cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating Tobacco Prevention Skills into an Evidence-Based Intervention for Adolescents with ADHD: Results from a Pilot Efficacy Randomized Controlled Trial

Adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at high risk for tobacco use, but tobacco use prevention strategies are not regularly incorporated into evidence-based ADHD interventions. We conducted a pilot randomized-controlled trial to determine the feasibility of integrating tobacco use prevention skills into a behavioral treatment for ADHD and to provide preliminary efficacy data comparing a combined (ADHD + tobacco) intervention (N = 40) to an ADHD only intervention (N = 23) on tobacco risk outcomes. Sixty-three adolescents (72% male; 13–17 years) with ADHD and their caregivers were randomly assigned to condition and families were masked to condition. Parent and adolescent ratings were collected at baseline, immediate post-intervention, and at 3- and 9-month follow-up assessments. The combined intervention was (1) implemented with high fidelity (94%), (2) well received by parents and adolescents as evidenced by high levels of treatment attendance (82%) and satisfaction with the intervention, and (3) associated with parent- and adolescent-reported reductions in tobacco use risk. Relative to the ADHD intervention, the combined intervention buffered against increases in tobacco risk, including reduced intentions to smoke and maladaptive social normative beliefs, and increased parental control, family cohesion, and family communication about substance use. Effect sizes at post-treatment were in the small to moderate range. Overall, this study provides preliminary support for a parent-adolescent behavioral treatment supplemented with family-based tobacco prevention strategies. This approach targets families already in treatment for ADHD, reducing barriers that occur when families attend multi-session prevention programs in addition to ADHD treatment.
Staying Alert during the Great Acceleration: Anthropocene Ahead

I first advanced the arguments in Anthropocene Alerts: Critical Theory of the Contemporary as Ecocritique during 1980. In those hard times, I was reconsidering how the faltering economic expansion ...
The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs and the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies: A History of the Evolution of Alcohol Research

This article reviews the history of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs as well as the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies. Each has its roots in the Yale Laboratory of Applied Physiology and the era shortly after the repeal of National Prohibition in the United States. The journal was founded as the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol in 1940 by Howard W. Haggard, M.D., director of the Yale Laboratory of Physiology. Alcohol, although not originally the sole focus of the laboratory, eventually became the main and then only focus. A Section of Alcohol Studies and later Center of Alcohol Studies formally became components of the laboratory. The faculty grew to include notable figures such as Elvin Morton Jellinek and Mark Keller, among other influential people who helped establish a modern, multidisciplinary, scientific approach to alcohol problems in the United States. The first alcohol education program, originally called the Summer Session of the School of Alcohol Studies, was also founded there in 1943. The center later moved to Rutgers University in New Jersey, becoming the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies in 1962. With it came the summer school and the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, which in 1975 became the Journal of Studies on Alcohol. The journal again changed names in 2007, becoming the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, reflecting an increasing focus among substance use researchers on drugs other than alcohol. This article discusses the influence of the journal and the center in the larger historical context of alcohol studies throughout the 20th century to the modern day.
Metabolo-epigenetics: the interplay of metabolism and epigenetics during early germ cells development†.

Metabolites control epigenetic mechanisms, and conversly, cell metabolism is regulated at the epigenetic level in response to changes in the cellular environment. In recent years, this metabolo-epigenetic control of gene expression has been implicated in the regulation of multiple stages of embryonic development. The developmental potency of stem cells and their embryonic counterparts is directly determined by metabolic rewiring. Here, we review the current knowledge on the interplay between epigenetics and metabolism in the specific context of early germ cell development. We explore the implications of metabolic rewiring in primordial germ cells in light of their epigenetic remodeling during cell fate determination. Finally, we discuss the relevance of concerted metabolic and epigenetic regulation of primordial germ cells in the context of mammalian transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Summary sentence The interplay between metabolism and epigenetics participates in the development of primordial germ cells and may play a role in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
Fake review detection on online E-commerce platforms: a systematic literature review

The increasing popularity of online review systems motivates malevolent intent in competing sellers and service providers to manipulate consumers by fabricating product/service reviews. Immoral actors use Sybil accounts, bot farms, and purchase authentic accounts to promote products and vilify competitors. Facing the continuous advancement of review spamming techniques, the research community should step back, assess the approaches explored to date to combat fake reviews, and regroup to define new ones. This paper reviews the literature on Fake Review Detection (FRD) on online platforms. It covers both basic research and commercial solutions, and discusses the reasons behind the limited level of success that the current approaches and regulations have had in preventing damage due to deceptive reviews.
Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) Model for Vehicle Trajectory Prediction in Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Environment

Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) have the ability to receive information on their leading vehicles through multiple sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology and then predict their future behaviour thus to improve roadway safety and mobility. This study presents an innovative algorithm for connected and autonomous vehicles to determine their trajectory considering surrounding vehicles. For the first time, the XGBoost model is developed to predict the acceleration rate that the object vehicle should take based on the current status of both the object vehicle and its leading vehicle. Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) datasets are utilised for training the proposed model. The XGBoost model is compared with the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM), which is a prior state-of-the-art model. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) are applied to evaluate the two models. The results show that the XGBoost model outperforms the IDM in terms of prediction errors. The analysis of the feature importance reveals that the longitudinal position has the greatest influence on vehicle trajectory prediction results.
Twelve-lead electrocardiogram of torsades de pointes.

Torsades de pointes is a specific type of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that occurs within the context of an underlying prolonged QTc interval. 1 It appears in paroxysms and usually terminates spontaneously. 2 Duration of the arrhythmia usually ranges from 5 to 15 seconds; the longer episodes may progress to ventricular fibrillation and result in rapid hemodynamic compromise and sudden cardiac death. Due to the brevity of the arrhythmia or, in the event of a longer episode, to the gravely deteriorating condition of the patient, it is very rare to record a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) of torsades de pointes. Therefore, most electrocardiographic appearances of torsades de pointes have been limited to the recordings of rhythm strips.
Consequences of diffusive reequilibration for the interpretation of melt inclusions

[1] Trace element abundances in melt inclusions are commonly used to interpret melting and melt extraction processes. These interpretations, however, often assume that the chemical compositions of melt inclusions are identical to the liquid from which the host crystal grew, even though driving forces for postentrapment diffusion and modification are demonstrable. This paper begins to quantify the effects of diffusion on melt inclusions using a numerical model. The model calculates the compositional evolution of a spherical inclusion which initially is in equilibrium with a crystal host out to some distance rjump and out of equilibrium beyond. In particular we consider the end-member scenario, whereby the trapped melt is initially out of equlibrium with the neighboring crystal as this sets the minimum time for reequilibration. A package of numerical codes is provided that allows the user to explore other initial conditions. The model calculates the change in inclusion composition and also the structure of diffusion halos that grow around the inclusion as it reequilibrates with the surrounding crystal. The detection of these profiles in naturally occurring inclusions may allow the time since entrapment and the initial inclusion concentration to be estimated. The extent of reequilibration is most strongly influenced by the partition coefficient, diffusivity, and the inclusion radius. Fast-diffusing elements with high mineral/melt partition coefficients are modified rapidly, particularly in small inclusions. Because minerals have very different Dmineral/melt for the various elements, the effects of diffusive reequilibration differ substantially from one mineral to another. For example, the higher partition coefficients of the heavy rare earth elements (HREE) in olivine make HREE concentrations easier to modify than light rare earth elements (LREE) concentrations. In contrast, Sr, Eu, and Ba in plagioclase hosted inclusions equilibrate more rapidly than the other trace elements. Examination of published trace element concentrations of olivine hosted inclusions show little evidence for reequilibration, at least for the light REE and other highly incompatible elements. It is difficult, however, to provide firm constraints due to the uncertainties in olivine diffusivities and the initial condition. In contrast, trace element diffusivities in plagioclase have been determined experimentally [Cherniak, 2001], and the trace element concentrations of published plagioclase hosted inclusions show evidence for extensive diffusive exchange with the host in a manner consistent with model predictions. Postentrapment modification therefore is likely an important factor in the interpretation of some melt inclusion data.
Real exchange rates and real interest differentials: Have we missed the business-cycle relationship?

Abstract This paper investigates the link between real exchange rates and real interest differentials over the recent floating-rate period. In contrast to earlier econometric studies, we find evidence of a relationship, with the strongest link at trend and business-cycle frequencies. Because these prior studies focused on high-frequency components of the data, they found no statistical link between real exchange rates and real interest differentials.
Wireless intrusion detection and response: a classic study using main-in-the-middle attack

Intrusion detection and countermeasures response is an active area of research. In this paper, we examine integrating an intrusion detection engine with an active countermeasure capability. We use a classic man in the middle attack as a case study to specify the integrated wireless intrusion detection capability with the active countermeasure response. We present a case study in dynamically defending against an example attack in an 802.11 infrastructure basic service set by combining the concepts for a distributed wireless intrusion detection and response system architecture with adaptive response strategies based on alarm confidence, attack frequency, assessed risks, and estimated response costs. We also include a description of a tool kit we have implemented to prototypically test and evaluate our concepts.
Periventricular-Intraventricular Hemorrhage Sonographic Localization, Phenobarbital, and Motor Abnormalities in Low Birth Weight Infants

A total of 228 low birth weight (less than 1750 g), mechanically ventilated infants with and without periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage were examined at 18 months corrected age to assess the relationship between cranial ultrasonographic findings and specific motor abnormalities. All infants were previously enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, prospective clinical trial of phenobarbital prophylaxis against periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage. Ultrasonographic abnormalities on the scans performed between 7 and 13 days of life were categorized as germinal matrix hemorrhage, lateral ventricular hemorrhage, parenchymal hemorrhage, ventriculomegaly, and any hemorrhage. Regardless of anatomical location, periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage was associated with an increased risk for developing motor abnormalities. Hypertonia and hyperreflexia/ankle clonus were most common. No abnormal motor findings distinguished unilateral from bilateral germinal matrix hemorrhage and lateral ventricular hemorrhage or between phenobarbital and placebo treatment. None of the 5 infants with parenchymal hemorrhage had spastic cerebral palsy. Ventriculomegaly was associated with a fivefold increase in risk for spastic cerebral palsy and delayed walking and a threefold increase for hypertonia and hyperreflexia/clonus. The results suggest that ventriculomegaly, observed even as early as the first week of life, might be a significant antecedent of later motor abnormalities among the survivors of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage.
Trade Openness and Exchange Rate Regimes

The paper evaluates the net welfare gains of inflation targeting over a fixed exchange rate as a function of a country's trade openness, using a multisectoral structural model calibrated to Chile. For most calibrations with separable preferences, net welfare gains are increasing in trade openness. The reason is that in more open economies terms of trade shocks, which favor inflation targeting, become quantitatively more important, while price markup shocks in the imperfectly competitive nontradables sector, which favor exchange rate targeting, become less important. The most important exception is heavily indebted countries, where net welfare gains are decreasing in trade openness.
Evidence-based adverse effects of biologic agents in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis: Providing clarity to an opaque topic

AbstractBackground: Biologic agents have greatly enhanced the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Previous reviews of the safety of biologic agents have included patients with conditions other than psoriasis and/or have not used statistical significance as the primary analytic focus. Our aim was to review the current literature to identify significantly increased adverse events associated with the use of etanercept, adlimumab and ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Methods: We performed a search of Ovid MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library to identify clinical trials, open-label extension studies and meta-analyses reporting statistical analysis of adverse events associated with the use of etanercept, adlimumab and ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Results: We identified 17 clinical trials, 2 open-label extension studies and 8 meta-analyses. Adverse events reported to be significantly increased included squamous cell carcinoma ...
ATPase in isolated membranes of Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract Cytoplasmic membranes from Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 were prepared by osmotic shock of protoplasts formed by the action of lysozyme. The resulting membrane ghosts were found to possess both Mg 2+ - and Ca 2+ -dependent ATP phosphohydrolase (ATPase, EC 3.6.1.3) activities. A maximal activity of 1.67 μmoles of orthophosphate released/min per mg of protein was obtained at pH 8.7 with the Mg 2+ -ATPase. Maximal activity was observed at a molar Mg 2+ to ATP ration of 0.5 and a molar Ca 2+ to ATP ratio of 0.7 at pH 7.8. Addition of Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ together to the assay resulted in an inhibition of both activities. Concentrations of ATP in excess of 2.5 mM inhibited the Mg 2+ - and Ca 2+ -dependent enzyme activities, whereas non-enzymatic ATP hydrolysis was inhibited by concentrations of ATP in excess of 5 mM. The 5′-triphosphates of guanosine and uridine were also hydrolyzed by membrane preparations. Na + and K + each stimulated Mg 2+ -ATPase activity. Ouabain did not reverse Na + - or K + -, or (Na + + K + )-mediated enzyme stimulations. The influences of various metabolic inhibitors and other substances on membrane ATPase were studied.
Physicochemical properties of arabinoxlans in refrigerated dough

Abstract Dough syruping is considered a problem associated to the quality of refrigerated dough products. Degradation of arabinoxylans (AX) by endogenous xylanase is one of the causes for the dough syruping development. The objective of this study was to determine physicochemical properties of AXs during storage in relation to the endoxylanase activity. Arabinoxylans were extracted from the refrigerated dough samples that were prepared using two different hard red spring varieties, Glenn and Parshall. The changes in weight-averaged molecular weight, the monosaccharide composition and the viscosity of AXs were investigated during refrigeration of dough. Structural features of AX changed dramatically during storage, resulting in changes in the rheological properties. The high molecular weight fraction of AXs was decreased up to 17% after 34 days of storage. Major structural change occurred in the unsubstituted xylose residues, which was detected by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ( 1 H NMR). The increase in the peak of unsubstituted xylose backbone indicated that mono- and di-substituted AXs have been degraded during the storage. The viscosity of water extractable AX declined by as much as 43%. Linear regression coefficient, R 2 , was ~−0.9 between A/X and dough syruping for both Glenn and Parshall.
Good and Poor Readers' Use of Explicitly Cued Graphic Aids.

This study investigated the effects of explicitly cuing graphic aids in accompanying text. Specifically, the study attempted to determine if various cuing conditions would affect differently good and poor readers' comprehension of the text, attention to graphic aids, and recall of information displayed in graphic aids. Three expository passages each accompanied by two graphic aids were developed. One graphic aid displayed information that was redundant to the text; a second graphic aid displayed information that was non-redundant but related to the text. Good and poor seventh- and eighth-grade readers read these passages under five different conditions. Under one condition no graphic aids accompanied the text. Graphic aids accompanied the text in the remaining conditions that represented four levels of cuing: no cuing, general cuing, specific cuing, and combined cuing. Results of comprehension tests for each passage and a post-experiment graphics test were analyzed using analysis of variance procedures. Major conclusions were that explicit cuing increases attention to graphic aids and recall of information displayed in graphic aids that are redundant to the text. In addition, poor readers' comprehension of illustrated text is improved by explicit cuing of graphic aids. Textbooks and other school materials contain a rich variety of graphic aids such as diagrams, maps, and pictures. Among their intended purposes, most important for instruction are those of augmenting the written text with additional information and clarifying the text content. Teachers and researchers find, however, that these purposes are not equally served for all readers. Due to differences in background and personal predilection some readers may look at graphic aids with little or no awareness of their significance, while others may fail to inspect graphic aids at the moment during reading when they would be most helpful. Still others may not look at them at all. Surely the usefulness of graphic aids varies from reader to reader, but previous research suggests that they may be less useful for poor readers than for
Transformation of Carbon Tetrachloride by Reduced Vitamin B12 in Aqueous Cysteine Solution

Cysteine was studied as a reductant in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) transformation mediated by vitamin B12 at room temperature in the pH range of 4−14. The reaction proceeded in two consecutive phases: the initial phase was rapid but lasted only minutes before the slow subsequent phase started as B12 was inactivated, presumably due to nonreactive alkylcobalamin formation. The reduction of Co(III) to Co(II) was rate-limiting in the fast phase, whereas the decomposition of the alkylcobalamin may control the rate in the slow phase. B12r was the reduced B12 species but exhibited little reactivity toward CCl4 in the absence of cysteine; the reactive B12 species is hypothesized to be the pentacoordinated B12r−cysteinate complex. Most of the CCl4 was transformed to unidentified water-soluble products. The chloroform yield decreased with pH from 20% to nearly zero, whereas the carbon monoxide yield remained constant (3.2 ± 0.3%) with pH. These findings suggest that (1) the reductant controls both the kinetics and...
Minimum information content and formation of interacting ribonuclease fragment complexes

The degree to which amino acid sequence can be simplified with retention of conformational and functional properties has been investigated by semisynthesis using non-covalent fragment complexes of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease as test cases. Based on the ribonuclease S system, a set of synthetic model sequences was defined for the S-peptide (1-20) region which interacted productively with native S-protein (21-124). The most simple sequence, an eicosapeptide containing helix-favoring Ala residues at all positions except Glu 1 and 14, Phe 8, His 12, and Met 13, effected at least 15% of ribonuclease catalytic activity (versus native ribonuclease S) when added to S-protein in saturating amounts. The data for model S-peptides define an alpha-helical framework and specific side chains at positions 8, 12, and 13 as the core of sequence information necessary for S-peptide to effect a productive non-covalent complex with S-protein. Previous ribonuclease fragment studies also were used as a basis for making the productive, non-overlapping complex, (1-15):(21-111):(116-124). Addition of synthetic (1-15) and (116-124) to (21-111) led to a 3 degrees increase in Tm and 4% (versus ribonuclease A) catalytic activity. The three-fragment complex, with the beta-bend residues 112-115 deleted, exhibited significantly lower stability to thermal denaturation than did related two-fragment complexes. The potential use of three-fragment complexes related to the above is discussed for semi-synthetic sequence modeling concomitantly in the N- and C-terminal regions of ribonuclease.
The Case for Randomized Field Trials in Economic and Policy Research

Social experiments have been used in research since the 1960s, yet the technique of controlled experimentation still arouses controversy among social scientists. The crucial element that distinguishes a controlled experiment from other forms of research is random assignment of treatment to the observational units of study. Because treatment differences in the sample occur as a result of random chance, the effects of the treatment on behavior can be measured with high reliability. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of experiments in comparison with other research techniques and describes the circumstances where randomized trials should be preferred over other methods.
Ace in the Hole: Why the United States Did Not Use Nuclear Weapons in the Cold War, 1945 to 1965

Abbreviations Sayonara Sanity? War Scare The Soviets Draw an Ace Strategic Error First Forbearance The Cart Before the Horse French Chestnuts in the Fire The President Vacillates Muscling Up Sword of Damocles The Last Sideshow The Autobahn to Armageddon Cocked Gun Amateur Hour Harebrained Schemes Muddling Through Multilateral Folly High Noon Two Bluffs Best-Laid Plans Strategic Incompetence Unplayable Card? Endnotes Bibliography Index
Modeling, analysis, and simulation of bioremediation of soil aggregates

The role of aggregates and their characteristics on bioremediation in soil has received very little attention. In this investigation, the contaminated aggregates bioremediation (CAB) model has been developed and simulated to analyze the bioremediation of soil and water in the aggregates. The model equations consist of a system of three non-linear partial differential equations. Dimensional analysis of the equations has been performed. Sensitivity analysis conducted by numerically solving them has demonstrated the effects of aggregate radius, partition coefficient, and initial contaminant concentration on the time and mechanism of remediation. The rates of diffusion of substrate and oxygen, and the biodegradation-rate have been found to be the controlling mechanisms for remediation in the aggregates.
Health-related quality-of-life in the first year following a childhood concussion.

AbstractObjectives: (1) To compare pre-injury health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) of children who have sustained mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) to their HRQoL at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-injury and (2) to compare the HRQoL of children with mTBI, children with mild non-brain injuries and children who were uninjured at the same time points. Child and parent responses were obtained for both objectives.Patients and methods: This prospective cohort study involved a self-selected convenience sample to evaluate child and parent perspectives of the HRQoL of 5–17 year old children with mTBI using the PedsQL Generic Core Scales and Cognitive Functioning Scale. Total sample size was 120 child/parent dyads, with 40 dyads each in the study and two control groups. Children who required hospitalization greater than 24 hours were excluded from the study.Results: HRQoL of children with mTBI was not significantly different between pre- and post-injury at all-time points. However, children and parents in the mild n...
Modification in dogs of the systemic and coronary hemodynamic effects of glucagon by sotalol

T he systemic hemodynamic effects of glucagon in man, 1-3 the intact anima1,4-6 and the isolated animal organ preparation4*5t1*8 have been previously described. The mechanism by which glucagon exerts its effect is not clear. Several investigators have reported that most or all of the hemodynamic effects of glucagon are unaffected by prior beta-blockade with propranolol.4-6 Sotalol (dl 4-[2-isopropylamino-l-hydroxyethyl] methane Sulfonanilide-HCI, MJ 1999) has been reported to be a beta adrenergic receptor blocking agent free of any intrinsic adrenergic activity.g Its coronary and systemic hemodynamic effects have been extensively studied and reported.‘O-I5 We are not aware, however, of any report of the combined hemodynamic effects of glucagon and sotalol. In this communication we report our findings of the hemodynamic effects of the interaction of beta adrenergic receptor blockade with sotalol and the intravenous administration of glucagon in the anesthetized dog.
ProtoGENI, a Prototype GENI Under Security Vulnerabilities: An Experiment-Based Security Study

ProtoGENI is one of the prototype implementations of global environment for network innovations (GENI). ProtoGENI proposes and executes the GENI control framework, including resource management and allocation for authenticated and authorized experimenters. Security and inevitably are the most important concerns in the whole development process. In this paper, we study and evaluate its security vulnerabilities according to GENI's security goals. We analyze the threat model of ProtoGENI and categorize four broad classes of attacks. Based on the role of an active experimenter, we demonstrate experiments as proof of the concept that each class of attacks can be successfully launched using common open source network tools. We also present analysis and experiments that show perspectives on the potential risks from an external user. Furthermore, we discuss the feasibility and possible defense strategies on ProtoGENI security with respect to our preliminary experiments and potential future directions. Our contribution lies in examining known vulnerabilities without requiring sophisticated experiments while remaining effective. We have reported our findings to the ProtoGENI Team. Our work indicates that the solutions have been deployed. This paper validates that experiment-based vulnerability exploration is necessary.
The Child-Centered Kindergarten: A Position Paper: Association for Childhood Education International

(2001). The Child-Centered Kindergarten: A Position Paper: Association for Childhood Education International. Childhood Education: Vol. 77, No. 3, pp. 161-166.
Structure-stability relationships for graphene-wrapped fullerene-coated carbon nanotubes

Abstract All-carbon based photovoltaics comprised of n-type fullerenes (C60s) and p-type single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have potential for light harvesting and storage because of their advantageous carrier transport properties and improved mechanical/chemical stability. However, fullerenes tend to slip away from the graphitic basal plane due to the weak van der Waals force between dissimilar graphitic allotropes. Here, we report that the stability of these structures can be enhanced by wrapping them with graphene nanoribbons. We have developed molecular dynamic simulations of C60-coated, graphene nanoribbon-wrapped SWCNTs to systematically explore the relationship between nanoribbon morphology and wrapping behavior. Theoretical modeling shows that the competition between the van der Waals and bending energies of graphene nanoribbons affects both the wrapping process and the structure of the final assembly. Simulation predictions are corroborated by experimental evidence, both revealing the significant potential for stabilizing all-carbon active layers using graphene nanoribbons with optimized geometry.
Stigma and Difficulty Accessing Medical Care in a Sample of Adults with Serious Mental Illness

Introduction . Wellness of people with mental illness is increasingly a public health priority. This study examined factors associated with difficulties receiving medical care in adults with mental illness. Methods . In a sample of 1,670 adults with mental illness, we assessed difficulties in accessing medical care and stigma. Results . A total of 465 (28%) participants reported difficulties in accessing medical care; 211 (13%) attributed difficulties in access to stigma. Lack of comprehensive medical care coverage and mental health symptoms were associated with increased odds of perceived difficulties in accessing medical care; personal empowerment was negatively associated with perceived difficulties attributed to stigma; education was positively associated. Discussion . The findings highlight unmet need for medical care in this population and the need to recognize stigma as a barrier medical care. Interventions to empower patients and educate medical providers about wellness for people with serious mental illness could help to reduce barriers.
A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO ENHANCE READING AND WRITING INSTRUCTION IN INCLUSION CLASSROOMS

A year-long researcher-teacher professional development group with a next-year followup was conducted with seven general education teachers from two elementary schools in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States. The two schools had recently restructured their special education program to include students with LD in the general education class full-time. Teachers were taught four reading and writing practices (one during each nine-week grading block). All but two of the teachers partially or completely implemented the prac- tices during the nine-week period. Sustained implementation during the school year was maintained by four of the seven teachers, and three of the seven teachers con- tinued high implementation of the instructional practices during the next school year. The components of successful professional development programs are dis- cussed and implications for teacher education are offered.
INCORPORATION OF ACHIRAL PEPTOID-BASED TRIMERIC SEQUENCES INTO COLLAGEN MIMETICS

This report represents initial studies of collagen mimetics with achiral peptoid-based trimeric sequences. The incorporation of achiral units into collagen-like structures is of considerable interest for the structural simplification of collagen-like biomaterials. The achiral unit Gly-Nleu-Nleu (where Nleu represents N-isobutylglycine) was positioned between Gly-Pro-Hyp trimeric repeats in collagen-like structures in order to examine the effect of an achiral block on triple helicity. A series of single chain structures, Ac-(Gly-Pro-Hyp)n-(Gly-Nleu-Nleu)n-(Gly-Pro-Hyp)n-NH2 (where n = 1−3), and a template-assembled structure, KTA-[Gly-(Gly-Pro-Hyp)2-(Gly-Nleu-Nleu)2-(Gly-Pro-Hyp)2-NH2]3 (where KTA represents cis,cis-1,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid), were investigated. Biophysical studies were carried out in both H2O and ethylene glycol (EG)/H2O (2:1, v/v) solvents, using circular dichroism and optical rotation measurements. Highly cooperative melting curves from optical rotation determi...
Urine drug screening: opioid risks preclude complete patient autonomy.

The authors of this column underscore the complexity of the issue of urine drug screening, which is not unexpected given their divergent professional backgrounds. Dr. Compton provides a cogent argument for the need to detect addiction and therefore protect the patient, while Drs. Goldberg and Rich assert that urine drug screening contaminates the doctor–patient relationship and consequently contributes to stigmatization. As such, a fundamental tension exists between patient protection and patient costs or harms that result from the practice. In support of Dr. Compton's view, new data suggest that among individuals with a new episode of chronic pain, being exposed to prescription opioids strongly predicted incident opioid use disorder [1]. Accordingly, one could argue that opioids themselves pose a significant patient risk, and therefore prescribers are beholden to monitor these risks and …
CONVERTIBLE BONDS: MATCHING FINANCIAL AND REAL OPTIONS

For companies whose value consists in large part of “real options”- growth opportunities that may (or may not) materialize-convertible bonds may offer the ideal financing vehicle because of the matching financial options built into the securities. This paper proposes that convertible debt can be a key element in a financing strategy that aims not only to fund current activities, but to give companies access to low-cost capital if and when their real investment options turn out to be valuable. In this sense, convertibles can be seen as the most cost-effective solution to a sequential financing problem-how to fund not only today's activities, but also tomorrow's growth opportunities (some of them not yet even foreseeable). For companies with real options, the ability of convertibles to match capital inflows with corporate outlays adds value by minimizing two sets of costs: those associated with having too much (particularly equity) capital (known as “agency costs of free cash flow”) and those associated with having too little (“new issue” costs). The key to the cost-effectiveness of convertibles in funding real options is the call provision. Provided the stock price is “in the money” (and the call protection period is over), the call gives managers the option to force conversion of the bonds into equity. If and when the company's investment opportunity materializes, exercise of the call feature gives the firm an infusion of new equity (while eliminating the debt service burden associated with the convertible) that enables it to carry out its new investment plan. Consistent with this argument, the author's recent study of the investment and financing activities of 289 companies around the time of convertible calls reports significant increases in capital expenditures starting in the year of the call and extending three years after. The companies also showed increased financing activity following the call, mainly new long-term debt issues (many of them also convertibles) in the year of the call.
Robots stand on own two feet

Honda, Sony and Fujitsu are selling the first strolling humanoids. Honda's 120-cm-high Asimo is the tallest robot to amble admirably - not only on level ground, but up and down stairs and along slopes as well. To meet the challenge more easily, the latest robots scale things down: Fujitstu's new Humanoid for Open Architecture Platform (HOAP-1) is just 48 cm tall, while Sony's vaudevillian SDR-4X, the singer and dancer, is 58 cm.
Viscoelastic Properties of Marine Sediments

Abstract : Because of their high moisture content, marine sediments have characteristics of both solids and liquids. Being neither liquid nor solid it is difficult to evaluate material constants using conventional soil testing equipment or conventional liquid viscometers. However, these properties must be evaluated if problems such as anchor resistance to motion, submarine bearing capacity, and slop instability problems are ever to be solved. Before properties can be evaluated a theory must exist. Nonlinear viscoelastic theory was used and a simple shear device called the shear viscometer was developed. (Author)
Isolation and properties of ovine [1-pyroglutamic acid]-β-lipoprotein

Abstract A new form of ovine β-lipotropin has been isolated by partition chromatography on agarose gel. All the evidence is consistent with the conclusion that its structure is identical to that of ovine β-lipotropin with the exception that the glutamic acid residue in position 1 was replaced by a pyroglutamic acid residue. Its lipolytic activity in isolated rabbit fat cells was about one-half that of β-lipotropin.
The effect of debriefing on laboratory induced helplessness: An attributional analysis1

Debriefing was assessed as means of reversing helplessness deficits through reattribution. Fifty-five subjects listened to escapable or inescapable tones. One inescapable group, prior to anagrams, was debriefed regarding noise uncontrollability. A second inescapable group was administered anagrams by a different experimenter. While exposure to inescapable noise led to performance deficits, switching experimenters obviated these deficits. Debriefing actually facilitated anagram performance. All inescapable subjects—debriefed or not—attributed their lack of control on the noise task to experimenter interference, casting some doubt on reattribution as an explanation of debriefing's effects. Results were discussed in terms of the reformulated learned helplessness model and the ethical implications of debriefing in learned helplessness research.
Phase II study of Aflibercept (VEGF-Trap) in patients with recurrent or metastatic urothelial cancer, a California Cancer Consortium Trial.

Objectives To determine whether aflibercept, a recombinant fusion protein that binds and neutralizes multiple vascular endothelial growth factor isoforms, is effective in the treatment of urothelial cancer. The efficacy of systemic therapies for advanced urothelial cancer after failure of front-line platinum-based chemotherapy is limited. Evidence has shown that vascular endothelial growth factor is important in the pathophysiology of urothelial cancer. Methods Patients with measurable, metastatic, or locally advanced urothelial cancer previously treated with 1 platinum-containing regimen were enrolled. Aflibercept was administered at 4 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks. The response rate (RR) and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed in a 2-stage accrual design (22 + 18). A maximum of 40 patients were to be accrued to rule out a null hypothesis RR of 4% and PFS of 3 months versus an alternative RR of 15% and PFS of 5.4 months, with α = 0.12 and β = 0.19. Results A total of 22 patients were accrued. One partial response (4.5% RR, 95% confidence interval 0.1%-22.8%) was seen. The median PFS was 2.79 months (95% confidence interval 1.74-3.88). Attributable Grade 3 toxicities included fatigue, hypertension, proteinuria, pulmonary hemorrhage, pain, hyponatremia, anorexia, and lymphopenia. No treatment-related Grade 4 or greater toxicities occurred. Conclusions Aflibercept was well tolerated, with toxicity similar to those seen with other vascular endothelial growth factor pathway inhibitors; however, it had limited single-agent activity in patients with urothelial carcinoma previously treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy.
Conceptualizing “Ethnicity” and “ethnic conflict”: A controversy revisited

The literature on “ethnicity” and “ethnic conflict” still fails to yield either definitional precision or usable empirical referents for the study of either phenomenon. This article offers a critique of the key literature on these subjects and a propositional inventory summarizing points of scholarly agreement, a discussion of the empirical problems that face scholars in this field, and, finally a general model for the analysis of particular ethnic conflicts, including consideration of the correlative tangents of resolution intervention.
Dynamic Programming Approach for Arterial Signal Optimization

Link performance functions (LPFs) are essential components of macroscopic models for signal optimization, traffic assignment, or combined control-assignment models. Numerous studies have developed a variety of performance functions for signal optimization. Most of these studies attempted to use simplified LPFs that did not capture the important relationships and dependencies among the variables. Dependent LPFs are introduced; in these LPFs the performance on any link depends on the flow pattern not only on that link alone but also on the feeder links. Such functions represent with greater fidelity the performance characteristics of the link and can lead to better control and assignment. An optimization model explicitly considers flow interactions among successive links and applies it in a dynamic programming procedure to determine optimal signal settings. The procedure, which is an offshoot of the combination method for offset optimization, is illustrated for an arterial street and demonstrates its effica...
The pain-prone disorder: A clinical and psychological profile

Abstract Chronic pain of obscure origin, a widespread problem, represents a distinct psychopathologic condition for which the authors propose the term “pain-prone Disorder.” Pain-prone persons present with continuous pain and a desire for surgery. Based on an evaluation of 234 patients at the Massachusetts General Hospital, the authors describe the profile of such patients. They have engaged in excessive activity (ergomania) before the onset of pain and after its onset, they become excessively passive (anergic). Interviews and psychological tests show that their pain is related to a denial of emotional and interpersonal difficulties and that they tend to idealize their family relationships. The disorder appears to be a “depression-spectrum disease,” and treatment with antidepressants is often effective.
Relative dosimetry using active matrix flat‐panel imager (AMFPI) technology

The first examination of the use of active matrix flat-panel arrays for dosimetry in radiotherapy is reported. Such arrays are under widespread development for diagnostic and radiotherapy imaging. In the current study, an array consisting of 512 x 512 pixels with a pixel pitch of 508 microm giving an area of 26 x 26 cm2 has been used. Each pixel consists of a light sensitive amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photodiode coupled to an a-Si:H thin-film transistor. Data was obtained from the array using a dedicated electronics system allowing real-time data acquisition. In order to examine the potential of such arrays as quality assurance devices for radiotherapy beams, field profile data at photon energies of 6 and 15 MV were obtained as a function of field size and thickness of overlying absorbing material (solid water). Two detection configurations using the array were considered: a configuration (similar to the imaging configuration) in which an overlying phosphor screen is used to convert incident radiation to visible light photons which are detected by the photodiodes; and a configuration without the screen where radiation is directly sensed by the photodiodes. Compared to relative dosimetry data obtained with an ion chamber, data taken using the former configuration exhibited significant differences whereas data obtained using the latter configuration was generally found to be in close agreement. Basic signal properties, which are pertinent to dosimetry, have been investigated through measurements of individual pixel response for fluoroscopic and radiographic array operation. For signal levels acquired within the first 25% of pixel charge capacity, the degree of linear response with dose was found to be better than 99%. The independence of signal on dose rate was demonstrated by means of stability of pixel response over the range of dose rates allowed by the radiation source (80-400 MU/min). Finally, excellent long-term stability in pixel response, extending over a 2 month period, was observed.
Convection columns above large experimental fires

The rate of rise of the convection columns above experimental fires depends on the rate of average atmospheric temperature lapse in the lower 1,000 meters. The type of fuels used in these fires will probably produce a mass fire if the burning area is 27 ± 2 hectares or larger and if winds are light.
Assessing the reliability function of nanocomponents

A nanocomponent is a collection of atoms arranged to a specific design in order to achieve a desired function with an acceptable performance and reliability. The type of atoms, the manner in which they are arranged within the nanocomponent, and their interrelationship have a direct effect on the nanocomponent's reliability (survival) function. In this paper we propose models based on the notion of a copula that are used to describe the relationship between the atoms of a nanocomponent. Having defined these models, we go on to construct a `nanocomponent' model in order to obtain the reliability function of a nanocomponent.