cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moisture control over atmospheric CH4 consumption and CO2 production in diverse Alaskan soils

Abstract Moisture is an important control on atmospheric CH 4 consumption and CO 2 production in soil. Wet conditions limit these microbial activities by restricting CH 4 and O 2 diffusion and dry conditions limit microbial activity due to physiological water stress. We examined the relationship between soil moisture and these biogeochemical activities in five Alaskan soils with varying physical properties. Three expressions of soil moisture, absolute water content (g H 2 O g −1 dry soil), water potential and percent of water-holding capacity (%WHC), were compared for their abilities to predict microbial activity in the different soils. We also examined the physiological responses of CH 4 oxidizers and the general microbial community to changes in water potential. The quantitative relationship between absolute water content and microbial activity varied widely among soils with different textures. The relationship between microbial activity and water potential was asymmetrical and differed between upland and wetland soils. In contrast, the parabolic relationship between %WHC and CH 4 consumption was symmetrical and similar among the five soils. CO 2 production also related to %WHC similarly across soils. Maximum atmospheric CH 4 consumption occurred between 20–40% WHC in all soils with a mean optimum of 34% WHC, whereas CO 2 production was maximal above 50% WHC. For CH 4 oxidation, optimum water potential was −0.3 to −0.2 MPa in upland soils, and about −0.02 MPa in a wetland soil. Our results demonstrate that %WHC is a powerful expression for quantitatively relating microbial activity responses to moisture across physically diverse soils and may be useful for modeling the response of biogeochemical processes, especially atmospheric CH 4 consumption, to climate change. Our data also suggest that CH 4 oxidizers in upland soils are adapted to growth on atmospheric CH 4 and that CH 4 consumption in upland taiga soils may be decreased by altered soil moisture, regardless of whether conditions become wetter or drier.
Using fMR-adaptation to track complex object representations in perirhinal cortex.

Brain regions in medial temporal lobe have seen a shift in emphasis in their role in long-term declarative memory to an appreciation of their role in cognitive domains beyond declarative memory, such as implicit memory, working memory, and perception. Recent theoretical accounts emphasize the function of perirhinal cortex in terms of its role in the ventral visual stream. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance adaptation (fMRa) to show that brain structures in the visual processing stream can bind item features prior to the involvement of hippocampal binding mechanisms. Evidence for perceptual binding was assessed by comparing BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) responses between fused objects and variants of the same object as different, non-fused forms (e.g., physically separate objects). Adaptation of the neural response to fused, but not non-fused, objects was in left fusiform cortex and left perirhinal cortex, indicating the involvement of these regions in the perceptual binding of item represen...
Polycrystalline silicon solar cells on metallurgical silicon substrates

Abstract The use of a polycrystalline silicon p - n junction structure deposited on low-cost substrates is a promising approach for the fabrication of low-cost solar cells. Metallurgical-grade silicon, with a purity of about 98% and a cost of about $1/kg, was cast into plates in a boron nitride container and used as substrates for the deposition of solar cell structures. The substrates were polycrystalline with millimeter size crystallites. Solar cells of the configurations n > + -silicon/p-silicon/metallurgical silicon and n + -silicon/p + -silicon/metallurgical silicon were prepared by the thermal decomposition of silane and the thermal reduction of trichlorosilane containing appropriate dopants. The AMO efficiencies of n + -silicon/ p -silicon/metallurgical silicon solar cells were up to 2.8% (with no anti-reflection coatings) and were limited by the grain boundaries in the p -layer. The grain boundary effects were reduced by increasing the dopant concentration in the p -layer, and AMO efficiencies of about 3.5% were obtained from n + -silicon/p + -silicon/metallurgi silicon solar cells.
The regulatory program for UDPgalactose polysaccharide transferase activity during slime mold cytodifferentiation: requirement for specific synthesis of ribonucleic acid.

Abstract During specific stages of cytodifferentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum , the enzyme UDPgalactose polysaccharide transferase appears, accumulates, is preferentially released into the extracellular space and then disappears. The data presented here demonstrate that both the accumulation and disappearance are inhibited by exposure of the cells to actinomycin D. The actinomycin-sensitive period for enzyme accumulation is of relatively short duration (about one-third of the total time needed for morphogenesis), begins several hours after the start of morphogenesis, and 4–5 h in advance of the appearance of the enzyme itself. During this period, a simple linear relation exists between the time at which actinomycin was added and the amount of enzyme activity which ultimately accumulated. Comparison between the wild type and a temporally deranged mutant showed that both the time of initiation and the duration of the actinomycin-sensitive period (as well as of the accumulation and disappearance of the enzyme) are controlled by the overall regulatory program.
Carbocation stabilization by cyclopentadienyldicarbonylnitrosylchromium

Abstract The p K R+ values for a series of cyclopentadienyldicarbonylnitrosylchromium-substituted carbinyl cations have been determined. These cations have been found to be generally more stable than the structurally-related benzyl cations. Furthermore the results suggest that the dicarbonylnitrosylchromium moiety possesses electron-releasing properties very similar to those of the isoelectronic tricarbonylmanganese system.
Dose-dependent reductions by naloxone of analgesia induced by cold-water stress

Abstract Animals exposed to cold-water swims, rotation, or inescapable shocks, display analgesia comparable to that of 10 mg/kg of morphine. The present study investigated whether a narcotic antagonist would eliminate analgesia induced by cold-water swims. In one group of 12 rats, naloxone at 0, 1, 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg was administered at weekly intervals immediately preceding forced cold-water swims (2°C for 3.5 min) and alterations in flinch-jump thresholds were determined 30 min thereafter. In a second group of six rats, the effects of the same dose range of naloxone were determined upon normal flinch-jump thresholds. Naloxone dose-dependently attenuated the cold-water swim-induced analgesia up to a maximal reduction of 50% at 20 mg/kg. In contrast, all doses of naloxone had no effects upon normal flinch-jump thresholds. Since low doses of naloxone completely abolish morphine-induced analgesia, the present data suggest that the analgesia induced by stress is not identical to that of opiates.
Formation of the lower ocean crust and the crystallization of gabbroic cumulates at a very slowly spreading ridge

Abstract Ocean Drilling Program Hole 735B was extended to 1508 m below the sea floor during Leg 176, atop a shallow bank near Atlantis II Fracture Zone on the very slowly spreading Southwest Indian Ridge. All the drilling was in gabbro, and recovery averaged nearly 87%. The drill penetrated a series of stacked plutons consisting mostly of olivine gabbro, but some with troctolite. Each pluton is some 200–500 m thick, each has its own internally coherent stratigraphy, and each apparently represents an individual event of significant magma inflation and addition to the crust. The entire column was extensively deformed along inclined zones of distributed shear before it was completely frozen, this marking the onset of unroofing of the rocks and their ascent to high rift mountains. The deformation mobilized late-stage melts into flow patterns which led to concentration of ilmenite and magnetite in hundreds of seams of oxide gabbro along or near zones of strong crystal–plastic deformation, the highly differentiated melts overall being concentrated by buoyancy forces toward the top of the section, especially in one zone nearly 70 m thick. However, upward flow was ultimately blocked or deflected by zones of impermeable rock resulting either from downward freezing or grain-size reduction during shear. A melt lens probably did not form at the base of sheeted dikes, as it does at the East Pacific Rise. Despite this, the rocks are cumulates, and most are adcumulates, with very low residual melt porosities. Cumulate theory based on stratiform, layered intrusions does not entirely apply to these rocks. Instead, all gabbros, including the oxide gabbros, crystallized in a dense crystal mush in patterns dominated by fractures, channelized flow, and intergranular porous flow. Most gabbros are not layered; weak modal layering of uncertain origin is present in As the block was lifted from beneath the rift-valley floor, crystal–plastic deformation gave way to brittle fracture, and the now dominantly subsolidus metamorphism shifted from high-temperature assemblages characterized by amphibole near the top of the section, to low-temperature assemblages with smectite–chlorite and zeolite near the bottom. The rocks acquired their stable magnetization during formation of amphiboles and secondary magnetite during this metamorphism. The entire body of rock is reversely stably magnetized at a consistent inclination, and it is rotated to the south, perhaps along a curving detachment surface, away from the ridge segment where it formed, by about 20°. It has an intensity of magnetization sufficient to account for the magnetic anomaly observed over the site. Drilling did not reach ultramafic rock, but dredging indicates that peridotite is probably within a few hundred meters of the bottom of the hole. Seismic Moho, however, is placed at 5 km beneath the summit of Atlantis Bank. Much of the rock between Moho and the bottom of Hole 735B must therefore be partially serpentinized peridotite.
City-County Consolidation: Promises Made, Promises Kept? edited by Suzanne M. Leland and Kurt Thurmaier

Suzanne M. Leland and Kurt Thurmaier (Eds.), City-County Consolidation: Promises Made, Promises Kept? (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2010).Leland and Thurmaier have produced an impor...
Reconsidering SES and Gender Divides in Literacy Achievement: Are the Gaps across Social Class and Gender Necessary?.

This study evaluated factors within families that enhance kindergarten reading readiness of children and are also linked to maternal education (a common proxy for SES). We were interested in identifying factors that would be more accessible to families and school administrators as sources of potential change than broad and un-malleable reflections of socio-economic status. Consistent with current research, we found that maternal education had a broad impact on the reading readiness of children. Maternal education was linked to the amount of time children spent with non-literary media (television, computers, videos, video games). Re-running analyses using time with media as a covariate resulted in reduced differences in reading outcomes of children as a function of maternal education. Effects of maternal education were reduced by the end of the kindergarten year, indicating that literacy programming implemented by the school was successful in closing this academic gap.
Cell cycle kinetics in fetal rat cerebral cortex: effects of prenatal treatment with ethanol assessed by a cumulative labeling technique with flow cytometry.

The effects of ethanol on the cell cycle kinetics of cortical precursor cells during the period of cortical neuronogenesis (between gestational day (G) 12 and G21] was systematically examined. Samples of dissociated cortical cells were harvested from the cerebral cortices of 13-, 15-, 17-, 19-, and 21-day-old fetuses. The fetuses were obtained from pregnant rats: (a) fed a liquid diet containing 6.7% (v/v) ethanol (Et) ad libitum, (b) pair-fed an isocaloric liquid control diet (Ct), or (c) fed chow and water (Ch) ad libitum. Before harvesting the cells, the fetuses were administered a series of 1-5 injections of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). The proportion of cells that incorporated the BrdU was assessed. Using these raw data, the S-phase length (T s ), total cell cycle length (T c ), and the growth fraction (GF; the fraction of the total population that was actively cycling) were determined with a cumulative labeling procedure. The T s was ∼8-9 hr, regardless of either the date of the injection or the dietary treatment of the dam. On the other hand, the T c for the Ct- and Ch-treated rats increased over the gestational period. That is, the T c was shortest on G13 and longest on G21. The T c for Et-treated rats, however, did not change between G13 and G21. For the Ch- and Ct-treated groups, the GF decreased >15-fold between G13 and G21. The decline (5-fold) for the Et-treated group over the same period, however, was not as great as it was for the Ct-treated fetuses. Thus, by G17 (and thereafter), the GF for Et-treated fetuses was significantly greater than it was for the Ct-treated group. Ethanol treatment has opposite effects on the two cortical germinal zones; it stimulates the proliferation of subventricular cells, whereas it inhibits the proliferation of ventricular cells). Thus, the ethanol-induced changes in the T c and the GF reflect the combined effects of ethanol on the two cortical proliferative zones
Charting the Yeast Radio Virus: Exploring the Potential of Critical Virology

This interpretive account lays the methodological foundation for a specific form of personal narrative inquiry: viral criticism. Specifically, the author considers how a popular gay-themed podcaster's use of persona moves through cyberspace and “infects” audiences. The essay also chronicles how personal narrative, as an interpretive act, affects/infects an object of study.
‘Sometimes I feel like the problems started with desegregation’: exploring Black superintendent perspectives on desegregation policy

This paper is drawn from a larger qualitative study that explores the perspectives of eight retired Black school superintendents who personally experienced segregated schools as students and subsequent desegregation efforts as administrators. Unlike much of the mainstream literature that extols the virtues of desegregation for Black children, their accounts tell a very different story. Their reflections suggest that although they ‘got what they fought for,’ they ‘lost what they had’ and that many of the problems attributed to Black education today ‘started with desegregation.’ This study adds to the growing literature that interrogates the widely accepted assumptions that desegregation resulted in significant educational progress for Black children. Further, the perspectives of Black superintendents, which are often missing or forgotten in education research, can help inform our understanding of race‐conscious education policies and the role they play in promoting and/or realizing racial equality and soci...
EFFECTS OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SELF AND COACTOR SCORES UPON THE AUDIT RESPONSES THAT ALLOW ACCESS TO THESE SCORES

An audit response allows access to an existing score from a subject's own performance (self audit) or from his coactor's performance (coactor audit). A previous study found that social stimuli (coactor present) increased audits relative to a non-social (no coactor) condition. The increase, designated a social-stimulus effect, was found to be due more to the coactor's score than to his mere presence. This finding suggested that the difference between self and coactor scores might affect the size of the social-stimulus effect. In the present study, six pairs of human subjects matched-to-sample for points that were exchangeable for money. During a session, matching-to-sample problems were distributed so that a subject's score was ahead, behind, or about even with his coactor's score. The even condition produced the largest social-stimulus effects, i.e., the most audits that could not be attributed to non-social variables such as time or number of problems. The even condition may have produced the largest social-stimulus effects because it was the only condition where the major social reinforcer (being ahead) could be both present or absent and, consequently, the even condition was the only one where audits had a discriminative function with respect to the presence of the major social reinforcer.
Assessment of Physical Risk Factors for the Shoulder Using the Posture, Activity, Tools, and Handling (PATH) Method in Small-Scale Commercial Crab Pot Fishing

An observational work-sampling technique--Posture, Activity, Tools, and Handling (PATH)--was used to describe the prevalence of awkward postures and other physical risk factors for shoulder symptoms among a purposive sample of 11 small-scale commercial crab pot fishing crews. Fishing activities with awkward shoulder postures included hooking the buoy, feeding the rope into the hydraulic puller, and handling the crab pots. Increasing the size of the crew decreased the frequency of awkward shoulder postures for the captain but not for the mate. Awkward shoulder postures varied by technique, task distribution, equipment, and boat characteristics and setup, indicating these factors may be important determinants of exposure. Care should be taken in assuming personal techniques drives ergonomic exposure variability among these small-scale commercial fishermen.
Craniospinal radiation in the treatment of biopsy-proven intracranial germinomas: twenty-five years' experience in a single center.

Abstract Purpose The optimal treatment for intracranial germinomas remains controversial. We report on our 25-year experience using craniospinal irradiation (CSI) for this disease. Methods and materials Between September 1976 and May 2001, 39 patients with biopsy-proven intracranial germinomas seen at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia/Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania received CSI. Thirteen of 36 patients (36%) had evidence of spinal dissemination. Median doses to the whole brain, primary site, and spine were 36 Gy (range, 18–44.2 Gy), 50.4 Gy (range, 44–55.8 Gy), and 30.6 Gy (range, 18–40 Gy), respectively. Results With a median follow-up of 7.1 years (range: 1.5–20.2 years), there have been no documented relapses. This includes 5 patients without spinal dissemination who received 18–19.8 Gy to the craniospinal axis; for these patients, the median length of follow-up was 5.5 years (range, 1.3–6.8 years). One patient, who had no evidence of disease 12.9 years after CSI, died of unknown causes 4 months later. Conclusions Our treatment of intracranial germinomas with CSI has yielded outstanding results with no known relapses during a long follow-up period. These results must be considered when evaluating other approaches, such as chemotherapy only or local field irradiation.
Influence of alkaline pH on the direct lethal action of miconazole against Candida albicans

The imidazole group of miconazole is subject to protonation (pKa ∼6.5). Earlier we suggested that the direct lethal action (DLA) of miconazole againstCandida albicans requires nonprotonated drug molecules. DLA declined in intensity as pH was decreased from 6.0. At pH >6.5 most molecules of miconazole exist in the nonprotonated state, but drug also becomes less soluble. Viability studies were designed to assess DLA in relation to alkaline pH. DLA was clearly inhibited with increasing as well as decreasing pH (i.e., pH 7.0), suggesting that nonprotonated neutral drug molecules must be in solution or in extremely small aggregates to elicit DLA, and that the nonprotonated species itself is more soluble at pH 6.0–7.0 than under more alkaline conditions.
Waveform diversity & knowledge based systems

Waveform diversity is an emerging technology that has dramatically altered the development of futuristic radar systems, as has knowledge based processing and control. With increasing numbers of radio frequency sensors and communications systems, battlefield scenarios have become more complex and continuously redefined. Our challenge will be to effectively use this technology to enhance overall performance of advanced radar systems operating within available spectrum in these battlefield environments. Technologies essential to this goal include cognition and knowledge based systems for waveform generation timing and control, and intelligent radar signal/data processing for detection, parameter estimation and track processing. Cognition is defined as the act or process of knowing, including both awareness and judgment. Awareness of the dynamically changing spectral environment and judgment for the selection of optimal waveform parameters and sensor placement will enable dramatically improved performance for target surveillance/reconnaissance in addition to enhanced interference mitigation. A confluence of factors and technologies now makes waveform diverse knowledge based systems a logical and affordable alternative to classically designed radars.
A Criterion For Quasibrittle Crack Growth

An expression to predict the onset of growth of a crack in a quasibrittle material is derived. An energy criterion essentially equivalent to the first two laws of thermodynamics is employed. The criterion is applied to the elastic-plastic crack of Olesiak and Wnuk (1968). 12 references, 3 figures. (ACR)
Surface-relief grating structures for efficient high bandwidth integrated photodetectors for optical interconnections in silicon VLSI.

Although many researchers have proposed optical solutions to interconnection and communication problems at the chip, board, and backplane levels, the integration of fast photodetectors within a silicon chip package has yet to be accomplished. The development of such devices is crucial to the feasibility of optical interconnection at hierarchical levels below backplane connection. In our photodetector design, the much faster drift photocurrent response for reverse-biased shallow p-n junctions is emphasized over the slower diffusion response by confining a higher percentage of photon absorption to the depletion region of the junction than expected for normal light propagation in the silicon substrate. A surface-relief grating structure diffracts light at the Si-SiO2 interface to cause propagation at large angles from the surface normal. Since the absorption length for photons in the silicon is measured along the ray path, the average depth beneath the surface at which photons are absorbed to generate carriers for photocurrent is reduced, generating a higher percentage of carriers in the depletion region of the junction where drift effects dominate diffusion effects in carrier transport. The resulting drift photocurrent can be orders of magnitude faster in response than the usual diffusion photocurrent which results if light propagates normal to the silicon surface and absorption of a large number of photons occurs far away from the effects of the electric field present at the diode junction. We report simulation studies that indicate etched gratings of the order of 0.2 μm deep in the silicon surface can diffract an appreciable amount of light away from normal propagation in the silicon.
When family considerations influence work decisions: Decision-making processes

The work–family literature has provided an abundance of evidence that various family factors are linked to various work decisions, suggesting that the “family-relatedness” of work decisions is a prevalent phenomenon (Greenhaus & Powell, 2012). However, the cognitive processes by which such linkages occur have received little attention. We offer a framework by which to examine individuals' decision-making processes when they take family considerations into account in their work decisions. The framework suggests stages through which individuals proceed when making a work decision that takes family considerations into account and cognitive processes that influence how they proceed through each stage.
Thermodynamics, Kinetics, and Microstructure of Laser Chemical Vapor Deposition of SiC

Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses as well as extensive experimentation were used to better understand the laser chemical vapor deposition of silicon carbide (SiC). The thermodynamic calculations suggested the use of lower processing temperatures, which experimentally proved advantageous for growth of uniform SiC fibers. The apparent activation energy was 163 KJ/mol, and the order of reaction with respect to the concentration of methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) was 0.36. Characterization via scanning electron microscopy revealed the deposits to be polycrystalline. Elongated grains oriented in the growth direction had aspect ratios in the range of 4–32 with diameters of 2–50 μm, depending on the deposition temperature. Temperature had a larger effect on the deposition rate and microstructure than did the H2/MTS ratio.
CELL MIGRATION AND PROLIFERATION IN BIONANOHYBRIDS COMPOSED OF TYPE II COLLAGEN AND POSS AMPHIPHILES

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) based nanocompounds have recently emerged as viable compounds to make totally synthetic biocompatible tissue substitutes for use in the clinical arena. Here, we report on the use of three POSS based compounds to develop bionanohybrid scaffolds composed primarily of purified Type II collagen. The bionanohybrid scaffolds were prepared by blending purified Type II collagen with octa maleamic acid POSS, octa ammonium POSS, or polyethylene glycol POSS. We were able to differentially detect the presence of the different POSS compounds in the bionanohybrid scaffolds using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characterized the effect of the hydrophilic POSS additives on the thermal behavior of the bionanohybrid scaffolds. Next, scanning electron microscopy revealed that different POSS compounds enhanced, refined, or altered the three-dimensional scaffold microstructure. Finally, by using these scaffolds to create three-dimensional tissue constructs, we measured the ability of human foreskin fibroblasts to migrate out and proliferate into the biomaterials. Our data suggest that POSS can be incorporated with native polymeric structural proteins to influence biomaterial architecture where cells can migrate and proliferate.
Quality assurance for gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery

Purpose : This quality assurance program is designed for stereotactic radiosurgical units, gamma knife, to check and maintain the unit to preclude accidents and comply with current regulations. Materials and Methods : Over 58 stereotactic radiosurgical units using 201 focused 60 Co beams have been installed in the last 7 years and are in use at hospitals throughout the world, with at least 11 additional units being prepared to come on-line in the next year. This system has been in use at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) for 7 years. A comprehensive quality assurance program has been developed. It includes the physics and dosimetry parameters and safety checks required by regulatory agencies. The program, based on over 7 years of experience in measurements, and used during the treatment of over 1500 patients, is separated into three aspects, namely physics, dosimetry, and safety. The UPMC program hopefully will indicate out-of-tolerance problems. Some quality assurance items are checked on a daily basis prior to patient treatment, while other aspects are checked on a weekly, monthly, and/or annual basis. A complete list of items with their respective time tables and tolerances is provided. Results : Although experience shows very small margins of error, larger values were chosen to account for variations in equipment and techniques. Conclusions : Items included in this quality assurance program should indicate and/or preclude problems encountered in the use of this unit.
The Blind Man and the Elephant in the Room: Robert Lieberman and the Israel Lobby

Robert Lieberman’s critique of our work on the Israel lobby is at odds with an abundance of evidence and prior scholarship describing the powerful influence that pro-Israel groups exert on U.S. Middle East policy. In addition to mischaracterizing our arguments, Lieberman claims that our methodology and research design are flawed and that our work contradicts the scholarly literature on American politics. Neither claim is true. Contrary to what he says, we did consider alternative hypotheses, and our analysis contains significant variation on both the independent and dependent variables. Given the methodological challenges involved in assessing the causal influence of any interest group, we also relied heavily on “process-tracing.” Lieberman recognizes this is an appropriate method for assessing causal impact and he concedes that this evidence supports our central argument. Moreover, we went to some lengths to avoid selection bias. Similarly, our arguments are consistent with the existing literature on interest groups, and with much of the scholarly literature on congressional decision-making, campaign financing, electoral politics, and the role of think tanks and the media. Surprisingly, after leveling a variety of false charges, Lieberman offers an “alternative” explanation for the Israel lobby’s influence that is virtually identical to our own.
Noninvasive extramammary Paget's disease treated with photodynamic therapy: case series from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

BACKGROUND Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare low-grade cutaneous malignancy that affects apocrine gland-bearing areas and most commonly occurs on the perineal skin. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may represent a useful treatment option for extensive, noninvasive EMPD, alone or as part of multimodal therapy. OBJECTIVE To analyze the clinical outcomes of PDT for noninvasive EMPD with topical aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or intravenous porfimer sodium as photosensitizing agents and argon laser as the photoactivator. METHODS Retrospective case series of patients with noninvasive EMPD treated at Roswell Park Cancer Institute with PDT from April 20, 1995, to December 4, 2008. Identified patients included five men and three women aged 50 to 80 (mean age 67) with a total of 24 distinct lesions of noninvasive EMPD without distant metastases. Four patients received topical ALA only as a photosensitizer, three received intravenous porfimer sodium only, and one received both. All patients were treated using a 632.8-nm argon-pumped dye laser, and some were also treated using a red lamp (590-729 nm). RESULTS Seven of nine lesions (78%) treated with PDT using intravenous porfimer sodium showed a complete response (CR) and were disease free at 12 to 96 months. Eight of 16 lesions (50%) treated with PDT using topical ALA showed a CR, and 38% were disease free at 9 to 88 months. None of the treated patients developed any serious cosmetic or functional impairments, such as loss of sphincter control or dysesthesias. CONCLUSION PDT with intravenous porfimer sodium or topical ALA and argon laser may represent a useful, surgery-sparing therapeutic option for management of noninvasive EMPD in selected patients. Prospective, randomized clinical trials are necessary to compare the effectiveness of PDT with that of surgery for noninvasive EMPD.
Outpatient treatment of adults with coexisting substance use and mental disorders

Abstract This study examined the six-month and one-year treatment statuses of 118 patients admitted to an abstinence-oriented, outpatient facility serving dually diordered adults. Findings revealed that persons who have been underserved by the mental health and substance abuse fields can be engaged in treatment and will respond favorably to it. Overall, demographic characteristics, admission diagnoses, and past treatment history did not predict treatment outcomes. Rather, patients who participated more fully in treatment had better recoveries than did those who did not engage in treatment. In addition, patients who complied and responded to treatment during their first six months in treatment were more likely to comply and respond to treatment during the second six months of treatment. These results should encourage other clinicians to develop innovative services that meet the needs of dually disordered adults.
Analysis of the Literature Pertaining to the Education of Public Health Professionals

A well-educated workforce is essential to the infrastructure of a public health system. At the time when global focus on public health is increasing, a severe shortage of public health professionals is projected. A strong educational framework is imperative to ensure the capacity and capability of the worldwide public health workforce for the future. Frenk and Chen (2011) comment that academic public health has done far less than medicine or nursing to examine its pedagogy. The goal of this study is to examine the literature pertaining to the education of public health professionals in order to document the extent to which those preparing public health professionals think about what they teach, how they teach, and what the results of the instruction are. The specific objectives are to (1) identify relevant peer reviewed literature, (2) analyze that literature for content, (3) characterize the literature according to type of methodology, and (4) draw conclusions and implications to enhance future pedagogical efforts. The study searched three bibliographic sources for articles written in English between 2000-2012. The search of PubMed, Scopus, Education Full Text identified 576 unique articles. The articles were analyzed according to ten content themes and four format categories. The conclusions are that those teaching public health professionals devote considerable thought to what and how they teach, although original research and evaluation studies are fewer than descriptive reports of courses, programs and curricula. A journal devoted specifically to articles pertaining to education of public health professionals will encourage academicians to write articles sharing approaches to educating the public health workforce.
Foreign ownership in telecommunications: A policy perspective

Abstract This paper identifies and evaluates a range of arguments for host countries placing limits or restrictions on foreign ownership of facilities-based telecommunications carriers. Both economic and non-economic arguments are inferred and essentially rejected, either because foreign ownership restrictions fail to contribute to their putative objectives or because other policies can achieve the desired objectives at a lower cost to economic efficiency. The paper also considers and rejects a claim that foreign investment in the services sector, along with strategic alliances, obviates any efficiency concerns about foreign ownership restrictions of facilities-based carriers.
Genetic engineering of a modified herpes simplex virus 1 vaccine vector

The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) d106 mutant virus is a multiple immediate-early gene deletion mutant virus that has been effective as an AIDS vaccine vector in rhesus macaques (Kaur A, Sanford HB, Garry D, Lang S, Klumpp SA, Watanabe D, et al. Ability of herpes simplex virus vectors to boost immune responses to DNA vectors and to protect against challenge by simian immunodeficiency virus. Virology 2007;357:199-214). Further analysis of this vector is needed to advance development into clinical trials. In this study we have defined the precise nature of the multiple IE gene mutations in the d106 viral genome and have used this information to construct a new transfer plasmid for gene transfer into d106. We tested the effect of an additional mutation in the U(L)41 gene on d106 immunogenicity and found that it did not improve the efficacy of the d106 vector, in contrast with results from other studies with U(L)41 gene mutants. The safety profile of d106 was improved by generating a new vector strain, d106S, with increased sensitivity to acyclovir. Finally, we have constructed a d106S recombinant vector that expresses the HIV clade C envelope protein. The d106S HIVenvC recombinant has retained the sensitivity to acyclovir, indicating that this phenotype is a stable property of the d106S vector.
Preparation of uniform spherical titania particles coated with polyurea by the aerosol technique

Abstract The aerosol technique has been employed in the preparation of uniform colloidal inorganic particles coated with an organic polymer. Specifically, spherical titania cores were produced first by hydrolysis of Ti(IV) ethoxide droplets in contact with water vapor. Hexamethylenediisocyanate liquid was then condensed on these particles and exposed to ethylenediamine vapor. By varying experimental conditions (temperature and flow rate) one attained uniform coatings of polyurea of different thickness on titania.
Anesthetic Implications for Patients with Rate-Responsive Pacemakers

One hundred thousand adults and children in the United States receive pacemakers each year, of which 85% are rateresponsive pacemakers (RRPs). Recent advances in the fields of computer programming and computer chip technology have led to the myriad development of RRPs, which contain sensors that automatically adjust the pacing rate to match the physiologic changes that occur during physical exertion. Because patients with RRPs may experience heart rate changes in the operating room due to “normal” sensor function, anesthesiologists must be aware of the new developments in RRP sensor technology to properly manage these patients. Increases in respiratory rate and tidal volume as well as the use of electrocautery have been reported to accelerate the paced rate of pacemakers with minute ventilation sensors. Likewise, patient movement and saws that produce vibrations can accelerate the paced rate of patients with piezoelectric crystal sensors. This paper discusses the history of pacemaker development, reviews ...
Mutations of the Wilms tumor 1 gene (WT1) in older patients with primary cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia: a Cancer and Leukemia Group B study.

We previously reported the adverse prognostic impact of Wilms tumor 1 gene (WT1) mutations in younger adult cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML). Here, we investigated 243 older (≥ 60 years) primary CN-AML patients. WT1 mutated (WT1mut) patients (7%) had FLT3-ITD more frequently (P < .001), lower hemoglobin (P = .01), higher white blood cell count (P = .03) and percentage blood blasts (P = .03), and a shorter overall survival (P = .08) than WT1 wild-type (WT1wt) patients. Comparing older and younger WT1mut patients, they had similar pretreatment characteristics and outcome. By contrast, among WT1wt CN-AML, younger patients had a significantly better outcome. A WT1 mutation-associated gene-expression signature, reported here for the first time, included CD96, a leukemia stem cell-specific marker, and genes involved in gene regulation (eg, MLL, PML, and SNRPN) and in proliferative and metabolic processes (eg, INSR, IRS2, and PRKAA1), supporting the role of mutated WT1 in deregulating multiple homeostatic processes. Our results indicate that WT1mut CN-AML represents a distinct entity with poor treatment response across age groups. This study has been registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00900224.
Early Components of the Averaged Electroencephalic Response in Relation to Rise-Decay Time and Duration of Pure Tones

Early components of the averaged electroencephalic response (AER) to auditory stimuli were elicited in 10 normal-hearing subjects. Stimuli were 1000-Hz tones having rise-decay times of 5, 10, and 2...
Applications of TiNi thin film shape memory alloys in micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems

Abstract The application of shape memory alloy (SMA) thin films in optical devices is introduced and explored for the first time. Physical and optical properties of titanium–nickel (TiNi) SMA thin films change as these films undergo phase transformation upon heating. An optical beam can be modulated either mechanically using a TiNi actuator or by the changes that occur in TiNi's optical properties upon heating and phase transformation. Reflection coefficient of TiNi films were measured in their martensitic (at room temperature) and austenitic (elevated temperature) phases. The reflection coefficient of the austenitic phase were higher than those of the martensitic phase by more than 45% in the wavelength range between 550 and 850 nm. A microfabricated TiNi diaphragm with a 0.26-mm-diameter hole was used as a prototype light-valve. The intensity of the transmitted light through the hole was reduced by 10–17% when the diaphragm was heated.
Advanced terminal area communications link requirements

The capacity of the United States' National Airspace System (NAS) must double to handle the passenger demands that are projected over the next 25 years. NASA initiated the virtual airspace modeling and simulation (VAMS) project in 2002 with participants, including members from industry, government, and academia to develop and share ideas on revolutionary concepts to meet the future. The constraints in the terminal area domain are the focus of Raytheon's VAMS concept, terminal area capacity enhancement concept (TACEC). TACEC envisions a high level of automation and synchronization, generating optimized 4D flight profiles to land/depart multiple aircraft "simultaneously" on closely spaced parallel runways. Implementation requires infrastructure improvements such as high-speed data link, improved surveillance, integrated terminal area network, and highly automated guidance and scheduling systems. This paper focuses on the issues associated with the TACEC high-speed data link required to send flight profiles to the arrival and departing aircraft upon entering the terminal airspace. The minimum essential uplink/downlink parameters needed to support the optimized 4D flight profiles are defined. Issues such as data rate, traffic load, and feasibility are also examined.
Effect of carrier lifetime on forward-biased silicon Mach-Zehnder modulators

We present a systematic study of Mach-Zehnder silicon optical modulators based on carrier-injection. Detailed comparisons between modeling and measurement results are made with good agreement obtained for both DC and AC characteristics. A figure of merit, static VπL, as low as 0.24Vmm is achieved. The effect of carrier lifetime variation with doping concentration is explored and found to be important for the modulator characteristics.
Cadherin-11, a Marker of the Mesenchymal Phenotype, Regulates Glioblastoma Cell Migration and Survival In Vivo

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant and lethal form of astrocytoma. The GBM patient survival time of approximately one year necessitates the identification of novel molecular targets and more effective therapeutics. Cadherin-11, a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule and mesenchymal marker, plays a role in both normal tissue development and in cancer cell migration. The functional significance of cadherin-11 in GBM has not been investigated. Here, we show that cadherin-11 is expressed in human GBM tumors and human glioma stem-like cells by immunohistochemical labeling. Additionally, we show that cadherin-11 is expressed in human glioma cell lines by immunoblotting. shRNA mediated knockdown of cadherin-11 expression in human glioma cell lines results in decreased migration and growth factor-independent cell survival in vitro. More importantly, knockdown of cadherin-11 inhibits glioma cell survival in heterotopic and orthotopic mouse xenograft models. Together, our results demonstrate the functional significance of cadherin-11 expression in GBM and provide evidence for a novel role of cadherin-11 in promoting glioma cell survival in an in vivo environment. Thus, our studies suggest cadherin-11 is a viable molecular target for therapeutic intervention in GBM.
Ternary synthesis of colloidal Zn3P2 quantum dots.

The synthesis and characterization of crystalline colloidal zinc phosphide quantum dots with observable excitonic transitions ranging between 424–535 nm (2.3–2.9 eV) are reported. A ternary combination of ZnEt2, Zn(O2CR)2, and P(SiMe3)3, forms a pentanuclear zinc cluster on mixing followed by conversion to (Et2Zn)P(ZnO2CR)2(SiMe3) in a rate-determining step prior to quantum dot formation.
Structure–Redox–Relaxivity Relationships for Redox Responsive Manganese-Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging Probes

A library of 10 Mn-containing complexes capable of switching reversibly between the Mn(II) and Mn(III) oxidation states was prepared and evaluated for potential usage as MRI reporters of tissue redox activity. We synthesized N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N,N',N'-ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HBET) and N-(2-hydroxybenzyl-N,N',N'-trans-1,2-cyclohexylenediaminetriacetic acid (CyHBET) ligands functionalized (-H, -OMe, -NO2) at the 5-position of the aromatic ring. The Mn(II) complexes of all ligands and the Mn(III) complexes of the 5-H and 5-NO2 functionalized ligands were synthesized and isolated, but the Mn(III) complexes with the 5-OMe functionalized ligands were unstable. (1)H relaxivity of the 10 isolable complexes was measured at pH 7.4 and 37 °C, 1.4 T. Thermodynamic stability, pH-dependent complex speciation, hydration state, water exchange kinetics of the Mn(II) complexes, and pseudo-first order reduction kinetics of the Mn(III) complexes were studied using a combination of pH-potentiometry, UV-vis spectroscopy, and (1)H and (17)O NMR measurements. The effects of ligand structural and electronic modifications on the Mn(II/III) redox couple were studied by cyclic voltammetry. The Mn(II) complexes are potent relaxation agents as compared to the corresponding Mn(III) species with [Mn(II)(CyHBET)(H2O)](2-) exhibiting a 7.5-fold higher relaxivity (3.3 mM(-1) s(-1)) than the oxidized form (0.4 mM(-1) s(-1)). At pH 7.4, Mn(II) exists as a mixture of fully deprotonated (ML) and monoprotonated (HML) complexes and Mn(II) complex stability decreases as the ligands become more electron-releasing (pMn for 10 μM [Mn(II)(CyHBET-R')(H2O)](2-) decreases from 7.6 to 6.2 as R' goes from -NO2 to -OMe, respectively). HML speciation increases as the electron-releasing nature of the phenolato-O donor increases. The presence of a water coligand is maintained upon conversion from HML to ML, but the water exchange rate of ML is faster by up to 2 orders of magnitude (k(ex)(310) for H[Mn(II)(CyHBET)(H2O)](-) and [Mn(II)(CyHBET)(H2O)](2-) are 1.2 × 10(8) and 1.0 × 10(10) s(-1), respectively). The Mn(II/III) redox potential can be tuned over a range of 0.30 V (E(1/2) = 0.27-0.57 V) through electronic modifications to the 5-substituent of the aromatic ligand component. However, care must be taken in tuning the ligand electronics to avoid Mn(III)-ligand autoredox. Taken together, these results serve to establish criteria for optimizing Mn(III) versus Mn(II) relaxivity differentials, complex stability, and Mn(II/III) redox potential.