cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing and Testing a Web-Based Provider Training for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of Insomnia.

INTRODUCTION Chronic insomnia is a common and debilitating disease that increases risk for significant morbidity and workplace difficulties. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment, but there is a critical lack of behavioral health providers trained in CBT-I because, in part, of a bottleneck in training availability and costs. The current project developed and evaluated a web-based provider training course for CBT-I: CBTIweb.org. MATERIALS AND METHODS Subject matter experts developed the content for CBTIweb.org. Then, trainees completed alpha testing (n = 24) and focus groups, and the site was improved. Next, licensed behavioral health providers and trainees completed beta testing (n = 41) and the site underwent another round of modifications. Finally, to compare CBTIweb.org to an in-person workshop, licensed behavioral health providers were randomly assigned to CBTIweb.org (n = 21) or an in-person workshop (n = 23). All participants were CBT-I naive and completed the following assessments: Computer System Usability Questionnaire, Website Usability Satisfaction Questionnaire, Website Content Satisfaction Questionnaire, and Continuing Education knowledge acquisition questionnaires. RESULTS Alpha and beta testers of CBTIweb.org reported high levels of usability and satisfaction with the site and showed significant within-group knowledge acquisition. In the pilot comparison study, linear fixed-effects modeling on the pre-/postquestionnaires revealed a significant main effect for time, indicating a significant increase in knowledge acquisition from 69% correct at baseline to 92% correct at posttraining collapsed across in-person and CBTIweb.org groups. The interaction effect of Time by Condition was nonsignificant, indicating equivalence in knowledge gains across both groups. CONCLUSION CBTIweb.org appears to be an engaging, interactive, and concise provider training that can be easily navigated by its users and produce significant knowledge gains that are equivalent to traditional in-person workshops. CBTIweb.org will allow for worldwide dissemination of CBT-I to any English-speaking behavioral health providers. Future research will work on translating this training to other languages and extending this web-based platform to the treatment of other sleep disorders (e.g., nightmares) and populations (e.g., pediatric populations with insomnia).
A Double-Side Cooled SiC MOSFET Power Module With Sintered-Silver Interposers: I-Design, Simulation, Fabrication, and Performance Characterization

Planar, double-side cooled power modules are emerging in electric-drive inverters because of their low profile, better heat extraction, and lower package parasitic inductances. However, there is still a concern about their reliability due to the rigid interconnection between the device chips and two substrates of the power module. In this article, a porous interposer made of low-temperature sintered silver is introduced to reduce the thermomechanical stresses in the module. A double-side cooled half-bridge module consisting of two 1200 V, 149 A SiC MOSFETs was designed, fabricated, and characterized. By using the sintered-Ag instead of solid copper interposers, our simulation results showed that, at a total power loss of 200 W, the thermomechanical stress at the most vulnerable interfaces (interposer-attach layer) was reduced by 42% and in the SiC MOSFET by 50% with a tradeoff of only 3.6% increase in junction temperature. The sintered-Ag interposers were readily fabricated into the desired dimensions without postmachining and did not require any surface finishing for die bonding and substrate interconnection by silver sintering. The porous interposers were also deformable under a low force or pressure, which helped to accommodate chip thickness and/or substrate-to-substrate gap variations in the planar module structure, thus simplifying module fabrication. The experimental results on the electrical performance of the fabricated SiC modules validated the success of using the porous silver interposers for fabricating planar, double-side cooled power modules.
A correlate of protection for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is urgently needed.

Recent studies suggest that neutralizing antibodies could serve as a correlate of protection for vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in humans.
Compact extended formulations for low-rank functions with indicator variables

We study the mixed-integer epigraph of a low-rank convex function with non-convex indicator constraints, which are often used to impose logical constraints on the support of the solutions. Extended formulations describing the convex hull of such sets can easily be constructed via disjunctive programming, although a direct application of this method often yields prohibitively large formulations, whose size is exponential in the number of variables. In this paper, we propose a new disjunctive representation of the sets under study, which leads to compact formulations with size exponential in the rank of the function, but polynomial in the number of variables. Moreover, we show how to project out the additional variables for the case of rank-one functions, recovering or generalizing known results for the convex hulls of such sets (in the original space of variables).
Effect of Neutral Grounding Resistance on Grid-Tie Active Front End Power Converter Systems Under Normal and Abnormal Conditions

Multiple grid-tie AFE converter systems requiring continuity of service under abnormal single line-ground fault conditions implies utilization of a floating or High Resistance Grounded (HRG) utility source. This paper shows floating or low amperage HRG units may generate high transient voltages at various system locations under this condition causing component or insulation damage. The paper describes three methods to mitigate transient fault voltages. It is not intuitively obvious that lowering source neutral ground resistance (R NG ) has a major effect on reducing transient system voltages and is the 1st significant factor analyzed. Method #2 involves grid-tie AFE software synchronization. Method #3 is a hybrid hardware solution comprised of input, output and DC bus filter conditioners.
Cross-view projective dictionary learning for person re-identification

Person re-identification plays an important role in many safety-critical applications. Existing works mainly focus on extracting patch-level features or learning distance metrics. However, the representation power of extracted features might be limited, due to the various viewing conditions of pedestrian images in reality. To improve the representation power of features, we learn discriminative and robust representations via dictionary learning in this paper. First, we propose a cross-view projective dictionary learning (CPDL) approach, which learns effective features for persons across different views. CPDL is a general framework for multiview dictionary learning. Secondly, by utilizing the CPDL framework, we design two objectives to learn low-dimensional representations for each pedestrian in the patch-level and the image-level, respectively. The proposed objectives can capture the intrinsic relationships of different representation coefficients in various settings. We devise efficient optimization algorithms to solve the objectives. Finally, a fusion strategy is utilized to generate the similarity scores. Experiments on the public VIPeR and CUHK Campus datasets show that our approach achieves the state-of-the-art performance.
Besk- k -Fit bin packing

The bin packing problem is to pack a list of reals in (0, 1] into unit-capacity bins using the minimum number of bins. LetR∞[A] be the limiting worst value for the ratioA(L)/OPT(L) asOPT(L) goes to ∞, whereA(L) denotes the number of bins used when the approximation algorithmA is applied to the listL, andOPT(L) denotes the minimum number of bins needed to packL. For Best-k-Fit (BkF for short,k≥1), we prove in this paper thatR∞[BkF]=1.7+3/10k.
Intelligent suggestive CAD systems research overview

Systems that make suggestions to designers are proposed as an aid to preliminary design and as a computational tool for concurrent engineering. By providing suggestions, such systems could help users obtain better design ideas and could bring information normally not considered during preliminary design to the intial design stage.
Structural and functional conservation in response regulators

Most response regulators are multidomain proteins. This chapter focuses on the details of these structures, with the intent of deriving structure and function principles applicable to the regulatory domains of all two-component systems. The first indication of a family of bacterial response regulators appeared in 1985, when the amino acid sequence of CheY was shown to be related to regulatory proteins of other cellular processes, such as membrane protein synthesis and sporulation. A comprehensive structure-function analysis of 103 amino acid sequences of response regulators appeared in late 1993. The CheY family includes the short single-domain response regulators, whereas all others are multi-domain proteins. The five standard domain types of multi-domain response regulators are found in various combinations, joined together by flexible linkers. The chapter presents a narrative guide through the CheY molecule, highlighting the interactions that serve as its principal structural determinants. Mg2+ is required for the phosphoryl group transfer reactions of CheY and, presumably, all other response regulators. Phosphorylation is the required primary event in the activation of CheY and, presumably, all normally functioning response regulators, but phosphorylation and activation can be unlinked.
Radiative transfer in the low Reynolds number, blunt-body stagnationregion at hypersonic speeds.

Radiative transfer effects in low Reynolds number or merged layer regime of hypersonic flow about axisymmetric blunt bodies, including thin shock layer theory
κB-Ras Binds to the Unique Insert within the Ankyrin Repeat Domain of IκBβ and Regulates Cytoplasmic Retention of IκBβ·NF-κB Complexes

The IκBα and IκBβ proteins inhibit the transcriptional potential of active NF-κB dimers through stable complex formation. It has been shown that inactive IκBα·NF-κB complexes shuttle in and out of the nucleus, whereas IκBβ·NF-κB complexes are retained exclusively in the cytoplasm of resting cells. The biochemical mechanism underlying this functional difference and its consequences are unknown. Although the two IκB proteins are significantly homologous, IκBβ contains a unique 47-amino acid insertion of unknown function within its ankyrin repeat domain. In this study, we assess the role of the IκBβ insert in regulating cytoplasmic retention of IκBβ·NF-κB complexes. Deletion of the IκBβ insert renders IκBβ·NF-κB complexes capable of shuttling between the nucleus and cytoplasm, similar to IκBα·NF-κB complexes. A small Ras-like G-protein, κB-Ras, participates with the IκBβ insert to effectively mask the NF-κB nuclear localization potential. Similarly, a complex between NF-κB and a mutant IκBβ protein containing four serine to alanine mutations within its C-terminal proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine-rich sequence exhibits nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. This suggests a phosphorylation state-dependent role for the C-terminal proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine-rich sequence of IκBβ in proper localization of IκBβ·NF-κB complexes. These results are consistent with structural studies, which predicted that binary IκBβ·NF-κB complexes should be capable of nuclear translocation, and with previous observations that hypophosphorylated IκBβ·NF-κB complexes can reside in the nucleus.
The Freshman 15: A Critical Time for Obesity Intervention or Media Myth?

Objectives We test whether the phrase “Freshman 15” accurately describes weight change among first-year college students. We also analyze freshmen's weight change during and after college. Methods This is the first investigation of the “Freshman 15” to use a nationally representative random sample, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97). The data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analysis, simulations, and longitudinal analysis. Results Freshmen gain between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds, on average, over the course of their first year of college. Compared to same-age noncollege attendees, the typical freshman gains only an additional half-pound. Instead of a spike in weight during the freshman year, college-educated individuals exhibit moderate but steady weight gain during and after college. Conclusion Anti-obesity efforts directed specifically at college freshmen will likely have little impact on obesity prevalence among young adults.
Huntingtin interacting protein 1 as a histopathologic adjunct in the diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma

Background Huntington interacting protein 1 (HIP1), an antiapoptotic protein normally expressed in the brain, is highly expressed in Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs). Given this, the aim of the current study was to ascertain the value of HIP1 as a histopathologic adjunct in the diagnosis of MCC. Methods In this retrospective study, archival material from 26 cases with a diagnosis of MCC and/or neuroendocrine carcinoma were retrieved from the pathology files of the Skin Pathology Laboratory (Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA). Histopathologic sections of all cases were re-reviewed and the diagnosis confirmed. All patient data were de-identified. Immunohistochemical studies were performed using antibodies to HIP1 and cytokeratins (CK) 20 and 7. Results A semiquantitative scoring system for immunohistochemical expression of HIP1 was utilized by deriving a cumulative score (based on percentage positivity of cells and intensity of expression). Using a cut-off total score of 3 or more as positive, the total number of positive cases was 22 for HIP1, 24 for CK20, and 11 for CK7. Conclusion Comparing the results of HIP1 and CK20, there were four discordant pairs (three positive for CK20 but negative for HIP1 and one positive for HIP1 but negative for CK20). McNemar's test indicated that there was no statistical significance (P = 0.625), thereby implying a close agreement between the expression of HIP1 and CK20 in these neuroendocrine neoplasms.
Small bowel neoplastic disease: Demonstration by MRI

This study demonstrates the appearance of small bowel tumors on MR images. Sixteen patients with tumors involving small bowel were studied by MRI. All tumors were proven with histopathology. Eleven patients had primary tumors of the small bowel, which included the following: four carcinoid tumors, three adenocarcinomas, two lymphomas, one leiomyosarcoma, and one leiomyoma. Five patients had recurrent or metastatic disease to small bowel: two patients had colon cancer, one patient had pancreatic cancer, one patient had uterine leiomyosarcoma, and one patient had chloroma (leukemia). MR examination included breath-hold T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo (all patients), immediate postgadolinium-spoiled gradient echo (10 patients), and 2 to 4 minutes postgadolinium T1-weighted, fat-suppressed images (all patients). Tumor size, local extent, signal intensity, and enhancement features of tumor and adjacent tissue were determined. Tumor ranged in diameter from 1 to 9 cm (mean, 4.0 cm). Tumors had similar signal intensity to normal small bowel on precontrast images. Fourteen malignant tumors showed heterogeneous enhancement greater than adjacent bowel on gadolinium-enhanced images. Tumor local extent was best shown on precontrast-spoiled gradient-echo images and postgadolinium T1-weighted fat-suppressed images. Image quality was most consistent on breath-hold images. The results of this study show that small bowel tumors are demonstrable on MR images. Precontrast breath-hold T1-weighted spoiled gradient-echo images and gadolinium-enhanced fat suppressed images demonstrate tumor extent most reliably.
Thromboprophylaxis and pregnancy outcomes in asymptomatic women with inherited thrombophilias.

Objective Our objective was to evaluate the effect of thromboprophylaxis on pregnancy outcomes in asymptomatic women with inherited thrombophilias. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of asymptomatic pregnant women with inherited thrombophilias. Medical records were reviewed for pregnancy events, diagnosis of thrombophilias, and management in subsequent pregnancies. Outcomes in women who were and were not treated with thromboprophylaxis were compared using Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. Results Fifty-three women had 75 pregnancies subsequent to their diagnosis of thrombophilia. Women treated with heparin had similar rates of live births (86% vs 82%; P = .8, Fisher's exact test) as those not treated. The odds ratio of live birth in all pregnancies for women treated with heparin was compared with untreated women and was 1.9 (95% confidence interval, 0.5-6.3). Conclusion Pregnancy outcomes are often good in asymptomatic women with thrombophilias in the absence of treatment. Treatment of these women during pregnancy should be considered investigational.
Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Focus in Cognitive–Behavioral and Psychodynamic–Interpersonal Therapies: A Preliminary Analysis of the Sheffield Project

Using a coding system designed to assess therapists' in-session focus, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the differential emphasis placed on client's intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning with interim data collected from an outcome study of a cognitive-behavioral (prescriptive) therapy and psychodynamic-interpersonal (exploratory) therapy. Consistent with theory, exploratory therapists made more interpersonal links relative to intrapersonal links. Contrary to theoretical expectation, there was a tendency for prescriptive therapists to place more of a focus on interpersonal, rather than intrapersonal, links. A between-group comparison revealed that there was no difference between the therapies in their emphasis on intrapersonal or interpersonal links. However, only in exploratory therapy were there positive correlations approaching statistical significance between the focus on interpersonal links and client's improvement in self-esteem and social adjustment. There was also a marginally sign...
Investigation of Superpave Fine Aggregate Angularity Criterion for Asphalt Concrete

Fine aggregate angularity (FAA) requirement is one of the aggregate consensus properties recommended by SHRP. Many state highway departments include FAA as part of their Superpave® mixture design specifications. Recent concerns about pavement performance and aggregate shape have caused these agencies to reinvestigate whether standard FAA testing provides information indicative of performance. This paper presents the results from standard FAA tests and digital imaging to investigate the validity of FAA requirements. Testing was performed on four asphalt mixtures representing a range of FAA values. Dynamic modulus testing was performed at three temperatures and five frequencies, and master curves were obtained using nonlinear regression. Asphalt pavement analyzer data obtained at one temperature were analyzed with respect to the rutting curve and rate of rutting. The experimental results for aggregates and mixtures were analyzed together by using statistical methods to develop correlation coefficients and linear trends. It was found that dynamic modulus and rut resistance values were strongly related to aggregate blend FAA. Some additional parameters from digital imaging also predicted modulus and rut resistance very well and should be included in future research.
Collective flow and pion production in a hydrodynamic model

A new heavy-ion collision model which couples ideal, relativistic hydrodynamics with dynamical pions is described. The collective flow predicted by the model is shown to compare favorably to results obtained in earlier hydrodynamic calculations using quite different numerical methods. Discrepancies with experimental data are discussed, as are possible resolutions of the differences. Pion multiplicities resulting from the model are presented along with their experimental implications. Extensions to the model are discussed as well.
Stabilization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoclusters in concentrated brine with cross-linked polymer shells.

Iron oxide nanoparticles, in the form of sub-100-nm clusters, were synthesized in the presence of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or poly(styrene sulfonate-alt-maleic acid) (PSS-alt-MA) to provide electrosteric stabilization. The superparamagnetic nanoclusters were characterized using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and zeta potential measurements. To anchor the polymer shell on the nanoparticle surface, the polymer was cross-linked for a range of cross-linking densities. For nanoclusters with only 12% (w/w) PSS-alt-MA, electrosteric stabilization was sufficient even in 8 wt % NaCl. For PAA, the cross-linked polymer shell was essentially permanent and did not desorb even upon dilution of the nanoparticles for iron oxide concentrations down to 0.014 wt %. Without cross-linking, over half of the polymer desorbed from the particle surfaces. This general approach of the adsorption of polym...
Joint impact of random variations and RTN on dynamic writeability in 28nm bulk and FDSOI SRAM

Improving SRAM minimum operating voltage (V min ) in scaled process nodes requires characterization of different failure mechanisms. Persistent errors caused by random variations and intermittent errors caused by random telegraph noise (RTN) both contribute to bitcell failure. Random V th shift was measured for 32,000 in-situ SRAM cells in both 28nm bulk and FDSOI processes due to both random variations and RTN, and dynamic writeability was measured by two different write modes that accentuate different RTN behaviour. Measured distribution parameters of both random variation and RTN were used to calibrate an accelerated Monte Carlo simulation that predicts a V min difference due to RTN. Measurements show that while FDSOI technology reduces random variation by approximately 27% compared to bulk, similar RTN amplitudes slightly increase bitcell susceptibility to failures caused by RTN.
Response to coastal storm hazard: Short-term recovery versus long-term planning

Abstract This paper describes a series of 1988 winter coastal storms that severely damaged the harbor front of Redondo Beach, California. The damages, responses and costs are detailed, along with a description of the city's emergency management system. This is followed with a discussion and evaluation of its recovery plans which focuses on its breakwater and pier. It is suggested that a fundamental shift in coastal land-use policy would reduce the intensity of use and hence susceptibility to storm hazard.
129I in volcanic fluids: Testing for the presence of marine sediments in the Central American volcanic arc

Abstract The long half-life and the geochemical behavior of the 129I system suggest that this cosmogenic radioisotope can contribute significantly to the understanding of processes associated with subduction zones and volcanic arc systems. Because iodine is not incorporated into igneous rocks, the age-signal associated with 129I permits the determination of the origin of volatiles within arc volcanic systems. We report here results of a study to test the application of 129I in fluids collected from hotsprings, crater lakes, fumaroles and geothermal wells from the Central American volcanic arc. Both the Momotombo geothermal field in Nicaragua and the Miravalles geothermal field in Costa Rica show 129I/I ratios consistent with magmatic contributions from subducted marine pelagic sediments (minimum iodine ages of 25–30 Ma). In addition, several wells provide iodine isotopic ratios indicative of an older end-member, presumably located in the shallow crust (minimum iodine age = 65 Ma).
Experimental configuration and adsorption effects on the permeation of C4 isomers through ZSM-5 zeolite membranes

Butane isomer permeation through two types of ZSM-5 zeolite membranes was studied as a function of temperature using three experimental configurations: pressure drop, sweep gas on the permeate side, and vacuum on the permeate side. For one type of membrane, which has a significant permeation through small non-zeolite pores, separation occurs by preferential adsorption and pore blocking. For these membranes, n-butane/i-butane separation selectivities are higher than ideal selectivities, and are much higher when a pressure drop is used (maximum selectivity of 140). For single gases, the larger i-butane molecule permeates faster than n-butane in this type of membrane with the pressure drop method, apparently because the i-butane coverage gradient is larger than the n-butane gradient. When a sweep gas is used, n-butane permeates faster. For the other type of membrane, which has permeation mostly through zeolite pores, separation is controlled by differences in diffusion rates and adsorbed coverages. The single-gas and mixture permeances for these membranes are similar for each gas for the pressure drop and sweep gas methods. Ideal selectivities increase in the order pressure drop<sweep gas<vacuum (maximum of 120), whereas separation selectivities increase in the order vacuum<pressure drop<sweep gas (maximum of 30). These results indicate the difficulty of comparing zeolite membranes characterized by different methods.
Pregnancy and insulin resistance.

Several conditions are associated with insulin resistance (IR), and the mechanism behind this state is multifactorial. Pathological states (such as visceral obesity, low energy expenditure, high carbohydrate consumption, and sleep deprivation) and more physiological states (such as puberty and pregnancy) will lead to increased IR. During puberty, the high levels of sex steroids as well as the high levels of growth hormone (GH) are responsible for decreased insulin sensitivity. During pregnancy, the high levels of several diabetogenic hormones lead to a state of IR. A pronounced physiological decrease in peripheral insulin sensitivity occurs as pregnancy proceeds. In contrast, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pathological state of carbohydrate intolerance beginning or first recognized during pregnancy, which leads to increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome. Obese women, an increasing part of the fertile female population, develop a more pronounced IR during pregnancy, with a higher risk of deve...
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF α-BUNGAROTOXIN

The long α-neurotoxin, α-Bungarotoxin (Bgtx), from the venom of the Taiwan banded krait, Bungarus multicinctus, is a high affinity competitive antagonist of skeletal muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and of certain homo-oligomeric neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Bgtx has a long and illustrious record as a valuable tool for the identification, purification, and localization of skeletal muscle-type nAChRs. The structure and function of Bgtx is of special interest as Bgtx is the prototypical member of a large family of curaremimetic α-neurotoxins from the venoms of Elapidae and Hydrophidae snakes. Bgtx has been the focus of extensive studies aimed at discerning the structural basis for its high affinity interaction with nAChRs. Over the past year, our understanding has advanced significantly with the crystal structure of the acetylcholine-binding protein, AChBP, a nAChR extracellular domain homologue, and with structure determinations of Bgtx and its complexes with receptor-s...
Binding studies of cationic uridyl ribonucleic guanidine (RNG) to DNA

Abstract Replacement of the phosphodiester linkages of polyanionic RNA with guanidine linkers provides a polycationic ribonucleic guanidine (RNG). The pentameric uridyl RNG (RNG U5) was found to bind a pentameric adenyl DNA (DNA A5) with a 1:1 stoichiometry as determined by the method of continuous variation. This polycationic RNG binds with unprecedented affinity with the polyanionic DNA providing a double helix. This association of RNG and DNA is highly sequence specific. Thermal denaturation ( T m ) studies establish that RNG is able to discriminate between complementary and noncomplementary bases. Results of the hybridization properties, sequence specificity, and the global conformation studies of the RNG U5·DNA A5 duplex are described.
Smart sensor systems for underwater acoustic applications

A smart sensor, that can distinguish between different directional components in a superimposed acoustic pressure field, was developed as a part of the active acoustic coating system for absorbing sound energy incident on an underwater object. The smart sensor system includes a dual sensor pair encapsulated inside the coating and a multichannel digital delay-line network so that both the incident and the reflected wave signals can be extracted simultaneously. Furthermore, the delay-line network was interfaced with a personal computer to adaptively adjust the system parameters so that the performances of the smart sensor as well as the overall active system were optimized. The sensors were made of a piezoelectric polymer material known as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). This flexible material offers significant advantages for underwater acoustic applications such as high and uniform sensitivity, impedance matching with water, etc. Theoretical model and experimental implementation and testing results are presented in this paper.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Self-magnetically-pinched radiography diode with laser-generated plasma assist

Summary form only given. The self-magnetic-pinch (SMP) electron beam diode is being developed for 4 to 10 M V, 30 to 50 ohms, 50 ns, flash radiography of explosively driven objects by AWE, SNL, and NRL. The goal is a reproducible <; 2-mm FWHM diameter radiographic spot at several hundred Rads (Si) at 1 m. In this talk a new approach is proposed where the outer diameter of an ~50-ohm vacuum impedance MITL is tapered down to ~7 cm diameter to drive an ~3 cm diameter hollow cathode that will be adjusted to operate at <;40 ohm. Undermatching the diode impedance to the MITL helps reduce the MITL vacuum electron flow with only a small reduction of voltage. Recent 3-D PIC simulations have shown that a finite length small outer diameter MITL helps symmetrize and center the electron beam pinch location. A flat carbon anode with a centered <;2-mm diameter W rod extending a few mm from the surface will be placed 2-3 cm from the cathode. This geometry is similar to the negative-polarity non-reentrant rod pinch diode which PIC simulations suggested would operate well at 10 MV. However, they also show that the electron beam initially spreads out to a large diameter potentially leading to ion production from undesirable locations, and the electrons do not pinch to the end of the rod until the diode is close to 10 MV. To mitigate these problems it is suggested that a pulsed laser illuminate the end of the W rod through the center of the hollow cathode to generate low-density plasma before the power pulse arrives. The proper laser energy, timing, and rod tip material and shape must be chosen so that the resultant laser-ablated plasma will touch the tip of the hollow cathode just as the main power pulse arrives at the diode. This plasma density should be just high enough to initially short the gap and conduct the initial electron beam to the tip of the rod. It is speculated that, as the voltage increases and the low density plasma erodes from the cathode tip, the diode will reach critical current with most of the electrons still focused on the tip of the rod. Numerical simulations will be presented along with preliminary experimental results.
Effect of dimethylnitrosamine on the induction of chromosomal aberrations in male mice and their F1 offspring

Abstract C3H strain male mice were treated with dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) during 8 successive weeks at dose levels of 0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg per day: chromosomal translocations were not produced.
Dental health of children: where we are today and remaining challenges.

Dental caries remains the most common disease in man and presents a tremendous health-affecting challenge and fiscal burden to both developed and underdeveloped countries. Changing demographics including increased number of ethnic minorities, cultural practices and diet, the number of children living in poverty or near poverty, and the special needs of medically compromised children have made solutions more complex and evasive. Systemic and topical fluoride contacts remain the most cost-effective public health response to preventing caries among children. The time-honored impact of reducing sugars and carbohydrates in the diet and improving oral hygiene practices also remain essential. New technology has the potential of offering remineralization strategies. The dental profession is challenged to be proactive in identifying alternatives and implementing new and creative ways to embrace underserved children and improve their access to care including trauma prevention. The impact on families and society, in...
Numerical Analysis of Pile-Soil Interaction under Axial and Lateral Loads

In this paper, the analysis of a numerical study of pile–soil interaction subjected to axial and lateral loads is presented. An analysis of the composite pile–soil system was performed using the finite difference (FD) software LPILE. Two three dimensional, finite element (FE) models of pile–soil interaction have been developed using Abaqus/Cae and SAP2000 to study the effect of lateral loading on pile embedded in clay. A lateral displacement of 2 cm was applied to the top of the pile, which is embedded into the concrete pile cap, while maintaining a zero slope in a guided fixation. A comparison between the bending moments and lateral displacements along the depth of the pile obtained from the FD solutions and FE was performed. A parametric study was conducted to study the effect of crucial design parameters such as the soil’s modulus of elasticity, radius of the soil surrounding the pile in Abaqus/Cae, and the number of springs in SAP2000. A close correlation is found between the results obtained by the FE models and the FD solution. The results indicated that increasing the amount of clay surrounding the piles reduces the induced bending moments and lateral displacements in the piles and hence increases its capacity to resist lateral loading.
Comparative cytotoxic responses of cultured avian and rodent aortic smooth muscle cells to allylamine.

The present studies were designed to compare the acute cytotoxic responses of cultured avian and rodent aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to allylamine (AAM), a selective vascular toxin. SMCs were isolated from male Japanese quail or Sprague‐Dawley rats and established in culture fay standard procedures. Cellular glutathione (GSH) content and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage were used as indices of cytotoxicity. Exposure of avian and rodent SMCs in primary culture to AAM (0.2–200 μM) for 4 h was associated with a significant reduction in cellular CSH and enzyme leakage in cultures of both cell types. Increased exposure time to 24 h further depleted cellular CSH levels and enhanced the leakage of LDH in primary cultures of avian SMCs. In contrast, enhanced LDH leakage occurred without further CSH depletion in primary cultures of rodent SMCs upon exposure to AAM for 24 h. Removal of serum did not modulate the cytotoxic response profile of primary cultures of avian SMCs treated with 200 μM AAM, but was as...
Plasmonics: Beaming light into the nanoworld

An antenna for optical frequencies that operates by tuning into the interaction of surface-plasmon polaritons, supported by an array of nanometre-sized holes in a thin metal film, represents another step towards the manipulation of light at the nanoscale.
Limitation and Over-utilization of Angiographic Services

Fluorescein angiography has increased our understanding of the pathophysiology and appearance of most fundus disorders. Increased experience with the stereoscopic slit-lamp examination of the fundus has made it easier to predict what subsequent angiograms will demonstrate, and fluorescein studies are currently usually not required to make an appropriate diagnosis. Most cases of age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can be managed without angiography, since most of the former are associated only with drusen and modest and progressive visual acuity loss and most cases of diabetic retinopathy are not associated with loss of visual acuity or with proliferative lesions. Angiography is an invaluable tool in evaluating newly symptomatic patients with the possibility of choroidal neovascularization, and it is also of great value in evaluating causes of visual acuity loss in diabetics as well as in the documentation of nonperfusion of their peripheral retinas.
Determination of a functional ancestral sequence and definition of the 5' end of A-type mouse L1 elements.

Abstract The complete nucleotide sequence of L1Md-A13, a 6372 base-pair (bp) member of the L1Md repetitive family isolated from a BALB/c mouse genomic DNA library, is reported. The nucleotide sequence of 4331 bp from the 5′ end of L1Md-9, which is located in the β-globin complex of the C57BL/10 mouse, is also reported. Parsimony analysis of these sequences plus two previously reported L1Md sequences allows the determination of an ancestral L1Md sequence. Analysis of the L1Md population indicates that this ancestral sequence is likely to represent a functional L1 sequence. This ancestral sequence confirms that the length (1137 bp and 3900 bp) and relationship (14 bp overlap) of the two large open reading frames previously reported are conserved features of the L1Md family. It also allows the determination of an ancestral amino acid sequence for these two open reading frames. Full-length L1Md elements have one of two sequences tandemly repeated at the 5′ end. These two monomers are called A-type and F-type. Our data define the 5′ end of A-type full-length L1Md elements. L1Md elements of the A-type have varying numbers of tandemly repeated 208 bp monomers, but each element ends about 78 bp from the 5′ end of the terminal 208 bp monomer.
Universal chemical assay for the detection and determination of siderophores

A universal method to detect and determine siderophores was developed by using their high affinity for iron(III). The ternary complex chrome azurol S/iron(III)/hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, with an extinction coefficient of approximately 100,000 M-1 cm-1 at 630 nm, serves as an indicator. When a strong chelator removes the iron from the dye, its color turns from blue to orange. Because of the high sensitivity, determination of siderophores in solution and their characterization by paper electrophoresis chromatography can be performed directly on supernatants of culture fluids. The method is also applicable to agar plates. Orange halos around the colonies on blue agar are indicative of siderophore excretion. It was demonstrated with Escherichia coli strains that biosynthetic, transport, and regulatory mutations in the enterobactin system are clearly distinguishable. The method was successfully used to screen mutants in the iron uptake system of two Rhizobium meliloti strains, DM5 and 1021.
Interfacial electrochemistry of oxide surfaces in oil-bearing sands and sandstones

Abstract It is shown that the detrital grains present in a consolidated sandstone formation and in unconsolidated sands behave as mixtures of oxides. Potentiometric titration results are presented for Ottawa sand and for unbaked and baked Berea sandstone samples. Generalized equations are presented for the site-binding model of J. A. Davis, R. O. James, and J. O. Leckie ( J. Colloid Interface Sci. 63 , 480; 65 , 331; 67 , 90 (1978)). Such a model is used to estimate the adsorption equilibrium constants for the potential determining ions and the supporting electrolyte ions. Using these constants as input parameters the model equations are solved to yield the surface charge and surface potential distributions in the solution phase. A simplistic statistical mechanical model is developed to show that an independent estimation of the surface charges using the equilibrium constants determined from Davis' model yields values in good agreement with experiment. The potential applications of such a detailed electrochemical description of the sand and sandstone detrital grains are discussed.
Left-Handed Connections:

Because an unusual number of left-handed males are placed in LD classes, teachers need to be equipped to teach these right brain students more effectively.
Consultation in the Intensive Care Nursery

The paper describes a group-oriented mental health consultation program which was established for the staff of a pediatric special care nursery. The initial phase of consultation was designed 1) to...
Receptivity of young Chinese to American and global brands: psychological underpinnings

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to examine psychological variables of young Chinese to determine their impact on identification with global consumer culture, attitudes toward global and USA brands and intention to buy USA brands. The independent or psychological variables examined were self-monitoring, life satisfaction, brand relevance, social demonstration effect, change-seeking behavior and reference groups (interacted and non-interacted). The goal was to understand what forces drive global and USA brand preferences. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected in Guangzhou, China, in 2013 through a survey administered to 152 young Chinese respondents. Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability coefficients verified the psychometrics of each scale. Subsequently, the sample was divided into high versus low groups for each of the independent variables to perform mean tests for each on each of the four dependent variables. Findings – The results showed that all the hypotheses were supported...
Trabsversity and Mseon photoproduction

Abstract Both meson photoproduction and semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering can potentially probe transversity in the nucleon. We explore how that potential can be realized dynamically. The role of rescattering in both exclusive and inclusive meson production as a source of polarization asymmetry is examined. We use a dynamical model to calculate the asymmentry and relate that to the transversity distribution of the nucleon.
Big-Five Adjective Marker Scales for Use with College Students:

This report evaluated the psychometric integrity of an 80-item bipolar adjective scale which assesses the dimensions of the five-factor model of personality. Using a college sample of 149 women and 30 men, a principal components analysis employing an orthogonal Procrustes rotation identified the five factors which were comparable to factor structures found with adults. Researchers can therefore have some confidence in using these marker scales with college students.
Response of single olfactory cell of Triatoma infestans to human breath.

BOECKH et al.1 reported electrophysiological studies of the responses of single cells of the olfactory receptors (single-unit responses) of various non-bloodsucking insects. They suggested that there were two types of cells differing in responsiveness—odour specialist cells which responded to only a few chemicals and odour generalist cells which were sensitive to a broader range of compounds. There is little information about single-unit response in haematophagous species, although Lacher2 reported finding what might be odour generalist cells in Aedes aegypti (L.). I now report the responses of single olfactory cells in Triatoma infestans (Klug).
Disinfection of filtered and unfiltered secondary effluent in two ozone contactors

Abstract the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of filtration of secondary effluent on the mass transfer and disinfection efficiencies of two ozone contactors. The two contactors used in the comparison were a multicolumn bubble diffuser and a stirred tank reactor. The approach chosen was based on a type of statistical experimental design used in a previous contactor comparison. The design made it possible to compare the ozone transfer and coliform reduction efficiencies of the two contactors with respect to applied dose, while at the same time comparing filtered and unfiltered effluent. Results indicated that better mass transfer efficiency and, consequently, better coliform reduction efficiency occurred in the bubble diffuser, and the differences between contactors increased with dose. Mass transfer in both contactors was higher in unfiltered effluent than in filtered effluent. The most significant factors affecting the fecal coliform numbers in the treated secondary effluent were total chemical oxygen demand (COD) and absorbed ozone dose. Regression equations were developed to predict final coliform numbers as a function of COD and absorbed ozone dose.
Efficient Solar Cells from Layered Nanostructures of Donor and Acceptor Conjugated Polymers

Efficient photoinduced charge transfer and separation accompanied by large photovoltaic power conversion efficiencies were observed in layered nanostructures of acceptor poly(benzimidazobenzophenanthroline ladder) (BBL) and donor poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) or poly(2-methoxy-5(2‘-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH−PPV) at practical sunlight intensities. Nearly complete quenching of photoluminescence and large shortening of fluorescence decay lifetimes of donors PPV and MEH−PPV evidenced fast efficient photoinduced charge transfer and separation in PPV/BBL and MEH−PPV/BBL bilayers. ITO/PPV(60 nm)/BBL(60 nm)/Al photovoltaic cells had an external power conversion efficiency of 1.5% and 4.6% under AM1.5 white light illumination intensities of 80 and 1 mW/cm2, respectively, in ambient air. Under single-wavelength (460 nm) 0.5 mW/cm2 illumination, the same PPV/BBL diodes had a power conversion efficiency of 5.4% and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 62%. ITO/MEH−PPV(60 nm)/BBL(60 ...
Endogenous research vs “experts” from outside

Abstract Administrators and planners are often guilty of academocentrism, that is, they focus to such an extent on theories generated by their own logic and methodology that they fail to recognise the existence of other logics. In practice this can produce a very distorted view of social reality. The author illustrates how a truer picture can be obtained when the purpose of the researchers converges with that of the people in the community studied.
Utility of intraoperative liver ultrasound

Intraoperative ultrasound has become an essential tool for the surgeon in the field of hepatobiliary surgery. No preoperative study has been able to duplicate the sensitivity and specificity of IOUS in the identification of occult lesions. With recent improvements in technology, IOUS has now become an indispensable means of defining the extent of disease and respectability, and providing a guide to anatomic and nonanatomic hepatic resections and minimally invasive and percutaneous ablative techniques.