cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
General Methods of Treatment

Problems related to social skills deficits and excesses in children are evinced in a myriad of psychopathology. Maneuvering through social interactions is one of the most complex tasks that all human beings do. Social skills involve many psychological systems, such as perception, language, and problem solving. These systems develop throughout childhood and result from biological and environmental influences. Social situations can be problematic when these systems do not function adequately. For example, a child with a language deficit may have difficulty making sense of verbal social cues and communicating desires and opinions. Impulsive children can often make quick decisions that could result in conflicts with others. This chapter will discuss classic literature regarding the nature of evidence-based interventions, who provides the intervention (e.g., parents, siblings, teachers), how best to promote generalization and maintain treatment efficacy over time. Other critical aspects of social skills treatment, as well as strengths, weaknesses, meta-analytic outcome results, and future directions for treatment, will also be reviewed.
Robot Navigation and Exploration in an Unknown Environment

Path planning algorithms are concerned with providing sequences of robot motion commands which enable a robot to efficiently travel from its current position to a specified destination without colliding with environment obstacles. Two distinct categories of such robot path (or motion) planning strategies exist. In the first category complete knowledge of the environment is assumed including the position and shape of all obstacles. In the second category little or no knowledge of the environment is required. This paper is concerned with issues that arise in the latter category.
Coronary vasospasm in humans: the role of atherosclerosis and of impaired endothelial vasodilator function.

The traditional view that coronary stenoses cause myocardial ischemia by limiting increases in blood flow is now thought to be incomplete. Convincing evidence has accumulated that coronary narrowings play an active role in causing ischemia by intermittently interfering with coronary blood flow, not only among patients with the rare Prinzmetal’s variant angina, but also in nearly all patients with unstable and stable forms of angina pectoris (1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 13, 31). Studies of Chierchia and colleagues (2) in patients with unstable angina demonstrated a fall in coronary sinus oxygen saturation which could not be explained by a simultaneous increase in myocardial oxygen demand. Selwyn (1981) used radionuclides to monitor myocardial perfusion in patients with stable angina during rapid atrial pacing and found a net fall in myocardial blood flow in regions distal to coronary stenosis. More recently, positron emission tomography was used to assess changes in regional myocardial perfusion in patients with stable angina using rubidium-82. These studies also demonstrated decreases in regional blood flow which accompanied ischemia triggered by exercise, cold pressor stimulation or mental stress (6, 7). Ganz and colleagues (13) in patients with unstable angina directly measured coronary stenosis resistance by simultaneously determing pressure gradients and blood flow across moderately severe coronary narrowings, and they demonstrated increases in stenosis resistance both preceding and at the onset of episodes of ischemia.
Examining components of emotion regulation in relation to sleep problems and suicide risk.

Abstract Background Sleep has emerged as an important factor in elevated risk for suicide and suicidal behaviors; however, the mechanisms accounting for this relationship are poorly understood. Emotion regulation is a well-established correlate of self-injurious behaviors; however, the broad construct has recently been shown to provide limited predictive utility. More nuanced investigations into the processes involved in emotion regulation may address this gap. This study sought to examine the mediating role of emotion regulation between sleep disturbances and suicide risk, as well as to evaluate a moderated mediation model in which down- and up-regulation of emotions would moderate this mediation. Methods Participants were 972 adults recruited from a crowdsourcing website (Amazon's Mechanical Turk) who completed self-report questionnaires regarding nightmares, suicide risk, and emotion regulation. Results Emotion regulation mediated the direct effect of nightmares on suicide risk and suicide attempts. Downregulation of negative affect moderated the mediation of nightmares on suicide risk more clearly than upregulation of positive affect, and neither component of emotion regulation exhibited moderated mediation in the suicide attempt model. Limitations Generalizability of our findings from an online community sample will need to be established with replication in other samples. Additionally, we used cross-sectional measures in our mediation models. Conclusions Downregulation of negative emotions may be particularly salient in relation to the severity of suicide risk and, as a result, relative deficits in this area should be considered when making risk determinations.
Association of Prenatal Urinary Concentrations of Phthalates and Bisphenol A and Pubertal Timing in Boys and Girls

Background: Animal studies suggest that phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in many consumer products, may impact the timing of puberty. Objectives: We aimed to d...
The Neotoma Paleoecology Database: A Research Outreach Nexus

Paleoecological data from the Quaternary Period (2.6 million years ago to present) provides an opportunity for educational outreach for the earth and biological sciences. Paleoecology data repositories serve as technical hubs and focal points within their disciplinary communities and so are uniquely situated to help produce teaching modules and engagement resources. The Neotoma Paleoecology Database provides support to educators from primary schools to graduate students. In collaboration with pedagogical experts, the Neotoma Paleoecology Database team has developed teaching modules and model workflows. Early education is centered on discovery; higher-level educational tools focus on illustrating best practices for technical tasks. Collaborations among pedagogic experts, technical experts and data stewards, centered around data resources such as Neotoma, provide an important role within research communities, and an important service to society, supporting best practices, translating current research advances to interested audiences, and communicating the importance of individual research disciplines.
Drugs for Treatment of Dyslipidemia Available in the USA

This chapter will focus on the pharmacologic interventions for treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Herein, we will discuss drugs of interest for lipid management and their current and potential future use in CKD patients.
Do Advanced Information Technologies Produce Equitable Government Responses in Coproduction: An Examination of 311 Systems in 15 U.S. Cities:

This article seeks to answer the following primary research question: Do governments respond differently to citizen service requests depending on where those requests originate in the city? This st...
Classification and Epidemiologic Aspects of Acute and Acute on Chronic Liver Failure

Acute liver failure (ALF) and acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) represent two separate diseases that both carry the risk for significant morbidity and mortality. The various definitions and classifications of ALF reflect the complexity of this disease, but convey important prognostic value. The causes of ALF vary by geographic location, and are each closely tied to a characteristic clinical course. Similar to ALF, understanding the classification of ACLF helps predict disease severity. Various triggers including disease reactivation, alcohol use, gastrointestinal bleeding, and infection, among others, are linked to the development of ACLF and the high mortality that defines it.
When are concurrent quarterly reports useful for investors? Evidence from ASC 606

We examine whether concurrent quarterly reports help investors respond to earnings news when uncertainty is high. Although existing studies suggest that quarterly reports released concurrently with earnings depress trading due to information overload, we predict that concurrent reports help investors trade when they face uncertainty about how to interpret earnings news. We rely on the implementation of ASC 606 as a quasi-exogenous increase in uncertainty about how to respond to earnings news. Specifically, we find that when uncertainty is high in the first quarter of ASC 606 implementation, 10-Qs released concurrently with earnings are associated with increased trading in response to earnings news. We find the relation is stronger when firms face greater uncertainty and when firms include more discussion of revenue recognition. Our results suggest that concurrent quarterly reports are informative to investors when uncertainty is especially high.
Association of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Use With Cigarette Smoking Progression or Reduction Among Young Adults

Importance The prevalence of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use, including e-cigarettes, among US young adults (YAs) has raised questions about how these products may affect future tobacco and nicotine use among YAs. Given this prevalence and that young adulthood is a critical period for the establishment of tobacco and nicotine use, it is important to consider the association between ENDS use and cigarette smoking specifically in this age group. Objective To examine whether ENDS use frequency or intensity is associated with changes in cigarette smoking among US YA ever smokers during 1 year. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used 3 waves of data (2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016) from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of adults and youth. Unweighted 1:6 propensity score matching was used to match participants on wave 1 risk factors for ENDS use at wave 2. The changes in smoking between wave 2 and wave 3 were assessed using the matched sample. In total, 1096 ENDS-naive, ever cigarette–smoking YAs (18-24 years of age) at wave 1 who participated in wave 2 and wave 3 and who had complete data in the PATH Study were included in the analyses, which were conducted from August 2018 to October 2019. Exposures Never ENDS use (n = 987), any previous 30-day ENDS use (n = 109), 1 to 5 days of ENDS use in the previous 30 days (n = 75), and 6 or more days ENDS use in the previous 30 days at wave 2 (n = 34). Main Outcomes and Measures The analytic sample was selected using multiple variables based on peer-reviewed literature supporting associations with ENDS use. The main outcomes—changes in cigarette smoking behavior between wave 2 and wave 3—were defined using 2 measures: (1) change in smoking frequency, defined as the number of smoking days in the previous 30 days at wave 3 vs wave 2, and (2) change in smoking intensity, defined as the number smoking days in the previous 30 days multiplied by the mean number of cigarettes consumed on smoking days at wave 3 vs wave 2. Results The present cohort analyses included 1096 YA ever smokers who were ENDS naive at wave 1. The majority of the sample were women (609 [55.6%]) and White individuals (698 [63.7%]), and the mean (SD) age was 21.4 (1.9) years. In wave 1, 161 YAs (14.7%) were daily smokers in the previous 30 days. After propensity score matching, no statistically significant associations were observed between any definition of wave 2 ENDS use and changes in either the frequency or intensity of smoking at wave 3. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of US YA ever smokers, ENDS use was not associated with either decreased or increased cigarette smoking during a 1-year period. However, it is possible that the rapidly evolving marketplace of vaping products may lead to different trajectories of YA cigarette and ENDS use in the future.
Pro-inflammatory Interleukin-18 is Associated with Hepatic Steatosis and Elevated Liver Enzymes in People with HIV Monoinfection

People with HIV (PWH) are at an increased risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Interleukin (IL)-18 is regulated by inflammasomes in response to pathogens and danger signals ...
Future Issues for Health Care Systems Architecture

This book was written during 1991 and 1992. Great change had already occurred in the health care industry during the 1980s, and even greater change was anticipated for the 1990s. This change will occur along three major dimensions: environment (including economics, demographics, politics, and public opinion), technology, and health care industry structure (including business processes). Both environment and technology will drive changes in industry structure. Many of these factors are inexorable (demographics, global economics), and no amount of hospital preparation will avert them. The challenge for a hospital is to discern the structural changes in broad outline so that it can take advantage of them (or minimize their impact).
Cool season precipitation projections for California and the Western United States in NA-CORDEX models

Understanding future precipitation changes is critical for water supply and flood risk applications in the western United States. The North American COordinated Regional Downscaling EXperiment (NA-CORDEX) matrix of global and regional climate models at multiple resolutions (~ 50-km and 25-km grid spacings) is used to evaluate mean monthly precipitation, extreme daily precipitation, and snow water equivalent (SWE) over the western United States, with a sub-regional focus on California. Results indicate significant model spread in mean monthly precipitation in several key water-sensitive areas in both historical and future projections, but suggest model agreement on increasing daily extreme precipitation magnitudes, decreasing seasonal snowpack, and a shortening of the wet season in California in particular. While the beginning and end of the California cool season are projected to dry according to most models, the core of the cool season (December, January, February) shows an overall wetter projected change pattern. Daily cool-season precipitation extremes generally increase for most models, particularly in California in the mid-winter months. Finally, a marked projected decrease in future seasonal SWE is found across all models, accompanied by earlier dates of maximum seasonal SWE, and thus a shortening of the period of snow cover as well. Results are discussed in the context of how the diverse model membership and variable resolutions offered by the NA-CORDEX ensemble can be best leveraged by stakeholders faced with future water planning challenges.
Birth Location and Timing of Surgical Center ICU Admission in Infants with Prenatally Diagnosed Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: A Report from the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative

Background/Purpose: There is conflicting data on how geographic distance from delivery location to the cardiac surgical center impacts outcomes in neonates with ductal-dependent heart disease. Our goal was to describe national current practices in delivery location of neonates with a prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and evaluate the impact of delivery location and age at admission to the surgical center ICU on post-operative length of hospital stay and transplant-free survival after the Norwood operation. Methods: A multicenter cohort study was performed utilizing the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement …
Research Advances and Perspectives of Evaluation on Farmland Consolidation Potential in China

Farmland consolidation is an important means to enhance agricultural comprehensive productive capacity and to ensure food security in China.The potential evaluation of farmland consolidation research advances is analyzed by using literature analysis method in this paper.Results show that consolidation potential evaluation should be strengthened in four aspects in the future:(1)studies on the small-scale farmland consolidation type partition and limiting factors determining the transformation objective evaluation method should be strengthened,which provides the basis for the quality potential evaluation of farmland consolidation;(2)calculation methods of improving the utilization quality potential of farmland should be studied in order to provide a theoretical basis for the comprehensive evaluation of the quality potential of farmland consolidation;(3)the evaluation index system of farmland consolidation potential should be established in different contexts,and clustered partitioning methods of consolidation potential should be developed in order to clearly express the consolidation function objectives and consolidation directions of the consolidation partitions;(4)it is urgently needed to research and develop the information system of farmland consolidation potential evaluation based on GIS.The results and conclusions have important scientific significances for promoting the researches of farmland consolidation planning methods in China.
Novel high voltage polymer insulators using computational and data-driven techniques

One of the key bottlenecks in the development of high voltage electrical systems is the identification of suitable insulating materials capable of supporting high voltages. Under high voltage scenarios, conventional polymer based insulators, which are one of the popular choices of insulators, suffer from the drawback of space charge accumulation, which leads to degradation in desirable electronic properties and facilitates dielectric breakdown. In this work, we aid the development of novel polymers for high voltage insulation applications by enabling the rapid prediction of properties that are correlated with dielectric breakdown, i.e.,the bandgap (Egap) of the polymer and electron injection barrier (Φe) at the electrode–insulator interface. To accomplish this, density functional theory based methods are used to develop large, chemically diverse datasets of Φe and Egap. The deviation of the computed properties from experimental observations is addressed using a statistical technique called Bayesian calibration. Furthermore, to enable rapid estimation of these properties for a large set of polymers, machine learning models are developed using the created dataset. These models are further used to predict Egap and Φe for a set of 13k previously known polymers. Polymers with high values of these properties are selected as potential high voltage insulators and are recommended for synthesis. Finally, the models developed here are deployed at www.polymergenome.org to enable the community use.
Impact and cost-effectiveness of potential interventions against infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 131 low-income and middle-income countries using a static cohort model.

Objectives Interventions to prevent childhood respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease are limited and costly. New interventions are in advanced stages of development and could be available soon. This study aims to evaluate the potential impact and cost-effectiveness of two interventions to prevent childhood RSV—a maternal vaccine and a monoclonal antibody (mAb). Design Using a static population-based cohort model, we evaluate impact and cost-effectiveness of RSV interventions, from a health systems perspective. The assumed baseline efficacy and duration of protection were higher for the mAb (60%–70% efficacy, protection 6 months) compared with the maternal vaccine (40%–60% efficacy, protection 3 months). Both interventions were evaluated at US$3 and US$5 per dose for Gavi and non-Gavi countries, respectively. A range of input values were considered to explore uncertainty. Settings 131 low-income and middle-income countries. Participants Pregnant women and live birth cohorts. Interventions Maternal vaccine given to pregnant women and mAb given to young infants. Primary and secondary outcome measures Disability-adjusted life years averted, severe case averted, deaths averted, incremental cost effectiveness ratios. Results Under baseline assumptions, maternal vaccine and mAbs were projected to avert 25% and 55% of RSV-related deaths among infants younger than 6 months of age, respectively. The average incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per disability-adjusted life year averted was US$1342 (range US$800–US$1866) for maternal RSV vaccine and US$431 (range US$167–US$692) for mAbs. At a 50% gross domestic product per capita threshold, maternal vaccine and mAbs were cost-effective in 60 and 118 countries, respectively. Conclusions Both interventions are projected to be impactful and cost-effective in many countries, a finding that would be enhanced if country-specific Gavi cofinancing to eligible countries were included. mAbs, with assumed higher efficacy and duration of protection, are expected to be more cost-effective than RSV maternal vaccines at similar prices. Final product characteristics will influence this finding.
GPU Accelerated Matrix Factorization for Recommender Systems

Matrix Factorization (MF) is a popular algorithm used to power many recommender systems. Efficient and scalable MF algorithms are essential in order to train on the massive datasets that large scale recommender systems utilize. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) technology has become very popular in recent years and has become widely used in machine learning. The massive parallelism GPUs offer creates an opportunity to develop an accelerated MF algorithm. This paper presents cu2rec, a matrix factorization algorithm written in CUDA. cu2rec implements a parallel version of Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) to solve large scale MF problems. cu2rec utilizes multiple advanced techniques to harness better performance from a GPU. These include aggressive use of constant memory for hyper-parameters and registers for heavily reused values, a sparse matrix data structure, a reduction sum total loss kernel, a novel approach to parallel lock-free updating of feature weights with minimized global memory writes, and fairness across weight updates using user index striding. With a single NVIDIA GPU, cu2rec can be l0x faster than state of the art sequential algorithms while reaching similar error metrics.
Reading, Writing, Responding: Educators’ Perceptions of Safety, Preparedness, and Lockdown Drills:

Lockdown drills are routinely conducted in schools across the U.S., yet little is known about the impact of such practices on participants—particularly for the faculty, staff, and administrators ch...
Air pollution and cardiovascular disease hospitalization - Are associations modified by greenness, temperature and humidity?

BACKGROUND Studies have observed associations between long-term air pollution and cardiovascular disease hospitalization. Little is known, however, about effect modification of these associations by greenness, temperature and humidity. METHODS We constructed an open cohort consisting of all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, aged ≥ 65, living in the contiguous US from 2000 through 2016 (~63 million individuals). We assigned annual average PM2.5, NO2 and ozone zip code concentrations. Cox-equivalent Poisson models were used to estimate associations with first cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular disease (CBV) hospitalization. RESULTS PM2.5 and NO2 were both positively associated with CVD, CHD and CBV hospitalization, after adjustment for potential confounders. Associations were substantially stronger at the lower end of the exposure distributions. For CVD hospitalization, the hazard ratio (HR) of PM2.5 was 1.041 (1.038, 1.045) per IQR increase (4.0 µg/m3) in the full study population and 1.327 (1.305, 1.350) per IQR increase for a subgroup with annual exposures always below 10 µg/m3 PM2.5. Ozone was only positively associated with CVD, CHD and CBV hospitalization for the low-exposure subgroup (<40 ppb). Associations of PM2.5 were stronger in areas with higher greenness, lower ozone and Ox, lower summer and winter temperature and lower summer and winter specific humidity. CONCLUSION PM2.5 and NO2 were positively associated with CVD, CHD and CBV hospitalization. Associations were more pronounced at low exposure levels. Associations of PM2.5 were stronger with higher greenness, lower ozone and Ox, lower temperature and lower specific humidity.
Long-term prognosis and educational determinants of brain network decline in older adult individuals

Older adults with lower education are at greater risk for dementia. It is unclear which brain changes lead to these outcomes. Longitudinal imaging-based measures of brain structure and function were examined in adult individuals (baseline age, 45–86 years; two to five visits per participant over 1–9 years). College degree completion differentiates individual-based and neighborhood-based measures of socioeconomic status and disadvantage. Older adults (~65 years and over) without a college degree exhibit a pattern of declining large-scale functional brain network organization (resting-state system segregation) that is less evident in their college-educated peers. Declining brain system segregation predicts impending changes in dementia severity, measured up to 10 years past the last scan date. The prognostic value of brain network change is independent of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related genetic risk (APOE status), the presence of AD-associated pathology (cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated tau, cortical amyloid) and cortical thinning. These results demonstrate that the trajectory of an individual’s brain network organization varies in relation to their educational attainment and, more broadly, is a unique indicator of individual brain health during older age. A brain-imaging study in humans demonstrates that older age brain network decline varies in relation to an individual’s education and predicts future dementia severity beyond other markers of Alzheimer’s disease-related genetic risk and pathology.
Immigrant Needs and Local Government Services. Implications for Policymakers

Upon their arrival in the United States, immigrants, whether documented or undocumented, impact the provision of local government services. Survey data collected from four immigrant groups (Nicaraguans, Haitians, Central Americans, and Mexicans) in Miami, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada examine the question of whether country of origin is a predictor of local government service utilization by immigrants. The findings suggest that immigrants, regardless of country of origin, share similar characteristics and attitudes regarding life in the United States. The major differences among the immigrant groups studied appear to be in their plans for the future. The Mexican respondents were likely to be described as sojourners, with plans to return to their home country, while the other groups intended to settle permanently in the United States. At the local level, these findings suggest that policymakers must be sensitive to motivations of the immigrants who locate in their areas, understanding the implications for service delivery in multilanguage, multiculture communities.
FINE STRUCTURE OF REOVIRUS TYPE 2.

Abstract Loh, Philip C. (University of Hawaii, Honolulu), H. R. Hohl, and M. Soergel. Fine structure of reovirus type 2. J. Bacteriol. 89:1140–1144. 1965.—The fine structure reovirus type 2 was studied by electron microscopy with the negative-staining method. The virus has a mean diameter of 772 A and shows evidence of icosahedral shape and 5:3:2 symmetry. The particle is composed of a core, an inner layer, and a capsid composed of 92 elongated hollow capsomeres. These capsomeres have mean dimensions of 116 A × 110 A and a central hole 48 A in diameter. In size and architecture, reovirus type 2 is very similar to the other members (reoviruses types 1 and 3) of this group of animal viruses.
TORTURE WARRANTS AND DEMOCRATIC STATES: Dirty Hands in an Age of Terror

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, policy makers and others have debated the question of whether or not the United States should torture in an effort to prevent terrorist attacks. In a series of controversial essays, the legal theorist Alan Dershowitz argues that, if a democratic society is going to torture, it should at least be done under the cover of law. To that end, he recommends establishing a legal mechanism by which a judge could issue torture warrants—much as they do now for search warrants. In this essay, I examine Dershowitz's proposal in light of Michael Walzer's classic essay on dirty hands. Just as Walzer uses political theater as a lens for viewing the issue of political assassination, I similarly draw upon a dramatic response to Dershowitz's proposal to think through the issue of torture warrants.
Proximate explanation and ultimate explanation

Proximate (immediate) causes in behavioral biology are those dealing with events in the lifetime of an individual that shape its development and neural and endocrine systems, and thus its behavior. Ultimate (evolutionary) causes are those that arise because natural selection has shaped the proximate mechanisms and behavioral abilities of individuals in the past. Keywords: natural selection; proximate cause; ultimate cause
Does early ART in sub-Saharan Africa decrease mortality?

In 2003, WHO published their fi rst HIV treatment guidelines recommending initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for patients with CD4 counts of 200 cells per μL or less. Because few aff ordable options existed in sub-Saharan Africa at the time, this recommendation seemed ambitious. An indication that worldwide HIV control eff orts have improved in the interim is that the question has shifted from whether anyone can start therapy in the region to whether everyone should. The current focus for WHO and treatment programme planners is whether the threshold of a CD4 count lower than 500 cells per μL should be replaced with a plan to abolish thresholds altogether. Active debate continues as to whether off ering treatment to all people living with HIV worldwide is appropriate and feasible. 1,2
Methadone uptake by L5178Y mouse leukemic cells.

Mouse leukemic cells accumulate methadone at 37° while at 0° drug associated with the cells is constant. After a suitable incubation period the accumulation at 37° ceases and the net drug associated with the cells remains constant. This steady-state level (37° uptake minus 0° uptake) increases in proportion to the free drug concentration up to at least 0.7 mM methadone where the cells contain 2.5 fmol/cell. The cells apparently concentrate methadone at 7.5-16 times the medium concentration. The rate of uptake appears to be a complex function of the free methadone concentration in the medium, however, no definite saturation was observed. The loss of [3H]methadone from cells preloaded with drug is very rapid and the extent of loss is independent of the concentration of methadone in the medium. Methadone appears to be only weakly bound by the cells and is readily accessible to the medium. Various metabolic inhibitors do not reduce methadone uptake; further, the results of competition experiments with other opiates and the stereoisomers of methadone reveal little, if any, uptake specificity for methadone. We conclude that methadone is accumulated by passive diffusion which may involve extensive intracellular binding of the drug by macromolecules and/or partitioning of the drug into hydrophobic regions of the cell.
In vitro mechanical testing of an alternate laryngoplasty system (ALPS) for horses.

Objective: Mechanical evaluation of a novel alternate laryngoplasty system (ALPS). Study Design: Experimental. Animal Population: Cadaveric horse larynges (n = 10). Methods: Arytenoid and cricoid cartilages were embedded for testing. A novel laryngoplasty system consisting of a metallic anchor, 2 stands of #2 suture material, and a metallic button were evaluated. A traditional laryngoplasty using a single strand of #5 Ethibond was evaluated in parallel. Constructs were evaluated in cyclic testing oscillating from 30 to 50 N for 3600 cycles. Constructs subsequently underwent a single cycle to failure. Distraction during cyclic testing was recorded. Load at failure and stiffness were calculated from single-cycle failure testing. Results: There was no difference in mean arytenoid single-cycle load-to-failure for the Ethibond (206.9 ± 13.1 N) constructs compared with ALPS (220.6 ±17.1 N) constructs (P = 486). In the cricoid under single-cycle testing, the ALPS (236.0 ± 23.4 N) constructs were significantly stronger than the Ethibond (161.5 ± 12.2 N) constructs (P = 013). The combined distraction was significantly greater for Ethibond (6.29 ± 1.24 mm) constructs compared to the ALPS (3.43 ± 0.28 mm) constructs (P = 033). Conclusions: The ALPS construct was stiffer and at least as strong as the traditional laryngoplasty construct in single cycle failure in both the arytenoid and cricoid cartilages. Combined distraction was significantly reduced using the ALPS compared to the traditional laryngoplasty in vitro under cyclic testing.
Holocene paleoclimatic evidence and sedimentation rates from a core in southwestern Lake Michigan

Preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of cores in southwestern Lake Michigan suggest that the materials in these cores can be interpreted in terms of both isostatically and climatically induced changes in lake level. Ostracodes and mollusks are well preserved in the Holocene sediments, and they provide paleolimnologic and paleoclimatic data, as well as biogenic carbonate for stable-isotope studies and radiocarbon dating. Pollen and diatom preservation in the cores is poor, which prevents comparison with regional vegetation records. New accelerator-mass spectrometer 14C ages, from both carbon and carbonate fractions, provide basin-wide correlations and appear to resolve the longstanding problem of anomalously old ages that result from detrital organic matter in Great Lakes sediments. Several cores contain a distinct unconformity associated with the abrupt fall in lake level that occurred about 10.3 ka when the isostatically depressed North Bay outlet was uncovered by the retreating Laurentide Ice Sheet. Below the unconformity, ostracode assemblages imply deep, cold water with very low total dissolved solids (TDS), and bivalves have δ 18O (PDB) values as light as — 10 per mil. Samples from just above the unconformity contain littoral to sublittoral ostracode species that imply warmer, higher-TDS (though still dilute) water than that inferred below the unconformity. Above this zone, another interval with δ 18O values more negative than — 10 occurs. The isotopic data suggest that two influxes of cold, isotopically light meltwater from Laurentide ice entered the lake, one shortly before 10.3 ka and the other about 9 ka. These influxes were separated by a period during which the lake was warmer, shallower, but still very low in dissolved solids. One or both of the meltwater influxes may be related to discharge from Lake Agassiz into the Great Lakes. Sedimentation rates appear to have been constant from about 10 ka to 5 ka. Bivalve shells formed between about 8 and 5 ka have δ 18O values that range from-2.3 to-3.3 per mil and appear to decrease toward the end of the interval. The ostracode assemblages and the stable isotopes suggest changes that are climatically controlled, including fluctuating water levels and increasing dissolved solids, although the water remained relatively dilute (TDS < 300 mg/l). A dramatic decrease in sedimentation rates occurred at about 5 ka, about the time of the peak of the Nippissing high lake stage. This decrease in sedimentation rate may be associated with a large increase in effective wave base as the lake approached its present size and fetch. A dramatic reduction in ostracode and mollusk abundances during the late Holocene is probably due to this decrease in sedimentation rates, which would result in increased carbonate dissolution. Ostracode productivity may also have declined due to a reduction in bottom-water oxygen caused by increased epilimnion algal productivity.
Tunable Nanowire Patterning Using Standing Surface Acoustic Waves

Patterning of nanowires in a controllable, tunable manner is important for the fabrication of functional nanodevices. Here we present a simple approach for tunable nanowire patterning using standing surface acoustic waves (SSAW). This technique allows for the construction of large-scale nanowire arrays with well-controlled patterning geometry and spacing within 5 s. In this approach, SSAWs were generated by interdigital transducers, which induced a periodic alternating current (ac) electric field on the piezoelectric substrate and consequently patterned metallic nanowires in suspension. The patterns could be deposited onto the substrate after the liquid evaporated. By controlling the distribution of the SSAW field, metallic nanowires were assembled into different patterns including parallel and perpendicular arrays. The spacing of the nanowire arrays could be tuned by controlling the frequency of the surface acoustic waves. Additionally, we observed 3D spark-shaped nanowire patterns in the SSAW field. The...
The Mechanism for the Partial Oxidation of Propylene over Bismuth Molybdate Catalysts

Consideration de trois phases α-Bi 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 , β-Bi 2 Mo 2 O 9 et γ-Bi 2 MoO 6 qui possedent une grande activite catalytique pour l'oxydation partielle du propene
Comparison of spatial patterns of sexual and vegetative states of Boletinellus merulioides

The spatial pattern of Boletinellus merulioides sclerotia in a forest was compared with basidiocarp frequency recorded over 4 years. Both estimates of the spatial pattern coincided, but year-to-year basidiocarp frequency varied greatly. Basidiocarp and sclerotial densities were centred around and declined outward from Fraxinus americana trees.
Influence of annealing temperature on the morphology and the supercapacitance behavior of iron oxide nanotube (Fe-NT)

Abstract The article demonstrates the influence of annealing temperature on the supercapacitance behavior of iron oxide nanotube synthesized on pure iron substrate by electrochemical anodization process. Anodization was performed in an ethylene glycol solution containing 3% H2O and 0.5 wt. % NH4F. The as-anodized nanotubes were annealed in an ambient atmosphere at various temperatures ranging from 200 to 700 °C for a fixed duration of time (2 h). The morphology and crystal phases developed after anodization and subsequent annealing processes were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photospectroscopy (XPS). Cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) experiments were performed in 1 M Li2SO4 to evaluate the electrochemical capacitance properties of the oxide nanotube electrodes. It was found that the electrode annealed at 300 °C exhibited superior electrochemical capacitance compared to the electrodes annealed at other temperatures. The highest specific capacitance achieved after annealing at 300 °C was about 314 mF cm−2. The electrodes annealed at 200, 500, 600 and 700 °C displayed much lower specific capacitance compared to those annealed at 300 and 400 °C. Galvanostatic charge–discharge experiments conducted on some of the annealed electrodes demonstrated excellent cycle stability with more than 80% capacitance retention after 1000 charge–discharge cycles.
Triboluminesence multifunctional cementitious composites with in situ damage sensing capability

Structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure systems like concrete bridges and dams has become critical because of the aging and overloading of these CIS. Most of the available SHM methods are not in-situ and can be very expensive. The triboluminescence multifunctional cementitious composites (TMCC) have in-built crack detection mechanism that can enable bridge engineers to monitor and detect abnormal crack formation in concrete structures so that timely corrective action can be taken to prevent costly or catastrophic failures. This article reports the fabrication process and test result of the flexural characterization of the TMCC. Accelerated durability test indicated that the 0.5 ZnS:Mn/Epoxy weight fraction ITOF sensor configuration to be more desirable in terms of durability. The alkaline environment at the highest temperature investigated (45 °C) resulted in significant reduction in the mean glass transition and storage moduli of the tested ITOF thin films. Further work is ongoing to correlate the TL response of the TMCC with damage, particularly crack opening.
MUTATIONS AFFECTING EYE MORPHOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPING ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO)

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has received considerable attention as a mainstream model for the molecular and genetic study of vertebrate development. In our laboratory, we have conducted a third-generation screen of chemically mutagenized zebrafish for recessive mutations affecting the visual system. This report describes the visible phenotypes and number of morphological mutants so far observed and presents a more detailed histological analysis of six of these mutations. Through analysis of mutant larvae, it was determined that several of the subtle morphological mutations resulted in degeneration of specific cellular layers of the retina. Other mutations resulted in some degeneration distributed diffusely across the entire retina or concentrated at the retinal margin. A single mutation affecting invagination of the optic cup and lens vesicle formation resulted in a failure to develop an anterior chamber. These results demonstrate the utility of a small-scale, highly focused screen for uncovering novel loci involved in retinal and eye development. Dev. Genet. 20:288–295, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Improved estimation of frequency importance functions

The Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) estimates speech intelligibility based on the audibility of speech cues across frequency. The frequency importance function gives the relative contribution to the SII of the speech audibility at different frequencies. The frequency importance function is usually estimated from the intelligibility data using a complicated multi-step procedure. This paper presents a new procedure for computing the frequency importance function directly from the intelligibility data based on nonlinear joint optimization of the frequency importance function and the SII curve-fitting parameters. An example of using the new approach is presented for previously published W-22 word list intelligibility data.
Growth dynamics in a model of endogenous time preference

Abstract We incorporate endogenous time preference in a simple Diamond-type economy with production and analyze the resulting dynamics both for the competitive and command equilibrium. We assume an individual's rate of time preference is decreasing in consumption ( decreasing marginal impatience ) and show that this intuitively more appealing assumption is consistent with a stable, non-trivial competitive equilibrium. Analysis of the competitive equilibrium indicates that the observed ‘non-convergence’ of cross-country per capita income could partially be explained by cross-country differences in ‘innate patience’. Examination of the local dynamics around the ‘optimal’ solution suggests that this particular preference structure exhibiting diminishing marginal impatience may generate endogenous business cycle phenomenon.
Surface roughness investigation of magnetic recording disks using STM and profilometry measurements

Abstract Surface roughness of commercially available thin-film magnetic recording disks is investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The height distributions of the disk surfaces are obtained and the bearing area curves are examined by using “normal probability scaling”. The deviation of the height distributions from gaussian behavior is determined, and skewness as well as kurtosis of the individual disk surfaces are calculated. The surface roughness data from scanning tunneling microscopy are compared with those obtained from optical non-contact profilometry and stylus profilometry, and the dependence of surface characterization on scan size and sample interval is examined.
Ethylene and the Regulation of Apple Stem Growth under Stress

Bending stree resulted in an increase in the ethylene concentration in the internal atmosphere of apple stem (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Winesap). reaching a maximum at about 2 days after bending. The rise in ethylene content was followed by a depression of growth at about 14–21 days. Ethylene content returned to control levels after about 3 weeks. Application of a past naphthaleneacetic acit caused a similar increase in ethylene levels, and the application of ethephon pastes brought about an inhibition of elongation growth. Whereas stress treatment resulted in an inhibition of growth in stem diameter as well as elongation of growth in stem diameter as well as elongation, the ethephon applications resulted in a stimulation of growth in diameter. It is suggested that ethylene may be involved in the growth responses to mechanical stress.
Impaired financial abilities in mild cognitive impairment: a direct assessment approach.

Objectives: To assess financial capacity in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using a standardized psychometric capacity measure. Methods: Participants were 21 cognitively normal older controls, 21 patients with amnestic MCI, and 22 patients with mild AD. The Financial Capacity Instrument (FCI), a psychometric capacity measure consisting of 18 financial ability tests (tasks), 9 domains (activities), and 2 total scores, was administered to participants along with a battery of neuropsychological tests sensitive to dementia. Group differences were examined on the neuropsychological and financial capacity variables. Results: Relative to controls, the MCI group demonstrated impairments in episodic memory, and also semantic knowledge, executive function, written arithmetic, and spatial attention. MCI participants demonstrated impairments in FCI domains of conceptual knowledge, cash transactions, bank statement management, and bill payment, and in overall financial capacity. The control and MCI groups performed significantly better than patients with AD on most financial capacity and cognitive measures. Conclusions: On direct assessment, patients with amnestic MCI as a group demonstrate impairments across a range of financial abilities. These impairments are mild and may only apply to a subset of patients with MCI. However, existing diagnostic criteria for MCI should be applied flexibly to include mild impairments in higher order activities of daily life such as financial capacity.