Bergman kernel and complex singularity exponent

We give a precise estimate of the Bergman kernel for the model domain defined by $\Omega_F=\{(z,w)\in \mathbb{C}^{n+1}:{\rm Im}w-|F(z)|^2>0\},$ where $F=(f_1,...,f_m)$ is a holomorphic map from $\mathbb{C}^n$ to $\mathbb{C}^m$, in terms of the complex singularity exponent of $F$.Comment: to appear in Science in China, a special issue dedicated to Professor Zhong Tongde's 80th birthda

A computer aided teleoperator system Final report

Computer aided teleoperator system for remote handling task

Fellhanera gyrophorica, a new European species with conspicuous pycnidia

Fellhanera gyrophorica Sérus., Coppins, Diederich & Scheidegger is described as new from Europe Austria, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Switzerland and Ukraine. It is a sterile corticolous species with conspicuous and sometimes shortly stalked pycnidia whose outer walls produce gyrophoric acid. Its position in the genus Fellhanera (Pilocarpaceae) is tentative and further studies may necessitate its transfer to another genu

Random replicators with high-order interactions

We use tools of the equilibrium statistical mechanics of disordered systems to study analytically the statistical properties of an ecosystem composed of N species interacting via random, Gaussian interactions of order p >= 2, and deterministic self-interactions u <= 0. We show that for nonzero u the effect of increasing the order of the interactions is to make the system more cooperative, in the sense that the fraction of extinct species is greatly reduced. Furthermore, we find that for p > 2 there is a threshold value which gives a lower bound to the concentration of the surviving species, preventing then the existence of rare species and, consequently, increasing the robustness of the ecosystem to external perturbations.Comment: 7 pages, 4 Postscript figure

A comparison of the clinical populations of the Oregon Optometric Center and the Pacific University Optometric Clinics

This is a study comparing the populations of two optometric clinics. The purpose of this study is to present a statistical comparison of the Oregon Optometric Center and the Pacific University Optometric Clinic. A questionnaire was completed by Junior and Senior Optometry. Students to record these differences. The results showed significant differences between the two populations as to the patient\u27s last visual examination, last medical or dental examination, residence, education, entrance habitual visual acuity, presbyopic near prescripti on, and the near nonpresbyopic prescription. Recommendations are included for present use and further study

Post-Partum Pituitary Insufficiency and Livedo Reticularis Presenting a Diagnostic Challenge in a Resource Limited Setting in Tanzania: A Case Report, Clinical Discussion and Brief Review of Existing Literature.

Pituitary disorders following pregnancy are an important yet under reported clinical entity in the developing world. Conversely, post partum panhypopituitarism has a more devastating impact on women in such settings due to high fertility rates, poor obstetric care and scarcity of diagnostic and therapeutic resources available. A 37 year old African female presented ten years post partum with features of multiple endocrine deficiencies including hypothyroidism, hypoadrenalism, lactation failure and secondary amenorrhea. In addition she had clinical features of an underlying autoimmune condition. These included a history of post-partum thyroiditis, alopecia areata, livedo reticularis and deranged coagulation indices. A remarkable clinical response followed appropriate hormone replacement therapy including steroids. This constellation has never been reported before; we therefore present an interesting clinical discussion including a brief review of existing literature. Post partum pituitary insufficiency is an under-reported condition of immense clinical importance especially in the developing world. A high clinical index of suspicion is vital to ensure an early and correct diagnosis which will have a direct bearing on management and patient outcome

Using Semantic Technologies in Digital Libraries- A Roadmap to Quality Evaluation

Abstract. In digital libraries semantic techniques are often deployed to reduce the expensive manual overhead for indexing documents, maintaining metadata, or caching for future search. However, using such techniques may cause a decrease in a collection’s quality due to their statistical nature. Since data quality is a major concern in digital libraries, it is important to be able to measure the (loss of) quality of metadata automatically generated by semantic techniques. In this paper we present a user study based on a typical semantic technique use

Social and ethical criteria for prioritizing patients: a survey of students and health professionals in Portugal

O estudo quali-quantitativo explora o dilema ético da microalocação dos recursos da saúde. Objetiva identificar e comparar a opinião de dois grupos da sociedade portuguesa - estudantes e profissionais de saúde sobre a importância das características pessoais dos pacientes no momento de os priorizar e se as escolhas se explicam por referenciais bioéticos de caráter utilitaristas ou deontológicos. Os dados foram recolhidos através de um questionário aplicado a uma amostra de 180 estudantes universitários e 60 profissionais de saúde. Os respondentes perante hipotéticos cená- rios de emergência clínica tiveram de escolher de entre dois pacientes (distinguidos por idade, sexo, responsabilidade social, situação económica e laboral, comportamentos lesivos da saúde e registo criminal) quem tratar e justificar a escolha. Foram usados testes estatísticos de associação para comparar as respostas dos dois grupos e análise de conteúdo para categorizar as justificações. Os resultados sugerem a existência de diferenças nas escolhas dos dois grupos, com os profissionais de saúde a revelarem aceitar menos a utilização de critérios sociais em contexto de escassez e coexistência de critérios utilitaristas e deontológicos, com predomínio da eficiência por parte dos profissionais de saúde e da equidade por parte dos estudantesThis qualitative/quantitative study examines the ethical dilemma of microallocation of health resources. It seeks to identify and compare the opinion of two groups in Portuguese society – students and health professionals – on the importance of personal characteristics of patients at the moment of prioritizing them and if the choices can be explained by bioethical references of a utilitarian or deontological nature. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire administered to a sample of 180 students and 60 health professionals. Faced with hypothetical emergency scenarios, the respondents had to choose between two patients (distinguished by: age, gender, social responsibility, economic and employment situation, harmful health behaviors and criminal record), duly selecting who to treat and then justifying their choice. The results suggest the existence of differences in choices between the two groups, with health professionals revealing they are less prepared to accept the use of social criteria in a context of scarce resources and co-existence of utilitarian and deontological criteria, with a predominance of efficiency on the part of health professionals and equity on the part of students.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Holomorphic Functions on Bundles Over Annuli

We consider a family E_m(D,M) of holomorphic bundles constructed as follows: to any given M in GL_n(Z), we associate a "multiplicative automorphism" f of (C*)^n. Now let D be a f-invariant Stein Reinhardt domain in (C*)^n. Then E_m(D,M) is defined as the flat bundle over the annulus of modulus m>0, with fiber D, and monodromy f. We show that the function theory on E_m(D,M) depends nontrivially on the parameters m, M and D. Our main result is that E_m(D,M) is Stein if and only if m log(r(M)) <= 2 \pi^2, where r(M) denotes the max of the spectral radii of M and its inverse. As corollaries, we: -- obtain a classification result for Reinhardt domains in all dimensions; -- establish a similarity between two known counterexamples to a question of J.-P. Serre; -- suggest a potential reformulation of a disproved conjecture of Siu Y.-T

Identification of {HNRNPK} as Regulator of Hepatitis {C} Virus Particle Production

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease affecting around 130 million people worldwide. While great progress has been made to define the principle steps of the viral life cycle, detailed knowledge how HCV interacts with its host cells is still limited. To overcome this limitation we conducted a comprehensive whole-virus RNA interference-based screen and identified 40 host dependency and 16 host restriction factors involved in HCV entry/replication or assembly/release. Of these factors, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK) was found to suppress HCV particle production without affecting viral RNA replication. This suppression of virus production was specific to HCV, independent from assembly competence and genotype, and not found with the related Dengue virus. By using a knock-down rescue approach we identified the domains within HNRNPK required for suppression of HCV particle production. Importantly, HNRNPK was found to interact specifically with HCV RNA and this interaction was impaired by mutations that also reduced the ability to suppress HCV particle production. Finally, we found that in HCV-infected cells, subcellular distribution of HNRNPK was altered; the protein was recruited to sites in close proximity of lipid droplets and colocalized with core protein as well as HCV plus-strand RNA, which was not the case with HNRNPK variants unable to suppress HCV virion formation. These results suggest that HNRNPK might determine efficiency of HCV particle production by limiting the availability of viral RNA for incorporation into virions. This study adds a new function to HNRNPK that acts as central hub in the replication cycle of multiple other viruses