cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Written Dialog and Social Power: Manifestations of Different Types of Power in Dialog Behavior

Dialog behavior is affected by power relations among the discourse participants. We show that four different types of power relations (hierarchical power, situational power, influence, and power over communication) affect written dialog behavior in different ways. We also present a system that can identify power relations given a written dialog.
The analysis for measurement uncertainty for the determination of cefuroxime by HPLC

OBJECTIVE To find out the effect factors of uncertainty by analyzing the uncertainty of measurement in determination of cefuroxime by HPLC.METHODS Determination the cefuroxime by HPLC and appraise the uncertainty according to JJF1059-1999.RESULTS The various measurements of uncertainty were quantized,and the measurement uncertainty was drawn.CONCLUSION The expanded measurement uncertainty U=1.32%(k=2),less sampling amount and repeated measurement was the primary factors for assay results.
VIOLENT OFFENDING AND VICTIMIZATION IN ADOLESCENCE: SOCIAL NETWORK MECHANISMS AND HOMOPHILY†

Although violent offending and victimization share many features, they can affect adolescent social relationships in distinct ways. To understand these differences, we take a network approach to examine the mechanisms responsible for similarities (i.e., homophily) in violent offending and violent victimization among friends. Our goal is to determine whether the social network mechanisms that produce homophily for violent offending are similar to or different from those that produce homophily for violent victimization. By using stochastic actor-oriented modeling and two waves of friendship network data for 1,948 respondents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we examine homophily mechanisms of preference for similarity, avoidance, and influence with respect to youth violence and victimization. The results demonstrate that homophily observed for violent offending primarily reflects selection of similar others, whereas homophily observed for victimization reflects the tendency among alters to avoid victimized youth. These findings have important implications for future research and suggest that, among adolescents, violent offending and victimization homophily are the result of unique social processes.
Racial disparities in sleep: the role of neighborhood disadvantage

Abstract Objective Disparities in sleep duration and efficiency between Black/African American (AA) and White/European American (EA) adults are well-documented. The objective of this study was to examine neighborhood disadvantage as an explanation for race differences in objectively measured sleep. Methods Data were from 133 AA and 293 EA adults who participated in the sleep assessment protocol of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study (57% female; Mean Age = 56.8 years, SD = 11.4). Sleep minutes, onset latency, and waking after sleep onset (WASO) were assessed over seven nights using wrist actigraphy. Neighborhood characteristics were assessed by linking home addresses to tract-level socioeconomic data from the 2000 US Census. Multilevel models estimated associations between neighborhood disadvantage and sleep, and the degree to which neighborhood disadvantage mediated race differences in sleep controlling for family socioeconomic position and demographic variables. Results AAs had shorter sleep duration, greater onset latency, and higher WASO than EAs ( p s p = 0.028), but not sleep minutes (B = -2.21, p = 0.60) or latency (B = 1.55, p = 0.38). Furthermore, race was indirectly associated with WASO via neighborhood disadvantage (B = 4.63, p = 0.035), which explained 24% of the race difference. When measures of depression, health behaviors, and obesity were added to the model, the association between neighborhood disadvantage and WASO was attenuated by 11% but remained significant. Conclusion Findings suggest that neighborhood disadvantage mediates a portion of race differences in WASO, an important indicator of sleep efficiency.
Explaining Effective Diffusivities within Diffusive Oceanic Staircases

Abstract Before parameterizing double-diffusive fluxes as functions of large-scale vertical gradients of S and T we must first parameterize the thickness H of the layers within the staircases.It has been shown (Kelley, 1984) that is possible for diffusive-case thermohaline staircases: oceanographic variability in H is collapsed onto a function of large-scale density ratio Rρ when H is scaled by (κ T / N >)½(κ T =molecular diffusivity; N > 2 =large-scale vertical gradient of buoyancy). Further confirmation of this scaling comes from additional data shown in this paper and in Fedorov's (1988) paper elsewhere in this volume. Accordingly, we can find least-squares fits of the dependence of H on N > and Rρ The scaling implies that the large-scale diffusivities {K T ,K S } are independent of ≪ N ≫, so we can formulate them as functionxs of Rp (equations (3) and (4)). This allows the incorporation of double-diffusive fluxes in thermocline models. However, it is important to understand the scaling mechanistically before applying the diffusivities to cases not tested yet- e.g., the initiation of frontal interleaving. This paper aims at developing this understanding. I suggest that the scaling results from a balance between layer-merging and interface-splitting, processes which have opposite effects on H A balance point is set by a critical value of a convection-based interfacial Richardson number, Ri A relationship between Ri and H is developed. It shows that the critical value of Ri translates into the observed oceanographic relationship between H /(κ T / N >)½ and Rρ Thus, the mechanism quantitatively explains both the scaling and the large-scale diffusivities.
Designing Effective Health Education Interventions for Preventing Obesity in South Asian Americans

South Asian Americans constitute the fastest growing immigrant group in the United States. Overweight (adults: 38% - 57%, children: 18% - 43%) and obesity (24%) rates in Asian Americans are increasing and not even a single health education intervention has been designed for this group in this regard. The purpose of this study was to identify culturally-relevant determinants that influence obesity and overweight among South Asian Americans and develop a set of recommendations for designing culturally-appropriate interventions for this group. The modifiable determinants for overweight and obesity in South Asian Americans were found to be physical inactivity, dietary behaviors (consuming large portion sizes, less consumption of fruits and vegetables, large consumption of sweetened beverages), watching TV for long hours on a sustained basis, acculturation to the US, poor family communication, less social support, less social integration, stress, and longer years of living in the United States. There is need for interventions both for children in school settings utilizing parental involvement and for adults in community settings utilizing local religious organizations. Culturally robust behavioral theories need to be utilized with this subpopulation.
Functional effects of heating and cooling gene networks

Everyday existence and survival of most organisms requires coping with temperature changes, which involves gene regulatory networks both as subjects and agents of cellular protection. Yet, how temperature affects gene network function remains unclear, partly because natural gene networks are complex and incompletely characterized. Here, we study how heating and cooling affect the function of single genes and well-characterized synthetic gene circuits in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found nontrivial, nonmonotone temperature-dependent gene expression trends at non-growth-optimal temperatures. In addition, heating caused unusual bimodality in the negative-feedback gene circuit expression and shifts upward the bimodal regime for the positive feedback gene circuit. Mathematical models incorporating temperature-dependent growth rates and Arrhenius scaling of reaction rates captured the effects of cooling, but not those of heating. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that heating alters the conformational dynamics and allows DNA-binding of the TetR transcriptional repressor, fully explaining the experimental results for the negative-feedback gene circuit. Overall, we uncover how temperature shifts may corrupt gene networks, which may aid future designs of temperature-robust synthetic gene circuits.
Outcomes of Medically Indicated Preterm Births Differ by Indication.

OBJECTIVE We aim to examine whether outcomes of preterm birth (PTB) are further modified by the indication for delivery. STUDY DESIGN We performed a retrospective cohort study of all singletons delivered at 23 to 34 weeks from 2011 to 2014. Women were classified by their primary indication for delivery: maternal (preeclampsia) or fetal/obstetric (growth restriction, nonreassuring fetal status, and vaginal bleeding). The primary neonatal outcome was a composite of neonatal death, cord pH <7 or base excess < - 12, 5-minute Apgar ≤3, C-reactive protein during resuscitation, culture-proven sepsis, intraventricular hemorrhage, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Secondary outcomes included the individual components of the primary outcome. Groups were compared using Student's t-test and chi-squared tests. Logistic regression was used to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS Of 528 women, 395 (74.8%) were delivered for maternal and 133 (25.2%) for fetal/obstetric indications. Compared with those delivered for a maternal indication, those with a fetal/obstetric indication for delivery had an increased risk of the composite neonatal outcome (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13-3.21) and acidemia at birth (AOR: 4.2, 95% CI: 1.89-9.55). CONCLUSION Preterm infants delivered for fetal/obstetric indications have worsened outcomes compared with those delivered for maternal indications. Additional research is needed to further tailor counseling specific to the indication for delivery.
Detecting mammographic masses via image retrieval and discriminative learning

During the past half century, numerous computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) approaches have been proposed to assist the detection of masses in mammograms. Most of these methods are based on either machine learning or content-based image retrieval (CBIR) techniques. Nevertheless, either category has its limitations. Learning-based methods are affected by the fact that masses have large variation in shape and size and are often indistinguishable from surrounding tissues. CBIR-based methods, on the other hand, rely heavily on radiologist-specified suspicious regions and cannot work fully automatically. To overcome the drawbacks of both kinds of methods, we introduce an automatic CAD approach that integrates image retrieval and discriminative learning. A large set of previously diagnosed mammographic masses are collected to form an exemplar database. A query mammogram is first matched with all the exemplar masses, getting a series of similarity maps. Then, these maps are subtracted by discriminatively learned thresholds to eliminate noise. At last, individual similarity maps are aggregated, and local maxima in the final map are selected as masses. For each detected mass, the most similar exemplar masses are also presented to the radiologist. Compared with learning-based methods, our approach could achieve better mass detection accuracy since it utilizes rare exemplar masses to detect “unusual” query masses. Moreover, it provides radiologists with relevant diagnosed cases as decision support. Compared with CBIR-based methods, our approach serves as a fully automated “double reading” aid without radiologists’ labeling of suspicious regions. Our approach is validated on a dataset constructed from the digital database for screening mammography (DDSM), which consists of 2,021 exemplar masses, 500 mammograms containing masses and 500 mammograms depicting healthy breasts. The proposed approach achieves high mass detection accuracy and retrieval precision, comparing favorably with traditional methods.
Multioctave antenna array for simultaneous transmit and receive applications

This paper presents the design and performance of a high-isolation, wideband, and monostatic simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) antenna system. The proposed configuration is composed of four dual-polarized conical sinuous antennas sequentially rotated and fed using two 2×4 Butler matrix beamforming networks; one for transmitting (TX) and the other for receiving (RX). Due to the applied phase progression and the symmetry of the proposed configuration, the coupled TX signals are fully cancelled at the RX port leading to theoretically infinite isolation. Numerical modelling conducted using method of moments (MoM) and finite element method (FEM) solvers is used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed configuration over 8:1 bandwidth.
Molecular Engineering of π-Conjugated Polymers

An extensive review of the synthesis of π-conjugated polymers is presented using a tutorial approach to provide an introduction to the field intended for the undergraduate student and the experienced chemist alike. The many synthetic methodologies that have been used for the synthesis of conjugated polymers are outlined for each class of polymers with a focus on research from the 1990s. The effect of structure on electrical properties is detailed. Specific systems reviewed include the polyacetylenes, polyanilines, polypyrroles, polythiophenes, poly(arylene vinylenes), and polyphenylenes.
Consumption of Sexual Dialogue and Content on Television and Adolescent Sexual Outcomes: Multiethnic Findings.

The purposes of this study were to examine group differences in sexual media consumption and to explore how well adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavior can be explained by viewing of sexually suggestive dialogue (SD) and explicit sexual content (SC) in television media. Participants were 473 male and female high school adolescents who were racially, economically, and age diverse. Television viewing was coded for SD and SC. Both length of time spent watching SD and SC and explicitness of the SD and SC to which adolescents were exposed were factored into the coding scheme. In this sample, SD and SC consumption varied by subgroup and explained variance in some sexual attitudes and behavior variables but not others, and in some demographic subgroups but not others.
The digital potlatch: The uses of uselessness in the digital economy:

Drawing on the century-long preoccupation with premodern or “primitive” economic forms that has shaped the social sciences, this essay argues that the political economy of social networking platfor...
Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma: Growth Factor Matters

ABSTRACT Engraftment syndrome (ES) is a known complication of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant during neutrophil recovery. There is a limited amount of data available comparing the incidence of ES with post-transplant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor versus granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), specifically in patients with multiple myeloma. Our retrospective review of 156 patients at a single center showed that GM-CSF was associated with a higher incidence of ES compared with G-CSF (32% versus 8% of patients, P
Asymmetry Observables and the Origin of $R_{D^{(*)}}$ Anomalies

The ${R}_{{D}^{(*)}}$ anomalies are among the longest-standing and most statistically significant hints of physics beyond the standard model. Many models have been proposed to explain these anomalies, including the interesting possibility that right-handed neutrinos could be involved in the $B$ decays. In this paper, we investigate future measurements at Belle II that can be used to tell apart the various new physics scenarios. Focusing on a number of $\ensuremath{\tau}$ asymmetry observables (forward-backward asymmetry and polarization asymmetries) which can be reconstructed at Belle II, we calculate the contribution of the most general dimension 6 effective Hamiltonian (including right-handed neutrinos) to all of these asymmetries. We show that Belle II can use these asymmetries to distinguish between new-physics scenarios that use right- and left-handed neutrinos, and in most cases can likely distinguish the specific model itself.
Relative Measures of Genocide Mortality: Benefits and Methodological Considerations of Using Siblings’ Survival Data

When studying events such as the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda, for many researchers the first order question seems to be to find the best available data and methods to estimate the death toll, i.e. to p...
Approximating Cultural Responsiveness: Teacher Readiness for Accommodative, Biography-Driven Instruction

Although many educators espouse tenets of culturally responsive teaching praxis (CRTP) they struggle to effectively apply it in classrooms. Some teachers are unsure how to address the multifaceted assets and needs of students from variant races, ethnicities, and home countries. Other teachers operate from a deficit perspective that emphasizes perceived gaps in knowledge or skills among such learners, with little regard for their prior knowledge, experiences, or ways of knowing (assets). Responding to the needs of both kinds of teachers, Herrera (2010, 2016) developed Biography-Driven Instruction (BDI), a social constructivist method of CRTP that supports educators in making the curriculum accessible, relevant, and rigorous. This phenomenological research investigated teachers’ perspectives on BDI use in situ and found both: (a) approximations of mutual accommodation in CRTP and (b) five themes indicative of participant voice regarding BDI effectiveness amidst complex facets of student diversity. Implications for teachers and teacher educators are explicated.
Thermal loading on self-seeding monochromators in x-ray free electron lasers

Abstract One approach to achieve longitudinally coherent hard X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) radiation is to introduce a single-crystal monochromator in the beam path to generate a co-propagating, time-synchronized self-seeding radiation pulse. For modern high-repetition rate XFELs, however, thermal loading on the crystal can degrade the quality of the seed pulse. To assess limitations on the maximum XFEL pulse repetition rate imposed by the seeding crystal, a comprehensive study of thermomechanical, and X-ray diffraction effects within the crystal is presented for two consecutive self-amplified spontaneous emission pulses incident on both reflective and transmissive crystal monochromators.
Introduction to Dialogues: Black affective experiences in politics

What role might emotions play in Black public opinion and political decision-making? Extant literature in political psychology and Black politics provide us with incomplete answers to this question...
Management of Refractory Childhood Epilepsy and Epilepsy Surgery

Drug-resistant epilepsy is defined as failure of adequate trials of two tolerated and appropriately chosen and used antiepileptic drug (AED) schedules, whether as monotherapy or in combination to achieve sustained seizure freedom. It is also referred interchangeably as medically refractory, medically intractable, or pharmacoresistant epilepsy. This definition was put forth by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) in 2010 intended as a consensus. This definition is useful for most clinicians and to facilitate clinical research. It is recommended that all drug-resistant epileptic (DRE) patients be evaluated in a tertiary neurology center, where available, for expert care and also surgical considerations [1].
Palliative Care Services in Patients Admitted With Cardiogenic Shock in the United States: Frequency and Predictors of 30-Day Readmission.

Abstract Background Patients admitted with cardiogenic shock (CS) have high mortality rates, readmission rates, and healthcare costs. Palliative care services (PCS) may be underused, and the association with 30-day readmission and other predictive factors is unknown. We studied the frequency, etiologies, and predictors of 30-day readmission in CS admissions with and without PCS in the United States. Methods and Results Using the 2017 Nationwide Readmissions Database, we identified admissions for (1) CS, (2) CS with PCS, and (3) CS without PCS. We compared differences in outcomes and predictors of readmission using multivariable logistic regression analysis accounting for survey design. Of 133,738 CS admissions nationally in 2017, 36.3% died inpatient. Among those who survived, 8.6% used PCS and 21% were readmitted within 30 days. Difference between CS with and without PCS groups included mortality (72.8% vs 27%), readmission rate (11.6% vs 21.9%), most frequent discharge destination (50.2% skilled nursing facilities vs 36.4% home), hospitalization cost per patient ($51,083 ± $2,629 vs $66,815 ± $1,729). The primary readmission diagnoses for both groups were heart failure (32.1% vs 24.4%). PCS use was associated with lower rates of readmission (odds ratio, 0.462; 95% confidence interval, 0.408–0.524; P Conclusions The use of PCS in CS admissions remains low at 8.6% in 2017. PCS use was associated with lower 30-day readmission rates and hospitalization costs. PCS are associated with a decrease in future acute care service use for critically ill cardiac patients but underused for high-risk cardiac patients.
TCAD Device Technology Co-Optimization Workflow for Manufacturable MRAM Technology

A TCAD device technology co-optimization workflow for MRAM devices is presented using multi-scale modelling. Seamless transfer of magnetic parameters within the workflow allows first-principles MRAM stack design and optimization, offering an end-to-end solution. TCAD DTCO enables stack engineering to meet technology specific design targets in high-volume manufacturing. Impact of etch and integration steps is accurately analyzed using Micromagnetic simulation and physical characterization. These process steps alter STT switching dynamics and their implications on Write Error Rates (WER) are discussed. These results provide critical insight for optimizing the WER at reduced pulse-widths needed by Last Level Cache (LLC) applications.
Embracing Uncertainty in "Small Data" Problems: Estimating Earthquakes from Historical Anecdotes

We apply the Bayesian inversion process to make principled estimates of the magnitude and location of a pre-instrumental earthquake in Eastern Indonesia in the mid 19th century, by combining anecdotal historical accounts of the resultant tsunami with our modern understanding of the geology of the region. Quantifying the seismic record prior to modern instrumentation is critical to a more thorough understanding of the current risks in Eastern Indonesia. In particular, the occurrence of such a major earthquake in the 1850s provides evidence that this region is susceptible to future seismic hazards on the same order of magnitude. More importantly, the approach taken here gives evidence that even "small data" that is limited in scope and extremely uncertain can still be used to yield information on past seismic events, which is key to an increased understanding of the current seismic state. Moreover, sensitivity bounds indicate that the results obtained here are robust despite the inherent uncertainty in the observations.
Examining the Development of Graduate School Aspirations Among Latinx College Athletes

The percentage of Latinx college athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) continues to grow, yet research remains scarce on their experiences. In this qualitative study, we used Yosso’s (Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 8(1), 69-91, 2005) Community Cultural Wealth model to explore the experiences of former NCAA Division I Latinx college athletes who decided to attend graduate school. This study utilized one-on-one interviews with seven different Latinx college athletes from over the United States. The themes that that emerged included: (1) family influence and support, (2) athletic department’s encouragement, and (3) Latinx faculty representation. First, participants reflected how their family members reminded them that they are setting an example and to value their education. Second, participants shared how athletic department personnel encouraged them to pursue graduate school. Lastly, Latinx faculty representation played a critical role in the participants’ decisions to pursue graduate school. The findings can provide insight for academic and athletic stakeholders on how Latinx college athletes can develop skills to excel beyond athletics.
Sex differences in long-term behavioral alterations, especially anxiety, following prenatal fluoxetine exposure in C57BL/6 mice.

Abstract Evidence demonstrates that psychiatric disorders during pregnancy are detrimental to the offspring. Many disorders are treated with SSRIs and increasing numbers of pregnant women now receive these drugs during gestation. The long-term neurobehavioral consequences of prenatal SSRI exposure require further evaluation. This study examined the effects of prenatal fluoxetine exposure in mice in an extensive battery of behaviors related to neurodevelopment, mood, social, and repetitive behaviors. C57BL/6J dams were administered fluoxetine at a low (0.6 mg/kg/day) or high (6 mg/kg/day) dose or saline from embryonic days 8 to 18. Juvenile mice were tested for changes in ultrasonic vocalizations and neuromotor development. In adulthood, offspring were tested for changes in behaviors related to anxiety, depression, social, and repetitive behaviors. Prenatal exposure to fluoxetine impaired surface righting reflex at P5, and sex-dependently reduced the frequency of ultrasonic vocalizations in juvenile males but not females. In adulthood, both males and females prenatally exposed to high, but not low, doses of fluoxetine exhibited an increase in repetitive behaviors in the marble burying task and a decrease in sucrose preference. Males, but not females, exposed to fluoxetine exhibited increased anxiety-related behaviors in the elevated plus maze. Prenatal fluoxetine exposure did not affect other adult behaviors including social preference, self-grooming, passive avoidance and open field activity. These findings suggest males are more sensitive than females to disruptions in serotonin balance during prenatal development and highlight the need for additional systematic and mechanistic studies to evaluate the impact of fluoxetine exposure during other periods of gestation.
Best Practices for Community Engaged Learning through a Community Asset Based Approach (SAIL)

Location: Dewberry Hall Abstract: SAIL (Social Action & Integrative Learning), Mason’s Center for Community Engagement is an evolving community of Mason students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and community partners who are active and passionate collaborators in effecting positive social change. SAIL fosters integrative, innovative, and experiential learning opportunities on campus, regionally, and globally that educate and activate towards a more equitable, just, nonviolent, and sustainable world. We partner with people, organizations, and communities to increase collaborators’ capacity for community-driven social change and to develop and enact creative solutions to complex shared public problems. This poster will showcase opportunities, resources and initiatives that can support community engaged initiatives, share best practices and highlight community-asset based approaches. SAIL’s Director and Community Based Learning Coordinator will be available to answer your questions and address concerns you may have. See https://sail.gmu.edu/ for more information.
Alkane reforming on partially sulfided CeO2 (1 1 1) surfaces

Abstract Cleanup of biomass gasification effluent requires a catalyst that can reform methane and larger hydrocarbons while tolerating the presence of H 2 S or, ideally, that can act as a sulfur sorbent while reforming hydrocarbons. We utilize density functional theory (DFT) methods to examine the impact of oxide sulfidation on the reforming of methane and the initial steps of propane reforming, using M-doped CeO 2 catalysts. On a ceria oxy-sulfide surface, surface oxygen atoms remain active for C H bond activation via hydride abstraction whereas surface sulfur atoms are significantly less active. Methyl adsorption is slightly favored at a surface sulfur site, and though subsequent dehydrogenation steps remain viable, the final steps of methane decomposition may lead to carbon buildup on the surface. However, surface sulfur sites will be less active globally for the initial rate limiting H abstraction step, and these sites can nucleate carbon buildup. Doping CeO 2 with Mn accelerates C H bond activation, aids eventual CO product desorption, and may induce sulfur tolerance by motivating CH x intermediates to bind to surface O atoms rather than surface S atoms. This work represents an initial step in the development of S-tolerant oxide catalysts for hydrocarbon reforming.
Ecological Validity in Eye-Tracking: An Empirical Study.

Eye-trackers are becoming increasingly widespread as a tool to investigate second language (L2) acquisition. Unfortunately, clear standards for methodology—including font size, font type, and placement of interest areas—are not yet available. Although many researchers stress the need for ecological validity—that is, the simulation of natural reading conditions—it may not be prudent to use such a design to investigate new directions in eye-tracking research, and particularly in research involving small lexical items such as articles. In this study, we examine whether two different screen layouts can lead to different results in an eye-tracking study on the L2 acquisition of Italian gender. The results of an experiment with an ecologically valid design are strikingly different than the results of an experiment with a design tailored to track eye movements to articles. We conclude that differences in screen layout can have significant effects on results and that it is crucial that researchers report screen layout information.
Can the Timing of Negotiations Impact the Consequences of Mergers

This paper uses a theoretical model to examine whether variation in the timing of negotiations between buyers and sellers can alter the effects of mergers between sellers. The model shows that mergers between horizontally overlapping firms lead to price increases regardless of how negotiations take place. In contrast, mergers between firms in different markets can only lead to higher compensation for the combined firm when negotiations occur sequentially. However, any price effects from out-of-market mergers stem from a mechanical redistribution of existing market power and not from a loss in competition. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Toward Learning Gaussian Mixtures with Arbitrary Separation.

In recent years analysis of complexity of learning Gaussian mixture models from sampled data has received significant attention in computational machine learning and theory communities. In this paper we present the first result showing that polynomial time learning of multidimensional Gaussian Mixture distributions is possible when the separation between the component means is arbitrarily small. Specifically, we present an algorithm for learning the parameters of a mixture of k identical spherical Gaussians in n-dimensional space with an arbitrarily small separation between the components, which is polynomial in dimension, inverse component separation and other input parameters for a fixed number of components k. The algorithm uses a projection to k dimensions and then a reduction to the 1-dimensional case. It relies on a theoretical analysis showing that two 1-dimensional mixtures whose densities are close in the L norm must have similar means and mixing coefficients. To produce the necessary lower bound for the L norm in terms of the distances between the corresponding means, we analyze the behavior of the Fourier transform of a mixture of Gaussians in one dimension around the origin, which turns out to be closely related to the properties of the Vandermonde matrix obtained from the component means. Analysis of minors of the Vandermonde matrix together with basic function approximation results allows us to provide a lower bound for the norm of the mixture in the Fourier domain and hence a bound in the original space. Additionally, we present a separate argument for reconstructing variance.
The Golgi apparatus in disease

As attested by the chapters in this book, the past fifteen years have witnessed impressive progress towards the understanding of the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus (GA) from yeast to the higher eukaryotes. This progress has made possible the recognition and better appreciation of defects in the organelle which are associated with disease. This review on the GA in disease will include the following topics:
Lasers in soft tissue dental surgery

In the field of periodontics and oral surgery, the laser is a relatively new, but rapidly emerging, surgical tool. In the new area of soft tissue surgery, i.e., benign lesion and growths, the laser can completely replace the scalpel and offer the periodontist and the oral and maxillofacial surgeon a new and exciting alternative.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Pathways of oncogenesis in primary brain tumors

Recent efforts have been directed at identifying and characterizing candidate tumor suppressor genes and the activities of oncogenes in primary brain tumors. The p53 gene mapping to region p13 of chromosome 17 has several characteristics as a tumor suppressor gene. The wild-type p53 protein, which is a transcriptional activator, may serve as a barrier to the progression of neoplastic processes, and alterations of p53 are involved in genesis of various cancers including astrocytomas. The NF1 gene, which is responsible for the susceptibility to neurofibromatosis type 1, has recently been isolated. This gene is assumed to play a role in the signal transduction pathway by interacting with the ras gene product. Recent observation revealed that the NF1 gene may regulate the neuronal differentiation, and the alteration in regulation of the NF1 transcript is potentially related to the progression of neuroectodermal tumors. Restriction fragment length polymorphism studies have also shown chromosomal losses associated with chromosome 9, 10 and 17. These losses of genetic material are suspected to involve loci near or at the p53 gene for chromosome 17, and neighboring the interferon genes on chromosome 9. Although no sublocalization of chromosome 10 deletions has been accomplished, all of these loci are thought to harbor tumor suppressor genes. Recent advances in oncogene research have focused on understanding the mechanisms of action of growth factors, growth factor receptors, and their substrates, particularly in glial oncogenesis. Fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and their respective receptors are of particular interest. However, the ROS oncogene, which is expressed and rearranged in some glioma cell lines, may not be a critical factor in the development of gliomas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Zootechnical and Genetic Aspects of a Prolific Merino Program

In a Prolific Merino nucleus herd of 200 ewes the ovulation rate (OR) test results obtained in 169 animals between 1988 and 1993 were compared with those of 113 ewes from the same herd in 1996. Whereas earlier the ratio of individuals showing an OR ≥ 4 was only 32%, that of the group checked in 1996 was 59%. This increase could be attributed to 40 ewes, both of whose parents had proven to be homozygous carriers of the prolific gene. To develop the Prolific Merino breed, 21 Booroola Merino rams were imported from New Zealand, and mostly their frozen semen was used. Of these rams, one was not a prolific gene carrier, 8 were homozygous carriers, 10 were heterozygous carriers and two had not been identified yet. Of the 36 home-bred rams, 9 proved to be homozygous by parents, 11 heterozygous, 8 homozygous, one proved to be a non-carrier, and 7 rams and their frozen semen were to be progeny tested. Six thousand doses of frozen semen from a total of 33 animals (16 imported rams and their 17 home-bred offspring) ...
Effect of Visual and Inferential Variables on Scene Descriptions by Right-Hemisphere-Damaged and Non-Brain-Damaged Adults

This study investigated the effects of visual and inferential complexity on the pictured scene descriptions of right-hemisphere-damaged (RHD) and non-brain-damaged (NBD) adults. The number and accuracy of noun phrases generated by both groups were significantly affected by the inferential complexity of pictured scenes, but not by their visual complexity (as measured by the number of objects and amount of object embedding in the scenes). RHD subjects, particularly those with high levels of neglect, were significantly impaired relative to the NBD subjects in generating accurate inferences from the pictures, but not in their ability to recognize and identify pictured elements.
Stable enzyme biosensors based on chemically synthesized Au–polypyrrole nanocomposites

Abstract This work describes development and optimization of a generic method for the immobilization of enzymes in chemically synthesized gold polypyrrole (Au–PPy) nanocomposite and their application in amperometric biosensors. Three enzyme systems have been used as model examples: cytochrome c, glucose oxidase and polyphenol oxidase. The synthesis and deposition of the nanocomposite was first optimized onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and then, the optimum procedure was used for enzyme immobilization and subsequent fabrication of glucose and phenol biosensors. The resulting nanostructured polymer strongly adheres to the surface of the GCE electrode, has uniform distribution and is very stable. The method has proved to be an effective way for stable enzyme attachment while the presence of gold nanoparticles provides enhanced electrochemical activity; it needs very small amounts of pyrrole and enzyme and the Au–PPy matrix avoids enzyme leaking. The preparation conditions, Michaelis–Menten kinetics and analytical performance characteristics of the two biosensors are discussed. Optimization of the experimental parameters was performed with regard to pyrrole concentration, enzyme amount, pH and operating potential. These biosensors resulted in rapid, simple, and accurate measurement of glucose and phenol with high sensitivities (1.089 mA/M glucose and 497.1 mA/M phenol), low detection limits (2 × 10−6 M glucose and 3 × 10−8 M phenol) and fast response times (less than 10 s). The biosensors showed an excellent operational stability (at least 100 assays) and reproducibility (R.S.D. of 1.36%).
Elasticity of strongly stretched ssDNA

Abstract We present a simple model which describes elastic response of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to stretching, including the regime of very high force (up to 1000 pN). ssDNA is modelled as a discrete persistent chain, whose ground state is a zigzag rather than a straight line configuration. This mimics the underlying molecular architecture and helps to explain the experimentally observed saturation of the stretching curve at very high force.
Wheat Hardness: Time Required to Grind Wheat with the Brabender Automatic. Micro Hardness Tester

The Brabender automatic micro hardness tester was used to measure the time required to grind 4g of wheat. Effects of temperature and moisture were determined. Increasing temperature from 15 to 40°C generally decreased grinding time, but differentiation among samples was better at 15°C than at higher temperatures. Increasing moisture content increased the grinding time of soft wheat much more than it increased the grinding time of hard wheat. The tester can detect differences related to milling properties of hard wheats, hardness among some wheat classes and among some varieties representing a single class of wheat. The instrument can also be used to evaluate hardness of plant-breeders' samples, so that selections with extreme hardness or softness can be discarded, and to distinguish between hard and soft wheats in marketing channels.
Negative control of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 through phosphorylation of Ser-1034.

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is a serine/threonine kinase that mediates cell stress signaling initiated by diverse stimuli, such as H2O2 and TNFα. Owing to its critical role in promoting apoptosis, ASK1 activity is highly controlled in cells. Phosphorylation of ASK1 at Thr-845 has been correlated with its activation, while phosphorylation at Ser-967 negatively controls its death promoting activity. Here, we report the identification of a novel phosphorylation site at Ser-1034 in the C-terminal regulatory domain of ASK1. Mutating Ser-1034 to an unphosphorylatable Ala led to increased catalytic activity of ASK1 and enhanced proapoptotic function of ASK1. Thus, the proapoptotic function of ASK1 is suppressed in part by phosphorylation at its C-terminal regulatory domain, which may couple upstream survival kinases to the death regulatory machinery.
A comparison of two comorbidity instruments in arthritis.

Comorbidity (CM) is a powerful predictor of health outcome and cost, as well as an important confounder in many epidemiologic studies. However, choosing the most appropriate CM measurement instrument is difficult because comparative data on how the available instruments perform in various disease settings are limited. We collected CM data (from the complete medical records) for two population-based prevalence cohorts with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) and a comparison cohort without arthritis (NA), using two different CM instruments: the Charlson CM index (Charl), which is based on 17 diagnoses each weighted by mortality risk, and the Index of Coexistent Diseases (ICED), which estimates the severity and frequency of 14 comorbid conditions and provides an assessment of the impairment or disability caused by each. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to assess the impact of the two types of comorbidity scores (Charl and ICED) on survival after prevalence (index) date, adjusting for the age, sex, and disease status. There were 450, 441, and 889 individuals in the RA, OA, and NA groups, respectively, with a mean follow-up period of 10.6 years. During the follow-up, 293, 307, and 546 deaths occurred in the RA, OA, and NA groups, respectively. The mean age and percent females were: 63.3 years, 74%; 70.7 years, 74%; and 67.5 years, 75% for the RA, OA, and NA groups, respectively. Comorbidity was highest in RA, intermediate in OA, and lowest in NA by both Charl and ICED. Cox proportional hazards modeling demonstrated that both Charl and ICED were highly statistically significant predictors of mortality (P < 0.0001) after adjusting for age, sex, and disease state (RA, OA, or NA) and that ICED remained highly significant as a predictor of mortality, even after adjusting for Charl. We conclude that estimating CM from medical records using ICED, an instrument that incorporates an assessment of impairment and disability, is feasible and that such as assessment provides information that independently predicts mortality, even after adjusting for the results of traditional diagnosis-based CM measures, such as Charl.
Orchestration of Multiple Codes in Developing Readers: An Alternative Model of Lexical Access

An alternative model of lexical access, based on recent PET scan studies showing localized coding operations in multiple brain sites, is proposed. Lexical access is viewed as a process of orchestrating multiple connections between corresponding visible language and oral language coding operations instead of a place—the internal lexicon—to which stimulus words gain access directly or indirectly. in both Study 1 (end of 1st grade) and Study 2 (mid 2nd and mid 4th grade) speed of naming phonically regular words, in which every letter can be phonemically coded, and of naming phonically irregular words, in which every letter cannot be phonemically coded, was not significantly different, indicating that naming can be based on a phonetic code connection rather than phonemic code connections. in both Study 1 and Study 2 speed of correctly accepting phonically regular real words was significantly faster than speed of correctly rejecting nonsense words on lexical decision, showing that absence of a semantic code is...
Socioemotional selectivity and mental health among trauma survivors in old age

Empirical tests of socioemotional selectivity theory support the contention that the developmental trend in adulthood to focus increasingly on fewer, but emotionally significant, social partners is associated positively with psychological well-being. Tenets of the theory, however, also suggest conditions in which selectivity could instead lead to an increase in negative emotional experiences. In particular, if the socioemotional world of the individual includes emotional distress, selective focus on emotions and close relationships may detract from rather than enhance well-being. In the current study, we examined selectivity and associated well-being in Holocaust survivors, Japanese-American internment camp survivors, and comparably-aged people who lived through World War II but did not experience major trauma. We predicted that selectivity would relate to positive mental health in all groups except the Holocaust survivors who, on average, experience elevated levels of negative affect and social networks that include other survivors also experiencing distress. Results generally supported these hypotheses, and are discussed in light of individual and group differences in socioemotional ageing, as well as the implications for the generality of social developmental theories of adaptive functioning.
Detection of a rare BCR–ABL tyrosine kinase fusion protein in H929 multiple myeloma cells using immunoprecipitation (IP)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)

Hypothesis directed proteomics offers higher throughput over global analyses. We show that immunoprecipitation (IP)–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in H929 multiple myeloma (MM) cancer cells led to the discovery of a rare and unexpected BCR–ABL fusion, informing a therapeutic intervention using imatinib (Gleevec). BCR–ABL is the driving mutation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and is uncommon to other cancers. Three different IP–MS experiments central to cell signaling pathways were sufficient to discover a BCR–ABL fusion in H929 cells: phosphotyrosine (pY) peptide IP, p85 regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) IP, and the GRB2 adaptor IP. The pY peptides inform tyrosine kinase activity, p85 IP informs the activating adaptors and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) involved in AKT activation and GRB2 IP identifies RTKs and adaptors leading to ERK activation. Integration of the bait–prey data from the three separate experiments identified the BCR–ABL protein complex, which was confirmed by biochemistry, cytogenetic methods, and DNA sequencing revealed the e14a2 fusion transcript. The tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and the GAB2 adaptor protein, important for MAPK signaling, were common to all three IP–MS experiments. The comparative treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drugs revealed only imatinib, the standard of care in CML, was inhibitory to BCR–ABL leading to down-regulation of pERK and pS6K and inhibiting cell proliferation. These data suggest a model for directed proteomics from patient tumor samples for selecting the appropriate TKI drug(s) based on IP and LC-MS/MS. The data also suggest that MM patients, in addition to CML patients, may benefit from BCR–ABL diagnostic screening.