cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinic meatotomy under topical anesthesia.

Objectives Almost 20 years after Cartwright et al. (1996) demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of clinic meatotomy (CM) under topical lidocaine and prilocaine (EMLA) anesthesia, 50% of meatotomies are still performed under general anesthesia (GA) (Godley et al., 2015). The cost of a meatotomy under GA is approximately 10 times the cost of CM in the present practice. This study presented the outcomes for CM under topical anesthesia, in consecutive patients who presented with meatal stenosis secondary to circumcision. Materials and methods This was a retrospective descriptive study of data, which were collected prospectively for quality improvement purposes from July 2013 to September 2015, of 55 consecutive boys who underwent CM for meatal stenosis (occlusion of urethral meatus by a crust; deflected stream). Meatotomy was performed after applying EMLA and covering it with a Tegaderm® dressing, and then waiting 20–60 min. The recorded outcomes were pain and success rate. Pain was defined at the beginning of data collection as any sound, grimace or movement during the procedure. Success rate was recorded during follow-up in the clinic or over the phone, when the family was asked if symptoms were the same, improved or completely resolved. Results Forty-three boys (78%) had no pain and 12 (22%) had pain as defined above (Figure), but no CM had to be stopped due to pain. At a median follow-up of 1.6 months (IQR 1.3–2.7 months) 41 (75%) patients had resolution of their symptoms and a normal urinary stream, nine (16%) had improved symptoms, and three (5%) had unchanged symptoms. Conclusions More patients reported pain than those in the Cartwright study; this was perhaps because a full hour was not waited after EMLA application with most of the present patients. The present success rate was also lower than that reported by Cartwright, and for that there is no explanation. However, all CM could be completed and >90% of patients saw resolution or improvement of their symptoms. At a cost ten times lower than a meatotomy performed under GA, and with no evidence of inferiority evident in the literature, it is believed that CM should be the standard of care when meatal stenosis is treated by a meatotomy. Figure. Results summary. Figure options Download full-size image Download high-quality image (224 K) Download as PowerPoint slide
Sleep Disturbance in Children with Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Sleep disturbances are common among individuals with mental retardation/intellectual disability, and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Most common sleep problems include bedtime resistance (e.g., calling out from bed, leaving bedroom, resisting going to bed), delayed sleep onset, and sleep-maintenance problems. Additionally, several parasomnias have been commonly reported. In this article, unique aspects of sleep disturbance within this population are presented, including description of sleep disturbances, prevalence, etiology, and treatment. Emphasis is on children with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Youths with genetic disorders and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are addressed elsewhere.
A Smartphone Application to Reduce Time-to-Notification of Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Objectives. To measure whether the implementation of Healthvana—an online patient engagement platform and smartphone application—reduced the number of days between sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, notification, and treatment at AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Wellness Centers.Methods. We analyzed the retrospective data for 917 male clients who tested positive and received treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2015. We included 8 AHF Wellness Centers from California and Florida in the study. We used regression models to evaluate the relationship between Healthvana implementation (pre-Healthvana vs post-Healthvana) and the number of days between the STI test, notification, and treatment.Results. Following Healthvana implementation at the AHF Wellness Centers, the mean number of days decreased between the STI test and notification, from 8 to 6 days. The mean number of days between the overall STI test and treatment decreased from 12 to 10 days...
INTESTINAL (MESENTERIC) VASCULOPATHY I: Acute Superior Mesenteric Arteriopathy and Venopathy

Intestinal vasculopathy is not rare, comprising about 1 per 1000 hospital admissions. Primary mesenteric vasculopathy causes cardiovascular disease, whereas secondary mesenteric ischemia causes extrinsic vascular compression or vascular trauma. Acute superior mesenteric arteriopathy is caused by a mesenteric embolus, thrombus, or vasospasm (i.e., nonocclusive vasculopathy). Acute superior mesenteric venopathy is caused by a thrombus, which is often associated with a hypercoagulopathy. The clinical presentation of both diseases is often subtle and nonspecific at an early stage and becomes overt and specific only when advanced and severe, when ischemia progresses to necrosis. The mortality of acute superior mesenteric arteriopathy is still very high, whereas superior mesenteric venopathy is less rapidly progressive and has a lower, but still significant, mortality. Early diagnosis and aggressive therapy significantly reduces the mortality of these life-threatening diseases.
Developing Collaborative Maternal and Child Health Leaders: A Descriptive Study of the National Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center.

Purpose An assessment of the National Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development Center (the Center) was conducted to describe (1) effects of the Center’s training on the use of collaborative leadership practices by MCH leaders, and (2) perceived barriers to collaboration for MCH leaders. The Center provides services to strengthen MCH professionals’ skills in three core areas: Change Management/Adaptive Leadership, Evidence-Based Decision Making, and Systems Integration. Description This descriptive qualitative study compares eight interview responses from a sample of the Center’s participants and findings from a document review of the training curriculum against an existing framework of collaborative leadership themes. Assessment Systems thinking tools and related training were highly referenced, and the interviewees often related process-based leadership practices with their applied learning health transformation projects. Perceived barriers to sustaining collaborative work included: (1) a tendency for state agencies to have siloed priorities, (2) difficulty achieving a consensus to move a project forward without individual partners disengaging, (3) strained organizational partnerships when the individual representative leaves that partnering organization, and (4) difficulty in sustaining project-based partnerships past the short term. Conclusion The findings in this study suggest that investments in leadership development training for MCH professionals, such as the Center, can provide opportunities for participants to utilize collaborative leadership practices.
Engineering Analysis of a Full-Scale High-Resolution Tornado Wind Speed Record

AbstractA three-dimensional (3D) sonic anemometer at a height of 2.5 m serendipitously recorded a tornado event in Arizona on October 6, 2010. The anemometer, which was in place for carbon flux exp...
Solar Power in the USA—Status and Outlook

Abstract The US solar photovoltaic (PV) industry has witnessed a rapid growth over the past decade. Declining costs enabled by the creation of significant markets, coupled with the extension of the 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) through 2021, has propelled the industry. Nonetheless, solar energy remains a minority contributor to US energy production at 1.4% of the 2016 energy mix. This chapter will examine the distinctive qualities of the US solar energy market, from general trends and federal policy to state developments, forecasts, and innovations.
Economic development in a rent-seeking society: socialism, state capitalism and crony capitalism in Vietnam

ABSTRACTThis article explains Vietnam’s economic growth and industrial development despite the strong rent-seeking features of its economy. We employed three analytical rent-seeking models to assess three industries: textile-garment and telecommunications, both under a state capitalist system with varying degrees of state control, and the motorcycle industry developed in a crony capitalist manner. Our cross-industry analyses demonstrate how a developing country such as Vietnam overcomes pervasive rent seeking to achieve growth outcomes. Under conditions of controlled economic reform, the Vietnamese government managed rent seeking using various measures of state intervention coupled with gradual market openness in the industrial sectors.
Unveiling Biophysical and Biological Properties of a Hypothetical Membrane Receptor by Exploiting Recent Imaging Advances

Fluorescence microscopy is indispensable in the study of biological systems at various length scales. This rapidly evolving field continues to offer researchers cutting-edge techniques that enhance spatial and temporal resolution, especially with the invention of superresolution methodologies. In this chapter, we focus on techniques that have aided in the understanding of various cell biological phenomena. Each technique has certain boundaries of spatial and temporal resolution, and fluorophore density in a particular biological sample may limit the applicability of some techniques. We discuss strengths and weaknesses of many such techniques by considering their use in understanding the biological function of a hypothetical membrane receptor. We conclude that a combination of techniques is required to fully understand any cell biological process.
Abstract 4365: Targeting the RhoA guanine nucleotide-exchange factor Syx for the treatment of glioblastoma

The RhoA GTPase is thought to play a crucial role in cancer development. Its activation is tightly controlled by numerous guanine nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs). We previously showed that Syx, a RhoA-GEF, promotes junctional integrity in endothelial cells and governs cell polarity and directed migration in glioblastoma (GBM) cells. GBM is a grade IV glioma with a median survival of approximately 14 months. Importantly, the gene locus of Syx (Plekhg5) is located within chromosome 1p36, a region deleted in oligodendroglioma (a type II/III glioma) and associated with better prognosis, suggesting a role of Syx in GBM aggressiveness. Here we show that Syx is a potential target for the treatment of GBM. Knockdown of Syx resulted in altered expression of cell cycle regulators, including cyclins A, B, and E, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDIs), namely p21 and p27, and mitosis modulators CDC20 and survivin. These defects resulted in G2/M arrest and dysfunction of cell division, leading to improper chromosome segregation and DNA double-strand breaks. However, DNA damage response could not be activated effectively for DNA repair, leading to cellular apoptosis. Consistent with these findings, we used an orthotopic patient-derived xenograft GBM model to show that Syx silencing results in decreased tumor growth accompanied by increased animal survival. Agents that cause DNA damage and/or disruption of DNA repair pathways are often used for cancer therapy. We thus tested the possibility of targeting Syx for GBM treatment, and showed that Syx knockdown in combination with temozolomide, a first-line drug for GBM, synergistically inhibit cell growth. In summary, this is the first study showing the role of Syx in GBM cell growth and that targeting this signaling pathway can be beneficial for GBM therapy. Citation Format: Wan-Hsin Lin, Ryan Feathers, Laura Lewis-Tuffin, Panos Anastasiadis. Targeting the RhoA guanine nucleotide-exchange factor Syx for the treatment of glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4365.
Representations of Utopian Urbanism and the Feminist Geopolitics of ‘New City’ Development

Increasingly over the past few years the building of new cities “from scratch” has become a key strategy to promote development across much of the Global South. While several projects are currently...
Hematological Effects of Non-Homogenous Ionizing Radiation Exposure in a Non-Human Primate Model.

Detonation of a radiological or nuclear device in a major urban area will result in heterogenous radiation exposure, given to the significant shielding of the exposed population due to surrounding structures. Development of biodosimetry assays for triage and treatment requires knowledge of the radiation dose-volume effect for the bone marrow (BM). This proof-of-concept study was designed to quantify BM damage in the non-human primate (NHP) after exposure to one of four radiation patterns likely to occur in a radiological/nuclear attack with varying levels of BM sparing. Rhesus macaques (11 males, 12 females; 5.30-8.50 kg) were randomized by weight to one of four arms: 1. bilateral total-body irradiation (TBI); 2. unilateral TBI; 3. bilateral upper half-body irradiation (UHBI); and 4. bilateral lower half-body irradiation (LHBI). The match-point for UHBI vs. LHBI was set at 1 cm above the iliac crest. Animals were exposed to 4 Gy of 6 MV X rays. Peripheral blood samples were drawn 14 days preirradiation and at days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 postirradiation. Dosimetric measurements after irradiation indicated that dose to the mid-depth xiphoid was within 6% of the prescribed dose. No high-grade fever, weight loss >10%, dehydration or respiratory distress was observed. Animals in the bilateral- and unilateral TBI arms presented with hematologic changes [e.g., absolute neutrophil count (ANC) 500/µl; platelets >50,000/µl during 14-day follow-up). In contrast, animals in the LHBI arm (1 cm above the ilieac crest to the toes) were protected against BM toxicity with no marked changes in hematological parameters and only minor gross pathology [petechiae (1/5), splenomegaly (1/5) and mild pulmonary hemorrhage (1/5)]. The model performed as expected with respect to the dose-volume effect of total versus partial-BM irradiation, e.g., increased shielding resulted in reduced BM toxicity. Shielding of the major blood-forming organs (e.g., skull, ribs, sternum, thoracic and lumbar spine) spared animals from bone marrow toxicity. These data suggest that the biological consequences of the absorbed dose are dependent on the total volume and pattern of radiation exposure.
An upper bound on Pluto's heat flux from a lack of flexural response of its normal faults

Abstract The topography of rifts on icy bodies can be used to probe their internal properties. Uplifted and curved rift flanks occur when the elastic thickness (te) of the crust is low, indicative of high heat flow out of the body. Stereo topography of Pluto shows no evidence of rift-flank uplift associated with large extensional graben to the west of Sputnik Planitia. Modeling the amount of topographic deflection expected from varying elastic thicknesses yields a conservative lower bound on te of 8 km at the time of deformation; the maximum implied heat flux since graben formation is 66–85 mWm−2. This upper bound is consistent with the predicted paleo-heat fluxes from radioactive decay (~6 mWm−2), but likely only marginally consistent with nearby apparently viscously-relaxed impact craters. Additionally, we also analyze the shear stresses on these faults and find that Pluto's faults only need to support low stresses in the range of 100–300 kPa to explain their dimensions.
Interferon Type I and II Antagonism: A Novel Regulatory Mechanism of Indoleamine Dioxygenase Induction in Human Peripheral Blood Monocytes and Peritoneal Macrophages

Antiproliferative effects of interferon (IFN)-γ in vitro on some tumor cells (de 1a Maza and Peterson, 1988; Ozaki et al., 1988a; Takikawa et al., 1988), Chlamvdia psittaci (Byrne et al., 1986) and Toxoplasma gondii (Pfefferkorn, 1984) are mediated by deprivation of tryptophan (TRP) which results when the cytokine induces indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity in the cancer or host cells. Among the human peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as granulocytes, IFN-mediated induction of IDO is localized in peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) or PBM-derived macrophages (DM; Ozaki et al., 1987a; Werner et al., 1987; Rubin et al., 1988; Carlin et al., 1989), however the mechanism of control of extra-hepatic TRP metabolism by the IFNs has not been fully elucidated in these cells or in peritoneal macrophages (PM). The occurrence of IFN type I antagonism against IFN type II-elicited release of H202, expression of 1a antigen as well as mannosyl/fucosyl receptors, high-affinity binding of type II IFN, and tumor cell killing by macrophages has been reported (Ling et al., 1985; Ezekowitz et al., 1986; Garotta et al., 1986; Inaba et al., 1986; Pace 1987; Yoshida et al., 1988). However, the down-regulation of IFN-7-mediated induction of IDO by IFN-α, IFN-β and 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA) has never been documented. To this end, we report clear differences between PBMs, DMs and PMs in response to IFNs as well as to a potent tumor promoter, TPA. Further, the occurrence of a novel regulatory mechanism of TRP metabolism through modulation of type II IFN-induced IDO activity by type I IFNs or by TPA, in monocytes and macrophages is demonstrated in this report.
Building a cloud-based solution: creating an accessible CIT curriculum

Northern Kentucky University (NKU) has Computer Science/Computer Information Technology curricula that require students to have administrative access to both Unix and Windows operating systems. These classes range from introductory classes to graduate level classes. The current system is to supply access to virtual machines (VMs) that are created for and assigned to each student. Current equipment is unable to meet the full storage and compute requirements of the number of VMs that are needed. Replacement of the current system of providing students VMs at NKU is proposed in this paper. It is proposed that this system be replaced by cloud computing resources, specifically Amazon Web Services Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) with Elastic Block Storage (EBS). EC2 with EBS provides the required computational power and persistent storage. In addition, shortcomings that the current system has could be eliminated. According to the published Amazon prices, this could be accomplished at or below current costs.
Mobile Technology and Financial Service Bundling: A Structural Estimation of Mobile Money

Using a dataset on mobile technologies and mobile money services in the emerging markets from 2000 to 2014, we examine the demand patterns of mobile technologies and mobile money when multiple generations of mobile technologies co-exist in the market and each of the technology may be bundled with mobile money service. Using a structural model, we estimate the own and cross demand elasticities for both mobile technology and mobile money, and the demand effects between mobile money and technologies. We find that the current, dominant technology (i.e., 3G) tends to have more robust demand as compared with other technologies that are either declining (i.e., 1G and 2G) or new to the market (4G), and that customers are more likely to substitute forward towards newer technology than backward towards older technology when the price increases for a technology. We also find that mobile money differentiates the market and mitigates competition for those firms that offer mobile money services. In addition, when the price of services increases, customers tend to substitute backward (i.e., from using mobile money to not using mobile money) as opposed to forward. Theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed.
Single surgeon experience with minimally invasive supraorbital craniotomy versus bifrontal craniotomy for anterior skull base meningiomas.

Background Anterior skull base meningiomas (ASBMs) account for about 10% of meningiomas. Bifrontal craniotomy (BFC) represents the traditional transcranial approach to accessing meningiomas in these locations. Supraorbital craniotomy (SOC) provides a minimally invasive subfrontal corridor in select patients. Here, we present our series of ASBM accessed by SOC and BFC by a single surgeon to review decision-making and compare outcomes in both techniques. Methods Thirty-three patients were identified with ASBM. Age, tumor characteristics, presenting symptoms, postoperative complications, and outcomes were analyzed. Results Bifrontal and SOC were performed in 13 and 20 patients, respectively. Mean follow-up time was 98.4 months. Patients undergoing SOC had smaller tumor size, located farther from the posterior table of frontal sinus, had less peritumoral edema, and decreased length of stay compared to patients undergoing BFC. Extent of resection was slightly better with BFC (99.8%) compared to SOC (91.8%), although this difference did not reach statistical significance. Recurrence-free survival and rate of re-do surgeries were not different between two groups. BFC was associated with higher rates of postoperative encephalomalacia. Conclusion SOC provides an excellent surgical option for ASBMs providing comparable extent of resection, minimal manipulation of brain, and excellent cosmetic outcomes for patients. The patient selection is key to maximize the benefits from this approach.
Idiosyncratic Return Volatility, Uncertainty, and Asset Pricing Implications

In this study, we decompose idiosyncratic stock return volatility (IVOL) into uncertainty and residual volatility, and find that the negative IVOL-return relation primarily comes from the uncertainty component. Further analysis indicates that firm uncertainty increases are associated with negative contemporaneous stock returns. High uncertainty firms also have lower firm values and higher expected returns, and exhibit more asymmetric price responses to good/bad market states. All of these are consistent with ambiguity aversion modeled by Epstein and Schneider (2008). Our study documents novel valuation and return patterns associated with the uncertainty content embedded in IVOL. Our findings suggest that uncertainty offers a new channel to explore the IVOL puzzle. It may also help interpret the common factor in IVOL documented in the recent literature.
25 years and counting of corporate finance: What have we learned and where are we going?

Abstract This Special Issue pays tribute to the Journal of Corporate Finance (JCF) and its cutting-edge research. We do this by taking stock of the trends of research published in the Journal over the last 25 years, reviewing areas being researched currently, and offering some insight into fruitful areas of corporate finance research going forward. To that end, the Special Issue includes a blend of articles that represent the past, present, and future of corporate finance research. In particular, we highlight areas of corporate finance research that may be promising and offer insights on the potential of JCF going forward.
285 Breaking through the resistance of breast cancer to immune checkpoint blockers in a unique mouse model of HR+ disease

Background Hormone receptor (HR)+ breast cancer (BC) causes most BC-related deaths in the US.1 Standard treatment for non-metastatic disease involves surgery plus adjuvant hormonotherapy. However, approximately 50% of patients ultimately relapse and require additional lines of treatment including chemotherapy, which is unfortunately associated with limited clinical benefits and severe toxicity. In HR+ BC patients, the efficacy of immunotherapy has also been disappointing so far. Indeed, objective responses to PD-1 blockade with pembrolizumab in women with HR+ BC have been in the range of 5–10%, with no clear advantage on survival. Thus, resistance to PD-1 blockers constitutes a major obstacle towards the implementation of immunotherapy in HR+ BC patients. Methods To obtain insights into the immunological alterations accompanying disease relapse in HR+ BC exposed to PD-1 blockade, we harnessed a unique endogenous model of BC driven in immunocompetent mice by progesterone and a carcinogen. This model recapitulates key aspects of human luminal B BC, including a relatively ´cold´ microenvironment, hence limited sensitivity to PD-1 blockade.2 We undertook an in-depth characterization of the tumors (by DNAseq and RNAseq) and systemic (by flow cytometry on the splenic compartment) immune microenvironment of C57BL/6 female mice bearing tumors that recovered normal growth after PD-1 treatment. Results There was no clear difference after PD-1 blockade at the systemic level in the myeloid, or lymphoid compartments; or in the activation of T cells, nor their capacity to degranulate upon ex vivo stimulation. Whole exome sequencing showed a higher mutational burden in PD-1 treated tumors after relapse. At the gene expression level, unsupervised analysis showed a clustering independent of the treatment groups, probably due to the heterogeneity of the model. Targeted pathway analysis with supervised clustering showed however differences in immune pathways that are currently further investigated, and results will be available shortly. Conclusions Breaking through resistance of HR+ tumors to PD-1 blockers can direct strategies to overcome resistance in HR+ BC patients, the majority of BC patients. If successful, this can inform therapeutic approaches to enable superior therapeutic responses in patients with HR+ BC, hence significantly reducing BC-related deaths. References Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2020. CA Cancer J Clin 2020;70:7–30. Buque A, Bloy N, Perez-Lanzon M, Iribarren K, Humeau J, Pol JG, Levesque S, Mondragon L, Yamazaki T, Sato A, Aranda F, Durand S, Boissonnas A, Fucikova J, Senovilla L, Enot D, Hensler M, Kremer M, Stoll G, Hu Y, Massa C, Formenti SC, Seliger B, Elemento O, Spisek R, Andre F, Zitvogel L, Delaloge S, Kroemer G, Galluzzi L. Immunoprophylactic and immunotherapeutic control of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Nat Commun 2020;11:3819. Ethics Approval This study was approved by Weill Cornell Medical College’s Ethics Board; approval number 2018–0053.
Using Trust in Automation to Enhance Driver-(Semi)Autonomous Vehicle Interaction and Improve Team Performance

Trust in robots has been gathering attention from multiple directions, as it has a special relevance in the theoretical descriptions of human-robot interactions. It is essential for reaching high acceptance and usage rates of robotic technologies in society, as well as for enabling effective human-robot teaming. Researchers have been trying to model the development of trust in robots to improve the overall “rapport” between humans and robots. Unfortunately, miscalibration of trust in automation is a common issue that jeopardizes the effectiveness of automation use. It happens when a user’s trust levels are not appropriate to the capabilities of the automation being used. Users can be: under-trusting the automation—when they do not use the functionalities that the machine can perform correctly because of a “lack of trust”; or over-trusting the automation—when, due to an “excess of trust”, they use the machine in situations where its capabilities are not adequate. The main objective of this work is to examine driver’s trust development in the ADS. We aim to model how risk factors (e.g.: false alarms and misses from the ADS) and the short term interactions associated with these risk factors influence the dynamics of drivers’ trust in the ADS. The driving context facilitates the instrumentation to measure trusting behaviors, such as drivers’ eye movements and usage time of the automated features. Our findings indicate that a reliable characterization of drivers’ trusting behaviors and a consequent estimation of trust levels is possible. We expect that these techniques will permit the design of ADSs able to adapt their behaviors to attempt to adjust driver’s trust levels. This capability could avoid under- and over trusting, which could harm their safety or their performance.
Equity-Oriented Development

Although there may be terminological differences, as well as conceptual differences, regarding development approaches, current development thinking, at least on the part of the international development assistance community, is oriented to the promotion of equity in national development strategies. Such strategies would be designed to help both the poor and the society as a whole achieve their development objectives, whatever each less-developed country (LDC) decides its specific objectives should be. The prospects for adoption of equity-oriented development policies by Third World governments vary widely. The range includes such variations as the following: regimes that have no concern with reduction of poverty, but employ their concentrated power to benefit only the ruling elite; regimes that may be open to adoption of equity-oriented programs, but in which resistance by vested interest groups will have to be overcome by coalitions of reformist groups; and regimes that can be said to have already done well in promoting equity, on the basis of such indicators as life expectancy and literacy rates, as well as increases in income per capita. In this chapter, consideration is given to a series of factors that are relevant, historically and currently, to the prospects for implementation of equity-oriented development policies.
Tensile strain-rate sensitivity of tungsten/niobium composites at 1300 to 1600 K

The tensile behavior of continuous tungsten fiber reinforced niobium composites (W/Nb), fabricated by an arc-spray process, was studied in the 1300 to 1600 K temperature range. The tensile properties of the fiber and matrix components as well as of the composites were measured and were compared to rule of mixtures (ROM) predictions. The deviation from the ROM was found to depend upon the chemistry of the tungsten alloy fibers, with positive deviations for ST300/Nb (i.e., stronger composite strength than the ROM) and negative or zero deviations for 218/Nb.
Does Lowballing Impair Audit Quality? Evidence from Client Accruals Surrounding AnalystForecasts

The pricing of initial audit engagements has long been of interest to regulators because of audit quality concerns speculated to arise with lowball pricing tactics. However, there has been very little empirical investigation specifically aimed at understanding the link between audit fees and audit quality on new engagements. We examine a sample of initial engagements spanning 2000–2009 and find evidence suggesting that the magnitude of initial engagement discounting is positively associated with audit clients’ ability to meet analyst forecasts using discretionary accruals. Additional analysis reveals that this effect is more pronounced before the passage of SOX. Further examination of the post-SOX period shows the effect is present in the latter half of our sample (2006–2009) but not in the years immediately following the passage of SOX (2002–2005). Additional supplemental tests suggest that the primary results are driven more by time and/or budget pressures than impaired independence. Overall, we interpret these results as consistent with longstanding concerns surrounding auditor lowballing and discuss the regulatory and practical implications for the audit profession with respect to the pricing and monitoring of new audit engagements.
Secretion of steroid hormones in vivo.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the secretion of steroid hormones in vivo. Although the terms “hormone” and “secretion” have been repeatedly defined in textbooks of endocrinology, it is necessary to consider the usage of these terms as they affect the scope of this chapter. A hormone may be defined as a substance synthesized in one tissue and conveyed in the circulation to other organs and tissues upon which it acts by altering metabolic reactions within the cells of such tissues. The cumulative experience of several decades during which the presence of steroids has been detected in blood, urine, and endocrine tissue, has established the concentrations of these substances and their metabolites in body fluids in normal and pathological states. During a similar period, studies in vitro have shown that the enzymes needed for steroid biosynthesis are present in all steroid-forming organs and that the distinctive secretory products of different glands are reflected by differences in the activities of appropriate enzymes.
Urban job expansion, induced migration and rising unemployment: A formulation and simplified empirical test for LDCs

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to develop the conditions under which an autonomous increase in urban job creation designed to eradicate urban unemployment will, in fact, cause the level and rate of unemployment to rise. These conditions are developed using the Todaro model of rural-urban migration for LDCs. Data for 14 LDCs are then examined to see what the elasticities of migration with respect to job probability would have to be in order for the paradox of job creation increasing unemployment to hold. These elasticities are small enough that the paradox can be expected to hold for most LDCs.
Patient-re ported complications and follow-up treatment after radical prostatectomy

To estimate the probabilities of complications and follow-up treatment, a sample of Medicare patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (1988 through 1990) was surveyed by mail, telephone, and personal interview. Respondents reported their current status with respect to continence and sexual function as well as post-surgical treatments they had had to treat residual or recurrent cancer or surgical complications. Over 30 percent reported currently wearing pads or clamps to deal with wetness; over 40 percent said they drip urine when they cough or when their bladders are full; 23 percent reported daily wetting of more than a few drops. About 60 percent of patients reported having no full or partial erections since their surgery, and only 11 percent had any erections sufficient for intercourse during the month prior to the survey. Six percent had surgery after the radical prostatectomy to treat incontinence; 15 percent had treatments or used devices to help with sexual function; 20 percent report having had post-surgical treatment for urethral strictures. In addition 16 percent, 22 percent, and 28 percent reported follow-up treatment for cancer (radiation or androgen deprivation therapy) at two, three, and four years after radical prostatectomy. These estimates of complication and follow-up treatment rates are generally higher, and almost certainly more representative for older men, than estimates previously published. Patients and physicians may want to weight heavily the complications and need for follow-up treatments when considering radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.
Literacy and Health Disparities.

This chapter explores the relationship between literacy and health disparities, focusing on the concept of health literacy. Recommendations are provided for ways to bridge the health literacy gap for learners in adult basic education and family literacy programs.
Financial crises and balance of payments crises: A simple model of the southern cone experience

Abstract This paper starts from a simple model of the domestic banking sector and develops the potentially destabilizing macroeconomic consequences of its role in intermediating foreign capital inflows. Both financial and balance of payments crises may result, reminiscent of the Southern Cone experience.
On the Strength of the Local Attachment Preference

This paper investigates the strength of the local attachment preference in syntactic ambiguity resolution, based on a study of a novel ambiguity for which the predictions of local attachment contrast with the predictions of a wide range of other ambiguity resolution principles. In sentences of the form “Because Rose praised the recipe I made ...” we show that the ambiguous clause “I made” is preferentially attached as a relative clause under some circumstances, as predicted by local attachment, and preferentially attached as a matrix clause under other circumstances. The implications for accounts of locality in parsing are discussed.
Abstract 752: Genetic and pharmacological FAK inhibition disrupt a β5 integrin signaling axis controlling anchorage-independent ovarian carcinoma growth

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Ovarian cancer spreads via cell shedding and growth within malignant ascites. Effective targeted therapies have not been developed for ovarian cancer. Ascites contains an abundance of matrix proteins, and spheroids maintain integrin receptor expression. Through databases analyses we find that elevated osteopontin (OPN), β5 integrin, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) mRNA levels are associated with decreased overall survival of serous ovarian cancer patients treated with platinum and taxol. In ovarian tumor tissue arrays, increased FAK activation (FAK Y397 phosphorylation) correlated with elevated tumor grade in parallel with increased in β5 integin and OPN levels. FAK is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase that remains active in spheroids, and treatment of seven ovarian carcinoma cell lines with sub-micromolar levels of FAK inhibitor (PND-1186) identified sensitive (HEY and OVCAR8), intermediate (OVCAR3, ID8-IP, and IGROV1-IP), and resistant (SKOV3-IP and OVCAR10) cells to blockage of growth under anchorage-independent conditions. Genetic or pharmacological FAK inhibition within ID8-IP or HEY cells selectively prevents anchorage-independent growth in culture and tumor growth in mice with corresponding reductions in β5 integrin and OPN expression. β5 knockdown reduced HEY growth in soft agar, tumor growth in mice, FAK Y397 phosphorylation, and OPN expression in spheroids. Although FAK inhibitor resistant ovarian carcinoma cells (SKOV3-IP and OVCAR10) were associated with anchorage-independent Akt S473 phosphorylation, membrane-targeted and activated Akt expression in sensitive cells (HEY and OVCAR8) resulted in only a partial rescue of FAK inhibitor-associated growth block. These results support the hypothesis that OPN, αvβ5 integrins, and FAK may function as a signaling axis promoting ovarian tumor progression. Although Akt signaling pathway activation is a common event in serous ovarian cancer, our results suggest that this may not impart complete resistance to FAK inhibitor treatment. Supported by NIH CA102310 Citation Format: Isabelle Tancioni, Sean Uryu, Florian Sulzmaier, Nina Shah, Christine Lawson, Nichol L.G. Miller, Christine Jean, Xiao Lei Chen, Kristy K. Ward, David D. Schlaepfer. Genetic and pharmacological FAK inhibition disrupt a β5 integrin signaling axis controlling anchorage-independent ovarian carcinoma growth. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 752. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-752
Musculoskeletal Manifestations of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes an infection characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, including musculoskeletal conditions that have been recognized with increasing frequency in recent years. Arthralgia, usually of moderate intensity, intermittent, and oligoarticular, is the most frequent rheumatic manifestation of HIV; it occurs in approximately 35% of the cases. Knees, shoulders, and elbows are the most frequently involved joints. A “painful articular syndrome,” characterized by severe articular or bone pain of short duration and absence of inflammation, can be observed in up to 10% of cases. Reiter's syndrome was the first rheumatological disorder recognized in association with HIV infection. The reported frequency has ranged from 0.5 to 9-9%. Most of the patients with this syndrome develop the incomplete form, and they usually are positive for human lymphocyte antigen B27. HIV-associated arthropathy has been observed by several groups. It is characterized by absence of re...
Refined cigar and Ω-deformed conifold

Antoniadis et al proposed a relation between the Ω-deformation and refined correlation functions of the topological string theory. We investigate the proposal for the deformed conifold geometry from a non-compact Gepner model approach. The topological string theory on the deformed conifold has a dual description in terms of the c = 1 non-critical string theory at the self-dual radius, and the Ω-deformation yields the radius deformation. We show that the refined correlation functions computed from the twisted SL(2, R)/U(1) Kazama-Suzuki coset model at level k = 1 have direct c = 1 non-critical string theory interpretations. After subtracting the leading singularity to procure the 1PI effective action, we obtain the agreement with the proposal.
Somatostatin gene upstream enhancer element activated by a protein complex consisting of CREB, Isl-1-like, and alpha-CBF-like transcription factors.

The expression of the genes encoding the hormones glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide in the endocrine islets of the pancreas is regulated in a cell-specific manner, defining four distinct cellular phenotypes (A-, B-, D-, and F-cells, respectively). Binding of nuclear proteins to cognate DNA sequences within cis-acting regulatory elements mediates the transcriptional events that result in the cell-specific activation or repression of gene expression. In a parallel study, we describe the functional properties of the SMS-UE, a pancreatic islet D-cell specific enhancer element that regulates the expression of the somatostatin gene and contains two interdependent domains, A and B. In the studies described herein, we have characterized the nuclear proteins that recognize the SMS-UE. Domain A of the SMS-UE is a DNA enhancer sequence that is identical to that bound by the ubiquitously distributed CCAAT box-binding protein alpha-CBF, a transcription factor that regulates the expression of the human chorionic gonadotrophin alpha-subunit gene. The B-domain, on the other hand, binds an islet cell-specific protein with characteristics similar to those of Isl-1, a transcriptional activator protein that binds to the E2 enhancer of the rat insulin-1 gene. In addition, the SMS-UE binds transcription factor CREB but not CREM, the close homolog of CREB, on a site adjacent to, or overlapping, the 3' end of domain B. We show that the carboxyl-terminal bZIP domain of CREB binds to the cAMP response element of the somatostatin gene but is not sufficient for binding to the SMS-UE, and we present evidence suggesting that CREB.SMS-UE binding requires stabilization by a region of the protein located within the transactivation domain.
Digital artery pseudoaneurysm following percutaneous trigger thumb release: a case report.

Stenosing flexor tenosynovitis, or trigger finger, is among the most commonly encountered clinical problems treated by hand surgeons. Corticosteroid injection is the most accepted first-line therapy, with successful resolution of symptoms occurring in 61% of patients1-5. Traditionally, trigger fingers unsuccessfully treated with corticosteroid injections have been managed with open surgical release of the A1 pulley2,3,6,7. Some surgeons have recommended percutaneous release of the A1 pulley1,8-10. Two randomized controlled trials comparing open surgical release with percutaneous release showed equivalent clinical outcomes, but the percutaneous release group had reduced recovery time, fewer wound complications, and lower costs7,11. To our knowledge, no neurovascular complications with the percutaneous release technique have been previously reported in the literature; we report the case of a patient with an iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm of the digital artery during percutaneous trigger finger release (PTFR) surgery. The patient was informed that data concerning his case would be submitted for publication. A sixty-year-old right-hand-dominant man presented with a persistent right thenar mass; this mass had been present for two months following PTFR of the right thumb. The patient, who was on chronic anticoagulation therapy with Coumadin (warfarin) because of a mechanical St. Jude aortic valve replacement, underwent a percutaneous release of the A1 pulley of the right thumb. During the first week following the PTFR, the patient noted substantial ecchymosis and minimal swelling on the dorsal part of the hand (Fig. 1-A). Over the next four weeks, he reported progressive thenar swelling (Fig. 1-B) as well as the onset of hypesthesia in the radial digital nerve distribution of the thumb. A hematoma or pseudoaneurysm was suspected on the basis of clinical examination. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a round lesion …
The economics of regulations on hen housing in California.

Beginning January 1, 2015, conventional cage housing for egg-laying hens is scheduled to be prohibited in California. We consider the economic implications of the new hen housing regulations on the California shell egg industry. Our data show that egg production is more costly using noncage systems than conventional cages. The main result of the new regulations will be a drastic reduction in the number of eggs produced in California, a large increase in egg shipments from out of state, little if any change in hen housing for eggs consumed in California, and little change in egg prices in California.
Making America Safe for the World: Multilateralism and the Rehabilitation of U.S. Authority

Over the last century, the United States has built and sustained informal empires over states on the Caribbean littoral, spheres of exclusive political and economic influence over countries in South America, and after 1945 protectorates over key “allies” in Western Europe and Northeast Asia. In pursuit of a New World Order, the United States has in recent decades attempted to expand its authority over other states into Eastern Europe, with a measure of success, and the Middle East, which has been far more problematic. The authority wielded by the United States over its subordinates, despite occasional abuses, has been enormously beneficial. This order provides security both internally and externally and permits unprecedented prosperity. Americans, in turn, gain from writing the rules of that order and, especially, from turning possible rivals into reliable subordinates that largely comply with its rules. The key foreign policy task is not to diminish U.S. authority but to safeguard that authority and its preserve its benefits into the future. To secure the international order that has been so beneficial in the last century – and to succeed in extending that order to countries that do not yet enjoy its fruits – requires a new, more restraining, multilateral solution that binds the hands of the United States far more tightly than in the past. To rule legitimately requires tying the suzerain’s hands.