cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of surface-modified zinc oxide nanowires on solution crystallization kinetics of poly(3-hexylthiophene)

Abstract Interfacial interactions between donor and acceptor molecules are determinative to the device performance of hybrid photovoltaics. However, the dynamic process of such interactions remains largely obscure. In this work, we report the kinetic behavior of solution crystallization of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) in anisole in the presence of ZnO nanowires by means of ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. ZnO nanowires are surface-modified by covalently attaching aliphatic and aromatic ligands to enhance the miscibility and interfacial interactions between P3HT and ZnO nanowires. Upon cooling the hot solution to room temperature, a significant time-dependent chromism occurs spontaneously. Analysis of the kinetics of isothermal solution crystallization across a range of crystallization temperature displays that the growth rate of the crystals scales with polymer concentration as R ∝ C1.6 for both the control P3HT and P3HT with ZnO nanowires. The Lauritzen–Hoffman theory of secondary nucleation is utilized to analyze the kinetic behavior of crystallization, and the fold surface free energies of the crystals of P3HT in anisole are calculated to be 6.6–10.3 × 10−2 J m−2. It is found that the addition of surface-modified ZnO nanowires decreases the fold surface free energy by 21.5% and 43.8%, respectively, for aliphatic and aromatic ligands.
From Efficacy to Effectiveness: Comparing Outcomes for Youth with Anorexia Nervosa Treated in Research Trials Versus Clinical Care

This study examined outcomes for 84 youth with anorexia nervosa (AN) who received family-based treatment (FBT) in a research trial (randomized trial care [RTC]: n = 32) compared to fee-for-service care (specialty clinical care [SCC]: n = 52) at an outpatient eating disorder clinic. Weight was collected up to 12 months post-baseline. Survival curves were used to examine time to weight restoration as predicted by type of care, baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, and their interaction. There was not a significant main effect for type of care, but its interaction with initial %EBW was significant (p = .005), indicating that weight restoration was achieved faster in RTC compared to SCC for youth with a lower initial %EBW (i.e., ≤81), while rates of weight restoration were comparable for those with a higher initial %EBW (i.e., >81). These data suggest that FBT is as effective as it is efficacious, except for youth with lower initial body weights. Therefore, clinicians may need to be particularly active in encouraging early weight gain for this subset of patients. Nevertheless, this study suggests that FBT is appropriate as a first-line treatment for youth with AN who present for clinical care.
A generalized kinetic model for the formation and growth of single-walled metal oxide nanotubes

Abstract We demonstrate a generalized kinetic modeling and experimental approach to describe the formation and growth of single-walled metal oxide nanotubes. These materials can now be synthesized using solution-based methods at temperatures as low as 95 °C. Ultimately, it is desired to produce nanotubes on a larger scale (e.g., kilogram or ton) for technological applications. However, a quantitative multiscale understanding of nanotube growth, via a detailed growth model, is critical in order to predict and control key properties such as the length distribution and concentration of the nanotubes. Such a model can then be used to design liquid-phase reactors for scale-up of nanotube synthesis. The present model considers three types of species present in the synthesis solution: molecular precursors, amorphous nanoparticles, and nanotubes. The nucleation of a nanotube embryo is due to the rearrangement of an amorphous nanoparticle into an ordered tubular structure, as revealed by recent works. The nanotube growth model is represented by up to 800 population-balance differential equations. Parameterization, validation, and predictive evaluation of the model is carried out via detailed statistical TEM measurements of nanotube length distributions throughout the synthesis. This model is capable of explaining and predicting the evolution of nanotube populations as a function of kinetic parameters. It also allows insight into mesoscale and microscale nanotube growth processes. For example, it shows that two different mechanisms operate during nanotube growth: (1) growth by precursor addition, and (2) oriented attachment of nanotubes to each other.
SIMULATIONS OF LIQUID BREAK UP WITH AN AXISYMMETRIC, MULTIPLE RELAXATION TIME, INDEX-FUNCTION LATTICE BOLTZMANN MODEL

Liquid break up is an important phenomenon in many practical applications including combustion engines and paint sprays. The fundamental mechanisms which lead to this break up are not well understood. In this paper, the lattice Boltzmann method is employed to assess its potential for investigating these mechanisms. To do this, an axisymmetric, multiple relaxation time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann method, which allows for higher Reynolds numbers to be achieved than with the standard Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) lattice Boltzmann model, is employed to simulate liquid break up. To assess the accuracy of the model, it is employed to simulate Rayleigh break up. The computational results for Rayleigh break up are compared to experimental and theoretical predictions and shown to have agreement within several percent. Then, the model is employed to carry out initial studies of transient liquid jets to investigate the influence of surface tension, injection velocity, and liquid viscosity.
4, 5-Disubstituted primaquine analogs as potential antiprotozoan agents

4, 5-Dimethylprimaquine and 5-fluoro-4-methylprimaquine were synthesized and evaluated against Plasmodium berghei in the mouse. Significant blood schizonticidal activity was observed. The 5-fluoro-4-methylprimaquine analog also was active as a tissue schizonticidal agent when evaluated against P. cynomolgi in the rhesus monkey, as an antileishmanial agent when evaluated against Leishmania donovani in the hamster, and as a causal prophylactic agent when evaluated against P. berghei yoelii.
Analyzing surveys on deaf adults: Implications for survey research on persons with disabilities

Differences in operationalizing definitions of disability, variations in methods of data collection and diversities in salient characteristics of disabled persons are generic problems in conducting social research surveys with persons who have disabilities. These problems are of concern not only to social scientists seeking to improve survey methods, but they also have practical significance to decision makers needing high quality information to guide social policies that influence the provision of health care, education and social services to persons with chronic impairments. Reports of 41 surveys on deaf adults in the United States and Canada conducted between 1959 and 1981 were analyzed to determine how rates of response, a key indicator of reliability of survey data, are affected by three methods of data collection, degree of verification efforts, scope of the sample and socio-demographic characteristics of those in the survey populations. Measurable results are provided so that planners of future surveys can correct for anticipated rates of sample attrition under various survey conditions. Other data indicate that trade-offs can be made between changes in the size of the sample and method of data collection to lead to more effective surveys. Important terms such as deafness, deaf population and deaf community are discussed as these relate to interpreting the results of survey studies on deaf adults. Discussion is also given to conducting social surveys with groups of individuals having other disabilities besides loss of hearing.
Inducement of non-Fermi-liquid behavior with magnetic field in heavy-fermion antiferromagnets

Abstract We present specific heat C ( T ) measurements down to T =60 mK in magnetic fields up to B =30 T for antiferromagnetic (afm) ordered heavy-fermion compounds CePd 2 Si 2 , CePtSi 1− x Ge x ( x ⩾0.2) and CeCu 6− x Ag x ( x ⩾0.1). In these systems a quantum critical point with typical non-Fermi-liquid (nFl) properties can be reached via pressure or concentration variation. After suppressing the afm order to T N =0 by applying a magnetic field on CePd 2 Si 2 and CePtSi 0.4 Ge 0.6 , no such nFl properties are observed. In contrast to this, significant spin fluctuations in a CeCu 5.2 Ag 0.8 single crystal are still present in a critical magnetic field parallel to the c -axis such that T N →0 and nFl behavior is found from 3 K down to 0.06 K.
A Two-Hit Trigger for siRNA Biogenesis in Plants

Summary In Arabidopsis , microRNA-directed cleavage can define one end of RNAs that then generate phased siRNAs. However, most miRNA-targeted RNAs do not spawn siRNAs, suggesting the existence of additional determinants within those that do. We find that in moss, phased siRNAs arise from regions flanked by dual miR390 cleavage sites. AtTAS3 , an siRNA locus important for development and conserved among higher plants, also has dual miR390 complementary sites. Both sites bind miR390 in vitro and are functionally required in Arabidopsis , but cleavage is undetectable at the 5′ site—demonstrating that noncleavable sites can be functional in plants. Phased siRNAs also emanate from the bounded regions of every Arabidopsis gene with two known microRNA/siRNA complementary sites, but only rarely from genes with single sites. Therefore, two "hits,"—often, but not always, two cleavage events—constitute a conserved trigger for siRNA biogenesis, a finding with implications for recognition and silencing of aberrant RNA.
Sea-bird aggregation at a deep North Pacific seamount

During June 1991, we studied sea birds at a mid-ocean seamount (Fieberling Guyot) in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Avifaunal composition changed from small Procellariiformes [a storm-petrel; Oceanodroma leucorhoa (Vieillot)] away from the seamount to an assemblage dominated by larger tubenoses [mostly black-footed albatross Diomedea nigripes Audubon and Cook's petrel Pterodroma cookii (Gray)]. Compared to adjacent waters, sea-bird density and biomass within a 30-km radius centered on the seamount summit were 2.4 and 8 times higher, respectively. Individual sea-bird taxa were 2 to 40 times more abundant at the seamount relative to values reported previously from large-scale surveys of deep-ocean regions in the central North Pacific. In September 1991 we studied potential prey of sea birds in the upper water column using a neuston net and multiple opening-closing net system (MOCNESS) tows. Most potential prey types in the neuston exhibited no significant enhancement over the seamount. MOCNESS samples at 10 m depth, however, showed several prey types to be more abundant over the seamount, and the dominant size class of fish was slightly larger. We attribute the sea-bird aggregation observed at this seamount to changes in the abundance and/or behavior of pelagic organisms in the deep scattering layer (not adequately sampled in this study), perhaps augmented by migrations of seamount residents into the surface layers. Processes on and in the vicinity of seamounts may provide spatially-predictable prey to wide-ranging aerial sea birds foraging in this relatively austere environment.
Software architecture improvement through test-driven development

This research involves empirical software engineering studies applied in academic and professional settings to assess the influence of test-driven development on software quality. Particular focus is given to internal software design quality. Pedagogical implications are also examined. Initial results and the study protocol and plans will be presented.
Inhomogeneous broadening effects in multimode cw chemical lasers

Analytic solutions are presented for inhomogeneous broadening effects in multimode cw chemical lasers. A Fabry-Perot (F.P.) resonator and a saturated amplifier are considered in the limits Deltanu(h) /= 0(1). The present analytic results are in good agreement with the numerical results of Bullock and Lipkis.
ACP Journal Club. Higher-intensity continuous renal-replacement therapy did not reduce mortality in critically ill patients with kidney injury.

Source Citation The RENAL Replacement Therapy Study Investigators. Intensity of continuous renal-replacement therapy in critically ill patients. N Engl J Med. 2009;361:1627-38. 19846848
Donor origin of neuroendocrine carcinoma in 2 transplant patients determined by molecular cytogenetics

Organ transplant recipients have an increased tumor incidence owing to their imumunocompromised state. The origin of such tumors, whether donor or recipient, will have a clinical impact on decision-making concerning immunosuppressive therapy, retransplantation, and for recipients of other organs from the same donors. We report molecular cytogenetic determination of donor origin in 2 cases of small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma developing in sex-mismatched transplant recipients (kidney and fiver). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was performed on liver core needle biopsy material from the fiver transplant patient and on fiver fine needle aspiration cytopreparations from the kidney transplant patient. The results for the liver transplant patient were confirmed with microsatellite allefic analysis and with comparative genomic hybridization. In both cases, FISH showed the presence of only X chromosomes within the tumor cells, indicating the donor origin of the neoplasms. FISH is an excellent method to determine neoplastic origin in sex-mismatched transplant patients.
Sequential auctions of stochastically equivalent objects

Abstract We show that in sequential auctions of a large enough number of stochastically equivalent objects with bounded values, prices will on average have a downwards trend.
Undersea Dragons: China's Maturing Submarine Force

Despite new tensions surrounding the March 2004 presidential elections on Taiwan, the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC) have witnessed over the last two years an impressive and unexpected warming of relations. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there have been a series of high-level meetings between U.S. and Chinese leaders. China backed U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan and actively supports the new regime of Hamid Karzai in Kabul.' The past year has seen substantial U.S.-Chinese cooperation in the sphere of counterterrorism, including the sharing of intelligence and the arrest of several suspected terrorists.2 Surprising many, Beijing has supported the United States on all major United Nations Security Council resolutions related to the 2003 Iraq war. Even more significant, China's quiet efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff on the Korean Peninsula have profoundly impressed American observers.3 Many experts are convinced that a major corner has been turned in the United States-China relationship, with Beijing embracing a much more proAmerican foreign policy. An alternative explanation, however, holds that Chinese leaders have instead opted for a pause in the evolving Sino-American strategic rivalry. Diplomatic gestures support the optimistic view of United States-China relations, but close inspection of ongoing Chinese military developments provides ample evidence for both caution and concern. Indeed, while the U.S. military remains focused on the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula, and Central Asia, China continues its rapid military modern-
Dynamic equilibria for linear systems and quadratic costs

Abstract This paper considers the computation of dynamic equilibria from a systems viewpoint. Attention is focused on an economic system governed by a linear production system, quadratic production costs, and a linear demand function. The resulting necessary conditions for a dynamic equilibrium take the form of a linear two-point boundary value problem similar in structure to the conditions of optimal control. However, the conditions are not equivalent to those of optimal control, and the standard Riccati equation approach cannot generally be applied. A new procedure based on descriptor variable theory provides a general solution, which is a generalization of the Riccati equation approach.
The fate of amphibian regenerating blastema implanted into lentectomized eyes

Tail blastemas of larval anurans and urodeles were implanted into 106 lentectomized larval eyes to test claims that lenses develop from blastemas in an eye environment. None of these eyes regenerate a lens from the dorsal iris. Lentectomy was complete in all 35 Amblystoma tigrinum, in 34 of 36 Rana pipiens and 21 of 35 Rana clamitans eyes. After complete lentectomy, blastema grafts formed spherical masses of mesenchyme cells sometimes enclosed in epithelial vesicles, but never associated with lens fibers. Lens fragments not removed were easily identified. They were usually fused with the blastema. Their appearance was the same from one to many days after implantation. Leg and tail blastemas were implanted into 64 completely lentectomized adult Triturus viridescens eyes which regenerate a lens from the dorsal iris. The grafts formed spherical compact groups of epithelial and mesenchyme cells, loose cultures of cells and fibers, or cartilage and muscle, but never lens fibers. One of 13 brain segments implanted into lentectomized newt eyes carried dorsal iris cells on its surface. They formed a small lens gving a false picture of blastema origin. From an analysis of the literature and of the results of these experiments it is concluded that the claims so far made for lens formation from blastema cells are an incorrect interpretation of a mere fusion of lens fragments and implanted tissues and that regenerating tissues of anurans and urodeles are not competent to form lens as has been claimed.
Intra-plate seismicity and inter-plate earthquakes: Historical activity in Southwest Japan

Abstract Over the last four hundred years the spatial variation of intra-plate seismicity in Southwest Japan correlates well with the occurrence of great inter-plate earthquakes. For fifty years before an inter-plate earthquake the intra-plate seismic activity is highest along a belt inland. For ten years afterwards it falls off in this belt, but rises on both sides along the Philippine Sea and Japan Sea coasts. Then it becomes low and remains low throughout the whole region until fifty to thirty years before the next inter-plate event, as shown by Utsu in 1974. An intermittent underthrusting drag exerted by the Philippine Sea plate seems to control the intra-plate seismicity, which partly takes up the relative plate motion as internal deformation. When a great inter-plate earthquake occurs, tectonic stress is released and seismic activity falls off in the central belt. The breaking of the plate boundary temporarily weakens the coupling between the two plates along the shallower part of the interface, which gently dips toward the Japan Sea coast. The decoupling causes stress concentration in the deeper part and results in increased seismic activity along the Japan Sea coast. The activity along the Philippine Sea coast may be interpreted as aftershock activity.
Toward the trichotomy method of reaction times: laying the foundation of stochastic mental networks

Abstract This article and the following one by Schweickert and Townsend develop a theory of mental architecture and function which leads to an experimental method of identifying that architecture. Our approach follows the tradition established by F. C. Donders (1868, Archiv fur Anatomie und Physiologie, 657–681), W. Wundt (1896, Frundriss der Psychologie, Leipzig: Engelman) and others in the nineteenth century of postulating a class of architectures that describe how separate mental processes may be linked together. Then further assumptions are made about how experimental manipulations can affect those processes. Finally, predictions are derived that permit conclusions to be drawn about the form of the specific architecture engaged in a certain task. The first paper establishes terminology, postulates, and the general approach, and compares these with those of other theories and methods. Certain theoretical results are developed that set the stage for application. The second paper implements the theory by proving theorems that state how the experimental results obtained with the proposed methodology can be used to identify the underlying architecture. Further motivation and real and imaginary examples will also be presented there.
On the endomorphic images of Cλ-groups

Szele has shown that a basic subgroup of an abelian p-group is in fact an endomorphic image of the group. Later, Megibben generalized the concept of a basic subgroup to the class of so-called Cλ groups (groups for which GpσG is totally projective for all ordinals σ less than λ). This paper shows that these λ-basic subgroups are also endomorphic images of the groups in which they are contained.
Site-Specific Derivatization of RNA with Photocrosslinkable Groups☆

Abstract Derivatization of RNA with heterobifunctional photocrosslinking reagents becomes an increasingly popular method for the analysis of structural properties of ribonucleoprotein complexes. This article describes a simple chemical modification–derivatization strategy used to introduce selected chemical groups at specific internal positions within the RNA ribose backbone. The strategy is based on the coupling of a haloacetyl adduct to a thiol residue in the phosphodiester bond. The use of a number of RNA probes derivatized with several different photoreactive groups can provide invaluable information on the structural distribution of components in complex ribonucleoprotein assemblies.
Sum rules for baryon decuplet magnetic moments

In chiral models with SU(3) group structure, baryon decuplet, and octet magnetic moments are evaluated by constructing their sum rules to yield theoretical predictions. In these sum rules we exploit six experimentally known baryon magnetic moments. Sum rules for flavor components and strange form factors of the octet and decuplet magnetic moments and decuplet-to-octet transition magnetic moments are also investigated.
Autocrine BDNF secretion enhances the survival and serotonergic differentiation of raphe neuronal precursor cells grafted into the adult rat CNS.

Abstract RN46A cells are a temperature-sensitive neuronal cell line derived from the E13 rat raphe nucleus. RN46A cells grafted into the adult rat hippocampus and cerebral cortex do not survive beyond 2 weeks. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates thein vitrosurvival and serotonergic phenotype of RN46A cells, and we hypothesized that expression of BDNF in RN46A cells would potentiate their survival and serotonin (5HT) expressionin vivo.The gene encoding rat BDNF was transfected into RN46A cells and the clonal 46A-B14 cell line isolated. 46A-B14 cells synthesize and secrete biologically active BDNFin vitroand synthesize 5HT following partial membrane depolarization. Two weeks following 46A-B14 cell transplantation into the adult rat cortex and hippocampus, there is a threefold increase in survival of 46A-B14 cells compared to RN46A cells transfected with the vector alone. The grafted 46A-B14 cells immunohistochemically stain for BDNF and 5HT, while RN46A cells transfected with vector only are negative for both BDNF and 5HT. In addition, 46A-B14 cells attain more morphologically complex phenotypes, indicating enhanced neuronal differentiation. Autocrine secretion of BDNF by RN46A cells thus potentiates survival and can be used to deliver both BDNF and 5HTin vivo.
Early invasive carcinoma in colonic polyps. A review of the literature with emphasis on the assessment of the risk of metastasis

The proper treatment of adenomatous colonic polyps containing small foci of invasive cancer is controversial because the metastatic potential of these lesions is not precisely known. This article critically reviews all known English language studies of this lesion. Before the introduction of colonoscopic polypectomy, the estimated incidence of metastasis from this lesion was 10.4% (based on 12 studies containing 347 polyps), with a confidence interval (95% level) of 7.4 to 14.1. The incidence of metastasis estimated from lesions removed via colonoscopic polypectomy was 10.1% (based on 13 studies containing 188 polyps), with a confidence interval of 5.9 to 14.8. Differences in the definitions of the involved lesions, study designs, and indications for resection cause problems with case selection bias and make comparison of studies difficult. These problems are discussed in detail. Most studies had broad confidence intervals for the estimated incidence of metastasis because of small sample size. The histopathologic criteria, as reflected in the literature, for considering polypectomy alone as adequate treatment for this lesion are summarized and discussed.
Systems Biology Approaches to Decoding the Genome of Liver Cancer

Molecular classification of cancers has been significantly improved patient outcomes through the implementation of treatment protocols tailored to the abnormalities present in each patient's cancer cells. Breast cancer represents the poster child with marked improvements in outcome occurring due to the implementation of targeted therapies for estrogen receptor or human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positive breast cancers. Important subtypes with characteristic molecular features as potential therapeutic targets are likely to exist for all tumor lineages including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but have yet to be discovered and validated as targets. Because each tumor accumulates hundreds or thousands of genomic and epigenetic alterations of critical genes, it is challenging to identify and validate candidate tumor aberrations as therapeutic targets or biomarkers that predict prognosis or response to therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to devise new experimental and analytical strategies to overcome this problem. Systems biology approaches integrating multiple data sets and technologies analyzing patient tissues holds great promise for the identification of novel therapeutic targets and linked predictive biomarkers allowing implementation of personalized medicine for HCC patients.
Transcriptome Differences Between the Frontal Cortex and Hippocampus of Wild-Type and Humanized Presenilin-1 Transgenic Mice

Objective The authors investigated the differences between the frontal cortical (Fc) and hippocampal (Hc) transcriptomes of wild type ( wt mPS1 ), humanized presenilin-1 (PS1 [ wt hPS1 ]) and Alzheimer-disease (AD)–linked Δ E9 hPS1 mutant mice. Methods Using high-density oligonucleotide arrays, they recently performed transcriptome profiling of wt mPS1, wt hPS1, and ΔE9 hPS1 mutant mice. Whereas these studies analyzed the commonalities of gene expression patterns and commonly-regulated genes across the two brain areas and across the animal models, the current study focused on the gene-expression differences across Fc and Hc, two critical AD-affected brain regions. Results The data revealed that in the wild-type mice, there are significant transcriptome differences between the Fc and the Hc tissue, and these expression differences are maintained in humanized transgenic mice carrying the wt hPS1 gene or Δ E9 hPS1 mutation. Also, they provide evidence that a subset of genes show disturbed regional Fc–Hc gene-expression ratios in the transgenic mice carrying the Δ E9 hPS1 mutation. Some of these genes, including stearoyl-Coenzyme A desaturase-2 (Scd2) and Prostaglandin D2 synthase (Ptgds), have been previously implicated in the pathology of AD. Conclusions Data suggest that disturbed gene-expression ratios between cortical regions may be an important event in altered brain physiology.
Charting the microwaves waters. A short overview in table form for quick and easy referencing

The author presents tables of microwave frequencies, solid state devices and their applications, linear beam tubes (O-type), crossed field tubes (M-type), and applications of microwave electron tube devices. >
Cosmid clones in the HLA-DZ and -DP subregions.

Here we report a refinement of the chromosomal organization of the class II region wich encodes heavy and light chain protein constituting heterodimeric surface molecules.
Cognitive efficiency in stimulant abusers with and without alcohol dependence.

Background: Although previous studies have found stimulant (i.e., cocaine, methamphetamine) abusers and alcoholics to have neuropsychological deficits, research examining which cognitive abilities are most affected by concurrent exposure to these substances is lacking. To address this issue, detoxified men and women who met criteria for dependence of (a) alcohol only (ALC) (n= 15); (b) stimulants only (STIM) (n= 15); and (c) both alcohol and stimulants (A/STIM) (n= 15) were compared with age- and education-matched community controls (n= 15). Methods: Tasks that measured visual spatial skills, problem-solving and abstraction, short-term memory, cognitive flexibility, and gross motor speed were administered to participants. For each test, both speed and accuracy were assessed and an efficiency ratio (accuracy/time) was derived. Based on an average of these efficiency ratios, an overall performance index of cognitive efficiency was obtained. Results: Overall, controls performed more efficiently than all other groups. However, they were statistically significantly better only in relation to the A/STIM and STIM groups (p < 0.01). Individual comparisons revealed that the ALC group performed significantly better than the STIM group, although the ALC group did not differ from either the control or A/STIM groups (p≤ 0.05). This pattern of results was relatively consistent across the individual subtests of problem-solving/abstraction, short-term memory, and cognitive flexibility. Conclusions: As expected, substance abuse was associated with cognitive inefficiency. More importantly, these findings suggest that the cognitive effects of chronic stimulant abuse are not additive with those of alcohol abuse. That is, singly addicted stimulant abusers demonstrated similar or greater neurocognitive impairments than individuals who abuse alcohol and stimulants concurrently. The reason for this pattern is speculative but may be attributed to alcohol's opposing actions on cerebrovascular effects brought on by stimulant abuse.
Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of the retinoid side chain

Abstract Retinyl propynyl ether (RPE) undergoes an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction to form a tetrahydroisobenzofuran derivative by addition of the alkyne group at positions 11 and 14 of the retinoid side chain. The Diels-Alder product can be isolated after RPE has been heated in refluxing ethanol. The Diels-Alder reaction also occurs very slowly in the solid state at low temperatures. The tetrahydroisobenzofuran is readily dehydrogenated to an aromatic retinoid, a 1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran. 2-Butynyl and 2-propenyl retinyl ethers undergo intramolecular cyclization to similar Diels-Alder products that can be isolated in yields of 50–60% after the ethers have been heated in refluxing toluene.
Innovative Troxler-free measurement of macular pigment and lens density with correction of the former for the aging lens

Simplified measurement of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) is important because of the ocular health benefits that are attributed to these retinal carotenoids. Here, we describe a novel instrument designed for this purpose, based on heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP), which removes a number of difficulties that subjects often experience with traditional HFP. The instrument generates 1.5- and 15-deg diameter, centrally viewed stimuli that alternate between blue and green colors generated by light emitting diodes (LED). The 15 deg stimulus replaces the small, eccentrically viewed stimulus used in traditional HFP. Subjects adjust the blue LED intensity until flicker is eliminated in the case of the 1.5 deg stimulus and eliminated around the periphery in the case of the 15 deg stimulus. A microprocessor computes the subject's MPOD, in addition to the lens OD, and uses the latter to correct the MPOD. Good repeatability was confirmed through test-retest measurements on 52 subjects. The overwhelming majority of them stated that they found the test easy. The importance of the lens correction on MPOD measurements was confirmed in a simulation study. The study showed that, without the correction, MPOD would show an ap- parent age-related decline in a population for whom there was no real age dependence. © 2013 Society of Photo-Optical
Design, modeling and simulations in the RACE project : First study for the development of a transport line

As part of the Reactor Accelerator Coupling Experiment (RACE) a set of preliminary studies were conducted to design a transport beam line that could bring a 25 MeV electron beam from a linear accelerator to a neutron-producing target inside a subcritical system. Because of the relatively low energy beam, the beam size and a relatively long beam line (implicating a possible divergence problem) different parameters and models were studied before a final design could be submitted for assembly. This report shows the results obtained from different simulations for different lattices of the transport line optics and dynamics.
Passage of the Blue Dye T-1824 from the Blood Stream into the Lymph.

Summary1. Blue dye T-1824, used in the determination of blood plasma volume, passes from the blood stream into the thoracic and cervical duct lymph of normal dogs within the first hour following its intravenous injection. 2. Under normal physiological conditions correction for the escape of dye from the vascular bed can probably be approximated by extrapolating the curve of dye disappearance. Under abnormal and varying conditions application of this correction may be difficult.
Comparing the Impact of Star Rookies Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James: An Example on Simulating Team Performances in the NBA League

This paper describes a simulation exercise designed for introductory quantitative method classes both at the MBA and undergraduate level. The exercise tracks the performances of teams in the National Basketball Association NBA during the season of 2004. It is designed as a spreadsheet model and is developed in stages throughout the academic semester. The example is a significant illustration of the use of sports as a vehicle for teaching OR topics, specifically simulation. It also incorporates many spreadsheet modeling skills such as the use of Excel functions and Data Tables. The model provided a good mix of the ingredients for an effective simulation example including a variety of answers, challenges and surprises.
Dietary fiber prevents carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia.

Plant foods rich in carbohydrate and dietary fiber have many health benefits. One concern often expressed about higher carbohydrate, lower fat diets is that they may increase fasting serum triglycerides. Recently the importance of hypertriglyceridemia as an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease has been reaffirmed. For 40 years, clinicians have noted “carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia” when persons were fed high-carbohydrate, low-fiber diets. The role of fiber in protecting from carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia has not been discussed by many reviewers. Systematic review of the literature documents that high fiber intakes clearly protect from carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia. These are reviewed. Thus, recent and earlier research indicates that use of a higher carbohydrate, higher fiber diet compared with a lower carbohydrate, higher fat diet is associated with a small reduction in fasting serum triglyceride values.
Inheritance of solar short- and long-lived radionuclides from molecular clouds and the unexceptional nature of the solar system

Article history: Al 60 Fe Apparent excesses in early-solar 26 Al, 36 Cl, 41 Ca, and 60 Fe disappear if one accounts for ejecta from massive-star winds concentrated into dense phases of the ISM in star-forming regions. The removal of apparent excesses is evident when wind yields from Wolf-Rayet stars are included in the plot of radionuclide abundances vs. mean life. The resulting trend indicates that the solar radionuclides were inherited from parental molecular clouds with a characteristic residence time of 10 8 yr. This residence time is of the same order as the present-day timescale for conversion of molecular cloud material into stars. The concentrations of these extinct isotopes in the early solar system need not signify injection from unusual proximal stellar sources, but instead are well explained by normal concentrations in average star-forming clouds. The results imply that the efficiency of capture is greater for stellar winds than for supernova ejecta proximal to star-forming regions.
Eliminating knot tying during warm ischemia time for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy

ABSTRACTPurpose: Rapid intracorporeal suturing represents a challenge when performing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN). During warm ischemia time (WIT) knot tying is a major time-consuming step. We present our technique of eliminating knot tying during LPN and the outcomes of our initial series.Materials and Methods: Between October 2002 and October 2003, 32 patients underwent LPN for clinical T1a renal tumors. Our technique includes initial placement of a 5Fr ureteral catheter for collecting system irrigation. The renal hilum is clamped, the tumor is sharply excised and freehand suturing of the collecting system and renal parenchyma is performed using 2-zero and zero polyglactin sutures prepared with an absorbable clip (LapraTy, Ethicon Endosurgery Inc., Piscataway, New Jersey) at the terminal end. Once the suture is passed an additional clip is used to cinch it down, obviating the need for knot tying. This technique is used for closure of the collecting system as well as for placement of parenchym...
Adaptive spinning-disk interferometry for biosensing

We have implemented the first adaptive interferometry for biosensing on a spinning disk by two-wave mixing homodyne detection using photorefractive quantum wells. Binding between specific antigen and antibody has been observed using this technique.
A JUVENILE‐ADULT DISCRETE‐TIME PRODUCTION MODEL OF EXPLOITED FISHERY SYSTEMS

. Previous mathematical modeling of the population dynamics of Georges Bank Atlantic cod fishery employed discrete-time models without age-structure. To make use of a much wider variety of data on fisheries and fish stocks than was possible with an unstructured model, we introduce a juvenile-adult age-structured production exploited fishery model with a very general recruitment function. We use the age-structured model to study the interaction between fish exploitation levels and recruitment dynamics. As case studies, we use our model results and historical fish population data from Georges Bank to investigate the impact of recent harvesting levels on the sustainability of cod fishery. We show that a constant harvesting policy with the same harvesting rate of 2007 would lead to the recovery and sustainability of Georges Bank cod fishery.
BEST: Binding-site Estimation Suite of Tools

Summary: The purpose of our Binding-site Estimation Suite of Tools (BEST) is two-fold: to provide a platform for using and comparing different motif-finding programs for transcription factor binding site prediction, and to improve the accuracy of these predictions by further optimization. Our software package BEST includes four commonly used motif-finding programs: AlignACE, BioProspector, CONSENSUS and MEME, as well as the optimization program BioOptimizer. BEST allows the user to run programs either separately or sequentially and manages all programs by automating the common inputs and the optimization procedure. The BEST system was implemented in Qt, a C++ application development framework, and was compiled and executed on Linux operating systems. Availability: BEST is available for download at http://www.cs.uga.edu/~che/BEST and http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~junliu/BEST Contact:[email protected], [email protected]
Racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported pediatric orthodontic visits in the United States.

Objective: Studies in orthodontics have focused primarily on clinical care and techniques. Little, however, has been reported from epidemiological studies using national data on orthodontic dental visits as a measure of orthodontic service utilization and access to care in minority populations. We examined the effect of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic factors on pediatric orthodontic visits in the United States. Methods: We analyzed data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 1996-2004. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were performed, with self-reported orthodontic visits in a given year as the main outcome variable. Results: The prevalence of an orthodontic visit among children ages 9 to 18 years remained relatively constant (ranged between 14.3 percent and 16.8 percent) from 1996 to 2004. Multiple regression analyses revealed significantly lower odds of an orthodontic visit for Black and Hispanic children in comparison with White children. Males, children from low-income families, children eligible for Medicaid, and children with other public or no insurance were generally less likely to have made an orthodontic visit. Conclusion: Substantial racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported orthodontic visits exist for Black and Hispanic children even after adjusting for possible covariates. Children from lower-income families and those without private health insurance were less likely to report an orthodontic visit in the United States.
Dynamics of warped compactifications and the shape of the warped landscape

The dynamics of warped/flux compactifications is studied, including warping effects, providing a firmer footing for investigation of the ``landscape.'' We present a general formula for the four-dimensional potential of warped compactifications in terms of ten-dimensional quantities. This allows a systematic investigation of moduli-fixing effects and potentials for mobile branes. We provide a necessary criterion, ``slope dominance,'' for evading ``no-go'' results for de Sitter vacua. We outline the ten-dimensional derivation of the nonperturbative effects that should accomplish this in examples of Kachru, Kallosh, Linde and Trivedi and outline a systematic discussion of their corrections. We show that potentials for mobile branes receive generic contributions inhibiting slow-roll inflation. We give a linearized analysis of general scalar perturbations of warped IIB compactifications, revealing new features for both time-independent and dependent moduli, and new aspects of the kinetic part of the four-dimensional effective action. The universal Kahler modulus is found not to be a simple scaling of the internal metric, and a prescription is given for defining holomorphic Kahler moduli, including warping effects. In the presence of mobile branes, this prescription elucidates couplings between bulk and brane fields. Our results are thus relevant to investigations of the existence of de Sitter vacua in string theory, and of their phenomenology, cosmology, and statistics.
A Translation Approach To Teaching Linear Program Formulation

While there have been many improvements in the teaching of operations research/management science OR/MS in recent years, students continue to have great difficulty with the process of constructing a linear programming model. We propose addressing this issue with a translation approach that breaks the process down into a series of small, well-defined steps. The underlying idea is to develop a representation of the problem in terms of measurable quantities that can then be translated, via application of an explicit rule, into the proper algebraic form and/or equivalent spreadsheet formulas. As background, related research on word problem solving from cognitive psychology and mathematical education is reviewed in the paper. We illustrate the translation approach with several examples and explain how using it can improve students' modeling skills. Preliminary data on the effectiveness of the methodology for undergraduate business students in an introductory MS course is also presented.
OPTIMAL CONTRACTS WHEN ENFORCEMENT IS A DECISION VARIABLE: A REPLY

IN A SIMPLE DEBT CONTRACT the investor seizes all of a firm's assets when the project return is below some threshold and receives a constant payment when the return is higher. Krasa and Villamil (2000) show that simple debt contracts that are optimal (ie., give the investor the highest payoff) among the class of deterministic contracts in the costly state verification model, and that satisfy technical conditions (Al), (A2), and a reservation utility constraint, are optimal in a more general costly enforcement model even when stochastic monitoring is possible.2 The italicized segment of this statement was not made explicit in Theorem 1 in Krasa and Villamil (2000). As Sharma points out, this restriction is necessary for the result to hold. Sharma also points out that assumption (A2) had a typographical error. Assumption (A2) in Krasa and Villamil (2000) should have appeared
Physical therapy patients' perceptions of their relationships with health care professionals

One of the primary goals of physical therapy is to assist patients to return to as independent and meaningful a life as possible. There is good evidence that involving patients in decision making facilitates rehabilitation. Our purpose was to inquire of patients how they perceived their roles and relationships with their health care professionals with a focus on decision making. One hundred and nine patients in three health care facilities in one city participated in the study. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were used. The results are summarised using descriptive and comparative statistics. Responses are quite varied and there are significant differences among different cultural sub-groups. The general public needs much more information about what to expect when they go to physical therapy. Patients need individualised analysis by their therapist and other health care professionals of how they view their role in their own health care and individualised instruction on how to assume more responsibili...
A time course investigation of the statin paradox among valvular interstitial cell phenotypes.

Statin drugs are prescribed primarily for their ability to lower cholesterol, but may also exert beneficial side effects unrelated to cholesterol metabolism. Previous work has described a “statin paradox,” where statin treatment decreased osteoblastic markers in valve myofibroblasts while increasing those same markers in preosteoblasts. However, valvular interstitial cells (VICs) themselves are a multipotent cell type, capable of differentiating into activated, myofibroblastic VICs (aVICs) and osteoblastic VICs (obVICs), motivating the question of whether the statin paradox can exist within an individual valve containing these phenotypically distinct VIC subpopulations. In the current study, a heterogeneous initial population of porcine VICs was differentiated into aVICs or obVICs and treated with simvastatin. Gene expression analysis was conducted daily over an 8-day time course to capture temporally dynamic changes in cell phenotype induced by statin treatment. These studies demonstrated that the two VIC populations, aVICs and obVICs, exhibited differential responses to statin treatment. Specifically, simvastatin increased the expression of osteoblastic markers in obVICs, but not in aVICs, while also suppressing the myofibroblastic phenotype in both aVICs and obVICs. These results indicate that the statin paradox can exist within the heterogeneous VIC population of an individual diseased valve and that statin efficacy in the context of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) may be dependent upon the cellular composition of the valve. These findings may have implications for clinical usage of statins, shedding light on how statin efficacy in CAVD may be dependent upon the disease stage or why some individuals exhibit better responsiveness to statin therapy.