cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Speciation of nitrogen containing aromatics by atmospheric pressure photoionization or electrospray ionization fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

We determine the elemental compositions of aromatic nitrogen model compounds as well as a petroleum sample by atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and electrospray Ionization (ESI) with a 9.4 Tesla Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. From the double-bond equivalents calculated for the nitrogen-containing ions from a petroleum sample, we can infer the aromatic core structure (pyridinic versus pyrrolic nitrogen heterocycle) based on the presence of M+· (odd-electron) versus [M+H]+ (even-electron) ions. Specifically, nitrogen speciation can be determined from either a single positive-ion APPI spectrum or two ESI (positive- and negative-ion) spectra. APPI operates at comparatively higher temperature than ESI and also produces radical cations that may fragment before detection. However, APPI fragmentation of aromatics can be eliminated by judicious choice of instrumental parameters.
From two cultures to new cultures.

The differences between the sciences and the humanities have been debated in academic circles for decades. Chris Toumey explores how nanotechnology fits into this picture and how the nature of science itself is a legitimate subject for researchers in the humanities and social sciences.
The Spectrin-Ankyrin Skeleton Controls CD45 Surface Display and Interleukin-2 Production

With T cell receptor stimulation, intracellular pools of CD45 and spectrin move to the surface. These processes are coupled. In both peripheral lymphocytes and Jurkat T cells, betaI spectrin and ankyrin associate with CD45. In Jurkat T cells, betaI spectrin peptides suppress surface recruitment of CD45 and CD3 and abrogate T cell activation. Other glycoproteins such as CD43 are not altered by the spectrin peptides. Spectrin's effects are mediated by ankyrin, which binds directly to the cytoplasmic domain of CD45 (K(d) = 4.3 +/- 3.0 nM). These data reveal a novel and unexpected contribution of the spectrin-ankyrin skeleton to the control of T lymphocyte function.
Dual-career Couples: The Selection Dilemma in International Relocation

No one factor could have as great an impact on multinational corporations (MNCs) than the dual-career phenomena. The selection of expatriate candidates is a complex process made more arduous by the career orientation of the expatriate's spouse. The need for a social support network is essential for the dual-career family to increase the probability of successfully completing an expatriate assignment.
An Approximate Method to Calculate the Collision Rates of a Discrete—Sectional Model

An approximate method is proposed to improve the computational efficiency of discrete-sectional representations of aerosol dynamics. The expense that is associated with the numerical calculation of intersectional conversion rates is reduced by using a binomial expansion of the nondimensional collision frequency function in the summand so that an analytical integral form for the inner collision summation is obtained. A considerable saving in computational expense is achieved in comparison with a double summation with a very small sacrifice in accuracy.
Fragility analysis methodology for performance-based analysis of wood-frame buildings for flood.

This paper resulted from a Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers Special Project entitled "The Next Step for ASCE 16: Performance-Based Design of Wood Structures." In 2005 Hurricane Katrina demonstrated how damaging flood waters can be to residential structures. While life safety of the occupants is the most critical issue for residential buildings the financial (property) loss due to water damage is often extensive and can result in personal financial ruin. This paper presents the methodology including several illustrative examples for the design of wood-frame residential structures for flood. The methodology is based on probabilistic flood hazard as defined by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and provides a probabilistic measure of annualized loss or loss over the anticipated/expected lifetime of the building. The primary purpose of this information is to aid in the decision making process during planning, construction, or the retrofit process. The approach is based on known properties of wood and housing products, and when not available, reasonable interpretations/assumptions were used based on expert opinions of those in the wood and/or housing industry.
Glucocorticoids Increase Vasopressin V1b Receptor Coupling to Phospholipase C

Vasopressin (VP) stimulates pituitary ACTH secretion after binding to V1b VP receptors (V1b-R) coupled to phospholipase C (PLC). This effect of VP on ACTH secretion, unlike that of CRH, is resistant to glucocorticoid feedback. To determine whether changes in V1b-R expression or signaling mediate the refractoriness to glucocorticoids, the effects of glucocorticoids on pituitary VP binding, V1b-R messenger RNA (mRNA) and VP-stimulated inositol phosphate (IP) formation were studied in vivo and in vitro in the rat. Dexamethasone injection for 7 days decreased VP binding but increased V1b-R mRNA, indicating that mRNA levels do not reflect receptor number. In spite of the binding loss, VP-stimulated IP formation was enhanced in dexamethasone-treated rats, suggesting that glucocorticoids increase the coupling efficiency of the V1b receptor to phospholipase C. Pretreatment of pituitary cells in vitro with dexamethasone or corticosterone, also potentiated IP formation by low and high doses of VP, indicating that glucocorticoids act directly in the pituitary and not through changes in hypothalamic factors. The effect is mediated by glucocorticoid receptors because it was blocked by glucocorticoid but not mineralocorticoid antagonists. Dexamethasone potentiated the stimulation of IP by other PLC-dependent ligands (GnRH, TRH) but not that by the calcium ionophore, ionomycin, suggesting a site of action between the receptor and PLC. After treatment with dexamethasone, in vivo or in vitro, Western blot analysis revealed marked increases in the GTP binding protein, Galpha(q), which may account for the potentiating effect of glucocorticoid on ligand-stimulated IP. The data demonstrate that glucocorticoids increase coupling of the V1b-R with PLC thereby providing a mechanism by which VP facilitates corticotroph responsiveness in spite of elevated levels of plasma glucocorticoids during stress.
Effects of silane coupling agents on the interphase and performance of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer composites

Abstract The properties of the fiber/matrix interphase in glass-fiber-reinforced composites can play a dominant role in governing overall composite performance. Understanding the interactions occurring at the interphase and being able to tailor them to give a desired composite property are of great importance. In this paper, a singlefilament model of a commercial glass-fiber-reinforcement manufacturing process was used to apply methacryloxy and amino silanes with one, two, and three silanols (mono-ol, diol, and triol) to two different glass fibers in a molecular model. Surface analyses by angular-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ADXPS), electric-kinetic analysis (EKA), and contactangle measurements were used to characterize the surface coatings. The micro-indentation technique was used to evaluate fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion. Changes observed in surface chemistry, micromechanics, and composite properties as function of the silanol type are correlated.
Efficiency and angular resolution calculations for a prototype multiple Compton scatter camera

Abstract Monte Carlo simulations were performed to optimize the layer thickness of a Compton camera which utilizes multiple Compton scatterings. The optimum layer thickness was found to be less than 0.5 mm for 150 keV, 2 mm for 511 keV gamma rays and approximately 5 mm for 1000 keV gamma rays. The efficiencies of two multiple Compton scatter cameras which consist of a 20 layer stack of either 1 mm or 4 mm thick Si strip detectors surrounded by a 2 cm thick CsI(Tl) side counter are presented for 150–1000 keV gamma rays. The expected angular resolution of the proposed design (1 mm thick, 20 layer Si) is presented for different assumed noise levels over the energy range 150–1000 keV.
Psychiatric education and society.

Abstract This experience indicates the potential for developing an educational program within psychiatry that acts as a catalyst for learning rather than an indoctrination process. The initial problems corroborate the concept outline earlier in this paper. Approaching new experiences is an anxiety-provoking activity. Uncertainty is a powerful force. It motivates us to construct elaborate intellectualized defenses. Erecting these defenses is a comfortable method of dealing with uncertainty. To avoid these defenses, one must be constantly aware of himself and his experience. One must act on this awareness by trying new approaches to prevent these defenses. This action will vary with the individual. Each person will manifest his defense differently and must discover his own means to alter it. Once our intellectualization is recognized and uncertainty accepted an equal learning relationship is a liberating experience. Both participants gain new energy to ask fresh questions and experiment with new activities in constructive ways. Furthermore, less experienced colleagues are powerfully motivated to learn. They do not need to be inculcated with the knowledge of psychiatry. Each wants to know and can know. It appears more meaningful for the associate to learn from his own experience in the context of his emerging capacities and interests. Learning according to a regimented procedure seems inefficient and sterile. Beyond the educational process it can be said that a free equalitarian system places a great responsibility on each member of that system. In this experience of creating a working model of a democratic system, each participant exerted pressure on the other to return to an authoritarian system. However, this alerted the participants to the problem. It is urged here that we engage in this kind of endeavor within our own field. Otherwise, we will not be equipped to raise issues of meaningful social change within society. Erich Fromm 23 has described how each individual is responsible for abrogating his own freedom and equality because of his fear of being free and equal and employing authoritarian systems. If we become social activists as two recent articles in the American Journal of Psychiatry 24,25 indicate, we must be aware of the implications of our actions for ourselves and others. Without this we will merely substitute a new authoritarian order for an old one. Even if we do not become social activists in the usual political sense of that word, we must be aware of the issues of hierarchy, power, and authoritarianism. As pointed out here, we might contribute to societal inequality unintentionally since inactivity or misplaced activity is also a political statement.
ArcA works with Fnr as a positive regulator of Vitreoscilla (bacterial) hemoglobin gene expression in Escherichia coli

Summary Low oxygen induction of the bacterial (Vitreoscilla) hemoglobin gene (vgb) by the Arc system was investigated, as the presumptive vgb Crp site was found to have 73% identity to the Escherichia coli consensus ArcA site. The role of ArcA by itself and with Fnr was examined in E. coli using the wild type vgb promoter and promoter mutants affecting the Fnr and Crp (presumptive ArcA) sites and E. coli strains with all combinations of fnr+/fnr−, arcA+/arcA− genotypes. High-level transcription required both ArcA and Fnr systems to be functional; low oxygen induction required at least one of ArcA and Fnr to be intact. Levels of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin protein (VHb) followed the same trends as seen with mRNA, although the relative decreases in the mutants relative to wild type were less than with transcription. Growth of cells was stimulated by VHb, generally to a greater extent as VHb levels increased.
Genetic algorithms and job shop scheduling

Abstract We describe applications of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) to the Job Shop Scheduling (JSS) problem. More specifically, the task of generating inputs to the GA process for schedule optimization is addressed. We believe GAs can be employed as an additional tool in the Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) cycle. Our technique employs an extension to the Group Technology (GT) method for generating manufacturing process plans. It positions the GA scheduling process to receive outputs from both the automated process planning function and the order entry function. The GA scheduling process then passes its results to the factory floor in terms of optimal schedules. An introduction to the GA process is discussed first. Then, an elementary n-task, one processor (machine) problem is provided to demonstrate the GA methodology in the JSS problem arena. The technique is then demonstrated on an n-task, two processor problem, and finally, the technique is generalized to the n-tasks on m-processors (serial) case.
Bladder capacity as a predictor of voided continence after failed exstrophy closure

Abstract Objective To evaluate potential predictors of voided continence among bladder exstrophy patients with a history of a failed closure. Patients and methods The authors reviewed all patients who underwent a bladder neck reconstruction (BNR) with a history of one or more failed exstrophy closures between 1979 and 2007. The following data were collected for each patient: number of failures, site of surgery, mode of failure, presence of osteotomy, bladder capacity, need for additional procedures, and continence status. Results Among patients who underwent successful reclosure following one or more failed closures, 52 patients underwent BNR, and 24 (46%) were continent at last follow-up. Bladder capacity was the only variable predictive of voided continence. The median bladder capacity at the time of BNR differed between those who achieved continence (100 mL) and those who did not (65 mL) (p = 0.005). ROC analysis showed an optimal pre-BNR bladder capacity cutoff for predicting future BNR success of between 80 and 100 mL. Conclusion As previously shown in patients with successful primary closure of exstrophy, these data suggest that bladder capacity also has predictive value in the success of BNR after failed exstrophy closure.
Sensitivity of two noninvasive blood pressure measurement techniques compared to telemetry in cynomolgus monkeys and beagle dogs

Abstract Introduction Animals are commonly used in toxicological research for the evaluation of drug effects on the cardiovascular system. Accurate and reproducible determination of blood pressure (BP) in conscious, manually restrained monkeys and dogs is a challenge with current non-invasive cuff techniques. The High Definition Oscillometry (HDO) technique enables real time measurements with immediate visual feedback via PC screen on data validity. HDO measurements are considerably faster with a duration of approximately 8 to 15 s than conventional cuff methods that can take several minutes. Methods HDO Memo Diagnostic Model Science and Cardell BP Monitor Model 9401 measurements were compared for accuracy and reliability with simultaneously recorded direct blood pressure data captured via radiotelemetry. Six monkeys and six dogs implanted with DSI PCT telemetry transmitters were used; BP data were collected by all methods under manual constraint and compared. Measurements were performed with HDO and Cardell in the presence of a BP lowering drug (hexamethonium bromide). Systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure, and pulse rate were determined before, during and following up to 10 mg/kg hexamethonium administration via intravenous slow bolus injection. Results Drug induced hemodynamic changes could be detected in monkeys and dogs with the HDO method but only in dogs with the Cardell method. Correlation coefficients were generally higher for HDO versus Telemetry than Cardell versus Telemetry comparisons, indicating that this novel, non-invasive technique produces reliable blood pressure data and is able to detect drug-induced hemodynamic changes. Discussion HDO provides an alternative approach for invasive telemetry surgeries to obtain reliable hemodynamic data in animal models for cardiovascular research when invasive techniques are not warranted.
Growth and viability of Bifidobacterium bifidum in cheddar cheese.

Bifidobacterium bifidum (ATCC 15696) was grown in MRS broth containing cysteine.HCl at 37 degrees C, and the cells were harvested by centrifuging at 1300 x g for 15 min at 4 degrees C. Equal volumes of the cell slurry and a 2.5% solution of kappa-carrageenan were mixed and transferred by drops into a solution of .3 M KCl at 20 degrees C under an atmosphere of nitrogen. The gelled beads were separated, frozen, and lyophilized immediately. This preparation and a commercial powder preparation were added to Cheddar cheese curd at milling as two treatments. Treatments did not affect cheese composition. Soluble protein increased during ripening at 7 degrees C but without differences between treatments; SDS-PAGE patterns of proteolysis were also similar. Lactic acid content of cheeses increased during ripening, but differences between treatments were minor. Acetic acid and ethanol, common metabolites of bifidobacteria, were not detected during ripening. Bifidobacteria remained viable and increased in numbers in cheese during this 24-wk study but did not affect the flavor, flavor intensity, texture, or appearance of the cheese compared with that of the control.
Big computers for little engineers.

The author explores the potential for high-performance computing (HPC) to save time and money in new product innovation by U.S. small manufacturers. He describes the U.S. National Digital Engineering and Manufacturing Consortium (NDEMC) program to improve small manufacturers' access to HPC resources such as software and expertise, and gives the example of Jeco Plastic Products, which used supercomputer simulations of the performance of their plastic pallet designs instead of prototype testing.
A comprehensive mechanism for methanol oxidation

A comprehensive detailed chemical kinetic mechanism for methanol oxidation has been developed and validated against multiple experimental data sets. The data are from static-reactor, flow-reactor, shock-tube, and laminar-flame experiments, and cover conditions of temperature from 633–2050 K, pressure from 0.26–20 atm, and equivalence ratio from 0.05–2.6. Methanol oxidation is found to be highly sensitive to the kinetics of the hydroperoxyl radical through a chain-branching reaction sequence involving hydrogen peroxide at low temperatures, and a chain-terminating path at high temperatures. The sensitivity persists at unusually high temperatures due to the fast reaction of CH2OH+O2=CH2O+HO2 compared to CH2OH+M=CH2O+H+M. The branching ratio of CH3OH+OH=CH2OH/CH3O+H2O was found to be a more important parameter under the higher temperature conditions, due to the rate-controlling nature of the branching reaction of the H-atom formed through CH3O thermal decomposition. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 805–830, 1998
Genetically Engineered Liquid-Crystalline Viral Films for Directing Neural Cell Growth

Designing biomimetic matrices with precisely controlled structural organization that provides biochemical and physical cues to regulate cell behavior is critical for the development of tissue-regenerating materials. We have developed novel liquid-crystalline film matrices made from genetically engineered M13 bacteriophages (viruses) that exhibit the ability to control and guide cell behavior for tissue-regenerating applications. To facilitate adhesion between the viruses and cells, 2700 copies of the M13 major coat protein were genetically engineered to display integrin-binding peptides (RGD). The resulting nanofiber-like viruses displaying RGD motifs were biocompatible with neuronal cells and could be self-assembled to form long-range-ordered liquid-crystalline matrices by a simple shearing method. The resulting aligned structures were able to dictate the direction of cell growth. Future use of these virus-based materials for regenerating target tissues in vivo would provide great opportunities for various tissue therapies.
Cutaneous manifestations of nutritional deficiency

Purpose of reviewNutritional deficiency, a global problem, remains uncommon in developed nations. Associated morbidity and mortality make it imperative that clinicians remain familiar with the clinical signs and symptoms of nutritional deficiencies to facilitate diagnosis. This article will review t
Effects of Caffeine and 3-Isobutyl 1-Methyl Xanthine on Caprine Milk Secretion

The objective of these studies was to determine if methyl xanthines can be used to alter milk production or composition in ruminants by enhancing adipose tissue mobilization. Three trials were conducted, one with intravenous caffeine infusions, one with intramuscular caffeine injections, and one with intramuscular injections of 3-isobutyl 1-methyl xanthine. Results indicate that: 1) continuous intravenous infusions of caffeine (720 mg/d) may reverse the milk fat depression of intravenously infused glucose in dairy goats; 2) intramuscular injections of caffeine (200 mg twice daily) do not reverse the milk fat-depressing effects of pelleted dairy goat diets during the 4th mo of lactation; and 3) intramuscular injections of 3-isobutyl 1-methyl xanthine (50 mg twice daily) do not consistently affect milk production of early lactation dairy goats.
Nasal septal abscess: An unusual complication of nasal trauma

Injuries to the nasal septum may occur as a result of injuries to the nose. A case of nasal septal abscess, an unusual complication of nasal trauma, is presented. The pathophysiology, clinical course, and treatment of this disorder are discussed. This case demonstrates the need for careful evaluation of the nasal septum in all cases of nasal trauma.
Experimental Poliomyelitis in Animals Other than the Monkey: II. Effects of Nonspecific Intracerebral Injections in Rabbits

It is important to know whether lower laboratory animals can harbor poliomyelitis virus and act as carriers, or if the disease produced in them is different from that produced in the M. malatta monkey and that which develops in man. If small laboratory animals are not susceptible to poliomyelitis virus, it would be likewise important to know why they are resistant. A review has been made of the many attempts to produce poliomyelitis in such animals.1 Most of the reported successful transmissions of poliomyelitis in smaller animals have occurred in rabbits, flaccid and spastic types of paralysis having developed after injections of the virus. The results seemed so divergent and erratic that before injecting poliomyelitis virus, it was decided to determine what effect the intracerebral injection of nonspecific materials would have on young rabbits.
Sensitivity analysis on the CUSUM method

Abstract The cumulative sum (CUSUM) control chart is considered to be an alternative or complementary to Shewhart control charts in statistical process control (SPC) applications, owing to its higher sensitivity to small shifts in the process mean. It utilizes all the available data rather than the last few ones used in Shewhart control charts for quick decision making. The CUSUM method assumes that the process is stable and under control. In addition, the variability of the process should be well below when compared to the specification limits, i.e. the process must have a high capability ratio to permit variations in the mean of the process without affecting the quality of the product or operations. In this manner, the practical purpose of the CUSUM method is not really to verify whether the process is out of control or meets the specification limits, but for analyzing the shift in the process mean, stressing the aspects such as performance, productivity, cost, etc. The sensitivity analysis conducted on the CUSUM method establishes that it is not effective in a certain range of shifts in the mean of the process. The analysis on effects of shift in the mean and type-I error on the effectiveness of the method shows that the CUSUM does not predict the existence of shift in the process mean when the real shift is much higher than the shift that is being searched for its existence. A computational program has been developed for calculating the minimum value of α (type-I error) given certain values of the shift in the mean. With these results it is possible to observe that, for a given value of α, the CUSUM method may not detect a shift in the mean greater than the value of the expected shift.
Regional myocardial ischemia-induced activation of MAPKs is associated with subcellular redistribution of caveolin and cholesterol

Ischemia-reperfusion activates ERK and p38 MAPK in cardiac membranes, but the role of caveolae in MAPK signaling during this stress has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to determine ...
Human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase: steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetics of nucleotide incorporation.

Steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetic constants were determined for reverse transcriptase catalyzed incorporation of nucleotides and nucleotide analogues into defined-sequence DNA primed-RNA templates. 3'-Azido-3'-deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate (AZTTP) was almost as efficient a substrate (kcat/Km) as dTTP for the enzyme. In contrast, the four 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates and 3'-deoxy-2',3'-didehydrothymidine 5'-triphosphate (d4TTP) were 6-30-fold less efficient substrates of the enzyme. The kcat values for all nucleotide analogues were similar, consistent with a kinetic model in which the steady-state rate-limiting step was dissociation of the template-primer from the enzyme [Reardon, J. E., & Miller, W. H. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 20302-20307]. The pre-steady-state kinetics of single-nucleotide incorporation were consistent with the kinetic model: [formula: see text] where E, TP, and dNTP represent reverse transcriptase, a defined-sequence DNA primed-RNA template, and 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphate (or analogue), respectively. The dissociation constant (Kd1) for template-primer binding was 10 nM, and the estimated rate constants for association and dissociation of the enzyme.template-primer complex were 4 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 and 0.04 s-1, respectively. The dissociation constants (Kd2) for dTTP, AZTTP, and 3'-deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate (ddTTP) were 9, 11, and 4.6 microM, respectively. Thus, the differences in steady-state Km values were not due to differences in binding of the nucleotide analogues to the enzyme. In contrast, the rate-limiting step during single-nucleotide incorporation (kp) was sensitive to the structure of the nucleotide substrate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Human Nanophyetiasis: Transmission by Handling Naturally Infected Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

The first US case of human nanophyetiasis that does not involve ingestion of raw or undercooked salmonid fishes is reported. The patient worked with highly infected fish. Hand contamination with the infectious metacercariae of the digenetic trematode Nanophyetus salmincola (family Troglotrematidae) occurred during the handling of fresh-killed, juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch. Diagnosis of nanophyetiasis was based on the clinical findings of chronic diarrhea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, and a peripheral blood eosinophilia of 43% and was confirmed on finding characteristic bipolar eggs in a stool specimen. The patient rarely ate seafood products and never ate raw or cold smoked fish. He responded favorably to praziquantel and was asymptomatic after therapy.
Real time Java on resource-constrained platforms with Fiji VM

Real-time Java is quickly emerging as a platform for building safety-critical embedded systems. The real-time variants of Java, including [8, 15], are attractive alternatives to Ada and C since they provide a cleaner, simpler, and safer programming model. Unfortunately, current real-time Java implementations have trouble scaling down to very hard real-time embedded settings, where memory is scarce and processing power is limited. In this paper, we describe the architecture of the Fiji VM, which enables vanilla Java applications to run in very hard environments, including booting on bare hardware with only very rudimentary operating system support. We also show that our minimalistic approach delivers comparable performance to that of server-class production Java Virtual Machine implementations.
Two-dimensional arrays of microwavegenerated microplasmas

Summary form only given. A two-dimensional array of microwave resonators is used to generate non-thermal microplasmas distributed over a planar area. Each resonator in the array is a stripline-like transmission line, 1/4 of a wavelength long at the resonant frequency, that generates a microplasma at its un-terminated end. The array can be powered using a single microwave supply, with elements efficiently sharing power via resonant coupling1. Typical frequencies range from 0.5–2.5 GHz.
When Focusing on Negative and Positive Attributes of the Self Elicits More Inductive Self-Judgment:

Self-judgments can range from inductive (i.e., based on relevant characteristics, behaviors, and past experiences) to deductive (i.e., inferred from general beliefs about the self) depending on the situation. Previous work demonstrated that focusing on positive attributes—particularly under threat—can elicit less inductive self-judgment. In this article, the authors tested the hypothesis that priming negative attributes of the self would lead to more inductive self-judgment. The authors also tested whether focusing on positive attributes would lead to more inductive self-judgment in a context where one is constrained to think inductively. In three studies with disparate manipulations, the authors looked at how well participants' self-reported risk factors for health problems were related to their risk perceptions for these health problems. Both hypotheses were supported. The authors discuss implications of these findings for theoretical approaches to self-judgment and practical concerns about the reliabil...
Type I IFN Drives a Distinctive Dendritic Cell Maturation Phenotype That Allows Continued Class II MHC Synthesis and Antigen Processing

Microbial molecules or cytokines can stimulate dendritic cell (DC) maturation, which involves DC migration to lymph nodes and enhanced presentation of Ag to launch T cell responses. Microbial TLR agonists are the most studied inducers of DC maturation, but type I IFN (IFN-I) also promotes DC maturation. In response to TLR stimulation, DC maturation involves a burst of Ag processing with enhanced expression of peptide-class II MHC complexes and costimulator molecules. Subsequently, class II MHC (MHC-II) synthesis and expression in intracellular vacuolar compartments is inhibited, decreasing Ag processing function. This limits presentation to a cohort of Ags kinetically associated with the maturation stimulus and excludes presentation of Ags subsequently experienced by the DC. In contrast, our studies show that IFN-I enhances DC expression of MHC-II and costimulatory molecules without a concomitant inhibition of subsequent MHC-II synthesis and Ag processing. Expression of mRNA for MHC-II and the transcription factor CIITA is inhibited in DCs treated with TLR agonists but maintained in cells treated with IFN-I. After stimulation with IFN-I, MHC-II expression is increased on the plasma membrane but is also maintained in intracellular vacuolar compartments, consistent with sustained Ag processing function. These findings suggest that IFN-I drives a distinctive DC maturation program that enhances Ag presentation to T cells without a shutdown of Ag processing, allowing continued sampling of Ags for presentation.
Rotational Restraint of Pile Caps during Lateral Loading

A pure fixed-head (zero-rotation) condition at the top of a group of laterally loaded piles is seldom achievable in the field, even when piles are installed in a group that is “rigidly” constrained by a stiff concrete pile cap. Assuming complete fixity during design (zero rotation at the pile head) can result in underestimated values of pile-head deflection, and incorrect estimates of the magnitude and the location of maximum bending moments. A simple and practical approach is presented for estimating the moment restraint that is provided by the pile cap at the top of a pile group. The moment restraint, represented by the rotational restraint coefficient (KMθ), serves as a boundary condition for analyzing groups of laterally loaded piles. Full-scale field tests performed on two pile groups with concrete pile caps show that the proposed method for estimating rotational restraint provides results that are in good agreement with measured field performance.
Alternative processing of growth hormone receptor transcripts.

I. Introduction: GH Receptor and GH-Binding Protein II. The GHR Gene III. GHR Transcript Heterogeneity A. 5′-UTR heterogeneity B. Deletions and truncations of the transmembrane or intracellular domain C. Deletions in the hormone-binding domain-encoding region IV. Summary of GHR Alternative Processing and Possible Future Studies
Electrostatically Actuated Small Circular Membrane Reflectors for Laser Beam Guidance

This paper discusses electrostatically actuated small deformable circular mirrors based on thin metallized membranes and designed for steering and focusing of beams. In the fabrication technique used in most of the work reported in this paper, the required four electrode pads are milled out on a rigid substrate using printed circuit board milling technology. Simulation results with closed loop control based on a linear state-space model and a quad cell sensor are presented. A new actuator design using a constant-voltage/variable-area electrostatic actuation scheme is discussed, and control simulations based on a lumped-parameter model are carried out for the focus/defocus mode. A quad cell is used to measure the output response. Some experimental results on this system are also presented.
Dendritic Spine Structural Anomalies in Fragile-X Mental Retardation Syndrome

Fragile-X syndrome is the most common single-gene inherited form of mental retardation. Morphological studies suggest a possible failure of the synapse maturation process. Cerebral cortical spine morphology in fragile-X syndrome and in a knockout mouse model of it appears immature, with long, thin spines much more common than the stubby and mushroom-shaped spines more characteristic of normal development. In human fragile-X syndrome there is also a higher density of spines along dendrites, suggesting a possible failure of synapse elimination. While variously misshapen spines are characteristic of a number of mental retardation syndromes, the overabundance of spines seen in fragile-X syndrome is unusual. Taken with evidence of neurotransmitter activation of the synthesis of the fragile-X protein (FMRP) at synapses in vitro and evidence for behaviorally induced FMRP expression in vivo, and with evidence compatible with a role for FMRP in regulating the synthesis of other proteins, it is possible that FMRP serves as an 'immediate early protein' at the synapse that orchestrates aspects of synaptic development and plasticity.
Atmospheric deposition inputs and effects on lichen chemistry and indicator species in the Columbia River Gorge, USA

Topographic and meteorological conditions make the Columbia River Gorge (CRG) an ‘exhaust pipe’ for air pollutants generated by the Portland-Vancouver metropolis and Columbia Basin. We sampled fog, bulk precipitation, throughfall, airborne particulates, lichen thalli, and nitrophytic lichen distribution. Throughfall N and S deposition were high, 11.5e25.4 and 3.4e6.7 kg ha � 1 over 4.5 months at all 9 and 4/9 sites, respectively. Deposition and lichen thallus N were highest at eastern- and western-most sites, implicating both agricultural and urban sources. Fog and precipitation pH were frequently as low as 3.7e5.0. Peak NOx ,N H 3, and SO2 concentrations in the eastern CRG were low, suggesting enhanced N and S inputs were largely from particulate deposition. Lichens indicating nitrogen-enriched environments were abundant and lichen N and S concentrations were 2� higher in the CRG than surrounding national forests. The atmospheric deposition levels detected likely threaten Gorge ecosystems and cultural resources. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Conspecific body weight, food intake, and rumination time affect food processing and forage behavior

Much research has been directed at the chemical characteristics of plants that influence forage digestibility but there is less investigation into relationships between chewing and foraging in herbivores. The role of body size on forage processing, via chewing, and ingestive behavior is poorly understood in spite of associations between conspecific body size of ruminants and botanical and nutritional composition of their diets. I examined the implications from a relationship between body weight and absolute forage intake (kg/day) and no relationship between body weight and rumination time (h/day) on chewing behavior and feeding time (h/day). Cattle were selected as the model species because the diets presented offered benefits to digestion from increased chewing and because of the number of studies that measured body weight, daily food intake, dietary nutritional characteristics, feeding time, and rumination characteristics on the same individuals. Data were extracted from 24 studies of cattle (n ≤ 74). Absolute food intake scaled allometrically (0.75) with body weight but rumination time was unrelated to body weight, meaning smaller animals had more rumination time for a unit weight of ingesta. Correspondingly, small cattle chewed the weight-specific ingesta more and fed longer than large animals, probably because of a reduction in time of rumen turnover. These findings might be revealing as to how differences in digestion and foraging are associated with body size among conspecific animals of wild ruminant species.
Trauma scores, accident deformity codes, and car restraints in children.

The importance and effectiveness of the appropriate use of automobile restraints by young children has been emphasized in several studies. Once the child has entered the emergency care system, however, restraint use may not be the best predictor of injury severity. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship of restraint status to morbidity and mortality in children examined in a hospital emergency facility following involvement in a motor vehicle crash (MVC). The emergency room charts of 101 children under 18 years of age, who were victims of MVCs, were reviewed and the following trauma scores were calculated: Glascow Coma Scale, Pediatric Trauma Score, Revised Trauma Score, Injury Severity Score, and Maximum Abbreviated Injury Score. In addition, the Traffic Accident Damage (TAD) score, an estimate of crash severity determined by the police at the accident scene, was recorded. The patients were age stratified as follows: 0 to 4 years (n = 24), 5 to 11 years (n = 29), and 12 to 17 years (n = 48). Fifty patients were appropriately restrained at the time of the crash. There was a significant correlation between mean trauma scores and mean TAD codes (P .05) across all age groups, and these children were grouped together as "unrestrained" in further analyses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
New Method for Generating Density Expansions

The calculus of finite differences is used to develop a new method for expressing the thermodynamic limit of a reasonably arbitrary statistical‐mechanical average as a power series in the number density ρ. The method is simple, straightforward, and purely analytic: it involves no intermediate expansion in powers of the activity and it avoids the use of graph theory. Moreover, the method is developed independently of the prescription for computing the statistical average, a fact which lends to the results an especially wide range of applicability. In particular, these results may be used in classical or quantum statistical mechanics, for intermolecular potentials which are not spherically symmetric or pairwise additive, for molecules of arbitrary internal structure and complexity, and for polar molecules. A general formula is obtained for the coefficient of ρk in the series; as usual, the most difficult problem one need solve in order to compute this coefficient is the evaluation of a k‐molecule average. I...
Protein, phosphorus, and vitamin E intakes are associated with blood lead levels among WIC infants in rural West Virginia

Abstract The objectives were to document blood lead levels (BLLs) in a group of rural infants aged 5 to 26 months, measure the relationship between BLL and iron status, and identify nutrients associated with BLL. Dietary intake was measured using 2 multiple-pass 24-hour intakes of 57 infants who participated in the WIC program. The mean BLL was 30 ± 16 μ g/L. Twelve infants, all older than 12 months, were iron-deficient. BLL was not different in those that were iron-deficient compared with iron-replete. Infants breastfed for 6 months or longer had higher ( P P P P
A dual polarized patch radiator for phased arrays

A well-matched microstrip patch radiator is described that has orthogonal dual-linear polarization. This is accomplished over a wide bandwidth and wide scan angle under a low-profile constraint. The performance is characterized by a less than 2:1 voltage standing wave ratio over a 10% bandwidth and suppression of cross-polarization by more than 20 dB. Features of this configuration include: orthogonal balanced probe feeds, one pair connected to the base plate (horizontal polarization) and the other connected to the patch (vertical polarization); a microstrip circuit; and a topology that permits both polarization matching circuits to coexist in one structure. >
Influence of Surface Stress on Bending Nanowires with Different Boundary Conditions

The influence of surface stress on the static and dynamic bending nanowires is investigated by incorporating the Young-Laplace equation into Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The proposed theoretical approach gives explicit solutions for bending nanowires with two different boundary conditions - cantilever, and fixed-fixed. The solutions indicate that the nanowires behave as softer material for the cantilever structure and stiffer material for the fixed-fixed structure as the nanowire diameter decreases for a positive surface stress and a constant length. The surface stress influenced nanowire bending behavior is not only diameter dependent but also length dependent. Based on the proposed approach, nanowire overall Young's modulus is calculated to exhibit the nanowire elastic bending behavior influenced by the surface stress. The theoretical calculations of the overall Young's moduli agree with reported experiment results of Ag nanowires with diameter in the range of 38.7~135 nm and length in the range of 1-2.55 mum.
Ground-based differential absorption lidar for water-vapor profiling: assessment of accuracy, resolution, and meteorological applications

The accuracy and the resolution of water-vapor measurements by use of the ground-based differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system of the Max-Planck-Institute (MPI) are determined. A theoretical analysis, intercomparisons with radiosondes, and measurements in high-altitude clouds allow the conclusion that, with the MPI DIAL system, water-vapor measurements with a systematic error of <5% in the whole troposphere can be performed. Special emphasis is laid on the outstanding daytime and nighttime performance of the DIAL system in the lower troposphere. With a time resolution of 1 min the statistical error varies between 0.05 g/m(3) in the near range using 75 m and-depending on the meteorological conditions-approximately 0.25 g/m(3) at 2 km using 150-m vertical resolution. When the eddy correlation method is applied, this accuracy and resolution are sufficient to determine water-vapor flux profiles in the convective boundary layer with a statistical error of <10% in each data point to approximately 1700 m. The results have contributed to the fact that the DIAL method has finally won recognition as an excellent tool for tropospheric research, in particular for boundary layer research and as a calibration standard for radiosondes and satellites.
Environmental tobacco smoke, indoor allergens, and childhood asthma.

Both environmental tobacco smoke and indoor allergens can exacerbate already established childhood albeit primarily through quite disparate mechanisms. In infancy and childhood, environmental tobac...
Effect of hydration repulsion on nanoparticle agglomeration evaluated via a constant number Monte–Carlo simulation

The effect of hydration repulsion on the agglomeration of nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions was investigated via the description of agglomeration by the Smoluchowski coagulation equation using constant number Monte?Carlo simulation making use of the classical DLVO theory extended to include the hydration repulsion energy. Evaluation of experimental DLS measurements for TiO2, CeO2, SiO2, and ?-Fe2O3 (hematite) at high IS (up to 900 mM) or low |?-potential| (?1.35 mV) demonstrated that hydration repulsion energy can be above electrostatic repulsion energy such that the increased overall repulsion energy can significantly lower the agglomerate diameter relative to the classical DLVO prediction. While the classical DLVO theory, which is reasonably applicable for agglomeration of NPs of high |?-potential| (?>35 mV) in suspensions of low IS (?<1 mM), it can overpredict agglomerate sizes by up to a factor of 5 at high IS or low |?-potential|. Given the potential important role of hydration repulsion over a range of relevant conditions, there is merit in quantifying this repulsion energy over a wide range of conditions as part of overall characterization of NP suspensions. Such information would be of relevance to improved understanding of NP agglomeration in aqueous suspensions and its correlation with NP physicochemical and solution properties.
Chemosensory signals in stream habitats: implications for ecological interactions

AbstractThe combination of varying aquatic habitats and flow regimes creates a complex stimulus environment from which sensory information can be extracted. Previous studies with crayfish in artificial stream settings have shown that altering the temporal and spatial structure of an odor plume modifies orientation behavior. Exposure to more temporally complex odor signals enables crayfish to locate food more efficiently. To link these studies to a more natural setting, we examined how odor signals are dispersed in 3 physically different habitats within the Maple River in Pellston, Michigan, USA, by simultaneously measuring flow patterns and odor plume characteristics. These microhabitats consisted of sections of the stream with gravel, transition (gravel and sand), or sand substrate. Flow measurements were taken using an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter while simultaneous in situ odor plume measurements were made with an Epsilon electrochemical system. Flow had more turbulent energy in gravel and transition h...