cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reproductive responses of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed in cages to influent of the Las Vegas Wash in Lake Mead, Nevada, from late winter to early spring.

The Las Vegas Wash (LW) delivers tertiary-treated municipal wastewater effluent, nonpotable shallow groundwater seepage, and runoff from the urbanized Las Vegas Valley to Las Vegas Bay (LX) of Lake Mead. To investigate the potential for contaminants in LW influent to produce effects indicative of endocrine disruption in vivo, adult male and female common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were exposed in cages for 42−48 d at four sites in Lake Mead: LW, LX, and two reference locations in the lake. End points examined included gonadosomatic index; gonad histology; concentrations of plasma vitellogenin (VTG) and plasma sex steroids (17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT)); plasma estrogen:androgen ratios (E2:T, E2:11-KT), in vitro production of T by gonad tissue, and hepatopancreas ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity. Few differences among fish caged at different sites were potentially attributable to exposure to contaminants in LW influent. Male carp caged at LW had slightly greater conce...
Amyloid precursor protein overexpression depresses excitatory transmission through both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms

Overexpression of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) in hippocampal neurons leads to elevated β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) production and consequent depression of excitatory transmission. The precise mechanisms underlying APP-induced synaptic depression are poorly understood. Uncovering these mechanisms could provide insight into how neuronal function is compromised before cell death during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Here we verify that APP up-regulation leads to depression of transmission in cultured hippocampal autapses; and we perform whole-cell recording, FM imaging, and immunocytochemistry to identify the specific mechanisms accounting for this depression. We find that APP overexpression leads to postsynaptic silencing through a selective reduction of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor-mediated currents. This effect is likely mediated by Aβ because expression of mutant APP incapable of producing Aβ did not depress transmission. In addition, although we eliminate presynaptic silencing as a mechanism underlying APP-mediated inhibition of transmission, we did observe an Aβ-induced presynaptic deficit in vesicle recycling with sustained stimulation. These findings demonstrate that APP elevation disrupts both presynaptic and postsynaptic compartments.
A graph-based synthesis algorithm for AND/XOR networks

In this paper, we introduce a Shared Multiple Rooted XOR-based Decomposition Diagram (XORDD) to represent functions with multiple outputs. Based on the XORDD representation, we develop a synthesis algorithm for generalExclusive Sum-of-Product forms (ESOP). By iteratively applying transformations and reductions, we obtain a compactXORDD which gives a minimized ESOP. Our method cansynthesize larger circuits than previously possible. The compact ESOP representation provides a form that is easier to synthesize for XOR heavy multi-level circuit, such as arithmetic functions. We have applied our synthesis techniquesto a large set of benchmark circuits in both PLA and combinational formats. Results of the minimized ESOP forms obtained from our synthesis algorithm are also comparedto the SOP forms generated by ESPRESSO. Among the 74circuits we have experimented with, the minimized ESOP'shave fewer product terms than those of SOP's in 39 circuits.
The effect of three commercial coaching courses on Step One USMLE performance

Background A substantial industry exists to provide formal review courses for Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). There are limited data on the usefulness of these courses. Aim To determine whether or not student participation in a commercial coaching course improves performance on Step 1 of the USMLE. Methods Scores achieved by 468 students on the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) were used to predict a score on Step 1 of the USMLE. The NBME is the organisation that prepares and administers the USMLE. Predicted USMLE scores were then regressed against the actual scores achieved by the students on Step 1. The students were divided into 2 groups: those who took a 3−4-week live commercial coaching course and those who studied on their own. Results The regression lines for the 369 students who studied on their own and the 99 students who took a commercial coaching course were statistically indistinguishable. The analysis was powerful enough to have picked up a difference of 1% on average (P = 0·05) or 2 questions out of the 350 constituting Step 1 of the USMLE. Neither the students who performed above average nor those who performed below average on the CBSE improved their performance on Step 1 as a result of the coaching courses. Conclusions Students who take a live, 3−4-week commercial coaching course to improve performance on Step 1 of the USMLE do not achieve higher scores than students who study on their own. Students should strongly consider whether or not a substantial investment in time and money for a commercial coaching course is justified in the light of such meagre returns.
International evidence on the sustainability of budget deficits

The sustainability of budget deficits of the G-7 countries is examined in this paper. Following the approach taken by Hakkio and Rush it is found that in the case of Germany it appears for each dollar increase in expenditures, revenues increase by an equal amount. For France, Japan, and Italy (real per GDP measure) the budget deficits of these countries may not be sustainable due to the lack of cointegration. In the cases of Canada, Italy (real levels and real per capita measures), United Kingdom, and the United States (real levels and real per capita) cointegration is present between revenues and expenditures. However, the estimated coefficients on expenditures for these countries are significantly less than one which suggests that government spending is growing faster than government revenue.
Computation on programmable graphics hardware

GPUs have evolved into powerful and flexible streaming processors with fully programmable floating-point pipelines and tremendous aggregate computational power and memory bandwidth. With these advances, modern GPUs can now perform more functions than the specific graphics computations for which they were designed. This article describes approaches to using GPU processing power to accelerate traditionally CPU-based tasks. We discuss some important characteristics of algorithms that make them good candidates for GPU acceleration. We discuss a specific GPU image-processing application that is a common postprocess for many physically based rendering systems.
Modeling mutations of influenza virus with IBM Blue Gene

Outbreaks of influenza cause considerable public health concerns and pose a potential threat of a global pandemic. In this paper, we describe some of our recent work on modeling of influenza virus with an IBM Blue Gene® supercomputer. The goal is to predict which mutations [on the viral glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA)] are likely to occur in the next flu season, which mutations might escape antibody (Ab) neutralization, and which mutations might cause its receptor binding specificity to switch (e.g., from avian to human). We have analyzed more than 4,000 influenza A/H3N2 HA sequences from 1968 to 2010 to model the evolutionary path using a weighted mutual information method, which allows us to build a site transition network to predict antigenic drifts. We then used large-scale free energy perturbation calculations to study the mutation-induced effects on the antigen-Ab and antigen-receptor bindings. For example, we found that a single mutation T131I on H3N2 HA can decrease the HA-Ab binding affinity by 5.2 ± 0.9 kcal/mol, in excellent agreement with recent experimental results. We also found that a double mutation, i.e., V135S and A138S, could potentially switch the H5N1 HA binding specificity from avian to human, thus allowing the virus to gain a foothold in the human population. Detailed analyses also reveal a molecular picture of the influenza virus Ab and receptor binding mechanisms.
Nitrogen availability from alfalfa suppressed or killed for no‐till production

Abstract There is interest in intercropping perennial legumes with com (Zea mays L.) under no‐tillage soil management. Evaluation of N availability by measuring plant N uptake in field research trials with such systems is often complicated by competition for water. We monitored soil inorganic N (ammonium and nitrate) levels at 14‐day intervals for 42 days at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm soil depths after an alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) sod was subjected to four different suppression treatments: a) cut and remove, b) cut and return, c) above‐ground kill with paraquat, and d) complete kill with glyphosate. The initial (14 day) release of N was similar in all treatments where residues were left or returned, but alfalfa regrowth immobilized much of the N mineralized in all treatments, except where alfalfa was killed. The greatest quantity of soil inorganic N was found on day 28 where alfalfa was killed, equal to nearly 72% of the N contained in the alfalfa topgrowth. Soil nitrate N concentrations, averaged to a depth...
An outline for community mental health research

The burgeoning interest in comprehensive community mental health service programs has intensified our awareness of the need for epidemiologic research that will add to our basic knowledge of the prevention and control of mental illness. This paper presents a conceptual framework for integrated studies of the mental health of a community. Such interlocking studies on a surveillance population should aid our understanding of etiology and provide the systematic data necessary for the evaluation of the service programs that will be established in the community.
DETERRENT EFFECTS OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL SANCTIONS

This article reports a random telephone survey of Evanston, Illinois, residents in the spring of 1978 probing knowledge of legal sanctions, perceptions of the certainty of their imposition, feelings about their legitimacy, and approval of peers for violating the law. It focuses on traffic offenses, marijuana smoking, and shoplifting and uses self-reports of actual or potential violations. The data indicate that knowledge of the severity of legal sanctions and perceptions of the certainty of their imposition are not related to imputed violation; feelings that the law is legitimate and that peers disapprove of violations are related to imputed violation.
Total and partial p-bard cross sections from 0. 26 to 0. 47 GeV/c

The p-bard total cross section is approx.10% larger than the A+B/P extrapolated cross section seen at higher (approx.0.5--2.0 GeV/c) momenta. The excess is mainly due to the nonannihilation part of the total cross section. The p-barp annihilation cross sections in H/sub 2/ and D/sub 2/ are the same. These observations are consistent with known properties of the N-barN(1897). A 3sigma dip is present at approx.0.43 GeV/c mainly due to pp-bar annihilation. This dip cannot be understood in terms of a single resonance at N-barN(1897) and the S(1935). Our cross sections are approx.10--20 % higher than the recent measurements of Hamilton et al.
Brain lithium concentrations in bipolar disorder patients: preliminary 7Li magnetic resonance studies at 3 T

Abstract Background:This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of human brain 7 Li MRS investigations at a high magnetic field (3 T), and to further explore the relationship between brain and serum lithium measures in lithium-treated bipolar patients. Methods:Eight bipolar disorder type I patients (5 males, 3 females; mean age ± SD=33 ± 9 years) were studied. A 3-T scanner, using a dual-tuned ( 1 H and 7 Li) echoplanar imaging (EPI) compatible radiofrequency (RF) birdcage coil was used. 7 Li magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) signal was acquired at the frequency of 49.64 MHz using an imaging selective in vivo spectroscopy (ISIS) sequence (TR = 15 sec, 128 averages), and quantitation was obtained in reference to an external standard. Results:The mean ± SD oral lithium dose was 1265 ± 442 mg/day, and the mean ± SD 12-hour serum level was 0.69 ± 0.19 mEq/L. The measured brain lithium concentrations varied from 0.23 to 0.55 mEq/L (mean ± SD=0.35 ± 0.11 mEq/L). The brain–serum ratios varied from 0.30 to 0.80 (mean ± SD=0.52 ± 0.16). Subjects on single daily doses of lithium at bedtime ( n = 5) had higher brain–serum lithium ratios compared with those on twice-a-day schedules ( n = 3) (0.61 ± 0.12 and 0.37 ± 0.07, respectively; Mann–Whitney U test, Z = −2.24, p = .03). Conclusions:This study demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of 7 Li MRS human studies at 3 T. Future studies should examine a possible role for this methodology in investigations of lithium refractoriness and prediction of treatment outcome in bipolar patients.
Speakers' sensitivity to rules of frozen word order

Certain idioms called "freezes," e.g.,first and foremost, mish-rnash, display a characteristic fixed word order determined by phonological and semantic rules. Native speakers of English and learners of English were asked to indicate their preferences for one of two possible orderings of minimally contrasting nonsense pairs, e.g., FIM FUM versus FUM-FIM. Both native and beginning speakers' judgments respected rules claimed to be universal; only native speakers' judgments respected those rules for which evidence for universality is lacking. In a second study, French native speakers and English native speakers learning French judged French-sounding pairs. Once again, overall judgments respected the putatively universal rules; but only the English speakers' judgments respected the putatively English-specific rules. It is concluded that rules of frozen word order are psychologically real, with the possible function of aiding speech perception. The class of idiom-like expressions known as "freezes" constitutes one of those linguistic domains in which an apparently superficial phenomenon is found to be governed by surprisingly orderly and deeply rooted prin
Patterns of accumulation of heavy metals in the sediment of roadside streams

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of monitoring stream sediment to assess chronic highway-generated metals contamination. Concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the sediments of six small softwater streams were measured for a period of two years following the opening of a new highway. Metals concentrations at highway sites (H) averaged two (Zn) to five (Cd) times greater than at upstream reference sites (U) or downstream sites located ⩾ 200 m downstream (D). However, three of the six streams did not consistently demonstrate the H > U=D pattern. Metals concentrations were generally low at all sites on these streams; interstream variation at highway sites was more strongly related to distance of the stream from the road surface, stream velocity, and organic content of the sediment, than to traffic volume. Temporally, H/U ratios of metals concentrations peaked after one year and declined in the second year, concurrent with an increase in precipitation. These findings indicate that interstream, intrastrearn, and temporal variations of metals concentrations in sediments are high, but also suggest sampling designs to effectively assess metals contamination from highways by monitoring this component of the aquatic ecosystem.
Management of prediabetes: a comparison of the treatment approaches utilized by a family practice clinic and an internal medicine/endocrinology practice.

Purpose: To compare the management of prediabetes between a family practice clinic and internal medicine/endocrinology practice. Methods: A randomized, retrospective evaluation of the medical history in 168 eligible patients with a diagnosis of prediabetes or abnormal blood glucose (BG) at a family practice clinic (n = 78) and an internal medicine/endocrinology practice (n = 90). Results: The internal medicine/endocrinology practice provided more counseling regarding lifestyle modifications (91.1% vs 76.9%, P = .039), specific physical activity recommendations (26.7% vs 7.7%, P = .003), and recommended more patients receive 150 minutes/week of moderate exercise (8.9% vs 1.3%, P = .038). The family practice clinic provided more written dietary information (16.9% vs 13.3%, P = .044) and specific weight loss goals (20.5% vs 6.7%, P = .015). The internal medicine/endocrinology practice initiated pharmacological therapy in more patients (51.1% vs 3.8%, P< .001) and had a significant decrease in fasting BG from...
Establishing the posterior palatal seal during the final impression procedure: a functional approach.

The rationale and technique for establishing the posterior palatal seal during the making of the final impression are described. The location and incorporation of the posterior palatal seal in the maxillary complete denturecan be accomplished properly only by the dentist. A functional technique for establishing the posterior palatal seal during the final impression procedure is illustrated and its rationale is described.
‘Candles lighting the dark’: The Birth-mark's antinomian method

With the help of Bakhtin, one can begin to understand and describe in some detail those mechanisms by which Howe achieves her goal of resurrecting the voices of those who have up to this point been confined to the history's wastelands. In The Birth-mark, Howe gathers together individuals and chronotopes in the space of her essay where she engages them in a conversation, in a dialogue that realizes a heteroglossia, a panoply of voices intermingling with Howe's own, and with the aid of her poetry, authoritative and monoglossic, understood as an always antinomian act, Howe opens up a space for those voices that have been lost deep within (or altogether excluded from) the archive, and in so doing, she gives them a way into the world, for in her essay, the reader comes to know these voices and to speak to them (as the reader has known and spoken to those who have lived long in the conversation and the light) and thus give them life.
Aspergillus fumigatus inhibits angiogenesis through the production of gliotoxin and other secondary metabolites

In susceptible hosts, angioinvasion by Aspergillus fumigatus triggers thrombosis, hypoxia, and proinflammatory cytokine release, all of which are stimuli for angiogenesis. We sought to determine whether A fumigatus directly modulates angiogenesis. A fumigatus culture filtrates profoundly inhibited the differentiation, migration, and capillary tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro. To measure angiogenesis at the site of infection, we devised an in vivo Matrigel assay in cyclophosphamide-treated BALB/c mice with cutaneous invasive aspergillosis. Angiogenesis was significantly suppressed in Matrigel plugs implanted in A fumigatus–infected mice compared with plugs from uninfected control mice. The antiangiogenic effect of A fumigatus was completely abolished by deletion of the global regulator of secondary metabolism, laeA, and to a lesser extent by deletion of gliP, which controls gliotoxin production. Moreover, pure gliotoxin potently inhibited angiogenesis in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, overexpression of multiple angiogenesis mediator–encoding genes was observed in the lungs of cortisone-treated mice during early invasive aspergillosis, whereas gene expression returned rapidly to baseline levels in cyclophosphamide/cortisone-treated mice. Taken together, these results indicate that suppression of angiogenesis by A fumigatus both in vitro and in a neutropenic mouse model is mediated through secondary metabolite production.
A paradise built in hell: the extraordinary communities that arise in disaster

Rebecca Solnit, 2009 New York, Viking $27.95 (hbk), 368 pp. ISBN 978‐0‐6700‐2107‐9 On a Tuesday afternoon in January 2010, Port‐au‐Prince, Haiti, suffered from one of the most catastrophic earthqua...
Chemoenzymatic synthesis and lectin recognition of a selectively fluorinated glycoprotein

Abstract A chemoenzymatic glycosylation remodeling method for the synthesis of selectively fluorinated glycoproteins is described. The method consists of chemical synthesis of a fluoroglycan oxazoline and its use as donor substrate for endoglycosidase (ENGase)-catalyzed transglycosylation to a GlcNAc-protein to form a homogeneous fluoroglycoprotein. The approach was exemplified by the synthesis of fluorinated glycoforms of ribonuclease B (RNase B). An interesting finding was that fluorination at the C-6 of the 6-branched mannose moiety in the Man3GlcNAc core resulted in significantly enhanced reactivity of the substrate in enzymatic transglycosylation. A structural analysis suggests that the enhancement in reactivity may come from favorable hydrophobic interactions between the fluorine and a tyrosine residue in the catalytic site of the enzyme (Endo-A). SPR analysis of the binding of the fluorinated glycoproteins with lectin concanavalin A (con A) revealed the importance of the 6-hydroxyl group on the α-1,6-branched mannose moiety in con A recognition. The present study establishes a facile method for preparation of selectively fluorinated glycoproteins that can serve as valuable probes for elucidating specific carbohydrate–protein interactions.
Miniemulsion copolymerization in batch and continuous reactors

Conventional emulsion polymerization (also called macroemulsion polymerization) has been widely used in a variety of industries whereas nucleation and polymerization directly in submicron monomer d...
Nucleotide content, calcium accumulation, and phosphate metabolism in subcellular fractions of rat brain.

Abstract The distribution of nucleotides was studied in the various subcellular fractions of rat brain separated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. Nucleotides were found in all subcellular fractions, attached primarily to membranous components, with the highest concentration in the nerve ending fraction. By examining the in vivo incorporation of 32Pi into the nucleotides of the subcellular fractions, it could be established that the mitochondrion was the primary site of ATP synthesis and that the pattern of nucleotide distribution was not an artifact of the isolation procedure. Ca2+ appeared to be associated with the lipid component of the fractions, and its accumulation within the fractions and isolated frog spinal ganglia did not appear to be energy-dependent.
A comparative study of optimal PMU placement algorithms for cost minimization

Optimal placement of phasor measurement units (PMU's) within a power system is essential to maximize network observability while minimizing implementation cost. As such, it is a popular topic with academic as well as industry researchers. The authors of this work review several innovative optimal PMU placement algorithms published in the IEEE Transactions as well as conference proceedings. From their published results, they compare and contrast the performance of several popular optimal PMU placement algorithms. The authors' objective is to provide power engineers with interest in optimal PMU placement a reference or starting point for further study of this topic.
Electrokinetic properties of dissociated chick embryo cells. I. pH-surface charge relationships and the effect of calcium ions.

Since the electrokinetic properties of a particle depend entirely upon the particle's surface, microscopic electrophoresis of dissociated cells can yield information about the cellular surfaces. Dissociated heart ventricle and liver cells from five-day chick embryos as well as neural retinal cells from seven-day embryos have been examined electrophoretically over a wide pH range and the pH-net surface charge density relation for each type of cell has been determined. Under the conditions selected the cells show differences with respect to these relations which appear to reflect differences in the molecular composition of the cells' surfaces. Since intercellular adhesion may occur through bivalent cation bridges with calcium being the cation most likely to be involved, the suppression of surface charge density by means of calcium ions at physiological concentration has been determined at physiological pH for heart ventricle, liver, neural retinal, and back epidermal cells. The degree of charge suppression, which varies among cells of different types, can be correlated with the apparent cellular adhesiveness as judged from sorting out behavior in some but not all cases. Dye exclusion, the ability of cells removed from the electrophoresis apparatus to reaggregate, and the reversibility of pH effects and calcium effects have been used to try to detect damage to the cells caused by experimental conditions. The results of these tests have seemed satisfactory.
Evidence against a maximum response model of exogenous visual orienting during early infancy and support for a dimensional switching model.

Ve ry young infants orient overtly with eye and head movements to salient events in their visual environments, but those events rarely occur in the absence of competing visual stimuli. Two different models of how this kind of orienting is related to number and distribution of elements in the stimulus field were tested with infants across the age range from 2 to 5 months in four experiments. A set size manipulation in Experiments 1‐3 produced data that were mostly inconsistent with the Maximum Response model proposed by Dannemiller (1998), especially at ages over 3 months. Experiment 4 produced data from 3.5-month-olds that were consistent with an alternative Dimensional Switching model that assumed that there was switching across trials in the stimulus dimension that drove orienting. This Dimensional Switching model can explain the small to nonexistent set size effects observed in the first three experiments as well as data from previous experiments using this paradigm. Factors that could produce this kind of dimensional switching over time were considered and other implications of this model for understanding the development of overt visual orienting were discussed.
Frequency response and distortion properties of nonlinear image processing algorithms and the importance of imaging context.

Purpose: The most common metrics for resolution analysis in medical imaging are valid only for (approximately) linear systems. While analogues to these metrics have been used in attempts to describe resolution performance in nonlinear systems, the analysis is incomplete since distortion effects are often ignored. The authors have developed a methodology to analyze the amplitude modulation and waveform distortion properties of nonlinear systems with specific application to medical image processing algorithms. Methods: Using sinusoidal basis functions, two metrics were derived which distinguish amplitude modulation from nonlinear waveform distortion: principle frequency response and distortion power spectrum, respectively. Additionally, two figures of merit were developed to describe the relative impact of nonlinear distortion as a result of image processing: distortion index (DI) and ΣDI. Three nonlinear denoising algorithms, the median, bilateral, and wavelet denoising filters, were selected as example functions to demonstrate the utility of the metrics derived in this study. Results: Each filter showed very different resolution and waveform distortion properties. In particular, the amplitude and extent of nonlinear distortion depended strongly on image context and the type of nonlinear mechanism employed. Nonlinear waveform distortion constituted up to 30% of the median filter output signal power in high contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) scenarios. Conversely, nonlinear distortion never exceeded 1% of the bilateral filter output signal power. The wavelet denoising response contained between 1% and 9% distortion which varied weakly as a function of CNR. Conclusions: The analytical metrics described in the paper demonstrate the importance of considering both resolution- and distortion-related effects in characterizing the performance of nonlinear imaging systems with specific application to image processing algorithms. Findings with three common nonlinear algorithms demonstrate a range of CNR values over which it is important to consider the impact of the nonlinear nature of each algorithm. Background context is also shown to influence the degree to which the nonlinear nature of the algorithm influences resolution and distortion. While no single metric can yet anticipate observer performance in nonlinear systems, the approach described can demonstrate the range of imaging contexts over which such nonlinear effects are important to consider.
Preferences of pregnant women for amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling for prenatal testing: Comparison of patients' choices and those of a decision-analytic model

Abstract Decision analytic models have suggested that the choice of amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling for prenatal genetic testing is a utility-driven decision. We compared preferences for prenatal testing among 156 pregnant women who had chosen either amniocentesis ( n = 82) or chorionic villus sampling ( n = 74) for the indication of maternal age. We also compared their choices with those of a decision-analytic model based on their preferences, and age-specific rates of spontaneous abortion and chromosomal abnormalities. Preferences were assessed using written scenarios describing potential outcomes of prenatal testing, and were recorded on linear rating scales. The differences in preference ratings for first- vs second-trimester prenatal diagnosis of a normal child (4.2 vs −1.6, p = 0.0004), and for first- vs second-trimester abortion of an abnormal fetus (4.4 vs −1.6, p = 0.01), were significantly greater among women choosing chorionic villus sampling than among women choosing amniocentesis. There were no significant differences between chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis patients in their preference ratings for test-related miscarriage, disconfirmed results at pregnancy termination, or maternal morbidity from therapeutic abortion. After adjusting for demographic and obstetric factors, the difference in preferences for early vs late prenatal diagnosis was an independent predictor of the choice of chorionic villus sampling in a multivariate model. Among women whose decision analyses selected amniocentesis, 56.8% had chosen amniocentesis, and among women whose analyses selected chorionic villus sampling, 63.2% had chosen chorionic villus sampling ( p = 0.05). We conclude that the preferences of pregnant women for the outcomes of prenatal testing were associated with their choice of amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. In addition, the choice of prenatal test made by the majority of women was concordant with that of a decision-analytic model that incorporated their preferences. Nevertheless, because many women made choices that were discordant with their decision-analytic results, further research into the bases for their choices is warranted.
The Quality of Spouses’ Social Networks Contributes to Each Other’s Cardiovascular Risk

Objectives: Although the quality of one’s own social relationships has been related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, whether a partner’s social network quality can similarly influence one’s cardiovascular risk is unknown. In this study we tested whether the quality of a partner’s social networks influenced one’s own ambulatory blood pressure (ABP). Methods: The quality of 94 couples’ social networks was determined using a comprehensive model of relationships that separates out social ties that are sources of positivity(supportive), negativity (aversive), and both positivity and negativity (ambivalent). We then utilized statistical models (actor-partner analyses) that allowed us to separate out the links between one’s own social network quality on ABP (actor influences), a partner’s social network quality on ABP (partner influences), and a couple’s network quality combined on ABP (actor X partner interactions). Results: Independent of one’s own relationship quality, results showed that an individual’s ABP was lower if their spouse had more supportive ties, and higher if a spouse had more aversive and ambivalent ties. In addition, couples’ networks in combination were associated with higher ABP but only if both had a low number of supportive ties, or a high number of aversive or ambivalent ties. Conclusions: These data suggest that the social ties of those we have close relationships with may influence our cardiovascular risk and opens new opportunities to capitalize on untapped social resources or to mitigate hidden sources of social strain.
Gaussian Processes for Machine Learning

(2008). Gaussian Processes for Machine Learning. Journal of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 103, No. 481, pp. 429-429.
Nonlinear Piezo-Optic Behavior of Sphalerite (α-ZnS)

The variation of the refractive index of sphalerite with pressure to 7 kbar has been determined by an interferometric method. The refractive index decreases with increasing pressure, as was predicted earlier. Above 3 kbar the change in refractive index is found to be nonlinear with respect to both stress and strain, thus demonstrating that Pockels's linear elasto- and piezo-optic equations have to be extended.
Clinical outcome of adding long-acting β-agonists to inhaled corticosteroids

Abstract Current asthma management guidelines state that where a patient is receiving a lowto moderate dose of inhalated corticosteroids and is still experiencing symptoms the dose of corticosteroid should be increased and, if necessary, a long-acting bronchodilator should be added. Many studies have now shown that the addition of a β 2 -agonist with long-acting properties is more effective at controlling asthma symptoms than increasing the doe of corticosteriod alone. The Formoterol and Corticosteroid Establishing Therapy (FACET) study was a 12-month study comparing excerbation rates in patients treated with budesonide (100 μg or 400 μg) twice daily, alone vs. treatment with budesonide (100 μg or 400 μg) twice daily plus formoterol 9 μg twice daily (delivered dose) (I). The addition of formoterol of reduced the rates of mild and severe exacerbations compared with budesonide alone, with the lowest rates seen in patients receiving high-dose budesonide and formoterol. There was no difference in the profile of exacerbations in any groups, indicating formoterol does not mask any signs of inflammation. The addition of formotereol to budesonide was also shown to result in improved lung function (as measured by peak expiratory flow rate and forced expiratory volume in I second), night-time awakeningsaand the use of as-needed medication when compared with an increase in the dose of budesonide. In all cases, increasing the dose of budesonide and addition of formoterol resulted in the most improvement and a significant increase in quality of life, measured by Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), was noted In conclusion, the addition of formoterol to established treatment with inhaled corticosteroids provides superior asthma control compared with an increase in the dose of corticosteroid alone.
Aging alters electroencephalographic and clinical manifestations of kainate-induced status epilepticus.

Summary: Purpose: The elderly exhibit an increased risk for developing status epilepticus and status-related morbidity and mortality. However, it is unclear how aging alters the progression of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity and behavioral manifestations during status epilepticus. Methods: A repetitive low-dose kainate treatment protocol (2.5 mg/kg/h; i.p.) was used in this study in conjunction with EEG and behavioral monitoring from freely behaving adult (7‐ 8 months) and aged (22‐25 months) Fischer 344 rats to assess the effects of aging on status epilepticus. Results: During kainate treatment, both groups exhibited an increase in EEG power that corresponded with the time course of kainate treatment. However, visual inspection and spectral analysis revealed a reduction of the faster frequencies (12.5‐35 Hz) in the EEGs of aged rodents. A similar progression of behavioral manifestations was observed in adult and aged rodents during kainate treatment, although the frequency of preseizure manifestations (e.g., wet-dog shakes; aged rats, 110 events/h vs. adults, 25 events/h; median values) was greater, and latency to onset for any given behavioral manifestation (e.g., class V seizures; aged median, 60 min, vs. adult median, 145 min) was consistently shorter within the aged group. Conclusions: These data reveal that aged Fischer 344 rats exhibit altered EEG activity (reduction of higher frequencies) and clinical manifestations during kainate-induced status epilepticus. Taken together, these data indicate an age-related change in seizure onset and spread after exposure to glutamate analogues. Key Words: Geriatric—Kainic acid—Fischer 344— EEG—Seizure—Sustained seizure.
Predictors of perceived health in hospitalized older persons: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES: To identify the predictors of perceived health and predictors of changes in perceived health in frail hospitalized older persons during the year after hospitalization. DESIGN: Both cross-sectional and longitudinal multivariate analysis of data from a cohort followed for 1 year. SETTING: Six hospitals in a group practice model health maintenance organization (HMO) in Southern California. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1889 persons aged 65 or older who met at least one of 13 inclusionary criteria for a randomized trial of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment consultation at admission and completed three Functional and Health Status Questionnaires (FHSQ) during a 12-month period. MEASUREMENTS: Functional and health status measures included basic and intermediate activities of daily living (BADL and IADL) and social activities (SA) scales from the Functional Status Questionnaire as well as the mental health index (MHI) and current health perception (CHP) scales from the Medical Outcomes Study short form. Subject's severity of disease was measured by the Resource Demand Scale (RD Scale). RESULTS: In the cross-sectional analyses, MHI score, IADL score, RD Scale, history of falls during the 3 months before hospitalization, and female gender were significant predictors of perceived health in all models for each time point. BADL score, age, presence of incontinence, and ethnicity were significant in the model for baseline only, and SA score was significant in models for 3 months and 12 months only. In the longitudinal analyses, the baseline CHP score and the changes in MHI, IADL, and BADL score predicted CHP change from 0 to 3 months and from 3 to 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Functional and psychosocial health indicators are the most important and most consistent predictors of perceived health. Our study showed that several predictors of perceived health in cross-sectional analysis did not predict changes in perceived health over a 1-year period. Hence, to fully understand the medical and social contributors to perceived health, a comprehensive approach using both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses is necessary.
Nelson's symmetry and all that in the Yukawa2 and (φ4)3 field theories☆

Abstract We prove Guerra's theorem, φ bounds and Frohlich bounds in the Y 2 and φ 3 4 field theories. Among our technical results of interest is a proof that Z ≠ 0 in φ 3 4 and that the spatially cutoff vacuum in Y 2 has a charge zero component. The two main inputs are Osterwalder-Schrader positivity in the spatial direction as well as in the time direction, and a finite renormalization of the “usual” partition function and Hamiltonian so that Euclidean and Hamiltonian counterterms match exactly.
Penetration of Fine Foundry Sand by Rigid Projectiles

In another paper [1], the authors presented an approach to penetration of a particulate target. This theory is based on the friction that the particles of target material present to the entire penetrator surface, including its shank. The shank of the penetrator affords a very large surface area compared to that of the nose. Even modest friction acting on the shank can provide a fairly large retarding force. Normal pressure acting on the projectile is assumed to be velocity-squared dependant, as indicated by a number of methods, including cavity expansion modeling [2]. Penetration of sand and soil has been considered by numerous investigators, e.g. [3–5]. These investigations did not directly address the frictional component of the net resisting force acting on the penetrator. A series of laboratory scale penetrations tests were performed. Data from these tests was used to evaluate the parameters in the model. Fine foundry sand is a high-density medium (1960 kg/m3 ) with a small amount of friction. This contrasts the target used by the authors in [1], which had a sizable amount of friction. Results from the theory are in excellent agreement with the experiments with velocities as high as 630 m/sec.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Open architecture tester: what is a key issue of OAT?

This paper summarizes an outline of OAT(0pen Architecture Tester), and a positioning of OAT in an LSI manufacturing process is clarified. A mass-production test can be prepared synchronizing with the next SoC generation development & production by the OAT introduction. The panel will be disrussed the key issues required in order to make this advantage of the OAT.
Integrating prognostic factors

This special issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment addresses the topic of how to evaluate new prognostic factors for breast cancer, and how the information provided by these new factors might be integrated with traditional factors to make better treatment decisions for these patients. Although the focus is on breast cancer, the techniques described are equally applicable to any situation involving survival or failure over time.
Cold urticaria and HIV infection

Three patients, all seropositive for HIV antibody, complained of swelling and pruritus on the head and limbs when exposed to the cold. All three had received zidovudine for significant CD4 cell depletion, but had no AIDS-defining illnesses. An ice-cube test was positive on each individual. There was no evidence of cold agglutinins, cryoglobulins, syphilis, or other concurrent diseases in any of the patients. This association may represent yet another allergic manifestation in HIV infection.
1980 Prize Paper Environmental Considerations Concerning the Biological Effects of Power Frequency (50 or 60 Hz) Electric Fields

The results of a comprehensive literature survey on the biological effects of 60 Hz electric fields are summarized to describe two contrasting sets of research findings. On one hand, research results in Western Europe and America have failed to provide any evidence that human exposure to present levels of fields from high voltage overhead power lines, as normally encountered, has any harmful biological effect. On the other hand, studies performed in the USSR report some undesirable effects on workers--not in the typical power line environment--but in the more complex environments found in high voltage switchyards. The disparity in results could be attributed to differences between the environments found near high voltage lines and within switchyards. Special measurements ments of the low-frequency acoustical noise in a high voltage switchyard disclosed a high level (104 dB) of 120 Hz sound. This high intensity, 100 or 120 Hz sound, found in switchyards (but not near transmission lines) could produce symptoms similar to those reported for Soviet switchyard workers. Other possible biologically significant environmental influences include repeated spark discharges and the chemical environment. Numerous studies have similarly neglected the total environment and examples are presented in this paper. This neglect presents a major obstacle in trying to use the results of these studies.
Performance projections for laser beam power to space

We examine the requirements placed on an adaptive-optics system used to compensate atmospheric effects in propagating high-power lasers from ground to space. The particular application involves energy transfer from a ground station to a satellite. Our analysis explores performance associated with various beacon configurations, including satellite-based beacons, beacons in the lead-ahead direction, and synthetic beacons. Other system parameters are adjusted as well, including number of actuators in the deformable mirror and bandwidth of the servo system. We show that with an optimized system design it is possible to achieve collection efficiencies of 10-50 percent over zenith angles as great as 70 deg.
The Causes of Structural Aberrations

Ionizing radiation and many other exogenous or endogenous chromosome-breaking agents (clastogens) produce double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA. A DSB may be repaired, reuniting at its original breakpoint, or it may interact with another DSB to produce a chromosome rearrangement. According to the classical model of DSB resolution, the two broken ends of an unrepaired DSB separate from each other, whereas the exchange model postulates that the chromatin of the two broken ends is held together. Lucas and Sachs (1993) used three-color chromosome painting with FISH to examine interchanges involving chromosomes 1, 2, and 4. They found an excess of three-color triplets representing broken and rejoined chromosomes 1, 2, and 4, which is inconsistent with the exchange model and favors the classical model.
Cross sections and astrophysical factor for the 7Li(p, α) reaction at low energies

Abstract The energy dependence of the total cross section and the astrophysical S factor down to 20 keV are presented for the 7Li(p, α) reaction. The results were obtained by using the known S factor for the 6Li(p, α) reaction and the slopes of thick target yield vs energy for the two reactions. This relative method avoids several major difficulties with thick target measurements at low energies. Good agreement is obtained with the higher energy results of Spinka, Tombrello, and Winkler and the results of Rolfs and Kavanagh.
Advances in the application of the divide-and-conquer algorithm to multibody system dynamics

This paper summarizes the various recent advancements achieved by utilizing the divide-and-conquer algorithm (DCA) to reduce the computational burden associated with many aspects of modeling, designing, and simulating articulated multibody systems. This basic algorithm provides a framework to realize O(n) computational complexity for serial task scheduling. Furthermore, the framework of this algorithm easily accommodates parallel task scheduling, which results in coarse-grain O(log n) computational complexity. This is a significant increase in efficiency over forming and solving the Newton–Euler equations directly. A survey of the notable previous work accomplished, though not all inclusive, is provided to give a more complete understanding of how this algorithm has been used in this context. These advances include applying the DCA to constrained systems, flexible bodies, sensitivity analysis, contact, and hybridization with other methods. This work reproduces the basic mathematical framework for applying the DCA in each of these applications. The reader is referred to the original work for the details of the discussed methods.