cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex-associated differences in left ventricular function in aortic stenosis of the elderly.

BACKGROUNDIn aortic stenosis, the response of the left ventricle to pressure overload varies from compensated hypertrophy to overt heart failure. The determinants of left ventricular adaptation are poorly understood.METHODS AND RESULTSLeft ventricular function was compared to assess the role of sex in 34 women and 29 men 60 years or older with both hemodynamic and echocardiographic data characteristic of severe aortic stenosis and no important coronary artery disease. Despite a similar degree of left ventricular outflow obstruction in women versus men (aortic valve area 0.54 +/- 0.20 versus 0.59 +/- 0.19 cm2, NS), the left ventricle of women had a greater fractional shortening (37 +/- 12 versus 25 +/- 12%, p = 0.001), achieved a smaller end-systolic chamber size (1.82 +/- 0.64 versus 2.17 +/- 0.65 cm/m2, p = 0.04), and generated more pressure (210 +/- 35 versus 182 +/- 29 mm Hg, p = 0.001) with a greater maximum positive dP/dt (2.153 +/- 794 versus 1,595 +/- 384 mm Hg/sec, p = 0.02). The men had a lower c...
Lessons from practice-based clinical research.

Astute clinicians have long recognized that sexual development is far more variable than suggested in the standard texts; in other words, children do not march through the stages of puberty in locked step with one another. For example, children who are significantly overweight tend to have earlier pubescence.1 Less commonly appreciated is a propensity to earlier sexual development in African-American girls, including a greater incidence of earlier sexual hair development or isolated precocious adrenarche.2,3 In this issue Herman-Giddens and her colleagues from the Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) network4 demonstrate that early sexual development in African-American girls is relatively common and frequently observed in the practice settings utilized for the PROS study. By age 7, or in school-aged terms equivalent to the first or second grade, 27.2% of African-American girls in the PROS study had breast and/or pubic hair development equivalent to a Tanner stage 2 or greater as compared with 6.7% of their white counterparts. By age 8, equivalent to second or third grade, almost half or 48.3% of African-American girls had achieved this level of maturity compared with 14.7% of their white peers. The mean age of achieving Tanner stage 2 pubic hair or breast development was 8.11 years in African-American girls as compared with 9.71 in white girls. A …
Influence of specific reactant-solvent interactions on intrinsic activation entropies for outer-sphere electron-transfer reactions

Abstract : The physical basis of the solvent contribution to the intrinsic activation entropy, Delta S* Sub int, for outer-sphere electron-transfer reactions in homogeneous solution is examined in terms of the entropic parameters for the constituent electrochemical half reactions. A relationship for calculating Delta S* Sub int is derived which takes into account specific reactant-solvent interactions for the isolated redox centers by employing electrochemical reaction entropy data. This relation yields rather larger and more structure-sensitive values of Delta S* Sub int than those deduced on the basis of the usual dielectric continuum treatment. These considerations indicate that the more negative values of Delta S* Sub int typically extracted from experimental kinetic data arise largely from the modification to the specific reactant-solvent interactions within the precursor complex caused by the proximity of the other redox center. (Author)
Infused peripheral blood autograft absolute lymphocyte count correlates with day 15 absolute lymphocyte count and clinical outcome after autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Absolute lymphocyte count at day 15 (ALC-15) after autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APHSCT) is an independent prognostic factor for survival in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Factors affecting ALC-15 remain unknown. We hypothesized that dose of infused autograft lymphocytes (A-ALC) directly impacts upon ALC-15. A total of 190 consecutive NHL patients received A-ALC between 1993 and 2001. The primary end point was correlation between A-ALC and ALC-15. A strong correlation was identified (r=0.71). A higher A-ALC was infused into patients achieving an ALC-15 > or =500/microl vs ALC-15 /=0.5 x 10(9)/kg vs A-ALC <0.5 x 10(9)/kg (76 vs 17 months, P<0.0001; 49 vs 10 months, P<0.0001, respectively). Multivariate analysis demonstrated A-ALC to be an independent prognostic indicator for OS and PFS. These data support our hypothesis that ALC-15 and survival are dependent upon the dose of infused A-ALC in NHL.
Receptor tyrosine kinase Tie-1 overexpression in endothelial cells upregulates adhesion molecules

Tie-1 is an endothelial specific cell surface protein whose biology remains poorly understood. Using an overexpression system in vitro, we examined whether Tie-1 activity in endothelial cells in vitro would elicit a proinflammatory response. We found that when overexpressed in endothelial cells in vitro, Tie-1 is tyrosine-phosphorylated. We also showed that Tie-1 upregulates VCAM-1, E-selectin, and ICAM-1, partly through a p38-dependent mechanism. Interestingly, upregulation of VCAM-1 and E-selectin by Tie-1 is significantly higher in human aortic endothelial cells than in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Additionally, attachment of cells of monocytic lineage to endothelial cells is also enhanced by Tie-1 expression. Collectively, our data show that Tie-1 has a proinflammatory property and may play a role in the endothelial inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.
The challenges and rewards of petascale clusters

Building, integrating and using petascale systems have many challenges including system power and cooling, system stability, scalablity, simulation environment and the development of petascale applications. In this talk, we discuss these challenges and provide some approaches to addressing these challenges. In addition, we discuss some recent scientific results from petascale systems that make the whole effort worthwhile.
Infectious bursal disease virus of chickens: pathogenesis and immunosuppression

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is an important immunosuppressive virus of chickens. The virus is ubiquitous and, under natural conditions, chickens acquire infection by the oral route. IgM+ cells serve as targets for the virus. The most extensive virus replication takes place in the bursa of Fabricius. The acute phase of the disease lasts for about 7-10 days. Within this phase, bursal follicles are depleted of B cells and the bursa becomes atrophic. Abundant viral antigen can be detected in the bursal follicles and other peripheral lymphoid organs such as the cecal tonsils and spleen. CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells accumulate at and near the site of virus replication. The virus-induced bursal T cells are activated, exhibit upregulation of cytokine genes, proliferate in response to in vitro stimulation with IBDV and have suppressive properties. Chickens may die during the acute phase of the disease although IBDV induced mortality is highly variable and depends, among other factors, upon the virulence of the virus strain. Chickens that survive the acute disease clear the virus and recover from its pathologic effects. Bursal follicles are repopulated with IgM(+) B cells. Clinical and subclinical infection with IBDV may cause immunosuppression. Both humoral and cellular immune responses are compromised. Inhibition of the humoral immunity is attributed to the destruction of immunoglobulin-producing cells by the virus. Other mechanisms such as altered antigen-presenting and helper T cell functions may also be involved. Infection with IBDV causes a transient inhibition of the in vitro proliferative response of T cells to mitogens. This inhibition is mediated by macrophages which are activated in virus-exposed chickens and exhibit a marked enhancement of expression of a number of cytokine genes. We speculate that T cell cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-gamma may stimulate macrophages to produce nitric oxide (NO) and other cytokines with anti-proliferative activity. Additional studies are needed to identify the possible direct immunosuppressive effect of IBDV on T cells and their functions. Studies are also needed to examine effects of the virus on innate immunity. Earlier data indicate that the virus did not affect normal natural killer (NK) cell levels in chickens.
Structural stabilization of DNA-templated nanostructures: crosslinking with 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)pyrrole monomers

Ordered 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)pyrrole (SNS) zipper arrays are formed by hybridization of complementary DNA oligomers each containing covalently bound SNS monomers. Upon oxidation with HRP/H2O2, these SNS arrays are converted to oligomers having specific lengths and conformation. As a consequence of this reaction the two SNS-containing strands are permanently crosslinked.
Experimental Studies and Verification of a Differential Target Antenna Coupling Method for Sensing and Imaging Subsurface Targets

We have developed a new electromagnetic geophysical system, the Differential Target Antenna Coupling (DTAC) method, which can significantly improve target sensing and imaging capabilities compared to conventional measurements. In a companion paper, we developed the theory behind this method. In the current paper, we show an experimental validation of the method by comparing the measured and calculated responses for a variety of precisely known, small-scale targets. Excellent agreement has been obtained in all cases where the target was in contact with the earth. The DTAC method uses at least two frequencies. One frequency is used as a reference signal to establish the null direction at that frequency, and then a different frequency is used to measure the change in the null at that new frequency. We can also use an arbitrary number of frequencies with just one reference frequency for wide-bandwidth measurements. The DTAC method is not sensitive to the orientation of the receiver coil and it is relatively insensitive to variations in the background resistivity. Small-scale prototype measurements show that the DTAC method can detect targets deeper and with greater resolution of target dip, strike, and thickness than conventional methods. It is also possible to orient the DTAC array so that it is not sensitive to surface interference.
Management Strategies and Budgetary Politics

The study of public sector budgeting, particularly at the state level, has been dominated by incremental models of decision making. As a result, the budget has not always been viewed as an effective management tool for governors and other senior state officials. However, there are several critical issues which state leaders repeatedly face and for which the budget is the principal instrument for implementing decisions. This article identifies four key issues for the strategic management of state government and relates alternative approaches to each issue to the nature of budgetary politics. The first section raises the issues in the form of four questions. The next sections present alternative answers and discuss their political implications. Where appropriate, examples from the state of New York are included.
Developmental regulation of collagen differential expression in the rabbit bladder.

AbstractPurpose: It has been suggested that the amount and relative ratios of different types of collagen influence bladder compliance. To understand the mechanisms regulating collagen synthesis and degradation in the bladder we investigated the gene expression of collagen types I and III in the rabbit bladder during normal development.Materials and Methods: New Zealand white rabbits ages fetus to adult were used for this study. The mid portion of the bladder wall was harvested. Northern blot hybridization was performed to analyze quantitatively collagen types I and III messenger (m) ribonucleic acid (RNA), and in situ hybridization was done to localize the messages. Corresponding protein distributions were obtained by immunohistochemical staining.Results: Types I and III collagen are developmentally regulated at the level of gene expression. The temporal and spatial distribution of the mRNA transcripts of alpha 1(I) and alpha 1(III) correlates with extracellular protein deposition. Differential distribut...
Evaluation of a time-of-event method for measurement of very low levels of radioactivity

Abstract A time-of-event counting system is described and its application to counting low levels of radionuclides is discussed. If it is assumed as a first approximation that the detector efficiency is a constant, then the time-of-event methods do not result in improved detection limits relative to the grouped data methods. It is concluded that at very low counting rates the counter efficiency effect must be described by a function obeying the laws of geometric statistics. In addition, it was shown that the time-of-event method provides a useful diagnostic tool for monitoring the performance of a counting system during the course of a counting measurement.
Life Review as a Therapeutic Frame in the Treatment of Young Adults with AIDS

In this article, the author describes developmental and clinical issues in the use of life review as a therapeutic frame in psychotherapy of young adults with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Presentation of clinical data suggests that elaboration of life narratives, by means of reminiscence, may help people to regain a cohesive sense of self, carry out psychological and social tasks, and revise life structures in the context of the illness experience. The author demonstrates how narrative approaches, informed by developmental theory, shift the focus from disability and dysfunction to concern for relative health and personal growth in social intervention with this population. Emergent research issues also are identified.
Investigation of Mechanical Properties of ZSM-5-based Materials through MD Simulations

Mechanical properties of ZSM-5 zeolites are investigated through molecular dynamics simulation in this work. Negative thermal expansion (NTE) of ZSM-5 is observed and the mechanism of NTE at atomic scale is discussed. Effects of environment temperature and material defects are studied. It is shown that tensile strength decreases when the ambient temperature is increased. It is found that introducing defects into the material leads to lower tensile strength. With the onset of failure of the sample, there occurs a sudden drop of virial stress.
Evolutionary implications of substitution patterns in prolamin genes of Oryza glaberrima (African rice, Poaceae) and related species

Patterns of sequence variation of nuclear genes encoding 10-kDa and 16-kDa prolamin seed storage proteins were examined in Oryza glaberrima (African rice, Poaceae) and O. barthii and compared to available sequences for the genus to assess potential application of these gene families in evolutionary studies. Sequence variation among species in 10-kDa genes was very low. In contrast, the 16-kDa genes have undergone rapid evolution, displaying a larger number of length and point mutations that in some cases result in frame shift or produce truncated protein or pseudogenes. The proportion of nonsynonymous substitution is high in both genes. Although nonsynonymous mutations did not alter the overall profile of the protein, pronounced shifts in proportions of some amino acids were evident and could have systematic application. The data provide support for a proposed direct evolution of the Asian (O. sativa) and African rice from O. rufipogon and O. barthii, respectively. Patterns of amino acid frequencies of the 10-kDa genes show the distinctness of O. rufipogon and O. longistaminata from the other species. The study underscores the potential application of the prolamin genes as markers from the nuclear genome for evolutionary studies in grasses at different taxonomic levels.
Designing a telemedicine platform for three different medical applications

This project is being undertaken between the Imaging Science and Information Systems (ISIS) Center of the Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) and the Departments of Internal Medicine, Surgery and Pediatrics at GUMC. It investigates the design and technical efficacy of a common Personal Computer (PC) platform for three different medical applications. This platform will be used for each project with different configurations depending on the clinical needs. The efficacy of a common telemedicine platform has not been evaluated in the literature. The first application, with the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, investigates the usefulness of Telemedicine when used for a clinical pharmacology consultation service from an off-site location. The second application, with the Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, tests the utility of a telemedicine platform including radiology images for a surgical stone disease consultation service from an off site location in West Virginia. The third application, with the Department of Pediatrics, will test telemedicine for clinical subspecialty pediatrics consultation service from an off-site location in Virginia as well as allowing the resident to 'attend' grand rounds at GUMC.
Analysis and modeling of coupled right angle microstrip bend discontinuities

Various coupled right-angle microstrip bends encountered in microwave integrated circuits can be modeled in terms of four-port networks consisting of equivalent excess discontinuity self- and mutual-inductances and capacitances associated with the coupled bends. The coupling parameters of two frequently encountered microstrip right-angle bend configurations are computed employing an iterative technique in a moment-method formulation. Quasi-static results for the bends are presented along with their equivalent circuit models, which can be easily included in circuit simulators. The simulation of a rectangular spiral inductor is included to demonstrate the coupling effect of the discontinuities. >
Treatment of non-cardiac chest pain.

he treatment of noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) is challenging due to the eterogeneous nature of the disorder. NCCP may be caused or associated ith a spectrum of clinical conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux, isceral hyperalgesia, esophageal motility disorders, and psychiatric onditions. It is also possible that many patients may suffer from more han one source of pain, although this has not been critically studied. election of therapy is frequently aimed at the suspected underlying isorder. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review f available treatment modalities for NCCP.
Circulatory adjuncts: Newer methods of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Principles of cardiovascular physiology tell us that during cardiac arrest and CPR, forward flow of blood can be generated by external compression or decompression of either the chest or the abdomen. Standard CPR utilizes only one of these modes--chest compression--and generates roughly 1 L/min forward flow in an adult human, which is 20% of normal cardiac output. IAC-CPR uses two of these modes--chest compression and abdominal compression--and generates roughly twice the forward flow, or 2 L/min in an adult human. ACD-CPR uses two of these modes--chest compression and chest decompression--and also generates roughly twice the forward flow as standard CPR, although the results are somewhat model dependent. The studies by Sack et al with IAC-CPR and by Plaisance et al with ACD-CPR suggest that when methods that double perfusion are employed methodically, resuscitation outcome in terms of short- and long-term survival are also roughly doubled. This state of affairs is fortunate, because it is possible that factors, such as severe underlying disease or the quality of postresuscitation care, could blunt or cancel positive effects of improved blood flow during the brief resuscitation period. Theoretically, full four-phase CPR, including active compression and decompression of both chest and abdomen, is capable of generating 4 L/min forward flow or greater, which is 80% of normal, and there is a reasonable prospect of achieving 100% of normal flow under conditions in which all four phases are optimized. Standard CPR is clearly not the ultimate form of external CPR. There is real, credible evidence that substantial improvements in resuscitation methods and results will be possible in the next decade.
Solving the Stochastic Growth Model by Parameterizing Expectations

This article describes a method for solving the one-good stochastic growth model by parameterizing the expectations part of the stochastic Euler equation. The conditional expectation is specified as a function of the state of the system, and the parameters of that function are estimated to solve the model. The article includes a discussion of how to find the parameters of the function and determine systematically the complexity of the functional form necessary to solve the model.
Ribosomal Complexes from an Extremely Halophilic Bacterium and the Role of Cations

Concentrated extracts of Halobacterium cutirubrum were prepared at 0 C by gently disrupting cells with a nonionic detergent in a medium containing 3.0 m KCl, 0.5 m NH(4)Cl, and 0.04 m (or more) magnesium acetate and then treating the gelatinous mass with deoxyribonuclease. On KCl-sucrose gradients containing 0.5 m NH(4)Cl and 0.04 m magnesium acetate, these extracts showed 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits plus a flat profile of faster-sedimenting material up to high S values. Only after frozen storage or brief incubation of the extract were 70S ribosomes and distinct classes of small polyribosomes detected. Digestion with ribonuclease converted faster-sedimenting material to 70S particles. The presence of chloramphenicol during preparation of the extracts did not affect these results. The evidence suggests that ribosomal particles exist in these cells as subunits or as polyribosomes but not as 70S ribosomes. To investigate the function of Mg(++) and NH(4) (+) ions in ribosomal complexes from this halophile, concentrated cell extracts and extracts incubated with (14)C-leucine were examined on KCl-sucrose gradients containing different concentrations of these ions. Polyribosomes and the bulk of 70S ribosomes dissociated reversibly to subunits at about 0.01 m Mg(++), whereas a small fraction of the 70S particles, including those which in vitro incorporated (14)C-leucine into nascent protein, dissociated only below 1 mm Mg(++). Below this concentration of Mg(++), nascent protein remained attached to the 50S subunit even at 0.04 mm Mg(++) in the presence of 0.35 to 0.5 m NH(4)Cl. Nascent protein, presumably as peptidyl-transfer ribonucleic acid, dissociated reversibly from 50S subunits only at 0.04 mm Mg(++) and 0.1 m or less NH(4) (+). Thus, the stability of polyribosomes from H. cutirubrum depends specifically on both Mg(++) and NH(4) (+) ions.
Childhood Asthma: Diagnosis and Treatment

Many children suffer from recurrent coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. In preschool children one third of all children have these symptoms before the age of six, but only 40% of these wheezing preschoolers will continue to have asthma. In older school-aged children the majority of the children have asthma. Quality of life is affected by asthma control. Sleep disruption and exercised induced airflow limitation have a negative impact on participation in sports and social activities, and may influence family life. The goal of asthma therapy is to achieve asthma control, but only a limited number of patients are able to reach total control. This may be due to an incorrect diagnosis, co-morbidities or poor inhalation technique, but in the majority of cases non-adherence is the main reason for therapy failures. However, partnership with the parents and the child is important in order to set individually chosen goals of therapy and may be of help to improve control. Non-pharmacological measures aim at avoiding tobacco smoke, and when a child is sensitised, to avoid allergens. In pharmacological management international guidelines such as the GINA guideline and the British Guideline on the Management of Asthma are leading.
A tape-stripping method for measuring dermal exposure to multifunctional acrylates

Current methods for measuring dermal exposure to skin irritants and allergens, such as acrylates, have significant drawbacks for exposure assessment. A noninvasive sampling method has been developed and tested for measuring dermal exposure to a multifunctional acrylate employing a tape stripping of the nonviable epidermis (stratum corneum). Samples were subsequently extracted and a gas chromatographic method was employed for quantitative analysis of tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA). This method was tested in 10 human volunteers exposed to an a priori determined amount of TPGDA or a UV-radiation curable acrylate coating containing TPGDA (UV-resin) at different sites on hands and arms. On the average, the first tape stripping removed 94% (coefficient of variation 16%) of the theoretical quantity of deposited TPGDA and 89% (coefficient of variation 15%) of the theoretical quantity of deposited TPGDA in UV-resin 30min after exposure. Quantities of TPGDA recovered from two consecutive tape strippings accounted for all of the test agent, demonstrating both the efficiency of the method to measure dermal exposure and the potential to determine the rate of absorption with successive samples over time. In general, the amount removed by the first stripping was greater for TPGDA than for UV-resin while the second stripping removed approximately 6 and 21% of TPGDA and UV-resin, respectively. However, when the amounts removed with the first tape stripping for TPGDA or UV-resin from the five different individual sites were compared, no significant differences were observed (P=0.111 and 0.893, respectively). No significant difference was observed in recovery between TPGDA and UV-resin for the first tape stripping when calculated as a percentage of the theoretical amount (P=0.262). The results indicate that this tape-stripping technique can be used to quantify dermal exposure to multifunctional acrylates.
Pancomputationalism: Theory or Metaphor?

The theory that all processes in the universe are computational is attractive in its promise to provide an understandable theory of everything. I want to suggest here that this ‘pancomputationalism’ is not sufficiently clear on which problem it is trying to solve, and how. I propose two interpretations of pancomputationalism as a theory: I) the world is a computer and II) the world can be described as a computer. The first implies a thesis of supervenience of the physical over computation and is thus reduced ad absurdum. The second is underdetermined by the world, and thus equally unsuccessful as theory. Finally, I suggest that pancomputationalism as metaphor can be useful. ‐ At the Paderborn workshop 2008, this paper was presented as a commentary to the relevant paper by Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic.
Nocturnal sleep panic and depression: relationship to subjective sleep in panic disorder

Abstract Background Patients with panic disorder (PD) often complain of sleep disturbances. PD patients have high co-morbid depression and almost 65–70% reports a history of nocturnal panic attacks. It is possible that both nocturnal-sleep panic attacks and depression contribute to sleep disturbances in PD patients. However, the individual and interactive effects of nocturnal-sleep panic attacks and lifetime depression on subjective sleep in PD are unknown. Methods The National Institute of Mental Health Panic Disorder Questionnaire (NIMH-PQ) was administered to 773 individuals who met DSM-IV criteria for PD. All of these subjects completed queries related to nocturnal-sleep panic attacks, lifetime depression, difficulty sleeping, and sleep duration. Results We examined difficulty in sleeping and sleep duration in four subgroups [PD without nocturnal panic attacks or lifetime depression (NP−D−), PD with nocturnal panic attacks (NP+D−), PD with lifetime depression (NP−D+), and PD with both nocturnal panic attacks and lifetime depression (NP+D+)]. Significantly greater proportions of NP+D+ subjects reported difficulty sleeping compared to other three subgroups. In addition, the NP+D+ patients reported significantly decreased subjective sleep durations compared to the other three subgroups. Using ≤ 5h as a criteria for severe sleep restriction, approximately 20% of the NP+D+ patients, compared to 9.2%, 9.6%, and 2.5% in the NP+D−, NP−D+, NP−D− subgroups, respectively, reported sleeping 5h or less. 8.2% of panic disorder patients reported excessive sleeping per sleeping period. Conclusions A high percentage of panic disorder individuals report subjective sleep disturbances. Not surprisingly, an unusually high prevalence of patients with nocturnal panic attacks or depression have sleep problems and 92.3% of patients with both nocturnal panic attacks and depression report striking extremes in sleep duration or insomnia. Thus, nocturnal-sleep panic attacks and depression are independently as well as interactively associated with increased sleep disturbances in panic disorder. Although these findings are expected, they underscore the importance of assessing sleep functions, including over-sleeping, in panic disorder patients.
‘He has too much hard questions’: the acquisition of the linguistic mass–count distinction in much and many

Subjects aged 3;6–9;0 were asked to judge sentences in which much and many modified prototypical and non-prototypical mass and count nouns, and to correct those sentences judged to be deviant. The experimental results indicate that children do not approach the co-occurrence conditions of much and many with various nouns from a semantic point of view, but rather from a morphosyntactic or surface-distributional one. Children learn the proper form that the noun must take in these constructions before they learn the proper choice of quantifier. In addition, they reserve many for use with plural count nouns long before they learn that much is restricted in direct noun modification to use with singular mass nouns.
Is breast conservation therapy a viable option for patients with triple-receptor negative breast cancer?

Background Triple-receptor negative breast cancers (TNBC) are aggressive neoplasms that lack estrogen-receptor, progesterone-receptor, and HER-2 expressions. Comparative analysis of breast conservation therapy (BCT) versus mastectomy for TNBC is reported sparsely. We hypothesized that, despite its aggressive behavior, TNBC can be managed with BCT. Methods Outcomes for 202 patients with TNBC who were treated with BCT or mastectomy were analyzed. Primary endpoints were cancer recurrence and death. Statistical analysis performed included Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log-rank, independent samples t test, Cox proportional hazard model, and Chi-square. Results BCT was performed in 30% of patients. Isolated local recurrence rate for BCT and mastectomy was 0% and 10.6%, respectively (P = .02). Isolated regional recurrence rate for BCT and mastectomy was 1.6% and 1.4%, respectively (P = .61). Neither concomitant locoregional and distant recurrence rate (P = .73) nor isolated distant recurrence rate (P = .71) was significantly different between the BCT and mastectomy groups. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was better for the BCT group than the mastectomy group (89% vs 69%; P = .018); however, this was likely due to the mastectomy group having a larger neoplasm size (T3/T4: 4% BCT vs 27% mastectomy; P = .0002), advanced N-disease (N2/3: 8% BCT vs 25% mastectomy; P = .0003), and advanced stage of disease (stage 3: 8% BCT vs 35% mastectomy; P Conclusion Despite TNBC's aggressive behavior, breast conservation therapy is a viable option for selected patients with TNBC.
Question From the Clinician: Hepatitis B Vaccine Birth Dose

1. Geoffrey A. Weinberg, MD* 1. *Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry; Director, Pediatric HIV Program, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY A pediatrician is concerned that her patients receive a total of four doses of the hepatitis B vaccine. She uses the triple vaccine combination containing diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis, inactivated polio, and hepatitis B at 2, 4, and 6 months of age to reduce the number of shots for her patients, and almost all of her patients had received hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Is this a common problem for other pediatricians, and if so, is there a way to circumvent this problem? As of January 2005, two combination vaccine products are licensed for use in the routine immunization of young infants in the United States. One contains diphtheria …
The Roll Call Behavior of Men and Women in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1937–2008

Our analysis investigates the ideological differences in the voting records of male and female members of the U.S. House of Representatives using a relatively novel natural-experiment research design to account for variations in district-level factors. We ask whether it makes a difference when a woman succeeds a man or a man succeeds a woman in a given congressional district. To answer this question, we created a database consisting of predecessor-successor pairs in all elections to the House between 1937 and 2008. In the case of intraparty change, we find that there is no significant difference in the voting scores of female and male members of the House; the roll call scores of female Democrats who replace male Democrats are virtually identical, as are the scores of male Democrats who replace female Democrats. The same results hold for Republicans. We also demonstrate that when interparty change occurs in a district, there is no evidence that the resulting ideological change is greater when the successor or predecessor is a woman. In other words, the voting records of consecutive members of Congress that come from a particular district are virtually the same regardless of their gender.
Local- vs. landscape-scale indirect effects of an invasive weed on native plants

Insect-mediated indirect interactions between native plant species recently have been shown to be important determinants of plant performance in a number of ecological communities. However, the potential indirect effects of exotic plant invasion on native plant species are not well understood. We examined whether the presence or proximity of the targeted exotic weed, musk thistle, influences the magnitude of attack on native thistles by the introduced biological control, flowerhead weevil. At the local scale, we quantified weevil egg densities on heads of the native wavyleaf thistle growing at different distances (0 to 100 m) from patches of the exotic thistle. Densities were significantly higher when the native thistle occurred within, vs. 30 to 50 m or 80 to 100 m from, patches of the exotic thistle, indicating a strong local ''spillover effect.'' At larger scales, we measured egg densities on wavyleaf thistle within grassland landscapes (2.4 3 2.4 km 2 ) with varying infestation densities of the invasive musk thistle. We found that egg densities increased significantly with increasing invasive thistle densities measured at larger site and landscape scales. Because flowerhead weevil feeding substantially reduces seed production of wavyleaf thistle, exotic thistle populations are likely to have indirect negative effects on these native thistles. Our results provide strong empirical evidence that exotic plants can increase the attack on native plant species by maintaining populations of a shared insect herbivore. This finding suggests that persistence of exotic weeds in less-successful biocontrol programs will magnify the nontarget effects of weed biocontrol insects. Nomenclature: Musk thistle, Carduus nutans spp. leiophyllus (Petrovic) Stoj. & Stef. # 3 CRUNU;
The Hobo to Doormen: The characters of qualitative analysis, past and present:

Types, roles, and individuals have collectively held a place in qualitative research alongside and at times within neighborhood and community studies but have not enjoyed systematization. This arti...
Modulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and phosphorylation of Bcl-2 by vinblastine represent persistent forms of normal fluctuations at G2-M1.

Microtubule inhibitors, widely used in cancer chemotherapy, induce G 2 -M arrest and apoptosis and have in common the ability to stimulate Raf-1/Bcl-2 phosphorylation and activate c-Jun NH 2 -terminal protein kinase (JNK). These signal transduction pathways are thought to be activated in response to microtubule damage to promote apoptosis. However, Bcl-2 phosphorylation has been reported to occur at G 2 -M in nonapoptotic cells, raising the possibility that this and perhaps other signaling pathways altered by microtubule inhibitors reflect perturbations of normal mitotic events. In this study, we sought to test this hypothesis. We show that Bcl-2 phosphorylation and JNK activation, as well as extracellular response kinase and p38 inactivation, occur not only in response to vinblastine but also as discrete transient events at G 2 -M phase in untreated synchronized KB-3 cells. Thus, modulation of these pathways is not a response to microtubule damage; rather they occur normally at G 2 -M, and it is the extent, duration, and/or irreversible nature of the signals that distinguish a preapoptotic cell from one destined to divide. These findings provide novel insight into the relationship between mitotic and apoptotic signaling and the mechanism of action of antimitotic drugs.
Exploiting Vector Parallelism in Software Pipelined Loops

An emerging trend in processor design is the addition of short vector instructions to general-purpose and embedded ISAs. Frequently, these extensions are employed using traditional vectorization technology first developed for supercomputers. In contrast, scalar hardware is typically targeted using ILP techniques such as software pipelining. This paper presents a novel approach for exploiting vector parallelism in software pipelined loops. The proposed methodology (i) lowers the burden on the scalar resources by offloading computation to the vector functional units, (ii) explicitly manages communication of operands between scalar and vector instructions, (in) naturally handles misaligned vector memory operations, and (iv) partially (or fully) inhibits the optimization when vectorization will decrease performance. Our approach results in better resource utilization and allows for software pipelining with shorter initiation intervals. The proposed optimization is applied in the compiler backend, where vectorization decisions are more amenable to cost analysis. This is unique in that traditional vectorization optimizations are usually carried out at the statement level. Although our technique most naturally complements statically scheduled machines, we believe it is applicable to any architecture that tightly integrates support for instruction and data level parallelism. We evaluate our methodology using nine SPEC FP benchmarks. In comparison to software pipelining, our approach achieves a maximum speedup of 1.38times, with an average of 1.11times
Identification of Retinol Binding Protein 1 Promoter Hypermethylation in Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 and 2 Mutant Gliomas

Background Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and associated CpG island hypermethylation represent early events in the development of low-grade gliomas and secondary glioblastomas. To identify candidate tumor suppressor genes whose promoter methylation may contribute to gliomagenesis, we compared methylation profiles of IDH1 mutant (MUT) and IDH1 wild-type (WT) tumors using massively parallel reduced representation bisulfite sequencing.
Operationalizing Plain Meaning in Supreme Court Decision Making

The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of legal text in the decisions of the United States Supreme Court. The leading theories of Supreme Court decision-making posit that the Justices on the Court decide cases based primarily, or even exclusively on their 'attitudes,' i.e. ideological predispositions. Thus, according to these scholars, legal factors like precedent and plain meaning of the statutory or constitutional text are irrelevant to outcomes in the Supreme Court. Using a survey device, respondents were presented with language from statutes that have been the subject of actual Supreme Court decisions and the basic facts of the dispute that led to the adjudication. The survey instructed respondents to predict the way a judge charged with applying the plainest and most textual meaning of the legal language would apply the statute. They are also asked which outcome they believe would be the 'fairest' or 'best' outcome for each case. The analysis of the survey data is suggestive that the clarity of the law in the context of the specific facts of particular case may have a constraining effect on judicial attitudes, thus influencing the outcome of Supreme Court decisions.
Advertising Taxation Is Here to Stay—and Fight

The taxation of advertising is growing slowly but surely around the world. It is largely motivated by revenue rather than punitive reasons although the two can team together. Industry is learning t...
Agile Software Development Study Away

We describe and report on a study away course held in the spring of 2015 that brought computer science students from a Midwestern university to visit companies in the Bay Area in California as part of their study of agile software development. While it may be a sufficient goal to offer study away as an encouragement for future participation in study abroad programs, study away has benefits in and of itself. In actuality, study away can build students' self-confidence, aid them in being accepting of different ideas, and help them to understand a different area of the world. The class was offered as a 1-credit computer science course and students met weekly leading up to the trip, then once again after. The class included a one-week visit to the San Francisco area, with visits to two universities and five high-tech companies. Eight undergraduates and one post-baccalaureate participated at a cost of $1700 each. Students were required to submit a five-page paper and were separated into two teams to develop and present posters at the university's student research symposium. The course was a success due to the investment of the Chief Information Officer of the university, the Office of Education Abroad, the department of Computer Science, and academic advising. Students reported upon immediate return-then once again three months later-that their interest in computer science had increased, that they had gained an understanding of a different region of the United States and that they were more accepting of different ideas.
Influence of Adjacent Cornfield Habitat, Trap Location, and Trap Height on Capture Numbers of Predators and a Parasitoid of the European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Central Iowa

The influence of adjacent habitats, trap location, and trap height on capture numbers of predators and a parasitoid were monitored in Iowa cornfields using insect traps (Gempler's . AM No-Bait). Traps re fastened to a single wood lathe (122 by 3.8 by 1.3 cm) with wire ties at and 1 m above ground level. Traps at the 2 heights were placed in corn and their adjacent habitat. The adjacent habitat consisted of 1 of 3 types- herbaceous, wooded, and intermediate. Adjacent habitat did not significantly influence the number of Macrocentrus grandii Goidanich (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) captured but slid influence the capture of Coleomegilla maculata (De Geer) (Co-leoptera: Coccinellidae), Coccinella spetempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and Chrysoperla carnea Stephens( Neuroptera: Chrysopidae ) with increased captures from fields with the herbaceous and intermediate habitats. Distance that traps were placed in corn and trap height significantly influenced numbers of M. grandii and C. maculata captured. Significantly more M. grandii and C. maculata were captured from traps 11 m into corn than from traps 2.5 m into corn or in the adjacent habitat. Capture rates of M grandii also were significantly higher on traps 1 m above ground. Data from this research indicate that M. grandii is synchronized with its host Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), in central Iowa.
Markers of complement-dependent and complement-independent glomerular visceral epithelial cell injury in vivo : expression of antiadhesive proteins and cytoskeletal changes

Background Visceral glomerular epithelial cells (GEC) are an important component of the glomerular filtration barrier to proteins. While ultrastructural GEC changes have frequently been observed in proteinuric states, no suitable light microscopic markers of GEC injury have yet been identified. Experimental design We have analyzed in vivo the GEC expression of proteins known to be involved in cell shape changes. SPARC (osteonectin, BM-40) and tenascin (cytotactin, J1, hexabrachion) belong to a group of anti-adhesive glycoproteins, that modulate cell-matrix interactions. We also studied cytoskeletal intermediate filament proteins, including desmin and vimentin. The GEC expression of SPARC, tenascin, desmin, and vimentin was analyzed in various types of GEC injury in the rat, including complement-mediated injury (passive Heymann nephritis, autologous immune complex nephritis, conA anti-conA nephritis), complement-independent injury (nephrotoxic nephritis), toxic injury (aminonucleoside nephrosis) and hypertensive injury (5/6 nephrectomy, angiotensin-II infusion). A complement-mediated model of mesangial cell injury (anti-Thy 1.1 mesangial proliferative nephritis) served as a control. Results SPARC mRNA and protein were constitutively expressed in normal rat glomeruli. Immunostaining and immunoelectron microscopy primarily localized SPARC to the cytoplasm of GEC. Markedly increased glomerular SPARC synthesis and GEC immunostaining was observed in all instances of complement-mediated GEC injury but in none of the other conditions. In contrast, glomerular immunostaining for tenascin, that also stained in a GEC pattern, either remained unchanged or increased to a minor degree (complement-mediated models). GEC immunostaining for desmin in normal rats was low and variable, and increased significantly in any form of GEC injury but not in anti-Thy 1.1 nephritis. No concomitant increase of GEC immunostaining for vimentin was detectable, which could have been due to the constitutively high expression of vimentin in GEC. Conclusions SPARC and desmin, but not tenascin or vimentin, are suitable light microscopic markers of GEC injury. The combined staining for these proteins may be useful in differentiating the mechanisms of GEC injury.
Crack Healing Between Rough Polycrystalline Silicon Hydrophilic Surfaces in n -Pentanol and Water Vapors

The crack healing rates of polycrystalline silicon microcantilevers in contact with a substrate are measured in n-pentanol vapor at different partial pressures, p/p s. The absolute value of the slope of the logarithmic average crack healing velocity $$\bar{v}$$ versus the energy release rate G, $$|d[\log (\bar{v})]/dG|$$ , is constant and decreases with increasing p/p s. The slope dependence on p/p s is equivalent to that in a water vapor environment. This slope is independent of p/p s in glass stress corrosion cracking experiments due to chemical kinetics, while the present experiments reflect a capillary bridge nucleation mechanism across nanometer-scale gaps created by surface roughness. Equilibrium measurements of adhesion versus p/p s are also compared for n-pentanol and water vapor. For p/p s ≤ 0.5, adhesion is comparable for the two vapors, while for p/p s > 0.5, adhesion in water vapor is approximately twice that in n-pentanol vapor. At lower p/p s, this is explained by the larger Kelvin radius and the larger adsorbed layer thickness of n-pentanol. This combination enables larger asperity gaps to be bridged by capillary liquids. At higher p/p s, adhesion in water vapor is larger because the work of adhesion of capillary bridges becomes twice that of n-pentanol.