cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with opioid cessation: a machine learning approach

People with opioid use disorder (OUD) can stop using opioids on their own, with help from groups and with treatment, but there is limited research on the factors that influence opioid cessation. We employed multiple machine learning prediction algorithms (LASSO, random forest, deep neural network, and support vector machine) to assess factors associated with ceasing opioid use in a sample comprised of African Americans (AAs) and European Americans (EAs) who met DSM-5 criteria for mild to severe OUD. Values for several thousand demographic, alcohol and other drug use, general health, and behavioral variables, as well as diagnoses for other psychiatric disorders, were obtained for each participant from a detailed semi-structured interview. Support vector machine models performed marginally better on average than those derived using other machine learning methods with maximum prediction accuracies of 75.4% in AAs and 79.4% in EAs. Subsequent stepwise regression analyses that considered the 83 most highly ranked variables across all methods and models identified less recent cocaine use (p<5e-8), a shorter duration of opioid use (p<5e-6), and older age (p<5e-9) as the strongest independent predictors of opioid cessation. Factors related to drug use comprised about half of the significant independent predictors, with other predictors related to non-drug use behaviors, psychiatric disorders, overall health, and demographics. These proof-of-concept findings provide information that can help develop strategies for improving OUD management and the methods we applied provide a framework for personalizing OUD treatment.
Amino Acids for the Sustainable Production of Cu2O Materials: Effects on Morphology and Photocatalytic Reactivity

Photocatalytic technologies represent intriguing approaches for long-term environmental remediation strategies; however, approaches to sustainably generate the catalytic materials remain limited. M...
Reducing cardiovascular risk among people living with HIV: Rationale and design of the INcreasing Statin Prescribing in HIV Behavioral Economics REsearch (INSPIRE) randomized controlled trial

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity among people living with HIV (PLWH). Statins can safely and effectively reduce CVD risk in PLWH, but evidence-based statin therapy is under-prescribed in PLWH. Developed using an implementation science framework, INcreasing Statin Prescribing in HIV Behavioral Economics REsearch (INSPIRE) is a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial that addresses organization-, clinician- and patient-level barriers to statin uptake in Los Angeles community health clinics serving racially and ethnically diverse PLWH. After assessing knowledge about statins and barriers to clinician prescribing and patient uptake, we will design, implement and measure the effectiveness of (1) educational interventions targeting leadership, clinicians, and patients, followed by (2) behavioral economics-informed clinician feedback on statin uptake. In addition, we will assess implementation outcomes, including changes in clinician acceptability of statin prescribing for PLWH, clinician acceptability of the education and feedback interventions, and cost of implementation.
The Value of a Statistical Judgment: A New Approach to the Insurer's Duty to Settle

When liability insurance carries a limit that is smaller than the potential claim of a third party plaintiff, the insurer and the insured can have a conflict of interest as to settlement. The majority of jurisdictions in the United States impose upon insurers a duty to ignore liability limits when considering a settlement offer, and do not place limits on an insurer's liability when the duty is violated. In this paper I take an incomplete contract approach and derive the optimal duty to settle. I propose limiting the insurer's liability for an excess judgment to the Value of a Statistical Judgment (VSJ), which is derived from the amount a policy holder is willing to pay to avoid a risk of a large excess judgment. Setting damages for bad faith refusal to settle to the Value of Statistical Judgment causes the insurer to efficiently internalize the harm to the insured from an excess judgment. Although calculating the exact VSJ and corresponding duty to settle requires knowledge of the utility function of the insured, I show that courts can use a revealed preference approach to closely approximate the VSJ as a linear function of the liability limit and the vulnerable assets of the insured. The rule I propose applies excess liability which is a small multiple of the sum of the liability limit and the policy holder's wealth. In addition to being nearly optimal rule from the ex-ante perspective for the insured, the proposed VSJ rule is attractive from a broader social welfare perspective; it discourages nuisance settlements, and directs more compensation towards victims with legitimate claims.
Predictors of PROMIS Physical Function at 2 Years following Knee Surgery.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System physical function (PROMIS PF) 2 years following knee surgery, and identify preoperative factors associated with postoperative PROMIS PF. Three hundred and sixty-five patients, age 17 years and older, undergoing knee surgery at one institution were studied. Patients completed multiple questionnaires prior to surgery and again 2 years postoperatively including PROMIS PF, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), joint and body numeric pain scales (NPS), Tegner's activity scale (TAS), and Marx's activity rating scale (MARS). Mean PROMIS PF improved from 41.4 to 50.9 at 2 years postoperatively (p < 0.001) and was strongly correlated with 2-year IKDC scores. Older age, female gender, non-Hispanic ethnicity, unemployment, lower income, government insurance, smoking, preoperative opioid use, having a legal claim, comorbidities, previous surgeries, higher body mass index (BMI), and knee arthroplasty were associated with worse 2-year PROMIS PF. Multivariable analysis confirmed that lower BMI, less NPS body pain, and higher MARS were independent predictors of greater 2-year PROMIS PF and better improvement in PROMIS PF. In this large, broad cohort of knee surgery patients, multiple preoperative factors were associated with PROMIS PF 2 years postoperatively. PROMIS PF scores improved significantly, but worse 2 year PROMIS PF scores and less improvement from baseline were independently predicted by higher BMI, greater NPS body pain, and lower MARS activity level. PROMIS PF can be implemented as an efficient means to assess outcomes after knee surgery.
A D-band SiGe Frequency Doubler with a Harmonic Reflector Embedded in a Triaxial Balun

This paper presents a SiGe push-push frequency doubler with a triaxial balun embedded harmonic reflector. An input triaxial balun is used to generate differential signals for the push-push core, while also providing a high quality 2nd harmonic reflector. Two frequency doublers were designed in a 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS platform, both with and without an output buffer. The buffer-less design achieves a record peak output power and efficiency of 9.4 dBm and 12.1% at 130 GHz, with a bandwidth of 128-140 GHz. The buffered design achieves a peak output power of 8.85 dBm and 8.8% efficiency, while operating over a wider bandwidth.
Maternal Critical Care in a Disaster

In hospital disaster preparedness, particular attention needs to be given to the vulnerable and overlooked populations of obstetrical and neonatal patients. Disaster terminology such as evacuation, shelter-in-place, and surge is explained within the context of the unique needs of pregnant and peripartum women. This chapter serves to highlight why such adaptations are necessary and discusses tools such as an obstetric-specific triage tool and understanding levels of care for maternity hospitals. It also describes resources that are available to assist in training staff in disaster preparedness for pregnant and peripartum women.
Successful thrombectomy and thrombolysis of deep vein thrombosis in a patient with acute phlegmasia cerulea dolens with May-Thurner anatomy.

Abstract Phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) is a rare and important diagnosis to consider in the setting of a painful, swollen, and cyanotic lower extremity. We report a 59-year-old female diagnosed with PCD 3 days status post extended head and neck surgery with additional imaging findings concerning for May-Thurner anatomy. This case presentation is pathognomonic for PCD. Risk factors, pathogenesis, and management are described.
The Effects of Domain Experience and Task Presentation Format on Accountants' Information Relevance Assurance

Information relevance advisory services offer growth opportunities for accountants in CPA firms, but we know little about the types of knowledge needed to provide high‐quality advice. In a two‐stage experiment, accountants with different management and public accounting experiences (that we suggest lead to different types of knowledge) receive task information in alternative formats, and develop relevant information for a client's decision. We find that participants are more likely to choose an appropriate problem representation when they receive an appropriate task format or when they have more management or public accounting experience (stage one). Also, when participants choose an appropriate problem representation, more management accounting experience improves their development of relevant information, but more public accounting experience does not (stage two). Our results suggest that tailored task presentation and domain experience that facilitates acquisition of multiple knowledge types improve ac...
Visual Metaphors for the People: Unpacking Sergei Eisenstein’s Pedagogy of the Russian Revolution Through Film

This paper attempts to understand how the celebrated and controversial figure of Sergei Eisenstein understood and contributed to the formation of the Soviet Union through his films of the 1920s. The lens of visual metaphors offer a specific insight into how artistic choices of the director were informed by his own pedagogy for the Russian Revolution. The paper asks the questions: Did Eisenstein's films reflect the official party rhetoric? How did they inform or motivate the public toward the communist ideology of the early Soviet Union? The primary sources used in this paper are from the films Strike (1925), Battleship Potemkin (1926), October (1928), and The General Line (1929). Eisenstein created visual metaphors through the juxtaposition of images in his films which alluded to higher concepts. A shot of a worker followed by the shot of gears turning created the concept of industry in the minds of the audience. Through visual metaphors, it is possible to understand the motives of Eisenstein and the Communist party. It is also possible, with the aid of secondary sources, to see how those motives differed.
Development of a cognitive composite for measuring change in progressive supranuclear palsy

Abstract Introduction Individuals with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) experience cognitive changes that are challenging to follow without a validated neuropsychological test battery to measure progression. This study describes a composite measure to evaluate cognition in individuals with PSP. Methods Baseline cognitive test data from 486 participants with PSP in the PASSPORT (NCT03068468) study included the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Color Trails Test (CTT) parts 1 and 2, letter−number sequencing, and letter fluency. Data were analyzed using summary statistics and a matrix of Pearson correlations. A hypothetical factor structure was constructed and validated. Results Observed correlations were highest for scores between story memory and story recall (correlation coefficient = 0.78) and lowest for scores between letter fluency and picture naming (correlation coefficient = 0.11), and picture naming and figure copy (correlation coefficient = 0.12). After excluding picture naming and Color Trails Test (CTT) parts 1 and 2, a 3-factor structure was hypothesized for the remaining 13 tests. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated goodness of fit within acceptable limits (comparative fit index and Tucker-Lewis index = 0.98, standardized root-mean-square residual and root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.05–0.06). Mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of change from baseline to week 52 in RBANS and PSP cognitive composite score produced mean-to-standard-deviation ratios of 0.418 and 0.780, respectively. Conclusions This novel composite endpoint, based on RBANS and designed to account for motor impairments in PSP, improves on current cognitive assessments PSP.
Synthesis and Processing Relevant to Systems Integration of Nonlinear Optical Materials

The various synthesis and processing steps required to fabricate prototype electro-optic modulators from polymeric materials containing nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores are discussed. These include (1) synthesis of chromophores with large first hyperpolarizabilities, (2) covalent incorporation of these chromophores into polymer lattices which can be processed into optical quality thin films and poled by application of electric fields, (3) induction of lattice hardening reactions which lock-in poling-induced noncentrosymmetric order, (4) creation of buried channel, nonlinear optical waveguides by reactive ion etching, by electron cyclotron resonance etching, and/or by photochemical processing, (5) coupling of buried channel electro-optic modulators to fiber optic transmission lines by silicon V groove techniques, (6) deposition of metal drive electrodes (integration of semiconductor electronics and optical circuitry) and evaluation of prototype devices.
Birth‐and‐Death Processes

A birth-and-death (BD) process is a continuous-time Markov chain on the nonnegative integers whose transitions are restricted to its nearest neighbors. These processes have enjoyed wide popularity in a diverse set of fields. This article formally defines the BD process, reviews basic results for its transient and asymptotic analysis, discusses some special cases, and describes two applications in queueing theory. Keywords: birth-and-death process; Markov process; population models; queueing; level dependent
History of Early Neglect and Middle Childhood Social Competence: An Adoption Study.

Abstract This comparative study examined whether history of neglect in infancy was associated with middle childhood competence in (1) participation and performance in Extracurricular Activities, (2) quality of Social Relations, and (3) Academic Achievement. The sample included 115 girls aged 6–8 years who were adopted from China before their second birthday by American families. Based on evidence of pre-adoption neglect, the sample was divided into a neglected group (n = 31) and a comparison group (n = 84). Data on the girls' competence were collected with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/6–18). Data analysis showed that the percentage of children whose Overall Competence fell below normal range was significantly higher for the neglect group (41.9%) than for the comparison group (14.3%). The neglected group had significantly lower scores on participation and performance in Extracurricular Activities, Academic Achievement, and Overall Competence. Multiple regression results similarly concluded that histo...
Status of the U.C. Irvine Double Beta Decay Experiment

A cloud chamber experiment employing 82 Se as a source has detected a double-beta-like signal corresponding to two-neutrino decay of 82 Se with a half life of approximately 2 × 1019 yr., about an order of magnitude less than geochemical measurements. There is evidence that the apparatus successfully discriminates against uranium-series contamination, troublesome in earlier double beta experiments. Thorium-series contamination and neutron activation of 82 Se have been rulded out as causes of the signal. A search of the known radionuclides is underway to identify any other contaminants that might be responsible. The single-electron and sum energy spectra are consistent with 82 Se double beta decay, but needed improvements in resolution and statistics are underway.
INFLUENCE OF THE INDIRECT EFFECTS OF GUPPIES ON LIFE-HISTORY EVOLUTION IN RIVULUS HARTII

Early theories of life-history evolution predict that increased predation on young/small individuals selects for delayed maturation and decreased reproductive effort, but such theory only considers changes in mortality. Predators reduce prey abundance and increase food to survivors. Theory that incorporates such indirect effects yields different predictions. Trinidadian killifish, Rivulus hartii, inhabit communities with and without guppies. Guppies prey on young Rivulus and Rivulus densities decline and growth rates increase when guppies are present. Prior work showed that Rivulus phenotypes from communities with guppies matured earlier and had higher fecundity, consistent with theories that incorporate indirect effects. Here we examined the genetic basis of these differences by rearing 2nd generation, laboratory-born Rivulus from sites with and without guppies under two food levels that match natural differences in growth. Many locality x food interactions were significant, often reversing the relationship between communities. Such interactions imply that there are fitness trade-offs associated with adaptation to high or low resource environments. On high food, Rivulus from localities with guppies matured earlier, produced many small eggs, and exhibited increased reproductive investment; these differences reversed on low food. Our results suggest that indirect effects mold Rivulus evolution and thereby highlight connections between community processes and evolutionary change.
Can hot carriers "break" thermal oxide

This article was written to understand a comment that was given at the Question and Answer period of a paper presented at ESREF 96 in Enschede, The Netherlands, last October. The question was: "Your model includes only temperature and electric field in dielectric breakdown. We are able to break oxides with no field at all (i.e. with hot carriers). How can you explain that?" This study was conducted to simply calculate the likelihood of breaking Si-O bonds with hot carriers. The calculations indicate that while it is possible for hot carriers to populate traps causing voltage threshold shifting, it is not possible to break an oxide with hot carriers.
Plasmids for C‐terminal tagging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that contain improved GFP proteins, Envy and Ivy

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) has become an invaluable tool in biological research. Many GFP variants have been created that differ in brightness, photostability, and folding robustness. We have created two hybrid GFP variants, Envy and Ivy, which we placed in a vector for the C-terminal tagging of yeast proteins by PCR-mediated recombination. The Envy GFP variant combines mutations found in the robustly folding SuperfolderGFP and GFPγ, while the Ivy GFP variant is a hybrid of GFPγ and the yellow-green GFP variant, Clover. We compared Envy and Ivy to EGFP, SuperfolderGFP and GFPγ and found that Envy is brighter than the other GFP variants at both 30°C and 37°C, while Ivy is the most photostable. Envy and Ivy are recognized by a commonly used anti-GFP antibody, and both variants can be immunoprecipitated using the GFP TRAP Camelidae antibody nanotrap technology. Because Envy is brighter than the other GFP variants and is as photostable as GFPγ, we suggest that Envy should be the preferred GFP variant, while Ivy may be used in cases where photostability is of the utmost importance.
Bone marrow chimerism and transplantation tolerance

Engraftment of allogeneic or xenogeneic pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells into nonmyeloablated but immunodepleted (preconditioned) recipients can produce a state of immunological tolerance to donor and host. Host and donor hematopoietic cells entering the thymus ensure deletion of both donor- and host-reactive thymocytes. Additional mechanisms are involved in tolerance induced in recipients that are not immunodepleted. Grafting of donor thymic tissue to thymectomized recipients is an alternative approach for inducing central T cell tolerance without the requirement for engraftment of donor hematopoietic stem cells. During the past year, advances have been made in understanding both the requirements for preconditioning and the mechanisms of tolerance induction in the above transplantation models.
Properties of human prolactin (PRL) and H27A-PRL, a mutant that does not bind Zn++.

The ability of protein hormones to self-associate is likely to play an important role in concentrating hormones into secretory granules; therefore, the aggregation properties of human PRL and H27A mutant were investigated. Human PRL bound (65)Zn++; the Scatchard analysis was convex up, and limited by the solubility of PRL, but at least 0.7 mole Zn++ bound per mole of PRL. Binding of (65)Zn++ to H27A-PRL was greatly reduced. The biological activity in an Nb2 cell assay and the circular dichroism spectrum of wild type and H27A-PRL were similar, indicating the H27A mutant folded correctly, and the binding of Zn++ to the high affinity site is not essential for biological activity. Dynamic light scattering measurements indicated 10 and 20 mu M Zn++ caused some aggregation of both wild type and H27A-PRL. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis indicated that PRL is primarily a monomer in the absence of Zn++ and that there is increasing self-association in the presence of 5 and 10 mu M Zn++. The mutant H27A exhibited...
Modified extended kalman filtering for supervised learning

Abstract We apply the modified extended Kalman filter to develop a learning algorithm for feedforward networks. The resulting algorithm improves the existing extended Kalman filter based scheme in both speed of convergence and accuracy of estimation.
Differential dopamine release dynamics in the nucleus accumbens core and shell track distinct aspects of goal-directed behavior for sucrose

Mesolimbic dopamine projections to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been implicated in goal-directed behaviors for natural rewards and in learning processes involving cue-reward associations. The NAc has been traditionally subdivided into two anatomically distinct sub-regions with different functional properties: the shell and the core. The aim of the present study was to characterize rapid dopamine transmission across the two NAc sub-regions during cue-signaled operant behavior for a natural (sucrose) reward in rats. Using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) we observed differences in the magnitude and dynamics of dopamine release events between the shell and core. Specifically, although cue-evoked dopamine release was observed in both sub-regions, it was larger and longer lasting in the shell compared with the core. Further, secondary dopamine release events were observed following the lever press response for sucrose in the NAc shell, but not the core. These findings demonstrate that the NAc displays regional specificity in dopamine transmission patterns during cued operant behavior for natural reward.
Ultrastructure of meiosis in the hollyhock rust fungus,Puccinia malvacearum II. Metaphase I—Telophase I

The three-dimensional structure of the spindle pole body (SPB) and meiotic spindle during early metaphase I through telophase I inPuccinia malvacearum is analyzed ultrastructurally from serial sections. During early metaphase I the spindle rotates from the perpendicular to a position oblique to the longitudinal axis and parallel to the sagittal plane of the cell. Tubular cisternae are present within the spindle at this stage. The half middle piece (MP) subtends a collateral disc (co-disc) which is inserted eccentrically within each SPB. The SPB, co-disc and half MP at opposite poles are in mirror image. During the transition from early metaphase I to full metaphase I, the spindle orients parallel to the lateral wall of the promycelium and the half MPs are lost. The co-discs partially detach from each discoid SPB and maintain this relation until the end of interphase I. Co-discs become further differentiated as they attach to the subtending sheath-like extension of the nuclear envelope previously occupied by the half MPs. Microvesicles within the nucleoplasm are specific to mid metaphase I. A metaphase plate is absent. The 14 bivalents, which are directly connected to each polar SPB by 2 to 3 kinetochore MTs, are spread over nearly the entire length of the central spindle. The first anaphasic movement involves asynchronous shortening of the kinetochore MTs while the second consists of extensive pole-to-pole elongation. Astral MTs first appear at early metaphase I and become most numerous at anaphase I. An intact nuclear envelope constricts against the central spindle at either end of the interzonal region. Concurrently, centripetal growth of the nuclear envelope under each SPB results in their gradual externalization by the end of telophase I. The sibling nuclei are cut off by constriction of the nuclear envelope at either end of the interzonal region. These meiotic stages inP. malvacearum are compared with those in other basidiomycetes and ascomycetes.
Alcoholic Hepatitis: Current Management

Alcoholic hepatitis is an acute manifestation of alcoholic liver disease with mortality as high as 40-50% in severe cases. Patients usually have a history of prolonged alcohol abuse with or without a known history of liver disease. Although there is significant range in severity at presentation, patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis typically present with anorexia, fatigue, fever, jaundice, and ascites. The use of either pentoxifylline or corticosteroids in those with severe disease (Maddrey's discriminate function >32) has significant mortality benefit. The addition of N-acetylcysteine to corticosteroids decreases the incidences of hepatorenal syndrome, infection, and short-term mortality, but does not appear to significantly affect 6-month mortality. Nutritional support with high-calorie, high-protein diet is recommended in all patients screening positive for malnutrition. Liver transplantation for a highly selected group of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis may be an option in the future, but is not currently recommended or available at most transplant institutions.
How Does Bilingual Instruction Enhance English Achievement? A Mixed-Methods Study of Cantonese-Speaking and Spanish-Speaking Bilingual Classrooms

When literacy instruction is integrated and contextualized in a child's background knowledge and daily experiences, learning is increased. This mixed-methods study describes effective bilingual instruction in second-grade classrooms in the United States where teachers utilize students' linguistic capital and foster home–school connections, two factors that may assist in successful academic outcomes. Data were collected in four second-grade transitional bilingual classrooms in two working-class neighborhoods in a city in Northern California. A total of 34 Spanish-speaking English language learners and 33 Cantonese-speaking English language learners participated in the study. Students were assessed on a variety of English and native-language measures, home background data were collected from parental questionnaires, and classroom variables were collected from classroom observations and teacher interviews. Despite consistent findings in previous studies that ELLs tend to perform poorly on English reading com...
Nonlinear Dynamics of MEMS Arches

In this paper, the dynamic response of electrostatically actuated clamped-clamped arch microbeam is investigated when excited by a DC load superimposed to an AC harmonic load. The dynamic analysis is carried out using a Galerkin-based reduced order model along with a shooting technique to find periodic motions and analyzing its stability using a Floquet theory. Results are presented for the cases of primary and super harmonic resonances. We found several nonlinear dynamic phenomena due to the inherent nonlinear electrostatic force and geometric nonlinearity of the arch. These include frequency-amplitude dependence, jumps, tangent bifurcations, coexistence of solutions, and softening and hardening behaviors. The shooting technique showed high robustness in capturing both the stable and unstable states of the system. Hence, it helped clarify vague behaviors that were previously reported using longtime integration of the equations of motion.© 2010 ASME
Currency devaluation and resource mobilization: A computable general-equilibrium analysis of adjustment in Cameroon

Currency devaluations prescribed for many developing countries are usually expected to generate a growth-stimulating reallocation of resources in favor of export production. Results from a computable general-equilibrium model of devaluation in Cameroon indicate aggregate growth in export agriculture with decline in some traditional export crops and expansion in specific nontradable food crops. While agriculture and manufacturing expand after devaluation, reduced output from services and construction causes short-term contraction in aggregate output. Positive growth and trade balance effects are dependent on a major reallocation of labor which has been difficult to achieve in Cameroon.
A generalized graphic preprocessor for two-dimensional finite element analysis

Input preprocessors have come to be recognized as important components of modern finite element programs. A method is described which utilizes interactive computer graphics digitizing techniques to create a powerful input preprocessor for finite element analysis. A limited number of general mesh generators based on linear blending functions permit the program to handle virturally all two-dimensional topologies. The processes of geometric input and specification of problem-specific “attributes” have been kept separate so that the mesh generation routines may be used with a variety of analysis programs. Graphical editors have been implemented to specify attributes for structural mechanics problems. Although this type of graphical preprocessor shows considerable promise for applications in three dimensions, there are still unresolved problems in the areas of geometrical description, perception, and interactive hardware.
Photovoltaic effect for the linearly polarized light in (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramics

The bulk photovoltaic effect in non-centrosymmetric crystals is caused by asymmetric generation, recombination or scattering of excited non-equilibrium electronic carriers. Photovoltaic effects in (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3-based ceramics have been investigated using linearly polarized light. Angular dependence of the photovoltaic voltage and current on the polarization direction of the light was observed in doped (Pb, La)(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramics. A phenomenological model was proposed to fit the experimental results from which the photovoltaic coefficients were calculated.
Crustacean endocrine toxicology: a review

Crustaceans are major constituents to aquatic ecosystems that provide a variety of ecological and economic services. Individual crustacean species are adept at occupying diverse niches and their success, in part, stems from neuro-endocrine signaling cascades that regulate physiology in response to environmental and internal cues. Peptide hormones are major signal transducers in crustaceans. The crustacean hyperglycemic hormone family of peptides regulates various aspects of growth, reproduction, and metabolism. These peptides may function as the terminal hormone to regulate some physiological activities or may function as intermediates in a signaling cascade. Ecdysteroids and terpenoids are two major classes of terminal signaling molecules in these cascades. Hormones from these two classes function independently or in concert to regulate various processes. Ecdysteroid signaling is subject to toxicological disruption through disturbances in ecdysteroid synthesis or binding of toxicants to the ecdysteroid receptor. Methyl farnesoate is the major terpenoid hormone of crustaceans and also is susceptible to disruption by environmental chemicals. However, the methyl farnesoate signaling pathway is poorly understood and only limited mechanistic confirmation for disruption of this endocrine signaling pathway exists. Disruption of the ecdysteroid/terpenoid signaling pathways in crustaceans has been associated with aberrations in growth, metamorphosis, reproductive maturation, sex determination, and sex differentiation. Population studies have revealed disruptions in crustacean growth, molting, sexual development, and recruitment that are indicative of environmental endocrine disruption. However, environmental factors other that pollution (i.e., temperature, parasitism) also can elicit these effects and definitive causal relationships between endocrine disruption in field populations of crustaceans and chemical pollution is generally lacking.
Induction of autoimmunity by pristane and other naturally occurring hydrocarbons

Tetramethylpentadecane (TMPD, or commonly known as pristane)-induced lupus is a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Renal disease and autoantibody production strictly depend on signaling through the interferon (IFN)-I receptor. The major source of IFN-I is immature monocytes bearing high levels of the surface marker Ly6C. Interferon production is mediated exclusively by signaling through TLR7 and the adapter protein MyD88. It is likely that endogenous TLR7 ligands such as components of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes are involved in triggering disease. Lupus autoantibodies are produced in ectopic lymphoid tissue developing in response to TMPD. This model is well suited for examining links between dysregulated IFN-I production and the pathogenesis of human SLE, which like TMPD-lupus, is associated with high levels of IFN-I.
Stimulation of phenolic acid and lignin biosynthesis in swede root tissue by ethylene

Abstract Experiments using 14 C-phenylalanine have shown that ethylene treatment of swede root tissue promotes the utilization of phenylalanine as a precurso
Growth factors for Endamoeba histolytica.

SummaryE. histolytica has been maintained free of bacteria for 9 days or 3 subcultures in Ringers-Egg-Serum media fortified with the growth factors ribose-5-phosphate, adenosine triphosphate, autoclaved bacterial cells, and diphosphopyridine nucleotide. 2. This method makes available large numbers of amebas (approximately 1 to 1.5 million per ml) free of living bacteria.
Probabilistic metric spaces constructed from stationary Markov chains

Cumulative transition density functions of stationary Markov chains are shown to sausfy the Menger triangle inequality under thet-normT = Prod.
Ultrasound in the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Therapy of Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis

Cardiac echography applied to diagnosis and therapy evaluation in idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis
Duodenal neuroendocrine tumors: retrospective evaluation of CT imaging features and pattern of metastatic disease on dual-phase MDCT with pathologic correlation

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the CT appearance and pattern of metastatic disease of patients with surgically resected well-differentiated duodenal neuroendocrine tumors who underwent pre-operative dual-phase CT. Clinical and pathologic records and CT images of 28 patients (average age 58.0 years) following Whipple procedure were retrospectively reviewed. The size, morphology (polypoid, intraluminal mass or wall thickening, intramural mass), location, CT attenuation in the arterial and venous phases, and the presence of lymph node or liver metastases were recorded. On CT, 19 patients (67.8%) had neuroendocrine tumors manifested as polypoid or intraluminal masses (38 lesions, multiple tumors in 3 patients), 4 patients (14.3%) had tumors manifested as wall thickening or intramural masses, and in 5 patients (17.9%), the primary tumor was not visualized. Lesions not seen at CT were less than 0.8 cm on pathologic diagnosis. The mean size of polypoid tumors on CT was 1.2 cm (range 0.3–3.8 cm); 24 tumors were 1.0 cm or smaller, and 14 tumors were larger than 1.0 cm. Most lesions were hypervascular in the arterial phase (19/23 patients) with an increase in tumor enhancement in the venous phase in 14 patients (60.9%), decrease in enhancement in 7 patients (30.4%), and no change in enhancement in 2 patients (8.7%). Thirteen patients (46.4%) had metastatic disease from carcinoid tumor, most commonly regional enhancing lymphadenopathy. Duodenal carcinoid tumors commonly appear as an enhancing mass in either the arterial or venous phases. If a primary tumor is not seen in the duodenum, adjacent enhancing lymphadenopathy can be a clue to the presence of a duodenal carcinoid tumor.
The relationship between video game use and a performance-based measure of persistence

An online performance-based measure of persistence was developed using anagrams and riddles. Persistence was measured by recording the time spent on unsolved anagrams and riddles. Time spent on unsolved problems was correlated to a self-report measure of persistence. Additionally, frequent video game players spent longer times on unsolved problems relative to infrequent video game players. Results are explained in terms of the value of performance-based measures of persistence over self-report measures and how video game use can lead to more persistence across a variety of tasks.
White peach scale: life history and control studies.

Pscudanlacaspis pentagona (Targioni-Tozzetti), a serious pest of peach and flowering cherry trees in the southeastern United States, has 3 generations per year in Virginia. Fertilized females overwintered and began egg deposition in mid-April. Individual females deposited an average of 46.5 eggs. The first generation required 70-74 days for development and the second generation 51-53 days. Two applications of a 70-sec oil, applied 17 days apart during the delayed dormant period, at 3.3 gal/100 gal water, gave 100% kill of the scales. Parathion wettable powder was the most effective insecticide for crawler control during the summer. Its residual effectiveness lasted approximately one month. Coccinellid predators were observed feeding upon nymphs, and 4 species of parasites were reared from field-collected scales. However, natural enemies never occurred in numbers sufficient to aid in control.
Confidence Swindles of Older Consumers

This article reports the principal findings of a 1990 national mail survey focusing on confidence swindles and their effects on older consumers (age 65 and over). The respondents were bunco investigators representing 331 local police departments in 39 states. The survey findings provide information concerning the characteristics of confidence swindlers and their elder victims, as well as the characteristics of elders that are believed likely to attract swindlers. Also identified are the tactical approaches employed by swindlers, the financial losses most commonly realized by victims, the disposition of criminal cases involving confidence swindles of elders, the changes in number and type of cases most commonly experienced in the recent past, and the patterns likely to prevail in the future. Limitations of the study are noted and implications of the findings are drawn for policy-makers and practitioners.
Vertical Transmission of Hypopituitarism: Critical Importance of Appropriate Interpretation of Thyroid Function Tests and Levothyroxine Therapy During Pregnancy

Background: Typically, newborns with congenital hypothyroidism are asymptomatic at birth, having been exposed to euthyroid mothers. However, hypopituitarism may be associated with central hypothyroidism, preserved fertility, and autosomal dominant inheritance, requiring increased attention to thyroid management during pregnancy. Patient Findings: A woman with a history of growth hormone deficiency and central hypothyroidism gave birth to a term male neonate appropriate for gestational age. Due to low thyrotropin (TSH) in the second trimester, the levothyroxine dose was decreased by the obstetrician, and free T4 was low throughout the latter half of pregnancy. The neonatal laboratory evaluation showed central hypothyroidism with a low T4 of 2.1 μg/dL (4.5–11.5) and an inappropriately normal TSH of 0.98 uIU/mL (0.5–4.5); undetectable growth hormone, IGF-I, and IGFBP3; a normal cortisol level; and a normal gonadotropin surge. After initiation of levothyroxine in the first week, both tone and feeding toleranc...
Default policies and parents’ consent for school-located HPV vaccination

While defaults may encourage some health behaviors, how defaults influence controversial behaviors is not well understood. We examined the effect of two default policies on parents’ consent to have their adolescent sons hypothetically receive HPV vaccine at school. A national sample of 404 parents of adolescent sons participated in an online 3 × 2 between-subjects factorial experiment. Factors varied the default consent policy (opt-in, opt-out, or neutral) and the number of vaccines sons would receive (HPV vaccine alone or along with two other recommended adolescent vaccines). Among parents wanting to get their sons HPV vaccine in the next year, consent was higher in the opt-in condition (compared to the opt-out condition) or if other recommended adolescent vaccines would be included. Default policies had no effect among parents undecided about HPV vaccination. Parents’ consent for school-located HPV vaccination may be higher when presented as an opt-in decision and other vaccines are included.
Dissemination and implementation: INQRI's potential impact.

BACKGROUND: Application of research evidence in care delivery improves patient outcomes. Large gaps still exist, however, between recommended care and that used in practice. To increase the understanding of implementation studies, and dissemination of research findings, we present the perspective of investigators from seven Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI)-funded studies. OBJECTIVE: To describe implementation strategies, challenges, and lessons learned from conducting 5 INQRI-funded implementation studies, and present 2 case examples of other INQRI studies to illustrate dissemination strategies. Potential impact of study findings are set forth. RESEARCH DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive methods were used for the implementation studies. Case examples were set forth by investigators using reflection questions. RESULTS: Four of the 5 implementation studies focused on clinical topics and 1 on professional development of nurse managers, 4 were multisite studies. Common implementation strategies used across studies addressed education, ongoing interaction with sites, use of implementation tools, and visibility of the projects on the study units. Major challenges were the Institutional Review Board approval process and the short length of time allocated for implementation. Successes and lessons learned included creating excitement about research, packaging of study tools and resources for use by other organizations, and understanding the importance of context when conducting this type of research. Case examples revealed that study findings have been disseminated to study sites and to the health care community through publications and presentations. The potential impact of all 7 studies is far reaching. CONCLUSIONS: This study captures several nuanced perspectives from 5 Principal Investigators, who were completing INQRI-funded implementation studies. These nuanced perspectives are important lessons for other scientists embarking on implementation studies. The INQRI case examples illustrate important dissemination strategies and impact of findings on quality of care.
Thermodynamic properties of potassium nitrate–magnesium nitrate compound [2KNO3·Mg(NO3)2]

Abstract The Mg(NO3)2–KNO3 binary system phase diagram has a congruent melting compound, 2KNO3·Mg(NO3)2. The thermodynamic properties for this compound are not available in the literature. In this study, the nitrate compound was synthesized and the melting point and heat capacity were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Two endothermic peaks were observed at 404.8 K and 468.83 K corresponding to solid state transition and melting of the compound with the enthalpies of transitions as 2.71 kJ/mol and 20.73 kJ/mol, respectively. The heat capacity data as function of temperature are fit to polynomial function and thermodynamic properties like enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs energies of the compound as function of temperature are subsequently deduced.
Study of the effects of tissue reactions on the function of implanted glucose sensors.

The relationship between tissue reactions to a subcutaneously implanted glucose sensor and the function of the sensor was evaluated over a period of 4-weeks using tubular, porous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponges implanted subcutaneously in rats. The PVA sponges were used as scaffolds in which the foreign body response could develop. Coil-type glucose sensors were then placed in the center of the PVA sponges and tested on day 3, and weekly thereafter. In the first approach, the sensors were placed in the sponges still implanted in the rats and tested. In vivo glucose sensor sensitivity peaked at day 7 and steadily decreased until day 35. In the second approach, the sensors were placed in the explanted sponges and then tested. This test showed no sensor function after day 7, indicating that functional blood vessels are critical in maintaining any function whatsoever. In both cases the sensors themselves were never implanted to eliminate any potential in vivo degradation of the sensors that could have affected the outcome of this study. Sensors were then tested in absence of sponges and found to be working properly with no change from preimplantation sensitivity. Once sensor testing was concluded, the PVA sponge/tissue samples were prepared for quantitative histological analysis. It was determined that the increase in collagen deposition within the sponge correlated with the decrease in sensor sensitivity. It was also observed that natural angiogenesis (peak at day 14) did not overcome the barrier to glucose diffusion created by the fibrous capsule. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2008
Genetic analysis of the base-specific contacts of BamHI restriction endonuclease.

Here, we investigate the highly specific interaction of the BamHI endonuclease with its cognate recognition sequence GGATCC by determining which amino acid residues can be substituted at the DNA interface while maintaining specificity. Mutational studies, together with the structural determination of the restriction endonuclease BamHI have revealed the amino acid residues which are involved in DNA catalysis and those which play a role in the specific binding of the enzyme to its cognate DNA recognition sequence. Amino acid residues N116, S118, R122, D154 and R155 are involved in DNA sequence recognition and are located in the major groove in close proximity to the nucleotide bases comprising the recognition sequence. Cassette mutagenesis of these amino acids, together with in vivo transcriptional interference selection, was used to identify an array of substitutions which maintain site-specific binding to the cognate GGATCC sequence. This approach has demonstrated the extent of acceptable variation among amino acid residues which are directly involved in site-specific binding. One variant, double mutant N116H, S118G was found to cleave DNA only when the adenine base in the recognition site is methylated.