cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for metastatic prostate cancer: A sentinel event case series.

Background Root cause analysis is a technique used to assess systems factors related to “sentinel events”—serious adverse events within healthcare systems. This technique is commonly used to identify factors, which allowed these adverse events to occur, to target areas for improvement and to improve health care delivery systems. We sought to apply this technique to men presenting with metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Methods We performed an in-depth case series analysis of 15 patients, who presented with metastatic disease at Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center using root cause analysis to refine a list of health system factors that lead to late stage presentation in the current era. Results Key factors in late diagnosis of PCa included lack of insurance, lack of routine PSA testing, comorbidities, reticence of patients to follow up actionable PSA, and aggressive disease. Three patients had aggressive disease that would not have been discovered at an early stage in the disease process, despite routine screening. However, analysis of the remaining 12 patients illuminated health system factors led to missing important diagnostic information, which might have led to diagnosis of PCa at a curable stage. Conclusions The cases help highlight the need for systems based approaches to early diagnosis of PCa. A heterogeneous group of barriers to early diagnosis were identified in our series of patients including economic, health systems, and cultural factors. These findings underscore the need for individualized approaches to preventing delayed diagnosis of PCa. While limited by our single-institution scope, this approach provides a model for research and quality improvement initiatives to identify modifiable systems factors impeding appropriate diagnoses of PCa.
The Effects of Neutron Irradiation on the Mechanical Properties of Mineral Analogues of Concrete Aggregates

Plans for extended operation of US nuclear power plants (NPPs) beyond 60 years have resulted in a renewed focus on the long-term aging of materials in NPPs, and specifically on reactor cavity concrete. To better understand the effects of neutron irradiation on reactor cavity concrete, a select group of mineral analogues of concrete aggregates were irradiated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory High Flux Isotope Reactor at three different fluence levels and at two temperatures. The purpose was to investigate the degradation of mechanical properties at neutron doses above the levels expected in US NPPs under extended operation. Preliminary findings using nanoindentation clearly show that changes in the mechanical properties of these minerals can be observed and correlated to the neutron-induced damage. Scanning electron microscopy reveals changes in deformation and fracture mechanisms in the irradiated mineral analogies. Results for the nanohardness as a function of dose and temperature are presented and discussed for quartz, calcite, and dolomite.
Evaluation of the SharkCore® needle for EUS-guided core biopsy of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Background and Objectives: EUS guided core biopsy was once rarely performed but is now entering mainstream practice. Neuroendocrine tumors often warrant core biopsy as sufficient tissue must be obtained to allow for special staining to ensure a correct diagnosis. Traditionally these lesions were sampled with FNA needles. We performed a retrospective pilot study to evaluate the clinical value and efficacy of the a new EUS core needle biopsy needle as compared to a standard EUS FNA needle in the evaluation of patients with known or suspected neuroendocrine tumors. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the first 10 patients (between January 2015 and April 2016) to undergo EUS-FNA with the SharkCore® needle at the University of Utah School of Medicine/Huntsman Cancer Center with neuroendocrine tumors. Each case was retrospectively reviewed by a board certified cytopathologist (BLW) for the following cytologic parameters on the aspirate smears or touch/squash preparations: overall cellularity [1 (low) to 3 (high)], percentage of obtained cells that were lesional/representative ( 50%), relative ease of interpretation [1 (difficult) to 3 (easy)]. Pathologic material and reporting records were also reviewed for each case to confirm the number of needle passes to achieve diagnostic adequacy, the presence or absence diagnostic material on H&E slide (from cell block, if prepared), whether a definitive diagnosis was able to be rendered, and the presence or absence of a true core/core fragments (within the cell block, if prepared). Results: A total of 20 patients underwent EUS-FNA for suspected neuroendocrine lesions. Ten patients underwent either transgastric or transduodenal EUS-FNA with the 22 gauge SharkCore® needle. The comparison cohort of 10 patients underwent either transgastric or transduodenal EUS-FNA with the standard 22 gauge Echotip® needle. The SharkCore® needle required a fewer mean number of needle passes to obtain diagnostic adequacy than the Echotip® (P=0.0074). For cases with cell blocks, the SharkCore® needle produced diagnostic material in 100% of cases, whereas Echotip® produced diagnostic material in 60% of cases. There was no significant difference between specimen cellularity, percentage of lesional material, or ease of interpretation between the two needle types. Conclusion: Our pilot investigation targeting patients with known or suspected pancreatic NETs indicates that the SharkCore® needle shows promise in obtaining suitable tissue for ancillary testing that can allow for more definitive pathologic interpretations on EUS FNA specimens. Fewer passes were needed with the core needle when compared to a standard needle.
Improving millimeter-wave channel models for suburban environments with site-specific geometric features

This paper proposes simple procedures to improve traditional statistical millimeter-wave channel models for suburban environments with site-specific geometric features. Blockages by buildings and vegetation were considered and existing models were verified with measurement data for an emulated microcell deployment. The results indicate that a holistic, network-level approach for channel modeling will help deal with the high dependence of millimeter waves on site-specific features.
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange: Dermatologic Applications

Therapeutic plasma exchange has already been applied to a surprisingly wide range of patients with dermatologic disease who were refractory to conventional therapy. In most instances plasma exchange has been used to remove circulating autoantibodies and immune complexes, but it has also been useful in removing drugs, toxins, and harmful metabolic products. The rationale for the use of therapeutic plasma exchange and its potential side effects are discussed. Details are given regarding its specific use in collagen vascular diseases and other dermatologic disorders.
Soy and risk of hormone-related and other cancers.

For the last presentation in this session on soy and cancer, I will cover the epidemiologic evidence on soy and several hormone-related and other cancers. My comments will focus on breast, endometrium and prostate cancers, three hormone-related cancer sites. The role of soy has been also investigated in several non-hormone related cancers including colorectal, stomach and lung cancer. As Dr. Maurice Bennink has just given an excellent presentation on colorectal cancer, my remarks will be limited to stomach and lung cancers.
The General Linear Model

In this chapter, we examine the General Linear Model (GLM), an important topic for econometrics and statistics, as well as other disciplines. The term general refers to the fact that there are no restrictions in the number of explanatory variables we may consider, the term linear refers to the manner in which the parameters enter the model. It does not refer to the form of the variables. This is often termed in the literature the regression model, and analysis of empirical results obtained from such models as regression analysis.
Abstract 16609: Obstructive Sleep Apnea and 4q25 Genotype are Associated With Atrial Fibrillation Independent of Traditional Risk Factors

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the 4q25 locus are associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Whether these associa...
Assessing Positive Child Health among Individuals Born Extremely Preterm

Objective To assess the development of a Positive Child Health Index (PCHI) based on 11 adverse outcomes and evaluate the association of PCHI with quality of life (QoL) scores in a preterm cohort. Study design A total of 889 children enrolled in the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn (ELGAN) study in 2002-2004 were followed up at 10 years of age. A parent/caregiver completed questionnaires for child QoL, asthma, visual or hearing impairment, gross motor function impairment, epilepsy, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression. The child was assessed for cognitive impairment, autism, and obesity. PCHI scores were computed and linear regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between QoL categories (psychosocial, physical, emotional, social, school, and total) and the PCHI (dichotomized and coded as a multilevel categorical predictor) and to assess sex differences. Results Among ELGAN children, higher PCHI scores were associated with higher reported QoL scores for all QoL categories. Children with no disorders and a PCHI of 100% had Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory total scores that were 11 points higher than children with 1 or more adverse outcomes (PCHI of Conclusions Positive child health assessed using a quantitative PCHI was associated with QoL across the ELGAN cohort at school age. In the current study, the PCHI encompassed 11 outcomes assessed in ELGANs. Future research could include an enhanced panel of child health outcomes to support the use of PCHI as an indicator of positive child health.
Single amino acid mutations in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae rhomboid peptidase, Pcp1p, alter mitochondrial morphology

Key to mitochondrial activities is the maintenance of mitochondrial morphology, specifically cristae structures formed by the invagination of the inner membrane that are enriched in proteins of the electron transport chain. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae , these cristae folds are a result of the membrane fusion activities of Mgm1p and the membrane-bending properties of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase oligomerization. An additional protein linked to mitochondrial morphology is Pcp1p, a serine protease responsible for the proteolytic processing of Mgm1p. Here, we have used hydroxylamine-based random mutagenesis to identify amino acids important for Pcp1p peptidase activity. Using this approach we have isolated five single amino acid mutants that exhibit respiratory growth defects that correlate with loss of mitochondrial genome stability. Reduced Pcp1p protease activity was confirmed by immunoblotting with the accumulation of improperly processed Mgm1p. Ultra-structural analysis of mitochondrial morphology in these mutants found a varying degree of defects in cristae organization. However, not all of the mutants presented with decreased ATP synthase complex assembly as determined by blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Together, these data suggest that there is a threshold level of processed Mgm1p required to maintain ATP synthase super-complex assembly and mitochondrial cristae organization.
Adherence to “What Works”: Examining Trends across 14 Years of Correctional Program Assessment

The “what works” movement has increasingly gained recognition among correctional practitioners and traction within correctional settings. It is now well established that in order to obtain meaningf...
New binary black hole mergers in the second observing run of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo

We introduce a new technique to search for gravitational wave events from compact binary mergers that produce a clear signal only in a single gravitational wave detector, and marginal signals in other detectors. Such a situation can arise when the detectors in a network have different sensitivities, or when sources have unfavorable sky locations or orientations. We start with a short list of loud single-detector triggers from regions of parameter space that are empirically unaffected by glitches (after applying signal-quality vetoes). For each of these triggers, we compute evidence for astrophysical origin from the rest of the detector network by coherently combining the likelihoods from all detectors and marginalizing over extrinsic geometric parameters. We report the discovery of two new binary black hole (BBH) mergers in the second observing run of Advanced LIGO and Virgo (O2), in addition to the ones that were reported in [B. P. Abbott et al. (LIGO Scientific and Virgo Collaborations), Phys. Rev. X 9, 031040 (2019) and [T. Venumadhav et al., Phys. Rev. D 101, 083030 (2020)]. We estimate that the two events have false alarm rates of one in 19 years (60 O2) and one in 11 years (36 O2). One of the events, GW170817A, has primary and secondary masses ${m}_{1}^{\mathrm{src}}=5{6}_{\ensuremath{-}10}^{+16}\text{ }\text{ }{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ and ${m}_{2}^{\mathrm{src}}=4{0}_{\ensuremath{-}11}^{+10}\text{ }\text{ }{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ in the source frame. The existence of GW170817A should be very informative about the theoretically predicted upper mass gap for stellar mass black holes. Its effective spin parameter is measured to be ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{\mathrm{eff}}=0.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2$, which is consistent with the tendency of the heavier detected BBH systems to have large and positive effective spin parameters. The other event, GWC170402, will be discussed thoroughly in future work.
Leave it to Lefamulin: A Pleuromutilin Treatment Option in Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia

Lefamulin (BC-3781) is the first systemic pleuromutilin antibiotic found to be safe and effective in the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) in humans. This novel antibiotic was developed to combat the increasing incidence of bacterial resistance to current therapies. As the first semisynthetic pleuromutilin for systemic use in humans, lefamulin has demonstrated efficacy against the most common bacteria responsible for CABP, including strains exhibiting resistance to macrolides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, vancomycin, and beta-lactams. In vitro studies have demonstrated efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, beta-hemolytic and viridans group streptococci, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophilia, and Moraxella catarrhalis at MIC values lower than those of currently available therapies. Two phase III trials (LEAP-1 and LEAP-2) have demonstrated similar findings, meeting non-inferiority criteria for CABP with a minimal side-effect profile. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluations have shown sufficient drug levels in plasma, subcutaneous adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and epithelial lining fluid, warranting further investigation for other clinical uses. Lefamulin was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 19 August 2019 for the treatment of CABP.
Bulls markets: Chicago’s basketball business and the new inequality, by Sean Dinces

In Bulls Markets, Sean Dinces tells the story of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Chicago Bulls through the lens of changes in urban capitalism and economic development strategies over t...
Melting dsDNA donor molecules potentiates precision genome editing in C. elegans

ABSTRACT CRISPR genome editing has revolutionized genetics in many organisms. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans one injection into each of the two gonad arms of an adult hermaphrodite exposes hundreds of meiotic germ cells to editing mixtures, permitting the recovery of multiple indels or small precision edits from each successfully injected animal. Unfortunately, particularly for long insertions, editing efficiencies can vary widely, necessitating multiple injections, and often requiring co-selection strategies. Here we show that melting double stranded DNA (dsDNA) donor molecules prior to injection increases the frequency of precise homology-directed repair (HDR) by several fold for longer edits. We describe troubleshooting strategies that enable consistently high editing efficiencies resulting, for example, in up to 100 independent GFP knock-ins from a single injected animal. These efficiencies make C. elegans by far the easiest metazoan to genome edit, removing barriers to the use and adoption of this facile system as a model for understanding animal biology.
Building a culture of deference: American Jewish givers, Israelis and control over donations to Israel, 1920–1989

This article tells the story of duelling philosophies over money and power in the philanthropic relationship between American Jews and Israelis during the twentieth century. Its purpose is to provi...
Anatomy of a steam pop - Acute histopathology in human myocardium after ventricular tachycardia ablation.

Despite an improved understanding of the biophysics of radiofrequency (RF) energy delivery, steam pops remain a potentially serious complication of RF catheter ablation. Excessive heating and boiling resulting in intramural gas eruption from myocardial tissue can lead to cardiac perforation and may require emergent surgical repair.1,2 Visualization of the histopathologic changes, the degree of tissue destruction, and comparisons to non–steam pop RF ablation have not been reported in human myocardium in the acute phase.
Functional Inferences of Formidability Bias Perceptions of Mental Distress

Humans infer men’s formidability through their facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), subsequently eliciting perceptions of men’s capability to engage in aggressive physical conflict. Inferring formidable men as being particularly resistant to mental distress from physical conflict may pose downstream consequences, such as biasing mental health assessments that impede optimal treatment recommendations. Participants assessed potential mental distress of hypothetical military service members who varied in fWHR and indicated their willingness to assess and treat these symptoms. Formidable men were inferred as mentally tough, further biasing perceptions of them as not experiencing mental distress and not receiving subsequent care. We further replicated infrahumanization effects surrounding formidable men demonstrating individuals perceive them as less capable of feeling complex emotions, though treatment recommendations were driven by mental toughness perceptions rather than infrahumanization. Results are framed from an evolutionary perspective of affordance judgments. We discuss translational implications for clinical mental health.
Radiosurgery as a microsurgical adjunct: outcomes after microsurgical resection of intracranial arteriovenous malformations previously treated with stereotactic radiosurgery.

Objective Microsurgical resection of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) can be aided by staged treatment consisting of stereotactic radiosurgery followed by resection in a delayed fashion. This approach is particularly useful for high Spetzler-Martin (SM) grade lesions because radiosurgery can reduce flow through the AVM, downgrade the SM rating, and induce histopathological changes that additively render the AVM more manageable for resection. The authors present their 28-year experience in managing AVMs with adjunctive radiosurgery followed by resection. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed records of patients treated for cerebral AVMs at their institution between January 1990 and August 2019. All patients who underwent stereotactic radiosurgery (with or without embolization), followed by resection, were included in the study. Of 1245 patients, 95 met the eligibility criteria. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess relationships between key variables and clinical outcomes. Results The majority of lesions treated (53.9%) were high grade (SM grade IV-V), 31.5% were intermediate (SM grade III), and 16.6% were low grade (SM grade I-II). Hemorrhage was the initial presenting sign in half of all patients (49.5%). Complete resection was achieved among 84% of patients, whereas 16% had partial resection, the majority of whom received additional radiosurgery. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 0-2 were achieved in 79.8% of patients, and 20.2% had poor (mRS scores 3-6) outcomes. Improved (44.8%) or stable (19%) mRS scores were observed among 63.8% of patients, whereas 36.2% had a decline in mRS scores. This includes 22 patients (23.4%) with AVM hemorrhage and 6 deaths (6.7%) outside the perioperative period but prior to AVM obliteration. Conclusions Stereotactic radiosurgery is a useful adjunct in the presurgical management of cerebral AVMs. Multimodal therapy allowed for high rates of AVM obliteration and acceptable morbidity rates, despite the predominance of high-grade lesions in this series of patients.
Minor Feelings in the Wake of the Atlanta Attack: How a Mom of Asian Descent Spent the First 100 hours in the Aftermath

This autoethnographic writing documents how a family of Chinese descent spent their first 100 hours after the Atlanta Shooting on March 16, 2021, in which a White gunman killed eight people, includ...
Intestinal vascular sensitivity to vasopressin in portal hypertensive rats

The intestinal vascular responsiveness to arginine vasopressin was evaluated in rats with chronic portal hypertension. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were made portal hypertensive by stenosis of the portal vein. Ten to twelve days after the induction of chronic portal hypertension, the responsiveness of the small intestinal circulation to cumulative doses of vasopressin was evaluated using an isolated pump-perfused small intestinal preparation. The ED50 for maximal vasoconstriction was increased twofold in portal hypertensive rats compared with control rats. To determine if the impaired responsiveness to arginine vasopressin was related to the hyperglucagonemia of chronic portal hypertension, plasma glucagon levels were elevated in normal rats to levels previously measured in portal hypertensive rats (i.e. approximately 450 pg/mL), and the dose response studies were repeated. Glucagon significantly attenuated the responsiveness of the intestinal vasculature to vasopressin. Equipotent doses of nitroprusside also attenuated intestinal vascular responsiveness to vasopressin. The results indicate that there is a reduced vascular sensitivity to vasopressin in the intestine of portal hypertensive animals and suggest that elevations in circulating vasodilators in portal hypertensive conditions may partially explain this altered vascular responsiveness.
Specific binding of thionine to the active site of trypsin.

Abstract The binding of thionine (3,6-diaminophenothiazine) to trypsin is associated with a red shift in the visible absorption spectrum of the dye. Spectrophotometric titration and equilibrium dialysis measurements are consistent with the presence of a single thionine-binding site on the trypsin molecule. At pH 7 and 4°, Kdiss for the trypsin-thionine complex is 1.2 x 10-5 m. The dye is displaced from trypsin by substrates, competitive inhibitors, and the chemically reactive substrate analogue 1-chloro-3-tosylamido-7-amino-2-heptanone. Thus, the thionine-binding site overlaps with the active site region in trypsin. The dye binds very weakly to trypsinogen, with little spectral perturbation. Thionine, at low concentrations, also binds at a single site on chymotrypsin and chymotrypsinogen, showing the same spectral characteristics and a Kdiss value of 4.5 x 10-4 m at pH 7.0 and 4°. The binding of thionine to chymotrypsin is not affected by substrates, inhibitors, or chemically reactive substrate analogues; hence, the thionine-binding site in chymotrypsin does not appear to include any part of the active site region.
Shelley and the revolutionary sublime

A major new study of Percy Shelley's intellectual life and poetic career, Shelley and the Revolutionary Sublime identifies Shelley's fascination with sublime natural phenomena as a key element in his understanding of the way ideas like 'nature' and 'imagination' informed the social and political structures of the Romantic period. Offering a genuinely fresh set of perspectives on Shelley's texts and contexts, Cian Duffy argues that Shelley's engagement with the British and French discourse on the sublime had a profound influence on his writing about political change in that age of revolutionary crisis. Examining Shelley's extensive use of sublime imagery and metaphor, Duffy offers not only a substantial reassessment of Shelley's work but also a significant re-appraisal of the role of the sublime in the cultural history of Britain during the Romantic period.
Inter-Organizational Decision Support Systems for Supply Chain Planning: Current State

Over the past decade, many firms invested in their core information technology infrastructures including the business intelligence system. The infrastructure includes data warehousing, business intelligence software tools, pre-packaged analytical applications, and telecommunications and internet technologies. A noteworthy development in decision support systems, among others, is the emergence of inter-organizational DSS. The second generation of ERP systems consists of several modules to deal with supply chain planning activities. However, there are a large number of issues in supply chain management that cannot be adequately managed by ERP systems. This paper discusses those issues in supply chain management and introduces various decision support systems that has been proposed, or developed to augment the functionalities of the second generation of ERP planning systems.
Associations between adrenocortical activity and nicotine response in female smokers by menstrual phase.

Abstract Previous research suggests that menstrual phase may influence smoking-related symptomatology. The present study analyzes the relationship between menstrual phase and salivary cortisol with subjective responses to nicotine among female smokers during ad libitum smoking. We hypothesize higher cortisol levels would be associated with increased positive and decreased negative subjective responses to nicotine. We also expected that these associations would vary by menstrual phase. Females aged 18–40 who smoke at least five cigarettes/day, reported regular menstrual cycles and did not use exogenous hormones or psychotropic medications were enrolled into a controlled cross-over trial. Participants completed identical data collection procedures during follicular (F) and luteal (L) phases; including self-collected salivary cortisol samples and completion of a nicotine response lab session involving administration of nicotine nasal spray and monitoring of subjective response to nicotine via the Subjective State Scale and Visual Analog Scale. Participants (n = 116) were 29.1 ± 6.9 years old and smoked an average of 12.3 ± 5.5 cigarettes daily. During F phase, higher morning cortisol was associated with decreased negative affect (r = − 0.21, p = 0.03), withdrawal (r = − 0.30, p
Extraosseous (Extramedullary) Plasmacytoma of the Adrenal Gland

Abstract Plasmacytomas are clonal proliferations of atypical plasma cells that manifest a localized osseous or extraosseous growth pattern. Although many represent solitary lesions of bone, fewer a...
Pediatric Infectious Diseases

1. Important Bacterial Gastrointestinal Pathogens in Children (Amieva) 2. Guidelines for the Selection of Antibiotic Therapy in Children? (Bradley) 3. Diagnosis & Treatment of Pharyngitis in Children (Gerber) 4. Bone and Joint Infections in Children (Gutierrez) 5. Antiviral Therapies in Children: Has Their Time Arrived? (Kimberlin) 6. Periodic Fevers (Long) 7. Bacterial Meningitis in Children (McCracken) 8. Impact of Respiratory Viral Infections in Children (Meissner) 9. Antiparasitic Therapy in Children (Oberhelman) 10. Otitis Media: Re-evaluation of Diagnosis and Treatment in the Era of Antimicrobial Resistance, Pneumococcal Vaccine and Evolving Morbidity (Pelton) 11. Immunization: The Right of Passage (Pickering) 12. Antifungal Therapy in Children (Steinbach)
Selection of damage parameter – Art or science?

The present study concentrates on the formulation of a rational set of conditions that must be satisfied by all intensive (material) parameters and, therefore, by the damage parameter as well. This study considers the brittle response of materials with inferior cohesive strength on three different scales before concluding that the damage accumulation can be best measured by the change of the components of effective stiffness or compliance tensors.
Molecular beam epitaxial growth of GaAs on gadolinium-gallium garnet

Single-crystal GaAs has been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Gd3Ga5012 (GGG) using an InAs buffer layer and an InAs/GaAs multilayer structure between the GGG and the GaAs. The x-ray diffraction spectrum shows that both the InAs and GaAs epitaxial layers are oriented in the (111) direction when grown on a (100) GGG substrate. The unintentionally doped InAs layers aren-type and have donor concentrations in the range of 7 × 1016 to 2 × 1018 cm-3 which vary inversely with growth temperature. The corresponding carrier mobilities vary from 3.5 × 103 to 1 × 103 cm2/V s. The GaAs was also found to be conducting. The 77-K photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the GaAs grown on the GGG differs from that of homoepitaxial GaAs in that the heteroepitaxial GaAs PL intensity is approximately 50 times lower, its linewidth is five times broader, and its peak energy is blue shifted by 10 meV.
Comparisons of women with high and low trait impulsivity using behavioral models of response-disinhibition and reward-choice

Two types of behavioral models of impulsive behavior, response-disinhibition/attentional and reward-choice response models, were used to compare women grouped by high (Impulse+, n=43) and low (Impulse−, n=43) self-reported impulsive behavior on the Eysenck I7 Questionnaire. Two of the four different tasks tested were response-disinhibition/attentional models; these included the Immediate and Delayed Memory Task and the GoStop Task. The other two tasks were based on the reward-choice model of impulsivity and included the Single Key Impulsivity Paradigm and the Two-Choice Reward Task. Of particular interest was whether commission errors (response-disinhibition/attentional paradigms) or a preference for smaller–sooner rewards over larger–later rewards (reward-choice) would differ between the groups. Participants completed one session of each task in a single day. The most significant findings were that the Impulse+ group had: (1) elevated commission errors; (2) lower stimulus discriminability (between target and catch stimuli); and (3) poorer response inhibition to a stop signal. Responding on the response-disinhibition/attentional tasks distinguished between the impulsivity groups while the reward-choice tasks did not. These results demonstrate that women who report higher levels of trait impulsivity respond in a manner consistent with previous studies examining impulsive behavior.
Inclusion body formation with Newcastle disease and mumps viruses in cultures of chick embryo cells.

Abstract Twelve strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were grown in roller cultures of chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). In each case cytopathogenic effects including eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion body formation accompanied viral multiplication. On repeated subculture the virus continued to multiply and to produce the same cytopathogenic changes. Inclusion body formation also was demonstrated in CAM cultures for the third, thirty-ninth, and eighty-seventh egg passages of one strain of mumps virus. This virus continued to multiply and to produce inclusions on subculture. An early egg passage of one other mumps strain failed to produce inclusions. Changes demonstrated for NDV and mumps strains in chick embryo amniotic membrane cultures were similar to those in CAM. The effects of both Newcastle and mumps viruses were prevented by specific antiserum. Other representative myxoviruses failed to produce inclusions in these tissue culture systems.
A novel method for examining response to spelling treatment

BACKGROUND: According to a dual-route model of written language processing, spelling of irregular words provides an index of the status of lexical spelling procedures, whereas nonword spelling provides information about non-lexical processing that relies on phoneme-grapheme conversion. Because regular words can be spelled using either route, accuracy for such words may reflect the combined function of the two routes, and may be mathematically predicted on the basis of spelling accuracy for irregular words and nonwords. AIMS: The purpose of the present study was to examine the application of a dual-route prediction equation, and a related multiple regression model, to evaluate pre-post treatment spelling performance of individuals with acquired alexia/agraphia. METHODS #ENTITYSTARTX00026; PROCEDURES: Eight individuals with language impairment due to left hemisphere damage received behavioral treatment to improve their written spelling. Their spelling performance was examined before and after treatment on untrained word lists with regular and irregular spellings, and pronounceable nonwords, and concurrence between predicted and observed spelling of regular words was evaluated. OUTCOMES #ENTITYSTARTX00026; RESULTS: The group demonstrated significantly improved spelling performance after treatment, and the prediction equation and multiple regression model both accurately predicted regular word performance on the basis of irregular word and nonword scores. In addition, the multiple regression model provided potentially useful information about the relative contribution of the lexical and non-lexical routes to spelling performace. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction equation and related multiple regression model used in this study can offer novel insight into the cognitive processes available to individuals with agraphia as well as provide a quantitative means to characterize response to treatment.
Cancer after Thyroidectomy: A Multi-Institutional Experience with 1,523 Patients

Background The incidence of thyroid cancer in patients treated operatively for thyroid disease has been historically low ( Study Design A total of 2,551 patients underwent thyroidectomy at 3 high-volume institutions. Indeterminate/malignant fine-needle aspiration diagnosis was excluded (n = 1,028). Cancer cases were compared among 1,523 patients with Graves' disease (n = 264), nodular goiter (n = 1,095), and toxic nodular goiter (n = 164). Fisher's exact test, chi-square test, Wilcoxon rank sum, Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric t -tests, and multivariable logistic regression were used. Results Overall, 238 (15.6%) cancers were recorded: Graves' disease (6.1%), nodular goiter (17.5%), and toxic nodular goiter (18.3%). Cancer rates were significantly different among these groups (p 0.5 cm; 39% >1 cm). Most patients underwent total thyroidectomy (80%). Conclusions These data confirm higher than expected incidental thyroid cancer rates (15.6%) in the largest multi-institutional surgical series to date. Nodular thyroids, males, and young patients were more likely to harbor incidental carcinoma. These data support consideration of initial total thyroidectomy as the preferred approach for patients referred to the surgeon with bilateral nodular disease.
Psychoeducation for survivors of trauma.

PURPOSE. Education about the persistent effects of trauma helps survivors better understand their own stress responses, and knowledge of coping strategies provides a sense of control over these responses. Trauma education for providers can minimize negative countertransference and prevent vicarious traumatization. CONCLUSIONS. This article discusses content areas to be covered in psychoeducation with survivors of acute traumatic events and prolonged trauma and abuse, and reviews resources for trauma psychoeducation with clients and healthcare providers. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Advanced practice psychiatric nurses may provide psychoeducation to people who suffer from complex psychological and behavioral disturbances related to severe and persistent abuse or trauma, especially early in life.
Sprinkling-induced foliar injury to pepper plants: Effects of irrigation frequency, duration and water composition

This study was conducted to determine the conditions and causes of foliar salt absorption and injury from sprinkler irrigation with saline water. Bell pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Yolo Wonder B) grown in covered nutrient solution cultures in the greenhouse were sprinkled daily with NaCl and CaCl2 waters for up to 10 weeks. Unsprinkled plants grown in nonsaline, and in one experiment, saline cultures were compared with plants sprinkled with waters containing different concentrations of NaCl and/or CaCl2. Both the frequency and duration of sprinkling (up to 32 min each day) were tested.
Transcriptional activation by LR1 at the Eµ enhancer and switch region sites

LR1 is a B cell-specific, sequence-specific duplex DNA binding activity which is induced in B cells carrying out class switch recombination. Here we identify several properties of LR1 which enable it to function in transcriptional regulation. We show that LR1 contributes to transcriptional activation by the Eµ immunoglobulin heavy chain intron enhancer by binding to a site within the enhancer core. We further show that LR1 bends DNA upon binding. In addition, we show that LR1 is itself a bona fide transcriptional activator, as multimerized LR1 sites produce an element which can enhance transcription from a minimal promoter. In order for class switch recombination to occur, an activating signal must be transmitted via the Eµ core, and both S regions targeted for recombination must be actively transcribed. The properties of LR1 that we have identified suggest distinct potential functions of LR1 duplex DNA binding activity in class switch recombination. First, LR1 may contribute to recombinational activation by the Eµ core. Second, there are multiple potential LR1 duplex binding sites in each of the G-rich switch regions, and LR1 bound at contiguous sites may enhance recombination by stimulating transcription of the S regions.
Novel fiber optic sensor array based on the Sagnac interferometer

We present a novel concept for an acoustic fiber sensor array based on the Sagnac interferometer. Its characteristics and performance are analyzed theoretically and shown to be superior in several important areas to standard sensor arrays based on Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometers. In particular, the Sagnac sensor array (SSA) exhibits a stable bias point, a reduced conversion of source phase noise into intensity noise, a frequency response matched to the ambient ocean noise (of relevance for underwater acoustic sensing), and freedom from polarization-induced signal fading. The dynamic range of the SSA can also be easily designed to far exceed the dynamic range of a MZSA.
Rigorous Coupled Wave Theory of Anisotropic, Azimuthally-Inhomogeneous Cylindrical Systems

A state variable electromagnetic (EM) analysis technique called rigorous wave coupled theory (RCWT) (used for the EM and optical analysis of planar diffraction gratings) is applied to determine the radiation and scattering that arises from inhomogeneous, anisotropic cylindrical dielectric and permeable systems which have arbitrary radial and azimuthal spatial variation. The RCWT state matrix equations and the associated boundary matrix equations (derived from a multi-layer ladder analysis) are presented and solved for the first time for the cases when a plane wave (TM polarization, electric field parallel to the cylinder axis) or electric line source is incident on a cylinder which possesses an inhomogeneous permittivity profile e(ρ,φ) and possesses inhomogeneous, anisotropic permeability profiles, μρρ(ρ,φ), μρφ(ρ,φ), μφρ(ρ,φ) , and μφφ(ρ,φ). In this paper radiation and scattering from three inhomogeneous examples were studied using the cylindrical RCWT method.
Gene therapy for metabolic diseases of the liver.

Significant advances have been made in the field of liver-directed gene therapy. Many diseases are potential targets for gene therapy, including diseases that have exclusive liver involvement and those with systemic manifestations as a result of defective protein synthesis from the liver. Examples are Crigler-Najjar syndrome type 1, α1-antitrypsin deficiency and haemophilia A and B. Strategies for gene delivery include the use of viral and nonviral vectors. In addition to previously developed viral vectors, such as retro viruses, adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses, new viral vectors such as lentiviruses are being investigated extensively. Nonviral vectors for gene delivery include liposomes and receptor-mediated gene therapy. A strategy to correct gene defects has been developed using chimaeric RNA/DNA oligonucleotides, and methods to inhibit aberrant or deleterious gene expression using ribozymes, antisense oligonucleotides and dominant-negative gene products are being developed. However, more research focusing on more efficient gene expression and safety will be required before gene therapy can be routinely applicable.
Usefulness of temporal subtraction images for identification of interval changes in successive whole-body bone scans: JAFROC analysis of radiologists' performance

Rationale and Objectives We evaluated the usefulness of temporal subtraction images obtained from two successive whole-body bone scans, in terms of improvement in radiologists’ diagnostic accuracy in detecting interval changes and of a reduction in reading time, by use of a jackknife free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC) analysis method. Materials and Methods Twenty pairs of successive whole-body bone scans (72 consented interval changes) and their temporal subtraction images were used for an observer performance study. Our institutional review board approved the use of this database and the participation of radiologists in this study. In the first session of the observer study, without temporal subtraction images, the previous and current images were shown to five radiologists independently for their marking of the locations on current images and confidence ratings on potential interval changes from previous images. In the second session, temporal subtraction images were shown together with the modified previous and current images. JAFROC analysis was used for assessing the statistical significance of differences between radiologists’ performance without and with temporal subtraction images. Results The average sensitivity for detecting interval changes was improved from 58.6% to 73.2% at a false-positive rate of two per case by use of temporal subtraction images, and the difference was statistically significant by use of JAFROC analysis ( P = .035). In addition, the mean reading time per case was reduced considerably from 134 seconds to 91 seconds ( P Conclusions Temporal subtraction imaging for successive whole-body bone scans has the potential greatly to assist radiologists by increasing both their accuracy and productivity.
A New Genus and Two New Species of Diogenid Hermit Crabs (Decapoda, Anomura) 1)

[Un nouveau genre americain de Pagurides de la famille des Diogenidae, Allodardanus, est decrit. Il comprend deux especes nouvelles: A. rugosus, de l'ile Cocos, Pacifique oriental, et A. bredini, de trois localites des Antilles., Un nouveau genre americain de Pagurides de la famille des Diogenidae, Allodardanus, est decrit. Il comprend deux especes nouvelles: A. rugosus, de l'ile Cocos, Pacifique oriental, et A. bredini, de trois localites des Antilles.]
Intra-regional assortative sociality may be better explained by social network dynamics rather than pathogen risk avoidance

Fincher & Thornhill's (F&T's) model is not entirely supported by common patterns of affect behaviors among people who live under varying climatic conditions and among people who endorse varying levels of (Western) religiosity and conservative political ideals. The authors' model is also unable to account for intra-regional heterogeneity in assortative sociality, which, we argue, can be better explained by a framework that emphasizes the differential expression of fundamental social cues for maintaining distinct social network structures.
Estimates of “;SVE”; processing time

The present study examines four different experimental paradigms designed to provide estimates of input processing time in the “;SVE”; component of a model of visual information processing. Mean processing times vary from a low of 60 msec to a high of 120 msec for the four paradigms examined and the results are related to other time estimates in the literature concerning the visual persistence of short duration stimuli.
IMPROVING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE DECISIONS: A VALUE OF INFORMATION FRAMEWORK

ABSTRACT Decisions concerning maintenance strategies have become increasingly important as managers face more complex systems in the manufacturing, construction and process industries. The choice among maintenance methods, reactive, preventive or predictive, is often complicated by uncertainty about component failure, reliability of the predictive sensor readings, and the potential for significant financial exposure. This paper describes a decision-science methodology for evaluating alternative maintenance strategies. We use a value of information framework to analyze the maintenance decision in the context of the choice alternatives maintenance managers face, the key sources of uncertainty associated with component failure and sensor readings, and the associated maintenance and repair costs. This work presents an application of the decision model to a gantry crane system used at a hazardous waste retrieval site. This methodology can guide managers toward a more formal evaluation of maintenance methods, g...
What Do We Tell the Children? Contrasting the Disclosure Choices of Two HD Families Regarding Risk Statusand Predictive Genetic Testing

Above all else, predictive genetic testing provides information. Gaining insight into the psychosocial effects of this information is a primary goal of genetic counseling. For individuals utilizing predictive genetic testing, the acquisition of genetic information requires choices regarding disclosure within the family. This study uses a phenomenological methodology to explore the contrasting choices of two sets of HD parents regarding the disclosure of genetic risk status to their children. Additionally, the children (now adults) discuss their lived experience growing up with contrasting disclosure dynamics, and their current views regarding the use of predictive genetic testing for themselves. The primary finding of this study is that all of the adult children now express preference for early disclosure of genetic risk and an open/supportive communication style regarding HD. This finding has value for clinicians working with HD families who must make decisions regarding disclosure issues related to predictive genetic testing.