bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Human Serum Albumin on the Fluorescence Intensity and Tumor Imaging Properties of IR‐780 Dye
Authors: Long Lei , Tan Xu , Liu Zujuan , Liu Yunsheng , Cao Xiaohui , Shi Chunmeng
Published: October 2021

IR‐780 is a lipophilic dye with excellent optical and tumor imaging properties for early tumor diagnostics. Although the mechanism of tumor targeting has not been fully identified, the view that serum albumin plays an important role in tumor accumulation has been recognized. Here, the mechanism of the interaction between IR‐780 and HSA was studied to explore the effect of albumin on its tumor targeting properties. Data demonstrate that IR‐780 can be tightly adsorbed by HSA at a ratio of 1:1 to form a noncovalent complex, which exhibits significant improvement in the near‐infrared fluorescence imaging and tumor diagnosis capacity. During this process, the endogenous fluorescence and esterase activity of HSA are both partially inhibited by IR‐780, and the α‐helical content of HSA slightly increases. Molecular docking simulation displays that the binding site of IR‐780 on HSA is between subdomains IIA and IIB. These results indicate that HSA is an important factor to mediate the optical performance of IR‐780, giving it higher tumor diagnosis capability.
A natural two‐nucleotide deletion affirms role for NADPH oxidase in pathogenicity and perithecium formation in Fusarium graminearum species complex
Authors: Suga Haruhisa , Okumura Rina , Ikawa Maho , Shimizu Masafumi , Kageyama Koji
Published: October 2021

Members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex are known to cause head blight of wheat. A natural nonpathogenic mutant, strain Fa0233007, was found in the strain collection of the Japanese F. graminearum species complex. In addition, this strain cannot form perithecia. Complete linkage of these deficiencies in the progenies obtained from crossing a wild‐type strain and the mutant strain suggested that a single genomic locus was responsible for deficiencies in both traits. The locus was mapped to chromosome 1 using sequence‐tagged markers. An NADPH oxidase gene (NoxA, FGSG00739) was identified in the mapped region, and a 2‐bp deletion that results in premature termination of the open reading frame was detected in the gene. Both pathogenicity and perithecium formation were recovered by FGSG00739 complementation in the mutant strain.
Prioritizing dams for removal to advance restoration and conservation efforts in the western United States
Authors: Guetz Katie , Joyal Taylor , Dickson Brett , Perry Denielle
Published: October 2021

Dams are socio‐ecological structures fundamentally serving human population growth and economic development. Yet, dams have significantly reduced landscape connectivity, altered hydrologic and geomorphic dynamics, and are a leading cause of freshwater biodiversity decline. As dams age and are no longer used for their original intended purpose, they increasingly threaten both humans and ecosystems. Consequently, dam removal is an increasingly accepted strategy to restore river systems across the United States; since the 1970s, more than 1,400 dams have been removed. As the removal trend continues, important decisions must be made regarding which dams are still ecologically and economically viable and which are optimal for removal to facilitate restoration and subsequent protection. Therefore, it is critical to prioritize dams for removal where rivers, freshwater resources, and ecosystem services will benefit most. To that end, this study uses geospatial analysis and a multi‐criteria decision framework to evaluate dams suitable for removal in the western United States in watersheds with existing conservation priorities, and to examine watershed dynamics in which they are situated. Results reveal 24 top‐ranked dams no longer performing essential ecological and social functions as optimal sites for removal to restore waterways. Of these top‐ranked dams, four are already in the planning process for removal, indicating the model is performing as intended. These results are critical for managers and policymakers to understand where dam removals could enhance overall riverine connectivity and where river restoration could result in subsequent protection of newly free‐flowing river segments in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Enhancing (Publications on) Data Quality: Deeper Data Minding and Fuller Data Confession
Authors: Meng Xiao-Li
Published: October 2021

Statistics typically treats data as inputs for analysis, whereas the broader data science enterprise deals with the entire data life cycle, including the phases that output data. This commentary argues that it would benefit statistics and (data) science if we statisticians were also to treat data as products in and of themselves, and accordingly subject them to data minding, a stringent quality inspection process that scrutinizes data conceptualization, data pre-processing, data curation and data provenance, in addition to data collection, the traditional objective of our emphasis before data analysis. A concrete step in promoting deeper data minding is to encourage fuller data confession in (statistical) publications, that is, to entice—or at least not to disincentivize—the authors into providing more details on the genealogy of a given body of data, including an account of its deliberations, especially with respect to sources of adverse influence on data quality. The collection of articles in this special issue (on data science for societies) provides both the inspiration and aspiration for deeper data minding and fuller data confession.
Elucidating the meaning of life world phenomena. A phenomenological hermeneutical method for researching lived experience
Authors: Lindseth Anders , Norberg Astrid
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a phenomenological hermeneutical method for interpreting narrative texts is proposed. Interviewees are asked to tell from their lived experience of participating in life world phenomena. The interview texts are written down and analysed, inspired by the theory of interpretation of Paul Ricoeur, in three steps: a first, naïve reading, structural analysis and comprehensive understanding. The method was presented the first time in 2004. In this paper, the theory behind it is elaborated. Basic concepts like phenomenon, meaning, life world, lived experience and concrete reflection are clarified, and the historical background of the method and its ontology, epistemology and methodology are explained.
Soil salinity: A global threat to sustainable development
Authors: Singh Ajay
Published: October 2021

Soil is a vital resource for feeding the burgeoning global population, and it is also essential for realizing most of the ‘United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’. For example, it is vital to realizing the ‘Zero hunger (SDG2), Good health and well‐being (SDG3), Clean water and sanitation (SDG6), and Life on land (SDG15)’. Excess salts present in the soil make it saline, and it poses a significant threat to agricultural production and environmental health. Soil salinity is an extensive problem and spreads over one billion hectares extended over 100 countries. This paper presents a comprehensive review of global soil salinity management through the applications of remote sensing and GIS. All possible sources of relevant and current literature were accessed and more than 260 publications were collected and carefully analysed, for this review. The rationale and severity of the salinity problem are provided. The impact of salinity on plant yield and the effect of climate change on soil salinity are detailed. The salinity indicators and salinity monitoring and mapping are provided, and the global cases of soil salinity management through remote sensing and GIS applications under different agro‐hydro‐climatic environments are discussed, followed by a summary of conclusions and challenges along with future research directions. The analysis of past investigations showed that remote sensing strategy might be a practical approach to adequately assess plant response such as evapotranspiration under diverse salinity environments, yet it additionally has various difficulties. The lower spatial and temporal resolution of imagery may reason errors because of subpixel heterogeneity. However, with the improvement of the better‐resolution thermal infrared remote method, there is the possibility to spot spatial variations at a smaller scale.
Evaluation of LL‐37 in healing of hard‐to‐heal venous leg ulcers: A multicentric prospective randomized placebo‐controlled clinical trial
Authors: Mahlapuu Margit , Sidorowicz Adam , Mikosinski Jacek , Krzyżanowski Mikołaj , Orleanski Jakub , Twardowska‐Saucha Krystyna , Nykaza Andrzej , Dyaczynski Michal , Belz‐Lagoda Beata , Dziwiszek Grzegorz , Kujawiak Monika , Karczewski Marek , Sjöberg Folke , Grzela Tomasz , Wegrzynowski Adam , Thunarf Fredrik , Björk Jakob , Ekblom Jonas , Jawien Arkadiusz , Apelqvist Jan
Published: October 2021

Many patients with venous leg ulcers do not reach complete healing with compression treatment alone, which is current standard care. This clinical trial HEAL LL‐37 was a phase IIb double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study, with the aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new drug LL‐37 for topical administration, in combination with compression therapy, in 148 patients suffering from hard‐to‐heal venous leg ulcers. The study had three arms, consisting of two groups treated with LL‐37 at concentrations of 0.5 or 1.6 mg/mL, and a placebo cohort. Patients had a mean age of 67.6 years, a median ulcer duration of 20.3 months, and a mean wound size at the time of randomization of 11.6 cm2. Efficacy analysis performed on the full study population did not identify any significant improvement in healing in patients treated with LL‐37 as compared with the placebo. In contrast, a post hoc analysis revealed statistically significant improvement with LL‐37 treatment in several interrelated healing parameters in the subgroup of patients with large target wounds (a wound area of at least 10 cm2 at randomization), which is a known negative prognostic factor for healing. The study drug was well tolerated and safe in both dose strengths. In summary, this clinical trial did not detect any significant differences in healing of venous lower leg ulcers in the entire study cohort comparing patients treated with LL‐37 versus placebo. A subgroup analysis provided an interesting observation that LL‐37 could offer a treatment benefit in patients with large ulcers, exigently warranting a further study adequately powered to statistically assess the treatment outcome in this patient group.
Interjoint Coordination in Kicking a Moving Target: A Comparison Between Elite and Nonelite Taekwondo Players
Authors: Straiotto Bruno G. , Cook David P. , James Darren C. , Seeley P. John
Published: October 2021

Patterns of interjoint coordination in the kicking legs of taekwondo players were investigated to understand movement pattern variability as a functional property of skill level. Elite and nonelite players performed roundhouse kicks against a custom-built moving target fitted with an accelerometer, and movements were recorded by motion capture. Average foot segment velocities of 13.6 and 11.4 m/s were recorded for elite and nonelite players, respectively (P < .05), corresponding to target accelerations of 87.5 and 70.8g (P < .05). Gradient values derived from piecewise linear regression of continuous relative phase curves established the comparative incoordination of nonelite taekwondo players in the form of an overshoot behavior during the crucial period leading to target impact (P < .05). This overshoot was apparent in both knee–hip and ankle–knee continuous relative phase curves. Elite players generated greater limb speed and impact force through more effective limb segment coordination. The combination of continuous relative phase and piecewise linear regression techniques allowed identification of alternate joint control approaches in the 2 groups.
Structural basis for selective modification of Rho and Ras GTPases by
Clostridioides difficile
toxin B
Authors: Liu Zheng , Zhang Sicai , Chen Peng , Tian Songhai , Zeng Ji , Perry Kay , Dong Min , Jin Rongsheng
Published: October 2021

Diverse TcdB variants use a flexible structural platform to tune their specificity toward different GTPase substrates.
NAAA-regulated lipid signaling governs the transition from acute to chronic pain
Authors: Fotio Yannick , Jung Kwang-Mook , Palese Francesca , Obenaus Andre , Tagne Alex Mabou , Lin Lin , Rashid Tarif Ibne , Pacheco Romario , Jullienne Amandine , Ramirez Jade , Mor Marco , Spadoni Gilberto , Jang Cholsoon , Hohmann Andrea G. , Piomelli Daniele
Published: October 2021

The enzyme NAAA is a critical control node that offers a druggable target to prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain.
Subtle differences in the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 in rhesus macaques
Authors: Munster Vincent J. , Flagg Meaghan , Singh Manmeet , Yinda Claude Kwe , Williamson Brandi N. , Feldmann Friederike , Pérez-Pérez Lizzette , Schulz Jonathan , Brumbaugh Beniah , Holbrook Myndi G. , Adney Danielle R. , Okumura Atsushi , Hanley Patrick W. , Smith Brian J. , Lovaglio Jamie , Anzick Sarah L. , Martens Craig , van Doremalen Neeltje , Saturday Greg , de Wit Emmie
Published: October 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 do not cause more severe disease in rhesus macaques.
The Production of Anti-Penicillinase Immune Sera
Authors: Perlstein David , Liebmann Alfred J.
Published: October 2021

It has been found that an anti-penicillinase immune serum can be produced, in rabbits by the use of purified penicillinase as the antigen.

Anti-penicillinase serum is suggested as protection for penicillin from inactivation by penicillinase.
The Movement of Substances Through a Two-phased Solution System
Authors: Broyer T. C.
Published: October 2021

The tendencies for movement of either solvent or solute in solution through a two-phased system are expressed in terms of specific (volumed) free energies. These are based on the concept of escaping tendency or free energy of a constituent component of a solution. This scheme is particularly useful to the biologist for evaluating the movement of water and solutes into cells or organs.
Origin and Evolution of Meiosis
Authors: Cleveland L. R.
Published: October 2021

Due to an oversight, in my article on "Origin and Evolution of Meiosis" (
Science
, March 14, 1947) the words meiosis and fertilization in diagram 5 were transposed. The reading should have been "
gametogenesis, fertilization, meiosis
."
On Artificial Parthenogenesis in Sea Urchins
Authors: Loeb Jacques
Published: October 2021

IN No. 277 of SCIENCE, I stated that the MgCl
2
solution used in my experiments on artificial parthenogenesis was a 20/8
n
solution. I have since found that the assistant who made the Mg-solution used and who has left the laboratory must have made a mistake as the solution contained only about 120 g. of MgCl
2
in a liter. This does not affect my results, but might be an obstacle to the successful repetition of my experiments by others.
Erratum: Toxicity and the Chemical Properties of Ions
Authors: Seifriz William
Published: October 2021

In my communication "Toxicity and the Chemical Properties of Ions" in the August 19th issue of
Science
, the ionic field was printed as p
½
(p. 194, second column, third line from bottom). It should be r
½
, i.e. the reciprocal of the square of the ionic radius.
Effects of Magnesium and Tetraethylammonium Chloride on the Hypothermic Heart
Authors: Caldini Paolo , Bromberger-Barnea Baruch
Published: October 2021

Ventricular fibrillation was induced by the injection of magnesium chloride in isolated canine hearts as well as in intact animals. Ventricular magnesium tolerance was greatly reduced during hypothermia. Defibrillation was achieved by intracoronary injection of tetraethylammonium chloride and electrical shock, even at temperatures as low as 21°C, where it could not be achieved by other means.
Uranyl-Ion Exchange Resin Reaction and Demineralization
Authors: Miller Walter E.
Published: October 2021

Complex ion formation on an ion exchange resin with one ion of an electrolyte results in the release of exchange sites which are then available for the sorption of the remaining ion. The result is a demineralization with but one ion exchange resin. The exchange capacity of the resin is limited by the nature of the complex formed.
New Method for the Rapid Determination of Lathyrogenic Agents
Authors: Levy Barnet M.
Published: October 2021

Salamander and toad embryos will develop grossly observable tumors of the notochord if they are placed for 3 or more days in a solution of the lathyrism-producing chemicals beta-aminopropionitrile or aminoacetonitrile. A technique for using tumorigenesis in amphibian embryos as a biological indicator for other lathyrogenic agents is presented.
Instrumental Conditioning of Lemon Sharks
Authors: Clark Eugenie
Published: October 2021

Two sharks were trained to feed at a target which, when pressed, caused a submerged bell to ring. Later they were trained to press the target for remotely placed food. They retained this conditioned response after a 10-week period of inactivity.
Simple Method for Determining Potential Evapotranspiration from Temperature Data
Authors: Holdridge L. R.
Published: October 2021

A value for the total amount of water that, theoretically, could be lost from soil and vegetation through evaporation and transpiration, if sufficient soil moisture were always available, may be obtained readily by multiplying a given time-period factor by the sum of time-unit means of positive centigrade temperatures divided by the number of time units in the period.
Occurrence of Scandium-46 and Cesium-134 in Radioactive Fallout
Authors: Krieger H. L. , Groche D.
Published: October 2021

Two hitherto unreported induced radionuclides, scandium-46 and cesium-134, have been detected in fallout material. Identification was made by chemical separation and gamma scintillation spectrometry. While the origin of these materials is not known, possible routes of formation from stable elements are suggested.
Aragonite in the Resilium of Oysters
Authors: Stenzel H. B.
Published: October 2021

Aragonite (orthorhombic CaCO
3
) composes some of the fibers of the resilium of
Crassostrea virginica
(Gmelin).
Preliminary Results of Recent Deep Drilling on Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Authors: Koteff Carl , Cotton John E.
Published: October 2021

In 1961 a 1000-foot drill hole near Harwich on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, penetrated 435 feet of Pleistocene deposits above 50 to 60 feet of crystalline limestone and phyllitic schist, and more than 500 feet of phyllitic schist with abundant quartz veins. Similar rock is known in the Pennsylvanian and Precambrian (?) sections of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Material of Eocene age was found in earlier drilling near Provincetown, but none was identified from this hole.
Direct and Transcallosal Induction of Touch Memories in the Monkey
Authors: Ebner Ford F. , Myers Ronald E.
Published: October 2021

A monkey, after corpus callosum transection, will fail to recall through one hand tactual tasks that he has learned through the other hand. However, if a monkey has already learned a task through one hand, destruction of the corpus callosum does not greatly affect his subsequent recall of that task through the other hand. It is concluded that task learning through one hand develops separate memory trace systems in both hemispheres.
Antibody Quality after Sequential Immunization with Related Antigens
Authors: Gilden R. V. , Tokuda S.
Published: October 2021

The response to the second antigen of a sequence of two related antigens appears to consist of two qualitatively different antibody populations. Antibodies specific for the second antigen are of primary-response quality while the antibodies which cross-react with the first antigen are of secondary-response quality.
Transport of Neurohormones from the Corpora Cardiaca in Insects
Authors: Johnson Bruce , Bowers Blair
Published: October 2021

Evidence from electron microscope studies of aphid and cockroach nerves, and from the bioassay of extracts of the aortal nerves of cockroaches indicates that some neurohormones are distributed from the corpora cardiaca along nerve axons to their target organs.
Fertility Restoration and Its Inheritance in Cytoplasmic Male-Sterile Wheat
Authors: Livers Ronald W.
Published: October 2021

Male-sterile
Triticum aestivum
L. 'Bison,' possessing cytoplasm of
T. timopheevi
Zhuk., typically produces male-sterile progeny when pollinated with common wheat cultivars. A fertility restorer developed by transferring genes from
T. timopheevi
to
T. aestivum
produced fertile hybrids when used as the pollen parent in a cross with male-sterile Bison. Data on the F
2
and testcross plants indicate that two dominant genes, designated
Rf
1
and
Rf
2
, condition fertility in wheats with
T. timopheevi
cytoplasm.
Dechlorination of DDT by
Aerobacter aerogenes
Authors: Wedemeyer Gary
Published: October 2021

Dechlorination of DDT to DDD in higher animals requires the presence of molecular oxygen, but in microorganisms the presence of oxygen hinders dechlorination. In cell-free preparations of
Aerobacter aerogenes
, the use of selected metabolic inhibitors indicated that reduced Fe(II) cytochrome oxidase was responsible for DDT dechlorination. This finding may possibly explain. the persistence of DDT residues in soils and sediments.
Origin of Iridescent Colors on the Indigo Snake
Authors: Monroe E. A. , Monroe S. E.
Published: October 2021

In the indigo snake, a pattern of undulating lines on the surface of the skin, formed by the junction of rows of cells, acts as a two-dimensional optical diffraction grating to produce the play of colors. The distance between repetitive units of the pattern measured from observations made with an electron microscope are in agreement with those found by spectrometric analysis.
X-ray Diffraction: New High-Speed Technique Based on X-ray Spectrography
Authors: Giessen Bill C. , Gordon Glen E.
Published: October 2021

A method has been developed for obtaining lattice spacings of powder samples by x-ray diffraction in times potentially as short as 1 second. The sample is irradiated with polychromatic radiation from an x-ray tube, and the energy spectrum of x-rays scattered at a given angle is observed with a semiconductor radiation detector, coupled with a pulse-height analyzer.
Histone Structure: Asymmetric Distribution of Lysine Residues in Lysine-rich Histone
Authors: Bustin Michael , Rall S. C. , Stellwagen Robert H. , Cole R. David
Published: October 2021

Structural studies on a very lysine-rich histone show that the carboxyl-terminal half of the molecule is enriched in lysine (and proline), which suggests that it is a site for binding to DNA. The amino-terminal half, containing most of the acidic residues, resembles small, nonhistone proteins and so might have specificity for factors other than DNA.
Migrating Birds Respond to Project Seafarer's Electromagnetic Field
Authors: Larkin Ronald P. , Sutherland Pamela J.
Published: October 2021

Radar tracking of individual migrating birds flying over a large alternating-current antenna system showed that the birds turned or changed altitude more frequently when the antenna system was operating than when it was not. These results suggest that birds sense low-intensity alternating-current electromagnetic fields during nocturnal migratory flight.
Cholera Toxin Crystals Suitable for X-ray Diffraction
Authors: Sigler Paul B. , Druyan Mary Ellen , Kiefer Helen Chilton , Finkelstein Richard A.
Published: October 2021

Large crystals of the cholera toxin were grown; their dimensions, symmetry (
P
2
1
), order, and resistance to radiation make them ideally suited for a high-resolution x-ray structure determination. There is one molecule (approximately 84,000 daltons) per asymmetric unit, and therefore the lattice reveals no molecular symmetry. Two distinct bioassays indicate that the protein from dissolved crystals retains full biological activity.
Tumor resistance to alkylating agents conferred by mechanisms operative only in vivo
Authors: Teicher BA , Herman TS , Holden SA , Wang YY , Pfeffer MR , Crawford JW , Frei E
Published: October 2021

EMT-6 murine mammary tumors were made resistant to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP), carboplatin, cyclophosphamide (CTX), or thiotepa in vivo by treatment of tumor-bearing animals with the drug during a 6-month period. In spite of high levels of in vivo resistance, no significant resistance was observed when the cells from these tumors were exposed to the drugs in vitro. The pharmacokinetics of CDDP and CTX were altered in animals bearing the respective resistant tumors. The resistance of all tumor lines except for the EMT-6/thiotepa decreased during 3 to 6 months in vivo passage in the absence of drugs. These results indicate that very high levels of resistance to anticancer drugs can develop through mechanisms that are expressed only in vivo.
The calcium channel blocker nifedipine attenuates slow excitatory amino acid neurotoxicity
Authors: Weiss JH , Hartley DM , Koh J , Choi DW
Published: October 2021

High concentrations of potent N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) agonists can trigger degeneration of cultured mouse cortical neurons after an exposure of only a few minutes; in contrast, selective non-NMDA agonists or low levels of NMDA agonists require exposures of several hours to induce comparable damage. The dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist nifedipine was used to test whether this slow neurotoxicity is mediated by a calcium influx through voltage-gated channels. Nifedipine had little effect on the widespread neuronal degeneration induced by brief exposure to high concentrations of NMDA but substantially attenuated the neurotoxicity produced by 24-hour exposure to submaximal concentrations of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate, kainate, or quinolinate. Calcium ion influx through dihydropyridine-sensitive, voltage-dependent calcium channels may be an important step in the neuronal injury induced by the prolonged activation of NMDA or non-NMDA glutamate receptors.
Bringing Research and Teaching Back Together
Authors: Stone Richard
Published: October 2021

Reef-building corals have poured the foundations for spectacular underwater edifices that house one quarter of all marine species. Scientists have long thought that, like many powerful architects, corals exploited lowly helpers, in this case using symbiotic algae to boost the rate at which they lay down carbonate to form these reefs. But new evidence on
page. 637
; indicates that, far from being lowly workers, the algae might actually be in charge.
Legislators Get Into the Details
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

Before taking a 1-week holiday break, Congress moved ahead last week on several spending bills for 1997 that affect science. Its actions reinforce the idea that the overall federal R & D budget is built not so much on a grand vision for research but rather as a response to the demands of powerful legislators and their constituents.
Live Long and Prosper?
Authors: Roush Wade
Published: October 2021

There 's no doubt that populations in the United States and elsewhere in the developed world are growing older, threatening to overwhelm government-supported benefits programs. But demographers differ sharply on just how big the challenge will be. They cite major uncertainties about how fast the over-65 age group will grow, as well as about whether increased life-spans will be accompanied by prolonged health or simply more years of disability and decline. There are also uncertainties about whether families will be able to take up the slack and support their elderly members if government pension and health benefit programs have to be scaled back.

More information about many aspects of aging can be accessed at the following Web sites:
http://www.psc.lsa.umich.edu/aging/others.html;
http://www.dml.georgetown.edu/places/ger.html
) and
http://www.nih.gov/nia.
For the Cortex, Neuron Loss May Be Less Than Thought
Authors: Wickelgren Ingrid
Published: October 2021

Just a decade ago, almost all neuroscientists thought the brain inexorably loses neurons with age, ultimately leading to serious cognitive difficulties. But there is growing evidence that in normal brains (as opposed to those of people with Alzheimer's disease), the neocortex, the brain area governing much of human cognition, may not experience large neuronal losses. Instead, the cognitive declines that occur with normal aging may be due to more subtle changes, such as loss of myelin and decreases in either neurotransmitters or their receptors. Not everyone accepts the idea that cortical neurons are maintained, but if it is correct it may open the door to the development of drugs to improve cognitive functioning in the aged.
Searching for Drugs That Combat Alzheimer's
Authors: Marx Jean
Published: October 2021

Within the past few years, neuroscientists have seen the first signs that it may be possible to prevent or delay the devastating neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease. Currently, only one drug is approved for treating Alzheimer's patients, and it is only modestly effective in reducing their symptoms. But epidemiological studies, as well as studies of neurons in lab culture, suggest that other drugs, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and the female hormone estrogen, can protect against the neuronal losses of the disease, and clinical trials with these agents are getting under way. In addition, several other potential therapeutic drugs are beginning to move through the pipeline. All in all, Alzheimer's researchers say they are more optimistic than they have been in a long time.

For more information on Alzheimer's disease, visit the
Alzheimer's Association's
Web site.
Russian Scientists Gain Legal Rights . . .
Authors: Allakhverdov Andrey
Published: October 2021

Moscow—In mid-July, just as Russia's parliament was winding down for its summer recess, politicians provided a double bonus for the country's scientists: The parliament finally passed the long-awaited federal science law that will guarantee scientists freedom of access to unclassified information and freedom to publish and apply for grants without having to gain permission from their bosses. At virtually the same time, the science ministry presented its Doctrine for the Development of Russian Science, an outline for the management of research, that was adopted by special presidential decree after an 18-month delay. Scientists and government officials consider both documents to be milestones.
Fast Lanes on the Internet
Authors: Germain Ellen
Published: October 2021

Congestion on the Internet has put a hold on many of scientists' most ambitious visions for its use—operating telescopes or other instruments from a distance or collaborating in real time to run models or analyze large data sets. To open up Internet capacity for these and other uses, some network experts would like to establish fast lanes: mechanisms for offering high bandwidth and prompt service to those who need it while leaving e-mail and other services that can tolerate delays to fend for themselves on congested lines. Such schemes are already being tested on some parts of the Internet. Computers/Math
Science Holds On in New Budget
Authors: da Silva Wilson
Published: October 2021

Melbourne—Australia's research community breathed a little easier last week after the newly elected conservative government issued a budget that protected science from the wholesale cuts many had predicted. One important agency that will escape the ax is Australia's national science agency, the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization). Even so, most research institutions will be squeezed by reductions in administration and other costs, and universities—which are responsible for a large part of the country's research effort—are preparing for a 5% cut in total government support over the next 3 years. “[The budget] is basically telling people to forget it if they want a career in science,” says John Rice, president of the Australian Council of Deans of Science.
New R&D Chief Asserts His Authority
Authors: Allakhverdov Andrey , Pokrovsky Vladimir
Published: October 2021

Moscow—The new head of Russian science, physicist Vladimir Fortov, has moved quickly to assert control over the country's far-flung research enterprise despite a recent government reshuffling that dismantled the ministry of science and technology and assigned its functions to a lower level state committee. In interviews with
Science
and a local radio station last week, Fortov made it clear that R&D policy will be set by the new committee and that the power struggle between the former science minister, Boris Saltykov, and the Russian Academy of Sciences is history.
NIH Up, for Now; Fusion Down
Authors: Lawler Andrew , Marshall Eliot
Published: October 2021

The same day—12 September—that fusion research took a 5% cut, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget got a 4.1% boost. Neither community reacted too loudly to the news, however. “We are grateful—it could have been much worse,” says Anne Davies, who heads the Department of Energy effort, about the vote in the House on what is expected to be DOE's 1997 budget. As for NIH, the increase by a Senate panel falls between the Administration's request and an earlier House vote. But prospects for a final spending bill are clouded by a $6 billion gap between what the president wants to spend on education and health and what Congress has supported.
Funding Delay Spawns Hunger Strike
Authors: Allakhverdov Andrey , Pokrovsky Vladimir
Published: October 2021

Moscow--Two Russian scientists began a hunger strike last week to protest continuing delays in paying employee salaries at the roughly 300 institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). And, adding a new dimension to their cause, a government audit of RAS finances has found that up to a quarter of the money earmarked for salaries last winter was diverted to other uses by RAS officials. "The champing hog of the Mafia capitalism is already crunching the bones of science," says one striker, academician Vladimir Strakhov, about the government's failure to keep its promise to spend at least 4% of the country's budget on research.
Paper-Trail Cleanup Memo Sparks Furor
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: October 2021

A memo telling scientists to destroy files and documents that don't reflect final regulatory rules is provoking a furor at the California Environmental Protection Agency. After environmental and journalistic organizations filed a lawsuit last week, agency officials put the proposed policy on hold. But critics claim that the “shredder” policy is an attempt to stifle scientific debate on sensitive environmental issues.
NSF, Academy to Rank U.S. Mathematics
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: October 2021

The National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation are putting the final touches on separate plans to compare U.S. efforts in mathematics with those of the rest of the world
Livermore Settles Audit for $2.7 Million
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

The University of California has paid the U.S. government $2.7 million after an investigation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found a pattern of shifting money among projects to mask cost overruns. The university runs the 44-year-old nuclear weapons lab, which is owned by the federal government.
NASA Slices Biology Program on Station
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

NASA has cut in half its planned funding of gravitational biology—the scientific centerpiece of the international space station—in an effort to find enough money to build the station itself. The sharp reduction in the $500 million program has evoked cries of outrage from U.S. life scientists, who say their research has fallen victim to unexpected construction costs and technical problems.
EU Stops Fiddling While Cows Burn
Authors: O'Brien Claire
Published: October 2021

London—After spending billions of dollars to slaughter cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy—"mad cow disease"—and compensate farmers for their lost herds, the European Union announced last week that it will spend $63.5 million on research into BSE, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, and scrapie in sheep.
The Human Gene Hunt Scales Up
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: October 2021

Researchers should soon have access to a wealth of new information on expressed genes. On 22 November, the National Cancer Institute's Board of Scientific Advisers authorized $19 million in extramural funding for a project to develop technologies for high-volume gene analysis and sequencing full-length complementary DNAs (cDNAs)—the DNA of expressed genes. Several public and private outfits are also gearing up to sequence cDNAs, and The Institute for Genomic Research will soon open up its vast database of fragments of cDNA.
Hubble Gives a Quasar House Tour
Authors: Vogel Gretchen
Published: October 2021

The sharp-eyed Hubble Space Telescope has yielded clear images of the distant galaxies that host quasars. These brilliant beacons are found in everything from irregular galaxies undergoing violent collisions to seemingly quiet, regular spirals.
Hubbub at a Cartwheel's Center
Authors: Vogel Gretchen
Published: October 2021

Dramatic images from the Hubble Space Telescope reveal the details of a galaxy that was distorted into the shape of a wagon wheel when a smaller galaxy plunged into it. The images show massive balls of gas reeling like comets around the galaxy's center. Presumably formed from the debris of the cataclysm, the megacomets may help scientists better understand the strange physics of galactic collisions.
Scientists Angle for Answers
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: October 2021

Two new studies of gender-bent fish shed light on the unfolding controversy over endocrine-disrupting chemicals. One study finds that fish from many U.S. streams are turning up with unusual levels of sex hormones. The other suggests that, in many cases, hormones found in women's urine—not synthetic chemicals—may be derailing the fishes' sexual developmental processes.
A Correction
Authors: Bogert Marston T.
Published: October 2021

Note upon page 444 of the May 16 issue of SCIENCE abstract of a paper submitted by me at the recent meeting of the National Academy of Sciences and entitled "Researches in the terephthalic acid group."

Through an unfortunate error, the name of my collaborator in this research, Dr. Philip S. Nisson, was in some way omitted in entering the item on the program of the academy, and I shall be glad to have you publish this brief note in SCIENCE calling attention to the fact
The Occurrence of Viable Cotton Root-Rot Sclerotia in Nature
Authors: Neal D. C.
Published: October 2021

Viable sclerotia of the cotton root-rot fungus,
Phymatotrichum omnivorum,
have been found under natural conditions in the soil of infested cotton fields in Texas, showing that this fungus is a soil organism not restricted to living roots of susceptible host plants, but having an independent means of over-wintering and dissemination.
The Role of Calcium in Carcinogenesis Summary
Authors: Carruthers Christopher , Suntzeff V.
Published: October 2021

Estimations of the calcium content of the mouse epidermis during the process of experimental carcinogenesis reveal two distinct phases: an immediate reduction in the calcium content which persists at a fairly constant level for many weeks and a further reduction when the epithelial cells have been transformed into cancer cells. Reduction of calcium in the hyperplastic epidermis is an important feature in this experimentally induced precancerous condition.

This investigation was aided by grants from the International Cancer Research Foundation and the National Cancer Institute.
Maya Hieroglyphs.—A Correction
Authors: Cresson H. T.
Published: October 2021

In my first article on the "Interpretation of Maya Hieroglyphs by their Phonetic Elements" (
Science
, Dec. 15, 1893), p. 325, 2d col., 3d line from bottom, for 162 read 102; p. 327, 2d col., 5th line, for 123 read 125; 43d line, for 136 read 128, 129; p. 328, 1st col., 32d line, for mout read mouth; 4th line from bottom, for 84 read 86; 20th line from bottom, for 166 read 167; 21st line from bottom, for 165 read 166; fig. 35 should have been given in the illustration, but was omitted from the drawing sent. It is composed of three squares, similar to those given in fig 128, and has the phonetic value xa v/s, sha v/s, cha v/s.
No evidence for dominance–discovery trade-offs in Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages
Authors: Klunk Cristian L. , Pie Marcio R.
Published: October 2021

Understanding the mechanisms that allow species coexistence across spatial scales is of great interest to ecologists. Many such proposed mechanisms involve trade-offs between species in different life-history traits, with distinct trade-offs being expected to be prevalent at varying temporal and spatial scales. The dominance–discovery trade-off posits that species differ in their ability to find and use resources quickly, in contrast to their ability to monopolize those resources, a mechanism analogous to the competition-colonization trade-off. We investigated the occurrence of this structuring mechanism in the genus Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages in Atlantic Forest remnants. According to the dominance–discovery trade-off, consistent interspecific variation should be observed along the axis of discovery and dominance. We established 55 sampling units across two sites, with each unit consisting of a sardine bait monitored for 3 h. There was no distinction among Pheidole species in their ability to find or dominate food sources, suggesting that the dominance–discovery trade-off does not explain their coexistence. The low levels of aggression between Pheidole species could prevent the establishment of dominance hierarchies, whereas the species order of arrival at food sources could allow for resource partitioning through priority effects.
Adaptive Fuzzy Game-Based Energy-Efficient Localization in 3D Underwater Sensor Networks
Authors: Yuan Yali , Liang Chencheng , Chen Xu , Baker Thar , Fu Xiaoming
Published: October 2021

Numerous applications in 3D underwater sensor networks (UWSNs), such as pollution detection, disaster prevention, animal monitoring, navigation assistance, and submarines tracking, heavily rely on accurate localization techniques. However, due to the limited batteries of sensor nodes and the difficulty for energy harvesting in UWSNs, it is challenging to localize sensor nodes successfully within a short sensor node lifetime in an unspecified underwater environment. Therefore, we propose the Adaptive Energy-Efficient Localization Algorithm (Adaptive EELA) to enable energy-efficient node localization while adapting to the dynamic environment changes. Adaptive EELA takes a fuzzy game-theoretic approach, whereby the Stackelberg game is used to model the interactions among sensor and anchor nodes in UWSNs and employs the adaptive neuro-fuzzy method to set the appropriate utility functions. We prove that a socially optimal Stackelberg–Nash equilibrium is achieved in Adaptive EELA. Through extensive numerical simulations under various environmental scenarios, the evaluation results show that our proposed algorithm accomplishes a significant energy reduction, e.g., 66% lower compared to baselines, while achieving a desired performance level in terms of localization coverage, error, and delay.
Graphs Identified by Logics with Counting
Authors: Kiefer Sandra , Schweitzer Pascal , Selman Erkal
Published: October 2021

We classify graphs and, more generally, finite relational structures that are identified by 

C^2

, that is, two-variable first-order logic with counting. Using this classification, we show that it can be decided in almost linear time whether a structure is identified by

C^2

. Our classification implies that for every graph identified by this logic, all vertex-colored versions of it are also identified. A similar statement is true for finite relational structures.

We provide constructions that solve the inversion problem for finite relational structures in linear time. By a result due to Otto, this problem has been known to be polynomial-time solvable. For graphs, we conclude that every 

C^2

-equivalence class contains a representative whose orbits are exactly the classes of the 

C^2

-partition of its vertex set and which has a single automorphism witnessing this fact.

We show that such statements are not true for general

k

by providing examples of graphs of order linear in 

k

which are identified by 

C^3

, but for which the orbit partition is strictly finer than the 

C^k

-partition. We also construct identified graphs which have vertex-colored versions that are not identified by 

C^k

.
Taming the Errors in Cross-Technology Communication: A Probabilistic Approach
Authors: Guo Xiuzhen , He Yuan , Zhang Jia , Jiang Haotian , Yu Zihao , Na Xin
Published: October 2021

Cross-Technology Communication (CTC) emerges as a technology to enable direct communication across different wireless technologies. The state of the art on CTC employs physical-level emulation. Due to the protocol incompatibility and the hardware restriction, there are intrinsic emulation errors between the emulated signals and the legitimate signals. Unresolved emulation errors hurt the reliability of CTC and the achievable throughput, but how to improve the reliability of CTC remains a challenging problem. Taking the CTC from WiFi to BLE as an example, this work first presents a comprehensive understanding of the emulation errors. We then propose WEB, a practical CTC approach that can be implemented with commercial devices. The core design of WEB is split encoding: based on the probabilistic distribution of emulation errors, the WiFi sender manipulates its payload to maximize the successful decoding rate at the BLE receiver. We implement WEB and evaluate its performance with extensive experiments. Compared to two existing approaches, WEBee and WIDE, WEB reduces the SER (Symbol Error Rate) by 54.6% and 42.2%, respectively. For the first time in the community, WEB achieves practically effective CTC from WiFi to BLE, with an average throughput of 522.2 Kbps.
Semi-Supervised Ensemble Learning for Dealing with Inaccurate and Incomplete Supervision
Authors: Nashaat Mona , Ghosh Aindrila , Miller James , Quader Shaikh
Published: October 2021

In real-world tasks, obtaining a large set of noise-free data can be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, recent research tries to enable machine learning to work with weakly supervised datasets, such as inaccurate or incomplete data. However, the previous literature treats each type of weak supervision individually, although, in most cases, different types of weak supervision tend to occur simultaneously. Therefore, in this article, we present Smart MEnDR, a Classification Model that applies Ensemble Learning and Data-driven Rectification to deal with inaccurate and incomplete supervised datasets. The model first applies a preliminary phase of ensemble learning in which the noisy data points are detected while exploiting the unlabelled data. The phase employs a semi-supervised technique with maximum likelihood estimation to decide on the disagreement rate. Second, the proposed approach applies an iterative meta-learning step to tackle the problem of knowing which points should be made correct to improve the performance of the final classifier. To evaluate the proposed framework, we report the classification performance, noise detection, and the labelling accuracy of the proposed method against state-of-the-art techniques. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework in detecting noise, providing correct labels, and attaining high classification performance.