cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A reciprocal effects analysis of cannabis use and perceptions of risk

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Adolescents and young adults increasingly view cannabis as a relatively safe drug. Perception of risk associated with cannabis use is correlated negatively with the prevalence of use, but the causal nature of this association is debated. The aim of this study is to quantitate the reciprocal associations between cannabis use and risk perception in a longitudinal panel of emerging adults. DESIGN Observational study of longitudinal data from the Monitoring the Future longitudinal study using autoregressive cross-lagged panel analyses to investigate reciprocal associations between cannabis risk perception and frequency of past-year cannabis use. SETTING Surveys administered to 12th-grade students from the United States general population. PARTICIPANTS A total of 9929 12th-grade students (mean age 18.0 years) who were surveyed initially during 2000-05 and follow-up data until approximately 23-24 years old (three waves; n = 9929). MEASUREMENTS Perception of risk association with cannabis use and frequency of past-year cannabis use. RESULTS At baseline, 33% of the 12th-graders used cannabis in the past year versus 28% by the third follow-up; 83% believed that smoking cannabis regularly carried moderate or great risk versus 78% by the third follow-up. All cross-lagged paths in both directions were statistically significant (all P < 0.001), consistent with reciprocal influences between cannabis use and risk perception. The negative association between past-year cannabis use and subsequent risk perception (standardized coefficient range -0.21 to -0.27) was stronger than that between risk perception and subsequent use (standardized coefficient range -0.08 to -0.11; confidence intervals did not overlap with those for the coefficients reported above). Similar results were obtained when the analysis was limited to those who had never used cannabis prior to baseline. CONCLUSIONS Longitudinal associations between cannabis use and perception of risks from cannabis use are reciprocal in nature, with a stronger association between cannabis use and lower subsequent risk perception.
Topological Fidelity and Image Thresholding: A Persistent Homology Approach

We develop a method based on persistent homology to analyze topological structure in noisy digital images. The method returns threshold(s) for image segmentation to represent inherent topological structure as well as estimates of topological quantities in the form of Betti numbers. Two motivating data sets are scans of binary alloys and firn, the intermediate stage between snow and ice.
Preconception Blood Pressure Levels and Reproductive Outcomes in a Prospective Cohort of Women Attempting Pregnancy.

Elevated blood pressure in young adulthood is an early risk marker for cardiovascular disease. Despite a strong biological rationale, little research has evaluated whether incremental increases in preconception blood pressure have early consequences for reproductive health. We evaluated preconception blood pressure and fecundability, pregnancy loss, and live birth in the EAGeR trial (Effects of Aspirin on Gestational and Reproduction; 2007–2011), a randomized clinical trial of aspirin and reproductive outcomes among 1228 women attempting pregnancy with a history of pregnancy loss. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured during preconception in the first observed menstrual cycle and in early pregnancy and used to derive mean arterial pressure. Fecundability was assessed as number of menstrual cycles until pregnancy, determined through human chorionic gonadotropin testing. Pregnancy loss included both human chorionic gonadotropin–detected and clinical losses. Analyses adjusted for treatment assignment, age, body mass index, race, marital status, smoking, parity, and time since last loss. Mean preconception systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 111.6 mm Hg (SD, 12.1) and 72.5 (SD, 9.4) mm Hg. Risk of pregnancy loss increased 18% per 10 mm Hg increase in diastolic blood pressure (95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.36) and 17% per 10 mm Hg increase in mean arterial pressure (95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.35) in adjusted analyses. Findings were similar for early pregnancy blood pressure. Preconception blood pressure was not related to fecundability or live birth in adjusted analyses. Findings suggest that preconception blood pressure among healthy women is associated with pregnancy loss, and lifestyle interventions targeting blood pressure among young women may favorably impact reproductive health. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00467363.
Left Behind: Torschlusspanik and Anxiety

This article analyzes a type of anxiety called Torschlusspanik and argues for the usefulness of the German term to philosophers of emotion working in the English language. I propose a new use of the term, a use tied to the fear of aging generally and of aging out of a profession specifically.
Contemporary Native American Projects: Four Studies

We discuss the distinct cultural and philosophical context for the new architecture that has emerged on Native lands within the USA during the past two decades. As individual tribes can now employ their own architects and contractors, a more sophisticated design sensibility has emerged that seeks to reconcile form and content in a manner that is culturally reassuring and unifying. Four projects—each distinct in its design approach, building function, and geographic area—are presented in terms of cultural reflection, structural approach, sustainability, and their impact on the development of a wider Native regionalism.
Confirmation and Meaning Holism Revisited

Does confirmation holism imply meaning holism? A plausible and novel argument, all of whose premises enjoy significant support among contemporary philosophers, links the two theses. This article presents this argument and diagnoses it with a weakness. The weakness illustrates a general difficulty with drawing morals for the nature of ordinary thought and language from claims about the nature of science. The diagnosis is instructive: It suggests more fruitful relations between theories of scientific theory confirmation and semantic theories of our everyday thoughts and statements.
Noeud Vital and the Respiratory Centers

We now recognize that the main breathing generator resides principally in the medulla oblongata. Vivisectionists-specifically, Julien Legallois-discovered "the respiratory center." Cutting through the brainstem stops respiration but not if the medulla remains intact and the brain is sliced in successive portions. Pierre Flourens localized surgical ablation experiments further identified a 1-mm area in the medulla, which he called vital knot or node (noeud vital). Detailed characterization had to wait until the 1920s, when Lumsden carried out more specific transection experiments to improve morphological differentiation of the respiratory center into inspiratory and expiratory divisions.
The Geography of Occupational Concentration Among Low-Skilled Immigrants:

Employment concentration among low-skilled immigrants is a well-documented phenomenon in the U.S. labor market though its temporal and spatial patterns are less well examined. With Census microdata...
Bioinspired, graphene-enabled Ni composites with high strength and toughness

Nature’s wisdom resides in achieving a joint enhancement of strength and toughness by constructing intelligent, hierarchical architectures from extremely limited resources. A representative example is nacre, in which a brick-and-mortar structure enables a confluence of toughening mechanisms on multiple length scales. The result is an outstanding combination of strength and toughness which is hardly achieved by engineering materials. Here, a bioinspired Ni/Ni3C composite with nacre-like, brick-and-mortar structure was constructed from Ni powders and graphene sheets. This composite achieved a 73% increase in strength with only a 28% compromise on ductility, leading to a notable improvement in toughness. The graphene-derived Ni-Ti-Al/Ni3C composite retained high hardness up to 1000°C. The present study unveiled a method to smartly use 2D materials to fabricate high-performance metal matrix composites with brick-and-mortar structure through interfacial reactions and, furthermore, created an opportunity of developing advanced Ni-C–based alloys for high-temperature environments.
OC57 Von willebrand disease reclassification in a national paediatric comprehensive care centre

In 2008, the National Institutes of Health published guidelines (www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-pro/guidelines/current/von-willebrand-guidelines/full-report/4-management-of-vwd.htm) in which the suggested level for the designation of type 1 VWD was a VWF:Ag or VWF:RCo level of Methods 315 Case records of children Results 315 children on the Irish National Bleeding disorder database had been historically diagnosed with VWD or possible VWD. Following the review there was a 81% reduction in the number of patients diagnosed with Type 1 VWD (187 patients in the original cohort were classified as Type 1 which reduced to 36 post -reclassification). Predictably, no significant change in numbers diagnosed with Type 2 (26) and Type 3 (2 patients) VWD, 185 (59% of total population) are now classified as Low VWF with a preponderance of Group O patients. 37 (15% of total population) were deemed to have no form of VWD and reclassified as normal. 19 (6% of total population) have not returned for full reclassification and still remain as unspecified or possible. Discussion/Conclusion Our data suggest over-diagnosis of VWD in this population using previous guidelines. Diagnosis, especially for individuals with mildly decreased VWF (30–50IU/dl) requires correlation of clinical assessment and laboratory results. Reclassification has resulted in reallocation of resources to priority patients. This recommendation does not preclude the diagnosis of VWD in individuals with VWF:RCo of 30–50 IU/dl if there is supporting clinical and/or family evidence for VWD or the use of agents to increase VWF levels where VWF:RCo is 30–50IU/dl and may be at risk for bleeding.
Beetle horns evolved from wing serial homologs

Understanding how novel complex traits originate is a foundational challenge in evolutionary biology. We investigated the origin of prothoracic horns in scarabaeine beetles, one of the most pronounced examples of secondary sexual traits in the animal kingdom. We show that prothoracic horns derive from bilateral source tissues; that diverse wing genes are functionally required for instructing this process; and that, in the absence of Hox input, prothoracic horn primordia transform to contribute to ectopic wings. Once induced, however, the transcriptional profile of prothoracic horns diverges markedly from that of wings and other wing serial homologs. Our results substantiate the serial homology between prothoracic horns and insects wings and suggest that other insect innovations may derive similarly from wing serial homologs and the concomitant establishment of structure-specific transcriptional landscapes.
The Effects of Steroids on Survival of Mouse and Human Tympanic Membrane Fibroblasts.

ObjectiveTympanic membrane (TM) fibroblast cytotoxicity of quinolone ear drops is enhanced by dexamethasone and fluocinolone. Hydrocortisone has not been evaluated. We aimed to assess the effects o...
Learning How to Search: Generating Exception-Triggering Tests Through Adaptive Fitness Function Selection

Search-based test generation is guided by feedback from one or more fitness functions—scoring functions that judge solution optimality. Choosing informative fitness functions is crucial to meeting the goals of a tester. Unfortunately, many goals—such as forcing the class-under-test to throw exceptions— do not have a known fitness function formulation. We propose that meeting such goals requires treating fitness function identification as a secondary optimization step. An adaptive algorithm that can vary the selection of fitness functions could adjust its selection throughout the generation process to maximize goal attainment, based on the current population of test suites. To test this hypothesis, we have implemented two reinforcement learning algorithms in the EvoSuite framework, and used these algorithms to dynamically set the fitness functions used during generation.We have evaluated our framework, EvoSuiteFIT, on a set of 386 real faults. EvoSuiteFIT discovers and retains more exception-triggering input and produces suites that detect a variety of faults missed by the other techniques. The ability to adjust fitness functions allows EvoSuiteFIT to make strategic choices that efficiently produce more effective test suites.
Extrema principles of entropy production and energy dissipation in fluid mechanics

A survey is presented of several extrema principles of energy dissipation as applied to problems in fluid mechanics. An exact equation is derived for the dissipation function of a homogeneous, isotropic, Newtonian fluid, with terms associated with irreversible compression or expansion, wave radiation, and the square of the vorticity. By using entropy extrema principles, simple flows such as the incompressible channel flow and the cylindrical vortex are identified as minimal dissipative distributions. The principal notions of stability of parallel shear flows appear to be associated with a maximum dissipation condition. These different conditions are consistent with Prigogine's classification of thermodynamic states into categories of equilibrium, linear nonequilibrium, and nonlinear nonequilibrium thermodynamics; vortices and acoustic waves appear as examples of dissipative structures. The measurements of a typical periodic shear flow, the rectangular wall jet, show that direct measurements of the dissipative terms are possible.
Women and the Holy City: The Struggle over Jerusalem's Sacred Space

Jerusalem's Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif is the holiest place in the world for Jews, the third holiest place for Muslims and a constant feature in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet the gendered dimensions of inter-communal disputes over sacred space in Jerusalem, as well as in other holy places around the world, have been largely neglected, as have women's roles in these site-specific conflicts. An implicit association of women with peaceful politics and syncretic religious practices has obscured the fact that women are often key actors in inter-communal contestation of holy places. This study looks to three contemporary women's movements in and around Jerusalem's Sacred Esplanade: Women for the Temple - a Jewish Orthodox movement for access to Temple Mount; The Murabitat - Muslim women activists devoted to the protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque from Jewish claims; and Women of the Wall - a Jewish feminist mobilization against restrictive gender regulations at the Western Wall. Lihi Ben-Shitrit demonstrates how attention to gender and to women's engagement in conflict over sacred places is essential for understanding what makes contested sacred sites increasingly 'indivisible' for parties in the inter-communal context.
Soft sweeps predominate recent positive selection in bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Two modes of positive selection have been recognized: 1) hard sweeps that result in the rapid fixation of a beneficial allele typically from a de novo mutation and 2) soft sweeps that are characterized by intermediate frequencies of at least two haplotypes that stem from standing genetic variation or recurrent de novo mutations. While many populations exhibit both hard and soft sweeps throughout the genome, there is increasing evidence that soft sweeps, rather than hard sweeps, are the predominant mode of adaptation in many species, including humans. Here, we use a supervised machine learning approach to assess the extent of hard and soft sweeps in the closest living relatives of humans: bonobos and chimpanzees (genus Pan). We trained convolutional neural network classifiers using simulated data and applied these classifiers to population genomic data for 71 individuals all five extant Pan lineages, of which we successfully analyzed 60 individuals from four lineages. We found that recent adaptation in Pan is largely the result of soft sweeps, ranging from 73.1 to 97.7% of all identified sweeps. While few hard sweeps were shared among lineages, we found that between 19 and 267 soft sweep windows were shared by at least two lineages. We also identify novel candidate genes subject to recent positive selection. This study emphasizes the importance of shifts in the physical and social environment, rather than novel mutation, in shaping recent adaptations in bonobos and chimpanzees.
Oxide Reinforced Ti64 Composites Processed by Selective Laser Melting

Selective laser melting (SLM) processing of metal matrix composites (MMCs) provides unique challenges due to the presence of dissimilar interfaces subjected to rapid melting and solidification. Ti64 composite powder with either nanometric aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) is mixed using high energy ball milling operated under mild conditions, and subsequently fabricated by SLM. Up to 3 vol.% of oxides is uniformly deposited on the surface of the Ti64 feedstock powder. Despite uniform dispersion, the presence of oxides led to powder flowability and melt pool instability issues during the SLM process. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy are used to characterize changes in microstructure and to confirm presence of oxides in the SLM-fabricated composites. A 1 vol.% Ta2O5 reinforced Ti MMC yields improved mechanical properties at multiple scale lengths (micro and nano). Macroscale processing induced defects (e.g., pores, un-melted particles, cracking) were present in the other composites fabricated. However, localized nanoscale properties were also enhanced in a 3 vol.% Ta2O5 reinforced Ti composite, and a 1 vol.% nano-Al2O3 reinforced composite.
Evaluation of Caregiver Training Procedures to Teach Activities of Daily Living Skills

Caregivers of children with an autism spectrum disorder are often responsible for assisting their children to complete activities of daily living skills. Effective and efficient caregiver training methods are needed to train caregivers. The present study used two concurrent multiple-baseline across-participants designs to evaluate the effects of real-time feedback and behavioral skills training on training eight caregivers to implement teaching procedures for activities of daily living skills with their child. We assessed caregivers’ accuracy and correct implementation of the six-component teaching procedure after they received either real-time feedback or behavioral skills training. Caregivers from both groups mastered and maintained correct implementation of the teaching procedures with their child. The overall results suggest that real-time feedback and behavioral skills training are efficacious to train caregivers to implement activities of daily living skills procedures with their children, and that real-time feedback may be an efficient alternative method to train caregivers.
Defying Labels: Richmond NOW’s Multi-Generational Dynamism

iv Introduction 1 Chapter One: From Grand Narrative to Localized Complexity: The Historiography of NOW 7 Chapter Two: Building a Movement: Pragmatism, Experimentation, and Individuality, 1969-1974 16 Chapter Three: A New Cohort and Organizational Evolution: Changed Tactics for a Narrowed Agenda, 1974-1977 39 Chapter Four: The Cohorts at the End of a Movement, 1977-1982 60 Conclusion: The Multiple Facets of Richmond‟s Local Movement 66 Bibliography 75
What Symptoms of Depression Predict Mortality in Community‐Dwelling Elders?

Objectives: To determine which symptoms of depression are most likely to increase the risk of mortality in a biracial sample of older adults. Design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Setting: Baseline and mortality follow-up in urban and rural North Carolina. Participants: Four thousand one hundred sixty-two African-American and white elders aged 65 to 105 at baseline (mean age 73). Measurements: Sociodemographic and health factors and four subscales of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (negative affect, positive affect, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal function) were determined at baseline (1986–87). Mortality was assessed over 10 years of follow-up (through 1996). Results: Fifty-one percent of the sample died over the 10-year follow-up. In controlled Cox proportional hazards modeling, those who scored lower on the positive affect scale were significantly more likely to die over the 10-year follow-up (hazard ratio=1.12, 95% confidence interval=1.05–1.18). For those who scored higher on the negative affect scale, the somatic scale, and the interpersonal scale, there was no increased risk for mortality in controlled analyses. Conclusion: These findings suggest that subjective views of well-being may be more important predictors of mortality in older adults than the classic symptoms of depression, such as negative affect and somatic symptoms.
Adopting continuous auditing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the hurdles, compared with that in the United States, for the implementation of Continuous Auditing in China. As a timely, cost-saving and efficient auditing method, continuous auditing is being increasingly adopted throughout the world. However, while it is increasingly applied in the USA, continuous auditing is still in its infancy in China. Design/methodology/approach – This paper compares and contrasts China and the USA in three important dimensions that determine the “economic architecture” of assurance: the business environment, the audit profession and technology. Findings – The authors find that excessive government intervention in business, the lack of competition, independence of auditors, the support from management and the continuous auditing-specific regulations, as well as the technology gap between these two countries, are the main barriers for the implementation of continuous auditing in China. Research limitations/implications – The findings of this paper provide better understanding of the drivers of continuous auditing adoption in the USA and the barriers toward doing so in China. Practical implications – The term “continuous auditing” has never been formally introduced until the release of the draft of the Internal Control Audit Guide in 2011. Originality/value – The paper highlights how technology by itself is not deterministic, but given the extraordinary rise in the Chinese economy in both its size and its sophistication, it has be to assumed that its “leapfrog” into parity if not outright leadership in continuous assurance is still a matter of “when” and not of “if”.
Nondestructive Evaluation of Metal Matrix Composites

The objective of the subject program was to apply nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods to assess the integrity of FP/Mg composites. The material investigated was ZE41A magnesium alloy reinforced with FP (aluminum oxide) fiber. Twenty-one specimens (three specimens of each of six flawed and three unflawed specimens) were evaluated using ultrasonic scanning, wave propagation velocity, wave attenuation coefficient, and x-ray radiograph inspection techniques. The results for two of the 21 specimens are included herein.
Differences in Acute and Convalescent-Phase Antibodies of Cats Infected with Feline Picornaviruses

Complement fixation inhibiting and complement-fixing antibodies were demonstrated in sera from cats during the acute and convalescent stages, respectively, of feline picornavirus infections. Complement-fixing antibody activity was present in 19S and 7S globulins, whereas complement fixation inhibiting antibody activity was confined to the 7S globulins. Sera with complement-fixing antibody and sera with complement fixation inhibiting antibody were also shown to have neutralizing and precipitating antibodies. In a study of antibody responses to homotypic and heterotypic strains of feline picornavirus, less serological cross-reactions were observed between strains of feline picornavirus in sera from cats in the acute phase of feline picornavirus infection than in the convalescent phase. The temporal relationship of complement fixation inhibiting and complement-fixing antibody responses of cats after acute viral respiratory infections is contrasted with previously observed antibody response in cats to feline leukemia virus.
Modular amphiphilic copolymer-grafted nanoparticles: “nanoparticle micelle” behavior enhances utility as dispersants

The majority of existing dispersant systems are based on small molecule amphiphiles and therefore are susceptible to disaggregation when sufficiently diluted. An alternative design is proposed using nanoparticles as a core to template amphiphilic polymers grafted onto their surface into a micelle-like conformation. Such amphiphilic “nanoparticle micelles” will not disaggregate upon dilution, similar to unimolecular micelles. These nanodispersants were prepared by grafting successive blocks of poly(e-caprolactone) and poly(ethylene glycol) from functionalized silica nanoparticles through a combination of surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization and activated ester conjugation chemistry. The swellable hydrophobic poly(e-caprolactone) inner block enabled the encapsulation of a hydrocarbon payload while the hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) outer block afforded stable dispersions in aqueous media. Their capacity for hydrocarbon encapsulation was confirmed by their ability to sequester ultraviolet active dyes in aqueous environments and because the length of the polymer blocks can be easily tuned, this design enables the optimization of their loading capacity. Additional characterization using light scattering-based methodologies combined with ultraviolet spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis experiments confirmed the nanodispersant structure and their “unimolecular micelle-like” behavior.
Gastric Acid Secretion and Ulcerogenesis in Histamine-Treated Guinea Pigs

Gastric or duodenal erosions were selectively produced in guinea pigs by altering the dose and changing the route of administration of histamine. A correlation between gastric acid output and mucosal damage is observed in histamine-induced duodenal erosions but not in histamine-induced gastric erosions. Contact of gastric juice with duodenal mucosa was a prerequisite for incurring damage in the duodenum, since duodenal mucosal erosions were not observed in pylorus-ligated animals. Histamine-induced gastric mucosal damage was not associated with measurable increases in gastric acid output, and the effects of standard antiulcer agents (mepyramine, pyribenzamine, burimamide, atropine, and carbenoxolone) differed from those observed with histamine-induced duodenal erosions, suggesting that the mechanism of histamine-induced damage in the duodenum and stomach of the guinea pig is clearly different. Atropine and carbenoxolone conferred significant protection from duodenal erosions without any significant measurable reduction in gastric acid output, indicating that protection from erosion formation may be independent of any effect on gastric acid output or that acid output per se is not the obligatory factor responsible for histamine-induced duodenal erosions in guinea pigs.
Pulse sequence programming in a dynamic visual environment: SequenceTree.

Purpose To describe SequenceTree, an open source, integrated software environment for implementing MRI pulse sequences and, ideally, exporting them to actual MRI scanners. The software is a user-friendly alternative to vendor-supplied pulse sequence design and editing tools and is suited for programmers and nonprogrammers alike. Methods The integrated user interface was programmed using the Qt4/C++ toolkit. As parameters and code are modified, the pulse sequence diagram is automatically updated within the user interface. Several aspects of pulse programming are handled automatically, allowing users to focus on higher-level aspects of sequence design. Sequences can be simulated using a built-in Bloch equation solver and then exported for use on a Siemens MRI scanner. Ideally, other types of scanners will be supported in the future. Results SequenceTree has been used for 8 years in our laboratory and elsewhere and has contributed to more than 50 peer-reviewed publications in areas such as cardiovascular imaging, solid state and nonproton NMR, MR elastography, and high-resolution structural imaging. Conclusion SequenceTree is an innovative, open source, visual pulse sequence environment for MRI combining simplicity with flexibility and is ideal both for advanced users and users with limited programming experience. Magn Reson Med 75:257–265, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Plasma-derived C1-INH for managing hereditary angioedema in pediatric patients: A systematic review

Presently, medications approved for children with Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) are extremely limited. This is especially the case for children under 12 years of age. For this reason we reviewed and summarized the data on treatment of children with HAE. Available data indicate that plasma derived C1-inhibitor is a safe, effective treatment option for HAE in pediatric patients, including those below 12 years of age. Other therapies are also appear safe for the under 12 year of age, but less data are available. Importantly, home-based treatment of HAE in this age group appears to be safe and effective and can improve quality of life. These findings support current HAE consensus guidelines which strongly recommend the use of plasma derived C1-inhibitor as a first-line treatment in children and encourage home and self-treatment.
Forced rotational autoionization of high-lying states of H 2

We report the observation of forced rotational autoionization of Rydberg states lying below the lowest ionization threshold of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$, when a small external electric field is applied. Our observations are accounted for by an intuitive classical ionization model which relates the autoionization process to the lowering of the ionization threshold with the applied field.
Scalar particles in baryons

We consider the existence of elementary or composite color-bearing scalar quanta within hadrons. The effect of color-singlet quark-scalar configurations upon a number of baryon observables is analyzed. In particular, the neutron-charge-radius value supports the presence of such scalars, possibly indicated dynamic quark pairing within baryons. However, the axial-vector D/F ratio suggests the need for other dynamic effects such as quantum-chromodynamic radiative corrections.
A structural econometric analysis of the informal sector heterogeneity

Abstract Understanding the informal sector – that represents about 60–90% of urban employment in developing countries – has a significant importance for any strategy and policy interventions aiming to alleviate poverty and improve welfare. I formulate and estimate a model of entrepreneurial choice to address the heterogeneity in occupations and earnings observed within the informal sector. I test the implications of the model with reduced form and nonparametric techniques, and use a structural econometric approach to empirically identify occupational patterns and earnings using data from the Cameroon informal sector. The empirical validity of the structural estimates is tested and the estimated model is used in counterfactual policy simulations to show how microfinance and business training programs can strengthen the efficiency of the informal sector and substantially improve its earning potential.
Foraminiferal definition of the boundaries of the Pleistocene in Southern California, U.S.A.

Abstract A marked change occurred in marine microfaunas of the southern California area at the end of the Pleistocene about 11,000 years before the present. A shift from sinistral (Pleistocene) to dextral (Recent) populations of Globigerina pachyderma (Ehrenberg) is accompanied by the appearance in the Recent sediments of dextral populations of G. subcretacea Lomnicki, by an increase in numbers of orbulina chambers, and by a dramatic increase in the abundance of radiolarians. The Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary, more than 3 million years before the present, is defined by a definitive shift from dextral (Upper Pliocene) to sinistral (Lower Pleistocene) populations of G. pachyderma. Evaluation of paleobathymetric conditions at this boundary in different parts of the Los Angeles Basin shows that a differential bottom topography existed with different groups of benthic foraminiferal indices in different areas within the Basin. Thus, well-known benthic foraminiferal indices used formerly to define the boundary are shown to vary several hundred meters stratigraphically with respect to the time line determined by coiling ratios of G. pachyderma.
Analysis of handle dynamics-induced errors in hand biodynamic measurements

Abstract Reliable experimental data of the driving-point biodynamic response (DPBR) of the hand–arm system are required to develop better biodynamic models for several important applications. The objectives of this study are to enhance the understanding of mechanisms of errors induced via the dynamics of instrumented handles and to identify a relatively more reliable method for DPBR measurement. A model of the handle–hand–arm system was developed and applied to examine various measurement methods. Both analytical and finite element methods were used to perform the examinations. This study found that the handle dynamic response could cause an uneven vibration distribution on its structures, especially at high frequencies (⩾500 Hz), and hand coupling on the handle could influence the distribution characteristics. Whereas the uneven distribution itself could directly result in measurement error, the hand coupling-induced vibration changes could cause errors in tare mass cancellation. The essential reason for both types of error is that the acceleration measured at one point on the handle may not be the same as that distributed at other locations. Because the cap measurement method that separately measures the DPBRs distributed at the fingers and palm can minimize both types of error, it is the best one among the methods examined in this study. The theory developed in this study can be used to help select, develop, and improve the measurement method for a specific application.
Balloon valvuloplasty for congenital heart disease in the fetus.

Fetal cardiac interventions are relatively new and promising therapeutic options for modifying congenital heart defects (CHD) in utero. Techniques for safe access to the fetus must be improved and patient selection criteria must be developed. Most important is early detection and referral of all patients who have CHD, enabling improved outcomes for infants. Finally, is should be stressed that performing successful fetal cardiac interventions requires multidisciplinary collaboration between perinatologists, cardiologists, fetal surgeons, and anesthesiologists. Each discipline has specific skills for providing safe access to the fetus, performing the procedure, and providing perioperative care.
Effects of SC 1950 (2,6 Dimethyl Diethyl Piperidinium Bromide) on Peripheral Circulation.∗

Summary and ConclusionsSC 1950 has a profound effect on the peripheral circulation. A fall of blood pressure is observed in normal individuals as well as in patients with peripheral vascular disease, but in the latter group this response is subject to considerable variations. The pulse rate is frequently elevated, and considerable variations occur following intravenous injection of SC 1950. The pulse volume of the digits shows a marked increase in normal individuals, is somewhat less in patients with moderate peripheral arterial disease, and varies only insignificantly in patients with advanced organic peripheral arterial disease. In normal individuals the skin temperature of the digits rises sharply, often as much as 8°C, while little change is observed in patients with advanced peripheral disease. Digital blood flow in normal individuals shows a marked increase, while it rises only slightly in patients with moderate or advanced peripheral arterial disease. In all groups the fall in systolic pressure is ...
NEUTRAL LIPIDS OF ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ESTERIFIED FATTY ACIDS.

Abstract Lipids from muscle, cuticle and reproductive system of Ascaris lumbricoides were separately studied. Volatile and non-volatile acids of the neutral fats were analyzed by gas chromatography of their methyl esters. The volatile acids of the reproductive system were identified as acetic, propionic, α-methylbutyric, n -valeric and α-methylvaleric acids. Non-volatile acids were found to consist of mixtures of mainly C 12 - through C 20 -acids. Estimations of individual higher acids showed that their concentrations in the neutral fat from the various tissues are quite similar.
Lithium protects ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis.

Abstract Lithium is widely used for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Recent studies have demonstrated its neuroprotective effect. Ethanol is a potent neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to the developing nervous system. In this study, we evaluated lithium’s neuroprotection against ethanol-induced apoptosis. Transient exposure of infant mice to ethanol caused apoptotic cell death in brain, which was prevented significantly by administering a low dose of lithium 15 min later. In cultured cerebellar granule neurons, ethanol-induced apoptosis and activation of caspase-3/9, both of which were prevented by lithium. However, lithium’s protection is not mediated by its commonly known inhibition of glycogen synthase3β, because neither ethanol nor lithium has significant effects on the phosphorylation of Akt (ser473) or GSK3β (ser9). In addition, the selective GSK-3β inhibitor SB-415286 was unable to prevent ethanol-induced apoptosis. These data suggest lithium may be used as a potential preventive measure for ethanol-induced neurological deficits.
UROTHELIAL NEOPLASMS IN PATIENTS 20 YEARS OR YOUNGER: A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS USING THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION 2004 BLADDER CONSENSUS CLASSIFICATION

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Urothelial neoplasms in patients younger than 20 years are rare, with conflicting data regarding clinical outcomes.Materials and Methods:: We identified 23 patients 4 to 20 years old with urothelial neoplasms, reclassified the microscopic diagnoses using the 2004 WHO/International Society of Urologic Pathology grading classification and collected data on presentation, risk factors and outcomes.Results:: Pathological grading revealed 2 urothelial papillomas, 10 papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential (PUNLMPs), and 8 low grade and 3 high grade papillary urothelial cancers, all without invasion. Mean patient age was 13.2 years (range 4 to 20), 19 patients were male and 19 presented with gross hematuria. All lesions were solitary and measured 0.1 to 6 cm. One patient had a history of smoking and 1 had parents who smoked. Three patients (13%) had recurrences classified as either urothelial papilloma (1) or PUNLMP (2). All patients were alive with no evidence of disease afte...
The leaching and adsorption of gold using low concentration amino acids and hydrogen peroxide: Effect of catalytic ions, sulphide minerals and amino acid type

Abstract The leaching of gold using alkaline amino acids–hydrogen peroxide solutions at low concentrations has been studied. The application of alkaline amino acid–hydrogen peroxide system may offer an alternative and environmentally benign process for gold leaching, particularly in the context of leaching low grade gold ores in an in-situ or in heap leach processes. In the presence of an oxidant or oxidants, it was found that amino acids can dissolve gold at alkaline condition at low and moderate temperature. Heating the leach solution between 40 and 60 °C was found to enhance the gold dissolution significantly in alkaline amino acid–peroxide solutions. It was also found that gold dissolution increases by increasing amino acid concentration, peroxide and pH. Amino acids acts synergistically to dissolve gold. Although glycine showed the highest gold dissolution as a single amino acid compared to histidine and alanine, histidine was found to enhance gold dissolution when used in equimolar amounts with glycine. The presence of Cu 2+ ion enhances gold dissolution in the glycine–peroxide solutions. The process will propose an environmentally benign process for gold treatment in order to replace the use of cyanide in heap or in-situ leaching. In the presence of pyrite, the amount of gold leached was lower due to the peroxide consumption in sulphide oxidation.
Facial Affect Processing and Depression Susceptibility: Cognitive Biases and Cognitive Neuroscience.

Facial affect processing is essential to social development and functioning and is particularly relevant to models of depression. Although cognitive and interpersonal theories have long described different pathways to depression, cognitive-interpersonal and evolutionary social risk models of depression focus on the interrelation of interpersonal experience, cognition, and social behavior. We therefore review the burgeoning depressive facial affect processing literature and examine its potential for integrating disciplines, theories, and research. In particular, we evaluate studies in which information processing or cognitive neuroscience paradigms were used to assess facial affect processing in depressed and depression-susceptible populations. Most studies have assessed and supported cognitive models. This research suggests that depressed and depression-vulnerable groups show abnormal facial affect interpretation, attention, and memory, although findings vary based on depression severity, comorbid anxiety, or length of time faces are viewed. Facial affect processing biases appear to correspond with distinct neural activity patterns and increased depressive emotion and thought. Biases typically emerge in depressed moods but are occasionally found in the absence of such moods. Indirect evidence suggests that childhood neglect might cultivate abnormal facial affect processing, which can impede social functioning in ways consistent with cognitive-interpersonal and interpersonal models. However, reviewed studies provide mixed support for the social risk model prediction that depressive states prompt cognitive hypervigilance to social threat information. We recommend prospective interdisciplinary research examining whether facial affect processing abnormalities promote-or are promoted by-depressogenic attachment experiences, negative thinking, and social dysfunction.
Popular Movements and Political Change in Mexico

Popular Movements and Political Change in Mexico. Joe Foweraker and Ann L. Craig (editors). Boulder, CO: Lynne Reiner Publishers, 1990. xiv +314 pp., bibliography, index. $35.00 (cloth), $15.95 paper. ISBN 1-55587-211-5, ISBN 1-55587-219-0.
Polydiaxonon prevents adhesions in the rabbit model: a pilot report.

Abstract Purpose: Restrictive strabismus is a common and difficult problem confronted by strabismologists. Several materials have been used to minimize the formation of adhesions after strabismus surgery with varying degrees of success. Polydiaxonon (PDS, Ethicon) is an absorbable, nontoxic, nonporous material. We used it as 25 and 50 μm thick sleeves to study its effectiveness in the prevention of adhesions. Method: Eight eyes of four adult New Zealand White rabbits were used. To simulate the adhesions, a raw scleral bed was created under the superior rectus insertion in study animals and the muscle capsule facing the sclera was opened. Four study eyes had PDS sleeves inserted around the superior rectus; the other four served as controls. After 4 months the animals were killed. The surgical sites were inspected for adhesions. Light microscopy was also performed. Results: Virtually no adhesion formation was noted in the study eyes. In the control group, however, dense adhesions were seen. Light microscopy confirmed these results. No significant amount of foreign material was found. There was no toxicity resulting from PDS. Conclusions: This demonstrated nearly complete prevention of adhesions in the rabbit model. PDS sleeves appear to have potential in surgery for restrictive strabismus.
Electronic structure calculations with the Tran-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson Density Functional

We report a series of calculations testing the predictions of the Tran-Blaha functional for the electronic structure and magnetic properties of condensed systems. We find a general improvement in the properties of semiconducting and insulating systems, relative to calculations with standard generalized gradient approximations, although this is not always by the same mechanism as other approaches such as the quasiparticle GW method. In ZnO the valence bands are narrowed and the band gap is increased to a value in much better agreement with experiment. The Zn d states do not move to higher binding energy as they do in local-density approximation+U calculations. The functional is effective for systems with hydride anions, where correcting self-interaction errors in the 1s state is important. Similarly, it correctly opens semiconducting gaps in the alkaline-earth hexaborides. It correctly stabilizes an antiferromagnetic insulating ground state for the undoped cuprate parent CaCuO{sub 2}, but seriously degrades the agreement with experiment for ferromagnetic Gd relative to the standard local-spin-density approximation and generalized gradient approximations. This is due to positioning of the minority-spin 4f states at too low an energy. Conversely, the position of the La 4f conduction bands of La{sub 2}O{sub 3} is in reasonable accord with experimentmore » as it is with standard functionals. The functional narrows the Fe d bands of the parent compound LaFeAsO of the iron high-temperature superconductors while maintaining the high Fe spectral weight near the Fermi energy.« less
Theoretical predictions of X-ray and extreme-UV flare emissions using a loss-of-equilibrium model of solar eruptions

In this paper, we present numerical simulations of solar flares that couple a loss-of-equilibrium solar eruption model with a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model. In these calculations, the eruption is initiated by footpoint motions that disrupt the balance of forces acting on a flux rope. After the eruption begins, a current sheet forms and an arcade of flare loops is created by reconnecting magnetic fields. Thermal energy input into the flare loops is found by assuming the complete thermalization of the Poynting flux swept into the current sheet. This thermal energy is input into a one-dimensional hydrodynamic code for each loop formed in the multithreaded flare arcade. We find that a density enhancement occurs at the loop top when the two evaporating plasma fronts in each leg of the loop collide there. Simulated flare images show that these loop-top density enhancements produce "bars" of bright emission similar to those observed in the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) 195 A bandpass and loop-top "knots" of bright emission seen in flare observations by the Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT) on Yohkoh. We also simulate flare spectra from the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) on Yohkoh. We find that during the early stages of flare initiation, there are significant blueshifts in the Ca XIX line, but the intensities are too faint to be observed with BCS. In general, the results of this model simulate observed flare emissions quite well, indicating that the reconnection model of solar flares is energetically consistent with observations.
Youth Movements and Elections in Belarus

This article offers a contribution to the comparative democratisation literature by analysing the use of non-violent methods of resistance in a repressive political regime. It focuses on the role of youth movements in elections in Belarus. Elections present an opportunity for the engagement of youth in politics. The study examines how the youth movements Malady Front, Zubr and Belarusian Patriotic Youth Union sought to mobilise young people during the 2001 election. It analyses movement tactics and state action in response to youth mobilisation.