilities in many cases. Therefore, researchers proposed the concept of device-to-device offloading to offload workload to nearby devices, without going through other facilities. Most existing works on device-to-device offloading aim to minimize the execution time of tasks or minimize the energy consumption. These works assume devices can be connected for a long time, but they neglect the fact that the connections among mobile devices are usually intermittent and even opportunistic, which may render the failure of task offloading. In this paper, we propose a new approach PeerCloud that aims to improve the success ratio of task offloading. Specifically, since mobile devices are carried by human beings, we study the social relationship between the device carriers and discover the hidden regularity in their contact patterns, in order to predict the likelihood of node departure. An optimization problem is then formalized to maximize the success ratio of task offloading within tasks’ time constraints. Experimental results based on two real-world datasets demonstrate that the PeerCloud outperforms existing approaches by significantly improving the success ratio.
The Global Software Team: Jugaad Needed

The Global Networks Company (GNC), headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, made its global footprint in India in 1994 by establishing a presence in Bangalore. Although mainly a sales support office, GNC grew name recognition from its contracts with India's government to help build nationwide networks. Not quite 20 years later, GNC decided to further invest in India and tapped a manager from the Boston office, Jim Notrika, to establish and then manage GNC's first global software center in Mumbai. Split between Mumbai and Boston, the project team successfully completed several minor projects, but only months into its first major project, the team was struggling to meet deadlines. Blame was being passed in both directions, and when three talented engineers in Mumbai quit, Notrika makes an emergency trip to Mumbai to better understand the problem.This case describes three common cross-cultural communication obstacles in teams: a preference for direct versus indirect confrontation of problems; a clash of collectivist versus individualistic cultural values related to reporting bad news or giving negative feedback; and different expectations of team leaders based on power-distance values. Excerpt UVA-OB-1054 Rev. Jul. 29, 2015 The Global Software : Jugaad Needed The Global Networks Company (GNC), headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, made its global footprint in India in 1994 by establishing a presence in Bangalore. Although mainly a sales support office, GNC grew name recognition from its contracts with India's government to help build nationwide networks. Not quite 20 years later, GNC decided to further invest in India and tapped a manager from the Boston office, Jim Notrika, to establish and then manage GNC's first global software center in Mumbai. Notrika had been with the firm several years, having worked his way up from software engineer to software center manager—a position he'd held for eight months when he assumed responsibility for the new Mumbai center. His employees were now split between the Boston and Mumbai, and he looked forward to seeing productivity from both locations. Notrika's first set of decisions was about how to structure the Mumbai software center facility, as well as how to coordinate the workflow between Mumbai and Boston. He decided that the Boston group would interface with customers—including all aspects of client engagement from presales to sales to implementation—and the Mumbai group would design and then develop the software. His plan was for the Boston group to meet with clients (all of whom were based in the United States) and then communicate the outcome of the client meetings to the Mumbai group. Allowing for the time zone difference, the Mumbai group would work on the project, communicate its progress, and raise any issues by the start of the next business day back in the United States. . . .
Does Displaying Safety Messages on Dynamic Message Signs have Measurable Impacts on Crash Risk

Transportation agencies have increasingly been using dynamic message signs (DMS) to communicate safety messages in an effort to both increase awareness of important safety issues and to influence d...
Waterproof, flexible field-effect transistors with submicron monocrystalline Si nanomembrane derived encapsulation for continuous pH sensing.

Abstract To understand the physio-pathological state of patients suffering from chronic diseases, scientists and clinicians need sensors to track chemical signals in real-time. However, the lack of stable, safe, and scalable biochemical sensing platforms capable of continuous operation in liquid environments imposes significant challenges in the timely diagnosis, intervention, and treatment of chronic conditions. This work reports a novel strategy for fabricating waterproof and flexible biochemical sensors with active electronic components, which feature a submicron encapsulation layer derived from monocrystalline Si nanomembranes with a high structural integrity due to the high formation temperature (>1000 °C). The ultrathin, yet dense and low-defect encapsulation enables continuous operation of field-effect transistors in biofluids for chemical sensing. The excellent stability in liquid environment and pH sensing performance of such transistors suggest their great potential as the foundation of waterproof and scalable biochemical sensors with active functionalities in the future. The understandings, knowledge base, and demonstrations for pH sensing reported here set the stage for the next generation long-term biosensing with a broad applicability in biomedical research, food science, and advanced healthcare.
In-Line Micro Ball Valve Through Polymer Tubing

A magnetically driven in-line micro ball valve through polymer tubing has been realized in this work. The structure is symmetric so that it can be used bi-directionally and it is very simple making it easily connectable with other microfluidic systems.
Age is Associated with Upgrading at Confirmatory Biopsy among Men with Prostate Cancer Treated with Active Surveillance

Purpose: Active surveillance is increasingly recommended for older men with low risk prostate cancer. Although older men have higher all cause mortality, they also have higher prostate cancer specific mortality. We hypothesized that older age is associated with an increased risk of Gleason score upgrading at confirmatory biopsy when controlling for prostate volume.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data on 1,130 patients with prostate cancer who were treated with active surveillance from 1991 through 2011. We included 646 patients with clinical Gleason 6 or less, stage T2a or less prostate cancer, a confirmatory biopsy within 2 years of diagnostic biopsy and prostate magnetic resonance imaging before confirmatory biopsy. The primary outcome was Gleason score upgrading to 7 or greater on confirmatory biopsy. We used logistic regression to estimate the effect of age on upgrading, adjusting for magnetic resonance imaging prostate volume and other potential confounders.Results: Median age was ...
Volume Measurement of MgO at High Pressures and High Temperatures

The unit cell volume of periclase (MgO) has been measured under high pressures and high temperatures up to 10 GPa and 1400°C. The measurement was made by an in situ X ray diffraction technique with the DIA-type high multianvil high-pressure apparatus (SAM85) installed at the superconducting wiggler beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS, X17B). In order to avoid the effect of microscopic stress, a chunk of MgO sintered with a piston cylinder apparatus was used for the measurement. Special care was taken to obtain deviatoric-stress-free spectra; for the room temperature measurement, a liquid pressure medium was used, and in the high temperature experiments, the relaxation of deviatoric stress by the heating treatment was always checked. As a result, very precise unit cell volumes of MgO were determined using its six to eight diffraction peaks. MgO showed no structural distortion in the P-T conditions in this study. Fitting the experimental P-T-V data to the high-temperature Birch-Murnaghan equation of state yields K 0 = 153(3) GPa and (∂K T /∂T) p = -0.034(3) GPa/K, assuming a constant value of 4 for K' T,0 . The high temperature equation of state of MgO can be used as an experimental pressure standard in high P-T condition where NaCl scale is useless.
Incentivizing advertiser networks to submit multiple bids

This paper illustrates a method for making side payments to advertiser networks that creates an incentive for the advertiser networks to submit the second-highest bids they received to an ad exchange and simultaneously ensures that the publishers will make more money on average in the short run as a result of adopting this scheme. We also illustrate how this payment scheme affects publisher payoffs in the long run after advertisers have a chance to modify their strategies in response to the changed incentives of the mechanism.
Inhibition of voltage-dependent sodium channels by Ro 31-8220, a 'specific' protein kinase C inhibitor.

We find that several protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, previously considered to be specific, directly inhibit voltage-dependent Na+ channels at their useful concentrations. Bisindolylmaleimide I (GF 1092037), IX (Ro 31-8220) and V (an inactive analogue), but not H7 (a non-selective isoquinolinesulfonamide protein kinase inhibitor), inhibited Na+ channels assessed by several independent criteria: Na+ channel-dependent glutamate release and [3H]batrachotoxinin-A 20-α-benzoate binding in rat cortical synaptosomes, veratridine-stimulated 22Na+ influx in CHO cells expressing rat CNaIIa Na+ channels and Na+ currents measured in isolated rat dorsal root ganglion neurons by whole cell patch-clamp recording. These findings limit the usefulness of the bisindolylmaleimide class PKC inhibitors in excitable cells.
Transcriptional repressor Rex is involved in regulation of oxidative stress response and biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans.

The transcriptional repressor Rex has been implicated in the regulation of energy metabolism and fermentative growth in response to redox potential. Streptococcus mutans, the primary causative agent of human dental caries, possesses a gene that encodes a protein with high similarity to members of the Rex family of proteins. In this study, we showed that Rex-deficiency compromised the ability of S. mutans to cope with oxidative stress and to form biofilms. The Rex-deficient mutant also accumulated less biofilm after 3days than the wild-type strain, especially when grown in sucrose-containing medium, but produced more extracellular glucans than the parental strain. Rex-deficiency caused substantial alterations in gene transcription, including those involved in heterofermentative metabolism, NAD 1 regeneration and oxidative stress. Among the upregulated genes was gtfC, which encodes glucosyltransferase C, an enzyme primarily responsible for synthesis of water-insoluble glucans. These results reveal that Rex plays an important role in oxidative stress responses and biofilm formation by S. mutans.
Abnormal visual input leads to development of abnormal axon trajectories in frogs.

Throughout the normal vertebrate brain, visual maps from the left and right eyes overlap and are in register with one another. Visual input has a major role in the development of the pathways which mediate these binocular projections1–3. A dramatic example of the developmental role of sensory input occurs in the isthmo-tectal projection, which is part of the polysynaptic relay from the eye to the ipsilateral tectum of the frog, Xenopus laevis4–8. If one eye is rotated when the animal is still a tadpole, the isthmic axons respond by changing the topography of their terminations in the tectum; for example, a given isthmo-tectal axon which normally would connect with medial tectum can be induced to terminate in lateral tectum. Such rearrangements bring the ipsilateral visual map into register with the contralateral retinotectal map, even though one eye has been rotated. Indirect evidence8 has suggested that after early eye rotation, isthmo-tectal axons do not grow directly to their new tectal targets but instead reach those targets by routes which pass through their normal termination zones. Here I have used anterograde horseradish peroxidase labelling of isthmo-tectal fibres to show the trajectories of such axons and to compare them with the routes which axons take when allowed to develop normally. Tracings of individual axons in flat-mounted, unsectioned tecta show that most axons in normal Xenopus follow fairly straight paths in the tectum. In contrast, early eye rotation causes many isthmo-tectal axons to follow crooked, circuitous pathways before they terminate.
Determination of burnup in spent nuclear fuel by application of fiber optic high-resolution inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (FO-HR-ICP-AES)

Abstract The determination of burnup, an indicator of fuel cycle efficiency, has been accomplished by the determination of 139La by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (HR-ICP-AES). Solutions of digested samples of reactor fuel rods were introduced into a shielded glovebox housing an inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) and the resulting atomic emission transmitted to a high-resolution spectrometer by a 31 m fiber optic bundle. Total and isotopic U determination by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) is presented to allow for the calculation of burnup for the samples. This method of burnup determination reduces the time, material, sample handling and waste generation associated with typical burnup determinations which require separation of lanthanum from the other fission products with high specific activities.
Regulation of acetohydroxy acid synthase activities in Escherichia coli K-12 by small metabolites.

Abstract The effects of several metabolites (indole acetic acid, imidazole acetic acid and indole) on acetohydroxy acid synthase activities have been examined in both cya + and cya − strains. Specifically, indole acetic acid caused an increase in the rate of acetohydroxy acid synthase synthesis under both in vivo and in vitro conditions. Taken together, these data suggest that small metabolites, other than cAMP, can alter acetohydroxy acid synthase gene expression.
Effects of hypnosis on regional cerebral blood flow during ischemic pain with and without suggested hypnotic analgesia

Abstract Using 133 Xe regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) imaging, two male groups having high and low hypnotic susceptibility were compared in waking and after hypnotic induction, while at rest and while experiencing ischemic pain to both arms under two conditions: attend to pain and suggested analgesia. Differences between low and. highly-hypnotizable persons were observed during all hypnosis conditions: only highly-hypnotizable persons showed a significant increase in overall CBF, suggesting that hypnosis requires cognitive effort. As anticipated, ischemic pain produced CBF increases in the somatosensory region. Of major theoretical interest is a highly-significant bilateral CBF activation of the orbito-frontal cortex in the highly-hypnotizable group only during hypnotic analgesia. During hypnotic analgesia, highly-hypnotizable persons showed CBF increase over the somatosensory cortex, while low-hypnotizable persons showed decreases. Research is supportive of a neuropsychophysiological model of hypnosis (Crawford, 1991; Crawford and Gruzelier, 1992) and suggests that hypnotic analgesia involves the supervisory, attentional control system of the far-frontal cortex in a topographically specific inhibitory feedback circuit that cooperates in the regulation of thalamocortical activities.
Use of clonidine for dysmenorrhea in four patients

Severe dysmenorrhea occurs in 22% to 50% of adolescent women' and although it frequency decreases with age and following pregnancy,2.3 many women continue to have pri­ mary dysmenorrhea for years. A number of theories and treatments have been proposed, but the most promising cur­ rent work has focused on the role of prostaglandins in pro­ ducing high intrauterine pressure during the menstrual flow. '.> Prostaglandins clearly are mediators of uterine con­ tractions, arteriolar constriction, and pain ofdysmenorrhea, but they may not be responsible for the primary biologic dis­ order.
Support Points with Maximum Radial Angle

It has been known for some time that every support point of class S of univalent functions must map the disk onto the complement of an analytic arc whose radial angle is less than π/4 in magnitude ...
Tagatose Stability in Milk and Diet Lemonade

: The monosaccharide tagatose has been shown to behave physiologically as a prebiotic. To provide its healthful prebiotic effect to consumers, tagatose must not break down during food processing and storage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the storage and thermal stabilities of tagatose in milk and lemonade. Tagatose (0.9% to 1.5%) was added to commercially available shelf stable milk and diet lemonade. Samples were stored at 20, 40, 61, and 81 °C. Tagatose loss was monitored chromatographically. Pseudo-first-order rate constants for tagatose degradation were determined along with the reaction's activation energy. No tagatose degradation was observed in lemonade at temperatures equal to or less than 61 °C. Degradation occurred faster in milk because of its higher pH in comparison to lemonade and its dairy proteins enabling the Maillard reaction. The activation energy for tagatose degradation in milk was 24.6 kcal/mol. Using this activation energy, it was estimated that less than 0.1% tagatose would be lost during pasteurization and less than 4% would be lost during storage at 25 °C for 6 mo. Although tagatose degradation occurs in beverages, the extent of its loss during pasteurization and storage would be very low. Tagatose can be formulated into beverages with minimal concern about its degradation and the subsequent loss of prebiotic activity. Practical Application: Tagatose can be incorporated into beverages as a prebiotic to improve the healthful characteristics of the product without significant degradation.
Velocity profile characterization in sub-millimeter diameter tubes using molecular tagging velocimetry

Fluid flow through microtubes is of interest to many industries and there exists a need for detailed measurements of the velocity field. Velocity profile data are critical for momentum, mass, and heat transport analysis, and thus the design of devices utilizing microgeometries. This paper outlines a measurement technique that has led to time-resolved measurements of velocity profiles in microtubes (less than 1,000 μm). The research program was experimental in nature and consisted of an extension of molecular tagging velocimetry to the microscale. Average velocity and rms profile data in the fully developed region, in addition to mass flow rate and pressure drop data, are presented for numerous Reynolds numbers ranging from 600 to 5,000 in a tube of diameter 705 μm.
Current-driven plasma instabilities for a bilayer two-dimensional electron system

We have formulated a theory to help us investigate the conditions which are needed to achieve stronger plasmon instability leading to emission in the terahertz (THz) regime for semiconductor quantum wells (QWs). The surface response function is calculated for a bilayer two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system in the presence of a metal grating placed on the surface which modulates the electron density. The 2DEG layers are coupled to surface plasmons arising from excitations of free carriers in the bulk region between the layers. A current is passed through one of the 2DEG layers and is characterized by a drift velocity υ D . With the use of the surface response function, the plasmon dispersion equation is obtained as a function of frequency ω, the in-plane wave vector q ll = ( q x , q y ) and reciprocal lattice vector nG where n = 0,±1,±2, ... with G = 2π/ d and d denoting the period of the grating. The dispersion equation, which yields the resonant frequencies, is solved in the complex ω-plane for real wave vector q ll . It is ascertained that the imaginary part of ω is enhanced with decreasing d , and with increasing the doping density of the free carriers in the bulk medium for fixed grating period.
Students’ Preconceptions of Professors: Benefits and Barriers According to Ethnicity and Gender

The present study examined the influence of professor and student characteristics on students’ preconceptions of college professors. Course syllabi for a politically charged social science course were constructed with versions varying by teaching style, professor gender, and professor ethnicity. A total of 633 (44% Latino; 34% African American; 22% Anglo) undergraduates rated the course and the instructor on professor warmth, professor capability, and political bias. Among several findings associated with professor ethnicity and teaching style, Latina professors were viewed as more warm when they had a lenient teaching style andless warm when they hada strict teaching style when compared with Anglo women professors with respective styles. Anglo men students perceived professors as more politically biased than did other students. Results are discussed in the context of aversive racism and a double standard of evaluation for Latino professors.
Late stenosis of a superficial temporal-middle cerebral artery bypass: Angiographic and histological findings

The course of a patient with an initially widely patent superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass and an enlarged donor vessel is presented. Over 17 months, the STA became markedly stenotic. Serial angiography is correlated with autopsy histological findings showing severe atherosclerotic changes throughout the donor vessel. The potential causative factors, both medical and surgical, are discussed and the appropriate literature is reviewed. Parallels are drawn from the cardiac bypass experience. The bypass itself may have precipitated or accelerated intimal hyperplasia, which stenosed (and may have eventually occluded) the vessel. Is this phenomenon more frequent than we realize?
Human exposure to ferric sulfate aerosol: effects on pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms

Twenty normal and 18 asthmatic human volunteers were exposed to ferric sulfate aerosol at a nominal concentration of 75 µg/m3 (equivalent to 20 µg iron/m3). The concentration and particle size distribution (2 µm mass median aerodynamic diameter; geometric standard deviation of 3) were selected to simulate worst case ambient conditions. Ferric sulfate was chosen for study because it is toxic, it is a respiratory system irritant, and increased use of coal and high sulfur fuel oils will lead to increased concentrations of iron and sulfate in ambient air. A double-blind protocol was followed in which each subject was exposed on two days, separated by about a three week period. The subjects were exposed to clean air (sham) on one day and to ferric sulfate aerosol on the other (exposure); the order of exposure was selected randomly. Neither the subjects nor the staff performing the clinical testing were informed as to the nature of the atmosphere on any given day. Pulmonary function tests were performed immedia...