cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Saturation absorption spectroscopy in an integrated rubidium vapor cell

We demonstrate integrated rubidium vapor cells using hollow-core ARROW waveguides on a silicon chip. Optical mode areas of 8.8 square microns are promising for nonlinear optical applications. Saturation spectroscopy on the Rb-D2 line is demonstrated.
Acaulospora colossica sp. nov. from an old field in North Carolina and morphological comparisons with similar species, A. laevis and A. koskei

A new arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spe- cies, Acaulospora colossica, (Glomales, Acaulospora- ceae) is described, and its distribution and seasonality discussed. Spores of A. colossica develop from sac- cules that empty their contents in the developing spores. Spore wall structure consists of 3 layers, all originating from the subtending hyphae. The two in- ner layers are laminated. The outermost spore wall layer is typically sloughed off before the spores ma- ture. Two inner walls arise sequentially. Both inner walls are comprised of two layers. The outer layer of the innermost wall is beaded. Acaulospora colossica is described from a population in Durham, North Car- olina. Its name refers to the relatively large size of the spores. Finally, the morphology of the new spe- cies A. colossica is compared and contrasted to two closely related species A. laevis and A. koskei.
Northern Corn Rootworm Control by Granular Insecticide Application at Planting and Cultivation Time

The experimental insecticide carbofuran provided outstanding control of Diabrotica longicornis (Say) larvae when applied on 3 dates. Each of 5 approved corn rootworm insecticides were applied to separate plots on 9 successive dates to compare the relative merits of cultivation-time treatment (June) as opposed to planting-time treatment (May). Phorate, Dasanit® (O, O -diethyl O-[p-(methyl-sulfinly) phenyl] phosphorothioate), and BUX® 3:1 mixture of m -(1-methylbutyl) phenyl methylcarbamate and m -(1-ethylpropyl) phenyl methylcarbamate) gave equally good protection applied in either May or June. Dyfonate® (O -ethyl S -phenyl ethylphosphonodithioate) performed better when applied at planting time in May, but diazinon gave best results when applied at cultivation time in June. Overall, there was an 82.5% reduction of corn rootworm larvae in corn roots from these treatments.
7009 Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration of solid pancreatic lesions: one year md anderson cancer center experience.

Aim: A prospective evaluation of EUS-FNA of solid pancreatic lesions over a one-year period at a quarternary referral center. Methods: 104 consecutive patients undergoing EUS for suspected pancreatic malignancy at MDACC from 11/1/98 to 10/31/99 were prospectively entered into this study. Procedures were performed using the Pentax FG36-UX echoendoscope, Hitachi EUB-525 processor and Wilson-Cook EUS N-1 22 gauge FNA needle. Passes were made until the endosonographer felt adequate material had been obtained. The aspirate was collected by a cytopathology technician who smeared slides in the room. Examination of the slides was performed by a cytopathologist after the procedure had been completed. Final diagnosis was based on biopsy results, surgical specimen, or clinical follow-up. Data collected included size of mass, number of needle passes, complications of procedure, and final diagnosis. 20 patients with pancreatic cysts on EUS were excluded from further analysis. Results: The average age of patients was 64.6 years. The average size of the mass was 3.2cm (range 1.3 - 7cm). The average number of needle passes was 2.5 (range 1 - 5) per patient. No complications occurred. 79 of 84 patients had malignant pancreatic tumors. EUS-FNA correctly identified 73 while cytology showed atypia in one and suspicious for malignancy in another. In the remaining 4 malignant lesions, FNA was non diagnostic due to poor cellularity. There were no false positives. Of the 5 benign lesions, no mass was seen on EUS. 3 of the 5 benign lesions were shown to have chronic pancreatitis. Of the 4 patients with non - diagnostic FNA specimens later proven to be malignant, one had chronic pancreatitis with no mass seen on EUS while 3 had masses clearly identified by EUS. 2 of these 4 patients were found to have adenocarcinoma while the other 2 had a neuroendocrine tumor. Of the 2 patients with atypia or suspicious lesions, surgical resection specimen showed an islet cell carcinoma in one and adenocarcinoma in the other. Among patients in whom adequate cellularity was obtained (counting atypia and suspicious findings on FNA as signs of malignancy), the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy was 100%, 100%, 100%,100%, and 95% respectively. Conclusions: EUS-FNA in the hands of an experienced endosonographer is a remarkably powerful tool with a high sensitivity and specificity at diagnosing pancreatic cancer.
Postmortem demonstration of esophageal varices by a simple method

The usual methods available to demonstrate esophageal varices in postmortem material have met with little success because of their unreliability, difficulty to execute, or cost. A simple, inexpensive method, which consists in separating the esophageal mucosa and submucosa from the muscularis and stretching the former over a suitable absorbent paper, is described. In a few minutes, as the adherent membrane dries, the submucosal vascular pattern gradually develops, and after overnight drying, even the smallest venules are clearly visible. The specimen can be stored dry, photographed, or made into a more permanent preparation in a few days. The esophageal mucosal vascular patterns in groups of patients who died with a variety of hepatic diseases and other potential causes of esophageal varices were studied and compared with controls. A consistent pattern of prominent venous trunks located towards the distal third of the esophagus was seen in most specimens from cirrhotic patients, predominantly in micronodular forms with severe lobular distortion. Other potential causes of esophageal varices (hepatic tumors, congestion, etc.) resulted in less predictable vascular patterns.
The role of the conserved COOH-terminal triad in alphaA-crystallin aggregation and functionality.

PURPOSE The sequentially variable COOH-terminal region of small heat shock protein superfamily members usually contains a conserved IXI/V feature where X is typically a proline. When present in solved sHsp crystal structures (e.g. MjHsp16.5 and wheat Hsp16.9), this short sequence forms an isolated beta strand apparently involved in the alignment of dimers into larger oligomers. Because it is a common feature of many sHsp family members, it is possible that this triad has a similar role in alphaA-crystallin. This study was undertaken to determine the contribution of this conserved triad to the quaternary structure and function of alphaA-crystallin. METHODS A series of site-directed mutants was generated in both wild type alphaA and in an alphaA deletion mutant lacking the NH2-terminal residues 1-50. After overexpression and purification, each protein's oligomer size was characterized by size-exclusion fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), thermal transition temperature by non-denaturing composite gel electrophoresis, and chaperone activity by the inhibition of DL-dithiothreitol (DTT)-induced insulin aggregation. RESULTS Using the alphaA-crystallin NH2-deletion mutant, the hydrophobic triad was changed from IPV to TPT, GPG, IGV, ITV, or GGG. All six D51 mutants associated into tetramers with small amounts of dimer and monomer also present. Chaperone-like activity was reduced but not eliminated in some of these triad mutants with GGG and ITV the most strongly affected. Similar modifications to wild type alphaA-crystallin (IPV to ITV, IGV, or GGG) restored oligomer sizes similar, but not identical to, native alphaA-crystallin, with additional small amounts of tetramer and dimer. Interestingly, equivalent mutants of wild type alphaA-crystallin did not have reduced chaperone-like activity but differed considerably in their thermal transition temperatures. CONCLUSIONS The conserved COOH-terminal triad does not appear to have a strong effect on the steady-state aggregation of wild type alphaA-crystallin or its 50-residue deletion mutant at 25 degrees C. However, it can exert a considerable effect on chaperone-like activity in the absence of the NH2-terminal 50-residue sequence extension and can influence the thermal transition temperature in its presence. These results suggest that the conserved triad in alphaA-crystallin contributes to the stability of higher order oligomers but is not essential for the formation of tetramers.
Wide-area OCT angiography gives the big picture

Angiography—the imaging of blood vessels—is crucial for myriad disorders ranging from retinal disease to cancer. Traditionally, angiography has been accomplished through the use of injected fluorescent dyes such as fluorescein. Though fluorescence angiography does enable the visualization of
Keynote Address | Sexual Offenses: Lessons from the Front Lines

This is an edited transcript of a keynote address as delivered on November 6, 2015 at Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, CA.
Female-biased sexual size dimorphism: ontogeny, seasonality, and fecundity of the cliff chipmunk (Tamias dorsalis)

Female-biased sexual dimorphism is uncommon in mammals and is usually attributed to increased fecundity of large females. Moreover, sexual dimorphism is usually described for adults, and the ontogeny of sex differences is poorly documented. We studied cliff chipmunks (Tamias dorsalis), a small mammal with female-biased sexual dimorphism, to describe development of sexual dimorphism in juveniles and to measure sexual dimorphism and seasonal body mass in adults. To test the fecundity hypothesis, we compared body mass of females to litter size and body mass of offspring. Juveniles were not sexually dimorphic at emergence from the nest and did not differ in body mass 2 months after emergence. Adult chipmunks maintained a relatively stable body mass in March– October with females consistently larger than males. Maternal mass did not have an effect on litter size or mass of juveniles. Because females were consistently larger than males, the ontogeny of sexual dimorphism may provide insights into selection pressures that lead to female-biased sexual dimorphism.
Media Politics in China: Improvising Power under Authoritarianism

Who watches over the party-state? In this engaging analysis, Maria Repnikova reveals the webs of an uneasy partnership between critical journalists and the state in China. More than merely a passive mouthpiece or a dissident voice, the media in China also plays a critical oversight role, one more frequently associated with liberal democracies than with authoritarian systems. Chinese central officials cautiously endorse media supervision as a feedback mechanism, as journalists carve out space for critical reporting by positioning themselves as aiding the agenda of the central state. Drawing on rare access in the field, Media Politics in China examines the process of guarded improvisation that has defined this volatile partnership over the past decade on a routine basis and in the aftermath of major crisis events. Combined with a comparative analysis of media politics in the Soviet Union and contemporary Russia, the book highlights the distinctiveness of Chinese journalist-state relations, as well as the renewed pressures facing them in the Xi era.
Roles as Ultradian Oscillators of the Cells Biological Clock

The homodimeric, growth-related and time-keeping constitutive hydroquinone oxidase ENOX1 of the eukaryotic cell surface capable of oxidizing extracellular NAD(P)H and intracellular hydroquinones exhibits properties of the ultradian driver of the biological 24-h circadian clock by exhibiting a complex 2 + 3 set of oscillations with a period length of 24 min (repeats 60 times over 24 h). The oscillations require bound copper, are recapitulated by aqueous solutions of copper salts and appear to derive from 30 to 40 s periodic variations in the ratios of ortho and para nuclear spins of the paired hydrogen atoms of the elongated octahedral structure of the ENOX1 protein-bound copperII hexahydrates. By functioning in the manner of limit oscillators, these 30–40 s oscillations appear to generate the 24-min periodicity in the manner of a carrier wave. The ortho–para oscillations are highly synchronous through self-generated very low frequency electromagnetic fields which also serve to phase ENOX1/copperII oscillations. The synchronized populations of water molecules give rise to oscillatory electromagnetic fields that apparently are perceived by adjacent water molecules to create a collectively coherent synchronous system capable of extending over very long distances. The period length of the ENOX oscillations is temperature independent and entrained by light, melatonin, lithium, and caffeine. COS cells transformed with specific ENOX variants where specific cysteine codons are replaced by alanine codons yield circadian periods of 22, 34, or 42 h respectively, based on activity of glyceraldehyde-3-dehydrogenase in response to ENOX oscillations with period lengths of 22, 36, or 42 min. That the oscillations result from physical rather than chemical events accounts for the temperature independence of the period length of clock-related phenomena. Also, the period length of both the ENOX and copperII oscillations in D2O is increased to 30 min in keeping with the 30-h circadian day exhibited by organisms grown in deuterium oxide. An opportunity to link the ultradian ENOX oscillation to downstream activation of clock genes may be provided by responses of transcriptional factors to levels of NADH and especially to NAD+ generated by ENOX oscillations. Adverse effects resulting from chronic disturbances or disruptions of circadian rhythms by repeated rephrasing of the ENOX cycle may include an increased risk of cancer.
A comprehensive people, process and technology (PPT) application model for Information Systems (IS) risk management in small/medium enterprises (SME)

With advent of modern era. Information Technology (IT) has turned out to be very critical in operations, management and growth of an enterprise. Now, Information Systems (IS) are shaping the existing corporate strategies and creating new avenues for all size enterprises. At the same time, they are subject to numerous threats. Previously, executive management of enterprises didn't involve themselves in the information technology affairs and used to leave these threats to the operational management. However, increased dependencies of businesses on information systems have changed these dimensions, as these unmanaged threats results into a number of business risks which can even threaten business existence. In order to deal with these risks, a number of risk management standards have been developed but most of them focus on large organizations, who have well-structured business processes and some IT risk management expertise is already there. Secondly, either these standards are specific to some particular business domain or provide generic guidelines at strategic level with missing operational level details, which needs to be integrated and customized before its application to a particular enterprise business processes and environment. Therefore, IT risk management in small and medium enterprises is still a challenge. In case of small or medium size enterprises, application of these standards is difficult, primarily due to lack of budget and expertise. Furthermore, selection of appropriate standard among wide spectrum of risk management standards, remains a weak link. Therefore the main question analyzed in this research paper is: How to Apply Risk Management in information systems at operational level and integration of various risk management frameworks within enterprise context? In order to answer these questions, widely accepted risk management frameworks and tools have been analyzed, challenges have been identified and solution is proposed by developing a risk management application model with the aim that it can even be used by small enterprises.
PERCUTANEOUS DEACTIVATION OF HEARTWARE VAD FOR A PATIENT PRESENTING WITH SIGNIFICANT PUMP THROMBOSIS

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) thrombosis is a serious sequela that can occur even with adequate anticoagulation. The usual treatment include enhanced anticoagulation +/- thrombolysis and if unsuccessful, consideration for pump exchange. A 68 year old male in whom a HeartWare VAD was
Determination of minimal steady-state plasma level of diazepam causing seizure threshold elevation in rats.

Objective Diazepam, administered by the intravenous, oral, or rectal routes, is widely used for the management of acute seizures. Dosage forms for delivery of diazepam by other routes of administration, including intranasal, intramuscular, and transbuccal, are under investigation. In predicting what dosages are necessary to terminate seizures, the minimal exposure required to confer seizure protection must be known. Here we administered diazepam by continuous intravenous infusion to obtain near-steady-state levels, which allowed an assessment of the minimal levels that elevate seizure threshold. Methods The thresholds for various behavioral seizure signs (myoclonic jerk, clonus, and tonus) were determined with the timed intravenous pentylenetetrazol seizure threshold test in rats. Diazepam was administered to freely moving animals by continuous intravenous infusion via an indwelling jugular vein cannula. Blood samples for assay of plasma levels of diazepam and metabolites were recovered via an indwelling cannula in the contralateral jugular vein. Results The pharmacokinetic parameters of diazepam following a single 80-μg/kg intravenous bolus injection were determined using a noncompartmental pharmacokinetic approach. The derived parameters Vd , CL, t1/2α (distribution half-life) and t1/2β (terminal half-life) for diazepam were, respectively, 608 mL, 22.1 mL/min, 13.7 minutes, and 76.8 minutes, respectively. Various doses of diazepam were continuously infused without or with an initial loading dose. At the end of the infusions, the thresholds for various behavioral seizure signs were determined. The minimal plasma diazepam concentration associated with threshold elevations was estimated at approximately 70 ng/mL. The active metabolites nordiazepam, oxazepam, and temazepam achieved levels that are expected to make only minor contributions to the threshold elevations. Significance Diazepam elevates seizure threshold at steady-state plasma concentrations lower than previously recognized. The minimally effective plasma concentration provides a reference that may be considered when estimating the diazepam exposure required for acute seizure treatment.
Estimates of state-level chronic hepatitis C virus infection, stratified by race and sex, United States, 2010.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne viral infection in the United States. Previously, we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) to estimate the prevalence of HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) and HCV RNA among all U.S. states. However, demographic differences in HCV burden at the state-level have not been systematically described. This analysis quantified the HCV burden stratified by sex and race (and associated disparities) for each U.S. state. Building on our previous method, we used three publicly available data sources to estimate HCV RNA prevalence among noninstitutionalized adults stratified by sex and race group. We used a small-area estimation approach that included direct standardization of NHANES demographic data with logistic regression modeling of HCV-related mortality data as an adjustment factor to estimate the state-level prevalence and total persons with chronic HCV infection for sex and race groups in all U.S. states. Nationally, males had an estimated HCV RNA prevalence of 1.56% (95% CI: 1.37–1.84%) and females had a prevalence of 0.75% (95% CI: 0.63–0.96%). Stratified by race, national estimated prevalence of HCV RNA was highest among non-Hispanic black (2.43, 95% CI: 2.10–2.90%), followed by non-Hispanic white (1.05, 95% CI: 0.90–1.27%) and Hispanic/other (0.74, 95% CI: 0.59–1.04%). Males in most jurisdictions (41/51) have an HCV RNA prevalence that is between 1.5 and 2.5 times higher than their female counterparts. HCV infection disparities by sex are mostly consistent across the country. However, race differences in HCV infection differ by state and tailored prevention and treatment efforts specific to the local HCV epidemic are needed to reduce race disparities.
The Use of Transgenic Animal Techniques for Livestock Improvement

Breeding of livestock has always been characterized by selection of spontaneously occurring mutations which could be observed in the phenotype of the animals. This could be achieved even though the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying those phenotypes were not understood. Depending on the generation intervals of the species involved, years to centuries were required to establish certain breeds in livestock fulfilling the needs of man. Still the ideal farm animals have not been found. As higher meat, egg or milk yields are obtained, higher susceptibilities towards environmental influences such as climate or food changes or stress are observed and disease resistance declines, especially when animals are kept in large numbers under industrial production conditions. Since the first successful gene transfer experiments into the germ line of mammals, namely mice, were reported in 1980 and 1981, many attempts have been made to use gene transfer techniques in livestock in order to improve the overall quality and productivity of farm animals.
Development and use of an endpoint titration assay to characterize mumps IgG avidity following measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination and wild-type mumps infection.

ABSTRACT Waning mumps IgG antibody and incomplete IgG avidity maturation may increase susceptibility to mumps virus infection in some vaccinees. To measure mumps IgG avidity, serum specimens serially diluted to the endpoint were incubated on a commercial mumps-specific IgG enzyme immunoassay and treated with the protein denaturant diethylamine (60 mM, pH 10). End titer avidity indices (etAIs [percent ratio of detected diethylamine-resistant IgG at endpoint]) were calculated. Unpaired serum specimens (n = 108) from 15-month-old children living in a low-incidence setting were collected 1 month and 2 years after the first measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine dose (MMR1) and tested for mumps avidity. Per the receiver operating characteristic curve, the avidity assay is accurate (area under the curve, 0.994; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.956 to 1.000), 96.5% sensitive (95% CI, 87.9 to 99.6%), and 92.2% specific (95% CI, 81.1 to 97.8%) at an etAI of 30%. When 9 sets of paired serum specimens collected 1 to 60 months post-MMR1 were tested for mumps and measles IgG avidity using comparable methods, the mumps etAI increased from 11% to 40 to 60% in 6 months. From 6 to 60 months, avidity was sustained at a mean etAI of 50% (95% CI, 46 to 54%), significantly lower (P 80% in some individuals. IMPORTANCE Numerous outbreaks of mumps have occurred in the United States among two-dose measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)-vaccinated populations since 2006. The avidity of mumps-specific IgG antibodies may affect susceptibility to mumps virus infection in some vaccinated individuals. To accurately measure mumps avidity, we developed and validated a mumps-specific IgG avidity assay that determines avidity at the endpoint titer of serially diluted serum specimens, providing results that are independent of IgG concentration. At low antibody titers, endpoint methods are considered more accurate than methods that determine avidity at a single dilution. We determined that 6 months after the first MMR dose, mumps IgG avidity is high and generally sustained at avidity indices of 40 to 60%, reaching values of >80% in some individuals. Additionally, 4% (4/103) of individuals had avidity indices of ≤30% (low avidity) 2 years after vaccination. Inadequate mumps avidity maturation may be one factor influencing susceptibility to mumps virus infection among previously vaccinated or naturally infected individuals.
Can sleep protect memories from catastrophic forgetting

Abstract Previously encoded memories can be damaged by encoding of new memories, especially when they are relevant to the new data and hence can be disrupted by new training – a phenomenon called “catastrophic forgetting”. Human and animal brains are capable of continual learning, allowing them to learn from past experience and to integrate newly acquired information with previously stored memories. A range of empirical data suggest important role of sleep in consolidation of recent memories and protection of the past knowledge from catastrophic forgetting. To explore potential mechanisms of how sleep can enable continual learning in neuronal networks, we developed a biophysically-realistic thalamocortical network model where we could train multiple memories with different degree of interference. We found that in a wake-like state of the model, training of a “new” memory that overlaps with previously stored “old” memory results in degradation of the old memory. Simulating NREM sleep state immediately after new learning led to replay of both old and new memories - this protected old memory from forgetting and ultimately enhanced both memories. The effect of sleep was similar to the interleaved training of the old and new memories. The study revealed that the network slow-wave oscillatory activity during simulated deep sleep leads to a complex reorganization of the synaptic connectivity matrix that maximizes separation between groups of synapses responsible for conflicting memories in the overlapping population of neurons. The study predicts that sleep may play a protective role against catastrophic forgetting and enables brain networks to undergo continual learning. Significance Continual learning, free of catastrophic forgetting, remains to be an unsolved problem in artificial neural networks. Biological networks have evolved a mechanism by which they can prevent interference and allow continual learning throughout the life of the organism. Building upon a range of data suggesting importance of sleep in memory and learning, here we test a hypothesis that deep sleep may play a role in continual learning and protecting memories from catastrophic forgetting. Our results revealed that complex patterns of synchronized oscillatory activity in the thalamocortical network during deep sleep reorganize synaptic connectivity to allow for consolidation of interfering memories and to enable continual learning.
A Comparison of Payments to a For-profit Dialysis Firm From Government and Commercial Insurers.

This study assesses differences in payments from government and commercial insurers to dialysis clinics using data from a single for-profit organization.
Clean and green organizing in urban neighborhoods: Measuring perceived and objective outcomes

One way in which urban community organizations attempt to improve neighborhood health is through cleaning and greening efforts. Few studies have evaluated how such efforts are related to changes in...
UNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNICATING THE CONCEPT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – A STUDY OF 23 INDIAN COMPANIES IN EASTERN INDIA

The Companies Act 2013 in India with its mandate for CSR has formally introduced the concept of CSR to the board of Indian companies. The practice of CSR, although bordering on charity giving, is not a new idea to India. The critical situation that India is facing today has been brought about by multiple causes. Corporate bodies are the fundamental cells of modern economic life and should work towards affirming values and forging new patterns of living and better working conditions. Corporate’s should play a vital role towards contributing to the continuing health of the planet and to develop a just and humane society. The crisis faced by humanity today can be solved by the use of concerted corporate actions. Corporations are instruments of social purposes, formed within the society to accomplish useful social objectives. What the companies need to understand is the intention of this Act to undertake CSR activities which are systematic and strategic in nature to create a meaningful impact for the companies. Research was conducted among 23 Indian companies in Eastern India in the private sector engaged in manufacturing and heaving engineering. The authors developed a scorecard consisting of 46 criteria which was used to study the CSR activities of these companies as declared in their websites and in other published sources. The intention was to find out the complexity of the perception-practice dynamic and the nature of CSR practised by the companies. In-depth qualitative interview was conducted with the top management of the company giving a further insight into their understanding of the concept of CSR.
Late Presentation of Pulmonary Artery-Left Atrial Appendage Fistula Formation After Left Atrial Appendage Device Closure

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice with indication for anticoagulation in those patients whose annual risk for thromboembolism is >2%. Left atrial appendage closure is growing as an alternative to anticoagulation. We present a case of pulmonary artery-left atrial appendage fistula seen after left atrial appendage closure. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).
Pharmacotherapy for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Retention in Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between short- and longer-term retention in outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and pharmacotherapy for comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS In this retrospective cohort study conducted in a single addiction psychiatry clinic, electronic health record data from July 14, 2014, through January 15, 2020, were queried for clinical ADHD diagnosis (DSM-5 criteria), ADHD pharmacotherapy, treatment duration, demographic variables, comorbid psychiatric and SUD diagnoses, and buprenorphine therapy. Individuals with ADHD (n = 203) were grouped by ADHD pharmacotherapy status (171 receiving medication compared to 32 receiving none). Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed and assessed for significance. RESULTS ADHD was clinically diagnosed in 9.4% of outpatients and was associated with younger age, comorbid cocaine use, and private insurance (P < .001). Individuals receiving no ADHD pharmacotherapy were younger than those receiving medication (P = .003). Compared to no ADHD medication, ADHD pharmacotherapy was associated with greater long-term retention, with apparent group half-lives of 9 months and 36 months, respectively (P < .001). Individuals receiving no ADHD medication had a 4.9-fold increased likelihood of attrition within 90 days (P = .041). Regression analysis showed only ADHD pharmacotherapy to be significantly associated with treatment retention (hazard ratio = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.40-0.86; P = .008). CONCLUSIONS ADHD pharmacotherapy is robustly associated with improved short- and longer-term retention in outpatient SUD treatment. The retrospective, nonrandomized naturalistic study design limits causal inference. Further studies addressing unmeasured covariates and associated risks of treatment in adults with ADHD and SUD are necessary.
Commercial-off-the-shelf event-based cameras for space surveillance applications

Event-based cameras (EBCs) are of interest for potential application to space domain awareness (SDA). EBC attributes, including asynchronous response and low latency provide data reduction, break the trade-off between latency and power, and enable consideration of additional algorithms and processing architectures due to individual timestamps for each event. Potential data reduction by a factor of 10 or greater is particularly attractive for SDA from satellite platforms with constraints on system power, processing, and communication bandwidth. Here we report our initial evaluation of Prophesee third-generation commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) EBCs, including development of, and comparison with, a limiting magnitude model. The analytic model is a function of sky background radiance; EBC parameters including contrast threshold, dark current, pixel pitch, and spectral quantum efficiency; and the optic aperture diameter and focal length. Using an 85 mm f/1.4 lens, the measured detection limits for the half-size video graphics array (HVGA) and video graphics array (VGA)-format EBCs are 6.9 and 9.8 visual magnitudes (mV), respectively, at a sky background level of about 20.3mV per square arcsecond. The empirical sensitivity limit for the VGA differs by 0.1mV from our analytic prediction of 9.7 (less than 10% difference in flux). The limiting magnitude model assumes slow motion of point objects across the EBC focal plane array. Additional experiments exploring temporal behavior show that no stars are detected while scanning across the night sky faster than 0.5 deg per second using the VGA-EBC mounted to a 200 mm f/2.0 lens. The limited sensitivity of the evaluated COTS EBCs prevents their use as a replacement for typical CCD/CMOS framing sensors, but EBCs show clear promise for small-aperture, large-field persistent SDA in terms of their efficient capture of temporal information.
The Challenge of Imposing Just Sentences Under Mandatory Minimum Statutes: A Qualitative Study of Judicial Perceptions:

Mandatory minimums limit judicial discretion in many jurisdictions in the United States, often compelling judges to impose harsh incarcerative terms. Using qualitative interviews with 41 criminal t...
Is abnormal gallbladder ejection fraction hokum? Retrospective chart review of gallbladder ejection fraction and subsequent postoperative symptom relief, surgical pathology, and current literature review.

The purpose of this report is to investigate the clinical importance of increased or decreased gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) and ultrasound findings for biliary dyskinesia by evaluating postsurgical symptom relief and surgical pathology. Single institution electronic medical record review was prepared for patients who underwent hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan with GBEF and cholecystectomy between January 2013 and March 2020. Relevant data included patient demographics, ultrasound results, surgical pathology, HIDA with GBEF results, and postoperative symptom relief at the time of follow-up. Student's t-test was also utilized for additional statistical analysis. A total of 67 patients underwent cholecystectomy within a 1-month period of time after HIDA with GBEF. Of these patients, 97% had findings consistent with chronic cholecystitis and 3% of the patients demonstrated both acute and chronic cholecystitis surgical pathology. Fifty-seven percent of the patients demonstrated a GBEF 80%, and 13% had a GBEF 38%–80% with a postoperative symptom resolution around 82%, 77%, and 100%, respectively. GBEF alone may not be determinative regarding gallbladder pathology or postoperative symptom relief in patients that present with typical symptoms. Regarding dyskinetic gallbladders, elevated and decreased GBEF groups were not significantly different in terms of surgical pathology or symptom relief. These patients may benefit from being treated as a single group rather than as separate entities. Elevated and decreased GBEF groups demonstrated mostly normal ultrasound results that raised concern for the utility of ultrasound as a rule out test for gallbladder inflammation.
Antitrust Arbitration and Illinois Brick

For nearly forty years, since the Supreme Court decision in Illinois Brick, federal antitrust law has prevented indirect purchasers from complaining of overcharges caused by antitrust violations. The Court reasoned that direct purchasers are the best and most motivated antitrust plaintiffs. But in its 2013 Italian Colors decision, the Court made it extremely difficult for direct purchasers to bring an antitrust claim in federal court. In doing so, it undermined the policy rationale for Illinois Brick, opening the way for courts to reconsider the ban on antitrust enforcement by indirect purchasers.
The distribution and chromatographic characterization of PHI (peptide histidine isoleucine amide)-27-like peptides in rat and porcine brain.

This study was initiated to characterize PHI (peptide histidine isoleucine amide)-27-like peptides (PLPs) in rat and porcine brain in comparison with other members of the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) family and to investigate their distribution by radioimmunoassay. The peptidic nature of the rat brain PLP was indicated by its trypsin sensitivity. On Sephadex chromatography rat brain PLP has the same molecular weight as synthetic (porcine intestinal) PHI-27. High pressure liquid chromatographic separations revealed that PLP in rat and porcine brain extracts elutes as a single peak distinct from VIP or secretin. Porcine brain PLP elutes in the same position as synthetic PHI-27, whereas rat brain PLP immunoreactivity consistently separates from synthetic PHI-27. This suggests that porcine brain PLP is identical to synthetic PHI-27, in agreement with the reported sequence of Tatemoto et al. (Tatemoto, K., M. Carlquist, T. McDonald, and V. Mutt (1983) FEBS Lett. 153: 248–252), whereas PLP may have a different amino acid sequence (or may be post-translationally modified). Using specific PHI and VIP radioimmunoassays, the distribution of PLP was found to parallel that of VIP in rat and porcine brain, being highest in cerebral cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. PLP, like VIP, is abundant in rat retina and can be included in the growing list of retinal peptides. This highly correlated distribution of VIP and PLP may be explained by the recent discovery that they are derived from the same precursor (Itoh, N., K. Obata, N. Yanaihara, and H. Okamoto (1983) Nature 304: 547–549).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Analysis of sustainable pest control using a pesticide and a screened refuge

We describe and analyze a ‘screened refuge’ technique for indefinitely sustaining control of insect pests using transgenic pesticidal crops or an applied pesticide, even when resistance is not recessive. The screen is a physical barrier that restricts pest movement. In a deterministic discrete-time model of the use of this technique, we obtain asymptotic analytical formulas for the two important equilibria of the system in terms of the refuge size and the pest fitnesses, mutation rates, and mobility out of and into the refuge. One of the equilibria is stable and is the point at which the pest population is controlled. The other is a saddle whose stable manifold bounds the basin of attraction of the former: its location provides a measure of the tolerance of the control mechanism to perturbations in the resistant allele density.
Differential Effects of IL-21 during Initiation and Progression of Autoimmunity against Neuroantigen

The cytokine IL-21 is closely related to IL-2 and IL-15, a cytokine family that uses the common gamma-chain for signaling. IL-21 is expressed by activated CD4(+) T cells. We examined the role of IL-21 in the autoimmune disease experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for human multiple sclerosis. IL-21 administration before induction of EAE with a neuroantigen, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide 35-55, and adjuvant enhanced the inflammatory influx into the CNS, as well as the severity of EAE. Autoreactive T cells purified from IL-21-treated mice transferred more severe EAE than did the control encephalitogenic T cells. No such effects were observed when IL-21 was administered after EAE progressed. Additional studies demonstrated that IL-21 given before the induction of EAE boosted NK cell function, including secretion of IFN-gamma. Depletion of NK cells abrogated the effect of IL-21. Therefore, IL-21, by affecting NK cells, has differential effects during the initiation and progression of autoimmune responses against neuroantigens.
Comparison of magnetic perturbation data from LEO satellite constellations: Statistics of DMSP and AMPERE

During the past decade engineering-grade magnetic field measurements from the low Earth orbiting (LEO) Iridium constellation of communication satellites have been available to the geospace science community as a tool to map field-aligned currents. The Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE) applied to Iridium measurements markedly improved the temporal and spatial resolution of these data. We developed new methods to compare data from the latest improvement to AMPERE with those from a constellation of four LEO Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft that carry high-resolution magnetometers. To perform the comparisons, we transformed all data to a common coordinate frame and altitude (110 km) and developed a means of computing spacecraft magnetic conjunctions. These conjunctions yield discrepancies in the magnetic field perturbations measured at each proximate spacecraft. During the geomagnetic disturbance of 29–30 May 2010, the vector differences in the horizontal perturbations at closest approach (typically a few tens of kilometers) had mean, median, and standard deviation values of 132 nT, 112 nT, and 90 nT, respectively. The DMSP spacecraft tend to report larger perturbations in the northern polar cap and cusp regions, especially during active intervals. We attribute some of the differences to limitations of spacecraft-attitude knowledge that propagate into AMPERE data. Overall, for the magnetic storm, we provide clear evidence that AMPERE data can provide high-resolution auroral zone data in good agreement with DMSP data for use in data assimilation algorithms. Such dual-use commercial data can provide important global augmentation to the nation's space weather monitoring capabilities.
Yoram Barzel and the New Institutional Economics

This article examines the relationship between the work of Yoram Barzel and the New Institutional Economics. Barzel has developed a property rights/transaction cost approach to economics and has written on topics ranging from car racing to slavery to Jewish lending to voting rules in condominium associations. Among his many ideas are those about racing to claim assets, multitasking, rationing by waiting, divided ownership of complex assets, measurement costs, and the economic origins of democracy. In the process Barzel's work unearthed the economic rationale for many institutions and offered a framework for analyzing them. Barzel holds an important place among all economists for expanding the scope of economic science in a way that focuses attention on the importance of institutions and the economic logic of their variety. In this way he has been a crucial part of the New Institutional Economics.
Self-Concept in Arab American Adolescents: Implications of Social Support and Experiences in the Schools

The purpose of this study was to investigate three domains (Scholastic Competence, Social Acceptance, and Global Self-Worth) of self-concept in Arab American adolescents in relation to their school experiences, including discrimination, self-perceived teacher social support, and selfperceived classmate social support. Half of the sample either experienced some form of discrimination or knew someone who had. An experience of discrimination was significantly related to students’ Scholastic Competence. Self-perceived classmate support was significantly related to all domains of self-concept; however, self-perceived teacher support was not significantly related to any of the self-concept domains. Implications of these results are discussed, as well as strategies for how to provide positive relationships for Arab American students and their families. C � 2012
Ribonucleic acid synthesis in vivo in the synchronously dividing Physarum polycephalum studied by cell fractionation

Abstract The incorporation in vivo of tritiated uridine into different cell fractions was studied in the mitotic cycle of Physarum polycephalum , a myxomycete with naturally synchronous nuclear divisions. In 10-min pulses approx. 70 % of the recovered radioactivity was in the nuclei at all times of interphase, whereas this figure was lower at mitosis. The biphasic pattern of incorporation previously observed in this organism was also seen in nuclei after isolation.
Classical closure theory and Lam's interpretation of epsilon -renormalization group theory.

It is shown that Lam's formulation of renormalization group theory [Phys. Fluids A 4, 1007 (1992)] is essentially the physical space version of the spectral classical closure theory [Leslie and Quarini, J. Fluid Mech. 91, 65 (1979)].
Dynamic radial distribution function from inelastic neutron scattering

A real-space, local dynamic structure function g(r,{omega}) is defined from the dynamic structure function S(Q,{omega}), which can be measured using inelastic neutron scattering. At any particular frequency {omega}, S(Q,{omega}) contains Q-dependent intensity oscillations which reflect the spatial distribution and relative displacement directions for the atoms vibrating at that frequency. Information about local and dynamic atomic correlations is obtained from the Fourier transform of these oscillations g(r,{omega}) at the particular frequency. g(r,{omega}) can be formulated such that the elastic and frequency-summed limits correspond to the average and instantaneous radial distribution function, respectively, and is thus called the dynamic radial distribution function. As an example, the dynamic radial distribution function is calculated for fcc nickel in a model which considers only the harmonic atomic displacements due to phonons. The results of these calculations demonstrate that the magnitude of the atomic correlations can be quantified and g(r,{omega}) is a well-defined correlation function. This leads to a simple prescription for investigating local lattice dynamics. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}