cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coordinate synthesis and degradation of the α-, β- and γ-subunits of the receptor for immunoglobulin E

The surface receptor for immunoglobulin E (IgE) on rat basophilic leukemia cells and their normal counterparts has been postulated to consist of four polypeptide chains: a 45-kDa alpha-chain which binds IgE, a 33-kDa beta-component and two disulfide-linked, 9-10-kDa gamma-polypeptides. The instability of this complex in mild detergents makes it possible that, in vivo also, the structure may not be stable and that there is an independent assembly or exchange of the chains. We studied this question using surface-labeling and biosynthetic labeling techniques and found that the chains turn over coordinately and do not independently exchange. The results provide further support for the proposal that the alpha beta gamma 2 complex is the unit receptor for IgE.
Weakening of an elastic solid by a periodic array of penny-shaped cracks

Abstract The three-dimensional stress distribution for a periodic array of penny-shaped cracks in an infinite isotropic elastic solid under arbitrary uniform loadings is considered by means of the Somigliana dislocation method. The displacement discontinuity of the Somigliana dislocations, by which the penny-shaped cracks are simulated mathematically, is assumed to be in the form p(x'1, x'2)(1 − x'12 − x'22)½. The unknown polynomial p(x'1, x'2) is determined from the boundary conditions on the surfaces of the penny-shaped cracks. It is shown that the singular behavior of the three-dimensional stresses in the vicinity of the crack border is easily examined and the stress intensity factors can be expressed explicitly as functions of position along the crack border. Numerical results for the stress intensity factors are shown for the case of the periodic array of coplanar penny-shaped cracks.
Exploring the design space for adaptive graphical user interfaces

For decades, researchers have presented different adaptive user interfaces and discussed the pros and cons of adaptation on task performance and satisfaction. Little research, however, has been directed at isolating and understanding those aspects of adaptive interfaces which make some of them successful and others not. We have designed and implemented three adaptive graphical interfaces and evaluated them in two experiments along with a non-adaptive baseline. In this paper we synthesize our results with previous work and discuss how different design choices and interactions affect the success of adaptive graphical user interfaces.
Effect of specimen type and crack orientation on fracture toughness

Abstract The effect of specimen type on the room temperature plane strain fracture toughness of three aluminum alloys: 7079-T6,7075-T6, and 7001-T75, is presented. The difference in K IC as evaluated with center notch, single edge notch, slow bend, surface flaw and wedge opening loading specimens is discussed. The orientation of the crack plane and crack propagation direction with respect to the working direction, or grain orientation, of the alloys is considered. The possible influence of crack plane and propagation direction on the resulting plane strain fracture toughness value is discussed. The surface flaw specimens seem to yield the highest K IC value followed by slow bend, single edge notch and center notch specimens. The slow bend and surface flaw specimens were the most sensitive to material variability. Differences in orientation between crack propagation direction and material grain morphology are shown to effect K IC . For 7001-T75 and 7079-T6, the order of decreasing fracture resistance with respect to crack propagation direction is short transverse, short transverse and longitudinal. For 7075-T6, the order is long transverse, short transverse, and longitudinal.
Finite element formulations for transient dynamic problems in solids using explicit time integration

Abstract This paper presents the displacement, mixed and stress formulations of the finite element method when applied to transient dynamic problems of solids. The formulations are chosen so that explicit time integration may be used. Large deformations are considered for these formulations, and infinitesimal strain assumptions are employed with the stress formulation. Displacement formulations are well-known, but the mixed formulations presented provide a viable alternative. The stress formulation has not proven successful for the large deformation problem, but when infinitesimal strains are assumed, the formulation is attractive. A problem of an internally pressurized ring is solved in order to evaluate the different proposed formulations.
Decentralized control of cooperative and autonomous agents for solving the distributed resource allocation problem

Abstract This paper focuses on the decision-making mechanism of coordination protocol for a multi-agent system in collaborative, distributed environment requiring resource allocation solutions. The model of distributed collaboration network (DCN) for distributed resource allocation is developed. The use of monitored viability of each agent as a feedback for the agent's reflexivity and goal adjustment mechanisms during the coordination process is introduced. Question: Will (can) a multi-agent system, as a whole, achieve efficient resource allocations, when each agent makes independent decisions, adjusted by feedback of its own viability measure to maximize its own goal based on limited information about the entire system? To investigate this question, experiments were conducted by using the parallel simulator TIE/Protocol to model the DCN and multi-agent system behavior.
Modeling and experimentation for three-dimensional dynamics of endmills

Abstract This paper presents a model for the three-dimensional (3D) dynamic response of endmills while considering the actual fluted cross-sectional geometry and pretwisted shape of the tools. The model is solved using the spectral-Tchebychev (ST) technique. The bending and the coupled torsional-axial behavior of four different fluted endmills is compared to finite element model (FEM) predictions and experimental results obtained using modal testing under free-free boundary conditions. For the first eight modes, including six bending and two torsional/axial modes, the difference between the 3D-ST and experimental natural frequencies is shown to be 3% or less for all four tools tested during this study. For the same modes, the 3D-ST and FEM predictions agree to better than 1%. To demonstrate its application, the 3D-ST model for the fluted section of a commercial endmill is coupled to the spindle–holder to predict the tool-point dynamics using receptance coupling substructure analysis (RCSA) with a flexible connection. The coupled model is validated through experiments.
HIV-associated obstructive lung diseases: insights and implications for the clinician

Summary The effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy to control HIV infection has led to the emergence of an older HIV population who are at risk of chronic diseases. Through a comprehensive search of major databases, this Review summarises information about the associations between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and HIV infection. Asthma and COPD are more prevalent in HIV-infected populations; 16–20% of individuals with HIV infection have asthma or COPD, and poorly controlled HIV infection worsens spirometric and diffusing capacity measurements, and accelerates lung function decline by about 55–75 mL/year. Up to 21% of HIV-infected individuals have obstructive ventilatory defects and reduced diffusing capacity is seen in more than 50% of HIV-infected populations. Specific pharmacotherapy considerations are needed to care for HIV-infected populations with asthma or COPD–protease inhibitor regimens to treat HIV (such as ritonavir) can result in systemic accumulation of inhaled corticosteroids and might increase pneumonia risk, exacerbating the toxicity of this therapy. Therefore, it is essential for clinicians to have a heightened awareness of the increased risk and manifestations of obstructive lung diseases in HIV-infected patients and specific therapeutic considerations to care for this population. Screening spirometry and tests of diffusing capacity might be beneficial in HIV-infected people with a history of smoking or respiratory symptoms.
Distinguished extensions of a lattice-ordered group

Any lattice-ordered group (l-group for short) is essentially extended by its lexicographic product with a totally ordered group. That is, anl-homomorphism (i.e., a group and lattice homomorphism) on the extension which is injective on thel-group must be injective on the extension as well. Thus nol-group has a maximal essential extension in the categoryIGp ofl-groups withl-homomorphisms. However, anl-group is a distributive lattice, and so has a maximal essential extension in the categoryD of distributive lattices with lattice homomorphisms. Adistinguished extension of onel-group by another is one which is essential inD. We characterize such extensions, and show that everyl-groupG has a maximal distinguished extensionE(G) which is unique up to anl-isomorphism overG.E(G) contains most other known completions in whichG is order dense, and has mostl-group completeness properties as a result. Finally, we show that ifG is projectable then E(G) is the α-completion of the projectable hull ofG.
Importance of Polarization Effects in Modeling the Hydrogen Bond in Water Using Classical Molecular Dynamics Techniques

The importance of polarization effects in the hydrogen-bonding structures of water is evaluated using classical molecular dynamics techniques with a polarizable potential model [Dang, L. X.; Chang,...
Assessing chip-level impact of double patterning lithography

Double patterning lithography (DPL) provides an attractive alternative or a supplementary method to enable the 32nm and 22nm process nodes, relative to costlier technology options such as high refractive index materials, extreme ultraviolet (EUV), or e-beam lithography. DPL implements patterns on a single layer using either additional masks (e.g., double exposure or double patterning) or many additional processing steps (e.g., spacer double patterning). Overlay between the two layers introduces additional variability in both front-end-of-line (FEOL) and back-end-of-line (BEOL) by means of coupling capacitance variation. FEOL variability can be incorporated into standard characterization. However, the impacts of overlay in BEOL require new circuit analysis techniques. Furthermore, such techniques can guide technology developers toward DPL technology options that will have least variability impact on circuit performance. Today, the industry is nearing a critical juncture for choosing among various DPL technology options and process control capabilities. Accordingly, a rigorous, efficient framework is needed for variational performance analyses at chip level, and across many DPL technology options. Once a DPL method is chosen, a chip-level framework similar to what we present here will be required for circuit analysis and optimization. In this paper, we first analyze mechanisms of space and linewidth variation arising from overlay in various double patterning lithography options. We then develop a foundation of both TCAD-based and chiplevel methods, along with an effective design of experiments, to assess electrical impacts of BEOL variations. We conclude with an assessment of relative viabilities of DPL technology options under a range of process control scenarios.
Excess EDDHA in the nutrient solution on iron uptake by bush bean plants

Abstract Excess EDDHA (ethylenediamine di(o‐hydroxyphenylacetic acid) ) had little effect on leaf concentrations of Fe in bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var Improved Tendergreen) when grown in nutrient solution at three pH values from 4.3 to 8.7. An excess of EDDHA 20 times that of Fe decreased yields slightly, but not as result of Fe deficiency. A resulting hypothesis is that chelated Fe can be transferred from chelating agent to uptake sites on roots without going in the ionic form through the solution around roots.
EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS OUT OF POVERTY: Responding to the Realities of Women's Lives

The ways in which women receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children were able to achieve a postsecondary education are examined, as are the effects of the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills program introduced in 1988. The lessons learned from the amalgamation of educational and public welfare programs are discussed, along with the particular advantages of such an education for women living in poverty
Effects of incarceration on philosophies of human nature.

The present study was designed to determine whether the extent of incarceration is related to Children's Philosophies of Human Nature Scale scores among male adolescents. The Children's Philosophies of Human Nature Scale was administered to 113 incarcerated male adolescents. Their scores on the 3 subscales, trustworthiness, strength of will and rationality, and complexity, were unrelated to the length of time they had served in the present incarceration. However, number of previous incarcerations was negatively related to the complexity subscale. These results suggest that incarceration does not exert a consistent influence on their scores. This is consistent with previous suggestions that such attitudes develop prior to adolescence and are relatively stable thereafter.
The toxins of the psittacosis-lymphogranuloma group of agents; differentiation of strains by the toxin neutralization test.

The close antigenic relationship between the various agents in the psittacosis-lymphogranuloma group as shown by the complement fixation test has been amply demonstrated (Rake, Eaton and Shaffer, 1941; Eaton, Martin and Beck, 1942; Thomas and Kolb, 1943; Smadel, Wertman and Reagan, 1943; and others). In view of this close relationship among its members, many studies have been conducted to find a basis for differentiation and identification of the various strains which com-
Displacement field estimation using a coupled Gauss-Markov model

In this paper, we develop a model-based algorithm for obtaining the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate of the displacement vector field (DVF) from two consecutive image frames of an image sequence. To model the DVF, we develop a nonstationary vector field model called the Vector Coupled Gauss-Markov (VCGM) model. The VCGM model is well suited for estimating the DVF, since the resulting estimates preserve the boundaries between the moving and stationary areas in an image sequence. Thus, the model-based MAP estimator that we develop has the ability to adapt to the discontinuities of the DVF. Experiments with a typical video-conferencing sequence demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed algorithm with respect to prediction error and robustness to occlusions.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Latent catalytic systems for ring-opening metathesis-based thermosets

Synthesis and curing activity of latent ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP)-based catalytic systems are reported using polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD) as a model system. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is used to monitor the ROMP reactions and to characterize the cured networks. These systems are either slow or completely inactive at ambient temperatures, yet at high temperatures the superior curing activity of other ROMP catalysts are retained. The resulting thermosets show glass transition temperatures from 10 to 25 °C higher than when cured with other ROMP catalysts.
Astrocytic Regulation of Sleep Processes

It is increasingly evident that astrocytes, once considered primarily a passive support cell type, in fact respond to and regulate neurotransmission to influence information processing and behavior. Although astrocytes are not electrically excitable, they express a variety of receptors that produce calcium responses able to propagate within and between astrocytes. This form of signaling occurs on spatial and temporal scales distinct from those of neuronal activity, potentially allowing astrocytes to locally regulate synaptic and network activity over extended time periods. Perhaps the best studied example of this regulation is the control of sleep homeostasis by astrocytes. Astrocyte-derived adenosine causes an increase in sleep pressure leading to increased slow wave activity and extended recovery sleep. Despite its established importance for the sleep homeostat, however, the roles of astrocytes in other sleep-associated processes are only beginning to be understood.
Small Clusters of Electrically Coupled Neurons Generate Synchronous Rhythms in the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus

The inhibitory neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) contribute to the generation of widespread oscillations in the thalamocortical system. Some TRN neurons are interconnected by electrical synapses, and here we tested the possibility that electrical synapses mediate rhythmic synchrony in juvenile rats. Both the incidence and strength of electrical coupling between pairs of TRN neurons were a steep function of intersomatic distance, and coupling was absent at distances >40 μm. Presynaptic spike bursts evoked much larger electrical postsynaptic potentials than did single presynaptic spikes. Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) with a bath-applied agonist or an endogenous ligand released during tetanic stimulation induced robust rhythms of the subthreshold membrane potential, with a mean frequency of ∼10 Hz. In the absence of fast chemical synaptic transmission, subthreshold rhythms and the action potentials that they evoked were well synchronized between closely spaced, electrically coupled pairs; rhythms in noncoupled cells were not synchronized. The results suggest that electrical synapses can coordinate spindle-frequency rhythms among small clusters of mGluR-activated TRN cells.
Simple delay-based implementation of continuous-time controllers

The objective of this work is to study the benefits that delay can provide in simplifying the control process of large-scale systems, motivated by the availability of different types of delays in man-made and biological systems. We show that a continuous-time linear time-invariant (LTI) controller can be approximated by a simple controller that mainly uses delay blocks instead of integrators. More specifically, three methods are proposed to approximate a pre-designed stabilizing LTI controller arbitrarily precisely by a simple delay-based controller composed of delay blocks, a few integrators and possibly a unity feedback. Different problems associated with the developed approximation procedures, such as finding the optimal number of delay blocks or studying the robustness of the designed controller with respect to delay values, are then addressed.
Long-time mean-square displacements in proteins

We propose a method for obtaining the intrinsic, long-time mean square displacement (MSD) of atoms and molecules in proteins from finite-time molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Typical data from simulations are limited to times of 1 to 10 ns, and over this time period the calculated MSD continues to increase without a clear limiting value. The proposed method consists of fitting a model to MD simulation-derived values of the incoherent intermediate neutron scattering function, ${I}_{\mathrm{inc}}(\mathbf{Q},t)$, for finite times. The infinite-time MSD, $\ensuremath{\langle}{r}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}$, appears as a parameter in the model and is determined by fits of the model to the finite-time ${I}_{\mathrm{inc}}(\mathbf{Q},t)$. Specifically, the $\ensuremath{\langle}{r}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ is defined in the usual way in terms of the Debye-Waller factor as $I(\mathbf{Q},t=\ensuremath{\infty})=\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}{Q}^{2}\ensuremath{\langle}{r}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}/3)$. The method is illustrated by obtaining the intrinsic MSD $\ensuremath{\langle}{r}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ of hydrated lysozyme powder ($h=0.4$ g water/g protein) over a wide temperature range. The intrinsic $\ensuremath{\langle}{r}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ obtained from data out to 1 and to 10 ns is found to be the same. The intrinsic $\ensuremath{\langle}{r}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ is approximately twice the value of the MSD that is reached in simulations after times of 1 ns which correspond to those observed using neutron instruments that have an energy resolution width of 1 $\ensuremath{\mu}$eV.
Radiation pneumonitis in breast cancer patients treated with conservative surgery and radiation therapy

Abstract The likelihood of radiation pneumonitis and factors associated with its development in breast cancer patients treated with conservative surgery and radiation therapy have not been well established. To assess these, we retrospectively reviewed 1624 patients treated between 1968 and 1985. Median follow-up for patients without local or distant failure was 77 months. Patients were treated with either tangential fields alone ( n = 508) or tangents with a third field to the supraclavicular (SC) or SC-axillary (AX) region ( n = 1116). Lung volume treated in the tangential fields was generally limited by keeping the perpendicular distance (demagnified) at the isocenter from the deep field edges to the posterior chest wall (CLD) to 3 cm or less. Seventeen patients with radiation pneumonitis were identified (1.0%). Radiation pneumonitis was diagnosed when patients presented with cough (1517, 88%), fever (917,53%), and/or dyspnea (617,35%) and radiographic changes (1717) following completion of RT. Radiographic infiltrates corresponded to treatment portals in all patients, and in 12 of the 17 patients, returned to baseline within 1–12 months. Five patients had permanent scarring on chest X ray. No patient had late or persistent pulmonary symptoms. The incidence of radiation pneumonitis was correlated with the combined use of chemotherapy (CT) and a third field. Three percent (11/328) of patients treated with a 3-field technique who received chemotherapy developed radiation pneumonitis compared to 0.5% (6 of 1296) for all other patients ( p = 0.0001). When patients treated with a 3-field technique received chemotherapy concurrently with radiation therapy, the incidence of radiation pneumonitis was 8.8% (892) compared with 1.3% (3236) for those who received sequential chemotherapy and radiation therapy ( p = 0.002). A casexontrol analysis was performed to determine if the volume of lung irradiated (as determined using central lung distance [CLD]) was related to the risk of developing radiation pneumonitis. Three control patients were matched to each case of radiation pneumonitis based on age, side of lesion, chemotherapy (including sequencing), use of a third field, and year treated. Lung volumes were similar in the radiation pneumonitis cases and controls. We conclude that radiation pneumonitis following conservative surgery and radiation therapy for breast cancer is a rare complication, and that it is more likely to occur in patients treated with both a 3-field technique and chemotherapy (particularly given concurrently with radiation therapy). Over the limited range of volumes treated, lung volume was not associated with an increased risk of radiation pneumonitis.
Psychiatric Considerations in Patients with Decreased Levels of Consciousness

When patients present to the emergency department with changes in behavior and levels of consciousness, psychiatric causes often move to the top of the list of diagnostic considerations. It is important to thoroughly assess such patients for medical causes. Although it is not common for primary psychiatric conditions to present with altered levels of consciousness, severe cases may present in this fashion. Altered mental states may also be caused by adverse reactions to psychiatric medications. In this article, the authors review some of the psychiatric causes of decreased levels of consciousness, as well as certain adverse drug reactions to psychotropic medications.
Introducing the Circular Flow Diagram to Business Students

The circular flow of income diagram is a simplified representation of the functioning of a free-market economic system. It illustrates how businesses interact with the other economic participants within the key macroeconomic markets that coordinate the flow of income through the national economy. Therefore, it can provide students of business with a valuable tool for understanding the economic environment in which businesses operate. The author argues that the circular flow diagram may be used as an element of support for embedding a wide range of fundamental economic concepts into the structure of business education. He also describes an interactive classroom activity that engages students in constructing the diagram.
Conditional Quantile Analysis for Crash Count Data

Crashes are important evidence for identifying deficiencies existing in highway systems, but they are random and rare. The investigation of the nature of the problem normally draws on crashes collected over a multiyear period and from different locations to obtain a sizable sample. Hence, the issue of data heterogeneity arises because the pooled data originated from different sources. Data heterogeneity has to be addressed to obtain stable and meaningful estimates for variable coefficients. A desirable method of handling heterogeneous data is quantile regression (QR) because it focuses on depicting the relationship between a family of conditional quantiles of the crash distribution and the covariates. The QR method is appealing because it offers a complete view of how the covariates affect the response variable from the full range of the distribution, which is of particular use for distributions without symmetric or normal forms (i.e., heavy tails, heteroscedasticity, multimodality, etc.). Crash data possess some of the properties that quantile analysis can handle, as demonstrated in an intersection crash study. The compelling results illustrate that conditional quantile estimates are more informative than conditional means. The findings provide information relative to the effect of traffic volume, intersection layout, and traffic control on crash occurrence.
Re-configuring museums

This paper presents a model for understanding contemporary museum practice. It identifies three fundamental museological domains—materiality, engagement, and representation—and examines them from the perspective of what museums have been, what museums are becoming, and what museums could become. This examination produces a series of configurations that can be useful for thinking about change in museums of all kinds. Recognizing the range of configurations can enable museums to reflect on how they have positioned themselves for the future in relation to collections and constituents.
A powerful and flexible statistical framework for testing hypotheses of allele-specific gene expression from RNA-seq data

Variation in gene expression is thought to make a significant contribution to phenotypic diversity among individuals within populations. Although high-throughput cDNA sequencing offers a unique opportunity to delineate the genome-wide architecture of regulatory variation, new statistical methods need to be developed to capitalize on the wealth of information contained in RNA-seq data sets. To this end, we developed a powerful and flexible hierarchical Bayesian model that combines information across loci to allow both global and locus-specific inferences about allele-specific expression (ASE). We applied our methodology to a large RNA-seq data set obtained in a diploid hybrid of two diverse Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, as well as to RNA-seq data from an individual human genome. Our statistical framework accurately quantifies levels of ASE with specified false-discovery rates, achieving high reproducibility between independent sequencing platforms. We pinpoint loci that show unusual and biologically interesting patterns of ASE, including allele-specific alternative splicing and transcription termination sites. Our methodology provides a rigorous, quantitative, and high-resolution tool for profiling ASE across whole genomes.
Style Migration and the Cross-Section of Stock Returns

Stocks experiencing sharp changes in their style characteristics present unique opportunities to examine how investors view style information in making their portfolio allocation decisions. We examine the average returns of such stocks - which we call “style migrants” - and the covariation of the returns of style migrants with their new style cohort stocks to provide new insight into the way investors use equity style information. Our results indicate that investors strongly judge a stock by its style. Specifically, we find that stocks experiencing large levels of variability in their book-to-market and momentum characteristics during the prior three years significantly out perform, during the following year, other stocks with more style stability. In addition, these high style risk stocks covary much more with their new style cohorts than do low style risk stocks that have also moved into the same new style category, consistent with investors overreacting to style shifts of high style risk stocks, while exhibiting a “style memory” effect for low style-risk stocks. In further tests, we find some evidence that high style risk stocks exhibit style return reversals, while low style risk stocks exhibit style return continuations. Overall, our paper provides new evidence about investor behavior by demonstrating that some investors appear to overweight style information when allocating their portfolios, especially for certain high style-risk stocks.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH—EJACULATORY DISORDERS: Trends in Research on Premature Ejaculation Over the Past 25 Years

ABSTRACT Introduction The authors posit that, among other things, the increasing popularity of pharmacological remedies has reinvigorated research interest in premature ejaculation (PE). However, the authors also posit that the emphasis has shifted from psychological–behavioral studies to biological–pharmacological studies, thereby distracting researchers from potent psychological/relationship factors known to play important roles in the recovery of overall sexual satisfaction. Aim To explore actual patterns of research on PE, the authors determined trends in the overall quantity and focus of PE research over the past 25 years. Methods The two major databases, PsychINFO and MEDLINE, were searched from 1979 to 2006 using several key words to identify all PE-related publications. Main Outcome Measures Referenced articles on PE were cataloged by year and assigned to broad hypothetically and empirically based categories representing different approaches to the study of this dysfunction. Results MEDLINE, but not PsychINFO, exhibited a large increase in publications on PE over the past decade. Although the number of publications on PE increased only in MEDLINE, the 25-year trend showed a decline in the proportion of psychological behavior articles in both databases and a concomitant rise in biological and pharmacological articles. Conclusions Although several explanations might account for these research trends, the authors worry that researchers are missing the opportunity to investigate important biobehavioral interactions underlying ejaculatory response and dysfunction, and to augment the current biopharmacological paradigm by integrating cognitive–behavioral and sex therapy programs into pharmacological PE treatment. Rowland D, and Burek M. Trends in research on premature ejaculation over the past 25 years.
Ion scattering and electron spectroscopic study of the surface coverage of V/Al2O3 catalysts

Ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, ESCA) were used to study the dispersion of the vanadium phase and the coverage of Al2O3 by vanadium. A series of V/Al2O3 catalysts was prepared by equilibrium adsorption with vanadium loadings varying from 1.9 to 6.7 wt.% V. By monitoring the ISS Al/O intensity ratio the surface coverage of the catalysts was determined. The surface coverage increases from 15 to 33% with increasing the loading from 1.9 to 3.5 wt.% V. The results are consistent with a model of a uniform monolayer vanadium phase. For higher vanadium loadings the surface coverage appears to level off, suggesting the formation of a multilayer vanadium phase.
THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CONTINUOUS QUERIES

In a world where the amount of electronic information available is constantly growing, techniques to select and filter information efficiently become increasingly important. Continuous queries are a tool that allows users to monitor one or more information sources, by giving the impression that the queries are being run continually over them. In this paper, we formalize the notion of continuous queries for a wide spectrum of environments. We consider both append-only data sources and systems that allow more general data manipulation. We examine the case where the database management software may be modified as well as where we must treat it as a black box. We study the classes of queries that can be supported in each case and present efficient implementation techniques for them.
On MHD intermediate shocks

Contrary to the usual belief that MHD intermediate shocks are extraneous, we show in this paper by numerical solutions of resistive MHD equations that at least some of the intermediate shocks are admissible and can be formed through nonlinear steepening from a continuous wave. The result is of importance not only to the MHD shock theory but also to studies such as magnetic field reconnection models.
New algorithms for placement and routing of custom analog cells in ACACIA

KOAN and ANAGRAM II, novel analog placement and routing tools in the CMU ACACIA system are presented. Together, these tools support a more general model of analog layout than conventional analog macrocell systems. KOAN dynamically merges devices, supports complex symmetry constraints, and automatically generates well and bulk contacts. ANAGRAM II routes arbitrary-width wires, and supports over-the-device and symmetric differential wiring. Both tools have more support for interactive use than their predecessor, the original ANAGRAM system. Preliminary results are encouraging. >
The lifetime of conditioned Brownian motion in certain Lipschitz domains

For certain Lipschitz domains D we obtain a series expansion for the distribution of the lifetime τ D of conditioned Brownian motion on D. From this we determine $$\mathop {lim}\limits_{t \to \infty } {\text{ }}t^{ - 1} {\text{ }}log{\text{ }}P_x^h (\tau _D {\text{ > }}t) = \mathop {lim}\limits_{t \to \infty } {\text{ }}t^{ - 1} {\text{ }}log{\text{ }}P_x (\tau _D {\text{ > }}t) = {\text{--}}\lambda _D {\text{,}}$$ where λ D is the first eigenvalue of 1/2 Δ on D.
All‐atom fast protein folding simulations: The villin headpiece

We provide a fast folding simulation using an all-atom solute, implicit solvent method that eliminates the need for treating solvent degrees of freedom. The folding simulations for the 36-residue villin headpiece exhibit close correspondence with the landmark all-atom explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations by Duan and Kollman (Duan & Kollman, Science 1998;282:740-744; Duan, Wang, & Kollman, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998;95:9897-9902). Our implicit solvent approach uses only an entry-level single CPU PC with comparable throughput ( approximately 4 nsec/day) to the DK supercomputer simulation. The native state is shown to be stable. Our 200-nsec folding trajectory agrees with the DK simulation in displaying a burst phase, a rapid initial shrinkage, a highly native-like binding site structure, and more.
Agreement Among Four Models Used for Diagnosing Learning Disabilities

We compared the level of agreement among four models used to diagnose learning disabilities (LD), including the simple discrepancy, intraindividual, intellectual ability-achievement, and underachievement models. The sample included 170 clinic-referred university students. The simple discrepancy model diagnosed significantly more students with LD than the other three models. The highest degree of agreement occurred between the intraindividual and intellectual ability-achievement models (70%); the lowest level of agreement occurred between the simple discrepancy and underachievement models (48%). Finally, only two of the six comparisons among the four models demonstrated significant correlations. We conclude that even when discrepancy models diagnose similar numbers of students with LD, the same students are not diagnosed across different models.
Factors associated with stigma among caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder in the STEP-BD study.

Objective: Little is known about the factors contributing to mental illness stigma among caregivers of people with bipolar disorder. Methods: A total of 500 caregivers of patients participating in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) study were interviewed in a cross-sectional design on measures of stigma, mood, burden, and coping. Relatives and friends with bipolar disorder were assessed on measures of diagnosis and clinical status, determined by a days-well measure derived from psychiatrist ratings of DSM-IV episode status. Because patients’ clinical status varied widely, separate models were run for patients who were euthymic for at least threefourths of the past year (well group) and for those who met criteria for an affective episode for at least one-fourth of the previous year (unwell group). Stepwise multiple regression was used to identify patient, illness, and caregiver characteristics associated with caregiver stigma. Results: In the unwell group, greater mental illness stigma was associated with bipolar I (versus II) disorder, less social support for the caregiver, fewer caregiver social interactions, and being a caregiver of Hispanic descent. In the well group, greater stigma was associated with being a caregiver who is the adult child of a parent with bipolar disorder, who has a college education, who has fewer social interactions, and who cares for a female bipolar patient. Conclusions: Mental illness stigma was found to be prevalent among caregivers of persons with bipolar disorder who have active symptoms as well as for caregivers of those who have remitted symptoms. Stigma is typically associated with factors identifying patients as “different” during symptomatic periods. Research is needed to understand how the stigma experienced by caregivers during stable phases of illness differs from the stigma experienced during patients’ illness states. (Psychiatric Services 58:41–48, 2007)
Pure phase-encoded MRI and classification of solids

Here, the authors combine a pure phase-encoded magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method with a new tissue-classification technique to make geometric models of a human tooth. They demonstrate the feasibility of three-dimensional imaging of solids using a conventional 11.7-T NMR spectrometer. In solid-state imaging, confounding line-broadening effects are typically eliminated using coherent averaging methods. Instead, the authors circumvent them by detecting the proton signal at a fixed phase-encode time following the radio-frequency excitation. By a judicious choice of the phase-encode time in the MRI protocol, the authors differentiate enamel and dentine sufficiently to successfully apply a new classification algorithm. This tissue-classification algorithm identifies the distribution of different material types, such as enamel and dentine, in volumetric data. In this algorithm, the authors treat a voxel as a volume, not as a single point, and assume that each voxel may contain more than one material. They use the distribution of MR image intensities within each voxel-sized volume to estimate the relative proportion of each material using a probabilistic approach. This combined approach, involving MRI and data classification, is directly applicable to bone imaging and hard-tissue contrast-based modeling of biological solids. >
Effects of anticoagulation on recurrent systemic emboli in mitral stenosis

Abstract Systemic arterial embolization can be expected in at least 20% of patients with mitral stenosis (MS) and recurrence without treatment may be expected in as many as 60% of these patients. 1 Embolization may occur as the first manifestation of MS, and may occur in patients without significant cardiac functional impairment. 1,2 In patients with significant cardiac functional impairment, the treatment to prevent recurrence of embolization is clearly surgical; however, when there is little or no cardiac functional impairment, treatment is controversial. Surgical therapy is recommended by some, while long-term anticoagulant therapy without surgery is the choice of others. 1,3
Macrophage apoptosis in tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an intracellular pathogen that infects alveolar macrophages following aerosol transmission. Lung macrophages provide a critical intracellular niche that is required for Mtb to establish infection in the human host. This parasitic relationship is made possible by the capacity of Mtb to block phagosome maturation following entry into the host macrophage, creating an environment that supports bacillary replication. Apoptosis is increasingly understood to play a role in host defense against intracellular pathogens including viruses, fungi, protozoa and bacteria. In the last 15 years an understanding of the role that macrophage apoptosis plays in TB has begun to emerge. Here we review the history and current state of the art of this topic and we offer a model of the macrophage-pathogen interaction that takes into the account the complexities of programmed cell death and the relationship between various death signaling pathways and host defense in TB.
Photoionization of wide bandgap silicate glasses by ultrashort IR laser pulses

ABSTRACT We study the excitation of luminescence, photoionization, and laser-induced breakdown in a multi-component silicate photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass, and in fused silica. PTR glass is a high-purity homogeneous photosensitive alkali-silicate glass with intrinsic absorption edge at 5.8 eV (214 nm). Experiments are conducted with ultrashort laser pulses (100 fsec< 2 < 1.5 psec) at the wavelengths 780 nm, 1430 nm, and 1550 nm. Filaments are observed inside both glasses and explained by a balance between Kerr self-focusing and free electron defocusing. Keldysh theory is used to model the formation of filaments and values of about 10 13 W/cm 2 for laser intensity and 10 19 cm -3 for free-electron density are estimated. Laser-induced damage by pulses at 1430 nm and 1550 nm is detected in fused silica and PTR glass by third harmonic generation due to the formation of an interface between a damage site and the surrounding glass matrix. It is found that there is an intensity range where luminescence and photoionization in both glasses occurs without laser-induced damage. Keywords: Silicate glass, photoionization, ultrashort laser pulses, laser-induced damage, Keldysh theory
Trace element concentrations in the Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii) in central and northern California

To determine concentrations of trace elements (THg, MeHg, Se, and Pb) in tissues of the Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii), live (n = 186) and dead seals (n = 53) were sampled throughout central and northern California from March 2003 to January 2005. There were significant differences in THg concentrations in blood and hair based on age (p < 0.001). Adult male harbor seals had greater THg concentrations in their hair than adult female harbor seals (p < 0.003). THg concentrations in liver increased linearly with age and δ15N (p < 0.001); whereas, MeHg concentrations in liver increased exponentially until approximately 5 years of age with an asymptote at 1.3 μg/g wet weight. MeHg expressed as a percentage of THg (%MeHg) was best described by a decay function (r2 = 0.796, p < 0.001), decreasing to a minimum at 4 years of age. Hepatic Se increased with age and was in equimolar ratios with THg in adults; whereas, molar ratio of Se:THg in pups deviated from a 1:1 ratio. Significant differences among study locations in THg concentrations in blood and hair were not detected. Assessing the possible effect of sampling location on Hg concentrations, however, was confounded and limited by lack of equal sample sizes for basic age and sex cohorts, a common dilemma in pinniped research.
ABSENCE OF EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLE PATHOLOGY IN DUCHENNE'S MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY :ROLE FOR CALCIUM HOMEOSTASIS IN EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLE SPARING

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by clinical weakness and progressive necrosis of striated muscle as a consequence of dystrophin deficiency. While all skeletal muscle groups are thought to be affected, enigmatically, the extraocular muscles (EOM) appear clinically unaffected. Here we show that dystrophin deficiency does not result in myonecrosis or pathologically elevated levels of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in EOM. At variance with a previous report, we find no evidence for dystrophin-related protein/utrophin up-regulation in EOM. In vitro experiments demonstrate that extraocular muscles are inherently more resistant to necrosis caused by pharmacologically elevated [Ca2+]i levels when compared with pectoral musculature. We believe that EOM are spared in DMD because of their intrinsic ability to maintain calcium homeostasis better than other striated muscle groups. Our results indicate that modulating levels of [Ca2+]i in muscle may be of potential therapeutic use in DMD.
Differential roles of low and high spatial frequency content in abnormal facial emotion perception in schizophrenia

While schizophrenia patients are impaired at facial emotion perception, the role of basic visual processing in this deficit remains relatively unclear. We examined emotion perception when spatial frequency content of facial images was manipulated via high-pass and low-pass filtering. Unlike controls (n=29), patients (n=30) perceived images with low spatial frequencies as more fearful than those without this information, across emotional salience levels. Patients also perceived images with high spatial frequencies as happier. In controls, this effect was found only at low emotional salience. These results indicate that basic visual processing has an amplified modulatory effect on emotion perception in schizophrenia.
233: Cannabis in pregnancy: legal, but safe?

pathogenic copy number variant (CNV) detected) were compared to those with normal CMA. Those with karyotype abnormalities were excluded. Chi square was used to compare proportions, and multivariate models were created to generate adjusted odds ratios (aOR). RESULTS: 147 CDH cases were identified. Of these, 75 had prenatal genetic testing (karyotype1⁄474; CMA1⁄427), and an additional 14 had neonatal CMA. Four of these cases had both preand postnatal CMA. Two prenatal and 9 postnatal cases had copy number variants (CNV) (11/37, 29.7%), and one of these cases had a normal prenatal but abnormal postnatal CMA result. No significant association was seen between CMA results and CDH characteristics, additional anomalies, or neonatal birthweight. However, the abnormal CMA group was significantly less likely to survive to discharge (19.1% vs 81.0%; p1⁄40.01). The aOR for neonatal or infant death was 12.9 (95% CI 1.29-129.66) when CNV was present, also adjusting for CDH sidedness, GA at birth, birthweight, presence versus absence of ascites or hydrops, and abnormal versus normal fetal echocardiogram. CONCLUSION: Infants with prenatally detected CDH demonstrated a lower survival rate if a CNV was present, a finding that was independent of additional risk factors for neonatal death.