cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B19: Suppression of CD8+ T-cell functions by melanoma cell-derived exosomes captured from plasma of patients with melanoma

Exosomes, virus-sized (30-150nm) vesicles, derived from the endocytic compartment of parent cells, are produced by all cells and are present in all body fluids. Melanoma patients’ plasma contains exosomes produced by normal and malignant cells. To study the impact of melanoma cell-derived exosomes (MTEX) on human immune cells and melanoma progression, we isolated MTEX from total exosomes in plasma by immune capture with anti-CSPG-4 mAbs on beads. 19 proteins carried by MTEX and by non-MTEX of 12 patients with metastatic melanoma were quantified by on-bead flowcytometry. Immunoregulatory functions of these exosomes were measured in co-incubation assays with human immune cell subsets. Plasma exosomes of 6 normal donors served as controls. Melanoma-associated antigens (MAA) were present on MTEX only. MTEX carried more inhibitory ligands than non-MTEX (FasL, p Citation Format: Priyanka Sharma, Brenda Diergaarde, Soldano Ferrone, John M Kirkwood, Theresa L. Whiteside. Suppression of CD8+ T-cell functions by melanoma cell-derived exosomes captured from plasma of patients with melanoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Melanoma: From Biology to Target; 2019 Jan 15-18; Houston, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(19 Suppl):Abstract nr B19.
Perioperative Medical Optimization of Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Is an Economically Justified Infection Prevention Strategy in Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Abnormal voiding dynamics may be a modifiable risk factor for prosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), but the cost-effectiveness of their optimization in the perioperative setting is unknown. Using a break-even analysis, we calculated the economic viability of perioperative voiding optimization for infection prevention after TJA in patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods A perioperative voiding optimization algorithm was created to represent a common approach to treating symptomatic BPH before TJA. Treatment is initiated with a 6-week trial of tamsulosin (pathway 1), followed by 6 months of combination tamsulosin/finasteride therapy (pathway 2) if symptoms persist. Patients with unremitting symptoms after medical management undergo surgical correction with transurethral resection of the prostate (pathway 3). Costs associated with each pathway were derived from the literature and institutional purchasing records. A break-even economic model was constructed to calculate the absolute risk reduction (ARR) in the infection rate and number needed to treat necessary for cost-effectiveness. Results Pathway 1 was cost-effective if it prevented 1 infection of 113 (ARR = 0.883%) TKAs or 140 (ARR = 0.714%) THAs. Pathway 2 was cost-effective if it obviated infection in 1 of 69 TKAs (ARR = 1.445%) or 86 THAs (ARR = 1.169%). Pathway 3 was only deemed cost-effective assuming a cost of $400,000 to treat a PJI (number needed to treat = 71, ARR = 1.406%). Cost-effectiveness for pathways 1 and 2 was maintained with varying voiding optimization costs, infection rates, and PJI costs. Conclusion Perioperative medical management of symptomatic BPH is an economically justified PJI prevention strategy, whereas surgical interventions appear to be financially substantiated only when considering the long-term societal costs of a PJI.
Small RNAs guide histone methylation in Arabidopsis embryos

Epigenetic reprogramming occurs during gametogenesis as well as during embryogenesis to reset the genome for early development. In flowering plants, many heterochromatic marks are maintained in sperm, but asymmetric DNA methylation is mostly lost. Asymmetric DNA methylation is dependent on small RNA but the re-establishment of silencing in embryo is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that small RNAs direct the histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation during Arabidopsis thaliana embryonic development, together with asymmetric DNA methylation. This de novo silencing mechanism depends on the catalytic domain of SUVH9, a Su(Var)3-9 homolog thought to be catalytically inactive.
Inclusion in practice: humanising pedagogy for immigrant children with and without disabilities

Contemporary early childhood classrooms in the United States are becoming even more diverse with increasing cultural, linguistic, and developmental complexity. Given the movement toward implementin...
Fish and Shellfish Products

It is known that humans have used rather advanced techniques for obtaining and processing seafood throughout history. It was not until the 19th Century that fish from the Great Lakes were frozen by using a combination of salt and ice. This led to the growth of commercial processes for freezing fish as a method of preservation. Today quality control must be practiced from harvest to the table. This article gives detailed information on the U.S. fishery landings. Static, towed or dragged, and encircling gear involved in the harvesting are discussed as are the fishing vessels themselves. Maintaining quality of the fish on board the vessel until the fish can be processed is detailed. Fish can be processed on the vessel and then go through various treatments such-as heating, freezing, and then storage. U.S. Fishery product exports exceeded $4 × 109 in 2006. Aquaculture provides nearly 50% of the annual fisheries production. Proper packaging of the product is necessary to maintain quality and safety. Concerns regarding mercury in fish and seafood are addressed. The National Shellfish Sanitation Program is designed to prevent harvesting of shellfish in polluted waters. Foodborne diseases and refrigeration have been studied and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles (HACCP) approach is used. Keywords: fish; shellfish; landings; harvesting; gear; fishing vessels; processing; heat treatment; refrigeration; freezing; aquaculture; frozen fish; packaging; safety; mercury
Aging performance of the BaBar Drift Chamber

The BaBar Drift Chamber has been operating since May 1999 at the PEP-II B-Factory, integrating a total of 140 fb/sup -1/ luminosity in e/sup +/e/sup $/collisions at /spl radic/s /spl sim/ 10.6 GeV. The chamber has accumulated a dose of approximately 10.6 mC/cm. The performance of the drift chamber with respect to aging (efficiency, gain, resolution) will be presented, along with projections over its expected lifetime.
High-efficiency transfection and siRNA-mediated gene knockdown in human pluripotent stem cells.

This unit describes a protocol on how to achieve high transfection efficiency on human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells using the common transfection reagent Lipofectamine 2000 as a carrier instead of involving a virus, and/or expensive equipment and reagents. Applying this technique for siRNA-mediated gene targeting to knockdown genes in the pluripotent stem cells, the expression of pluripotent genes, such as OCT4 and LIN28, was downregulated by more than 90% in multiple pluripotent cell lines. Beyond reaching high transfection efficiency on pluripotent cells, this protocol should also have application to primary cells that are traditionally difficult to transfect. Curr. Protoc. Stem Cell Biol. 21:5C.2.1-5C.2.9. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: transfection; human embryonic stem cells; induced pluripotent stem cells; siRNA gene knockdown
Age-dependent reduction of the PI3K regulatory subunit p85α suppresses pancreatic acinar cell proliferation.

Summary The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway is important for tissue proliferation. Previously, we found that tissue regeneration after partial pancreatic resection was markedly attenuated in aged mice as compared to young mice and that this attenuation was because of an age-dependent reduction of PI3K/Akt signaling in the pancreatic acini; however, the mechanisms for the age-associated decline of pancreatic PI3K/Akt signaling remained unknown. To better delineate the mechanisms for the decreased PI3K/Akt activation with aging, age-associated changes in cell proliferation and PI3K/Akt signaling were investigated in the present study using in vitro primary pancreatic acinar cell cultures derived from young and aged mice. In response to treatment with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), acinar cells from young but not aged mice showed increased activation of PI3K/Akt signaling and cell proliferation, indicating that intrinsic cellular mechanisms cause the age-associated changes in pancreatic acinar cells. We also found that the expression of PI3K p85α subunit, but not IGF-1 receptor or other PI3K subunits, was significantly reduced in pancreatic acinar cells from aged mice; this age-associated reduction of p85α was confirmed in both mouse and human pancreatic tissues. Finally, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of p85α expression in acinar cells from young mice resulted in markedly attenuated activation of PI3K/Akt downstream signaling in response to IGF-1. From these results, we conclude that exocrine pancreatic expression of PI3K p85α subunit is attenuated by aging, which is likely responsible for the age-associated decrease in activation of pancreatic PI3K signaling and acinar cell proliferation in response to growth-promoting stimuli.
The neuroblast of the grasshopper embryo as a new mutagen test system: III. Chromosome breakage induced by cyclophosphamide is greater with activation by rat hepatocytes than by S12 mix☆

The promutagen cyclophosphamide (CPhos) induces chromosome breaks in neuroblasts of the 14-day-old grasshopper embryo (Chortophaga viridifasciata DeGeer, Orthoptera: Acrididae) only when activated with S12 mix or freshly isolated hepatocytes. After 1-h exposure followed by 3-h recovery, CPhos + hepatocytes (from uninduced adult rats) induces about 5 times more acentric fragments and induces them at lower doses than does CPhos + S12 mix (from phenobarbital-induced rats). Both activation systems contained equivalent amounts of microsomal protein. Hepatocytes could be used in suspension immediately after isolation, thereby obviating the delay necessitated by allowing for attachment. In the absence of CPhos, with or without activators, no chromosome aberrations were observed. Without CPhos, hepatocytes are less toxic than is S12 mix, as determined by reduction in the number of dividing neuroblasts.
Reaction Times to High-Contrast Brake Lamps

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Industry Affiliation Program for Human Factors in Transportation Safety
Regulatory factor linked to late-onset diabetes?

Maintenance of glucose balance in mammals depends on the production of insulin by the β-cells of the pancreas, in response to raised concentrations of blood glucose. In humans suffering from non-insulindependent diabetes (NIDDM), β-cell failure follows chronic resistance to insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and causes the development of hyperglycaemia1. NIDDM shows a polygenic inheritance pattern in most cases2: defined genetic defects that have little effect on their own, in combination induce diabetes by epistatic interactions3. Here we show that mice heterozygous for the gene pdx-1, which encodes a transcription factor for the insulin gene and regulates pancreatic development, have impaired glucose tolerance. This pancreatic nuclear regulatory factor is required for glucose homeostasis even when the pancreas is morphologically normal.
Basic Linear Acoustics

This chapter deals with the physical and mathematical aspects of sound when the disturbances are, in some sense, small. Acoustics is usually concerned with small-amplitude phenomena, and consequently a linear description is usually applicable. Disturbances are governed by the properties of the medium in which they occur, and the governing equations are the equations of continuum mechanics, which apply equally to gases, liquids, and solids. These include the mass, momentum, and energy equations, as well as thermodynamic principles. The viscosity and thermal conduction enter into the versions of these equations that apply to fluids. Fluids of typical great interest are air and sea water, and consequently this chapter includes a summary of their relevant acoustic properties. The foundation is also laid for the consideration of acoustic waves in elastic solids, suspensions, bubbly liquids, and porous media.
Constructs of Justice: Beyond Civil Litigation

It is the case that civil justice problems constitute the bulk of courts’ work in both the state and federal legal systems (see, e.g., Court Statistics Project, 2006; U.S. Courts, 2007). Nevertheless, a decision rendered by a jury (or a judge) takes place in only a relatively small percentage of civil disputes. There are exponentially more civil disputes resolved outside of court than are resolved via jury verdicts (see, e.g., Galanter, 1983, 1993, 1996; Miller & Sarat, 1980–1981; Trubek, Grossman, Felstiner, Kritzer, & Sarat, 1983), a state of affairs true for the UK as well as the US (Pleasence, 2006). Hersch’s (2006) analysis of nearly 3,800 federal civil cases shows even a litigant’s request for a jury trial rather than a bench trial (regardless of whether it emanates from the plaintiff or the defendant) in trial-eligible cases is more likely to result in the parties’ outof-court settlement than it is to result in a jury verdict. The empirical reality, thus, is that juries play only a limited – it is fair to say, a relatively minor – role in civil dispute resolution. Yet jury research has dominated the scholarship of the psychology and law community virtually since the revival of psycholegal research in the 1970s, and the pattern of focusing on jury matters continues today. This chapter is a call for psycholegal scholars to study civil justice matters beyond the context of litigation and the courts, both to allow us to better understand the resolution of civil issues in the litigation/court contexts and to better understand the larger institutional (and sometimes societal) contexts in which civil disputes materialize and are most often resolved (see Felstiner, Abel, & Sarat, 1980–1981; Galanter, 1983, 1993, 1996; Kritzer, Vidmar, & Bogart, 1991; Trubek et al., 1984; Trubek, Sarat, Felstiner, Kritzer, & Grossman, 1983). An area of psycholegal research that has provided significant insights into civil disputes is the different conceptualizations of ‘‘justice.’’ Over the last fifty years or so, there has been a great deal of commentary and research into various psychosocial constructs of justice. In this chapter we focus on the more
Sparking plasma sintering of nanometric tungsten carbide

Abstract The consolidation of nanometric powders of WC by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method was investigated over the temperature range 1425–1800 °C under a uniaxial pressure of 126 MPa. Nominally stoichiometric WC powders with a grain size in the range 40–70 nm could be consolidated to near theoretical densities (99.1%) with a grain size of 305 nm when heated at a high rate to 1750 °C with no hold time. The sintered material, however, contained W2C and the effect of addition of carbon on the presence of this phase was investigated with these powders and with powders having a grain size of 12 nm. The effect of carbon on abnormal grain growth (AGG) was investigated as a function of temperature and carbon addition. The effect of heating rate up to the sintering temperature and the hold time at temperature was also investigated.
Suggestibility under pressure: Theory of mind, executive function, and suggestibility in preschoolers

Eighty preschoolers, ages 3 to 5 years old, completed a 4-phase study in which they experienced a live event and received a pressured, suggestive interview about the event a week later. Children were also administered batteries of theory of mind and executive function tasks, as well as the Video Suggestibility Scale for Children (VSSC), which assesses children's assents to misleading questions (Yield), changes in responses when given mild negative feedback (Shift), and their final number of assents after feedback (Yield 2). The results showed that, controlling for age, children with better executive function were overall less suggestible in the pressured suggestive interview. On the VSSC, executive function was only related to Yield 2 in younger children. When interviewers provided specific negative feedback to older children about their responses, children with more developed theory of mind were less suggestible. Children with executive function deficits may be especially vulnerable to interviewer pressure.
Structure of Tl(Sr0.65Nd0.35)2CaCu2O7

Abstract The substituted 1212 thallium-based cuprate superconductor Tl(Sr 0.65 Nd 0.35) 2 CaCu 2 O 7 has been synthesized and found to have a transition temperature of 81 K at onset. The structure of this material has been refined using pulsed-neutron-powder-diffraction data collected at 295 K. The diffraction pattern was indexed to the space group P4/mmm and lattice parameters refined to a =3.8282 (3) and c =11.9872(9) A. As in other Tl based perovskites, tetragonal displacements of the Tl and O sites were required to model the distortions resulting from short-range ordering in the Tl-O planes. In addition, we found substantial cation substitution at the Ca 2+ site, which presumably arises from disordering of Nd 3+ and Ca 2+ ions in their respective sites. Determination of the occupancies for the oxygen sites showed that they were essentially fully occupied.
Publishing as a Graduate Student: A Quick and (Hopefully) Painless Guide to Establishing Yourself as a Scholar

Graduate students seldom know how to navigate the publishing process, yet a growing expectation is that new hires are capable of immediately producing publishable research as well as teaching. Considering the current state of the job market, graduate students should plan early to take advantage of the opportunities to publish early in their graduate career. This article provides suggestions for beginning the publishing process.
Vasomotor responses to exercise in the extremities of subjects with vascular disease.

Response of peripheral blood flow was studied in subjects of various age groups with and without vascular disease. Under constant environmental conditions, the skin-muscle distribution of total flow to the lower extremity showed the following trend. In young healthy adults the muscles get a somewhat higher share; in elderly persons without vascular disease the distribution is about equal; in patients with nongangrenous obliterative arteriosclerosis the skin is favored over the muscle. Exercise increases total flow in all groups, but does not alter the distribution. Sympathectomy does not seem to influence response to exercise.
Interstate migration, spatial assimilation, and the incorporation of US immigrants

The recent trend of immigrant geographical diffusion in the United States has increased the relevance of a detailed understanding of the consequences of secondary migration for immigrant families, and a consideration of what is to be learned about immigrant incorporation from their patterns of domestic migration. In this paper, a regional variant of the spatial assimilation model is tested using longitudinal data on immigrant economic well-being. The results of this research indicate that, like their native counterparts, immigrants benefit, both in terms of employment and earnings, from making interstate moves. Consistent with the spatial assimilation model, immigrants migrating to states with smaller relative foreign-born populations see additional gains, with higher-skilled and better-acculturated immigrants enjoying the greatest returns. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On detecting the recoilless emission of internal conversion electrons, auger electrons, and β - particles

Abstract It is shown that the recoilless emission of low-energy internal conversion electrons, Auger electrons, and β-particles could be detected as temperature dependent effects in spectra obtained with high resolution β-spectrometers.
Leakage as the source of overgrowth stimulating activity in Rous sarcoma transformed cultures.

Abstract The appearance of lactic dehydrogenase activity in the medium of Rous sarcoma cells was shown to accompany the appearance of overgrowth stimulating activity. The intracellular level of LDH was shown to increase in parallel with OSF as cultures became more transformed. Cells infected with non-transforming Rous associated virus did not differ from normal cells in this respect. It was concluded that the appearance of overgrowth stimulating activity in the medium is due to leakiness and that these changes are associated with transformation.
Fluorescent reporters of the histone acetyltransferase

Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are important chromatin modifying enzymes that catalyze acetylation of specific lysine residues in histone and nonhistone substrates. They participate in multiple cellular processes such as transcriptional regulation and signal transduction. Aberrant expression of HATs has been observed in various disease states, especially cancer. However, current strategies used for studying HAT enzymatic activity and inhibitor discovery are quite limited. We report here a novel strategy for the homogeneous, continuous, one-step measurement of HAT activity. A series of fluorescent reporters based on the amino-terminal seqence of histone H4 were synthesized and evaluated for HAT assay. Fluorescence signals change effectively in response to the acetylation process by HAT p300. Such an assay should thus be broadly useful for assaying HAT activity in vitro as well as valuable in discovering new anticancer drugs based on the modulation of the HAT targets.
Regulatory function of mitochondria in lipogenesis

A cell-free system, consisting of particle-free rat liver cytoplasm plus purified mitochondria, was used to study the synthesis of fatty acid from14C-U-alanine. Incorporation of label into lipid was dependent upon the presence of both cytoplasm and mitochondria. However, the metabolic state of the animal, prior to sacrifice, determined the capacity of various mitochondrial preparations to reconstitute the system. Mitochondria prepared from the livers of starved, fat-fed, or alloxan-diabetic rats failed to support fatty acid synthesis to the same extent as mitochondria prepared from control animals. Likewise, less14CO2 was produced in the system reconstituted with liver mitochondria prepared from starved rats. Possible mechanisms are discussed.
Fractionated Reaction Time Responses to Auditory and Electrocutaneous Stimuli.

Abstract It is well documented that simple reaction time (RT) varies inversely with stimulus intensity, but there is disagreement as to which stimulus modality produces the fastest simple RT. An investigation was conducted to equate two stimulus modalities, auditory (A) and electrocutaneous (EC), using varying stimulus intensities in a simple RT protocol. A second investigation was then conducted to examine neuromotor characteristics of stimulus-evoked responses using previously equated A and EC stimuli of varying intensity from the first investigation. Results showed that RT, premotor time (PMT), and motor time (MT) were all inversely related to stimulus intensity, while maximum displacement (MAXD) was directly related to stimulus intensity, and movement time was not affected by stimulus intensity. We conclude that: (a) both central and peripheral components of RT are altered by varying stimulus intensities, and (b) rapid movements are enhanced by increasing stimulus intensity.
Waveguide-Slot Array Antenna Designs for Low-Average-Sidelobe Specifications

This paper discusses the design, analysis, and development of waveguide-fed planar slot arrays to achieve low-average-sidelobe specifications, as may arise in radiometer applications. Such antennas may be required to meet strict average sidelobe levels in different angular regions, and low average return loss over a specified bandwidth. In addition to Elliott's design technique, we used a Moment-Method analysis program, Ansoft's HFSS code, and results of tolerance studies using Monte Carlo simulations to meet the design objectives. Comparisons of simulated results and experimental results are also presented.
Factors contributing to flux improvement in vacuum-enhanced direct contact membrane distillation

Abstract Low water flux in membrane distillation (MD) is a concern for full-scale application. In the past decades, attempts have been made to improve water flux in MD and vacuum-enhanced direct-contact MD (VEDCMD) has been proven to be an effective configuration to achieve this. However, only qualitative assessments of the factors that might improve water flux have been reported in the literature. In this study, a mechanistic investigation of the factors contributing to higher water flux in VEDCMD was performed. Direct-contact MD (DCMD) and pressure-enhanced DCMD (PEDCMD) configurations were also investigated for comparison. Less membrane compaction was identified as one dominant factor contributing to improved water flux in VEDCMD as very little compaction occurred in VEDCMD compared to that which occurred in DCMD and PEDCMD. Lower air pressure inside the membrane pores was found to be the other dominant factor contributing to improved water flux in VEDCMD; the air pressure was calculated as the average of the feed and distillate pressures in VEDCMD and as the distillate pressure in DCMD and PEDCMD. Pressure difference, as is present in both PEDCMD and VEDCMD, was found to have a minimal effect on water flux.
Origin of multipeak behavior in the NMR spectra of poly(L-glutamic acid)

The previous report that poly(L-glutamic acid) exhibits doubled resonances in the helix–coil transition region by either proton or carbon-13 nmr resolves the question of whether or not this behavior is limited to uncharged polypeptides in organic solvents, as had been previously thought. In the present work, we show that the underlying principle causing this anomalous double-peak behavior is due to molecular-weight polydispersity of the sample. The molecular-weight range in which this phenomenon is observed is largely dependent on the values of σ, the nucleation or cooperativity factor. The principles developed are shown to encompass all classes of polypeptides in a very natural way and to explain the key experimental data in the literature.
Decompressive laminectomies with clinical improvement but persistent myelographic blocks

Surgical decompression for spinal cord compression secondary to metastatic epidural neoplasms is a common procedure. Preoperative myelography is nearly always done, and clinical improvement postoperatively is assumed to be correlated with relief of the radiologically demonstrated subarachnoid block. Three cases with postoperative clinical improvement but persistent subarachnoid blocks are reported. The recognition of this is important to avoid unnecessary secondary surgery.
Analysis of vulnerabilities in Internet firewalls

Firewalls protect a trusted network from an untrusted network by filtering traffic according to a specified security policy. A diverse set of firewalls is being used today. As it is infeasible to examine and test each firewall for all possible potential problems, a taxonomy is needed to understand firewall vulnerabilities in the context of firewall operations. This paper describes a novel methodology for analyzing vulnerabilities in Internet firewalls. A firewall vulnerability is defined as an error made during firewall design, implementation, or configuration, that can be exploited to attack the trusted network that the firewall is supposed to protect. We examine firewall internals, and cross-reference each firewall operation with causes and effects of weaknesses in that operation, analyzing twenty reported problems with available firewalls. The result of our analysis is a set of matrices that illustrate the distribution of firewall vulnerability causes and effects over firewall operations. These matrices are useful in avoiding and detecting unforeseen problems during both firewall implementation and firewall testing. Two case studies of Firewall-1 and Raptor illustrate our methodology.
LIDAR versus satellite-measured optical thickness of a wildfire aerosol

A dual UV, Rayleigh/nitrogen Raman LIDAR system was developed for the purpose of profiling aerosols at vertical ranges between 0.025 and 5 km. The 355 nm LIDAR was operated in El Segundo, California during June and July 2008, during a period of intense wildfire activity in Northern California. From the two independent measurements we calculated the particle backscatter, and using the humidity-corrected LIDAR backscatter-to-extinction ratios given by Ackermann[1] we calculated aerosol optical thickness (AOT) profiles. Preliminary validation studies revealed that under most conditions the calculated LIDAR AOT data agreed with total AOT measured from a collocated sun photometer, except for cases when high-altitude smoke from wildfires was present. To account for high-altitude smoke, a two-layer atmospheric model was assumed, where the lower layer's AOT was calculated using the backscatter-to-extinction method and the high-altitude AOT was found through direct attenuation of the Raman signal. A comparison of AOT measurements from the ground-based LIDAR and the MODIS (Aqua and Terra) overpasses was then performed during the peak period of transport of smoke from Northern California, between 19 June 2008 and 2 July 2008. While the LIDAR and Sun Photometer were found to be in good agreement, it was found that the MODIS overpasses consistently indicated a larger AOT.
Using humor in the industrial selling process

Abstract Humor is an oft used promotional tool in advertising, and the question naturally arises as to whether humor can also be designed to accomplish specific goals in the industrial selling process. In this article, principles of humor are applied to the buyer/seller process, with particular reference to the steps of the sale. The judicious use of humor by the industrial salesperson can enhance the sales presentation and favorably influence the overall buyer/seller relationship, provided the salesperson has adequate knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of humor.
The effect of strongly bound oxygen on the dehydrogenation and hydrogenation activity and selectivity of platinum single crystal surfaces

The dehydrogenation of cyclohexene and cyclohexane, and the hydrogenation of cyclohexene were studied on the clean and preoxidized surfaces of three platinum single crystals--a Pt(111), a stepped Pt(S)-(6(111) x (100)) and a kinked Pt(S)-(7(111) x (310))--at low pressure (10/sup -6/ to 10/sup -5/ Torr total pressure), at 150/sup 0/C. Oxygen coverages were monitored by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES); the surface structures of the clean and oxidized platinum crystals were determined by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Low coverages of strongly bound oxygen enhanced the rates of the dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reactions, and changed the selectivity of cyclohexene dehydrogenation to benzene over hydrogenation to cyclohexane. These effects of preoxidation on catalytic rates and selectivity were found to be sensitive to the structure of the platinum surface, kink sites playing a particularly active role in the enhancement of dehydrogenation and hydrogenation activity by strongly bound oxygen. Three models are discussed which relate the oxidation of platinum surfaces to the observed effects on catalytic activity and the structure sensitivity. A change in the electronic structure of the platinum surface through oxidation provides the best general model for explaining the oxygen effects, though complex formation involving the adsorbed oxygen or surface reconstruction during oxidation maymore » also be important.« less
Is there persistence in the growth of manufactured exports? Evidence from newly industrializing countries☆

Abstract Applying cointegration techniques in a panel data setting, we document persistent growth of manufactured exports from certain developing countries. To complement the investigation of persistence (measured by the country ‘fixed-effects’), we analyze asymmetries in income elasticities: for all developing countries, the decline in exports with world income contraction is sharper than is the rise on the upswing; the decline is, however, especially pronounced for countries with low or negative persistence. The results are consistent with long-term buyer-supplier relationships that create ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’ in manufactured goods trading. Exports are also influenced by the transactional infrastructure (proxied by telecommunications penetration).
Trichohyalin: Presence in the granular layer and stratum corneum of normal human epidermis

Abstract Trichohyalin, a protein contained in granules in the cells of the hair-follicle inner root sheath and in the medulla of the hair shaft, has been purified previously from sheep hair bulbs and is also a major protein of filiform papillae of tongue epithelium. Polyclonal affinity-purified antibodies and a monoclonal antibody raised to purified pig tongue trichohyalin both stained the inner root sheath of hair follicles and the medulla of hair fibers and identified human trichohyalin as a single 220-kDa band on immunoblots of human hair bulb proteins. These antibodies were used to examine human epidermis by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. The antibodies decorate granules in cells in the granular layer and stratum corneum of non-hair-bearing human skin, and immunoblots identify a protein in epidermis comigrating with trichohyalin from human hair and human tongue epithelium. Absorption of antibody to trichohyalin on a trichohyalin affinity column abrogated staining of the epidermis and the bands on the immunoblots. Trypsin-separated epidermis contained 220 and 160 kDa bands identified as trichohyalin, but epidermis shaved from skin and quickly frozen showed only a single 220-kDa band, indicating that the 160-kDa protein was generated by proteolysis. Double immunofluorescence for trichohyalin and filaggrin showed that some cells containing filaggrin also contain trichohyalin. These studies show that trichohyalin is not limited to hair and tongue but is present in isolated cells in the granular layer and stratum corneum of normal epidermis.
Multiphonon up-pumping and molecular hot spots in superheated polymers studied by ultrafast optical calorimetry

Abstract Ultrafast temperature jump experiments (ΔT = 140°C, dT/dt = 1012 deg/s) are performed on polymers doped with small concentrations of dyes which function as point sources of phonons (molecular heaters) and thermometers. Internal conversion, multiphonon up-pumping and vibrational cooling of dyes in the polymer, occurring on the 0.1 to 100 ps time scale, are investigated.
Dissolution kinetics in micellar solutions under nonsink conditions

It is shown that dissolution from constant-surface pellets into micellar solutions follows first-order kinetics in agreement with theory. A method to determine the apparent zero-order rate constant for dissolution from constant-surface preparations, which does not require maintenance of sink conditions, is suggested. Theoretical considerations and experimental data are presented to show that the difference between the dissolution rate of a drug in micellar solution and its dissolution rate in water does not represent the hypothetical dissolution rate of drug into the micellar pseudo phase.
The effects of POWERSOURCE© assessments on middle-school students’ math performance

This paper describes results from field testing of middle-school math formative assessments alongside professional development and instructional resources. We employed a randomised, controlled design to address the question: Does using our formative assessment strategies improve student performance on assessments of key mathematical ideas relative to a comparison group? This study also provided data on the instructional sensitivity of the assessments, which is part of the validation needed for formative assessments. Teachers were recruited from two districts and seven middle schools. Nineteen treatment and 17 comparison group teachers and their students were included in study analyses. Scores on extended response and short-answer questions indicated that students in the treatment group performed better than students in the comparison group who received the formative assessments alone. These findings demonstrate both the feasibility and value of including performance task-types in a brief assessment context.
Deliberation, evaluation, and democracy

The field has not fully addressed the challenges to the pragmatic use of democratic evaluation.
Role of a Fur homolog in iron metabolism in Nitrosomonas europaea

In response to environmental iron concentrations, many bacteria coordinately regulate transcription of genes involved in iron acquisition via the ferric uptake regulation (Fur) system. The genome of Nitrosomonas europaea, an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium, carries three genes (NE0616, NE0730 and NE1722) encoding proteins belonging to Fur family. Of the three N. europaea fur homologs, only the Fur homolog encoded by gene NE0616 complemented the Escherichia coli H1780 fur mutant. A N. europaea fur:kanP mutant strain was created by insertion of kanamycin-resistance cassette in the promoter region of NE0616 fur homolog. The total cellular iron contents of the fur:kanP mutant strain increased by 1.5-fold compared to wild type when grown in Fe-replete media. Relative to the wild type, the fur:kanP mutant exhibited increased sensitivity to iron at or above 500 μM concentrations. Unlike the wild type, the fur:kanP mutant was capable of utilizing iron-bound ferrioxamine without any lag phase and showed over expression of several outer membrane TonB-dependent receptor proteins irrespective of Fe availability. Our studies have clearly indicated a role in Fe regulation by the Fur protein encoded by N. europaea NE0616 gene. Additional studies are required to fully delineate role of this fur homolog.
Peridynamic modeling of concrete structures

Abstract The peridynamic model described in Silling (Silling, S.A., 1998. Reformation of Elasticity Theory for Discontinuous and Long-Range Forces, SAND98-2176. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM), being a central-force model, is limited to modeling materials with a Poisson's ratio of 1/4. In this paper, the peridynamic model is generalized by adding pairwise peridynamic moments to simulate linear elastic materials with varying Poisson's ratios. The new model is called the “micropolar peridynamic model”. The micropolar peridynamic model is placed within a finite element context to enable efficacious application of boundary conditions and efficient computational solutions using an implicit, rather than an explicit solution algorithm. The implicit solution algorithm is suitable for quasistatic simulation of damage and cracking in concrete structures. With this new model, very simple tensile damage mechanisms at the micro structural (peridynamic) level are sufficient to explain a great deal of the microcracking (damage) and fracture mechanics observed in concrete structures. The new implementation appears to be computationally efficient.
Virial equation of state of helium, xenon, and helium-xenon mixtures from speed-of-sound and burnettPρT measurements

The virial equation of state was determined for helium, xenon, and helium-xenon mixtures for the pressure and temperature ranges 0.5 to 5 MPa and 210 to 400 K. Two independent experimental techniques were employed: BurnettPρT measurements and speed-of-sound measurements. The temperature-dependent second and third density virial coefficients for pure xenon and the second and third interaction density virial coefficients for helium-xenon mixtures were determined. The present density virial equations of state for xenon and helium-xenon mixtures reproduce the speed-of-sound data within 0.01% and thePρT data within 0.02% of the pressures. All the results for helium are consistent, within experimental errors, with recent ab initio calculations, confirming the accuracy of the experimental techniques.
In search of relevant and credible physical fitness standards for children.

(1992). In Search of Relevant and Credible Physical Fitness Standards for Children. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport: Vol. 63, No. 2, pp. 112-119.
A randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of an interactive mobile messaging intervention for underserved smokers: Project ACTION

Despite a significant decrease in smoking prevalence over the past ten years, cigarette smoking still represents the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States. Moreover, smoking prevalence is significantly higher among those with low levels of education and those living at, or below, the poverty level. These groups tend to be confronted with significant barriers to utilizing more traditional smoking cessation intervention approaches. The purpose of the study, Project ACTION (Adult smoking Cessation Treatment through Innovative Outreach to Neighborhoods), is to utilize a mobile clinic model, a network of community sites (i.e., community centers and churches) and an interactive mobile messaging system to reach and deliver smoking cessation treatment to underserved, low-income communities. We are using a group-randomized design, with the community site as the sampling unit, to compare the efficacy of three smoking cessation interventions: 1) Standard Care - brief advice to quit smoking, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and self-help materials; 2) Enhanced Care - standard care components plus a cell phone-delivered text/graphical messaging component; and 3) Intensive Care - enhanced care components plus a series of 11 cell phone-delivered proactive counseling sessions. An economic evaluation will also be performed to evaluate the relative cost effectiveness of the three treatment approaches. We will recruit 756 participants (252 participants in each of the 3 intervention groups). At the time of randomization, participants complete a baseline assessment, consisting of smoking history, socio-demographic, and psychosocial variables. Monthly cell phone assessments are conducted for 6 months-post enrollment, and a final 12-month follow-up is conducted at the original neighborhood site of enrollment. We will perform mixed-model logistic regression to compare the efficacy of the three smoking cessation intervention treatment groups. It is hypothesized that the intensive care approach will most successfully address the needs of the target population and result in the highest smoking cessation rates. In addition to increasing cessation rates, the intervention offers several features (including neighborhood outreach and use of mHealth technology) that are likely to reduce treatment barriers while enhancing participant engagement and retention to treatment. This randomized controlled trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT00948129.
The moderating role of the price frame on the effects of price range and the number of Competitors on consumers’ search intentions

The Internet and Internet shopping agents (ISAs) are likely to have a substantial impact on the way consumers shop and conduct price searches. This article examines how the price frame (the relative position of a retailer’s price presented by ISAs) moderates the effects of the price range and the number of competitors carrying a product on consumers’ search intentions. Building on prospect theory and range theory, the authors predicted that the effects of price range and the number of competitors on consumers’ search intentions would be more pronounced in a negative price frame than in a positive price frame. The results of two experiments provide support for these predictions.
TU‐EE‐A3‐03: On‐Board Four‐Dimensional Digital Tomosynthesis (4D‐DTS): Optimization of Respiratory Motion Dependent Acquisition and Reconstruction Parameters

Purpose: Amplitude and period of respiratory motion vary among patients. For four‐dimensional digital tomosynthesis (4D‐DTS), the frequency of projection acquisition and the phase window must be optimized based on respiratory motion. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate optimization of these parameters. Method and Materials: Experiments were performed to demonstrate optimization of projection acquisition frequency and phase window based on respiratory motion characteristics. Projection images of a CIRS Dynamic Thorax Phantom were acquired using an on‐board imager (OBI) mounted on a clinical accelerator. The trajectory of a radiopaque marker attached to the phantom was monitored in projection space and used to assign phases to and sort projections for 4D‐DTS reconstructions. 4D‐DTS images were reconstructed for motion profiles ranging in superior‐inferior amplitude from 10–40‐mm and ranging in period from 3.5–7‐sec. DTS images for each profile were reconstructed from various sets of projections, simulating different projection acquisition frequencies and phase windows. Results: For a desired phase window, the frequency of projection acquisition must be optimized based on the respiratory period. If projections are acquired at too high of a frequency, many of the projections will not be used in the reconstructions, resulting in unnecessary imaging dose. If projections are acquired at too low of a frequency, 4D‐DTS images can be reconstructed with missing projections or with larger phase windows. The effect of reconstructing with missing projections is minor if the fraction of missing projections is small. As the number of missing projections increases, vertical streaking artifacts appear in the images.Conclusion: This work is part of a feasibility analysis for 4D‐DTS imaging. It establishes relationships between optimal projection acquisition frequency, phase window and respiratory motion characteristics. Projection acquisition frequency based on respiratory period was derived and demonstrated. Conflict of Interest: Research sponsored by Varian.
Supply and flux of sediment along hydrological pathways: research for the 21st century

Abstract It has become increasingly difficult to assess the impact of changes in the sediment flux to the coastal zone because of the conflicting impacts of humans. Globally, soil erosion is accelerating (e.g., deforestation, some agriculture practices), while at the same time sediment flux to the coastal zone is globally decelerating (e.g., water diversion schemes, dams). Reduced loads delivered to the coastal zone result in an accelerated coastal erosion and a decrease in habitat. The reduction of the seasonal flood waves also means that sediment is dispersed over smaller areas of the continental margin. One of the great challenges facing hydrologists, with regard to our understanding of anthropogenic versus climate-change impacts on the hydrological cycle, is the quality and duration coverage of hydrological data, particularly on pristine rivers. For many rivers, the length of hydrological coverage is measured in years rather than decades, with no rivers with reliable observations across centuries. In other words, if a river's discharge is monitored during periods where the impacts of humans or nature produce a long-term trend, then the return-interval concept for floods and droughts, for instance, becomes meaningless. In addition, river systems are conditioned by events that are largely prehistorical. Forensic studies of paleoriver systems provide us with some ability to assess and discern the impacts of humans versus climate.
Policymaking in the American States Examining Institutional Variables from a Subsystems Perspective

This article examines the policymaking roles and interactions of governors, legislators, administrators, and lobbyists in state politics. It analyzes their policy involvement in terms of whether they fit a conceptual model of subsystem politics. These data are compared to various policy outcome measures of four state governments in the issue area of aging; Florida, Iowa, Michigan, and New Jersey. While the policy data from some states is suggestive of those results postulated in subsystem theory, the patterns of institutional involvement and interaction vary widely. All, however, suggest more clustered, rather than encompassing, patterns of influence and participation within this policy area.