cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacotherapy of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults is an increasingly recognised condition that is associated with substantial functional impairment. Adults with ADHD present with a developmental derivation of symptoms reminiscent of those in juveniles, most notably inattention and distractibility and, less commonly, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Psychiatric comorbidity with mood, anxiety, substance use and antisocial personality disorders are often found in adults with ADHD. As with children with ADHD, the mainstay of treatment in adults with the disorder is pharmacotherapy. In contrast to the vast amount of data available on the treatment of children with ADHD, there have been only a limited number of medication studies in adults with the disorder. Nine studies (n = 245) of psychostimulants and 16 studies (n = 273) of nonstimulant medications, including antidepressants, antihypertensives and amino acids, have been published. A review of the literature indicates that the majority of controlled investigations assessed the effects of psychostimulants, while nonstimulant agents have generally been studied under open conditions. Stimulant medications tend to result in a dose-related improvement in ADHD symptoms. The limited data suggest that standard dosages of antidepressants are effective. Agents with catecholaminergic activity have efficacy in ADHD, whereas those with predominately serotonergic properties appear not to be effective. The majority of studies suggest that stimulants are the most effective available agents for adults with ADHD, and these drugs remain the treatment of choice. In cases of psychiatric comorbidity, residual symptoms or adverse effects, limited data suggest benefit from combining medications. Cognitive-based psychotherapy used in association with medications may play a role in treating dynamic issues, residual symptomatology and comorbid psychopathology. Future controlled studies applying stringent diagnostic criteria and outcome methodology are necessary to define further the range of pharmacotherapeutic options for adults with ADHD.
Ultra-sensitive measurements of 233U by accelerator mass spectrometry for national security applications

By making modifications to our previously established measurement setup, we increased our abundance sensitivity for 233U by three orders of magnitude and can now measure 233U/238U ratios as low as 10−13. Because 233U has separate production pathways than 236U, it can provide valuable information on the particular source of anthropogenic uranium in a sample. We demonstrated the utility of our improved capability by using 233U to distinguish separate sources of anthropogenic uranium in a set of samples collected from a contaminated site. In the future, we plan to apply our new capability to characterizing 233U in a wide range of uranium materials.
Potential flow past a sinusoidal wall of finite amplitude

The classical regular perturbation problem of plane potential flow past a sinusoidal wall is pursued via series extension. Fifty terms of the series in non-dimensional wall height e are produced by computer. Analysis reveals convergence to be limited by a branch point at e=±i. The series is recast using an Euler transformation and also summed using Pade approximants to yield accurate answers for higher real values of e.
Mining frequent partial periodic patterns in spectrum usage data

Cognitive radio appears as a promising technology to allocate wireless spectrum between licensed and unlicensed users. Predictive methods for inferring the availability of spectrum holes can help to reduce collision and improve spectrum extraction. This paper introduces a Partial Periodic Pattern Mining (PPPM) algorithm to identify frequent spectrum occupancy patterns that are hidden in the spectrum usage of a channel. The mined frequent patterns are then used to predict future channel states (i.e., busy or idle). PPPM outperforms traditional Frequent Pattern Mining (FPM) by considering real patterns that do not repeat perfectly. Using real life network activities, we show a significant reduction on miss rate in channel state prediction.
Mutualistic relationships versus hyper-efficiencies in the sustainable building and city

The quest for sustainability in the design and development of buildings and cities has expressed itself predominantly as a pursuit of ever-greater efficiency. Urban systems have been developed to achieve energy and resource savings in an attempt to eliminate their environmentally negative impacts. The end goal would seem to be to make buildings and cities virtually invisible within the context of the natural environment and to extract humanity from that which is natural. This approach could be termed as a hyper-efficiency sustainability model. In this approach, the impacts of human beings and their functional systems are seen as contaminants that need reduction or removal. Although driven by a desire to preserve the Earth’s natural systems, such an approach ultimately creates greater division between humanity and nature and may not bring sustainability. As an alternative to a hyper-efficiency model of sustainability, a model should be pursued that focuses more on developing an integrative relationship between civilization and environment akin to mutualism in biology. Such an approach, which could be termed as a mutualistic sustainability model, incorporates natural systems and elements into the structures and functions of buildings and cities, with the goal of achieving cooperative and positive interaction between humanity and nature. Such integration can create opportunities to support living organisms and biological systems in an ecologically contributive manner, while fulfilling human infrastructural needs. It offers a more positive alternative to efficiency based strategies and has the potential to establish a healthier and more productive relationship between humanity and the Earth’s natural systems. This paper elaborates on these two distinct approaches to sustainability and presents an examination of recent green building projects and green infrastructure projects. It analyses specific strategies and methods to contrast and compare manifestations of both approaches, providing valuable lessons and insights for designing sustainable buildings and cities.
Growth of single crystals of α-Mn2O3 and (Mn1-xMex)2O3; where Me = Fe, Ga, Al, Sc, Cr

Abstract Preparative details are reported for a PbF 2 -PbCl 2 flux growth of single crystals of α -Mn 2 O 3 and (Mn 1-x Me x ) 2 O 3 where Me = Fe, Ga, Al, Sc, Cr.
Osteochondroma of the cervical spine : Mr findings

We report two cases of osteochondroma in the region of the cervical spine. The magnetic resonance (MR) images well demonstrated the relationship of the tumor, the spinal cord, and adjacent soft tissue, but correct diagnosis by MR imaging was difficult in one patient due to unusual gadolinium enhancement. Computed tomography played an important role in these patients by demonstrating the exact origin and nature of the tumor.
Microconstitutional Change in Multiconstitutional Political Systems

This article presents an alternative approach to the development of a general theory of microconstitutional choice. The goal of the alternative approach is to identify conditions that affect the li...
Differentiating maps into L1, and the geometry of BV functions

This is one of a series of papers examining the interplay between differentiation theory for Lipschitz maps X → V and bi-Lipschitz nonembeddability, where X is a metric measure space and V is a Banach space. Here, we consider the case V = L 1 , where differentiability fails. We establish another kind of differentiability for certain X, including ℝ n and H, the Heisenberg group with its Carnot-Caratheodory metric. It follows that ℍ does not bi-Lipschitz embed into L 1 , as conjectured by J. Lee and A. Naor. When combined with their work, this provides a natural counterexample to the Goemans-Linial conjecture in theoretical computer science; the first such counterexample was found by Khot-Vishnoi [KV05]. A key ingredient in the proof of our main theorem is a new connection between Lipschitz maps to L 1 and functions of bounded variation, which permits us to exploit results on the structure of BV functions on the Heisenberg group [FSSC01].
Anatomical specificity of noradrenergic inputs to the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the rat hypothalamus

The distribution of neural inputs to the paraventricular (PVH) and supraoptic (SO) nuclei from the regions of the A1, the A2, and the A6 (locus coeruleus) noradrenergic cell groups was investigated by using a plant lectin, Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L), as an anterogradely transported tracer. An immunofluorescence double-labeling procedure was used to determine the extent to which individual anterogradely labeled fibers and terminals in the PVH and the SO also displayed immunoreactive dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), a marker for catecholaminergic neurons. The results may be summarized as follows: (1) Projections from the A1 region were found primarily, and in some experiments almost exclusively, in those parts of the magnocellular division of the PVH and the SO known to contain vasopressinergic neurons. (2) Projections from the A2 region were distributed primarily throughout the parvicellular division of the PVH and were most dense in the dorsal medial part, a region known to contain a prominent population of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-immunoreactive neurons. In addition, a less-dense projection to the magnocellular division of the PVH and to the SO was consistently found. (3) Fibers originating from the locus coeruleus were distributed almost exclusively to the parvicellular division of the PVH, with the most prominent input localized to the periventricular zone, a part of the PVH known to contain dopamine-, somatostatin-, and thyrotropin-releasing-hormone-containing neurons. We found no evidence for a projection from A6 to the SO. (4) The majority of fibers originating from the A1, the A2 or the A6 regions contained DBH immunoreactivity, although an appreciable number did not. These results suggest that each of the three brainstem noradrenergic cell groups that contribute to the innervation of the PVH and/or the SO is in a position to modulate the activity of anatomically and chemically distinct groups of neurosecretory neurons.
Identifying Targets of Communication Styles: An Exploratory Study

The present study investigated the identification of communication styles. Native and foreign adult judges viewed 60 audiovisual clips of women who were instructing one of four listeners: a child, a foreign adult speaker, a mentally retarded adult, or a native adult speaker of normal intelligence. The judges were asked to identify the listener in each clip. Overall, native judges were more accurate than foreign judges at identifying the listeners. In addition, more listeners were accurately identified by the native and foreign judges when the listener was a child or a normal native adult speaker Systematic errors suggest that accuracy in judgments may be influenced by similar and overlapping linguistic and paralinguistic features contained in the special communication styles and previous expectations about the listener groups.
Teeth in Ichthyornis (Class: Aves)

Both Hesperornis and Ichthyornis are toothed birds; they and Archaeopteryx share broad flattened teeth with highly expanded roots. The teeth of Ichthyornis have been reported to have been set in sockets as were those of Archaeopteryx, but new specimens of Ichthyornis show the teeth set in a groove as in Hesperornis. These new fossils are from an adult but not old bird; thus, the presence or absence of tooth sockets in birds may be dependent on age.
The Potential Effects of Dicloxacillin on Warfarin Management

Objective:To illustrate the effect that dicloxacillin may have on the anticoagulant properties of warfarin.Case Summary:A 69-year-old white male presented to the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident. He had been receiving a stable dose of warfarin of approximately 35–37.5 mg/wk for more than 2 years for atrial fibrillation. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 1 × 1.3 cm lesion in the anterior aspect of the pancreatic body. During a subsequent hospital stay for a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy, the patient began a 6-week course of dicloxacillin to treat osteomyelitis of the elbow. During the course of treatment, the patient's warfarin dose was increased by 114% to reach a therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) approximately 11 days after the antibiotic was discontinued.Discussion:Compared with previously published cases documenting the interaction between dicloxacillin and warfarin, to our knowledge, this is the first case to comprehensively ass...
Frederick Winslow Taylor and the Idea of Worker Participation: A Brief Against Easy Administrative Dichotomies

The public administration literature tends to depict Frederick Taylor as promulgating a "men-as-machines" approach to motivation. The literature contrasts Taylor and Mayo/Maslow, leading to analysi...
The Role of the J domain of SV40 Large T in Cellular Transformation

Abstract SV40 large T antigen (TAg)-mediated transformation is dependent on binding to p53 and the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (pRB) and inactivating their growth suppressive functions. Transformation minimally requires three regions of TAg: a C-terminal domain that mediates binding to p53; the LXCXE motif (residues 103–107), necessary for binding to pRB and the related proteins p107 and p130; and an N-terminal domain (residues 1–82) that contains homology to the J domain found in cellular DnaJ/Hsp40 molecular chaperone proteins. We have found that the N-terminal J domain of T Ag cooperates with the LXCXE motif to inactivate the growth suppressive functions of the pRB-related proteins.
Software process re-engineering: a model and its application to an industrial case study

Many software organizations engage in software process improvement (SPI), but process descriptions may soon become outdated especially if the organization, for a while, has given low priority to SPI. As a result, software organizations may need to re-engineer process descriptions that are inconsistent with desired process practices. While the literature addresses how organizations can re-engineer business processes and legacy systems, no guidance exists on re-engineering legacy process descriptions. Software process re-engineering (SPR) is a transitional activity that helps organizations effectively re-engage in SPI by assessing legacy process descriptions; selecting process descriptions that need to be removed, innovated, or implemented; and defining a plan to align process descriptions with desired process practices. SPR results in a repository of managed process descriptions and a plan for disciplined software process management. In this article, we derive principles for SPR, use these principles to propose a model for re-engineering legacy process descriptions, and present an industrial case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model. In the presented case, SPR had several benefits: it leveraged earlier investments in SPI; it engaged key stakeholders in revitalizing improvement efforts; it created a shared understanding of the organization's desired process practices; and, it established a solid platform for continued SPI. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Considerations for the development of real-time dynamic testing using servo-hydraulic actuation

This paper presents a study of the use of servo-hydraulic systems in the implementation of real-time large-scale structural testing methods in force control such as effective force testing (EFT) and in displacement control such as real-time pseudodynamic testing (RPsD). Mathematical models for both types of control systems are presented and used to investigate the influences of servo-systems on the overall system performance. Parameters investigated include the overall system dynamics, nonlinearities of servo-systems, actuator damping, system mass including piston mass, and system response delay. Results of both numerical simulations and experiments showed that many of the influences of the servo-hydraulic system that significantly affect the real-time dynamic tests can be properly compensated through control schemes identified in this paper. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cytological studies of ameiotic and normal maize with reference to premeiotic pairing

This study reports cytological observations in maize plants homozygous for the recessive am allele which suppresses meiosis in both male and female meiocytes. The ultimate premeiotic mitosis in anthers from ameiotic plants is normal, but the resulting nuclei do not undergo meiosis. Instead, a synchronized mitosis occurs after which the cells degenerate. No evidence was found for a non-random association of homologous chromosomes in the premeiotic or ameiotic mitoses of homozygous ameiotic plants or in the premeiotic mitosis of normal sibs. These observations are in agreement with the classical view that synapsis of homologous chromosomes does not occur until zygotene.
Molecular pathology and mechanism of action of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, StARProceedings of Xth International Congress on Hormonal Steroids, Quebec, Canada, 17–21 June 1998.

The first and rate-limiting step in the synthesis of all steroid hormones is the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone by the mitochondrial enzyme, P450scc. Tropic hormones such ACTH and gonadotropins induce steroidogenesis via cAMP by elaborating intracellular cAMP which stimulates P450scc activity in two distinct ways. Chronic stimulation (h to days) occurs through the induction of P450scc gene transcription leading to increased P450scc protein and consequent increased steroidogenic capacity. Acute regulation, over minutes, occurs through the phosphorylation of preexisting StAR and the rapid synthesis of new StAR protein. StAR, the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, increases the flow of cholesterol into mitochondria, thus regulating substrate availability to whatever amount of P450scc is available. In the absence of StAR, up to 14% of maximal StAR-induced level of steroidogenesis persists as StAR-independent steroidogenesis. Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia, an autosomal recessive disorder in which conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone is severely impaired, results in female genitalia in 46,XY genetic males, variable onset of a severe salt-losing crisis in the first months of life, but normal feminization and cyclical vaginal bleeding in 46,XX females. Lipoid CAH was once thought to be due to P450scc mutations, but in fact homozygous P450scc mutations cannot exist in human beings as they would prohibit placental progesterone production, causing spontaneous abortion of the affected fetus. Lipoid CAH is caused by StAR mutations, which result in tropic hormone-induced intracellular accumulation of cholesterol in the adrenals and gonads. Our two-hit model, which considers the persistence of StAR-independent steroidogenesis and the differences in the fetal and postnatal ages at which the testis, adrenal zona glomerulosa, adrenal zona fasciculata and ovary are stimulated, predicts and explains all of the various clinical manifestations of lipoid CAH. Structure function studies of StAR show that the critical domains for biological activity reside in the protein's carboxy-terminus. When the N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequences are deleted and the resulting N-62 StAR remains in the cytoplasm, it retains the ability to stimulate steroidogenesis both in intact cells or when added to isolated mitochondria in vitro. These observations suggest that StAR acts on the outer mitochondrial membrane to promote sterol translocation to P450scc, and that the importation of StAR into mitochondria terminates its action. Data from circular dichroism and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy show that the mutant StAR proteins in lipoid CAH are misfolded, suggesting disrupted interaction with another protein. Preliminary data suggest that StAR facilitates cholesterol desorption from membranes, stimulating transfer from the outer mitochondrial (donor) membrane to the inner mitochondrial (acceptor) membrane.
Experiments on crack propagation in a viscoelastic material

The problem of plane stress crack growth in a rectangular linearly viscoelastic plate under a pair of equal and opposite forces applied to the crack surface is studied experimentally. A fatigue crack is generated at the end of a slot cut on the specimen. After application of two opposite forces to the specimen with a fatigue crack, the crack grows gradually. It is found that under sufficiently small load, the speed of crack growth decreases as time increases, and crack arrest occurs finally. However when the applied load is sufficiently large, the crack grows with increasing speed until a catastrophic failure of the specimen takes place. Between these two extreme cases, the crack grows with an oscillatory speed. A theory based on the models of an infinite plate and double cantilevers is proposed for the explanation of the behaviour of crack growth under various loads. Our experimental results check fairly well with theoretical predictions.
Influence of physiological factors on the age-related increase in blood pressure in healthy men

The independent and collective influences of several physiological factors on the age-related increase in blood pressure in healthy men were examined. Twenty-seven younger and 25 older, mostly normotensive, healthy men were studied. Blood pressure, body fat, body fat distribution, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), plasma norepinephrine, dietary Na, and erythrocyte Na-K pump activity were measured. Older men showed 57% higher percent body fat, 40% higher plasma norepinephrine concentration, 14% greater mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and 5% higher plasma K concentration than younger men (all p < 0.01). Older men showed a 38% (p < 0.01) lower VO2max, 19% (p < 0.05) lower energy intake, 18% (p < 0.05) lower Na-K pump rate constant, and a 17% (p < 0.05) lower Na-K pump rate. Group means for MAP were adjusted for combinations of plasma norepinephrine, waist:thigh ratio, VO2max, and the Na-K pump rate constant, to determine if any one variable or combination could account for the age related increase in MAP. Statistical adjustment for plasma norepinephrine, waist:thigh ratio, and Na-K pump rate constant eliminated the significant difference between MAPs for the two groups. Thus, alterations in sympathetic nervous system activity, body fat distribution, and the membrane Na-K pump activity independently contribute to the age-related increase in MAP in healthy men.
Attribute-Treatment Interactions in Cross-cultural Training: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Expanding upon data of Fan and Wanous’ (2008) longitudinal field experiment, this research investigates attribute-treatment interactions in cross-cultural training. Drawing on the person-environment fit theory, we hypothesized that sojourners with high perceived social self-efficacy (PSSE) should have better fit with a theory-driven cross-cultural coping orientation program, called “Realistic Orientation Program for Entry Stress” (ROPES) than low-PSSE sojourners. As a result, the treatment effects (the ROPES program vs. a traditional cross-cultural training program) should be more positive for high-PSSE sojourners than for low-PSSE sojourners. Seventy-two new graduate students from Asia entering a large U.S. public university were randomly assigned to either a ROPES program or a traditional cross-cultural training program and were assessed pre-entry and multiple times post-entry. The results strongly supported the hypothesized attribute-treatment interactions. Theoretical contributions and practical impli...
A role for extracellular matrix degradation and matrix metalloproteinases in senile dementia

In brain as in cartilage, the extracellular matrix contains aggregates formed by hyaluronic acid (HA) and proteoglycans. In osteoarthritic cartilage, release of the proteoglycans from the aggregates by cleavage of the HA-binding region results in the accumulation of the HA-binding region and in the fragmentation of the released proteoglycans. Stromelysin, a matrix neutral metalloproteinase, is one of the enzymes responsible for the cleavage of the HA-binding region. We suggest that a similar process also occurs in senile dementia. The brain proteoglycan contains sequences identical to those of aggrecan, which are recognized and cleaved by stromelysin, and is, in fact, susceptible to stromelysin digestion. Monoclonal antibodies reacting with glial HA-binding protein, but not with the parent protein, stained several senile plaques as defined by their reactivity with antibodies to the amyloid-beta protein in double-labeling experiments.
Range-restricted mergeable priority queues

Abstract We define a new class of mergeable heaps that we call H-heaps. Using H-heaps we can process an on-line sequence of mergeable priority queue operations when the elements are integers in the range 1,…,N in amortized time O(log log N) and worst-case time O(log N) per operation.
Applying constructivism to nursing education in cultural competence: a course that bears repeating

A graduate course on culture, diversity, and cultural competence was developed based on constructivist learning theory and Campinha-Bacote's constructs of cultural awareness, knowledge, skill, and encounters. The epistemology, structure, assignments, and activities used in both online and classroom courses were highly effective and well received by the students. Student course evaluations and outcome assessments of students' cultural competence levels, as compared to precourse levels, provided supportive evidence that the course design produced intended outcomes. Course resources are shared, making them available for use by others in cultural competence education.
The Johns Hopkins Turbulence Databases: An Open Simulation Laboratory for Turbulence Research

The Johns Hopkins Turbulence Databases are an open simulation laboratory for the study of turbulence. They provide an immersive environment in which world-class numerical simulation datasets are available "at your fingertips." Such an environment has the potential to transform our understanding of turbulent flows.
Cyprus: The Failure of Mediation and the Escalation of an Identity-Based Conflict to an Adversarial Impasse:

The Cyprus conflict is an intractable, identity-based conflict that has challenged the international community for over 40 years. This article provides an overview of the history and sources of the...
The first combinatorially prepared and evaluated inorganic catalysts. Polyoxometalates for the aerobic oxidation of the mustard analog tetrahydrothiophene (THT)

Abstract The combinatorial synthesis and evaluation of inorganic catalysts is described. The catalysts are an array of early-transition-metal-oxygen-anion clusters (polyoxometalates) and the reaction is the aerobic oxidation of a mustard thioether analog, tetrahydrothiophene (THT). Selective oxidation of THT to the desired sulfoxide, THTO, was achieved in high selectivity (τ; 99%) and under relatively mild conditions (95°C, 1.52 atm). Solutions with a molar ratio of 1:2 (phosphorus:vanadium) had the highest catalytic activity. 51V NMR and IR were used not only to identify the self assembling polyoxometalates in several representative precursor combinations (columns in the combinatorial gallery of Fig. 1) but also to assess the stability of one representative polyoxometalate catalyst, 1P:2V:10W, under catalytic conditions (no decomposition after 50 turnovers). Gas chromatography was sufficient to rapidly quantify the product (THTO) yields and selectivities of representative reactions. Combinatorial methodology should be applicable to and provide the same advantages for discovery and optimization of catalysts as it has for pharmaceuticals.
Design and implementation of an intrusion detection system for wireless sensor networks

As a relatively recent and emerging technology, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are beginning to be deployed frequently in a wide variety of environments ranging from military and emergency environments to natural and embedded environments. For example, a security system may be deployed using WSNs as outlined in M. Turon, J. Suh (Apr. 2005), and P. Dutta., et al., (Apr. 2005). Furthermore, WSNs are of particular interest to adversaries due to their frequent deployments in open and unprotected environments. Preventive mechanisms can sometimes be applied to protect WSNs from an assortment of attacks. However, in many cases, a more sophisticated methodology needs to be applied for situations in which intrusions or attacks cannot necessarily be anticipated in advance. In such instances, an intrusion detection system is warranted. For WSNs, one of the primary concerns deals with availability of the network and individual nodes. Denial of service (DoS) attacks are a particularly great threat to WSNs. The effects of a DoS attack are described extensively in A.D. Wood and J.A. Stankovic (Oct. 2002),and http://www.tinyos.net. WSNs are particularly vulnerable to failure under such attacks because of their limited energy, processing capacity, and storage. An effective DoS attack merely has to deplete the resources of the nodes to render them unavailable. In this paper we design and implement a preliminary intrusion detection system (IDS) for WSNs that addresses the security concern of DoS attacks and fits the demands and restrictions of WSNs.
Mechanisms underlying UV-induced immune suppression

Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of human neoplasia. Estimates suggest that in excess of one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year alone in the United States (www.cancer.org/statistics). Fortunately, because of their highly visible location, skin cancers are more rapidly diagnosed and more easily treated than other types of cancer. Be that as it may, approximately 10,000 Americans a year die from skin cancer. The cost of treating non-melanoma skin cancer is estimated to be in excess of US dollars 650 million a year, and when melanoma is included, the estimated cost of treating skin cancer in the United States is estimated to rise to US dollars 2.9 billion annually (www.cancer.org/statistics). Because the morbidity and mortality associated with skin cancer is a major public health problem, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying skin cancer development. The primary cause of skin cancer is the ultraviolet (UV) radiation found in sunlight. In addition to its carcinogenic potential, UV radiation is also immune suppressive. In fact, data from studies with both experimental animals and biopsy proven skin cancer patients suggest that there is an association between the immune suppressive effects of UV radiation and its carcinogenic potential. The focus of this manuscript will be to review the mechanisms underlying the induction of immune suppression following UV exposure. Particular attention will be directed to the role of soluble mediators in activating immune suppression.
On integrating out heavy fields in SUSY theories

We examine the procedure for integrating out heavy fields in supersymmetric (both global and local) theories. We find that the usual conditions need to be modified in general and we discuss the restrictions under which they are valid. These issues are relevant for recent work in string compactification with fluxes.
A Discreet, Fault-Tolerant, and Scalable Software Architectural Style for Internet-Sized Networks

Large networks, such as the Internet, pose an ideal medium for solving computationally intensive problems, such as NP-complete problems, yet no well-scaling architecture for Internet-sized systems exists. I propose a software architectural style for large networks, based on a formal mathematical study of crystal growth that will exhibit properties of (1) discreetness (nodes on the network cannot learn the algorithm or input of the computation), (2) fault-tolerance (malicious, faulty, and unstable nodes cannot break the computation), and (3) scalability (communication among the nodes does not increase with network or problem size). I plan to evaluate the style both theoretically and empirically for these three properties.
Fifty Years of Discoveries in Nuclear Structure

The complementary nature of the Vanderbilt experimental work and the theoretical work of the Frankfurt group on the rotation-vibration model, the generalized collective model, shape coexistence and cluster radioactivity is described. Recent discoveries in neutron-rich nuclei γ-vibrational bands compared with RVM and GCM are presented. Ultimate examples of cluster radioactivity in cold binary and ternary fission are discussed. Finally, we present evidence for the evolution from axial symmetry in 101Y to maximum triaxialilty in 113Rh and for chiral doublet bands in neutron-rich triaxial even-even nuclei between A=106 - 112.
Resistance to Turnip Crinkle Virus in Arabidopsis Is Regulated by Two Host Genes and Is Salicylic Acid Dependent but NPR1, Ethylene, and Jasmonate Independent

Inoculation of turnip crinkle virus (TCV) on the resistant Arabidopsis ecotype Dijon (Di-17) results in the development of a hypersensitive response (HR) on the inoculated leaves. To assess the role of the recently cloned HRT gene in conferring resistance, we monitored both HR and resistance (lack of viral spread to systemic tissues) in the progeny of a cross between resistant Di-17 and susceptible Columbia plants. As expected, HR development segregated as a dominant trait that corresponded with the presence of HRT. However, all of the F1 plants and three-fourths of HR+ F2 plants were susceptible to the virus. These results suggest the presence of a second gene, termed RRT, that regulates resistance to TCV. The allele present in Di-17 appears to be recessive to the allele or alleles present in TCV-susceptible ecotypes. We also demonstrate that HR formation and TCV resistance are dependent on salicylic acid but not on ethylene or jasmonic acid. Furthermore, these phenomena are unaffected by mutations in NPR1. Thus, TCV resistance requires a yet undefined salicylic acid–dependent, NPR1-independent signaling pathway.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Genes for Shigella sonnei Form I O Polysaccharide: Proposed Biosynthetic Pathway and Stable Expression in a Live Salmonella Vaccine Vector

The gene region for biosynthesis of Shigella sonnei form I O polysaccharide (O-Ps) and flanking sequences, totaling >18 kb, was characterized by deletion analysis to define a minimal construct for development of Salmonella-based live vaccine vector strains. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) expression and DNA sequence studies of plasmid deletion derivatives indicated form I O-Ps expression from a 12.3-kb region containing a putative promoter and 10 contiguous open reading frames (ORFs), one of which is the transposase of IS630. A detailed biosynthetic pathway, consistent with the predicted functions of eight of the nine essential ORFs and the form I O-Ps structure, is proposed. Further sequencing identified partial IS elements (i.e., IS91 and IS630) and wzz upstream of the form I coding region and a fragment of aqpZ and additional full or partial IS elements (i.e., IS629, IS91, and IS911) downstream of this region. The stability of plasmid-based form I O-Ps expression was greater from low-copy vectors than from high-copy vectors and was enhanced by deletion of the downstream IS91 from plasmid inserts. Both core-linked (i.e., LPS) and non-core-linked (i.e., capsule-like) surface expression of form I O-Ps were detected by Western blotting and silver staining of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-separated Shigella and Escherichia coli extracts. However, salmonellae, which have a core that is chemically dissimilar to that of shigellae, expressed only non-core-linked surface-associated form I O-Ps. Finally, attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi live vaccine vector candidates, containing minimal-sized form I operon constructs, elicited immune protection in mice against virulent S. sonnei challenge, thereby supporting the promise of live, oral vaccines for the prevention of shigellosis.
An oxygen isotope study of seasonal trends in soil water fluxes at two sites along a climate gradient in Washington state (USA)

Summary Oxygen isotopes in precipitation and soil water were monitored at two sites along a climate gradient on the east side of the Cascade Mountains (Washington, USA). Precipitation at both sites is dominated by snowfall in the winter months. δ18O values of precipitation show a typical seasonal variation from around −17‰ in the winter to around −8‰ in the summer at the western site (Cle Elum), and slightly lower values at the eastern site (Ellensburg). Soil water isotope composition and moisture contents relate to hydrological season: (1) late summer to fall – cooling, increased soil moisture; (2) winter – snow cover; (3) late winter to early spring – snow melts, recharge of soils and groundwater; (4) late spring – initial drying of soils. A simple mass balance model that conserves isotopes and mass is used to constrain the rates of water loss due to evaporation and non-fractionating losses (transpiration and downward percolation) during these hydrological seasons. Non-fractionating losses at both sites are similar during the spring at approximately 0.8–1.0 mm/day. In contrast, during the fall, these non-fractionating losses are near zero at the drier site (Ellensburg) and remain at ≈0.8 mm/day at the wetter site (Cle Elum). The model yields evaporation rates between 0.01 and 0.2 mm/day for Ellensburg and between 0.2 and 0.9 mm/day for Cle Elum.
Manual Dexterity Task Performance Efficiency in the Open Ocean Underwater Environment

Six experienced male SCUBA divers performed a test of manual dexterity in the open ocean underwater environment. Each was timed on the assembly of ten bolt combinations at a shallow (4.6m) and deeper (15.3m) ocean depth. Performance efficiency, as measured by the time to complete the task, declined 25.8% at 4.6m and 36.8% at 15.3m underwater, when compared to equivalent dry land performance. The synthesis of results from the current study and data adduced from previous experimental work concerning manual dexterity underwater, suggests that percentage increase in task completion time is linearly related to the depth of ocean performance. This observation implicates the major role of physical factors in performance decrement with increasing depth and attributes a lesser influence to situational anxiety than has previously been apportioned. In addition, task skill level is identified as a potent interactive variant of performance underwater. The proposed function permits calculation of completion times of simple manual dexterity tasks over the range of ocean depths in which air breathing divers may operate. In consequence, it holds potential importance in setting temporal constraints on performance and safety standards for the submerged operator. Language: en
The Use of ASL to Support the Development of English and Literacy.

The purpose of this article is to review research dealing with the use of ASL in teaching English and literacy. I review some of the literature (and direct readers to additional sources) that indicates that early learning of ASL need not create concerns for future development of English structure, speech, or other cognitive skills. I also suggest ways in which ASL can contribute directly to developing more of the high-level skills needed for fluent reading and writing. The global benefit of learning ASL as a first language is that it creates a standard bilingual situation in which teachers and learners can take advantage of one language to assist in acquiring the other and in the transfer of general knowledge. As part of this discussion, I compare English and ASL as natural languages for similarities and differences.
Extensification of agriculture and deforestation: Empirical evidence from Sudan

Extensification of agriculture is one of the major factors contributing to the destruction of forests in Africa. In Sudan, such horizontal expansion comes at the expense of land devoted to trees and other vegetation, thereby inducing conditions that are inimical to sustainable agricultural production. Different factors have contributed to extensification. Although high economic returns from crop (mainly sorghum) production was an important factor encouraging extensification of rainfed mechanized farming, other factors outside agriculture have also contributed to that expansion. This paper uses data from eastern Sudan and an acreage response model, to identify the most important factors influencing acreage expansion. Different measures and forms of risk were used in the acreage response model. The paper shows how policies in the energy sector can indirectly influence acreage expansion in the agricultural sector.
What the shark immune system can and cannot provide for the expanding design landscape of immunotherapy

Introduction: Sharks have successfully lived in marine ecosystems, often atop food chains as apex predators, for nearly one and a half billion years. Throughout this period they have benefitted from an immune system with the same fundamental components found in terrestrial vertebrates like man. Additionally, sharks have some rather extraordinary immune mechanisms which mammals lack.Areas covered: In this review the author briefly orients the reader to sharks, their adaptive immunity, and their important phylogenetic position in comparative immunology. The author also differentiates some of the myths from facts concerning these animals, their cartilage, and cancer. From thereon, the author explores some of the more remarkable capabilities and products of shark lymphocytes. Sharks have an isotype of light chain-less antibodies that are useful tools in molecular biology and are moving towards translational use in the clinic. These special antibodies are just one of the several tricks of shark lymphocyte anti...
Characterization of the dnaG Locus in Mycobacterium smegmatis Reveals Linkage of DNA Replication and Cell Division

We have isolated a UV-induced temperature-sensitive mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis that fails to grow at 42°C and exhibits a filamentous phenotype following incubation at the nonpermissive temperature, reminiscent of a defect in cell division. Complementation of this mutant with an M. smegmatis genomic library and subsequent subcloning reveal that the defect lies within the M. smegmatis dnaG gene encoding DNA primase. Sequence analysis of the mutant dnaG allele reveals a substitution of proline for alanine at position 496. Thus, dnaG is an essential gene in M. smegmatis, and DNA replication and cell division are coupled processes in this species. Characterization of the sequences flanking the M. smegmatis dnaG gene shows that it is not part of the highly conserved macromolecular synthesis operon present in other eubacterial species but is part of an operon with a dgt gene encoding dGTPase. The organization of this operon is conserved in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae, suggesting that regulation of DNA replication, transcription, and translation may be coordinated differently in the mycobacteria than in other bacteria.
A Visually-Informed Decision-Making Platform for Model-based Design of Wind Farms

In developing complex engineering systems, model-based design approaches often face critical challenges due to pervasive uncertainties and high computational expense. These challenges could be alleviated to a significant extent though informed modeling decisions, such as model substitution, parameter estimation, localized re-sampling, or grid refinement. Informed modeling decisions therefore necessitate (currently lacking) design frameworks that effectively integrate design automation and human decision-making. In this paper, we seek to address this necessity in the context of designing wind farm layouts, by taking an information flow perspective of this typical model-based design process. Specifically, we develop a visual representation of the uncertainties inherited and generated by models and the inter-model sensitivities. This framework is called the Visually-Informed Decision-Making Platform (VIDMAP) for wind farm design. The eFAST method is used for sensitivity analysis, in order to determine both the first-order and the total-order indices. The uncertainties in the independent inputs are quantified based on their observed variance. The uncertainties generated by the upstream models are quantified through a Monte Carlo simulation followed by probabilistic modeling of (i) the error in the output of the models (if high-fidelity estimates are available), or (ii) the deviation in the outputs estimated by different alternatives/versions of the model. The GUI in VIDMAP is created using value-proportional colors for each model block and inter-model connector, to respectively represent the uncertainty in the model output and the impact (downstream) of the information being relayed by the connector. Wind farm layout optimization (WFLO) serves as an excellent platform to develop and explore VIDMAP, where WFLO is generally performed using low fidelity models, as high-fidelity models (e.g. LES) tend to be computationally prohibitive in this context. The final VIDMAP obtained sheds new light into the sensitivity of wind farm energy estimation on the different models and their associated uncertainties.
Manganese Action on Protein Synthesis in Diabetic Rat Pancreas: Evidence for a Possible Physiological Role

The actions of manganese on [3H]phenylalanine incorporation into pancreatic acinar protein from streptozotocin-diabetic rats were compared with the actions of several divalent cations, insulin, and pancreatic secretagogues. In the presence of Ca2+, 7 X 10(-4) M manganese greatly enhanced [3H]phenylalanine incorporation. Under similar incubation conditions, magnesium exerted only a slight stimulatory effect on incorporation, whereas cobalt and nickel failed to enhance incorporation. Removal of Ca2+ from incubation medium, or replacement of Ca2+ by either barium or strontium, abolished the stimulatory effect of manganese on incorporation. Lanthanum, at a concentration that inhibits stimulated Ca2+ influx in acini (10(-4) M), also blocked the stimulatory effect of manganese but did not alter the actions of insulin on incorporation. Dibutyryl cyclic GMP, a competitive antagonist of cholecystokinin-octapeptide, and atropine, a competitive antagonist of carbachol, blocked the stimulatory effects of the respective secretagogues on incorporation. Neither antagonist altered the actions of manganese. These findings suggest that in the face of insulin deficiency manganese enhances pancreatic protein synthesis in diabetic rats via a Ca2+-dependent mechanism that is distinct from the actions of other divalent cations, insulin and pancreatic secretagogues.
Isolation and characterization of RNA from snap-frozen tissues and cultured cells

This paper outlines protocols for the isolation and characterization of RNA from whole tissues and cultured cells. Included are methods for eliminating RNase contamination, obtaining and storing tissues or cell pellets; and for isolating RNA from either whole tissues or cultured cells using a guanidinium thiocyanate, phenol/chloroform extraction method as modified from Chomczynski and sacchi. In addition, procedures for testing quantity and quality of the RNA obtained are outlined