cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LAM1 is required for dorsoventrality and lateral growth of the leaf blade in Nicotiana

The role of LAM1 in dorsoventrality and lateral growth of the leaf blade was investigated in the 'bladeless' lam1 mutant of Nicotiana sylvestris and in periclinal chimeras with lam1 and wild-type (N. glauca) cell layers. Mutant lam1 primordia show normal dorsoventrality at emergence, but produce blade tissue that lacks dorsal cell types and fails to expand in the lateral plane. In leaves of a lam1-glauca-glauca (L1-L2-L3) chimera, we observed restoration of dorsal identity in the lam1 upper epidermis, suggesting non-cell-autonomous movement of a dorsalizing factor between cell layers of the blade. A lam1-lam1-glauca chimera generated a leaf blade with lam1 cells in the L1-derived epidermis and the L2-derived upper and lower mesophyll. An in situ lineage analysis revealed that N. glauca cells in the L3-derived middle mesophyll restore palisade differentiation in the adjoining lam1 upper mesophyll. Movement of dorsalizing information appears short-range, however, having no effect on the upper lam1 epidermis in lam1-lam1-glauca. Clusters of lam1 mesophyll in distal or proximal positions show a localized default to radial growth, indicating that the LAM1 function is required for dorsoventrality and lateral growth throughout blade expansion.
Design of fully-diverse multi-antenna codes based on Sp(2)

Fully-diverse constellations, i.e., a set of unitary matrices whose pairwise differences are nonsingular, are useful in multi-antenna communications, especially in multi-antenna differential modulation, since they have good pairwise error properties. Recently, group theoretic ideas, especially fixed-point-free (FPF) groups, have been used to design fully-diverse constellations of unitary matrices. Here we construct four-transmit-antenna constellations appropriate for differential modulation based on the symplectic group Sp(2) These can be regarded as extensions of S.M. Alamouti's celebrated two-transmit-antenna orthogonal design which can be constructed from the group Sp(1) (see IEEE J. Sel. Area Commun., p.1451-8, 1998). We further show that the structure of the code lends itself to efficient maximum likelihood (ML) decoding via the sphere decoding algorithm. Finally, the performance of the code is compared with existing methods including Alamouti's scheme, Cayley differential unitary space-time codes and group based codes.
Integrated microRNA and mRNA responses to acute human left ventricular ischemia

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in ischemic heart disease. Animal models of left ventricular (LV) ischemia demonstrate a unique miRNA profile; however, these models have limitations in d...
The Myth-Eating Man

Does cannibalism exist? For William Arensanthropologist and author of The ManEating Myth, a book that attracted considerable attention in the popular press shortly after its publicationthe answer is a carefully hedged no. Arens says cannibalism as accepted practice on any scale of actual physical consumption and in any society for reasons other than occasional antisocial behavior or survival needs in emergencies is a myth--a huge, unfounded man-eating myth to be exact. Yet beliefs to the contrary are widespread. Cannibalism has been attributed to people everywhere at one time or another. The butchers and bakers in these dramas of mirror-image consumption are usually people other than the accusers, most notably the other-cultural Others who are "just over the horizon," "not like us," and otherwise known to be "uncivilized" or "uncultured." Consumption with psychological impunity and a demand for larger portions seem to increase as a function of social distance from the beholders. The ultimate horror, the casual cannibal who eats people for the fun of it, while always "out there," is nevertheless a light year away in physical and cultural affinity, somewhere else in space and time. Catching any cannibal in the act, casual or frenzied, has therefore proved to be difficult for Arens and other skeptics. This is not to say that eyewitness accounts are hard to find. Indeed, it would seem that cannibalism has never been hard to find for people with an inclination to do so. The problem is that under the careful scrutiny of skeptics armed with rules for "scientific evidence," most "eyewitness" accounts are hard to believe. Perpetuated variously by naivete, plagiarism, the unequal skepticism of observers with vested interests in cannibal land, gold, or souls, and sometimes moved forward by outright racism, cannibalism lingers on in anthropology and other quarters as one of the great unchallenged "facts" of human behavior. Or so says Arens. He aims to challenge the facts and the belief in them in anthropology by assessing critically the documentation for the practice and its theoretical explanations in an attempt "to arrive at some broad understanding of the nature and function of anthropology over the past century" (p. 9). He says somewhat gratuitously that "the question of whether or not people eat each other is taken as interesting but moot," finding greater intrigue in the possibility that "the idea that they do is commonly accepted without adequate documentation" (p. 9). Thus not only is cannibalism as physical fact set up for relegation to the same graveyard that (for many of us) claimed the Easter Rabbit and Santa Claus, anthropology's own neck is put on the chopping block for its apparent inability to distinguish between rumor and fact in
Scanning tunneling microscopy and orbital-mediated tunneling spectroscopy study of 1,5-di(octyloxy)anthracene adsorbed on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite from various solvents and in different environments

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and orbital mediated tunneling spectroscopy (OMTS) are reported for 1,5-di(octyloxy)anthracene (15DA) adsorbed on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). 15DA forms well-ordered monolayers either at the interface between HOPG and 1-phenyloctane or at the HOPG−air or HOPG−vacuum interface when spin doped from octane or dichloromethane. Octyl chain interdigitation and planar adsorption of the anthracene ring combine to produce structures which are stable independent of the adsorption method. The observed unit cell has a = 1.76 ± 0.06 nm, b = 1.07 ± 0.06 nm, and α = 77 ± 3°. Molecular orbital calculations are combined with bias-dependent imaging and OMTS results to show that the highest-occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) dominates the tunneling process over the voltage range from −2.5 to +1.0 V. The HOMO of 15DA on HOPG is found to occur at −7.0 eV below the vacuum level, in good agreement with previous UPS studies and with our calculations for the free molecule. We also ...
Numerically Efficient Dynamic Analysis of Barge Collisions with Bridge Piers

Assessing the structural response and vulnerability of bridge piers to collisions by barges typically involves either the use of static pier analysis codes and design-specification-stipulated equivalent static loading conditions, or a lengthy model development process followed by use of general-purpose finite-element codes. In this paper, an alternative approach is proposed that leverages the capabilities of existing nonlinear dynamic pier analysis programs by adding dynamic barge behavior in a computationally efficient and modular manner. By coupling nonlinear barge and pier responses together through a shared collision impact force and employing numerical procedures for accelerating convergence of the coupled system, dynamic barge collision analyses may be conducted for bridge piers efficiently and rapidly. The influence of impact parameters such as barge type and mass, impact speed and angle, and pier configuration can then be efficiently evaluated using dynamic collision analyses. For demonstration purposes, the method is implemented in an existing pier analysis program, validated, and used to conduct selected case studies.
Giant Magnetoresistance in Transition Metal Oxides

Some materials exhibit large changes in electrical resistance in the presence of a magnetic field, and this change can be used in applications from sensor technology to magnetic data storage. In their Perspective, Rao and Cheetham discuss magnetoresistance in perovskite manganates, where the effect is unusually strong. Much has been learned about these materials, and this understanding is driving the search for new materials with even more impressive properties.
Carrier freeze-out and acceptor energies in p-type Hg1-xCdxTe

Abstract Electrical transport measurements and photoluminescence measurements have been made on p -type Hg 1− x Cd x Te, with x in the range 0·21–0·50. Carrier freeze-out was observed with acceptor energies of the order of 20 meV. Levels with comparable energies have been observed in photoluminescence. Studies of n-p junctions produced by proton bombardment showed the electrical properties to be free from surface effects.
Mapping the Sequences That Mediate Interaction of the Equine Herpesvirus 1 Immediate-Early Protein and Human TFIIB

The sole immediate-early (IE) gene of equine herpesvirus 1 encodes a 1,487-amino-acid (aa) regulatory phosphoprotein that independently activates expression of early viral genes. Coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that the IE protein physically interacts with the general transcription factor TFIIB. Using a variety of protein-binding assays that employed a panel of IE truncation and deletion mutants expressed as in vitro-synthesized or glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins, we mapped a TFIIB-binding domain to aa 407 to 757 of the IE protein. IE mutants carrying internal deletions of aa 426 to 578 and 621 to 757 were partially defective for TFIIB binding, indicating that aa 407 to 757 may harbor more than one TFIIB-binding domain. The interaction between the IE protein and TFIIB is of physiological importance, as evidenced by transient-cotransfection assays. Partial deletion of the TFIIB-binding domain within the IE protein inhibited its ability to activate expression of the viral thymidine kinase gene, a representative early promoter, and of the IR5 gene, a representative late promoter, by greater than 20 and 50%, respectively. These results indicate that the interaction of the IE protein with TFIIB is necessary for its full transactivation function and that the IE-TFIIB interaction may be part of the mechanism by which the IE protein activates transcription.
Assessing Cardiovascular Reactivity in Working Women with the Social Competence Interview

ABSTRACT The Social Competence Interview (SCI), an interview to induce cardiovascular reactivity through recounting a stressful life experience, was used with a sample of 120 working women employed as childcare providers. Women recounted their most stressful work factor while cardiovascular reactions were monitored at 2-minute intervals (data points included 4 baseline, 6 SCI, and 3 recovery). Increases were found when comparing mean baseline and SCI measures: systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased 10.00 mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure (DBP) increased 10.63 mm Hg; and heart rate increased 4.57 beats per minute. Consistent with the literature SBP and DBP were higher for some subgroups of women (those who were 50 years or older, were obese, or had 4 or more risk factors) across all data points. There were no time by individual difference interactions, indicating that the patterns of change over time were the same across groups. In a logistic regression, comparing women who reached SBP ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or DB...
Kainate induces an intracellular Na+‐activated K+ current in cultured embryonic rat hippocampal neurones

1In embryonic rat hippocampal neurones cultured for < 3 days, kainate induced an inward current at negative potentials that recovered to baseline levels immediately upon termination of agonist application. However, in neurones cultured for longer, the kainate-induced current was often followed by a long-lasting inward current that slowly recovered to baseline levels. The amplitude of the delayed current (Idelay) triggered by kainate was positively related both to the duration of application at constant agonist concentration and to concentration at constant application duration. 2Idelay could last for several minutes and was accompanied by a conductance increase, which closely paralleled current amplitude. Depression of the kainate-induced current response at receptor level with CNQX or at ionic level with Na+-free solution eliminated Idelay. However, when applied during Idelay neither CNQX nor Na+-free solution had any effect on Idelay. Li+ effected the same response as Na+ in mediating kainate-induced Idelay. 3GABA-activated Cl− current, which was associated with the same amount of inwardly directed charge flow at the same potential as that induced by kainate, did not trigger a long-lasting delayed current. 4Idelay depended on the existence of extracellular K+ and its amplitude increased with the increase in K+ concentration. Neither applying Cl−- or Ca2+-free solutions nor increasing intracellular Ca2+ buffering speed and capacity altered Idelay. Exposure to the specific KCa channel blockers apamin and charybdotoxin also failed to alter Idelay. However, Idelay could be blocked by Cs+, Ba2+ and high concentrations of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and TEA. 5Inside-out excised patch-clamp recordings revealed that low density or highly clustered Na+-activated K+ channels were expressed in the cell bodies of cultured embryonic rat hippocampal neurones. These could be the elementary channels underlying Idelay.
Peritoneal washing in borderline epithelial ovarian tumors in women under 25: The use of cell block preparations

Serous tumors of low malignant potential are uncommon in women under 30-years-old peritoneal washings play an important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian neoplasms. Accurate diagnosis of peritoneal washings is important in determining therapeutic regimens and in determining patient prognosis. In peritoneal washings, these tumors can be difficult to distinguish from reactive benign mesothelial cells. The cases of four women with borderline serous ovarian tumors, all of whom were under the age of 25, and had peritoneal washings which were positive for papillary tumors were reviewed.
Prolonged in vivo antagonism of central mu- and delta-opioid receptor activity by beta-funal trexamine.

Abstract β-Funaltrexamine (β-FNA) was tested in the spinal cord and supraspinally against inhibition of reflex bladder contractions produced in the anesthetized rat by the opioid-receptor selective agonists [D-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly (ol)5] enkephalin (DAGO, μ-agonnst) and [D-Pen2, D-Pen5] enkephalin (DPDPE, δ-agonist). All agents were microinjected either intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) or intrathecally (i.t.). β-FNA (1–8 μg) produced long-lasting antagonism of both DAGO and DPDPE. Complete recovery from its effects was only observed some 24–32 h later. Higher doses of β-FNA (4 and 8 μg i.t.) produced short-lived agonistic activity though the selectivity of this was not determined. It was concluded that β-FNA was a potent, long-lasting antagonist at central opioid receptors in vivo but was unselective for the μ and δ opioid receptor.
Equilibria and Efficiency Loss in Games on Networks

Abstract Social networks are the substrate upon which we make and evaluate many of our daily decisions: our costs and benefits depend on whether—or how many of, or which of—our friends are willing to go to that restaurant, choose that cellular provider, already own that gaming platform. Much of the research on the “diffusion of innovation,” for example, takes a game-theoretic perspective on strategic decisions made by people embedded in a social context. Indeed, multiplayer games played on social networks, where the network's nodes correspond to the game's players, have proven to be fruitful models of many natural scenarios involving strategic interaction. In this paper, we embark on a mathematical and general exploration of the relationship between two-person strategic interactions (a “base game”) and a “networked” version of that same game. We formulate a generic mechanism for superimposing a symmetric two-player base game M on a social network G: each node of G chooses a single strategy from M and simu...
Social aspects of the termination of incubation behaviour in the ring dove (Streptopelia risoria)

Abstract The role of male and female ring doves ( Streptopelia risoria ) in the termination of incubation behaviour was studied first by observing heterosexual pairs (male and female) and homosexual pairs (female and female) (experiment 1). Male/female pairs incubate for 22 days whether squab or unhatched eggs are in the nest; female/female pairs incubate for 25 days or more. Males take the lead in terminating incubation. Another group of doves, separated from their (heterosexual) partners late in incubation, were exposed to one of four stimulus conditions: (a) an incubating dove; (b) a reproductively-inactive dove; (c) a reproductively-active dove; (d) visual isolation. Females extended the duration of their incubation when exposed to the sight of another dove, except when the stimulus dove was reproductively active. Males did not extend their incubation in response to these social cues. These social stimuli terminating incubation behaviour coordinate the withdrawal from the nest of male and female in preparation for the next breeding episode in this monogamous species.
Does age affect visualization of the levator ani in nulliparous women

Our aim was to assess whether differences in the ages of nulliparous women affect: (1) interobserver reliability, and (2) visualization of the levator ani (LA) muscle subdivisions in nulliparous women using 3D endovaginal ultrasound (3D-EVUS). This was a cross-sectional study. Community-dwelling nulliparous women ages 21–70 years were recruited. Participants underwent a standard examination and a 3D-EVUS. LA subdivisions of interest included the puboperinealis, puboanalis, pubococcygeus, puborectalis, and ileococcygeus muscles. Each ultrasound (US) volume was scored using a validated scale and assessed by two observers. Defect severity was scored for each muscle from 0 (no defect) to 6 (complete muscle loss). A summed score of the two sides was grouped as normal (0), minor (1–3), or major (4–6). Bias was examined using Bland–Altman plots. Intraclass coefficients were calculated to report agreement of total scores. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to evaluate the association between age and LA scores. Eighty nulliparous women were evaluated. Exact agreement for bilateral scoring of each LA subdivision ranged from 82 % to 84 %. Bilateral scoring of the puboperinealis, puborectalis, and ileococcygeus showed moderate to substantial agreement. Bilateral scores of the puboperinealis demonstrated substantial agreement between observers, with an ICC of 0.8 and a mean difference of −0.2 using the Bland–Altman analysis. When women were analyzed by age decade, reader agreement was overall good to excellent. There was no significant correlation between increasing age and total LA muscle scores (r = 0.179, p = 0.113). Interobserver reliability or visualization of the LA muscle in nulliparous women was not affected by a woman’s age.
Total protein, collagen, nucleic acids and calcium ions during rabbit odontogenesis.

Abstract The accurate quantitation of biochemical patterns during embryogenesis in a specific organ system involves calculating, not merely values for quantities of substrate, but distribution, i.e., concentration per unit tissue space. Embryonic, neonatal and early postnatal tooth germs possess cell populations of unequal size, type and function. Studying a specific molecular species in the “total organ” can be extremely misleading if one assumes the organ system to be homogeneous. The mammalian tooth germ is heterogeneous in most aspects; specifically when considering dynamic alterations associated with development. Therefore, to adjust for some of these factors, this study related morphology to a series of biochemical events. Histological examinations of rabbit deciduous posterior tooth germs representative of the twentieth and twenty-fifth days of gestation, birth, and fifth day postnatal were correlated with chemical parameters. Wet and dry weight determinations indirectly evaluate water content and relationships between intra and extracellular spaces. DNA values establish qualitative values for cell number per tooth germ and related substrate concentration to cell number. Biochemical observations indicated that during initial extracellular organic matrix formation, non-collagenous protein concentrations decreased, whereas collagen and calcium values significantly increased. Since mineralization occurs during latter periods of our experimentation, calcium ion content was related with collagen synthesis and odontogenic extracellular matrices (enamel and dentine). Such base line studies serve as a primary step to understanding mechanisms of differentiation during odontogenesis and suggested stages during development for further research.
GROUND STATE OF A SUPERCONDUCTOR WITH A SINGLE MAGNETIC IMPURITY.

Abstract The variational ansatz used by Heeger and Jensen to study the ground state for the Kondo problem in normal metals is extended to describe a superconductor containing a single paramagnetic impurity. Using as a model the s-d Hamiltonian with antiferromagnetic exchange coupling J, we find a singlet bound state for log T K T c ≳ − π 2 , where TK is the Kondo temperature associated with J, and Tc is the superconducting transition temperature of the host. We make direct connection with the results obtained for these systems by Maki, who used the methods of Chew-Low scattering theory.
Teleost retinal metabolism as affected by acetazolamide.

SummaryTrout retinas were incubated in air–tight syringes at 15°. Values for the Po2 of the incubation medium and the Qo2 of retinal tissue varied independently indicating that Po2 was not a rate–limiting factor for Qo2. When compared to controls, retinas from trout treated with acetazolamide had a decreased Qo2 an increase in aerobic glycolysis, and an over–all increase in production of acid metabolites. Retinas treated with the drug in vitro showed a decrease in Qo2, decrease in aerobic glycolysis, and a decline in glucose utilization but no decrease in total production of acid metabolites. The relationship between the effects of acetazolamide on retinal metabolism and the depletion of ocular oxygen tensions after administration of the drug are discussed.The technical assistance of Mrs. Esther Brenke is acknowledged.
Creative Self-Efficacy: Correlates in Middle and Secondary Students

ABSTRACT: This study examined correlates of creative self-efficacy (i.e., self-judgments of creative ability) in middle and secondary students (N = 1,322). Results indicate that students' mastery- and performance-approach beliefs and teacher feedback on creative ability were positively related to students' creative self-efficacy. Creative self-efficacy was also linked to student reports of their teachers not listening to them and sometimes feeling that their teachers had given up on them. Students with higher levels of creative self-efficacy were significantly more likely to hold more positive beliefs about their academic abilities in all subject areas and were significantly more likely to indicate that they planned to attend college than students with lower levels of creative self-efficacy. Finally, students with higher levels of creative self-efficacy were significantly more likely to report higher levels of participation in after-school academics and after- school group activities. Implications for cre...
Design and Construction of the Axial Injection System for the 88-Inch Cyclotron

A new axial injection system for the 88-inch cyclotron has been constructed. It transports beams from external ion sources axially through the magnet yoke to the median plane of the cyclotron. The optical elements include a bending magnet, electric quadrupoles, and the magnetic field of the cyclotron. Beam monitoring is done with scanning wires. phosphor plates and Faraday cups.
The effects of naltrexone maintenance on the response to yohimbine in healthy volunteers.

Abstract Background: Preclinical research suggests that opiate antagonists may alter stress responsiveness. This study describes the effect of pretreatment with the opioid antagonist naltrexone on the response to a noradrenergic stressor, the alpha-2-receptor-antagonist, yohimbine, in healthy subjects. The current study was designed to compare the change in responses to yohimbine after 2 weeks of treatment with naltrexone to the response after at least 2 weeks of treatment with placebo. Methods: After a week of placebo naltrexone treatment, ten subjects were randomized into a double-blind crossover to placebo or active naltrexone (50 mg po daily) on weeks 2 to 4, and the converse condition for weeks 5 to 7. Subjects received challenges in a random, fixed sequence with placebo and active yohimbine (IV, 0.2 mg/kg) on weeks 1, 4, and 7. The active–active combination generally had the strongest drug effects. Results: There were statistically significant ( p p Conclusions: The results suggest that clinically used naltrexone doses alter sensitivity to yohimbine.
4,4′‐(4,5‐Dimethyl‐1,2‐phenylene)bis(2‐methylbut‐3‐yn‐2‐ol): structural variation in vicinal dialkynols

The structure of the title compound, C(18)H(22)O(2), contains two non-equivalent molecules which differ primarily in the location of the -OH groups on opposite sides or on the same side of the molecular plane. Inversion-symmetric pairs of molecules form intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen-bonded tetrameric synthons that link non-equivalent molecules into an approximately square double layer parallel to (-102). Recently reported fluorinated analogues [Kane, Meyers, Yu, Gerken & Etzkorn (2011). Eur. J. Org. Chem. pp. 2969-2980] have significantly different structures of varying complexity that incorporate intramolecular hydrogen bonding and suggest that further study of structure versus substituents in vicinal dialkynols could be fruitful.
New Species of Trichoptera

Recent examination of several collections of Trichoptera have disclosed a number of new and unusual species, six of the most interesting of which are described in this paper. Types of the new species are in the writer's collection at the University of Wyoming.
Comments on "Fast computation of the discrete cosine transform and the discrete Hartley transform" by H.S. Malvar

The commenter shows that the algorithm presented in the above paper (ibid., vol.ASSP-35, no.10, p.1484-5, Oct. 1987) requires exactly the same number of multiplications as, but more additions than, prevalent methods for the computation of the DHT (discrete Hartley transform) by existing methods, contrary to the author's claim. >
Hezbollah as a Group Phenomenon: Differential Association Theory

This article examines Hezbollah through the lens of differential association theory. The theory posits that violent behavior is cultivated in group interaction. One does not simply act alone but must learn from the tricks, successes, and failures of those who belong to one's group. In this analysis, the theory explains how Hezbollah has successfully managed to recruit new members and convince them to perpetrate terrorist attacks. The essence of any terrorist endeavor is communication among group members. As such, by interacting with one another, Hezbollah terrorists develop their combat skills and learn new tactics. Of particular importance in this analysis is the role of symbolism that forges a bond among group members. Whether it is through the Ashura procession (an annual Shi'ite commemorative ceremony), matams (religious sanctuaries that now serve as political and social gatherings), or calendar events such as World Jerusalem Day, potential Hezbollah members get to learn violent behavior by cultivatin...
Dendritic NMDA Receptors Activate Axonal Calcium Channels

NMDA receptor (NMDAR) activation can alter synaptic strength by regulating transmitter release from a variety of neurons in the CNS. As NMDARs are permeable to Ca(2+) and monovalent cations, they could alter release directly by increasing presynaptic Ca(2+) or indirectly by axonal depolarization sufficient to activate voltage-sensitive Ca(2+) channels (VSCCs). Using two-photon microscopy to measure Ca(2+) excursions, we found that somatic depolarization or focal activation of dendritic NMDARs elicited small Ca(2+) transients in axon varicosities of cerebellar stellate cell interneurons. These axonal transients resulted from Ca(2+) entry through VSCCs that were opened by the electrotonic spread of the NMDAR-mediated depolarization elicited in the dendrites. In contrast, we were unable to detect direct activation of NMDARs on axons, indicating an exclusive somatodendritic expression of functional NMDARs. In cerebellar stellate cells, dendritic NMDAR activation masquerades as a presynaptic phenomenon and may influence Ca(2+) -dependent forms of presynaptic plasticity and release.
Unbiased Statistical Analysis for Multi-Stage Proteomic Search Strategies

“Multi-stage” search strategies have become widely accepted for peptide identification and are implemented in a number of available software packages. We describe limitations of these strategies for validation and decoy-based statistical analyses and demonstrate these limitations using a set of control sample spectra. We propose a solution that corrects the statistical deficiencies and describe its implementation using the open-source software X!Tandem.
The burden of long-term care: how Italian family care-givers become employers

In recent years in Italy, population ageing, rising female labour-market participation, and the restructuring of the welfare state have combined to create increased demand for long-term care services for frail and dependent older people. The rising demand has increasingly been met by immigrant women of different nationalities, and to a lesser extent immigrant men, who are hired to provide individualised care in people's own homes and other private settings. While there have been many studies of this growing phenomenon, very little attention has been paid to the reasons that bring family care-givers to choose this care-support option. To begin to fill the gap, this paper reports the finding of a qualitative study of 26 family members who were caring for a disabled elder. Semi-structured interviews lasting between 60 and 100 minutes and that covered various aspects of long-term care in family households were conducted. The participants' responses indicate that they did not choose immigrant home eldercare assistants solely for economic reasons but also to be consistent with cultural, moral and traditional understandings of family responsibilities and care. They also provide valuable findings and insights into Italian attitudes towards the welfare state and the care-labour market. While the wealthiest respondent declared a clear predilection for the free-market and a desire to bypass the state, the majority of the respondents advocated a stronger role of the welfare state in helping people cope with the increased burden of long-term care.
Case conference: Behavior therapy in a patient with homosexual fantasies and heterosexual anxiety☆

Abstract The case history of a patient with homosexual fantasies and heterosexual anxiety is presented. A variety of behavior therapy techniques were employed in flexible fashion and marked improvement resulted.
The utility of simultaneous parameter measurements in thermal analysis

In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that the information gleaned from conventional thermal analysis techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) can be considerably magnified in scope by combining them with mechanistic probes which are responsive to changes taking place in the sample on a molecular level. This is particularly true in the case of naturally occurring complex materials such as coals, oil shales and tar sands. The utility of simultaneous parameter measurements was illustrated for such materials by combining dielectric measurements with differential thermal analysis (DTA) [l-3]. On the basis of this approach, it was proposed that an ideal combination would be that coupling “primary” thermal analysis techniques such as DSC (or DTA) and TG with mechanistic probes such as thermoelectrometry and thermoacoustimetry [ 41. In this communication, we present yet another piece of experimental evidence in favor of the above concept. It is shown that a combined use of the two techniques of DSC and thermoacoustimetry results in a powerful analytical tool which is responsive to changes both in the thermal as well as in the mechanical properties of the test sample as a function of temperature. More significantly, the extreme sensitivity of the thermoacoustimetric probe and the loss of valuable mechanistic information-that would have resulted from a DSC examination alone are highlighted by the present results. The proof-of-concept measurements are illustrated on a sample of Utah tar sand bitumen, although, in principle, the conclusions apply equally well to all materials. Thermoacoustimetry was carried out according to the technique and procedures outlined in a previous paper [5]. Differential scanning calorimetry was performed on a DuPont 990 Thermal Analysis System *:* equipped with the DSC accessory module. Both sets of measurements were carried out under identical conditions of heating rate, sample preparation, ambient atmosphere, etc. to eliminate artifacts in the correlation of thermoacoustimetric and DSC data. The sample of Utah tar sand bitumen (P.R. Springs, Main Canyon) was obtained from the Laramie Energy Technology Center.
Progress Towards a New World Economic Order

The authors contrast the approaches advocated by major power blocks for lessening the gap between the economic levels of industrialized and developing countries. The LDC's are seeking resource transfers favorable to them. The industrialized nations are willing to help but in ways that avoid undue harm to their internal economies and to the security of their direct investments. Hopefully, negotiations rather than confrontations will be used to resolve the conflict.
Electroacupuncture modulation of reflex hypertension in rats: role of cholecystokinin octapeptide.

Acupuncture or electroacupuncture (EA) potentially offers a nonpharmacological approach to reduce high blood pressure (BP). However, ∼70% of the patients and animal subjects respond to EA, while 30...
Free convection of gases in a horizontal cylinder with differentially heated end walls

Abstract The free convective flow of gases in a horizontal cylinder (radius to length, r 0 / L = 0.1) with different end temperatures and a linear temperature gradient at the wall was characterized by laser Doppler anemometry. Experiments were conducted over a wide range of Rayleigh numbers (74 Ra 6 , with Ra ∝ r 0 3 ), which were varied via gas species and gas pressure. In the vertical mid-plane the velocity profiles in the cylinder core region at low Ra and in the end regions at high Ra were as expected from 2-D models. For the end regions, however, pronounced 3-D flow behavior was observed. It was found that only part of the fluid flows along the cold (hot) thermode into the lower (upper) half of the cylinder. The remaining part changes the flow direction by dropping (rising) at the side wall over a considerable distance from the respective thermode.
Psychiatric disorder symptoms, substance use, and sexual risk behavior among African-American out of school youth.

Purpose To examine the association between symptoms of psychiatric disorder (i.e. depression, anxiety, and substance use) and sexual risk behavior in a sample of African-American adolescents and young adults in an employment training program.
A question of integrity: the National Labor Relations Board, collective bargaining and the relocation of work

Issues addressed in this paper concern the integrity of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and its adjudication of charges of unfair labor practices regarding the relocation of work. After reviewing a variety of criticisms of the Board, the paper concentrates upon the adjudicative integrity of the NLRB. Three dilemmas are identified, relating to the substantive goals of national labor legislation, interpretation, and adjudicative practice. These dilemmas are argued to be both the source of many criticisms of the Board's integrity and a source of the litigation explosion. Even so, the Board remains a vital institution in American collective bargaining with significant impacts on the structure of the economic landscape. A case study is used to explore these issues; specifically charges brought by Local 989 of the United Auto Workers union against Otis Elevator company for its failure to bargain over the relocation of work from one plant to another.
Placebo responses to cocaine administration in humans: effects of prior administrations and verbal instructions

Subjective and physiological responses of eight male cocaine-using research volunteers were studied after a double-blind saline infusion (placebo) was given when subjects were instructed that a cocaine infusion might be given. Cardiovascular and subjective responses to placebo were similar in pattern and direction, though of lesser magnitude, than after a 40 mg cocaine infusion. These placebo responses were compared to responses after an earlier saline infusion condition in which subjects were instructed prior to the infusion that they would receive saline (instructed placebo). The design was thus meant to test for the effects of instructions on placebo responses to cocaine. Heart rates at baseline (pre-infusion) were significantly higher in the placebo than in the instructed placebo condition. Similar trends were found for elevated baseline placebo responses on two subjective effects measures. A comparison with an initial placebo session prior to the placebo and instructed placebo conditions described above provided evidence for conditioning of placebo responses on diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. The present results suggest that verbal instructions, as well as conditioning in the laboratory, could contribute to the observed placebo responses to cocaine infusions.
Benign cystic lesions of the vagina: a literature review.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Knowledge of the etiology, evaluation and treatment of cystic lesions of the vagina is essential as these lesions are often encountered in urological and gynecological practices.Materials and Methods: We searched MEDLINE and MeSH for literature from the last 50 years referring to cysts of the vagina. Review of the literature regarding etiology, clinical and pathological diagnosis, prognosis and treatment identified 18 journal articles and 6 books.Results: Benign cystic lesions of the vagina present a spectrum, from small asymptomatic lesions to cysts large enough to cause urinary obstruction. History, physical examination and radiological imaging, including voiding cystourethrogram and magnetic resonance imaging, are useful in diagnosis. Treatment is determined by the severity of symptoms.Conclusions: Cystic lesions of the vagina are relatively common and usually represent benign conditions. A vaginal cyst may be an embryological derivative, ectopic tissue or urological abnormality. Aware...
“Egg dumping” in lace bugs (Gargaphia solani, Hemiptera: Tingidae)

Data are presented which document that females of the subsocial lace bug, Gargaphia solani lay eggs in the nests of conspecifics whenever the opportunity arises. Because of an inverse relationship between time invested in maternal care and fecundity, maternal behavior in G. solani is an ecologically expensive trait that is adaptive only in the face of heavy predation on eggs and nymphs. By facultatively utilizing the maternal defensive behavior of conspecifics, it is possible for egg donors to protect their progeny from predators without limiting fecundity. Whenever possible, females oviposit in recently established egg masses of conspecifics. While guarding their own eggs, egg recipients inadvertently protect the eggs of egg donors. Egg donors need not establish and guard their own masses as long as there are females with egg masses in the vicinity. Instead, egg donors are free to lay as many eggs as physiologically possible by avoiding long periods of maternal care.
Fluorometric measurement of light absorption by the rabbit cornea.

A bench specular microscope, modified to perform as a scanning microfluorometer, was used to make simple and precise measurements of the absorption of visible light by the isolated rabbit cornea. The tissue was scanned while identical FITC dextran solutions were perfused over both the surfaces, and the measured fluorescence levels in the solutions on the two sides were compared. The alteration in level corresponds to the difference between the absorption of the cornea and that of of an equal thickness of the solution, which was determined in a separate experiment. The absorption of light at 500 nm ranged from 0-8% with a mean of 3.3% (n = 20; S.E. = 0.52). Pigmented and non-pigmented rabbits did not show any clear difference in absorption. These results suggests that light absorption is not a major source of error in anterior segment fluorophotometry.
NAEPP severity classification as a measure of disease burden in children with acute asthma

Abstract Rationale To examine the association between the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) severity levels and other measures of burden of disease in children with acute asthma. Methods A cross-sectional study in 750 children less than 18 years of age with a physician diagnosis of asthma and treated in an emergency department (ED) for an acute asthma exacerbation. Patients were assigned to one of the 4 levels of severity (mild intermittent [MI], or mild [MP], moderate [MDP] or severe [SP] persistent) in one of two ways: by report of symptom frequency alone (standard method), or according to symptom frequency and reported controller medication use (modified method). Parents also completed an asthma-specific quality of life score, the Integrated Therapeutics Group Short Form (ITGSF), and reported on the number of ED visits and hospital admissions for asthma over the prior 12 months. Differences between severity groups were compared with ANOVA, and the proportion of variance explained (r2) was calculated. Results Using the standard classification, 55% were MI, 21% MP, 14% MDP, and 10% SP. 22% of those with intermittent asthma by symptoms alone were reclassified as persistent asthma when controller medications were accounted for. Using either method of classification, the mean ITG scores decreased significantly with each increasing level of severity (r2=0.23-0.25). There was also a significant but modest association between severity level and mean number of ED visits (r2=0.11) and hospitalizations (r2=0.07). Conclusions NAEPP severity classification alone provides an incomplete picture of the burden of disease in children with asthma.
An Accelerated Model for Recurrence Data

Recurrence data usually come from sampling a system in different ages. It is common in areas of manufacturing, reliability, medicine, and risk analysis. In this article, an accelerated model for recurrence data is proposed. The model is based on the time between failures (TBFs) for an accelerated time regression method using the number of failures as a dummy covariate. Using this model, the repair (or cure) effect can also be studied. A graphical display of recurrence data created by plotting the log-TBFs versus the number of failures is proposed to detect any linear or nonlinear trend for log-TBFs. The model is then extended to incorporate covariates and/or time factors. Two data sets are used to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed model.
Technological change and competition in American banking

Abstract The technological innovations in both communications and data-processing and retrieval have had a major impact on the American banking industry. As a result of its increased ability to assemble, store, retrieve and utilize large data bases with efficiency and to transmit and exchange information with speed and ease, the industry has been developing new products and expanding geographic markets to meet intense and growing competition from other types of financial firms and from new entrants in the financial services arena. The role that recent technological advances have played in altering the structure of commercial banking in the United States is the focus of this paper. This is an industry in transition, increasingly deregulated, responding to new challenges. After a brief description of the banking environment, the present state of technology in banking and its inherent economies of scale are reviewed. Its impact on structure is then discussed, separately considering the position of small banks, competition from thrift institution and nondepository firms, and, finally, the evolution of interstate banking. It is concluded that not only has technological innovation been an agent of change but it is also crucial to survival in this now fiercely competitive industry.
Fibrocystic change of the breast presenting as a focal lesion mimicking breast cancer in MR imaging

Focal fibrocystic change (FCC) of the breast is a rare form of FCC. Imaging presentations of focal FCC are not well known. This study aimed to analyze its MR imaging features. Eleven patients of pathology-proven focal FCC were retrospectively studied. Of the 11 patients, seven were mass (>or=5 mm), two showed multiple foci, and two were focus (<5 mm). The lesion size ranged from 4-12 mm (mean 6.7 mm). Morphologically, three patients were suspected as malignancy. Using kinetic enhancement curve, 8 of 13 lesions were suspected to be malignant. Overall, nine patients (82%) were suspected for malignancy using either criterion. Using mammography, 6 of the 11 patients (55%) were diagnosed as malignancy. Breast sonography suspected malignancy in seven patients (7/10, 70%). No statistically significant difference was found in the three diagnostic methods. In pathology, all 11 patients showed the typical pathological features of fibrocystic change, with mixed components of stromal fibrosis, cyst formation, apocrine metaplasia, adenosis, and/or focal sclerosing adenosis. In conclusion, MR imaging features of focal FCC usually present as a mass or focus lesion with rapid enhancement and washout kinetics that mimic a malignant breast lesion and lead to unnecessary operation, especially in patients with contralateral malignant breast cancer.