cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aspirin use for primary and secondary prophylaxis of cardiovascular disease

Background: The benefits of aspirin use for the secondary and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been demonstrated in several clinical trials. Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of aspirin use for primary and secondary prophylaxis of CVD and to identify predictors associated with its use. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 1997 to 1999 to identify individuals using aspirin for the primary and secondary prevention of CVD. Logistic regression procedures were used to determine the contribution of various predictors of aspirin use. Results: The prevalence of aspirin use for both primary and secondary prevention of CVD increased from 1997 to 1999. In 1999, the rate of aspirin use for secondary prevention (72.4%) was >3 times the rate of use for primary prevention (19.8%). Use of aspirin for primary and secondary prevention was greater among whites, men, and those aged 65 to 74 years. Better compliance with other preventive care recommendations such as influenza vaccinations, cholesterol screening, and pneumonia vaccination; eating less fat and exercising more; and existing risk factors for CVD such as hypertension and high blood cholesterol were positively associated with aspirin use for primary and secondary prevention of CVD. Conclusions: Aspirin use rates for secondary prevention were higher than the rates for primary prevention because of the strong evidence linking aspirin use with the prevention of recurrence of a cardiovascular event. However, there is still an opportunity to promote the use of an inexpensive and effective drug such as aspirin for the primary prevention of CVD among patients who have risk factors for CVD and no contraindications to aspirin use. Increased adherence to cost-effective preventive measures such as aspirin therapy can contribute significantly to reducing the societal burden of CVD.
Ultrafast infrared spectroscopic studies of condensed-phase systems

Fundamental understanding of chemical dynamics in condensed media requires the results of experimentswhich expose pathways of energy flow as well as the identity of the products and the overall kinetics. Infraredspectroscopy is ideally suited for these purposes. What is needed are tunable optical and IR pulses to pump the systemand a tunable IR source to probe. The optical pulses can initiate chemical reactions while those in the JR can be used toinitiate known non-thermal distributions whose character can be followed in time by the probe. A gated IR detector
An investigation of eye lens complication for gamma knife radiosurgery of trigeminal neuralgia

We report in-vivo dosimetry and phantom study results for determining complication rate of the eye lens for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) patients treated using gamma knife radiosurgery. This study is driven by the observation that a large dose such as 70-80 Gy was generally prescribed for trigeminal neuralgia, and, therefore, a small percentage (2-3%) of scattering dose to the lens of the eye could reach or even exceed its tolerance dose. In-vivo dosimetry measurements on six patients and a head phantom were performed to investigate these effects. The average lens dose was measured to be 0.077/spl plusmn/0.006 Gy. This value is significantly lower than the 1-2% as predicated from the gamma knife treatment planning system. Using an empirical biological model, the probability of the lens complication was determined to be 0.1%. This low rate confirms our clinical findings that few TN patients develop cataracts.
Detecting E and H fields with microstrip transmission lines

Microstrip-like transmission lines are used to detect transient electric and magnetic (E and H) fields. Theory and experiment are compared for three different cases. The method can detect E and H fields on a ground plane, or may be integrated into a closed platform for E-H measurements during EMC testing. An application example using a desktop computer is shown. In situ measurements in a closed platform during EMC testing show that system ESD failures are caused by E-H fields, and not by direct voltage or current stress. Therefore, E-H field information measured by using microstrip-like transmission lines on PCBs in a closed platform during EMC tests will give insights to the exact nature of system failures due to ESD.
Second Screen and Sports: A Structural Investigation Into Team Identification and Efficacy:

A second screen is defined as a second electronic device used by audience members while watching a television program. While second screen use during sport programming is on the rise, current understanding of second screen use and engagement is lacking. Thus, in an attempt to extend Niche Theory, the current study employs a structural equation model to further understanding of second screen use. Further, to better understand the outcome of second screen use, the current study examines the relationship between team identification, engagement, and self-efficacy with second screen use. Results suggest that engagement and self-efficacy both have a direct influence on attitude, whereas team identification and self-efficacy have a positive impact on engagement. Each of the hypothesized relationships is tested individually as well as in a theoretically constructed model of engagement and use.
Regulation of Allantoin Catabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Transcriptional regulation of allantoin catabolism provides an effective model for studying the integration of two physiological processes at the molecular level: (1) induction of gene expression in response to a specific environmental signal and (2) repression or loss of gene expression in response to availability of readily used nitrogen sources. The latter phenomenon has been termed nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR; Wiame 1971; Cooper 1982a; Wiame et al. 1985). Nearly a decade has passed since the last comprehensive review of the literature describing control of allantoin catabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Cooper 1982a,b, 1984). The topic has, however, been briefly treated in two more recent works (Wiame et al. 1985; Magasanik 1992). The objective of this chapter is to present an integrated view and analysis of the primary data accumulated since 1982 relative to this regulon and the cis- and trans-acting factors of which it consists. This chapter builds on the reviews published in 1982 and 1984 (Cooper 1982a,b, 1984), and hence is designed to be read in concert with them. The four reviews together yield a comprehensive description of all work published on allantoin regulon in yeast prior to August, 1994.
Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis

Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis viruses periodically cause major occurrences of disease in equid and human populations that have affected many countries in the Americas. Only recently have the origins of epidemic viruses been determined: they emerge from clinically silent enzootic cycles that still exist in several countries. The mechanisms that lead to the generation of these highly transmissible viruses appear to involve continuous, natural mutation and selection of variants that can infect the available susceptible equid population in a region. New, safer and more effective vaccines must be designed to interrupt transmission of these viruses before they emerge from their isolated habitats and give rise to epizootics or epidemics.
Computer-Based Optimal Design of Sewer Systems

Based on a wide scope of model tests performed in cohesionless soils media, the bearing capacity and efficiency of various pile groups and the action of piles in a group have been considered in detail. The test results have shown that under certain conditions the ultimate load of a group could not be identical with the sum of the bearing capacity of single piles constituting the group, and that action of the pile groups depends in particular on: (1) initial compaction of soil; (2) spacing of piles in a group; and (3) the shape of groups and the number of piles in a group. Some suggestions for calculation of the bearing capacity of pile groups have been presented.
Some Problems with Stock Exchange-Based Securities Regulation: A Comment on Mahoney, The Exchange as Regulator

In The Exchange as Regulator, Prof. Mahoney suggests that regulatory authority over most aspects of securities trading should devolve to stock exchanges. There are, however, several potential drawbacks to stock-exchange based regulations. These drawbacks fall in two separate categories: the incentives of exchanges to adopt rules that maximize the value of the firm; and the enforcement of these rules. Incentives have incentives to adopt rules that attract listings and induce trading of listed securities. Since managers control where the stock of their company is listed, rules adopted by stock exchanges are likely to inhibit the operation of management disciplinary devices -- in particular, takeovers and proxy contests. Furthermore, exchange rules are likely to encourage speculative trading more than is optimal. Regarding enforcement, stock exchanges may lack the requisite authority to pass regulations that bind the public at large and to impose sanctions that sufficiently deter violations of its rules. Moreover, stock exchanges have insufficient incentives to police for, and detect, violations of its rules. In light of these drawbacks -- and in light of the fact, under the present U.S. system, the growth rate of securities markets, investor confidence, and liquidity has been high, and trading costs have been low -- I favor a more moderate approach to reforming the present system.
Natural Variability of Three Geographic Isolates of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus

Variations in biological activities of three geographic isolates of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) were determined in the laboratory. The median LC50 varied from 0.17 ± 0.19 polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB) per mm2 (Abington, Massachusetts isolate) to 17.4 ± 13.5 PIB per mm2 (Dalmatia, Yugoslavia), a difference of about 102-fold. Activity of samples within the two North American isolates (Abington, Mass., and Hamden, Conn.) was approximately 15- and 20-fold, respectively; variation of individual samples within the Dalmatia isolate was approximately 17.5-fold at LC50. At LC90, variation was slightly greater within each North American isolate (23- and 35-fold for Abington and Hamden, respectively), but smaller for the Dalmatia isolate (14.5- fold). Samples of each NPV isolate exhibited a skewed distribution of activities at both LC50 and LC90. Plots of LC50 versus LC90 identified the samples within each isolate that merit selective propagation.
Effect of sodium chloride concentration on staphylococcal agglutination.

SummaryOptimal concentration of sodium chloride for quantitative evaluation of staphylococcal agglutinins was 1.3% to 1.7%. This applies to rabbit and human antisera. At this concentration, macroscopic technics are reliable and spontaneous agglutination is inhibited. The quality of the reaction is best at these concentrations for human antisera, while in rabbit antisera, it is best at concentrations of 3.2% sodium chloride. Concentrations below the optimal dissolves the antigen to such extent that macroscopic agglutination is definitely decreased.
The Transplant of Legal Patterns

The original French title for this topic is "la circulation des modeles juridiques." It refers to the movement, the continual flow, of legal paradigms and ideas across national frontiers. The general reporter has translated the word "circulation" as "transplant," since there is a significant literature on the subject in English, most of it by Alan Watson, whose preferred term for the movement of law from one country to another is "legal transplant." In the past fifteen years, Watson has produced a torrent of books and articles on the relationship between law and society and the factors that account for legal change;' nearly all emphasize the importance of borrowing from others in the development of law, and the first indeed was titled Legal Transplants.2
A 220-GHz SIS Mixer Tightly Integrated With a Sub-Hundred-Microwatt SiGe IF Amplifier

Future kilopixel-scale heterodyne focal plane arrays based on superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixers will require submilliwatt power consumption low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) which are tightly integrated with the mixers. In this paper, an LNA that is optimized for direct connection to a 220-GHz SIS mixer chip and requires less than 100 μW of dc power is reported. The amplifier design process is described, and measurement results are presented. It is shown that, when pumped at local oscillator frequencies between 214 and 226 GHz, the mixer/amplifier module achieves a double-sideband system noise temperature between 35 and 50 K over the 3.3-6 GHz IF frequency range while requiring just 90 μW of dc power. Moreover, the potential to further reduce the power consumption is explored and successful operation is demonstrated for LNA power consumption as low as 60 μW.
Japanese Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): Effect of Trap Height on Captures

Traps for Popillia japonica Newman containing joint lures consisting of either phenethyl propionate (PEP) + eugenol, 7:3, + Japonilure or PEP + eugenol + geraniol, 3:7:3, + Japonilure were most attractive when exposed 28 to 56 cm above ground. Traps containing only PEP + eugenol + geraniol, 3:7:3, however, were most attractive to Japanese beetles at 56 to 84 cm.
Organizational Change Around an Older Workforce

Purpose of the study Demographic, economic, political, and technological transformations-including an unprecedented older workforce-are challenging outdated human resource logics and practices. Rising numbers of retirement-eligible Boomers portend a loss of talent, skills, and local knowledge. We investigate organizational responses to this challenge-institutional work disrupting age-graded mindsets and policies. Design and methods We focus on innovative U.S. organizations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region in the state of Minnesota, a hub for businesses and nonprofits, conducting in-depth interviews with informants from a purposive sample of 23 for-profit, nonprofit, and government organizations. Results Drawing on an organizational change theoretical approach, we find organizations are leading change by developing universal policies and practices, not ones intentionally geared to older workers. Both their narratives and strategies-opportunities for greater employee flexibility, training, and scaling back time commitments-suggest deliberate disrupting of established age-graded logics, replacing them with new logics valuing older workers and age-neutral approaches. Organizations in the different sectors studied are fashioning uniform policies regardless of age, exhibiting a parallel reluctance to delineate special policies for older workers. Implications Developing new organizational logics and practices valuing, investing in, and retaining older workers is key 21st century business challenges. The flexibility, training, and alternative pathways offered by the innovative organizations we studied point to fruitful possibilities for large-scale replacement of outdated age-biased templates of work, careers, and retirement.
A New Loquat Cultivar 'Yanhong' with High Quality,Large Type and Late Ripening

'Yanhong',a new loquat cultivar,was selected from a cross-combination of 'Jiefangzhong' as female parent and 'Gold Nugget' as pollen parent in 1995.It was characterized by high quality(TSS 13.1 % and total acid 0.57 %),good appearance,late ripening(mid-May in Fuzhou city),large fruit(68.6 g),strong resistance to stresses and higher yield,which is superior to the parents and main loquat cultivars.Therefore 'Yanhong' loquat might have a good potential for loquat cultivar renewal.
Pricing from the Standpoint of Economic Theory

It is fairly obvious that a high price for a product tends to discourage a large portion of the market. Likewise, a low price typically encourages a large portion of the market to buy more of the product. It follows then that a high price tends to limit the potential market for a product, while a low price tends to expand the market. The quantity of any commodity that is produced and exchanged, and the price at which it sells, are determined primarily by conditions in the particular market for a product/service, given minimum quality differentiation between competing brands. In a competitive market, the principal forces that determine the price charged and the quantity produced and sold are contained in the prevailing conditions of supply and demand. The less competitive the market, the less the interaction of supply and demand.
All-Fiber Add/Drop Device Based on a Silica Micro Sphere Whispering-Gallery-Mode System

Resonantly coupled waveguides based on dielectric microcavities have received considerable attention as possible add/drop devices in wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) networks.
APP Overexpression Causes Aβ-Independent Neuronal Death through Intrinsic Apoptosis Pathway.

Abstract Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the brain is a central hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and thought to be the cause of the observed neurodegeneration. Many animal models have been generated that over-produce Aβ yet do not exhibit clear neuronal loss, questioning this Aβ hypothesis. We previously developed an in vivo mouse model that expresses a humanized Amyloid Precursor Protein (hAPP) in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) showing robust apoptosis and olfactory dysfunction by 3 weeks of age, consistent with early OSN loss and smell deficits as observed in AD patients. Here we show, by deleting the β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) in two distinct transgenic mouse models that hAPP-induced apoptosis of OSNs is Aβ independent and remains cell-autonomous. In addition, we reveal that the intrinsic apoptosis pathway is responsible for hAPP-induced OSN death, as marked by mitochondrial damage and caspase9 activation. Given that hAPP expression causes OSN apoptosis despite the absence of BACE1 we propose that Aβ is not the sole cause of hAPP-induced neurodegeneration and that the early loss of olfactory function in AD may be based on a cell-autonomous mechanism, which could mark an early phase of AD – prior to Aβ accumulation. Thus, the olfactory system could serve as an important new platform to study the development of AD providing unique insight for both early diagnosis and intervention. Significance Statement: Understanding the basis of neural loss in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is fundamental to understanding disease progression and developing new diagnostic and treatment strategies. Olfactory loss occurs early in AD and offers a unique perspective into the neurodegenerative process. Here we show that overexpression of hAPP can cause early apoptosis of olfactory sensory neurons in the absence of Aβ peptide and in a cell-autonomous manner. We further demonstrate activation of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in hAPP expressing neurons highlighting a potential role for cellular stress and mitochondrial regulatory factors in mediating this early neural loss.
Displacement-based two-finger grasping of deformable planar objects

Grasping a deformable object must maintain its equilibrium before and after the induced deformation. This paper introduces a two-finger grasping strategy that specifies desired finger displacements rather than grasping forces. The forces are computed using the finite element method (FEM). Shown to be equal and opposite, they act toward the other finger contact in a way to squeeze the object. To achieve a grasp, the forces have to be tested for staying inside the preand postdeformation contact friction cones. This test could be as expensive as solving a large linear system, if the deformed shape is computed. We present an algorithm that performs a grasp test in O(n) time, where n is the number of discretization vertices under FEM, after obtaining the spectral decomposition of the object’s stiffness matrix in O(n3) time. All grasps (up to the discretization) can be found in additional O(n2) time. Robot grasping experiments have been conducted on thin 21 2 D objects.
Three ‘Nostalgicians’: Hardy, Marcel Proust and Alain-Fournier

In the late summer of 1909, as an oft-told story goes, Marcel Proust secluded himself in his rooms at 102, Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, to devote himself to the writing of Remembrance of Things Past, the masterpiece he had begun some two years before, would essentially complete by 1912, and would continue work on until his death in November 1922. It is now clear that, in various forms, Remembrance had been under way well before autumn 1909: in the never-completed novel Jean Santeuil, written between 1896 and 1900; in several of the pieces collected under the titles Pleasures and Days in 1896; in Proust’s translations (and prefaces to the translations) of John Ruskin, completed in 1904 and 1906; and in Against Sainte Beuve, a long critical essay written in 1908.1 In the years between the publication of Pleasures and Days and the completion of the first version of Remembrance in spring 1912, Proust, in a wide and varied course of reading, had found especially attractive three English writers: Ruskin, whom he for a time championed for his devotion to art and his love of the past; George Eliot, the English novelist whose treatment of time and memory, particularly in her autobiographical Mill on the Floss, Proust found instructive to his own effort at the recovery of time past; and, somewhat surprisingly, Thomas Hardy, who in the 1890s, when Proust was getting under way as a novelist, was bringing his own career in fiction to a most impressive end — with Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure and The Well-Beloved.
The Relationship Between the Plasmapause and Outer Belt Electrons

Here, we quantify the spatial relationship between the plasmapause and outer belt electrons for a 5 day period, 15–20 January 2013, by comparing locations of relativistic electron flux peaks to the plasmapause. A peak-finding algorithm is applied to 1.8–7.7 MeV relativistic electron flux data. A plasmapause gradient finder is applied to wave-derived electron number densities >10 cm–3. We identify two outer belts. Outer belt 1 is a stable zone of >3 MeV electrons located 1–2 RE inside the plasmapause. Outer belt 2 is a dynamic zone of <3 MeV electrons within 0.5 RE of the moving plasmapause. Electron fluxes earthward of each belt's peak are anticorrelated with cold plasma density. Belt 1 decayed on hiss timescales prior to a disturbance on 17 January and suffered only a modest dropout, perhaps owing to shielding by the plasmasphere. Afterward, the partially depleted belt 1 continued to decay at the initial rate. Belt 2 was emptied out by strong disturbance-time losses but restored within 24 h. For global context we use a plasmapause test particle simulation and derive a new plasmaspheric index Fp, the fraction of a circular drift orbit inside the plasmapause. We find that the locally measured plasmapause is (for thismore » event) a good proxy for the globally integrated opportunity for losses in cold plasma. Our analysis of the 15–20 January 2013 time interval confirms that high-energy electron storage rings can persist for weeks or even months if prolonged quiet conditions prevail. This case study must be followed up by more general study (not limited to a 5 day period).« less
Spatially variant positron range modeling derived from CT for PET image reconstruction

The influence of a finite positron annihilation distance represents a fundamental limit to the spatial resolution of PET scanners. It is appreciated that this effect is a minor concern in whole-body F18 imaging, but it does represent an issue when imaging with higher energy isotopes such as N13 or Rb82. This effect is especially relevant for imaging tasks along tissue gradients such as the cardiac/lung boundary and diaphragm/lung boundary. This work presents a method to determine the positron range effect from a CT scan and to model this effect as shift-variant, anisotropic kernels. The positron annihilation distance across boundaries of tissues is represented with a simple model, which can be quickly derived from CT scans and applied in the reconstruction of PET images. The positron range compensation map is applied in a modified OSEM algorithm to simulated and measured data.
First dorsal metacarpal artery flap

This chapter details essential steps of a first dorsal metacarpal artery flap procedure. The dorsal flap is harvested with the first dorsal metacarpal artery providing blood supply; the pedicle is mobilized and inset into the defect site. A full-thickness skin graft from the antecubital fossa is applied to the flap donor site. Indications, possible complications, essential steps, postoperative care, and operative dictation are included.
Meeting Sleep Guidelines Is Associated With Better Health-Related Quality of Life and Reduced Premature All-Cause Mortality Risk.

Purpose:To examine whether meeting sleep guidelines (7-9 hours/night) is associated with better health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and reduced all-cause mortality risk.Design:Prospective cohort...
Further evaluation of animal systemic insecticides, 1966.

Data are presented for 14 insecticides found systemically active in screening tests with arthropods parasitizing guinea pigs. Thirty-five insecticides were administered to small groups of cattle, and the following treatments afforded forded >90%systemic control of cattle grubs, Hypoderma spp.: Bay 37342 (O,O-dimethyl O .[4-(methylthio)-3,5-xylyl) phosphorothioate) as 0.1 and 0.25% sprays (22 and 50 mg/kg); bromophos-ethyl, 15 mg per kg by capsule; fenthion as 0.05, 0.1, and 0.25% sprays (12, 20, and 50 mg/kg); Imidan® ( O,O -dimethyl S -phthalimidomethyl phosphorodithioate) in feed for 10 days at 1.5 and 2 mg per kg per day and as a 0.25% spray (50-55 mg/kg); menazon in feed for 10 days at 2.5 and 5 mg per kg per day, as 0.5 and 0.75% sprays (100 and 155 mg per kg), and as a pour-on of 15% in oil (100 mg/kg); Shell SD-8447 (2-chloro-1-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl) vinyl dimethyl phosphate) as a pour-on of 16% in oil (100 mg/kg)-and as 3 applications of 0.5% spray (115 mg per kg; Shell SD-8448 (2-chloro-1-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl) vinyl diethyl phosphate) as a 1% spray (145 mg/kg); and Stauffer R-3828 ( S -( P -chloro- alpha -phenylbenzyl) O,O -diethyl phosphorodithioate) in feed at 2.5 mg per kg per day for 10 days.
Endovascular Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis

Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a major health problem in the United States and worldwide. Lower extremity DVT is a serious medical condition with short- and long-term complications that can result in major disability as a result of pulmonary embolism, postthrombotic syndrome, paradoxical embolization, and/or limb amputation. Although anticoagulation is the mainstay, first-line treatment, the last two decades have seen increased use of catheterbased methods to treat acute deep venous thrombosis. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the rationale, safety profile, evidence, and clinical outcomes that are achieved utilizing endovascular methods for the treatment of acute DVT.
Alpha to Beta Cell Reprogramming: Stepping toward a New Treatment for Diabetes

Beta cell replacement strategies hold promise for permanently treating type 1 diabetes. In Cell Stem Cell, Xiao et al. (2018) restore pancreatic beta cell mass and normalize blood glucose in diabetic mice by reprogramming pancreatic alpha to beta cells using Pdx1- and Mafa-expressing adeno-associated virus infused into the pancreatic duct.
Incentivizing spectrum sharing via subsidy regulations for future wireless networks

Abstract Traditional regulatory methods for spectrum licensing have been recently identified as one of the causes for under-utilization of the valuable radio spectrum. Governmental regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are seeking ways to remove stringent regulatory barriers and facilitate broader access to the spectrum resources. The goal of such new FCC-backed efforts is to allow for an improved and ubiquitous sharing of the precious radio spectrum between commercial service providers. In this paper, an interdisciplinary framework for spectrum management is proposed in which the government, using its regulatory power, can motivate spectrum sharing among the service providers in order to gain a net social benefit. In this framework, a noncooperative game is used to analyze how to foster more sharing of the radio spectrum via the use of regulatory power. The providers are incentivized with subsidized spectrum bands from the regulators. In return, the providers will be asked to provide coverage to the users that are not subscribed to them so as to maintain their subsidy incentives from the government. In a simplification of the model, the providers’ perfect equilibrium strategies are found numerically, and the existence of perfect equilibrium for the government’s strategy is discussed. Our numerical results using real base station locations from two cellular providers show that through subsidization, the government can provide small service providers a fair chance to compete with the large providers, thereby avoiding monopolization in the market.
The effect of N-acetylcysteine on alcohol use during a cannabis cessation trial.

Abstract Background Individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) do not always respond to currently available treatments, and evaluation of new candidate pharmacotherapies is indicated. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an over-the-counter supplement, has shown promise in treating a variety of substance use disorders, but little research has evaluated its merits as a treatment for AUD. This secondary analysis from the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network examined the effects of NAC versus placebo on alcohol use among participants with cannabis use disorder (CUD) enrolled in a 12-week, multi-site cannabis cessation trial. Methods Participants (N = 302, ages 18–50) were randomized to double-blind NAC (1200 mg, twice daily) or placebo. Neither alcohol use nor desire for alcohol cessation were requirements for participation. Participants that returned for at least one treatment visit and had recorded alcohol use data (i.e., total drinks per week, drinking days per week, and binge drinking days per week) were included in the analysis (n = 277). Results Compared to the placebo group, participants in the NAC group had increased odds of between-visit alcohol abstinence [OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.06–1.78; p = 0.019], fewer drinks per week [RR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.48–0.99; p = 0.045], and fewer drinking days per week [RR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.51–0.92; p = 0.014]. Changes in concurrent cannabis use amounts were not correlated to any of the alcohol use variables. Discussion These findings indicate that NAC may be effective at reducing consumption of alcohol by ∼30% among treatment-seeking adults with CUD, suggesting a need for further trials focused on the effects of NAC on alcohol consumption among individuals seeking treatment for AUD.
Data-driven detection of adverse events in robotic needle steering

In robotic needle steering, adverse events such as needle buckling, undesired curvature changes, and tissue displacement can occur during needle insertions into tissue, preventing accurate needle placement. This paper focuses on detecting tissue displacement and needle curvature changes using data-driven detection algorithms, informed solely by needle and tissue position measurements. The algorithms were evaluated for different needle insertion velocities and duty-cycles, and analyzed using a Kruskal-Wallis statistical test. Results show that with increased insertion velocity, tissues displace sooner (p <0.01), while duty-cycles have no effect. Furthermore, with increased insertion velocity and lower duty-cycles, the needle curvature radius decreases (p <0.01). Additionally, the algorithms were evaluated for needle insertions into ex vivo liver tissue, under live fluoroscopic imaging. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of constrained or unconstrained boundary conditions on adverse events. As expected, unconstrained tissue experienced more displacement events. Fluoroscopic videos confirmed accurate and timely prediction of the adverse events. Finally, these algorithms were designed to detect multiple adverse events, simultaneously, and can be implemented in real time.
Persistent radical anion polymers based on naphthalenediimide and a vinylene spacer

Persistent n-doped conjugated polymers were achieved by doping the electron accepting PDNDIV and PFNDIV polymers with ionic (TBACN) or neutral (TDAE) dopants. The great electron affinities, as indicated by the low LUMO levels of PDNDIV (−4.09 eV) and PFNDIV (−4.27 eV), facilitated the chemical reduction from either TBACN or TDAE. The low-lying LUMOs of the neutral polymers PDNDIV and PFNDIV were achieved by incorporation of vinylene spacers between the electron poor NDI units to increase the conjugation length without the use of an electron donor, and this was lowered further by an electron-withdrawing fluorinated N-substituent on the NDI moiety. The polymer radical anions were found to persist for several days under ambient conditions by EPR spectroscopy. A distinguishing and noteworthy feature of these polymers is that they can be consecutively reduced by up to four electrons in acetonitrile. Conductivity measurements demonstrate the prospective impact of PDNDIV and PFNDIV for organic electronics.
Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: Understanding the Breadth of the Problem

This article discusses the definition and classification of suicidal behaviors and reviews the epidemiologic, psychiatric, psychosocial, and biologic risk factors associated with adolescent suicide. In order to demonstrate the pathogenesis of suicidal behaviors, three conceptual models are presented, each emphasizing either stressful life events, psychiatric disturbances and biologic components, or individual vulnerabilities as the underlying factor to the inception of self-destructive behaviors. Each of these models demonstrates that a pattern of high risk and reckless, antisocial, or isolating behaviors is evident prior to the onset of suicidal behaviors, thus emphasizing that the recognition of these manifested behaviors is paramount to the identification of the adolescent at risk for suicide. Approaches to the identification, evaluation, and treatment of the suicidal adolescent are discussed. Prevention strategies are reviewed, emphasizing the relevance of identifying the underlying precipitant to suicidal behavior. Until a biologic marker for suicide is elucidated, the identification of high-risk groups, followed by a comprehensive evaluation for psychiatric disturbances, family disruptions, and psychosocial stressors and traumas, may be the most efficacious approach to preventing subsequent suicidal behaviors in adolescents.
Comparison of the Baird-Parker Agar and 3M Petrifilm Staph Express Count Plate Methods for Enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus in Naturally and Artificially Contaminated Foods

The recently developed 3M Petrifilm Staph Express Count plate (PFSE) method was compared with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual's Baird-Parker agar spread plate (B-P) method for enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus in naturally contaminated, mechanically separated poultry (MSP; n = 92) and raw milk (n = 12). In addition, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and hot-smoked rainbow trout and chub were surface inoculated with a three-strain mixture of S. aureus, stored at 5 degrees C, and periodically analyzed with both methods for numbers of S. aureus. For naturally contaminated raw milk and MSP samples, the PFSE method yielded counts that were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from counts obtained using the B-P method. From raw milk and MSP samples, 60% (21 of 35) and 55% (124 of 226), respectively, of confirmed (DNAse-positive) isolates from PFSE plates were identified by further testing as S. aureus. Corresponding S. aureus identification rates for isolates forming typical colonies on B-P plates were 53% (19 of 36) and 50% (125 of 248). For both methods, other staphylococci composed the vast majority of tested isolates that were not identified as S. aureus. For inoculated hot-smoked fish, S. aureus counts from the PFSE method were not significantly different from counts from the B-P method. Compared to the B-P method, significantly lower numbers of inoculated S. aureus were recovered using the PFSE method in analyses of mozzarella cheese stored 28 and 42 days at 4 degrees C. The PFSE and B-P methods were not significantly different for inoculated cheeses at all other sampling times. DNAse-positive isolates from PFSE analyses of inoculated cheeses and smoked fish were identified as S. aureus 98% (51 of 52) and 86% (36 of 42) of the time, respectively, as compared with 100% (58 of 58) and 95% (40 of 42) of the time for typical B-P isolates. Overall, the PFSE and B-P methods appeared to perform similarly in enumeration of S. aureus in animal-derived foods.
Guanyl cyclase of Bacilluslicheniformis

Abstract Guanyl cyclase activity was detected in extracts of Bacillus licheniformis strain A-5. The enzyme is associated with the 105,000 × g particulate fraction of the extract, requires Mn++ for full activity, has a pH optimum of 8.5, and has an apparent Km for GTP of 5mM.
Nonprofit Sector, Geography of

Nonprofit organizations exist worldwide. The nonprofit sector has been shown to vary within and between nations, regions, cities, and neighborhoods. Sector variation can be in terms of the numbers of organizations in an area as well as their activities or characteristics. Nonprofit research has shown that sector variation can be due to broad societal patterns as well as factors that are more specific. Broad patterns include historical development and social, economic, and political factors such as: class relationships; state-society interactions; the nature of the legal environment; and the legitimacy of and trust in collective action through non-government, non-market organizations. More specific factors include government policy about welfare funding and service delivery; the degree of social heterogeneity; the generosity of particular segments of the community; the needs and desires for public or semi-public goods, either by disadvantaged or middle/upper-class citizens; and the resources available for nonprofit organizations, including money, labor, and social entrepreneurs. Nonprofit research has been carried out largely by sociologists, economists, historians, and political scientists. Much of the work is still on the descriptive level. Research findings have not found their way into mainstream geography. Both the nonprofit research community and geography, especially cultural and economic geography, would benefit from a closer alignment of their respective bodies of research.
Hydrogen Gas Catalysis of Free Radical Decay Reactions in Organic Solids

Since the earliest observations of Dole and Cracco (1, 2) in 1961 and 1962 and of Ormerod(3) in 1963 it is known that hydrogen gas catalyzes the decay of alkyl free radicals, CH2CHCH2-, in irradiated polyethylene (PE). Because we believe that the hydrogen acts after dissolving in the amorphous regions of the irradiated PE, the catalytic effect of the hydrogen must be a homogeneous catalysis, and, therefore, a fit topic for discussion in this symposium. For a review of the radiation chemistry of PE see Dole(4) In 1958 Varshavskii et al(5) demonstrated that if PE was irradiated in the presence of deuterium gas, HD was produced by the reactions $$ R\cdot + {{D}_{2}} \to RD + D\cdot $$ (1) $$ D\cdot + RH \to R\cdot + HD $$ (2)
Mobile technology use and skills among individuals with fragile X syndrome: implications for healthcare decision making.

Background Little is known about how individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and their families use technology in daily life and what skills individuals with FXS can perform when using mobile technologies. Methods Using a mixed-methods design, including an online survey of parents (n = 198) and a skills assessment of individuals with FXS (n = 6), we examined the experiences and abilities of individuals with FXS for engaging with mobile technology. Results Parents reported that individuals with FXS often used technology in their daily lives, with variations based on age of child, sex, autism status, depression, and overall ability. Parents frequently sought and shared FXS-related information online. Assessment data revealed that individuals with FXS demonstrated proficiency in interacting with technology. Conclusions Mobile technology is a tool that can be used in FXS to build skills and increase independence rather than simply for recreational purposes. Implications for using mobile technology to enhance healthcare decision making are discussed.
Crystal structure of the tetra-meth-yl(pheneth-yl)cyclo-penta-dienylmolybdenumtricarbonyl dimer.

The structure of the dimer bis­{tricarbon­yl[η5-tetra­meth­yl(pheneth­yl)cyclo­penta­dien­yl]molybdenum}(Mo—Mo), [Mo2(C17H21)2(CO)6], at 102 K has triclinic (P\overline{1}) symmetry. The reaction between tetra­meth­yl(pheneth­yl)cyclo­penta­diene and molybdenum hexa­carbonyl in refluxing xylenes for 18 h led to a 56% yield of the dimer as a red solid. The asymmetric unit of the structure is the tetra­meth­yl(pheneth­yl)cyclo­penta­dienylmolybdenumtricarbonyl moiety and the entire dimeric mol­ecule is generated by inversion symmetry. The Mo—Mo bond length is 3.2773 (3) A, a value slightly above the mean value for all [CpMo(CO)3]2 compounds listed in the CSD and slightly below the mean for [Cp*Mo(CO)3]2 complexes.
Privacy-Preserving Autonomous Cab Service Management Scheme

In the autonomous vehicles era, vehicles will be an on-demand service rather than an owned product, i.e., many passengers will rely on Autonomous Cabs (ACs) in their transportation. In order to guarantee the high quality of the AC service, the AC company needs to learn the geographic distribution of the potential service requests. The best way to obtain this information is by requesting the passengers to frequently report their locations, e.g., by using their smart-phones. However, learning the passengers' locations causes a serious location privacy issue. In this paper, we propose a privacy-preserving scheme for reporting location information for AC management. Data aggregation approach is used to preserve location privacy by providing the AC company with the total number of requests in each geographic area, while hiding the individual reports of the passengers. Unlike the existing aggregation schemes that do binary data addition, the used aggregation scheme does individual bits addition. Our analysis and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme is efficient and can preserve location privacy.
Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required for the development of multiple nephron segments

The nephron is composed of distinct segments that perform unique physiological functions to generate urine. Little is known about how multipotent nephron progenitor cells differentiate into different nephron segments. It is well known that Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling regulates the maintenance and commitment of mesenchymal nephron progenitors during kidney development. However, it is not fully understood how it regulates nephron patterning after nephron progenitors undergo mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition. To address this, we performed {beta}-catenin loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies in epithelial nephron progenitors in the mouse kidney. Consistent with a previous report, the formation of the renal corpuscle was defective in the absence of {beta}-catenin. Interestingly, we found that epithelial nephron progenitors lacking {beta}-catenin were able to form presumptive proximal tubules but that they failed to further develop into differentiated proximal tubules, suggesting that Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling plays a critical role in proximal tubule development. We also found that epithelial nephron progenitors lacking {beta}-catenin failed to form the distal tubules. Constitutive activation of Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling blocked the proper formation of all nephron segments, suggesting tight regulation of Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling during nephron patterning. This work shows that Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling regulates the patterning of multiple nephron segments along the proximo-distal axis of the mammalian nephron.
Following Geri's Lead

Drawn from a keynote delivered for Timeless Portraits and Dreams: A Festival in Honor of Geri Allen (Harvard University, February 16–17, 2018), this personal essay shares observations about Allen's...
Orthophosphate and Sulfate Utilization for C–E (E = P, S) Bond Formation via Trichlorosilyl Phosphide and Sulfide Anions

Reduction of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) or tetra- n-butylammonium bisulfate ([TBA][HSO4]) with trichlorosilane leads to the formation of the bis(trichlorosilyl)phosphide ([P(SiCl3)2]-, 1) and trichlorosilylsulfide ([Cl3SiS]-, 2) anions, respectively. Balanced equations for the formation of the TBA salts of anions 1 and 2 were formulated based on the identification of hexachlorodisiloxane and hydrogen gas as byproducts arising from these reductive processes: i) [H2PO4]- + 10HSiCl3 → 1 + 4O(SiCl3)2 + 6H2 for P and ii) [HSO4]- + 9HSiCl3 → 2 + 4O(SiCl3)2 + 5H2 for S. Hydrogen gas was identified by its subsequent use to hydrogenate an alkene ((-)-terpinen-4-ol) using Crabtree's catalyst ([(COD)Ir(py)(PCy3)][PF6], COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, py = pyridine, Cy = cyclohexyl). Phosphide 1 was generated in situ by the reaction of phosphoric acid and trichlorosilane and used to convert an alkyl chloride (1-chlorooctane) to the corresponding primary phosphine, which was isolated in 41% yield. Anion 1 was also prepared from [TBA][H2PO4] and isolated in 62% yield on a gram scale. Treatment of [TBA]1 with an excess of benzyl chloride leads to the formation of tetrabenzylphosphonium chloride, which was isolated in 61% yield. Sulfide 2 was used as a thionation reagent, converting benzophenone to thiobenzophenone in 62% yield. It also converted benzyl bromide to benzyl mercaptan in 55% yield. The TBA salt of trimetaphosphate ([TBA]3[P3O9]·2H2O), also a precursor to anion 1, was found to react with either trichlorosilane or silicon(IV) chloride to provide bis(trimetaphosphate)silicate, [TBA]2[Si(P3O9)2], characterized by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and elemental analysis. Trichlorosilane reduction of [TBA]2[Si(P3O9)2] also provided anion 1. The electronic structures of 1 and 2 were investigated using a suite of theoretical methods; the computational studies suggest that the trichlorosilyl ligand is a good π-acceptor and forms σ-bonds with a high degree of s character.
Statistical and Indirect Discrimination: Revisiting the Incentive Problem

A widely held perception among managers at Japanese firms is that “human capital investment in women will be wasted because women quit when marrying or when having children” and that “women are less productive and less ambitious than men.” On the surface, these statements might appear to be the case. However, this problem is not the fault of female workers but a consequence of Japanese firms’ choices that create a self-fulfilling prophecy—for which this chapter presents the rationale. More specifically, the analysis relies on the game-theoretic model of Coate and Loury (CL) and provides two new solutions for breaking the self-fulfilling prophecy equilibrium not considered under the CL theory. Furthermore, the analysis modifies the CL theory—a statistical discrimination theory that integrates incentive problems—by formally theorizing incentive problems pertaining to indirect discrimination and presents new theoretical findings that are consistent with empirical facts regarding the gender disparity in the attainment of managerial and professional positions in Japan. Moreover, these mathematical theoretical models on discrimination clarify the importance of incentive problems in the promotion of gender equality in economic activities.