cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regeneration of acetylcholinesterase in clonal neuroblastoma-glioma hybrid NG108-15 cells after soman inhibition: effect of glycyl-L-glutamine.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the clonal NG108-15 cell line has been previously characterized. This cell line represents an in vitro system to study AChE regulation and effects of chemical compounds that may alter AChE activity. Recently, glycyl-L-glutamine (GLG) was demonstrated to function as a neurotrophic factor for maintenance of AChE content in cat denervated superior cervical ganglion cells. In the present study, regeneration of AChE activity in cultures of undifferentiated NG108-15 cells after soman inhibition was investigated in the presence and absence of GLG. Cells were treated with soman (5.5 × 10−6 M) for 15 min and then washed to remove excess soman. Culture medium containing either GLG (10−6, 10−5, or 10−4M) or glycyl-L-glutamic acid (10−6 M) was added to cultures after soman treatment and remained in the medium until cell harvest. Cells were physically detached at various times after soman treatment and specific AChE activity was determined. After soman, AChE activity dramatically decreased to less than 1% of untreated cellular activity at 1 hr. AChE activity gradully increased after 5 hr, while untreated cell AChE activity was regained 20 hr after soman. The t1/2 for AChE regeneration was approximately 10 hr. GLG did not increase the rate of AChE regeneration after soman inhibition. These results indicate that GLG is not a directly acting neurotrophic factor for AChE synthesis in NG108-15 cells after chemical AChE inactivation.
The phase evolution, mechanical behavior, and microstructural instability of a fully-lamellar Ti–46Al(at.%) alloy

AT i–46Al(at.%) polysynthetically twinned alloy, which contained a characteristic lamellar spacing of k ¼ 1:3 lm, was converted to a polycrystalline fully-lamellar microstructure with k ¼ 19:9 nm using an a-phase solution treatment followed by a2 þ c aging. Tensile experiments, performed on microsamples extracted from within single grains of the polycrystalline material, illustrated that ultrafine lamellae led to exceptional tensile strength. However, the ultrafine lamellae were not stable at elevated temperatures and the ultrafine material was found to have relatively poor creep resistance. 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. on behalf of Acta Materialia Inc.
A parallel algorithm for recognizing unordered depth-first search

Abstract We present a parallel algorithm for the concurrent-read, exclusive-write PRAM model that determines in O(log2V) time using M(V) processors whether a given directed spanning forest of a given graph corresponds to some unordered depth-first search, where M(V) = O(V2.376) is the number of processors needed to do transitive closure in O(log2V) time. If the answer is “yes”, the depth-first numbering of the vertices is also output. The algorithm can be modified to avoid concurrent reading at the expense of more processors.
Synergistic organization of action: A computational model

Understanding the ability of humans and animals to exhibit a large repretoire of complex movements in a continuosly changing and uncertain environment is of interest to both biologists and engineers. Even the simplest movements require complex control of internal and external variables of the body and the environment in a variety of contexts. Classical methods - such as those used in industrial robotics - are difficult to apply in these high degree-of-freedom situations. Studies on motor control in animals have led to the discovery that, rather than using standard feedback control based on continuous tracking of desired trajectories, animals' movements emerge from the controlled combination of pre-configured movement primitives or synergies. These synergies define coordinated patterns of activity across specific sets of muscles, and can be triggered as a whole with controlled amplitude and temporal offset. Combinations of synergies, therefore, allow emergent configuration of a wide range of complex movements. Control is both simpler and richer in this synergistic framework because it is based on selection and combination of synergies rather than myopic tracking of trajectories. Though the existence of motor synergies is now well-established, there is very little computational modeling of them at the neural level. In this paper, we describe a simple neural model for motor synergies, and show how a small set of synergies selected through a redundancy-reduction principle can generate a rich motor repertoire in a model two-jointed arm system.
Jigsaw-puzzle vector quantization for image compression

A new finite-state vector quantization scheme called jigsaw-puzzle vector quantization (JPVQ) is proposed to provide better image quality, especially in the low bit rate context. For low bit rate image coding with conventional finite-state vector quantization (FSVQ) techniques, image quality degrades due to error propagation from one state to the next. The proposed JPVQ algorithm exploits the four-step side-match prediction technique to optimize the spatial continuity of each encoded block to improve the coding performance and reduce the error propagation effect. In the proposed coding scheme, an input block can be encoded by the jigsaw-puzzle block, the dynamic codebook, or the super-codebook. It is demonstrated with experimental results that JPVQ performs significantly better than traditional FSVQ techniques.
The Value Creation Potential of High-Tech Mergers

The distinctive high-growth, high-risk nature of technology-based industries raises important questions about the creation of wealth in high-tech takeovers. Do investors perceive acquisitions of high-tech targets to have strong potential for value creation? Or, given the large degree of uncertainty associated with many high-tech companies, is the market skeptical of the potential benefits of high-tech acquisitions? Our results show that acquirers of high-tech targets experience significantly positive abnormal returns, regardless of whether the merger is financed with cash or stock. Factors influencing bidder returns are the time period in which the merger occurs, the ownership structure of the acquirer, the high-tech affiliation of acquirers, and the ownership status of the target.
Thermodynamic framework for coupling of non-local viscoplasticity and non-local anisotropic viscodamage for dynamic localization problems using gradient theory

Abstract This study develops a general consistent and systematic framework for the analysis of heterogeneous media that assesses a strong coupling between rate-dependent plasticity and anisotropic rate-dependent damage for dynamic problems within the framework of thermodynamic laws and gradient theories. The proposed formulation includes thermo-elasto-viscoplasticity (rate-dependent plasticity) with anisotropic thermo-viscodamage (rate-dependent damage); a dynamic yield criterion of a von Mises type and a dynamic damage growth criterion; the associated flow rules; thermal softening; non-linear strain hardening; strain-rate hardening; strain hardening gradients; and strain-rate hardening gradients. Since the material macroscopic thermomechanical response under dynamic loading is governed by different physical mechanisms on the meso- and macroscale levels, the proposed three-dimensional kinematical model is introduced with manifold structure accounting for discontinuous fields of dislocation interactions (plastic flow) and crack and void interactions (damage growth). The gradient theory of rate-independent plasticity and rate-independent damage that incorporates macroscale interstate variables and their higher-order gradients is generalized here for rate-dependent plasticity and rate-dependent damage to properly describe the change in the internal structure and in order to investigate the size effect of statistical inhomogeneity of the evolution-related rate- and temperature dependent materials. The idea of bridging length-scales is made more general and complete by introducing spatial higher-order gradients in the temporal evolution equations of the internal state variables that describe hardening in coupled viscoplasticity and viscodamage models, which are considered here physically and mathematically related to their local counterparts. Furthermore, the constitutive equations for the damaged material are written according to the principle of strain energy equivalence between the virgin material and the damaged material; that is, the damaged material is modeled using the constitutive laws of the effective undamaged material in which the nominal stresses and strains are replaced by their effective ones. In addition, computational issues concerned with the current gradient-dependent formulation of initial-boundary value problems are introduced in a finite element context. A weak (virtual work) formulation of the non-local dynamic viscoplastic and viscodamage conditions is derived, which can serve as a basis for the numerical solution of initial boundary value problems in the sense of the finite element method. Explicit expressions for the generalized tangent stiffness matrix and the generalized nodal forces are given. The model presented in this paper can be considered as a feasible thermodynamic approach that enables one to derive various coupled gradient viscoplasticity and viscodamage theories by introducing simplifying assumptions.
Three-dimensional ankle kinematics and kinetics during running in women

Stress fractures are common in athletics and are more prevalent in women. The current literature has not identified a reason for this gender difference. We hypothesized that females with a history of a second/third metatarsal stress fracture will demonstrate differences in ankle kinematics, kinetics and ground reaction forces when compared with a group of age-matched females with no stress fracture history. A total of 15 control females and nine females with a history of a second/third metatarsal stress fracture were asked to run at 3.3m/s+/-5% along a 10-m runway. Kinematics and kinetics were obtained using an 8-camera motion analysis system (240Hz) and two force plates (1200Hz). Significant differences existed in height and weight between the groups. No other statistically significant differences existed between the fracture group and the control group. Kinematic measurements do not differ significantly between women with a history of second/third metatarsal stress fracture and female control subjects. The reported kinematic and kinetic measurements do not appear to be influenced in subjects with metatarsal stress fractures, which likely result from the complex relationships between the joints in the foot and ankle. The development of second/third metatarsal stress fractures could result more from over training or changes in plantar loading instead of changes in lower extremity joint kinematics while running.
Three-Dimensional Analysis of Retinal Layer Texture: Identification of Fluid-Filled Regions in SD-OCT of the Macula

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is becoming one of the most important modalities for the noninvasive assessment of retinal eye diseases. As the number of acquired OCT volumes increases, automating the OCT image analysis is becoming increasingly relevant. In this paper, a method for automated characterization of the normal macular appearance in spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) volumes is reported together with a general approach for local retinal abnormality detection. Ten intraretinal layers are first automatically segmented and the 3-D image dataset flattened to remove motion-based artifacts. From the flattened OCT data, 23 features are extracted in each layer locally to characterize texture and thickness properties across the macula. The normal ranges of layer-specific feature variations have been derived from 13 SD-OCT volumes depicting normal retinas. Abnormalities are then detected by classifying the local differences between the normal appearance and the retinal measures in question. This approach was applied to determine footprints of fluid-filled regions-SEADs (Symptomatic Exudate-Associated Derangements)-in 78 SD-OCT volumes from 23 repeatedly imaged patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV), intra-, and sub-retinal fluid and pigment epithelial detachment. The automated SEAD footprint detection method was validated against an independent standard obtained using an interactive 3-D SEAD segmentation approach. An area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.961 ? 0.012 was obtained for the classification of vertical, cross-layer, macular columns. A study performed on 12 pairs of OCT volumes obtained from the same eye on the same day shows that the repeatability of the automated method is comparable to that of the human experts. This work demonstrates that useful 3-D textural information can be extracted from SD-OCT scans and-together with an anatomical atlas of normal retinas-can be used for clinically important applications.
A safe driver assisted merge protocol

We present a cooperative driving protocol that assists drivers in merging with other vehicles. We develop a modular architecture that is based upon the multiple hardware and communications platforms that must participate in this type of system. The architecture isolates the lower level functions related to the hardware from the application, and simplifies writing the merge protocol. We specify the protocol as an Extended Finite State Machine and validate it using Probabilistic Verification [1]. We demonstrate that for a wide range of hardware failures, communications failures, and unresponsive drivers, the protocol will not cause an accident. We also show that there may be situations with a very low probability, where the protocol will leave a vehicle in a state where it cannot participate in future merge operations without being reset.
Community Providers’ Impression of HIV Prevention Intervention Research in NIDA’s Clinical Trials Network

Research-based approaches to HIV risk reduction are available but not readily adopted by community-based treatment programs. This exploratory survey study assessed staff (N=116) attitudes as a function of direct research participation, treatment program type, and study performance within seven methadone maintenance and eight psychosocial outpatient substance abuse treatment programs that participated in the NIDA Clinical Trials Network HIV risk reduction trials. Clinical staff who directly participated in the research reported intervention components as useful and were more likely to report perceived increases in HIV testing/referrals compared to staff who did not directly participate. However, those directly involved reported less positive attitudes about clinical impact and research impression. Results suggest a positive influence of research participation on awareness of program services, but also the need to address practical and professional issues related to research collaboration. Effectiveness trials offer a valuable opportunity to assess provider-level factors associated with adoption and implementation.
Infratentorial glioblastoma: the role of neuraxis irradiation

Abstract The patterns of clinical-and autopsy-documented tumor spread were evaluated for 15 patients with biopsy-proven infratentorial (8 cerebellar, 2 brainstem, 5 intramedullary spinal cord) glioblastoma. No patient developed clinical nor autopsy evidence of subarachnoid dissemination, even though no patient had received craniospinal axis irradiation. Fully 14 of the 21 previously reported patients with subarachnoid dissemination from infratentorial glioblastoma had this diagnosis made only at autopsy. The overall poor prognosis at present (8 % 3-year survival from the present series and recent literature) along with the demonstrated pattern of local-regional aggressiveness as the major form of initial spread and post-irradiation recurrence, suggests that routine craniospinal axis irradiation may not be indicated for most patients with infratentorial glioblastoma.
A system for automated lexical mapping.

Objective: To automate the mapping of disparate databases to standardized medical vocabularies. Background: Merging of clinical systems and medical databases, or aggregation of information from disparate databases, frequently requires a process whereby vocabularies are compared and similar concepts are mapped. Design: Using a normalization phase followed by a novel alignment stage inspired by DNA sequence alignment methods, automated lexical mapping can map terms from various databases to standard vocabularies such as the UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) and LOINC (Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes). Measurements: This automated lexical mapping was evaluated using three real-world laboratory databases from different health care institutions. The authors report the sensitivity, specificity, percentage correct (true positives plus true negatives divided by total number of terms), and true positive and true negative rates as measures of system performance. Results: The alignment algorithm was able to map 57% to 78% (average of 63% over all runs and databases) of equivalent concepts through lexical mapping alone. True positive rates ranged from 18% to 70%; true negative rates ranged from 5% to 52%. Conclusion: Lexical mapping can facilitate the integration of data from diverse sources and decrease the time and cost required for manual mapping and integration of clinical systems and medical databases.
Reviewing the Follow-up Care of Pediatric Patients’ Status Post–Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for the Primary Care Pediatrician

Background. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a treatment modality for many oncologic as well as non-oncologic disorders. Although the side effects of different chemotherapy regimens have been well studied by several oncology consortiums, limited data is available regarding the late adverse effects of HSCT. Furthermore, pediatric-focused post-HSCT follow-up guidelines for primary care pediatricians do not exist. Objective: To provide a summary of the most common late adverse effects of HSCT and give the primary care pediatrician guidance and evidence-based information for the screening and management of this patient population. Design: The literature was searched using PubMed using keywords, including pediatric bone marrow transplant, hematopoietic stem cell transplant guidelines, pediatric bone marrow transplant guidelines, and pediatric bone marrow transplant immunizations. The most relevant articles out of the hundreds of results were reviewed. Results: Based on 9 review articles from t...
RECOMMENDATIONS ON RECOMMENDATIONS

ABSTRACT Writing letters of recommendations for students is one of the many important duties of a college professor. The letter must accurately portray the experiences and abilities of a student. The recommendation should be positive but truthful — fair to the student, to the person receiving the letter, and to the writer. Here we share some advice for professors on writing a recommendation, present a handout for students seeking recommendations and provide two sample recommendations.
Breast Cancer, BRCA Mutations, and Attitudes Regarding Pregnancy and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

Background. Women with premenopausal breast cancer may face treatment-related infertility and have a higher likelihood of a BRCA mutation, which may affect their attitudes toward future childbearing.
Net Production of Juvenile Coho Salmon in Three Oregon Streams

Abstract Net production of juvenile coho salmon was estimated in three small streams in Oregon for 4 consecutive years. Annual net production of coho was greatly different in the 4 years, but production per unit area was similar among streams, averaging about 9 g/m2 per year. No significant differences were found among streams in production per unit area for 14 months from emergence of fry one spring through seaward migration the next spring. For 4 years biomass averaged 5-12 g/m2 shortly after emergence of fry, declining to 2-3 g/m2 by July and remaining at about 2-4 g/m2 until emigration of smolts in the following spring. In all years, mean production declined from 1.9-2.8 g/m2 per month after emergence to 0.2-0.3 g/m2 per month in winter, then increased to 0.5-0.6 g/m2 per month prior to emigration. Monthly instantaneous growth rates were highest shortly after emergence of fry, declining until late winter, then increasing just before smolt emigration. The mean monthly instantaneous growth rate was abou...
Social attention: a possible early indicator of efficacy in autism clinical trials

For decades, researchers have sought to clarify the nature of the social communication impairments in autism, highlighting impaired or atypical 'social attention' as a key measurable construct that helps to define the core impairment of social communication. In this paper, we provide an overview of research on social attention impairments in autism and their relation to deficiencies in neural circuitry related to social reward. We offer a framework for considering social attention as a potential moderator or mediator of response to early behavioral intervention, and as an early indicator of efficacy of behavioral and/or pharmacological treatments aimed at addressing the social impairments in autism.
Presenilin-dependent “γ-Secretase” Processing of Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC) *

The presenilin-γ-secretase complex plays a critical role in mediating intramembranous proteolysis of several type I membrane proteins, including β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Notch. We now show that deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) is subject to proteolysis within the ectodomain segment both in cultured cells and in vivo and that the residual membrane-tethered DCC "stub" is subsequently processed by γ-secretase to generate a derivative termed DCC-intracellular domain (ICD). The production of DCC-ICD is inhibited by selective γ-secretase inhibitors, and by the expression of the dominant negative PS1 D385A variant. Moreover, the membrane-tethered DCC "stubs" accumulate to high levels in PS1-deficient embryos. We also demonstrate that expression of a DCC-Gal4 chimera is capable of activating transcription in a luciferase-based reporter assay and this activity is dependent on γ-secretase activity. Our findings offer the proposal that DCC performs dual roles both as a cell surface receptor that modulates intracellular signaling pathways and as a transcriptional coactivator that relies on γ-secretase-dependent production and nuclear translocation of the cytoplasmic domain.
Climate Change Influence on Priority Setting for Transportation Infrastructure Assets

Transportation infrastructure could be vulnerable to local manifestations of global climate change, such as storm frequencies and durations of seasons. To adapt, transportation agencies need methodologies for reprioritizing their assets subject to the new sources of vulnerability. Prioritizing assets is nontrivial when criteria assessments and owner/operator preferences are considered in conjunction with the possible climate scenarios. Few efforts to date have addressed these scenarios in a priority setting for infrastructure asset management in the literature. This paper extends a scenario-based multicriteria decision framework that can assist decision makers in effectively allocating limited resources to adapt transportation assets to a changing climate. The framework is demonstrated with one of the most susceptible metropolitan transportation systems in the United States, the Hampton Roads region in coastal southeastern Virginia. First, the high-level goals of a long-range transportation plans are used in a traditional multicriteria analysis to generate a baseline prioritization of assets. Next, several scenarios that incorporate and combine a variety of climate conditions are identified. Finally, the scenarios are used to adjust the initial criteria weighting, which results in several reprioritizations of the assets. The results help to identify the most influential scenarios and characterize the sensitivity of the baseline prioritization across multiple scenarios. With these results, additional scientific and investigative efforts can be focused effectively to study and understand the influential scenarios.
Contributions of mindful eating, intuitive eating, and restraint to BMI, disordered eating, and meal consumption in college students

Mindful eating and intuitive eating are promoted as means to circumvent potentially maladaptive dietary restraint while maintaining a healthy weight. Although theoretically related, no studies have examined the correlations between intuitive eating, mindful eating, and restraint in the same sample. This study sought to examine these constructs and their correlations with body mass index (BMI), eating-disordered behaviors, and meal consumption in a college sample. Participants (N = 125) completed a laboratory taste-test meal and measures of each eating-related construct using the EDDS, IES, MEQ, and TFEQ-Restraint Subscale. Mindful eating, intuitive eating, and restraint were not strongly correlated. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that restraint and intuitive eating accounted for significant variance in disordered eating and BMI. Elevated restraint was associated with increased BMI and disordered eating; elevated intuitive eating was associated with decreased BMI and disordered eating. Mindful eating did not correlate with any outcome variables. Follow-up analyses suggested that specific intuitive eating subscales accounted for unique variance in the relation between intuitive eating and disordered eating. Intuitive eating was the only construct that was significantly associated with meal consumption. Intuitive eating and restraint appear to be only weakly correlated, and each is differentially associated with meal consumption. Mindful eating does not appear to relate to outcome variables.
Fluctuations, classical activation, quantum tunneling, and phase transitions

We study two broad classes of physically dissimilar problems, each corresponding to stochastically driven escape from a potential well. The first class, often used to model noise-induced order parameter reversal, comprises Ginzburg-Landau-type field theories defined on finite intervals, perturbed by thermal or other classical spatiotemporal noise. The second class comprises systems in which a single degree of freedom is perturbed by both thermal and quantum noise. Each class possesses a transition in its escape behavior, at a critical value of interval length and temperature, respectively. It is shown that there exists a mapping from one class of problems to the other, and that their respective transitions can be understood within a unified theoretical context. We consider two applications within the first class: thermally induced breakup of monovalent metallic nanowires, and stochastic reversal of magnetization in thin ferromagnetic annuli. Finally, we explore the depth of the analogy between the two classes of problems, and discuss to what extent each case exhibits the characteristic signs of critical behavior at a sharp second-order phase transition.
Tele-cybernetics: implications for the international marketplace

The term tele-cybernetics is introduced and its meaning is etymologically derived from its precursor, cybernetics. The authors offer a personal response to an unpublished address given at the 1987 Pacific Telecommunications Conference by R.W. Sturm, an AT&T vice president. They specifically discuss the evolution of telecommunications and the international marketplace, viewing the global corporation to be the result of the rise of information technologies and telecommunications hardware. >
Promoting Patient-Centered Counseling to Reduce Use of Low-Value Diagnostic Tests: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Low-value diagnostic tests have been included on primary care specialty societies’ “Choosing Wisely” Top Five lists. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized patient (SP)-based intervention designed to enhance primary care physician (PCP) patient-centeredness and skill in handling patient requests for low-value diagnostic tests. Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized clinical trial of 61 general internal medicine or family medicine residents at 2 residency-affiliated primary care clinics at an academic medical center in California. Interventions Two simulated visits with SP instructors portraying patients requesting inappropriate spinal magnetic resonance imaging for low back pain or screening dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The SP instructors provided personalized feedback to residents regarding use of 6 patient-centered techniques to address patient concerns without ordering low-value tests. Control group physicians received SP visits without feedback and were emailed relevant clinical guidelines. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was whether resident PCPs ordered SP-requested low-value tests during up to 3 unannounced SP clinic visits over 3 to 12 months follow-up, with patients requesting spinal magnetic resonance imaging, screening dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, or headache neuroimaging. Secondary outcomes included PCP patient-centeredness and use of targeted techniques (both coded from visit audiorecordings), and SP satisfaction with the visit (0-10 scale). Results Of 61 randomized resident PCPs (31 control group and 30 intervention group), 59 had encounters with 155 SPs during follow-up. Compared with control PCPs, intervention PCPs had similar patient-centeredness (Measure of Patient-Centered Communication, 43.9 [95% CI, 42.0 to 45.7] vs 43.7 [95% CI, 41.8 to 45.6], adjusted mean difference, −0.2 [95% CI, −2.9 to 2.5]; P = .90) and used a similar number of targeted techniques (5.4 [95% CI, 4.9 to 5.8] vs 5.4 [95% CI, 4.9 to 5.8] on a 0-9 scale, adjusted mean difference, 0 [95% CI, −0.7 to 0.6]; P = .96). Residents ordered low-value tests in 41 SP encounters (26.5% [95% CI, 19.7%-34.1%]) with no significant difference in the odds of test ordering in intervention PCPs relative to control group PCPs (adjusted odds ratio, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.49-2.32]). Rates of test ordering among intervention and control PCPs were similar for all 3 SP cases. The SPs rated visit satisfaction higher among intervention than control PCPs (8.5 [95% CI, 8.1-8.8] vs 7.8 [95% CI, 7.5-8.2], adjusted mean difference, 0.6 [95% CI, 0.1-1.1]). Conclusions and Relevance An SP-based intervention did not improve the patient-centeredness of SP encounters, use of targeted interactional techniques, or rates of low-value test ordering, although SPs were more satisfied with intervention than control residents. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01808664
Newt's Tax Plan

What would Newt Gingrich's tax plan look like for America now that he is the GOP frontrunner. An empirical analysis of the flat tax proposed by Professor Gingrich
THE ROLE OF ADULT ATTACHMENT IN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ ACCULTURATION PROCESS

Abstract International students face a variety of challenges in their acculturation process. Acculturation, the process of adapting to a new cultural environment, is highly variable and influenced by environmental and individual factors that exist before or arise during acculturation. Among the moderating personal factors existing prior to acculturation, adult attachment has received attention as an important variable impacting the acculturation process and adaptation outcomes. Based on the bi-dimensional model of acculturation (Berry, 1997) and the concept of adult attachment (Bowlby, 1977), the current study hypothesized that an insecure attachment (i.e., high attachment anxiety and avoidance) would predict more acculturative stress, less psychological adaptation, and less sociocultural adaptation. We also hypothesized that students who highly identified with their heritage culture and were highly acculturated to the U.S. culture would experience higher levels of psychological and sociocultural adaptation. Also, we examined if adult attachment moderated the effects of acculturation on international students’ psychological and sociocultural adaptation. International students enrolled in higher education institutions in different geographic locations in the United States (N = 221) completed measures of adult attachment, acculturation, acculturative stress, and psychological and sociocultural adaptation. The results suggested that attachment anxiety was a significant predictor of international students’ psychological adaptation. High acculturation to the U.S. significantly predicted more sociocultural adaptation. Attachment avoidance significantly moderated the effect of acculturation to the U.S. culture on international students’ psychological distress, while attachment anxiety was a significant moderator for the effect of acculturation to the U.S. culture on sociocultural adaptation.
Ring-Opening Copolymerization of Maleic Anhydride with Epoxides: A Chain-Growth Approach to Unsaturated Polyesters

We report the ring-opening copolymerization of maleic anhydride with a variety of epoxides catalyzed by a chromium(III) salen complex. Quantitative isomerization of the cis-maleate form of all polymers affords the trans-fumarate analogues. Addition of chain transfer reagents yields low Mn, narrow PDI polymer samples. This method provides access to a range of new unsaturated polyesters with versatile functionality, as well as the first synthesis of high molecular weight poly(propylene fumarate).
Business Philosophy and Executive Responsibility

This paper deals with business philosophy and the perception of executives of their responsibility towards owners, employees, customers and the public. The study indicates a changing trend in belie...
The Direct Determination of Ethyl Alcohol in Saliva without Distillation.

SummaryAll but a small, but relatively constant, quantity of the oxidizable material of normal saliva may be removed by the addition of 2 reagents: (1) a solution of CuSO4, HgSO4, and ferric sulfate, and (2) a suspension of Ca (OH)2. The residual material from normal saliva is equivalent to 10.5 ± 4.6 mg. 70 of ethyl alcohol.A procedure for the direct determination, without distillation, of ethyl alcohol in saliva is described. The results are 11.2 ± 3.3 mg. % higher than by the method of Friedemann and Klaas.
The influence of intramolecular sulfur–lone pair interactions on small-molecule drug design and receptor binding

Sulfur–lone pair interactions are important conformational control elements in sulfur-containing heterocycles that abound in pharmaceuticals, natural products, agrochemicals, polymers and other important classes of organic molecules. Nonetheless, the role of intramolecular sulfur–lone pair interactions in the binding of small molecules to receptors is often overlooked. Here we analyze the magnitudes and origins of these interactions for a variety of biologically relevant small molecules using quantum chemical and automated docking calculations. In most cases examined in this study, the lowest energy conformation of the small molecule displays a sulfur–lone pair close contact. However, docking studies, both published and new, often predict that conformations without sulfur–lone pair contacts have the best binding affinity for their respective receptors. This is a serious problem. Since many of these predicted bound conformations are not actually energetically accessible, pursuing design (e.g., drug design) around these binding modes necessarily will lead, serendipity aside, to dead end designs. Our results constitute a caution that one best not neglect these interactions when predicting the binding affinities of potential ligands (drugs or not) for hosts (enzymes, receptors, DNA, RNA, synthetic hosts). Moreover, a better understanding and awareness of sulfur–lone pair interactions should facilitate the rational modulation of host–guest interactions involving sulfur-containing molecules.
Biotechnology and visceral leishmaniasis in the World Health Organization's Southeast Asian region: research and reality.

Etude de la leishmaniose viscerale en Asie du Sud-est, applications de la recherche biotechnologique, taxonomie et diagnostic specifique
Flow-enhanced kinetics of uranyl (UO2) transport into nano-porous silica gel

Abstract Uranyl transport into nanoporous silica gel is limited in a static aqueous solution by slow natural diffusion to the open bonding sites. In order to make this process faster, the diffusion dependence was eliminated using pressure driven fluid flow. Uranyl transport and adsorption within nanoporous silica gel was measured using time-dependent fluorescent measurements in an aqueous solution. The transport kinetics was measured under two different conditions: static solution in a standard cuvette and flowing solution through the silica gel. It was determined that the kinetics of uranyl uptake within nanoporous silica gel depends strongly on the liquid flow velocity. Above a certain velocity, the adsorption kinetics increased by at least two orders of magnitude (from about 40 min to 2 s) in comparison to a static solution. In a static solution, the kinetics depends on the porosity of the silica gel, but this dependence was not observed when the liquid flow velocity exceeded a certain value. Flow-enhanced adsorption kinetics has potential applications for fast detection of trace levels of uranyl in water.
LEVEL 1 PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES: The Tools of the Crisis Sector

Psychiatric emergency services have become an increasingly important element in the mental health system. Many approaches to delivering these services have been described but no unifying constructs have emerged. This article reviews the range of psychiatric emergency settings including their structure and functions, the evidence of their benefits to the system, and the controversies surrounding their use. Categorization by capability is proposed as a means of improving the quality and consistency of assessment and treatment. Regional consolidation is proposed as a means of accomplishing these improvements while containing costs.
Preparation of Homogeneous Basal-Plane Carbon Nanorods and Its Application for Solid Phase Extraction

A method for the preparation of basal-plane carbon nanorods was developed. A preliminary study of solid-phase extraction selectivity of basal-plane carbon nanorods was performed.
Clinical Predictors of Persistent Mediastinal Nodal Disease After Induction Therapy for Stage IIIA N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background Patients with persistent N2 disease after induction have poor survival. Many of these patients may have had mediastinoscopy before induction therapy, making reassessment of the mediastinum by repeat mediastinoscopy hazardous and inaccurate. The sensitivity and specificity of endobronchial ultrasonography and nodal fine-needle aspiration in this setting is unclear. In this study, we sought to identify the clinical predictors of persistent N2 disease after induction therapy, which may help in selecting the patients most likely to benefit from surgical resection. Methods A retrospective review of a prospective database (1990 to 2014) was performed to identify patients who had surgical resection after induction therapy for clinical stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of persistent N2 disease. Results 203 patients (56% female; median age 64 years) underwent potentially curative lung resection after induction therapy. Ninety-seven patients (48%) had pathologic nodal downstaging (pN0/N1), which was associated with significantly better overall survival compared with patients with persistent N2 disease (5 years, 56% versus 35%, p = 0.047). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that upper or middle lobe location and less than 60% reduction of N2 SUVmax were independent predictors of persistent N2 disease. Conclusions Patients with upper lobe tumors and less than 60% reduction in N2 SUVmax are more likely to have persistent N2 disease, which is often associated with poor survival rates. These clinical prognostic criteria may help surgeons in stratifying patients and properly selecting optimal surgical candidates.
Forcing independent velocity distributions in an experimental granular fluid

We present experimental results on the velocity statistics of a granular fluid with an effective stochastic thermostat, in a quasi-two-dimensional configuration. We find the base state, as measured by the single particle velocity distribution $P(c)$ in the central high-probability regions, to be well described by $P(c)={f}_{\mathrm{MB}}[1+{a}_{2}{S}_{2}({c}^{2})]$: It deviates from a Maxwell-Boltzmann ${f}_{\mathrm{MB}}$ by a second order Sonine polynomial ${S}_{2}({c}^{2})$ with a single adjustable parameter ${a}_{2}$. We find ${a}_{2}$ to be a function of the filling fraction and independent of the driving over a wide range of frequencies and accelerations. Moreover, there is a consistent overpopulation in the distribution's tails, which scale as $P\ensuremath{\propto}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}A\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{c}^{3∕2})$. To our knowledge, this is the first time that Sonine deviations have been measured in an experimental system.
Privacy and the public educator

As of 2003, 99% of K-12 schools in the United States use the Internet. With the increased use of databases and other technologies to manage data in K-12 institutions, an inherent threat to the privacy and confidentiality of that information has also increased. Over the last decade, with the increased use of these technologies, there has also been an increase in the number of privacy-related violations that have occurred, both in industry and in the K-12 environment. There are a plethora of security technologies that can be used to improve privacy; however, organizations such as K-12 schools often cannot afford to hire IT staff versed in the state of the art. Furthermore, technology alone will not address security and privacy problems; policy is an essential ingredient for any organization. This study is a gap analysis investigating privacy practices of public educators in the Midwestern portion of the United States. The significance of the work is that we cannot improve the practices unless we understand deficiencies in current privacy practices and perceptions.
Evaluation of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer with Androgen Receptor–Axis Imaging

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is the lethal form of prostate cancer, and more than 26,000 men will die from this disease in 2016. The pathophysiology of CRPC is clearly multifactorial, but most often, androgen receptor (AR) upregulation is associated with its earliest beginnings and the AR increase is part of the multimolecular complex including downstream effector proteins linked to AR (AR-axis) responsible for rapid proliferation and malignant features of the malignant cell. In both animal models and patients, glycolysis (Warburg effect) is also an early manifestation of CRPC transformation. At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, we have focused our energies on imaging studies of the AR-axis in CRPC, using 18F-FDG, 18F-16β-fluoro-5α-dihydrotestosterone (18F-FDHT), and a variety of radiolabeled antibodies targeting downstream effectors, such as prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Small-molecular-weight PSMA-targeting agents are not part of this review. In this review, we will focus on molecular imaging of the AR-axis in metastatic CRPC (mCRPC) and discuss our personal experience with these tracers. Our goal is to put these radiopharmaceuticals in the context of mCRPC biology and diagnosis (e.g., 18F-FDHT).
Low day 100 transplant-related mortality (TRM) and relapse rate following clofarabine (CLO) in combination with cytarabine, total body irradiation (TBI), and allogeneic stem cell transplantation (AlloSCT) in children, adolescents, and young adults (CAYA) with poor-risk acute leukemia.

6537 Background: CAYA with ALL or AML in third complete remission (CR3), refractory relapse (RR) or induction failure (IF) have an extremely poor prognosis, <20% EFS (Gaynon, BJH, 2005;Wells, JCO, ...
Automated Pain Assessment in Neonates

The current practice of assessing infants’ pain is subjective and intermittent. The misinterpretation or lack of attention to infants’ pain experience may lead to misdiagnosis and over- or under-treatment. Studies have found that poor management and treatment of infants’ pain can cause permanent alterations to the brain structure and function. To address these shortcomings, the current practice can be augmented with an automated system to monitors various pain indicators continuously and provide a quantitative assessment. In this paper, we present methods to analyze infants’ crying sounds, and other pain indicators for the purpose of developing an automated multimodal pain assessment system. The average accuracy of estimating infants’ level of cry was around 88%. Combining crying sounds to facial expression, body motion, and vital signs for classifying infants’ emotional states as no pain or severe pain yielded an accuracy of 96.6%. The reported results demonstrate the feasibility of developing an automated system that integrates multiple pain modalities for pain assessment in infants.
Acquisition and Transfer Effects of Classwide Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies in Mathematics for Students with Varying Learning Histories.

This study sought to examine effects of classwide peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS) in mathematics incorporating the use of curriculum-based measurement on the acquisition and transfer learn...
Improving Trigger Functions for Convective Parameterization Schemes Using GOAmazon Observations

AbstractUsing observations from the Green Ocean Amazon (GOAmazon) field campaign, this study aims to improve trigger functions of convection schemes. Results show that the CAPE generation rate (dCAPE)-type triggers are the first tier and that the Bechtold and heated condensation framework (HCF) triggers are a distant second tier. The composite analysis reveals that the undilute dCAPE trigger underpredicts convection when there is bottom-heavy upward motion but overpredicts convection with low-level downward and upper-level upward motions. The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis on vertical velocity shows that EOF1 (62.65%) exhibits upward motion throughout the troposphere and that EOF2 (28.05%) has lower-level upward motion and upper-level downward motion. Both of them have close relationships with precipitation, indicating the role of vertical velocity in triggering convection. The skill sensitivity analysis shows that the inclusion of 700-hPa upward motion significantly enhances the undilute dC...
Formation, Fate, and Impacts of Microscopic and Macroscopic Oil‐Sediment Residues in Nearshore Marine Environments: A Critical Review

Crude oil that is spilled in marine environments often interacts with suspended sediments to form residues that can impact the recovery of the affected nearshore ecosystems. When spilled oil and sediment interact, they can form either small microscopic aggregates, commonly referred to as oil-particle aggregates (OPAs), or large macroscopic agglomerates, referred to as sediment-oil agglomerates (SOAs) or sediment-oil mats (SOMs). Although these different sized oil-sediment residues have similar compositions, they are formed under different conditions, and have different fates in nearshore environments; the goal of this review is to synthesize our current understanding of these two types of residues. We believe that researchers who focus solely on studying either microscopic aggregates or macroscopic agglomerates could benefit from understanding the research findings available in the other field. In this study, we compare and contrast various processes that control the formation, fate and impacts of these two types of residues in nearshore environments, and point out some of the knowledge gaps in this field. Additionally, these residues have been referred to by many names in the past, leading to confusion and misconceptions at times. In this effort, we recommend a uniform nomenclature to distinguish them based on their physical size. Our overall aim is to bridge the gap between microscopic and macroscopic oil-sediment residue literature to foster a robust exchange of ideas, which we believe can lead to the development of efficient strategies for managing oil spills that affect nearshore environments.