cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Earlier adolescent substance use onset predicts stronger connectivity between reward and cognitive control brain networks

BACKGROUND: Early adolescent onset of substance use is a robust predictor of future substance use disorders. We examined the relation between age of substance use initiation and resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the core reward processing (nucleus accumbens; NAcc) to cognitive control (prefrontal cortex; PFC) brain networks. METHOD: Adolescents in a longitudinal study of Mexican-origin youth reported their substance use annually from ages 10 to 16 years. At age 16, 69 adolescents participated in a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. Seed-based correlational analyses were conducted using regions of interest in bilateral NAcc. RESULTS: The earlier that adolescents initiated substance use, the stronger the connectivity between bilateral NAcc and right dorsolateral PFC, right dorsomedial PFC, right pre-supplementary motor area, right inferior parietal lobule, and left medial temporal gyrus. DISCUSSION: The regions that demonstrated significant positive linear relationships between the number of adolescent years using substances and connectivity with NAcc are nodes in the right frontoparietal network, which is central to cognitive control. The coupling of reward and cognitive control networks may be a mechanism through which earlier onset of substance use is related to brain function over time, a trajectory that may be implicated in subsequent substance use disorders. Language: en
Drugs, Decriminalization of: Cultural Concerns

This article considers the moral and practical considerations concerning whether recreational drug use should be prohibited by the criminal law in a liberal state. The meaning of drugs and decriminalization and the appropriate limits on the scope of the criminal law are discussed. The article addresses whether people should have a moral and political right to use drugs recreationally, and if so, under what conditions the state should have the power to deny or to curtail that right. Finally, the article explores the costs and benefits of criminalization and decriminalization to public safety, public health, and public welfare generally, and to the effective, honest, and orderly administration of law enforcement and criminal justice.
Intrathecal Baclofen Toxicity Mimicking Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus (P6.026)

Introduction Intrathecal baclofen pumps have been available for use in the U.S. since 1992 for spinal cord origin spasticity and over sixty thousand are now used worldwide. Pump malfunctions generally lead to drug withdrawal, though few cases have described toxicity. Case Report A 54 year-old male, with a history of central cord syndrome with spastic paraparesis, presented after being found unresponsive. He had an intrathecal baclofen pump, with normal regular interrogations. His last refill was the day prior to presentation. He was in his usual state of health earlier that day. Following intubation in the emergency department for airway protection, exam revealed intact brainstem reflexes, blink to threat, upper extremity withdrawal to pain, normal tone and brisk reflexes. On admission, an electroencephalogram was ordered out of concern for NCSE. This showed burst suppression with frequent epileptiform discharges. Maximum anti-epileptic treatment was given, which did not improve the EEG pattern. The pump was turned off out of concern for overdose. Unfortunately, the patient continued to decline and expired five days later in multi-organ failure. Post-mortem, pump medication was extracted and was 18mL (9.95mg, 25 times daily dose) short of expected amount. Discussion Baclofen has presynaptic GABA-B receptor agonist effects, lending it excitatory and inhibitory properties. Therefore, seizures can result from both toxicity and withdrawal. Common signs and symptoms of toxicity include somnolence, hypotonia, bradycardia, hyporeflexia and mydriasis. Additionally, toxicity has known electroencephalographic effects, including burst suppression with generalized epileptiform discharges, background slowing and quasiperiodic generalized epileptiform activity. In our case, treatment for NCSE was initiated, as there was no proof of drug toxicity and untreated status epilepticus is life-threatening. EEG evidence, plus the large amount of drug missing from the pump post-mortem, retrospectively supported the diagnosis of large dose intrathecal baclofen toxicity. There is no proven specific antidote for baclofen overdose. Disclosure: Dr. Zieman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Burns has nothing to disclose.
Drosophila APC2 and Armadillo participate in tethering mitotic spindles to cortical actin

Proper positioning of mitotic spindles ensures equal allocation of chromosomes to daughter cells. This often involves interactions between spindle and astral microtubules and cortical actin1. In yeast and Caenorhabditis elegans, some of the protein machinery that connects spindles and cortex has been identified but, in most animal cells, this process remains mysterious. Here, we report that the tumour suppresser homologue APC2 and its binding partner Armadillo both play roles in spindle anchoring during the syncytial mitoses of early Drosophila embryos. Armadillo, α-catenin and APC2 all localize to sites of cortical spindle attachment. APC2–Armadillo complexes often localize with interphase microtubules. Zeste-white 3 kinase, which can phosphorylate Armadillo and APC, is also crucial for spindle positioning and regulates the localization of APC2–Armadillo complexes. Together, these data suggest that APC2, Armadillo and α-catenin provide an important link between spindles and cortical actin, and that this link is regulated by Zeste-white 3 kinase.
Inelastic Scattering and Reactions (Multichannel Theory), I

We now want to approach the manychannel problem from the point of view of the coupled radial Schrodinger equations (16.67) or (16.67a). Their structure resembling that of (15.92), the procedure of solving them is very much like that of Sec. 15.2.2. The main complication there arose from the coupling between different orbital angular momenta. Because it is generally possible to excite internal energy levels of different angular momenta (i.e., different fragment spins), that complication is present here also. In many practical cases, however, when the fragment spin is really an internal oribitalangular momentum, it is somewhat less serious.
Risk factors for loss to follow-up prior to ART initiation among patients enrolling in HIV care with CD4+ cell count ≥200 cells/μL in the multi-country MTCT-Plus Initiative

In resource-limited settings, many HIV-infected patients are lost to follow-up (LTF) before starting ART; risk factors among those not eligible for ART at enrollment into care are not well described. We examined data from 4,278 adults (3,613 women, 665 men) enrolled in HIV care through March 2007 in the MTCT-Plus Initiative with a CD4 count ≥200 cells/mm3 and WHO stage ≤ 2 at enrollment. Patients were considered LTF if > 12 months elapsed since their last clinic visit. Gender-specific Cox regression models were used to assess LTF risk factors. The proportion LTF was 8.2 % at 12 months following enrollment, and was higher among women (8.4 %) than men (7.1 %). Among women, a higher risk of LTF was associated with younger age (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]15–19/30+: 2.8, 95 % CI:2.1-3.6; AHR20–24/30+:1.9, 95 % CI:1.7-2.2), higher baseline CD4 count (AHR350–499/200–349:1.5; 95 % CI:1.0-2.1; AHR500+/200–349:1.5; 95 % CI:1.0-2.0), and being pregnant at the last clinic visit (AHR:1.9, 95 % CI:1.4-2.5). Factors associated with a lower risk of LTF included, employment outside the home (AHR:0.73, 95 % CI:0.59-0.90), co-enrollment of a family/household member (AHR:0.40, 95 % CI:0.26-0.61), and living in a household with ≥4 people (AHR:0.74, 95 % CI:0.64-0.85). Among men, younger age (AHR15–19/30+: 2.1, 95 % CI:1.2-3.5 and AHR30–34/35+:1.5, 95 % CI:1.0-2.4) had a higher risk of LTF. Electricity in the home (AHR:0.61, 95 % CI:0.41-0.91) and living in a household with ≥4 people (AHR:0.58, 95 % CI:0.39-0.85) had a lower risk of LTF. Socio-economic status and social support may be important determinants of retention in patients not yet eligible for ART. Among women of child-bearing age, strategies around sustaining HIV care during and after pregnancy require attention.
MarylandOnline’s Inter-Institutional Project to Train Higher Education Adjunct Faculty to Teach Online

This article reports on an inter-institutional project to design, develop, pilot, and evaluate a state-wide online training course for higher education adjunct faculty who are preparing to teach their first online course. We begin with a brief literature review to contextualize the stated problem the project sought to address: the need for quality, accessible training for online adjunct faculty. We then give background information to describe the environment in which the project was situated before detailing the process of designing and piloting the first iteration of the Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching (COAT) course. Using a mixed-methods approach (surveys and reflection journals), data were collected from the adjunct faculty who took the COAT course, the COAT instructor, and the COAT design This article reports on an inter-institutional project to design, develop, pilot, and evaluate a state-wide online training course for higher education adjunct faculty who are preparing to teach their first online course. We begin with a brief literature review to contextualize the stated problem the project sought to address: the need for quality, accessible training for online adjunct faculty. We then give background information to describe the environment in which the project was situated before detailing the process of designing and piloting the first iteration of the Certificate for Online Adjunct Teaching (COAT) course. Using a mixed-methods approach (surveys and reflection journals), data were collected from the adjunct faculty who took the COAT course, the COAT instructor, and the COAT design team. The results indicate that the pilot COAT course did meet the perceived needs and expectations of the course participants. We finish by discussing our plans for the next phase of this project. //
Ultrashort pulse non-linear optical absorption in transparent media.

A focused ultrashort pulse can reach high enough intensity that non-linear ionization dominates its interaction with transparent media while still having relatively low fluence. In this case, the energy extracted from the beam can counter self-focusing by energy depletion and plasma formation, providing controlled energy deposition that can modify the material in a highly local manner. We demonstrate that non-linear absorption limits the intensity that can be reached and that the energy is deposited prior to the focus. We model the energy distribution, and predict and measure the energy transmitted through the focus. We establish the threshold intensity for non-linear ionization in dielectrics at ~1013 W cm-2. We use the refractive index modification that the non-linear ionization causes in glass to image the spatial distribution of the energy deposition.
Water permeability of normal and pathological lake trout corneas.

SummaryThe water permeability of lake trout corneas, in vitro, was found to be the same whether the data are based on the transfer of tritiated water from the epithelial to the endothelial bathing media or vice versa. This occurred despite the presence of an osmotic gradient which favored movement of water through the cornea to the solution bathing the endothelium. Permeability constants for normal and denuded corneas indicate that the endothelium offers some resistance to the transfer of water into or across the fish cornea but the major resistance to this movement is provided by the epithelial layer. Correlations between water permeability and his-topathological condition of diseased corneas are noted.
Numerical Study of Shear-Induced Heating in High-Speed Nozzle Flow of Liquid Monopropellant

A numerical study is performed which focuses on peak temperatures experienced by a liquid monopropellant during high-speed injection in a small-diameter nozzle. Attention is focused on short-duration injection during which the nozzle wall boundary layer is predominantly laminar. An unsteady 1D analysis of the temperature distribution associated with sudden fluid acceleration over a flat insulated boundary is first conducted. Expressions are provided which relate the normalized peak wall temperature to the prevailing Eckert and Prandtl numbers. Results reveal a quadratic dependence of the normalized wall temperature on impulse velocity, and a nonlinear variation with Prandtl number. Next, simulation of high-speed flow in an axisymmetric nozzle is performed. The numerical schemes are based on finite-difference discretization of a vorticity-basedformulation of the mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations. Implementation of the numerical schemes to flow of LP 1846 in a 4 mm diameter nozzle indicates that preignition is likely to occur for velocities higher than 200 m/s. The effects of wall heat transfer and temperature-dependent properties are also discussed.
Ground-State Energy of a Many-Fermion System

The perturbation series for the ground-state energy of a many-fermion system was investigated to arbitrary order for the "isotropic" case. This is the case of over-all spherical symmetry. both in the interaction and in the unperturbed single particle energies. It was shown that for spin one-half feninions the Brueckner-Goldstone perturbation series is valid to all orders in the perturbation. For spins greater than one-half it is in general incorrect even in the isotropic case. unless the interactions are spin independent. The discussion to arbitrary order in the interaction ts carried out by means of a Feynman-like propagator formalism, which is developed in detail. (auth)
MIPS-X: a 20-MIPS peak, 32-bit microprocessor with on-chip cache

MIPS-X is a 32-b RISC microprocessor implemented in a conservative 2-/spl mu/m, two-level-metal, n-well CMOS technology. High performance is achieved by using a nonoverlapping two-phase 20-MHz clock and executing one instruction every cycle. To reduce its memory bandwidth requirements, MIPS-X includes a 2-kbyte on-chip instruction cache. The authors provide an overview of MIPS-X, focusing on the techniques used to reduce the complexity of the processor and implement the on-chip instruction cache.
The effects of dl-α-methyltyrosine and l-DOPA on the hyperthermic and behavioral actions of LSD in rabbits ☆

Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in relatively small doses produces in rabbits a dose-related hyperthermia and behavioral excitation. After a 24 hr pretreatment with dl -α- methyl -p- tyrosine (α-MT), the LSD hyperthermia is no longer dose related. With lower doses of LSD it is potentiated, and with higher doses attenuated. The behavioral actions of LSD are attenuated at all dose levels. The administration of l -dihydroxyphenylalanine ( l -DOPA) restores the behavioral action of LSD in α-MT-pretreated rabbits. Prior administration of the dopamine-β-hydroxylase inhibitor, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDC) was ineffective in blocking the restorative action of l -DOPA. Analyses of brainstem catecholamines indicate that under the conditions of this study α-MT markedly depletes brain norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA). l -DOPA restores DA and partially restores NE levels to control values. In animals pretreated with DEDC the effect of l -DOPA treatment on brainstem DA is enhanced with only slight increases in NE levels.
The transfer function analysis of various schemes for the two-dimensional shallow-water equations

In this paper various finite difference and finite element approximations to the linearized two-dimensional shallow-water equations are analyzed. This analysis complements previous results for the one-dimensional case.
Line-of-sight reference frames: a unified approach to plane-mirror optical kinematics

Plane mirrors are commonly used to steer, rotate, and stabilize the image and line-of-sight (LOS) of optical systems. Plane-mirror optical kinematics is the study of fixed, flexured, and gimballed mirrors in this application. LOS pointing, stabilization, image mapping, image derotation, boresight coefficient determination and mechanical tolerance analysis are all areas of plane-mirror optical kinematics. Specific problems in these areas have been addressed in the literature by a wide variety of analytical techniques. None of these technique, however, have been generalized for application to a wide class of problems. A unified analytical framework for plane-mirror optical kinematics is presented in this paper. This methodology is based on a new optical kinematic construction, the line-of-sight reference frame. An LOS reference frame is a unit vector triad that defines the LOS and the associated image plane. The use of optical and vector basis transformations is central to LOS reference frame analysis. These transformations often look similar, but are conceptually unrelated. A thorough understanding of each is required. Both are discussed in detail, and a direct comparison is made. Use of LOS reference frames as a general optical kinematics tool is outlined. The pertinent LOS reference frames of an aerial photography system are constructed as an example.
Automated Book Order and Circulation Control Procedures at the Oakland University Library

Automated systems of book order and circulation control using an IBM 1620 Computer are described as developed at Oakland University. Relative degrees of success and failure are discussed briefly.
Structural, thermal, and luminescence properties of cerium-fluoride-rich oxyfluoride glasses

Abstract Oxyfluoride aluminosilicate glasses containing a high nominal concentration of 35 mol% LaF 3 and CeF 3 were synthesized, and their structural, thermal, optical absorption, photoluminescence, radio-luminescence, and excited-state relaxation properties were investigated. The structural analysis confirms the amorphous nature of the glasses and finds up to 21 mol% of retained dissolved LaF 3 and CeF 3 . Tetrahedral Si and Al units as well as Si–O–Si and Al–O functional groups are identified. Fluorine is found to replace bridging oxygens and to form both Si–F and Al–F bonds. Glass transition temperature ( T g ), crystallization temperature ( T c ), and melting temperature ( T m ) were determined from the DSC thermograms. The CeF 3 -doped glasses show spectrally broad 5 d → 4 f luminescence in the violet-blue (centered around 402 nm) under both direct optical excitation of Ce 3+ at 335 nm and X-ray excitation at 25 keV. The relative quantum yield was found to decrease with increasing CeF 3 concentration due to energy transfer to residual Ce 4+ ions or to Ce 3+ coordinated to hydroxyl (OH) impurities followed by non-radiative relaxation. The studied glasses are promising starting materials for the fabrication of glass–ceramics with a high volume fraction of LaF 3 :Ce 3+ nano-crystals.
Internal secretory capacity of the abdominal testis in the guinea pig.

CLARIFICATION of the problem of the internal secretory capacity of the abdominal testis has never been achieved. Clinical reports indicate that some patients have a normal masculinity whereas others are eunuchoid (1, 2, 3, 4). Engberg (5) concluded from assays of urinary androgens from bilaterally cryptorchid men that retained testes produce less androgenic hormone than normal testes. Data from laboratory and other domesticated species are equivocal. Extracts of testes from cryptorchid domestic pigs contained approximately one-half as much hormone per unit weight as did extracts from scrotal testes (6). The level of 17-ketosteroid excretion by cryptorchid rabbits four weeks following surgery was essentially the same as that by castrates (7). Subsequent castration of the cryptorchids produced no alteration in the quantity secreted. Nelson (8) found evidence from the appearance of the seminal vesicles, prostates, and pituitaries that the production of male hormone by the rat was reduced by a very low level ...
Unusual Regulation of Splicing of the Cholinergic Locus in Caenorhabditis elegans

The essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine functions throughout the animal kingdom. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the acetylcholine biosynthetic enzyme [choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)] and vesicular transporter [vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT)] are encoded by the cha-1 and unc-17 genes, respectively. These two genes compose a single complex locus in which the unc-17 gene is nested within the first intron of cha-1, and the two gene products arise from a common pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) by alternative splicing. This genomic organization, known as the cholinergic gene locus (CGL), is conserved throughout the animal kingdom, suggesting that the structure is important for the regulation and function of these genes. However, very little is known about CGL regulation in any species. We now report the identification of an unusual type of splicing regulation in the CGL of C. elegans, mediated by two pairs of complementary sequence elements within the locus. We show that both pairs of elements are required for efficient splicing to the distal acceptor, and we also demonstrate that proper distal splicing depends more on sequence complementarity within each pair of elements than on the sequences themselves. We propose that these sequence elements are able to form stem-loop structures in the pre-mRNA; such structures would favor specific splicing alternatives and thus regulate CGL splicing. We have identified complementary elements at comparable locations in the genomes of representative species of other animal phyla; we suggest that this unusual regulatory mechanism may be a general feature of CGLs.
Solar irradiance forecasting using multi-layer cloud tracking and numerical weather prediction

The advances in photovoltaic technology make solar energy one of the top three renewable energy sources. However, predicting the variability of solar penetration caused by cloud cover is the biggest hurdle for the effective use of solar energy. Grid operators enforce regulations that require ramp events to be within a certain range, which makes short term forecasting essential. The Total Sky Imager (TSI) is one of the best instruments for accurate short-term irradiance forecasting but is limited to a forecast of approximately five minutes for low altitude clouds, which usually cause large ground irradiance fluctuations. To extend the forecasting horizon to 15 minutes, we propose to incorporate NWP (Numerical Weather Prediction) based weather categories (every 15 minutes) into a short-term irradiance forecasting model. This advanced Support Vector Regression (SVR) is the product of our novel multilayer cloud image processing pipeline, which can handle complex cloud scenarios. We observe an average of 21% improvement over the baseline model in our systematic validations for 1-15 minute forecasts.
A finite element study of a foam filled composite graded cellular structure

The research material presented in this paper is a continuation of work done in analyzing impact properties of a biomaterial found in a banana peel [1]. Important energy absorbing characteristics, e.g., plateau stress, locking stress, deformation mode and crushing progression, collapsing mechanism, and crushing stroke of the foam filled (peel) structure are compared with the previously analyzed unfilled composite graded (peel) structure. The addition of foam to the structure smoothens and increases the crushing force, and reduces the global locking strain.
Air-Sea Waves from the Explosion of Krakatoa

The distant sea disturbances which followed the explosion of Krakatoa are correlated with recently discovered atmospheric acoustic and gravity modes having the same phase velocity as long waves on the ocean. The atmospheric waves jumped over the land barriers and reexcited the sea waves with amplitudes exceeding the hydrostatic values. An explosion of 100 to 150 megatons would be required to duplicate the Krakatoa atmosphericpressure pulse.
The Potential of Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Dairy Research: An Application to Cheese

Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a noninvasive technique that has found application in a variety of research areas. Nuclear magnetic resonance has been primarily applied to solution studies, but many dairy food ingredients or products are solids. In this paper, cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance is applied to the study of freeze-dried cheese. The 13 C spectrum is dominated by the solid-like protein fraction. Liquid-like fat resonances can be detected by conventional one pulse experiments. The 31 P cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance can specifically monitor phosphorus-containing ingredients in the solid state. Possible applications of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance to dairy research are discussed.
Colony formation of C57BL/6J mice in visible burrow system: Identification of eusocial behaviors in a background strain for genetic animal models of autism

Deficits in social interaction are primary characteristics of autism, which has strong genetic components. Genetically manipulated mouse models may provide a useful research tool to advance the investigation of genes associated with autism. To identify these genes using mouse models, behavioral assays for social relationships in the background strains must be developed. The present study examined colony formation in groups of one male and three female mice (Experiment 1) and, groups of three male mice (Experiment 2) of the C57BL/6J strain in a semi-natural visible burrow system. For adult mixed-sex colonies, 4-h observations during both the dark and light cycles for 15 days demonstrated day-dependent increases in huddling together in the chamber accompanied by decreased frequencies of active social behaviors. Sequential analyses of social interactions indicated that approaches to the back of the approached animal typically elicited flight, while approaches to the front of the approached animal failed to do so. This was seen for female to female, and for female to male approaches, as well as male to female approaches, strongly counterindicating a view that rear approach/flight specifically reflects female responsivirity to unwanted male sexual approach. For adult male colonies, similar protocols found that these social behaviors were similar to those of adult mixed-sex colonies. These findings suggest two potentially useful measures of eusocial behavior in mice, of possible value for genetic mouse models of autism; that is, huddling together and approaches to the front but not the back, of conspecifics.
Matrix co-factorization for recommendation with rich side information and implicit feedback

Most recommender systems focus on the areas of leisure activities. As the Web evolves into omnipresent utility, recommender systems penetrate more serious applications such as those in online scientific communities. In this paper, we investigate the task of recommendation in online scientific communities which exhibit two characteristics: 1) there exists very rich information about users and items; 2) The users in the scientific communities tend not to give explicit ratings to the resources, even though they have clear preference in their minds. To address the above two characteristics, we propose matrix factorization techniques to incorporate rich user and item information into recommendation with implicit feedback. Specifically, the user information matrix is decomposed into a shared subspace with the implicit feedback matrix, and so does the item information matrix. In other words, the subspaces between multiple related matrices are jointly learned by sharing information between the matrices. The experiments on the testbed from an online scientific community (i.e., Nanohub) show that the proposed method can effectively improve the recommendation performance.
Impact of forestry operations on pocosins and associated wetlands

Current forestry practices in pocosins and associated wetlands (PAAWS) consist of site-specific prescriptions to harvest the existing timber, re-establish a forest stand, increase growth of crop trees, and manage for non-timber values. Most activities are directed at short-term modifications to ameliorate site-specific productivity limitations. Forestry operations have progressed from the cut-and-run practices of exploitative harvesting to intensive management of productivity potential using environmentally sound techniques. Research to understand the interactions between various site factors and management practices continues. With site-specific prescriptions based on research and economic principles, investments in productive forestry allow forest product demands to be met while maintaining other forested wetland functions and values.
Existence of standing pulse solutions for an excitable activator-inhibitory system

Invariant manifold techniques are used to establish the existence of a standing wave solution for a system of reaction-diffusion equations modeled after excitable media. As a by-product of the method of proof, we obtain a local uniqueness result.
Influence of Casein Replacement by Amino Acid Mixture on Experimental Dental Caries in Rats and on the Periodontal Syndrome in Rice Rats

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUALE INFLUENTIA DEL REIMPLACIAMENTO DE CASEINA PER MIXTURAS DE AMINO-ACIDOS SUPER EXPERIMENTAL CARIE DENTAL IN RATTOS E SUPER LE SYNDROME PERIODONTAL IN ORYZOMYSES. —Quando un mixtura de amino-acidos esseva includite in loco de caseina in un dieta productori de carie, le occurrentia de lesiones cariose in rattos blanc accresceva levemente in le sulcos occlusal e declinava frappantemente al superficies lisie. Quando le mesme reimplaciamento esseva effectuate in un dieta productori de syndrome periodontal, le destruction del tissu molle in le periodontio de oryzomyses esseva grandemente reducite e le resorption de osso alveolar declinava.
In situ electrode modification for direct differential pulse polarography of 2,6-diaminopurine and its metabolite, 2,6-diamino-8-purinol

Abstract Preferential adsorption of allopurinol (1H-pyrazolo-[3,4-d]-pyrimidin-4-ol) at graphite electrodes from pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solutions of 2,6-diaminopurine and 2,6-diamino-8-purinol allowed in situ electrode modification. Modified electrodes were applied to the simultaneous determination of 2,6-diaminopurine and 2,6-diamino-8-purinol in phosphate buffer at pH 7.0. Differential pulse polarography allowed both compounds to be quantified in the concentration range 1 × 10 −6 –5 × 10 −4 M. The relative standard deviation of the peak current is about 10%. Calibration curve characteristics are C (μM) = 0.0094 ± 0.0002 I (μA) + 0.22 ± 0.07 μA, with r = 0.9985 and C (μM) = 0.0065 ± 0.0001 I (μA) + 0.03 ± 0.04 μA with r = 0.9990 for 2,6-diamino-8-purinol and 2,6-diaminopurine, respectively.
Party Recruitment of College Students in China

Recruitment of young intellectuals such as college students has been an important part of the Chinese Communist Party's recruitment strategies for most of its history. Two of the college students that the Party recruited in the 1940s and 1960s went on to become the Party's top leaders in the 1990s and 2000s, and today's student Party members may well lead Chinese politics at various levels in future decades. This paper examines Party recruitment of college students in the reform era and highlights the impact of 1989. Since the 1990s the Party has stepped up its efforts at recruitment and ideological work on college students. Paradoxically the former is succeeding while the latter seems barely effective. Today's college students are striving to join the Party in large numbers, yet primarily out of a personal pragmatic concern for their future job searches and career advancement. Even student Party members do not have a strong commitment to the Party's sanctioned ideology.
Label-Free, Single-Molecule Detection with Optical Microcavities

Current single-molecule detection techniques require labeling the target molecule. We report a highly specific and sensitive optical sensor based on an ultrahigh quality (Q) factor (Q > 10^8) whispering-gallery microcavity. The silica surface is functionalized to bind the target molecule; binding is detected by a resonant wavelength shift. Single-molecule detection is confirmed by observation of single-molecule binding events that shift the resonant frequency, as well as by the statistics for these shifts over many binding events. These shifts result from a thermo-optic mechanism. Additionally, label-free, single-molecule detection of interleukin-2 was demonstrated in serum. These experiments demonstrate a dynamic range of 10^(12) in concentration, establishing the microcavity as a sensitive and versatile detector.
Stochastic Optimization of Grid to Vehicle Frequency Regulation Capacity Bids

This paper investigates the application of stochastic dynamic programming to the optimization of charging and frequency regulation capacity bids of an electric vehicle (EV) in a smart electric grid environment. We formulate a Markov decision problem to minimize an EV's expected cost over a fixed charging horizon. We account for both Markov random prices and a Markov random regulation signal. We also propose an enhancement to the classical discrete stochastic dynamic programming method. This enhancement allows optimization over a continuous space of decision variables via linear programming at each state. Simple stochastic process models are built from real data and used to simulate the implementation of the proposed method. The proposed method is shown to outperform deterministic model predictive control in terms of average EV charging cost.
Chemical order in amorphous silicon carbide.

While ordering in alloy crystals is well understood, short-range ordering in amorphous alloys remains controversial. Here, by studying computer-generated models of amorphous SiC, we show that there are two principal factors controlling the degree of chemical order in amorphous covalent alloys. One, the chemical preference for mixed bonds, is much the same in crystalline and amorphous materials. However, the other factor, the atomic size difference, is far less effective at driving ordering in amorphous material than in the crystal. As a result, the amorphous phase may show either strong ordering (as in GaAs), or weaker ordering (as in SiC), depending upon the relative importance of these two factors.
Fiber optic based heart-rate and pulse pressure shape monitor

Macro-bending fiber optic based heart-rate and pulse pressure shape monitors have been fabricated and tested for non-invasive measurement. Study of fiber bending loss and its stability and variations are very important especially for sensor designs based on optical fiber bending. Wavelengths from 1300 nm to 1550 nm have been used with fabrication based on multimode fiber, single mode fiber, and photonic crystal fiber. The smallest studied curvature would demand the use of single mode standard fibers. The collected data series show high quality suitable for random series analysis. Fractal property of optically measured pulse pressure data has been observed to correlate with physical activity. Correlation to EKG signal suggests that the fabricated monitors are capable of measuring the differential time delays at wrist and leg locations. The difference in time delay could be used to formulate a velocity parameter for diagnostics. The pulse shape information collected by the fiber sensor provides additional parameters for the analysis of the fractal nature of the heart. The application to real time measurement of blood vessel stiffness with this optical non-invasive fiber sensor is discussed.
Electrostatically Correlated Spin-Orbit Interactions in l N -Type Configurations

It is shown that, in second-order perturbation theory, electrostatically correlated spin-orbit interactions give rise to a "screening" of the spin-orbit coupling constant of an ${l}^{N}$-type configuration. In addition to this "screening" effect, these interactions also lead to an effective spin-other-orbit interaction which is not included in the usual empirical least-squares determination of the Coulomb and spin-orbit parameters. The consequences of this overt effect are discussed.
Skin cancer prevention and detection practices among siblings of patients with melanoma

Abstract Background Family members of patients with melanoma have an increased risk of the disease, and families with multiple affected members account for about 10% of melanoma cases. These statistics suggest that first-degree relatives of patients with melanoma, who are at particularly high risk, warrant targeted public health action. Objective We sought to document rates for dermatologist examinations for cutaneous lesions, the practice of skin self-examination, and sunscreen use in this at-risk group. Methods Before participation in a randomized trial, 404 siblings of recently diagnosed patients with melanoma completed a survey on beliefs and practices regarding skin cancer prevention and detection. Results Sixty-two percent of participants had carefully examined their skin, 54% routinely used sunscreen, and 27% had received a skin cancer examination by a dermatologist during the past year; 47% had never received a dermatologist examination. Multivariate analysis found modifiable positive predictors for skin self-examination and dermatologist examinations, including having a clinician with whom to talk about melanoma and believing in the importance of regular skin examinations by a physician. Significant modifiable negative predictors included enjoyment of being tanned, not being sure what to look for when examining moles, and feeling uncomfortable having others look at their skin. Conclusions Skin self-examination rates among these high-risk siblings are markedly higher than in population-based studies. However, many siblings were not screened for skin cancer by a dermatologist despite having strong risk profiles, being nearly fully insured, and being under care of primary care physicians. Improvements in communication between physicians and high-risk families and changes in office systems to assess family history of melanoma could increase screening rates for the estimated 1 million siblings of patients with melanoma.
Stability of very small strangelets.

We study the stability of small strangelets by employing a simple model of strange matter as a gas of noninteracting fermions confined in a bag. We solve the Dirac equation and populate the energy levels of the bag one quark at a time. We find that for system parameters such that strange matter is unbound in bulk, there may still exist strangelets with A100 that are metastable. We cannot determine, however, whether the lifetime of these strangelets is sufficient to detect them in current accelerator experiments.
Analysis of ammonia decomposition reactor to generate hydrogen for fuel cell applications

Abstract In this paper, reaction engineering principles are utilized to analyze process conditions for producing sufficient hydrogen in an ammonia decomposition reactor for generating net power of 100 W in a fuel cell. It is shown that operating the reactor adiabatically results in a sharp decrease in temperature due to endothermic reaction, which results in low conversion of ammonia. For this reason, the reactor is heated electrically to provide heat for the endothermic reactions. It is observed that when the reactor is operated non-adiabatically, it is possible to get over 99.5% conversion of ammonia. The weight of absorbent to reduce ammonia to p p b levels is calculated. An energy balance on the reactor exit gas indicates that there is sufficient heat available to vaporize enough water to achieve 100% relative humidity in the fuel cell. A suitable fuel cell stack is designed and it is shown that this stack is able to provide the necessary power to electrically heat the reactor and produce net power of 100 W.
Protein Adsorption Kinetics under an Applied Electric Field: An Optical Waveguide Lightmode Spectroscopy Study

The controlled surface placement of protein molecules represents a crucial step toward many new biotechnological devices and processes. A promising means of directing the structure and formation rate of an adsorbed protein layer is through an applied electric potential difference. We present here a method for continuously measuring the protein adsorption under a direct current voltage using optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy. An indium tin oxide-coated waveguiding sensor chip serves as the anode and adsorbing substrate, and a platinum counter electrode serves as the cathode in a parallel plate arrangement. For (negatively charged) human serum albumin in either pure water or N-[2-hydroxyethyl]piperazine-N‘-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer, we find the transport-limited and initial surface-limited rates of adsorption to significantly increase with the applied potential. For (positively charged) horse heart cytochrome c, we observe no influence of the voltage on the transport-limited adsorption rate ...
Agency Effects in Human–Computer Interaction

The studies presented in this article explore a human-centered conceptualization of agents and agency based on the observation that people attribute agency to sufficiently complex interactive systems. Although agency attribution appears to be an unconscious human response, findings from social psychology, affective computing, and perceptual-motor studies suggest agency attribution influences human–computer interaction (HCI). Three studies are presented that examine whether recent findings on agency attribution in physical environments also apply in the virtual environments characteristic of HCI. Results of the studies indicate that agency effects operate in desktop computing environments. Agency effects, however, appear to be influenced by learning effects that preserve a previously observed relationship between perception and action but alter how this effect is expressed. Results suggest that there are both bottom-up and top-down contributions to agency effects in HCI.
Optimization of the ballistic guide design for the SNS FNPB 8.9 Å neutron line

Abstract The optimization of the ballistic guide design for the SNS Fundamental Neutron Physics Beamline 8.9 A line is described. With a careful tuning of the shape of the curve for the tapered section and the width of the straight section, this optimization resulted in more than a 75% increase in the neutron flux exiting the 33 m long guide over a straight m = 3.5 guide with the same length.
Friction stir processing of large-area bulk UFG aluminum alloys

Abstract Friction stir processing (FSP) was used to refine the grain size in commercial 7075 Al to a sub-micrometer scale (∼250 nm). The resulting microstructural characteristics were studied. In principle, by running multiple overlapping passes, any desired size thin sheet can be processed to an ultrafine grained microstructure (UFG) material with a relatively uniform microstructure.
Cloning of potential candidates for guinea pig opioid receptors

The endogenous opioid system plays an important role in modulating endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular and immune functions and others (1). Opioids exert their actions by binding to specific, G-protein coupled seven-transmembrane domaine receptors, which have been classified by their ligands as delta, mu, and kappa. Based on the recently cloned mouse delta opioid receptor DNA sequence (2,3), other opioid receptors were also successfully cloned (4,5). In light of the recent cloning and pharmacological characterization of the guinea pig (gp) kappa receptor in our lab (4), the aim of this work was to clone and characterize the gp brain deltaand mu receptors. We were able to clone a 675 bp guinea pig mu opioid receptor sequence, corresponding to the AA 153-383 of the rat mu opioid receoptor (5). Additionally we were able to clone a 571 bp fragment, homologous to the AA 138-329 of the mouse delta opioid receptor (1,2). Methods: a) cDNA library construction and screening: we used a Lambda gt11 gp brain cDNA library (Clonetech) with 1.3 million independent clones, oligo(dT)-primed, cDNA's inserted into the EcoRI site of Lambda gt11 and ranging in size from 1.3kb to 4kb. For new libraries we used gp brain mRNAs to construct several cDNA libraries in the following vectors: pME18SNeo, pME18S, pcD-Neo-SRa-X, b) PCPc PI: 5'-CTCACCATGATGAGCG TGGA-3'; P2: 5 ' -AGCAGCGCTFGAAG~CG-3 ' , P3: 5'-TCGATCCACTGTATFAGCCG3'; muPC~ PI+P3, lx [94oc 1.Stain], 30x [56oc 2min, 72oc 2.Smin, 94oc lmin], lx [56oc 2min, 72oc 8min]. deltaPCR: PI+P2, lx [94oc 1.5mini, 30x [60oc 1.5min, 72oc 2min, 94oc 1rain], lx [60oc 1.5min, 72°C 6min]. The resulting PCR fragments were isolated and finally cloned into pBSSKII+ (Stratagene). After transformation into E.coli and colony screening, the plasmids from positive clones were isolated, and both strands were sequenced using the FCR primer and the plasmid T7and T3 RNA polymerase promoter primer. Results: The isolated DNAs from those gp cDNA libraries (including the Lambda gt11 gp brain cDNA library) have been hybridized with a rat delta opioid receptor (470bp, part of the ORF) and a rat mu opioid receptor probe (1.4kb, containing the complete ORF). All cDNA libraries gave positive signals with both probes and were subsequently used for the PCR reactions. Using the sequence analysis software GCG (University Wisconsin) we translated both sequences into open reading frames and aligned them to the rat and guinea pig kappa-, the rat muand the mouse delta opioid receptor sequences. The results are shown in Fig. 1.
Comment on Umbreit and Vos Retributive Versus Restorative Justice

Should states be encouraged to develop programs that bring together families of homicide victims with killers of their loved ones who have been sentenced to death? After all, Professors M.S. Umbreit and B. Vos have presented data from two such encounters that indicate the participants, both killer and family member alike, derive benefits from such meetings. The data presented by Umbreit and Vos "conversations before an execution" do not fit the model of restorative justice in at least three important ways. First, restorative justice requires from both offender and victim not only a willingness or desire to communicate and perhaps meet, but also a willingness and ability to change attitudes and understandings as a result of their communication. Capital punishment and restorative justice are contradictory on this point; nothing can be restored after meetings in the last days of a prisoner's life, as the inmate is soon dead, and dead because of a retributive punishment that is increasingly administered hi the name of the victim's relatives. Second, restorative justice emphasizes recompense by the offender, actively taking steps to atone for the harm and injury he or she has caused. Success is measured partially in terms of the amount of harm repaired or prevented. Hence, any punishment process that does not help to repair injuries but simply creates new ones is incompatible with the restorative justice model. Third, restorative justice seeks to reduce the state's role in the justice process and to revitalize the ancient model in which victims, offenders, and communities all were actively involved in responding to crime and restoring peaceful relationships. Rather than minimizing the role of the state, the death penalty maximizes it.
Physicians, Guidelines, and Cognitive Tasks:

Using a case study analysis of the Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma, this article compares the workflows and knowledge requirements of primary care practice to the structure and content of a well-respected set of clinical guidelines. The authors show that there are discrepancies between physician workflow and the structure of the EPR-3, as well as between physicians’ knowledge requirements and the content of the EPR-3. The analysis suggests that closing the gap between medical knowledge and practice will require alternative ways to represent guidelines’ knowledge and recommendations.