cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rule learning and reward contingency are associated with dissociable patterns of dopamine activation in the rat prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and dorsal striatum

The midbrain dopamine system has been ascribed roles in reward expectancy, error detection, prediction, and memory. However, these theories typically do not differentiate between dopamine response and action in different forebrain terminal fields. We measured dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and dorsal striatum (DS) of rats exposed to the same maze apparatus under three behavioral conditions: a set-shift task in which reward depended on discrimination learning and extradimensional set-shifting, a yoked condition in which reward was intermittent and not under the control of the subject, and a “reward-retrieval” variant in which reward was certain on every trial. We found dissociable patterns of dopamine release associated with learning, uncertainty, and reward. Dopamine increased in all three regions when reward was contingent on rule learning and shifting or was uncertain. These increases were sustained after behavior. There was a significant correlation between the magnitude of increase in PFC dopamine and the rapidity with which rats shifted between discrimination rules. In the yoke condition, in which the receipt of reward was always uncertain, the opposite relationship between dopamine levels and likelihood of reward was observed. Predictable, noncontingent reward was associated with increased dopamine levels in the NAc and DS. In contrast, PFC dopamine did not increase significantly above baseline levels. Thus, the dopaminergic projections to the PFC and nucleus accumbens were selectively, yet differentially, activated in situations of uncertainty and cognitive demand, whereas the dopaminergic projection to the DS responded independently of task differences in learning and reward.
Design optimization of diamond disk pad conditioners

Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is the major manufacturing step used to planarize semiconductor wafers and obtain mirror surface finish. In CMP, diamond disk pad conditioning is traditionally employed to restore pad planarity and surface roughness. The conditioning tool typically consists of a metal disk with one side embedded with protruding diamond grits (abrasives). The conditioner design has a significant effect on the pad conditioning process and hence the wafer planarization process. This paper proposes the application of engineering optimization methods such genetic algorithm to the conditioner design problem for the first time. A new metric to evaluate conditioning performance based on the conditioning density generated by a specific conditioner design is developed. The metric is applied in a genetic algorithm to optimize conditioner design parameters (including geometric arrangement of diamonds, grit density and disk size). The model searches for the design parameters that produce a desired CMP pad surface texture. Results show that the model can effectively serve as a platform to evaluate and tune conditioner design for different applications in CMP.
π-Complexes of metalloporphyrins as model intermediates in hydrodementallation (HDM) catalysis

Abstract Transition metal porphyrinate complexes, especially those of nickel and vanadium, are removed from heavy petroleum fractions via hydrodemetallation catalysis (HDM). It has been proposed that HDM of metalloporphyrins proceeds via the partial hydrogenation of the porphyrin followed by demetallation. It is likely that the hydrogenation of the metalloporphyrin proceeds via its complexation to a metal center which transfers hydrogen to the porphyrin. In this paper we discuss recent efforts to simulate this important step. In this study we employ Zn(OEP) (OEP = dianion of octaethylporphyrin) as a model porphyrinate and (arene)Ru2+ in the role of an HDM catalyst site. The olive green salt [(cymene)Ru{Zn(OEP)OTf]OTf} (1) was characterized by optical and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, both of which indicate that the cation has Cs symmetry. A crystallographic study shows that the Ru center is π-bonded to one of the four pyrrolide rings, leading to an elongation of one ZnN bond. It appears that 1 is similar to zinc complexes of N-methyl-porphyrins. Treatment of 1 with HOTf results affords H4OEP2+ via the intermediacy of a species [(cymene)Ru(HxOEP)]n+. We also prepared the new complex {(C5Me5)Ir[Zn(OEP)OTf]}OTf (2) which is fully analogous to 1.
Correction to “Instrumental variable methods for causal inference”

We would like to make a correction to the paper titled “Instrumental variable methods for causal inference” in Statistics in Medicine. In Section 5.2, the last equality in equation (8) follows only if the IV Z is independent of unmeasured confounders without conditioning on the measured covariates X. If instead, (IV-A3) holds but the IV Z may depend on the vector of measured covariates X, i.e., Z is independent of (D1,D0,Y1,1,Y1,0,Y0,1,Y0,0)|X, then the last equality in (8) should be replaced by
Ultrafast excitation and de-excitation of the SiH stretching mode in a-Si:H

Abstract We report the first direct measurement of the energy relaxation of the SiH and SiH2 stretching modes in hydrogenated amorphous silicon obtained by the equal-wavelength room-temperature pump-probe technique using a free electron laser. The recovery of the transient bleaching can be fitted with a bi-exponential function, with relaxation times of ∼ 20 ps and ∼ 100 ps and ∼ 13 ps and ∼ 50 ps for SiH and SiH2, respectively. We propose an explanation based on phonon-phonon interactions.
Designing constructed wetlands systems to treat agricultural nonpoint source pollution

Abstract Increasingly concentrated animal husbandry practices and more intensive row crop farming have expanded agricultural pollution problems. Implementing accepted best management practices (BMPs) for erosion control and waste handling along with a combination of (1) onsite constructed wetlands, (2) nutrient-sediment control systems in small watersheds, and (3) natural wetlands along streams and at strategic locations in large watersheds may provide low-cost, efficient control. Design recommendations and examples are included.
Challenges responding to sexual violence: Differences between college campuses and communities

To increase understanding about the response to sexual assault, five focus group interviews were conducted with community-based sexual assault workers as well as officials affiliated with colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Attention was given to the differences in collaboration challenges confronted by those serving college students and those serving the general population. Results suggested that while the needs of the two types of workers are similar, the types of collaboration challenges confronted varied according to the cultural and spatial dynamics of each setting. College campus sexual assault workers confronted one set of obstacles, while community-based workers confronted a different set. Ways to address these challenges are considered. Implications focus on the development of protocol, increased funding, and collaborative training.
Weight loss favorably modifies anthropometrics and reverses the metabolic syndrome in premenopausal women.

Objective: To determine the effects of a weight loss program, including dietary modifications, increased physical activity and dietary supplement (L-carnitine or placebo) on anthropometrics, leptin, insulin, the metabolic syndrome (MS) and insulin resistance in overweight /obese premenopausal women.Methods: Participants consumed a hypocaloric diet; 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% carbohydrate in addition to increasing number of steps/day. Carnitine supplementation followed a randomized double blind protocol. Protocol lasted for 10 weeks. Seventy subjects (35 in the control and 35 in the carnitine group) completed the intervention. Anthropometrics, plasma insulin and leptin concentrations and body composition were measured. The number of subjects with the MetSyn and insulin resistance, were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.Results: Because there were no significant differences between the carnitine and the placebo groups for all measured parameters, participants were grouped together for all analysi...
Delayed implant augmentation of breast free flaps.

Background Two commonly used breast reconstruction techniques are (1) implant-based and (2) abdominal tissue-based procedures. When the two modalities are combined, the result is a unique construct that shares advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. Combining breast flaps and implants has been reported, yet the specific techniques associated with a reliable outcome remain unclear. Materials and Methods Between July 2010 and 2014, a review of all patients who underwent delayed implant augmentation of a breast free flap reconstruction by the senior author was performed. Data were collected on patient characteristics, implants used, timing of reconstruction, and position of implant relative to the flap. Results During the study period, 101 patients underwent breast reconstruction with 161 abdominal free flaps. Of these, 12 patients (12%) and 17 flaps (11%) had delayed implant augmentation. Of the 17 augmented flaps, 12 had expanders placed before final implant placement. Eleven implants were placed in the subflap position and 6 in the subpectoralis major position. The mean final implant size was 296.5 mL (range, 125–510 mL). At a mean follow-up of 17.1 months, there was one expander removed before complete expansion for impending extrusion and one silicone gel implant revision for malposition. Conclusion The results of delayed breast flap implant augmentation can be reliable and generate results that may not be obtainable with flaps or implants alone. Admittedly, the addition of an implant to a flap reconstruction exposes the patient to implant-related complications that would otherwise have been circumvented by a pure autologous reconstruction.
CALF RTH-1 NUCLEASE CAN REMOVE THE INITIATOR RNAS OF OKAZAKI FRAGMENTS BY ENDONUCLEASE ACTIVITY

In eukaryotes, the endonucleolytic activity of the calf RTH-1 class 5'- to 3'-exo/endonuclease can function without RNase H1 to remove initiator RNA from Okazaki fragments. Cleavage requires that the RNA be displaced to form an unannealed single-stranded 5'-tail or flap structure. On substrates with RNA-initiated primers, DNA oligomers that competed with the RNA for template binding simulated strand displacement synthesis from an upstream Okazaki fragment. This allowed cutting of displaced RNA segments by RTH-1 nuclease. Requirements for the reaction also were examined on substrates in which the tail was unannealed because it was intentionally mispaired. On both types of substrate, the nuclease slides over the RNA region from the 5'-end and cleaves at the beginning of the annealed region, irrespective of whether ribo- or deoxyribonucleotides are at the cleavage site. Presence of a triphosphate or a 7-methyl 3'G5'ppp5' G cap structure at the 5'-end of the RNA does not affect cleavage. The previously reported stimulation of the nuclease by an upstream primer was not always observed, suggesting that not every site in the downstream Okazaki fragment is equally susceptible to cleavage during displacement synthesis in vivo. The biological role of the endonuclease activity of RTH-1 nuclease in Okazaki fragment processing is discussed.
Changes in mIPSCs and sIPSCs after kainate treatment: status epilepticus-induced neuronal loss or direct activation of kainate receptors?

To the Editor : We are excited to see that our study has attracted the interests of a colleague from a field close to but different from the neurophysiology of epilepsy. The comments by Rodriguez-Moreno propose an alternative interpretation for our observation, an interpretation that is surprising
Vapor deposition of intact polyethylene glycol thin films

Thin films of polyethylene glycol (PEG) of average molecular weight, 1400 amu, were deposited by both matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The deposition was carried out in vacuum (∼10-6 Torr) with an ArF (λ=193 nm) laser at a fluence between 150 and 300 mJ/cm2. Films were deposited on NaCl plates, Si(111) wafers, and glass slides. The physiochemical properties of the films are compared via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results show that the MAPLE films nearly identically resemble the starting material, whereas the PLD films do not. These results are discussed within the context of biomedical applications such as drug delivery coatings and in vivo applications where there is a need for transfer of polymeric coatings of PEG without significant chemical modification.
Sampling techniques and the use of Tang's procedure in insect population dynamics studies.

Some calculations were performed usingTang's method as an aid in planning experiments for studying the population dynamics of the Jeffrey pine beetle. The population dynamics studies were aimed at detecting the importance of specific effects, e. g., tree diameter, tree height. TheTang procedure is a method of estimating the sample size required to detect effects of a given magnitude with analysis of variance tests. Using this procedure some sample calculations were performed which indicated the sample size needed, and the efficacy of different strategies of improving the results, e. g., increasing the number of trees sampled versus increasing the area of the tree sampled. The statistical parameters used in the calculations were estimated from some preliminary sampling data. Use of this procedure is recommended in insect population studies as a method of optimally planning experiments, and as a method of making precise conclusions about the significance of specific effects.
Microcirculation and Coronary Blood Flow

Abstract The microcirculation of the coronary vasculature functions as a penetrating vascular network running from epicardium to endocardium with direct communications of both arterioles and venules with the ventricular chambers. The degree of capillary flow and utilization reflect the fact that the heart is a constantly functioning muscle. The cyclical compression of this vascular system also sets it apart from the conditions in the remainder of the systemic circulation. There are considerable species differences in the number of collateral vessels. Response to stress, such as hypoxia or arterial narrowing, involves conversion of collateral microvessels into communicating arteries, a reaction which can be seen to occur within days of the initial stimulus.
Analytical expressions for predicting capture efficiency of bimodal fibrous filters

Abstract In this work, a series of numerical simulations are formulated for studying the performance (collection efficiency and pressure drop) of filter media with bimodal diameter distributions. While there are numerous analytical expressions available for predicting performance of filters made up of fibers with a unimodal fiber diameter distribution, there are practically no simple relations for bimodal filters. In this paper, we report on the influence of the fiber diameter dissimilarity and the number (mass) fraction of each component on the performance of a bimodal filter. Our simulation results are utilized to establish a unimodal equivalent diameter for the bimodal media, thereby taking advantage of the existing expressions of unimodal filters for capture efficiency prediction. Our results indicate that the cube root relation of Tafreshi, Rahman, Jaganathan, Wang, and Pourdeyhimi (2009) offers the closest predictions for the range of particle diameters, coarse fiber number (mass) fractions, fiber diameter ratios, and solid volume fractions (SVF) considered in this work. Our study revealed that the figure of merit (FOM) of bimodal filters increases with increasing fiber diameter ratios for Brownian particles (dp
A Critique and Comparison of Two Scales from Fifteen Years of Studying Compulsive Buying

Compulsive buying is an important construct in marketing that has far-reaching personal and social implications. The profile of the adult compulsive buyer in the literature is based largely on the 1992 Faber and O'Guinn Compulsive Buying Scale. A second compulsive buying scale by Edwards has also been used but sparingly. Empirical research conducted over that past 15 years with these two scales shows that, although both scales were designed to measure compulsive buying, the two appear to be different operationalizations of the construct. The present review raises several psychometric issues about both scales. Their robustness is crucial to a clear understanding of the antecedents and consequences of compulsive buying. Directions for research are added.
Perception of Time and Causation Through the Kinesthesia of Intentional Action

Perception is an intentional action through space in time by which the finite brain explores the infinite world. By acting, the brain thrusts its body into the future space–time of the world while predicting the sensory consequences. Through perceiving its actions and their results, it remembers its predictions, its actions, and their consequences. To perform these operations the brain, through chaotic dynamics, constructs and uses finite perceptual matrices of space–time and infers causation. Perceived time differs from world time in ways that are determined by the neural mechanisms of intentionality. In particular, perception of the self in action, through the mechanism of preafference, gives structure and content to the concepts of continuity, contiguity, duration, temporal order, cause, and effect. We expand our perceptual scales beyond kinesthesia by converting time into space by use of clocks and calendars. Remembered time differs from perceived time in being dependent on awareness, which makes it episodic, fragmentary, and subject to large variations in rates of time lapse in the flow of meanings. The attribution of causal agency to objects and events in the world results from the experience of temporal sequencing in the action–perception cycle: “I act” [cause] “I feel” [effect] during Piaget’s somatomotor phase in early human development.
Photoisomerization of cis,cis- to trans,trans-1,4-diaryl-1,3-butadienes in the solid state: the bicycle-pedal mechanism.

The photoisomerizations of crystalline or powdered cis,cis-1,4-diphenyl- and 1,4-di(o-tolyl)-1,3-butadienes (cc-DPB and cc-DTB) to the trans,trans isomers were studied at room temperature. The progress of the reactions was monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, 1H NMR, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Conversions to the trans,trans isomers were as high as 90% for cc-DPB and 20% for cc-DTB. Formation of the cis,trans isomers, the sole products obtained in solution and in very viscous glassy media at 77 K, is completely suppressed in the solid state. The observed two-bond photoisomerizations are explained by the bicycle-pedal (BP) photoisomerization mechanism. X-ray structure determinations show that o-methyl substitution causes a widening of the phenyl/diene dihedral angles from 40° to 56° and decreases the number of conformers in the crystal from two in cc-DPB to one in cc-DTB. The two conformers of cc-DPB molecules exist in crystals in edge-to-face alternating arrays...
Ternary Isothermal Diffusion Coefficients of NaCl-MgCl2-H2O at 25 °C. 7. Seawater Composition

The four diffusion coefficients Dij of the ternary system NaCl-MgCl2-H2O at the simplified seawater composition 0.48877 mol⋅dm−3 NaCl and 0.05110 mol⋅dm−3 MgCl2 have been remeasured at 25 °C. The diffusion coefficients were obtained using both Gouy and Rayleigh interferometry with the highly precise Gosting diffusiometer. The results, which should be identical in principle, are essentially the same within or very close to their combined “realistic” errors. This system has a cross-term D12 that is larger than the D22 main-term, where subscript 1 denotes NaCl and 2 denotes MgCl2. The results are compared with earlier, less-precise measurements. Recommended values for this system are (D11)V=1.432×10−9 m2⋅s−1, (D12)V=0.750×10−9 m2⋅s−1, (D21)V=0.0185×10−9 m2⋅s−1, and (D22)V=0.728×10−9 m2⋅s−1.
Unilateral transnasal endoscopic approach to frontal sinuses: Draf IIc

For chronic sinusitis surgery, the Draf III approach provides a common median drainage pathway for bilateral frontal sinuses from orbit to orbit. The Draf IIb provides unilateral drainage from orbit to septum. In several cases, inclusion of the nasal and frontal sinus septum in a Draf IIb was advantageous without extension to the opposite frontal recess. The proposed nomenclature is Draf IIc. This study was designed to (1) develop a surgical option for chronic frontal sinusitis where access to one frontal recess is limited or unnecessary and (2) minimize unnecessary surgical manipulation of uninvolved areas. Revision endoscopic frontal sinus surgery was performed on two patients with persistent frontal sinus opacification. Surgery crossed midline including one frontal recess with resection of the superior nasal septum. The surgical result was assessed on endoscopy and computed tomography (CT). The postoperative course was unremarkable with relief of frontal pressure. Postoperative CT scan showed well-aerated frontal sinuses with a widely patent common drainage pathway. Postoperative nasal endoscopy revealed normal mucosa with no exposed bone or edema. The Draf IIc extends the Draf IIb across the midline, without including the opposite frontal recess. This can be accomplished most easily using an interfrontal sinus septal cell or an eccentric interfrontal sinus septum. The Draf IIc is a surgical option in cases of chronic or recalcitrant frontal sinus diseases, including unilateral or bilateral obstruction, where access to the ipsilateral frontal recess is limited or favorable anatomy allows drainage with reduced manipulation of an uninvolved side.
Tracheal dyskinesia associated with midline abnormality: embryological hypotheses and therapeutic implications.

Abnormalities of tracheal rigidity, which may lead to the collapse of the airway during expiration and consequent complications, characterize two groups of disorders: tracheomalacia (weakness of the anterior cartilaginous arc of the trachea) and tracheal dyskinesia (dysfunction of the posterior membranous trachea). Tracheal dyskinesia can either be isolated or associated with a more complex syndrome of malformations: esophageal atresia, tracheoesophageal fistula and laryngotracheal cleft. Although our knowledge of the embryological development of the tracheoesophageal axis remains limited, the existence of these associations suggests that tracheal dyskinesia is of congenital origin. The presentation of three clinical cases demonstrates that the coexistence of a midline malformation and of tracheal dyskinesia complicates the therapeutic management of the first malformation. In particular, the postoperative follow-up is often more difficult, and a long-term tracheostomy is often required (sometimes for several years). However, it must be pointed out that tracheal dyskinesia, even in the associated forms, has a good longterm prognosis, since spontaneous resolution as the child grows up is the rule.
Coping with change: physicians in prepaid practice

This paper examines the efforts of physicians to cope with changing role expectations particularly the integration of gatekeeping expectations. The subjects of the study are US physicians who are members of a prepaid practice group that is affiliated with a Health Maintenance Organisation. The respondents say that they are committed to gatekeeping; however, they complain about the frustrations associated with this function. They differ in the extent to which they complain. The paper focuses on factors which account for this variation. Two factors are discussed in detail - specialty differences and structural characteristics associated with the office site. The discussion begins with a review of the general sociological literature which employs the gatekeeping concept.
The parables, premium puzzles, and the CAPM

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether religions parables are relevant to finance.Design/methodology/approach – In the Gospel, one may find parallels to the capital asset pricing model in the context of the parables of the kingdom of God. For instance, the duality in the parables is particularly analogous to the gain – loss decision making in the practice and theory of finance. Moreover, several parables giving insight into investor reactions may help explain the premium puzzles in asset pricing.Findings – Based on a thorough analysis, one can see that the parables contribute to finance practice and education.Originality/value – This study is the first attempt to link parables in the Gospel of Matthew to finance theories.
The Differential Contributions of Teen Drinking Homophily to New and Existing Friendships: An Empirical Assessment of Assortative and Proximity Selection Mechanisms

Abstract Alcohol use is pervasive in adolescence. Though most research is concerned with how friends influence drinking, alcohol is also important for connecting teens to one another. Prior studies have not distinguished between new friendship creation, and existing friendship durability, however. We argue that accounting for distinctions in creation–durability processes is critical for understanding the selection mechanisms drawing drinkers into homophilous friendships, and the social integration that results. In order to address these issues, we applied stochastic actor based models of network dynamics to National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data. Adolescents only modestly prefer new friendships with others who drinker similarly, but greatly prefer friends who indirectly connect them to homophilous drinkers. These indirect homophilous drinker relationships are shorter lived, however, and suggest that drinking is a social focus that connects adolescents via proximity, rather than assortativity. These findings suggest that drinking leads to more situational and superficial social integration.
Determinants and Heritability of Intraocular Pressure and Cup-to-Disc Ratio in a Defined Older Population

Purpose To investigate the heritability of intraocular pressure (IOP) and cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) in an older well-defined population. Design Family-based cohort study. Participants Through the population-based Salisbury Eye Evaluation study, we recruited 726 siblings (mean age, 74.7 years) in 284 sibships. Methods Intraocular pressure and CDR were measured bilaterally for all participants. The presence or absence of glaucoma was determined by a glacuoma specialist for all probands on the basis of visual field, optic nerve appearance, and history. The heritability of IOP was calculated as twice the residual between-sibling correlation of IOP using linear regression and generalized estimating equations after adjusting for age, gender, mean arterial pressure, race, self-reported diabetes status, and history of systemic steroid use. The heritability of CDR was calculated using the same model and adjustments as above, while also adjusting for IOP. Main Outcome Measures Heritability and determinants of IOP and CDR, and impact of siblings' glaucoma status on IOP and CDR. Results We estimated the heritability to be 0.29 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12–0.46) for IOP and 0.56 (95% CI, 0.35–0.76) for CDR in this population. Mean IOP in siblings of glaucomatous probands was statistically significantly higher than in siblings of normal probands (mean difference, 1.02 mmHg; P = 0.017). The mean CDR in siblings of glaucomatous probands was 0.07 (or 19%) larger than in siblings of glaucoma suspect referrals ( P = 0.045) and siblings of normal probands ( P = 0.004). Conclusions In this elderly population, we found CDR to be highly heritable and IOP to be moderately heritable. On average, siblings of glaucoma patients had higher IOPs and larger CDRs than siblings of nonglaucomatous probands.
Targeting the TumorMicroenvironment for Enhancing Chemotherapy in HematologicMalignancies

Mounting evidence now suggests that dynamic interactions between the cancer cell and its local and systemic microenvironment play a critical role in tumor development and that all of the clinical properties of a tumor, including response to therapy, depend heavily on the tumor stroma. We have much less understanding of the biology and genetics of stroma-tumor interactions than we do of tumor cells. Despite recent advances in the treatment of cancer, cancer still remains incurable, largely because of the emergence of drug-resistant tumor cells. Hematologic malignancies arise from defects in normal hematopoiesis and are often associated with aberrant expression of growth and survival factors, such as TGF-□, VEGF, bFGF, IL-6, and BAFF. These growth factors have also been shown to be involved in dysregulated apoptosis. Once a hematopoietic cell becomes malignant, these growth factors can be produced by both the tumor cell as well as by cells surrounding the tumor. These surrounding cells, such as bone marrow stromal cells, together with the extracellular matrix, cytokines and growth factors, and blood vessels, comprise the tumor microenvironment. This microenvironment provides a safe haven for the tumor cells to grow, and, following chemotherapeutic treatment, contributes the emergence of minimal residual disease (MRD), where a small number of drug resistant tumor cells survive cytotoxic stress. These drug resistant tumor cells, which often exhibit upregulation of anti-apoptotic pathways, are typically the cause of relapse of hematologic diseases. Thus, targeting these tumor cells along with the tumor microenvironment in which the tumor cells reside is vital in overcoming the devastating effects associated with hematologic malignancies.
Collective happiness: labour union membership and life satisfaction

Labour union membership is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction in low-income countries, but not in high-income countries. Evidence suggests that union membership affects life satisfaction in low-income countries through better working conditions.
Integration of Theory, Research Design, Measurement, and Analysis Toward a Reasoned Argument

The authors advocate using a reasoned argument to approach the research conceptualization process, wherein the different aspects of any study logically relate to each other. Specific focus is placed on the integration of four separate research components including substantive theory, research design, measurement, and analysis. A model of an iterative, logical choice process for making decisions about each of these components in relation to the other components is presented. Finally, the authors discuss several common aspects of each of the four research components that are often ignored and thus result in discrepancies across the components and a poor study.
An overview of blind signal processing

Summary form only given, as follows. Blind signal processing is an emerging area of research. Mathematically speaking, there are two major problems: (1) from the relation x(t)=As(t), the problem is to determine both the matrix A and the original signal vector s(t) from only the received signal vector x(t), and (2) from the relation x(t)=h(t)/spl otimes/s(t), the problem is to determine both the impulse response h(t) and s(t) from only x(t), where /spl otimes/ is the convolution operator. A unique feature of this problem is the characterization of its indeterminacy, and finding conditions so that the solution of the above equation is "unique". Major application areas are: blind signals separation, blind channel identification, array signal processing, and blind identification of medium with multiple-layer structure.
Inhibition of Leukocyte Adhesion by Developmental Endothelial Locus-1 (Del-1)

The leukocyte adhesion to endothelium is pivotal in leukocyte recruitment which takes place during inflammatory, autoimmune and infectious conditions. The interaction between leukocytes and endothelium requires an array of adhesion molecules expressed on leukocytes and endothelial cells, thereby promoting leukocyte recruitment into sites of inflammation and tissue injury. Intervention with the adhesion molecules provides a platform for development of anti-inflammatory therapeutics. This review will focus on developmental endothelial locus-1 (Del-1), an endogenous inhibitor of leukocyte adhesion.
A unique freshwater carbonate from the Upper Devonian Catskill magnafacies of New York State

ABSTRACT A unique carbonate bed occurs within the dominantly siliciclastic Catskill Magnafacies (Upper Devonian) of southcentral New York. Associated strata comprise interbedded sandstones and mudstones with a variety of burrows, calcareous concretions, desiccation cracks, and remains of plants, fish, and the bivalve Archanodon. They are interpreted as the deposits of river channels, crevasse splays, levees, and floodbasins. The 0.4-0.5-m-thick carbonate bed is composed dominantly of dolomitic mudstone, containing calcispheres, rare ostracodes, and micron-scale algal filament molds. Laminae are disrupted by vertical and horizontal sheet cracks and burrow tubes which are filled with laminated mudstone, peloids and quartz silt, and spar-mosaic cements. The carbonate bed is interpreted as freshwater-marsh/shallow-lake deposit, where mud-sized particles originated by precipitation around filaments within cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) mats. Laminae were deposited mainly from suspension and disrupted by burrowing organisms and periodic desiccation. The Everglades and interior of Andros Island provide modern analogues, the paleoclimatic and paleolatitudinal implications of which are consistent with previous reconstructions of Catskill deposition under a tropical climate, 20°-30° from the paleoequator. The carbonate bed probably represents local reduction in siliciclastic deposition rate (associated with river diversion) superimposed upon a regional, increasing deposition rate. There is no evidence of hypersalinity or marine influence.
Cost effectiveness and academic pediatric cardiology

Abstract As reform of the health system moves forward without legislation, Academic Health Centers (AHCs) are being forced to compete in the market place. Their high costs, generated both from inefficiencies and the high volume of tests done for all the previously ‘right reasons’, are being examined. Cost consists of direct medical (e.g., hospital), direct non-medical (e.g., transportation), indirect (e.g., lost wages) and intangible (e.g., pain and suffering) components. Effectiveness can be measured in terms of health (clinical, functional status, general well-being and satisfaction with care) as well as utility (value of health improvement). Methods for evaluating cost effectiveness of the AHC and of pediatric cardiology in particular are discussed at both the ‘macro’ level of the institution and the ‘micro’ level of the patient.
The AAPM/RSNA physics tutorial for residents. Clinical aspects of emission tomography.

Characteristics of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) that have an important impact on clinical interpretation include increased image contrast compared with that in planar imaging and enhanced three-dimensional perception of spatial relationships. Negative factors of tomographic imaging compared with planar imaging include generally inferior spatial resolution and noise and the increased complexity of performing high-quality studies. Areas in which tomography is of value include assessment of recurrent tumors and seizure foci in the brain, myocardial perfusion imaging, and bone scintigraphy, especially in the spine. SPECT studies performed with labeled red blood cells are useful in the diagnosis of cavernous hemangiomas of the liver. SPECT is a valuable adjunct to planar imaging in assessment of infections and tumors. PET studies performed with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose are currently generating great interest in oncology. Areas of research that ...
Towards rational molecular design for reduced chronic aquatic toxicity

The routine rational design of commercial chemicals with minimal toxicological hazard to humans and the environment is a key goal of green chemistry. The development of such a design strategy requires an understanding of the interrelationships between physical–chemical properties, structure, mechanisms and modes of action. This study develops property-based guidelines for the design of chemicals with reduced chronic aquatic toxicity to multiple standardized species and endpoints by exploring properties associated with bioavailability, narcotic toxicity and reactive modes of action, such as electrophilic interactions. Two simple properties emerge as key parameters that distinguish chemicals in the Low EPA level of concern to three aquatic species from those in the High level of concern – octanol–water partition coefficient, (log Po–w) and ΔE (LUMO–HOMO energy gap). Physicochemical properties were predicted using Schrodinger's QikProp, while frontier orbital energies were determined based on AM1 and DFT calculations using Gaussian03. Experimental toxicity data used consisted of chronic toxicity thresholds (NOEC) for Daphnia magna reproduction (317 compounds, 504 h-assay) and Oryzias latipes (Japanese medaka, 122 compounds in 336, 504 and 672 h assays) survival, and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, a green algae model (392 compounds). Results indicate that 92% of compounds of Low chronic concern have log Po–w values 9 eV. Chronically safe compounds to P. subcapitata meet similar criteria – 80% have log Po–w values < 3 and ΔE greater than 9 eV. Our work proposes design guidelines that can be used to significantly increase the probability that a chemical will have low chronic toxicity, based on the endpoints evaluated, to the three diverse aquatic species studied, and potentially to other aquatic species.
Living-related donor transplants should be performed with caution in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

The success rates of living-related donor (LRD) transplants are clearly superior to those obtained with cadaver donors. However, caution should be exercised when considering LRD transplantation for a condition which has an increased chance of recurring after transplantation and causing ultimate graft failure. The recurrence rate of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in the allograft is 20%–40%, with graft failure resulting in 40%–50% of these cases. However, these figures may be an underestimation of the true rate of recurrence of FSGS. Once a first transplant fails due to recurrent disease, the risk of recurrence in the second transplant approaches 80%. Subgroups of patients at high risk for recurrence have been identified. In patients not at high risk for recurrent FSGS, the use of a LRD should be considered, provided that the donor and recipient and their families have been informed that the disease may recur and lead to graft failure. In patients at high risk for recurrence, a LRD transplant should be avoided. Hopefully, future development of a simple and reliable test to predict the likelihood of recurrence will enable us to counsel and advise our patients with FSGS about the wisdom or dangers of proceeding with a LRD transplant.
Meteorite find yields carbon

In the new cache of meteorites recently found in Antarctica, 28 of the 31 discovered are carbonaceous chondrites, a type of meteorite rare for its carbon content. According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), the meteorites were discovered at the Pecora Escarpment, the southernmost exposure of rocks of the Pensacola Mountains. Antarctic conditions keep the meteorites nearly free of terrestrial organic contamination, making the meteorites' extraterrestrial organic compounds especially valuable to researchers. According to NSF, the discoverers termed the recent find ‘as good as’ the 1977 discovery at Allan Hills, in Victoria Land, of the largest meteorite ever found in Antarctica, one weighing 407 kg.
Teacher Well-Being and the Implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports

Teacher well-being has become a major issue in the United States with increasing diversity and demands across classrooms and schools. With this in mind, the current study analyzed the relationship between outcomes of teacher well-being, including burnout and efficacy, and the implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). Using a multilevel regression approach, the surveys of 184 teachers across 40 elementary schools were analyzed at individual and school levels. Results indicated that teachers in schools implementing SWPBIS with fidelity had significantly lower levels of burnout and significantly higher levels of efficacy. In addition, an interaction effect implied that teachers benefited most from SWPBIS implementation in schools of low socioeconomic status. Limitations of the study are discussed and directions for future interventions and research are recommended.
Nanoparticle-mediated targeting of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase signaling inhibits angiogenesis

Dysregulation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is a hallmark of human cancer, occurring in a majority of tumors. Activation of this pathway is critical for transformation and also for the angiogenic switch, which is a key step for tumor progression. The objective of this study was to engineer a PI3K inhibitor-loaded biodegradable nanoparticle and to evaluate its efficacy. Here we report that a nanoparticle-enabled targeting of the PI3K pathway results in inhibition of downstream Akt phosphorylation, leading to inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis of B16/F10 melanoma. It, however, failed to exert a similar activity on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, resulting from reduced internalization and processing of nanoparticles in this cell line. Excitingly, the nanoparticle-enabled targeting of the PI3K pathway resulted in inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation and tubulogenesis, two key steps in tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, it inhibited both B16/F10- and MDA-MB-231-induced angiogenesis in a zebrafish tumor xenotransplant model. Our study, for the first time, shows that targeting of the PI3K pathway using nanoparticles can offer an attractive strategy for inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.
A New MCDM Approach to Solve Public Sector Planning Problems

An interactive method is developed to aid decision makers in public sector planning and management. The method integrates machine learning algorithms along with multiobjective optimization and modeling-to-generate-alternatives procedures into decision analysis. The implicit preferences of the decision maker are elicited through screening of several alternatives. The alternatives are selected from Pareto front and near Pareto front regions that are identified first in the procedure. The decision maker's selections are input to the machine learning algorithms to generate decision rules, which are then incorporated into the analysis to generate more alternatives satisfying the decision rules. The method is illustrated using a municipal solid waste management planning problem
The Design of Complementary-Output Networks

Using the contact network as a representative of the class of combinational branch-type networks, various realization techniques are examined for their applicability or adaptability to the particular class of complementary-output networks, that is, two-output networks which have exactly one active output for each combination of the independent variables. Some elementary structural characteristics are developed and a particular class of functions which are minimally realized in separate parts is discussed. Upper and lower bounds are derived for the the number of contacts required to realize an arbitrary n-variable specification. Rudin's interconnection rules are extended to the non-series-parallel case and examples are given of their application. Trees are discussed in terms of a specific procedure proposed for their realization. Finally, Calingaert's reduction of the general multi-output problem to a single-output problem is reviewed in terms of the specific class of networks of interest here, and results, in conjunction with Moore's tables of minimal four-variable networks, in a table of minimal three-variable complementary-output networks.
Geothermal convection in the Tengiz carbonate platform, Kazakhstan: Reactive transport models of diagenesis and reservoir quality

A fundamental challenge in carbonate reservoir characterization is predicting the spatial distribution of diagenesis. We used a reactive transport model to investigate the viability of geothermal convection and associated patterns of diagenetic porosity modification in the Tengiz isolated carbonate platform reservoir. Before burial, forced convection generates significant calcite dissolution (locally up to 45%) toward the platform center, minor calcite cementation (up to 0.4%) in the slope, and moderate calcite dissolution and cementation (up to 1.6%) in Serpukhovian boundstone convective cells. The patterns and rates of diagenesis proved critically sensitive to specified vertical permeability. After burial with 200 m (660 ft) of salt, modeled subsurface temperature contrasts drive platform-scale free convection. Flow is hydraulically closed, but significant dissolution, up to 7.3% after 20 m.y., occurred in the Serpukhovian and Visean platform interior, and minor cementation up to 0.7% occurred toward the margin. A shale-filled salt-withdrawal basin, 500 m (1640 ft) deep, significantly modifies the subsurface temperature distribution and free convective flow. Ascending groundwaters beneath the withdrawal basin created a zone of calcite dissolution (up to 24.5% in 20 m.y.), with a mushroom geometry and minor cementation (up to 2.3% in 20 m.y.) in the distal platform interior and margin. Rates of diagenesis are dramatically reduced with increasing overburden as compaction retards convective flow. From a generic perspective, free convection persists if the salt overburden is substituted with shale, although flow is reversed, resulting in a different distribution of diagenesis. Simulations of geothermal convection provide a physically viable model for the integration of direct diagenetic observations to augment predictions of reservoir quality in Tengiz and other carbonate platform reservoirs.
RHIC insertion region, shunt power supply current errors

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) was commissioned in 1999 and 2000. RHIC requires power supplies to supply currents to highly inductive superconducting magnets. The RHIC Insertion Region contains many shunt power supplies to trim the current of different magnet elements in a large superconducting magnet circuit. Power Supply current error measurements were performed during the commissioning of RHIC. Models of these power supply systems were produced to predict and improve these power supply current errors using the circuit analysis program MicroCap V by Spectrum Software (TM). Results of the power supply current errors are presented from the models and from the measurements performed during the commissioning of RHIC.