cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationships Between Organizational Commitment and Its Antecedents: Employee Self‐Concept Matters

Employee self-concept is a critical self-regulatory variable in organizational settings. In this paper, we discuss the relevance of self-concept for organizational commitment, and propose that self-concept levels moderate relationships between commitment and its antecedents. Using an experimental design in which we primed the working self-concept of employed participants, we found support for our hypotheses. Specifically, relationships between affective commitment and its antecedents (organizational support, procedural justice, and company and supervisor satisfaction) were more pronounced for employees with salient collective self-concepts. Alternatively, relationships between continuance commitment and its antecedents (outcome and supervisor satisfaction) were stronger for employees with salient individual self-concepts. We discuss the implications of our findings and suggest directions for future research. Commitment to one’s organization is a critical employee attitude. Indeed, it is related to numerous work-based outcomes, including satisfaction and
Magnetic Reconnection: Classical Aspects

Magnetic reconnection is an important mechanism in astrophysics for converting magnetic energy to both thermal energy and bulk acceleration of plasma and also for changing the global topology of the magnetic field. For over 50 years now solar theorists have investigated reconnection. This paper provides a basic review of the classical aspects of reconnection in both one, two and three dimensions, as well as, giving a potted history of reconnection theory in solar physics. Magnetic annihilation, Sweet-Parker reconnection and Petschek reconnection will all be discussed as will spine and fan reconnection in three dimensions.
Pool boiling from downward-facing curved surfaces : Effects of radius of curvature and edge angle

Transient pool boiling from downward-facing curved surfaces in water is of interest for assessing the coolability of the lower head of an advanced light water reactor (ALWR) pressure vessel following a core meltdown accident. Here, quenching experiments were performed to investigate the effects of radius of curvature and edge angle on pool boiling from downwards-facing surfaces in saturated power. The experiments employed two, 20-mm-thick copper test sections that had the same diameter (75 mm) but different surface radii (148 and 218.5 mm) and vapor release (or edge) angles (14.68 and 9.88 deg). The effect of surface area on pool boiling was determined by comparing the present results with the results for a copper section that was of the same thickness but had a surface radius of 148 mm and was less than one-half the surface area. The maximum heat flux (q{sub MHF}) was highest at the lowermost position and decreased with increased local inclination on the surface. Both local and surface average q{sub MHF} were representative of quasi-steady-state critical heat flux. The high edge angle reduced vapor accumulation, which enhanced surface coolability and shortened its quenching time. For an edge angle of 9.88 deg, increasing the surface area (or surfacemore » radius) insignificantly affected the local q{sub MHF} near the edge of the copper section but lowered it everywhere else by {approximately}10%. For the same surface area, the larger edge angle (or smaller surface radius) increased q{sub MHF} by as much as 40%.« less
Phosphorus content of tobacco mosaic virus.

Abstract The phosphorus content of 19 samples of tobacco mosaic virus was found to average 0.45%. Ten nucleic acid preparations obtained from the virus were found to contain an average of 8.3% phosphorus, and analyses on three of the preparations indicated that they contained about 5.2% sodium. From these values it can be calculated that tobacco mosaic virus has about 5.1% nucleic acid.
An In Vivo Comparison of Two Frequency-based Electronic Apex Locators

The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of a two-frequency (Root ZX) and a five-frequency (Endo Analyzer Model 8005) electronic apex locator under clinical conditions. Thirty-two teeth planned for extraction were used. The coronal portion of each canal was flared using Gates Glidden drills and Orifice Shapers. The canals were irrigated with 2.6% sodium hypochlorite. A K-type file was used to determine a separate working length in each canal using the electronic apex locators. The teeth were extracted and the apical 4 mm of each root canal was exposed along the long axis of the tooth. Photographic slides of each canal were projected and the file position in relation to the minor diameter was determined by two investigators. The mean distance between the electronic apex locator working length and minor diameter was 1.03 mm for the Endo Analyzer and 0.19 mm for the Root ZX. A paired sample t test showed that the Endo Analyzer had significantly longer readings beyond the minor diameter than the Root ZX (p
Phosphorylation of a 16‐kDa protein by diacylglycerol‐activated protein kinase C in vitro and by vasopressin in intact hepatocytes

A 16-kDa protein present in a purified rat liver plasma membrane fraction and also in cytosol can be phosphorylated by endogenous diacylglycerol-activated protein kinase C. In intact hepatocytes prelabeled with 32P, vasopressin causes a rapid increase in the phosphorylation of a 16-kDa protein having a similar pI value to that observed in in vitro studies. These findings suggest that vasopressin-induced phosphorylation of the 16-kDa in the intact hepatocyte may reflect increased activity of protein kinase C, secondary to membrane polyphosphoinositide breakdown. Phosphorylation of the 16-kDa protein may thus be part of the coordinated mechanism associated with hormonal regulation of cellular Ca2+ fluxes.
Resonant Nonlinear Optical Transmission in Pure Water at 1445 nm

We present the results of an experiment investigating the transmission of intense femtosecond pulses on the 1445 nm resonance of water. Up to 500% increase in relative transmission was observed for 5 mm path lengths.
31P surface-coil NMR analysis of metabolic status in KHJJ tumors.

Noninvasive monitoring of the effects of treatment on cancer tissue is fundamental to the development of rational radioimmunotherapy (RIT) schemes employing radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies or antibody fragments specific for human cancer. Recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy make it an attractive candidate for sequential, topical monotoring by 31P NMR of metabolic events during RIT. Preliminary to this effort, we examined the metabolic competence of the well-characterized, murine KHJJ tumor in situ in BALB/c mice using 31P surface-coil NMR. The ATP/Pi ratio in tumor volumes ranging from 100 to 800 mm3 showed that tumors over this range of sizes were able to maintain high levels of ATP relative to Pi. As the tumor volume increased above 1 cm3, ATP/Pi levels indicated poor metabolic competence. This lack of metabolic competence was correlated with histological evidence of tissue necrosis and vascular disintegration. The T1 values of assigned phosphorus metabolites were established. Intracellular pH, as determined from the chemical shift of Pi, was found to vary in these tumors from 7.1 in rapidly metabolizing tissue to 6.6 in necrotic tumors.© 1985 Academic Press,Inc.
Fas-associated Death Domain (FADD) and the E3 Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase TRIM21 Interact to Negatively Regulate Virus-induced Interferon Production

The production of cytokines such as type I interferon (IFN) is an essential component of innate immunity. Insufficient amounts of cytokines lead to host sensitivity to infection, whereas abundant cytokine production can lead to inflammation. A tight regulation of cytokine production is, thus, essential for homeostasis of the immune system. IFN-α production during RNA virus infection is mediated by the master transcription factor IRF7, which is activated upon ubiquitination by TRAF6 and phosphorylation by IKKϵ and TBK1 kinases. We found that Fas-associated death domain (FADD), first described as an apoptotic protein, is involved in regulating IFN-α production through a novel interaction with TRIM21. TRIM21 is a member of a large family of proteins that can impart ubiquitin modification onto its cellular targets. The interaction between FADD and TRIM21 enhances TRIM21 ubiquitin ligase activity, and together they cooperatively repress IFN-α activation in Sendai virus-infected cells. FADD and TRIM21 can directly ubiquitinate IRF7, affect its phosphorylation status, and interfere with the ubiquitin ligase activity of TRAF6. Conversely, a reduction of FADD and TRIM21 levels leads to higher IFN-α induction, IRF7 phosphorylation, and lower titers of RNA virus of infected cells. We conclude that FADD and TRIM21 together negatively regulate the late IFN-α pathway in response to viral infection.
SEX RATIO AMONG PHENYLKETONURIC INFANTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Abstract 189 male infants and 188 female infants with phenylketonuria were detected by neonatal screening in the United Kingdom over an eight-year period. This does not accord with previous reports of a preponderance of males among phenylketonuric infants.
A Randomized Comparison of Bivalirudin and Heparin in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angioplasty for Postinfarction Angina

Abstract The outcome of coronary angioplasty performed for unstable angina is determined, in part, by the acuteness and severity of the clinical presentation. The risk of abrupt vessel closure is increased in patients with postinfarction angina. The Hirulog Angioplasty Study compared the efficacy and safety of bivalirudin with weight-adjusted heparin in patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for unstable or postinfarction angina. We report the results of the intent-to-treat analysis using adjudicated data for the prespecified group of 741 patients who underwent angioplasty within 2 weeks of documented myocardial infarction. Patients received either bivalirudin or heparin immediately before angioplasty. The primary efficacy endpoint was procedural failure defined as abrupt vessel closure, death, myocardial infarction, or revascularization during hospitalization. Bivalirudin significantly (p = 0.004) decreased the incidence of procedural failure compared with heparin (5.1% vs 10.8%, odds ratio 0.45; 95% CI 0.25–0.79). The improved efficacy of bivalirudin was replicated for each individual clinical endpoint. The incidence of major bleeding was significantly (p = 0.001) lower in bivalirudin-treated patients compared with heparin-treated patients (2.4% vs 11.8%, respectively). The benefits observed with bivalirudin are of similar magnitude as those reported for platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors, such as abciximab. Bivalirudin may be a more effective foundation anticoagulant than heparin in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty for postinfarction angina.
Optimizing throughput and resource utilization using pipelining: Transformation based approach

A simple formulation of pipelining: "Pipelining withN stages is equivalent to retiming where the number of delays on all inputs or all outputs, but not both, is increased byN" is used as the basis for a convenient and efficient treatment of pipelining in the design of application specific computers. Pipelining according to the objective function (throughput or resource utilization) and the latency is introduced. For two polynomial complexity pipelining classes, optimal algorithms are presented. For two other classes both proofs of NP-completeness and efficient probabilistic algorithms are presented. Both theoretical and experimental properties of pipelining are discussed and a relationship with other transformations is explored. Due to similar formulations for both software pipelining and the pipelining presented here, all results can be easily modified for use in compilers for general purpose computers. We have also developed a polynomial complexity algorithm for determining the iteration bound.
DFT-Based Characterization of the Multiple Adsorption Modes of Nitrogen Oxides on Pt(111)

Pt is the most common catalyst for NO oxidation to NO2, a key reaction in NOx remediation chemistry. In this work, density functional theory calculations and plane-wave supercell models are used to...
Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator for patients with minor ischemic stroke.

Background Patients with minor ischemic stroke (MIS) are frequently excluded from thrombolytic therapy. Denial of therapy to these patients, however, remains controversial. We compared outcomes in patients with MIS who received intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) with those who were not treated. Methods We selected adult patients with stroke onset within 3 hours from a prospectively collected stroke registry. MIS was defined as an admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≤5. The primary outcome was a 90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 0 to 1. Secondary outcomes were a Barthel index (BI) score ≥95 at 90 days, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH), and death. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine the association between outcomes adjusting for age, history of diabetes, and NIHSS score at admission. Reasons for t-PA exclusion were obtained. Results We identified 133 patients with MIS; 59 patients received IV t-PA. The NIHSS score (mean ± SD) at admission was higher in the t-PA treated group (3.4 ± 1.4 v 1.9 ± 1.3 in the untreated group; P P = .87). A BI score of 95 to 100 was achieved in 75% of patients in the IV t-PA group versus 78.9% in the untreated group (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.43-3.23; P = .74). There were 3 deaths (5.1%) in the IV t-PA group and 3 deaths (4.1%) in the control group. Conclusions In our sample, patients with MIS treated with IV t-PA have similar outcomes as patients not receiving thrombolysis. A randomized trial or larger observational study is needed confirm or reject these findings.
Atomic structure of the cassiterite SnO2(111) surface

Abstract We predict the relaxed (111) growth surface structure of cassiterite (rutile-structure SnO2) by applying simple physical and chemical constraints. Experiments have shown that the surface symmetry is (1 × 1). We show that the simplest surface which is (1 × 1) and autocompensated has a single oxygen adatom per surface unit cell, located on the cell's mirror symmetry plane. The predicted relaxations of other surface atoms from their bulk positions are large enough to be detected by LEED analysis. This result demonstrates the power of the autocompensation principle, which straightforwardly shows that none of 63 possible truncated bulk structures should be stable, and points to the single-adatom stoichiometry.
Laser Alignment Techniques For Simultaneous Machine Tool Geometric Error Detection

An optical measurement system has been developed for the simultaneous detection of multiple geometric error components of machine tools. The system is designed based upon laser alignment techniques where laser beams are used as measurement reference datum. The system can measure simultaneously 5 error components for each moving axis of a machine tool or coordinate measuring machine. They are: two straightness error components, pitch, yaw, and roll errors. Through actual calibration and measurement, the accuracy of the current system is estimated to be 2 µm for straightness measurements and better than 0.05 arcsec for angular error measurements with a 0.5 m offset between a reflecting mirror and a receiving photo sensor.
Application of the generalized-α method to the time integration of the cable dynamics equations

Abstract The box method is a popular finite difference scheme for solving the cable dynamics equations in ocean engineering applications. In this paper, we analyze the shortcomings of the temporal integration defined by the box method and propose a new procedure that retains the box method's spatial discretization, but employs the generalized-α method for temporal discretization. The stability and accuracy of the generalized-α method, as applied to the cable dynamics equations, are developed. This analysis procedure demonstrates the formulation of the semi-discrete governing equations using spatial finite differences and the applicability of amplification matrix stability analysis to finite difference problems. An example is presented that demonstrates the robustness of the new approach.
Effect of Osmotic Pressure on the Activation and Storage of Channel Catfish Sperm

Abstract Artificial spawning of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus relies on the removal of testis and suspension of sperm in an extender solution for storage and use in fertilization. Little is known about the relationships among osmotic pressure, sperm activation, motility, and storage. Our objectives were to (1) estimate motility of channel catfish sperm diluted in solutions ranging in osmotic pressure from 8 to 295 milliosmols (mosmol)/kg, (2) identify the osmotic pressure that induces threshold activation (10% motility) and the highest pressure that induces complete activation, (3) determine the role of ionic dilution in activation by use of ion-deficient solutions, and (4) evaluate the effect of osmotic pressure on the retention of motility during storage. Motility (percentage of actively swimming sperm) was estimated in diluted Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) and sucrose solutions over a range of osmotic pressures. The HBSS osmotic pressures of threshold and complete activation were 218 ± 15 ...
The toxicity of anti-VEGF agents when coupled with standard chemotherapeutics

Bevacizumab (Avastin®, Genentech, CA) was granted accelerated approval by the FDA for metastatic breast cancer in 2008. This occurred after the initial clinical trial, E2100, demonstrated an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with the addition of bevacizumab to a standard chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the approval was rescinded in 2011 when two subsequent trials, AVADO and RIBBON-1, failed to show survival benefit. We compare and analyze the landmark trials E2100, AVADO and RIBBON-1, and suggest that the present-day clinical trial model may not be suited for the investigation of targeted therapies such as bevacizumab. The existing clinical trial model does not allow for modification of chemotherapeutic doses in a manner that maximizes the effect of biologic response modifiers and does not account for its "chemosensitizing" effect. The E2100, AVADO, and RIBBON-1 trials differed in the type and dose of chemotherapy, the dose and frequency of bevacizumab, and in the trial design, making it difficult to effectively compare and evaluate the results. The efficacy of combining bevacizumab with a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of chemotherapy is also discussed in view of the observation that increased tumor response did not translate to an increase in survival. We suggest that even though angiogenesis inhibitors are non-toxic as monotherapies, they increase the toxicity of standard chemotherapy, and consequently a re-design of the now classic clinical trial model should be considered. Modifying the existing clinical trial model will lead to a more accurate evaluation of the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab and other biological agents in treating metastatic cancer.
Successful neonatal balloon aortic valvoplasty following prenatal diagnosis of critical aortic stenosis

We report a successful neonatal balloon aortic valvoplasty after prenatal diagnosis of critical aortic stenosis with severe left ventricular dysfunction. The infant was delivered by cesarean section at 34 weeks of gestation and had balloon valvoplasty via the right common carotid artery 67 minutes after birth. Left ventricular contraction improved immediately after the procedure. Scheduled balloon aortic valvoplasty immediately after birth subsequent to prenatal diagnosis can improve the outcome of critical aortic stenosis.
The Effect of Goal Discrepancy on Delinquency

This is a causal analysis of the salient variables that Cloward & Ohlin postulate lead to delinquency. Other studies have shown that certain of these variables are related to delinquency, but have been unable to determine whether delinquency is produced by them or produces them. Using panel data, modified versions of the Campbell Cross-Lagged Panel Correlation Technique and the Lazarsfeld Sixteen-Fold Table Analysis, and two different types of goal discrepancy, long range and more immediate goal discrepancy, the causal sequence is analyzed. The findings show that the theoretically postulated long range goal discrepancy is untenable as a cause for delinquency, while the more immediate short range goal discrepancy is strongly related.
Sucrose-regulated expression of a chimeric potato tuber gene in leaves of transgenic tobacco plants.

Patatin is a family of lipid acyl hydrolases that accounts for 30 to 40% of the total soluble protein in potato tubers. Class-I patatin genes encode 98 to 99% of the patatin mRNA in tubers, but are not normally expressed in other tissues. They are not totally ‘tuber-specific’; however, since they can be induced to express at high levels in other tissues under conditions of sink limitation or in explants cultured on medium containing elevated levels of sucrose. To examine the evolution of the mechanisms that regulate patatin gene expression, we introduced a chimeric patatin-β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene containing 2.5 kb of 5′ flanking sequence from the Class-I potato patatin gene PS20 into tobacco plants. The construct was not expressed at significant levels in leaves of juvenile plants or plantlets cultured in vitro, but was expressed at high levels in explants cultured on medium containing 0.3 to 0.4 M sucrose. While there were differences in the expression of the chimeric gene between transgenic tobacco and potato plants, the pattern of sucrose induction was very similar. These results suggest that the mechanism that controls patatin gene expression in potato tubers evolved from a widely distributed mechanism in which gene expression is regulated by the level of available photosynthate.
Dolomite phosphate rock (DPR) application in acidic sandy soil in reducing leaching of phosphorus and heavy metals—a column leaching study

A column leaching study was designed to investi- gatetheleachingpotentialofphosphorus(P)andheavymetals from acidic sandy soils applied with dolomite phosphate rock (DPR) fertilizers containing varying amounts of DPR material and N-Viro soils. DPR fertilizers were made from DPR mate- rials mixing with N-Viro soils at the ratios of 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 %, and applied in acidic sandy soils at the level of 100 mg available P per kilogram soil. A control and a soluble P chemical fertilizer were also included. The amended soils were incubated at room temperature with 70 % field water holding capacity for 21 days before packed into a soil column and subjected to leaching. Seven leaching events were con- ducted at days 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 70, respectively, and 258.9 mL of deionized water was applied at each leaching events. The leachate was collected for the analyses of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), major elements, and heavy metals. DPR fertilizer application resultedinelevationsupto1unitinpH,7-10timesinEC,and 20-40 times in K and Ca concentrations, but 3-10 times reduction in P concentration in the leachate as compared with the chemical fertilizer or the control. After seven leaching events, DPR fertilizers with adequate DPR materials signifi- cantly reduced cumulative leaching losses of Fe, P, Mn, Cu, and Zn by 20, 55, 3.7, 2.7, and 2.5 times than chemical fertilizer or control. Even though higher cumulative losses of Pb, Co, and Ni were observed after DPR fertilizer application, the loss of Pb, Co, and Ni in leachate was <0.10 mg (in total 1,812 mL leachate). Significant correlations of pH (negative) and DOC (positive) with Cu, Pb, and Zn (P<0.01) in leachate were observed. The results indicated that DPR fertilizers had a great advantage over the soluble chemical fertilizer in reduc- ing P loss from the acidic sandy soil with minimal likelihood of heavy metal risk to the water environment. pH elevation and high dissolved organic carbon concentration in soils after DPR fertilizer application are two influential factors.
Emergency medicine in Lebanon: Overview and prospect

Emergency Medicine, established in the United States as a specialty in 1979 and in Canada in 1980, is drawing interest among countries throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Lebanon, located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, like many other developing countries, struggles to advance its medical system. One of the main hurdles is the continuing violence and political turmoil. Attempts at health care system recovery have been met with a number of deep-seated structural problems. Data and references regarding emergency health care are rare. This article presents an overview of the current status of Emergency Medicine in Lebanon as well as ongoing related activities over the past decade and the plans for future development.
Permeability-porosity relationships in seafloor vent deposits: Dependence on pore evolution processes

[1] Systematic laboratory measurements of permeability and porosity were conducted on three large vent structures from the Mothra Hydrothermal vent field on the Endeavor segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Geometric means of permeability values obtained from a probe permeameter are 5.9 × 10−15 m2 for Phang, a tall sulfide-dominated spire that was not actively venting when sampled; 1.4 × 10−14 m2 for Roane, a lower-temperature spire with dense macrofaunal communities growing on its sides that was venting diffuse fluid of <300°C; and 1.6 × 10−14 m2 for Finn, an active black smoker with a well-defined inner conduit that was venting 302°C fluids prior to recovery. Twenty-three cylindrical cores were then taken from these vent structures. Permeability and porosity of the drill cores were determined on the basis of Darcy's law and Boyle's law, respectively. Permeability values range from ∼10−15 to 10−13 m2 for core samples from Phang, from ∼10−15 to 10−12 m2 for cores from Roane, and from ∼10−15 to 3 × 10−13 m2 for cores from Finn, in good agreement with the probe permeability measurements. Permeability and porosity relationships are best described by two different power law relationships with exponents of ∼9 (group I) and ∼3 (group II). Microstructural analyses reveal that the difference in the two permeability-porosity relationships reflects different mineral precipitation processes as pore space evolves within different parts of the vent structures, either with angular sulfide grains depositing as aggregates that block fluid paths very efficiently (group I), or by late stage amorphous silica that coats existing grains and reduces fluid paths more gradually (group II). The results suggest that quantification of permeability and porosity relationships leads to a better understanding of pore evolution processes. Correctly identifying permeability and porosity relationships is an important first step toward accurately estimating fluid distribution, flow rate, and environmental conditions within seafloor vent deposits, which has important consequences for chimney growth and biological communities that reside within and on vent structures.
High Strain, 〈001〉 Textured 0.675Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.325PbTiO3 Ceramics: Templated Grain Growth and Piezoelectric Properties

Lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate, 0.675Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.325PbTiO3 (PMN–32.5PT) ceramics were textured (grain-oriented) in the 〈001〉-crystallographic direction by the templated grain growth process. The textured PMN–32.5PT ceramics were produced by orienting {001}-SrTiO3 (ST) platelets (∼10 μm in diameter and ∼2-μm thickness) in a submicron PMN–32.5PT matrix. The templated growth of 〈001〉-oriented PMN–32.5PT grains on the ST platelets resulted in textured ceramics with ∼70% Lotgering factor and >98% theoretical density. Unlike most lead-based ceramics, excess PbO was not needed for sintering or grain growth. Based on unipolar stain-field measurements at 0.2 Hz, the textured samples displayed >0.3% strain at 50 kV/cm. Low-field d33-coefficients of >1600 pC/N (<5 kV/cm) were measured directly from unipolar measurements. The low drive field d33-piezoelectric coefficient of the highly textured samples is two times greater than polycrystalline PMN–32.5PT.
Influence of selected antibiotics on the response of black fly (Simulium vittatum) larvae to insecticidal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

A controlled current toxicity test (CCTT) was developed to evaluate the response of black fly (Simulium vittatum) larvae to insecticidal proteins following exposure to various antibiotics. The bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti), produces proteins that are toxic to Nemotoceran Diptera, such as black flies and mosquitoes, when ingested. These insecticidal crystalline proteins (ICPs) are highly efficacious in controlling black flies; however, speculation has arisen regarding the potential for antibiotic contamination of waterways to mitigate the toxicity of these proteins. A series of experiments was conducted with the CCTT in which black fly larvae were exposed to enrofloxacin, tylosin, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim followed by exposure to Bti ICPs. These antibiotics were selected based on their use in agricultural and documented anthropogenic contamination of rivers. Anthropogenic concentrations of a mixture of these four antibiotics did not affect the response of the larvae to Bti ICPs. Subsequent experiments were conducted with antibiotic concentrations 10,000 to 80,000 times higher than those found in contaminated rivers. Exposure of black fly larvae to high levels of enrofloxacin (0.5 mg/L) had no effect upon the susceptibility to Bti ICPs; however, exposure to high levels of tylosin (8 mg/L) resulted in a significant increase in the susceptibility of the larvae to Bti ICPs at 72 h of exposure, but not at 48 h. Exposure of black fly larvae to high concentrations of a mixture of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim resulted in a significant increase in the efficacy of the larvicide after 48 and 72 h of exposure. These results suggest that impairment of the efficacy of Bti ICPs to black fly larvae is not due to antibiotic contamination of the larval environment.
Exposure to Paper Mill Effluent at a Site in North Central Florida Elicits Molecular-Level Changes in Gene Expression Indicative of Progesterone and Androgen Exposure

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are chemicals that negatively impact endocrine system function, with effluent from paper mills one example of this class of chemicals. In Florida, female Eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) have been observed with male secondary sexual characteristics at three paper mill-impacted sites, indicative of EDC exposure, and are still found at one site on the Fenholloway River. The potential impacts that paper mill effluent exposure has on the G. holbrooki endocrine system and the stream ecosystem are unknown. The objective of this study was to use gene expression analysis to determine if exposure to an androgen receptor agonist was occurring and to couple this analysis with in vitro assays to evaluate the presence of androgen and progesterone receptor active chemicals in the Fenholloway River. Focused gene expression analyses of masculinized G. holbrooki from downstream of the Fenholloway River paper mill were indicative of androgen exposure, while genes related to reproduction indicated potential progesterone exposure. Hepatic microarray analysis revealed an increase in the expression of metabolic genes in Fenholloway River fish, with similarities in genes and biological processes compared to G. holbrooki exposed to androgens. Water samples collected downstream of the paper mill and at a reference site indicated that progesterone and androgen receptor active chemicals were present at both sites, which corroborates previous chemical analyses. Results indicate that G. holbrooki downstream of the Fenholloway River paper mill are impacted by a mixture of both androgens and progesterones. This research provides data on the mechanisms of how paper mill effluents in Florida are acting as endocrine disruptors.
Estimation of root zone soil moisture and surface fluxes partitioning using near surface soil moisture measurements

Abstract We examine the feasibility of retrieving root zone soil moisture and partitioning of surface fluxes through a model inversion technique using surface measurements. Using a four-layer land surface model and observed datasets from Field Experiment (FIFE) 1987, we show that the sensitivities of surface soil moisture to deeper layer soil moisture are different to those of surface fluxes. Consequently, if one chooses the initial soil moisture profile that optimizes surface soil moisture, in a root mean square error sense, it may not lead to optimal estimation of surface fluxes. We also show that the accuracy of soil moisture profile retrieval from surface measurements depends strongly on the initial surface soil moisture conditions. For wetter surface conditions, an initialization based on remotely sensed surface soil moisture appears to be adequate for the retrieval of the soil moisture profile. For drier surface conditions, however, a decoupling of surface and deeper layer soil moisture might be triggered and an initialization based on surface soil moisture would lead to larger error.
NUMERICAL MODELING OF CONVECTIVE EFFECTS ON PILOTED IGNITION OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

ABSTRACT A combined solid and gas-phase numerical model has been developed and used to simulate the piloted ignition of a radiatively heated composite material in a boundary layer oxidizer flow. Condensed phase processes (oxidative and thermal pyrolysis, phase change, and in-depth radiation absorption) are simulated with a pyrolysis model developed by the authors. The solid-phase model is coupled to a modified version of the CFD code Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), which provides a transient solution to the low Mach number, reactive, buoyant, Navier Stokes Equations. The condensed phase and gaseous chemical kinetics are simplified with one-step Arrhenius reactions. Ignition occurs when a premixed flame propagates upstream from the igniter and forms a diffusion flame anchored at the surface of the solid fuel. Numerical simulations have been performed for a polypropylene/fiber glass blended composite slab with a glass concentration of 30% by mass and thickness of 3.2 mm. The influence of the incident radiant...
The analysis of picomole amounts of L(+)- and D(-)-lactic acid in samples of dental plaque using bacterial luciferase.

Abstract l (+)-Lactic acid (5 pmol) and d (−)-lactic acid (20 pmol) were assayed by coupling the generation of NADH with the use of bacterial luciferase. The binding of NADH to l (+)-lactic dehydrogenase made it necessary to denature the protein so that the assay with bacterial luciferase was effective. The coupled luciferase assay of l (+)-lactic acid was 400 times more sensitive than the fluorometric assay. The luciferase coupled assay was used to analyze the l (+)- and d (−)-lactic acid contents of small samples of dental plaque.
State-mandated voluntary newborn human immunodeficiency virus screening in a New York City Hospital.

Abstract Objective: To report the experience with state-mandated voluntary newborn human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening in a large university hospital. Methods: Retrospective analysis of delivery records and newborn HIV screening data for infants born between May 4, 1996, and January 31, 1997. Results: Of 3111 women, 40% had HIV testing during pregnancy, 28% had testing before pregnancy, 30% never had testing, and 2% gave no information. Most (91%) consented to postpartum newborn HIV testing, although rates varied by HIV counselor (range 81–96%, P Conclusion: Newborn HIV screening has little incremental impact in settings with aggressive antepartum screening and/or low HIV infection rates. Interventions to increase antepartum HIV screening in the private sector should be implemented.
Renewable Energy for Federal Land Management Agencies in Southern nevada

The National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the USDA Forest Service governmental agencies in southern Nevada have collaborated with the Center for Energy Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to explore the feasibility of becoming energy neutral by 2010. The three federal agencies have set a goal to offset their combined annual energy demand (currently supplied by local utility companies) with an equal amount of power produced by renewable energy sources. The study results indicate that the three federal agencies above consume just over 3,000 megawatt-hours of electrical energy per year in and around the Las Vegas Valley. Upon researching various types of renewable energy, it was determined that wind, geothermal, and biomass technologies either failed to have sufficient resources available in southern Nevada or conflicted with the resource management philosophies of the federal agencies. Solar energy is the most abundant feasible source of renewable energy within the study area, and it was determined that a 1.5 megawatt fixed photovoltaic (PV) system is best suited for this project.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
mRNAs for PRPs, Statherin, and Histatins in von Ebner's Gland Tissues

A search was made for expression of genes for proline-rich proteins (PRPs) and other salivary-type proteins, including statherin and histatins, in taste-bud tissues of mice and primates because of previous genetic findings in mice (Azen et al., 1986) that Prp and taste genes for certain bitter substances are either the same or closely linked. Taste-bud tissues and other tissues were tested for specific mRNAs with labeled DNA probes by Northern blotting and in situ hybridization. It was found that PRP mRNAs were present in von Ebner's glands of mice and macaques, and that there was a much greater degree of PRP mRNA induction in mouse parotid (16-fold) than in von Ebner's gland (two-fold) after in vivo isoproterenol stimulation. This difference may be due, in part, to differences in autonomic nerve innervation. Statherin and histatin mRNAs were found in macaque taste-bud tissues containing von Ebner's gland, and statherin protein was found in human von Ebner's gland by immunohistochemistry. The finding of P...
Geriatric Emergency Nursing: Case Study

JEN will regularly feature this new column by Nancy Stephens Donatelli, RN, MS, CEN, NEA-BC, and Joanie Somes, RNC, PhD, CEN, CPEN, FAEN. An ENA member survey identified the top list of geriatric nursing education needs as: differences in pathophysiology associated with differences in the geriatric patient, pharmacology and medication administration, falls, geriatric safety, and sensory changes. This series addresses reader interest in and questions regarding the care of the older adult. The editors request feedback and ideas from JEN readers regarding learning needs related to caring for the geriatric patient in the emergency department. Please E-mail your specific questions or suggestions to question4gene@gmail.com. The editors will collect reader responses and answer as many as possible via E-mail or in JEN .
Ethnography as a Way In: Writing Meets Research in First-Year Composition

In this article, we describe an approach to teaching first-year composition that is built on a qualitative design for undergraduate research and writing. As writing instructors at a state teaching college, we see the need to move our students beyond the boundaries of expressivism, personal narrative, and argument and into the murkier, messier, and more critical territory of considering subjectivities, interpreting cultural texts and contexts, and, ultimately, coming to see the dynamic and dialogic nature of rhetorical situations and knowledge production. We have discovered that asking undergraduates to do field work as a way to enter the academic conversation allows them to shift from high school writing to college-level writing. Inviting them to delve into a primary research project of their own design grants them permission to construct their ownership, authority, and intellectual engagement of ideas. Case studies of the experiences of five student research writers illustrate the process through which, as ethnographers, students become actors in their own learning process.
Computer-Assisted Instruction in Pronunciation for Chinese Speakers of American English

This article represents a synthesis of concepts from contrastive phonology, speech processing, TESOL, and computer-assisted instruction for the purpose of improving the communication skills of international teaching assistants in U.S. colleges and universities. Although the focus is on speakers of Chinese, most of the concepts are equally applicable to speakers of other East Asian languages. Methods of interpreting and utilizing visual displays of speech patterns are presented throughout, with examples of both segmental and suprasegmental phonology. Recent research in electrical engineering to produce voiceactivated machinery has resulted in the production of many efficient and low-cost machines for analyzing pronunciation. This article presents the results of 4 years of research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the application of such machines to language education. The research was prompted by the need to improve the communication skills of international teaching assistants. In the face of the large and growing proportion of international students and the limitations on ESL programs, effective teaching of pronunciation is emerging as an important goal for the needs of these students as well as those of academic institutions. Because we still have no widely standardized entrance examination of pronunciation, many high-quality international students with reasonable vocabularies and grammar are admitted to universities, even though their pronunciation of English makes them difficult to understand. Though the focus in this article is on the needs of Chinese students, most of the concepts are equally applicable to speakers of other East Asian languages, especially Japanese and Korean. Mandarin Chinese was chosen as the Li because of its strong
Chemical activation of innate and specific immunity in contact dermatitis.

Recent reports have suggested that chemical-induced allergic contact dermatitis may not be a traditional type IV hypersensitivity, in part due to the dual irritant and antigenic properties of sensitizing chemicals. In order to investigate the contribution of these properties to the molecular and cellular mechanism underlying allergic contact dermatitis, we evaluated oxazolone-induced changes in cell populations and cytokine production in the dermis of transgenic mice with impaired innate immunity (the FcγR subunit knockout mouse), and absent specific immunity (the athymic mouse), and the appropriate B6,129F2 and C57BL/6 control mice. Oxazolone and croton oil were applied in a single sensitizing dose, or in sensitizing and challenge doses, and the dermal response was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. In the wild type mice, with or without sensitization to oxazolone or croton oil, we observed mixed Th1/Th2 cytokine production and both CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes; however, the neutrophil was the predominant cell in the dermis, even 72 h after final chemical application. Athymic mice displayed a similar neutrophil response with moderate Th1/Th2 cytokine production, and FcγR subunit knockout mice exhibited very mild dermatitis when treated with either oxazolone or croton oil. These results provide support for the hypothesis that allergic contact dermatitis is not a classic delayed type hypersensitivity, demonstrate the importance of the interaction between the irritant and antigenic properties of sensitizing chemicals in the development of allergic contact dermatitis, and suggest that the irritant effect of chemicals may be mediated through the cutaneous innate immune system.
Determination of the binding properties of estradiol-17β within the cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions of rat ventral prostate

A specific binding protein for estradiol-17β (E217β) has been detected in the cytosol of the ventral prostate of retired breeder CD strain rats. The binding protein was determined to have a sedimentation coefficient of 3.6 S by ultracentrifugation of [3H]-estradiol-17β labeled cytosol on high salt sucrose density gradients. The estrogen binding protein appears to have a greater affinity for diethylstilbestrol and estradiol-17β than for estrone or estriol. Also, the estrogen binding protein appears to be inactivated by sulfhydryl group blocking agents. The uptake of radioactivity by ventral prostate nuclei was investigated following the injection of [3H]-E2-17β in vivo. A radiolabeled protein with a sedimentation coefficient similar to the cytoplasmic estrogen binding protein was detected in the 0.6 M KC1 extract of the purified nuclei. However, in vitro studies with purified ventral prostate nuclei failed to detect a temperature dependent nuclear translocation of cytoplasmic protein-steroid complex. These studies indicate that an estrogen binding protein with some of the properties of a receptor is present in rat ventral prostate. However, the physiological significance of this protein has not been determined.
DEVELOPMENT of DNA PROBES SPECIFIC FOR CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI1

DNA probes specific for Campylobacter jejuni have been developed. A genomic library of C. jejuni was constructed and screened with 32P-labeled genomic DNA from C. jejuni and C. coli by colony hybridization. Several clones that reacted only with C. jejuni but not with C. coli were selected. Two DNA inserts (1.5 kb and 0.8 kb) were isolated from the positive clones. A modified Southern hybridization technique indicated that these two 32P-labeled DNA inserts were specific for C. jejuni. the 1.5 kb DNA insert was partly sequenced, and a 19 base oligomer probe was selected from the sequences. Southern hybridization indicated that the oligomer probe hybridized with DNA from all seven strains of C. jejuni tested bus did not hybridize with DNA from four strains of C. coli, one strain of C. fetus and C. laridis, or 11 other bacterial species tested.
AN EXPERIMENTAL EXAMINATION OF THE COMPETITION BETWEEN POLAR COUPLING AND LOCAL ORGANIZATION IN DETERMINING VIBRATIONAL POPULATION RELAXATION

We report on the vibrational population relaxation and rotational diffusion dynamics of perylene and 1-methylperylene in benzene and toluene. For these experiments, the naphthalene-like ring distortion modes of both perylene (1375 cm-1) and 1-methylperylene (1370 cm-1) were excited selectively using a stimulated emission population scheme, and the efficiency of depopulation of these modes was measured in each solvent. For these systems, there is an IR-active acceptor vibrational mode at the same frequency and the order of the dominant intermolecular vibrational energy transfer process depends on the identity of the solute. For 1-methylperylene, dipole−dipole coupling is operative, and for perylene, quadrupole−dipole coupling mediates the transfer. The importance of solvent organization about the solute can be evaluated by comparing solute T1 times in the two solvents. In the limit of fast solvent cage exchange, the solute T1 relaxation times should increase with increasing order of the polar coupling proc...