cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Catalog of the National Archives of the Liberian Government

In the course of my research into the social history of nineteenth century immigrants to Liberia from America, I had the occasion to consult the Liberian Archives in Monrovia. Although the focus of my own research was limited in scope, I was exposed to the full range of materials available in this repository. In 1966, Svend Holsoe was instrumental in helping to organize the archival documents, and he prepared a catalog listing of the same. The present effort should be considered a "second edition" of Holsoe's original work, which only circulated privately. Wherever possible I have additionally tried to include some idea of the extent of each volume or bundle by noting page content where known or estimating the number of pieces included in each bundle. The need for this new listing has arisen from the impact of the course of time on the collection. Over the period of almost a decade since Professor Holsoe's catalog was prepared, factors such as climate conditions and reorganization efforts necessitated by space limitations have altered the content of the collection considerably. The government archival material comes under the administrative authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has been organized and housed in a separate facility directly across from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Ashmun Street in Monrovia. Mr. Augustine D. Jallah is the Director of Archives and the person immediately responsible for the care of the documents. Permission to use the material must be received directly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A researcher should correspond with Deputy Foreign Minister Francis Okai-including a clear statement of the research project proposed and the particular documents likely to be examined as well as a copy of his/her curriculum vitae-in a letter requesting permission to consult the archives. Once approval has been given, a letter from the ministry will be prepared introducing the researcher to the director of archives. If the researcher corresponds with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance of arriving, access to the archives should take no more than one to two weeks time. The archives is open Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Typewriters are permitted to be used, as are cameras for microfilming. The archives has a machine for making microfilm; however, during my stay a number of parts needed replacing and the machine was not usable. This catalog should by no means be considered definitive. A large portion of the archival material held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the immediate
Detection and mass measurement of individual air-borne particles using high frequency micromechanical resonators

This work demonstrates detection and mass measurement of single micro/nanoscale air-borne particles using thermally actuated high frequency micromechanical resonators. Single crystalline silicon dog-bone resonators with resonant frequencies in the tens of MHz range were fabricated using a single mask process on SOI substrates. The mass sensitivities of the resonators were characterized using artificially generated airborne particles and mass sensitivities as high as 1.6kHz/pg were demonstrated. Due to the high mass sensitivities, the shift in the resonator frequencies caused by every individual particle is distinguishable. The measured mass sensitivities are in good agreement with the calculated values based on the resonator physical dimensions.
Gain measurements on uniformly excited HF/DF TEA lasers

The gain of a uniformly excited HF/DF TEA laser was measured to be 76 dB/m for HF and 39 dB/m for DF. The gain is followed by an absorption which decays with 10-50\mu s time constants attributed to V-T and V-R relaxation processes, Limited measurements on the HCl system show similar absorption that persists for about 50 ms, limiting the pulse repetition rate.
Effect of Premicellar Aggregation on the pKa of Fatty Acid Soap Solutions

Associative interactions of the various species found in the premicellar concentration region of aqueous fatty acid solutions have been investigated using acid−base titration. In previous studies, aqueous films of fatty acid salts were investigated at various bulk solution pH values. It was found that there exists a pH where minimum evaporation of water, maximum foamability, maximum foam stability, minimum contact angle on PMMA surface, maximum single-bubble stability, and maximum surface viscosity are observed. It was also found that this optimum pH value is near the measured pKa of the fatty acid, which in turn depends on the length of the fatty acid chains. Titration of the homologous series of C8−C12 fatty acids to determine the solution pKa has shown an increase in apparent pKa with concentration. The increase in pKa is maintained at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration (cmc). Thus, similar to micelle formation, the submicellar aggregates must be responsible for the increase i...
Influence of Organic Groups on the Polarographie Stability of Mercury Compounds

Polarograms of 26 organic mercurials with different R structures were made. The half-wave potentials of these compounds correlate qualitatively with the polarizability of the R structure and the polarities of the mercury-chloride bond in the first wave and the carbon-mercury bond in the second. The polarographic reductive stability of the ring molecules below that of the chain compounds agrees with the greater electronegativity of the rings. Compounds which have found clinical usefulness as diuretics have similar polarographic properties. It is suggested that the electron density of the mercury may be the basis of the biological selectivity of these organic compounds.
ETHNIC AND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SCIENCE GRADUATION AT SELECTIVE COLLEGES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION POLICY AND COLLEGE CHOICE

Using Bowen and Bok's data from 23 selective colleges, we fit multilevel logit models to test two hypotheses with implications for affirmative action and group differences in attainment of science, math, or engineering (SME) degrees. Hypothesis 1, that differences in precollege academic preparation will explain later SME graduation disparities, was fully supported with respect to the outcome gap between Whites and underrepresented minorities, partially supported for that between Asians and underrepresented minorities, and between men and women. Hypothesis 2, that college selectivity, after accounting for student characteristics, will be positively associated with SME persistence, was not supported. We demonstrate that the significance of the selectivity effect is overestimated when unilevel models are used. Admission officials are advised to carefully consider the relative academic preparedness of science-interested students, and such students choosing among colleges are advised to compare their academic qualifications to those of successful science students at each institution.
Scientometric analyses of studies on the role of innate variation in athletic performance

Historical events have produced an ideologically charged atmosphere in the USA surrounding the potential influences of innate variation on athletic performance. We tested the hypothesis that scientific studies of the role of innate variation in athletic performance were less likely to have authors with USA addresses than addresses elsewhere because of this cultural milieu. Using scientometric data collected from 290 scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals from 2000–2012, we compared the proportions of authors with USA addresses with those that listed addresses elsewhere that studied the relationships between athletic performance and (a) prenatal exposure to androgens, as indicated by the ratio between digits 2 and 4, and (b) the genotypes for angiotensin converting enzyme, α-actinin-3, and myostatin; traits often associated with athletic performance. Authors with USA addresses were disproportionately underrepresented on papers about the role of innate variation in athletic performance. We searched NIH and NSF databases for grant proposals solicited or funded from 2000–2012 to determine if the proportion of authors that listed USA addresses was associated with funding patterns. NIH did not solicit grant proposals designed to examine these factors in the context of athletic performance and neither NIH nor NSF funded grants designed to study these topics. We think the combined effects of a lack of government funding and the avoidance of studying controversial or non-fundable topics by USA based scientists are responsible for the observation that authors with USA addresses were underrepresented on scientific papers examining the relationships between athletic performance and innate variation.
Thermal design optimization of a package on package

In the past decade, compact components such as Chip Scale Packages and flip chips were the work horses of miniaturization. However, emerging applications are now demanding even higher packaging density. In order to fulfill this requirement, three dimensional packaging was evolved. Advantages of three dimensional packaging structure include minimal conductor length and reduce speed limiting inter chip interconnects. In the past, this packaging approach was relegated to memory devices with relatively low power (flash). Recent focus, however, has been to extend the applications of stacked packages to include high performance memory, DRAM, logic-memory stack, system in a package etc. Stacked packages can be package-on-package or die stacked (with several dice inside the same casing) or both. It is common in a mobile phone that the stacked CSP is mounted on a circuit board and there is no space for air circulation. Depending on the power, due to the torturous heat flow path, it can result in high temperatures of the packaged die and the thermal specifications of the package can be easily exceeded. Hence there is a need for thermal simulation of a variety of packaging architecture for applications of interest. The objective of this paper was to perform thermal characterization of a commercially viable PoP. In order to model this PoP, flip chip logic die package was considered as the bottom package and two memory dice stacked package was considered as the top package. Eleven different scenarios were taken into consideration for the numerical analysis. Permutations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 1, 2 and 3 W memory die and logic die was considered respectively Additional two cases are also described. Steady state analysis was performed based on which guidelines were provided. For the analysis commercially available FEA tool was considered.
Role of superconducting transmission - A subjective assessment

Some heuristic considerations involved in evaluating research on superconducting power transmission systems are discussed: (1) the continuing of exponential growth in electric system load; (2) the resulting increase in the density of power generation and transmission; (3) the effects of technology on the environment; and (4) the conclusion that the realistic prospects are for underground transmission lines of longer lengths and higher capabilities. Objections and impediments to the advancement of the technology are presented, and the present impossibility of any forecast scenario is discussed. (PMA)
Vibrational Substructure in the OH Stretching Transition of Water and HOD

Ultrafast nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy with mid-IR pumping and incoherent anti-Stokes Raman probing is used to study v = 1 excitations of OH stretching (νOH) of water and of HOD in D2O solvent (HOD/D2O). The parent νOH decay and the appearance of daughter stretching and bending excitations are simultaneously monitored, which allows for characterization of the stretch decay pathways. At all times and with all pump frequencies within the νOH band, the excited-state spectrum can be fit by two overlapping subbands, a broader red-shifted band and a narrower blue-shifted band . We show these subbands are dynamically distinguishable. They decay with different lifetimes and evidence characteristically different decay pathways. Excitations of the subband generate bending vibrations that does not. The shorter lifetime (∼0.5 ps) of the subband compared to the subband (0.8−0.9 ps) results primarily from enhanced stretch-to-bend anharmonic coupling. The subbands represent persistent structures in the excited sta...
A three-wave study of the impact that the work-school interface has on job performance

The links between the work-school interface and work outcomes were examined from a conflict and enrichment perspective with a sample of 170 working undergraduate students. Data was collected in 3 w...
Random timing in signaling cascades

Mol Syst Biol. 3: 81 Cells often rely on precise temporal coordination and can go through great troubles to time events in response to internal signals and environmental cues, as demonstrated by circadian clocks, cell‐cycle control, and morphogenesis. But for any given set of signals and cues there can also be substantial random variability from cell to cell. The origin of such variation is understood in general terms—chemical reactions involve random collisions between diffusing molecules—but its extent cannot be inferred from first principles. Most single‐cell studies have also focused on fluctuations in molecule numbers (Elowitz et al , 2002; Ozbudak et al , 2002), and there are rather few quantitative measurements (Bean et al , 2006) of intracellular timing even in the best‐studied model systems. In this issue of Molecular Systems Biology , Stavans and co‐workers (Amir et al , 2007) address this problem in an insightful study of how temporal fluctuations propagate along the lytic cascade of bacteriophage λ. When λ phage infects a bacterium, it chooses between two paths: it either hijacks cellular resources, overproduces phage particles, and busts the cell open (lysis), or it integrates into the host chromosome and protects the cell from further phage infection (lysogeny). Lysogenic phage then quietly replicates with the chromosome until DNA damage activates the RecA protein, which degrades the λ repressor CI and derepresses phage promoters pL and pR. Promoter pL drives the expression of an anti‐terminator for pR expression, allowing read‐through to lytic downstream genes. A drop in CI thus only triggers lysis if it lasts long enough for pR to remain derepressed by the time the anti‐terminator reaches a high enough concentration to allow read‐through. This …
Cardiac Malformations in Rats Induced by Exposure of the Mother to Carbon Dioxide During Pregnancy

Seventy-one pregnant rats of a Sprague-Dawley strain were exposed for a single 24-hour period to a gas mixture of 6 per cent carbon dioxide, 20 per cent oxygen and 74 per cent nitrogen on different days during gestation. There were 530 offspring and these were compared with 159 newborn rats from 21 control dams. The incidence of cardiac malformations was 23.4 per cent in the test group and 6.8 per cent in the control group with the highest incidence in the test group occurring when the exposure was on the tenth day of gestation. Isolated ventricular septal defects, situated in the lower and posterior part of the muscle septum, were found in 8 cases, ventricular septal defects with overriding aorta in 24 cases and ventricular septal defects with partial transposition in 20 cases. Forty-seven of the abnormal hearts had a myocardial thickening accompanied by narrowing of the pulmonic or aortic outflow channel with or without other abnormalities, such as atresia of the mitral or tricuspid valves and hypoplasia of the aorta or pulmonary artery. There was a slight increase in perinatal mortality in the test group, and a lower frequency of male offspring. The average body weight was 18.9 per cent higher in the test group.
Selection for higher gene copy number after different types of plant gene duplications

The evolutionary origins of the multitude of duplicate genes in the plant genomes are still incompletely understood. To gain an appreciation of the potential selective forces acting on these duplicates, we phylogenetically inferred the set of metabolic gene families from 10 flowering plant (angiosperm) genomes. We then compared the metabolic fluxes for these families, predicted using the Arabidopsis thaliana and Sorghum bicolor metabolic networks, with the families' duplication propensities. For duplications produced by both small scale (small-scale duplications) and genome duplication (whole-genome duplications), there is a significant association between the flux and the tendency to duplicate. Following this global analysis, we made a more fine-scale study of the selective constraints observed on plant sodium and phosphate transporters. We find that the different duplication mechanisms give rise to differing selective constraints. However, the exact nature of this pattern varies between the gene families, and we argue that the duplication mechanism alone does not define a duplicated gene's subsequent evolutionary trajectory. Collectively, our results argue for the interplay of history, function, and selection in shaping the duplicate gene evolution in plants.
Human skeletal remains from Tomb 1, Sipán (Lambayeque river valley, Peru); and their social implications

The Moche tombs at Sipan, on the north Peruvian coast, are a major addition to our knowledge of high-status elite burial rituals. Its Tomb 1 contains the remains of nine individuals - three adult males, one adult female, three adolescent females and one child - besides the principal burial. Who are these people, as their biological remains instruct us ?
Effect of spectators on athletes and non-athletes performing a gross motor task.

Abstract Sixteen college athletes and non-athletes were given 10 30-sec. practice trials to learn how to balance on a stabilometer. The next day they were allowed three more trials alone and three trials before a group of spectators. The non-athletes were significantly better on two of the three trials performed in front of the spectators. They also performed better than the athletes throughout the ten practice trials, although the tenth and last trial approached but did not yield a significant difference at the .05 level.
Semantic versus numeric priming and the consider-the-opposite strategy: Comment on Adame (2016)

Abstract In a recent study, Adame (2016) demonstrated that training people to use the consider-the-opposite strategy can successfully reduce anchoring effects. In this commentary, I reconsider the implications of Adame’s results and argue that although they do not provide additional evidence for the Selective Accessibility Model, they do reveal the effectiveness of the consider-the-opposite strategy for reducing anchoring effects that result from both semantic and numeric priming.
COMPOSITIONS AND THE CHAIN RULE USING ARROW DIAGRAMS

ABSTRACT Arrow (or tree, or branch) diagrams are sometimes introduced to freshman calculus students as a mnemonic device for applying the chain rule to functions of several variables. We suggest a particular format for an arrow diagram that can be introduced to students early on as a way to internalize the notion of a composition of functions, and that later can be used as a mnemonic device for applying the chain rule to functions both of one and of several variables.
Neutron-deuteron analyzing power data at En=22.5 MeV

We present measurements of $n$-$d$ analyzing power, ${A}_{y}(\ensuremath{\theta})$, at ${E}_{n}=22.5$ MeV. The experiment uses a shielded neutron source which produced polarized neutrons via the ${}^{2}$H($\stackrel{P\vec}{d}$,$\stackrel{P\vec}{n}$)${}^{3}$He reaction. It also uses a deuterated liquid-scintillator center detector and six pairs of liquid-scintillator neutron side detectors. Elastic neutron scattering events are identified by using time-of-flight techniques and by setting a window in the center detector pulse-height spectrum. The beam polarization is monitored by using a high-pressure helium gas cell and an additional pair of liquid-scintillator side detectors. The $n$-$d$ ${A}_{y}(\ensuremath{\theta})$ data were corrected for finite-geometry and multiple-scattering effects using a Monte Carlo simulation of the experiment. The 22.5-MeV data demonstrate that the three-nucleon analyzing power puzzle also exists at this energy. They show a significant discrepancy with predictions of high-precision nucleon-nucleon potentials alone or combined with Tucscon-Melbourne or Urbana IX three-nucleon forces, as well as currently available effective-field theory based potentials of next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order.
First Generation Iranian Immigrants and the Question of Cultural Identity: The Case of Iowa:

Based on survey research and in-depth interviews, this article concerns first generation Iranian immigrants in Iowa and focuses on the extent of their integration into the host society's culture. T...
Unicompartmental knee replacement after high tibial osteotomy: Invalidating a contraindication

The outcome of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) deteriorates with time, and additional procedures may be required. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes between unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) and total knee replacement (TKR) after HTO as well as after primary UKR. A total of 63 patients (63 knees) were studied retrospectively and divided into three groups: UKR after HTO (group A; n = 22), TKR after HTO (group B; n = 18) and primary UKR (group C; n = 22). The Oxford knee score (OKS), Knee Society score (KSS), hip–knee–ankle angles, mechanical axis and patellar height were evaluated pre- and post-operatively. At a mean of 64 months (19 to 180) post-operatively the mean OKS was 43.8 (33 to 49), 43.3 (30 to 48) and 42.5 (29 to 48) for groups A, B and C, respectively (p = 0.73). The mean KSS knee score was 88.8 (54 to 100), 88.11 (51 to 100) and 85.3 (45 to 100) for groups A, B and C, respectively (p = 0.65), and the mean KSS function score was 85.0 (50 to 100) in group A, 85.8 (20 to 100) in group B and 79.3 (50 to 100) in group C (p = 0.48). Radiologically the results were comparable for all groups except for patellar height, with a higher incidence of patella infra following a previous HTO (p = 0.02). Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1348–53.
Statistical Optimization of Dry Deshaling for Indian Coals Using Response Surface Methodology

ABSTRACTDry deshaling is receiving renewed attention in the coal-mining industry. In this methodology, high-density rock is removed from run-of-mine (ROM) coal at the mine extraction point and prior to shipping. One of the popular technologies used globally, the density-based vibrating air-table, was tested on a pilot-scale at three different coal-processing facilities in India. In this article, statistical analysis of the resulting test data was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM). The study identified that out of the four major operating parameters (i.e., tilt, slope, fan speed, and table vibrations), vibration frequency and its combined effect with slope impact the deshaling performance the most. In addition, empirical equations formulated using regression analyses were used for simultaneous optimization of the significant parameters in order to achieve the highest performance for the separation of Indian coals. The optimal operating conditions were determined using a desirability functi...
Altered Energy Metabolism Pathways in the Posterior Cingulate in Young Adult Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 Carriers

The APOE gene, encoding apolipoprotein E, is the primary genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele (APOE4) carriers have alterations in brain structure and function (as measured by brain imaging) even as young adults. Examination of this population is valuable in further identifying details of these functional changes and their association with vulnerability to AD decades later. Previous work demonstrates functional declines in mitochondrial activity in the posterior cingulate cortex, a key region in the default mode network, which appears to be strongly associated with functional changes relevant to AD risk. Here, we demonstrate alterations in the pathways underlying glucose, ketone, and mitochondrial energy metabolism. Young adult APOE4 carriers displayed upregulation of specific glucose (GLUT1 & GLUT3) and monocarboxylate (MCT2) transporters, the glucose metabolism enzyme hexokinase, the SCOT & AACS enzymes involved in ketone metabolism, and complexes I, II, and IV of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The monocarboxylate transporter (MCT4) was found to be downregulated in APOE4 carriers. These data suggest that widespread dysregulation of energy metabolism in this at-risk population, even decades before possible disease onset. Therefore, these findings support the idea that alterations in brain energy metabolism may contribute significantly to the risk that APOE4 confers for AD.
The Three-stage Idea for the Regional Economy and Society Further Coordinate Development during the Period of "12th Five-Year Plan"

On the basis of the economic and social development.Of the "11th Five-Year Plan",the further regional economic and harmonious development of society should respect the objective economic principles,regional characteristics and requirements of low-carbon environmental protection,sort into three phases,mine,integrate,adjust the economic and social resources in the "four sections" and "type areas" step by step,level by level in order to achieve the all round improvement of overall strength during the period of "12th Five-Year Plan"
Good for Me vs. Good for Us

Edited byJacquelyn H. Flaskerud, RN, PhD, FAANUniversity of California, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, California, USAJanna Lesser, RN, PhDUniversity of Texas Health Sciences Center, School of Nur...
High-speed performance of III-nitride 410 nm ridge laser diode on (202̄1̄) plane for visible light communication

The modulation characteristics of high-performance In 0.1 Ga 0.9 N/GaN continuous-wave (CW) ridge laser diode were demonstrated. The laser epitaxial structure was grown on (2021) by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for high-power CW operation by adopting low-resistance top-side n-type contact design. The threshold current density of 1200 µm long and 3 µm wide cavity was 6.1 kA/cm 2 in CW. Measured slope efficiency of the resonance frequency was 0.3268 GHz/mA 1/2 and calculated differential gain was 2.2 × 10–16 cm2. 4.3 GHz of −3 dB bandwidth were obtained and the 10.2 GHz of maximum intrinsic bandwidth have been calculated from the damping factor. 5 Gbit/s data rate was measured by large signal modulation.
The United States-Canada softwood lumber trade: An actual versus optimal export tax

Abstract By developing a two-country two-stage game model, this study examines an optimal level of export tax under the framework of the 2006 United States (U.S.)-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA 2006). The theoretical results suggest that marginal lumber production costs in Canada and U.S. lumber production capacity along with linear demand parameters determine an optimum rate of export tax on Canadian lumber exports to the U.S. The empirical estimation reveals that the monthly optimal export tax during the SLA 2006 period follows the actual export tax closely with a monthly rate ranging from −4 % to 19 % .
The role of prosody and voice quality in indirect storytelling speech: Annotation methodology and expressive categories

Storytelling speech entails a particular speaking style that contains subtle expressive nuances represented by specific acoustic cues. In the literature, different pieces of research have addressed its analysis following diverse approaches, some of them studying these subtleties by attending only to prosodic variations. In this work, we propose an analysis methodology to annotate this particular speaking style at the sentence level based on storytelling discourse modes (narrative, descriptive and dialogue), besides introducing narrative sub-modes denoted as expressive categories. Following this annotation methodology, we analyse the role of both prosody and voice quality in indirect storytelling speech through statistical and discriminant analyses. The results obtained on the oral interpretation in Spanish of a tale show the viability of the annotation methodology, since most of the sentence-level utterances are successfully classified after several inter-annotator agreement verifications. Moreover, the outcome of the statistical and discriminant analyses prove that voice quality is as important as prosody to characterize storytelling expressive categories. Finally, we also show evidences that such categories can be conveyed with subtle expressive variability.
Measuring Factors Associated with Colorectal Cancer Screening among Young Adult African American Men: A Psychometric Study

The Male Role Norms, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions associated with Colorectal Cancer Screening (MKAP-CRCS) survey was developed to assess the attitudes, knowledge, male role norms, perceived barriers, and perceived subjective norms associated with screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) among young adult African American men. There is a critical need for exploring the complex factors that may shape attitudes towards CRC screening among men who are younger (i.e., ages 19–45) than those traditionally assessed by clinicians and health promotion researchers (age 50 and older). Psychometrically sound measures are crucial for eliciting valid and reliable data on these factors. The current study, therefore, assessed the psychometric properties of the MKAP-CRCS instrument using an online sample of young adult African American men (N = 157) across the United States. Exploratory principal component factor analyses revealed that the MKAP-CRCS measure yielded construct valid and reliable scores, suggesting that the scale holds promise as an appropriate tool for assessing factors associated with CRC screening among younger African American men. Strengths and limitations of this study, along with directions for future research are discussed, including the need for more research examining the relationship between masculinity and CRC screening among African American men.
Post eBay: A Brave New World?

Patent strategy is deceptively simple in form, but complex in execution. Patents simply create a legal basis for transacting in inventions. However, the uncertain nature and scope of patent rights, the nature of the markets, and the ingenuity of market players make commercialisation of inventions a sophisticated and challenging enterprise. This article builds upon the latest research examining the relationship between patent strategies and factors such as firm size and the nature of the industry. It then considers how these strategies can undermine the law and examines counter-strategies devised in a post-eBay world.
Reinforcing Doses of Intravenous Cocaine Produce Only Modest Dopamine Uptake Inhibition.

The reinforcing efficacy of cocaine is thought to stem from inhibition of the dopamine transporter (DAT) and subsequent increases in extracellular dopamine concentrations in the brain. In humans, this hypothesis has generally been supported by positron emission tomography imaging studies where the percent of DATs occupied by cocaine is used as a measure of cocaine activity in the brain. Interpretation of these studies, however, often relies on the assumption that measures of DAT occupancy directly correspond with functional DAT blockade. In the current studies, we used in vivo and in vitro fast scan cyclic voltammetry in mice to measure dopamine uptake inhibition following varying doses of cocaine as well as two high affinity DAT inhibitors. We then compared dopamine clearance rates following these drug treatments to dopamine clearance obtained from DAT knockout mice as a proxy for complete DAT blockade. We found that administration of abused doses of cocaine resulted in approximately 2% of maximal DAT bl...
Techno-economic analysis of direct coal-biomass to liquids (CBTL) plants with shale gas utilization and CO2 capture and storage (CCS)

Abstract In this paper, techno-economic analysis of direct coal biomass to liquids (CBTL) plants is performed in Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (APEA) using high fidelity process models developed in Aspen Plus for four different configurations of direct CBTL plants. Results from the economic model are validated with the data in the open literature, if available. Sensitivity studies are conducted to evaluate the impacts of key investment parameters, design parameters, and potential government-subsidized credits on the main economic measures including net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), break-even oil price (BEOP) and equivalent oil price (EOP). Using the North America 2015 pricing basis in APEA, this study shows that the BEOP of direct CBTL processes ranges from $56.9/bbl to $80.5/bbl for large scale (50,000 bbl/day) plants and from $77.3/bbl to $97.5/bbl for small scale (10,000 bbl/day) plants. It is observed that integrating a carbon capture and storage (CCS) unit to the direct CBTL process can increase the BEOP by about 10%, while utilization of the cheap and abundant shale gas (especially in the continental US) can make the direct liquefaction processes considerably more attractive than the indirect CBTL processes.
Ethics in College Sexual Assault Research

The persistently high rates of sexual assault on college campuses have led to an increasing demand for a solution to the problem. In response, research in the field is growing rapidly. With any exp...
The private-public divide: impact of conflicting perceptions between the private and public health care sectors in India.

CONTEXTE : Le secteur de soins de sante prive de l'Inde prend en charge la moitie des patients tuberculeux (TB) du pays, ce qui represente selon nos estimations environ un sixieme de l'ensemble des cas TB du monde. Alors que differentes etudes ont demontre les styles douteux de diagnostic et de traitement des medecins prives et leur manque de collaboration avec les medecins publics, dans l'ensemble on ne sait que tres peu au sujet du secteur prive. OBJECTIFS: Grâce a l'utilisation d'un questionnaire detaille distribue au hasard pour une enquete chez les praticiens prives et publics d'Ahmedebat, Gujarat, Inde, nous avons quantifie les perceptions de chacun de ces deux secteurs. SCHEMA DE L'ETUDE : Enquete transversale chez les medecins prives et publics. RESULTATS : Nous avons observe des perceptions significativement antagonistes concernant l'interpretation des faits generaux, l'attitude a l'egard de chacun des secteurs ainsi que l'efficience et les implications sociales du DOTS. Nous avons observe en outre que de telles differences de perception sont susceptibles d'entrainer un manque de confiance, des vues divergentes sur les propositions de reforme, des idees conflictuelles au sujet des agendas sociaux et l'absence d'une volonte de cooperation. CONCLUSION : Nos donnees suggerent que la reconciliation peut etre obtenue en engrangeant et en distribuant des informations non biaisees et bien demontrees et en veillant a des contacts des medecins avec les deux secteurs de soins de sante dans un contexte professionnel.
MHC Class II Mutant Mice

Publisher Summary Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules are polymorphic antigens encoded by four gene loci in the mouse: A α , A β , E α , and E β . Non-covalent association of appropriate α and β chains results in the stable cell surface expression of the two isotypic forms: I-A and I-E. In contrast to the ubiquitous expression of MHC class I antigens, class II molecules are expressed only on B lymphocytes, a subset of macrophages, dendritic cells, and thymic epithelium. Despite their limited tissue distribution, MHC class II molecules are critical to the initiation and maintenance of many types of immune responses. The present study uses the approach of gene targeting in embryonic stem (ES) cells to generate animals that are deficient in their cell surface expression of MHC class II molecules. These MHC class II mutant mice have proved to be valuable reagents for addressing the mechanisms governing the development and function of cells in the immune system.
Using Your Writing Time Efficiently

Scientific writing is hard work. Granted, it is not as physically exhausting as swinging a pick or as mentally demanding as solving a nonlinear differential equation but it requires focus and patience. Moreover, the solutions are not exact. You do not draft a document and sit back and say, “Perfect.” No matter how many times you revise a document, you will find phrases that will not sound quite right and the beginnings of sentences in which you feel compelled to state five details at once.
Allenols Derived from Nucleic Acid Bases — A New Class of Anti-HIV Agents: Chemistry and Biological Activity

The last 15 years have witnessed a revival of interest in analogues of nucleosides following the discoveries that several of such compounds exhibit powerful antiviral effects. In this context, two compounds are of particular significance. The first of such analogues is acyclovir (1a, Zovirax) which was developed in the late seventies1 (Chart 1). Acyclovir (1a) is an analogue of 2′-deoxyguanosine of clinical importance as a drug for treatment of herpesvirus infections. The second compound is 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (3b, AZT, zidovudine or Retrovir), an analogue of thymidine, and, until recently, the only approved drug for treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AZT (3b) was originally prepared in the sixties,2 its antiretroviral potential was recognized in the seventies,3 and it was developed as a therapeutic agent against AIDS in the eighties.4 Drugs 1a and 3b are examples of two structurally different classes of nucleoside analogues. Acyclovir (1a) belongs to a series of open-chain compounds derived by cleavage of at least one C-C bond or deletion of one or more carbon atoms of the sugar ring, whereas AZT (3b) comprises an intact furanose moiety.
Studying Aspects of Flourishing Among Adolescents

The Flourishing Children Project responds to a call for rigorous indicators of positive development in adolescents by creating scales for 19 constructs of positive development in the categories of flourishing in school and work, personal flourishing, flourishing in relationships, relationship skills, helping others to flourish, and environmental stewardship. Each scale can be used alone or in combination to fill gaps in available measures of important constructs of adolescent flourishing. This chapter presents background and overview of the project. Our work is based on a framework for generating positive indicators that we developed previously. The current project began with a review of the research and extant measures for the constructs. With that information, we created definitions for each of the 19 constructs that represented a consensus from the literature. We then selected existing items that measure these constructs or adapted or created new items, which we tested through three rounds of cognitive interviews. To ensure that they were suited for national surveys, the scales were tested on a nationally representative sample of adolescents and parents. Finally, we conducted psychometric analyses to ensure the scales possessed desired psychometric properties.
A History of the Normal Moore Space Problem

This is a thematic history of the normal Moore space problem, which was for many years the general topology problem whose solution was most eagerly sought after. This was partly due to the dominance of the R.L. Moore school of point-set topology, and partly due to the fact that it became enmeshed in set theory from the beginning, and gave rise to a whole area of topology that has been, in the words of Tall [1984] “at the cutting edge of set-theoretic topology, very frequently being the first topological consumer of a new set-theoretic technique”.
The Oxidation of Organic Compounds by Active Manganese Dioxide

In the series of reagents used in heterogeneous oxidation reactions, active manganese dioxide has acquired a prominent place among such oxidants as copper oxide, mercury(II) oxide, silver oxide, lead dioxide, sodium bismuthate, 1–3 nickel peroxide, 4, 5 manganese(III) acetate, 6, 7 silver carbonate on Celite, 8 seloxcette9 (chromic anhydride intercalated in graphite), and the recently introduced potassium permanganate on molecular sieves10 and barium manganate (BaMnO4).11, 12 The last two reagents10, 11 may be efficient oxidants for the conversion of alcohols into carbonyl compounds (under mild conditions).
Childhood and adult behavior disorder: some experimental comparisons.

Seventy-six children with diagnoses of behavior disorder were tested with a motor conditional reflex test and a word association test. Essentially no differences were found when test performance was compared with that of 142 normal controls. When the diagnoses were divided into neuroses, adjustment reaction of childhood, and personality disorder, none of these subgroups showed any distinctive difference. Experimental differences between clinically excitatory and inhibitory types could not be established. The Russian reports about abnormal basic Pavlovian parameters could not be confirmed.
Email versus In-Person Audit Inquiry: Recent Research and Additional Survey Data

SUMMARY Recent research suggests that an auditor's choice to conduct audit inquiry via email versus in person can adversely impact both auditor and client behavior. In this study, I review recent r...
Characterization and calibration of a multilayer coated Wolter optic for an imager on the Z-machine at Sandia National Laboratories.

The need for a time-resolved monochromatic x-ray imaging diagnostic at photon energies >15 keV has motivated the development of a Wolter optic to study x-ray sources on the Z-machine at Sandia National Laboratories. The work is performed in both the LLNL’s x-ray calibration facility and SNL’s micro-focus x-ray lab. Characterizations and calibrations include alignment, measurement of throughput within the field of view (FOV), the point-spread function within the FOV both in and out of focus, and bandpass in the FOV. These results are compared with ray tracing models, showing reasonable agreement.
A method to standardize the blood flow restriction pressure by an elastic cuff.

Blood flow restriction training using a practical (non-pneumatic) elastic cuff has recently increased in popularity. However, a criticism of this method is that the pressure applied and the amount of blood flow restriction induced is unknown. The aim was to quantify blood flow following the application of an elastic cuff and compare that to what is observed using a more traditional pressurized nylon cuff. Thirty-five young participants (16 men and 19 women) visited the laboratory once for testing. In a randomized order (one condition per arm), an elastic cuff (5 cm wide) was applied to one arm and blood flow was measured following the cuff being pulled to two distinct lengths; 10% and 20% of the resting length based on arm circumference. The other arm would follow a similar protocol but use a pressurized nylon cuff (5 cm wide) and be inflated to 40% and 80% of the individuals resting arterial occlusion pressure. There was a main effect of pressure for blood flow with it decreasing in a pressure-dependent manner (High < Low, P < 0.001). The mean difference (95% CI) in blood flow between cuffs was -5.9 (-18.9, 7.0) % for the lower pressure and -4.0 (-13.2, 5.1) % for the higher pressure. When the relative changes for each cuff were separated by sex, there were no differences in the changes from Pre (P ≥ 0.509). The application of a pressure relative to the initial belt length, which is largely dependent upon arm circumference, appears to provide one method to standardize the practical blood flow restriction pressure for future research.
Knowing Possibilities and the Possibility of Knowing: A Further Challenge for the Anti-Realist

Knowing that some state of affairs—expressed by a proposition, p—is possible (Ks◊p), and the possibility that one knows that p (◊Ksp) have, quite obviously, different meanings. This paper focuses only on their logical relationship—whether they entail one another. I will argue for the following three claims: (i) the basic verificationist principles of anti-realism, at least in their simplest forms, and in conjunction with some other, intuitively reasonable principles, do entail that these two concepts are substitutionally equivalent. (ii) Our pre-theoretical expectations question this outcome, as counterexamples can be manufactured. I will also argue that this substitutional equivalence has further, highly counter-intuitive implications. (iii) Finally, I will argue that some of the standard strategies to avoid the well-known paradoxes of anti-realism (as e.g. the Church–Fitch paradox) fail to (dis-)solve this new paradox, while others may be able to do that, but only at a considerable price. However, the introduction of a moderate anti-realist truth operator, the actual objective of this paper, does dissolve the paradox, and arguably at an affordable price.
The Anatomy of Deep Time: Rock Art and Landscape in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia

Petroglyphic rock art in three valleys of Mongolia's Altai Mountains reveals the anatomy of deep time at the boundary between Central and North Asia. Inscribed over a period of twelve millennia, its subject matter, styles, and manner of execution reflect the constraints of changing geology, climate, and vegetation. These valleys were created and shaped by ancient glaciers. Analysis of their physical environment, projected from the deep past to the present, begins to explain the rhythm of cultural manifestations: where rock art appears, when it disappears, and why. The material and this remote arena offer an ideal laboratory to study the intersection of prehistoric culture and paleoenvironment.
Examining Whether the Social Cognitive Theory Concepts Predict Childhood Obesity Prevention Outcome Expectations.

The social cognitive theory (SCT) has been used to explain and promote childhood obesity prevention behaviors. We examined whether the SCT concepts predicted outcome expectations of childhood obesi...
Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase-1 Expression in Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

Abstract Background Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1) is overexpressed in many human carcinomas and a successful target for therapy in mouse models. Prognosis of patients with advanced adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is poor due to the lack of effective treatments, and new therapies are therefore needed. Herein, we investigate whether IDO-1 is expressed in human ACC tissues. Methods 53 tissue samples from patients with ACC, adrenal adenoma (AA), adrenocortical tumors (ACTs), and normal adrenal were identified. Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded slides for IDO-1. Samples were scored for cytoplasmic staining as per intensity and the percent of positive cells and for stromal staining by percent of positive cells. Tumor characteristics, PD-L1, PDL-2, and CD-8+ T-lymphocyte expression were also determined. Results Samples from 32 ACC, 3 ACT, 15 AA, and 3 normal adrenal were analyzed. IDO-1 was expressed in tumor tissue in 22 of 32 ACC samples, compared with 8 of 15 AA sample (P = 0.344). IDO-1 expression was significantly increased in stromal tissue of ACC samples (16 of 33), compared with AA samples (0 of 15) (P = 0.001). IDO-1 expression in ACC and AA samples was associated with PD-L2 expression (P = 0.034). IDO-1 expression in ACC stromal tissue was associated with CD8+ T-lymphocyte infiltration (P = 0.028). Conclusions IDO-1 is expressed in a majority of ACC samples. Its expression in tumor tissue is associated with PD-L2 expression, and expression in stroma is associated with CD8+ cell infiltration. IDO-1 inhibition, alone or in combination with PD-1 inhibition, could therefore be an interesting target in treatment of ACC.