cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of engine exhaust gas modulation on the cold start emissions

This paper presents a computational investigation of the effect of engine exhaust gas modulations on the performance of an automotive catalytic converter during cold starts. The objective is to assess if the modulations can result in faster catalyst light-off conditions and thus reduce cold-start emissions. The study employs a single-channel based, one-dimensional, non-adiabatic model. The modulations are generated by forcing the variations in exhaust gases air-fuel ratio and gas compositions. The results show that the imposed modulations cause a significant departure in the catalyst behavior from its steady behavior, and modulations have both favorable and harmful effects on pollutant conversion during the cold-starts. The operating conditions and the modulating parameters have substantial influence on catalyst behavior.
Contact studies of weakly compressed PEG brushes with a quartz crystal resonator

A quartz crystal resonator was used to characterize the contact of an elastomeric polymer membrane with a grafted poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) brush in an aqueous environment. A two-layer model of the acoustic impedance of the system was used to measure the brush thickness before and after contact with the membrane. This model was further extended to include multiple layers, allowing characterization of other monomeric density profiles along the brush thickness. The polymer brush maintains a hydrated layer between the membrane and the quartz crystal surface, the thickness of which could be determined to within 1 nm. We show that the technique is very well suited for studying the properties of highly hydrated layers with thicknesses between 0 and 100 nm at low contact pressures corresponding to a very weak compression of the PEG brush.
3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylalanine (3-O-methyldopa) in plasma during oral L-dopa therapy of patients with Parkinson's disease.

Abstract A new fluorometric method based on the hydroxyindole reaction was developed for determination of 3- O -methyldopa in plasma of patients being treated with L -dopa. Dopa and homovanillic acid also were measured fluorometrically in the same plasma samples. During the 5-h period after a first dose of L -dopa was given to patients with Parkinson's disease, plasma 3- O -methyldopa levels increased, but more slowly and to a lesser degree than either dopa or homovanillic acid. After prolonged L -dopa therapy, 3- O -methyldopa accumulated in plasma, usually reaching levels higher than those of dopa. During the first 4 h after the morning dose of dopa in patients on long-term therapy, 3- O -methyldopa levels in plasma decreased slightly, while dopa and homovanillic acid increased as in patients newly treated.
Three-dimensional supersonic nozzle flowfield calculations

A second-order numerical method of characteristics has been developed for the solution of three-dimensional supersonic flows. The method has [been programed for the CDC 6500 and IBM 7094 computers for internal flows. Solutions are presented for several heretofore unsolved three-dimensional nozzle flow problems. These include: transition from an axisymmetric inlet to an elliptical cross section, transition from an axisymmetric inlet to a near rectangular cross section, and nonsymmetric inlet flow into an axisymmetric nozzle. The results of these calculations reveal the complexity of the pressure field in flows of this type and show that small deviations from axial symmetry produce gross three-dimensional effects that can only be determined using a truly three-dimensional calculation scheme.
Preparing for blended e‐learning – By Littlejohn, Allison & Pegler, Chris

The article presents a review of the book “Preparing for Blended E-Learning” by Allison Littlejohn and Chris Pegler.
Obstetrician-Gynecologists' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Regarding Elder Abuse Screening

Abstract Background Elder abuse is a prevalent and growing social problem with significant consequences on victims' mental and physical health. Unfortunately, many cases of elder abuse go unreported. Elderly women are at increased risk for abuse and, as such, obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) are in a unique position to screen for and report abuse. This study intended to determine OB/GYNs' knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding elder abuse. Methods Two hundred Fellows and Junior Fellows of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) received a survey. Analysis was completed with SPSS 20.0. In addition to descriptive statistics, χ2 analyses were used to determine differences between groups. Findings In total, 122 fellows responded (61%). Abuse screening rates differed by abuse type. Few “always” screen for abuse, with half assessing only when it is suspected. Most (81%) had never reported a case of abuse. Younger males reported different clinical practice patterns than other groups. Generally, OB/GYNs were knowledgeable about risk factors and facts about elder abuse, but several knowledge gaps were identified. Most reported that elder abuse screening is within their professional purview. Half of the respondents cited time constraints as a barrier to screening. Conclusions Greater education about elder abuse screening is needed. Specifically, training regarding available valid and brief screening tools, local abuse reporting laws, and available community resources. This study identified the potential need to target younger male OB/GYNs for additional training.
Hygroscopic Growth and Deliquescence of NaCl Nanoparticles Coated with Surfactant AOT

Several complementary experimental and theoretical methodologies were used to explore water uptake on sodium chloride (NaCl) particles containing varying amounts of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to elucidate the interaction of water with well-defined, environmentally relevant surfaces. Experiments probed the hygroscopic growth of mixed SDS/NaCl nanoparticles that were generated by electrospraying aqueous 2 g/L solutions containing SDS and NaCl with relative NaCl/SDS weight fractions of 0, 5, 11, 23, or 50 wt/wt %. Particles with mobility-equivalent diameters of 14.0(±0.2) nm were size selected and their hygroscopic growth was monitored by a tandem nano-differential mobility analyzer as a function of relative humidity (RH). Nanoparticles generated from 0 and 5 wt/wt % solutions deliquesced abruptly at 79.1(±1.0)% RH. Both of these nanoparticle compositions had 3.1(±0.5) monolayers of adsorbed surface water prior to deliquescing and showed good agreement with the Brunauer−Emmett−Teller and the Frenkel−Halsey...
Seismic Design of Secondary Systems

The ever increasing demand of providing accurate yet practical solution to the problem of seismic analysis of secondary system in industrial units has led to the development of some very novel analytical techniques. The paper describes the evolution of the methods which have been used to analyze the secondary systems in the past two decades. The developments starting with the direct generation of floor response spectra up to the recent introduction of the cross floor response spectra as the seismic inputs for the analysis of multiply supported secondary systems are discussed. lately, significant research efforts have also been directed to incorporate the effect of the dynamic interaction between the primary and secondary systems in their analyses. The latest developments in this area, utilizing the component mode synthesis approaches, are also described.
Tellurium—an unusual carbon oxidation catalyst

Abstract It has been found that tellurium, in the form of metal, oxide or tetrachloride, is a potent catalyst for the air oxidation of carbon at temperatures above 500°C. Thermogravimetric and kinetic measurements with doped graphite indicate that TeO 2 is the active species, participating in a cyclic oxidation-reduction sequence of reactions and excavating channels and pits on the graphite surface.
Characterization of crab EcR and RXR homologs and expression during limb regeneration and oocyte maturation.

Abstract We report here complete coding sequences for the Uca pugilator homologs of the ecdysteroid (UpEcR) and retinoid-X receptors (UpRXR). Library screenings recovered cDNA clones containing a unique amino terminal open-reading frame (A/B domain) for each gene, most similar to insect B1 EcR and USP1/RXR isoforms. Splicing variants in the UpRXR ligand-binding domain were also identified, in a region critical for folding of Drosophila and lepidopteran USP. UpEcR and UpRXR proteins were able to associate, and both are required for binding to an ecdysteroid HRE; these interactions were not hormone-dependent. Ribonuclease protection assays (RPA) were conducted using A/B domain and ‘common’ (C or E) domain probes on RNA isolated from various stages of regenerating limb buds and ovaries. For several of the limb bud and ovarian stages examined, the relative level of A/B domain sequence protected was significantly less than common domain suggesting alternative amino terminal isoforms other than those isolated through cloning. This is the first report of UpEcR and UpRXR transcription during ovarian maturation, implicating the ovary as a potential target for hormonal control in Crustacea.
Unconventional large-N limit of the Gaussian effective potential and the phase transition in λφ 4 theory

In the conventional large-N limit the coupling constant λ is required to scale as 1/N. While the Gaussian effective potential (GEP) is known to contain the exact result in this limit, it shows a phase transition only when λ≫1/N (in units of the renormalized mass in the symmetric vacuum). Here we determine the asymptotic behaviour, asN→∞, of λ and other quantities at the phase transition of the GEP. We find λcrit to be finite in 0+1 dimensions; of order 1/lnN in 1+1 dimensions; 1/N1/3 in 2+1 dimensions; and\(1/\sqrt N \) in 3+1 dimensions. The GEP's first-order phase transition is shown to become asymptotically second-order in 1+1 dimensions and below. We also discuss non-integer dimensions and the approach to the non-trivial “autonomous” theory in 3+1 dimensions.
Lack of a persistent reduction in serum lipid and apoprotein levels in insulin-dependent diabetic patients receiving intensified insulin treatment.

Type I insulin-dependent diabetic patients have an increased risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease that may be determined in part by their tendency to develop circulating lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities. The occurrence of such findings in asymptomatic ambulant Type I patients with mild or moderate hyperglycemia might suggest that conventional methods of insulin treatment are as inefficient at normalizing lipid abnormalities as they are in achieving euglycemia. It would then be important to ascertain whether intensive methods of insulin treatment effectively normalized lipid levels. Ten insulin-dependent young adult diabetic patients were studied on a conventional insulin treatment regimen and then at two-monthly intervals for a six-month period during which they were managed by three different intensified insulin treatment regimens. Plasma glucose levels improved substantially (p<0.001) after two months of intensified therapy (106±4 mg/dl) and did not change significantly thereafter for the remaining four months of intensified insulin treatment. Apart from a short-lived decrease in total, LDL and HDL-cholesterol after two months of intensified treatment (baseline total triglyceride 116±13 mg/dl, total cholesterol 174±16 mg/dl, HDL-cholesterol 46±3 mg/dl). There were no persistent changes in serum lipids, lipoprotein cholesterol or in levels of their major apoproteins A-I, A-II and B. These findings support the contention that, despite moderate hyperglycemia, conventional insulin treatment may be adequate to maintain normal lipid levels. In such circumstances achievement of euglycemia by intensified insulin therapy leads to little change in circulating lipid and lipoprotein values.
Imaging sub-nanomolar concentrations through more than five centimeters of tissue with time-domain diffuse fluorescence tomography?

The superior sensitivity and dynamic range of photodetection using time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) technology can extend the diameter of specimens that can be imaged with fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) and extend the minimum fluorescence concentration that can be reconstructed. To test these limits, a multi-modal system combining microcomputed tomography (microCT) and time-domain TCSPC FMT was used to image a 5 cm-diameter tissue-simulating cylindrical phantom containing an inclusion of various concentrations of AlexaFluor 647, mixed with 1% intralipid in water. This was repeated at lower concentrations for a 2.5 cm-diameter cylindrical phantom. Fluorescence tomography images were reconstructed using the structural information obtained from the microCT (outer surface of the interrogated sample) as prior information for light transport modeling. Results are presented showing that the location of the fluorescent inclusion can be reconstructed down to nanomolar concentrations in the 5 cm phantom and down to sub-nanomolar concentrations in the 25 mm phantom. The ability to reconstruct fluorescence images of these phantoms demonstrates that an unprecedented level of sensitivity can be achieved with time-domain TCSPC fluorescence tomography allowing this technology to be used for applications involving animals larger than mice as well as for applications where limited contrast is available.
The value of lumbar puncture in the evaluation of critically ill, non-immunosuppressed, surgical patients : a retrospective analysis of 70 cases

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of lumbar puncture (LP) in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Surgical intensive care unit at a major tertiary care medical center. Patients: All patients admitted to the SICU during the period 1987–1995 who had a lumbar puncture, excluding those with a history of recent head trauma or a neurosurgical procedure. Measurements: Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) results, indication for lumbar puncture, admitting service, length of ICU stay, presence of fever and use of antibiotics. Results: Of 7,555 admissions to the SICU over the period 1987–1995, 204 patients underwent LP during the hospital admission. Four charts could not be located and 75 patients underwent LP in locations other than the SICU. Of the remaining 125 cases, 55 carried a neurosurgical diagnosis and 70 had non-neurosurgical problems. Fifty-three (75 %) of the patients had received antibiotics prior to the procedure. Among the 70 cases without a primary neurosurgical diagnosis, LP was performed to rule out infective meningitis suggested by fever and mental status changes (30 patients), mental status changes alone (7 patients), systemic illness with fever and/or mental status changes (10 patients), seizures (10 patients), meningismus (+/− fever, 4 patients), or a combination of neurological findings (8 patients). There were no cases in which meningitis was positively diagnosed. Medical management was altered in only two patients based upon the results obtained by LP. Conclusions: We conclude that LP in SICU patients without a recent history of head trauma or a neurosurgical operation is a low yield procedure, especially for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.
Angioedema in patients treated with sirolimus and ACE inhibitor post hematopoietic SCT.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) are known to cause angioedema in 0.3–0.7% of patients.1,2 ACEi prevent degradation of bradykinin, resulting in vasodilation and increased vascular permeability. ACEi reduce proteinuria and have nephro-protective effects; therefore, this class of drugs is attractive in patients with sickle cell disease, where nephropathy is a common result of sickle-mediated tissue damage.3,4
The central limit theorem for U-processes indexed by Hölder's functions☆

Abstract Let F α ={f: R → R : sup x |f(x)|⩽1, sup x≠y |f(x)−f(y)|⧸|x>−y| α ⩽1} . It is shown that the condition ∑∞ k=1 ( Pr {k−1 1 2 , which is known to be equivalent to F 1 being P-Donsker, implies that F α is P-Donsker for 1 2 . U-processes indexed by these classes of Holder's functions are also considered.
Crime, politics, and minority populations: Use of official statistics in the united states and Japan

Although the governments of the United States and Japan differ markedly in racial ideology, official crime statistics in both nations reflect political arrangements which marginalize minority populations. In both nations, official crime statistics reveal more about the attempts of majority populations to label minority populations as a criminal class than about variations in criminal behavior across racial populations. While there is no racially pure Black population in the United States, there is a “black” category within official statistics, and the statistics are used to justify crime control policies which have a disparate impact on the diverse peoples who are socially‐perceived as Black. While there are undeniably non‐Japanese populations in Japan, there are no racial categories for them in official statistics which define them out of existence; except where crime statistics are concerned, so that the police can monitor the criminality of “foreigners.” In both societies, official categorization of ra...
Ultraviolet curing kinetics of cycloaliphatic epoxide with real‐time fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The photo-induced curing kinetics of cycloaliphatic epoxide coatings were investigated with real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with an optical fiber ultraviolet curing system. The consumption of epoxy group as a function of time was obtained by monitoring of the oxirane absorbance in the 789-746-cm -1 region. The effect of the type of epoxide, hydroxyl equivalent weight, ratio of oxirane to hydroxyl groups (R), photoinitiator, and exposure time on the curing reaction was investigated. In general, the rate of curing was dependent on the hydroxyl equivalent weight, R, type of epoxide, and photoinitiator. For formulations without polyol, both initiator concentration and exposure time had minimal effects on the curing reaction. However, for formulations with polyol, the curing a reaction was dependent on the initiator concentration.
Some Relationships between Host, Egg Potential, and Pupal Weight of the Elm Spanworm, Ennomos subsignarius (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

The elm spanworm, Ennomos subsignarius (H¼bner), a polyphagous defoliator of hardwoods, has been in outbreak in the southern Appalachians since 1954 (Fedde 1964). Host trees in the outbreak area are the oaks, Quercns spp., and the hickories, Carya spp.
Large longitudinal electric fields (Ez) in silicon nanowire waveguides

We demonstrate the presence of strong longitudinal electric fields (E(z)) in silicon nanowire waveguides through numerical computation. These waveguide fields can be engineered through choice of waveguide geometry to exhibit amplitudes as high as 97% that of the dominant transverse field component. We show even larger longitudinal fields created in free space by a terminated waveguide can become the dominant electric field component, and demonstrate E(z) has a large effect on waveguide nonlinearity. We discuss the possibility of controlling the strength and symmetry of E(z) using a dual waveguide design, and show that the resulting longitudinal field is sharply peaked beyond the diffraction limit.
An asymmetric synthesis of indole alkaloids

Abstract Chiral formamidines derived from β-carbolines are metallated and alkylated stereoselectively opening a route to indole alkaloids and analogous compounds.
Kinetics of the reaction OH + NO2 + M → HNO3 + M

The NO2 + OH + Ar → HNO3 + Ar reaction rate constant was measured over the pressure range from 0.5 to 10 torr at 297°K using ultraviolet fluorescent scattering for the detection of OH radicals. Preliminary results for the NO + OH + Ar → HNO2 + Ar reaction rate constant are mentioned.
Three-component scattering model to describe polarimetric SAR data

Classification, decomposition and modeling of polarimetric SAR data has received a great deal of attention in the recent literature. The objective behind these efforts is to better understand the scattering mechanisms which give rise to the polarimetric signatures seen in SAR image data. In this paper, a new approach is described, which involves the fit of a combination of three simple scattering mechanisms to the polarimetric SAR observations. The mechanisms are volume scatter from a cloud of randomly oriented dipoles, even-bounce scatter from a pair of orthogonal surfaces with different dielectric constants and Bragg scatter from a moderately rough surface. This composite scattering model is used to describe the polarimetric backscatter from naturally occurring scatterers. Results are presented of application of this new algorithm to different types of scene, including multi-frequency polarimetric SAR images of a tropical rain forest, a boreal forest, a pine forest, geologic targets, urban areas and agricultural fields. Fitting the model to polarimetric SAR data of the tropical rain forest for example, allows clear discrimination between flooded and non-flooded forest. The model can be used to estimate the overall contribution from each of the three basic scattering mechanisms for each SAR image pixel.
Interrelationships of Ubiquinone and Sterol Syntheses in Cultured Cells of Neural Origin

Ubiquinone synthesis has been studied in cultured C-6 glial and neuroblastoma cells by utilizing an inhibitor, 3-beta-(2-diethylaminoethoxy) androst-5-en-17-one hydrochloride (U18666A), of cholesterol biosynthesis. Exposure of C-6 glial cells to nanomolar quantities of U18666A caused a marked inhibition of total sterol synthesis from [14C]acetate or [3H]mevalonate within minutes. A 95% inhibition was apparent after a 3-h exposure to 200 ng/ml of U18666A. These observations, together with studies of the incorporation of radioactivity from the two precursors into cholesterol, desmosterol, lanosterol, and squalene, indicated that although the most sensitive site to inhibition by U18666A is desmosterol reduction to cholesterol, a major site of inhibition is demonstrable at a more proximal site, perhaps squalene synthetase. As a consequence of the latter inhibition, exposure of C-6 glial cells to U18666A caused a marked stimulation of incorporation of [14C]acetate or [3H]mevalonate into ubiquinone. Over a wide range of U18666A concentrations, the increase in ubiquinone synthesis was accompanied by an approximately similar decrease in total sterol synthesis. Whereas in the absence of U18666A only approximately 7% of the radioactivity incorporated from [3H]mevalonate into isoprenoid compounds was found in ubiquinone, in the presence of the drug approximately 90% of incorporated radioactivity was found in ubiquinone. The reciprocal effects of U18666A on ubiquinone and sterol syntheses were apparent also in the neuronal cells. THe data thus demonstrate a tight relationship between ubiquinone and sterol biosyntheses in cultured cells of neural origin. In such cells ubiquinone synthesis is exquisitely sensitive to the availability of isoprenoid precursors derived from the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway.
Solution-Phase Synthesis of Sub-10 nm Au−Ag Alloy Nanoparticles

Gold−silver alloy nanoparticles were synthesized via reduction of varying mole fractions of HAuCl4 and AgNO3 by sodium borohydride in the presence of sodium citrate as a capping agent, in water. Solution concentrations were adjusted to avoid the precipitation of AgCl during the course of the reaction. The plasmon absorption band of Ag−Au nanoparticles shifts linearly to the red with increasing Au content. Due to the direct dependence of the metal salt ratio to the shift of the absorbance peak and the lack of an apparent core−shell structure in transmission electron microscope images, it is concluded that the nanoparticles are alloys, rather than core−shell composites.
Topical levarterenol in control of bladder hemorrhage.

Abstract Topical levarterenol was evaluated for the control of bladder hemorrhage. Its possible toxic effects were investigated in the intact dog bladder, and its use was compared with saline irrigations in experimental massive bladder hemorrhage. Eight mg. % levarterenol was found to be safe and effective in our model.
Local delamination growth in layered systems under compressive load

This paper addresses the problem of delamination growth prior to its buckling using mathematical techniques appropriate for mixed boundary value problems. This formulation does not require buckling as a necessary condition for delamination growth. Solution to the problem of an infinite layer with a slightly imperfect circular delamination subjected to axisymmetric and uniaxial in plane compressive loading are presented. This approach permits the determination of the stress intensity factors under specified initial imperfections for applied compressive stress
Karyotypic analysis of 32 malignant epithelial ovarian tumors

The identification of recurrent specific cytogenetic findings in various malignancies has provided an improved means to diagnose and treat patients. To date, no characteristic markers have been found for epithelial ovarian cancer. This is due, in part, to several contributory factors, including the inability to identify optimal growth conditions for culture and the fact that most analyses of advanced-stage tumors are obtained from malignant effusions rather than from solid tissue. In addition, many reports include previously treated patients. In this study, 32 untreated solid epithelial ovarian tumors, including 8 tumors of low malignant potential (LMP), were obtained from primary and metastatic sites at initial surgical staging. Using a 2-culture plastic technique for tissue growth, we achieved a 96% short-term culture success rate. Only 4 normal 46,XX karyotypes were identified. Diploid or near-diploid genomes were associated with few cytogenetic alterations. Complex karyotypic morphologies were consistently associated with advanced or poorly differentiated tumors. Nonrandom cytogenetic aberrations most commonly involved chromosomes 1 and 6. A novel translocation, t(1;6)(p10;p10), was identified in both a metastatic LMP tumor and a poorly differentiated invasive tumor. This cytogenetic rearrangement can potentially be regarded as a clinically relevant early marker for tumorogenesis. Finally, karyotypes from both primary and metastatic sites were subject to a comparative analysis in 11 patients. In 4 cases, greater chromosomal complexity was associated with the primary site.
Inflammation and atherosclerosis: direct versus indirect mechanisms

It is now widely accepted that the development of atherosclerotic lesions involves a chronic inflammatory response that includes both innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. However, it is still unclear precisely what induces the inflammatory response. Furthermore, inflammation within the blood vessel can be divided into direct mechanisms where the primary inflammatory events occur within the intima of the blood vessel and contribute to both the initiation and progression of the plaques and indirect mechanisms where inflammation at nonvascular sites can contribute to the progression of the lesions. The direct mechanisms include lipid deposition and modification, influx of lipoprotein associated factors and microparticles derived from many different cell types, and possibly bacterial and viral infection of vascular cells. Indirect mechanisms derive from inflammation related to autoimmune diseases, smoking, respiratory infection, and pollution exposure, and possibly periodontal disease and gastric infection. The mechanisms include secretion of cytokines and other inflammatory factors into the circulation with subsequent uptake into the plaques, egress and recruitment of activated inflammatory cells, formation of dysfunctional HDL and crossreactive autoantibodies.
Virulent Hessian Fly Larvae Manipulate the Free Amino Acid Content of Host Wheat Plants

Gall-forming insects induce host plants to form specialized structures (galls) that provide immature life stages of the insect access to host plant nutrients and protection from natural enemies. Feeding by larvae of the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor Say) causes susceptible host wheat plants to produce a gall-like nutritive tissue that supports larval growth and development. To determine if changes in host plant free amino acid levels are associated with virulent Biotype L Hessian fly larval feeding, we quantified free amino acid levels in crown tissues of susceptible Newton wheat plants 1, 4, and 7 days after Hessian fly egg hatch. Hessian fly-infested susceptible plants were more responsive than resistant plants or uninfested controls, showing higher concentrations of alanine, glutamic acid, glycine, phenylalanine, proline, and serine 4 days after egg hatch. This 4-day post-hatch time point corresponds to the maturation of nutritive tissue cells in susceptible plants and the onset of rapid larval growth. By 7 days after egg hatch, when virulent second instars are actively feeding on the contents of nutritive tissue cells, the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine were more abundant compared to uninfested controls, but the levels of other free amino acids were no longer elevated. Changes in free amino acid abundance described in this report were associated with increased levels of mRNA encoded by wheat genes involved in amino acid synthesis and transport.
Perceived harm, addictiveness, and social acceptability of tobacco products and marijuana among young adults: marijuana, hookah, and electronic cigarettes win.

Background: There has been an increase in non-daily smoking, alternative tobacco product and marijuana use among young adults in recent years. Objectives: This study examined perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of cigarettes, cigar products, smokeless tobacco, hookah, electronic cigarettes, and marijuana among young adults and correlates of such perceptions. Methods: In Spring 2013, 10,000 students at two universities in the Southeastern United States were recruited to complete an online survey (2,002 respondents), assessing personal, parental, and peer use of each product; and perceptions of health risks, addictiveness, and social acceptability of each of these products. Results: Marijuana was the most commonly used product in the past month (19.2%), with hookah being the second most commonly used (16.4%). The least commonly used were smokeless tobacco products (2.6%) and electronic cigarettes (4.5%). There were high rates of concurrent product use, particularly among ele...
Moments expressed in terms of the hazard function and applications

Abstract This paper develops a formula for the moments of a nonnegative continuous random variable, expressed directly in terms of the associated hazard function. Three applications illustrate the expediency of this formula in cases where the hazard function constitutes primary information. One of these applications deals with a hazard function which has the so called “bathtub” shape. An analytical model for the bathtub curve is presented.
The β-globin domain in immature chicken erythrocytes: enhanced solubility is coincident with histone hyperacetylation

A 60 minute exposure of chicken immature erythrocytes to n-butyrate shifts actively acetylated and deacetylated histones to hypermodified forms. Micrococcal nuclease digestion of nuclei from n-butyrate treated cells and subsequent fractionation of the chromatin releases 40-45% of the adult beta-globin (beta A) nucleohistone into a soluble fraction. This is an eleven fold enrichment over the soluble chromatin from untreated cells (Ferenz and Nelson (1985) Nucleic Acids Res. 13, 1977-1995). The enhanced beta A chromatin solubility and induced histone hyperacetylation are coincident. Removal of n-butyrate from the cell incubation medium allows rapid histone deacetylation and a striking reduction in beta A chromatin solubility. Chromatin from cells incubated in the absence of n-butyrate, or in medium containing 10 mM NaCl or 2% dimethylsulfoxide, does not exhibit histone hyperacetylation, or the acquired solubility of beta A chromatin. We show that the H4 histone co-isolated with the beta A DNA is in a hyperacetylated state and present evidence that the n-butyrate incubation increases the solubility of both coding and noncoding chromatin regions in the beta-globin domain.
Developing Social Competence in Gifted Preschool Children

Social skills development is an important component of a young child's educational program. Gifted preschool children may require special guidance to help them understand and cope with their unusual abilities. Uneven development, social isolation, and inappropriate educational environments can be particular problems for gifted children. A sensitive understanding of gifted preschool children's social and emotional development can provide the foundation for fostering the development of social competence both informally, through classroom interactions, and formally, through structured group lessons.
Cofactor Identification of Threonine-Serine Dehydratase from Sheep Liver

Abstract L-Threonine-Serine dehydratase catalyzes the conversion of L-threonine and L-Serine to α-ketobutyric acid and pyruvate, respectively. The enzyme has been purified to homogeneity from extracts of sheep liver. In the past, various cofactors have been suggested for threonine dehydratase from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic tissue. While some direct evidence for the presence of pyriodoxal 5′-phosphate in impure preparations is present in the literature no direct evidence for the cofactor in homogeneous dehydrogenase from mammalian tissue has been reported. The threonine dehydratase of sheep liver has been obtained in a homogeneous form and a spectral study provides clear evidence for the presence of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Both the physical properties of homogeneous threonine dehydratase and a study of spectral properties of its cofactor are reported in this communication.
Seal-Inlet Disturbance Boundary Condition Correlations for Rotordynamics Models, Part 2: Assessment

Nearly all seal rotordynamics models were forced to assume that the seal-inlet swirl velocity disturbance boundary condition components (W 1C and W 1S ) are zero. The companion (Part 1) paper employs an extensive parametric study to develop a complete set of widely applicable seal-inlet disturbance boundary condition correlations that will alleviate this shortcoming. The benefits of using the new seal-inlet boundary condition correlations were assessed by implementing them into a CFD-perturbation model. Two widely different test cases were employed. Case 1 is a test of the correlations for large upstream chambers using a simple liquid smooth-plain seal, and Case 2 is a test for small, as well as radial injection, upstream chambers using a complicated gas labyrinth seal. For both cases, consistently improved agreement with measurements was obtained for the options with non-zero W 1C and W 1S compared to the option with W 1C = W 1S = 0. Specifically, the correlation set using the W 1C -profile option gave a...
Computer‐automated design of structural systems under reliability‐based performance constraints

Optimization of structural systems under reliability‐based performance constraints is an important problem at present receiving too little attention. This problem is investigated in this paper. In developing the reliability‐based optimization approach to the design of framed structures, we review first the general formulation of the deterministic optimization problem and present some of the main features of two general‐purpose deterministic optimization programs. A computer‐automated reliability‐based optimum design procedure is then presented by which the concept of reliability analysis with regard to both serviceability and ultimate performance constraints is combined with that of the minimum weight design to achieve an optimum trade‐off between the global reliability and the total cost. The procedure is feasible for application in system optimization of both steel and reinforced concrete structures.
Prefrontal cortical dopamine depletion enhances the responsiveness of mesolimbic dopamine neurons to stress

Mild footshock stress results in the metabolic activation of the prefrontal cortical dopamine (DA) innervation, but does not augment DA utilization in mesolimbic areas (such as the nucleus accumbens septi, NAS) or the striatum. However, increases in either the intensity or duration of footshock stress increase DA utilization in the subcortical sites. DA afferents to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) hold corticofugal projection neurons under tonic inhibition. Previous data suggest that removal of these corticofugal glutamatergic neurons from tonic DA inhibition results in a transsynaptic alteration in the NAS, such that the DA innervation of the NAS is rendered hyperresponsive to certain perturbations. We therefore examined the effects of stress on subcortical DA systems in rats previously subjected to 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the PFC DA innervation. Mild footshock stress resulted in an increase in concentrations of the DA metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the PFC, but not NAS or striatum, of sham-lesioned animals. Footshock resulted in a significant increase in the concentration of DOPAC in the nucleus accumbens of animals sustaining PFC lesions two weeks previously. The PFC lesion did not result in a stress-induced increase in DA release in the striatum. These results suggest that disruption of the PFC DA innervation results in an enhanced responsiveness of the mesolimbic DA innervation to stress. These data may help explain the stress-elicited exacerbation of the psychotic process in schizophrenia.
Cautious optimism vs. cockeyed optimism

(1994). Cautious optimism vs. cockeyed optimism. Psychology & Health: Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 201-203.
New Model of Raman Spectra in Laser-Produced Plasma

Some experimental observations of Raman scattering in laser produced plasma have been previously attributed to the onset of the convective Stimulated Raman Instability (SRS-C). This interpretation has had a number of difficulties, associated with the calculated threshold for onset of the SRS-C, the existence of gaps in the frequency spectrum near the incident frequency ..omega../sub 0/ and near ..omega../sub 0//2, and with the angular distribution. We now propose a new explanation based on ordinary incoherent Thompson scattering, with a greatly enhanced plasma line. Transient local reversed-slope velocity distributions in the underdense region can be produced by pulses of hot electrons arising from the two-plasmon (2..omega../sub p/) or absolute stimulated Raman instabilities (SRS-A) occurring near the quarter critical surface. A simple model yields the observed spectral gaps near ..omega../sub 0/ and near ..omega../sub 0//2. It also explains the correlation of onset of this scattering with onset of the SRS-A, its transient localization in frequency and time, and the weak azimuthal angular variation. The existence of upscattered light is also predicted.
Risk of Colonic Cancer is Not Higher in the Obese Lep ob Mouse Model Compared to Lean Littermates

Epidemiological data suggest that obesity increases the risk of colorectal cancer in humans. Given that diet-induced obesity mouse models verified the epidemiological data, the present study aimed to determine whether obese C57BL/6J-Lepob male mice (a different obesity in vivo model) were at greater risk of colonic cancer than their lean male littermates. Risk of colonic tumorigenesis was assessed by numbers of aberrant crypts, aberrant crypt foci and colonic tumors. Proliferation of the colonic epithelia was assessed histochemically following administration of BrdU. Availability of the procarcinogen, azoxymethane (AOM) to target tissues was assessed by quantifying via HPLC plasma AOM concentrations during the 60 min period following AOM injection. When obese and lean mice were injected with azoxymethane (AOM) at doses calculated to provide equivalent AOM levels per kg lean body mass, obese animals had significantly fewer aberrant crypts/colon and fewer aberrant crypt foci/colon than the lean animals. Tumors were identified in the colonic mucosa of lean (4 tumors in 14 mice) but not obese (0 tumors in 15 mice) mice. Colonic cell proliferation was not significantly different for obese and lean mice. Because these results were unexpected, plasma AOM concentrations were measured and were found to be lower in the obese than lean mice. When plasma AOM levels were comparable for the lean and obese mice, the Lepob mice continued to have significantly fewer aberrant crypt foci/colon than the lean mice, but differences were not statistically different for aberrant crypts/colon. Interestingly, obese Lepob mice did not exhibit increased risk of colonic cancer as expected. Instead, Lepob mice exhibited equivalent or lower risk of colon cancer when compared to the lean group. These results taken together with in vivo results from diet-induced obesity studies, imply that leptin may be responsible for the increased risk of colon cancer associated with obesity.
Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) as a Micro-Neural Interface Material for Electrostimulation

Chronic microstimulation-based devices are being investigated to treat conditions such as blindness, deafness, pain, paralysis and epilepsy. Small area electrodes are desired to achieve high selectivity. However, a major trade-off with electrode miniaturization is an increase in impedance and charge density requirements. Thus, the development of novel materials with lower interfacial impedance and enhanced charge storage capacity is essential for the development of micro-neural interface-based neuroprostheses. In this report, we study the use of conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as a neural interface material for microstimulation of small area iridium electrodes on silicon-substrate arrays. Characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, electrodeposition of PEDOT results in lower interfacial impedance at physiologically-relevant frequencies, with the 1kHz impedance magnitude being 23.3 ± 0.7 kΩ compared to 113.6 ± 3.5 kΩ for iridium oxide (IrOx) on 177μm2 sites. Further, PEDOT exhibits enhanced charge storage capacity at 75.6 ± 5.4 mC/cm2 compared to 28.8 ± 0.3 mC/cm2 for IrOx, characterized by cyclic voltammetry (50 mV/s). These improvements at the electrode interface were corroborated by observation of the voltage excursions that result from constant current pulsing. The PEDOT coatings provide both a lower amplitude voltage and a more ohmic representation of the applied current compared to IrOx. During repetitive pulsing, PEDOT-coated electrodes show stable performance and little change in electrical properties, even at relatively high current densities which cause IrOx instability. These findings support the potential of PEDOT coatings as a micro-neural interface material for electrostimulation.
Exoergic collisions of cold Na-Na.

Calcul des vitesses de deux processus exothermiques lors de collisions Na*-Na a de tres basses temperatures: les collisions avec changement de structure fine ont des vitesses superieures a celle de la redistribution radiative, avec liberation d'une energie suffisante pour depieger des atomes des pieges optiques courants
Non-revisiting paths on surfaces with low genus

The non-revisiting path conjecture for polytopes, which is equivalent to the Hirsch conjecture, is open. However, for polyhedral maps on surfaces, we have recently proved the conjecture false for all orientable surfaces of genus g/> 2 and all nonorientable surfaces of nonorientable genus h/>4. In this paper, a unified, elementary proof of the non-revisiting path conjecture is given for the sphere, projective plane, toms and Klein bottle. Only the case of the connected sum of three copies of the projective plane remains open. In connection with the notion of the representativity p of a surface embedding, it is shown that the non-revisiting path property holds for all surfaces of representativity p>~4, but there is a polyhedral map with representativity 3 for which the non-revisiting path property fails.
Expression and Biological Activity of Mouse Fibroblast Growth Factor-9

Receptor specificity is an essential mechanism governing the activity of fibroblast growth factors (FGF). To begin to understand the developmental role of FGF-9/glial activating factor, we have cloned and sequenced the murine FGF-9 cDNA and expressed the protein in mammalian cells and in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that the FGF-9 protein is highly conserved between mouse and human. Receptor specificity was determined by direct binding to soluble and cell surface forms of FGF receptor (FGFR) splice variants and by the mitogenic activity on cells, which express unique FGF receptor splice variants. Our data demonstrate that FGF-9 efficiently activates the "c" splice forms of FGFR2 and FGFR3, receptors expressed in potential target cells for FGF-9. Significantly, FGF-9 also binds to and activates the "b" splice form of FGFR3, thus becoming the first FGF ligand besides FGF-1 to activate this highly specific member of the FGF receptor family.
First principles analysis of vibrational modes in KNbO3

Abstract The vibrational modes in KNbO3 are analyzed using first principles total-energy calculations based on local density functional theory. Normal mode frequencies and eigenvectors are determined for the cubic perovskite structure with wave vectors at the center (Γ) and corner (R) of the Brillouin zone using the frozen-phonon technique. The frequencies are in good agreement with available experimental results with the possible exception of the lowest-frequency zone-center (ferroelectric) mode. Our calculations give a ferroelectric mode which becomes unstable with increasing volume. However, at the equilibrium volume it is stable with a frequency of ∼100 cm−1.
Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) Implementation, Integration & Benefits in an Integrated Health System

The availability of the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) has revolutionized the practice of radiology in the past two decades and has shown to eventually increase productivity in radiology and medicine. PACS implementation and integration may bring along numerous unexpected issues, particularly in a large-scale enterprise. To achieve a successful PACS implementation, identifying the critical success and failure factors is essential. This article provides an overview of the process of implementing and integrating PACS in a comprehensive health system comprising an academic core hospital and numerous community hospitals. Important issues are addressed, touching all stages from planning to operation and training. The impact of an enterprise-wide radiology information system and PACS at the academic medical center (four specialty hospitals), in six additional community hospitals, and in all associated outpatient clinics as well as the implications on the productivity and efficiency of the entire enterprise are presented.
Norman Granz: the man who used Jazz for justice

Tad Hershorn is an archivist at Rutgers University's Institute for Jazz Studies. This biography of his that he has compiled on Norman Granz was awarded Book of the Year at the Jazz Journalists Asso...