cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Targeted Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging for Regenerative Medicine.

Advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine over the last three decades have made great progress in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic methodologies for damaged tissues. However, regenerative medicine is still not the first line of treatment for patients due to limited understanding of the tissue regeneration process. Therefore, it is prerequisite to develop molecular imaging strategies combined with appropriate contrast agents to validate the therapeutic progress of damaged tissues. The goal of this review is to discuss the progress in the development of near-infrared (NIR) contrast agents and their biomedical applications for labeling cells and scaffolds, as well as monitoring the treatment progress of native tissue in living organisms. We also discuss the design consideration of NIR contrast agents for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in terms of their physicochemical and optical properties. The use of NIR imaging system and targeted contrast agents can provide high-resolution and high sensitivity imaging to track/monitor the in vivo fate of administered cells, the degradation rate of implanted scaffolds, and the tissue growth and integration of surrounding cells during the therapeutic period. NIR fluorescence imaging techniques combined with targeted contrast agents can play a significant role in regenerative medicine by monitoring the therapeutic efficacy of implanted cells and scaffolds which would enhance the development of cell therapies and promote their successful clinical translations.
An evaluation of temporal and spatial trends of pyrethroid concentrations in California surface waters.

Abstract Pyrethroid insecticides are frequently detected in urban surface waters at levels that are deleterious to sensitive aquatic species. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) Surface Water Protection Program collected 717 water and 191 sediment samples from 2009 to 2018 throughout California, providing a large dataset to conduct spatial and temporal trend analysis of pyrethroid concentrations. The pyrethroid bifenthrin accounted for 72% of average sample concentrations, and a strong relationship between whole water bifenthrin concentrations and the observed toxicity to the test species Hyallela azteca was established. To help mitigate runoff concentrations, CDPR adopted regulations in 2012 intended to limit the mass of pyrethroids applied to structures by professional pest control operators. A statistical analysis of CDPR statewide monitoring data collected at storm drain outfall and receiving water sites was conducted to determine if any significant trends in pyrethroid concentrations exist. Nonparametric statistical analysis of monitoring data revealed significant regional differences. In Northern California, decreasing trends in bifenthrin and cypermethrin concentrations may be counterbalanced by a potential switch to deltamethrin-containing products. Conversely, the few observed trends in concentrations at Southern California monitoring stations could be a result of regional hydrological and pest pressure differences. To evaluate the effects of structural applications on pyrethroid concentrations in urban runoff, CDPR conducted field trials using a tracer pyrethroid that was applied in accordance with the regulations. Detectable levels in runoff were observed, with an estimated 0.004–0.005% mass transport offsite per storm. Using field-derived sediment, the observed half-lives (514 days+) highlight the potential for contaminant laden sediment to serve as a long-term source of pyrethroids within waterways. Both chemistry and observed toxicity data identify storm water runoff as a primary transport mechanism. However, the presence of pyrethroids in dry-weather runoff suggests that significant loading can occur under various hydrologic conditions.
DNA methylation and histone acetylation changes to cytochrome P450 2E1 regulation in normal aging and impact on rates of drug metabolism in the liver.

Aging is associated with reduced liver function that may increase the risk for adverse drug reactions in older adults. We hypothesized that age-related changes to epigenetic regulation of genes involved in drug metabolism may contribute to this effect. We reviewed published epigenome-wide studies of human blood and identified the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) gene as a top locus exhibiting epigenetic changes with age. To investigate potential functional changes with age in the liver, the primary organ of drug metabolism, we obtained liver tissue from mice aged 4–32 months from the National Institute on Aging. We assayed global DNA methylation (5-methylcytosine, 5mC), hydroxymethylation (5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5hmC), and locus-specific 5mC and histone acetylation changes around mouse Cyp2e1. The mouse livers exhibit significant global decreases in 5mC and 5hmC with age. Furthermore, 5mC significantly increased with age at two regulatory regions of Cyp2e1 in tandem with decreases in its gene and protein expressions. H3K9ac levels also changed with age at both regulatory regions of Cyp2e1 investigated, while H3K27ac did not. To test if these epigenetic changes are associated with varying rates of drug metabolism, we assayed clearance of the CYP2E1-specific probe drug chlorzoxazone in microsome extracts from the same livers. CYP2E1 intrinsic clearance is associated with DNA methylation and H3K9ac levels at the Cyp2e1 locus but not with chronological age. This suggests that age-related epigenetic changes may influence rates of hepatic drug metabolism. In the future, epigenetic biomarkers could prove useful to guide dosing regimens in older adults.
Developing and validating an approach for diagnosing and prognosticating cancer from biochemical motifs in T-cell receptors.

e15260Background: Immune repertoire deep sequencing allows profiling T-cell populations and enables novel approaches to diagnose and prognosticate cancer by identifying T-cell receptor sequence pat...
Feasibility and visualization of deep learning detection and classification of inferior vena cava filters

Abstract Purpose This study assesses the feasibility of deep learning detection and classification of 3 retrievable inferior vena cava filters with similar radiographic appearances and emphasizes the importance of visualization methods to confirm proper detection and classification. Materials and Methods The fast.ai library with ResNet-34 architecture was used to train a deep learning classification model. A total of 442 fluoroscopic images (N=144 patients) from inferior vena cava filter placement or removal were collected. Following image preprocessing, the training set included 382 images (110 Celect, 149 Denali, 123 Gunther Tulip), of which 80% were used for training and 20% for validation. Data augmentation was performed for regularization. A random test set of 60 images (20 images of each filter type), not included in the training or validation set, was used for evaluation. Total accuracy and receiver operating characteristic area under the curve were used to evaluate performance. Feature heatmaps were visualized using guided backpropagation and gradient-weighted class activation mapping. Results The overall accuracy was 80.2% with mean receiver operating characteristic area under the curve of 0.96 for the validation set (N=76), and 85.0% with mean receiver operating characteristic area under the curve of 0.94 for the test set (N=60). Two visualization methods were used to assess correct filter detection and classification. Conclusions A deep learning model can be used to automatically detect and accurately classify inferior vena cava filters on radiographic images. Visualization techniques should be utilized to ensure deep learning models function as intended.
Protecting the Vulnerable during a Pandemic with Uncertain Vaccine Arrival and Reinfection

We study optimal targeted social distancing policy in a SIR model with multiple risk groups and uncertain arrival time for a vaccine or cure If the (expected)
Proton-detected solid-state NMR spectroscopy of spin-1/2 nuclei with large chemical shift anisotropy

Abstract Constant-time (CT) dipolar heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (D-HMQC) has previously been demonstrated as a method for proton detection of high-resolution wideline NMR spectra of spin-1/2 nuclei with large chemical shift anisotropy (CSA). However, 1H transverse relaxation and t1-noise often reduce the sensitivity of D-HMQC experiments, preventing the theoretical gains in sensitivity provided by 1H detection from being realized. Here we demonstrate a series of improved pulse sequences for 1H detection of spin-1/2 nuclei under fast MAS, with 195Pt SSNMR experiments on cisplatin as an example. First, a t1-incrementation protocol for D-HMQC dubbed Arbitrary Indirect Dwell (AID) is demonstrated. AID allows the use of arbitrary, rotor asynchronous t1-increments, but removes the constant time period from CT D-HMQC, resulting in improved sensitivity by reducing transverse relaxation losses. Next, we show that short high-power adiabatic pulses (SHAPs), which efficiently invert broad MAS sideband manifolds, can be effectively incorporated into 1H detected symmetry-based resonance echo double resonance (S-REDOR) and t1-noise eliminated (TONE) D-HMQC experiments. The S-REDOR experiments with SHAPs provide approximately double the dipolar dephasing, as compared to experiments with rectangular inversion pulses. We lastly show that sensitivity and resolution can be further enhanced with the use of swept excitation pulses as well as adiabatic magic angle turning (aMAT).
Doubly stochastic Yule cascades (Part II): The explosion problem in the non-reversible case

We analyze the explosion problem for a class of stochastic models introduced in Part I, referred to as doubly stochastic Yule cascades. These models arise naturally in the construction of solutions to evolutionary PDEs as well as in purely probabilistic first passage percolation phenomena having a new type of statistical dependence. Using cutset arguments and a greedy algorithm, we respectively establish criteria for non-explosion and explosion without requiring the time-reversibility of the underlying branching Markov chain (a condition required in Part I). Notable applications include the explosion of the self-similar cascade of the Navier-Stokes equations in dimension $d=3$ and non-explosion in dimension $d\ge 12$.
A Revised Mid-Pliocene Composite Section for ODP Site 846

Abstract. The composite section from ODP Site 846 has provided key data sets for Pliocene stable isotope and paleoclimatic time series. We document here errors in primary data sets for stable isotopes and alkenone-derived sea surface temperature estimates (SST) in the late Pliocene interval containing the M2 glaciation (ca. 3.250–3.3 Ma) by tying high resolution core measurements to a continuous downhole conductivity log. In addition, we provide new stable isotopic and alkenone measurements that correlate well to the revised splices of color reflectance and gamma ray attenuation porosity evaluator data. A new composite splice is proposed, along with composite isotope and alkenone time series that should be integrated into revised Pliocene paleoclimatic stacks.
Systematic review: radiomics for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background Advances in imaging technology have the potential to transform the early diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through quantitative image analysis. Computational "radiomic" techniques extract biomarker information from images which can be used to improve diagnosis and predict tumour biology. Aims To perform a systematic review on radiomic features in HCC diagnosis and prognosis, with a focus on reporting metrics and methodologic standardisation. Methods We performed a systematic review of all full-text articles published from inception through December 1, 2019. Standardised data extraction and quality assessment metrics were applied to all studies. Results A total of 54 studies were included for analysis. Radiomic features demonstrated good discriminatory performance to differentiate HCC from other solid lesions (c-statistics 0.66-0.95), and to predict microvascular invasion (c-statistic 0.76-0.92), early recurrence after hepatectomy (c-statistics 0.71-0.86), and prognosis after locoregional or systemic therapies (c-statistics 0.74-0.81). Common stratifying features for diagnostic and prognostic radiomic tools included analyses of imaging skewness, analysis of the peritumoural region, and feature extraction from the arterial imaging phase. The overall quality of the included studies was low, with common deficiencies in both internal and external validation, standardised imaging segmentation, and lack of comparison to a gold standard. Conclusions Quantitative image analysis demonstrates promise as a non-invasive biomarker to improve HCC diagnosis and management. However, standardisation of protocols and outcome measurement, sharing of algorithms and analytic methods, and external validation are necessary prior to widespread application of radiomics to HCC diagnosis and prognosis in clinical practice.
Intersectionality and cancer survivorship: Sexual orientation and racial/ethnic differences in physical and mental health outcomes among female and male cancer survivors.

Background Because of concerns about sexual minorities' poor cancer survivorship, this study compared cancer survivors' health outcomes in relation to multiple intersecting social positions, namely gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. Methods This secondary data analysis used 2014-2019 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data. The survey respondents consisted of 40,482 heterosexual and sexual minority men and 69,302 heterosexual and sexual minority women who identified as White, Black, or Hispanic. Logistic regression models compared White, Black, and Hispanic male and female cancer survivors' health status, depression, and health-related quality of life by sexual orientation. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and access to care. Results Mental health findings showed consistency, with sexual minority male and female cancer survivors having 2 to 3 times greater odds of depression and/or poor mental health among White, Black, and Hispanic survivors. Among White women, sexual minorities reported greater odds of fair or poor health, poor physical health, and poor activity days, whereas White sexual minority men showed similar odds in comparison with their heterosexual counterparts. Among Black and Hispanic sexual minority men and women, differences in the odds of fair or poor health, poor physical health, and poor activity days in comparison with their heterosexual counterparts were mostly explained by sociodemographic and access-to-care factors. Conclusions Physical and mental health outcomes vary in relation to sexual orientation and race/ethnicity among both female and male cancer survivors. Clinicians, researchers, and health care administrators must better understand and address the unique needs of cancer survivors in relation to multiple axes of social inequality to advance cancer equity.
Neuron-Specific Cytotoxins

In neuroscience research, there has been an increasing emphasis on defining the functional synaptic circuitry of discrete neuronal pathways within the central and peripheral nervous system. A classical approach to this issue has relied on electrothermic lesions or knife cuts to ablate cell bodies of origin or transect axons in order to induce orthograde degeneration of a pathway of interest.1,2 For neurochemistry, lesion techniques have led to the determination of biochemical parameters specifically associated with or regulated by defined pathways. Neuroanatomists have exploited these methods to map neuronal projections within the brain by taking advantage of the fact that degenerating axons and terminals react selectively with ammoniacal silver staining techniques.3,4 Physiologists and psychologists have utilized brain lesions to determine the role played by lesioned pathways in the mediation of specific behaviors or physiological events.
γ-Glutamylmethylamide A NEW INTERMEDIATE IN THE METABOLISM OF METHYLAMINE

An unusual amino acid, γ-glutamylmethylamide, has been found to be an early product of the metabolism of methylamine by Pseudomonas MS. This compound is also synthesized by cell-free extracts of this organism in a reaction which requires ATP and Mn++. The enzyme responsible for the synthesis of γ-glutamylmethylamide is induced by growth on methylamine, dimethylamine, or trimethylamine, but not by growth on glucose, peptone, or trimethylsulfonium nitrate. This suggests that a new enzyme, similar in activity to glutamine synthetase, but having a high specificity for methylamine, is responsible for the synthesis of γ-glutamylmethylamide in Pseudomonas MS. The trivial name γ-glutamylmethylamide synthetase is suggested for this enzyme.
On the Characterization and Evaluation of Stability of Nonlinear Systems

The problem of stability for nonlinear feedback systems is examined. A hybrid approach that combines Input-Output and state space theories is proposed. Within this framework the standard notions of dynamic gain and dynamic incremental gain of a nonlinear operator are examined and their inability to accurately reflect the dynamic behavior of a nonlinear system is demonstrated. The concepts of dynamic gain and dynamic incremental gain over sets are introduced and their connection to a physical system's dynamic behavior is established. The theory is developed to enable systematic computation of the incremental gain of an operator over a set, through nonsmooth optimal control theory. Examples are given that elucidate the above issues.
Reactive oxygen species generated at mitochondrial complex III stabilize hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha during hypoxia: a mechanism of O2 sensing.

During hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is required for induction of a variety of genes including erythropoietin and vascular endothelial growth factor. Hypoxia increases mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation at Complex III, which causes accumulation of HIF-1α protein responsible for initiating expression of a luciferase reporter construct under the control of a hypoxic response element. This response is lost in cells depleted of mitochondrial DNA (ρ0 cells). Overexpression of catalase abolishes hypoxic response element-luciferase expression during hypoxia. Exogenous H2O2 stabilizes HIF-1α protein during normoxia and activates luciferase expression in wild-type and ρ0 cells. Isolated mitochondria increase ROS generation during hypoxia, as does the bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans. These findings reveal that mitochondria-derived ROS are both required and sufficient to initiate HIF-1α stabilization during hypoxia.
Management of primary hepatopancreatobiliary small cell carcinoma.

Background and Objectives Primary small cell carcinomas (SCC) of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts have only been described in case reports. We hypothesized that surgical treatment was associated with improved overall survival (OS) for patients with localized hepatopancreatobiliary SCC. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) database was queried for patients with SCC from 1998 to 2008. Survival was analyzed with Cox proportional hazards models. Results Eighty-five patients had nonmetastatic hepatopancreatobiliary SCC and operative treatment data. Hepatic SCC was associated with a 2 month median OS, and no patient underwent surgery. Stage-adjusted median OS for pancreatobiliary SCC patients undergoing resection (19 months, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 10–42 months) was greater than those who were not resected (8 months, 95% CI: 4–12 months, P = 0.0052). Both surgical resection (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.29–0.63, P < 0.001) and administration of radiation therapy (HR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.35–0.71, P < 0.001) independently predicted prolonged OS in adjusted models. Conclusion Surgical resection was associated with prolonged survival for patients with localized pancreatic, gallbladder, and biliary primaries. While we recognize several biases inherent in a population-based study, these results provide insight into the survival that can be achieved with surgical resection of SCC in these specific locations. J. Surg. Oncol. 2013;107:692–695. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The usefulness of aphid transmission as a taxonomic criterion for potyviruses.

In the past vector relationships have been one of the criteria used for delineating plant virus taxa. The proposed family, the Potyviridae, continues that practice. Aphid transmission of viruses within the genus Potyvirus is a useful characteristic in terms of identification, but is of only limited use in terms of taxonomy. This conclusion is based on a greater understanding of the molecular biology of potyviruses. The molecular basis of aphid transmission is not well understood at the present, but these data suggest that, beyond disease diagnosis, virus identification and characterization, and potential identification of genome microheterogeneity, aphid transmission should only be considered as a minor taxonomie criterion.
HYDROGEOMORPHIC CONDITIONS LIMITING THE DISTRIBUTION OF BALDCYPRESS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Baldcypress is a dominant species in the alluvial valleys of the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States. It is mostly absent, however, in the surrounding regions. An investigation of the northern boundary of baldcypress along streams flowing into the Coastal Plain indicates that a major factor limiting its distribution is high seasonal water-level fluctuations. Initial seedling establishment is dependent on water-level fluctuations. Seeds are dispersed by flood water, and germination occurs after their deposition on exposed surfaces as the water recedes. However, baldcypress seedlings are killed when completely submerged for longer than a few days. Seasonal water-level fluctuations increase with distance upstream, and eventually a point is reached along these streams where seedlings almost always are killed by high flood waters during the years following their establishment. This appears to be an important factor controlling the upstream boundary of baldcypress. The natural hydrology of most Coas...
Margalef's mandala, Prochlorococcus, and geoengineering

El fitoplancton mari te un paper central en la oxigenacio de l'atmosfera del nostre planeta fa milers de milions d'anys. Per tant, aquests primers geoenginyers van ser crucials per a l'evolucio de la vida a la Terra. Els seus descendents actuals, el cianobacteri mari Prochlorococcus es la cel·lula fotosintetica mes abundant del planeta. El seu descobriment, fa 30 anys, va servir com a recordatori del poc que coneixem sobre la complexitat de les xarxes trofiques marines. La proposta de fertilitzacio dels oceans, ja sigui per mitigar el clima o per millorar la pesca, continua guanyant adeptes dins la comunitat cientifica i el sector comercial. Si s'arribes a implementar, les consequencies no desitjades d'aquesta i altres propostes de geoenginyeria poden ser enormes i impossibles de preveure.
Sustained Visual Attention Performance-Associated Prefrontal Neuronal Activity: Evidence for Cholinergic Modulation

Cortical cholinergic inputs are hypothesized to mediate attentional functions. The present experiment was designed to determine the single unit activity of neurons within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats performing a sustained visual attention task. Demands on attentional performance were varied by the presentation of a visual distractor. The contribution of cholinergic afferents of the mPFC to performance-associated unit activity within this area was determined by recording neuronal activity before and after unilateral cholinergic deafferentation using intracortical infusion of the immunotoxin 192 IgG-saporin. Presentation of the visual distractor resulted in a decrease in the detection of brief, unpredictable visual signals. As predicted, the unilateral loss of cholinergic inputs within the recording area of the mPFC did not affect sustained attentional performance. Cholinergic deafferentation, however, resulted in a decrease in the overall firing rate of medial prefrontal neurons and a substantial reduction in the proportion of neurons whose firing patterns correlated with specific aspects of behavioral performance. Furthermore, cholinergic deafferentation attenuated the frequency and amplitude of increased mPFC neuronal firing rates that were associated with the presentation of the visual distractor. The main findings from this experiment suggest that cholinergic inputs to the mPFC strongly influence spontaneous and behaviorally correlated single unit activity and mediate increases in neuronal activity associated with enhanced demands for attentional processing, all of which may be fundamental aspects in the maintenance of attentional performance.
Lingual and Gastric Lipases: Their Role in Fat Digestion

First published in 1990: This book discusses the role of fat digestion with regards to Lingual and Gastric Lipases.
Spirituality moderates the effect of stress on emotional and physical adjustment

This study examined the relationship of spirituality with emotional and physical adjustment to daily stress. One hundred and thirteen college students completed questionnaire measures of spirituality, daily stress, affect, and physical symptoms at two times one month apart. The results showed that spirituality buffered the adverse effect of stress on adjustment, controlling for the use of various coping strategies. The findings have implications for developing prevention programs to improve people's coping skills by incorporating greater emphasis on spirituality.
MEMS packaging technologies & applications

MEMS packaging has become a major manufacturing issue for commercialization. This talk will give a short summary on several MEMS packaging technologies, including an integrated LPCVD nitride bonding process; localized eutectic, fusion and solder bonding processes; RTP (rapid thermal processing) bonding processes; nano-second laser welding process; ultrasonic sealing process; and localized CVD sealing process. The key development in low-temperature solder bonding process will be the focus of the paper by using metals as the MEMS packaging materials to overcome limitations of glass frit bonding. Two bonding methods including the pre-reflow of solder the introduction of thin metal layer are presented.
Prevalence of buried Barrett's metaplasia in patients before and after radiofrequency ablation.

Background and study aim: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to treat Barrett’s esophagus is increasingly accepted. Description of the etiology, natural history, and prevalence of buried Barrett’s metaplasia (BBM) following RFA is limited, although BBM continues to pose a clinical dilemma. We aimed to assess the prevalence, characteristics, and eradication rate of BBM in patients with both dysplastic and nondysplastic Barrett’s esophagus, treated with RFA and followed over time. Patients and methods: The presence of Barrett’s esophagus, dysplasia, and BBM, before and after RFA, was assessed by two gastrointestinal pathologists in a retrospective chart review of patients who had undergone RFA at our center and had completed appropriate follow-up. Results: We identified 112 patients with completed treatment and no further planned RFA. In 108, no residual Barrett’s esophagus was seen after RFA; 4 patients with persistent Barrett’s tissue underwent surgery. Regarding BBM, 17 /112 patients (15.2 %) had evidence of BBM during evaluation. In 12 /17 (70.5 %) BBM was found during the RFA treatment, with 8 having previously undergone non-RFA therapy and RFA for Barrett’s esophagus and 4 having no previous intervention. In 5 /17 (29.4 %), BBM was seen only after RFA monotherapy. All 17 showed no evidence of BBM at final evaluation and were classified in the complete remission group (108 /112). Conclusion: Both Barrett’s esophagus and BBM were completely eradicated in all patients with long-term follow-up after RFA. Almost half of the patients with BBM had a prior history of non-RFA therapy for Barrett’s esophagus compared with 26 % the non-BBM cohort. All patients with previously identified Barrett’s esophagus and BBM were completely cleared of disease at final follow-up.
An AOA-based optimal sensor locations' self-adjusting with moving targets' location estimation

In this paper, one cost function for setting optimal geometries of multiple sensors' locations is proposed, and related theorems for optimal geometries of multiple sensors' locations are obtained. In order to keep the sensors in optimal deployment for moving target, a self-adjusting method is figured out, and an AOA based optimal sensors' locations self-adjusting and moving target's location estimation algorithms are developed. In order to check the efficiency of the new algorithms, some simulation results are also provided.
Behavioral Economic Analysis of Withdrawal- and Cue-Elicited Craving for Tobacco: An Initial Investigation

INTRODUCTION The role of craving in nicotine dependence remains controversial and may be a function of measurement challenges. The current study used behavioral economic approach to test the hypotheses that subjective craving from acute withdrawal and exposure to tobacco cues dynamically increases the relative value of cigarettes. METHODS Using a 2 (1-hr/12-hr deprivation) × 2 (neutral/tobacco cues) within-subjects design, 33 nicotine dependent adults completed 2 laboratory sessions. Assessment included subjective craving and behavioral economic indices of cigarette demand, namely Intensity (i.e., cigarette consumption at zero cost), O(max) (i.e., maximum total expenditure), Breakpoint (i.e., highest acceptable price for cigarettes), P(max) (i.e., price at which consumption becomes sensitive to price), and elasticity (i.e., price sensitivity). Behavioral economic indices were generated using a Cigarette Purchase Task in which participants selected between cigarettes for a subsequent 2-hr self-administration period and money. RESULTS Main effects of deprivation and tobacco cues were present for subjective craving and multiple behavioral economic indices of cigarette demand. Interestingly, deprivation significantly increased Breakpoint (p ≤ .01) and P(max) (p ≤ .05) and had trend-level effects on Intensity and O(max) (p ≤ .10); whereas cues significantly reduced elasticity (p ≤ .01), reflecting lower sensitivity to increasing prices. Heterogeneous associations were evident among the motivational variables but with aggregations suggesting variably overlapping motivational channels. CONCLUSIONS These findings further support a behavioral economic approach to craving and a multidimensional conception of acute motivation for addictive drugs. Methodological considerations, including potential order effects, and the need for further refinement of these findings are discussed.
What Modern Computers Have Done For Lens Design

Modern lens design programs make it possible to thoroughly study alternative designs. A study of this type has been made on a Heliar and an aspheric Triplet. It is now becoming possible to define regions of solution and set standards of performance. We are now able to accurately predict performance of lenses and are beginning to tackle problems of setting tolerances. The use of aspheric surfaces has been retarded because of their expense. The large computer with modern data acquisition equipment may eventually also solve the aspheric generation problem.© (1966) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Use of the Slosson Intelligence Test in Screening of Gifted Children.

Abstract The Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT) is often used for the screening of gifted children. To compensate for poor standardization procedures, outdated items, and use of the psychometrically unsound ratio IQ, the test was recently revised and renormed. We investigated the relationships among the old SIT, the revised SIT, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), and the Stanford-Binet (SB) for 131 public school students referred for screening for giftedness. The revised SIT IQ mean (133.71) was significantly lower than the old ratio SIT IQ mean (138.26) but was significantly higher than the WISC-R (124.14) and the SB (129.16) means. Low to moderately strong correlation coefficients were obtained among the tests (range=.07-.39). Caution is advised in using the new Slosson to predict global WISC-R and SB IQs for gifted students.
A MINIMUM‐COST AUDIT SAMPLING METHODOLOGY UNDER CONDITIONS OF PREDETERMINED BETA RISK

This paper presents a minimum-cost methodology for determining a statistical sampling plan in substantive audit tests. In this model, the auditor specifies β, the risk of accepting an account balance as correct when it is not, according to audit evidence requirements. Using β as a constraint, the auditor then selects a sampling plan to optimize the trade-off between sampling costs and the costs of follow-up audit procedures. Tables to aid in this process and an illustration are provided.
Temporal regulation of gene expression in adipocyte differentiation

Cells usually become ‘committed’ to differentiate long before any actual morphological change is apparent. In one model commitment is a decision which corresponds to the expression of a control gene, while differentiation is the ultimate consequence of that decision. We have been studying adipocyte commitment and differentiation at the molecular level. Earlier we showed that the introduction of a specific DNA sequence into ‘uncommitted’ cells renders those cells committed to differentiate into adipocytes. Here we report temporal regulation of the expression of this DNA sequence; furthermore, we show that this RNA is in the non-polyA+ fraction of total cellular RNA. These data suggest that coordinate regulation of this and other genes is important in promoting differentiation.
Are U.S. exports influenced by stronger IPR protection measures in recipient markets

Abstract U.S. exporters have choices when it comes to determining in which markets to sell their firms’ products and services. These choices depend on several factors, including market size, income levels, price sensitivity, competition, consumer preferences, and other demand conditions in the recipient markets. Cost considerations also play an important role in determining to which markets firms export, especially those associated with transportation, tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, legal and translations services, and logistics support for vertically integrated supply and distribution channels. However, the inclusion of intellectual property rights (IPR) considerations has not been integral to the well-established literature on firms’ export determinants. Using a comparative indicator of IPR protection measures in various countries, this article isolates the effects of IPR protection as a determinant to U.S. export activity. The results show that growth in U.S. exports has been correlated with improvements in IPR protection in foreign markets over the considered period and that the magnitude of this correlation has varied markedly by sector and country. High-technology sectors, such as semiconductors as well as synthetic rubbers and fibers, exhibited the greatest sensitivity to improvements in IPR protection mechanisms in the considered period while improvements in IPR protection in markets like Mexico, China, and Japan were correlated with disproportionately high positive effects on U.S. export performance.
Comparative Effectiveness Research: A Progress Report

Sixteen months ago, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 allocated $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research (CER). This progress report summarizes how the recipients of the...
Neurocysticercosis and its impact on crude prevalence rate of epilepsy in an Indian community.

Background : Community-based studies of epilepsy in India have reported variable prevalence rates, 5−10/1000 population. Reasons for this wide variation in the prevalence rates are uncertain. Most of the earlier studies had not done appropriate investigations to establish the possible etiology. Aim : To study the prevalence and etiological profile of active epilepsy in the rural population of Uttarakhand. Material and Methods : In this rural community-based study in the state of Uttarakhand, a door-to-door survey was conducted using validated questionnaire. All the suspected cases of epilepsy were examined by a neurologist to confirm the diagnosis of epilepsy and all the confirmed cases underwent contrast computed tomography (CT) scan and electroencephalography (EEG). Epilepsy and epilepsy syndromes were classified using the classifications proposed by the International League Against Epilepsy. Results : Of the 14,086 population studied, 141 cases of active epilepsy were detected giving a crude prevalence rate of 1%. After clinical evaluation and scanning, 35 (24.8%) were found to have seizure disorder active neurocysticercosis (NCC) and 14 (9.9%) had remote symptomatic seizures related to calcified granuloma. After excluding acute and remote symptomatic cases related to NCC, prevalence rate of epilepsy was 6.5/1000. Conclusion : The study suggests that the region-specific prevalence rates of epilepsy in India are partly dependent on the prevalence of NCC in the given community. To some extent, this may be responsible for variable rates of epilepsy prevalence reported from different regions of the country.
Diversity based on race, ethnicity, and sex between academic orthopaedic surgery and other specialties: a comparative study.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated a lack of diversity in orthopaedics; however, it is unclear whether this observation is unique to orthopaedics or similar to other surgical fields. The present study compares diversity in the field of orthopaedics with diversity in other surgical and nonsurgical fields. To our knowledge, no previous study has placed this issue in a comparative perspective between specialties at both the residency and faculty levels. Methods: Public registries from 2006 and 2007 were used to determine the composition (according to race, ethnicity, and sex) of the orthopaedic workforce in the United States, including medical students, orthopaedic residents, orthopaedic faculty, and full professors. The diversity of orthopaedic residents and faculty was then compared with that in five other specialties. In addition, the applicant pools to orthopaedic and general surgery residencies were compared. Results: Within the 2006 orthopaedic workforce, there was a significant decrease in the representation of African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian-Americans, and women from medical schools to orthopaedic residencies (p < 0.001). African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and Asian-Americans were underrepresented among orthopaedic faculty compared with their representation in orthopaedic residency programs (p < 0.05). Furthermore, women and Asian-Americans were disproportionately underrepresented as full professors compared with their presence on the faculty at academic orthopaedic institutions (p < 0.05). When compared with other surgical specialties, African-Americans and Hispanics/Latinos made up a significantly smaller proportion of orthopaedic residents than general surgery residents and neurological surgery. Orthopaedic surgery had the lowest representation of female residents and faculty (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). In examining the applicant pool, orthopaedic surgery was less diverse than general surgery (p < 0.001). Furthermore, African-American and Hispanic/Latino orthopaedic applicants also submitted a lower average number of applications than Whites or Asian-Americans. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that on a comparative basis, orthopaedic surgery lags behind general surgery and other surgical and nonsurgical fields in terms of the representation of minorities and women. Thus, given similar capabilities and qualifications of applicants, a concerted effort could be made to recruit more diverse residents and faculty.
Numerical simulation of premixed chemical reactions with swirl

Direct numerical simulation is used to study the development of exothermic chemical reactions in a dilute, premixed, low speed, inviscid, axisymmetric, swirling flow in a straight, open, cylindrical pipe. Attention is focused on the complex interplay between the swirl and heat release of the chemical reaction and the objective is to determine, as a function of exothermicity, the critical swirl level corresponding to the first appearance of vortex breakdown in the reactive flow. It is found that for a given exothermicity, a large-amplitude structure develops around the pipe axis as the swirl level increases, and a near-stagnant breakdown zone appears when the swirl exceeds a critical level. These features are accompanied by significant changes in the temperature and reactant fields and the appearance of a hot core close to the inlet. As exothermicity is raised from low levels to higher, the critical swirl exhibits a nonlinear change; it first decreases and then, above a certain level of exothemicity, incre...
Engineering cytochrome c peroxidase into cytochrome P450: a proximal effect on heme-thiolate ligation.

In an effort to investigate factors required to stabilize heme−thiolate ligation, key structural components necessary to convert cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) into a thiolate-ligated cytochrome P450-like enzyme have been evaluated and the H175C/D235L CcP double mutant has been engineered. The UV−visible absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra for the double mutant at pH 8.0 are reported herein. The close similarity between the spectra of ferric substrate-bound cytochrome P450cam and those of the exogenous ligand-free ferric state of the double mutant with all three techniques support the conclusion that the latter has a pentacoordinate, high-spin heme with thiolate ligation. Previous efforts to prepare a thiolate-ligated mutant of CcP with the H175C single mutant led to Cys oxidation to cysteic acid [Choudhury et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 25656−25659]. Therefore it is concluded that changing the proximal Asp235 residue to Leu is critical in form...
InP-based HEMT's with Al/sub 0.48/In/sub 0.52/As/sub x/P/sub 1-x/ Schottky layers

In this letter we report on the DC and RF performance of InP-based HEMT's with Al/sub 0.48/In/sub 0.52/As/sub x/P/sub 1-x/ Schottky layers and GaInAs/InP composite channels. By replacing the Al/sub 0.48/In/sub 0.52/As Schottky layer with Al/sub 0.48/In/sub 0.52/As/sub x/P/sub 1-x/ we have been able to increase the bandgap of the Schottky layer and achieve record breakdown voltages for 0.15 /spl mu/m gate-length InP-based HEMT's. The 0.15 /spl mu/m gate-length HEMT's have gate-to-drain breakdown voltages of over 13 V with current densities of 620 mA/mm and maximum transconductances of 730 mS/mm. On a wafer with a higher sheet charge we have obtained gate-to-drain breakdown voltages of 10.5 V with current densities of over 900 mA/mm. These are the highest breakdown voltages reported for 0.15 /spl mu/m gate-length InP-based HEMT's with such high current densities. At 10 GHz a 450 /spl mu/m wide HEMT has demonstrated 350 mW (780 mW/mm) of output power with power-added efficiency of 60% and 12 dB gain. >
Regulation of endogenous calcium-dependent synaptic membrane phospholipase A2

Synaptic plasma membrane preparations from brain tissue have endogenous Ca2+-dependent phospholipase A2 activity. Characterization of this activity revealed that it was maximally active at 10(-7)-10(-5) M Ca2+ and pH 7.0. The enzyme had a Km of 62.0 microM and a Vmax of 98.0 nmol/mg/h. Calmodulin and prostaglandin F2 alpha stimulated phospholipase A2 activity, whereas prostaglandin E2, cyclic AMP and ATP were inhibitory. Addition of exogenous phospholipase A2 to synaptic plasma membrane and synaptic vesicle preparations led to their disruption and/or lysis. We suggest that Ca2+-dependent regulation of phospholipase A2 activity may be required for synaptic vesicle and synaptic plasma membrane interaction.
A population-based study of the influence of race, socioeconomic status and access to care on colon cancer incidence and stage

Purpose: The purpose of this population-based study was to examine the relationship between race/ethnicity, socioeconomic characteristics (SES), access to care and variations in colon cancer incidence and stage at presentation among black and white colon cancer patients in Alabama.
An unusual cause of massive gastric bleeding in a child

The authors report a case of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a child, originating from a Dieulafoy lesion. The intermittent nature of the hemorrhage may lead to considerable diagnostic difficulty.
Coping Mechanisms of Physicians Who Routinely Work with Dying Patients

Physicians routinely care for dying patients, yet many report being uncomfortable doing so. Discomfort with death can compromise patient care through insensitive or inadequate interactions and can ...
Semi-Equatorial Orbits Around an Oblate Body

In this equation, is the gravitational constant, is the radius vector, j j, and is the colatitude angle (See Fig. 1). R is the Earth radius, and P2 is the second order Legendre polynomial. The forces due to the J2 term as well as drag with the upper atmosphere have important impact on the motion of clusters of satellites [5] and are currently the subject of intense research efforts [4–13]. Starting with the seminal papers of Burns [3] and King-Hele andMerson [4], the impact of the J2 term on the orbit of a particle has been treated through various forms of perturbation expansions [6–8]. Using this approach and the Lagrange planetary equations in Eq. (6), it was possible to obtain simple and useful expressions for the average rate of change of some orbital elements. In previous papers byHumi [11] andHumi andCarter [12,13], this additional termwas treated analytically without any approximations, and exact equations of motion for the orbit were derived. The key element in this treatment was the use of two cylindrical coordinates systems. One (inertial) system is attached to the Earth’s center, and the other is comoving with the particle. It was shown that in these coordinates the equations for the orbit can be reduced to a system of two coupled harmonic oscillators. For semi-equatorial orbits, this paper develops an approximation scheme to the exact equations of motion in cylindrical coordinates. These equations are then solved analytically in some special cases. Approximate equations are derived also for the general case. The orbits described by these approximations are compared numerically to those obtained from the exact equations of motion.
Errors in the No Hidden Variable Proof of Kochen and Specker

The main purpose of this article is to point out several serious difficulties, which apparently have not been noticed before, in the paper of Kochen and Specker (1967), titled ‘The Problem of Hidden Variables in Quantum Mechanics’. This is important because Kochen and Specker’s proof, if it were not for these difficulties, would be the strongest and most general of the available proofs that the structure of quantum mechanics is incompatible with the existence of hidden variables, and would fully meet the objections which von Neumann’s proof is most subject to.
The Nonlinear Behaviors of a Symmetric Isotropic Laminate in a Mixed Boundary Condition Subject to an Arbitrary Thermal Field Coupled with Mechanical Loading

This paper investigates the nonlinear dynamics of a symmetric isotropic rectangular laminated structure by using the method of weighted residuals with total energy conservation. We obtain the equation of motion in a decoupled form Duffing equation for the laminate deflection subject to both thermal and mechanical loading while confined in a mixed boundary condition of simply supported and clamped edges at the boundaries. The Duffing equation incorporates both the steady-state and transient state for the in-plane and transverse thermal fields, which allows for investigation of the thermal field influence on the laminate buckling and vibration behaviors.