cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of pitching kinematics between youth and adult baseball pitchers: a meta-analytic approach

Coaches teach proper mechanics at a young age in an effort to increase pitching efficiency (i.e., proper pitching mechanics). Unfortunately, the mechanics taught to beginning pitchers are based on the findings from adult pitchers and may result in techniques that are detrimental to younger pitchers. The purpose of this study was to compare kinematics published for pitchers across various ages in an effort to determine whether the pitching techniques vary across developmental periods. A meta-analysis of papers published describing pitching kinematics for youth and adult pitchers was conducted. Maximal rotational velocity of the trunk and maximum external rotation of the shoulder were observed during the arm cocking phase. Peak magnitudes for abduction, horizontal adduction, and shoulder internal rotation were observed during the deceleration phase of the movement. In addition, by comparing previously published data across youth and adult pitchers, valuable insight into the differences in mechanics was gained. The results demonstrated that there are some distinct differences between youth and adult pitching mechanics. This finding may allow increased focus to be applied to those parameters observed to differ across age, increasing the knowledge base available for coaches to properly instruct youth pitchers.
Hook2 contributes to aggresome formation

Aggresomes are pericentrosomal accumulations of misfolded proteins, chaperones and proteasomes. Their positioning near the centrosome, like that of other organelles, requires active, microtubule-dependent transport. Linker proteins that can associate with the motor protein dynein, organelles, and microtubules are thought to contribute to the active maintenance of the juxtanuclear localization of many membrane bound organelles and aggresomes. Hook proteins have been proposed to serve as adaptors for the association of cargos with dynein for transport on microtubules. Hook2 was shown to localize to the centrosome, bind centriolin, and contribute to centrosomal function. Here we show that overexpression of hook2 promotes the accumulation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator in aggresomes without altering its biochemical properties or its steady state level. A dominant negatively acting form of hook2 that lacks the centriolin binding C-terminal inhibits aggresome formation. We propose that hook2 contributes to the establishment and maintenance of the pericentrosomal localization of aggresomes by promoting the microtubule-based delivery of protein aggregates to pericentriolar aggresomes.
The Ultrachopper tip: a wound temperature study

Abstract Purpose To determine the thermal characteristics of the Ultrachopper and its thermal properties in varied viscosurgical substances. Design Experimental study. Participants Not applicable. Methods The Ultrachopper (Alcon, Inc) tip with the Infiniti (Alcon, Inc) handpiece was attached to a thermistor and placed in a test chamber filled with either an ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD) or balanced salt solution (BSS). The thermistor allowed for continuous monitoring of temperature from baseline and the change that occurred over 60 seconds of continuous run time. Results Mean maximum temperature in each OVD exceeded 50°C over the first 25 seconds of continuous run time. The mean maximum temperature was statistically significantly higher with all OVDs (p Conclusions The thermal properties of the Ultrachopper tip demonstrate a heat-generating capacity that achieves published thresholds for risk for wound burn.
Erratum to: Developmental Life of the Medical Student: Curriculum Considerations.

Erratum to: Acad PsychiatryDOI 10.1007/s40596-014-0182-zIntheoriginalpublicationofthisarticle,references6and7arereversed.They appear correctly below.6. New York Times: Effort grows to create sensitive doctors.April 8, 19867. Moore G, Block SD, Style CB, et al. The influence of theNew Pathway curriculum on Harvard medical students. AcadMed. 1994;69:983–9.
Pulmonary crystal‐storing histiocytosis diagnosed by computed tomography‐guided fine‐needle aspiration

Crystal-storing histiocytosis (CSH) is a rare process most often occurring in conjunction with an underlying hematopoietic neoplasm, usually multiple myeloma or low-grade B-cell lymphoma. We report the first case of pulmonary CSH diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. A patient with a history of urothelial carcinoma developed a lung nodule, which was evaluated by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Cytologic examination revealed macrophages with abundant cytoplasmic crystals diagnostic of CSH. Based on this cytologic interpretation, additional clinical laboratory evaluation was pursued and revealed a previously unknown monoclonal serum protein. CSH must be differentiated from other non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions and when diagnosed, should trigger a search for an underlying lymphoproliferative disorder.
AM-FM screen design using donut filters

In this paper we introduce a class of linear filters called 'donut filters' for the design of halftone screens that enable robust printing with stochastic0 clustered dots. The donut filter approach is a simple, yet efficient method to produce pleasing stochastic clustered-dot halftone patterns (a.k.a AM-FM halftones) suitable for systems with poor isolated dot reproduction and/or significant dot-gain. The radial profile of a donut filter resembles the radial cross section of a donut shape, with low impulse response at the center that rises to a peak and drops off rapidly as the pixel distance from the center is increased. A simple extension for the joint design of any number of colorant screens is given. This extension makes use of several optimal linear filters that may be treated as a single donut multi-filter having matrix-valued coefficients. A key contribution of this paper is the design of the parametric donut filters to be used at each graylevel. We show that given a desired spatial pair-correlation profile (a.k.a. spatial halftone statistics), optimum donut filters may be generated, such that the donut filter based screen design produces patterns possessing the desired profile in the maximum-likelihood sense. In fact, 'optimal green-noise' halftone screens having the spatial statistics described by Lau, Arce and Gallagher may be produced as a special case of our design. We will also demonstrate donut filter designs that do not use an 'optimum green-noise' target profile in the design and yet produce excellent stochastic clustered-dot halftone screens.
Transepithelial corneal collagen crosslinking for keratoconus: six-month results.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) using a transepithelial technique to treat keratoconus. SETTING: Cornea and refractive surgery subspecialty practice. DESIGN: Prospective clinical trial. METHODS: Transepithelial CXL was performed in eyes with keratoconus using proparacaine with benzalkonium chloride (BAK) 0.01% to facilitate riboflavin absorption and riboflavin 0.10% without dextran. Eyes were randomized to receive ultraviolet-A treatment (365 nm, 3 mW/cm 2 ) with concurrent administration of riboflavin randomized to every 1 minute or every 2 minutes for 30 minutes. The principal outcomes included uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuities and topography-derived maximum keratometry (K) values. Patients were followed for 6 months. RESULTS: Thirty eyes of 25 patients were treated. The mean maximum K value flattened by 0.9 diopter (D) (baseline 58.7 D; 6 months 57.8 D) (PZ.01). The maximum K worsened by 2.0 D or more in 1 patient. The mean CDVA improved by 0.83 Snellen lines (PZ.03). One patient lost 2 lines of CDVA. There were no differences in the UDVA, CDVA, or keratometry outcomes between the 1-minute instillation subgroup and the 2-minute instillation subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Transepithelial CXL resulted in a statistically significant improvement in maximum K values and CDVA at the 6-month follow-up. Further follow-up is necessary to ascertain the ability of transepithelial CXL to achieve long-term stabilization of the cornea in eyes with keratoconus. Financial Disclosures: Dr. Hersh is a consultant to Avedro, Inc. Dr. Lesniak has no financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Hedging Inventory Risk Through Market Instruments

We address the problem of hedging inventory risk for a short life cycle or seasonal item when its demand is correlated with the price of a financial asset. We show how to construct optimal hedging transactions that minimize the variance of profit and increase the expected utility for a risk-averse decision maker. We show that for a wide range of hedging strategies and utility functions, a risk-averse decision maker orders more inventory when he or she hedges the inventory risk. Our results are useful to both risk-neutral and risk-averse decision makers because (1) the price information of the financial asset is used to determine both the optimal inventory level and the hedge, (2) this enables the decision maker to update the demand forecast and the financial hedge as more information becomes available, and (3) hedging leads to lower risk and higher return on inventory investment. We illustrate these benefits using data from a retailing firm.
High VOC dye sensitised solar cell using RF-sputtered TiO2 compact layers

Presented is a dye sensitised solar cell (DSSC) with very high open circuit voltage (Voc) and shunt resistance (RSH) using an RF-sputtered titanium dioxide compact layer. TiO2 films of about 100 nm thickness were RF-sputtered at room temperature on indium-tin-oxide coated glass substrates and used as the compact layer for fabrication of DSSCs. Current-voltage characteristics of the DSSCs under AM 1.5 illumination condition showed a very high VOC of 780 mV, high RSH of 400 KΩ, short circuit current density (Jsc) of 12.3 mA/cm2, and fill factor (FF) of 0.61, while the VOC, RSH, JSC, and FF of a DSSC fabricated using a conventional sol-gel processed TiO2 compact layer were 520 mV, 463 Ω, 5.4 mA/cm2, and 0.46, respectively.
Electron Microscopy and Viability of Lysostaphin-induced Staphylococcal Spheroplasts, Protoplast-like Bodies, and Protoplasts

Abstract The cell walls of a selected isolate of Staphylococcus aureus FDA 209P were observed undergoing progressive disintegration when exposed to lysostaphin (1 unit/ml) in 24% NaCl solution. Electron micrographs of ultrathin sections of test cells after exposure to lysostaphin for 2 min showed only superficial evidence of lytic damage. However, an average of 89% of these cells were osmotically fragile, and 21% were damaged beyond their capacity to regenerate cell walls and to grow as normal staphylococci. The 68% (average) of the osmotically fragile cells which retained the capacity to revert to normal staphylococci were designated spheroplasts. Neither perforations of the cell walls nor separation of the cell walls from the plasma membranes were observed in the micrographs of these 2-min spheroplasts. Thus, it appears that the osmotic fragility of these and possibly all lysostaphin-induced staphylococcal spheroplasts results from the hydrolysis of a critical number of the pentapeptide cross-linkages of the murein of the cell wall. Electron micrographs of cells exposed to lysostaphin for 5 to 10 min showed perforations and more extensive damage, including the separation of walls from the plasma membranes and the disintegration of large sections of the walls. Smaller numbers of spheroplasts (21 and 8%) were recovered from these 5- and 10-min preparations; those recovered probably represent cells which were attacked more slowly than the majority by the lytic enzyme. The nonrevertible, osmotically fragile cells that retained segments of cell wall were designated protoplast-like bodies. After 20-min exposure to lysostaphin, all of the cell wall was digested away from most of the cells, and true staphylococcal protoplasts were produced. These lysostaphin-induced, osmotically fragile forms appear to have different osmotic properties from the staphylococcal “protoplasts” reported by other investigators and should serve as the basis for a variety of fundamental investigations.
The software process and application domains

We introduce a software process model that is intended to facilitate reuse. The reuse potential is provided by a pattern library that supplies a major part of a system specification. The patterns can be easily adapted to allow the specification of a line of related software products, e.g., information systems for car rental and hotel room "rental".
Chronic Active Hepatitis Induced by Helicobacter hepaticus in the A/JCr Mouse Is Associated with a Th1 Cell-Mediated Immune Response

Helicobacter hepaticus infection in A/JCr mice results in chronic active hepatitis characterized by perivascular, periportal, and parenchymal infiltrates of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells. This study examined the development of hepatitis and the immune response of A/JCr mice to H. hepaticus infection. The humoral and cell-mediated T helper immune response was profiled by measuring the postinfection (p.i.) antibody response in serum, feces, and bile and by the production of cytokines and proliferative responses by splenic mononuclear cells to H. hepaticus antigens. Secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) and systemic IgG2a antibody developed by 4 weeks p.i. and persisted through 12 months. Splenocytes from infected mice proliferated and produced more gamma interferon (IFN-γ) than interleukin-4 (IL-4) or IL-5 when cultured with H. hepaticus outer membrane proteins. The predominantly IgG2a antibody response in serum and the in vitro production of IFN-γ in excess of IL-4 or IL-5 are consistent with a Th1 immune response reported in humans and mice infected with Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter felis, respectively. Mice infected with H. hepaticus developed progressively severe perivascular, periportal, and hepatic parenchymal lesions consisting of lymphohistiocytic and plasmacytic cellular infiltrates. In addition, transmural typhlitis was observed at 12 months p.i. The characterization of a cell-mediated Th1 immune response to H. hepaticus infection in the A/JCr mouse should prove valuable as a model for experimental regimens which manipulate the host response to Helicobacter.
Relative value function approximation for the capacitated re-entrant line scheduling problem: an experimental investigation

The problem addressed in this work is that of determining how to allocate the workstation processing and buffering capacity in a capacitated re-entrant line to the job instances competing for it, in order to maximize its longrun/steady-state throughput, while maintaining the logical correctness of the underlying material flow, i.e., deadlock-free operations. An approximation scheme for the optimal policy that is based on neuro-dynamic programming theory is proposed, and its performance is assessed through a numerical experiment. The derived results indicate that the proposed method holds considerable promise for providing a viable, computationally efficient approach to the problem, and highlight directions for further investigation.
Constructive protocol specification using Cicero

This paper describes Cicero, a set of language constructs to allow constructive protocol specifications. Unlike other protocol specification languages, Cicero gives programmers explicit control over protocol execution, and facilitates both sequential and parallel implementations, especially for protocols above the transport-layer. It is intended to be used in conjunction with domain-specific libraries, and is quite different in philosophy and mode of use from existing protocol specification languages. A feature of Cicero is the use of event patterns to control synchrony, asynchrony, and concurrency in protocol execution, which helps programmers build robust protocol implementations. Event-pattern driven execution also enables implementers to exploit parallelism of varying grains in protocol execution. Event patterns can also be translated into other formal models, so that existing verification techniques may be used.
TORSION OF A COMPOUND BAR BOUNDED BY CYLINDRICAL POLAR COORDINATES

The torsion of a long bi-material bar bounded by cylindrical polar coordinate surfaces is studied analytically. The problem is solved by eigenfunction expansions parallel to the bonding surfaces which may be circumferential or radial. If the two material parts have certain symmetries, solutions of the homogeneous bar can be superposed to obtain the compound bar solution.
Feline Insular Amyloid Incidence in Adult Cats with No Clinicopathologic Evidence of Overt Diabetes Mellitus

Pancreatic tissues from 93 adult domestic cats with no clinicopathologic evidence of overt diabetes mellitus were examined for islet amyloid. Amyloid deposits were found in the pancreatic islets of 44 cats. Approximately one-third of these deposits were not seen with HE, but subsequently were identified with Congo red stain. The proportion of islets with amyloid, the intra-islet location of amyloid, and the amount of amyloid in individual islets also were characterized. In this select population of adult cats, the presence or absence of islet amyloid was not linked significantly (p = > 0.05) to age, breed, sex or primary anatomic diagnosis. Results of this study indicate that: the incidence of islet amyloid in cats is higher than previously recognized; as in man, islet amyloid can occur in cats without concurrent overt diabetes mellitus; and islet amyloid should not be considered pathognomonic for diabetes mellitus.
Increased Stress-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Male Patients With Major Depression and Increased Early Life Stress

Objective: The authors sought to determine innate immune system activation following psychosocial stress in patients with major depression and increased early life stress. Method: Plasma interleukin (IL)-6, lymphocyte subsets, and DNA binding of nuclear factor (NF)-kB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared in medically healthy male subjects with current major depression and increased early life stress (N=14) versus nondepressed male comparison subjects (N=14) before and after completion of the Trier Social Stress Test. Results: Trier Social Stress Test-induced increases in IL-6 and NF-κB DNA-binding were greater in major depression patients with increased early life stress and independently correlated with depression severity, but not early life stress. Natural killer (NK) cell percentages also increased following stress. However, there were no differences between groups and no correlation between NK cell percentage and stress-induced NF-κB DNA-binding or IL-6. Conclusions: Male major depress...
Digital systems for artificial neural networks

The current art of digital electronic implementation of neural networks is reviewed. Most of this work has taken place as digital simulations on general-purpose serial or parallel digital computers. Specialized neural network emulation systems have also been developed for more efficient learning and use. Dedicated digital VLSI integrated circuits offer the highest near-term future potential for this technology. >
On inequalities for differential operators

In this concluding chapter, we shall pursue some variations on yet another central theme in analysis. The present theme can be described in the following general terms. Consider a set of ordinary differential operators, {T i }, and a set of functions, {u}, admitting these operators. These give rise to a new set of functions {T i u}. We have already considered the problem of determining when nonnegativity of the T i u induces a corresponding property in the u. In this chapter, we shall consider the problem of determining when the fact that T i u ∈ L P (0, ∞) implies that u ∈ L r (0, ∞), where the value of r depends, of course, on p. More generally, given that T i u ∈ L pi (0, ∞), i = 1, 2,..., k, we wish to determine the L-class of T k +1 u.
The Cosmic Mystery of Judicial Restraint: J. Harvie Wilkinson III's Cosmic Constitutional Theory: Why Americans are Losing Their Inalienable Right to Self-Governance

A distinguished federal appellate judge, J. Harvie Wilkinson III, has an exasperated message for constitutional theorists: A plague on all your houses! This short review demonstrates that Judge Wilkinson’s proposed alternative to all constitutional theories, which he calls “judicial restraint,” is actually a confused melange of judicial activism and judicial abdication. The review concludes by suggesting a different form of judicial restraint, and one that is consistent with the constitutional theory of originalism.
Cultivating Critical Resilience among Mexican American Community College Students through a Three-Way Learning Community

This qualitative case study used a critical resilience framework to explore how a three-way learning community composed of a student success course and ESL reading and writing courses aided in the transition of a group of Mexican American ESL students to mainstream college courses. The findings illustrate that this transition involved helping the participants twist fibers of struggle into resilient yarn in order to improve their lives and those of their families. The author describes many of the students’ life experiences and the strategies supported by the three-way learning community that facilitated the students’ transition. The strategies of validation, challenging gender and racial oppression, and building cultural capital were situated within a social cultural context and therefore helped to cultivate the participants’ critical resilience.
Osteoblast-Specific Expression of the α2(I) Collagen Promoter in Transgenic Mice: Correlation with the Distribution of TGF-β1

To begin to assess the transcriptional mechanisms that regulate type I collagen gene expression in differentiating osteoblasts, we have sought to determine the minimal promoter sequences that confer osteoblast-specific expression to the alpha 2(I) collagen gene during murine development. Transgenic mice were generated harboring DNA constructs in which the -2000, -500, and -350 to +54 regions located upstream of the start of transcription were linked to the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase reporter gene (LacZ). Histochemical staining using X-gal indicated that the -2000 lacZ transgene was strongly expressed in newly differentiated and fully functional osteoblasts at intramembranous and endochondral sites of ossification. The promoter was also active in osteocytes in regions of bone remodeling within alveolar bone. The temporal and spatial activity of this region of the promoter closely resembled the developmental patterns of expression of the endogenous alpha 2(I) collagen gene as determined by in situ hybridization. The cis-acting elements within the 500 and 350 bp segments of the alpha 2(I) collagen promoter also drove reporter gene expression in forming osteoblasts, although levels of transgene expression were not as marked as that seen with the 2000 bp promoter. Furthermore, the synthesis and secretion of TGF-beta 1 in osteogenic zones coincided with areas where the alpha 2(I) collagen promoter constructs were transcriptionally active. Since a nuclear factor 1 binding site present at -300 has been shown to mediate the effects of TGF-beta 1 on the alpha 2(I) collagen promoter, these data support a role for TGF-beta 1 in the control of this gene during development.
Paraneoplastic pemphigus and Castleman's disease in the setting of herpes simplex virus infection.

: A 14-year-old girl presented with a 3-week history of mucosal erosions, injected conjunctiva, dehydration, and respiratory distress. She had been treated with intravenous acyclovir for herpes simplex infection with positive herpes simplex virus immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G. Physical examination and imaging revealed a large abdominal mass. Incisional biopsy was obtained, and pathology demonstrated angiofollicular hyperplasia with hyalinized germinal centers and Castleman’s syndrome-like features. Based on the mucosal erosions, herpes simplex virus serology and positive herpes simplex virus-1 direct fluorescent antibody, Castleman’s disease secondary to overwhelming herpes simplex virus infection was the initial impression. The poor response to antivirals and subsequent development of a bullous eruption on the hands resulted in dermatology consultation. Skin biopsy was obtained from a bullae and revealed suprabasilar acantholysis with necrosis as well as upper dermal, perivascular, and interface infiltrate of lymphocytes and eosinophils. No viropathic changes were present. Direct immunofluorescence was significant for immunoglobulin G deposition intercellularly and along the dermoepidermal junction and focal trace C3 deposition along the dermoepidermal junction consistent with paraneoplastic pemphigus, later confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence. We report this case of paraneoplastic pemphigus secondary to Castleman’s syndrome confounded by herpes simplex virus-1 positive mucosal erosions.
Real-time microsensor measurement of internal oxygen partial pressure in tomato fruit under hypoxic conditions

Abstract Internal oxygen partial pressure of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit was measured using a pc-controlled, fiber-optic O 2 meter. Tomato fruit were subjected to hypoxic conditions via blockage of gas exchange at the stem end or by controlled atmosphere storage (4 kPa O 2 plus 5 kPa CO 2 ). Internal O 2 partial pressure was evaluated in distal (i.e., blossom-end) tissue (10-mm depth). In both tests tomato fruit exposed to ambient atmosphere conditions had internal O 2 partial pressure of 18 kPa. Hypoxia was induced following lanolin application to the stem scar, and O 2 partial pressure decreased to 0.3 kPa after 1.5 h. During short-term CA application, the O 2 content of tomato was 1.0 and 0.2 kPa, after 1 and 2 h, respectively. This measurement apparatus shows promise for determining internal O 2 partial pressure in soft fruits as affected by such external conditions as coatings, and modified or controlled atmosphere storage.
Insights into Eastern Health Care: Some Transcultural Nursing Perspectives:

This paper describes the author's formal introduction to Eastern holistic health care while attending a conference in India. The author discusses reasons for the Western interest in Eastern health care concepts and practices, and examines the ancient holistic system of Ayurveda medicine. Leininger's (1991) three modes of action from her theory of Culture Care are examined to suggest nursing care decisions and actions that could assist nurses to provide culturally congruent care to individuals who prefer Ayurveda to traditional Western health care practices. Similarities and differences between Western and Ayurvedic approaches to health care are discussed.
Ideal Illusions: How the U.S. Government Co-opted Human Rights

James Peck. Ideal Illusions: How the U.S. Government Co-opted Human Rights. New York: Metropolitan Books, 2011. vi + 384 pp. Earlier this year, Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Mark Hanis, founders of th...
Global common subexpression elimination

When considering compiler optimization, there are two questions that immediately come to mind; one, why and to what extent is optimization necessary and two, to what extent is it possible. When considering the second question, one might immediately become discouraged since it is well known that the program equivalency problem is recursively unsolvable. It is, of course, clear from this that there will never be techniques for generating a completely optimum program. These unsolvability results, however, do not preclude the possibility of ad hoc techniques for program improvement or even a partial theory which produces a class of equivalent programs optimized in varying degrees. The reasons why optimization is required seem to me to fall in two major categories. The first I will call “local” and the second “global”.
Agreement on sedation-related events between a procedural sedation registry and computerized medical records

Abstract Objectives Little is known about the accuracy of the medical record to document sedation-related events (SREs). Our hypotheses were that, when compared to a reference database (RD), a procedural sedation quality assurance registry (PSQAR) and medical records were accurate documentation of SREs. Methods All cases in our PSQAR over 13 months were examined. Those with SREs were entered into the RD. We reviewed the computerized medical record (CMR; both physician documentation and nursing documentation) to determine the presence of procedural sedation notes and documentation of SRE. Results A total of 203 sedation cases were entered into the PSQAR. The RD consisted of 74 SREs during 60 cases. The PSQAR included 61 (82%) of 74 events (95% confidence interval [CI], 72%-90%), whereas the CMR included 44 (60%) of 74 events (95% CI, 47%-71%). Physician documentation completely matched the RD in 12 (20%) 60 cases (95% CI, 11-32) and nursing documentation completely matched the RD in 24 (40%) of 60 cases (95% CI, 28-53). Physician and nursing documentation were complete and agreed with each other in only 4 (9%) of 60 cases (95% CI, 2-16; κ = 0.13). Conclusion When compared to the RD, the accuracy of the PSQAR was very good. However, the accuracy of the CMR, including both nursing and physician documentation, was poor and there was poor agreement between them. This has implications for chart review–based research and quality improvement.
Differential Solute Regulation in Leaf Blades of Various Ages in Salt-Sensitive Wheat and a Salt-Tolerant Wheat x Lophopyrum elongatum (Host) A. Love Amphiploid.

Leaf blades of different ages from a salt-tolerant wheat x Lophopyrum elongatum (Host) A. Love (syn. Agropyron elongatum Host) amphiploid and its salt-sensitive wheat parent (Triticum aestivum L.cv Chinese Spring) were compared for their ionic relations, organic solute accumulation, and sap osmotic potential ([pi]sap). The plants were grown for 18 d in nonsaline (1.25 mM Na+) and salinized (200 mM NaCl) nutrient solutions. The response of leaf blades to NaCl salinity depended greatly on their age or position on the main stem. Na and proline levels were highest in the oldest leaf blade and progressively lower in younger ones. Glycine betaine and asparagine levels were highest in the youngest blade. The [pi]sap was similar for corresponding leaf blades of both genotypes, but contributions of various solutes to the difference in [pi]sap between blades from control and 200 mM NaCl treatments differed greatly. The NaCl-induced decline in [pi]sap of the youngest leaf blade of Chinese Spring was predominately due to the accumulation of Na and to a lesser extent asparagine; in the amphiploid, it was due to a combination of glycine betaine, K, Na, and asparagine. Proline contributed little in the youngest blade of either genotype. In the older blades Na was the major solute contributing to the decline in [pi]sap. Thus, the maintenance of low Na and high K levels and the accumulation of glycine betaine in the young leaf tissues contributed to the NaCl tolerance of the amphiploid. No such role was evident for proline.
The statistical analysis of space-time point processes

A space-time point process is a stochastic process having as realizations points with random coordinates in both space and time. We define a general class of space-time point processes which we term {\em analytic}. These are point processes that have only finite numbers of points in finite time intervals, absolutely continuous joint-occurrence distributions, and for which points do not occur with certainty in finite time intervals. Analytic point processes possess an intensity determined by the past of the point process. As a class, analytic point processes remain closed under randomization by a parameter. The problem we consider is that of estimating a random parameter of an observed space-time point process. This parameter may be drawn from a function space and can, therefore, model a random variable, random process, or random field that influences the space-time point process. Feedback interactions between the point process and the randomizing parameter are included. The conditional probability measure of the parameter given the observed space-time point process is a sufficient statistic for forming estimates satisfying a wide variety of performance criteria. A general representation for this conditional measure is developed, and applications to filtering, smoothing, prediction, and hypothesis testing are given.
"Ready, AIM, acquire: Impression offsetting in the context of mergers and acquisitions"

We introduce impression offsetting, an anticipatory impression management technique which occurs when a firm announces a focal event contemporaneously with positive, significant, but unrelated info...
On fixed input distributions for noncoherent communication over high-SNR Rayleigh-fading channels

It is well known that independent and identically distributed Gaussian inputs, scaled appropriately based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), achieve capacity on the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel at all values of SNR. In this correspondence, we consider the question of whether such good input distributions exist for frequency-nonselective Rayleigh-fading channels, assuming that neither the transmitter nor the receiver has a priori knowledge of the fading coefficients. In this noncoherent regime, for a Gauss-Markov model of the fading channel, we obtain explicit mutual information bounds for the Gaussian input distribution. The fact that Gaussian input generates bounded mutual information motivates the search for better choices of fixed input distributions for high-rate transmission over rapidly varying channels. Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for characterizing such distributions for the worst case scenario of memoryless fading, using the criterion that the mutual information is unbounded as the SNR gets large. Examples of both discrete and continuous distributions that satisfy these conditions are given. A family of fixed input distributions with mutual information growth rate of O((loglogSNR)/sup 1-u/), u>0 are constructed. It is also proved that there does not exist a single fixed-input distribution that achieves the optimal mutual information growth rate of loglogSNR.
Improving the accuracy of static branch prediction using branch correlation

Recent work in history-based branch prediction uses novel hardware structures to capture branch correlation and increase branch prediction accuracy. We present a profile-based code transformation that exploits branch correlation to improve the accuracy of static branch prediction schemes. Our general method encodes branch history information in the program counter through the duplication and placement of program basic blocks. For correlation histories of eight branches, our experimental results achieve up to a 14.7% improvement in prediction accuracy over conventional profile-based prediction without any increase in the dynamic instruction count of our benchmark applications. In the majority of these applications, code duplication increases code size by less than 30%. For the few applications with code segments that exhibit exponential branching paths and no branch correlation, simple compile-time heuristics can eliminate these branches as code-transformation candidates.
Physical aggression, compromised social support, and 10-year marital outcomes: Testing a relational spillover model

The purpose of the present study was to test a relational spillover model of physical aggression whereby physical aggression affects marital outcomes due to its effects on how spouses ask for and provide support to one another. Newlywed couples (n = 172) reported levels of physical aggression over the past year and engaged in interactions designed to elicit social support; marital adjustment, and stability were assessed periodically over the first 10 years of marriage. Multilevel modeling revealed that negative support behavior mediated the relationship between physical aggression and 10-year marital adjustment levels whereas positive support behavior mediated the relationship between physical aggression and divorce status. These findings emphasize the need to look beyond conflict when explaining how aggression affects relationships and when working with couples with a history of physical aggression who are seeking to improve their relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record Language: en
Changing Styles, Changing Corpora, Changing Tonal Models

This article explores the historical development of common-practice musical style and how that development might connect to the cognition of key within the history of Western European tonality. First, musical corpora of 19 composers were divided into three-chord progressions, and these progressions were tallied. The chord tallies were used for a cluster analysis and for measurements of inter-corpus cross entropy. The cluster analysis divided the corpora in ways that conform to historical and stylistic intuitions, and inter-corpus cross entropy was found to correlate with the years separating the corpora. These findings show that the chronological distance between two musical corpora seems to predict compositional similarity and that chord-progression norms are connected to specific historical situations. In order to model how these changes might affect the cognition of musical key, a corpus-sensitive key-finding algorithm was used to decode key within a famous example of musical ambiguity, the opening of Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony. Each corpus-trained model created a slightly different key interpretation, suggesting that historically situated models of tonal cognition might indeed interpret the same stimulus differently.
Lateral Variation in the Schottky Barrier Height and Observation of Critical Lengths at Au/PtSi/(100)Si and Au/(100)GaAs Diodes

Lateral variations in the Schottky barrier height (SBH) formed at Au/PtSi/(100)Si and Au/(100)GaAs diodes were measured on length scales ranging from a few to several hundred nanometers using ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM). All of the contacts investigated showed SBH spatial inhomogeneity. The most severe SBH variations observed were 0.09eV/0.7nm in Au/(100)GaAs contacts and 0.08eV/14nm for Au/PtSi/(100)Si contacts. Based on the lateral maps of the SBH at each interface, the difference between the locally averaged SBH and the globally averaged BEEM SBH was computed. This analysis showed that there is a critical diode length scale below which the SBH deviates significantly from the SBH averaged over a macroscopic length scale. This result implies that the uniformity of electrical characteristics of arrays of small devices (e.g.. PtSi/Si photodetectors and GaAs FET gates) can be expected to deteriorate significantly when device dimensions decrease below the critical length.
Role of Membrane Properties on Charge Transport Across Conjugated Oligoelectrolyte Modified Phospholipid Bilayers

Microorganisms have diverse metabolic pathways that enable them to convert hard to use energy sources (e.g., waste water) into useful products such as fuels, chemicals, and electrons for power generation. In many cases, bioelectrochemical systems have the potential to monitor, control, and enhance this metabolism for bio-processing, bio-reformation of fuels, and waste mitigation but slow microbe/electrode charge transfer has limited power densities and waste mitigation rates. Recent work has demonstrated that conjugated oligoelectrolyte (COE) additives enhance the microbial fuel cell power density and waste mitigation, but it remains poorly understood how additives like the COEs interact in phospholipid membranes. Here we examine how phospholipid membrane properties such as fluidity and charge alter COE incorporation and charge transport, using techniques including cyclic voltammetry and absorption spectroscopy. These properties are found to strongly influence COE behavior and can lead to large enhancements of both COE incorporation and activity.
Update of patient-specific maxillofacial implant

Purpose of review Patient-specific implant (PSI) is a personalized approach to reconstructive and esthetic surgery. This is particularly useful in maxillofacial surgery in which restoring the complex three-dimensional (3D) contour can be quite challenging. In certain situations, the best results can only be achieved with implants custom-made to fit a particular need. Significant progress has been made over the past decade in the design and manufacture of maxillofacial PSIs. Recent findings Computer-aided design (CAD)/computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology is rapidly advancing and has provided new options for fabrication of PSIs with better precision. Maxillofacial PSIs can now be designed using preoperative imaging data as input into CAD software. The designed implant is then fabricated using a CAM technique such as 3D printing. This approach increases precision and decreases or completely eliminates the need for intraoperative modification of implants. The use of CAD/CAM-produced PSIs for maxillofacial reconstruction and augmentation can significantly improve contour outcomes and decrease operating time. Summary CAD/CAM technology allows timely and precise fabrication of maxillofacial PSIs. This approach is gaining increasing popularity in maxillofacial reconstructive surgery. Continued advances in CAD technology and 3D printing are bound to improve the cost-effectiveness and decrease the production time of maxillofacial PSIs.
Use of Mental Health Care and Unmet Needs for Health Care Among Lesbian and Bisexual Chinese-, Korean-, and Vietnamese-American Women

Objective:This study examined associations between sexual orientation of Asian-American women and receipt of mental health care and unmet need for health care.Methods:Computer-assisted self-interviews were conducted with 701 unmarried Chinese-, Korean-, and Vietnamese-American women ages 18 to 35. Multivariate regression models examined whether lesbian and bisexual participants differed from exclusively heterosexual participants in use of mental health care and unmet need for health care.Results:After the analyses controlled for mental health status and other covariates, lesbian and bisexual women were more likely than exclusively heterosexual women to have received any past-year mental health services and reported a greater unmet need for health care. Sexual-minority women were no more likely to have received minimally adequate care.Conclusions:Given the high rates of mental health problems among Asian-American sexual-minority women, efforts are needed to identify and overcome barriers to receipt of adeq...
Vegetable Oil–Maleic Anhydride and Maleimide Derivatives: Syntheses and Properties

The marriage of maleic anhydride and vegetable oils as a unique class of environmentally benign macromonomers and sustainable polymers has attracted a great deal of interests in the last few decades. The rich chemistry and versatile reactivity of maleic anhydride, combined with the biodegradable and renewable nature of vegetable oils, have rendered infinite possibilities for the maleic anhydride–vegetable oil derivatives. This section provides a survey of the recent literatures on the synthetic routes of the various maleic anhydride derivatives based on the reactive sites in the vegetable oil, as well as the properties and applications of these novel macromonomers and polymers.
606. cGMP Compliant Process to Produce Day-14 Transplantable Dopaminergic Neuron Precursors

One of the key issues to bringing human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based technology from bench to bedside is developing defined hESC culture processes and differentiation processes to produce sufficient amount of therapeutically relevant cells under Current Good Manufacture Practice (cGMP). Here we report a successful adaptation of a laboratory procedure into a scalable and cGMP compliant process, focusing on optimization of the process for day-14 transplantable dopaminergic (DA) neuron precursor production and the selection of cGMP-compliant reagents. We showed the equivalency between laboratory procedure and the cGMP process generated DA progenitors. The cells generated under cGMP compliant process exhibited similar culture growth characteristic and marker expression as the cells produced by the laboratory procedure as demonstrated by the following analysis: FACS analysis of PAX6 expression as a marker for neural stem cell (NSC); immunocytochemistry staining of TH and B-tubulin-III as marker for dopaminergic neuron; RT-qPCR of DBH and SERT as contaminant markers of noradrenergic and hindbrain neurons. In addition, we demonstrated the feasibility of generating a large intermediate cell bank (ICB) of neural stem cell for the production of DA neuron precursors. A cryopreserved ICB would greatly streamline the manufacturing process and reduce the lot-to-lot variability. In conclusion, we have successfully optimized and adapted a laboratory procedure for producing day-14 transplantable DA neuron precursor into scalable cGMP-compliant manufacture process which would provide great potential for clinical application.
The relationship of single-strand breaks in DNA to breast cancer risk and to tissue concentrations of oestrogens.

AbstractContext: Clinical study of breast cancer patients in Chicago, IL, USA.Objective: Ascertain the utility of measurements of single-strand breaks (SSB) in DNA for assessment of breast cancer risk.Methods: Fine-needle aspirates of the breast, SSB by nick translation, percent breast density (PBD), Gail model risk, cumulative methylation index (CMI), enzymes of DNA repair and tissue antioxidants.Results: DNA repair enzymes and 4-hydroxyestradiol were negatively associated with SSB; CMI and PBD were positively associated.Conclusions: Quantitative measurement of SSBs by this procedure indicates the relative number of SSBs and is related to promoter methylation, antioxidant availability and percent breast density.
Econometric modeling of recycled copper supply

Abstract The supply of recycled material depends on historic consumption, i.e. what constitutes scrap available today originates from previously made products. Analytical tools, such as materials flow analysis, use this observation to estimate scrap metal flows. The supply of recycled metal also depends on changing economic conditions, e.g. metal consumption rates correlate with changes in gross domestic product. We use an autoregressive distributed lag approach to model the supply of recycled copper as a complementary approach to material flow analysis. We find that both industrial activity and world GDP correlate with total scrap supply, with limited dependence on copper price. We also develop independent models for direct remelt (higher quality) and refined (lower quality) scrap. A 1% increase in industrial production leads to a 2.1% increase in higher quality scrap quantity, while a similar increase in world GDP leads to a 1.4% increase in lower quality scrap. Based on this model dependence, we suggest that a recycling policy aimed at increasing recycling through the use of subsidies, taxes or price incentives should be directed towards the low-end segment of the scrap market and there it may still only have limited impact.
The Affordable Care Act Reduced Socioeconomic Disparities In Health Care Access.

The United States has the largest socioeconomic disparities in health care access of any wealthy country. We assessed changes in these disparities in the United States under the Affordable Care Act...