cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electron and hole traps in GaN p-i-n photodetectors grown by reactive molecular beam epitaxy

GaN p-i-n photodetectors grown on sapphire by reactive molecular beam epitaxy have been characterized by measurements of room-temperature current-voltage (I-V), temperature-dependent capacitance (C-V-T), and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) under both majority and minority carrier injection. Due to what we believe to be threading dislocations, the reverse I-V curves of p-i-n photodetectors show typical electric-field enhanced soft breakdown characteristics. A carrier freeze-out due to the de-ionization of Mg-related deep acceptors has been found by C-V-T measurements. Three electron traps, B (0.61 eV), D (0.23 eV), and E1 (0.25 eV) and one hole trap, H3 (0.79 eV) have been revealed by DLTS measurements. The photodetectors with lower leakage currents usually show higher responsivity and lower trap densities of D and E1.
Isolation and characterization of glycosphingolipids from human leukocytes. A unique glycosphingolipid pattern in a case of acute myelomonoblastic leukemia.

Abstract Neutral glycosphingolipids and gangliosides were isolated from the malignant cells of a patient with acute myelomonoblastic leukemia. Structural analyses were performed by gas-liquid chromatography and by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with enzymatic hydrolysis of glycosphingolipids using glycosidases. We found that, in contrast to normal leukocytes and chronic leukemia cells which have only a single tetraosylceramide species, these acute myelomonoblastic leukemia cells have approximately equal amounts of both globo- and neolactotetraosylceramide. This is the first population of human leukocytes in which we found two families of neutral glycosphingolipids to be present. The ganglioside fraction was composed of appreciable quantities of both NeuAc α 2 → 3Gal β 1 → 4Glc β 1 → 1Cer (GM3, hematoside) and NeuAc α 2 → 3Gal β 1 → 4GlcNAc β 1 → 3Gal β 1 → 4Glc β 1 → 1Cer (sialoparagloboside). These cells did not have the ‘leukocyte-specific’ N -acetylneuraminosyllactotriaosylceramide found in normal human lymphocytes and neutrophils. These results are discussed in relation to normal leukocyte differentiation and acute leukemia. The present study also illustrates the usefulness of combining enzymatic degradation with high-performance liquid chromatography for glycosphingolipid structural determination.
Survival in Nuclear Waste, Extreme Resistance, and Potential Applications Gleaned from the Genome Sequence of Kineococcus radiotolerans SRS30216

Kineococcus radiotolerans SRS30216 was isolated from a high-level radioactive environment at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and exhibits γ-radiation resistance approaching that of Deinococcus radiodurans. The genome was sequenced by the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute which suggested the existence of three replicons, a 4.76 Mb linear chromosome, a 0.18 Mb linear plasmid, and a 12.92 Kb circular plasmid. Southern hybridization confirmed that the chromosome is linear. The K. radiotolerans genome sequence was examined to learn about the physiology of the organism with regard to ionizing radiation resistance, the potential for bioremediation of nuclear waste, and the dimorphic life cycle. K. radiotolerans may have a unique genetic toolbox for radiation protection as it lacks many of the genes known to confer radiation resistance in D. radiodurans. Additionally, genes involved in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species and the excision repair pathway are overrepresented. K. radiotolerans appears to lack degradation pathways for pervasive soil and groundwater pollutants. However, it can respire on two organic acids found in SRS high-level nuclear waste, formate and oxalate, which promote the survival of cells during prolonged periods of starvation. The dimorphic life cycle involves the production of motile zoospores. The flagellar biosynthesis genes are located on a motility island, though its regulation could not be fully discerned. These results highlight the remarkable ability of K radiotolerans to withstand environmental extremes and suggest that in situ bioremediation of organic complexants from high level radioactive waste may be feasible.
The Preoperative and operative assessment of aortic regurgitation

Abstract Supravalvular Cineaortography, the most commonly employed procedure for the assessment of aortic regurgitation, is a semiquantitative technique. The surgeon's estimation of aortic regurgitation present at surgery may differ appreciably from the cineaortographic prediction. To evaluate the aortographic technique, a sine wave electromagnetic flowmeter was applied to the ascending aorta of 25 patients who underwent thoracotomy after Cineaortography had demonstrated aortic regurgitation graded 1+ to 4+ by conventional grading criteria. The percent of retrograde to forward aortic flow and the mean volume regurgitation (ml/diastole) was compared with the cineaortographic grade. In 5 patients with a cineaortographic grade of 1+, aortic retrograde flow ranged from 5 to 17 percent of forward flow and mean volume regurgitation from 3 to 13 ml/ diastole. Seven patients with a cineaortographic grade of 2+ had retrograde flow ranging from 8 to 75 percent with volume regurgitation ranging from 6 to 60 ml/diastole. In 12 patients with 3+ regurgitation, the retrograde flow varied from 17 to 86 percent of forward flow with a volume regurgitant range of 6 to 121 ml. The single patient with grade 4+ aortic regurgitation had a retrograde flow of 49 percent and a mean volume regurgitation of 31 ml. The severity of aortic regurgitation estimated by Cineaortography may differ greatly from that determined by quantitative flow measurement at the time of thoracotomy.
Relationship Maintenance Strategies and Dialectical Contradictions in Personal Relationships

This questionnaire study of both partners from 162 romantic and marital relationships sought to examine perceived partner maintenance strategies as correlates of participant satisfaction for relationships at varying dialectical moments of the autonomy-connection, predictability-novelty and openness-closedness contradictions. The perceived partner maintenance strategies of contact, romance and avoidance varied in efficacy depending on the particular dialectical conditions of the relationship, especially among male participants.
Megasession: excision of numerous skin cancers in a single session.

Background A large number of synchronous skin cancers in a patient may be managed with extensive removal in one session or limited removal in several sessions. Objective Our objective was to prospectively evaluate the experiences of patients undergoing excisional surgery for multiple nonmelanoma skin cancers in one session. Methods Patients scheduled for excision of five or more skin lesions in one operative session were prospectively surveyed and followed for outcomes. Patients were surveyed immediately postoperatively and 7 and 90 days postoperatively. Results Ten patients were prospectively enrolled. They had a previous history of numerous skin cancers (median 76; range 4–551). The median number of lesions excised was 8 (range 5–21). All patients received local anesthesia, 90% received sedation, and none had general anesthesia. The median duration of the procedure was 480 minutes. Nine patients tolerated the procedure well. Two patients were electively hospitalized for observation because of the extent of surgery. Nine patients were very satisfied with the megasession. Conclusion Carefully selected patients with extensive skin cancer can tolerate excisional surgery of a large number of cutaneous neoplasms in one session, with few and readily managed complications. Most of our patients preferred extensive tumor removal in one session to removal of fewer tumors in several sessions.
Bioactivation of Nitroprusside by Porcine Endothelial Cells

Abstract Sodium nitroprusside (Na 2 [(CN) 5 FeNO], SNP), which is stable, diamagnetic, and not detectable by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, can be activated by one-electron reduction. The initial product, which retains the five cyanides and is here called penta, has a distinctive EPR signal. Penta spontaneously dissociates the trans -cyanide ligand resulting in a second paramagnetic species called tetra, which has a different and distinctive EPR signal. Tetra is able to transfer its NO ligand to a suitable acceptor, and all four equatorial cyanides subsequently dissociate. However, excess free cyanide shifts the tetra-penta equilibrium in the direction of penta and prevents NO release. This study was an attempt to extend the above results on SNP reduction, which were obtained in a model hemoglobin system, to intact porcine cells by characterizing all EPR-detectable intermediates. When porcine aortic endothelial or smooth muscle cells in culture were incubated under anaerobic conditions with SNP, an EPR spectrum was obtained, which could be resolved into the signal for penta and a signal previously described as a nonheme iron-nitrosyl-sulfur complex, FeNOSR. Tetra was not detected. This FeNOSR has some differences in its stability and location from that described by others in activated macrophages. When incubations were carried out under air, penta could not be detected, but a somewhat diminished signal for FeNOSR was still detectable. When incubations were carried out in the presence of excess free cyanide, conditions under which reduced SNP does not nitrosylate hemoglobin, the penta signal became stronger and the FeNOSR signal, though decreased, was still observed. Depletion (95%) of intracellular reduced glutathione in endothelial cells had no effect on the FeNOSR signal strength. We conclude that SNP is activated in porcine endothelial cells by a one-electron reduction to penta, which apparently dissociates its trans -cyanide to form tetra which then goes on to form FeNOSR upon reaction with a membrane-bound thiol. Glutathione is not involved in any of these reactions.
Integration and use of biomarkers in drug development, regulation and clinical practice: a US regulatory perspective

The US FDA encourages the integration of biomarkers in drug development and their appropriate use in clinical practice. It is believed that this approach will help alleviate stagnation and foster innovation in the development of new medical products, and, ultimately, lead to more personalized medicine. To facilitate the use of biomarkers in drug development and clinical practice, the FDA organized workshops, issued guidances, established a voluntary submission process, developed online educational tools and, most importantly, strives to ensure the integration of this information into drug labels, for example, via the update of existing labels, or the inclusion of appropriate language in new drug labels. A pilot process has been set up to qualify novel biomarkers that are not associated with specific drug products, but are of more common use (e.g., biomarkers for drug safety). In addition, the FDA has initiated the creation of various consortia that are working towards the identification and characterizati...
Development of a field-level geographic information system

Abstract A field-level geographic information system (FIS) was developed to meet the need for a research tool to analyze agricultural data relevant to precision agriculture. FIS is a compact, raster-based geographic information system designed specifically for precision-agriculture applications. FIS can load, graphically display, manipulate, and save numerical data representing either circular (center-pivot irrigated) or irregularly shaped crop fields. The developers used the C++ language and object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts to implement a variety of spatial analysis capabilities, such as creating fields from GPS boundary data, point and block interpolation, simple statistics and correlation, data manipulation/region partition through logic queries and buffering, spatial pattern analysis in both Cartesian and polar coordinate systems, and remote sensing data analysis.
Peripheral nerve damage does not alter release properties of developing central trigeminal afferents.

The infraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve (ION) is essential in whisker-specific neural patterning (“barrelettes”) in the principal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve (PrV). The barrelettes are ...
The Distance and Milliarcsecond Radio Structure of Scorpius X-1

From three VLBA observations at 5 GHz, taken over 13 months, we have measured the trigonometric parallax of Sco X-1 as 000023 ± 000028; hence, its distance is greater than 1300 pc. This supports the hypothesis that Sco X-1 radiates at or near the Eddington limit at the transition point between the normal and flaring branches of the X-ray color-color diagram. These results suggest that Sco X-1 and other Z-type quasi-periodic oscillators have a well defined luminosity and can be used as X-ray standard candles. All three VLBA observations contain a radio core of flux density 0.5 mJy and size greater than 4 mas. However, the third VLBA observation revealed two additional radio components (separated by 12 mas and on opposite sides of the radio core) not present in the two previous observations. The evolution of these two components will remain unknown until multiepoch radio imaging and coordinated radio and X-ray total flux density measurements can be made.
Predicting three narcosis mechanisms of aquatic toxicity.

Abstract In this study, the use of solute descriptors (the McGowan's characteristic volume V X , the excess molar refraction R , the dipolarity/dipolarizability π H , the effective or summation hydrogen-bond acidity ∑ α H and the effective or summation hydrogen-bond basicity ∑ β H ) in classifying and predicting the non-polar, polar, and ester narcosis toxicity mechanisms for organic compounds was investigated. Discriminant analysis was performed and the significant discriminating variables were found to be R , π H , ∑ α H , and (∑ β H ) 2 , the latter of which was created to aid the mechanism classifications. Cross-validation of the non-linear discriminant functions showed a small total error rate of approximately 5% which was reduced to approximately 2% when seven compounds with uncertain a priori mechanism designations were removed. Compared with other methods for toxicity mechanism classification and prediction, the method developed in this study has advantages. It relies on the use of objective numerical values of molecular descriptors that can be calculated and does not require additional experimental work when used for new compounds. The descriptor values can also aid the interpretation of the toxicity mechanism classifications and predictions. Because of the possibility of making incorrect mechanism predictions using a single method, it was recommended that several methods be used together to make the most appropriate mechanism designations and to increase the confidence level associated with the mechanism designations.
Characterization and purification of a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger from an Archaebacterium

The superfamily of cation/Ca2+ exchangers includes both Na+/Ca2+ exchangers (NCXs) and Na+/Ca2+,K+ exchangers (NCKX) as the families characterized in most detail. These Ca2+ transporters have prominent physiological roles. For example, NCX and NCKX are important in regulation of cardiac contractility and visual processes, respectively. The superfamily also has a large number of members of the YrbG family expressed in prokaryotes. However, no members of this family have been functionally expressed, and their transport properties are unknown. We have expressed, purified, and characterized a member of the YrbG family, MaX1 from Methanosarcina acetivorans. MaX1 catalyzes Ca2+ uptake into membrane vesicles. The Ca2+ uptake requires intravesicular Na+ and is stimulated by an inside positive membrane potential. Despite very limited sequence similarity, MaX1 is a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger with kinetic properties similar to those of NCX. The availability of a prokaryotic Na+/Ca2+ exchanger should facilitate structural and mechanistic investigations.
The new business leader: Socrates with a Baton

“At the core of business success there is something more fundamental than the theories found in business schools, management books, and consulting reports. That something is critical thought.”
Maxentius’s Crosses: CIL VIII, 18261

AbstractAn inscription from Numidia may contribute evidence to the debate over Constantine and the end of crucifixion in the west. The text, probably on the base of a statue, was addressed to a certain Constantine, who must have been the emperor of that name. It praises him for setting aside “the crosses and cruel wars of the tyrant” a reference, it would seem, to Maxentius’s suppression of the revolt of the usurper Alexander. It is argued in this investigation that the “crosses” refer to the penalty of crucifixion and that the text of the inscription may be interpreted as evidence for the fact that Constantine and Maxentius used this penalty differently.
The neural circuitry mediating shifts in behavioral response and cognitive set in autism.

Background Recent studies have suggested that the social and cognitive impairments in autism are associated with neural processing deficits in specific brain regions. However, these studies have primarily focused on neural systems responsible for face processing and social behaviors. Although repetitive, stereotyped behaviors are a hallmark of autism, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying these behaviors in the disorder. Methods We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of shifts in behavioral response and cognitive set in 18 individuals with high-functioning autism and 15 neurotypical control participants. Participants performed a target detection task specifically designed to distinguish shifts in response from shifts in cognitive set. Results Individuals with autism showed lower accuracy on response shifting trials, independent of whether those trials also required a shift in cognitive set. Compared with control subjects, participants with autism showed reduced activation in frontal, striatal, and parietal regions during these trials. In addition, within the autism group, the severity of restricted, repetitive behaviors was negatively correlated with activation in anterior cingulate and posterior parietal regions. Conclusions These results suggest that executive deficits and, by extension, repetitive behaviors associated with autism might reflect a core dysfunction within the brain's executive circuitry.
Optic tectum, of the eastern garter snake, thamnophis sirtalis. I. Efferent pathways

Extracellular, iontophoretic injections of horseradish peroxidase were used to anterogradely fill axons efferent from the optic tectum in garter snakes. The tectal efferent pathways consist of six axon types with distinct projections and terminal morphologies. Tectogeniculate axons pass into the diencephalon via the optic tract, bearing collaterals that form spatially restricted, rodlike arbors in the pretectum, the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, and the ventrolateral nucleus. Tectoisthmi axons exit the tectum as a thin-caliber component of the ventral tectobulbar tract. They form spatially restricted, spherical arbors within nucleus isthmi. Tectoisthmobulbar axons also give rise to small, spherical arbors within nucleus isthmi, but the parent axons continue caudally into the pontine and medullary reticular formation issuing many short collateral branches. Tectorotundal axons reach the diencephalon via the tectothalamic tract and give rise to fine terminal collaterals in the nucleus of the tectothalamic tract ipsilaterally and in nucleus rotundus bilaterally. Single axons form sheetlike terminal fields that span the rostrocaudal extent of nucleus rotundus. Ipsilateral tectobulbar axons descend into the midbrain tegmentum where they issue several thick collaterals that terminate widely throughout the nucleus lateralis profundus mesencephali. The parent axon continues caudally giving off several widely spreading collaterals within the pontine and medullary reticular formation. Crossed tectobulbar axons enter the dorsal tectobulbar tract and cross the midline to form the predorsal bundle. Single axons give rise to terminal collaterals in the nucleus lateralis profundus mesencephali bilaterally, the contralateral pontine and medullary reticular formation, and the intermediate gray of the cervical spinal cord.
Bacterial chromosome segregation: Evidence for DNA gyrase involvement in decatenation

Nucleoids isolated from a temperature-sensitive gyrB mutant of E. coli, incubated at restrictive temperatures, exhibit increased sedimentation rates and an abnormal doublet or dumbbell-shaped morphology. Shifting cells from restrictive to permissive temperature prior to nucleoid isolation leads to decreases in the percentage of doublet nucleoids and in nucleoid sedimentation rates. When nucleoids isolated from mutant cells exposed to restrictive temperature are incubated with purified gyrase, the percentage of doublet nucleoids decreases as the total number of nucleoids increases. These results, together with the demonstrated ability of gyrase to decatenate small circular DNA molecules in vitro, suggest that gyrase participates in bacterial chromosome segregation through its decatenating activity.
Improved uniformity in high-performance organic photovoltaics enabled by (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane cathode functionalization

Organic photovoltaics have the potential to serve as lightweight, low-cost, mechanically flexible solar cells. However, losses in efficiency as laboratory cells are scaled up to the module level have to date impeded large scale deployment. Here, we report that a 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) cathode interfacial treatment significantly enhances performance reproducibility in inverted high-efficiency PTB7:PC71BM organic photovoltaic cells, as demonstrated by the fabrication of 100 APTES-treated devices versus 100 untreated controls. The APTES-treated devices achieve a power conversion efficiency of 8.08 ± 0.12% with histogram skewness of −0.291, whereas the untreated controls achieve 7.80 ± 0.26% with histogram skewness of −1.86. By substantially suppressing the interfacial origins of underperforming cells, the APTES treatment offers a pathway for fabricating large-area modules with high spatial performance uniformity.
A new oxo-azamacrocyclic ligand: 13,27-dimethyl-6,20-dioxa-3,9,17,23-tetraaza-tricyclo[23.3.1.111,15]triaconta-1(29),11, 13,15(30),25,27-hexaene-29,30-diol, and a dinuclear copper(II) complex: syntheses, characterization and binding ability

Abstract A new dinucleating tetraaza-dioxo-diphenol macrocyclic ligand: 13,27-dimethyl-6,20-dioxa-3,9,17,23-tetraaza-tricyclo[23.3.1.111,15]triaconta-1(29),11, 13,15(30),25,27-hexaene-29,30-diol (L or BDOD) was synthesized and characterized. This ligand serves as the N4O4 2− motif for cation ions. The binding constants of divalent copper were determined using direct potentiometric titration. The logarithm formation constants of copper complexes are: log[CuL]=22.62 and log[Cu2L]=15.74. This macrocyclic ligand acts as the host to accommodate two copper ions at same time. The dinuclear copper complex were determined to be a central symmetric molecule with the formation of Cu2O2 bridge. Bond lengths of CuO(phenol) is 1.952 A, which is shorter than that of CuO(2) 2.368 A consistent with the expected Jahn–Teller distortion. CuN(av.) is 1.998 A. The coordination polyhedron of each copper ion is a slightly distorted square pyramid.
Cockroaches on a treadmill: Aerobic running

Abstract Five species of cockroach were tested on a miniature treadmill at three velocities as O2 consumption ( V O 2 ) was measured: Gromphadorhina chopardi, Blaberus discoidalis, Eublaberus posticus, Byrsotria fumagata and Periplaneta americana. All cockroaches showed a classical aerobic response to running: V O 2 increased rapidly from a resting rate to a steady-state ( V O 2ss ): t 1 2 on-response varied from under 30 s to 3 min. Recovery after exercise was rapid as well; t 1 2 off-response varied from under 30 s to 6 min. These times are faster or similar to mammalian values. V O 2 varied directly with velocity as in running mammals, birds and reptiles. V O 2 during steady-state running was only 4–12 times higher than at rest. Running is energetically much less costly per unit time than flying, but the cost of transport per unit distance is much more expensive for pedestrians. The minimal cost of transport (Mrun), the lowest V O 2 necessary to transport a given mass a specific distance, is high in cockroaches due to their small size. The new data suggest that insects may be less economical than comparable sized vertebrates.
Designing a Multi-modal Tool for Locating Buildings on a College Campus

Human memory for spatial information has been described as a cognitive collage consisting of many bits of partial information in a variety of differing formats. Based on this principle, a multimedia tool for locating buildings on a college campus has been created. A prototype of the interface has been constructed for browsing on the World Wide Web. The design problems associated with construction of the prototype have strong implications for the theory of wayfinding and navigation. These include the notion that the best locational aids are problem specific and that the use of redundant, multimedia information can aid the navigation task particularly when finer levels of detail are presented hierarchically to the user. Thus, the system provides a direct testbed for the theory of a cognitive collage and allows for understanding the relationship between the navigation of real worlds and the navigation of electronic worlds.
Somatic deletions of genes regulating MSH2 protein stability cause DNA mismatch repair deficiency and drug resistance in human leukemia cells

Loss of mismatch repair (MMR) genes is associated with poor cancer prognosis and has been reported to occur through genetic alterations that directly affect the expression of MMR genes such as MSH2. This report identifies a subset of leukemia patients with reduced levels of MSH2 protein but without alterations in the MSH2 gene, and it identifies concurrent deletions in regulators of MSH2 stability as potential contributors to the MSH2 deficiency and associated drug resistance in this and other cancers.
Interictal Spiking Increases with Sleep Depth in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Summary: Purpose: To test the hypothesis that deepening sleep activates focal interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs), we performed EEG-polysomnography in 21 subjects with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods: At the time of study, subjects were seizure-free for 224 h and were taking stable doses of antiepileptic medications (AEDs). Sleep depth was measured by log delta power (LDP). Visual sleep scoring and visual detection of IEDs also were performed. Logistic-regression analyses of IED occurrence in relation to LDP were carried out for two groups of subjects, nine with frequent IEDs (group 1) and 12 with rare IEDs (group 2). Results: The LDP differentiated visually scored non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stages (p = 0.QOOl). The IEDs were most frequent in NREM stages 3/4 and least frequent in REM sleep. Within NREM sleep, in both groups, IEDs were more frequent at higher levels of LDP (p < 0.05). In group 1, after accounting for the level of LDP, IEDs were more frequent (a) on the ascending limb of LDP and with more rapid increases in LDP (p = 0.007), (b) in NREM than in REM sleep (p = 0.002), and (c) closer to sleep onset (p < 0.0001). Fewer than 1% of IEDs occurred within 10 s of an EEG arousal. Conclusions: Processes underlying the deepening of NREM sleep, including progressive hyperpolarization in thalamocortical projection neurons, may contribute to IED activation in partial epilepsy. Time from sleep onset and NREM versus REM sleep also influence IED occurrence. Key Words: Sleep-Epilepsy-Electroencephalography-Quantitative EEG-Interictal epileptiform discharges.
Behavioral Assessment of Imipramine Effects in a Depressed Child

A 7-year-old boy was diagnosed as suffering from childhood depression by two independent psychiatric evaluators who employed the Research Diagnostic Criteria. Multifaceted behavioral observations were performed on target behaviors which were identified as major problematic areas of functioning related to the child's depression. The behavioral assessment strategy included daily monitoring of on-task and disruptive behavior in the classroom, enuresis, and overall hygienic, social, and compliance behaviors as a means of identifying the specific drug-induced effects of an anti-depressant, imipramine. The assimilation and application of behavioral assessment strategies within child psychiatry have been slow and tenuous. Reasons for the resistance include theoretical differences and misconceptions among psychiatric personnel, who, although open to objective evaluations, may wish to employ nonbehavioral treatments such as pharmacologic agents. The primary purpose of this study was to demonstrate the viability of behavioral assessment as an integral adjunct to pharmacologic treatment in a psychiatric setting as a means of gauging the efficacy of a psychiatric intervention. Issues regarding the role of behavioral assessment in psychiatry and, in particular, pharmacologic interventions with depressed children are examined and discussed.
Determination of dynamic yield strengths with embedded manganin gages in plate-impact and long-rod experiments

The dynamic yield strengths of three steels were determined at strain rates of about 103 s−1 and 106 s−1. The measurements at 103 s−1 were obtained by a new technique based on measurements of large amplitude elastic waves in long bars struck by rigid flyer plates. Embedded manganin gages were used to measure stress, and the gage records were long enough to observe subsequent reverberations between the bar free end and the plastically deformed impact end. The measurements at 106 s−1 were made with a slightly modified version of a conventional flyer-plate impact configuration. The data are combined with static results to show the behavior of these steels at strain rates of 10−3 s−1 to 106 s−1.
GPU-based processing for airborne detection

On-board real-time processing is highly desirable in airborne detection applications. As the data processing involved here is computationally expensive, typically high power multi-rack system is required to achieve real-time detection. Use of such hardware on-board is often not feasible in airborne applications due to space and power constraints. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in the use of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) for real-time image processing because of their highly parallel architecture, low cost, and compact size. With the introduction of high level languages like C/CUDA (Nvidia), CTM (ATI), OpenCL, etc., GPUs are enjoying a manifold increase in their adoption for general purpose computation. In this paper we present GPU bound implementations of image registration and multiband RX anomaly detector. We identify the sub-problems, namely band-to-band registration, phase correlation, feature detection, feature tracking and image transformation, that can be efficiently parallelized on the SIMD architecture of the GPU. The results from experiments using these implementation are compared against existing implementation written in Matlab and C++.
Low-lying excited states of106Ag studied with the103Rh (α,nγ)106Ag and104Pd (α,pnγ)106Ag Reactions

The level scheme of106Ag has been studied using the103Rh(α,nγ)106Ag and104Pd(α,pnγ)106Ag Reactions. The experimental information is taken fromγ-ray coincidence data using Ge(Li)-Ge(Li) and HPGe-planar Ge(Li) configurations andγ-ray angular distributions. With these measurements 126 γ rays have been assigned to106Ag with 116 deexciting 78 states below 2.26 MeV in excitation. The location of the 8.4-day 6+ isomer is established at 89.63±0.09 keV. Many of the low-lying states are interpreted in terms of a slightly deformed rotor model.
Immunoperoxidase Labeling of Rat Brain Sections with Sera from Patients with Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration and Systemic Neoplasia

Sera from patients with systemic cancer found by immunofluorescence staining to have antibodies to human cerebellar cell populations were reacted with vibratome sections of rat cerebellum and examined by peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) methods. Seven patients with clinically or pathologically confirmed paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and two neurologically normal patients with high titers of anticerebellar antibodies were studied. Sera from all antibody-positive patients, but not from controls, produced intense staining of brain sections. Sera from patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma reacted predominantly with Purkinje cells and neurons within brainstem nuclei. Sera from patients with oat cell carcinoma and one patient with ductal carcinoma of the breast produced nuclear and cytoplasmic staining of neurons throughout the central nervous system. Serum from a patient with Hodgkin's disease labeled the peripheries of Purkinje cells and Golgi II cells. Serum from a patient with mixed mesodermal sarcoma of the ovary labeled Purkinje cells, basket cells, and scattered astrocytes. Staining of extraneural tissues was not observed. This study confirms the presence of antineural antibodies in patients with systemic neoplasia with and without paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and suggests that the antigens recognized by this antibody response may vary with the associated neoplasm.
Effect of loading and rotor wake characteristics on the acoustic field of stator blades

The generation of blade passing frequency noise due to rotor wakes interaction with the downstream stator is examined using a recent model for the unsteady aerodynamic forces developed by Goldstein and Atassi. The effects of blade geometry and loading are investigated. It is shown that at low reduced frequencies loading significantly reduces the noise level while at high frequencies loading substantially increases the sound level radiated. It is also shown that for the same loading a higher angle of attack generates more noise particularly at higher reduced frequencies. The noise level shows a quasi-periodic pattern with pronounced minima and maxima as the frequency increases. These conclusions are valid for different wake models.
Lowering the cost of lowering the cholesterol: a formulary policy for lovastatin.

Objectives:To describe a medical center policy designed to contain the cost of using the lipid-lowering drug lovastatin in a primary care setting, to examine the effect of the policy on cost containment, and to examine physician acceptance of the policy. Setting:A Veterans Affairs medical center. Interventions:The policy made lovastatin available to physicians when failure of therapy with diet and two first-line drugs was documented on an order form. The form also contained educational information including prices and recommended niacin as the drug treatment of first choice for most patients. Design:To evaluate the effect of the policy, lipid-lowering drug use at the medical center was compared with that at a similar center that did not restrict lovastatin use, and with lipid-lowering drug use in the United States as a whole. A written questionnaire was used to survey physician reaction to the policy. Results:The use of lovastatin as a percentage of total lipid-lowering drug use at the center with the lovastatin policy was one-fourth that at the other center or nationwide, and the use of niacin was four times greater (p<0.0001). The estimated savings in drug costs to the center with the lovastatin policy due to these differences was more than $30,000 per year. In the survey of physicians affected by the policy (n=78, response rate =100%), less than one-fourth viewed it unfavorably, and 90% favored this policy over restricting the drug to a subspecialty clinic. Conclusion:The authors’ experience indicates that a formulary policy that permits limited use of an expensive drug in a primary care setting can contain costs in a way that is acceptable to physicians. A policy of this type could be useful to the increasing number of health care provider organizations that cover the cost of outpatient medications.
Nutrient and Physical Soil Characteristics of River Cane Stands, Western North Carolina

Abstract Arundinaria gigantea (Walt.) Muhl., commonly called river cane, is a member of the grass family (Poaceae). The primary purpose of this research is to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the soils of existing stands of A. gigantea in western North Carolina and to provide guidance for the restoration of river cane to the stream valleys of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. We analyzed soils at 20 sites in Cherokee, Jackson, and Macon Counties in North Carolina and collected data on soil characterization, nutrient levels, bulk density, particle size, pH, and hydraulic conductivity. River cane soils varied significantly for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sand levels, even within the same watershed (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Typical soils are very sandy, mineral soils with low carbon levels and low nutrient levels. Soils are well drained, have very low bulk densities, and low pH. Despite low nutrient conditions, the plant does not appear to be nutrient limited. Restoration potential for t...
Measuring usability against usability goals during the product development cycle

This paper is intended to give electronic professionals who may be unfamiliar with usability engineering, an overview of usability techniques. It focuses on setting goals for usability and measuring against these goals. The methods explored include: user walkthroughs; formal usability tests; benchmarking; and user attitude scales. A real life example of how some of these techniques were used in the development of the Hewlett Packard 8509A Lightwave Polarization Analyzer is given.
Monolithic graphene nanoribbon electronics for interconnect performance improvement

In this paper, multi-layer graphene nanoribbon (GNR) is proposed as an emerging interconnect solution, which can be integrated with GNR devices to establish a monolithic GNR circuit. Both interconnect resistance and gate capacitance in this circuit are significantly reduced, leading to an RC delay improvement up to 60%. Since the interconnect performance determines the IC operations, this proposed monolithic GNR electronics open new opportunities to establish high-performance nanoscale ICs.
Dysregulation of synaptic plasticity precedes appearance of morphological defects in a Pten conditional knockout mouse model of autism.

The phosphoinositide signaling system is a crucial regulator of neural development, cell survival, and plasticity. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) negatively regulates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling and downstream targets. Nse-Cre Pten conditional knockout mice, in which Pten is ablated in granule cells of the dentate gyrus and pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal CA3, but not CA1, recapitulate many of the symptoms of humans with inactivating PTEN mutations, including progressive hypertrophy of the dentate gyrus and deficits in hippocampus-based social and cognitive behaviors. However, the impact of Pten loss on activity-dependent synaptic plasticity in this clinically relevant mouse model of Pten inactivation remains unclear. Here, we show that two phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase- and protein synthesis-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity, theta burst-induced long-term potentiation and metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-dependent long-term depression, are dysregulated at medial perforant path-to-dentate gyrus synapses of young Nse-Cre Pten conditional knockout mice before the onset of visible morphological abnormalities. In contrast, long-term potentiation and mGluR-dependent long-term depression are normal at CA3–CA1 pyramidal cell synapses at this age. Our results reveal that deletion of Pten in dentate granule cells dysregulates synaptic plasticity, a defect that may underlie abnormal social and cognitive behaviors observed in humans with Pten inactivating mutations and potentially other autism spectrum disorders.
D2 dopamine receptor gene polymorphisms among African-Americans and Mexican-Americans: a lung cancer case-control study.

Recent research suggests that variant alleles ( A1 and B1 ) of the DRD2 gene play a role in determining smoking status. However, no studies have evaluated these variant alleles in African-Americans and Mexican-Americans. The primary objective of this study, therefore, was to test the hypothesis that ever smokers in these ethnic groups are more likely than never smokers to have the DRD2 alleles associated with tobacco use ( A1 and B1 ). Furthermore, because of a predicted higher prevalence of smokers in a family because of the patterns of inheritance of the genotypes associated with tobacco use, we also anticipated that individuals with these at-risk DRD2 alleles would be more likely to have a family history of smoking-related cancers. Because other inherited genetic variants may interact with smoking on cancer risk, we also hypothesized that this association might differ between cancer patients and control subjects. PCR was used to perform genotyping on peripheral WBC DNA from 140 lung cancer patients (43 Mexican-Americans and 97 African-Americans) and 222 age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched controls (111 Mexican-Americans and 111 African-Americans). A personal family history was obtained from each participant. There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution of the DRD2 genotypes between cases and controls, although the frequency of the B1 genotype significantly differed by ethnicity ( P = 0.002 for controls and P = 0.001 for cases). The DRD2 genotypes and smoking status showed a correlation among Mexican-American controls, although not among African-American controls. The cigarette pack-years in control subjects for the two ethnic groups combined were 30.8, 21.9, and 18.6 for the A1A1, A1A2 , and A2A2 genotypes and 36.5, 20.8, and 18.5 for the B1B1, B1B2, and B2B2 genotypes, respectively. Similar trends were found for the number of cigarettes smoked per day among control subjects. From the standpoint of polymorphisms, however, there was a borderline significantly increased (3.6 times greater) frequency of smoking-related cancers among the first-degree relatives of case subjects with an A1 allele than among those without an A1 allele. There was also an elevated (1.8 times greater) frequency of smoking-related cancer among first-degree relatives of case subjects with a B1 allele compared with patients without a B1 allele, but this finding was not statistically significant. This phenomenon was not observed among control subjects. We noted a trend toward interaction of DRD2 A1 genotypes and case status for increased risk of smoking-related cancer among first-degree relatives. These findings suggest that the variant DRD2 genotypes are associated with a greater likelihood to smoke and a greater smoking intensity, as well as with a familial aggregation of smoking-related cancers. However, a large study is needed to confirm this finding.
Paths through addiction and recovery: the impact of spirituality and religion.

The path into addiction and from addiction into recovery is a complicated one filled with personal strengths and weaknesses, motivational and behavioral tasks, significant support, and intrinsic an...
Maximizing safety in screw placement for posterior facet fixation in calcaneus fractures: a cadaveric radio-anatomical study.

Background:Successful screw fixation of reduced posterior facet fragments to the unexposed, nondisplaced sustentaculum tali avoids breaching the subtalar joint or disrupting surrounding soft tissue...
Molecular Imaging Insights Into Early Inflammatory Stages of Arterial and Aortic Valve Calcification

Traditional imaging modalities such as computed tomography, although perfectly adept at identifying and quantifying advanced calcification, cannot detect the early stages of this disorder and offer limited insight into the mechanisms of mineral dysregulation. This review presents optical molecular imaging as a promising tool that simultaneously detects pathobiological processes associated with inflammation and early stages of calcification in vivo at the (sub)cellular levels. Research into treatment of cardiovascular calcification is lacking, as shown by clinical trials that have failed to demonstrate the reduction of calcific aortic stenosis. Hence, the need to elucidate the pathways that contribute to cardiovascular calcification and to develop new therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse calcification has driven investigations into the use of molecular imaging. This review discusses studies that have used molecular imaging methods to advance knowledge of cardiovascular calcification, focusing in particular on the inflammation-dependent mechanisms of arterial and aortic valve calcification.
New Families of Wrapped Distributions for Modeling Skew Circular Data

We discuss circular distributions obtained by wrapping the classical exponential and Laplace distributions on the real line around the circle. We present explicit forms for their densities and distribution functions, as well as their trigonometric moments and related parameters, and discuss main properties of these laws. Both distributions are very promising as models for asymmetric directional data.
Synthese des 3′.8-Dimethyl-1.2-cyclopenteno-phenanthrens

Die Totalsynthese des 3′.8-Dimethyl-1.2-cyclopenteno-phenanthrens wird beschrieben und seine Identitat mit dem Kohlenwasserstoff C19H18 sichergestellt, der aus Sterinphenol durch Selendehydrierung gewonnen wurde.
Leishmania amazonensis and macrophage interactions: immune factors necessary to kill the parasite

The lack of understanding of the requirements for effective and efficient intracellular Leishmania amazonensis killing by activated macrophages has been a barrier to vaccine development against this parasite. Here we report using inhibitors of superoxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase that the presence of both superoxide and nitric oxide is necessary for killing of L. amazonensis amastigotes within LPS/IFN-y activated bone marrow-derived macrophages generated from C3H mice. Nitric oxide alone was sufficient to control L. major infection, as addition of a nitric oxide donor was sufficient to control L. major but not L. amazonensis infection. Addition of an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor to L. amazonensis-infected macrophages increased the ability of these activated macrophages to kill L. amazonensis amastigotes. This enhanced macrophage killing through addition of ERK inhibitor was abrogated by inhibition of superoxide or iNOS, indicating that ERK activation may modulate effective macrophage killing lending to the ability of Leishmania amazonensis to resist elimination within activated macrophages.
The molecular mechanisms of cellular tolerance to δ-opioid agonists

Chronic treatment with δ-opioid agonists, similar to other agonist drugs, causes tolerance. Tolerance is a complex adaptation process that consists of multiple, cellular and neural-system adaptations. Cellular tolerance to δ-opioid agonists involves feedback-regulation of the function, concentration, and localization of the d-opioid receptors (receptor desensitization) as well as of intracellular effectors (functional desensitization). We are using a recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cell line expressing the human d-opioid receptors (hDOR/CHO) to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cellular tolerance We found that the structurally distinct δ-opioid agonists mediate receptor down-regulation by different mechanisms. Thus, truncation of the last 35 C-terminal amino acids of the hDOR completely abolished DPDPE, but not SNC 80-mediated receptor down-regulation. In addition, down-regulation of the wild type-, and the truncated hDORs exhibited different inhibitor sensitivity-profile. Chronic δ-opioid agonist...