cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Detection of Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are important chemical messengers in the nervous system that play a crucial role in physiological and physical health. Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters have been correlated with physical, psychotic, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, dementia, addiction, depression, and schizophrenia. Although multiple neurotechnological approaches have been reported in the literature, the detection and monitoring of neurotransmitters in the brain remains a challenge and continues to garner significant attention. Neurotechnology that provides high-throughput, as well as fast and specific quantification of target analytes in the brain, without negatively impacting the implanted region is highly desired for the monitoring of the complex intercommunication of neurotransmitters. Therefore, it is crucial to develop clinical assessment techniques that are sensitive and reliable to monitor and modulate these chemical messengers and screen diseases. This review focuses on summarizing the current electrochemical measurement techniques that are capable of sensing neurotransmitters with high temporal resolution in real time. Advanced neurotransmitter sensing platforms that integrate nanomaterials and biorecognition elements are explored.
Smoking relapse and weight gain prevention program for postmenopausal weight-concerned women: A pilot study.

Objective Postmenopausal women have substantial concerns about weight gain when quitting smoking, which may contribute smoking relapse. There is a need for smoking cessation and weight gain prevention programs effective in this population.
Covid-19 and small lodging establishments: A break-even calibration analysis (CBA) model

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic foiled the hospitality industry offering no clear insight as to what to expect regarding the emergence of possible new industry standards as likely corollaries of the pandemic. The accommodation sector is one of the most affected sectors in the hospitality industry, especially small lodging establishments incurring the most dramatic brunt of the pandemic’s long-tail effects. This study employed a breakeven (BC) analysis to examine the pandemic's opportunity cost and the financial resilience efforts that SLEs should undertake to bounce back or bounce forward. The case study centers on the Superior Small Lodgings (SSL) of Florida, USA. The results suggest that the opportunity cost varies depending on the SLE profiles, and hence resilience approaches should consider heterogeneous business responses.
Incentive Design and Profit Sharing in Multi-modal Transportation Network.

We consider the situation where multiple transportation service providers cooperate to offer an integrated multi-modal platform to enhance the convenience to the passengers through ease in multi-modal journey planning, payment, and first and last mile connectivity. This market structure allows the multi-modal platform to coordinate profits across modes and also provide incentives to the passengers. Accordingly, in this paper, we use cooperative game theory coupled with the hyperpath-based stochastic user equilibrium framework to study such a market. We assume that the platform sets incentive (subsidy or tax) along every edge in the transportation network. We derive the continuity and monotonicity properties of the equilibrium flow with respect to the incentives along every edge. The optimal incentives that maximize the profit of the platform are obtained through a two time-scale stochastic approximation algorithm. We use the asymmetric Nash bargaining solution to design a fair profit sharing scheme among the service providers. We show that the profit for each service provider increases after cooperation on such a platform. We complement the theoretical results through two numerical simulations.
THE ECONOMICS OF WATER, IRRIGATION, AND DEVELOPMENT

The post-World War II era has witnessed a drastic increase in irrigation activities that have contributed substantially to the massive growth in agricultural production that enables humanity to feed its doubling population. However, a distinction has to be made between the overall positive contribution of irrigation to agricultural productivity and economic welfare and the significant amount of misallocation and mismanagement of resources that have accompanied the expansion of irrigation. In many cases, water resources have been overdeveloped; there has been overspending on capital; and significant costs in terms of loss of ecosystems, extinction of fish species, and contamination of water sources. This chapter provides an economic perspective on the contribution of irrigation and water resources to past agricultural development and future water resource management. The efficiency of water use is affected by decisions made at many levels. The inefficiencies that can occur at different levels of water management are discussed in this chapter. The analysis first considers irrigation water use by an individual, and then moves to the importance of regional management. The importance of dynamic considerations about the future, and the role of interregional management are then covered. Together, these sections present an economic framework for designing water institutions and policies to improve water resource allocation and prevent some of the current inefficiency in water resource systems. The second part of the chapter provides an overview of the benefits and costs that have been realized through agricultural water and irrigation projects in developing countries. There is a paucity of ex-post integrated assessments of these projects, so the chapter puts the pieces together, combining data with conceptual arguments.
An epistemological problem for minimalist views about composition

Some philosophers accept what I call minimalist views about composition. They either deny that composition ever occurs, or they only allow that composition occurs when some things are taken up into a life. While minimalists often take their views to be somewhat revisionary, they usually want to distinguish their views from truly radical views such as the view that there is no external world at all. They often do this by noting that, although they don’t believe that there are tables, chairs, or planets, they do believe that there are mereological simples arranged tablewise, chairwise, and planetwise. In this paper, I appeal to the nature of perceptual experience to present a problem for this move. I contend that, given some plausible assumptions, compositional minimalists cannot consistently maintain that they are justified in their minimalism and justified in believing propositions about the arrangements of mereological simples. I will argue that this commits such minimalists to external world skepticism.
Animal-Driven Nutrient Supply Declines Relative to Ecosystem Nutrient Demand Along a Pond Hydroperiod Gradient

In many lentic ecosystems, hydroperiod, or the duration of inundation, controls animal community composition and biomass. Although hydroperiod-imposed differences in wetland animal communities could cause differences in animal-driven nutrient supply, hydroperiod has not been considered as a template for investigating patterns of animal-driven nutrient cycling. Here, we use nutrient excretion rates (NH4-N and SRP) and biomasses of pelagic and benthic invertebrates and salamanders and nutrient uptake rates in a simulation model to estimate animal-driven nutrient supply and pond-level demand along a hydroperiod gradient of 12 subalpine ponds in the U.S. Rocky Mountains that are vulnerable to climate change. We found that animal biomass increased with hydroperiod duration and biomass predicted animal-driven supply contributions among hydroperiod classifications (temporary-permanent). Consequently, community-wide supply was greatest in permanent ponds. Animal-driven N supply exceeded demand in permanent and semi-permanent ponds, whereas P supply equaled demand in both. Conversely, temporary ponds had large deficits in N and P supply due to lower community biomass and hydroperiod-induced constraints on dominant suppliers (oligochaetes and chironomids). The distribution of taxon-specific supply also differed among hydroperiods, with supply dominated by a few taxa in permanent ponds and supply more evenly distributed among temporary pond taxa. The absence or lower biomass of dominant suppliers in temporary ponds creates nutrient deficits and possible limitation of productivity. Thus, as climate warming causes hydroperiods to become increasingly temporary and indirectly prompts biomass declines and compositional shifts, animal-driven nutrient supply will decrease and strong nutrient limitation may arise due to loss of animal-driven supply.
Freshmen anxiety and COVID-19: Practical implications from an online intervention for supporting students affected by health inequities.

This study explored how college freshmen, particularly those affected by health inequities, are affected by COVID-19 and whether they would use a university-created online wellness intervention for...
Romantic Relationship Dissolution on Social Networking Sites: Self-Presentation and Public Accounts of Breakups on Facebook:

Social media users post an endless stream of life updates, commentary, and other content. This online self-presentation constitutes a narrative that can be examined as a shared account. In this stu...
Photonic and Microwave Wireless Systems

Beginning in about 1990, a new trend became significant in the field of integrated optics; it is the merging of photonic devices and systems with those of RF (radio frequency) and microwaves. Our telecom/datacom systems mostly now have been converted to lightwave systems, employing optical fibers and integrated optic devices. These systems have vastly increased the capacity and effectiveness of worldwide communications networks, as discussed in Chap. 20. However, they leave still a missing link to the end user. We are a mobile society and it isn’t always convenient to be connected to the network by a glass fiber or a metal wire. This has led to the development of “wireless” radio communications networks based on the transmission of RF or microwave signals through the air. However, it is not practical for everyone to carry a high-power radio transceiver. By combining short-distance, low-power wireless systems with lightwave systems employing optical fibers and OICs for long distance transmission, we have made it possible, for example, for a person (or computer) traveling in a vehicle say in Los Angeles to communicate with one in a vehicle in major cities in Europe or Asia. The combination of fiber-optics for long-distance point-to-point communications and microwaves for short-range wireless communications provides high data rates, high levels of security and reliable mobile communications.
Power and performance trade-offs for Space Time Adaptive Processing

Power efficiency - performance relative to power - is one of the most important concerns when designing RADAR processing systems. This paper analyzes power and performance trade-offs for a typical Space Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) application. We study STAP implementations for CUDA and OpenMP on two architectures, Intel Haswell Core I7-4770TE and NVIDIA Kayla with a GK208 GPU. We analyze the power and performance of STAP's computationally intensive kernels across the two hardware testbeds. We discuss an efficient parallel implementation for the Haswell CPU architecture. We also show the impact and trade-offs of GPU optimization techniques. The GPU architecture is able to process large size data sets without increase in power requirement. The use of shared memory has a significant impact on the power requirement for the GPU. Finally, we show that a balance between the use of shared memory and main memory access leads to an improved performance in a typical STAP application.
Historical Overview of Assessment in Intellectual Disability

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the growth and development of the field of assessment in intellectual disability (ID). The history of the assessment of people with ID goes back to the roots of modern day research and practice and to the roots of many social policies. The development of IQ tests grew out of the need in the early 1900s to differentiate people with ID, to predict school success better. Out of this work emerged a new definition of intelligence—the idea of general intelligence (g) and the concept of intelligence consisting of several primary abilities. As federal entitlements to services for people with ID grew, the need for standardized measures on work performance, social skills, language development, quality of life (QOL), family adaptation, psychopathology, and efficacy of psychopharmacology developed in the latter half of the twentieth century. Another movement, which greatly affected assessment of people with ID during this period, was the advancement of the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in the 1960s. Currently, the possibility of multimodal assessment using concomitant psychophysiological and neuroimaging assessment is being demonstrated to great advantage in the field of learning disabilities and is considered in ID. Interdisciplinary assessment is increasingly becoming recognized as an important part of assessing people with mental retardation. Behavioral and psychometric assessments have an integral role to play in these hopes and aspirations.
Evaluation of combined heat and power (CHP) systems performance with dual power generation units for different building configurations

SUMMARY This paper evaluates the economic, energetic, and environmental feasibility of using two power generation units (PGUs) to operate a combined heat and power (CHP) system. Several benchmark buildings developed by the Department of Energy simulated using the weather data for Chicago, IL, are used to analyze the proposed configuration. This location has been selected because it usually provides favorable CHP system conditions in terms of cost and emission reduction. For the proposed configuration, one PGU is operated at base load to satisfy part of the electricity building requirements, whereas the other is used to satisfy the remaining electricity requirement operating following the electric load. The dual-PGU CHP configuration (D-CHP) is modeled for four different scenarios to determine the optimum operating range for the selected benchmark buildings. The dual-PGU scenario is compared with the reference building using conventional technology to determine the benefits of this proposed system in terms of operational cost, primary energy reduction, and carbon dioxide emissions. The D-CHP system results are also compared with a CHP system operating following the electric load (FEL) and base-loaded CHP system. For three of the selected buildings, the proposed D-CHP system provides comparable or greater savings in operating cost, primary energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions than the optimized conditions for base loading and FEL. In addition, the effect of operating the D-CHP system only during certain months of the year on the overall operational cost is also evaluated. Results indicate that not operating the D-CHP system for the months where the thermal load is too low is beneficial for the overall system performance. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measured concentrations of combustion gases from the use of unvented gas fireplaces.

UNLABELLED Measurements of combustion product concentrations were taken in 30 homes where unvented gas fireplaces were used. Measurements of CO, CO(2), NO(x), NO(2) , O(2) (depletion), and water vapor were taken at 1-min interval. The analyzers were calibrated with certified calibration gases for each placement and were in operation for 3-4 days at each home. Measured concentrations were compared to published health-based standards and guidelines. The two combustion gases that exceeded published values were NO(2) and CO. For NO(2) , the Health Canada guideline of 250 ppb (1-h average) was exceeded in about 43% of the sample and the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 110 ppb (1-h average) was exceeded in 80% of the sample. Carbon monoxide levels exceeded the U.S. EPA 8-h average standard of 9 ppm in 20% of the sample. Moisture problems were not evident in the test homes. An analysis of the distribution of CO showed that the CO is dispersed throughout the home almost immediately upon operation of the fireplace and that the concentrations throughout the home away from the immediate vicinity of the fireplace are 70-80% of the level near the fireplace. Decay analysis of the combustion gases showed that NO was similarly stable to CO and CO(2) in the indoor environment but that both NO(2) and water vapor were removed from the air at much greater rates. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Previous studies on unvented gas fireplaces have made assumptions of how they are operated by users. This article presents the results of field monitoring of 30 unvented gas fireplaces under normal operation, regardless of whether users follow industry recommendations regarding installation, usage patterns, and maintenance. The monitoring found that health-based standards and guidelines were exceeded for CO in 20% of homes and for NO(2) in most homes. There were no identified moisture problems in these homes. Nearly, half of the fireplaces were used at least once for longer than 2 h, counter to manufacturers' intended usage as supplemental heating. This demonstrates that given actual usage patterns and compared to current health-based thresholds, these appliances can produce indoor air concentrations considered to be unhealthy to at least sensitive or at-risk individuals.
A Unification And Comparison Of Several Adaptive Linearly-Constrained Beamformer Structures

In this paper, a unified implementation model for adaptive linearly-constrained beamformers is presented and several implementation structures which employ this model are compared. It is shown that adaptive linearly-constrained beamformers can be implemented efficiently using matrix decompoition methods.
MR-guided angioplasty of renal artery stenosis in a pig model: a feasibility study.

PURPOSE To test the hypothesis that magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can guide the percutaneous treatment of renal artery stenosis in a pig model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ameroid constrictors were surgically placed around six renal arteries in four pigs. After 30–36 days, all stenoses were documented by conventional x-ray aortograms. MR-guided renal angioplasty was attempted for three stenoses. For these pigs, MR angiography was performed with use of contrast-enhanced three-dimensional (3D) techniques. The authors visualized catheters by filling them with dilute 4% gadolinium and imaging with two-dimensional (2D) and 3D MR fast spoiled gradient recalled echo techniques. Under MR guidance, the authors advanced a selective catheter into the affected renal artery and crossed the stenosis with a nitinol guide wire. Angioplasty was performed with a balloon catheter filled with dilute gadolinium. Stenosis and luminal diameter measurements were compared before and after angioplasty. RESULTS After ameroid constrictor placement, four significant stenoses, one mild stenosis, and one occlusion developed. Under MR guidance, the authors achieved technical success in performing three of three (100%) attempted dilations. After MR-guided angioplasty, the mean reduction in stenosis was 35% and the mean increase in luminal diameter was 1.6 mm. CONCLUSIONS Use of MR guidance for the angioplasty of renal artery stenosis in pigs is feasible.
A phase I/II study of neoadjuvant liposomal doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and hyperthermia in locally advanced breast cancer.

Purpose: The prognosis for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients continues to be poor, with an estimated five-year survival of only 50–60%. Preclinical data demonstrates enhanced therapeutic efficacy with liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin combined with hyperthermia (HT). Therefore this phase I/II study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel neoadjuvant combination treatment of paclitaxel, liposomal doxorubicin, and hyperthermia.Materials and methods: Eligible patients received four cycles of neoadjuvant liposomal doxorubicin (30–75 mg/m2), paclitaxel (100–175 mg/m2), and hyperthermia. They subsequently underwent either a modified radical mastectomy or lumpectomy with axillary node dissection followed by radiation therapy and then eight cycles of CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy.Results: Forty-seven patients with stage IIB-III LABC were enrolled and 43 patients were evaluable. Fourteen patients (33%) had inflammatory breast cancer. Combine...
MECHANISM FOR OXYGEN ENHANCED CRACK GROWTH IN INCONEL 718

Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Zettlemoyer Center forSurface Studies, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA(Received September 25, 2000)(Accepted in revised form January 11, 2001)Keywords: Oxygen enhanced crack growth; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); Niobium;Crack growth mechanism; Ni base alloyIntroductionNickel based superalloys are used extensively in high temperature applications, for example, turbinedisks in jet engines. Since turbine discs operate in air at 700 to 973 K, these alloys have receivedconsiderable attention with respect to their sensitivity to environmentally enhanced crack growth(EECG). Previous studies have shown that oxygen increased the rates of crack growth in niobiumcontaining alloys (such as Inconel 718, Rene-95 and3750) at high temperatures (.800K) by up to 4.5orders of magnitude over those observed in an inert environment (1–7). Several mechanisms have beensuggested for this crack growth enhancement which include: (a) the oxidation of metallic carbides orcarbon at the grain boundaries to form high pressures of CO and CO
Biomedical language processing: what's beyond PubMed?

Exponential growth of the peer-reviewed literature and the breakdown of disciplinary boundaries heralded by genome-scale instruments have made it harder than ever for scientists to find and assimilate all the publications relevant to their research. The widespread adoption of title/abstract word search, primarily through the National Library of Medicine's PubMed system (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed), was the first major change in the way bioscientists found relevant publications since the origin of Index Medicus in 1879.
Implications for current management advice for North Sea plaice: Part I. Migration between the North Sea and English Channel

Twentieth century mark-recapture studies of conventionally tagged plaice suggested that the maximum exchange rate of fish between the North Sea and the eastern English Channel did not exceed 10%. However, recent studies with electronic data storage tags have suggested that this figure may be significantly greater. In spite of this, current stock assessment and management advice is predicated upon the assumption that the eastern English Channel and North Sea contain two distinct stocks, with no mixing between them. Previous studies on other stocks have shown that different mixing rates can yield grossly different predictions of abundance trends. Using a simulation framework based on the current management regime and simple assumptions regarding the mixing scenario, the consequences of ignoring migratory behaviour between independently managed stocks was investigated. Results indicate that the effects of stock mixing can generate considerable bias in the perceived state of a stock relative to its true state and that changes in the management applied to one stock may cause changes in the level of bias for neighbouring stocks. However, it is concluded that improved management will not necessarily be achieved by developing increasingly complex spatial and temporal assessment methods but rather by developing simple but robust management strategies that have been evaluated before implementation against plausible hypotheses about the dynamics of the stocks and fisheries to be managed. Evaluation should be undertaken using a simulation framework that allows a range of plausible hypotheses about stock and fishery dynamics to be included.
Risk management of cost consequences in natural gas transmission and distribution infrastructures

A critical aspect of risk management in energy systems is minimizing pipeline incidents that can potentially affect life, property and economic well-being. Risk measures and scenarios are developed in this paper in order to better understand how consequences of pipeline failures are linked to causes and other incident characteristics. An important risk measure for decision-makers in this field is the association between incident cause and cost consequences. Data from the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) on natural gas transmission and distribution pipeline incidents are used to analyze the association between various characteristics of the incidents and product loss cost and property damage cost. The data for natural gas transmission incidents are for the period 2002 through May 2009 and include 959 incidents. In the case of natural gas distribution incidents the data include 823 incidents that took place during the period 2004 through May 2009. A two-step approach is used in the statistical analyses to model the consequences and the costs associated with pipeline incidents. In the first step the probability that there is a nonzero consequence associated with an incident is estimated as a function of the characteristics of the incident. In the second step the magnitudes of the consequence measures, given that there is a nonzero outcome, are evaluated as a function of the characteristics of the incidents. It is found that the important characteristics of an incident for risk management can be quite different depending on whether the incident involves a transmission or distribution pipeline, and the type of cost consequence being modeled. The application of this methodology could allow decision-makers in the energy industry to construct scenarios to gain a better understanding of how cost consequence measures vary depending on factors such as incident cause and incident type.
Outcome of bilateral lung volume reduction in patients with emphysema potentially eligible for lung transplantation.

Abstract Objective: Between January 1993 and May 1998, we performed 200 consecutive bilateral lung volume reduction operations. After initial assessment, 99 of these patients were eligible for lung volume reduction and potentially eligible for immediate or eventual lung transplantation on the basis of age and absence of contraindications. All chose to proceed with lung volume reduction surgery. The outcomes of these 99 patients are reviewed to assess the consequences of proceeding with lung volume reduction surgery on patients potentially eligible for lung transplantation. Methods: A retrospective study was performed with the use of a prospectively assembled computer database. Results: The 61 men and 38 women were 55 ± 7 years old at evaluation for lung volume reduction. Mean values for first second expired volume, total lung capacity, and residual volume were 24% ± 8%, 141% ± 19%, and 294% ± 54% predicted. There were 4 operative deaths and 17 late deaths. Two-year and 5-year survival after evaluation for lung volume reduction are 92% and 75%. The 32 patients who have been listed for transplantation after lung volume reduction include 15 who have undergone transplantation, 14 who remain on the list, and 3 who have been removed from the list. All 15 transplant recipients survived transplantation and 3 have subsequently died of rejection or late infection. The 12 living recipients have a median post-transplantation follow-up of 1.7 years. The age at transplantation was 58 ± 5 years with transplantation occurring 3.8 ± 1.1 years after lung volume reduction. Sixteen of 99 patients underwent lower lobe volume reduction with an increased rate of listing (63%, P =.008) and transplantation (38%, P =.003) compared with patients undergoing upper lobe volume reduction. Patients listed for transplantation were younger, more impaired, and experienced less benefit from lung volume reduction than patients not yet listed for transplantation. Conclusions: The preliminary use of lung volume reduction in patients potentially suitable for transplantation does not appear to jeopardize the chances for subsequent successful transplantation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;122:10-7
France and the United States: Their Diplomatic Relations, 1789-1914

In his discussion of political, economic, and ideological questions, Blumenthal emphasizes the period since 1870, and in his analysis of expansionism, colonialism, imperialism, and political strategy, he relates Franco-American diplomacy to the interactions of Great Britain, Russia, Germany, Japan, and other powers. This book is essential for an understanding of contemporary relations between France and America.Originally published in 1959.A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
Origin of branched wave structures in optical media and long-tail algebraic intensity distribution

Experiments have revealed that branched, fractal-like wave patterns can arise in a variety of physical situations ranging from microwave and optical systems to solid-state devices, and that the wave-intensity statistics are non-Gaussian and typically exhibit a long-tail distribution. The origin of branched wave patterns is currently an issue of active debate. We propose and investigate a "minimal" model of optical wave propagation and scattering with two generic ingredients: 1) a finite-size medium for linear wave propagation and 2) random scatterers characterized by a continuous refractive-index profile. We find that branched waves can emerge as a general phenomenon in a wide parameter regime in between the weak-scattering limit and Anderson localization, and the distribution of high intensities follows an algebraic scaling law. The minimal model can provide insights into the physical origin of branched waves in other physical systems as well.
Infrared passbands for clear-air-turbulence detection.

Clear air turbulence (CAT) ahead of an aircraft can be detected in real time by an infrared radiometer. The alert time and reliability depend on the passband of the infrared filter used and the altitude of the aircraft. Preliminary results and analyses show that a nominal passband of 26 to 35 μm appears optimal to alert CAT from 1.5 to 6.0 min ahead of the encounter. The alert time increases with higher altitude as the atmospheric absorption, determining the horizontal weighting, is reduced.
SU-GG-T-450: Measurement of Relative Output Factors for the Leksell Gamma Knife PERFEXION by Film Dosimetry

Purpose: To measure relative output factors (ROFs) for 4 and 8 mm collimators for the Leksell Gamma Knife PERFEXION unit. Effective ROFs calculated by Monte Carlo (MC) by ELEKTA and used in the Gamma Plan 8.0 treatment planning system are 0.805, 0.924 for 4 and 8 mm collimators, respectively. Method and Materials: Three types of films, Kodak EDR2, gafchromic EBT and MD‐V2‐55, were used within the spherical polystyrene phantom of diameter of 160 mm. To obtain calibration curve 10 films were exposed to doses of 0–400, 0–800, 0–8000 cGy for EDR2, EBT, MD‐V2‐55 films, respectively. Three samples of each film type were then exposed in identical setup for 4, 8 and 16 mm collimators. Films were scanned by EPSON EXPRESSION 10000 XL scanner with 200 dpi resolution in 16‐bit grayscale for radiographic and 48‐bit color for gafchromic film and imported in red channel. Films were evaluated by FilmQA version 2.0.1215 software. Fifth degree polynomial fit for calibration curve was used and background corrections applied for all films. Doses delivered to the center of each of studied films by 4, 8, 16 mm collimators were obtained and ROFs calculated and corrected for transit dose. Results: Measured ROFs and deviations compared to MC calculated value for 8 mm collimator were 0.899 (−2.7%), 0.917 (−0.8%), and 0.920 (−0.4%) for EDR2, EBT, and MD‐V2‐55 films, respectively. Measured ROFs and deviations compared to MC calculated value for 4 mm collimator were 0.778 (−3.4%), 0.818 (1.6%), and 0.804 (−0.1%) for EDR2, EBT, and MD‐V2‐55 films, respectively. Conclusion: MD‐V2‐55 film seems to be an ideal dosimeter for small stereotactic field ROFs measurements. All results obtained in this study were in close agreement with MC values. Largest deviations noted from the MC were for EDR 2 films. The closest agreement with MC values was observed for MD‐V2‐55 films.
Lightning and electrical structure of mesoscale convective systems

Abstract Recent observations indicate that cloud-to-ground lightning discharges are common in the stratiform portions of Mesoscale Convective Systems. A bipolar lightning pattern is often found, with negative flashes preferred in the convective region and positive flashes preferred in the stratiform region. We first review a charge advection process offered to explain lightning bipoles. In this process, positive charge (contained on the surface of small ice particles) is transported into the stratiform region by storm-relative winds. Calculations for the expansion rate of a spherical volume of charge by Coulombic forces indicate slow expansion, thus maintaining high charge concentrations in the stratiform region. However, when turbulent diffusion of the charge volume is considered, expansion rates through mixing are large compared to expansion rates by Coulombic forces. We therefore argue that the charge advection process is not a plausible mechanism for explaining lightning bipoles. The charge structures observed in stratiform clouds are reviewed and an in-situ mechanism, where the stratiform clouds electrify independent from the deep convection, is offered as an explanation for lightning bipoles. New observations from a tropical field program are presented in support of this in-situ charging mechanism.
The MacArthur Adjudicative Competence Study: diagnosis, psychopathology, and competence-related abilities.

A set of measures assessing abilities related to legal standards for competence in the adjudicative process were administered to mentally-disordered criminal defendants with diagnoses of schizophrenia, affective disorder, other psychiatric disorders, and to criminal defendants without diagnosed mental disorder. Mentally-disordered defendants were recruited from two groups: those who had been committed for restoration of competence and those who had been identified by jail personnel as mentally ill. Significant impairments in competence-related abilities were found for approximately half of the defendants with schizophrenia. Defendants with schizophrenia scored lower on measures of understanding, reasoning, and appreciation related to the adjudication process. The association between symptoms and competence-related abilities was explored within diagnostic groups. Conceptual disorganization was found to be inversely correlated with performance on all measures in both defendants with schizophrenia and those with affective disorders. For other psychotic symptoms, differing patterns of correlations were found in the two major diagnostic groups. The implications for policy designed to safeguard the rights of defendants to be tried while competent are discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
When Topics Are Controversial: Is It Better to Discuss Them Face-to-Face or Online?.

Ten students in a graduate-level course on Historical and Policy Perspectives in Higher Education held face-to-face and online discussions on five controversial topics: diversity, academic freedom, political tolerance, affirmative action, and gender. Upon completion of each discussion, they assessed their comfort, honesty, concern for others’ feelings, similarity of feelings to others, and willingness to disagree and then compared the face-to-face and online discussions on these measures. Students’ assessments are complex and indicate that some topics did elicit feelings of discomfort, concern for others’ feelings, and willingness to disagree in the face-to-face discussions. However, despite these feelings, the majority of students continued to prefer the face-to-face discussions. Online discussions were valued to a lesser extent, but a consistent minority of students were more comfortable in that setting. The age and race of the student also created differences in responses.
Outcomes assessment: not synonymous with inputs and outputs

Abstract This article presents a rationale for the use of outcomes assessment and different perspectives on assessment, and it shows that the profession needs to develop strategies for moving across those perspectives. Too often, librarians assume that the measures collected do so; in fact, they do not.
Elastic scattering of 16O by 16O

Abstract The cross section for 16 O+ 16 O elastic scattering at 90° c.m. was measured from 35 to 88 MeV c.m. Pronounced structure was observed, as strong as seen earlier in the 20–30 MeV region. Several optical-model potentials derived from data at lower energies fail to predict the observed structure.
Potential residual and relative wages in Chinese township and village enterprises

We examine the role of potential residual revenue in determining the pay of skilled workers and enterprise directors relative to production workers in China's Township and Village Enterprises (TVEs) in the period from 1984 to 1990. The potential residual is proxied negatively by returns to scale and positively by aggregate market conditions. We find that the ratio between the wages both of directors and of technical workers to those of production workers is positively related to the potential residual, while holding constant local unemployment, land per person, and FDI per worker. This evidence is consistent with the hypothesis of de facto residual claimancy.
Integrated bioabsorbable tissue reinforcement in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Division of the stomach in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy may be performed using bare stapler cartridges or cartridges fitted with tissue reinforcement strips, with or without oversewing. Many tissue reinforcement strips are after-market add-on products that must be fitted onto a stapler during surgery. A retrospective review was conducted of 85 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy using a novel integrated bioabsorbable polymer buttress pre-mounted on a single-use loading unit stapler. Mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 41.7 ± 5.2 kg/m2. Morbidity and short-term outcomes were documented. Mean follow-up was 8.1 ± 3.6 months (range, 1.0–16.2 months). There were no mortalities or staple line leaks noted in this series with short-term follow up. The major complication rate (grade III and above) was 7.1% and included: reoperation for staple line bleeding (2.4%, n = 2), gastric sleeve stenosis requiring balloon dilation (2.4%, n = 2), choledocholithiasis 2 weeks after surgery (1.2%, n = 1), and reoperation without abnormality for suspected perioperative obstruction (1.2%, n = 1). Mean percent excess BMI loss at 3 (44.6 ± 11.3), 6 (57.9 ± 17.2), and 12 months (72.4 ± 27.5) was comparable to other published series. The use of an integrated absorbable synthetic polymer for stapled tissue reinforcement in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy appears to be feasible and safe, and yields results consistent with other published techniques.
Modulation of Ocular Surface Glycocalyx Barrier Function by a Galectin-3 N-terminal Deletion Mutant and Membrane-Anchored Synthetic Glycopolymers

Background: Interaction of transmembrane mucins with the multivalent carbohydrate-binding protein galectin-3 is critical to maintaining the integrity of the ocular surface epithelial glycocalyx. This study aimed to determine whether disruption of galectin-3 multimerization and insertion of synthetic glycopolymers in the plasma membrane could be used to modulate glycocalyx barrier function in corneal epithelial cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: Abrogation of galectin-3 biosynthesis in multilayered cultures of human corneal epithelial cells using siRNA, and in galectin-3 null mice, resulted in significant loss of corneal barrier function, as indicated by increased permeability to the rose bengal diagnostic dye. Addition of b-lactose, a competitive carbohydrate inhibitor of galectin-3 binding activity, to the cell culture system, transiently disrupted barrier function. In these experiments, treatment with a dominant negative inhibitor of galectin-3 polymerization lacking the N-terminal domain, but not full-length galectin3, prevented the recovery of barrier function to basal levels. As determined by fluorescence microscopy, both cellobioseand lactose-containing glycopolymers incorporated into apical membranes of corneal epithelial cells, independently of the chain length distribution of the densely glycosylated, polymeric backbones. Membrane incorporation of cellobiose glycopolymers impaired barrier function in corneal epithelial cells, contrary to their lactose-containing counterparts, which bound to galectin-3 in pull-down assays. Conclusions/Significance: These results indicate that galectin-3 multimerization and surface recognition of lactosyl residues is required to maintain glycocalyx barrier function at the ocular surface. Transient modification of galectin-3 binding could be therapeutically used to enhance the efficiency of topical drug delivery.
Direct assessment of functional abilities: relevance to persons with schizophrenia

Abstract Objective To review functional outcome assessment strategies specifically focusing on performance-based measures used in patients with schizophrenia. Method In order to identify relevant performance-based measures of functioning we conducted a literature search using key words: functioning, disability, performance, situation, assessment, skills, scale, measurement, instrument, psychosis, and schizophrenia. Results A description of each of eight measures was provided including assessment protocol, domains of functioning assessed, scoring, basic psychometric properties, appropriateness for clinical trials and likely sensitivity to pharmacologic interventions. Methods for assessment of functioning in patients with schizophrenia are reviewed. Conclusions The measurement of functional capacity, through performance-based activities, provides a critical benchmark by which to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of medications in clinical trials to improve both cognition and capacity for everyday functioning in seriously mentally ill persons with schizophrenia. In order to comprehensively evaluate functional outcome, a combination of performance-based and other assessment modalities may be required.
Regulatory light chain phosphorylation increases eccentric contraction-induced injury in skinned fast-twitch fibers.

During contraction, activation of Ca2+/calmodulin–dependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) results in phosphorylation of myosin's regulatory light chain (RLC), which potentiates force and increases speed of force development over a wide range of [Ca2+]. We tested the hypothesis that RLC phosphorylation by MLCK mediates the extent of eccentric contraction–induced injury as measured by force deficit in skinned fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibers. Results indicated that RLC phosphorylation in single skinned rat psoas fibers significantly increased Ca2+ sensitivity of isometric force; isometric force from 50 ± 16 to 59 ± 18 kN/m2 during maximal Ca2+ activation; peak absolute power output from 38 ± 15 to 48 ± 14 nW during maximal Ca2+ activation; and the magnitude of contraction-induced force deficit during maximal (pCa 4.5) activation from 26 ± 9.8 to 35 ± 9.6%. We conclude that RLC phosphorylation increases force deficits following eccentric contractions, perhaps by increasing the number of force-generating cross-bridges. Muscle Nerve 29: 313–317, 2004
Cytochrome oxidase activities of various cartilage tissues during growth and development.

As rabbits increase in size from 165 grams to 2,205 grams body weight, cytochrome oxidase activity of epiphyseal cartilage homogenates does not change in manometric and spectrophotometric enzyme assays, whereas the oxidase activities of xiphisternal and ear cartilage homogenates decline. Light absorption spectra of cartilage tissues were made for the first time, using strips of rabbit ear and pieces of chick embryo cartilage. Such spectra reveal characteristic absorption maxima for the terminal respiratory complex of mitochondria, including b, c and oxidase components and flavoprotein.
The Behaviors of Some Heritability Estimators in the Complete Absence of Genetic Factors

Heritability is an important concept in quantitative genetics and is widely used in human genetics. A high or even a moderate value of heritability estimate is usually taken as evidence for a genetic component for a quantitative trait. In this paper, the behaviors of some correlation-based heritability estimators are reexamined under the assumption of complete absence of any genetic factors. It turns out that when monozygotic (MZ) twins (or full sibs) are environmentally more similar than dizygotic twins (or half sibs), or when there is placement bias in MZ twins reared apart, those correlation-based heritability estimates can lead to nonnegligible or even high heritability values, even when genetic factors are completely absent. These alarming results suggest that extreme care should be exercised when using these heritability estimators.
A competing risk model of sudden infant death syndrome incidence in two US birth cohorts.

Objectives: To compare changing incidence and changing risk factors associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the 1989 and 1996 US birth cohorts. Study design: All available singleton births over 500 g from the 1989 linked birth–infant death file and the 1996 and 1997 Perinatal Mortality files were examined. A log-logistic survival model was used to explicitly account for declining competing risks among low birth weight infants. Results: Controlling for maternal prenatal smoking and other confounders, SIDS incidence declined by >33% between the 2 survey years (adjusted odds ratio = 0.628 with 95% CI [0.598, 0.660]). Self-reported declines in maternal prenatal smoking were also associated with significant declines in SIDS incidence. African American infants and infants born weighing 2500 g. Hispanic/Latino infants had significantly lower SIDS risk than non-Hispanic white infants in both years. Accounting for declining competing risks and other factors, relative SIDS risks among infants born between 500 and 1000 g increased over the study period. Conclusions: SIDS incidence sharply declined between 1989 and 1996. High incidence of SIDS in African Americans and increased relative SIDS risk for infants born weighing <1000 g require increased attention from clinicians and public health policy makers. (J Pediatr 2001;138:661-7)
Interaction of fatty acid and glucose oxidation by cultured heart cells.

Chick embryo heart cells in tissue culture actively oxidize [1-14C]palmitate to 14CO2. Fatty acid oxidation by cell monolayers was linear with time and increasing protein concentration. The addition of carnitine to the assay medium resulted in a 30–70% increase in the rate of fatty acid oxidation. The specific activity of palmitic acid oxidation did not change significantly with time in culture and was also the same in rapidly proliferating and density-inhibited cell cultures. Addition of unlabeled glucose to the assay medium resulted in a 50% decrease in 14CO2 production from [1-14C]palmitate. Conversely, palmitate had a similar sparing effect on [14C]glucose oxidation to 14CO2. Lactate production accounted for most of the glucose depleted from the medium and was not inhibited by the presence of palmitate in the assay. Thus, the sparing action of the fatty acids on glucose oxidation appears to be at the mitochondrial level. The results indicate that although chick heart cells in culture are primarily anaerobic, they can oxidize fatty acid actively.