cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of grassland succession on communities of small mammals in Illinois, USA

Native grasslands are among the most imperiled of the North American ecosystems, with only ∼4% of their pre-settlement area remaining, but some grassland habitats are being restored and maintained through such methods as prescribed burning and mowing, which may provide habitat for animal species endemic to this ecosystem. I determined how succession of the plant community, due to a four-year rotational burn in 16 grassland fragments, influenced species richness and local abundances of small mammals in Illinois, USA. Species richness was relatively low in grasslands that were recently burned and highest in older successional grasslands. The most abundant species, Microtus ochrogaster, M. pennslyvanicus, Peromyscus maniculatus, P. leucopus, and Reithrodontomys megalotis showed very different responses to succession; Microtus spp. were most abundant in older successional grasslands, preferring areas with more cover of bunchgrasses, whereas the other three species were relatively abundant in grasslands of all successional ages. P. maniculatus was most abundant in any habitat that had ample open ground. The grasslands at my study site are a mixture of restored and non-restored grasslands. Overall, adding additional time between burns and restoring more of the grasslands by planting bunchgrasses that are native to this area may increase abundances of most mammal species at my study site.
Pulmonary effects of sulfur dioxide exposure and ipratropium bromide pretreatment in adults with nonallergic asthma.

Abstract In this study we examined the potential short-term effect of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) on total respiratory resistance and forced expiratory volume in patients with nonallergic asthma. A group of nine adult subjects with nonallergic asthma, 55 years of age or older, were exposed to SO 2 at 0, 0.5, and 1.0 ppm for 20 minutes at rest followed by 10 minutes during light-moderate exercise. The measures of pulmonary function assessed were FEV 1 , specific total respiratory resistance (SR T ), and maximal expiratory flow rates at 50% (V max50 ) and 75% (V max75 ) of expired vital capacity. Measurements were made before exposure to SO 2 (baseline), postresting exposure, postexercising exposure, and at 30 minutes thereafter (recovery). Repeat measure analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant dose-response effect of SO 2 inhalation on FEV 1 ( p = 0.008), SR T ( p = 0.033), V max50 ( p = 0.017), and V max75 ( p = 0.048). Eight subjects had repeat exposure to SO 2 at 1.0 ppm after treatment with either placebo or ipratropium bromide, 60 μg by metered-dose inhaler. Inpratropium bromide treatment, compared to placebo treatment, resulted in a statistically significant improvement in all baseline measures of pulmonary function: FEV 1 ( p = 0.017), SR T ( p = 0.027), V max50 ( p = 0.018), and V max75 ( p = 0.035). However, this drug did not significantly alter the proportionate change in pulmonary function caused by SO 2 inhalation in these subjects. These findings indicate that adults with nonallergic asthma are sensitive to short-term low-level SO 2 exposure and that treatment with 60 μg of ipratropium bromide causes significant bronchodilation but does not protect, completely, these patients from the effect of SO 2 inhalation.
PHOTOELECTRON FLUX AND PROTONOSPHERIC HEATING DURING THE CONJUGATE POINT SUNRISE.

Explorer 31 data for photoelectron flux and protonospheric heating during conjugate point sunrise
Stimulation of hemocyte proliferation in the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) by the injection of Enterobacter cloacae

Abstract Previous studies have determined that the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) generates true cell-mediated immunity as well as adaptive humoral immunity. A basic characteristic of immune responses of higher animals is the proliferation of responding cell types following antigenic stimulation. To determine if circulating hemocytes of Periplaneta were capable of in vivo cell division, animals were injected with 108 cells/gm body weight of fixed Enterobacter cloacae. This resulted in a depletion of circulating hemocytes by 12 h after injection as compared to saline-injected controls. Flow cytometry (FC) was used to determine if circulating cells were dividing in stimulated animals. Hemocytes from bacteria or saline-injected animals were collected at various times after injection, fixed and stained with propidium iodide, and analyzed by FC. Using a mathematical model to assign cells to appropriate stages of the cell cycle, the results indicated that animals injected with bacteria have a significantly greater percentage of hemocytes in S and G 2 M phases than saline-injected controls. This response was observed as early as 1 h after injection, and continued for several weeks after bacteria-injected animals had returned to normal cell numbers. This is the first evidence suggesting that circulating hemocytes can divide in vivo in Periplaneta americana following antigenic stimulation.
Discussion of Wagner, Imber, and Rasmussen

Helmut Wagner has given us an impressive and attractive synopsis of his recent intellectual biography of Alfred Schutz. His skillful and devoted intertwining of Schutz’s life and work makes his presentation instructive and readable. Helmut Wagner knew Schutz, he knew a number of Schutz’s friends, students, and colleagues, and he also found in Schutz’s work a surprising number of conceptions, such as ‘because motives’ and ‘in-order-to motives,’ ‘face-to-face relations,’ ‘the biographical situation,’ ‘relevances’ ‘intrinsic’ and ‘imposed,’ ‘life plan,’ and others, which could, to Wagner’s own surprise, be used to set the frame for his conceptions of life history and biography. Wagner, of course, could not present his evidence in his short paper, nor even in his book,1 because even this book is a severe abridgement of a much larger work.
The Crystal Structure of the Hinge Domain of the Escherichia coli Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes Protein MukB

MukB, a divergent structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) protein, is important for chromosomal segregation and condensation in gamma-proteobacteria. MukB and canonical SMC proteins share a characteristic five-domain structure. Globular N- and C-terminal domains interact to form an ATP-binding cassette-like ATPase or "head" domain, which is connected to a smaller dimerization or "hinge" domain by a long, antiparallel coiled coil. In addition to mediating dimerization, this hinge region has been implicated in both conformational flexibility and dynamic protein-DNA interactions. We report here the first crystallographic model of the MukB hinge domain. This model also contains approximately 20% of the coiled-coil domain, including an unusual coiled-coil deviation. These results will facilitate studies to clarify the roles of both the hinge and the coiled-coil domains in MukB function.
In Brief: Reducing black carbon emissions could immediately reduce global temperature increases

[1] A new assessment by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that measures to reduce emissions of black carbon, or soot, which is produced through burning of wood and other biofuels as well as by some industrial processes, could improve public health and help to significantly reduce projected global temperature increases. The Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone highlights how specific measures targeting black carbon and other emissions from fossil fuel extraction, residential wood-burning cooking, diesel vehicles, waste management, agriculture, and small industries could affect climate. Full implementation of a variety of measures to reduce black carbon and methane emissions could reduce future global warming by about 0.5°C, the assessment found. Reducing black carbon could have substantial benefits in the Arctic, the Himalayas, and other snow-covered regions because black carbon that settles on top of snow absorbs heat, speeding melting of snow and ice. Black carbon emission reductions would affect global temperatures more quickly than carbon dioxide emission reductions. Furthermore, reducing black carbon emissions would improve public health in the regions that emit large amounts of the harmful air pollutant.
The strength of a graph and its application to organizational structure

Abstract The strength of a point in a graph is defined as the increase in the number of connected components in the graph upon removal of the point. Given an ordering of the points of a graph, the strength vector S of the graph is the vector whose ith component is the strength of the ith point of the graph. An algorithm for computing S is presented. The strength of a graph is then defined and applied to the analysis of simple intra-organization mergers.
Rabi-vibronic resonance with large number of vibrational quanta

We study theoretically the Rabi oscillations of a resonantly driven two-level system linearly coupled to a harmonic oscillator (vibrational mode) with frequency ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$. We show that for weak coupling, ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}\ensuremath{\ll}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$, where ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}$ is the polaronic shift, Rabi oscillations are strongly modified in the vicinity of the Rabi-vibronic resonance ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{R}={\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$, where ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{R}$ is the Rabi frequency. The width of the resonance is $({\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{R}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0})\ensuremath{\sim}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}^{2/3}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}^{1/3}\ensuremath{\gg}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}$. Within this domain of ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{R}$ the actual frequency of the Rabi oscillations exhibits a bistable behavior as a function of ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{R}$. Importantly, within the resonant domain, the oscillator is highly excited, which allows us to treat it classically.
All-optical control of light on a silicon chip

Photonic circuits, in which beams of light redirect the flow of other beams of light, are a long-standing goal for developing highly integrated optical communication components1,2,3. Furthermore, it is highly desirable to use silicon—the dominant material in the microelectronic industry—as the platform for such circuits. Photonic structures that bend, split, couple and filter light have recently been demonstrated in silicon4,5, but the flow of light in these structures is predetermined and cannot be readily modulated during operation. All-optical switches and modulators have been demonstrated with III–V compound semiconductors6,7, but achieving the same in silicon is challenging owing to its relatively weak nonlinear optical properties. Indeed, all-optical switching in silicon has only been achieved by using extremely high powers8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15 in large or non-planar structures, where the modulated light is propagating out-of-plane. Such high powers, large dimensions and non-planar geometries are inappropriate for effective on-chip integration. Here we present the experimental demonstration of fast all-optical switching on silicon using highly light-confining structures to enhance the sensitivity of light to small changes in refractive index. The transmission of the structure can be modulated by up to 94% in less than 500 ps using light pulses with energies as low as 25 pJ. These results confirm the recent theoretical prediction16 of efficient optical switching in silicon using resonant structures.
The effects of space and scale on unconditional beta convergence: test results from the United States, 1970–2004

Beta convergence theorizes that regions with low levels of income will grow faster than regions with higher incomes as investment is moved to regions where returns can be maximized. The formal test for beta convergence is an OLS regression with income change as the dependent variable and initial income as the predictor. Beta convergence is present when the coefficient on initial income is negative. Empirical evidence of convergence is mixed, however. We contend that omission of spatial effects, and the confounding problem of geographic scale, help explain inconsistent empirical findings. We, therefore, examine the role of spatial effects on the standard convergence model at three spatial scales—states, Economic Areas, and counties—in the United States from 1970 to 2004. Our results indicate failure to account for spatial and scalar effects can lead to conflicting results. Convergence evidence is strongest at smaller levels of spatial aggregation, yet model fit is better at larger levels. In addition, accounting for spatial effects improves model diagnostic performance but weakens convergence evidence.
Global Phosphoproteomic Profiling Reveals Distinct Signatures in B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas

Deregulation of signaling pathways controlled by protein phosphorylation underlies the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies; however, the extent to which deregulated phosphorylation may be involved in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) pathogenesis is largely unknown. To identify phosphorylation events important in B-NHLs, we performed mass spectrometry–based, label-free, semiquantitative phosphoproteomic profiling of 11 cell lines derived from three B-NHL categories: Burkitt lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and mantle-cell lymphoma. In all, 6579 unique phosphopeptides, corresponding to 1701 unique phosphorylated proteins, were identified and quantified. The data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000658. Hierarchical clustering highlighted distinct phosphoproteomic signatures associated with each lymphoma subtype. Interestingly, germinal center–derived B-NHL cell lines were characterized by phosphorylation of proteins involved in the B-cell receptor signaling. Of these proteins, phosphoprotein associated with glycosphingolipid-enriched microdomains 1 (PAG1) was identified with the most phosphorylated tyrosine peptides in Burkitt lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. PAG1 knockdown resulted in perturbation of the tyrosine phosphosignature of B-cell receptor signaling components. Significantly, PAG1 knockdown increased cell proliferation and response to antigen stimulation of these germinal center–derived B-NHLs. These data provide a detailed annotation of phosphorylated proteins in human lymphoid cancer. Overall, our study revealed the utility of unbiased phosphoproteome interrogation in characterizing signaling networks that may provide insights into pathogenesis mechanisms in B-cell lymphomas.
Synthesis from DNA of a molecule with the connectivity of a cube

A principal goal of biotechnology is the assembly of novel biomaterials for analytical, industrial and therapeutic purposes. The advent of stable immobile nucleic acid branched junctions makes DNA a good candidate for building frameworks to which proteins or other functional molecules can be attached and thereby juxtaposed. The addition of single-stranded 'sticky' ends to branched DNA molecules converts them into macromolecular valence clusters that can be ligated together. The edges of these frameworks are double-helical DNA, and the vertices correspond to the branch points of junctions. Here, we report the construction from DNA of a covalently closed cube-like molecular complex containing twelve equal-length double-helical edges arranged about eight vertices. Each of the six 'faces' of the object is a single-stranded cyclic molecule, doubly catenated to four neighbouring strands, and each vertex is connected by an edge to three others. Each edge contains a unique restriction site for analytical purposes. This is the first construction of a closed polyhedral object from DNA.
Magnetization behavior of thick epitaxial Gd(0001) films on W(110).

The temperature-dependent magnetic properties of thick Gd(0001)/W(110) films were investigated with respect to the annealing temperature as well as the film thickness (d=10--100 nm). After annealing to sufficiently high temperatures, thick films (d\ensuremath{\ge}40 nm) show evidence for a canted magnetization, accompanied by a strong anomaly of the coercive field just below the Curie temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{C}}$. These effects can be attributed to the temperature-dependent magnetic anisotropy of bulk Gd. For thinner films, the magnetization behavior implies the existence of residual strain, which cannot be fully annealed by thermal treatment. The implications of our experimental results for surface magnetic order are discussed.
Amphipod Amplexus, The Significance of Ecotypic Variation

The proportion of the female molt cycle spent in amplexus varies inheritably among several populations of the talitrid amphipod Hyalella azteca. Duration of amplexus is negatively correlated with an index of the intensity of predation by visually orienting fish. As amplexus renders the amphipods more vulnerable to these fish, I hypothesize that this type of predation selects for an abbreviation selects for an abbreviation of the amplexed phased of the female molt cycle. See full-text article at JSTOR
Multiple functions of p27Kip1 and its alterations in tumor cells: a review

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), together with cyclins, their regulatory subunits, govern cell-cycle progression in eukaryotic cells. p27(Kip1) is a member of a family of CDK inhibitors (CDIs) that bind to cyclin/CDK complexes and arrest cell division. There is considerable evidence that p27(Kip1) plays an important role in multiple fundamental cellular processes, including cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. Moreover, p27(Kip1) is a putative tumor-suppressor gene that appears to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of several human malignancies and its reduced expression has been shown to correlate with poor prognosis in cancer patients. This study reviews current information on the functions of p27(Kip1), its abnormalities found in human tumors, and the possible clinical implications of these findings with respect to the management of cancer patients.
Monitoring minimal residual disease in AML.

There have been a number of publications that describe the clinical monitoring of acute leukemia patients for residual leukemia cells. Almost all of them have been focused on ALL. The phenotype of ALL appears to be quite stable. In contrast, the relapse phenotype for AML is almost always different from the phenotype found in the diagnostic specimen. These changes make monitoring strategies difficult and imprecise. Unlike ALL, the myeloid leukemia immunophenotype frequently does not differ from a low frequency of immature normal cells. Our center examined 52 cases of AML and compared the relapse immunophenotype to that of the initial diagnostic specimen, using multiparametric flow cytometry. Time to relapse was 2–24 months (median 8 months). Changes in expression of myeloid Ags is shown in Table 1. Note that the initial diagnostic phenotype was maintained in only 21% of patients and changes range from a less-differentiated to a more-differentiated phenotype. Certain Ags were acquired or lost in 29% of patients. These changes are shown in greater detail in Table 2. To summarize, 79% of AML patients in this series expressed an altered phenotype at relapse. Technical variations in specimen processing can lead to shifts in the position of a resolved cluster of cells that can result in the misinterpretation of data. By normalizing list mode files to a reference file, all clusters found using the same Ab combination can be brought into conformation. This process reduces the variation introduced during specimen processing. A template, consisting of Boolean regions that define all normal cell clusters found in a generic specimen, can be applied to the patient’s data. Events outside the organized (in contrast to random events), outside the normal template regions are possible residual leukemia cells. If several combinations of Abs are evaluated, usually one or two produce a cluster of leukemia cells in a position similar to that found in the diagnostic specimen. Some recommended Ab-combinations are shown in Table 3, although other variables, such as variations in Ab lots, specimen preparation, instrument performance and flurochrome combinations, must be considered when designing a panel. When clusters outside the normal pattern can be identified, there is increased confidence that the cluster indeed contains leukemia cells. When clusters are not found, suspicious cells can be sorted for independent confirmation. In conclusion, it is possible to monitor residual leukemia cells from AML patients if the above criteria are understood, with respect to interpretation of the data. When the number of leukemia cells falls below the detection threshold, it is impossible to predict relapse. Table 1. Myeloid antigen expression at relapse
Personality, self-concept, interests, and intelligence: Which construct doesn't fit?

ABSTRACT Evaluation of overlap among correlational construct families provides a basis for cross-fertilization in each of the four separate individual-differences domains. This article provides some new insights on Thorndike's claim that superiority in one trait implies superiority in other traits. Definitions and methodological differences among correlational domains of inquiry are reviewed from modern investigations of personality, self-concept, interests, and intelligence. Sources of overlap between personality and other trait families are discussed and four trait complexes are reviewed: social, clerical/ conventional, science/math, and intellectual/cultural. Implications of the trait-complex approach and challenges to integrative research approaches to applied problems are presented.
Noncontact laser Doppler imaging in burn depth analysis of the extremities.

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy and practical utility of a noncontact laser Doppler imager (PIM- II, Lisca Development AB, Linkoping, Sweden) in the estimation of burn depth in the upper and lower extremities. At 48 hours after burn injury, we performed scans of 35 burns in 22 patients and obtained histological samples for burn determination with hematoxylin and eosin and vimentin immunohistochemical staining. Additionally, sequential scans and tissue specimens were obtained on 10 burns at 24, 48, and 72 hours. A statistically significant inverse relationship was noted between burn depth and the laser Doppler perfusion index. Laser Doppler perfusion index values greater than 1.3 predicted a superficial dermal burn with 95% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Superficial dermal burns exhibited increased perfusion in the early burn period. Wounds showed a progressive decline in perfusion and a progressive increase in the depth of injury during a 72-hour period. This study demonstrates the advantage and accuracy of using a noncontact laser Doppler to differentiate deep dermal from superficial partial thickness burns in the extremities.
Interstitial photoradiation injury of normal brain.

The effect on normal brain of continuous interstitial laser irradiation at 630 nm through an implanted cylindrical-shape, diffusion-tipped optical fiber was studied in the rat. Brain water content in the laser irradiation area (LIA) and Evans blue (EB) dye content in selected areas of the brain were measured for different laser power outputs from 0 to 250 mW after 5 minutes of photo-radiation. The degree and nature of tissue damage was examined histologically and correlated with the laser power level. There is significant brain damage, blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and brain edema in LIA for laser power outputs in excess of 100 mW from the diffusion tip (p < 0.001). Brain edema in the LIA is strongly correlated with BBB disruption indicated by the presence of EB. Histologically, the cortical surface was more susceptible than deeper white matter regions to interstitial laser irradiation. Possible indirect mechanisms of brain injury from interstitial laser irradiation are discussed. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effect of thermal smearing on the electron-phonon spectral function obtained by inversion of normal metal tunneling data

Abstract Recently Svistunov et al inverted their normal metal tunneling data to obtain the frequency (Ω) dependence of the electron-phonon spectral function α2F(Ω) of Pb (driven normal by the application of a magnetic field). Their result is in promising agreement with that obtained using the long established superconducting tunnelling technique, especially if the excess width of the peaks in their spectrum is due to thermal smearing. In this paper the effect of thermal smearing on the inverted α2F(Ω) of Pb is calculated at 1, 2, and 4 K and a new inversion formula proposed in which the effects of thermal broadening have been eliminated.
The Impact of Trajectory Prediction Uncertainty on Air Traffic Controller Performance and Acceptability

A Human-In-The-Loop air traffic control simulation investigated the impact of uncertainties in trajectory predictions on NextGen Trajectory-Based Operations concepts, seeking to understand when the automation would become unacceptable to controllers or when performance targets could no longer be met. Retired air traffic controllers staffed two en route transition sectors, delivering arrival traffic to the northwest corner-post of Atlanta approach control under time-based metering operations. Using trajectory-based decision-support tools, the participants worked the traffic under varying levels of wind forecast error and aircraft performance model error, impacting the ground automations ability to make accurate predictions. Results suggest that the controllers were able to maintain high levels of performance, despite even the highest levels of trajectory prediction errors.
Varying Features of Early Age-of-Onset "Sporadic" and Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Patients

PURPOSE: Although the criteria for clinical diagnosis of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer are not fully agreed on, young age seems to be a common trait. The purpose of this study is to identify clinicopathologic features of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer in early age-of-onset colorectal cancer patients stratified as a function of family cancer history. METHODS: Two hundred thirty consecutive colorectal cancer patients 40 years or older at time of diagnosis were registered into an ongoing database during a ten-year period. Accurate family history was obtainedvia medical records, telephone calls, and questionnaires on 146 patients. According to extent of family history of cancer, patients were stratified into seven groups: 1) fulfilling Amsterdam criteria, 2) fulfilling less strict criteria, 3) having at least one first-degree relative with colorectal cancer, 4) having at least one distant relative with colorectal cancer, 5) having at least one first-degree relative with any cancer, 6) having at least one distant relative with any cancer, 7) having no family history of cancer. RESULTS: Twenty-two of 146 patients fulfilled Amsterdam and less strict hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer criteria (15 percent). These hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer patients were significantly younger (31vs. 35 years;P=0.0003) and had more metachronous colorectal cancer (27 percentvs. 2 percent;P=0.007) and less colorectal cancer with nodal or metastatic spread than the non-hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer patients (35 percentvs. 65 percent;P=0.01). CONCLUSION: Precise familial cancer assessment in early age-of-onset colorectal cancer increases the yield of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer diagnosis. Because of the frequent development of metachronous colorectal cancer and favorable prognosis, extensive rather than segmental surgery should be considered in early age-of-onset colorectal cancer patients belonging to hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer families.
Analytical and biological analyses of test materials from the synthetic fuel technologies I. Mutagenicity of crude oils determined by the Salmonella typhimurium/microsomal activation system

Abstract We have assayed the mutagenicity of crude industrial products and effluents with the Salmonella/microsomal activation system. Test materials (crude products from coal-conversion processes and natural crude oils) were initially fractionated into primary classes by liquid-liquid extraction and then further fractionated by column chromatography. Prescreening was accomplished over a wide concentration range with the Ames tester strains. Active fractions (mainly the neutral fractions containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and certain basic fractions) can be identified, and dose-response relationships can be established. Standard values are expressed as revertants/mg of the test material assayed with frameshift strain TA98 including metabolic activation with rat-liver preparations. Total mutagenic activity of synthetic fuel samples was consistently higher than that of natural crude “controls.” Activities of subfractions are roughly additive and presumably reflect the mutagenic potential of the whole test material. These results are being extended to other genetic assays. Chemical identification is carried out along with the bioassays.
Recent advances in the solar water heating systems: A review

Abstract Solar water heating (SWH) systems have a widespread usage and applications in both domestic and industrial sectors. According to Renewable Energy Policy Network data (2010), 70 million houses worldwide were reported to be using SWH systems. Solar water heating is not only environmentally friendly but requires minimal maintenance and operation cost compared to other solar energy applications. SWH systems are cost effective with an attractive payback period of 2–4 years depending on the type and size of the system. Extensive research has been performed to further improve the thermal efficiency of solar water heating. This paper presents a detailed review exclusively on the design aspects of SWH systems. The first part of the paper provides a consolidated summary on the development of various system components that includes the collector, storage tank and heat exchanger. The later part of this paper covers the alternative refrigerant technology and technological advancements in improving the performance as well as the cost effectiveness of the SWH system.
Estimating Profit Performance from Similar Profit Centers

A decision model involving discriminant analysis provides a method by which both upper and middle managers can avoid some pitfalls that are likely to result in the substantially subjective process of pertbrmance evaluation of profit centers. It is designed to provide more objective, more timely, and possibly more accurate information. The model is not designed to estimate the return on investment for a profit center. The resulting discriminate score provides a direct evaluation of a profit center’s management.
Driving With Upper Extremity Immobilization: A Comprehensive Review

Driving with upper extremity immobilization can be potentially dangerous. The aim of this article is to review current medical literature, state laws, and guidelines on driving with upper extremity immobilization and appraise the available evidence. A literature search was conducted to identify citations related to driving with upper extremity immobilization and included a law literature search. Each state's Department of Motor Vehicle handbook was reviewed. Fourteen studies were reviewed and 5 provided subjective and/or objective assessments of upper limb immobilization. Of 2 studies that evaluated only below-elbow immobilization, 1 found driving in a wrist splint had no perceptible effect on driving ability, and the other supported safe driving under normal conditions. The studies that evaluated both below- and above-elbow immobilization recommended against driving with left arm above-elbow immobilization. Two of them found a trend toward worse driving performance in both below- and above-elbow splints. The following organizations' policies on driving are (1) The American Medical Association and National Highway Traffic Association have a joint recommendation for older drivers recommending referral to a rehabilitation specialist, (2) the U.S. Public Health Service recommends normal motor function and adequate mobility of both upper extremities and a performance examination when impaired, and (3) the U.S. Department of Transportation recommends a performance evaluation to determine fitness of commercial motor vehicle drivers. There are no state statutes or multijurisdictional surveys on the topic. This review finds that driving is hindered in some splints, there are substantial variations in physician practice patterns, there are no formal guidelines for physicians and patients to consider, and there is a paucity of published literature on this topic in the United States. Both physicians and patients would benefit from evidence-based recommendations or practice guidelines.
Donor antigen-presenting cells regulate T-cell expansion and antitumor activity after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Abstract Delayed immunologic recovery after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality that limits the overall success of the transplantation procedure. Recent clinical data suggest that a subset of donor dendritic cells may inhibit the graft-versus-tumor activity of donor T cells. We studied the immunoregulatory activity of donor dendritic cells in allogeneic BMT between major histocompatibility complex-disparate strains of mice. Bone marrow grafts enriched or depleted of CD11b− and CD11b+ dendritic cell subsets by immunomagnetic cell sorting were combined with small numbers of congenic splenic T cells. Recipients of CD11b-depleted bone marrow had significant posttransplantation expansion of donor spleen-derived CD4+ memory T cells compared with recipients of unmanipulated bone marrow. CD11b depletion enhanced the antitumor activity of the splenic donor T cells without producing significant graft-versus-host disease and resulted in long-term survival after a supralethal dose of T-cell leukemia administered after BMT. Expansion of donor spleen-derived T cells was proportional to the number of CD11b− dendritic cells in the bone marrow graft and was associated with increased levels of serum interferon-γ. Thus, manipulating the content of donor antigen-presenting cells in allogeneic BMT is a novel strategy to activate donor memory T cells and enhance allogeneic graft-versus-leukemia effects with minimal graft-versus-host disease.
Hetero-oligomerization among the TIF family of RBCC/TRIM domain-containing nuclear cofactors: a potential mechanism for regulating the switch between coactivation and corepression.

Abstract The RING-B box-coiled-coil (RBCC) motif (also re-named recently as the tripartite motif (TRIM)) is a widely distributed motif that is hypothesized to be a protein–protein interface. The RBCC/TRIM domain of the corepressor KAP-1 is both necessary and sufficient to interact directly with the transcription repressor KRAB domain. Each subdomain of the KAP-1-RBCC contributes directly to the oligomerization and/or ligand recognition. Little is known about the function or the natural binding ligands for the RBCC/TRIM domain of the other TIF family members. In order to investigate whether hetero-oligomerization might be a biological regulatory mechanism, we have evaluated the hetero-oligomerization potential of the TIF family members including KAP-1, TIF1α, TIF1γ, and the RBCC/TRIM family members including PML1, and MID1. We have reconstituted and characterized the oligomerization for these proteins using baculovirus and mammalian expression systems by biochemical approaches. Our data indicate that the RBCC/TRIM domains of KAP-1, TIF1α and TIF1γ exist in a homo-oligomeric state. However, there is little cross-talk between KAP-1 and other TIF family members, suggesting that a high degree of specificity for oligomerization interface and ligand recognition is intrinsically built into the RBCC/TRIM domain of KAP-1. Finally, we demonstrate that TIF1α interacts with TIF1γ and the coiled-coil region of TIF1γ is necessary for this interaction. The hetero-oligomerization between TIF1α and TIF1γ implies a potential regulatory mechanism for transcriptional regulation.
Fault-Tolerance of the Iterative Cell Array Switch for Hybrid Redundancy

The technique of hybrid redundancy has been used to protect those portions of a digital system which have to be made ultrareliable. Siewiorek and McCluskey have presented a new switch design for hybrid redundancy which is shown to be of less complexity than other switch designs presented in the literature.
Receptor and Subunit Specificity in AKAP79/150 Actions On M-Type(KCNQ) K+ Channels

A-kinase-anchoring protein (AKAP)79/150 mediated PKC phosphorylation of M-type (KCNQ) channels is involved in M current (IM) suppression by muscarinic M1, but not bradykinin B2 receptors (Hoshi et al. Nat. Cell Biol. 7:1066-73). In this study, we first explored the involvement of AKAP79/150 in muscarinic suppression of KCNQ currents by co-transfecting AKAP79 with KCNQ1-5 subunits in CHO cells stably expressing M1 receptors. Expression of AKAP79 sensitized KCNQ2-5 and KCNQ2/3, but not KCNQ1, channels to suppression by the M1 receptor agonist oxotremorine (oxo-M). Mutation of the PKC phosphorylation site on KCNQ4 (T553A) eliminated the effect of AKAP79, confirming the role of PKC. Co-transfection of wild-type, but not dominant negative, calmodulin abolished the effect of AKAP79 on KCNQ2/3 channels. We asked if purinergic and angiotensin suppression of IM in superior cervical ganglion (SCG) sympathetic neurons involves AKAP79/150, since purinergic P2Y receptors depress IM in SCG neurons via a similar mechanism to that of bradykinin, involving IP3-mediated Ca2+ signals, whereas angiotensin AT1 receptors depress IM via a similar mechanism as M1 receptors, by depletion of PIP2. Transfection of ΔA-AKAP79, which lacks the A-domain necessary for PKC binding, did not affect IM suppression by the purinergic agonist UTP (2 μM), nor by bradykinin (100 nM), but did reduce IM suppression by oxo-M (1 μM) and angiotensin II (500 nM). We also tested association of AKAP79 with M1, B2, P2Y6 and AT1 receptors via FRET experiments on CHO cells under TIRF microscopy, which revealed weaker FRET between AKAP79 and P2Y6 or B2 receptors than for M1 and AT1 receptors. Our data suggest AKAP79/150 action generalizes to KCNQ2-5 subtypes, is disrupted by calmodulin, and is involved in angiotensin, but not in purinergic, suppression of neuronal M current. Supported by NIH grants R01 NS043394 and R01 NS065138.
Global Catholicism and the Politics of Civil Society

A transformation of the politics of Catholicism worldwide has taken place. The final recognition of the modern principle of religious freedom at Vatican II, together with the assumption by the church of the modern doctrine of human rights, has altered the traditional dynamic of church state relations and the role of the church both nationally and transnationally. National churches no longer aspire to become state compulsory institutions. It is this voluntary “disestablishment” that has permitted the church to play a key role in recent transitions to democracy throughout the Catholic world. Simultaneously, the papacy has assumed the vacant role of spokesperson for humanity, for the sacred dignity of the human person, for world peace, and for a more fair division of labor and power in the world system. As the Catholic Church abandons the private sphere assigned to religion and enters the undifferentiated public sphere of civil society to take part in ongoing processes of normative contestation, a tension between catholic universality and Roman Catholic particularity becomes evident.
Digital filtering using cotransforms in finite fields

Mersenne and Fermat transforms have been proposed as a way of computing convolutions for filtering applications. These transforms can be computed without multiplications and without roundoff errors. The letter points to the use of residue arithmetic as a way of relieving word-length limitations normally associated with these transforms.
Resistance To Change As A Function Of Stimulus-reinforcer And Location-reinforcer Contingencies.

Pigeons responded on two keys in each component of a multiple concurrent schedule. In one series of conditions the distribution of reinforcers between keys within one component was varied so as to produce changes in ratios of reinforcer totals for key locations when summed across components. In a second series, reinforcer allocation between components was varied so as to produce changes in ratios of reinforcer totals for components, summed across key locations. In each condition, resistance to change was assessed by presenting response-independent reinforcers during intercomponent blackouts and (for the first series) by extinction of responding on both keys in both components. Resistance to change for response totals within a component was always greater for the component with the larger total reinforcer rate. However, resistance to change for response totals at a key location was not a positive function of total reinforcement for pecking that key; indeed, relative resistance to extinction for the two locations showed a weak negative relation to ratios of reinforcer totals for key location. These results confirm the determination of resistance to change by stimulus—reinforcer contingencies.
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Analysis of RNA-Protein Interactions in the RNase P Holoenzyme from Escherichia coli

A gel retardation assay has been used to examine the kinetic and equilibrium properties of the interaction between C5 protein and M1 RNA in the formation of the ribonuclease P holoenzyme from Escherichia coli. The interaction is relatively insensitive to the identity of the monovalent anions present and to pH in the range 7.0-9.0, but it has a more critical requirement for specific monovalent and divalent cations: NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Mn2+ all promote efficient formation of the complex. A positive delta S (+6.4 cal mol-1 deg-1) and a negative delta H (-11.3 kcal mol-1) combine to give a delta G equal to -13.3 kcal mol-1 at 37 degrees C in 0.42 M salt. The binding reaction is sensitive to the concentration of monovalent and divalent cations, with the affinity increasing with increasing ionic strength (delta log Ka/delta log [NH4+] = +2.7 +/- 0.1). The dependence of Kd on the ionic strength and the positive delta S suggests that hydrophobic and stacking interactions contribute significantly to the formation of the RNase P holoenzyme.
IN VITRO BACKSCATTERING FROM IMPLANT MATERIALS DURING RADIOTHERAPY

It is a certainty that many of the patients now receiving dental implants will one day require radiotherapy if they have head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine the dose enhancement form backscattered radiation at implant/bone interfaces irradiated with high-energy 6 MV and 10 MV x-rays. Three commonly used implant materials, pure titanium, Ti-6A1-4V alloy, and a high gold content implant material of various thicknesses, were used to measure the dose enhancement caused by backscattered radiation. The relative ionization charges at implant/bone interfaces were measured at distances of 0, 1, 2, and 3 mm away from the implant material by insertion of 0, 1, 2, and 3 mm thick bone substitute disks between the implant material and an ionization chamber. The results indicated that the highest dose enhancement occurred at a distance of 0 mm from the implant/bone interface for all the materials studied. The Au-Cu-Ag implant material had more average relative dose than pure titanium or Ti-6A1-4V alloy. The backscattered electrons decreased as the thickness of the bone substitute (distance between the implant material and the ionization chamber) increased.
Investigating attention in complex visual search

How we attend to and search for objects in the real world is influenced by a host of low-level and higher-level factors whose interactions are poorly understood. The vast majority of studies approach this issue by experimentally controlling one or two factors in isolation, often under conditions with limited ecological validity. We present a comprehensive regression framework, together with a matlab-implemented toolbox, which allows concurrent factors influencing saccade targeting to be more clearly distinguished. Based on the idea of gaze selection as a point process, the framework allows each putative factor to be modeled as a covariate in a generalized linear model, and its significance to be evaluated with model-based hypothesis testing. We apply this framework to visual search for faces as an example and demonstrate its power in detecting effects of eccentricity, inversion, task congruency, emotional expression, and serial fixation order on the targeting of gaze. Among other things, we find evidence for multiple goal-related and goal-independent processes that operate with distinct visuotopy and time course.
The adsorption of hydrazoic acid on single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract The interaction between commercially available Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) and gaseous hydrazoic acid (HN 3 ) was studied using attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectroscopy. Whether the HN 3 gas reacts with SWNTs through physisorption or chemisorption was analyzed. This study shows that under ambient conditions gaseous HN 3 reacted with the metal such as Ni or Fe present in the SWNTs to generate the corresponding metal azides. The data also suggest that the nanotube walls did not react to gaseous HN 3 upon repeated exposures at ambient conditions.
Coherent structure generation in near-wall turbulence

We present a new mechanism for generation of near-wall streamwise vortices – which dominate turbulence phenomena in boundary layers – using linear perturbation analysis and direct numerical simulations of turbulent channel flow. The base flow, consisting of the mean velocity profile and low-speed streaks (free from any initial vortices), is shown to be linearly unstable to sinuous normal modes only for relatively strong streaks, i.e. for wall inclination angles of streak vortex lines exceeding 50°. Analysis of streaks extracted from fully developed near-wall turbulence indicates that about 20% of streak regions in the buffer layer exceed the strength threshold for instability. More importantly, these unstable streaks exhibit only moderate (twofold) normal-mode amplification, the growth being arrested by self-annihilation of streak-flank normal vorticity due to viscous cross-diffusion. We present here an alternative, streak transient growth (STG) mechanism, capable of producing much larger (tenfold) linear ampliflcation of x-dependent disturbances. Note the distinction of STG – responsible for perturbation growth on a streak velocity distribution U(y, z) – from prior transient growth analyses of the (streakless) mean velocity U(y). We reveal that streamwise vortices are generated from the more numerous normal-mode-stable streaks, via a new STG-based scenario: (i) transient growth of perturbations leading to formation of a sheet of streamwise vorticity ωx (by a ‘shearing’ mechanism of vorticity generation), (ii) growth of sinuous streak waviness and hence ∂u/∂x as STG reaches nonlinear amplitude, and (iii) the ωx sheet’s collapse via stretching by ∂u/∂x (rather than rollup) into streamwise vortices. Significantly, the three-dimensional features of the (instantaneous) streamwise vortices of x-alternating sign generated by STG agree well with the (ensemble-averaged) coherent structures educed from fully turbulent flow. The STG-induced formation of internal shear layers, along with quadrant Reynolds stresses and other turbulence measures, also agree well with fully developed turbulence. Results indicate the prominent – possibly dominant – role of this new, transient-growth-based vortex generation scenario, and suggest interesting possibilities for robust control of drag and heat transfer.