cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship of Seminal Megavesicles, Prostate Median Cysts, and Genotype in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) can involve prostate and seminal vesicles but the potential interrelationship of these findings and associations with PKD gene mutation locus and type is unknown. Purpose To determine the interrelationship of seminal megavesicles (seminal vesicles with lumen diameter > 10mm) and prostatic cysts in ADPKD and to determine whether there are associations with PKD gene mutations. Study type Retrospective, case control. Population Male ADPKD subjects (n = 92) with mutations in PKD1 (n = 71; 77%) or PKD2 (n = 21; 23%), and age/gender-matched controls without ADPKD (n = 92). Field strength/sequence 1.5T, axial/coronal T2 -weighted MR images. Assessment Reviewers blinded to genotype independently measured seminal vesicle lumen diameter and prevalence of cysts in prostate, kidney, and liver. Statistical tests Nonparametric tests for group comparisons and univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify associations of megavesicles and prostate median cysts with mutations and renal/hepatic cyst burden. Results Seminal megavesicles were found in 23 of 92 ADPKD (25%) subjects with PKD1 (22/71, 31%) or PKD2 (n = 1/21, 5%) mutations, but in only two control subjects (P Data conclusion ADPKD is associated with prostate median cysts near ejaculatory ducts. These cysts correlate with seminal megavesicles (dilated to >10 mm) which predict a 10-fold greater likelihood of PKD1 vs. PKD2 mutation. Cysts elsewhere in the prostate are not related to ADPKD. Level of evidence 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:894-903.
Video-Level Binocular Tone-mapping Framework Based on Temporal Coherency Algorithm

A binocular tone-mapping framework can generate a binocular low-dynamic range (LDR) image pair that preserves more human-perceivable visual contents than a single LDR image. In this paper, to solve the temporal coherency problem when extending from this image-level system to a video-level system, we proposed a new binocular framework that integrates the existing image-level framework and the temporal coherency algorithm. The experimental data show that this proposed new framework can effectively solve the temporal coherency problem and generate binocular LDR videos without disturbing effects.
Universal Gas Breakdown Theory from Microscale to the Classical Paschen Law

Paschen's law for predicting breakdown voltage deviates at microscale dimensions and atmospheric pressure because field emission, rather than the Townsend avalanche, drives breakdown 1. One can more accurately predict this deviation by coupling field emission and the Townsend avalanche to derive “modified Paschen's curves 1.” Previous work extended one such modified Paschen's curve to derive a universal breakdown curve for any gas at atmospheric pressure with the secondary electron coefficient, $\gamma _{SE} =0$, to demonstrate the limiting behaviors for large and small gap distances 2, 3. Here, we further generalize this model for gap sizes larger than the mean free path of an electron (~ 100 nm), pressures below the transition to streamer discharge given by Meek's criterion (~ 1 to ~ 3000 Torr), and nonzero $\gamma _{SE}$. Analytic expressions agree well with numerical solutions and particle-in-cell simulations when $\gamma _{SE} =0.$ Moreover, we derive equations for a “modified Paschen minimum” that was previously masked by only considering atmospheric pressure and show that this minimum exists even when $\gamma _{SE} = 0.$ Furthermore, including $\gamma _{SE}$ in the analytic equations for breakdown voltage shows the transition from the field emission dominated regime to the coupled field-emissionTownsend regime to the classical Paschen law, where the conventional criterion for Townsend avalanche is satisfied. Thus, this study provides a universal breakdown model for any gas, pressure, and gap distance (between the electron mean free path and Meek's criterion) to aid system design and optimization.
Application of LCA for the Short-Term Management of Electricity Consumption

The application of LCA in the energy consumption management can address the sustainability of energy systems. The chapter first aims at summarizing general trends in addressing environmental implication of energy use. Second, LCA methodology is briefly introduced in order to clarify its potentialities and general use in the energy field area. In particular, LCA can contribute to select the best technological choices for an energy system. A challenge in the use of LCA is identified in the representation of a complex system in which the energy producers’ contribution changes on a temporal basis. Two approaches are proposed for the LCA use in the short-term perspective: attributional LCA and consequential LCA. The proposed approach examines the application of LCA in a short-term perspective. Both approaches can be used to analyze an efficient configuration of the system. However, the more the temporal and geographical area is restricted, the more specific issues have to be adopted to provide a reliable analysis. In particular, consequential and attributional approaches should be used under different hypotheses and with proper adaptation. The proposed approach examines the application of consequential LCA in a short-term perspective, defined as the time span in which the market system has not reacted to a change yet. Moreover, it could claim environmental impact savings in the presence of an accurate model that is able to predict the hourly marginal technology of the near future (one day to 1 week). The future application of the proposed approach would be a tool that manages to assess the best hourly consumption trajectory in order to minimize environmental impacts.
Geodesic Ray Tracing on Faceted Convex Surfaces for Co-Site Interference Prediction

An algorithm is proposed to identify geodesic rays between two antennas on a faceted electrically large convex conducting platform. The algorithm is based on launching numerous geodesic ray strips from a transmitting antenna in all directions and tracing them until a receiving antenna is reached or a predefined number of facets are traced. It was used to identify two geodesic rays between antennas on a faceted circular cylinder and a faceted ogive. The algorithm is required to predict co-site interference between antennas on an electrically large platform.
HDAC Regulates Transcription at the Outset of Axolotl Tail Regeneration

Tissue regeneration is associated with complex changes in gene expression and post-translational modifications of proteins, including transcription factors and histones that comprise chromatin. We tested 172 compounds designed to target epigenetic mechanisms in an axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) embryo tail regeneration assay. A relatively large number of compounds (N = 55) inhibited tail regeneration, including 18 histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi). In particular, romidepsin, an FDA-approved anticancer drug, potently inhibited tail regeneration when embryos were treated continuously for 7 days. Additional experiments revealed that romidepsin acted within a very narrow, post-injury window. Romidepsin treatment for only 1-minute post amputation inhibited regeneration through the first 7 days, however after this time, regeneration commenced with variable outgrowth of tailfin tissue and abnormal patterning. Microarray analysis showed that romidepsin altered early, transcriptional responses at 3 and 6-hour post-amputation, especially targeting genes that are implicated in tumor cell death, as well as genes that function in the regulation of transcription, cell differentiation, cell proliferation, pattern specification, and tissue morphogenesis. Our results show that HDAC activity is required at the time of tail amputation to regulate the initial transcriptional response to injury and regeneration.
Influences of Teacher–Child Relationships and Classroom Social Management on Child-Perceived Peer Social Experiences During Early School Years

Interactions with teachers and peers are critical for children's social, behavioral, and academic development in the classroom context. However, these two types of interpersonal interactions in the classroom are usually pursued via separate lines of inquiries. The current study bridges these two areas of research to examine the way in which teachers influence child-perceived peer social support and peer victimization for 2,678 children within 183 classrooms in preschool through grade three. Two levels of teacher influence are considered, namely teacher-child closeness and conflict relationships at the child-level, and teacher management of interpersonal interactions at the classroom-level. Results of multilevel regression models showed that teacher-child closeness was associated with the growth of child-perceived peer social support from fall to spring, whereas teacher-child conflict and teachers' behavior management practices were associated with the change in child-perceived peer victimization across the academic year. These associations were unique and above and beyond the influence of children's actual peer social interactions, including reciprocal friendships and the collective classroom reputation of peer victimization. Collectively, findings highlight the multi-faceted teacher roles in shaping children's perceptions of their peer social experiences during the earliest years of schooling.
Distances and trees in dense subsets of ℤd

In [4] Furstenberg, Katznelson and Weiss establish that all sufficiently large distances can always be attained between pairs of points from any given measurable subset of ℝ2 of positive upper (Banach) density. A second proof of this result, as well as a stronger “pinned variant”, was given by Bourgain in [2] using Fourier analytic methods. In [8] the second author adapted Bourgain’s Fourier analytic approach to establish a result analogous to that of Furstenberg, Katznelson and Weiss for subsets ℤd provided d ≥ 5. We present a new direct proof of this discrete distance set result and generalize this to arbitrary trees. Using appropriate discrete spherical maximal function theorems we ultimately establish the natural “pinned variants” of these results.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Cholera Toxin-Based Staphylococcus aureus Vaccine against Bovine Intramammary Challenge

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a primary agent of bovine mastitis and a source of significant economic loss for the dairy industry. We previously reported antigen-specific immune induction in the milk and serum of dairy cows following vaccination with a cholera toxin A2 and B subunit (CTA2/B) based vaccine containing the iron-regulated surface determinant A (IsdA) and clumping factor A (ClfA) antigens of S. aureus (IsdA + ClfA-CTA2/B). The goal of the current study was to assess the efficacy of this vaccine to protect against S. aureus infection after intramammary challenge. Six mid-lactation heifers were randomized to vaccinated and control groups. On days 1 and 14 animals were inoculated intranasally with vaccine or vehicle control, and on day 20 animals were challenged with S. aureus. Clinical outcome, milk quality, bacterial shedding, and somatic cell count (SCC) were followed for ten days post-challenge. Vaccinated animals did not show signs of clinical S. aureus mastitis and had lower SCCs compared to control animals during the challenge period. Reductions in bacterial shedding were observed but were not significant between groups. Antibody analysis of milk and serum indicated that, upon challenge, vaccinated animals produced enhanced IsdA- and ClfA-CTA2/B specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses, while responses to CTA2/B alone were not different between groups. Responses after challenge were largely IgG1 against the IsdA antigen and mixed IgG1/IgG2 against the ClfA antigen. In addition, there was a significant increase in interferon gamma (IFN-γ) expression from blood cells in vaccinated animals on day 20. While preliminary, these findings support evidence of the induction of active immunity by IsdA + ClfA-CTA2/B, and further assessment of this vaccine is warranted.
Guest Editors’ Comments: Experimental Methods for Assessing Intelligence

(1990). Guest Editors’ Comments: Experimental Methods for Assessing Intelligence. School Psychology Review: Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 397-398.
How and Why Are Irritability and Depression Linked

Based on its course over time, irritability is linked to depression cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Cross-sectionally, irritability takes an episodic form as a symptom in pediatric depression; yet, irritability in the absence of depressed mood or anhedonia is rare. Longitudinally, chronic irritability has been shown to predict depression rather than bipolar disorder or externalizing disorders. Evidence suggests that the link between irritability and depression is explained mostly by shared genetic risk. Both conditions are also associated with higher rates of family history of depression, childhood temperaments and personality styles, and negative parenting styles. The treatment implications are discussed.
Not Dead Yet: The Surprising Survival of Negotiability

Over and over, legal scholars have argued that the law governing negotiable instruments as applied to residential mortgages is aged and decrepit to the point of irrelevance, and now only serves to curse the present with a set of useless rules almost mindlessly preserved through codification in the UCC. Worse yet, as we charge into the age of electronic documents, scholars claim that negotiability based on the physical preservation of paper documents signed with wet ink will become even more foolhardy and archaic. At the same time, the law of negotiable instruments has entered into a startlingly vibrant era, with the subprime crash causing the Great Recession and leaving countless home loans in default and subject to foreclosure. In dealing with the resulting foreclosure crisis, even the most abstruse points of negotiability are regularly argued throughout the United States. While legal scholars consider aspects of negotiability such as indorsements in blank and allonges as archaic as prehistoric insects trapped in amber, today, these recondite points of negotiable instruments law are the subject of Congressional inquiry, federal and state legislation, newspaper articles and public debate. Webpages on how to avoid foreclosure devote extensive content to the arcana of negotiable instruments law. Courts, too, have been increasingly focused on formerly almost unnoticed aspects of negotiability, such as the use and defects of allonges. This article discusses how the subprime crisis and resulting tsunami of foreclosures have put negotiable instrument law as applied to residential mortgages through a massive stress test, and how it has been found wanting. It discusses various criticisms of negotiability, including the harm caused by the holder-in-due-course doctrine. It discusses the challenges that the financial industry faces in complying with the requirements of negotiable instrument law, including retaining original copies of residential loan notes and complete chains of indorsements, including allonges affixed to those notes. The article discusses the financial risk to the owners of loans where those rules are not scrupulously observed and also the benefits to lenders and buyers of notes of negotiable instrument law, and the methods they use to protect themselves from risk. The article concludes with recommendations for reform to retain the benefits of negotiability without the harm to borrowers that negotiable instrument law causes.
Nuclear-electronic orbital methods: Foundations and prospects.

The incorporation of nuclear quantum effects and non-Born–Oppenheimer behavior into quantum chemistry calculations and molecular dynamics simulations is a longstanding challenge. The nuclear–electronic orbital (NEO) approach treats specified nuclei, typically protons, quantum mechanically on the same level as the electrons with wave function and density functional theory methods. This approach inherently includes nuclear delocalization and zero-point energy in molecular energy calculations, geometry optimizations, reaction paths, and dynamics. It can also provide accurate descriptions of excited electronic, vibrational, and vibronic states as well as nuclear tunneling and nonadiabatic dynamics. Nonequilibrium nuclear–electronic dynamics simulations beyond the Born–Oppenheimer approximation can be used to investigate a wide range of excited state processes. This Perspective provides an overview of the foundational NEO methods and enumerates the prospects for using these methods as building blocks for future developments. The conceptual simplicity and computational efficiency of the NEO approach will enhance its accessibility and applicability to diverse chemical and biological systems.
Fabrication, quality and service-life issues for composites in civil engineering

A composite material is defined as a macroscopic combination of two or more distinct materials having a finite interface between them. One of the constituents is the reinforcement, or reinforcing phase, while the other is the matrix phase. The major, or at least clearly apparent, difference between a material such as a plastic and a composite is thus that the composite consist of both reinforcement (fibers for example) and a matrix (which could be the polymer used to form the plastic itself. Composite materials are generically classified at two different levels. The first, and more generic, is related to the matrix phase. It is noted that the matrix serves a number of functions besides being in the binder to hold the reinforcing phase together. It provides environmental and damage protection to the reinforcing phase, toughness and multi-functional non-mechanical properties to the composite and enables the material to be formed into shapes. The common types of composites are ceramic matrix composites (CMC), metal matrix composites (MMC) and polymer matrix composites. The class will be discussed in this book and referred to as Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) following the commonly used terminology in civil construction.
Pr-Specific Phytochrome Phosphorylation in Vitro by a Protein Kinase Present in Anti-Phytochrome Maize Immunoprecipitates'

Protein kinase activity has repeatedly been found to co-purify with the plant photoreceptor phytochrome, suggesting that light signals received by phytochrome may be transduced or modulated through protein phosphorylation. In this study immunoprecipitation techniques were used to characterize protein kinase activity associated with phytochrome from maize (Zea mays L.). A protein kinase that specifically phosphorylated phytochrome was present in washed anti-phytochrome immunoprecipitates of etiolated coleoptile proteins. No other substrate tested was phosphorylated by this kinase. Adding salts or detergents to disrupt low-affinity protein interactions reduced background phosphorylation in immunoprecipitates without affecting phytochrome phosphorylation, indicating that the protein kinase catalytic activity is either intrinsic to the phytochrome molecule or associated with it by high-affinity interactions. Red irradiation (of coleoptiles or extracts) sufficient to approach photoconversion saturation reduced phosphorylation of immunoprecipitated phytochrome. Subsequent far-red irradiation reversed the red-light effect. Phytochrome phosphorylation was stimulated about 10-fold by a co-immunoprecipitated factor. The stimulatory factor was highest in immunoprecipitates when Mg2+ was present in immunoprecipitation reactions but remained in the supernatant in the absence of Mg2+. These observations provide strong support for the hypothesis that phytochrome-associated protein kinase modulates light responses in vivo. Since only phytochrome was found to be phosphorylated, the co-immunoprecipitated protein kinase may function to regulate receptor activity.
Genetics of cognitive disorders

Disorders of cognition impair mental processes mediating awareness, perception, reasoning, or judgment, and consequently interfere with thought. Although interindividual differences in human cognition are easily observed, little is known about the genetic factors underlying such phenotypic variation, or the relationship of such variation to disease. Global measures of intelligence, such as Spearman's “g”, are heritable and thus likely to engender new links between genes and cognition. However, the breadth of these measures may limit the extent to which mechanistic insights are obtained. Finding readily measurable and heritable components of disease (endophenotypes) represents one of the most promising avenues for a precise understanding of how individual genes come to modulate brain function. The high heritability of interindividual differences in brain morphology suggests that a more thorough understanding of disease-associated structural variation may clarify the relationship between individual genes and disorders of cognition. Identification and study of endophenotypes for autism and disorders of spoken and written language will facilitate a deeper understanding of how genetic variation comes to modulate the structure and function of particular neural systems and in turn contributes to specific cognitive deficits. Keywords: autism; behavior; brain structure; cognition; dyslexia; endophenotypes; g; language
LV motion tracking from 3D echocardiography using textural and structural information

Automated motion reconstruction of the left ventricle (LV) from 3D echocardiography provides insight into myocardium architecture and function. Low image quality and artifacts make 3D ultrasound image processing a challenging problem. We introduce a LV tracking method, which combines textural and structural information to overcome the image quality limitations. Our method automatically reconstructs the motion of the LV contour (endocardium and epicardium) from a sequence of 3D ultrasound images.
Infinitely Challenging: Pitowsky’s Subjective Interpretation and the Physics of Infinite Systems

On Itamar Pitowsky’s subjective interpretation of quantum mechanics, “the Hilbert space formalism of quantum mechanics [QM] is just a new kind of probability theory” (2006, 213), one whose probabilities correspond to odds rational agents would accept on the outcomes of gambles concerning quantum event structures. Our aim here is to ask whether Pitowsky’s approach can be extended from its original context, of quantum theories for systems with an finite number of degrees of freedom, to systems with an infinite number of degrees of freedom, such as quantum field theory and quantum statistical mechanics in the thermodynamic limit. An impediment to generalization is that Pitowsky adopts the framework of event structures encoded by atomic algebras, whereas the algebras typical of QM for infinitely many degrees of freedom are usually non-atomic. We describe challenges to Pitowsky’s approach deriving from this impediment, and sketch and assess strategies Pitowsky might use to meet those challenges. Although we offer no final verdict about the eventual success of those strategies, a testament to the worth of Pitowsky’s approach is that attempting to extend it engages us in provocative foundational issues.
Immediate implants with immediate loading vs. conventional loading: 1-year randomized clinical trial

Purpose: This 1-year randomized clinical trial compared the bone regeneration and success rates between immediate and conventional loading of dental implants placed immediately after extraction in patients with a past history of periodontal disease. Methods: Sixty patients who chose an immediate implant treatment option to replace a hopeless tooth were included in this study. Patients: Patients were randomly assigned to receive immediate implants with either immediate loading (group A) or conventional loading after 3 months (group B). At baseline, both groups received a mucoperiosteal flap, extraction, implant placement, allograft bone, and a membrane. Group A received a provisional crown. In group B, a cover screw was placed and primary closure was achieved. The patients were evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results: The 1-year implant survival rate was 95% for the whole study group: 96.6% for group A, and 93.3% for group B. The bone level increased significantly in both groups (group A: 0.99 ± 0.22 mm; group B: 0.75 ± 0.17 mm), and the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.5). At the 1-year postoperative visit, the mucogingival junction (MGJ) was found to be displaced coronally in 65% of implant sites in group B compared with 15% sites in group A. Conclusions: Both the immediate and delayed loading of immediately placed implants showed similar outcome with regards to treatment success rates and stability of radiographic bone level. Submerging an immediately placed implant and primary soft tissue closure did not show significant outcome advantages over the transmucosal approach.
Large penguin effects in the CP asymmetry of Bd0→π+π−☆

Abstract Penguin effects in the CP asymmetries of Bd0→π+π−, Bd0→ρ±π± and Bd0→a1±π∓ are studied as function of the CKM unitarity triangle α. Despite a fairly small penguin amplitude, it leads to quite sizeable uncertainties in the determination of sin 2α from all but very large asymmetries. This effect is maximal for vanishing final state interaction phases, for which it can cause, for instance, an asymmetry of 40% if α= π 2 .
Symmetric powers of complete modules over a two-dimensional regular local ring

This is the published version, also available here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1090/S0002-9947-97-01819-9. First published in Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. in 1997, published by the American Mathematical Society.
Enteric infections: 50 years of progress

Unfortunately they plague us still. The worldwide impact of acute infectious diarrhea1 disease is immense, with an estimated 3-5 billion cases per year resulting in 3-S million deaths each year. Advances in our understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of enteric infections has been stimulated by various events, e.g., wars, the seventh cholera pandemic, the Central American shigellosis epidemic of the 196Os, and the current acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. These events have dramatized the devastating potential of enteric infections and have forced us to deal with all aspects of this problem. Throughout history, enteric infections have played a major role in military campaigns and have caused more mortality than injuries and wounds. Until World War I, more soldiers died as a result of diarrhea and dysentery than of wounds.‘-’
Neutron irradiation scoping study of twenty-five copper-base materials

A scoping irradiation test was carried out to help define the performance of copper-base materials in potential fusion applications. Twenty-five different copper materials including oxide dispersion-stabilized and precipitation-hardened powder metallurgy alloys, as well as pure copper and solid solution-strengthened ingot alloys, were neutron irradiated to 13.5 dpa at 400°C in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) fast reactor. Volumetric swelling and electrical conductivity data were measured for all irradiated materials, and four selected materials were characterized for mechanical property changes using a miniaturized disk bend test. A number of these copper alloys, especially those prepared by powder metallurgy techniques, showed low swelling (less than 0.3%), small changes in conductivity (less than ± 5%), and relatively small changes in yield strength with good post-irradiation ductility. Preliminary electron microscopy results show microstructural changes that are consistent with the results of the macroscopic studies. The pure copper materials showed significant changes in conductivity and high levels of swelling as a result of the neutron exposure. It is apparent that a variety of copper alloys can survive fast neutron exposures to at least 13.5 dpa at 400°C without unacceptable changes in density, conductivity, or yield strength. Further irradiation testing to much higher doses and experimental investigation of the effect of transmutation product gases are needed to fully define the response of available copper alloys to fusion reactor environments.
On the Origins of American Counterintelligence: Building a Clandestine Network

The subject of American counterintelligence has generated a considerable amount of scholarship in recent years, the bulk of that research focusing on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and its predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Those agencies were and continue to be commonly recognized as having fulfilled the primary role as the nation's intelligence-gatherers. Within this vast intelligence community exists a microcosm in the form of counterespionage, or more euphemistically, counterintelligence.
General systems problem solving packages

Various approaches to general systems research have been suggested during the last two decades or so. One of the approaches, to which this author has become commiteed since the late 1960's, is oriented toward general systems problem solving. This approach aims at the characterization of systems problems, their classification, and the development of mathematical, computational or heuristic methodological tools for solving the individual classes of systems problems.
Steady-state heat transfer in an insulated, reinforced concrete wall: theory, numerical simulations, and experiments

In this paper, we focus on the steady-state heat transfer in an in situ constructed, insulated, reinforced concrete wall. The wall consists of two reinforced concrete slabs that sandwich an insulation layer. The two halves of the wall are joined by a series of steel wires to provide the needed structural integrity but unavoidably act as thermal shunts that increase the heat transfer rate. Nonetheless, the thermal performance of the wall surpasses that for an uninsulated wall because of the presence of the insulation. We compare the heat transfer rates predicted by a three-dimensional, numerical model with laboratory test data. The results from these data, and from numerous sensitivity studies performed with the model, show that the steady-state heat transfer in the wall may be approximated by the isothermal planes model. A more accurate estimate is obtained by a weighted average of the isothermal planes result and a simple parallel path model in which the isothermal-planes result is weighted by the factor 0.85. An appropriate value of the weighting factor, specific to a particular wall panel configuration, may be obtained using a correlation and graphical results that are presented in the paper. These quantitative results for the steady-state panel conductance are expected to be useful in exploring manufacturing strategies that would improve the thermal resistance of the panel, in designing energy-conserving buildings that employ such panels, and in establishing accurate energy standards and energy code compliance methods.
Prospective evaluation of systematic sextant transition zone biopsies in large prostates for cancer detection.

Abstract Objectives. A prospective evaluation was performed to define the role of systematic transition zone (TZ) biopsies in prostates larger than 50 cc. Methods. From August 1994 to July 1997, 213 consecutive patients referred because of an abnormal digital rectal examination or prostate-specific antigen greater than 4.0 ng/mL had a calculated prostate size greater than 50 cc by transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) measurement. These patients underwent TRUS-guided sextant biopsies of the peripheral zone (PZ) and TZ. Results. The median calculated prostate size was 70 cc with a TZ size of 39 cc. Fifty-five cases of carcinoma of the prostate were found, giving a 26% detection rate. The TZ biopsies detected cancer in 30 of the 55 patients (55% sensitivity) compared with the 47 patients detected by the PZ biopsies (85% sensitivity). Seven cancers (13%) were detected only by the additional TZ biopsies. TZ biopsies revealed bilateral tumors when the PZ biopsies had shown unilateral disease in 2 cases. In 6 cases the TZ biopsies showed higher Gleason grade tumors than was found in the PZ. In the 30 cases with positive TZ biopsy, concordance between the PZ and TZ biopsies occurred in 74% (133 of 180) of the sectors. The PZ biopsy detected cancer in 43 of 66 corresponding sectors that had positive TZ biopsies, giving a sensitivity of 65% and a negative predictive value of 80%. Conclusions. Routine PZ biopsies missed detecting 13% of the cancers found with the addition of sextant TZ biopsies in patients with large prostates (greater than 50 cc). In addition, 14% of the patients with cancer had upgrading or detection of bilateral tumor with the added biopsies. Routine systematic sextant TZ biopsies should be considered in patients with prostates greater than 50 cc in size.
Making American Boys: Boyology and the Feral Tale

Making American Boys: Boyology and the Feral Tale Kenneth B. Kidd. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2004. Kenneth B. Kidd's fascinating and well-documented book, Making American Boys: Boyology and the Feral Tale, outlines two distinct patterns of representation that have constructed the image of the "boy" in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The first is "boyology," a term that derives from Henry William Gibson's handbook Boyology or Boy Analysis (1916). It is a typical period piece of biological pseudoscience that epitomizes the American concern with the character building of boys, particularly through organizations such ' as Scouting, the YMCA, and 4-H. The second is the feral tale, a literary subgenre that Kidd has "coined to suggest a resemblance between the fairy tale and a group of narratives that might not otherwise be intelligible as a genre" (3). The feral tale describes the nature of the "wildness" of boys, and an ideology that insists on studying, managing, and controlling that wildness. The first pattern is peculiarly American and valorizes the white middle-class boy and our ability to reclaim bad white boys for democratic and capitalist ends, while the second is international and embraces the problems of cultural contact with the colonized other-boys who are darker, more exotic, and more dangerous than their white counterparts, but also boys (such as Mowgli in Kipling's The Jungle Books) who may be properly socialized as imperial subjects as long as they finally reject their animalistic behavior and typically Orientalized heritage. To illustrate these patterns of representations and the effects they have had in constructing the image of the "boy," Kidd draws upon a breathtaking number of texts that range from the intricacies of theory (Michel Foucault, Eve KosofskySedgewick, Freud), to conduct manuals and serials (Rural Manhood, Farming For Boys), to literary works (Emerson, Hamlin Garland, William Dean Howells, Mark Twain), to self-help literature and ethnography (Gurian's The Wonder of Boys, Christina Hoff Sommers's The War Against Boys), to cinematic popular culture (Boys Town, Teen Wolf}. Kidd's greatest critical strengths lie in cleverly historicizing such a disparate group of writers and texts as supporting the conservative social formations that persist in constructing the nature and evolution of "boys." These writers and texts frequently assume the universal simplicity and innocence embodied in "real" boys, denying the complexities of boyhood, the nuances of being a boy. Boys who are queer or racially other will find themselves within a "production of heteronormative masculinity" (187). …
Neuroscience: Secret of synapse specificity.

How does the brain organize all of the information stored in memory? On the basis of a state-of-the-art imaging study of neuronal activity in real time, the answer seems to be, through specificity in space and time.
Physiological Effects of Slot Play in Women

The purpose of this study is to describe the physiological responses occurring during slot gambling in 23 females with problematic and non-problematic gambling backgrounds in two sites: at a casino using their own money and at a casino laboratory without wagering money. Using the National Opinion Research Center Diagnostic Screen (NODS), 12 women were not-at-risk gamblers and 11 were at-risk, problem, or pathological gamblers. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), skin conductance (SC), and skin temperature (ST) were measured for 5 min before gambling (baseline), 10 min while gambling, and 5 min after gambling (recovery). In the casino, SBP (p = .001), DBP (p = .031), HR (p = .030), and RR (p = 004) rose during gambling and fell during recovery; ST rose throughout the study (p = .006). There were no differences between subjects based on NODS score. A total of 12 subjects were also studied in the laboratory. SBP (p = .004), DBP (p = .000); HR (p = .023); RR (p = .000) and SC (p = .002) rose during gambling and fell during recovery; ST rose throughout the study (p = .006). There were no significant differences by location. The observed effects suggest that females find slot play physiologically arousing, with or without financial stakes, because physiological changes were consistent with an arousal response.
Does case selection and outcome following laparoscopic colorectal resection change after initial learning curve? Analysis of 235 consecutive elective laparoscopic colorectal resections.

Introduction: Laparoscopic colorectal surgery is being widely practiced with an excellent short-term and equal long-term results for colorectal diseases including cancer. However, it is widely believed that as the experience of the surgeon/unit improves the results get better. This study aims to assess the pattern of case selection and short-term results of laparoscopic colorectal surgery in a high volume centre in two different time frames. Materials and Methods: This study was done from the prospective data of 265 elective laparoscopic colorectal resections performed in a single unit from December 2005 to April 2011. The group was subdivided into initial 132 patients (Group 1) from December 2005 to December 2008 and next 133 patients (Group 2) between December 2008 and April 2011 who underwent laparoscopic colorectal resections for cancer. The groups were compared for intraoperative and perioperative parameters, type of surgery, and the stage of the disease. Results: The age of patients was similar in Groups 1 and 2 (57.7 and 56.9, respectively). Patients with co-morbid illness were significantly more in Group 2 than in Group 1 (63.2% vs. 32.5%, respectively, P≤0.001). There were significantly more cases of right colonic cancers in Group 1 than in Group 2 (21.9% vs. 11.3%, respectively, P<0.02) and less number of low rectal lesions (20.4% vs. 33.8%, respectively, P≤0.02). The conversion rates were 3.7% and 2.2% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The operating time and blood loss were significantly more in Group 1 than in Group 2. The ICU stay was significantly different in Groups 1 and 2 (31.2± 19.1 vs. 24.7± 18.7 h, P≤0.005). The time for removal of the nasogastric tube was significantly earlier (P=0.005) in Group 2 compared to Group 1 (1.37± 1.1 vs. 2.63±1.01 days). The time to pass first flatus, resumption of oral liquids, semisolid diet, and complications were similar in both groups. The hospital stay was more in Group 1 than in Group 2 ( P≤0.01). The numbers of lymph nodes retrieved was similar in both groups. The T stage of the disease in Groups 1 and 2 were similar, however, the number of T4 lesions was significantly more in Group 2 (8.3% vs. 18.7%, respectively, P<0.01). Conclusion: This study shows that with increasing experience, laparoscopic colorectal surgery can be practiced safely with minimal conversion rates and morbidity. As the units experience improves, there is a trend towards selecting advanced cases and performing complex laparoscopic colorectal procedures. With increasing experience, there is a trend towards better short-term outcome after laparoscopic colorectal surgeries.
Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian pedostratigraphy and global events in Australia

Paleosols are used for stratigraphic correlation of Quaternary sediments because they reflect chronologically synchronous changes of glacial and interglacial paleoclimates. One obvious paleoclimatic indicator is depth to carbonate nodules as a proxy for mean annual precipitation. Paleosol sequences of the Flinders Ranges (Cambrian, South Australia), Kalbarri (Ordovician, Western Australia) and Grampians (Silurian, Victoria) show variation in depth to carbonate through time, but occasional transient excursions to very deep (>50 cm) carbonate. These pedostratigraphic spikes correspond to times of unusually high precipitation and temperature, but also to internationally recognised negative carbon isotope anomalies and mass extinctions, including the Late Ordovician extinctions. These deep-calcic excursions can be correlated across Australia. Like magnetostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy, pedostratigraphic spikes provide calibration points for sequences less-precisely dated by paleontology or radiometry. Als...
A two-level process for diagnosing crosstalk in photonic dilated Benes networks

Abstract A two-level process for diagnosing crosstalk in photonic Dilated Benes Networks (DBNs) is presented. At level one is the Test-All-Switches (TAS) procedure, which obtains the crosstalk ratios of each and every switch in an N × N DBN in 4 N tests using O ( N \cdot log 2 N ) calculations. One of its applications is to identify single or multiple crosstalk-faulty switches in the DBN which generate excessive crosstalk. To reduce the number of tests and amount of computation when diagnosing only a few switches suspected of crosstalk-faulty along an arbitrary path, the Test-One-Path (TOP) procedure at level two is proposed. A recursive algorithm applicable to both procedures is used to configure the DBN for each test such that the necessary power measurements of the signals can be taken accurately. An important feature of the proposed diagnostic process is its suitability for automated test generation.
Via Resistance as a Technique to Control the Electromigration of Non-Overlap Via Holes

The via hole in non-overlap vias is larger than the width of the underlaying metal stripe. The upper metal thins down along the slope of the via hole. The extent of thinning depends upon the angle of the via. The reliability of the via can be assured by the control of the slope of the RIE or wet etched via, but this needs SEM analysis which is not possible on a manufacturing line. A series of life test experiments by the step stress method showed that via chains with high resistance resulted in early fails due to electromigration at the thinned down portion of via, and via chains with normal resistance showed good reliability. The results showed that via reliability can be maintained by controlling the via chain resistance below specified limit during the processing of the semiconductor products.
Structure of a compressible superfluid

A simple model of the spin-polarized hydrogen system in an external field is developed. The thermal and interaction support of the fluid work to prevent its collapse when the Bose-Einstein condensation occurs. The existence of the condensate causes a reduction in the thermal support of the fluid; the condensate is modeled with a local Ginsburg-Landau functional. The effects of temperature, sample size, and external field on the evolution of the fluid are explored.
State Actions Affecting Cities and Counties, 1990–1993: De Facto Federalism

States experienced considrable fiscal stress during the first four years of the 1990s. This has led to changes in five policy areas: (1) state financial aid; (2) local revenue diversification; (3) “sorting out” of responsibilities between the state and local governments; (4) tax and spending limitations; (5) and mandate relief. Some of the most significant changes occurred in California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
Cultural influences on responses to items on the strong interest inventory

Abstract This study examined racial/ethnic group differences on an interest inventory at the item level using differential bundle functioning (DBF) analyses. Specifically, responses of males and females from five different racial/ethnic groups ( N =3750) on the General Occupational Themes of the Strong were examined. Items were grouped together based on substantive considerations to determine if they functioned differentially due to racial/ethnic group differences in role modeling, perceptions of opportunities/barriers, familiarity with activities, and cultural expectations, as opposed to true racial/ethnic group differences in interests. Very high levels of DBF were found for most of the item sets considered in this study, implying that diverse cultural groups have a different conditional probability of endorsing some sets of items due to the items measuring a secondary trait in addition to the main trait the scale was designed to measure.
Myopic solutions to affine dynamic models

New sufficient conditions are presented for a dynamic process to have a myopic optimum and for a sequential game to possess a myopic equilibrium point. An optimum or an equilibrium point is said to be myopic if it can be specified by solving a static optimization problem or a static Nash game. The results are applied to an aquaculture harvesting model and a dynamic oligopoly model with advertising decisions.
Intimate Partner Violence Survivors’ Unmet Social Service Needs

ABSTRACT Women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization are at risk for physical and mental health problems, as well as social and economic challenges. In this cross-sectional study, 173 adult, English-speaking women who had experienced police response to IPV completed a self-report questionnaire about their use of, interest in, and need for various social services and whether or not each type of service helped (or would help) them to feel safer. More than three quarters of the participants reported a current need for health and economic support services. There was less interest in traditional IPV resources: law enforcement and domestic violence counseling or shelter. Expanding services to meet survivors’ needs for health care and economic independence may facilitate long-term safety. Recommendations for further research in this area are provided.
The Timing to Retime and Maintain Traffic Signal Systems

Currently, most agencies in the United States retime their traffic signal systems either every 2-4 years or based on complaints received. With limited budget and resources, it becomes essential for agencies to retime and maintain their traffic signal systems cost-effectively to maximize the benefits. To achieve this goal, this paper reviewed traffic signal retiming practices, and investigated the impact of signal timing degradation on traffic signal system performance. The impacts of signal timing degradations on the system performance for various growth rates were intensively simulated at three selected corridors. It was found that the elements of average traffic volume per hour per lane and the growth rate of traffic volume on a main corridor can be used to effectively estimate the signal timing degradation. This paper offers a simple and practical guideline to determine when to retime and maintain a traffic signal system.