cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parkinson's disease: Mechanisms and models

Parkinson's disease (PD) results primarily from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Current PD medications treat symptoms; none halt or retard dopaminergic neuron degeneration. The main obstacle to developing neuroprotective therapies is a limited understanding of the key molecular events that provoke neurodegeneration. The discovery of PD genes has led to the hypothesis that misfolding of proteins and dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway are pivotal to PD pathogenesis. Previously implicated culprits in PD neurodegeneration, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, may also act in part by causing the accumulation of misfolded proteins, in addition to producing other deleterious events in dopaminergic neurons. Neurotoxin-based models (particularly MPTP) have been important in elucidating the molecular cascade of cell death in dopaminergic neurons. PD models based on the manipulation of PD genes should prove valuable in elucidating important aspects of the disease, such as selective vulnerability of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons to the degenerative process.
PURIFICATION OF THE ANTIHEMORRHAGIC VITAMIN BY DISTILLATION

A method for the concentration of the antihemorrhagic vitamin from alfalfa has been described in a preceding paper.l It is the purpose of the present report to describe results obtained in an attempt to purify this vitamin further by distillation under a high vacuum. An apparatus was set up with a Cenco Hyvac mechanical oil pump and two glass oil vapor diffusion pumps in series. These were connected to a mercury vacuum gage and to a distillation vessel. The distillation vessel consisted of a glass cylinder, inside of which was placed an upright water-cooled glass condenser with a flat, circular lower end. This end of the condenser was held at a distance of 3.5 cm. from the lower end of the glass cylinder, which was also closed and flattened. Heat was applied to the distillation vessel by means of an oil bath and electrical heating coils. A concentrate prepared as described in the preceding paper’ was dissolved in hexane and the solution placed in the distillation vessel. The solvent was then driven off by applying gentle heat and the pressure reduced by connection with an aspirator for several hours. The condenser was then inserted and the vessel evacuated by the mechanical and diffusion pumps to a pressure of approximately 10e6 mm. of mercury. Warming the distillation vessel to a temperature of 40” caused a distillation of a colorless oily fraction, all of which passed over to the foot of the condenser at a temperature below 70”. This fraction was about 50 per cent of the crude vitamin concentrate. Assays with chicks* revealed that the coIorIess oily fraction contained no detectable amount of the antihemorrhagic vitamin, while
Extensions of Modules over Hopf Algebras Arising from Lie Algebras of Cartan Type

In this paper we prove that there are no self-extensions of simple modules over restricted Lie algebras of Cartan type. The proof given by Andersen for classical Lie algebras not only uses the representation theory of the Lie algebra, but also representations of the corresponding reductive algebraic group. The proof presented in the paper follows in the same spirit by using the construction of a infinite-dimensional Hopf algebra D(G) u( $$\mathfrak{g}$$ ) containing u( $$\mathfrak{g}$$ ) as a normal Hopf subalgebra, and the representation theory of this algebra developed in our previous work. Finite-dimensional hyperalgebra analogs D(G r ) u( $$\mathfrak{g}$$ ) have also been constructed, and the results are stated in this setting.
Relationship between extent of extracurricular participation, employment, and substance use among middle and high school students

This study examined the relationship between student use of substances and extent of participation in school and/or community sponsored sport or nonsport activity. The study also examined student substance use and extent of participation in sport or nonsport activity together with extent of employment. Data were provided by 24,699 public school youths who attended grades 6 through 12 and completed the 2001-200~ Duval Secondary Substance Use and Violence Survey: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors. Frequency tables, crosstabulation, chi-square tests, and loglinear analysis were used to analyze the data. The study found: (a) a higher percentage of respondents who participated in 11 or more hours of sport/athletic activity or nonsport activity reported using substances almost every day than did respondents who participated in 1-5 hours of activityi (b) a higher percentage of students reported using alcohol almost every day when involved in greater than 20 hours of work per week and 11 or more hours of sport/athletic or nonsport participation than did those with lesser involvement in activity in conjunction with
Using Student Explanations as Models for Adapting Tutorial Dialogue.

We describe a dialogue management approach that adapts dialogue strategies to a changing user model under the constraint that the approach be able to scale up rapidly for intelligent tutoring systems applications. Dialogue strategies are expressed as constraints on how to move through a student model that is composed of linked nodes. By orienting the dialogue to a linked model of the student’s likely beliefs and expressing the dialogue strategies as constraints on movement within the model, the approach facilitates adaptation of the dialogue strategy as the student model changes.
Optimal Time-Critical Scheduling via Resource Augmentation

We consider two fundamental problems in dynamic scheduling: scheduling to meet deadlines in a preemptive multiprocessor setting, and scheduling to provide good response time in a number of scheduling environments. When viewed from the perspective of traditional worst-case analysis, no good on-line algorithms exist for these problems, and for some variants no good off-line algorithms exist unless P = NP . We study these problems using a relaxed notion of competitive analysis, introduced by Kalyanasundaram and Pruhs, in which the on-line algorithm is allowed more resources than the optimal off-line algorithm to which it is compared. Using this approach, we establish that several well-known on-line algorithms, that have poor performance from an absolute worst-case perspective, are optimal for the problems in question when allowed moderately more resources. For optimization of average flow time, these are the first results of any sort, for any NP -hard version of the problem, that indicate that it might be possible to design good approximation algorithms.
Early Fluid Overload Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Nonrelapse Mortality after Ex Vivo CD34-Selected Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Abstract In a recently published and validated definition of fluid overload (FO), grade ≥ 2 FO was significantly associated with an increased risk of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after unmodified and haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) using calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. We evaluated the effect of FO on outcomes in 169 patients undergoing myeloablative-conditioned ex vivo CD34+ selected allo-HCT using the same grading scale. Thirty patients (17.8%) had grade ≥ 2 FO within the 30 days after ex vivo CD34+ selected allo-HCT with a median onset at day 11 (range, -8 to 28). Age ≥ 55 years (odds ratio, 3.43; P = .005) and chemotherapy-based conditioning (odds ratio, 3.89; P = .007) were associated with an increased risk of grade ≥ 2 FO. Patients with early grade ≥ 2 FO had a significantly higher NRM when compared with patients with grade
CrowdMuse: An Adaptive Crowd Brainstorming System

Online crowds, with their large numbers and diversity, show great potential for creativity, particularly during large-scale brainstorming sessions. Research has explored different ways of augmenting this creativity, such as showing ideators some form of inspiration to get them to explore more categories or generate more ideas. The mechanisms used to select which inspirations are shown to ideators thus far have been focused on characteristics of the inspirations rather than on ideators. This can hinder their effect, as creativity research has shown that ideators have unique cognitive structures and may therefore be better inspired by some ideas rather than others. We introduce CrowdMuse, an adaptive system for supporting large scale brainstorming. The system models ideators based on their past ideas and adapts the system views and inspiration mechanisms accordingly. An evaluation of this system could inform how to better individually support ideators.
A DNA-Encapsulated Silver Cluster and the Roles of Its Nucleobase Ligands

Silver clusters consisting of ∼10 atoms are readily bound by and encapsulated within DNA strands to yield strong absorption and emission. The coordination environments, however, are poorly understood, so cluster adducts can only be empirically tuned. This work describes the C4AC4TC3G strand that templates a particular cluster adduct. Its sequence has three types of nucleobases with distinct roles—tracts of cytosines that collectively coordinate the cluster, thymine acting as a junction in the overall strand, and the adenine/guanine pair that exclusively forms the cluster. In relation to the native oligonucleotide, the DNA–silver cluster complex diffuses faster and is more compact, thus suggesting that the strands fold because of the cluster. The Ag106+ adduct emits with λex/λem = 490/540 nm, a 19% quantum yield, and a biexponential 1.1/2.1 ns lifetime. The electronic environment for the cluster is controlled by the heteroatoms in the adenine and guanine. Most significantly, the N7 and the N2 in the guanin...
Operationally accessible entanglement of one-dimensional spinless fermions

For indistinguishable itinerant particles subject to a superselection rule fixing their total number, a portion of the entanglement entropy under a spatial bipartition of the ground state is due to particle fluctuations between subsystems and thus is inaccessible as a resource for quantum information processing. We quantify the remaining operationally accessible entanglement in a model of interacting spinless fermions on a one-dimensional lattice via exact diagonalization and the density matrix renormalization group. We find that the accessible entanglement exactly vanishes at the first-order phase transition between a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid and phase separated solid for attractive interactions and is maximal at the transition to the charge density wave for repulsive interactions. Throughout the phase diagram, we discuss the connection between the accessible entanglement entropy and the variance of the probability distribution describing intrasubregion particle-number fluctuations.
Distributional Robustness and Uncertainty Quantification for Rare Events.

Rare events, and more general risk-sensitive quantities-of-interest (QoIs), are significantly impacted by uncertainty in the tail behavior of a distribution. Uncertainty in the tail can take many different forms, each of which leads to a particular ambiguity set of alternative models. Distributional robustness bounds over such an ambiguity set constitute a stress-test of the model. In this paper we develop a method, utilizing Renyi-divergences, of constructing the ambiguity set that captures a user-specified form of tail-perturbation. We then obtain distributional robustness bounds (performance guarantees) for risk-sensitive QoIs over these ambiguity sets, using the known connection between Renyi-divergences and robustness for risk-sensitive QoIs. We also expand on this connection in several ways, including a generalization of the Donsker-Varadhan variational formula to Renyi divergences, and various tightness results. These ideas are illustrated through applications to uncertainty quantification in a model of lithium-ion battery failure, robustness of large deviations rate functions, and risk-sensitive distributionally robust optimization for option pricing.
We Don’t Play As We Think, But We Think As We Play: Evidence for the Psychological Impact of In-Game Actions

Games are able to convey meaning that influences players’ beliefs and attitudes via their mechanics (aka “procedural rhetoric”), but recent work suggests that this is likely to be effective only when combined with traditional ways of conveying meaning (e.g., music, imagery, narrative, etc.). To investigate the specific component of rhetorical influence that comes from game mechanics, we constructed a city management strategy game that allowed us to independently vary narrative framing and game rules. We found that players perceived this game to be making an argument, but that player interpretations of this argument and the game’s influence on their attitudes were not necessarily consistent with our intended message. When players had the option to make policy choices within the game, their decisions appeared to be driven more by what game mechanics rewarded rather than by their real-world policy preferences. However, the actions that they took within the game did predict changes in those policy preferences after play. This was true only when the narrative framing of the game matched the real world policy context. This implies that procedural rhetoric is most effective when supported by other ways of conveying meaning, and that understanding the psychological impact of game mechanics requires paying attention to the moment to moment choices that players make within a game.
Memory, Storytelling and GIS Digital Archive: Introducing the COVID-19 Memory Archival Project

The COVID-19 Memory Archival Project is an educational and scholarly initiative that seeks to preserve individual and shared experiences and reflections during the COVID-19 outbreak through rich media storytelling and geographic information system (GIS) mapping. In this chapter, we introduce the archive project and story map collection as an inquiry into participatory and immersive digital archiving as a means for understanding personal memory, experience, identity and agency in the media aftermath of a global pandemic. Originally initiated as a response to emergency online teaching during the early stages of the COVID-19 lockdown, we explore the pedagogical potential of the ArcGIS StoryMaps platform in the undergraduate classroom. Through analysis of archive story maps and comparative studies with earlier community-based disaster-oriented online archives, we present new insights into the media moment of 2020, and how that shapes perception and understanding of complex events. Finally, we reflect upon the function of virtual memorials and how they might facilitate discourse and contribute to broader geocultural dialogues.
Metabolites Potentiate Nitrofurans in Nongrowing Escherichia coli.

Nitrofurantoin (NIT) is a broad-spectrum bactericidal antibiotic used in the treatment of urinary tract infections. It is a pro-drug that once activated by nitroreductases goes on to inhibit bacterial DNA, RNA, cell wall, and protein synthesis. Previous work has suggested that NIT retains considerable activity against non-growing bacteria. Here we have found that Escherichia coli (E. coli) grown to stationary phase in minimal or artificial urine media are not susceptible to NIT. Supplementation with glucose under conditions where cells remained non-growing (other essential nutrients were absent) sensitized cultures to NIT. We conceptualized NIT sensitivity as a multi-input AND gate, and lack of susceptibility as an insufficiency in one or more of those inputs. The inputs considered were an activating enzyme, cytoplasmic abundance of NIT, and reducing equivalents required for NIT activation. We systematically assessed the contribution of each of these inputs and found that NIT import and the level of activating enzyme were not contributing factors to the lack of susceptibility. Rather, evidence suggested that the low abundance of reducing equivalents is why stationary-phase E. coli are not killed by NIT, and catabolites can re-sensitize those cells. We found that this phenomenon also occurred when using nitrofurazone, which established generality to the nitrofuran antibiotic class. In addition, we observed that NIT activity against stationary-phase uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) could also be potentiated through metabolite supplementation. These findings suggest that the combination of nitrofurans with specific metabolites could improve the outcome of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Donor-Recipient Matching to Optimize the Utility of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Kidneys.

Abstract Background In December 2014, the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) was developed to give more precise information on donor kidney quality. Kidneys with KDPI scores ≥ 85 (K ≥ 85) have been reported to have inferior outcomes to kidneys with KDPI scores Methods After the implementation of the new Kidney Allocation System, we developed a protocol to evaluate K ≥ 85 use. We analyzed the safety and efficacy of our institutional criteria and evaluated post-transplant outcomes. K ≥ 85 recipients were stratified based on their 1-year creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rates to elucidate characteristics associated with serum creatinine Results From December 2014 to December 2019, 304 deceased donor kidney transplants were performed at Hartford Hospital; 58 (19%) were K ≥ 85 with an average KDPI of 91%. There were 4 graft losses; 2 were death censored. Prolonged cold ischemia time and black recipient race were associated with inferior recipient graft function at 1 year. Conclusions High KDPI kidney use requires a multifaceted evaluation that takes into account donor and recipient characteristics for an ideal match. We have identified several characteristics that may predict optimal post-transplant kidney function.
Development, Implementation, and Patient Perspectives of the Women's Integrative Sexual Health Program: A Program Designed to Address the Sexual Side Effects of Cancer Treatment.

Background Advanced practitioners (APs) are a growing demographic in survivorship care. One goal of survivorship care is to manage consequences of cancer treatments. Sexual dysfunction from prior therapies can impact quality of life. Advanced practitioners are perfectly poised to provide care for sexual problems. This article will describe the development and implementation of the Women's Integrative Sexual Health (WISH) program by APs within a comprehensive cancer center and describe patient perspectives of care provided. Methods Two physician assistants working in gynecologic oncology at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center implemented a program to address sexual side effects of cancer treatment. An online survey was sent out to all patients seen in the WISH program since inception. Results Between November 2013 and July 2019, 228 patients were seen in the WISH program. A total of 113 women responded (median age: 53 years, range: 31-77; 68% postmenopausal; response rate: 53.8%). Most had breast (57%) or gynecologic (32%) cancers. When asked how helpful the WISH program was, 88% reported that it was at least somewhat helpful. Almost all (95%) reported they would recommend the WISH program to other women. Conclusion The WISH program enhances comprehensive survivorship care of female cancer survivors. Women report they benefit from care for sexual issues after cancer treatments. Advanced practitioners working in oncology are uniquely positioned to educate themselves, take leadership roles in the development and implementation of programs, and provide care to women affected by sexual side effects after cancer.
Immunoprophylaxis and immunotherapy of neonatal group B streptococcal infections.

With emphasis on work from our laboratory, this paper briefly reviews previous studies which have established the basis for immunity to group B streptococcal infections. Quantitative data are presented on the concentration of antibody to the type-specific polysaccharides of group B streptococci in normal adults and infected infants, the protective level in experimental animals, and the influence of prematurity on transplacental passage of antibody. The role of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte in immunity to group B streptococcal infections is critical as supported byin vitro andin vivo experiments as well as clinical observations. Strategies for prevention include antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis and active immunization. Alternative approaches to adjunctive therapy such as administration of specific immune globulin, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and exchange transfusions are discussed.
Walking the Tightrope of Reason: The Precarious Life of a Rational Animal

Human beings are both supremely rational and deeply superstitious, capable of believing just about anything and of questioning just about everything. Indeed, just as our reason demands that we know the truth, our skepticism leads to doubts we can ever really do so. In Walking the Tightrope of Reason, Robert J. Fogelin guides readers through a contradiction that lies at the very heart of philosophical inquiry. Fogelin argues that our rational faculties insist on a purely rational account of the universe, yet at the same time, the inherent limitations of these faculties ensure that we will never fully satisfy that demand. As a result of being driven to this point of paradox, we either comfort ourselves with what Kant called "metaphysical illusions" or adopt a stance of radical skepticism. No middle ground seems possible and, as Fogelin shows, skepticism, even though a healthy dose of it is essential for living a rational life, "has an inherent tendency to become unlimited in its scope, with the result that the edifice of rationality is destroyed." In much Postmodernist thought, for example, skepticism takes the extreme form of absolute relativism, denying the basis for any value distinctions and treating all truth-claims as equally groundless. How reason avoids disgracing itself, walking a fine line between dogmatic belief and self-defeating doubt, is the question Fogelin seeks to answer. Reflecting upon the ancient Greek skeptics as well as such thinkers as Hume, Kant, Wittgenstein, Nietzsche, and Whitman, this book takes readers into-and through-some of philosophy's most troubling paradoxes.
A Biomechanical Model of Cortical Folding

A principal characteristic of the geometry of the brain is its folding pattern which is composed of gyri (outward hills) and sulci (inward valleys). We present a preliminary two-dimensional biomechanical model of cortical folding that is implemented computationally using finite elements. This model uses mechanical properties such as stress, strain, and body forces, corresponding to axonal tension, to model the shape of the brain during early cortical development. Despite its simplicity, the proposed model can be used to demonstrate the plausibility of tension generating cortical folds, as has been suggested in Van Essen (Nature 385(6614):313–318, 1997). In addition, this model is used to investigate folding patterns on different domain sizes.
History and development of public relations education in North America: A critical analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of the history and development of public relations education in the USA and Canada.Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology used for this paper is the historical/critical analysis approach.Findings – This paper finds more differences than similarities between public relations educational development in the two countries. The first PR course at a US university was taught at the University of Illinois in 1920 and the first US degree program was offered by Boston University in 1947. The first Canadian university PR course was taught at McGill University n 1948 and the first university degree was offered by Mount Saint Vincent University in 1977. Although PR courses and degrees are offered at a small number of elite US universities, the greatest recent PR curriculum development has been at smaller, second‐ or third‐tier institutions. While a few Canadian universities offer courses and degree programs in the field, most of Cana...
Learning hierarchies of abstraction spaces

ABSTRACT Hierarchical planning is an effective technique for reducing search in planning. Previous work on hierarchical planning has primarily focused on using abstraction spaces; the question of how the abstractions are formed remained largely unexplored. This paper describes A lpine , a system for learning abstraction spaces for use in hierarchical planning. Starting from only an axiomatization of the operators and example problems this system can learn detailed abstraction spaces for a domain. This is done using a theory of what makes a good abstraction space for hierarchical planning and then learning abstractions with the desired properties. The learned abstractions provide a significant performance improvement in PRODIGY, a domain-independent problem solver. The paper shows that A lpine can produce more detailed and effective abstractions using less knowledge than ABSTRIPS, a well-known system that partially automated the formation of abstraction spaces.
Regulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and identification of novel nitric oxide signaling pathways.

Abstract Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) participate in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes in the nervous system. nNOS was originally felt-to be a constitutively expressed enzyme, but recent observations suggest that its levels are dynamically controlled in response to neuronal development, plasticity and injury. nNOS expression is regulated through alternative promoter usage through alternative mRNA splicing and it is likely that this plays an important role in the induciblity of gene expression in response to extracellular stimuli. Emerging data also suggests that NO may be the key mediator linking activity to gene expression and long-lasting neuronal responses through NO activating p21 Ras through redox-sensitive modulation.
Die Zukunft der Markenführung im Automobilgeschäft

In der Vergangenheit wurden Marken durch eine Reihe von klar erkennbaren Faktoren gepragt: innovative Technik, leistungsstarke Motoren, spezifische Fahreigenschaften, Erfolge im Motorsport oder charismatische Personen, deren Namen haufig mit dem Namen der Marke identisch sind (Daimler, Benz, Ferrari, Ford, Porsche, Renault, Bosch, ...). All diese traditionellen Markenwerte werden auch in Zukunft fur die Faszination und Strahlkraft der Automobilmarken von essenzieller Bedeutung sein.
Spatiotemporal integration of developmental cues in neural development

Nervous system development relies on the generation of neurons, their differentiation and establishment of synaptic connections. These events exhibit remarkable plasticity and are regulated by many developmental cues. Here, we review the mechanisms of three classes of these cues: morphogenetic proteins, electrical activity, and the environment. We focus on second messenger dynamics and their role as integrators of the action of diverse cues, enabling plasticity in the process of neural development. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 75: 349–359, 2015
Stiff-arm syndrome

A 56-year-old woman experienced progressive stiffness and painful spasms in the right arm leading to a frozen arm within 2 years. She had previously developed cerebellar ataxia (anti–glutamic acid decarboxylase [GAD] antibodies, 1,550 nmol/L; age 52 years). Examination showed marked rigidity and decreased movement range of the right arm with generalized hyperreflexia (figure and video). There were no antiamphiphysin or other paraneoplastic antibodies. Search for malignancies was negative. Diabetes was ruled out. The patient benefited from diazepam and IV immunoglobulin. Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) affects predominantly the trunk and lower limbs.1 This case illustrates that the cerebellar ataxia-SPS spectrum of anti-GAD autoimmunity may occur sequentially rather than concurrently, and a stiff arm, a variant of paraneoplastic SPS,2 may rarely be a focal form of anti-GAD-mediated (nonparaneoplastic) SPS.
A Role for Collapsin-1 in Olfactory and Cranial Sensory Axon Guidance

Collapsin-1 is a member of the semaphorin family of signaling molecules that acts as a repellent for growing spinal sensory axons. We have constructed a chimeric collapsin-1/alkaline phosphatase probe to visualize putative collapsin-1 receptors in vitro and in situ. As predicted by the activity profile of collapsin-1, the probe binds spinal sensory tracts, ventral spinal roots, and the sympathetic chain but does not bind retinal axons. In addition, we find that the probe binds sensory axons arising from the olfactory epithelium and some, but not all, cranial sensory nerves. As predicted by these binding studies, in vitro assays demonstrate that primary olfactory sensory, trigeminal, and jugular ganglion growth cones collapse in the presence of soluble collapsin-1. Comparing the expression pattern of collapsin-1 with the trajectories of collapsin-1 responsive axons suggests that in both the spinal cord and the olfactory bulb, collapsin-1 prevents premature entry of sensory axons into their target and helps determine the final location of sensory terminations.
Orthogonality of spherical harmonic coefficients

Orthogonality relations are obtained for the spherical harmonic coefficients of functions defined on the surface of a sphere. Following a brief discussion of the orthogonality of Fourier series coefficients, consideration is given to the values averaged over all orientations of the coordinate system of the spherical harmonic coefficients of a function defined on the surface of a sphere that can be expressed in terms of Legendre polynomials for the special case where the function is the sum of two delta functions located at two different points on the sphere, and for the case of an essentially arbitrary function. It is noted that the orthogonality relations derived have found applications in statistical studies of the geomagnetic field.
Compton scattering in strong magnetic fields

The relativistic cross section for Compton scattering by electrons in strong magnetic fields is derived. The results confirm and extend earlier work which has treated only transitions to the lowest or first excited Landau levels. For the teragauss field strengths expected in neutron star magnetospheres, the relative rates for excited state transitions are found to be significant, especially for incident photon energies several times the cyclotron frequency. Since these transitions must result in the rapid emission of one or more cyclotron photons as well as the Compton-scattered photon, the scattering process actually becomes a photon 'splitting' mechanism which acts to soften hard photon spectra, and also provides a specific mechanism for populating higher Landau levels in the electron distribution function. The results should be significant for models of gamma-ray bursters and pulsating X-ray sources.
Calculation of equilibrium averages with Feynman-Hibbs effective classical potentials and similar variational approximations

A number of years ago, Feynman and Hibbs derived an insightful expression for a quasiclassical effective potential in order to estimate the free energy for a quantum-mechanical system that obeys Boltzmann statistics. In the present paper, it is demonstrated how these ideas can be extended to calculate an approximate equilibrium average of any general coordinate-dependent operator. The central feature of this analysis is the replacement of the operator by an effective Gaussian-averaged quasiclassical function.
Suicidal ideation and anxiety disorders: Elevated risk or artifact of comorbid depression?

Research into the possible relationship between anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation has yielded mixed results, leading some to suggest that the positive findings between anxiety and suicidal ideation might simply be a by-product of comorbid depression. Recent work has suggested that having an anxiety disorder without history of mood disorder does convey increased risk for suicidal ideation, although the study could not assess for the possible impact of subsyndromal depressiveness. This current study, therefore, examined the relationship between anxiety disorder symptoms and suicidality using continuous scales and controlling for depressiveness. Data regarding the severity of panic, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were obtained from a sample of 166 college students. Results generally supported the conclusions that anxiety disorders convey risk for suicidal ideation above and beyond any co-occurring depressiveness, and anxiety and depression together conveyed an additional interactive risk.
An ADA reuse support system for Windows 95/NT

This paper describes a software resource that is being developed as part of the graduation requirement for the Master in Software Engineering degree at the University of Scranton. This project evolved from a series of experiments that were performed in undergraduate and graduate courses at the University. A basic editor was developed as part of an undergraduate course in rapid prototyping. Several students used that project as the basis for undergraduate Senior Projects. All undergraduates are required to complete a project as a degree requirement. This basic editor was handed over to a graduate course in Software Generation and Maintenance and used as the starting point for the construction of various software project management features. The system was constructed to support Ada source code development. However, the system could be readily modified to support source code management in other languages, notably C++. This paper describes the construction of resources that encourage the use of reusable software. Subsequent sections describe the overall framework of the system and selected details that carry out features that make reuse attractive. The system is called ReUSE (the Reuse University of Scranton Environment).ReUSE is an Ada programming environment which facilitates and promotes code reuse by individual developers or teams of developers. It provides centralized storage of project files, a package browser, automatic function and procedure call creation, a compiler interface, interactive error processing, multiple simultaneous editors, standard windows tools (menus, toolbars, etc.), and other features to help the developer write and reuse Ada code efficiently.ReUSE was developed in Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 (32-bit) for the Windows 95 / NT operating systems.
Advanced charged particle beam ignited nuclear pulse propulsion

Abstract It is shown that the mass of the driver for nuclear microexplosion—Orion type—pulse propulsion can be substantially reduced with a special fusion–fast fission configuration, which permits to replace an inefficient laser beam driver with a much more efficient and less massive relativistic electron beam (or light ion beam) driver. The driver mass can be further reduced, and the propulsion efficiency increased, by surrounding the nuclear microexplosion assembly with a shell of conventional hydrogen-rich explosive, helping to ignite the nuclear reaction and dissipating the otherwise lost kinetic neutron energy in the shell which becomes part of the propellant.
Sexuality Education Among Latinas: Experiences, Preferences, Attitudes and Risk Behavior

ABSTRACT This study investigated sexuality topics discussed by parents, sources of sexuality education, sexual risk behaviors, and attitudes about who should educate children about sexuality among a sample of 204 adult Latinas. Nearly half of sexually active women (having ever had sex) reported condom use and 36.7% reported discussing sexual history with new sexual partners. Self-discovery, friends and media were the most commonly reported sources of sexuality education. Almost 60% of participants thought that both parents and teachers should be responsible for their children's sexuality education. Lower education and lower acculturation were related to reporting peers and media as primary sources of sexuality education. Participants whose parents discussed at least one sexuality related topic with them reported higher frequency of condom use.
KINETICS OF FORMATION OF (±)-ANTI-7, 8-DIHYDROXY-9α,10α -EPOXY-7, 8, 9, 10-TETRAHYDROBENZO[A]PYRENE ADDUCTS WITH MOUSE AND HUMAN HEMOGLOBIN

Previous studies on the metabolic activation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have shown conclusively that activation to reactive electrophilic intermediates occurs via metabolism of the unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon to electrophilic diol-epoxide intermediates. These reactive electrophilic derivatives undergo reaction with various biological nucleophilic centers to form covalent modifications, which can be assessed by a variety of analytical techniques. While the formation of these adducts with various cellular nucleophiles has been clearly established, the relationships between relative rates of formation of various adducts in biological systems has not been significantly investigated. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of reaction of the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite of benzo(a)pyrene, (±)-anti-7,8-dihydroxy-9α,10α -epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE), with both male C57BL/6 mouse red cell hemoglobin and human red cells, in vitro. Comparative pharmacokinetic...
Anti-HIV antibody testing: Procedures and precautions

Prudent use of screening tests for infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and interpretation of test results require an understanding of the body's immune response to HIV infection, the serologic assays currently available, and the problems associated with false-positive and false-negative test results. The methodologies of the enzyme immunoassay (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) and the Western blot assay are presented, and efficacies of these tests are evaluated. Tests for the detection of anti-HIV antibodies that are, at this time, primarily restricted to research use but that show promise for adaptation to screening (such as the ELISA with recombinant antigen) also are discussed, as is the alternative of testing for HIV antigens or HIV-specific DNA. From a personal perspective, any test for HIV infection is accompanied by certain benefits and risks. These can be discussed with the patient in the framework of pretest and posttest counseling.
Salient points for tracking moving objects in video

Detection and tracking of moving objects is important in the analysis of video data. One approach is to maintain a background model of the scene and subtract it from each frame to detect the moving objects which can then be tracked using Kalman or particle filters. In this paper, we consider simple techniques based on salient points to identify moving objects which are tracked using motion correspondence. We focus on video with a large field of view, such as a traffic intersection with several buildings nearby. Such scenes can contain several salient points, not all of which move between frames. Using public domain video and two types of salient points, we consider how to make these techniques computationally efficient for detection and tracking. Our early results indicate that salient regions obtained using the Lowe keypoints algorithm and the Scale-Saliency algorithm can be used successfully to track vehicles in moderate resolution video.
Bounds for nested law invariant coherent risk measures

Abstract With every law invariant coherent risk measure is associated its conditional analogue. In this paper we discuss lower and upper bounds for the corresponding nested (composite) formulations of law invariant coherent risk measures. In particular, we consider the Average Value-at-Risk and comonotonic risk measures.
A functionally deficient DRD2 variant [Ser311Cys] is not linked to alcoholism and substance abuse.

Abstract Association studies with the DRD2 Taq 1A marker have been variable in implicating DRD2 as a "Reward Deficiency Syndrome Gene" for alcoholism and substance abuse. Given that the Taq 1A marker is not functionally significant, second-generation studies on the DRD2 receptor to identify functional variants and evaluate their effect on the phenotype are the logical step towards confirming and extending the DRD2 hypothesis. This article discusses the implications and process of progress made in these directions. The new findings are the description of structural variants in the D 2 receptor, the demonstration that one of these, Ser311Cys, largely prevents signal transduction following receptor activation and the use of Ser311Cys in a large association and sib-pair linkage anlysis in an American Indian isolate. In this particular population, the Cys311 variant is far more abundant (0.16) than in Caucasians (0.03). Genotyping of Ser311Cys, the DRD2 intron 2 STR, and the Taq 1A marker in 459 subjects, including 373 sib-pairs and 15 Cys311/Cys311 homozygous individuals, revealed no association to alcoholism, substance use disorders, or schizophrenia. The implication is that a DRD2 variant that dramatically impairs receptor function was not sufficient to significantly alter alcoholism vulnerability in a relatively large and also genetically and environmentally homogeneous sample. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.
Wear mechanism of metal bond diamond wheels trued by wire electrical discharge machining

Abstract The stereographic scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging was used to investigate the wear mechanism in wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) truing of metal bond diamond wheels for ceramic grinding. A piece of the grinding wheel was removed after truing and grinding to enable the examination of wheel surface and measurement of diamond protrusion heights using a SEM and stereographic imaging software. The stereographic SEM imaging method was calibrated by comparing with the profilometer measurement results. On the wheel surface after wire EDM truing and before grinding, some diamond grain protruding heights were measured in the 32 μm level. Comparing to the 54 μm average size of the diamond grain, this indicated that over half of the diamond was exposed. During the wire EDM process, electrical sparks occur between the metal bond and EDM wire, which leaves the diamond protruded in the gap between the wire electrode and wheel. These protruding diamond grains with weak bond to the wheel were fractured under a light grinding condition. After heavy grinding, the diamond protrusion heights were estimated in the 5–15 μm range above the wear flat. A cavity created by grinding debris erosion wear of the wheel bond could be identified around the diamond grain.
Transdermal iontophoretic delivery and degradation of vasopressin across human cadaver skin

Abstract Transdermal iontophoretic transport and degradation of a peptide, vasopressin, across human cadaver skin, was investigated. Modified Valia-Chien cells were supplied with 0.5 mA/cm2 current density via silver/silver chloride electrodes from a Scepter® power supply. Vasopressin (0.25 mg/ml) spiked with [3Hvasopressin was transported across skin with anode in donor. Samples were analyzed by HPLC using a radio-chromatography detector. Degradation of vasopressin in contact with intact skin and in skin homogenates was also studied. Greater degradation was observed in receptor where the peptide was in contact with the dermal side of the skin. The cumulative amounts of intact vasopressin permeated during 8 h of iontophoretic transport was 15.37 (±5.31; n = 3) μg/cm2, which corresponds to only about 1% permeation. Of the total radioactivity permeated, only about 40% was intact vasopressin by 12 h. Several degradation peaks could be seen in the chromatogram. No intact vasopressin was found to permeate under passive conditions. The enzymatic activity of cadaver skin is likely to be less than that expected in an in vivo drug delivery situation. Therefore, delivery to patients would be even less than that predicted by this study.
Expanded Uses for the Nasolabial Flap

The nasolabial flap is an excellent choice for use in reconstruction of the nasal alar subunit due to its inherent properties that match skin tone and the convexity of the nose. Often overlooked as an option to use in nasal reconstruction, the nasolabial flap can be very advantageous. Indications for the nasolabial flap can be expanded to include reconstruction of the nasal tip, dorsum, soft triangle, and partial alar defects.
THE EFFECT OF PREMATURITY ON PERFORMANCE ON THE DENVER DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING TEST

Well-justified protocols for interpretation of standardized developmental tests when administered to premature infants are currently unavailable. This study was a retrospective review of 203 charts of premature infants whose development was assessed during their first year of life with the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST). Children known to be developmentally normal at one year usually performed normally on the DDST by six months chronological age, whether or not age was adjusted for prematurely. Poorer DDST results were common at five and eight months, probably a phenomenon related to test construction. Multiple regression analysis supported the practice of adjusting age for prematurely; however, a difference between results interpreted according to chronological age and results interpreted according to adjusted ages may improve discrimination of the DDST.
Relations of positive and negative affectivity to anxiety and depression in children: Evidence from a latent variable longitudinal study.

The tripartite model of anxiety and depression has been studied with adults; however, support is still emerging with children concerning measurement and relations between positive (PA) and negative (NA) affect and psychopathology. In this longitudinal study of 270 4th- to 11th-grade children (mean age = 12.9 years, SD = 2.23). confirmatory factor analysis supported a 2-factor orthogonal model of children's self-reported affect and revealed that the concurrent relations of NA and PA to anxiety and depression symptoms were consistent with the tripartite model. Structural equation modeling demonstrated moderate cross-time stability of trait PA and NA, consistent with a temperament view of these factors, as well as partial support for the role of NA and PA in the development of anxiety and depression symptoms in children.
Pyridine hydrodenitrogenation over molybdenum carbide catalysts

A series of molybdenum carbides was prepared by the temperature-programmed carburization of MoO3, with pure CH4 or an equimolar mixture of CH4 and H2. The resulting materials contained only Mo2C in the bulk, but the surface areas and average pore sizes depended on the heating rate and H2/CH4 ratio employed. In general, the surface area increased with increases in the heating rate and/or H2/CH4 ratio. The Mo carbides were mesoporous with a small amount of microporosity and the average pore sizes ranged from 27 to 52 A. Oxygen uptakes corresponded to ∼ 13% of the Mo on the carbide surface being accessible. The Mo carbides were very active for pyridine hydrodenitrogenation with catalytic properties that were similar to those of Mo nitrides and superior to those of commercial sulfided Co-Mo and Ni-Mo/γ Al2O3 hydrotreatment catalysts. Pyridine hydroenitrogenation over the Mo carbides appeared to be structure-sensitive as the activity and selectivity varied with changes in the surface area. Selectivities over the carbides were significantly different from those over the Mo nitride and sulfide catalysts. While the Mo carbides produced substantial amounts of cyclopentane, the Mo nitrides and the sulfided catalysts produced mostly pentane with only trace amounts of cyclopentane. These differences have been interpreted in terms of differing bonding geometries for pyridine on the Mo carbides and nitrides.