cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychiatric Pharmacoepidemiology for Children

This article applies principles of pharmacoepidemiology to child and adolescent mental disorders for the purpose of extending existing methods of drug information sciences. A review of the existing methods for determining the efficacy and safety of psychopharmacologic agents reveals strengths and weaknesses in the validity of drug information intended to meet the unique needs of this patient population. To address gaps in current methods for establishing such information, the authors review epidemiologic methods and their application to clinical data derived from the naturalistic (usual clinical practice) setting. The pharmacoepide-miologic approach extends the drug knowledge model by providing prevalence rates of drugs used for intended purposes as well as unintended event rates, derived from computerized information on large populations; and quantitative methods for determining the benefit-to-risk assessment of a psychopharmacologic agent. These methods permit effectiveness (as distinguished from efficacy) and safety to be examined under usual clinical practice conditions.
Regional differences in metabolism and intracellular pH in response to moderate hypoxia.

It is well known that hypoxia induces increased respiration through activation of peripheral chemoreceptor reflex pathways. But, in the absence of afferent inputs from peripheral chemoreceptors, systemic hypoxia causes depression of breathing activity. Evidence of hypoxic depression of respiration also can be observed in animals and in humans with intact peripheral chemoreceptors.The effects of central hypoxia on respiratory activity require more time to develop than the effects of hypoxic stimulation through peripheral chemoreceptors, suggesting the involvement of relatively slow metabolic processes. The mechanism by which hypoxia causes central depression of breathing is not known, but several possibilites can be suggested.
The relationship between the vertical distribution of spiny lobster phyllosoma larvae (Crustacea: Palinuridae) and isolume depths generated by a computer model

Diel vertical migration (DVM) of spiny lobster (Panulirus spp.) phyllosoma larvae may be a key component in the biological-physical coupling which affects their transport and survival in the Florida Keys. Light is often invoked as the most important factor to influence DVM (AngeI 1985). In this study, we describe the diel changes in the vertical distribution of Panulirus spp. phyllosomata. We then use a computer model to hindcast irradiance in the water column associated with the vertical distribution patterns, and explore the possible correlation between them. The ability to predict the vertical distribution of phyllosomata with a light model will be useful in quantitative sampling and in the modeling of larval transport and recruitment mechanisms.
Magnetic Sensitivity and its Possible Physical Basis in the Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus Albacares

Many animals are known to orient to magnetic fields. However, two central problems in the study of magnetic sensitivity have been the almost complete failure of magnetic field conditioning experiments and the lack of evidence for a feasible transduction mechanism. In the studies reported here yellowfin tuna learned to discriminate between two Earth-strength magnetic fields in a discrete-trials/fixed-interval conditioning procedure. Magnetometry experiments, diffraction spectra and electron microscope analyses demonstrated single-domain crystals of the ferromagnetic mineral magnetite in the head of this species. The crystals are concentrated in tissue contained within a sinus formed by the ethmoid bones of the skull. Theoretical analyses show that the crystals would be suitable for use in magnetoreception if linked to the nervous system. The physical properties of the crystals would determine the operation of magnetoreceptor organelles and constrain the capacities of the magnetic sense. Tests of these constraints in appropriately designed conditioning experiments will provide powerful tests of the ferromagnetic magnetoreception hypothesis.
Early- and late-flowering guilds respond differently to landscape spatial structure

Summary 1.Species with unique phenologies have distinct trait syndromes and environmental affinities, yet there has been little exploration of whether community assembly processes differ for plants with different phenologies. In this study, we ask whether early- and late-blooming species differ in the ways that dispersal, persistence, and resource-acquisition traits shape plant occurrence patterns in patchy habitats. 2.We sampled plant communities in 51 Ozark dolomite glade grasslands, which range in size from 100 ha. We modelled the occurrence of 71 spring- and 43 summer-blooming grassland species in these patches, using as predictors both environmental variables (landscape structure, soil resources) and plant traits related to dispersal, longevity, and resource acquisition. We were especially interested in how the environmental variables and plant traits interacted to determine the occurrence of phenological strategies in habitats that vary in size and isolation. 3.Summer-blooming species with better persistence and dispersal abilities had higher relative frequencies in smaller, more isolated habitat patches, and summer-blooming species with higher specific leaf area—suggesting fast growth and low stress tolerance—were more likely to occur in patches with greater soil organic matter and clay content. However, spring-blooming species showed much weaker interactions between functional traits and environmental gradients, perhaps because environmental conditions are less harsh in spring than in summer. 4.Synthesis: Several axes of plant life history variation may simultaneously influence community responses to habitat connectivity. In this case, explicitly considering plant phenology helped identify generalizable relationships between functional traits and landscape spatial structure. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Participants’ views on the strengths and limitations of drug court: Recommendations to enhance assessment and treatment of mental illnesses

ABSTRACTSince 1989, drug courts have provided an alternative to incarceration for arrestees who have a substance use disorder. Previous research has suggested that participants who graduate from the program are less likely to recidivate than those who are terminated from the program. The majority of research on drug courts is quantitative; therefore, the benefits of qualitative methods are not fully seen in the literature. This qualitative study developed an in-depth understanding of participants’ (n = 42) views on the strengths and limitations of a Midwestern drug court. Two themes emerged from the data. First, participants felt that the drug court promoted camaraderie, which enhanced their motivation for change and supported them in graduating from the program. Second, participants felt that the drug court did not adequately treat their mental illnesses, which for some resulted in relapse and was perceived as a barrier to graduating from the program. Recommendations for drug court practice are discussed.
Thyroid Hormone Deiodination and Action in the Gonads.

Abstract Alterations in thyroid hormone (TH) status during developmental or adult age are associated with abnormal gonadal development and function in human and animal models. In the developing testis, aberrant levels of TH action lead to disruptions in cell proliferation and differentiation, ultimately influencing testicular size, spermatogenesis, steroidogenesis and male fertility. Recent work is increasingly identifying the systems and signaling pathways in gonadal cells that are affected by TH, as well as delineating the major factors that determine TH signaling in gonadal tissue. The TH receptor alpha, the monocarboxylate transporter 8 and the type 3 deiodinase appear to be major contributors to the timely regulation of TH action in the developing testis.
Dual gene therapy with extracellular superoxide dismutase and catalase attenuates experimental optic neuritis.

PURPOSE To ameliorate experimental optic neuritis by combining scavenging of superoxide by germ line increases in the extracellular superoxide dismutase (ECSOD) and hydrogen peroxide by viral-mediated gene transfer of the human catalase gene. METHODS The human catalase gene inserted into recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) was injected into the right eyes of transgenic mice overexpressing human ECSOD and wild-type littermates. Animals were simultaneously sensitized for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and then sacrificed one month later. The effects of antioxidant genes (ECSOD and catalase) on the histologic lesions of EAE were measured by computerized analysis of myelin area, optic disc area, extent of the cellular infiltrate, cerium derived H(2)O(2) reaction product and extravasation of serum albumin detected by immunogold. RESULTS Combined scavenging of H(2)O(2) and superoxide with ECSOD and catalase suppressed demyelination by 72%, 54% due to catalase, and 19% due to ECSOD. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier was reduced 63% by the combined effects of catalase and ECSOD, 35% due to catalase and 29% due to ECSOD. CONCLUSIONS Transgene modulation of antioxidant enzyme defenses against both superoxide and its metabolite H(2)O(2) provide a substantial suppressive effect against EAE in the optic nerve that may be a new therapeutic strategy for suppression of optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis.
A case report and literature review of daptomycin-induced liver injury

Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antimicrobial used to treat gram positive organisms including multi-drug resistant infections. It has been shown to occasionally cause abnormalities in liver function but more commonly is associated with elevations in serum creatinine phosphokinase (CK) (Hair and Keam, 2007) [1]. We describe a case where a patient being treated for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia with daptomycin developed asymptomatic elevated transaminases without evidence of multiorgan failure, hyperbilirubinemia or elevation of CK levels. Other etiologies for liver injury were considered and ruled out, and after daptomycin was discontinued, the transaminases returned to normal levels. We also provide a review of other cases to date documenting possible cases of daptomycin-induced liver injury.
Starting up the News: The Impact of Venture Capital on the Digital News Media Ecosystem

Venture capital funding is an increasingly common yet understudied management model in the rapidly changing market of news media. Drawing on scholarship in media management and entrepreneurship, th...
New and emerging AAC technology supports for children with complex communication needs and their communication partners: State of the science and future research directions.

This paper discusses recent research and development with a specific focus on selected new and emerging research-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies that are develop...
Cancer PRSweb – an Online Repository with Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) for Major Cancer Traits and Their Phenome-wide Exploration in Two Independent Biobanks

To facilitate scientific collaboration on polygenic risk scores (PRS) research, we created an extensive PRS online repository for 49 common cancer traits integrating freely available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics from three sources: published GWAS, the NHGRI-EBI GWAS Catalog, and UK Biobank-based GWAS. Our framework condenses these summary statistics into PRS using various approaches such as linkage disequilibrium pruning / p-value thresholding (fixed or data-adaptively optimized thresholds) and penalized, genome-wide effect size weighting. We evaluated the PRS in two biobanks: the Michigan Genomics Initiative (MGI), a longitudinal biorepository effort at Michigan Medicine, and the population-based UK Biobank (UKB). For each PRS construct, we provide measures on predictive performance, calibration, and discrimination. Besides PRS evaluation, the Cancer-PRSweb platform features construct downloads and phenome-wide PRS association study results (PRS-PheWAS) for predictive PRS. We expect this integrated platform to accelerate PRS-related cancer research.
Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden – was kann jeder tun?

Nichts hat so gut belegte Auswirkungen auf die korperliche und geistige Gesundheit wie korperliche Bewegung, es muss nicht einmal Sport sein. Bewegung reduziert nicht nur die Risiken fur kardiovaskulare Erkrankungen, Schlaganfalle und zahlreiche Krebserkrankungen und verringert die Sterblichkeit, sie verringert auch die Risiken fur Demenzen und Depressionen und erhalt die geistige Leistungsfahigkeit. Der zweite wichtige Lebensstilfaktor, dessen Bedeutung nicht nur fur unsere korperliche Gesundheit, sondern auch fur unser psychisches Wohlbefinden und unsere kognitive Leistung nicht uberschatzt werden kann, ist die Ernahrung. Kalorienrestriktion und eine pflanzenbasierte Ernahrung, die arm ist an tierischem Fett und Fleisch, haben die bedeutsamsten, empirisch belegten Effekte. Achtsamkeitsbasierte Meditationstechniken erganzen die Masnahmen fur Erhalt und Steigerung der psychischen Gesundheit.
Proof of the Kakeya set conjecture over rings of integers modulo square-free $N$

A Kakeya set $S \subset (\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z})^n$ is a set containing a line in each direction. We show that, when $N$ is any square-free integer, the size of the smallest Kakeya set in $(\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z})^n$ is at least $C_{n,\epsilon} N^{n - \epsilon}$ for any $\epsilon$ -- resolving a special case of a conjecture of Hickman and Wright. Previously, such bounds were only known for the case of prime $N$. We also show that the case of general $N$ can be reduced to lower bounding the $\mathbb{F}_p$ rank of the incidence matrix of points and hyperplanes over $(\mathbb{Z}/p^k\mathbb{Z})^n$.
Visceral Sympathetic Blocks

Visceral pain and the respective blocks such as celiac plexus block, superior hypogastric block, and ganglion impar block require significant anatomical knowledge both to recognize which block can provide pain relief as well as to safely perform the procedure. Other topics covered in this chapter include alcohol and phenol neurolysis.
Improved SNV discovery in barcode-stratified scRNA-seq alignments

Abstract Single cell SNV analysis is an emerging and promising strategy to connect cell-level genetic variation to cell phenotypes. At the present, SNV detection from 10x Genomics scRNA-seq data is typically performed on the pooled sequencing reads across all cells in a sample. Here, we assess the gain of information of SNV assessments from individual cell scRNA-seq data, where the alignments are split by barcode prior to the variant call. For our analyses we use publicly available sequencing data on the human breast cancer cell line MCF7 cell line generated at consequent time-points during anti-cancer treatment. We analyzed SNV calls by three popular variant callers – GATK, Strelka2 and Mu-tect2, in combination with a method for cell-level tabulation of the sequencing read counts bearing SNV alleles – SCReadCounts. Our analysis shows that variant calls on individual cell alignments identify at least two-fold higher number of SNVs as compared to the pooled scRNA-seq. We demonstrate that scSNVs exclusively called in the single cell alignments (scSNVs) are substantially enriched in novel genetic variants and in coding functional annotations, in particular, stop-codon and missense substitutions. Furthermore, we find that the expression of some scSNVs correlates with the expression of their harbouring gene (cis-scReQTLs). Overall, our study indicates an immense potential of SNV calls from individual cell scRNA-seq data and emphasizes on the need of cell-level variant detection approaches and tools. Given the growing accumulation of scRNA-seq datasets, cell-level variant assessments are likely to significantly contribute to the understanding of the cellular heterogeneity and the relationship between genetics variants and functional phenotypes. In addition, cell-level variant assessments from scRNA-seq can be highly informative in cancer where they can help elucidate somatic mutations evolution and functionality.
Making Ethics Education Personal

Accredited engineering programs are required to provide instruction in ethics. A primary goal of ethics education is to develop and improve a student’s ability to recognize situations involving ethical decisions and to encourage development of a personal framework by which to decide what to do. A major challenge in ethics education is to personalize situations that are typical of those that the students will likely encounter. This paper presents techniques that enable a faculty member to act as a facilitator in the discussion of ethics rather than as an instructor.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Improving Image Segmentation Algorithms with Differential Evolution

This paper proposes three algorithms based on the K-means, the simple competitive learning (SCL) algorithm, and the fuzzy c-means algorithm with differential evolution algorithm for image classification. Due to the local optimal performance of these three algorithms, the differential evolution (DE) is integrated with the K-means algorithm, the SCL algorithm and the fuzzy c-means algorithm to avoid the local optimal solution and improve the performance of three algorithms. One is called the DE-K-means algorithm which is a combination of DE and K-means; one is called the DE-SCL algorithm which is a combination of DE and SCL; and the other DE-FCM algorithm which is a combination of DE and FCM. The preliminary experimental results show that these proposed algorithms are more promising on image segmentation.
An equivalent-circuit radiation sensor model

The utility of pyroelectric detectors at infrared and visible light frequencies is common knowledge. However, it is not well known that pulsed or otherwise amplitude modulated microwave radiation also can be detected with pyroelectric materials. Devices which can sense the presence of such modulated fields are practical for frequencies above approximately 0.5 GHz. An equivalent-circuit model for prediction of the fundamental performance characteristics of a pyroelectric detector, applicable to microwave (above 0.5 GHz) frequencies, is discussed here. >
Finding a sequence of sensor operations for volumetric inspection

A system for exhaustively inspecting a workpiece, not merely certain features, is presented. The system is based on comparing a volumetric representation of a reference object to a volumetric representation of an actual object iteratively created from sensor data. The use of volumetric representations gives this approach a number of distinct advantages over the more traditional boundary-based inspection methods. The method is capable of handling arbitrarily complex geometries and does not rely on the identification of features. It lends itself naturally to a multisensor environment, and facilitates true 3-D inspection as opposed to methods that require dimensional reductions of data by projection onto a 2-D plane. The authors focus on an important aspect of volumetric inspection which is the automatic generation of a sequence of sensor operations that will acquire the complete geometry of the object being inspected. >
A smörgåsbord of markers for avian ecology and evolution.

The polymerase chain reaction has been a boon to the study of molecular ecology and population genetics of birds. But the nagging truth is that for many bird species, the number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer pairs that one can pick off the shelf and expect to amplify their target loci with ease is frustratingly small. Now, studying DNA sequence variation in natural populations of birds just got a whole lot easier. This issue of Molecular Ecology reports a large-scale bioinformatics search for exonic sequences conserved between the chicken and zebra finch genomes and flanking polymorphic introns that has generated a staggering 242 PCR primer pairs that readily amplify their single-copy target loci in five avian species spanning approximately 100 million years of avian evolution (Backstrom et al. 2008). As proof of principle, these primers have also been used to survey the genomic landscape in over 110 kb of intronic sequence in the collared flycatcher, a model species in ecology and evolution. These resources pave the way for easy multilocus study of evolving populations and lineages of birds, and bring the goal of quickly turning nonmodel species in to ecological genomic models tantalizingly close.
Digitally corrected multi-bit Sigma Delta data converters

Sigma Delta data converters using multibit internal A/D and D/A converters (noise-shaping converters) have lower quantization noise and are more stable than the usual single-bit systems. However, the required linearity of the internal multibit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is very difficult to achieve for an untrimmed integrated converter. A description is given of several novel multibit Sigma Delta converters which use digital correction schemes to cancel the errors due to the nonlinearity of the internal DAC. Simulation and experimental results are given. They verify the high accuracy achievable with the proposed systems. >
3D face analysis for demographic biometrics

Despite being increasingly easy to acquire, 3D data is rarely used for face-based biometrics applications beyond identification. Recent work in image-based demographic biometrics has enjoyed much success, but these approaches suffer from the well-known limitations of 2D representations, particularly variations in illumination, texture, and pose, as well as a fundamental inability to describe 3D shape. This paper shows that simple 3D shape features in a face-based coordinate system are capable of representing many biometric attributes without problem-specific models or specialized domain knowledge. The same feature vector achieves impressive results for problems as diverse as age estimation, gender classification, and race classification.
Basic theory of the induced polarization method of geophysical prospecting

theory i s applicable because of the very low current densities that are flowing in the region of interest. The interesting complexity that w e deal with here is the influence and exploitation of the actual frequency dispersive property of the complex conductivity of the geological media . The electrochemistry of the phenomena is very complicated and still poorly understood. Also attempts to infer the conductivity structure from measurements of the transfer impedance of the '%lack box" are often masked and confused by the purely electromagnetic effects that would be present even the electrical properties were non dispersive. We present here an overall analysis of the relevant factors in trying to bring some order out of chaos The key point that seems to be swept under the rug by current investigators is that the electrochemical and electromagnetic effects are not separable in a rigorous sense of the word. A proper understanding of the induced polarization method requires that we form date the problem in general terms where Maxwell' s equations are approximated at the end and not at the beginning of the boundary value analysis. A common misconception is that galvanic or cductive excitation of the earth with "voltage pick up" will indicate the induced plarization property to the virtual exclusion of the "electromagnetic coupling 'I if signal processing tricks are used that are often not disclosed. But in fact you cannot measure one without the other . In fact inductive type measurements,where ungrounded loops are used , will also be composite in the sense that both electromagnetic and electrochemical effects are inextricably inter
3D tissue-engineered bone marrow as a novel model to study pathophysiology and drug resistance in multiple myeloma.

Abstract Purpose Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most prevalent hematological malignancy and it remains incurable despite the introduction of several novel drugs. The discrepancy between preclinical and clinical outcomes can be attributed to the failure of classic two-dimensional (2D) culture models to accurately recapitulate the complex biology of MM and drug responses observed in patients. Experimental design: We developed 3D tissue engineered bone marrow (3DTEBM) cultures derived from the BM supernatant of MM patients to incorporate different BM components including MM cells, stromal cells, and endothelial cells. Distribution and growth were analyzed by confocal imaging, and cell proliferation of cell lines and primary MM cells was tested by flow cytometry. Oxygen and drug gradients were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, and drug resistance was studied by flow cytometry. Results 3DTEBM cultures allowed proliferation of MM cells, recapitulated their interaction with the microenvironment, recreated 3D aspects observed in the bone marrow niche (such as oxygen and drug gradients), and induced drug resistance in MM cells more than 2D or commercial 3D tissue culture systems. Conclusions 3DTEBM cultures not only provide a better model for investigating the pathophysiology of MM, but also serve as a tool for drug development and screening in MM. In the future, we will use the 3DTEBM cultures for developing personalized therapeutic strategies for individual MM patients.
The surface tension of some deuterated hydrocarbons

Abstract The surface tensions of the perdeuterated hydrocarbons n -hexane- d 14 , heptane- d 16 , octane- d 18 , benzene- d 6 , toluene- d 8 , and ethylbenzene- d 10 have been measured at room temperature. In all cases, the measured surface tensions are slightly lower (0.5–0.8 mN m −1 less) than the surface tensions of the corresponding non-deuterated compounds.
2,6-Dichilorophenol, Sex Pheromone of the Lone Star Tick

The compound 2,6-dichlorophenol was identified from female lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum, and is believed to be a sex pheromone of this arthropod. The natural occurrence of a chlorinated organic compound in a land animal is new. The presence of similar compounds of exogenous origin is common in animals, but efforts to implicate an outside source for the halogenated phenol have failed.
Thrombospondin enhances erythroid colony formation in vitro

Abstract The thrombospondin (TSP) receptor CD36 is expressed on erythroid progenitors, but only at the erythroid colony-forming unit (CFU-E) stage. The roles of TSP and CD36 in erythroid development are not well understood. In order to investigate these roles, human bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) were co-cultured in vitro with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing surface CD36. CFU-E colony formation was significantly decreased in the presence of CHO-CD36 cells compared to control CHO cells, suggesting that competition for TSP (or some other CD36 ligand) impairs CFU-E colony formation. In order to confirm the role of CD36 in this effect, BMMC were cultured with an antibody (FA6-152) which has been reported to activate CD36 signal transduction. FA6-152 significantly increased CFU-E colony formation. In order to confirm that this effect involved TSP and not some other CD36 ligand, a dose-response curve with exogenous TSP was performed. In serum-containing cultures, exogenous TSP did not alter CFU-E colony formation. However, in serum-free, TSP-deficient, cultures, CFU-E colony formation was enhanced by exogenous TSP. At low concentrations of exogenous TSP, the effects of TSP and FA6-152 on colony formation were additive. These findings indicate a contribution of TSP and CD36 to late erythroid progenitor development, and provide evidence that these effects are mediated through CD36.
Steric effects in neophyltin(IV) chemistry

Abstract The stability and self-association in solution of (neophyl 3 Sn) 2 O, neophyl 3 SnOH, and (neophyl 3 Sn) 2 CO 3 (neophyl= C 6 H 5 (CH 3 ) 2 CCH 2 ) have been examined by 119 Sn NMR. The presence of Sn,Sn spin coupling through oxygen ( 2 J ( 119 Sn, 117 Sn)) has been used to distinguish between the distannoxane and stannol. Facile dehydration prevents the isolation of neophyl 3 SnOH from solution at room temperature and the equilibrium constant for H 2 O + (neophyl 3 Sn) 2 O α 2neophyl 3 SnOH is 0.3 at 304 K. These observations are in sharp contrast with a previous report that the sterically bulky neophyl ligands render neophyl 3 SnOH stable toward dehydration. | 1 J ( 119 Sn, 13 C| observed for neophyl 3 SnOH and (neophyl 3 Sn) 2 CO 3 indicates that these compounds, unlike their n-alkyl-substituted homologues, are unassociated in solution, a result attributed to the steric bulk of the neophyl ligand.
Microvesicles: mediators of extracellular communication during cancer progression

Microvesicles are generated by the outward budding and fission of membrane vesicles from the cell surface. Recent studies suggest that microvesicle shedding is a highly regulated process that occurs in a spectrum of cell types and, more frequently, in tumor cells. Microvesicles have been widely detected in various biological fluids including peripheral blood, urine and ascitic fluids, and their function and composition depend on the cells from which they originate. By facilitating the horizontal transfer of bioactive molecules such as proteins, RNAs and microRNAs, they are now thought to have vital roles in tumor invasion and metastases, inflammation, coagulation, and stem-cell renewal and expansion. This Commentary summarizes recent literature on the properties and biogenesis of microvesicles and their potential role in cancer progression.
The Measurement of the Dynamic Properties for an Elastic Half-Space Medium

Reliable dynamic analysis of soil-foundation interaction requires knowledge of dynamic properties of shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio and the geometrical damping ratio of the medium. In the case of a machine foundation resting on the surface of ground it is common to assume a rigid base for the foundation and an elastic half-space model for the ground. To properly evaluate dynamic properties of medium a technique based on resonant testing in conjunction with analytical solution is adopted. In the experimental part of the analysis vertical frequency responses of different rigid square blocks individually resting on the medium are measured. These results are correlated with frequency responses computed using an established analytical solution. Analyzing this equitability of results can provide estimated values for dynamic properties of the medium. The validity of the proposed method is verified by performing experiments on laboratory model.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The effects of misclassification of the actual cause of death in competing risks analysis.

The problem of competing risks analysis arises often in public health, demography, actuarial science, industrial reliability applications, and experiments in medical therapeutics. In the classical competing risks scenario one models the risks with a vector (T = (T1, ..., Tk) of non-negative random variables that represents the potential times to death of k risks. One cannot see T directly but sees instead Y = min (T1, ..., Tk) and the actual cause of death. The major difficulty with this analysis is the requirement for the expert to specify the single cause of death that, in fact, may not be the actual cause. This paper addresses competing risks analysis for the situations where one observes Y and the set of several possible causes of death specified by the expert. Many times there are several causes that act together and realistically it is impossible for the expert to assign a death to a single cause. In particular, I provide a likelihood for parametric competing risks analysis when the actual cause of death is possibly misclassified. The data include time to death, Y, and a set of possible causes of death. If misclassification probabilities are unknown, I propose a Baysian analysis based on a prior distribution for the parameters of interest and for the misclassification probabilities.
An enzyme system for aliphatic methyl ketone oxidation.

Abstract Enzymatic conversion of 2-tridecanone to undecyl acetate has been achieved with a crude cell-free system prepared from Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The activities of several other enzymes present in unfractionated, unsupplemented supernatants of this bacterium also are reported.
Bacteriuria, Weighted Algorithmic Assessment Criteria, and the Consumer

Excerpt The traditional method of determining the outcome of treatment of urinary tract infections is to obtain follow-up urine cultures. In simple terms, negative cultures mean successful outcomes...
Evaluation of potential topsoil productivity

A biomass productivity model based on soil properties and climate is developed from literature and used to evaluate and compare potential effects of mining and reclamation on several soils in the continental United States. Soil productivity is assumed to vary as a product of root distribution function modified by five soil properties: available water, aeration porosity, bulk density, electrical conductivity, and pH. Yield limiting property levels are derived from literature and input soil data are obtained from available USDA Soil Conservation Service information on typical profiles. Modelled values of potential productivity after mining, indicate problems and limitations to be expected. The proposed model can be used as a guide to reclamation strategy, to restore the land to premining conditions, or at times to enhance productivity of a reclaimed area.
The Flexible Dental Curriculum

The manpower shortage, proposed national health insurance, and the escalating costs of education will change the demands on the dentist and force reform of the dental curriculum. The dentist will more likely be involved in group practice. He will be the manager of a dental health team, and as such will be involved primarily in treatment planning and case presentation. Also, he will be community-oriented. Concerns in the revision of the dental curriculum are the knowledge explosion, new techniques of communication, electives, early specialization, and altered criteria for graduation.
Binderless compaction of hot water formed coal logs for pipeline transport

Abstract Coal log pipelines will transport compacted coal through a water filled pipeline. To fully develop this technology and make it ready for commercial use it is necessary to make high strength, water resistant coal compacts. Means for making coal compacts without binders that are strong and water resistant enough for pipeline transport are not currently available. It is possible to make high strength coal compacts by several means. However, these compacts suffer from an excessive loss of strength when exposed to water. If logs are formed at a moisture content equal to the equilibrium moisture content for the coal, water absorption is minimal, and there is little loss of strength. However, for many coals, that equilibrium moisture content is high and logs formed at that moisture content have low mechanical strength. The moisture content of the coal compact can be lowered when the compact is formed under appropriate conditions. If the appropriate moisture, temperature and pressure conditions are created during the formation of a coal compact, the resultant coal compact's moisture content is also lowered. These compacts adsorb little water and retain their mechanical strength when exposed to high-pressure water. We refer to compacts formed in this manner as hot water formed coal compacts or HWF compacts. HWF compacts have performed very well in durability and strength tests and are belived to be suitable for coal log pipeline transport.
Centrifuge modeling of surface blast effects on underground structures

The effects of surface blasts on underground structures were studied through centrifuge model tests. Centrifuge scaling relationships make it possible to model the effects of large explosions, using a relatively small quantity of explosives under a high g-level. Centrifuge tests, conducted at 70 g, using 2.6 mg of TNT equivalent of explosives, resulted in explosions equivalent to those using 8.7 kN (0.9 tons) of TNT equivalent under normal (1 g) gravity. Strains induced at different locations of the model structure due to the explosion were measured using strain gages. Results indicated that the strains depend on the thickness and nature of the intervening medium. The presence of a polyurethane geofoam compressible inclusion barrier appeared to mitigate the impact of the explosion. Centrifuge model testing is useful in determining the effectiveness of different design alternatives, in studying the mitigating effects of different barrier systems, and in verifying and calibrating results of numerical models related to explosions and underground structures.
Synergistic effects of fish oil diet and dimethylthiourea in acute adriamycin nephrosis.

The synergistic effects of combining fish oil (FO) diet, which reduces thromboxane A production, with the free radical scavenger, dimethylthiourea (DMTU), were evaluated in acute adriamycin nephrosis, because proteinuria in adriamycin nephrosis is mediated by increased renal thromboxane A and free radical production. The effects of combined evening primrose oil (EPO) and DMTU were compared with the DMTU + FO combination because EPO increases prostaglandin E but not thromboxane A. After 7, 14, and 21 days, proteinuria was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in rats receiving either DMTU + corn oil (CO) or DMTU + FO compared with untreated control rats. However, after 21 days, rats receiving DMTU + FO had significantly reduced urine protein excretion compared with those receiving DMTU + CO (103.9 ± 20 mg daily vs 351.8 ± 29.8 mg daily; P < 0.05). In contrast to FO, rats receiving EPO + DMTU had similar urine protein excretion to rats receiving DMTU + CO after 21 days (170.2 ± 20.34 mg daily vs 179.45 ± 26.38 mg daily). The mean serum cholesterol concentration was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in rats receiving DMTU + FO (195.2 ± 23.8 mg/dL) compared with DMTU + CO (377.9 ± 28.5 mg/dL). Serum triglyceride levels also were significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in rats receiving DMTU + FO (52.5 ± 26.4 mg/dL) compared with DMTU + CO (100.5 ± 36.9 mg/dL). No significant differences in serum cholesterol concentrations or triglycerides occurred between rats receiving DMTU + CO and DMTU + EPO. Renal glutathione content was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by 23% in normal rats receiving FO diet and by 34% in rats receiving combined DMTU + FO compared with CO alone. Evening primrose oil did not enhance renal glutathione content. The authors conclude that FO diet, but not EPO, is synergistic with DMTU in reducing proteinuria and hyperlipidemia in adriamycin nephrosis, possibly by enhancing the free radical scavenging ability of DMTU.
Physical property measurements on CO2 clathrate hydrates. Review of crystallography, hydration number, and mechanical properties

Experimental studies on the physical properties of CO{sub 2} clathrate hydrate are summarized. They are useful for the feasibility study of CO{sub 2} sequestration into deep seawater. Crystallographic structure analyses and CO{sub 2} molecule contents in clathrate cages are necessary to estimate the density of CO{sub 2} clathrate hydrates. Mechanical properties of the CO{sub 2} hydrate film formed at the boundary between liquid CO{sub 2} and water are also important for study of CO{sub 2} deposition on the deep sea floor. In order to show the recent activities in this field and to clarify the remaining problems, this review also includes some studies on clathrate hydrates other than CO{sub 2} clathrate hydrate.
Early visual adaptation in goldfish retinal ganglion cells.

THE human visual system responds with transient losses of sensitivity when background light levels are suddenly increased or decreased. Crawford1 measured the early threshold changes in humans by means of a small circular test flash presented before, during and after presentation of a larger diameter adapting light. He found that threshold increased just before the onset of the adapting light, reached a peak shortly after onset, and then decreased during the subsequent 0.5 s. Immediately before the offset of the adapting light, threshold increased slightly, peaked at offset and then returned to its original level. Other investigators have reported essentially the same results under various conditions2–4. The increase in visual sensitivity during the first few seconds of light adaptation and the peaked loss of sensitivity at the offset of the adapting light are in the wrong direction as predicted by bleaching of the photopigments. Consequently, Baker5 suggested that neural factors account for the early change in visual adaptation. Unfortunately, the question of mechanisms involved to account for these rapid changes in visual sensitivity cannot be answered from psychophysical experiments since the response range cannot be assessed during these periods.
Gfi1 expressed in bone marrow stromal cells is a novel osteoblast suppressor in patients with multiple myeloma bone disease

Protracted inhibition of osteoblast (OB) differentiation characterizes multiple myeloma (MM) bone disease and persists even when patients are in long-term remission. However, the underlying pathophysiology for this prolonged OB suppression is unknown. Therefore, we developed a mouse MM model in which the bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) remained unresponsive to OB differentiation signals after removal of MM cells. We found that BMSCs from both MM-bearing mice and MM patients had increased levels of the transcriptional repressor Gfi1 compared with controls and that Gfi1 was a novel transcriptional repressor of the critical OB transcription factor Runx2. Trichostatin-A blocked the effects of Gfi1, suggesting that it induces epigenetic changes in the Runx2 promoter. MM-BMSC cell-cell contact was not required for MM cells to increase Gfi1 and repress Runx2 levels in MC-4 before OBs or naive primary BMSCs, and Gfi1 induction was blocked by anti–TNF-α and anti–IL-7 antibodies. Importantly, BMSCs isolated from Gfi1−/− mice were significantly resistant to MM-induced OB suppression. Strikingly, siRNA knockdown of Gfi1 in BMSCs from MM patients significantly restored expression of Runx2 and OB differentiation markers. Thus, Gfi1 may have an important role in prolonged MM-induced OB suppression and provide a new therapeutic target for MM bone disease.
On the modeling of scalar diffusion in isotropic turbulence

The objectives of the study were to establish the behavior of conditional scalar dissipation and diffusion at the extreme values of mass fraction and to derive and evaluate closure models for these terms using the scalar probability density function. The conditional scalar dissipation, its derivative with respect to mass fraction, and conditional scalar diffusion are all found to be zero at extreme values of mass fraction. A model for conditional scalar dissipation is derived which exhibits the correct behavior at the extreme values of scalar concentration.
Degradation of Radiation Hardness in CMOS Integrated Circuits Passivated with Plasma-Deposited Silicon Nitride

The sensitivity of metal gate CMOS integrated circuits to ionizing radiation is shown to be affected by the final passivation employed. Specifically, plasma-deposited silicon nitride produces an unexpected degradation in radiation hardness due to the generation of charged surface states at the Si-SiO2 interface. The relationship between the silicon nitride deposition temperature and device threshold voltage shifts is explored as well as the effects of post-passivation anneals. These results indicate that several mechanisms are responsible for the hardness degradation, with effects due to hydrogen diffusion appearing to be of central importance.
A Comparison of the Efficiencies of the Shotgun and the Bow in Neotropical Forest Hunting

Whenever introduced into Amazonia and its neighboring regions, the shotgun has quickly replaced the bow and arrow and other aboriginal weapons of the hunt. The quick and widespread adoption of the shotgun is plainly a matter of its superiority over most aboriginal weapons. This paper compares the hunting efficiencies of the shotgun and the bow by means of a controlled field experiment among the Ye'kwana and Ygnomamo Indians of the Upper Orinoco River of southern Venezuela. It also examines the impact of the shotgun on local animal populations and the economic changes brought about by the need to cash-crop in order to purchase Western hunting technology.
Quantification of Isotope Encoded Proteins in 2-D Gels Using Surface Enhanced Resonance Raman

A strategy for quantification of multiple protein isoforms from a complex sample background is demonstrated, combining isotopomeric rhodamine 6G (R6G) labels and surface-enhanced Raman in polyacrylamide matrix. The procedure involves isotope-encoding by lysine-labeling with (R6G) active ester reagents, isoform separation by 2-DGE, fluorescence quantification using internal standardization to water, and silver nanoparticle deposition followed by surface-enhanced Raman detection. R6G sample encoding and standardization enabled the determination of total protein concentration and the distribution of specific isoforms using the combined detection approach of water-referenced fluorescence spectral imaging and ratiometric quantification. A detection limit of approximately 13.5 picomolar R6G-labeled protein was determined for the surface-enhanced Raman in a gel matrix (15-fold lower than fluorescence). High quantification accuracies for small differences in protein populations at low nanogram abundance were demo...
Errors in coarse particulate matter mass concentrations and spatiotemporal characteristics when using subtraction estimation methods

In studies of coarse particulate matter (PM10-2.5), mass concentrations are often estimated through the subtraction of PM2.5 from collocated PM10 tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) measurements. Though all field instruments have yet to be updated, the Filter Dynamic Measurement System (FDMS) was introduced to account for the loss of semivolatile material from heated TEOM filters. To assess errors in PM10-2.5 estimation when using the possible combinations of PM10 and PM2.5 TEOM units with and without FDMS, data from three monitoring sites of the Colorado Coarse Rural–Urban Sources and Health (CCRUSH) study were used to simulate four possible subtraction methods for estimating PM10-2.5 mass concentrations. Assuming all mass is accounted for using collocated TEOMs with FDMS, the three other subtraction methods were assessed for biases in absolute mass concentration, temporal variability, spatial correlation, and homogeneity. Results show collocated units without FDMS closely estimate actual PM1...
Why triggers fail (and what to do about it): An examination of the unemployment insurance extended benefits program

During periods of high unemployment, many workers exhaust their unemployment insurance (UI) benefits before regaining employment. To help alleviate this problem, Congress created the extended benefits (EB) program, expanding the number of weeks of benefits available to UI recipients in high unemployment states. The EB program operates by “triggering on” additional weeks of benefits in states where unemployment and UI benefit receipt are above federally established thresholds. We analyze the performance of the EB program by creating a series of policy simulations using weekly UI claims and unemployment data from the program's inception in 1970 through the most recent economic expansion in 2005. Overall, we find that EB triggers, as currently constructed, fail as a policy tool for extending UI benefits. Minor adjustments to the triggers are unlikely to be effective. We develop an alternative set of “fix point” triggers that allow the EB program to trigger on and off in a more timely fashion. These triggers outperform all previously legislated triggers as well as other commonly proposed triggering mechanisms on criteria of timeliness, breadth, and duration. © 2006 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management