cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct-flow microfiltration of aquasols II. On the role of colloidal natural organic matter

Abstract Natural organic matter (NOM) has been considered a major contributor to the fouling of microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) membranes employed in water treatment. However, the fouling potential of NOM has often been assessed in terms of its size or chemical composition. The colloid’s chemical properties have often been ignored. In this study, a chemical attachment-based (CAB) model established previously was used in conjunction with a variety of analytical techniques to investigate the existence of three major components of an aquatic NOM and their role in the fouling of a polyvinylidene fluoride MF membrane. The results suggest that colloidal NOM relevant to membrane fouling has a broader size distribution and variations in chemical properties than proposed previously. For the model aquatic NOM used in this research, fouling was primarily contributed by both non-humic and humic colloidal fractions. The non-humic colloids were larger in size and probably adhered to the membrane regardless of the solution chemistry, while humic colloids had variable size and stickiness depending on solution chemistry. The fouling caused by organic colloids was mostly hydraulically irreversible, as a consequence of favorable surface interactions. The CAB model provided a useful way to understand the role of organic colloids in membrane fouling.
Simple model of electromagnetic-wave-induced avalanching in semiconductors

Simple Model of Electromagnetic WaveInduced Avalanching in SemiconductorsM. Weiner, L. Kingsley, A. Kim and R. YoumansU.S. Array Research LaboratoryElectronics and Power Sources DirectorateFort !4onmouth, New Jersey 07703-5601ABSTRACTA simple transmission line model, which seeks to explainphenomena associated with avalanche/displacement current wavesin semiconductors, is discussed. The model relies on breakingup the semiconductor drift space into small cells, each ofwhich contains a transmission line element so as to allow anelectromagnetic wave to propagate away from the generated plasma.The transmission line element also serves as the energy storageelement. A time varying resistor controls the conductivity,induced by either a light signal or an avalanche. As expected,the model points out the importance of triggering an avalanche/displacement current wave in regions where the static fieldis high. Under certain conditions the model predicts a growingelectromagnetic wave with sufficient amplitude to sustainavalanching. The model offers a possible explanation of theobserved fast risetime pulses resulting from either optical oravalanche excitation of a small, spatially limited region of thesemiconductor region.
An Algorithm for Least Squares Estimation of Nonlinear Parameters When Some of the Parameters Are Linear

An algorithm is presented for nonlinear least squares estimation in which the parameters to be estimated can be regarded as all nonlinear (the traditional approach) or reclassified as linear-nonlinear. The theoretical basis for the reclassification approach is given and examples are presented which allow a comparison of the all nonlinear to the linear-nonlinear method employing two widely used iterative techniques, Hartley and Marquardt. The reclassification method reduces the dimensionality of the vector of iterants and thus the number of initial guesses to be made. Improved results (less iterations and computer run time) are obtained for the linear-nonlinear method when using the Hartley technique, but are not when using the Marquardt technique.
The Br⊘nsted Acidity of Transition Metal Hydrides

Abstract Recent work on measuring the Br⊘nsted acidity of some transition metal carbonyl hydrides is reviewed. The basicity of low-valent transition metal complexes and the mechanism of addition of HX to planar ML4 complexes is also discussed. Finally some further consequences of having a weak metal-hydrogen bond are presented.
Boater speed compliance in manatee zones: examining a proposed predictive model.

In Florida, recreational watercraft strikes are the single greatest cause of mortality among the endangered West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). Vessel speed reduction zones are meant to minimize this threat, although boater compliance studies suggest that the current reliance on waterway signage and voluntary observance may be somewhat ineffective. Based on observation of vessels on the St. Johns River in Florida, and subsequent mail survey of observed boaters, this study attempted to better understand attitude importance and subjective norms with respect to boating behavior within the context of a predictive model. Fifty five percent of observed vessels were noncompliant with the posted zone speeds. In general, observed and self-reported compliance behaviors were only partially consistent with the tested model. Findings suggest that messages to compel boaters to comply should foster an attachment to personally important attitudes and appropriate desires of family members, other boaters ...
Single-crystal growth of magnesium oxide by the flux method

Abstract Crystals of magnesium oxide were grown from solution in a 7MgO.5WO 3 .Na 2 O.P 2 O 5 melt by the temperature gradient method. Parallelopipeds with {100} faces up to 7 mm on edge were grown in 5–6 days from a 75–100 ml nickel crucible protected by an argon atmosphere. None of the major flux constituents was detected in a semi-quantitative spectrographic analyses of the crystals. The crystals were transparent up to 9.3 microns in the infrared. The dislocation density of the as grown crystals was of the order of 5×10 4 /cm 2 . The critical resolved shear stress, as found from indentation wing size measurements, was of the order of 6.0 kg/mm 2 .
Regulatory T Cells in γ Irradiation-Induced Immune Suppression

Sublethal total body γ irradiation (TBI) of mammals causes generalized immunosuppression, in part by induction of lymphocyte apoptosis. Here, we provide evidence that a part of this immune suppression may be attributable to dysfunction of immune regulation. We investigated the effects of sublethal TBI on T cell memory responses to gain insight into the potential for loss of vaccine immunity following such exposure. We show that in mice primed to an MHC class I alloantigen, the accelerated graft rejection T memory response is specifically lost several weeks following TBI, whereas identically treated naive mice at the same time point had completely recovered normal rejection kinetics. Depletion in vivo with anti-CD4 or anti-CD25 showed that the mechanism involved cells consistent with a regulatory T cell (T reg) phenotype. The loss of the T memory response following TBI was associated with a relative increase of CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+ expressing T regs, as compared to the CD8+ T effector cells requisite for skin graft rejection. The radiation-induced T memory suppression was shown to be antigen-specific in that a third party ipsilateral graft rejected with normal kinetics. Remarkably, following the eventual rejection of the first MHC class I disparate skin graft, the suppressive environment was maintained, with markedly prolonged survival of a second identical allograft. These findings have potential importance as regards the immunologic status of T memory responses in victims of ionizing radiation exposure and apoptosis-inducing therapies.
Optimal power grid protection through a defender–attacker–defender model

Abstract Power grid vulnerability is a major concern of our society, and its protection problem is often formulated as a tri-level defender–attacker–defender model. However, this tri-level problem is computationally challenging. In this paper, we design and implement a Column-and-Constraint Generation algorithm to derive its optimal solutions. Numerical results on an IEEE system show that: (i) the developed algorithm identifies optimal solutions in a reasonable time, which significantly outperforms the existing exact algorithm; (ii) the attack solution obtained through solving the attacker–defender model does not lead to the optimal protection plan in general; and (iii) protection using the optimal solution from the defender–attacker–defender model always improves the grid survivability under contingencies. The proposed model and algorithm can be easily modified to accommodate for other critical infrastructure network protection problems.
Us and Them: Identity and Genocide

Genocide is commonly deemed to be either inexplicable or the result of special hatreds. I argue instead that genocide is an extreme result of normal identity processes. Four overlapping phases are proposed. (1) Dichotomization elevates one dimension of identity over others and, within that dimension, sharply distinguishes two categories: us and them. This may lead to (2) dehumanization, in which “they” come to be seen not just as different from “us” but as outside the human universe of moral obligation. (3) Destruction may result, accompanied and followed by processes of (4) denial that enable the perpetrators to maintain their moral self-conceptions. These phases are illustrated with examples from the Holocaust, the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the Latin American dirty wars of the 1970s and 1980s, and the European conquest of the Americas. Us … … and them And after all we're only ordinary men Me … … and you God only knows it's not what we would choose to do —Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973 If you...
A tool for 21st century learning and assessment

Twenty-first century assessment must reveal and drive meaningful learning. Typical assessments focus on what students have learned but not necessarily how prepared they are to learn in the future. Through design experiments, we have created and researched Preparation for Future Learning assessments in which students use real-world resources to learn to solve problems. Our goal is to provide valid measures of students' existing strengths as well as skills and knowledge that they need to learn.
Angular sensitivity of Brewster-angle reflection polarizers: an analytical treatment.

The angular sensitivity of Brewster-angle reflection polarizers (BARP) is first studied approximately by determining the Taylor series expansion of the parallel reflectance Rp as a function of angle of incidence ϕ near the Brewster angle ϕB. Subsequently, exact and explicit equations are derived that determine the lower and upper limits, ϕl and ϕu, of the range of ϕ, that includes ϕB, over which Rp or the extinction ratio ER is below a stated limit L. Examples are given of Ge and Si IR BARP for which ϕl and ϕu are calculated for L from 10−6 to 10−1 in ascending multiplicative steps of 10.
Survey of intense Sun–Earth connection events (1995–2003)

Abstract We survey the interplanetary (IP) configurations associated with the largest energy and/or power inputs to the magnetosphere in 1995–2003, i.e., from the last 2 years of solar cycle 22 to the descending phase of solar cycle 23. We work in the “ϵ” formulation of [Perreault, P., Akasofu, S.-I. A study of geomagnetic storms, Geophys. J.R. Astron. Soc., 54, 547, 1978]. Using this, we calculate the energy extracted by the magnetosphere from the solar wind, and the powering of the magnetosphere by the solar wind. We carry out a statistical survey to obtain the distribution of power deposition and energy input during this 9-year period. Large events are then defined as those whose energy exceeds 10 J m−2 and/or whose power exceeds 0.3 mW m−2. We then correlate the large events with the strength of geomagnetic disturbances they elicited, as measured by the Dst storm index. Finally, the large events are classified in terms of the IP structures involved.
Electrophysiologic studies of cervical vagus nerve stimulation in humans: II. Evoked potentials.

Summary: Evidence from studies of experimental animals indicates that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve not only can alter the EEG but evokes activity in specific brain areas. We report effects of electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve in 9 patients with medically intractable seizures as part of a clinical trial of chronic vagal stimulation for control of epilepsy. The left vagus nerve in the neck was stimulated with a programmable implanted stimulator. Effects of stimulus amplitude, duration, and rate were studied. Noncephalic reference recording of the vagus nerve evoked potential showed some unusual properties: a scalp negative component occurred with a latency of 12 ms, very high amplitude (60 μV), and widespread scalp distribution. Field distribution studies indicated that this potential was myogenic in origin and generated in the region of the stimulating electrodes in the neck area. Chemically induced muscle paralysis confirmed this observation. Bipolar scalp recording showed several small-amplitude topographically distinct potentials occurring in 30 ms. No effect, either acute or chronic, could be detected on pattern-reversal evoked potentials, auditory brainstem evoked potentials, auditory 40-Hz potentials, or cognitive evoked potentials.
Career Stages of Community College Faculty: A Qualitative Analysis of their Career Paths, Roles, and Development

Twenty-two faculty at a Midwestern community college were interviewed to elicit their perceptions of their career paths, their early-stage career roles, and the role played by faculty development in their early careers. Based on the interview data, the majority did not foresee their career path and chose the community college because of its emphasis on teaching. Participants indicated that their career roles changed over time from an emphasis totally on teaching to one that included supplemental activities and that research was encouraged in their work. Many perceived faculty development activities as having a significant impact on their careers. The authors make recommendations for faculty recruitment, retention, and development.
Fe–N-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes for oxygen reduction reaction in acid

We report a facile synthesis of Fe-N-C catalysts based on the surface functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which show high activity and stability for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acid. Fe-N-MWCNT catalysts, whose ORR mass activities could vary by 3-4 times depending on the choice of Fe precursors, were found to have considerably higher ORR mass activity and higher stability than N-modified MWCNTs (N-MWCNTs). The Fe-N-MWCNT catalyst with a dominant Fe-N(x) moiety (with x ≈ 4) and a surface Fe/C ratio of ∼0.004 exhibits the highest ORR mass activity in acid (∼0.7 mA mg(-1)(Fe-N-MWCNT) at 0.8 V vs. RHE), where the lower mass activity of other Fe-N-MWCNT catalysts can be attributed to lower Fe/C ratios and Fe-N(x) moieties (with x smaller than 4) as revealed from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Moreover, the enhanced stability of Fe-N-MWCNTs in comparison to N-MWCNTs can be attributed to less H(2)O(2) production during ORR as determined from rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) measurements, and higher activity for H(2)O(2) electro-reduction by rotating disk electrode (RDE) measurements. The large surface Fe/C ratio and Fe-N(x) moiety corresponding to high ORR activity and stability of Fe-N-MWCNTs demonstrate that surface functionalization can be very helpful to graft active catalytic sites onto carbon nanostructures, and to provide insights into the ORR mechanism of non-noble metal catalysts (NNMCs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).
Graphs with circulant adjacency matrices

Abstract Properties of a graph (directed or undirected) whose adjacency matrix is a circulant are studied. Examples are given showing that the connection set determined by the first row of such a matrix need not be multiplicatively related to the connection set of an isomorphic graph. Two different criteria are given under which two graphs with circulant adjacency matrices are isomorphic if and only if their connection sets are multiplicatively related. The first criterion is that the graphs have a prime number of vertices. The second criterion is that the adjacency matrices have non-repeated eigenvalues. The final section gives a partial characterization of graphs with n vertices whose automorphism group is the cyclic group Cn.
Listening to the Sound of Silence: Gender Roles and Communication about Sex in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican women are at high risk for the heterosexual transmission of HIV. I examined social and interpersonal aspects of communication about sex in regard to safer sex practices within a specific cultural context. Participants in this study were 42 heterosexual Puerto Rican adults living in Puerto Rico, who ranged in age from 18 to 56 years. Participants were interviewed regarding their sexual communication, sexual practices, and their perceptions regarding the roles of culture and gender in the practice of safer sex. Inductive qualitative analysis showed that three factors limit meaningful communication about sex in Puerto Rico: (1) machismo, (2) the changing role of virginity, and (3) the silencing of both men and women. Implications for theory-based inventions informed by an interpersonal communication perspective are discussed.
Source and stability of attractive components in guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) urine.

The source and stability of the factors which make guinea pig urine attractive to sexually experienced male conspecifics were examined. Urine collected directly from the bladders of anesthetized male and female donors was not responded to differently than naturally voided urine: Female urine from both sources was more attractive than male urine from both sources which, in turn, was more attractive than the control, human male urine. The second experiment showed that as female urine aged it lost its attractiveness. Female urine 48 hr old and older was not significantly more attractive than water.
Phytohormonal Networks Promote Differentiation of Fiber Initials on Pre-Anthesis Cotton Ovules Grown In Vitro and In Planta

The number of cotton (Gossypium sp.) ovule epidermal cells differentiating into fiber initials is an important factor affecting cotton yield and fiber quality. Despite extensive efforts in determining the molecular mechanisms regulating fiber initial differentiation, only a few genes responsible for fiber initial differentiation have been discovered. To identify putative genes directly involved in the fiber initiation process, we used a cotton ovule culture technique that controls the timing of fiber initial differentiation by exogenous phytohormone application in combination with comparative expression analyses between wild type and three fiberless mutants. The addition of exogenous auxin and gibberellins to pre-anthesis wild type ovules that did not have visible fiber initials increased the expression of genes affecting auxin, ethylene, ABA and jasmonic acid signaling pathways within 1 h after treatment. Most transcripts expressed differentially by the phytohormone treatment in vitro were also differentially expressed in the ovules of wild type and fiberless mutants that were grown in planta. In addition to MYB25-like, a gene that was previously shown to be associated with the differentiation of fiber initials, several other differentially expressed genes, including auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (AUX/IAA) involved in auxin signaling, ACC oxidase involved in ethylene biosynthesis, and abscisic acid (ABA) 8'-hydroxylase an enzyme that controls the rate of ABA catabolism, were co-regulated in the pre-anthesis ovules of both wild type and fiberless mutants. These results support the hypothesis that phytohormonal signaling networks regulate the temporal expression of genes responsible for differentiation of cotton fiber initials in vitro and in planta.
Environmental transmission of Clostridium difficile: association between hospital room size and C. difficile Infection.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between hospital room square footage and acquisition of nosocomial Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). METHODS A case-control study was conducted at a university hospital during the calendar year of 2011. Case patients were adult inpatients with nosocomial CDI. Control patients were hospitalized patients without CDI and were randomly selected and matched to cases in a 2:1 ratio on the basis of hospital length of stay in 3-day strata. A multivariate model was developed using conditional logistic regression to evaluate risk factors for nosocomial CDI. RESULTS A total of 75 case patients and 150 control patients were included. On multivariate analyses, greater square footage of the hospital room was associated with a significantly increased risk of acquiring CDI (odds ratio for every 50 ft2 increase, 3.00; 95% CI, 1.75–5.16; P<.001). Other factors associated with an increased risk of CDI were location in a single room (odds ratio, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.31–9.05; P=.01), malignant tumor (4.56; 1.82–11.4; P=.001), and receipt of cefepime (2.48; 1.06–5.82; P=.04) or immunosuppressants (6.90; 2.07–23.0; P=.002) within the previous 30 days. CONCLUSIONS Greater room square footage increased the risk of acquisition of CDI in the hospital setting, likely owing to increased environmental contamination and/or difficulty in effective disinfection. Future studies are needed to determine feasible and effective cleaning protocols based on patient and room characteristics. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;00(0): 1–5
Micro-macro hybrid soft-lithography master (MMHSM) fabrication for lab-on-a-chip applications

We present a novel micro-macro hybrid soft-lithography master (MMHSM) fabrication technique where microdevices having both microscale and macroscale features can be replicated with a single soft-lithography step. A poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) master having macroscale structures was first created by a bench-top milling machine. An imprinting master mold having microscale structures was then imprinted on the PMMA surface through a hot-embossing process to obtain a PMMA master mold. A poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) master was then replicated from this PMMA master through a standard soft-lithography process. This process allowed both microscale (height: 3–20 μm, width: 20–500 μm) and macroscale (height: 3.5 mm, width: 1.2–7 mm) structures to co-exist on the PDMS master mold, from which final PDMS devices could be easily stamped out in large quantities. Microfluidic structures requiring macroscale dimensions in height, such as reservoirs or fluidic tubing interconnects, could be directly built into PDMS microfluidic devices without the typically used manual punching process. This significantly reduced alignment errors and time required for such manual fabrication steps. In this paper, we successfully demonstrated the utility of this novel hybrid fabrication method by fabricating a PDMS microfluidic device with 40 built-in fluidic interfaces and a PDMS multi-compartment neuron co-culture platform, where millimeter-scale compartments are connected via arrays of 20 μm wide and 200 μm long microfluidic channels. The resulting structures were characterized for the integrity of the transferred pattern sizes and the surface roughness using scanning electron microscopy and optical profilometry.
Immunological principles of donor selection for human cardiac transplantation.

Abstract It is generally agreed that the principal obstacle to successful human organ transplantation today is of an immunological nature. 1 It is a consequence of the host's recognition of the presenceof foreign cells, and of his response to this intrusion through cellular and/or humoral pathways ordinarily triggered by infectious microorganisms. 2,3 The tempo and intensity of this response parallel the degree of genetic or antigenic disparity between donor and recipient; the closer the similarity between donor and recipient, the more favorable will be the recipient's response to a transplant from that donor. 4 This fact has stimulated an intensive search for techniques designed to provide an effective guide for the selection of optimally compatible subjects for organ transplantation. The methods currently available to provide a guideline to the selection of optimally compatible donor-recipient pairs are outlined in Table 1; they include in vivo tests, which are primarily "matching" tests, performed with either skin grafts or with lymphocytes obtained from prospective donors and recipients, and in vitro tests, based upon cellular and serological reactions in the test tube. 5
Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Peptidyl 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine for Structure–Activity Relationships in Marine Invertebrate Polypeptides

An improved method for hydroxylating tyrosine-containing sequences in polypeptides to peptidyl 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) using mushroom tyrosinase at relatively high enzyme-to-substrate ratios is described. The new method involves incorporating borate into the reaction mixture to stop formation of the unwanted side product 3,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine. Using this method, a model for the palindromic central sequence for the antimicrobial peptide family, the styelins, Y*Y*KHKY*Y* (where Y* is DOPA), was successfully synthesized in high yield from YYKHKYY. This sequence represents a particularly challenging target because of the cluster of four precursor tyrosine residues are in close proximity. The method should be readily applied to larger polypeptides produced by either solid-phase synthesis or recombinant techniques and give greater insight into the roles of this unusual posttranslational modification in marine invertebrates such as mussels and ascidians.
Psychology and survival

We examined the deaths of 28,169 adult Chinese-Americans, and 412,632 randomly selected, matched controls coded "white" on the death certificate. Chinese-Americans, but not whites, die significantly earlier than normal (1.3-4.9 yr) if they have a combination of disease and birthyear which Chinese astrology and medicine consider ill-fated. The more strongly a group is attached to Chinese traditions, the more years of life are lost. Our results hold for nearly all major causes of death studied. The reduction in survival cannot be completely explained by a change in the behaviour of the Chinese patient, doctor, or death-registrar, but seems to result at least partly from psychosomatic processes.
Concept, Discovery and Development of MMI Linkage: Story of a Novel Linkage: for Antisense Constructs

Abstract Methylene(methylimino) or MMI linkage is a novel backbone modification that has enormous potential in the oligonucleotide-based antisense therapeutics as a replacement for the natural phosphodiester linkage. This presentation synopsis covers the rationale, detailed SAR on the optimization process of this linkage vs. others, various synthetic strategies to construct MMI linkage and a brief discussion on the biological properties of the modified oligonucleotides.
Validation of the dual-isotope plasma ratio technique as a measure of cholesterol absoption in Old and New World monkeys.

SummaryDue to the experimental importance of being able to assess cholesterol absorption during the study of atherogenesis in primates, the plasma isotope ratio technique developed for rats by Zilversmit (7) was tested in New and Old World monkeys and compared with a more cumbersome procedure involving fecal collection and analysis. Although fecal analysis demonstrated an unaccountable loss of the in-tubated isotope, the comparability of the plasma ratios to absorption calculated by other methods suggests that this technique is probably as reliable as many presently available. The loss of isotope may reflect the absence of dietary cholesterol.
Sol-gel processing of electrical and magnetic ceramics

Abstract A review is given of the sol-gel processing of electrical and magnetic ceramics. Materials include, SnO2,In2O3, WO3, V2O5, VO2, ZrO2, ZnO, BaTiO3, YBa2Cu3O7−δ, Al2O3, 2MgO · 2Al2O3 · 5SiO2, SiO2. 3Al2O3 · 2SiO2, PbTiO3, Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, (Pb, La)(Zr,Ti)O3, LiNbO3, Pb(Mg 1 3 Nb 2 3 )O3, Pb(Zn 1 3 Nb 2 3 )O3, Pb(Sc 1 2 Ta 1 2 )O3, Fe2O3, (Bi,Y)3Fe5O12, and BaFe12O19. Details are reported for the synthesis routes and the fabrication of ceramic components, including conductors, resistors and insulators, and includes, electronic and ionic properties, varistors, thermistors, superconductors, dielectrics, ferroelectrics, magnetics, and microelectronic materials.
Lubricated squeezing flow of a Newtonian liquid between elastic and rigid plates

Theoretical force-time relationships were derived for squeezing flow of a Newtonian liquid between lubricated rigid and elastic plates. It is shown how the elastic number, representing the ratio between the elastic plate's rigidity and the specimen's viscosity, affects the force-time curve and under what circumstances the fluid specimen's thickness becomes a significant factor. Potential implications of the analysis in oral sensory evaluations of viscous foods are also considered.
RESEARCH TO PRACTICE: THE VALUE OF ENGAGING YOUTH IN ADAPTING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS

Youth who have already started using drugs and/or alcohol, are often “too late” for Universal and Selective prevention and “too soon” for intensive treatment (Eggert, 1996). Studies have long supported the belief that youth who are not motivated for change will typically not respond favorably to interventions, and it is recommended that stage-based, tailored interventions be utilized with at risk and drug-initiated youth (Werch, 2001). Important cultural differences exist in each agency, which clearly show a need for research on how adaptation can create attitudinal and behavioral shifts in youth. This presentation will summarize Holleran Steiker's K01 which found that by involving youth as drug and alcohol experts in the context of their culture, a prevention curriculum can be systematically tailored to include true-to-life experiences of the youth, making it culturally relevant and more effective for their peers (Holleran Steiker, 2008). Holleran Steiker found not only that the youth who adapt are easily engaged; animatedly discussing the payoffs and downsides of drugs and alcohol, but also that the groups that received the culturally adapted versions had better outcomes than those that received the original curricula or no intervention (Holleran Steiker, 2008). Serendipitous qualitative findings showed that the youth engaged in adaptation reported changes in attitudes towards drugs and alcohol and changes in substance use. Discussion of the implications of this study will show the audience the need for further research in the area of cultural adaptation in prevention practice.
B2B relationships and networks in the Internet age

Internet‐centred business models have proved to be an effective means of conducting business‐to‐business (B2B) commerce in many industry sectors. As an interactive and instantaneous medium, the Internet provides firms with a new platform – commonly referred to as electronic marketplaces or electronic hubs (“e‐marketplaces” or “e‐hubs”). This study examines the advantages of business networks and relationships, and elucidates how these have become increasingly imperative within the new e‐business paradigm of the global marketplace. The study draws on the Covisint e‐marketplace – the e‐hub of the automotive industry – to illustrate some of the innovative business features that can be supported by e‐marketplace business models and notes the complexities of e‐relationships that require round the clock support.
Elemental composition of polyphosphate-containing vacuoles and cytoplasm of Leishmania major

Leishmania major promastigotes contain electron-dense vacuoles. The elemental composition of these vacuoles and of the cytoplasm was measured by electron probe X-ray microanalysis, using rapid cryopreservation techniques to prevent alterations in composition due to diffusion. The electron-dense vacuoles are rich in P, presumably present as polyphosphate (poly P). Mg is present at about 9 times its cytoplasmic level. There is sufficient Mg to largely neutralize most of the negative charge of the Poly P. The electron-dense vacuoles also contain appreciable amounts of Ca and Zn, which are not detectable in the cytoplasm, as well as Na, K, and Cl, the latter two at concentrations below that of the cytoplasm. These results suggest that the vacuolar membranes have at least one cation transport system. Incubation of the promastigotes for 1 h in the absence of phosphate in the presence or absence of glucose did not cause significant changes in the vacuolar contents of P, Mg, or Zn, but changes in K and Cl content were observed in both the electron-dense vacuoles and in the cytoplasm.
Preclinical development of the green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, as an HIV-1 therapy.

Background Previously, we presented evidence that at physiologic concentrations the green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), inhibited attachment of HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 to the CD4 molecule on T cells, but the downstream effects of EGCG on HIV-1 infectivity were not determined. Objective To evaluate the inhibition of HIV-1 infectivity by EGCG and begin preclinical development of EGCG as a possible therapy. Methods PBMCs, CD4 + T cells, and macrophages were isolated from blood of HIV-1–uninfected donors. HIV-1 infectivity was assessed by an HIV-1 p24 ELISA. Cell survival was assessed by cell viability by Trypan blue exclusion assay, cell growth by thymidine incorporation, and apoptosis by flow-cytometric analysis of annexin-V binding. Results Epigallocatechin gallate inhibited HIV-1 infectivity on human CD4 + T cells and macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. At a physiologic concentration of 6 μmol/L, EGCG significantly inhibited HIV-1 p24 antigen production across a broad spectrum of both HIV-1 clinical isolates and laboratory-adapted subtypes (B [ P P Conclusion We conclude that by preventing the attachment of HIV-1–glycoprotein 120 to the CD4 molecule, EGCG inhibits HIV-1 infectivity. Because this inhibition can be achieved at physiologic concentrations, the natural anti-HIV agent EGCG is a candidate as an alternative therapy in HIV-1 therapy.
Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course. 3rd ed. by GASS, SUSAN, & LARRY SELINKER

The article reviews the book "Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course," 3rd edition, by Larry Selinker and Susan Gass.
Youth Physical Activity Opportunities in Lower and Higher Income Neighborhoods

The presence of youth physical activity opportunities is one of the strongest environmental correlates of youth physical activity. More detailed information about such opportunities is needed to maximize their contributions to physical activity promotion especially in under resourced, lower income areas. The objectives of this study were to construct a comprehensive profile of youth physical activity opportunities and contrast profile characteristics between lower and higher income neighborhoods. Youth physical activity opportunities in eight lower (median household income $36,000) income neighborhoods were identified and described using interviews, neighborhood tours, site visits, and systematic searches of various sources (e.g., Internet). Lower income neighborhoods had a greater number of locations offering youth physical activity opportunities but similar quantities of amenities. Lower income neighborhoods had more faith-based locations and court, trail/path, event, and water-type amenities. Higher income neighborhoods had significantly more for-profit businesses offering youth physical activity opportunities. Funding for youth physical activity opportunities in lower income neighborhoods was more likely to come from donations and government revenue (e.g., taxes), whereas the majority of youth physical activity opportunities in the higher income neighborhoods were supported by for-profit business revenue. Differences between lower and higher income neighborhoods in the type and amenities of youth physical activity opportunities may be driven by funding sources. Attention to these differences could help create more effective and efficient strategies for promoting physical activity among youth.
Information-Seeking about Health in a Community Sample of Adults: Correlates and Associations with other Health-Related Practices

Action by individuals to acquire information about their health has been an element incorporated throughout theory, research, and programs related to health promotion. This report describes an attempt to determine if an information-seeking dimension could be empirically identified in a general community-resident sample, and if so, to examine some of its characteristics. A total of 281 adults aged 18-75 were contacted by telephone using random digit dialing and were interviewed about a variety of personal health practices. Factor analysis identified a five-item cluster representing a tendency to seek out information about health. Women were more likely than men to report seeking information. In addition, more frequent information-seeking was associated with favorable responses to several other health-related practices. Formal health service use was the only type of health practice not associated with information-seeking, perhaps because regularity of contact is influenced strongly by health professionals (e.g., reminder cards and having staff call to schedule annual exams). Overall, results of the investigation support the importance of information-seeking as a component of a personal health practice repertoire. Additional attention might be directed toward elaborating its role as a "process" variable in health education programs and social marketing efforts, particularly in areas such as response to recruitment messages, dropout vs. maintenance, and differential gains on outcome measures of program effectiveness.
Optimal Control of Multi-Input SMA Actuator Arrays on a Trajectory Using Graph Theory: Modified A-Star Search Algorithm

It has been shown that a set of multi-input (electrothermal and thermofluidic inputs) Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators implemented into a Network Array Architecture (NAA) and treated like binary actuators can be represented by graph theory, such that the actuator configurations are represented as graph nodes, and transitions between states as graph edges. However, to achieve a desired actuation, a set of sequential control commands is required. A search algorithm was originally developed to identify a set of sequential control commands to go from a start node to a destination node with minimum path cost, where the cost function is a weighted combination of actuation time and energy. The original algorithm only considered one destination at a time, optimizing the present cost with no regard to any future costs. The aim of the current work is to modify the existing algorithm to control these SMA actuator arrays over a trajectory (multi-destination search problem), and take advantage of future destination knowledge to optimize the path cost. To achieve this goal, a sub-search algorithm and modified performance function are developed. For each heating control command, the sub-search algorithm compiles required information from future nodes. Then, this information is used by the modified performance function to estimate the future path cost. The modified performance function is designed to estimate the future path cost, while computing the current path cost. Therefore, the modified performance function will identify the sequence of operations with a minimum total path cost. The results show that the modified algorithm has a total path cost that is up to 30% less than the original algorithm total cost.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Overexpression of cholesterol transporter StAR increases in vivo rates of bile acid synthesis in the rat and mouse.

Bile acid synthesis (BAS) occurs mainly via two pathways: the “neutral” pathway, which is initiated by highly regulated microsomal CYP7A1, and an “acidic” pathway, which is initiated by mitochondrial CYP27A1. Previously, we have shown that overexpression of the steroidognic acute regulatory protein (StAR), a mitochondrial cholesterol transport protein, increases bile acid biosynthesis more than 5-fold via the acidic pathway in primary rat hepatocytes. This observation suggests that mitochondrial cholesterol transport is the ratelimiting step of BAS via this pathway. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increased StAR on rates of BAS in vivo. Overexpression of StAR and CYP7A1 were mediated via infection with recombinant adenoviruses. BAS rates were determined in chronic biliary-diverted rats and mice, and in mice with an intact enterohepatic circulation. The protein/messenger RNA levels of StAR and CYP7A1 increased dramatically following overexpression. Overexpression of StAR or CYP7A1 led to a similar 2-fold (P < .01) increase in BAS over up-regulated (approximately 2-fold) 3-day chronic biliary-diverted control rats. Additionally, overexpression of StAR led to more than 3- and 6-fold increases over controls in the rates of BAS in biliary-diverted and intact mice, respectively (P < .01). In conclusion, in both rats and mice in vivo, overexpression of StAR led to a marked increase in the rates of BAS initiated by delivery of cholesterol to mitochondria containing CYP27A1. (Hepatology 2004;40:910–917).
Involvement of Macromolecule Biosynthesis in Auxin and Fusicoccin Enhancement of β-Glucan Synthase Activity in Pea

In pea stem segments whose cuticle has been made permeable by abrading it, actinomycin D (ActD) and 80S ribosomal protein synthesis inhibitors such as cycloheximide (CHI) inhibit enhancement by indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) of the activity of the cell wall biosynthetic enzyme, glucan synthase I (GS). This supersedes earlier, negative results with inhibitors, obtained with segments having an intact cuticle, which prevents adequate inhibitor uptake. Since these inhibitors also block IAA-stimulated H+ extrusion, which according to earlier results is involved in the GS response, the significance of these inhibitions would be ambiguous without additional evidence. ActD does not inhibit fusicoccin (FC) enhancement of GS activity, which indicates existence of a post-transcriptional control mechanism for GS, but does not preclude involvement of transcription in the GS response to IAA. Although protein synthesis inhibitors such as CHI do not block FC-stimulated H+ extrusion, they do inhibit FC enhancement of GS activity, indicating an involvement of protein synthesis in the GS response to FC, and presumably also to IAA. However, protein synthesis inhibitors (but not ActD) by themselves paradoxically elevate GS activity, less strongly than IAA does but resembling the IAA enhancement in several characteristics. These results suggest that IAA may enhance GS activity at least in part by inhibiting the synthesis or action of a labile repressor of the transcription of, or a labile destabilizer of, mRNA for GS or some polypeptide that enhances GS activity. However, resemblances between the IAA and FC effects on GS suggest that IAA also has a posttranscriptional GS-enhancing action like that of FC. Lipid biosynthesis may be involved in this aspect of the response since both IAA and FC enhancements of GS activity are inhibited by cerulenin.
On the road to recovery: restoring data after disasters

Restoring data operations after a disaster is a daunting task: how should recovery be performed to minimize data loss and application downtime? Administrators are under considerable pressure to recover quickly, so they lack time to make good scheduling decisions. They schedule recovery based on rules of thumb, or on pre-determined orders that might not be best for the failure occurrence. With multiple workloads and recovery techniques, the number of possibilities is large, so the decision process is not trivial.This paper makes several contributions to the area of data recovery scheduling. First, we formalize the description of potential recovery processes by defining recovery graphs. Recovery graphs explicitly capture alternative approaches for recovering workloads, including their recovery tasks, operational states, timing information and precedence relationships. Second, we formulate the data recovery scheduling problem as an optimization problem, where the goal is to find the schedule that minimizes the financial penalties due to downtime, data loss and vulnerability to subsequent failures. Third, we present several methods for finding optimal or near-optimal solutions, including priority-based, randomized and genetic algorithm-guided ad hoc heuristics. We quantitatively evaluate these methods using realistic storage system designs and workloads, and compare the quality of the algorithms' solutions to optimal solutions provided by a math programming formulation and to the solutions from a simple heuristic that emulates the choices made by human administrators. We find that our heuristics' solutions improve on the administrator heuristic's solutions, often approaching or achieving optimality.
Effects of a cloned cell line with NK activity on bone marrow transplants, tumour development and metastasis in vivo.

Natural killer (NK) cells cloned in vitro have been transferred into NK-deficient hosts. These cells have been shown to have a role in the rejection of allogeneic bone marrow grafts, resistance to both radiation-induced thymic leukaemia and challenge with melanoma tumour cells. It appears that NK cells have an important role in immune surveillance.
Tetrad pollen formation in quartet mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana is associated with persistence of pectic polysaccharides of the pollen mother cell wall

The quartet (qrt) mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana produce tetrad pollen in which microspores fail to separate during pollen development. Because the amount of callose deposition between microspores is correlated with tetrad pollen formation in other species, and because pectin is implicated as playing a role in cell adhesion, these cell-wall components in wild-type and mutant anthers were visualized by immunofluorescence microscopy at different stages of microsporogenesis. In wild-type, callose was detected around the pollen mother cell at the onset of meiosis and around the microspores during the tetrad stage. Microspores were released into the anther locule at the stage where callose was no longer detected. Deposition and degradation of callose during tetrad pollen formation in qrt1 and qrt2 mutants were indistinguishable from those in wild-type. Enzymatic removal of callose from wild-type microspores at the tetrad stage did not release the microspores, suggesting that callose removal is not sufficient to disperse the microspores in wild-type. Pectic components were detected in the primary wall of the pollen mother cell. This wall surrounded the callosic wall around the pollen mother cell and the microspores during the tetrad stage. In wild-type, pectic components of this wall were no longer detectable at the time of microspore release. However, in qrt1 and qrt2 mutants, pectic components of this wall persisted after callose degradation. This result suggests that failure of pectin degradation in the pollen mother cell wall is associated with tetrad pollen formation in qrt mutants, and indicates that QRT1 and QRT2 may be required for cell type-specific pectin degradation to separate microspores.
Reducing substance use during adolescence: a translational framework for prevention

Rationale Most substance use is initiated during adolescence when substantial development of relevant brain circuitry is still rapidly maturing. Developmental differences in reward processing, behavioral flexibility, and self-regulation lead to changes in resilience or vulnerability to drugs of abuse depending on exposure to risk factors. Intervention and prevention approaches to reducing addiction in teens may be able to capitalize on malleable brain systems in a predictable manner.