cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-dependent studies of the aurora: Effects of particle precipitation on the dynamic morphology of ionospheric and atmospheric properties

Abstract A self-consistent, time-dependent numerical model of the aurora and high-latitude ionos-phere has been developed. It is used to study the response of ionospheric and atmospheric properties in regions subjected to electron bombardment. The time history of precipitation events is arbitrarily specified and computations are made for a variety of electron spectral energy distributions and flux magnitudes. These include soft electron precipitation, such as might occur on the poleward edge of the auroral oval and within the magnetospheric cleft, and harder spectra representative of particle precipitation commonly observed within and on the equatorward edge of the auroral oval. Both daytime and night-time aurorae are considered. The results of the calculations show that the response of various ionospheric and atmospheric parameters depends upon the spectral energy distribution and flux magnitudes of the precipitating electrons during the auroral event. Various properties respond with different time constants that are influenced by coupling processes described by the interactive model. The soft spectrum aurora affects mainly the ionospheric F region, where it causes increases in the electron density, electron temperature and the 6300 A red line intensity from normal quiet background levels during both daytime and night-time aurora. The fractional variation is greater for the night-time aurora. The hard spectrum aurorae, in general, do not greatly affect the F-2 region of the ionosphere; however, in the F-1 and E regions, large increases from background conditions are shown to occur in the electron and ion temperatures, electron and ion densities, airglow emission rates and minor neutral constituent densities during the build-up phase of the auroral event. During the decay phase of the aurora, most of these properties decrease at nearly the same rate as the specified particle precipitation flux. However, some ionospheric and atmospheric species have a long memory of the auroral event. The odd nitrogen species N(4S) and NO probably do not ever reach steady-state densities between auroral storms.
Comparative studies of α-actinin from porcine cardiac and skeletal muscle

Abstract A study and comparison was made of α-actinin purified from cardiac and both light and dark portions of semitendinosus muscle of the pig. Distinct differences in elution patterns were observed between cardiac (or dark skeletal) and light skeletal α-actinins during purification by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Examination by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated a single band present in cardiac α-actinin that migrated faster than the major band present in α-actinin from light skeletal muscle, but coincided with the major band of α-actinin from dark skeletal muscle. α-Actinin prepared from either of the separated portions of semitendinosus muscle also exhibited a lightly stained band that migrated to a point equidistant between the faster major band of dark skeletal (or single band of cardiac) and the slower major band of α-actinin of the light skeletal preparations. The intermediate band may represent an intermediate or hybrid type of α-actinin molecule. Results of amino acid composition substantiated the chromatographic and electrophoretic differences found between the cardiac (or majority of protein in dark skeletal) and light skeletal preparations. All three α-actinin preparations exhibited a subunit molecular weight of approx. 95 000 as determined in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis runs made in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, indicating the α-actinin molecule is composed of two subunits of equal size. No significant differences were observed among cardiac and skeletal α-actinins in their relative abilities to activate the enzymic and turbidity responses of reconstituted actomyosin. Cardiac α-actinin and the major proportion of α-actinin prepared from dark skeletal muscle appear similar, if not identical, in this study, but both differ significantly in certain molecular properties from the major share of α-actinin isolated from light skeletal muscle. The biological significance of these differences is not presently clear.
Developmental and subtype differences in behavioral assets and problems in children diagnosed with ADHD.

Objective: Developmental and subtype differences in behavioral assets and problems were examined in 318 children newly diagnosed with ADHD. Method: Three age groups were compared: 4 to 6.9 years (n = 95), 7 to 9.9 years (n = 136), and 10 to 15 years (n = 87); with two subtypes examined: inattentive (n = 151), and hyperactive/combined (n = 167). Data on assets and problems were obtained from parental questionnaires. Analyses were conducted for the assets and problems data with subtype and age as between group factors. Results: Younger children had more problems with hyperactivity, and the eldest group had more externalizing problems. The hyperactive/combined subtype exhibited more problems than the inattentive subtype. Also the younger group had more assets than the eldest group. Conclusion: Children who possessed greater assets had fewer behavioral problems, with assessment of assets and problems important in the diagnosis of ADHD. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 11(1) 28-36)
Necessary versus sufficient causal schemata: Attributions for achievement in difficult and easy tasks ☆

Abstract Previous research on Kelley's schemata for multiple sufficient and multiple necessary causes has failed to examine the hypothesis that a schema influences both predictions of an event and attributions of its causes. This research examined the effects of the difficulty of a hypothetical exam on predictions of exam grades, and on attributions of ability and effort. Exam difficulty influenced both the pattern of judgments of grades and reported beliefs in multiple necessary versus multiple sufficient causes. Contrary to the predictions of the schema theory, exam difficulty had little influence on the pattern of attributions of ability and effort. Kelley's concept of a causal schema is reinterpreted in terms of current views of human judgment, and the possible implications of the data for the interpretations of a causal schema are examined. The results question the assumption that attributions are based on beliefs about how causes combine to determine an effect, and suggest further research on the relationship between predictions and attributions.
On the Site of Action of Luteinizing Hormone

THE site of action of luteinizing hormone in stimulating synthesis and secretion of ovarian steroid hormones has been the subject of some controversy. Armstrong et al.1,2 have concluded that the primary action of this gonadotropin in rat lutein and rabbit ovarian interstitial cells is to facilitate conversion of stored cholesterol to progesterone, and suggested that increased incorporation of 14C-acetate into steroids, when it occurs, is a consequence rather than a cause of this stimulation. Savard et al.3 have proposed that LH increases steroidogenesis at least in part by a primary stimulation of the rate of de novo synthesis of sterols and steroids from small molecular precursors. In the experiments reported here, resolution of this controversy has been achieved for the rabbit ovarian interstitial gland by preventing cholesterol biosynthesis with trans-1,4-bis (2-chlorobenzyl-aminomethyl) cyclohexane dihydrochloride (AY9944), a compound which inhibits 7 dehydrocholesterol Δ7-reductase4.
The transition from viral to autoimmune myocarditis.

Myocarditis offers a unique opportunity to study the factors contributing to its transition from a viral infection to an autoimmune disease. In this article, we review recent studies on the role of nitric oxide (NO), gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin 12 (IL-12) in the progression from early (viral) to late (autoimmune) phases of myocarditis induced by Coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) in highly susceptible (A.CA) and moderately susceptible (B10.M) mice. NO plays a paradoxical role, being protective in early stages but detrimental later in the course of disease. Treatment with antibody to IFN-γ reduced early disease, but had little effect on the severity of cardiac lesions at later times. Treatment with recombinant (r) IL-12 significantly reduced the autoimmune cardiac lesions in moderately susceptible B10.M mice, but had no measurable effect in highly susceptible A.CA animals. These studies provide evidence that the profile of inflammatory mediators produced early in the course of viral infection determines ...
Impact of prevention of teenage pregnancy on very low and low birth weight rates (VLBWR, LBWR), and neonatal and infant mortality rates (NMR, IMR) in the United States † 532

Impact of prevention of teenage pregnancy on very low and low birth weight rates (VLBWR, LBWR), and neonatal and infant mortality rates (NMR, IMR) in the United States † 532
On the Tomato Trail: In Search of Ancestral Roots

A profile of Roger Chetelat, the director of the C.M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center at the University of California, Davis. Chetelat maintains one of the largest collections of tomato seeds in the world. Many of those seeds come from wild tomato species that Chetelat and his associates collect on field research trips to the dry coastal areas of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Wild tomatoes are tough, versatile organisms that have evolved resistance to virtually all common tomato diseases and pests and stubbornly tolerate extreme environmental conditions. Some boast extraordinarily high levels of sugars, beta carotene, vitamin C, lycopene, and antioxidants. Chetelat has dedicated his career to finding and preserving these genetic riches. Modern cultivated tomatoes are a frail, inbred lot. They all trace their origins to a single, wild tomato plant that underwent a random mutation sometime in prehistory. Because of this genetic fluke, that plant9s fruits were plump, juicy, and many, many times larger than the output of its progenitors. Offspring from that tomato were taken away from the Andes and domesticated in what is present-day Mexico, becoming severed from their wild ancestors and the vast pool of genetic diversity that tomatoes had evolved over the millennia. Botanists call this a ““bottleneck.”” It leaves subsequent generations susceptible to disease and unable to adjust to rapid climate changes. The stored wild seeds at the Rick Center enable plant breeders to re-incorporate desirable wild traits into new tomato varieties, literally reconnecting them to their ancestral roots, ensuring that this vast reservoir of genetic diversity will be available when it is needed.
Comparison of sequence repetitiveness of human cDNA and genomic DNA using the miniplasmid vector, piVX

We studied the sequence repetitiveness of human cDNA and genomic DNA fragments inserted in the miniplasmid piVX. Sequence repetitiveness was assayed by the frequency with which a given insert mediated recombination between the chimeric miniplasmid and a recombinant bacteriophage library constructed from large random human genomic fragments. The methodology allows rapid analysis and isolation of sequences of a given copy number in the genome: few (1 to 10 copies), low order-repeated (10 to 100 copies) and a more highly repeated (over 100 copies). In a model application of the method, the distribution of these classes of sequences was compared in cDNA and genomic DNA libraries constructed in piVX. The major difference observed between cDNA and genomic DNA repeat structure was the paucity of highly repeated elements in cDNA copies from high-molecular-weight cytoplasmic poly(A) + RNA.
Macromolecular interactions: proteins and nucleic acids.

Abstract RNA readily reverses the electrostatic interaction of RNAse with DNA and other polyelectrolytes. When reversal is complete, as indicated by the disappearance of turbidity, RNAse activity is undiminished. When interaction between protein and nucleic acid does not involve specific enzymic forces, as with cytochrome c, the extent of combination with DNA is only slightly affected by RNA, though the rate of combination is dependent on RNA concentration.
Nonstationary irreversible thermodynamics: A Causal relativistic theory

Conventional theories of irreversible thermodynamics predict instantaneous propagation of thermal and viscous effects. This defect can be traced to the omission of terms quadratic in the heat flux and viscous stresses from the expression for the entropy 4-vector in terms of the fluxes of 4-momentum and material. By a systematic restoration of the quadratic terms, a generalized theory is formulated which is applicable to the description of transient irreversible effects and reconcilable with causality. Also discussed is the relativistic formulation of the second law of thermodynamics for the exchange of heat and matter between bodies with arbitrary relative velocities.
Design for an aging brain.

Vaillancourt and Newell (Neurobiol. of Aging 2001) show that although many aging systems decrease in complexity as anticipated by Lipsitz and Goldberger (JAMA 1992), other aging systems increase in complexity. Vaillancourt and Newell explain the discrepancy by proposing that systems with a point attractor decrease in complexity with age, whereas those with an oscillating attractor increase in complexity with age. Vaillancourt and Newell are certainly correct that no one direction fits all results. Aging and death sometimes follow from a system being too simple, or, too complex. A perspective, based on the work of W. Ross Ashby (1956 and http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/ASHBBOOK.html) is used in this commentary to consider why some systems become apparently more simple and others more complex as they age. In this Ashby-inspired view the measured complexity of a system's Responses to Disturbances is proportional to the ratio D/R, where D and R are sets containing the variety of possible disturbances and responses. The model expands on Ashby's by proposing that D consists of two components, Dp and Du. Dp consists of disturbances that are a function of the system's perception. Responses to Dp are often anticipatory and the response itself dominates the outcome. Du are disturbances that are unavoidable. Outcomes decrease or increase in measured entropy as a function of changes in (Dp + Du)/R. The variety of elements in both Dp and R decrease with age. When D/R decreases with age, the system shows less complexity. Conversely when D/R increases with Age, the results become more entropic.
Teaching VLSI design in 10 weeks

Since the mid-1980's, the most successful VLSI design courses have implemented a rigorous “hands on” approach. While such methods are amenable to semester programs (over 15 weeks), they are incredibly challenging to implement in a quarter system (10 weeks or less). This paper describes the approach that has been successfully used for 3 years at UCSC. The course is a self-contained single quarter with a significant project. This is made possible by meticulous scheduling and a challenging pace.
Verifying Delivered QoS in Multihop Wireless Networks

The question that we consider here is the following: "How can a source verify the quality of service (QoS) experienced by its packet(s) at each hop to the destination in a multihop wireless network?" For example, if Bob needs to forward packets within some maximum delay of delta B , how can the source verify that Bob in fact forwarded the packets within this bound? Answering this question will enable innovations in multihop wireless network deployments, where nodes may receive payment not only for forwarding packets but also for meeting some QoS guarantees. In this paper, we present protocols that enable verification of delivered QoS for individual packets, as well as verification of statistical QoS for groups of packets. The protocols are proven to be cheat proof. We also provide expressions for the minimum verifiable delay.
Modeling textured images using generalized long correlation models

The long correlation (LC) models are a general class of random field (RF) models which are able to model correlations, extending over large image regions with few model parameters. The LC models have seen limited use, due to lack of an effective method for estimating the model parameters. In this work, we develop an estimation scheme for a very general form of this model and demonstrate its applicability to texture modeling applications. The relationship of the generalized LC models to other classes of RF models, namely the simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) and Markov random field (MRF) models, is shown. While it is known that the SAR model is a special case of the LC model, we show that the MRF model is also encompassed by this model. Consequently, the LC model may be considered as a generalization of the SAR and MRF models.
Microprocessor of microRNAs: regulation and potential for therapeutic intervention

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, noncoding RNAs critically involved in a wide spectrum of normal and pathological processes of cells or tissues by fine-tuning the signals important for stem cell development, cell differentiation, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and transformation. Considerable progress has been made in the past few years in understanding the transcription, biogenesis and functional regulation of miRNAs. Numerous studies have implicated altered expression of miRNAs in human cancers, suggesting that aberrant expression of miRNAs is one of the hallmarks for carcinogenesis. In this review, we briefly discuss most recent discoveries on the regulation of miRNAs at the level of microprocessor-mediated biogenesis of miRNAs.
Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and Cortisol Levels in Mothers of Children Undergoing Maintenance Therapy for Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

The purpose of this study was to compare anxiety, depression, and stress between mothers of children during maintenance treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and matched controls. Twenty-six mothers were recruited from the hematology unit at a children’s hospital, and 26 mothers were recruited from the community. Participants were matched to their child’s age and gender. Mothers completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Perceived Stress Sale, and collected salivary cortisol 4 times a day for 3 consecutive days. Compared with mothers of healthy children, anxiety scores did not differ (P = .10), but depression scores were higher (P = .003) in mothers of children with ALL. More mothers in the ALL group scored above the cutoff of 7 indicating clinical anxiety (46%) and depressive symptoms (27%). A trend toward increased stress was found in mothers in the ALL group. No difference was found in overall daily cortisol (area under the curve), daily decrease in cortisol (slope), and cortis...
Inheritance of evolved glyphosate resistance in Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq.

N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (glyphosate) resistance was previously reported in a horseweed [Conyza (=Erigeron) canadensis (L.) Cronq.] population from Houston, DE (P 0 R ). Recurrent selection was performed on P 0 R , since the population was composed of susceptible (5%) and resistant (95%) phenotypes. After two cycles of selection at 2.0 kg ae glyphosate ha−1, similar glyphosate rates that reduced plant growth by 50%, glyphosate rates that inflicted 50% mortality in the population, and accumulations of half of the maximum detectable shikimic acid concentration were observed between the parental P 0 R and the first (RS1) and second (RS2) recurrent generations. In addition, RS1 and RS2 did not segregate for resistance to glyphosate. This suggested that the RS2 population comprised a near-homozygous, glyphosate-resistant line. Whole-plant rate responses estimated a fourfold resistance increase to glyphosate between RS2 and either a pristine Ames, IA (P 0 P ) or a susceptible C. canadensis population from Georgetown, DE (P 0 S ). The genetics of glyphosate resistance in C. canadensis was investigated by performing reciprocal crosses between RS2 and either the P 0 P or P 0 S populations. Evaluations of the first (F1) and second (F2) filial generations suggested that glyphosate resistance was governed by an incompletely dominant, single-locus gene (R allele) located in the nuclear genome. The proposed genetic model was confirmed by back-crosses of the F1 to plants that arose from achenes of the original RS2, P 0 P , or P 0 S parents. The autogamous nature of C. canadensis, the simple inheritance model of glyphosate resistance, and the fact that heterozygous genotypes (F1) survived glyphosate rates well above those recommended by the manufacturer, predicted a rapid increase in frequency of the R allele under continuous glyphosate selection. The impact of genetics on C. canadensis resistance management is discussed.
Ultrastructural changes in skeletal muscle induced by colchicine.

COLCHICINE arrests mitotic division of many plant and animal cells by interfering with the formation of the mitotic spindle. 1-7 Cellular division is arrested at metaphase, bizarre and abnormal nuclear configurations occur, and the cell often dies. Colchicine also has a profound effect on nonmitotic differentiating cells. It induces the formation of cytoplasmic filaments in the interphase HeLa cells in vitro 8 and neurofibrillary tangles in tissue cultures of rat neurons. 9 Neurofibrillary change has recently been noted in the brainstem and spinal cord of rabbits after intracisternal injection of colchicine. 10 The variable effects of colchicine apparently depend on its binding to the subunit protein of microtubules. 11 Although colchicine consistently causes severe ascending paralysis in experimental animals, a thorough morphological study of skeletal muscle has not been undertaken. Ferguson 12 reported delayed paralysis of the hindlimbs in acute toxicity experiments in rats and prominent muscle atrophy in
Domain 2 of uPAR regulates single-chain urokinase-mediated angiogenesis through β1-integrin and VEGFR2

How single-chain urokinase (ScuPA) mediates angiogenesis is incompletely understood. ScuPA (≥4 nM) induces phosphorylated (p)ERK1/2 (MAPK44 and MAPK42) and pAkt (Ser473) in umbilical vein and derma...
Polycepstra techniques for blind equalization of multilevel PAM schemes

The performance of blind equalizers based on the adaptive tricepstrum (cepstrum of fourth-order cumulants) identification technique is examined. Comparisons with the performance of two existing blind equalizers are made. Multilevel pulse-amplitude-modulation signaling (2,4,8 levels) and additive white Gaussian noise conditions are assumed. It is demonstrated by means of Monte-Carlo simulations that the tricepstrum equalizer converges faster and with much lower start-up symbol error rate than the comparison schemes at the expense of higher computational complexity. >
Broadleaf weed control in irrigated pasture containing Trifolium repens

Increasing lease and purchase costs for irrigated pasture are encouraging producers to use herbicides to control broadleaf weeds and maximise forage production on their current land base, as opposed to seeking out additional pastureland. There are two challenges to using herbicides to control broadleaf weeds in irrigated pasture. One challenge is that producers often encounter weed species for which herbicide information is limited or non-existent. Another challenge is that broadleaf herbicides tend to damage desirable legumes. We evaluated the efficacy of several broadleaf herbicide options for Symphyotrichum divaricatum, a species not previously the subject of research in irrigated pasture. Additionally, we monitored herbicide impacts on desirable legumes, principally Trifolium repens. We also evaluated control of Convolvulus arvensis and Plantago lanceolata, subjects of considerable herbicide research. Our goal was to identify herbicide options that controlled all three weeds while causing the least damage to legumes. Several rates and combinations of dicamba, diflufenzopyr, triclopyr, MCPA, and 2,4-D provided statistically indistinguishable control of C. arvensis and P. lanceolata, with point estimates suggesting 66–88% control in 2011 and 43–86% control in 2012. 2,4-D + triclopyr appeared to provide the best control of P. lanceolata and C. arvensis, with point estimates for high rates indicating nearly 100% control in both years. However, this combination was particularly damaging to legumes. Based on these findings, we recommend 2,4-D + triclopyr where desirable legumes are absent. Where desirable legumes are present, we recommend 2,4-D alone. Whereas 2,4-D alone appeared not to perform as well as 2,4-D + triclopyr at controlling S. divaricatum in 2012, it was less damaging to desirable legumes.
Marginal Structural Models for Case-Cohort Study Designs to Estimate the Association of Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation With Incident AIDS or Death

To estimate the association of antiretroviral therapy initiation with incident acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or death while accounting for time-varying confounding in a cost-efficient manner, the authors combined a case-cohort study design with inverse probability-weighted estimation of a marginal structural Cox proportional hazards model. A total of 950 adults who were positive for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 were followed in 2 US cohort studies between 1995 and 2007. In the full cohort, 211 AIDS cases or deaths occurred during 4,456 person-years. In an illustrative 20% random subcohort of 190 participants, 41 AIDS cases or deaths occurred during 861 person-years. Accounting for measured confounders and determinants of dropout by inverse probability weighting, the full cohort hazard ratio was 0.41 (95% confidence interval: 0.26, 0.65) and the case-cohort hazard ratio was 0.47 (95% confidence interval: 0.26, 0.83). Standard multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios were closer to the null, regardless of study design. The precision lost with the case-cohort design was modest given the cost savings. Results from Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated that the proposed approach yields approximately unbiased estimates of the hazard ratio with appropriate confidence interval coverage. Marginal structural model analysis of case-cohort study designs provides a cost-efficient design coupled with an accurate analytic method for research settings in which there is time-varying confounding.
Cheops: a reconfigurable data-flow system for video processing

The Cheops Imaging System is a compact, modular platform for acquisition, processing, and display of digital video sequences and model-based representations of moving scenes, and is intended as both a laboratory tool and a prototype architecture for future programmable video decoders. Rather than using a large number of general-purpose processors and dividing up image processing tasks spatially, Cheops abstracts out a set of basic, computationally intensive stream operations that may be performed in parallel and embodies them in specialized hardware. We review the Cheops architecture, describe the software system that has been developed to perform resource management, and present the results of some performance tests. >
Low temperature annealing effect on plasma sprayed MnZn ferrite for planar transformers of high frequency applications

MnZn ferrite coatings fabricated by plasma spray have the advantage of a columnar structure with average grain size between 200-300 nm, somewhat analogous to that of conventional laminated cores used to minimize the eddy current loss at high frequency. The resistivity of these ferrite coatings increases by four orders of magnitude after a simple annealing process at 500/spl deg/C in air. Our studies reveal that this change is due to oxygen diffusion through the grain boundaries, which results in the oxidation of Fe/sup 2+/ to Fe/sup 3+/ and inhibits the "hopping" conductivity effect between Fe/sup 2+/ and Fe/sup 3+/. The initial permeability at 100 kHz increases from around 500 to above 1000. This change is believed to be due to the local- and long-range redistribution of Mn and Zn, which improves the soft magnetic properties of the ferrite coatings.
Criterion validity and user acceptability of a CD-ROM-mediated food record for measuring fruit and vegetable consumption among black adolescents.

Commonly used approaches for quantifying adolescent dietary intake include the food record, 24 h recall and FFQ(1). In the food record approach, respondents identify foods and beverages and the amounts consumed of each, meal-by-meal, over a pre-specified period, typically 3 to 7 d(2,3). Because foods are recorded as they are consumed, this approach has the potential to provide quantitatively accurate dietary intake data for the recording period, the problem of omitting foods is reduced, and amounts of food consumed may be more accurately recalled than if the respondent was recalling amounts eaten previously(2). Despite these strengths, studies examining the performance of alternative forms of food records are limited(4). The Healthy Eating Self-Monitoring Tool (HEST) is a fully developed version of a nine-item, CD-ROM-mediated, prototype food record for measuring fruit and vegetable consumption among economically disadvantaged black adolescents(5). In an initial validation study, significant correlations were found between observed and HEST-recorded item intakes measured over the course of a single day(5). Promising results from the research led to the development of the measure that is the focus of the present study. The prototype measure was expanded to include additional foods and juices and depict items according to a variety of preparation methods. A tutorial on using the HEST and estimating food and juice portions was added. To allow for the recording of foods and juices not represented in the measure, a write-in option was developed. The purposes of the present study were to determine whether economically disadvantaged black adolescents were able to accurately record their fruit and vegetable intake using the HEST over an interval of three consecutive days, and to examine the extent to which youths found the program interesting, enjoyable and worth recommending to peers.
A Psychometric Evaluation of the Approach and Avoidance of Alcohol Questionnaire (AAAQ) in Alcohol Dependent Outpatients

The Approach and Avoidance of Alcohol Questionnaire (AAAQ; McEvoy et al. in Addiction 99:482–497, 2004) was administered to a clinical sample of 138 alcohol dependent men and women. An exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the AAAQ factor structure and a confirmatory analysis run on a second administration of the AAAQ. Convergent validity was examined by conducting an alcohol cue reactivity test and by administering the Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB), a retrospective calendar method for assessing alcohol consumption, and several measures of alcohol-related problems. The factor analysis supported a two-factor solution representing approach and avoidance dimensions. Regressions predicting measures of alcohol cue reactivity, alcohol consumption, and other alcohol-related constructs with the AAAQ provide support for its convergent validity. The results suggest that alcohol craving may be viewed as a multi-dimensional construct that includes both approach and avoidance inclinations which may vary depending on the population under examination.
A tapered cascaded multi-stage distributed amplifier with 370GHz GBW in 90nm CMOS

A tapered cascaded multi-stage distributed amplifier (T-CMSDA) has been designed and fabricated in a 90 nm digital CMOS process. The amplifier achieves a 3-dB bandwidth of 73.5 GHz with a pass-band gain of 14 dB. This results in a gain-bandwidth (GBW) product of 370 GHz. The realized zero-dB BW is 83.5 GHz and the input and output matchings stay better than -9 dB up to 77 and 94 GHz, respectively. The chip consumes an area of 1.5 mm by 1.15 mm while drawing 70 mA from a 1.2 V supply.
Utility of extended pattern prostate biopsies for tumor localization: pathologic correlations after radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND. Focal targeted therapy has been proposed as a potential treatment for localized prostate cancer in an attempt to reduce morbidity. However, these modalities rely heavily on accurate tumor localization to achieve total tumor ablation. In the current study, we sought to examine the ability of contemporary extended pattern prostate biopsy to predict the location of tumors. METHODS. A total of 281 men with prostate cancer detected via a standardized extended pattern biopsy template with at least 12 cores and who subsequently underwent radical prostatectomy were evaluated. Tumor location on biopsy, stratified by laterality and by site (apex vs mid-base prostate), was compared with corresponding locations on the prostatectomy specimen. Generalized estimating equation models were developed to assess the effects of clinical variables on pathologic agreement between biopsy and prostatectomy specimens. RESULTS. Of the 281 prostate biopsies, the positive predictive value (PPV) of right and left needle biopsy was high at 97.3% and 96.7%, respectively. However, the negative predictive value (NPV) was low at 24.7% and 31.3%, respectively. When more specific locations were considered, the NPV improved at the apex. However, this came at a cost to the PPV. Tumor focality on prostatectomy specimen was the only clinical feature found to be significantly and consistently related to pathologic agreement. CONCLUSIONS. Contemporary extended pattern prostate biopsy, although able to diagnose cancers, fails to provide reliable localization of tumors to specific areas of the prostate. Focal therapy, which relies heavily on localization, should only be performed with this caveat in mind. Cancer 2008;113:1559-65. � 2008 American Cancer Society.
Effects of monensin on vesicular transport pathways in the perfused rat liver.

In the rat hepatoctye, the internalization and degradation of asialoglycoproteins and the secretion of plasma and biliary proteins require specific intracellular sorting of vesicles. To aid in the biochemical characterization of these different vesicular pathways, we examined the effects of the ionophore monensin on the uptake and degradation of 125I-asialoorosomucoid (ASOR) and on the secretion of plasma and biliary proteins by the in situ perfused rat liver. In control livers, 77% of injected 125I-ASOR was extracted on first pass; 93% of the extracted radioactivity was released back into the circulation (totally degraded and some intact ASOR was found); and approximately 2% was recovered in the bile, some of which was intact. Monensin treatment decreased first pass uptake of 125I-ASOR to 57% and abruptly blocked the release of radioactivity into the perfusate and the bile. When hepatic proteins were biosynthetically labeled with 3H-leucine, monensin treatment dramatically reduced and delayed the secretion of newly synthesized proteins into both the perfusate and the bile. In contrast with control livers, in which secretion of protein into the perfusate preceded secretion of protein into the bile, TCA-precipitable 3H-protein appeared in bile about 20 min before TCA-precipitable 3H-protein appeared in the perfusate in monensin-treated livers. Thus, monensin treatment in the perfused liver blocked the degradation of asialoglycoproteins and inhibited the secretion of plasma proteins but had less effect on biliary protein secretion. These data document physiologic effects of monensin in an intact organ and suggest that biochemical distinctions between different vesicular pathways exist in the rat hepatocyte.
Foreign Financial Institution Equities: Returns From Emerging Markets And Developed Markets Differ

With the vicissitude of the capital markets, investors continually seek new and innovative techniques that will identify securities that outperform the market. In addition to the usual fundamental and technical analysis, the international markets may provide enhanced profit potential. Investors may purchase securities of foreign companies to gain greater diversity and new investment opportunities.
Decoupling Substrate Surface Interactions in Block Polymer Thin Film Self-Assembly

We report a highly predictive approach to capturing the major substrate–polymer interactions that can dominate nanoscale ordering and orientation in block polymer (BP) thin films. Our approach allows one to create designer BP thin films on modified substrates while minimizing the need for extensive parameter space exploration. Herein, we systematically and quantitatively examined the influence of substrate surface energy components (dispersive and polar interactions) on thin film self-assembly, and our analysis demonstrates that although total surface energy plays a dominant role in substrate wetting, individual contributions from the dispersive and polar components of the surface energy influence the composite through-film behavior. Additionally, long-range forces as described by the Hamaker constant are under-recognized factors in thin film assembly and can alter expected wetting behavior by affecting thermodynamic stability. This more inclusive interpretation of surface energy effects, including the Ha...
Dose response effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy in a school mental health program

School mental health (SMH) programs have been shown to be effective in providing empirically-based treatment to youth. However, a limitation of SMH programs is that they entail holiday breaks and typically do not operate over the summer, along with the fact that they often require pulling students from instruction time for therapy. These time limitations suggest that treatment needs to be expeditious and potent. Although researchers have investigated dose response for adults, no studies were located that addressed the question of dose response in SMH programs. The purpose of the present study was to address this gap in the literature by evaluating the dose response to SMH treatment in a sample of adolescents.Results showed an average treatment response of a 26.81-point decrease in YOQ- 30 score across 14 sessions of CBT. Further, adolescents exhibited reliable change in YOQ-30 score within an average of 2.91 sessions. Finally, it was found that baseline scores on the Depression and Hyperactivity subscales of the BASC-2, along with total YOQ-30 score, reliably predicted treatment response. These findings not only advance our understanding of dose response to CBT in SMH settings, but they create opportunities to better inform, individualize, and prescribe effective treatment strategies in similar contexts.
Single-Cell Nanotoxicity Assays of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Properly evaluating the nanotoxicity of nanoparticles involves much more than bulk-cell assays of cell death by necrosis. Cells exposed to nanoparticles may undergo repairable oxidative stress and DNA damage or be induced into apoptosis. Exposure to nanoparticles may cause the cells to alter their proliferation or differentiation or their cell-cell signaling with neighboring cells in a tissue. Nanoparticles are usually more toxic to some cell subpopulations than others, and toxicity often varies with cell cycle. All of these facts dictate that any nanotoxicity assay must be at the single-cell level and must try whenever feasible and reasonable to include many of these other factors. Focusing on one type of quantitative measure of nanotoxicity, we describe flow and scanning image cytometry approaches to measuring nanotoxicity at the single-cell level by using a commonly used assay for distinguishing between necrotic and apoptotic causes of cell death by one type of nanoparticle. Flow cytometry is fast and quantitative, provided that the cells can be prepared into a single-cell suspension for analysis. But when cells cannot be put into suspension without altering nanotoxicity results, or if morphology, attachment, and stain location are important, a scanning image cytometry approach must be used. Both methods are described with application to a particular type of nanoparticle, a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION), as an example of how these assays may be applied to the more general problem of determining the effects of nanomaterial exposure to living cells.
Relationship Between Technical Errors and Decision-Making Skills in the Junior Resident.

Objective The purpose of this study is to coevaluate resident technical errors and decision-making capabilities during placement of a subclavian central venous catheter (CVC). We hypothesize that there would be significant correlations between scenario-based decision-making skills and technical proficiency in central line insertion. We also predict residents would face problems in anticipating common difficulties and generating solutions associated with line placement. Design Participants were asked to insert a subclavian central line on a simulator. After completion, residents were presented with a real-life patient photograph depicting CVC placement and asked to anticipate difficulties and generate solutions. Error rates were analyzed using chi-square tests and a 5% expected error rate. Correlations were sought by comparing technical errors and scenario-based decision-making skills. Setting This study was performed at 7 tertiary care centers. Participants Study participants ( N = 46) largely consisted of first-year research residents who could be followed longitudinally. Second-year research and clinical residents were not excluded. Results In total, 6 checklist errors were committed more often than anticipated. Residents committed an average of 1.9 errors, significantly more than the 1 error, at most, per person expected ( t (44) = 3.82, p r (33) = −0.429, p=0.021, r (33) = −0.383, p=0.044, respectively). Conclusions Almost half of the surgical residents committed multiple errors while performing subclavian CVC placement. The correlation between technical errors and decision-making skills suggests a critical need to train residents in both technique and error management.
A Technical/Strategic Paradigm for Online Executive Education

This article discusses the development and delivery of online courses for the executive education audience. The goal is to introduce a new framework, the technical/strategic paradigm, that will help educators to identify the pedagogical needs of disparate executive groups and adjust their online course development plans accordingly. We describe how four key elements of online courses (course structure, content-based learning materials, assignments, and learning assessment) should be fashioned in a way that honors the technical or strategic focus of the learning environment. How the technical/strategic paradigm molds well with many different types of executive educational audiences and settings is illustrated. Course developers seeking advice on how to put these ideas into practice will find lists of resources and implementable recommendations. Ultimately, we argue that some of the pitfalls that faculty experience when transitioning from a traditional business school environment to an online executive education environment can be attributed to a misunderstanding of the degree to which students expect technical versus strategic content.
Molecular communication with DNA cellular storage system

In this paper, we construct a DNA Cellular Storage System (DCSS) that allows rewritable and reliable DNA storage and retrieval. To demonstrate the applicability of our proposed DCSS, we embed it into a molecular communication system and propose a new signal modulation scheme called DNA-molecule shift keying (DNA-MoSK). In our proposed modulation scheme, DNA sequences are used to encode data in molecules, providing higher scalability than other existing modulation schemes, such as concentration shift keying (CSK), molecule shift keying (MoSK), and depleted-molecule shift keying (D-MoSK). Through numerical analyses, we show that the performance of DNA-MoSK is comparable to the performance of D-MoSK which, in turn, performs better than both MoSK and CSK, in terms of the achievable rate (AR) and the symbol error rate (SER). Overall, DNA-MoSK is capable of achieving high channel capacity values, suggesting it as a better modulation technique for high scalability.
Thin single crystal perovskite solar cells to harvest below-bandgap light absorption

The efficiency of perovskite solar cells has surged in the past few years, while the bandgaps of current perovskite materials for record efficiencies are much larger than the optimal value, which makes the efficiency far lower than the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. Here we show that utilizing the below-bandgap absorption of perovskite single crystals can narrow down their effective optical bandgap without changing the composition. Thin methylammonium lead triiodide single crystals with tuned thickness of tens of micrometers are directly grown on hole-transport-layer covered substrates by a hydrophobic interface confined lateral crystal growth method. The spectral response of the methylammonium lead triiodide single crystal solar cells is extended to 820 nm, 20 nm broader than the corresponding polycrystalline thin-film solar cells. The open-circuit voltage and fill factor are not sacrificed, resulting in an efficiency of 17.8% for single crystal perovskite solar cells.
Partner Alliances and Networks

In Chapter 8, a serious discussion is presented in terms of entrepreneurships partnering with others. This is the critical second phase in bottom-up globalization, the first phase being the formation of the entrepreneurship. It is this second phase that really displays increasing power and effectiveness of bottom-up globalization. In order to create a powerful second phase the partnering activity must be some version of strategic alliance. Unlike regular partnerships, strategic alliances are major vehicles primarily in the diffusion of technological knowledge that can more readily contribute to the partnerships’ success (Lee 2007). Resource-based theory suggests that the decision to choose strategic alliance partners is primarily based on mutual benefit, i.e., mutual potential to provide additional R & D value, manufacturing, and marketing (Lee 2007). Although market access is generally considered to be a major motivation for licensors to form strategic alliances, in some more high-tech industries such as biotech, risk reduction through commercialization may be a more important reason for developing a strategic alliance. Research has shown that entrepreneurships that are more extensively technology-based and product-based are more likely to form strategic alliances. These alliances are being formed at a higher rate than those that are based on less extensive knowledge. Thus knowledge as a foundation is more of a stimulant in the creation of alliances. This process is particularly observed among new firms in the computer and telecommunication industries (Kelley, Rice and Peters 2001).