cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Institutions and the Reversal of State Capture: Bosnia and Herzegovina in Comparative Perspective

This paper examines explanations for corruption and state capture in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to evaluate the importance of regional factors related to the transition from communism to liberal democracy and country-specific factors related to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The paper shows that the overall level of state capture is best explained by regional factors, while the specific structure of corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina is closely related to the way the war was fought and the peace treaty that brought it to an end. Reform efforts face steep and powerful opposition in the form of political and economic elites who have shifted from a focus on extracting wealth from the state to using state resources in order to maintain control and stymy political competition.
The role of fluid polarity in the swelling of sodium-montmorillonite clay: A molecular dynamics and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study

Abstract Swelling clays are found extensively in various parts of the world, and sodium-montmorillonite (Na-MMT) is the main constituent of an expansive clay mineral. In this work, the swelling behavior of Na-MMT clay with a wide range of organic fluids, high polar through low polar fluids, is studied using a combination of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technique and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The construction of the representative clay–fluid models is carried out, and the nature of nonbonded interactions between clay and fluids is studied using MD. Our FTIR and MD simulations results suggest the significant nonbonded interactions between Na-MMT clay and polar fluids, such as formamide and water. The nonbonded interactions of Na-MMT with methanol and acetone are significantly less than those in Na-MMT with polar fluids. The interactions of the fluids with various entities of the clay such as Si O, Fe OH, Mg OH, and Al OH captured via the spectroscopy experiments and modeling provide a finer understanding of the interactions and their contributions to swelling. The MD simulations are able to capture the band shifts observed in the spectra obtained in the spectroscopy experiments. This work also captures the conformations of interlayer sodium ions with formamide, water, methanol, and acetone during swelling. These nonbonded interactions provide insight into the molecular mechanism that the polarity of fluids plays an important role in the initiation of interlayer swelling, alteration in the orientations, and evolution of microstructure of swelling clays at the molecular scale.
A prospective study of the feasibility of FDG-PET/CT imaging to quantify radiation-induced lung inflammation in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving proton or photon radiotherapy.

This prospective study assessed the feasibility of 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) to quantify radiation-induced lung inflammation in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received radiotherapy (RT), and compared the differences in inflammation in the ipsilateral and contralateral lungs following proton and photon RT. Thirty-nine consecutive patients with NSCLC underwent FDG-PET/CT imaging before and after RT on a prospective study. A novel quantitative approach utilized regions of interest placed around the anatomical boundaries of the lung parenchyma and provided lung mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), global lung glycolysis (GLG), global lung parenchymal glycolysis (GLPG) and total lung volume (LV). To quantify primary tumor metabolic response to RT, an adaptive contrast-oriented thresholding algorithm was applied to measure metabolically active tumor volume (MTV), tumor uncorrected SUVmean, tumor partial volume corrected SUVmean (tumor-PVC-SUVmean), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Parameters of FDG-PET/CT scans before and after RT were compared using two-tailed paired t-tests. All tumor parameters after either proton or photon RT decreased significantly (p < 0.001). Among the 21 patients treated exclusively with proton RT, no significant increase in PVC-SUVmean or PVC-GLPG was observed in ipsilateral lungs after the PVC parameters of primary tumor were subtracted (p = 0.114 and p = 0.453, respectively). Also, there were no significant increases in SUVmean or GLG of contralateral lungs of patients who received proton RT (p = 0.841, p = 0.241, respectively). In contrast, among the nine patients who received photon RT, there was a statistically significant increase in PVC-GLPG of ipsilateral lung (p < 0.001) and in GLG of contralateral (p = 0.036) lung. In the subset of nine patients who received a combined proton and photon RT, there was a statistically significant increase in PVC-GLPG of ipsilateral lung (p < 0.001). Our data suggest less induction of inflammatory response in both the ipsilateral and contralateral lungs of patients treated with proton compared to photon or combined proton-photon RT.
Individualizing piperacillin/tazobactam dosing in adult patients with cystic fibrosis: can tobramycin measurements help?

Background Empirical models to predict β-lactam pharmacokinetics (PK) using information from routine aminoglycoside therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) have been proposed for critically ill patients; however, no such models exist for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Objectives To investigate whether PK parameters of tobramycin could be used to predict those of piperacillin. Methods A non-interventional, open-label PK study was conducted in hospitalized adults treated with piperacillin/tazobactam and tobramycin for acute pulmonary exacerbations of CF. Six serum samples per patient were collected and analysed. One- and two-compartment population PK models with linear, Michaelis-Menten or mixed elimination were evaluated for both drugs within the PmetricsTM package for R. Models were developed and compared iteratively using the log-likelihood and Akaike information criterion (AIC) objective functions. Results Nine primarily female (n = 8) and Caucasian (100%) adult CF patients were enrolled. The median (IQR) age, height, weight and serum creatinine of included patients was 31 (27-32) years, 51.4 (49.9-55.8) kg, 162.6 (160.0-165.1) cm and 0.6 (0.5-0.6) mg/dL, respectively. The final model with the lowest objective function values consisted of one compartment with first-order elimination for tobramycin and two compartments with mixed-order elimination for piperacillin with the elimination rate constant of piperacillin modelled as a linear function of the elimination rate constant of tobramycin. Conclusions A relationship was identified between the elimination rate constants of tobramycin and piperacillin. Validation of this relationship in larger studies of adult patients with CF is needed before application to the precision dosing of piperacillin/tazobactam in this patient population.
Near-infrared intraoperative imaging for minimally invasive pulmonary metastasectomy for sarcomas.

Abstract Background Complete pulmonary metastasectomy for sarcoma metastases provides patients an opportunity for long-term survival and possible cure. Intraoperative localization of preoperatively identified metastases and identification of occult lesions can be challenging. In this trial, we evaluated the efficacy of near-infrared (NIR) intraoperative imaging using second window indocyanine green during metastasectomy to identify known metastases and to detect occult nodules. Methods Thirty patients with pulmonary nodules suspicious for sarcoma metastases were enrolled in an open-label, feasibility study ( NCT02280954 ). All patients received intravenous indocyanine green (5 mg/kg) 24 hours before metastasectomy. Patients 1 through 10 (cohort 1) underwent metastasectomy via thoracotomy to assess fluorescence patterns of nodules detected by traditional methods (preoperative imaging and intraoperative visualization/bimanual palpation). After confirming reliability within cohort 1, patients 11 through 30 (cohort 2) underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery metastasectomy with NIR imaging. Results In cohort 1, 14 out of 16 preoperatively identified pulmonary metastases (87.5%) displayed tumor fluorescence. Nonfluorescent metastases were deeper than fluorescent metastases (2.1 cm vs 1.3 cm; P = .03). Five out of 5 metastases identified during thoracotomy displayed fluorescence. NIR imaging identified 3 additional occult lesions in this cohort. In cohort 2, 33 out of 37 known pulmonary metastases (89.1%) displayed fluorescence. Nonfluorescent tumors were deeper than 2.0 cm (P = .007). NIR imaging identified 24 additional occult lesions. Of 24 occult lesions, 21 (87.5%) were confirmed metastases and the remaining 3 nodules were lymphoid aggregates. Conclusions NIR intraoperative imaging with indocyanine green (5 mg/kg and 24 hours before surgery) localizes known sarcoma pulmonary metastases and identifies otherwise occult lesions. This approach may be a useful intraoperative adjunct to improve metastasectomy.
Answer to August 2017 Photo Quiz.

Answer: Cestode proglottids . Macroscopic evaluation revealed individual proglottids and short chains (see Fig. 1A and B in the photo quiz). Phase-contrast and differential interference contrast microscopy revealed egg capsules with thick, fibrous walls approximately 300 μm in size (Fig. 1C in the
Financial Implications of 12-Month Dispensing of Oral Contraceptive Pills in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Importance The Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system is the largest integrated health care system in the United States. Like most US health plans, the VA currently stipulates a 3-month maximum dispensing limit for all medications, including oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). However, 12-month OCP dispensing has been shown to improve continuation of use, decrease coverage gaps, and reduce unintended pregnancy in other practice settings. Objective To estimate the financial and reproductive health implications for the VA of implementing a 12-month OCP dispensing option, with the goal of informing policy change. Design, Setting, and Participants A decision model from the VA payer perspective was developed to estimate incremental costs to the health care system of allowing the option to receive a 12-month supply of OCPs up front, compared with the standard 3-month maximum, during a 1-year time horizon. A model cohort of 24 309 reproductive-aged, heterosexually active, female VA enrollees who wish to avoid pregnancy for at least 1 year was assumed. Probabilities of continuation of OCP use, coverage gaps, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes were drawn from published data. Costs of OCP provision and pregnancy-related care and the number of women using OCPs were drawn from VA administrative data. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess model robustness. Main Outcomes and Measures Incremental per-woman and total costs to the VA of allowing for 12-month dispensing of OCPs compared with standard 3-month dispensing. Results The 12-month OCP dispensing option, modeled from the VA health system perspective using a cohort of 24 309 women, resulted in anticipated VA annual cost savings of $87.12 per woman compared with the cost of 3-month dispensing, or an estimated total savings of $2 117 800 annually. Cost savings resulted from an absolute reduction of 24 unintended pregnancies per 1000 women per year with 12-month dispensing, or 583 unintended pregnancies averted annually. Expected cost savings with 12-month dispensing were sensitive to changes in the probability of OCP coverage gaps with 3-month dispensing, the probability of pregnancy during coverage gaps, and the proportion of pregnancies paid for by the VA. When simultaneously varying all variables across plausible ranges, the 12-month strategy was cost saving in 95.4% of model iterations. Conclusions and Relevance Adoption of a 12-month OCP dispensing option is expected to produce substantial cost savings for the VA while better supporting reproductive autonomy and reducing unintended pregnancy among women veterans.
Proximal Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: Addressing the myth of limb length.

Abstract Background Some studies suggest that changes in weight or metabolic outcomes are affected by the lengths of the gastrointestinal limbs in the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Methods Participants (N = 1,770) underwent primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and were followed ≤7 years in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2, a multicenter US cohort study. Alimentary limb and biliopancreatic limb lengths were measured according to research protocol; common channel was measured in a subsample (N = 547). Aimentary limb, biliopancreatic limb, and common channel ratio to total small bowel length were calculated. Results Median presurgery body mass index was 46 (25th–75th percentile: 43–51) kg/m2. Medians (25th–75th percentiles) for alimentary limb length were 125 cm (100–150), for biliopancreatic limb length were 50 cm (50–60), and common channel length were 410 cm (322–520). Statistics for ratios to the small bowel length were 0.23 (0.18–0.27) for alimentary limb, 0.09 (0.07–0.10) for biliopancreatic limb, and 0.69 (0.63–0.73) for common length. There were no significant associations between alimentary limb, biliopancreatic limb, common channel, alimentary limb ratio, biliopancreatic limb ratio or common channel ratio, and either weight loss or improvement in cardiometabolic outcomes. Conclusion The common channel length in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is highly variable between individuals. None of the limb lengths in this study, nor alimentary limb, biliopancreatic limb, or common channel ratios, seem to be related to weight loss or metabolic improvements >7 years.
Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals as Photocatalysts for PET-RAFT Polymerization under Visible and Near-Infrared Irradiation

A key challenge of harvesting solar energy for chemical transformations is the scarcity of photocatalysts with broad activation wavelength and easily tunable band structures. Here, we introduce lea...
Host Gene-mediated Virus Resistance Mechanisms and Signaling in Arabidopsis

Plants resist viral infections either via an active mechanism, involving the participation of resistance (R) genes and subsequent signal transduction pathways, or in a passive manner, which entails the absence of essential host factors required for replication or movement of the virus. An active resistance response involves strain-specific recognition of a virus-encoded elicitor, through direct or indirect interaction with the corresponding R gene product. This in turn activates downstream signaling, which leads to prevention of viral spread and confers resistance against the pathogen. An R gene-mediated recognition of virus often turns on defense responses such as the accumulation of salicylic acid (SA), the expression of pathogenesisrelated (PR) genes, and the development of a hypersensitive response (HR) on the inoculated leaves. The HR is defined by necrotic lesion formation at the site of infection and is thought to help prevent multiplication and movement by confining the virus to the region immediately surrounding the necrotic lesions.
Effects of Sex, Race, and Education on the Timing of Coming Out among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the U.S.

Sexual identity formation or “coming out” as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) involves a complex process including both private realization and public disclosure. Private realization refers to the process through which an individual becomes aware of their LGB identity, whereas public disclosure reflects when an individual discloses their identity to another person. Sex, race, and class affect the timing of these processes across the life course. While extant research has identified the bivariate nature of these processes, we took a multivariate approach to understand the timing of these sexual identity milestones from a life-course perspective. Using data from the Pew Research Center’s 2013 Survey of LGBT Adults (n = 1136), we considered how the timing of private realization and public disclosure of LGB identity is a sexed, racialized, and classed experience. The sample consisted of lesbians (n = 270), gay males (n = 396), bisexual females (n = 342), and bisexual males (n = 127). Results indicated that females uniformly realized and disclosed their identities at later stages in the life course, whereas individuals with at least some college education came out during their prime college-age years. We also found variation in timing between private realization and public disclosure for Black respondents, but not other racial groups. These findings provide insight into how organizations can develop specific programs that allow LGB individuals to safely explore their sexuality and provide support over the life course.
Proposed existence of acceptor-like traps at positive polarization interfaces in p-type III-nitride semiconductors

We propose the existence of an acceptor-like trap at positive polarization interfaces in p-type III-nitride semiconductor heterostructures, using N-polar p-type GaN/AlN/AlGaN superlattices as a demonstration platform. Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy was used to grow all samples, with a p-type modulation doping scheme using Mg as the dopant. The samples were characterized using x-ray diffraction and room-temperature Hall measurements, and energy band-diagram simulations were carried out using STR FETIS® and Silvaco packages. For higher doped samples (Mg > 1.5 × 1019 cm−3) with thinner AlN interlayers (≤0.7 nm), the total sheet charge measured using Hall measurements agreed with the value observed in standard simulations without invoking any traps, whereas for lower doped samples (Mg < 1.5 × 1019 cm−3) and those with thicker AlN interlayers (≥ 0.7 nm), the measured charge was very high compared to the value obtained from simulations and higher than the Mg doping in the films. The higher charge was attributed to the existence of an acceptor trap at positive polarization interfaces, which became ionized at lower doping and/or at higher AlN thicknesses. A consistent ionization energy of the trap was obtained by comparing the energy band diagram with and without acceptor traps with the experimental results. This work also elucidates the source of charge balance in p-type samples with insufficient or no Mg doping.
Central Cholinergic Synapse Formation in Optimized Primary Septal-Hippocampal Co-cultures

Septal innervation of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons to the hippocampus is critical for normal learning and memory and is severely degenerated in Alzheimer's disease. To understand the molecular events underlying physiological cholinergic synaptogenesis and remodeling, as well as pathological loss, we developed an optimized primary septal-hippocampal co-culture system. Hippocampal and septal tissue were harvested from embryonic Sprague-Dawley rat brain and cultured together at varying densities, cell ratios, and in the presence of different growth factors. We identified conditions that produced robust septal-hippocampal synapse formation. We used confocal microscopy with primary antibodies and fluorescent ligands to validate that this system was capable of generating developmentally mature cholinergic synapses. Such synapses were comprised of physiological synaptic partners and mimicked the molecular composition of in vivo counterparts. This co-culture system will facilitate the study of the formation, plasticity, and dysfunction of central mammalian cholinergic synapses.
Pattern of medical admissions at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba-a two year review.

Atwo-year retrospective evaluation of the pattern of medical admissions at the FederalMedical Centre (FMC),Asaba,Delta State,Nigeria. Case notes of all admissions and deaths in the medical wards between November 2005 and October 2007 were retrieved and reviewed. Themean, standard deviation and percentages of relevant data were derived and presented in simple descriptive statistics. One thousand, eight hundred and sixty patients were admitted over the study period. One thousand and eight of these [1008; 54.2%], were male, while eight hundred and fifty two [850; 45.8%] were female, making a female/male ratio of 1:1.18.The patients ages ranged between fifteen and ninety years, with amean of 51.56 ± 18.35 years.The age range ofmale patients ranged from16 to 88 years,with amean of 55.55 ± 17.99 years,while that of the female patients ranged from15 to 90 years,with amean of 57.14 ± 13.79.The length of stay in theward ranged from1 to 97 days,with amean of 10.32 ± 10.93 days.Therewere 23.25 patients per bed per year and a bed occupancy rate of 65.74%. There were 240 deaths [12.90% of total admissions]. The interval between admission and death ranged between 1 and 31 days, with a mean of 7.14 ± 6.7 days. One hundred and twenty four patients [124; 6.7%] were referred to other health facilities, while ninety six [96; 5.2%] left against medical advice.The commonest causes of admission in males was hypertension, diabetes mellitus and HIV, while in females, it was HIV, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Commonest causes of death in males were hypertension, HIV and diabetes, while in female subjects, itwasHIV, hypertension and diabetes. Non-communicable diseases- [hypertension, diabetesmellitus] and HIV/AIDS were themajor causes of admissions and death in both genders. Keywords : Pattern, Medical admissions, Asaba
Direct hydrocarbon SOFCs

In “direct hydrocarbon” solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), the undiluted hydrocarbon fuel is fed directly into the anode compartment, with little or no oxygen-containing additions (e.g. O2, H2O, or CO2). This can potentially provide the basis for simple, efficient SOFC power plants, and may be an enabling technology for applications such as electricity generation at remote sites, small portable power supplies, and auxiliary power units for vehicles. The main challenge is to develop SOFC anodes that can use hydrocarbons without large overpotentials or carbon deposition. Strategies for electrochemically oxidizing various carbon-containing fuels without coking are discussed, including reduced operating temperature, alternative anode compositions, and carbon oxidation via electrochemically pumped oxygen. Information currently available regarding the complex reactions of hydrocarbons with typical SOFC anodes is discussed. Keywords: fuel cell; solid oxide fuel cell; hydrocarbon fuel; fuel cell anode; electrochemical oxidation; fuel reforming; carbon deposition; solid electrolyte
Temporal trends in new and recurrent oesophageal strictures in a Medicare population.

SUMMARY Background The widespread use of proton pump inhibitors for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease could result in a decline in new as well as recurrent gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-related oesophageal strictures. The temporal trends of strictures have not been examined in population-based studies. Methods To examine the temporal trends in strictures, we calculated the age-adjusted incidence rates of new oesophageal strictures with or without oesophageal dilation in a sample of Medicare beneficiaries between 1992 and 2000. We also examined recurrent dilations recorded at least 3 months after a new stricture or the preceding recurrent stricture. Results The age-adjusted rates for strictures accompanied with dilation declined by approximately 11% from 215 per million to 192 per million. New oesophageal strictures with dilation declined as a proportion of all upper endoscopies procedures (from 2.6% to 1.9%). Recurrent dilation within 1 year declined dramatically from 16% (9.5% CI: 12.5–20.3) in 1992 to 8% (95% CI: 4.43–10.62) in 2000. In multivariable proportional hazards model, there was a 30% risk reduction of recurrent oesophageal strictures. Conclusions This population-based study indicates that the incidence of new as well as recurrent oesophageal strictures has been declining. In the face of rising incidence of other gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-related complications, it is important to understand the explanation of the present observations.
Differential Roles for Interleukin-23 and Interleukin-17 in Intestinal Immunoregulation

Interleukin-23 (IL-23) and IL-17 are cytokines currently being targeted in clinical trials. Although inhibition of both of these cytokines is effective for treating psoriasis, IL-12 and IL-23 p40 inhibition attenuates Crohn's disease, whereas IL-17A or IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) inhibition exacerbates Crohn's disease. This dichotomy between IL-23 and IL-17 was effectively modeled in the multidrug resistance-1a-ablated (Abcb1a(-/-)) mouse model of colitis. IL-23 inhibition attenuated disease by decreasing colonic inflammation while enhancing regulatory T (Treg) cell accumulation. Exacerbation of colitis by IL-17A or IL-17RA inhibition was associated with severe weakening of the intestinal epithelial barrier, culminating in increased colonic inflammation and accelerated mortality. These data show that IL-17A acts on intestinal epithelium to promote barrier function and provide insight into mechanisms underlying exacerbation of Crohn's disease when IL-17A or IL-17RA is inhibited.
Factors controlling the flux of organic carbon to the bathypelagic zone of the ocean

[1] Particle fluxes measured with time series sediment traps deployed below 2000 m at 68 sites in the world ocean are combined with satellite-derived estimates of export production from the overlying water to assess the factors affecting the transfer of particulate organic matter from surface to deep water. Multiple linear regression is used to derive an algorithm suggesting that the transfer efficiency of organic carbon, defined as the settling flux of organic carbon normalized to export production, increases with the flux of carbonate and decreases with water depth and seasonality. The algorithm predicts >80% of the organic carbon transfer efficiency variability in diverse oceanic regions. The influence of the carbonate flux suggests that the ballasting effect of this biogenic mineral may be an important factor promoting export of organic carbon to the deep sea by increasing the density of settling particles. However, the lack of a similar effect for biogenic opal suggests that factors other than particle density also play a role. The adverse effect of increasing seasonality on the transfer efficiency of carbon to the deep sea is tentatively attributed to greater biodegradability of organic matter exported during bloom events. In high latitude opal-dominated regions with high f-ratios and seasonality, while a higher fraction of net production is exported, a higher fraction of the exported organic matter is remineralized before reaching bathypelagic depths. On the other hand, in warm, low latitude, carbonate-dominated regions with low f-ratios and seasonality, a higher fraction of the exported organic matter sinks to the deep sea.
EMaaS: Cloud-Based Energy Management Service for Distributed Renewable Energy Integration

The increasing penetration of renewable energy has become a critical issue in recent years. The future power system is foreseen to depend on distributed energy resource (DER) excessively for continuous load support. Yet, DER providers are also facing limited choices in their produced renewable energy. Massive information and complicated cooperation emerging from involvers intensify issues in terms of efficiency, reliability, and scalability. In this paper, a cloud-based framework is proposed to provide a customer-oriented energy management as a service (EMaaS) for green communities, which are formed as virtual retail electricity providers (REPs) by involved DERs providers. It can be adopted by existing REPs or utilities. For each green community, the multiperiod global cost is minimized to promote renewable energy, and renewable energy consumption is stabilized to enhance integration. A solvable linear programming model is formulated for EMaaS. The case studies results reveal the proposed EMaaS retains satisfactory performances.
Influences of external urethral sphincter relaxation induced by alpha-bungarotoxin, a neuromuscular junction blocking agent, on voiding dysfunction in the rat with spinal cord injury.

Abstract Objectives. To determine whether external urethral sphincter (EUS) relaxation induced by alpha-bungarotoxin, a highly selective neuromuscular junction blocking agent, could ameliorate voiding dysfunction after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. Methods. The effects of intravenous alpha-bungarotoxin (333 μg/kg) were evaluated during cystometry in decerebrate, unanesthetized female Sprague-Dawley rats (250 to 300 g) with spinal cords chronically transected at T7-9 (n = 7) or with normal spinal cords (NSC) (n = 7). Parameters measured included voided volume (VV), residual volume (RV), volume threshold for inducing micturition (VT), voiding efficiency (VE), micturition pressure (MP), pressure threshold for inducing micturition (PT), bladder contraction duration (BCD), and compliance (CP). Results. In SCI rats, treatment with alpha-bungarotoxin improved voiding. The toxin increased VE (31%) and reduced RV (42%), MP (52%), BCD (14%), and VT (31%). VV, PT, and CP were not altered. In NSC rats, alpha-bungarotoxin decreased VE (23%), increased RV (63%), and decreased MP (36%), VV (38%), and VT (20%) but did not change BCD and CP. Conclusions. The results of our study demonstrated that alpha-bungarotoxin improved voiding in SCI rats by reducing urethral outlet resistance. However, in NSC rats, the toxin reduced voiding, probably by suppressing high-frequency phasic sphincter activity, necessary for efficient urine elimination in normal animals. The present results provide further support for the view that drugs that depress striated muscle activity can be useful in the treatment of voiding dysfunction after SCI.
The implementation of Etude, an integrated and interactive document production system

Etude is an experimental text processing system that is being developed in order to formulate and evaluate new approaches to the design of user interfaces for office automation tools. The primary design goal for Etude is to provide the user with substantial functionality in the editing and formatting of documents in the context of a system that is easy to learn and use.
Ecomorphology of the Moray Bite: Relationship between Dietary Extremes and Morphological Diversity*

Abstract The pharyngeal jaws of moray eels function exclusively to transport prey from the oral jaws into the esophagus. This functional innovation in the moray pharyngeal jaw system occurred through the loss of some ancestral functions that presumably included prey processing. Therefore, the oral jaws of morays are used to capture and process prey. Dietary accounts suggest that morays can be categorized as either piscivorous or durophagous in feeding habits. These extreme feeding specializations that select for conflicting biomechanical demands on the oral jaws should result in two discrete clusters of cranial form and diet in morphospace. When functional characters underlying the oral jaws were examined for 10 muraenid species, piscivorous and durophagous morays occupied distinct areas of morphospace. Piscivores exhibited longer jaws, narrower heads, and long recurved teeth, while durophagous morays exhibited shorter jaws, greater dentary depths, and short blunt teeth. Durophagous morays process prey in...
dextro-Morphine attenuates the morphine-produced conditioned place preference via the sigma1 receptor activation in the rat

An unbiased conditioned place preference paradigm was used to evaluate the effect of dextro-morphine on the morphine-produced reward in male CD rats. Morphine sulfate (1-10 mg/kg) given intraperitoneally dose-dependently produced the conditioned place preference. Pretreatment with dextro-morphine at a dose from 0.1 to 3 microg/kg given subcutaneously dose-dependently attenuated the morphine-produced conditioned place preference. However, dextro-morphine at a higher dose 100 microg/kg did not affect the morphine-produced conditioned place preference. Thus, dextro-morphine pretreatment induces a U-shaped dose-response curve for attenuating the morphine-produced conditioned place preference. The attenuation of the morphine-produced conditioned place preference was reversed by the pretreatment with the sigma(1) receptor antagonist BD1047 (N-[2-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-N-methyl-2-(dimethylamino)ethylamine dihydrobromide. dextro-Morphine or BD1047 given alone did not affect the baseline place conditioning. It is concluded that dextro-morphine attenuated the morphine-produced conditioned place preference via the sigma(1) receptor activation.
Baranowski et al. reply.

A reply to the Comment on Evidence for superconductivity in low-temperature--grown GaAs is given. It is argued that the authors findings are clearly distinguished from the scope of the previous work.(AIP)
Immunodeficiency and lymphocyte ecto-5′-nucleotidase activity in the elderly: A comparison of the effect of a trace mineral supplement (1 USRDA) with high zinc (6.7 X USRDA)

Abstract The effect of administering a total mineral supplement (TMS) or 100 mg of elemental zinc alone on immune function was studies in 17 normal subjects, aged 66–85. Subjects were given either TMS containing 1 USRDA of zinc, copper, iron, and manganese or 100 mg of elemental zinc alone as zinc sulfate (ZnSO 4 ). Administration of either supplement led to a slight increase in peripheral blood lymphocytes and improved maturation of B-lymphocytes to antibody-producing cells in culture of peripherla blood mononuclear cells. Ecto-5′-nucleotidase, a zinc obligate enzyme of lymphocyte cell membranes, increased when TMS was administered daily but failed to increase when ZnSO 4 was administered. Serum zinc levels increased in all subjects receiving the ZnSO 4 . Only those subjects with low initial serum zinc levels had higher serum zinc levels after 3 months on the TMS. These studies indicate that dietary supplementation with a TMS (1 USRDA) can improve certain in vitro parameters of immune competence in the aged, avoiding the deleterious effects possible with excessive intake.
Asymptotic freedom and the "absence" of vector-gluon exchange in wide-angle hadronic collisions

The naive, pointlike parton model of Berman, Bjorken, and Kogut is generalized to scale-invariant and asymptotically free field theories. The asymptotically free field generalization is studied in detail. Although such theories contain vector fields, single vector-gluon exchange contributes insignificantly to wide-angle hadronic collisions. This follows from (1) the smallness of the invariant charge at small distances and (2) the breakdown of naive scaling in these theories. These effects should explain the apparent absence of vector exchange in inclusive and exclusive hadronic collisions at large momentum transfers observed at Fermilab and at the CERN ISR.
Statistical Proofs of Some Matrix Theorems

Summary Books on linear models and multivariate analysis generally include a chapter on matrix algebra, quite rightly so, as matrix results are used in the discussion of statistical methods in these areas. During recent years a number of papers have appeared where statistical results derived without the use of matrix theorems have been used to prove some matrix results which are used to generate other statistical results. This may have some pedagogical value. It is not, however, suggested that prior knowledge of matrix theory is not necessary for studying statistics. It is intended to show that a judicious use of statistical and matrix results might be of help in providing elegant proofs of problems both in statistics and matrix algebra and make the study of both the subjects somewhat interesting. Some basic notions of vector spaces and matrices are, however, necessary and these are outlined in the introduction to this paper.
Language and the ability to evaluate contradictions and tautologies

Abstract Children were found to experience difficulty evaluating contradictions of the form p & -p, and tautologies of the form p v -p. It was hypothesized that (a) the difficulty of these statements was not due solely to the logical words occuring in them, (b) part of the difficulty is due to the fact that their truth value derives from their linguistic form rather than from empirical considerations, and (c) the ability to examine language in an objective manner, apart from events and objects to which it refers, is necessary but not sufficient for correct evaluation of contradictions and tautologies. The results of two experiments support the hypothesis.
Dollar exchange rate and stock price: evidence from multivariate cointegration and error correction model

Abstract In this paper, we investigate existence of long-run equilibrium relationships among the aggregate stock price, industrial production, real exchange rate, interest rate, and inflation in the United States. Applying Johansen's cointegration analysis to monthly data for the 1974:01–1998:12 period, we find that the S&P 500 stock price is positively related to the industrial production but negatively to the real exchange rate, interest rate, and inflation. Analysis of error correction mechanism reveals that the stock price, industrial production, and inflation adjust to correct disequilibrium among the five variables, while variance decompositions indicate that the stock price is driven to a considerable extent by innovations in the interest rate. Structural stability tests show that the parameters of the cointegrating system and the error correction term are stationary.
Precise measurement of electronic gJ value of helium, gJ(4He,23S1)☆

Abstract We report the measurement of g J ( 4 He,2 3 S 1 ) g J ( 85 Rb ,5 2 S 1 2 ) by the atomic beam magnetic reson ance method using separated oscillating fields, and hence the determination g J ( 4 He,2 3 S 1 ) g J (H,1 2 S 1 2 ) − 1− (23.19±0.07) × 10 −6 , which agrees with theory and with other less precise recent measurements.
Therapeutic Cryogel Removal in Autoimmune Disease: What is Cryogel?

Guest Editor's Introduction: This paper was presented as a keynote address of the 2nd congress of the Japanese Society for Therapeutic Plasmapheresis on June 5, 1982. It was printed in Therapeutic Plasmapheresis II (ed) T. Oda, and published by F.K. Schattauer Verlag, Stuggart, Germany in 1982 on pages 15–25. In this paper, attempts were made to clarify the formation of the cryogel, composition of cryogel, and cryogel and its temperature dependence by cryofiltration procedures. Clinical effects of cryogel removal or cryofiltration procedures were described from macromolecular changes, pre and post procedures, and the clinical effects of rheumatoid arthritis patients were assessed from these macromolecular kinetics. Basically, cryogel is a fibrinogen-heparin-fibronection complex and contains various types of pathological macromolecules. Abstract: Cryofiltration is the on-line technique of plasma treatment consisting of plasma cooling and its membrane filtration. In cryofiltration, cryogel is formed and removed by the cryofilter. The formation of cryogel on-line at temperatures near 4°C and the removal of cryogel by the membrane filter has been shown to produce positive clinical results in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Cryogel as generated in cryofiltration is distinct from cryoprecipitate (cryoprotein, cryoglobulin) as isolated by classical laboratory tests or those substances removed by off-line techniques as cryopheresis and cryoglobulinpheresis. Cryogel is formed under conditions of relatively fast cooling (10–20 minutes) and is removed during membrane filtration of the plasma. Cryogel concentrates the pathological molecules, and therefore, is selective for their removal. Clinical and in vitro studies of cryofiltration indicate the primary importance that temperature has on the bulk properties of the solution and the filtration process. While clinical studies to date have been carried out at 4°C, cryogel can form at temperatures below 37°C. In general we can remove more cryogel from pathological plasma than from normal plasma. Mechanisms involved in the formation of cryogel are complex and involve multiple plasma solutes. Cold-induced precipitation of macromolecules from plasma is most likely due to the interaction of heparin, fibronectin (cold insoluble globulin), and fibrin/fibrinogen under cooling conditions. Plasma subjected to the cooling procedures contains sufficient amounts of heparin to produce heparin-fibrinogen complex. This complex acts as a nucleus for cryogel formation and the binding of macromolecular weight plasma solutes which are then trapped on the cryofilter.
Progress toward an advanced tokamak at DIII–D

Abstract Recent additions to the DIII–D tokamak have permitted the many issues critical to advanced tokamak operation to be addressed. These include an expanded divertor pumping and baffle system, improved energy handling of the plasma facing components, higher power and longer pulse electron cyclotron heating and current drive systems, an active instability control system, an upgraded plasma control system and upgraded diagnostic systems. Initial results of the plasma pumping, heating and stabilization experiments are promising.
Resampling-based multiple comparison procedure with application to point-wise testing with functional data

In this paper we describe a coherent multiple testing procedure for correlated test statistics such as are encountered in functional linear models. The procedure makes use of two different $$p$$ value combination methods: the Fisher combination method and the Sidak correction-based method. $$p$$ values for Fisher’s and Sidak’s test statistics are estimated through resampling to cope with the correlated tests. Building upon these two existing combination methods, we propose the smallest $$p$$ value as a new test statistic for each hypothesis. The closure principle is incorporated along with the new test statistic to obtain the overall $$p$$ value and appropriately adjust the individual $$p$$ values. Furthermore, a shortcut version for the proposed procedure is detailed, so that individual adjustments can be obtained even for a large number of tests. The motivation for developing the procedure comes from a problem of point-wise inference with smooth functional data where tests at neighboring points are related. A simulation study verifies that the methodology performs well in this setting. We illustrate the proposed method with data from a study on the aerial detection of the spectral effect of below ground carbon dioxide leakage on vegetation stress via spectral responses.
Charge and spin contact density in ferromagnetic iron and nickel

Abstract The charge and spin densities of band electrons at a nuclear site are calculated for ferromagnetic iron and nickel. A negative contribution to the hyperfine field is obtained in both cases.
Social neuroscience of child and adolescent depression.

The social neuroscience of child and adolescent depression is inherently multidisciplinary. Depressive disorders beginning early in life can have serious developmental and functional consequences. Psychopathology research has described depression’s defining clinical and contextual features, and intervention research has characterized its response to treatment and prevention programs. Neuroendocrine, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging studies have identified core neurobiological aspects of early-onset mood disorders. These areas are reviewed using a developmental social neuroscience perspective for integrating disparate observations. The paper introduces a dynamic adaptive systems framework, and it discusses hedonic capacity, stress sensitivity, ruminative self-focus, and attentional impairments as fundamental components of mood disorders.
Japan's development aid: Self-interest or economic partnership?

Aid given by Japan has surpassed that given by the U.S. in dollars and as a percentage of donor GDP. The criteria underlying Japan's aid include the recipient's effort to be self-reliant, Japan's interest in potential markets for manufactured goods, rich resource markets, and profitable returns on investment. Results of the study indicate that Japan's aid is largely bilateral and tied. Asia is the predominant regional focus. Japan's aid is a small proportion of its grant element and a large proportion of its loans. Aid is commonly given on a request method, with a large proportion given for infrastructure development. Japan defends loans on request and encourages responsible spending and quick completion of projects to repay loans. Japan believes survival of rich nations is incumbent upon the development of poor nations.
Combining Mindfulness Meditation with Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Insomnia: A Treatment-Development Study

This treatment-development study is a Stage I evaluation of an intervention that combines mindfulness meditation with cognitive-behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Thirty adults who met research diagnostic criteria for Psychophysiological Insomnia (Edinger et al., 2004) participated in a 6-week, multi-component group intervention using mindfulness meditation, sleep restriction, stimulus control, sleep education, and sleep hygiene. Sleep diaries and self-reported pre-sleep arousal were assessed weekly while secondary measures of insomnia severity, arousal, mindfulness skills, and daytime functioning were assessed at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Data collected on recruitment, retention, compliance, and satisfaction indicate that the treatment protocol is feasible to deliver and is acceptable for individuals seeking treatment for insomnia. The overall patterns of change with treatment demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvements in several nighttime symptoms of insomnia as well as statistically significant reductions in pre-sleep arousal, sleep effort, and dysfunctional sleep-related cognitions. In addition, a significant correlation was found between the number of meditation sessions and changes on a trait measure of arousal. Together, the findings indicate that mindfulness meditation can be combined with CBT-I and this integrated intervention is associated with reductions in both sleep and sleep-related arousal. Further testing of this intervention using randomized controlled trials is warranted to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention for this population and the specific effects of each component on sleep and both psychological and physiological arousal.
EXPLICIT RESOLUTIONS OF CUBIC CUSP SINGULARITIES

Resolutions of cusp singularities are crucial to many techniques in computational number theory, and therefore finding explicit resolutions of these singularities has been the focus of a great deal of research. This paper presents an implementation of a sequence of algorithms leading to explicit resolutions of cusp singularities arising from totally real cubic number fields. As an example, the implementation is used to compute values of partial zeta functions associated to these cusps.
The XENON dark matter experiment: status of the XENON10 phase

The XENON experiment searches for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) with liquid Xenon as the active target. The proposed XENON1T detector is designed to achieve a sensitivity more than a factor of thousand beyond current limits. The collaboration is now testing the 10 kg target: the XENON10 detector was recently installed at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory and the first phase of data taking is underway.