cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of the valence bands of zinc-blende-type semiconductors

We present a detailed study based upon a second-neighbor tight-binding calculation using the same starting point as that used earlier by Stocker and by Shevchik, Tejeda, and Cardona. Parameters are fit to the known bands of the group-IV semiconductors; symmetric matrix elements are assumed constant in isoelectronic series while the variation of antisymmetric matrix elements with polarity is obtained directly from the bond-orbital model of Harrison. Using these parameters, valence bands are obtained for all zinc-blende semiconductors. The agreement with experiment for symmetry-point eigenvalues is comparable to that of the empirical-pseudopotential method though the bands are obtained analytically. As expected, agreement for effective masses and for nonsymmetric points is not as good. From the various symmetry-point expressions for the bands several relationships between eigenvalues within a given band are obtained. By dissecting the interbond matrix elements into matrix elements between $s {p}^{3}$ hybrids, a number of relations between eigenvalues in different materials are obtained; these take the form of dependence upon polarity for isoelectronic series and dependence upon bond length for compounds of equal valence difference. Additional insight into the origin of these trends is obtained by further dissecting the interhybrid matrix elements into matrix elements between atomic orbitals. It is found that the convergence of the tight-binding calculation increases with increasing polarity but is quite insensitive to metallicity; an explanation for these tendencies is given.
Self-esteem, mood, and self-evaluation: changes in mood and the way you see you.

Three studies found that self-esteem moderates the relation between mood and self-evaluation. In Study 1, a standard mood-induction procedure was used to induce positive, negative, or neutral moods in low self-esteem (LSE) Ss and high self-esteem Ss. Afterward, Ss evaluated their specific qualities and characteristics (e.g., How smart are you? How kind are you?). Both self-esteem groups evaluated themselves favorably in a positive mood, but LSE Ss were more apt to lower their self-evaluations in a negative mood. Study 2 found a similar, though weaker pattern using a noncognitive, musical mood induction; Study 3 found that these effects occur with variations in naturally occurring mood over a 6-week period. The authors suggest that the tendency for LSE people to respond to negative moods with self-depreciation contributes to psychological distress.
Identification of the human cDNA for new survival/evasion peptide (DSEP): studies in vitro and in vivo of overexpression by neural cells.

We identified the human cDNA encoding a peptide that has been partially purified from the secretions of oxidatively stressed neural cell lines, murine adenocarcinoma cells, and group Aβ-hemolytic steptococci. We then genetically modified mouse and human neural cells to overexpress this peptide and found these modified cells to be remarkably hearty, surviving under conditions of severe oxidative stress, in xenocultures when exposed to activated macrophages, and as xenografts in the brain of rats that were not immunosuppressed. The peptide is called DSEP (dee-sep) for diffusible survival evasion peptide. Part of the survival advantage of DSEP overexpressors may be due to their attenuated response to all-trans-retinoic acid, which regulates differentiation and apoptosis of several cell types including neural and immune cells.
Carcinoid Valve Disease

Carcinoid is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that typically originates in the gastrointestinal tract and can result in a constellation of symptoms, mediated by vasoactive substances, referred to as carcinoid syndrome. Carcinoid valve and heart disease is characterized by the plaque-like, endocardial fibrous tissue deposits, primarily affecting the right heart endocardium and valves, which result as a consequence of the disease process. Potential mechanisms for the carcinoid valve disease include the complex role of excess serotonin and its interaction with serotonin receptors and transporters. Carcinoid valve and heart disease is a frequent occurrence in patients with carcinoid syndrome and is accountable for substantial morbidity and mortality. Cardiac surgery remains the most effective treatment option for carcinoid valve disease and a multidisciplinary approach at an experienced center is recommended for patients with metastatic carcinoid and carcinoid heart disease.
Mouse Pneumonectomy Model of Compensatory Lung Growth

In humans, disrupted repair and remodeling of injured lung contributes to a host of acute and chronic lung disorders which may ultimately lead to disability or death. Injury-based animal models of lung repair and regeneration are limited by injury-specific responses making it difficult to differentiate changes related to the injury response and injury resolution from changes related to lung repair and lung regeneration. However, use of animal models to identify these repair and regeneration signaling pathways is critical to the development of new therapies aimed at improving pulmonary function following lung injury. The mouse pneumonectomy model utilizes compensatory lung growth to isolate those repair and regeneration signals in order to more clearly define mechanisms of alveolar re-septation. Here, we describe our technique for performing mouse pneumonectomy and sham pneumonectomy. This technique may be utilized in conjunction with lineage tracing or other transgenic mouse models to define molecular and cellular mechanism of lung repair and regeneration.
Impaired drinking to angiotensin II after subdiaphragmatic vagotomy in rats

Rats received total bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and, one month later, were fitted with chronic intravenous or intracerebroventricular cannulas. The vagotomized rats showed much reduced drinking compared with controls during intravenous infusion of angiotensin II. Their drinking to intracerebroventricularly administered angiotensin II was, however, less affected. The possible role of the vagus nerve in the mediation of angiotensin and other types of drinking is discussed.
Prescribing of Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibitors Among Psychiatrists

Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors—avanafil, sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil—are approved and widely used for treatment of erectile dysfunction of various etiologies. They are also used o...
Rapid Visual Assay for Penicillinase Concentrates

Abstract Enzyme activity is measured by the time required to solubilize procaine penicillin
Modulation of the synthesis in vitro of a hormone-induced protein by transfer RNA

WE have shown that transfer RNAs (tRNAs) and the enzymes which modify their structure at the macromolecular level (tRNA methyltransferases) are under hormonal control in the target tissue1–3. Oestrogen-induced, cell-specific protein synthesis in immature chick oviducts has been extensively studied4–6. Oestrogen induces cytodifferentiation of the primitive oviduct and the consequent synthesis by the tubular gland cells of ovalbumin, conalbumin, ovomucoid and lysozyme7. Continuous presence of oestrogen is required for the sustained synthesis of these proteins in immature chicks; withdrawal of oestrogen is accompanied by a gradual decline in cell-specific protein synthesis6. The tubular gland cells in the oviduct magnum, however, continue synthesising non-secretory proteins. Readministration of oestrogen to chicks after withdrawal (secondary stimulation) results in the restoration of the synthesis of cell-specific proteins without concomitant need for DNA synthesis. We report here that in an in vitro tRNA-dependent protein-synthesising system from Ehrlich ascites cells, stimulation of the translation of ovalbumin mRNA was significantly enhanced by tRNA extracted from the oviduct of oestrogen-stimulated immature chicks or from the oviduct of laying hens compared with tRNA from oviducts of withdrawn chicks. Therefore, the efficiency of synthesis in vitro of a hormone-induced protein can be regulated by tRNA.
Pet Ownership and Evacuation Prior to Hurricane Irene

Pet ownership has historically been one of the biggest risk factors for evacuation failure prior to natural disasters. The forced abandonment of pets during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 made national headlines and led to the passage of the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS, 2006) which mandated local authorities to plan for companion animal evacuation. Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast of the United States in 2011, providing an excellent opportunity to examine the impact of the PETS legislation on frequency and ease of evacuation among pet owners and non-pet owners. Ninety pet owners and 27 non-pet owners who lived in mandatory evacuation zones completed questionnaires assessing their experiences during the hurricane and symptoms of depression, PTSD, dissociative experiences, and acute stress. Pet ownership was not found to be a statistical risk factor for evacuation failure. However, many pet owners who failed to evacuate continue to cite pet related reasons.
Distinguishing minimal-change disease from mesangial disorders.

Patient 1. A 19-year-old woman was admitted to the University of Utah Health Sciences Center for evaluation of proteinuria. Two months earlier, she had noted the onset of ankle swelling and a 12-pound weight gain. She had no history of renal disease, she did not take medications, and she had not been exposed to toxins. No rash, arthritis, or other systemic signs or symptoms were present. The supine blood pressure was 110/68 mm Hg. The optic fundi were normal. The chest was clear and the heart was normal. No organomegaly was detected; 2+ pitting ankle edema was present bilaterally. The serum creatinine was 0.8 mg/dl; BUN, 19 mg/dl; albumin, 2.1 g/liter; and C3, 134 mg/dl. Antinuclear antibody was less than 1:10. Urinalysis showed a specific gravity of 1.016; pH, 6.6; 4+ protein; and was negative for blood. Microscopic examination disclosed 10—12 white blood cells with 2—3 hyaline and granular casts/high-power field. Oval fat bodies also were present. The 24-hr urine protein excretion was 9.4 g and the creatinine clearance 115 mllmin/1 .73 m2. Ultrasound examination revealed normal kidneys with no evidence of obstruction. A percutaneous renal biopsy was performed. Light microscopy showed that the glomeruli were normal or had minimal changes in the mesangium (Fig. IA). Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed 3+
The New York high risk project to the Hillside recognition and prevention (RAP) program.

The sudden interest in initiating treatment before the onset of psychosis (i.e., during the prodromal stage of schizophrenia) has failed to integrate the earlier work on prediction generated by more traditional high-risk studies. Genetic high-risk research has most typically focused on the long-term, prospective study of children of parents with schizophrenia. In this paper, it will be argued that high-risk research can make at least two major contributions to prevention programs. First, previous findings can guide identification of risk factors and provide clues about causality, thus highlighting which pre-morbid deficits should be treatment targets. For example, as discussed here, data from the New York High Risk Project points to impaired attention as a highly promising candidate risk factor, with a possible causal association with later-emerging social deficits. Second, the high-risk approach can provide a framework for establishing the predictive validity of prodromal clinical indicators and for understanding the nature of the schizophrenia prodrome. Preliminary findings from the Hillside Recognition and Prevention (RAP) program, integrating high-risk methodology with an early intervention strategy, indicate that the prodrome is a developmentally complex phase of schizophrenia. In particular, a cluster of early features-including cognitive, academic, and social impairments, along with odd/disorganized behaviors-appear to anticipate positive symptoms and may constitute a core risk profile. Preliminary RAP treatment findings also suggest that medications other than anti-psychotics may be effective for treating early prodromal symptoms, challenging the widely held hypothesis that anti-psychotics should always be the first line preventive treatment.
PPLN laser-based system for chemical imaging

An infrared-imaging instrument is being developed to provide in situ qualitative and quantitative assessment of hydrocarbon contaminants on metallic surfaces for cleaning verification. A continuous-wave infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO), based on the quasi-phasematched material periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), is interfaced with an InSb focal plane array camera to perform fast, non-invasive analysis by reflectance spectroscopy. The period range of the designed fan-out PPLN crystal determines the range of the output wavelength of the light source. It is able to scan hundreds of wavenumbers positioned in the range of 2820 - 3250 cm-1, which is sufficient to detect functional groups of common organic compounds (-CH, -OH, and -NH). The capability of the instrument has been demonstrated in a preliminary investigation of reflectance measurements for hydrocarbon solvents (methanol and d-limonene) on an aluminum surface. A substantial difference in absorption is obtained for the two solvents at two different laser-illumination wavelengths, thus permitting hydrocarbon detection and molecular species differentiation. Preliminary reflectance spectra of a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricants and drawing agents on an aluminum panel are also presented. The relative thickness of the hydrocarbon thin film is determined by the intensity ratio of images acquired at two different laser illumination frequencies.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The In Vivo Behavior of Copper-64-Labeled Azamacrocyclic Complexes

The use of copper radioisotopes in imaging and therapy applications has created a greater need for bifunctional chelates (BFCs) for complexing copper radioisotopes to biomolecules. It has been demonstrated that the charge and lipophilicity of the Cu-BFC complex has a significant effect on the in vivo behavior of the radiolabeled Cu-BFC-biomolecule conjugate. To evaluate the effects of charge, stability, and macrocyclic backbone size on the biological behavior of 64Cu complexes, a series of macrocyclic 64Cu complexes have been prepared, and the biodistributions of these agents were evaluated in normal Sprague-Dawley rats. Two macrocyclic backbones, dodecane and tetradecane, were evaluated; cyclen, DOTA, and DO2A were dodecane backbone derivatives, and cyclam, TETA, and et-cyclam were tetradecane backbone derivatives. The biodistributions of the 64Cu-labeled complexes correlated with differences in the size of the macrocycle backbone and the formal charge of the complex. All compounds showed uptake and clearance through the liver and kidneys; however, the positively charged 64Cu complexes showed significantly higher uptake in both of these organs than did the negatively charged or neutral complexes. 64Cu-TETA, a negatively charged complex with the tetradecane backbone, had the most efficient clearance by 24 hours' postinjection. These data suggest that negatively charged complexes may have more favorable clearance properties when used as BFCs.
14-3-3 transits to the nucleus and participates in dynamic nucleocytoplasmic transport.

14-3-3 proteins regulate the cell cycle and prevent apoptosis by controlling the nuclear and cytoplasmic distribution of signaling molecules with which they interact. Although the majority of 14-3-3 molecules are present in the cytoplasm, we show here that in the absence of bound ligands 14-3-3 homes to the nucleus. We demonstrate that phosphorylation of one important 14-3-3 binding molecule, the transcription factor FKHRL1, at the 14-3-3 binding site occurs within the nucleus immediately before FKHRL1 relocalization to the cytoplasm. We show that the leucine-rich region within the COOH-terminal α-helix of 14-3-3, which had been proposed to function as a nuclear export signal (NES), instead functions globally in ligand binding and does not directly mediate nuclear transport. Efficient nuclear export of FKHRL1 requires both intrinsic NES sequences within FKHRL1 and phosphorylation/14-3-3 binding. Finally, we present evidence that phosphorylation/14-3-3 binding may also prevent FKHRL1 nuclear reimport. These results indicate that 14-3-3 can mediate the relocalization of nuclear ligands by several mechanisms that ensure complete sequestration of the bound 14-3-3 complex in the cytoplasm.
Measurement of Observer Agreement

Statistical measures are described that are used in diagnostic imaging for expressing observer agreement in regard to categorical data. The measures are used to characterize the reliability of imaging methods and the reproducibility of disease classifications and, occasionally with great care, as the surrogate for accuracy. The review concentrates on the chance-corrected indices, kappa and weighted kappa. Examples from the imaging literature illustrate the method of calculation and the effects of both disease prevalence and the number of rating categories. Other measures of agreement that are used less frequently, including multiple-rater kappa, are referenced and described briefly.
The challenges and rewards of Industry/University collaborative research

This talk describes some successful Industry/University collaboration models currently being used at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Regulation of BDNF and trkB mRNA in Rat Brain by Chronic Electroconvulsive Seizure and Antidepressant Drug Treatments

The influence of chronic electroconvulsive seizure (ECS) or antidepressant drug treatments on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, trkB, was examined by in situ hybridization and Northern blot. In frontal cortex, acute ECS increased BDNF mRNA approximately twofold, an effect significantly augmented by a prior course of chronic ECS treatment (10 d). In the hippocampus, the influence of chronic ECS varied between the major subfields. In the dentate gyrus granule cell layer, chronic ECS decreased the acute induction of BDNF and trkB mRNA by approximately 50%, but prolonged their expression: levels remained elevated two- to threefold 18 hr later after the last chronic ECS treatment, but returned to control 18 hr after acute ECS. In CA3 and CA1 pyramidal cell layers, chronic ECS significantly elevated the acute induction of BDNF, and tended to prolong the expression of BDNF and trkB mRNA. A similar effect was observed in layer 2 of the piriform cortex, where chronic ECS significantly increased the acute induction and prolonged the expression of BDNF and trkB mRNA. Chronic (21 d), but not acute (1 d), administration of several different antidepressant drugs, including tranylcypromine, sertraline, desipramine, or mianserin, significantly increased BDNF mRNA and all but mianserin increased trkB mRNA in hippocampus. In contrast, chronic administration of nonantidepressant psychotropic drugs, including morphine, cocaine, or haloperidol, did not increase levels of BDNF mRNA. Furthermore, chronic administration of ECS or antidepressant drugs completely blocked the down-regulation of BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus in response to restraint stress. The enhanced induction and prolonged expression of BDNF in response to chronic ECS and antidepressant drug treatments could promote neuronal survival, and protect neurons from the damaging effects of stress.
Manipulation in real, virtual and remote environments

In this paper we describe a novel experimental procedure for the evaluation of a telemanipulator performance. A group of subjects performed the same set of tasks directly on a physical setup, on a virtual implementation capable of providing visual and force feedback through an haptic display, and remotely on the real setup using a telemanipulation system. Using this experimental procedure we were able to decouple the effects on the overall telemanipulator performance introduced by the single components of the system, master manipulator, display, slave manipulator rind bilateral controller.
Clinical significance of Staphylococcus aureus bacteriuria at a tertiary care hospital.

AbstractObjectives: Staphylococcus aureus bacteriuria has been associated with invasive S. aureus disease. The current project describes the clinical significance of S. aureus bacteriuria. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who had S. aureus bacteriuria at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2008–2010. Results: A total of 326 patients were included. Invasive S. aureus disease was documented within 12 months of bacteriuria in 56 patients (22.3% of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) cases and 8.4% of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), p = 0.002). Multiple logistic regression indicated that MRSA bacteriuria (odds ratio (OR) 2.91, p = 0.010), absence of symptoms suggestive of a urinary tract infection (UTI) (OR 3.21, p = 0.019), inpatient status (OR 4.72, p = 0.003), and receipt of antibiotics active against S. aureus (OR 6.41, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the presence of invasive S. aureus disease. Seventy-seven patients (23.6%) died w...
Determinants of Hair Nicotine Concentrations in Nonsmoking Women and Children: A Multicountry Study of Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Homes

The main purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate determinants of hair nicotine concentrations in nonsmoking women and children exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke at home. Hair samples were collected from nonsmoking women ( n = 852) and from children ( n = 1,017) <11 years of age living in households ( n = 1,095) with smokers from 31 countries from July 2005 to October 2006. Participants' ages, activity patterns and socioeconomic characteristics including education and employment status, and hair treatment information were collected. Multilevel linear regression modeling was used to identify the main determinants of hair nicotine concentration measured by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Increased indoor air nicotine concentration at home were associated with increased hair nicotine concentrations in nonsmoking women and children. This association was not changed after controlling for other explanatory variables. After controlling for age, length of exposure, and socioeconomic characteristics, hair nicotine concentrations in nonsmoking children and women were estimated to be increased by 3% and 1%, respectively, for a 1 μg/m3 increase in air nicotine concentration. The association between children's exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke at home and hair nicotine concentration was stronger among younger children and children with longer exposure at home. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(12):3407–14)
Abnormal glucose homeostasis and pancreatic islet function in mice with inactivation of the Fem1b gene.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disorder of glucose homeostasis involving complex gene and environmental interactions that are incompletely understood. Mammalian homologs of nematode sex determination genes have recently been implicated in glucose homeostasis and type 2 diabetes mellitus. These are the Hedgehog receptor Patched and Calpain-10, which have homology to the nematode tra-2 and tra-3 sex determination genes, respectively. Here, we have developed Fem1b knockout (Fem1b-KO) mice, with targeted inactivation of Fem1b, a homolog of the nematode fem-1 sex determination gene. We show that the Fem1b-KO mice display abnormal glucose tolerance and that this is due predominantly to defective glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Arginine-stimulated insulin secretion is also affected. The Fem1b gene is expressed in pancreatic islets, within both β cells and non-β cells, and is highly expressed in INS-1E cells, a pancreatic β-cell line. In conclusion, these data implicate Fem1b in pancreatic islet function and insulin secretion, strengthening evidence that a genetic pathway homologous to nematode sex determination may be involved in glucose homeostasis and suggesting novel genes and processes as potential candidates in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus.
A Drop-Out Prevention Program for High-Risk Inner-City Youth:

Inner-city youth are at high risk for dropping out of high school. Within this article, risk factors associated with dropout and strategies for effective prevention and intervention are reviewed. An example of a school-based drop-out prevention program is highlighted. The FUTURES Program is a school-based drop-out prevention program designed to address the needs of high-risk youth through smaller classes, character development, career preparation, case management/mentoring, positive incentives, and access to mental health services. Components of the program are described in detail and data evaluating the effectiveness of the program are presented. Directions for the future development of programs and conducting research to prevent dropout by inner-city youth are discussed.
Taking Another Look: Light n-Capture Element Abundances in Metal-Poor Halo Stars

Elements are produced in stars through a variety of processes; some are well known, others are still the object of active research. The elements zirconium (Zr) and yttrium (Y) reside in the mass range where there is uncertainty about the production mechanism at early time. The rapid n-capture process (r-process) was believed to be responsible for the production, but no study has been able to successfully use the r-process to reproduce the abundance signature for elements in this mass range for metal-poor halo stars. It has been suggested that there may be an undiscovered component to the r-process. We have performed new abundance calculations for the elements Y and Zr in six metal-poor halo giants, using high-quality spectra, and in the case of Zr, new atomic data. Our results are consistent with previous authors' analysis of these stars, but with reduced values for the uncertainty, due to new laboratory data and better quality observational data. Comparison of the lighter n-capture elements' abundances to those of the heavier s-process element barium (Ba) show that there is no correlation between the production of the light elements to the heavy elements. This indicates that there seem to be a multiplicity of processes operating early in the history of the Galaxy. Our results suggest that the main r-process is responsible for production of the elements from Ba onward in atomic number, while some as yet unknown process (or processes) is responsible for the production of the lighter n-capture elements.
Framework for interpreting sediment quality triad data

Integration of multiple lines of evidence (MLOE) data in a sediment quality triad assessment can be accomplished by means of numerous approaches, with most relying on some form of expert best professional judgment. Best professional judgment (BPJ) can be problematic in application to large data sets or in a regulatory setting where the assessment protocol needs to be transparent and consistently reproducible. We present a quantitative, objective framework for integrating the results of triad-based assessments and test its efficacy by applying it to 25 California sites and comparing the resulting classifications with those of 6 experts who were provided the same data. The framework is based on integrating the answers to 2 questions: 1) is there biological degradation, and 2) is chemical exposure high enough to potentially result in a biological response? The framework produced results that matched the median classifications of the experts better than did 5 of the 6 experts. Moreover, the framework was unbiased, with samples that differed from the median expert response evenly divided between those classified as more or less impacted. The framework was also evaluated by application to a set of sites from known degraded and reference areas, which the framework distinguished well. Although any framework needs to be flexible to supplemental data when they are available, the framework presented provides an objective means for using a triad-based approach in large-scale assessments for which relying on expert input for every sample is impractical. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012; 8: 589–596. © 2010 SETAC
A snapshot of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Laura McGuinness, Commissioning Editor, speaks to Michael Weiner Dr Michael W Weiner is the Director of the San Francisco VA Medical Center’s Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CA, USA) and is also the Principle Investigator of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a worldwide project aimed at collecting and sharing information to improve our understanding of the progression of cognitive decline. Having worked in the field of neuroimaging for over 25 years, Weiner decided to set up the ADNI over a decade ago, since then his brainchild has gone on to produce findings that have been published in over 300 separate papers. In 2010, Weiner was named a ‘Rock Star of Science’ in the Geoffrey Beene Foundation’s Rock Stars of Science campaign, dedicated to highlighting the significance of scientific research to the general public. In 2011, the ADNI was awarded the Alzheimer’s Association Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Award for “its collaborative and innovative approaches to furt...
The development and testing of a human machine interface for a mobile medical exoskeleton

Current advancements in exoskeleton robotics allow those with mobility disorders to walk again. The user conveys his or her desired motion to the exoskeleton using a Human Machine Interface (HMI). This allows the users to stand up, walk, and sit down independently. Existing HMIs require unnatural motions that inhibit the gait. The HMI developed here uses natural gestures while ensuring the safety of the user. This method utilizes a unique sensor suite and a finite state automaton to allow a spinal cord injury patient to easily use an exoskeleton for mobility.
Minimizing the Number of Operations in Certain Discrete-Variable Optimization Problems

This paper deals with the solution to a discrete optimization problem by decomposition. It develops a criterion for ranking the decomposition procedures, discusses the properties of the optimal decompositions, and gives an algorithm for finding the best decomposition in the case of no storage limitation.
When Do Consumers Value Positive vs. Negative Reviews? An Empirical Investigation of Confirmation Bias in Online Word of Mouth

In the online word-of-mouth literature, research has consistently shown that negative reviews have a greater impact on product sales than positive reviews. While this negativity effect is well documented at the product level, there is less consensus on whether negative or positive reviews are perceived to be more helpful by consumers. A limited number of studies document a higher perceived helpfulness for negative reviews under certain conditions, but accumulating empirical evidence suggest the opposite. To reconcile these contradictory findings, we propose that consumers can form initial beliefs about a product on the basis of the product’s summary rating statistics (such as the average and dispersion of the product’s ratings), and that these initial beliefs play a vital role in their subsequent evaluation of individual reviews. Using a unique panel data set collected from Apple’s App Store, we empirically demonstrate confirmation bias – that consumers have a tendency to perceive reviews that confirm (vs. dis-confirm) their initial beliefs as more helpful, and that this tendency is moderated by their confidence in their initial beliefs. Further, we show that confirmation bias can lead to greater perceived helpfulness for positive reviews (positivity effect) when the average product rating is high, and for negative reviews (negativity effect) when the average product rating is low. Thus, the mixed findings in the literature can be a consequence of confirmation bias. This paper is among the first to incorporate the important role of consumers’ initial beliefs and confidence in such beliefs (a fundamental dimension of metacognition) into their evaluation of online reviews, and our findings have significant implications for researchers, retailers and review websites.
NMR imaging in the presence of magnetic field inhomogeneities and gradient field nonlinearities

The relative merits of the spin‐warp method and the multiple‐angle projection–reconstruction method are assessed for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in the presence of magnetic field inhomogeneities. The results of computer modeling studies demonstrate the superiority of the spin‐warp method under these conditions. Because the form of the point spread function for the spin‐warp approach is insensitive to magnetic field irregularities, simple correction algorithms have been developed to reduce artifacts associated with bias field inhomogeneities. In addition, the formalism developed for magnetic field inhomogeneities can be easily extended to correct for gradient field nonlinearities.
Education and Household Location in Chicago

This paper examines the choice of residential location in the city of Chicago versus its suburban areas. Data from the 5 percent Public Use Microdata Sample from the 1990 and 2000 Census of Population and Housing are used. Particular attention is given to the effects of educational attainment. Place of work continues to dominate the residential location decision. However, conditioning on place of work, demographics, and income, educational attainment is found to be statistically significant in residential choice of the city versus the suburbs in 2000 for non-Hispanic whites, especially those with graduate degrees. In contrast, more educated African-Americans and Hispanics tend to locate in suburban areas.
Regional Soil Moisture Biases and Their Influence on WRF Model Temperature Forecasts over the Intermountain West

AbstractOperational Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model forecasts run over Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) in northwest Utah, produced by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command Four-Dimensional Weather System (4DWX), underpredict the amplitude of the diurnal temperature cycle during September and October. Mean afternoon [2000 UTC (1300 LST)] and early morning [1100 UTC (0400 LST)] 2-m temperature bias errors evaluated against 195 surface stations using 6- and 12-h forecasts are –1.37° and 1.66°C, respectively. Bias errors relative to soundings and 4DWX-DPG analyses illustrate that the afternoon cold bias extends from the surface to above the top of the planetary boundary layer, whereas the early morning warm bias develops in the lowest model levels and is confined to valleys and basins. These biases are largest during mostly clear conditions and are caused primarily by a regional overestimation of near-surface soil moisture in operational land surface analyses, which do not currently assimilate in...
Metabolism and function of brain kynurenines

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Province-level Convergence of China CO2 Emission Intensity

This study offers a unique contribution to the literature by investigating the convergence of province-level carbon dioxide emission intensity among a panel of 30 provinces in China over the period 1990-2010. We use a novel, spatial dynamic panel data model to evaluate an empirically testable hypothesis of convergence among provinces. Our results suggest that: (1) CO2 emission intensities are converging across provinces in China; (2) the rate of convergence is higher with the dynamic panel data model than the cross-sectional regression models; and, (3) province-level CO2 emission intensities are spatially correlated and the rate of convergence, when controlling for spatial autocorrelation, is higher than with the non-spatial models.
Influence of ascorbic acid and chlorpromazine on body temperature and resistance of mice to drowning.

SummaryBuffered ascorbic acid and chlorpromazine were injected intraperitoneally into mice and the effect on body temperature and anoxic resistance to drowning measured. Significant increases in survival time were noted with ascorbic acid and especially with chlorpromazine. Lowered body temperatures were noted with both compounds. When anoxic survival to drowning was measured, prolongation of life was increased to a maximum of 40% with ascorbic acid and 121% with chlorpromazine.
Financial Sustainability and Poverty Outreach: The Case of Microfinance Institutions in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

The collapse of state ownership, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, launched a new era of self-employment and small businesses in need of financing services throughout the region. This research investigates whether the traditional microfinance lending paradigm that adopts a two-pronged mission of financial sustainability and poverty outreach applies to young commercialized microfinance institutions in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The analysis employs a residual standard error approach to ordinary least squares and 2-stage least squares estimation, as well as recursive model estimation. The results suggest that financial sustainability can be adversely affected when interest rates exceed a threshold of 80 per cent and an individualized instead of group lending approach is adopted. However, poverty outreach is improved by servicing small loans to more borrowers, particularly women.
Introduction: Philosophical History and the Problem of Consciousness

The history of analytic philosophy, if viewed as more than a repository for superseded theory, could provide the basis for a transformation in the problem of consciousness with which philosophers of mind are currently grappling. Philosophers of mind seldom discuss or investigate, more than cursorily, the history of the interrelated concepts of mind, consciousness, experience, and the physical world that they rely upon in their theorizing. But these concepts in fact emerge from some of the most interesting and decisive philosophical struggles of the analytic tradition in the twentieth century. Historically, these struggles and their results set up the philosophical space in which contemporary discussion of consciousness moves, defining and delimiting the range of theoretical alternatives accessible to participants in the discussion of the explainability of consciousness and its relation to our understanding of the physical world. Most contemporary philosophical discussions of consciousness address the question of its explainability in terms of objective, scientific description or the question of its ontological reducibility to objective, scientifically describable phenomena. Philosophers often raise these questions, moreover, against the backdrop of the thought that consciousness has certain properties or features that may make it especially resistant to scientific explanation and description. Paramount among the features of consciousness usually cited as problems for its explanation or reduction are its privacy, subjectivity, ineffability, phenomenality, immediacy , and irreducibly qualitative character .
Development of a reduced order model for bi-component granulation processes via laguerre polynomials

This paper presents a model reduction technique for obtaining low order models of wet granulation processes suited for model based control. The fluid bed granulation process is extensively employed by the pharmaceutical industry, in which a binder material is used to create bonds between powder drug particles and form granules. Performing a population balance study for these systems results in models that are usually too complex for control applications. The literature offers various reduced order models that approximate the size distribution dynamics of the process. However, these models either neglect the binder drops or incorporate simplified granulation rate expressions that are not realistic. This paper, in contrast, captures both the size and composition distribution dynamics of the granules and considers the physical and geometrical factors in determining the process rate. Using well known model reduction techniques such as orthogonal projections and the method of moments, we relate the bivariate particle distribution function to the dynamics of a finite number of probabilistic moments of the population. Finally, the accuracy of the model is demonstrated through comparing its predicted results with a constant number Monte Carlo simulation of the process.
The Impact of Cognitive Skills on Wages

This chapter begins by examining the impact of cognitive skills on the wages of private and public sector workers. These findings are then combined with the results of Chapter 4 to estimate the returns to government investments that raise school quality. Chapters 6 and 7 carry out similar analyses using estimates of the impact of cognitive skills on the incomes of the self-employed in non-agricultural and agricultural occupations, respectively. As a group, these three chapters provide a comprehensive investigation of the returns to investments in school quality as measured by the higher incomes that result from increased school attainment and increased cognitive skills acquired per year of schooling.
Informal Order and the State in Afghanistan

Despite vast efforts to build the state, profound political order in rural Afghanistan is maintained by self-governing, customary organizations. Informal Order and the State in Afghanistan explores the rules governing these organizations to explain why they can provide public goods. Instead of withering during decades of conflict, customary authority adapted to become more responsive and deliberative. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and observations from dozens of villages across Afghanistan, and statistical analysis of nationally representative surveys, Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili demonstrates that such authority enhances citizen support for democracy, enabling the rule of law by providing citizens with a bulwark of defence against predatory state officials. Contrary to conventional wisdom, it shows that 'traditional' order does not impede the development of the state because even the most independent-minded communities see a need for a central government - but question its effectiveness when it attempts to rule them directly and without substantive consultation.
Wear and Corrosion Resistance of Low Temperature Degradation Free ZTA for Artificial Joint

Low-temperature-degradation-free (LTD-free) zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) has been developed as an alternative to alumina and zirconia. It has been reported that ZTA has more beneficial mechanical characteristics than alumina, because of the stress-induced transformation and the spontaneous transformation of the zirconia phase that occurs for some ZTA in a hydrothermal environment. To achieve high-reliability artificial-joint prostheses, it is necessary to improve both the mechanical characteristics and phase stability of the joint material simultaneously. Thus, in this study, we evaluate the wear characteristics and corrosion resistance of LTD-free ZTA using a hip wear simulator, so as to confirm the long-term stability and reliability of this material in clinical use. The ZTA with advantageous mechanical characteristics used in this study has extremely high wear and corrosion resistance. Therefore, this ZTA could be quite useful as a bearing material in artificial joints for longer-term clinical use. It is also confirmed that the newly developed LTD-free ZTA is extremely stable under sliding conditions. Thus, it can be expected that the initial superior surface characteristics will be maintained through long-term clinical use.
Abstract B47: Curcumin C3 ® prevents ultraviolet B radiation-induced epidermal damage in JB6 cells and mouse skin via a Fibroblast growth factor-2-dependent manner

Background and Significance: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common skin cancer in the U.S., with over a million new cases anticipated annually. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a more aggressive form of NMSC. Chronic exposure to solar ultraviolet (UVB) is the major etiologic factor causing skin cell damage, photoaging and malignant transformation leading to SCC. UVB is a carcinogen and our previous studies established oral administration of Curcumin C3 complex (C3), a natural occurring polyphenol compound mixture, delayed UVB-induced tumor onset and multiplicity, but not tumor progression. Accordingly, we sort to determine the preventative efficacy of C3® against UVB-induced photodamage using JB6 cells and SKH-1 hairless mouse epidermis on the earlier neoplastic events in the development of UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis. Methods: SKH-1 mice were either administered vehicle or C3 (100mg/kg/b.w) complex orally for 14 days followed by a single exposure to UVB radiation (180mj/cm2). Mice were euthanized 24 hours after UVB exposure and skin tissues and serum were collected. For in vitro studies, promoter–sensitive JB6 mouse epithelial cells were pre-treated with C3® for 2 h and the effects on UV-induced early molecular events were assessed. Results: C3® attenuated UVB-induced epidermal hyperplasia and significantly decreased epidermal and plasma levels of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2); an important mitogen implicated in proliferation and differentiation of skin keratinocytes. Interestingly, the effects of C3® complex on FGF-2 levels were accompanied with a significant reduction in UVB-induced Nuclear factor KappaB (NF-KB) activation; an important nuclear transcription factor for tumor promotion. Further, the decrease in NF-KB was associated with an inhibition of BCL2 expression to induce apoptosis. In vitro, pretreatment of JB6 cells with C3® significantly decreased UVB-induced proliferation with a corresponding decrease in FGF-2 mRNA and protein levels. Further, C3 complex inhibited NF-KB phosphorylation and increased Bax expression leading to cell apoptosis. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of curcumin (C3) in preventing UVB-induced skin cancer. It provides new insight into curcumin9s role through FGF-2 in modulating the pathogenesis of photo carcinogenesis. Citation Format: Alok R. Khandelwal, Arun Anandharaj, Oleksandr Ekshyyan, Lauren D. Saucier, Tara N. Moore-Medlin, Fleurette Abreo, Cherie-Ann O. Nathan. Curcumin C3 ® prevents ultraviolet B radiation-induced epidermal damage in JB6 cells and mouse skin via a Fibroblast growth factor-2-dependent manner. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2014 Sep 27-Oct 1; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2015;8(10 Suppl): Abstract nr B47.