cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence of a structural effect for alcohol outlet density: a multilevel analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ecological studies reveal that alcohol-related outcomes tend to occur in high alcohol outlet density neighborhoods. The ecological design of these studies limits the interpretation of the findings in terms of the level of the effect. The effect of alcohol outlet density could be related to greater individual access to alcohol, an individual level effect, or to the grouping of drinkers by neighborhood, a structural effect at the neighborhood level. METHODS: To differentiate between individual and neighborhood level possibilities, we conducted a multilevel study. Individual distance to the closest alcohol outlet was the individual level measure of the effect of alcohol outlet density, whereas the mean distance to the closest alcohol outlet for all individuals within a census tract was the neighborhood level measure for the effect of alcohol outlet density. We analyzed telephone surveys of 2604 telephone households within 24 census tracts stratified by poverty status and alcohol outlet density. Individual distance to alcohol outlets, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and level of education were entered as individual level covariates, and their corresponding aggregated means were entered as census tract level covariates (i.e., mean distance to outlets, mean age, percentage male, percentage Black, mean education). RESULTS: Analysis of variance revealed that 16.2% of the variance in drinking norms and 11.5% of the variance in alcohol consumption were accounted for at the census tract level. In multivariate hierarchical analysis, individual distance to the closest alcohol outlet was unrelated with drinking norms and alcohol consumption, whereas mean distance to the closest alcohol outlet demonstrated a negative relation with drinking norms (betae = -5.50+/-2.37) and with alcohol consumption (betae = -0.477+/-0.195); that is, the higher the mean distance to the closest alcohol outlet, the lower the mean drinking norms score and mean level of alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the effect of alcohol outlet density on alcohol-related outcomes functions through an effect at the neighborhood level rather than at the individual level. Problem drinkers tend to be grouped in neighborhoods, an effect predicted by alcohol outlet density. Language: en
On the stability of heterogeneous shear flows

Small perturbations of a parallel shear flow U(y) in an inviscid, incompressible fluid of variable density ρ0(y) are considered. It is deduced that dynamic instability of statically stable flows ( is the wave speed.
Effect of Temperature on Infection of the Cyst Nematode Heterodera schachtii by the Nematophagous Fungus Hirsutella rhossiliensis

Abstract Juveniles of Heterodera schachtii with one to three adherent conidia of Hirsutella rhossiliensis were incubated in 4.5 mM KCI at l0 to 35°C. The percentage of conidia that infected (i.e., penetrated the host's cuticle and formed infection bulbs) was 91, 93, 98, 98, 83, and 45 at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C, respectively. The time required for 50% of the conidia to infect was 57.5, 29.1, 14.7, 11.8, 12.4, and 32.4 hr at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. and 35°C, respectively. This slow infection rate relative to many other parasites of nematodes may enhance dispersal of the fungus by nematode hosts but allow some H. schachtii juveniles with adherent conidia to penetrate plant roots.
Establishment of a dynamic model for the p-Ge far IR laser

Using new experimental data from modeling the p-Ge laser pulse plus literature data, basic laser parameters are obtained so that one can solve the laser equations of Pantell and Puthoff to obtain formulas for calculating all laser quantities of interest. Values, calculated using the formulas, such as gain, saturation intensity, pump population differences, power generated, output coupling, efficiency, etc. are in excellent agreement with available experimental data. This work contributes to problems in determining laser line transitions, the laser cycle, and the optimization of the laser performance.
Candidacy for active surveillance may be associated with improved functional outcomes after prostatectomy.

Abstract Objective In an effort to curb overtreatment, active surveillance (AS) has grown in popularity as an option for men with low-risk prostate cancer. We evaluated the histopathologic and functional outcomes of patients who qualified for AS, but opted for robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP), and compared them to non-AS candidates. Methods An institutional database of 1,477 RALP performed by a single surgeon was queried for AS candidates, defined as PSA Results Of the 352 patients who would have qualified for AS, 159 (45%) were upgraded: 143 (41%) to Gl 3 + 4, 16 (4.5%) to 4 + 3, zero to Gleason 8 or higher. Seventeen (4.8%) patients were upstaged to pT3. AS candidates were younger and had more favorable tumor characteristics, but similar preoperative functional status. Bilateral nerve sparing was performed on 96% of AS candidates vs. 86% of non-AS candidates ( P P P = 0.89). On multivariable analysis, candidacy for AS was independently associated with improved continence, but not potency. Conclusions In addition to having the expected favorable histopathologic features, AS candidates who desire definitive therapy have a high likelihood of achieving excellent functional outcomes, perhaps superior to non-AS candidates, following RALP.
Improved wavelet denoising via empirical Wiener filtering

Wavelet shrinkage is a signal estimation technique that exploits the remarkable abilities of the wavelet transform for signal compression. Wavelet shrinkage using thresholding is asymptotically optimal in a minimax mean-square error (MSE) sense over a variety of smoothness spaces. However, for any given signal, the MSE-optimal processing is achieved by the Wiener filter, which delivers substantially improved performance. In this paper, we develop a new algorithm for wavelet denoising that uses a wavelet shrinkage estimate as a means to design a wavelet-domain Wiener filter. The shrinkage estimate indirectly yields an estimate of the signal subspace that is leveraged into the design of the filter. A peculiar aspect of the algorithm is its use of two wavelet bases: one for the design of the empirical Wiener filter and one for its application. Simulation results show up to a factor of 2 improvement in MSE over wavelet shrinkage, with a corresponding improvement in visual quality of the estimate. Simulations also yield a remarkable observation: whereas shrinkage estimates typically improve performance by trading bias for variance or vice versa, the proposed scheme typically decreases both bias and variance compared to wavelet shrinkage.
Upper torso cyanosis: A marker for blunt cardiac rupture

Cardiac rupture is a frequent cause of death following blunt trauma. Most of these patients die at the scene with only a few surviving to make it to the hospital. With improvements in prehospital care and rapid regional transport, more of these patients may arrive at the hospital with signs of life. Classically, these patients arrive with the constellation of symptoms that characterize cardiac tamponade (hypotension, distended neck veins, and distant heart sounds). The differential appearance of upper body cyanosis frequently accompanies these injuries. Prompt recognition and expeditious surgical treatment may increase the number of survivors of this catastrophic injury. Presented here is an illustrative case report and review of the literature.
Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: a 6-year experience with 714 patients.

Background. This study analyzes a single institutional experience with minimally invasive mitral valve operations of 6 years, reviewing short-term morbidity and mortality and long-term echocardiographic follow-up data. Methods. Seven hundred fourteen consecutive patients had minimally invasive mitral valve procedures between November 1995 and November 2001; concomitant procedures included 91 multiple valves and 18 coronary artery bypass grafts. Of these 714 patients, 561 patients had isolated mitral valve operations (375 repairs, 186 replacements). Mean age was 58.3 years (range, 14 to 96 years; 30.1% > 70 years), and 15.4% of patients had previous cardiac operations. Arterial cannulation was femoral in 79.0% and central in 21%, with the port access balloon endo-occlusion used in 82.3%. Cardioplegia was transjugular retrograde (54.1%) or antegrade (29.4%). Right anterior minithoracotomy was used in 96.6% and left posterior minithoracotomy in 2.2%. Results. Hospital mortality for primary isolated mitral valve repair was 1.1% and 5.8% for isolated mitral valve replacement. Overall hospital mortality was 4.2% (30 of 714). Mean cross-clamp time was 92 minutes and mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 127 minutes. Postoperatively, median ventilation time was 11 hours, intensive care unit time was 19 hours, and total hospital stay was 6 days. Complications for all patients included permanent neurologic deficit (2.9%), aortic dissection (0.3%); there was no mediastinal infection (0.0%). Follow-up echocardiography demonstrated 89.1% of the repair patients had only trace or no residual mitral insufficiency. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that the minimally invasive port access approach to mitral valve operations is reproducible with low perioperative morbidity and mortality and with late outcomes that are equivalent to conventional operations.
Phonological considerations in children's early imitative and spontaneous speech

The relationship between the phonological characteristics of young children's unsolicited imitative and spontaneous speech was examined as a function of (1) the level of the children's linguistics development, and (2) the children's knowledge of the words imitated. A greater number of phonological discrepancies were seen in children with lexicons of fewer than 40 words than in children with larger lexical repertories. Such discrepancies were also more likely when the children displayed little comprehension of the words they were imitating. This tendency was particularly strong in the children with limited lexicons. The results are discussed in terms of a developmental shift in the bases of children's phonological organization.
Iterative Methods for Image Deblurring: A Matlab Object-Oriented Approach

In iterative image restoration methods, implementation of efficient matrix vector multiplication, and linear system solves for preconditioners, can be a tedious and time consuming process. Different blurring functions and boundary conditions often require implementing different data structures and algorithms. A complex set of computational methods is needed, each likely having different input parameters and calling sequences. This paper describes a set of Matlab tools that hide these complicated implementation details. Combining the powerful scientific computing and graphics capabilities in Matlab, with the ability to do object-oriented programming and operator overloading, results in a set of classes that is easy to use, and easily extensible.
Frequency of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis as a cause of advanced liver disease

Although nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has generally been considered a benign condition, the increasing prevalence and severity of obesity has heightened concerns about the frequency with which NASH progresses to end-stage liver disease. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency, clinical features, and posttransplantation history of decompensated liver disease secondary to NASH. The frequency of NASH as a cause of end-stage liver disease was prospectively determined in patients evaluated for liver transplantation. NASH was considered to be the primary cause of liver disease in patients who had histological evidence of steatohepatitis and in whom chronic liver diseases other than NASH were excluded. Posttransplantation histological characteristics were also determined in patients with NASH and compared with those of patients with pretransplantation diagnoses of cholestatic liver diseases, alcoholic disease, and hepatitis C. Of 1,207 patients evaluated for liver transplantation during the study period, 31 patients (2.6%) had NASH as the primary cause of liver disease. In the same period, 546 liver transplantations were performed, 16 of which (2.9%) were for end-stage disease secondary to NASH. Posttransplantation steatosis was seen in 60% of transplant recipients with NASH versus 5% of those with cholestatic disease, 15% of those with alcoholic disease, and 15% of those with hepatitis C. Steatohepatitis recurred in 33% of transplant recipients with NASH, with progression to cirrhosis in 12.5%. NASH can progress to end-stage liver disease in a minority of affected patients and was the primary cause of liver disease in 2.9% of patients evaluated for liver transplantation at our center. Recurrence of steatosis and NASH is frequent and can be severe after liver transplantation.
Knowledge Reachback for WMD Events

This paper describes a conceptual model and set of tools for understanding and supporting knowledge reachback during weapons of mass destruction (WMD) events. The model and tool set are products of a case study and design research carried out with the defense threat reduction agency (DTRA), the United States government organization with primary responsibility for reduction of the global threat from WMDs. The conceptual model provides a useful abstraction for those working to support reachback in situations related to WMDs, emergency response, crisis management, and other complex domains. Development of the conceptual model is grounded in an analysis of WMD scenarios and the intense knowledge communication demands that arise from coordination of inter-organizational responses to these events. The conceptual model and scenario analysis suggest a number of approaches to supporting reachback with advanced information systems and technologies.
A probe to monitor performance of 15N longitudinal relaxation experiments for proteins in solution

The magnitude of the 15N longitudinal relaxation rate typically decreases as magnetic field strength increases in globular proteins in solution. Thus, it is important to test the performance of 15N longitudinal relaxation experiments at high field strength. Herein, a tool to investigate systematic errors in 15N longitudinal relaxation rate, R1, is introduced. The tool, a difference in R1 values between the two components of the 1H-coupled 15N magnetizations, R1(1)–R1(2), conveniently detects inefficiencies in cancellation of cross correlation between 1H–15N dipolar coupling and 15N chemical shift anisotropy. Experiments, in varying conditions, and simulations of a two-spin system indicate that insufficient cancellation of the cross correlation is due to (1) 1H pulse imperfection and (2) 1H off-resonance effect, and (3) is further amplified by residual 15N transverse magnetization that is caused by the 15N off-resonance effect. Results also show that this problem can be easily and practically remedied by discarding the initial decay points when recording 15N longitudinal relaxation in proteins.
Plant community variation across a puna landscape in the Chilean Andes

Describimos los patrones de abundancia de las especies vegetales y las formas de vida en la vegetacion de puna en el Parque Nacional Lauca, Chile. A una altitud que excede los 4.300 m de altitud, el habitat extremo de nuestro sitio de estudio presenta relativamente pocas especies. Dichas especies, sin embargo, representan un arreglo diverso de formas de vida organizadas con respecto a distintos gradientes ambientales. Tanto la riqueza de especies como el habito de crecimiento aumentaron en los suelos mas rocosos y en las pendientes expuestas al norte y al este, cuya vegetacion es mas xerofila. Dichos sitios presentaron la mayor abundancia en formas de cojines. Los sitios menos rocosos con un suelo mas desarrollado presentaron una mayor abundancia de pastos y arbustos. Distintos microhabitats fueron ocupados por especies congenericas que con frecuencia divergieron en su habito de crecimiento. Los patrones observados sugieren que el agua y el estres termico son fuerzas criticas que moldean la forma funcional de las especies vegetales asi como la organizacion de las comunidades de plantas en la puna altoandina
Contact barriers on cleaved germanium surfaces

Abstract Experiments are described in which the V-I characteristics of contacts between a mercury jet and surfaces of germanium, cleaved under dielectric liquids, are measured in darkness and under illumination. The results are analyzed using a previously developed model for injecting contacts. It has proved possible to verify the self-consistency of this model and to evaluate contact barrier heights in ordered and disordered surface regions.
MRI of an angiomyolipoma

Abstract Angiomyolipomas are uncommon, benign tumors of the kidney with certain characteristic diagnostic features. We report a case of this condition in which MRI helped to characterize the lesion.
Beta-alanine and tanning polymorphisms.

Abstract 1. 1. Beta-alanine is found in mycelial walls of mature tan, but not immature white, stage of Morchella esculenta, nor in any stage of a permanently white mutant. 2. 2. Beta-alanine is also found in hydrolysed water-extracts of human hair, the concentration being higher in blond than in dark brown, and in pigmented than in unpigmented hair. 3. 3. Beta-alanine, added to tyrosinase-oxidized tyrosine, dopa, or dopamine has only a slight yellowing influence on the final black pigment; but when the amino group of tyrosine is combined with leucine, added beta-alanine produces stable tan pigments. 4. 4. With l -alanine substituted for beta-alanine in this reaction, green pigment results. 5. 5. Gelatin filters stained with the tan pigment allow solar heating of underlying water more quickly than do those stained with the black pigment. Unstained filters allow such heating even more quickly. 6. 6. Beta-alanine enhances production of tan pigment when heated with the phospholipid, lecithin. Implications for pigmentary adaptation, and formation of lipofuscin-like age pigments are discussed.
Bone Marrow Purging for Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation

High dose therapy with the resulting myeloablation rescued by infusion of autologous bone marrow (ABMT) has become a major treatment option for an increasing number of patients with hematologic and solid tumors. ABMT has several potential advantages over allogeneic transplantation. However, the major obstacle to the use of ABMT is that the infusion of occult tumor cells harbored within the harvested marrow would result in more rapid relapse of disease. To minimize the effects of the infusion of significant numbers of malignant cells, marrow for ABMT is obtained when the patient is either in complete remission or when there is no histologic evidence of bone marrow infiltration of disease. There is increasing evidence that minimal numbers of malignant cells can be detected within the remission marrow of these patients, particularly when assessed by sensitive clonogenic assays or polymerase chain reaction amplification. A variety of methods, pharmacologic and immunologic have been developed to “purge” malign...
LOCALIZATION OF OBJECTS IN VISUAL SPACE WITH ABNORMAL SACCADIC EYE MOVEMENTS

LOCALIZATION OF OBJECTS IN VISUAL SPACE WITH ABNORMAL SACCADIC EYE MOVEMENTS BY ARNOLD STARR Division of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine and Neurology Service, Veterans Administration Hospital, Palo Alto, California. INTRODUCTION IT is not clear how one has knowledge of the eyes' position. Brindley and Merton (1960) have shown that afferents from proprioceptive organs in the extraocular muscles cannot provide this information. These authors covered the corneas of subjects with opaque covers, anaesthetized the sclera, and moved the eyes about with forceps. Their subjects were unable to tell whether or not the eyes moved under these circumstances. The possibility that efferents to the extraocular muscles contribute knowl- edge of the eyes' position has also been considered, von Heknholtz (1925) noted that patients with an acute paralysis of the lateral rectus muscle of the eye had illusions that the environment moved on attempting to contract the affected muscle. He suggested that the patient's efforts at moving the eye provided information as to where the eye was supposed to go and the illusion of apparent motion resulted from a non-correspondence between the expectation of the move and the result. Graefe (1878) also examin- ed the role of efferents in individuals with a recent weakness of one of the extraocular muscles. These subjects judged objects, in the field of paretic gaze, to be located beyond their actual position. Graefe reasoned that if spatial information were derived from efferents to the extraocular muscles the disorder of localization would be consistent with the extra effort these individuals exerted to move their affected eye. Festinger and Canon (1965) have recently tested the contribution of efferents to spatial localization using tasks that distinguished efferent in- formation arising from two types of eye movements: saccades and smooth following movements. These two types of eye movements have essentially different functions. Rashbass (1961) has shown that saccades are a response to an object's position whereas smooth following movements are a response to an object's velocity. Saccades are rapid ballistic moves (up to 600°/sec.) (Robinson, 1964) that enable the fovea to be brought promptly onto a previously eccentric point in the visual field and smooth following movements are of slow velocity (up to 45°/sec.) (Robinson, 1965) and enable the fovea to be continuously maintained on an object moving across the BRAIN—VOL. XC
Chaotic gray-level image transformation

We deal with the applications of a class of nonlinear dynamic systems to image transformation and encoding whereby the nonlinear system presents a chaotic or hyperchaotic attractor. Several ways are possible to encode or transform the image using chaos. We develop algorithms for image encoding based on the permutation of the pixel value, position, or both. This approach enables the fast decorrelation of relations among pixels in the initial image in a random-like fashion. We illustrate the use of 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D maps for this purpose. We also use chaotic dynamical systems with a single or two outputs. A discussion of the sensitivity of the algorithms to the keys is followed by the illustration of the algorithms using example images.
Recovery of myocardial function following brief versus prolonged atrial pacing stress in the presence of coronary artery stenosis

The ability of myocardium distal to a severe coronary artery stenosis to recover from brief (5 min) versus prolonged (30 min) atrial pacing stress was compared in this study. Eight closed chest pigs were prepared with a coronary artery stenosis (82% lumenal diameter reduction) in the left anterior descending artery and ultrasonic length sensors in left anterior descending endocardium. Extent of recovery of systolic function 5 min following a brief (5 min) period of ischaemia induced by rapid (175 to 190 min−1) atrial pacing (AP-1) was compared with that following a prolonged (30 min) period of ischaemia induced by rapid atrial pacing (AP-2). Regional myocardial blood flow (ml·min−1·g−1) was measured at control, during, and following atrial pacing. Regional shortening (%) distal to the stenosis declined versus control at both 5 min of AP-1 (10.0±7.3 (mean±lSD) to 0.6±0.9, p<0.01) and 30 min of AP-2 (6.8±3.3 to 2.1, ±3.5, p<0.01). However, within 5 min of discontinuing both brief as well as prolonged pacing, regional segmental shortening (5.7±3.9 and 7.0±6.9, respectively) returned to 50 to 70% of initial control levels (10.0±7.3). Regional shortening was similar 5 min following brief and prolonged stress. Distal left anterior descending zone epicardial regional myocardial blood flow increased (p<0.01) versus control at AP-1 (1.05±0.24 to 1.39±0.24) and 30 min of AP-2 (0.99±0.21 to 1.40±0.23). Regional myocardial blood flow in endocardium distal to the stenosis decreased (p<0.01) versus control at AP-1 (1.01±0.33 to 0.77±0.28) but not significantly at 30 min of AP-2 (0.95±0.25 to 0.87±0.40, p=NS). Thus recovery of regional systolic function although incomplete was similar 5 min following discontinuation of both brief as well as prolonged atrial pacing stress.
Inflection points in sepsis biology: from local defense to systemic organ injury

Sepsis and septic shock lead to considerable morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. Despite advances in understanding the innate immune events that lead to septic shock, molecular therapies based on these advances have failed to improve sepsis mortality. The clinical failure of laboratory-derived therapies may be, in part, due to the pleiotropic consequences of the acute inflammatory response, which is the focus of this review. A brisk response to infecting organism is essential for pathogen containment and eradication. However, systemic spread of inflammation beyond a single focus leads to organ injury and higher mortality. The primary goal of this article is to discuss recent animal- and human-based scientific advances in understanding the host response to infection and to highlight how these defense mechanisms can be locally beneficial but systemically detrimental. There are other factors that determine the severity of sepsis that are beyond the scope of this review, including the virulence of the pathogen and regulation by Toll-like receptors. Specifically, this review focuses on how the effector mechanisms of platelets, mast cells, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and the endothelium participate in combating local infections yet can induce organ injury during systemic infection.
Weakly Elliptic Systems with Obstacle Constraints Part I — A 2 × 2 Model Problem

This note is intended to be the first in a series of papers treating linear elliptic systems of partial differential operators subject to obstacle type constraints. There is a large literature concerning solutions to linear and nonlinear elliptic systems of partial differential equations, but there seems to be much less work devoted exclusively to the understanding of solutions to such systems when they are subject to constraints. These constrained systems often take the form of a system of variational inequalities. Such problems have been treated, for example in [F1] and [HW] at least for strongly elliptic, i.e. Legendre-Hadamard elliptic, systems of variational inequalities. In this note we want to begin a study of a broader class of such systems, what we shall refer to as weakly elliptic systems — elliptic in the standard sense that the characteristic form of the principal part has no real zeros. One very important feature of this larger class is that the solution vector(s) can not in general, have the same degree of regularity in each component direction, as is generally the case for strongly elliptic systems. And as is generally well understood, solutions to variational inequalities only inherit a very limited amount of regularity from the data. For weakly elliptic linear systems, this inherited regularity is intimately tied up with certain algebraic structure considerations, considerations that do not appear when the obstacle constraints are removed.
Which FGF ligands are involved in lens induction

The optic cup ablation experiments of Hans Spemann (Spemann, 1901) introduced the concept of embryonic induction and established that presumptive retina provided signals required for lens development. Since then, lens induction has been a favored subject for developmental biologists wishing to understand the molecular mechanisms of inductive signaling. Much has been learned about the genetic regulation of lens induction and Fig. 1 summarizes some of the advances. The transcription factor Pax6 is centrally involved. It is both necessary (Ashery-Padan et al., 2000; Collinson et al., 2000) and sufficient (Altmann et al., 1997; Chow et al., 1999) for lens development and is induced by the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)(Faber et al., 2001; Gotoh et al., 2004) and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) (Wawersik et al., 1999) signaling pathways that are required for early lens formation. Meis and Six family transcription factors have also been implicated in lens induction through their action at the Ectoderm Enhancer of the Pax6 gene (Zhang et al., 2002; Liu et al., 2006). The Sry family transcription factor Sox2 is involved in lens development (Kamachi et al., 2001; Kondoh et al., 2004) and has an essential, parallel function to Pax6 at pre-placodal stages (Smith et al., 2009). Sox2 is up-regulated by BMP4, the first signaling ligand to be implicated in lens induction (Furuta and Hogan, 1998). In a recent analysis, the Grainger group has provided evidence that the broadly expressed transcription factor Otx2 cooperates with the locally expressed Notch pathway transcriptional regulator suppressor of hairless (Su(H)) to up-regulate expression of FoxE3 and define lens placode ectoderm (Ogino et al., 2008). Since Su(H) is dependent on the Notch pathway ligand Delta2 that is expressed in the optic vesicle, this is an example of the type of lens induction signaling that would be anticipated from classical studies.
Balanced and polarized homographs in verbal discrimination learning

Balanced and polarized homographs were used to define high and low encoding variability right and wrong terms in verbal discrimination learning. The nature of the homograph made little difference for the right terms, but balanced homographs were better than polarized homographs as wrong terms, especially when the right terms were polarized homographs. This is what would be expected if the wrong-term experiences were distributed across alternative encodings with balanced homographs, accentuating the relative difference between the frequency of experiences for right and wrong terms. The type of homograph had no significant effect on recall.
Involvement of a nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway in control of human uterine contractility during pregnancy.

Abstract OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to investigate whether a nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate relaxation pathway is present in the human uterus and whether it differentially inhibits contractility during pregnancy and labor. STUDY DESIGN: Myometrial strips were obtained from pregnant women who were either in labor or not in labor and from nonpregnant women. Nitrites and cyclic guanosine monophosphate production by the tissues and contractile responses to nitric oxide modifiers were measured. RESULTS: Biochemical assays revealed that nitric oxide (nitrites) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate are generated by the human uterus. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate production by the uterus was increased by l-arginine (the substrate for nitric oxide) and diethylamine/nitric oxide (a nitric oxide donor) and decreased by nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase). Spontaneous contractility in vitro was increased by nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and decreased by diethylamine/nitric oxide, which furthermore produced a dose-dependent inhibition of contractility, and the median effective dose of inhibition in tissues from nonlaboring pregnant patients (1.5 ± 0.4 μmol/L) is substantially lower than in tissues from laboring pregnant (21.7 ± 7.4 μmol/L or nonpregnant (20.8 ± 4.4 μmol/L) women. These studies show that the nitric oxide-cyclic quanosine monophosphate system exists in the human uterus and that it inhibits contractility. Furthermore, the relaxation responsiveness to nitric oxide is elevated during pregnancy and decreased during labor. CONCLUSION: A nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate relaxation pathway is present in the human uterus and may be responsible for maintaining uterine quiescence during pregnancy. A decrease in uterine relaxation responsiveness to nitric oxide at term may play a role in the initiation of labor.
Expression of the (V+C)- fibronectin isoform is tightly linked to the presence of a cartilaginous matrix.

Fibronectin is encoded by a single gene, but heterogeneity is introduced by alternative splicing of the pre-mRNA. An unique splice variant, designated (V+C)−, which deletes nucleotides encoding the V, III-15 and I-10 segments, has been identified in articular cartilage. In this study, a ribonuclease protection assay was used to quantitate expression of the (V+C)− isoform in eight canine cartilaginous tissues and in chondrocytes cultured as monolayers or in alginate beads. The (V+C)− fibronectin isoform was detected in all cartilaginous tissues examined, ranging from a low of 11% of steady-state fibronectin mRNA in the nucleus pulposus to 71% in the rib. An age dependent increase, from 18% in the epiphyseal cartilage of a newborn to 54% in the articular cartilage of dogs over 10 months of age, was observed. The ubiquitous presence of this isoform in cartilaginous tissues and its absence in all non-cartilaginous tissues examined to date is consistent with a very strong association of the (V+C)− fibronectin isoform with the cartilaginous phenotype. Results from a ribonuclease protection assay using a probe extending into the V region from III-14 were combined with the quantitative information about (V+C)− fibronectin expression to develop an over-all profile of splicing within the V region in cartilage. Monolayer culture of articular chondrocytes altered fibronectin splicing patterns. The (V+C)− isoform was rapidly lost and ED-A(+) fibronectin was induced. Three-dimensional culture in alginate beads prevented induction of ED-A(+) fibronection, but failed to sustain expression of the (V+C)− isoform. Thus, some matrix component or structure, lost in cell culture, may be essential to maintain expression of the (V+C)− isoform. The possible relationship of changing patterns of fibronectin isoforms in cultured chondrocytes to maintenance of the differentiated phenotype is discussed.
The impact of uptake, translocation and metabolism on the differential selectivity between blackgrass and wheat for the herbicide pyroxsulam

BACKGROUND: Wheat shows selectivity to pyroxsulam, a new broad-spectrum herbicide with high activity on blackgrass. Studies were performed to establish whether uptake, translocation or metabolism were responsible for the differential activity in wheat compared with blackgrass. In addition, the effect of the safener cloquintocet-mexyl on metabolism was evaluated in wheat and blackgrass shoots. RESULTS: Root uptake of pyroxsulam in blackgrass was significantly higher than in wheat, suggesting a possible activity enhancement in blackgrass owing to root uptake. Translocation to foliage from root uptake as well as translocation out of treated foliage following foliar applications was low in wheat compared with blackgrass, likely owing to the rapid metabolism of pyroxsulam in wheat. Wheat metabolized pyroxsulam significantly faster than blackgrass to the less active O-dealkylation product. Wheat shoots metabolized pyroxsulam faster when the safener cloquintocet-mexyl was present, but cloquintocet-mexyl did not increase the rate of metabolism in blackgrass. CONCLUSIONS: The selectivity of pyroxsulam to wheat relative to blackgrass was connected primarily with differences in the rate of metabolism and generation of an inactive metabolite. Metabolism in wheat restricted subsequent movement of radioactivity out of the treated leaf. The rapid metabolism in wheat was increased by the addition of cloquintocet-mexyl. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Fluidization and sedimentation of spherical particles

Data are presented in support of an expression describing the relation between the sedimenting velocity or the fluidizing velocity and the fraction voids. This expression which contains no empirical constants may be obtained by considering a particle in a fluid having the average properties of the suspension. Stokes's law is used to calculate the force on the particle, and an equation derived by Vand is used to describe the viscosity of the suspension. The equation based on this model is valid for particle Reynolds numbers less than 0.07. The model may be used as an approximation of bed behavior at higher Reynolds numbers by application of a correction to Stokes's law.
Ground State Properties of a Fully Frustrated Quantum Spin System

We find that ground states of the quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the geometrically frustrated pyrochlore checkerboard lattice are singlets and can be expressed in terms of positive matrices. The magnetization at zero external field vanishes for each frustrated tetrahedral unit separately, and there is an upper bound of 1/8 in natural units on the susceptibility both for the ground state and at finite temperature. These results are the first exact ones in this field and generalize to some other lattices. The approach is also of interest for other spin systems.
Stress Distributions in Ceramic Composites Containing Faceted Inclusions

Using a Fourier transform approach, the micromechanical stress distributions in and around inclusions in ceramic composites were calculated and were found to be in excellent agreement with the Eshelby approach when applied to an ellipsoidal geometry. Both inhomogeneous modulus and crystalline anisotropy were incorporated into the technique. The calculations were then extended to a more realistic inclusion shape, namely, the octahedron, and the effects of faceted geometries and stress concentration sites were delineated.
The Crisis of Democracy. Report on the Governability of democracies to the Trilateral Commission

Durante casi un cuarto de siglo, los paises de la Trilateral han compartido un interes tripartito en la seguridad militar, el desarrollo economico y la democracia politica. Han coordinado sus esfuerzos para procurarse una defensa comun. Han colaborado en tareas de reconstruccion economica, de desarrollo industrial y de promocion del comercio, de inversion y bienestar en un marco comun de instituciones economicas internacionales. Han llevado las comodidades -y las ansiasde la clase media a una creciente mayoria de sus pueblos. De algun modo, tambien han desarrollado y consolidado paralelamente, cada uno a su manera, sus propias formas particulares de politica democratica, incluyendo el sufragio universal, las elecciones periodicas, la competencia entre partidos y la libertad de expresion y de reunion. Tras veinticinco anos, no es de extranar que los supuestos anteriores y las politicas relativas a la seguridad militar necesiten ser revisados y modificados a la luz de las nuevas circunstancias. Tampoco debe sorprendernos que las politicas e instituciones del sistema economico de la posguerra, basadas en la preeminencia del dolar, requieran de una reforma drastica. Los gobiernos, despues de todo, han existido tradicionalmente para tratar los problemas economicos y de seguridad y, de forma individual y colectiva, para adaptar sus politicas en estas areas a entornos cambiantes.
Narrow angle lens antenna for THz applications

Dielectric covered antennas have been extensible used in microwaves. They are usually designed with dielectric quarter wavelength super-layers or with frequency selective surfaces. The main drawback of these antennas is that their BWis inversely proportional to the directivity. The new geometry proposed here makes use of a silicon lens instead of dielectric super-layer. In this case, the directivity is associated to the lens diameter instead of the leaky poles; therefore the BW will not depend anymore on the directivity but just on the initial cavity.
Corneal melts associated with topically applied nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Purpose: Topically applied nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used to prevent miosis during cataract surgery, to treat ocular allergies, to prevent excessive postoperative inflammation following cataract surgery, and to treat cystoid macular edema following cataract surgery. They have also been used to control pain and photophobia following radial keratotomy and excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. During August of 1999, severe complications following topical NSAID use, including corneal melting, were reported by members of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) responding to a survey distributed in letters from ASCRS to its members. The purpose of this report is to review 11 cases of corneal melting in patients treated with topical NSAIDs, with special attention to the observed toxicity and its relationship to dose and duration of treatment, coexistent disease and therapies, and the indication for treatment. The goal of this study is to identify factors useful in minimizing the occurrence of corneal toxicity. Methods: The medical records and/or histories of 11 patients with corneal melting associated with the use of topical NSAIDs are reviewed, with special attention to the indication for treatment, the dose and duration of treatment, and coexistent diseases and medical treatments. In addition, the relationship between NSAID treatment and surgery and between NSAID treatment and onset and extent of corneal toxicity are described. Results: Each of the 11 patients appeared to suffer severe corneal toxicity following the topical use of 0.5% diclofenac ophthalmic solution. Generic diclofenac (Falcon) (Alcon Laboratories, Inc, Fort Worth, Texas) was associated with 7 and Voltaren (Ciba Vision, Atlanta, Georgia) with 4 of these cases. Duration of treatment prior to corneal melting varied from 6 days to 17 months. Associated ocular and systemic diseases and their respective treatments complicate the analysis of these cases. In addition, the indication for treatment with topical NSAIDs was frequently unclear. Conclusions: The inconsistent and variable dose-toxicity relationships suggest that coexistent factors other than a simple drug toxicity are implicated, if not causative, in NSAID-associated corneal melting. These cases demonstrate the importance of making a clinical diagnosis before treatment and of following the clinical course of patients carefully during treatment.
Inequality and school funding in the rural United States, 1890

Abstract This paper examines the relationship of inequality to school funding in counties of the U.S. in 1890. Inequality, measured here on the basis of farm-size distributions, is found to be negatively related to local school property tax revenues across the whole sample of 1345 rural counties. However, further analysis shows that this relationship is not consistent across the sample. In the North, there is a significant negative relationship between inequality and school funding, and this relationship is shown to be consistent with the fact that assessed values of property did not rise linearly with wealth. Across the South, there is no distinct relationship between inequality and school funding. The results also indicate that inequality in the South cannot directly explain the gap in school funding with the North, in the sense that redistributing farms in the South to match the Northern distributions leads to no predicted increase in school funding.
Treatment of Azole-Resistant Oropharyngeal Candidiasis with Topical Amphotericin B

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of successful treatment of azole-refractory oropharyngeal candidiasis with topical amphotericin B.CASE SUMMARY:A 30-year-old white woman presented with recurrent oral thrush. The patient had been exposed to azole antifungals for >20 years, and in vitro susceptibility tests revealed class resistance. The patient started taking amphotericin B 100 mg oral suspension swish-and-spit 4 × daily. After 4 weeks of topical amphotericin B treatment, the patient reported significant symptomatic improvement. The oral candidiasis worsened following a course of oral antibiotics, but improved once the antibiotic was discontinued and after receiving amphotericin B swish-and-swallow for 4 additional weeks.DISCUSSION:Current Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines include topical amphotericin B as a potentially effective option for the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis. There is limited evidence to support this recommendation. Besides lack of data, an appropriate dosing regimen and ...
Fox(y) Regulators of VEGF Receptors

Vascular development is a multistep process that initially involves vasculogenesis, the process of de novo formation of the primitive vasculature from mesodermal precursors, and angiogenesis, that involves sprouting and remodeling of the primitive vasculature.1 This is followed by vascular fate specification steps that define formation of arterial, venous, and lymphatic vasculatures.2 This complex series of steps is regulated by several growth factors and their receptors. Among them are vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), angiopoietins, and Notch receptors and their ligands, Dll4 and jagged-1. Any abnormalities in this sequence of events lead to either an outright failure of vascular development or formation of abnormally patterned vasculature. The later includes arterio-venous malformations, cranial cerebral malformations, and aneurysms among others.3 Article, see p 709 Among the numerous growth factors that are involved in these phenomena, VEGF-A plays a particularly critical role and is involved both in formation of the initial primitive vascular plexus and in subsequent sprouting, remodeling, and fate specification steps.4 VEGF-A signaling input is tightly controlled so much that deletion of even a single Vegfa allele results in embryonic lethality.5,6 VEGF-A signals via its 2 tyrosine kinase receptors (VEGFRs), Flt1 (VEGFR1) and Flk1 (VEGFR2), as well as a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase neuropilin-1 (Nrp1). Deletion of VEGFR2 is embryonically lethal because of almost complete failure of vasculogenesis,7 whereas endothelial deletion of Nrp1 leads to multiple vascular abnormalities at a later stage of development.8 VEGFR1 in this context is seen mainly as a negative regulator of VEGF-A signaling. Its knockout leads to embryonic lethality because of excessive vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.9 Given the critical role that VEGF-A plays in vascular development and the tight control of its effective concentration range, much effort has been expanded to understand the mechanisms that regulate its expression. Several …
Key Considerations in RFIC Production Test

In the highly competitive world of RFICs and Wireless Communications, component production test plays a key role. While the main objective is to test the most product possible in the least amount of time and minimal added cost, many key factors need to be considered to successfully achieve that goal. This paper addresses those key considerations and provide insight into successfully achieving the goals of RFIC production test.
Price Dispersion and Differentiation in Online Travel: An Empirical Investigation

Previous research has examined whether price dispersion exists in theoretically highly efficient Internet markets. However, much of the previous work has been focused on industries with low cost and undifferentiated products. In this paper, we examine the presence of price dispersion and product differentiation using data on the airline ticket offerings of online travel agents (OTAs). We find that different OTAs offer tickets with substantially different prices and characteristics when given the same customer request. Some of this variation appears to be due to product differentiation different-OTAs specialize by systematically offering different trade-offs between ticket price and ticket quality (minimizing the number of connections, matching requested departure and return time). However, even after accounting for differences in ticket quality, ticket prices vary by as much as 18% across OTAs. In addition, OTAs return tickets that are strictly inferior to the ticket offered by another OTA for the same request between 2.2% and 28% of the time. Overall, this suggests the presence of both price dispersion and product differentiation in the online travel market.
Regulation of leptin mRNA and protein expression in pituitary somatotropes.

Leptin, the ob protein, regulates food intake and satiety and can be found in the anterior pituitary. Leptin antigens and mRNA were studied in the anterior pituitary (AP) cells of male and female r...