cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Item Response Theory Analysis to Assess Dimensionality of Substance Use Disorder Abuse and Dependence Symptoms.

Background. Item response theory (IRT) based studies conducted on diverse samples showed a single dominant factor for DSM-III-R and DSM-IV substance use disorder (SUD) abuse and dependence symptoms of alcohol, cannabis, sedative, cocaine, stimulants, and opiates use disorders. IRT provides the opportunity, within a person-centered framework, to accurately gauge each person’s severity of disorder that, in turn, informs required intensiveness of treatment. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine whether the SUD symptoms indicate a unidimensional trait or instead need to be conceptualized and quantified as a multidimensional scale. Methods. The sample was composed of families of adult SUD+ men (n=349), and SUD+ women (n=173), who qualified for DSM-III-R diagnosis of substance use disorder (abuse or dependence) and families of adult men and women who did not qualify for a SUD diagnosis (SUD- men: n=190, SUD- women: n=133). An expanded version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) was administered to characterize lifetime and current substance use disorders. Item response theory methodology was used to assess the dimensionality of DSM-III-R SUD abuse and dependence symptoms.Results. A bi-factor model provided the optimal representation of the factor structure of SUD symptoms in males and females. SUD symptoms are scalable as indicators of a single common factor, corresponding to general (non-drug-specific, common) liability to addiction, combined with drug-specific liabilities. Conclusions. IRT methodology used to quantify the continuous general liability to addiction (GLA) latent trait in individuals having SUD symptoms was found effective for accurately measuring SUD severity in men and women. This may be helpful for person-centered medicine approaches to effectively address intensity of treatment.
Abstract B07: Learning from human tumors: Modeling of Mre11 complex patient mutations in yeast

The Mre11 complex plays a central role in the eukaryotic DNA damage response (DDR) in which it acts as a sensor of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), and thereby governs DNA damage signaling as well as DSB repair. The complex is comprised of Mre11, Rad50, and Nbs1 (or Xrs2 in budding yeast), with dimers of Rad50 and Mre11 forming its core and a Nbs1/Xrs2 protomer binding to each Mre11. The Mre11 complex globular domain harbors all enzymatic and DNA binding functions of the Mre11 complex and is a very dynamic domain regulated by conformational changes induced by Rad50 ATP binding and hydrolysis cycles. It was suggested that the ATP-bound closed form of the complex promotes Mre11 complex role in ATM/Te1l signaling, whereas ATP hydrolysis opens the globular domain, and renders the Mre11 nuclease domain accessible to the DNA substrate to promote its role in DSB repair. We have recently shown that Mre11 complex role in ATM/Te1l signaling and DSB repair are genetically separable. The curative response of a patient with metastatic small cell cancer to combined checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibition and DNA damaging chemotherapy was promoted in part by the simultaneous inhibition of both the ATR and the ATM axes of the DDR, as the tumor harbored a missense mutation within the Rad50 ATPase D-loop domain attenuating ATM signaling. To date, targeted tumor sequencing identified more than 800 missense mutations within Mre11 complex genes spanning various types of tumors, with some mutations occurring in highly conserved residues in several patients. Modeling of these alleles in yeast revealed a strong bias towards attenuating Mre11 complex9s role in Tel1/ATM signaling, while leaving its DSB repair function intact. Using a combination of yeast and mouse genetic studies along with biochemical analysis, we aim to get mechanistic insights into Mre11 complex-ATM/Tel1 signaling. Learning from tumor samples deficient in Mre11 complex ATM signaling could not only be valuable for guiding treatment decisions in a synthetic lethal approach with ATR inhibitors, but also potentiate the design of drugs that specifically block Mre11 complex ATM signaling. Citation Format: Marcel Hohl, Akiko Inagaki, John H.J. Petrini. Learning from human tumors: Modeling of Mre11 complex patient mutations in yeast [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on DNA Repair: Tumor Development and Therapeutic Response; 2016 Nov 2-5; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2017;15(4_Suppl):Abstract nr B07.
Examining human behavior in video games: The development of a computational model to measure aggression

ABSTRACTVideo games with violent content have raised considerable concern in popular media and within academia. Recently, there has been considerable attention regarding the claim of the relationship between aggression and video game play. The authors of this study propose the use of a new class of tools developed via computational models to allow examination of the question of whether there is a relationship between violent video games and aggression. The purpose of this study is to computationally model and compare the General Aggression Model with the Diathesis Mode of Aggression related to the play of violent content in video games. A secondary purpose is to provide a method of measuring and examining individual aggression arising from video game play. Total participants examined for this study are N = 1065. This study occurs in three phases. Phase 1 is the development and quantification of the profile combination of traits via latent class profile analysis. Phase 2 is the training of the artificial n...
Das Japangeschäft - Interkulturelle Aspekte des Geschäftserfolgs

Untersuchungsgegenstand sind die interkulturellen Aspekte, die den Geschaftserfolg in Japan behindern oder befordern konnen, je nachdem, wie grundlich die Vorbereitungen des deutschen bzw. auslandischen Unternehmens vor dem Engagement in Japan verlaufen. Gerade bei kleinen und mittelstandischen Unternehmen ist der Respekt vor dem als verschlossen und schwierig geltenden japanischen Markt noch immer stark, und sie lassen sich durch zogerliches Verhalten Geschaftsvorteile in der Konkurrenz mit anderen auslandischen Unternehmen entgehen. Bei richtiger Vorbereitung und engagierter Beharrlichkeit im Verlauf des Engagements in Japan sind die interkulturellen Faktoren jedoch durchaus zu meistern und konnen sich, bei entsprechendem Handeln, als Vorteil fur das international tatige Unternehmen im globalen Wettbewerb erweisen.
Material Handling and Assembly Process Optimization using Value Stream Mapping

The purpose of this project is to evaluate and optimize an assembly process for ergonomic and productivity considerations. Companies use lean manufacturing as a method for continuous improvement in order to increase throughput and for to reallocate resources for more important tasks. For this project, value stream mapping (VSM) was used to evaluate, analyze, and improve the ergonomic factors of an assembly process and to increasing throughput. With the use of VSM, researchers are able to see the areas of added value, non-added value, and bottlenecks. This project illustrates the implementation of VSM for the minimization of waste, by using the design method to restructure the process of assembly. The results show drastic improvement in assembly time and ergonomic workplace design, while providing a platform for a continuous improvement system.
Urban-industrial emissions monitoring with airborne longwave-infrared hyperspectral imaging

The advantages of airborne hyperspectral longwave-infrared imaging for emissions monitoring are described in the context of urban-industrial environments. These benefits are illustrated by means of several case studies.
A new automated algorithm for detecting forest disturbances with the dual-polarimetric SAR alpha angle

We present a new algorithm for detecting forest disturbances from a pair of dual-polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. The algorithm uses the mean dual-polarimetric alpha angle in conjunction with its probability distribution to isolate forest structural changes from statistical noise fluctuations. In contrast to radar backscatter, the dual-polarimetric alpha angle is estimated from the complex 2-by-2 covariance matrix and it is less sensitive to variations in soil moisture and terrain slope. Here we derive the statistical properties of the alpha angle for distribute targets, and show how these properties can be applied to detect the burned area of the 2009 Station Fire (CA) from L-band ALOS-1 data. The proposed algorithm can be applicable to future NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) time-series to achieve automated global mapping of forest disturbances.
The ductile/brittle transition provides the critical test for materials failure theory

It is reasoned that any materials failure theory that claims generality must give full account of ductile versus brittle failure behaviour. Any such proposed theory especially must admit the capability to generate the ductile/brittle transition. A derivation of the failure surface orientations from a particular isotropic materials failure theory reveals that uniaxial tension has its ductile/brittle transition at T / C = 1/2, where T and C are the uniaxial strengths. Between this information and the corresponding ductile/brittle transition in uniaxial compression it becomes possible to derive the functional form for the fully three-dimensional ductile/brittle transition. These same general steps of verification must be fulfilled for any other candidate general failure theory.
Pacifier use in newborns: related to socioeconomic status but not to early feeding performance.

Aim Mothers are often advised not to use pacifiers until breastfeeding has been well-established. This study determined the infant and social factors that were related to pacifier use during the first few days of life and whether it led to alterations in feeding performance. Methods We enroled 51 full-term infants and their mothers at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in urban St. Louis, USA, in 2015. Before they were discharged the mothers completed a questionnaire, and infant feeding was assessed using a standardised assessment. Results There were 24 (47%) infants who used a pacifier during the first few days of life and seven (29%) of these were exclusively breastfed. Pacifier use was less common among mothers who exclusively breastfed (p = 0.04). Pacifier use was more common among mothers whose income was less than 25 000 US dollars (p = 0.02), who were single (p = 0.002) and who did not have a college education (p = 0.03). No associations between pacifier use and feeding performance were observed. Conclusion While lower socioeconomic status was related to pacifier use, feeding performance in the first few days of life was no different between those infants who did and did not use pacifiers after a full-term birth.
Twentieth Century: Growth and the Hydrocarbon Economy

The economy of the early twenty-first century is not just a larger version of the economy of the nineteenth century. It is fundamentally different. This chapter views the development of the American economy from the middle of the twentieth century through the financial crisis and recession of 2008. In 2008, Barack Obama was elected president of the United States with a great deal of optimism. But 2010 saw a conservative resurgence based on poor economic growth and by 2016 the election of a right-wing «populist» Donald Trump. We pose a question: can the pro-growth agenda that dominated the twentieth century withstand the biophysical limits that will be imposed by peak oil and climate change? To answer this crucial question, we need to look carefully at the patterns of history as well as carefully examine the scientific data, which we do with the remainder of this chapter.
A Simple Viscoelastic Analogy for Stress Waves

The subject of wave propagation in a linearly viscoelastic medium has received considerable attention in recent years. The problems that have been considered are, however, mainly of a one-dimensional nature (see, for example, Beery and Hunter [1] and Morrison [2]). Many other contributions on one-dimensional wave propagation have been reviewed in survey articles by Kolsky [3], Lee [4], and Hunter [5]. In the case of three-dimensional wave propagation, the problem of the characterization of the material is more complicated. For small strains, the mechanical behavior of a homogeneous isotropic material is completely defined by the behavior of the material in bulk and in shear.
A REVIEW OF SOLUTION METHODS FOR VISCOUS FLOW IN THE PRESENCE OF DEFORMABLE BOUNDARIES

Publisher Summary The motion of a viscous fluid that is bounded by a deformable interface constitutes a difficult and classical problem of fluid mechanics. The shape of this interface is not known in advance, but must be determined as part of the solution. The goal is to develop the methods of solution that are not restricted to small deformations from some obvious shape. Viscous flow problems involving two fluids are difficult to solve even when the shapes of the interface are assumed to be known. Among the few solutions of this latter type, the most commonly quoted are those involving a spherical drop in some linear flow, or in a uniform stream. Although a number of solutions have been published for creeping motions of particles near a solid wall, almost nothing has been done on the corresponding problems of particle motions near an initially flat fluid interface. Recent years have seen a number of important advances in solution techniques for viscous flow problems involving fluid interfaces, with a known shape, and of the free boundary type. The most common approach for the latter problems has been numerical analysis via finite-element approximations.
Clinical Neurological Phenotype of FXTAS

The classic presentation of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is an aging man with progressive cerebellar gait ataxia, kinetic tremor, mild parkinsonism, cognitive decline, especially executive dysfunction and short-term memory deficiency, and peripheral neuropathy. Autonomic dysfunction and mood/anxiety disorders may be present. MR imaging often reveals global brain atrophy and white matter changes, including hyperintensities of the middle cerebellar peduncles, termed the “MCP sign,” and of the splenium of the corpus callosum, and pathology shows intranuclear inclusions, especially in brain. Recent studies, however, have shown that the FXTAS clinical picture is variable, for example, affected persons may have minor or no tremor and others have predominant dementia or peripheral neuropathy. Onset of motor signs in men is typically in the early 60s, and approximately 40 % of carrier men and 8–16 % of carrier women over age 50 develop the disorder. Penetrance is age related, such that 75 % of men ≥80 years of age are affected. While less data exist regarding FXTAS in carrier women, they appear to have similar but less severe motor signs, perhaps less cognitive impairment, and some different patterns of involvement than seen in men. FXTAS, at present, is underdiagnosed largely because the presentation is often a combination of signs which are common in the elderly and because affected persons often lack insight regarding their deficits and are resistant to seeking medical care. Furthermore, the heterogeneous nature of the disorder facilitates misdiagnosis, especially in the earlier stages. Diagnosis requires FMR1 gene testing. Accurate diagnosis is not only important for the affected person but also for their family, as immediate family members may be at risk of having progeny with fragile X syndrome or other premutation associated problems.
Stratigraphic and lithofacies control on pore characteristics of Mississippian limestone and chert reservoirs of north-central Oklahoma

AbstractWe have determined how stratigraphy and lithofacies control pore structures in the Mississippian limestone and chert reservoir of north-central Oklahoma. There are 17 lithofacies and 29 hig...
Hereditary Cancer Syndromes-A Primer on Diagnosis and Management: Part 1: Breast-Ovarian Cancer Syndromes.

Abstract Cancer is the second leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States, with colorectal cancer and breast cancer being two of the most frequent cancer types. Hereditary causes occurring due to pathogenic sequence variants and defects in certain genes makes up roughly 5% of all colorectal cancers and breast-ovarian cancers. High-risk hereditary predisposition syndromes have been associated with a substantially increased lifetime risk for the development of colorectal cancers and breast-ovarian cancers depending on the genetic syndrome, and many people also carry an increased risk of several other cancers compared with the general population. The aim of this review was to provide comprehensive literature on the most commonly encountered hereditary predisposition syndromes, including Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, MUTYH-associated polyposis, hamartomatous polyposis, and breast-ovarian cancer conditions. This will be presented as a 2-part series: the first part will cover the breast-ovarian cancer syndromes, and the second will focus on the inherited colorectal cancer and polyposis conditions.
CRISPR–Cas Gene Editing for Neurological Disease

Abstract Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated nuclease (Cas) gene editing technology, commonly referred to as CRISPR–Cas, is a revolutionary tool that is accelerating biomedical research. Modifying and regulating the genome with targeted precision and efficiency has never been easier in mammalian systems. Gene therapy with CRISPR–Cas is a potential therapeutic strategy for treating genetic neurological diseases, including Huntington disease, the spinocerebellar ataxias, fragile X syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The tremendous progress with CRISPR–Cas in vitro — and, more recently, in vivo—holds great promise for future clinical translation. In this chapter, we describe CRISPR–Cas gene editing mechanisms and the engineering advances that are optimizing this technology. We then focus on its application and therapeutic potential in preclinical studies of models of neurological disease.
Analysing the benefits of hybridisation and storage in a hybrid solar gas turbine plant

A dynamic model of a tower-driven, hybrid solar gas turbine power plant is presented to highlight the benefits of hybrid operation as well as the development a novel plant configuration to improve ...
Ideology of Translation Concept Approach on Determining a Decision by the Translator

The current study is aimed at exploring the ideology of the translation concept approach to determining a decision by the translator. The translator has faced the issues on how the way to determining a perspective view to adapt to domestication or foreignization to complete their job as a translator. We here provide some concepts that can be used for that. Ideology is considered highly important in a wide range of academic disciplines including cultural studies, communications, linguistics, and translation studies. Ideology and its effect on translation have long become a research focus in the field of translation studies. If we advocate the theories on the relationship between translation and ideology, then we would witness many cultural clashes revealing the distance between the source text and the ideological encounters it creates in the translated text.
Multicomponent Orbital-Optimized Perturbation Theory Methods: Approaching Coupled Cluster Accuracy at Lower Cost

Multicomponent quantum chemistry methods such as the nuclear-electronic orbital (NEO) method allow the consistent quantum mechanical treatment of electrons and nuclei. The development of computationally practical, accurate, and robust multicomponent wave function methods is challenging because of the importance of orbital relaxation effects. Herein the variational orbital-optimized coupled cluster with doubles (NEO-OOCCD) method and the orbital-optimized second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (NEO-OOMP2) method with scaled-opposite-spin (SOS) versions are developed and applied to molecular systems in which a proton and all electrons are treated quantum mechanically. The results highlight the importance of orbital relaxation in multicomponent wave function methods. The NEO-SOS'-OOMP2 method, which scales the electron-proton correlation energy as well as the opposite-spin and same-spin components of the electronic correlation energy, is found to achieve nearly the same level of accuracy as the NEO-OOCCD method for proton densities, proton affinities, and optimized geometries. An advantage of the NEO-SOS'-OOMP2 method is that it can be implemented with N4 scaling, where N is a measure of the system size. This method will enable future multicomponent wave function calculations of structures, energies, reaction paths, and dynamics for substantially larger chemical systems.
Facilitators of Practitioner Adherence to a Risk/Need Assessment Tool: Hypothesis Testing on a Survey of Juvenile Probation Officers.

We used a statewide survey to test hypotheses about the predictors of juvenile probation officers’ adherence to the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) risk/need assessment (...
Study of Evolution By Automating Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium With Machine Learning Techniques In TensorFlow And Keras

Evolution transpires in organism populations and includes population diversity, heredity and varying survival. One way to study evolution is to study how the frequency of a population’s allele varies from generation to generation. An allele is a type of gene variant. In other words, rather than looking at two parental species, evolution should be investigated by looking at the population as a whole. The only way to do this is therefore to investigate how allele frequencies shift in populations and how these shifts will predict what will happen to a population in the future. Throughout biology, there are basic equations which are used to model this theory basically termed as Hardy-Weinberg principle. This paper describes a new method that integrates Ecology and Engineering by automating the Hardy-Weinberg model using ADAM Optimization technique. The neural network trained based on Keras and Tensorflow has been deployed using python for the study of evolution. The developed model is tested with standard allele frequency database “ALFRED” to prove the efficiency.
Intergenerational transmission of stress-related epigenetic regulation

Abstract Conflicting ideas surrounding the inheritance of acquired characteristics is not new; for nearly two centuries, debate surrounding the validity and mechanism behind inheritance of acquired characteristics was pioneered by Lamarck, Darwin, and Weismann. Epigenomics, a field examining changes in gene expression as a result of environmental context, has provided evidence suggesting that both intergenerational and transgenerational inheritance of stress programming are observed phenomena. Here, we provide the current mechanism elucidated on methylation reprogramming of the gametes, while also providing evidence that some epigenetic marks escape erasure and are transmitted across multiple generations. Lastly, we discuss current literature suggesting a mechanism of transmission implicating extracellular vesicles, and how we can seek pharmacological or behavioral interventions to break the cycle.
Qigong and the Treatment and Prevention of COVID-19

COVID-19, also referred to as the Corona virus and several other names, is a respiratory disease. Because it is relatively new, not many studies have as yet been done on it, although many papers have been written about it, and many studies are in various stages of completion. The vast majority of studies that have been done or are presently in process focus on western approaches to its prevention and cure. The current paper takes a different approach. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on prevention, although its techniques, especially qigong and tai chi, can also be used to treat or even cure a wide variety of respiratory and other diseases. This paper reviews and summarizes some of the TCM studies that have been conducted on COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. It also provides a bibliography of related studies for further reading. The present paper is part of a series on the economics of qigong. Other studies in this series are listed at the end of this bibliography.
The Indirect Costs of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Case of Severe Malaria in Brooklyn

Severe malaria due to the infection of Plasmodium falciparum is a critical infection that may lead to multisystem abnormalities if not promptly and adequately treated. We present a case of severe malaria in a patient recently repatriated from Conakry, Guinea, West Africa, marooned during the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While the direct costs of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and its indirect effect on neighboring industries have been analyzed, the indirect costs of other ailments in medicine have yet to be fully established. This case explores the ramifications of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on what would otherwise have been routine prophylaxis of malaria in a traveler. Given the pandemic, the healthcare industry has had fundamental changes that have impacted access to healthcare, particularly in the outpatient setting.
Managerial Conservatism, Project Choice and Debt

We show that the incentive for managers to build their reputations distorts firms' investment policies in favor of relatively safe projects, thereby aligning managers' interests with those of bond-holders, even though managers are hired and fired by shareholders. This effect opposes the familiar agency problem of risky debt that is imperfectly covenant-protected, wherein shareholders are tempted to favor excessively risky projects in order to expropriate bondholders. Consequently, when managerial concern for reputation results in conservatism, it can actually make shareholders better off ex ante by allowing the firm to issue more debt. We examine how the optimal choice of leverage from the shareholders' standpoint is influenced by takeover activity, and how the adoption of anti-takeover measures affects a firm's investment policy and leverage choice.
Model for Frequency Dynamics in an Islanded Microgrid and Primary Frequency Control Based on Disturbance Compensation

Islanded microgrids have low inertia due to a large penetration of non-inertial inverter based power sources. In such systems, the primary frequency controller (PFC) faces the issue of a higher rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) and large peak frequency deviation in case of a sudden change in load or generation loss. The frequency control becomes more challenging as the variation in the frequency of different sources is not synchronized. This paper proposes a model for frequency dynamics in an islanded microgrid comprised of both inverter based distributed generators (DGs) and synchronous generators (SGs). The model is developed considering the asynchronous variation of frequency among the SGs. Based on the developed model, a novel disturbance compensation-based PFC is proposed. The PFC controls the reference power of a battery energy storage system (BESS) which is operated in grid-following mode and compensates for the power imbalance in the microgrid. The performance of the proposed model and the PFC is verified using Typhoon real-time hardware-in-the-loop simulation.
Morse Theory of ℝn

Throughout this chapter we will fix an arrangement A = {A1A2,…,Am} of affine subspaces of ℝ n , let P denote the corresponding partially ordered set of flats which are the intersections of the affine spaces, let T denote the unique maximal element of P corresponding to ℝ n , and let K(P)denote the order complex of P. We denote by M = ℝ n − ∪ A the space of interest, i.e., the complement of the affine subspaces in A.
An integrated computational model of stimulus-response compatibility and practice

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a theory of two reaction-time domains: stimulus–response compatibility and practice. This theory consists of two components: (1) a model of task performance, which is based on the concept of goal hierarchies, and (2) a model of learning, which is based on the concept of chunking. The compatibility and practice effects are produced by first constructing models of the way subjects are performing specific experimental tasks and then simulating those models to determine the time required to perform the tasks. The compatibility phenomena arise because of the differences among the task-performance models underlying subject behavior in the different compatibility conditions. The theory is implemented as goal-based production-system architecture called “Xaps3.” Related to both compatibility and practice is the concept of a population stereotype, which was evoked by the early investigators as a major explanation of stimulus–response compatibility. Operationally, population stereotypes are determined by examining the responses subjects tend to make to a stimulus when an experimenter does not specify what is appropriate.
Simultaneous Support Recovery in High Dimensions: Benefits and Perils of Block $\ell _{1}/\ell _{\infty} $ -Regularization

Given a collection of r ≥ 2 linear regression problems in p dimensions, suppose that the regression coefficients share partially common supports of size at most s. This set-up suggests the use of l1/l∞-regularized regression for joint estimation of the p×r matrix of regression coefficients. We analyze the high-dimensional scaling of l1/l∞-regularized quadratic programming, considering both consistency rates in l∞-norm, and how the minimal sample size n required for consistent variable selection scales with model dimension, sparsity, and overlap between the supports. We first establish bounds on the l∞-error as well sufficient conditions for exact variable selection for fixed design matrices, as well as for designs drawn randomly from general Gaussian distributions. Specializing to the case r = 2 linear regression problems with standard Gaussian designs whose supports overlap in a fraction α ∈ [0,1] of their entries, we prove that l1/l∞-regularized method undergoes a phase transition characterized by the rescaled sample size θ1,∞(n, p, s, α) = n/{(4 - 3 α) s log(p-(2- α) s)}. An implication is that the use of l1/l∞-regularization yields improved statistical efficiency if the overlap parameter is large enough ( α >; 2/3), but has worse statistical efficiency than a naive Lasso-based approach for moderate to small overlap (α <; 2/3 ). Empirical simulations illustrate the close agreement between theory and actual behavior in practice. These results show that caution must be exercised in applying l1/l∞ block regularization: if the data does not match its structure very closely, it can impair statistical performance relative to computationally less expensive schemes.
The Roots Index: Exploring Indices as Measures of Local Sustainable Development, New York City: 1990–95

Cet article traite des indicateurs de developpement durable. Decisifs pour une prise de decisions economiques, les indicateurs locaux peuvent etre revelateurs de problemes latents ; aussi doit-on disposer d'indicateurs fiables pour disposer d'un grand degre d'action. Un indice a donc ete cree pour etablir s'il y a bien des avantages a tirer pour ce develoopement, et ce pour la ville de New York, pour la periode de 1990 a 1995
PKC-dependent inhibition of MAP kinase activity and caldesmon phosphorylation in rabbit bladder smooth muscle (865.14)

Smooth muscle contraction is primarily regulated by myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation although thin filament proteins, specifically caldesmon, may also be involved. Our previous studies have...
Oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane at short contact times

Abstract The oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane over noble metal coated ceramic foam monoliths selectively produces isobutylene with high conversions and yields at short contact times in an autothermal reactor at atmospheric pressure and temperatures of ∼800–900°C. Maximum selectivity of ≤71% to total olefins is achieved with O2 and reactant preheat of 350°C at a fuel/oxygen ratio of 1.7. Operation at a constant fuel/oxygen ratio of 1.2 while varying the space velocity from 8×104 to 8×105 h−1 increases selectivities to C4-olefins and decreases selectivities to C2-olefins by ∼8%, although the fuel conversion drops from 80% to 40%. To investigate the effects of the physical and chemical nature of the catalyst, Pt, Rh, Ir, Pd, and Pt–Sn catalysts were examined, with Pt being optimal for olefin production and catalytic activity decreasing in the order Pt>Pd>Rh>Ir. Pt–Sn deactivated by carbon formation and metal loss while Pd deactivated by rapid carbon formation. Monolithic catalysts with various pore sizes (20, 45, 80 ppi) show that in the fuel lean regime, smaller pores (80 ppi), as compared to catalysts with more open channels (20 ppi), lead to 20% higher fuel conversion but 10–15% lower selectivity to olefins. Results indicate that either a purely catalytic β-elimination mechanism or a heterogeneously assisted homogeneous reaction mechanism can explain the product distribution. The causes of secondary reactions, oxygen breakthrough, and the effect of increased flow rate, and increased mass transfer are discussed.
Androgen response in phenobarbital-treated orchiectomized rats.

Abstract Phenobarbital administered concomitantly with testosterone is associated with a reduced weight response of male rat accessory organs—a finding analogous to the reduced uterotropic activity of estrogen in phenobarbital-treated females. Reduced androgenic activity in the presence of phenobarbital therapy may be found to be of use in the control of androgenic activity in instances of significant endogenous male sex hormone production.
Counting $k$-Marked Durfee Symbols

An alternative characterization of $k$-marked Durfee symbols defined by Andrews is given. Some identities involving generating functions of $k$-marked Durfee symbols are proven combinatorially by considering the symbols not individually, but in equivalence classes. Also, a related binomial coefficient identity is obtained in the course.
Loblolly pine pretreatment by ionic liquid-glycerol mixtures

Glycerol was used as a cosolvent with the two ionic liquids 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium formate ([C2mim][O2CH]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]) to pretreat loblolly pine at 140 °C. Enzymatic hydrolysis was then performed on raw and pretreated pines to establish pretreatment efficacy. With pretreatment, glucose yield from enzymatic hydrolysis was improved from 2 % for raw pine up to 43 %, while yields of mannose/xylose combined improved from 4 % up to 77 %. Pine pretreated with a 50 % [C2mim][O2CH]-50 % glycerol mixture exhibited a pulp-like structure, likely formed from removal of the lignin that binds cell walls together. Using this 50 % mixture of [C2mim][O2CH] and glycerol for pretreatment gave a slightly lower glucose yield than a 75 % mixture of [C2mim][O2CH] and glycerol but gave a mannose/xylose yield twice as high. Klason lignin and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated that [C2mim][O2CH]-glycerol pretreatment preferentially dissolves lignin. FTIR analysis also suggested increased amorphous cellulose content with this pretreatment. Using the anti-solvent ethanol, a lignin-rich substance was precipitated from the solvent mixtures.
Infant adrenocortical reactivity and behavioral functioning: relation to early exposure to maternal intimate partner violence.

Prenatal stress negatively affects fetal development, which in turn may affect infant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation and behavioral functioning. We examined effects of exposure to a traumatic stressor in families [intimate partner violence (IPV)] on both infants' HPA axis reactivity to stress and their internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Infants (n = 182, 50% girls, x age = 11.77 months) were exposed to a laboratory challenge task designed to induce frustration and anger (i.e. arm restraint). Saliva samples were taken pre-task and 20 and 40 min post-task and then assayed for cortisol. Mothers reported on their pregnancy and postpartum IPV history, current mental health, substance use and their infants' behaviors. Structural equation modeling revealed that prenatal, but not postnatal, IPV was independently associated with infant cortisol reactivity and problem behavior. Maternal mental health predicted infant behavioral functioning but not infant HPA axis reactivity. These findings are consistent with the prenatal programing hypothesis; that is, early life stress affects later risk and vulnerability for altered physiological and behavioral regulation.
Depression and Conduct Disorder Among Hospitalized Adolescents

The characteristics of fifty hospitalized adolescents diagnosed with either depressionor depression with conduct disorder were examined. Youths diagnosed with depression had significantly greater anxiety and significantly less peer popularity than youths diagnosed with depression and conduct disorder. Depressed youths also experienced significantly fewer behavior problems than youths diagnosed with depression and conduct disorder. Implications for the diagnosis and treatment of adolescent depression and conduct disorder are discussed.
Potential Impact of a System of Computerized Alerts for Late-Arriving Laboratory Results in a Pediatric Emergency Department

Potential Impact of a System of Computerized Alerts for Late-Arriving Laboratory Results in a Pediatric Emergency Department
Effects of income on drug choice in humans.

Abstract The effects of income (money available to spend during the experimental session) on human choice were examined in a concurrent-schedule arrangement. Subjects were 7 nicotine-dependent smokers, and reinforcers were puffs on the subject's usual brand of cigarette ("own") and puffs on a less preferred brand of cigarette with equal nicotine content ("other"). Across sessions, income varied and the price of the two reinforcers was held constant, with the other puffs one fifth the price of the own puffs. As income increased, consumption of own puffs increased while consumption of the less expensive other puffs decreased. These effects of income on choice were highly consistent across subjects. For some subjects, however, income had little effect on total puff consumption. Finally, an additional condition examined whether price and income manipulations would have functionally equivalent effects on choice by repeating an income condition in which the price of the other brand was increased. Although the increased price of the other puffs decreased their consumption in 4 subjects, 2 subjects showed increased consumption of the other puffs at the higher price. The results, when defined in economic terms, indicate that the own puffs were a normal good (consumption and income are directly related), the other puffs were an inferior good (consumption and income are inversely related), and the direct relationship between consumption of the other puffs and their price is defined as a Giffengood effect. The latter result also suggests that for these 2 subjects, price and income manipulations had equivalent effects on choice. These results extend findings from previous studies that have examined the effects of income on choice responding to human subjects and drug reinforcers, and provide a framework for further experimental tests of the effects of income on human choice behavior. Methodological and theoretical implications for the study of choice and for behavioral pharmacology are discussed.
Diagnostic Approach to Small Animal Bleeding Disorders

A well-designed and executed diagnostic approach to patients with bleeding disorders is critical to determine disease etiology and guide therapeutic measures. This systematic process begins with a comprehensive history and physical examination, followed by laboratory tests of primary hemostasis (platelet enumeration, platelet function testing, and von Willebrand factor assays), secondary hemostasis (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, activated clotting time, and individual factor deficiencies), and fibrinolysis (fibrinogen activity, thrombin time, fibrin degradation products, D-dimers), dependent on the clinical picture. Equally valuable are proper specimen collection, handling, and storage methods, which provide reliable and reproducible result interpretation. This review will emphasize the common diagnostic tools and blood sampling techniques important to the workup of hemostatic diseases as well as provide an overview of advanced clinical and research methods and equipment available to assist our bleeding veterinary patients, including thromboelastography/thromboelastometry, calibrated automated thrombogram, and the thrombin-antithrombin assay.
A regional interdependence model of musculoskeletal dysfunction: research, mechanisms, and clinical implications

AbstractThe term ‘regional interdependence’ or RI has recently been introduced into the vernacular of physical therapy and rehabilitation literature as a clinical model of musculoskeletal assessment and intervention. The underlying premise of this model is that seemingly unrelated impairments in remote anatomical regions of the body may contribute to and be associated with a patient’s primary report of symptoms. The clinical implication of this premise is that interventions directed at one region of the body will often have effects at remote and seeming unrelated areas. The formalized concept of RI is relatively new and was originally derived in an inductive manner from a variety of earlier publications and clinical observations. However, recent literature has provided additional support to the concept. The primary purpose of this article will be to further refine the operational definition for the concept of RI, examine supporting literature, discuss possible clinically relevant mechanisms, and conclude ...
Using fixed fiduciary markers for stage drift correction

To measure nanometric features with super-resolution requires that the stage, which holds the sample, be stable to nanometric precision. Herein we introduce a new method that uses conventional equipment, is low cost, and does not require intensive computation. Fiduciary markers of approximately 1 µm x 1 µm x 1 µm in x, y, and z dimensions are placed at regular intervals on the coverslip. These fiduciary markers are easy to put down, are completely stationary with respect to the coverslip, are bio-compatible, and do not interfere with fluorescence or intensity measurements. As the coverslip undergoes drift (or is purposely moved), the x-y center of the fiduciary markers can be readily tracked to 1 nanometer using a Gaussian fit. By focusing the light slightly out-of-focus, the z-axis can also be tracked to < 5 nm for dry samples and <17 nm for wet samples by looking at the diffraction rings. The process of tracking the fiduciary markers does not interfere with visible fluorescence because an infrared light emitting diode (IR-LED) (690 and 850 nm) is used, and the IR-light is separately detected using an inexpensive camera. The resulting motion of the coverslip can then be corrected for, either after-the-fact, or by using active stabilizers, to correct for the motion. We applied this method to watch kinesin walking with ≈8 nm steps.
Relaxation rates for optically pumped Na vapor on silicone surfaces

Abstract The relaxation rate for polarized Na atoms colliding with a silicone surface has been studied as a function of duration of exposure to Na vapor, wall temperature, Na density and magnetic field strength. We find that such surfaces have relaxation times corresponding to over 100 wall collisions even after weeks of exposure to Na vapor. Our measurements allow a determination of the amplitude and correlation time of the depolarizing interaction on the surface and yield a value of 1.6±0.5× 10−14 cm2 for the Na-Na spin exchange cross section.
Chronic cocaine increases κ-opioid receptor density: Lack of effect by selective dopamine uptake inhibitors

Continuous infusion of cocaine or the selective dopamine uptake inhibitors GBR 12909 or RTI-117 increases locomotor stimulation, to which partial tolerance occurs. In addition, all three drugs produce significant decreases in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in caudate putamen and nucleus accumbens core, suggesting a decreased dopaminergic tone. An interaction between cocaine and opioids has long been documented. Chronic cocaine significantly increases μ- and κ-opioid receptors and treatment with a κ-opioid agonist markedly reduces the behavioral effects of cocaine. In addition, chronic cocaine, but not GBR 12909, increases prodynorphin gene expression in caudate putamen. To further understand the interaction between cocaine and the κ-opioid system, the effects of a chronic continuous infusion for 14 days of cocaine or one of the selective dopamine uptake inhibitors GBR 12909 or RTI-117 via osmotic minipump were examined on κ-opioid receptors using the selective κ-opioid ligand [3H] U-69593. [3H] U-69593 binding density was significantly increased in caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens shell, claustrum, and endopiriform nucleus after cocaine, while neither GBR 12909 nor RTI-117 had any effect. The increased κ-opioid receptor densities observed following cocaine are likely not related to dopamine uptake inhibition, since they were not produced by selective dopamine uptake inhibitors. These findings suggest that regulation of κ-opioid receptors by cocaine may be via inhibition of serotonin or norepinephrine uptake, by a combination of effects on two or three monoamine transporters, or by a mechanism unrelated to transporter inhibition. Synapse 45:153–158, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
All hands on deck: a new approach to staff development

Why do staff ask for more technical training, yet don't attend scheduled training sessions? Why is our by-request training program underutilized? At the same time, why must we consistently turn away staff from our annual faculty training camp? These are questions that the Client Services team in Information Technology at Lewis & Clark College has struggled with for years. We could see the success of our Faculty Technology Institute, both in improving technical skills as well as in helping build strong partnerships with faculty. An additional side benefit of the week-long camp is the creation of a learning community for participants. We wondered how or if we could adapt this Institute into something valuable for staff with no increase in budget or staffing. Meanwhile, the Human Resources Employee Training and Development Manager was also looking for ways to revamp Human Resources staff training and foster a sense of community in college staff, again with no increase in budget or staffing. We decided to combine resources and so was born Staff Development Days.Staff Development Days was offered for the first time this past March. We had three days of technology and human resources workshops offered during this time. Over 100 staff members registered to attend anywhere from one to nine of the eighteen workshops offered. It has been deemed a success and we are already planning for next year.This paper will discuss how we landed upon Staff Development Days, the structure and logistics of the three-day event, our partnership with Human Resources, how it was ultimately received by our staff, and how we plan to move forward in the future