cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute effects of naturalistic THC vs. CBD use on recognition memory: a preliminary study

The ratio of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) varies widely across cannabis strains. CBD has opposite effects to THC on a variety of cognitive functions, including acute THC-induced memory impairments. However, additional data are needed, especially under naturalistic conditions with higher potency forms of cannabis, commonly available in legal markets. The goal of this study was to collect preliminary data on the acute effects of different THC:CBD ratios on memory testing in a brief verbal recognition task under naturalistic conditions, using legal-market Colorado dispensary products. Thirty-two regular cannabis users consumed cannabis of differing THC and CBD levels purchased from a dispensary and were assessed via blood draw and a verbal recognition memory test both before (pretest) and after (posttest) ad libitum home administration in a mobile laboratory. Memory accuracy decreased as post-use THC blood levels increased (n = 29), whereas performance showed no relationship to CBD blood levels. When controlling for post-use THC blood levels as a covariate, participants using primarily THC-based strains showed significantly worse memory accuracy post-use, whereas subjects using strains containing both THC and CBD showed no differences between pre- and post-use memory performance. Using a brief and sensitive verbal recognition task, our study demonstrated that naturalistic, acute THC use impairs memory in a dose dependent manner, whereas the combination of CBD and THC was not associated with impairment.
Compartment Syndromes: Short-Term Outcomes

Compartment syndrome in its various forms is particularly challenging in resource-limited settings owing to the scarcity of data and the low awareness of workers practicing in these areas of the world. In suspected cases, confirmation of the diagnosis and management decisions are difficult in the absence of pressure-measuring devices. Two anatomical locations of compartment syndromes deserve special attention in these areas because of their relative frequency and their potentially heavy consequences: the lower limb and the abdomen. The strategy in resource-limited countries should be centered on early recognition based on purely clinical criteria and a reasonable timely decision for aponeurotomy. In the abdomen, all patients undergoing damage control laparotomy should be considered potential victims of acute compartment syndrome. General preventive measures are likely to heavily reduce the burden of abdominal compartment syndrome. In all other cases, management should be tailored towards organizing transfer towards an appropriate center.
The Failed War on Pre-Trial Detention: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Reform

During the 1990s and 2000s, 70 percent of Latin American countries transitioned from an inquisitorial criminal procedure to a U.S. adversarial model in a phenomenon known as the Latin American Criminal Procedure Revolution (LACPR). The LACPR involved more than 19 countries, and cost around 1.51 billion dollars. Almost two decades after its implementation, the impact of the most significant procedural reform undertaken on the continent remains largely unexplored. Using Colombia as a study case, I explore the LACPR effect in pre-trial detentions using two methodological strategies. First, I exploit the exogenous variation resulting from the LACPR gradual implementation to estimate a difference-in-difference and an event study model. Secondly, I estimate the impact of the LACPR in pre-trial admission and release rates using a regression analysis controlling for co-founding variables and time-trends. The results provide compelling evidence that the U.S. adversarial model decreased the number of inmates in pre-trial detention, specifically male detainees. However, the results show that the decline is not associated with a decrease in the use of pre-trial detention (human rights gain) but to an increase in procedural speediness (efficiency gain).
The contributions of focused attention and open monitoring in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for affective disturbances: A 3-armed randomized dismantling trial.

Objective Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) includes a combination of focused attention (FA) and open monitoring (OM) meditation practices. The aim of this study was to assess both short- and long-term between- and within-group differences in affective disturbance among FA, OM and their combination (MBCT) in the context of a randomized controlled trial. Method One hundred and four participants with mild to severe depression and anxiety were randomized into one of three 8-week interventions: MBCT (n = 32), FA (n = 36) and OM (n = 36). Outcome measures included the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). Mixed effects regression models were used to assess differential treatment effects during treatment, post-treatment (8 weeks) and long-term (20 weeks). The Reliable Change Index (RCI) was used to translate statistical findings into clinically meaningful improvements or deteriorations. Results All treatments demonstrated medium to large improvements (ds = 0.42-1.65) for almost all outcomes. While all treatments were largely comparable in their effects at post-treatment (week 8), the treatments showed meaningful differences in rapidity of response and pattern of deteriorations. FA showed the fastest rate of improvement and the fewest deteriorations on stress, anxiety and depression during treatment, but a loss of treatment-related gains and lasting deteriorations in depression at week 20. OM showed the slowest rate of improvement and lost treatment-related gains for anxiety, resulting in higher anxiety in OM at week 20 than MBCT (d = 0.40) and FA (d = 0.36), though these differences did not reach statistical significance after correcting for multiple comparisons (p's = .06). MBCT and OM showed deteriorations in stress, anxiety and depression at multiple timepoints during treatment, with lasting deteriorations in stress and depression. MBCT showed the most favorable pattern for long-term treatment of depression. Conclusions FA, OM and MBCT show different patterns of response for different dimensions of affective disturbance. Trial registration This trial is registered at (v NCT01831362); www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Substance Use, General Health and Health Literacy as Predictors of Oral Health in Emerging Adult Sexual Minority Men of Color: A Secondary Data Analysis.

There is limited evidence surrounding oral health in emerging adult, sexual minority men of color. This study examined the association between sociodemographic factors, health literacy, cigarette, e-cigarette, and alcohol use on oral health outcomes. Secondary data analysis was conducted with 322 sexual minority men ages 18–34 in the United States. Between-group, mean-level, and multivariable logistic regression analyses examined differences on oral health outcomes. Increased cigarette (aOR = 1.84, p = 0.03), e-cigarette (aOR = 1.40, p = 0.03), and alcohol use (aOR = 2.07, p = 0.05) were associated with extended time away from the dentist. Health literacy (aOR = 0.93, p = 0.05) was negatively associated. Increased cigarette (aOR = 1.17, p = 0.04) and cigarette use (aOR = 1.26, p = 0.04) were associated with tooth loss. Health literacy was negatively associated (aOR = 0.65, p = 0.03). Increased e-cigarette (aOR = 1.74, p = 0.04) and cigarette use (aOR = 4.37, p < 0.001) were associated with dental affordability issues. Lower health literacy and racial identification as Black were associated with dental affordability issues; demonstrating an urgent need to address these factors to improve oral health in emerging adult sexual minority men of color.
Abstract MP69: A Proteomic Approach For Investigating The Pleiotropic Effects Of Statins In The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) Study

Background: Statins are prescribed to reduce LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Statins may influence other outcomes such as dementia through pleiotropic effects unrela...
Spectroscopic evidence of tetanus toxin translocation domain bilayer-induced refolding and insertion.

Abstract Tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) is an A-B toxin with three functional domains: endopeptidase, translocation (HCT), and receptor binding. Endosomal acidification triggers HCT to interact with and insert into the membrane, translocating the endopeptidase across the bilayer. Although the function of HCT is well defined, the mechanism by which it accomplishes this task is unknown. To gain insight into the HCT membrane interaction on both local and global scales, we utilized an isolated, beltless HCT variant (bHCT), which retained the ability to release potassium ions from vesicles. To examine which bHCT residues interact with the membrane, we widely sampled the surface of bHCT using 47 single-cysteine variants labeled with the environmentally sensitive fluorophore NBD. At neutral pH, no interaction was observed for any variant. In contrast, all NBD-labeled positions reported environmental change in the presence of acidic pH and membranes containing anionic lipids. We then examined the conformation of inserted bHCT using circular dichroism and intrinsic fluorescence. Upon entering the membrane, bHCT retained predominantly α-helical secondary structure, whereas the tertiary structure exhibited substantial refolding. The use of lipid-attached quenchers revealed that at least one of the three tryptophan residues penetrated deep into the hydrocarbon core of the membrane, suggesting formation of a bHCT transmembrane conformation. The possible conformational topology was further explored with the hydropathy analysis webtool MPEx, which identified a large, potential α-helical transmembrane region. Altogether, the spectroscopic evidence supports a model in which, upon acidification, the majority of TeNT bHCT entered the membrane with a concurrent change in tertiary structure.
The Supreme Court Denies Rebuttal: Westerngeco and Salvaging Extraterritorial Bars to Patent Liability

This note examines the Supreme Court’s decision in Western Geco v Ion Geophysical Corp to uphold lost profit damages predicated on foreign, non-infringing, actions following 35 USC 271(f)(2) liability. This note concludes that the Supreme Court’s use of the RJR Nabisco framework, in rebutting the presumption against extraterritoriality, opens foreign lost profit liability across all modes of 35 USC 271 infringement. Additionally, the note argues that practitioners and judges may restore the presumption’s role by importing comity concerns into a policy-driven proximate cause analysis for future infringement cases.
Acquisition, preprocessing, and reconstruction of ultralow dose volumetric CT scout for organ‐based CT scan planning

Purpose: Traditionally, 2D radiographic preparatory scan images (scout scans) are used to plan diagnostic CT scans. However, a 3D CT volume with a full 3D organ segmentation map could provide superior information for customized scan planning and other purposes. A practical challenge is to design the volumetric scout acquisition and processing steps to provide good image quality (at least good enough to enable 3D organ segmentation) while delivering a radiation dose similar to that of the conventional 2D scout. Methods: The authors explored various acquisition methods, scan parameters, postprocessing methods, and reconstruction methods through simulation and cadaver data studies to achieve an ultralow dose 3D scout while simultaneously reducing the noise and maintaining the edge strength around the target organ. Results: In a simulation study, the 3D scout with the proposed acquisition, preprocessing, and reconstruction strategy provided a similar level of organ segmentation capability as a traditional 240 mAs diagnostic scan, based on noise and normalized edge strength metrics. At the same time, the proposed approach delivers only 1.25% of the dose of a traditional scan. In a cadaver study, the authors’ pictorial-structures based organ localization algorithm successfully located the major abdominal-thoracic organs from the ultralow dose 3D scout obtained with the proposed strategy. Conclusions: The authors demonstrated that images with a similar degree of segmentation capability (interpretability) as conventional dose CT scans can be achieved with an ultralow dose 3D scout acquisition and suitable postprocessing. Furthermore, the authors applied these techniques to real cadaver CT scans with a CTDI dose level of less than 0.1 mGy and successfully generated a 3D organ localization map.
Private Versus Common Property Forests: Forest Conditions and Tenure in a Honduran Community

Establishing secure tenure is widely recognized as a fundamental component of sustainable forest management. Policy-makers generally prefer privatization to achieve these ends, although common property institutions may also be appropriate. But if common property tenure is insecure and fails to control exploitation, theory predicts that private tenure should lead to better forest conditions. In this case study of a western Honduras community, forest mensuration data were collected from four private forests and two relatively open access common property forests. Statistical analyses failed to find consistent, significant differences in vegetation structure or soils related to tenure. Notable contrasts between forests reflected historical conditions and owner preferences. Neither form of tenure appeared to emphasize concerns for sustainable management, and ongoing processes of change constrained the possibility for limiting common property forest exploitation. The study adds to others which show that the outcomes of private or common property tenure relate substantially to the socioeconomic, political, and ecological context.
Microstructure, Melting and Wetting Properties of Pd-Ag-CuO Air Braze on Alumina

A reactive air brazing (RAB) technique utilizing silver-copper oxide (Ag-CuO) alloys has previously been developed for joining ceramics components used in high temperature devices ranging from oxygen separation membranes, gas turbines and combustion engines. The application of the Ag-CuO system as a brazing material is limited by its solidus and liquidus temperatures, which are known to be in the range of 935 C and 967 C. Some joined ceramic components may be used in devices, which require further processing steps, or may be used in applications, that exceed these temperatures. It has been found that the addition of palladium to the silver copper oxide system will increase solidus and liquidus temperatures of the resulting alloy. In our work, we are studying the effects of palladium addition on the wetting properties of Ag-CuO braze system on alumina. Quality of brazing is evaluated through microstructural analysis and bending strength of brazed joints created with alumina. The presentation will include processing, and characterization of Ag-CuO brazed system with and without palladium addition on alumina.
Hume on Meaning

Hume's views on language have been widely misunderstood. Typical discussions cast Hume as either a linguistic idealist who holds that words refer to ideas or a proto-verificationist. I argue that both readings are wide of the mark and develop my own positive account. Humean signification emerges as a relation whereby a word can both indicate ideas in the mind of the speaker and cause us to have those ideas. If I am right, Hume offers a consistent view on meaning that is neither linguistic idealism nor positivism but a genuine alternative to these, one that deserves to be taken seriously.
Option Trading and the Intervalling Effect Bias in Beta

Prior studies show that the beta coefficient of a security changes systematically as the length of measurement interval is varied. This phenomenon, which is called the intervalling effect bias in beta, has been attributed to the friction in the trading system that causes the delays in the price-adjustment process. This study shows that option listing is associated with a decline in the beta intervalling effect bias. The decline is most pronounced for small firms. We also find that our sample firms grow significantly after option listing. Since prior research indicates that market value is a major determinant of the magnitude of the intervalling effect, we re-examine our results using a subsample that controls for market value. The results indicate that the decline in the beta bias from the pre-listing to post-listing period is still prevalent after we control for the change in firm size. Overall, the evidence is consistent with the notion that option trading reduces the delays in the price-adjustment process, which in turn reduces the intervalling effect bias in beta.
Inclusive quasielastic spin observables for p+2H, 12C at 500 Me V☆

Abstract Analyzing powers (Ay) and spin-rotation-depolarization parameters (DSS, DSL, DLS, DLL, DNN) were determined for 500 MeV p + 2 H and p + 12 C inclusive quasielastic scattering at 10°, 15°, and 20° laboratory scattering angles. The p + 2 H data are consistent with the isospin-average of the proton-proton and proton-neutron scattering observables; the p + 12 C data are not. A relativistic plane wave impulse approximation calculation leads to better agreement with the p + 12 C spin-observables.
A compact, repetitive, 6.5 kilojoule Marx generator

A 1 Hz, 6 kJ, 440 kV field-transportable, repetitive Marx generator was constructed using commercially available hardware, an existing DC power supply, and a few machined plastic parts. The generator was designed and built in three months. The authors review the options considered before choosing the Marx design, and they discuss the use of commercially available hardware in the Marx generator's construction. Operating results are also considered. >
Qualitative Research for Customer-Focused Insights

Qualitative research typically involves techniques such as focus groups, in-depth interviews (IDIs), ethnography, and metaphor elicitation. Rather than being a substitute for quantitative research, qualitative research - when conducted properly - can be a useful and necessary complement that allows the researcher to fully understand the needs, motivations, judgments, perceptions, and intentions that customers bring to the table. By following the guidelines described here, marketing researchers can ensure that they maximize the upside potential of their research project while minimizing the downside.
Equatorial longitude and local time variations of topside magnetic field‐aligned ion drifts at solar minimum

[1] In the topside ionosphere, the high mobility of the plasma along the magnetic field allows field-aligned ion drifts to occur readily as a result of field-aligned gravitational forces, collisional forces, or pressure gradients. Therefore, variations in the field-aligned ion drifts can be used to explore the influence of thermospheric, electrodynamic, and chemical processes on the ionosphere. Longitude and local time variations in the field-aligned ion drifts near the magnetic equator are presented using observations from the Coupled Ion Neutral Dynamics Investigation on board the Communications/Navigation Outage Forecast System satellite. These observations were obtained during the period of extremely low solar activity present in 2008 and 2009, allowing the seasonal, local time, and longitudinal variations to reveal the relative importance of the processes responsible for topside field-aligned plasma drifts during solar minimum. This investigation found that the low-altitude winds and tides, the net ionization or loss, and the meridional E×B drift were all influential in creating longitudinal and local time variations in the field-aligned drift, though the strength of the influence seen by each driver was found to vary with season, local time, and longitude.
The end of privacy

This article discusses the privacy issues surrounding the use of online social networking Web sites. The possibility that the Internet will be used to appropriate gossip and rumors in a defamatory way is described. The difficulty of protecting one's personal reputation given the volume of information on the Internet is explored. INSETS: Blabbing to the World;The Internet Never Forgets;STRATEGIES TO PROTECT PRIVACY;My Life Is Your Life
In Loco Emporium: Immigrant Youth and Educators in the Social Contracts of Education

For adults training to be professional educators, the phrase, in loco parentis, communicates the intention that schools and educators are meant to act in the role of the parent, commonly interpreted to mean acting in accordance with what is optimal for the development of the child or young person. The limits of this relationship have been debated under legal interpretations pursuant to elements, such as protection of private property and punishing hate speech. In this article, I draw attention to the ways in which schools in the USA have acted as extensions of state designs to establish and maintain sovereignty, with schooling as a primary site of political economy. In particular, I explore the ways in which immigrant youth are positioned in schools that are meant to act in loco emporium, in the place of the empire. Drawing on policy analysis and critical race ethnography, I provide analysis that is both from above and below about immigrant youth, education, and immigration policy enforcement.
The role of lung perfusate PO2 in the control of the pulmonary vascular resistance of exteriorized fetal lambs

Abstract The isolated perfused lower left lung lobe of the exteriorized fetal lamb was used to define quantitatively the relationship between pulmonary perfusate oxygen tension and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in the fetus at multiple tensions over the range 8.3 to 433 mm Hg. This allowed variation of the perfusate P O 2 over the range of partial pressures from less than 10 mm Hg to cover 400 mm Hg while constant values of P CO 2 , temperature and perfusate flow were maintained. In all animals, calculated pulmonary vascular resistance varied in an inverse manner with the perfusate P O 2 . The relationship between PVR and perfusate oxygen tension is described by the equation: PVR = 7.67 − 1.54 (log P O 2 ) R 2 = 0.70. While others have shown that a single, large increase in blood oxygen tension will decrease the PVR in fetal lambs, these data present the first quantitative description of the role of oxygen tension in the modulation of fetal pulmonary vascular resistance as determined at multiple perfusate oxygen tensions over a fifty-fold range.
The Association of Neighborhood Characteristics and Domestic Violence in Santiago, Chile

The growing tension between conservative attitudes and liberal policies on gender issues in Chile is reflected by the high rates of domestic violence juxtaposed by a strong governmental policy aimed at preventing this social problem. Attempts to understand factors associated with domestic violence in Chile, and in other countries as well, have not paid much attention to neighborhood-level factors. This manuscript examined the extent to which selected neighborhood characteristics were associated with domestic violence against women. Relying on theories of social disorganization and social stress, this study conceptualized residence in a disadvantaged neighborhood as a source of stress and examined the relationship between detrimental physical and social characteristics of neighborhoods and the chance of women experiencing domestic violence. Results revealed that a higher level of trash in neighborhoods was associated with increased rates of domestic violence above and beyond individual characteristics. Findings also suggested that the relationship between high levels of trash in neighborhoods and domestic violence was greater for women with higher levels of financial stress. Given the potential role of neighborhood environments in reducing domestic violence, a comprehensive approach incorporating both neighborhood- and individual-level factors may be critical in designing effective preventive interventions for domestic violence.
Prospective observational study to establish predictors of glyburide success in women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Prospective Observational Study to Establish Predictors of Glyburide Success in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
The Investigation of Power in Written Texts through the Use of Multiple Textual Analytic Frames.

Although often used as secondary sources, written texts are powerful sources of data for qualitative researchers to explore power networks and broad ideological perspectives. As such, I present in this paper an analytic process that draws upon multiple analytic frameworks – constant comparative analysis, discursive textual analysis, and traditional literary analysis – based in three different disciplines to explore intersecting forms of power exhibited in written texts. To do so, I draw upon a previous study in 2007 in which I examined 17 LGBTQ‐themed young adult novels. Through this example, I describe the three analytic methods used, demonstrate a self‐reflexive heuristic I called ‘analytic triple‐entry journals’ (analytic TEJs), which effectively facilitated the analysis through these multiple methods, and highlight how the incorporation of these multiple perspectives and methods allows for increased multi‐dimensional, complex representation of the data.
The role of flexibility in the development of new products: An empirical study

Abstract Although flexibility and firm competitiveness have been linked by a considerable body of research, most efforts to advance our understanding of flexibility have been focused on manufacturing, the economics of firms, and competitive strategy. This paper examines the link between technology and flexibility during product design and its impact on development performance and strategies for managing development risk, particularly in environments of high uncertainty. Using “the incremental cost and time of modifying a design as a response to endogenous and exogenous change” as a measure of flexibility, I compared analogous development projects from a large-scale empirical study of integrated circuit (IC) design. It was found that projects using flexible design technologies outperformed projects using inflexible technologies by a factor of 2.2 (in person-months) and over 23% of that difference can be attributed to differences in managing the risk of design changes: high flexibility enabled designers to tolerate high levels of risk, whereas low flexibility resulted in significantly higher resource investments that were aimed at minimizing the risk of design changes. The implications for managerial theory and practice are discussed and approaches that would allow firms to enhance design flexibility are proposed.
Immunosuppressive and monooxygenase induction activities of highly chlorinated diphenyl ether congeners in C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice.

Abstract Immunosuppressive and Monooxygenase Induction Activities of Highly Chlorinated Diphenyl Ether Congeners in C57BL/6 and DBA/2 Mice. Harper, N., Howie, L, Connor, K., Arellano, L., Craig, A., Dickerson, R., and Safe, S. (1993). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 20, 496-502. The dose-response effects of 2.2′,3,3′,4,5,5′,6,6′-,2,2′,3,3′,4, 4′,5,6,6′- and 2,2′,3,3′,4,4′,5,5′6-nonachlodiphenyl ether (nonaCDE) and decachlorodiphenyl ether (decaCDE) on the splenic plaque-forming cell (PFC) response to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) and the induction of hepatic microsomal ethoxyresorufin O -deethylase (EROD) activity was determined in aryl hydrocarbon (Ah)-responsive C57B1,/6 and less All responsive DBA/2 mice. All the congeners exhibited immunotoxicity at doses between 2.5 and 10 μmol/kg in C57BL/6 mice whereas in DBA/2 mice doses ⩾ 25 μmol/kg were required to cause inhibition of the PFC response to SRBCs. The results also showed that the nonaCDE isomers and decaCDE were more active as inducers of hepatic EROD activity in C57BL/6 than DBA/2 mice; However, there was not a correlation between the induced EROD activity and the CVP1A1 and CYP1A2 mRNA levels in the C57BL/6 mice. These data suggested that the immunotoxicity of these compounds was mediated through the Ah receptor. However, the results showed that the immunotoxicity of the nonaCDE isomers and decaCDE was unexpectedly high compared to that of lower chlorinated diphenyl ethers and there were no apparent structure-activity relationships among the higher chlorinated congeners. This suggests that some of the immunosuppressive effects observed for the nonaCDE isomers and decaCDE may be Ah receptor-independent.
Reflections on Soviet Novels

There is every likelihood that future historians of the Russian novel will praise the Soviet period for the record number of volumes produced and blame it for an equally unprecedented decline in artistic standards. Yet one may hope that the twenty-first-century critic, in fairness to an unhappy past, will not overlook a redeeming feature of the Soviet novel, i.e., its considerable anthropological value. The present reflections about a few recent or fairly recent Soviet novels do not deal with their literary qualities. They are concerned exclusively with the light these novels cast upon various aspects of everyday life in Soviet Russia, including, it may be added, the life of the novel makers themselves.
Exposure to PBDEs in the Office Environment: Evaluating the Relationships Between Dust, Handwipes, and Serum

Background: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been widely used as flame retardants in consumer products and are ubiquitous in residential indoor air and dust. However, little is known abo...
Nitrogen in Runoff from Residential Roads in a Coastal Area

Non-point sources of nitrogen (N) contribute to pollution of many coastal waters. Road runoff of N has been estimated for busy highways, but residential roads could also be important non-point sources. Here we estimate N in runoff from two small residential roads (average annual daily traffic [AADT] <1,000) and a state highway (AADT = 8,800) in a coastal watershed of Massachusetts, USA. The antecedent dry-day traffic was correlated with total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) concentrations at the beginning of each rain event for the highway, but not for the residential roads. The TDN concentrations declined exponentially with cumulative precipitation during storms. Estimated annual road runoff is about 10 kg TDN-N ha−1 of road surface for all three roads, which is about twice the bulk precipitation input. Because much of this road runoff enters sensitive coast water bodies directly, these inputs could be important for local water quality concerns.
Mechanism for photogeneration of metastable charged solitons in polyacetylene

We present a detailed investigation of the optical excitations, both electronic and vibrational, from photogenerated charged solitons in cis-rich and all-trans-polyacetylene prepared by the Shirakawa method. We find that the saturation concentration of photogenerated solitons on the trans sequences in cis-rich material (30\char21{}40 % trans) is substantially higher than in all-trans material, and that the lifetimes in this cis-rich material are considerably longer than in all-trans, in excess of 10 msec at low temperatures. For both the cis-rich and the all-trans materials, we find that photoinduced bleaching occurs only above the band edge, as expected if the photogenerated soliton states are formed from band states. These experimental results provide strong support for the stabilization of the photogenerated charges as like-charged pairs of solitons on the same chain rather than as charged solitons formed by trapping of free carriers (polarons) on neutral soliton defects.
Exact Reduced-Complexity Maximum Likelihood Reconstruction of Multiple 3-D Objects From Unlabeled Unoriented 2-D Projections and Electron Microscopy of Viruses

In cryo-electron microscopy, the data is comprised of noisy 2D projection images of the 3D electron scattering intensity of the object where the orientation of the projections is unknown. Often, the images show randomly selected objects from a mixture of different types of objects. Objects of different type may be unrelated, e.g., different species of virus, or related, e.g., different conformations of the same species of virus. Due to the low SNR and the 2D nature of the data, it is challenging to determine the type of the object shown in an individual image. A statistical model and maximum likelihood estimator that computes simultaneous 3D reconstruction and labels using an expectation maximization algorithm exists but requires extensive computation due to the numerical evaluation of 3D or 5D integrations of a square matrix of dimension equal to the number of degrees of freedom in the 3D reconstruction. By exploiting the geometry of rotations in 3D, the estimation problem can be transformed so that the inner-most numerical integral has a scalar rather than a matrix integrand. This leads to a dramatic reduction in computation, especially as the number of degrees of freedom in the 3D reconstruction increases. Numerical examples of the 3D reconstructions are provided based on synthetic and experimental images where the objects are small spherical viruses.
Lightning Protection for Transmission Lines

To meet the need for lightning protection on low-voltage transmission lines at moderate cost, and particularly for wood-pole lines, a design is presented in this paper that has high insulation strength and uses, in place of a ground wire, a shielding phase conductor with a lightning protector tube. Lightning currents are drained to ground with a minimum number of tubes of low current rating.
Dialectical Tensions Supervisor Attitudes and Contextual Influences in Psychotherapy Supervision

Psychotherapy supervision is a complex process; supervisors must concurrently balance multiple roles, such as teacher, counselor and consultant. The current paper proposes four “dialectical tensions” inherent in supervision which, if attended to, can guide supervisor behavior during the supervision session. Specifically, supervision requires balancing the following polarities: (1) promote change/provide support, (2) provide feedback/maintain relationship, (3) supervisee-directed/supervisor-directed, and (4) client focus/supervisee development focus. We discuss these dialectical tensions in a contextual framework, and we propose that supervisor awareness, intention and willingness are necessary to incorporate contextual factors and balance the dialectical tensions during supervisory interactions. We present two examples of supervisory interactions and describe how attention to the dialectical tensions can guide supervisory decisions.
Methamphetamine Using Careers of White and Black Women

From current arrest data, as well as scholarly research, it appears that methamphetamine (meth) is generally considered a “white drug.” Although most meth users are white, a nontrivial percentage is black. In this study we explore racial differences in the drug careers of women meth users. Specifically, we use in-depth interviews with 13 black and 17 white former meth users to determine if there are differences in the initiation into, persistence with, and desistance from use. From these interviews we observe racial differences in terms of how the women were introduced to meth, the way they experienced the high, how they procured the drug, their access to the drug, and the length of their drug careers. We find that the deviant careers for white and black meth users are similar in many ways, but various social and structural barriers to meth use among black women made their careers shorter and distinct compared to white users.
TRANSPORT OF NEUTRAL, DIBASIC AND N-METHYL-SUBSTITUTED AMINO ACIDS BY RAT INTESTINE.

The ability of everted sacs of rat small intestine to transport neutral, dibasic and N-methyl-substituted amino acids has been determined. The data obtained support the suggestion that three separate amino acid-transport systems are present in rat intestine.
On Numerical Analysis of View-Dependent Derivatives in Computed Tomography

We explore the numerical implementation of a view dependent derivative that occurs in $$\pi $$?-line reconstruction formulas for two- and three-dimensional computed tomography. Focusing on two-dimensional fan-beam tomography, we provide an error analysis and a common framework for the comparison of several schemes used to discretize this derivative. The leading error terms for each scheme are determined. The results demonstrate some advantages and drawbacks of the methods that are confirmed by numerical experiments.
A New Mouse Model for the Study of Human Breast Cancer Metastasis

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and this prevalence has a major impact on health worldwide. Localized breast cancer has an excellent prognosis, with a 5-year relative survival rate of 85%. However, the survival rate drops to only 23% for women with distant metastases. To date, the study of breast cancer metastasis has been hampered by a lack of reliable metastatic models. Here we describe a novel in vivo model using human breast cancer xenografts in NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice; in this model human breast cancer cells reliably metastasize to distant organs from primary tumors grown within the mammary fat pad. This model enables the study of the entire metastatic process from the proper anatomical site, providing an important new approach to examine the mechanisms underlying breast cancer metastasis. We used this model to identify gene expression changes that occur at metastatic sites relative to the primary mammary fat pad tumor. By comparing multiple metastatic sites and independent cell lines, we have identified several gene expression changes that may be important for tumor growth at distant sites.
A meaningful justification for the representational theory of measurement

Measurement, the means by which numbers enter science, is of fundamental importance to modern science. The relationship between its qualitative and quantitative aspects has generated many theories and much controversy. In 19th century geometry similar developments led mathematician Felix Klein to devise a theory for unifying qualitative and quantitative approaches to geometry. Klein's theory, which today is called the Erlanger program, was based on transformation groups. In this article, the Erlanger program is given a new foundation based on mathematical logic and is extended to science. The current dominant theory of measurement in the literature, the representational theory, is then justified in terms of the new foundation for the Erlanger program. Certain inferential techniques used in dimensional analysis and the related technique of possible psychophysical laws are also given justifications in terms of the new foundation.
Fabrication of Ag-Doped Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x Superconducting Films on Cu Substrates by Electrophoretic Deposition

Ag-doped Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x superconducting films were fabricated on Cu substrates by electrophoretic deposition. The electrophoretic deposition was carried out using presintered Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x and Ag2O powder dispersed in distilled acetone. The deposited films were heat-treated in air at 900°C. The Ag-doped Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x films on Cu-coated YSZ exhibited a metallic temperature dependence of the resistance, and the zero-resistance state was obtained at 88 K. The critical current density and the grain growth were greatly improved by the Ag doping.
Some Inference Results for Causal Autoregressive Processes on a Plane

We investigate the causal autoregressive process on a plane pioneered by Whittle (On stationary processes on the plane. Biometrika 41 (1954), 434–49) and further studied by Besag (Spatial interaction and statistical analysis of lattice systems. J. R. Stat. Soc. Ser. B 36 (1974), 192–236). We develop test statistics to test composite hypotheses about the parameters and to test if the process is separable. Also, when some data points are missing, we develop a computational procedure obtained by combining the EM algorithm and bootstrap procedures to find estimates of the parameters and hence the distribution of these estimates.
The Quasi-Business Letter: Passport to Foreign Culture*

OST FOREIGN language instructors would probably concur that the development of foreign language writing skills holds a low priority in classroom instruction. A variety of factors contributes to this situation, most notably the lack of adequate time, stimulating topics, themes or projects. Foreign language methods texts and college courses are not entirely without blame either, for most seem to have expended their stock of imaginative approaches on chapters which treated the sister skills of listening, speaking, and reading. Generally speaking, these texts advocate the traditional series of copy, dictation, and transformation exercises, concluding with a brief discussion on the merits of free expression. Diary entries, letter composition, and treatment of particular themes characterize the overriding majority of such recommendations. Of these, the pen-pal approach holds perhaps the greatest potential, for it can enhance student written expression and at the same time aid motivation. Unfortunately, however, the pen-pal approach often fails to "catch on" with students. The rea-
Activity of Paricutin volcano from July 1 to December 31, 1950

The activity of Paricutin Volcano was under continuous daily observation during the second half of 1950. At such times when the junior author was away from the observatory at Cuezeno station, his assistant, Jesus Saldana, maintained the detailed records and diagrams that serve as a basis for these six-month activity reports. During the second half of 1950 the senior author spent a total of 15 days at the observatory (July 6–9, August 30–September 2, October 22–24, and December 27–30). The junior author, aided by Saldana, obtained the basic data used in compiling the eruptive diagrams (see Fig. 1–3) and in preparing the monthly summary of weather conditions rainfall, and ashfall (see Table 1). They also mapped the monthly advance of the lava fronts (see Fig. 4) and noted significant events and changes that occurred during the period. The senior author prepared the remaining tables and figures and wrote the present report.
What diagnostic tests are useful for low back pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem that poses some interesting and difficult diagnostic problems. It is typically benign and self-limited, but it is occasionally the presenting symptom of serious systemic disease. The general diagnostic approach to low back pain is to check for 'red flags' in the history and physical that suggest the presence of malignancy, infection or spondyloarthridites, and for neurological compromise that could indicate that surgery is required (cauda equina syndrome) or may be beneficial (such as herniated discs or spinal stenosis that have not improved with conservative care). In the absence of these features, imaging is of limited value. Recent research has begun to evaluate subgroups with 'non-specific' low back pain that seem to benefit from specific interventions such as median branch or sacroiliac joint injections, manipulation, or specific exercises, but these require further investigation and validation.
Generating concise assertions with complete coverage

Assertions are valuable and commonly applied to formal verification and simulation-based verification in IC design flow. Unfortunately, assertion generation is a time-consuming process that depends heavily on human efforts. Some dynamic methods based on simulation and static methods based on structure analysis are proposed to automate assertion generation process. However, dynamic methods cannot guarantee the quality of assertions due to incomplete simulation while static methods might have scalability limits. With the significant advances in Boolean satisfiability (SAT) solving, SAT solving becomes a promising technique to overcome these methods' weaknesses. In this paper, we successfully formulate assertion generation to a SAT problem and use unit assumption to generate concise assertions. Furthermore, we consider input constraints and word level features to generate meaningful and high-readability assertions. Experimental results on SpaceWire, Ethernet, and Floating Point designs show that the generated assertions can always achieve 100% input space coverage.
The use of amrinone in noncardiac surgery

T HE MANAGEMENT of patients with ventricular dysfunction remains a distinct challenge to the anesthesiologist. Cardiovascular disease represents a major health care problem, and perioperative cardiac morbidity is the leading cause of death following surgery and anesthesia.’ Anesthesiologists often anesthetize patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD), valvular heart disease, and congestive heart failure (CHF). Implementation of inotropic support often becomes necessary to improve myocardial performance and prevent severe ventricular dysfunction. There is a lack of literature on the use of phosphodiesterase-III (PDE-III) inhibitors such as am&one in patients with cardiac disease and low cardiac output (CO) syndrome (LCOS) undergoing noncardiac surgery. Amrinone exhibits both inotropic and vasodilating properties (inodilator) and offers a new option in the management of ventricular dysfunction in such patients. Amrinone can be used alone or in combination with catecholamines to support the failing heart.*” This discussion will highlight potential uses of amrinone in noncardiac surgery and review clinical situations in which PDE-III inhibitors have shown promising activity.
Role of cis-regulatory elements on the ring-specific hrp3 promoter in the human parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Identification of promoter elements responsible for regulation of gene expression has been hampered by the AT richness of P. falciparum intergenic regions. Nested deletions of histidine-rich protein 3 (hrp3) promoter suggested the presence of a multipartite ring-specific element. Linker scanning (LS) of this ring-specific promoter showed that the alteration of several promoter regions decreased the luciferase activity compared to the wild-type configuration, indicating that these regions played a role in gene expression. No homology was observed by comparison of putative regulatory elements of other genes identified by bioinformatic analysis with the hrp3 enhancer, implying a different mechanism of gene regulation by the hrp3 promoter. LS and deletion analysis of the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of the hrp3 suggested that this region contains elements which interact with promoter elements to regulate gene expression. Analysis of the intron in the UTR region suggested that this region does not play a role in stage specificity in the hrp3 promoter. Together, our results indicate the presence of multiple mechanisms of gene regulation in the parasite.
Linking Learning and Health: A Pilot Study of Medical Students’ Perceptions of the Academic Impact of Various Health Issues

To assess medical students’ experience with a wide variety of health concerns and their perceptions of the impact of these health concerns on their academic performance. The National College Health Assessment (NCHA) was administered to all students enrolled at a single medical school during the spring term of 2005. Students reported the greatest perceived negative academic impact related to experiencing interpersonal concerns (concerns about troubled friends or family members, death of a friend or family member, and relationship difficulty) and mental health concerns (depression/anxiety/seasonal affective disorder and stress). A total of 315 students participated (48% response rate). Medical students perceive their experiences with social and psychological concerns as negatively influential to their academic well-being. Strategies that assist students in coping with these issues support the learning mission of the academic medical center.