cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of ambulatory function after surgical resection of intramedullary spinal cord tumors.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary treatment of intramedullary spinal cord tumors (IMSCTs) involves radical or subtotal tumor resection with adjuvant radiation and/or chemotherapy, depending on the tumor’s histological type and grade as well as the extent of resection. Despite advances in surgical therapy, this approach continues to have significant morbidity. Although previous research is limited, identifying reliable predictors of functional status after tumor resection would be clinically useful for perioperative modification strategies. METHODS: All patients who underwent surgery for IMSCTs at an academic tertiary care institution between 1995 and 2004 were retrospectively reviewed, and predictors of postoperative neurological functional status were assessed by multivariate logistical regression analysis. Neurological status was gauged by the ability to walk without assistance at the time of the last follow-up visit. RESULTS: Seventy-eight IMSCT resections were performed during the study period. Preoperative (on the d of or the d before surgery) serum glucose greater than 170 mg/dl (relative risk, 0.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.00‐0.27; P 0.001) and preoperative radiation therapy (relative risk, 0.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.00‐0.39, P 0.012) were independently associated with poor functional status postoperatively. The ability to walk unassisted before surgery (relative risk, 17.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.89‐154.5, P 0.012), on other hand, was the only positive predictor of the ability to walk unassisted at the time of the last follow-up visit. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that early surgical intervention after the onset of symptoms for patients with IMSCT may help preserve ambulatory function. Deferral of preoperative radiation therapy for less radiosensitive tumors and strict perioperative glucose control may also help maximize a patient’s subsequent ambulatory status.
On Hall current fluid

Abstract In this paper some new results concerning magnetdhydrodynamic (MHD) equations with the Hall current (HC) term in the Ohm's law are presented. For the cylindrical pinch of a compressible HC fluid, it is found that for large time and long wave length the solution to the governing equations exhibits the behavior of solitons as in the case of an ideal MHD model. In some special cases, the HC model appears to be tetter posed. An open question is whether a simple toroidal equilibrium of an HC fluid with resistivity and viscosity exists. The answer to this question is affirmative if the prescribed velocity on the boundary has a small norm. Furthermore, the equilibrium is also linearly and nonlinearly stable.
Altruism as a courtship display: Some effects of third‐party generosity on audience perceptions

Public generosity may be a means to convincingly advertise one's good character. This hypothesis suggests that altruistic individuals will be desirable as romantic partners. Few studies have tested this prediction, and these showed mixed results. Some studies have found that altruism is not particularly attractive; other studies showed that altruism is attractive by contrasting descriptions of 'nice guys' with 'jerks'. The present study sought to resolve this debate by having participants read a series of experimentally manipulated vignettes of persons with corresponding photographs, such that altruistic vignettes were compared with control descriptions that differed only in the presence or absence of small hints of altruistic tendencies. Altruists were more desirable for long-term relationships than neutral individuals. Women also preferred altruists for single dates whereas men had no such preference. These results are discussed with regard to the idea that people (males in particular) signal their good character via generosity.
Return to partial function of rabbit ovaries after cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen

Abstract Half of each ovary of seven rabbits was removed and deep-frozen in liquid nitrogen for two to three months before being thawed and reimplanted in the original animal. Three of the animals with cryopreserved demi-ovaries bred but did not conceive and these three plus one other had surviving ovarian tissue and normal uterine morphology at autopsy. In one of these cases the ovaries were smooth surfaced but, in two animals, follicles were present, and, in one, corpora haemoragica were observed. The three remaining rabbits would not breed after their frozen-thawed demi-ovaries were reimplanted and their uteri were atrophied at autopsy. No surviving ovarian tissue was detected. In the four cases where the organs survived cryopreservation, three sets of demi-ovaries were fast-frozen by a series of three plunges, respectively, into alcohol baths at −7° C and −38° C and then into liquid nitrogen at −196° C. The fourth set was frozen at slower rates of 1° C per minute to −7° C and then at 0.3° C per minute to −38° C before being plunged into liquid nitrogen. One set of demi-ovaries was intact and the other three had the medulla cored out before freezing. We conclude that several protocols suffice to deep-freeze rabbit ovaries and permit the organs to return to partial function when reimplanted.
On the topology of algorithms, I

We call such an algorithm a computation tree. A computation tree for the problem Poly(d) has input the coefficients of a polynomial f (in terms of real and imaginary parts). The output must consist of (z,, . . . , zd) (again given in terms of real and imaginary parts), each zi being within E of {i, the <i being the roots off. The computation nodes do not contribute to the topology of the computation tree, so we define the topological complexity of the tree, as the number of branching nodes. The topological complexity of problem Poly(d) is the m inimum of the topological complexity of all computation trees for that problem.
Stochastic models of populations of helminthic parasites in the definitive host. I.

Abstract Since helmenthic parasites must enter the human host from an external environment and cannot multiply within the definitive host, the parasite population at a given moment in the host may be characterized by an immigration-death process. The arrival (input) of worms may be of either a random or a contagious nature. A general model is developed and specific relevant discrete distributions are considered. The equilibrium distributions are regarded as the appropriate form to characterize worm populations in hosts inhabiting endemic regions. An application of the model to an epidemiological problem is discussed.
A small low-input commercial apple orchard in eastern North America: management and economics

Abstract From 1985 to 1989, a low-input approach to the management of arthropod, disease, weed, and vertebrate pests (mice, deer, and birds) was practiced in a small commercial apple orchard in Conway, MA. The approach consisted of a combination of cultural, behavioral, host-tree-resistance, and biological management methods. Only two pesticide applications (exclusive of petroleum oil) were made annually. At harvest, 94% of the fruit was free of injury by insects, diseases, and birds, despite high pest pressure in the vicinity. Populations of foliar-feeding arthropods never reached injurious levels. Variable and fixed costs of operating the orchard are given. When per hectare costs were compared with typical commercial apple orchards in a nearby region (Hudson Valley of New York State), the Conway orchard received lower input of purchased materials (particularly pesticides) but higher input of labor.
Personal vs. impersonal constructions

This consisted of most of the material in sections 3–5 of this paper, an analysis of data from Russian that makes the same main points, and most of the theoretical conclusions. Class presentations at UCSD in 1979 added the material in section 2 and arguments for impersonal Inversion in Japanese. The analysis of Italian in sections 2–4 and the major theoretical conclusions were presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Linguistic Association in Halifax in May 1981. I am indebted to students and colleagues at Harvard, MIT, and UCSD for valuable comments and suggestions on this work as it developed, and especially to Luigi Rizzi for interesting discussions during his stay in Cambridge in 1977–78.
Magma distribution across ridge-axis discontinuities on the East Pacific Rise from multichannel seismic images

Detailed studies of the morphology of the East Pacific Rise axis have shown that its linearity is disrupted by many small but distinct non-transform offsets, including overlapping spreading centres (OSCs) and deviations from axial linearity (devals), which display variable geochemical signals1–9. Using multichannel seismic reflection profiling, we have mapped the distribution of a bright, shallow reflector that Detrick et al.10 have associated with an axial magma chamber. We have found that it is neither continuous across the 9°03' OSC6, nor separated into two parallel bodies2, and that its lateral offset does not conform to that of the topographic offset associated with the 9° 17' deval. These observations provide important insight into a causative relationship between morphological and petrological segmentation in this region of the East Pacific Rise, and we speculate that the discontinuities may be the morphological response to fluctuations in the spatial pattern of magma delivery.
Amiodarone-induced pulmonary mass

Amiodarone is an effective agent in the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. However, there are numerous side effects associated with this drug, including pulmonary toxicity. This report describes a pulmonary mass that developed in a patient receiving amiodarone and was initially thought to be a lung cancer. Complete resolution occurred after cessation of the drug.
The baby boom, the baby bust, and the housing market A second look

Abstract I re-examine Mankiw-Weil's (MW) claim that house prices will fall 47% by 2007. MW argue that the arrival of the Baby Boom generation at adulthood drove up prices during the 1970s. When the beginnings of the Baby Bust generation matured in the 1980s, prices softened. When this generation arrives in earnest, prices will collapse. I make three points: (1) The regression upon which MW hang their prediction has an implausible -8.1% trend, which drives their prediction. (2) Demand directly influences the rental price; the asset price (MW's variable) is influenced by demand only indirectly. I re-run MW's regression, replacing the asset price with the rental price, and their prediction disappears. (3) Relying on data presented by MW, I show that housing consumption rose during the 1970s, after adjusting for income growth. Just when MW say the asset price of housing was rising, consumers behaved as if the price were falling. Consumers were right: The rental price fell by approximately 20% during the 1970s.
Colorectal cancer stem cells are enriched in xenogeneic tumors following chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND Patients generally die of cancer after the failure of current therapies to eliminate residual disease. A subpopulation of tumor cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSC), appears uniquely able to fuel the growth of phenotypically and histologically diverse tumors. It has been proposed, therefore, that failure to effectively treat cancer may in part be due to preferential resistance of these CSC to chemotherapeutic agents. The subpopulation of human colorectal tumor cells with an ESA(+)CD44(+) phenotype are uniquely responsible for tumorigenesis and have the capacity to generate heterogeneous tumors in a xenograft setting (i.e. CoCSC). We hypothesized that if non-tumorigenic cells are more susceptible to chemotherapeutic agents, then residual tumors might be expected to contain a higher frequency of CoCSC. METHODS AND FINDINGS Xenogeneic tumors initiated with CoCSC were allowed to reach approximately 400 mm(3), at which point mice were randomized and chemotherapeutic regimens involving cyclophosphamide or Irinotecan were initiated. Data from individual tumor phenotypic analysis and serial transplants performed in limiting dilution show that residual tumors are enriched for cells with the CoCSC phenotype and have increased tumorigenic cell frequency. Moreover, the inherent ability of residual CoCSC to generate tumors appears preserved. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 gene expression and enzymatic activity are elevated in CoCSC and using an in vitro culture system that maintains CoCSC as demonstrated by serial transplants and lentiviral marking of single cell-derived clones, we further show that ALDH1 enzymatic activity is a major mediator of resistance to cyclophosphamide: a classical chemotherapeutic agent. CONCLUSIONS CoCSC are enriched in colon tumors following chemotherapy and remain capable of rapidly regenerating tumors from which they originated. By focusing on the biology of CoCSC, major resistance mechanisms to specific chemotherapeutic agents can be attributed to specific genes, thereby suggesting avenues for improving cancer therapy.
Simulation of two-dimensional planar flow of viscoelastic fluid

A numerical scheme based on the Finite Element Method has been developed which uses a relaxation factor in the momentum equation with the stresses being evaluated via a streamwise integration procedure. A constitutive equation introduced by Leonov has been used to represent the rheological behavior of the fluid. The convergence of the scheme has been tested on a 2 : 1 abrupt contraction problem by successive mesh refinement for non-dimensional characteristic shear rates, of 5 and 50 for polyisobutylene Vistanex at 27 °C. The recirculation region is shown to increase in size with non-dimensional characteristic shear rate.
Flower-feeding specialization in wild bee and wasp communities in seasonal neotropical habitats.

Flower visitation records were obtained for 192 species of bees and 138 species of wasps in three neotropical habitats. Four indices of feeding specialization were calculated for common species, and similar patterns were observed using each index. Variation in specialization could be attributed to several factors: the habitat and season in which species were found, the degree of sociality of species, and whether species were bees or wasps. Important differences among habitats and seasons were the number of coexisting consumer species and the species richness and phenology of resource plants. Differences in average consumer specialization among habitats and seasons may have been the result of differences in competitive pressures and to a lesser extent, differences in the flowering strategies of local plants. Eusocial bees and wasps were much more generalized in feeding than solitary species, and bees were more generalized than wasps. Bees in these neotropical communities were much less specialized than their north temperate counterparts. This pattern is reflected by the near absence of species that feed at only one or two plant species in Guanacaste, as compared to a very high frequency of these extreme specialist species in north temperate areas. Temperate zone species of bees have less “even” visitation rates to their resources than tropical bees. Consequently, temperate zone bees are more specialized in both the variety of plant species visited and the dominance of visitation to each set of resource plants. Several hypotheses are examined as possible explanations for this apparent qualitative difference in community structure between neotropical and temperate communities.
Comparison of Dn4- and Dn7-carrying spring wheat genotypes artificially infested with russian wheat aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) biotype 1

Abstract Genetic resistance is a useful control strategy for managing Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), in wheat, Triticum aestivum L. In 2003, a Russian wheat aphid population (denoted as biotype 2) identified in Colorado was virulent to genotypes carrying the Dn4 Russian wheat aphid resistance gene, necessitating the rapid identification and deployment of new sources of resistance. Although the Dn7 gene had shown excellent resistance to Russian wheat aphid biotypes 1 and 2 in evaluations in the greenhouse, no information is available on the amount of protection provided by Dn7 under field conditions. The objective of this study was to compare the reaction of Dn4- and Dn7-carrying spring wheat genotypes under artificial infestation by Russian wheat aphid biotype 1 in the field. Irrigated field experiments were conducted in 2003 and 2004 in a split-split plot arrangement with six replications. The whole plot treatment was infestation level (control, 1×, and 10× Russian wheat aphids), and t...
The impact of a wayfinder's goal on learning a new environment: Different types of spatial knowledge as goals

This study investigated whether spatial learning is constrained by stage-based processes or by goal-directed activity by having subjects in different groups attend to different types of spatial information during learning. Before viewing a series of slides depicting a walk through a small town, subjects were given instructions that emphasized: (a) landmarks, (b) routes, (c) configurations, or (d) no specific spatial instructions. Following acquisition, the subjects were assessed for their landmark, route, and configuration knowledge of the environment using four tasks: a landmark recognition task, a route-sequencing task, a spatial orientation task, and a direction-giving task. No differences in performance attributable to instruction condition occurred for either the landmark recognition or route-sequencing tasks. On the orientation task, subjects given configuration instructions outperformed those receiving landmark instructions. In addition, differences were found in the direction-giving protocols both in terms of the quantity and the quality of landmark, route, and configuration information. In general, all subjects provided landmark information; subjects given route or configuration instructions provided more route and configuration information. These findings suggest that wayfinders are capable of learning a new environment according to a goal, but that learning is constrained by stage-based processes.
Estimation of Wintertime Soil Temperatures

Winter soil temperatures are important to developmental processes of insects, yet are inconvenient to record at various depths. Therefore a method of estimating these temperatures would be useful in field applications. Heat transfer equations are not suited for predicting soil temperatures at various depths because of the variable thermal diffusivity coefficient found in cultivated fields. However, simple linear regression analyses provide good estimates of mean soil temperatures at depths of 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 in. by using daily mean air temperature as the independent variable. Even better estimates can be obtained at subsequent depths by using soil-surface temperature as the independent variable in the linear regression equation.
Detection of long-duration, long-wavelength incremental flashes by a chromatically coded pathway.

Abstract This paper reports tests of the hypothesis that a 200 msec 667 nm, foveal test flash, presented upon a steady, 8° background, is detected by a pathway whose sensitivity is monotonically related to a linear functional of photoreceptor quantum catch. The measurement conditions used in this paper are the same as those used by Stiles in his π-mechanism analysis. The hypothesis is tested by measuring increment-threshold curves for various background wavelengths and for various mixtures of two backgrounds. The results clearly reject the hypothesis. We propose two models that are consistent with the measurements reported here as well as measurements—using a 10 msec test flash—reported previously. We then discuss related empirical and theoretical work.
Kaskadenreaktionen in der Totalsynthese

Die Entwicklung und Umsetzung von Kaskadenreaktionen hat zu beachtlichen neuartigen, eleganten und effizienten Synthesestrategien gefuhrt. Als besonders anspruchsvoll erwies sich die Anwendung von Kaskadenreaktionen in der Naturstoffsynthese, doch gerade hier winken verbluffende und zugleich aufschlussreiche Ergebnisse als Belohnung. In diesem Aufsatz werden ausgewahlte Kaskadenreaktionen in der Totalsynthese erlautert, wobei neuere Anwendungen besonders hervorgehoben werden. Die erorterten Beispiele sollen die Leistungsfahigkeit dieser Prozesse beim Aufbau von komplexen Molekulstrukturen veranschaulichen und ihr Potenzial fur zukunftige chemische Synthesen verdeutlichen.
Optimal and Approximate Control Policies for Airline Booking with Sequential Nonmonotonic Fare Classes

This paper addresses the question of when to refuse discount bookings from airline passengers to reserve seats for potential future passengers who are willing to pay a higher fare. When passengers arrive in sequential fare classes, the optimal policy will be to accept reservation requests as long as the cumulative seats booked does not exceed a given booking limit. This paper relates the probability of filling the plane, under the optimal policy, with the ratios of the current to the highest remaining fare classes. In addition, it extends the solution from monotonically increasing fares to fares occurring in arbitrary order. Finally, it demonstrates how Monte Carlo integration is easy to use to get arbitrarily close approximations to the optimal policy.
Gastrointestinal perforation after pediatric orthotopic liver transplantation

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this review was to determine the incidence of gastrointestinal perforation after pediatric liver transplantation and to identify risk factors and clinical indicators that may lead to an earlier diagnosis. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all children who presented with gastrointestinal perforation after liver transplantation at our institution between January 1, 1987 and August 1, 1996 was performed. Results: One hundred fifty-seven orthotopic liver transplants were performed in 128 children. Fifty-eight reexplorations, excluding those for retransplantation, were performed in 38 children. Ten perforations occurred in six children (incidence, 6.4%). Two children required multiple reexplorations because of several episodes of perforation. The sites of perforation were duodenum (n = 1), jejunum (n = 8), and ileum (n = 1). A single-layer closures in four, and resection with primary anastomosis in another. The type of repair did not affect the occurrence of subsequent perforations. All the children were less than 18 months old. Four children had undergone prior laparotomy. All children had choledochoenteric anastomoses, but only one had a perforation associated with it. One child sustained bowel injury during the dissection for the liver transplant, but none of the perforations occurred at this site. Bowel function had returned before perforation in five children. Five children were receiving systemic antibiotics at the time of their perforation, and none had been dosed with pulse steroids for rejection. All of the children had significant changes in their temperature. Acute leukopenia developed in one child. A leukocytosis developed in the rest of the children. Abdominal radiographs demonstrated pneumoperitoneum in only one child. All children had positive culture findings from their abdominal drains. Cytomegalovirus developed in one child. Although the diagnosis of gastrointestinal perforation after pediatric liver transplant remains difficult, positive drain culture findings and significant alterations in temperature and leukocyte counts suggest its presence. Pneumoperitoneum is rarely present. Conclusion: A high index of suspicion and timely laparotomy, especially in children less than 2 years of age, may be the only way to rapidly diagnose and treat this potentially devastating complication of liver transplant.
Salinity effects on germination and plant growth of prairie cordgrass and switchgrass.

Identifying bioenergy crops that can be produced successfully on marginal lands, such as those affected by salinity, reduces the pressure to produce energy crops on land that would otherwise be used to produce food crops. In this paper, the degree of salinity tolerance of “Red River” prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Link) and “Cave-in-Rock” switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) was determined by evaluating seed germination, plant growth, ion uptake, and leaf anatomical feature responses in saline conditions. Red River seeds retained 50% of germination potential under high salinity up to 300 mM NaCl, whereas Cave-in-Rock seed germination was reduced by 80% at 300 mM NaCl. Red River seedlings survived up to 500 mM NaCl, while more than 30% of Cave-in-Rock did not survive above 100 mM NaCl in greenhouse experiments. Red River produced more biomass and second-generation tillers and had a greater root and shoot biomass ratio than Cave-in-Rock under all salinity ranges. Sodium accumulation in shoots of Cave-in-Rock increased with increasing salinity, whereas Red River maintained a low level of sodium in biomass through salt-gland exclusion. The increasing rate of selectivity coefficient for potassium over sodium in Red River was higher than in Cave-in-Rock with increasing salinity. Although seed germination and plant growth decreased as salinity increased, Red River retained its potential of seed germination and to produce new tillers and biomass under salinity stress.
Comment on "Dayside Pickup Oxygen Ion Precipitation at Venus and Mars' Spatial Distributions, Energy Deposition, and Consequences" by J. G. Luhmann and J. U. Kozyra

The ejection of atoms and molecules from an atmosphere due to the energy deposited by plasma bombardment has been shown to play a role in the loss of species from certain planetary and satellite atmospheres. This ejection, often referred to as sputtering, can be produced by the bombarding plasma [Watson et al., 1980; McGrath and Johnson, 1987] and by locally generated "pickup ions" [e.g., Kozyra et al., 1982; Ishimoto et al., 1986; Luhmann and Kozyra, 1991]. Although the direct solar wind sputtering of Venus and Mars [Watson et al., 1980] was shown not to be significant compared to other loss processes [Hunten et al., 1989], Luhmann and Kozyra [1991] (LK) recently showed that the sputtering produced by pickup ions is not negligible. They used a particle transport code to calculate the ejected particle flux. However, in earlier work [Watson et al., 1980; Sieveka and Johnson, 1984; McGrath and Johnson, 1987], expressions developed for the sputtering of and ion penetration into condensed materials were used to describe sputtering from planetary atmospheres [e.g. Johnson, 1990]. Here the results of Luhmann and Kozyra [1991] are tested against these analytic expressions after a brief review.
Influence of Dietary Fiber on Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Colon Cancer: Importance of Fermentation Pattern

The benefits of dietary fiber on inflammatory bowel disease may be related to the fermentative production of butyrate in the colon, which appears to decrease the inflammatory response. The benefits of dietary fiber against colon cancer may be related to both fermentative and non-fermentative processes, although poorly fermentable fibers appear more influential. Dietary fiber fermentation profiles are important in determining optimal fibers for colonic health, and may be a function of structure, processing conditions, and other food components. A greater understanding of the relationships between fermentation rate and dietary fiber structure would allow for development of dietary fibers for optimum colonic health.
An Analysis of Patients with Clinically Localized High‐Risk Prostate Carcinoma

Objectives: The objectives of this study are the following: (1) to determine the outcome of patients with at least two unfavorable prognostic factors, as defined in the literature (tumor Stage ≤T2c, pretreatment PSA level >10 ng/ml, Gleason score ≥7); and (2) to define the impact of conformal radiotherapy (CRT), whole pelvic radiation, and hormonal therapy in the treatment of these patients. Materials and Methods: Between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 1995, 594 evaluable patients were treated with definitive radiotherapy for localized prostate carcinoma at the University of California, San Francisco and associated institutions. One hundred eighty-two patients had clinically localized high-risk prostate carcinomas defined as having at least two of the following adverse risk features: (1) tumor Stage ≥T2c; (2) pretreatment PSA level >10 ng/ml; and (3) Gleason score ≥7. One hundred sixty-four patients had >12 months of PSA follow-up and formed the cohort of this study. Fifty-eight percent of the patients had pretreatment PSA levels >20 ng/ml, 31% had Gleason scores of 8–10, and 60% had Stage T3 disease. Radiotherapy was delivered at 1.8 Gy/fraction/day, 5 days/week. The maximum tumor dose ranged from 60 to 82.4 Gy (median 73.7 Gy). Sixty-two percent of the group had elective whole-pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT), and 34% had androgen suppression therapy (AST). The median PSA follow-up was 39 months. PSA failure was defined by the consensus definition of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiotherapy and Oncology. Results: The 4-year estimate of biochemical freedom from relapse of the 164 patients with clinically localized high-risk prostate cancer was 39%. The median time to PSA failure was 18 months. The 4-year estimate of PSA control was 51% for patients with two adverse risk factors and 16% for those with three adverse risk factors. On univariate analysis, the number of adverse risk factors (p = 0.004) and WPRTs (p = 0.04) were significant prognostic factors for PSA control. The use of CRT (p = 0.08) and AST (p = 0.10) were of borderline significance. On multivariate analysis, the most significant independent prognostic factor for PSA control was the number of risk factors present (favoring two factors, p = 0.002). Treatment with WPRT (p = 0.03) was the next independent predictor. AST was of borderline significance (p = 0.10). Eight percent of patients (14 of 164) had Grade 1–2 cystitis and proctitis. There was no Grade 3–4 toxicity. Conclusions: The combination of pretreatment PSA level, Gleason score, and disease stage could reliably predict the prognosis of patients with localized high-risk prostate carcinoma treated with definitive radiotherapy. The use of prophylactic WPRT improved PSA control in patients with clinical Stage N0 disease who are at high-risk for nodal involvement. Patients with three adverse risk factors (PSA level >10 ng/ml, Gleason Score ≥7, and tumor Stage ≥2c) had a very poor prognosis when treated with conventional therapy and should be considered for novel effective systemic treatment.
Combined transesophageal and surface MRI provides optimal imaging in aortic atherosclerosis.

Objective: Surface magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for aortic plaque assessment is limited by the trade‐off between penetration depth and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). For imaging the deep seated aorta, a combined surface and transesophageal MRI (TEMRI) technique was developed 1) to determine the individual contribution of TEMRI and surface coils to the combined signal, 2) to measure the signal improvement of a combined surface and TEMRI over surface MRI, and 3) to assess for reproducibility of plaque dimension analysis. Methods and Results: In 24 patients six black blood proton‐density/T2‐weighted fast‐spin echo images were obtained using three surface and one TEMRI coil for SNR measurements. Reproducibility of plaque dimensions (combined surface and TEMRI) was measured in 10 patients. TEMRI contributed 68% of the signal in the aortic arch and descending aorta, whereas the overall signal gain using the combined technique was up to 225%. Plaque volume measurements had an intraclass correlation coefficient...
Rates of positive cardiac troponin I and creatine kinase MB mass among patients hospitalized for suspected acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a more specific and sensitive biomarker than creatine kinase MB (CKMB) for detection of myocardial damage. We report the prevalence of positive cTnI and CKMB mass among patients hospitalized with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and the potential impact of use of different reference cutoffs, particularly those proposed by European Society of Cardiology/American College of Cardiology (ESC/ACC) consensus guidelines, on rates of diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: We analyzed 1719 consecutive patients with suspected ACS admitted to an urban acute care hospital over a 6-month period. Patients (≥18 years of age) had at least two separate sets of plasma biomarkers (cTnI and CKMB) measured more than 12–24 h after admission to determine the potential rates of AMI based on different biomarker cutoff concentrations. Results: The prevalence of cTnI-positive cases ranged from 10.6%, based on a cutoff of twice the ROC curve (cTnI ≤1.2 μg/L), to 25.0%, using the ESC/ACC-recommended 99th percentile cutoff (cTnI <0.1 μg/L). The prevalence of CKMB-positive cases ranged from 10.4%, with the cutoff of twice the ROC curve (CKMB ≤10.0 μg/L) to 21.7%, with the 99th percentile cutoff (CKMB <3.9 μg/L). Use of the 10% CV cutoff (cTnI ≤0.3 μg/L and CKMB <3.9 μg/L) instead of the ROC cutoff produced a 26% increase in all cTnI-positive cases. Use of the 99th percentile reference cutoff instead of the ROC curve-derived cutoff produced an 85% increase in all cTnI-positive cases. A substantial proportion of the increase in total cTnI-positive cases was derived from cTnI-positive/CKMB-negative cases: 71 (4.1%), 73 (4.2%), 98 (5.7%), and 209 (12.2%) of cTnI-positive cases were CKMB-negative, as determined by the twice the ROC, ROC, 10% CV, and 99th percentile reference cutoffs, respectively. At the 99th percentile cutoffs, 8.8% of cases were CKMB-positive/cTnI-negative. Conclusions: Use of lower reference cutoffs for plasma biomarkers, as recommended by ESC/ACC guidelines, markedly increases the rates of cTnI-positive cases overall. A substantial proportion of the increase in total cTnI-positive cases was derived from the creation of additional cTnI-positive/CKMB-negative cases. CKMB-positive/cTnI-negative cases are likely false positive for myocardial injury.
Intervention to reduce traumatic stress following intimate partner violence: an efficacy trial of the Moms' Empowerment Program (MEP).

Abstract A 10-week, group therapeutic-oriented community-based intervention, the Moms' Empowerment Program (MEP), was tested with 181 children and their mothers exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) during the past year. Women's experiences of intimate partner violence and traumatic stress were assessed with standardized measures. A sequential assignment procedure allocated participants to three conditions: mother-plus-child intervention (M+C), child-only intervention (CO), and a wait list comparison (CG). The tensession group intervention program was designed to empower women thereby reducing traumatic stress and enhancing their coping in the aftermath of exposure to IPV. Eighty-one percent were diagnosed with PTSD. While women in all three conditions improved over time, those in the M+C condition showed the greatest reduction in traumatic stress as compared to CO or CG conditions. Of those M+C women diagnosed with PTSD, the reliable change rate was 85% no longer diagnosed.
A Security Architecture Achieving Anonymity and Traceability in Wireless Mesh Networks

Anonymity has received increasing attention in the literature due to the users' awareness of their privacy nowadays. Anonymity provides protection for users to enjoy network services without being traced. While anonymity related issues have been extensively studied in payment-based systems such as e-cash [1] and peer-to-peer (P2P) [2] systems, little effort has been devoted to wireless mesh networks (WMNs). On the other hand, the network authority requires conditional anonymity such that misbehaving entities in the network remain traceable. In this paper, we propose a security architecture to ensure unconditional anonymity for honest users and traceability of misbehaving users for network authorities in WMNs. The proposed architecture strives to resolve the conflicts between the anonymity and traceability objectives, in addition to guaranteeing fundamental security requirements including authentication, confidentiality, data integrity, and non-repudiation [3]. Further security enhancements can be incorporated, rendering the proposed architecture conditionally anonymous in terms of network access activities, location information, and communication paths.
The Development and Validation of the Attitude toward Father Scale: A Tool for Assessing the Father’s Role in Children’s Behavior Problems

Numerous measures assess how parental influences may relate to children's development of psychological difficulties. The majority of such measures focuses specifically on the mother-child relationship or assume both parents contribute equally and similarly to their children's psychological well-being. Previous research has largely ignored the need to assess the father-child relationship when examining parental influences on behavior problems. The goal of the present study was to develop and validate a self-report questionnaire to assess the father-child relationship. The Attitude Toward Father Scale was developed and validated using three independent samples of college undergraduates. The scale, which includes three subscales, was shown to have good psychometric properties. It was found effective in examining associations between father-child relationship scores and scores on adjustment measures. Findings showed total scale and subscale scores associated with measures of stress, alcoholism, hostility, depression, anxiety, and paranoia. Implications of findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Epstein-Barr Virus Glycoprotein gB and gHgL Can Mediate Fusion and Entry in trans, and Heat Can Act as a Partial Surrogate for gHgL and Trigger a Conformational Change in gB

ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) fusion with an epithelial cell requires virus glycoproteins gHgL and gB and is triggered by an interaction between gHgL and integrin αvβ5, αvβ6, or αvβ8. Fusion with a B cell requires gHgL, gp42, and gB and is triggered by an interaction between gp42 and human leukocyte antigen class II. We report here that, like alpha- and betaherpesviruses, EBV, a gammaherpesvirus, can mediate cell fusion if gB and gHgL are expressed in trans . Entry of a gH-null virus into an epithelial cell is possible if the epithelial cell expresses gHgL, and entry of the same virus, which phenotypically lacks gHgL and gp42, into a B cell expressing gHgL is possible in the presence of a soluble integrin. Heat is capable of inducing the fusion of cells expressing only gB, and the proteolytic digestion pattern of gB in virions changes in the same way following the exposure of virus to heat or to soluble integrins. It is suggested that the Gibbs free energy released as a result of the high-affinity interaction of gHgL with an integrin contributes to the activation energy required to cause the refolding of gB from a prefusion to a postfusion conformation. IMPORTANCE The core fusion machinery of herpesviruses consists of glycoproteins gB and gHgL. We demonstrate that as in alpha- and betaherpesvirus, gB and gHgL of the gammaherpesvirus EBV can mediate fusion and entry when expressed in trans in opposing membranes, implicating interactions between the ectodomains of the proteins in the activation of fusion. We further show that heat and exposure to a soluble integrin, both of which activate fusion, result in the same changes in the proteolytic digestion pattern of gB, possibly representing the refolding of gB from its prefusion to its postfusion conformation.
Rehabilitation for People With Critical Illness: Taking the Next Steps

Due to the omission of several references, the original, published editorial has been replaced by this corrected version. This special series on rehabilitation for people with critical illness (published in 2 issues—December 2012 and February 2013) presents recent advances in managing critical illness across the continuum of care, from the intensive care unit (ICU) to the community setting. The series also raises awareness of the essential role that physical therapists and rehabilitation and critical care professionals play in this growing patient population. The articles in this issue showcase important research conducted by established authors in the field, including physical therapists from across the United States and from Australia. In February 2013, articles will highlight innovative quality improvement initiatives, discuss key considerations for the profession, illustrate educational strategies, and describe novel cases. Improvements in managing the care of patients with critical illness have resulted in an increasing number of survivors.1 However, survivors of critical illness often experience “post–intensive care syndrome,”2 with long-lasting physical impairments, including muscle weakness and decreased functional ability3 and neuropsychiatric dysfunction.4 These consequences of critical illness often lead to decreased quality of life.5,6 Early intervention by physical therapists and other rehabilitation and critical care professionals is feasible and safe for patients in respiratory,7 medical,8 and surgical9 ICUs. Moreover, early rehabilitation in the ICU is associated with many short-term benefits, including decreased duration of mechanical ventilation, shorter ICU and hospital lengths of stay, shorter duration of delirium, and improved functional outcomes.8,10–12 Throughout a 1-year follow-up, early rehabilitation during the ICU stay also is associated with decreased hospital readmission and mortality rates.13 With this growing body of evidence, interest in early rehabilitation in the ICU is rapidly increasing, likely resulting in significant change from …
A review of technologies for rapid detection of bacteria in recreational waters.

Monitoring of recreational beaches for fecal indicator bacteria is currently performed using culturebased technology that can require more than a day for laboratory analysis, during which time swimmers are at risk. Here we review new methods that have the potential to reduce the measurement period to less than an hour. These methods generally involve two steps. The first is target capture, in which the microbial group of interest (or some molecular/chemical/or biochemical signature of the group) is removed, tagged or amplified to differentiate it from the remaining material in the sample. We discuss three classes of capture methods: 1) Surface and whole-cell recognition methods, including immunoassay techniques and molecule-specific probes; 2) Nucleic acid methods, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), nucleic acid sequence based amplification (NASBA) and microarrays; and 3) Enzyme/substrate methods utilizing chromogenic or fluorogenic substrates. The second step is detection, in which optical, electrochemical or piezoelectric technologies are used to quantify the captured, tagged or amplified material. The biggest technological hurdle for all of these methods is sensitivity, as EPA’s recommended bathing water standard is less than one cell per ml and most detection technologies measure sample volumes less than 1ml. This challenge is being overcome through addition of preconcentration or enrichment steps, which have the potential to boost sensitivity without the need to develop new detector technology. The second hurdle is demonstrating a relationship to health risk, since most new methods are based on measuring cell structure without assessing viability and may not relate to current water quality standards that were developed in epidemiology studies using culture-based methods. Enzyme/substrate methods may be the first rapid methods adopted because they are based on the same capture technology as currentlyapproved EPA methods and their relationship to health risk can be established by demonstrating equivalency to existing procedures. Demonstration of equivalency may also be possible for some surface and whole-cell recognition methods that capture bacteria in a potentially viable state. Nucleic acid technologies are the most versatile, but measure nonviable structure and will require inclusion in epidemiological studies to link their measurement with health risk.
A Decision Model For Contracting Helpdesk Services

Contractual helpdesk services, also known as call center outsourcing is a growing industry. Helpdesk solutions, which offer customer service to consumers who have an issue, problem or concern, are an integral part of many organizations wider service function. For smaller companies, outsourcing helpdesk services is becoming more and more popular given the technical expertise and high investment costs required to develop, implement and maintain the infrastructure needed to support these services. Contracting for helpdesk services helps to alleviate smaller companies from concerns with technical issues, retaining employees dedicated to continuous research on the value proposition of emerging products or services, and in some cases, the need for hiring additional staff. While the basic principles for negotiating an outsourcing contract apply, this paper explores the special considerations pertinent to contracting helpdesk services. These include determining an optimal solution by mapping business requirements to specific call center resource options, determining the optimal call routing structure given budgetary considerations and understanding technical problems associated with the call center environment and developing a satisficing plan to address problems should they occur. As the technologies, including telecommunications and call routing options, that form the basis of helpdesk services evolve, so does the importance of helpdesk services as they move from cost centers to profit generating ventures.
On Nesterov's Nonsmooth Chebyshev-Rosenbrock Functions

Abstract We discuss two nonsmooth functions on R n introduced by Nesterov. We show that the first variant is partly smooth in the sense of Lewis and that its only stationary point is the global minimizer. In contrast, we show that the second variant has 2 n − 1 Clarke stationary points, none of them local minimizers except the global minimizer, but also that its only Mordukhovich stationary point is the global minimizer. Nonsmooth optimization algorithms from multiple starting points generate iterates that approximate all 2 n − 1 Clarke stationary points, not only the global minimizer, but it remains an open question as to whether the nonminimizing Clarke stationary points are actually points of attraction for optimization algorithms.
Boosting Chicago: Bird's-Eye Views as Maps of Progress

Boosting Chicago explores the nature of bird's-eye views, the public face of Chicago views depicted between 1857 and 1916, and offers ideas on using these unqiue documents in the classroom. Bird's-eye views were popular lithographs of urban communities in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Subjective and incomplete doucments, they were artifacts of civic pride. Though little studied by scholars or used by teachers, they offer unique windows into the perceptions of residents reagrding their community. Boosting Chicago suggests that views of this city consistently pictured it as a bustling, growing metropolis that acted as a hub and tied its destiny to the developing West. The article also notes that views are valuable classroom resources that bring students to the street level of learning. They can see an entire community at a specific time or walk the streets to lookk at specific features.