cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Developments in the Theory of Fluid Mixtures

At the last Cryogenic Engineering Conference, Zudkevitch and Gray [1] presented a paper on the importance of fluid property predictions to the design of liquefied natural gas (LNG) processes. This paper was disturbing in that it illustrated the serious consequences of discrepancies in calculated properties small enough to bring some degree of satisfaction to those who work at these predictions. In some cases an uncertainty as small as 4 K in a bubble point temperature or a 1% error in liquid density can have exceptionally adverse economic effects. Although there has been notable progress in predicting properties of liquefied natural gas mixtures [2,3], there still remains a challenge to achieve this degree of accuracy consistently. Furthermore, the challenge is even more severe in that we must soon deal with a whole new range of fluids arising from coal and shale processing.
Examining Influences of an Early Whole-School Immersive Field Experience on Preservice Teachers

Although much is known about the benefits of student teaching in developing preservice teachers, less is known about preservice teachers’ earlier field experiences at the freshman and sophomore aca...
Extent of implementation of low-dose CT in lung cancer screening.

e19177Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States with only 15% alive 5 years after diagnosis. In 2013, USPSTF recommended annual screening for LDCT in high r...
Exchange Repulsion in Quantum Mechanical/Effective Fragment Potential Excitation Energies: Beyond Polarizable Embedding.

Hybrid quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) approaches facilitate computational modeling of large biological and materials systems. Typically, in QM/MM, a small region of the system ...
Comparison of signal decomposition techniques for analysis of human cortical signals.

Objective. Conventional neural signal analysis methods assume that features of interest are linear, time-invariant signals confined to well-delineated spectral bands. However, new evidence suggests that neural signals exhibit important non-stationary characteristics with ill-defined spectral distributions. These features pose a need for signal processing algorithms that can characterize temporal and spectral features of non-linear time series. This study compares the effectiveness of four algorithms in extracting neural information for use in decoding cortical signals: Fast Fourier Transform bandpass filtering (FFT), principal spectral component analysis (PSCA), wavelet analysis (WA), and empirical mode decomposition (EMD). Approach. Electrocorticographic signals were recorded from the motor and sensory cortex of two epileptic patients performing finger movements. Each signal processing algorithm was used to extract beta (10–30 Hz) and gamma (66–114 Hz) band power to detect thumb movement and decode finger flexions, respectively. Naive-Bayes (NB), support vector machine (SVM), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifiers using each signal were validated using leave-one-out cross-validation. Main results. Decoders using all four signal decompositions achieved above 90% average accuracy in finger movement detection using beta power. When decoding individual finger flexion using gamma, the PSCA NB classifiers achieved 78 ± 4% accuracy while FFT, WA, and EMD analysis achieved accuracies of 73 ± 8%, 68 ± 7%, and 62 ± 3% respectively, with similar results using SVM and LDA. Significance. These results illustrate the relative levels of useful information contributed by each decomposition method in the case of finger movement decoding, which can inform the development of effective neural decoding pipelines. Further analyses could compare performance using more specific non-sinusoidal features, such as transients and phase-amplitude coupling.
Cost-Effectiveness of a Training Intervention for Adolescents with ADHD.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the costs and cost-effectiveness of a school-based training intervention delivered at varying levels of intensity with adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Costs were examined in relation to post-treatment and 6-month follow-up effects of the Challenging Horizons Program (CHP), a training intervention for adolescents with ADHD.Method: A total of 326 middle-school students (71% male; 77% White) with ADHD were randomized to an after-school version of the CHP (CHP-AS), a less-intensive mentoring version (CHP-M), or routine community care. Detailed time logs were maintained throughout the study and were used to estimate costs associated with each condition. Student grade point average (GPA) and parent-rated ADHD symptoms and organization skills were collected at post-treatment and 6-month follow-up.Results: The cost analysis revealed that CHP-AS was more costly per student than CHP-M, both in terms of overall costs and direct expenses to the school. However, CHP-AS was less costly per hour of intervention provided to the youth than CHP-M. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios revealed that CHP-M may be the more cost-effective option for post-treatment effects, yet CHP-AS may be the more cost-effective option in the long term for sustained gains in organization skills and GPA.Conclusions: This study provides stakeholders important information to make decisions regarding allocation of finite monetary resources to meet their prioritized goals.
Provider specialty and odds of a new codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone and tramadol prescription before and after the CDC opioid prescribing guideline publication.

Abstract The CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain cautioned against high dose prescribing but did not provide guidance on type of opioid for new pain episodes. We determined if new prescriptions for Schedule II opioids vs. tramadol decreased in the 18 months after vs. before the CDC guideline and if this decrease was associated with physician specialty. New opioid prescriptions, provider type and covariates were measured using a nationally distributed, Optum® de-identified Electronic Health Record (EHR) data base. Eligible patients were free of cancer and HIV and started a new prescription for Schedule II opioids (i.e. codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone) or Schedule IV (tramadol) in the 18 months before (n = 141,219) or 18 months after (n = 138,216) guideline publication. Fully adjusted multilevel multinomial models estimated the association between provider type (anesthesiology/pain medicine, surgical specialty, emergency, hospital, primary care, other specialty and unknown) before and after adjusting for covariates. New oxycodone prescriptions were most common among surgical and anesthesia/pain management, and new tramadol prescriptions were most common in primary care. The greatest decreases in odds of a Schedule II opioid vs. tramadol were observed in emergency care (oxycodone vs. tramadol OR = 0.82; 95%CI:0.76–0.88) and primary care (hydrocodone vs. tramadol OR = 0.85; 95%CI:0.81–0.89). Surgical specialists were least likely to start opioid therapy with tramadol. In the 18 months after vs. before the CDC guideline, emergency care and primary care providers increased tramadol prescribing. Guidelines tailored to specialists that frequently begin opioid therapy with oxycodone may enhance safe opioid prescribing.
Social support networks of adults with sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) can cause both physical and psychological complications, such as severe pain and depression. These effects often necessitate social and caregiving support. Few studies have assessed support networks within the adult SCD population. Here, we describe the support networks of adults with SCD and identify who in these networks (1) provides emotional support, (2) is dependable during crisis situations, including social and financial adversities, and (3) provides assistance in health crises. Forty-nine adults with SCD completed surveys and social network assessments through interview. Generalized mixed-effects linear regression models were fitted to investigate the composition of support provision within these personal networks. Our findings indicate that parents and 'other important people' (e.g., friends, spouses) play key roles in the support provided to those with SCD. Siblings with SCD appeared to be more emotionally supportive than unaffected siblings. With much research centered around the pediatric and adolescent SCD populations, focus needs to extend to adults and the individuals involved in their care and disease management. Understanding the flow of support within these networks can help genetic counselors and healthcare providers to better identify both social ties that serve as support resources and less supportive relationships for individuals living with SCD and other chronic genetic conditions that might be targeted for intervention.
Application of retention modeling in chiral method development. I. Selection of isocratic composition for preparative separation with SFC.

Abstract Preparative chiral separations are carried out using chiral stationary-phases (CSP) employing isocratic composition mode to take advantage of stacking multiple injections within a single continuous operation. Development of the separation method, however, is not conducted directly in the preparative systems. Chromatographic systems at analytical scale are set up to screen multiple CSPs with various mobile-phases (MP) to detect a suitable CSP-MP combination. For faster method screening, solvent-gradients are implemented - operating from low to higher modifier composition, e.g. 5 to 70%. Once the right CSP-MP pair is detected, the isocratic method for preparative separation is developed through further experimental trials in the analytical system. The scope of the trial steps is generally limited to detecting a ”good-enough” separation condition through one or two isocratic experiments. Ideally, the analyst should scout all possible isocratic conditions to detect the most suitable method; which, however, is not possible in high-throughput separation laboratories. In this report we demonstrate the utility of a simple set of algebraic equations, supported by an experimental protocol, in generating complete isocratic method options based on minimum number of experimental trials. The approach presented here was developed for chiral separation with supercritical-fluid chromatography. We also suggest an approach to identify an isocratic composition for the purification step. The process proposed in this report should be useful in developing better preparative separation methods in high-throughput laboratories.
Primary Health Care, Proverbs, and Promise? Improving Child Survival in Northern Togo.

* Abbreviations: GPH — : global public health NMR — : neonatal mortality rate PHC — : primary health care U5MR — : under-5 mortality rate > Wood already touched by fire is not hard to set alight. > > Akan Proverb The use of proverbs in Africa is a powerful communication tool. Proverbs alert the listener to the importance of a topic and convey ancestral wisdom often with richly evocative imagery. The beauty of proverbs is their universal and timeless truths, which incorporate multiple interpretations across domains, cultures, and countries. It is fitting to use the interpretations of this West African (Akan) proverb “Wood already touched by fire is not hard to set alight” as a framework to comment on the study in Pediatrics by Fiori et al,1 who report the impact of a pragmatic, effectiveness primary health care (PHC) suite of interventions across 10 022 households over a 5-year period in Kara, a low-resource region of northern Togo, West Africa. The authors report on mortality, health use, quality and coverage outcomes, and cost. ### Interpretation 1: In the Right Setting, a Good Idea Can Easily Translate Into Reality This year marks the 43rd anniversary of the landmark Alma-Ata Declaration, which codified PHC as the key pillar and strategy all countries should adopt to ensure improved health for all.2 Introducing a suite of interventions into global public health (GPH) to attain multiplicative benefit has long been an attractive yet elusive goal, and in … Address correspondence to Cyril Engmann, MD, FAAP, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Health Sciences Building, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195. E-mail: cengmann{at}uw.edu
Permissive Left-Turn Behavior at the Flashing Yellow Arrow in the Presence of Pedestrians

Use of the flashing yellow arrow indication for permissive left-turn control has become more common in the U.S. since it was adopted in the 2009 Edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. A complete understanding of the safety implications at signalized intersections is critically important. This paper examines the results of a permissive left-turn driver behavior study conducted in a high fidelity driving simulator. The experimental results suggest 1) that when there are more pedestrians present in the conflicting crosswalk, the driver’s average fixation duration on crossing pedestrians is greater than when there is minimal pedestrian activity; 2) that 4% to 7% of drivers do not fixate on pedestrians in the crosswalk when completing their left turn; and 3) that 39% of drivers do not fixate on likely pedestrian locations when pedestrians are not present.
Proinsulin and heat shock protein 90 as biomarkers of beta-cell stress in the early period after onset of type 1 diabetes

Rapid evaluation of therapies designed to preserve β cells in persons with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is hampered by limited availability of sensitive β-cell health biomarkers. In particular, biomarkers elucidating the presence and degree of β-cell stress are needed. We characterized β-cell secretory activity and stress in 29 new-onset T1D subjects (10.6 ± 3.0 years, 55% male) at diagnosis and then 8.2 ± 1.2 weeks later at first clinic follow-up. We did comparisons with 16 matched healthy controls. We evaluated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), β-cell function (random C-peptide [C] and proinsulin [PI]), β-cell stress (PI:C ratio), and the β-cell stress marker heat shock protein (HSP)90 and examined these parameters' relationships with clinical and laboratory characteristics at diagnosis. Mean diagnosis HbA1c was 11.3% (100 mmol/mol) and 7.6% (60 mmol/mol) at follow-up. C-peptide was low at diagnosis ( P P P = 0.003) signifying increased release of PI alongside improved insulin secretion. PI:C ratios and HSP90 concentrations were elevated at both time points. Younger subjects had lower C-peptide and greater PI, PI:C, and HSP90. We also examined islets isolated from prediabetic nonobese diabetic mice and found that HSP90 levels were increased ∼4-fold compared with those in islets isolated from matched CD1 controls, further substantiating HSP90 as a marker of β-cell stress in T1D. Our data indicate that β-cell stress can be assessed using PI:C and HSP90. This stress persists after T1D diagnosis. Therapeutic approaches to reduce β-cell stress in new-onset T1D should be considered.
IDA: An Architecture for an Intelligent Design Assistant for Assessing the Inspectability of Structures from a Description of Their Geometry

A program in integrated design, NDE, and the manufacturing sciences at the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation is developing a system that assesses the inspectability and reliability of mechanical structures from a description of their geometry, materials, and performance requirements. Part of this effort involves using techniques of artificial intelligence (AI) to integrate the various components. An Intelligent Design Assistant (IDA) couples the design team to CAD, stress, inspectability and reliability models and provides expert advice on how to improve the performance and reliability of the manufactured part.
Neutral sucrose sedimentation of very large DNA from Bacillus subtilis. I. Effect of random double-strand breaks and centrifuge speed on sedimentation.

Abstract A method is presented for preparing very large DNA from Bacillus subtilis protoplasts. When the DNA is characterized by sedimentation in neutral sucrose gradients, a fast-sedimenting component is found whose sedimentation coefficient varies with centrifuge speed. By use of [3H]thymine label for the DNA and a 14C-labeled amino acid, it is shown that less than 5% cellular material other than DNA is associated with this component. Irradiation of this DNA in solution with gamma rays forms a slower component, called the “main peak”, whose sedimentation coefficient also depends on centrifuge speed. More irradiation breaks down this main peak into even slower-sedimenting DNA; it is shown that for low doses, double-strand breaks are formed in both the B. subtilis DNA and in bacteriophage T2 DNA at the same rate linear in dose, 0.018 double-strand breaks per kilorad per mass equal to that of T2 DNA. The speed dependence of the DNA sedimenting at the main peak is compared with an approximate theory of the speed dependence of the sedimentation coefficient of linear DNA by B. H. Zimm (unpublished calculations). The comparison suggests that for sufficiently high centripedal acceleration, DNA molecules larger than a critical mass will sediment at much the same velocity. The theory, and data on the break-up of the DNA with gamma rays, are used to estimate that the DNA extracted is at least 13 times the mass of T2 DNA, and possibly larger. In the Appendix, data from the literature are put together with data taken during this work to make plausible the assumption that the usual theory for the sedimentation of DNA molecules, experimentally tested in salt solutions, may also be applied to sucrose solutions. If, in neutral sucrose gradients, the distance sedimented is proportional to a power α of the mass, the best value of α = 0.38.
DISTRIBUTION OF DOSE IN THE BODY FROM A SOURCE OF GAMMA RAYS DISTRIBUTED UNIFORMLY IN AN ORGAN.

When a gamma emitter is present in an organ of the body, only a fraction of the emitted gamma energy is absorbed in that organ. Many evaluations of the absorbed fraction have been published, mostly for highly idealized and perhaps oversimplified cases. The use of an effective radius and a spherical geometry is one instance of such drastic simplification. Although an exact theory of gamma photon interaction with matter is known in detail, application of this theory is usually difficult since an enormous amount of mathematical computation is involved. However, by use of a high-speed digital computer these calculations become feasible. A Monte-Carlo-type calculation has been used to estimate the dose in 22 organs and 100 subregions of an adult human phantom for four initial gamma energies. This report is divided into three sections; in section one is a description of the phantom, in section two are some details of the Monte Carlo method used, and in section three are the dose estimates from a gamma source distributed uniformly in (1) the total body and (2) the skeleton.
Statistical data and mathematical propositions

Statistical tests of the primality of some numbers look similar to statistical tests of many nonmathematical, clearly empirical propositions. Yet interpretations of probability prima facie appear to preclude the possibility of statistical tests of mathematical propositions. For example, it is hard to understand how the statement that n is prime could have a frequentist probability other than 0 or 1. On the other hand, subjectivist approaches appear to be saddled with ‘coherence’ constraints on rational probabilities that require rational agents to assign extremal probabilities to logical and mathematical propositions. In the light of these problems, many philosophers have come to think that there must be some way to generalize a Bayesian statistical account. In this article I propose that a classical frequentist approach should be reconsidered. I conclude that we can give a conditional justification of statistical testing of at least some mathematical hypotheses: if statistical tests provide us with reasons to believe or bet on empirical hypotheses in the standard situations, then they also provide us with reasons to believe or bet on mathematical hypotheses in the structurally similar mathematical cases.
Distribution of spatial and nonspatial information in dorsal hippocampus

The hippocampus in the mammalian brain is required for the encoding of current and the retention of past experience. Previous studies have shown that the hippocampus contains neurons that encode information required to perform spatial and nonspatial short-term memory tasks. A more detailed understanding of the functional anatomy of the hippocampus would provide important insight into how such encoding occurs. Here we show that hippocampal neurons in the rat are distributed anatomically in distinct segments along the length of the hippocampus. Each longitudinal segment contains clusters of neurons that become active when the animal performs a task with spatial attributes. Within these same segments are ordered arrangements of neurons that encode the nonspatial aspects of the task appropriate to those spatial features. Thus, anatomical segregation of spatial information, together with the interleaved representation of nonspatial information, represents a structural framework that may help to resolve conflicting views of hippocampal function.
Induction and Algorithms

This chapter explores the well-ordering principle, the division algorithm and some fundamental divisibility properties. In addition, through the well-ordering principle, the chapter illustrates with an additional proof technique, the principle of mathematical induction. Interesting applications of this principle, as well as the pigeonhole principle are discussed. The division algorithm is often employed to verify the correctness of a division problem. Its proof is based on the cardinal fact that is accepted as an axiom. The Euclidean algorithm is one of the best algorithms among several procedures which are used for finding the greatest common divisor (GCD) of two positive integers. With respect to induction, the chapter states that the principle of mathematical induction (PMI) is a frequently used proof technique in both mathematics and computer science. Finally, the chapter explains algorithm correctness.
Gravitational sedimentation methods of particle size determination

This chapter describes some of the methods for sedimentation particle size analysis. It stresses two factors that lead to incorrect analyses. The first is incorrect sampling, as analyses are carried out on from a tenth of a gram up to a few grams and these samples must be representative of the bulk for the analyses to be meaningful. The second is dispersion. Gravitational sedimentation methods of particle size determination are based on the settling behavior of a single sphere, under gravity, in a fluid of infinite extent. The chapter presents some principles of sedimentation techniques such as: homogeneous, incremental, gravitational sedimentation and homogeneous, cumulative, and gravitational sedimentation. Sedimentation techniques are classified according to these principles. The chapter also tabulates the list of various procedures that have been developed according to the principle applied. It also discusses techniques presently in use. In the homogeneous, incremental, gravitational technique, the solids concentration is monitored at a known depth below the surface for an initially homogeneous suspension settling under gravity.
Using Markov chain successional models backwards

Summary 1 Markov chains are commonly used to model succession in plant and animal communities. Once fitted to data, these models are typically used to address ecological issues concerning future successional states. In some situations it may be of interest to use the present successional state to reconstruct past conditions. 2 The properties of a time-reversed Markov chain are reviewed and used to provide an expression for the conditional probability distribution of the most recent time that the chain was in a particular successional state given its present state. 3 The estimation of this conditional probability is discussed and a parametric bootstrap is described for constructing a confidence interval. 4 The calculations are illustrated using a published Markov chain model of succession in a rocky subtidal community. 5 Synthesis and applications. The term succession refers to the progressive changes over time in the state of an ecological community. Although most analyses of succession focus on characterizing the future, in some situations interest centres on reconstructing the past. For example, forensic entomologists are commonly interested in estimating time of death from the insect community present on a corpse. When succession can be modelled as a Markov chain, the results obtained here can be used for this kind of reconstruction.
The early livestock raisers of southern Africa

The Khoekhoe have long been recognized as historically distinctive livestock-raising people, whose ancestors were responsible for the establishment of cattle raising across the western half of southern Africa. A further, no longer extant Limpopo Khoekhoe people have been identified as having a major impact on the establishment of cattle and sheep raising in the eastern side of southern Africa as well. What has been less clearly depicted is where the linguistically very closely related peoples of the Kwadi-Khoe branch of southern African Khoesan stand in these developments, and what the impact of these changes might have been on other, non-Khoe peoples. A third element, of particular relevance in the potentially correlative archaeology, is the place of ceramic technology in this story. Together, these themes are key in proposing wider linguistic, historical and archaeologically informative perspectives on the early history of livestock and livestock-raising peoples in southern African history. To cite this article: Ehret, C. 2008. The early livestock raisers of southern Africa. Southern African Humanities 20 : 7-35.
Isolated pharmacomechanical thrombectomy for the management of chronic DVT.

Thrombo-reduction in the setting of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) to prevent the postthrombotic syndrome has not been traditionally managed by interventional cardiologists. We report a case series of successful chronic DVT management with pharmacomechanical thrombectomy utilizing the Trellis device. (J Interven Cardiol 2011;24:99–104)
Can Blacks Earn More in the Suburbs? Racial Differences in Intra-metropolitan Earnings Variation

Abstract Evidence that blacks earn more in the suburbs than the central city is often cited as evidence for the spatial mismatch hypothesis, which holds that blacks could increase their earnings by moving from the central city to the suburbs. This paper suggests that existing evidence is subject to selection bias: work location choice, which previous studies have assumed is exogenous, is shown to depend on the difference between suburban and central-city earnings. The model is tested using 1980 Census data for Detroit. The results indicate that blacks earn less than comparable whites, but for both races the chosen work location is that with higher earnings. Blacks require a premium to work in the suburbs, which suggests that residential segregation limits their choices.
Influence of austempering temperature on fracture toughness of a low manganese austempered ductile iron (ADI)

The influence of microstructure on the plane strain fracture toughness of an unalloyed, austempered ductile cast iron (ADI) with low manganese content (<0.15 wt %) and with predominantly as-cast (solidified) ferritic structure was studied. Test specimens were austenitized at 927°C (1700°F) for 2 hr and then austempered over a range of temperatures to produce different microstructures. The microstructures were characterized through optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Plane strain fracture toughness of all these materials was determined and correlated with the microstructure. The results of the present investigation indicate that the alloy (with an initially ferritic as-cast microstructure) has higher fracture toughness with an upper ausferritic structure, i.e., when austempered in the upper bainitic temperature range (above 316°C [600°F]). This behavior was markedly different from conventional ADI with a pearlitic as-cast microstructure because the pearlitic structure shows higher fracture toughness ...
Human disposition toward hazards: Testing the environmental appraisal inventory

Abstract This paper explores the nature of the response to environmental hazards as measured by an expanded Environmental Appraisal Inventory (EAT). Developed by Schmidt and Gifford, the EAT focuses on how people evaluate or appraise environmental hazards. The current study expands that work, testing the EAT on a larger population, adding a human-generated environmental hazard (small quantities of non-regulated hazardous materials), and developing a Responsibility scale to assess personal perceptions of responsibility for environmental hazards. Testing the EAT, this study explores the relationship between environmental disposition scales and people's commitment to safeguard the environment. Most respondents seem to believe they are personally immune to the effects of threats to the environment. In addition, they generally feel both a lack of control over and responsibility for the 28 threats listed, despite the fact that more than half of the threats are human-generated. In all cases, however, the more committed respondents were more likely to take actions to safeguard the environment. Using the EAT as a measurement for understanding the cognitive—relational interface between people and the environment can provide insights into how people respond to environmental crises.
Diversity among nemertean egg predators of decapod crustaceans

The nemertean family Carcinonemertidae has previously been treated as a group of closely related egg predators with low host specificity. Recent research on the life history of this group has revealed that their diversity has been greatly underestimated. The recognition of host selectivity in the genus Carcinonemertes suggests a mechanism by which speciation may proceed. Preliminary morphological data allow the distinction of what appear to be several new genera and species. Other forms are so distinct that their unique features suggest that egg predation may have evolved in unrelated lineages. What has been considered a monophyletic family may represent a polyphyletic group of nemerteans which have converged adapting to a symbiotic life-style.
Perceptions of the School Psychological Environment in Predictingadolescent Mothers’ Educational Expectations

Drawing on theories of educational motivation, this longitudinal study investigates how perceptions of the school psychological environment predict change over time in educational expectations among 81 low-income adolescent mothers. Results suggest that over and above the significant role of baseline educational attainment and expectations, teenage mothers’perceptions of differential treatment at school predict expectations for educational attainment measured 1 year later. Specifically, teens who report that teachers treat them as less smart than they really are and who discourage them from taking certain classes due to their status as mothers show a decline in educational expectations over time.
Cannabinoids Potentiate Emotional Learning Plasticity in Neurons of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex through Basolateral Amygdala Inputs

Cannabinoids represent one of the most commonly used hallucinogenic drug classes. In addition, cannabis use is a primary risk factor for schizophrenia in susceptible individuals and can potently modulate the emotional salience of sensory stimuli. We report that systemic activation or blockade of cannabinoid CB1 receptors modulates emotional associative learning and memory formation in a subpopulation of neurons in the mammalian medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that receives functional input from the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Using in vivo single-unit recordings in rats, we found that a CB1 receptor agonist potentiated the response of medial prefrontal cortical neurons to olfactory cues paired previously with a footshock, whereas this associative responding was prevented by a CB1 receptor antagonist. In an olfactory fear-conditioning procedure, CB1 agonist microinfusions into the mPFC enabled behavioral responses to olfactory cues paired with normally subthreshold footshock, whereas the antagonist completely blocked emotional learning. These results are the first demonstration that cannabinoid signaling in the mPFC can modulate the magnitude of neuronal emotional learning plasticity and memory formation through functional inputs from the BLA.
Calculations of the energy and migration characteristics of carbon and nitrogen in α-iron and vanadium☆

Various properties of carbon and nitrogen in iron, and nitrogen in vanadium have been investigated with the aid of computer techniques. The metal-metal interaction, represented by a two-body central force which matches the elastic moduli, is sharply repulsive at close separation, and goes to zero midway between the second and third neighboring atoms. 531 atoms surrounding the defect were treated as individual particles, while the remainder of the crystal was treated as an elastic continuum with atoms imbedded in it. The iron-carbon interaction was represented by a cubic equation with the parameters chosen to yield the experimental value for the carbon migration energy, the activation volume (effectively zero), and the binding energy of a carbon atom to a vacancy. With this model the approximate experimental value of the energy of a carbon atom in solution in iron relative to Fe3C was obtained. The model also gives the correct relaxation strength for internal friction, but does not reproduce closely the formation volume. The migration path for carbon, on the basis of this calculation, is a straight line from octahedral to octahedral position with the tetrahedral position as the saddle point. The behavior of nitrogen in iron is almost identical. The same method of calculation for nitrogen in vanadium reproduced closely the sizable experimental activation volume for this system. Some calculations of di-carbon formation and motion are also reported.
The “erythromycin-resistance” methylated sequence of Staphylococcus aureus ribosomal RNA

Abstract We have determined the sequence of an oligonucleotide from the large ribosomal subunit RNA of Staphylococcus aureus whose methylation renders the organism resistant to erythromycin and other antibiotics (the “MLS” phenotype). Analysis of RNase A digests of [ 3 H]methyl-, 32 P-labeled RNA yielded the sequence GG · m 2 6 A · AAGACp, where m 2 6 A is an N 6 -dimethylated adenosine residue that in sensitive cells is unmethylated. Comparison with homologous sequences recently reported for Saccharomyces cerevesiae mitochondria indicates that an A to G mutation in this latter system mimics dimethylation in St. aureus with regard to functional consequences.
A male climacteric syndrome: Sexual, psychic, and physical complaints in 50 middle-aged men

Dr. Henker i.f professor ofpS,I'chiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Little Rock. Reprint requests to Dr. Henker. Slot 568. 4301 W. Markham Street. Little Rock. AR 72201. Ever since the discovery of the menopause syndrome among middle-aged women. there has been a tendency to define a similar condition among men. Although results have not been clearly successful. enough men in their fifth and sixth decades have experienced a rather abrupt loss of general well-being (involving physical. emotional. and sexual disturbances) to have given rise to a scattering of papers in the medical literature over the past 40 years. As yet. however. male menopause or male climacteric is not precisely delimited: considerable variation of opinion exists concerning its exact nature and cause. and even whether it actually exists as a distinct entity. Standard medical dictionaries define the climacteric as a syndrome or period of life occurring either at the termination of the reproductive period and accompanying the normal diminution of sexual activity. or between the ages of 40 and 50. manifested by body changes including endocrine, somatic, and psychic symptoms applicable to either men or women. I .2Though the term "menopause" has been used to refer to the mid-life upheaval in men, its appropriateness is questionable, since its derivation conveys the meaning: "cessation of monthly."2
First-principles exploration of alternative gate dielectrics: Electronic structure of ZrO 2 /Si and ZrSiO 4 /Si interfaces

We employed first principles simulations using density functional theory within the local density approximation to investigate the electronic properties of the ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}/\mathrm{Si}$ and ${\mathrm{ZrSiO}}_{4}/\mathrm{Si}$ interfaces. We considered the interfaces between the (001) surfaces of tetragonal zirconia $(t\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2})$ or zircon $({\mathrm{ZrSiO}}_{4})$ and a silicon (100) substrate. We find that ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}/\mathrm{Si}$ interfaces exhibit partial occupation of zirconium dangling bonds (Zr $d$ states) at the Fermi level when the zirconium coordination is reduced from its bulk coordination. Hydrogen passivation of zirconium atoms, as well as oxygen bridging at the interface, can remove the partial occupancy of $d$ orbitals at the Fermi level. The calculated band offsets of these interfaces show asymmetric band alignments, with conduction band offsets between 0.64 and 1.02 eV and valence band offsets between 3.51 and 3.89 eV, depending on the zirconium and oxygen coordination at various ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}/\mathrm{Si}$ interfaces. By contrast, the ${\mathrm{ZrSiO}}_{4}/\mathrm{Si}$ interface shows no partial occupation of zirconium dangling bonds at the Fermi level and provides a more symmetric band alignment, with a much higher conduction band offset of 2.10 eV and a valence band offset of 2.78 eV. These results suggest that ${\mathrm{ZrSiO}}_{4}$ may form an excellent interface with silicon in terms of its electronic properties and therefore may be a suitable candidate for replacing ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ as a gate insulator in silicon-based field effect transistors. On the other hand, we suggest that ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ will require additional interface preparation or postdeposition annealing to yield adequate electronic properties for gate dielectric applications.
Power hardware-in-the-loop: A value proposition for early stage prototype testing

This paper describes advanced power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) facilities and experience gained in testing laboratory prototypes. The benefits of subjecting equipment to simulated environments include increased flexibility in designing, implementing, and executing experiments that reflect situations as close as possible to real world conditions. Individual test scenarios can be quickly configured and adapted once the device under test is connected, as only changes in software models need to be accommodated. Consequently, the required time and financial expenses associated with experimentation and testing are reduced. Further, the risk of late and costly changes due to specifications and design choices can be avoided as thorough and realistic tests can be performed earlier in the development cycle and before actual installation and deployment in the field. And, PHIL testing reveals how equipment will interact with the system for which it is being targeted in a way that more conventional non-interactive testing approaches cannot. As an example, the described PHIL capabilities can be used to derisk technology envisioned for realizing smart(er) grids.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease and dental erosion in children

Recurrent exposure to gastric acid as in children with bulimia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may contribute to dental erosion. We performed a prospective study to evaluate the presence of GERD and dental erosions in children with primary and permanent dentition. Children undergoing elective endoscopy for possible GERD (n = 37) underwent evaluation of their teeth for the presence, severity, and pattern of erosion and stage of dentition: 24 patients had GERD. Dental erosions were identified in 20; all had GERD. Erosion patterns showed more involvement of the posterior teeth. Many affected patients had primary dentition.
Investigating Microwear Polishes with Blind Tests: The Institute Results in Context

Abstract Microwear analysis of flaked stone stools based on examination of microwear polishes has recently been criticized because of several analysts' poor performances in blind tests and because of unsuccessful attempts to distinguish between polishes using computer- based image processing. The present paper identifies fundamental problems with (1) the image processing and (2) the design and scoring of the blind tests. Systematic analysis of the results of the most recent tests along with the published results of other blind tests provide strong support for the efficacy of polish-based microwear analysis. Microwear analysis appears to be a viable technique of archaeological analysis at present, although some limits on its utility are evident.
The simian virus 40 minor structural protein Vp3, but not Vp2, is essential for infectious virion formation.

The SV40 capsid is composed of pentameric capsomeres of the major structural protein Vp1. The two minor structural proteins, Vp2 and Vp3, interact with the capsid. Here, the roles of Vp2 and Vp3 were explored during the course of SV40 infection. Start codons of Vp2, Vp3, or both Vp2 and Vp3, were destroyed by site-directed mutagenesis, and mutant genomes were transfected into CV-1 cells. SV40ΔVp2 produced plaques and infectious virion particles with titres indistinguishable from wild-type. SV40ΔVp3 and SV40 ΔVp2/Vp3 were defective in plaque formation and rendered no infectious particles. All three mutants showed normal nuclear localization of T-Ag and Vp1; they also showed packaging of SV40 DNA by nuclease digestion assays. Thus, Vp3 is essential for formation of infectious SV40 particles, whereas Vp2 is not. One critical role of full-length Vp3 appears to be in virus–cell interactions at post-packaging steps of a permissive infection.
Mesoscopic Quadratic Quantum Measurements

We develop a theory of quadratic quantum measurements by a mesoscopic detector. It is shown that the quadratic measurements should have nontrivial quantum information properties, providing, for instance, a simple way of entangling two noninteracting qubits. We also calculate the output spectrum of a detector with both linear and quadratic response, continuously monitoring two qubits.
PKA phosphorylation of AMPA receptor subunits controls synaptic trafficking underlying plasticity

The regulated incorporation of AMPA receptors into synapses is important for synaptic plasticity. Here we examine the role of protein kinase A (PKA) in this process. We found that PKA phosphorylation of the AMPA receptor subunits GluR4 and GluR1 directly controlled the synaptic incorporation of AMPA receptors in organotypic slices from rat hippocampus. Activity-driven PKA phosphorylation of GluR4 was necessary and sufficient to relieve a retention interaction and drive receptors into synapses. In contrast, PKA phosphorylation of GluR1 and the activity of calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) were both necessary for receptor incorporation. Thus, PKA phosphorylation of AMPA receptor subunits contributes to diverse mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity.
The hidden maternal-fetal interface: Events involving the lymphoid organs in maternal-fetal tolerance

The genetic disparity between the mother and fetus has long enticed immunologists to search for mechanisms of maternal tolerance to fetal antigens. The study of antigen-specific tolerance in murine and human pregnancy has gained new momentum in recent years through the focus on antigen-presenting cells, uterine lymphatics and fetal antigen-specific maternal T cell responses. In mice, we now know that these responses occur within the secondary lymphoid structures as they can be conveniently tracked through the use of defined, often transgenic fetal antigens and maternal T cell receptors. Although the secondary lymphoid organs are sites of both immunization and tolerization to antigens, the immunological processes that occur in response to fetal antigens during the healthy pregnancy must invariably lead to tolerance. The molecular properties of these maternal-fetal tolerogenic interactions are still being unraveled, and are likely to be greatly influenced by tissue-specific microenvironments and the hormonal milieu of pregnancy. In this article, we discuss the events leading to antigen-specific maternal tolerance, including the trafficking of fetal antigens to secondary lymphoid organs, the properties of the antigen-presenting cells that display them to maternal T lymphocytes, and the nature of the ensuing tolerogenic response. Experimental data generated from human biological specimens as well as murine transgenic models are considered.
The niche of an invasive marine microbe in a subtropical freshwater impoundment

Growing attention in aquatic ecology is focusing on biogeographic patterns in microorganisms and whether these potential patterns can be explained within the framework of general ecology. The long-standing microbiologist’s credo ‘Everything is everywhere, but, the environment selects’ suggests that dispersal is not limiting for microbes, but that the environment is the primary determining factor in microbial community composition. Advances in molecular techniques have provided new evidence that biogeographic patterns exist in microbes and that dispersal limitation may actually have an important role, yet more recent study using extremely deep sequencing predicts that indeed everything is everywhere. Using a long-term field study of the ‘invasive’ marine haptophyte Prymnesium parvum, we characterize the environmental niche of P. parvum in a subtropical impoundment in the southern United States. Our analysis contributes to a growing body of evidence that indicates a primary role for environmental conditions, but not dispersal, in the lakewide abundances and seasonal bloom patterns in this globally important microbe. The ISME Journal advance online publication, 20 June 2014; doi:10.1038/ismej.2014.103
Mitral Regurgitation in Acute Aortic Insufficiency

Fig 1. Prebypass midesophageal atrioventricular long-axis view showing a severe aortic insufficiency, an aortic root abscess, and vegetations casting shadowing in the far field. (Color version of figure is available online.)
Effects of a College Nutrition Course on the Eating Attitudes and Behaviors of Traditional College-Age Students

Abstract The EAT (Eating Attitudes Test) was administered to 299 college students (225 females, 74 males) who were taking an introductory nutrition course during the first week of classes and again during the 15th week of classes. Results were tabulated for both the eat-40 and the EAT 26 versions of the test. The EAT had not been reported as previously being administered in a pre-test vs. post-test fashion in a non-clinical setting prior to the current study. A score >29 on the EAT-40 and >19 on the EAT-26 is considered symptomatic for an eating disorder. The study showed that females scored significantly higher than the males on the EAT-40 (p
Stochastic dynamics simulations of the alanine dipeptide using a solvent-modified potential energy surface

Langevin dynamics on a potential of mean force energy surface is used to model the effects of aqueous solvent on the structure and dynamics of the alanine dipeptide. Conformational transition rates obtained by correlation function analysis and hazard plots from several simulations are compared. In particular, averages obtained over three 25-ns runs are compared with a single run of 100 ns. Rate constants for selected conformational transitions are also examined. For the conformational processes considered here (α to β and the reverse), we observe two rates, one of which is only significant for simulations of more than 25 ns