cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caloric restriction: Impact upon pituitary function and reproduction

Reduced energy intake, or caloric restriction (CR), is known to extend life span and to retard age-related health decline in a number of different species, including worms, flies, fish, mice and rats. CR has been shown to reduce oxidative stress, improve insulin sensitivity, and alter neuroendocrine responses and central nervous system (CNS) function in animals. CR has particularly profound and complex actions upon reproductive health. At the reductionist level the most crucial physiological function of any organism is its capacity to reproduce. For a successful species to thrive, the balance between available energy (food) and the energy expenditure required for reproduction must be tightly linked. An ability to coordinate energy balance and fecundity involves complex interactions of hormones from both the periphery and the CNS and primarily centers upon the master endocrine gland, the anterior pituitary. In this review article we review the effects of CR on pituitary gonadotrope function and on the male and female reproductive axes. A better understanding of how dietary energy intake affects reproductive axis function and endocrine pulsatility could provide novel strategies for the prevention and management of reproductive dysfunction and its associated comorbidities.
Estimates for eigenvalues of the Schrödinger operator with a complex potential

We study the distribution of eigenvalues of the Schrodinger operator with a complex valued potential V . We prove that if |V | decays faster than the Coulomb potential, then all eigenvalues are in a disc of a finite radius.
The politics of violence and trade: Denia and Pisa in the eleventh century

In the eleventh century, as ports and cities expanded their involvement in the Mediterranean, they came into contact and conflict with one another; both were integral parts of the Mediterranean renewal after the relative decline of the early Middle Ages. Of these cities, relations between Pisa and Denia were perhaps the most exemplary of the extremes possible within the new Mediterranean. On the surface, theirs would seem to be merely a series of clashes based on religious friction, jihād, or territorial ambitions, as shown by their conflict over Sardinia. However, when viewed together with diplomatic and commercial relations, it becomes apparent that violence was only a part of the Mediterranean dynamic, and that where conflict did exist it was along new lines. Economic ambitions were becoming the motivating factor, and trade routes and commerce were the new stakes in the medieval Mediterranean.
Computation of the Shuttle solid booster nozzle start-up transient flow

The first NASA Space Shuttle flight (STS-1) produced an overpressure wave that exceeded preflight predictions by as much as 5 to 1. This second overpressure wave occurred just after the first overpressure wave produced by the lolid rocket booster igniter. To understand this second overpressure phenomenon, a numerical simulation effort was undertaken. Both the SRB static firing test and STS-1 geometries were studied for twodimensional (axisymmetric), inviscid and viscous flow. The inviscid calculations did not produce significant second overpressure waves. However, the viscous calculations did produce second overpressure waves that qualitatively agree with experiment. These overpressure waves were present in both the static firing test and STS-1 geometries. This second overpressure wave is generated by the motion of the boundary-layer separation point and the subsequent radial motion of the exhaust jet during the start-up of the SRB nozzle flow. The presence of the mobile launch platform exhaust hole wall amplifies this wave, but does not appear to be the source of any additional overpressure waves. The lack of good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment indicates that other overpressure sources, not accounted for by this simulation, may be present.
Frequency dependent characteristics of coda wave quality factor in central and southcentral Alaska

Coda wave quality factor (Q c ) was investigated by using digital data (100 sample sec-1) recorded by a vertical component short-period station installed for this study. The station was located in the greater Fairbanks area in central Alaska. From several hundred earthquakes recorded by this station in about a year, 27 earthquakes were selected for the above study; 7 of these selected earthquakes were located along the Alaska Wadati-Benioffzone (Pacific plate). The other 20 earthquakes were located in the area of intraplate seismicity (North American plate). The data was filtered using 9 pass-bands with center frequency varying from 1.5 Hz to 16 Hz with octave bandwidth. The values of Q c obtained from the coda amplitude decay rates measured on the filtered data after corrections due to the recording instrument and source-receiver separation show appreciable frequency dependence. The value of Q c varies in the range of 253 and 1190 corresponding to the frequency interval from 1.5 Hz to 16 Hz for the study area. This variation is close to that reported by others for the Kanto region of Japan. Moreover, the characteristics of Q c obtained in the present case seem to be independent of epicentral distance and hypocentral depth.
Chemical and physical modification of fluoropolymer surfaces for adhesion enhancement: a review

—The primary goal of surface modification of fluoropolymers is to improve adhesion to these low surface energy materials. Both classical methods and newer processes have been used as a means to this end. Various methods of modifying fluoropolymer surfaces include wet chemical etching, electrochemical reduction, grafting, application and removal of metals, ion and electron beam techniques, and plasma modification. In addition to the modification procedure, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen method by subsequent analysis of the modified surface. Physical analytical methods include contact angle and wettability measurements, lap shear and composite tensile shear strengths, peel strengths, and surface topographical determinations. Chemical analyses used include infrared, Raman, Rutherford backscattering, ultraviolet-visible, wide angle X-ray scattering, X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies as well as thermal desorption mass spectrometry. Each of the modification ...
Raman spectroscopy and theoretical modeling of BeO at high pressure.

The pressure dependence of the vibrational properties of BeO has been studied by Raman spectroscopy with a diamond-anvil, high-pressure cell. Five fundamental bands in the Raman spectrum were measured at room temperature for both a single crystal compressed with an argon medium to 41.5 GPa and a polycrystalline sample with no medium to 55 GPa. The frequencies of four modes [${A}_{1}$(TO), ${A}_{1}$(LO), ${E}_{1}$(TO), and ${E}_{2}$] have a strong, positive pressure dependence, whereas that of the lowest-frequency mode (${E}_{2}$ symmetry at 338 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$) is weakly positive. No pressure-induced phase transitions were observed in BeO to the highest pressure of the experiments. These results are compared with parameter-free calculations using the potential-induced breathing (PIB) model. A transition from the wurtzite structure (B4) to the rocksalt structure (B1) is predicted at 40 GPa and is consistent with the experimental result since a pressure greater than the equilibrium transition pressure would be required to nucleate the B1 phase. The Raman frequencies and mode Gr\"uneisen parameters calculated with PIB lattice dynamics agree closely with the experimental measurements.
Bupropion for weight loss: an investigation of efficacy and tolerability in overweight and obese women.

Objective: On the basis of the clinical observations that bupropion facilitated weight loss, we investigated the efficacy and tolerability of this drug in overweight and obese adult women. Research Methods and Procedures: A total of 50 overweight and obese (body mass index: 28.0 to 52.6 kg/m2) women were included. The core component of the study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison for 8 weeks. Bupropion or placebo was started at 100 mg/d with gradual dose increase to a maximum of 200 mg twice daily. All subjects were prescribed a 1600 kcal/d balanced diet and compliance was monitored with food diaries. Responders continued the same treatment in a double-blind manner for an additional 16 weeks to a total of 24 weeks. There was additional single-blind follow-up treatment for a total of 2 years. Results: Subjects receiving bupropion achieved greater mean weight loss (last-observation-carried-forward analysis) over the first 8 weeks of the study (p = 0.0001): 4.9% ± 3.4% (n = 25) for bupropion treatment compared with 1.3% ± 2.4% (n = 25) for placebo treatment. For those who completed the 8 weeks, the comparison was 6.2% ± 3.1% (n = 18) vs. 1.6% ± 2.9% (n = 13), respectively(p = 0.0002), with 12 of 18 of the bupropion subjects (67%) losing over 5% of baseline body weight compared with 2 of 13 in the placebo group (15%; p = 0.0094). In the continuation phase, 14 bupropion responders who completed 24 weeks achieved weight loss of 12.9% ± 5.6% with fat accounting for 73.5% ± 3.7% of the weight lost and no change in bone mineral density as assessed by DXA. Bupropion was generally well-tolerated in this sample. Discussion: Bupropion was more effective than placebo in achieving weight loss at 8 weeks in overweight and obese adult women in this preliminary study. Initial responders to bupropion benefited further in the continuation phase.
Comparisons of Radiative Heat Transfer Calculations Using Spherical Harmonics and K-Distributions

A new nongray radiation modeling library for combustion gases has been implemented in OpenFOAM. The spectral models for single species include gray, correlation tables and narrowband k-distributions. Mixing models for k-distributions include the multiplication and uncorrelated mixture models. Radiative transfer equation solvers for the library include spherical harmonics such as P1, SP3 and SP5 as well as the optically thin approximation. The performance of the different solution methods is compared for accuracy and speed as a tool for future model strategy selection.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Effect of I = 1 dibaryon resonances on the n-p total cross section

Evidence is presented that the well-known anomaly in the n-p total cross section near 1.4 GeV/c may be interpreted as the I/sub z/ = 0 analog of the proposed I = 1, /sup 3/F/sub 3/ dibaryon resonance. Resonance parameters have been deduced using the Breit-Wigner approximation.
Memory for details about people: familiarity, relatedness, and gender congruency

This study examines factors that influence memory for details about people. In two experiments, subjects learned fictitious details about familiar (friends, relatives) and/or unfamiliar individuals, and were tested both immediately and after a 1-week delay. To control for a confounding between familiarity and genetic relatedness in Experiment 1, in Experiment 2 specific relationships (identical twin, first cousin, acquaintance) were assigned to unfamiliar individuals. Across experiments, retention was enhanced for familiar compared to unfamiliar individuals, for friends/acquaintances compared to relatives, for more closely than distantly related individuals, and for individuals of the opposite gender as the subject.
Parsing meaning and value in relation to experience

Drawing on Neville's axiological metaphysics, Barrett proposes an ecological approach to the perception of religious meaning and value, such that “the experience of rich and abiding value, impervio...
Cellulose acetate electrophoresis of glycosaminoglycans: Determination of concentration and specific activity by solid‐phase spectrophotomertry and fluorography

A simple method for the quantitative determination of glycosaminoglycan concentration and radioactive precursor incorporation into glycosaminoglycans is describe. Tissue glycosaminoglycans are separated by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate sheets. Sheets are then impregnated with diphenyloxazole in toluene and tritium activity quantitated by fluorography. Absolute absorbance measurement of X-ray film fluorograms exposed for 80 h demonstrate a sensitivity of 50 dpm per samle (< 5 dpm/mm2) and reproducibility of 7% Diphenyloxazole is removed with toluene and the sheets are stained with Alcian Blue. Absolute absorbance determination allow quantity measurement of mass with a sensitivity of 0.05 nmol of disaccharide subunit and a reproducibility of 6%. Beer's law is followed to 3nmol. Example of the utilization of this technique in studying radionuclide incorporation into glycosaminoglycans in these tissues- articuular cartilage, uterine cervix and skin-are presented.
Interactive layered character animation in immersive virtual environments

We present a novel method for creating 3D animations by letting users act directly on 3D characters in a virtual reality Cave [CruzNeira et al. 1993] environment. Our system records the performance of the animator as she manipulates the character’s joints and limbs using 3D trackers. By making multiple passes, animators can layer simple motions to create more complex animations. For example, an animator may first record a character’s arm motion, and later the movement of its head. We believe our approach bridges the gap between animators and the characters they bring to life by making animators an integral part of the virtual world inhabited by their characters.
Automatic recognition of induction variables and recurrence relations by abstract interpretation

The recognition of recurrence relations is important in several ways to the compilation of programs. Induction variables, the simplest form of recurrence, are pivotal in loop optimizations and dependence testing. Many recurrence relations, although expressed sequentially by the programmer, lend themselves to efficient vector or parallel computation. Despite the importance of recurrences, vectorizing and parallelizing compilers to date have recognized them only in an ad-hoc fashion. In this paper we put forth a systematic method for recognizing recurrence relations automatically. Our method has two parts. First, abstract interpretation [CC77, CC79] is used to construct a map that associates each variable assigned in a loop with a symbolic form (expression) of its value. Second, the elements of this map are matched with patterns that describe recurrence relations. The scheme is easily extensible by the addition of templates, and is able to recognize nested recurrences by the propagation of the closed forms of recurrences from inner loops. We present some applications of this method and a proof of its correctness.
Location and abundance of adult Colorado potato beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) following potato harvest

Abstract Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), population biology was investigated after Irish potatoes, Solanum tuberosum (L.), were harvested in eastern North Carolina. The abundance of adult Colorado potato beetles following potato harvest was estimated by taking more than 450 visual transects in 45 commercial potato fields in July and August, 1993 and 1994. Few second- and third-generation Colorado potato beetle egg masses and larvae, volunteer potato plants and wild hosts such as horsenettle, S. carolinense L., were encountered, suggesting that Colorado potato beetle generations produced after potatoes are harvested in June and early July do not contribute significantly to the overall overwintering population. Location and abundance of overwintering adult Colorado potato beetles within the soil in fields previously planted in potato were determined. Densities of overwintering adults in soil along field edges were greater than those within fields prior to emergence in the spring, suggesting that adults moved toward field edges to overwinter. However, given that the area within potato fields was much greater than the area along field edges, the estimated total number of overwintering adults within fields was greater than along the edges. In light of these results, tillage at different times between crop production seasons was evaluated for its effect on overwintering Colorado potato beetle survival, but was found to have little effect.
Taking value-networks to the cloud services: security services, semantics and service level agreements

Cloud services have become an emerging solution for organizations striving to address today's need for agility, but little research has addressed transitioning multiple, collaborating organizations to what can be referred to as a "value-network cloud." We know that organizations adopting cloud services to execute business processes must concomitantly reconfigure their security solutions for their integrated intra- and inter-organizational collaborations. We address the question, "What is needed to make it possible for an entire value-network to take secure, collaborative business process executions to the cloud?" Future value-network cloud solutions will require completely new security approaches that will leverage contracted brokering solutions operating as part of the cloud solution. We view value-network cloud security service provisioning as a bundle decision characterized by a mix of communication patterns relevant to intra- and inter-enterprise collaboration. We propose a cloud service broker model--using semantics and SLA based middleware--to serve as a trusted interface between the enterprise, cloud service providers and other organizations collaborating in a value-network. The approach enables IT governance for value-network cloud services. The architectural requirements adapt design principles for infrastructure management tailored from approaches to how business cartels historically conducted secure business dealings.
Synthesis, characterization and the unpleasantly disordered crystal structure of Ir(Ome)(CO)(PPh3)2(SO4)

Abstract The adducts of O2 and SO2 with trans-MeOIr(CO)(PPh3)2 are formed in equilibria and have been characterized. Reaction of the SO2 adduct, Ir(OMe)(SO2)(CO)(PPh3)2 with dioxygen leads to the sulfato complex, Ir(Ome)(CO)(PPh3)2(SO4), the structure of which has been determined. Ir(Ome)(CO)(PPh3)2(SO4) crystallizes in the monoclinic system with a 11.958(2), b 14.163(3), c 12.231(2) A, β 118.365(12)°, V 1822.7(6) A3 and Z = 2. Diffraction data for 2θ = 4.5–45.0° (Mo-Kα) were collected with a Syntex P21 diffractometer and the structure was solved (assuming space group P21/m and an unpleasant 2-fold disordered model) and refined to R = 4.8% for all 2512 independent data (R = 3.5% for those 2042 data with ¦FO¦ > 6σ(¦F¦)). The iridium(III) atom has a distorted octahedral coordination sphere with trans PPh3 ligands and a cis-chelating bidentate O,O′-SO4 group; the structure is completed by mutually cis OMe and CO ligands.
Saturated fat and cholesterol are critical to inducing murine metabolic syndrome with robust nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Up to a third of NAFLD subjects are at risk for developing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Many rodent models fail to replicate both MetS and NASH. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable mouse model of NASH and MetS using a diet containing cholesterol, saturated fat and carbohydrate that is reflective of Western diets of North Americans. Experimental design: We used adult male C57BL/6 J 4- to 5-week-old mice and administered a solid diet containing 0.2% cholesterol, 45% of its calories from fat, with 30% of the fat in the form of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. We also provided carbohydrate largely as high-fructose corn syrup equivalent in water. In a separate cohort, we gave the identical diet in the absence of cholesterol. Glucose and insulin tolerance testing was conducted throughout the feeding period. The feeding was conducted for 16 weeks, and the mice were sacrificed for histological analysis, markers of MetS, liver inflammation, circulating lipids, as well as liver staining for fibrosis and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Results: We found that cholesterol significantly increased serum leptin, interleukin-6, liver weight and liver weight/body weight ratio, fibrosis and liver α-SMA. Conclusions: Mice administered a diet accurately reflecting patterns associated with humans afflicted with MetS can reliably replicate features of MetS, NASH and significant liver fibrosis. The model we describe significantly reduces the time by several months for development of stage 3 hepatic fibrosis.
Orthotopic engraftment of human lung tumours in SCID mice for the study of metastasis

This study presents a new technique for the orthotopic engraftment of human lung tumours in SCID mice and demonstrates the importance of a more clinically relevant route of tumour propagation for the study of metastatic potential. The orthotopic engraftment of human lung tumour biopsy specimens was performed via an anterior thoracotomy into SCID mice. Engraftment of non-small cell lung cancer specimens from nine patients into 52 SCID mice yielded a 31% engraftment rate and a 50% metastasis rate. Unlike subcutaneous inoculation, the engraftment rates following the orthotopic inoculation did not vary between squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. Direct visceral pleural invasion was seen in most cases. Orthotopically placed tumours grew 5-fold by 4 to 6 months. Unique to this model was the observation of metastasis to clinically relevant sites, such as the adrenal gland and supraclavicular lymph nodes. Contralateral lung metastases were also noted in 37.5%, and one ovarian metastasis occurred. The procedure was well tolerated, with survival rates of 98%.
Design and development of a discontinuous Galerkin method for shells

The design and development of a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) formulation for linear shell problems is presented in this paper. Discontinuous approximations for displacement and stress fields are employed as independent unknowns. Through the properties associated with the inter-element discontinuities the present class of DG methods provide an additional mechanism to alleviate locking in shells. These properties are introduced by means of a suitable definition of numerical fluxes at the element interfaces. Degenerated bilinear quadrilateral element is used as an example, however, the formulation presented here is quite general and easily extendible to elements of other type and order. To demonstrate the effects of the DG approach to shell problems two different formulations of the elements themselves are considered, one with equal order approximations for displacement and stresses and the other with modified stresses (used in continuous finite element approach to eliminate locking). These two element formulations are then used within the DG framework. The results indicate that the DG approach can lead to significant improvements if the inter-element interface properties are selected properly, and several numerical examples are presented to support this feature. However, a rational method of selecting these interface attributes and the associated error estimates are still under investigation.
Introduction to taxane pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

Objective. To compare the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the taxanes, paclitaxel and docetaxel.Data sources. A MEDLINE search was conducted using docetaxel, dose, drug interactions, liver dysfunction, liver impairment, mechanism of action, paclitaxel, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and schedule as search terms. Reference lists, bibliographies of pertinent articles, and abstracts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association for Cancer Research annual meetings were also identified and reviewed. Both preclinical and clinical literature were reviewed and analyzed.Data synthesis. The taxanes, paclitaxel and docetaxel, are a novel class of antineoplastic drugs that provide notable activity, and produce high response rates but minimal side effects. These agents share a similar mechanism of action, but several important pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences exist. The higher tubulin affinity, slower efflux from cells, triphasic elimination, and prolonged dru...
Shorter peripheral blood telomeres are a potential biomarker for patients with advanced colorectal adenomas.

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) can be prevented by the early detection and removal of advanced adenomas (AAs) by colonoscopy. Our aim was to evaluate peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) telomere length as a potential biomarker for the presence of AAs. METHODS PBL telomere length was measured in patients with AAs (n=35), in a control group of similarly aged patients who had a normal colonoscopy (n=145) and in a separate population group with no history of cancer, again similarly aged (n=495). Telomere measurements were performed using a quantitative PCR assay and reported as ratios of telomere and single copy gene measurements. RESULTS Telomere lengths tended to be lower in patients with AAs than in patients in the normal colonoscopy group (p 0.5 would reduce the odds of a patient having AAs by a factor of 0.11 (the negative likelihood ratio). Thirty three percent of individuals in the population group tested above this cutoff and could be considered at low risk for AAs. CONCLUSIONS PBL telomeres are shortened in patients with colorectal neoplasia, suggesting that PBL telomere length could be a promising non-invasive blood biomarker to pre-screen for risk of AAs prior to colonoscopy.
Synergy and other ineffective mixture risk definitions

A substantial effort has been spent over the past few decades to label toxicologic interaction outcomes as synergistic, antagonistic, or additive. Although useful in influencing the emotions of the public and the press, these labels have contributed fairly little to our understanding of joint toxic action. Part of the difficulty is that their underlying toxicological concepts are only defined for two chemical mixtures, while most environmental and occupational exposures are to mixtures of many more chemicals. Furthermore, the mathematical characterizations of synergism and antagonism are inextricably linked to the prevailing definition of 'no interaction,' instead of some intrinsic toxicological property. For example, the US EPA has selected dose addition as the no-interaction definition for mixture risk assessment, so that synergism would represent toxic effects that exceed those predicted from dose addition. For now, labels such as synergism are useful to regulatory agencies, both for qualitative indications of public health risk as well as numerical decision tools for mixture risk characterization. Efforts to quantify interaction designations for use in risk assessment formulas, however, are highly simplified and carry large uncertainties. Several research directions, such as pharmacokinetic measurements and models, and toxicogenomics, should promote significant improvements by providing multi-component data that will allow biologically based mathematical models of joint toxicity to replace these pairwise interaction labels in mixture risk assessment procedures.
Longitudinal patterns of offending during the transition to adulthood in youth from the mental health system

Arrest rates among the population of youth who have been served in child mental health systems are known to be high during adolescence and young adulthood, but individual longitudinal patterns have not been examined. The present study used developmental trajectory modeling, a contemporary method used widely in criminology, to examine clusters of individual criminal justice involvement patterns at ages 8 through 25, from database records of 131 individuals in public adolescent mental health services. Three groups of particular concern emerged: one with increasingly high offense rates and two with moderate to high violent offense rates that did not desist. Offense patterns in these groups indicate that early intervention should occur before age 15. Some risk factors were identified. Peak offending for most groups occurred between ages 18 and 20. Implications of these findings for mental health services during the transition to adulthood are offered.
Falsification procedures for behavioral research in communication

In this essay, it is argued that reliance upon verification procedures has inhibited theory building in communication. Four falsification procedures are advanced and exemplified through communication studies. Finally, several implications are offered for conducting future behavioral research in communication from the falsification perspective.
The automatic video editor

More and more home videos are being produced with the increasing popularity of digital video camcorders. Yet the resulting home videos tend to be very long and boring to watch. The precious memories within those videos are ultimately lost. The problem is that the average home videographer does not have the time, or the editing skills to edit their home videos. It is a shame to let all those precious moments go to waste.There are editing software in the market that allow the user to edit their own home videos. For example, Apple's iMovie [1], Microsoft's MovieMaker [2], and the Hitchcock editing system [3]. But they still demand time, skill and effort from the user.With the above issue in mind, we developed the Automatic Video Editor, an application that analyzes a home video and edit it automatically into a condensed and interesting mini-movie.In our video, we will first show a clip of an unedited home video. Afterwards, we will show the output video created by our Automatic Video Editor.
LEARNING OF DETOUR PROBLEMS BY LEMURS AND SEVEN SPECIES OF MONKEYS

40 Ss drawn from 7 species of monkey, and Lemur catta were trained to solve bent-wire detour problems. Old World monkeys were significantly more proficient than New World monkeys or lemurs, but members of the latter two groups did not differ significantly from each other. The results are compared with those obtained with children, apes, and raccoons.
Measuring welfare changes in settings with imposed quantities

Abstract An intuitively attractive money metric utility measure is developed which is applicable in settings where individuals receive fixed quantities of one or more goods. One use of this measure is in cost-benefit analyses of imposed quantity changes. The approximate measures typically used are shown to be subject to relatively large approximation errors. However, techniques are presented which can always be used to numerically evaluate the exact welfare measure, provided that one knows the uncompensated demand function(s) or marginal willingness to pay function(s) of individuals.
Polymorphisms in the human homologue of the drosophila Indy (I'm not dead yet) gene

Abstract Insertion of a P element in one copy of the Drosophila Indy gene results in a significant increase in Drosophila lifespan. In order to examine whether mutations or polymorphisms in the human Indy gene promoted human longevity, the Indy gene was sequenced in 13 subjects of age 90–99, 12 subjects between age 38–49 and 18 subjects
AN INTEGRATED SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR SHIP WAKE HYDRODYNAMIC MODELING

Abstract An integrated software system for modeling ship wake hydrodynamics is presented in this paper. The system is composed by a number of modules, each performing a particular type of simulation. The design of the system is presented and the description of the individual modules is given. To demonstrate the functionality of the system we present results which were obtained from the testing and validation process of its modules.
A comparison and critical analysis of preclinical anticancer vaccination strategies.

Anticancer vaccines have been extensively studied in animal models and in clinical trials. While vaccination can lead to tumor protection in numerous murine models, objective tumor regressions after anticancer vaccination in clinical trials have been rare. B16 is a poorly immunogenic murine melanoma that has been extensively used in anticancer vaccination experiments. Because B16 has been widely used, different vaccination strategies can be compared. We reviewed the results obtained when B16 was treated with five common vaccine types: recombinant viral vaccines, DNA vaccines, dendritic cell vaccines, whole-tumor vaccines, and peptide vaccines. We also reviewed the results obtained when B16 was treated with vaccines combined with adoptive transfer of tumor antigen–specific T cells. We found several characteristics of vaccination regimens that were associated with antitumor efficacy. Many vaccines that incorporated xenogeneic antigens exhibited more potent anticancer activity than vaccines that were identic...
Witches: Wise, Weak, or Wicked Women?

The Old Testament makes several negative references to witches. One of them is: "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Exodus 22:18). It is therefore interesting to read in I Samuel 28:7-25 that a witch performed a good deed by putting Saul in contact with the dead Samuel. It is unfortunate that the Hebrew term "poisoner" is translated as our English word "witch." The origin of witches is a disputed matter. Several authors have spent considerable time on this and related matters. The reader can consult Leth bridge, Crow, MacFarlane, Murray, Summers, and H?lzer for a full treatment of this topic.1 My purpose in this paper is to attempt to understand the role of witches in our present society. In trying to evaluate the current phenomenon, I find an understanding of the Middle Ages appropriate. Current concepts arise, mainly from the key positions held during that period. These concepts will be discussed a little further on in this article, for example in the writing of Elizabeth Pope. I shall also use present-day theorists and case illustrations. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church was actively involved in its opposition to the occult in general and witches and the devil in particular. Several popes issued documents (bulls) in this regard. For instance, Pope Gregory IX in 1233 ruled that only Dominican priests were to be inquisitors, making them a kind of religious F.B.L In 1486, the infamous Malleus Male ficarum (Hammer of the Witches), the work of two Dominicans, Springer and Kramer, was completed. Two motives that prompted the Catholic Church into its active role were: 1) the belief that witches participated in the work of the devil and 2) the rather widespread phenomenon of nuns and priests who claimed to be possessed by the devil. One of the better assessments and differentiations concerning witches and witchcraft of the Middle Ages is the work of Dr. Elizabeth Pope.2 In order to understand the period, Pope maintains that one cannot speak of the witch, but that the phenomenon must be divided into the following categories:
A comparison of the MacAdam and the Adams-Nickerson indexes of color differences.

A simplified version of the MacAdam equation for color difference is presented. It is used in comparison with the Adams-Nickerson index for hypothetical colors in C. I. E. space and for colors of selected plastic samples. The two indexes disagree seriously except when the color difference involves differences in only one, and the same, chromaticity coordinate. Visual estimates of color differences shown by plastic samples show preferential agreement with the MacAdam index. The suggestion is made that this simplified MacAdam formula be given wider trial.
An approximate solution to the Lamm equation.

Abstract An approximate solution to the Lamm equation subject to the initial and boundary conditions for conventional sedimentation velocity experiments is derived and compared with the approximate solution of Fujita and MacCosham. Calculations with this solution demonstrate that the half-height method of estimating sedimentation coefficients yields correct values for ϵ
A Comparison of Semantic and Syntactic Event Related Potentials Generated by Children and Adults.

The present study employs event related potentials (ERPs) to verify the utility of using electrophysiological measures to study developmental questions within the field of language comprehension. Established ERP components (N400 and P600) that reflect semantic and syntactic processing were examined. Fifteen adults and 14 children (ages 8-13) processed spoken stimuli containing either semantic or syntactic anomalies. Adult participants showed a significant N400 in response to semantic anomalies and P600 components in response to syntactic anomalies. Children also show evidence of both ERP components. The children's N400 component differed from the adults' in scalp location, latency, and component amplitude. The children's P600 was remarkably similar to the P600 shown by adults in scalp location, component amplitude, and component latency. Theoretical implication for theories of language comprehension in adults and children will be discussed.
Another Look at the Milgram Obedience Studies The Role of the Gradated Series of Shocks

Milgram's (1963, 1965a, 1965b) incremental shock procedure for quantifying obedience may be partly responsible for the high levels of obedience obtained. The innocuous beginning of the shock sequence (low voltage, no negative feedback) may elicit compliance before the frightening implications of the procedure are clear, and the gradual escalation in shock intensity may deprive subjects of a qualitative breakpoint needed to justify changing from obedience to disobedience. Parallels between the incremental shock and the `foot-in-the-door" (Freedman & Fraser, 1966) techniques for obtaining compliance are discussed.
Constructing a Plant Cell. The Genetic Control of Root Hair Development

Multicellular organisms possess a diverse array of cell types, which vary in size, shape, composition, and function. Therefore, a fundamental feature of development in multicellular organisms is the proper specification and differentiation of distinct cell types. In plants, the formation of hair
Computers in 2001: Preparing Educational Administrators

These findings are important to educational leaders, especially those in higher education, who are responsible for allocating resources for microcomputers. Recommendations for the selection of appropriate hardware can be derived from this analysis of current computer use and of expected changes.
Phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of gooseberry as affected by in vitro digestion

This study investigated the potential effects of the digestion process on antioxidant properties and individual phenolic compounds of two European gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa): Tixia and Invicta. Gooseberries were digested via an in vitro digestive model with active or heat-inactivated enzymes. Digested and undigested samples were subject to antioxidant assays including total phenolic content (TPC) assay, DPPH radical scavenging assay, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Furthermore, the individual phenolic compounds in gooseberries before and after digestion were extracted and determined. Results revealed that digestion enhances the availability of antioxidants in both gooseberries, where the digested fruits showed higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. In addition, Tixia gooseberry possesses higher antioxidant capacity than Invicta based on TPC, DPPH, and ORAC results. Eight phenolic antioxidants were identified and quantified in Tixia and Invicta gooseberries. Among the identified phonic compounds, only quercetin hydrate was significantly improved by digestion. Our findings indicate that digestion enhances TPC content and antioxidant activity in gooseberries.
Psychometric analysis of the self-coherence survey

Self-coherence, as measured by the Self-Coherence Survey, is an important determinant of psychosocial health in a variety of life circumstances. This report presents a psychometric analysis of the Self-Coherence Survey that resulted in three scales labelled Appraisal, Holism, and Introspection. The factorial structure, reliability, and validity of Self-Coherence was evaluated and replicated in two samples from the same community population (Phase I n = 433; Phase II n = 421). The three dimensions identified in the theoretical discussion of self-coherence published in this journal in 1993, were identified and replicated. Implications for further research and nursing practice are discussed.
Higgs boson production cross section as a precision observable

We investigate what can be learned at a linear collider about the sector of electroweak symmetry breaking from a precise measurement of the Higgs boson production cross section through the process ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{hZ}.$ We focus on deviations from the standard model arising in its minimal supersymmetric extension. The analysis is performed within two realistic future scenarios, taking into account all prospective experimental errors on supersymmetric particle masses as well as uncertainties from unknown higher order corrections. We find that information on $\mathrm{tan}\ensuremath{\beta}$ and ${M}_{A}$ could be obtained from a cross section measurement with a precision of $0.5\ensuremath{-}1%.$ Alternatively, information could be obtained on the gaugino mass parameters ${M}_{2}$ and $\ensuremath{\mu}$ if they are relatively small, ${M}_{2},\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\approx}200\mathrm{GeV}.$
800 MHz mobile radio propagation tests in the Pittsburgh area

A propagation measurement program conducted at 800 MHz in the Pittsburgh area is described. Although the purpose of the test was to obtain data to be used in a specific system design, much of what was learned is applicable to designs in other locations. The data reduction procedure is presented, wlth the primary emphasls on the design of the Pittsburgh system. Data and conclusions in the areas of diversity improvement, tower shadowing, tunnel communications, and short-term fading characteristics are presented and discussed.
The Schizosaccharomyces pombe dim1+ Gene Interacts with the Anaphase-Promoting Complex or Cyclosome (APC/C) Component lid1+ and Is Required for APC/C Function

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe dim1(+) gene is required for entry into mitosis and for chromosome segregation during mitosis. To further understand dim1p function, we undertook a synthetic lethal screen with the temperature-sensitive dim1-35 mutant and isolated lid (for lethal in dim1-35) mutants. Here, we describe the temperature-sensitive lid1-6 mutant. At the restrictive temperature of 36 degrees C, lid1-6 mutant cells arrest with a "cut" phenotype similar to that of cut4 and cut9 mutants. An epitope-tagged version of lid1p is a component of a multiprotein approximately 20S complex; the presence of lid1p in this complex depends upon functional cut9(+). lid1p-myc coimmunoprecipitates with several other proteins, including cut9p and nuc2p, and the presence of cut9p in a 20S complex depends upon the activity of lid1(+). Further, lid1(+) function is required for the multiubiquitination of cut2p, an anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) target. Thus, lid1p is a component of the S. pombe APC/C. In dim1 mutants, the abundances of lid1p and the APC/C complex decline significantly, and the ubiquitination of an APC/C target is abolished. These data suggest that at least one role of dim1p is to maintain or establish the steady-state level of the APC/C.
Incidence of Bleeding in Renally Impaired Patients Receiving Incorrectly Dosed Eptifibatide or Bivalirudin While Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND:Limited data are available regarding adverse bleeding events associated with antithrombotic agents incorrectly dosed based on renal function in patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).OBJECTIVE:To compare the incidence of bleeding during their hospital stay in patients with reduced renal function receiving incorrect doses of bivalirudin or eptifibatide to the incidence of correct doses, based on manufacturer recommendations; secondary objectives were to determine the incidence of correct dosing based on manufacturer recommendations and the incidence of TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) major bleeding.METHODS:A chart review over a 32-month period showed that patients with reduced renal function who received either eptifibatide or bivalirudin during PCI were evaluated for correct dosing based on manufacturer recommendations, bleeding incidence according to the TIMI criteria, and extent of bleeding according to the TIMI and GUSTO (Global Use of Strategies to Open Occ...
Detecting clustering and ordering binding patterns among transcription factors via point process models

MOTIVATION Recent development in ChIP-Seq technology has generated binding data for many transcription factors (TFs) in various cell types and cellular conditions. This opens great opportunities for studying combinatorial binding patterns among a set of TFs active in a particular cellular condition, which is a key component for understanding the interaction between TFs in gene regulation. RESULTS As a first step to the identification of combinatorial binding patterns, we develop statistical methods to detect clustering and ordering patterns among binding sites (BSs) of a pair of TFs. Testing procedures based on Ripley's K-function and its generalizations are developed to identify binding patterns from large collections of BSs in ChIP-Seq data. We have applied our methods to the ChIP-Seq data of 91 pairs of TFs in mouse embryonic stem cells. Our methods have detected clustering binding patterns between most TF pairs, which is consistent with the findings in the literature, and have identified significant ordering preferences, relative to the direction of target gene transcription, among the BSs of seven TFs. More interestingly, our results demonstrate that the identified clustering and ordering binding patterns between TFs are associated with the expression of the target genes. These findings provide new insights into co-regulation between TFs. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION See 'www.stat.ucla.edu/∼zhou/TFKFunctions/' for source code.
Vibration Response in Visco-Elastic Interaction of Rough Surfaces

The nonlinear normal vibration of a block of rough surface in visco-elastic interaction with a rough plane is considered. The nonlinear normal free vibration response corresponds to the application of a constant compressive external load, thereby establishing an equivalent contact stiffness for the system. Closed-form equations relating contact damping ratio and contact natural frequency to the surface parameters are given.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
On multiple steiner subgraph problems

Recently, much attention has been given to the solvability of (otherwise intractable) combinatorial optimization problems when instances are confined to series-parallel graphs. Substantially less is known, however, regarding those that remain hard on these particularly sparse structures. While a few ad hoc cases have been shown to be difficult, little appears to be known in terms of more generic settings. In this paper, we contend with this state of affairs by establishing that a class of Steiner subgraph-like problems are NP-complete on series-parallel graphs while remaining easy (even trivial) on trees.
Design principles for insulated internal loopless MRI receivers

A theoretical analysis of insulated internal loopless MRI receivers is presented. Insulated loopless receivers are ideal for local, high resolution imaging of the vasculature and other internal organs. However, there are currently no analysis techniques or design principles for these devices. By using a Galerkin method of moments combined with an application of the volume equivalence theorem, we solve for the intrinsic SNR distribution of insulated loopless receivers. As insulation thickness is increased, the resonant antenna length increases while the noise resistance decreases. Both of these effects, when used together, can greatly improve the SNR magnitude and distribution of loopless receivers. Design principles outlined here will allow for optimization of loopless receivers for a variety of internal, high resolution imaging applications.