cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spread of health behaviors in young couples: How relationship power shapes relational influence.

Abstract Introduction Romantic relationships provide a context in which partners can influence each other's health behaviors (e.g., weight-related behaviors, substance use). Partner influence may be especially pronounced among newly parenting adolescent and young adult couples because of the desire to maintain relationships (and therefore openness to influence), and because parenting-related challenges can pose risk for uptake of unhealthy behaviors. Two understudied factors that might affect partner influence on health behaviors include relative power within the relationship and prior levels of engagement in health behaviors. Methods The current study explored longitudinal partner influence effects in a sample of newly parenting adolescent and young adult females and their male partners (Ncouples = 157) recruited from four obstetrics/gynecology clinics in Connecticut between July 2007 and February 2011. Five health behaviors in two domains were explored: weight-related behaviors (unhealthy eating, exercise) and substance use (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use). Relationship power and previous levels of health behaviors were examined as moderators. Variations across gender were also examined. Results Results of dyadic analysis showed partner influences for alcohol use. Partner influence depended on relationship power for eating, alcohol, and marijuana use, and on previous behavior for cigarette use. Results also varied by gender – only female-to-male influence was found for unhealthy eating and cigarette use. Higher relationship power was protective against smoking escalation for females. Discussion. These results differ from previous research findings mainly on male-to-female influences. Such asymmetries may reflect traditional female dominance in food preparation, as well as shifts in power balances postpartum. Targeting relational power dynamics may buffer the spread and escalation of unhealthy behaviors in young parents, with implications for the health of both members of a couple as well as their children.
A longitudinal study of depression and gestational diabetes in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Aims/hypothesis Depression and glucose intolerance commonly co-occur among non-pregnant individuals; however, the temporal relationship between gestational diabetes (GDM) and depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period is less understood. Our objective was to assess longitudinal associations between depression early in pregnancy and GDM risk, as well as GDM and subsequent risk of postpartum depression.
PTSD Symptoms in Survivors Bereaved by the Suicide of a Significant Other.

BACKGROUND: Although bereavement is not usually considered the type of stressor associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a risk factor often associated with poorer bereavement outcomes is when a death is sudden and unexpected. AIMS: The purpose of this exploratory study is to describe PTSD symptoms in survivors bereaved by the suicide of a significant other. The relationship of PTSD to mental health and grief were explored, as well as gender differences in PTSD symptoms. METHOD: To measure PTSD symptoms, the 15-item Impact of Event Scale (IES) was used. RESULTS: The IES intrusion and avoidance subscales were significantly correlated with the mental health subscale of the MOS SF-36 (Medical Outcomes Study–Short Form 36), indicating that lower mental health scores were associated with higher PTSD symptoms. Those survivors scoring higher than 25 on the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) had significantly higher scores on both the intrusion and avoidance subscales of the IES compared with those...
Stark choice for tokamaks

The tokamak has proved to be the most successful device for magnetically confining the heat in fusion-grade plasmas. Recent work has shown that the radial variations in both the magnetic field and the electric field in the plasma can influence the confinement, and much recent interest has focused on measuring these variations remotely. Brad Rice and co-workers at General Atomics in San Diego, California, have now developed a diagnostic that can measure these key quantities at the same time (Phys. Rev. Lett. 1997 79 2694)
The RLIN Cataloging Category (CC) Code and Hebraica Cataloging at Yeshiva University Library

In doing Hebraica cataloging on RLIN, Yeshiva University (YU) librarians provide full title and statement of responsibility data in the original script. YU catalogers do not, however, provide full romanization of these elements, but stop after the title proper. The Research Libraries Group's definition of cataloging levels requires YU to code its records as less-than-full. It is argued in this paper that the Cataloging Category codes mask the quality of records containing complete bibliographic data in the original script, and that libraries in putting this data are penalized financially.
The legitimacy of environmental scientists in the public sphere

Previous research has examined public perceptions of climate change, including opinions about the severity of its effects, whether it is human caused, the degree of its exaggeration in the news media, and the level of scientific consensus on the issue. This research has shown that public beliefs about each of these aspects of climate change are politically charged. What remains understudied are the sources of environmental scientists’ authority in the broader society and whether perceptions of environmental scientists themselves are polarized. Using data from the General Social Survey’s Science and Technology Module, this study fills this gap in knowledge by examining public perceptions of environmental scientists across several dimensions. We develop and formally test a theoretical model of the legitimacy of environmental scientists in the public sphere, as measured by public support for their influence on climate policy. Consistent with other research on public beliefs about climate change, we find that perceptions of environmental scientists are polarized across multiple measures. Moreover, while previous theory and research have emphasized beliefs about scientific consensus on climate change, we find that perceptions of scientists’ understanding of the issue and the integrity of their policy advice are each stronger predictors of scientists’ legitimacy in the public sphere.
Different death destinies: relative apoptosis sensitivity shapes the human effector CD8+ T-cell response derived from distinct memory subsets.

The expansion and contraction of CD8+ T lymphocytes defines the contours of the adaptive immune response against viruses and other intracellular pathogens. The magnitude of any antigen-driven T-cell response is determined by a balance of proliferation and death, but it remains unclear how programmed cell death shapes a secondary memory T-cell response. Although the relative longevity of short-lived effector cells versus memory precursor cells has actively been investigated in mouse models, apoptosis sensitivity of effectors derived from further differentiated, human memory T-cell subsets has not been comprehensively evaluated, despite the important role of specific apoptosis pathways in maintaining immune homeostasis.
Resurrecting the Bacterial Tyrosyl-tRNA Synthetase/tRNA Pair for Expanding the Genetic Code of Both E. coli and Eukaryotes.

Summary The bacteria-derived tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS)/tRNA pair was first used for unnatural amino acid (Uaa) mutagenesis in eukaryotic cells over 15 years ago. It provides an ideal platform to genetically encode numerous useful Uaas in eukaryotes. However, this pair has been engineered to charge only a small collection of Uaas to date. Development of Uaa-selective variants of this pair has been limited by technical challenges associated with a yeast-based directed evolution platform, which is currently required to alter its substrate specificity. Here we overcome this limitation by enabling its directed evolution in an engineered strain of E. coli (ATMY), where the endogenous TyrRS/tRNA pair has been functionally replaced with an archaeal counterpart. The facile E. coli-based selection system enabled rapid engineering of this pair to develop variants that selectively incorporate various Uaas, including p-boronophenylalanine, into proteins expressed in mammalian cells as well as in the ATMY strain of E. coli.
Patient perspectives of pregnancy loss in the emergency department.

Abstract Objectives While threats to pregnancy such as vaginal bleeding are common, half will miscarry. The ED environment is not always conducive to the emotional and psychological needs of women grieving the loss of a pregnancy. Healthcare providers have a great impact on the women’s experience of pregnancy loss. This study describes the perspectives of women experiencing a pregnancy loss in the ED. Methods The study used a qualitative descriptive research design interviewing women diagnosed with a pregnancy loss in the ED. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics of the sample and content analysis of interviews. Results Eight participant interviews generated five themes related to the ED as part of the crossroads of motherhood and pregnancy loss. The themes were (a) Decisions to get help, (b) The environment of emergency care, (c) Not knowing, (d) Finally knowing and moving on, (e) Assisting with the grieving process. Conclusions for practice Understanding the needs of women diagnosed with pregnancy loss allows emergency nurses and providers to provide more holistic, compassionate care. Knowledge of pregnancy loss experiences will assist in the improvement of future patient care, and may positively impact recovery and transition to normalcy.
Combining Formal and Informal Learning Activities to Engage Students in International Business

This chapter offers faculty innovative “how-to” strategies for using formal and informal learning activities to engage students in International Business. Topics include: short-term, faculty-led, study abroad programs; hands-on classroom experiences; use of technology, namely online cultural tools; and working with English Language School services. In addition to describing different pedagogies and conceptual frameworks that combine formal and informal learning, the chapter considers both the challenges and rewards associated with such blended approaches to enhancing student engagement.
Generics designate kinds but not always essences.

People believe that some categories are kinds with reliable causal structure and high inductive potential (e.g., tigers). Widely endorsed theories propose that people are biased to assume kinds are essential, and so naturally determined by internal causal properties. Generic language (e.g., “men like sports”) is 1 mechanism thought to evoke this bias. We propose instead that generics principally designate that categories are kinds. Participants can entertain diverse causal structures in the presence of generics: Hearing that biological properties generalize to a category (e.g., “men grow beards”) prompts participants to infer essential structure, but hearing neutral or social properties (“women are underpaid”) generalized prompts other causal beliefs. Thus, generics induce essentialism only in interaction with cues that reasonably prompt essentialist explanation. We tested our model with adult participants (n = 739 total), using measures that disentangle essentialist beliefs from kind beliefs. In study 1, we replicate prior methods with our new measures, and find that generics influence kind beliefs more than essentialism. In study 2, we vary property content (biological vs. cultural properties), and show that generics only increase essentialism when paired with biological properties. In study 3, we show that generics designate kinds but not essentialism when neutral properties are used across animals, tools, and people. In study 4, we show that believing a category is a kind increases the spontaneous production of generic statements, regardless of whether the kind is essential or socially constructed. Generics do not necessitate essentialist beliefs. Participants were flexible in their reasoning about kinds.
Double Integral sliding mode control of Leukemia Therapy

Abstract Leukemia is a form of cancer caused by the presence of large number of leukocytes in the blood and bone marrow and is commonly known as cancer of blood and bone marrow. This form of cancer is responsible for the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells in the circulatory system. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment of cancer and generally kills the Leukemic as well as some normal cells. Three nonlinear controllers namely Sliding Mode Controller (SMC), Integral Sliding Mode Controller (ISMC) and Double Integral Sliding Mode Controller (DISMC) have been designed using the model of Acute Leukemia under the effect of Chemotherapy treatment. The effect of therapy on normal and Leukemic cells has been described by two therapy functions namely monotonic and non-monotonic therapy function. Monotonic therapy function is based on Michaelis–Menten equation in which the effect of therapy depends on the amount of therapeutic agent used whereas the non-monotonic therapy function has a threshold effect in which the effect of drug reaches maximum value at some point and then decreases after that point. The main objective of this research is to track the Leukemic cells to zero, track and retain normal cells to a safe number and ensure minimum safe application of total quantity of therapeutic agent during the therapy process. The system has been analyzed using Lyapunov based stability theory. The controllers have been simulated using Matlab/Simulink and their performance has been compared with each other on the basis of convergence of all states to their desired references and steady state accuracy.
“But All We Really Know That We Have Is the Flesh”: Body-Knowledge, Mulatto Genomics, and Reproductive Futurities in Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis

Focusing on Butler’s uneasy fascination with genetics, miscegenation, and sexual reproduction, Vado explores, through what she terms “mulatto genomics,” how that fascination manifests in Butler’s Xenogenesis. By analyzing the trilogy’s three “mulatto” protagonists, Vado links the eugenic discourses in Xenogenesis to Butler’s ongoing participation in and revision of the practice by intellectuals of color to critically adopt and transform normative notions of race as a scientifically valid category for the purpose of undermining reductive readings of race on the body. The ways that Butler engages the intersections of race and genomics in Xenogenesis, Vado concludes, anticipated the tensions that emerged with the unveiling of genetic mapping.
Teaching and Learning as Language in Action

As discussed in the previous chapter, just as all human children are born with an instinct and capacity for language acquisition—and reaching, grasping, walking, and all the other activities that come to us so naturally—so too are we born with a natural instinct and capacity for teaching and learning through language. Our initial gift follows a roughly predictable developmental trajectory, from infancy to adulthood. We begin simply, just paying attention. We naturally take careful mental note of what our mothers and other caretakers look at, attend diligently to the sounds and gestures they make, and experiment with our own sounds and gestures. Before too long we’re beginning to use increasingly accurate approximations of these signals to direct the attention of others to objects of interest, to probe our interlocutors’ hidden thoughts, and to correct their apparently false beliefs.
Testing the Reach of UCC Article 9: The Question of Tax Credit Collateral in Secured Transactions

This Article addresses the open question related to the use of tax credits as a source of secured capital. It first lays a foundation by analyzing the theoretical underpinnings of the UCC’s category for general intangibles and shows how classification as a general intangible can and should comport with the legal substance of tax credits as a form of secured financing. The work also investigates the theory and nature that forms the basis of tax credits and their economic value. Next, the Article provides an overview of the relatively meager case law on tax credit financing and explains how courts have struggled with this new concept, as well as discusses how courts have treated other types of general intangible assets; a treatment, which may help in forming the basis of the jurisprudential analysis for tax credit financing. Taking these theories and background a step further, the Article concludes by making several recommendations on how courts can approach cases involving tax credits used as collateral in secured transactions. In sum, Article 9 and courts should adopt a flexible and broad view when confronted with these and other types of emerging and nontraditional security.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Intensive Care Admissions in a Pregnant and Postpartum Population, Hawai'i, 2012-2017.

OBJECTIVE Maternal morbidity and mortality is a global concern despite advances in medical care and technology and improved economic resources of nations worldwide. The primary objective of our study was to describe racial/ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity by using admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) as a marker. The secondary objective was to evaluate associations between patient characteristics, including obstetric outcomes, and severe maternal morbidity. METHODS This retrospective cohort study used a large inpatient database to identify pregnancy and postpartum hospitalizations in Hawai'i from January 2012 through September 2017. We evaluated associations between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and race/ethnicity by using χ2 tests. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess associations between race/ethnicity and ICU admission. We used a post hoc analysis to assess associations between ICU admission and obstetric outcomes by race/ethnicity. RESULTS After adjustment, we found a significantly higher ICU admission rate among Asian (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04-1.62; P = .02), Filipino (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.17-1.79; P < .001), and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (aOR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.15-1.68; P < .001) women compared with non-Hispanic White women. Multiple clinical characteristics and outcomes were associated with ICU admission, such as preexisting chronic conditions and pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders. CONCLUSION We found that severe maternal morbidity represented by ICU admission is higher among Asian, Filipino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander women than among non-Hispanic White women in Hawai'i. Our findings reemphasize the need for health care providers to be vigilant in caring for members of racial/ethnic minority groups and managing their comorbidities.
Research on stability characteristics of large power supply through UHV AC channel and control technology improving transmission capacity

This paper analysed different constrains of power transmission capacity of large power supply through UHV AC channel, mainly including power angle stability, and dynamic stability. The paper also studied the influences of different power supply and grid production timing on the transmission capacity of UHV AC channel. Besides, the paper researched the effects on transmission capacity of UHV AC channel of essential PSS parameter and series compensation. What’s more, the transmission capacities under different PSS parameters and series compensation ratios were calculated. The results showed that the capacity of UHV AC lines could be promoted by optimizing the PSS parameters of units or adding series compensations. The paper also studied the influences of near-area AC lines or main transformers fault on power system stability under different start-up modes. And the corresponding control measures were proposed.
Cotton Textile Equipment Data Management System Based on Big Data Technology

In order to improve the efficiency of data management of cotton textile equipment, this paper proposes a novel data management system of cotton textile equipment based on big data technology. The data management system constructs the basic architecture of cotton textile enterprise data management system based on big data technology, which can improve the efficiency of data collection through terminal data acquisition equipment, and transmit the collected data to the cloud, so as to facilitate users' query and retrieval. The research results show that the data management system can improve the information management level of cotton textile enterprises, ensure the security of data storage and improve the production efficiency.
The Professor’s Predicament: How Can I Have My Expertise Without It Having Me?

Professors rely upon expertise. As management scholars and teachers we need to know our stuff. Our relationship with expertise, however, is a tricky affair. Observers express frustration with our f...
Departures from Assumptions in Two-Phase Regression

This paper examines the robustness of the likelihood ratio tests for a change-point in simple linear regression. We first summarize the normal theory of Kim and Siegmund (1989) and then study the robustness of the tests to nonnormality and heteroscedasticity.
Concept of logical AI

Logical AI involves representing knowledge of an agent's world, its goals and the current situation by sentences in logic. The agent decides what to do by inferring that a certain action or course of action is appropriate to achieve the goals. We characterize briefly a large number of concepts that have arisen in research in logical AI. Reaching human-level AI required programs that deal with the common sense informatic situation. Human-level logical AI requires extensions to the way logic is used in formalizing branches of mathematics and physical science. It also seems to require extensions to the logics themselves, both in the formalism for expressing knowledge and the reasoning used to reach conclusions. A large number of concepts need to be studied to achieve logical AI of human level. This chapter presents candidates, some of them well known, but others new.
Cloning and sequence determination of rat dentin sialoprotein, a novel dentin protein.

Dentin sialoprotein (DSP) is a 53-kDa protein isolated from rat dentin. It contains 29.6% carbohydrate (including 9% sialic acid) and has an overall composition similar to that of the bone sialoproteins osteopontin and bone sialoprotein (i.e. rich in Asp, Ser, Glu, and Gly). Using a monospecific anti-DSP polyclonal antibody to screen a rat incisor odontoblast cDNA library, a cDNA clone was isolated and sequenced. This approximately 750-base pair clone contained a DNA sequence corresponding to the NH2-terminal 9 amino acids of DSP. A second cDNA clone was isolated by using the first cDNA as a probe to rescreen the library. This second clone had the full-length DSP coding region. From the sequence, we deduced that the DSP cDNA coded for 366 amino acids, predominantly Asp, Ser, Glu, and Gly. The amino acid composition calculated for this sequence was very similar to that for purified DSP reported earlier; likewise the deduced molecular weight (53,045) was essentially identical to that determined by sedimentation equilibrium. Six potential N-linked glycosylation sites were present in the predicted DSP sequence. No Arg-Gly-Asp sequence was found, and the sequence for DSP was dissimilar to those of osteopontin and bone sialoprotein. Multiple transcripts near 4.6 and 1.5 kilobases were detected by Northern blot analysis in the incisor of 21-day-old rat and the tooth germ of the newborn rat. Consistent with previous immunohistochemical findings, no transcripts were detected in brain, salivary gland, heart, muscle, spleen, kidney, intestine, lung, liver, pancreas, tibia, calvaria, or osteoblast-like osteosarcoma (ROS 17/2.8) cells, indicating that DSP is specifically expressed by odontoblasts and related cells.
Temporal difference learning of backgammon strategy

Abstract This paper presents a case study in which the TD(λ) algorithm for training connectionist networks, proposed in (Sutton, 1988), is applied to learning the game of backgammon from the outcome of self-play. This is apparently the first application of this algorithm to a complex nontrivial task. It is found that, with zero knowledge built in, networks are able to learn from scratch to play the entire game at a fairly strong intermediate level of performance, which is clearly better than conventional commercial programs, and which in fact surpasses comparable networks trained on a massive human expert data set. The hidden units in these network have apparently discovered useful features, a longstanding goal of computer games research. Furthermore, when a set of handcrafted features is added to the input representation, the resulting networks reach a near-expert level of performance, and have achieved good results in tests against world-class human play.
The relationship of postoperative complications with in-hospital outcomes and costs after renal surgery for kidney cancer.

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Postoperative complications for open radical nephrectomy (ORN), laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN), and open partial nephrectomy (OPN) and its relationship with hospitalisation costs and mortality remain poorly described. The present population-based study suggests modest differences in postoperative complications estimated at 27%, 23%, and 24% among patients with kidney cancer undergoing ORN, LRN, and OPN, respectively. Moreover, postoperative complications were associated with higher mortality, length of stay and total costs of hospitalisation. Objectives The association of complications after renal surgery for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with in-hospital mortality and costs remains to be defined. To describe the incidence of complications after open radical nephrectomy (ORN), laparoscopic RN (LRN), and open partial nephrectomy (OPN); and to evaluate its relationship with in-hospital mortality and total costs. Patients and Methods We identified 49 983 individuals who underwent ORN (35 712), LRN (5327), or OPN (8944) for RCC at 2037 hospitals from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2001–2008. The outcomes assessed were in-hospital mortality and total hospitalisation costs. Multivariable logistic regression and generalised estimating equations were used to test the associations between complications and in-hospital mortality and total costs. Results With 26.0% of patients experiencing postoperative complications, there were modest differences in the proportion of patients with complications after ORN, LRN, and OPN at 27.0%, 22.6%, and 24.0%, respectively (P < 0.001). After adjusting for patient and hospital variables, postoperative complications resulted in higher odds of in-hospital death for ORN (odds ratio [OR] 7.20; P < 0.001), LRN (OR 12.04; P < 0.001), and OPN (OR 7.82; P < 0.001). Adjusted total costs also rose significantly with the presence of any postoperative complications compared with those without any complications for ORN ($21 242 vs $13 183; P < 0.001), LRN ($19 548 vs $12 555; P < 0.001), and OPN ($18 883 vs $12 098; P < 0.001). Conclusions With about a quarter of patients experiencing postoperative complications, adverse events for ORN, LRN, and OPN carry a significant risk of in-hospital death and higher total costs. Efforts to reduce postoperative complications may correlate with substantial reductions in hospital mortality and total costs.
Error analysis for dimensional measurement using computer vision techniques

Computer vision techniques used in performing dimensional measurements are illustrated. In general, it is seen that laser technology is effective in performing precision dimensional measurements as long as the object being measured is properly positioned and lies within a well-defined distance from the receptor. However, installing and operating a laser-based dimensional measuring system is costly. Also, the rate at which intensity and range images are sampled is relatively slow compared to semiconductor imaging devices. On the other hand, charge- coupled-device (CCD) camera have inherent nonlinear photoreceptor transfer characteristics and require computer resources to execute image-processing algorithms. Also, range data must be incorporated in order to perform 3-D as well as 2-D measurements. An analysis of measurement error is presented to relate intensity and range images. >
Defining the High-Risk Population for Mortality After Resection of Early Stage NSCLC.

Abstract Background Studies examining morbidity after lobectomy for early stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) demonstrate a > 50% incidence of complications in patients aged ≥ 65 years. Factors that affect 30-day mortality (30-DM), however, are less well defined. Materials and Methods The National Cancer Data Base was used to identify patients age ≥ 19 years with stage I NSCLC between 2003 and 2011. Data from patients undergoing lobectomy or sublobar resection was abstracted. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed for predictors of 30-DM. Results A total of 71,175 patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 81% underwent lobectomy and 19% underwent sublobar resection. The median age was 68 years. Charlson-Deyo (CD) comorbidity score was 0 in 49% of patients and 1 or higher in 51%. The rate of 30-DM was 2.2%. On multivariable analysis, younger age, CD score of 0, female sex, tumor size ≤ 3 cm, and treatment at an academic center was associated with lower 30-DM ( P P P Conclusion The 30-DM rate following sublobar or lobar resection in this national sample was low. Extent of resection appears to influence 30-DM in the elderly. Elderly patients with a CD score of 2 undergoing lobectomy represent a high-risk group for 30-DM.
Severing the Source of Fear: Contemplative Dynamics of the Tibetan Buddhist GCod Tradition

Asking ‘What is the nature of fear?’, ‘How is it that fear and terror are amenable to being “severed” or “transcended”?’, and ‘Why would it be advantageous to “sever” fear?’, this paper investigates the act of cutting-through fear via the Tibetan Buddhist meditative tradition known as ‘gCod’ (‘chod’). Through examining Mahayana philosophical notions of self and phenomena, as well as the psychological implications of subject-object reification at the heart of gCod, we elaborate on the interior cognitive and emotional dynamics of gCod praxis. In order to elaborate on these contemplative dynamics, we reflect upon translated verses from one of the seminal texts of the gCod tradition, entitled The Essence of Enlightened Awareness: The Quintessence of the Profound Meaning of the Entirety of Expositions and Guidance on the Transcendent Wisdom that Cuts-Through.
One Good Measure

Nature shows a strong affinity for cosmic disk structures. Disks of dust and gas are the cradles of planets, the Milky Way basically is a disk of stars, and accretion disks power the engines of active galactic nuclei. About a decade ago, our understanding of accretion disks was challenged by another fundamental ingredient of astronomy—distance measurements. The distance to one of our main accretion disk laboratories, the binary star SS Cygni, was measured with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and turned out to be far too large to be in agreement with a crucial prediction of accretion disk theory. Discussions arose raising the issue that the standard accretion disk theories were perhaps wrong. On page 950 of this issue, Miller-Jones et al. ( 1 ) present the good news that they are not. Using radio observations, they show that the HST distance measure is wrong and that instead SS Cygni is exactly as far away as it should be according to our understanding of accretion disks. What a relief!
A partial hierarchical regionalization of 3140 US counties on the basis of 1965-1970 intercounty migration

Because of a special tabulation recently completed by the US Bureau of the Census for the 1965-1970 period interareal migration flows--for the first time--can be examined on the level of the 3140 counties....Preliminary results restricted to six (of a theoretically possible 3139) levels are discussed here. They provide some indications of the full results as well as an upper bound (40000) on the number of largest doubly standardized values it is necessary to consider in the full clustering. (EXCERPT)
Bilateral macular lesions in a 10-year-old girl.

Purpose To report a previously undescribed macular dystrophy. Design Single descriptive case report. Methods Presentation of clinical findings, including ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein angiography, full-field and multifocal electroretinography (ERG), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and visual fields. Results A 10 year-old Caucasian girl had peculiar reddish blotchy macular lesions bilaterally, associated with decreased visual acuity, and no family history of similar lesions. Fluorescein angiography was inconclusive and showed mottled hyperfluorescence in the macula. The full-field electroretinogram was normal, but multifocal ERG revealed diminished waveforms centrally. Conclusion This is possibly a new macular dystrophy, the nature of which remains to be determined.
Helle Montanwachs-Derivate†

Durch schonende Bleichung von Rohmontanwachs mit unterschiedlichen Mengen Chromsaure nach neuen Bleichverfahren entstehen helle, zum Teil fast farblose Montanwachsderivate, die sich im Verhaltnis Wachssaure/Wachsester von bisher bekannten Oxidaten unterscheiden. Die physikalischen und physikalisch-chemischen Kenndaten werden verglichen und deren Einflus auf anwendungstechnische Eigenschaften, wie Emulgierbarkeit in Wasser, Herstellung von Wachs/Losungsmittel-Gemischen oder die Vertraglichkeit mit anderen Wachsen, aufgezeigt. Die hellen Rohmontanwachsoxydate und deren Derivate konnen als Rohstoffe fur Putzmittel und Kosmetika oder als Kunststoffverarbeitungshilfen verwendet werden. Light Coloured Montana Wax Derivatives Light coloured or almost colourless montana wax derivatives are obtained by careful bleaching of raw montana wax with varying amounts of chromic acid according to a new process. In these products, the ratio of wax acid to wax ester differs from the well-known products obtained by oxidation. The characteristic physical and chemical data are compared, and their impact on practical properties, such as emulsion formation with water, formation of wax/solvent mixtures, and compatibility with other waxes, is shown. The light coloured products obtained by oxidation of raw montana wax can be used as raw materials for cleansing agents and cosmetics, and as auxiliaries for the processing of plastics.
Maternal and feto-placental prostanoid responses to a single course of antenatal betamethasone.

We tested the hypothesis that antenatal betamethasone alters prostanoid levels in the maternal and feto-placental compartments. Forty-three singleton pregnancies were studied. Group I were women treated with a single course of antenatal betamethasone and who delivered 38 weeks. Maternal and mixed cord blood; and placental samples were collected at delivery and analyzed for PGE2, PGF(2alpha), 6-ketoPGF(1alpha), and TxB2 levels. Antenatal betamethasone decreased maternal PGE2 levels with concomitant increases in the feto-placental compartment. Umbilical cord TxB2 levels in the treated group were significantly lower than the non-treated pre-term and term groups resulting in a higher 6-ketoPGF(1alpha):TxB2 ratio. Considering the regulatory role of PGE2 and PGI2 in fetal lung development and neonatal transition homeostasis, these results suggest a mechanism, at least in part, for the beneficial effects of antenatal steroids on fetal lung maturation and neonatal cardio-pulmonary homeostasis at birth.
Pacemaker Treatment of Sick Sinus Syndrome in Children

The sick sinus syndrome is being recognized with increasing frequency in children. Although it is sometimes benign, it can be serious or have fatal consequences. Fifty-one patients (mean age 10.5 years) underwent permanent cardiac pacing for sick sinus syndrome. Twenty patients had epicardial ventricular pacing and 12 had an epicardial atrial implant. Seven had endocardial atrial pacing, six epicardial atrioventricular (AV) sequential pacing, four epicardial universal pacing and two endocardial universal pacing. Of the 49 symptomatic patients, 45 had relief of symptoms. Eleven of 18 patients with associated tachyarrhythmias had amelioration of their tachycardia. There were no early but two late deaths unrelated to the pacemakers. Seven patients during a mean follow-up period of 26 months required reoperation for pacing lead or sensing problems. Permanent pacing for sick sinus syndrome in children is a safe and symptomatically effective procedure.
Theorizing self-destructive violence

The first image that the question of violence in the Middle East conjures up, especially in the West, is that of the suicide bomber. This association, etched into the political imaginary particularly over the course of the last two decades, is due neither to the number of victims suicide bombing creates (more conventional weapons of war can claim as many or more victims), nor to the identity of its victims (conventional weapons are also often directed at civilians). Rather, the potency of the image of the suicide bomber is connected to the simultaneously self-destructive and other-directed form that this act of violence takes. If the Orientalist impulse that has raised the image of the suicide bomber to iconic status is deeply problematic, it nonetheless constitutes an involuted acknowledgement of a reality: the significant rise in self-destructive violence (and not just in the Middle East). I have in mind practices such as hunger striking, self-immolation, and fatal self-mutilation, which constitute an emergent repertoire of struggle that has come to mark a certain current of radical politics around the globe. Those modalities of self-destructive violence that are not directed at others are overshadowed by suicide bombing
Realtime constructive solid geometry

Constructive solid geometry (CSG) is a modeling technique where objects are combined using boolean operations to build up complex shapes. Fig. 1 shows the results of union, intersection and subtraction between the Stanford bunny and a toroidal knot. While many CAD systems support CSG, it remains conspicuously absent from interactive environments. Part of the problem is that current techniques are slow, unstable and complicated. This algorithm addresses these issues by improving on Naylor et.al.'s tree merging algorithm [Naylor et al. 1990].
An engineer looks at photosynthesis

Little engineering information is available on which to base the design and analysis of photosynthetic microbial systems. Frequencyresponse analysis of algal systems supplements basic data and uncovers fundamental time constants for the rate-controlling steps. An engineering perspective of photosynthesis focuses on these bottleneck steps that most strongly influence process economics.
Pneumonia Virus of Mice (PVM) in Cell Culture

SummaryEvidence has been presented for the multiplication of pneumonia virus of mice in suckling hamster kidney cell culture monolayers. Virus was produced in low titer and caused CPE. Infected cultures hemadsorbed mouse erythrocytes. Tissue components which combine with the virus in vivo were not detected in cell culture fluids. Propagation in cell culture appears to free PVM from the Riley Agent present as a contaminant of the animal passaged virus.
Marine ciliates as a widespread source of tetrahymanol and hopan-3β-ol in sediments

We observed tetrahymanol (gammaceran-3β-ol) as a principal neutral lipid in eight marine ciliate species, most of which were scuticociliates, a group of ciliates that feeds mainly on bacteria. Tetrahymanol abundance in pure cultures and field samples (sediment traps, water column particulates, and enrichments from coastal and estuarine environments) shows good agreement with ciliate biovolume (R2 = 0.89), suggesting that tetrahymanol is a specific marker for marine ciliates that feed on bacteria. Hopan-3β-ol was also positively identified in several ciliates, but did not occur in all species examined. Because of their widespread distribution in modern marine systems, these organisms provide a likely source for the common appearance of tetrahymanol in many marine sediments. By analogy, the presumed presence of ciliates in ancient seas may explain the occurrence of its diagenetic product, gammacerane, in more mature sediments and crude oils.
Chronic Overproduction of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 by Astrocytes Promotes Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Microvascular Degeneration in Transgenic Mice

Cerebrovascular amyloid deposition and microvascular degeneration are frequently associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the etiology and pathogenetic role of these abnormalities are unknown. Recently, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) was implicated in cerebrovascular amyloid formation in transgenic mice with astroglial overproduction of TGF-β1 and in AD. We tested whether TGF-β1 overproduction induces AD-like cerebrovascular degeneration and analyzed how cerebrovascular abnormalities develop over time in TGF-β1-transgenic mice. In cerebral microvessels from 3- to 4-month-old TGF-β1-transgenic mice, which display a prominent perivascular astrocytosis, levels of the basement membrane proteins perlecan and fibronectin were severalfold higher than in vessels from nontransgenic mice. Consistent with this increase, cortical capillary basement membranes of TGF-β1 mice were significantly thickened. These changes preceded amyloid deposition, which began at around 6 months of age. In 9- and 18-month-old TGF-β1 mice, various degenerative changes in microvascular cells of the brain were observed. Endothelial cells were thinner and displayed abnormal, microvilli-like protrusions as well as occasional condensation of chromatin, and pericytes occupied smaller areas in capillary profiles than in nontransgenic controls. Similar cerebrovascular abnormalities have been reported in AD. We conclude that chronic overproduction of TGF-β1 triggers an accumulation of basement membrane proteins and results in AD-like cerebrovascular amyloidosis and microvascular degeneration. Closely related processes may induce cerebrovascular pathology in AD.
Catheter tip-associated granuloma: inflammatory mass with intrathecal drug delivery

Abstract Use of the intrathecal route to deliver drugs has become an acceptable treatment method for difficult pain syndromes. The primary advantage of intrathecal administration is the ability to deliver adequate relief at substantially lower doses of medication compared with other routes. This reduction of drug dosing leads to fewer side effects and improved efficacy. Morphine sulfate has been the most commonly used drug although other opioids and nonopioids have been prescribed. Over the past decade, the complication of an inflammatory mass at the catheter tip has been described. The prevalence of this problem appears to be much lower than 1%; however, because of the potential hazards, diagnostic vigilance is critical. Patient evaluation and reevaluation are the most important part aspect of the diagnosis. Loss of clinical efficacy, dermatomal pain in the distribution of the catheter tip, proprioceptive change, and sensory loss are early warnings. Motor loss, bladder and bowel dysfunction, and paralysis are late findings and occur with progression. When suspicion of the complication arises, a plain film should be obtained to identify the catheter tip, and then a T1-weighted image should be performed at the tip. When magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not possible, a computerized tomography (CT) myelogram is an acceptable alternative. Treatment of this lesion involves discontinuing the infusion, then revising or removing the catheter. If spinal cord compression occurs, the treatment is direct surgical decompression. Many patients have continued with treatment after an inflammatory mass is diagnosed, once the catheter is revised or replaced. Prevention includes change of medications, avoidance of high-concentration morphine and hydromorphone, change of catheter tip location, and use of multiorifice catheters.
A 27 MHz temperature compensated MEMS oscillator with sub-ppm instability

This paper reports on the design, implementation and characterization of a low phase-noise 27 MHz MEMS oscillator with sub-ppm temperature instability based on a high-Q composite bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator. An array of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) pillars has been uniformly embedded in the body of a piezoelectrically transduced silicon resonator to compensate its negative temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF). Using this technique, an overall frequency drift of 83 ppm is achieved for the resonator over the temperature range of −20°C to 100°C while resonator Q remains greater than 7,500 in atmospheric pressure. An electronically compensated oscillator using this resonator exhibits sub-ppm temperature instability with a consistent phase noise (PN) behavior over the entire temperature range and a value of −101dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset-frequency. Long-term stability measurement has been carried out for both temperature-compensated resonator and oscillator in an environmental chamber to study their stability over time.
MYELINATION IN RAT BRAIN: CHANGES IN MYELIN COMPOSITION DURING BRAIN MATURATION

— Myelin was isolated from rat brains during development by a procedure giving fractions of constant purity at all ages. The lipid composition of these fractions and of whole brains of littermates was determined. The amount of myelin recovered per brain was a nearly linear function of the logarithm of age from the youngest (15 days) to the oldest (425 days) animals studied. With the exception of the earliest age point, the isolated myelin accounted for approximately 40 per cent of total brain galactolipid, evidence that a constant fraction (calculated to be 60 per cent) of myelin was recovered at all ages. Although the lipid-protein ratio of the myelin was constant with age, marked changes were seen in the amounts of cerebroside, sulphatide, phosphatidylcholine and desmosterol. The total galactolipid increased from 21 per cent of the total lipid at age 15 days to about 31 per cent at maturity. Phosphatidylcholine decreased from 17 to 11 per cent during the same period. Desmosterol decreased from 2.5 per cent of the total sterol to 0.2-0.3 per cent. All of these changes were complete between 2 and 5 months of age; no other ‘lower phase’ lipids showed significant changes with age. Although qualitatively similar to those reported by others, the changes differed in magnitude, with more stability in the levels of cholesterol and phosphatidalethanolamine with development. A sensitive indicator of the maturation of myelin was the mole ratio galactolipid/phosphatidylcholine, which varied from 1.2 at age 15 days to 2.8 at maturity. The maximum rate of myelination occurred at 20 days of postnatal age when myelin was deposited at the rate of 3.5 mg day−1 brain−1. However, at this age the rat brain had only 15 per cent of its eventual complement of myelin. The rate of accumulation of cerebroside in the whole brain paralleled that of myelin, and was the only lipid to show this relationship. Myelin deposition appeared to be almost solely responsible for the continued increase in brain weight after about 100 days of age.