cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulated lower stratospheric trends between 1970 and 2005: Identifying the role of climate and composition changes

[1] We have analyzed a set of simulations aimed at understanding the mechanisms that drive observed trends in the lower stratosphere after 1970. The simulations were performed using a version of the Community Atmosphere Model version 3 (CAM3) updated with interactive tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry. Even with a relatively low model top (≈40 km), this model shows good ability at reproducing a variety of large-scale changes in climate and chemical composition in the stratosphere when forced with the observed sea-surface temperatures and surface concentrations of long-lived trace gases and ozone-depleting substances. We then used the same model framework to differentiate the role of chemically active composition (ozone, methane, and chlorofluorocarbons) and CO2 changes on observed trends in the stratosphere. Among the sensitivity factors analyzed, our simulations indicate that changes in CO2 over the simulated period do not lead to significantly different total ozone trend; however, changes in CO2 lead to important differences in ozone in the upper part of the model. On the other hand, changes in surface methane concentration are shown to play a significant role in driving changes in the globally averaged total ozone column, through a combination of changes in tropospheric and stratospheric ozone columns. We also show that the correlation between a change in tropical mean age of air and in vertical velocity breaks down above 20 hPa, in association with increased isentropic mixing above that level. Finally, we show that our model is capable of reproducing trends in the tropical age of air that were found in other studies; our simulations also indicate a significant impact of keeping methane and ozone-depleting substances at their 1970 levels, indicating the potentially important role of controlling methane emissions.
Functional characterization of two AH receptors in the marine fish, Fundulus heteroclitus: TCDD and DNA binding and tissue-specific expression

Abstract The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a bHLH-PAS family transcription factor through which halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) cause altered gene expression and toxicity. We are examining the AHR signaling pathway in Fundulus heteroclitus, an estuarine fish that is capable of developing heritable dioxin resistance. Unlike mammals, in which a single functional AHR has been reported to date, Fundulus has two distinct AHR genes, FhAHR1 and FhAHR2 (Hahn et al. (1997). Molecular evolution of two vertebrate aryl hydrocarbon (dioxin) receptors (AHR1 and AHR2) and the PAS family. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 13743–13748). We now report the full length sequence and functional characterization of these proteins FhAHR1 (942 amino acids; 104 kDa) and FhAHR2 (905 amino acids; 100 kDa) both contain bHLH and PAS domains that share extensive sequence identity with mammalian AHRs. FhAHR1 is more closely related to mammalian AHRs than is FhAHR2. FhAHR1 and FhAHR2 cDNAs were expressed by in vitro transcription/translation and analyzed for ligand and DNA binding. Velocity sedimentation on sucrose gradients showed that both proteins bind [3H]-TCDD specifically and with high affinity. Both AHRs exhibit specific, TCDD-, and ARNT-dependent DNA binding. The FhAHR1 transcript is primarily expressed in brain, heart, and ovary, while the FhAHR2 transcript is equally abundant in many tissues. AHR2 orthologs exist also in several other species of bony and cartilaginous fish, suggesting important functional roles for this protein. (NIEHS ES06272, ES07381, and ES05800.)
Radioautographic analysis of [3H]-fucose utilization by mouse odontoblasts with emphasis on intracytoplasmic and plasma membrane glycoproteins.

Abstract [ 3 H]-fucose utilization by odontoblasts was studied by light and electron microscopic radioautography. At 10 min after injection, fucose label was concentrated in the Golgi area. By 20–30 min, there was a progressive decline in Golgi labelling with label present at the plasma membrane, terminal web, odontoblast process and predentine matrix. At 4 h, the predentine and the predentine-dentine junction were heavily labelled. At the utlrastructural level, Golgi labelling at 10 min was mostly localized to cisternal elements and at 20 and 30 min secretory granules and dense bodies were also labelled. Most of the silver grains observed in the terminal web were associated with microfilaments near the plasma membrane. In the predentine, the matrix itself accounted for 23.0 per cent of the label at 4 h and the plasma membrane of the odontoblast process accounted for 19 per cent. The results indicate that odontoblasts, in addition to secreting glycoproteins into the dentinal matrix, also continuously manufacture glycoproteins for incorporation into the cell surface, the lysosomal system and the terminal web.
Linking compositional data analysis with thermodynamic geochemical modeling: Oilfield brines from the Permian Basin, USA

Abstract Compositional data analysis (CoDa) of sedimentary basin brines can help reveal the hydrogeochemical history of hydrocarbon producing formations. CoDa uses log-ratio transformations to convert compositional data into Euclidean space, a necessary assumption for many mathematical models and basic data interpretation. This paper demonstrates the novel approach of pairing CoDa with thermodynamic geochemical models for bivariate and multivariate subcompositions for a suite of brines within three producing formations from the Permian Basin, USA. Subcompositional analysis of basin brines using [Na, Cl, H2O] and [Ca, SO4, H2O] with corresponding equilibration models, plotted using isometric log-ratio (ilr) transformations, shows reaction with anhydrite and halite at depth. The [Na, Cl, Br] subcomposition often can discriminate between seawater evaporation and halite dissolution; the sparse Br data suggest that both processes occur. Principal component analysis (PCA) of centered log-ratio (clr) data is useful for visualizing combinations of processes that are not readily apparent in the two-solute models. PCA of the Permian Basin brines reveals distinct groups of data, including samples likely affected by water flooding, and others influenced by a combination of Late Permian seawater evaporation or halite dissolution coupled with Ca + Mg ion exchange for Na on clays. These relationships support a hydrogeologic model in which meteoric inflow occurs in a heterogeneous manner much more complicated than the previously suggested concept of west-to-east piston style flow.
The Atmospheric radiation measurement (ARM) program network of microwave radiometers: instrumentation, data, and retrievals

Abstract. The Climate Research Facility of the US Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program operates a network of ground-based microwave radiometers. Data and retrievals from these instruments have been available to the scientific community for almost 20 yr. In the past five years the network has expanded to include a total of 22 microwave radiometers deployed in various locations around the world. The new instruments cover a frequency range between 22 and 197 GHz and are consistently and automatically calibrated. The latest addition to the network is a new generation of three-channel radiometers, currently in the early stage of deployment at all ARM sites. The network has been specifically designed to achieve increased accuracy in the retrieval of precipitable water vapor (PWV) and cloud liquid water path (LWP) with the long-term goal of providing the scientific community with reliable, calibrated radiometric data and retrievals of important geophysical quantities with well-characterized uncertainties. The radiometers provide high-quality, continuous datasets that can be utilized in a wealth of applications and scientific studies. This paper presents an overview of the microwave instrumentation, calibration procedures, data, and retrievals that are available for download from the ARM data archive.
From Duty to Desire: Emerging Adulthood in Europe and Its Consequences

ABSTRACT—This article suggests that emerging adulthood, the stage in the life cycle described by Arnett for the United States, is also evident in Europe. The article examines the characteristics of emerging adulthood in Europe and highlights their regional and national similarities and differences. Also examined are the differences between European emerging adulthood and the American model, which chiefly involve the various ways European youth ameliorate economic and domestic instability. This article is based on a study of one of the most salient consequences of emerging adulthood, low fertility. A clear sign of emerging adulthood in Europe is that historically low numbers of children are being born there.
Modeling local chemistry in the presence of collective phenomena.

Confinement within the nanoscale pores of a zeolite strongly modifies the behavior of small molecules. Typical of many such interesting and important problems, realistic modeling of this phenomena requires simultaneously capturing the detailed behavior of chemical bonds and the possibility of collective dynamics occurring in a complex unit cell (672 atoms in the case of Zeolite-4A). Classical simulations alone cannot reliably model the breaking and formation of chemical bonds, while quantum methods alone are incapable of treating the extended length and time scales characteristic of complex dynamics. We have developed a robust and efficient model in which a small region treated with the Kohn-Sham density functional theory is embedded within a larger system represented with classical potentials. This model has been applied in concert with first-principles electronic structure calculations and classical molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations to study the behavior of water, ammonia, the hydroxide ion, and the ammonium ion in Zeolite-4a. Understanding this behavior is important to the predictive modeling of the aging of Zeolite-based desiccants. In particular, we have studied the absorption of these molecules, interactions between water and the ammonium ion, and reactions between the hydroxide ion and the zeolite cage. We have shown that interactionsmore » with the extended Zeolite cage strongly modifies these local chemical phenomena, and thereby we have proven out hypothesis that capturing both local chemistry and collective phenomena is essential to realistic modeling of this system. Based on our results, we have been able to identify two possible mechanisms for the aging of Zeolite-based desiccants.« less
A novel cAMP-dependent pathway activates neuronal integrin function in retinal neurons

Retinal neurons lose the ability to attach to and extend neurites on substrata of laminin-1 (LN-1) during late embryogenesis, in a time frame that corresponds to target innervation. Although this developmental loss correlates with a modest downregulation of integrin expression, we have shown previously that these neurons use the same laminin-binding integrins for outgrowth on other laminin isoforms to which responsivity has not been lost ([Ivins et al., 1998][1]), suggesting that integrin functional states may be a critical point of regulation. Consistent with this view, expression of an activated mutant of R-ras, an activator of integrin function, restores integrin-dependent outgrowth of late embryonic retinal neurons on LN-1 ([Ivins et al., 2000][2]). Because cyclic nucleotides have been implicated in the regulation of integrin function in non-neuronal cells, as well as in the regulation of growth cone responses to various axon growth inhibitors, we asked whether raising cAMP levels in late embryonic retinal neurons could activate neuronal integrin function and restore neurite outgrowth on LN-1. We find that, similar to R-ras expression, raising cAMP levels in these neurons promotes α6β1 integrin-dependent neurite outgrowth. Surprisingly, these effects of cAMP are independent of protein kinase A and the EPAC (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP)/Rap pathway and suggest the existence of a novel cAMP-dependent mechanism. [1]: #ref-18 [2]: #ref-19
Mass spectrometric profiling of oxidized lipid products in human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Oxidative stress is a core abnormality responsible for disease progression in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the pathways that contribute to oxidative damage in vivo are poorly understood. Our aims were to define the circulating profile of lipid oxidation products in NAFLD patients, the source of these products, and assess whether their circulating levels reflect histological changes in the liver. The levels of multiple structurally specific oxidized fatty acids, including individual hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acids (HETE), hydroxy-octadecadenoic acids (HODE), and oxo-octadecadenoic acids (oxoODE), were measured by mass spectrometry in plasma at time of liver biopsy in an initial cohort of 73 and a validation cohort of 49 consecutive patients. Of the markers monitored, 9- and 13-HODEs and 9- and 13-oxoODEs, products of free radical-mediated oxidation of linoleic acid (LA), were significantly elevated in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), compared with patients with steatosis. A strong correlation was revealed between these oxidation products and liver histopathology (inflammation, fibrosis, and steatosis). Further analyses of HODEs showed equivalent R and S chiral distribution. A risk score for NASH (oxNASH) was developed in the initial clinical cohort and shown to have high diagnostic accuracy for NASH versus steatosis in the independent validation cohort. Subjects with elevated oxNASH levels (top tertile) were 9.7-fold (P
Selling the Forest, Buying the Trees: The Effect of Construal Level on Seller-Buyer Price Discrepancy

Four studies demonstrate that selling and buying prices are differentially influenced by the value of products’ low- and high-level construal features. The study shows that sellers construe products at a higher level than do buyers and owners. Based on this, this study predicts and demonstrates that selling prices exceed buying prices when (1) the object’s primary aspects are superior and the object’s secondary aspects are inferior but not vice versa, (2) individuals focus on a product’s desirability-related aspects rather than the same product’s feasibility-related aspects, (3) individuals are in a “why” mind-set but not when they are in a “how” mind-set, and (4) the product’s desirability aspects are superior and its feasibility aspects inferior but not vice versa. Further, sellers’ and buyers’ differential construal mediates the difference between seller and buyer prices, which emerges when a product’s value derives from high-level features but not from low-level features.
Communicating evidence in clinical documentation.

Background/aim: The purpose of this study was to examine occupational therapy practitioners’ and stakeholders’ opinions, perceptions, and attitudes towards communicating evidence in patient documentation. Moreover, it sought to establish relationships between factors that affect the use of evidence in documentation. Methods: A mixed method design was used and two distinct surveys were created by the researchers in order to collect the data. In the first survey, occupational therapy practitioners in the Midwestern region of the USA completed an electronic survey. The second, a Delphi survey, was sent to other stakeholders such as case managers, rehabilitation supervisors, and payers. Results: There were 126 surveys returned and analysed (29% response rate). Data revealed that 63.5% of practitioners believed in communicating evidence in documentation. Clinicians of all education levels agree that practitioners should communicate the evidence when funding is at stake (χ2 (6, N = 110) = 15.97, P = 0.014). Participants also agreed that evidence should be communicated when dictated by their department (χ2 (2, N = 110) = 6.25, P = 0.012).
Amino acids and other non-protein nitrogen blood substances in relation to milk secretion.

Conclusions1. The amino-acids absorbed from the blood by the mammary cannot account for more than 35% of the milk proteins. 2. While there is a slight loss of blood uric acid, creatine and creatinine to the lactating mammary gland, it is evident that these substances are not important in the nitrogen metabolism of the lactating gland.
Decreased White Matter Integrity in Neuropsychologically Defined Mild Cognitive Impairment Is Independent of Cortical Thinning

Improved understanding of the pattern of white matter changes in early and prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) states such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is necessary to support earlier preclinical detection of AD, and debate remains whether white matter changes in MCI are secondary to gray matter changes. We applied neuropsychologically based MCI criteria to a sample of normally aging older adults; 32 participants met criteria for MCI and 81 participants were classified as normal control (NC) subjects. Whole-head high resolution T1 and diffusion tensor imaging scans were completed. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics was applied and a priori selected regions of interest were extracted. Hippocampal volume and cortical thickness averaged across regions with known vulnerability to AD were derived. Controlling for cortical thickness, the MCI group showed decreased average fractional anisotropy (FA) and decreased FA in parietal white matter and in white matter underlying the entorhinal and posterior cingulate cortices relative to the NC group. Statistically controlling for cortical thickness, medial temporal FA was related to memory and parietal FA was related to executive functioning. These results provide further support for the potential role of white matter integrity as an early biomarker for individuals at risk for AD and highlight that changes in white matter may be independent of gray matter changes. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–13)
Mental health status among rural women of reproductive age: findings from the Central Pennsylvania Women's Health Study

Objectives. We sought to examine variables associated with mental health among rural women of reproductive age, with particular attention given to rural area type and farm residence. Methods. We analyzed data from the Central Pennsylvania Women’s Health Study, which included a random-digit-dialed survey of women aged 18 to 45 years. Hierarchical multiple linear and logistic regression models were estimated to predict 3 mental health outcomes: score on a mental health measure, depressive symptoms, and diagnosed depression or anxiety. Results. Mental health outcomes were associated with different factors. Farm residence was associated with higher mental health score, and the most isolated rural residence was associated with less diagnosed depression or anxiety. Elevated psychosocial stress was consistently significant across all models. A key stress modifier, self-esteem, was also consistently significant across models. Other variables associated with 2 of the outcomes were intimate partner violence exposure and affectionate social support. Conclusions. Farm residence may be protective of general mental health for women of reproductive age, and residence in isolated rural areas may decrease access to mental health screening and treatment, resulting in fewer diagnoses of depression or anxiety. (Am J Public Health. 2008;98:1271‐1279. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2006.107771)
Meta-Analysis: Acupuncture for Low Back Pain

According to the evidence provided by 33 randomized trials, needle acupuncture provides better short-term relief for chronic low back pain than sham acupuncture or no treatment. The evidence about ...
Race Differences in Age-Trends of Autonomic Nervous System Functioning

Objective: The objective of this study was to consider race differences in age-trends of autonomic nervous system functioning, using a national data set with a broad age range. Methods: Measures of baseline heart rate variability (HRV) and HRV reactivity were derived from electrocardiograph (ECG) recordings taken at rest and during cognitive stress tasks. Age-trends in HRV and HRV reactivity were compared among 204 African Americans and 833 Whites ages 34 to 83 years (M = 53.7, SD = 11.4), before and after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES). Results: For HRV-reactivity, age-trends were steeper among African Americans and lower SES participants than Whites and higher SES participants. For baseline HRV, age-trends varied by SES but not race. Discussion: Results relating to HRV-reactivity (but not baseline HRV) were consistent with hypotheses suggesting that African Americans are exposed to higher levels of stress and experience accelerated declines in health across the life span. The relevance of th...
Validity of the serial seven procedure

Serial subtraction by seven (Serial Seven Test, SST) is frequently used in mental status evaluation for dementia as a measure of concentration. Validation research on the SST has been limited. The literature to date raises significant concern about the nature of the procedure. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the nature and validity of the SST. The participants were 80 consecutive outpatient referrals to the neuropsychology consultation service of two large general medical hospitals. All subjects were administered a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment battery, including the Mini Mental State Examination version of the SST. Multiple regression analysis indicated that calculation skill is at least as important as concentration, in predicting SST performance. Measures of overall level of cognitive dysfunction, education, and psychopathology were unrelated to SST performance. The results suggest that SST performance is heavily influenced by basic arithmetic skill and that the procedure should be used with caution as a measure of concentration or other nonacademic mental abilities.
Fruit firmness and holding ability in highbush blueberry : Implications for mechanical harvesting

Abstract Fruit firmness plays a critical role in the ability of blueberry cultivars to be machine harvested. We recently completed a survey of “initial” fruit firmness in a large group of highbush cultivars and southern highbush cultivars with varying percentages of V. corymbosum L., V. angustifolium Ait., V. ashei Reade, V. darrowi Camp ancestry. The cultivars exhibited an approximately 2.4-fold difference between the softest and the firmest selections. Many of the firmest selections were newer cultivars with some V. darrowi ancestry. Cultivars also differ in their ability to retain quality once ripeness has been achieved. In preliminary studies, ‘Legacy’ appeared best at retaining firmness, but several other cultivars retain good quality by merit of having very high initial firmness values. The ability to retain quality presents growers with more harvest options, in that, it might allow greater percentages of ripe fruit to accumulate before harvesting, thereby minimizing harvest expenses. Initial studie...
Riccati equations for hyperbolic partial differential equations with L2(O,T; L2(T)) - Dirichlet boundary terms

This paper studies the quadratic optimal control problem for second order (linear) hyperbolic partial differential equations defined on a bounded domain IIc R" with boundary F. Both the finite interval case (0, T), T< oo, and the infinite interval case T oo (regulator problem) are considered. The distinguishing feature of the paper, which differentiates it from previous (scarce!) literature on the subject, is that the controls are only L2(0, T; L2(F))-functions which act in the Dirichlet B.C. and that the corresponding solutions are penalized in the L2(0, T; L2(fl))-norm (smoother controls, particularly in space, were taken in the few previous works on this subject). The well-posedness of this formulation stems from recent results by the authors about regularity ofsecond order hyperbolic mixed problems (L-T.1 ), (L-T.3). Under minimal assumptions, the optimal control is synthesized, in a pointwise feedback form, through an operator which is shown to satisfy in a suitable sense a Riccati differential equation for T< oo and a Riccati algebraic euation for T oo. Unlike most, if not all, of the literature on quadratic control problems (for different dynamics!), the algebraic Riccati equation is not derived as a limit process as T'o of the Riccati differential (or integral) equation on (0, T). This has a special advantage in the case of hyperbolic dynamics. Rather, the approach followed for the control problems is direct, in the sense that first an operator is defined in terms of the hyperbolic dynamics and only subsequently shown to satisfy a Riccati equation (differential for T<0% algebraic for T oo). Regularity results ofthe optimal pair are also included.A functional analytic model, based on cosine operator theory and introduced by the authors in (L-T.1 ), (L-T.3), is used throughout to describe the hyperbolic dynamics.
Collaborative Evaluations: A Step-by-step Model for the Evaluator [Book Review]

Review(s) of: Collaborative Evaluations: A Step-by-step Model for the Evaluator, by Liliana Rodriguez-Campos. Llumina Press, Tamarac, Florida, 2005, 277 pages, paperback, price: US$39.95 via the Llumina Press, ISBN: 1-59526-510-4. Includes photos. Includes references.
Perioperative and Short-Term Outcomes of Robotic vs Open Bladder Neck Procedures for Neurogenic Incontinence

Purpose: Complex urological reconstruction may be facilitated by the improved magnification and dexterity provided by a robotic approach. Minimally invasive surgery also has the potential advantages of decreased length of stay and improved convalescence. We reviewed perioperative and short-term outcomes between robot-assisted and open bladder neck sling/repair with catheterizable channel in patients with neurogenic bladder.Materials and Methods: We performed an institutional review board approved retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent open or robotic bladder neck reconstruction without augmentation cystoplasty for refractory urinary incontinence between 2010 and 2014. Age at surgery, operative time, length of stay, complications within 30 days of surgery and future continence procedures (injection of bladder neck/catheterizable channel, additional bladder neck surgery, botulinum toxin A injection) were compared between the groups.Results: A total of 45 patients underwent bladder neck rec...
Effects of marihuana combined with secobarbital.

Twelve male volunteers smoked a marihuana cigarette prepared to deliver 0 or 25 µ/kg tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 50 min after ingesting a capsule containing either placebo or 150 mgl70 kg sodium secobarbital. Drugs were administered in a double-blind manner, and all treatments were assigned to each subject in a randomized complete block design. Objective and subjective tests designed to measure mental and motor performance indicated that marihuana impaired stability, hand-eye coordination, and mental performance. Secobarbital affected motor performance, manual coordination, and mental performance. In combination, marihuana and secobarbital had an additive effect on subjective responses and impairment in certain psychomotor performance tests.
Unequal Protection for Sex and Gender Nonconformists

The days when only women could be flight attendants and only men could be pilots are a distant memory. The Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and hundreds of federal, state, and local constitutional provisions and statutes prohibit almost all facially discriminatory regulations based on a person's sex. The original goal of this legislation was to eliminate societal barriers to equal opportunities for men and women. When legislators adopted these statutes, however, they assumed that sex was binary and easy to establish. Therefore, they never felt the need to define the terms "male," "female," "sex," and "gender."This failure is especially problematic for people who do not fall neatly into the male/female binary norm. Millions of people have an intersex condition or are transgender. Both groups suffer societal discrimination in a number of areas. First, people with an intersex condition and transgender people may find that government created tests for determining their legal sex often rely on irrational contradictory factors. Second, transgender people and people with intersex traits may suffer discrimination in a variety of settings including employment, housing, and the provision of health care.This chapter examines whether the government violates the Equal Protection Clause in two contexts: (1) when the government establishes an illogical "sex" test for determining who qualifies as a male or female, and (2) when the government discriminates against transgender people or people with an intersex condition by subjecting them to differential treatment.
It's Not as Easy as it Looks: Revisiting Peng—Robinson Equation of State Convergence Issues for Dew Point, Bubble Point and Flash Calculations:

The use of equations of state (EOS) is a ‘modern’ method of physical property prediction and here we present a detailed exposition of the use of the Peng–Robinson EOS for mixtures. This EOS can be ...
Morbidity of rotational abnormalities of the gut beyond infancy

Nine cases of rotational abnormalities of the gut diagnosed after infancy are presented. Eight of the 9 patients had chronic episodic symptoms and 2 patients with life-long symptoms were diagnosed only when acute midgut volvulus with infarction occurred. Rotational abnormalities of the gut in older children, although uncommon, may be associated with morbidity of long duration, and occasionally mortality. Surgical correction is indicated when a rotational abnormality is identified that is symptomatic or prone to the complication of midgut volvulus because of its anatomic characteristics.
Effect of Storage on the Virulence of Gypsy Moth Nucleopolyhedrosis Inclusion Bodies

Nucleopolyhedrosis inclusion bodies of Lymantria dispar L. were stored as powders and as water suspensions under different conditions and for different lengths of time. PIB’s were subjected to room and elevated temperatures, and to refrigeration and freezing. Suspensions retained their potency for 5 yr under refrigeration, and for 2 yr at room temperature. Air-dried powder at 4°C lasted for 1 yr before losing potency slowly. Air-dried powder and suspensions held at 38°C for 6 mo lost potency.
Electrically actuated liquid metal for reconfigurable RF devices

Reconfigurable RF devices can respond dynamically to complex RF environments. Liquid metals have the potential to enable reconfigurable devices that cannot be implemented by more conventional materials and technologies. This paper reviews recent progress by our research group toward the creation of reconfigurable liquid-metal RF devices that use low-power electrical actuation.
280 COMPARISON OF THE DRUG-SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILE OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AMONG THE ADULT AND PEDIATRIC POPULATIONS, 2001-2006.

Drug-susceptibility profile of Staphylococcus aureus is changing rapidly. Comparative data on drug susceptibility patterns of S. aureus in adult and pediatric population are scant. Objective To compare the drug-susceptibility profile of S. aureus in the adult and pediatric population hospitalized at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center (UCIMC). Methods We analyzed drug susceptibility of all patient isolates of S. aureus recovered from various clinical sources for patients hospitalized at UCIMC between January 2001 and July 2006. Results Drug susceptibility of 2,268 patient isolates was reviewed and compared for the pediatric (0-18 years old) and the adult (> 18 years old) population (see Table). Adults were more likely to have methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates compared with the pediatric population for both periods (2001-2003 vs 2004-2006). Clindamycin resistance increased between the two periods, especially for the pediatric population (p Conclusions At our center, the drugsusceptibility pattern of S. aureus is different in adult and pediatric populations and has changed over time. A significant proportion of the Erythro-R S. aureus has inducible clindamcycin resistance. Further analysis will include review of susceptibility profiles according to the specimen type and mode of transmission of S. aureus (community vs health care associated).
Default volt-var inverter settings to improve distribution system performance

Advanced inverters are not smart enough to determine which settings to use in a given set of conditions. Detailed studies are typically needed to determine which settings are most appropriate. Although these detailed analyses can provide the “best” settings for a particular scenario, this single setting cannot be applied to a wide range of feeder and distributed energy resource (DER) scenarios. For the volt-var function to be broadly applied, settings need to be found that are applicable across a wide range of potential conditions. This paper evaluates a proposed default volt-var setting that has been found to provide beneficial response based upon on a wide range of detailed analyses. The benefit from this default setting will be shown to further improve with the combination of additional inverter functions.
The Practice of Being a Student: CoPs and Graduate Student Success

This report frames the major results of recent research into graduate student success using a community of practice model based on the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger as the organizational framework and lens for analyzing collected data. The goal was to determine if a community of practice developed among doctoral students and if so, whether it aided the students in their role and practice of becoming, and being, successful students. An examination of the first eight doctoral cohorts in a hybrid low-residency, self-directed graduate education program determined that student CoPs can develop to support students’ success in the practice of being students. An important emergent finding from this study is that when a community of practice first forms, the opportunities for students to talk about and otherwise share their experiences, especially across cohorts, are fundamentally important to the development of that community. Without opportunities for students to connect and bond, the power of sharing stories that help them navigate from novice to experienced and successful student is diluted by a community system that is too weak to sustain connections—especially intergenerational connections—significantly enough for a community of practice to develop and sustain over time. Institutions interested in fostering CoP development among students should recognize and nurture these opportunities.
English Instruction at Community Colleges: The Language Bridge to the USA

An American degree is highly respected and sought from most places around the globe. Historically, the USA has recognized that international students bring diversity, new understandings, and, for public universities, increased tuition revenue. For the most part, the USA has greeted qualified international students with open arms and a hearty welcome. But for many hopeful internationals, the biggest barrier to a US education is English language competency. For good and obvious reasons, US universities have strict standards for the minimum score on the TOEFL or IELTS tests. For those students who cannot score high enough to be accepted at American universities, an option is to first attend an Intensive English Program at an American community college with the goal of rapidly increasing English language skills and subsequently scoring high enough on the TOEFL or IELTS to proceed with the dream of an American postsecondary education. This chapter explores the dreams, goals, experiences, and aftermath of international students who have enrolled in community college Intensive English Programs.
Radiation on a Satellite in the Presence of Partly Diffuse and Partly Specular Reflecting Body

The influence of radiation on a satellite in the presence of a partly diffuse and partly specular reflecting body is studied. Two important details of the problem, which, in general have not been studied, namely the values of the non-radial components of the radiation flux and the influence of satellite orientation in the resolution of the radiation flux into perturbative forces, are analyzed.
Histological staining can enhance the performance of spectroscopic microscopy on sensing nanoarchitectural alterations of biological cells (Conference Presentation)

Our group had previously established that nanoscale three-dimensional refractive index (RI) fluctuations of a linear, dielectric, label-free medium can be sensed in the far field through spectroscopic microscopy, regardless of the diffraction limit of optical microscopy. Adopting this technique, Partial Wave Spectroscopic (PWS) Microscopy was able to sense nanoarchitectural alterations in early-stage cancers. With the success of PWS on detecting cancer from healthy clinical samples, we further investigated whether and how histological staining can enhance the performance of PWS by both finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations and experiments. In this investigation, the dispersion models of hematoxylin and eosin were extracted from the absorption spectra of H and E stained cells. Using these models, the effect of staining were studied via FDTD simulations of unstained versus stained samples with various nanostructures. We observed that, the spectral variance was increased and the spectral variance difference between two samples with distinct nanostructures was enhanced in stained samples by over 200%. Furthermore, we investigated with FDTD whether molecule-specific staining can be used to enhance signals from a medium composing of the desired molecule. Samples with two mixed random media were created and the desired medium was either stained or unstained. Our results showed that the difference between the nanostructures of only the desired medium was enhanced in stained samples. We concluded that, with molecule-specific staining, PWS can selectively target the nanoarchitecture of a desired molecule. Lastly, these results were validated by experiments using human buccal cells from healthy or lung cancer patients. This study has significant impact in improving the performance of PWS on quantifying nanoarchitectural alterations during cancer.
Metasurface-enabled on-chip quantum entanglement

We report on on-chip quantum entanglement between two microscopically separated qubits by engineering their long-range interactions via a metasurface. The metasurface route to quantum state engineering opens a new paradigm for on-chip quantum technology.
Serelaxin improves cardiac and renal function in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats

Serelaxin, a recombinant form of the naturally occurring peptide hormone relaxin-2, is a pleiotropic vasodilating hormone that has been studied in patients with acute heart failure. In this study, the effects of serelaxin on cardiac and renal function, fibrosis, inflammation and lipid accumulation were studied in DOCA-salt treated rats. Uninephrectomized rats were assigned to two groups: controls provided with normal drinking water and DOCA provided with DOCA pellets and sodium chloride drinking water. After 4 weeks, the DOCA-salt rats were randomly selected and implanted with osmotic minipumps delivering vehicle or serelaxin for another 4 weeks. Treatment with serelaxin prevented cardiac and renal dysfunction in DOCA-salt rats. Serelaxin prevented cardiac and renal fibrosis, as determined by Picrosirius Red staining and Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) Microscopy. Treatment of DOCA-salt rats with serelaxin decreased renal inflammation, including the expression of TGF-β, NFκB, MCP-1, IL-1, IL-6, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and CD68 macrophages. Serelaxin also decreased lipid accumulation in kidney in part by decreasing SREBP-1c, SREBP-2, ChREBP, FATP1, HMGCoAR, and LDL receptor, and increasing Acox1 and ABCA1. In summary, serelaxin reversed DOCA-salt induced cardiac and renal dysfunction.
Iron(III)-mediated Electrochemical Detection of Levofloxacin in Complex Biological Samples

We report the design of an electrochemical sensor capable of detecting levofloxacin (LEVX) in complex biological samples. This detection strategy is simple, fast, and does not require sample pretreatment or electrode modification. Unlike previously developed electrochemical LEVX sensors that require direct oxidation of LEVX, the sensing mechanism is based on the complexation reactions between LEVX and iron(III), resulting in a concentration-dependent decrease in the iron(III) reduction peak current and a shift in the peak potential. These changes are presumably attributed to the decrease in the concentration of uncomplexed Fe(III) in the solution. The concentration-dependent change in both the current and potential can be used for quantification of LEVX in various samples, including 50 % synthetic urine and 25 % synthetic human saliva. The limit of detection was estimated to be in the range of 1.5 to 2.3 μM, concentrations that are much lower than the concentration of LEVX found in urine and saliva samples of patients administered this drug for conditions such as urinary tract infection. With further optimization, this sensing strategy could find applications in clinical pharmacokinetic studies.
Influence of Technology Affordance on the Adoption of Mobile Technologies for Diabetes Self-management

Diabetes is a costly chronic disease, and a leading cause of death and disability worldwide.
The Incidence and Pathophysiology of the Obesity Paradox: Should Peritoneal Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Be Offered to Patients with Obesity and End-Stage Renal Disease?

To educate nephrologists and primary-care physicians about the incidence, pathophysiology, and survival benefits of the obesity paradox in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This review also discusses the future of kidney transplant and peritoneal dialysis in obese dialysis patients. Obesity paradox in ESRD was first reported three decades ago, and since then, there have been several epidemiological studies that confirmed the phenomenon. Regardless of the anthropometric indices used to define obesity in ESRD patients, these markers serve to predict the dialysis patient’s survival. The pathophysiology of obesity paradox tends to be multifactorial. Recent cohort studies demonstrated a survival benefit in all race and ethnic groups, but Hispanics and blacks experienced increased survival rates when compared to non-Hispanic whites. Obese dialysis patients should be offered peritoneal dialysis, especially if they are new to dialysis and have an adequate renal residual function. Several studies have shown that the benefit of receiving kidney transplant in obese patients exceeds the risks. The robotic-assisted kidney transplant (RAKT) procedure is the latest innovation that could offer hope for obese dialysis patients who have been denied or are waiting for kidney transplant. The obesity paradox phenomenon in ESRD is a unique illustration of survival benefit in a population that has a high overall annual mortality. Peritoneal dialysis should be encouraged for obese patients who have preserved residual renal function. Kidney transplant centers should encourage RAKT utilization in obese dialysis patients instead of denying them a kidney transplant.
Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis due to primary acute Epstein-Barr virus infection treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy; a case report.

Abstract Introduction Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpes virus 4, transmitted through intimate contact between susceptible persons and asymptomatic EBV shedders. It usually presents with fever, pharyngitis and lymphadenopathy. Majority of individuals with primary EBV infection recover uneventfully. Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis (AAC) is usually seen in hospitalized and critically ill patients with major trauma, shock, severe sepsis, total parenteral nutrition and mechanical ventilation. Case presentation We report a 25-year- old woman presented with acute Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)infection and hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan confirmed presence of Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis (AAC). Conservative management was advised initially, but she had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to intolerable abdominal pain. Conclusion AAC is a rare complication of acute EBV infection and it is usually managed conservatively, although our patient had laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to intolerable abdominal pain.
Colonial Identities of United States Army Commissioned Officers: The Negotiation of Class and Rank at Fort Yamhill and Fort Hoskins, Oregon, 1856–1866

During the 19th century the American West played host to the colonial expansion of the United States. This period saw an attempt by the federal government to balance the westward expansion of White settlement spurred, in part, by ideas of Manifest Destiny, with what was then believed to be a humane solution to the “Indian problem.” What resulted from these attempts was the reservation system, where native peoples were relocated to reservations to be kept separate from White settlement and guarded by a system of U.S. Army forts. These forts became liminal environments in which the army operated both as the oppressors and protectors of indigenous peoples and lifeways, and also as stages for the display and transmission of European American ideas of social class and personal identity. Commissioned officers at these posts played an important role as actors in the drama of colonial westward expansion, holding identities as both frontiersmen and as bastions of 19th-century American sociocultural norms of social inequality and their expression through material culture. This article examines the material expressions of class represented by artifact assemblages recovered from six commissioned officers’ houses at Fort Yamhill and Fort Hoskins. The artifact assemblages from these posts suggest that these army officers not only brought the sociocultural norms of materialism and conspicuous consumption with them to the frontiers, but that they were also highly competitive individuals who were interested in displaying and affirming their identities as colonizers and as members of the sociocultural elite.
R. Scott Frey was Doing Critical Environmental Justice Long Before Anyone Else

The term critical environmental justice (EJ) studies was perhaps first used in the early 2000s and has been become more mainstream in the last two years. R. Scott Frey’s research on the transnational trade in hazardous substances reveals that he was producing critical EJ studies scholarship well before that. Frey’s body of work has advanced the fields of world-systems theory and environmental sociology because it skillfully explores the violence of militarism and the brutality of capitalism and economic globalization, while also making clear that positive and transformative social change is possible when independent, grassroots movements mobilize within and across international borders. Frey’s research provide us with an impressive set of analytical tools for imagining and bringing into existence another world that would be more socially just and environmentally sustainable.