Sensor data to measure Hawthorne effects in cookstove evaluation.

This data in brief article includes estimated time cooking based on temperature sensor data taken every 30 min from three stone fires and introduced fuel-efficient Envirofit stoves in approximately 168 households in rural Uganda. These households were part of an impact evaluation study spanning about six months to understand the effects of fuel-efficient cookstoves on fuel use and pollution. Daily particulate matter (pollution) and fuelwood use data are also included. This data in brief file only includes the weeks prior to, during, and after an in-person measurement team visited each home. The data is used to analyze whether households change cooking patterns when in-person measurement teams are present versus when only the temperature sensor is in the home

Reduced dimensionality spin-orbit dynamics of CH3 + HCl reversible arrow CH4 Cl on ab initio surfaces

A reduced dimensionality quantum scattering method is extended to the study of spin-orbit nonadiabatic transitions in the CH3 + HCl reversible arrow CH4 + Cl(P-2(J)) reaction. Three two-dimensional potential energy surfaces are developed by fitting a 29 parameter double-Morse function to CCSD(T)/IB//MP2/cc-pV(T+d)Z-dk ab initio data; interaction between surfaces is described by geometry-dependent spin-orbit coupling functions fit to MCSCF/cc-pV(T+d)Z-dk ab initio data. Spectator modes are treated adiabatically via inclusion of curvilinear projected frequencies. The total scattering wave function is expanded in a vibronic basis set and close-coupled equations are solved via R-matrix propagation. Ground state thermal rate constants for forward and reverse reactions agree well with experiment. Multi-surface reaction probabilities, integral cross sections, and initial-state selected branching ratios all highlight the importance of vibrational energy in mediating nonadiabatic transition. Electronically excited state dynamics are seen to play a small but significant role as consistent with experimental conclusions. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3592732

Resolving Gas Dynamics in the Circumnuclear Region of a Disk Galaxy in a Cosmological Simulation

Using a hydrodynamic adaptive mesh refinement code, we simulate the growth and evolution of a galaxy, which could potentially host a supermassive black hole, within a cosmological volume. Reaching a dynamical range in excess of 10 million, the simulation follows the evolution of the gas structure from super-galactic scales all the way down to the outer edge of the accretion disk. Here, we focus on global instabilities in the self-gravitating, cold, turbulence-supported, molecular gas disk at the center of the model galaxy, which provide a natural mechanism for angular momentum transport down to sub-pc scales. The gas density profile follows a power-law scaling as r^-8/3, consistent with an analytic description of turbulence in a quasi-stationary circumnuclear disk. We analyze the properties of the disk which contribute to the instabilities, and investigate the significance of instability for the galaxy's evolution and the growth of a supermassive black hole at the center.Comment: 16 pages (includes appendix), submitted to ApJ. Figures here are at low resolution; for higher resolution version, download http://casa.colorado.edu/~levinerd/ms.pd

Elements of attention in HIV-infected adults: Evaluation of an existing model

Because of the multifactorial nature of neuropsychological tests, attention remains poorly defined from a neuropsychological perspective, and conclusions made regarding attention across studies may be limited due to the different nature of the measures used. Thus, a more definitive schema for this neurocognitive domain is needed. We assessed the applicability of Mirsky and Duncan\u27s (2001) neuropsychological model of attention to a cohort of 104 HIV+ adults. Our analysis resulted in a five-factor structure similar to that of previous studies, which explained 74.5% of the variance. However, based on the psychometric characteristics of the measures comprising each factor, we offer an alternative interpretation of the factors. Findings also indicate that one factor, which is generally not assessed in clinical neuropsychology settings, may be more predictive of real-world behaviors (such as medication adherence) than those composed of traditional measures. Suggestions for further research in this important area are discussed

Reaction Dynamics of CN Radicals in Acetonitrile Solutions

The bimolecular reactions that follow 267 nm ultraviolet photolysis of ICN in acetonitrile solution have been studied using transient absorption spectroscopy on the picosecond time scale. Time-resolved electronic absorption spectroscopy (TEAS) in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions observes rapid production and loss (with a decay time constant of 0.6 ± 0.1 ps) of the photolytically generated free CN radicals. Some of these radicals convert to a solvated form which decays with a lifetime of 8.5 ± 2.1 ps. Time-resolved vibrational absorption spectroscopy (TVAS) reveals that the free and solvated CN-radicals undergo geminate recombination with I atoms to make ICN and INC, H atom abstraction reactions, and addition reactions to solvent molecules to make C₃H₃N₂ radical species. These radical products have a characteristic absorption band at 2036 cm^–1 that shifts to 2010 cm^–1 when ICN is photolyzed in CD₃CN. The HCN yield is low, suggesting the addition pathway competes effectively with H atom abstraction from CH₃CN, but the delayed growth of the C₃H₃N₂ radical band is best described by reaction of solvated CN radicals through an unobserved intermediate species. Addition of methanol or tetrahydrofuran as a cosolute promotes H atom abstraction reactions that produce vibrationally hot HCN. The combination of TEAS and TVAS measurements shows that the rate-limiting process for production of ground-state HCN is vibrational cooling, the rate of which is accelerated by the presence of methanol or tetrahydrofuran

Recombination, Solvation and Reaction of CN Radicals Following Ultraviolet Photolysis of ICN in Organic Solvents

The fates of CN radicals produced by ultraviolet (UV) photolysis of ICN in various organic solvents have been examined by transient electronic and vibrational absorption spectroscopy (TEAS and TVAS). Near-UV and visible bands in the TEAS measurement enable direct observation of the CN radicals and their complexes with the solvent molecules. Complementary TVAS measurements probe the products of CN–radical reactions. Geminate recombination to form ICN and INC is a minor pathway on the 150 fs −1300 ps time scales of our experiments in the chosen organic solvents; nonetheless, large infrared transition dipole moments permit direct observation of INC that is vibrationally excited in the CN stretching mode. The time constants for INC vibrational cooling range from 30 ps in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to 1400 ps in more weakly interacting solvents such as chloroform. The major channel for CN removal in the organic solvents is reaction with solvent molecules, as revealed by depletion of solvent absorption bands and growth of product bands in the TVA spectra. HCN is a reaction product of hydrogen atom abstraction in most of the photoexcited solutions, and forms with vibrational excitation in both the C–H and CN stretching modes. The vibrational cooling rate of the CN stretch in HCN depends on the solvent, and follows the same trend as the cooling rate of the CN stretch in INC. However, in acetonitrile solution an additional reaction pathway produces C₃H₃N₂^• radicals, which release HCN on a much longer time scale

Factors associated with recovery from paraplegia in dogs with loss of pain perception in the pelvic limbs following intervertebral disk herniation

Abstract OBJECTIVE To investigate associations between recovery of locomotion and putative prognostic factors in dogs with loss of deep pain perception in the pelvic limbs caused by intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH). DESIGN Prospective cohort study. ANIMALS 78 client-owned dogs evaluated for IVDH that underwent spinal decompression surgery. PROCEDURES Dogs with complete loss of deep pain perception in the pelvic limbs and tail underwent routine examinations, advanced imaging, and spinal decompression surgery in accordance with standards of practice and owner consent. For each dog, information was prospectively collected on duration of clinical signs prior to onset of paraplegia; delay between onset of paraplegia and initial referral evaluation; date of recovery of locomotion, death, or euthanasia (3-month follow-up period); and whether dogs had received corticosteroid drugs before surgery. Severity of spinal cord compression at the lesion epicenter was measured via CT or MRI. RESULTS 45 of 78 (58%) of dogs recovered the ability to ambulate independently within 3 months after spinal decompression surgery. No evidence of prognostic value was identified for any of the investigated factors; importantly, a greater delay between onset of paraplegia and referral evaluation was not associated with a poorer prognosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In this group of dogs with IVDH, immediacy of surgical treatment had no apparent association with outcome. The prognosis for recovery may instead be strongly influenced by the precise nature of the initiating injury.</jats:p

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma in HIV: report of two cases

Primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma (PMLBCL) is a subtype of diffuse large B cell lymphoma arising in the mediastinum with distinctive clinical and morphological features. Though diffuse large B cell lymphoma is one of the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with AIDS, there are no data available regarding the association of HIV and PMLBCL. We report here two cases of PMLBCL arising in AIDS patients. In both cases, PMLBCL presented in a setting of low CD4 T-cell count as rapidly enlarging mediastinal mass. The morphologic and immunophenotypic findings are characteristic of PMLBCL. One of the two patients, a 25-year-old woman who had localized disease and evidence of Epstein–Barr virus in lymphoma cells, did not respond to chemotherapy and died of disease progression 5 months after diagnosis. The second patient, a 38-year-old male with disseminated disease, responded to therapy and is disease-free after 9 months of follow-up

A surface groove essential for viral Bcl-2 function during chronic infection in vivo

Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins inhibit apoptosis in cultured cells by binding BH3 domains of proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members via a hydrophobic BH3 binding groove on the protein surface. We investigated the physiological importance of the BH3 binding groove of an antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein in mammals in vivo by analyzing a viral Bcl-2 family protein. We show that the gamma-herpesvirus 68 (gammaHV68) Bcl-2 family protein (gammaHV68 v-Bcl-2), which is known to inhibit apoptosis in cultured cells, inhibits both apoptosis in primary lymphocytes and Bax toxicity in yeast. Nuclear magnetic resonance determination of the gammaHV68 v-Bcl-2 structure revealed a BH3 binding groove that binds BH3 domain peptides from proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members Bax and Bak via a molecular mechanism shared with host Bcl-2 family proteins, involving a conserved arginine in the BH3 peptide binding groove. Mutations of this conserved arginine and two adjacent amino acids to alanine (SGR to AAA) within the BH3 binding groove resulted in a properly folded protein that lacked the capacity of the wild-type gammaHV68 v-Bcl-2 to bind Bax BH3 peptide and to block Bax toxicity in yeast. We tested the physiological importance of this v-Bcl-2 domain during viral infection by engineering viral mutants encoding a v-Bcl-2 containing the SGR to AAA mutation. This mutation resulted in a virus defective for both efficient reactivation of gammaHV68 from latency and efficient persistent gammaHV68 replication. These studies demonstrate an essential functional role for amino acids in the BH3 peptide binding groove of a viral Bcl-2 family member during chronic infection