cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On pseudo-convex functions of nonnegative variables

Abstract : Two proofs are given for a conjecture of Bela Martos concerning conditions under which a quasi-convex quadratic function of nonnegative variables is actually a pseudo-convex function. (Author)
Blockade of the biochemical correlates of contraction and relaxation in uterine and intestinal smooth muscle.

The relationship between contraction and glycogen phosphorylase activation by adrenergic agents has been studied extensively in cardiac and skeletal muscle (see review by Haugaard & Hess, 1965). I t was suggested by Bulbring in 1960 that smooth muscle relaxation induced by epinephrine was a process requiring increased metabolic energy; and early results (Axelsson et al . , 1961) indicated tha t the action of epinephrine on the smooth muscle cell membrane might be related to its ability t o increase phosphorylase a activity. However, later reports concluded that the two effects were not related (Timms et al., 1962) and that, in fact, the increases in phosphorylase a activity seen in previous experiments were artifactual (Bueding et al., 1962). The present study is concerned with the effects of catecholamines and adrenergic blocking agents on the motility and phosphorylase activity of isolated rat uterus and guinea pig taenia coli.
Synthesis of 9(12)-oxy-8, 11, 15-trihydroxyeicosa-5, 13-dienoic acid from arachidonic acid by soybean lipoxygenase-2.

Abstract Lipoxygenase-2, an isoenzyme of soybean lipoxygenase catalyzes the formation of a polyhydroxylated furan, 9(12)-oxy-8,11,15-trihydroxyeicosa-5,13-dienoic acid from arachidonic acid.
Conception, gestation, and birth of a journal: the future of genetics in medicine includes Genetics in Medicine

Conception, gestation, and birth of a journal: the future of genetics in medicine includes Genetics in Medicine
Testing equality of inverse Gaussian means under heterogeneity, based on generalized test variable

The inverse Gaussian (IG) distribution is an ideal candidate for modelling positive, right-skewed data due to the fact that its inference theory and methodology bear a striking resemblance to the normal theory and methods. For testing equality of several IG means under the assumption of equal scale parameters, there exists the ANORE (analysis of reciprocal) F test, which is analogous to the ANOVA F test for the normal distribution. In this article, the concept of generalized P-value, introduced by Tsui and Weerahandi [1989. Generalized P-values in significance testing of hypotheses in the presence of nuisance parameters. J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 84, 602-607], is applied for testing equality of several IG means for the general cases without the assumption of homogeneity. Simulation results indicate that the proposed test has excellent type I error control under both heterogeneity and homogeneity, whereas the type I error probabilities of the ANORE test can be much larger than the nominal level under heterogeneity. The proposed procedure is illustrated using two examples.
Tolerability of postexposure antiretroviral prophylaxis for occupational exposures to HIV.

A substantial body of evidence provides support (but not definitive proof of efficacy) for the use of antiretroviral agents as postexposure prophylaxis for occupational exposures to HIV in the healthcare workplace. Despite the lack of definitive evidence of the efficacy of these agents in this setting, over the past decade this intervention has become the standard of care for healthcare workers who sustain occupational exposures to HIV. Administration of these agents — even for a relatively short 28-day postexposure course — is often fraught with difficulty. All of the agents currently used for postexposure prophylaxis regimens have substantial adverse effects, and significant adverse effects occur in more than two-thirds of individuals electing prophylaxis. This manuscript reiterates current US Federal Government guidelines for the administration of postexposure prophylaxis, specifically noting that zidovudine plus lamivudine (with or without a protease inhibitor) remains the recommended regimen. The paper summarises the significant toxicities associated with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (primarily nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and bone marrow suppression), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (rash, fever, gastrointestinal symptoms and hepatitis, including hepatic decompensation necessitating liver transplantation) and protease inhibitors (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, headache and anorexia). As a class, the antiretroviral agents have an extraordinary number of drug interactions. The non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and the protease inhibitors are metabolised through the cytochrome P450 pathway, and the effects of concomitant administration of protease inhibitors with other agents in the same class are discussed, as well as the effects of concomitant administration of protease inhibitors with non-nucleoside agents. The potential for numerous and medically risky drug interactions emphasises the importance of planning antiretroviral prophylaxis in consultation with practitioners or clinical pharmacists who are skilled in the use of these agents and knowledgeable about the potential for significant drug interactions that could either reduce the benefit of prophylaxis or increase the potential for toxicity. Another common problem encountered by individuals managing postexposure prophylaxis programmes relates to the administration of chemoprophylaxis to a pregnant healthcare worker who has sustained an occupational exposure to HIV. We address what is known about the potential for toxicity and emphasise the recently published warning concerning the deaths of pregnant women and their offspring from lactic acidosis while receiving regimens containing stavudine and didanosine.
Development of Verbal Passive in Williams Syndrome

Purpose To experimentally investigate knowledge of passives of actional (hold) and psychological (love) verbs in children with Williams syndrome (WS). Passives are usually reported to be in line wi...
Communicating Dislike of Close Friends' Romantic Partners

The present study investigated individuals' disclosure of dislike for their friends' romantic partners. Of the 205 participants, 121 communicated their feelings to their friends. Based on qualitative and quantitative analyses, results indicated that individuals who expressed their dislike did so primarily to protect their friends' well-being or because of a perceived obligation for honesty. Non-disclosure appeared motivated by concern over upsetting the friend, perceptions the friend was not bothered, or conflict avoidance. Individuals were most likely to communicate dislike when it involved partner infidelity or upon seeing their friends experiencing emotional distress. Finally, expressing dislike had significant effects on both friendship quality and romantic relationship outcomes.
Tailoring molecular layers at metal surfaces

The formation of single-layer-thick molecular networks at metal surfaces is governed by the interplay between intermolecular and interfacial interactions. This Review highlights how, with films built by vacuum deposition, these interactions can be modulated to form substrates that may be useful as catalysts or templates for further deposition steps.
Shifts in deprivation level: Different effects depending on amount of preshift training ☆

Abstract Seventy-two male albino rats were trained to perform an instrumental running response, half at high deprivation and half at low. At Trials 23, 75, and 105 a third of the animals from each of the original groups were shifted to the opposite deprivation level. All shifts from high to low deprivation produced a significant decrease in performance; all shifts from low to high, a significant increase. After the early shift, performance was characterized by a residual effect of preshift deprivation level in which shifted groups gradually approached the new levels. After each of the later shifts, performance levels diverged sharply in what appeared to be both positive and negative contrast effects. The results were discussed in the framework of incentive motivation theory.
Calculated polarization and piezoelectric constants of NaN O 2

The electronic energy band structure of ferroelectric sodium nitrate has been calculated using an $X\ensuremath{\alpha}$ exchange and a plane-wave Gaussian basis set. Three piezoelectric-strain constants (${d}_{21},{d}_{22},{d}_{23}$) also have been calculated by assuming that the boundaries of a molecule in a crystal are given by minimum charge-density surfaces and that the displacements of atoms in the strained crystal are directly proportional to the strains. The calculated values of ${d}_{21}$, ${d}_{22}$, and ${d}_{23}$ in units of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ esu/dyn range from ${d}_{21}=\ensuremath{-}7.69$, ${d}_{22}=6.26$, and ${d}_{23}=\ensuremath{-}3.23$ to ${d}_{21}=\ensuremath{-}9.09$, ${d}_{22}=6.75$, and ${d}_{23}=\ensuremath{-}3.69$ depending upon the choice of elastic-stiffness constants. These values compare favorably with the only experimental values measured by Hamano et al., which are ${d}_{21}=\ensuremath{-}8.5$, ${d}_{22}=5.0$, and ${d}_{23}=\ensuremath{-}3.5$.
Quality Assessment: is the Focus on Providers or on Patients?

Most studies of ambulatory care quality are based on chart reviews of episodes of care in single settings, rather than on care received by a patient over time and across settings. The purpose of this study was to compare ambulatory care quality scores based on information from the usual source of care to scores based on information from all providers seen during a year. The quality of well child care for 55 two-year-olds and asthma care for 70 children and adults continuously enrolled in the Maryland Medicaid program throughout 1988 was assessed. Combining data from multiple providers changed quality scores in both directions. For well child care, quality scores generally improved because of an increased opportunity to perform desirable actions, such as lead screening. However, quality scores for asthma care generally decreased because undesirable clinician actions, such as the failure to document follow-up plans, increased as more problems were uncovered. Thus, the findings of quality assessments differ according to whether the focus is on care delivered by individual providers or on care received by patients. The direction of the difference will depend upon whether the indicators of quality represent omission of recommended care or commission of improper care. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Cell-Secreted Matrices Enhance Osteogenesis in Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Undergoing Lineage Specification

Osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) is important in the field of bone tissue engineering. The identification of biological factors that influence osteogenesis is vital for developing a broader understanding of how complex microenvironments play a role in differentiation. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) osteogenesis is enhanced through interaction with extracellular matrices (ECM) secreted by ADSC undergoing osteogenesis. ADSC were obtained from human patients following elective abdominoplasty. Cells were selected for plastic adherence, characterized, and induced to differentiate using osteogenic supplements (OS; dexamethasone, ascorbic acid, and beta-glycerol phosphate). Cells were removed at several time points during osteogenesis and the secreted ECM was isolated. Undifferentiated cells were re-seeded onto the cell secreted ECMs and induced to differentiate with OS. At several time points, cells cultured on ECMs or tissue culture plastic controls (i.e. uncoated surface) were collected and RNA isolated. QPCR and gene array analysis revealed enrichment of osteogenic markers and more rapid progression through osteogenic maturational phases in cells seeded onto ECM secreted at the midpoint in differentiation (ca. 15 days). Our results demonstrate that the cumulative deposition of ECM reaches a critical point at approximately 15 days, before which there appear to be no definitive osteogenic cues from the matrix, and after which, strong drivers of osteogenesis are present. The creation of microenvironments that contain essential morphogenic matrix signals is an important step towards methods of growing and differentiating MSC in a rapid effective manner, particularly for bone-related clinical applications.
Effects of enhanced diffusion on preferred sputtering of homogeneous alloy surfaces

Abstract The effects of enhanced diffusion caused by sputter damage on the kinetics of preferred sputtering of alloy surfaces have been analyzed. The diffusion flux is specifically included in considering the mass balance within the altered layer and on the sputtered surface. An analytical solution has been derived by solving the two mass-balance equations simultaneously under certain conditions. The solution is used as the basis of an interative method to obtain exact numerical solutions as a function of sputtering time. The analysis enables one to define an altered layer with respect to the steady state and to express its thickness in terms of the sputter yields and the diffusivity. Illustrative results showing the evolution of the altered layer during sputtering are given for a typical binary alloy surface. Implications of this analysis and possible future experiments are discussed.
View Clustering of Wide-Baseline N-views for Photo Tourism

The problem of view clustering is concerned with finding connected sets of overlapping views in a collection of photographs. The view clusters can be used to organize a photo collection, traverse through a collection, or for 3D structure estimation. For large datasets, geometric matching of all image pairs via pose estimation to decide on content overlap is not viable. The problem becomes even more acute if the views in the collection are separated by wide baselines, i.e. we do not have a dense view sampling of the 3D scene that leads to increase in computational cost of epipolar geometry estimation and matching. We propose an efficient algorithm for clustering of such many weakly overlapping views, based on opportunistic use of epipolar geometry estimation for only a limited number of image pairs. We cast the problem of view clustering as finding a tree structure graph over the views, whose weighted links denote likelihood of view overlap. The optimization is done in an iterative fashion starting from an minimum spanning tree based on photometric distances between image pairs. At each iteration step, we rule out edges with low confidence of overlap between the respective views, based on epipolar geometry estimates. The minimum spanning tree is recomputed and the process is repeated until there is no further change in the link structure. We show results on the images in the 2010 Nokia Grand Challenge Dataset that contains images with low overlap with each other.
Insular cortex metabolite changes in obstructive sleep apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) show significant autonomic and neuropsychologic deficits, which may derive from damage to insular regions that serve those functions. The aim was to assess glial and neuronal status from anterior insular metabolites in OSA versus controls, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PMRS), and thus to provide insights for neuroprotection against tissue changes, and to reduce injury consequences. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING University-based medical center. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-six patients with OSA, 53 controls. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS We performed PMRS in bilateral anterior insulae using a 3.0-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner, calculated N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr), choline/creatine (Cho/Cr), myo-inositol/creatine (MI/Cr), and MI/NAA metabolite ratios, and examined daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, ESS), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI), and neuropsychologic status (Beck Depression Inventory II [BDI-II] and Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI]). Body mass index, BAI, BDI-II, PSQI, and ESS significantly differed between groups. NAA/ Cr ratios were significantly reduced bilaterally, and left-sided MI/Cr and MI/NAA ratios were increased in OSA over controls. Significant positive correlations emerged between left insular MI/Cr ratios and apnea-hypopnea index values, right insular Cho/Cr ratios and BDI-II and BAI scores, and negative correlations appeared between left insular NAA/Cr ratios and PSQI scores and between right-side MI/Cr ratios and baseline and nadir change in O2 saturation. CONCLUSIONS Adults with obstructive sleep apnea showed bilaterally reduced N-acetylaspartate and left-side increased myo-inositol anterior insular metabolites, indicating neuronal damage and increased glial activation, respectively, which may contribute to abnormal autonomic and neuropsychologic functions in the condition. The activated glial status likely indicates increased inflammatory action that may induce more neuronal injury, and suggests separate approaches for glial and neuronal protection.
Comparison of gelatine matrix-thrombin sealants used during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy

OBJECTIVE To compare haemostasis and other outcomes after the use of bovine-derived or porcine-derived gelatine matrix-thrombin sealants (GMTS) in a continuous series of patients during and for 6 months after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between October 2006 and September 2007, a consecutive sample of 35 patients with renal tumours underwent LPN by a single surgeon at a referral centre. Group 1 (25 patients) received a bovine-derived GMTS and Group 2 (10 patients) a porcine-derived GMTS. All patients underwent LPN and received one of the two GMTS, applied to the resected bed before sutured renorrhaphy over oxidized nitrocellulose bolsters. Surgical and pathology variables, including ischaemia time, blood loss, tumour size, and serum creatinine values before and after LPN, were measured. Glomerular filtration rates were calculated before and after LPN. Haemostasis was ascertained by visual examination. RESULTS Intraoperative haemostasis was achieved in all cases. No associated complications occurred within 3 weeks of LPN. The two groups were comparable in age (median, 65 vs 69 years, P = 0.62), gender, tumour number and location, median ischaemia time (34 vs 28 min, P = 0.148), and blood loss (200 vs 150 mL, P = 0.518). One patient in Group 1 developed a urinary fistula. One patient in Group 2 experienced self-limited gross haematuria. CONCLUSIONS Both the porcine- and bovine-derived agents provided acceptable haemostasis without adverse events during LPN and in the early postoperative period. Occurrences of delayed haemorrhage and urinary fistula were not likely to be related to the choice of prothrombotic agent.
Single mode photonic crystal vertical cavity lasers and arrays

The design, fabrication, and characterization of photonic crystal confinement in vertical cavity lasers and arrays is reviewed. Single fundamental lateral mode operation to several milliwatts of output is demonstrated.
Development of coagulation regulatory proteins in the fetal and neonatal lamb.

To investigate the development of coagulation regulatory proteins-protein C (PC), protein S (PS), and antithrombin (AT)-in relationship to the procoagulant protein factor X (FX), a chronically catheterized fetal ovine model was used. Infusion and sampling catheters were placed into pregnant ewes and their fetuses and maintained from mid-gestation. From a total of 110 fetuses, 17 lambs, and 63 ewes that were studied on one to 15 occasions, 212 fetal, 88 neonatal, and 157 maternal samples were obtained. Liver tissue was obtained from 31 fetuses and 15 ewes. Plasma levels of all proteins studied were higher in the ewe than in the fetus (p 0.05). This study suggests that fetal regulation of coagulation proteins follows characteristic patterns relative to the vitamin K dependence of the protein rather than its role as a procoagulant versus regulatory protein.
Fast computation of Voigt functions via Fourier transforms

This work presents a method of computing Voigt functions and their derivatives, to high accuracy, on a uniform grid. It is based on an adaptation of Fourier-transform-based convolution. The relative error of the result decreases as the fourth power of the computational effort. Because of its use of highly vectorizable operations for its core, it can be implemented very efficiently in scripting language environments which provide fast vector libraries. The availability of the derivatives makes it suitable as a function generator for non-linear fitting procedures.
Social Cognition Permeates Social Psychology: Motivated Mental Processes Guide the Study of Human Social Behavior

Social cognition provides a metatheoretical approach to understanding the mental underpinnings of human social behavior. This paper reviews some of the major themes in social cognition research, tracing its progression from a methodological hybrid between cognitive and social psychology to a major foundation of social psychology. We stress the most recent trend in social cognition research – the motivated tactician theme – which focuses on the roles of motives and goals in people's mental processes and social behavior; examples from our laboratory illustrate this theme. Our brief historical overview emphasizes diversity within the social cognition approach; its applicability to multiple psychological and social issues; and directions for collaboration with other notable research traditions, particularly cross-cultural perspectives.
Excitation functions and Legendre analysis for the 12 C( 12 C, 8 Be) 16 O(g.s.) reaction

Additional excitation functions for $^{12}\mathrm{C}$($^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$) $^{16}\mathrm{O}$(g.s.) have been measured. A Legendre analysis of $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\theta},E)$ confirms previous ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ assignments of resonant structures and identifies new ones. A fragmentation of giant quasimolecular resonances provides a preferable interpretation of the resonance phenomena observed.
Coastal-marine discontinuities and synergisms: implications for biodiversity conservation

Coastal-marine biodiversity conservation must focus increasingly at the level of the land- and seascape. Five cases illustrate discontinuities and synergisms and how system changes may take place. For Caribbean coral reefs, the result of overfishing and disease has been a ‘shrinkage’ in the entire system, the effects of which may cascade through the coastal seascape. For Beringia, patterns of benthic diversity are best understood in a manner that matches the multiscale, integrated dynamics of weather, ice, marine mammal feeding, and community structure. In the case of US East Coast estuaries, oyster reefs may be keystone elements, with important effects on functional diversity. Large-scale coastal systems depend upon the connectivity of fresh and marine waters in the coastal zone, having implications for the apparent stochasticity of coastal fisheries. And, for a coastal barrier-lagoon site, a state change may be described in terms of a combination of succession, the attainment of a quasi-equilibrium state, and disturbance. A profound problem for conservation is that there is very little information about the relationship between species diversity and ecological function. Coastal-marine biodiversity conservation is best addressed at the level of the land- and seascape.
Shadow algorithms for computer graphics

Shadows are advocated for improved comprehension and enhanced realism in computer-synthesized images. A classification of shadow algorithms delineates three approaches: shadow computation during scanout; division of object surfaces into shadowed and unshadowed areas prior to removal of hidden surfaces; and inclusion of shadow volumes in the object data. The classes are related to existing shadow algorithms and implementations within each class are sketched. A brief comparison of the three approaches suggests that the last approach has the most appealing characteristics.
Alternatives to psychosocial fieldwork: part of the solution or part of the problem?

The recent increase in the num­ ber of occupational therapy pro­ grams, coupled with the limited number of fieldwork placements in mental health, has made it increasingly difficult to find placements for Level II fieldwork students in traditional mental health settings. Although some aca­ demic Fieldwork coordinators have been able to continue placing students in typical in-patient and community-based mental health facilities, others have had to consider alternative strategies. One strategy is to place students at Fieldwork sites, such as work hardening, pain management, and head injury pro­ grams, where psychosocial dysfunction is not the primary diagnosis. The prob­ lem is that, although psychosocial com­ ponents are addressed in the daily inter­ actions with the clientele in these programs, they are not the focus of as­ sessment and treatment. The related is­ sues are, what is being done to ensure that students placed in alternative sites are learning to apply psychosocial as­ sessment and treatment methods and what will be the long-term impact of this type of placement on mental health practice? It is clear that the diminishing number of Level II Fieldwork sites in mental health is reflective of and inter­ woven with the decreased number of therapists practicing in mental health settings and in the reduced number of new graduates choosing mental health as a practice preference. The result of the reduced number of Level II field­ work sites in mental health settings is that there are fewel- opportunities for students to learn the (xcupational ther­ apy interventions and skills traditionally practiced in mental health and to ob­ serve occupational therapy role models.
Young children’s readings of wordless picture books: What’s ‘self’ got to do with it?:

To understand difficulties in early literacy most research has focused on print related knowledge. Knowing about print, however, is only one aspect of reading and may neglect how successful early r...
Invited Commentary: Propensity Scores

The propensity score is the conditional probability of exposure to a treatment given observed covariates. In a cohort study, matching or stratifying treated and control subjects on a single variable, the propensity score, tends to balance all of the observed covariates; however, unlike random assignment of treatments, the propensity score may not also balance unobserved covariates. The authors review the uses and limitations of propensity scores and provide a brief outline of associated statistical theory. They also present a new result of using propensity scores in case-cohort studies.
The Frame of Reference as a Public Good

Does consuming more goods make people happier? For a broad spectrum of goods, available evidence suggests that beyond some point the answer is essentially no. Much of this evidence is from the large and growing scientific literature on the determinants of life-satisfaction and psychological well-being.1 Evidence from this literature also suggests, however, that there are ways of spending time and money that do have the potential to increase people's satisfaction with their lives, and herein lies a message of considerable importance for policy-makers. The psychologist's conception of human well-being is somewhat different from the economist's. Economists speak of an individual's utility, which in traditional economic models is assumed to be an increasing function of present and future consumption of goods, leisure, and other amenities that people typically view as desirable. Faced with a limited income, the individual is assumed to choose among alternatives so as to maximise her utility. The analogous construct in the psychological literature is 'subjective well-being', a composite measure of life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. Operational measures of subjective well-being take one of several forms. By far the most popular approach in the psychological literature has been simply to ask people how happy or satisfied they are.2 For example, people may be asked to respond, on a numerical scale, to a question like, 'All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?' Or, 'Thinking of your life as a whole, would you consider yourself (a) very happy; (b) fairly happy; or (c) not happy.' Another approach measures the frequency and intensity of positive affect by asking people the extent to which they agree with such statements as: 'When good things happen to me, it strongly affects me.' More recently, neuroscientists have also used brainwave data to assess positive and negative affect. Subjects with relatively greater electrical activity in the left prefrontal region of the brain are likely to indicate strong agreement with statements like the ones above, while those with relatively greater electrical activity in the right prefrontal region are much more likely to disagree with these statements.3 The left prefrontal region of the brain is rich in receptors for the neurotransmitter dopamine, higher concentrations of which been shown independently to be correlated with positive affect.4
Localization of Difficult-to-Translate Phrases

This paper studies the impact that difficult-to-translate source-language phrases might have on the machine translation process. We formulate the notion of difficulty as a measurable quantity; we show that a classifier can be trained to predict whether a phrase might be difficult to translate; and we develop a framework that makes use of the classifier and external resources (such as human translators) to improve the overall translation quality. Through experimental work, we verify that by isolating difficult-to-translate phrases and processing them as special cases, their negative impact on the translation of the rest of the sentences can be reduced.
A study of millimeter-wave GaAs IMPATT oscillator and amplifier noise

Noise characterization of a set of epitaxially grown p-n-junction GaAs IMPATTS that operate efficiently from 26-35 GHz is reported. In oscillator operation, the diodes exhibit an excess noise near the carrier, which follows a 1/ f dependence. Far from the carrier an AM DSB SNR of 134 dB in a 100-Hz window and an FM noise measure of 36 dB are observed. As a reflection amplifier, a gain of 22 dB with a 250-MHz bandwidth and a noise figure of 25.5 dB is achieved. Under higher gain conditions (28-dB gain) a 24-dB figure is obtained.
The Daily Consequences of Widowhood The Role of Gender and Intergenerational Transfers on Subsequent Housework Performance

This study examines (a) whether widowhood affects the performance of daily household activities, (b) the extent to which dependence on children mediates the effect of widowhood on subsequent housework performance, and (c) the extent to which these patterns vary by gender. Using the Changing Lives of Older Couples study, a prospective survey of married persons age 65 and older, we find that late-life widowhood is associated with an increase in men’s housework, yet does not produce a change in women’s subsequent housework performance. Dependency on children mediates the effect of widowhood on housework, suggesting that adult children assist their grieving parents with errands and other household chores. Findingsimplythat the daily consequencesof late-life widowhoodare dependenton the individual, dyadic, and intergenerational characteristics of the older adult.
A Clinical Report of the Management of Episodic Idiopathic Pruritus Occurring during Endodontic Therapy

Abstract Introduction In endodontic practice, conditions may arise that are unexpected despite thorough preparation. The purpose of this case report was to describe how a condition of episodic idiopathic pruritus, which was undiscovered in the medical history taking, was managed without a loss of time. Methods A 29-year-old woman presented to the graduate endodontic clinic for conventional endodontic treatment of tooth #30 and intravenous moderate sedation for dental phobia. Before the administration of intraoral local anesthetics or intravenous medications, the patient was unable to keep still because of itching. When questioned, the patient reported that she suffers from this condition fairly regularly. The patient reported that the itching could be initiated by stress or for no apparent reason. Intraoral local anesthesia was administered, intravenous access was attained, and an analgesic and antihistamine were given. Results Two minutes after the administration of the antihistamine, the itching resolved, and the treatment was completed without further incident. Conclusions This case provides an example of how an unexpected incident of episodic idiopathic pruritus was managed via the intravenous route without a loss of scheduled appointment time.
Combined Cataract Extraction and Glaucoma Surgery

An approach to the surgical management of eyes with concomitant cataract and glaucoma is outlined, and the author's experience in 73 consecutive cases is described. Cataract extraction alone is recommended when glaucomatous damage is minimal, and the intraocular pressure is controlled with a low-dose, well-tolerated medical regimen. When the glaucoma is uncontrolled on maximum tolerable medical therapy and poses an immediate threat to vision, a two-stage procedure of filtering surgery with subsequent cataract extraction is preferred. Between these two extremes of glaucoma control are those cases for which a combined operation is felt to be indicated, especially when cataract surgery is planned in an eye with borderline glaucoma control and/or moderate to advanced glaucomatous damage. The preferred combined approach is cataract extraction with a guarded filtering procedure, and a simplified technique to accomplish this is described.
Control of a reverse osmosis desalination process at high recovery

Feed-forward/feedback control techniques that utilize Lyapunov-based control laws are implemented on a high recovery reverse osmosis desalination plant model. A detailed mathematical model of a high recovery reverse osmosis plant is developed. This model incorporates the large spatial variations of concentration and flow-rate that occur in membrane units during high recovery operation. Bounded nonlinear feedback and feed-forward controllers are developed and applied to this system. The application of these controllers is demonstrated in the context of a high recovery reverse osmosis process simulation. The scenarios demonstrate the ability to compensate for the effects of large time varying disturbances in the feed concentration on specific process outputs with feedforward/feedback control.
Improved Method for Embedded Object Detection and Reconstruction Through Near-Field Pulse Imaging Techniques

Summary form only given. Near-field imaging offers certain advantages over other methods, specifically in data reconstruction. Because of its short ranges, the near-field experimental setup and antennas for measurements require very little space as compared to larger far-field distances for similar image reconstruction methods. In this paper we describe the application of a near-field, frequency-synthesized microwave pulse, for the detection, imaging and reconstruction of an embedded object. Specifically, we present an alternate detection technique, called single-probe detection and reconstruction (SPDR), which uses a single probe to reconstruct an object's shape and determine its location in two dimensions. The experimental setup of the near-field system consists of a rotating platform and a planar-scanning probe. This setup involves both cylindrical and planar scanning of the target and the processing of the reflected data collected at the single probe detection system. As compared to our previous techniques for which shape reconstruction was only possible when the object was placed at the center of the platform, this new technique provides reconstruction regardless of the location of the object. Once the data has been received and recorded, it is then processed for object reconstruction through time-domain analysis and an in-house developed code.
OpenConflict: Preventing Real Time Map Hacks in Online Games

We present a generic tool, Kartograph, that lifts the fog of war in online real-time strategy games by snooping on the memory used by the game. Kartograph is passive and cannot be detected remotely. Motivated by these passive attacks, we present secure protocols for distributing game state among players so that each client only has data it is allowed to see. Our system, Open Conflict, runs real-time games with distributed state. To support our claim that Open Conflict is sufficiently fast for real-time strategy games, we show the results of an extensive study of 1000 replays of Star craft II games between expert players. At the peak of a typical game, Open Conflict needs only 22 milliseconds on one CPU core each time state is synchronized.
A novel extraction procedure to determine the noise parameters of on-wafer devices

A new procedure for the extraction of noise parameters of on-wafer devices is presented and validated experimentally for the first time. The procedure is based on the noise figure measurement of similar devices of different size and biased at constant drain current density Jds and constant drain voltage Vds. Key to its implementation is a scalable noise model. The model in use is the Pospieszalski noise model, based on the equivalent noise temperatures Tgs and Tds of the gate-source and the drain-source resistance, respectively. The new procedure also outlines a path towards the experimental validation of all the noise temperatures associated with the device's lossy elements.
Distribution and concentration of total phenolics, condensed tannins, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) in creosotebush (Larrea tridentata)

This paper focuses on the presence and distribution of secondary phenolic compounds found within creosotebush [Larrea tridentata (Sess. & Moc. ex DC.) Cov.]. Total phenolics, condensed tannins and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) were measured in nine categories of tissue within creosotebush. Total phenolic and condensed tannin concentrations were determined using colorimetric methods while NDGA content was determined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phenolics were present throughout the plant with the highest concentrations in leaves (36.2 mg/g), green stems (40.8 mg/g) and roots (mean for all root categories=28.6 mg/g). Condensed tannins were found in all tissues with highest concentrations in flowers (1.7 mg/g), seeds (1.1 mg/g), and roots less than 5 mm in diameter (1.1 mg/g). Flowers, leaves, green stems and small woody stems (<5 mm in diameter) all contained NDGA with highest concentrations in leaves (38.3 mg/g) and green stems (32.5 mg/g).This is the first report we are aware of giving secondary chemical characteristics of creosotebush roots. Data reported here will be used to support further research into the dynamics of shrub replacement and dominance of arid grasslands.
Experiences and Attitudes of Genome Investigators Regarding Return of Individual Genetic Test Results

Experiences and attitudes of genome investigators regarding return of individual genetic test results
Translational Control in Cancer Etiology

The link between perturbations in translational control and cancer etiology is becoming a primary focus in cancer research. It has now been established that genetic alterations in several components of the translational apparatus underlie spontaneous cancers as well as an entire class of inherited syndromes known as “ribosomopathies” associated with increased cancer susceptibility. These discoveries have illuminated the importance of deregulations in translational control to very specific cellular processes that contribute to cancer etiology. In addition, a growing body of evidence supports the view that deregulation of translational control is a common mechanism by which diverse oncogenic pathways promote cellular transformation and tumor development. Indeed, activation of these key oncogenic pathways induces rapid and dramatic translational reprogramming both by increasing overall protein synthesis and by modulating specific mRNA networks. These translational changes promote cellular transformation, impacting almost every phase of tumor development. This paradigm represents a new frontier in the multihit model of cancer formation and offers significant promise for innovative cancer therapies. Current research, in conjunction with cutting edge technologies, will further enable us to explore novel mechanisms of translational control, functionally identify translationally controlled mRNA groups, and unravel their impact on cellular transformation and tumorigenesis.
Expression of NFκB/mTORC Pathway Proteins is Associated With Response to CHOP plus Bortezomib (CHOP-B) in a Patient With Angioimmunoblastic Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma (AI-PTCL)

DLBCL patients from developed countries who were treated with R-CHOP. Design: A cohort (n1⁄4732) of patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP chemotherapy are included in the International DLBCL Rituximab-CHOP Consortium Program. All cases were diagnosed according to the WHO criteria. DLBCLs transformed from a low-grade B-cell lymphoma or associated with acquired immunodeficiency (e.g. human immunodeficiency virus infection), primary cutaneous DLBCLs, primary central nervous system DLBCLs, and primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphomas were excluded. For the study group we collected clinical data and assessed different biomarkers by immunohistochemistry. We also assessed for genetic abnormalities by fluorescent in situ hybridization, performed mutation analysis, gene expression profiling (GEP) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Presence of EBV was assessed by in situ hybridization for EBV encoded RNA (EBER). Setting: This study can aid lymphoma specialists in improving risk stratification of DLBCL patients. Results: Twenty-eight (4.0%) patients were positive for EBV with a median age of 60.5 years (add range). No clinical characteristics distinguished patients with EBV+ DLBCL from patients with EBV-negative DLBCL. Genetic aberrations were rarely seen in EBV+ DLBCL. NF-kB p50, phosphoSTAT-3 and CD30 were more commonly expressed in EBV+ DLBCL (P<.05). Significant differences in survival were not observed in patients with EBV+ DLBCL versus EBV-negative DLBCL. CD30 co-expression appeared to confer inferior outcome although statistical significance was not achieved. GEP showed a unique expression signature in EBV+ DLBCL and GSEA revealed enhanced activity of the NF-kB and JAK/STAT pathways. Conclusions: The clinical characteristics of patients with EBV+ DLBCL versus EBV-negative DLBCL are similar. EBV infection per se does not predict a worse outcome. CD30 expression is more common in EBV+ DLBCL and, when present, is associated with an adverse outcome. EBV+ DLBCL has a unique genetic signature.
Biochemical Aspects of the Action of Abscisic Acid

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone which has important functions in the control of abscission, dormancy and germination. Further, applications of ABA can inhibit growth and promote senescence in a large variety of experimental materials (see Addicott & Lyon, 1969). The broad spectrum of responses to ABA and its wide distribution in plants suggest that it may be one of the more important hormonal factors in the control of plant behaviour, and has stimulated numerous investigations of the chemistry and biochemistry of the physiological action of ABA. This paper reviews present knowledge of the biochemical responses to ABA.
Quantifying element incorporation in multispecies biofilms using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry image analysis

Elucidating nutrient exchange in microbial communities is an important step in understanding the relationships between microbial systems and global biogeochemical cycles, but these communities are complex and the interspecies interactions that occur within them are not well understood. Phototrophic consortia are useful and relevant experimental systems to investigate such interactions as they are not only prevalent in the environment, but some are cultivable in vitro and amenable to controlled scientific experimentation. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) is a powerful, high spatial resolution tool capable of visualizing the metabolic activities of single cells within a biofilm, but quantitative analysis of the resulting data has typically been a manual process, resulting in a task that is both laborious and susceptible to human error. Here, the authors describe the creation and application of a semiautomated image-processing pipeline that can analyze NanoSIMS-generated data, applied to phototrophic biofilms as an example. The tool employs an image analysis process, which includes both elemental and morphological segmentation, producing a final segmented image that allows for discrimination between autotrophic and heterotrophic biomass, the detection of individual cyanobacterial filaments and heterotrophic cells, the quantification of isotopic incorporation of individual heterotrophic cells, and calculation of relevant population statistics. The authors demonstrate the functionality of the tool by using it to analyze the uptake of 15N provided as either nitrate or ammonium through the unicyanobacterial consortium UCC-O and imaged via NanoSIMS. The authors found that the degree of 15N incorporation by individual cells was highly variable when labeled with 15NH4+, but much more even when biofilms were labeled with 15NO3−. In the 15NH4+-amended biofilms, the heterotrophic distribution of 15N incorporation was highly skewed, with a large population showing moderate 15N incorporation and a small number of organisms displaying very high 15N uptake. The results showed that analysis of NanoSIMS data can be performed in a way that allows for quantitation of the elemental uptake of individual cells, a technique necessary for advancing research into the metabolic networks that exist within biofilms with statistical analyses that are supported by automated, user-friendly processes.
Social Capital: Social Relations and Economic Rationality

Despite the proliferation of economic literature on social capital (SC), no common definition is available. The World Bank's Social Capital Initiative underlines this fact as being inevitable. However, without a clear definition, SC remains a speculative concept, and the problem of inferring causation between SC and development has no solution. If certainly the reasons for the missing common meaning of SC are many, this article focuses on the rationality-in-relations. That means it focuses on the rationality that hides within the two main methodological approaches on which the theories of SC are based: the individualistic rational choice and the communitarian a-rationality. The article suggests that the right question does not regard the choice between rationality and no-rationality, but instead the notion of rationality itself. It advocates the necessity of an ontological foundation of the theory of SC and finds in the we-rationality of Hollis and Sugden a possible path to follow.
In vitro Magnetic Relaxation Times of the Ischemic and Reperfused Rabbit Kidney: Concise Communication

To assess the effects of renal ischemia and reperfusion on in vitro magnetic relaxation times (T/sub 1/ = magnetization recovery, T/sub 2/ = spin echo), we evaluated the spectroscopic characteristics of the renal cortex from 25 rabbits. Eight served as controls (Group 1), nine had one renal pedicle ligated for 1 hr (Group 2), and eight (Group 3) were occluded for 1 hr and reperfused for 30 min. For intraanimal comparison purposes, % H/sub 2/O content, T/sub 1/ (msec), and T/sub 2/ (msec) of the ischemic (reperfused) kidney were normalized to the values from the normal kidney within the same animal. Renal ischemia consistently increased water content, which was exaggerated by reperfusion. In association with ischemia, T/sub 1/ fell, and with reperfusion T/sub 1/ lengthened. T/sub 2/ increased with ischemia and declined from the peak ischemic effects with reperfusion.