cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why Do Firms Speculate? Evidence from the Gold Mining Industry

We study the selective hedging puzzle, using data on the speculative activity of a sample of 92 North American gold mining firms, a setting that seems likely to satisfy the conditions stipulated by Stulz (1996) for shareholder value-maximizing selective hedging. Contrary to our predictions, we find that smaller firms speculate more than larger firms, although they are less likely than larger firms to possess the information and financial advantages necessary to outperform the market through speculation. We also find that a higher probability of financial distress is linked to a higher likelihood of corporate speculation. Nonetheless, this finding fails to explain the speculation undertaken by the bulk of the firms in our sample, which are financially sound and far from bankruptcy. Our findings on the relationship between speculation and managerial incentives provide no support for (and indeed, contradicts) the possibility that managers may be speculating in their own self interest. We find that rewarding managers through stock and options, and also insider ownership of the firm's shares, actually work to reduce managerial incentives to speculate. Since neither shareholders nor managers seem to benefit from selective hedging, our findings are consistent with the remaining possibility for selective hedging identified by Stulz (1996) - that managers hedge selectively because they erroneously believe they can outperform the market - which raises many new questions for future research.
Effects of Erythropoietin and Androgens on Erythroid Stem Cells After Their Selective Suppression by BCNU

A single injection of BCNU (LD-10 range) caused in mice a prolonged suppression of erythropoiesis, whereas granulopoiesis recovered within a few days. The suppression of erythropoiesis was due to a delayed restoration of erythropoietin-responsive cells (ERC), although the CFU were only moderately suppressed and ranged from 30% to 60% of normal. Daily erythropoietin injections promptly restored normal ERC populations without affecting CFU. Injections of androgens after BCNU had no effect on ERC restoration, but they markedly enhanced CFU regeneration and caused neutrophil counts up to ten times normal.
The Responsibilities of the State for the Prevention and Treatment of Mental Illness among Prisoners

There is mounting evidence that severe stress may produce profound psychophysiologic disturbances that can persist for many years. Imprisonment may be viewed as one such stress. The prison population has a high baseline incidence of mental illness, reflecting the societal groups from which most prisoners are drawn. The great stress of imprisonment may thus be a significant factor in the exacerbation of existing psychoses or in the precipitation of first psychotic episodes in certain prisoners. The responsibilities of the state in the prevention and treatment of mental illness among prisoners are not clear. United States Supreme Court rulings on sentencing procedures could be interpreted as requiring psychiatric evaluations of all prisoners. Furthermore, court rulings on the adequacy of medical care in prisons could be construed as requiring therapy for all prisoners suffering from major mental illnesses. Failure of the state to take reasonable steps to prevent and treat mental illness in the prison population may constitute cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.
A Case of TREX1-Associated Retinal Vasculopathy with Cerebral Leukodystrophy

Abstract Herein we present a patient presenting with bilateral occlusive retinal vasculopathy without concurrent intraocular inflammation and significant neurological deficits secondary to autosomal dominant retinal vasculopathy and cerebral leukodystrophy (RVCL).
The Great Imitator Revealed: Syphilis

Rates of syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections are on the rise in the United States. The lesions of early syphilis can be mistaken for those of other infections and conditions, and syphilis should be suspected in all sexually active patients presenting with a new skin rash or an oral or genital lesion. Rapid diagnosis and treatment of syphilis as well as rapid identification and treatment of sexual contacts are needed to reverse the trend of increasing incidence. Available data indicate success in reducing acquisition of syphilis with doxycyclinepre- and postexposure prophylaxis. This article is based on a presentation by Jeffrey D. Klausner, MD, MPH, at the 2018 Clinical Conference at the National Ryan White Conference on HIV Care and Treatment in December 2018.
Thiazide Exposure and Cardiovascular Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Point of Clarification.

A recently published analysis in Hypertension suggests that thiazide use, versus nonuse, is associated with excess risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes mellitus enrolle...
Cutaneous signet-ring cell squamous cell carcinoma.

Cutaneous signet-ring cell squamous cell carcinoma (SRCSCC) is a rare variant, most commonly occurring in the head and neck. We report a case of a 66-year-old transgender woman with an ulcerated gr...
VII – Bandit Processes

Publisher Summary This chapter examines single-project Bandit processes, multiproject Bandit processes, and the generalizations of the classical Bandit problem. The chapter highlights the way to determine the optimal policy by first solving the single-project case n = 1. The objective is to prove that if retirement is optimal in a given state when the termination reward is M, then it is also optimal whenever the termination reward is greater than M. When in state i, it is optimal to retire if M M(i) and to continue if M ≤ M(i). Hence, M(i) represents the indifference value for state i. It is the retirement termination value that makes one indifferent between retiring or continuing when in state i. Moreover, it was supposed that rather than a single project, there are n identical projects available, each of which is in some state. After observing the state of each project, a decision must be made to operate on exactly one of the projects or to retire. The theorem shows that the optimal policy in the multiproject case can be determined by an analysis of the n single-project problems, with the optimal decision in state i being to operate on that project j having the largest indifference value M(ij) for its state ij if this value is greater than M and to retire otherwise.
Ancient Maya Politics: A Political Anthropology of the Classic Period 150–900 CE

The Classic Maya have long presented scholars with vexing problems. One of the longest running and most contested of these, and the source of deeply polarized interpretations, has been their political organization. Using recently deciphered inscriptions and fresh archaeological finds, Simon Martin argues that this particular debate can be laid to rest. He offers a comprehensive re-analysis of the issue in an effort to answer a simple question: how did a multitude of small kingdoms survive for some six hundred years without being subsumed within larger states or empires? Using previously unexploited comparative and theoretical approaches, Martin suggests mechanisms that maintained a 'dynamic equilibrium' within a system best understood not as an array of individual polities but an interactive whole. With its rebirth as text-backed historical archaeology, Maya studies has entered a new phase, one capable of building a political anthropology as robust as any other we have for the ancient world.
The Incidence of Adjacent Synchronous Invasive Carcinoma and/or Ductal Carcinoma In Situ in Patients with Intraductal Papilloma without Atypia on Core Biopsy: Results from a Prospective Multi-Institutional Registry (TBCRC 034)

Available retrospective data suggest the upgrade rate for intraductal papilloma (IP) without atypia on core biopsy (CB) ranges from 0 to 12%, leading to variation in recommendations. We conducted a prospective multi-institutional trial (TBCRC 034) to determine the upgrade rate to invasive cancer (IC) or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) at excision for asymptomatic IP without atypia on CB. Prospectively identified patients with a CB diagnosis of IP who had consented to excision were included. Discordant cases, including BI-RADS > 4, and those with additional lesions requiring excision were excluded. The primary endpoint was upgrade to IC or DCIS by local pathology review with a predefined rule that an upgrade rate of ≤ 3% would not warrant routine excision. Sample size and confidence intervals were based on exact binomial calculations. Secondary endpoints included diagnostic concordance for IP between local and central pathology review and upgrade rates by central pathology review. The trial included116 patients (median age 56 years, range 24–82) and the most common imaging abnormality was a mass (n = 91, 78%). Per local review, 2 (1.7%) cases were upgraded to DCIS. In both of these cases central pathology review did not confirm DCIS on excision. Additionally, central pathology review confirmed IP without atypia in core biopsies of 85/116 cases (73%), and both locally upgraded cases were among them. In this prospective study of 116 IPs without atypia on CB, the upgrade rate was 1.7% by local review, suggesting that routine excision is not indicated for IP without atypia on CB with concordant imaging findings.
Underascertainment of Clinically Meaningful Symptoms During Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy-Does This Vary by Patient Characteristics?

Purpose It is well known that physicians underascertain chemotherapy-related toxicity compared with patient self-report. However, symptom underascertainment in radiation therapy and characterization of patient groups at increased risk for underascertainment have not been examined. Methods and Materials As part of routine clinical care, 7 urinary and gastrointestinal symptoms were prospectively collected with both patient-report outcomes (PROs) using the validated Prostate Cancer Symptom Indices and physician-graded symptoms using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) for 544 consecutive patients from 2010 to 2018 who received intensity modulated radiation therapy to the prostate or prostate bed. Data from weekly treatment visits and the first posttreatment follow-up were analyzed. Underascertainment was defined as an occurrence when a clinically meaningful symptom was indicated on PROs but not physician CTCAE assessment. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression examined characteristics associated with underascertainment. Results Overall, 85.3% of patients had underascertainment of at least 1 symptom. Per PRO, 16.9% of assessments reported clinically meaningful symptoms, in contrast to only 3.4% per CTCAE, representing an approximate 5-fold difference. Multivariable analysis showed underascertainment was more common in patients who were unmarried (odds ratio [OR] 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.38), lived in rural regions (OR 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01-1.21), incarcerated (OR 1.58; 95% CI, 1.36-1.84), retired/unemployed (OR 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18-1.40), received prostate gland (vs prostate bed) treatment (OR 1.43; 95% CI, 1.31-1.58), and received concurrent hormone therapy (OR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.04-1.29). Patients age >70 years were less likely to have underascertainment compared with those age Conclusions This is the first study to show underascertainment of clinically meaningful symptoms in radiation therapy patients in routine clinical care and further to demonstrate that certain patient groups are especially vulnerable to underascertainment. These results highlight the importance of incorporating PROs in the clinical care of radiation therapy patients. If PROs are not routinely used, vulnerable patient groups may need additional attention during cancer treatment to ensure accurate toxicity assessment and management.
Vestibular Impairments on Objective Diagnostic Tests in HIV+ Women and Control Men and Women.

Objective To describe the value of two vestibular test batteries across ages in healthy men and women for detecting vestibular disorders and to compare the occurrence of vestibular disorders in the healthy adult population and women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. Study design Two groups were tested on the battery of objective diagnostic tests of the vestibular system. Setting Two tertiary care centers. Subjects Healthy controls (284 women and 105 men) and women (63) with HIV/AIDS (HIV+) who are being followed up in a longitudinal study of HIV. They were tested on objective diagnostic tests of the vestibular system. Results In all age decades, healthy controls had evidence of vestibular impairment, significantly more in older adults. HIV+ subjects, all females, did not differ from healthy control females. Conclusion These data suggest that at all ages, people do have decreased vestibular function, even young, asymptomatic, and apparently healthy adults. HIV disease, itself, does not cause an increased prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorders when HIV is controlled on antiretroviral medication. Level of evidence 2 Laryngoscope, 131:E2318-E2322, 2021.
Degenerative Diseases of the Spine

The intervertebral disk consists of three components: cartilaginous endplate (hyaline cartilage), nucleus pulposus (fibrocartilage with ground substance containing hyaluronic acid and glycosaminoglycans), and anulus fibrosus (inner part contains fibrocartilage, while the outer part has dense fibrous lamellae with fibers, called Sharpey fibers, that insert on the vertebral ring apophysis). The inner part of the anulus and the nucleus pulposis are indistinguishable on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the normal adult disk, a hypointense band or cleft is observed at the center of the nucleus pulposus and inner anulus on T2-weighted sagittal images and has been attributed to a higher concentration of collagen in this region of the disk. The adult disk normally lacks innervation and vascularity.
It’s an Influencer’s World & We’re All Just Living in It: How Can Fashion Influencers Build Their Community with a Generation Z Audience?

People are more willing to trust someone they consider to be just like them, and fashion brands and marketers have taken notice. Using online questionnaire, the researchers collected data from a total of 203 Gen Z females who were followers of fashion influencers. The study provides empirical support of the similarity attraction theory (SAT) on how fashion influencers can build their followers. The results imply that perceived similar style and perceived similar values are a couple of the main qualities consumers consider before following a fashion influencer. After they follow the said influencer, they are then more likely to interact (i.e. liking, commenting, direct messaging, etc.) with the influencer’s account and emulate their style. These results can provide valuable information to those fashion influencers seeking to grow their online community and marketers seeking to use influencers as a form of advertising.
Hepatic demethylation of methoxy-bromodiphenyl ethers and conjugation of the resulting hydroxy-bromodiphenyl ethers in a marine fish, the red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, and a freshwater fish, the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus.

Abstract Methoxylated bromodiphenyl ethers (MeO-BDEs), marine natural products, can be demethylated by cytochrome P450 to produce hydroxylated bromodiphenyl ethers (OH-BDEs), potentially toxic metabolites that are also formed by hydroxylation of BDE flame retardants. The OH-BDEs may be detoxified by glucuronidation and sulfonation. This study examined the demethylation of 6-MeO-BDE47, 2′-MeO-BDE68 and 4′-MeO-BDE68, in hepatic microsomes from the red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, a marine fish likely to be exposed naturally to MeO-BDEs, and the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, a freshwater fish in which pathways of xenobiotic biotransformation have been studied. We further studied the glucuronidation and sulfonation of the resulting OH-BDEs as well as of 6-OH-2′-MeO-BDE68 in hepatic microsomes and cytosol fractions of these fish. The three studied biotransformation pathways were active in both species, with high individual variability. The range of activities overlapped in the two species. Demethylation of MeO-BDEs, studied in the concentration range 10–500 μM, followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics in both fish species, however enzyme efficiencies were low, ranging from 0.024 to 0.334 μL min.mg protein. Conjugation of the studied OH-BDEs followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics in the concentration ranges 1–50 μM (glucuronidation) or 2.5–100 μM (sulfonation). These OH-BDEs were readily glucuronidated and sulfonated in the fish livers of both species, with enzyme efficiencies one to three orders of magnitude higher than for demethylation of the precursor MeO-BDEs. The relatively low efficiencies of demethylation of the MeO-BDEs, compared with higher efficiencies for OH-BDE conjugation, suggests that MeO-BDEs are more likely than OH-BDEs to bioaccumulate in tissues of exposed fish.
A Methodology for Mapping the Performance of Variable-Speed Residential Cooling Equipment Using Load-Based Testing

Abstract A load-based testing methodology has recently been developed for laboratory testing of residential cooling equipment with its integrated controls that employs a model to emulate building dynamics and their interaction with equipment controls. This approach is part of a new performance rating standard that utilizes a bin method to estimate a seasonal energy efficiency (CSA EXP-07, 2019; Cheng et al., 2021). However, a “holy grail” for future equipment performance rating is to be able to map equipment performance using load-based testing results and then implement the map as a "model" in building energy simulations to generate seasonal performance ratings that are specific to various building and climate types. With this goal in mind, this paper presents a performance mapping methodology that incorporates a “gray-box” model structure that uses inputs that are consistent with building energy simulation programs (sensible cooling load and equipment inlet conditions) and outputs key performance metrics (total sensible and latent cooling rates, power consumption, and COP). A strategy and a test matrix for training the model with a relatively small number of testing points were established by developing a successive optimization approach to identify the best 12 test conditions to apply for training from a larger set of available data. In order to develop, demonstrate, and validate the modeling and training approach, load-based laboratory testing was set up within psychrometric chambers and testing was performed to generate 39 quasi-steady-state data points over a range of loads and boundary conditions with a test unit operating with its normal integrated controls. The best model trained using the optimal training subset of 12 data points was able to represent the equipment performance across the operating envelope within ± 10 % .
From burned slopes to streams: how wildfire affects nitrogen cycling and retention in forests and fire-prone watersheds

Wildfire is a major driver of nitrogen (N) cycling and export from terrestrial to aquatic systems. While fire is a natural process in many watersheds, it can still degrade water quality by rapidly flushing N to streams. This can be particularly problematic in watersheds that experience high levels of N deposition or where climate change is promoting larger and more severe fires. The extent and duration of postfire N export, and the potential consequences for downstream water quality, depend on how N inputs, internal cycling, and outputs vary before, during, and after fire. Here we review the major factors controlling N cycling and retention in forests and adjacent shrublands, and how fire modifies these controls. We connect burned slopes to streams to describe how fire exports N to aquatic environments. We also consider the implications for municipal watersheds and water resources management. We close by identifying critical knowledge gaps in projecting how fire will affect watershed N cycling and retention in the future.
Review of combined measurements of Higgs boson production and decay using up to 80 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at s = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS experiment

The combined measurements of Higgs boson production and decay are performed based on up to 80 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data collected at s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector. The overall signal ...
Clinical Relevance and Advantages of Intradermal Test Results in 371 Patients with Allergic Rhinitis, Asthma and/or Otitis Media with Effusion.

Background: We evaluated the value of positive intradermal dilution testing (IDT) after negative skin prick tests (SPT) by retrospectively determining allergy immunotherapy (AIT) outcomes. Methods: This private practice, cohort study compared the relative value of SPT vs. IDT in 371 adults and children with suspected manifestations of allergy: chronic allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma and/or chronic otitis media with effusion (OME). The primary outcome measure was symptom resolution following immunotherapy, as determined by symptom severity questionnaires completed by patients before and after AIT. Results: Positive IDT identified 193 (52%) patients who would not otherwise have been diagnosed. IDT detected 3.7-fold more allergens per patient than SPT (8.56 vs. 2.3; p < 0.01). Patients positive only on IDT responded to AIT equally well as those identifiable by SPT, independent of allergen sensitivity (67% by SPT vs. 62% by IDT; p = 0.69, not significantly different). Conclusion: Intradermal titration can identify patients who will benefit from allergy immunotherapy more accurately than SPT. Outcomes analysis in 371 patients shows that IDT doubled their chance of successful treatment with no greater risk of therapeutic failure. Positive IDT, following negative SPT, is clinically relevant and offers superior sensitivity over SPT for detecting allergens clinically relevant to diagnosis of AIT-responsive atopic disease.
Range estimation of a distant ship using a vertical array and a guide ship

In this talk, we present a method for estimating the range of a distant ship in shallow water using a vertical array and a guide ship at a known range close to the array. The method involves a combination of four well-known approaches: (1) blind deconvolution; (2) waveguide invariant; (3) virtual receiver; and (4) array invariant. The main idea is to transform theoriginal task of estimating the range of a distant ship using a vertical array into estimating the range with a synthesized horizontal array aroundthe guide source exploiting the waveguide invariant theory. The proposed method is demonstrated for a surface ship radiating broadband noise (100–500 Hz) at 10 km range, using a 56.25-m long vertical array in approximately 100-m water and the same ship at 2 km range as the guide ship.
Interaction of Prominences with Centers of Activity

The simplest and probably most basic form of solar activity is the magnetic plage, with a magnetic flux in excess of the flux normally channeled into the corona through the supergranulation boundaries. All prominences seem to depend for their existence or development on this excess flux, either directly or through the extra activity associated with plages. On this background the basic interaction between prominences and centers of activity is precisely this interaction with plages, which constitutes one of the prerequisites for prominences. We have often alluded to it when discussing the different types of prominences and their formation.
A generalized learning based framework for fast brain image registration

This paper presents a generalized learning based framework for improving both speed and accuracy of the existing deformable registration method. The key of our framework involves the utilization of a support vector regression (SVR) to learn the correlation between brain image appearances and their corresponding shape deformations to a template, for helping significantly cut down the computation cost and improve the robustness to local minima by using the learned correlation to instantly predict a good subject-specific deformation initialization for any given subject under registration. Our framework consists of three major parts: 1) training of SVR models based on the statistics of image samples and their shape deformations to capture intrinsic image-deformation correlations, 2) deformation prediction for a new subject with the trained SVR models to generate a subject-resemblance intermediate template by warping the original template with the predicted deformations, and 3) estimating of the residual deformation from the intermediate template to the subject for refined registration. Any existing deformable registration methods can be easily employed for training the SVR models and estimating the residual deformation. We have tested in this paper the two widely used deformable registration algorithms, i.e., HAMMER [1] and diffeomorphic demons [2], for demonstration of our proposed frameowrk. Experimental results show that, compared to the registration using the original methods (with no deformation prediction), our framework achieves a significant speedup (6X faster than HAMMER, and 3X faster than diffeomorphic demons), while maintaining comparable (or even slighly better) registration accuracy.
Successful management of a distal vessel perforation through a single 8-French guide catheter: Combining balloon inflation for bleeding control with coil embolization

Coronary perforation is an infrequent, but serious complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and is more likely to occur with complex (such as chronic total occlusion) PCI and use of atheroablative devices. For main vessel perforations, the "dual catheter" technique is usually employed in which a balloon is delivered over the first guide catheter to stop bleeding, whereas the covered stent is delivered through a second guide catheter. This is required because the large profile of the currently commercially available covered stents precludes fitting within even an 8-French guide together with a balloon. However, coil embolization for distal artery wire perforation and collateral vessel perforation can be achieved through a microcatheter that can fit along with a balloon within an 8-French guide catheter, obviating the need for a second guide catheter. We describe a case in which a distal artery wire perforation was successfully treated using a single 8-French guide catheter.
Analysis of a multi-channel receiver: Wireless and PLC reception

In line with the trend in wireless communications, power line communication (PLC) based systems recently draw considerable attention especially for wideband communication applications due to the advantages they offer. Parallel to the developments in communications and emergence of new concepts such as cognitive radio (CR), the ability to have access to both wireless and power line mediums might be of great value for future radios considering communication performance and reliability issues. In this study, performance of an ideal multi-channel receiver which is able to communicate thorough both wireless and PLC channels is considered. Two combining schemes that are selection combining (SC) and maximal ratio combining (MRC) are analyzed for fading compensation. Their statistics are derived and compared with the simulation results.
Evidence for task-dependent memory dysfunction in the aged monkey

Experimentally naive adult (9-11 years old) and aged (approximately 22-26 years old) female rhesus monkeys were evaluated on 3 neuropsychological tests of memory function. Aged monkeys were impaired in a delayed response test of visuospatial memory when the retention interval of the task was increased from 0 to 10 sec. These animals performed as well as younger subjects, however, at very short delays (0 and 1 sec), when the memory demands of the task were minimal. The same subjects were then trained in a delayed nonmatching to sample (DNMS) test of visual object recognition memory. Although they required significantly more training than the younger subjects to learn the nonmatching principle of the task, aged animals were only minimally impaired when recognition memory was tested at retention intervals ranging from 10 sec to 22 hr. In contrast to their relatively intact performance on the object recognition task, aged monkeys were dramatically impaired in a second version of DNMS that required subjects to remember the temporal order in which objects were presented. These findings support the view that certain memory functions are differentially susceptible to age-dependent deterioration. Since neuropsychological studies in young subjects demonstrate that different brain regions make relatively specific contributions to learning and memory, the task-dependent deficits observed in the aged monkey are important for determining which neural structures mediate age-dependent cognitive dysfunction. According to this perspective, aged monkeys were impaired on tasks known to be sensitive to prefrontal cortical damage, but the same animals performed well on a DNMS procedure that subjects with medial temporal lobe damage fail. These results suggest that prefrontal cortical dysfunction may mediate prominent aspects of age-dependent cognitive impairment in the monkey.
Properties of lipid bilayer membranes. Determination of membrane thickness.

Abstract A method is proposed to understand the structure of the lipid bilayer in terms of the asymmetric dielectric constant. According to the model concerning the oriented hydrocarbon assembly, the dielectric constant is asymmetric. Here, the oriented hydrocarbon layer is considered as the model of the lipid bilayer. With two independent experimental measurements on the same lipid bilayer and the knowledge of an asymmetric dielectric constant, the thickness, average interchain distance and the dielectric constant of the bilayer, which are consistent with the data from the two experiments, were obtained. Relying upon two independent experimental data (capacitance measurements and optical reflectance measurements) on lecithin bilayers, the correct thickness (54 A), the interchain distance (4.81 A) and the dielectric constant (ϵ ∥ ∼- 2.37, ϵ⊥ ∼- 2.65) were deduced.
Methodology of patient care for elevated PSA after prostate cancer treatment: A primary care perspective.

AbstractProstate cancer (PCa) remains one of the most common cancers in men. Each year there are 230,000 new cases and it causes nearly 30,000 deaths. Elevations in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after treatment with radiation or surgery can indicate the presence of PCa recurrence. About 15–18% of men treated for PCa will have an elevation of their PSA, which is a source of great concern and will lead to a management discussion with the patient. Approximately 25–33% of men with PCa will experience a recurrence of their cancer after surgery or radiation. This article will discuss the different options for men with a rising PSA after definitive therapy or an attempt at curative treatment for PCa. The purpose of this article is to help the primary care doctor, internist and geriatrician to become knowledgeable about the treatment options of recurrent PCa so that they can participate in the discussion with the patient and help the patient reach a decision regarding treatment and management of the elevated PS...
Comparison of Cellular and Extracellular Products Expressed by Virulent and Attenuated Strains of Edwardsiella ictaluri

Abstract Cellular and extracellular products of three virulent Edwardsiella ictaluri isolates were compared with corresponding attenuated strains to evaluate potential virulence factors. The characteristics compared included growth kinetics, hemolysin activity, surface structures, outer membrane protein profiles, and lipopolysaccharide profiles. To produce the attenuated strains, we passed three isolates through multiple subcultures in liquid media. Attenuated strains were found to have shorter generation times than virulent strains. They also apparently failed to express a 55-kdalton outer membrane protein that the virulent strains possessed. Scanning electron microscopy found no conclusive differences in surface structure expression. Hemolysin activity was significantly greater in virulent strain R4383 than in its corresponding attenuated strain. Lipopolysaccharide profiles showed no apparent differences in the O polysaccharide portion; however, the composition of core oligosaccharide sugars differed be...
Interactive effects of wheel‐traffic and tillage system on soil carbon and nitrogen

Abstract Wheel‐traffic induced soil compaction has been shown to limit crop productivity, and its interaction with tillage method could affect soil nutrient transformations. A study was conducted during 1993–1994 to determine interactive effects of tillage method (conventional tillage and no‐tillage) and wheel‐traffic (traffic and no traffic) on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) at a long‐term (initiated 1987) research site at Shorter, Alabama. The cropping system at this study site is a corn (Zea mays L.) ‐ soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] rotation with crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) as a winter cover crop. Soil organic C, total N, and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were not significantly affected by six years of traffic and tillage treatments. However, conventional tillage compared to no‐tillage almost doubled the amount of CO2‐C respired over the entire observation period and during April 1994 field operations. Soil respiration was stimulated immediately after application of wheel‐ traffic, but...
Bayesian analysis of dichotomous quantal response models

Abstract Qualitative response models (QRM's) are analyzed from the Bayesian point of view, using diffuse and informative prior distributions. Exact finite-sample Bayesian and large-sample Bayesian and non-Bayesian estimation results are compared. In addition, the paper provides: (1) plots and discussion of the properties of likelihood functions for QRM's, (2) posterior distributions for logit models' derivatives and elasticities, (3) Bayesian prediction procedures for QRM's, (4) new estimates for the median and other fractiles of the logistic distribution, (5) posterior odds ratios for model selection problems, and (6) comparisons of two alternative Monte Carlo numerical integration procedures. It is concluded that asymptotic approximations are not accurate for small-to moderate-sized samples even when only a single input variable is used, and that operational Bayesian methods are available for providing both exact small-sample and large-sample approximate inferences for DRM's.
Solubility and stability properties of the melanin-dispersing substances from the eyestalks of the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator

1. Extracts of fresh, freeze-dried, and heat-dried eyestalks prepared directly in physiological saline evoked nearly identical melanin-dispersing responses. The highly active ethanol-soluble fraction extractable from fresh eyestalks ofUca was to a great extent unextractable after the eyestalks were freeze-dried, heat-dried, or pretreated with a variety of organic solvents, whereas the melanin-dispersing substance in the ethanol-insoluble fraction of the eyestalk was resistant to these treatments. The melanin-dispersing substance obtained by direct extraction of the eyestalk in water is more resistant to treatment with organic solvents than the substance present in the ethanol-soluble fraction. 2. The melanin-dispersing activities of the eyestalk material soluble in various solvents showed no overall relationship with the dielectric constants of the solvents used. However, the melanin-dispersing activity was related to the dielectric constants of the normal alcohols used in the following decreasing order: methanol>ethanol>propanol>butanol>amyl alcohol. 3. Ether and isopropyl ether destroyed most of the melanin-dispersing material present in the ethanol-soluble and water-soluble fractions of the eyestalk, possibly due to excessive oxidation. 4. The melanin-dispersing material in the ethanol-soluble fraction of the eyestalk is greatly destroyed by heat. In contrast, the melanin-dispersing material in the water-soluble fraction of the eyestalk is resistant to heat. 5. The possibility that two melanin-dispersing substances are present in the eyestalks ofUca is considered and discussed.
In vivo measurement of T1ρ dispersion in the human brain at 1.5 tesla

Purpose To measure T1ρ relaxation times and T1ρ dispersion in the human brain in vivo. Materials and Methods Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on a 1.5-T GE Signa clinical scanner using the standard GE head coil. A fast spin-echo (FSE)-based T1ρ-weighted MR pulse sequence was employed to obtain images from five healthy male volunteers. Optimal imaging parameters were determined while considering both the objective of the study and the guarantee that radio-frequency (RF) power deposition during MR did not exceed Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-mandated safety levels. Results T1ρ-weighted MR images showed excellent contrast between different brain tissues. These images were less blurred than corresponding T2-weighted images obtained with similar contrast, especially in regions between brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Average T1ρ values for white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and CSF were 85 ± 3, 99 ± 1, and 637 ± 78 msec, respectively, at a spin-locking field of 500 Hz. T1ρ is 30% higher in the parenchyma and 78% higher in CSF compared to the corresponding T2 values. T1ρ dispersion was observed between spin-locking frequencies 0 and 500 Hz. Conclusion T1ρ-weighted MRI provides images of the brain with superb contrast and detail. T1ρ values measured in the different brain tissues will serve as useful baseline values for analysis of T1ρ changes associated with pathology. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2004;19:403–409. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
New flexible boundary hybrid solvation models for efficient biomolecular simulations

Two simple models are developed to accurately account for short-range solvation effects in molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecular systems in water. The methods limit the amount of solvent that must be treated explicitly to two or three solvation shells, thereby eliminating the need for periodic boundary conditions, which significantly reduces the computational complexity. In the dynamic boundary model, a confining potential is imposed on the solvent that responds dynamically to fluctuations in the solvent distribution and conformations of the biomolecular solute. In the exchange boundary solvation model, the molecules at the surface of the explicit solvation shell are allowed to undergo pairwise exchanges with the bulk to maintain a uniform hydration of the solute. The models are used to study the solvation thermodynamics of a 11-residue polyalanine helix in water. A broad range of structural and dynamic properties characterizing both the protein and the surrounding solvent are computed. Comparison with the results obtained from conventional periodic boundary condition simulations shows excellent agreement, and the new solvation models are found to improve computational efficiency by up two orders of magnitude.
GM3 and cancer.

Our studies during the early 1970s showed that expression of GM3, the simplest ganglioside and an abundant animal cell membrane component, is reduced during malignant transformation of cells by oncogenic viruses. Levels of mRNA for GM3 synthase were reduced in avian and mammalian cells transformed by oncoprotein “v-Jun”, and overexpression of GM3 synthase in the transformed cells caused reversion from transformed to normal cell-like phenotype. GM3 has a well-documented inhibitory effect on activation of growth factor receptors (GFRs), particularly epidermal GFR (EGFR). De-N-acetyl GM3, which is expressed in some invasive human cancer cells, has an enhancing effect on EGFR activation. The important role of the sialosyl group of GM3 was demonstrated using NEU3, a plasma membrane-associated sialidase that selectively remove sialic acids from gangliosides GM3 and GD1a and is up-regulated in many human cancer cells. GM3 is highly enriched in a type of membrane microdomain termed “glycosynapse”, and forms complexes with co-localized cell signaling molecules, including Src family kinases, certain tetraspanins (e.g., CD9, CD81, CD82), integrins, and GFRs (e.g., fibroblast growth factor receptor and hepatocyte growth factor receptor c-Met). Studies by our group and others indicate that GM3 modulates cell adhesion, growth, and motility by altering molecular organization in glycosynaptic microdomains and the activation levels of co-localized signaling molecules that are involved in cancer pathogenesis.
An algorithm for computing the contour of a slow speed cam

Abstract This paper describes an approximate method of calculating the cam contour for a prescribed acceleration characteristics of a cam follower. An algorithm is derived based on simple mathematical induction using the reversion of finite differences. The result is illustrated by an example.
Imaging a class of non-Gaussian fields beyond the diffraction limit

In standard intensity imaging, apart from the availability of prior information about an image, the resolution is limited by the width of the aperture. The region of support of the autocorrelation of the pupil function is the measured spatial-frequency bandwidth of the imaging system, and thus the size of the pupil function determines the resolution limit. This relationship between the size of the pupil function and the resolution limit is generally taken to describe a fundamental limit for resolution. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the resolution is actually limited only for fields with zero higher-order cumulants. For fields with nonvanishing higher-order cumulants, higher resolution can be obtained by integrating higher powers of instantaneous intensity in the image plane and combining these images appropriately. The result is that resolution is limited only by the time required for the integral of the higher power of intensity to approximate the expected value. These claims are demonstrated, and the variance of the integrated intensity-squared image as a function of the temporal spectrum and integration time is analyzed. Simulations are provided that show imaging of spatial-frequency information outside the support of the pupil function autocorrelation for non-Gaussian fields.
Elaboration of Hyaluronidase and Chondroitin Sulfatase by Microorganisms Inhabiting the Gingival Sulcus: Evaluation of a Screening Method for Periodontal Disease

HEMOSTASIS WITH CYANOACRYLATE: A NEW METHOD Heisterkamp, C . A . , Matsumoto, T . and Hardaway, R. M. Military Med. 134:1508-1509, December, 1969. Right or left partial hepatectomies with the portal vessels clamped were performed on ten male and female adult mongrel dogs of 20 Kg average weight. Gelatin sponge sprayed with N-butyl cyanoacrylate was applied to the cut liver surface. The portal vessels were undamped and the patched areas observed for bleeding after which the abdomens were closed. Hemoglobins were obtained in most animals prior to each surgical procedure. Three to five days after initial surgery, the abdomens were re­ opened and the surgical sites observed. In ten dogs no evidence of rebleeding was found, while in two dogs 15 to 30 cc of reddish fluid was located at the operative site. When cultured, this fluid grew staphylococcus while the hemoglobins were sterile. Division of Surgery, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C. 20012. EFFECT OF SOLCOSERYL ON THE SURVIVAL OF SKIN GRAFTS AND THE HEALING OF DONOR SITES IN RATS Malaker, K. and Sellwood, R. A. Brit. J. Surg. 57:221-222, March, 1970 Full-thickness skin grafts were taken from the right flank of 100 Wistar rats and sutured in identical beds prepared in the left flank. A random selection of half the group was given daily intra­ peritoneal injections of 1 ml. Solcoseryl, a deproteinized extract of calf serum, while the other half received normal saline injec­ tions as a control. Although the mean healing time of the donor sites in the experimental animals (18.45 days) was significantly less than the control (20.8 days), there was no statistically sig­ nificant difference in the graft survival rate between the Solcoseryl treated (78%) and the saline treated (60%) animals. It appears that Solocoseryl may have a slight but significant effect in ac­ celerating healing, but does not significantly influence the survival rate of full-thickness grafts in rats. Department of Surgery, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, England.
Clinical evaluation of a new test of hemostasis: the Filter Bleeding Time.

Abstract The clinical value of a new in vitro test of hemostasis, which we have called Filter Bleeding Time (FBT), was determined in 59 patients referred because of a suspected bleeding disorder. FBT is based on the progressive slowing of the drop rate of citrated blood through a filter of woven Dacron under constant pressure as platelet aggregates occlude the filter. The value for FBT is defined as the time when the blood drop interval has reached 1 minute. The Mayo modification of the Ivy bleeding time (IBT) was performed in all patients; platelet response to ADP, collagen, epinephrine and arachidonate was performed in 24 patients. In 30 normal volunteers FBT measured 1–3 hr after venipuncture was 2.8±1.5 (×-±1SD) min. The FBT was prolonged in 3 of 3 patients with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, 2 with disseminated intravascular coagulation, 1 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 1 with myelofibrosis, and 1 who had taken aspirin. In 6 patients FBT was prolonged while IBT was normal: 4 after taking aspirin, 2 with polycythemia vera. All 6 had reduced platelet aggregation (PA) to ADP (5 μM), collagen (2 mg/ml), epinephrine (5 μM) and/or arachidonate (1.7 μM). In 3 patients FBT was normal while IBT was abnormal: 1 with disseminated intravascular coagulation, 2 undiagnosed; 1 of these 3 had abnormal PA. Of 6 patients with von Willebrand's disease, FBT was prolonged in 5 and borderline in 1; IBT was prolonged in 3, normal in 1, and not done in 2 infants. In 3 patients (1 with myelofibrosis, 1 with collagen disease, 1 with renal insufficiency) IBT could not be determined or was considered invalid due to an abnormality of the skin and/or subcutaneous hematoma; in these patients, FBT and PA were both abnormal. FBT was normal in six patients with hemophilia tested. FBT appears to be highly reproducible and more sensitive than IBT in the detection of disorders of hemostasis involving platelets.
Interaction of longitudinal phonons with spin waves in Y.I.G.

Abstract The interaction of longitudinal phonons with 1 2 π spin waves in 〈111〉 magnetized Y.I.G. is observed directly. Some aspects of this interaction are discussed.