cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of the trigeminal NR1 subunit expression induced by inflammation of the temporomandibular joint region in rats

Expression of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in trigeminal nuclei has been shown to play a role in the mechanisms of trigeminal pain. Here, we examined the hypothesis that the upregulation of the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor (NR1) in the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Sp5c) following inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region would be regulated by interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB). Inflammation of a unilateral TMJ region was produced in rats by injecting 50mul of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into a TMJ and adjacent tissues, which resulted in persistent pain behavior as assessed using algometer before (baseline) and on days 1, 3, and 7 after the CFA injection. The CFA injection also induced a significant upregulation of NR1 and NF-kappaB on days 3 and 7, and of IL-6 on days 1, 3, and 7, within the ipsilateral Sp5c, as compared with the sham TMJ injection group. Once daily intracisternal injection of an IL-6 antiserum or NF-kappaB inhibitor (PDTC) for 6 days, beginning on day 1 immediately after the CFA injection, prevented both the upregulation of NR1 in the ipsilateral Sp5C and pain behavior. Moreover, once daily intracisternal IL-6 administration for 6 days in naive rats induced the NR1 upregulation and pain behavior similar to that after TMJ inflammation. These results indicate that the upregulation of IL-6 and NF-kappaB after inflammation of the unilateral TMJ region is a critical regulatory mechanism for the expression of NR1 in the ipsilateral Sp5c, which contributed to the development of TMJ pain behavior in rats.
Society and Exchange in Nias

The village descent and local groups asymmetric alliance relationship terminology the context of marriage alliance marriage and bridewealth other types of union measurement and the regulation of exchange Ovasa - feasts of merit status and leadership.
Mediator Head module structure and functional interactions

We used single-particle electron microscopy to characterize the structure and subunit organization of the Mediator Head module that controls Mediator-RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and Mediator-promoter interactions. The Head module adopts several conformations differing in the position of a movable jaw formed by the Med18-Med20 subcomplex. We also characterized, by structural, biochemical and genetic means, the interactions of the Head module with TATA-binding protein (TBP) and RNAPII subunits Rpb4 and Rpb7. TBP binds near the Med18-Med20 attachment point and stabilizes an open conformation of the Head module. Rpb4 and Rpb7 bind between the Head jaws, establishing contacts essential for yeast-cell viability. These results, and consideration of the structure of the Mediator-RNAPII holoenzyme, shed light on the stabilization of the pre-initiation complex by Mediator and suggest how Mediator might influence initiation by modulating polymerase conformation and interaction with promoter DNA.
High-resolution absorption spectroscopy of multiphase, high-metallicity gas associated with the luminous quasar HE 0226-4110

We present FUSE and HST STIS observations of the absorption-line system near the emission redshift of the radio-quiet, X-ray-bright quasar HE 0226-4110 (z = 0.495, V = 15.2). The spectra cover the rest-frame wavelength range 610-1150 A, and we detect a wide range of ionization species, including four adjacent stages of oxygen: O III-VI, which reveal a striking change in gas kinematics with ionization. Examinaton of the O VI λλ1031, 1037 doublet profiles reveals no evidence for partial coverage or unresolved saturated structure. O III is only detected in a narrow feature that is also traced by the H I and C III lines, suggesting that they arise in the same gas. Absorption at the same velocity is also present in other species (N IV, O IV-VI, S IV, and possibly Ne VIII ), but the kinematics differ from the O III, implying production in separate gaseous phases. The combination of H I, O III , and C III information yields an estimate of both the photoionization parameter and the metallicity of the O III-bearing gas: [O/H] = +0.12, log U = -2.29. We discuss two possible locations for the gas in this associated absorption-line system: the narrow emission line region of the quasar, and the halo of the quasar host galaxy. An additional narrow (and thus photoionized) component that is only detected in O VI appears 58 km s-1 redward of the O III-bearing gas with -0.35 log U 0.02. Additional structure is detected in the associated absorber in the form of two broad components that only appear in moderate- to high-ionization species.
Effect of Stress on Durability of Ion‐Exchanged Surfaces

The leachability of ion-exchanged alkali alumino-silicate glasses in water and in acid was shown to be a function of the stress at the surface. Alkali aluminosilicate glasses formed by ion exchange under conditions resulting in surface compression were more durable than similar unstressed alkali aluminosilicate glasses melted from batch. Conditions which produced incomplete exchange at the surface, resulting in lower compressive surface stresses, led to a less durable glass surface. Where potassium from a salt bath was being exchanged for sodium in the glass, leachability was inversely proportional to the percent surface exchange.
Automated Microarchitectural Exploration for Achieving Throughput Targets in Pipelined Asynchronous Systems

This paper presents a systematic approach for microarchitectural exploration in pipelined asynchronous systems, with the goal of achieving a specified throughput target while minimizing a given cost function (based on energy, area, etc.). The method includes a general framework that (i) allows for a rich extensible set of microarchitectural transformations for improving throughput; and (ii) can handle a variety of cost functions, such as area, energy, $E\tau^2$ and the energy-area product.In general, the space of transformations that can be applied to a given circuit is potentially infinite because an arbitrarily long sequence of transformations may be applicable. To compound the challenge, the value of the given cost function can change non-monotonically as successive transformations are applied (e.g., some transformations increase area, while others decrease area), thereby making it difficult to apply a typical branch-and-bound approach to prune the search space. Our method employs simple but effective heuristic search strategies (including greedy, look ahead, and breadth-first). A key contribution is to identify commutativity of certain transformations, thereby pruning the design space significantly. The approach was automated and applied to a number of examples. Various throughput targets were assumed: from 50\% to 20x throughput improvement. In each example, the approach was successful in meeting the throughput target.
Dissipation and quantum fluctuations in granular superconductivity

The effects of dissipation and quantum fluctuations on the onset of superconductivity are discussed. A model for a granular superconductor is considered which consists of a d-dimensional array of resistively shunted Josephson junctions with charging energy incorporating the long-ranged Coulomb interaction. In one dimension the model exhibits a T = 0 dynamical transition into a state with vanishing resistivity at a critical value of the shunt resistance, R/sub S/. Most surprisingly the system is always statically disordered even in the superconducting state. For dgreater than or equal to2 both the dynamical response and static ordering depend sensitively on R/sub S/. Specifically, for R/sub S/ less than a critical value of order the quantum of resistance, h/4e/sup 2/, the dissipation suppresses quantum fluctuations enabling the array to order at T = 0 for arbitrarily weak Josephson coupling. Above this critical resistance and for weak coupling, the order parameter suffers phase slips due to quantum tunneling driving the system normal.
Functional properties of mechanoreceptors in glabrous skin of the raccoon's forepaw.

Abstract Utilizing a mechanical stimulator which permits precise control over the velocity and extent of skin displacement, response properties of 76 single myelinated median nerve fibers innervating mechanoreceptors in raccoon glabrous forepaw skin were examined. All units fell into one of two categories, rapidly adapting (34 units), responding only during skin movement, and slowly adapting (42 units), responding during both moving and static phases of skin displacement. Both types had single receptive fields, 85% of which were less than 1 mm 2 in diameter, and low thresholds to mechanical displacement. Frequency of discharge during the moving phase of stimulation was a power function of velocity for both types, but discharge patterns varied. Power function slope constants were greater for the rapidly adapting units, but the slowly adapting units exhibited a higher maximum discharge rate. Results are discussed with particular reference to the possible roles of these receptors in tactile exploratory behavior.
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) segmental lung challenge in nonhuman primates – a model of airway inflammation

We developed a reproducible model of neutrophilic inflammation in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) in order to study potential novel anti-inflammatory compounds intended for respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma. Using a pediatric bronchoscope, a baseline bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed on the left lung prior to LPS segmental challenge to the right lung. At 24, 72 and 168 hours post challenge, BAL fluid (BALF) was collected to assess the level of pulmonary inflammation. At both 24 and 72 hours (Hr) post LPS challenge, total BAL cells were significantly elevated over baseline. BAL cell differentials revealed that mean percent neutrophils significantly increased from baseline (1.3 ±1.6%) to (74.0 ± 21.9% at 24 Hr and 26.6 ± 21.0% at 72 Hr) whereas, BAL macrophage numbers had significantly decreased from baseline (94.4 ± 3.1%) to (31.6 ± 21.2 % at 24 Hr and 64.2 ± 20.1% at 72 Hr) post challenge. In addition to increased inflammation, we also observed a significant increase in BAL cell gene expression of MMP-9 and significant increases in sCD14 and IL-8 from concentrated BALF 24 Hr post challenge. Numbers of infiltrating cells and other inflammatory parameters returned to baseline levels by 168 Hr following LPS challenge. In some studies, intramuscular injections of dexamethasone (Dex [1 mg/kg]) were administered 24 Hr prior and just prior to LPS challenge. Dex did not significantly reduce total BAL inflammation or IL-8 protein, but did significantly reduce percent neutrophils and sCD14 protein within the BALF 24 hours post challenge. Dex also significantly increased percent macrophages 24 Hr post challenge. These data show that segmental challenge with LPS produces an acute pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation, which is reduced by pretreatment with Dex. This reproducible, short-term, large animal model may help us to better understand neutrophillic inflammation pathways contributing to lung injury and host defense.
Structural Mechanisms for Regulation of Membrane Traffic by Rab GTPases

In all eukaryotic organisms, Rab GTPases function as critical regulators of membrane traffic, organelle biogenesis and maturation, and related cellular processes. The numerous Rab proteins have distinctive yet overlapping subcellular distributions throughout the endomembrane system. Intensive investigation has clarified the underlying molecular and structural mechanisms for several ubiquitous Rab proteins that control membrane traffic between tubular-vesicular organelles in the exocytic, endocytic and recycling pathways. In this review, we focus on structural insights that inform our current understanding of the organization of the Rab family as well as the mechanisms for membrane targeting and activation, interaction with effectors, deactivation and specificity determination.
Kim Jong-il's military-first politics and beyond: Military control mechanisms and the problem of power succession

Abstract Military-first politics has been at the heart of the unexpected regime stability in North Korea under Kim Jong-il and his son Jong-un. This article analyzes Kim Jong-il’s military-first politics as a strategic choice for regime survival, in which the locus of political power switched from the party to the military. At the same time, Kim Jong-il formulated a complex system of circumventing the possibility of the armed forces' political domination, including personalistic control using sticks and carrots, fortifying security and surveillance institutions, and compartmentalizing the security institutions for intra- and inter-organizational checks and balances to prevent the emergence of organized opposition to the regime. Although an effective short-term solution, military-first politics could never be a long-term strategy for building gangseongdaeguk (a powerful and prosperous nation). The current Kim Jong-un regime needs to conduct sweeping reforms to address dire economic difficulties, which might result in a departure from his father's legacy and downgrade the military's power. In this process, the current regime's (in)stability will depend on how it maintains a balance between revoking military-first politics and preserving the armed forces' allegiance.
Diphtheria immunity in Massachusetts. A study of three urban patient populations

Abstract To determine the status of diphtheria immunity among our patients, we measured diphtheria antitoxin levels in three separate patient populations. The technique used was toxin neutralization in rabbit skin, which allowed us to evaluate the immune status of individual patients. We studied an emergency room population, a sampling of inpatients from an urban teaching hospital, and a group of older patients from a chronic care hospital. Overall, approximately 80% of patients had adequate diphtheria antitoxin levels in their serum. However, two subgroups emerged with lower levels, with potential nonimmunity. These were certain young patients, either foreign born or with a potentially “immunocompromising disorder,” and the elderly chronically ill. We conclude that while overall diphtheria immunity in our patients appears adequate, subgroups with increased risks do exist and immunization for these subgroups should be undertaken.
Electrical Conductivity and Stability of Gd-doped Ceria/Y-doped Zirconia Ceramics and Thin Films

The interaction between Ce0.90Gd0.10O1.95 (CGO) and Y0.16Zr0.84O1.92 (YSZ) and the electrical conductivity and thermal expansion for solid solutions of CGO and YSZ have been studied. Thin films of CGO interacted with YSZ substrates around 1000 °C, with diffusion of Zr into CGO. The reaction between CGO and YSZ powder started around 1200 °C. The diffusion of Ce into YSZ was the main reaction. The solid solutions of CGOx–YSZ1−x were single phase and possessed a lower conductivity than that of either CGO or YSZ. The electrical conductivity for the solid solutions increased with decreasing oxygen activity, whereas the pO2 independent ionic conductivity region was not observed. The dimensional expansion due to reduction (chemical expansion) was larger for the solid solutions compared to that for of CGO and YSZ.
The inferential basis of species hypotheses: the solution to defining the term `species¿

A formal definition of the term ‘species’ is presented that is logically consistent with the inferential structures that lead to other taxonomic categories in biological systematics. A species name denotes an explanatory hypothesis that accounts for specified intrinsic or relational properties of organisms that can be accounted for by way of past tokogenetic, i.e., reproductive events. The inference of species hypotheses involves a form of non-deductive reasoning known as abduction. Hypotheses in other taxonomic categories, such as ‘semaphoronts’ (sensuW. Hennig, Phylogenetic Systematics, University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 1966), genera, families, etc., exhibit the same abductive form. The differences between semaphoront, species, and supraspecific hypotheses is in the causal theories applied to infer each – these theories being ontogenetic, tokogenetic, and phylogenetic, respectively. By formally defining the term species as an explanatory hypothesis accounting for properties of organisms by way of tokogeny, there are several distinct consequences: (1) species cannot have the ontological status of individuals, and it would be inaccurate to reduce them to class constructs; (2) acknowledging species as representative of explanatory hypotheses leaves available a variety of tokogenetic theories, such as asexual, sexual, and metagenetic reproductive processes to account for relevant organismal properties; (3) removal of species hypotheses from consideration, as in the ‘least inclusive taxonomic unit’ concept of Pleijel & Rouse [Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B267 (2000) 627; Zoologica Scripta29 (2000) 157] is nihilistic; and (4) advocating the reduction of inferences of species hypotheses to one class of characters, e.g., ‘DNA barcoding,’ would be irrational.
Stimulation of macromolecular synthesis by endotoxin-treated 3T6 fibroblasts

The interaction of endotoxin with cultured fibroblasts resulted in a depression of cellular proliferation and an increased synthesis of macromolecules, namely collagenous and non-collagenous proteins. The collagen salt-soluble fraction was increased at the expense of the insoluble fraction, and both the salt-soluble fraction and collagen secreted into the medium was underhydroxylated.
Perceptual Grouping in Artists and Non-Artists: A Psychophysical Comparison:

Are advantages in complex object perception that have been observed in artists supported by advantages in more basic perceptual processes? To address this question, we compared artists and non-artists on a psychophysical task measuring perceptual grouping thresholds in order to test for group differences in sensitivity to perceptual grouping cues. Participants viewed grids of dots that could be perceptually grouped into a series of lines. The level of organization of stimuli was progressively reduced until perceived grouping was ambiguous. While artists were not observed to have an overall advantage relative to non-artists, non-artists exhibited sex differences in perceptual grouping sensitivity that artists did not. This suggests that the visual systems of male and female artists may be less differentiated than non-artist males and females.
Detection of hepatitis C virus sequences in brain tissue obtained in recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation

Abstract Patients with chronic hepatitis C frequently report tiredness, easy fatigability, and depression. The aim of this study is to determine whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication could be found in brain tissue in patients with hepatitis C and depression. We report two patients with recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation who also developed severe depression. One patient died of multiorgan failure and the other, septicemia caused by Staphylococcus aureussis. Both patients had evidence of severe hepatitis C recurrence with features of cholestatic fibrosing hepatitis. We were able to study samples of their central nervous system obtained at autopsy for evidence of HCV replication. The presence of HCV RNA–negative strand, which is the viral replicative form, was determined by strand-specific Tth-based reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Viral sequences were compared by means of single-strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequencing. HCV RNA–negative strands were found in subcortical white matter from one patient and cerebral cortex from the other patient. HCV RNA–negative strands amplified from brain tissue differed by several nucleotide substitutions from serum consensus sequences in the 5' untranslated region. These findings support the concept of HCV neuroinvasion, and we speculate that it may provide a biological substrate to neuropsychiatric disorders observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C. The exact lineage of cells permissive for HCV replication and the possible interaction between viral replication and cerebral function that may lead to depression remain to be elucidated. ( Liver Transpl 2002;8:1014-1019. )
Resonant transfer of excitation between two molecules using Maxwell fields

The matrix element for the resonant transfer of excitation between two molecules possessing electric and magnetic multipole moments of arbitrary order is calculated using quantum electrodynamical response theory. A prerequisite of the method is the functional form for the lth order linear electric and magnetic multipole dependent electric displacement and magnetic field operators in the neighborhood of a molecule, whose derivation is also given. The initially unexcited species is viewed as a test body accepting energy resonantly via coupling to the Maxwell fields of the excited multipole source molecule. The generalized electric-electric multipole contribution to the matrix element is shown to agree with an earlier calculation using time-dependent perturbation theory. As an application involving both electric and magnetic terms, the rate of excitation transfer between two chiral molecules is computed and found to depend on the handedness of each species.
Parasites and Parasitization Rates in Bumble Bee Queens, Bombus spp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in Southwestern Virginia

Several parasites were found affecting foraging bumble bee queens collected in the spring of 1982 and 1983 at three locations in southwestern Virginia. Sphaerularia bombi Dufour (Nematoda: Tylenchida) occurred at low levels in all areas sampled, infestation rates ranging between 1.7 and 7.9% during the 2-year period. Parasitization by Locustacarus buchneri (Stammer) (Acari: Podapolipidae) ranged from 0 to 29.3%, and the mite appeared to be host-specific for Bombus bimaculatus Cresson and Bombus vegans Smith. Gregarious endoparasitic larvae, probably Syntretus sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), were seen at levels ranging from 0 to 11.8%. Two types of phoretic mites were also common. Kuzinia americana Delfinado and Baker (Acari: Acaridae) were generally abundant at rates ranging from 12.3 to 69.6%. Parasitus spp. mites (Acari: Parasitidae) were carried by 4.9 to 37.2% of the queens. Bumble bee populations in southwestern Virginia probably are not seriously reduced by any of the parasites or commensals.
A comparison of chemical properties of seeds of Gossypium species

The possibility of utilizing gene pools from wild cottons in the improvement of commercial varieties, with special reference to seed quality, has led to the quanititative analysis of seeds from several species of Gossypiumun. The prinmary purpose of the study was to suipply data for Gossypiumt species that may serve to aid. plant breeders in their selectionls of breeding materials. Seed from the species listed in Table I were grown in Iguala, Mexico, in 195657, and shipped to New Orleans where they were stored under refrigeration until prepared for analysis. Species names used follow the classification of Hutchinson, Silow, and Stephens (3). The seed was decorticated and ground in a Wiley mill3 to -pass through a 20mesh screen. The ground materials were analyzed for imioisture, oil, and nitrogen by appropriate metlhods of the Americani Oil Chemists' Society (1); for lysine by the method of Conkerton and Framptoni (2) after prior removal of the oil by pentane extraction; an(l for total gossypol by the procedure of Pons, Pittman, anid Hoffpauir (4). The identity of gossypol in the extracts of the seed of the several species was established by a spectro-
Memorial of Benjamin F. Leonard III, 1921-2008

Benjamin Franklin Leonard III, at age 87, passed away peacefully at his home in McCall, Idaho, on September 5, 2008. Ben had a long and distinguished career at the U.S. Geological Survey, where he established himself as an accomplished field geologist and an internationally recognized expert in ore microscopy. Born in Dobbs Ferry, New York, on May 12, 1921, Ben spent much of his early life in the eastern United States, graduating from Hamilton College in 1942 (B.S.), a salutatorian and member of Phi Beta Kappa, and then Princeton University in 1946 (M.A.) and 1951 (Ph.D.), where he was a member of Sigma Xi. Ben’s geologic career began as a field assistant to Allen Heyl in the summer of 1942 for the Geological Survey of Newfoundland, mapping igneous and metamorphic rocks and magnetite deposits. His U.S. Geological Survey career began as a field assistant in 1943 to A.F. Buddington, doing regional geologic mapping and studying magnetite deposits in New York (for which he mapped about 1000 square miles of the St. Lawrence County magnetite district in the northwest Adirondacks) and Pennsylvania, and copper deposits in New Jersey and Pennsylvania while still a graduate student at Princeton University. His graduate studies on the ore deposits in the St. Lawrence County magnetite district culminated in his doctoral dissertation, later published by the U.S. Geological Survey as Professional Paper 377, considered to be the major treatise on the district. His transition to the western U.S. started ca. 1951, when he and his wife Eleanor (Vandy) moved to Golden, Colorado, and Ben became a member of the Minerals Branch at the U.S. Geological Survey in Lakewood. With his Ph.D. fresh in hand he began full-time work on Survey projects including continued research in the St. Lawrence County magnetite district. Ben’s field research soon expanded …
Comparison of cytomegalovirus antigenemia and shell vial culture in allogeneic marrow transplantation recipients receiving ganciclovir prophylaxis

We prospectively monitored 61 allogeneic BMT patients for evidence of CMV infection and disease starting 7 days prior to transplant until day 110 after transplant. Patients receiving pre- and post-transplantation ganciclovir prophylaxis were followed for the incidence of infection by the CMV antigenemia assay and shell vial cultures. The median age of all patients was 32 years (range 5-54 years). Fourteen (25%) of 57 evaluable patients became CMV antigenemia or culture positive. The incidence of culture or antigenemia positivity in CMV seropositive or seronegative patients with a seropositive donor was 29% (14 of 49 patients). The antigenemia assay became positive a median of 29 days (range 12-89 days) after BMT as compared to 46 days (range 26-98 days) by shell vial assay (P < 0.001). There were no cases of CMV disease in the first 110 days after transplant. This study demonstrates that despite the use of prophylactic ganciclovir, BMT patients developed CMV infection but did not progress to disease in this study, the CMV antigenemia assay may be used to monitor for CMV infection during prophylaxis, and the current regimens for CMV prophylaxis with ganciclovir may require further evaluation to determine an optimal regimen to prevent CMV infection.
A discontinuous Galerkin method for gravity-driven viscous fingering instabilities in porous media

We present a new approach to the simulation of gravity-driven viscous fingering instabilities in porous media flow. These instabilities play a very important role during carbon sequestration processes in brine aquifers. Our approach is based on a nonlinear implementation of the discontinuous Galerkin method, and possesses a number of key features. First, the method developed is inherently high order, and is therefore well suited to study unstable flow mechanisms. Secondly, it maintains high-order accuracy on completely unstructured meshes. The combination of these two features makes it a very appealing strategy in simulating the challenging flow patterns and very complex geometries of actual reservoirs and aquifers. This article includes an extensive set of verification studies on the stability and accuracy of the method, and also features a number of computations with unstructured grids and non-standard geometries.
Measurement of Selected Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, Polybrominated and Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Organochlorine Pesticides in Human Serum and Milk Using Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Isotope Dilution Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

A new method using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and isotope dilution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC−IDTOFMS) for the simultaneous measurement of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and brominated flame retardants is presented. In contrast to the reference methods based on classical GC/MS, a single injection of the extract containing all compounds of interest results in accurate identification and quantification. Using GC×GC ensures the chromatographic separation of most compounds, and TOFMS allows mass spectral deconvolution of coeluting compounds as well as the use of 13C-labeled internal standards for quantification. Isotope ratio measurements of the most intense ions for both native and labels ensure the required specificity. The use of this new method with an automated sample preparation procedure developed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the analysis of human serum and milk compared favorably to conventi...
Intraocular pressure measurement after pars plana vitrectomy.

Abstract The ability of various tonometers to measure intraocular pressure (IOP) accurately after pars plana vitrectomy was determined by using Schiotz, Goldmann, and Digilab pneumatic tonometers before and after the procedure in 47 eyes. Seventeen of these eyes underwent intraoperative fluid-gas exhange and had an intravitreal gas bubble on the first postoperative day. The Schiotz tonometer underestimated the Goldmann IOP by more than 10 mmHg in 6 (35%) of 17 eyes after vitrectomy with intravitreal gas and 4 (13%) of 30 eyes without intravitreal gas. The Digilab tonometer did not underestimate the Goldmann IOP by more than 10 mmHg in any eye postoperatively. However, the Digilab tonometer underestimated the Goldmann IOP by more than 5 mmHg in 3 (18%) of 17 eyes after vitrectomy with intravitreal gas and two (7%) of 30 eyes without intravitreal gas.
SEE: a service execution environment for edge services

The increasing mismatch between the low-bandwidth, resource characteristics of wireless mobile devices and the high-bandwidth expectations of many content-rich services drives the demand for deploying content-oriented services along the data path between the end users and the content servers. We argue that the idea of extending existing caching proxies to support these services is promising. This suggests extending the proxy caches for more than just their original intended purpose, that is the creation of an execution environment within them, which allows the execution of services locally and remotely. We describe the design, implementation and evaluation of a service execution environment (SEE) in the context of the CONCA proxy cache. We also compare the performance of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP) by using them as call-out protocols between SEE and the service providers.
Discovering Relationships: Logarithmic and Exponential Functions.

A current focus in mathematics education is the use of the computer as a tool in the exploration of mathematics. The purpose of this article is to present an application of the software tool “Derive” in the exploration and visualization of a relationship between logarithmic and exponential functions.
Line edge roughness and spacing effect on low-k TDDB characteristics

The study of low-k TDDB line space scaling is important for assuring robust reliability for new technologies. Although spacing effects due to line edge roughness (LER) on low-k TDDB lifetime were reported previously (Chen et al., 2007; Lloyd et al., 2007; Kim et al., 2007), there has been a lack of an analytical model with which to link line edge roughness to experimental TDDB data in a simple quantitative format. This work reports a thorough investigation into the low-k SiCOH line LER effect on low-k TDDB covering both experimental results and finite element modeling (FEM) simulations. The maximum electric field intensity as a result of sidewall LER bump was found to depend on the bump curvature. The decrease of low-k line spacing that resulted in a shorter TDDB lifetime even under the same applied electric field was then carefully analyzed. A simple analytical model of the effect of line edge roughness on TDDB failure time reduction is presented. This model was verified by experimental results. Additionally, a method to electrically quantify an overall line edge roughness is introduced.
Ethnicity as a social context for the development of African-American adolescents

Abstract Does anticipated future racial discrimination undermine African-American adolescents' academic motivation and performance? Do face-to-face experiences with racial discrimination at school undermine African-American adolescents' academic functioning? Does African-American ethnic identity buffer these relations? This paper addresses these questions using two waves of data from a longitudinal study of an economically diverse sample of African-American adolescents living near Washington D.C. The data were collected at the beginning of the 7th grade and after the completion of the 8th grade. As expected, the experiences of day-to-day racial discrimination at school from one's teachers and peers predicted declines in grades, academic ability self-concepts, and academic task values. A strong, positive connection to one's ethnic group (our measure of ethnic identity) reduced the magnitude of the association of racial discrimination experiences with declines in both academic self-concepts and school achievement. Most youth responded to anticipated future discrimination with increased academic motivation.
Multistage amplifier topologies with nested G/sub m/-C compensation

This paper presents a multistage amplifier for low-voltage applications (<2 V). The amplifier consists of simple (noncascode) low gain stages and is stabilized using a nested transconductance-capacitance compensation (NGCC) scheme. The resulting topology is similar to the well known nested Miller compensation (NMC) multistage amplifier, except that the proposed topology contains extra G/sub m/ feedforward stages which are used to enhance the amplifier performance. The NGCC simplifies the transfer function of the proposed multistage amplifier which, in turn, simplifies its stability conditions. A comparison between the NGCC and NMC shows that the NGCC has wider bandwidth and is easier to stabilize. A four-stage NGCC amplifier has been fabricated using a 2-/spl mu/m CMOS process and is tested using a /spl plusmn/1.0 V power supply. A dc gain of 100 dB has been measured. A gain bandwidth product of 1 MHz with 58/spl deg/ of phase margin and power of 1.4 mW can be achieved. The op amp occupies an active area of 0.22 mm/sup 2/. Step response shows that the op amp is stable.
Application of the anisotropic bond model to second-harmonic generation from amorphous media

As a step toward analyzing second-harmonic generation SHG from crystalline Si nanospheres in glass, we develop an anisotropic bond model ABM that expresses SHG in terms of physically meaningful parameters and provide a detailed understanding of the basic physics of SHG on the atomic scale. Nonlinear-optical NLO responses are calculated classically via the four fundamental steps of optics: evaluate the local field at a given bond site, solve the force equation for the acceleration of the charge, calculate the resulting radiation, then superpose the radiation from all charges. Because the emerging NLO signals are orders of magnitude weaker and occur at wavelengths different from that of the pump beam, these steps are independent. Paradoxically, the treatment of NLO is therefore simpler than that of linear optics LO, where these calculations must be done self-consistently. The ABM goes beyond previous bond models by including the complete set of underlying contributions: retardation RD, spatial-dispersion SD, and magnetic MG effects, in addition to the anharmonic restoring force acting on the bond charge. Transverse as well as longitudinal motion is also considered. We apply the ABM to obtain analytic expressions for SHG from amorphous materials under Gaussian-beam excitation. These materials represent an interesting test case not only because they are ubiquitous but also because the anharmonic-force contribution that dominates the SHG response of crystalline materials and ordered interfaces vanishes by symmetry. The remaining contributions, and hence the SHG signals, are entirely functions of the LO response and beam geometry, so the only new information available is the anisotropy of the LO response at the bond level. The RD, SD, and MG contributions are all of the same order of magnitude, so none can be ignored. Diffraction is important in determining not only the pattern of the emerging beam but also the phases and amplitudes of the different terms. The plane-wave expansion that gives rise to electric quadrupole magnetic dipole effects in LO appears here as retardation. Using the paraxial-ray approximation, we reduce the results to the isotropic case in two limits, that where the linear restoring force dominates glasses and that where it is absent metals. Both forward- and backscattering geometries are discussed. Estimated signal strengths and conversion efficiencies for fused silica appear to be in general agreement with data where available. Predictions that allow additional critical tests of these results are made.
Sierra Leone's post-conflict elections of 2002

The landslide victory by the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) in the 2002 elections was due not to any ideological or policy differences with opposition parties, but to the perception among a plurality of voters that the party delivered on its promise to end the war and therefore deserved re-election. The elections were in effect a referendum on the incumbent president and his ruling SLPP, with voters overwhelmingly concluding that Ahmad Tejan Kabba, the SLPP leader, was preferable to the legion of certified scoundrels seeking to replace him. Signs of the All Peoples Congress (APC), the party that was in power from 1968-92, making a political comeback galvanised otherwise unenthusiastic voters into supporting Kabba and the SLPP. In contrast to the APC, against whom the rebel war was launched, or the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP), which initiated and prosecuted the insurgency, or the People's Liberation Party (PLP), whose earlier incarnation prolonged the war by colluding with rebels, Kabba and the SLPP claimed to have ended a war that was caused, launched and sustained by assorted elements of the political opposition. The SLPP, however, can ill-afford to bask in electoral triumph or ignore the festering problems of rampant official corruption and mass poverty that led to armed conflict in the 199Os. Tackling the problem of corruption and mass deprivation may hold the key to democratic consolidation, but it is doubtful whether the SLPP, as presently constituted, is capable of leading the fight against these scourges. The SLPP may be reaching out to become a national party but it still remains an unreconstructed patronage outfit that is unresponsive to popular currents and mass aspirations.
Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: A Critical Review of the New Diagnostic Class

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes a new class of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) that includes obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and a handful of other putatively related conditions. Although this new category promises to raise awareness of underrecognized and understudied problems, its empirical validity and practical utility are questionable. This article reviews the phenomenology of OCD and then presents a critical analysis of the arguments underlying the new OCRD class. This analysis leads to a rejection of the OCRD classification on both scientific and logical grounds. The article closes with a discussion of the treatment implications of the OCRDs approach.
Strategic Implications of Mobile Technology: a Case Study Using Value-focused Thinking

Abstract Mobile technology extends computing and the Internet into the wireless medium, and provides greater flexibility in communication, collaboration, and information sharing. In this research, we used the ‘Value-Focused Thinking’ approach to examine the strategic implications of mobile technology in a leading publishing company. The result is a means-ends objective network that depicts the fundamental objectives of using mobile technology and how the fundamental objectives can be achieved through means objectives. The research findings suggest three main strategic implications of mobile technology: (1) improve working process; (2) increase internal communication and knowledge sharing; and (3) enhance sales and marketing effectiveness.
Topical tretinoin enhances corticosteroid-induced inhibition of tumorigenesis in hairless mice previously exposed to solar simulating radiation

The role of retinoids in hairless mouse photocarcinogenesis has been studied extensively but remains controversial. By contrast, the role of corticosteroids has hardly been investigated. Many findings indicate an antagonism between the action of these two drugs. To examine these issues, we irradiated hairless mice thrice weekly for 10 weeks with 1.5 minimal erythema doses of solar simulating radiation (UVB + UVA). In the post-UV period, groups of mice were treated topically for 30 weeks with tretinoin, corticosteroid or emollient vehicle alone or with a sequential combination of corticosteroid and tretinoin. A control group remained topically untreated. All three agents, when used alone, significantly inhibited tumorigenesis. The sequential combination produced the greatest inhibition.
Connected Sub-graph Detection

We characterize the family of connected subgraphs in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMI) with additional integrality constraints. We then show that convex relaxations of the integral LMI lead to parameterization of all weighted connected subgraphs. These developments allow for optimizing arbitrary graph functionals under connectivity constraints. For concreteness we consider the connected sub-graph detection problem that arises in a number of applications including network intrusion, disease outbreaks, and video surveillance. In these applications feature vectors are associated with nodes and edges of a graph. The problem is to decide whether or not the null hypothesis is true based on the measured features. For simplicity we consider the elevated mean problem wherein feature values at various nodes are distributed IID under the null hypothesis. The non-null (positive) hypothesis is distinguished from the null hypothesis by the fact that feature values on some unknown connected sub-graph has elevated mean.
Parental precaution: Neurobiological means and adaptive ends

Humans invest precious reproductive resources in just a few offspring, who remain vulnerable for an extended period of their lifetimes relative to other primates. Therefore, it is likely that humans evolved a rich precautionary psychology that assists in the formidable task of protecting offspring. In this review, we integrate precautionary behaviors during pregnancy and postpartum with the adaptive functions they may serve and what is known of their biological mediators, particularly brain systems motivating security and attachment. We highlight the role of reproductive hormones in (i) priming parental affiliation with young to incentivize offspring protection, (ii) focusing parental attention on cues of potential threat, and (iii) facilitating maternal defense against potentially dangerous conspecifics and predators. Throughout, we center discussion on adaptive responses to threats of disease, accident and assault as common causes of child mortality in the ancestral past.
A novel method to remotely measure food intake of free-living individuals in real time: the remote food photography method.

The aim of the present study was to report the first reliability and validity tests of the remote food photography method (RFPM), which consists of camera-enabled cell phones with data transfer capability. Participants take and transmit photographs of food selection and plate waste to researchers/clinicians for analysis. Following two pilot studies, adult participants (n 52; BMI 20-35 kg/m2 inclusive) were randomly assigned to the dine-in or take-out group. Energy intake (EI) was measured for 3 d. The dine-in group ate lunch and dinner in the laboratory. The take-out group ate lunch in the laboratory and dinner in free-living conditions (participants received a cooler with pre-weighed food that they returned the following morning). EI was measured with the RFPM and by directly weighing foods. The RFPM was tested in laboratory and free-living conditions. Reliability was tested over 3 d and validity was tested by comparing directly weighed EI to EI estimated with the RFPM using Bland-Altman analysis. The RFPM produced reliable EI estimates over 3 d in laboratory (r 0.62; P 0.93; P < 0.0001). In two laboratory-based validity tests, the RFPM underestimated EI by - 4.7 % (P = 0.046) and - 5.5 % (P = 0.076). In free-living conditions, the RFPM underestimated EI by - 6.6 % (P = 0.017). Bias did not differ by body weight or age. The RFPM is a promising new method for accurately measuring the EI of free-living individuals. Error associated with the method is small compared with self-report methods.
Current strategies for treatment of relapsed/ refractory multiple myeloma

In spite of significant advances in the management of multiple myeloma (MM), the disease remains incurable and nearly all patients ultimately relapse and require salvage chemotherapy. As such, relapsed and relapsed-refractory MM remains a critical area of research pertaining to biological mechanisms of progression and chemotherapy resistance, as well as to the development of new pharmacologic agents and immunologic approaches for the disease. The immunomodulatory agents and proteasome inhibitors represent the cornerstone of treatment in this setting, with combination regimens incorporating these drugs demonstrating encouraging rates and duration of response, including the newer agents, pomalidomide and carfilzomib. In addition, novel drug classes have shown promising activity in RR MM, including the orally-administered proteasome inhibitors ixazomib and oprozomib; monoclonal antibodies such as the anti-CS1 monoclonal antibody elotuzumab and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody daratumumab; and histone deacetylase inhibitors such as panobinostat and rocilinostat.
Aneurysm Growth Occurs at Region of Low Wall Shear Stress. Patient-Specific Correlation of Hemodynamics and Growth in a Longitudinal Study

Background and Purpose— Evolution of intracranial aneurysmal disease is known to be related to hemodynamic forces acting on the vessel wall. Low wall shear stress (WSS) has been reported to have a negative effect on endothelial cells normal physiology and may be an important contributor to local remodeling of the arterial wall and to aneurysm growth and rupture. Methods— Seven patient-specific models of intracranial aneurysms were constructed using MR angiography data acquired at two different time points (mean 16.4±7.4 months between the two time points). Numeric simulations of the flow in the baseline geometries were performed to compute WSS distributions. The lumenal geometries constructed from the two time points were manually coregistered, and the radial displacement of the wall was calculated on a pixel-by-pixel basis. This displacement, corresponding to the local growth of the aneurysm, was compared to the time-averaged wall shear stress (WSSTA) through the cardiac cycle at that location. For stati...
A highly selective synthesis of versatile (E)-1-phenylthio vinylstannanes

Abstract An efficient, palladium-catalyzed hydrostannation of 1-phenylthio-1-alkynes 1 is described. This novel tributyltin hydride addition provides versatile 1-phenylthio vinylstannanes 2 regio- and stereoselectively.