cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in Snow Cover and Related Quantities at Weather Stations in the Conterminous United States

AbstractTrend tests, linear regression, and canonical correlation analysis were used to quantify changes in National Weather Service Cooperative Observer (COOP) snow depth data and derived quantities, precipitation, snowfall, and temperature over the study period 1950–2010. Despite widespread warming, historical trends in snowfall and snow depth are generally mixed owing to competing influences of trends in precipitation. Trends toward later snow-cover onset in the western half of the conterminous United States and earlier onset in the eastern half and a widespread trend toward earlier final meltoff of snow cover combined to produce trends toward shorter snow seasons in the eastern half of the United States and in the west and longer snow seasons in the Great Plains and southern Rockies. The annual total number of days with snow cover exhibited a widespread decline. Monthly trend patterns show the dominant influence of temperature trends on occurrence of snow cover in the warmer snow-season months and a c...
Hydrokinetic energy harvesting using tethered undersea kites

In this work an emerging hydrokinetic energy technology, Tethered UnderSea Kites (TUSK), is studied. One TUSK concept uses an axial-flow turbine mounted on a rigid underwater kite to extract power from an ocean current or tidal flow. A second concept removes the turbine from the kite, and instead generates power by transmitting hydrodynamic forces on the kite through the flexible underwater tether to a generator on a floating buoy. TUSK systems have potential advantages, mainly the TUSK systems should be able to extract more power from an ocean current or tidal flow than a same-sized fixed marine turbine. This is possible because TUSK kites can move in cross-current motions at velocities significantly higher than the current velocity to increase power output compared to same sized marine turbines. Maximum theoretical power output is estimated for TUSK systems, and detailed comparisons of key performance parameters between TUSK and conventional marine turbines are made. Initial design considerations for TUSK system components are discussed including the underwater kite, buoyancy systems, the floating buoy and mooring system, underwater kite tether, the mounted turbine, and required control systems. Governing equations of motion to study the dynamics of the kite and tether in a TUSK system are developed, and a baseline simulation is studied to estimate kite trajectories, kite pitch, roll and yaw dynamics, power output, kite aerodynamic forces, and tether tensions. The issue of cavitation in TUSK systems at turbine blade tips and on the kite airfoil is studied. Standard cavitation theory is applied to TUSK systems to identify critical cavitation curves as a function of kite operation depth, kite lift-to-drag ratio, and turbine airfoil minimum pressure coefficient.
Organochlorine and mercury residues in Swainson's and ferruginous hawk eggs collected in North and South Dakota, 1974-79.

Residues of organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and mercury were measured in eggs of Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsoni) and ferruginous hawks (B. regalis) collected in North and South Dakota during 1974–79. DDE was the most common compound detected in the eggs, but residues were below levels known to have adverse effects on reproduction. Other organochlorine compounds and mercury were found at low levels. Eggs of ferruginous hawks tended to contain more compounds with higher residues than eggs of Swainson's hawks.
Cardiopulmonary bypass venous cannulation challenges in a paediatric patient with complex congenital heart disease: a case report

When choosing cannulae for cardiac surgery the two most important factors to be considered are the proposed procedure and the patient anatomy. These factors are especially crucial in paediatric patients with congenital heart disease. A 3-year-old, 14-kg male presented to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with dextro-transposition of the great arteries, atrioventricular canal, left pulmonary stenosis, azygous continuation, bilateral superior vena cavae, partial anomalous pulmonary venous return, left aortic arch and status post-right Blalock-Taussig shunt. The complex anatomy presented a surgical dilemma. The course of surgical intervention was determined, a variation of the modified Fontan procedure, and the anatomy of the patient was directly viewed. The surgeon concluded that four venous cannulae were required to provide adequate venous return for the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit and a bloodless surgical field. The operation was successfully performed under mild hypothermia with no co...
Localization of NADPH-diaphorase in pelvic afferent and efferent pathways of the rat

The NADPH diaphorase histochemical reaction was used in combination with retrograde axonal transport of Fluorogold (FG) from the major pelvic ganglion (MPG) to determine if NADPH diaphorase is contained within afferent and preganglionic efferent pathways to pelvic visceral organs. In L6 and S1 dorsal root ganglia, 68.5% and 62.2%, respectively, of FG-labeled afferent neurons were NADPH-diaphorase positive. In the sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN) of the L6 and S1 spinal cord segments, 49.4% and 51.7%, respectively of FG labeled preganglionic efferent neurons were NADPH-diaphorase positive. NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons were also observed in laminae I and II of the dorsal horn, around the central canal and in the dorsal commissure. In addition, fiber-like NADPH diaphorase staining was present in superficial dorsal horn, Lissauer's tract and the lateral edge of the dorsal horn extending into the region of the SPN. If NADPH diaphorase activity in neurons does indicate a physiological function of nitric oxide, then nitric oxide may have a role as a neuromodulator or neurotransmitter within visceral afferent and preganglionic efferent pathways to the pelvic viscera in the rat.
Stomatal development: new signals and fate determinants

Stomata and pavement cells are produced by a series of asymmetric divisions and progressive fate transitions within a stem cell lineage. In Arabidopsis, this process is regulated so that new lineages can be inserted between previously differentiated cells while maintaining stomatal spacing. The small peptide EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR 1 may be a positional signal secreted by stomatal precursors to modulate behavior of nearby cells. Signal-receiving cells may use TOO MANY MOUTHS and ERECTA family receptors and a MAPK pathway to regulate initiation of new lineages, promote asymmetric division, and control the plane of spacing divisions. Cell fate transitions are controlled by basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor (bHLH), MYB, and MADS-box transcription factors, and there is evidence of miRNA regulation. These results provide insight into positive and negative influences on stomatal cell transitions and suggest points of potential environmental regulation.
Calcium/calmodulin-modulated chloride and taurine conductances in cultured rat astrocytes.

Abstract Osmotically swollen rat cerebral astrocytes develop an increased anion conductance which can mediate chloride and taurine release. We used whole cell patch clamp to study mechanisms that modulate this conductance. Astrocyte chloride conductance increased within 4 min of exposure to 200 mOsm medium and was 670±123% of its initial value after 15 min (mean±S.E.M.). This conductance was substantially reduced in 0.1 mM extracellular calcium with 20 mM BAPTA added to the electrode solution and was completely inhibited with calcium-free perfusion solution containing 1 mM EDTA ( n =4). The conductance increase in 200 mOsm medium also was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by nimodipine with a calculated K i of 0.31±0.4 μM and mean±S.E.M. inhibition of 84.4±4% at 100 μM nimodipine. In the presence of 100 μM W-7, a calmodulin antagonist, the mean±S.E.M. conductance increase after 15 min was 223±40% of the initial value while 300 μM W-7 or 100 μM trifluoperazine inhibited the conductance increase completely ( n =6). With taurine as the major anion in electrode and perfusion solutions, a significant conductance increase was observed in 200 mOsm medium. This conductance increase was inhibited by 300 μM W-7 or 100 μM nimodipine. We conclude extracellular calcium influx via L-type calcium channels leads to increased astrocyte anion conductance in 200 mOsm conditions via calmodulin-dependent activation of anion channels. Efflux of anionic taurine from swollen astrocytes also may be affected by calcium influx through a similar calcium/calmodulin-dependent process.
PS1-10: How Can the Same Practice Be Classified as Having 2 and 900 MDs? NAMCS Data Collection in a Changing Ambulatory Care Environment

Background/Aims Since 1973, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), administered by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has been widely used in studies of ambulatory care. With the growth in large multispecialty practices – including many members of the HMORN – there is a need to understand how NAMCS data are collected and whether current processes yield accurate and reliable data. NAMCS collects data from physicians about their practices and abstracts a sample of patient visit records. This study reports on the physician component.
Improved in vitro quantification of the force exerted by the papillary muscle on the left ventricular wall: Three-dimensional force vector measurement system

Recent developments indicate that the forces acting on the papillary muscles can be a measure of the severity of mitral valve regurgitation. Pathological conditions, such as ischemic heart disease, cause changes in the geometry of the left ventricle and the mitral valve annulus, often resulting in displacement of the papillary muscles relative to the annulus. This can lead to increased tension in the chordae tendineae. This increased tension is transferred to the leaflets, and can disturb the coaptation pattern of the mitral valve. The force balance on the individual components governs the function of the mitral valve. The ability to measure changes in the force distribution from normal to pathological conditions may give insight into the mechanisms of mitral valve insufficiency. A unique in vitro model has been developed that allows quantification of the papillary muscle spatial position and quantification of the three-dimensional force vector applied to the left ventricular wall by the papillary muscles. This system allows for the quantification of the global force exerted on the posterior left ventricular wall from the papillary muscles during simulation of normal and diseased conditions. © 2001 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC01: 8719Rr, 8719Ff, 8719Hh, 8719Xx, 8710+e
Effect of obtrusive measures on antibiotic compliance.

The influence of compliance measurement activities on patient behavior was studied. The project measured the relationship among physical capsule counts, patient interviews, and the amounts of excreted ampicillin. The capsule counts and patient interviews were conducted in a manner that disguised their intent. Sixty college-age patients were assigned to one of three experimental groups: a telephone interview, a personal interview and capsule count, or a control group. Stimulation (interviews) occurred on the 2nd day of the prescribed regimen, and urine was collected on random days thereafter. Results indicated that both stimulation types were associated with more positive compliance rates. The influence diminished rapidly. The reactive influence of experimenter intervention associated with personal and phone communication was demonstrated.
An Efficient Synthesis of the Fully Elaborated Isoindolinone Unit of Muironolide A

An efficient stereocontrolled construction of the fully substituted isoindolone subunit of muironolide A is described. The approach is centered on the intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction between the enol form of the β-keto amide and an α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated ester, followed by the installation of the cyclohexene double bond.
Magnetron plasma deposition processes

Abstract Magnetron sputtering devices are used primarily for blanket metal film deposition. An extended series of measurements on these devices has been undertaken to help document basic operating parameters, as well as to determine the various interactions between the plasma, the sputtered atoms and the film deposition process. Plasma probe measurements suggest that the plasma has conventional, positive space charge limited sheaths and that the electron conduction mechanism is Bohm diffusion. Significant gas density rarefaction, due to heating by the sputtered atoms, has been measured and modeled. The gas rarefaction mechanism has been determined to affect the current-voltage relation of the device. Optical emission spectroscopy has been used to characterize the particle fluxes-discharge current relationship.
Theory of the Linewidth of Intersubband Plasmons in Quantum Wells

Intersubband (ISB) plasmons in remotely doped wide quantum wells acquire a linewidth even at zero temperature and in-plane wave vector q(parallel) = 0 by a combination of intrinsic (electron-electron interaction) and extrinsic effects (impurities and interface roughness). We present a quantitatively accurate theory of the linewidth that treats both effects on equal footing and from first principles by a combination of time-dependent density-functional theory with the memory function formalism. Comparison with recent optical absorption experiments shows that the ISB plasmon linewidth has a significant contribution from electron-electron interaction, and is only weakly related to the mobility.
Clostridium difficile colitis: a retrospective study of incidence and severity before and after institution of an alcohol-based hand rub policy.

Background Clostridium difficile ‒associated diarrhea is a leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. We sought to determine whether the institution of a hospital-wide alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) policy was associated with an increase in the incidence and/or severity of health care facility‒onset, health care facility‒associated C difficile diarrhea (CDAD). Methods We used a retrospective chart review analysis to compare incidence rates of CDAD before and after implementation of the ABHR policy. We also compared rates of sepsis, colectomy, and death in patients with CDAD before and after implementation of the ABHR policy. Results The incidence rate of CDAD was 3.98 per 10,000 patient-days after implementation of the ABHR policy, compared with 4.96 per 10,000 patient-days before implementation ( P = .0036). The crude mortality rate in patients diagnosed with CDAD was 10.7% after implementation, compared with 13.3% before implementation ( P = .275). The rate of sepsis in patients diagnosed with CDAD was 19.6% after implementation, compared with 5.2% before implementation ( P Conclusion Our data provide no evidence of an increased CDAD rate after implementation of an ABHR policy at our institution. The rate of sepsis in patients diagnosed with CDAD did rise, indicating increased severity of illness in patients with C difficile infection.
Effect of Sasobit and Aspha-Min on Wettability and Adhesion Between Asphalt Binders and Aggregates

The influence of natural wax in asphalt binders and hot-mix asphalt has been studied for decades, with consideration of both negative and positive effects. Recent advances in warm-mix asphalt (WMA) have spurred interest in the use of commercial waxes such as Sasobit and Asphaltan B as additives in asphalt binders to achieve certain positive effects. Despite a number of previous studies, the effect of Sasobit on wettability and adhesion between asphalt binders and aggregates is not fully understood. Likewise, the effect of water vapor released from Aspha-Min, another WMA additive, at production temperatures is not adequately understood, although such water may negatively influence the behavior of WMA. In the present study, the effect of Sasobit and Aspha-Min on wettability and adhesion was investigated using the surface free energy (SFE) method. Dynamic advancing-wetting contact angles were measured for wettability (coating) and dewetting-receding contact angles were measured to evaluate adhesion. It was o...
Therapeutic opportunities for targeting the ubiquitous cell surface receptor CD47.

Introduction: CD47 is a ubiquitously expressed cell surface receptor that serves as a counter-receptor for SIRPα in recognition of self by the innate immune system. Independently, CD47 also functions as an important signaling receptor for regulating cell responses to stress. Areas covered: We review the expression, molecular interactions, and pathophysiological functions of CD47 in the cardiovascular and immune systems. CD47 was first identified as a potential tumor marker, and we examine recent evidence that its dysregulation contributes to cancer progression and evasion of anti-tumor immunity. We further discuss therapeutic strategies for enhancing or inhibiting CD47 signaling and applications of such agents in preclinical models of ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion injuries, organ transplantation, pulmonary hypertension, radioprotection, and cancer. Expert opinion: Ongoing studies are revealing a central role of CD47 for conveying signals from the extracellular microenvironment that limit cell and tiss...
Adsorption of benzene and toluene on mercury

The electrochemical adsorption of benzene and toluene on a mercury electrode was investigated from different aqueous background electrolyte solutions. The experimental techniques employed were capillary electrometer and impedance bridge. The interfacial tension data obtained from perchloric acid solutions were employed for fitting to the Frumkin equations and parameters of adsorption were obtained. The anomalous behavior of capacity at anodic polarization appears to be associated with specific interaction between anion adsorption and organic solute adsorption; anodic capacity peaks are absent in the presence of perchlorate and iodide ions but not in the presence of sulfate and chloride ions.
Feasibility Study of a Wind-Powered Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric System

To provide a realistic basis of determining the viability of a wind-powered pumped-storage hydroelectric system at a potential site, an evaluation technique has been developed to determine the ideal combination of models and quantities of various wind energy conversion systems under consideration. Basically, this approach uses a synthesized wind speed time series to simulate the operation of a wind-powered pumped-storage hydroelectric system at a potential wind farm. An application of this approach is presented.
Wilms’ tumor with renal cell carcinoma overgrowth in a 3-year-old child

Wilms' tumors that contain features of both renal cell carcinoma and classic Wilms' tumor histology are rare. Even though nine such cases have been previously reported in the literature, we report the first case of a Wilms' tumor with an overwhelmingly renal cell carcinoma histologic pattern.
Adjuvant therapies for very young women with early stage breast cancer.

Summary Approximately 16,000-19,000 women aged ≤45 are diagnosed annually with breast cancer in the United States and thousands more are diagnosed worldwide. Compared to older women, young women are more likely to have cancers with aggressive tumor biology and present with higher stage disease, both of which likely lead to their worse outcomes. We review the available evidence for adjuvant systemic therapy as well as treatment considerations for younger women with breast cancer. Although we have begun to appreciate the issues that younger women with breast cancer face, we need a better understanding of how we can optimally prevent disease recurrence while carefully considering their unique physical and emotional needs with regard to diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
The sheer opacity of contemporary enclosure

Abstract Skins & Screens, the graduate-level elective studio offered at the University of Pennsylvania, posits the building surface as a dynamic condition, simultaneously real and illusory, opaque and evanescent. Termed sheer opacity, this quality of enclosure provides an investigative focus for the consideration of surface as a dynamic perceptual field, a site for the mediation of physical and perceptual phenomena. Close analysis of selected work of the West Coast art movement Light and Space and that of contemporary installation artists inspired projects that used sheer opacity to examine the possibility of transforming space through the design of the building surface. Projects were developed through a series of “layers” in which students made installations, material constructs, digital simulations, and large-scale detail studies of their proposals.
Decoding and encoding facial expressions in preschool-age children

Preschool-age children drew, decoded, and encoded facial expressions depicting five different emotions. Each child was rated by two teachers on measures of school adjustment. Facial expressions encoded by the children were decoded by college undergraduates and the children's parents. Results were as follows: (1) accuracy of drawing, decoding and encoding each of the five emotions was consistent across the three tasks; (2) decoding ability was correlated with drawing ability among female subjects, but neither of these abilities was correlated with encoding ability; (3) decoding ability increased with age, while encoding ability increased with age among females and slightly decreased among males; (4) parents decoded facial expressions of their own children better than facial expressions of other children, and female parents were better decoders than male parents; (5) children's adjustment to school was related to their encoding and decoding skills and to their mothers' decoding skills; (6) children with better decoding skills were rated as being better adjusted by their parents.
Stabilization of Cartwheel-less Centrioles for Duplication Requires CEP295-Mediated Centriole-to-Centrosome Conversion

Vertebrate centrioles lose their geometric scaffold, the cartwheel, during mitosis, concurrently with gaining the ability to recruit the pericentriolar material (PCM) and thereby function as the centrosome. Cartwheel removal has recently been implicated in centriole duplication, but whether "cartwheel-less" centrioles are intrinsically stable or must be maintained through other modifications remains unclear. Here, we identify a newborn centriole-enriched protein, KIAA1731/CEP295, specifically mediating centriole-to-centrosome conversion but dispensable for cartwheel removal. In the absence of CEP295, centrioles form in the S/G2 phase and lose their associated cartwheel in mitosis but cannot be converted to centrosomes, uncoupling the two events. Strikingly, centrioles devoid of both the PCM and the cartwheel progressively lose centriolar components, whereas centrioles associating with either the cartwheel or PCM alone can exist stably. Thus, cartwheel removal can have grave repercussions to centriole stability, and centriole-to-centrosome conversion mediated by CEP295 must occur in parallel to maintain cartwheel-less centrioles for duplication.
Tall FIN formation for FINFET devices of 20nm and beyond using multi-cycles of passivation and etch processes

In the past a few years, there has been a trend that non-planar field effect transistors (FETs) replace planar counterparts in semiconductor industry. One of critical and challenging processes to fabricate this non-planar device in bulk Si wafers is forming the array of tall Si fins with tight pitch that is used for gate channel as well as source and drain. Fin formation process typically involves deep Si etch using hard mask formed by double patterning technique (DPT). Traditional Si etch tends to results in intra-cell depth loading due to pitch walking and necking profile at the top portion of fins due to deep Si etch at small space. In addition, tall fins tend to stick to each other after post etch wet clean due to surface tension and hydrophilic fin sidewall. In this publication, 200nm tall fins with straight profile at the significant top portion of fins are demonstrated by using multi cycles of passivation and etch process. Physical and chemical parameters of each cycle were tuned respectively to generate straight top profile for gate channel control and smooth bottom profile to make it friendly for the following oxide gap fill process. Intra-cell and iso-dense depth loading is less than 3% of total depth. In addition, fin sticking is no longer observed after this multi cycle process. The exact mechanism is still under investigation but it is postulated that the fin sidewall surface condition has changed to be less hydrophilic due to multi cycle passivation.
Operons as a common form of chromosomal organization in C. elegans

ALTHOUGH eukaryotic genes are usually transcribed individually, at least a few Caenorhabditis elegans genes appear to be transcribed polycistronically in clusters resembling bacterial operons1. The spliced leader SL2 (ref. 2) is specific for trans-splicing to downstream genes in these operons1. In addition, many C. elegans pre-mRNAs are trans-spliced to SL1 (ref. 3) near the 5′ ends of pre-mRNAs4,5. Because operons have not previously been found in higher eukaryotes, we have investigated how wide-spread they are in the C. elegans genome. We identified gene clusters using the extensive data generated by the genome project6,7 and tested seven for trans-splicing specificity. All were found to fit expectations for polycistronic transcription. In addition, we sur-veyed reported C. elegans genes for trans-splicing specificity. Both methods indicate that the pre-mRNAs of about 70% of C. elegans genes are trans-spliced and as many as a quarter are transcribed in operons.
Effects of Hurricane Ike on the Louisiana–Texas coast from satellite and model data

The river-influenced Mississippi–Louisiana–Texas (MsLaTex) coast in the northern Gulf of Mexico was in 2008 impacted by Hurricane Ike that made landfall along the Texas coast on 13 September 2008, causing widespread damage due to storm surge and coastal inundation. We examine the effects of the hurricane on the MsLaTex coast using remote sensing, model simulation and field observations. Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer sea surface temperature imagery indicated an approximately 2–4°C decrease in temperature to the right of the hurricane track. The high-resolution (∼2 km) three-dimensional Navy Coastal Ocean Model simulation and tide data suggested the generation of a coastally trapped ‘barotropic Kelvin’ wave during the passage of Ike, which may have contributed to an earlier than expected surge in sea level. A distinct elevated band of suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration extending from Louisiana to Texas (∼90.5–94.5°W) coast was observed offshore in sea-viewing wide field-of-view...
The waste reduction (WAR) algorithm: environmental impacts, energy consumption, and engineering economics

A general theory known as the waste reduction (WAR) algorithm has been developed to describe the flow and the generation of potential environmental impact through a chemical process. The theory defines indexes that characterize the generation and the output of potential environmental impact from a process. The existing theory has been extended to include the potential environmental impact of the energy consumed in a chemical process. Energy will have both an environmental impact as well as an economic impact on process design and analysis. Including energy into the analysis of environmental impact is done by re-writing the system boundaries to include the power plant which supplies the energy being consumed by the process and incorporating the environmental effects of the power plant into the analysis. The effect of this addition on the original potential impact indexes will be discussed. An extensive engineering economic evaluation has been included in the process analysis which inherently contains the cost of the consumed energy as an operating cost. A case study is presented which includes a base process design and two modifications to the base design. Each design is analyzed from an economic perspective and an environmental impact perspective. The environmental impact analysis is partitioned into the impacts of the non-product streams and the impacts of the energy generation/consumption process. The comparisons of these analysis procedures illustrate the consequences for decision making in the design of environmentally friendly processes.
Shadows of Mashantucket: William Apess and the Representation of Pequot Place

Rifkin's essay argues that previous considerations of Apess's work, particularly A Son of the Forest, have mentioned the existence of the Mashantucket reservation and Apess's relation to it but have not addressed its role as a framing feature of his writing. Through a reading of A Son of the Forest, the essay illustrates how Mashantucket provides a shadow referent for much of the plot of the narrative, and in this way, the essay demonstrates how Apess develops strategies for signifying Native sovereignty in the absence of treaty-like relations that could signal the presence of "political" matters and of Native geopolitical claims.
Fuzzy allocation of manufacturing resources

Fuzzy logic is investigated as a resource allocation tool in a manufacturing environment. Comparison is drawn between random, largest queue, and fuzzy allocation techniques using a discrete event simulation model as a test platform. Results indicate a fuzzy controller to be a feasible alternative.
The Monocyte to Macrophage Transition in the Murine Sterile Wound

The origin of wound repair macrophages is incompletely defined and was examined here in sterile wounds using the subcutaneous polyvinyl alcohol sponge implantation model in mice. Phenotypic analysis identified F4/80+Ly6ChiCD64+MerTK– monocytes and F4/80+Ly6ClowCD64+MerTK+ macrophages in the wound. Circulating monocytes were the precursors of inflammatory Ly6Chi wound monocytes. Ly6ClowMerTK+ macrophages appeared later, expressed CD206, CD11c, and MHC class II, produced cytokines consistent with repair function, and lacked a gene expression profile compatible with mesenchymal transition or fibroblastic transdifferentiation. Data also demonstrated that Ly6Chi wound cells were precursors of Ly6Clow macrophages, although monocytes did not undergo rapid maturation but rather persisted in the wound as Ly6ChiMerTK– cells. MerTK-deficient mice were examined to determine whether MerTK-dependent signals from apoptotic cells regulated the maturation of wound macrophages. MerTK-deficient mice had day 14 cell compositions that resembled more immature wounds, with a smaller proportion of F4/80+ cells and higher frequencies of Ly6G+ neutrophils and Ly6Chi monocytes. The cytokine profile and number of apoptotic cells in day 14 wounds of MerTK-deficient mice was unaffected despite the alterations in cell composition. Overall, these studies identified a differentiation pathway in response to sterile inflammation in which monocytes recruited from the circulation acquire proinflammatory function, persist in the wound, and mature into repair macrophages.
Characterizing the self-sensing performance of carbon nanotube-enhanced fiber-reinforced polymers

The increased usage of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) in recent decades has created a need to monitor the unique response of these materials to impact and fatigue damage. As most traditional nondestructive evaluation methods are illsuited to detecting damage in FRPs, new methods must be created without compromising the high strength-to-weight aspects of FRPs. This paper describes the characterization of carbon nanotube-polyelectrolyte thin films applied to glass fiber substrates as a means for in situ strain sensing in glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP). The layer-by-layer deposition process employed is capable of depositing individual and small bundles of carbon nanotubes within a polyelectrolyte matrix and directly onto glass fiber matrices. Upon film fabrication, the nanocomposite-coated GFRP specimens are mounted in a load frame for characterizing their electromechanical performance. This preliminary results obtained from this study has shown that these thin films exhibit bilinear piezoresistivity. Time- and frequency-domain techniques are utilized to characterize the nanocomposite strain sensing response. An equivalent circuit is also derived from electrical impedance spectroscopic analysis of thin film specimens.
Evaluation and Perceived Recall of Personality Theories by Undergraduate Students

Undergraduates from sections of a course on personality evaluated theories using positive and negative categories and indicated how well they recalled each theory. Analysis supported the hypothesis that there is significant agreement among students with respect to which theories are evaluated positively and negatively. However, only partial support was found for the hypothesis that positively evaluated theories are associated with high perceived recall, and no support was found for the hypothesis that negatively evaluated theories are related to low perceived recall.
Crystal structure of shikimate kinase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals the dynamic role of the LID domain in catalysis.

Shikimate kinase (SK) and other enzymes in the shikimate pathway are potential targets for developing non-toxic antimicrobial agents, herbicides, and anti-parasite drugs, because the pathway is essential in the above species but is absent from mammals. The crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis SK (MtSK) in complex with MgADP has been determined at 1.8 A resolution, revealing critical information for the structure-based design of novel anti-M. tuberculosis agents. MtSK, with a five-stranded parallel beta-sheet flanked by eight alpha-helices, has three domains: the CORE domain, the shikimate-binding domain (SB), and the LID domain. The ADP molecule is bound with its adenine moiety sandwiched between the side-chains of Arg110 and Pro155, its beta-phosphate group in the P-loop, and the alpha and beta-phosphate groups hydrogen bonded to the guanidinium group of Arg117. Arg117 is located in the LID domain, is strictly conserved in SK sequences, is observed for the first time to interact with any bound nucleotide, and appears to be important in both substrate binding and catalysis. The crystal structure of MtSK (this work) and that of Erwinia chrysanthemi SK suggest a concerted conformational change of the LID and SB domains upon nucleotide binding.
Inhibition of the Neutral Magnesium-dependent Sphingomyelinase by Glutathione *

Sphingomyelin hydrolysis through the activation of sphingomyelinases has become a potentially important signaling pathway with the product ceramide implicated in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses. However, little is known about the regulation of sphingomyelinases. In this study, we show that the magnesium-dependent, neutral pH-optimum and membrane-associated sphingomyelinase (N-SMase) is inhibited, in a dose-dependent manner, by glutathione (GSH) at physiological concentrations with a greater than 95% inhibition observed at 5 mM GSH. The inhibitory effect of GSH was reproduced by gamma-glutamyl-cysteine, but not the cysteinyl-glycine fragment of GSH. The S-modified GSH analogs were as effective as GSH in inhibiting the N-SMase. On the other hand, neither dithiothreitol nor beta-mercaptoethanol had any effect on the N-SMase, suggesting that the sulfhydryl in GSH is not required for inhibition of N-SMase. GSH had no effect on the acid pH-optimum SMase, whereas dithiothreitol inhibited the acid SMase. These results suggest that in cells the N-SMase is inactive in the presence of physiological concentrations of GSH (1-20 mM). Finally, treatment of cultured Molt-4 cells with the GSH synthesis inhibitor, L-buthionine-(SR)-sulfoximine, resulted in a time-dependent depletion of GSH, accompanied by an increased hydrolysis of sphingomyelin and production of ceramide. Since GSH depletion is observed in a variety of cells in the process of cellular injury and apoptosis, these studies suggest that depletion of GSH may be an important mechanism in activation of N-SMase. This mechanism may therefore bring together the fields of oxidative stress and signaling through products of sphingomyelin hydrolysis.
Evaluation of lymphocyte subpopulations in draining lymph node cells following allergen and irritant.

Abstract The murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) has been developed as an alternative to guinea pig models for the assessment of the contact sensitization potential. However, there is a need to develop a non-radioisotopic endpoint for the LLNA, because of the radioisotopic method’s requiring the use of special facilities. In this study, we investigated to evaluate the lymphocyte subpopulations in the lymph node cells following allergen and irritant treatment. Female Balb/c mice were treated by the topical application on the dorsum of both ears with sensitizers, 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and α-hexylcinnamaldehyde (HCA), and an irritant, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), once daily for three consecutive days. The lymph node (LN) cells were harvested 72 h after the final treatment. Phenotypic analysis of lymphocytes subsets was performed with a flow cytometry. The allergens DNCB, TDI, and HCA and an irritant, SLS increased cell number compared to the vehicle. Mice were treated with DNCB, HCA, and TDI showed a preferential increase in the percentage of B220+CD40+ cells compared with vehicle and irritant-treated mice. There was an increase in B220+CD86+ cells of mice treated with DNCB, TDI, and HCA, but no significant increases were observed in mice treated with SLS. Mice were treated with DNCB and TDI showed an increase in the percentage of B220+CD23+ cells compared with vehicle and irritant-treated mice. These results suggest that analysis of B cell activation marker, CD40 on B cells may be useful in differentiating allergen and irritant responses in the draining lymph nodes of chemically treated mice.
MALDI-TOF/TOF CID study of 4-alkyl-substituted polystyrene fragmentation reactions

MALDI-TOF/TOF CID experiments were conducted on a variety of hydrogen-terminated poly(4-methylstyrene), hydroxylated poly(t-butylstyrene), and polystyrene precursor ions: n = 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30, where the number of repeat units n corresponds to the oligomer mass number. The influences of structure, molecular weight, and effective collision kinetic energy on degradation mechanisms were examined to test the generality of our multi-chain fragmentation model developed for polystyrene. Each depolymerization mechanism is presented in detail with experimental and computational data to justify/rationalize its occurrence and effective kinetic energy dependence. These processes show the complex interrelationship between the various pathways along with preferred production of secondary radicals, which suppresses the appearance of primary radicals. Additionally, Py-GC/MS experimental data are presented, for comparison of the multimolecular free radical reactions in pyrolysis with the unimolecular fragmentation reactions of MS/MS.
Holocene fire occurrence and alluvial responses at the leading edge of pinyon–juniper migration in the Northern Great Basin, USA

Abstract Fire and vegetation records at the City of Rocks National Reserve (CIRO), south-central Idaho, display the interaction of changing climate, fire and vegetation along the migrating front of single-leaf pinyon ( Pinus monophylla ) and Utah juniper ( Juniperus osteosperma ). Radiocarbon dating of alluvial charcoal reconstructed local fire occurrence and geomorphic response, and fossil woodrat ( Neotoma ) middens revealed pinyon and juniper arrivals. Fire peaks occurred ~ 10,700–9500, 7200–6700, 2400–2000, 850–700, and 550–400 cal yr BP, whereas ~ 9500–7200, 6700–4700 and ~ 1500–1000 cal yr BP are fire-free. Wetter climates and denser vegetation fueled episodic fires and debris flows during the early and late Holocene, whereas drier climates and reduced vegetation caused frequent sheetflooding during the mid-Holocene. Increased fires during the wetter and more variable late Holocene suggest variable climate and adequate fuels augment fires at CIRO. Utah juniper and single-leaf pinyon colonized CIRO by 3800 and 2800 cal yr BP, respectively, though pinyon did not expand broadly until ~ 700 cal yr BP. Increased fire-related deposition coincided with regional droughts and pinyon infilling ~ 850–700 and 550–400 cal yr BP. Early and late Holocene vegetation change probably played a major role in accelerated fire activity, which may be sustained into the future due to pinyon–juniper densification and cheatgrass invasion.
Multimedia at Work: Games in the Classroom at the Rochester Institute of Technology: A Case Study

This article explores curricular approaches designed to motivate students in computing through the use of games as an application domain. The authors examine three approaches: a games-centric introductory programming sequence, the incorporation of game-based projects into core courses, and the creation of virtual environments that mimic multiplayer online games.
A comparison of particle-in-cell and fokker-planck methods as applied to the modeling of auxiliary-heated mirror plasmas

The transport and confinement of charged particles in an auxiliaryheated mirror plasma is modeled via two diverse computational tools: an implicit particle-in-cell (PIC) code and a bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck (F-P) code. The results from the PIC simulation are benchmarked against those obtained via use of F-P techniques, which has been the preferred means of analyzing plasma confinement and transport in mirror devices. The computer time required by each code to solve a specific test problem is presented, along with an itemization of the cost of the major processes involved in each method of solution. A qualitative discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each code is also included.
Recent developments in radiationless transitions

Abstract Recent work on radiationless processes in large and small molecules is reviewed in an informal manner. The first part analyses the conditions under which an “isolated” molecule can undergo an irreversible radiationless transition. The second part deals with the detailed mechanism of these transitions and the magnitude of their rate constants.
The relationship between homework compliance and treatment outcomes among older adult outpatients with mild-to-moderate depression.

OBJECTIVE The authors extend previous research on homework in psychotherapy by examining the relationship between homework compliance and therapeutic outcome among depressed older adult outpatients (N = 63), addressing previous limitations by using session-by-session therapist ratings of homework compliance and including both interviewer ratings and patient self-reports of outcomes. METHODS Patients were participants in a randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of desipramine versus cognitive/behavioral therapy-alone (C/B-Alone) versus a combination of the two (Combined). Given the current study's focus on homework compliance, only patients assigned to conditions with assigned homework in the clinical trial (i.e., C/B-Alone and Combined conditions) were included. RESULTS Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that homework compliance contributed significantly to posttreatment outcome as measured by both interviewer-administered and patient self-report measures of depression. A separate series of ANOVAs also found significant differences in pre–posttreatment change between patients scoring above and below the median of reported homework compliance. Findings were similar for patients in the C/B-Alone and Combined conditions. CONCLUSION The study's results call for additional research on issues related to homework compliance with older adult patients.
Cellular and molecular events in the action of antidiuretic hormone

The urinary concentrating mechanism and the action of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) were subjects of great controversy in the 1950's. Since then, steady progress has been made in our understanding of the cellular action of ADH. We have a good picture of the cyclic process by which vesicles carrying water channels move from cytoplasm to apical membrane, deposit water channels, and are then recovered by endocyosis. There is progress towards a complete description of the structure of the channels themselves. As well, in secretory cells such as the nerve terminal and the chromaffin cell, there are principles of cytoskeletal control and vesicle docking that appear to apply to the nephron.
Can the NPT Survive? The Theory and Practice of US Nuclear Non-proliferation Policy after September 11

This article examines the prospects for survival of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in the post-9/11 world, arguing that American non-proliferation policy and the future of the NPT are inextricably linked. It discusses the shift from the Clinton administration's nuclear arms control and disarmament agenda of the mid-1990s to the Bush administration's preference for informal arms control regimes and the new policy of non-proliferation exceptionalism that distinguishes between good proliferators (India, Pakistan) and bad proliferators (North Korea, Iran). The Bush administration's penchant for unilateral foreign security policies and its double standards in implementing export restrictions on sensitive technologies while disavowing American nuclear disarmament obligations undermine the NPT bargain and endanger the treaty. The Bush administration's security-oriented strategy and acceptance of selective proliferation for balance of power purposes may lead to the emergence of a silent crowd armed with nuc...
WIYN Open Cluster Study. I. Deep Photometry of NGC 188

We have employed precise and carefully calibrated V- and I-band photometry of NGC 188 at WIYN Observatory to explore the cluster luminosity function (LF) and study the cluster white dwarfs. Our photometry is offset by V = 0.052 (fainter) from that of Sandage and Eggen & Sandage. All published photometry for the past three decades has been based on these two calibrations, which are in error by 0.05 ± 0.01. We employ the Pinsonneault et al. fiducial open cluster main sequence to derive a distance modulus of 11.43 ± 0.08 and E(B-V) = 0.09, with the largest single source of error caused by uncertainty in the cluster metallicity. We report observations that are ≥50% complete along the main sequence to V = 24.6. We find that the NGC 188 central-field LF peaks at MI ≈ 3 to 4. This is unlike the solar neighborhood LF and unlike the LFs of dynamically unevolved portions of open and globular clusters, all of which typically rise continuously until MI ≈ 9.5. Although we find that ≥50% of the unresolved objects in this cluster are multiple systems with mass ratios ≥0.3, their presence cannot account for the shape of the NGC 188 LF. For theoretical reasons having to do with the long-term survivability of NGC 188, we believe the cluster is highly dynamically evolved and that the low-luminosity stars missing from the central cluster LF are either in the cluster outskirts or have left the cluster altogether. We identify nine candidate white dwarfs (WDs) in NGC 188, of which we expect at least three, and perhaps six, are bona fide cluster WDs. The luminosities of the faintest likely WD indicate an age of 1.14 ± 0.09 Gyr, where the error in age includes the cluster distance uncertainty and we assume the WD has a hydrogen atmosphere. This age is a lower limit to the cluster age, and observations probing to V = 27 or 28 will be necessary to find the faintest cluster WDs and independently determine the cluster age. While our lower age limit is not surprising for this ≈6 Gyr–old cluster, our result demonstrates the value of the WD age technique with its very low internal errors.