cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of BMI and anthropometric measures among South Asian Indians using standard and modified criteria.

Objective To compare the prevalence rates of obesity based on BMI/anthropometric measures, using WHO standard and ethnicity-specific criteria, the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definitions, among a migrant South Asian Indian population. Design Cross-sectional study conducted in October 2007. Subjects A total of 213 participants of South Asian descent over the age of 18 years. Measures included a questionnaire with basic demographic information and self-reported histories of diabetes, coronary artery disease and/or hypercholesterolaemia. Height, weight, waist and hip circumference and blood pressure measurements were obtained. Setting Houston and surrounding suburbs. Results WHO-modified (WHO-mod) BMI and IDF waist circumference (WC) criteria independently identified higher numbers of overweight/obese participants; however, when the WHO-mod BMI or IDF WC criteria were applied, nearly 75% of participants were categorized as overweight/obese--a proven risk factor for the future development of metabolic syndrome. Conclusions Obesity is likely under-diagnosed using the standard WHO and NCEP-ATPIII guidelines. Stressing the use of modified criteria more universally to classify obesity among South Asian Indians may be optimal to identify obesity and help appropriately risk stratify for intervention to prevent chronic diseases.
When are Direct Multi-step and Iterative Forecasts Identical?†

Although both direct multi-step-ahead forecasting and iterated one-step-ahead forecasting are two popular methods for predicting future values of a time series, it is not clear that the direct method is superior in practice, even though from a theoretical perspective it has lower mean squared error (MSE). A given model can be fitted according to either a multi-step or a one-step forecast error criterion, and we show here that discrepancies in performance between direct and iterative forecasting arise chiefly from the method of fitting, and is dictated by the nuances of the model's misspecification. We derive new formulas for quantifying iterative forecast MSE, and present a new approach for assessing asymptotic forecast MSE. Finally, the direct and iterative methods are compared on a retail series, which illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Weak Trophic Interactions among Birds, Insects and White Oak Saplings (Quercus alba)

Abstract We examined the interactions among insectivorous birds, arthropods and white oak saplings (Quercus alba L.) in a temperate deciduous forest under ‘open’ and ‘closed’ canopy environments. For 2 y, we compared arthropod densities, leaf damage and sapling growth. Saplings from each canopy environment were assigned to one of four treatments: (1) reference, (2) bird exclosure, (3) insecticide and (4) exclosure + insecticide. Sap-feeding insects were the most abundant arthropod feeding guild encountered and birds reduced sap-feeder densities in 1997, but not in 1998. Although there was no detectable influence of birds on leaf-chewer densities in either year, leaf damage to saplings was greater within bird exclosures than outside of bird exclosures in 1997. Insecticide significantly reduced arthropod densities and leaf damage to saplings, but there was no corresponding increase in sapling growth. Growth and biomass were greater for saplings in more open canopy environments for both years. Sap-feeder den...
Tree regeneration responses to Chusquea montana bamboo die-off in a subalpine Nothofagus forest in the southern Andes

Abstract Question: The aim of the present study is to examine how a rare flowering and massive die-off event of a dominant understorey bamboo affected tree regeneration processes in a subalpine Nothofagus forest. In particular, we assess the effects of the die-off event on tree seedling demography (establishment and survival) and on the height growth of previously established juveniles, and we determine how these effects vary in relation to stand age and canopy conditions. Location: Carirrine Pass and Choshuenco Volcano at 1200 m a.s.l. in a mixed subalpine temperate forest in northern Patagonia (40°S, 71°W), spanning the Chilean and Argentinian border. Methods: Regeneration processes in Nothofagus pumilio and N. dombeyi were examined under different canopy conditions (closed or gap), in both young and old stands, and in patches of flowered and non-flowered Chusquea bamboo during the first three growing seasons following the simultaneous flowering and die-off of Chusquea montana f. montana in November–Dec...
Degradation and Detoxification of the Dihydrochalcone Phloridzin by Enterobacter agglomerans, a Bacterium Associated with the Apple Pest, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Phloridzin, a plant-derived compound toxic to Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh), the apple maggot fly, was degraded and detoxified by the bacterium Enterobacter agglomerans. Spectrophotometric and thin-layer chromatography data showed that E. agglomerans begins to use the glycoside in aqueous solution after 6 h of incubation at 24°C. All apple maggot flies that fed on three different concentrations of sterilized phloridzin solutions died within 24 h. Incubation of E. agglomerans in 0.001 and 0.01 M aqueous phloridzin for 3 d eliminated toxicity for apple maggot flies but most died after being fed a 1 M solution. Plant leachate containing phenolic compounds extracted from McIntosh apple leaves also was used by E. agglomerans. Enterobacter agglomerans entered logarithmic growth more quickly in leachate samples than in solutions of commercially-purified phloridzin. Protein, amino acid, and reducing sugar content of the leachate increased after incubation with E. agglomerans for 12 h. Reducing sugar content decreased, however, after 24 h of incubation, whereas protein and amino acid content continued to increase. Scanning electron micrographs of leachate intact on apple leaf surfaces revealed the presence of healthy rod-shaped bacteria and yeast aggregating about it. These images suggest that phylloplane microorganisms use leachate as a source of nutrients and this activity may affect the potency of plant defensive chemicals. The potential benefits afforded by the catabolic activities of phylloplane and/or gut microorganisms on plant compounds to apple maggot flies are discussed.
In vivo GM-CSF prevents dexamethasone suppression of killing of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia by bronchoalveolar macrophages.

Dexamethasone (DEX) is a potent immunosuppressive agent used in the treatment of several disorders. However, despite its beneficial effects, DEX puts patients at risk for opportunistic infections, especially pulmonary aspergillosis. Previously we reported that in vitro granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) blocks the immunosuppressive action of DEX on bronchoalveolar macrophages (BAMs). Here we report that BAMs freshly isolated from mice treated intraperitoneally with DEX for 24 h had significantly (P<0.01) reduced killing of conidia, i.e., 15 +/- 5% conidia killed by BAMs from DEX-treated mice versus 35 +/- 3% by BAMs from mice given saline, 38 +/- 5% by BAMs from mice given GM-CSF, and 39 +/- 1% by BAMs from mice given both DEX and GM-CSF. On the other hand, in another compartment GM-CSF could not block the DEX reduction of spleen weight and spleen cellularity. Unlike GM-CSF, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor did not block DEX suppression of BAMs. GM-CSF given 24 h before DEX resulted in blocking of DEX suppression of BAM conidiacidal activity. However, when DEX was given 24 h before GM-CSF, DEX suppression of BAM was not reversed. These data show that GM-CSF in vivo blocks the in vivo immunosuppressive effects of DEX on BAM killing of conidia and suggest a potential use of GM-CSF in patients at risk for aspergillosis due to immunosuppressive DEX treatment.
Oxide-Supported Metal Thin-Film Catalysts: The How and Why

Oxide-supported metals play an important role in a wide variety of industrial chemical processes such as the catalytic treatment of automotive exhaust. The ability to exercise greater control over the interactions of molecules on metal surfaces will create new possibilities for pollution control and the provision of novel power sources. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of molecule surface interactions will present numerous opportunities for the design of nanocatalysts. In recent years, metal nanoparticles and thin films supported on oxides have become fundamental components of many devices as their small dimensions present structures with new chemical and physical properties, often enhancing the reactivity of these surfaces relative to their bulk counterparts. Numerous theoretical and experimental studies show that the metal particle size and shape as well as direct adsorbate interactions with the oxide support can each play a key role in enhancing the reactivity of these surfaces.1−7 Further investigations imply that the support material may
The relationship between communication, affect, job alternatives, and voluntary turnover intentions

The relationships between voluntary turnover intentions and five communication concepts, two affect concepts, plus perceived job alternatives are explored. Although the relationship between voluntary turnover intentions and the perceived communication relationship with top administration was influenced by both attitudinal organizational commitment and perceived organizational support, the perceived quality of co‐worker information and the superior‐subordinate communication concepts were directly related to voluntary turnover intentions, as were organizational commitment and perceived job alternatives.
Analysis of MAP kinases by hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry.

Hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry (HX-MS) is an experimental technique that can be used to examine solvent accessibility and conformational mobility in biological macromolecules. This chapter summarizes studies using HX-MS to examine the regulation of conformation, protein mobility, and ligand binding to MAP kinases. We describe how HX-MS experiments are planned and designed, strategies for data analysis and interpretation, and available software.
Shop ‘Til You Drop: Forums and Federalism in New York's Class Action Procedure

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Shady Grove Orthopedics Associates v. Allstate Ins. Co., some have proposed that New York repeal § 901(b) of its class action certification statute in order to establish uniformity with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure’s analogue, Rule 23. This article argues against repeal of § 901(b) in order to further New York’s sovereign calculus of determining what is best for the state. The New York legislature made a considered determination to bar certification where statutory penalties were available — acquiescing to the ukase of the Judicial Conference of the United States undermines this determination.
Conditions for Directional Charge Transfer in CdSe Quantum Dots Functionalized by Ru(II) Polypyridine Complexes

Thermodynamic conditions governing the charge transfer direction in CdSe quantum dots (QD) functionalized by either Ru(II)-trisbipyridine or black dye are studied using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT). Compared to the energy offsets of the isolated QD and the dye, QD-dye interactions strongly stabilize dye orbitals with respect to the QD states, while the surface chemistry of the QD has a minor effect on the energy offsets. In all considered QD/dye composites, the dyes always introduce unoccupied states close to the edge of the conduction band and control the electron transfer. Negatively charged ligands and less polar solvents significantly destabilize the dye's occupied orbitals shifting them toward the very edge of the valence band, thus, providing favorite conditions for the hole transfer. Overall, variations in the dye's ligands and solvent polarity can progressively adjust the electronic structure of QD/dye composites to modify conditions for the directed charge transfer.
The I.Ae.S. Annual Meeting: A Summarized Report of the Principal Papers Read During the Conference

Howard W. Barlow, assisted by Henry S. Stillwell and Ho‐Shen Lu of the University of Minnesota, in their paper “Strength Investigations of Thin Stainless Steel Sections,” described an improved test technique which has been very favourably received by the American aviation industry.
Trade Study Of Earth To Pluto Trajectories Utilizing A Jovian Gravitational Assist

Due to Pluto’s extreme distance from our region of the solar system, very few scientific studies have been conducted on this solar body. Because of this distance, it is advantageous to employ a gravitational assist so as to reduce the necessary transfer time and propellant consumption. It is the objective of this paper to analyze the launch window from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019 for feasible trajectories to Pluto using a gravitational fly-by of Jupiter. Although this general problem has been studied and solved previously, the specific considerations in this paper appear to be unique. Trajectories were calculated beginning in a Low-Earth parking orbit with a single maneuver into a Lambert’s transfer targeting Jupiter. At Jupiter, the geometry of a dark side swing-by was determined to enter a second Lambert’s transfer targeting Pluto. A second burn was then calculated for an orbit capture at Pluto. All calculations were performed in MATLAB by varying the launch dates and both transfer times over small intervals. Orbital position assumptions were made using a linearly varying ephemerides model corresponding to the years C.E. 1800 - C.E. 2050. Gravitational eects for other solar bodies, particularly the moons of Jupiter, were assumed to be inconsequential. Finally, since the Lambert’s transfers were calculated independently, the approach and departure velocities at Jupiter were not set to be equal, however, only those that closely matched were considered. As expected, the results indicate a yearly cyclical pattern of viable launch dates with perturbations resulting from the orbital procession of Jupiter and Pluto. An inverse relationship between the necessary propellant usage and the total time of flight is also evident. Specifically, the geometry appears to be most favorable as soon as possible, particularly the window from June 18, 2009 to October 11, 2009. Although there are many viable options for an Earth to Pluto mission in the next dozen years, the most beneficial launch windows require mission planning to begin in the very near future.
Interface Roughness and X-Ray Reflectivity of Amorphous Semiconductor Multilayers

We report high-resolution small-angle x-ray reflectivity measurements on plasma-deposited a-Ge:H/a-Si:H periodic amorphous multilayers. We show that reflectivity spectra are quite complex, involving components due to relatively smooth and rough layer interfaces at different depths in the sample respectively. Model computations show that interface roughness increases from 3 E at the substrate-sample interface to more than 15 E at the top surface of a 0.5 μm multilayer stack.
Abstract 3127: Integrated cistromic and expression analysis of amplified NKX2-1 in lung adenocarcinoma identifies LMO3 as a functional transcriptional target.

The NKX2-1 transcription factor, a regulator of normal lung development, is the most significantly amplified gene in human lung adenocarcinoma. To better understand how genomic alterations of NKX2-1 drive tumorigenesis, we generated an expression signature associated with NKX2-1 amplification in human lung adenocarcinoma, and analyzed DNA binding sites of NKX2-1 by genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) from three NKX2-1-amplified human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Integration of these expression and cistromic analyses suggested that aberrant over-expression of NKX2-1 primarily activates the expression of transcriptional target genes whose expression is not trans-activated by NKX2-1 at physiological expression levels, and identified LMO3, itself encoding a transcription regulator, as a candidate direct transcriptional target of NKX2-1. NKX2-1 amplification is most significantly associated with over-expression of the LMO3 gene, a member of the LMO family of oncogenes that are translocated in T-ALL, the same disorder in which NKX2-1 translocation has been observed. We further show that NKX2-1 interacts physically with the LMO3 locus, and activates its expression. RNA interference analysis of NKX2-1-amplified cells compared to non-amplified cells demonstrated that LMO3 mediates cell proliferation downstream of NKX2-1. Further cistromic analyses found that consensus binding motifs including a nuclear hormone receptor signature and a Forkhead box motif, indicating that NKX2-1 might cooperate with Forkhead box FOXA1 and nuclear hormones to regulate gene expression. Genome-wide analysis of FOXA1 occupancy by ChIP-seq in the NCI-H3122 cell line revealed that FOXA1 binds not only to the LMO3 locus upstream of NKX2-1 binding site but also to many NKX2-1 occupied regions (47% of total NKX2-1-bound sites). Our findings provide new insight into the transcriptional regulatory network of NKX2-1 and suggest that LMO3 is a transducer of lineage specific cell survival of NKX2-1-amplified lung adenocarcinomas. Citation Format: Hideo Watanabe, Joshua M. Francis, Michele S. Woo, Banafsheh Etemad, Wenchu Lin, Daniel F. Fries, Shouyong Peng, Eric L. Snyder, Purushothama Rao Tata, Anna C. Schinzel, Jeonghee Cho, Peter S. Hammerman, Roel G. Verhaak, William C. Hahn, Jayaraj Rajagopal, Tyler Jacks, Matthew Meyerson. Integrated cistromic and expression analysis of amplified NKX2-1 in lung adenocarcinoma identifies LMO3 as a functional transcriptional target. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3127. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3127
Laboratory and Field Studies on the Efficacy of Selected Chemical Insecticide-Elcar (Baculovirus heliothis) Combinations Against Heliothis Spp.

Permethrin, methomyl, and EPN-methyl parathion were combined with Elcar® (Baculovirus heliothis) in laboratory and field studies. No significant differences were detected between observed and expected mortality of Heliothis zea (Boddie) larvae in the laboratory, although slight increases in mortality were observed in some tests. In a small plot test on cotton, reduced rates (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5X the recommended rate) of permethrin, methomyl, and EPN-methyl parathion were combined with a recommended rate of Elcar. Permethrin-Elcar and methomyl-Elcar plots produced yields equal to those treated with Elcar alone, while EPN-methyl parathion plots had reduced yields.
SY18EVERYTHING MIXES WITH ALCOHOL: RECENT ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF ALCOHOL POLYDRUG USESY18-1THE CO-ABUSE OF ALCOHOL AND NICOTINE: EXAMINING THE UNDERLYING BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROBIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS

There is an exceedingly high rate of co-morbidity between alcohol (EtOH) consumption and tobacco use with 75% of alcoholics also reporting tobacco addiction. However, the mechanisms underlying such high rates of co-abuse remain to be fully elucidated. Pre-clinical data from our laboratory suggests that EtOH and nicotine …
Navigating the treatment choices for mycosis fungoides.

Galper et al. should be commended for their concise and useful review of the diagnosis and management of mycosis fungoides (MF). It is notable that all of the authors are radiation oncologists. While the reader may expect a radiation oncologist’s perspective on the management of mycosis fungoides, their review goes beyond highlighting the various radiation techniques used in the treatment of MF. It highlights the major diagnostic dilemmas when evaluating patients with skin lesions that eventually are diagnosed as MF or its leukemic counterpart, Sezary syndrome (SS). It also stresses the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in diagnosing and caring for MF patients involving dermatology, dermatopathology, radiation oncology, and hematology/oncology, and provides a concise review of the treatment options in the MF and SS armamentarium. Navigating these options requires a good understanding of the natural history of the disease, the side effects of treatment, the expected response rates of treatment, the median time to response, the patient’s comorbid conditions, and goals of care.
Treatment of Recurrent Hepatitis C

The 5-year survival rate after transplantation for hepatitis C is 61–75 %, compared with 76–85 % for other causes of liver diseases, including hepatitis B. The predominant reason for the lower survival rate of people who have hepatitis C infection is HCV recurrence leading to cirrhosis and liver failure. In liver transplant recipients, fibrosis progresses at an accelerated rate, resulting in cirrhosis in 30 % of transplant recipients within 5 years after transplantation. In less than 1 % of people, fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis C may lead to rapid liver failure and graft loss. Until recently, treatment of recurrent HCV was with interferon-based regimens, and these regimens were poorly tolerated and were associated with serious adverse events leading to very high drug discontinuation rates and lower cure rates. The recent approval of effective interferon-free regimens is likely to change the natural history of recurrent hepatitis. Preliminary studies indicate that approximately 90 % of people with recurrent HCV could be cured with a combination of direct acting antiviral drugs with minimal side effects.
Issues of Discourse and Decolonization in Spivak’s Critique of Postcolonialism (1999)1

(2006). Issues of Discourse and Decolonization in Spivak’s Critique of Postcolonialism (1999)1. Journal of the African Literature Association: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 165-186.
LEACHING BEHAVIOR OF PALLADIUM IN AMMONIACAL SOLUTIONS WITH OXYGEN

The leaching behavior of palladium in ammoniacal solutions was investigated by using the rotating-disk technique in an autoclave. The study included the effects of rotation speed, temperature, oxygen pressure, composition of ammoniacal solutions and catalysts on the overall leaching rate. The dissolution of palladium in ammoniacal solutions was dis-cussed in terms of the thermodynamics and a kinetic model. Even though the Eh-pH diagram suggests that palladium metal can dissolve in ammoniacal solutions at room temperature, it was found that the dissolution was very slow at temperatures below 100°C but was significantly improved at higher temperatures. It was also found that the rotating speed of the palladium disk had no effect on the leaching rate. The apparent activation energy was found to be 69.7 kJ/mole. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the dissolution of palladium is controlled by chemical reaction.
Imaging After Oculoplastic Surgery

Ophthalmic plastic surgery encompasses a wide variety of procedures involving the ocular adnexa, including the eyelids and periorbital soft tissues, the orbital space and its contents, the bony orbital walls, and the nasolacrimal drainage system. Goals of surgery are not only to correct the problem but to maintain the cosmesis and functionality of this important facial region. Many of these procedures involve the use of grafts and implants, which are often apparent on CT and MRI. While the postoperative findings may be encountered incidentally on radiological imaging, diagnostic radiology serves an important role in excluding or evaluating potential postoperative complications. The spectrum of non-oncological oculoplastic surgeries and corresponding expected and complicated results on imaging are reviewed in the subsequent sections. Oncological cases are discussed in a dedicated chapter.
Destabilizing Institutional and Social Power in Patrick McGrath’s Asylum

ABSTRACTIn his novel Asylum, Patrick McGrath chronicles the relationship and aftermath of an illicit love affair between Stella, the wife of the deputy superintendent at a hospital for the criminally insane, and Edgar, a patient who has been convicted of murdering, decapitating, and enucleating his wife. This relationship provides the lens for McGrath’s commentary on the politics of mental illness, marriage, and motherhood in post–World War II Britain. McGrath emphasizes the parallels between the institution of marriage and mental institutions in order to problematize the social and gender inequalities in both institutions. I explore the relationship between morality, naturalized social hierarchies, and narrative unreliability in order to argue that while the time period and hospital setting are key elements in setting up the novel’s moral framework, the unreliable narrator, particularly one in which readers have put their trust, is critical to dismantling this framework and upsetting readers’ moral judgm...
Transfer Pricing As A Vehicle In Corporate Tax Avoidance

Using transfer pricing, U.S. Corporations are able to transfer revenues to foreign affiliates with a lower corporate tax rates. The Internal Revenue Code requires intercompany transactions to comply with the “Arm’s Length Principle” in order to prevent tax avoidance. We describe and use elaborate examples to explain how US companies exploit flexibility in the tax code to employ transfer pricing and related tax reduction and avoidance methods. We discuss recent responses by regulatory bodies.
An anti-αVβ3 antibody inhibits coronary artery atherosclerosis in diabetic pigs

Abstract Background and aims Diabetes is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. Hyperglycemia stimulates vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) to secrete ligands that bind to the αVβ3 integrin, a receptor that regulates VSMC proliferation and migration. This study determined whether an antibody that had previously been shown to block αVβ3 activation and to inhibit VSMC proliferation and migration in vitro , inhibited the development of atherosclerosis in diabetic pigs. Methods Twenty diabetic pigs were maintained on a high fat diet for 22 weeks. Ten received injections of anti-β3 F(ab) 2 and ten received control F(ab) 2 for 18 weeks. Results The active antibody group showed reduction of atherosclerosis of 91 ± 9% in the left main, 71 ± 11%, in left anterior descending, 80 ± 10.2% in circumflex, and 76 ± 25% in right coronary artery, ( p p p Conclusions Blocking ligand binding to the αVβ3 integrin inhibits its activation and attenuates increased VSMC proliferation that is induced by chronic hyperglycemia. These changes result in significant decreases in atherosclerotic lesion size in the coronary arteries. The results suggest that this approach may have efficacy in treating the proliferative phase of atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes.
Nicotine Withdrawal Induces Neural Deficits in Reward Processing.

Introduction Nicotine withdrawal reduces neurobiological responses to nonsmoking rewards. Insight into these reward deficits could inform the development of targeted interventions. This study examined the effect of withdrawal on neural and behavioral responses during a reward prediction task. Methods Smokers (N = 48) attended two laboratory sessions following overnight abstinence. Withdrawal was manipulated by having participants smoke three regular nicotine (0.6 mg yield; satiation) or very low nicotine (0.05 mg yield; withdrawal) cigarettes. Electrophysiological recordings of neural activity were obtained while participants completed a reward prediction task that involved viewing four combinations of predictive and reward-determining stimuli: (1) Unexpected Reward; (2) Predicted Reward; (3) Predicted Punishment; (4) Unexpected Punishment. The task evokes a medial frontal negativity that mimics the phasic pattern of dopaminergic firing in ventral tegmental regions associated with reward prediction errors. Results Nicotine withdrawal decreased the amplitude of the medial frontal negativity equally across all trial types (p < .001). Exploratory analyses indicated withdrawal increased time to initiate the next trial following unexpected punishment trials (p < .001) and response time on reward trials during withdrawal was positively related to nicotine dependence (p < .001). Conclusions Nicotine withdrawal had equivocal impact across trial types, suggesting reward processing deficits are unlikely to stem from changes in phasic dopaminergic activity during prediction errors. Effects on tonic activity may be more pronounced. Pharmacological interventions directly targeting the dopamine system and behavioral interventions designed to increase reward motivation and responsiveness (eg, behavioral activation) may aid in mitigating withdrawal symptoms and potentially improving smoking cessation outcomes. Implications Findings from this study indicate nicotine withdrawal impacts reward processing signals that are observable in smokers' neural activity. This may play a role in the subjective aversive experience of nicotine withdrawal and potentially contribute to smoking relapse. Interventions that address abnormal responding to both pleasant and unpleasant stimuli may be particularly effective for alleviating nicotine withdrawal.
Crop and varietal diversification of rainfed rice based cropping systems for higher productivity and profitability in Eastern India.

Rice-rice system and rice fallows are no longer productive in Southeast Asia. Crop and varietal diversification of the rice based cropping systems may improve the productivity and profitability of the systems. Diversification is also a viable option to mitigate the risk of climate change. In Eastern India, farmers cultivate rice during rainy season (June–September) and land leftovers fallow after rice harvest in the post-rainy season (November–May) due to lack of sufficient rainfall or irrigation amenities. However, in lowland areas, sufficient residual soil moistures are available in rice fallow in the post-rainy season (November–March), which can be utilized for raising second crops in the region. Implementation of suitable crop/varietal diversification is thus very much vital to achieve this objective. To assess the yield performance of rice varieties under timely and late sown conditions and to evaluate the performance of dry season crops following them, three different duration rice cultivars were transplanted in July and August. In dry season several non-rice crops were sown in rice fallow to constitute a cropping system. The results revealed that tiller occurrence, biomass accumulation, dry matter remobilization, crop growth rate, and ultimately yield were significantly decreased under late transplanting. On an average, around 30% yield reduction obtained under late sowing may be due to low temperature stress and high rainfall at reproductive stages of the crop. Dry season crops following short duration rice cultivars performed better in terms of grain yield. In the dry season, toria was profitable when sown earlier and if sowing was delayed greengram was suitable. Highest system productivity and profitability under timely sown rice may be due to higher dry matter remobilization from source to sink. A significant correlation was observed between biomass production and grain yield. We infer that late transplanting decrease the tiller occurrence and assimilate remobilization efficiency, which may be responsible for the reduced grain yield.
A Low-Power Low-Data Rate Impulse Radio Ultra-Wideband (IR-UWB) Transmitter

A low-power and low-data-rate (100 kbps) fully integrated CMOS impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transmitter for biomedical application is presented in this paper. The transmitter is designed using a standard 180-nm CMOS technology that operates at the 3.1-5 GHz frequency range with more than 500 MHz of channel bandwidth. Modulation scheme of this transmitter is based on on-off keying (OOK) in which a short pulse represents binary “1” and absence of a pulse represents binary “0” transmission. During the ‘off’ state (sleep mode) the transmitter consumes only 0.4 μW of power for an operating voltage of 1.8 V while during the impulse transmission state it consumes a power of 36.29 μW. A pulse duration of about 3.5 ns and a peak amplitude of the frequency spectrum of about -47.8 dBm/MHz are obtained in the simulation result which fully complies with Federal Communication Commission (FCC) regulation.
Kerr-comb generation in a dispersion engineered coupled thin silicon nitride microresonators

We numerically demonstrate the first wideband Kerr-comb generation at telecommunication wavelength (1550 nm) using thin silicon nitride platform based on coupled-resonators structure for dispersion engineering.
Introduction to Infrainguinal Revascularization

Infrainguinal revascularization is typically performed for disabling claudication or critical limb ischemia manifested by rest pain, ischemic ulcerations or gangrene. The superficial femoral artery is among the first infrainguinal vessels to be affected by the atherosclerotic process, typically starting at the level of the adductor canal. The atherosclerotic process can also affect the infrapopliteal vessels with variable sparing of the distal tibial or pedal vessels, a pattern typically noted in diabetic patients. Endovascular treatment and endarterectomy have a limited role in the management of infrainguinal occlusive disease especially when the infrainguinal pathology is diffuse in nature and involves the tibial vessels. Endovascular therapy can be useful in patients with focal superficial femoral artery disease and limited life expectancy. In most other patients, lasting revascularization is best achieved using bypasses.
Adaptive Algorithms for Join Processing in Distributed Database Systems

Distributed query processing algorithms usually perform data reduction by using a semijoin program, but the problem with these approaches is that they still require an explicit join of the reduced relations in the final phase. We introduce an efficient algorithm for join processing in distributed database systems that makes use of bipartite graphs in order to reduce data communication costs and local processing costs. The bipartite graphs represent the tuples that can be joined in two relations taking also into account the reduction state of the relations. This algorithm fully reduces the relations at each site. We then present an adaptive algorithm for response time optimization that takes into account the system configuration, i.e., the additional resources available and the data characteristics, in order to select the best strategy for response time minimization. We also report on the results of a set of experiments which show that our algorithms outperform a number of the recently proposed methods for total processing time and response time minimization.
Fabrication and characterization of annular magnetic nanostructures

Large arrays of permalloy (Ni81Fe19) annular structures were fabricated using a self-aligned patterning process based on ion-beam proximity lithography (IBPL), where a broad beam of energetic He ions is shaped into billions of ion beamlet by a stencil mask to pattern electron beam sensitive resist. IBPL was used to form an array of circular openings in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resist, followed by a tone reversal process to form circular pillars in an underlying polymethylglutarimide (PMGI) layer. The PMGI pillars were conformally coated with silicon oxide, which was followed by anisotropic reactive ion etch (RIE) to form silicon oxide rings, which were transferred into the underlying sputter deposited permalloy thin film by ion milling. This fabrication approach was used to make 6 x 6 mm2 arrays of rings on a constant pitch of 670 nm with the outer diameters varied between 350 nm and 450 nm with a fixed inner diameter of 150 nm. Three unique samples that were fabricated and characterized using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The measured M-H loops showed the switching from an onion to a vortex and back to an onion state and are in good agreement with micromagnetic simulations and previously published data.Large arrays of permalloy (Ni81Fe19) annular structures were fabricated using a self-aligned patterning process based on ion-beam proximity lithography (IBPL), where a broad beam of energetic He ions is shaped into billions of ion beamlet by a stencil mask to pattern electron beam sensitive resist. IBPL was used to form an array of circular openings in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resist, followed by a tone reversal process to form circular pillars in an underlying polymethylglutarimide (PMGI) layer. The PMGI pillars were conformally coated with silicon oxide, which was followed by anisotropic reactive ion etch (RIE) to form silicon oxide rings, which were transferred into the underlying sputter deposited permalloy thin film by ion milling. This fabrication approach was used to make 6 x 6 mm2 arrays of rings on a constant pitch of 670 nm with the outer diameters varied between 350 nm and 450 nm with a fixed inner diameter of 150 nm. Three unique samples that were fabricated and characterized using a v...
Mechanistically Guided Design of Ligands That Significantly Improve the Efficiency of CuH-Catalyzed Hydroamination Reactions

Using a mechanically guided ligand design approach, a new ligand (SEGFAST) for the CuH-catalyzed hydroamination reaction of unactivated terminal olefins has been developed, providing a 62-fold rate increase over reactions compared to DTBM-SEGPHOS, the previous optimal ligand. Combining the respective strengths of computational chemistry and experimental kinetic measurements, we were able to quickly identify potential modifications that lead to more effective ligands, thus avoiding synthesizing and testing a large library of ligands. By optimizing the combination of attractive, noncovalent ligand–substrate interactions and the stability of the catalyst under the reaction conditions, we were able to identify a finely tuned hybrid ligand that greatly enables accelerated hydrocupration rates with unactivated alkenes. Moreover, a modular and robust synthetic sequence was devised, which allowed for the practical, gram-scale synthesis of these novel hybrid ligand structures.
Dry reforming of methane with isotopic gas mixture over Ni-based pyrochlore catalyst

Abstract Dry reforming of methane was carried out using isotopic 13CO2 and C18O2 gases over a Ni-based pyrochlore catalyst that was synthesized using the modified Pechini method. In this method, 1 wt% Ni was doped into the La2Zr2O7 pyrochlore structure. The catalyst was characterized by H2-TPR, TPO, and XRD and tested for its methane reforming activity under CO2 dry-reforming reaction conditions. The results of repeated TPR/TPO cycles up to 950 °C showed that the consecutive TPR profiles were nearly identical, indicating that the catalyst was stable at high temperatures, and that the nickel oxidation/reduction processes were reversible. The dry-reforming experimental results using labelled 13CO2 gas showed the syngas production for this material proceeded through the activation of CH4 with O that came from breaking one of the C O bonds of CO2 with the latter reaction (CO2 activation) likely occurring at oxygen vacancies at or near the Ni particle-pyrochlore interface. It was also found that only a small portion of the CO originated from CH4. A variation of the same experimental test, but using 12C18O2, revealed only 12C18O was formed and no 12C16O was detected, ruling out the possibility of reaction with the lattice oxygen in the catalyst structure with this material. Over this catalyst, the activated CH4 appeared to dissociate to elemental carbon on the catalyst surface, which was determined to be the source of carbon from a post reaction TPO of the catalyst that was exposed to the 13CO2 12CH4 mixture. No carbon deposition appeared to originate from 13CO2.
Beyond model metrics: The perils of calibrating hydrologic models

Abstract The multi-metric assessment of model performance in a dominantly single-domain modeling approach (i.e., surface) may not be sufficient to gauge the validity of the model to represent the hydrologic system. Consequently, rating metrics can mathematically validate model results as satisfactory even when some of the simulated hydrologic processes are incorrectly represented during the calibration process. In this paper, we argue that to properly represent the hydrologic system, calibration tasks focused on modifying model parameters should account for equifinality, model inadequacy, and constraint inadequacy. To demonstrate our argument, we conducted a traditional calibration using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) coupled to the Modular Finite-difference Flow Model (MODFLOW) to simulate the hydrologic processes in the Fort Cobb Reservoir Experimental Watershed (FCREW) in central western Oklahoma. The results indicated that model calibration based on metrics from a single domain, in this case using SWAT, did not necessarily guarantee an appropriate representation of water circulation. Moreover, unsupervised calibration techniques based on the objective-function optimization (e.g., inverse calibration using SWAT-CUP SUFI2 algorithm) may not be sufficient if model constraints in multiple domains are not properly set, resulting in distorted parameters. This practice can result in the misrepresentation of water circulation and can have adverse impacts on environmental model results used to support policies and decisions.
Examining the physical conditions of a warm corona in active galactic nuclei accretion discs

A warm corona at the surface of an accretion disc has been proposed as a potential location for producing the soft excess commonly observed in the X-ray spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In order to fit the observed data the gas must be at temperatures of $\sim 1$ keV and have an optical depth of $\tau_{\mathrm{T}}\approx 10$--$20$. We present one-dimensional calculations of the physical conditions and emitted spectra of a $\tau_{\mathrm{T}}=10$ or $20$ gas layer subject to illumination from an X-ray power-law (from above), a blackbody (from below) and a variable amount of internal heating. The models show that a warm corona with $kT \sim 1$ keV can develop, producing a strong Comptonized soft excess, but only if the internal heating flux is within a relatively narrow range. Similarly, if the gas density of the layer is too large then efficient cooling will stop a warm corona from forming. The radiation from the hard X-ray power-law is crucial in producing a warm corona, indicating that a warm and hot corona may co-exist in AGN accretion discs, and their combined effect leads to the observed soft excess. Intense heating of a warm corona leads to steep X-ray spectra with ionised Fe K$\alpha$ lines, similar to those seen in some narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies.
Race Differences in the Effect of Subjective Social Status on Hostility and Depressive Symptoms Among 9- to 11-Year-Old Children

Research shows that subjective social status (SSS) is a salient determinant of health. However, there is little research on SSS-related group differences on psychosocial outcomes among children. The purpose of the current study was to determine if associations between psychosocial functioning and SSS in children varied as a function of racial groups. We used a series of regression models to examine associations between SSS and measures of hostility and depressive symptom severity in groups of Black and White children. All analyses controlled for objective markers of family- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status. Participants included 291 school-age children in Syracuse, NY. Among Black children, SSS was negatively associated with hostility scores, R2 = 0.10, F(6, 160) = 3.34, p = 0.006, but not depressive symptom severity. Conversely, among White children, SSS was negatively associated with depressive symptom severity, R2 = 0.18, F(6, 117) = 4.37, p = 0.001, but not hostility. These racial differences in SSS-associated psychosocial functioning could be explained by race-based differences in attributions of social mobility and socioeconomic inequalities. Findings provide support for investigating possible tailoring of behavioral interventions to assist children in developing high SSS or coping with low SSS.
Manual dexterity in children with autism spectrum disorder: A cross-syndrome approach

Abstract Background Manual dexterity (MD) is important for performing most activities of daily living, and children with ASD show MD deficits. However, the specificity of MD deficits in children with ASD has not previously been examined. Similar to children with ASD, extant evidence suggests children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) also show MD impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine the specificity MD deficits in children with ASD using a cross-syndrome design. We examined dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) hand performance using a relatively large sample of children with ASD, FASD, ADHD, and typically developing (TD) children. Method Seventy-two right-handed children (7–17 years old) participated in this study. To examine MD, the 9-hole pegboard test was completed on the D and ND-hands. The fastest time of three attempts was recorded. HPA was defined as the percent difference between D and ND-hand times. Results D-hand MD was significantly worse in children with ASD vs. typically developing (TD) children (p = 0.002). ND-hand dexterity was significantly worse in children with ASD vs. FASD (p = 0.049) and TD groups (p = 0.004). Hand performance asymmetry (HPA) was significantly lower in the FASD group compared to both the ASD and ADHD groups (p Conclusions These results show that children with ASD show specific deficits in MD not observed in children with FASD or ADHD. Furthermore, HPA was found to be a sensitive measure to prenatal alcohol exposure. Neurobiological mechanisms of ASD and FASD are discussed.
Mitral Valve Replacement Under Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support for Severe Streptococcus Mitis Endocarditis.

Streptococcus mitis is an alpha-hemolytic species of Streptococcus and is the most prevalent organism of the oral flora. In patients with dental procedures or trauma and underlying damaged heart valves, it can cause infection of the valves (endocarditis). It has a propensity to affect the left-sided heart valves (mitral and aortic valves) in non-intravenous drug users (IVDU), whereas right-sided heart valves (tricuspid and pulmonic valves) in IVDU. We describe a case of a patient who presented with mitral valve endocarditis that was treated with antibiotics. He was lost to follow-up and then presented four years after his index presentation in cardiogenic shock from severe streptococcal mitis endocarditis causing severe mitral regurgitation. His course deteriorated to the point where the patient required a valve replacement surgery under hemodynamic support.