cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social anxiety disorder in veterans affairs primary care clinics

To examine the prevalence and correlates of social anxiety disorder (SAD) in veterans, 733 veterans from four VA primary care clinics were evaluated using self-report questionnaires, telephone interviews, and a 12-month retrospective review of primary care charts. We also tested the concordance between primary care providers' detection of anxiety problems and diagnoses of SAD from psychiatric interviews. For the multi-site sample, 3.6% met criteria for SAD. A greater rate of SAD was found in veterans with than without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (22.0% vs. 1.1%), and primary care providers detected anxiety problems in only 58% of veterans with SAD. The elevated rate of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and suicidal risk associated with SAD was not attributable to PTSD symptom severity. Moreover, even after controlling for the presence of major depressive disorder, SAD retained unique, adverse effects on PTSD diagnoses and severity, the presence of other psychiatric conditions, and suicidal risk. These results attest to strong relations between SAD and PTSD, the inadequate recognition of SAD in primary care settings, and the significant distress and impairment associated with SAD in veterans.
Special methods in the analysis of conversion electron spectra

Abstract A brief review is given of many of the standard methods of deducing electron momenta and energies from the study of conversion electron spectra. The errors that can arise in these determinations are discussed. With a goal of maximizing the information that can be gained from spectrometer measurements of momentum ratios, several selfconsistent methods are developed, some of which provide absolute energy determinations without recourse to the usual comparisons with electron groups of known energy.
Submammary Pacemaker Implantation: A Unique Tunneling Technique

Submammary pacemaker implantation offers women a cosmetically acceptable alternative to the standard pectoral implant. We present a novel method of submammary implantation performed on ten women aged 13-54 years. The lead electrodes are tunneled from the infraclavicular to the inframammary incision using a long needle, guidewire, and introducers/dilators in a manner analogous to the retained guidewire technique used for standard lead insertion. The procedure can generally be performed under local anesthesia. All patients tolerated the procedure well without acute complications. Over 2- to 23-month follow-up, there were no lead dislodgments. No patients developed mastitis or incisional complications, and all have been extremely satisfied with the cosmetic results. With proper technique, submammary pacemaker implantation can be performed under local anesthesia with minimal patient discomfort and optimal cosmesis.
NSCL and the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) Project

The National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University (MSU), shown in Figure 1, is the largest campus-based nuclear science facility in the United States. NSCL is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for operating its Coupled Cyclotron Facility (CCF) as a national user facility and for conducting research in nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, and accelerator physics.
Combined proton and photon irradiation for craniopharyngioma: long-term results of the early cohort of patients treated at Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Purpose: We report the results of the early cohort of patients treated for craniopharyngioma with combined proton-photon irradiation at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory. Methods and Materials: Between 1981 and 1988, 15 patients with craniopharyngioma were treated in part or entirely with fractionated 160 MeV proton beam therapy. The group consisted of 5 children (median age, 15.9 years) and 10 adults (median age, 36.2 years). Median dose prescribed to the tumor was 56.9 cobalt Gray equivalent (CGE; 1 proton Gray=1.1 CGE). The median proton component was 26.9 CGE. Patients were treated after documented recurrence after initial surgery ( n = 6) or after subtotal resection or biopsy ( n = 9). None had had prior radiation therapy. Results: Median observation period of surviving patients ( n = 11) was 13.1 years from radiotherapy. One patient was lost to follow-up with tumor control after 5.2 years. Actuarial 10-year survival rate was 72%. Four patients have died 5–9.1 years after treatment, two from local failure. Actuarial 5- and 10-year local control rates were 93% and 85%, respectively. The functional status of the living adult patients is unaltered from their preradiotherapy status; all of them continued leading normal or near normal working lives. None of the patients treated as a child had experienced recurrence of tumor. One child shows learning difficulties and slight retardation, comparable to his preradiotherapy status. The others have professional achievements within the normal range. Conclusion: Results in terms of survival and local control are comparable with other contemporary series. Although no formal neuropsychological testing was performed, the surrogate measures of lifestyle and professional accomplishments appear to be satisfactory.
PRISM applied to a multifamily building: The lumley homes case study

Abstract The gas consumption for space and water heating and for cooking in a multifamily building is analyzed using the Princeton Scorekeeping Method (PRISM). An objective of the study is to explain in physical terms the components of annual gas consumption, and to discuss how physical parameters and their changes can be observed in the data. The three-parameter model of PRISM is estimated using both monthly billing data and daily measurements obtained from instrumentation installed in the building. The effects on parameter estimates of known physical characteristics, namely high indoor temperatures and seasonal changes in base-level consumption, are discussed. The effects of unknown physical characteristics, namely heating system efficiency and infiltration rate, are inferred from the analysis. These variables are estimated using an extended PRISM model. We conclude that careful consideration of the building's operation and other supplemental data permit physical interpretations of parameter estimates that are not possible with a straightforward a application of PRISM alone. Departures from the validity of the assumptions of constant base level, constant heating slope, and constant reference temperature throughout a season are examined.
Aberration-corrected aspheric grating designs for the Lyman/Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer high-resolution spectrograph: a comparison

Two approaches to reducing the optical aberrations of concave diffraction gratings have been studied to obtain candidate grating designs for the Lyman/Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer mission. The first approach involves shaping the grating substrate while using straight and equally spaced grooves. The second approach involves using a gating substrate with a relatively simple figure and holographically controlling the groove curvature and spacing. We analyze and compare specific designs derived from both approaches.
The Hausdorff Dimension of a Set of Normal Numbers II

Let R, S be a partition of 2, 3,… so that rational powers fall in the same class. Let (λn) be any real sequence; we show that there exists a set N , of dimension 1, so that (x + λ n ) ( n = 1,2, …) are normal to every base from R and to no base from S , for every x ∈ N .
Synthesis and composition evolution of bimetallic Pd–Pt alloy nanoparticles

This paper reports a study on the synthesis of Pd–Pt alloy nanoparticles and composition evolution of the alloys. The synthesis involves Pd and Pt acetylacetonate as the metal precursors and trioctylphosphine (TOP) as the solvent. Thermal decomposition of the Pd–TOP complex resulted in Pd nanoparticles, while substitution of Pt in the Pt–TOP complex by Pd allowed formation of the Pd–Pt alloys. It was observed that the Pd–Pt nanoparticles formed at the very beginning in the synthesis process are Pd rich with various nanoparticle sizes ranging from 1.5 to 25 nm in diameter. These nanoparticles averaged out through a digestive ripening process and reached a final size of 3.5 nm in about 10 min. The alloy compositions evolved throughout the synthesis process and only reached the preset Pd to Pt ratio of the precursors in 120 min. It was found that Pt acetylacetonate alone in TOP cannot produce Pt nanoparticles, which was attributed to the formation of a Pt–TOP complex and a strong coordination of Pt to the phosphine. This observation led us to propose an atomic exchange process between the Pt–TOP complex and the Pd atoms at the nanoparticle surface. As a result, the alloy formation process is limited by a substitution and diffusion rate of the Pt atoms at the surface of the alloy nanoparticles.
Lifelong Learning-Doctoral Studies in Middle Adulthood

Abstract This paper shows the educational progression of a “middle-aged” doctoral student as well as the motivation and career track of a high school educator progressing on to collegiate teaching. It also explores the motivation for mid-career change as well as challenges and opportunities that present themselves as unique for the life-long learner. To demonstrate that learning is not a static event, and to demonstrate that doctoral-level study is not limited to recent graduate students in their 20's. Rather, this paper describes how doctoral study for “older” students is a fundamentally different life-experience, even though the academic experience is identical.
Reengineering the project design process

In response to NASA's goal of working faster, better and cheaper, JPL has developed extensive plans to minimize cost, maximize customer and employee satisfaction, and implement small- and moderate-size missions. These plans include improved management structures and processes, enhanced technical design processes, the incorporation of new technology, and the development of more economical space- and ground-system designs. The Laboratory's new Flight Projects Implementation Office has been chartered to oversee these innovations and the reengineering of JPL's project design process, including establishment of the Project Design Center and the Flight System Testbed. Reengineering at JPL implies a cultural change whereby the character of its design process will change from sequential to concurrent and from hierarchical to parallel. The Project Design Center will support missions offering high science return, design to cost, demonstrations of new technology, and rapid development. Its computer-supported environment will foster high-fidelity project life-cycle development and cost estimating.
Perfect Plane-Wave Injection into a Finite FDTD Domain through Teleportation of Fields

A new method is proposed for injecting plane waves (although not constrained solely to plane waves) into the computational domain of a finite-difference time domain (FDTD). Fields from a background FDTD space that can support perfect plane waves traveling at an arbitrary angle of incidence are used to calculate the equivalent currents on a rectangular boundary such that the currents so defined satisfy the discrete curl operator of FDTD. When these equivalent currents are copied onto another FDTD domain, the rectangular boundary acts as a perfect teleportation window, inside of which the plane wave exists and outside of which no fields are produced. Thus a scatterer within the window is illuminated with a perfect plane wave and its scattered fields exit transparently through the window. Thus a total field-scattered field FDTD formulation is attained automatically. This method correctly accounts for the nonlinear grid dispersion created by the discretization of the Yee grid. The only error in the plane wave...
Alectinib Induces a Durable (>15 Months) Complete Response in an ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient Who Progressed on Crizotinib With Diffuse Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis

This report describes a patient with ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer who developed diffuse leptomeningeal carcinomatosis as the only “site” of progression after a prolonged response to crizotinib and who has been treated successfully with a second-generation ALK inhibitor alone for >15 months.
Micelles as separation media in high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance capillary electrophoresis : overview and perspective

Abstract The use of micelles in high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis is reviewed. In the first part, an overview of micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) is provided. Since the first introduction of the technique by Armstrong and Henry [D.W. Armstrong and S.J. Henry, J. Liq. Chromatogr., 3 (1980) 657; D.W. Armstrong, Sep. Purif. Methods 14 (1985) 213] in 1980, the technique has received much attention due to its numerous capabilities and advantages, such as simultaneous separation of charged and uncharged solutes, rapid gradient capability, direct on-column injection of physiological fluids, unique separation selectivity, high reproducibility, robustness, enhanced luminescence detection, low cost and safety. The main shortcoming of the technique is poor chromatographic efficiency. Nevertheless, MLC is superior to ion-pair LC and ion-exchange LC for the separation of charged molecules and mixtures of charged and uncharged solutes. The roles of micelles and organic modifiers in controlling retention and selectivity in MLC is described. The differences between MLC and reversed-phase LC in terms of chromatographic hehavior and scope of application are examined. A main focus of this overview is on micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). In 1984, Terabe et al. [S. Terabe, K. Otsuka, K. Ichikawa, A. Tsuchiya and T. Ando, Anal. Chem. 56 (1984) 111; S. Terabe, K. Otsuka and T. Ando, Anal. Chem. 57 (1985) 834] reported the use of micelles in buffer solutions for capillary electrophoresis (CE). MEKC was primarily developed for the separation of uncharged solutes, but it has grown far beyond its initial intent. The scope of applications covers wide groups of organic, inorganic and biochemical compounds that are of interest in various disciplines, such as pharmaceutical, clinical, biotechnological, environmental sciences and others. This is due to its unique advantages, such as high efficiency, speed, ease of method development, feasibility of incorporating various chemistries to influence retention and selectivity, small sample size and low cost. The instrumental set-up in MEKC is the same as that for CE. However, charged organized media such as micelles are incorporated in the buffer solution and act as a pseudo-stationary phase. Unchanged solutes are separated on the basis of their differential partitioning into the micellar pseudo-stationary phase. The roles of various parameters on the overall chromatographic behavior are described. Special attention is given to the characterization of selectivity of pseudo-stationary phases on MEKC.
Vitamin E, Memantine, and Alzheimer Disease

to support its use because the comparison of the group assigned to memantine with the group assigned to placebo suggested no differences in either the primary ADCS-ADL outcome or in the secondary cognitive outcomes. The negative interaction between alpha tocopherol treatment, which was significantly beneficial alone, and memantine treatment in predicting the primary trial outcome is of concern and deserves further investigation. No formal comparison of the primary outcome was reported between the group assigned to alpha tocopherol alone and the group assigned to the combination of alpha tocopherol and memantine; the statement in the “Discussion” that “… the combination of alpha tocopherol and memantine had less effect than either alpha tocopherol alone or memantine alone” is difficult to support in the absence of such a comparison with significance testing.
On the cleaning of heavy-ion source anodes

Abstract A simple and effective chemical technique for removing sputtered tantalum cathode material from the interior of heavy-ion source anodes is described.
Characteristics of close collisions of an antiproton with atoms.

We discuss low-energy antiproton (p-bar) collisions with H and He on the basis of adiabatic potentials and with the use of a molecular-orbital expansion method. Every electronic state for the p-bar-H system merges into the continuum at a certain internuclear separation, and this separation is farther and farther out for higher and higher excited states. (This fact was first pointed out by E. Fermi and E. Teller (Phys. Rev. 72, 399 (1947)), who specifically considered the ground state of a system consisting of a meson and a hydrogen atom.) For the p-bar-He system, as for to the p-bar-H system, all electronic states cross over into the continuum of the He/sup +/+1e/sup -/ state at a finite separation. These findings lead us to suggest that a close encounter of p-bar with an atom should result, at a high probability, in ionization with near-zero electron energy and a wide range of ejected-electron angle. This mechanism of ionization is absent for collisions of protons (p), and may account in part for the greater double-ionization cross section of He for p-bar than for p at the same energy, which was found in a recent experiment.
Bringing the world to your desk: Evolution of an international resource

Traces the historical development of an international resource as it has evolved through seven versions from International Directory of Psychologists published as a book in 1958 to Psychology: IUPsyS Global Resource published as a CD-ROM in 2001 to address the communication needs of the international psychology community in particular and the scholarly community in general.
Gas–liquid two-phase flows in rectangular polymer micro-channels

This study addresses gas–liquid two-phase flows in polymer (PMMA) micro-channels with non-molecularly smooth and poorly wetting walls (typical contact angle of 65°) unlike previous studies conducted on highly wetting molecularly smooth materials (e.g., glass/silicon). Four fundamentally different topological flow regimes (Capillary Bubbly, Segmented, Annular, Dry) were identified along with two transitory ones (Segmented/Annular, Annular/Dry) and regime boundaries were identified from the two different test chips. The regime transition boundaries were influenced by the geometry of the two-phase injection, the aspect ratio of the test micro-channels, and potentially the chip material as evidenced from comparisons with the results of previous studies. Three principal Segmented flow sub-regimes (1, 2, and 3) were identified on the basis of quantified topological characteristics, each closely correlated with two-phase flow pressure drop trends. Irregularity of the Segmented regimes and related influencing factors were addressed and discussed. The average bubble length associated with the Segmented flows scaled approximately with a power law of the liquid volumetric flow ratio, which depends on aspect ratio, liquid superficial velocity, and the injection system. A simplified semi-empirical geometric model of gas bubble and liquid plug volumes provided good estimates of liquid plug length for most of the segmented regime cases and for all test-channel aspect ratios. The two-phase flow pressure drop was measured for the square test channels. Each Segmented flow sub-regime was associated with different trends in the pressure drop scaled by the viscous scale. These trends were explained in terms of the quantified flow topology (measured gas bubble and liquid plug lengths) and the number of bubble/plug pairs. Significant quantitative differences were found between the two-phase pressure drop in the polymer micro-channels of this study and those obtained from previous glass/silicon micro-channel studies, indicating that the effect of wall surface properties is important. Pressure drop trends on the capillary scale along gas bubbles extracted from the measurements in square micro-channels indicated a linear dependence on the Capillary number and did not agree with those predicted by highly idealized theory primarily because explicit and implicit assumptions in the theory were not relevant to practical conditions in this study.
Integration of scheduling and dynamic optimization for sequential batch processes

We propose an efficient decomposition method to solve the integrated problem of scheduling and dynamic optimization for sequential batch processes. The integrated problem is formulated as a mixed-integer dynamic optimization problem. To reduce the computational complexity, we first decompose all dynamic models from the integrated problem. Information of the dynamic models is encapsulated by a flexible recipe which is characterized by Pareto frontiers. The Pareto frontiers are determined offline by using multi-objective dynamic optimization to minimize the processing cost and processing time. The flexible recipe is then optimized simultaneously with the scheduling decisions online. After the decomposition, the online problem is a mixed integer linear programming problem which is computationally efficient and allows the online implementation.
The Outlook For Medical Lasers: The New Technologies

The medical laser industry continues to be a complex industry to follow. In this presentation, the author provides an overview of the growing markets, the new laser technologies and the new applications that will shape the medical laser industry in the years ahead. The presentation covers both a conservative view of market growth as well as application breakthroughs that could greatly impact the sale of both conventional and new laser systems. These new applications include laser angioplasty, laser lithotripsy, corneal sculpting, and other new significant surgical and therapeutic uses for lasers. The new laser systems include excimer lasers, pulsed dye systems, new solid state lasers operating at fiber transmittable water absorption peaks, diode and diode pumped solid state lasers and tunable solid state lasers of the future. The presentation, based on a recently completed study of the industry (published by Arthur D. Little's Decision Resources, November, 1988), is a valuable overview for both established participants and those newly interested in the medical laser field.
Amplification of a diffraction-limited Stokes beam by a severely distorted pump

The feasibility of using a severely aberrated pump beam to amplify effectively without distortion a diffraction-limited Raman beam has been studied. In these experiments the XeCl laser served as the pump and H2 as the Raman medium. Degradation of the amplified Stokes beam quality with increase in the Raman gain was observed and measured.
Long term changes in brain cholinergic markers and nerve growth factor levels after partial immunolesion.

Abstract There are deficits in cholinergic basal forebrain neurons (CBFNs) in the aged brain and patients suffering Alzheimer's disease associated with a partial loss of the CBFNs. To mimic this partial loss and assess its long term effects on residual cholinergic activity and resultant target-derived nerve growth factor (NGF) levels, we produced a partial immunolesion to CBFNs with 192 IgG-saporin, an immunotoxin selectively taken up by p75 NTR -bearing neurons. We measured two cholinergic markers, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and NGF protein levels at 10 days, 1, 6 and 12 months postlesion. There were no significant changes in the cholinergic markers and the NGF protein levels in the sham-treated animal controls during the one year experiment. Ten days after 192 IgG-saporin treatment, ChAT activity decreased to 35–50% of controls in the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, and cortex. There was a minor but significant recovery of ChAT activity one year after the immunolesion in the hippocampus. Changes in AChE activity mirrored the ChAT changes but were less robust. There were transient increases in NGF protein levels in the hippocampus and cortex that returned to basal levels at 6 months and 12 months postlesion, respectively. In summary, partial immunolesions resulted in partial region-specific and time-dependent recoveries of cholinergic activity in the target areas of the basal forebrain after a partial elimination of CBFNs and a return to basal levels of NGF protein consistent with the hypothesis that the remaining CBFNs compensated for losses of ChAT and NGF due to changes in cholinergic innervation of basal forebrain target areas.
Proton relaxation rate and fluorometric studies of manganese and rare earth binding to concanavalin A.

Abstract The binding of Mn 2+ , Ca 2+ , and rare earth ions to apoconcanavalin A has been studied by water proton relaxation enhancement, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. An electron paramagnetic resonance and water proton relaxation rate study of the titration of apoconcanavalin A with Mn 2+ gives evidence of two equivalent binding sites per monomer with K D = 50 μ m ± 4 μ m. When a similar Mn 2+ titration of apoconcanavalin A is performed in the presence of Ca 2+ ion, very little free Mn 2+ is detected by electron paramagnetic resonance until the two M n 2+ binding sites per monomer are filled. The substitution of a rare earth ion for Ca 2+ ion in the above experiment often resulted in a slight displacement of Mn 2+ from the transition metal site as detected by electron paramagnetic resonance. A water proton relaxation rate study of the titration of apoconcanavalin A with Gd 3+ reflects two binding sites with a K D = 40 μ m ± 4 μ m and two with a K D = 200 μ m ± 50 μ m. The fluorescence emission spectrum of concanavalin A (λ em = 340 nm) is slightly quenched by the addition of Tb 3+ while Tb 3+ fluorescence is greatly enhanced. A fluorometric titration of apoconcanavalin A with Tb 3+ also reflects two sites with a K D = 40 μ m ± 15 μ m and two with a K D = 270 μ m ± 50 μ m.
PHOTOCHEMICAL ADDITION OF AMINO ACIDS AND PEPTIDES TO POLYURIDYLIC ACID

— The quantum yields for photochemical addition of glycine and the L-amino acids commonly occurring in proteins (excluding proline) to polyuridylic acid have been determined in deoxygenated phosphate buffer at pH 7, using a fluorescamine assay technique. All twenty amino acids were found to be reactive, with cysteine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine, arginine, lysine and methionine being the most reactive. The analogous quantum yields for a series of eighteen dipeptides of the form glycyl X (X being one of the commonly occurring amino acids, including proline), of L-alanyl-L-tryptophan, of the tripeptides L-seryl-L-seryl-L-serine and L-threonyl-L-threonyl-L-threonine, of the tetrapeptide L-cystine-bis-glycine, and of the lysine derivative Nα-acetyllysine were also measured. All were found to be reactive toward photoaddition to poly U.
Modeling of gamma-ray radiolysis data at moderate and low solute concentrations in aqueous solutions

Abstract A radiation chemical model developed for use in pulse radiolysis studies employing high energy electrons has been applied to the calculation of yields in aqueous chemical systems irradiated with 60 Co γ-rays. The fit between model calculations and experimental data is almost within experimental error in most instances. Trends are accurately predicted where quantitative agreement is not found. Predictions of molecular yields of H 2 and H 2 O 2 in the presence of scavengers of precursors of these molecules are in good agreement if an initial molecular yield is assumed for both molecules. Agreement between model predictions and experimental data is reasonable at low solute concentrations where back reactions of spur intermediates are important. The model appears to be useful in modeling steady state γ radiolysis as well as pulse radiolysis data. Implications of the model in predicting possible errors in rate constant determinations are discussed.
Analysis of environmental pollutants by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. II: Pesticides in effluent of golf links

The separation of the selected pesticides, such as Asulam, Thiuram, Oxine-copper, Iprodione and Bensulide (SAP) by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (micellar EKC) was investigated. These substances were separated by optimization of separation conditions with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as surfactant, however, it was clear that this separation had some problems because the peaks of Iprodione and SAP were close to the SDS micelle on account of their high lipophilicity. The relative standard deviations of these peaks were 2-3% and the values of detection limit of these peaks except for Oxine-copper were 2-5 ppm.
Comparison of Single-Tone and Spectrally-Confined Waveform Performance in Millimeter-Wave Amplifiers

Many waveforms for future military satellite communication systems rely on spectrally-confined waveforms to increase the number of users and maintain capacity. These waveforms stress the performance of the transmitting amplifiers. The design and planning stages of communication systems often use memory-less nonlinear models, such as amplitude-to-amplitude modulation and amplitude-to-phase modulation models. These models are based on single-tone measurements and do not accurately predict the amplifier performance for wider bandwidth modulations. This paper presents measured comparisons of single-tone characteristics and spectrally-confined waveform performance in solid-state amplifiers at millimeter-wave frequencies. Measurements are performed over a range of data rates with PSK and QAM modulations, with comparison of devices with and without nonlinear memory.
Increased Sp1-dependent Transactivation of theLAMγ1 Promoter in Hepatic Stellate Cells Co-cultured with HepG2 Cells Overexpressing Cytochrome P450 2E1

Laminin is a basement-membrane protein that increases in liver fibrosis. To study the role of oxidative stress on laminin expression, hepatic stellate cells (HSC) were co-cultured with HepG2 cells that do or do not express (E47 or C34 cells, respectively) CYP2E1, a potent generator of oxygen radicals. Co-incubation of HSC with E47 cells increased laminin beta1 and gamma1 proteins compared with co-incubation with C34 cells; this increase was prevented by antioxidants and CYP2E1 inhibitors. Similar results were observed in co-culture with primary hepatocytes from saline- or pyrazole-treated (with high levels of CYP2E1) rats. Laminin alpha1 chain was not detectable in the HSC in any of the systems; however, laminin alpha2 chain increased in HSC co-cultured with E47 cells. Synthesis but not turnover of laminin beta1 and gamma1 proteins was increased in HSC in the E47 co-culture. Laminin beta1 and gamma1 mRNAs were up-regulated in HSC in the E47 co-culture because of transcriptional activation of both genes. Transfection experiments in HSC with reporter constructs driven by the laminin gamma1 promoter showed maximal responsiveness with the -230/+106 and the -1400/+106 constructs in the E47 system. Gel-shift assays demonstrated an increase in Sp1 binding to the laminin gamma1 promoter in HSC when co-incubated with E47 cells, which was blocked by an anti-Sp1 antibody. Co-transfection of a Sp1 expression vector further increased the responsiveness of the -330LAMgamma1-CAT reporter vector in HSC in the HSC/E47 system. These results show that diffusable CYP2E1-derived oxidative-stress mediators induce synthesis of laminins by a transcriptional mechanism in HSC. Such interactions between hepatocytes and HSC may be important during liver fibrosis.
Yearning to be the center of everything, when we are the center of nothing: The parallels and reversals in chaco, hubble, and facebook

Humans have long sought to map their place in the cosmos and then situate their selves at the center of the universe. These patterns are displayed at three radically different sites - the Sun Dagger in Chaco Canyon, the Hubble Space Telescope, and social media and Facebook. Drawing from Marshall McLuhan, this article will theorize the parallels and reversals in these sites, where cosmological discoveries of the expanding universe have been countered by technological innovations involving electronic screens, such that social media counters space telescopes, cyberspace counters outer space, andFacebook counters Hubble. Perhaps the ''revolution'' of social media merely parallels other cultural reversals, all of which seek to return humans to the center of the universe, when we are the center of nothing. And this desire and delusion to be at the center of everything lies at the heart of contemporary issues facing the global civilization.
Adapting Health Education Material for Deaf Audiences

Problem: The deaf population is an often-overlooked limited English proficiency (LEP) group at risk for health disparities associated with low health literacy. Lack of access to health information conveyed via radio, television, or ambient auditory sources such as public conversation further aggravates this population’s low health literacy. Methods of adapting health education material for hearing LEP populations do not reach deaf audiences with equal effectiveness. Method: We adapt health education material for deaf audiences by first determining the “learning points” contained in vetted source material. A dialog-based film script covering those learning points is created. Supplemental content addressing common deaf population knowledge gaps and sociocultural experiences is added. Deaf actors are filmed following the adapted American Sign Language (ASL) script. Their ASL is back-translated into English to yield vocal track and subtitle scripts. The source material author(s) are consulted throughout the process to assure the film’s adherence to the learning point list. Results: Users report that the adapted product is more relevant, engaging, and effective for deaf audiences. Conclusion: This adaptation approach may aid in reducing deaf population health disparities.
Increase of microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase activity after chronic ethanol administration.

To study the effect of chronic ethanol administration on the activity of hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase, female rats were pair-fed liquid diets with 36% of total calories either as ethanol or isocaloric carbohydrate (controls). The remainder of the diet contained 35% of total calories as fat, 18% as protein, and 11% as additional carbohydrate. Six weeks of ethanol feeding as isocaloric substitution for carbohydrate increased significantly the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase (expressed per mg microsomal protein) both in fed (38%; p < 0.001) and fasted 18%; p < 0.02) rats. When expressed per unit of body weight, the enzyme activity was increased even further both in fed (66%; p < 0.01) and fasted (43%; p < 0.01) rats. Another group of rats received diets containing 36% of calories either as ethanol or isocaloric fat. The remainder of the diet contained 11% of total calories as carbohydrate, 18% as protein, and 35% as additional fat. Six weeks of this ethanol feeding as isocaloric substitution for fat again increased glucose-6-phosphatase activity significantly. Ultracentrifugation in a Cs+-containing sucrose gradient to separate rough and smooth microsomes revealed that the increase in glucose-6-phosphatase activity after ethanol feeding occurred mainly in the smooth microsomal membranes.
Survey of extreme load design regulatory agency licensing requirements for nuclear power plants

Abstract Since 1965, when extreme load requirements began to be considered explicitly in nuclear power plant design, there has been a gradual divergence in requirements imposed by national regulatory agencies. However, nuclear plant safety is an international problem because of the potential international effects of any postulated plant failure. For this reason this paper has been prepared in an attempt to highlight the differences in national criteria currently used in the extreme load design of nuclear plant facilities. No attempt has been made to evaluate the relative merit of the criteria established by the various national regulatory agencies. This paper presents the results of a recent survey made of national atomic energy regulatory agencies and major nuclear steam supply design agencies, which requested a summary of current licensing criteria associated with earthquake, extreme wind (tornado), flood, airplane crash and accident (pipe break) loads applicable within the various national jurisdictions. Also presented are a number of comparisons which are meant to illustrate the differences in national regulatory criteria. One example of this difference is the combination of pipe break and earthquake requirements for reactor coolant system design in the US while they are considered separately in Japan. Another example is the difference by which design earthquakes are defined in the US and Japan. In the US, typically a safe shutdown earthquake (SSE) is defined which is considered to be largest earthquake that could rationally be expected to occur at the site, based on regional tectonics or active fault characteristics. A second earthquake term the operational basis earthquake (OBE) which has a required intensity equal to at least half the SSE is defined as the earthquake expected during the 40 yr life of the nuclear plant facility. In Japan a design basis earthquake (DBE) is usually defined based on regional fault characteristics and historical data which could reasonably be expected at the site during the life of the facility. A maximum hypothetical earthquake is then defined for critical structure equal to 1.5 times the DBE for which safe shutdown of the plant must be assured. Other differences highlighted include the fact that the vertical acceleration due to earthquakes have been considered a constant in Japan, while in the US a vertical response spectra has been specified. In W. Germany the effects of aircraft crashes are considered for all plant sites, while in other countries they are considered only when plant sites are in close proximity for commercial airports. In Scandinavia until now there has been no specific requirement for earthquake-resistant design. The US appears to be the only country that routinely considers tornadoes and tornado-borne missiles as a design requirement. In addition to reporting current requirements there is an attempt to project or determine trends in future licensing requirements such as the anticipated reduction of the OBE minimum requirement in the US from one-half to one-third of the SSE.
An evaluation of the impact of sublethal dosages of nuclear polyhedrosis virus in larvae on pupae, adults, and adult progeny of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda☆

Abstract Spodoptera frugiperda nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) was bioassayed against 2-day-old S. frugiperda larvae by feeding them meridic diet which was surface-contaminated with known quantities of NPV. The LC 50 and LC 75 were determined to be 87 and 142 polyhedral inclusion bodies/mm 2 of diet surface, respectively. The same inoculation method, using these two dosages and 2-day-old larvae, was used in subsequent experiments to obtain pupae which survived each dosage. Surviving pupae were sexedm weighed, and allowed to eclose. Adults obtained were allowed to mate. No significant differences were found in sex ratio, pupal weight, adult emergence, total egg production, oviposition rate, and egg viability between treated insects and healthy controls, regardless of NPV dose.
A new diagnostic algorithm for assessment of patients with single ventricle before a Fontan operation

Objectives Cardiac catheterization has a low diagnostic yield before a Fontan operation, and magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are reliable alternatives to invasive angiography. A new diagnostic algorithm to avoid cardiac catheterization in "low-risk" subjects before a Fontan operation is proposed. Methods The proposed algorithm would identify "high-risk" subjects on the basis of risk factors on medical history, echocardiography, and noninvasive angiography. The efficacy of this algorithm in screening for subjects deemed to be inoperable after catheterization was evaluated retrospectively in 151 children. For this analysis, results of conventional angiography (assumed to be equivalent to noninvasive angiography) were used. Results According to the algorithm, 95 (63%) of 151 subjects had no risk factors ("low risk") whereas 56 (37%) of 151 had 1 risk factor or more ("high risk"). Nine (6%) of 151 subjects were found to be inoperable after catheterization and all 9 were correctly classified as high risk by the algorithm. In the 135 of 151 subjects who underwent a Fontan operation, the algorithm predicted an adverse postoperative outcome with a sensitivity of 51% and specificity of 78%. However, this prediction was not improved by including elevated pulmonary artery pressure or ventricular filling pressure as additional risk factors. Conclusions The proposed algorithm effectively screened for subjects who were deemed unsuitable for a Fontan procedure. In addition, omitting preoperative invasive hemodynamic assessment did not impair prediction of adverse postoperative outcomes. Prospective evaluation of such a noninvasive diagnostic strategy before the Fontan operation is warranted.
A block inverse-free preconditioned Krylov subspace method for symmetric generalized eigenvalue problems

The inverse-free preconditioned Krylov subspace method of Golub and Ye [G.H. Golub, Q. Ye, An inverse free preconditioned Krylov subspace method for symmetric generalized eigenvalue problems, SIAM J. Sci. Comp. 24 (2002) 312-334] is an efficient algorithm for computing a few extreme eigenvalues of the symmetric generalized eigenvalue problem. In this paper, we first present an analysis of the preconditioning strategy based on incomplete factorizations. We then extend the method by developing a block generalization for computing multiple or severely clustered eigenvalues and develop a robust black-box implementation. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the analysis and the efficiency of the block algorithm.
Are Closed‐Minded People More Open to the Idea of Killing Themselves?

This article summarizes the author's work on Openness to Experience (a personality trait) and suicidal behavior. It appears that people who obtain low scores on an inventory measuring Openness to Experience are less likely to report suicidal ideation but more likely to take their own lives. How can this apparent discrepancy be reconciled? Based on the premise that the expression of suicidal ideation can have adaptive consequences (e.g., by mobilizing family and treatment providers), it is hypothesized that people with major depression who are low in Openness may be at increased risk for completed suicide in part because they are less likely to feel, or report feeling, suicidal.
Viral vector tropism for supporting cells in the developing murine cochlea

Gene-based therapeutics are being developed as novel treatments for genetic hearing loss. One roadblock to effective gene therapy is the identification of vectors which will safely deliver therapeutics to targeted cells. The cellular heterogeneity that exists within the cochlea makes viral tropism a vital consideration for effective inner ear gene therapy. There are compelling reasons to identify a viral vector with tropism for organ of Corti supporting cells. Supporting cells are the primary expression site of connexin 26 gap junction proteins that are mutated in the most common form of congenital genetic deafness (DFNB1). Supporting cells are also primary targets for inducing hair cell regeneration. Since many genetic forms of deafness are congenital it is necessary to administer gene transfer-based therapeutics prior to the onset of significant hearing loss. We have used transuterine microinjection of the fetal murine otocyst to investigate viral tropism in the developing inner ear. For the first time we have characterized viral tropism for supporting cells following in utero delivery to their progenitors. We report the inner ear tropism and potential ototoxicity of three previously untested vectors: early-generation adenovirus (Ad5.CMV.GFP), advanced-generation adenovirus (Adf.11D) and bovine adeno-associated virus (BAAV.CMV.GFP). Adenovirus showed robust tropism for organ of Corti supporting cells throughout the cochlea but induced increased ABR thresholds indicating ototoxicity. BAAV also showed tropism for organ of Corti supporting cells, with preferential transduction toward the cochlear apex. Additionally, BAAV readily transduced spiral ganglion neurons. Importantly, the BAAV-injected ears exhibited normal hearing at 5 weeks of age when compared to non-injected ears. Our results support the use of BAAV for safe and efficient targeting of supporting cell progenitors in the developing murine inner ear.
Highly transparent and conductive carbon nanotube coatings deposited on flexible polymer substrate by solution method

Transparent single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) based flexible conductive coatings have found great application potentials in flexible displays and solar cells. In this paper we report a simple method for the fabrication of this type of conductive coatings. By using plasma treatment of the flexible polymer substrates, the fabrication of SWCNT flexible coating can be easily achieved through a simple dip coating process. Initial results show that one-dip yields a sheet resistance of 128 Ω/□ and film transmission of more than 90% at the wavelength of 550 nm, while two-dip produces a coating with a sheet resistance of 75 Ω/□ and transmission of more than 80% at the wavelength of 550 nm. The performances achieved are comparable to those of the ITO coatings and significantly better than those reported in the literature for the SWCNT coatings produced by using similar methods.
How worrisome is testicular microlithiasis

Purpose of reviewAnecdotal reports of men developing testicular cancer after previous identification of microcalcifications on ultrasound generated significant concern in the literature about the relationship of testicular microlithiasis and testis cancer. Until 2001 little prospective data were ava
Frequency-based code placement for embedded multiprocessors

Multiprocessor embedded systems often have processor-local caches and a shared memory. If the system's code is available at design time we can maximize cache hits by rearranging code in memory so that frequently executed tasks reside in reserved areas of the caches and are not overwritten by less frequent tasks.
Online counselling and the Internet: Perspectives for mental health care supervision and education

Mental health care involves interaction among individuals. As many individuals spend increasing amounts of time interacting with others online, counselling activities on the Internet and other forms of computer networking are becoming more popular. This article describes a variety of modes of online mental health care, including e-mail counselling, online family therapy and Internet support groups. As addressed in the article, these modes provide an assortment of perils as well as potentials, such as complex privacy and trust considerations. Research on these matters is in its very early stages, which is hampering the efforts of many counsellors and clients to make informed choices about treatment. If education and supervision for mental health professionals includes some exposure to online interaction, the individuals involved can gain perspective on face-to-face encounters.