cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TWO-PHOTON SPECTROSCOPY USING INFRARED PHOTONS

Spectra of ions substituted at centrosymmetric sites in crystals ought to be the easiest cases to analyze because they have the smallest number of crystal field parameters. This high symmetry should also be of advantage if one wants to understand the forces resulting from electronic excitations which cause the Jahn-Teller effect and lattice mode excitations. For intraconfigurational transitions d→d, f→f and for other cases in which parity is the same for ground and excited state, such as d→s, the spectra observed are disappointingly complicated, because odd parity-vibronic activity is a necessary accompaniment of one-photon transitions. In the few cases where magnetic dipole transitions can be observed, they are limited to the electronic origins and even parity-vibronic structure is usually obscured by odd parity structure.
On Implicit Denial of Service Attack in NDN and Potential Mitigations

One major benefit of named-data networking (NDN) is its potential to control network load by leveraging in-network caching and request aggregation. Both the network operator and consumers benefit from these features, as operating costs are reduced and quality-of-experience is increased. However, request aggregation, combined with NDN's loop prevention mechanisms, can create denial-of- service (DoS) against client interests (intentionally and unintentionally) by clients employing multicast forwarding. In this paper, we discuss this problem and propose three increasingly efficient solutions to address the problem; our arguments are backed by simulation and numerical analyses.
Adipose tissue fatty acid composition in humans with lipoprotein lipase deficiency.

BACKGROUND Lipid stores in human adipose tissue are maintained primarily by incorporating lipid from circulating chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins. Adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase (LPL) hydrolyzes triglyceride from these lipoprotein particles to facilitate their entry into adipocytes for storage. Subjects deficient in LPL still have normal adiposity, and this may result from increased adipocyte lipogenesis or from uptake of circulating lipid through alternate mechanisms. The objective of this study was to determine whether fatty acid composition of adipose tissue from LPL-deficient subjects reflects maintenance of lipid stores through increased lipogenesis or through alternate mechanisms of lipoprotein uptake. METHODS Adipose tissue samples from LPL-deficient subjects who consume fat-restricted diets and normal subjects were analyzed for fatty acid composition by gas-liquid chromatography. RESULTS Compared with that of normal subjects, adipose tissue from LPL-deficient subjects showed an increase in 16:1 and decreases in 18:0, 18:2, and 18:3 fatty acids, whereas other nonessential fatty acid levels were not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS The reduction in essential fatty acids and increase in nonessential fatty acids in adipose tissue of those with LPL deficiency, taken together with recent data from animal studies, suggest that lipid stores in these subjects are maintained primarily through enhanced adipocyte lipogenesis.
Purinoreceptors and T Cell Function: Regulation of Lymphocyte Activation by Extracellular ATP and Adenosine

Purinergic receptors are implicated in different important processes in the neuronal system and in regulation of the cardiovascular system. They provide novel molecular targets and offerexciting pharmacologicpossibilities. However, the development of new drugs which target different purinergic receptors must be done with full understanding of the role of these receptors in the immune system thereby necessitating the studies of the effects of extracellular ATP and adenosine and of the role of purinergic receptors in T-cell-mediated immunity. Our studies were guided by the hypothesis that signaling through purinergic receptors by extracellular ATP (ext ATP) and/or adenosine (Ado) may interfere with antigen presentation and with T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-triggered activation pathway s in differentiating thy mocy tes as well as with expansion and effector functions of peripheral cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and T-helper cells. Evidence to support this model is suggested by studies of the contribution of purinergic receptor expression to the in vitro functional responses of T cells. It has been shown that some purinergic receptors in T cells are expressed in a differentiation-dependent manner (e.g. P2X7/P2Z) or follow the pattern of immediate early genes (e.g. p2Y2), thereby providingthe basis for the belief that these receptors may function in feed back regulatory mechanisms of T cell activation. The A2A adenosine receptor is the predominant Gs-coupled adenosine receptor in murine thy mocy tes and T cells, and the activation of A2A receptors results in the accumulation of cAMP. Subsequent activation cf cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) accounts for the observed antigen receptor (TCR)-antagonistic properties of extAdo. While in vitro studies suggest a possible role of purinergic receptors, the use of purinergic receptor gene deficient mice may provide conclusive evidence of their contribution to normal processes and the pathogenesis of diseases such as severe combined immunodeficiency associated with adenosine deaminase deficiency, or ADA SCID.
The center of a souffle-metrology in the kitchen [Basic metrology]

In 1967, the Soviet Union's Venera-4 space mission to Venus sent back the first tantalizing temperature measurements of the Venusian atmosphere; Veneras -5 and -6 were launched in January 1969. A few months later, a famous lowtemperature physicist whimsically said, "I think it is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus we do not know what goes on within our souffles" [1]. The remark was made during a Friday evening demonstration given at the Royal Institution in London. Nicholas Kurti (1908-1998) had chosen as his subject: "The physicist in the kitchen."
Metabolic stress promotes sustained activation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in the islet beta-cell: novel regulation by alpha4, a non-canonical subunit of PP2A

Purpose Despite emerging evidence suggesting requisite roles for protein kinases in islet beta-cell function, protein phosphatases remain an under studied area in islet biology. The PP2A, which accounts for 80% of total serine/threonine phosphatases, has been implicated in many facets of cell regulation including proliferation, survival, and apoptosis. We recently reported hyperactivation of PP2A in islet beta-cells following exposure to high glucose (metabolic stress) conditions, and proposed that hyperactivation of PP2A could lead to dephosphorylation of key proteins necessary for islet function. Herein, we studied putative regulatory roles for alpha4, a non-canonical adaptor regulatory subunit of PP2A, in the sustained activation of PP2A under metabolic stress. Methods Pancreatic islets were isolated by the collagenase digestion method. Human islets were from Prodo Labs. INS-1 832/13 cells, rat and human islets were cultured under basal (2.5 mM glucose) or metabolic stress (20-30 mM glucose) conditions for 24-48 hrs. PP2A activity was determined by immunoprecipitation phosphatase assay. Degree of cell death was detected by Annexin V/Propidium fluorescence staining. Results Metabolic stress significantly increased PP2A activity in INS-1 832/13 cells (~ 3 fold), rodent islets (~ 1.8 fold) and human islets (~ 2.2 fold). Sustained activation of PP2A was also seen in islets derived from pre-diabetic (7 weeks; ~1.4 fold) and diabetic (13 weeks; ~ 2 fold) ZDF rats. Western blot analysis indicated that alpha4 is expressed in INS-1 832/13 cells, rat islets and human islets. Metabolic stress also increased the expression of alpha4 in INS-1 cells and human islets. siRNA-mediated suppression of alpha4 expression markedly (-60%) inhibited high glucose-induced PP2A activity and cell death in INS-1 832/13 cells. Conclusions Alpha4 promotes PP2A activation and dysfunction of pancreatic beta-cells under high glucose-exposure conditions. We conclude that alpha4 could represent a novel target to impede PP2A-derived signaling events leading to beta-cell demise under metabolic stress.
The Role of Botulinum Toxins in Treatment of Headaches

Botulinum toxin injections are now used widely for treatment of diverse medical conditions including management of bladder symptoms and reduction of muscle tone in spasticity. The data from high quality studies showing efficacy in chronic migraine lead to FDA approval of botulinum toxin therapy for this indication in 2010. This chapter discusses the role of botulinum therapy in primary headaches, migraine and tension headaches. It illustrates different techniques of botulinum toxin injection, currently used for treatment of chronic migraine.
Short-Term Traffic Speed Prediction for Freeways During Hurricane Evacuation: A Deep Learning Approach

Hurricane evacuation plays a critical role for effective disaster preparations. Giving accurate traffic prediction to evacuees enables a safe and smooth evacuation. Moreover, reliable traffic state prediction allows emergency managers to proactively respond to changes in traffic conditions. In this paper, we present a deep learning model to predict traffic speeds in freeways under extreme traffic demand, such as a hurricane evacuation. For prediction, we adopt a Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network (LSTM-NN) model. The approach is tested using real-world traffic data collected during hurricane Irma's evacuation for the interstate 75 (I-75), a major evacuation route in Florida. Using LSTM-NN, we perform several experiments for predicting speeds for 5 min, 10 min, and 15 min ahead of current time. The results are compared against other traditional prediction models such as KNN, ANN, ARIMA. We find that LSTM-NN performs better than these parametric and non-parametric models. The proposed method can be integrated with evacuation traffic management systems for a better evacuation operation.
The Legacy of Tampon-Related Toxic Shock Syndrome: Feats, Failures, and Future Challenges for Women’s Health Scholars

AbstractThis article is a comment on Olesen’s (1986) article “Analyzing Emergent Issues in Women’s Health: The Case of the Toxic Shock Syndrome,” which is reprinted in this issue. Here I reminisce ...
Missed Visits Associated With Future Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Discontinuation Among PrEP Users in a Municipal Primary Care Health Network.

Background Maintaining retention in preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care among diverse patient populations will be needed to support PrEP's efficacy. We characterized patterns of PrEP care retention in a US municipal primary care health network and examined whether missed visits, a metric of care retention that is easy to evaluate in clinic, are associated with subsequent discontinuation. Methods We included individuals on PrEP from July 2012 until August 2017 in the San Francisco Primary Care Clinics, a 15-clinic municipal health network. We categorized PrEP usage patterns as follows: early discontinuation (<90 days), later discontinuation (after ≥90 days), and continuing use at the end of follow-up. We first examined early discontinuation using adjusted Poisson regression. In patients who continued PrEP for ≥90 days, we examined factors associated with late discontinuation. Results Of the 364 individuals who started PrEP, 16% discontinued PrEP before 90 days, 46% discontinued later, and 38% were retained in care over a median 12 months of observation. Transgender women were more likely to discontinue PrEP early (adjusted risk ratio; 2.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-3.49), and younger users were more likely to discontinue late (0.82 per 10-year increase in age; .70-.96), as were persons who use illicit drugs (1.59; 1.02-2.47). Missed visits during use of PrEP were associated with future discontinuation (adjusted risk ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.03). Later year of current PrEP use was associated with both early and late discontinuation. Conclusion Diverse populations may require differentiated care to continue PrEP. Missed visits should trigger tailored interventions to maximize the impact of PrEP.
Sports, Smartphones, and Simulation as an Engaging Method to Teach Projectile Motion Incorporating Air Resistance

Much data, both published and anecdotal, have shown that students grasp scientific concepts more easily when they are directly involved in the learning via lab experiments or other hands-on activities. Hands-on or experiential learning also appears to aid in students’ ability to retain scientific theory. One way to engage students in a first-year calculus-based classical physics course is with the use of smartphones to validate or illustrate a variety of concepts covered in the lectures. It is true that almost all incoming students own or have access to a smartphone. This paper presents a method for students to use a smartphone app to track the trajectory of a sports projectile fired in real time (i.e., a basketball, volleyball, shot put, etc.). This experimental result was compared to a theoretical prediction of the trajectory of the projectile using an incremental air resistance algorithm implemented in Microsoft Excel. The students were required to estimate all of the parameters within the drag force equation (i.e., the drag coefficient, density of air, etc.) that made up part of the theoretical prediction. Ultimately, the goal was for the students to compare their experimental result with their prediction and gain an appreciation for the factors affecting the agreement (or lack of) between the two results.
Mechanical Prosthetic Valves

Mechanical valves offer excellent durability and hemodynamics at both the aortic and mitral position but require lifelong anticoagulation. The majority of mechanical valves utilized today are bileaflet valves composed of pyrolytic carbon, and most of the newer generation valves are designed to reduce thrombogenicity and improve hemodynamics. With the increasing durability of bioprosthetic valves and the widespread acceptance of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, the indications for mechanical valves are becoming narrower. Nonetheless, mechanical valves remain an excellent option for young patients who can tolerate anticoagulation because of their unmatched durability.
Prenatal pesticide exposure and childhood leukemia - A California statewide case-control study.

Abstract Background A number of epidemiologic studies with a variety of exposure assessment approaches have implicated pesticides as risk factors for childhood cancers. Here we explore the association of pesticide exposure in pregnancy and early childhood with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) utilizing land use and pesticide use data in a sophisticated GIS tool. Methods We identified cancer cases less than 6 years of age from the California Cancer Registry and cancer-free controls from birth certificates. Analyses were restricted to those living in rural areas and born 1998–2011, resulting in 162 cases of childhood leukemia and 9,805 controls. Possible carcinogens were selected from the Environmental Protection Agency's classifications and pesticide use was collected from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation's (CDPR) Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) system and linked to land-use surveys. Exposures for subjects were assessed using a 4000m buffer around the geocoded residential addresses at birth. Unconditional logistic and hierarchical regression models were used to assess individual pesticide and pesticide class associations. Results We observed elevated risks for ALL with exposure to any carcinogenic pesticide (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 2.83, 95% CI: 1.67–4.82), diuron (Single-pesticide model, adjusted (OR): 2.38, 95% CI: 1.57–3.60), phosmet (OR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.46–3.02), kresoxim-methyl (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.14–2.75), and propanil (OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.44–4.63). Analyses based on chemical classes showed elevated risks for the group of 2,6-dinitroanilines (OR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.56–3.99), anilides (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.38–3.36), and ureas (OR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.42–3.34). Conclusion Our findings suggest that in rural areas of California exposure to certain pesticides or pesticide classes during pregnancy due to residential proximity to agricultural applications may increase the risk of childhood ALL and AML. Future studies into the mechanisms of carcinogenicity of these pesticides may be beneficial.
Tumor microenvironment is critical for the maintenance of cellular states found in primary glioblastomas.

Glioblastoma (GBM), an incurable tumor, remains difficult to model and more importantly to treat due to its genetic/epigenetic heterogeneity and plasticity across cellular states. The ability of current tumor models to recapitulate the cellular states found in primary tumors remains unexplored. To address this issue, we compared single-cell RNA sequencing of tumor cells from 5 patients across four patient-specific glioblastoma stem cell (GSC)-derived model types, including glioma spheres, tumor organoids, glioblastoma cerebral organoids (GLICO), and patient-derived xenografts. We find that GSCs within the GLICO model are enriched for a neural progenitor-like cell subpopulation and recapitulate the cellular states and their plasticity found in the corresponding primary parental tumors. These data demonstrate how the contribution of a neuroanatomically accurate human microenvironment is critical and sufficient for recapitulating the cellular states found in human primary GBMs, a principle that may likely apply to other tumor models. SIGNIFICANCE: It has been unclear how well different patient-derived GBM models are able to recreate the full heterogeneity of primary tumors. Here, we provide a complete transcriptomic characterization of the major model types. We show that the microenvironment is crucial for recapitulating GSC cellular states, highlighting the importance of tumor-host cell interactions.See related commentary by Luo and Weiss, p. 907.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 890.
Development of a CPU/GPU portable software library for Lagrangian–Eulerian simulations of liquid sprays

Abstract The Lagrangian–Eulerian method is widely used for simulations of fuel sprays in turbulent combustion because of the advantage of treating the spray droplets as discrete points. One challenge of the Lagrangian–Eulerian method is the intense computational requirement when tracking the large number of Lagrangian particles needed for high fidelity. We have developed a performance-portable library, Grit, to track the Lagrangian particles in parallel on central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated high performance computing (HPC) architectures. Grit is a C++ library which employs Message Passing Interface (MPI) for distributed memory parallelism and Kokkos programming model for on-node shared memory parallelism with performance portability across different architectures of GPUs and multi-core/manycore CPUs. The parallel algorithms, key parallel kernels, and their performances on the pre-exascale supercomputer, Summit, are presented. Grit is coupled with a direct numerical simulation (DNS) solver, S3D, for multiphase simulations. A conservative formulation has been developed and implemented in Grit for phase coupling with thermodynamic consistency. The formulation separates the conservation of mass, momentum and energy from the physical models to prevent accidental violation of conservation laws due to inconsistent models. The formulation also enforces consistent definitions of enthalpies of the fuel for both phases and the latent heat of evaporation. Simulations of turbulent particle-laden flow and the evaporation of dilute turbulent spray jet are performed to verify the software implementation, and to demonstrate the scalability of Grit for large-scale multiphase simulations.
Trait-based signatures of cloud base height in a tropical cloud forest.

PREMISE Clouds have profound consequences for ecosystem structure and function. Yet, the direct monitoring of clouds and their effects on biota is challenging especially in remote and topographically complex tropical cloud forests. We argue that known relationships between climate and the taxonomic and functional composition of plant communities may provide a fingerprint of cloud base height, thus providing a rapid and cost-effective assessment in remote tropical cloud forests. METHODS To detect cloud base height, we compared species turnover and functional trait values among herbaceous and woody plant communities in an ecosystem dominated by cloud formation. We measured soil and air temperature, soil nutrient concentrations, and extracellular enzyme activity. We hypothesized that woody and herbaceous plants would provide signatures of cloud base height, as evidenced by abrupt shifts in both taxonomic composition and plant function. RESULTS We demonstrated abrupt changes in taxonomic composition and the community- weighted mean of a key functional trait, specific leaf area, across elevation for both woody and herbaceous species, consistent with our predictions. However, abrupt taxonomic and functional changes occurred 100 m higher in elevation for herbaceous plants compared to woody ones. Soil temperature abruptly decreased where herbaceous taxonomic and functional turnover was high. Other environmental variables including soil biogeochemistry did not explain the abrupt change observed for woody plant communities. CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence that a trait-based approach can be used to estimate cloud base height. We outline how rises in cloud base height and differential environmental requirements between growth forms can be distinguished using this approach.
Telepsychology training in a public health crisis: A case example

In early 2020, the world was thrust into a crisis with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in the sudden expansion of telepractice in the mental health field for licensed mental heal...
Epitaxial GaAsP/Si Solar Cells with High Quantum Efficiency

We review recent progress in GaAsP/Si tandem cells and present a GaAsP/Si tandem cell with a high total short-circuit current density of 38.2 mA/cm2. Comparing the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of this tandem cell with benchmark perovskite/Si tandem cells reveals that at identical top cell bandgap, the GaAsP top cell exhibits higher or comparable EQE at all wavelengths, while the GaAsP-filtered Si bottom cell exhibits insufficient light trapping and parasitic absorption. Future improvement in the transparency of the GaAsyP 1- y graded buffer layer and the light trapping in the Si bottom cell promises GaAsP/Si tandem cells with a short circuit density above 20 mA/cm2.
Left Ventricular Assist Device Multialarm Emergency: A High-Fidelity Simulation Case for Emergency Medicine Residents.

Introduction As left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) become more prevalent in the treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure, emergency physicians must become experts in the management a...
Latinx adolescents' academic self-efficacy: Explaining longitudinal links between ethnic-racial identity and educational adjustment.

Objective This longitudinal study had three aims: (a) to examine whether ethnic-racial identity (ERI; i.e., public regard, private regard, and centrality) was associated with academic self-efficacy and changes in educational adjustment (i.e., educational values and academic performance) among Latinx adolescents over 3 years, (b) to investigate whether academic self-efficacy would operate as a promotive mechanism in links between domains of ERI and changes in educational adjustment, and (c) to explore within-group variability by gender on the relations between domains of ERI, academic self-efficacy, and educational adjustment. Method Data came from 329 Latinx families (i.e., middle school students and their parents) living in the Southwest U.S. Parents' data were used from the first wave and adolescents' (M = 13.69, SD = .56; 53% girls) data were used from three study waves. A series of structural equation models were estimated. Results All three domains of ERI related to higher levels of academic self-efficacy. Further, public regard was associated with increased levels of educational values, whereas private regard and centrality did not associate with either indicator of educational adjustment. Results provided support for academic self-efficacy serving as a mediator of associations between private regard and centrality and educational adjustment. The results were consistent across gender. Conclusions The findings suggest that fostering ERI is promotive of Latinx adolescents' academic self-efficacy. Further, through academic self-efficacy, private regard and centrality support educational adjustment. ERI and academic self-efficacy may be potential targets for programming aimed to address educational disparities among Latinx adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Automatic evaluation of rebar spacing using LiDAR data

Abstract When constructing Reinforced Concrete (RC) components, rebar spacing must be inspected in the field before pouring concrete. The traditional inspection of rebar spacing: (1) depends on the experience of the individual inspector; (2) is limited to a pass/fail outcome; and (3) is in general conducted with limited time. This paper presents a recognition algorithm that automatically identifies the rebar position using LiDAR. The result is an automatic Rebar Layout Quality Index (RLQI). Researchers collected LiDAR data from a real rebar mat, compared it with the design drawings, and obtained the RLQI for both top and bottom rebar mats. The authors also quantified the quality of the structural construction with a new flexural relative moment strength index. This methodology has the potential to reduce inspection time and increase the reliability of inspections through an objective assessment of rebar spacing, by creating an as-built record of actual rebar location in the structure.
PIV measurements in a turbulent boundary layer overlying a spanwise heterogeneous roughness

In nature and engineering applications, wall-bounded flow often encounter a heterogeneous surface condition, such as the atmosphere boundary layer at the urban boundary and flow over riveted aircraft surfaces. In a particular scenario, when the surface heterogeneity is predominantly in the spanwise direction of the flow, this roughness heterogeneity can generate secondary flow in cross flow plane which is very different from smooth-wall or homogeneous rough-wall boundary layers.
Covariant spin operators and transformations

The spin component of a particle can be specified in any of three independent directions. Covariant operators corresponding to three such choices are described, along with the transformations between their eigenstates. The usefulness of choosing a covariant description is demonstrated by considering the crossing matrices for helicity and transversity amplitudes as transformations between sets of such operators. Because of the covariance of the spin operators, arbitrary Lorentz transformations on the spin states introduce no complications such as the usual spin-rotation matrices. Although the discussion is limited to scattering processes of the type A+B→C+D, similar operators can be defined for systems of more than two particles.
In Brief: NOAA announces next step in Gulf of Mexico assessment

[1] The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on 19 February that it will develop a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) as the next step in its assessment of impacts from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico. The PEIS is part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), the legal process to determine the type and extent of environmental restoration needed to compensate the public for the harm caused to natural resources by the oil spill. The restoration would be paid for by BP and other parties deemed responsible for the oil spill. Public meetings will be held in the affected states to begin the PEIS process. NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco stated at a press conference at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) that this “heralds the beginning of a formal public process.”
Verbal Description of Concrete Objects: A Method for Assessing Semantic Circumlocution in Persons With Aphasia

Purpose We investigated from a theoretically motivated perspective what information differentiated sufficient from insufficient descriptions of objects provided by persons with aphasia. Method Twenty-one adults with aphasia consequent to single left-hemisphere stroke verbally described 9 living and 9 nonliving objects. Responses were scored for accuracy (i.e., sufficiency) and tallied for type and quantity of semantic feature information provided. Main effects and interactions were identified using repeated measures analyses of variance, with significant findings followed up with planned comparisons. Results Differences between correct and incorrect descriptions were identified with respect to both feature type and feature distinctiveness for living and nonliving items, in particular highlighting the importance of distinctive features in descriptions of both domains. Conclusions These findings add to the relatively small body of literature investigating semantic feature processing in adults with aphasia. ...
Phase-Sensitive Tests of Pairing Symmetry in Cuprate Superconductors

Pairing Symmetry in Cuprate Superconductors: Phase - Sensitive Tests Experiments studying the symmetry of the order-parameter are reviewed and critically discussed. Details of phase sensitive tests are presented, including results on angular dependence (anisotropy) of the gap. The universality of the d-wave Cooper pair state and implications of the symmetry of the Cooper pair state are discussed.
Statistical analysis describes urban heat island effect in Europe

The urban heat island effect—in which urban areas are warmer than the surrounding rural areas—has been known for many decades. However, many previous studies have focused on individual cities or on a limited numbers of cities. To gain a broader regional perspective, Zhou et al. performed a statistical analysis of the urban heat island effect for all cities in Europe using land cover data and remotely sensed land surface temperature data.
EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC-UTILITY INDUSTRY REGULATION: ECONOMISTS AND OTHER DETERMINANTS*

In recent history, perhaps the most notable failure to achieve general rules has been that of our regulatory agencies, particularly those charged with allocative functions… The reason for this failure lies… in the nature of the tasks assigned to these agencies; they are trying to do through adjudicative forms something that does not lend itself to accomplishment through those forms.—Lon L. Fuller.
Protection from Oxidative Insult in Glutathione Depleted Lens Epithelial Cells

Abstract It has previously been shown that TEMPOL, n-propyl gallate and deferoxamine, compounds that limit the availability of Fe +2 and prevent the generation of hydroxyl radicals, protect cultured rabbit lens epithelial cells from H 2 O 2 -induced damage. In view of the importance of glutathione as an antioxidant and the decrease in GSH that is known to accompany most forms of cataract, we investigated whether these compounds protected cultured lens epithelial cells from H 2 O 2 when the cells were artificially depleted of glutathione. Treatment of lens epithelial cells with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), a compound that irreversibly binds to glutathione, or buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione biosynthesis, reduced the glutathione content to an average of 15–20% of the control values without a concomitant increase in oxidized glutathione. Morphological changes were assessed by phase contrast and electron microscopy. In order to assess growth, cells in 5 ml serum-free MEM were exposed to an initial concentration of 0.05 m m H 2 O 2 (for 50,000 cells) or 2 doses of 0.5 m m H 2 O 2 (for 800,000 cells). After exposure to H 2 O 2 , medium was replaced with MEM plus 8% rabbit serum; cells were fed on days 3 and 6 and counted on day 7. When 50,000 or 800,000 cells with decreased glutathione were exposed to 0.05 or 0.5 m m H 2 O 2 the H 2 O 2 was cytotoxic, whereas cells treated with H 2 O 2 alone remained viable but showed inhibited proliferation. An unexpected finding was that cells continued to remove H 2 O 2 from the medium at normal rates even when the GSH level was reduced. Cells treated with CDNB or BSO alone exhibited morphological and growth properties comparable to untreated cells. Cells treated with CDNB or BSO and then with H 2 O 2 exhibited decreased cell-to-cell contact, nuclear shrinkage, and arborization when viewed with phase-contrast microscopy and showed extensive nuclear and cytoplasmic degeneration at the EM level. Cell death was determined by dye exclusion and confirmed by video microscopy. When cells were treated with CDNB or BSO and subsequently treated with TEMPOL, n-propyl gallate or deferoxamine and then challenged with H 2 O 2 cytotoxicity was prevented and the cells were capable of growth. The data show that H 2 O 2 was not lethal to glutathione-depleted lens epithelial cells when they were treated with compounds that prevented the generation of reactive oxygen species. In addition, the results indicate that GSH has an important protective role independent of its ability to decompose H 2 O 2 via glutathione peroxidase.
Positive and negative transfer of control: Instrumental response mediation and response competition

Two appetitive transfer-of-control experiments were conducted to investigate the role of instrumental response learning during the noncontingent pairing phase in transfer. The behavioral observation made in Experiment 1 suggested the operation of a food-cup approach response mediation. When the suggested food-cup approach response mediation was precluded in Experiment 2, a negative transfer effect was obtained. The two experiments exposed methodological problems involved in appetitive transfer experiments and raised questions with regard to the validity of the conclusions drawn in the past based on the type of transfer experiments reported here.
Tillage effects on gaseous emissions from an intensively farmed organic soil in North Central Ohio

Abstract As in other drained, intensively cultivated Histosols of the world, soil subsidence is a growing concern of vegetable farmers in the muck crops region of North Central, Ohio. Subsidence in organic soils is caused primarily by aerobic degradation of soil organic matter (SOM), which in turn makes available large quantities of once bound C and N. Upon drainage and cultivation, soil C and N dynamics shift drastically. Organic soils transition from CO 2 and organic N sinks, to persistent sources, whereas CH 4 uptake capacity increases. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the short-term (within the first year) impact of conversion of intensively tilled organic soils to no-till management. The specific objectives of this study were to: (i) compare soil moisture content, soil temperature, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rates from moldboard/disking (MB), no-till (NT), and bare (B) treatments in cultivated organic soils, and (ii) estimate the rate of subsidence associated with these tillage practices. Over the year, soil moisture content (SMC) was significantly higher in MB (0.90 kg kg −1 ) than B (0.84 kg kg −1 ) treatments; however NT (0.87 kg kg −1 ) was not significantly different from either MB or B treatments. Mean annual temperatures at 5 cm depth were significantly higher in B (16.9 °C) compared to MB (16.2 °C) and NT (15.9 °C) treatments The CO 2 emissions were not significantly different among treatments, while N 2 O emissions were significantly higher from MB (96.9 kg N 2 O-N ha −1 yr −1 ) than NT (35.8 kg N 2 O-N ha −1 yr −1 ) plots. Both CH 4 uptake and CH 4 emission exhibited low annual flux in all treatments.
Southern California’s Crown Jewels: Historical Governance and Finance Lessons

Southern California includes seven counties, hundreds of municipal governments and thousands of special districts possessing independent taxation, land use and regulatory authority. This study presents an historical overview and assessment of how major public infrastructure projects were accomplished in Southern California in the absence of a formal regional general-purpose government. The study focuses on the governance and financing of water, port, and airport megaprojects crucial to the region’s extraordinary growth in the 20th century. The authors review scholarly debates regarding regional governance arrangements and their effectiveness and assess the role of public infrastructure projects in the region’s historical development and looming 21st-century challenges. The paper also analyzes the performance, governance, and finance challenges of a regional agency (the Metropolitan Water District) versus municipal agencies (the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, and Los Angeles International Airport). A failed regional initiative, the Southern California Regional Airport Authority, is also discussed. The implications drawn from this study suggest the need for investing institutions with the incentive and ability to manage dense policy networks in order to improve their effectiveness.
Localised chemiosmosis and active transport of lactose in Escherichia coli

Abstract The phosphorylation potential (δGp) in mitochondria has been found to be relatively insensitive to changes in the protonmotive force (δp). Similar observations have been made for lactose transport in Escherichia coli. Localised chemiosmosis has been invoked to explain these data. Here a postulate of localised chemiosmosis was put to experimental test and found to be incorrect. Alternative explanations for the δpdependence of lactose transport are presented.
Nitric Oxide as a Mediator of Increased Microvascular Permeability during Acute Rickettsioses

Rickettsiae primarily infect the microvascular endothelium, leading to changes in microvascular permeability that result in potentially severe pulmonary and cerebral edema. The mechanisms responsible for these changes are not well understood. One potential mechanism of increased vascular permeability is the anti-rickettsial nitric oxide response described by Walker and colleagues. We hypothesized that anti-rickettsial levels of nitric oxide adversely affects microvascular permeability in vitro. To this end we sought to describe the effects of exogenous nitric oxide on the proliferation of intracellular rickettsiae while monitoring the transendothelial electrical resistance as a measure of endothelial barrier integrity. It was determined that the addition of the NO-donor DETA NONOate at certain levels results in a dose-dependent change in electrical resistance across the monolayer while effectively limiting the number of intracellular rickettsiae in human microvascular endothelial cells. The data presented support the idea that nitric oxide produced by infected endothelial cells may be contributing to the changes in vascular permeability that occur during acute rickettsioses. Future experiments aim to elaborate on these results in a model that more clearly depicts the in vivo response as well as to describe the changes that occur with respect to interendothelial junctions.
Space-time physical-layer network coding: Harnessing interference in multi-way communication

In this paper, a space-time physical-layer network coding method is proposed in fully-connected multi-way relay networks. The proposed method includes two essential steps: i) side-information learning and ii) space-time relay transmission. In the phase of side-information learning, sets of users are scheduled to transmit messages over networks and the remaining users and relays overhear the transmitted messages to learn the interference patterns. In the phase of space-time relay transmission, multiple relays cooperatively transmit linear combinations of received messages in the previous phase using space-time precoding so that all users simultaneously harness their side-information in decoding. With this transmission technique, it is shown that the sum of degrees of freedom of the network is improved compared to existing interference management methods. Our key finding is that efficiently exploiting both transmitted and overheard messages as side-information brings substantial performance gains to fully-connected multi-way relay networks.
Alpha-chloralose suppression of neuronal activity

Alpha-chloralose, an anesthetic agent widely used in neurophysiologic studies, caused a significant and long-lasting suppression of single neuron activity recorded from two areas of the central nervous system in decerebrate cats. A 50 mg/kg dose (an average anesthetic dose used in many neurophysiologic studies) caused suppression of spontaneous and evoked activity of neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and greater suppression of neurons in the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis (NRGC) of the medial medullary reticular formation. Many researchers are of the opinion that alpha-chloralose causes less suppression of the central nervous system (CNS) than other commonly used anesthetic agents. The neuronal suppression recorded in this study appears similar in many ways to suppression caused by other anesthetic agents in the same two areas of the CNS. The results of the present study suggest that alpha-chloralose may be capable of producing significant suppression of neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and NRGC. Its ability to influence other areas of the CNS should not be inferred from these results, but the data do indicate the importance of evaluating the effects of anesthetics upon neurophysiologic systems under study.
The benefits of multimodal information: a meta-analysis comparing visual and visual-tactile feedback

Information display systems have become increasingly complex and more difficult for human cognition to process effectively. Based upon Wicken's Multiple Resource Theory (MRT), information delivered using multiple modalities (i.e., visual and tactile) could be more effective than communicating the same information through a single modality. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to compare user effectiveness when using visual-tactile task feedback (a multimodality) to using only visual task feedback (a single modality). Results indicate that using visual-tactile feedback enhances task effectiveness more so than visual feedback (g = .38). When assessing different criteria, visual-tactile feedback is particularly effective at reducing reaction time (g = .631) and increasing performance (g = .618). Follow up moderator analyses indicate that visual-tactile feedback is more effective when workload is high (g = .844) and multiple tasks are being performed (g = .767). Implications of results are discussed in the paper.
Beyond Empty Categories

Natural languages often have elements with meaning but not sound, restricted in their distribution and interpretation. Grammar captures some of such restrictions by distinguishing different types of empty categories (NP-trace, variable, empty pronoun) -ECs, each of which is subject to interpretive and licensing rules. Chinese is prominent in the presence of empty elements. The restrictions on interpreting empty elements in Chinese were the topics of a vast literature in the last several decades. This work reviews the major proposals and shows that an important subject/object asymmetry in interpretive possibilities has not been properly recognized, which underlies many of the descriptive problems challenging the available accounts. It will be demonstrated that the problems can be solved if we allow the existence of a true empty position (TEP) -an empty element that cannot be an EC. It is truly empty and contains no features except the categorical ones, which can be obtained from the linguistic contexts. Its existence is forced because grammar prohibits an EC to occur in a certain position but the position is necessary to fulfill subcategorization requirements. It is a last resort strategy. This provides important clues to understanding the different behavior of empty nominals in Chinese and Japanese-Chinese seems to exhibit an asymmetry in the interpretive possibilities of empty subjects and objects much more strictly than Japanese. The difference is traced to structures: Chinese projects nominal expressions in argument positions as DPs and Japanese, as NPs.
The integration of chitosan-coated titanium in bone: an in vivo study in rabbits.

Procedure:Much research is directed at surface modifications to enhance osseointegration of implants. A new potential coating is the biopolymer, chitosan, the deacetylated derivative of the natural polysaccharide, chitin. Chitosan is biocompatible, degradable, nontoxic, and exhibits osteogenic prope
Hydride generation-electrostatic deposition-graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric determination of arsenic, selenium and antimony

Abstract A system is described and evaluated for the in situ collection of generated hydrides of As, Se and Sb in a graphite furnace using a high voltage electrostatic field. Analytical figures of merit are derived using graphite furnace atomic absorption detection and a characterization of the electrostatic deposition (ED) process is presented based on optimization studies. Absolute detection limits (LOD) of 30, 16 and 33 pg were obtained for As, Se and Sb, respectively, reflecting overall generation/collection efficiencies of 80±5, 71±3 and 62±6%, respectively. Precision of replicate determination was typically 4% R.S.D. at a concentration 40-fold above the LOD for a 1 ml sample volume. The accuracy of the approach was demonstrated through the analysis of coastal seawater and marine sediment certified reference materials.
Methodologic Issues in Conducting Research on Hospitalized Older People

OBJECTIVE: To describe challenges in conducting research with hospitalized geriatric patients. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental longitudinal study with in-person interviews at baseline and discharge and a three-month postdischarge telephone interview. Study protocol required baseline interviews within 48 hours of admission for patients or 72 hours for proxies. SETTING: 813-bed urban teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 240 patients, mean age 83.8 years, at moderate to high risk for functional decline during hospitalization, admitted from the emergency room to a general medical unit. MEASUREMENTS: Delays starting or interruptions continuing interviews; patient and environmental conditions potentially affecting data quality; and information on proxy use. RESULTS: Timely access to patients or proxies was a major difficulty, resulting in the screening of only 53.1% of 867 potentially eligible patients. Multiple patient contacts and visits were required to complete interviews. Only 61.3% of baseline and 28.1% of follow-up interviews were completed on the initial day of contact. Despite having on-site interviewers 7 days a week, 29% of discharge interviews were conducted by telephone. Interviews were> 90% complete in 487 of 503 of encounters (97%). Baseline delays and interruptions were usually due to the presence of medical staff, off-unit tests, patient illness, nurse unavailability for interview, and need for a proxy. Most in-hospital interviews were conducted with others present. Proxies were required for approximately one-third of patients at all three interviews. CONCLUSION: Conducting clinical research with older adults in the current inpatient setting, where patients are more severely ill yet have shorter lengths of stay now than in the past, proves a challenging yet achievable goal. Effective procedures for negotiating the acute care environment are critical to successful studies.