cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A high-efficiency microwave thermoablation system for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: Results of a randomized, sham-controlled, prospective, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial

Objectives. To determine the effectiveness, safety, and impact on patient quality of life (QOL) of a novel transurethral microwave thermoablation system for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods. A total of 169 patients with BPH were randomized to undergo a 1-hour microwave (n = 125) or sham (n = 44) procedure using the Urologix Targis thermoablation system on an outpatient basis, without general or regional anesthesia. Symptoms, flow rates, and QOL scores were determined before the study procedure and periodically thereafter up to 6 months. Results. Mean American Urological Association (AUA) score in the microwave group diminished 50% (P <0.0005) by the 6-month evaluation (10.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.2 to 11.8) compared with baseline values (20.8, 95% CI 19.8 to 21.9). The sham group also exhibited lower postprocedural AUA scores; however, the magnitude of the postprocedural decline in AUA score in the microwave group was significantly greater (P <0.01) than that in the sham group. Half the microwave group had an AUA score of less than 9 by 6 months, and the decrease in symptoms was similar among patients with initially moderate versus initially severe symptoms. Mean peak urinary flow rate (Qmax) in the microwave group increased 51% (P <0.0005) by 6 months to 11.8 mL/s (95% CI 10.7 to 13.0) versus a pretreatment value of 7.8 mL/s (95% CI 7.4 to 8.2). The magnitude of the postprocedural increase in Qmax was significantly greater in the microwave than the sham group (P <0.05). In nearly half the microwave group (47%), Qmax increased 50% or more by 6 months compared with 24% of the sham group. Microwave treatment resulted in a significantly greater (P <0.05) positive impact on patient QOL than did the sham procedure. By 6 months, the QOL score in microwave-treated patients (2.2, 95% CI 1.9 to 2.4) averaged 48% lower (P <0.0005) than that at baseline (4.2, 95% CI 4.0 to 4.4). Significantly greater durability of treatment effects was also evident with microwave than with sham treatment, as judged by the higher proportion of microwave-treated patients (98.4%) requiring no further treatment during the 6-month study period versus 83.3% of sham control patients (P <0.0005). Microwave treatment was well tolerated, and complications were generally minor, readily manageable, and transitory. Conclusions. The microwave thermoablation system proved to be an effective and safe treatment modality for BPH, with a positive impact on patient QOL.
A reliable treatment of the physical structure for the nonlinear equation K(m,n)

In this work, the nonlinear equation K(m,n) is studied for all possible values of m and n. We show that this equation may exhibit compactons, solitons or periodic solutions. The analysis reveals the change of the physical structure of the solutions as a result of the change of m and n.
Restoration: Congress, Term Limits and the Recovery of Deliberative Democracy

Will argues that Congress's ability to legislate effectively is being undermined by politicians using it a vehicle for seeking re-election. Term limits, he says, would work to reverse the trend toward short-term popularity seeking and re-establish Congress as a proper deliberative chamber. The USA is in the midst of a deep-seated governmental crisis. Congress's inability to formulate coherent policies and the low esteem in which it is consequently held lies at the heart of this crisis. Will contends that the constitution desperately needs term limits in Congress, and that partisan considerations, if there really be any, should be suppressed in the interests of the good of the state. George F. Will is a Pulitzer Prize winner and the author of numerous books, including "Suddenly" and "The Morning After". He contributes a column to "Newsweek".
Microwave thermoelastic tissue imaging - System design

A microwave-induced thermoelastic tissue imaging system is proposed as a new and promising imaging modality. lt possesses unique features that permit noninvasive imaging of tissue characteristics which are not identifiable by otber techniques. It uses nonionizing radiation and relies on a beam of impinging microwave energy to launch an acoustic wavefront into tissue. This thermoelastic wave of pressure propagates through the tissue and is detected by a two-dimensional array of piezoelectric transducers positioned on the body surface to give an image of the intervening tissue structure. Signals from the output of this transducer array are amplified and band-limited. A computer-controlled data acquisition system samples and converts them to digital form for further processing. A hybrid paralleljserial design for dividing the array into segments and collecting data from each segment sequentially is used. The area image sensor offers inherent geometric stability essential for reliable measurement. Error in scan position is not a conctrn, since mechanical scanning is not involved. The gray Ievel resolution is 256 after digitization, and the spatial resolution is 5 x 5 mm. These resolutions, along with a calculated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) greater than 2500, are sufficient to provide structural information needed to render microwave-induced thermoelastic imaging a useful, noninvasive method for imaging biological tissues.
Distribution of murine stage-specific embryonic antigens in the kidneys of three rodent species.

Abstract The distribution of two mouse stage-specific embryonic antigens (SSEA-1 and SSEA-3), recognized by monoclonal antibodies, was investigated in the kidneys of mice, rats and gerbils. Both antigens, with the exception of SSEA-3, which was not found in the kidney of the gerbil, were detectable in at least some portions of the kidney in all three species. These data suggest that while unique antigenic determinants may be evolutionarily conserved in homologous tissues of different species, their distribution may vary anatomically.
Additives To Lower and Stabilize the Viscosity of Pyrolysis Oils during Storage

The initial development of additives to stabilize the viscosity of biocrude during long-term storage has produced dramatic results. The additives investigated were ethyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone and methanol, acetone, methanol, acetone and methanol, and ethanol. These additives represent three chemical families, which all demonstrated the ability to drastically reduce the aging rate of biocrude, as defined by the increase in viscosity with time. Accelerated aging tests were run at 90 °C to screen the additives. The additives not only lowered the initial viscosity at 40 °C by half but also reduced the aging rate of a hot gas filtered pyrolysis oil made from hybrid poplar (NREL run 175) by factors of 1−18 compared to the original pure oil. With the best additive, methanol, at a 10 wt % level in the pyrolysis oil, the modified biocrude was still a single-phase liquid and still met the ASTM No. 4 diesel fuel specification for viscosity even after 96 h exposure to 90 °C. Based on the aging rate at 90 °C...
Tampon Use in Young Females

Background Tampon usage among young females has been associated with toxic shock syndrome (TSS). We studied the prevalence of tampon use among young females, the factors and persons influencing this choice, the role of primary care physician (PCP), and the potential association of tampon use with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Methods An anonymous questionnaire regarding the use of feminine hygiene products was completed by 250 college female students between 17 and 21 years of age and 90 primary care physicians. Percentages were calculated for most outcome measurements and tisher’ s probability exact test was utilizea to compare between groups. Results Of the participants, 19% use pads, 29% use tampons, and 52% use combination of both or a total of 81% use tampons alone or in combination. The choice was influenced by the girl herself (58%) or her mother (42%). Convenience, comfort, and appearance were the most common reasons for continuing use of the product. Only 22% reported that their physician has discussed tampon usage with them but only one participant was influenced by her physician's input. Incidence of STDs was not significantly different (P 0.38) between those using pads (12%) and tampons (15%). In the pad group, 12% reported UTIs vs. 32% in the other group (P 0.007). Recurrent UTIs were reported by only one participant (2%) in the pad group vs. 28 (14%) in the tampon group (P 0.02). Of PCPs, 75% routinely discuss menstrual history with young females but only 30% said they discussed hygiene products, although 52% of them thought that the type of product used is medically important (female physicians 63% and males 44%). Of the female physicians, 71% said they used tampons alone or combined with pads and 29% exclusively use pads with 92% of those citing fear of TSS as a reason for their choice. Conclusion The majority of young females use tampons based on own decision or maternal influence for comfort, convenience, and appearance. Physician input in this regard is not routinely provided probably because of lack of agreement about the importance of the subject among physicians. Based on participants’ report in this survey, the incidence of UTIs as well as recurrent UTIs appears to be significantly higher in tampon users than in the pad using group. Physicians should assume a more active role in explaining the benefits and potential risks of feminine hygiene products and their appropriate use.
Computed tomography-guided biopsy. I. Overview.

Abstract The authors are preparing a series of communications on CT-guided biopsy ?ro?edures to be published in future issues of this journal. The present article, which previously appeared in this Cleveland Clinic Quarterly , in intended to serve as an introduction to the concept of CT-guided biopsies. Because the principles of the biopsy procedure remain the same, we do not believe that a “rewrite” of the previously published article would be required. We hope that by presenting this article and subsequent articles concerning the use of CT-guidcd biopsies, the reader will acquire in appreciation of the proper role of this exciting new technique in comparison to the available imaging modalities. We believe that as individuals become more experienced with the imaging capabilities. of these CT devices, they will want to develop the technique of obtaining biopsy confirmation of the imaging diagnosis.
Bacterial cellulose III. Development of a new form of cellulose

Abstract A new form of cellulose, bacterial cellulose (BC), was developed by disintegrating gelatinous cellulose which was produced by Acetobacter aceti AJ12368. BC is wet (97% water) and paste-like, and comprised of flocks of microfibrils. It swells in water and disperses homogeneously at a level of ≥0.3%. The suspension is a thixotropic fluid, and also shows dilatant flow at a low shear rate. The viscosity of a BC suspension is low compared to common thickeners. As a filler, BC has the highest water-holding capacity among commercial cellulose products. BC is considered as a stabilizer with low viscosity and a low-calorie material as a fat substitute.
Optical Microscopy inside a Heating Capillary

This paper presents a heating-capillary video-microscopy system that allows visual observation and quantification of phenomena involving biphasic dispersions with interfaces at high temperatures. The cylindrical capillaries were made to have inside diameters of ∼200 μm, while their exterior was coated with a transparent tin-doped indium oxide film that acted as an electrically heating jacket. The produced capillaries achieved temperatures ranging from ambient to at least 287 °C, the boiling temperature of n-hexadecane, a high boiling point hydrocarbon used in the temperature-calibration experiments. The generated temperatures may oscillate, with maximum deviations of about 3 °C from ambient to 80 °C, 9 °C from 80 to 170 °C, and 45 °C from 170 to 265 °C. In the range of 100−265 °C, the desired temperatures were attained at a rate from 75 to 198 °C/s and could be easily adjusted by changing the applied ac voltage with a variable transformer. Two examples of using the heating-capillary technique for interfac...
One‐person games of economic survival

This paper discusses the one-person economic survival game model with a discrete probability distribution for the contribution to surplus variable. The general game model and strategies in these games are examined, and necessary conditions which an undominated, stationary strategy must satisfy are obtained. For a special class of these games a mathematical formulation of the value of the game is given, and examples and theorems which relate to undominated strategies in this class are presented. This paper, in some sense, is a sequel to a portion of a paper by Shubik and Thompson [7] which appeared in this journal.
Photo-, electro-, and weak single-pion production in the (3,3) resonance region

We give a unified account of single-pion photo-, electro-, and weak production. The emphases of the paper are fourfold: (1) We give a detailed kinematic discussion of single-pion electro- and weak-production; (2) we develop a dynamical model for electroproduction and weak production in the (3,3) resonance region, based on the CGLN model for photoproduction; (3) we systematically discuss the partially-conserved axail-vector current (PCAC) and current-algebra constraints which relate the single-pion electro- and weak-production matrix elements to the matrix elements for other processes; (4) we compare our model with experiment.
Metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene in the Chinese hamster ovary cell mutation assay.

Abstract Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were exposed to 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) and 2-aminofluorene (2-AF), and several of their N-oxidized metabolites in order to study the mechanisms by which arylamides and arylamines produce mutations in mammalian cells. The number of mutations induced at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase locus by each compound (mutants/10(6) CHO cells/nmol compound/ml) was estimated to be: N-acetoxy-2-AAF, 310; N-hydroxy-2-AF, 3; N-hydroxy-2-AAF (with and without hepatic S9 activation), 0.7; 2-AAF (with S9), 0.1; and 2-AF (with S9), 0.09. With each compound, DNA adducts were also identified and quantified, and in all cases the major adduct was N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-AF. 2-AAF and N-hydroxy-2-AAF also formed minor amounts of N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-AAF and 3-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-AAF. The relationship between mutation induction and adduct formation for each of the derivatives was similar to that previously reported for N-hydroxy-2-AF. Inclusion of the deacetylase inhibitor, paraoxon, reduced the mutagenicity of 2-AAF, N-hydroxy-2-AAF and N-acetoxy-2-AAF, and the DNA adducts produced by N-acetoxy-2-AAF to background levels. Acetyl coenzyme A increased the mutations and CHO cytosol-mediated DNA binding of N-hydroxy-2-AAF, but did not substantially increase these responses from N-hydroxy-2-AF. N-Hydroxy-2-AAF was not detectably metabolized by CHO cells. Taken together, these data indicate that CHO cells metabolized N-acetoxy-2-AAF to a reactive derivative by N-deacetylation to N-acetoxy-2-AF, while N-hydroxy-2-AF reacted directly with DNA. The major pathway of N-hydroxy-2-AAF activation appeared to be an initial O-acetylation to N-acetoxy-2-AAF and this occurred to only a limited extent in the CHO cells. N-Hydroxy-2-AAF also seemed to form an additional unknown ester intermediate that gave rise to acetylated DNA adducts. The initial step in the activation of 2-AAF and 2-AF was an N-oxidation to N-hydroxy-2-AAF and N-hydroxy-2-AF, respectively. The limited O-acetylase activity in CHO cells appeared to contribute to the low sensitivity of these cells toward mutation induction by arylamines and arylamides.
Antibiotics in acute bronchitis: a meta-analysis

Abstract PURPOSE: Most patients with acute bronchitis who seek medical care are treated with antibiotics, although the effectiveness of this intervention is uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials to estimate the effectiveness of antibiotics in the treatment of acute bronchitis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: English-language studies published January 1966 to April 1998 were retrieved using MEDLINE, bibliographies, and consultation with experts. Only randomized trials that enrolled otherwise healthy patients with a diagnosis of acute bronchitis, used an antibiotic in the treatment group and a placebo in the control group, and provided sufficient data to calculate an effect size were included. RESULTS: We identified eight randomized controlled trials that satisfied all inclusion criteria. These studies used one of three antibiotics (erythromycin, doxycycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole). The use of antibiotics decreased the duration of cough and sputum production by approximately one-half day (summary effect size 0.21; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.36). For specific symptoms, there were nonsignificant trends favoring the use of antibiotics: a decrease of 0.4 days of purulent sputum (95% CI, −0.1 to 0.8), a decrease of 0.5 days of cough (95% CI, −0.1 to 1.1), and a decrease of 0.3 days lost from work (95% CI, −0.6 to 1.1). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests a small benefit from the use of the antibiotics erythromycin, doxycycline, or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in the treatment of acute bronchitis in otherwise healthy patients. As this small benefit must be weighed against the risk of side effects and the societal cost of increasing antibiotic resistance, we believe that the use of antibiotics is not justified in these patients.
Growth hormone and rat liver mitochondria: effects on urea cycle enzymes.

Abstract Effects of hypophysectomy and subsequent growth hormone administration on mitochondrial enzymes of the urea cycle were investigated in rat liver. Hypophysectomy increased the activities of the two mitochondrial enzymes, carbamyl phosphate synthetase and ornithine transcarbamylase but not of the cytosolic enzyme, argininosuccinate synthetase. The activity of mitochondrial phosphate dependent glutaminase was not affected. Administration of bovine growth hormone (100 μg/100 g body weight) for two weeks decreased the activities of carbamyl phosphate synthetase and ornithine transcarbamylase almost to the normal level. These results suggest a specific effect of growth hormone on mitochondrial enzymes of the urea cycle and serve to explain the increased urea formation in hypopituitarism.
Influenza vaccination status among health care professionals for prevention of nosocomial infection to hospitalized elderly patients

Abstract Health care professionals (HCP) in close contact with hospitalized high-risk patients, including the elderly, are recommended for influenza immunization, but their acceptance of the vaccine remains alarmingly low. A cohort of 62 HCP were randomly chosen and surveyed by a questionnaire at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital to determine their influenza vaccination status and some of the reasons affecting their compliance. Subjects studied consisted of 18 physicians, 17 nurses, 15 clinical laboratory personnel and 12 other support personnel. The overall vaccination rate during the last year for this study population was 19·4% (12 subjects) while 37·1% (23 subjects) had received the vaccine more than 1–5 years previously and 43·5% (27 subjects) never received influenza vaccine. Among the latter group, never receiving the vaccine, 48% (13 subjects) were physicians, 33% (nine subjects) nurses, 7% (two subjects) clinical laboratory and 11% (three subjects) other support personnel. A total of 63% of the HCP surveyed (36 subjects) indicated that they had close contact with patients (higher percentage among physicians and nurses). There was no difference in vaccination rates between the HCP with close patient contacts (19·4%) and those without (20%). The most frequently cited reason for non-immunization was that the HCP did not want the vaccine. This lack of motivation was due to a multitude of factors: time constraints; fear of vaccine side effects; lack of assurance about the vaccine efficacy; misconceptions on the availability of the vaccine, and perceived low risk of contacting influenza in medical settings. Yet, 74% of the HCP indicated that they have suffered from influenza like illness in the past. Overall, fear of side effects and needle prick played a major role for non-compliance with influenza vaccine recommendation in 28% of the 50 non-compliant HCP. When the physicians and nurses were asked if they recommended influenza vaccination for their high risk patients, more physicians (14 out of 18 physicians) said they did (78%) than did the nurses (11 out of 17 nurses, 65%). These data indicate that the HCP intellectually accept the influenza vaccine, but they do not practice what they teach.
Biosynthetic Studies of Fumonisin B1 and AAL Toxins

The biosynthesis of the sphinganine analogue mycotoxins (SAMs) fumonisin B1 and the AAL toxins was studied by growing Fusarium moniliforme and Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici in liquid culture. Radioactive and stable isotopically labeled amino acid, water, and molecular oxygen precursors were added to the culture media and toxins were analyzed using thin-layer chromatography, liquid scintillation counting, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS). Results indicated that glycine was incorporated directly into the AAL toxins and that methionine was incorporated into the AAL toxin methyl groups. Oxygens in tricarballylic acid moieties for fumonisin B1 and the AAL toxins were derived from H2O while the lipid backbone hydroxyls for fumonisin B1 and the AAL toxins originated from molecular oxygen. Isotopic enrichment patterns for the various AAL toxins showed marked differences among toxins, suggesting a c...
Patient Disclosure about Herb and Supplement Use among Adults in the US

Analyses of 2002 National Health Interview supplement on complementary and alternative medicine (NHI%AM) indicate that approximately 38 million adults in the US (18.9% of the population) used natural herbs or supplements in the preceding 12 months, but only one-third told their physician about this use. The objectives of this study are: (i) to determine subpopulation rates of patient-physician communication about herbal product and natural supplement use and (ii) to identify the relative influence of patient factors and interaction factors associated with patient-physician communication about herb and supplement use. Logistic secondary analysis was done by using the complementary and alternative medicine supplement of the 2002 National Health Interview Survey. Subjects were a random stratified sample of US adults who used herbs in the past 12 months (n = 5 196) and self-reported rates of disclosure to physicians about herb and supplement use. Results show that disclosure rates were significantly lower for males, younger adults, racial and ethnic minorities and less intensive users of medical care. Across subpopulations, disclosure was the exception rather than the norm. Given the potential risks of delayed or inappropriate treatment and adverse drug reactions and interactions, physicians should be aware of herb and supplement use and counsel patients on the potential risks and benefits of these treatments.
The social value of hidden information in adverse selection economies

Abstract When agents possess imperfect hidden knowledge at the time contracts are negotiated, the social value of agents having access to additional hidden knowledge before contracts are implemented is positive to the extent that incentive-constrained agents are sorted more finely, but is negative to the extent that incentive-constraining agents impose more stringent signalling requirements on others. Hence, the intuition developed by Hirshleifer (1971), Marshall (1974), and Milgrom and Stokey (1982), that privately acquired information has neither positive nor negative social value when agents possess no prior hidden knowledge, does not apply when agents possess imperfect hidden knowledge during contractual negotiations.
Stenting for spontaneous left internal mammary artery dissection: a case report.

We present a case of a spontaneously occurring mid LIMA dissection found on routine cardiac catheterization. We report our evaluation and intervention for this exceedingly rare phenomenon.
Tunable Nanostructures as Photothermal Theranostic Agents

The theranostic potential of several nanostructures has been discussed in the context of photothermal therapies and imaging. In the last several decades, the burden of cancer has grown rapidly, making the need for new theranostic approaches vital. Lasers have emerged as promising tools in cancer treatment, especially with the advent of photothermal therapies wherein light absorbing dyes or plasmonic gold nanoparticles are used to generate heat and achieve tumor damage. Recently, photoabsorbing nanostructures have materialized that can be employed in conjunction with lasers in the near-infrared region in order to enhance both imaging and photothermal effects. The incorporation of tunable nanostructures has resulted in improved specificity in cancer treatment. Silica-cored gold nanoshells and gold nanorods currently serve as the chief plasmonic structures for photothermal therapy. Although gold nanorods and silica-cored gold nanoshells have shown promise as therapeutic agents, over the past few years new nanostructures have emerged that offer comparable and even superior theranostic properties. In the present review, several theranostic agents and their impact on the development of more effective photothermal therapies for the treatment of cancer are discussed. These agents include hollow gold nanoshells, gold gold-sulfide nanoparticles, gold nanocages, carbon and titanium nanotubes, photothermal-based nanobubbles, polymeric nanoparticles and copper-based nanocrystals.
Treatment of Microperforate Hymen With Serial Dilation: A Novel Approach

Abstract Background Microperforate and imperforate hymens are one of the most common causes of vaginal outflow obstruction in the adolescent population. To date, these hymen anomalies are traditionally treated by hymenectomy with a cruciate excision. Cases(s) We report 2 cases of adolescent women with a microperforate hymen who were successfully and minimally invasively treated with progressive dilation with Hegar cervical dilators until a number 23 dilator was reached under anesthesia in the OR. Summary and Conclusion Minimally invasive treatment of microperforate hymen with the use of progressive cervical dilators may be an alternative technique to the traditional excisional hymenectomy. Our patients reported satisfaction and minimal postoperative pain or scarring at 2 weeks and 6 months after the procedure. This technique can be an additional option for all women, especially those with cultural beliefs in virginity.
Application of a serial extended forecast experiment using the ECMWF model to interpret the predictive skill of tropical intraseasonal variability

The extended-range forecast skill of the ECMWF operational forecast model is evaluated during tropical intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) events in the Indo-West Pacific warm pool. The experiment consists of ensemble extended serial forecasts including winter and summer ISO cases. The forecasts are compared with the ERA-40 analyses. The analysis focuses on understanding the origin of forecast errors by studying the vertical structure of relevant dynamical and moist convective features associated with the ISO. The useful forecast time scale for circulation anomalies is in average 13 days during winter compared to 7-8 days during summer. The forecast skill is not stationary and presents evidence of a flow-dependent nature, with states of the coupled system corresponding to long-lived convective envelopes associated with the ISO for which the skill is always low regardless of the starting date of the forecast. The model is not able to forecast skillfully the generation of specific humidity anomalies and results indicate that the convective processes in the model are associated with the erosion of the ISO forecast skill in the model. Circulation-associated anomalies are forecast better than moist convective associated anomalies. The model tends to generate a more stable atmosphere, limiting the model's capability to reproduce deep convective events, resulting in smaller humidity and circulation anomalies in the forecasts compared to those in ERA-40.
Prosody and the Interpretation of Hierarchically Ambiguous Discourse

Although significant attention has been devoted to prosody in discourse production, relatively little is known about prosody's effect on discourse interpretation. This article explores the ability of synthetic manipulations of prosody to bias interpretation of discourse ambiguities where a first sentence is linked to two following sentences either by coordinating (Narration) or subordinating (Elaboration) discourse relations. In Experiment 1, manipulations of pitch, pause duration, and intensity were found to influence discourse interpretation. In Experiment 2, subsets of these prosodic contrasts were compared. A bias for more coordination interpretations was found only for subsets with rising pitch at the end of the first sentence, including one where that was the only contrast, showing that rising pitch alone can disambiguate discourse. Participants also expressed more confidence when choosing a coordination interpretation after hearing a rise or a subordination interpretation after hearing a fall. Resu...
Haseo sōshi: A Medieval Scholar’s Muse

The picture scroll Haseo sōshi (The Tale of Lord Haseo, dated between the end of the thirteenth century and the early fourteenth century) tells of Ki no Haseo (845–912), a famous scholar-poet, who gambles with an oni (demon or ogre) for a female prize who turns out to be a concoction from parts of dead bodies. With a variety of vivid characters, the Tale of Lord Haseo is a captivating story from the otogizōshi (literally ‘companion tales’) genre. Importantly, the text reveals medieval Japanese thought about the relationship between humans and demons, the creation of life from death, and beliefs in supernatural beings.
Speedup of Fuzzy Clustering Through Stream Processing on Graphics Processing Units

As the number of data points, feature dimensionality, and number of centers for clustering algorithms increase, computational tractability becomes a problem. The fuzzy c-means has a large degree of inherent algorithmic parallelism that modern CPU architectures do not exploit. Many pattern recognition algorithms can be sped up on a graphics processing unit (GPU) as long as the majority of computation at various stages and the components are not dependent on each other. We present a generalized method for offloading fuzzy clustering to a GPU, while maintaining control over the number of data points, feature dimensionality, and the number of cluster centers. GPU-based clustering is a high-performance low-cost solution that frees up the CPU. Our results show a speed increase of over two orders of magnitude for particular clustering configurations and platforms.
ICITST-2013: Keynote speaker 3: Blurred nets: Disruption and the risk to future ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) architectures

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an integrated part of the future Internet with self-configuring capabilities based on interoperable communication protocols where physical and virtual ‘things/objects’ have identities, physical attributes and are seamlessly integrated into the information network. This keynote will address three key themes in this IoT evolution, each defining stages in the evolution of the Internet over the next decade. Over the next few years, the importance of collaboratory participation nets will further increase active creation and passive consumption. By 2015, immersive nets become predominant, integration local tags, wireless networks and smart environment's offer a cloud of information accessible and editable both remotely and in-person. After 2017, metaverse nets will take this augmented world and add connections with virtual environments. Although innovative, the risk and disruption to these new architectures will present challenges to the IoT Cyber domain needing to address the very large numbers of ‘things/objects’ handing data in this new global information space.
Effectiveness of infliximab in treating selected patients with sarcoidosis

Summary Objective To assess the effectiveness of infliximab (Remicade) in the treatment of patients with sarcoidosis who either do not respond to corticosteroids and other conventional drugs or develop unacceptable side effects to these drugs. Design A clinical, non-randomized, off-label study. Setting Sarcoidosis clinic at a university teaching hospital. Patients Twelve biopsy-proven sarcoidosis patients, nine women and three men ranging from 45 to 70 years of age with chronic multisystem sarcoidosis refractory to corticosteroids or alternative treatment. Intervention Infliximab was infused at a dedicated ambulatory infusion center. The initial dose was 3mg/kg body weight and subsequent doses were given at weeks 2, 4, 6, 10, and 14. All patients received at least six infusions. Results All 12 patients improved significantly. One patient had a mild allergic drug reaction that responded to antihistamine. One patient, after 3 months of stopping infliximab treatment, died of a ruptured blood vessel in the abdomen. At autopsy a plasma cell dyscrasia was found. Conclusion Infliximab is safe and effective in treating those patients with multisystem sarcoidosis who are either refractory or develop side effects to a standard regimen of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents.
Extending the Bereavement Exclusion for Major Depression to Other Losses: Evidence From the National Comorbidity Survey

Context Symptoms of intense bereavement-related sadness may resemble those of major depressive disorder (MDD) but may not indicate a mental disorder. To avert false-positive diagnoses, DSM criteria for MDD exclude uncomplicated bereavement of brief duration and modest severity. However, the DSM does not similarly exempt depressive reactions to other losses, even when they are uncomplicated in duration and severity. Objective To test the validity of the DSM exclusion of uncomplicated depressive symptoms only in response to bereavement but not in response to other losses. Design Community-based epidemiological study. Participants From the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) of 8098 persons aged 15 to 54 years representative of the US population, we identified individuals who met MDD symptom criteria and whose MDD episodes were triggered by either bereavement (n = 157) or other loss (n = 710). Intervention We divided the bereavement and other loss trigger groups into uncomplicated and complicated cases by applying the NCS algorithm for uncomplicated bereavement to the reactions to other losses. We then compared uncomplicated bereavement and uncomplicated reactions to other losses on a variety of disorder indicators and symptoms. Main Outcome Measures Nine disorder indicators, as follows: number of symptoms, melancholic depression, suicide attempt, duration of symptoms, interference with life, recurrence, and 3 service use variables. Results Episodes of uncomplicated depression triggered by bereavement and by other loss have similar symptom profiles and are not significantly different for 8 of 9 disorder indicators. Moreover, uncomplicated reactions, whether triggered by bereavement or other loss, are significantly lower than complicated reactions on almost all disorder indicators. Conclusion The NCS data do not support the validity of uniquely excluding uncomplicated bereavement but not uncomplicated reactions to other losses from MDD diagnosis.
Combustion synthesis of advanced materials

Abstract A variety of advanced materials can be synthesized using solid-state combustion reactions, following two different modes of synthesis, the self-propagating mode and the thermal explosion mode. Combustion synthesis offers many potential advantages over conventional techniques of synthesis, including relatively simple equipment, shorter processing times, lower energy requirements, higher product purities, and the possibility to synthesize metastable phases. Various aspects of combustion synthesis are discussed in this review. They include thermodynamic considerations, theory and mechanisms, and structure-forming processes. The influence of processing variables on reaction progress and structure formation is discussed in detail. Some novel technologies and materials based on combustion synthesis are also described. The principles of chemical reaction engineering, combined with concepts and techniques of materials science, provide a suitable basis for studies of combustion synthesis.
The Intersections of Dominant Discourses Across Race, Gender, and Other Identities

A discussion of dominant discourses across race, gender, and other identities is provided, especially in terms of consequences. Distinctions are made between consequences of social constructions and identity. An example of a counselor working with a client is provided to illustrate several points made by the author.
Bootstrap Confidence Intervals for Effective Doses in the Probit Model for Dose-Response Data

Parametric bootstrap methods for the construction of confidence intervals for the effective dose at level α(EDα) under the probit model for the dose-response relationship are investigated. The standard maximum likelihood confidence intervals and percentile, centered percentile, studentized, bias corrected and better bias corrected bootstrap methods are compared in a simulation with 1000 Monte Carlo runs and 1000 bootstrap samples. Among the bootstrap methods, studentized and centered percentile methods are found to behave unfavorably with respect to observed coverage probability, whereas the bias corrected and better bias corrected bootstrap sometimes improve on the maximum likelihood method. The maximum likelihood method yielded very mixed results, but in our simulation none of the currently available bootstrap methods improved uniformly on this standard method. The methods are illustrated by an application to a bioassay.
Optional SVM for Fault Diagnosis of Blast Furnace with Imbalanced Data

Fault diagnosis for blast furnace is actually a multi-class classification problem because the blast furnace may appear usually many kinds of abnormal states. Moreover, those abnormal states should be monitored and diagnosed timely and what can help workers take effective measures. Support vector machine (SVM) is state-of-the-art for many classification problems currently. But many classification tasks involve imbalanced training examples in practice. Imbalanced dataset learning is an important practical issue in machine learning, especially in support vector machine (SVM). Fault diagnosis for blast furnace is such an imbalanced data problem. A novel algorithm named optional support vector machine is proposed to solve this imbalanced data classification by pruning training sets and adding the unlabeled data and applying edited nearest neighbor (ENN) rules. Firstly, training sets of majority class are pruned in order to reduce the training time. Secondly, the algorithm selects some useful unlabelled training data and adds them to the training sets. Those samples are used to replenish the lack of training samples so that the training sets are representative. However, they may contain some noisy examples. Finally, the edited nearest neighbor rule is removed the noisy examples. The algorithm adds the unlabelled (testing) samples to balance the number of samples between the minority class and the majority one. The real-time producing data of blast furnace are used to running experiment. In order to more accurately diagnose which kinds fault happened, a binary tree multi-class classification method is adopted based on blast furnace characteristics. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is feasible and effective.
Model of a thinned CCD

This paper will introduce a simple model for calculating the quantum efficiency of back- illuminated CCDs. The model incorporates parameters which account for what are believed to be the important features of the back surface: a surface recombination velocity, an electric field which can assist in or oppose the collection of photogenerated carriers and a field free region. Preliminary calculations of device quantum efficiency using the model agree with earlier results and indicate only moderate fields are required to enhance the quantum efficiency especially at short wavelengths.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ritonavir inhibits HIF-1α-mediated VEGF expression in retinal pigment epithelial cells in vitro.

Ritonavir inhibits HIF-1 α- mediated VEGF expression in retinal pigment epithelial cells in vitro
The fermentative characteristics ofLactobacillus xylosus on glucose and xylose

Growth, substrate utilization and product formation forLactobacillus xylosus on glucose, xylose and a mixture of both substrates was modeled during batch fermentations. The yield of lactate on glucose was 0.88 g/g (55% of theoretical) and the yield on xylose was 0.41 g/g (69% of theoretical). When grown on both substrates,L. xylosus consumed no xylose at glucose concentrations exceeding 3.3 g/l.
Aspartic acid-121 functions at the active site of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease.

The fully active semisynthetic enzyme formed by the non-covalent interaction of residues 1–118 of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease and a synthetic tetradecapeptide containing residues 111–124 of the enzyme has allowed a direct test of the role of aspartic acid-121 in the functioning of the molecule. Replacement of this residue by asparagine results in a derivative that is 4.5% active against cytidine 2',3'-cyclic phosphate at pH 7.0 under standard assay conditions. Further studies with the same substrate at pH 5.8 reveal that the reduced activity results entirely from a diminished catalytic efficiency and not from a decreased affinity for substrate.
Pointwise error estimates for interpolation

Abstract Pointwise error estimates are obtained for polynomial interpolants in the roots and extrema of the Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind. These estimates are analogous to those derived by Henrici [2] for trigonometric polynomial interpolants.
Carbon fiber microelectrodes for adsorptive stripping analysis of trace nucleic acids

Abstract Carbon fiber ultramicroelectrodes are shown to be suitable for adsorptive stripping potentiometric measurements of trace DNA and RNA. The origin of the carbon fiber has a profound effect upon its suitability for trace analysis of nucleic acids, with the ‘Aesar’ materials performing most favorably. The resulting ultramicroelectrodes offer effective adsorptive accumulation of DNA and RNA from unstirred microliter-volume solutions, and are shown to be useful in adsorptive stripping transfer experiments. The influence of the surface pretreatment and accumulation conditions is described, along with the analytical-performance characteristics. The detection limits are 6, 15 and 40 μg/1 tRNA, ssDNA and dsDNA, respectively (5 min accumulation).
Environmental influences on early language development: The context of social risk.

The impact of environmental risk on toddlers' cognitive and linguistic development was investigated in a longitudinal study of 78 high-risk families. The risk factors examined were family social status, mother's psychosocial functioning, and quality of dyadic involvement at 1 year of age (including measures of mother-infant interaction and infant-mother attachment security). Child outcome measures included the Bayley MDI (at 24 months) and the Preschool Language Scale (at 36 months). The data indicate that dyadic involvement was an important mediator in the relation between environmental risk and subsequent child competence. Specific relations among early interactive experiences, infant attachment security, and subsequent cognitive and linguistic gain were examined within a framework of risk and protective factors. The results suggest that secure attachment may operate as a protective factor, but only among the more extreme cases in this exclusively high-risk sample.
Social Sciences and Statistics

Audrey Haber, Richard P. Runyon, and Pietro Badia, eds., Readings in Statistics. Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts, I970, 254 pp., $5.95. Bernhardt Lieberman, ed., Contemporary Problems in Statistics. A Book of Readings for the Behavioral Sciences. Oxford University Press, New York, I97I, 446 pp., $5.50. Dennis J. Palumbo, Statistics in Political and Behavioral Science. AppletonCentury-Crofts, New York, i969, 395 pp., $I0.45. Edward R. Tufte, ed., The Quantitative Analysis of Social Problems. Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts, 1970, 449 pp., $6.95.
Effect of nickel sulfide on induction of interleukin-1 and phagocytic activity

Rat peritoneal macrophages were treated with crystalline nickel sulfide (NiS), washed, and then tested for interleukin-1 (IL-1) production and phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Pretreatment of peritoneal macrophages with crystalline NiS did not affect their ability to produce IL-1. In contrast, pretreatment of peritoneal macrophages with crystalline NiS inhibited the phagocytic activity of the peritoneal macrophage. This inhibitory activity was due to an effect on the internalization step of the phagocytic process. The binding step of this process was not affected by exposure to crystalline NiS. The overall number of Ig-SRBC that interacted with each macrophage was not different in treated or untreated cultures. This interaction is mediated through Fc receptors on the macrophage membrane. This result suggests that crystalline NiS does not modulate the expression of Fc receptors by peritoneal macrophages. The results described in this study suggest that crystalline NiS has a potent immunomodulatory effect on macrophage phagocytic activity.
Central administration of oxytocin modulates the infant rat's response to social isolation.

Several lines of evidence suggest that oxytocin modulates the formation and maintenance of social bonds. In the current experiments we investigated the influence of centrally and peripherally administered oxytocin on the behavior of 6-8 day old rat pups during brief periods of social isolation. Ultrasonic vocalizations emitted by isolated pups were decreased following i.c.v. administration of oxytocin, at doses (500, 1000 ng) which did not affect motor activity. S.c. administered oxytocin (1, 10 micrograms) produced a biphasic change in ultrasonic vocalizations, depending on dose. Central administration of the oxytocin antagonist (d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2, Thr4, Tyr-NH2(9)]OVT) (OTA, 500 ng) did not measurably affect pup behavior by itself but did block the decrease in calls following central but not peripheral administration of oxytocin. These data demonstrate that oxytocin via its central receptor can regulate the response to social isolation.
Transient-fault tolerant VHDL descriptions: a case-study for area overhead analysis

We present a new approach to design reliable complex circuits with respect to transient faults in memory elements. These circuits are intended to be used in harmful environments like radiation. During the design flow this methodology is also used to perform an early-estimation of the obtained reliability level. Usually, this reliability estimation step is performed in the laboratory, by means of radiation facilities (particle accelerators). By doing so, the early-estimated reliability level is used to balance the design process into a trade-off between maximum area overhead due to the insertion of redundancy and the minimum reliability required for a given application. This approach is being automated through the development of a CAD tool (FT-PRO). Finally, we present also a case-study of a simple microprocessor used to analyze the FT-PRO performance in terms of the area overhead required to implement the fault-tolerant circuit.