cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rejecting or Accepting Parameter Values in Bayesian Estimation

This article explains a decision rule that uses Bayesian posterior distributions as the basis for accepting or rejecting null values of parameters. This decision rule focuses on the range of plausible values indicated by the highest density interval of the posterior distribution and the relation between this range and a region of practical equivalence (ROPE) around the null value. The article also discusses considerations for setting the limits of a ROPE and emphasizes that analogous considerations apply to setting the decision thresholds for p values and Bayes factors.
Procedural Fairness, Blame Attributions, and Presidential Leadership

The removal of the President of the United States from office is a rare and significant event. This study investigated the influence of procedural fairness and blame attributions on punishment and support attitudes during the 1998 impeachment of President Clinton. This study assessed the influence of the procedural fairness of Clinton's behavior, procedural fairness of the Kenneth Starr/Congress investigation, satisfaction with Clinton policies, and blame attributions on punishment attitudes (i.e., whether Clinton should be removed from office) and support attitudes (i.e., whether individuals would vote for Clinton if an election were held today). Both the procedural fairness of Starr/Congress and procedural fairness of Clinton' behavior significantly influenced punishment and support attitudes. Procedural fairness of Clinton had indirect effects on punishment attitudes (through perceived blame of Clinton) and direct effects on support attitudes. Procedural fairness of Starr/Congress had direct effects on both punishment and support attitudes.
Language learning through interaction: What role does gender play?

This investigation of NS–NNS interaction in same- and cross-gender dyads on four information exchange tasks revealed that male and female NNSs made and received a comparable number of opportunities to request L2 input and modify interlanguage output during interaction with female NSs, but during interaction with male NSs, these opportunities were significantly lower for female than for male NNSs. In addition, more request-response exchanges were found on tasks in which either the NS or the NNS was given initial control over task-related information. Findings of the study were attributed to cultural similarities and differences in the interactional behaviors of the participants.
A Pediatric Case of Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome: Complexity of Diagnosis Amidst Co-Morbid Anxiety and Depression (P02.099)

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome in a teenage girl. BACKGROUND: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is an important treatable cause of severe headache. It is characterized by segmental constriction of multifocal areas of the cerebral vasculature that is reversible and may be accompanied by neurologic deficits. This condition is commonly described in adults, with a female predominance. Recently, several case studies have been published describing RCVS in children, but all but one have been in boys. DESIGN/METHODS: We report a case of a 16 year-old overweight female with a history of anxiety, ADHD, and migraines on several psychoactive medications who presented with 2 weeks of constant, progressively worsening headaches that were treated with eletriptan. Complete workup, including head CT, was unremarkable. She then experienced a far more severe headache that woke her from sleep and was associated with vomiting. She was referred for outpatient MRI, which revealed abnormal subarachnoid signal on FLAIR imaging. She was immediately admitted for further workup, and cerebral angiography revealed diffuse cerebral vasoconstriction. RESULTS: All home medications were discontinued, and she was treated with nifedipine. Her symptoms rapidly improved, and repeat angiography at 2 months showed complete resolution of vasoconstriction. CONCLUSIONS: RCVS has only rarely been reported in children and only once in a girl. Our case highlights the importance of considering RCVS when a child presents with severe sudden headache, even in the setting of chronic headaches. With the increased use in children of medications such as triptans and SSRIs, which are risk factors for RCVS, the incidence of RCVS in this population may also rise. Disclosure: Dr. Segal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bain has nothing to disclose. Dr. Amin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Monoky has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thompson has nothing to disclose.
The Effect of Defendant Facial Expression on Mock Juror Decision-Making: The Power of Remorse

In the U.S. legal system, juries are charged with the responsibility to decide if a person is guilty and sometimes to determine a sentence or damage awards. This task involves complex cognitive skills to weigh evidence, deliberate, and come to a conclusion. However, jurors may be impacted by factors beyond the evidence. One factor that we are interested in is the facial expression of the defendant. We experimentally manipulated the display of remorse and anger in defendant photographs to assess the impact on decision-making by mock jurors. A significant difference was found such that a remorseful defendant resulted in more lenient verdicts compared to an angry defendant. Headlines abound recounting how jurors, court personnel, and families are amazed, disgusted, and hurt that a particular defendant ‘showed no remorse.’ Of course, remorse does nothing to change the end result; the crime cannot be undone. However, we have a sense that remorse is owed to us, and the lack of it is strong evidence of a person’s guilt, or at least, despicable character. In the U.S. legal system, juries are charged with the responsibility of deciding if a person is guilty and to determine a sentence or damage awards. This task involves complex cognitive skills to weigh evidence, deliberate, and come to a conclusion. Extralegal factors impact this process. Attractiveness of the defendant (Landy & Aronson, 1969; Sigall & Ostrove, 1975), similarity of the defendant to jurors (Byrne & Clore, 1970), and the likeability of the defendant (Davis, Bray, & Holt, 1977) are some of the factors that have been shown to affect jury decisions. One particular factor that we are interested in is facial expressions displayed by the defendant. Regardless of guilt, the defendant’s emotions may include anger over current circumstances, remorse (for having committed the crime, or for having been caught), fear, disgust, and frustration, among others. These emotional experiences are likely to be displayed on the face. These expressions may have an impact on jury decision making and prove to be a mitigating factor (Ward, 2003). In a courtroom setting, anger is also an
Trident: Comprehensive Choke Error Mitigation in NTC Systems

Near threshold computing (NTC) systems have been inherently plagued with heightened process variation (PV) sensitivity. Choke points are an intriguing manifestation of this PV sensitivity. In this paper, we explore the probability of minimum timing violations, caused by choke points, in an NTC system, and their nontrivial impacts on the system reliability. We show that conventional timing error mitigation techniques are inefficient in tackling choke point-induced minimum timing violations. Consequently, we propose a comprehensive error mitigation technique, Trident, to tackle choke points at NTC. Trident offers a $1.37\times $ performance improvement and a $1.11\times $ energy-efficiency gain over Razor at NTC with minimal hardware and power overheads.
Novel orally bioavailable tubulin inhibitor VERU-111 to suppress ovarian tumor growth and metastasis.

e17538Background: Metastatic ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy in women and chemotherapy is one of the standard treatment options.Though several FDA approved anti-tubulin a...
Materials and engineering endeavors towards practical sodium-ion batteries

Abstract Sodium-ion batteries are making inroads toward better acceptance by both research and industry communities as promising electrochemical energy storage systems for stationary battery applications. The extreme dedication to lithium-ion batteries, since the early 90s, has eclipsed any significant development around room temperature Na-ion batteries, despite the materials availability advantage the latter have over the Li-ion battery counterparts. Benefiting from the substantial knowledge accumulated on Li-ion batteries, tremendous progress rapidly occurred with focus on solving the fundamental issues encountered at the component, system and cost levels in Na-ion batteries. In this review, we discuss the key aspects that make Na-ion batteries enable the research of a wide spectrum of sodium-based materials and electrolytes, which further catalyzes the development of plethora of energy storage systems.
The Question of Poetic Cinema

What is poetic cinema? The term denotes a relation to the literary genre of poetry, but that definition has changed through the centuries. The Greek term poesis could be applied to any work of fiction, including drama and the epic. However, the modern understanding of the term derives primarily from the romantic valorization of lyric poetry. Twentieth-century critics identify poetry with a use of language different from the everyday and stresses qualities of sound or the use of metaphor. Theories of poetic cinema have tended to refer to films which privilege cinematic devices such as editing and composition. Two schools of poetic cinema are discussed: Surrealism and the postwar American avant-garde films.
In situ high-temperature ESR characterization of FeZSM-5 and FeSAPO-34 catalysts in flowing mixtures of NO, C 3 H 6 , and O 2

In situ ESR of FeHZSM-5 shows that samples made by sublimation of FeCl3 contain mainly ferric ions in tetrahedral and distorted tetrahedral sites. Above 200°C these ions do not chemisorb water, which confirms the resistance to activity deterioration by water vapor claimed for FeHZSM-5, when used in SCR of NOx. The number of ESR-active Fe3+ ions decreases when moving from strongly oxidizing conditions towards stoichiometry at 500°C. In more reducing atmospheres, i.e., when excess reductant is present, the exposure produces an agglomerated ferromagnetic species, presumably magnetite. This process is irreversible. As the trivalent dispersed iron ions are the catalytically active sites, this transformation makes Fe-containing catalysts vulnerable to accidental but irreversible transformation induced by even mildly reducing conditions. The dispersion of ferric ions in FeSAPO-34 is not as good as in FeHZSM-5 and the reactive Fe3+ in distorted tetrahedral sites is absent. Catalytic oxidation of ethane allows correlation of the EPR results with activity and stability.
Terahertz investigation of bound states in the continuum of metallic metasurfaces

The concept of “bound states in the continuum” (BIC) describes an idealized physical system exhibiting zero radiative loss composed, for example, of an infinitely extended array of resonators. In principle, vanishing of radiative losses enables an infinitely high-quality factor and corresponding infinite lifetime of the resonance. As such, BIC inspired metasurfaces and photonic designs aim to achieve superior performance in various applications including sensing and lasing. We describe an analytical model based on temporal coupled mode theory to realize an “accidental” (i.e., parameter-tuned) Friedrich–Wintgen BIC. Further, we experimentally verify this model with measurements of quasi-BICs in a metallic terahertz metasurface (MS) and the corresponding complementary metasurface (CMS) using terahertz time domain spectroscopy. For the MS and CMS structures, quality factors of ∼20 are achieved, limited by non-radiative intrinsic loss in the materials. Our results reveal that Babinet’s principle qualitatively holds for the MS and CMS quasi-BIC structures. In addition, ultra-high electric and magnetic field enhancement MS and CMS structures, respectively, are presented.
ANNORE: Genetic fine mapping with functional annotation.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified loci of the human genome implicated in numerous complex traits. However, the limitations of this study design make it difficult to identify specific causal variants or biological mechanisms of association. We propose a novel method, AnnoRE, which uses GWAS summary statistics, local correlation structure among genotypes, and functional annotation from external databases to prioritize the most plausible causal SNPs in each trait-associated locus. Our proposed method improves upon previous fine mapping approaches by estimating the effects of functional annotation from genome-wide summary statistics, allowing for the inclusion of many annotation categories. By implementing a multiple regression model with differential shrinkage via random effects, we avoid reductive assumptions on the number of causal SNPs per locus. Application of this method to a large GWAS meta-analysis of body mass index identified six loci with significant evidence in favor of one or more variants. In an additional 24 loci, one or two variants were strongly prioritized over others in the region. The use of functional annotation in genetic fine mapping studies helps to distinguish between variants in high LD, and to identify promising targets for follow-up studies.
Carbon Risk Factor Framework

This research provides new perspectives on carbon risk factor by using raw carbon data; cleaning carbon data; analyzing global stock universe; utilizing a long data timeframe; and constructing three unique carbon factors. All three carbon factors (carbon volume, carbon financial efficiency, and carbon operational efficiency) exhibit strong performance and high Sharpe ratios; however, it is efficiency factors that show outsized performance, albeit with significant volatility. Within carbon volume factor, along six formed portfolios, there is no discernable return variation. Both efficiency factors show a discernable higher performance for higher carbon efficiency companies with larger market capitalization. The regression analysis shows all three carbon factors exhibiting statistical significance individually; however, when combined, carbon operational efficiency is the dominant risk factor.
The moderating influence of cognitive performance on risk awareness to predict HIV/AIDS risk-taking behaviors

Conclusion This finding refines the application of the protection motivation theory by specifying that risk awareness alone is insufficient to predict protective behaviors. Above average cognitive performance combined with risk awareness reduced HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. Future research should explore the causal mechanisms linking the interaction between risk awareness and cognitive performance in predicting a reduction in risk behaviors. from 2006 International Meeting of The Institute of Human Virology Baltimore, USA. 17–21 November, 2006
CIRCUIT MODELS OF SENSORY TRANSDUCTION IN THE COCHLEA

Nonlinear signal processing is an integral part of sensory transduction in the nervous system. Sensory inputs are analog, continuous-time signals with a large dynamic range, whereas central neurons encode information with limited dynamic range and temporal specificity, using fixed-width, fixed-height pulses. Sensory transduction uses nonlinear signal processing to reduce real-world input to a neural representation, with a minimal loss of information.
Biocompatibility of Materials

Most surgical specialties have been revolutionized by the introduction of implantable devices. These advances have been founded, in large part, on biomaterials science and engineering. One of the critical determinants of the performance of the device relates to the compatibility of the tissue response to the materials of fabrication with the required function of the implant. Implantation of the device requires the production of a surgical wound, and in this respect the tissue response to the implant may be looked upon as the modification of the wound healing response by the very presence of the implant. In vascularized tissues the surgical wound elicits an inflammatory process that can be considered part of the natural course of healing. The end result of the healing process is tissue similar to that naturally occurring at the site (the process of “regeneration”) or scar tissue (the process of “repair”), which in many tissues and organs comprises fibrous tissue. Infectious organisms when present serve as a persistent injurious agent that prolongs and can further incite the inflammatory process, not only jeopardizing the performance of the implant but threatening the life of the individual. The principles of biocompatibility including the mechanisms underlying inflammatory and infectious processes apply regardless of the type of material of fabrication of the implant. There are, however, features of the biomaterials that can affect certain aspects of these processes. It can therefore be instructive to also consider issues of biocompatibility in the context of the various classes of materials: metals, ceramics, and polymers. Keywords: biomaterials; biocompatibility; inflammation; infection
Uncertainty quantification for flow in highly heterogeneous porous media

Natural porous media are highly heterogeneous and characterized by parameters that are often uncertain due to the lack of sufficient data. This uncertainty (randomness) occurs on a multiplicity of scales. We focus on geologic formations with the two dominant scales of uncertainty: a large-scale uncertainty in the spatial arrangement of geologic facies and a small-scale uncertainty in the parameters within each facies. We propose an approach that combines random domain decompositions (RDD) and polynomial chaos expansions (PCE) to account for the large- and small-scales of uncertainty, respectively. We present a general fremework and use a one-dimensional flow example to demonstrate that our combined approach provides robust, non-perturbative approximations for the statistics of the system states.
Adolescents' perceptions of risks and benefits of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and marijuana: a qualitative analysis

Abstract Purpose Although rates of adolescent cigarette use have remained constant or decreased, rates of marijuana and e-cigarette use are rising. Knowledge and perceptions of risks and benefits of tobacco products impact adolescents' decisions to use these products. However, little is known regarding adolescents' knowledge and perceptions of risks of e-cigarettes and marijuana nor how these perceptions are formed. This study uses qualitative techniques to assess and compare adolescents' perceptions of the risks and benefits of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and marijuana. Methods Twenty-four adolescents (nine females and 15 males) from Northern California participated in six small-group discussions. Adolescents were asked what good or bad things might happen from using these products. To assess how perceptions and knowledge of risks and benefits were formed, participants were asked where and from whom they had learned about these products. Results Adolescents described negative consequences of cigarette use but were much less sure regarding risks of marijuana and e-cigarette use. Conversely, they described few benefits of cigarettes but described a number of benefits of e-cigarette and marijuana use. Adolescents described learning about these products from the media, from family and friends, and from the school environment. Conclusions Adolescents have learned from multiple sources about risks of using cigarettes, but they receive much less and often incorrect information regarding marijuana and e-cigarettes, likely resulting in their positive and often ambivalent perceptions of marijuana and e-cigarettes.
Culture of Five Commonly Used Acid-Producing Bacteria on Banana Pulp

A significant fraction of the bananas and plantains produced in the humid tropics are wasted due to rapid spoilage. The use of acid-producing, anaerobic fermentation may be a safe and economical way to preserve the fruit in both large- and small-scale applications. The abilities of five commonly used, acid-producing bacteria to ferment media containing ripe or green bananas were examined. Three homofermentative bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Streptococcus faecalis, typically reduced the pH of a puree of ripe bananas from 4.8 to about 3.5 to 3.6 in 7 days at 37 degrees C. Action on green bananas was similar, but the drop in pH was less pronounced. Very little gas evolved. Lactobacillus fermentum (formerly Lactobacillus fermenti) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides showed active gas evolution and a significant drop in pH. About twice as much gas evolved from ripe banana medium as from green bananas. The fermented purees were spongy, soft solids floating in a clear liquor. The color was medium to light creamy brown, and the odor was pleasant. Fermented products stored at room temperature retained good appearance and aroma throughout a 1-month storage test.
Retrospective: Richard E. Smalley (1943-2005).

Richard Smalley (1943-2005) was a pioneer in chemistry and nanotechnology, sharing the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his co-discovery of the "buckyball" fullerene molecule. As Adams and Baughman discuss in their Retrospective, Smalley brought endless enthusiasm to his research and teaching. He played a key role in creating the National Nanotechnology initiative in 2003 and right up to the end of his life sought ways to use nanotechnology to help solve the energy crisis and in new approaches to medicine
A Model Treaty for the Age of BEPS

The OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project promises to bring about the most fundamental changes in the international tax regime since its inception in the 1920s. The fundamental idea behind the various BEPS projects is that the OECD has fully embraced the idea that double non-taxation can have as deleterious consequences as double taxation and that therefore the various aspects of the current rules that enable multinational enterprises (MNEs) to achieve double non-taxation should be reconsidered. The BEPS Action Plan, adopted by the OECD in July 2013, sets an ambitious time table for the various items, which are supposed to be achieved either by September 2014 or at the latest by December 2015. While the Action Plan items generally require coordinated action to amend the domestic laws of the member states, the last item envisages an effort to draft a new multilateral tax treaty. This is likely to be a difficult and prolonged process, so in the meantime we would like to offer some tentative suggestions about how the current OECD model should be revised to address not just double taxation but also double non-taxation.
Positive and Negative Selection of Thymocytes Depends on Lck Interaction with the CD4 and CD8 Coreceptors

Considerable evidence supports a role for the Src family protein tyrosine kinase Lck in regulating multiple aspects of thymocyte development. In this report, we establish that early events in T lymphopoiesis are restored to Lck-deficient mice by provision of a transgene encoding a version of Lck that cannot interact with the coreceptors CD4 and CD8. In addition, we demonstrate that later events in thymocyte development, specifically, the processes of positive and negative selection, are compromised in mice where the only Lck available cannot associate with either CD4 or CD8. We conclude that not only is Lck activity required for positive and negative selection, but that that activity must be coupled to the CD4 and CD8 coreceptors.
Neanderthal behaviour and stone tool function at the Middle Palaeolithic site of La Quina, France

Neanderthal diet is explored by examining stone tools found at the site of La Quina for residues and microwear. The Neanderthal people are found to be using their scrapers for working plants and woods as well as meat.
Mitral Valve Repair Outcomes in a Community Hospital: A Retrospective Analysis

Background The results of mitral valve repair operations conducted at community hospitals in rural states are not well studied or reported in the literature. Methods We retrospectively assessed consecutive patients who underwent isolated mitral valve repair operations performed by a single experienced cardiothoracic surgeon at a large community hospital from May 1, 2006 – April 30, 2010. Patients were monitored for up to three years (average 2.2 years) following surgery for a variety of surgical variables, including morbidity, mortality, and serial two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic findings. Comparisons were made with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD). Results Sixty-three consecutive patients underwent isolated complex mitral repair operations. Echocardiographic and morbidity data demonstrated successful outcomes, with no operative mortality and a single cardiac-related death within three years postoperatively. Other variables, especially those that relate to post-repair outcomes, showed no significant differences between our patients and comparison data from the ASCD. Conclusions Our study demonstrates equivalent risks and outcomes for complex mitral valve repair performed in a community hospital setting as those found in a national database. The appropriate institutional setting for performing highly complex procedures has substantial implications for health policy, especially regarding access and quality issues.
A CMOS multi-standard receiver architecture for ISM and UNII band applications

Various wireless communication standards have been introduced and multi-standard wireless devices are highly in demand to accommodate different wireless communication standards. Due to the different frequency bands and bandwidths, existing multi-standard wireless devices use separate chipsets or separate signal paths for the different standards on the same chip. Low and Zero-IF receiver architectures with high integration and high level of component share are proposed for Bluetooth and WLAN applications. The overall system requirements are analyzed and the design specifications for individual receiver components are determined using Simulink models. The system design targets implementation in deep submicron CMOS technology, e.g. 0.18 /spl mu/m process.
USM3D Analysis of Roll-Control System Jet Effects on Ares Launch Vehicles

USM3Dwasused to investigate the jet-interaction effects from the roll-control systemon the rollingmoment of two Ares configurations at wind-tunnel Reynolds numbers. Approaches were established for modeling the roll-control system and for analyzing the jet interactions of the activated roll-control system using the Ares I-X simplified configuration. The established approaches, using the ideal gas code USM3D, were then used for the Ares I fullprotuberance configuration atMach numbers from 0.5 to 5 at an angle of attack of 0 deg, an angle of attack of 3.5 deg for a roll angle of 120 deg, and an angle of attack of 7 deg for roll angles of 120 and 210 deg. Major findings include that the roll-control jet housing contributes to a beneficial jet-interaction effect on vehicle rolling moment for Mach numbers greater than or equal to 0.9 and that components downstreamof the roll-control system contribute to the jet interaction penalties on the vehicle rolling moment at all Mach numbers with a few exceptions. Resources allowed for a single comparison between an ideal gas solution from USM3D and an equivalent real gas solution from Loci-CHEM for the Ares I-X simplified configuration.
Metabolomic Analysis of Oxidative and Glycolytic Skeletal Muscles by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/IonizationMass Spectrometric Imaging (MALDI MSI)

Skeletal muscles are composed of heterogeneous muscle fibers that have different physiological, morphological, biochemical, and histological characteristics. In this work, skeletal muscles extensor digitorum longus, soleus, and whole gastrocnemius were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry to characterize small molecule metabolites of oxidative and glycolytic muscle fiber types as well as to visualize biomarker localization. Multivariate data analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were performed to extract significant features. Different metabolic fingerprints were observed from oxidative and glycolytic fibers. Higher abundances of biomolecules such as antioxidant anserine as well as acylcarnitines were observed in the glycolytic fibers, whereas taurine and some nucleotides were found to be localized in the oxidative fibers.
Service–Learning in the Social Studies: Civic Outcomes of the 3rd–12th Grade CiviConnections Program

This article describes a service-learning intervention, the CivicConnections Program, as implemented by 96 teachers in 32 site-based teams in 21 states during 2004–2005. Each of the 32 teams was responsible for multiple service-based, social studies classrooms serving a total of more than 2500 students in grades 3–12. The individual classroom-level projects demonstrated much diversity. Student responses to pre-surveys and retrospective pre- and post-surveys indicated consistent and important growth regardless of ethnic background or grade level. Students reported significant increases in their knowledge and sense of efficacy and participation. The magnitude of reported outcomes differed considerably depending on the site where students participated, even though all 32 sites demonstrated some significant growth on the retrospective pre- to post-survey comparisons.
EVALUATION OF THE COLIN STBP-680 AT REST AND DURING EXERCISE : AN AUTOMATED BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR USING R-WAVE GATING

The application of automated blood pressure measurement during exercise has been limited by inaccuracies introduced by the effects of accompanying motion and noise. We evaluated a newly developed automated blood pressure monitor for measuring exercise blood pressure (Colin STBP-680; Colin, San Antonio, Texas, USA). The STBP-680 uses acoustic transduction with the assistance of the electrocardiogram R-wave to trigger the sampling period for blood pressure measurement. The automated monitor readings were compared with simultaneous technician mercury sphygmomanometric readings in the same arm. Blood pressure was measured in 18 men at rest and during exercise at 40% VO2 peak, (low intensity), 70% VO2 peak (moderate intensity) and VO2 peak (high intensity) on the cycle ergometer. Mean(s.d.) systolic blood pressure difference between the automated monitor and mercury manometer readings at rest and during exercise at low, moderate and high work intensities were 3(0) mmHg, 3(2) mmHg, 1(1) mmHg, and 0(11) mmHg respectively (analysis of variance; P > 0.05). Resting diastolic blood pressure obtained with the STBP-680 was similar to the mercury manometer readings (78(10) versus 81(7) mmHg (P > 0.05). Exercise diastolic pressure at the low level of work intensity was almost identical between the automated monitor and mercury manometer readings (64(8) versus 65(10) mmHg (not significant)). Diastolic blood pressure readings between the STBP-680 and mercury manometer showed a greater difference at the moderate and high workloads (11 mmHg and 9 mmHg, respectively), but this difference was not significant (P > 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Determination of Protein Carbonyl Groups by Immunoblotting

Free radical-mediated oxidation of proteins results in the formation of carbonyl groups in quantities that reflect the intensity of the oxidative stress. We have developed an immunochemical technique for the quantification of carbonyl groups in protein samples prepared from small tissue samples and cell cultures. Protein samples were slot-blotted onto a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane, which was sequentially treated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH), a primary antibody specific for the 2,4-dinitrophenol group, and a peroxidase-labeled second antibody. After the blots were developed with a chemiluminescent substrate and exposed to X-ray film, the level of immunostaining was quantitated by densitometry. Using oxidized bovine serum albumin as a standard and loading 5 μg of protein per slot, the minimum detectable carbonyl content was approximately 60 pmol carbonyl/mg protein. When necessary, nonspecific staining by noncarbonyl constituents in complex sample matrices was accounted for by using sodium borohydride-treated blanks. Results by the new method were highly correlated (r= 0.932,P< 0.0001) with those of the standard DNPH-based spectrophotometric technique. The coefficient of variation at a carbonyl level of 1.5 nmol/mg protein was 9.7%. The utility of this new method was demonstrated by measuring protein oxidation in cultured human colon cells (SW620) that were briefly exposed to H2O2.
An Algorithmic Approach to Elementary ANOVA

Abstract An elementary approach to the analysis of variance for balanced designs is sketched and illustrated with an analysis of a repeated measures design. The approach is based on a conceptually simple algorithm that computes the usual linear decomposition of the data by repeatedly calculating and removing averages for groups of observations corresponding to the sources of variation in the design. An interactive computer program, written in Applesoft Basic, is available for use in teaching the algorithm.
Private Information and the Costs of Trading around Quarterly Earnings Announcements

No one wants to trade with those who have better information. In markets where traders have asymmetric information, however, both informed and uninformed traders must make strategic trading decisions. Because public announcements can affect the information asymmetry between traders, these strategic decisions are likely to be most important around public announcements. How concerned should uninformed traders be about the potential information asymmetry when trading around public announcements? Surprisingly, whether for large-block trades or for the entire order flow, there is no evidence that the uninformed can trade on more favorable terms by varying the timing of their trades in relation to a quarterly earnings announcement.
Methane distribution and production in the Georgia salt marsh

Bacterial action in the anaerobic sediments of Spartina salt marsh produce large quantities of methane. Water in contact with the marsh has methane concentrations 200–300 times normal oceanic concentrations. The methane content of the water varies from maximum of 1.2 μl CH4 l−1 in the summer to a minimum of 0.005 μl CH4 l−1 in the winter. Methane production appears to be temperature dependent. Methane content of the sediment generally increases with depth to maximum observed concentrations of 2.8 ml CH4 l−1 interstitial water. The flux of methane from the sediment is estimated by a variety of techniques to be about 0.21 ml CH4 m−2 h−1 (1 g CH4-C m−2 year−1). Methane flux is higher in the high marsh than the low marsh.
Nondiffusible allergenic contaminant isolated from samples of chlorogenic acid causing allergic reactions: Pure chlorogenic acid not an allergen

Abstract A sample of chlorogenic acid submitted by Sehon and Freedman as the allergen of green coffee was subjected to simple dialysis in cellophane bags. The diffusible low-molecular-weight component (dialysate) contained all of the chlorogenic acid of the original sample but was shown by Prausnitz-Kustner tests to be nonallergenic. The nondiffusible high-molecular-weight component retained within the dialysis bag contained no chlorogenic acid but did contain a coffee-specific antigen that caused positive skin reactions in Prausnitz-Kustner tests with sera from patients with atopy to green coffee. Samples of chlorogenic acid obtained from commerical sources contained nondiffusible antigen. A sample of synthetic chlorogenic acid from M. L. Scarpati's laboratory was found to be without allergenic activity in clinical tests upon French patients with severe allergy to green coffee. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra determined on all samples studied showed that all were correctly identified as chlorogenic acid (3-caffeoylquinic acid). These results together with our previous studies show that the coffee-specific allergenicity (antigenicity) present in some samples of chlorogenic acid is due entirely to protein present as a contaminant. It appears to be highly improbable that chlorogenic acid ever functions as an allergen in human atopic hypersensitivity to materials of plant origin.
The Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Mortality Among Older Participants in the Epidemiologic Catchment Area-piedmont Health Survey

The association between depression and two-year mortality risk was assessed in 1,606 elderly community participants in the 1982-83 Epidemiologic Catchment Area-Piedmont Health Survey. Two depression measures were formed from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) depressive symptom items. Neither measure was associated with mortality in univariate or multiple logistic regression analyses. The adjusted relative risk of mortality comparing the lowest to highest levels of a three-level depression variable was 0.9 (95% confidence interval = 0.5-1.4). Similar results were obtained with other versions of the depression variables, with each depressive symptom category, and within sex, chronic disease, widowhood status, and age groups. These results indicate that depression does not increase mortality in elderly adults, but the short follow-up, sample characteristics, and operationalization of depression may have affected this association.
Expression and regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase in adult sensory neurons in culture: effects of elevated potassium and nerve growth factor.

Abstract To determine whether similar molecular mechanisms regulate the same proteins in diverse neuronal populations, the present study compared regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TOH) in placodal sensory and neural crest-derived sympathetic neurons in tissue culture. Long-term explant cultures of adult nodose and petrosal sensory ganglia (NPG) contained abundant TOH-immunoreactive neurons and exhibited TOH catalytic activity, as in vivo. After an initial decline during the first week of culture, enzyme activity was maintained at a stable plateau of 60% of zero time values for at least 3 weeks. However, exposure of 2-week-old cultures to depolarizing concentrations of potassium (K + ; 40 mM) increased TOH activity approximately two-fold; total protein was unchanged, suggesting that the rise was due to increased TOH specific activity. Therefore, membrane depolarization in vitro appears to regulate this specific catecholaminergic (CA) trait in sensory, as in sympathetic CA cells. In sympathetic neurons, NGF regulates TOH activity throughout life. In marked contrast, TOH activity in adult NPG cultures was unchanged in the presence of 0, 10 or 100 units NGF/ml or in the presence of high concentrations of antiserum against the β-subunit of NGF. Adult sympathetic neurons, however, grown under identical conditions, exhibited a 5- to 10-fold rise in TOH activity in the presence of NGF. Thus, unlike sympathetics, CA metabolism in adult NPG neurons is not regulated by NGF in vitro; NGF is therefore unlikely to mediate target effects on CA metabolism in placodal sensory neurons in vivo. Our findings indicate that certain mechanisms of CA regulation are shared by placodal sensory and neural crest-derived sympathetic neurons, whereas others are not. Therefore, expression of the CA phenotype in peripheral neurons does not imply an obligatory repertoire of regulatory mechanisms.
Two-particle localization and antiresonance in spin and qubit chains

We analyze localization of interacting excitations in a system of qubits or spins. The system is modeled by a spin chain with an anisotropic (XXZ) exchange coupling in a magnetic field. Localization occurs on a defect with an excess on-site spin-flip energy. Such a defect corresponds to a qubit with the level spacing different from other qubits. Because of the interaction, a single defect may lead to multiple localized states. We find energy spectra and localization lengths of the two-excitation states. An excitation remains localized on the defect even where energy conservation allows scattering into extended states. This is due to destructive quantum interference in the two-excitation scattering channels, and it facilitates the operation of a quantum computer. Analytical results are obtained for strong anisotropy and are confirmed by numerical studies.
Impact of gamma irradiation on GaN/sapphire surface acoustic wave resonators

Space environments contain harsh conditions such as extreme temperature variations, high levels of radiation, and mechanical shocks. Resonator components made from quartz are susceptible to such environmental conditions so that complex packaging and shielding are typically required. As alternative to quartz, wide bandgap material platforms, such as gallium nitride (GaN), are being investigated due to their tolerance to harsh environments and high acoustic velocities. This paper presents the characterization of GaN/sapphire surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators upon gamma irradiation. Microfabricated resonators were exposed to prolonged gamma ray radiation with (up to 850 krad) and the reflection characteristics (S 11 ) were obtained before irradiation, after irradiation, and after thermal annealing at 100°C. The measured frequency response of the irradiated GaN/sapphire structures showed negligible shift in the resonance frequency (229 MHz). However, a decrease in the resonance peak intensity with increasing irradiation levels is observed. The state of the crystalline structure before and after irradiation (100 krad) is examined using rocking curve X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis.
Maintenance Treatment With Varenicline for Smoking Cessation in Patients With Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance It is estimated that more than half of those with serious mental illness smoke tobacco regularly. Standard courses of pharmacotherapeutic cessation aids improve short-term abstinence, but most who attain abstinence relapse rapidly after discontinuation of pharmacotherapy. Objective To determine whether smokers diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disease have higher rates of prolonged tobacco abstinence with maintenance pharmacotherapy than with standard treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, relapse-prevention clinical trial conducted in 10 community mental-health centers. Of 247 smokers with schizophrenia or bipolar disease recruited from March 2008-April 2012, 203 received 12-weeks’ open-label varenicline and cognitive behavioral therapy and 87 met abstinence criteria to enter the relapse prevention intervention. Interventions Participants who had 2 weeks or more of continuous abstinence at week 12 of open treatment were randomly assigned to receive cognitive behavioral therapy and double-blind varenicline (1 mg, 2 per day) or placebo from weeks 12 to 52. Participants then discontinued study treatment and were followed up to week 76. Main Outcomes and Measures Seven-day rate of continuous abstinence at study week 52, the end of the relapse-prevention phase, confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide. Secondary outcomes were continuous abstinence rates for weeks 12 through 64 based on biochemically verified abstinence and weeks 12 through 76, based on self-reported smoking behavior. Results Sixty-one participants completed the relapse-prevention phase; 26 discontinued participation (7 varenicline, 19 placebo) and were considered to have relapsed for the analyses; 18 of these had relapsed prior to dropout. At week 52, point-prevalence abstinence rates were 60% in the varenicline group (24 of 40) vs 19% (9 of 47) in the placebo group (odds ratio [OR], 6.2; 95% CI, 2.2-19.2; P P = .004), and from weeks 12 through 76, 30% (12 of 40) in the varenicline group vs 11% (5 of 47) in the placebo group were continuously abstinent (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.02-13.6; P = .03). There were no significant treatment effects on psychiatric symptom ratings or psychiatric adverse events. Conclusions and Relevance Among smokers with serious mental illness who attained initial abstinence with standard treatment, maintenance pharmacotherapy with varenicline and cognitive behavioral therapy improved prolonged tobacco abstinence rates compared with cognitive behavioral therapy alone after 1 year of treatment and at 6 months after treatment discontinuation. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00621777
The marine mammals of Grenada, W.I., and their conservation status

Pour documenter la faune de mammiferes marins de Grenade et sa distribution dans les Caraibes orientales, nous avons entrepris l'etudes des observations et archives pour la zone. Tous les enregistrements de Sireniens et de Cetaces pour la Grenade ont ete assembles et analyses. Onze especes de mammiferes marins sont confirmees pour cette region. Le jubarte (Megaptera novaeangliae) est l'espece de Mysticete le plus regulierement observee et plusieurs Odontocetes semblent egalement frequents Le Lamantin (Trichechus manatus) a disparu de ces eaux depuis au moins 300 ans. La comparaison avec la faune de mammiferes marins des regions limitrophes (Venezuela, Trinidad, et St. Vincent et les Grenadines), nous incite a croire qu'au moins sept especes supplementaires de Cetaces peuvent etre presentes dans les eaux de Grenade, en tant que visiteurs occasionnels.
Further Evidence for an Association of ABCR Alleles with Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) accounts for >50% of the registered visual disability among North American and Western European populations and has been associated both with environmental factors, such as smoking, and with genetic factors. Previously we have reported disease-associated variants in the ABCR (also called ABCA4) gene in a subset of patients affected with this complex disorder. We have now tested our original hypothesis, that ABCR is a dominant susceptibility locus for AMD, by screening 1,218 unrelated AMD patients of North American and Western European origin and 1,258 comparison individuals from 15 centers in North America and Europe for the two most frequent AMD-associated variants found in ABCR. These two sequence changes, G1961E and D2177N, were found in one allele of ABCR in 40 patients (∼3.4%), and in 13 control subjects (∼0.95%). Fisher’s two-sided exact test confirmed that these two variants are associated with AMD at a statistically significant level (P<.0001). The risk of AMD is elevated approximately threefold in D2177N carriers and approximately fivefold in G1961E carriers. The identification of a gene that confers risk of AMD is an important step in unraveling this complex disorder.
Novel, Sem-Based Method for Wafer Inspection Recipe Optimization

This paper describes a novel route to brightfield (BF) wafer inspector recipe setup leading to substantially shortened recipe setup time and improved recipe quality. The traditional BF recipe optimization process involves adjusting several inspection parameters necessitating multiple iterations between the BF inspector and SEM review tool. Not only is "first time right" a requirement in today's IC fabs, but capture rates for critical yield limiting defects need to be maximized while the nuisance counts need to be minimized. Approaching recipe entitlement on BF is in danger of taking too long for a production environment, given the number of optics modes and the realities of queue times and other limitations in IC production environment. This paper presents a method and tool set that supports reaching this recipe optimization goal in a novel way by tightly coupling the review SEM into this process. Implementation in an IC fab resulted in a dramatic improvement in capture rate of critical defects from the previously employed process of record (POR), as well as substantial time savings in recipe optimization.