cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age and sex differences in steadiness of elbow flexor muscles with imposed cognitive demand

These studies determined (1) age- and sex-related differences in steadiness of isometric contractions when high cognitive demand was imposed across a range of forces with the elbow flexor muscles (study 1) and; (2) sex differences in steadiness among older adults when low cognitive demand was imposed (study 2). 36 young adults (18–25 years; 18 women) and 30 older adults (60–82 years; 17 women) performed isometric contractions at 5, 30 and 40 % of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Study 1 involved a high-cognitive demand session (serial subtractions by 13 during the contraction) and a control session (no mental math). Study 2 (older adults only) involved a low-cognitive demand session (subtracting by 1s). Older individuals exhibited greater increases in force fluctuations (coefficient of variation of force, CV) with high cognitive demand than young adults, with the largest age difference at 5 % MVC (P = 0.01). Older adults had greater agonist EMG activity with high-cognitive demand and women had greater coactivation than men (P < 0.05). In study 2, CV of force increased with low cognitive demand for the older women but not for the older men (P = 0.03). Older adults had reduced steadiness and increased muscle activation when high cognitive demand was imposed while low cognitive demand induced increased force fluctuations in older women but not older men. These findings have implications for daily and work-related tasks that involve cognitive demand performed simultaneously during submaximal isometric contractions in an aging workforce.
Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding at a U.S. center with up to 3-year follow-up.

Background: We present our results from the "B" trial (the 2nd U.S. FDA-approved clinical trial) with the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) or Lap-Band® System, regarding weight loss, complications, and effect on co-morbidities with up to 3-year follow-up. Methods: Between March 1999 and June 2001, 63 morbidly obese patients underwent LAGB following accepted ASBS/SAGES guidelines and protocol requirements. All bands were placed via the classic high peri-gastric dissection above the lesser sac, corresponding to the equator of the calibration-tube balloon. Frequent follow-up by a multidisciplinary program was maintained. Results: All procedures were performed laparoscopically with no conversion to laparotomy. Operative time decreased from a mean of 197 minutes for the first 10 patients to 120 minutes for the last group. Average hospital stay was 1.4 days. Perioperative complications included 1 intraoperative gastric perforation, which was closed and did not prevent band placement, and 5 port problems. Gastric slippage occurred in 9 patients (14.2%), 3 of whom were revised to a gastric bypass and 6 who had the band removed.Three additional bands were removed due to infection (1), band erosion (1) and a cluster of gastric symptoms (1). Percent excess weight loss averaged 27.2 at 6 months (range 1-68), 38.3 at 1 year (range 10-77), 46.6 at 2 years (range 16- 89), and 53.6 at 3 years (range 21-94). Before surgery, 46 of 63 patients (73%) suffered from a serious comorbidity. Following LAGB, all categories showed marked improvement. Conclusions: In this study up to 3 years, LAGB provided a safe and sustainable weight loss. Significant resolution of serious co-morbidities was common. A U.S. bariatric practice achieved results comparable to those in the international literature. The primary requisites to achieve optimal results include careful patient selection, the refined surgical technique, and a comprehensive long-term patient management program.
Atomic-Scale Origins of Friction†

The fundamental origins of friction, an important physical phenomenon in light of both its everyday familiarity and its enormous economic impact, have been discussed and debated for at least 300 years, with very little resolved. Recent experimental investigations at atomic length and/or time scales are shedding new light on the manner in which mechanical energy is converted to thermal energy, i.e., heat.
Some comments on the endochronic theory of plasticity

Abstract The endochronic theory of plasticity advanced by Valanis in 1971 and 1975 [1,2] is discussed critically. It is shown that the theory leads to a number of predictions which are not in accord with the observed behavior of metals. A further theory [5], while not open to these objections, does share with the earlier theory the advantages over conventional plasticity theory which were claimed for it.
Wave Height Measurements Behind Submerged Lens-Shaped Structures

The ability of submerged lens-shaped structures to focus linear surface waves in deep water is explored through a series of experimental tests in a wave making basin. Three lenses were designed using a combination of linear strip theory and a surface wave analogy to geometrical optics. Two of these lenses were designed to focus waves of a single wavelength of 0.482 m (18.97 in.), one with a focal length to lens width ratio (f-number) of 2.0 and the other with an f-number of 0.5. The third lens was designed to function as a compound lens that could focus a range of wavelengths of between 0.39 m (15.37 in.) and 0.694 m (27.32 in.) at an f-number of 2.0. Using resistance wave height gauges, the sensitivity of wave height at the focus to variations in wavelength from between 0.39 m (15.37 in.) to 0.61 m (24.01 in.) was experimentally measured for all three lenses; the sensitivity of wave height at the focus to variations of lens depths of submergence spanning the range of between 0.75 to 1.25 times the design submergence depth was also explored for the two simple lenses. It was found that the linear strip theory and geometrical optics approach predicted the wave amplification to within ten percent at the design wavelengths and depths, but that the longitudinal position of the experimentally observed focal lengths differed substantially from that expected, by as much as a factor of 2.2 for an f-number of 0.5. Additionally, while the theory predicted a single focal point for each lens, multiple focal points were found to exist behind the compound lens.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Allelic expression imbalance screening of genes in chromosome 1q21–24 region to identify functional variants for Type 2 diabetes susceptibility

Type 2 diabetes (T2D)-associated SNPs are more likely to be expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). The allelic expression imbalance (AEI) analysis is the measure of relative expression between...
The synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of an aromatic uranium amidoxime complex

Abstract A tridentate aromatic amidoxime ligand and its corresponding uranyl complex have been synthesized. The complex was rigorously characterized with single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solid-state NMR, infrared absorption, and Raman spectroscopy. Unlike previous amidoxime complexes, the crystal structure confirms the complexation of only a single tridentate amidoxime ligand to the uranium, and solid state NMR confirms uranyl binding in the bulk sample. The Raman spectrum of the complex is dominated by the strong U O vibration which exhibits a significant shift from the U O vibration in unbound uranyl. Density functional theory (DFT) aided in calculations of vibrational modes as well as providing insight into the electronic structure of this uranyl complex.
Universal quadratures for boundary integral equations on two-dimensional domains with corners

We describe the construction of a collection of quadrature formulae suitable for the efficient discretization of certain boundary integral equations on a very general class of two-dimensional domains with corner points. The resulting quadrature rules allow for the rapid high-accuracy solution of Dirichlet boundary value problems for Laplace's equation and the Helmholtz equation on such domains under a mild assumption on the boundary data. Our approach can be adapted to other boundary value problems and certain aspects of our scheme generalize to the case of surfaces with singularities in three dimensions. The performance of the quadrature rules is illustrated with several numerical examples.
Thiol-functionalized silica with mesocellular foam and hybrid mesocellular foam-wormhole structures

We report the direct supramolecular assembly of organofunctional compositions of the type (SiO2)1-x-(LSiO1.5)x (L = mercaptopropyl) with a mesocellular foam structure (x = 0.20), along with a new h...
Impact of Dryeration on Grain Elevator Performance in a Fluctuating Energy Situation

The dryeration process was originally advanced by agricultural engineers to improve grain quality by reducing stress cracks to the kernel normally incurred in the conventional drying process. This study demonstrates that the country grain elevator with dryeration facilities also uses substantially less energy to dry the same amount of grain and achieves higher profits above variable costs associated with drying operations than the elevator with conventional drying facilities, regardless of grain moisture conditions. These advantages are shown to be further magnified if energy prices continue to rise or if potential energy shortfalls are realized. Key iwords: elevator profits, energy savings, price rationing, quantity rationing.
Synthesis of Retinoic Acid by Rat Ovarian Cells That Express Cellular Retinoic Acid-Binding Protein-II

The induction of pseudopregnancy by the injection of eCG in rats results in the appearance of cellular retinoic acid-binding protein type II (CRABP[II]) in the granulosa cells of the ovary and the lining epithelium of the uterus within 48 h. This expression pattern is also seen in the normal mature female rat, in which CRABP(II) is expressed in the uterine epithelium during estrus (but not diestrus) and in the granulosa and luteal cells of the ovary. We have previously demonstrated that the uterine epithelial cells from the pseudopregnant rat have gained the ability to synthesize retinoic acid from retinol, in correlation with the induced expression of CRABP(II). If this is true for other sites of CRABP(II) expression, then local production of retinoic acid is intimately connected with various stages of reproduction in the female. Here we report that granulosa cells from the ovary of the eCG-treated immature rat and luteal cells from the ovary of the eCG/hCG-treated immature rat (both of which express CRABP[II]) synthesized markedly higher amounts of retinoic acid when cultured, compared to granulosa cells cultured from the ovary of the prepubertal rat treated with control vehicle. Culturing the granulosa cells from either control or eCG-treated animals had no effect on the expression of CRABP(II) cells. These data are consistent with our hypothesis that CRABP(II) expression is associated with retinoic acid synthesis and strengthen the case that local generation of retinoic acid plays an important role in reproduction.
A murine lung cancer co-clinical trial identifies genetic modifiers of therapeutic response

Targeted therapies have demonstrated efficacy against specific subsets of molecularly defined cancers. Although most patients with lung cancer are stratified according to a single oncogenic driver, cancers harbouring identical activating genetic mutations show large variations in their responses to the same targeted therapy. The biology underlying this heterogeneity is not well understood, and the impact of co-existing genetic mutations, especially the loss of tumour suppressors, has not been fully explored. Here we use genetically engineered mouse models to conduct a 'co-clinical' trial that mirrors an ongoing human clinical trial in patients with KRAS-mutant lung cancers. This trial aims to determine if the MEK inhibitor selumetinib (AZD6244) increases the efficacy of docetaxel, a standard of care chemotherapy. Our studies demonstrate that concomitant loss of either p53 (also known as Tp53) or Lkb1 (also known as Stk11), two clinically relevant tumour suppressors, markedly impaired the response of Kras-mutant cancers to docetaxel monotherapy. We observed that the addition of selumetinib provided substantial benefit for mice with lung cancer caused by Kras and Kras and p53 mutations, but mice with Kras and Lkb1 mutations had primary resistance to this combination therapy. Pharmacodynamic studies, including positron-emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT), identified biological markers in mice and patients that provide a rationale for the differential efficacy of these therapies in the different genotypes. These co-clinical results identify predictive genetic biomarkers that should be validated by interrogating samples from patients enrolled on the concurrent clinical trial. These studies also highlight the rationale for synchronous co-clinical trials, not only to anticipate the results of ongoing human clinical trials, but also to generate clinically relevant hypotheses that can inform the analysis and design of human studies.
The two-chain structure of high-affinity IL-2 receptors

Binding studies with radiolabeled interleukin 2 (IL-2) have suggested that T cells possess two classes of IL-2 binding site with different affinities but a shared epitope named Tac. The gene for a 55kDa Tac-positive protein has been cloned but on transfection induced only the expression of low-affinity IL-2 binding sites. The structure of the receptor has therefore been perplexing. Here Kendall Smith discusses recent studies which disclose the existence of a new Tac-negative 75kDa IL-2 binding protein and he suggests that a high affinity IL-2 receptor consists of an α(p75) chain non-covalently linked to a β(p55) chain.
Live search for mobile:Web services by voice on the cellphone

Live search for mobile is a cellphone application that allows users to interact with Web-based information portals. Currently the implementation is focused on information related to local businesses: their phone numbers and addresses, directions, reviews, maps of the surrounding area, and traffic. This paper describes a speech-recognition interface which was recently developed for the application, which allows the users to interact by voice. The paper presents the overall architecture, the user interface, the design and implementation of the speech recognition grammars, and initial performance results indicating that for sentence level utterance recognition we achieve 60 to 65% of human capability.
SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS ON ADULT LANGUAGE LEARNING

In a somewhat different vein, Krashen has suggested that the close of the critical period may be related to Inhelder and Piaget’s stage of formal operations, which is believed to begin at about the time of p~berty.~,~ It is claimed that this is the period when the child begins to formulate abstract hypotheses in order to explain phenomena and the time when he wants general solutions to problems rather than merely ad hoc solutions. The tendency of adolescents to construct theories may inhibit “natural” language acquisition, with the result that adolescents and adults no longer are able to avoid constructing a conscious theory of the language they are learning. Whether the emphasis is placed upon neurofunctional maturation or upon Piagetian stages of mental operation, these arguments point to maturational changes that turn the postadolescent into a different kind of learner than the younger child, but others have been more impressed with the social and psychological factors that hamper adult learning. In his book The Pidginization Process, John Schumann offers us a case study of an adult Costa Rican worker in the United States who made very little progress in English.6 Schumann attributes the worker’s low achievement to what he calls the “social and psychological distance” of the learner from speakers of English.6 As factors of social distance that can affect the rate of learning, Schumann cites the political, cultural, technical, and economic dominance relationships between the two language groups; the degree of assimilation desired; the cohesiveness of the groups; relative size of the
Antioxidant status and acute malaria in children in Kampala, Uganda

Although antioxidant status has been implicated in the pathogenesis of malaria, these factors need further characterization. A longitudinal study was conducted involving 273 children 1-10 years of age with acute, uncomplicated malaria in Kampala, Uganda. Plasma vitamin A, carotenoids, and vitamin E were measured at enrollment and on day 7. Malaria parasitemia was measured at enrollment, on day 3, and on day 7. Malaria parasitemia had completely cleared in 57.1% and 85.3% of children by day 3 and day 7, respectively. Plasma vitamin A, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and vitamin E were depressed at enrollment and increased by day 7. Multivariate analyses showed that higher plasma lycopene concentrations at enrollment were associated with clearance of parasitemia between enrollment and day 3 (odds ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-2.06, per 0.10 micromol/L of lycopene). This study suggests that children with acute malaria have depressed plasma concentrations of antioxidants, and that higher plasma lycopene is associated with more rapid clearance of malaria parasitemia.
Human Thoracic Anatomy Based on Computed Tomography for Development of a Totally Implantable Left Ventricular Assist System

Human thoracic anatomy was studied using computed tomography (CT) for the development of a totally implantable electrohydraulic left ventricular system [Nimbus, Inc., and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF)]. To obtain statistical dimensional information for the chest wall, apex of the heart, and aorta, routine calibrated CT scans of 18 men and 17 women were analyzed. A special radiopaque vest was worn by the patient just prior to the scanning and X-ray procedures, so that each transverse scan could be assigned to a specific chest level after combination with a standard vertical referencing system set on the patient's radiogram. A polar coordinate system and direct measurement of transverse distances from the vertical column to points on the chest wall were employed to define collectively the shape and size of the intrathoracic surface of the chest wall. Locations of the aorta and apex were described by measuring their normalized distances from the midline and vertical column to the intrathoracic surface of the lateral and anterior chest wall. The radius of curvature of the intrathoracic wall lateral to the left ventricle was determined to be approximately 10.4 cm for the average adult male chest. The present CCF intrathoracic pump with this curvature fits fairly well in both the average and individual thoraxes of these adult males. The location of the aorta, particularly of the descending aorta, was used to determine the optimal outlet design. The most critical anatomical area was the apex location. For adult males, an average distance of 2.8 cm from the apex to the internal chest wall was found. Because of this small dimension, careful design of the inflow port is being performed to avoid anatomical mismatch.
Twelve Years of Stover Removal Increases Soil Erosion Potential without Impacting Yield

Corn (Zea mays L.) stover (non-grain aboveground biomass) in the US Corn Belt is used increasingly for livestock grazing and co-feed and for cellulosic bioenergy production. Continuous stover removal, however, could alter long-term agricultural productivity by affecting soil organic C (SOC) and soil physical properties, indicators of soil fertility and erosion potential. In this study, we showed that 12 consecutive yr of 55% stover removal did not affect mean grain yields at any N fertilizer rate (4.5, 6.3, and 6.0 Mg ha⁻¹ for 60, 120, and 180 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively) in a marginally productive, rainfed continuous corn system under no-till (NT). Although SOC increased in the top 30 cm of all soils since 1998 (0.54–0.79 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), stover removal tended to limit SOC gains compared with no removal. Near-surface soils (0–5-cm depth) were more sensitive to stover removal and showed a 41% decrease in particulate organic matter stocks, smaller mean weight diameter of dry soil aggregates, and lower abundance of water-stable soil aggregates compared with soils with no stover removal. Increasing N fertilizer rate mitigated losses in total water-stable aggregates in near-surface soils related to stover removal. Collectively, however, our results indicated soil structure losses in surface soils due to lower C inputs. Despite no effect on crop yields and overall SOC gains with time using NT management, annually removing stover for 12 yr resulted in a higher risk of wind and water erosion at this NT continuous corn site in the western Corn Belt.
Backscattering of waves by composite rough surfaces

A general theory of electromagnetic wave scattering is developed using the Stratton-Chu integral as modified by Silver for a gently undulating homogeneous surface on top of which small irregularities are superimposed. It is assumed that the tangent-plane approximation is applicable to the undulating surface so that the local fields can be evaluated by considering a slightly perturbed plane surface. Average powers, both polarized and depolarized, are calculated for the composite surface whose statistical properties are assumed known. Shadowing effects are also included before comparing with experimental results. The comparison between the moon data and the data obtained under laboratory conditions shows very good agreement. The same surface parameters are used for both the polarized and the depolarized returns. Previous theories cannot provide a connection between the parameters used in the polarized return expression and those in the corresponding depolarized expression since only a single-surface model was considered. The results indicate that polarized returns of near vertical incidence are dominated by the large-scale roughnesses, while the depolarized returns are affected by both the large and small roughnesses. As the incident angle increases, the effect of small irregularities becomes increasingly important for both the polarized and the depolarized returns. The cause of depolarization and diffuse scattering, as shown in this theory, is the perturbation of the fields on the surface by the small irregularities.
Comparison of various safety guidelines for electronic article surveillance devices with pulsed magnetic fields

The paper uses the two methods suggested in both the ICNIRP and proposed IEEE safety guidelines for compliance testing of security systems based on time-varying magnetic fields being introduced for electronic article surveillance (EAS), radio-frequency identification, and other applications. For nonsinusoidal pulses that are often used, the two procedures are to treat the exposure as a multifrequency exposure with various frequency components or to calculate the peak induced current densities or electric fields treating the highest of the pulses of duration t/sub p/ as a single frequency, half sinusoid of the same duration and frequency 1/(2t/sub p/). Using either of the procedures, the induced current densities (J) or electric fields (E) are compared to the basic restrictions on J or E for compliance testing. Using a heterogeneous, tissue-classified anatomic model of the human body, we calculate the induced J and E for the various tissues for a realistic, EAS system for two typical nonsinusoidal pulses to show that the two methods give substantially different results. While the approximate but simpler method of treating the pulse as a half sinusoid results in peak induced J or E that may be compliant with safety guidelines, the rigorous method of treating such exposures as multifrequency exposures gives induced current densities or electric fields that may be up to twice as large, thus making such systems potentially noncompliant with the safety guidelines. Since it is more accurate, it is suggested that safety assessment based on the Fourier analysis leading to multifrequency components be used for compliance testing of such devices.
Genetic variation in cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) is associated with derangements in lipid homeostasis, independent of body mass index

Aims: In humans, genetic variation in endocannabinergic signaling has been associated with anthropometric measures of obesity. In randomized trials, pharmacological blockade at the level of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) receptor not only facilitates weight reduction, but also improves insulin sensitivity and clinical measures of lipid homeostasis. We therefore tested the hypothesis that genetic variation in CNR1 is associated with common obesity-related metabolic disorders. Materials & methods: A total of six haplotype tagging SNPs were selected for CNR1, using data available within the Human HapMap (Centre d’Etude du Polymorphisme Humain population) these included: two promoter SNPs, three exonic SNPs, and a single SNP within the 3’-untranslated region. These tags were then genotyped in a rigorously phenotyped family-based collection of obese study subjects of Northern European origin. Results & conclusions: A common CNR1 haplotype (H4; prevalence 0.132) is associated with abnormal lipid homeostasis....
Strategies for sharing bottleneck capacity among buses and cars

Abstract In urban settings where space is at a premium, bus lanes can often times be created only via the conversion of existing general-use lanes. If buses are dispatched at low rates, the converted lanes will be under-utilized and squander road space. The bottlenecks within the city’s road network would then impart even greater delays to cars. The present paper addresses this problem by exploring novel ways in which buses and cars can share lanes within select bottlenecks. The details of a shared-lane strategy vary, depending upon certain details of its bottleneck. In all cases, the idea is to insert cars into a shared lane so as to put available road space to use without delaying buses. Ordinary lane conversions would occur elsewhere throughout the road network, and these would connect to the shared lanes within the bottlenecks. Analytical assessments unveil a wide range of cases for which the proposed strategies increase a bottleneck’s car-carrying capacity, as compared against reserving one of its lanes for buses only. Simulations of a real site indicate that significant reductions in car delays can result.
The Campaign for a Muslim University, 1898–1920

The campaign to establish a Muslim University at Aligarh is a good example of the confluence of education and politics in modern India. The political motives involved were similar to those that lay behind the founding of the Mahomedan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875: a sense that English education was a prerequisite to enfranchisement. By the turn of the century, the stakes were higher and the interests involved had expanded in number and complexity. The Muslim University movement represented nothing less than an effort to create an all-India Muslim constituency and to carve out for it a decisive piece of political power. It was political both in its attempt to consolidate support to influence specific government policies, and also as a direct challange to British control of the educational access too power.
Pattern formation in weakly damped parametric surface waves

We present a theoretical study of nonlinear pattern formation in parametric surface waves for fluids of low viscosity, and in the limit of large aspect ratio. The analysis is based on a quasi-potential approximation to the equations governing fluid motion, followed by a multiscale asymptotic expansion in the distance away from threshold. Close to onset, the asymptotic expansion yields an amplitude equation which is of gradient form, and allows the explicit calculation of the functional form of the cubic nonlinearities. In particular, we find that three-wave resonant interactions contribute significantly to the nonlinear terms, and therefore are important for pattern selection. Minimization of the associated Lyapunov functional predicts a primary bifurcation to a standing wave pattern of square symmetry for capillary-dominated surface waves, in agreement with experiments. In addition, we find that patterns of hexagonal and quasi-crystalline symmetry can be stabilized in certain mixed capillary-gravity waves, even in this case of single-frequency forcing. Quasi-crystalline patterns are predicted in a region of parameters readily accessible experimentally.
Clinical progression of multiple myeloma presenting as parotid gland plasmacytoma.

Plasmacytomas are tumors of plasma cells which can be divided into medullary or extramedullary type depending on the site where they arise. Parotid gland plasmacytoma is rarely described entity as initial presentation of multiple myeloma [1, 2]. Here we describe a patient who had clinical progression of multiple myeloma as parotid gland plasmacytoma. To our knowledge this is the first case described in literature where parotid gland plasmacytoma presented as clinical progression of multiple myeloma since parotid plasmacytoma was discovered before the diagnosis of multiple myeloma in all previous cases [3, 4]. Our patient is a 62-year-old female who was diagnosed with IgG kappa multiple myeloma 8 years ago and was previously treated with multiple chemotherapies including thalidomide, bortezomib and VAD (vincristine–adriamycin–dexamethasone) regimen, came to hematology clinic with slowly growing, painless mass in front of her right ear from past 3 months. On examination, this swelling was firm in consistency with smooth margins, non-tender, about 2 9 2 cm in size and appeared to be originating from parotid gland. No adenopathy was noted and examination of head and neck was otherwise unremarkable. A CT scan of soft tissue of neck was performed which showed a solid mass in right parotid gland which measured 2.5 9 2.0 cm with smooth margins and normal left parotid gland. Subsequently, a right superficial parotidectomy with conservation of facial nerve was performed. Histopathologic examination revealed glandular tissue with attached fibro-connective tissue with sheets of innumerous plasma cells consistent with extramedullary plasmacytoma (Fig. 1). Immunohistochemical studies for CD138, IgG and Kappa were strongly positive and were negative for IgM, IgA and Lambda consistent with previously diagnosed IgG kappa multiple myeloma (Fig. 2). Patient’s blood tests including immunoelectrophoresis and quantitative immunoglobulins did not show any significant differences when compared to the blood tests which were conducted 7 months ago. A total body skeletal survey was performed which showed generalized osteopenia, endosteal scalloping and wedge deformities in multiple vertebrae, but there was no evidence of bony lytic lesion or any other bony progression. This patient did not undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy after parotidectomy as there was neither biochemical nor bony progression of multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma can be present as plasmacytoma at the time of diagnosis [4] or at the time of subsequent relapse during the course of disease. Disease recurrence is commonly seen in medullary sites, but extramedullary sites are increasingly becoming common. To our knowledge this is the first case described in literature where parotid gland plasmacytoma presented as clinical progression of multiple myeloma. This case also reiterates the importance of physical exam in patients with hematological malignancies.
Assessment of methodologies for colorimetric cholesterol assay of meats

The objective of this study was to assess the critical factors influencing the values for meat cholesterol determined colorimetrically. Procedure variations tested included: no saponification of total lipid extract before color development; with 15 min saponification at 80°C, with or without antioxidant protection; and with 60 min saponification at 80°C, with or without antioxidant protection. Without the saponification step, meat cholesterol values were overestimated. Samples with a large percentage of unsaturated fatty acids yielded higher cholesterol values when lipid extracts were saponified without antioxidant protection than with. Meat cholesterol values obtained by the procedure involving 15 min saponification with antioxidant protection were similar to those obtained by a commonly used gas chromatographic procedure.
Review of Oxygen Activities and Phase Boundaries in Wustite as Determined by Electromotive-Force and Gravimetric Methods

All data available in the literature regarding oxygen activities and composition limits for the wustite phase were analyzed critically. The most reliable activity data were collected into a composite in which (1) the partial molal free energy of oxygen varied linearly with composition and reciprocal temperature and (2) the partial molal enthalpy and entropy of oxygen varied linearly with composition and were independent of temperature. These linear variations of the thermodynamic properties are inconsistent with the presence of additional phases which have been reported within the wustite phase field. The composition limits of the wustite phase, which were computed from the composite, were in excellent agreement with Darken and Gurry's original phase diagram.
Deep Tendon Reflexes, Magnesium, and Calcium: Assessments and Implications

The perinatal nurse, in collaboration with physicians, can use deep tendon reflexes as a powerful tool in determining the need to start, adjust, or stop magnesium infusion. Toxicity can be detected using physical manifestations as a guide. Clinical signs may be a better indicator than serum levels of tissue levels of magnesium. Whether magnesium is given to prevent seizures or for tocolysis, patients in both situations are at risk for developing toxicity and must be assessed regularly to ensure patient safety.
Natural-Resource Wealth and the Survival of Autocracy

Does natural-resource wealth impede transitions to democracy? This article revisits this question with an event history design that differs from the approach used in other recent statistical tests of rentier state theory. The research confirms that autocracy is typically more durable in countries with substantial resource wealth, and the author finds this effect is robust to other measures proposed to explain the dearth of democracy in the Middle East or the Muslim world. Along the way, the author raises concerns about the use of all-countries and all-years samples to test theories of democratization, arguing that this design can obscure important differences in the forces driving stability and change among different types of political regimes.
Optimizing tamoxifen-inducible Cre/loxp system to reduce tamoxifen effect on bone turnover in long bones of young mice.

Abstract For tamoxifen-dependent Cre recombinase, also known as CreER recombinase, tamoxifen (TAM) is used to activate the Cre to generate time- and tissue-specific mouse mutants. TAM is a potent CreER system inducer; however, TAM is also an active selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that can influence bone homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to optimize the TAM dose for Cre recombinase activation while minimizing the effects of TAM on bone turnover in young growing mice. Methods To evaluate the effects of TAM on bone turnover and bone mass, 1-month-old wild-type male and female mice were intraperitoneally injected with TAM at 0, 1, 10 or 100 mg/kg/day for four consecutive days, or 100, 300 mg/kg/day for one day. The distal femurs were analyzed one month after the last TAM injection by microCT, mechanical test, and surface-based bone histomorphometry. Similar doses of TAM were used in Col1 (2.3 kb)-CreERT2; mT/mG reporter male mice to evaluate the dose-dependent efficacy of Cre-ER activation in bone tissue. Results A TAM dose of 100 mg/kg × 4 days significantly increased trabecular bone volume/total volume (BV/TV) of the distal femur, femur length, bone strength, and serum bone turnover markers compared to the 0 mg control group. In contrast, TAM doses ≤ 10 mg/kg did not significantly change any of these parameters compared to the 0 mg group, although a higher bone strength was observed in the 10 mg group. Surface-based histomorphometry revealed that the 100 mg/kg dose of TAM dose significantly increased trabecular bone formation and decreased periosteal bone formation at 1-week post-TAM treatment. Using the reporter mouse model Col1-CreERT2; mT/mG, we found that 10 mg/kg TAM induced Col1-CreERT2 activity in bone at a comparable level to the 100 mg/kg dose. Conclusions TAM treatment at 100 mg/kg/day × 4 days significantly affects bone homeostasis, resulting in an anabolic bone effect on trabecular bone in 1-month-old male mice. However, a lower dose of TAM at 10 mg/kg/day × 4 days can yield similar Col1-CreERT2 induction efficacy with minimum effects on bone turnover in young male mice.
Cross-modal domain adaptation for text-based regularization of image semantics in image retrieval systems

Abstract In query-by-semantic-example image retrieval, images are ranked by similarity of semantic descriptors. These descriptors are obtained by classifying each image with respect to a pre-defined vocabulary of semantic concepts. In this work, we consider the problem of improving the accuracy of semantic descriptors through cross-modal regularization, based on auxiliary text. A cross-modal regularizer, composed of three steps, is proposed. Training images and text are first mapped to a common semantic space. A regularization operator is then learned for each concept in the semantic vocabulary. This is an operator which maps the semantic descriptors of images labeled with that concept to the descriptors of the associated texts. A convex formulation of the learning problem is introduced, enabling the efficient computation of concept-specific regularization operators. The third step is the selection of the most suitable operator for the image to regularize. This is implemented through a quantization of the semantic space, where a regularization operator is associated with each quantization cell. Overall, the proposed regularizer is a non-linear mapping, implemented as a piecewise linear transformation of the semantic image descriptors to regularize. This transformation is a form of cross-modal domain adaptation. It is shown to achieve better performance than recent proposals in the domain adaptation literature, while requiring much simpler optimization.
Systemic Mastocytosis Presenting as Osteoporosis: A Clinical and Histomorphometric Study

Ten patients with systemic mastocytosis (SM) were evaluated for their metabolic bone disease (4 men and 6 women; mean ± sd,59 ± 13 yr). All patients presented with generalized osteopenia and/or atraumatic vertebral compression fractures. Three patients had long-standing urticaria pigmentosa; in these, the diagnosis of cutaneous mastocytosis had been established by skin biopsy. One of the 3 and 2 of the other 7 individuals had symptoms suggestive of SM. Although six patients had previously undergone decalcified bone marrow trephine core biopsy (DBMB), findings were consistent with SM in only 2 of them. X-Ray survey revealed generalized osteopenia in all 10 patients and vertebral compression fractures in 9. No patient had sclerotic bone lesions. Histological findings of undecalcified transiliac crest biopsy (UTBB) specimens from 9 patients (5 patients underwent both DBMB and UTBB, 4 underwent only UTBB, and 1 had only DBMB) disclosed bone marrow that contained nodules characteristic of mast cell granulomas ...
Resilience in Youth and Families Living With Pediatric Health and Developmental Conditions: Introduction to the Special Issue on Resilience

This special issue of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology showcases a growing area of research with a collection of 16 contemporary studies of resilience in youth with chronic medical or developmental conditions and their families. The research reported in this special issue covers a broad range of pediatric populations, including cancer, type 1 diabetes, and chronic pain, among others, ranging in age from early childhood through early adulthood. This introduction to the special issue reviews the various ways the articles' authors conceptualize and define risk and resilience; most analyze protective processes in relation to resilient outcomes, including both achievement of explicitly positive experiences and avoidance of dysfunction or disruption. Challenges with measurement of resilience-related constructs is reviewed. Finally, the special issue editors offer a definition of resilience in the context of pediatric and health psychology.
Philosophical Biology vs Experimental Biology: Spontaneous Generation in the Seventeenth Century

By the time John Harris published his Lexicon Technicum, or an Universal English Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1704) he was able to dispose of spontaneous (or equivocal) generation in the following manner: Equivocal Generation, is the Production of Plants without Seed, Insects or Animals without Parents, in the Natural way of Coition between Male and Female. The Learned World begins now to be satisfied, that there is nothing like this in Nature; and since the use of Microscopes, and a more particular Application to Enquiries of this kind, a prodigious Number of Plants have been discovered to have seeds; and of Animals (Insects) have been found to be produced Univocally, or in the ordinary way of Generation, which before we thought to be equivocally produced.1
Affinity Inference with Application to Recommender Systems

We propose a novel framework for affinity inference and apply it to recommender systems. Given a set of objects and affinities between some pairs of them, we infer the relative value of the unknown affinities based on the transitive property of the affinity relationship. An inference chain is defined as any possible transitive inference process between two objects. In general, there are an infinite number of distinct inference chains between two objects. Each inference chain reveals these two objects are affinitive with a certain confidence, which depends on the individual affinities of the links and the length of the chain. We quantify and aggregate all these confidences as the relative value of the unknown affinity with an efficient method. We formulate collaborative filtering recommendation as an affinity inference problem. The given ratings are transformed into affinities between abstract objects of users and item-rating pairs. The unknown ratings are predicted based on the inferred affinities. The recommendations are made according to both the predicted ratings and the prediction confidences, which are also derived from the inferred affinities. Our approach achieves good prediction accuracy and significantly alleviates the cold-start problem on the standard MovieLens dataset. Moreover, experimental results show that our approach can effectively incorporate extra information to improve the predictions and recommendations.
Markov Processes, Gaussian Processes, and Local Times: Constructing Markov processes

So far in this book, we have simply assumed that we are given a strongly symmetric Borel right process with continuous α-potential densities u α ( x, y ), α > 0 and also u ( x, y ) when the 0-potential exists. In general, constructing such processes is not trivial. However, given additional conditions on transition semigroups or potentials, we can construct special classes of Borel right processes. In this chapter we show how to construct Feller and Levy processes. (For references to the general question of establishing the existence of Borel right processes, see Section 3.11.) In Sections 4.7–4.8, we show how to construct certain strongly symmetric right continuous processes with continuous α-potential densities that generalize the notion of Borel right processes and are used in Chapter 13. In Sections 4.4–4.5 we present certain material, on quasi left continuity and killing at a terminal time, which is of interest in its own right and is needed for Sections 4.7–4.10. In Section 4.6 we tie up a loose end by showing that if a strongly symmetric Borel right process has a jointly continuous local time, then the potential densities { u α ( x, y ), ( x, y ) ∈ S × S } are continuous. In Section 4.10 we present an extension theorem of general interest which is needed for Chapter 13. Feller processes A Feller process is a Borel right process with transition semigroup { P t ; t ≥ 0} such that, for each t ≥ 0, P t : C 0 ( S ) ↦ C 0 ( S ). Such a semigroup is called a Feller semigroup. We consider C 0 ( S ) as a Banach space in the uniform or sup norm, that is, ∥ f ∥ = sup x ∈ S | f ( x )|.
SCIMITAR SYNDROME: A RARE CAUSE OF PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IN A NEONATE

Pulmonary hypertension in the neonate typically does not reflect underlying congenital heart disease (CHD). However, normal cardiac anatomy must be confirmed to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment. A full term newborn male transferred to our facility for further management of increasing
Political Culture and the Quality of Urban Life

Much of the comparative research on state and local politics and public policy has focused on the relative importance of socioeconomic and political structural variables.' Yet the results remain contradictory and inconclusive, in part, because different measures and methodologies produce different results.2 These studies also examine different policy areas at different times. But it is quite possible that variables found to be important in one policy field or time period may be more or less important in others. Moreover, the research abstracts only a narrow range of possible variables from the universe of political life and in the absence of competing variables or a theoretical justification for their exclusion, it is difficult to asses the ultimate merits of one or the other approach. At present, neither socioeconomic nor political structural variables-nor both-account for as much of the variation in public
Diverting Delia antiqua (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) Oviposition with Cull Onions: Field Studies on Planting Depth and a Greenhouse Test of the Stimulo-Deterrent Concept

Microplots (2.5 m long) of sprouting onion bulbs planted 5 cm deep received an average of 2,300 Delia antiqua (Meigen) eggs during 3 wk in a field trial. Plots with bulbs resting on the soil surface, planted with their neck at the soil surface, or at 12-cm depth, received 280, 1,530, and 980 eggs, respectively. In the laboratory, damage to sprouting bulbs caused by slicing, maggot infestation, or both did not enhance or diminish D. antiqua oviposition compared with intact bulbs. Egg laying was equivalent for all treatments as long as green, moist foliage was present. The simultaneous use of an ovipositional deterrent (cinnamaldehyde) and diversionary cull onions to protect seedling onions from D. antiqua was tested using a factorial experiment in the greenhouse. The interaction between deterrent and culls was consistent with a multiplicative model where the probability of an onion maggot fly accepting seedlings was reduced independently by the presence of deterrent or culls. Collectively, these experiments suggest that insect control by stimulo-deterrent diversion is a valid concept, albeit not yet practical for D. antiqua .
Levels and Genetics of Organophosphate Resistance in Italian and Oregon Biotypes of Amblyseius andersoni (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Strains of the predaceous phytoseiid mite Amblyseius andersoni Chant from Verona, Italy, and the Willamette Valley, Oreg., were compared for their susceptibility to several insecticides used on western Oregon fruit crops. The Italian race showed 80-100-fold higher resistance to azinphosmethyl, diazinon, malathion, phosalone, and carbaryl. Endosulfan was slightly toxic to both races at field rates, whereas fenvalerate was highly toxic. Genetic analysis by bioassay of reciprocal F1 hybrids revealed that azinphosmethyl resistance is a semidominant polygenic trait. Differences between reciprocal F1 crosses demonstrated maternal influences which increased variation in response to azinphosmethyl in progeny of females from Oregon. Prospects for establishing the Italian race in western Oregon and stability in managing resistance are discussed.