cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Histopathologic correlates of serum amylase activity in acute experimental pancreatitis

The association of serum amylase activity with the extent of pancreatic injury in acute pancreatitis is unclear. To clarify this relationship, we induced acute pancreatitis ranging from mild to lethal in 118 Sprague-Dawley rats (350–450 g). This was achieved by controlled intraductal infusion of low- or high-dose bile salt, with or without enterokinase, followed by intravenous cerulein or saline for 6 hr. Serum amylase was measured at baseline and 6 hr. Pancreatic histopathology was evaluated by two blinded pathologists employing total surface scoring (N=118) and morphometric 20-field documentation (N =22). Serum amylase correlated best with edema (r=0.61) and fat necrosis (r=0.58), less well with acinar necrosis (r=0.53) and inflammation (r=0.50), and poorly with hemorrhage (r=0.33) and perivascular infiltrate (r=0.31). Inasmuch as edema and fat necrosis are not important determinants of severity, these observations could explain the poor prognostic value of serum amylase activity in patients with acute pancreatitis.
Endometrial cancer expresses the Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS) type II receptor and is growth inhibited by MIS

Introduction: In female embryos, the reproductive organs arise from the Mullerian ducts and associated epithelium; these structures regress under the influence of MIS produced by male embryos. The MIS type II receptor (MISIIR) can mediate MIS-induced growth inhibition of malignant ovarian and cervical cells. We propose that endometrial cancers will express the MISIIR and MIS will inhibit endometrial cancer growth. Methods: Human samples were obtained under IRB approval (2002-P-001324). Rat tissue was collected under institutional protocol 1999-N-00138-Rats. Cells lines were purchased from American Tissue and Cell Culture. Tissue and cell samples were analyzed by Western, PCR, growth inhibition assays, and FACS. Results: Western detected MISIIR protein in adult rat uterus; reverse transcriptase PCR detected MISIIR RNA in normal and malignant human endometrium. AN3CA and KLE, two human endometrial cancer cell lines, expressed MISIIR. MIS inhibited AN3CA and KLE cell growth 67.3% (p < 0.0001, n = 4) and 52.5% (p = 0.0041, n = 3), respectively. MIS-treated AN3CA cells demonstrated G1 arrest, increased Caspase 3 cleavage indicating apoptosis, increased levels of cell cycle proteins p107 and p130 and transcription factor E2F3, and decreased levels of transcription factor E2F1. Conclusions: MISIIR is expressed in normal endometrium and in human endometrial cancer. MIS inhibits the growth of two human endometrial cancer cell lines, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in AN3CA cells, and affects proteins important to the control of cell cycle progression. In the future, treatment targets for MIS may broaden to include advanced endometrial cancer
The Effect of a Magnetic Field Upon the Free Convection of a Conducting Fluid

The heat transferred by free convection through vertical plane layers of water and mercury was measured as a function of the temperature difference across the layer, the height of the layer, and its thickness. Subsequently, the reduction in the heat transferred through the mercury due to the application of transverse magnetic fields was measured and correlated by the parameter (magnetic field intensity squared)/(square root of the layer temperature difference). The form of this correlation was determined by an analysis based upon the assumption that the flow within the layer resembled two boundary layers, one rising on the hot side and the other falling on the cold side, with crossflow at the top and bottom of the layer.
Spin-on films add new dimension to ULSI circuits

Spin-on oxide films, natural candidates for improving interlevel dielectric planarization in ULSI circuits, are reviewed. The spin-on process, one in which a thin film is produced by spin-casting a liquid on a rotating wafer, is described. Spin-on films combine the planarization capabilities of a fluid with the dielectric properties of an oxide. They fill all the lower regions over the wafer and produce a planar top layer. Spin-on insulators can be used in combination with chemically-vapor-deposited (CVD) materials, and can also be combined with an etchback step to improve planarization. As a result, the depths of vias in the etching process can be made more uniform, and voids in the filling of via-contacts, which become a significant problem as the via size shrinks, can be eliminated. >
Measurement of soot and char in pulverized coal fly ash

Abstract The unburned carbon in the fly ash produced by low-NOx pulverized coal combustion has been shown by electron microscopy to be a mixture of porous coal char particles and aggregates of submicron particles, which are thought to be soot. The carbon is bimodally distributed with large soot aggregates mixed with the char in the particles larger than 10 μm and dispersed soot found with the submicron particles. A method for determining the mass of soot and char by liquid-suspension gravity separation was used with both laboratory-scale and power plant fly ash samples. For low-NOx, staged, pilot-scale combustion of bituminous coal the soot in the furnace exit ash was estimated to be 0.2–0.6% of the fuel carbon, which was about 35% of the total unburned carbon.
Optimum utilization of sewage sludge of low and high metal content for grain production on arid lands

Two municipal sludges, one from a highly industrialized city, Chicago, Il, and another from a little industrialized, highly agricultural area, Tucson, AZ are compared for winter barley production on Pima c 1 (Typic torrifluvent). Both sludges were responsible for highly significant additions of Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and P to the soil each year when applied at the rates of 100 mt/ha singly and 20 mt/ha each year for 4 years. Nitrogen responses for barley straw and grain were observed from both sludges. Tucson sludge appears to be attractive as a potential fertilizer, not only as an NPK source, but also for its organic matter and minimal amounts of heavy metals. The Chicago sludge with relatively high levels of heavy metals, particularly Cd, appears poorly suited as a fertilizer, if used for an extended period of time, because of the plant's tendency to take up elevated levels of certain heavy metals. Some parts of barley plants proved to be a better indicator of heavy metal uptake and concentration than others. The diagnostic-tissue test promises to be a useful tool to warn against undesirable accumulation of heavy metals. Fortunately, when compared with other plant parts, the heavy metal in grain was the least altered as a result of continued sewage sludge use on arid land. The soil's neutral to slightly alkaline pH and the presence of lime throughout the soil profile appeared to be critical factors in keeping plant uptake of heavy metals relatively low as compared with soils of other climates.
Air flow across an alpine forest clearing: A model and field measurements

Abstract A steady-state two-dimensional model for neutrally stable turbulent flow inside and outside forest canopies is used to simulate the wind structure across an alpine forest clearing. The numerical method used is the pressure implicit splitting of operators (PISO) algorithm after Issa et al. Model results are compared with field measurements in the clearing and above the forest made with three-propeller Gill anemometers. The mean velocity errors of the model simulations in near-neutral conditions were approximately 10%. Individual 30-min run mean velocity errors varied from 0.2 to 30%.
New Roles for Ubiquitin in the Assembly and Function of Neuronal Circuits

A series of recent papers highlight a prominent role for ubiquitin in the formation and function of neural circuits. These new results focus attention on the molecular remodeling that occurs at various decision points in the life of growth cones and synapses.
Identification and isolation of methionine-cysteine rich proteins in soybean seed

We recently developed a method to identify methionine-containing proteins and quantitate their methionine contents. We applied this method to soybeans and identified relatively methionine-rich proteins (MRP) among the albumins. By acidic methanol extraction of the albumins, we obtained a group of low molecular weight methionine-cysteine rich proteins (MCRP) that analyzed 4.0% methionine and 8.8% cysteine. MCRP made up 1-2% of the total protein in soybeans. Reversed-phase HPLC purification of MCRP yielded a protein peak that exhibited a single major band on denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, had a molecular weight of 16 kD and contained 6.2% methionine and 18.8% cysteine. We are cloning the gene for this protein. Increasing its level through genetic engineering could increase the methionine-cysteine content of soybeans.
Condylomas of the uterine cervix initially interpreted as squamous carcinoma: A report of four cases including a lesion resembling the Buschke-Loewenstein giant condyloma☆

The recognition of human papilloma virus (HPV)-induced cervicovaginal condylomatous lesions is in a period of dynamic development. It is estimated that condylomatous involvement of the uterine cervix is epidemic and that is particularly true in the younger, more sexually active woman. While cervical condylomas are often associated with cervical dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, or even invasive carcinoma, they are sometimes misdiagnosed as these entities. Four cases of cervical condylomas are presented that were clinically suspicious for malignancy and initially interpreted as squamous carcinomas on the basis of the histopathological findings.
Use of Streamline Coordinates in the Numerical Solution of Compressible Flow Problems

Abstract Iterative correction of streamline geometry is used as the basis of a numerical method for subsonic isentropic steady flow problems. Direct solution of coupled ordinary differential equations is applicable to the corresponding supersonic problem. The method is formulated in three dimensions, but for illustrative purposes is applied to a two dimensional jet involving a free surface condition. The method may be particularly economical where intuition or experience provides a good starting guess for streamline geometry.
Error Bounds for Strongly Convex Programs and (Super) Linearly Convergent Iterative Schemes for the Least 2- Norm Solution of Linear Programs

Given an arbitrary point (x, u) inR n × R + m , we give bounds on the Euclidean distance betweenx and the unique solution\(\bar x\) to a strongly convex program in terms of the violations of the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions by the arbitrary point (x, u). These bounds are then used to derive linearly and superlinearly convergent iterative schemes for obtaining the unique least 2-norm solution of a linear program. These schemes can be used effectively in conjunction with the successive overrelaxation (SOR) methods for solving very large sparse linear programs.
Anticipating Distracted Addressees: How Speakers' Expectations and Addressees' Feedback Influence Storytelling

To what extent are speakers' utterances shaped by their expectations of addressees' behavior, and to what extent are they shaped by the feedback they receive from addressees? In 39 pairs (32 men and 46 women), speakers told addressees 2 jokes. Addressees were either attentive or else distracted by a second task, and speakers expected addressees to be either attentive or distracted. Attentive addressees gave more feedback than distracted addressees. Speakers with attentive addressees told the jokes with more vivid details than those with distracted addressees, but only when they expected attentive addressees. Speakers with distracted addressees put less time into the task than did those with attentive addressees, but only when they did not expect them to be distracted. These results suggest that speakers' narrations are shaped not only by addressees' feedback, but also by how speakers construe a lack of feedback on the part of a distracted addressee.
Mitomycin and the Human Corneal Endothelium

Objective: To investigate the ultrastructural and physiologic effects of exposure of the human corneal endothelium to mitomycin at concentrations of 20 μg/mL and 200 μg/mL using electron microscopy and in vitro specular perfusion techniques. Methods: Four pairs of corneas (with one cornea of each pair receiving balanced salt solution [BSS Plus, Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, Tex] and the other receiving BSS Plus with 20 μg/mL of mitomycin) suitable for transplantation, except for extremes of age or systemic disease, underwent perfusion with corneal thickness measured serially every 15 minutes followed by fixation for electron microscopy. Mean corneal swelling rate was calculated for all four experiments, and the control group that received BSS Plus was compared with the group that received mitomycin using a paired t test. Electron micrographs were examined in a masked fashion. Similar studies were performed using two pairs of corneas that received 200 μg/mL of mitomycin. Results: The mean swelling rate for corneas perfused with 20 μg/mL of mitomycin (−4.1 μm/h) was not significantly different from that seen in tissue perfused with BSS Plus (−4.2 μm/h). No consistent ultrastructural changes could be attributed to exposure to 20 μg/mL of mitomycin. Perfusions of mitomycin at 200 μg/mL resulted in prompt corneal swelling with marked ultrastructural alterations compared with tisssue perfused with BSS Plus. Conclusion: Human corneal endothelium may be exposed to undiluted (200 to 500 μg/mL) mitomycin with inadvertent entry into the anterior chamber during dissection of the scleral flap bed in trabeculectomy followed by application of mitomycin. This will result in prompt destruction of the endothelium. Exposure to 20 μg/mL of mitomycin, a level exceeding the concentration that may be present in the aqueous humor after its proper application, appears nontoxic in this system.
Effects of Interspersed Brief Problems on Students' Endurance at Completing Math Work

An alternating treatments design was used to compare the effects of baseline, interspersed brief problems, and interspersed brief problems plus token reinforcement on students' endurance while completing math worksheets. By pairing the completion of brief problems with token reinforcement, the role of problem completion as a conditioned reinforcer was examined consistent with the discrete task completion hypothesis. Four 5th grade students who were low achieving in math participated. Each day the students completed a stack of math worksheets containing 3-digit by 3-digit addition problems with or without interspersed single-digit problems for 10 min. Dependent measures included total digits correct per session and during each min of the 10 min work period (i.e., a measure of endurance). Results indicated that total digits correct per session was highest during the interspersal plus reinforcement condition followed by interspersal and then baseline for three of the four students. In addition, both interspersal conditions resulted in greater endurance than baseline. Limitations of the current study and implications for increasing students' persistence on classroom tasks are discussed.
Use of autologous Tenon's capsule and scleral patch grafts for repair of excessively draining fistulas with leaking filtering blebs

Purpose To report the use of autologous Tenon's and partial-thickness scleral tissues for patch graft revisions of excessively draining fistulas associated with leaking filtering blebs. Methods Appropriate sized pieces of autologous Tenon's tissue and partial-thickness scleral tissue were dissected near the surgical sites and used as patch grafts to effectively repair excessively draining fistulas with leaking filtering blebs. Results Both Tenon's and partial-thickness scleral patch grafts were useful in adequately closing the excessively draining fistulas. Conclusion Autologous Tenon's and scleral tissue patch grafts appear to be safe and effective for the repair of excessively draining fistulas, and are useful when patch grafts are unexpectedly needed.
Modeling the Psychometric Properties of Complex Performance Assessment Tasks Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis: A Multistage Model for Calibrating Tasks.

Item-level information, such as difficulty and discrimination are invaluable to the test assembly, equating, and scoring practices. Estimating these parameters within the context of large-scale performance assessments is often hindered by the use of unbalanced designs for assigning examinees to tasks and raters because such designs result in very sparse data matrices. This article addresses some of the issues using a multistage confirmatory factor analytic approach. The approach is illustrated using data from a performance test in medicine for which examinees encounter multiple patients with medical problems (tasks), with each problem portrayed by a different trained patient (rater). A series of models was fit to rating data (1) to obtain alternative task difficulty and discrimination parameters and (2) to evaluate the observed improvement in the goodness of model fit due to accounted rater and test site effects. The results suggest that availability of alternative task parameter estimates can be useful i...
The effects of counsellor gender and problem type on help-seeking attitudes among Turkish high school students

The present study explores gender differences in help-seeking attitudes and the effects of counsellor gender and problem type on those attitudes among Turkish high school students. The Attitudes towards Seeking Help Scale and a survey instrument concerning related factors were administered to 342 adolescents. ANOVAs show that male and female students displayed different help-seeking attitudes. Females held much more positive help-seeking attitudes than did males. For females, neither counsellor gender, problem type nor their interaction affected help-seeking attitudes. By contrast, among males, the interaction of counsellor gender and problem type influenced total help-seeking attitudes as well as two of the subscales – psychological distress and confidence in mental health professionals. Limitations, suggestions for further research and implications are discussed.
Intrinsic critical length associated with oscillatory reactive processes in complex solutions: Hydrodynamic estimates☆

Abstract In a previous work [Nazarea, A. D. (1974)], a general expression was derived which yields an estimate of the intrinsic critical length when an oscillatory reactive mode couples to diffusional transport in reaction systems confined spatially such that translational diffusion can effectively be defined in terms of a principal axial co-ordinate. In this paper, it is shown how, under the assumption that the translational diffusion matrix is diagonal, this estimate can be applied to reactive processes in solutions in which an arbitrary number of inert components are present in addition to the buffered and unbuffered reactants. Hydrodynamic estimates of the intrinsic critical length, in terms of the period of the oscillatory reactive mode, of time-averaged viscosities and of equivalent Stokes radii, are obtained, making use of Kirkwood's theory of irreversible transport processes in solutions of large molecules. These estimates should be applicable to complex reaction systems of biological interest.
Inter-Brane Potential and the Decay of a non-BPS-D-brane to Closed Strings

Abstract We calculate the potential for Dp – D p pair and show that the coincident Dp – D p system has (11− p ) tachyonic modes, with (9− p ) of them due to radiative corrections. We propose that the decay width of an unstable non-BPS- Dp -brane to closed strings is given by the imaginary part of the one-loop contribution to the effective potential of the open string tachyon mode.
Proof of a switching theorem using analogue logic

An alternative proof is presented of a previously published switching theorem by the use of analogue logic (lattice theory).
Penalized estimating equations.

Les modeles avec penalisation comme l'estimateur ridge, l'estimateur de Stein, l'estimateur en pont, et le Lasso, ont ete proposes pour prendre en compte la collineariteen regression. Le Lasso a ete applique au modele lineaire, a la regression logistique, au modele des hasards proportionnels de Cox et aux reseaux de neurones. Cet article etudie le modele avec penalisation en pont, pour une penalite Σ j ‖β j ‖ γ applique aux equations d'estimation, et applique ce modele avec penalisation aux equations d'estimation generalisees (GEE) dans des etudes longitudinales. Le defaut de vraisemblance jointe dans les GEE est surmonte par les equations d'estimation penalisees pour lesquelles aucune vraisemblance jointe n'est requise. On donne les resultats asymptotiques pour l'estimateur sons penalite. On montre par des simulations et une application, que les CEE avec penalisation ameliorent potentiellement les resultats de l'estimateur GEE, et presentent les memes proprietes que les modeles lineaires penalises.
Even- and Odd-Mode Waves for Nonsymmetrical Coupled Lines in Nonhomogeneous Media

A simple analysis of the eigenvectors, representing the fundamental uncoupled wave modes of a pair of nonsymmetrical coupled lines in nonhomogeneous medium, proves that these two modes reduce, under a given condition, to an even mode with equal voltage magnitudes and an odd mode with equal current magnitudes and opposite polarities. The condition, which may be cast in many representative forms, is called "congruence condition" and may be formulated simply, for a nonhomogeneous dielectric medium, by saying that the ratio of the per-unit-length conductor-to-ground capacitances must be the same in the empty and in the filled structure. The essential interest of congruence lies in the drastic simplification it introduces in the expressions of the eigenvalues and of the mode velocities and in the expressions of the mode admittances and impedances for the two coupled lines. Because of this simplification, a straight forward matrix derivation may be written to obtain closed-form expressions of the entries of the 4 x 4 Y-, Z-, and S-parameter matrices of the coupled-line 4-port. The simplicity of the definition of the fundamental modes in congruent structures introduces great conceptual clarity in the description of coupled-wave propagation. Experimental evidence is presented which proves the physical existence of the even-mode wave and of the redefined odd-mode wave in suspended-substrate broadside-coupled striplines. Practical structures of this type are very closely congruent.
Th17 cells: from precursors to players in inflammation and infection

Upon activation, naive CD4 1 T cells differentiate into different lineages of effector Th subsets. Each subset is characterized by its unique cytokine profile and biological functions. Th17, a newly described Th subset that produces IL-17, IL-17F and IL-22 in preference to other cytokines, has been shown to play an important role in clearing specific pathogens and in inducing autoimmune tissue inflammations. Over the last 2‐3 years, significant progress has been made to understand the development and biological functions of Th17 subset. Transforming growth factor b (TGF) together with IL-6 or IL-21 initiates the differentiation while IL-23 stabilizes the generation of Th17 cells. The transcription factors of Th17 cells [retinoid-related orphan receptor (ROR) gt, ROR-a and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3] have been described recently. Since TGF-b is essential for the generation of both Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells from naive T cells, which suggests a developmental link between Th17 and Treg cells. Functions of these two subsets of T cells are, however, opposite to each other; Th17 cells are highly pathogenic during the inflammatory process while Treg cells are crucial for inhibiting tissue inflammation and maintaining self-tolerance. Here, we review the recent information on differentiation and effector functions of Th17 cells during inflammatory conditions.
Diplopia and Ataxia in a Heavy Smoker

A64-year-oldmanwith coronary artery disease and an 80 pack-year smoking habit presented with 2 weeks of gait instability leading to frequent falls and 8weeks of vertigo and double vision. He reported unintentional weight loss without fevers or decreased appetite. He denied any history of alcohol abuse. Medications includedmetoprolol and aspirin.Onexamination, he was alert and oriented and vital signs were normal; body mass index was 24. Neurologic examination revealed right eyeheterotropia andnasal upshoot indicative of a fourth cranial nerve palsy (Figure 1A), left ptosis, flatteningof the rightnasolabial fold (Figure 1B), andbilateral restrictedupgazeandataxia (Video). Strengthand reflexeswerepreserved.Results of abasicmetabolic panel andcomplete blood cell count were normal. Screening for human immunodeficiency virus, Lyme disease, anddrugusewasnegative. Contrast-enhancedmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was unremarkable. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling revealed elevated protein (75 mg/dL [reference range, 10-42]), lymphocyte predominant pleocytosis (21-66 cells/uL [reference range, 0-11]), and oligoclonal bands (OCBs). Pleural thickening was seen on routine chest radiography; chest computed tomography (CT) revealedmediastinal lymphadenopathy, subcentimeterpulmonarynodules, andcalcifiedpleural plaques. Video at jama.com
Asymptotic Properties of the Maximum Likelihood Estimator for Stochastic PDEs Disturbed by Small Noise

Consider a parabolic stochastic partial differential equation perturbed by small noise observed on a time interval [0,T]. We construct the maximum likelihood estimators of the coefficients of the operators involved in these equations based on partial observations in the form of diffusion processes and show the asymptotic efficiency for loss functions with polynomial majorant as the variance goes to zero.
The Effect of Constant and Fluctuating Environmental Temperatures on the Biological Performance of Laying Pullets

Abstract INVESTIGATIONS of the seasonal variation of egg production in different geographic locations (for reviews see Huston et al., 1957; Ragab and Assem, 1953) have led to the conclusion that high environmental temperature is one of the major causes of the decline in egg production during summer. In most of these studies it was difficult to separate the effect of age from the effect of the seasonally changing environment. The results of experiments with layers of the same age are less conclusive. Warren et al. (1950) found little difference in annual egg production between an uncontrolled environment, where the mean daily temperatures ranged from about 30°F. in winter to about 85°F. in summer, and a controlled environment where a constant temperature of 65°F. was maintained. Huston et al. (1957) reported that White Leghorn hens laid as well at a constant temperature of 90°F. as hens kept in an environment where mean…
Chandrasekhar’s book An Introduction to the Study of Stellar Structure

For me, and for many astrophysicists of my generation, Chandrasekhar’s book An Introduction to the Study of Stellar Structure was very important. I could not have done my PhD (1962–1965) without it. Much more recently (1998) I realized that I could not have written my lecture course on thermodynamics and statistical mechanics without much of it, particularly the first chapter. I shall present anecdotal evidence that the influence of his discussion on the second law of thermodynamics has been important not just for astrophysics but for a much wider range of physics. Chandrasekhar’s discussion of polytropes was masterly. Even today polytropes play an important role as an aid for understanding stellar structure. I believe that to the list of analytic solutions of the polytrope only one more has to be added: a curious n = 5 model of Srivastava (1962). Stellar structure is nowadays a very computationally intensive subject. I shall illustrate this with a couple of topics from my experience with Djehuty, a supercomputer code for modelling stars in 3D. Nevertheless it remains true, I believe, that analytical mathematical entities like polytropes are fundamental as aids for understanding what the computers churn out. How close are we to seeing a book with the title ‘The Last Word on the Study of Stellar Structure’? Not very, although much has been learned in 70 years. I shall discuss a few of the aspects of stellar evolution that are problematic today. I shall discuss a couple of aspects where I believe analysis of ‘piecewise polytropic’ structures sheds light on the question ‘Why do stars become red giants?’
Uncertainty of predicted process performance due to variations in thermodynamics model parameter estimation from different experimental data sets

Abstract A method is presented using Monte Carlo Simulation coupled with the Latin Hypercube Sampling technique and parameter correlations to determine the effect of different sets of experimental data on the uncertainties in model parameters and, thus, the uncertainties in predicted process performance. Specifically, the estimation of binary interaction parameters for the NRTL equation was studied for three liquid–liquid ternary systems: diisopropyl ether+acetic acid+water, 1,1,2-trichloroethane+acetone+water, and chloroform+acetone+water. From the experimental data available for these systems, regressions were done and the obtained parameters were used to perform simulations on a liquid–liquid extractor. The results show that the differences between the binary parameters from different sets of experimental data lead to significant differences in the uncertainty of predicted extractions in process units.
Three-dimensional quasistatic model for high brightness beam dynamics simulation

In this paper, we present a three-dimensional quasistatic model for high brightness beam dynamics simulation in rf/dc photoinjectors, rf linacs, and similar devices on parallel computers. In this model, electrostatic space-charge forces within a charged particle beam are calculated self-consistently at each time step by solving the three-dimensional Poisson equation in the beam frame and then transforming back to the laboratory frame. When the beam has a large energy spread, it is divided into a number of energy bins or slices so that the space-charge forces are calculated from the contribution of each bin and summed together. Image-charge effects from conducting photocathode are also included efficiently using a shifted-Green function method. For a beam with large aspect ratio, e.g., during emission, an integrated Green function method is used to solve the three-dimensional Poisson equation. Using this model, we studied beam transport in one Linac Coherent Light Sources photoinjector design through the first traveling wave linac with initial misalignment with respect to the accelerating axis.
Plant and Soil Responses to High and Low Diversity Grassland Restoration Practices

The USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has predominantly used only a few species of dominant prairie grasses (CP2 practice) to reduce soil erosion, but recently has offered a higher diversity planting practice (CP25) to increase grassland habitat quality. We quantified plant community composition in CP25 and CP2 plantings restored for 4 or 8 years and compared belowground properties and processes among restorations and continuously cultivated soils in southeastern Nebraska, USA. Relative to cultivated soils, restoration increased soil microbial biomass (P = 0.033), specifically fungi (P < 0.001), and restored soils exhibited higher rates of carbon (C) mineralization (P = 0.010). High and low diversity plantings had equally diverse plant communities; however, CP25 plantings had greater frequency of cool-season (C3) grasses (P = 0.007). Older (8 year) high diversity restorations contained lower microbial biomass (P = 0.026), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) biomass (P = 0.003), and C mineralization rates (P = 0.028) relative to 8 year low diversity restorations; older plantings had greater root biomass than 4 year plantings in all restorations (P = 0.001). Low diversity 8 year plantings contained wider root C:N ratios, and higher soil microbial biomass, microbial community richness, AMF biomass, and C mineralization rate relative to 4 year restorations (P < 0.050). Net N mineralization and nitrification rates were lower in 8 year than 4 year high diversity plantings (P = 0.005). We attributed changes in soil C and N pools and fluxes to increased AMF associated with C4 grasses in low diversity plantings. Thus, reduced recovery of AMF in high diversity plantings restricted restoration of belowground microbial diversity and microbially-mediated soil processes over time.
FWD1-mediated degradation of FREQUENCY in Neurospora establishes a conserved mechanism for circadian clock regulation

Phosphorylation of the Neurospora circadian clock protein FREQUENCY (FRQ) regulates its degradation and the proper function of the clock. The mechanism by which FRQ undergoes degradation has not been established. Here we show that FRQ is likely ubiquitylated in vivo, and its proper degradation requires FWD1, an F-box/WD-40 repeat-containing protein. In the fwd1 disruption strains, FRQ degradation is severely impaired, resulting in the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated FRQ. Furthermore, the circadian rhythms of gene expression and the circadian conidiation rhythms are abolished in these fwd1 mutants. Finally, FRQ and FWD1 interact physically in vivo, suggesting that FWD1 is the substrate-recruiting subunit of an SCF-type ubiquitin ligase responsible for FRQ ubiquitylation and degradation. Together with the recent finding that Slimb (the Drosophila homolog of FWD1) is involved in the degradation of the Period protein in flies, our results indicate that FWD1 regulates the degradation of FRQ in Neurospora and is an evolutionarily conserved component of the eukaryotic circadian clock.
Delivering stem cells to the healthy heart on biological sutures: effects on regional mechanical function

Current cardiac cell therapies cannot effectively target and retain cells in a specific area of the heart. Cell-seeded biological sutures were previously developed to overcome this limitation, demonstrating targeted delivery with > 60% cell retention. In this study, both cell-seeded and non-seeded fibrin-based biological sutures were implanted into normal functioning rat hearts to determine the effects on mechanical function and fibrotic response. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were used based on previous work and established cardioprotective effects. Non-seeded or hMSC-seeded sutures were implanted into healthy athymic rat hearts. Before cell seeding, hMSCs were passively loaded with quantum dot nanoparticles. One week after implantation, regional stroke work index and systolic area of contraction (SAC) were evaluated on the epicardial surface above the suture. Cell delivery and retention were confirmed by quantum dot tracking, and the fibrotic tissue area was evaluated. Non-seeded biological sutures decreased SAC near the suture from 0.20 ± 0.01 measured in sham hearts to 0.08 ± 0.02, whereas hMSC-seeded biological sutures dampened the decrease in SAC (0.15 ± 0.02). Non-seeded sutures also displayed a small amount of fibrosis around the sutures (1.0 ± 0.1 mm2). Sutures seeded with hMSCs displayed a significant reduction in fibrosis (0.5 ± 0.1 mm2, p < 0.001), with quantum dot-labelled hMSCs found along the suture track. These results show that the addition of hMSCs attenuates the fibrotic response observed with non-seeded sutures, leading to improved regional mechanics of the implantation region. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impacts of disturbance initiated by road construction in a subtropical cloud forest in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico

Abstract The impacts of road construction and the spread of exotic vegetation, which are common threats to upper elevation tropical forests, were evaluated in the subtropical cloud forests of Puerto Rico. The vegetation, soil and microclimate of 6-month-old roadfills, 35-year-old roadfills and mature forest with and without grass understories were compared. Recent roadfills had higher light levels, soil temperatures, bulk densities, larger pools of exchangeable soil nutrients and higher soil oxygen concentrations; but lower soil moisture, soil organic matter and total soil N than the mature forest. On the 35-year-old roadfills, bulk density, soil pH and P pools were statistically similar to the mature forest while soil moisture, total N and base cations were different. The total aboveground biomass of 6-month-old roadfills was about 2 Mg/ha and dominated by a variety of monocot and herbaceous species. The 35-year-old roadfill areas had a biomass of 10.5 Mg/ha, 77% of which was non-woody. Seedling density, tree density and total woody biomass were 12, 28 and 2% of mature forest sites, respectively. In these areas, where soils were disturbed during construction, accumulation of biomass is the slowest known for the LEF. It may take 200–300 years for biomass to attain mature forest levels. In areas that were not directly disturbed during construction, the road has had little effect on the vegetative composition beyond a 5–10 m zone immediately adjacent to the pavement. Although non-native monocots, one of which had been planted along the road 35 years earlier, were copious along the disturbed roadside, they were generally absent from the mature forest and only abundant in habitats of anthropogenic origin.
Upper limit on the inner radiation belt MeV electron intensity.

No instruments in the inner radiation belt are immune from the unforgiving penetration of the highly energetic protons (tens of MeV to GeV). The inner belt proton flux level, however, is relatively stable; thus, for any given instrument, the proton contamination often leads to a certain background noise. Measurements from the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope integrated little experiment on board Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment CubeSat, in a low Earth orbit, clearly demonstrate that there exist sub-MeV electrons in the inner belt because their flux level is orders of magnitude higher than the background, while higher-energy electron (>1.6 MeV) measurements cannot be distinguished from the background. Detailed analysis of high-quality measurements from the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope on board Van Allen Probes, in a geo-transfer-like orbit, provides, for the first time, quantified upper limits on MeV electron fluxes in various energy ranges in the inner belt. These upper limits are rather different from flux levels in the AE8 and AE9 models, which were developed based on older data sources. For 1.7, 2.5, and 3.3 MeV electrons, the upper limits are about 1 order of magnitude lower than predicted model fluxes. The implication of this difference is profound in that unless there are extreme solar wind conditions, which have not happened yet since the launch of Van Allen Probes, significant enhancements of MeV electrons do not occur in the inner belt even though such enhancements are commonly seen in the outer belt.
The effects of drinking goal on treatment outcome for alcoholism

OBJECTIVE: It is well known to clinicians and researchers in the field of alcoholism that patients vary with respect to drinking goal. The objective in this study was to elucidate the contribution of drinking goal to treatment outcome in the context of specific behavioral and pharmacological interventions. METHOD: Participants were 1,226 alcohol-dependent individuals enrolled in a large, multisite trial of combined behavioral intervention, acamprosate, and naltrexone. Drinking goal was coded as follows: (a) controlled drinking, (b) conditional abstinence, and (c) complete abstinence. RESULTS: Analysis revealed a main effect of drinking goal on percent days abstinent (p less than 0.0001), days to relapse to heavy drinking (p less than 0.0001), and global clinical outcome (p less than 0.001). These results were such that a goal of complete abstinence was associated with the best outcomes, followed by conditional abstinence; controlled drinking was associated with the poorest outcomes. Conversely, a main effect of drinking goal was observed on drinks per drinking day (p less than 0.01), such that controlled drinking was associated with fewer drinks per drinking day whereas complete abstinence was associated with the highest number of drinks per drinking day. Combined behavioral intervention performed better than medical management alone for participants whose drinking goal was not complete abstinence. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that drinking goal represents a highly predictive clinical variable and should be an integral part of the clinical assessment of patients with alcohol dependence. Assessment of patients' drinking goals may also help match patients to interventions best suited to address their goals and clinical needs. Language: en
Madeline 2.0 PDE

Summary: The Madeline 2.0 Pedigree Drawing Engine (PDE) is a pedigree drawing program for use in linkage and family-based association studies. The program is designed to handle large and complex pedigrees with an emphasis on readability and aesthetics. For complex pedigrees, we use a hybrid algorithm in which consanguinous loops are drawn as cyclic graphs whenever possible, but we resort to acyclic graphs when matings can no longer be connected without line crossings. A similar hybrid approach is used to avoid line crossings for matings between distant descendants of different founding groups. Written in object-oriented C++ and released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), Madeline 2.0 PDE reads input files specified on the command line and generates pedigree drawings without user interaction. Pedigree output in scalable vector graphics (SVG) format can be viewed in browsers with native SVG rendering support or in vector graphics editors. We provide an easy-to-use public web service, which is experimental and still under development. Availability: http://kellogg.umich.edu/madeline Contact: ed.trager@gmail.com
Non-migrating tides in the ionosphere-thermosphere: In situ versus tropospheric sources

[1] In this paper we demonstrate how magnetic control of ion-neutral interactions in the ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) system effectively produces source terms for non-migrating solar tides in the neutral momentum equations for the thermosphere. The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIME-GCM) is utilized to quantify these tides, and to assess their importance relative to those that propagate upward from lower atmospheric regions. The primary diurnal tides excited in situ by the above mechanism include DE1, D0 and DW2, with zonal wind amplitudes on the order of 20 m s−1 (5–10 m s−1) at ∼500 km (∼350 km) under solar maximum (minimum) conditions. Smaller amplitude semidiurnal non-migrating tides, mainly SE1, S0, SW1, and SW3, are also generated under solar maximum conditions. The aggregate effect of these tidal components is to produce extrema ranging from −110 to +140 m s−1 in a typical illustration of latitude versus longitude at a constant local time. The associated wind circulations include vertical wind perturbations that drive temperature perturbations through adiabatic heating and cooling effects. At high latitudes, hydromagnetic coupling effects generate non-migrating tidal components including DE1, D0, DW2, SE1, S0, and SW1, which show interhemispheric differences in both amplitude and latitudinal structure due to interhemispheric differences in the offset between the geographic and geomagnetic poles. Our computational results show that the in situ generated non-migrating tidal components dominate some parts of the tidal spectrum at high levels of solar activity and suggest that in situ generated non-migrating tides must be taken into account in order to reconcile differences in data-model comparisons.
The Effect of applied water on the water use of saltcedar in a desert riparian environment

Abstract The effect of applied water on water use in Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar) was investigated along the Virgin River (SE Nevada) during a hot, dry summer period. Water was applied to 4 m2 (2m × 2m) basins surrounding Tamarix thickets once per week for 6 weeks. Irrigations were applied at 0, 50 or 100% of the previous weeks potential evapotranspiration estimate using a modified Penman equation. Transpiration was monitored with stem flow gauges, soil moisture with time domain reflectometry and plant water relations with a steady state porometer and pressure chamber. Results indicated that at least 4 weeks of irrigation were required before a significant increase in water use by Tamarix would occur. Sap flow measurements indicated that Tamarix growing in closed stands (canopy over-lapping on three or more sides) transpired higher amounts of water than Tamarix growing in open stands (canopy not over-lapping on any sides). Ratios of post- to pre-depth weighted salinity in the 0–60 cm depth indicated that water uptake was occurring in this soil region by Tamarix growing in closed stands to a greater extent than in open stands. A multiple regression equation accounted for 87% of the variability (P = 0.001) in Tamarix transpiration normalized on a stand volume basis when irrigation volume, leaf area density and average ratio of height to distance of nearest neighboring trees were included in the equation. We conclude that any attempt to characterize evapotranspiration of mature stands of Tamarix will require a detailed spatial assessment of stand density and an evaluation of water availability relative to atmospheric water demand over time and that it is doubtful under typical hot, dry summer conditions that Tamarix would effectively utilize water from most summer rainfall events. However, if alterations occurred along the river that increased the availability of water to Tamarix, increased transpiration rates would occur with time.
Increased in Vivo Amyloid-β42 Production, Exchange, and Loss in Presenilin Mutation Carriers

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is hypothesized to be caused by an overproduction or reduced clearance of amyloid-b (Ab) peptide. Autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) caused by mutations in the presenilin (PSEN) gene have been postulated to result from increased production of Ab42 compared to Ab40 in the central nervous system (CNS). This has been demonstrated in rodent models of ADAD but not in human mutation carriers. We used compartmental modeling of stable isotope labeling kinetic (SILK) studies in human carriers of PSEN mutations and related noncarriers to evaluate the pathophysiological effects of PSEN1 and PSEN2 mutations on the production and turnover of Ab isoforms. We compared these findings by mutation status and amount of fibrillar amyloid deposition as measured by positron emission tomography (PET) using the amyloid tracer Pittsburgh compound B (PIB). CNS Ab42 to Ab40 production rates were 24% higher in mutation carriers compared to noncarriers, and this was independent of fibrillar amyloid deposits quantified by PET PIB imaging. The fractional turnover rate of soluble Ab42 relative to Ab40 was 65% faster in mutation carriers and correlated with amyloid deposition, consistent with increased deposition of Ab42 into plaques, leading to reduced recovery of Ab42 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Reversible exchange of Ab42 peptides with preexisting unlabeled peptide was observed in the presence of plaques. These findings support the hypothesis that Ab42 is overproduced in the CNS of humans with PSEN mutations that cause AD, and demonstrate that soluble Ab42 turnover and exchange processes are altered in the presence of amyloid plaques, causing a reduction in Ab42 concentrations in the CSF.