cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between loneliness and suicidality during middle childhood and adolescence: longitudinal effects and the role of demographic characteristics.

ABSTRACT The association between loneliness and suicidality has been documented in many studies, but these studies have been limited by cross-sectional designs and the use of adult-only populations. The purpose of the current study was to overcome these limitations by (a) investigating whether the link between loneliness and suicidal thoughts and behaviors occurs cross-sectionally, longitudinally, or both and (b) investigating how the link between loneliness and suicidality might be influenced by different demographic variables, including gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze data from a large sample (N = 937) of youth from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Results indicated that loneliness at age 15 years was concurrently associated with both suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior at age 15 years. Loneliness in middle childhood was longitudinally associated with suicidal behaviors at age 15 years, but not with suicidal ideation at age 15 years....
Gσ-sets in symmetrizable and related spaces

Abstract In this paper we answer questions of Arhangel'skii and Michael by providing an example of a regular symmetrizable space which is not subparacompact and has a closed subset which is not a Gσ-set. We also use the idea of sequential order to obtain some positive results, and several examples are provided which show that these results are in some sense the best possible.
Incorporating test and control product variability in degree of difference tests

Abstract Detecting overall differences in inherently variable products presents a unique set of challenges. The degree of difference-control lot variation (DOD-CV) test was developed to include control lot variability within the test [Pecore, S., Stoer, N., Hooge, S., Holschuh, N., Hulting, F., & Case, F. (2006). Degree of difference testing: A new approach incorporating control lot variability. Food Quality and Preference, 17(8–9), 552–555] by comparing products from two control lots and one test lot. This test has been successfully used to detect differences between products with variability induced by production, preparation or heterogeneous composition. Because products with variable control product will also have variable test product, there is a need for representation of test product variability as well as control product variability. The degree of difference-control and test lot variation (DOD-CTV) test represents product variation in both control and test lots by comparing products from two control lots and two test lots. By using an incomplete block design, this can be accomplished without increasing the number of samples required per lot, the pairs evaluated per panelist, or the time spent by each panelist in their evaluation.
Lack of interaction between verapamil and cimetidine.

Nine healthy normal subjects received verapamil, 10 mg iv, before (control) and during cimetidine dosing (300 mg every 6 hours), and verapamil, 120 mg po, twice in the same manner. After intravenous doses, the t½ (X ± SE: control, 3.60 ± 0.40 hours; cimetidine trial, 4.30 ± 0.60 hours), volume of distribution (5.8 ± 0.6 vs. 6.6 ± 0.9 L/kg), and total clearance (19.2 ± 1.5 vs. 18.4 ± 1.6 ml/min/kg) did not change during cimetidine dosing. After oral doses, the t½ (4.25 ± 0.57 vs. 4.60 ± 0.70 hours), plasma AUC (585 ± 113 vs. 506 ± 82 ng/ml · hr) and absolute bioavailability (35% ± 7% vs. 30% ± 5%) did not differ between control and cimetidine trials, respectively. Five of the subjects also received lidocaine, 25 mg iv, once in the control state and once during the cimetidine regimen described above. Lidocaine clearance fell (665 ± 216 vs. 527 ± 134 ml/min; P P > 0.05) with no change in volume of distribution (1.77 ± 0.66 vs. 1.99 ± 0.81 L/kg). Verapamil pharmacodynamics (ECG PR interval, blood pressure, and heart rate) were evaluated after intravenous doses. A decrease in mean arterial pressure (8 ± 1 vs. 9 ± 2 mm Hg) and a reflex increase in heart rate (14 ± 3 vs. 17 ± 2 bpm) were no different in the control and cimetidine trials. After intravenous doses under a sigmoid Emax pharmacodynamic model, verapamil concentration at 50% maximal prolongation of PR interval from baseline did not differ between trials (27.5 ± 2.8 [control] vs. 24.3 ± 2.1 ng/ml), nor did the maximal PR prolongation differ (94 ± 36 [control] vs. 85 ± 20 msec). After oral verapamil doses under a linear pharmacodynamic model, the slope of the line describing the verapamil concentration vs. PR interval relationship (1.10 ± 0.61 [control] vs. 1.15 ± 0.56 msec/ng · mg−1) and the defined y-intercept (−37 ± 21 [control] vs. − 28 ± 15 msec) were no different between trials. Our data indicate that neither a pharmacokinetic nor a pharmacodynamic interaction between verapamil and cimetidine occur in vivo in man when therapeutic doses are administered, and that verapamil hepatic extraction after oral dosing is not affected by cimetidine, unlike extraction processes described for other high-clearance drugs. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1985) 38, 342–349; doi:10.1038/clpt.1985.183
The Relevance of Practice: A Response to Orton.

In this response to Robert Orton, I address each of the major points he raises and attempt to clarify the discrepancies in our positions. I give particular attention to his approach of reframing issues in terms of the categories of traditional academic philosophy. In adopting this stance, Orton (a) presents a highly idiosyncratic interpretation of the Cartesian dualism, (b) creates a gulf between theory and practice, and (c) implies that the social and cultural aspects of mathematical activity can be dismissed. I discuss each of these points and further develop my position by outlining Putnam's (1987) pragmatic realism, clarifying why Rorty's (1979) work might be of interest to mathematics educators, and revisiting Bereiter's (1985) learning paradox. I then conclude by exploring the relationship between the resulting nondualist approach and John Dewey's philosophy and pedagogy.
Effects of halogenoacetylcholines on the neuromuscular junction

Abstract The effect of halogenoacetylcholines (HACh's) has been studied on the chick biventer cervicis nerve muscle preparation. All of HACH's studied were shown to be neuromuscular blocking agents of a depolarizing type. Neither the nicotinic effect of HACH's or of ACh was affected by triethylcholine (TEC) and hexamethonium (C6) whereas that of nicotine, tetramethylammonium and dimethylphenylpiperazinium was abolished by TEC and C6. These results suggest that HACh's act directly on ACh receptor to produce nicotinic effects similar to ACh. The brief contact of HACh's with the biventer cervicis muscle using superfusion technique caused slow contraction of the muscle followed by an immediate relaxation. This transient reversible contracture can be blocked by d-tubocurarine, indicating that it is induced through depolarization of the muscle at the cholinergic receptor site. On the other hand, if the muscle was treated by bromoacetylcholine and iodoacetylcholine for 10 min or longer, it produced a persistent contracture which was not reversible after repeated washing. It was questioned whether the inhibition of 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde dehydrogenase in the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and consequential reduction in the availability of adenosine triphosphate to the muscle is the reason for the persistent muscle contracture in this case.
ON THE FORWARD MOTION OF BOSTICK PLASMOIDS.

Abstract A theoretical interpretation is offered of the experimental observation that the velocity of Bostick plasmoids in vacuo, directly away from a button source, depends only upon the energy of the source capacitors in the button gun circuit.
Blame, Responsibility, and the Tea Party in the 2010 Midterm Elections

There is a general consensus both in the news media and scholarly research that 2010 was a highly nationalized election year. Reports have indicated that anti-Obama sentiment, the Democrats’ legislative agenda, the economy, and the Tea Party were all factors contributing to Democratic losses in the congressional elections. In this paper, we use data from 2010 Cooperative Congressional Election Study to examine the individual-level dynamics that contributed to the heightened nationalization of the 2010 congressional elections. Our analysis shows that Tea Party support and the attribution of blame and responsibility by voters are essential to understanding the 2010 election outcome, beyond what we would expect from a simple referendum model of midterm elections. Not surprisingly, Tea Party supporters blamed Democrats for the state of national affairs, disapproved of the Democrats’ policy agenda, and overwhelmingly supported Republican candidates in the congressional elections. However, our analysis shows that not all voters who supported Republican candidates were driven by high levels of opposition to President Obama and the Democrats. Another key group of voters blamed both Democrats and Republicans for the nation’s problems but ultimately held Democrats responsible in the voting booth by supporting Republican congressional candidates.
Autosomal Dominant Osteopetrosis: Clinical Severity and Natural History of 94 Subjects with a Chloride Channel 7 Gene Mutation

Context: Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis (ADO) is a sclerosing bone disorder caused by heterozygous mutations in the chloride channel 7 (ClCN7) gene. The clinical manifestations of this disease have not been well characterized since the discovery of the genetic basis of ADO. Objectives: The primary objectives were to improve our understanding of ADO clinical characteristics and to study the natural history of the disease in the largest series of patients reported to date. Design and Setting: This study was primarily a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of individuals with a ClCN7 mutation that was conducted over a 4-yr period at a tertiary referral center and through family reunions. Longitudinal data on a subset of subjects were also studied. Patients and Interventions: We studied 311 subjects from 11 ADO families, including 62 individuals with ADO (patients with the classic clinical phenotype based on radiographs and/or biochemistries), 32 unaffected gene carriers (subjects with the gene mutation b...
Properties of the solutions of the conjugate heat equations

In this paper we consider the class ${\cal A}$ of those solutions $u(x,t)$ to the conjugate heat equation ${{\partial}\over{\partial t}}u = -\Delta u + Ru$ on compact K\"ahler manifolds $M$ with $c_1 > 0$ (where $g(t)$ changes by the unnormalized K\"ahler Ricci flow, blowing up at $T < \infty$), which satisfy Perelman's differential Harnack inequality (6) on $[0,T)$. We show ${\cal A}$ is nonempty. If $|\mathop{\rm Ric}\nolimits(g(t))| \le {{C}\over{T-t}}$, which is always true if we have a type I singularity, we prove the solution $u(x,t)$ satisfies the elliptic type Harnack inequality, with the constants that are uniform in time. If the flow $g(t)$ has a type~I singularity at $T$, then ${\cal A}$ has exactly one element
Geriatric Psychiatry at the Interface of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Primary Care:

Objective:This article describes the evolution of a primary care geriatric psychiatry program which serves clinical, educational, and research functions.Methods:Program development proceeded through stages of liaison using research, focusing on primary care attendings, and developing the common interest of geriatrics.Results:Collaborative research with external funding has continued. A geriatric psychiatry primary care fellowship program was established. Clinical activity is based on consultation-liaison work in nursing homes, an outpatient dementia clinic, a general hospital medical service, and the outpatient clinic. Fellows are involved in training both psychiatry and primary care residents.Conclusions:Necessary components of a successful collaboration include: 1) primary care physicians with an interest in and aptitude for psychiatric issues; 2) delivery of service and training based on an assessment of the primary care site's needs; 3) a physical presence in the primary care site.
On-line measurement and tuning of multi-pass recirculation time in the CEBAF linacs

CEBAF is a CW, recirculating electron accelerator, using on-crest RF acceleration and isochronous recirculation arcs. Previously installed diagnostics allow us to monitor the phase difference between the first-pass beam and the linac RR. The error signal is used for feedback correction of residual drifts in the RF timing system. We also experience drift in the path length (recirculation time) for the recirculated beam resulting in beam energy drift of several times 10/sup -4/ for some acceleration passes, even when one beam energy is held fixed by adjusting the RF gradient. We have extended the beam-based RF phase diagnostic system to the recirculating beam, and can monitor and correct the path length at the 50 micron level (timing to 200 femtoseconds). The previous procedure for measuring and tuning the path length was coarser in resolution and required suspension of beam delivery.
Using theorem proving and algorithmic decision procedures for large-scale system verification

The goal of formal verification is to use mathematical methods to prove that a computing system meets its specifications. When applicable, it provides a higher assurance than simulation and testing in correct system execution. However, the capacity of the state of the art in formal verification today is still far behind what is necessary for its widespread adoption in practice. In this dissertation, we devise methods to increase the capacity of formal verification. Formal verification techniques can be broadly divided into two categories, namely deductive techniques or theorem proving, and decision procedures such as model checking, equivalence checking, and symbolic trajectory evaluation. Neither deductive nor algorithmic techniques individually scale up to the size of modern industrial systems, albeit for orthogonal reasons. Decision procedures suffer from state explosion. Theorem proving requires manual assistance. Our methods involve a sound, efficient, and scalable integration of deductive and algorithmic techniques. There are four main contributions in this dissertation. First, we present several results that connect different deductive proof styles used in the verification of sequential programs. The connection allows us to efficiently combine theorem proving with symbolic simulation to prove the correctness of sequential programs without requiring a verification condition generator or manual construction of a global invariant. Second, we formalize a notion of correctness for reactive concurrent programs that affords effective reasoning about infinite computations. We discuss several reduction techniques that reduce the correctness proof's of concurrent programs to the proof of an invariant. Third, we present a method to substantially automate the process of discovering and proving invariants of reactive systems. The method combines term rewriting with reachability analysis to generate efficient predicate abstractions . Fourth, we present an approach to integrate model checking procedures with deductive reasoning in a sound and efficient manner. We use the ACL2 theorem prover to demonstrate our methods. A consequence of our work is the identification of certain limitations in the logic and implementation of ACL2. We recommend several augmentations of ACL2 to facilitate deductive verification of large systems and integration with decision procedures.
A class of attraction/repulsion functions for stable swarm aggregations

In this article, for an M-member "individual-based" continuous time swarm model in an n-dimensional space, we extend our previous results (2002) by specifying a general class of attraction/repulsion functions that can be used to achieve swarm aggregation. These functions are odd functions that have terms for attraction and repulsion acting in opposite directions in compliance with real biological swarms. We present a stability analysis for several cases of the functions considered to characterize the swarm cohesiveness, size, and ultimate motions while in a cohesive group.
ADVERTISING AND VALUE MAXIMIZATION: AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH *

The model developed in this paper is interdisciplinary in that we incorporate the advertising decision into the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) for valuation of risky income streams. The advertising decision involves the purchase of media services whose effects on sales (profit) are hypothesized to vary with general economic activity. As in any asset expansion, the firm purchases an income distribution with a given expected value and covariance with the economy. By consulting the CAPM, we are able to obtain a value for the income distribution associated with the advertising expenditure. By failing to account for both risk and return, those previous studies which have examined the effect of advertising on profit or valuation are, at best, incomplete. We are able to demonstrate the inappropriateness of ranking alternative advertising strategies solely on the basis of expected income.
Using cointegration analysis for modeling marketing interactions in dynamic environments: methodological issues and an empirical illustration

Abstract The authors argue that cointegration analysis is an intriguing development for analyzing marketing interactions in dynamic environments. Methodologically, the use of cointegration analysis requires statistical tests to determine whether this technique is appropriate for the system under investigation and, if it is appropriate, other statistical tests are needed to interpret the results. The authors collate a set of statistical tests and techniques to advance a comprehensive methodological framework that utilizes cointegration analysis to examine marketing interactions in dynamic environments. The framework is useful for analyzing marketing parameter functions with time-varying coefficients to investigate the relationship between market performance (e.g., sales, market share), marketing effort (e.g., advertising, sales promotion), and environmental conditions (e.g., market growth, inflation). The authors illustrate the utility of the framework for the famous case of Lydia Pinkham Medicine Company (LPMC).
Party Reform as Failed Democratic Renewal in the United States, 1968–1972

Between 1968 and 1972, with political conflict in America unusually high, major changes were made in rules for consituting Democratic national conventions and selecting Democratic candidates. Basic issues about the practical meaning of democratic commitments were sharply contested, and debates about party organization proved vigorous and substantial. The reforms enacted aimed partly to enhance participation and restore public respect for political life. They did not escape criticism. In fact, critics of reform became the dominant voice in subsequent discussion of what happened to the Democratic party and to party politics in the United States more generally.
A system for visualizing and animating program runtime histories

Program visualization and animation are well-known to be important in helping people understand computer programs. Researchers have investigated a variety of techniques and built many systems to this end. However, the use of program visualization and animation systems is limited in real programming environments due to a number of problems. Among others, these include lack of flexibility and poor user interaction resulting from the use of ad hoc techniques. This paper describes a programmable and integrated graphical system for visualizing and animating program runtime histories. It employs a special runtime system to automatically accumulate historical information about program execution and allows users to visualize it through multiple active views in a post-mortem style. Program animation is then integrated into these views by adding a time dimension. Underneath is an animation description language, using which we can specify all these views systematically. This paper describes the key features of the system, its primary design considerations and its implementation techniques.
Cutting Edge: Mouse CD300f (CMRF-35–Like Molecule-1) Recognizes Outer Membrane-Exposed Phosphatidylserine and Can Promote Phagocytosis

Reportedly, CD300f negatively regulates interactions between dendritic and T cells and acts as an anti-inflammatory molecule in a multiple sclerosis mouse model. We found that a CD300f/Fc chimeric protein specifically binds to apoptotic/dead splenocytes and to apoptotic cells from starved or irradiated lymphocytic cell lines, an observation extended to insect cells. CD300f also binds PMA/ionomycin-activated splenocytes and Ag-stimulated T cells, an interaction inhibited by Annexin V. By ELISA, cosedimentation, and surface plasmon resonance using phospholipid-containing liposomes, we show that CD300f preferentially binds phosphatidylserine and requires a metal ion. Exogenous expression of CD300f in cell lines results in enhanced phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. We conclude that expression of CD300f conveys additional capacity to recognize phosphatidylserine to myeloid cells. The result of this recognition may vary with the overall qualitative and quantitative receptor content, as well as signaling capacity of the expressing effector cell, but enhanced phagocytosis is one measurable outcome.
Isocitrate Dehydrogenase of Bradyrhizobium japonicum Is Not Required for Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation with Soybean

A mutant strain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110 lacking isocitrate dehydrogenase activity was created to determine whether this enzyme was required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation with soybean (Glycine max cv. Williams 82). The isocitrate dehydrogenase mutant, strain 5051, was constructed by insertion of a streptomycin resistance gene cassette. The mutant was devoid of isocitrate dehydrogenase activity and of immunologically detectable protein, indicating there is only one copy in the genome. Strain 5051 grew well on a variety of carbon sources, including arabinose, pyruvate, succinate, and malate, but, unlike many microorganisms, was a glutamate auxotroph. Although the formation of nodules was slightly delayed, the mutant was able to form nodules on soybean and reduce atmospheric dinitrogen as well as the wild type, indicating that the plant was able to supply sufficient glutamate to permit infection. Combined with the results of other citric acid cycle mutants, these results suggest a role for the citric acid cycle in the infection and colonization stage of nodule development but not in the actual fixation of atmospheric dinitrogen.
Squamous cell carcinoma in HIV-positive patients under age 45

Eight patients 45 years of age and under (range, 29 to 45) with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and infection with the human immunodeficiency virus are reported. Primary tumor sites include nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx. Probes for the human papillomavirus were positive in two of the patients. Therapy consisted of surgery followed by radiation therapy in five patients, surgery alone in one patient, and radiation therapy in the remaining two patients. Follow-up ranged up to 2 years and revealed four deaths, three patients alive without disease, and one patient recently posttreatment with residual disease. The significance of the presence of the human papillomavirus in these individuals remains to be determined. The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck under age 45 is low, and whether there may be a higher incidence in HIV-positive patients cannot be determined from this small series.
Perceptions of Leaders' Behavior: Situational and Personal Determinants:

Summary.-The present study focused on the process of encoding leaders' behaviors. Subjects in the study were 475 employees of four schools for the mentally retarded, who represented a variety of jobs and hierarchical levels in those inscicutions. Results indicate that highly competent subordinates duster their perceptions of leader behaviors in a distinctly different manner than their less competent counterparts. Fewer, yet troublesome, differences in the clustering of leaders' behaviors were found when perceivers were classified by their repond role ambiguity. Over-all, the results suggest that for certain moderator variables currently used in research on leadership, the traditional classification of behavior descriptive items may not be justified. The study of leadership has a time-honored tradition in industrial and organizational psychology, a tradition, some would say, that has produced one of the few "mainstream" areas of research in which interest has been unvarying and findings cumulative. Perhaps this is one reason why, of all the recently formulated proto-theories of leadership, the path-goal model (House, 1971; House & Dessler, 1974), or its elaborated form, the Ohio State Contingency Model (Kerr, Schriesheim, Murphy, & Stogdill, 1974), has generated considerable attention. This model follows the general paradigm of the traditional approaches and offers the hope of ever-continuing "progress." A more fundamental reason for the popularity of path-goal research may be the optimism created as a result of the review article by Kerr and Schriesheim ( 1974). This update of Korman's ( 1966) scathing critique of research on "Consideration, Initiating Structure" suggested that more recent efforts in the study of leadership were beginning to overcome many of the problems which Korman had identified. A major modification pointed out by Kerr and Schriesheim was the fact that researchers had begun to investigate the impact of situational variables relevant to leadership. This change was thought to be likely to lead to the attainment of more consistently "significant correlations between leader behavior variables and organizational criteria." The variables beginning to be investigated included characteristics of subordinates, supervisors, and tasks. By building these variables directly into models of leadership, the reviewers predicted that it should be possible for researchers to cope more ably with situation-to-situation differences and thus obtain more consistent results.
Prospects of graphene electrodes in photovoltaics

Transparent conductors (TCs) are becoming extremely popular in many different electronic applications such as touch panels, displays, light emitting devices, light sensors and solar cells. The commonly used electrode in these applications is Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). However, the cost of ITO is increasing rapidly due to the limited supply of Indium. Other issues such as lack of flexibility and cost of the deposition process make ITO less favorable in transparent electrode applications. Graphene has been under exploration as an alternative material for TC applications in the recent years. Graphene based TCs have been shown experimentally to exhibit promising electrical and optical properties. In this paper, the prospects of graphene for transparent conductors in photovoltaics are discussed. The recent advancements in this field as well as the theoretical predictions and possible pathways for improvements are presented. In the process section, we discuss methods to synthesize few-layer graphene (FLG) with high quality in a controllable manner.
Ties among Adult Siblings

We use a National Survey of Families and Households sample of 7,730 adults with siblings to test a model of perceived and actual sodal support among adult siblings. Despite low levels of actual exchange, nearly 30% of the sample would call on a sibling first in an emergency. Social support among siblings was higherfor those with living sisters andfor those without adult children, butAfrican Americans and respondents with lowereducation andfamily income levels were less likely to be involved in actual exchange with siblings. Although weak supportfrom siblings may simply represent a contraction of the support network to the "inner circle" of parents and children, thesefindings suggest caution in assuming that disadvantaged groups can rely on stronger extendedfamily networks. A small but growing body of research suggests that sibling relations are important to American adults (Bedford 1989). The majority of adults report frequent contact with their siblings as long as distance is not a barrier, and surveys show that affection remains high (Cicirelli 1985; Hugick 1989; Wellman 1979). Scholars have argued that siblings are ideally situated to provide social support: relationships are lifelong, rooted in equality, and normatively supported (Avioli 1989). We do not know, however, whether adult siblings do provide support. Theoretical and empirical attention to social integration and family networks has focused on neighbors, friends, children, and parents, according siblings only peripheral status. In addition, virtually all existing research on adult siblings is based on small, nonrepresentative samples or on studies of the elderly. There are no previous studies of sibling relationships that use a national sample adequate to address sibling ties across the entire adult lifespan or among racial and ethnic groups. In this research, we use a sample of 7,730 adults from the 1987-88 National Survey of Families and Households to examine perceived and actual support among adult siblings. * We wish to acknowledge our colleagues Paul Amato and Suzanne Ortega, whose thoughtful comments provided the impetusforsignificant improvements in this article. Direct correspondence to Lynn X White, Department of Sociology, 711 Oldfather, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0324. i The University of North Carolina Press Social Forces, September 1992, 71(1):85-102 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.243 on Thu, 06 Oct 2016 04:56:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 86 / Social Forces 71:1, September 1992
Performance characteristics of range sensors utilizing optical triangulation

Many of the performance characteristics of triangulation sensors are obvious, but others are more subtle and do not appear to have been examined in the open literature. The authors examine these characteristics in detail. One aspect was to compare results obtained with a conventional touch trigger probe and a laser triangulation sensor when they are used in a reverse engineering situation. Another aspect involved the investigation of several optical effects which can degrade accuracy. These effects limit the ability of a triangulation sensor to make measurements when sudden changes in surface height occur, on surfaces with significant reflectance variations, and on rough surfaces. >
Expanding the Reach of Cancer Metabolomics

Metabolism is again emerging as a key property that differentiates normal cells from neoplastic tissues. The coupling of this phenomenon with advanced bioanalytic methods may now open new avenues for diagnostics in cancer via discovery of chemical biomarkers. In this issue of Cancer Prevention Research, Montrose and colleagues apply metabolic profiling to a model of chemically induced colorectal cancer and describe the metabolomic landscape of colorectal tumors and associated biofluids in great detail. Their analysis of plasma and fecal metabolites provides inroads into the noninvasive detection of colorectal cancer using biochemical markers, as some conserved metabolic changes were altered across tumors, plasma, and feces. Meanwhile, the specific alterations identified in this study offer insights into potential metabolic drivers of colorectal cancer. For example, elevated sarcosine and 2-hydroxyglutarate were detected in these induced tumors, implicating their respective metabolic pathways and downstream interactions in colorectal cancer progression. This work highlights the potential value of cancer metabolomics for the noninvasive analysis of colorectal neoplasias while underscoring the importance of profiling diverse sample sets and metabolites in relevant cancer models to identify and validate such findings.
Analysis of multipath routing for ad hoc networks using directional antennas

Ad hoc networks with directional antennas have become an active research topic because of the potential capacity increase through spatial reuse. Currently, researchers have attempted to apply conventional ad hoc routing protocols (e.g. DSR, AODV) to this type of network. The routing schemes are typically based on the shortest path metric. However, such a routing approach often suffers long transmission delay and frequent link breakage at the intermediate nodes. This is caused by a unique feature of directional transmission commonly known as "deafness" (Choudhury, R. et al., 2002). To address this problem, we have introduced a new multipath routing scheme to explore the advantage of spatial reuse for reducing per hop medium access delay. An analytical and numerical analysis of the directional ad hoc network behavior is presented, along with an introduction to our multipath routing scheme and a discussion of the effectiveness of this scheme in balancing per-hop delay and hop-count for packet forwarding. Simulation results demonstrate a clear performance improvement by using multipath routing for directional ad hoc networks.
Cost and effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation versus limited surgical resection for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer in elderly patients: is less more?

Abstract Purpose To retrospectively evaluate cost and mortality in 84 patients older than 65 years of age with stage IA or IB non–small-cell lung cancer treated with radiofrequency (RF) ablation or limited surgical resection (ie, wedge resection or segmentectomy) from the perspective of the payer, Medicare. Materials and Methods From August 2000 to November 2009, 56 patients were treated with RF ablation and 28 with surgery who met the inclusion criteria. Patient health histories and billing charges from initial treatment to the study endpoint were collected. Charges were converted to 2009 Medicare reimbursement fees and cumulated by month. Time–event data were analyzed by using the Kaplan–Meier method. Survival functions and median survival estimates were reported with standard errors. Patient cohorts' survival functions were compared based on the Wilcoxon weighted χ 2 statistic. Results Group demographics were comparable with the exception of age, with patients treated with RF ablation an average of 4 years older (95% confidence interval, 0.85–6.76). The overall mortality rate was lower in patients treated with surgery than in those treated with RF ablation (χ 2 = 8.0225, P = .0046), with a median cost per month lived for RF ablation recipients of $620.74, versus $1,195.92 for those treated with surgery ( P = .0002, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). Conclusions Patients treated with surgery showed a significant increase in survival; however, those treated with RF ablation were significantly older. For patients who are not surgical candidates, RF ablation provides an alternative treatment option at a significantly lower cost.
Identification of determinism in noisy neuronal systems

Most neuronal ensembles are nonlinear excitable systems. Thus it is becoming common to apply principles derived from nonlinear dynamics to characterize neuronal systems. One important characterization is whether such systems contain deterministic behavior or are purely stochastic. Unfortunately, many methods used to make this distinction do not perform well when both determinism and high-amplitude noise are present which is often the case in physiological systems. Therefore, we propose two novel techniques for identifying determinism in experimental systems. The first, called short-time expansion analysis, examines the expansion rate of small groups of points in state space. The second, called state point forcing, derives from the technique of chaos control. The system state is forced onto a fixed point, and the subsequent behavior is analyzed. This technique can be used to verify the presence of fixed points (or unstable periodic orbits) and to assess stationarity. If these are present, it implies that the system contains determinism. We demonstrate the use and possible limitations of these two techniques in two systems: the Henon map, a classic example of a chaotic system, and spontaneous epileptiform bursting in the rat hippocampal slice. Identifying the presence of determinism in a physiological system assists in the understanding of the system's dynamics and provides a mechanism for manipulating this behavior.
Long-term outcomes of first metacarpal extension osteotomy in the treatment of carpal-metacarpal osteoarthritis.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of first metacarpal extension osteotomy in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the thumb carpal-metacarpal joint. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 8 patients treated by a single surgeon with first metacarpal extension osteotomy. Results Preoperative Eaton stage was I in 3 patients, II in 3 patients, and III in 2 patients. Mean follow-up was 9 years (range, 6–13 years). Average lateral pinch strength, oppositional pinch strength, and grip strength were measured as 5 kg, 3 kg, and 19 kg, respectively (129%, 103%, and 108% of contralateral). Eaton stage was preserved in 5 of the 8 patients, with excellent functional outcomes in 6 of 8 patients at a mean of 9 years. Conclusions Our data suggest that first metacarpal extension osteotomy can be an effective and durable procedure that does not limit future salvage procedures such as trapeziectomy or arthroplasty and support use of this treatment in early and moderate Eaton stages. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
What's in a name [embedded systems]

Hardware/software codesign grew out of system-level synthesis. ASICs offer performance advantages at the expense of post-design- time programmability. This contrasts with computer architecture, which focuses on support for a wide variety of end-use programming scenarios. Currently neither hardware synthesis nor hardware/software codesign describes the system-level design represented in CODES+ISSS. CODES were the name of the International Conference on Hardware/Software Codesign. ISSS was the name of the International Symposium on System Synthesis.
Differences, Not Ratios, Control Choice in an Experimental Analogue to Foraging

In choice between outcomes with different delays to reinforcement, most theories require that choice be governed by the ratio of the delays, not by the difference between them, a requirement also consistent with Weber's law. Instead, delay-reduction theory and optimal-foraging theory stipulate, under conditions of the present experiments, that the difference between the delays, and not the ratio between them, controls choice. This prediction was assessed using a procedure, widely used in foraging experiments, in which pigeons chose between accepting and rejecting either of two delays when offered. Across conditions, the delays either differed by a constant amount, with the ratio between the delays varying, or differed by changing amounts, with the ratio between the delays constant. In each of six experiments, rate of acceptance of the longer delay depended only on the difference between the two delays and not on the ratio between them, supporting delay-reduction and foraging theory.
Emissions and Air Quality Relationships for Atmospheric Carbon Particles in Los Angeles

An emission inventory for fine particle aerosol carbon has been constructed for the Metropolitan Los Angeles area and compared to the results of ambient sampling. Information on the level of source activity, total aerosol emission rate, particle size and chemical composition was used to estimate the mass emission rate of particulate organic and elemental carbon in this urban area. It was found that carbonaceous particle emissions to the atmosphere arise from more than fifty classes of mobile and stationary air pollution sources. Emission data for elemental carbon at present contain significant uncertainties. Methods for verifying the consistency of carbonaceous aerosol emission inventories thus are important. Verification tests based on comparison of the ratio of organic carbon to elemental carbon and lead in source emissions versus that measured in the atmosphere were developed in this paper. Using these tests, excellent agreement was found between the emission inventory and results of ambient sampling in Los Angeles during January and February 1980.
Lay Evaluations of Encounters with Government Officials

People often evaluate the actions of government institutions and officials in their own encounters with officials and in encounters described by members of their social network. Research suggests people form separate evaluations of the fairness of the process used in making decisions (commonly known as procedural justice) and the fairness of final outcomes (commonly known as distributive justice). For supportive research see Thibaut and Walker (1978), Lind and Tyler (1988). This chapter addresses the decision-making process underlying lay evaluations of procedural fairness. This examination serves two purposes: First, it explores the application of cognitive heuristics and biases in the real world. Second, it addresses a gap in the procedural justice literature which has been more concerned with the content of evaluations than with how people form evaluations.
Reflecting on the Use of SSM within Humberside TEC

This paper reports on and examines work involving the use of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) within Humberside Training and Enterprise Council (TEC). The basic remit of the TEC is to foster economic growth and contribute to the regeneration of the local community it serves. This is to be achieved through strengthening the local’ skill-base’ and assisting enterprises to expand and compete effectively. In practice, these objectives translate into a central activity of contracting; i.e. a process of developing formal agreements between the TEC and a variety of local training suppliers. The project addressed by this paper sought to inquire into, and develop actions to improve, this process of formulating contracts. As well as a brief description of the project, the paper includes feedback from participants relating to perceived strengths and weaknesses of the methodology. Strengths were seen to be the participative and accessible nature of rich pictures together with the overall discipline and action orientation of the methodology. Weaknesses were found with the technical accessibility of human activity system modelling and the feasibility of enacting a learning cycle over time within the TEC’s normal working practices. The paper goes on to discuss implications of the project for future practice by using the notion of sustainability as a guiding focus. Sustainability is taken as being a measure of the methodology’s ability to support and maintain a learning process over a long period of time.
Indonesian Fashion Blogs: On the Promotional Subject of Personal Style

AbstractOver the last several years, a growing number of bloggers from around the globe have forged themselves into voices of authority within the international fashion scene, challenging the status quo of the fashion world, and creating new possible modes of participation in a notoriously insular industry. But some voices are still largely shut out of the conversation. This article considers the still marginal position of Indonesian fashion bloggers in the context of an expansive global fashion industry. It argues that fashion blogs have become a dynamic site for the reconstitution of power and influence within that industry at a time when design and manufacture often happen on opposite ends of the globe. Indonesian fashion bloggers, thus, are helping rebrand Indonesia as a site for the creative production of fashion, not just the rote manufacture of other peoples’ products. But they do so, the article concludes, at a significant personal cost: the further incorporation of Indonesia, and themselves, into...
Mediators of Anaphylaxis

Mediators of anaphylaxis, the most serious and best studied of the antihomeostatic reactions, are reviewed. Diseases in which these mediators may play autotoxic roles are briefly discussed.
Clinical and molecular markers of long-term survival after oligometastasis-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

BACKGROUND The selection of patients for oligometastasis-directed ablative therapy remains a challenge. The authors report on clinical and molecular predictors of survival from a stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) dose-escalation trial for oligometastases. METHODS Patients who had from 1 to 5 metastases, a life expectancy of >3 months, and a Karnofsky performance status of >60 received escalating SBRT doses to all known cancer sites. Time to progression, progression-free survival, and overall survival (OS) were calculated at the completion of SBRT, and clinical predictors of OS were modeled. Primary tumor microRNA expression was analyzed to identify molecular predictors of OS. RESULTS Sixty-one evaluable patients were enrolled from 2004 to 2009. The median follow-up was 2.3 years for all patients (range, 0.2-9.3 years) and 6.8 years for survivors (range, 2.0-9.3 years). The median, 2-year, and 5-year estimated OS were 2.4 years, 57%, and 32%, respectively. The rate of progression after SBRT was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-1.82). The time from initial cancer diagnosis to metastasis (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99), the time from metastasis to SBRT (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99), and breast cancer histology (HR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.07-0.37) were significant predictors of OS. In an exploratory analysis, a candidate classifier using expression levels of 3 microRNAs (miR-23b, miR-449a, and miR-449b) predicted survival among 17 patients who had primary tumor microRNA expression data available. CONCLUSIONS A subset of oligometastatic patients achieves long-term survival after metastasis-directed SBRT. Clinical features and primary tumor microRNA expression profiling, if validated in an independent dataset, may help select oligometastatic patients most likely to benefit from metastasis-directed therapy. Cancer 2016;122:2242–50. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Effects of obesity on insulin sensitivity and responsiveness in sheep.

To assess the mechanisms of insulin resistance in the ruminant, severe and adult-onset obesity was produced in Dorset ewes by overfeeding a high-energy ration over a 1- to 2-yr period. Body weights increased to 100 kg compared with 50 kg in lean control sheep; significant hyperinsulinemia (40 +/- 4 vs 10 +/- 1 microU/ml) also developed as did a moderate hyperglycemia (62 +/- 2 vs. 52 +/- 1 mg/100 ml). Tissue sensitivity and responsiveness to insulin were then determined in both obese and lean sheep by the euglycemic glucose-clamp technique. Insulin was infused at eight different rates from 0.2 to 50 mU.kg-1.min-1 and [6-3H]-glucose was infused for measurement of glucose kinetics. The mean dose-response curves for glucose utilization and clearance rates were displaced to the right in obese compared with lean sheep. As a result, the half-maximally effective insulin concentrations usually were elevated two- to fourfold, indicating decreased insulin sensitivity in obese sheep, and this is consistent with decreased insulin receptors in peripheral tissues. On the basis of fat-free body weight, the maximal glucose responses, however, were not significantly different between obese and lean sheep, indicating that postreceptor defects do not exist in muscle tissue. Furthermore, lean ruminants are more resistant to insulin than are humans, but this resistance seems only because of the sheep's decreased responsiveness to insulin and thus only because of postreceptor insulin effects in peripheral tissues.