cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does Treadmill Exercise Improve Performance of Cognitive or Upper-Extremity Tasks in People With Chronic Stroke? A Randomized Cross-Over Trial

Abstract Ploughman M, McCarthy J, Bosse M, Sullivan HJ, Corbett D. Does treadmill exercise improve performance of cognitive or upper-extremity tasks in people with chronic stroke? A randomized cross-over trial. Objective To determine whether acute exercise, using a body-weight–supported treadmill, improves performance on subsequent cognitive tests or an upper-extremity task in people with stroke. Design The study was a within-subject, cross-over design in which 21 subjects received, randomly, 2 different testing sequences separated by an interval of 7 to 10 days. Setting Outpatient department of a rehabilitation hospital. Participants Of 72 potential participants in the convenience sample, 21 people with chronic stroke completed the study. They were 0.5 to 5 years after only 1 documented stroke, were able to walk with or without a cane, were able to grasp with the affected hand, and scored more than 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination. Interventions One session of body-weight-supported treadmill walking for 20 minutes at 70% of estimated heart rate reserve or level 13 on the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale. The control condition consisted of a 20-minute review of a home exercise program with a physiotherapist. Main Outcome Measures Cognitive tests included Trail Making Tests Parts A and B, Symbol Digit Substitution Test, and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test. The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) measured hemiplegic upper-extremity motor skill. Results Treadmill exercise improved movement of the hemiplegic upper extremity ( P =.04) but not cognitive performance. The improvement in the ARAT occurred without a change in strength (measured by grip strength) and was negatively correlated with maximum treadmill speed ( R 2 =.20; P =.04). Conclusions These findings suggest that acute treadmill exercise improves subsequent skilled movement of the hemiplegic upper extremity that seems unrelated to attention, visuomotor processing, or strength. The etiology and duration of this enhancing effect are worth further study. The existence of an exercise-cognition relationship in people with stroke is an intriguing area of future research.
Molecular layer deposition of APTES on silicon nanowire biosensors: Surface characterization, stability and pH response

Abstract We report the use of molecular layer deposition (MLD) for depositing 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) on a silicon dioxide surface. The APTES monolayer was characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, and atomic force microscopy. Effects of reaction time of repeating pulses and simultaneous feeding of water vapor with APTES were tested. The results indicate that the synergistic effects of water vapor and reaction time are significant for the formation of a stable monolayer. Additionally, increasing the number of repeating pulses improved the APTES surface coverage but led to saturation after 10 pulses. In comparing MLD with solution-phase deposition, the APTES surface coverage and the surface quality were nearly equivalent. The hydrolytic stability of the resulting films was also studied. The results confirmed that the hydrolysis process was necessary for MLD to obtain stable surface chemistry. Furthermore, we compared the pH sensing results of Si nanowire field effect transistors (Si NWFETs) modified by both the MLD and solution methods. The highly repeatable pH sensing results reflected the stability of APTES monolayers. The results also showed an improved pH response of the sensor prepared by MLD compared to the one prepared by the solution treatment, which indicated higher surface coverage of APTES.
Transient ischemic attack (TIA): the initial diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma

Many patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIA) are at high risk of stroke within the first few days of onset of symptoms. Emergency physicians and primary care physicians need to assess these patients quickly and initiate appropriate secondary stroke prevention strategies. Recent refinements in diagnostic imaging have produced valuable insight into risk stratification of patients with TIA. Clinical data regarding urgent initiation of antiplatelet therapy specifically in this patient population with non-cardioembolic TIA are limited but promising. This review outlines the diagnostic tools available for rapid assessment of patients presenting with symptoms of TIA and discusses clinical trials that apply to these vulnerable patients.
Raloxifene analog LY117018 enhances the regeneration of sciatic nerve in ovariectomized female mice

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of LY117018, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on peripheral nerve regeneration, using a model of sciatic nerve crush injury in mice. Sciatic functional index, an index of functional recovery, was significantly higher in LY117018 treated mice throughout regeneration. Analysis of semi-thin sections revealed a significant increase in both the total number of regenerating nerve fibers at day 7, and the mean axonal area of myelinated fibers at 7, 14, and 21 days after injury, in LY117018 treated mice. Analysis of axonal transport through retrograde labeling of motor neurons showed that LY117018 increased transport, and ICI 182,780 blocked the effects of LY117018, delineating estrogen receptors as its target. Our study suggests that LY117018 may markedly accelerate peripheral nerve regeneration and functional recovery through activation of estrogen receptors.
Feedback which leads forward: where intervention begins.

had eagerly anticipated our skilled younger colleagues’ presentation of a complex dualI diagnosis case that had bedeviled them and their senior supervisors. It had been a tough case; the family disappeared after a brief diagnosisfocused hospitalization, leaving the clinical team feeling less than effective. I sat there in rounds listening to the articulate description of a stateof-the-art assessment process and how things seemed to go south from the get-go; only one parent came to the feedback session, and prepubescent Sam bickeredwith the psychiatric resident about everything said in the session regarding Sam’s strengths and needs. The psychological evaluator believed she and her colleagues were being split and belittled by the mother–child couple. The session slowly unraveled, with Sam storming out first, followed shortly thereafter by his mother. The clinicians wanted to focus our discussion on the events of the feedback conference itself because “that’s where the trouble had started.” Over decades of doing, and benefitting from, reflective clinical supervision, I’ve encountered few obstacles that rival the performance anxiety engendered by preparing for, and participating in, the feedback session with and about the children and families we serve. It is the denouement for combined diagnostic and clinical acumen, balanced precariously on our formulation of why and how this child and this family presented with this problem at this time and on our understanding of this family’s unique amalgam of strengths and vulnerabilities. The families we serve have the right to expect that we have put significant effort into understanding them and their child, and that we have mastered our craft sufficiently to enlighten them about what kind of help is needed and how to access such help. We, the caregivers, need to be cognizant of the emotional reactions of each family member that
Translating the word : Dialogism and debate in two Gikuyu dictionaries

Much of the literature on missionaries and translation in colonial Africa has tended to view missionary or colonial authored texts (Bibles, dictionaries, and grammars in particular) as instruments through which foreign ways of thinking were imposed upon unsuspecting Africans. In a detailed comparison of two Gikuyu dictionaries-one authored by an Anglican missionary and the other by a Presbyterian missionary some ten years later-this article locates significant contradictions in meanings, particularly in words associated with religion and authority. By situating these contradictions within the social history of early twentieth-century Gikuyuland, the author is able to demonstrate that these contradictions are not mistakes; rather, such inconsistencies evidence the complex ontological and political debates provoked out of early evangelistic activity. For the author, who draws theoretical insight from Homi Bhabha and M. M. Bakhtin, mission texts like dictionaries are fundamentally dialogical, the product of sustained and contentious conversations between missionaries and African interlocutors. Thus, they not only shaped Gikuyu life, as earlier scholarship contended, but were profoundly shaped by contemporary Gikuyu debates over religion, power, and authority.
Diagnostic reliability of anxiety disorders in children using structured interviews

Abstract A review of the reliability of child structured interviews in diagnosing anxiety disorders in children is presented. Particular attention is paid to variations in the interviews' data gathering procedures and how these variations may influence the reliability obtained (and reported) across investigations. Given the methodological differences among the studies of diagnostic reliability, it appears difficult to state conclusively that the anxiety diagnoses assigned youngsters by child structured interviews are reliable. The paper concludes with a call for increased reliance on empirical methods to derive diagnostic criteria as well as for increased sensitivity to the developmental context when evaluating anxious children with structured interviews.
Nicotine withdrawal and κ-opioid receptors

The synthesis and release of dynorphin are increased in the caudate/putamen (CPU) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) of nicotine-withdrawn mice, suggesting a role in the nicotine abstinence syndrome. This study aims to investigate the consequences of enhanced dynorphinergic activity on κ-opioid receptor (KOPr) expression, coupling, and function in CPU and NAc following chronic nicotine administration and withdrawal. Mice were injected with nicotine-free base 2 mg/kg, or saline, sc, four times daily for 14 days and experiments performed at 24, 48, and 72 h after drug discontinuation. KOPr binding and mRNA were evaluated by [3H]-U69,593 autoradiography and in situ hybridization. KOPr coupling and function were investigated by agonist (U69-593)-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding autoradiography and inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity. KOPr binding density and mRNA in CPU and NAc were unaltered during nicotine withdrawal; however, KPOr mRNA was increased in midbrain. U69,593-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding was attenuated in both striatal regions, especially in NAc. In NAc shell and core, stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding was significantly decreased by 24 h and further declined over the 72 h observation period. In CPU, significant changes were observed only at 72 h. Basal adenylyl cyclase activity decreased early during nicotine withdrawal and recovered by 48 h. Stimulation with U69,593 failed to inhibit adenylyl cyclase activity at all times studied. These observations suggest that KOPr coupling and function are impaired in NAc and CPU during nicotine withdrawal, and imply receptor desensitization. KOPr desensitization might be a mechanism to ameliorate aversive behavioral symptoms, as nicotine withdrawal evolves.
The Maximum Intensity of Hurricanes.

Abstract An exact equation governing the maximum possible pressure fall in steady tropical cyclones is developed, accounting for the full effects of gaseous and condensed water on density and thermodynamics. The equation is also derived from Carnot's principle. We demonstrate the existence of critical conditions beyond which no solution for the minimum central pressure exists and speculate on the nature of hurricanes in the supercritical regime.
Multiple-scale convection in the earth's mantle: a three-dimensional study

Laboratory experiments suggest that a convective regime characterized by two length scales of motion is a reasonable model for circulations in the earth's upper mantle. The flows of largest horizontal scale represent a likely plate-driving mechanism, required by some theories of plate tectonics. It is also suggested that the small-scale circulations could influence the chemical evolution of the mantle by extracting primitive mantle material that is otherwise entrained in the large-scale flow.
Dry deposition of nitrogen and sulfur to ponderosa and jeffrey pine in the San Bernardino National Forest in southern California

Abstract Little is known about the concentrations, deposition rates, and effects of nitrogenous and sulfurous compounds in photochemical smog in the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) in southern California. Dry deposition of NO3− and NH4+ to foliage of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) was correlated (R = 0·83–0·88) with historical average hourly O3 concentations at 10 sites across an O3 gradient in the SBNF. Mean deposition fluxes of NO3− to ponderosa and Jeffrey pine branches were 0·82 nmol M−2s−1 at Camp Paivika (CP), a high-pollution site, and 0·19 nmol m−2 s−1 at Camp Osceola (CAO), a low-pollution site. Deposition fluxes of NH4+ were 0·32 nmol m−2 s−1 at CP and 0·17 nmol m−2 s−1 at CAO, while mean values for SO42− were 0·03 at CP and 0·02 nmol m−2 s−1 at CAO. Deposition fluxes to paper and nylon filters were higher in most cases than fluxes to pine branches at the same site. The results of this study suggest that an atmospheric concentration and deposition gradient of N and S compounds occurs along with the west-east O3 gradient in the SBNF. Annual stand-level dry deposition rates for S and N at CP and CAO were estimated. Further studies are needed to determine if high N deposition loads in the SBNF significantly affect plant/soil nutrient relations, tree health, and the response of ponderosa pine to ozone.
Dye-sensitized solar cells: driving-force effects on electron recombination dynamics with cobalt-based shuttles.

A series of cobalt-containing redox couples, based on [Co(1,10-phenanthroline)3](ClO4)2 and its derivatives, were prepared for use as regenerators/shuttles in dye-sensitized solar cells featuring modified TiO2 photoelectrodes. Surface modification and trap-state passivation of the TiO2 nanoparticle film electrodes were accomplished via atomic layer deposition of an ultrathin alumina coating. Electron lifetimes were then extracted from open-circuit voltage decay measurements. Cells employing alumina barrier/passivation layers exhibited higher open-circuit voltages as shuttles with more positive redox potentials were used, with the Co(5-nitro-phen)33+/2+ couple exhibiting the highest Voc (0.844 V). Analysis of the open-circuit voltages and electron lifetimes indicate Marcus normal-region behavior for back electron transfer from the TiO2 photoanode to these compounds.
Lack of relationship between blood and urine levels of glycosaminoglycans and lysomal enzymes.

Abstract The clearance ratio for GAG in cases of MPS and ML vary significantly without corresponding changes in the serum level of GAG, suggesting that the glomerular filtrate is not their major source. Molecular weight determinations of the urinary GAG in two cases of MPS indicate molecular dimensions that are unlikely to pass the glomerular membrane. The clearance ratios of β-galactosidase, β-glucuronidase and N -acetyl-β-glucosaminidase do not increase with increasing serum levels, either. It is suggested that the urinary GAG and lysosmal enzymes appear in the urine as a result of epithelial cell turnover.
Enzymic synthesis of folic acid-like compounds by cell-free extracts of Lactobacillus arabinosus

Abstract 2-Amino-4-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyltetrahydropterine (THP) replaces the naturally occurring pteridine in extracts of Lactobacillus arabinosus in the enzymic synthesis of folic acid-like compounds. Folic acid was detected when p-aminobenzoylglutamic acid was added to a system containing dialyzed extracts, THP, adenosine triphosphate, and magnesium. Pteroic acid was identified when p-aminobenzoic acid was present.
Open Luttinger Liquids

We study the problem of Luttinger liquids interacting with an active environment. We are particularly interested in how dissipation affects the response and correlation functions of nonisolated Luttinger liquids. We show that the exchange of particles, energy, and momentum lead to changes in the exponents characterizing the various correlation functions. We discuss the importance of the zero-mode physics in this context.
Unilateral Effects in Merger Analysis: Models, Merits, and Merger Policy

Abstract This paper models the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) unilateral effects merger policy using a sample of 192 investigations undertaken between 1993 and 2010. Statistical analysis shows that the number of significant rivals represents a reasonable structural proxy for the FTC’s merger challenge decision, although other variables, such as impediments to entry, fringe share, clear evidence of head-to-head competition between the merging firms, competitive effects’ evidence, and efficiency-related proxies, also affect the decision to challenge a merger. Some of these variables suggest that the innovations in the 2010 Merger Guidelines had already been applied in FTC merger analysis.
The Mechanism Design of the Upper Air Crawling Robot

The thesis designed a robot which can crawl along the mast or the rope, introduced this robot’s composition and his function, and carried on the kinematics modeling, analysis and simulation design to the robot. The crawling robot can carry the detector set to inspect the mast or the rope.
Progressive ascending paralysis following administration of intrathecal and intravenous cytosine arabinoside. A pediatric oncology group study

Two childhood acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients receiving intrathecal (IT) and intravenous (IV) cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) developed progressive ascending paralysis, resulting in death in one patient. Necropsy findings on this patient included spinal cord demyelination characteristic of Ara-C neurotoxicity. An unusual aspect of these two cases was the delay between cessation of IT therapy and the onset of neurologic symptoms. These patients received relatively low total doses of IT Ara-C and standard doses of IV Ara-C. Previous studies have shown that Ara-C equilibrates readily between serum and cerebrospinal fluid; this implies that total IV and IT doses of Ara-C may be additive in relation to development of neurotoxicity. For these reasons, use of IV and IT Ara-C in childhood AML must be approached with greater caution, especially if neurologic abnormalities develop during or after therapy.
What the Romans Really Knew

Drawing on classics and history and philosophy of science, Lehoux explores what and how the Romans thought about their place in nature.
Induction of MHC class I-restricted CTL response by DNA immunization with ubiquitin-influenza virus nucleoprotein fusion antigens

DNA vaccines have been shown to be an effective means of inducing cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses in both young and aged mice. Better understanding of the pathways by which antigens encoded by DNA vaccines are processed and presented to CTL may allow for improvements in CTL responses in older animals. Since CTL recognize short peptides presented by MHC class I molecules, and since ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis is widely believed to be responsible for degradation of endogenously synthesized antigens and generation of these peptide ligands, we sought to use ubiquitin (Ub) conjugation to target influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) antigen into the Ub-proteasome degradation pathway for MHC class I-restricted antigen processing and presentation. However, the addition of the Ub moiety did not affect the half-life of Ub-NP protein in transiently transfected human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells. Moreover, the modifications of NP DNA vaccine with Ub conjugation did not affect their ability to induce a CTL response specific for the H-2Kd-restricted NP147–155 epitope, as assessed by both percent cytolysis in bulk CTL culture and by CTL precursor (CTLp) frequency in limiting dilution analysis (LDA). In contrast, the anti-NP antibody (Ab) responses were dramatically reduced in mice immunized with low doses (1 μg) of Ub-NP constructs, compared with mice immunized with wild-type NP DNA. These results demonstrate that Ub conjugation alone does not guarantee targeting of endogenously synthesized antigens for rapid degradation by proteasomes. Furthermore, the ability of ubiquitination to reduce Ab responses to NP without affecting CTL responses suggests that the Ub modifications result in a lower availability of full-length NP from transfected cells in vivo. The implications of these data on antigen presentation and cross-priming are discussed.
The prognostic implications of location for scalp melanoma.

Abstract The clinical and pathologic records of 95 patients with primary cutaneous melanoma isolated to the scalp and regional lymph nodes treated at the MD Anderson Cancer Center between 1976 and 1985 were reviewed to assess the effect of lesion location on the prognosis of scalp melanoma. The scalp was defined as an area bounded by the supraorbital ridges, superior nuchal line, zygoma, and mastoid, thereby including a large non—hair-bearing area. Patients were grouped according to lesion location: hair-bearing or non—hair-bearing; anterior or posterior to the mid-tragal line; and parietal versus frontal, temporal, or occipital. There was a similar distribution of prognostic factors between the anatomic subsites. Analysis by univariate and multivariate methods demonstrated that, in a hair-bearing area, in an area posterior to the mid-tragal line, or in the parietal region, lesion location was highly predictive of the patient's survival. For example, the 5-year, melanoma-specific survival rate was 65% overall, 86% for patients with lesions located in non—hair-bearing regions and 47% for those with lesions in hair-bearing regions (p = 0.0019).
Ebstein's anomaly with right aortic arch. Review of the cardiovascular defects associated with Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid valve.

Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve with a right aortic arch is a rare combination which, to the author's knowledge, has not been reported previously. One patient with such defects is presented and the literature is reviewed with regard to the cardiovascular anomalies associated with Ebstein's disease.
Multiscale Topology Optimization of Structures and Periodic Cellular Materials

The introduction of cellular materials models in topology optimization allows designers to achieving significant weight reductions in structural applications. However, higher material savings and increased performance can be achieved if the material and the structure topologies are concurrently designed. The objective of this paper is to incorporate and establish a design methodology to obtaining optimal macro-scale structures and the corresponding optimal meso-scale periodic material designs in continuum design domains. The proposed approach makes use of homogenization theory to establish communication bridges between both material and structural scales. The periodicity constraint makes such cellular materials manufacturable. Penalization methods are used to obtaining binary solutions in both scales. This proposed methodology is demonstrated in the design of compliant mechanisms and structures of minimum compliance. The results demonstrate potential benefits when this multi-scale design algorithm when applied to the design of ultra-lightweight structures.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Chemical approaches to artificial photosynthesis

In the early 1970s, the works by Fujishima and Honda (1) and Honda et al. (2) reported on the results of a now famous experiment. They showed that band gap excitation of anatase TiO2 in a photoelectrochemical cell with a Pt counter electrode and an applied bias resulted in water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen. The timing of the result was impeccable. In 1973, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) declared an embargo on oil imports to the West, resulting in gasoline shortages and long lines at gas pumps. Suddenly, there was a pressing need for energy independence and new ways of providing for the energy-hungry economies of Western Europe, Japan, and the United States. The international research community responded. There was a short lived explosion of interest in converting sunlight into high-energy molecules by what we now call artificial photosynthesis to make solar fuels. Target reactions were water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen (1) and light-driven reduction of CO2 by water to give CO, other oxygenates, or hydrocarbons. Methane is shown as the product in equation 2, but the ultimate target is liquid hydrocarbons to power our existing energy infrastructure (1 and 2):
Definitive evidence of Hesperian basalt in Acidalia and Chryse planitiae

[1] The surface materials of Acidalia and Chryse planitiae, Mars, have been variably interpreted morphologically as basalt and compositionally as andesite or altered basalt. A thorough survey using the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) near-infrared spectrometer reveals olivine and high-calcium pyroxene signatures in the shallow subsurface exposed by impact craters. These signatures indicate that the near surface of these regions are primarily basaltic in nature and are similar to other regions of Hesperian volcanism across Mars (e.g., Syrtis Major). Previous spectroscopic studies using coarser-resolution data sets have failed to identify these mafic signatures due to obscuration of the underlying material in addition to the relatively small-scale exposures in impact craters. The nature of the surficial obscuration material is likely multifaceted and includes the deposition of latitude-dependent mantling material and the presence of alteration rinds. This observation shows that the northern plains of Mars are basaltic and must be factored into the thermal and surficial evolution of Mars.
The Zeeman Effect of the K II Spectrum

The Zeeman effect of the $3{p}^{5}4s\ensuremath{\leftarrow}3{p}^{5}4p$ and $3{p}^{5}4p\ensuremath{\leftarrow}3{p}^{5}5s$ transitions of the K II spectrum has been investigated in an effort to throw light on the failure of the $3{p}^{5}4s$ configuration to obey Houston's multiplet relations and of the $^{3}P_{2}\ensuremath{-}^{3}P_{0}$ interval to follow the regular doublet law. The magnetically resolved lines from a Back vacuum arc were photographed in the 3rd order of a 21 ft grating in a Rowland mounting with a dispersion of 0.89A/mm. A special type of potassium press was developed for extruding potassium metal into the arc as needed. Analysis of the results shows that the classification of de Bruin and Bowen is correct. The $g$-sum for $J=1$ in. the $3{p}^{5}4s$ configuration is 2.57\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02 instead of the theoretical value of 2.50. This breakdown of the sum rule is to be expected if the anomalous intervals in this configuration are caused by perturbations due to the overlapping terms of the $3{p}^{5}3d$ configuration. Incomplete knowledge of the $3d$ levels prevents testing the constancy of the combined $g$-sums. The $3{p}^{5}5s$ and $3{p}^{5}4p$ configurations obey the $g$-sum rule satisfactorily.
Sifting signal from noise: A new perspective on the meaning of tweets about the “big game”

A good deal of Twitter research focuses on event-detection using algorithms that rely on keywords and tweet density. We present an alternative analysis of tweets, filtering by hashtags related to the 2012 Superbowl and validated against the 2013 baseball World Series. We analyze low-volume, topically similar tweets which reference specific plays (sub-contexts) within the game at the time they occur. These communications are not explicitly linked; they pivot on keywords and do not correlate with spikes in tweets-per-minute. Such phenomena are not readily identified by current event-detection algorithms, which rely on volume to drive the analytic engine. We propose to demonstrate the effectiveness of empirically and theoretically informed approaches and use qualitative analysis and theory to inform the design of future event-detection algorithms. Specifically, we propose theories of Information Grounds and “third places” to explain sub-contexts that emerge. Conceptualizing sub-contexts as a socio-technical ...
When program notes don’t help: Music descriptions and enjoyment

The widespread practice of including program notes for classical concerts assumes that extramusical information affects musical experience, but the psychological mechanisms underlying this process are little understood. In this study, 16 people without formal musical training heard excerpts from Beethoven String Quartets prefaced by either a dramatic description, a structural description, or no description. They were asked to rate their enjoyment of the music, and in a later stage, to recall excerpts and descriptions. Results showed a significant negative effect of description, suggesting that prefacing an excerpt with a text description reduces enjoyment of the music. In a second experiment, 11 new participants heard the same excerpts in the different description conditions, and were not asked to rate enjoyment until a second stage of the study. Results followed the same pattern as those in the first experiment, but did not rise to the level of significance. Conceptualizing listening by connecting it to ...
Brand-name and generic antiepileptics

Ishare the concerns voiced in a recent AJHP News story about antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).[1][1] However, I believe that a perspective on and potential solution to this challenge have been overlooked.[2][2] Some of the large pharmaceutical companies that market brand-name AEDs, as well as the
Hypercalcemia due to constitutive activity of the parathyroid hormone (PTH)/PTH-related peptide receptor: Comparison with primary hyperparathyroidism

In Jansen's disease (JD), the hypercalcemia found in about half the cases is the result of a mutant, constitutively overactive, form of the PTH/PTHrP receptor, which in these cases also causes the skeletal dysplasia. The subject of the present report was first seen in 1956 and is still under treatment at the same medical center. We report the clinical course and a detailed study of calcium and bone metabolism carried out in 1976 and compare the results with those of six typical patients with mild primary hyperparathyroidism in whom exactly the same studies were carried out. In the patient with JD, the hypercalcemia was of early onset; chronic and nonprogressive; refractory to the administration of phosphate, glucocorticoid, and calcitonin; and accompanied by suppressed PTH levels as determined by two different immunoassays, an undetectable PTHrP level, increased excretion of nephrogenous cAMP (an in vivo bioassay of endogenous PTH production), decreased tubular reabsorption of phosphate, increased tubular reabsorption of calcium, increased biochemical indexes of bone turnover, and increased histological indexes of bone turnover on iliac bone histomorphometry after double tetracycline labeling. There was exaggerated loss of cortical bone and preservation of cancellous bone. All the results in JD relating to renal or skeletal effects of PTH excess were within or close to the ranges found in the hyperparathyroid patients, except that tubular reabsorption of phosphate was more depressed. Because PTH secretion was suppressed, any effects mediated by putative alternative receptors would have been diminished. We conclude that 1) the hypercalcemia due to constitutive overactivity of the PTH/PTHrP receptor is indistinguishable from that of mild primary hyperparathyroidism in clinical characteristics and renal tubular and skeletal features; and 2) the classic laboratory manifestations of primary hyperparathyroidism, with the possible exception of osteitis fibrosa cystica, can all be accounted for by overactivity of a single receptor.
Temporal context affects duration reproduction

Context affects psychophysical judgements. Experiments are described that examine central tendency and repetition effects using a standard temporal reproduction task. The range (1–5.5 s), spacing (0.5), and total number of trials (120) were kept constant while the central tendency was manipulated. Flat, skewed long, skewed short, and V-shaped distributions were examined for intervals filled either by unvarying visual or auditory stimuli. Central tendency effects were observed in the skewed distributions and were similar for visual and auditory stimuli. A repetition effect was observed in which reproduced durations increased across trials. This effect has previously been attributed to an arousal decrement but this explanation fails on a reproduction task since an arousal decrement should affect timing of the standard and reproduction equally. Central tendency assimilation might account for the repetition effect if an initial indifference point is below the range of the tested series. Neither repetition nor...
Empirically Supported Treatments in Pediatric Psychology: Nocturnal Enuresis

OBJECTIVE To review the medical and psychological literature concerning enuresis treatments in light of the Chambless criteria for empirically supported treatment. METHOD A systematic search of the medical and psychological literature was performed using Medline and Psychlit. RESULTS Several review studies and numerous well-controlled experiments have clearly documented the importance of the basic urine alarm alone as a necessary component in the treatment of enuresis or combined with the "Dry-Bed Training" intervention, establishing them as "effective treatments." Other multicomponent behavioral interventions that also include the urine alarm such as "Full Spectrum Home Training" have further improved the outcome for bed-wetters, but are classified as "probably efficacious" at this time because independent researchers have not replicated them. Less rigorously examined approaches that focus on improving compliance with treatment or include a "cognitive" focus (i.e., hypnosis) warrant further study. CONCLUSIONS We recommend a "biobehavioral" perspective in the assessment and treatment of bed-wetting and suggest that combining the urine alarm with desmopressin offers the most promise and could well push the already high success rates of conditioning approaches closer to 100%. Much important work is yet to be completed that elucidates the mechanism of action for the success of the urine alarm and in educating society about its effectiveness so that its availability is improved.
Real exchange rates and real interest rates once again: a multivariate panel cointegration analysis

This paper employs multivariate panel cointegration techniques to re-examine the empirical relationship between bilateral real exchange rates and real interest rates. The results from a panel of 1470 quarterly observations on Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and USA over the period 1977 to 1994 indicate the absence of any long-run relationship between the two variables.
CAPILLARY PRESSURE AND VISCOUS PRESSURE DROP SET BOUNDS ON COATING BEAD OPERABILITY

Abstract In premetered slot or extrusion coating and related sheet coating a “bead” of liquid is held between the coating die and the moving sheet by capillary forces, which depend on gap clearances, surface tension, contact line attachment, and dynamic contact angle; by viscous forces, which depend on clearances, viscosity, meniscus, location, and coating thickness; and by the externally applied pressure difference, which must fall within bounds for the bead to be operable. New bounds are derived for quasi-static beads with variable meniscus location, extending Ruschak's [1] analysis. Viscous effects are modeled by Couette and Poiseuille contributions that account for nonuniform clearances and are important except in limiting cases like Ruschak's. Operating bounds are derived for viscous coating beads.
Neuroinflammation and Comorbidity of Pain and Depression

Comorbid depression and chronic pain are highly prevalent in individuals suffering from physical illness. Here, we critically examine the possibility that inflammation is the common mediator of this comorbidity, and we explore the implications of this hypothesis. Inflammation signals the brain to induce sickness responses that include increased pain and negative affect. This is a typical and adaptive response to acute inflammation. However, chronic inflammation induces a transition from these typical sickness behaviors into depression and chronic pain. Several mechanisms can account for the high comorbidity of pain and depression that stem from the precipitating inflammation in physically ill patients. These mechanisms include direct effects of cytokines on the neuronal environment or indirect effects via downregulation of G protein–coupled receptor kinase 2, activation of the tryptophan-degrading enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase that generates neurotropic kynurenine metabolites, increased brain extracellular glutamate, and the switch of GABAergic neurotransmission from inhibition to excitation. Despite the existence of many neuroimmune candidate mechanisms for the co-occurrence of depression and chronic pain, little work has been devoted so far to critically assess their mediating role in these comorbid symptoms. Understanding neuroimmune mechanisms that underlie depression and pain comorbidity may yield effective pharmaceutical targets that can treat both conditions simultaneously beyond traditional antidepressants and analgesics.
The relative importance of multiscale factors in the distribution of Bachman's Sparrow and the implications for ecosystem conservation

ABSTRACT Recent research has shown that landscape-level changes, namely habitat loss and fragmentation, can play an important role in determining the distribution of species across a variety of ecological systems. However, the influence of these large-scale factors in relation to small-scale factors, such as local vegetation structure or composition, is poorly understood. We used Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) as a surrogate species to measure the relative importance of local vegetation and large-scale habitat distribution in the Onslow Bight region of North Carolina, USA. We conducted repeated point counts at 232 points within 111 habitat patches between April 10 and July 20, 2011. We then fit a series of single-season occupancy models, including both local and landscape-level predictors, to identify those that best explained the distribution of Bachman's Sparrows. We documented a strong response to vegetation characteristics best maintained via prescribed fire, but the most influential predictor...
Hemispheric Independence in Word Recognition: Evidence from Unilateral and Bilateral Presentations

We compared behavioral laterality effect in a lexical decision task using cued unilateral or bilateral presentations of different stimuli to normal subjects. The goals were to determine the effects of lexical variables on word recognition in each hemisphere under conditions of maximal independence of information processing in the two hemispheres and to assess the degree of residual interhemispheric effects that can still exist then. Bilateral presentations increased hemispheric independence in word recognition, indexed by a significant interaction of response hand with target visual field. Bilateral presentations also selectively impaired word decisions, suggesting that word processing benefits from interhemispheric interaction, whereas nonword processing is done independently in each hemisphere. Indeed, there was a significant congruity effect for word targets only, whereby the wordness of the unattended stimulus affected the speed of processing of attended word targets. Word frequency and regularity affected both hemispheres equally, arguing against the hemispheric interpretation of the dual route model of word recognition. Length affected the processing of nonwords more than words and in the left visual field more than in the right visual field. Taken together, the data support the conclusion that each normal hemisphere can control word recognition independently of the other.
Totalrecall: visualization and semi-automatic annotation of very large audio-visual corpora

We introduce a system for visualizing, annotating, and analyzing very large collections of longitudinal audio and video recordings. The system, TotalRecall, is designed to address the requirements of projects like the Human Speechome Project, for which more than 100,000 hours of multitrack audio and video have been collected over a twentytwo month period. Our goal in this project is to transcribe speech in over 10,000 hours of audio recordings, and to annotate the position and head orientation of multiple people in the 10,000 hours of corresponding video. Higher level behavioral analysis of the corpus will be based on these and other annotations. To efficiently cope with this huge corpus, we are developing semi-automatic data coding methods that are integrated into TotalRecall. Ultimately, this system and the underlying methodology may enable new forms of multimodal behavioral analysis grounded in ultradense longitudinal data.
NeuroD regulates multiple functions in the developing neural retina in rodent

The expression and function of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor NeuroD were studied in the developing neural retina in rodent. neuroD was expressed in areas of undetermined retinal cells as well as developing photoreceptors and amacrine interneurons. Expression was maintained in a subset of mature photoreceptors in the adult retina. Using both loss-of-function and gain-of-function approaches, NeuroD was found to play multiple roles in retinal development. (1) NeuroD was found to be a critical regulator of the neuron versus glial cell fate decision. Retinal explants derived from NeuroD-null mice demonstrated a three- to fourfold increase in Muller glia. Forced expression of neuroD in progenitors in rat using retroviruses hastened cell cycle withdrawal and blocked gliogenesis in vivo. (2) NeuroD appeared to regulate interneuron development, favouring amacrine over bipolar differentiation. Forced NeuroD expression resulted in an increase in amacrine interneurons and a decrease in bipolar interneurons. In the complementary experiment, retinae derived from NeuroD-null mice demonstrated a twofold increase in bipolar interneurons and a delay in amacrine differentiation. (3) NeuroD appeared to be essential for the survival of a subset of rod photoreceptors. In conclusion, these results implicate NeuroD in a variety of developmental functions including cell fate determination, differentiation and neuron survival.
Principles of Group Testing and an Application to the Design and Analysis of Multi-Access Protocols

In group testing we are concerned with determining the state of items, each one of which can be either in a good state (denoted “g”) or a defective state (denoted “d”). We assume that we have a universal test which can be applied simultaneously to any number of the items. In classical group testing there can be two outcomes of the universal test. One of the outcomes is that all items tested are good (denoted “G”) and the other outcome is that there was at least one defective in the group tested (denoted “D”). The choice of the items to be tested in any given to test can depend upon the entire history of the testing to that point. That is, the items to be tested in the i-th test can depend upon which items were tested in all preceding tests and the outcomes of these tests. A test plan is a set of test and the corresponding rules for choosing which items are to be tested in each test. If the number of items is finite, the test plan is concluded when the states of all items are determined. The problem of group testing is to specify an efficient test plan. Our criterion for efficiency will be discussed later.
LFSR-Based Performance Characterization of Nonlinear Analog and Mixed-Signal Circuits

This paper presents an efficient pseudorandom (PR) test method to characterize the performance of nonlinear analog and mixed-signal (AMS) circuits including those embedded in SoC devices. Previous applications of the PR test method to BIST have been limited to digital and linear analog circuits. In this paper, we extend the application of PR test to nonlinear AMS circuits. In doing so, we reduce the cost of testing nonlinear circuits, and increase the test coverage of embedded AMS circuits without incurring a large area overhead to accommodate a test stimulus generator. Our method maintains good test accuracy by using a Volterra series model to describe the behavior of the device under test (DUT). A PR sequence generated from a simple LFSR is used to excite the DUTs over a wide range of frequencies and estimate the parameters of the Volterra series, which are then used to predict the performance of DUTs. We present a method to reduce the test time by using a compressed cross-correlation method which reduces the complexity of the presented algorithm. The mathematical background and hardware measurement results are presented to validate our method.
Microneedle-based intradermal delivery of the anthrax recombinant protective antigen vaccine.

The recombinant protective antigen (rPA) of Bacillus anthracis is a promising anthrax vaccine. We compared serum immunoglobulin G levels and toxin-neutralizing antibody titers in rabbits following delivery of various doses of vaccine by microneedle-based intradermal (i.d.) delivery or intramuscular (i.m.) injection using conventional needles. Intradermal delivery required less antigen to induce levels of antibody similar to those produced via i.m. injection during the first 2 weeks following primary and booster inoculation. This dose-sparing effect was less evident at the later stages of the immune response. Rabbits immunized i.d. with 10 μg of rPA displayed 100% protection from aerosol spore challenge, while i.m. injection of the same dose provided slightly lower protection (71%). Groups immunized with lower antigen doses were partially protected (13 to 29%) regardless of the mode of administration. Overall, our results suggest rPA formulated with aluminum adjuvant and administered to the skin by a microneedle-based device is as efficacious as i.m. vaccination.
Impact of Comorbid Anxiety Disorders on Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Objective: This study examined the impact of comorbid anxiety disorders—posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder—on health-related quality of life among primary care patients enrolled in a collaborative care depression intervention study for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Methods: Baseline data were used from 324 participants in the Telemedicine Enhanced Antidepressant Management (TEAM) Study, a multisite randomized effectiveness trial targeting VA primary care patients with depression. Health-related quality of life was measured by using the Quality of Well-Being Scale, self-administered version (QWB-SA) and the mental component summary (MCS-12V) and physical component summary (PCS-12V) of the 12-item Short Form Health Survey for Veterans (SF-12V). Results: A majority of participants (69 percent) had at least one anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD predicted scores on the QWB-SA. PTSD predicted scores on the PCS12V, but none of the comorbid anxiety disorders predicted scores on the MCS-12V. In addition, social support, depression severity, and the number of chronic medical conditions significantly predicted QWB-SA scores; the number of self-reported chronic physical health conditions and the number of depression episodes significantly predicted PCS12V scores; and social support and depression severity significantly predicted MCS-12V scores. Conclusions: According to scores on the QWB-SA, generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD comorbid with major depressive disorder impair health-related quality of life above and beyond major depressive disorder alone. (Psychiatric Services 57:1731–1737, 2006)