cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in positive affect in cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders.

Abstract Objective This study evaluated changes in positive affect within cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT) for anxiety disorders. It was hypothesized that there would be significantly greater increases in positive affect in CBT conditions compared to the waitlist, and particularly higher in the Unified Protocol (UP) than the single disorder protocols (SDP) given the UP's focus on emotions (including positive emotions) rather than symptoms. Method Patients with heterogeneous anxiety disorders (N = 223) were randomly assigned to the UP, SDP or waitlist. Linear mixed model regression (intent to treat) analyses were used to compare change in positive affect, quality of life, and savoring between patients in the treatment conditions (UP and SDP) versus waitlist conditions. Between condition effect sizes were calculated to assess the magnitude of difference within conditions at post-treatment. Results Results indicated a significant Group (treatment vs. waitlist) × Time (pre- post-treatment) interaction (F(1, 154.36) = 6.75; p = .01) for positive affect in which the treatment group showed significant improvements in positive affect pre- to post-treatment (ESsg = 0.37, SEsg = 0.09, 95% CI [0.20: 0.54]) and the waitlist condition did not. There were no differences between UP and SDP conditions in positive affect at baseline or at post-treatment. Conclusions These results suggest CBT, which typically focuses on reductions in negative affect, may also improve positive affect. The importance of future research evaluating, targeting, and improving positive affect in CBT trials is discussed. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01243606
Superior capsule reconstruction for irreparable rotator cuff tears: a systematic review of biomechanical and clinical outcomes by graft type

Background Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) has recently been proposed as a surgical solution to the irreparable rotator cuff tear and has gained popularity because of promising early results. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review the biomechanical and clinical outcomes in shoulders with this condition treated with SCR. Methods A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Studies were included if they reported biomechanical, radiographic, or clinical outcomes data after undergoing SCR in shoulders with irreparable rotator cuff tears. Studies were broken down into 3 categories: cadaveric biomechanical studies, autograft clinical outcome studies, and allograft clinical outcome studies. Biomechanical, radiographic, patient-reported, and functional outcomes data were recorded for each study. Results Eight cadaveric biomechanical studies, 5 autograft clinical studies, and 4 allograft clinical studies met inclusion criteria. In biomechanical studies, subacromial contact pressure and superior humeral translation were decreased in most tested scenarios. An increase in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores, forward elevation and external rotation values, and acromiohumeral distance (AHD) were found in all autograft clinical studies reporting. Allograft clinical studies reported increases in ASES scores, forward elevation values, and AHD but decreases in visual analog scale scores in all studies reporting. Conclusions SCR is emerging as a viable surgical option to address the irreparable rotator cuff tear. Biomechanical studies suggest that the humeral head–stabilizing effect of SCR appears to translate into improved clinical outcomes. Future research should focus on further defining the indications, limitations, and optimal technique.
Liquid crystal electric tuning of a photonic crystal laser

We demonstrate an electrically-tuned nematic liquid crystal (LC) infiltrated photonic crystal (PC) laser. The PC laser is encased between two transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) glass plates which serve as the modulating electrodes and also define the LC cell. Applying a voltage across the cell realigns the LC, modifies the laser cavity's optical path length, and blue-shifts the lasing wavelength. The measured tuning threshold voltage agrees well with the experimentally determined LC threshold voltage which confirms the tuning is due to the LC realignment at the onset of the LC's Freedericksz transition. Furthermore, the electrically-tuned PC laser also demonstrates the successful integration of nonlinear optical materials, electronics, and fluidics with PCs and suggests further integration with other materials will lead to photonic devices with increased functionality and utility.
A robust solver for elliptic PDEs in 3D complex geometries

Abstract We develop a boundary integral equation solver for elliptic partial differential equations on complex 3D geometries. Our method is efficient, high-order accurate and robustly handles complex geometries. A key component is our singular and near-singular layer potential evaluation scheme, hedgehog : a simple extrapolation of the solution along a line to the boundary. We present a series of geometry-processing algorithms required for hedgehog to run efficiently with accuracy guarantees on arbitrary geometries and an adaptive upsampling scheme based on a iteration-free heuristic for quadrature error. We validate the accuracy and performance with a series of numerical tests and compare our approach to a competing local evaluation method.
Optical Control of Cellular ATP Levels with a Photocaged Adenylate Kinase.

We have developed a new tool for the optical control of cellular ATP concentrations with a photocaged adenylate kinase (Adk). The photocaged Adk is generated by substituting a catalytically essential lysine with a hydroxycoumarin-protected lysine through site-specific unnatural amino acid mutagenesis in both E. coli and mammalian cells. Caging of the critical lysine residue offers complete suppression of Adk's phosphotransferase activity and rapid restoration of its function both in vitro and in vivo upon optical stimulation. Light-activated Adk renders faster rescue of cell growth than chemically inducible expression of wild-type Adk in E. coli as well as rapid ATP depletion in mammalian cells. Thus, caging Adk provides a new tool for direct conditional perturbation of cellular ATP concentrations thereby enabling the investigation of ATP-coupled physiological events in temporally dynamic contexts.
Results of plate fixation for transcondylar fracture of the distal humerus: a rare pattern of fractures.

Background The pattern of transcondylar fracture of the humerus is unique and the incidence rate is very low. Stable internal fixation may be difficult to achieve, and complications have been reported at a higher rate. The purpose was to report the outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for transcondylar fractures of the humerus. Methods Seventeen patients were included between January 2014 and December 2017. ORIF was performed using anatomic distal humerus plates. Results were evaluated by range of motion, Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), and complications. We analyzed the results according to ulnar nerve transposition status and fixation pattern. Results The mean range of elbow motion was 117° flexion and 20° extension. The MEPS was excellent in 12, good in 3, fair in 1, and poor in 1. There were in total 5 cases of complications among 17 patients: 1 with nonunion, 1 with ulnar neuropathy, 2 with delayed union, and 1 with heterotopic ossification. The results according to ulna nerve transposition and fixation pattern showed no difference. Conclusions For reliable and good results, rigid fixation using anatomic plates and appropriate immobilization of the fracture site are key factors in the treatment. In our case series, the overall outcome was good and there were 2 major complications. The ORIF using anatomic plates can be a reliable treatment option for transcondylar humeral fractures.
The Consequences of Online Payday Lending

Payday lenders are increasingly moving online as regulators restrict storefront lending. Risk of default and fraud are higher for online lenders, so online lenders often charge interest and fees higher than the traditional payday loan rates of 300-500% APR. We study the consequences of borrowing on online payday loans using a fuzzy regression-kink design. This quasi-experimental approach exploits the fact that how much a customer borrows consists of two components: a) endogenous choice on the customer’s part and b) exogenous constraints of company rules and with state loan caps. Our technique allows us to estimate the causal effect that borrowing on a relatively larger online payday loan has on subsequent borrowing and default. Our first stage estimates reveal that online customers are extremely credit constrained, borrowing the majority of the dollar amount offered to them. We then estimate the effect of a $100 larger online payday loans on total subsequent indebtedness on any type of subprime credit, late payment and default. Together our results suggest that for low-income, credit-constrained borrowers, a larger loan may help alleviate credit problems, at least at the small loan size of $425. We discuss the regulation of traditional and online payday lending in light of these results.
Co-culture with Synechococcus facilitates growth of Prochlorococcus under ocean acidification conditions

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions are projected to lower the pH of the ocean 0.3 units by 2100. Previous studies suggested that Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, the numerically dominant phytoplankton in the oceans, have different responses to elevated CO2 that may result in a dramatic shift in their relative abundances in future oceans. Here we showed that the exponential growth rates of these two genera respond to future CO2 conditions in a manner similar to other cyanobacteria, but Prochlorococcus strains had significantly lower realized growth rates under elevated CO2 regimes due to poor survival after exposure to fresh culture media. Despite this, a Synechococcus strain was unable to outcompete a Prochlorococcus strain in co-culture at elevated CO2 . Under these conditions, Prochlorococcus' poor response to elevated CO2 disappeared, and Prochlorococcus' relative fitness showed negative frequency dependence, with both competitors having significant fitness advantages when initially rare. These experiments suggested that the two strains should be able to coexist indefinitely in co-culture despite sharing nearly identical nutritional requirements. We speculate that negative frequency dependence exists due to reductive Black Queen evolution that has resulted in a passively mutualistic relationship analogous to that connecting Prochlorococcus with the 'helper' heterotrophic microbes in its environment.
Multispecies Work in John Clare’s ‘Birds Nesting’ Poems

Depictions of human labour in John Clare’s middle-period poetry suggest that the ‘silent work’ of the natural world both resists and assists the more easily observed human projects of agriculture and enclosure. In Clare’s poetry, careful observation reveals working assemblages of humans and non-humans engaged in a relational process. Clare’s depictions of multispecies work revise the Georgic mode, in which a heroic human subdues the earth in order to make it productive for humans. It also undermines the Lockean view of work as appropriation, a perspective that renders the work of labouring-class humans and non-humans invisible. Clare’s ‘birds nesting’ poems in particular explore how humans can begin to recognize animals’ work, which asserts its own temporalities and claims to space within private property. In these poems, birds and other wild animals emerge as a fugitive commons that endures even after the enclosure of common land. Clare’s poetic multispecies working assemblages, however, do not suggest quaint pastoral harmony, but rather acknowledge occasional violence and even oppression, while at the same time intimating that work can aspire towards creating multispecies refugia that allow some degree of mutual thriving.
Precision and spatial variation of cyathostomin mucosal larval counts

Abstract Cyathostomins are pervasive parasites of equids across the world. Larval stages encyst in the mucosa of the cecum, ventral and dorsal colon and can induce an inflammatory response leading to larval cyathostominosis, a life-threatening generalized typhlocolitis. Mucosal digestion is the only gold standard procedure for identifying and quantifying all larval stages. There is a lack of standardization of this technique and several aspects are ambiguous, such as precision of the method and the possibility of spatial variation of mucosal larval counts. The aim of this study was to estimate precision for enumeration of early third stage larvae (EL3) and late third stage/fourth stage (LL3/L4) larvae and investigate spatial variation of encysted counts within large intestinal organs. Six naturally infected and untreated horses aged 2–5 years were euthanized as part of an anthelmintic efficacy study, and the cecum (Cec), ventral colon (VC) and dorsal colon (DC) were collected. Each organ was rinsed, weighed, and visually separated into 3 equally sized sections. Two 5% tissue samples were collected from each section, a total of six replicates per organ. The mucosae were digested, and 2% examined under the microscope for presence of EL3 and LL3/L4 stage larvae. Overall, 59 % of the harvested larvae were EL3s, and 41 % were LL3/L4s. The ventral colons represented 45 % of the total organ weight, and contributed 37 and 41 % of the EL3s and LL3/L4s harvested, respectively. The Cec, representing only 27 % of the weight contributed 23 % of EL3s and 47 % of LL3/L4s. The DC represented 28 % of the total organ weight, and 28 % and 12 % of the total EL3s and LL3/L4s, respectively. Coefficients of variation varied from 33 to 183 % for EL3 counts and 38–245% for LL3/L4 counts. There were no statistically significant associations between EL3 counts and either organ or location. For LL3/L4 counts there were no statistically significant differences between the three locations within organs (p = 0.1166), but the DC had significantly lower counts than the other two organs (p
Experimental Effects of Acute Exercise on Cognitive-Based Short-Term Memory Improvement: A Meta-analysis of Repeated Measures Studies

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of acute exercise on short-term memory improvement. The computerized literature searches using electronic databases and examinations of reference lists from relevant studies yielded six studies meeting our inclusionary criteria. In a total of six studies, 16 standardized regression coefficient effect sizes (ESs) were calculated to be meta-analyzed. The meta-analyses showed a statistically significant increase in short-term memory improvement across both the exercise and non-exercise control groups in trials 1–5 [ES = 0.96, 95% CI (0.95, 0.97), P < 0.001]. However, there was no significant subgroup difference between exercise and control groups (Qb = 0.40, df = 1, P = 0.53). Our meta-analytic review provides suggestive evidence that an acute bout of exercise prior to learning does not result in short-term memory improvement to a greater extent than a non-exercise control. Additional research is needed to further evaluate whether acute exercise enhances long-term memory via enhanced learning and/or post-learning mechanisms.
On-Chip HV Bootstrap Gate Driving for GaN Compatible Power Circuits Operating Above 10 MHz

With superb device characteristics, gallium nitride (GaN) power transistors facilitate fast and efficient power conversion and delivery in modern power circuits. To take full advantage of these devices, high switching frequency ( $f_{{SW}})$ operation is highly desirable. However, the lack of GaN compatible high-speed, efficient, and reliable gate drivers has been a formidable design hindrance. In this article, we address three critical design challenges faced in GaN power gate driving, namely bootstrap (BST) level-shifting, switching slew rate (SR) control, and active deadtime $t_{{dead}}$ control. We first propose a BST dynamic level-shifting technique to enable sub-nanosecond $t_{{delay}}$ at high $f_{{SW}}$ . Meanwhile, a dual-SR switching technique is introduced to retain both low switching power and noise. Compared with traditional constant $t_{{dead}}$ controls, the $t_{{dead}}s$ in this design are regulated actively for high efficiency. To validate these techniques, a four-phase GaN-based switching power converter was designed and implemented on a 0.35 μm high-voltage (HV) BCD process. At a $f_{{SW}}$ of 20 MHz and a $V_{{IN}}$ of 20 V, it delivers a maximum power of 8.4 W and a peak efficiency of 84.9%. The gate drivers are fully integrated including all BST capacitors and active BST switches. It achieves regulated rise and fall $t_{{dead}}s$ of 3.2 and 4.7 ns, respectively, for a load range from 50 mA to 1.2 A. The gate switching rise time $t_{R}$ is reduced to 1 ns with a maximum switching SR of 48 V/ns. The converter employs a HV synchronized hysteretic control, which works with the proposed gate drivers seamlessly to demonstrate a dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) Vo up- and down-tracking speeds of 0.33 μs/V and 0.47 μs/V, respectively.
Backscatter multiple wavelength digital holography for color micro-particle imaging

This work applies digital holography to image stationary micro-particles in color. The approach involves a Michelson interferometer to mix reference light with the weak intensity light backscattered from a distribution of particles. To enable color images, three wavelengths are used, 430, 532, and 633 nm, as primary light sources. Three separate backscattered holograms are recorded simultaneously, one for each wavelength, which are resolved without spectral cross talk using a three-CMOS prism sensor. Fresnel diffraction theory is used to render monochrome images from each hologram. The images are then combined via additive color mixing with red, green, and blue as the primary colors. The result is a color image similar in appearance to that obtained with a conventional microscope in white-light epi-illumination mode. A variety of colored polyethylene micro-spheres and nonspherical dust particles demonstrate the feasibility of the approach and illustrate the effect of simple speckle-noise suppression and white balance methods. Finally, a chromaticity analysis is applied that is capable of differentiating particles of different colors in a quantitative and objective manner.
Dama dama (Fallow deer)

The X chromosome has been identified as the largest acrocentric element by its “late replication” in radioautography using tritiated thymidine.
Shade Trading: An Emerging Riparian Forest-Based Payment for Ecosystem Services Market in Oregon, USA

This paper describes the regulatory and compliance context for Oregon's emerging ecosystem services (ES) market in riparian shade to meet water quality obligations. In Oregon's market as with many other ES programs, contracts and other regulatory documents not only delimit the obligations and liabilities of different parties, but also constitute a primary mechanism through which ES service delivery is measured. Through a review of compliance criteria I find that under Oregon's shade trades, permittees are held to a number of input-based criteria, which essentially affirm that parties comply with predetermined practices and procedures, and one 'pseudo output based' criterion, in which ES delivery is estimated through a model. The case presented in the paper critically engages with the challenges of measuring ES and in assessing the outcomes of ES projects. It places these challenges as interrelated and proposes that market designers, policymakers, and other stakeholders should consider explicit efficacy, efficiency, and equity targets.
Evidence That Tryptophanyl Transfer Ribonucleic Acid Is Not the Corepressor of the Tryptophan Operon of Escherichia coli

When a growing culture of a tryptophan auxotroph of Escherichia coli is transferred to a tryptophan-free medium, the bacteria exhaust their supply of Trp-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA). Under these conditions transcription of the trp operon is derepressed. When l-tryptophan, dl-4-methyltrytophan, dl-6-methyltryptophan, or dl-7-azatryptophan is added to a tryptophan-starved culture, charging to tRNA(Trp) can be detected with each of these compounds except 6-methyltryptophan. Under these conditions, transcription initiations on the trp operon are repressed completely by tryptophan, 4-methyltryptophan, and 6-methyltryptophan, but only slightly by 7-azatryptophan. If a culture of a bacterium containing an altered tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (trpS(-)) is starved for tryptophan in the same manner, tRNA(Trp) is uncharged, but transcription of the operon is derepressed to only about one-third the level observed in trpS(+) cultures. When tryptophan, 4-methyltryptophan, 6-methyltryptophan, or 7-azatryptophan is added to a tryptophan-starved trpS(-) culture, tRNA(Trp) is charged with tryptophan but apparently not with the analogues. However, tryptophan, 4-methyltryptophan, and 6-methyltryptophan completely repress transcription initiations, whereas 7-azatryptophan derepresses transcription initiations to approximately the level of partial repression observed in trpS(+) cultures in the presence of 7-azatryptophan. When tryptophan is added to a tryptophan-starved trpS10110 culture, there is a 2-min delay before tRNA(Trp) appears to be charged. However, under these conditions, transcription initiations on the trp operon are repressed immediately by the addition of tryptophan. We interpret these results as indicating that Trp-tRNA is not the corepressor of the trp operon.
Potential role of genes involved in RNA processing and transcriptional machinery in racial disparity of prostate cancer incidence and mortality

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 2552 African Americans (AA) with similar socio-economical status have twice as high incidence and mortality of prostate cancer (PC) in comparison to white Caucasians (CS) and other ethnic minority groups. The causes of the ethnic disparity in incidence and clinical manifestation of the disease are not well understood. The objective of the present study is to identify genotypic markers that might be responsible for disparity in PC incidence and mortality in AA. Normal prostate epithelium and tumor cells were procured from flash-frozen tissue sections of ten age-matched (50 to 60 years), tumor grade-matched (Gleason Score 6) AA and WC patients using an Arcturus Pixel II Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) technique. A PCR-based suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique was then employed to generate differentially expressed cDNA library for each patient. Prostate tumor cDNAs were pooled (∼750/group) to construct custom cDNA array chips unique to AA or CS patients with PC, which can now be used for screening, data mining and clustering, and identification of target genes in each ethnic group. Selective expression of genes in AA and CS prostate cancer patients was detected by microarray screening using aRNA of LCM-procured normal epithelium and prostate tumor cells in flash-frozen specimens. The differentially expressed genes in each group were sequenced, matched with GenBank database, and further validated by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. To date we have identified two genes that are selectively expressed in AA patients in comparison to CS; the scaffold attachment factor B2 (SAFB2) and heterogeneous nuclear ribnucleoprotein H1 (hnRNP-H1) are selectively up-regulated (80%) in prostate tumor cells of AA in comparison to CS patients. These genes are involved in RNA processing and transcriptional machinery and thus may be related to aggressive PC growth and/or progression in AA patients. The results provide, for the first time, a new frontier for the development of diagnostic, preventive, and/or therapeutic strategies for disease progression in AA patients.
The AhR Ligand, TCDD, Regulates Androgen Receptor Activity Differently in Androgen-Sensitive versus Castration-Resistant Human Prostate Cancer Cells

The reported biological effects of TCDD include induction of drug metabolizing enzymes, wasting syndrome and tumor promotion. TCDD elicits most of its effects through binding the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). TCDD induced degradation of AhR has been widely reported and requires ubiquitination of the protein. The rapid depletion of AhR following TCDD activation serves as a mechanism to modulate AhR mediated gene induction. In addition to inducing AhR degradation, TCDD has been reported to induce degradation of hormone receptors. The studies reported here, evaluate the effect of TCDD exposure on androgen receptor (AR) expression and activity in androgen-sensitive LNCaP and castration-resistant C4-2 prostate cancer cells. Our results show that TCDD exposure does not induce AhR or AR degradation in C4-2 cells. However, both AhR and AR are degraded in LNCaP cells following TCDD exposure. In addition, TCDD enhances AR phosphorylation and induces expression of AR responsive genes in LNCaP cells. Our data reveals that TCDD effect on AR expression and activity differs in androgen-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer cell models.
Constructing Police Abuse after Rodney King: How Skid Row Residents and the Los Angeles Police Department Contest Video Evidence

This ethnographic article explores the manner in which the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN), a grassroots organization made up of homeless and low-income Skid Row residents, generates video evidence for use in lawsuits against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). For marginalized communities fighting police abuse, the 1992 acquittal of four LAPD officers charged with the beating of Rodney King demonstrated that even the most “obvious” and condemning video evidence is subject to reinterpretation and reframing by skilled legal professionals. In response, LACAN has developed interactional filming strategies designed to constrain officers' ability to offer alternative explanations, while alleviating disparities in court-recognized authority. In the tradition of legal consciousness scholarship, this article “de-centers” the law by shifting emphasis from formal judicial decisions in the courtroom to citizen groups in their own communities, as they learn to use legal norms and conventions in social justice campaigns.
Reluctance to report reality in troubled technology projects

The situation of IT project leaders' reluctance to engage in "reality reporting" is examined within a classic organizational behavior framework: the influence of person vs. situational factors on worker behavior. We review the MIS literature to establish that this project reporting problem has been substantiated and creates problems for organizations. Then we detail the foundation underlying Mischel's classic argument regarding the type of situations in which person variables tend to be influential, and we extend a useful conceptual framework for IT managers. Viewing this reporting behavior through the lens provided by Mischel leads to recommendations on how managers can make status reporting in troubled IT projects a stronger situation to influence reality reporting behaviors by project leaders.
Network of PCs as high-performance servers: requirements for a communication mechanism

Networks of commodity PCs have the potential to provide extremely cost-effective computing and information services. However, they will fulfil their promise only if their system performance is truly competitive with commercial multicomputers or multiprocessors. To achieve this goal, the requirements for the communication mechanism used in such a system must not only consider end-to-end communication performance, but also consider how to accommodate commodity PC hardware and commodity operating system software. This paper describes several such requirements learned in Shrimp project and shows that a careful design and implementation can yield a high-performance communication mechanism that satisfies these requirements.
Has the Marital Time Cost of Parenting Changed Over Time

Qualitative and quantitative research has suggested that married couples handle the increasing demands of intensive parenting norms and work expectations by reducing spousal time (e.g., the time that spouses spend alone with each other). Using nationally representative time-diary data, this study examined whether married individuals with children at home lost more spousal time in the years 1975-2003 than individuals without children at home. The analyses showed that on average married individuals have reduced their spousal time by 50 minutes a day. Contrary to expectations, however, individuals with minor children at home had lower time declines than individuals without children. The strategies that assisted married individuals with children to protect their spousal time differed between weekdays and weekend days.
Cocaine acutely inhibits DNA synthesis in developing rat brain regions: evidence for direct actions.

Perinatal exposure to cocaine has been shown to cause morphological and neurobehavioral abnormalities. In the current study, neonatal rats were given an acute injection of cocaine (30 mg/kg s.c.) at 1, 3, 5, 8, 11 or 15 days of age, and [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA examined over the ensuing 30 min period. Three brain regions were used that differ in their timetables of cell maturation: cerebellum, cerebral cortex and midbrain + brainstem. Cocaine inhibited DNA synthesis in all brain regions, with diminishing impact as the animals matured; by 15 days of age, the effect of cocaine was no longer significant. Inhibition of macromolecule synthesis was selective for DNA, as [3H]leucine incorporation into protein was much less affected by cocaine. Although inhibition of [3H]thymidine incorporation by a single injection of cocaine was short-lived, repeated administration could have cumulative effects: chronic treatment on days 2, 3 and 4 did not desensitize the adverse effect of a subsequent dose administered on day 5. Additionally, with chronic cocaine, the cerebellum displayed a pronounced rebound elevation of DNA synthesis 24 h after the last dose, a characteristic finding in delayed cell maturation. Inhibition of DNA synthesis by cocaine in developing brain was not secondary to ischemia, nor to local anesthesia, as alpha-adrenergic blockade with phenoxybenzamine afforded no protection, and lidocaine could not substitute for cocaine. In contrast, a small amount (15 micrograms) of cocaine injected directly into the central nervous system readily caused inhibition of DNA synthesis; the same dose given systemically had no effect. These data suggest that cocaine damages the developing brain, in part, through direct interference with DNA synthesis.
Structure of Cowpea mottle virus: a consensus in the genus Carmovirus

Abstract Cowpea mottle virus (CPMoV) is a T = 3 virus that belongs to Carmovirus genus of the Tombusviridae family. Here, we report the crystal structure of CPMoV determined to a resolution of 7.0 A. The structures and sequences of three Carmoviruses , CPMoV, Turnip crinkle virus (TCV), and Carnation mottle virus (CarMV) have been compared to TBSV from the Tombusvirus genus. CPMoV, TCV, and CarMV all have a deletion in βC strand in the S domain relative to TBSV that may be distinctive to the genus. Although CPMoV has an elongated C-terminus like TBSV, it does not interact with the icosahedrally related P domain as observed in TBSV. In CPMoV, the termini of A and B interact with the icosahedrally related shell domains of A and C, respectively, to form a chain of interactions around the 5-fold axes. The C subunit terminus does not, however, interact with the B subunit because of quasi-equivalent differences in the P domain orientations.
Computer-assisted image analysis in the evaluation of fish wounding by cormorant [ Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (L.)] attacks

Fish that have escaped from a cormorant’s (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (L.)) grasp and/or which could not be swallowed due to their size suffer from various injuries resulting in consecutive infections and subsequent increased mortality. Computer-assisted image analysis was applied to describe the extent of such injuries. Two-year-old mirror carp, Cyprinus carpio L. (TL 200–300 mm, W 200–300 g) showed injuries ranging over approximately 10% of the total body surface. Immediately after wounding, the damaged epithelium (scars) cover 5–35%, and deeper subdermal wounds caused by the beak tip pervading into muscle tissue cover an area of 1–2% of the total body surface. On the side impacted by the cormorant’s lower mandible, extensive areas of epidermal contusions (scars) occur. As time progresses, these ratios change—deeper necroses represent up to 10% of the total body surface and healing epithelial scars comprise just 1–2%. In wounded silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Val. (300–400 mm, W 500–700 g), the share of subdermal wounds usually does not exceed 0.5% due to their compact scaly cover. During pond draining due to fish harvesting, the size spectrum of wounded fish increases and may also often include bigger fish (e.g., European catfish, Silurus glanis L.) up to 2.2 kg.
Associative nitrogenase activity by some Hawaiian grass roots

Nitrogenase activity by the roots of some tropical grasses was detected by the acetylene reduction technique. In some cases particular plant species, evaluated at different times from different sites, displayed marked variations in nitrogenase activity. Acetylene reduction by root samples which had undergone preincubation under low O2 displayed an increase of approximately 5-fold when compared to plant-containing soil cores. These increases in nitrogenase activity correspond to an increase in the number of nitrogen-fixing bacteria associated with the roots.
Distribution and Excretion of Radiolabelled tert-Butylhydroquinone in Fischer 344 Rats

Uniformly 14C-ring-labelled tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) was diluted with non-radioactive TBHQ and administered orally (for excretion studies) to Fischer 344 rats. An average of 72.9% and 10.6% of the administered radioactivity was recovered in the urine and faeces, respectively, of male rats, and 77.3% and 8.2% in the urine and faeces, respectively, of female rats in 4 days. No significant sex-related differences were found in either excretion, tissue distribution or urinary metabolites of TBHQ-derived radiolabel. For distribution studies, intraperitoneal doses were administered to female rats, and tissue levels of radiolabel were determined at various times after dosing. The parent compound quickly disappeared from tissue in vivo. The highest concentrations of radiolabel were found in the liver and kidneys. The urinary metabolites consisted of conjugated TBHQ and unidentified polar substance(s).
Medical sex education: dogmatism and students' performance.

Data are reported for performance on the problem of management of patients by 149 volunteer medical students from a class of 240 students enrolled in a required second-year course on human sexuality. The Patient-Management Problem has been used in a controlled setting to evaluate students' clinical judgment in treating a patient. The performance data are correlated with the volunteer students' dogmatism scores (Rokeach E form). The results indicate that performance on the problem is inversely related to high levels of dogmatism measured for these students.
Effect of a thermal gradient on the natural frequencies of a rectangular plate

Abstract The effect of a constant thermal gradient on the transverse vibrational frequencies of a simply supported rectangular plate is investigated. Bounds for the eigen-frequencies are obtained for various plate width-to-length ratios as functions of a parameter related to the temperature dependence of the modulus of elasticity of the material. The upper bounds are calculated by the Rayleigh-Ritz method and the lower bounds by the Bazley-Fox second projection method. In all instances, the gap between the bounds over their average is less than one-half of 1 per cent.
Formation kinetics of PbZrxTi1−xO3 thin films

The pyrochlore to perovskite transition in sputtered PZT thin films has been studied using SEM and XRD. The films were annealed in the temperature range between 350 °C and 750 °C, and the transition temperature for pyrochlore to perovskite transition was found to be around 525 °C. Isothermal annealing was used to study the nucleation and growth kinetics of the perovskite phase. The results showed a linear growth rate for the perovskite phase, thereby indicating an interface controlled process. Also, the growth was found to be isotropic in two dimensions parallel to the plane of the substrate. The nucleation of the perovskite phase was found to be random. The effective activation energy of the perovskite transition was found to be 494 kJ/mol using Avrami’s approach.
New developments in the growth of epitaxial cubic boron nitride and diamond films on silicon

Abstract We report on the first successful growth of oriented crystalline diamond on the (001) surface of cBN/Si substrates using the method of pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the diamond layer is 200A˚thick with a lattice constant of 3.56A˚. In addition, new X-ray diffraction measurements performed on boron nitride films deposited by pulsed excimer laser deposition are presented. The X-ray data, taken with both a molybdenum rotating anode source and synchrotron radiation, indicate that the epitaxial cBN films are≤200 A˚thick. The structures of metastable films (cBN and diamond) are very sensitive to growth conditions: we present evidence that an epitaxial-crystalline to incoherent phase transition occurs when the thickness of the films exceeds a critical value (∼ 200 A˚for our present growth conditions).
Development of an algorithm for improving quality and information processing capacity of MathSpeak synthetic speech renderings.

Purpose. MathSpeak is a set of rules for non speaking of mathematical expressions. These rules have been incorporated into a computerised module that translates printed mathematics into the non-ambiguous MathSpeak form for synthetic speech rendering. Differences between individual utterances produced with the translator module are difficult to discern because of insufficient pausing between utterances; hence, the purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm for improving the synthetic speech rendering of MathSpeak.Method. To improve synthetic speech renderings, an algorithm for inserting pauses was developed based upon recordings of middle and high school math teachers speaking mathematic expressions. Efficacy testing of this algorithm was conducted with college students without disabilities and high school/college students with visual impairments. Parameters measured included reception accuracy, short-term memory retention, MathSpeak processing capacity and various rankings concerning the quality of...
Geophysical signal processing using sequential Bayesian techniques

ABSTRACTSequential Bayesian techniques enable tracking of evolving geophysical parameters via sequential observations. They provide a formulation in which the geophysical parameters that characterize dynamic, nonstationary processes are continuously estimated as new data become available. This is done by using prediction from previous estimates of geophysical parameters, updates stemming from physical and statistical models that relate seismic measurements to the unknown geophysical parameters. In addition, these techniques provide the evolving uncertainty in the estimates in the form of posterior probability density functions. In addition to the particle filters (PFs), extended, unscented, and ensemble Kalman filters (EnKFs) were evaluated. The filters were compared via reflector and nonvolcanic tremor tracking examples. Because there are numerous geophysical problems in which the environmental model itself is not known or evolves with time, the concept of model selection and its filtering implementation...
OTHER-THAN-INTERNET (OTI) CYBERWARFARE: CHALLENGES FOR ETHICS, LAW, AND POLICY

Almost all discussions of cyberwarfare, other cyber-attacks, and cyber-espionage have focused entirely on the Internet as the chief means of damage – the Internet as a ‘vector,’ using a term from the theory of infectious diseases. However there are a variety of means, some of which have already been used, that involve cyber-exploitation using vectors other than the Internet. Malware can be installed in the integrated circuits of computers and servers, but also in any devices attached to them – thumb drives, CDs, printers, scanners, and so on. One can also use various forms of electromagnetic radiation at a distance of meters or more to exfiltrate data or to infiltrate corrupt data. I call this large and diverse family of unwanted interference with the functioning of information processing systems other-than-Internet (OTI) attacks on information systems. Stuxnet, and probably the 2007 Israeli corruption of Syrian air defenses, were OTI attacks. Such OTI techniques are more difficult to develop than creatin...
Radiographic and histopathologic analysis of osteolysis after total shoulder arthroplasty.

Hypothesis: This study analyzed clinical, radiographic, and histologic data from failed total shoulder arthroplasties (TSAs) to determine factors associated with osteolysis. Materials and methods: From 1985 to 2005, 52 patients (mean age, 61.6 years) underwent revision TSA at a single institution at a mean of 4.3 years after their index surgery. Patients were retrospectively assigned to 2 cohorts based on the presence (n ¼ 10) or absence (n ¼ 42) of osteolysis around their implants on the last prerevision surgery radiographs. Clinical information, associated histopathology from tissues obtained at revision surgery, and polyethylene wear data from the retrieved glenoid components were compared between groups. Results: In the osteolysis group, 20% had screw fixation compared with 2.5% without osteolysis (P ¼ .039). The radiolucency score was significantly higher in the osteolysis group: 12.7 � 2.0 vs 8.7 � 3.7 (P ¼ .003). Wear analysis of the osteolysis group demonstrated significant increases in third-body particles compared with those implants without osteolysis (P ¼ .004). Histology available from retrieved implants demonstrated particulate debris in 62% of patients with osteolytic lesions vs 67% without osteolytic lesions (P > .05). Discussion: Significant differences were found in patients with osteolytic lesions compared with patients undergoing TSA revision surgery without such lesions, specifically with regard to glenoids that used adjuvant screw fixation, the presence of increased radiolucent lines, and an abundance of third-body wear. No significant differences were found in particulate wear debris despite the prevailing notion that osteolysis is associated with particulate debris from implant wear. Conclusion: Screw fixation and third-body wear were associated with osteolysis after TSA. Level of evidence: Level III, Retrospective Comparative Study. 2010 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees.
Vegetative compatibility and seasonal variation among isolates of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa

Dollar spot of amenity turf, caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, occurs in two seasonal epidemics in the northern United States, one from May to late July and a second from mid-August through October. It is not known whether these seasonal epidemics are the result of multiple species or due to seasonal variation within a single species. Isolates of S. homoeocarpa were collected from dollar spot lesions obtained from golf courses in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Vegetative compatibility reactions between isolates identified six vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) among more than 1,300 isolates collected from the eight locations. Most VCGs were present throughout the season, but one was generally recovered only in the late epidemic. Sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) were identical among VCGs, indicating that the VCGs represent a single species. The results of this study suggest that the seasonal dollar spot epidemics observed in the northern United States are caused by a single species.
The Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Different Preschoolers.

A rapid rise in the linguistically and culturally diverse population of the United States coupled with recent federal legislaton (P.L. 99-457) is likely to result in increased educational opportunities for the culturally and linguistically different preschool child. As the opportunities for special services increase, there is a growing need to ensure accurate identification of minority-language preschoolers with special needs. This task is a difficult one because of the interaction of developmental, cultural, and linguistic variables. This article suggests strategies to improve the value of diagnostic information and presents issues to be considered at each stage of the process. Additionally, the valuable contributions that primary caregivers can make during assessment, the decision-making process, and interventions are discussed.
Successful late reintervention after the arterial switch procedure.

Abstract Background . The arterial switch operation is the therapy of choice for transposition of the great arteries. Methods . A retrospective analysis of all children undergoing the arterial swtich operation between November 1985 and October 2000 was conducted, highlighting the frequency and nature of late invasive reintervention. Results . One hundred forty-four children were operated on. Operative survival was 89% (128 of 144). Late reintervention was required in 23% (29 of 128) of survivors. Neopulmonary stenosis (PS) was the most common complication requiring treatment, occurring in 16% (21 of 128) of patients. Eleven of 21 patients with PS required reoperation, whereas 10 were managed with percutaneous techniques. Other indications for reintervention included aortic arch obstruction (3 patients), ventricular septal defect (with PS in 2 patients), bronchial stenosis (2 patients), coronary stenosis (2 patients), aortic stenosis (with PS in 1 patient), and residual atrial septal defect (1 patient). There has been no mortality or major morbidity in those children who have undergone reintervention. Conclusions . Invasive reintervention after the arterial switch operation is occasionally required. The most common indication is PS. Reintervention is well tolerated by those children who require it. Continued follow-up for late complications is required in this patient population.
Effect on Cotesia marginiventris (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) when Rearing Host Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Meridic Diet Containing Foliage from Resistant or Susceptible Com Genotypes

Larval weights for fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), were not significantly affected at two constant temperature regimes (24 and 27%C) when larvae parasitized by Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) were reared on resistant versus susceptible corn genotypes. Results indicated that the third trophic level was not adversely affected by fall armyworm feeding on pinto bean diet containing resistant versus susceptible corn genotypes. Developmental times for C. marginiventris were shorter when the parasitoids were maintained at the higher temperature. Time from egg to cocoon formation at 24%C was Significantly less when hosts were fed diet containing foliage from the susceptible genotype ‘Cacahuacintle X’. Parasitoid longevity was increased at the higher temperature regime and was not affected by the corn genotype.