cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduced glial and neuronal packing density in the orbitofrontal cortex in alcohol dependence and its relationship with suicide and duration of alcohol dependence.

Recent research in alcoholic subjects without major neurological impairments has shown a reduction in the packing density of glial cells in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) (Miguel-Hidalgo et al., 2002) and the hippocampus (Korbo, 1999). Furthermore, the magnitude of this reduction in glial density contrasts with lesser or nonsignificant reduction in the numbers of neurons found in these and other cortical regions in alcoholic subjects without Wernicke's encephalopathy or Korsakoff's syndrome (Korbo, 1999; Kril et al., 1997; Kril and Harper, 1989). Several areas within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) demonstrate physiological and structural alterations in alcoholism and other psychiatric disorders, and these alterations correlate with disturbances of cognition, emotion, and motivation (Catafau et al., 1999; Dao-Castellana et al., 1998; Freund and Anderson, 1996; Steketee, 2003; Sullivan et al., 2000). The dlPFC is significantly affected by chronic alcohol-use disorders and there are functional and histopathological studies demonstrating a heavier pathology in the dlPFC than in other brain areas outside of the PFC (Kril and Harper, 1989; Kril et al., 1997). However, for the orbitofrontal cortex (ORB), a prefrontal region of great relevance to behaviors of addiction (Volkow and Fowler, 2000; Yan et al., 1998), there is little information on the cellular pathology that may be related to functional and behavioral alterations in alcoholic subjects. The study of putative histopathological anomalies in the ORB, however, is not trivial as the ORB exerts features of behavioral control distinct from those of the dlPFC and can even show patterns of activation opposite to the dlPFC when confronted with particular stimuli in normal subjects or in depressed patients compared with controls (Bechara et al., 2000; Drevets, 2001). The ORB is also involved in the emotional aspects of decision-making processes (Bechara et al., 2000), and given the significantly increased risk of suicide in alcoholic subjects (Cornelius et al., 1996; Kendall, 1983), it is pertinent to determine whether there are cellular alterations in the ORB that might be associated with increased risk for suicide. Moreover, the ORB is also particularly sensitive to the effects of aging as demonstrated by gross structural deficiencies in normal elderly subjects (Tisserand et al., 2002, 2004). Finally, recent studies in major depressive disorder (MDD) have also shown remarkable significant decreases in neuronal density in the ORB of elderly depressed subjects with major depression (Rajkowska et al., 2005). The present study sought to determine whether there are alterations in the packing density of glial cells and neurons in Brodmann's area 47 of the ORB of neurologically intact alcoholic subjects compared with nonalcoholic control subjects. We also examined the possibility of differential cellular pathology in the alcoholic subjects dying by suicide compared with subjects dying by other causes.
Children's wishful identification and parasocial interaction with favorite television characters

Children aged 7 to 12 were interviewed about their favorite TV character. Nearly all boys and about half of the girls selected same‐sex favorites. Regression analyses used perceived character traits (attractiveness, strength, humor, intelligence, social behavior) to predict wishful identification and parasocial interaction with characters. For male characters, wishful identification was predicted by intelligence and (for girls only) humor; parasocial interaction was predicted by intelligence, attractiveness, and (for boys only) strength. In marked contrast, for female characters (chosen only by girls), attractiveness was the only significant predictor. Although girls rated female characters as more intelligent than male characters, this trait apparently was not an important determinant of attraction. Interpretations of the findings and implications for socialization effects are discussed.
California's Policy Approach to Develop Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration as a Mitigation Technology☆

Abstract While California has been at the forefront in adopting an aggressive climate change mitigation policy, it has taken a more measured and tentative approach toward creating an enabling policy and a regulatory framework for carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) technologies to contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions. In 2005, Governor's Executive Order S-3-05 required that California reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. In 2006, State Assembly Bill 32 codified the 2020 goal into law. In 2006, the California Legislature required two California agencies, the California Energy Commission and the Department of Conservation, to produce a report recommending how the state could facilitate commercial adoption of geologic sequestration from industrial sources. In 2010, three state agencies, the Energy Commission, Public Utilities Commission, and Air Resources Board, convened the California Carbon Capture and Storage Review Panel to make recommendations on specific policy, institutional, and regulatory changes necessary for California to enable commercial-scale carbon capture and geologic storage projects. Since 2006, several legislative bills have been introduced to establish regulatory authority, liability, and address pore space ownership issues, but none have made it into law. To meet the state's aggressive targets, especially to 2050 goal, will nevertheless require widespread adoption of CCUS technologies, according to studies by the California Council on Science and Technology. California contributes 7.5% of the total GHG emissions in the USA, or 1.8% of global GHG emissions. Over half of this currently is from point sources, but that proportion will increase as the state pursues electrification of the transportation sector. Trajectories of future GHG emissions growth suggest mitigation technologies must be implemented at rates on the order of 10–20 million tonnes of GHGs removed per year. The cap-and-trade system recently adopted in California to address the GHG reduction mandates of Assembly Bill 32 would seem to encourage pursuit CCUS technology projects by industrial emitters, but uncertainties preclude developing viable business cases. Uncertainty includes a lack of data on the costs of capture and storage and the lack of cap-and-trade accounting protocols for CCUS technologies. Although these protocols are scheduled to be developed, they will lag the initialization of cap-and-trade in 2012.
Visual observing by rhesus monkeys: some relationships with social dominance rank.

Five rhesus monkeys were tested in a visual exploration situation to determine whether the mean frequency or mean duration of visual observing were systematically related to the dominance status of the observing animal. A dominance hierarchy among the five subjects was first determined by means of a competitive food-getting task. Following dominance testing, visual exploration testing was begun. All subjects were permitted to observe all other subjects in a round-robin pairing system involving two animals at a time. In each pairing, one animal served as the experimental subject (observer); the other as the stimulus (visual incentive). A highly significant linear effect of dominance was found in regard to duration of observing. Subjects high in the dominance hierarchy observed for significantly shorter durations than low-dominant subjects. Significant effects of dominance on the frequency of observing were also found, with animals intermediate in the hierarchy viewing more frequently than animals at either extreme. The data were interpreted in terms of the arousal and reduction of fear as a function of dominance and also through the notion of dominance distance.
Successive-MFCW modulation for ultra-fast narrowband radar

Real time imaging radar requires short dwell time and low hardware complexity, limiting the application of many existing radar modulation methods. In this paper, we propose a novel Successive Multiple Frequency Continuous Wave (S-MFCW) modulation scheme to address these challenges. The S-MFCW signal model is formulated and the impact of noise is analyzed, leading to a very short dwell time and narrow signal bandwidth with excellent range and speed accuracy. From the numerical simulation of an automotive radar example, we show that S-MFCW achieves comparable range and speed performance, but orders of magnitude lower requirements on dwell time and bandwidth compared to the commonly used FMCW radar.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy for in vivo Discrimination of Pre-Malignant Colonic Lesions

Laser induced autofluorescence spectroscopy was employed to characterize colon tissues of varying pathology in vivo. Steady state and time resolved fluorescence signals obtained simultaneously in vivo were compared with signatures from endogenous fluorophores in vitro.
Imaging Guidance with C-arm CT: Prospective Evaluation of Its Impact on Patient Radiation Exposure during Transhepatic Arterial Chemoembolization

Abstract Purpose To prospectively evaluate the impact of C-arm CT on radiation exposure to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated by chemoembolization. Materials and Methods Patients with HCC (N = 87) underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA; control group) or combined C-arm CT/DSA (test group) for chemoembolization. Dose-area product (DAP) and cumulative dose (CD) were measured for guidance and treatment verification. Contrast agent volume and C-arm CT utility were also measured. Results The marginal DAP increase in the test group was offset by a substantial (50%) decrease in CD from DSA. Use of C-arm CT allowed reduction of DAP and CD from DSA imaging ( P = .007 and P = .017). Experienced operators were more efficient in substituting C-arm CT for DSA, resulting in a negligible increase (7.5%) in total DAP for guidance, compared with an increase of 34% for all operators ( P = .03). For treatment verification, DAP from C-arm CT exceeded that from DSA, approaching that of conventional CT. The test group used less contrast medium ( P = .001), and C-arm CT provided critical or supplemental information in 20% and 17% of patients, respectively. Conclusions Routine use of C-arm CT can increase stochastic risk (DAP) but decrease deterministic risk (CD) from DSA. However, the increase in DAP is operator-dependent, thus, with experience, it can be reduced to under 10%. C-arm CT provides information not provided by DSA in 33% of patients, while decreasing the use of iodinated contrast medium. As with all radiation-emitting modalities, C-arm CT should be used judiciously.
Thermogenesis secondary to transdermal water loss causes growth retardation in essential fatty acid-deficient rats

Abstract Manifestations of essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency in rats include growth retardation and increased transdermal water loss. The extra metabolic energy requirement could be caused by greater evaporative water loss from the skin surface. To test this hypothesis, 38 weanling rats were randomly assigned to one of two environments, control (CE) at 20°C and 40% humidity or warm/humid (WHE) at 30°C and 90% humidity. Half of the 20 CE rats were fed an EFA-adequate diet and the other 10 an EFA-deficient diet; the 18 WHE rats were also equally partitioned to the two diets. CE and WHE animals were independently group-fed to maintain equal energy intakes within each environment. Weight gain at 90 days was lower for CE EFA-deficient rats than for CE EFA-adequate rats (P
A note on land-tilt

This brief note is presented as a progress-report on the project of measuring seismographically the very slow land-tilting that has been known to affect the lower lakes region. Previous papers have reviewed the work of Gilbert, Sherman, Moore, and Gutenberg on this subject, and have discussed also the inherent tilt-sensitivities of certain types of horizontal seismometers and their precision in the measurement of very slow and almost infinitesimal tilting.
Phase instability under cascade damage irradiation

Abstract Displacement cascades have a much greater power to disrupt the crystalline lattice than do single displacement events. The effects of displacement cascades on particle resolution, on disordering, and on amorphization are considered herein. Particle resolution is found to be a relatively slow process, even with the assistance of displacement cascades. Larger displacement cascades which give greater recoil distances are found to give faster resolution. Numerous experimental studies of oxide particles in metallic matrices have revealed at most the first stages of radiation recoil dissolution. Ordered intermetallic compounds are readily disordered by low temperature irradiation, even in the absence of displacement cascades. It was recently shown theoretically that displacement cascades may give disordering when equivalent displacement conditions without cascades leave the alloy ordered. Radiation amorphization of intermetallic compounds has been observed under a variety of irradiation conditions. Some compounds amorphize readily under cascade-inducing heavy ion irradiation but not under electron irradiation. Recent modelling, studies have shown that clusters of defects, such as may be formed in cascades, may be needed for amorphization.
Exhaled air temperature and water conservation in lizards.

Abstract Studies of the desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) show that a significant amount of water can be saved by exhaling air at temperatures below body temperature. When body temperature is near-equal to ambient air temperature the exhaled air is about 0.5 °C below body temperature, but when body temperature is higher than ambient air temperature (as in nature when the lizards bask in the sun) the exhaled air is cooled by several degrees. For example, a lizard with its body temperature maintained at 42 °C in air at 30 °C (r.h., 25 %) exhales air at 35 °C and recovers 31 % of the water that would have been lost if air were exhaled saturated at body temperature. The mean body temperature of active lizards in the field has been found to be about 42 °C (even when the air is much cooler), and the ability to exhale air at a lower temperature is therefore of great importance in their water balance.
Semi-parametric Selection Models for Potentially Non-ignorable Attrition in Panel Studies with Refreshment Samples

Panel studies typically suffer from attrition. Ignoring the attrition can result in biased inferences if the missing data are systematically related to outcomes of interest. Unfortunately, panel data alone cannot inform the extent of bias due to attrition. Many panel studies also include refreshment samples, which are data collected from a random sample of new individuals during the later waves of the panel. Refreshment samples offer information that can be utilized to correct for biases induced by non-ignorable attrition while reducing reliance on strong assumptions about the attrition process. We present a Bayesian approach to handle attrition in two-wave panels with one refreshment sample and many categorical survey variables. The approach includes (1) an additive non-ignorable selection model for the attrition process; and (2) a Dirichlet process mixture of multinomial distributions for the categorical survey variables. We present Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms for sampling from the posterior distribution of model parameters and missing data. We apply the model to correct attrition bias in an analysis of data from the 2007–08 Associated Press/Yahoo News election panel study.
Qualities of Fatigue and Associated Chronic Conditions Among Older Adults

Abstract Context Although fatigue is a common and distressing symptom, a well-specified definition of fatigue is lacking. One of the least well-defined aspects of fatigue is its quality, which might reflect the underlying pathophysiology. Objective To identify the qualities of fatigue and assess whether they are associated with distinct chronic conditions. Methods We identified five fatigue qualities in the literature, two mental and three physical, and selected representative items from those available in our data from a prospective cohort of 495 community-dwelling primary care patients aged 65 years or older. We then examined the prevalence of each quality, the correlations among qualities, and the association of fatigue qualities with health and functional status, including chronic conditions. Results Fatigue was very common among older primary care patients, with 70% reporting one or more fatigue qualities and 43% reporting feeling tired most of the time, and was associated with worse health and functional status. Physical fatigue qualities were more common than mental qualities. Correlations among fatigue qualities were 0.09–0.27 and did not support the mental vs. physical classification. Different fatigue qualities were not well explained by older adults' underlying chronic conditions. Rather, the cumulative number of fatigue qualities was associated with worse health and function. Conclusion These first steps in exploring fatigue qualities suggest that different fatigue qualities could represent disparate manifestations of a common underlying etiology, while not ruling out distinct underlying pathophysiologies.
The peak brightness of SN 1937C in IC 4182 and the Hubble constant

The light curve of the Type Ia supernova SN 1937C (in IC 4182) is important because Sandage et al. have measured a distance to the host galaxy by means of Cepheid variables and thus have derived the Hubble constant. However, the peak brightness of SN 1937C has only been derived with the relatively poor original comparison star brightnesses and without regard to a large body of data in the literature. In this paper, I will correct these and other procedural difficulties. I find that the late time photographic light curve appears to have a broken exponential decay with equivalent half-lives of 46 and 58 days with the break near 300 days after maximum. I also find that the peak B-magnitude was 8.71 +/- 0.14 on JD 2428770.0 +/- 1.0 at which time the B-V was -0.03 +/- 0.13. With these improved peak brightnesses, the distance modulus of Sandage et al., and peak absolute magnitudes in the center of the range of modern estimates, I derive the Hubble constant to be 50 km/s Mpc.
Some Extended Range Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixtures

Abstract Extending the temperature range of nematic liquid crystals is technologically important for the operation of electrooptic devices in environments where ambient temperatures vary widely. The expected lowest temperature limit (eutectic temperature) of eutectic-forming nematic mixtures is calculable from the equations of le Chatelier, Schroder, and van Laar (CSL). The assumptions basic to the derivation of these equations are discussed elsewhere.1,2 However, straightforward application of the method makes it apparent that the greatest depression of the eutectic temperature is obtained for components having both low crystal-nematic temperature TKN and small crystal-nematic latent heat LKN.
TRAM1 Participates in Human Cytomegalovirus US2- and US11-mediated Dislocation of an Endoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Glycoprotein

The human cytomegalovirus proteins US2 and US11 have co-opted endoplasmic reticulum (ER) quality control to facilitate the destruction of major histocompatibility complex class I heavy chains. The class I heavy chains are dislocated from the ER to the cytosol, where they are deglycosylated and subsequently degraded by the proteasome. We examined the role of TRAM1 (translocating chain-associated membrane protein-1) in the dislocation of class I molecules using US2- and US11-expressing cells. TRAM1 is an ER protein initially characterized for its role in processing nascent polypeptides. Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that TRAM1 can complex with the wild type US2 and US11 proteins as well as deglycosylated and polyubiquitinated class I degradation intermediates. In studies using US2- and US11-TRAM1 knockdown cells, we observed an increase in levels of class I heavy chains. Strikingly, increased levels of glycosylated heavy chains were observed in TRAM1 knockdown cells when compared with control cells in a pulse-chase experiment. In fact, US11-mediated class I dislocation was more sensitive to the lack of TRAM1 than US2. These results provide further evidence that these viral proteins may utilize distinct complexes to facilitate class I dislocation. For example, US11-mediated class I heavy chain degradation requires Derlin-1 and SEL1L, whereas signal peptide peptidase is critical for US2-induced class I destabilization. In addition, TRAM1 can complex with the dislocation factors Derlin-1 and signal peptide peptidase. Collectively, the data support a model in which TRAM1 functions as a cofactor to promote efficient US2- and US11-dependent dislocation of major histocompatibility complex class I heavy chains.
On the correlation coefficient between the TD50 and the MTD.

The existence of correlation between the carcinogenic potency and the maximum tolerated dose has been the subject of many investigations in recent years. Several attempts have been made to quantify this correlation in different bioassay experiments. By using some distributional assumptions, Krewski et al.(1) derive an analytic expression for the coefficient of correlation between the carcinogenic potency TD50 and the maximum tolerated dose. Here, we discuss the deviation that may result in using their analytical expression. By taking a more general approach we derive an expression for the correlation coefficient which includes the result of Krewski et al.(1) as a special case, and show that their expression may overestimate the correlation in some instances and yet underestimate the correlation in other instances. The proposed method is illustrated by application to a real dataset.
The Impact of Turbulent Fluctuations on Light Propagation in a Controlled Environment

Underwater temperature and salinity microstructure can lead to localized changes in the index of refraction and can be a limiting factor in oceanic environments. This optical turbulence can affect electro-optical (EO) signal transmissions that impact various applications, from diver visibility to active and passive remote sensing. To quantify the scope of the impacts from turbulent flows on EO signal transmission, and to examine and mitigate turbulence effects, we perform experiments in a controlled turbulence environment allowing the variation of turbulence intensity. This controlled turbulence setup is implemented at the Naval Research Laboratory Stennis Space Center (NRLSSC). Convective turbulence is generated in a classical Rayleigh-Benard tank and the turbulent flow is quantified using a state-of-the-art suite of sensors that includes high-resolution Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter profilers and fast thermistor probes. The measurements are complemented by very high- resolution non-hydrostatic numerical simulations. These computational fluid dynamics simulations allow for a more complete characterization of the convective flow in the laboratory tank than would be provided by measurements alone. Optical image degradation in the tank is assessed in relation to turbulence intensity. The unique approach of integrating optical techniques, turbulence measurements and numerical simulations helps advance our understanding of how to mitigate the effects of turbulence impacts on underwater optical signal transmission, as well as of the use of optical techniques to probe oceanic processes.
Hallucinogenic agents as discriminative stimuli: a correlation with serotonin receptor affinities.

A choice between two levers in an operant chamber was used to train 24 rats, under a variable-interval 15 s schedule of sweetened milk reinforcement, to discriminate a hallucinogenic (psychotomimetic) agent, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-OMe DMT), from saline administration. The 5-OMe DMT stimulus generalized in a dose-related manner to each of 14 tryptamine related analogs. With the exception of one compound, the effective dose for the 5-OMe DMT response correlated highly (r=-0.86) with 5-HT receptor affinity (as determined using an isolated rat fundus preparation).
Linear dichroism and the nature of charge order in underdoped cuprates

Recent experiments have addressed the nature of the charge order seen in underdoped cuprates. Here I show that x-ray absorption and linear dichroism are excellent probes of such order. Ab initio calculations reveal that a $d$-wave charge density wave order involving the oxygen ions is a much better description of the data than alternate models.
Effect of Price on the Demand for Durables: Modeling, Estimation, and Findings

The focus of this article is on the effect of price on the adoption of durables. Most empirical research on the timing of adoption of new products has centered on the growth without explicitly incorporating any marketing-mix variables. Recently, some researchers have pursued ways of enriching the Bass model by including such controllable variables as price and advertising. Our interest in this article is to propose diffusion models that incorporate price. We use these models to study the price effect for four durable products. We report the estimation results and discuss the insights they provide. In particular, our empirical results suggest that price influences consumers' decisions on whether or not to buy and the diffusion process governs the timing of purchase given the decision to buy. Moreover, we find that the estimated coefficient of imitation in the Bass model is understated if price is inappropriately modeled.
When is Sustainable Forestry Sustainable? The Forest Stewardship Council in Argentina and Brazil

Despite the proliferation of private regulatory regimes as instruments for global governance, we know little about the operations or effectiveness of these regimes at the national level. This is particularly true in developing countries where these programs are expected to have their greatest impact. This paper examines why it is that in two nations that share several properties believed to support private forms of environmental regulation, the effectiveness of one prominent global program, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), should vary so dramatically. Findings indicate that differences in three variables that often support successful private regulation—domestic and foreign market demand, the influence of transnational actors, and state endorsement—do not adequately account for this variation. Instead, factors that promote the supply of local programs have strongly influenced the effectiveness of the FSC in these nations, particularly the social resources and political strategies utilized by program administrators.
Intrinsically knotted graphs

In 1983, Conway and Gordon [J Graph Theory 7 (1983), 445–453] showed that every (tame) spatial embedding of K7, the complete graph on 7 vertices, contains a knotted cycle. In this paper, we adapt the methods of Conway and Gordon to show that K3,3,1,1 contains a knotted cycle in every spatial embedding. In the process, we establish that if a graph satisfies a certain linking condition for every spatial embedding, then the graph must have a knotted cycle in every spatial embedding. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 39: 178–187, 2002; DOI 10.1002-jgt.10017
Excess dietary tyrosine and corneal lesions.

Rats fed an abnormally high concentration of L-tyrosine developed a reproducible corneal disease. By biomicroscopy the corneal lesion was seen to progress through definite stages: overall diffuse epithelial haze; discrete, stellate-shaped epithelial opacities; stromal thickening; vascular ingrowth; and finally regression of the opacity. Tyrosine levels were determined spectrofluorometrically at all stages of the disease. Initially, tyrosine in both serum and aqueous humor rose rapidly. The concentration of this amino acid in the aqueous humor exceeded that in serum. While remaining higher than normal, the absolute concentration of tyrosine in serum varied little with time. The content of tyrosine in the aqueous humor decreased slowly. Only the dietary dose of tyrosine was correlated with the elevation in the serum and aqueous humor tyrosine concentrations (P < 0·001). Other factors tested, including sex, presence or absence of pigmentation, and type of ambient light, did not modify the corneal disease.
Studies on renal excretion of beryllium.

SummaryCarrier-free Be7 injected in an insoluble form has a very low clearance as compared with the simultaneous inulin clearance. When citrate, a potent complexer of beryllium, is added to insure that the injected beryllium is in an insoluble form, the clearance is much greater, despite the fact that ultrafiltration studies indicate the soluble beryllium to assume a non-diffusible form after mixing with the blood. The addition of carrier does not markedly alter the beryllium clearance. The clearance ratio, i.e., CBe/Cinulin, varies widely enough to suggest that the two substances are not excreted by the same mechanism, and the possibility of tubular activity in beryllium excretion comes to mind. This idea is supported by ultrafiltration studies which show that beryllium exists in the plasma in a non-diffusible form. Complete clarification of the problem must await further work on the state of beryllium in the blood.
Neural networks letter: Effects of spectral radius and settling time in the performance of echo state networks

Echo State Networks (ESNs) have tremendous potential on a variety of problems if successfully designed. The effects of varying two important ESN parameters, the spectral radius (@a) and settling time (ST) are studied in this letter. Spectral radius of an ESN is the maximum of all eigenvalues of the reservoir weights whereas ST is measured by the number of iterations allowed in the reservoir after its excitation by an input and before the sampling of the ESN output. The influence of these parameters on the performance of an ESN is illustrated using three different types of problems. These problems include a function approximation, a time series prediction and a complex system monitoring/estimation. An @a of 0.8 gives best result in all of these experiments and the performance of the ESN degrades when ST is increased. This degradation in the ESN's performance is due to the decaying of the echoes and attenuation in the reservoir. The increase in ST adversely affects the ESN performance and as such no long-term echoing arrangement is desired. Reducing ST greatly reduces the computational requirement making ESNs suitable even for tasks that require a high frequency of operation.
Cannabinoids: reward, dependence, and underlying neurochemical mechanisms--a review of recent preclinical data.

Starting with the discovery of an endogenous brain cannabinoid system with specific receptors and endogenous ligands, research in the cannabinoid field has accelerated dramatically over the last 15 years. Cannabis is the most used illicit psychotropic substance in the world but only recently have reliable preclinical models become available for investigating the rewarding and dependence-producing actions of its psychoactive constituent, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The goal of this review is to examine the various animal models currently available that are being used to facilitate our understanding of the rewarding and dependence-producing actions of cannabinoids, which are central to their abuse liability, and of the neurochemical mechanisms that may underlie these actions of cannabinoids. Recent demonstrations that strong and persistent intravenous self-administration behavior can be obtained in squirrel monkeys using a range of THC doses that are in agreement with the total intake and the single doses of THC normally self-administered by humans smoking marijuana cigarettes provides a reliable and direct tool for assessing the reinforcing effects of THC that are central to its abuse liability. In addition, recent demonstrations of persistent intravenous self-administration of synthetic cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonists by rats and mice and the development of genetically modified mice lacking specific cannabinoid receptors provide convenient rodent models for exploring underlying neurochemical mechanisms. Repeated demonstrations in rats that THC and synthetic CB1 agonists can induce conditioned place preferences or aversions, depending on details of dose and spacing, can reduce the threshold for intracranial self-stimulation behavior under certain conditions, and can serve as effective discriminative stimuli for operant behavior provide less direct, but more rapidly established, measures for investigating the rewarding effects of cannabinoids. Finally, there have been numerous recent reports of major functional interactions between endogenous cannabinoid, opioid, and dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems in areas such as analgesia, physical dependence and tolerance development, and drug reinforcement or reward. This provides an opportunity to search for drugs with the beneficial therapeutic effects of currently available cannabinoids or opioids but without undesirable adverse effects such as abuse liability.
Meal patterns and hypothalamic gene expression following chronic social stress.

In the visible burrow system (VBS) model of chronic social stress male rats are housed with females resulting in a dominance hierarchy with one dominant (DOM) and three subordinate (SUB) males. Previous work has described behavioral, physiological and neuroendocrine changes during VBS stress and subsequent recovery. Specifically, SUB animals display several signs of severe stress exposure including thymic involution, adrenal hypertrophy, increased basal corticosterone, and dramatic decreases in body weight. This loss of body weight is concomitant with metabolic consequences such as changes in glucose tolerance and altered food intake strategies. SUB animals consume less food in smaller, shorter meals compared to DOM while housed in the VBS. Prior studies have examined neuropeptides known to affect food intake and found increased neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in the dorsomedial hypothalamus of SUB animals following stress. Elevated NPY is predictive of increased meal size, but not meal number. Although, SUB animals are hyperphagic in their initial recovery from stress, it is unknown if the increased NPY expression observed in these animals is associated with altered patterns of ingestion. The current study will examine meal patterns and hypothalamic gene expression after VBS stress, 3 days of recovery, and 3 weeks of recovery. Supported by: DK066596.
COMPOSITE SPECTRAL INDICES: A NEW METHOD FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF SOLAR AND STELLAR ACTIVITY

Activity in solar-like stars is often characterized by one, or at most a handful, of proxy spectral indicators such as Ca II H and K or Hα. In this paper we define and explore composite spectral indices (CSIs), which are derived from consideration of the simultaneous behavior of larger sets of related spectral lines. With judiciously defined CSIs, we can examine the short- and long-term variability in a set of solar or stellar spectra in a complementary way to the traditional K index. In this paper we demonstrate this method, using our solar data series spanning the cycle 22/23 minimum and the initial rise of cycle 23, from 1994 through 1999, and using initial CSIs chosen to be sensitive to the presence of sunspots. We find that despite the relative inactivity of the Sun during the time period in question, analysis of the CSIs reveals the change in sunspot number through solar minimum in a well-defined way. Manifestation of this solar property in the CSIs indicates their utility for study of other physical characteristics in the same way, as well as for comparison of the Sun's physical properties and low-level variability to individual solar analogs.
Effects of stoichiometry, purity, etching and distilling on resistance of MgB2 pellets and wire segments

Abstract We present a study of the effects of non-stoichiometry, boron purity, wire diameter and post-synthesis treatment (etching and Mg distilling) on the temperature dependent resistance and resistivity of sintered MgB 2 pellets and wire segments. Whereas the residual resistivity ratio (RRR) varies between RRR≈4 to RRR⩾20 for different boron purity, it is only moderately affected by non-stoichiometry (from 20% Mg deficiency to 20% Mg excess) and is apparently independent of wire diameter and presence of Mg metal traces on the wire surface. The obtained set of data indicates that RRR values in excess of 20 and residual resistivities as low as ρ 0 ≈0.4 μΩ cm are intrinsic material properties of high purity MgB 2 .
Determination of Bolus Dielectric Constant for Optimum Coupling of Microwaves through Skin for Breast Cancer Imaging

We find the complex dielectric constant of the bolus liquid with the best microwave impedance match to skin-covered fatty breast tissue. The real dielectric constant and conductivity of the ideal medium are determined by minimizing the magnitude of the reflection coefficient from the two-interface frequency-dependent system, using published measured skin and breast fat dielectric characteristics in the 400 MHz to 10 GHz frequency range. Error bounds are provided to indicate the coupling degradation when using real, nonideal media for the bolus liquid. Two frequency regimes are identified. Below 6.45 GHz, conventional liquid mixtures can approach the optimal coupling permittivity, but the reflection magnitudes for these best cases are high. Above 6.45 GHz, perfect coupling is possible, but only for impractically high values of bolus dielectric constant and loss.
Cap‐and‐trade emission allowances and US companies' balance sheets

Purpose – This study aims to examine the impact of the emission allowances granted under California's cap‐and‐trade program (AB 32) – the first major program of its kind in the USA – on the balance sheets and income statements of the S&P 500. So far there has been little discussion of what a cap‐and‐trade program would mean for the US companies' financial statements.Design/methodology/approach – The author states and tests an economic model of the relation between greenhouse gas emissions and financial statement variables at the individual company level and use this model to predict emission allowances and obligations for the S&P 500.Findings – The author's analysis suggests that the average S&P 500 company's balance sheet and net income will be adversely affected under several different accounting treatments for emission allowances, with the greatest impacts in the utilities, energy, and materials sectors.Practical implications – US and European regulators have yet to set a single standard for emissions ...
c-Abl Activates Janus Kinase 2 in Normal Hematopoietic Cells *

Jak2 is involved in cytokine growth factor-stimulated signal transduction, but the mechanism of its activation is largely unknown. Here, we investigated Jak2 activation in a normal hematopoietic cell line, 32D mouse myeloid cells. The bimolecular fluorescence complementation studies showed that c-Abl formed a stable complex with Jak2 in live cells. Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that c-Abl bound to the βc chain of IL-3/IL-5/GM-CSF receptors. The kinase activities of both c-Abl and Jak2 were stimulated by IL-3 in 32D cells. Decreasing c-Abl protein expression in 32D cells by inducible shRNA decreased Jak2 activity and resulted in the failure of Jak2 activation in response to IL-3. Treatment of IL-3 and serum-starved 32D cells with 1 μm imatinib mysylate inhibited IL-3 stimulated kinase activities of both c-Abl and Jak2. In addition, the kinase-deficient Bcr-Abl mutant (p210K1172R) was defective for activation of Jak2 in 32D cells and impaired IL-3 independent growth, which was rescued by overexpression of c-Abl (+Abl). IL-3 efficiently inhibited apoptosis of 32Dp210K/R+Abl cells induced by imatinib mysylate but not Jak2 kinase inhibitor TG101209. In summary, our findings provide evidence that the kinase function of c-Abl and its C-terminal CT4 region is crucial for its interaction with Jak2 and its activation. c-Abl kinase activity induced by IL-3 is required for IL-3-stimulated Jak2 and Jak1 activation. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory role of c-Abl in Jak2 activation induced by IL-3 cytokine growth factor in 32D hematopoietic cells.
Redesigning the knowledge-based product development organization: a case study of sociotechnical systems change

Abstract Many R&D organizations of U. S. corporations are beginning to search for more effective ways to organize the knowledge-based product development process. Unfortunately, there are relatively few comprehensive methods for redesigning knowledge-based product development organizations. This case describes how sociotechnical systems (STS) methods were used to redesign a sophisticated chemical-based product development division of a high technology organization. STS methods provided R&D managers and professional employees a structured, analytic and highly participative approach for managing change in their division. Based on STS design principles, a change team consisting of professional employees designed and administered an organizational audit for assessing the effectiveness of current work practices and the factors which delayed research projects. Results from the audit indicated that delays to research projects were caused by organizational rather than technical factors, and that significant changes in organizational structure and work practices were required. The change team proposed the division be redesigned into a permanent team-based product development organization.
Elastic CDW depinning anomalies in TaS3: Frequency and strain dependences

Abstract We have measured the dependence of the CDW elastic depinning anomalies on frequency and uniaxial strain. The anomalies in shear and Young's moduli are approximately independent of frequency between 30Hz and 1kHz, falling rapidly above this. The shear modulus anomaly decreases rapidly when the strain exceeds ∼0.5%, where a second threshold electric field is observed.
Perceptron-how this neural network model lets you evaluate Boolean functions

The author explores aspects of just what a neural network can do, by building a simple model that evaluates Boolean functions. The neural network model for the system that the author is building is one of the earliest: the perceptron, developed by Rosenblatt in the 1960s. The goal of the present work is to build a perceptron that can evaluate Boolean functions by learning the input patterns and the associated output. A major part of the process of building a neural net, the training of the network, is discussed. A wide variety of training algorithms have been developed. An analysis of the system is given, and limitations of the perceptron are described. >
Test of a year-annealed glass for the cohen-grest percolation transition

Abstract The first order transition recently postulated by Cohen and Grest to lie somewhere between the normal glass transition temperature T g and the so-called “ideal glass” transition temperature T o . will be difficult to observe if it exists because of the long relaxation times needed for any structural changes in this temperature regime. We have recently identified a system in which the possibility for such a transition occurring would seem unsually high. The glass Ag 7 I 4 AsO 4 has a structural relaxation function such that it equilibrates at room temperature, 40 K below T g , in a matter of weeks. Samples of this glass which have lain in an equilibrium state 40 K below T g for a year or more have been characterized thermally to examine the possibility that a first order transition has occurred. The conclusion is that despite the favorable circumtances of the case, and the large thermal spike observed on reheating the annealed glass, nothing unaccounted for by normal annealing processes has occurred.
Observed Advantages of the STAMPEDE Study Design

Recent advances in understanding of prostate cancer biology, in diagnostics, and in therapeutics have transformed the management of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC): In a 4-yr period, five new systemic therapies have been proven to prolong life and approved for use. Issues now are (1) how to use these agents in practice to maximize patient benefit, (2) how to evaluate them in earlier disease sites for which they may be more beneficial, (3) how to show whether combining them and other approved agents with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT; which has remained the first-line standard systemic therapy for almost eight decades) is superior to using them sequentially, and (4) how to refine methods to prioritize the most promising approaches for further study while continuing to develop new approaches. Many of these issues are addressed by the Systemic Therapy in Advancing or Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy (STAMPEDE) trial, a paradigmshifting effort that uses a multiarm, multistage design to build on the outcomes with ADT alone by exploring combinations of approved agents in the noncastrate clinical states ranging from high-risk localized disease to rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and metastatic disease [1]. The design ensures that, at minimum, patients receive the current standard of care (and they may have better outcomes by being treated and followed in a formal clinical trial setting). Since the evaluation of various combined androgen blockade approaches in the 1980s and 1990s, relatively few definitive trials have been conducted in the nonlocalized, noncastrate state because of the need for long follow-up and large sample sizes to show an effect on overall survival (OS), which is presently the main end point for regulatory approvals. The statistical design includes strict lack-of-sufficient-activity guidelines for pairwise
A reliable data transfer architecture for a space-based reconfigurable protocol chip

In this paper, we present an architecture for reliable data transfers for space-based applications. In particular, we examine a network interface card (NIC) architecture, a reliable link layer approach based on hybrid automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) scheme, and then consider the corresponding handshaking associated with file transfers. We present results on the performance of our methodology and an implementation strategy for incorporation of the mechanism into a reconfigurable protocol chip architecture
In defense of Jewish humanism

For the last three decades, scholars of the Italian Renaissance generally have concurred in their understanding of Renaissance humanism: It was a cultural, literary, and scholarly movement associated with the rise and expansion of the humanities; a well-defined cycle of academic disciplines consisting of grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy.1 The overriding concern of Renaissance humanists was an "effective expression in speech and in writing, in verse and in prose, in Latin and in the vernacular languages, of any content of ideas, images, feelings or events."2