cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A computational study of yttria-stabilized zirconia: II. Cation diffusion

Abstract Cubic yttria-stabilized zirconia is widely used in industrial electrochemical devices. While its fast oxygen ion diffusion is well understood, why cation diffusion is much slower—its activation energy (∼5 eV) is 10 times that of anion diffusion—remains a mystery. Indeed, all previous computational studies predicted more than 5 eV is needed for forming a cation defect, and another 5 eV for moving one. In contrast, our ab initio calculations have correctly predicted the experimentally observed cation diffusivity. We found Schottky pairs are the dominant defects that provide cation vacancies, and their local environments and migrating path are dictated by packing preferences. As a cation exchanges position with a neighboring vacancy, it passes by an empty interstitial site and severely displaces two oxygen neighbors with shortened Zr-O distances. This causes a short-range repulsion against the migrating cation and a long-range disturbance of the surrounding, which explains why cation diffusion is relatively difficult. In comparison, cubic zirconia's migrating oxygen only minimally disturbs neighboring Zr, which explains why it is a fast oxygen conductor.
Abstract 57: Therapeutic Effects of Small Molecule Gβγ Inhibition in Pressure Overload Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a progressive disease with rapidly increasing rates of morbidity and mortality; it is the leading cause of death worldwide. Elevated sympathetic nervous system activity, a sal...
Effects of a non‐native grass invasion decline over time

Summary Most research on dynamics and impacts of plant invasions has evaluated patterns and effects over brief time periods (i.e. <4 years). As such, little is known about the persistence of invasions and their long-term impacts on native species. To experimentally evaluate longer-term effects of invasions, we established field plots with native tree and herbaceous species and then invaded half of the plots with the most widespread invasive grass in the eastern United States (Microstegium vimineum). Over 8 years, we quantified invader and native plant biomass, native plant diversity, and tree density and size. Microstegium was dominant during the first 4 years of the experiment, constituting more than 60% of herbaceous plant biomass in the plots, and native herbaceous biomass was 57% lower and diversity was 44% lower in invaded vs. control plots. However, both Microstegium and herbaceous native species declined in later years. By the end of the experiment, Microstegium was only 2% of community biomass, and there was no difference in native herbaceous biomass in invaded and control plots. We applied a fire treatment in years 6 and 7 to test if repeated disturbance is required to maintain invader dominance and to evaluate how this common management practice in eastern US forests affected invasive and native plants. Tree density was 65% lower and tree diameters were 28–51% smaller on average in fire-treated compared with control quadrants, resulting in significantly greater light availability in fire-treated areas. Consequently, Microstegium and native herbaceous species biomass increased significantly where fire was applied. However, only native species were persistent, and after 8 years, Microstegium was nearly absent, regardless of the fire treatment. Synthesis. The invasive grass was initially abundant and suppressed native species, but invader decline over time corresponded with succession to native herbaceous species dominance when fire was applied, and to native tree dominance without fire such that after 8 years, the initial effects of invasion were no longer apparent. Thus, our data provide some of the first experimental evidence that while the initial effects of plant invasions can be dramatic, invaders and their impacts may decline over time.
Estimating a Local Food Waste Baseline

This article estimates the amounts of food that is discarded, diverted, and landfilled in Minnesota by comparing and applying approaches and statistics from selected national, regional, and local s...
Psychology’s Ideals

At this point in my work on justice, it became apparent that my concerns were not like those underlying most of my colleagues’ contributions to the justice literature. I was not so much concerned with understanding the psychological dynamics of justice per se as I was with comprehending the field of psychology that had produced the existing understanding of justice. I believed that we could never understand justice in itself without first understanding more about the way we went about understanding justice. This belief would soon broaden, and I would argue that before we could understand whatever specific content areas we examined through our psychological inquiry, we would have to examine the field conducting the inquiry. Mine became a metapsychological concern, an examination of the discipline and its ideals. Two key papers emerged from this metapsychological analysis. The first (Sampson, 1977) examined what I termed a “self-contained individualistic ideal” permeating psychology; the second (Sampson, 1978) sought to locate that ideal within the paradigm of science that governed the field.
Detection of mRNA for the cytokines, interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-8, in corneas from patients with pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.

Purpose. Cytokines have been implicated in corneal inflammatory diseases. The authors sought to determine if corneal diseases with different patterns of inflammation are accompanied by characteristic patterns of cytokine expression. Methods. The authors used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to detect mRNA for 12 specific cytokines from patients with Fuch's dystrophy (n = 7), pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (n = 12), or normal corneas (n = 4). Results. Using Wilcoxon rank sum analysis, mRNA for interleukin (IL)-1α or IL-8 was significantly more abundant in corneas from patients with pseudophakic bullous keratopathy relative to either comparison group. mRNA for the T-cell marker, CD4, and for T-cell derived cytokines, IL-2, IL-4, and interferon y, could not be detected in any corneal sample. Message for IL-1 receptor antagonist and transforming growth factor-β1 or -β 2 was readily detectable in most corneas regardless of diagnosis. Conclusion. The findings indicate that the pattern of cytokine mRNA expression reflects differences in the pathogenesis of these corneal diseases. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 ;36 :2151-2155.
Dynamics of Pools of Dissolved Organic Carbon

Bacteria living and growing in the plankton of marine waters are clearly doing so at the expense of organic matter in the dissolved state. In recent years our understanding of this process has improved greatly. This paper will explore the interaction of bacteria and dissolved organic matter from an ecological viewpoint. In energy flow terms, the DOM (dissolved organic matter) of natural waters can be construed as a trophic level, the base of a food chain involving only heterotrophs. The next (higher) trophic level is occupied by the heterotrophic microorganisms dependent on DOM, and there is good evidence now that in planktonic ecosystems the bacteria uniquely occupy this trophic level. They in turn contribute energy to higher trophic levels when they are fed on by planktonic and benthic animals. From this point the energy flow joins that of the food chain based on particulate matter such as algae and detritus.
What Does the Cognitive Science of Religion Explain

Over the past 15 years or so, the number of empirical projects in the cognitive science of religion (CSR) has grown exponentially and so too has the amount of attention paid to the field, including questions about what the cognitive science of religion is, how it conceptualizes religion and what it explains. The aim of this chapter is to contribute to these discussions by outlining the main objectives of CSR and the assumptions underlying the field. In particular, CSR has often been criticized for not engaging in extensive debates about what religion is. In this chapter I focus extensively on how CSR scholars construe religion and why they have eschewed these definitional debates in favor of engaging in empirical research. In what follows, I discuss how CSR conceptualizes religion, and how this differs from other approaches. Next, I consider how this conceptualization of religion shapes how scholars study it. Finally, I consider the question of how CSR actually explains religion.
Explorations of in-situ source localization in the deep ocean using frequency difference matched field processing and matched autoproduct processing

Matched field processing (MFP) is a well-known technique for source localization in challenging environments. MFP involves correlating array-recorded fields with calculated replica fields developed from knowledge of the acoustic environment. Incomplete knowledge of the environment causes mismatch between measured and calculated fields, and this mismatch can cause MFP to fail at relevant ranges and frequencies in the deep ocean. Given that the severity of this mismatch increases with frequency, a proposed remedy to the mismatch problem is to analyze the frequency-difference autoproduct of the recorded field, rather than the field itself. The phase of the frequency-difference autoproduct is expected to mimic that of an out-of-band field at a selectable below-band frequency, thereby mitigating the severity of the mismatch at in-band frequencies. This autoproduct is then matched either to a replica field at the below-band frequency, or to an appropriate calculated autoproduct field. This presentation explores these methods, and higher-order corrections, to localize moored sources using data from the North Pacific Acoustic Library. Localization statistics are presented based on the closest moored source, 130 km from the receiving array with a signal bandwidth from 200 to 300 Hz. [Sponsored by ONR.]
Effects of Deltamethrin Treatment on Small Mammal and Ectoparasite Population Dynamics and Plague Prevalence in a North American Mixed-Grass Prairie System.

Abstract Sylvatic plague affects many species in North American prairie ecosystems. Deltamethrin is commonly used to manage fleas in potential outbreak areas. Understanding the role of small mammal...
Resolving uncertainty in a social world

Consider the range of social behaviours we engage in every day. In each case, there are a multitude of unknowns, reflecting the many sources of uncertainty inherent to social inference. We describe how uncertainty manifests in social environments (the thoughts and intentions of others are largely hidden, making it difficult to predict a person's behaviour) and why people are motivated to reduce the aversive feelings generated by uncertainty. We propose a three-part model whereby social uncertainty is initially reduced through automatic modes of inference (such as impression formation) before more control-demanding modes of inference (such as perspective-taking) are deployed to narrow one's predictions even more. Finally, social uncertainty is attenuated further through learning processes that update these predictions based on new information. Our framework integrates research across fields to offer an account of the mechanisms motivating social cognition and action, laying the groundwork for future experiments that can illuminate the impact of uncertainty on social cognition.
Statistical Intervals: A Guide for Practitioners and Researchers

An exciting and rewarding aspect of being a statistician is helping others make decisions in the presence of uncertainty. Statistical intervals are at the heart of data-driven decision making, and ...
Loading natural emulsions with nutraceuticals using the pH-driven method: formation & stability of curcumin-loaded soybean oil bodies

Previous studies have shown that the pH-driven method can be used to load curcumin into a variety of colloidal particles, including micelles, liposomes, lipid droplets, and oil bodies. This method is based on the increase in hydrophobicity and a corresponding decrease in water-solubility of curcumin when the pH changes from highly alkaline to acidic. In this study, we examined the physical and chemical stability of curcumin-loaded soybean oil bodies prepared using the pH-driven method. First, the impact of pH (from 6.5 to 8) on the stability of curcumin-loaded soymilk during storage was investigated at 4 °C for 36 days. At this low storage temperature, more than 85% of the alkaline-sensitive curcumin was retained at all three pH values, without any evidence of color fading. The impact of holding temperature (4, 20, 37, and 55 °C) on the physicochemical stability of the curcumin-loaded soymilks was then measured during storage at pH 7 for 14 days. At 4 and 20 °C, the emulsions remained physically stable, most of the curcumin (>90%) was retained, and there was no evidence of color fading. At the higher temperatures, however, the rate of curcumin degradation increased. For instance, around 30% and 70% of curcumin was lost when the soymilks were stored at 37 and 55 °C, respectively. On the other hand, the soymilks remained physically stable throughout this period. This study provides valuable information about the loading of curcumin into pre-existing plant-based milks and creamers, which may be useful for developing a new category of functional foods and beverages.
Design for Implementation of a System-Level ICU Pandemic Surge Staffing Plan

Background The current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is causing significant strain on ICUs worldwide. Initial and subsequent regional surges are expected to persist for months and potentially beyond. As a result of this, as well as the fact that ICU provider staffing throughout the United States currently operate at or near capacity, the risk for severe and augmented disruption in delivery of care is very real. Thus, there is a pressing need for proactive planning for ICU staffing augmentation, which can be implemented in response to a local surge in ICU volumes. Methods We provide a description of the design, dissemination, and implementation of an ICU surge provider staffing algorithm, focusing on physicians, advanced practice providers, and certified registered nurse anesthetists at a system-wide level. Results The protocol was designed and implemented by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Integrated ICU Service Center and was rolled out to the entire health system, a 40-hospital system spanning Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland. Surge staffing models were developed using this framework to assure that local needs were balanced with system resource supply, with rapid enhancement and expansion of tele-ICU capabilities. Conclusions The ICU pandemic surge staffing algorithm, using a tiered-provider strategy, was able to be used by hospitals ranging from rural community to tertiary/quaternary academic medical centers and adapted to meet specific needs rapidly. The concepts and general steps described herein may serve as a framework for hospital and other hospital systems to maintain staffing preparedness in the face of any form of acute patient volume surge.
Effects of sex hormones on cardiac ion channels involved in ventricular repolarization

Abstract Sex differences in cardiac electrophysiology and vulnerability to inherited or acquired arrhythmias are well described in basic science, clinical, and epidemiological studies. To date, the most extensively studied male–female differences pertain to ventricular repolarization and susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias. Relative to men, women exhibit longer rate-corrected QT interval and are at higher risk of drug-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia Torsade de Pointes. Reasonable evidence exists to suggest that these sex differences arise in part from complex and dynamic regulations of cardiac ion channels by male and female sex hormones. This chapter summarizes sex differences in ventricular repolarization, chronic and acute regulation of cardiac ion channels by sex hormones, and the net impact of sex hormones on ventricular repolarization and arrhythmia propensity.
A Pandemic Refocuses Bioethics on "The Big Questions".

To paraphrase Lewis Carroll’s poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter” from his Through the Looking Glass, “The time has come to talk of many things.” Not as the Walrus did in the nursery rhyme, “of sho...
Evaluation for Evolution: Using the ERMI Standards to Validate an Airtable ERMS

Electronic resource management systems (ERMS) have yet to resolve the difficulty of electronic resource management to the satisfaction of librarians, in spite of widespread approval of the standard...
Filling the Gap in Database Usability

Library database vendors often revamp simpler interfaces of their database platforms with script-enriched interfaces to make them more attractive. Sadly, these enhancements often overlook users who rely on assistive technology, leaving electronic content difficult for this user base despite the potential of electronic materials to be easier for them to access and read than print materials. Even when providers are somewhat aware of this user group's needs there are questions about the effect of their efforts to date and whether accessibility documentation from them can be relied upon. This study examines selected vendors’ VPAT reports (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) through a manual assessment of their database platforms to determine their overall accessibility.
Planetary disasters: Wildness and the perennial struggle for control

This Forum article explains how many of today’s calamities—specifically, climate change, biodiversity loss, and COVID-19—are the result of humanity’s ongoing relationship to wildness. For millennia...
Deficiency in Nebulin Repeats of Sarcomeric Nebulette is Detrimental for Cardiomyocyte Tolerance to Exercise and Biomechanical Stress

We demonstrate that ablation of first nebulin-repeats of sarcomeric nebulette (Nebl) causes diastolic dysfunction in Neblex3-/ex3- mice. Exercise-induced development of diastolic dysfunction, cardi...
Profiling of signaling pathways in human dermal blood and lymphatic endothelial cells induced by snake venom cysteine-rich secretory protein (svCRiSP) from North American snakes

Snake venom Cysteine-Rich Secretory Proteins (svCRiSPs) are important components in the venom of many species of snakes including Viperidae and Elapidae. Although the widespread distribution of svCRiSPs in snake venoms is well known, little is known of the contribution that they make to the local pathophysiology of snakebite. This work aimed to investigate the role of svCRiSPs from the most medically significant species of North American snakes (Crotalus atrox, C. adamanteus, C. scutulatus scutulatus, C. horridus, and Agkistrodon piscivorus), focusing on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying vascular biology in snakebite. We evaluated the biological activities of svCRiSPs (Css-CRiSP, Catrox-CRiSP, Cada-CRiSP, Chor-CRiSP, and App-CRiSP) by using both in vitro assays on human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLECs) and human dermal blood endothelial cells (HDBECs) permeability and in vivo Miles assay of vascular permeability. Of all the CRiSPs tested, Css-CRiSP and App-CRiSP displayed the highest increase in acute vascular permeability compared to other crotaline CRiSPs. To elucidate the main pathway underlying the endothelial permeability induced by svCRiSPs, we initially screened the changes in protein expression and phosphorylation in HDLECs and HDBECs 30 min after treatment with Css-CRiSP and App-CRiSP using reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA). Stimulating HDBECs with Css-CRiSP and App-CRiSP enhanced caveolin-1 expression. In HDLEC cells, Css-CRiPS and App-CRiSP increased the upregulation of the expression of proteins involved in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt, Src, MAPK/JNK pathways, cell mobility, and cell adhesion molecules. These preliminary observations suggest that Css-CRiSP and App-CRiSP induce the increased endothelial monolayer permeability in HDBECs and HDLECs via different mechanisms. Knowledge gained from these studies provides insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the effects of svCRiSPs on vascular function and contributes to a new level of understanding of the pathophysiology of snakebite.
Air, Land, and Sea: Gene-Environment Interaction in Chronic Disease.

Abstract Each of us reflects a unique convergence of DNA and the environment. Over the past 2 decades, huge biobanks linked to electronic medical records have positioned the clinical and scientific communities to understand the complex genetic architecture underlying many common diseases. Although these efforts are producing increasingly accurate gene-based risk prediction algorithms for use in routine clinical care, the algorithms often fail to include environmental factors. This review explores the concept of heritability (genetic vs nongenetic determinants of disease), with emphasis on the role of environmental factors as risk determinants for common complex diseases influenced by air and water quality. Efforts to define patient exposure to specific toxicants in practice-based data sets will deepen our understanding of diseases with low heritability, and improved land management practices will reduce the burden of disease.
The Evolutionary Model of Escherichia Coli O157:H7

The first model for the evolution of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was proposed over a decade ago. This model was based on data from multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, sorbitol fermentation, β-glucuronidase activity, and the presence/absence of the genes encoding the two main antigenic forms of Shiga toxin (Stx): stx1 and stx2. With the higher-resolution, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)-based phylogenetic framework in place, the stepwise model can be expanded further through the examination of the Stx profiles present within the clades. With clade 7a, the model once again bifurcates with one line losing stx1 (clade 7b) and the other evolving into clade 5a. The observed changes in the tolA locus emphasize the utility of the revised model to elucidate the complex relationships among otherwise closely related isolates. The updated stepwise evolution model highlights the dynamic nature of the phage-encoded Stx variants, as each was independently acquired and lost multiple times during the diversification of O157:H7. Finally, this model reflects a collective effort on the part of multiple investigators to describe the nature, population genetic diversity, and emergence of pathogenic bacteria.
A novel function of the herpes simplex virus type 1 Fc receptor: participation in bipolar bridging of antiviral immunoglobulin G.

Abstract We describe a novel function of the Fc receptor of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), its ability to participate in antibody bipolar bridging. This refers to the binding of a single immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecule by its Fab end to its antigenic target and by its Fc end to an Fc receptor (FcR). We demonstrate that various immune IgG antibodies, including polyclonal rabbit antibodies to HSV-1 glycoproteins gC1 and gD1 and monoclonal human antibody to gD1 blocked rosetting of IgG-coated erythrocytes at IgG concentrations 100- to 2,000-fold lower than required for rosette inhibition with nonimmune IgG. Steric hindrance did not account for the observed differences between immune and nonimmune IgG since rabbit anti-gC1 F(ab')2 fragments did not block rosetting. Murine anti-gC1 or anti-gD1 IgG, a species of IgG incapable of binding by its Fc end to the HSV-1 FcR, also did not block rosetting. When cells were infected with a gC1-deficient mutant, anti-gC1 IgG inhibited rosetting to the same extent as nonimmune IgG. This indicates that binding by the Fab end of the IgG molecule was required for maximum inhibition of rosetting. Bipolar bridging was shown to occur even when small concentrations of immune IgG were present in physiologic concentrations of nonimmune IgG. The biologic relevance of antibody bipolar bridging was evaluated by comparing antibody- and complement-dependent virus neutralization of an FcR-negative mutant and its parent HSV-1 strain. By engaging the Fc end of antiviral IgG, the parent strain resisted neutralization mediated by the classical complement pathway. These observations provide insight into the role of the HSV-1 FcR in pathogenesis and may help explain the function of FcR detected on other microorganisms.
Flow dynamics of ash deposition in heat-exchanger tube banks

The objective of this project is to generate experimental data to describe flow fields in heat-exchanger tube banks. One of the main applications of this data is in the evaluation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models which are an important part of an ash deposition model. The CFD models under evaluation include a large eddy simulation (LES) being developed by Textron Inc. under DOE-PETC funding and the CLEW code developed at the University of California at Berkeley. Various CFD modeling approaches, e.g., implementation of a transition-to-turbulence and modified wall functions, are also being tested using the PHOENICS code.
Motivation while Designing in Engineering and Technology Education Impacted by Academic Preparation.

The purpose of this study was to determine if high school students’ academic preparation was correlated with change in motivation during an engineering design challenge. The research was conducted in a high school classroom in which elements of engineering design were taught in a technology education context to eleventh-grade student from diverse academic backgrounds (measured by grade point average [GPA]). Participant motivation was assessed by the California Measure of Mental Motivation (CM3). The CM3 measures student motivation to apply critical thinking skills and reasoning to solve problems in five subscales: mental focus, learning orientation, creative problem solving, cognitive integrity, and scholarly rigor. Findings of this study suggested that knowledge of students’ GPA served as a predictor of student motivation. With the exception of the mental focus subscale, growth over time was not related to GPA. Change across multiple time points in the other four subscales of learning orientation, creative problems solving, cognitive integrity, and scholarly Nathan Mentzer is an Assistant Professor at Purdue University. He can be reached at nmentzer@purdue.edu. Kurt Becker is a Professor and Department Head at Utah State University. He can be reached at kurt.becker@usu.edu. Motivation Impacted by Academic Preparedness 91 rigor did not show significant correlation with mathematics, science or communication GPA.
Molecular phylogeny of the Forcipulatacea (Asteroidea: Echinodermata): systematics and biogeography

We present a comprehensively sampled three-gene phylogeny of the monophyletic Forcipulatacea, one of three major lineages within the crown-group Asteroidea. We present substantially more Southern Hemisphere and deep-sea taxa than were sampled in previous molecular studies of this group. Morphologically distinct groups, such as the Brisingida and the Zoroasteridae, are upheld as monophyletic. Brisingida is supported as the derived sister group to the Asteriidae (restricted), rather than as a basal taxon. The Asteriidae is paraphyletic, and is broken up into the Stichasteridae and four primary asteriid clades: (1) a highly diverse boreal clade, containing members from the Arctic and sub-Arctic in the Northern Hemisphere; (2) the genus Sclerasterias; (3) and (4) two sister clades that contain asteriids from the Antarctic and pantropical regions. The Stichasteridae, which was regarded as a synonym of the Asteriidae, is resurrected by our results, and represents the most diverse Southern Hemisphere forcipulatacean clade (although two deep-sea stichasterid genera occur in the Northern Hemisphere). The Labidiasteridae is artificial, and should be synonymized into the Heliasteridae. The Pedicellasteridae is paraphyletic, with three separate clades containing pedicellasterid taxa emerging among the basal Forcipulatacea. Fossils and timing estimates from species-level phylogeographic studies are consistent with prior phylogenetic hypotheses for the Forcipulatacea, suggesting diversification of basal taxa in the early Mesozoic, with some evidence for more widely distributed ranges from Cretacous taxa. Our analysis suggests a hypothesis of an older fauna present in the Antarctic during the Eocene, which was succeeded by a modern Antarctic fauna that is represented by the recently derived Antarctic Asteriidae and other forcipulatacean lineages. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 162, 646–660.
Electrical Contact Resistance, Thermal Contact Conductance and Elastic Incremental Stiffness for a Cluster of Microcontacts: Asymptotic Modelling

The paper concerns the problem of electrical conductance through a multiple discrete contact interface between two elastic bodies pressed against one another. Mathematically, similar problems arise in the theory of heat conduction between the contacting bodies in a vacuum as well as in the study of the incremental elastic contact problems with application to the elasticity―conductivity cross-property connections. The electrical contact resistance, thermal contact conductance and elastic incremental stiffness of a cluster of microcontacts have been expressed in terms of the harmonic capacity of the cluster. Several asymptotic models for approximate evaluating the contact resistance of a cluster of microcontacts have been constructed and their accuracy has been estimated.
Evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of urinary catheters impregnated with antiseptics in an in vitro urinary tract model.

Objectives:To evaluate the long-term efficacy of urinary Foley catheters (latex and silicone) impregnated with (1) chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine (CXS) and (2) chlorhexidine, silver sulfadiazine, and triclosan (CXST) in inhibiting extra-luminal bacterial adherence and to compare their efficacy with that of silver hydrogel latex (SH) and nitrofurazone-treated silicone (NF) catheters.Design:The antimicrobial spectrum of these catheters was evaluated using a zone of inhibition assay. A novel in vitro urinary tract model was developed to study the potential in vivo efficacy of antimicrobial catheters in preventing extraluminal bacterial colonization. The “meatus” was inoculated daily with Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. The “bladder” portion of the model was cultured daily to determine bacterial growth.Results:Both CXS and CXST catheters had a broader antimicrobial spectrum than SH and NF catheters. In the in vitro model, CXST latex and silicone catheters exhibited significantly better efficacy (3 to 25 days) against uropathogens, compared with CXS (1 to 14 days) and control (0 to 5 days) catheters (P = .01). CXST latex catheters exhibited significantly longer protection against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, compared with SH catheters (P = .01). CXST silicone catheters resisted colonization with Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis for a significantly longer period (23 to 24 days) than did NF catheters (9 to 11 days) (P = .01).Conclusion:Catheters impregnated with synergistic combinations of chlorhexidine, silver sulfadiazine, and triclosan exhibited broad-spectrum, long-term resistance against microbial colonization on their outer surfaces (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2003;24:506-513)
A Self-Consistent Charge-Embedding Methodology for ab Initio Quantum Chemical Cluster Modeling of Ionic Solids and Surfaces: Application to the (001) Surface of Hematite (α-Fe2O3)†

To ab initio simulate an ionic crystal using a cluster of atoms, one must surround that cluster with point charges. These point charges add the effect of the electrostatic potential of the rest of the crystal on the electronic structure of the quantum cluster. The value of the point charges has to be chosen to reproduce the crystal field in the region of the cluster. In this work, a method to compute the necessary point charges is presented. The algorithm to choose the point charges is an extension of the one presented by Derenzo et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 2000, 112, 2074]. The method consists of a self-consistent loop, fitting in each iteration the value of the point charges to reproduce the electrostatic field, calculated from the quantum simulation, in the region of the cluster. This method was then applied to the study of the (001) basal surface of hematite, α-Fe2O3. As the cluster size is systematically increased, it is shown that to fully converge the electrostatic effect on the electronic structure of ...
Efficacy and safety of sulfasalazine in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria

Abstract Background There are limited data regarding alternative treatments for antihistamine refractory chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Patients with recalcitrant skin disease often cannot gain satisfactory symptom control with standard therapies and may require prolonged courses of oral corticosteroids. There is a lack of information describing the degree and duration of sulfasalazine's efficacy, the frequency and nature of adverse reactions, and the appropriate safety monitoring parameters. Objective To present a case series detailing the efficacy and safety of sulfasalazine therapy in patients with CIU. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of 39 patients with sulfasalazine-treated CIU evaluated at Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center from October 2007 to March 2012. Eight patients were excluded from the final analysis. Results Twenty-six patients (83.9%) showed an improvement in symptoms within the first 3 months, with 51.6% of patients (n = 16) becoming asymptomatic within the first 6 months of starting sulfasalazine. Eleven patients (35.4%) achieved complete relief of symptoms after tapering off sulfasalazine therapy. Five of the 31 patients (16.1%) failed treatment, defined as worsening symptoms and pursuit of an alternative therapy. Six of 31 patients (19.4%) had a modified course of sulfasalazine therapy owing to abnormal hematologic parameters. Serious adverse events leading to drug discontinuation occurred in 6.5% of patients (n = 2) and included a patient with drug-induced leukopenia and one with rhabdomyolysis. Conclusion Sulfasalazine is a highly effective treatment for patients with antihistamine resistant CIU. The frequency of adverse events leading to an alteration of sulfasalazine treatment supports the need for close monitoring of these patients.
Selective Action of Methotrexate on Psoriatic Epidermal Cells

Rapidly proliferating tumors respond to cancer chemotherapeutic agents like methotrexate (MTX) because more tumor cells than normal cells are in the drug-sensitive synthesis (S) phase during exposure to the drug. Evidence is presented that not only more psoriatic cells, like tumor cells, are in the S phase, but also that the individual psoriatic cell is more sensitive to MTX. To study the biochemical and biological action of MTX on psoriasis, the following effects were investigated: a) inhibition of mitosis, b) MTX-damaged cells and c) inhibition of DNA synthesis. a) After parenteral MTX, mitoses are decreased to a greater extent in psoriatic epidermis than in the uninvolved epidermis. Almost complete mitotic inhibition from the 4th to the 20th hour post-MTX correlates with cell kinetics and duration of MTX inhibition on DNA synthesis. b) Damaged or pyknotic cells alter MTX are seen only in psoriatic epidermis. The time of MTX-induced damage was pinpointed as the S-phase of the cell cycle with thymidine- 3 H labeling technics. c) Intradermal MTX inhibits DNA synthesis for 12–16 hours in both normal and psoriatic skin. On the other hand, when given parenterally, MTX inhibits DNA synthesis selectively in involved skin, only partially affecting it in normal skin. The results indicate that MTX produces biologic changes only in those cells that were in the DNA synthesis phase at the time of MTX exposure. Because selective mitotic inhibition and damaged cells are directly related to the therapeutic effects of MTX, these effects are probably a result of the inhibition of DNA synthesis, rather than on some other metabolic pathway.
Reliability Cost Effectiveness Through Parts Control and Standardization

Early in the F-lll design effort, an F-lll Parts Control and Standardization Program was developed and implemented through a team of electronic parts specialists from General Dynamics and 12 of the major electronic equipment contractors. Basic objectives of the team were (1) the standardization of common electronic parts by joint evaluation, selection, and use of preferred part types, (2) the preparation of coordinated specification control drawings and recommended suppliers, (3) the formulation of procurement procedures and supplier surveillance procedures to permit economical procurement of the high-quality preferred parts, and (4) exchange of parts data and information and discussion of related program problems. In the selection of preferred part types, the team was primarily concerned with semiconductor devices, resistors, and capacitors. In this area, the number of preferred types approved was reduced substantially from the part types suggested. Air Force and Navy representatives who have attended F-lll Parts Control and Standardization Team meetings have expressed concurrence with the team's philosophy and the requirements of their specification control drawings. Military specifications are being revised and rewritten to incorporate the requirements of the team's specification control drawings. These new and revised specifications for "Proven Performance" parts are scheduled for release prior to this meeting. The F-lll Parts Control and Standardization Program was adopted by General Dynamics/Fort Worth as a voluntary reliability effort. Future Air Force contracts may require such a program; this requirement is currently under consideration.
Unity in Diversity Results of a Randomized Clinical Culturally Tailored Pilot HIV Prevention Intervention Trial in Baltimore, Maryland, for African American Men Who Have Sex With Men

Unity in Diversity was a randomized controlled trial of a culturally tailored HIV prevention intervention for African American men who have sex with men. The intervention condition was six group-based sessions and one individual session. The control condition was a single-session HIV prevention review. Participants were aged 18 years or older, identified as African American/Black race, reported having at least two sex partners in the prior 90 days (at least one of whom must be a male partner), unprotected anal sex with male partner in the prior 90 days, and willing to test for HIV. Retention exceeded 95% at 3-month follow-up. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for baseline risk, HIV status, and health insurance indicate intervention efficacy in decreasing the number of male sex partners and marginal effects on condom use with male partners and HIV-negative/unknown partners. Specifically, intervention condition was associated with increased odds of zero male sex partners (adjust...
PKA, PKC, and the protein phosphatase 2A influence HAND factor function: a mechanism for tissue-specific transcriptional regulation.

The bHLH factors HAND1 and HAND2 are required for heart, vascular, neuronal, limb, and extraembryonic development. Unlike most bHLH proteins, HAND factors exhibit promiscuous dimerization properties. We report that phosphorylation/dephosphorylation via PKA, PKC, and a specific heterotrimeric protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) modulates HAND function. The PP2A targeting-subunit B56δ specifically interacts with HAND1 and -2, but not other bHLH proteins. PKA and PKC phosphorylate HAND proteins in vivo, and only B56δ-containing PP2A complexes reduce levels of HAND1 phosphorylation. During RCHOI trophoblast stem cell differentiation, B56δ expression is downregulated and HAND1 phosphorylation increases. Mutations in phosphorylated residues result in altered HAND1 dimerization and biological function. Taken together, these results suggest that site-specific phosphorylation regulates HAND factor functional specificity.
Ion-exchange voltammetry at polymer film-coated nanoelectrode ensembles.

Ensembles of nanoscopic disk-shaped electrodes have been shown to offer enhancements in electroanalytical detection limits relative to electrodes of macroscopic dimensions (e.g., disk electrodes with diameters of ∼1 mm). Enhancements in electroanalytical detection limits have also been observed at macroscopic electrodes that have been coated with films of ion-exchange polymers. In this paper we combine these two concepts. We demonstrate that a nanoelectrode ensemble (NEE) that has been coated with a thin film of the Kodak ion-exchange polymer AQ 55 shows enhanced electroanalytical detection limits relative to the uncoated NEE and to the coated macroscopic electrode. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the electrochemistry, and the electroanalytical advantages, of polymer film-coated NEEs.
Seismic reflection evidence for the evolution of a transcurrent fault system: The Norumbega fault zone, Maine

A seismic reflection profile in east-central Maine reveals a steeply dipping fault zone that terminates in diffraction hyperbolae that are associated with an offset of the Moho. When combined with data from geologic mapping, the seismic data imply Mesozoic or post-Mesozoic dip-slip reactivation of the Norumbega fault zone, hitherto interpreted as a locus of mid- to late Paleozoic dextral offset. This finding highlights the value of seismic reflection data in determining the history of fault displacement and warns of the complexities that arise in attempts to seismically characterize faults in polygenic tectonic regimes.
Design and Performance of a New Multipurpose Luminescence Spectrophotometer

SUMMARY A versatile luminescence spectrophotometer has been designed and constructed. With this instrument, corrected excitation and emission spectra are recorded automatically in either relative energy or quantum units without loss of resolution or sensitivity. Quantum efficiencies of luminescence are determined directly or by comparison of unknowns with a compound of known quantum efficiency. The instrument covers the spectral range 200-1250 μ with interchangeable gratings and detectors. Low-temperature measurements of fluorescence and phosphorescence are made using aquartz Dewar. Luminescence decay curves are measured to rates approaching 1 msec. High-resolution spectra can be obtained: to ˜ 2 A between 200 and 750 mμ, and ˜ 10 A between 750 and 1250 mμ The sample chamber is adaptable to allow for measurement of luminescence of solutions, frozen solutions, solid matrices, crystals, etc. The utility of the instrument for most of these uses is demonstrated.
The ability to mount multiple immune responses simultaneously varies across the range of the tree swallow

Variation in immune responses is an important part of life history variation. When correlations between multiple immune measures are reported, studies report different patterns. I tested whether the correlation between levels of immune response was consistent across a species range. The ability of tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor to simultaneously produce immune responses to both a humoral immune response and T-cell mediated local inflammation to PHA was tested at three sites that span the breeding range. Females in Tennessee maintained stronger PHA responses than did females in either New York or Alaska. In New York and Alaska, individuals that produced strong PHA responses produced low levels of antibodies to a humoral challenge of sheep red blood cells (SRBC). However, in Tennessee, individuals that showed strong local PHA inflammation also mounted strong responses to SRBC. Increasing daily daytime temperatures led to increased PHA response, but there were no differences in the effect of temperature among sites. These results indicate spatial and/or temporal variation occurs in the ability to produce multiple immune responses simultaneously; this pattern suggests important geographic (or temporal) differences in factors driving investment in immune activity. In addition, these results suggest that studies extrapolating results across populations should be careful to consider geographic variation in immune activity.
Crushing and crashing of tubes with implicit time integration

Abstract The axial crushing and crashing of thin-walled high-strength steel tubes is performed using 3D-shell finite elements and an implicit time integration scheme. The calculated results are compared with published experimental data and results obtained using explicit time integration. The objective is to show that, while for such analyses generally explicit time integration is used, with the current state of the art also an implicit time integration solution should be considered, and such solution approach can provide an effective alternative for a simulation.
Multipartite continuous-variable entanglement from concurrent nonlinearities

We show theoretically that concurrent interactions in a second-order nonlinear medium placed inside an optical resonator can generate multipartite entanglement between the resonator modes. We show that there is a mathematical connection between this system and van Loock and Braunstein's proposal for entangling $N$ continuous quantum optical variables by interfering with the outputs of $N$ degenerate optical parametric amplifiers (OPA) at a $N$-port beam splitter. Our configuration, however, requires only one nondegenerate OPA and no interferometer. In a preliminary experimental study, we observe the concurrence of the appropriate interactions in periodically poled ${\mathrm{RbTiOAsO}}_{4}$.
Surface-enhanced magnetic moment and ferromagnetic ordering of Mn ultrathin films on fcc Co(001)

We have grown ultrathin films of Mn on fcc Co(001) substrates and have investigated their magnetic properties using the element-specific techniques of soft-x-ray absorption (SXA) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). We find that a one monolayer film of Mn is ferromagnetically ordered at room temperature and magnetically aligned with the fcc Co (001) substrate. The absorption spectrum of monolayer Mn is in excellent agreement with calculations for an isolated high-spin atom. By comparing our XMCD and SXA results, we conclude that the surface layer of Mn is in a high-spin state. The ferromagnetic ordering of monolayer Mn results from this high-spin layer being in direct contact with the ferromagnetic Co substrate.
Proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry as a technique to measure volatile emissions of Muscodor albus

Muscodor albus is an endophytic fungus that produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that both inhibit and kill other microorganisms. This fungus is now being used to treat human wastes and disinfest soils of plant disease causing organisms. The development of a method to accurately determine the quantity and quality of volatiles being emitted by this organism is critical for optimizing its application as an antimicrobial agent. Proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) was used to monitor the concentration of VOCs emitted by M. albus. This on-line technique is fast, accurate and provides data at the detection limits of ppb. Production of VOCs is temperature dependent with decreased gas production occurring at higher temperatures. The technique was also applied to soils containing M. albus along with the plant pathogen Pythium ultimum and it was possible to successfully monitor VOC production in situ.