cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural correlates of attention bias to masked facial threat cues: Examining children at-risk for social anxiety disorder.

Abstract Background Behavioral inhibition (BI) is an early-appearing temperament trait and a robust predictor of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Both BI and anxiety may have distinct patterns of emotion processing marked by heightened neural responses to threat cues. BI and anxious children display similar frontolimbic patterns when completing an emotion-face attention bias task with supraliminal presentation. Anxious children also show a distinct neural response to the same task with subliminal face presentations, probing stimulus-driven attention networks. We do not have parallel data available for BI children, limiting our understanding of underlying affective mechanisms potentially linking early BI to the later emergence of anxiety. Method We examined the neural response to subliminal threat presentation during an emotion-face masked dot-probe task in children oversampled for BI (N = 67; 30 BI, 9–12 yrs). Results Non-BI children displayed greater activation versus BI children in several regions in response to threat faces versus neutral faces, including striatum, prefrontal and temporal lobes. When comparing congruent and incongruent trials, which require attention disengagement, BI children showed greater activation than non-BI children in the cerebellum, which is implicated in rapidly coordinating information processing, aversive conditioning, and learning the precise timing of anticipatory responses. Conclusions Non-BI children may more readily engage rapid coordinated frontolimbic circuitry to salient stimuli, whereas BI children may preferentially engage subcortical circuitry, in response to limbic “alarms” triggered by subliminal threat cues. These data help reveal the extent to which temperamental risk shares similar neurocircuitry previously documented in anxious adolescents and young adults in response to masked threat.
Umbilical cord blood bilirubins, gestational age, and maternal race predict neonatal hyperbilirubinemia

OBJECTIVE No validated biomarker at birth exists to predict which newborns will develop severe hyperbilirubinemia. This study's primary aim was to build and validate a prediction model for severe hyperbilirubinemia using umbilical cord blood bilirubins (CBB) and risk factors at birth in neonates at risk for maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility. This study's secondary aim was to compare the accuracy of CBB to the direct antigen titer. METHODS Inclusion criteria for this prospective cohort study included: ≥35 weeks gestational age, mother with blood type O and/or Rh negative or positive antibody screen, and 95th and >75th percentile during the initial hospital stay. The predictive performance and accuracy of the two tests (CBB and direct antigen titer) for each outcome was assessed using area under a receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS When compared to neonates who did not receive phototherapy (n = 463), neonates who received phototherapy (n = 36) had a greater mean CBB ± standard deviation (2.5 ± 0.7 vs. 1.6 ± 0.4 mg/dL, p 95th and >75th percentile, respectively. The AUC ± standard error (95% confidence interval) for CBB for phototherapy and a total serum bilirubin concentration >95th and >75th percentile was 0.89 ± 0.03 (0.82-0.95), 0.81 ± 0.04 (0.73-0.90), and 0.84 ± 0.02 (0.80-0.89), respectively. However, the AUC for gestational age and maternal Asian race for these outcomes was only 0.55 ± 0.05 (0.45-0.66), 0.66 ± 0.05 (0.56-0.76), and 0.57 ± 0.04 (0.05-0.64), respectively. When the CBB was combined with gestational age and maternal Asian race, the AUC for a total serum bilirubin concentration >95th percentile improved to 0.87 ± 0.03 (0.81-0.92) (p = 0.034 vs. the model with CBB only and p<0.001 vs. the model with clinical risk factors only). In a sub-group of subjects (n = 189), the AUC for the direct antigen titer for phototherapy was 0.64 ± 0.06 (0.52-0.77) with a 52% sensitivity and 77% specificity. In contrast, a CBB cut-point of 1.85 mg/dL was 92% sensitive and 70% specific for phototherapy with an AUC of 0.87 ± 0.04 (0.80-0.95). CONCLUSION CBB, in combination with gestational age and maternal race, may be a useful, non-invasive test to predict shortly after birth which neonates will develop severe hyperbilirubinemia.
G-CSF-Induced Mobilization of Bone Marrow Stem Cells and Cardiac Repair

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) plays a critical role in proliferation, maturation, survival, and activation of granulocytes and various hematopoietic progenitors [1, 2].
Symbiosis and Conflict: Political and Ethical Contrasts

Perhaps the most startling phenomenon of the twentieth century is the exponential growth in worldwide communications. It took a week for the news of Nelson’s death and victory off Cape Trafalgar to reach the London Times; television audiences in Europe knew of the assassination of John Kennedy minutes after the event.
Future directions in primary care/mental health research

a major policy emphasis on increasing the availability of providers of primary health care while limiting the supply of medical specialists (P.L. 94-484). The development of a comprehensive public mental health delivery system has failed to occur as rapidly as anticipated, as reflected in a slightly less than 50% accomplishment of the 1963 goal of establishing 1,500 community mental health centers by 1983. Further, a holistic approach within medicine has been emphasized recently (Eisenberg, 1979; Lazerson, 1978). Related to these concerns, the Presidents Commission on Mental Health (1978) recommended that greater attention be paid to the relationship between health and mental health. Limited new initiatives have been undertaken to increase the mental health training of primarycare practitioners (PCPs) and to coordinate health and mental health services through linking government-funded primary health care projects with community mental health centers. Nonetheless, there are major gaps in knowledge with respect to mental health needs
Size and Interface Dependent Magnetic Properties of Encapsulated Metal Clusters

The properties of magnetic nanoparticles is an area of current active interest with many problems of fundamental importance [1–4]. The nanoscale places particles at the single domain size where the coercivity can have a maximum or below this size where the particles eventually become superparamagnetic with no coercivity [5]. The density of states of various excitations in nanoparticles is affected by size through coarsening and/or introduction of a finite wavelength cut off. And, perhaps most importantly, nanoparticles have a large fraction of surface atoms which may have properties distinctly different than those in the bulk. Moreover, the exposed nature of the surface makes it susceptible to interfacial materials which might modify the properties of the surface atoms.
Improving the nutritional quality of plants.

In the 18th century, when global population was just under 1 billion, Malthus predicted that unchecked population growth would strain mankind’s ability to feed itself. Yet today, when the world’s population is over 6 billion, we realize that advances in science and technology have assured that Malthus’ prediction did not come true. The Green Revolution of the latter half of the 20th century produced new varieties of grains with improved yields, and new agricultural practices allowed these yields to be produced without greatly increasing the land committed to agriculture. These practices have sustained population growth, but there are indications that we need new agricultural technologies to sustain the growth in population predicted to occur in the next 50 years almost exclusively in the developing world.
Predicting Nanotube Fibrogenicity through Stem Cell-Mediated Fibroblast Focus and Spheroid Formation.

Fibroblast stem cells or stemlike cells (FSCs) are proposed to play a pivotal role in extracellular matrix (ECM) regeneration by serving as a key source of ECM-producing fibroblasts. We developed a mechanism-based in vitro model for fibrogenicity testing of nanomaterials based on their ability to induce FSCs. Using a FSC-enriched fibroblast focus model to mimic in vivo fibrogenic response, we demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in fibroblast focus formation and collagen production by primary lung fibroblasts treated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The focus-forming cells exhibited stem properties as indicated by stem cell markers expression, sphere formation, and ALDH activity assays. Inhibition of ALDH activity diminished the focus and sphere formation as well as collagen production. In vivo animal studies supported the in vitro findings and indicated the potential utility of FSC-based assays as a rapid screening tool for fibrogenicity testing of nanomaterials. This study also unveils a no...
Optimum Sparse Array Receive Beamforming for Wideband Signal Model

Sparse array design can potentially achieve comparable performance over uniform array counterparts with a fewer sensors. In this paper, we develop a sparse arrays design method achieving maximum signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (MaxSINR) for wideband source operating in a wideband jamming environment. The problem is formulated as quadratically constraint quadratic program (QCQP) that permits the use of weighted mixed $l_{1,\infty}$-norm squared penalization of the beamformer weight vector to achieve sparse array configurations. We propose the principal eigenvector based technique to control the desired group sparsity while promoting unit rank solutions iteratively. It is shown that the optimum sparse array utilizes the array aperture effectively and provides considerable performance improvement over commonly used arrays. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of proposed algorithm for array configurability under wideband signal model.
PERK inhibition mitigates restenosis and thrombosis - a potential low-thrombogenic anti-restenotic paradigm

Abstract Background Drug-eluting stents (DES) represent the main-stream management of restenosis following treatments of occlusive cardiovascular diseases. However, DES cannot eliminate instent restenosis yet exacerbate thrombogenic risks. To achieve dual inhibition of restenotic smooth muscle cell (SMC) de-differentiation/proliferation and thrombogenic endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, a common target in both cell types, has been long-sought after. We evaluated the potential of protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) as such a target for low-thrombogenic anti-restenotic intervention. Methods and Results We used a rat angioplasty model of restenosis and a FeCl3-induced mouse model of thrombosis. Loss-or gain-of-function was achieved by PERK inhibition (GSK2606414, siRNA) or overexpression (adenovirus). Restenosis was robustly mitigated by GSK2606414 administered either via injected (i.v.) lesion-homing platelet membrane-coated nanoclusters or a perivascular hydrogel; it was enhanced by PERK transgene. Whereas PERK inhibition blocked, its overexpression exacerbated PDGF-induced human aortic SMC de-differentiation (reduced smooth muscle α-actin or αSMA) and proliferation (BrdU incorporation). Further, PERK activity promoted STAT3 activation but inhibited SRF transcriptional (luciferase) activity; its protein co-immunoprecipitated with STAT3 and also MRTF-A, the SRF activator for αSMA transcription. Importantly, PERK inhibition also prevented TNFα-induced impairment of human EC growth and upregulation of thrombogenic tissue factor, both in vitro and ex vivo. In vivo, oral gavage of GSK2606414 preserved ~50% of the normal blood flow 60 min after FeCl3-induced vascular injury. Conclusions PERK inhibition is dual beneficial in mitigating restenosis and thrombosis, thus implicating a potential design for anti-restenotic intervention to overcome the thrombogenicity of DES.
Analysis of the Elements and Metals in Multiple Generations of Electronic Cigarette Atomizers

Abstract Background Since their release in 2004, electronic cigarettes (ECs) and their atomizers have undergone significant evolution. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the elemental/metal composition of atomizers in cartomizer and tank style ECs produced over a 5-year period. Methods Popular cartomizer and tank models of ECs were dissected and photographed using a stereoscopic microscope, and elemental analysis of EC atomizers was done using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Results Eight elements/metals were found in most products across and within brands purchased at different times. These included chromium, nickel, copper, silver, tin, silicon, aluminum, and zinc. Iron and lead were found in some but not all products, while manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, titanium, and tungsten were only found in a few of the products. The metals used in various components were often similar in cartomizer and tank models. Filaments were usually chromium and nickel (nichrome), although in some newer products, the filament also contained iron, copper, and manganese. The thick wire in earlier products was usually copper coated with silver, while in some newer products, the thick wire was predominantly nickel. In all products, the wick was silica, and sheaths, when present, were fiberglass (silicon, oxygen, calcium, aluminum, magnesium). Wire-to-wire joints were either brazed or clamped with brass (copper and zinc), and air-tube-to-thick wire joints, when present, were usually soldered with tin. Tank style products generally lacked a thick wire and sheaths. Conclusion In general, atomizer components in ECs were remarkably similar over time and between brands. Certain elements/metals were consistently found in most models from all generations, and these should be studied carefully to determine if their transfer to aerosols affects user's health and if their accumulation in trash affects the environment.
Differences Between Public And Private Hospital Payment Rates Narrowed, 2012–16

In 2000–12 payments for inpatient hospital stays, emergency department visits, and outpatient hospital care for privately insured patients grew much faster than payments for Medicare and Medicaid p...
A 2-D Pseudospectral Time-Domain (PSTD) Simulator for Large-Scale Electromagnetic Scattering and Radar Sounding Applications

This article discusses the implementation of a 2-D pseudospectral time-domain (PSTD) full-wave simulator for solving large-scale low-frequency (e.g., HF) electromagnetic (EM) scattering problems with the application of radar sounding of planetary subsurfaces. Compared to other computational EM algorithms, the PSTD solver is both memory-efficient and accurate for sounding applications. New domain designs are developed to efficiently simulate 2-D scattering of half-space media for normal and oblique incidence from arbitrary wave sources. As a validation of the PSTD simulator, the simulated 2-D scattering radar cross width (RCW) is compared with the analytical solutions of both point targets (dielectric cylinders) and distributed targets (random rough surfaces), for the first time, where the frequency and angular (bistatic scattering) dependence are studied with various choices of grid sampling resolution. Furthermore, the PSTD solver is applied to passive synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sounding problems (single transmitter and several receivers), for the first time, where various scenarios (e.g., cylinder, surface, and volume) are demonstrated and the targets are correctly resolved after focusing, indicating an accurate simulation of the phase history. Finally, an example of using the solver is shown for emulating 3-D large-scale radar sounding problems with cross-track surface and subsurface scattering. This is particularly useful to simulate radar sounding returns and SAR-focused imagery of large-scale subsurface structures to better support planetary missions with radar sounding instruments.
Early epidemiological analysis of the 2019-nCoV outbreak based on a crowdsourced data

Abstract As the outbreak of novel 2019 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) progresses within China and beyond, there is a need for rapidly available epidemiological data to guide situational awareness and intervention strategies. Here we present an effort to compile epidemiological information on 2019-nCoV from media news reports and a physician community website (dxy.cn) between Jan 20, 2020 and Jan 30, 2020, as the outbreak entered its 7th week. We compiled a line list of patients reported in China and internationally and daily case counts by Chinese province. We describe the demographics, hospitalization and reporting delays for 288 patients, over time and geographically. We find a decrease in case detection lags in provinces outside of Wuhan and internationally, compared to Wuhan, and after Jan 18, 2020, as outbreak awareness increased. The rapid progression of reported cases in different provinces of China is consistent with local transmission beyond Wuhan. The age profile of cases points at a deficit among children under 15 years of age, possibly related to prior immunity with related coronavirus or behavioral differences. Overall, our datasets, which have been publicly available since Jan 21, 2020, align with official reports from Chinese authorities published more than a week later. Availability of publicly available datasets in the early stages of an outbreak is important to encourage disease modeling efforts by independent academic modeling teams and provide robust evidence to guide interventions.
Uranium metal corrosion in soils with different soil moisture regimes

Abstract Depleted uranium (DU) munitions have a potential impact on the environment. However, the characterization and horizontal migration of DU corrosion products over a continuous period time in different soil moisture regimes were not well studied. X-ray Power Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectra and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)/X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) were used to characterize the corrosion products, the rates of formation of uranium oxides and the distribution of uranium in soil. UO2.8 and UO3 appeared in the DU metallic fragment/soil systems under the saturated soil regime in 4 weeks. UO3 was observed in the soil with the field capacity moisture regime in 16 weeks, but not in the air dry soil. Corrosion started at angled cracks, small pits and edges. DU metal corrosion rates decreased following the trend: Saturated soil > Field capacity soil > Air dry soil. Under the sequential extraction of the soil fractions, the percentage of uranium bound to the carbonate fraction was more than 41.5 %. This study demonstrates that soil moisture content plays a role in DU metal corrosion and migration.
Cerebellar abiotrophy in a Charolais calf

The Charolais calf presented was found to be experiencing convulsive seizures. These seizures continued to increase in severity therefore the calf was euthanized. The significant necropsy findings were: Histological examination of the brain demonstrated degeneration of the Purkinjie cells in the cerebellum. The brain stem and spinal cord revealed a moderate degree of Wallerian degeneration. The calfs entanglement in the electric fence could have precipitated or exaggerated the convulsive seizures. This particular selective degeneration of the Purkinjie cells of the cerebellar cortex is pathognomonic for cerebellar abiotrophy due to the characteristic pathological features
Effects of Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Body Composition in the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL).

Context Although observational studies show inverse associations between vitamin D status and body weight/adiposity, there are few large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating this relationship. Objective To determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation lowers weight or improves body composition. Design The VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCT including 25 871 US adults. This ancillary study was completed in a sub-cohort that underwent body composition assessments at baseline and 2-year follow-up (89% retention). Setting Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center in Boston. Participants 771 participants (men ≥ 50 and women ≥ 55 years). Interventions 2 × 2 factorial design of supplemental vitamin D3 (2000 IU/day) and/or omega-3 fatty acids (1 g/day). Main outcome measures Endpoints were 2-year changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and total and/or regional fat and lean tissue measures determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Effect modification by clinical variables and total and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels was explored. Results There were no effects of supplemental vitamin D3vs placebo on weight, BMI, or measures of adiposity and lean tissue. Effects did not vary by sex, race/ethnicity, fat mass index, or baseline total or free 25(OH)D levels. Vitamin D3 supplementation did slightly improve body fat percentage in participants with normal BMI at baseline, but not in the overweight or obese (P for interaction = 0.04). Conclusions Daily vitamin D3 supplementation vs placebo in the general older population did not improve weight or body composition. Whether supplemental vitamin D3 may benefit individuals with normal BMI warrants further study.
The Contact Zone: A Common Site of Tumor Recurrence in a Patient Who Underwent Skin-Sparing Mastectomy and Myocutaneous Flap Reconstruction

Routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening is not typically warranted in asymptomatic patients with a history of breast cancer and myocutaneous flap reconstruction due to the rare incidence of local tumor recurrence. We present a case of recurrent invasive ductal carcinoma along the contact zone between the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap and the native breast tissue that was incidentally detected on a routine high-risk screening-MRI of the breast in an asymptomatic patient with a history of breast cancer.
Formation and Spectral Properties of Copper(II) Ion Complexes of the NH2-terminal Pentapeptide from Sperm Whale Myoglobin and of Certain Tetra- and Pentapeptides

Abstract 1. The association and ionization constants of copper(II) complexes of glycylglycylglycylglycine, l-alanylglycylglycylglycine, glycylglycylglycylglycylglycine, l-alanylglycylglycylglycylglycine, glycylglycylglycylglycyl-l-alanine, l-valyl-l-leucyl-l-seryl-l-glutamyglycine, and l-valyl-l-leucyl-l-seryl-l-glutaminylglycine were computed from potentiometric measurements. The acid ionization constants of the free peptides were determined. 2. The visible absorption spectra of the reaction mixtures were resolved to show that identical species of the peptide complexes gave identical wave lengths of maximum absorbance with some variation in the molar extinction values. 3. Cotton effects were observed in the visible range for peptide complexes containing optically active amino acid residues. In each case the circular dichroism spectrum showed a single negative band or perhaps closely overlapping negative bands. The general form of the spectra was similar to that observed with tripeptide complexes containing l-alanyl residues, and indications of an additivity effect in substitutions in the chelate rings are presented. In all cases optically active transitions were observed near 300 mµ. 4. The contribution of the NH2-terminal l-alanyl moiety in complexes of peptides containing 2,3, or 4 more subsequent glycyl residues was constant as to optical rotatory power, in the visible range, although the tripeptide complex differed in wave length of the extremum from the tetra- and pentapeptide complexes. 5. The optical rotatory properties of the fully formed complex with l-valyl-l-leucyl-l-seryl-l-glutamylglycine, corresponding to the NH2-terminal sequence in sperm whale myoglobin, can be distinguished qualitatively from that of complexes with histidine-containing peptides.
Mitochondrial neurological diseases: A clinician’s perspective

CMYK 305 Mitochondrial neurological disorders remain esoteric but fascinating to the clinician. Aspects of their biology illuminate the complexities of their clinical manifestations. The hallmark multiple organ dysfunction is traceable to failure of mitochondria, the ubiquitous organelles of energy generation. High energy cell populations that are post-mitotic and nondividing at birth, are especially vulnerable as exemplified by the brain, retina, optic nerves, organ of Corti, skeletal and cardiac muscle, cardiac conduction system, renal tubular cells, endocrine and pancreatic exocrine glands. The accumulation of mutant mitochondria in vulnerable tissues may cause progressive worsening organ function. Similar mitochondrial segregation may increase abnormal cells in some tissues and decrease in others, shifting clinical dysfuction, say from bone marrow failure to myopathy. Cytoplasmic maternal inheritance is another distinctive feature: mitochondrial gene mutations are transmitted exclusively by the mother through the cytoplasm of the egg, to offsprings of both sexes. As the mutant mitochondria multiply and segregate randomly into different cell lines in the dividing egg, they reach different organs randomly accounting for diversity and variablity of the phenotype among patients with the same mutation (mitotic heteroplasmy). Some of the best defined syndromes due to mitochondrial gene defects are: Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON); Kearns –Sayre syndrome (KSS) of chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, retinitis pigmentosa, sensoryneural deafness and cardiac conduction disturbances; chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO); the syndrome of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy , lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS); myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers (MERRF); neuropathy with ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa (NARP/Leigh’s) and the recently identified LHON with dystonia and sporadic focal dystonia. A paradigm shift occurred when the nuclear genome was found to regulate most of the mitochondrial biology including assembly, replication and maintainance and autosomally transEditorial
Adsorption of individual C60 molecules on Si(111).

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy studies have been conducted for individual C${}_{6}$${}_{0}$ molecules adsorbed on Si(111)-7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}7 surfaces. C${}_{6}$${}_{0}$ molecules appear to be immobilized following condensation at 300 K. Bias-dependent STM imaging and current-imaging tunneling spectroscopy data illustrate different C${}_{6}$${}_{0}$ bonding configurations.
Column-Based Precompiled Configuration Techniques for FPGA

The abundance of configurable logic elements and routing resources in recent Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) provides a cost-effective method for tolerating permanent faults in the system. Once a permanent fault occurs, the FPGA can be reconfigured by replacing the faulty part with previously unused resources in the same hardware. In this paper, we present two column-based precompiled configuration techniques for tolerating permanent faults in FPGA-based systems. By compiling alternative configuration versions in the design phase, these approaches ensure fast reconfiguration, and thus a tremendous increase in system availability. In addition, intentional similarities are created among different configuration versions so that the storage overhead due to precompiled configurations is reduced by orders of magnitude through differential coding and run-length coding. Experimental and analytical results show that our approaches achieve significant dependability improvement with small configuration storage overhead.
A fixed point index theory for symmetric product mappings

In this paper we develop a fixed point index theory for symmetric product mappings of ENR-spaces. For such mappings we show that an index can be defined which is an extension of the usual integer-valued fixed point index. Further, we show that the classical properties of the index hold in this setting: The index is additive, multiplicative and commutative, the index is preserving under homotopy, and finally, the index is equal to the Lefschetz number as defined by Maxwell [9].
Effects of phenylpropanolamine on withdrawal symptoms

A prior report (Klesges et al. 1990) suggested that phenylpropanolamine (PPA) was successful in reducing the smoking withdrawal symptom of weight gain in a sample of women. The current investigation evaluates whether the effects of phenylpropanolamine (PPA; up to 10/day PPA gums) on withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation are specific to weight and weight-related symptoms or whether PPA alleviates withdrawal in general. One hundred and seven adult smokers (56 men, 51 women) were randomly assigned, in this double-blind trial, to chew either 8.33 mg phenylpropanolamine gum or a placebo gum. Subjects were then aided to quit smoking for 4 weeks. PPA did not enhance cessation rates. Results from the 47 subjects who successfully quit smoking indicated that postcessation weight gain and ratings of hunger were significantly reduced in both men and women for those assigned to the PPA group relative to the placebo group. Overall, no effects of PPA relative to placebo were observed for other smoking-related withdrawal symptoms. Thus, although PPA appears to reduce weight gain and alleviate weight-related symptoms, no effects on other withdrawal symptoms were observed. Future research directions are suggested.
Low-level amplification of oncogenes correlates inversely with age for patients with nontypical meningiomas.

Background This study sought to identify genes in nontypical meningiomas with gains in copy number (CN) that correlate with earlier age of onset, an indicator of aggressiveness. Methods Among 94 adult patients, 91 had 105 meningiomas that were histologically confirmed. World Health Organization grades I (typical), II (atypical), and III (anaplastic) were assigned to tumors in 76, 14, and 1 patient, respectively. Brain invasion indicated that two World Health Organization grade I meningiomas were biologically atypical. DNA from 15 invasive/atypical/anaplastic meningiomas and commercial normal DNA were analyzed with multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification. The CN ratios (fold differences from normal) for 78 genes were determined. The CN ratio was defined as [tumor CN]/[normal CN] for each gene to normalize results. Results Characteristic gene losses (CN ratio 50% of the invasive/atypical/anaplastic meningiomas at 22q11, 1p34.2, and 1p22.1 loci. Gains (CN ratio ≥ 2.0) occurred in each tumor for 2 or more of 19 genes. Each of the 19 genes' CN ratio was ≥2.0 in multiple tumors, and their collective sums (up to 49.1) correlated inversely with age ( r = −0.72), minus an outlier. In patients ≤55 versus >55 years, 5 genes ( BIRC2 , BRAF , MET , NRAS , and PIK3CA ) individually exhibited significantly higher CN ratios ( P 0.05) or a trend for them ( P 0.09), with corrections for multiple comparisons, and their sums correlated inversely with age ( r = − 0.74). Conclusions Low levels of amplification for selected oncogenes in invasive/atypical/anaplastic meningiomas were higher in younger adults, with the CN gains potentially underlying biological aggressiveness associated with early tumor development.
Microstructural examination of neutron-irradiated simple ferritic alloys

Abstract A series of simple (Fe-Cr-C-Mo) ferritic alloy specimens based on the composition of martensitic stainless steels has been examined by transmission electron microscopy following neutron irradiation to a maximum fluence of 4.3 × 1022n/cm2 (E > 0.1 MeV) over the temperature range 400 to 450°C. The series includes binary iron-chromium alloys covering the range Fe-3Cr to Fe-18Cr, ternary alloys of Fe-12Cr-0.002 to 0.2C and quaternary alloys of Fe-12Cr with various levels of carbon and molybdenum additions. Swelling and dislocation densities were highest in the Fe-9Cr alloy, where the swelling rate at 425°C was estimated at 0.15%/1022 n/cm2. The dislocation structures in the alloy series included dislocations with a〈100〉 anda/2 〈111〉 Burgers vectors; the former predominating in the lower chromium alloys. Additions of carbon were found to promote formation of radiation resistant martensite and additions of molybdenum enhanced precipitation. However, in both cases swelling was not completely suppressed. The swelling resistance of this alloy class is attributed to the presence of the irradiation-induced a〈100〉 dislocations.
Determination of the drift mobility in high‐conductivity amorphous silicon

A new technique for measuring the drift mobility in semiconductors is proposed. This method consists in measuring the current transient in a Schottky‐barrier device during a reverse bias voltage pulse. Measurements on a‐Si:H doped with 0.2% phosphorous show a temperature activated mobility. The activation energy is 0.13 eV and the drift mobility is about 6.5×10−2 cm2/V sec at room temperature. This technique is particularly applicable to material in which the dielectric relaxation time is shorter than the carrier transit time, precluding time‐of‐flight measurements.
The effect of left subclavian artery coverage on morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing endovascular thoracic aortic interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives Thoracic endografts (stent grafts) have emerged as a less invasive modality to treat various thoracic aortic lesions. The intentional coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) during the placement of these endografts is associated with several complications including stroke, spinal cord ischemia, and arm ischemia. In this review, we synthesize the available evidence regarding the complications associated with LSA coverage. Methods We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) from January 1990 through February 2008 for studies that included patients who received thoracic endografts and had intentional LSA coverage. Eligible studies had a control group that either received the endograft without LSA coverage or had primary revascularization prior to coverage. Two independent reviewers determined trial eligibility and extracted descriptive, methodological and outcome data from each eligible study. Meta-analyses estimated Peto odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to describe the strength of association between coverage and complications; the I 2 statistic described the proportion of inconsistency of treatment effect among studies not due to chance. Results We found 51 eligible observational studies. LSA coverage was associated with significant increase in the risk of arm ischemia (OR 47.7; CI, 9.9-229.3; I 2 = 72%, 19 studies) and vertebrobasilar ischemia (OR 10.8; CI, 3.17-36.7; I 2 = 0%; eight studies); and nonsignificant increase in the risk of spinal cord ischemia (OR 2.69; CI, 0.75-9.68; I 2 = 40%; eight studies) and anterior circulation stroke (OR 2.58; CI, 0.82-8.09; I 2 = 64%, 13 studies). There were no significant associations between LSA coverage and death, myocardial infarction, or transient ischemic attacks. The incidence of phrenic nerve injury as a complication of primary revascularization was 4.40% (CI, 1.60%-12.20%). Data on perioperative infection were sparse and rarely reported. Conclusions Very low quality evidence suggests that LSA coverage increases the risk of arm ischemia, vertebrobasilar ischemia, and possibly spinal cord ischemia and anterior circulation stroke.
Cybersecurity Education: Bridging the Gap Between Hardware and Software Domains

With the continuous growth of cyberinfrastructure throughout modern society, the need for secure computing and communication is more important than ever before. As a result, there is also an increasing need for entry-level developers who are capable of designing and building practical solutions for systems with stringent security requirements. This calls for careful attention to algorithm choice and implementation method, as well as trade-offs between hardware and software implementations. This article describes motivation and efforts taken by three departments at Rochester Institute of Technology (Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Software Engineering) that were focused on creating a multidisciplinary course that integrates the algorithmic, engineering, and practical aspects of security as exemplified by applied cryptography. In particular, the article presents the structure of this new course, topics covered, lab tools and results from the first two spring quarter offerings in 2011 and 2012.
The future of pain research, education, and treatment: a summary of the IOM report “Relieving pain in America: a blueprint for transforming prevention, care, education, and research”

The fifth column on Evidence-Based Behavioral Medicine is focused on the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) report entitled “Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research.” The IOM has reported that chronic pain affects 116 million American adults, which is greater than the total of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. It is recommended that data collection takes place at regular intervals using standardized questions, survey protocols, and electronic medical records with the aim of the identifying the following: subpopulations at risk; characteristics of acute and chronic pain; health consequences of pain, including death, disease, and disability; and longitudinal trends of pain. In addition, health education programs should be redesigned to include information about self-management, actions to prevent injuries at the individual and community level, advocacy for pain treatment, and support for improved prevention and control policies. Through teamwork between various professions, from physicians, nurses, and psychologists to physical therapists, pharmacists, and policy makers, advancements in pain awareness, education, research, and treatment should begin to materialize.
Nanocrystals to Nanorods: A Precursor Approach for the Synthesis of Magnesium Hydroxide Nanorods from Magnesium Oxychloride Nanorods Starting from Nanocrystalline Magnesium Oxide

Nanorods of magnesium oxychloride (Mgx(OH)yClz·nH2O) and magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) have been produced from crystalline MgO. Concentrated aqueous magnesium chloride (MgCl2·6H2O), when allowed to react with MgO, yields oxychloride nanorods that can be converted into Mg(OH)2 nanorods using NaOH, with retention of the nanorod morphologies. A comparison of powdered MgO starting materials has shown that, by proper choice of reagent concentrations, temperature, and aging time, nanorods can be obtained in all cases, but nanocrystalline (NC)−MgO gives the highest yields and the highest aspect ratios (aspect ratios of about 60−90 in the oxychloride system). The higher surface area and higher reactivity of NC−MgO allow the rapid formation of nucleation sites in large numbers that subsequently grow into thin (∼170 nm) oxychloride nanorods. The nanorods of Mgx(OH)yClz·nH2O and Mg(OH)2 were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy measurements.
Polyhedral banach spaces and extensions of compact operators

LetX be a polyhedral Banach space whose dual is anL 1(μ) space for some measureμ. Then for each Banach spacesY ⊆Z and each compact operatorT: Y →X there exists a norm preserving compact extension $$\tilde T:Z \to X$$ Z →X.
N-Substituted 4β-Methyl-5-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-7α-amidomorphans Are Potent, Selective κ Opioid Receptor Antagonists

In a previous study, we identified (−)-N-[(1R,4S,5S,7R)-5-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methyl-2-(3-phenylpropyl)-2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-7-yl]-3-(1-piperidinyl)propanamide (5a, KAA-1) as the first potent and selective κ opioid receptor antagonist from the 5-(3-hydroxyphenyl)morphan class of opioids. In this study we report an improved synthesis of this class of compounds. The new synthetic method was used to prepare analogues 5b−r where the morphan N-substituent and 7α-amido group were varied. Most of the analogues showed sub-nanomolar potency for the κ opioid receptor and were highly selective relative to the μ and δ opioid receptors. (−)-3-(3,4-Dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)-N-{(1R,4S,5S,7R)-5-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methyl-2-[2-(2-methylphenyl)ethyl]-2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-7-yl}propanamide (5n, MTHQ) is at least as potent and selective as nor-BNI as a κ opioid receptor antagonist in the [35S]GTP-γ-S in vitro functional test.
From Reputation amidst Uncertainty to Commitment under Stress: More than a Decade of Foreign-Owned Banking in Transition Economies

The experience of transition economies (TEs) with foreign bank penetration has a time dimension and an organisational dimension that are intertwined. Before 1995, virtually all foreign bank entry in TEs took the form of greenfield subsidiaries set up by a foreign bank in the host country. From 1995 onward, foreign banks participated in government programmes to privatise large state-owned banks and eventually took control of these banks. Oftentimes, a foreign bank entered a TE initially as a greenfield subsidiary and, after acquiring a former state-owned bank, merged the two entities to create a large foreign-owned bank. This takeover and consolidation activity resembles financial mergers and acquisitions in many emerging market economies. What distinguishes the TE experience from foreign bank penetration in many other countries is the hybrid corporate culture of the resulting foreign-owned bank. Having a dominant market position, the foreign-owned bank is a blend of expertise in transaction-based banking from the parent and experience in relationship-based banking from the acquired bank. Thus, I characterise the resulting bank as a hybrid that combines the hard technical information and banking skills of the parent with the soft information about clients and expertise concerning the local business environment of the acquired bank.
Community Social Organization as a Predictor of Mortality: Analyzing Chicago Neighborhoods

This research explores the relationship between community social organization and neighborhood rates of mortality. Community social organization is a latent term that captures a variety of social interactions between residents that bring individuals together, providing an opportunity for a collective response to perceived neighborhood problems. Drawing from social disorganization theory, I suggest that more efficacious communities should have lower rates of mortality, particularly for youth. Using survey and secondary data for Chicago neighborhoods, I find that social organization (measured as collective efficacy) has a strong protective effect in terms of reducing youth death rates. The impact of collective efficacy holds for both preventable and health-related youth mortality. Results suggest that neighbors may contribute to protecting the lives of youth by helping mobilize residents to engage in community social organization.
Governance, crash risk, and systemic risk: evidence from large US banks

This study investigates how the governance structure of bank holding companies (BHC) influences two types of market risks: crash risk and systemic risk. Using a sample of large BHC in the USA, we find limited evidence that high pay sensitivity is positively associated with banks' crash risk. In addition, high pay sensitivity and weak governance increase the systemic risk of banks. This study provides empirical support that governance decisions impact banks' risk exposure differently compared to those of corporate firms: 1) in opposite to the desired direction; 2) in conflicting manner. The study lends thus more credence to the recent call for redesigning the incentives and monitoring structure of banking industry. Our findings are important to regulators as they evaluate how best to intervene in the banking industry to forestall market contagion and failure. In particular, recent changes in capital requirements might not suffice to prevent future system shocks.
Piscatorial Politics: Fishery Regulation and the Economic Future of Rhode Island, 1869–1872

As competing factions debated the cause of declining fish populations in early 1870s Rhode Island, the crisis took on a political character. That, in turn, shaped the creation and early progress of...
Modification of the Karman-vortex street in the freestream

An experimental study conducted in the NASA Langley 15-in Low-Turbulence Wind Tunnel demonstrated that a relatively short-chord flow-aligned plate placed in the proximity of a cylindar could produce nearly one-signed oscillatory transverse control vortices. Typical results showed the screen with the 40 mesh to have a solidity of 35 percent, and the screen with 57 mesh to have a solidity of 35 percent, and the screen with 57 mesh to have a solidity of 72 percent. In all cases, the turbulence level of the incoming freestream was seen to have little effect on the suppression of the shed vorticity within the range considered.
Error Estimation in Computer Calculation

is calculated, by some means or other; the nature of the "error in y" which results depends on the conceptual framework in which the calculation is conceived. If the calculation is regarded as the evaluation of a polynomial P(x), where the argument x is exact as represented, the only source of error affecting the result is that arising from rounding or otherwise truncating the results of the arithmetic operations. If x is taken to be only an approximation of some "true" argument, however, this must also be taken into account in attributing an error to the value y = P(x). Finally, one may not wish to think of this as the evaluation of a polynomial at all, but rather as the evaluation of the function log [(1 +x)/(1 -x)] for x near 0; the polynomial is then only an approximation to an infinite series, and the error in y due to neglecting terms of order greater than 2n+1 must also be taken into account. Here one would still have to distinguish between cases according as x is assumed exact or is taken only as an approximation. One sees that care must be taken in making statements about the "error in y," to provide a context for interpretation. It is convenient, and by now more or less traditional, to distinguish three sources of error, designated (here) generated, inherent and analytic. Generated error reflects inaccuracies due to the necessity of rounding or otherwise truncating the numeric results of arithmetic operations, inherent error reflects inaccuracies in initially given arguments and parameters, and analytic error reflects inaccuracies due to the use of a computing procedure which calculates only an approximation to the theoretical result desired. In practice, error from any of these sources is introduced at successive points in a calculation, and affects the subsequent results. The study of the propagation of error in calculations of various types is an important part of error analysis. Error propagation may in general be studied without reference to the classification of error by source; it is usually possible, however, to break down the final error in a calculation and ascribe part of it to each of the several error sources [1, ch. 1]. On the other hand, it is often convenient to adopt a relative point of view concerning sources of error; thus at any stage of a calculation all previously accumulated error, from whatever source, might be regarded as inherent error for subsequent stages. Another expedient which has been successfully used is to