Bridge number, Heegaard genus and non-integral Dehn surgery

We show there exists a linear function w: N->N with the following property. Let K be a hyperbolic knot in a hyperbolic 3-manifold M admitting a non-longitudinal S^3 surgery. If K is put into thin position with respect to a strongly irreducible, genus g Heegaard splitting of M then K intersects a thick level at most 2w(g) times. Typically, this shows that the bridge number of K with respect to this Heegaard splitting is at most w(g), and the tunnel number of K is at most w(g) + g-1.Comment: 76 page, 48 figures; referee comments incorporated and typos fixed; accepted at TAM

An Examination of Gender Differences in the Construct Validity of the Silencing the Self Scale

Jack’s (1991) theory of self-silencing was originally designed to explain higher rates of depression in women in comparison to men. However, research finding that men score equal or even higher than women on measures of self-silencing has led theorists to speculate that self-silencing tendencies may be driven by different motivations and have different consequences for women versus men (Jack & Ali, 2010). Using a sample of 247 college students, we examined gender differences in the construct validity of the Silencing the Self Scale (STSS; Jack & Dill, 1992). We hypothesized that women would score higher on the Externalized Self-Perception subscale, but not in the other three subscales. Gender differences in the relationship between the STSS subscales and theoretically relevant constructs were also explored. The results indicated that women on average scored higher than men on the Externalized Self-Perception subscale, whereas men scored higher on the Care as Self-Sacrifice subscale. Further, there was a significant Gender × Care as Self-Sacrifice subscale interaction in the prediction of depression, such that this subscale was negatively correlated to depression in men and uncorrelated in women. These results clarify how self-silencing might translate into different mental health outcomes for women and men. Highlights: As hypothesized, women scored higher on the Externalized Self-Perception subscale of the STSS. * We examined Gender × Subscale interactions in prediction of theoretically-relevant constructs. * The Gender × Care as Self-Sacrifice subscale interaction significantly predicted depression

Error Rate of the Kane Quantum Computer CNOT Gate in the Presence of Dephasing

We study the error rate of CNOT operations in the Kane solid state quantum computer architecture. A spin Hamiltonian is used to describe the system. Dephasing is included as exponential decay of the off diagonal elements of the system's density matrix. Using available spin echo decay data, the CNOT error rate is estimated at approsimately 10^{-3}.Comment: New version includes substantial additional data and merges two old figures into one. (12 pages, 6 figures

You’ll change more than I will:Adults’ predictions about their own and others’ future preferences

It has been argued that adults underestimate the extent to which their preferences will change over time. We sought to determine whether such mis-predictions are the result of a difficulty imagining that one’s own current and future preferences may differ or whether it also characterizes our predictions about the future preferences of others. We used a perspective- taking task in which we asked young people how much they liked stereotypically-young-person items (e.g., Top 40 music, adventure vacations) and stereotypically-old-person items (e.g., jazz, playing bridge) now, and how much they would like them in the distant future (i.e., when they are 70 years old). Participants also made these same predictions for a generic same-age, same-sex peer. In a third condition, participants predicted how much a generic older (i.e., age 70) same-sex adult would like items from both categories today. Participants predicted less change between their own current and future preferences than between the current and future preferences of a peer. However, participants estimated that, compared to a current older adult today, their peer would like stereotypically-young items more in the future and stereotypically-old items less. The fact that peers’ distant-future estimated preferences were different from the ones they made for “current” older adults suggests that even though underestimation of change of preferences over time is attenuated when thinking about others, a bias still exists

Hemisystems of small flock generalized quadrangles

In this paper, we describe a complete computer classification of the hemisystems in the two known flock generalized quadrangles of order $(5^2,5)$ and give numerous further examples of hemisystems in all the known flock generalized quadrangles of order $(s^2,s)$ for $s \le 11$. By analysing the computational data, we identify two possible new infinite families of hemisystems in the classical generalized quadrangle $H(3,q^2)$.Comment: slight revisions made following referee's reports, and included raw dat

Međunarodni propisi o farmaceutskom društvenom riziku: Etičko gledište

Pharmaceutical production and distribution constitute big business. For the companies the rewards can be substantial. Rates of return on drug company investments tend to be higher than many other manufacturing enterprises. But reward is only one side of the story. There is also the issue of social risk, the focus of this article. Social risk for pharmaceutical production is especially pronounced. An ineffective or, worse, dangerous drug, can have dire consequences for the population at large. For this reason, there is elaborate government regulation and oversight of drug safety and risk. These systems, especially in the US and Europe, will be the main focus of this paper. The two systems will be described, and then compared and contrasted in terms of their framing of social risk and actions governments take to limit it. Systems elsewhere, especially in the developing world, are increasing in relative importance and these will be briefly discussed as well. Ethical issues that have arisen in these various systems will be surfaced and analysed. The paper will close with some conclusions and suggestions for further research.Proizvodnja i distribucija lijekova vrlo je unosan posao. Za djelovanje farmaceutskih tvrtki bitna je dobit. Financijska ulaganja i povrat investicija u farmaceutskoj industriji veći su nego u drugim djelatnostima. Ali profit je samo jedna strana priče. Postoji i veliki društveni rizik, o čemu će biti riječi u ovom članku. Društveni rizik u farmaceutskoj proizvodnji je posebno naglašen. Neučinkoviti, ili još gore, opasni lijekovi, mogu imati pogubne posljedice za cijelo stanovništvo. Zbog toga na državnoj razini postoji regulativa i nadzor nad sigurnosti i rizikom uporabe lijekova. Ti sustavi, posebno sustavi u SAD-u i Europi, u fokusu su ovog članka. Ta su dva nadzorna sustava opisana i uspoređena u svjetlu ograničavanja društvenog rizika i mjera koje vlade poduzimaju kako bi ih ograničile. Drugi sustavi, posebice u zemljama u razvoju, dobivaju sve više na značaju i ukratko su opisani. Prikazani su i analizirani etički principi u drugim sustavima. Rad završava sa zaključcima i prijedlozima za daljnja istraživanja

Factors determining social participation in the first year after kidney transplantation: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: This study describes changes in social participation in the first year after kidney transplantation and examines the influence of clinical factors, health status, transplantation-related symptoms, and psychological characteristics on change in social participation. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on a cohort of primary kidney transplant recipients, transplanted between March 2002 and March 2003. Data on participation in obligatory activities (i.e., employment, education, household tasks) and leisure activities (i.e., volunteer work, assisting others, sports, clubs/associations, recreation, socializing, going out) were collected by in-home interviews (n=61) at 3 months (T1) and 1 year posttransplantation (T2). Analysis of covariance was performed. RESULTS: Data showed an increase in participation in obligatory activities and diversity of leisure participation between T1 and T2, although pre-end-stage renal disease level was not regained and differed from the general population. On T1, the majority of employed recipients were on sick leave, but returned to work on T2. Employment rate remained stable. An increase in obligatory participation was predicted by clinical factors (i.e., peritoneal dialysis, initial hospitalization), whereas change in leisure participation was related to serum albumin and cognitive capacity. No effects were found for type of donation, comorbidity, and renal function. CONCLUSIONS: We found that mainly clinical factors were associated with an increase in participation in society. Although health-status related factors and the psychological attribute self-efficacy may be related to recovery of social participation, their effect was outweighed by the strength of clinical predictors in multivariate analysis

Rotation of planet-harbouring stars

The rotation rate of a star has important implications for the detectability, characterisation and stability of any planets that may be orbiting it. This chapter gives a brief overview of stellar rotation before describing the methods used to measure the rotation periods of planet host stars, the factors affecting the evolution of a star's rotation rate, stellar age estimates based on rotation, and an overview of the observed trends in the rotation properties of stars with planets.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures: Invited review to appear in 'Handbook of Exoplanets', Springer Reference Works, edited by Hans J. Deeg and Juan Antonio Belmont

Agricultural Biotechnology's Complementary Intellectual Assets

We formulate and test a hypothesis to explain the dramatic restructuring experienced recently by the plant breeding and seed industry. The reorganization can be explained in part by the desire to exploit complementarities between intellectual assets needed to create genetically modified organisms. This hypothesis is tested using data on agricultural biotechnology patents, notices for field tests of genetically modified organisms, and firm characteristics. The presence of complementarities is identified with a positive covariance in the unexplained variation of asset holdings. Results indicate that coordination of complementary assets have increased under the consolidation of the industry

Salvage chemotherapy with high-dose leucovorin (LV) and 48-hour continuous infusion (CI) of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination with conventional doses of cyclophosphamide (CPM) in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) pretreated with anthracycline and taxanes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity and tolerance of high-dose leucovorin (LV) and infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination with conventional doses of cyclophosphamide (CPM) as salvage chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) pretreated with anthracyclines and taxanes. 41 patients (median age 59 years) with MBC refractory or resistant to anthracyclines and taxanes were enrolled. The patients' performance status (WHO) was 0 in 10 patients (24%), 1 in 22 (54%), and 2 in 9 (22%). 30 (73%) patients had received 2 or more prior chemotherapy regimens. Cyclophosphamide (600 mg m−2) was given i.v. bolus on day 1 and LV (500 mg m−2 d−1) as a 2-h infusion followed by 5-FU (1.5 g m−2 d−1) over a 22 h c.i. for 2 consecutive days. Cyclophosphamide was administered every 28 days while 5-FU/LV every 14 days. In an intention-to-treat analysis, complete response (CR) was achieved in 2 (4.9%) patients and partial response (PR) in 9 (22%) (overall response rate 26.9%; 95% CI: 13.27–40.39%). Stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD) were observed in 9 (22%) and 21 (51%) patients, respectively. The overall response rate was 6% and 40% in patients with primary and secondary resistance to anthracyclines/taxanes, respectively (P = 0.047). The median duration of response and the median time to disease progression was 8 and 9.5 months, respectively. The median overall survival was 13 months and the probability for 1-year survival 51%. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 9 (22%) patients and 4 (9%) patients developed grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia. Non-haematological toxicity was mild. There were no cases of febrile neutropenia, toxic deaths or treatment-related hospital admissions due to toxicity. The combination of high-dose 5-FU/LV with conventional doses of cyclophosphamide is a well tolerated and effective salvage regimen in patients with MBC heavily pretreated with both anthracyclines and taxanes. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaignhttp://www.bjcancer.comhttp://www.bjcancer.co