cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alcohol policies, firearm policies, and suicide in the United States: a lagged cross-sectional study

Alcohol and firearms are commonly involved in suicide in the United States. State alcohol and firearm policies may impact alcohol and firearm related suicide, yet little is known about these relationships. This study examines relationships between state alcohol and firearm policies and suicides involving alcohol, guns, or both, and explores interactive policy associations. Alcohol policies were assessed with the Alcohol Policy Scale. Firearm policies were assessed using the Gun Law Scorecard from Giffords Law Center. Suicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System in 2015 covered 22 states. State- and individual-level GEE Poisson and logistic regression models assessed relationships between policies and firearm- and/or alcohol-involved suicides with a 1-year lag. In 2015, there were 8996 suicide deaths with blood alcohol concentration test results in the 22 included states. Of those deaths, alcohol and/or firearms were involved in 5749 or 63.9%. Higher alcohol and gun law scores were associated with reduced incidence rates and odds of suicides involving either alcohol or firearms (adjusted incidence rate ratios [IRR] 0.72 (95% CI 0.63, 0.83) for alcohol policies, 0.86 (95% CI 0.82, 0.90) for firearm policies). Relationships were similar for suicides involving both alcohol and firearms, and there was an interactive effect, such that states with restrictive policies for both had the lowest rates of suicides involving alcohol or guns. More restrictive alcohol and firearm policies are associated with lower rates and odds of suicides involving alcohol or firearms, and alcohol and firearms, and may be a promising means by which to reduce suicide.
Stevens Johnson syndrome: A review of a vision and life-threatening mucocutaneous disease including histopathology with updates on pathogenesis and genetic risk factors.

Background: The Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) spectrum of diseases are devastating blistering disorders involving mucosal surfaces with ocular sequelae that ma...
What Happens When Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Become Adults

The range of structural abnormalities and functional deficits caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The disabilities associated with FASDs are said to be lifelong, but we know relatively little regarding outcomes beyond childhood and adolescence. Many of physical, brain, and neurobehavioral features that are present in children with FASDs will endure to adulthood. However, some features may diminish or change over time. Furthermore, secondary disabilities, such as school drop outs, trouble with the law, and substance/alcohol abuse problems are common in young adults with FASDs. The health consequences associated with PAE in the human adult are unknown, but animal models suggest that they may be more susceptible to chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, immune dysfunction, and cancer. More research is needed to understand the lasting effects of PAE on adults and the developmental trajectories of FASDs.
Staging and Workup of the Noninvasive Breast Cancer

• Mammography detects approximately one case of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) per 1,300 examinations. Currently DCIS represents about 20–30 % of all breast malignancies. • In ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the risk of systemic disease is virtual, but the real risk is of local recurrence (both in situ and invasive), more frequently in the same breast. • In lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), the risk of systemic disease is virtual, but the real risk is the development of multiple invasive lobular BCs with the same occurrence in both breasts.
The evolution of pain

We describe two simple simulations in which artificial organisms evolve an ability to respond to inputs from within their own body and these inputs themselves can evolve. In the first simulation the organisms develop an ability to respond to a pain signal caused by body damage by stopping looking for food when they feel pain since resting while the body is damaged accelerates healing of the body and increases the individual's survival chances. In the second simulation the pain signal itself evolves, that is, the body develops a tendency to send pain signals to the nervous system when the body is damaged. The results are discussed in terms of an internal robotics in which the robot's body has an internal structure and not only an external morphology and the neural network that controls the robot's behavior responds to inputs both from the external environment and from within the body.
Construcción en el horizonte

Espacios en blanco. Gustavo Adolfo Garces. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, 2000, 51 pags.
Large standard cell libraries and their impact on layout area and circuit performance

We present a complete study of layout area and circuit performance as a result of utilizing a large library of standard cells. We built libraries of all possible static CMOS cells having a chain length of up to 7. We refer to a library of all possible cells having a chain length limit of n as sn. Although library s7 has billions of possible cells in it, our technology mapper only selected on the order of 100 of these cells to implement each of the MCNC logic synthesis benchmark circuits. We drew the following conclusions from this study. (1) For three or more layers of metal, using very large libraries (e.g., s7) is optimal in terms of area and delay. (2) For two layers of metal, limiting the library size to s5, but at least s4, is optimal in terms of area and delay. Given that the number of distinct combinational cells in industrial libraries today never exceeds 200 (and usually considerably fewer) and given that even library s4 has 3503 distinct cells, tremendous area savings (without increase in worst case path delay) are readily available by utilizing much larger cell libraries. Specifically, given that library s3 has 87 distinct cells (current industrial libraries typically have no more than this), we surmise that area savings of about 30% can be achieved try using library s7 for three or more metal layers versus any current industrial library.
Assessing the dependency between the magnitudes of earthquakes and the magnitudes of their aftershocks

Current assumptions on the level of inter-dependency between the magnitudes of earthquakes and the magnitudes of their aftershocks vary significantly, ranging from assumed independence for models like epidemic type aftershock-sequence (ETAS) to assumed positive correlation, at least for the events leading up to the largest earthquakes, for models like accelerated moment release. Recently, a method was developed by Marsan and Lengline for model independent stochastic de-clustering (MISD) of a multidimensional Hawkes self-exciting process, or as is the case here, earthquake activity. After expanding the algorithm to allow for a spatially dependent background rate (henceforth SDMISD), repeated application of SDMISD to a global earthquake catalog allows for estimates with confidence bounds for the average magnitude of an aftershock conditioned upon the magnitude(s) of the earthquake(s) that caused the aftershock. 15 years of data on M 5.3 earthquakes from the global Centroid Moment Tensor earthquake catalog indicate that the magnitudes of aftershocks are dependent on the magnitudes of the earthquakes that cause them, and indeed, larger than average earthquakes are more likely to trigger larger than average aftershocks. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The surface impedance for a vertically striated half-space

A special anisotropic model for the Earth subsurface is adopted in which the horizontally directed conductivities may be different from one another. Allowance is also made for contrasts in the magnetic permeability in the horizontal directions. It is shown that the surface impedance will depend on the lateral variations of the exciting field. It is also found that the dependence is more complicated than for a laterally isotropic half-space. >
Computing Free Energy Landscapes: Application to Ni-based Electrocatalysts with Pendant Amines for H2 Production and Oxidation

A general strategy is reported for the computational exploration of catalytic pathways of molecular catalysts. Our results are based on a set of linear free energy relationships derived from extensive electronic structure calculations that permit predicting the thermodynamics of intermediates, with accuracy comparable to experimental data. The approach is exemplified with the catalytic oxidation and production of H2 by [Ni(diphosphine)2]2+ electrocatalysts with pendant amines incorporated in the second coordination sphere of the metal center. The analysis focuses upon prediction of thermodynamic properties including reduction potentials, hydride donor abilities, and pKa values of both the protonated Ni center and the pendant amine. It is shown that all of these chemical properties can be estimated from the knowledge of only the two redox potentials for the Ni(II)/Ni(I) and Ni(I)/Ni(0) couples of the nonprotonated complex, and the pKa of the parent primary aminium ion. These three quantities are easily acc...
Collegiate Living Environments: A Predictor of Binge Drinking, Negative Consequences, and Risk-Reducing Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to examine the living environments of undergraduate college students as a predictor of 3 behaviors: binge drinking, its adverse consequences, and the risk-reducing activities used to mitigate binge drinking consequences. In March of 1999, we conducted a cross-sectional, Web-based survey using a random sample of 2,041 undergraduate students attending a large, public university in the Midwest. The students self-administered the Student Life Survey, a questionnaire that was first developed by researchers at the University of Michigan in 1993 as a paper and pencil survey but was adapted in 1999 for the Web. The sample was recruited via E-mail, and students completed the survey from their computer terminals. A 68% response rate was obtained. In our analyses, we controlled for pre-college drinking behavior and found that students' living arrangements remained highly predictive of binge drinking; we found that Substance-Free Housing confers protective effects for both negative conse...
Carbamazepine and phenytoin: combination versus single drug therapy.

The records of 18 patients with intractable partial seizures who were observed on an in-patient epilepsy unit during single drug treatment with carbamezepine (CBZ) or phenytoin (PHT) and during combination therapy with both drugs were evaluated retrospectively. Seizure frequency was significantly lower during combination therapy (p 0.10). In addition subjective signs of clinical toiicity (e.g. nausea, ataxia, etc.) increased only slightly during combination versus monotherapy. These findings were consistently seen whether the data were evaluated in total (i.e. treatment periods at least 7 weeks) or evaluated by using standardized 35 day treatment periods. In the absence of a blinded clinical trial evaluating PHT/CBZ combination, these findings support consideration of this combination in Intractable patients who have failed rigorously administered mono-therapy trials, recognizing however that only a small percentage of patients will improve on combination therapy.
The role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in male reproductive tract differentiation: stimulation of EGFR expression and inhibition of Wolffian duct differentiation with anti-EGFR antibody

We have shown previously that epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a role in testosterone-dependent fetal Wolffian duct differentiation. To assess the role of EGF further, we examined EGF receptor (EGFR) expression during Wolffian duct differentiation and determined whether inhibition of EGFR results in inhibition of Wolffian duct differentiation. Using a polyclonal anti-EGFR antibody in the Western blot analysis, we have detected an immunoreactive band at the expected 180-kDa size, the molecular size for the EGFR protein, in the 18-day fetal male reproductive tract. The mouse 3T3 cell line, used as a positive control, also produced an immunospecific band at the same region. The intensity of the immunoreactive 180-kDa band in the 18-day male reproductive tract significantly decreased after pretreatment of the antibody with the 3T3 cell extract. Nonimmune serum produced no band at the 180- kDa region, suggesting EGFR specificity of the 180-kDa band. The level of the 180-kDa EGFR protein was found to be higher in the 18-day male than in the female reproductive tract. Testosterone increased expression of the EGFR level in the 18-day masculinized female reproductive tract, and it induced Wolffian duct morphogenesis. Under in vitro culture conditions, the anti-EGFR antibody prevented Wolffian duct differentiation, induced by the fetal testis, suggesting a direct role of EGFR in male reproductive tract differentiation. No such effect was found when tested with nonimmune serum. Anti-EGFR also blocked the development of the Wolffian duct in the female explant, induced by exogenous EGF. Thus, a role of EGFR mediating the effect of EGF during male reproductive tract differentiation is demonstrated.
Immunohistochemical evidence of aberrant bcl-2 protein expression in gastric epithelial dysplasia.

Background. bcl-2 protein encoded by the proto-oncogene bcl-2 confers to the cell a survival advantage by inhibiting apoptosis. Its aberrant expression has been reported in lymphomas and lung carcinoma. To determine if bcl-2 plays a role in the gastric carcinogenic sequence, the authors studied bcl-2 expression in gastric epithelial dysplasia (GED) and chronic atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia (CAG-IM). Methods. Immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal bcl-2 protein antibody, clone 124, was performed on archival material. Results. bcl-2 staining was seen in 13 of 16 GEDs (81%). The staining was heterogenous, suggesting that within the dysplastic epithelium, some cellular clones may have a survival advantage. When noted, the staining in IM was located in the proliferative zone, but some positivity could also be noted higher up along the cellular escalator. Normal gastric mucosa stained in the proliferative zone. Conclusions. The authors demonstrated that bcl-2 expression is noted in GED as well as in the extended proliferative zone of CAG-IM. This suggests that prolonged cell survival due to inhibition of apoptosis is instrumental in addition to increased cellular proliferation in the altered cellular homeostasis of the gastric carcinogenic sequence. Whether bcl-2 protein aberrant expression is an independent process or inherent to immaturity of the cells produced by the increased proliferation awaits further studies. Cancer 1994; 73:2900–4.
N‐nitrosamines and mutagens in rubber nursing nipples

Aqueous extracts of four brands (eight types) of rubber nursing nipples purchased in the open market were analyzed for volatile N‐nitrosamines, diphenylamine, and mutagenic activity. N‐Nitrosodimethylamine, N‐nitrosodiethylamine, or N‐nitro‐sopiperidine were found in the aqueous extracts of the nipples and in the nipples themselves. All nipples analyzed contained one or more of the three volatile N‐nitrosamines. Diphenylamine was found to be continously released into aqueous extracts from most brands. Certain nipples produced a positive mutagenic response when incubated with Salmonella typhimurium (TA 100) in a modified liquid suspension test.
Constructive Conflict Management for the World Today

This paper is concerned with the difficult question of what our field can contribute to preventing and resolving the sorts of destructive conflicts which are so prevalent in our world today at the interpersonal, inter‐group, interethnic, and international levels. In this paper, I outline an approach to this question. The paper is divided into three parts. The first is a brief discussion of some of the factors which determine whether a conflict will take a constructive or destructive course. The second deals with the prevention of destructive conflicts—here I consider the potential roles of government, education, the media, religion, and industry. The third is concerned with how to manage intractable, destructive conflicts.
Thermal design study of a liquid hydrogen-cooled cold-neutron source

The use of both liquid hydrogen as a moderator and polycrystalline beryllium as a filter to enhance cold neutron flux at the UC Davis McClellan Nuclear Radiation Center has been studied. Although, more work is needed before an actual cold neutron source can be designed and built, the purpose of this preliminary study is to investigate the effects of liquid hydrogen and the thickness of a beryllium filter on the cold neutron flux generated. Liquid hydrogen is kept at 20 K, while the temperature of beryllium is assumed to be 77 K in this study. Results from Monte Carlo simulations show that adding a liquid hydrogen vessel around the beam tube can increase cold neutron flux by more than an order of magnitude. As the thickness of the liquid hydrogen layer increases up to about half an inch, the flux of cold neutrons also increases. Increasing the layer thickness to more than half an inch gives no significant enhancement of cold neutron flux. Although, the simulations show that the cold neutron flux is almost independent of the thickness of beryllium at 77 K, the fraction of cold neutrons does drop along the beam tube. This may be due to the fact that the beam tube is not shielded for neutrons coming directly from the reactor core. Further design studies are necessary for to achieve complete filtering of undesired neutrons. A simple comparison analysis based on heat transfer due to neutron scattering and gamma-ray heating shows that the beryllium filter has a larger rate of change of temperature and its temperature is higher. As a result heat will be transferred from beryllium to liquid hydrogen, so that keeping liquid hydrogen at the desired temperature will be the most important step in the cooling process.
Purification and characterization of pregastric esterase from calf.

Calf pregastric esterase (PGE) was purified from calf gullet tissues. The tissue was excised and lyophilized, and lipid materials were extracted with acetone and n-butanol at −20 °C. Proteins were extracted from the delipidated tissue with a buffer containing a chaotropic salt (NaSCN) to solubilize hydrophobically bound protein aggregates. Calf PGE precipitated from the crude extract at pH 5.0. The precipitated, solubilized proteins were subjected to anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, and the enzymatic activity was eluted using a linear gradient from 0.10 to 0.50 m NaCl at pH 8.0. Fractions with high specific activities were then chromatographed twice using gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The resultant enzyme was shown to be pure upon discontinuous electrophoresis in 12% polyacrylamide containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE). From SDS-PAGE gel patterns, a molecular weight of 49,000 was determined. The amino acid composition of the enzyme allowed calculation of an “average hydrophobicity” (Bigelow index) of 1150 cal/residue. This indicates that calf PGE is relatively hydrophobic, being similar to proteins such as α-lactalbumin and bovine serum albumin in average hydrophobicity.
A DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS OF AN EVOLUTIONARY TREND: DIGITAL REDUCTION IN AMPHIBIANS.

Summary. -In this study, we integrate information from phylogeny, comparative ontogeny, and experimental embryology in an attempt to elucidate the mechanisms controlling evolutionary trends towards digital reduction and loss observed in amphibians. Frogs and salamanders that have lost phalanges and even whole toes have done so in a very ordered manner, i.e., certain skeletal elements are lost prior to others. This pattern of morphological diversity is described and trends elucidated. It is concluded that the process is characterized by striking intraordinal convergences coupled with substantial differences between the trends observed in frogs as compared to urodeles. We argue that this pattern is essentially a reflection of the differences in the ontogenies of the two orders. Similarly, the convergences within urodeles and within anurans can be explained as the result of regulation of developmental parameters in a resilient developmental program. We further explore this hypothesis by experimentally perturbing the number of cells in the embryonic limb primordium to show that reduction in the number of mesenchymal cells secondarily affects the developmental process of pattern formation causing a rearrangement of the skeletal morphology of the foot. The same experimental manipulation has different effects in frogs as compared to salamanders. However, in both cases, the experimentally generated morphologies tend to parallel the phenotypes and trends observed in nature. Our conclusion is that most of the patterns of diversity in the digital morphology of amphibians can be explained as a reflection of developmental properties. In general, we present a methodology that attempts to empirically address the issue of identifying developmental constraint in morphological evolution.
Membrane heterogeneities and fusogenicity in phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidic acid rigid vesicles as a function of pH and lipid chain mismatch.

The role of pH-dependent lipid heterogeneities on the fusogenicity of membranes was evaluated on model lipid bilayers in the form of unilamellar vesicles composed of lipid pairs at a fixed equimolar ratio of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidic acid (PA) headgroups. The pH and the hydrophobic composition (lipid acyl tails) of membranes were systematically altered, and their effect on vesicle aggregation, membrane fusogenicity, content release, and content mixing was evaluated. Lowering pH increases the extent of protonated PA headgroups forming phase-separated PA-rich heterogeneities and giving rise to molecular packing defects originating at the phase boundaries. Phase boundaries within the membrane’s hydrophobic portion are affected by the lipid acyl-tail dynamics (fluidity) and the matching or nonmatching lengths of the acyl tails of lipid pairs comprising the membrane. The aggregates’ size increases with lowering pH and is independent of the membrane’s hydrophobic composition. Contrary to aggrega...
Development and Evaluation of an Efficient Process for the Detoxification of Jatropha Oil and Meal

The poster deals with an often mentioned bioenergy plant - Jatopha curcas. The potential of the plant as a sustainable energy source has been hampered by toxicity of its oil and protein rich seeds. The research done by our group describes a simple process for detoxification of the protein rich Jatropha meal thereby making it suitable for animal feed. The process will accelerate use of Jatropha as an energy and feed source thereby enhancing its economic viability.
Effects of an Estrogen Antagonist on Enzyme Activities and [3H]Estradiol Nuclear Binding in Uterus, Pituitary and Brain

The estrogenic and anti-estrogenic properties of CI-628 in the uterus, pituitary and brain were assessed and compared with those of estradiol benzoate (EB) after in vivo administration to ovariectomized (OVX) rats by measuring changes in protein content, enzyme activities and [3H]- estradiol nuclear binding. 1) EB administration led to increased total protein and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity in the uterus and pituitary, increased choline acetylase (CAT) activity in the preoptic area and decreased monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in the corticomedial amygdala (CMamygdala). 2) CI-628 mimicked all of the above changes except those in the pituitary. The CI-628 dependent changes in protein content and enzyme activities in the uterus were less than half of the EB changes. In the preoptic area and CM-amygdala, CI-628 resulted in approximately the same changes in CAT and MAO activity as EB. 3) In the pituitary and uterus, CI-628 antagonized the EB-dependent increase in G6PDH activity. In the...
Radiation-tolerant, red-sensitive CCDs for dark energy investigations

Abstract We describe the development of thick (200–300 μm), fully depleted p-channel, charge-coupled devices (CCDs). The advantages of these CCDs relative to conventional thin, n-channel CCDs include: high quantum efficiency over a wide range of wavelengths, extending into the near-infrared; negligible fringing at long (∼900–1000 nm) wavelengths; improved radiation tolerance; and a small point-spread function controlled through the application of the bias voltage. These visible-to-near-infrared light detectors are good candidates for the next generation of large focal-plane mosaics under development for dark energy measurements. The Dark Energy Survey has selected these CCDs for the focal plane of a new camera being designed for the Blanco 4 m telescope at CTIO in Chile. They also meet all the requirements for the visible-light detectors for the SuperNova/Acceleration Probe, a satellite-based experiment designed to make precision measurements of dark energy.
The uncertainty associated with the weighted mean of measurement data

Weighted mean has been used to combine means from several sets of measurements, which are either from different laboratories or based on different measurement methods. It is also often used in key comparisons and other inter-laboratory comparisons. However, the traditional estimator of the variance of the weighted mean underestimates the variance. Two new variance estimators are proposed with smaller biases, smaller mean square errors and much better coverage probabilities for the correspondingly formed intervals. In metrology, the uncertainties based on Type B evaluation which are not based on statistical analysis of data cannot be ignored. In the later part of this paper, the results are extended to the general case with both Type A and Type B uncertainty components being presented.
Evidence for chaotic behaviour in pulsar spin-down rates

We present evidence for chaotic dynamics within the spin-down rates of 17 pulsars originally presented by Lyne et al. Using techniques that allow us to re-sample the original measurements without losing structural information, we have searched for evidence of a strange attractor in the time series of frequency derivatives for each of the 17 pulsars. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods by applying them to a component of the Lorenz and R\"ossler attractors that were sampled with similar cadence to the pulsar time series. Our measurements of correlation dimension and Lyapunov exponent show that the underlying behaviour appears to be driven by a strange attractor with approximately three governing non-linear differential equations. This is particularly apparent in the case of PSR B1828$-$11 where a correlation dimension of 2.06\pm0.03 and a Lyapunov exponent of $(4.0\pm0.3)\times10^{-4}$ inverse days were measured. These results provide an additional diagnostic for testing future models of this behaviour.
Induction of fiber alignment and mechanical anisotropy in tissue engineered menisci with mechanical anchoring.

Abstract This study investigated the effect of mechanical anchoring on the development of fiber organization and anisotropy in anatomically shaped tissue engineered menisci. Bovine meniscal fibrochondrocytes were mixed with collagen and injected into molds designed to produce meniscus implants with 12 mm extensions at each horn. After a day of static culture, 10 and 20 mg/ml collagen menisci were either clamped or unclamped and cultured for up to 8 weeks. Clamped menisci were anchored in culture trays throughout culture to mimic the native meniscus horn attachment sites, restrict contraction circumferentially, and encourage circumferential alignment. Clamped menisci retained their size and shape, and by 8 weeks developed circumferential and radial fiber organization that resembled native meniscus. Clamping also increased collagen accumulation and improved mechanical properties compared to unclamped menisci. Enhanced organization in clamped menisci was further reflected in the development of anisotropic tensile properties, with 2–3 fold higher circumferential moduli compared to radial moduli, a similar ratio to native meniscus. Ten and 20 mg/ml clamped menisci had similar levels of organization, with 20 mg/ml menisci producing larger diameter fibers and significantly better mechanical properties. Collectively, these data demonstrate the benefit of using bio-inspired mechanical boundary conditions to drive the formation of a highly organized collagen fiber network.
Uranium Mineralogy and Neptunium Mobility

Spent nuclear fuel, mainly UO 2 , is chemically unstable under oxidizing conditions. Alteration occurs by oxidation and hydration and can be rapid and substantial. Uranyl minerals, containing U 6+ , form when commercial spent fuel is altered in a moist, oxidizing environment. During the alteration and dissolution of the UO 2 , fission-product radionuclides and transuranium elements are released. Uranyl minerals that form locally as alteration products in a geologic repository may incorporate many of these radionuclides, thereby immobilizing them for lengthy periods and thus improving the long-term performance of the repository. Here we discuss one very important radionuclide, 237 Np (half-life = 2.14 million years), and focus on mineralogical studies that probe the potential impact of uranyl minerals on neptunium mobility.
Sex Differences in Striatal Dopamine Release in Young Adults After Oral Alcohol Challenge: A Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Study With [11C]Raclopride

Background We used a positron emission tomography paradigm with the D2/3 radiotracer [ 11 C]raclopride and an alcohol challenge to examine the magnitude of alcohol-induced dopamine release and compare it between young men and women. Methods Twenty-one nonalcohol-dependent young social drinkers completed two positron emission tomography scans on separate days following ingestion of a juice mix containing either ethanol (.75 mg/kg body water) or trace ethanol only. The extent of dopamine released after alcohol was estimated by the percentage difference in [ 11 C]raclopride binding potential (ΔBP ND ) between days. Results Alcohol administration significantly displaced [ 11 C]raclopride in all striatal subregions, indicating dopamine release, with the largest effect observed in the ventral striatum. Linear mixed model analysis across all striatal subregions of regional ΔBP ND with region of interest as repeated measure showed a highly significant effect of sex ( p ND ( r = .739, p = .009) in men. Conclusions This study provides definitive evidence that oral alcohol induces dopamine release in nonalcoholic human subjects and shows sex differences in the magnitude of this effect. The ability of alcohol to stimulate dopamine release may contribute to its rewarding effects and, thereby, to its abuse liability in humans. Our report further suggests several biological mechanisms that may mediate the difference in vulnerability for alcoholism between men and women.
Effectiveness of Three Approaches to College Health Instruction

Abstract The investigation was conducted to determine the relative effectiveness of three different approaches to health instruction at the college level. Each of three groups of students was taught by one instructional approach: problem solving, lecture, or discussion. Analysis of initial and final measurements of health knowledge, health attitudes, and health interests through the covariance technique and t tests indicated that all three approaches were equally effective in the achievement of instructional outcomes.
Early experience with a quadrileaflet stentless mitral valve

Abstract Background . Presently no ideal prosthesis for mitral valve replacement exists. The quadrileaflet mitral valve (SJM-Quattro-MV; St. Jude Medical, Inc, St. Paul, MN) is a chordally supported stentless bioprosthesis. Due to its specific geometry it seems to be particularly suited for mitral valve replacement. Methods . From March 1999 to October 2000, 12 patients (ages 71 ± 2 years) received the SJM-Quattro-MV. Six patients suffered from valvular stenosis and 6 patients from incompetence. Preoperatively, all patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III, with left ventricular ejection fraction amounts of 54% ± 17%. Results . Eleven patients received a medium size SJM-Quattro-MV and one patient received a large size SJM-Quattro-MV. Cross-clamp time was 99.8 ± 4.9 minutes. Additional procedures were coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 3) and left atrial microwave ablation (n = 2). Postoperative mortality (n = 1) was procedure related. At follow-up of 11.6 ± 5.4 months, all patients were well, the transvalvular pressure gradient was 5.0 ± 1.4 mm Hg, and the effective orifice area 2.7 ± 0.2 cm 2 . Conclusions . Our preliminary experiences with the SJM-Quattro-MV presented good clinical results and promoted an optimistic way of thinking about the further development of these valve prostheses.
Online Metric Tracking and Smoothing

We consider the online smoothing problem, in which a tracker is required to maintain distance no more than Δ≥0 from a time-varying signal f while minimizing its own movement. The problem is determined by a metric space (X,d) with an associated cost function c:ℝ→ℝ. Given a signal f 1,f 2,…∈X the tracker is responsible for producing a sequence a 1,a 2,… of elements of X that meet the proximity constraint: d(f i ,a i )≤Δ. To complicate matters, the tracker is on-line—the value a i may only depend on f 1,…,f i —and wishes to minimize the cost of his travels, ∑c(d(a i ,a i+1)). We evaluate such tracking algorithms competitively, comparing this with the cost achieved by an optimal adversary apprised of the entire signal in advance. The problem was originally proposed by Yi and Zhang (In: Proceedings of the 20th annual ACM-SIAM symposium on discrete algorithms (SODA), pp. 1098–1107. ACM Press, New York, 2009), who considered the natural circumstance where the metric spaces are taken to be ℤ k with the l 2 metric and the cost function is equal to 1 unless the distance is zero (thus the tracker pays a fixed cost for any nonzero motion).
Determination of the Structure of a Synthetic Impurity in Guaifenesin: Modification of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method for Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, Phenylpropanolamine Hydrochloride, Guaifenesin, and Sodium Benzoate in Dosage Forms

An impurity present in all commercial guaifenesin-containing dosage forms examined was isolated and identified as 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy) 1,3-propanediol (VI). The eluant of a previously developed stability-indicating liquid chromatographic method for phenylephrine hydrochloride (I), phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride (II), and guaifenesin (III) was modified to yield a better separation between phenylpropanolamine and the impurity. The method was expanded to include sodium benzoate (IV), a preservative found in some liquid formulations.
Atomic structure of the (2×2) reconstructed GaAs(1̄1̄1̄) surface: A multivacancy model

A new vacancy-complex model for the (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2) reconstructed As-stabilized (1\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} 1\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} 1\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}) surface of GaAs in which the surface bilayer contains two As and three Ga atoms per unit cell is proposed. Half the surface As atoms occupy stacking-fault sites, leading to nearly optimal rehybridizations of surface-bonding orbitals. The surface As coverage is consistent with both mass spectrometry and Auger data. The calculated surface electronic structure is nonmetallic and provides a satisfactory description of polarization-dependent angle-resolved photoemission data.
Compiler generation and autotuning of communication-avoiding operators for geometric multigrid

This paper describes a compiler approach to introducing communication-avoiding optimizations in geometric multigrid (GMG), one of the most popular methods for solving partial differential equations. Communication-avoiding optimizations reduce vertical communication through the memory hierarchy and horizontal communication across processes or threads, usually at the expense of introducing redundant computation. We focus on applying these optimizations to the smooth operator, which successively reduces the error and accounts for the largest fraction of the GMG execution time. Our compiler technology applies both novel and known transformations to derive an implementation comparable to manually-tuned code. To make the approach portable, an underlying autotuning system explores the tradeoff between reduced communication and increased computation, as well as tradeoffs in threading schemes, to automatically identify the best implementation for a particular architecture and at each computation phase. Results show that we are able to quadruple the performance of the smooth operation on the finest grids while attaining performance within 94% of manually-tuned code. Overall we improve the overall multigrid solve time by 2.5× without sacrificing programer productivity.
Determining chondrule size distributions from thin-section measurements

— A method is described for correcting thin-section-derived chondrule sizes for three common sources of bias: (1) the non-equatorial sectioning of chondrules, (2) the non-zero thickness of thin sections, and (3) the unequal probability of sectioning different size chondrules. Application of the correction procedure to chondrule data from CO chondrites results in a reduction of mean and median chondrule diameters, an increase in minimum diameters, and transforms nearly log-normal distributions to distributions that conform to a Weibull probability function. The Weibull-function form of CO chondrule size distributions is similar to the form of chondrule distributions in ordinary chondrites obtained by disaggregation analyses.
Effects of Nitrosylation on Cardiac Myofilament Proteins

In the heart, protein nitrosylation has been described as cardio-protective against oxidative stress, yet the mechanisms are largely unknown. We hypothesize that direct nitrosylation of myofilament proteins at specific cysteine residues could contribute to this cardio-protective effect. We previously described how the nitrosonium donor, CysNO, could affect adult cardiac myocyte contractility by direct nitrosylation of the myofilament regulatory proteins cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and troponin C (cTnC). In addition, we found that nitrosylation of cTnI could affect its phosphorylation at serines 23 and 24. In the current study, we further examined how nitrosylation could affect myofilament proteins, focusing on cTnI and cTnC. First, we found endogenous nitrosylated myofilament proteins, including troponin I and C, that could be de-nitrosylated by the addition of ascorbate as a reductant. Using cysteine knockout mutants, we determined the rate and efficiency of individual cysteine residues to trans-nitrosation by CysNO. Next, we found that direct nitrosylation of cTnI and cTnC affected its subsequent protein phosphorylation. Conversely, we found that a pseudo-phosphorylated cTnI at serines 23 and 24 also affected its nitrosylation. Finally, direct nitrosylation of myofilament proteins with CysNO reduced its degradation by H2O2. Together, our results provide evidence that direct nitrosylation of myofilament proteins is site-specific and could be protective against oxidative damage.
Pharmacologic stress testing: understanding the options.

Pharmacologic stress testing is not always the last-resort method of evaluating a patient. There are circumstances in which pharmacologic testing is preferred to exercise—for example, in the first days after acute myocardial infarction, when exercise testing is contraindicated. However, several studies have demonstrated that the safety and efficacy of dipyridamole stress testing within the first 48 hours after a myocardial infarction provides valuable information to aid in the decision to refer the patient for a more invasive procedure or to take a conservative approach. Second, a phenomenon associated with left bundle-branch block is anteroseptal defects during exercise treadmill testing, which are less commonly seen with vasodilator stress.
Zelda and company - Petrogenesis of sulfide-rich Fremdlinge and constraints on solar nebula processes

A detailed mineralogic and chemical study of Zelda, a gigantic (1mm diameter) Fremdling from the Allende CAI, Egg 6, was performed in an attempt to understand the mode of formation of sulfide-rich Fremdlinge and their relation to other types of Fremdlinge. Zelda is composed primarily of pentlandite, pyrrhotite and V-Cr-rich magnetite. Minor phases include NiFePt metal, molybdenite, whitiockite and refractory metal nuggets (RMN) of OsRu and PtIr. The refractory siderophile abundances in Zelda are about 20,000 to 70,000 times chondritic. NiFe grains are highly embayed and are surrounded by a mixture of pentlandite and PtIr RMN. PtIr RMN are found exclusively at the embayed boundaries of NiFe, while OsRu RMN are found distributed throughout the entire Fremdlinge. The texture and mineral and bulk chemistry of Zelda are consistent with closed system sulfidization of a metal-magnetite precursor, with the metal reacting to form a mixture of pentlandite and PtIr, and the magnetite reacting to form pyrrhotite. The evidence suggests that this sulfidization approached equilibrium at a temperature of 800–900°C. Examination of Egg 6 in the vicinity of Zelda indicates that the Fremdling underwent extensive reaction with its surroundings, losing perhaps 40% of its original mass. The reaction involved partial melting, breakdown of NiFe, magnetite and sulfide, formation of V-magnetite-rich veins, and diffusion of Fe, V and Cr into neighboring spinels. Compositional profiles measured in a large spinel near Zelda suggest a diffusion time of approximately 1 hour at a temperature of about 1150°C. Examination of other Fremdlinge indicates that the presence of V-fassaite rims around Fremdlinge helps to protect them from undergoing such types of reaction. The most likely formation of Fremdlinge appears to have involved relatively cold accretion of previously formed grains of magnetite, NiFe and RMN, followed by partial sintering and in some cases sulfidization before incorporation into proto-CAIs. Following incorporation, further sulfidization and reaction of some Fremdlinge with their surroundings occurred. The common coexistence of very high concentrations of refractory aderophiles and low-T metal-magnetite-sulfide assemblages, as well as the evidence that Fremdlinge were incorporated into proto-CAI as solid objects, underscore the complexity of early solar nebula processes and require local mixing of phases formed at considerably different T and fO_2. Many of the phase relations observed in Fremdlinge point to CAIs existing for reasonable periods of time at temperatures of about 850°C and cooler, but only for very short times at temperatures greater than 1000°C, although some of these phase assemblages may have been created by exsolution during lower temperature reequilibration.
Risk Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants: A Pragmatic Proposal1

Criteria are proposed for both an acceptable upper bound of nuclear power plant risk and a lower bound as a design target. Recognizing that the public risk associated with a power plant can be estimated only by probabilistic analysis of the design features, the spread between the lower design target and the upper bound provides a margin for uncertainty in th probabilistic estimate. The combination of a low probabilistic design target and this margin provides a reasonable expectation that the overall performance will be in the domain of an acceptable risk level. Because the exposure to potential risk is chiefly in the locality of the nuclear station, it is also proposed that compensatory benefits should be provided locally and that these be included as a cost of operation. It is suggested that the upper bound be set at a risk level equivalent to those risks of routine living which are normally accepted, i.e., about 10-4 deaths per year per person (100 deaths/yr/million). The proposed lower design target is 10-8 (0.1 deaths/yr/million), about one-hundredth of the minimal risk from the natural hazards all people are exposed to.
A Mutation of the Columbine

Last summer a remarkable mutation of the blue columbine (Aquilegia cœrulea James) was discovered by Miss Madeline Gunn near the Smuggler Mine, in the vicinity of Ward, Colorado. Only a single plant was found, growing under a spruce tree. The flowers are of good size (about 63 mm. diameter), with the pale blue sepals deeply trifid apically, the divisions about 12 mm. long, broad basally, the outer ones overlapping the median one (Fig. 1). In one case the median division is bifid apically. The petals are white, the laminae and spurs shorter than usual. The form may be called mut. trifida; it represents a striking new type which, if it can be propagated, will be a notable addition to horticulture. Were it received from some remote region, it would appear to be a very distinct new species, or some might even wish to separate it generically. The trifid structure is characteristic of the divisions of the leaves of Aquilegia, and no doubt we may say that a quality of the leaf has been transferred to the sepals. Numerous cases of phyllody of the calyx in various flowers have been described by Maxwell Masters and others, but in this case the sepals are not at all leaf-like, and if such flowers were common they would not strike any one as abnormal.
One-Trial Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization in Preweanling Rats: Role of Contextual Stimuli

Using a one-trial procedure, preweanling rats exhibit robust sensitization regardless of whether drug pretreatment and testing occur in the same or different environments. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether one-trial context-specific and context-independent sensitization of preweanling rats could be dissociated by varying the pretreatment dose of cocaine, by varying the pretreatment drug, or by minimizing interoceptive cues. In Experiments 1a and 1b, rats were pretreated with a broad dose range of cocaine (0-40 mg/kg) before placement in a novel activity chamber or the home cage. In Experiment 2, rats were pretreated with a locomotor-enhancing drug (e.g., methylphenidate, U50,488, or MK-801) before placement in a novel activity or anesthesia chamber. In Experiment 3, rats were anesthetized with isoflurane before cocaine administration to minimize the effects of interoceptive and injection cues. In all experiments, rats were challenged with cocaine on the test day (24 hr later), with locomotion being measured in activity chambers. Results showed that (a) the pretreatment dose of cocaine (10-40 mg/kg) did not differentially affect context-specific and context-independent sensitization; (b) cross-sensitization between methylphenidate and cocaine was observed in the context-specific condition, but not when using a context-independent procedure; and (c) sensitization was evident if injection and interoceptive cues were minimized. One possibility is that associative processes do not modulate the one-trial sensitization of preweanling rats. Alternatively, "unitization" may cause preweanling rats to treat the different environments as equivalent, thus permitting robust sensitization even when drug pretreatment and testing occur in different environments.