cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organic Matter Diagenesis and Bacterial Contributions to Detrital Carbon and Nitrogen in the Amazon River System

Amino sugars and amino acids, including the bacterial biomarkers muramic acid and D-amino acids, were measured to investigate the diagenetic alterations of and microbial contributions to detrital organic matter in the Amazon River system. Three size fractions of detrital material were analyzed: coarse and fine particulate organic matter (CPOM and FPOM), and ultrafiltered dissolved organic matter (UDOM). CPOM was depleted in amino sugars and had high percentages of total N as amino acids (32–37%), consistent with relatively fresh plant debris being a major source of CPOM. FPOM had the highest percentages of total C as amino acids (5–8%), and its composition appeared to be influenced by the preferential sorption of N-containing molecules. UDOM had the highest percentages of total N as amino sugars (up to 2.3%) indicating the relatively important contributions from microorganisms. A consistent trend of increasing proportions of D-amino acids among detrital size fractions, CPOM , FPOM , UDOM, suggests this parameter is a useful diagenetic indicator. About 4–17% of the C and 17–37% of the N in FPOM and CPOM were of bacterial origin based on D-alanine and D-glutamic acid yields. Similar bacterial contributions to UDOM were evident from the biomarker data, but they were not quantified due to insufficient information about representative yields of source biomarkers. Relationships between biomarker N and total N suggest that microbial activity influences the N content of detrital material. Bacterial contributions to detrital material were primarily as cellular remnants rather than living cells. Biomolecules undergo major transformations in natural systems following the death of the source organisms. Heterotrophic microorganisms are the primary agents of decomposition, and they exert a strong influence on both
Comparing Autism, PDD-NOS, and Other Developmental Disabilities on Parent-Reported Behavior Problems: Little Evidence for ASD Subtype Validity

Studies on the distinction between Autistic Disorder (AD) and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) have been inconclusive. This study examined the validity of PDD-NOS by comparing it to AD and other developmental disorders (DD) on parent-reported behavior problems. Fifty-four children with PDD-NOS were individually matched on age and non-verbal IQ to 54 children with AD and 54 children with DD. Groups were compared on select subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist. High rates of psychopathology were observed in both ASD groups. The only difference between PDD-NOS and AD groups was higher scores in the PDD-NOS group on two items measuring Anxiety/Depression. Cognitive functioning may be a more salient variable than subtype when studying psychopathology in individuals with ASDs.
Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Plays a Critical Role in Angiotensin II-induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

In a previous study in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice treated with angiotensin II (Ang II), the authors demonstrated that urokinasetype plasminogen activator (uPA) is highly expressed in the aneurysmal segment of the abdominal aorta. The authors conducted the present study to determine if uPA is essential for the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in this same mouse model. Male mice were implanted for 1 month with a subcutaneous osmotic minipump that delivered 1.44 mg/kg per day of Ang II. AAA was induced in 90% of apoE deficient mice, but only 22% of the mice deficient in both apoE and uPA developed AAA. In 18 strainmatched wild type control mice, Ang 11 induced AAA in 39%. The author's concluded that a uPA deficiency has a protective effect against Ang II-induced AAA development, that uPA is not required for normal vascular development and maintenance, and that preexisting hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis are not essential for Ang II-induced AAA formation.
Lymphoid chemokines in the CNS.

Lymphoid chemokines, including CCL19, CCL21 and CXCL13, are critical in the development and organization of secondary lymphoid tissues and in the generation of adaptive immune responses. These molecules have also been implicated in the development of ectopic lymphoid structures in the setting of chronic inflammation. Here we review current knowledge on the production of lymphoid chemokines in the central nervous system during both homeostatic conditions and in disease states. Accumulating evidence suggests that constitutive expression of CCL19 plays a critical immunosurveillance role in healthy individuals. In contrast, aberrant induction of CCL19, CCL21 and CXCL13 may support the establishment of chronic autoimmunity and hematopoetic tumors within the CNS.
Mechanistic Studies of the Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Copolymerization of Ethylene with Carbon Monoxide

The microscopic steps responsible for the perfectly alternating copolymerization of ethylene and CO catalyzed by 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) based palladium complexes have been studied. Palladium carbonyl alkyl, carbonyl acyl, ethylene alkyl, and ethylene acyl complexes [(phen)Pd(R)(L)+Ar‘4B- (Ar‘ = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3; R, L = CH3, CO (2); CH3, C2H4 (3); CH2CH3, C2H4 (7); C(O)CH3, CO (8); C(O)CH3, C2H4 (13); CH2CH2C(O)CH3, C2H4 (15); CH2CH2C(O)CH3, CO (16); C(O)CH2CH2C(O)CH3, C2H4 (17); C(O)CH2CH2C(O)CH3, CO (18)); and the β- and γ-keto chelate complexes (phen)PdCH2CH2C(O)CH3+ (14) and (phen)PdC(O)CH2CH2C(O)CH3+ (19)] have been prepared. An X-ray structure of the carbonyl acyl complex (phen)Pd(C(O)CH3)(CO)+Ar‘4B-·CH2Cl2 (8·CH2Cl2) has been obtained. The migratory insertion reactions of 2, 3, 7, 13, 16, and 17 have been studied by low-temperature NMR techniques. The barriers for insertion increase in the following order: ΔG⧧R→CO ≈ 15 kcal/mol (−66 °C) < ΔG⧧Ac→C2H4 ≈ 17 kcal/mol (ca. −45 °C) < ΔG⧧R→C2H4 ≈ 19 kca...
Impact of roadside noise barriers on particle size distributions and pollutants concentrations near freeways

Abstract Increasing epidemiological evidence has established an association between a host of adverse health effects and exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and co-pollutants, especially those emitted from motor vehicles. Although PM and their co-pollutants dispersion profiles near the open freeway have been extensively characterized by means of both experimental measurements and numerical simulations in recent years, such investigations near freeways with roadside barriers have not been well documented in the literature. A few previous studies suggested that the presence of roadside structures, such as noise barriers and vegetation, may impact the decay of pollutant concentrations downwind of the freeway by limiting the initial dispersion of traffic emissions and increasing their vertical mixing due to the upward deflection of airflow. Since the noise barriers are now common roadside features of the freeways, particularly those running through populated urban areas, it is pertinent to investigate the impact of their presence on the particles and co-pollutants concentrations in areas adjacent to busy roadways. This study investigated two highly trafficked freeways (I-710 and I-5) in Southern California, with two sampling sites for each freeway, one with and the other without the roadside noise barriers. Particle size distributions and co-pollutants concentrations were measured in the immediate proximity of freeways and at different distances downwind of the freeways. The results showed the formation of a “concentration deficit” zone in the immediate vicinity of the freeway with the presence of roadside noise barrier, followed by a surge of pollutant concentrations further downwind at 80–100 m away from freeway. The particle and co-pollutants concentrations reach background levels at farther distances of 250–400 m compared to 150–200 m at the sites without roadside noise barriers.
The status of the LAMPF control system upgrade

Abstract This paper discusses the present state of the LAMPF accelerator control computer upgrade. This includes a summary of our recent operational experience and the status of the application programs in the new system. In addition, we describe several optimization techniques which have been used to improve system-wide performance, and a limited VAX/VMS operating system environment which has been made available to the accelerator operators. We also describe our plans for upgrading the LAMPF control system computer network.
Syntheses and Structure Determinations of Calcium Thiolates

The exploration of synthetic methodologies toward heavy alkaline-earth chalcogenolates resulted in the preparation and structural characterization of a family of calcium thiolates, including [Ca(SC6F5)2(py)4], 1 (py = pyridine), the separated ion-triple [Ca(18-crown-6)(NH3)3)][SMes*]2·2THF, 2 (Mes* = 2,4,6-tBu3C6H2), and the contact triple [Ca(18-crown-6)(SMes*)2]·THF, 3. Compound 1 was prepared by treating [Ca(N(SiMe3)2)2]2 with 4 equiv of HSC6F5 under addition of pyridine. The thiolates 2 and 3 were synthesized by treatment of calcium metal dissolved in dry, liquid NH3 under addition of 2 equiv of HSMes* and crown ether or, alternatively, by the reduction of Mes*SSMes* with calcium metal in dry, liquid ammonia. We also report two reaction products isolated during attempted calcium thiolate syntheses: [CaBr4(THF)2(μ2-Li)2(THF)4], 4, isolated as the product of a salt elimination reaction between CaBr2 and 2 equiv of [Li(THF)nS-2,4,6-iPr3C6H2]m. [(NH4)(py)(SC6F5)], 5, was obtained as the sole product in t...
JOB AND ORGANIZATIONAL DETERMINANTS OF NURSING HOME EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT, JOB SATISFACTION AND INTENT TO TURNOVER

The purpose of this study was to examine whether job characteristics, the work environment, participation in quality improvement activities and facility quality improvement environment predicted employee commitment and job satisfaction in nursing homes, and whether those same predictors and commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intention. A total of 6584 nursing home employees from 76 nursing homes in a midwestern state participated. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The results supported the hypotheses that job and organizational factors predicted commitment and satisfaction while commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intentions. The implications for retaining nursing home employees are discussed.
Major Determinants of Ocean Freight Rates for Grains: An Econometric Analysis

Econometric analysis of ocean grain rates suggests that ship size and trade volume are of approximately equal importance with distance in determining rates. Use of large ships reduces at-sea costs and hence the role of distance; but larger ships appear to incur higher port costs, which suggests that efficient port facilities are required for scale economies to be realized. Policies to improve shipping technology and increase trade volume can lead to lower rates, reduce geographic differences among exporters, and thus lead to more competitive markets. This implies that the role of transportation in trade analysis should not be ignored.
Physiological price of an induced chemical defense: photosynthesis, respiration, biosynthesis, and growth.

A recurring theme in defense allocation theories is that defenses are costly. Most studies that attempt to quantify a cost of defense seek to establish a trade-off between a component of plant fitness and the level of a constitutive defense. Such estimates are ambiguous because they cannot discount the cost of traits that are correlated with defense but are not themselves defensive. We examined the effects of damage-induced synthesis of furanocoumarins, known defense compounds, on the growth of wild parsnip. Plants that had 2% of their leaf area removed accumulated 8.6% less total biomass and 14% less root biomass than intact plants over a 4-week period. We also found that this small amount of leaf damage significantly reduced net photosynthetic rates 0.5 h after damage; the effect was temporary, as photosynthetic rates were no longer significantly different after 48 h. Lastly, we found that increases in respiration rates associated with damage coincided spatially and temporally with increases in furanocoumarin production, and that respiration increases were phenotypically correlated with furanocoumarin production. When damage-induced changes in furanocoumarin content and respiration rates were expressed in glucose equivalents and compared, the energetic cost of furanocoumarin production (12.6 μg glucose cm−2) accounted for all of the increase in respiration (12.0 μg glucose cm−2). A comparison of other secondary compounds in damaged and intact leaflets revealed that myristicin, a furanocoumarin synergist, is the only other compound aside from furanocoumarins that is inducible. The inducible defense system of wild parsnip thus appears to involve a small subset of secondary compounds. Synthesis of these compounds is tightly linked to damage-induced rates of respiration. Because the negative impact that damage had on the rate of net photosynthesis was short-lived, the impact of damage on growth observed in this study was likely due to the cost of furanocoumarin synthesis elicited by damage rather than the loss of photosynthetic tissue caused by damage.
Macroeconomic modeling with asymmetric vector autoregressions

VARs typically employ the same number of lags for each variable. Consequently, they often estimate many insignificant coefficients. The “asymmetric VAR” (AVAR), defined as a VAR for which each variable may have a unique number of lags, is shown to be the reduced form for a general linear structure. A particular economic structure is developed to compare and contrast parameter estimates from AVAR and VAR specifications. Qualitatively similar results are obtained from each model. Parameters in the AVARs frequently have smaller standard errors than the VAR, suggesting AVARs may obtain more efficient estimates. Important questions about macroeconomic structure are addressed with these models.
Performance testing of NIOSH Method 5524/ASTM Method D-7049-04, for determination of metalworking fluids.

A performance test of NIOSH Method 5524/ASTM Method D-7049-04 for analysis of metalworking fluids (MWF) was conducted. These methods involve determination of the total and extractable weights of MWF samples; extractions are performed using a ternary blend of toluene:dichloromethane:methanol and a binary blend of methanol:water. Six laboratories participated in this study. A preliminary analysis of 20 blank samples was made to familiarize the laboratories with the procedure(s) and to estimate the methods' limits of detection/quantitation (LODs/LOQs). Synthetically generated samples of a semisynthetic MWF aerosol were then collected on tared polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filters and analyzed according to the methods by all participants. Sample masses deposited (∼ 400–500 μ g) corresponded to amounts expected in an 8-hr shift at the NIOSH recommended exposure levels (REL) of 0.4 mg/m 3 (thoracic) and 0.5 mg/m 3 (total particulate). The generator output was monitored with a calibrated laser particle counter....
Qualitative effect of strychnine and brucine on spontaneous potentials from explants of telencephalon.

Brucin and Strychnin ergeben Vergrosserung der spontanen Potentiale aus Telencephalus-Gewebe (in vitro). Die Potentialzunahme nimmt bei Zusatz von Natriumphenobarbital ab und wird durch Betaubungsmittel aufgehoben. Die Reaktion des Explants auf Pharmaka stimmt mit derjenigen des intakten Zentralnervensystems, der Nervenzellen und ihrer Axone uberein.
Colonial spatial development policies, economic instability, and urban public transportation in Cameroon

Abstract This article addresses the implications of colonial spatial development policies and deteriorating economic conditions for urban public transportation in Cameroon. The colonial transport system was meant to facilitate the movement of essential raw materials from the hinterland to the metropolitan countries via sea; while the urban system sought to promote residential segregation along racial or class lines as well as rigidly compartmentalise land use activities. Both systems, which have been inherited by the country's indigenous authorities, have contributed significantly to problems ranging from accentuating the cost of maintaining existing, and developing new, transportation infrastructure, to creating difficulties for intermodal coordination as a means of improving economic productivity and efficiency. It is argued that the problems have been compounded by negative trends in the country's economy, as well as by measures adopted to reverse these trends. Steps capable of improving the performance of the country's urban public transportation system despite the said problems are suggested.
An analysis of decomposition approaches in multi-objectivization via segmentation

Contrary to prior evidence when studying the TSP, spatial decompositions can be as competitive as adaptive approaches.Decomposition methods that isolate cities within and between neighborhoods are most successful at guiding the search procedure.New decompositions of the TSP are analyzed and some are shown to perform better than the previous best methods.A progressive multi-objectivization method is proposed and shown to provide competitive performance regardless of computational budget. Multi-objectivization via Segmentation (MOS) has been shown to give improved results over other previous multi-objectivization approaches. This paper explores the mechanisms that make different segmentations in MOS successful in the context of the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). A variety of new segmentation methods are analyzed and theories regarding their performance are presented. Spatial segmentation methods are compared with other adaptive and static decomposition methods. Insight into why previous adaptive methods performed well is provided. New decomposition methods are proposed and several of these methods are shown to attain better performance than previously known methods of decomposition. The convergence of various degrees of multi-objectivization is examined leading to a new, more general segmentation algorithm, Multi-Objectivization via Progressive Segmentation (MOPS). MOPS combines the single-objective genetic algorithm with multi-objectivization in a general form. In a given run MOPS can progress from a more traditional single objective method to a strong multi-objectivization method. MOPS attempts to improve the ratio of fitness improvements to fitness decrements, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), over the course of an evolutionary optimization based on the principle that often fitness improvements are generally easier to find early in the run rather than late in the run. It is shown that MOPS provides robust performance across a variety of problem instances and different computational budgets.
Does Anthropogenic Noise in National Parks Impair Memory

Research on noise shows that a variety of effects including stress, annoyance, and performance decrements exist for certain types of sounds. Noise interferes with cognitive ability by overloading the attentional system or simply distracting from efficient encoding or rehearsal, but very little research has extended those findings to recreation or natural environments such as those found in national parks. By exposing participants to one of four soundscape conditions—control, natural, natural with voices, and natural with ground traffic—the current project tested the effect of sound conditions on the recognition and recall of factual information presented whereas viewing scenes of national parks. Both the natural with voices and natural with ground traffic conditions caused significant decreases in memory scores while the natural condition showed no differences from the control condition. Implications for sound management strategies are discussed in the context of current legislation and recent field research. Avenues for future research to clarify the mode of memory interference are discussed.
Consumer behavior and travel mode: An exploration of restaurant, drinking establishment, and convenience store patrons

Many cities are making investments in nonautomobile infrastructure, but few rigorous studies have examined the implications of potential modes shifts on local businesses. This article examines the relationship between mode of access, consumer spending, and frequency of patronage at 78 restaurants, drinking establishments, and convenience stores in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Multiple regression models were estimated to investigate the factors influencing customer expenditures per trip. Mode choice was not a significant predictor of spending per trip, and nonautomobile customers were more frequent patrons, on average, than customers who arrived via automobile. Although limited to the three land-uses studies, findings of this analysis do not support the notion that customers who arrive by automobile are more competitive consumers than those traveling by other modes, and build support for the notion that more environmentally sustainable transportation modes are also economically viable.
Implicit moment PIC-hybrid simulation of collisional plasmas

A self-consistent scheme was developed to model electron transport in evolving plasmas of arbitrary classial collisionality. The electrons and ions are treated as either ultiple Eulerian fluids or collisional particles-in-cell. Particle suprathermal electrons scatter off ions, and drag against fluid background thermal electrons. The background electros undergo ion friction, thermal coupling, and bremsstrahlung. The components accelerate in electric field obtained by the Implicit Moment Method, which permits ..delta..t>>..omega../sup -1//sub p/ and ..delta..x>>lambda/sub p/-allowing the treatment of problems 10/sup 2/-10/sup 3/ times more complex than those accessible with older explicit methods. The fluid description for the background plasma components permits the modeling of transport in systems spanning more than a 10/sup 7/-fold change in density, and encompassing contiguous collisional and collisionless regions. Results are presented from application of the scheme to the modeling of CO/sub 2/ laser-generated suprathermal electron transport in expanding thin foils, and in multi-foil target configurations.
First synthesis of P-chirogenic prophosphatranes

Syntheses are reported for the novel P-chirogenic bicyclic prophosphatranes P(RNCH2CH2)2N(OCH2CH2)—(8) in which the two R groups [i.e., 1-methylenenaphthyl and 1,2-methoxybenzyl (8)] and in its corresponding phosphine oxide (9) are different. Also synthesized was the transannulated protonated phosphatrane cation in the salt [HP(RNCH2CH2)3N]Cl in which the three R groups [i.e., 1-methylenenaphthyl, 1,2-methoxybenzyl, and (S)-1-phenethyl (14)] are different, and also in its corresponding deprotonated prophosphatrane form P(RNCH2CH2)3N (15). Good analytical resolution of racemic 9 is reported, whereas only partial resolution was achieved for diastereomeric 14.
Optimal grouping and matching for network-coded cooperative communications

Network-coded cooperative communications (NC-CC) is a new advance in wireless networking that exploits network coding (NC) to improve the performance of cooperative communications (CC). However, there remains very limited understanding of this new hybrid technology, particularly at the link layer and above. This paper fills in this gap by studying a network optimization problem that requires joint optimization of session grouping, relay node grouping, and matching of session/relay groups. After showing that this problem is NP-hard, we present a polynomial time heuristic algorithm to this problem. Using simulation results, we show that our algorithm is highly competitive and can produce near-optimal results.
Patient satisfaction with medical encounters – a cross‐cultural perspective

Examines behaviors of doctors that influence patient evaluation of medical encounters. It examines these behaviors in both the USA and Japan and compares the findings. A list of behaviors relevant to patient evaluation of a medical encounter is developed. Performance of these behaviors in specific medical transactions is then examined and the relationship between performance of each behavior and encounter satisfaction is analyzed. Behaviors are grouped, using factor analysis from consumer surveys, into four dimensions in the USA (concern, civility, congeniality and attention) and five dimensions in Japan (concern, civility, congeniality, communication, and courtesy). Each is defined using multiple behavioral measures. Despite many differences in the cultures of these two countries and their medical delivery systems, many similarities are found in how consumers evaluate medical services in the two countries. Measures include some concepts not widely addressed in current services literature, including conversation, genuineness, attitude, and demeanor. These dimensions and constituent behaviors provide a framework for future research and medical training and management.
Detailed analysis of modifications in lignin after treatment with cultures screened for lignin depolymerizing agents.

Termites, beetles, and other arthropods can digest living and decaying wood plus other lignocellulosic plant litter. Microbial sources like other wood-eating insect guts and wastewater treatment sludge were screened for lignin depolymerization. Near infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) along with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), were used to track changes in functional groups, size, shape, and molecular weight of lignin molecules during incubations. Odontotaenius disjunctus (Betsy beetle) guts dissected whole or separately as midgut, foregut, and hindgut, consumed corn stover but did not show lignin depolymerization. The sludge-treated lignin did show some reduction in molecular weight on the HPLC, particle size (350–650 nm initially to 135–220 nm by day 30) and particles per field on AFM. pH and the presence of nutrients had a substantial effect on the extent of depolymerization. Cultures in lignin and nutrients showed higher growth than cultures with lignin only. Colony characteristics within the beetle gut and the sludge were also evaluated.
On the robustness of two alternatives to least squares: A Monte Carlo study

Abstract This note provides Monte Carlo evidence on the finite sample behavior of two alternatives to least squares—the least absolute deviations estimator and a partially adaptive estimator—when the regression errors are conditionally heteroscedastic.
Voyager 1 photographierte Saturn - ein Bildbericht.

Bildbericht mit einer Anzahl der im Oktober und November 1980 von Voyager 1 gewonnenen Nahaufnahmen des Planeten Saturn, seiner Ringe sowie seiner Trabanten, insbesondere der Saturnmonde Titan, Mimas, Rhea und Dione. Zu jedem Bild wird eine ausfuhrliche Beschreibung gegeben.
Dominant-negative suppression of IK1 in the mouse heart leads to altered cardiac excitability

The inward rectifier potassium current in the heart, IK1, has been suggested to play a significant role in cardiac excitability by contributing to the late phase of action potential (AP) repolarization and the stabilization of resting potential. To further assess the role of IK1 in cardiac excitability we have produced transgenic mice expressing a dominant-negative subunit of the Kir2.1 channel, a major molecular determinant of IK1 in the heart, and studied the effects of IK1 suppression on major potassium currents, APs and the overall electrical activity of the heart. Kir2.1 channel subunits with a mutated signature sequence (AAA for GYG substitution) were expressed in the heart under control of the α-myosin heavy chain promoter. Two lines of transgenic mice were established, both expressing high levels of Kir2.1-AAA-GFP (GFP, green fluorescent protein) subunits in all major parts of the heart. In ventricular myocytes isolated from transgenic mice, IK1 was reduced by 95% in both lines, leading to a significant prolongation of APs. Surface ECG recordings from anesthetized transgenic mice revealed significant changes in key parameters of excitability, including prolongation of QRS complexes and QT intervals. This study confirms the significant role of IK1 in control of AP repolarization and major ECG intervals in the intact heart.
OBSERVATION OF DIRECT-CURRENT-INDUCED STEP BENDING PATTERNS ON Si(001)

Atomic force microscopy and optical microscopy were used to observe a novel "step bending" instability on vicinal Si(001) surfaces heated with direct current along a direction. This instability occurs on areas where the applied current is parallel to the average step direction and consists of wavy step undulations with a nonzero phase shift between adjacent steps, consistent with theoretical predictions by Liu et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett.81, 2743 (1998)]. The resulting "bands" of high step density run obliquely to the direction of the applied current. These step patterns were observed on spherically dimpled surfaces, which also exhibit a variety of other electromigration-induced instabilities.
Influence of pH on amine toxicology and implications for harmful algal bloom ecology

Abstract In marine and estuarine conditions, pH-dependent aquatic toxicity associated with Prymnesium parvum has been previously demonstrated with greater toxicity observed at higher pH. Recent research by our group extended such observations to inland waters in Texas, USA. Because prymnesins (prymnesin-1, prymnesin-2) represent the only P. parvum toxins reported in the peer-reviewed literature, we hypothesized that P. parvum toxins may behave like weak bases in surface waters due to the presence of a primary amine. Employing a widely accepted computational model (ACD/Labs), we predicted physicochemical properties to support interpretation of experimental findings, specifically focusing on the amine-containing hydrophobic portion of these molecules. Using different computational models, alternative p K a values for prymnesins have been proposed by others. Herein, additional examination of our proposed hypothesis identifies the importance of considering subtle changes in ionization state on the lipophilicity, bioavailability (e.g., log D, log D lip−water , Bioconcentration factor), and aquatic toxicity of ionizable chemicals over an environmentally-relevant pH gradient. If prymnesins represent causative toxins released by P. parvum as previously reported or if new toxins are identified in the future, a closer evaluation of our findings further highlights the importance of considering site-specific pH during environmental assessment and management efforts for P. parvum in inland waters.
Hyperfine Structure as a Diagnostic of Solar Magnetic Fields

We propose the use of the Zeeman effect of the hyperfine structure (HFS) as a diagnostic of solar photospheric magnetic fields. The HFS induces unique signatures in the polarized spectra of particular atoms, which can be used to directly get information on the magnetic field strength. To explore the effects of HFS, we adopt a numerical model of line formation and radiative transfer of polarized light in a magnetized Milne-Eddington atmosphere. We concentrate our studies on several lines of Mn I, which show particularly striking HFS signatures in the solar atlas. For these lines, anomalous Stokes profiles are produced for fields in the range 0-1000 G. The presence of these unusual profiles for weak magnetic fields constitutes a novel and potentially powerful diagnostic of the strength of solar magnetic fields in the quiet photosphere and plages.
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Needs of Mothers in the Criminal Justice System

This study investigated the mental health needs of mothers in the criminal justice system using qualitative methods. Identified needs included counseling to help mothers recover from trauma, to define sense of self, and to link them with external support systems.
Single mode Lamb wave phased array beamforming with hybrid PZT-SLDV sensing

This paper presents a single Lamb mode phased array beamforming by using a hybrid piezoelectric transducer (PZT)-scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) system. The array system consists of a surface mounted PZT to generate Lamb waves and a non-contact SLDV to acquire high spatial resolution time-space wavefield remotely. The time-space wavefield contains Lamb waves which can be generated from the PZT excitation, damage scattering, mode conversion, etc. A frequency-wavenumber (f-k) decomposition technique is used to decompose the miscellaneous Lamb waves into individual wave mode components and wave propagations in different directions. The f-k decomposition allows using a single wave component as the phased array input for beamforming. The single mode array beamforming methodology was verified through PZT-SLDV experimental tests on an aluminum plate with a bonded quartz rod as a simulated damage
International Cultural Immersion: Assessing the Influence of a Group Intervention on Intercultural Sensitivity for Counselor Trainees

Scholars (e.g., Bemak & Chung, 2004) underscore the need for group workers to be culturally sensitive. One group training strategy, cultural immersion, is often employed to develop cultural sensitivity. However, no studies have utilized quasi-experimental methodologies to assess differences in cultural sensitivity between trainees that immerse compared to those that do not immerse. To this end, this article provides an overview of the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, description of an international cultural immersion experience and quasi-experimental research design, analysis of data, discussion of results, implications for group facilitators and counselor educators, and suggestions for future research.
Fructose consumption as a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background/Aims While the rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) parallels the increase in obesity and diabetes, a significant increase in dietary fructose consumption in industrialized countries has also occurred. The increased consumption of high fructose corn syrup, primarily in the form of soft drinks, is linked with complications of the insulin resistance syndrome. Furthermore, the hepatic metabolism of fructose favors de novo lipogenesis and ATP depletion. We hypothesize that increased fructose consumption contributes to the development of NAFLD. Methods A dietary history and paired serum and liver tissue were obtained from patients with evidence of biopsy-proven NAFLD ( n =49) without cirrhosis and controls ( n =24) matched for gender, age (±5 years), and body mass index (±3 points). Results Consumption of fructose in patients with NAFLD was nearly 2- to 3-fold higher than controls [365kcal vs 170kcal ( p n =6), hepatic mRNA expression of fructokinase (KHK), an important enzyme for fructose metabolism, and fatty acid synthase, an important enzyme for lipogenesis were increased ( p =0.04 and p =0.02, respectively). In an AML hepatocyte cell line, fructose resulted in dose-dependent increase in KHK protein and activity. Conclusions The pathogenic mechanism underlying the development of NAFLD may be associated with excessive dietary fructose consumption.
Detoxification of olefinic epoxides and nucleotide excision repair of epoxide-mediated DNA damage: Insights from animal models examining human sensitivity to 1,3-butadiene

1,3-Butadiene (BD) is a well-documented mutagen and carcinogen in rodents and is currently classified as a probable carcinogen in humans. Studies investigating workers exposed to BD indicate that, in some plants, there may be an increased genetic risk, and that polymorphisms in biotransformation and DNA repair proteins may modulate genetic susceptibility. To investigate the role of genetic polymorphisms in microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) or nucleotide excision repair (NER) in contributing to the mutagenicity of BD, we conducted a series of experiments in which mice lacking mEH or NER activity were exposed to BD by inhalation or to the reactive epoxide metabolites of BD (epoxybutene-EB or diepoxybutane-DEB) by i.p. injection. Genetic susceptibility was measured using the Hprt cloning assay. Both deficient strains of mouse were significantly more sensitive to the mutagenic effects of BD and the injected epoxides. These studies provide support for the critical role that mEH plays in the biotransformation of BD, and the role that NER plays in maintaining genomic integrity following exposure to BD. Additional studies are needed to examine the importance of base excision repair (BER) in maintaining genomic integrity, the differential formation of DNA and protein adducts in deficient strains, and the potential for enhanced sensitivity to BD genotoxicity in mice either lacking or deficient in both biotransformation and DNA repair activity.
Consumer Search and Retail Analysis

Abstract Search behavior is a method by which individuals develop a set of alternatives for consideration and make a choice among these alternatives. Thus it is a key component of the consumer decision process. However, consumer search behavior is not well integrated into broader retail analysis. This paper reviews the substantial literature on consumer search behavior and suggests its relevance for retail analysis. A comparison and synthesis of predictions from this literature provides insights for retail policy and management. This paper also identifies worthwhile directions for further research.
Rotaxanated Conjugated Sensory Polymers

Two highly emissive conjugated polymers with tethered rotaxane repeat units are reported. Hydrogen bonding between acidic alcohols and the N-heteroaromatic groups in the rotaxanes attenuates polymer fluorescence. In addition, the rotaxane groups create precise three-dimensional pockets for metal binding, which results in fluorescence quenching. Exposing thin films of Zn-doped polymers to alcohol vapors reverses the quenching by up to 25%.
The effect of exercise training in a cold environment on thermoregulation in adult and aged C57BL/6J mice

We studied the effect of exercise training in cold environment (six weeks of daily, one-hour runs on a treadmill at ambient temperature of 6 +/- 1 degrees C at 60-65% of VO2max) on cold-induced metabolic heat production, heat loss, and cold tolerance in adult and aged C57BL/6J male mice. In adult mice, exercise training in cold environment resulted in greater cold-induced heat production and cold tolerance without changes in heat loss, similar to the effects of daily cold exposure without exercise. In aged mice, daily cold exposures did not affect cold tolerance and cold-induced heat production, but exercise training in the cold resulted in greater cold-induced heat production and cold tolerance. Heat loss in aged mice increased similarly after both repeated cold exposures and exercise training in the cold. Therefore, mechanisms of effect of exercise training on cold tolerance are different in adult and aged animals. Exercise training in cold environment does not affect cold-induced heat production and cold tolerance in adult mice, but improves them in aged animals.
A cost-effective colorimetric assay for phenolic O-methyltransferases and characterization of caffeate 3-O-methyltransferases from Populus trichocarpa.

Abstract S-Adenosyl- l -methionine (AdoMet)-dependent O-methyltransferases (OMTs) catalyze the transmethylation of a variety of phenolics in bacteria, plants, and humans. To rapidly characterize phenolic OMT activities, we adapted Gibbs’ reagent, the dye originally used for detecting phenols, to develop a convenient assay method for measuring the catalytic properties of enzymatic transmethylation of phenolics. We demonstrated that Gibbs’ reagent reacted with phenolics yielding distinct absorptive characters that we used to further develop the assay to monitor the reactivities of phenolic OMTs. To validate the method, we identified two caffeate/5-hydroxyferulate 3/5-O-methyltransferases (COMTs) from the black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa. Together with a few other plant type I OMTs, we demonstrated that our Gibbs’ reagent-mediated colorimetric assay could reliably determine the functions and kinetic parameters of phenolic OMTs. Because Gibbs’ reagent reacting with different regioselectively modified phenolics displays different colorimetric properties, the assay method can be used to monitor both substrate specificity and the regioselectivity of phenolic OMTs.
Selective Microwave Absorption by Trioctyl Phosphine Selenide: Does It Play a Role in Producing Multiple Sized Quantum Dots in a Single Reaction?

Chemical transformations carried out under MW (microwave) irradiation often produce unexpected rate enhancements because of selective MW absorption by the reactants in the solution. We demonstrate ...
‘The sea connects; it does not divide’: Czech tourism on the interwar Adriatic

Through examining Czechoslovak and Yugoslav engagements with the Adriatic Sea from the 1910s to the early 1930s, this article reveals how tourism in the Adriatic region became a productive impetus for new sensory experiences, as well as artistic, political, and commercial experiments. Using Czech travel accounts and guidebooks; Yugoslav tourist advertisements and newspapers; contemporary tourist journals; tourism iconography; and Yugoslav, Czechoslovak, and French archival sources, I explain how tourism intersected with new leisure values, questions of mobility, and ideological and political agendas. Finally, I ask whether or not these aspects informed tourist practices and understandings of the Adriatic region. Although a contemporary tourist promoter's assertion that ‘the sea connects; it does not divide’ generally encapsulates the horizon of experiences (sensory and otherwise) that Adriatic tourism offered, I argue that tourism was also frequently leveraged for other motives, and thus embodied dynamic ...
Verification and validation of flight critical systems (VVFCS)

• NASA is sponsoring a multiple-area multi-year program for verification and validation of flight critical systems. • Objective — Provide advanced analytical, architectural, and testing capabilities to enable sound assurance of safety-critical properties
The Dabie–Sulu continental collision zone: A comprehensive review

Abstract The Dabie–Sulu Triassic orogen in central-eastern China was created by northward subduction of the Yangtze cratonal plate beneath the Sino-Korean craton. Eclogites, garnet peridotites and the surrounding country rock gneisses in the collision zone were subjected to in situ ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism based on the presence of widespread coesite inclusions in eclogitic minerals and in gneissic zircons, and on virtually identical metamorphic ages of the various UHP rocks. P–T estimates combined with investigations of mineral exsolution textures and high-P polymorphs indicate that recovered depths of continental subduction in east-central China may have reached 200 km or more. Parageneses of mineral inclusions reflecting pre-peak, peak, and retrograde metamorphism in zoned zircon prisms, combined with SHRIMP U–Pb age data imply exhumation rates of 5–10 km/Myr for the Dabie–Sulu UHP terrane. Petrochemical and zircon U–Pb + Hf isotopic studies of various rocks suggest that initial crustal growth of the Yangtze craton occurred in the Archean, but significant Neoproterozoic addition of continental crust along the northern margins of the Yangtze craton is indicated by the formation of abundant bimodal igneous rocks during supercontinental rifting in response to the breakup of Rodinia at about 750–780 Ma. Mineral oxygen isotope and zircon U–Pb data from many surface specimens, and CCSD-main hole core samples over a 3.3 km depth range indicate that three-dimensional 18 O depletion took place in more than 100,000 km 3 in the Dabie–Sulu collision zone; the northern edge of the Yangtze craton was attended by Snowball Earth conditions, and extensive meteoric water-rock interactions occurred during the Neoproterozoic. Most Sulu garnet peridotites were derived from a depleted and metasomatized mantle, representing the subcontinental lithosphere beneath the southern margin of the Sino-Korean craton. Although significant progress has been made in studies of the Dabie–Sulu orogenic belt, critical questions remain unanswered. With new approaches and advanced technologic applications, many petrochemical, mineralogical and isotopic surprises and new tectonic models are anticipated for the years to come.
Landfill leachate – a water and nutrient resource for algae-based biofuels

There is a pressing need for sustainable renewable fuels that do not negatively impact food and water resources. Algae have great potential for the production of renewable biofuels but require significant water and fertilizer resources for large-scale production. Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate (LL) was evaluated as a cultivation medium to reduce both water and elemental fertilizer demands of algae cultivation. Daily growth rate and cell yield of two isolated species of algae (Scenedesmus cf. rubescens and Chlorella cf. ellipsoidea) were cultivated in MSW LL and compared with Bold's Basal Medium (BBM). Results suggest that LL can be used as a nutrient resource and medium for the cultivation of algae biomass. S. cf. rubescens grew well in 100% LL, when pH was regulated, with a mean growth rate and cell yield 91.2% and 92.8% of those observed in BBM, respectively. S. cf. rubescens was more adaptable than C. cf. ellipsoidea to the LL tested. The LL used in this study supported a maximum volumet...
The new Clostridium difficile--what does it mean?

Recent experience with influenza, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (also known as SARS), avian influenza, and community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has demonstrated ho...
Enzymatic synthesis of diastereospecific carbacephem intermediates using serine hydroxymethyltransferase

The serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) gene glyA was over-expressed in Escherichia coli and the enzyme was purified to near homogeneity. Reaction conditions for E. coli and rabbit liver SHMTs were optimized using succinic semialdehyde methyl ester (SSAME) and glycine. The catalytic efficiency (k cat/K m) of E. coli SHMT for SSAME was 2.8-fold higher than that of rabbit liver enzyme. E. coli SHMT displayed a pH-dependent product distribution different from that of rabbit liver enzyme. For the pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent reaction, E. coli and rabbit liver SHMTs showed a high product diastereospecificity. The stoichiometric ratio of PLP to the dimeric E. coli SHMT was 0.5–0.7, indicating a requirement for external PLP for maximal activity. Using SSAME or its analog at a high temperature, E. coli SHMT mediated efficient condensation via a lactone pathway. In contrast, at a low temperature, the enzyme catalyzed efficient conversion of 4-penten-1-al via a non-lactone mechanism. Efficient conversion of either aldehyde type to a desirable diastereospecific product was observed at a pilot scale. E. coli SHMT exhibited a broad specificity toward aldehyde substrates; thus it can be broadly useful in chemo-enzymatic synthesis of a chiral intermediate in the manufacture of an important carbacephem antibiotic.
Study of Scintillation Fading Effects on Satellite Communications in the UHF Band

SATELLITE communications systems using the UHF range are subject to fading along the transionospheric path. These fadings are of the same nature as the amplitude scintillations which were first known from radio star observations. They are caused by irregularities of the electron distribution which varies in space and time.