cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Schwann Cells: An in Vitro Perspective

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a detailed survey of the in vitro tools that have become available for the investigation of Schwann cells. Satellite and Schwann cells spend most of their developmental life in close physical contact with the neuron. This topographical feature has been examined in great detail using histological and ultrastructural techniques and has prompted a firm belief that biochemical and functional interactions must parallel the physical associations. The most conspicuous Schwann–neuron interaction is the generation of myelin around certain axons; the formation, maintenance, breakdown, and restoration of myelin have been extensively investigated in vivo . The complex relationship between Schwann cells and the neuronal membrane strongly implies that these other roles are of critical importance to normal peripheral nervous system (PNS) function. This chapter discusses the main points derived from the in vivo studies of normal and pathological situations. The chapter presents the review of several culture systems that permit an analysis of (1) Schwann cell properties and their modulation under different culture environments and (2) Schwann cell–neurite interactions and the consequences resulting from them for both glial and neuronal partners.
Penetration, Binding and Target Insensitivity as Causes of Resistance to Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Insecticides

In the past 20 years scientists have worked hard to understand the biochemical basis of insecticide resistance in insect and acarine species, and in many instances, enough evidence has accumulated to offer some rational judgments on the cause of such resistance.
Measurement Errors in Census Counts and Estimates of Intercensal Net Migration

The authors present a method for generating confidence intervals around estimates of intercensal net migration made using the life table survival method that incorporate estimates of census measurement errors. The life table survival method applies a life table to a census count to project survivors at some past or future time points. Net migration is then estimated as the difference between the projected number of survivors and the enumerated population at that time. The authors present confidence intervals based on mean square error the sum of the variance and squared bias. It is assumed that random variation in the number of net migrants in an age-sex group is due to random variation in mortality rates and to measurement errors in census counts. The authors illustrate the technique using data from a small area in Alaska. (authors)
Channel cross talk in wavelength multiplexed subcarrier systems due to Kerr shutter fiber nonlinearity

Summary form only given. Recent experiments showed that there exists severe channel cross talk in 1.3 /spl mu/m wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) subcarrier-multiplexed (SCM) CATV systems with 16-nm channel spacing. We measured channel cross talk for 2-16-nm channel spacings in 1.5-/spl mu/m WDM SCM systems using erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs). The cross talk at channel spacings is explained by the Kerr-shutter effect.
Human lower esophageal sphincter responses to synthetic human gastrins 34 (G-34) and 17 (G-17)

Abstract Gastrin is a potent stimulant of human lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), but previous studies have indicated that G-17 is not likely to be the major physiologic regulator of LESP in humans. The effects of big gastrin (G-34) on human LESP have not been reported previously. This study was conducted to determine the pharmacologic and possible physiologic effects of G-34 on LESP in normal human subjects. Equimolar rapid injections of synthetic human G-17 and G-34 in doses ranging from 6.25 to 100 pmol/kg resulted in similar dose-related increases in LESP that commenced within 2 min after injection of either peptide. After rapid intravenous injection, the threshold change in serum gastrin for stimulation of LESP was more than 100 fmol/ml for both peptides. The LESP returned to baseline within 15 min after G-17, but remained elevated for more than 45 min after G-34. The magnitude of LES responses to equal increments of G-34 was less at 30 min than at 10 min, indicating a loss of sensitivity to this peptide over time. Continuous intravenous infusion of G-34, 100 pmol · kg −1 · hr −1 , and of G-17, 200 pmol · kg −1 · hr −1 , significantly increased LESP above control values and produced similar peak responses. During G-17 and G-34 infusions, the threshold change in serum gastrin estimated to produce any increase in LESP was 30–50 fmol/ml, half maximal responses were obtained at approximately 140 fmol/ ml, and maximal responses were achieved with increases of 210–290 fmol/ml above baseline values. Intragastric instillation of 10% peptone resulted in a mean peak increase in total gastrin of 58 fmol/ml, well below the change in serum gastrin necessary for half maximal LESP responses. Neither the peptone meal nor the control saline meal produced a significant increase in LESP in these subjects. It is concluded that: (a) circulating G-17 and G-34 have similar potency for stimulation of human LESP, (b) the total change in serum G-17 and G-34 after a peptone meal approached the threshold stimulation of LESP for these forms of gastrin but was accompanied by no significant increase in LESP, and (c) G-17 and G-34 are not likely to be physiologic regulators of the human LES.
Media (Non)Conformity to Executive Framing: The Conditions Under Which Media Transmit the President's Framing of Foreign Policy Crises

Presidents have strong incentives to control how foreign policy issues are framed by the media and understood by the public. Yet the White House has little control over whether media pick up the President’s frame. In this paper, we examine the conditions under which the media adhere (and do not adhere) to executive framing of foreign policy crises in the case of the war on terror. We argue that the propensity for media outlets to broadcast the President’s portrayal of a crisis issue varies as a function of four key variables: 1) the type of frame the President uses, 2) real-world cues, 3) public opinion, and 4) time. We test our hypotheses using data collected by content analyzing presidential papers, New York Times articles, and Wall Street Journal abstracts pertinent to the war (2001-2006) and then use time series and duration analyses to model media framing. One thing we find is that, as time moves on, dominant media frames become increasingly susceptible to overhaul. Unless the President reframes the issue, the media will find new ways of framing it — often at the President’s expense. We believe these dynamics have important implications for the making, and selling, of foreign policy.
Violence Policy Center's Concealed Carry Killers: Less Than It Appears

An analysis of the Violence Policy Center's Concealed Carry Killers database to determine if it accurately represents the risks that shall-issue concealed weapon license laws represent to public safety.
FT-MPI: Fault Tolerant MPI, Supporting Dynamic Applications in a Dynamic World

Initial versions of MPI were designed to work efficiently on multiprocessors which had very little job control and thus static process models, subsequently forcing them to support dynamic process operations would have effected their performance. As current HPC systems increase in size with higher potential levels of individual node failure, the need rises for new fault tolerant systems to be developed. Here we present a new implementation of MPI called FT-MPI that allows the semantics and associated failure modes to be completely controlled by the application. Given is an overview of the FT-MPI semantics, design and some performance issues as well as the HARNESS g_hcore implementation it is built upon.
Estimating total horizontal aeolian flux within shrub‐invaded groundwater‐dependent meadows using empirical and mechanistic models

[1] Wind erosion is a significant environmental problem that removes soil resources from sensitive ecosystems and contributes to air pollution. In regions of shallow groundwater, friable (puffy) soils are maintained through capillary action, surface evaporation of solute-rich soil moisture, and protection from mobilization by groundwater-dependent grasses and shrubs. When a reduction in vegetation cover occurs through any disturbance process, there is potential for aeolian transport and dust emission. We find that as mean gap size between vegetation elements scaled by vegetation height increases, total horizontal aeolian sediment flux increases and explains 58% of the variation in total horizontal aeolian sediment flux. We also test a probabilistic model of wind erosion based on gap size between vegetation elements scaled by vegetation height (the Okin model), which predicts measured total horizontal aeolian sediment flux more closely than another commonly used model based on the average plant area observed in profile (Raupach model). The threshold shear velocity of bare soil appears to increase as gap size between vegetation elements scaled by vegetation height increases, reflecting either surface armoring or reduced interaction between the groundwater capillary zone and surface sediments. This work advances understanding of the importance of measuring gap size between vegetation elements scaled by vegetation height for empirically estimating Q and for structuring process-based models of desert wind erosion in groundwater-dependent vegetation.
Understanding the suicidal moment in adolescence

Suicide attempts are more common in adolescence than in any other time in life, despite the low prevalence of actual suicide deaths among adolescents. Studies of adolescent suicide risk tend to focus on factors such as psychiatric diagnosis--particularly depression--and history of previous suicide attempts in predicting risk of future suicidal behavior. However, given that a large number of adolescent suicides are first-time attempts, understanding the circumstances that precede suicide attempts--including the nature of suicidal ideation and of the cognitive and emotional responses that precede ideation--is a critical part of preventing a potentially lethal attempt. We review the psychological precipitants that may inform how suicidal thoughts are transferred into action and examine the risk conferred by having a history of previous suicide attempts and ideation.
The patient's perspective on stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) vs. surgery for treatment of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Abstract Objectives We investigated the patient's perspective on SBRT for treatment of stage I NSCLC and compared the patient's perspective of SBRT to that of surgery. Materials and methods IRB approval was obtained to contact patients who had received SBRT for stage I NSCLCs. Patients were asked questions inquiring into their knowledge of SBRT and how their SBRT experience compared to their original expectations. Patients who had undergone prior surgery for a previously diagnosed stage I NSCLC were asked questions comparing their experience between SBRT and surgery. Frequencies of these reported measures were calculated and analysis was done using Fisher's exact test. Results 102 patients were contacted with 91 (89%) participating. Among all patients, prior to their radiation oncology consultation, 56% had no knowledge of SBRT and 58% believed SBRT to be as effective as resection. After consultation, 98.9% did not believe they were getting an inferior treatment with SBRT. 92.3% of patients reported less side effects, 59.3% reported SBRT to be more convenient and 87.9% reported SBRT to be less anxiety provoking than compared to their original expectations. Among patients with prior lung surgery (N = 39), compared to surgery, 100% reported an easier recovery, less treatment related anxiety and less caregiver strain with SBRT. Overall, 79.5% were more satisfied with SBRT than surgery and 89.7% would have rather had SBRT than surgery as it was performed for their prior NSCLC. Conclusion Actual experiences with SBRT are overwhelmingly superior compared to patient expectations. Patients with prior lung surgery reported significantly more satisfaction with SBRT.
Procedure for hydraulic oil heat exchanger performance improvement through integrated CFD analysis

Present and future constraints on the layout of hydraulic circuits onboard mobile machinery will require more and more compact components with improved efficiency. The need to use IC engines complying with new standards on emissions will introduce new components into the engine hood, like Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), Dust Particulate Filter (DPF) and more, reducing the space available for components where traditionally the ratio between dimension and performance was not considered a ‘hard boundary’ to the design space. One of the components of the hydraulic circuit affected by the general tendency to an increase of the operating temperatures due to the new-generation engines introduction is the heat exchanger. The need to design properly tailored, efficient and compact heat exchangers is therefore one of the first priority targets in machine design. Accurate and reliable estimate of the performance at the design stage is a priority as well.This paper shows how the ...
Electrokinetic separation of lysine and aspartic acid using polypyrrole-coated stacked membrane system

Abstract To reduce the electrical energy consumed in electrokinetic separation processes, a stacked membrane system composed of two polypyrrole (PPy)-coated porous membranes and a microporous polycarbonate filter (PCTE) has been suggested. In this PPy/PCTE/PPy membrane system, the outer two PPy membranes provide working electrodes for the migration of ions through the PCTE pores. Since the spacing between the two PPy membrane electrodes is only the thickness of the PCTE membrane, a strong electric field can be obtained by a small potential difference between the electrodes. Using this electrokinetic separation system, positively charged l -lysine (Lys) and negatively charged l -aspartic acid (Asp) are separated from their binary mixture at pH 4.7. For the efficient separation of both ions, the operation is carried out in a continuous and cyclic mode. The effects of potential difference on separation performance are investigated by varying the electric potential from ±1 to ±5 V. A higher potential difference results in a better separation. The key parameters determining the optimal experimental conditions are the electrokinetic migration and the pressure-driven convection rate of ions.
An open‐label trial of rituximab (Rituxan®) in multifocal motor neuropathy

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is an acquired demyelinating motor neuropathy. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been found to be safe and effective. Rituximab, a genetically engineered monoclonal antibody against CD-20 antigen, has been reported effective in immune disorders including MMN. We performed an open-label trial to determine if rituximab would reduce the IVIg requirement, disability, and impairment, and be safe in patients with MMN. Six MMN patients, who were on periodic IVIg treatments, received two doses of IV rituximab (1,000 mg) given 2 weeks later. Assessments were performed at baseline and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months. The primary outcome was total amount of IVIg used during the 12-month study compared to the 12 months prior. Secondary outcomes included changes in Medical Research Council (MRC) sum scores, grip strength, disability and handicap scores, and safety. There was no significant change in IVIg use, MRC sum score, grip strength, overall disability sum score, or Rotterdam handicap scale. One patient developed a hypersensitivity reaction during the first infusion that responded to adjustments in the infusion rate and treatment with diphenhydramine and acetaminophen. We conclude that rituximab can be safely given to people with MMN but in this pilot study we were unable to reduce the amount of IVIg required, at least in the regimen used.
Myocellular creatine and creatine transporter serine phosphorylation after starvation.

Background. Myocellular creatine, which is critically important for normal energy metabolism, increases in rat gastrocnemius muscle after starvation via unknown mechanisms. Creatine (Cr) uptake across plasma membranes is governed by a single, specific transporter (CrTr) that shares 50% amino acid sequence identity with GABA/choline/betaine transporters whose functions are modulated by phosphorylation. Methods. Gastrocnemius muscle was collected from adult male Sprague-Dawley (225-250 g) rats that were randomized to receive normal rat chow and distilled water ad libitum (CTL) or distilled water alone for 4 days (STV). Total Cr, phosphocreatine (PCr), free Cr, and ATP were measured luminometrically. CrTr protein expression and protein serine and tyrosine phosphorylation and mRNA expression were determined using immunoprecipitation and quantitative Western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses, respectively. Guanidino-acetate methyltransferase (GAMT) activity, guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) content, creatine kinase (CK) activity, and creatinine (Crn) content were assayed luminometrically or spectrophotometrically. Creatine transporter uptake activity was also measured in skeletal muscle membrane vesicles. Data were analyzed by t test. Results. Total Cr and free Cr increased 26 and 280% in STV (32.3 ± 1.0 and 12.9 ± 1.4 vs 25.7 ± 1.1 and 3.4 ± 0.9 μmol/g wet wt, mean ± SEM, respectively, P < 0.01) whereas PCr content decreased 18% (18.6 ± 0.8 vs 22.8 ± 0.9 μmol/g wet wt, STV vs CTL P < 0.05). CrTr protein and mRNA expression, ATP, GAA, CK, GAMT, and protein tyrosine phosphorylation of CrTr were not significantly different between the two groups. However, protein serine phosphorylation of CrTr was significantly reduced by 30% (P < 0.05) and creatine uptake activity was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in starved animals. Conclusion. Increases in myocellular creatine content after starvation are associated with reduced serine phosphorylation of the creatine transporter.
The Xhosa cattle killing and the politics of memory

Nongawuse was a young Xhosa girl who in 1856 had a vision in which a "new people" from overseas announced to her that the ancestors were preparing themselves to return to life with new cattle. In order to prepare for their arrival, Nongqawuse was told, all the Xhosa must burn their crops and slaughter their cattle. Despite reluctance in some quarters, and initial disappointments when the ancestors failed to arrive by the prescribed date, most Xhosas did destroy their livelihood. The ancestors failed to appear. A direful spectacle ensued. Tens of thousands of people starved to death (probably about 40,000 [Peires, 1989:319]). The survivors, forced to seek assistance in the British Cape Colony, were driven into the service of the colonists. The colonial administration, under the leadership of Governor Sir George Grey (long reputed in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa for his humane treatment of "Native races"), brutally exploited the situation. The power of the Chiefs was broken and their lands seized for European settlement. In sum, the Cattle-Killing achieved clear domination for the British over a powerful African kingdom when eight costly frontier wars had been unable to. Explaining the Cattle-Killing is an historian's nightmare and an hermeneutician's dream. Everyone who knows the story it seems has a way of telling it to further some more or less political objective. The initial version of the story propagated by the colonial authorities spoke of a "Chiefs' Plot" in which the events of the Cattle-Killing were part of a scheme to attack the British. The current apartheid version of the story speaks of the "National Suicide of the Xhosa." Xhosa-speaking people in South Africa
IFN-γ production by human natural killer cells in response to HCV-infected hepatoma cells is dependent on accessory cells

Background & Aims Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), a cytokine produced by activated natural killer cells (NK) and T lymphocytes, is an important regulator of innate and adaptive immunity during hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the cellular sources and mechanisms of IFN-γ induction in HCV-infection are not fully understood. Methods We cultured normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with different populations of immune cells and JFH-1 HCV-infected HuH7.5 (JFH-1/HuH7.5) cells. Results We found that PBMCs produced large amounts of IFN-γ after co-culture with JFH-1/HuH7.5 cells. Using intracellular cytokine staining, we confirmed that NK cells and NKT cells (to a lesser extent) were the major IFN-γ producers within PBMCs. Purified NK/NKT cells did not produce IFN-γ in response to JFH-1/HuH7.5 cells and depletion of accessory (HLA-DR + ) cells prevented IFN-γ induction in PBMCs. Through selective cell depletion of dendritic cells or monocytes from PBMCs, we determined that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) were indispensable for NK-IFN-γ induction and the presence of monocytes was needed for maximal NK-IFN-γ induction. We further revealed that NK-IFN-γ induction depended on pDC-derived IFN-α while other IFN-γ inducing cytokines, IL-12, and IL-18, played minimal roles. Close contact between JFH-1/HuH7.5 cells and NK cells was required for IFN-γ production and monocyte-derived IL-15 significantly augmented IFN-γ induction. Conclusions We discovered a novel mechanism where NK cells interact with pDCs and monocytes, efficiently producing IFN-γ in response to HCV-infected cells. This indicates that co-operation between NK cells and accessory cells is critical for IFN-γ production and regulation of immunity during HCV infection.
Serum creatine kinase (ck) activity following exposure to cadmium and/or 60CO gamma irradiation

Abstract Two hundred and sixteen young adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats, 80+5 days old, and each weighing approximately 220–250 gm, were injected IP every 3 days for 29 days for a total of 9 injections with 0, 1.0, or 2.5 mg CdCl2/kg body weight. Total cumulative doses were 0, 9.0 or 22.5 mg CdCl2/kg body weight. Twenty‐four hours after the last cadmium injection (day 30), each rat was irradiated with a total‐body exposure of 0, 3.62, or 5.43 Gray of gamma (60CO) radiation at a dose rate of 3.04 Gray/min. Eight rats from each of the 9 groups were sacrificed on day 1, 7, or 21. Highest levels of the creatine kinase enzyme were seen in radiation groups at day 1, indicating an immediate radiotoxic response. Enzyme levels decreased through day 21 indicating clearance of the enzyme from the plasma. Although statistically significant differences between the groups, cadmium, radiation, or days were not seen, cadmium did protect against radiation. This protective function is not explainable; however, we speculate t...
Phosphorylation of NMDA NR1 subunits in the myenteric plexus during TNBS induced colitis

Abstract N-Methyl- d -aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors are known to function in the mediation of pain and have a significant role in the development of hyperalgesia following inflammation. Serine phosphorylation regulation of NMDA receptor function occurs in a variety of conditions. No studies have demonstrated a change in phosphorylation of enteric NMDA receptors following colonic inflammation. We examined the levels of NMDA NR1 phosphorylation in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) induced colitis in rats and compared it to protein translation and the development of visceral hypersensitivity. We have previously, demonstrated an increase in the C1 cassette of NR1 mRNA expression at 14, 21, and 28 days following TNBS administration. In this study, we examined the NR1 serine phosphorylation at 14 days following TNBS injection. Male Sprague–Dawley rats (200–250 g) were treated with TNBS (20 mg per rat) diluted in 50% ethanol (n = 3) and vehicle controls of 50% ethanol (n = 3). TNBS and vehicle controls were administered with a 24 gauge catheter inserted into the lumen of the rat colon. The animals were sacrificed at 14 days after induction of the colitis and their distal colon was retrieved for two-dimensional (2D) western blot analysis. Serine phosphorylation of the NR1 subunit with C1 cassette appears at 14 days after TNBS injection. In contrast, there was no NR1–C1 expression in the vehicle controls and untreated normal controls. These results suggest a role for colonic-NMDA receptor phosphorylation in the development of neuronal plasticity following colonic inflammation. Phosphorylation of NR1 may partially explain visceral hypersensitivity present during colonic inflammation.
The Development of the ADSI: Construct Validity for the Communities That Care Youth Survey

Objective: This article describes the process of factor analysis conducted upon data collected in New York State as a show of construct validity for the Social Development Model (SDM). Methods: The convenience sampling frame used for these analyses consisted of 26,781 Communities That Care Youth Surveys (CTCYS). Principal component factor analysis was run to determine the number of factors and which items factored into them from the New York State data. Results: A total of 32 factors was found in this data. This compares to the 34 factors predicted in the model. Discussion: The factors, and items within the factors, corresponded well enough to validate the theoretical framework suggested by the model. The results of this study seem to confirm the construct validity of the SDM and the CTCYS as an operationalization of that model.
Stochastic Perturbation of Parabolic Law Optical Solutions

The stochastic perturbation of optical solitons due to parabolic law nonlinearity is studied in this paper with the aid of soliton perturbation theory. The corresponding Langevin equation is derived and it is proved that the soliton propagates with a fixed mean velocity.
Low-temperature measurements of HCN broadened by N2 in the 14-μm spectral region

Abstract Half-width and pressure-induced shift coefficients; the temperature-dependence exponents of the half-widths and the temperature-dependence coefficients of pressure-induced shifts have been measured for N2-broadened transitions in the ν2 band of HCN. Line positions and intensities were also determined. A total of 34 laboratory absorption spectra, recorded at 0.002–0.005 cm−1 resolution with two different Fourier transform spectrometers, were used in the determination of the spectral line parameters. The total pressures of the HCN–N2 samples ranged from less than 1 torr up to nearly 1 atm, and temperatures were between 211 and 300 K. A multispectrum nonlinear least-squares fitting technique employing a modified Voigt line profile, including speed dependence and line mixing via the off-diagonal relaxation matrix formulation, was used in the analysis. Speed-dependence parameters were determined in the P and R branches of the ν2 band of H12C14N, and in the ν2 Q branches of H12C14N and H13C14N the off-diagonal relaxation matrix elements that characterize line mixing were included in the analysis to fit the data. Present results are compared with previous measurements reported in the literature.
Jamming-resistant rate control in Wi-Fi networks

Recent experimental studies reveal that several well-known and widely deployed rate adaptation algorithms (RAAs) in 802.11 WLANs are vulnerable to selective jamming attacks. However, previous work resorts to complex jamming strategies that are hard to implement and does not provide applicable solutions to this problem. In this work, we analyze the vulnerabilities of existing RAAs to simple jamming attacks and propose judicious use of randomization to address this problem. We introduce a theoretical framework based on a bursty periodic jamming model to analyze the vulnerabilities of popular RAAs, such as ARF and SampleRate. Our parameterized analysis shows that a jamming rate of 10% or below is sufficient to bring the throughput of these algorithms below the base rate of 1 Mb/s. Thereafter, we propose Randomized ARF (RARF), which has higher resistance to jamming attacks. We derive a closed-form lower bound on the minimum jamming rate required to keep the RARF throughput below the base rate. Finally, we conduct ns-3 simulations implementing various RAAs and jamming strategies for an IEEE 802.11g WLAN. Our simulations validate jamming strategies under different channel models and show that the minimum jamming rate required against RARF is about 33%.
Source indicators of humic substances and proto-kerogen. Stable isotope ratios, elemental compositions and electron spin resonance spectra☆

Stable isotope ratios of C, N and H, elemental compositions, and electron spin resonance (ESR) data of humic acids and proto-kerogens from twelve widely varying sampling locations are presented. Humic acids and proto-kerogens from algal sources are more aliphatic and higher in N than those from higher plant sources. Oxygen content appears to represent a measure of maturation, even in Recent sediments, and S content may reflect redox conditions in the environment of deposition. The ESR data indicate that the transformation of humic substances to proto-kerogens in Recent sediments is accompanied by an increase in aromatic character. A combination of stable carbon isotope ratio and H/C ratio may be a simple but reliable source indicator which allows differentiation of marine-derived from terrestrially-derived organic matter. The stable nitrogen isotope ratios are useful indicators of nitrogen nutrient source. Deuterium/hydrogen isotope ratios appear to reflect variations in meteoric waters and are not reliable source indicators.
Core-collapse model effects on nucleosynthesis

Abstract Although simulations of the core-collapse supernova mechanism have not yet converged on a final answer, much of the intuition gained from these simulations can change our current picture of supernova nucleosynthesis. Here we review the basic supernova explosion mechanism with an update on the current status of this mechanism. We then discuss, how this picture leads to changes in the current calculations of nucleosynthetic yields from these outbursts. The behavior of the electron fraction, mixing and explosion energy (as a function of mass) are quite different, than the assumptions used in many nucleosynthesis calculations, and we will focus on these issues.
Source identification of atmospheric PCBs in Philadelphia/Camden using positive matrix factorization followed by the potential source contribution function

Abstract The concentrations of gas-phase polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the atmosphere of the Camden, NJ, USA are elevated by as much as 20 times over regional background. These high PCB levels are a concern because they lead to atmospheric deposition loadings of PCBs to the tidal Delaware River that exceed the entire total maximum daily load (TMDL). Two models were applied to the atmospheric PCB concentration data from Camden in an attempt to identify the PCB source types and regions. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to identify the source types. Four factors were identified which are thought to represent sources such as volatilized Aroclors and particle-phase PCBs. The potential source contribution function (PSCF) model was then used to identify the geographic source regions by examining the origination points for air parcels that result in high PCB concentrations at the Camden receptor site. The PSCF model for ΣPCBs indicates PCB source regions throughout the Philadelphia–Camden metro area, including portions of both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The PSCF plots for the resolved PMF factors suggest that factors 1–4 show fewer distinct source regions, indicating that their sources are diffuse and/or lie very close to the receptor site. The PSCF plots for factors 2 and 3 reveal very different source regions. Factor 2 primarily arises from the city of Philadelphia, whereas factor 3 originates in southern New Jersey and south of Philadelphia. This study demonstrates the utility of the combined PMF/PSCF approach in identifying atmospheric PCB source types and regions.
Soluble, polymeric 5-(p-nitrophenyl)- and 5-(p-methylphenyl)tetrazolate complexes of Co(II) and Ni(II)

Abstract The synthesis and characterization of three additional members of a unique family of soluble, rigid rod-like polymers containing first transition series metals and 5-phenyltetrazolate (T − ) or substituted 5-phenyltetrazolates (RT − ) are reported. Viscometric, spectrophotometric, titrimetric, electrophoretic and heat sensitivity data indicate that the formulas of the new species are [Ni( p -NO 2 T) 3 −] n , [Ni( p -CH 3 T) 3 − ] n and [Co( p -CH 3 T) 2 (H 2 O)(OH) − ] n . The fact that Cu 2+ does not form such polymers is also reported. Elec- trophoretic measurements show that the Co 2+ /T − polymer is anionic rather than neutral as previously proposed. A systematic viscosity study of all the polymers indicates that their intrinsic viscosities are comparable. The results suggest that triple bridging between metal ions is characteristic of these complexes.
Youth’s Negative Self-Statements as Related to Social Self-Efficacy Among Differing Relationships

Cognitive variables are often neglected in child and adolescent populations despite their roles in the development and maintenance of psychopathology. Furthermore, the importance of examining these variables contextually is underestimated. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between two theoretically related cognitive variables in a contextually relevant fashion by proposing several models demonstrating the association between negative self-statements and social self-efficacy holistically and among differing relationships (i.e., peers, adults, strangers) using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. As part of a larger study, 126 participants (ages from 11 to 14 years) were recruited for participation from the middle school grades. Participants’ parents were contacted for informed consent, and subsequently, participants were asked to fill out a set of measures in assembly format. Results indicated that the structural model was well-fitted to the data. Specifically, the frequency of negative self-statements was found to indicate the amount of social self-efficacy present with more negative self-statements being associated with less social self-efficacy. Further, when examined among differing relationships via path analysis, the frequency of negative self-statements was found to be indicative of the social self-self efficacy with peers and adults, but not with strangers. These findings provide useful information concerning cognitive trends, which are likely relevant for the enhancement of treatment processes in children and adolescents. Implications and recommendations are discussed.
Virtual Measures: A Variance Reduction Technique for Simulation

A variance reduction technique is presented that is effective when the system characteristic to be estimated is strongly influenced by rare events. Applications to simulations of a simple inventory system and of the New York City Fire Department, where the rare events are back orders and serious fires respectively, are described. In these simulations, virtual measures reduced computer time needed to achieve a given statistical reliability to 1/2 to 1/20 of that needed with the usual direct estimators. Relationships to other variance reduction techniques are indicated.
Diagnosing gastrointestinal malignancies.

Objectives To provide an overview of imaging studies that can be used to help diagnose gastrointestinal malignancies and a brief description of tumor markers specific for these cancers. Data Sources Published professional articles, textbooks, and clinical procedural manuals. Conclusions Diagnosing gastrointestinal malignancies can be problematic due to the relative lack of signs and symptoms, especially early in the disease process. While clinical suspicion may lead to a tentative diagnosis, imaging studies and tumor markers can provide confirmation of the suspected malignancy. Implications for nursing practice An understanding of the requirements of imaging studies and tumor markers will allow for better preparation of the patient by the nurse for the test and can assist the nurse in helping the patient understand the need for and results of the diagnostic work-up.
Late Holocene Marsh Expansion in Southern San Francisco Bay, California

Currently, the largest tidal wetlands restoration project on the US Pacific Coast is being planned and implemented in southern San Francisco Bay; however, knowledge of baseline conditions of salt marsh extent in the region prior to European settlement is limited. Here, analysis of 24 sediment cores collected from ten intact southern San Francisco Bay tidal marshes were used to reconstruct spatio-temporal patterns of marsh expansion to provide historic context for current restoration efforts. A process-based marsh elevation simulation model was used to identify interactions between sediment supply, sea-level rise, and marsh formation rates. A distinct age gradient was found: expansion of marshes in the central portion of southern San Francisco Bay dated to 500 to 1500 calendar years before present, while expansion of marshes in southernmost San Francisco Bay dated to 200 to 700 calendar years before present. Thus, much of the tidal marsh area mapped by US Coast Survey during the 1853–1857 period were in fact not primeval tidal marshes that had persisted for millennia but were recently formed landscapes. Marsh expansion increased during the Little Ice Age, when freshwater inflow and sediment influx were higher than during the previous millennium, and also during settlement, when land use changes, such as introduction of livestock, increased watershed erosion, and sediment delivery.
Negative ion postsource decay time-of-flight mass spectrometry of peptides containing acidic amino acid residues.

Acidic peptides have been studied by negative ion postsource decay (PSD) matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The peptides contained from 5 to 16 residues and were chosen on the basis of their patterns of the acidic residues. Using typical MALDI sample preparation techniques employing an acidic matrix, gastrin I (1−14), and epidermal mitosis inhibiting pentapeptide yielded much larger deprotonated ion signals, [M − H]-, than protonated ions, [M + H]+. This may be due to their absence of basic residues, coupled with their arrays of acidic residues. The PSD fragmentation of the peptide negative ions showed that an array of acidic residues, as in gastrin I (1−14), yielded simple spectra containing mainly backbone cleavage ions from the C-terminus. Hirudin (54−65), which contains two sets of two consecutive Glu residues, and fibrinopeptide A and fibrinopeptide B, with isolated acidic residues, also showed backbone cleavages as common fragment ions. In addit...
A universal system of electrode placement for electrocardiography and spatial vectorcardiography.

Abstract A method of placing six electrodes is described for recording a wide variety of electrocardiographic leads and, with the use of a seventh electrode as a ground, for obtaining three approximately orthogonal leads for vectorcardiographic purposes. The detailed circuitry of a switching box for such recording is given.
The Sound [sans] the Fury”: The efficacy of SoundCloud Audio feedback in the writing classroom

This study reports on student perceptions of the use of SoundCloud, a web-based, audio recording application, for instructor-student feedback and peer-peer feedback. Results from self-report survey data indicate positive reactions to SoundCloud feedback from their instructors as well as their peers. Implications of these results are presented, including student comprehension of their evaluations, as well as their sense of community. This study responds to the importance of improving current educational practices in ways that engage students, as well as the need to test the potential of new technologies.
Underreporting of anaphylaxis in a community emergency room

Little is known about the epidemiology of anaphylaxis. In a retrospective study of all cases of anaphylactic shock occurring in a hospital catchment area of 48,000 persons during a 13-year period, 20 cases were documented, resulting in an incidence of 3.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year. ~ Other reports have focused on specific agents, such as penicillin and insect venom. 2, 3 Such incidence studies are complicated by several factors: (1) small and selected patient groups are usually analyzed; (2) definitions of anaphylaxis are variable and do not differentiate between only mucocutaneous signs and the added presence of cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal signs or symptoms; and (3) the number of undiagnosed or false-negative cases based on the definition used cannot be determined. To better estimate the occurrence of anaphylaxis, an analysis Of emergency room records of all patients in a defined catchment area over a 4-month period was conducted.
The Academy's Agenda for Improving the Safety of Medication Use: Report of the 2006-2007 Argus Commission

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Argus Commission comprises the five immediate past presidents of the Association. This Commission is named for a mythological being attributed to be all-seeing. These leaders serve the Association to scan the environment and interpret implications for policy and action. The Commission also convenes at the request of the standing AACP president to offer their views and analysis on focused areas. AACP 2006-07 President Marilyn Speedie asked the Argus Commission to review and discuss the most recent report in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Quality Chasm Series: Preventing Medication Errors.1 The Argus Commission specifically was charged to analyze the report and discern the implications of the report's recommendations on the Association and its member institutions. Given the impact that the Quality Chasm Series has had on healthcare policy and education, it is imperative that the academy is prepared to take a leadership role in responding to the call for action on the safety of medication use. Pharmacy education recognized the need for more proactive medication management over a decade ago and has completed the process of transitioning all pharmacy graduates to professional education at the doctoral level. Doctor of Pharmacy degree program accreditation standards2 adopted in January 2006 and implemented July 1, 2007 fully embrace the five core competencies articulated in the IOM report, Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality. Specifically, all health professionals should be educated to provide patient-centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team, emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality improvement and using informatics.3
Remembering one's ID/E-ntity: E/ID protein regulation of T cell memory.

Upon infection, CD8+ T cells proliferate and differentiate into armed effector cells capable of eliminating the assaulting pathogen. Although the majority of the antigen-specific T cells will die as the immune response wanes, a few will survive indefinitely to establish the memory population and provide long-lived protection against reinfection. E protein transcription factors and their inhibitors, ID proteins, operate to balance expression of genes that control CD8+ T cell differentiation through this process. Here, we discuss the role of ID2 and ID3 in promoting the generation and survival of effector and memory populations, particularly highlighting their reciprocal roles in shaping the CD8+ T cell response unique to the inflammatory milieu. We further examine this coordinated control of gene expression in the context of additional transcription factors within the transcriptional network that programs CD8+ effector and memory T cell differentiation.
Distinct quasiperiodic modes with like symmetry in a rotating fluid

The study of temporally quasiperiodic fluid flows has focused primarily on their space-time symmetries, with less attention paid to the physical characteristics of the unstable modes. In systems with circular symmetry, such as Couette-Taylor flow in which fluid is confined between concentric rotating cylinders, generically' one finds bifurcations from temporally periodic rotating waves to quasiperiodic modulated waves. Mathematically, the transition is characterized by the change in the symmetry group that leaves the flow invariant. The question of whether there may be physically diff'erent modes that have the same symmetry has not been previously addressed. The existence of qualitatively diAerent modes with the same space-time symmetry is common in fluid dynamics, but is often overlooked in hydrodynamic stability theory. This multiplicity can have important consequences for the dynamics, and possibly the transition to chaos, in this system. In this paper, we demonstrate the existence of two distinct quasiperiodic Couette-Taylor modes, describe their structure, and discuss the implications of their coexistence over a certain parameter range. We begin by using Floquet theory to derive the unique functional form for quasiperiodic solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations. We then present results from numerical simulations illustrating the two quasiperiodic flows and results from the experiments corroborating the numerical observations. We end with a discussion of how these modes may be used to derive from the Navier-Stokes equation a low-dimensional spectral truncation that can be quantitatively compared with full numerical simulations. Linearization of the Navier-Stokes equations around the rotating-wave state gives a Floquet system, linear equations with coefficients that are periodic in p — c~t, where ct is the angular phase speed of the wave. (We nondimensionalize by setting the inner cylinder speed, the gap width, and the density equal to 1.) If we assume that the bifurcation to quasiperiodic flow preserves the axial periodicity, and that axially traveling modes do not occur, the linear Floquet modes will have the form ij m 1 (ttt — c I t ) ikm2(p — c21 )
Global Business, Transportation, Trade, and the Concept of Unacceptable Danger

Abstract The purpose of security is to ward off unacceptable danger. Narrowed in translation to cargo security, it means to keep the goods, merchandise, or passengers transported in domestic and international commerce free of unacceptable dangers. Sounds reasonable, correct? But, there is an issue begged: what constitutes “unacceptable danger” when it comes to commercial goods, merchandise, or passengers? It is a question no less thorny than and directly related to the question of what constitutes unacceptable danger in a larger cultural, economic, and political context. How a person answers the question of what constitutes “unacceptable” danger, in any context, is dependent upon his or her perceptions derived from the different layers of culture in which he is embedded. People strike a balance in their own minds among competing priorities and probabilities of disaster. Collectively this balancing act is the basis for how we determine public and private policy, including policy on cargo security. There is...
A Semantic Differential investigation of sexually symbolic concepts: Freud and Jung.

Summary Masculine and feminine ratings, via the Semantic Differential, of various nouns hypothesized by Freud or Jung to represent masculine or feminine symbolism, were made by 67 males and 78 female college students. 68 Ss (34 males and 34 females) received Freudian nouns; 77 Ss (33 males and 44 females) received Jungian nouns. While certain nouns were rated according to psychoanalytic theory, others were not. Some masculine concepts (“nail file,” “balloon,” “noodle,” “bird”) were rated feminine, and some fiminine concepts (”tunnel,” “trap door,” “box,” “case,” “garage,” “club,” “city,” “hill,” “cask,” “earth,” “whale,” “board,” “net”) were rated masculine. These results suggested caution in accepting psychoanalytic criteria for sexual symbolism in the analysis of clinical material.
Nonlinear nonlocal Cauchy problems in Banach spaces

Abstract The aim of this paper is to study the existence of integral solutions for an abstract nonlinear Cauchy problem with nonlocal initial conditions. The approach relies on the use of the theory of nonlinear semigroups and Schauder’s fixed-point theorem.