cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engineered ECM Microenvironments and Their Regulation of Stem Cells

Stem cells possess numerous therapeutic benefits since it is possible to reproducibly control their ability to mature into different cell types even after prolonged culture in vitro; this ability makes stem cells well suited for tissue engineering and regenerative applications. Consequently, understanding stem cell differentiation is a crucial step for those applications. Regulating stem cell fate has traditionally relied on presenting small molecules such as growth factors and cytokines in developmentally appropriate ways, but such a view overlooks other important niche characteristics. Recently, extracellular matrix (ECM) properties have been shown to influence cellular behavior independent of chemical signals, and this has shifted the differentiation paradigm to include ECM properties, e.g. topography, stiffness, composition, porosity, and cell shape/size. Recent advances in bioengineering have enabled versatility in patterning cell types with controlled chemistries, geometries, and sizes. In this chapter, we detail the recent advances in nano- or microfabrication techniques, the biomechanical- and biophysical-driven stem cell differentiation, and the mechanism of how cells “feel” their ECM environment.
Dieting for Dollars

Aheadline in a newspaper caught my attention several years ago: “A Little Extra Cash Inspires Employees to Lose Weight, Study Shows.” As an economist, my first reaction to the newspaper article was to scoff: So what else is new? “Incentives matter” is a fundamental axiom in economics on par with “there is no such thing as a free lunch.” My second reaction was more reserved and concerned: Employers are rewarding the wrong workers, those who eat too much and run up their firms’ health insurance costs. Firms should be rewarding workers who do not need incentives to lose weight. Otherwise, they run the risk of some workers gaining weight just to be paid to lose the added pounds. Employers who use weight-loss incentives also, inadvertently, encourage workers to gain weight before the first weigh-in! “Moral hazard,” which has come up time and again in this book, is a real and abiding problem that can raise its ugly head in the strangest places (even workplaces).
Advancement in the maturing science of cultural adaptations of evidence-based interventions.

OBJECTIVE Concerns about the maturing science of cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) have encompassed deficient standardization of theoretical frameworks and inefficiencies adapting multiple EBIs for multiple ethnic groups. Others argue that original EBIs applied with fidelity address universal processes applicable across ethnicity without adaptation. Study goals were to (1) establish a unifying data-driven framework for culturally adapting mental health EBIs for ethnic minorities, and (2) provide information for the fidelity debate by examining the extent to which fidelity to core EBI components is achieved in the cultural adaptation process. METHOD A systematic review of primary research was conducted utilizing an inductive approach via thematic synthesis to code 20 years of cultural EBI adaptation studies for mental health problems in ethnic minorities. Studies were coded for adapted EBI components and extent of EBI modification. RESULTS Results yielded the Cultural Treatment Adaptation Framework (CTAF), an overarching data-driven framework providing common concepts and language for adapted treatment components that unifies cultural adaption science. Findings also demonstrated patterns of adapted components. All adapted EBIs (100%) yielded changes in peripheral (engagement and treatment delivery) components. In contrast, only 11.11% of culturally adapted EBIs yielded core therapeutic component modifications. Instead, 60.0% required core additions that address sociocultural, cultural skill, and psychoeducation needs. CONCLUSION Fidelity to core components is largely preserved in cultural adaptation, but core component addendums, delivery, and contextualization are substantially changed. The CTAF and its patterns represent a key step in advancement of a maturing cultural adaptation science. (PsycINFO Database Record
Poor Consumer Comprehension and Plan Selection Inconsistencies Under the 2016 HealthCare.gov Choice Architecture.

Background: Many health policy experts have endorsed insurance competition as a way to reduce the cost and improve the quality of medical care. In line with this approach, health insurance exchange...
Cardiac manifestations of Familial Mediterranean fever

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is autoinflammatory disorder characterized by sporadic attacks of fever, peritonitis, pleuritis, and arthritis. It is mainly seen in patients from Mediterranean origins, but it is now reported more frequently in Europe and North America due to immigration. To analyze the data on the cardiovascular manifestations in FMF patients, we searched PubMed using the terms "Familial Mediterranean Fever" or "FMF" in combination with other key words including "cardiovascular diseases" "pericardial diseases" "atherosclerosis" "coronary artery diseases" "cardiomyopathy" "pulmonary hypertension" or "valvular diseases." suggested several mechanisms to explain the cardiac involvements in FMF including the ongoing inflammation and the amyloid deposits in the heart and vessels' walls at the advanced stages of FMF. The course of these manifestations varies widely, but it can associate with poor prognosis in some cases such as with pulmonary hypertension. Interestingly, Colchicine, which is the cornerstone therapy of FMF, plays a vital role in treating and preventing some of these disorders. In this article, In this article, we will discuss the incidence, pathophysiology, and prognosis of the various cardiac manifestations affecting FMF patients.
Functional Assays for Measuring the Catalytic Activity of Ribosome Inactivating Proteins.

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are potent toxins that inactivate ribosomes by catalytically removing a specific adenine from the α-sarcin/ricin loop (SRL) of the large rRNA. Direct assays for measuring depurination activity and indirect assays for measuring the resulting translation inhibition have been employed to determine the enzyme activity of RIPs. Rapid and sensitive methods to measure the depurination activity of RIPs are critical for assessing their reaction mechanism, enzymatic properties, interaction with ribosomal proteins, ribotoxic stress signaling, in the search for inhibitors and in the detection and diagnosis of enteric infections. Here, we review the major assays developed for measuring the catalytic activity of RIPs, discuss their advantages and disadvantages and explain how they are used in understanding the catalytic mechanism, ribosome specificity, and dynamic enzymatic features of RIPs.
Harmonic qualities in Debussy's "Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir"

This analysis of the fourth piece from Debussy's Preludes Book I illustrates typical harmonic techniques of Debussy as manipulations of harmonic qualities. We quantify harmonic qualities via the ma...
Thermal fluctuations in antiferromagnetic nanostructures

Abstract A theoretical model is developed that can accurately analyze the effects of thermal fluctuations in antiferromagnetic (AFM) nano-particles. The approach is based on Fourier series representation of the random effective field with cut-off frequencies of physical origin at low and high limits while satisfying the fluctuation-dissipation theorem at the same time. When coupled with the formalism of a Langevin dynamical equation, it can describe the stochastic Neel vector dynamics with the AFM parameters, circumventing the arbitrariness of the commonly used treatments in the micro-magnetic simulations. Subsequent application of the model to spontaneous Neel vector switching provides a thermal stability analysis of the AFM states. The numerical simulation shows that the AFM states are much less prone to the thermally induced accidental flips than the ferromagnetic counterparts, suggesting a longer retention time for the former.
Autonomic System for Dynamic Load Balancing of Parallel CFD

Abstract: As the number of heterogeneous computers used in a parallel computation increases, the possibility of unexpected interruption of program execution also increases. The sources of interruptions include operating system limitations, hardware problems, network break down or congestion, and human error. In such situations, the effort for keeping program execution complete on large number of computers becomes a big burden to the users. In this paper, we describe a newly developed autonomic dynamic load-balancing tool DLB3.0. This tool incorporates the self-healing features in dynamic load balancing and ensures the user that the parallel CFD program will recover from most system faults and errors during the execution of parallel CFD programs. The error recovery is performed automatically without user intervention. Experimental results are shown to demonstrate the ability of the tool.
DIONE: a flexible disk monitoring and analysis framework

The proliferation of malware in recent years has motivated the need for tools to detect, analyze, and understand intrusions. Though analysis and detection can be difficult, malware fortunately leaves artifacts of its presence on disk. In this paper, we present Dione, a flexible policy-based disk I/O monitoring and analysis infrastructure that can be used to analyze and understand malware behavior. Dione interposes between a system-under-analysis and its hard disk, intercepting disk accesses and reconstructing a high-level semantic view of the disk and all operations on it. Since Dione resides outside the host it is analyzing, it is resilient to attacks and misdirections by malware that attempts to mislead or hide from analyzers. By performing on-the-fly reconstruction of every operation, Dione maintains a ground truth of the state of the file system which is always up-to-date--even as new files are created, deleted, moved, or altered. Dione is the first disk monitoring infrastructure to provide rich, up-to-date, low-level monitoring and analysis for NTFS: the notoriously complex, closed-source file system used by modern Microsoft Windows computing systems. By comparing a snapshot obtained by Dione's live-updating capability to a static disk scan, we demonstrate that Dione provides 100% accuracy in reconstructing file system operations. Despite this powerful instrumentation capability, Dione has a minimal effect on the performance of the system. For most tests, Dione results in a performance overhead of less than 10%--in many cases less than 3%--even when processing complex sequences of file system operations.
The Impact of Exchange Listing on Corporate Governance: Evidence from Direct Listings*

Direct listing offers a new, but unproven method of going public for industrial firms. We use prior direct listings by public non-listed REITs (PNLRs) as laboratory to explore the impact of exchange membership on the corporate governance resulting from these transactions. To that end, we examine companies with publicly owned, but non-listed shares in a unique setting where the impacts of listing are distinct from the confounding effect of capital raising inherent in a traditional IPO. Our evidence suggests that younger, more profitable PNLRs with better governance and professional management are more likely to directly list. Moreover, we find that internal corporate governance improves beyond the exchange’s requirements upon listing. The data indicates institutional ownership increases following the listing and we confirm these changes are not due capital raising.
Deformation analysis of SiC-SiC channel box for BWR applications

Abstract Silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC-SiC) composites are being considered as components in light water reactor cores to improve accident tolerance, including channel boxes and fuel cladding. In the nuclear reactor environment, core components like a channel box will be exposed to neutron and other radiation damage and temperature gradients. To ensure reliable and safe operation of a SiC-SiC channel box, it is important to assess its deformation behavior under in-reactor conditions including the expected neutron flux and temperature distributions. In particular, this work has evaluated the effect of non-uniform dimensional changes caused by spatially varying neutron flux and temperatures on the deformation behavior of the channel box over the course of one year. These analyses have been performed using the fuel performance modeling code BISON and the commercial finite element analysis code Abaqus, based on fast flux and temperature boundary conditions that have been calculated using the neutronics and thermal-hydraulics codes Serpent and CTF, respectively. The dependence of dimensions and thermophysical properties on fast flux and temperature has been incorporated into the material models. These initial results indicate significant bowing of the channel box with a lateral displacement greater than 6.5 mm. The channel box bowing behavior is time dependent and driven by the temperature dependence of the SiC irradiation-induced swelling and the neutron flux/fluence gradients. The bowing behavior gradually recovers during the course of the operating cycle as the swelling of the SiC-SiC material saturates. However, the bending relaxation due to temperature gradients does not fully recover and residual bending remains after the swelling saturates in the entire channel box.
Integrated photonic FFTs for convolutional neural networks and real-time processing (Conference Presentation)

Convolutional neural networks have become an essential element of spatial deep learning systems. In the prevailing architecture, the convolution operation is performed with Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT) electronically in GPUs. The parallelism of GPUs provides an efficiency over CPUs, however both approaches being electronic are bound by the speed and power limits of the interconnect delay inside the circuits. Here we present a silicon photonics based architecture for convolutional neural networks that harnesses the phase property of light to perform FFTs efficiently. Our all-optical FFT is based on nested Mach-Zehnder Interferometers, directional couplers, and phase shifters, with backend electro-optic modulators for sampling. The FFT delay depends only on the propagation delay of the optical signal through the silicon photonics structures. Designing and analyzing the performance of a convolutional neural network deployed with our on-chip optical FFT, we find dramatic improvements by up to 102 when compared to state-of-the-art GPUs when exploring a compounded figure-of-merit given by power per convolution over area. At a high level, this performance is enabled by mapping the desired mathematical function, an FFT, synergistically onto hardware, in this case optical delay interferometers.
Magnetic Stimulation of Dissociated Cortical Neurons on a Planar Mulitelectrode Array

We perform experiments to study the magnetic stimulus-induced changes in neural activity in dissociated cortical neurons with different stimulation parameters. The goal of performing these studies is to build on the results from our previous work that suggested magnetic stimulation may lead to improved performance of cochlear implants. A magnetic stimulator is assembled using a micro-scale coil. To detect small changes in activity, we use glass substrate MEAs to measure culture-wide synaptically-mediated response to stimulation, rather than the direct activation of individual neurons. Our initial findings show magnetic stimulation is associated with changes in network-wide firing rates, beyond those expected by spontaneous drift in activity. This suggests that the magnetic stimulation parameters we used were able to evoke neural activity. However, we observe substantial differences in the type of change induced in neural activity in different cultures and with different stimulation parameters, some showing increases in activity and others showing decreases in activity. This may be due to differences in the number and type of neurons (inhibitory or excitatory) activated by stimulation in different experiments, which in turn may be affected by differences in stimulator location and alignment, differences in stimulus pulse waveform and amplitudes, or differences in culture density or cell morphology. We also compare the power consumption and heating of this stimulation technique with that of electrical stimulation. Finally, a need to optimize the experimental setup to allow longer experiments is identified, to reach definite conclusions.
Understanding turbulence in compressing plasma as a quasi-EOS

Inspired by experimental Z-pinch results, we investigate plasma turbulence undergoing compression. In addition to Z-pinches, plasma turbulence can be compressed in a range of natural and laboratory settings, including inertial fusion experiments and astrophysical molecular clouds. The plasma viscosity, when modeled as described by Braginskii, depends strongly on both temperature and ionization state, giving it the possibility to have a large range of behavior. Here, we highlight the importance of viscous variation in these settings, as well as various insights that can be gained by considering this variation. Included are a “sudden viscous dissipation” effect that leads to a new concept for inertial fusion or X-ray bursts and a bound on turbulent energy behavior under compression. This bound, which was previously applied in inviscid molecular cloud turbulence, is here shown in an application to turbulence that transitions from inviscid to viscous regimes. The task of understanding turbulence under compression can be cast as the process of seeking a “quasi equation of state” for turbulent energy under compression.
Phosphoproteomic identification of vasopressin V2 receptor-dependent signaling in the renal collecting duct.

Vasopressin controls water balance largely through PKA-dependent effects to regulate the collecting duct water channel aquaporin-2 (AQP2). Although considerable information has accrued regarding th...
Asexual Propagation of Shepherdia canadensis and S. rotundifolia

Abstract Shepherdia canadensis and S. rotundifolia were asexually propagated by hardwood cuttings and aseptic micropropagation. S. canadensis showed greatest rooting of 46.5% with 0.3% IBA. S. rotu...
Review of the relativistic magnetron

The cavity magnetron is the most compact, efficient source of high-power microwave (HPM) radiation. The imprint that the magnetron has had on the world is comparable to the invention of the nuclear bomb. High- and low-power magnetrons are used in many applications, such as radar systems, plasma generation for semiconductor processing, and—the most common—microwave ovens for personal and industrial use. Since the invention of the magnetron in 1921 by Hull, scientists and engineers have improved and optimized magnetron technology by altering the geometry, materials, and operating conditions, as well as by identifying applications. A major step in advancing magnetrons was the relativistic magnetron introduced by Bekefi and Orzechowski at MIT (USA, 1976), followed by the invention of the relativistic magnetron with diffraction output (MDO) by Kovalev and Fuks at the Institute of Applied Physics (Soviet Union, 1977). The performance of relativistic magnetrons did not advance significantly thereafter until researchers at the University of Michigan and University of New Mexico (UNM) independently introduced new priming techniques and new cathode topologies in the 2000s, and researchers in Japan identified a flaw in the original Soviet MDO design. Recently, the efficiency of the MDO has reached 92% with the introduction of a virtual cathode and magnetic mirror, proposed by Fuks and Schamiloglu at UNM (2018). This article presents a historical review of the progression of the magnetron from a device intended to operate as a high-voltage switch controlled by the magnetic field that Hull published in 1921, to the most compact and efficient HPM source in the twenty-first century.
Shock compression of fused silica: An impedance matching standard

The properties of silica (SiO 2) at extreme conditions have important applications for planetary processes and for high pressure research. We report the results of 125 plate impact shock compression experiments on fused silica spanning 200–1100 GPa using the Z machine at Sandia National Laboratories. Additionally, we present a complementary set of density functional theory based molecular dynamics calculations based on an amorphous reference state that extend the Hugoniot to 2500 GPa. We find good agreement between the Z data, extant laser driven shock compression experiment data, and computational results over most of the pressure range. With these results, fused silica can be used as a new impedance matching standard for shock compression experiments.
The Ubiquitous Premature Ventricular Complex.

Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are one of the most commonly encountered arrhythmias and are ubiquitous in clinical practice, both in the outpatient and inpatient settings. They are often discovered incidentally in asymptomatic patients, however, can cause myriad symptoms acutely and chronically. Long thought to be completely benign, PVCs have been historically disregarded without pursuing any further evaluation. Newer data have revealed that a high burden of PVCs with specific characteristics can significantly increase a patient's risk of developing PVC-induced cardiomyopathy. The aim of this literature review is to provide further clarification on the identification of high-risk PVCs, subsequent workup, and the currently available treatment options. PVCs arise from an ectopic focus within the ventricles. Patients with PVCs can be either asymptomatic or have severe disabling symptoms. The diagnostic workup for PVCs includes electrocardiogram (ECG) and 24-h Holter monitor to assess the QRS morphology and its frequency. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) is done to look for structural heart disease and cardiomyopathy. Management of PVCs should be focused on identifying and treating the underlying causes, such as electrolyte abnormalities, substance use, and underlying structural heart disease. Beta-blockers are first-line therapy for symptomatic PVCs. Nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, classic antiarrhythmic agents, and amiodarone can be considered as second-line agents. Patients who are unable to tolerate medical therapy should undergo catheter ablation of the PVC focus to prevent PVC-induced cardiomyopathy. PVCs are common in clinical practice, and it is vital to identify patients at higher risk for PVC-induced cardiomyopathy to facilitate early intervention. Patients with no evidence of structural heart disease and infrequent PVCs should be monitored closely, while those who are symptomatic should be treated medically. For those who have failed medical therapy, catheter ablation of the PVCs focus is recommended. Catheter ablation has been shown to reduce PVCs burden and improve left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in those with PVC-induced cardiomyopathy.
Should US Tax Law Be Constitutionalized? Centennial Reflections on Eisner v. Macomber (1920)

The US Supreme Court last decided a federal tax case on constitutional grounds in 1920, a century ago. The case was Eisner v. Macomber, and the issue was whether Congress had the power under the Sixteenth Amendment (authorizing an income tax, 1913) to include stock dividends in the tax base. The Court answered no because “income” in the Sixteenth Amendment meant “the gain derived from capital, from labor, or from both combined.” A stock dividend, since it did not increase the wealth of the shareholder, was not “income.” Macomber was never formally overruled, and it is sometime still cited by academics and practitioners for the proposition that the Constitution requires that income be “realized” to be subject to tax. However, in Glenshaw Glass, the Court held in the context of treble antitrust damages that the Macomber definition of income for constitutional purposes “was not meant to provide a touchstone to all future gross income questions” and that a better definition encompassed all “instances of undeniable accessions to wealth, clearly realized, and over which the taxpayers have complete dominion.” In the century that has passed since Macomber, the Court has never held that a federal tax statute was unconstitutional. This behavior of the Court constitutes a remarkable example of American tax exceptionalism, because in most other countries tax laws are subject to constitutional review and are frequently ruled unconstitutional. In what follows, we will first examine three examples of how tax law is constitutionalized in other countries (part 2). We will then look at some of the larger tax expenditures in the US and ask how they would fare under constitutional scrutiny (part 3). Finally, we will attempt to answer the question whether US tax law should be constitutionalized, and answer in a reluctant negative (part 4). But we will also urge Congress, which is equally charged with upholding constitutional values, to take horizontal equity more into consideration when evaluating tax expenditures.
Single-stage bilateral reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for bilateral posterior shoulder fracture-dislocation following seizure: A case report.

Abstract Introduction Posterior shoulder dislocations comprise a small percentage of shoulder dislocations. Even more uncommon are posterior shoulder fracture-dislocations, which are commonly associated with trauma, seizures, and electrical shock. Presentation of case We present the case of a 64-year-old right-hand dominant male who sustained bilateral shoulder posterior fracture-dislocations after a hypoglycemia-induced seizure. The patient was treated with bilateral reverse total shoulder arthroplasties in a single-stage. He recovered well and continues to have excellent function and range of motion at 4-year follow-up. Discussion Treatment options for proximal humerus fracture-dislocations include open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), hemiarthroplasty, and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). The indications for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty continue to expand. Conclusion This is a rare case of bilateral posterior shoulder fracture-dislocations. In similar cases, simultaneous reverse total shoulder arthroplasties can be considered as a viable treatment option.
Sevier Fault at Red Canyon

The Sevier fault is spectacularly displayed on the north side of Utah Highway 12 at the entrance to Red Canyon, where it offsets a 500,000-year-old basaltic lava flow. The fault is one of several active, major faults that break apart the western margin of the Colorado Plateau in southwestern Utah. The Sevier fault is a “normal” fault, a type of fault that forms during extension of the earth’s crust, where one side of the fault moves down relative to the other side. In this case, the down-dropped side (the hanging wall) is west of the fault; the upthrown side (the footwall) lies to the east. The contrasting colors of rocks across the fault make the fault stand out in vivid detail. Immediately south of Red Canyon, the 5-million-year-old Rock Canyon lava flow, which erupted on the eastern slope of the Markagunt Plateau, flowed eastward and crossed the fault (which at the time juxtaposed non-resistant fan alluvium against coarse-grained volcaniclastic deposits) (Biek and others, 2015). The flow is now offset 775 to 1130 feet (235-345 m) along the main strand of the fault, yielding an anomalously low vertical slip rate of about 0.05 mm/yr (Lund and others, 2008). However, this eastern branch of the Sevier fault accounts for only part of the total displacement on the fault zone. A concealed, down-to-the-west fault is present west of coarse-grained volcaniclastic strata at the base of the Claron cliffs. Seismic reflection data indicate that the total displacement on the fault zone in this area is about 3000 feet (900 m) (Lundin, 1987, 1989; Davis, 1999).
To build efficacy, eat the frog first: People misunderstand how the difficulty-ordering of tasks influences efficacy

Abstract Achieving competency and autonomy in one's life—in other words, being efficacious—is a fundamental human need. A commonly endorsed strategy for building efficacy is summarized by a popular quote: “If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing.” The current paper tests this “eat-the-frog-first” strategy, examining whether completing tasks in increasing-easiness order builds efficacy more than increasing-difficulty (or randomized) order. We propose that the eat-the-frog-first strategy does indeed enhance efficacy, but also that people will prefer the opposing order (preferring to complete more difficult tasks later) because they inaccurately believe that doing so will enhance their efficacy. Six experiments and one supplemental experiment (N = 2013) support these hypotheses. In Experiments 1a, 2a, and 3a (predicted efficacy experiments), people believed that completing tasks in increasing-difficulty (vs. increasing-easiness) order would enhance their efficacy, and hence preferred to complete tasks in increasing-difficulty order. But in corresponding Experiments 1b, 2b, and 3b (actual efficacy experiments), completing tasks in increasing-difficulty (vs. increasing-easiness or random) order reduced self-efficacy (or did not meaningfully change it; 3b). We provide evidence in a final study (Experiment 4) that this misunderstanding is due to people simulating the beginning of a sequence (e.g., the struggle of completing the most difficult task) more than the end (e.g., the ease of completing the simplest task). We conclude that people's tendency to delay the difficult incurs unexpected costs to self-worth. To build efficacy, people should start with their hardest task, even though doing so may violate intuition.
Ion-by-Ion Differential Emission Measure Determination of Collisionally Ionized Plasma. I. Method

We describe a technique to derive constraints on the differential emission measure (DEM) distribution, a measure of the temperature distribution, of collisionally ionized hot plasmas from their X-ray emission-line spectra. This technique involves fitting spectra using a number of components, each of which is the entire X-ray emission-line spectrum for a single ion. It is applicable to high-resolution X-ray spectra of any collisionally ionized plasma, and it is particularly useful for spectra in which the emission lines are broadened and blended, such as those of the winds of hot stars. This method does not require that any explicit assumptions about the form of the DEM distribution be made and is easily automated.
Structural, optical, photocatalytic, and optoelectronic properties of Zn2SnO4 nanocrystals prepared by hydrothermal method.

Zn2SnO4 (ZTO) nanocrystals are extensively studied in various fields. However, size-dependent ZTO nanocrystals are still challenging to understand their structural, optical, photocatalytic, and optoelectronic properties. ZTO nanocrystals are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal reaction method. The structural properties of the synthesized ZTO nanocrystals are studied by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. The sizes of the ZTO nanocrystals are controlled by the pH values of the precursor and the molar ratios of the Zn:Sn in the starting materials. ZTO nanocrystals with the small size of 6 nm and large size of 270 nm are obtained by our method. The Eu3+ ions are doped into ZTO nanocrystals to probe size-dependent Eu doping sites, which shows significant potential applications in light emitting diode phosphors. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity of ZTO nanocrystals on rhodamine (RhB) decoloration are investigated, and the results show that 6 nm ZTO nanocrystals show better performance in the photocatalytic decoloration of RhB compared to 270 nm nanocrystals. Most importantly, we design and fabricate optoelectronic devices to detect IR light based on our nanocrystals and a self-prepared NIR cyanine dye. The device based on small sized ZTO nanocrystals exhibits better device performance under 808 nm IR light compared to that of the large sized ZTO nanocrystals. We believe this work represents ZTO size-dependent properties in term of structural, optical, photocatalytic, and optoelectronic properties as a multifunctional material.
A tandem queueing system with priorities

A system ofN unlimited queues andN time-discrete servers in series, is investigated. The input consists ofN stochastic processes where requests which have been generated according to thei-th process leave the system after they have received serivice by servers 1, 2, ...,i. The holding-time distributions can be calculated by means of an equivalence theorem which holds under certain conditions for the service times.
Neuropsychological Outcomes of Disordered Sleep

Mild to moderate sleep disruption may contribute to reversible inefficiencies in areas of vigilance, reaction time, information processing speed, verbal fluency, naming, learning, and memory. Higher-order executive functioning capabilities such as visual search and execution, problem solving, attention regulation, and decision-making are often resistant to the consequences of sleep disruption. Studies have demonstrated improved vigilance, naming, and learning after only two nights of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment and improved information processing speed and memory after 3 months of CPAP treatment for patients diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). Improvements in skills with alternative interventions in youths also are supported. Some sleep disorders may lead to physiological changes and irreversible cognitive deficits. Severe nocturnal hypoxemia among some patients diagnosed with SAS may lead to chronic deficits in higher-order executive functioning.
An examination of the acquired preparedness model among college student marijuana users

To examine the Acquired Preparedness Model using a behavioral impulsivity facet and positive marijuana expectancies to examine direct and indirect effects on marijuana use and related problems. Par...
Resilience Despite Complex Trauma: Family Environment and Family Cohesion as Protective Factors:

The authors utilized hierarchical multiple regression to understand the relationships between complex trauma, family environment, family cohesion, and resilience in 485 young adults aged 18–35. The...
Effect of Manual Restraint and Visual Security on Heart Rate in Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs (Dendrobates tinctorius azureus) and Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens)

Frogs are popular exotic pets and research subjects. Manual restraint is routinely used for basic procedures in frogs, including examination and sample collection, but there is little information on its physiologic effects in amphibians. Previous literature suggested that amphibians lack emotional responses and, therefore, consciousness, based upon an inability to elicit stress tachycardia with gentle handling. To determine if manual restraint results in a stress tachycardia in frogs, 10 poison dart frogs (Dendrobates tinctorius) and 8 leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens) were manually restrained and heart rate (HR) recorded at both the pectoral girdle and pelvic patch using a Doppler flow probe. Frogs were randomly placed in one of two (opaque versus translucent) types of plastic containers for 22 min and HR measured every 2 min through the bottom of the container using the frogs' pelvic patch area. Frogs were then removed from the container, manually restrained again, and HR recorded. Heart rate decreased significantly after the frogs were placed in the containers following manual restraint, and increased significantly for the second restraint period. There were no significant differences in measured HR between anatomic sites (pelvic vs. pectoral) or container types. Contrary to previous descriptions, these results demonstrated that, similar to other mammal and reptile species, frogs demonstrated stress tachycardia during manual restraint, and, therefore, clinicians and researchers should be mindful of induced stress when restraining amphibians.
Understanding Demographics Characteristics of E-Cigarette Users in California and the Need for Tailored Interventions

Background: E-cigarette use has increased rapidly in the past decade despite studies showing their negative health outcomes. There is limited knowledge on the characteristics of users and possible ...
Linking irritability and functional brain networks: A transdiagnostic case for expanding consideration of development and environment in RDoC.

Abstract The National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework promotes the dimensional and transdiagnostic operationalization of psychopathology, but consideration of the neurodevelopmental foundations of mental health problems requires deeper examination. Irritability, the dispositional tendency to angry emotion that has both mood and behavioral elements, is dimensional, transdiagnostic, and observable early in life—a promising target for the identification of early neural indicators or risk factors for psychopathology. Here, we examine functional brain networks linked to irritability from preschool to adulthood and discuss how development and early experience may influence these neural substrates. Functional connectivity measured with fMRI varies according to irritability and indicates the atypical coordination of several functional networks involved in emotion generation, emotion perception, attention, internalization, and cognitive control. We lay out an agenda to improve our understanding and detection of atypical brain:behavior patterns through advances in the characterization of both functional networks and irritability as well as the consideration and operationalization of developmental and early life environmental influences on this pathway.
Psychoactive Drugs: Tolerance and Sensitization

Tolerance and Sensitization: Overview.- 1: Behavioral Mechanisms.- The Role of Instrumental Learning in Behavioral Tolerance to Drugs.- Pharmacological Conditioning and Drug Effects.- Behavioral and Pharmacological History as Determinants of Tolerance- and Sensitization-Like Phenomena in Drug Action.- Tolerance to Drug Discriminative Stimul.- 2: Molecular Mechanisms.- Dispositional Mechanisms in Drug Tolerance and Sensitization.- Dopamine Receptor Changes During Chronic Drug Administration.- Sensitization to the Actions of Antidepressant Drugs.- Adaptation in Neuronal Calcium Channels as a Common Basis for Physical Dependence on Central Depressant Drugs.- 3: Summary Chapters.- Behavioral Tolerance and Sensitization: Definitions and Explanations.- Drug Tolerance and Sensitization: A Pharmacological Overview.- Contributing Authors.
The Economics of Psychological Services: The Public Sector

In the earliest years of their profession, most clinical psychologists worked for universities, for public school systems, or perhaps for state or private institutions for the retarded or mentally ill. Economic issues were more the problems of these employing institutions than those of their employees, professional or not. These psychologists working in the nonprofit or public sector of the economy felt (perhaps naively) that they did not have to be preoccupied with where the money for their work came from. Also, because they were generally not administrators or policymakers, they were not the ones who determined whether mental health services were delivered comprehensively to people in need of them.
Anatomy of Environmental Regulation

Environmental permits have proliferated over the past decade as a device for implementing environmental law and policy. This paper describes the phenomenon of proliferation, the state response to it, and two methods for further changes in the administration of permits to mitigate the complexity of the permitting process. Proliferation of permits can be understood in terms of the number of types of permits, permits issued within each type, agencies administering them, and variations in procedures from permit to permit. Two administrative models could be used to achieve greater administrative simplicity in permitting. The first is permit sequencing which involves ordering permits during the review process from the more comprehensive in scope (in terms of information and environmental analysis requirements) to the more specific, which would avoid repetitive analyses. The second approach is to use a high volume permit as a “pivotal” which would act as a screen for the review of other permits. Thus, these two techniques would in effect achieve the objective of stemming the proliferation in permits in a more comprehensive way than the approaches currently being implemented.
Alzheimer's Disease: Neuroprogesterone, Epoxycholesterol, and ABC Transporters as Determinants of Neurodesmosterol Tissue Levels and its Role in Amyloid Protein Processing

Evidence is emerging that during the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), changes in the synthesis and metabolism of cholesterol and progesterone are occurring that may or may not affect the progression of the disease. The concept arose from the recognition that dehydrocholesterol 24-reductase (DHCR24/Seladin-1), one of the nine enzymes in the endoplasmic reticulum that determines the transformation of lanosterol to cholesterol, is selectively reduced in late AD. As a consequence, the tissue level of desmosterol increases, affecting the expression of ABC transporters and the structure of lipid rafts, both determinants of amyloid-β processing. However, the former effect is considered beneficial and the latter detrimental to processing. Other determinants of desmosterol tissue levels are 24,25 epoxycholesterol and the ABCG1 and ABCG4 transporters. Progesterone and its metabolites are determinants of tissue levels of desmosterol and several other sterol intermediates in cholesterol synthesis. Animal models indicate marked elevations in the tissue levels of these sterols at early time frames in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The low level of neuroprogesterone and metabolites in AD are consonant with the low level of desmosterol and may have a role in amyloid-β processing. The sparse data that has accumulated appears to be a sufficient basis for proposing a systematic evaluation of the biologic roles of sterol intermediates in the slowly progressive neurodegeneration characteristic of AD.
Efficacy of Nucleic Acid Probes for Detection of Poliovirus in Water Disinfected by Chlorine, Chlorine Dioxide, Ozone, and UV Radiation

MilliQ water was inoculated with poliovirus type 1 strain LSc-1 and was treated with disinfectants, including chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and UV light. No relationship between probes and plaque assays were seen, demonstrating that viral nucleic acids were not destroyed. These findings suggest that nucleic acid probes cannot distinguish between infectious and noninfectious viruses and cannot be used in the evaluation of treated waters.
Abstract 16216: Emergency Department Crowding Does Not Predict Door-In-Door-Out Time for Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Transferred for Acute Coronary Intervention

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) crowding and prolonged length of stay (LOS) are associated with lower quality care. Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) should be transferred to percutaneous coronary intervention capable facilities within 45 minutes of arrival. Hypothesis: Increased ED crowding, as measured by ED LOS, is correlated with longer AMI door-in-door-out (DIDO) times at transferring EDs. Methods: We analyzed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) quality data. The outcome, DIDO, was CMS measure OP-3b, ED Median Time to Transfer a Patient with AMI for Acute Coronary Intervention. OP-3b data included hospitals with ≥10 AMI cases annually. To measure ED crowding, we used the CMS ED timeliness measures: discharged LOS, admitted LOS, boarding, and waiting time to be seen by a provider. Our primary measure of interest was ED-1: Median ED LOS for Admitted Patients. We analyzed bivariate associations between DIDO and ED timeliness measures. We used linear regression to e...
Statutory Interpretation and the Intentional(ist) Stance

Professors Cheryl Boudreau, Mathew D. McCubbins and Daniel B. Rodriguez assert that judges need not search for the legislature's actual intent in order to interpret a statute. Instead, judges should ask what statutes mean. Because legislatures are collectivities, it makes little sense to try to discern their actual intent. Rather, the authors borrow from cognitive science and philosophy, both of which emphasize that humans regularly impute intentions to collectivities to figure out the meaning of their actions. The authors then argue that judges should concern themselves with this metaphorical intent when interpreting statutes. In this way, the focus of the statutory interpretation debate should shift from intent to meaning, and judges should properly turn to trustworthy extrinsic aids to inform their interpretations of statutes.
Phototherapeutic keratectomy for decentration and central islands after photorefractive keratectomy

Abstract Purpose To determine visual outcomes after treatment of decentration and central islands occurring after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Design Retrospective, noncomparative case series. Participants Patients (n = 14) who exhibited decentration or central islands after PRK and photoastigmatic keratectomy (PARK). Methods Fourteen eyes with post-PRK decentration (group I) or central islands (group II) were treated by transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy guided by epithelial fluorescence without modulating agents, and subsequently were treated with PRK or PARK. Mean follow-up time was 9 months (range, 45 days–21 months). Main outcome measures We analyzed pre- and postoperative keratometry, refractive errors, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best-corrected visual acuity, and haze. In group I, we also measured pre- and postoperative decentration; in group II, we compared pre- and postoperative central island power. Results Group I showed improvement in centration ( P = 0.003). Group II showed decreased central island power ( P = 0.18). −LogMAR UCVA improved from 0.59 (20/80 +1 ) to 0.17 (20/30) ( P = 0.03) and from 0.74 (20/100 −1 ) to 0.21 (20/30 −1 ) ( P = 0.01) after retreatment of groups I and II, respectively. Conclusions Retreatment of patients having decentration and central islands after PRK results in improved visual outcomes.